8 Symptoms of a healthy person – Nature’s test

Health, these days, is usually evaluated on the basis of numbers, in terms of quantity. BMI, BP, sugar levels, and whole set of numbers popping out of the medical health checkup. No doubt these numbers are a good indicator of one’s health, but then this doesn’t capture the real essence of how the body feels from inside. There is a “normal” range for these numbers, and our numbers might not fit into these acceptable limits. The range is wide and averaged out based on statistics over long period of time, and we are not 100% sure if the out-of- range results truly spells big trouble for us.

So then, the question is how do we evaluate our health without taking such blood and urine tests? Well, there is an abundance of wisdom passed on from ancient India, in terms of Vedic lore & scriptures. I was forwarded an excellent WhatsApp Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpWtpeynSNA&t=26s) that reminded us about this ancient wisdom & churned out the 8 signs of a healthy person. It made sense; it was truly an effective way to check the health in “qualitative” terms.

Symptoms are normally associated with illness, in a negative sense. Interestingly we could use this word in a positive way, too. The scope of this article remains only to highlight the signs, not discuss any solutions, as each one of us have unique body type, gut system and medical history. There are more than enough materials available online and within home & community to treat specific signs. Here are the 8 symptoms that any healthy man or woman should have:

1. Daily Bowel Movements: Having a good bowel movement every morning means that the waste from the body is being excreted in timely fashion. Although best to get this cleansing done every morning, maybe its not too crucial to have it in the morning itself. Some people might need to go in the afternoon or evening, the point is to have it regularly everyday, a daily ritual of sorts. Absence of a daily bowel movement points to constipation, an underrated yet a very important problem to look out for, one which is potentially a sign of digestion disorders and that can lead to several health issues. Give yourself a point if you have daily bowel movements.
2. No Excess Weight: I think here the BMI can come handy, but generally we ourselves know if we have excess weight or not. Excess weight and obesity have been linked to a variety of health problems like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and others. So we should always be in good control of our weight. Add another point to your tally if you have no excess weight.
3. Clear Skin: The skin is a true reflection of what’s going on inside the body. Having clear skin means the body within is also clean and clear. From time to time, we come across people with a great aura, a radiant face oozing out energy from all directions. We go deeper and find the healthy lifestyle these individuals chase, and the results are out in front of us. Healthy skin is devoid of any patches, acnes, pimples, pigmentation, etc. Diseases like the chicken pox & herpes clearly wreak their wrath on the skin, a true manifestation of what’s going on inside the body. One more point to you if you have clear skin.
4. Absence of Laziness: Nature has blessed us with abundance of energy everyday from morning 5 am to evening 10pm. Any form of laziness during these earthly hours indicates a lethargic body. Normally, kids are always active (or hyper active should I say?). They are bustling with energy all the time, a true indicator that their body is all fit and fine. Due to various issues, there is a tendency to get lazy as one gets older, not a good sign for the body. Lethargy is a strong indicator of bad health, and we should always keep an eye for this. One more point to you if you feel energetic throughout the day.
5. Strong sense of hunger: With the phenomenal increase in the amount & choices of food these days, we hardly go hungry (well, most of us). More often than not, we go to lunch at a fixed time, not because we are hungry, but well, its lunch time. Everything runs on the calendar, and we don’t give our body enough time to digest the previous meal before loading it with the next one. Whenever possible, we should strive for “eat only when hungry” approach. Experiencing a strong sense of hunger at least twice a day means the digestive juices in our body are in good shape. Give yourself a point if you experience this strong sense of hunger.
6. No pain in the body: They say “Nature protects you when you are young“. Body starts giving away as we keep ageing. People run into back pains, knee joint pains, and pains in different parts of the body. Having no pain in the body is definitely a vital sign that everything in the system is functioning well. What else can be a blessing, other that no body parts asking (or should I say demanding?) for help all the time. Add another point to your tally if you have no pain in the body.
7. Deep Sleep: Several books and articles have been written on this very important aspect of health. Although its quite a fad to stay awake late into nights partying, playing or binge watching, its often detrimental to our health. Another thing to note is that its not about how many hours we sleep, its about the quality of sleep. We hear “Sleep like a baby” all the time, which means to have a peaceful and refreshing sleep. Its hard to miss the energy in the baby once he/she has completed his or her full quota of sleep. Should you fall into this wonderful category of “deep sleep”, having restful sleep every night, go ahead and give yourself another point.
8. Positive Thoughts: Having positive thoughts & the ability to remain calm in any given situation indicates a “happy state of health” inside. The saying goes “You are what you eat“; if our food is not right, our thoughts can never be right. Lot of these feelings and responses come out due to an issue in the body organ; I read somewhere that Emotions like anger, impatience, irritability and depression are common symptoms when the liver is in distress. Watch out for your thoughts and emotions! If you consistently experience positive thoughts, give yourself another point.

As part of this “Nature’s test” exercise, evaluate your health against each of these signs on your own, honestly. An 8 out of 8 is definitely the best result, but then don’t get disheartened if you miss out on a few points here and there; it just means there is work to be done. We need to always remember “Life is a marathon, not a sprint“. So, don’t be hasty in solving these problems, just plan them accordingly. Good luck & Wish you all a very good health!