In this era of expensive medical care, I was almost shocked to learn about someone who had deliberately terminated his medical insurance partly because the premium amount shot up considerably, but mainly because he was very confident that he would not need any major medical care in the near future. I do not necessarily endorse this thought process but was intrigued enough to set up a meeting with this very interesting man who seemed supremely confident of his control on his state of health.

So off I go to meet Mr. Kanayo Lala after calling him on his unique telephone number – 978-337-LALA. Something tells me that this is just a start; I am going to learn many more interesting things from this unique individual today. Born in Pakistan, Mr. Lala is a Civil Engineer by education and currently has a private consultancy of designing buildings.

I am early for the interview and am impressed when Mr. Lala enters the house and almost jogs up a flight of stairs effortlessly. At 63, he is fit as a fiddle. Lean bodied, he moves about with childlike enthusiasm and agility. He has a ready smile on his face and it almost appears that he is looking for excuses to move – straighten a curtain, dust away at the coffee table, reorder the pile of magazines.

I start by asking him what made him take the extreme decision of terminating his medical insurance. He said he had been paying a fat premium for his insurance for years without ever really using it. And when the premiums went up considerably in 2004, he weighed the odds and decided not to have the medical coverage at all. He has never had any serious medical ailments and any surgeries or hospitalizations till date. His medical insurance usage had been limited to annual physical exams only. He has not regretted this decision since.

“What is the secret of your excellent state of health?” I ask Mr. Lala. To some extent genes, he says. His father is alive and at 93, is very fit and in great shape. I have had the fortune to meet this tall, elegant, straight postured, lean man and I see what Mr. Lala is referring to. His mother unfortunately died of heart attack at the age of 65. She suffered from high blood pressure and anemia. Coming back to his own health, Mr. Lala feels that besides some good genes, it is primarily his diet and lifestyle that have kept him healthy and away from doctors. “Tell me more about it” I gently prod him.

Mr. Lala typically wakes up at sunrise. On sunny days, he does sun gazing for about 10 minutes, followed by his own personalized Yoga and Pranayama routine for about 25 minutes. He then settles down to singing bhajans for about an hour, accompanied by harmonium. This one hour bhakti immersion also includes mantra recitations – about 22 different ones. Quite frequently he also includes recitation of selective verses from the Bhagvat Geeta, which he finds very motivating.

For food, Mr.Lala and his wife eat only one proper meal in the day. Breakfast and lunch essentially consist of fresh seasonal fruits, cut at home and eaten immediately. The one and only cooked meal eaten early evening, consists of soupy lentils and lots of vegetables, mostly cooked in pure ghee, accompanied by 1 chapati or a small bowl of rice. The only indulgence or guilty pleasure for Mr. Lala is Indian sweets or occasionally ice-creams. The Lala couple does not drink sodas or alcohol. They are fond of tea and will sometimes have copious amounts of it. Water is consumed at room temperature or warmed, never iced. This is a very important Ayurvedic practice that keeps the digestion, assimilation and elimination at an optimal level and I let him know that.

I am almost shocked when he tells me that he works a 14 hr a day schedule, 7 days a week. I ask him if he feels fatigued or experiences lack of motivation occasionally. He says emphatically with a twinkle in his eyes – which I now see is a personable trait along with his ready smile – NEVER! I am wondering to myself how much effort and money does this simple dietary regimen and lifestyle cost. And how difficult is it to replicate. And the answer is clear – it is very doable!!

I ask Mr. Lala for a parting message or tip that he would like to give to people so that they can make small changes in their lives for great health benefits. He says there are two simple tips he usually gives: one – not to limit oneself to one type or group of food, in other words there should be a lot of variety in the food in the form of fruits and vegetables; and second – to be aware of one’s susceptibilities based on one’s family history. He gives me an example of his father’s side of the men having prostrate issues, including prostate cancer. He claims that eating a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds everyday helped him shrink his own enlarging prostrate considerably. Lastly, he said that prevention starts at conception. The right food, nurturing and model behavior of parents can foster a healthier future generation. I cannot but agree fully.

As I am walking out of the Lala home nestled amongst acres of forest and a pond, I am thinking to myself that “genes propose but diet and lifestyle dispose”. This man was born with a mix of good and bad genes like most of us. He adopted practices that nurtured and supported his good genes and kept the bad genes in check. Can’t we all do that? Hardly any investment of money, better quality of life and prolonged functionality and productivity – all of these can be achieved by embracing small changes in one’s life.

A famous verse from Ayurveda says: “When diet is wrong medicine is of no use. When diet is correct medicine is of no need.” So eat right, live well and enjoy a long healthy life!!

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