Some well-being tips that have worked for me.

Everyone wants a long life. The best prayer you get from a loved one is for a healthy long life. Well, my 92-year-old father, passed away last month having lived a wonderful life. He lived a life according to his own decisions. With the love of his life: his wife for last sixty two years. So, lets say that Masha Allah, good health runs in the family.

The pattern is set with regular healthy meals, presented in proper way, cooked as fresh as possible. Simple wholesome meals, with fruit at the end – unlike the latest theory.   They thanked Allah profusely. My parents went for long walks when they didn’t have a car, and I was a baby. I’ve never seen them going for long walks, yet they have been very active. Even from a wheelchair, my father kept getting up to take a walk around the house right till the last day.

As far as I’m concerned, I love a good exercise any time. Not being a morning person, I prefer a later evening walk. Spending the mornings being  active always, doing house chores, or walking as much as possible  at the work place.

Regular walks every evening have been a main feature of my life. I love to connect with nature in all weathers and seasons. In Seattle, I’d walk in the snow, or rain. In Pakistan, in the hot or cold weather between Asr or Maghrib times, (between 4.00 pm to 7 pm in the evenings.)

My Health strategies:

 There are a few strategies I’ve had for dealing with common ailments like cough, cold, fever, headaches, low BP and high BP and upset stomach which have worked.  

 Let me share them with you:

Cold, cough and fever:

Go on ‘high alert’ with the first symptom, which is usually a scratchy throat:

1. Take a Kestine tablet, before sleeping, (it is an anti-allergy pill with hardly any side-effects. So, you can take any anti-allergy pill you like.) Relax! Have a good sleep that night.

 Ta da! You will wake up fresh. 

• Just for a few days, avoid cold drinks, sip more warm drinks, especially hot water.

If you are still unwell, then take another tablet in the morning (- and every morning for five days, if necessary.)  

Headaches:

I learnt this one the hard way. When I was expecting my number two kid, Nadiya, I used to have splitting headaches during pregnancy. I didn’t take any tablets, knowing it could harm the baby. But it felt as if a pulse in my head will snap. It was a very difficult pregnancy.

Later on – you will be surprised – I realized that I was to blame for it, not the pregnancy.

All I had to do was:

1. At the first sign of a headache – stop whatever I was doing, (if I was cooking, just put off the stove.) Then go and lie down. Relax. Stop thinking of any problem. Meditate. Get up after ten minutes, as the headache would be gone by then. If one is at workplace, change the scene, by moving to another room. (Remove the irritant.) Give yourself a cup of tea, nice music, and happy thoughts if you can. It is all in your control.
2. So, with my next pregnancy, (yes, Waliya!) I executed the above plan, and I was fine.
3. You do not have to be pregnant to try it. You can do it normally too. We have a habit of ignoring the headache or any problem, and pushing ourselves on with whatever we are doing. All we have to do is to take a short break at the right time.

Weight control:

Throughout my life, my weight has been  normal. This was because the moment I gained a kilo or two, I’d lose it immediately. It is easier to lose a kilo than ten kilos.

Now, I’ve found using the step tracker app in my phone or a Fit Bit really helps. Best number of steps per day are 10,000. But you can slowly increase the number,according to your health condition.

Upset stomach:

I’ve been the queen of this.  When I was a baby, my mom was super careful with me, sterilizing everything. With the result, my resistance is too low. So, food poisoning is something that has happened most of my life. Finally, I’ve almost conquered it:

Take isafghol: 1 teaspoon, honey: 1 teaspoon, yogurt: 4 tablespoons.

Mix them quickly, and have it immediately, before it coagulates. (This is what it will do in your stomach also.) You will be fine within a couple of hours. If your tummy is very bad, then repeat this twice or thrice.  Take plenty of nimkol and have khichri and yogurt for food. You can have normal food too, but preferably,light stuff.

Say ‘no’ to alcohol, cigarettes & drugs:

Last month,  I took my dad to the  leading homeopathic Pulmonologist (lung specialist) Rehan Uppal . My father was finding it very hard to swallow food.There was too much liquid in his lower lungs which kept rising as he would eat food.

 Dr. Rehan Uppal  asked, ‘Does he smoke?’

I said ‘no’.

‘Has he ever smoked?’

‘Yes, forty five years ago.’

‘Before that, he had smoked sporadically for thirty years.’

‘That’s why!’ he said.

So, even though I’ve loved the idea of smoking but have avoided it. Now, definitely not. Why ruin your body? The same applies to all other forms of addictions.

My preventive health tactics:

1. Have lemonade at least once a day.
2. Lots of fruit, and salad with every meal.
3. Green tea,preferably with herbs like rosemary, and a touch of cinnamon.
4. Hot milk with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder is good. Otherwise, take a bowl of yogurt, sprinkled with 1/2 or ¼ teaspoon turmeric. This takes care of calcium intake.
5. Flax seeds (1/2 teaspoon) is also good in a glass of water.
6. Kalongi, the all-time favorite is great first thing in the morning.
7. Take 3, 5 or 7 almonds daily. (Best would be mixed nuts, including walnuts.)
8. Have glasses of water between meals, never during a meal. 

Life style ‘musts’:

1. Exercise, in the house, be overly active inside. Be vigilant with five days weekly walks.
2. Sleep eight hours every night, (making sure you get six hours straight). Thirty minute Siesta in afternoon is good too.  
3. Spiritual strengthening through regular prayers.  Reading Quran or holy book at least 15 to 20 minutes daily. Meditation.  
4. Take showers: once or twice a day.
5. Sunshine: enjoy it, anddo sit in sunshine for at least ten minutes daily.
6. Happiness: Find an attitude of gratitude to keep you happy. Take care of your feelings as you do about your body.  
7. Nature: Be close to nature, keeping windows open, bringing in fresh air, walking in parks, keeping plants inside your home, buy flowers, if you can’t grow them.
8. Natural foods: Choose food items like fruits, fresh juices, vegetables, eggs and lean meats and of course have plenty of water.
9. Pets, plants and flowers: Pet your pets and talk to them. Have real plants and flowers everywhere in your house.  
10. Love: Your family members, pets, and people you associate with. Express  your feelings .
11. Beautiful environment: live in a home surrounded with beauty of décor, thoughts  and lifestyles. It should be comfortable, bright and happy.
12. Social interaction: Include your friends and family members in your life with love, sharing and caring.

Do follow Luke Coutinho:  on Instagram and watch his YouTube videos, I’ve referred to his video on cancer, which I found the best one on this subject. He is very much into lifestyle. Totally agree with him.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=luke+coutinho

How I’ve avoided my knee replacement operation:

Many people over fifty tend to have this issue. Here is how I’ve managed to avoid my knee replacement operation for last four years.

Dr. Wyne Dyer also managed to do so. It is more in your mind, and general health care.

 You can do it!

Stay blessed my Reader. 🙂