7 Secrets To Amp Up Your Journey to a Healthy Lifestyle
Steal this 7-step process to live a better life.
As long as I remember, I always took my health for granted.
From binge eating to whatever and whenever I wanted to eat. I was never concerned about my health. When you’re young, your mind is filled with other things, you think are more important than your health.
We keep abusing our bodies till the moment arises when our bodies start to scream out for help. That’s exactly what happened to me.
when I started gaining weight, I knew something was off. It was more than just a weight gain, I felt tired throughout the day and had no energy whatsoever. but for some reason, I was fine with it.
I kept postponing this for a long, I’d often sooth myself saying it’s just the exam pressure that had taken a toll on my health. Back then I was preparing for a PhD. competitive exams which required me to sit for long hours.
The wake-up call was when people around also started noticing the change. They would often say “Why does Your body look swollen? your face looks pale, what’s wrong with you? especially the area around my face, hands, and feet started gaining fat.
I felt terrible, I was losing all my confidence.
Later that year, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism with TSH level 12.
well! I wasn’t prepared for this.
Years of bad eating habits piled up. They brought me to a point where I could either take a step forward and change or succumb to my illness.
Small habits that you do pile up over a period of time to give you a bigger result, in my case my lifestyle lead me to a chronic illness.
Though our bodies are efficient. They try to manage till the last minute. It’s only when the system crashes that you start seeing the symptoms.
I learned my lesson the hard way.
Health is not built or destroyed with a single unhealthy meal or one-time exercise. It’s what you feed your body and mind for years on the go. As they say Health is not a goal, but a way of life.
In love with this quote by Dalai Lama
“Man sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health and then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; The result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and dies having never really lived.” — Dalai Lama
Isn’t it strange? We wait for a blunder to happen. to bring a positive change in our lives.
“Do not let illness make you realize the value of health.”
With time I changed my approach to health, here are my 7 secrets to better health and living —
- Having an Early dinner —
It’s not just what you eat, but what time of the day you eat also matters, to live a healthy life.
Having an early dinner has made a huge difference in improving my overall health.
According to Ayurveda, the digestive fire (“Jathar Agni”) is a force that helps us digest food.
It’s said that our digestive fire is linked with the position of the sun. The sun is at its peak from 10 am to 2 pm. Our ability to digest food is also at its peak. It drops as the sun goes down.
Eating between 6 to 8 pm is the ideal time to have the last meal of the day.
when we eat early we give our body ample time to digest the food, say you had your dinner by 7 pm and you sleep by 10 pm. You give good 3 hrs for digestion. Helping you sleep better and giving your body the required time to heal and cleanse.
The gap between the last meal and the first meal the next morning is the time your body repairs, rejuvenates and throws all the toxins all form the body.
Giving at least 14 hrs of gap is a must to support the innate healing power of your body.
2. Sleeping like a baby
Have you ever noticed a baby sleeping?
How carefree and least bothered he is while sleeping. Though we can’t emulate a baby but can still aim to get the much-needed deep sleep every day.
Deep sleep is a state where our brain waves are at their lowest and our heartbeat and breathing are slow.
An average person needs around 1.5–1.8 hours of deep sleep every day. However, it depends on a lot of other factors like age, and lifestyle but 90 minutes of deep sleep is a must.
The 7–8–9 Rule
That is having the last meal by 7 pm. disconnecting from gadgets and devices by 8 pm, slowing down, and getting into bed by 9 to 9:30 pm.
You can try relaxing activities to mentally come out of the working mode like playing a guitar, reading a book or any mindful activity that soothes your mind.
If not 100% you must try to stick around this routine for at least 70% of the time. You can always tweak this according to your schedule.
Keep in mind that the ideal time for deep sleep is between 10- 2 pm.
It’s not the number of hours you sleep, but the quality of your sleep that matters. If you don’t sleep well, you’ll wake up tired. And, in the long run, it may cause health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, memory loss, and more.
3. Detox —
It’s strange how we clean our houses regularly to avoid any build-up.
But how often do we clean this bodily house?
I’m not talking about the external cleaning but of the inside.
What about the toxic wastes inside the body, sitting for years and rotting? causing problems like hormonal disorders, hypertension, and inflammation?
Like any device, our bodies need a reboot.
I make it a point to eat in 8hrs window and fast for the remaining 16 hrs. And once in 15 days, I prefer going on a full-day fast to support my system in the cleansing and healing process.
To make detoxification more effective I prefer vegetable juices. There are several options available you can choose from.
My juices usually depend on the season, and the amount of physical activity that i’m doing.
Vegetable juices act like a scruber giving your body a deep cleansing from inside. It clears the toxins and waste stuck in your system for years. Trust me your body will thank you for this.
Benefits you’re going to notice —
- weight management
- Chronic illness reversal
- boosts immunity
- clear and glowing skin,
- improves cognitive health, and the benefits are endless.
4. Finding joy in movement —
We are a generation with a sedentary lifestyle.
Whether it’s sitting at a desk, commuting for work, eating, or entertainment it all involves sitting.
Sitting is the new smoking they say; and rightly so because the impact it has on our body is tremendous. not only do you get more susceptible to chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer but it takes a toll on your mental health too.
Sitting continuously for 6 hours is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes.
So, what’s the way out?
Start finding joy in the movement.
Look out for reasons to move, it can be as small as getting a glass of water for yourself, or opting for stairs instead of a lift or escalator.
We are so glued to our screens and artificial light that our eyes feel weird out in the open at least mine does.
Plan outdoor meetings, spend time in nature and try to incorporate some physical activity in your day of your choice. It can be dancing, gardening, walking or anything.
I personally prefer yoga, and taking long walks in nature.
The idea is to stop giving excuses to yourself and find a chance to move your butt off.
5. Nurturing relationships —
Health is not only about building six packs it’s also about mental and emotional well-being.
Surrounding yourself with people who love, and support you tremendously affects your mental health. This is the less talked about area when it comes to health and well-being.
Resolving the conflicts in the past relationships can play a pivotal role in improving your overall health. when we leave our past relationships unresolved, we may move on with life but we can’t get over the emotional baggage and the past memories. which takes a toll on our mental and eventually physical health.
Do you have any such unresolved relationships in your life?
If yes, call them over, write a letter, or text them about how things didn't end well and what your intentions are. The idea is not to bring them back into your life. but to sort things so that you can live in peace with yourself.
It lifts up a huge baggage off your shoulders, that you were dragging for years.
To nurture a relationship it's essential to listen carefully and pay attention to the other. listening is a skill that most of us lack.
we don't listen to understand, we listen to be understood.
That said most of the communication problems arise from a lack of understanding.
By giving our relationships the much-needed care and time we can see our mental and physical health improving. bringing a sense of satisfaction and happiness in our lives.
6. Living a life with purpose —
You may think what does this has to do with health?
Well! when you live your life with a purpose you are less prone to stress, and anxiety and have better cognitive function.
Ask yourself what is that one thing you feel strongly motivated for, something you can do without getting paid for. Something worth jumping out of bed every morning?
It comes naturally and is different for everyone.
It’s that innate hidden talent that everyone is bestowed with the grace of god. You only need to find it for yourself and see the magic happen.
7. Living in the mode of surrender —
No matter who you’re, and where you come from.
You must believe in some higher power. names may differ, but you would have to agree that there is someone controlling this entire cosmos.
Surrender is complete acceptance of what is + faith that everything will be taken care of even without my input.
There will be times in life when things won't go as per the plan. in those rough times having faith and Trusting the higher power can do wonders.
This little belief helps you face any challenge, and adversity in life with a sense of ease. It leads to emotional, physical, and spiritual freedom.
It reduces all the friction of wanting things to happen your way and instead having faith in his grand plan.
This habit will make you mentally and emotionally strong because no matter what happens you trust his plan. this won't let you break down when the times go rough.
Final Thoughts
These are some of the habits I’ve learned over the course of my life. which has proven life-changing for me. But let me tell you these positive changes didn't happen overnight, it took me a couple of years. 6 years to be precise.
Good habits are like magnets one good habit attracts the other and before you know it there is a chain of habits.
It’s always that first step that is the hardest. once you come out of your comfort zone and break your old routines and patterns it becomes your second nature.
Ending with a quote —
“The impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes.” -Annie Dillard
Thanks for Reading!
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