Exercise is not just about aerobic capacity, muscle size and cardiovascular fitness. it also helps you sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about yourself and your life.
By Sandhya Pandey
“Tough times never last. Tough people do,” said author and motivational speaker Robert H Schuller. And to be that “tough person” with a tough body and mind, you most certainly need good nutrition. In modern society, with the fastpaced changes, nothing seems safe and secure and among other things, definitely not our jobs.
We deeply value good health, yet we have created a society and way of living so out of balance that damage to our long-term health is the inevitable result. We seek quick fixes and ways to mask the symptoms so we can keep on going, not losing an ounce of productivity.
It seems we have forgotten the wisdom of the ages that good health is not just the absence of disease, but involving healthy lifestyle, healthy mental attitude and healthy ways of relating to all living beings and nature.
To be prepared to face these tough times, where hire and fire seems to be a way of life, we must equip ourselves with strong strategies. Among the whole range of preparation, staying healthy and fit should be the number one priority.
HERE ARE SOME DIETARY TIPS:
– Avoid overeating/mindless eating. Keep healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc. handy so that you don’t binge on unhealthy food.
– Have your meetings and discussions over low calorie beverages like green tea, herbal tea, fresh lime water (unsweetened) and tender coconut water.
– Do not miss your meals. Remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It quick-starts your brain and helps you think clearly, energises you for the day. Keep it healthy by taking fibre-rich cereals with low-fat milk and fruits and nuts. Keep it simple. Avoid greasy/oily food which will make you sloppy and lazy.
– Increase the intake of stressbusting foods. Some foods may help stabilise blood sugar or, better yet, your emotional response. You should incorporate foods rich in vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B12, magnesium and antioxidants, all of which have shown link to help alleviate depression, fatigue and irritability and in regulating the good hormones to promote the feeling of well-being. To name some foods which are rich in these nutrients are green leafy vegetables, blueberries, avocados, nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, seeds like flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconuts and dark chocolate.
– Avoid smoking and restrict the intake of alcohol. Remember, these are addictive and under stress you may indulge, so it would be good idea to avoid it. Consuming alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, breast and liver. The risk is even greater in those people who smoke. Alcohol has also been associated with colon and rectal cancers.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU EXERCISE
Exercise is not just about aerobic capacity, muscle size and cardiovascular fitness. Sure, exercise can improve your physical health and your physique, trim your waistline and even add years to your life. But that’s not what motivates most people to stay active. It helps you to give an enormous sense of well-being.
You feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about yourself and your life. Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise can make a difference.
No matter what your age or fitness level is, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to feel better.
Lord Buddha’s beautiful quote sums this up: “To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”
— The writer is Chief Clinical Nutritionist, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon.
