The WHO (World Health Organization) defines healthiness as “State of complete physical, mental and social well being encompassing the ability to achieve full potential, deal with crises and meet environmental challenges and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Although there are many definitions of healthiness, such as freedom from physical disease and pain, or the condition of an organism or one of its parts in which it performs its vital functions normally or properly, the ultimate should be the condition of being sound in body, mind and spirit.
These three fundamental links of healthy life are based on eating habits, body composition and behavior. The transitions in them at an appropriate level lead to optimal health.
Our eating habits include what we eat, when we eat and why we eat, and how much we eat. Our metabolism? (Choose MyPlate.gov)
Our body composition depends upon how much water we drink, how much exercise we do, whether our exercise is focused to a realistic target and whether we watch the results.
Our behavior depends upon how we adapt to physical and internal stress; whether we breath enough; how much we try to keep ourselves happy; how well do we communicate.
Are we healthy?
Apparently, if we look good or feel good, have no disease and pain, look slim, BMI is normal; we may say that we are healthy. It is not always true. If one identifies how much fat our body has to keep the body functions to carry on, we get an indication about the present and future state of healthiness.
American Council of Exercise suggests the acceptable range of body fat % for men is 21-25, women-25-31. International Diabetic Federation suggests that waist size for men to be less than 38 inches, and for women to be less than 32 inches. However these pointer reference standards do not mean healthy, as they are rising drastically. Therefore these markers of healthiness should be critically followed to have healthy, vibrant, active, and satisfied life or optimal health.
Ask yourselves if you are in reactive care. That is, are you treated for low energy, headaches, anxiety, skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis), puffy eyelids, difficulty sleeping, hangover feeling in the morning, persistent sinus problems? If so, something is wrong with fundamentals of health and basic health.
To change these symptoms, following are the fundamentals.-
1) Adequate sleep (8-10 hours)
During sleep Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is released that stimulates growth and cell production, promotes muscle building by burning fat, helps keeping skin young, promotes strong bones.
Leptin, an appetite suppressant is produced which stimulates growth and cell production, helps control hunger pangs, helps control carbohydrate craving.
2) Adequate Exercise: An exercise burns calories, builds lean muscles (HGH increased), slows the aging process, de-stresses body and works great to reduce mood swings and adapt better. The deep breathing, stretching, visualization, meditation are other modes to de-stress the body and mind.
3) Drinking water: Water is the main component of our body. About 84% of the body is fluid. It suppresses water pangs, enhances metabolism, reduces water retention, enhances muscle stimulation, cleanses the system, lubricates joints, and hydrates cells. Hence the rule of thumb is to have 8-10 glasses of pure water per day in BPA free containers.
4) Detoxification: The system cleansing either by veggie detoxifies or by detoxification modules, is very important.
It cleans the liver, blood, lymphatic and circulatory systems, removes waste, toxins, oxidants from the circulation and supports all different systems working in the body. The goal of cleansing is to prevent auto toxification. (Autotoxins are the toxic chemicals produced by colon bacteria. They diffuse into the colon wall and eventually into the blood stream and damage the colon wall and other key systems and distant sites in the body.
5) Balanced Diet
Low glycemic good Carbohydrates for main source of energy-50-60% of the diet is obtained from legumes, grains, vegetables, fruits.
Good fat for the main reserves of energy and cell and tissue formation from nuts, fish, seeds. (moderate amounts)
Lean Proteins to produce enzymes, hormones, cells etc from legumes, poultry, seafood, meat, dairy products, nuts and seeds.(46-56 gms per day)
Fiber to keep digested foods in liquid form. Oats, dried beans and some fruits, such as apples and oranges (soluble fiber) from vegetables, wheat bran and other whole grains (insoluble fiber) (women-21-25 gm, men 30-35 gm per day)
Water- to hydrate the body
Spices: cynne, ginger, turmeric, garlic, cilantro, cinnamon , pepper etc.
Nutrition Supplements: High quality, high delivery, Isotonix calcium, multivitamin multimineral, Antioxidant (OPC) and Omega # fish oil (Heart health Epa: Dha- 6;9)
Chitra Thakur
