AS THE SUBTITLE OF MY blog has indicated–when I set it up almost a year ago–I intended that I would write about how to live justly and healthily. So, here’s my check list, the few most essential things to just-healthy living.

Tip Number 1

1. Stay away from Sugar Every Day, although Do Give Yourself a Break Sometimes: By Sugar, It Includes Carbohydrates as Well.

I’ve found that most important to healthy living is to stay away from sugar. That would include any sugary drinks (soda, artificial flavored beverages, sweetened coffee/tea, etc.), alcohol (because it’s made from sugar anyways), carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, pastries, rice, and fries, and desserts that include icecream, cookies, cakes, and candies.

It is rather complicated to explain why sugar and carbs are bad for our body and health. I highly recommend you to read books like Dr. David Perlmutter’s Grain Brain and other books written on the same topic. But what I can do here is to summarize the gist of the problem with sugar and carbs.

Basically, carbohydrates is sugar, because it is being broken down into simple sugar while being processed as fuel. So, from here on, whenever sugar is mentioned, it also means carbs.

You may ask: Can life be fun without eating these stuffs? My answer is Of Course! There are way more options of salty, protein-rich food out there than you may have previously thought.

You won’t have to lament on your loss while being in abstinence. The health benefits in the long run will outweigh the present perseverence and self-control.

It is a complicated story on why sugar and carbohydrates are bad for us.

(April 7, 2018)

Tip Number 2

2. Be Open to Reading Different Sources of Information.

Between the first point on this list to this second point, two years have elapsed. The world in 2020 is so different from the world in 2018. It is even more important now than before to read broadly about what’s going on in the world around us. Recently, a hot term, “fact check,” is everywhere on people’s lips. I would say, it is more important that we read both sides of the story to remain open-minded, rather than being stuck with just one view.

For example, I used to think that stories about aliens, extraterrestrial beings, are science fiction. But, if I ignore the facts demonstrating that some beings (e.g., UFOs) other than humans conducting supernatural activities somewhere on the earth, then I would be really ignorant. After all, a friend of mine has informed me that even C. S. Lewis did not rule out the possibility of aliens somewhere in God’s universe. So, why would I have an objection to this belief?

(September 4, 2020)

Tip Number 3

3. Do Physical Exercises… Anything Will Do, including Cooking, Cleaning House, Tidying Things up, Swinging Your Arms… Be Physically Active!

In the year of 2020, most of us are “sheltering-in-place” (SIP) in most of the months of this year. My husband still has to go to work everyday. He had just one week working from home, because a few colleagues in his team were suspected cases (of virus contraction). Luckily, they were not infected. Anyways, whether you are working from home or having to commute to work, being physically active is the key.

Always think of some physical things that you can do at home. Simple arm swinging for 5 minutes. 10 squads in a row. Stretching exercises on a mat. Ballet barre work following a YouTube video. Cleaning. Vacuuming.

Tip Number 4

4. Play Some Games…

I prefer playing games that can train my mind. They include chess… chess… chess… I can’t think of a better one which you can do it yourself playing it against an authentic opponent on a chess app. You can play it for real with someone at your home. You can simply play it against the computer.

My son loves playing board games with us. But, I think sometimes board games are too chance-based, and there is not much strategy needed to be used.

Play games that are sophisticated enough which you can progress yourself and acquire more skills to face up with higher level of challenges. Chess can offer that kind of mentally-challenging scenarios when there is always room for improvement.