Posted by: Ramesh Venkatraman
With 2012 round the corner, resolutions are the flavor of the season. Below is my own list of the top health resolutions for the year:
Invest in your health:
I am not talking about health insurance here, what I am talking about is Time, Commitment, Planning, Perseverance, Determination, and Effort. These are the essential ingredients that will determine the success or failure of your health resolution for the year. Write a personal mission statement and commit it to memory and recall it every single day of the year for your health plan to succeed. Let us now look at the essential ingredients of a good "Health Mission Plan"
Exercise:
The single biggest game changer in any health plan. A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for developing diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Plan your own exercise regimen - you are the best judge of what your body can and cannot do - do not fall for any of the gimmicky ads that tell you how you can develop wasboard abs and Arnold arms in 10 days. Do not spend money enrolling in a gym or health club. There are several exercises that can be done without spending a dime. Remember to include the following 3 things in any personalized exercise program you design for yourself:
Eat Watchfully:
I think this is the only diet advice that needs to be given. Fad diets, calorie-restrictive diets, fashionable one week regimens, etc. need to be thrown into the trash can where they belong. None of these work in the long run and only end up creating disappointment or worse depression, rebound binge eating, and Yo-Yo patterns of weight-loss and weight-gain that cause greater harm than good. Follow 3 simple rules:
Reduce Stress:
Stress is inherent in the lifestyles we lead and is by itself an independent risk factor for various lifestyle diseases. Take up any activity (it could be your hobby) which you truly enjoy and which can help calm your mind - meditation, pranayama, reading, writing, social service, are all examples of activities than can help relieve stress.
Sleep:
So many of us go through our days like zombies flying from one task to the next, sparing little time for one of the most important activities of our lives - a good night's sleep. So many of us struggle to keep up with the demands of multitaking, being always available and/or on call, answering every email that drops into our inbox... The first thing that most people need to do is to catch up on lost sleep and then commit to at least 7-8 hours of undisturbed sleep every night. The changes you will see in your life will be nothing short of a miracle - Try it this new year
Health Checkup:
If you are male, lead a sedentary lifestyle, are overweight/obese, over the age of 40, and/or smoke, then get yourself checked for hypertension (elevated BP), cholesterol levels (lipid profile) and diabetes.
If you are female, peri or post menopausal, above 45 years of age, lead a sedentary lifestyle, and/or smoke then get yourself checked as above and in addition start taking a calcium (Calcium citrate is best) with Vitamin D-3 supplement to prevent osteoporosis
Weed out harmful habits:
If you smoke, chew tobacco/gutka, consume alcohol then commit to change your habits slowly BUT steadily - give up smoking, chewing tobacco/gutka, and exercise moderation in consuming alcohol - choose Wine instead of stronger drinks like Whiskey/Scotch/Rum/Vodka (BTW' Wine is no longer a "Women's-only drink").
Season's greetings and Happy New Year to all!
With 2012 round the corner, resolutions are the flavor of the season. Below is my own list of the top health resolutions for the year:
Invest in your health:
I am not talking about health insurance here, what I am talking about is Time, Commitment, Planning, Perseverance, Determination, and Effort. These are the essential ingredients that will determine the success or failure of your health resolution for the year. Write a personal mission statement and commit it to memory and recall it every single day of the year for your health plan to succeed. Let us now look at the essential ingredients of a good "Health Mission Plan"
Exercise:
The single biggest game changer in any health plan. A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for developing diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Plan your own exercise regimen - you are the best judge of what your body can and cannot do - do not fall for any of the gimmicky ads that tell you how you can develop wasboard abs and Arnold arms in 10 days. Do not spend money enrolling in a gym or health club. There are several exercises that can be done without spending a dime. Remember to include the following 3 things in any personalized exercise program you design for yourself:
- Stretching: Stretch before and after your session. Stretching helps prevent injury and also prepares your body before an exercise and helps soothe sore muscles after a session
- Cardio: Walking, jogging, swimming, skipping or any exercise that increases oxygen consumption of your body - again start slowly and increase as you get better
- Resistance: Pushups, pullups, squats, weight training, help build and strengthen muscles. Muscles burn more calories and therefore will aid faster weight loss and weight maintenance
Eat Watchfully:
I think this is the only diet advice that needs to be given. Fad diets, calorie-restrictive diets, fashionable one week regimens, etc. need to be thrown into the trash can where they belong. None of these work in the long run and only end up creating disappointment or worse depression, rebound binge eating, and Yo-Yo patterns of weight-loss and weight-gain that cause greater harm than good. Follow 3 simple rules:
- Watch everything you eat and every morsel that goes into your mouth
- Eat slowly - when you wolf down your food and eat like you are in a race, you do not give your brain time to signal satiety, this is one of the reasons why people who eat quickly realize that they have overeaten only sometime after they have completed their meal
- Hold the two palms of your hand together - this is roughly the size of your stomach and approximately the quantity you must be consuming during one meal
Reduce Stress:
Stress is inherent in the lifestyles we lead and is by itself an independent risk factor for various lifestyle diseases. Take up any activity (it could be your hobby) which you truly enjoy and which can help calm your mind - meditation, pranayama, reading, writing, social service, are all examples of activities than can help relieve stress.
Sleep:
So many of us go through our days like zombies flying from one task to the next, sparing little time for one of the most important activities of our lives - a good night's sleep. So many of us struggle to keep up with the demands of multitaking, being always available and/or on call, answering every email that drops into our inbox... The first thing that most people need to do is to catch up on lost sleep and then commit to at least 7-8 hours of undisturbed sleep every night. The changes you will see in your life will be nothing short of a miracle - Try it this new year
Health Checkup:
If you are male, lead a sedentary lifestyle, are overweight/obese, over the age of 40, and/or smoke, then get yourself checked for hypertension (elevated BP), cholesterol levels (lipid profile) and diabetes.
If you are female, peri or post menopausal, above 45 years of age, lead a sedentary lifestyle, and/or smoke then get yourself checked as above and in addition start taking a calcium (Calcium citrate is best) with Vitamin D-3 supplement to prevent osteoporosis
Weed out harmful habits:
If you smoke, chew tobacco/gutka, consume alcohol then commit to change your habits slowly BUT steadily - give up smoking, chewing tobacco/gutka, and exercise moderation in consuming alcohol - choose Wine instead of stronger drinks like Whiskey/Scotch/Rum/Vodka (BTW' Wine is no longer a "Women's-only drink").
Season's greetings and Happy New Year to all!
Sleep appeals to me more than anything on your list .
ReplyDeleteWalking works best for me. And I believe in being active at home and at work.
ReplyDelete