Health | viewvin

Here is our Coconut Man :

At mid morning he will do the rounds of our quaint village as he calls out

‘Nari….i…..Yaaal .( Nariyal which means coconut in Hindi)

If he misses out on his regular customers , another hawker also selling coconuts will take a round . Obviously there is competition between the two of them to get more business.

Our man is very pleasant . He actually posed for these pictures .

He offers you a choice of coconuts; either the ‘malai’ one i.e with more coconut flesh and less water or the ‘pani’ one i.e more of coconut water.

He carries a sharp knife which can even slice off someone’s neck. Ha, ha …

With a swipe or two, he proceeds to cut a small piece at the top of the coconut and with that piece he uses it to scrape off the ‘malai’ (from inside), which is delicious to eat and pours out the coconut water into your vessel . He can pour it out even into a plastic sachet he carries.

This is my favourite mid morning drink

I was away for a long time and wondered whether he would still be on his coconut rounds when I returned .

Yes he was …..and he gave me a huge smile. Instead of giving me a welcome drink , he had increased his price to Rs 70/- ………After reminding him that I was his old and faithful customer, he did reduce his price to Rs 60/-

I will always look forward to our ‘coconut man’ .

Coconut water is a good alternative for those who are lactose intolerant. It is hydrating, low in calories and rich in potassium which is an essential electrolyte .

The flesh of coconut is rich in antioxidants, has powerful antibacterial properties, and may support better blood sugar control.

It is a source of many minerals . Its fibre content helps in gut health .

So coconut is good for heart health , weight loss and digestion . However because it is high in calories and saturated fats , it needs to be eaten in moderation.

So , cheers to you when in India, for the sweet coconut water, and the rich ‘malai’.

Keep fit and stay healthy

The various types of exercise are interesting. I always liked slow jogging . It’s benefits are excellent. Most importantly is the VO2 level , which measures the ideal Oxygen level needed for the body . Over a period of time , a person develops stamina and can even participate in long distance races .

However , I was introduced to the fitness world of the gym. It was something I avoided as compared to running .

My son , who is a fitness enthusiast, encouraged me to start this form of exercise. The benefit here is developing all parts of the body….:whereas running may not, specially the upper body. Besides, one can also run in the winter months , when it is too cold to do any road running.

For all ages , being fit gives one a positive attitude and good self esteem . Young people love to develop their bodies . Why not , this gives them good looks to impress others or just happy to improve their physique. Elders need to keep fit as a matter of precaution, specially the leg muscles . At an older age , falls can be avoidable . The middle age group need to exercise to escape the desk routine. For that matter even young people need exercise as a lot of time is spent at the computer .

These are some of the types of exercise. There are many more , like swimming , cycling and other sports .

My love for tennis and running is the most funway of exercising. It is relaxing and refreshing. Many may differ on this. Even then let’s remember that keeping fit through any exercise will contribute to good health as long as you enjoy it. Do you agree?