Health is wealth is an old adage that we hear and spout so often that it has lost any signification for us. Until that sudden, unforeseen visit to the nearest doctor. And at that point, it is already too late. In an age of consumerism and conspicuous consumption, Health is an anomaly. You can’t buy it. At any price. Health is defined as the condition of a person’s body or mind and it has to be nurtured and maintained in a continuous process that affects all aspects of your life or, to use a new age term, lifestyle. That is a lot easier said that done in today’s world and the lifestyle generated by that world.

Seriously Stressed: The modern lifestyle brings with it its own baggage: stress, tension, work environment generated problems posture, carpal tunnel syndrome, noise, pollution, etc. Each of these, minor irritants in their own right, contributes their bit until the aggregate is greater than the parts and unfortunately we tend to realize this only when it is past the point of no return. The picture of urban health is a grim one indeed. But, before you decide fatalistically that since you are doomed anyways, might as well as have fun and reach for that cholesterol clogging, calorie laden meal and decide to skip the walk options. The range, variety and possibilities will delight you.

Food First: Eventually it all boils down to food, the fuel of life. Food affects our health in the most primary way, being the basic building block. A change in food patterns and a mismatch between the food pattern and the lifestyle being lived is the biggest culprit. From the fundamentally active, physical lifestyles of the earlier generations, the urban world has become a sedentary space. We no longer have the time or the space to burn our calories. Long working hours, urban traffic and urban housing conspire to keep us seated for the larger part of our lives and the result is weight gain. Eating healthy is the easiest step to health. It does not mean starving yourself or denying yourself. It simply requires switching to heal their options. Opt for whole grains to refined ones. Use cooking oils that are naturally fat and cholesterol free such as olive oil. And remember the basic equation: what you eat should not be more than what you burn as body fuel.

Fighting Fit: if lifestyles have changed so have the fitness options. Some are your everyday, basic variety. Where possible, opt for the stairs rather the elevators. If it is short distance and there is a proper walking path, use two feet instead of four wheels. Your health and the environment, both will benefit.

Gym Gyan: The gymnasium, your friendly neighbourhood variety or the super trendy multinational variety, fondly abbreviated to gym, has evolved a lot from the original Greek model. Then it was a place to develop the mental faculties alongside the physical prowess of young men. Today, half the tradition in upheld with gyms having become the altars where the average man and woman shed copious quantities of sweat and cellulite to appease the gods of health and musculature. The options are innumerable, from ancient techniques such as yoga and Taichi to modern corruptions such as Krav magna and Kick Koxing, from gleaming edifices to technology such as treadmills, nautilus to cross trainers to dances as a fitness fountain, the gyms cover the horizons. Well trained acolytes, otherwise known as trainers are always on hand to not only help but to custom design a training program that is ideal for your body and your problem areas.

Spa Style: The other route to holistic health is the more luxurious spa route. Traditionally spa stood for a route to health that was dependant upon nature’s gifts in the form of geysers or hot water springs where the water and mud are saturated with minerals. Drinking of these waters, bathing in them, mid bathes and body wraps help in improving health directly by curing certain kinds of diseases and indirectly by making up certain kinds of mineral deficiencies and by detoxifying the body. Spa treatments today are a continuation of the same principle. Massages that use aromas to address health concerns, skin treatments that seek to undo the damage of pollution and urban living, and a holistic assessment of body are some of the hallmarks of spa treatments. The focus is less on the physicality of the body and more on the internal health of the body. Or you can have both. The addiction gym and spa chain perfectly combines both, luxury alongside fitness facilities. Catering to lifestyle pressures, gyms and spas like Addiction offer innovative features such as flexible timing and customized training programs.

Solo Star: Ultimately, health in the hands of the self. Not all the trainers of the world or massagers or chefs of the world can give you good health unless you want it yourself and are willing to burn for it. They can only make the path smoother and the targets more achievable. If you take your health seriously or want a perfect body of to increase your stamina and endurance, it is time for you to sit down and make a choice. Choose a path that appeals to you and then stick with it. Remember, the healthier you are the more you will enjoy your life