Are you healthy?

The first wealth is health ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

We all want to be in the pink of health and do everything to stay hale and hearty and falling ill is the last thing anyone would want on their wish list.  But yet every once in a while nature rings a bell, that is unavoidable if not impossible. Today mankind has almost got a cure for all the dreadful disease that has plagued the human existence. Every moment there is a discovery of some magical potion which would give humans a new lease of life. My question is why do only humans need medicines? Never seen a dog taking a cough syrup or a lion with a toothache or any other species for that matter? Is it coz we are the higher species than them? Or is it because we have forgotten to accept nature? And what exactly is being sick? Do its precincts last only till physical body or does it go beyond? What defines health?

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not just the absence of disease or ill-health. Yes science has proved time and again that the reason for falling ill is primarily stress in way of emotional, psychological, physical and mental. The logical explanation is that when there is an imbalance of any form in your system, your body decides to give you a break, whether you fancy it or not. That’s nature’s way of repair for the wear and tear that we put ourselves through. Sometimes it’s a jolt to wake up and realize that we also need to be concerned with our well being. We need to treat our body, mind and soul with respect!  We need to heighten our awareness about what we eat, drink and incorporating some form of exercise is a must. We all are food lovers but binge eating, unhealthy foods, is what we need to look out for. Anything in excess is unhealthy. I recognize there are certain things which are inevitable in the kind of lifestyle we lead or career engagements and keeping up with the fast paced life of the city. But we need to make a commitment to ourselves, since being healthy is being content too!

Diseases of the soul are more dangerous and more numerous than those of the body ~ Cicero

Many of us can handle physical stress, but what about the mental, emotional and psychological stress that is out of our control. But is the one that hits us hard. Science has also proved that most of our illnesses are majorly caused due to disorderly mind and disturbed emotions. Modern man has been juggling this tricky job for a lifetime now. I guess most of us today would have at least 2-3 symptoms of a stress disorder, which given our standard of living have become quite common. There is a solution to everything in life, but all we need to do is incorporate it. We all are fighting our own demons of expectations that we have set for ourselves and that others have set for us too. So it’s about time that we go easy on ourselves and not get weighed down by unrealistic aims and dreams. 

And it’s only when we are unwell that we do get a chance to recoup on the lost energy. Sometimes it also is a blessing in disguise, as it gives you time to introspect, appreciate and value the life that you have been sanctified with. And it’s in these moments that I have learnt to accept circumstances which cannot be changed and enjoying what life hands out to you. As there will always be things we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn and people we can’t live without but have to let go. So the manra for good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately and laugh whole heartedly!

 Like they say if life gives you lemons, make lemonade and if you are a bit too adventurous tequila would be a best shot!