My battle with age: How I keep diseases at bay

By Ansh Chakradhar

After one begins to grow old, we notice that most of the elderly around us tend to ingest a large number of prescription medicines. In fact, they take so much medication that taking medicines becomes a regular habit.

I am now 70-years-old. However, I have managed to control the urge to have spoonful of medicines whenever any ailment strikes me.  I do take medicines but it is not in large numbers as compared to the other elderly people.

This conscious effort to have comparatively fewer medicines and stay fit happened when I turned 60-years-old. I now knew that with old age knocking on the door, it would increasingly become difficult to stay away from medicines.

I took a few firm steps to stay fit and fine, without too many medicines.

The first thing which I did was to undergo a full body check up to identify the health issues that I am facing. The medical report was not too good as I was having high blood pressure, diabetes and a murmur in my heart. The doctors prescribed me a number of medicines.

I told my wife that before I start taking the medicines, I want to try out something. So, this is what I did.

I began to take long walks in the morning and the evening. I began to eat healthy and nutritious food, which also meant that I completely stopped eating outside food. I added fruits to my everyday meal. I also began to pray regularly.

I also began to read a lot. I would watch television and preferably see light hearted comedy series. This helped to lighten my mood.

Also, if there was a difference of opinion with my family members, I simply avoided having a lengthy argument. I would let it pass, something which I would not have done in the past.

As I had not yet started the allopathic medication, I turned to ayurvedic medicines and regularly had it.

After three months, I again went for a full-body check-up. The medical report this time was quite different from the previous one.

My ailments had definitely not been cured. But, my high blood pressure and sugar levels were much better. The heart murmur remained, which was a matter of concern.

So, I had to start the allopathic medicines for the heart ailment. But, for blood pressure and diabetes, I continued with my changed lifestyle.

The end result was that I had to take fewer medicines as compared to the other elderly people whom I know. In fact, they too started asking me how I had managed to improve my health when they were subsisting on medicines.

I tell them how a changed lifestyle and a change attitude has helped me a lot.

Read also:

I began to age as soon as I retired