OUR HEALTH, OUR WEALTH

To be healthy is to be in a state of complete, physical, mental and social well being. Good health is an essential ingredient to a happy and purposeful life; the loss of it is a loss of happiness. When the health fails life becomes painful, drab, less meaningful and unproductive, resulting in frustration. The joy of living is drastically reduced and the quality of life will dwindle.

No wonder Mahatma Gandhi says, “It is health which is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” Money can buy you all the luxuries of life but you can only enjoy such if your health is good. Hence health is more important than wealth.

Few Tips on Healthy Living

1. Check yourself regularly and periodically, to ascertain your present health condition. See your GP/ health personnel if in doubt, delay may be dangerous.
2. Get relevant and preventive immunization, and routine investigation done as at, and when due.
3. Prevent marriages between sickle cell carriers- to save offspring of the marriage from painful, miserable and a short life span, also the consequential agony borne by their parents and families. Please do not tempt God.
4. Regular Exercise- this is very essential for a healthy life, it benefits every part of your life. But do it in moderation, see the expert to know what type of exercise befits your health status.
5. Eat healthy diet, be yourself use common sense (you are what you eat) avoid fad diet.
6. Organic foods are the best- they contain more nutrients, eat good carbs NOT no carbs -white grains are the best.             
7. Take plenty of plant proteins- beans, nuts. Little of animals, fish and poultry.
8. Choose healthy fatty food; minimise food high in saturated fats. Take plant oils, nuts and fish.
9. Eat more of vegetables and fruits; go for colour and variety- dark green, yellow orange and red.
10. Take less salt- eat more of fresh foods, and less processed foods.
11. Take plenty of water (6-8 glasses a day) including herbal tea. Water is life; this aids metabolic and digestive mechanism in the body and also keeps body temperature at normal level. Skip sugary drinks, go easy on the milk and juice.
12. Vitamins; add extra to boost your health, as the body cannot provide all, and also at certain age.
13. Relaxation and Sleep;
14. A good night sleep and holiday are essential; tonic for the body. Good sleep refreshes the body, after a hectic day, and also repair worn out cells. Cells are adequately repaired over night. Adult needs 6-7hrs sleep at night, children 9-10hrs.
15. Relaxation can be in form of reading the bible, watching films, dancing, listening to soul lifting music, socialising with families and friends. If sleep is an issue- try calming herbs, lemon balm, chamomile tea can be of great help.

HALLELUYAH DIET

This write up will not be complete without a reference to some information and knowledge from a book titled the “Hallelujah diet -Experience the Optional Health You Were Meant to Have” by George Malkmus with Peter and Stowe Shockey.

This book has biblical foundation as it discussed food based on (Genesis 1:29) – “And God said behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meet (food) alone.” God gave Adam and all mankind, the ideal way to nourish the physical body, raw plant source foods are rich in fibre, and they fed on these and lived longer. But after the great flood when all plants were destroyed, and nothing left for man. God commanded man to eat flesh of clean animal to survive (Genesis 9:3) this contain no fibre and slows the digestive system. After this comes instance of sickness and drop in man’s life span.

In attestation to this, Daniel and the 3 Hebrew men who refused to eat the king’s food of cooked animal based meal, survived on vegetables and water. They were stronger and healthier than their counterpart. (Daniel 1: 8-10). Cleanliness is next to Godliness, without this it’s very difficult to maintain proper health; it is the key for health.

In conclusion health is a great treasure; it is the highest blessing and the source of all happiness. Hippocrates the Greek physician (father of medicine) says, “A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings.” Good health contributes to the emotional well being and happiness of a person, even with limited income, a person with sound health can lead a happy and enjoyable life.

Be Health wise to be Wealthy