Your body is like the engine of a vehic le. You need to fill up its tank with fuel. Similarly, you have to fill up your body with kilojoules. Check your body regularly to stay revved-up and ready to go. The human body needs regular exercise to improve the oxygen supply to the brain and other parts of the system. When you do exercises you begin to perspire which helps you feel cleansed and revitalised. Those who do exercises regularly sleep well. If you exercise your body during the day, you will be able to sleep like a log. When you enjoy a good night’s sleep, you will be able to wake up with a feeling of satisfaction.
There is no need to exercise every day. If you can devote at least half an hour, three or four times a week, that is sufficient to revitalise the body.
Those who care for fitness should take a balanced diet. It is not the quantity of food you take but the quality that matters. If you take an unusually heavy meal, it will have a great strain on your digestive system which can lead to many problems such as constipation. You can keep meals large enough to satisfy your appetite. If you gulp down all kinds of junk food, it will leave you feeling lethargic.
Skipping meals
When at work most of you have the habit of skipping meals to finish your work on time. However, skipping meals can lead to low blood sugar which saps your physical and mental energy. If you wish to keep your blood sugar level, do not skip meals. Sometimes, we have no appetite to have breakfast or lunch.
Even if you are not hungry, eat something at meal times. It will stabilie your blood sugar level. As far as possible, keep away from sweets. Office workers have the habit of eating biscuits and chocolates at regular intervals which can restore the blood sugar level quickly. However, such foods can only give you a momentary satisfaction. The body can overreact and push the blood sugar level down within a few hours.
Most young people are addicted to coffee, tea and colas which can give them a quick lift. They may not be aware that although caffeine is a powerful stimulant, it can disrupt sleep. Those who take tea or coffee before bedtime will find their sleep disturbed. It is best to avoid caffeine after the midday meal.
Doctors always advise us to drink plenty of pure water which helps us to get rid of waste matter produced by food. Water quickly flushes waste. Therefore, make it a habit to drink water at regular intervals. At a time we have to live with the Covid- 19 pandemic, we are expected to drink boiled or filtered water whenever possible.
Alcohol consumption
Some young people start taking alcoholic drinks at parties and cricket matches. Although doctors say alcohol consumption by men over 40 and postmenopausal women can reduce the risk of heart diseases, it is best to avoid alcohol because you can get addicted to it easily.
Alcohol is sure to raise your blood sugar level. You may have seen how people suffer in the morning due to their drinking the previous night. Alcohol dehydrates the body and weakens the liver. Therefore, avoid alcoholic drinks as far as possible.
We usually sleep for six to seven hours at night. However, some people take a short nap during the day. Although some of our elders are against taking a nap in the afternoon, there are certain benefits you can derive from napping. Sometimes, you may have noticed that most mammals get their quota of sleep as an accumulation of naps during the day. However, do not get into the habit of enjoying long naps lasting two or three hours. Limit your naps to 15 minutes or half an hour.
From your young days you should learn the art of sitting properly. Most children sit at their desks with a forward slump. This can cause physical imbalance and discomfort. If you are a sedentary worker, make sure you are sitting comfortably. To sit properly you need a sturdy and adjustable chair which will help you to adjust the height and back of the seat. When you sit in a chair, your hip and knees should be level and your feet should touch the floor comfortably.
Positive thinking
I have always emphasised the importance of positive thinking in these columns. The way you think can have a tremendous effect on your body. When you have to do something, do it with all your heart and soul.
If you do something half-heartedly, the results are bound to be negative. If you are a positive thinker, you will be able to banish negative feelings quite easily. Sometimes, when you start writing an essay, you will run out of ideas. This is quite common at the beginning. If nothing comes to mind, write a few lines. You will easily get into the flow of writing.
The human body is not meant for continuous work. You have to relax your body and mind at regular intervals. Sometimes, you may find it difficult to stay doing nothing. When you relax that is what you have to do. If you use an engine without stopping, it will break down. Similarly, your body is not strong enough to work continuously for 24 hours. Relax your body and mind and see how you feel.
If you cannot remain doing nothing, take a walk. Look at the trees and listen to the birds singing in the trees. It is true that massage and aroma therapy can reduce the stress and give you a feeling of satisfaction. However, most of us do not have the time or resources to attend a massage clinic where they use essential oils, lemon grass, peppermint and eucalyptus to give your body a potent uplifting effect.
Crying
As adults, we see children as a happy lot. They run here and there, laugh and cry. But grown-up people do not indulge in such activities. Instead of running they prefer to walk. They do not laugh but only smile. They hardly cry and hold back their tears.
They think that crying is infra dig. According to psychologists, crying can be healthy and holding back your tears is unhealthy. Studies have linked emotional repression to high blood pressure, heart problems and even cancer. Jodi Deluca, a neuropsychologist at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida says, “We are genetically programmed to cry, and denying that impulse damages our physical wellbeing.”
How much we can cry depends on genetics, gender and our upbringing. For that matter, girls cry four times more than boys. However, when you feel like crying, do not fight shy of it. Crying is a natural and healthy emotional response that will release your pent-up feelings. Researchers think that crying and laughing stem from the same part of your brain. , it is quite natural and human to laugh and cry.