Lent 2020 - Day 35
There's hardly anything in the New Testament about looking after your body. Psalms 90:10 (Old Testament) says: "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years". Two thousand-plus years of medical progress suggests that today, fivescore years should be what to shoot for.
The purpose of a long and healthy life is to acquire knowledge and wisdom; if you are by nature a generalist, longevity gives you time to deepen your knowledge. And if you are a specialist, you get the time to broaden your specialisms. And the purpose of that wisdom is to bring you closer to God.
In building my own religion, I'd place a deep importance on keeping yourself as fit as your genes allow you to be - careful with the diet and plenty of exercise. Until my mid-30s, I pretty much ignored that advice; it was only the onset of fatherhood and having dependent children made me reflect upon my ways. My first Lent (a modest one - just cutting out alcohol and confectionery) was the time of conception of Moni, my fourth Lent was when Eddie was conceived.
The annual ritual - habit now - stretching back to 1992 - was originally just a time to detoxify the body, but over the decades, Lent has taken on a far more mystical meaning for me. But the physical elements of Lent are still there. It has been the time for me to take up new exercising and dietary habits and then stretch them out over the year. No longer about self-denial and self-discipline (over the years I've taken it into my stride and 46 days without drink, meat, confectionery, fast-food etc is a doddle) - it's about extending my lifespan through improved health.
Diet first. Bang in your five, six, seven or more portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day, every day. Totally (and I mean totally) cut out all sugars from your diet except that which comes from fruit or not-from-concentrate fruit juices. You can't live for more than a few days without salt. It is essential for kidney function. But you can live forever without sugar. If my religion were to have any dietary proscriptions à la Halal or Kosher, it would be a total ban on processed sugar. Alcohol - aim for that 14 units-a-week target, drink only for a purpose - to socialise, for artistic inspiration - never sup back 'empty' units.
Keeping a log helps. Consistency is key - you need to monitor yourself. I've been doing this on a spreadsheet now for the seventh year, not missing a day's data since 1 January 2014. And - being very careful not to bring down bad karma by getting complacent - it's been working. So far. GRATITUDE! Average blood pressure this week has been 112/79 (without recourse to any tablets, I must add).
Q1 2018
|
Q1 2019
|
Q1 2020
|
|
Paces walked (daily average)
|
10.1k
|
11.3k
|
11.2k
|
Pull-ups (daily average)
| 9 |
8
|
16
|
Press-ups (daily average)
| 65 |
104
|
109
|
Plank (total time for quarter)
|
-
|
3 hrs 44 mins
|
5 hrs 49 mins
|
Alcohol (units/week average)
|
10.6
|
12.1
|
9.4
|
Portions fruit & veg (daily average)
|
5.2
|
5.6
|
6.1
|
The walking's down because the last two weeks' covid-19 lockdown has meant I've only been for the one stroll, just to do the obligatory 10k paces, pushing down Q1 2020's average. Alcohol intake at this time of year is modest because of Lent (which is a movable fast); planks I started doing last January. There's also weights, but difficult to compare because I moved up from 3kg to 5kg and am now doing more of them in each of the three sets anyway.
What is the aim? I will answer: Pascal's Wager. In this case, I'm betting that a healthy lifestyle will prolong years of active life. If I live to 100 in good form, you'll know why. My father set me a good goal - 96 and half years, 94 of which were 'active' (as in walking unaided, driving a car, mental acuity on form). If I sit back and do nothing, I will atrophy, my body will start winding down. It should be a mitzvah in any religion to take utmost care of your health with the overarching purpose of fulfilling one's human potential to the maximum degree. But without filling that longer, healthier life with greater wisdom, you are not progressing along that Eternal Journey from Zero to One. That's the true goal.
This time two years ago:
Religion and Happiness - a Lenten summary
This time three years ago:
Health and fitness in a Quarter of Abstinence
This time seven years ago:
Cycling to work - the new season begins
This time ten years ago:
Five weeks into Lent
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