Staying healthy

Staying healthy is something each one of us, looks forward to, but only a few of us achieves that goal. Day in and day out, our jobs and the home-to-work-and-back travel are quite enough to get us exhausted. Food becomes a neglected factor for our bodies, then; ordering snacks and fast food from restaurants and eateries becomes a common fad since it pleases the mind and the palate. The excessive presence of oil and salt in our food items sure does make us happy for a while, but gradually, their composure in our diet makes it difficult for us to take 4 flights of stairs or walk from home to the nearest bus/rickshaw stand or think of going anywhere without gunning the engines of your car. Somehow, the essence of keeping yourself fit has fizzled out among people. In the cities, upscale office-goers have started enrolling at their nearest gyms to keep themselves fit and look attractive and healthy. But those are just superficial ways of keeping in touch with your health. Eventually, you have outsourced all your health strategies to your trainer/ fitness instructor. It now depends whether your trusted person is good at his or her job or not. The real way, however, to get yourself, not only in shape, but healthy is to do the right thing - know your food and know your body. Keeping fit does not always mean losing weight. It's about understanding how to keep your body stacked with all the vital nutrients one needs to live a stress-free, smooth life. Joining a gym might not be the only option - pick up a sport. Agreed that city municipal corporations have been rampantly allowing encroachment of open spaces - the main reason behind many youngsters dropping the whole idea of playing sports as a means to cultivating a healthy lifestyle - however, it does not mean that the current open spaces are running full with eager sport enthusiasts running about. Exercise is a must, as well as a healthy diet - children must therefore, be groomed to work towards achieving a perfect combination between sports and studies, so that it helps smoothen their life ahead. We could take a tip or two from our elders, our grandparents. While they are busy doling out sermons on health and right mealtimes, we are busy BBMing or WhatsApp-ing away to glory. Always laying stress on walking out distances - instead of using the rickshaw or the car, you'll have those few thespians in the vicinity to have never seen a doctor for diabetes or a high blood pressure checkup. As we move into our thirties and forties, we realize the importance of having taken that walk in-between our work hours and having refused that extra 'aloo-patty' at work. Diabetes, once contracted, is a long-and-strenuous battle. India has an alarmingly high percentage of diabetics and the main reason behind this could be our sedentary work culture, coupled with our daily diet, laced with mild saturated fats, spices and condiments. Therefore, it is very necessary to ourselves have a brief idea of the foods good for our body - general, as well as specific - and the fitness regime that one needs to follow to stay healthy, and not just get in shape.