Health Is Wealth

Five years ago, my physical exam report indicated that my cholesterol levels were on the borderline high. To be very frank, I was a bit surprised because I ate home cooked Indian meals and I was in perfect physical health with a weight on the lower side. I DID eat meats on rare occasions when I was traveling or eating outside at the time. However, majority of the times, I ate vegetarian food.  Additionally, my mom’s entire family including her is diabetic.  This puts me at risk for diabetes as well. Because of these two factors, my doctor told me to make lifestyle changes.

Then, a year later, I visited my brother-in-law who is a strict vegetarian and a very devout person. Having discussions about religion, spirituality, and health with him was enough for me to change my diet habits. Since 2009, I have NOT eaten any meats, fish, or poultry.

Birth of our baby was another turning point for me and wife. We have become conscious eaters ourselves so that our baby gets to learn good habits. Shortly after her birth, we learned about Sweet Tomatoes from a relative of ours. Sweet Tomatoes offers endless salads, soups, and breads buffet. Everything is made fresh. We have made a habit to go there at least once every two weeks. I love their themed salads and soups; they are tastier, and healthier.

Another lifestyle change I have incorporated is that of an exercise. I go to gym at least once a week, do yoga once a week, walk 30 minutes at least a couple of times a week, and once a month do yard work that provides plenty of exercise. There are times when I slack off and don’t do enough exercise. But, that will be my focus going forward.

Also, I have now completely stopped drinking any sodas, although I wan't drinking sodas regularly anyway.  Having read about high fructose corn syrup that is used to sweeten the sodas has made me conscious about its ill effects. I have also begun incorporating whole wheat breads instead of regular ones to cut down on sugar conversion. I will be incorporating high fiber veggies to our diets and will slowly replace carbs and starchy foods from our diet.

Slowly and surely, I am making progress. Both, my cholesterol and diabetes levels are well within normal range this year. I hope to sustain the lifestyle changes for years to come. For me, health is now a priority because I know health plays a very big role in happy and fulfilling lives.