How can we maintain a proper, healthy lifestyle?

Many positive responses regarding last Friday’s chat on health and diet.

The piece argued that maintaining a healthy lifestyle may assist in the battle against Covid-19. Our habits have somewhat contributed to lowering the body’s defence system. We eat and exercise a lot, but do it the wrong way.

Understanding digestion and nutrition are key to nourishment and wellness. Unfortunately, in Africa where there is an abundant wealth of natural food, we find a large number of early deaths, too. When a person dies we say “God made it happen” and never bother to go into details about the actual biological cause. But why is it mostly on our continent? God, of course, manages everything. No doubt. But like every system, minute details depend on how we keep ourselves going. Having a great boss, fantastic manager is not enough. We need to play a part.

Why is it that the average death age rate is 40 to 60 years?

For sure we may cite development. Resources, transport, housing, medical access and education. But how about basics? Every reader checking this article has been to secondary school (at least) and studied fundamental biology and chemistry.

We learnt basic digestion and how the body works. We learnt that a balanced diet makes us live longer. However, when it comes to implementation we rush back to tradition, to wrong habits and peer pressure.

There are foods we consume to live and those we just munch to feel good. Beverages and stimulants, for example, are unnecessary physically yet quite popular. Tea is traditionally taken between meals. Yet you find many of us incorporating chai and fizzy drinks to our main meals. This disturbs digestion.

During digestion each enzyme has a certain role. There is the misguided view that solid foods digest better when swallowed with liquids. This is wrong because nature gave us saliva, not for spitting, but to begin the digestive process in the mouth. When we eat our food we need to feel the texture and chew slowly. A very, very important task. Most times we are busy with phones, masticating fast, while swallowing the meal with external liquids. Any alien fluids can be taken at least 30-60 minutes later (or before) when the stomach has initially done its 20 minutes job of turning the chewed meal into a hydrochloric (yellowish) mix as part of the long process ahead of turning food to blood.

These are the things that we need to revisit and consider and which unknowingly lead to problems like acid reflux, obesity, constipation and bloating.

Like we discussed last week, salads and fruits are best eaten before solid foods. Actually, fruits digest best in mornings and really help digestion. Consider big plates of fruits for breakfast instead of coffee which is mostly a stimulant, and therefore not that vital.

What about exercise?

Every athlete knows that the time you exercise and the period you are resting are equally significant. Therefore, two to three times a week is sufficient. A daily jog, swim or gym puts pressure on your joints and muscles. We have to understand that from age one to 35 our muscles and joints are elastic and stretch and may prosper with exercise. After 35 it is the internal structure, i.e. bones , nerves and joints that want more care. No wonder top professional players retire around that age. Degeneration starts and that is why we need to understand internal building forms of exercise like yoga and Pilates which focus on strengthening the inner structures. We also need to embrace other ways of maintenance like fasting and meditation. When the word fasting is mentioned, the holy month of Ramadhan (for Muslims ) springs to mind. Fasting, is actually required in all religions.

In Christianity, there is a verse in the Bible (Matthew 4: 4) that warns man should not live by bread alone, i.e. ought to fast. Last week we mentioned the way plants and animals still follow nature.

If we observe most animals, we may learn and be reminded. They do not feed all the time.

Not eating for at least 24 to 36 nourishes, once or twice a month may rest us and enrich our souls and minds. During the Second World War, for instance, soldiers who had been kept prisoner in Japanese torture camps returned skinny and slim. They were not eating all the time. Most of them are said to have lived to their 80s and 100s. Why? Not eating too much, in certain cases (not torture mind you), ensures a better body. The fasting we are talking about here is slightly different from the religious one, though. You do not eat at night but surpass to the next day, as eating at night is not particularly healthy.

This is a long discussion, but let us start somewhere.