Theos-Talk Archives (April 1997 Message tl00189)

Hi Estrella,

I'm sorry to hear that you've been ill. :o(  I hope that you are feeling better.

I'm no health expert, but I can tell you my personal habits.  I do notice
changes in my resistance to the cold bugs that goes with my habits.  When I
am conscientiously running, I'm hardly ever sick.  Running gets my whole
system going, thereby cleaning it out faster.  It also has a Pranayama
effect, in which my breath eventually becomes controlled and regular after
a certain distance.  That's when my whole body feels like a well-regulated
engine.  The result of that exercise is that I become more alert and
active, and require less sleep.

Another thing that is critical to my physical daily routine is Hatha yoga
exercises.  This helps my flexibility, thereby smoothing out any tight
muscles and preventing pinched nerves.  Other days I practice T'ai-Chi to
help my mobility and balance.

As far as diet, I eat a solid 3 meals a day and snack in-between.  I don't
believe in driving my body crazy by skipping meals.  I don't overstuff and
I eat until it's just right.  I try to eat non-greasy, light meals that
will offer me all the basic nutrients, protein, vitamins, minerals,
calcium, etc.  Since I am an athletic person, I have to make sure my body
gets what it needs, or else it will affect my workout.

As far as stress, I try to minimize it.  I have this awful habit of piling
on things.  I think that resulted from this feeling that I can do anything,
take anything on.  That's generally good as far as positive thinking, but
in reality, I end up with too much to do.  What I end up doing is that when
my stress meter goes high, I clear my plate and focus on what's most
important for me.

Thus, what am I trying to say?  I don't recommend that anybody follows my
habits.  Everyone has to have health habits that fits in with his/her
needs.

This is my take on a healthy daily routine.  First are exercises that keep
your body well oiled and tuned.  That involves mobility exercises such as
T'ai-Chi and Hatha Yoga.  These can be modified to your physical needs.
The great thing about these exercises is that they are combined with
breathing exercises, which makes your qi flow, or move your prana.  Since
prana is a key link between the astral and physical, moving your prana is
beneficial to your health.  These exercises combined with other disciplines
can help awaken Kundalini.  When Kundalini comes in contact with each
Chakra, it activates its energy, causing different consciousness states.
As an example of movement of qi, my Kuk Sool Won instructor recently told
me of a grandmaster who just had a liver transplant.  When he saw him after
the transplant, the grandmaster looked gaunt and sickly.  When he saw him
again, the grandmaster skin's look firm and healthy.  The grandmaster
attributed his regaining of his health to exercises that move his qi.

Along with body is a healthy mind.  I think that keeping a mind happy,
simple and focused is good for the health.  A calm mind indicates a calm
stress-free body.  Also, more scientific research is coming out that makes
the body/mind connection.  For example, a mental state can boost or depress
the immune system or affect other parts of your body.  It is like Doss'
statement that he thinks himself not to get sick.  Instead of thinking of
yourself as sickly, think that it is natural that your body is healthy.
Perhaps a thing to boost that mental state is to do a regular routine, such
as T'ai-Chi or Yoga, that you associate with getting yourself healthy, and
that you feel great after doing it.  Having a daily feeling of "I feel
great" might go a long way toward boosting your health.

And then there's ole chicken soup!

This is getting longish.  Anyway, that's my general take on it.

Thoa