City doctors warn against usage of mask during exercise or running
Comments (0)

City doctors warn against usage of mask during exercise or running

With the Health department planning to open jogging tracks inside apartments, it will soon be a common scene to find people back on jogging tracks inside apartment complexes with masks on. Currently, many joggers and runners are flocking parks and roads with masks on. However, the city doctors say that it is not a nice idea to wear masks. Well-known pulmonologist Dr. Ganesh Pratap from Prakriya hospital said, “If you are an athlete or a regular jogger with no pre-existing lung or heart disease, then exercise up to brisk walk and yoga are accepted. But definitely not running and jogging with masks on. Because during exercise, our muscles demands 20 times more oxygen supply. To supply this need, heart and lungs together work at 20 times to supply the demand. As we breathe air through our nose, wearing mask will be like obstacle and causes throttling which constrains the immediate need of oxygen supply.” Dr Suriraju (Medical Director of Regal Hospital) said, “Any mask reduces the flow of air and hence reduces the blood oxygen levels. One can become more easily fatigued while exercising with face mask. This is because of reduced oxygen to muscles and as compensation body uses a different method (anaerobic or oxygen-free metabolism) to produce the required energy. However, over a period of time, the body tries to compensate and becomes increasingly efficient to utilise the available oxygen. Exercising with a mask is like an extra layer of stress on the body that may be useful to some or detrimental to others.” He also added that the individual may get certain specific symptoms such as light headless, tingling, numbness, breathlessness. This may occur more frequently during the initial period of starting to exercise. The symptoms may reduce when the body gets adjusted to the new mode of exercising. Regal Hospital’s intensivist Dr Shashi Bhaskara said, “The need for exercising depends on what the individual has been accustomed to. Reduced exercises for an individual who has a vigorous fitness regimen or lack of exercises for someone with minimal workout regimen before the pandemic may cause harm to the body. This harm may be anything form just unhealthy weight gain with its accompanied medical complications to psychological disturbances due to the change in routine. The pandemic situation may last for a while and one cannot wait for it to end to stay healthy. Adequate exercises have always been beneficial for health.” Neeraj Lal (vice-president and cluster-head of Rainbow Children’s Hospital) suggested that it was better to exercise in home as much as possible, there won’t be any need of using mask if your home is not over crowded. “If you want to exercise outside home, prefer areas where no one is there or you are socially distanced for more than 10 mts and you can unmask yourself and continue your workouts. But as soon as you come across people, one should have to wear their mask back,” he said suggesting that house hold works are the best replacement for gym workouts. Doing yoga at stagnant place or slow walk is well accepted. Cardio workouts requiring high calorie burn should be avoided wearing mask especially in elderly and pre-existing diseases. Always prefer open areas to exercise where one can unmask and do their work outs.

Read More
Nutrition Tips during Lockdown
Comments (0)

Nutrition Tips during Lockdown

Take care of your nutrition during the lockdown period. Preety Tyagi who was a student of IIN, Institute of Integrative Nutrition, New York is passionate about health issues and wants to change people’s perspectives towards the word, Disease. She wants to impact as many people in a positive and healthy way as possible. Being educated in Commerce and after attaining a degree in MBA in marketing, what drove her towards the health and nutrition education was that she wanted to learn more and more about nutrition and how it impacts our health. After finding solutions and healing of her health issues and after solving her family’s health issues just through proper diets and healthy nutrition, she started health coaching as a career and has been able to help many people in different countries, through health coaching now. Here are few useful tips from Preety… Anti-stress food items to add to our diet to cope with the pandemic stress: – People can make a variety of lifestyle changes to help manage their anxiety. Eating a diet high in vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, and lean protein can be helpful. Anxiety is a widespread condition, affecting millions of people globally. However, the reasons for uncalled for stress are many during the days of Lockdown and the fear from the coronavirus, covid19. The following are the symptoms of anxiety. tension excessive worry about everyday events and problems irritability difficulty concentrating issues with their personal social and work relationships heart palpitations, elevated heart rate muscle tension chest tightness Some such foods are mentioned below. Brazil nuts Brazil nuts contain selenium, which may help to improve mood. Brazil nuts are high in selenium. Selenium may improve mood by reducing inflammation, which is often at heightened levels when someone has a mood disorder, such as anxiety. Selenium is also an antioxidant, which helps prevent cell damage. It is also anti-carcinogenic, which helps to prevent cancer from developing. Other nuts, animal products, and vegetables, such as mushrooms and soybeans, are an excellent source of selenium. However, selenium must not be over consumed. That’s why one must be careful while taking selenium in supplementation. Brazil nuts and other nuts are also a good source of vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Antioxidants can be beneficial for treating anxiety, while some research has shown that low levels of vitamin E may lead to depression in some people. Pumpkin seeds and Bananas Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of potassium, which helps regulate electrolyte balance and manage blood pressure. Eating potassium-rich foods such, as pumpkin seeds or bananas, may help reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of the mineral zinc. One study carried out on 100 female high school students found that zinc deficiency may negatively affect mood. Zinc is essential for brain and nerve development. The largest storage sites of zinc in the body are in the brain regions involved with emotions. Fatty fish Fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, and herring, are high in omega-3. Omega-3 is a fatty acid that has a strong relationship with cognitive function as well as mental health. However, recent research has shown that if a person eats too much of another fatty acid, called omega-6, and not enough omega-3, they may increase their risk of developing mood disorders, such as anxiety. Omega-3-rich foods that contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) provides two essential fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA regulate neurotransmitters, reduce inflammation, and promote healthy brain function. Eating at least two servings of fatty fish a week. A study conducted on men found eating salmon three times a week reduced self-reported anxiety. Salmon and sardines are also among the few foods that contain vitamin D. Vitamin D Researchers are increasingly linking vitamin D deficiency to mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Other studies on pregnant women and older adults have also highlighted how vitamin D might improve mood. Vitamin D may also improve seasonal disaffected disorder during winter. Eggs Egg yolks are another great source of vitamin D. Eggs are also an excellent source of protein. It is a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids the body needs for growth and development. Eggs also contain tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps create serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood, sleep, memory, and behaviour. Serotonin is also thought to improve brain function and relieve anxiety. Dark chocolate Researchers have found that dark chocolate help to reduce stress. Experts have long suspected that dark chocolate might help reduce stress and anxiety. Other studies have generally found that dark chocolate or cocoa may improve mood. However, many of these studies are observational, so the results need to be interpreted with caution. Chocolate has a high tryptophan content, which the body uses to turn into mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, such as serotonin in the brain. Dark chocolate is also a good source of magnesium. Eating a diet with enough magnesium in it or taking supplements may reduce symptoms of depression. When choosing dark chocolate, aim for 70 percent or more. Dark chocolate still contains added sugars and fats, so a small serving of 1 to 3 grams (g) is appropriate. Turmeric Turmeric is a spice commonly used in Indian and South-East Asian cooking. The active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. Curcumin may help lower anxiety by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress that often increase in people experiencing mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression. A 2015 study found that curcumin reduced anxiety in obese adults. Another study found that an increase of curcumin in the diet also increased DHA and reduced anxiety. Turmeric is easy to add to meals. It has minimal flavor, so goes well in smoothies, curries, and casserole dishes. Chamomile Many people around the world use chamomile tea as an herbal remedy because of its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and relaxant properties. Some people believe that the relaxant

Read More
Make Your Money Grow
Comments (0)

Make Your Money Grow

Mimi Partha Sarathy, MD, Sinhasi Consultants, shares her views on investment during tough times that we’re facing right now. Here are some financial tips that can help you survive through the current crisis when the markets are down. “COVID19 – Market Crash – What should I do – Some Answers to Investor Questions?” “Covid-19 is indeed a game changer and ‘shocking’ event in the way we all see our lives and live today, confined to our homes wondering what next. And, the Equity markets have crashed in just eight weeks and continue to remain extremely volatile and unpredictable. Over the past one month, Large and Mid-cap indices have fallen by 35% and 50% respectively. This has led to a sharp correction in stock prices and NAVs of equity mutual funds significantly. And this sharp crash has happened just in eight weeks – unlike any previous market ‘crash’. Everyone today is rightly working only on curtailing the spread of the Corona Virus, ensuring social distancing, saving lives, and the news is focussed on whether the curve is ‘flattening’ or spiking’ upwards with every passing day, across all countries including India. And with the lock down enforced across the world, some questions lurking in our minds are – when will normalcy resume? What will be the economic impact of Covid 19 and the lock downs on global economies and our own? What will be the ‘new’ normal? What will be the impact on our investments? Have I got ‘shock-absorbers’ for my money and investments? What is most valuable to me today is my 22 years of experience as an Investment Adviser. And, there is no short cut to experience, especially for crisis management. Having been part of the financial service industry as an adviser during two earlier such ‘shocking’ global events namely the 2000 Tech Bubble Crash and the 2008 Sub-Prime Global Crisis, I understand and value even more these earlier experiences and their lessons and learnings. It is these great experiences and learnings that have cultivated resilient best practices combined with intuition to ensure that Dynamic Balance can always be practiced and maintained for sustainable financial success over the long term for our clients. Though equity investments form only part of our financial plans, much of our focus is on our equity investments and the paper or notional losses that are seen during such crashes. And to see this notional loss is definitely painful and very challenging. At the same time the stock markets can be seen as one of ‘the’ best real time live indicators of a combination of both fundamental plus emotional factors. We are indeed confident that this time too will pass. But in the meantime, this is the best time to ask important pertinent questions, which will help us become clearer about our finances and investments, so we feel more confident and ‘on top of our game’ with regard to our money and investments, even during these challenging times. Dynamic Balance with money and investments with prudent resilient action – regular and event based, is the key to financial success with our plans as well as investing in equities. Warren Buffet’s famous quotes are worthy to note – “It is not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results” & “Beware the investment activity that produces applause; the great moves are usually greeted by yawns.” “The things we DO or NOT DO might be small, simple, & boring acts of excellence. But they maybe just right and most prudent to do for long term sustainable success with our investments. Covid 19 – Market Crash – Since predicting such events in the stock markets are difficult, do I have sufficient ‘shock-absorbers’ for my investments and money? Should we panic or remain calm with regard to our finances and investments? This is a very important question. And the answers to this question are very relevant especially now. The best ‘shock-absorber’ for your money and finances to manage stock market volatility is if you have a good Financial Plan in place, and if you stick to it! If you have a clear financial plan where your goals are clearly defined along with proper asset allocation and risk profiling, then you as an investor will surely be able to handle such a challenging situation. All we need to do is to stick to it if the plan has been prepared well by a competent financial planner. No doubt our money invested in equities will see negative returns for some time, since in such ‘shocking’ events the markets correct at a very rapid speed in a few trading sessions giving no time to exit. Investments in shares and equity mutual funds come with daily values and NAVs, and, are therefore very transparent for us to see – both daily ups and downs. We don’t give much thought to price corrections or crashes in real estate since we don’t see a ‘daily NAV’ for real estate. And if we did, we would have panicked perhaps even more. But, our asset allocation into equity investments in our plans should be made with a time horizon of 5 years minimum, and only this will ensure that we are able to tide over whatever requirements we would need over the next 12 months. And past experience has clearly shown that because stock markets react rather badly to such ‘shocks’ with very sharp falls, they recover too, and to higher levels. Some examples of Financial Goals are – My retirement plan, my pension during retirement, my children’s education, purchase of my house, upgrading my car, emergency fund (medical, etc). Some examples of Asset allocation are: Allocation between various asset classes i.e. equity, debt, real estate, gold, etc Liquid (FDs, Mutual funds, shares, etc) VS illiquid assets (real estate) Equity (shares, equity mutual funds, etc) VS Debt investments (FDs, debt mutual funds, etc) Lock in Investments (PPF, PF, Structured Products, AIFs) VS Open-Ended Investments (Mutual funds, Shares). Understanding market volatility and the ability to ‘stomach’ such

Read More