Health in the modern era

Few years back when i went for a run in the morning i heard the strangest of sounds. I heard a group of people laughing away in unison. I was perplexed and a tad curious. Why were these people laughing? On inquiring  I learnt that this was a new form of exercise being promoted for good health. Now i am all for new therapies but ,yaar laughing for good health is like expecting India to whitewash Australia in an away series..The idea sounds great in principle but realistically very farfetched. I am a true Gemini , so the skeptic in me was swept away by this bizarreness(what I felt at the time). Thus 2 days later I decided to join this class. On inquiring about the fees  was told it’s free. When I asked why was politely told laughter is universal like water and oxygen. The mind and body not only produces it but also needs it for enrichment of our being. This class is merely a reminder of this basic principle .We have forgotten this today. Whoaaa!!!!!!!This analogy ble

The moment you decide to become healthy, make it an integral part of your lifestyle, you become sheepish in attitude.  Discussing good health, the fact that you are making these changes are broached about gingerly when sitting with friends or family. This cloak and dagger game is living up to the trend of how the common man views the term health. Like discussed in my previous blog in the last 50 odd years we have started paying a premium on being healthy. Healthy way of life which is one of the most essential and basic aspect for leading a good and enriching life, now   looked upon as an underground movement for the elite and few. Why is that?Is being healthy ,eating right, getting fitter something to be ashamed and kept under wraps? Are we doing something shady and illegal getting healthy, are we a part of a secret society that is propagating a revolution against the present order? The organic way of life and everything associated with it is considered an elitist

This is a topic that always stirs up a debate wherever it goes. The traditionalists always sneer at the modernists and vice-versa. The story goes the same when it comes to health and fitness The diets and exercise programs that we follow in present times have their roots in the traditional. But the divide has never been so apparent. Swords have been drawn,with both sides ready to go to war at the drop of a hat. Why is this so? Are we in a warlike situation?Yes we are. The   booming and ever growing world of health and fitness has became a war which each side wants to win and proclaim as their own. You may ask but health is not a country, fitness in not running for elections, then why this contest! The answer to this lies in our perception and understanding of health.We the people are subconsciously fueling this battle. Traditional forms of health/nutrition/exercise till the 1940’s were recognized and accepted world over as a means of staying fit and healthy.The

Till 20 years back when you said I want a six pack it meant lets get beers and get drunk in most parts of the western world. In the year since this has taken on another connotation. It means wanting chiseled and washboard abdominal muscles.That should be fantastic won’t u say.Well yes and no From a health perspective it is surely great news.If people aspire and work towards a flat and chiseled stomach that means less fat on the body,in turn a fitter individual.But.. The root of the problem is the methodology used to achieve this six-pack.Most people fueled by the media/gym driven mentality of modern life start their training programs with the six pack as the pinnacle of fitness.Anything less is considered a failure. Is achieving a six pack so difficult?I was told all it took was 3 months.When i heard that i was firstly surprised.At that point i weighed over 90 kg with a BMI(Body Mass Index of over 35% at least)and my waist was a super-size 40 inches!!I asked the

Blame game is a term that is not defined by the English Dictionary.What is the meaning and why is it important in terms of health and nutrition. Like i have discussed in my previous blogs the road to good health starts with good intentions but various myths surrounding the subject cloud our judgement . Once we have ascertained we want to get fit and healthy we don’t go out and try to learn,absorb and throw ourselves completely into how we can get healthier. We pick up bits and pieces from the strangest of sources and start on our fitness program. The results show up initially which is expected as the body starts getting some exercise and decent enough healthy food. We are now very charged and decide to get into this with more vigour.We try something drastic which may be harmful to our bodies but since weight loss and not being healthy is our goal, We don’t care. Few months into the routine you know what happens? All the initial weight that we lost piles up again. Dejected

Last evening after reading my latest blog my wife made a very valid point. She asked me are you an authority on nutrition. I was like no way. She was then why have you attacked   nutritionists with so much vengeance. This got me thinking about a question and it’s relevance. Who is an authority on health? And if someone claims to be one is there any truth to this claim? Authority as defined by   dictionary.com states: the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control , command, or determine . Going by this definition one who claims to be an authority on health and fitness has the power to determine the good from the bad in these subjects. Now think about this. People who have studied yoga for years, who have studied the martial arts, who have discovered and devoted their entire life to the study of nutrition, are never given the title of authority. They are always given the title of a master, guru,etc.