By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
I was thinking that we can discuss here all the diseases in the world. But for what? In the final analysis, what is more important is to know how to be healthy and prevent disease, rather than suffering from the disease then trying to treat it. Di ba? So here we are again, reminding you in case you have forgotten.
Well, all we need to know about living well and how to prevent disease is already known. It is no secret. Humanity has been around for several millennia and well, if people then didn’t know how to survive, then we wouldn’t be here today. During all those millennia, people have observed, experimented, theorized, observed, experimented, theorized…. wrote the knowledge and passed them on.
This is all over internet. I am amused by the many older women and men talking about traditional knowledge and practices for health, happiness and longevity in reels! I first saw Nona Sofia of Sardinia, then there’s one from Iceland, then a Tibetan monk, a Chinese, etc.
The common message is this – If we live in harmony with nature, then we can be healthy and happy. People knew since time immemorial that Mother Nature provides all our needs and provides the environment where we can survive and flourish. Before machines were invented, people already knew this truth.
Simple, isn’t it? The challenge now is that after machines were invented, humans have changed the environment a lot that the Mother Nature we know is no longer recognizable. Mountains are flattened, rivers are diverted. We live in cement jungles where we no longer see Mr. Sunshine and no fresh air, no trees.
But still, there’s a lot we can do. Here are simple daily practices to live in harmony with nature as much as we can and stay healthy and happy:
1. Eat fresh whole foods, in season as much as possible. Ex. choose whole camote over chips. Avoid highly processed foods like artificial seasonings, soda, sugar, canned meat, refined flour.
Choose local instead of imported.
2. Drink water as is or warm. Not iced and not straight out of the refrigerator. Do not put out the fire that is digesting food in your stomach.
3. Practice slow deep breathing. Breathe like a baby where the stomach expands during inhalation and flattens upon exhalation.
4. Expose yourself to the early morning sun 7am- 10am for 10-30 minutes, daily if possible. Or else between 3pm-5pm.
5. Sleep in total darkness for deep, restorative sleep. Darkness triggers melatonin production which signals your body it is time to sleep.
6. Say no to cigarettes and cigarette substitutes, drugs and excessive alcohol.
7. Move and strengthen your body-mind. Walk, yoga, tai chi, swim, walk some more.
8. Build and maintain faithful relationships with people and environment.
9. Have a grateful, forgiving and hopeful heart.
Cheers to health and joy! ***
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“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2**
