Itanagar
By Dr.Liyi Karso
The New Year 2018 is here. It is the ‘new year resolution’ time. While some of us are promising ourselves for saving money to backpack across Europe, some of us who are away are telling ourselves that we will call our family back home more often. The list is endless, but what better way to start with small changes in your diet and lifestyle towards better health. This is not an exhaustive compilation but more of beginner’s resolution towards a healthy lifestyle from a public health point of view.
Kitchen Garden
Having a kitchen garden not only gives you organic vegetables but also keeps you more active. The famous French philosopher Voltaire says, tending to one’s own garden is not only a private activity but also productive. The joy of growing a part of your food is inexplicable. It could be anything as simple as chillies, lai patta, tomatoes, dhaniya, or cabbage, whatever fits in your pot or garden.
Walk More
Let’s start with little changes in the coming year, let’s walk to the nearby store or neighbour’s house like the good old days. With the increasing traffic in Itanagar and the stress that builds, it is definitely a good idea to reduce dependency on our vehicles to visit nearby places, and walk more. It not only reduces pollution in general but also improves blood circulation, burns calories and keeps us healthy.
Include dietary fiber and fruits
We all love fast foods, fried chicken,momos and burgers but a balance in the diet is crucial. Increased consumption of refined and processed foods now a days not only reduces the intake of dietary fibre in our diet but also of essential nutrients and this leads to a vicious cycle of digestive, cardiovascular, hormonal health hazards which are becoming leading causes of morbidity among young and old in our place. All plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans have fiber. Dietary fiber is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But foods containing fiber can provide other health benefits as well, such as helping to maintain a healthy weight and lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease. So grab an orange or any seasonal fruit while you leave for college or office.
Reduce Red Meat
Commonly our Arunachali dietary culture comes with a lot of red meat which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, increased cholesterol, increased risk of heart attack, colon cancer which is becoming common in native people. We need to evolve our eating habits with changing times and consume red meat moderately.
Hydrate yourself
The importance of having 6-8 glasses of water everyday cannot be overemphasized. We often forget to drink enough water during winter but irrespective of weather drinking water should be a priority as water maintains balance in body fluids and helps in digestion, absorption and circulation of nutrients in the body. Make a habit of keeping a fresh bottle of water in your car or on your table everyday and make sure to drink more water.
Wishing you all healthier choices in 2018.
Dr. Liyi Karso is a Research Officer at the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, Agartala.
