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Pulse of the Mind

What if there was something you could do right at this very minute to improve how engaged, productive, and creative self at work? As it turns out, there is a way, and you’re already doing it—breathing.

When you’re stressed, people often advise you to take a deep breath — and for a good reason, a new study shows. Slowing your breathing calms you, and by now scientists have also figured out how you can relax your brain through your breathing. It has to do with your brain’s pacemaker for breathing.

Here are several different relaxation techniques that you can try and see which one works best for you. And if your favourite approach fails to engage you, or you want some variety, you’ll have alternatives. You may also find the following tips helpful, let’s start with them?

  • Alternate Nostril Breath ( Anulom Viloma)

anulom vilom-image 1

  • Sit comfortably. Place the middle finger of right hand on your forehead; your thumb rests on your right nostril, your ring & any fingers rest on the left nostril.
  • Inhale & exhale. Close the right nostril with thumb; inhale through the left nostril for a count of 5.
  • Close both nostrils; hold your breath for a count of 5.
  • Lift thumb, exhale for 5 through the right nostril.
  • Inhale through the right nostril, hold, close right nostril & exhale through the left nostril. This ends round 1.
  • Repeat for 4 more rounds.

Benefits:

  • Balances the energy of the nervous system.
  • Has a profound stilling on the mind.

Note: We breathe in two-hour cycles: the first one, then the other nostril is dominant. Prolonged breathing through one side affects our energy. This restores the proper balance.

  1. Complete Breath

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  • This breath can be done in a comfortable seated position.
  • Relax close your eyes.
  • Exhale completely. Inhale slowly & deeply through your nose. Allow your stomach to expand like a balloon. Sip your breath, filling your chest & lungs.
  • Hold your breath; exhale slowly through your nose, squeezing out all the stale air.
  • If you wish, count to maintain your rhythm; inhale for a count of 5, hold your breath for 15 and exhale for 10.
  • Repeat 5 times.

Benefits:

  • Relaxes the body & nervous system.
  • Purifies the respiratory system by expelling stale air.
  • Relieves tension & calms emotions.
  • Improves concentration.
  • Great for the complexion.
  1. Breath of Fire ( kapalabhati )

Kapal-bhati-yoga-image 3

  • Sit Comfortably. Inhale and Exhale Completely.
  • Repeat these contractions. Focus on steady, quick Breathes that Emphasize the exhalation.
  • Start with 20 consecutive breathes: increase to 3 sets of 20. Breathe normally between sets.

Benefits:

  • Purifies and aerates the entire system.
  • Recharges and warms the body.
  • Increase oxygen improves concentration.

Note: Those who practice this breath daily say they no longer get colds. One caution: If Dizziness occurs, stop and Consult a yoga teacher For Guidance.

  1. Sounding Breath ( Ujjayi )

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  • Sit Comfortably.
  • Exhale completely.
  • Draw your Breath in Slowly through your nose.
  • As you inhale, slowly fill your abdomen and Lungs.
  • Contract your throat and make a soft hissing sound as you exhale, emptying your lungs completely.
  • Let your breath be long and slow.

 Benefits:

  • Calms the Body and balance the nervous system.
  • Expels stale air from Lungs, purifying the respiratory system.
  • Slow the minds, calms the emotions.

 Sufi Mother’s Breath.

image 5

  • Sit comfortably.
  • Exhale With a sigh to reset the diaphragm.
  • Breathe In through your nose for slow count 7. Hold Your Breath for a moment.
  • Breathe out through your nose for a count of 7. Hold your breath for a moment.
  • Repeat Several times.

 Benefits:-

  • Promotes a feeling of being deeply nurtured.
  • As with all Deep breathing exercises, the increased flow of oxygen and improves the complexion and cleanses the inner organs.
  1. Chin Press Breath ( Murcha Pranayam )

image 6 (1)

  • Sit comfortably with your back erect.
  • Inhale through your nose for a count of 7.
  • Lift the sternum and press your chin into your chest. Hold Your Breath for a count of 7.
  • Lift your chin away from your chest and exhale through your nose for a count of 7.
  • Repeat several times.

Benefits:-

  • Improve willpower and Concentration.
  • Stimulates the thyroid.
  • Stretches the back o the neck.
  • Promotes a sense of inner peace.
  1. Cooling Breath ( Shitali Pranayam )

image 7

  • Sit Comfortably With Your Spine straight.
  • Curl the sides of your tongue to form a straw between your lips.
  • Inhale through the mouth for a count of 7 through the opening created by your Tongue.
  • Withdraw your tongue close your mouth, and hold your breath for a count of 7.
  • Exhale through your nose for a count of 7.
  • Repeat 5 or 6 times.

Benefits:-

  • Cleanse The Body of toxins.
  • Has a calming and cooling effect
  • Relieve a variety of stomach ailments.

Practice these different breathing techniques once or twice a day. Always do it at the same time, in order to enhance the sense of ritual and to establish a habit. Try to practice at least 10–20 minutes each day. It really makes a difference!

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Myths and Facts about Dieting

diet myths

Dieting is synonymous with Weight loss. But what does dieting mean? There is a lot of misconception among people that going on a diet means not eating enough food is dieting.

Let’s clear this misconception by proper examples and scientific approach.

1. Dieting means to skip meals?

The major misconception that leads to health risk is skipping meals which people assume will help them to achieve weight loss. Skipping meals will only increase acidity levels, more food cravings and large portion size. The sensible approach is to take lesser quantity food at regular intervals what we call as “small ad frequent meals”.

2.Reducing calories

Reducing calories doesn’t mean you skip your major course meals, for instance, skipping rice, roti or oats. The smart approach is to fill your stomach with low calorie and more fluid foods. If you take a salad plate include more cucumber and sprouts which will fill your stomach with a good amount of food but are low in calories.

3.Restrict non-vegetarian food

The non-vegetarian food contains all the essential amino acids that lack in vegetarian or vegan food. However, food preference is a matter of choice for each individual. If you choose chicken, fish or lean beef you are probably increasing proteins in your diet. Make sure the portion size is not more. Your plate should have more of low calorie, high protein food and less of calorie dense food.

4. Cut back on carbs to lose weight.

Carbohydrates come in different forms: simple and complex. Simple carbs found in foods like cookies and candy lack vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Cutting back on these sweets is a great way to eat healthier. Foods with complex carbs like whole-wheat bread, beans, and fruit, have lots of nutrients that are good for you. Cut back on simple carbs but keep complex carbs on the menu.

5. You need fat in your diet. Fat keeps you full and satisfied.

Fat is the slowest food component to clear the stomach. For ages, it was assumed that fatty foods slow digestion and keep you feeling full longer. Recent research proves that the proportion of sugar and fat has little or no difference in satiety ratings. What’s more, fat actually has twice the calories of protein or carbohydrates. In reality, protein tends to leave people feeling more satisfied than either carbohydrates or fat while fibre and whole grains affect feelings of fullness and satisfaction. To stay full longer, eat healthy foods that are high in fibre, like fruits and veggies and lots of healthy whole grains.

6. Only dieting will promote weight loss.

Weight loss is 50% with proper diet (as mentioned above) and 50% with exercise. You need to burn already stored calories in the body to lose weight. Extra calories and extra carbs are converted into fat in the body for storage. Extra proteins get converted to uric acid. You need to burn out and eliminate that extra energy. Choose exercise from low intensity to gradually increasing to moderate and then high.

7.Detoxification is the quickest way to lose weight.

The truth is that while detox actually does help you lose weight very quickly, most of the weight loss is body water and the weight will come right back on as soon as you stop doing it. Detox can also help you lose stool through diarrhoea and that will cause your weight to drop fast but as soon as you eat, the stool will build up again. You can lose only so much weight when participating in a cleanse diet. It is much better to lose weight the conventional way—through eating a low-calorie diet and exercising in order to lose the extra pounds.

 

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Are you having your fruits the right way?

fruits

Fruits are a great choice when it comes to eating healthy. But, that’s not all, there is more to it. Having fruits at the right time, in the right form and the right combination is important. A common mistake, I have observed among people is the wrong way of consuming fruits.

Let’s see what they are:

  1. Having fruits with meals or post meal
  2. Having fruits late evening or night (post-dinner)
  3. Having fruit juices

The above mentioned are certainly not the right way of consuming fruits and is harmful. Let us take a look at each of these in a detailed manner.

  1. Having fruits with meals or post meal

Our meals contain lots of sugar & calories. All carbohydrates sources like rice, bread, chapatti etc. are finally broken down to sugars in our digestive system. Other components like dal, curds, chicken, eggs, and fish have proteins. Calories come from all these foods. Fruits contain natural sugar – fructose. Though natural it is still sugar.  Adding a fruit to it will increase the calorie load. When fruits are consumed along with lunch or dinner, the excess sugar from fruits has a higher chance of turning into fats. The body always stores excess sugar as fats. Moreover, the combination of fruits with other foods might turn poisonous. When fruits are mixed with other food it creates digestive disorders. This cause indigestion, gas and bloating.

fruit 2

  1. Having fruits in the late evening or night (post-dinner)

There is a simple reason why you should avoid fruits in the late evenings or at night. Our activity reduces towards the end of the day. Calories or sugars that we eat the food get utilised (burnt) when we are active. Fruits have a natural source of sugar-fructose. We do not need this sugar during the night when our activity levels are low. The extra sugar from fruits gas high chances of getting converted into fat. Thereby increasing the body’s fat %.

People who have the night shift or sportspersons having a game in the late evening can go for fruits at this time.

 

fruits 3

  1. Having fruit juices

This is one of the common mistakes that I have observed. In fact, this very aspect provoked me to write this article. We have fruit juice out of the notion that it is very healthy or just a plain convenience. But, did you know that it is harming us in a big way?  Fruit juice lacks fibres. A juice is taken out from relatively more quantity of fruits than what one can eat in one serving. As compared to this, we get all the fibres when we eat a whole fruit.  Fibres help in removing the toxins & wastes from your body. When we have juice we tend to have it faster as compared to eating fruit pieces.  Having a fruit juice raises blood sugar level faster. Whereas eating fruits in pieces is fibre rich and brings the Glycemic Index (GI) of the food down. Glycaemic Index is the rate at which sugar is absorbed into the blood. It is very important for having blood sugar levels maintained for Diabetic, pre-diabetic or even for a normal person.

Believe me, the satiety value is much more when you bite into a fresh, juicy fruit. All those who are having sweet cravings, try having a fresh fruit and see how dramatically you get that feel good factor!

Fruit juices can be had by elderly, sick people with digestive disorders. Sportsperson with very high activity levels can have it post-game/ exercise.

In a nutshell

  1. Have fruits as a mid-meal (in between your meals). Few best times are
  2. As soon as you wake up 6-8 am
  3. Mid-morning meal 11 am
  4. Evening snacks 4-5 pm
  5. Avoid fruits post 6 pm or late night unless you have high activity
  6. Always opt for a whole fruit & ditch the juice

 

 

 

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A stitch in time saves nine

 

There are a number of discussions these days on why medical tests should be conducted at all. The veracity of tests is questioned many times by patients or health seekers, and this is what prompts me to write this blog on ‘Significance of Regular Medical Checkup’.

healt check up-diagnosis

‘Health is Wealth’ is a significant phrase and rightly so. Maintaining one’s health is a continuous process. Nature has created this body which is a sophisticated software and gives feedback in case of a major change. Your today’s body and personality is that feedback. When anything is amiss it manifests in the form of symptoms or alteration in the investigations.

You cannot eat healthy, exercise for a week and expect lifelong results. Maintaining one’s health stems from dietary habits, physical activity (including exercises), rest, occupation, exposure to high-risk factors, etc. To measure the above influential parameter, health checkup plays a vital role for every individual. Hence, health checkups including pathological and radiological investigations are useful if used judiciously and under health provider advice.

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Benefits of a Medical Check

  1. Prevention of disease

People falling into the high-risk category can easily detect the onset of a problem before it occurs.

  1. Prevention / Early detection of incurable diseases

Regular medical checkup ensures catching up with body signals before an incurable disease becomes unmanageable. For instance, cervical cancer, breast cancer can be detected early if clinically examined at regular intervals. Usually, these can be caught during the basic 6 monthly or yearly checkups.

  1. Since every person is different, a health issue might occur specifically due to age, sex, hereditary conditions, etc. Therefore, every individual will have a varied checkup according to the background. A person with a family history of diabetes can start taking early precautions, deliver lifestyle modifications to delay/stop the disease from affecting the body.
  1. Another scenario is where the patient is suffering from a disease and the tests affirm or give indication of a change in the management. For instance, a person suffering from a high blood pressure needs to check his BP (blood pressure) regularly to ensure all is well.
  1. If the disease is detected early and managed appropriately it can avoid the economic burden of long hospitalization.
  1. A wonderful example is the detection of thalassemia minor patient to be careful while choosing a partner.
  1. Investigations also play an essential role in altering one’s habits for good. eg. fired lungs act as a motivation for smokers to quit!

It must be pointed out here that before any test is run, the complete history of the person must be taken to ensure correct tests are recommended.

Commonly advised investigations are;

CBC- Complete Blood Count

ESR- Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate

LFT- Liver Function Test

RFT- Renal Function Test

Blood sugar fasting and post lunch, HBA1C

B12 and D3

Lipid profile

X-ray Chest

Pap smear for adult female

PSA for prostate adult males

Mammography

Thyroid Profile

Additional investigations might be prescribed depending on the history, age, sex, and other influential factors of the person.

Depending on what stage the disease is one can decide the line of action. Investigations if done under the supervision of a good practitioner can play a major role in the prevention of a disease.

So friends just like there are numerous facets of maintaining good health, ensure you do not forget the role played by a scientific investigation in helping you to be fit, fine and healthy.

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