Healthy Habits for Longevity
‘A sound mind creates sound health.’ This is true, if we ourselves check our daily diet we will realise that we are eating without thinking. No harm in that but when we grow our bodily needs change as well. So why not opt for those food stuffs that will not harm our metabolism and will be a good habit, as it is difficult to change ones’ habit.
Eating is a pang experienced in different quantum. So it is better to know your own body. For example if one has already had a good heavy breakfast, he can have a light lunch and so on. Same thing goes for the entire day.Have breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince, snacks like a child and dinner like an ascetic. When everything is balanced and well co-ordinated, your shelf life increases; not only the quantity but also the quality.
Moreover, have five meals a day, small and nutritious. Remember whatever you eat you need to shed as well, so never stop eating. A meal of fruits and salads is a must. Add nuts and dry fruits to them as well. You may even soak raisins, figs and sweet dry fruits in the night and have the soaked water in the morning. Soaked fruits do not increase the sugar level. The soaked water is rich source of fibre and vitamin. Your skin will glow if you judiciously keep having dry fruits.
Apart from fresh and dry fruits, have half-cooked vegetables or steamed ones. It is easy to digest and does not form acid in the body. Also take fibre and carbohydrate than protein in your diet. Growing kids need protein for building muscles; above 25, stick to calcium, fibre and carbohydrates. They provide strength to the muscle and repair the body. Milk and yoghurt is also a good source of calcium and protein, vitamin B12 and B6. It’s good to have it in summers.
Avoid tin and canned food, as they contain artificial colours, sweeteners and flavours. Go to the market and buy fresh vegetables. You can even use sprouts and pulses. Use some oil as well when cooking. Less fat in the body is a major cause of hair fall. Use spices and their paste with optimum amount of salt and sugar. You may use brown sugar instead of refined. Jaggery is the best source of natural sugar. Avoid sweeteners as the body need salt and sugar. This increases your immunity level.
Avoid cigarettes and hard drinks, it affects the digestion of your body and kills you slowly, the compounds in it are not water soluble. So they take time to break down else they get accumulated in Liver. Avoid carbonated drinks with meals rather fresh fruit juice is good and natural option.
Walking and power exercises are the other two great steps to enhance your longevity. Walking on the grass and sand is also beneficial. It controls the stress levels and controls Hypertension. Power exercises are those exercises that need no weights or machines.
Like aerobics they need free body movements, making you and your body more flexible. This increases your muscles’ mobility. It also makes your bones strong thus you can easily avoid sprain and fractures.
Outdoor games and swimming are also another option to increase your body’s resistance power. It makes you strong. You may even opt for yoga, vipassana, zen meditation. In this way you will learn to restrain your urges and pangs and not control. As to live life fully one needs a holistic perspective, one has to find the right alignment of mind, body and soul.
