Quick Recipe for Happy Life

Dr. Shveata Mishra
Healthy mind with fit body is the right combination to keep your self positive , creative and active . And healthy body with good music is what improves the quality of life and approach of living .
As we are facing Lockdown 5 it’s high time to watch our diet and food habits that has been ignored during this lockdown phase and improve immunity system. Various people around the globe tried to utilise this tough time to nurture themselves, to groom and to rejuvenate their self where as many
other took this time to be couch potatoes and developed a wrong eating habit.
Healthy eating habit –
• Keeps you positive
• Makes you feel good and confident
• Keeps you active throughout the day
• Keeps you away from stress anxiety and laziness
• Enhances and boost your immunity
Don’t skip a meal or starve yourself . Eat a light healthy snacks like yogurt or fresh fruits and vegetables.
Have fixed time for eating . If you eat four times a day , you should make a list of items you are consuming and then to check if you are eating healthy or not . If you eat twice a day followed by evening tea and light snacks , then make sure in between you must consume some nuts, curd, buttermilk or fruits.
Eat food that can be digested easily. Do not eat and then sleep that is harmful for health .
Keep Yourself hydrated
Kick start your day with a glass of lukewarm water. For taste you can add few drops of lemon . If your body is prone to acidity or have joint pain then avoid lemon. Then you can substitute lemon either with honey or few drops of coconut oil or even with a piece of jaggery.
Make sure to exercise daily. Exercising daily increases the blood circulation in the body . If you are a late riser then give 10 mins to your self a warm up session that could include 10 mins of jogging or light yoga. Including exercise in life helps in reducing stress and gives you more energy.
Avoid drinking beverages that are high in sugar or calories. Avoid alcohol as it adds even more calories and can lower your inhibitions causing you to eat more.
As its lockdown and many of us are working from home , in that case if you rise in the morning then have healthy breakfast that includes protein. If you wake up late then also try to have a small portion of protein as it keeps you fuller for longer time.
Eat more slowly and until your are satisfied and not stuffed !
During this lockdown and being quarantined at homes if by chance you over eat at one meal then eat less at the next to balance your calories
Don’t avoid any forms of food be it junks or oily . But limit it to either weekends or ones in a week . Stand more than an arm’s length away from munchies like bowls of chips , fried foods on daily basis .
If eating late in morning make sure your afternoon food be absolutely light. Many people are in habit of eating even if they are full to complete the four meal circle and this habit is not at all good . Late afternoon if you feel hungry try having a bowl of fruits or juice or light cheese sandwich, or buttermilk. You can even opt for cucumber juice as well.
A-lot of cooking experiments are happening which is good but too much of anything is bad . Practice healthy lockdown cooking.
It’s so true that breakfast should be like a king , lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper . The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison .
Place for musical juice is also very important in life.
Like food is fuel to the body similarly music is fuel to the brain . Selecting right music during this lockdown is must .
Create a playlist for all type of moods. Having playlists for every type of mood can set the tone for whatever output you’re creating. Instead of playing songs on shuffle curate mood playlists that flow well.
Good music or even an instrumental piece can help you to cope with COVID anxiety or depression.
Not just listening but singing in your own tone can be beneficial . Singing improves breathing and keeps your heart healthy .
Singing to any song improves the oxygen supply to the brain . When the supply of oxygen to brain is improved the person feels more clam, joyful and stress free.
To keep your natural energy going you should listen to upbeat music or music with lively tune.
Music can give you the motivation needed to overcome your life’s problems. While plenty of music has lyrics and acts to pep you up, it also can be soothing.
When you are listening to music you are forced to concentrate on what you are hearing, particularly if you are training to play a musical instrument. Over time, this focus will extend to your everyday life. You will notice that you are concentrating more intently at your job, schoolwork or simply in a conversation .
If you’re feeling extremely down or up, music can help to change your mood.
More than one artist has written a song while they were feeling down to help lift their moods Music helps many of those who feel the same.
So quick recipe for happy life
Eat good food, listen good music, stick around people who care for you and that’s how we can over come with the fear of coronavirus soon.
(The author is Music Phychologist and Therapist)