Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is more than the personality we know and love. Despite his grand stature in our freedom movement, he led a simple life and preached truth and non-violence. Another lesson worth learning from Gandhiji is his belief system to lead a healthy life. In his book, 'Key to Health', he shares his views on a nutritious lifestyle. As we remember the father of our nation this Gandhi Jayanti on 2nd October, let us learn from his teachings to achieve optimal health.

Gandhiji's Practices for Leading a Healthy Life

Gandhiji followed a lifestyle full of healthy habits that serve as gems of wisdom for overall well-being, even in this modern era. They are as under:

Fasting

Gandhiji fasted on many occasions during India's freedom movement. His longest fast lasted for 21 days. He did it to oppose the British without resorting to violence or any form of physical harm and to spread the message of unity. Besides being a potent weapon, fasting offers many health benefits. It is a natural method of internal detoxification. Practising fasting once a week helps cleanse the stomach and removes toxins from the body.

Rising Early

The "Early to bed, early to rise" ideology guided Gandhiji's sleeping pattern. Although he slept only for four to five hours, he woke before dawn. Rising early helped him extend his productive hours. You can practice the same with seven to eight hours of sleep to wake up rejuvenated the following day.

Avoiding Addictive Substances

Tobacco and alcohol addiction are detrimental to health in many ways. Tobacco increases the risk of various cancers, including mouth, larynx, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and uterus cancer. Similarly, alcohol consumption leads to heart diseases, dementia, high blood pressure, digestive problems, kidney problems, etc. Gandhiji preached complete abstinence from them to protect his physical well-being.

Meditating

A peaceful mind is strong enough to tackle any situation without getting stressed. Gandhiji used his calm mind as a weapon to practice non-violence. This Gandhian philosophy teaches us a lot about the power of meditation. Meditating is an apt solution if you struggle with anxiety or stress and helps regulate thoughts.

Thinking Positive

The entire message of non-violence is based on positivity. Aggression stems from negative thoughts which only prove detrimental to your health without providing a solution. Gandhiji knew this and avoided oppressive actions while fighting for freedom. He preached the message of independence with a positive outlook.

Health Insurance & Medical Protection

The life journey of Mahatma Gandhi is filled with lessons for maintaining physical and mental well-being. Besides healthy habits, he also believed in prevention being the best form of cure. While you cannot completely avoid impending health complications, you can financially protect yourself through health insurance as a proactive measure. Health insurance lets you easily handle medical costs regardless of inflation. It enables you to fulfil your healthcare needs without losing your peace of mind. You can choose from health covers for general ailments, critical illnesses, pre-existing conditions, etc.

This Gandhi Jayanti, cherish your health like Gandhiji did and protect it with suitable health insurance plans for you and your family.