Health Tips from Myanmar
«အကြောင်းပြချက်တွေက ကယ်လိုရီတွေကို မလောင်ကျွမ်းစေပါဘူး။»
«Excuses don’t burn calories.»
1
Go to bed early & Rise up early - For clarity of mind
It is important to maintain a consistent sleep schedule in which you go to sleep at and wake up at the same time every day. One of the main benefits of waking up early includes increased energy, clarity of mind and productivity. Waking up early will also give you an early start and more time to work on your goals for the day.
2
Daily meditation & prayers - For improved blood pressure
Close to 90% of people in Myanmar today are Buddhist, and virtually all of them practice Theravada Buddhism (School of the Elders). Meditation is a practice that all Burmese people are familiar with. The vast majority of men practised it when they were novices (trainee Buddhists) then when they became monks, if they returned to monastic life. A thilashin is a female renunciant in Burmese Buddhism; a Burmese Theravada Buddhist nun. According to the Buddha Dharma Education Association, the basic purpose of meditation is to calm the mind and train it to concentrate. The benefits of meditating each day include lowered blood pressure and allow for fewer distractions throughout daily life.
3
Fasting & Eat in Moderation
"If you eat in moderation, it is medicine. Eating too much is harmful."
People in Myanmar encourages ascetic practices–practices meant to teach self-discipline or self-denial in the pursuit of a spiritual goal. Fasting helps you achieve self-discipline and acquire more self-control while detoxifying the body. Based on the Second Precept of the Five Moral Precepts, Buddha recommended eating once a day, in one sitting, taking care to reducing the amount eaten to avoid overconsumption. It was also recommended for monks not to consume solid food in the afternoon.
The potential health benefits of intermittent fasting include weight loss, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, improved cardiovascular and brain function, improved risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke, and increased resistance to age-related diseases and insulin sensitivity.
4
Clean eating for body, mind and spirit
Being a vegetarian is considered as doing a good deed. When you don’t eat meat for the day, no animal has to die for you.
Many people in Myanmar choose Vegetarian or Vegan diets because they do not believe in killing animals for food. Buddha recommended following a diet consisting of fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables. It is also important to consume lean protein, healthy carbs, vitamins, minerals, and fats - a nutrition packed with Vitamin E.
Vitamin E plays an extremely important role in platelet, vascular, and immune health due to its antioxidant properties. Incorporating an adequate amount of Vitamin E in your diet will leave you feeling more energetic, clear-minded and will also improve the immune system.
5
Chinlone - A traditional sport with no opposition
One of the unique facts about Myanmar is its national sport, which is different and new to thinks of. Chinlone is a team sport with no opposition. It is a sport with a history of over 1500 years. A team of six players pass a cane ball with their feet, something like football, but it isn’t. It appears like a combination of dance with a sport involving some high jumps. It takes a while for you to get it, but nevermind, if you come across people playing, watch and enjoy if possible.
Chinlone is a combination of running, walking, sprinting and kicking. This can bring benefits including:
increased stamina
improved cardiovascular health
reduced body fat
improved muscle strength and tone
increased bone strength
improved coordination
6
Being generous = Giving of yourself
In Myanmar, generosity is not just about giving money to those in need. It is about giving of yourself – your time, your energy, your resources – to help others. It is an important part of our society and our culture, and it is something that we should all strive to do.
Giving has been proven to decrease blood pressure and reduce stress. This reduction promotes longer life and better health. Giving promotes social connection. Studies show that when you give to others, your generosity is often continued down the line to someone else, or returned to you.
7
Practice Proper Breathing - Reducing stress of body and mind
Proper breathing techniques go hand in hand with yoga and meditation. There are many ways to practice proper breathing as one of the health benefits of mindful breathing include decreased Beta brain waves, which are associated with thinking, problem-solving, and stress.
With daily practice of proper breathing, you will increase Alpha, Theta, and Gamma brain waves, which are the brain waves associated with relaxed creativity and high mental state. Mindful breathing throughout the day has been shown to have positive effects on the stress of the body and mind.
8
Practice Mindfulness
”Never finish your meal; leave the last bite for the birds or pet animals.”
Mindfulness is a conscious direction of our awareness and is often synonymous with meditation. In Myanmar, mindfulness is a prerequisite for developing insight and wisdom. Mindfulness is an activity that can be done at any time and does not necessarily require sitting in one place.
9
Bark Paste is the Natural Sunblock
One of the uniqueness of the Myanmar cultural which makes it stand out is Thanaka. Thanaka is a yellow paste made from branches of various trees, and it’s been in use for over 2500 years in Myanmar. It is a natural sunblock which cools the skin, enhances skin texture, delays onset of wrinkles and protects from skin ailments.
10
Open a store in your back yard
To open a store in the backyard. This refers to growing vegetables in one's own backyard, so there will be no need for grocery shopping, and you’ll also have a fresh supply of produce.
Nugget: The Burmese believe in good Karma as devout Buddhists. One of the fascinating facts about Myanmar is that the locals are kind, warm and greet you with a smile everywhere. They believe that drinking water shouldn’t be charged, so you will find water filter tanks in shops, hostels, hotels, restaurants, markets and most of the public places, with glass around to drink.
