What are the 5 pillars of good health?

Hi, welcome to newsletter #2.

Take a deep breath, tune out from your “inner noise” and let’s begin.

What's inside :

• 5 pillars of our health that we should care about more than anything else

• The jargon of the day

• Habit of the week

• Goal of the month

When was the last time you came across a social media item telling you how you have been drinking water the wrong way all your life, or you were sleeping on the wrong side, or the reason for your knee pain is eating too much curd? Must be recent.

Lately what is happening is that folks are getting superficially educated in a vast variety of things mostly via social media.

What is missing are the boring details of the topic that cannot be squeezed into a 15-second video which was made to grab your attention and entertain you rather than educate you.

so after a point, people become just walking talking bag of random facts not knowing which part of the puzzle goes where.

Good health doesn't have to be a puzzle. In fact, it can be as simple as remembering five key elements - Sleep, Diet, Exercise, Social Relationships, Inner Relationship.

Today we'll go over 3 good practices for each and by the end of this wall of words I'm hoping you'll have a clearer understanding of what areas of your life you need to focus on to live healthier, happier and longer.!

Sleep: insufficient sleep leads to impaired cognitive function, increased stress, and a higher risk of chronic diseases.

3 Tricks -

• Put a sleep alarm -when the alarm rings you have to go to bed no matter what

• Sleep in pitch-dark and cold temperatures (18 degrees Celsius if you can control it)

• see some sunlight first thing in the morning, gets melatonin secretion to stop properly.

Diet: Think of it as the raw material that powers every function. A balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, provides the essential nutrients your body craves. Scientifically, these nutrients support your immune system, improve digestion, and even influence your mood

3 Tricks -

• Calculate your maintenance calories and ideal weight here and stay under it.

• Restrict the number of meals and eat nothing between meals (count your tea + biscuits in a day and you’d be surprised)

• Give yourself 30-day challenges to stay on track.

Exercise: Exercise is your body's natural way to release stress, improve cardiovascular health, and enhance your mood. It's not about hitting the gym daily; even a brisk walk in the park can do wonders. Scientific research consistently highlights the benefits of regular physical activity, from weight management to boosting endorphins, your brain's feel-good chemicals.

3 Tricks -

• get more incidental exercise - for eg, walking instead of taking a rickshaw and count those steps.

• Don’t skip sleep to exercise.

• Lifting weights under guidance is encouraged for all age groups and both genders.

Social Relationships: Strong social connections reduce stress, improve mental health, and extend lifespan. Genuine interactions with family and friends release oxytocin, promoting bonding and trust.

3 Tricks (even for introverts)

• Listen more than you say. Communicating doesn’t always mean talking.

• Ask genuine questions to people about themselves. Humans love talking about themselves.

• Join a club of like-minded people - don’t fight alone.

Inner Relationship: Your mental health is just as vital as your physical health. Studies show that stress reduction improves mental well-being and strengthens your immune system.

3 Tricks

• Write your thoughts, especially the ones that keep bothering you again and again. Some call it “journaling”, I call it “writing my thoughts”

• Help or do a favour to someone once in a while. If it doesn’t add good karma, at least it releases endorphins that make you feel good.

• Just like we see a personal trainer in a gym and are not shy about telling him all that we eat and do, don’t shy away from seeking a mental health therapist to guide you.

Now tell me, do you see the unnecessary nonsense going around in the name of health?

I would like to hear from you. Reply with a topic you’d like me to cover.

Cheers,

Dr. Vishal.