Make home the safe zone

Guard yourself from lifestyle diseases

May 17, 2015 07:49 pm | Updated 07:50 pm IST

Eat organic food.

Eat organic food.

Even before modern times, we had homes. It could’ve been under a rock or inside a tree but it was still a home. It was the place we came back to. It was our safe zone. Our homes today are not too different. They are still everything they used to be. Except that they are not our safe zones anymore. No, I’m not talking about robbery or murder or monsters under the bed. I’m talking about all the boxed convenience foods on your kitchen shelf that are slowly killing you. 

More people these days die of lifestyle-driven diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, blood pressure and so on. In all honesty, and without any exaggeration, these are the real killers that we need to protect ourselves from today. 

Leading a life frequented by detrimental habits that produce instant pleasure, be it laziness, gluttony or even sugar abuse, is going to result in a life frequented by diseases.  Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis,  atherosclerosis, asthma, chronic liver disease or cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic renal failure, osteoporosis, stroke, depression and obesity all fall under what is known as ‘Diseases of Civilisation’ or ‘Lifestyle Diseases’. They are called that because they are a result of a lifestyle frequented or dominated by detrimental habits. 

Now that you understand what the real killers are, I’m sure you’d want to protect your family and yourself. And for that, I say make home the ‘safe zone’. * You know processed food is terrible for you. So why let it slowly kill you by storing it at home and consuming it frequently? Keep it out of the house. Eat it at a restaurant or store or wherever else if you so please, but don’t let it in the house. If it makes its way into the house, introduce it to the trash can. 

* Eat organic food. This one is really a no-brainer. Let me make it very simple for you. The commercial vegetables you buy are made to ripen using pesticides which are poisonous. In small doses there are no immediate effects, but as you keep eating them, they accumulate over time, causing nasty health issues. And organic foods — well, they don’t have these pesticides. Please switch to organic. It’s as simple as taking the phone and placing an order. Most organic stores home delivery. 

* Don’t store sugar at home. I know it sounds crazy, but seriously, try it. One of two things will happen. Either you’ll not miss it at all or you’ll realise how much you miss it and how many times you use it every day. In both cases, you’ll reduce your total sugar consumption, which is great for you. 

If you want it to be, your home can serve as a fort protecting you against disease. The better your defences, the longer, happier and healthier your life. Remember -  your roof, your rules . Make it count. 

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.