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About Dr. Viral Thakkar

Dr. Viral Thakkar, M.B.B.S is a general physician with extensive experience in community and preventive medicine. He also has a vast experience in emergency care. With years of experience in allopathy and understanding of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and Mind Empowerment, Dr. Thakkar is a firm believer that the body can cure itself with the right management. The human body is the best software designed by creation which guides every moment to keep one healthy. The body produces the disease and also has an innate ability to heal. Modern medicine is a quick fix to the disease (body) but, ignores the mind and soul which are an important aspect of human existence. Hence a holistic approach of healing of mind, body and soul is essential and modern medicine should be judiciously used. He practices what he preaches. Meditation and yoga along with a complete diet govern his lifestyle. As a mentor, Dr. Thakkar conducts individual sessions, group sessions with corporates and civil society groups on ideal lifestyle.

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Celebrating the New Year? Read This Before You Head Out!

happy new yearIt’s that time of the year again! The Christmas bells ring and the New Year sweeps us yet again! For many, it sweeps with a lot booze & puke! And for many, this happens every week. So here it is guys, the gyaan of what you should and should not do this New Year (or even weekends for that matter).

I am a firm believer of ‘Health First’, be it New Years or Diwali. While the New Year comes once, the ‘dump’ you put inside it wrecks your system in and out. Trust me, if I was the body, I would hate New Years every year of my life!

Let’s Talk About Alcohol

The body can safely process around one unit of pure alcohol per hour. If you drink more than this, your body isn’t able to break it down fast enough and it accumulates in your body. It takes a lot of time to flush it out and the pressure on the liver and the body as a whole is immense.

Binge drinking increases the risk of blackouts, especially on an empty stomach. During this time, a person may do things that they do not remember later. So in case you are planning to drink, know your limits and of course listen to your body. Booze might be free but the body is priceless. Take a call on what you should prioritize. 

Our body is designed to ensure that the nutrients reach the organs. All the food goes through the liver which processes the food and passes it on. Same is the case with alcohol. The liver metabolizes the alcohol, but it can only break down so much at one time. What the liver can’t break down is redirected throughout the rest of the body.

Drugs

Please know that consuming, passing on or giving drugs is illegal. Consuming high quantities of drugs can lead to poisoning and eventual death. Worse, if one is addicted, it is extremely difficult to bounce back to normal. Drugs can leave one in semiconscious/ unconscious conditions leaving the person vulnerable to literally ‘anything’. So if you are partying, or are attending a rave, please be safe! Best, don’t attend!

Too Much of Anything

Be it food, drinks, dancing or loud music – anything in excess is bad for your system just as alcohol, smoking or drugs. Too loud music hits the eardrums. That buzz you get in your head after the loud music is your body telling you that it has had enough! 

Sex is beneficial and super for health, if done safely and with a known partner. So if you know you are going to get high, have a few friends who will protect you from the unwanted attention. Be safe. Else, just plan it with your partner!

Tips for a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year

  1. In case of excess of alcohol consumption, the person might pass out or vomit. If you are in your senses, be with the person. Ensure they don’t choke on their vomit and that their breathing is normal. If not, rush to the hospital.
  2. If you are hell bent on drinking, ensure you do not have more than a peg in an hour. It will give your body enough time to process it.
  3. Listen to your body! If on any drink, you start feeling uncomfortable, or breathless, stop drinking immediately. Drink a lot of water which will help you flush out the drink. If you still feel uncomfortable, rush to the hospital
  4. If you have done all of what should NOT be done, ensure that you give your body some rest in the coming 2 days. Flush it out by drinking lots of fluids and eating salads. Detox it should be!
  5. Imagine a car loader which is overloaded with stuff. If one keeps overloading it, it will break down eventually. Compare this to your body and load it with only as much as it can take. If you do not know how much the body can take, consider the tips above.
  6. Hire a driver or take the car rentals if you’re going to get high.

I know I sound like an oldie here with no life but I am a firm believer of protecting and befriending the body. If a party has to happen, I personally suggest people to chill with friends at home and order from your favourite food joint. Apart from saving money, I end up playing board games, eating my favorite food, catching up with friends & family and ending with a good night meditation. But everyone is not me! If you are not, consider the tips above, and enjoy your party!

Wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

#BeTheForce 

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Stroke: Straight Drive or Pavilion

stroke“Doctor please help! Half of my body does not move anymore” came a slurry cry from a helpless Vinod Agrawal, a businessman. His wife stood next to him in the emergency department weeping profusely and their 16 year old son watched his parents helplessly.

When examined thoroughly, Agrawal was diagnosed with STROKE. Thanks to the lifestyles that most people lead these days, this is a common site in hospitals.

A stroke strikes when the blood supply to the brain is affected either due to blockage leading to ischemia or rupturing of vessels. Due to this the brain does not receive enough oxygen and nutrition causing cell death, which is the ideal condition for stroke.

How Does a Stroke Happen?

  1. Ischemia: Occurs due to narrowing or blockage of blood vessels due to blood clots formed either in arteries connecting brains or other vessels or due to dislodgment of fatty deposits called plaques (atherosclerosis).
  2. Haemorrhagic: Bursting or leaking of blood vessels which compresses the brain cells. This leakage of blood puts pressure on brain cells which is accumulated in brain due to trauma, hypertension or some blood thinning medication.
  3. TIA- Transient Ischemic Attack (Mini Stoke): Brief episodes of stroke which is self-limiting. Blood flow is briefly interrupted and these are the warning signs of future stroke. It is like an alarm from the body.

Common Presentation of Stroke

  • Weakness or tingling in half or full body depending on the involved artery
  • Deviation of face with difficulty in speech and closure of one eye
  • Mental Confusion, severe headache, loss of power in the limbs

When any of the above symptoms are seen, the patient must be rushed to the hospital.

Stroke

After thoroughly understanding the history and general examination, few specific tests and examination like CT scan are done to find out the cause of the stroke. The treatment is very complicated and management is done in ICU and Neuro-physician may be required.

As there are two major causes of stroke – ischemia and haemorrhage – both have different management.

  • If ischemic– the focus is to restore adequate blood flow-clot is broken or dissolved.
  • If haemorrhagic -stop bleeding or leakage of blood, to reduce the pressure of brain cells. Surgical intervention may be required if there is any arterial malformation or rupture of vessels.

Rehabilitation activities like physiotherapy, speech therapy, etc. help to restore physical activities gradually.

Prevent It!

All the above symptoms and complications can be prevented if a healthy lifestyle is followed.

  • Eat a healthy- diet which includes fresh fruits, vegetables, avoiding processed meat and avoid junk food.
  • Yoga, especially Pranayama, ensures that every cell of the body receives adequate oxygen for appropriate functioning. Pranayama rejuvenates the body cells which ensures the ideal functioning of the body.
  • Stress kills! Accept what life offers happily and keep working towards your goal without killing yourself.
  • Remember Smoking Kills – all advertisements shown are true. STOP smoking.
  • Avoid alcohol, if you do consume it, make it minimal.
  • If you are hypertensive, keep an absolute check on blood pressure and follow all dietary and physical discipline so that blood pressure is controlled.
  • If one is diabetic, regular check of sugar is important.

Listen to your body. It always warns you before the disease sets in.

Stroke is an acute emergency but the root cause lies in chronic habits and patterns of life. Every moment, even at this moment of reading the blog, we can choose health or disease. Either you choose to pick up alarming signals of body and employ the necessary preventive measures to live a healthy life or be undisciplined and get hospitalized. THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

We hope this article helps you. For more on stroke and prevention, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach for guidance by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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All About Your Kidneys – The Natural Cleansers

world kidneys day

Can you imagine your house not being cleaned for a day? Imagine no sweeping or mopping, and no sweeper collecting the garbage. The house would start smelling, it will get intense, and eventually there will be decay. Just like our house, the body needs to be cleaned. This essential and unparalleled job is done by a 10-13cm organ – the kidneys. The kidneys help in:

  • Removing waste and extra fluid from the body (Urine).
  • Maintaining a healthy balance of salts, water and minerals like sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium in the blood. It removes acid too! 
  • They also make hormones that help control blood pressure, make red blood cells and keep bones strong and healthy. 

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Kidney is the powerhouse of the body, supplying reserve energy to any organ running low on Qi. Its partner organ is the bladder.

The Kidney’s Job Profile

Each of the kidney is made up of about a million filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron includes a filter called the glomerulus and a tubule. The nephrons work through a two-step process:

The glomerulus filters the blood and the tubule returns needed substances to the blood and removes wastes. 

A blood vessel runs alongside the tubule. As the filtered fluid moves along the tubule, the blood vessel reabsorbs almost all of the water along with minerals and nutrients your body needs. The tubule helps remove excess acid from the blood. The remaining fluid and wastes in the tubule become urine.

The blood circulates through the kidneys many times a day. In a single day, kidneys filter about 150 quarts of blood. Most of the water and other substances that filter through the glomeruli are returned to the blood by the tubules. Only 1 to 2 quarts become urine.

Each kidney performs the process of reabsorption with great precision. Out of 180 liters of fluid that enters the tubules, 99% of fluid is selectively reabsorbed and only the remaining 1% of fluid is excreted in the form of urine.

By this intelligent and precise process, all essential substances and 178 liters of fluid are reabsorbed in the tubules, whereas 1-2 liters of fluids, waste products, and other harmful substances are excreted.

Urine formed by the kidneys flow to the ureters, and passes through the urinary bladder and is finally excreted out through the urethra.

Did you know that every minute, 1200 ml of blood enters the kidneys for purification, which is 20% of the total blood pumped by the heart? So in one day, 1700 liters of blood is purified!

Here is How You Can Take Care of Your Kidneys

  1. Drink up! Kidneys balance the electrolytes and fluid levels and hence its essential to drink liquids which are non-alcoholic and not caffeinated. Juices, coconut water, water, smoothies, etc. are your friends
  2. Check the colour of your urine. It should be the colour of a straw. Any darker means you need to drink up.
  3. Too much oily and fatty food is a big no! It puts pressure on the kidneys. Greens are your friends! 
  4. Ensure you have a normal blood pressure. It can silently impact your kidneys.
  5. Alcohol and smoking is a BIG no. There are no two ways about it! Just stop it
  6. Got diabetes? If you do, work with your doctor to keep your blood sugar levels in check. If they’re not under control, that can cause problems for your kidneys over time. Along with hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes is one of the biggest concerns for kidney health.
  7. Use your meds correctly. Take them as your doctor recommends, or follow the instructions on the package. Be wary of medicines that can cause kidney damage when you take them for a long time, including over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and prescriptions such as lithium and HIV medications. (Street drugs like cocaine can cause kidney disease too).
  8. Check your weight & exercise regularly. 
  9. Be positive, not just for your kidneys but for your overall health. People who tend to hold negative thoughts especially envious feelings with hatred tend to get kidney disorder as compared to a positive person, as every emotion is linked with an organ. 

Yoga and Pranayama are your friends for life!

Nothing beats regular exercise especially yoga and pranayama. These not only help the kidney, but the complete body. Yoga asanas assist in managing water retention in the body which enables sound sleep schedules and hence better rest. It is also one of the best ways to maintain balance in the body. Few asanas facilitate internal cleansing and flush out the toxins. Pranayam is known to relieve stress. 

To ensure that the kidneys perform their JD up to the mark, make sure you make your body do the following:

  1. Setu Bandhasana stimulates the abdominal organs, helps bring high blood pressure under control and relieves the body of stress.
  2. Bhujangasana stretches and strengthens the abdominal organs. It also raises the immunity level of the body.
  3. Ardha Matsyendrasana stimulates the kidneys and liver; improves the body’s immunity level.
  4. Paschimottanasana stimulates the kidney, improves digestion, and relieves menstrual discomfort.
  5. Naukasana improves digestion and alleviates stress. It strengthens and stimulates the abdominal organs. 

We hope this article helps you. To know more about improving kidney health, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach for some tips by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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Your Heart and You 2: Habits for a Healthy Heart

heart healthAakash wondered why every Hollywood and Bollywood movie stressed on the “heart”. Some dialogues bothered him:

“My heart aches at the way you have treated your friends.”

“Don’t you feel anything? Are you heartless?”

What Affects Heart Health?

It is interesting to note that a heart attack is usually the result of an emotional outburst or a very emotionally charged situation. While, many of us have similar experiences, some are potent to handle such sudden shocks which the heart receives. This depends on the emotional and mental health of a person, dietary habits, sleep quality, the capability of handling stress, faulty habits, etc.

The heart apart from pumping blood and ensuring every cell receives blood and oxygen, governs largely the emotional and physical wellbeing of a person (it also overlaps Anahat or Hridaya chakra in Indian Vedic understanding). So, a healthy heart depends largely on the emotional and mental well-being of a person as well as nutrition.

It is now a known fact that feelings of stress, anxiety, etc. adversely impact the overall health of a person, especially the heart. As stress increases, the cortisol levels (stress hormone) impacts all the hormones and organs, all the basic physiology including cardiovascular system.

These emotions create a chain reaction in the body — stress hormone levels increase, blood vessels constrict, blood pressure rises, and the immune system is weakened. If we consistently experience these emotions, it can put a strain on the heart and other organs, and eventually lead to serious health problems.

In my previous article, I spoke about the signs of heart disease to watch out for. Here, let us look at healthy habits for a healthy heart!

Do the Following to Ensure a Healthy Heart

  1. Be happy: If you cannot feel positive and good, simply recall a time when you felt sincere appreciation and try to recreate that feeling. Look at photographs of happier times, keep a diary where you record your positive events and feelings from your life.
  2. Exercise: Get regular with yoga, especially pranayama and exercise. Exercising helps heart muscles become more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body. It allows body’s tissue (including the heart) do a better job of pulling oxygen from the blood. This allows your heart to work effectively under stress. It also helps the body make more branches and connections between these blood vessels (collaterals), so there are other routes for the blood to travel if the usual path is blocked by narrow arteries or fatty deposits. Instead of a 45 minutes workout, it is best that the body is moving every half an hour! A small 2 mins walk every half an hour is also helpful as along with cardiovascular system it also keeps our lymphatic active. However, if you have a heart condition, please take the advice of your doctor before taking strenuous exercises or pranayama.
  3. Do what you like doing and stop what you don’t! It will help you keep your stress levels in check and be happy!
  4. Take care of what you eat: Have a good portion of breakfast, followed by small meals, lunch and dinner 2-4 hours before you sleep. Follow the advice of your nutritionist/doctor, if something special has been designed for you!
  5.   Vegetarian food is easily digested by the body. It will also help you cut back on higher calorie foods such as meat, cheese and snack foods. Whole grains play a role in regulating blood pressure and heart health. Add flaxseeds to your diet as they are rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
  6.   Limit unhealthy choices: Reduce or stop refined oils, refined sugar and aerated drinks.
  7.   Choose low-fat protein sources like flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans and canola oil. Legumes, beans, peas and lentils are good sources of protein and contain less fat and no cholesterol, making them good substitutes for meat.
  8.   Reduce the sodium in your food: You can replace your normal salt with rock salt or pink salt.
  9.   Quality is better than quantity: If your body feels fresh and charged after 4-5 hours of sleep, it implies quality sleep. But tiredness even after 6-8 hours of sleep is worrisome. Usually deep breathing before sleep, dinner 4 hours prior to sleep helps one sleep better.

Heart is the biggest miracle which works every moment to keep you alive! Cherish it by living healthy. For more on heart health, check out Healthy Reads or get a doctor consultation by subscribing to GOQii here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

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