Recently I met Sumit Nanda, a man who has a very interesting story about his journey to finding sustainable good health. Throughout his childhood, his teens and even his twenties, one health issue kept cropping up after another. As he began developing multiple chronic illness,  he was told, "Your parents have these diseases, so you have them too ... it is genetic."  For a period in time, he believed that there wasn't much he could do about it. He became a daily pill popper but continued to get worse. Fortunately, he came across a solution. Now, he has more energy, better sleep and much better health than in his twenties.  Along the way, he lost an impressive 20kg.  (Scroll down to see his transformation!)

How did Sumit get well?  He followed the ancient principles of Ayurveda, where they respect your bio-individuality.  Based on your body type, they identify what you really need. Applying the belief that food is medicine, he worked with his body's natural circardian rhythms on when to eat and what to eat through the day, looking also at what was available, based on the weather and season. He believes that you can reverse age naturally, along with many age-related illness. He's walking proof.

Sumit isn't the only person proposing that you can reverse age naturally. There are others advocating this strongly too.  Examples include Blue Zone Communities and if you haven't heard of them, you should!  Here's more information about who and what they are.

In 2004, National Geographic teamed up with some of the world's best longevity researchers.  They looked at places where people not only live the longest but also have incredibly good quality of life, practically right to the end.  They were nicknamed Blue Zone communities. Which communities were identified? Barbadia (Sardinia, Italy),  Ikaria (Greece), Okinawa (Japan), Seventh Day Aventists @ Loma Linda (California, USA), Nicoya (Costa Rica) 

One of the results of the documentary, was the setting up of the Blue Zones Project!  What does the project aim to do?  Reverse Engineering Longevity! So, what do people living in Blue Zone communities do?  Nine things: 

1. They eat wisely. Natural, nutrient-dense food that is available to their local communities and eating what's in season. They eat food designed by nature to be be good for them based on different physical demands created by seasonal weather. And yes, there is a strong bias towards plant-based foods.
2. They follow the 80% rule.  This means they eat small meals -- typically till they are 80% full (the Japanese are well known for this).  Often these communities have bigger meals earlier in the day, eating more lightly in the evenings.
3. They know how to "downshift" - they relax and unwind, to manage day to day stress.  They do this through naps, practicing gratitude or having "happy hour" (See point #4)
   
4. They practice wine at 5 - yes, they drink a small or moderate amount of alcohol or wine to unwind, typically at the end of the working day.  They unwind.
5. They move naturally.  They don't consciously exercise, but they use they are physically active as part of every day life, right through advanced years of age.
6. They live with purpose.  They have a reason to get up in the morning.  "Retirement" is often a word that doesn't exist in their communities.
   
7. They create right tribes.  They have communities or groups that support healthy behaviors - from food, to moving, to socializing, to having additional support.
8. They put loved ones first. Beyond having a life partner, giving children time and love, this notion of putting loved ones first, included parents and grandparents. 
9. They belong to faith-based communities.  Attending 4 times a month leads to 4-14 years longer in life expectancy. 

How many of these do you practice?

Coming back to Sumit, many of his eating principles (described on and off camera) mirror the first two points above found in Blue Zone.  You can find out more about Ayurveda and how he got well in the video below.

I am looking forward to hearing more about your thoughts or personal experiences on reversing aging naturally.  Thank you for reading my blog.

#reverseaging #bluezoneproject #longlife #longevity #holisticwellness #ayurveda #EGAjuiceclinic #juicing #circadianrythms #bodytype #ashwaganda #tumeric #moringa #amla #antioxidants #foodasmedicine #foodismedicine #letfoodbethymedicine #hippocrates #naturalhealing #naturaltherapies #curingchronicillnesses #antiaging #anti-aging #goldenmilk #goingoffmeds #glowinggoodhealth #juicefast #howtoloseweight #howtoregainenergy

A huge thank you to The Asian Parent for carrying my article in May and as a parent, I hope it sheds an alternative perspective to parenting a child, whom you love so much but can be such a challenge at times.   

The original was carried on this link sg.theasianparent.com/discipline-without-hurting-your-child/
but here is the article in full:

We have all been there with a challenging child. A child whom you love, but seems to know exactly what to do to push your buttons. If you want to change your relationship with your child, stop having assumptions or judging their behavior.

Instead, what you need to believe is that when anyone (big or little) acts out, it’s its root cause stems from some form of fear or insecurity. And when insecurity or fear has begun, adrenaline (the fight or flight hormone) is already starting to course through the person’s system.

With some people, they react fast — they fight, they raise their voice, they scream. With others, they withdraw — they hide, they sulk, they become quiet, hesitant or moody. Based on each person’s character, values, role models, they will react differently when feeling fearful or insecure.

For those who like to fight, it is important to them that they seem to be winning. For those who might be a little more introverted or naturally quiet, they will retreat into their own world. Neither is particularly a good outcome.  

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR CHILD IS ACTING OUT
What you have to believe is that how you choose to respond (not react) will have a world of difference. Please remember, every verbal and non-verbal cue makes a difference. For example, your child (or colleague or friend) says or does something really dumb.
 

You react in one of these two ways:

1. You say, “What did you just say? Do you really think that or believe that?” On an extreme, you could add, “What a dumb comment!” or “How could you be so stupid?” or “Why on earth would you do that?”  
   
2. You may hold your tongue and not comment, but you may unexpectedly roll your eyes in disbelief. Remember, your child can see you and can catch these “mini” or “micro” expressions.  

Both reactions result in the child feeling judged, inadequate or stupid. Repeated over time, this erodes trust. In its place, variations of these feelings will start to take root: I feel stupid/silly/unsupported/angry/defensive/withdrawn …  Is this what you really want for your child?

So where do you start?  
You start by having an open conversation and stating ground rules. The most important one is having a family discussion to explain that no one is going to scold or punish anyone again. Make it clear that just because you are taking away scolding and punishments, it doesn’t mean that the child can get away scot-free when he has done something wrong.  

You are merely replacing the old system with a new one. What is the new system based on?

Five key steps.  The new five step system adopted by the whole family is based on

1. 100% staying calm + centred
2. 100% understanding + empathy
3. 100% accountability + apology
4. 100% commitment to learn + adapt
5. 100% solutions orientation to improve the situation

So let’s put this into place using this scenario with two contrasting sets of role modelling from the mother. 
Common Scenario:  John comes back from school and slams the door shut, throws his bag on the floor.  He looks grumpy and dashes up to his room. 

In this example, mom is reactive.
 
Mum:  How many times do I need to tell you not to slam the door and not to dump your bag in the living room? You know where these should go!
John:  Mum, you’re such a nag! He slams his room door shut.  
Mum: How dare you talk to me like that? Apologise now.
John: No! I don’t want to talk to you …
Mum:  I am getting your dad to talk to you when he comes home from work …

OKAY – we can all see how this clichéd scenario will turn out …
 
What’s the alternative?   In this example, Mum is centered and measured in her response.

Mum:  John, I have asked you to shut the door gently and to keep your things in your bedroom. You didn’t do that today.  KEY:  Ask this in a genuinely concerned way, or do it with a cheeky smile and add, “Did you forget? ☺ Were you just tired and in a rush to get to your computer games?”.
John: Uhhh kinda. (Sometimes I like to stun the child with kindness, so they get caught off guard! Why? This starts to switch off the adrenaline response linked to fear, nervousness, anger etc.)
Mum: I can understand that you were in a rush to start playing after a long day of school. Of course you’re tired and want to do something fun. I understand. It happens. Could you help me bring the bag up in the next 10 minutes? What do you say for forgetting today?
John: Uhhh I am sorry mum, I forgot cause I was in a rush.
 
Mum: And I know you will remember to close the door gently tomorrow. Thanks! (and when he comes down, give him a big smile and a hug if you can).
Alternative:
Mum: It’s okay, we all forget something sometimes, but I know you’ll remember it tomorrow. I’ll bring it up to you today, but it’s your to-do tomorrow, and to close the door gently, okay? And ask with a warm smile, Promise?
John: Uhhh okay mum. I promise.    
And deliver the bag with a kiss or a light hug. Add, ‘Love you’ as you leave.

In this example, the PARENT is being the role model of
#1. 100% calm + centerdness – to show that he/she is pretty chilled out about small things. If you can’t be calm immediately, go ahead and do something fun to distract yourself first. You calm yourself down fully before you address what just happened. Remember, you are the role model for change.

If you are starting from a place where traditionally there are fights and arguments, then after you have dropped off the bag, please add the following:
   
Mum:  I told you I wasn’t going to lose my temper or nag you anymore. So I have kept my promise and stayed to calm and asked to understand what happened. You’ve kept calm too. Good job. Keep it up.
This is really important because you want to take the adrenaline effect and “learned reaction and counter-reactions” from each away. You are showing more respect for each other.

#2. 100% empathy + understanding  – on why the child forgot. This is important too as you are recognising that your child isn’t perfect (no one is) and was just being a child who wanted to rush to play his games. Guide him gently and firmly to being a responsible adult by first showing that you see life from his side, building trust and respect from him on how you handle the situation. Once you get this from him, it will be easier for him to do what you want him to.

And who knows? Perhaps the child had a bad day at school and was teased or bullied, or did badly in a test. If so, the forgetfulness, the need to rush up and the slamming of the door is understandable (but not acceptable). But by building trust and showing respect, genuine concern, you child is much more likely to open up to you on what happened or how he is feeling.

#3. 100% accountability + apology – on still putting the responsibility back to the child, and getting a commitment from them to do this the next day. Remember to praise the child for each time he/she gets it right. Getting him to  say “I am sorry” is also very important.

#4. 100% adaptability + learning  –  Again, being flexible on what happened and encouraging them towards change. In the example, mum takes time to ask John what caused him to forget. Was he tired, was he in a rush? If this is the case, how do we help him remember? Read #5.

#5.  100% solutions orientation to improve the solution.
The mum can ask:  John, what can we do to help you remember? It’s probably going to be good to help your sister and dad too. Can you help me come up with ideas?  
Here is a simple one that you could devise: Perhaps you can put a temporary sign for 2 months on the front door that says: THANK YOU FOR CLOSING THE DOOR GENTLY with a happy face or positive picture. On entering the house in the hallway, a sign that says, “ALL BAGS IN THE BEDROOM”  and to continue with the role-modelling, you can add at the bottom (House rule for big and little people!). And be consistent, have mum and dad do this too.

Over time, when you practice these five steps, you will naturally find yourself staying more calm, more centred and more solutions oriented to any challenge that you face.  You become a terrific role model for your kids too on handling any form of challenge.

Today’s blog is going to be a bit different.  I normally blog about topics that relate to Eating Well, Being Well.  But wellness goes beyond what we eat.  It is also about your emotional and psychological wellness.  What’s sparking this slight shift in topic?   
 
Nearly a year back, on Sept 12th 2015, I flew to Manila to join the Amazing Food Challenge, Fun the Philippines Season 3.  You have no idea how petrified I was at the time.  Most people think that I am an extrovert, but at heart, I am not. I sit in the middle of being an extrovert and introvert.  As a little girl, I would shyly hide behind her mother’s skirt at other children’s birthday parties.  
 
Deciding to join a reality TV show was definitely not the path in life I had ever anticipated but, what’s life if you don’t put yourself out of your comfort zone and grow?
 
In Episode 1, I was incredibly ashamed at my choices and behavior.  Few people realize that it took months for me to deal with my mistakes. I had frequent flashbacks that made me cringe, panic and feel really awful.  As more than one friend put it bluntly, “You were clearly positioned as the Evil One in Episode 1.”
 
So what happened in Episode 1?
 
Callie fell off her bike, I flew past her on my shaky bike and I didn’t stop to help her.  Then, to make matters worse, I genuinely forgot to mention this to anyone when I arrived at the next station.  (I have a terrible working memory – a friend used to joke that if I had a child, I would accidentally leave my baby behind in a mall.  Fortunately, I have spared my son, Dillon from this experience!).  Fortunately, Callie and I talked that evening about what had transpired.  I apologized and asked her to forgive me.  She was generous enough to do so, and we are still friends one year on.  Thank you, Callie.
 
Then, in the first cooking challenge in Banaue, our team didn’t share any of our kaffir lime leaves with Tri.  Poor Tri.   Our host, Aaron, was delighted!  He whooped with excitement!  He kept reminding us that it was a competition and one small thing like sharing a prized ingredient would make or break us at the judges table.   We fell for it and I felt really awful.  Hanson, my team mate, finally fessed up to Tri that it was his decision, not mine.  At the time, I was the deliverer of the message and got the flak for it!  Thankfully, Tri’s still a terrific buddy. 
 
After that experience, both Hanson and I told the rest of the teams that if anyone wanted anything from our cooking station, all they had to do was ask and we would share.  For the rest of the show, we shared ingredients whenever we were asked. We also shared one of our cooking fires with Tri & Callie.  And Fauzan was also kind enough to share ingredients with us when we didn’t have enough.