The door to optimal health
Yim Ken Fei
Wednesday December 15, 2010
The door to optimal health
4 pilliars of health :- exercise, lifestyle, balanced diet, supplementation
True Health
By Dr C.S. FOO
When the right four numbers are keyed in for the four pillars of health – exercise, lifestyle, balanced diet, supplementation – optimal health can be achieved.
BRILLIANT ideas do not come my way often, and even if they did, I would probably not recognise them. Myopic as I might be, the number 8888 unveiled a new philosophy of such clarity that it has helped me explain many of the mysteries of the way we are.
The number is mystical and hints of good omen. Being a patron of bad luck, I thought my destiny was about to change and trotted off to buy this number from the neighbourhood betting shop only to discover that it was not for sale.
To add disappointment to twisted fate, the winning number was 9999! The lesson here is that 8888 cannot be bought and is not to be gambled on for this is the combination of numbers in a four-digit lock that opens the door to optimal health.
"We have five great senses, but the one that brings the most pleasure is taste. If we bring out the best in the other four, life would turn around for the better" On a scale of zero to 10, the former is when our lights go out, and the latter means brimming with true health, without a trace of illness. When the right four numbers are keyed in, optimal health can be achieved.
Optimal health involves the four pillars of exercise, lifestyle, balanced diet, and supplementation. We may practise some or all of these four great strategies, but alas, often in the wrong combination, the door remains locked. Knowing your 8888 will definitely boost health span, but information without transformation remains a theoretical benefit.
Pick the right exercise
There is no dispute that exercise has health benefits, but this is not always the case. A simple game like badminton can strangulate a susceptible heart or invite lesser injuries like torn muscles, ligaments, or tendons.
In Greek mythology, Achilles was the hero of the Trojan War. He was invulnerable except for a weak heel (he died of a poisoned arrow shot through the back of his ankle). Sometimes we feel invincible for the day and all of a sudden, take on a group of opponents half our age.
I thought someone had hit me with a iron bar from behind when I leapt to smash, only to fall on the court writhing in pain and immobilised. I survived as there was no poisoned arrow, but at that moment, I empathised with Achilles as he lay motionless with his tendon shot through.
Certainly, the number on the exercise slot that fateful day was a wrong entry.
A housewife who toils or an office worker who walks half-way to work to beat the traffic jam is certainly locomotion in action, but often harbours angst, frustration, and anxiety. Pretty nasty stuff are induced in this state of body and mind. A tidal wave of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline ages the body by the second.
An ideal plan is a combination of stretching first, followed by muscle toning, and finally aerobics set at the individuals’s level of tolerance. The duration and intensity should be graduated depending on the target goals.
The set for weight management and one for health may differ, but there are still pitfalls. Rushing through the motions, can also lead to distress. There was once a guy who thought he finally got it right. To save time, he jogged with the dumbbells and the consequence was a swollen knee for two months.
It is amazing what we can learn from other people’s silly mistakes. I am cursed and blessed in one package. The former because I make the errors, and the latter for lack of embarrassment in sharing the wisdom.
Living life in style
Recently, I discovered that there is a deeper meaning to the word lifestyle, as lifestyle is more than just personal habits. Are we living our lives in style? Are we enjoying the short time we have in the manner we deserve? Do we trot off to work on Monday morning full of inspiration?
Many do not exercise for lack of time, and work very hard because there is little money left towards the end of the month. It’s a vicious cycle of stress, frustration, and unhappiness spiralling out of control ... more so as the years go by. Who endowed us with that plan of lifestyle? We did, of course.
The next digit that consolidates optimal health is living a good life ... a life in style, which must not be confused with Friday night parties! To quote my daughter, “Monday is the noblest of days as it absorbs everyone’s hate and anger, just so his friends, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday get to be everyone’s favourite”. She cannot be further from the truth as many of us feel or have felt that way for a greater part of life.
Life is often like being in a boxing ring, and we, the underdog, are hammered by many blows. One can choose to cower in the corner, or take the bull by the horn by taking charge of our health, finances, and happiness.
We have five great senses but the one that brings the most pleasure is taste. If we bring out the best in the other four, life would turn around and there is a chance of developing a sixth sense, the ability to inspire and be inspired.
One of my favourite auditory exercise every morning is listening to Jim Rohn’s The Art Of Exceptional Living, my mental nutrient. Inspiration sets one off charging through the day with keen optimism. One may start a library and keep a journal for the occasional flashes of wisdom.
Indulgence need not always be in the form of luxury. A cheap diffuser that permeates the air with scents of eucaplytus for Monday and lavender on Friday smoothes the rough edges of the week. Set the digit right as happiness, fulfillment, and optimism are ingredients for optimal health.
Live and love life ... that is truly lifestyle.
Balance the diet
This is almost an impossible feat given today’s food choices and pace of life. We often grab some fast grub and eat on the go.
Balancing the diet is the toughest digit to set, and quite understandably, we bypass this number. But the bad news is, the lock is nevertheless a four-digit combination. Having visited different houses, I have seen what lies behind closed doors – a host of metabolic disorders related to poor dietary selection waiting to spew out. To some, the purpose to live is to eat, guided only by the radar of the palate.
However, change can come in small doses. Start with an easy discipline, like “take an apple a day” and walk round the neighbourhood. Next, try to hear and listen to the “small voice” within telling us not to go there. Believe me, it is very soft.
A balanced diet does not mean we abandon food enjoyment altogether. There are three grand meals a day, with smaller entertainment in between. I choose to be a part-time bird for a third of the day. No, I do not make up like a bird, but eat like one – work a little, peck a little, bird food as one may suspect. Fruits, seeds, and nuts and a balanced nutritional shake has been great breakfast fare for quite a while. This gives me the license to enjoy “normal” lunches and dinners.
As a measure of overindulgence, the waistline serves as a good gauge. When the alarm bells ring, my alter ego bird takes over two meals until the penalty is paid. Once a routine has been established, it becomes a habit.
The final digit
I chanced upon the concept of optimal cellular nutrition four years ago and this was the amazing final number that I keyed in, which miraculously unlocked the door to optimal health.
For a good 10 years, my door was closed and I groped in the darkness, desperately trying out different numbers. I was moulded into thinking that nutritional supplements was an exercise in futility. In fact, micronutrients are like spare parts for the body’s machinery and are catalysts for many metabolic processes.
The needs of our cells are so intricate that scientists are still struggling to unravel the mysteries. The core premise of optimal cellular nutrition is providing an advanced level of all the essential nutrients and supporting antioxidants in the right dosage, ratio, and spectrum. Just like doing the wrong exercise can lead to trouble, taking the erroneous approach to supplementation can also lead to imbalance/toxicity, or confer no benefit in the least.
Key in 8888 every day. Have a great life, and “live long” in health, happiness, and prosperity.
Dr C.S. Foo is a medical practitioner. For further information, e-mail starh...@thestar.com.my.