A rapidly increasing occurrence of sudden death from cardiac arrest, particularly in the prime of life, is currently being noted worldwide. There are numerous risk factors contributing to this rise in heart disease. However, the primary cause is likely an unhealthy lifestyle. It appears to be the result of excessive indulgence or avoidance.
Nature has designed a basic schedule for the human body, that is, to wake up at the start of daylight, to move throughout the day, to work for food, to eat when hungry, and to sleep when it’s dark. However, with advances in science and technology, humans have strayed far from this "natural”, healthy routine.
Numerous examples demonstrate individuals engaging in excessive or abnormal behaviours. Maintaining a healthy body weight is beneficial for overall health, and having a slim body is currently a fad. However, achieving this requires a balanced approach, which appears to be lacking in some cases.
Many years ago, I read a story about a Hollywood actress who ate paper in a bid to remain slim. People overindulge in food and then go on crash diets to avoid putting on weight or lose excess weight. Overeating or not eating is not good for health.
I have come across individuals who avoid sugary things but drink beer or other alcoholic beverages regularly, which are rich in calories. But how do they expect to lose weight or maintain it, or even keep good health, with this kind of attitude? Freshly cooked food that includes the necessary nutrients is good for health. However, the majority of people in urban areas rely more on fast food for meals, and this adds calories and deprives the body of some essential nutrients.
Physical activity and or exercise are necessary to keep the body healthy. But it has to be regular. Until recent years, a prevalent theory suggested that 30 minutes of regular exercise at least three times a week is beneficial. However, it has now been recognised that if someone remains sedentary for the rest of the day after an hour of exercise, the positive effects of the exercise are nullified.
Some walk miles or do workouts in the gym for hours, once or twice a week, but then sit glued to a chair for the rest of the week. This type of exercise does not help much.
After work in the evenings, many people watch TV or videos until late evening for relaxation. However, without realising it, instead of relaxing, they increase their stress levels. The majority of the shows and movies watched contain violence, sex, heated political debates, or morbid news — content that has the potential to stimulate and stress the mind rather than provide relaxation.
A person who stays up till late may get up late, and will not feel fresh. The simple reason is, that for adequate relaxation of the mind and body, it is not just the hours of sleep that count, but the time of sleep as well. The night is the natural sleeping period for humans, and if half of that time is spent awake, the body does not rejuvenate sufficiently.
There is no universal fixed formula for staying healthy. Apart from a healthy lifestyle, many other factors play a key role. Age, weight for height, nutrition, lifestyle, mental stress, use of addictive substances, and most important, genetic factors, determine the overall health of a person.
Genetic factors cannot be controlled, but one should try to strike a balance between other factors in their life. That would include a regular sleep, and wake cycle, taking a balanced diet at healthy regular intervals, doing physical exercise regularly as per one’s capability, avoiding addictive substances, and most importantly, adequate relaxation. Excess of any one or more of these is bad for health and, hence best avoided.
Dr Rachna Pande is a specialist in internal medicine.