The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us that how important is our health and our healthy lifestyle. It’s not the money in your bank accounts or huge insurance cover that helped fight the pandemic but our immunity developed from healthy lifestyle. The pandemic claimed the lives of many billionaires and influential people. Their money or power did not come to their rescue.
So, what is healthy lifestyle?
The basic purpose behind all human endeavours is to achieve happiness. According to Indian value system, a person has four purusharthas (objects of human pursuit) – Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (desires) and Moksha (realization of god). All these elements are important for a person to lead a meaningful life.
So, to achieve a meaningful life, what is the tool we have? Ayurveda says: Sariramadyam khalu dharma sadhanam: meaning, body is the prime instrument for achieving dharma. That means, a healthy body is very important for leading a happy life and achieving our goals in life.
How can we gain good health?
Balanced and nutritious food, daily exercise and sound and adequate sleep are the foundations of healthy living. A healthy lifestyle keeps you fit, energetic and at reduced risk for disease. Health is about physical, mental and social well-being too.
Eat healthy: World famous naturopath Ann Wigmore says: “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” Food is very important to maintain good health. Our daily intake should have adequate vitamins, carbohydrate, protein and water.
Exercise: Ourmodern lifestyle demands that we need to burn our extra calories through exercise. Carrying extra weight increases your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cancer. Exercises make your body more flexible and agile.
Sleep: One of themajor health problems faced by people is lack of adequate sleep. Sleep is very important for brain and body. Memory consolidation and appetite regulation also occur during this time of reduced physical activity. Seven to nine hours of night sleep daily is considered an optimum for most individuals for a healthy lifestyle.
Stress: Modern lifestyle has brought with it stress and related issues. While some stress is necessary, excess can lead to various health problems. If you don’t relieve this excessively stressful state through relaxation, the effects build and can create muscular pain, headaches, sleep disturbances and other symptoms. Bad habits such as excessive alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity and junk foods and smoking add to the stress.
Live natural and spiritual
Modern consumerist and materialistic lifestyle is taking a heavy toll on our lives. It impacts our personal and social lives in many ways. At this juncture, it is important to stay focused, balanced and live natural. We need to draw ourselves closer to the nature and our true selves. Live in harmony with nature and the five elements from which the human body is made of.
Spirituality is a way of life. Control of mind, sense organs and unbridled desires is the most important requirement for a spiritual life.
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