Not being sick doesn’t mean you are healthy.
A healthy life needs an aligned body, mind and spirit.
It was the birthday of a vibrant woman, who turned a hundred years old. Since I have known her, she has always been confused about her birthday so we kept on accepting any day she suggested.
Anna had turned a hundred years old but was still active. On her birthday, she prepared a meal for four people. She stood for most of the party and even showed us her favorite dance at church.
Out of curiosity, I asked her what makes her so healthy. Sheshe smiled and looked at the sky. Then she said, “I am God’s favorite daughter”. We all laughed. It was a mischievous response from the birthday girl.
For as long as I have known her, she has been farming her land and raising chickens. She is famous for walking everywhere. Whether she is going to the farm, attending church, fetching water, or visiting neighbours, she always walks.
She was famous for being the first one in church every morning. She was at the church every Sunday.
I remember hearing how she moved to this area, the same place where we were celebrating her birthday today. She travelled from Tabora, covering more than 760 kilometers to reach Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam to establish her new life.
She left a teaching career in Tabora to come and focus on agriculture and livestock farming in that area. Now Kigamboni is a town with plans to make it a satellite city, but when she came, it was a forest. Anyone who came first would claim ownership of the land as long as they made marks and boundaries.
I mentioned she cooked for us on her hundredth birthday. It wasn’t anything special; it was just her favourite daily meal. She served boiled sweet potatoes grown on her own farm for breakfast.
For lunch, she served steamed rice with beans. She sourced both from her farm and cooked them in her outdoor kitchen. We brought some soda and snacks, which she didn’t like.
Anna, my grandmother on my dad’s side, passed away three years later, a few months after turning 103 years old. They chose me to read her eulogy at the funeral. Everyone believed I was her favourite grandchild.
After the eulogy and my short speech, I recalled a question I asked her on her 100th birthday three years ago: “What’s your secret for a healthy life?”
At that moment I felt the answer “I am God’s favourite daughter” was cheesy, but it resonated with me. I researched health and realized that the oldest problems usually have time-tested solutions.
I believe the best things in life come in threes. So, I decided to break down the three pillars of health.
I think a healthy life needs balance in the body, mind, and spirit. This belief stems from my grandmother’s experience and others who age well around the world.
The body
The body is the vehicle that carries us through life. A weak body carries a weak life, a strong body carries a strong life. My grandmother was very strong for a hundred-year-old soul. She would still walk to church, cook, dance and stand for hours.
I learned three important things from my grandmother: how she moved, what she ate, and when she rested. Let’s focus on her specific routine, then look into the science behind her habits.
How we move shapes how we grow.
Biologically, an organ that is infrequently or inefficiently used will become weak. Our bodies were made to move. From the brain cells to the toes, there is mechanism for movement.
Moving the body boosts blood circulation, strength, metabolism, posture, mobility, energy, and mood.
My grandmother walked a lot. If she had a smartwatch, I’d bet that her steps would top 10,000 every day for years. She moved constantly from the moment she woke up until bedtime.
And she did all types of walking. She often walked while carrying weights, such as buckets of water for showering, feed for the chickens, dishes to wash, or farm produce to bring home.
She moved around a lot. She bent down to pick up things, danced in church, stretched her hands to grab fruits, and knelt while cooking.
All these activities helped her body stay strong, flexible and fit enough to walk without a supporting stick when she was a hundred.
Her lifestyle forced her to have those type of movements. Our ancestors lifestyle made them walk and run for long distance to hunt or farm. Dance during dinners. Carry weights during farming or harvesting.
Nowadays our lifestyle is different. We stay mostly in offices; comfortable chairs are our best friends. We commute to work by cars, motorcycles and buses. After work, we relax on couches watching TV before heading to bed.
We rarely engage in activities that would force us to walk or move frequently, unless our work is labour-intensive. This lifestyle causes several issues, like bad posture, being overweight, poor blood circulation, and a higher risk of disease.
And someone decided to solve our problem with a shortcut:the gym. We now view the gym as our primary way to stay active. The gym is fine, but it’s being marketed as if the only types of exercise are weightlifting or cardio.
This approach is more attractive because the changes are easy to see. For instance, when I first entered a gym in 2011 during my first year at the University of Dar es Salaam, I saw this first-hand.
I went there barefoot and wearing a football jersey, accompanied by my good friend Jabir. We were out of place. We saw men with big biceps, pumped chests and the kind of legs you only see in movies.
We saw pretty women wearing very tight shorts. They wore sports bras that made you wonder whether you were allowed to look at them in public.
After years of countless gym visits, I can sum up the secret to working out. It’s simple: find a way to move your body, just as my grandmother did.
The body grows when it’s outside the comfort zone. If you have never walked a few kilometres in your life, then start by walking until you get tired. Then the next day add a bit more distance. Do that until the distance feels easy.
Next, push yourself further. Start by walking on hills or mountains. Then, add weights or walk faster to increase the intensity.
You can do that anywhere. You don’t need a gym to achieve that. Our ancestors never had gyms, the world was their gym. Labour-intensive jobs like construction and agriculture tend to solve that problem.
If you work in an office, incorporate movement into your workday. Start by walking, increase the intensity. Once that feels easy, try running or carrying extra weight to keep challenging yourself.
Another part of how we move is stretching. If you’re in your thirties or older, you might notice that some movements become harder to do. You realize that it is becoming harder to bend, to kneel.
Perhaps you’ve noticed that touching your toes is an impossible feat. Or maybe that if you sit down and straighten your legs you can’t bend to reach them. Everything hurts, as if you’ve been hit by a train—your neck, back, shoulders, and thighs all ache.
All this is because you stopped moving your muscles. Muscles are like an elastic band. The more you stretch, the more flexible they become. The less you stretch, the stiffer they become.
When you wake up, find ways to stretch. Move all your body parts naturally. Kneel, crawl, bend, pull, push, and relax. The more you stretch, the more flexible you will be.
And in your old age, you will need this flexibility very much. Don’t be just another statistic or the person who slipped in the bathroom due to stiffness.
What we eat is the fuel for the body.
For the body to move, it needs fuel. What we eat and drink defines the quality of the fuel that we feed into our body. Good fuel will improve the efficiency of the body during its movement. Bad fuels will result in poor performance and in the long run, damage the body.
Most of my grandmother’s diet came from her farm. She had maize flour, rice, beans, vegetables, eggs, meat and spices around her. She ate the same diet as her ancestors.
And her cooking was as simple as it gets, mostly boiled. On rare occasions she would use cooking oil, which we brought to her.
If you own a car, you would not add fuel to it that was not meant to be used. You cannot use petrol for a diesel car despite both of them being fuel. You certainly would not use water in a petrol car.
The same goes for the body; it was not designed to consume certain foods and drinks to function properly. Yet humans have found a way to do just that, whether out of ignorance, addiction, or reasons we cannot explain.
Humans consume substances that affect the body every day, from processed foods to strong alcohol and cigarettes. And just like a car that would eventually break down after being filled with the wrong fuel, the body responds in kind.
Non-communicable diseases are the side effects of abusing the body. High blood pressure from too much alcohol and meat, or cancer from smoking, shows how the body responds to bad habits.
Our ancestors had simple diets, eating and drinking things they found in nature. Next time you shop or dine, ask yourself: what would your grandmother think of your dish?
Give your body the right fuel and it will perform well for you. If you are already regularly consuming unhealthy foods and drinks, do your best to have them in moderation.
When we rest influences how we perform
In all the years I have known my grandmother, she hasn’t liked us staying at her place late at night. She wanted to go to bed earlyand wake up early. She said her God used the sun as a guide for her life.
When the sun comes up she has to get up, and when the sun sets, she goes to sleep. Scientifically, there is evidence that our bodies function according to circadian rhythms. We function properly when we rise with the sun and rest at sunset.
If you can, do your best to follow nature. Wake up early, start your day. Wind up when the sun sets and go to sleep. That is the natural rest your body needs.
Yes, you can push a car to the maximum, day and night, on long drives; but at what cost? For how long?
Our bodies function in the same way; you can push them for days, weeks, or even months. But eventually, exhaustion will catch up and you will break. And that cost is too much to pay. You can repair and replace cars, but you can’t do that with our bodies.
Find ways to rest your body. Sleep when you can, at least seven to eight hours. Take breaks during high-intensity activities. Recharge and get away after finishing demanding long-term projects.
My grandmother went to bed early to ensure she had enough energy for the day. When it’s not the planting or harvesting season, she has less physical work. This helps her body rest and recover.
In summary, our bodies need movement, nutrients, and rest to work well for as long as possible. Pay attention to that, and you won’t worry about being unfit, overweight, or getting preventable diseases.
The mind
Our bodies are the vehicles that carry life inside them; the mind is how we interpret life.
There’s a well-known story about twins raised by an alcoholic father. As they grew up, they chose different paths. The first twin became an alcoholic. When asked why, he said, “My father was an alcoholic, what else did you expect?”
The second twin grew up hating alcohol. When asked why, he replied, “Because my father was an alcoholic. I didn’t like how he acted, how he treated us, or how he ruined his life.” “I didn’t want to be like him.”
Identical twins lived in the same home with the same father, but they had different outcomes. That is how the mind works. It shapes how we see the world, how we interpret events and , experience our own version of reality.
I heard a story about my grandmother’s first house burning down. The fire destroyed everything she had spent years building.
When her children offered to help her move to town for a fresh start, she said, “I will build a new house, set up new farms, and plan my crops again.” “I did it the first time; I can do it again.”
True to her word, she did exactly that. Until the day she died, she stayed on her lands. And they buried her on those lands. That was the power of her mindset.
The three key things about the mind are: clarity, discipline and peace.
Clarity
Clarity is the ability to see things as they are and embrace them. As mentioned earlier, different people can interpret the same situation differently. One person can see a six and another sees a nine depending on your perspective.
Put yourself in situations where you can see things clearly. This way, you’ll improve your perception and make better decisions.
Diverse environments and perspectives foster clarity.
Make it a habit to meet new people, visit different places, and seek diverse information sources like books. These habits will give you the tools to build clarity.
Discipline
The mind is a mischievous thing; it can be a master or a servant depending on how you use it. If you don’t do anything intentional, the mind will come up with some of the craziest things imaginable.
Discipline your mind regularly, and you can reach your goals. You’ll also enjoy life in inspiring ways. People will even call you a genius.
You need to be able to train your mind on what to think, when to think and how to process information. You need to assert control over your thought patterns.
If you let it run free, problems will find you. This includes addictions, laziness, worries, and fear. Most of life’s problems come from a lack of discipline.
Every problem caused by a lack of discipline stems from a failure to control the mind.
Peace
You have heard the saying “you need peace of mind in life”.”
Lack of clarity and discipline tends to create chaos in the mind. This makes life experience miserable.
Some people struggle to find peace in their relationships. They may lack clarity in choosing the right partners. They also need discipline to build and maintain healthy relationships. Sometimes, it’s important to let go of unhealthy ones too.
Some people lack peace of mind in their work and careers. This often happens because they didn’t get clear guidance when choosing jobs, businesses, or activities they spent years in. They also lack the discipline to change their professional direction.
Peace of mind is a result of clarity and discipline; do your best to cultivate both and you will harvest it.
Sadly, no one can bring you peace of mind. You have to build it for yourself.
Most of human problems come from the mind. Lack of clarity and discipline will always lead to lack of peace of mind. Learn to work on them and you will add a key tool to your life.
Your mindset shapes how you see life. To find peace of mind, you need clarity and discipline. This helps you interpret life in a way that’s right for you.
The spirit
This is a topic that is somewhat taboo for most people. Out of ignorance, manipulation and uncertainty, most people struggle with spiritual issues.
When my grandmother said, “I am God’s favourite daughter,” I felt church leaders had influenced her. It seemed she believed everything in life revolved around God. I have a lot of friends and relatives who make the topic of God annoying or suspicious.
I now realise that my grandmother was talking about the spiritual part of her health. My research revealed three key things: the meaning of life, aligning with that meaning, and believing in something greater.
Meaning
Life can mean anything to anyone; that is what makes it complicated. My grandma’s meaning and my meaning are like day and night. My meaning is different from yours. That is what makes it meaningful too.
In my quest to understand life’s meaning, I learned to pause and ask myself these questions:
Why am I here?
What is my life for?
What makes suffering worthwhile?
What is worth giving my life for?
I discovered the meaning of life by accepting that I must be my best self. I also aim to help others become their best selves during our short time here. My life is to serve, and it’s worth all the suffering it takes to do that.
Hearing a sibling, family member, friend, or even a stranger saying that I changed their life for the better brings me so much joy. Knowing this makes all my efforts worthwhile.
I have enjoyed reading stories since grade three at St Joseph Primary School. I have never stopped finding knowledge and applying it to my life. I have never stopped sharing it with the world any way I can.
I share knowledge through one-on-one conversations over lunch, long phone calls from miles away, or the internet. I do this via pictures, videos, audio, or any medium that emerges.
I never stopped doing that when I was in primary school, secondary school, university, or working at PwC. I didn’t stop when I launched my first startup, and I haven’t stopped now that I am an experienced entrepreneur.
This is my purpose. This gives my life meaning: being my best self and helping others do the same through stories and thought-provoking ideas. What is yours?
Take time out of your busy life and answer the questions:
Why am I here?
What is my life for?
What makes suffering worthwhile?
What is worth giving my life for?
If you don’t fix that, you’ll always feel something is missing, no matter what you achieve. You will have all the money in the world, the best family and friends, but when you go to sleep, you will feel empty.
You have spent years fitting into other people’s versions of the meaning of life. Someone told you to go to school, get the job and work until retirement, then die. Is that it for you?
You may have heard about a business opportunity that promises a lot of money. If you start it and it becomes profitable, how will you know when you have enough? What will you do with that wealth?
Someone said you should become a leader and accumulate power, and so you did. But then when will you know it’s enough power? What will you do after the power changes hands?
What you have, what you do, who you know, and where you are don’t define your life’s meaning. So, pause, reset, and ask yourself the big questions.
Why am I here?
What is my life for?
What makes suffering worthwhile?
What is worth giving my life for?
Once you answer that, you will quickly sort out what you do, with whom, and how. Life on its own has no meaning. You will need to find your own meaning and assign it to life. If you won’t, then someone will assign their meaning to you.
Alignment
If figuring out meaning is the first step, then living your life by that meaning is the next.
The first problem in life is living without establishing the meaning of our lives. The second problem is knowing that purpose but not living up to it.
Many people find meaning in life by serving their community. This can happen through business, community work, religion, or politics. But most people are employed. They never quit to pursue that meaning for a lot of reasons. And they hate Mondays when they go to work.
Many entrepreneurs build wealth through ventures they don’t care about. In turn, they often give away much of that money to causes they truly care about.
Living contrary to your purpose is betraying your spirit. In the Holy Bible, Luke chapter 9 verse 25, it says “what profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose himself?”. And in the Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah (2:90), it says “miserable is the price they have sold their souls for..”
A well-known example of living in contradiction to one’s purpose is that of Judas Iscariot. Most are familiar with the account of how Judas betrayed Jesus, but we never followed up on what happened after that.
Matthew 27:3 says, when Judas saw that Jesus had been condemned, he was filled with remorse. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. In the following verse, he said “I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
After that, he threw the money into the temple and left, and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5).
Can you picture the pain Judas felt? He returned the money, showed regret publicly, and then took his own life. The price we pay for a soul not at peace is immeasurable, no matter what you accomplish in life.
If you hate going to work on Mondays but get excited for Fridays, your actions don’t align with your life’s meaning and purpose.
If you dislike spending time with your girlfriend, wife, husband, or anyone else, it’s likely due to a mismatch with your life’s meaning and purpose.
If you have money, cars, buildings, power, and status but still feel empty, it might be because your actions don’t match your life’s purpose and meaning.
The solution is simple: pause and ask yourself:
Why am I here?
What is my life for?
What makes suffering worthwhile?
What is worth giving my life for?
When you get the answers, your job is to live each day according to them.
Living for something bigger than yourself
When my grandmother said, “I am God’s favorite daughter,” she showed a deep understanding of life. She believed there was something much bigger than herself.
I asked about her physical health and body, but her answer included everything. She embraced that there is something bigger than her, her God. And she believed that, for everything she had been through, she was God’s favorite.
She decided to live her life with that perspective. It shaped how she moved, what she ate and drank. It helped her find clarity, build discipline, discover the meaning of her life, and live by it.
The best way to understand life is to accept that something bigger than you is at work in the universe. Now with globalization and information, we use the word God.
Whether one is a Muslim, Christian, or Hindu, the concept of God is universal. Even those who aren’t religious recognise there’s something bigger and more powerful in the universe beyond humans.
Some call it ancestors, some call it Karma, some call it the Universe and some just say nature. What everyone accepts is we as humans have limited power, awareness, influence and information about a lot going on in the world.
We need an anchor point and a compass that will lead us to the promised land. If your religion says that land is heaven, then well and good. If it says a place called Nirvana, that is fine too. If others call it a flow state or awakening, it’s also fine.
Join a community of people who share your values, beliefs about life, and faith in a higher power. That tends to bring peace to the spirit.
Some of the most miserable people on earth are the ones who are only doing things for themselves. They live only in their heads and have no hope or faith in something bigger than them.
Life becomes easier by embracing that there is a higher power at play in the universe. This view helps you find better answers about your purpose in life.
This brings clarity and discipline, helping the mind stay consistent in living according to our purpose. Such focus makes choices about what to eat, drink, how to move, and when to rest easier. You’ll have a clear purpose to guide you. And you need to be in your best physical, mental, and spiritual condition to do that.
I wish I could have a deeper chat with Anna, my grandma, about her health by considering her body, mind, and spirit. But I know she would touch on these major points.
She would likely have suggested I read this at her funeral. It shares the best lesson about health and a meaningful life. Since you were not in her life, please consider this her eulogy.
You might not be sick, but it doesn’t mean you are healthy. A fit body can still have a chaotic mind, that is not healthy. A fit mind with a stiff and exhausted body is not healthy. A fit body with a sharp mind is nothing if the soul is not in alignment.
Remember that your body carries life, your mind interprets it and your soul brings meaning to it.
Until then,
Think deeply. Live deliberately.
Watushule