Principles of Good Health

7 factors that influence the Health of Individual can be categorized as below. These principles are interdependent on each other and a lack of any of the principle would adversely affect the health of any individual in the long run.

1) Sunlight: - Sun is the life force for all living beings and getting exposed to at least 15 - 20 minutes of Sunlight everyday helps the body to fight diseases and develop immunity. Exposure to sunlight helps body to absorb the necessary Vitamin D required for the body which in turn boosts Calcium absorption for stronger bones. Sunlight also helps to increase a hormone called Serotonin which is associated with elevating the mood

2) Water: - Having a regular intake of 4-6 litres of water everyday helps the body to expel toxins from the body and keep the organs functioning well. Not only taking 4-6 litres of water, but the water should be taken at the right time and proportions.  The intake of water needs to be monitored and managed based on any preexisting diseases and conditions.

3) Exercise: - As evident from numerous studies and research, Physical exercise helps to keep the muscles and bones in good condition. There are numerous benefits of exercise such as Weight Loss, maintenance of healthy weight, enhanced Pain tolerance, increased energy levels, elevated mood levels, combating Depression, increased energy levels, reducing the risk of diseases, develop Immunity etc., At least 30-45 mins of exercise per day is recommended for all.

4) Food (Avoid Alcohol and Smoking): - Energy giving, Body Building and Regulatory are the major functions of food to the body. On an average, a human consumes 35,000 kgs of food in their lives. Hence, it’s very important that the food we consume plays a major role in our health. No amount of Physical Exercise or  can give results unless the Food, which is fuel for the body is nutritious and taken in the right proportions and at the right time.

5) Positive Thinking: - Why is this important ? Positive thoughts and thinking have been scientifically proven to create a feel good factor, and thereby improve the disease fighting capabilities of the body.  Positive thoughts help our brain to release endorphins which in turn help us manage day to day activities better and increase productivity. 

6) Stress Management: - In our day to day lives and activities, we encounter a lot of stressful events. Be it Traffic on the way to work, financial struggles, health , Family  and Environment – These are all stressful events. When we are under constant stress, the bodies increase the stress hormone Cortisol. This increases our heart rate, blood pressure and puts us at increased risk of many health problems such as Anxiety disorders, Depression, Gastric Issues, Weight gain or loss, Concentration etc., and in turn negatively effects the productivity levels.

7) Sleep: - Sleep plays an important role in healing the body and improving our physical health. During sleep, the body repairs dead tissues, regenerate cells, regulate the body functions , rejuvenates the brain and body.  Without good Sleep, the previous 6 principles cannot help the body to achieve good health.

We shall look at each of these principles in detail in the subsequent articles.