Watching What You Eat

It may be because of the inescapable fact that age plays an increasingly significant role in the health equation as years go by. It may be because of the increased awareness I have lately of both my mind and my body. It may be because I have finally realized that in that same health equation I allude to, diet and exercise are so inextricably intertwined, that it doesnt matter how much you work out until you also get your diet in order and it doesnt matter how much you diet until you also engage in a consistent, holistic exercise program.

The bottom line is that I can finally vouch for the fact that I can almost completely control my well-ness by eating right.

The reason I am getting particularly vocal about this is that, strangely enough, of late, I have been able to observe almost immediate reactions of my body to what I consume. Without getting into the details of exactly what I observe (lest the reader is turned off partially or completely!), I see reactions to what I eat, mostly within a couple of days at least. And if the results are negative, I kick myself for giving in to temptation (these are usually in the chocolate/desert category - I find them irresisitible), or too much sodium/preservatives/grease/oil/extra spicy food which comes mostly from eating out.

On the flip and more positive side - eating well also lets me see tangible benefits, although these are not always that pronounced, takes longer to observe and worst of all - takes more attempts to observe the benefits. To explain - it takes only one or two rich dessert indulgences to see an extra pound or two, some blotchy skin, and unwanted digestive effects almost within a couple of days of consumption, whereas - it takes much, much longer bouts of eating a balanced diet with fruits/veggies/fiber/protein/carb (and this also ensures the required and healthy supply of vitamins and minerals our body needs) to start seeing the good effects. BUT, when I DO start seeing them, its an incredibly amazing feeling. I feel great, energetic, and healthy. My skin glows and the tiredness around my eyes disappears, and my mind, seeing and feeling these positive effects, also feels well. Of course, all of this, coupled with my consistent Yoga and gym sessions leads to an overall sense of extreme well being. Doesnt get better. All of this is unbelievably beneficial when work related stress is also playing its part in the equation.

I read somewhere a long time ago that the habits we cultivate in our early to mid twenties are the ones that end up lasting through the rest of our lives. Given I am no longer in my early or mid twenties, I am at least thankful I am almost obsessing about this issue now. I am determined to do my part in ensuring a healthy life for me and my family. I have no doubt about it - I am what I eat.

As they say at Kaiser Permanente - Live well, be well, thrive. Should apply to each one of us, methinks.