What is Health?
World health organization believes that health is not merely absence of diseases but a state of physical mental, psychological, social & spiritual well being.
Why this generation in 21st century needs to follow the life style changes and participate in wellness activities?
Over the centuries the cause of death has changed. In early civilization the major cause of death was violence due to natural calamities and war with dawn of civilization man began to live in communities and due to poor sanitation and living conditions the major killer become infectious disease such as cholera, plague etc with advent of antibiotics we have reached a situation where most communicable diseases are eradicated.
With the 21st century a new spectrum of death become epidemic and the major killer is not natural calamities, war and infection, the major killer is modern lifestyle accounting for almost 80% of deaths world wide today, obesity; lack of physical activity and exercise; mental stresses and tension, pollution, alcohol and smoking are the major culprits, which manifest themselves innocently as high blood pressure, diabetes or hyperlipidimia and then without warning strike fatally as heart attack, or cancer.
The first defensive step therefore is not through more hospitals, more physicians more sophisticated and expensive equipments but through prevention and teaching people preventive care it was not so much that people dying; they are killing themselves!
With proper weight, proper diet, proper exercise, controlling blood pressure & cholesterol and eliminating the use of tobacco and use of safety rules we can controlled the risk of heart diseases cancer and HIV etc.
The Rules of Good Health
A. Medical check ups
It is important for all including children to have a medical check up at least once a year. The reason is that the human body is capable of 100% efficiency even with 99% debility and most of the modern ailments such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, etc are all silent and have no symptoms. A medical check up helps the individual to identify the current health status and other ailments if treated early can be controlled. If left untreated they can result in heart attack and other killers.
B. Nutrition
The second rule of good health is to eat the right food in the right quantities. We all know that too much sugar is associated with diabetes, too much salt is associated with high blood pressure, too much fat is associated with heart diseases and eating commercially prepared foods is associated with cancer. We all know high fiber diet comprising vegetables and fruits as protective against all these ailments. Accordingly we should eat a balance diet food should be taken in the following ratio
Grain & cereals -40%
Vegetables & fruits -35%
Dairy products -10%
Meats/ Dhal -10%
Other foods -5%
Foods to avoid :
Excess salt, excess sugar and commercially prepared foods. It is also important to eat less(calories ) rather than more and the best way to do is large breakfast, a moderate lunch and dinner will be very light.
C. Exercise
Excess food intake results in obesity which in turn causes blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and other ailments and even while it is important to eat moderately, it is equally important that one should do exercise every day in order to keep body healthy and fit. A fit and healthy body ensures that we do not get any ailments like arthritis spondeolosis, back ailments, cardiac ailments etc. the daily exercise programme may be for about an hour and should comprises of (according to age and capacity) aerobic activity like aerobics, walking, jogging to strengthen the heart and lungs, free hand exercises for muscles and joints and for those who knows yoga free hand exercise can be substituted with yoga. Weight training and gym exercise is very important to build the strength and to maintain the optimal efficiency of the body and posture. According to American college of sport medicine exercise should be done 5 days a week, 3 days cardiovascular workouts and two days strength workouts. Cardiovascular work out should be done at our Target hear zone (vo2 max) and 80% of our max weight for strength building.
D. Stress
If physical activities are important for good health, then mental relaxation is also very important. Mental tension and stress cause a whole range of psychosomatic ailments including Headaches, Insomnia, Asthma, Ulcer, Blood pressure, Sexual dysfunctions etc. stress is caused due to problems relating to work, Home, daily routine crisis and even personality. While the effects of stress can be reduced by daily exercise the more acknowledged method of stress management is meditation / yognidra. Sleep is perhaps the most important means of relaxation.
E. Dependencies
The major cause of cancer is smoking. Other causes include an in appropriate diet, excessive alcohol intake, environmental pollution and occupation hazards including dust, radiation, chemicals etc. certainly these must be avoided but giant steps can be taken to reduce cancer by simply managing alcohol to not more than two drinks a day and quitting smoking completely. Avoiding drugs.
F. Safety
Safety is very important factor. Safety compliance such as wearing helmets, using seat belts, keeping with in the speed limits, not utilizing alcohol before driving etc, will go a long way in reducing automobile accidents which is the major killer for the young group. If automobile safety is important than sexual safety is perhaps more important and lack of sexual safety has resulted in spectrum of HIV, which promises to be the biggest killer in future. A.P is second 2nd position in India. In order to contain this menace is important that we adhere to a monogamous sexual relationship and the use of condoms in those situations where we fail to mandatory. Keeping mind that more than 50% commercial sexual workers are HIV positive.
I have identified some simple rules of good health which are, to have a medical check up, to eat the right food in right quantities, to do some exercise, to manage stress, to quit smoking and to adhere to all rules of safety.
S.NADEEMUDDIN
Former International hockey player
Certified Reebok fitness instructor
Certified preventive and promotive health care practitioner
CEO - Active Life Consulting
Cell- 9849345798
nadeem@activelifeglobal.in
www.activelifeglobal.in
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