Almost the entire country is in the grip of heatwave. The temperature in Phalodi in western Rajasthan is reaching above 45.2 degrees Celsius, while in Bhopal in central India also the temperature remained above 43 degrees on Thursday. In such a situation, it is natural that we run towards something cold – like ice cream and yogurt. But if you are health conscious and believe that yogurt is better than ice cream, then I would recommend you to read the book ‘Eat Your Ice Cream’. Don’t dismiss this as just one of many books on the shelf. It is written by Dr. Ezekiel Emmanuel. He is an American oncologist and senior professor at the University of Pennsylvania, a world-class expert on health policy and bioethics, a special advisor to the Director General of the World Health Organization and a key health policy advisor in the administration of former US President Obama. The most important thing about his CV is that he is a person associated with science. Emmanuel praises healthy fats, fiber, fermented foods, limited amounts of protein and home-cooked meals. The title of his book pays homage to research that found that eating good quality ice cream without preservatives and emulsifiers could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. In 2014, a Harvard study of more than 1.50 lakh people found that yogurt and ice cream reduced the risk of type-2 diabetes. Emmanuel says that ‘Researchers have even found that ice cream is more effective than yogurt in preventing type-2 diabetes.’ Emmanuel says that he is extremely fed up with the increasingly strange wellness methods and the quacks who sell them. They ask people who buy pills that have been tested on rats and are being used by humans, ‘Do you have a tail and whiskers, you are taking this?’ Most of us think too much about health – many people around the world seek his advice on this subject. When people ask him what diet he follows, his answer is that ‘I just eat food like a normal person.’ Her new book Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life says wellness doesn’t have to be a series of endless deprivations, or it shouldn’t take up all of your time and money. They recommend adopting the following habits to maintain better health and live happily. 1. Don’t be fooled: This clear instruction says to avoid the risk of intentionally incurring serious losses. This list includes smoking, vaping, drinking alcohol, riding a two-wheeler without a helmet, messaging while driving, not taking leaves, postponing cancer screening. 2. Talk: Family, friends and social interaction are the most important things for wellness, longevity and happiness. They say talk even to strangers. 3. Stay sharp mentally: His two-word advice is – ‘Don’t retire.’ If you have retired from job, then work more at home. Because sitting idle affects cognitive ability. Although mental ability is largely dependent on genes, lifestyle also makes a difference when people leave work. He says, ‘After retirement, do not limit yourself to TV and a sedentary life.’ 4. Eat ice cream: Evidence is strong for the benefits of dairy products, especially ice cream. The ‘self punishment model’ is a bad way to live, he says. 5. Keep moving: Even if you do not do regular exercise, keep walking and cycling. Go for a long walk in the woods. Emmanuel himself does cycling and yoga. 6. Give importance to sleep: Create the right environment for sleeping. It is good to sleep by 10:30 pm. Read a book and stop watching phone or TV an hour before sleeping. The bottom line is that if your ancestors were healthy for 90 years, then just follow their footsteps to live a healthy life.
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N. Raghuraman’s Column: Ice cream or yogurt, what is better for this heat?
