Darwin’s ‘survival of the fittest’ is the default option, or rather compulsion, dictated by life’s evolutionary nature. Simply put, fitness is mainly about man’s adaptation to his environment. Unlike the rest of the animal kingdom or species that dwell on earth, man alone has the ability to think.

Swedish sweat in the 19th century is the fountain-head of modern calisthenics — the prime source and course of western exercises today. It is believed that Swedish landlords were aghast when they saw the stooped and sagging peasants’ shoulders at work. The landlords wanted their subjects to be soldier-like in bearing. And hence, devised drills and movements on militarist lines. Erect spines and square shoulders were sought and taught through calisthenics.

At some stage in almost everybody’s life, comes a time when she feels insecure. Though the sun in her life is at its zenith, she is more conscious of the twilight over the horizon.

Preservation begins with proper preparation. The principle is to live young as long as possible. Internally, there can be a 20-year difference between our chronological age and our chromosomes. For example, a 40-year-old could be 60 or 20 within himself or herself. Inherited genes and a gainful lifescape make the vital all-important difference.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a healthy body as one that is in a ‘state of complete physical and mental well-being… By health we mean the powerful force to live a full, adult living, breathing life in proximity with people and things that you love. For you to realise all that you are capable of being and doing.’

Great people don’t do different things. They approach the same things differently. Their success stories are a series of small steps. Their rehearsal is the real thing. They practise their required ABCs to perfection to produce that X factor — they know that to write an essay they have to first master their grammar. The drill of their routine is done to death. Repetition after repetition until it sinks and syncs with the subconscious.

Do we consume food — or does fast food consume us? This might seem like serving paranoia on a platter, but all. this business buzz around ultra-processed food (UPF) causes brain-fade or brain fuzz. Your resistance caves in to the hounding TV commercial and newspaper ads and advertorials. Welcome to the club that believes “Dieting is easy. I have done it a hundred times.”

We have written about holistic health and aerobics at some length in our recent columns. The cynic and the couch potato may dismiss this as a good-in theory-but-does-it-actually-work in practice? Time then to take our Fitness-for-Life approach from the library and test-run it on the killing fields of real life. Pit it against the arguably Enemy Number One, ­Cancer. Cancer is a fatal disease if it runs its course. But the good news is holistic health and lifestyle can nip cancer in the bud (read cell) if treated at an early state and stage. Aerobic exercise is both a shield and sword in this ancient all-pervading perennial disease. And aerobic exercise is the missile to launch and target a preemptive strike on cancer. Prevention is the best cure.

Create your own virtuous cycle. We had to literally think out-of-the-(meal) box, thanks to our dentist’s appointments. We stuck to our two-meal daily intake (lunch and ­dinner) and ate what we have done for decades — homemade oil-less food that we recommend. We ‘upped’ our meal times: lunch at noon, supper at 6pm, and decided to turn in at 8pm. Early to bed and early to rise may or may not make us wealthy. But it definitely ticks the healthy and wise boxes. Just waking up before dawn is like gaining an extra day. But before we get to sleep and its benefits, let’s get one thing straight.

Anxious, worried, troubled were familiar words. But its synonym — stress was still new on the scene. Over time, I’ve got it. Stress is all of the above.

Look around and you’ll generally find that the next generation is taller than yours, and life spans have increased. Yet, a longer life is not necessarily better. Life expectancy has quite a bit to do with expectations of life. American writer Dan Buettner’s documentary Live to 100 is indeed a lesson in longevity. And his 263 centenarians are personifications of that. Moreover, as he explores the happiness-health habitat, we realise that life is profoundly simple. And simply profound.