There is no doubt that stipulated preventive measures as per current regulations are essential and need to be followed. But, is that enough? Is there anything else we can do?
Though the death toll because of corona virus is rising, there are many who are getting mild infections or have no symptoms at all. Many are recovering. The death rate in corona virus infection is anywhere between 0.1% (Oxford evidence Based medicine -Ref 1) to 4% (World Health Organization figures – Ref 2) to 14.8% (in 80+ years Chinese – Ref 3). So, most are surviving! How and why?
Why does this happen?
In any infection, three things decide our fate. They are – the infecting corona virus (agent), the individual person (host), and the environment. A fit person (host) with strong immunity will either not catch the infection or will get a mild infection only.
Trying to avoid contact with corona virus (agent) is ideal but not always possible. Environmental factors like weather are usually not under our control. We individuals (host) though can make an attempt to keep ourselves fit and capable of fighting infection. By far, this is how, humanity has survived historically most of the time.
Healthy body, fitness and immunity go hand in hand. A healthy mind is also necessary for a healthy body. Our immunity is directly affected by issues like stress and depression.
Don’t forget the Lifestyle diseases!
Also, let us not forget that lifestyle diseases are still going to be the no. 1 killer in the near future. Infections will come and go, but lifestyle diseases are here to stay. Fortunately, keeping ourselves fit is the solution here as well.
Solution
Achieving fitness and achieving good immunity can be done by a planned strategy that involves what we eat and drink, the physical activity we do, and the way we keep our mind in good health.
ACTION!
- START – Starting somewhere is better than doing nothing at all. The best time is always NOW!
- BABY STEPS – Doing small bits regularly lifelong is more important than impulsive decision. Taking a 10-minute regular walk is more useful than the impulsive decision of joining gym!
- PLEASANT CHANGE – Giving some thought as to how to make any change acceptable and pleasant helps to maintain it long way. Reserving some time to play with children is easier to follow than 5 am morning walks. Eating fruits regularly is easy to follow than drinking bitter juices.
- CHILDREN – The best thing to give to children is the legacy of a healthy life. The only way we can teach them is by doing it ourselves.
- MOTIVATION – Most of these steps give immediate results. Following some of the steps below will start making you feel better same day.
- TIME – Keeping fit will create more time and energy for your priorities like career, job, and family.
- MEDICAL– Don’t ignore due medical treatment.
Let us boost immunity and fitness through these easy 7 steps.
- Water
- Sleep
- Physical Activity
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Good Food, Bad Food
- Mind Health
1. Water- Water is by far the most important detox element in our food. Keeping body hydrated maintains good circulation. Our body has all the necessary organs to remove toxins. All these organs (lungs, liver, kidney, skin, bowels) need good circulation, so that the organs stay fit, and also the toxins are regularly delivered to them to be removed.
- Drink 3-5 liters as appropriate
- Use your favorite drinks to ensure intake, for example, lime water, ginger water, and mint-flavored water, thin buttermilk, and fruit-infused naturally flavored water.
- Keep attractive colored bottles with cool drinks in easily accessible places like dining table, TV, living room, kitchen. Drinking warm water is equally helpful.
- Drinking water avoids unnecessary eating; it cuts down hunger, especially in current times filled with boredom.
- Preparing attractive water takes less time compared to any other recipe.
2. Sleep – The easiest thing to do in current times! Sleep has a refreshing and recharging effect on all the systems. It boosts immunity. Lack of sleep is a sure way of inviting even minor infections.
- 7-9 hours of sleep is considered adequate for most.
- Have it at a regular fixed time. Late nights and getting up late is not advisable.
- Quality of sleep is equally important. Remember when someday we feel very fresh after a deep sleep! Good amount of physical activity and managing stress/depression will help in getting sound sleep
3. Physical activity – The most difficult part in current times. But, taking small steps and disciplined approach will help. It helps to improve the circulation, health of heart, a feeling of mental well being. A good circulation is necessary for all organs to stay fit and carry out detox uninterrupted. Physical activity burns calories and keep those fat pockets away.
- Exercise –- Doing some physical activity every day is essential. Even walking in the house using a treadmill or a static cycle is good. We spend a lot of time on phone. Making a point to stand up and taking steps just in one place is useful, There are many easy to do exercises for home available on net. If possible, walking up and down stairs is an option.
- Any aerobic activity that one does using lower part of back and legs is good for this purpose. Usually aerobic activity is something that you can sustain for a long time, even more than an hour easily.
- When you involve children and fun elements added, then physical activity suddenly becomes more interesting. Try to innovate different physical ways of interacting with children. Even a pillow fight is better than computer games.
- Take part in house activities – washing, cooking, sweeping etc.
- Using a simple step measuring app like pedometer motivates many people.
- Yoga is good for the mind but usually burns very little calories.
4. Fruits – These are loaded with detox elements including vitamins, minerals, and flavonoids. They have fewer calories and even diabetics are free to use fruits in right proportion. For example, one banana has 100 calories compared to 350 Kcal in a samosa.
- All Indian fruits are considered good and healthy from calorie and diabetes point of view.
- Try eating at least 3 portions (1 portion is equivalent to size of one medium sized banana or apple).
- Eat them raw, and whenever possible with peel (chikoo, apple, etc.). Avoid extracting juice.
- You can make a fruit salad with yoghurt, use chaat masala to make it more palatable.
- Starting meal with a fruit will cut down calorie intake.
- Use fruits as snacks.
- Keep them again in places of easy access like dining table, TV etc.
5. Vegetables – These are again loaded with detox elements including vitamins, minerals and flavonoids. They have very few calories and even diabetics are free to use them unlimited (potato excluded).
- Eat them raw whenever possible (Tomato, cucumber, carrot, lettuce). Avoid juice.
- Beans, cabbage, gourds and other vegetables can be steamed.
- Can make them attractive by making raita, adding chaat masala or adding them to any recipe.
- Use at least one bowl of salad in each meal.
6. Good food, bad food
- Good food – Make regular use of whole grains, sprouts, daals, fresh spices, homemade yoghurt, soya protein, non-vegetarian food.
- Using fresh spices or green homemade chutney can make any healthy food tasty and interesting.
- Bad food – Keep amount of certain foods to as less as possible for example, oils, ghee, butter, fried food, cheese, paneer, nuts, sweets, fruit juices. Anything that is ready-made, packed and commercially produced is bad for health unless proved otherwise, for example biscuits, farsan, chocolate, cakes, pastries, pizzas, sweets, cold drinks. All these are loaded with empty calories and are poor in nutrition.
- Keep stimulants like tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, caffeine drinks, colas to as low as possible
- Cooking methods – Try using oil free methods of cooking like, nonstick pan, broiling, steaming, and grilling.
7. Mind health (mens sana in corpore Sano)
Healthy mind and healthy body goes together. Stress, depression, anxiety and even the current boredom doesn’t help. Though many solutions available, one has to find his or her own comfortable way. The key is in doing it on regular basis life long.
- Family – Spending good quality time with family/friends is perhaps the most popular and effective stress buster.
- Yoga – the current fashionable thing.
- Meditation – any proper method that works well with you.
- Keeping busy – Try to keep busy mentally and physically. Activity that is considered meaningful by the person helps more. Any new hobby or a social work for a cause can go a long way to keep that mind at rest.
- Trying to escape with alcohol, drugs, TV, computer games won’t help long term.
ANYTHING MORE
For more information call 7506420648 or contact us
(Dedicated to the prevention and early management of lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes, etc.)
References
Ref 1 – Oxford evidence Based medicine
https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/global-covid-19-case-fatality-rates/
Ref 2 – WHO figures
Ref 2 – 14.8% in 80+ years Chinese