Exercise more, eat less
Today, gift yourself a brand new healthy, bouncing brain that functions like a champion multi-tasker and prevents diseases like Alzheimer’s from setting in.
How? Follow this simple, do-able formula: ‘Exercise a little more, eat a little less.’
Why exercise more? If your body isn’t sufficiently exercised, it transports less oxygen to the brain. Then movements slow down, co-ordination falters, black-outs occur, the intellect dulls, reasoning power fades. But, when you cycle for 20 minutes, walk for 42 minutes, swim for 15 minutes or jog for 20 minutes daily, the brain receives a blast of pure oxygen and a beautiful, gentle new clarity dawns and stays.
An oxygen-enriched brain makes you more aware. But not all exercisers experience this gracefully. They block it by worrying, over-analysing, forecasting negative outcomes. The brain remains dull because its concentration is diffused.
Imagine 100s of different-coloured threads being pulled in separate directions. That’s an image of a scattered brain. The weaver harnesses these threads to a loom and knits them into an orderly, pleasing pattern. Similarly, the meditator uses the loom of meditation to pick up all the straying threads of thoughts and re-integrate them into a cohesive, powerful point.
This is what we call concentration. When our brain is centred in this concentrated point, we are calm, poised and serene. Problems that appeared like giant waves now look like little ripples.
Note: Your attitude towards meditation impacts the brain’s response — the best attitude is one of sweet anticipation. The sun’s rays cannot penetrate a thick swirling fog of negativity and cynicism. The atmosphere has to be clear with good intentions toward oneself to be flooded with healing sunshine. Sit comfortably, close your eyes gently. As St Francis put it: “Imagine yourself as an instrument of peace. As you begin to feel the quiet steal over you, say silently, ‘In stillness, I touch my inner divine strength’.”
New peaceful insights come as thoughts or realisations and create new neural connections. As these connections stabilise with daily meditation, the anxiety pattern is replaced by a pattern of peaceful acceptance. A new brain is born.
Cut costly calories. Alongside, gradually reduce your food intake by about 20 per cent. The results of a recent research revealed by Italian scientists conclude that when we eat less, a protein-molecule called Creb1 — which keeps the brain young — comes alive to play good Samaritan to our memory, learning processes, anxiety and the general crotchetiness we associate with aging. Do some judicious pruning: Subtract a teaspoon of butter daily.
Eliminate 2 bottles of sweet drinks a week. Reduce 10 potato wafers in a day. Say no to a slice of cake in a week. Have two teaspoons less of sugar a day.
The trick is to eat moderate-sized meals, chew slowly, and wait 20 minutes before you get up.
Ayurvedic wisdom provides very simple advice: Stop eating the moment you burp. Continuing to eat overworks your system. Stop eating your meal before you feel full. The recommended ratio is: 1/3 food in the stomach, 1/3 liquid, 1/3 space. The stomach needs space to digest properly.
(The writers are authors of the book Fitness for Life)
