Think of Evolution rather than Resolution on the eve of new year 2016 for a Better Quality of Life for Ever

Many of you will agree with me that most New Year's resolutions fail, for one reason or the other. Every year around January the gyms and local parks are beyond packed for the first few days with all of the people and their resolutions of getting into shape and better health. With the passage of time, the gyms and parks go back to normal as people forget about their resolution.

So how about making a commitment to an entire lifestyle change that goes beyond January to simply live healthier and happier from here on? Small adjustments to your lifestyle can bring a great deal of difference in your life.

Such changes will come slowly and steadily but will transform your life surely.Here are few tips to help you make lasting positive lifestyle and behavior changes.

1. Breathe Deeply.

Oxygen is a vital for life life. But most of us don’t breathe properly – we take only shallow breathes and breathe to 1/3 of our lung capacity. A full breath is one where your lungs are completely filled, your abdomen expands. Oxygen not only gives us life but destroys also the harmful bacteria in our bodies without affecting the beneficial bacteria that we need. No antibiotic or drug can make that claim.Oxygen bums up the waste products (toxins) in the body, as well as recharging the body's batteries (the solar plexus). In fact, most of our energy requirements come not from food but from the air we breathe. Thus, oxygen is very critical to our well-being, and any effort to increase the supply of oxygen to our body and especially to the brain (our brain requires oxygen 6 times more than other organs) will pay rich dividends.

2. Go For a Daily Walk.

“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day” well said by Henry David Thoreau.Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. Just 30 minutes’ walk every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance. It can also reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some kinds of cancers. Walking outdoors can greatly improve your mood, helps you to keep fit and remain healthy, thus making you a little bit happier. Try to make walking a routine (daily at the same time).

3. Practice Yoga and meditation regularly.

Yoga and meditation when practiced together strengthen the mind body connection, improving overall fitness and well-being. You can meditate without practicing yoga by simply relaxing, clearing your mind and concentrating on controlled breathing.

Both yoga and meditation, when practiced regularly, have proven health benefits. Yoga poses focus on stretching and lengthening the muscles. Increased flexibility will help you with daily movements such lifting and bending, while improving sports performance. Yoga practice can soothe your mind and give you more energy. Doing it regularly can be a great step to a happier life. Meditation, as with other relaxation practices, raises the level of your energy. Try to meditate at least once a day.

4. Take steps instead of lift.

Climbing the stairs used to be an option only if the elevator was not working. Today, more and more people recognize the importance of taking the stairs and skipping the elevator for their health. Stair climbing contributes a good 30 minutes to your total daily physical workout. In this form of exercise, you don't need to pay for anything or buy any exercise equipment. This exercise is good for your heart. It can lower your bad cholesterol levels and raise your good cholesterol levels.

Climbing the stairs can add more years to your life. It improves your overall health and decreases your risk for different kinds of ailments that can affect your quality of life.

5. Use oil instead of butter.

We love butter, but does it love us back? Almost every study about its effects on our health (there are a good number of them) seems to say something different. In a review published in PLOS Medicine in March 2010, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health noted that drop in risk when they analyzed research on more than 13,000 people who swapped out saturated fat (that’s in butter, as well as red meat) for polyunsaturated fat (in soybean oil and canola oil) for at least a year. By switching over to oil you may reduce your risk of heart disease by 20 percent in a year’s time.

Earlier, in the 1990s, researchers found that in a controlled setting, butter leads to a rise in low-density lipoprotein(LDL), the unhealthy type of cholesterol.  A  study, published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2005, found that when women consumed 40 grams of dairy fat in the form of butter, compared to dairy fat in the form of cheese, they experienced an increase in LDL cholesterol. You need not to cut out butter completely. Instead, watch your intake and eat it in moderation.

6. Try 'Chewing Meditation', it is worth doing.

In this practice, you are supposed to chew your food about twenty – thirty times. While you are chewing, bring your attention to the process of chewing and how

the food tastes and feels in your mouth. It is important here not be doing other things, like talking, watching television, or reading. Although it can be done during these activities, it is much better to have all of your cognizance on the process of eating. Pay close attention to every bite. Food eaten mindfully will be easier to digest and you will be less likely to overeat. While eating you have to follow these rules:

• Sit down for your meal.
• Take a few deep breaths.
• Take a bite of something delicious.
• Chew 20 – 30 times.
• Savor the food.
• Feel the texture in your mouth.
• Notice the taste and flavours.
• Have the intention that what you are eating will deliver energy and vitality to your entire body

7. Take care of your Nutrition by growing your own Living Food.

Sprouts truly are the best locally-grown food, yet not enough people eat or grow them. Sprouts are known as living food as they keep on growing till consumed by us.  Experts estimate that there can be up to 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than uncooked fruits and vegetables. Enzymes are special types of proteins that act as catalysts for all your body’s functions. The quality of the protein in the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains improves when it is sprouted.

Sprouts are actually among the most nutrient-dense foods out there. Topping the list are sunflower seed and pea sprouts, which are typically about 30 times more nutritious than organic vegetables. Both also provide very high-quality protein. Broccoli sprouts are known for their anti-cancer activity. The fiber content of the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains increases substantially. Fiber is critical to weight loss.

8. Cut down on processed and fast food.

Processed foods are not good because (1) most of nutritional value is lost (2) the preservatives added are very harmful for our health.  Many processed foods contain a high amount of salt content, which leads to higher blood pressure and heart disease. Processed foods are anything that are not in their raw form.

Processed foods can be placed on a continuum that ranges from minimally processed items to more complex preparations that combine ingredients such as sweeteners, spices, oils, flavors, colors, and preservatives, with many variations in between. In general, most of the food in supermarket are processed – the more the ingredients on the label (especially the ones ending with ‘ite’ or ‘ate’), the more processed they are.

Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. Fast food contributes little or no nutrient value to the diet, but instead provides excess calories and fat. Fast food can be a good way to save time, but it is not the proper way for nutrition. Some of these foods that are of little nutritional value and often high in fat, sugar, and calories. Fast food may include chips, hot pies, pasties, sandwiches, burgers, croissants, kebabs, pizzas, chicken, soups, and salads. It also includes drinks, for instance, milkshakes, and soft drinks

9. Get enough Sleep.

Sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your well-being, but many of us stay up into the wee hours, and wake up before we’re fully rested. If you start getting to bed early and waking up early, you’ll notice a big improvement right away. Well-rested people not only cope better with stress, but may also have better control of their appetites. Research has shown that a lack of sleep can put our "hunger hormones" out of balance -- and possibly trigger overeating. Also, lack of sleep causes premature aging.

10. Eliminate toxins from your body (detoxify your body) regularly.

Detoxification is one of the best ways to remain healthy in a polluted and toxic environment. These are situations that warrant detoxification: unexplained headaches or back pain, memory failing, brittle nails and hair, frequent allergies, exposure to cleansing solvents, pesticides, diuretics and certain drugs, etc.

The Nemours Foundation describes body toxins as, "A toxin is a chemical or poison that is known to have harmful effects on the body. Toxins can come from food or water, from chemicals used to grow or prepare food, and even from the air that we breathe. Our bodies process those toxins through organs like the liver and kidneys and eliminate them in the form of sweat, urine, and feces."

Air Pollution refers to the toxic gases and chemicals, such as methane and carbon monoxide that are released into the atmosphere only to be mixed into the air we breathe in and exhale out. Pollution toxins can come from vehicle and factory emissions as well as other sources. A number of toxins have been discovered in water. Everything from chlorine, bleach, ammonia and even OTC and prescription medications have been reported to be found in excess in drinking water.

Toxic foods can refer to food additives, highly processed or genetically modified foods and even chemical ingredients in food recipes such as food dyes (RED 40) and chemical flavorings (MSG and aspartame). A few doctors believe that modern day diets can actually be considered 'toxic' because of the high intake of processed, dead 'empty-calorie' food items like white flour and sugar. Dr. Robert Lustig, of the University of California San Francisco, says "today's processed food is loaded with sugars that alter the body's hormonal balance, creating a "toxic environment" and an "addiction" to food. Detoxification is performed in a variety of ways including nutritional supplements, herbal mixtures, oral chelating agents, safe mercury removal, intravenous injections, colonics, etc. Once heavy metal burden is relieved, other parasite, yeast and organic detoxification becomes easier.

Here is a yoga sequence to make you sweat and detox your body.

There are other simple ways to detoxify your body:

• Resting the organs through water fasting;
• Stimulating the liver to drive toxins from the body;
• Promoting elimination through the intestines, kidneys and skin;
• Improving circulation of the blood; and
• Drink far more water (8-10 glasses a day).
• Replace the morning coffee with green tea. Green tea is full of important antioxidants that our body needs in the most natural form. 
• Get in more exercise and sweat it out.
• Eat plenty of fibrous food, including brown rice and organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Beets, radishes, artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, spirulina, chlorella, and seaweed are excellent detoxifying foods.
• Breathe deeply to allow oxygen to circulate more completely through your system.
• Sweat in a sauna so your body can eliminate wastes through perspiration.

• Try acupuncture for a truly balanced body. This is one of the best forms of cleansing, but few of us know much about it. Acupuncture is a part of holistic medicine that may help to naturally heal some of your biggest health problems, while also helping you to cleanse any blockages of toxins in the body.

11.  Clap your hands – and reap neurological benefits.

Our hands have some pressure points that are directly connected to some vital parts of our body. The hands have relatively large areas of representation in cerebral cortex. Clapping therefore stimulate the corresponding large areas of

the brain; and is probably useful in activating, energizing and vitalizing the central nervous system.  By clapping your hands, you stimulate the acupuncture points and remove obstacles from the main and collateral channels, which form a network of passages — through which vital energy circulates and along which the acupuncture points are distributed — on your palms. This will help you expel, through your fingertips, the cold and toxins in your body. It will also enhance blood circulation. As a result, it will improve your immune system.   

12.  Let the technology not take over your life.

Are you locked to your phone, tablet or computer 24/7? Do you feel anxious if you haven’t checked your social media accounts every hour?“If the device is shaping your agenda for the day, determining your emotions, and dictating what you focus on and how you spend your time - your device is controlling you,” says health psychologist and Stanford University lecturer, Kelly McGonigal.

Kids spend the majority time lurking on social media. It's defensive posture. They scan their social media feeds out of FOMO (fear of missing out) or to see if others are posting negative photos or comments about them. For popular kids, social media can be a boost, but for emotionally or socially vulnerable teens, social media can bring upon feelings of exclusion, jealousy and anxiety. Social media is here to stay. Instead of being lured by the bells and whistles of the most recent gadgets and apps, it may be time to establish set of values around your family’s “media diet.” Set a good example for your children. 

13.  Smile and laugh out loud several times a day.

Smiling slows the heart rate and relaxes the body. This lets the heart work without overworking. People who smile and laugh have less chances of developing heart disease. Smiling also temporarily reduces blood pressure. Smiling releases endorphins that counteract and diminish the stress hormones.  

Smiling increases your productivity while preforming tasks. There’s truth to the “whistle while we work” mentality. Smiling and laughter both have been shown to lessen pain. They release endorphins that lift our moods, but many of these act as natural painkillers too. Around 50% of people smile back. This spreads the health benefits throughout those around you and it comes back to you several times as well. Smiling even makes your immune system stronger by making your body produce white blood cells to help fight illnesses. One study found that hospitalized children who were visited by story-tellers and puppeteers who made them smile and laugh had higher white blood cell counts than those children who weren’t visited.

Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after. Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.Read the comics, watch a sitcom, or share jokes among friends and colleagues to bring out those precious happy feelings.

14. Turn Negativity into Positivity.

Refuse to harbour negative thoughts, and substitute them with constructive joyful thoughts.When you find that your mind is cluttered with negative or unsavoury thoughts you can try and concentrate on something else which you find interesting. Try a new creative activity, such as making art, painting, dancing, playing music, building something, or frolicking outside. You'll be amazed at how happy and free you feel when you spend time doing what you love.

15. Stop worrying what people think of you.

"The greatest prison people live in, is the fear of what other people think" . Many of us spend too much time and energy worrying about what other people think about us. You might not even realize you're doing it, but these kinds of mental gymnastics are stressful and make us feel depressed. Why should we worry about what others think of us, do we have more confidence in their opinions than we do in our own? The best thing to remember is that they’re probably not thinking of you as much as you think they might be. And if at all they are, that’s really their problem, not yours. Learn this mantra: What other people think about me is none of my business. Repeat your mantra, and then channelize the excess energy towards something positive, like pursing your passion and doing what you love!  Follow your passion, and successes will follow you. Enjoy your individuality, stay always motivated and perform your role to the best of  your ability.

16. Last but not least, have a positive attitude.

Science tells us that having a positive attitude has a direct connection with happiness and success. With a positive attitude you see the bright side of life, become optimistic, and expect the best to happen. It is certainly a state of mind that is well worth developing.Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conducive to growth and success. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. If this attitude is strong enough, it becomes contagious (spreadable or transmissible). It's as if you radiate light around you.                                              

A positive attitude helps you cope more easily with the day to day issues of life. It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worries and negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of life, it would bring constructive changes into your life. Life is a lot easier and much more enjoyable when you have a positive mental attitude.

Please always remember, unhealthy behaviours develop over the course of time, so substituting unhealthy behaviours with healthy ones requires time. You have to go slowly but steadily. Beware - you may run into problems if you will try to change too much too fast. To attain success, focus on one goal or change at a time. As new healthy behaviours become a habit, try to add another goal that works toward the overall change you’re striving for. Making the sustainable changes that you aspire for, takes time, persistence and a great deal of commitment. You will have intermittent lapses, but mind you, minor and occasional slip-ups on the road to your goals are normal and not unusual. Resolve to recover fast and get back on the track at the earliest possible.

This is a life-long mission, not an instant transformation that happens overnight.  After a few weeks or months you will certainly feel that you are evolving into a much happier and healthier  person.  

Friends, I indeed wish you a very happy, healthy and good quality of life throughout the year 2016 and, of course, thereafter too.