To improve our health, first, we have to know what Health is. Let you know the definitions of health
According to Vedanta and Holistic Health: Lesson from the Bhagavad Gita the Sanskrit term for health is swastha which has two roots: Sva means “self” or “soul” and sthā means “to stand firm”. Thus, a healthy person is one who dwells in the Self. ¹
The Bible teaches that God values our physical bodies. “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."²
In the Quran, there is no specific definition for health but, in that, they said how to maintain health.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as 'a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity' (WHO, 1948). ³
• Now without any delays, let us know how to improve our health.
• Nowadays with increasingly busy lives, many people regularly find feeling tired, stressed, drained, anxious, depressed, and this may lead to various health-related complications and become diseased.
• The main reason behind this is due to their irregular diet and lifestyle.
So, simply by changing our lifestyle and diet, we can strengthen our immunity (the ability of an organism to resist a particular infection or toxin by the action of specific antibodies or sensitized white blood cells i.e. the body’s natural immune mechanism)
HERE I AM GOING SHARE SOME NATURAL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH
To be healthy we basically need energy. Now, here comes the question, how we can get energy?
Simple, for the whole world, energy comes from the sun. This energy given is utilized by algae, fungi, plants, animals, and we humans too in nature. This energy stored in the form of ATP in mitochondria of every cell. This energy is constantly exchanged throughout the universe through physical, mental, and social activities.
IMPROVING PHYSICAL HEALTH
So to get the energy we need to eat food containing macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and water (usually we need them in large quantities, and Micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, selenium.
Then now what to eat to be healthy? Here, I have given some basic information about what to eat and the benefits of eating them.
Stay hydrated
Health Benefits of drinking water ¹⁷
To be healthy water is the basic requirement. We can see in nature almost every organism require water for life, depending upon age, our body is made of 55-75% of water. We lose water daily via. Urine and sweat. So, in order to stay hydrated, we need to drink enough water to compensate for this loss.
• Dehydration can affect the brain, mood, and energy levels
• In one study, young people who lost 1.59% of their fluid had a poorer working memory function and experienced increased feelings of anxiety and fatigue.⁶
Eat enough whole plant foods
Whole Plant-based diet pyramid ¹⁸
Whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, flavonoids, phenolic acids, essential oils, legumes, and coumarins are rich in nutrients and antioxidants which give higher immunity to fight against harmful substances.
Antioxidants – Foods that containing this antioxidant can decrease inflammation by fighting with free radicles (which can cause inflammation when they buildup at a high level), chronic inflammation leads to numerous health disorders including COPD, Alzheimer’s, and certain cancers.⁶
VitaminC –it is also called ascorbic acid/ ascorbate, a water-soluble vitamin usually used to treat scurvy, help to eliminate alveolar fluid by preventing activation and accumulation of neutrophils and reducing alveolar epithelial water channel damage, by that it can effectively shorten the duration of the common cold, protective effect on influenza, vitamin C levels usually drop in patients with Acute respiratory infections. So, in COVID 19 patients vitamin C levels drop dramatically when they suffer sepsis (an inflammatory response that occurs when their bodies overreact to infection)
According to WHO (World Health Organization) daily adult dose: 500-1000mg/day intake of vitamin C can get rid of Respiratory tract infections.
Riboflavin/ vitamin B 2- is a vitamin that is needed for growth and overall good health. It helps the body break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to produce energy and it allows oxygen to be used by the body. ⁶
Levels of certain vitamins, chemicals, and minerals in the bloodstream seem to be dependent on healthy levels of vitamin B2, as well.
For example, riboflavin changes vitamin B6 and folate (vitamin B9) into forms that the body can use.
Riboflavin is used for processing iron. Without it, research shows that the body is more likely to develop anemia. Taking riboflavin can also reduce homocysteine levels in the blood by 26 to 40 percent, according to the NLM (National Library of Medicine) ⁴
The recommended daily allowance for riboflavin is 1.3 mg in men and 1.1mg for women. A higher dose of 3mg per day can help cataracts. Higher doses of up to 400mg used to treat migraine headaches.
Thiamine – Vitamin B1, or thiamine, enables the body to use carbohydrates as energy. It is essential for glucose metabolism, and it also plays a key role in nerve, muscle, and heart function. Fruit and vegetables that contain it include cauliflower, liver, oranges, eggs, potatoes, asparagus, and lenses, and brain disorders.
In the U.S., the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of thiamin taken by mouth is 1.2 mg for males and 1.1 mg for females over the age of 18 years. Pregnant or breastfeeding women of any age should consume 1.4 mg each day ⁵
Folic acid - Folic acid helps our body produce and new cells, and also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. It also creates DNA in both your bodies that tell the baby’s cell how to grow. As a medication, folic acid is used to treat folic acid deficiency, a certain type of anemia (lack of red blood cells) caused by folic acid deficiency.
Recommended daily intake of folic acid for adults is 400 micrograms and in pregnant women, it is 400-800 micrograms. ⁶
Flavonoids – They help keel the fats and sugars in your body at healthy levels (too much is bad for blood vessels). They boost our brain, keep gums healthy. ⁶
Fiber (in plant migraines) - Fibers feed our gut microbiome (community of healthy bacteria) which can improve your immunity and help keep harmful pathogens from entering our body. ⁶
Get Enough healthy fats
Benefits of eating enough healthy fats. ¹⁹
Healthy fats are found in olive oil, salmon, coconut, dark chocolate, chia seeds, but and good butter. these boost our immune by decreasing inflammation.
Low-grade inflammation is a normal reopens to stress/injury, chronic inflammation can suppress immunity and leads to various immunodeficiency diseases like HIV, cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes mellitus, etc.
So, they are linked to decrease e risk of chronic diseases like heart diseases and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.⁶
Eat enough fermented foods/ probiotics
Benefits of eating healthy fats ²⁰
Fermentation is a natural process through which microorganisms like yeast and some bacteria convert carbohydrates such as starch and sugars into alcohol or acids. Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkrauts, kimchi, kefir, kombucha tea, bread, idli, and dosa, etc. are rich in probiotics, which flourish network of gut bacteria and improve our immunity. They also produce several positive health effects, including digestive health, stronger immunity, and increased availability of beneficial nutrients.
Fermented foods may cause some initial side effects, such as gas and bloat. If fermented at home, always follow recipes to avoid spoilage, and read nutrition-related labels when consuming store-bought products. ⁶
Do regular exercise
Health benefits of regular exercise ²¹
Do regular exercise or physical activity like brisk walking/cycling, taking stairs instead of the elevator or going on a short walk or any kind of workout that burns your calories, there are many health benefits of doing workout daily like we can reduce weight, cardiovascular problems, diabetes mellitus, obesity.
Our body releases stress-relieving and mood-boosting endorphins both before and after work out. It can also change the brain to improve memory, thinking skills, mood, promotes better sleep or prevent anxiety, depression or look better.⁶
Department of Health and Human Services recommends At least 150 mins a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity.⁷
Exposure to sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D, which increases serotonin levels in the brain.
Take 30 minutes to go for a walk in nature - it could be a stroll through a park or a hike in the woods. Research shows that being in nature can increase energy levels, reduce depression, and boost well-being. "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."-Albert Einstein. Try something outside of your comfort zone to make room for adventure and excitement in your life.⁸
Get enough sleep
Health benefits of enough sleep ²²
Sleep is essential as eating, drinking, and breathing to our bodies and is important for maintaining good mental and physical health
Most of the adults these days are sleeping late. The main reason for this is due to their sedentary lifestyle, exposure to the blue light emitted from our TV, phone, and computer this may disrupt our circadian rhythm ( A hormone named melatonin is responsible for the natural sleep-wake cycle), which indicates our natural bedtime and morning wake up schedule. Our brain adapts to the schedule usually used to go to bed and wake up. If we keep changing our regular shifts in the week, this can leads to daytime sleepiness.⁶
In fact, poor sleep (<6 hrs) linked to higher susceptible to sickness, and more likely to catch a cold.
Getting adequate rest may strengthen our natural immunity, and also when we are sick we often sleep more to allow our immune system better to fight the illness.
Keep it cool for a good night's sleep. The optimal temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.⁸
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the best, time to fall asleep is between 8:00 pm to midnight.⁹
The average amount of sleep one should get by age:
| Age | The recommended the that amounted
|
| 0-3 months | 14–17 hours total |
4–12 months
| 12–16 hours of total
|
1–2 years
| 11–14 hours of total
|
3–5 years
| 10–13 hours of total
|
9-12 years
| 9–12 hours of total
|
13–18 years
| 8–10 hours in total |
18–60 years | At least 7 hours of sleep in |
61–64 years
| 7–9 hours per night
|
65 years and older | 7–8 hours per night
|
Mental health is much more important than a diagnosis. Many people want their life to be better, they want to live a happy life, for this, they search happiness in things or in other human beings but the thing they don’t realize is that happiness is within them, It's our overall psychological well-being—research shows that the way we think about oneself and others can have a powerful effect on how we feel, as well as our ability to manage our feelings and deal with everyday difficulties. it also means taking steps to improve our emotional health on our own. Making these changes will pay off in all aspects of our life. It can boost our mood, build confidence, and add to our overall enjoyment of life.
When we recognize our self and our life negatively, we can end up viewing experiences in a way that confirms that perception. Instead, practice using words that promote feelings of self-worth and personal power.¹⁰
For example, instead of saying, "I can’t do this, it’s impossible, use the words I can do it because
There is nothing in the world which we cant do, it’s just that we are not committed to doing so, then comes the question of how we can be persistent in any work?
Simply by finding our passion, the only way to do great work is to love what we do. If you have not found yet, keep looking, never settle. Because doing the things we love gives us happiness.
The mind is the greatest enemy although we can make it our greatest friend. It all depends on attitude. Setbacks happen in institutions, families, and to us individually but when we want to avoid getting too depressed, discouraged, and disappointed. We should try to thank the Lord and try to learn from our circumstances. We wait for the Supreme to do more than we could have done for ourselves. This means that we need steady faith and perseverance. We can all encourage each other by first trying to have that faith and that faith will spill over and help someone else. In this way, we all inherit the Kingdom of God.¹¹
Practice forgiveness - even if it's just forgiving that person who cut us off during our commute. People who forgive have better mental health and report being more satisfied with their lives.⁸
Here I am going to give some tips to improve your mental health
Laugh often
Health benefits of laughing ²³
Hang out with friends and have fun, watch a comedy, or check out cute videos online. Laughter helps reduce anxiety ⁸
A good laugh every day triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals which promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
Laughter burns calories. OK, so it’s no replacement for going to the gym, but one study found that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes a day can burn approximately 40 calories—which could be enough to lose three or four pounds over the course of a year.⁸
Laughter may even help you to live the longest. A study in Norway found that people with a strong sense of humor outlived those who don’t laugh.
Now, friends how to be happy, I will give some tips to be happy
• Never hate
• Don’t worry
• Live simple
• Expect for nothing
• Give a lot
• Always smile
• Keep in touch with God.
Speed is calculated as miles per hour but life is calculated as smiles per hour. So increase your smiles to get extra mileage in life
“No luxury required to be happy, it just requires a good company.”
Meditation
Health Benefits of meditation ²⁴
Daily meditation in the early morning can really help you combat the daily stress and anxiety. Meditation feels us Calm and gives peace to us whenever we feel disturbed. we can use it to increase awareness of our surroundings. Normally, mental and physical stress cause increased levels of stress hormone. They produce many of the harmful effects of stress, such as release inflammation, which promotes the release of harmful compounds called cytokines.
Habitual meditation helps reduce anxiety and anxiety-related mental health issues like social anxiety, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors.¹³
“Step into the fire of self-discovery, this fire will not burn you, it will only burn what you are not”
Listen to your favorite music track
Health Benefits of listening to music ²⁵
Listening to our favorite music track can be heart-healthy. Research has shown that blood flows more easily when music is played.
• It elevates mood. Music can enhance the brain's production of the hormone dopamine.
• It reduces stress.
• It relieves symptoms of depression.
• It stimulates memories.
• It manages and eases pain.
• It helps people eat less.¹⁴
READ BOOKS
Health Benefits of reading books ²⁶
Reading good books or any texts improves our thinking ability, books are called divine, if we find interest in reading books we will get habituated to them. The best book is equal to 100 good friends. Several benefits are there in reading, some are given below.
- Mental Stimulation.
- Stress Reduction.
- Knowledge.
- Vocabulary Expansion
- Memory Improvement.
- Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills.
- Improved Focus and Concentration
- Better Writing Skills.¹⁵
Work on your strengths. Do something you're good at to build self-confidence, then tackle a tougher task.⁸
Knowing love and spirituality
Show some love to someone in your life. Close quality, relationships are key for a happy, healthy life and if someone loves us we get strength if we love someone we get the courage.
Here comes the question of what is love? many people misunderstand that love is only between one man and one woman but true love is not only between one man and one woman.
Love is in nature now what is nature? Whatever we get, it’s just coming from the universe we call it as God, the true love is unconditional, whatever we are doing good it’s because of God and whatever we are doing wrong it’s because of our false believes, but even though we are doing wrong, God loves us because we are the property of God, he will protect us from doing wrong,
God only has given us life, and he takes it whenever we are not utilizing it for good purpose whatever situations created by God, he just expects only love from us and when we love nature we are not going to destroy it, but we are going to build it in our own way and protect it. So love God, share the good things
“Sometimes when we are in a dark place, we think we are buried but actually, we have been planted”
In life, the two things are most important to do anything one is work and the second is our intention behind doing it, if we think, we only doing all things or we can do all the things, there comes the voice of nature where we learn that whatever we are doing it’s actually guided by the god. Then comes the question of why God makes us weak, lazy, hatred.etc. all negativity, it’s just because to learn the importance of strong, active, love, etc. I.e. positivity, so we can learn the things and reach the ultimate and irreplaceable stage of freedom, wisdom, and happiness.
In bhagavath Geetha, it’s said that when all the living beings in the world are happy then only we can be happy because when we truly love someone if they are in pain, we can also feel the pain, so when we start loving nature, we are not going to hurt them, instead, we love it and protect it, the main responsibility of the every human being is to protect the nature. If we know, who we are and what is our purpose?? we are not going to do any wrong.
Now did you get the answer for who you are?
Let me say, we are servants of nature, yes really we are because the life we got is to improve ourselves, play our role, know ourselves and attain the wisdom and knowledge, we have to do the work without any expectations because expectations can hurt us and our life motto is not to hurt if we do our work without any envy, lust, greed, false pride, anger, attachments and by austerity, sense control, accepting the truth, we ultimately reach the Irreplaceable freedom of knowledge and wisdom, by knowing all these things we can lead good mental health.
Sometimes, we don't need to add new activities to get more pleasure. We just to soak up the joy in the ones we've already got. Trying to be optimistic doesn't mean ignoring the uglier sides of life. It just means focusing on the positive as much as possible.
IMPROVING SOCIAL HEALTH
Health Benefits of being social ²⁷
Being social adds years to your life. Turns out, being social really may be able to influence how long you live —
• Reduce the risk of stroke.
• Boost your immune system.
• Encourage good habits.
• Lower or delay your risk of memory loss or Alzheimer's disease.
• Relieve pain.¹⁶
Getting out of the house and mingling with other people is beneficial for both our energy levels and health. Try organizing out started is the right time.8
Spending some time with a furry friend, animals lowers the stress hormone - cortisol and boosts oxytocin.⁸
"Spending time with friends never be a waste of time, it’s one in the lifetime moment that will surely miss when the old age comes "
Here I have given some quotes that may help you
Every day, two bulls fight in every person’s mind; positivity and negativity. Do you know which one wins? “The one you feed the most"
"Never trust your fears, they don’t know your strengths."
"Never let your fear decides your future"
"Anything that makes you feel weak physically, intellectually, and spiritually, reject it as a poison."
"Give the world a reason to remember your name"
"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things."
BOTTOM LINES
Will know the right time to know about tips to improve your health during this pandemic, the tips I mentioned above are really gonna useful if they were followed properly, the reason for writing the article is to share some sort of information which I learned to make let you know too if you think the information provided is relevant and helpful, please share it, because sharing is caring, in case if you want to add anything, feel free let me know in the comments section below.
REFERENCE
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