For the last few years, I have observed that men tend to ignore their health with too much work stress, travel and exertion. On this International Men’s Day, I want to tell all the men that our health is in our hands and a few lifestyle changes can help one stay healthy and improve one’s overall well-being — physical, emotional and your happiness quotient. Here are a few basic yet vital ways to manage one’s overall health:
■ Having an early dinner by sunset between 6.30 to 7 pm or at least before 8 pm would be really helpful. The gap between your dinner and bedtime should be around two to three hours to improve stomach health as well as digestion. Follow your body’s biological clock by eating early and sleeping early which will help you manage your weight, get better sleep, reduce appetite, reduce sugar or salty cravings and caffeine dependence.
■ Maintain the same eating time for all meals. Your breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner should be at the same time for at least five to six days a week to improve digestion and to avoid acid build-up in the body which can give you stomach issues. When your biological clock is aligned, your health is taken care of.
■ Try to maintain the same sleep and wake-up cycle on most days because it’s only when you sleep well that your body undergoes proper healing, recovery, detoxification and repair cycles. If you sleep well on most days, you wake up feeling fresh and your day becomes even more productive.
■ No matter what, never miss out on your physical activity and exercise. Try to work out for a minimum of 30 minutes every day or indulge in any physical activity to stay active throughout the day. Eight to 10 thousand steps a day is apt.
■ Deep breathing is a must to fill your body with oxygen because it helps in healing. The presence of oxygen in the body also helps in reducing oxidative stress, burning fat and keeping your mind calm. Start your morning peacefully with 10-15 deep breathing sets and your day will automatically become productive.
These lifestyle changes will slowly become a habit and this is exactly what our body is designed to be like. These changes will slowly empower your own body to take care of its health and well-being.