Parameters of Physical wellness

Perfect Breathing Focus on your breathing. Take a deep breath then exhale slowly. Repeat a couple of times a day. You can bring equilibrium to your mental state by breathing correctly. The first exercise in the ancient pranayama tradition—the art of filling every part of your body with life-force or prana. Always take longer to exhale so that the lungs are empty of stale air. Only then can oxygen flow in. The body is the boat human beings are given to sail across the sea of life. It is your duty to take care of it. Rest, Relaxation and Rejuvenation. A 20 minute nap improves memory retention and Nike expects workers to ‘just do it’ in their ‘quiet rooms.’ Meditation has the same effect, but delivers even better benefits. Rest enables stress chemicals to subside after competing all day. Non- competitive sports like walking, sailing, reading or socializing can provide a relaxing change of pace. Healthy Food Food brings people together, allows human beings to feel satisfied and comfortable, connects us with the earth and provides us with health. Freshly-cooked healthy food, pure fresh air and yogic exercise nurture and enhance prana. Positive Thinking Positive emotions like love, courage, humour, compassion wonder and peace create a positive field. To infuse our lives with what poets call “the rapture of being” is to create a positive field. Learning to create a positive field is an important part of the climate of wellbeing.

Action Plans to Maintain Perfect Health

• Start the day with a glass of warm water and a dash of lime. • Once a week have only fresh fruits until noon; let your lunch be the first meal of the day. • Kick the old coffee drinking habit. Have a glass of fresh fruit juice instead. • Include foods with high fibre content – plenty of fruits, vegetables and grains – in planning your diet. • Don’t rush through your meals. Set aside enough time to appreciate, enjoy and digest your food. • Shop for groceries yourself. Notice the look, feel and smell of fresh fruit and vegetables and enjoy their intrinsic goodness. • Make it a point to have dinner with the entire family at the table, and not in front of the TV. • Focus on your breathing. Take a deep breath, then exhale slowly. Repeat a couple of times a day. • Learn to relax. Spend twenty minutes consciously relaxing each muscle of your body. • Spend twenty minutes a day in silent meditation, prayer or contemplation.