Better Community Healthcare System – A Must for Our Country

                   -MILAN K. SINHA, Wellness Consultant & Motivational Speaker

Although the traumatic phase of Covid-19 pandemic is almost over, yet it is disturbing to find that a large population of the country is suffering either from one or more communicable or non-communicable diseases. Data, in fact, suggest that non-communicable diseases are fast taking a greater number of people into its grip. The ever growing number of patients of Cancer, CVD, Diabetes, Liver and Kidney ailment vindicates this point.
 
We all know that the cost involved in disease prevention is far less than that of curative treatment. Putting more emphasis on prevention also suits our country in the light of a huge population, scarcity of funds and existing poor medical facilities in most of the state-run hospitals besides huge shortage of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.  The cost of modern medical treatment is also unreasonably high and so quite unaffordable for many, notwithstanding Central Government’s initiative under Aayushman Bharat Yojana for disadvantaged sections of society. As such, the only way to protect the common people from falling sick frequently and to keep them healthy is to strengthen, improve and speed-up community healthcare initiatives.

 
In today’s world of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization Community Healthcare is of great significance, particularly for our country, as it is focused on health promotion and disease prevention of the community. It is also a major field of study within the medical and clinical sciences which focuses on the maintenance, protection and improvement of the health status of community members and different population groups in the society.
 
Simply speaking, community healthcare refers to meeting the needs of a defined group of people or a community by identifying their health related problems and managing the well-being of community members. Those individuals, who make up a community, live in a somewhat localized area. To say, keeping in view the health status of the people living in a particular village or town and initiating suitable actions to protect and improve their health is normally termed as community healthcare.
 
The success of community healthcare programmes relies upon the transfer of information from health professionals to common masses using one-to-one or one to many communication. Undoubtedly, the role of ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) and ANM (Auxiliary Nursing Midwife) who function as community health workers is extremely vital in this regard. Making Primary Health Centres (PHCs) now renamed as Wellness Centres fully functional 24x7 with all necessary infrastructures is equally important. 
 
It is all knowing that drinking water and sanitation are two very critical determinants of health, which can ensure reduction of more than 60% cases of communicable diseases in particular. As such, making available the facility of water supply and sanitation in both rural and urban areas alike is a prerequisite for successful implementation of community healthcare schemes. Undeniably, some headway on these fronts are visible on the ground, but the collective efforts of both central as well as state governments must be speeded up in this direction for ensuring far better results in coming months.

To put it very precisely, it is the bounden duty and responsibility of policy makers and community leaders to plan health strategies that enhance the health at different geographical areas having equal opportunities of healthcare facilities and matching services to all members. As health is a state subject, the ministry of health and family welfare needs to form stronger partnerships with other stakeholders involved in this task and impress upon them to work in a concerted manner within a time frame for better and sustainable results at the ground level. It is noteworthy that few states including Kerala have been performing well in this area by adopting a holistic and consistent approach. 
 
As rightly said, ‘Awareness is half the solution’ and ‘Prevention is better than cure’, it is very important to focus significantly on aspects of Health Awareness and Motivation through all routes including schools, colleges, community centres etc. for speedier and more cost-effective outcomes. Needless to emphasise that proactive measures by all community healthcare personnel would definitely go a long way in keeping the common people, more particularly children, ladies and old persons disease free to a great extent.

As always, I'm keen to know what you think on this subject. Hence, request you to post comments to share your views and experiences. Stay healthy and happy.

# Published in Popular Newspaper "Morning India"  

# Click here to enjoy my Blog in Hindi, "Chalte, Chalte" (चलते, चलते)

(hellomilansinha@gmail.com)

Growing Health Problem of Obesity – Reason, Repercussion and Remedy

                  -Milan K. Sinha, Motivational Speaker & Wellness Consultant 

Obesity is becoming a big health issue for countries like India despite the fact that millions of people are sleeping hungry at night; millions of infants are grossly under-nourished and under-weight. The situation has worsened further during the most challenging phase of Covid19 pandemic, three major reasons being increased levels of anxiety and stress; erratic routine and lesser physical activity; higher intake of carbohydrate and fat rich diets. According to a recent health report, third highest number of obese and overweight people lives in India. More than 11% of adolescents and 20% of adults are suffering from obesity. Women are double in number than men in our country on this count. It is a matter of concern as it is also found to adversely impact the reproductive system of a woman.

Obesity among children has equally been a serious cause of concern. Our country has the second highest number of obese children, about 15 million, in the world after China. Kirsten Gillibrand puts it in these words, “Obesity puts our children at risk of developing serious diseases - such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and depression. It keeps our children from performing their best at school.”
 
The probability of obese children becoming an obese adult is undoubtedly high as the childhood eating and living habits do continue in later years in most of the cases. More than one medical study vindicates this fact.

Interestingly, we all know that obesity is directly related to the presence of excess fat in the body and it often results from consumption of carbohydrate and fat in excess of what is required for keeping the body healthy and going. In other words, taking more calories than normally required and also failing to burn excess calories by regular exercise and other physical activities gradually make us overweight. 

Before moving forward to discuss this issue which is spreading like an epidemic in Indian society, it is pertinent to know at the outset what obesity is all about.

Simply speaking, if a person’s BMI (Body Mass Index) is 25% or more, the person is termed as obese. To explain it further, people are generally considered obese when their Body Mass Index (BMI), a measurement obtained by dividing a person's weight in kilogram by the square of the person's height in meter, is more than 25 kg/ m2. In other words, if a person is 1.83 meter (6 feet) in height and less than 84 kg in weight, he is not over-weight or the person is within the standard BMI range.

Needless to emphasize that an overweight person is more prone to falling prey to many health problems such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, joint pain, respiratory ailments, sleep and stress related problems - to name a few. Besides these avoidable diseases, the obese persons are generally found to have low self-esteem, feeling of social isolation, emotional weakness etc. It is also found that obese persons are finding it difficult to enjoy their sex life as well as conjugal life well for more than one reason. It affects their domestic harmony significantly. Finally, this leads to separation and divorce in a number of cases.

Conversely, remaining physically active, slim and strong has several health benefits - the blood circulates more efficiently, the fluid level in the body is easily managed, chances of developing any major health problem including the ones enumerated here-in-above is comparatively lesser. The person is able to enjoy life more and is also better placed to enhance his productivity professionally.
Interestingly, the problem of obesity is growing at a rapid pace mainly among the people who are not poor but are inadequately health conscious.
 
Some of the major causes of being obese or overweight are as under:

- Sedentary lifestyle
- Physical inactivity
- Bad dietary habits. Regularly eating fast food/junk food
- Regular consumption of more oily/salty/sugary items even at home
- Regular unregulated consumption of alcohol and soft drink
- Stressful life in home and/or at workplace
- Hormone imbalance, particularly in case of women
- Genetic reasons in some cases
 
The question now is how to address this growing health problem on a sustainable basis (without formal medical intervention including surgery) in countries like India?

Yes, we can take care of this issue by adopting two separate prescriptions – first for those who are already obese and second for those who are very likely to be obese. Undeniably, for both groups of people, “Awareness is half the solution” principle must be followed in all possible manners.

To say, awareness campaigns to be undertaken in a focused manner in schools, colleges, corporate entities, training institutes, coaching centers etc. The deliberation and discussion should be centered on advantages of healthy eating, regular exercise, stress management, and natural ways for maintaining/controlling weight.

Notwithstanding the fact that for some years now the concept of imposing “Fat Tax” on junk food has been a reality in countries like Hungary and Denmark, it is quite interesting to know that Japan was the first country to levy “Fat Tax” to highlight the campaign against obesity. In India, the state of Kerala introduced 14.5% “Fat Tax” on Pizza, Burger and other junk food to be served in restaurants in 2016. It was not without reason as Kerala ranked second in having the highest percentage of obese people after Punjab.

For overweight persons, it is absolutely necessary to review their current lifestyle to know exactly, where to effect correction and how to do it on a sustainable basis so that weight loss takes place gradually without any major setback in their energy level and professional productivity. For this to happen reasonably well, it is better to follow these recommendations:

- Start eating fewer calories by increasing green vegetables and fruits intake. Avoid non-vegetarian spicy food items, particularly at night.
- Stop taking junk, processed and preserved food. Eating home-made food is always better.
- Drastically cut down on sugary drinks and beverages.
-Increase level of burn out significantly by physical exercises/activities.
- Take your breakfast well. Lunch should be lighter and dinner the lightest.
- Sleep early in the night and get up early in the morning.
- Drink water adequately and properly. Drinking lukewarm water is better.
- Minimize, if you can’t stop, consumption of alcohol.
- Practice yoga and meditation sincerely on a regular basis.
 
For those, who are very likely to be obese or those who want to remain slim and strong for longer time, it is necessary to adopt a lifestyle where you can eat healthy, sleep well and also engage yourself in certain physical exercise/activities for minimum 30-40 minutes at least five days a week. Avoiding junk food, sugary drinks and consumption of alcohol can’t be over-stressed. Remaining calm, cool and happy by managing your stress can make you avoid being obese. Yes, shunning excessive dependence on modern gadgets like smart phones, laptops etc. helps in many ways.

Before signing off, here is one point of caution for over-enthusiasts, particularly students and young professionals. Never ever jump to any conclusion and switch over to a new routine without giving a serious thought to the whole issue, more so if you are undergoing some medical treatment. Have thorough consultation with your doctor on the subject.

To say the least, if we become genuinely health conscious and start living our life in a balanced manner, we can avoid being obese to lead a healthy and happy life now and always.

As always, I'm keen to know what you think on this subject. Hence, request you to post comments to share your views and experiences. Stay healthy and happy.

# Published in Popular Newspaper "Morning India"  

# Click here to enjoy my Blog in Hindi, "Chalte, Chalte" (चलते, चलते)

(hellomilansinha@gmail.com)

स्ट्रेस मैनेजमेंट पॉइंट: कहीं आप बेवजह तो तनावग्रस्त नहीं

                                - मिलन  सिन्हा,  स्ट्रेस मैनेजमेंट एंड वेलनेस कंसलटेंट 

हाल ही में एक व्यक्ति ने अपनी परेशानी बताते हुए कहा कि जब भी वे मार्केट जाते हैं या किसी ऑफिस आदि में और वहां लोगों को गलत काम या व्यवहार करते देखते हैं, तो गुस्सा आता है. उन्हें कुछ कहना चाहते हैं, पर कह नहीं पाते. खुद अंदर-ही-अंदर उबलते हैं और कई दिन यही सोचकर तनाव में रहते हैं. इससे बचने के लिए क्या करें? 

दरअसल, यह उस व्यक्ति की समस्या मात्र नहीं है. ऐसा अनेक लोग फील करते हैं. विचारणीय बात यह है कि यह स्थिति आपके नियंत्रण क्षेत्र में है या नहीं. अधिकांश मामलों में  नहीं. यह सही है कि आपको कुछ गलत होते हुए देखना अच्छा नहीं लगता. आपका नाराज होना या क्रोधित होना भी गैर वाजिब नहीं है. उस कारण तनाव ग्रस्त होना जरुर गैर मुनासिब है. ऐसे सभी मामलों में जो गलत कर रहा है, उसे न तो आपके बुरा लगने से कोई फर्क पड़ता है और न ही उसमें  कोई सुधार होता है. कई बार तो आपकी नाराजगी का उसे भान भी नहीं होता. इधर आप नाराज, क्रोधित और तनावग्रस्त होकर अपना ढेर सारा नुकसान कर लेते हैं. है कि नहीं? 

लक्ष्मण रेखा तय करें और बहस में न उलझें: ऐसी स्थिति में आपको जो करना चाहिए वह यह कि आप गलत काम में संलग्न व्यक्ति को पूरी शालीनता और शान्ति से बस यह बता दें कि उनका गलत काम या व्यवहार आपको बुरा लगा. इसके रिएक्शन  में वह कुछ भी कहे, आप उससे बहस में न उलझें. यही आपकी लक्ष्मण रेखा है. समझनेवाली बात यह है कि आपका अपने कार्य या आचरण पर तो कंट्रोल हो सकता है, लेकिन बाहर के किसी व्यक्ति पर शायद नहीं. हां, गलत करनेवाले को टोकने की एक जिम्मेदार नागरिक का कर्तव्य जरुर निभाएं. इसके अच्छे परिणाम मिल जाए तो खुश हो लें, न मिले तब भी इस बात से खुश होने का प्रयास करें कि आपने कोशिश तो की. किसी भी अवस्था में खुद तनावग्रस्त होने का तो कोई अर्थ नहीं है. अमेरिकी विचारक रेनहोल्ह निबुहर सही कहते हैं, "हे ईश्वर, मुझे उन चीजों को स्वीकार करने की स्थिरता दें जिन्हें मैं बदल नहीं सकता, उन चीजों को बदलने का साहस दें जिन्हें मैं बदल सकता हूँ और दोनों में अंतर करने की बुद्धि दें."  

  (hellomilansinha@gmail.com)                  

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जीवन और सेहत को ऊर्जा से भर देता है ब्रह्ममुहूर्त

                                        - मिलन  सिन्हा,  स्ट्रेस मैनेजमेंट एंड वेलनेस कंसलटेंट 

आजकल अनेक  लोग जरुरत-बेजरूरत और जाने-अनजाने रात में देर तक जागते हैं और सुबह देर से सोकर उठते हैं. कई मेडिकल रिसर्च और सर्वे में पाया गया है कि बराबर रात में देर से सोनेवाले लोगों को ह्रदय रोग सहित कई अन्य रोगों का शिकार होना पड़ता है. हाल ही में यूरोपियन हार्ट जर्नल में एक सर्वे के हवाले से बताया गया है कि रात के बारह बजे के बाद सोनेवालों में दिल की बीमारी का खतरा करीब 25 प्रतिशत ज्यादा होता है, जब कि 10 से 11 बजे के बीच सोनेवालों को इसका खतरा सबसे कम होता है. स्वाभाविक रूप से देर से सोनेवाले सुबह देर से उठेंगे भी. इससे बायोलॉजिकल क्लॉक का संतुलन  बिगड़ता है और नतीजतन कई अन्य शारीरिक व मानसिक समस्याएं पैदा हो जाती हैं.

अंग्रेजी में कहते हैं, “अर्ली टू बेड एंड अर्ली टू राइज मेक्स ए मैन हेल्दी, वेल्दी एंड वाइज” अर्थात रात में जल्दी सोनेवाले और सुबह जल्दी उठनेवाले लोग स्वस्थ, समृद्ध और बुद्धिमान होते हैं. सदियों पहले आयुर्वेद में ब्रह्ममुहूर्त अर्थात सूर्योदय से पहले सोकर उठने को स्वास्थ्य की दृष्टि से उत्तम बताया गया है. आइए, इसके पीछे जो रोचक और ज्ञानवर्धक तर्क और तथ्य हैं, उस पर थोड़ी चर्चा करते हैं. 

दिनभर के 24 घंटों में से हर 48वें मिनट में मुहूर्त बदलता है. इस हिसाब से हर एक दिन में कुल 30 मुहूर्त होते हैं. इन्हीं तीस मुहूर्तों में से एक मुहूर्त है ब्रह्म मुहूर्त जो  सुबह के 4.24 बजे से 5.12 के मध्य का समय होता है. ज्ञानीजन कहते हैं कि इस समय उठनेवाले लोगों को आंतरिक शक्ति, बुद्धि, सेहत आदि के मामले में अप्रत्याशित लाभ मिलता है.

धर्मग्रंथों की बात करें तो ऋग्वेद के अनुसार 'प्रातारत्नं प्रातरिष्वा दधाति तं चिकित्वा प्रतिगृनिधत्तो, तेन प्रजां वर्धयुमान आय यस्पोषेण सचेत सुवीर:” अर्थात सूर्योदय से पहले उठनेवाला व्यक्ति स्वस्थ रहता है. कोई भी बुद्धिमान व्यक्ति  इस समय को सोकर बर्बाद नहीं करेगा. इस समय उठने वाले लोग हमेशा सुखी, ऊर्जावान बने रहते हैं और उनकी आयु लंबी होती है. सामवेद में लिखा गया है, “यद्य सूर उदितो नागा मित्रो र्यमा,  सुवाति सविता भग:”. अर्थात व्यक्ति को सूर्योदय से पहले ही शौच और स्नान आदि करके ईश्वर की उपासना करनी चाहिए. इस समय व्याप्त अमृत तुल्य हवा से स्वास्थ्य और लक्ष्मी दोनों में वृद्धि होती है. तभी तो इसे सिख धर्म में अमृत बेला कहा गया है.

सामान्य ज्ञान और चिकित्सा विज्ञान की दृष्टि से देखें तो इस समयावधि में वातावरण शांत और ज्यादा ऑक्सीजनयुक्त होता है. वायु और ध्वनि प्रदूषण कम होता है. शुद्ध   हवा   में  सांस   लेने से फेफड़े स्वस्थ रहते हैं. पूरे शरीर में अतिरिक्त ऊर्जा का संचार होता है. ब्लड सर्कुलेशन बेहतर होता है. परिणाम स्वरुप मस्तिष्क की सक्रियता बढ़ती है, पाचन तंत्र मजबूत होता है और रोगप्रतिरोधक क्षमता उन्नत होती  है. इतना ही नहीं, ब्रह्ममुहूर्त में उठनेवाले लोगों में वात, पित्त और कफ में बेहतर संतुलन बना रहता है, जिससे शरीर को निरोगी रखने में बहुत मदद मिलती है. 

क्या है वात, पित्त और कफ

आयुर्वेद के अनुसार, मानव शरीर की प्रकृति तीन मुख्य तत्व के अनुसार होती है - 1. वात (वायु व आकाश), 2. पित्त (अग्नि व जल) और 3. कफ (पृथ्वी व जल) हैं. इन तत्वों की मात्रा समय के अनुसार घटती-बढ़ती रहती है.
वात- मांसपेशियों, सांस प्रणाली, ऊत्तकों की गतिविधियों से जुड़ा है.
पित्त- पाचन, उत्सर्जन, चयापचय और शरीर के तापमान प्रक्रियाओं से जुड़ा है.
कफ- शरीर की संरचना यानी हड्डियों, तंत्रिका तंत्र और मांसपेशियों से संबंधित है, जो कोशिकाओं के बेहतर संचालन और जोड़ों को लूब्रिकेशन में अहम भूमिका निभाता है.

शौच आदि से निवृत होकर योग, मेडिटेशन, प्रार्थना और अध्ययन  करने के मामले में यह समय सबसे अच्छा  माना गया है. इससे अपने शारीरिक एवं मानसिक स्वास्थ्य को बेहतर बनाए रखना आसान होता है जिसके बहुआयामी लाभ हैं. वैज्ञानिक तथ्य है कि इस समय उठनेवालों एवं सकारात्मक एक्टिविटी में समय बिताने वालों का मेमोरी पॉवर और एकाग्रता उन्नत होता है. यही कारण है कि विद्यार्थियों को इस समय अध्ययन करने को प्रेरित किया जाता है. इसके अलावे यह भी पाया गया है कि ब्रह्ममुहूर्त में उठने लोग अपना समय प्रबंधन बेहतर ढंग से कर पाते हैं, जिससे उनकी कार्यक्षमता में उछाल देखा जाता है. हां, यहां इस बात का ध्यान रखना निहायत जरुरी है कि ब्रह्ममुहूर्त में उठने के लिए और खुद को तरोताजा महसूस करने के लिए आप रात में कम-से-कम छह से सात घंटे की अच्छी नींद का आनंद उठाएं. सार संक्षेप यह कि आयुर्वेद के अनुसार ब्रह्म मुहूर्त में जागने और  पॉजिटिव सोच के साथ काम करने से हम लोग  ज्यादा सक्रिय एवं रोग मुक्त रह कर लम्बी उम्र तक जीवन का आनंद ले सकते हैं. 

 (hellomilansinha@gmail.com)

                  

                               ... फिर मिलेंगे, बातें करेंगे - खुले मन से ... 

# "प्रभात खबर हेल्दी लाइफ " में  प्रकाशित      

#For Motivational Articles in English, pl.visit the site : www.milanksinha.com         

Motivation: Eat Right and Eat Mindfully

              - Milan K. Sinha, Stress Management & Wellness Consultant 

There is no denying the fact that every living being including the human being needs food to eat in order to grow and survive. We also know that except human beings all other living creatures on this earth are in need of a limited variety of eatables. We, in fact, can’t think of a modern day living without a large variety of food items and its preparations, more for satisfying our tongue than for survival and for maintaining a better health.

 
Maybe that is the reason why in today’s fast life a large section of city dwellers fall prey to eating highly spicy, oily, salty and sugary items often and that too in a hurried manner and in a state of anxiety or stress. 

Moreover, most of us do not eat our food mindfully or consciously. We just finish our plate while engaged in watching TV, talking on mobile, finishing tasks on laptop, arguing on insignificant matters or in such other activities which can very well be avoided or at least deferred for 15-20 minutes in order to eat properly and nicely. 

Believe it or not, this is one main reason which makes them indisposed frequently. “One pill for every ill” syndrome complicates the situation further. This adversely impacts both their domestic as well as professional life in several ways. 

Now before moving forward to dwell upon various dimensions of this interesting subject, let us begin with the basic question: do we live to eat or eat to live? 

Undoubtedly, the simple and most logical answer is, primarily we eat to live. If that is so, the next question must be asked and that is, what should be our diet in order to live well and healthy? 

Taking healthy food does mean eating a variety of foods that contain nutrients we need to maintain our health and keep us going. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. 

Water forms about 70% of the body weight and is an important constituent of all body cells. All the chemical reactions and processes in the body take place in the medium of water. Sufficient quantities of water should, therefore, be ingested daily. 

In other words, the crucial part of healthy eating is nothing but having a balanced diet. And a balanced diet - or a good diet - means consuming eatables from different food groups in the right quantities, because one single food group cannot provide everything an average healthy person needs. 

Nutritionists opine that there are five main food groups: 1) Fruits 2) Vegetables 3) Whole grains 4) Milk and dairy products and 5) Egg, fish, meat, nuts, beans etc. Unquestionably, eating seasonal fruits and vegetables in reasonable quantities regularly has added advantages. 

Ok, fine. But is that all? No, besides the quality and quantity of what we eat throughout the day, it is equally important to keep in mind when to eat our food and how much. There is an age old saying which goes like this: take the breakfast like a king or a queen, take the lunch like a prince or a princess and take the dinner like a pauper or a beggar. The message is quite loud and clear. Nonetheless, putting it briefly in simple words, our day should start early with highly nutritious items in good quantity. The lunch should be lighter than the breakfast and dinner the lightest, preferably taken before 9 pm. Maintaining a time gap of 4-5 hours between two meals is a healthy option. One point of caution which needs no emphasis is to consume moderate or little quantities of refined sugar and common salt.

It has been discovered that even factors such as how you eat your food can influence how many calories get into your system, which is very important in any case. Medical experts opine that the longer you chew your food, the more calories the body retains.

 
Yes, the number of calories we need (from the food we eat daily) can depend on several factors like our age, size, height, sex etc. As such, the normal requirement may vary from 1800 to 3000 calories per day. To say, an active older man will require fewer calories than an active young man. 

One more thing is to always keep in mind that we can’t control everything in our life, but we can control what we put in our body. To say precisely, we should avoid junk and processed food and also aerated drinks, as they contain less nutrition, yet more quantity of fat, sugar and salt. Instead, it’s far better to have homemade food cooked or prepared by using natural ingredients. Surprisingly, such food items prepared and consumed consciously from a health point of view in a routine manner can compensate for the requirement of medicine, if at all we’re about to fall sick. 

To put it differently, it can be said that we don’t have to eat less; we have to eat right and eat mindfully instead. Truly speaking, healthy eating is a way of life, which everyone should follow and practise in order to remain fit and fine. And who should know it better than any person working in today’s competitive environment that the healthier he is, the better he will perform and achieve his goals.

Before signing off, it is interesting to find what Thomas Alva Edison said in this regard long back, “The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest the patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” 

As always, I'm keen to know what you think on this subject. Hence, request you to post comments to share your views and experiences. Stay healthy and happy.

# Published in Popular Newspaper "Morning India"  

# Click here to enjoy my Blog in Hindi, "Chalte, Chalte" (चलते, चलते)

(hellomilansinha@gmail.com)

Wellness Point: How To Drink Water

                  - Milan K. Sinha, Stress Management & Wellness Consultant

Italian polymath of the highest order Leonardo da Vinci says, “Water is the driving force of all nature.” We also know well that “WATER is LIFE”; if there is no water, there is no future for all living beings; the human body contains more than 60% water; our mother earth has 71% water; our dependence on the water cycle is immense.  French scientist and explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau rightly asserts, “We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” 

Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidi, an internationally renowned researcher, author and advocate of the natural healing power of water says that “Water is the basis of all life and that includes our body. Our muscles that move our body are 75% water; our blood that transports nutrients is 82% water; our lungs that provide oxygen are 90% water; our brain that is the control center of our body is 76% water; even our bones are 25% water.” 
 
Can anyone deny these facts? Actually water related issues have many dimensions. In fact, our health is truly dependent on the quality and quantity of water we drink. Notwithstanding these facts, we are yet to learn well when to drink water and how and how much to drink water? This question may seem to be funny and insignificant at first sight but if we go through next few lines, we would surely appreciate the importance of it. 
 
In fact, drinking water has a system and a pattern to be followed in order to stay healthier. To say, if we learn and practise the proper way of drinking water, we can keep our body adequately hydrated and reasonably toxin free thereby reaping significant health benefits. To put it precisely, it is desirable for us to drink about three to four litres of water daily depending upon the season, our body type and nature of physical activity. We should take water slowly while seated comfortably. It is better to feel that water is going down our stomach slowly and effectively through the food pipe called oesophagus in medical terminology to quench our thirst and keep all organs active.
 
Experts do opine 1) not to drink water in between any meal, just before or after any meal. Truly speaking, we should drink water 30 to 40 minutes before and after any meal. 2) To keep the body hydrated during sleeping hours to avoid the possibility of brain and heart strokes at night. 3) To take few sips of water, whenever we feel stressed for whatever reason. It gives immediate relief. 
 
Drinking two glass of water, preferably lukewarm with two spoonful lemon juice poured in it during morning hours in empty stomach is highly advantageous for our health - heart, belly, intestine and eyes in particular. For added benefits, some honey (one spoonful, if you are not diabetic) can be added or some salt, preferably pink salt (quarter spoonful, if you don’t have high BP problem).
 
What about drinking "Luke Warm Water" instead of cold water as a matter of routine? Undoubtedly, it is always better to have lukewarm water than cold water. Health experts are of the view that by drinking lukewarm water, body fat deposits and toxins circulating in the blood are eliminated slowly from the body. It also helps improve blood circulation and lowers the risk of various health complications due to the presence of toxins in the body. 

In fact, drinking lukewarm water has other inter- related health benefits. It helps in nasal and throat congestion, digestion, reduction of body weight, prevention of pimples and acne, prevention of premature aging and skin infections, to name a few. Drinking lukewarm water has another big advantage - we are at a relatively lower risk of falling prey to a number of water borne diseases. 

In short, if we practice the art of drinking water, many of our health problems and diseases which include Arthritis, Heart burn, Migraine, Constipation, Colitis, Kidney problems, Asthma, High BP and Back pain, will be mitigated, if not completely eliminated without incurring any extra cost.

Finally, here’s a point of caution: In case you are under treatment of any disease or under any medical supervision, do follow the prescription of your doctor and/or seek his/her medical advice on the subject.

As always, I'm keen to know what you think on this subject. Hence, request you to post comments to share your views and experiences. Stay healthy and happy.

# Published in Popular Newspaper "Morning India"  

# Click here to enjoy my Blog in Hindi, "Chalte, Chalte" (चलते, चलते)

आपका स्वास्थ्य आपके हाथ

                         - मिलन  सिन्हा, मोटिवेशनल स्पीकर एवं स्ट्रेस मैनेजमेंट कंसलटेंट 

हाल ही में केन्द्र सरकार ने एक ऐसा निर्णय लिया जिससे प्लस टू के लाखों परीक्षार्थियों के चेहरे खिल गए, उनका मन हल्का हो गया और तनाव काफूर. दरअसल, प्रधानमंत्री  की अध्यक्षता में हुई एक अहम बैठक में विद्यार्थियों में कोरोना संक्रमण के बढ़ने की आशंका और खतरों के मद्देनजर सीबीएसई 12वीं बोर्ड की परीक्षा को रद्द करने का फैसला किया गया. केंद्र सरकार के इस निर्णय  के बाद सीआईएससीई और कई राज्यों के  परीक्षा बोर्ड ने भी अपने यहां की 12वीं बोर्ड की परीक्षा को रद्द करने की घोषणा कर दी. सरकार के इस फैसले के बाद अनेक छात्रों और उनके अभिभावकों ने  प्रधानमन्त्री, शिक्षा मंत्री और बोर्ड अधिकारियों के प्रति आभार व्यक्त किया. बाद में  प्रधानमंत्री ने केंद्रीय शिक्षा मंत्रालय की ओर से आयोजित एक वीडियो कॉन्फ्रेंसिंग के माध्यम छात्रों और उनके अभिभावकों से खुलकर बात की. उन्होंने कहा कि छात्रों के व्यापक  हित में यह फैसला किया गया, जिससे कि हमारे विद्यार्थियों के स्वास्थ्य के साथ-साथ उनके भविष्य की भी रक्षा हो सके. साफ़ तौर पर प्रधानमंत्री विद्यार्थियों के स्वास्थ्य के प्रति फिक्रमंद रहे और उनको स्वास्थ्य संबंधी जोखिमों से बचाने हेतु उन्होंने यह अहम कदम उठाया. बहरहाल, अब विद्यार्थियों  के लिए यह विचारणीय सवाल है कि वे कोरोना महामारी या अन्य किसी भी परिस्थिति में कैसे खुद को मानसिक और शारीरिक रूप से स्वस्थ रख सकें. कहने की जरुरत नहीं कि इस मामले में हजारों चुनौतियों और जोखिमों के बावजूद प्रधानमन्त्री ने पूर्णतः स्वस्थ रहकर उनके सामने एक ज्वलंत उदाहरण पेश किया है. खैर, सच्चाई यह है कि मूल रूप से विद्यार्थियों का स्वास्थ्य खुद उनके हाथ में ही है. कैसे? आइए यहां कुछ आसान उपायों की चर्चा करते हैं.  

कहते हैं न कि मुश्किल नहीं है कुछ भी अगर ठान लीजिए. तो कुछ भी हो जाए, सेहतमंद रहना है, इस संकल्प के साथ दिन की शुरुआत कीजिए. अंग्रेजी में कहते हैं मॉर्निंग शोज दि डे. अर्थात सुबह की अच्छी या बुरी शुरुआत ही दिन के अच्छा या बुरा गुजरने का संकेत होता है. अतः सुबह जल्दी उठने की कोशिश करनी चाहिए. इसके लिए रात में जल्दी सोना अनिवार्य है, क्यों कि 7-8 घंटे की रात में नींद शरीर को स्वस्थ रखने के लिए आवश्यक है. सुबह उठकर पहले शरीर को जलयुक्त यानी हाइड्रेटेड करें. सभी विद्यार्थी जानते हैं कि मानव शरीर में 65-70 प्रतिशत पानी होता है जिसे हर समय कमोबेश उस स्तर पर बनाया रखना बेहतर होता है. रोचक और जानने योग्य बात यह है कि पानी पीने की एक कला होती है, जिसके अंतर्गत बुनियादी तौर पर सुबह-सुबह कम-से-कम आधा लीटर पानी पीना, पानी हमेशा आराम से बैठकर पीना, खाने  के बीच में या खाने से तुरत पहले या तुरत बाद में पानी नहीं पीना शामिल है. दिनभर में मौसम और अपने शारीरिक जरुरत  के हिसाब से ढ़ाई से तीन लीटर पानी जरुर पीएं. पानी पीने में छात्र-छात्राएं इतना भी अनुशासन रख सकें तो न केवल सेहतमंद रह सकते हैं, बल्कि कई रोगों से बचे रह सकते हैं. 

खेलकूद, व्यायाम और योगाभ्यास शरीर को सक्रिय और स्वस्थ रखने में बहुत बड़ी भूमिका अदा करता है. दिनभर के रूटीन में इसे जरुर शामिल कीजिए. और सिर्फ शामिल करके जैसे-तैसे इसे मत निबटाइए. जितना समय इस काम के लिए निर्धारित करें, उसका मनोयोग से आनंदपूर्वक सदुपयोग कीजिए. शरीर के इम्यून सिस्टम एवं मेटाबोलिज्म को मजबूत बनाए रखने के लिए यह बहुत जरुरी है. कुछ न कर सकें या कोरोना काल में बाहर जाना मुनासिब न समझें  तो घर में ही स्पॉट जम्पिंग-रनिंग, फ्री हैण्ड एक्सरसाइज और कुछ योगाभ्यास कर लें. 

 
बुनियादी तौर पर स्वाद के बजाय स्वास्थ्य को केन्द्र में रखकर खानपान करें. खाना खाने में कभी भी जल्दबाजी न करें. आराम से बैठ कर खूब चबाकर और खाने को एन्जॉय करते हुए खाएं. खाना पौष्टिक और सुपाच्य हो, यह बहुत जरुरी है. इसके लिए साबूत अन्न, दाल, मौसमी और हरी सब्जी, मौसमी फल, दूध, दही, ड्राई फ्रूट्स  आदि को भोजन में शामिल करें. सुबह का नाश्ता सबसे पौष्टिक और मात्रा में ज्यादा हो. रात में हल्का भोजन करें और वह भी रात आठ से नौ बजे के बीच. जंक, पैकेज्ड, प्रोसेस्ड, फ्रोजेन फ़ूड और कोल्ड ड्रिंक्स आदि स्वाद में तो अच्छे हो सकते हैं, लेकिन सेहत के लिए यकीनन अच्छे नहीं होते हैं. हाँ, अल्कोहल, सिगरेट, गुटखा और अन्य नशीली चीजों से बराबर दूर रहें. एक बात और. खाते वक्त टीवी, मोबाइल, लैपटॉप आदि पर इंगेज न रहें और न ही आपस में कोई विवादित चर्चा करें. सार संक्षेप यह कि अच्छा सोचेंगे, करेंगे और खायेंगे तो बराबर स्वस्थ  रह पायेंगे.

  (hellomilansinha@gmail.com)                        

                         ... फिर मिलेंगे, बातें करेंगे - खुले मन से ... 

# पाक्षिक पत्रिका "यथावत"  में प्रकाशित   

#For Motivational Articles in English, pl.visit the site : www.milanksinha.com