There is a very high chance that you are healthy and fit. And I wish you the best in health.
But it is ok to be a little bit paranoid about health.
There are three pillars to Peak Performance.
Health, Career, and Relationships.
You can take a career break, be single for a few years and you will still do fine. But you cannot ignore health. Health is the foundation on which careers and relationships are built.
With modern lifestyle and eating habits, there is a very good chance that you are deficient in Vitamin D and B12.
Many people I know, take supplements for Vitamin D and B12. I also do this from time to time. Because we don’t get enough sunlight and we do not get enough B12 from our food.
The best way to find out is via a simple blood test. And while you are testing yourself for D and B12, it is better to take a full body blood test once in 6 months.
If you live in a Tier 1 city, you will find that many apps let you order a blood test from home. You will get samples collected at home and you will get results within a day or two.
A general full-body blood test will cost you around 2,000 to 3000 rupees. And it is a good investment.
You will be able to check your Thyroid levels (T3, T4, TSH), liver function, kidney function, and all vitamin levels.
You should also check for BP, Cholesterol, and Sugar levels. There is a very high chance that if you eat a lot of chocolates and ice creams, and you are 30+ years of age, you will have borderline diabetes.
I noticed that I was on the edge with my sugar levels 3 years back. Since then I have incorporated lifestyle changes to reverse it. I have cut down on my sugar intake and I also fast for 36 hours once a week to clean my system.
Once a year, get an ultrasound and ECG. You might have to visit a hospital for that.
It doesn’t mean that you are sick if you are visiting a hospital. Visit the hospital when you want to else you have to visit (and sometimes stay) when you have to.
Usually, if you ask friends and family for this advice they will say that you are young enough and don’t need any tests. But tests are just tests. Just like if there is something wrong in the car, the dashboard shows up a light, we need indicators for our health.
Only when you are healthy, you can focus on exercise and fitness.
I go swimming 3-4 times a week and regularly hit the gym. I am not having 6-pack abs yet, but regularly working out helps me stay mentally positive and focus on work. It is a great place to be.
Eating sugary foods, pizzas and coca cola gives you pleasure in the short term and it doesn’t last. It usually crashes within a few hours. When you restrain yourself from short-term pleasure, you will get the long-term pleasure of staying fit, focused, and healthy throughout your day.
That’s my advice for today. We will talk more about health and fitness in future emails and what you can do to become super-fit.
Thank you if you have read till here.
With ♥️Haard Shah
Meet you soon just below my email reply.