During the month of March,
2016, the Golden Key International Society, James Cook University Singapore
Chapter, invited Mr. Nimrod Delante to share about the powerful effects of
lifestyle modifications.
This Agora session stood out from the previous others
as it was one that involved real, personal struggles, and the wisdom that came
with it.
The session begun with Mr.
Delante introducing the old saying “We are what we eat”, whereby our body is made
up by the food that we eat. However, he notes that people do not fully understand
the impact their diet has on their health. He observes others complaining about
the ill effects of unhealthy foods such as pains and mood disruptions, but do
nothing to alleviate the problem. This raises the question of why, and what can
be done to spark action towards healthier eating.
To provide us a better
understanding of the effects of eating on our health, Mr. Delante shared a
little on his history and a personal life struggle he went through. Being from
the Philippines, he grew up having been exposed to a diet that is oily, fatty,
sweet and salty for 30 years. Unfortunately, these took a toll on his health,
and in 2006, he developed cellulitis which is a bacterial infection of the
inner layers of the skin. He was also evaluated to have a high blood sugar
level at the young age of only 24. Despite these warning signs, however, he did
not do anything to address his health issues.
In 2015, Mr. Delante
suffered another health crisis; this time involving a serious ear infection as
well as being diagnosed as a hypertensive with high levels of cholesterol. Reporting
a sense of fear of death and unfulfilled life goals such as being filial to his
parents, starting a family, and pursuing his passion of photography and
language, this was a pivoting moment in Mr. Delante’s life which prompted him
to begin seriously considering making a change to his lifestyle.
To date, Mr. Delante
engages in healthy practices and diets such as bringing home cooked food to
work, increasing his fruit and vegetable intake, and portioning his meals. Mr.
Delante especially highlights being aware of one’s diet, and to make conscious
effort in portioning them. But apart from deciding to make this change as an
individual, Mr. Delante emphasizes the importance of having support from a
group of like-minded people. He finds a lot of strength from his colleagues,
namely Mr. George Jacobs and Miss Toh Hwee Leng, also from Learning Support in
JCU, Singapore, and they would exchange pointers and educate each other on best
dietary practices.
But incorporating a
healthy diet is not the only change Mr. Delante made. He has also begun
exercising more; such as cycling to and from work, and during weekends around
the South-eastern region of Singapore. This regime resulted in a weight loss
from 84 to 76 kilograms, with Mr. Delante stating that he felt lighter,
energetic, and with a longer lasting vitality. He reports being pleased with
the results, and emphasizes that he now has more freedom to spend his time
fruitfully, such as helping to take care of his nephews, or his sister with
household chores, despite it being after a long day at work; meaningful
activities which were once restrained from feelings of lethargy.
The experiences with
illness and wellness taught Mr. Delante many things about life. One particular
realization was about the importance of focusing on needs rather than wants,
and how this contributes to happiness and satisfaction in life. He now goes by
the saying that “Minimalism equals health in both mind and body”, or wellness
in one’s life comes from making do with the least.
Currently, Mr. Delante
desires to spread awareness and the beneficial effects of adopting a
proper/healthy diet. However, he laments that there are many barriers that stop
people from making a change to their diet or lifestyle, one of which is one’s mind-set.
Reflecting on his own life, he notes that many people resist making healthy
changes in their lifestyles until a health crisis hits. Even then, people would
look for a quick fix, such as an injection or medications, but not address the
root of the problem itself. This only results in an inevitable postponement of
the health crisis to a later date.
Mr. Delante then
discussed the occurrence of this phenomena with the host; with the latter
offering explanations from psychological theories. For one, people are beings
of habit, and it takes a huge amount of stress to disrupt that habit; much
alike a health crisis. Another reason might be the delay discounting principle
whereby future rewards are less valued than immediate rewards, and future
threats are seen as less dangerous than immediate ones. Between having good
health many years later versus having a good hearty meal now, the food is
certainly a lot more rewarding or attractive an option.
Still, Mr. Delante offers
us valuable insights from a person who has both suffered the consequences of an
unhealthy lifestyle, and have reaped the benefits of a healthy one. From his
story, we are given the opportunity to peer into the future and make the
correct choice on our own lifestyle modification.
On behalf of Golden Key
Singapore, JCUS chapter, we would like to thank Mr. Delante for this sharing
and for the account of his personal experiences.
