Search Results for: muscle

January 23, 2015 By Mitali Ambekar 5 Comments

Excruciating Knee Pain- can’t workout? Here are some dos and don’ts

India is rapidly getting on the fitness path. However, many who have been active have suddenly become inactive due to injuries and largely these injuries pertain to leg or back. Knee pain and back pain being the most common among the young adults.

Knee pain today has become one of the most common orthopedic pain ailment among people of all age groups. What was earlier considered to affect people after about 60 years of age is now striking people earlier, reason being wrong foot wear, injury, bad and sedentary lifestyle, body weight, etc.

Let me cite my own example: I had injured my knee during the rainy season due to wrong shoes while performing an adventure activity. I couldn’t walk for few days as I had ruptured my ligament. It was a ligament strain. Thereafter, my knee became a hindrance for my workout. Doctor suggested rest and no workout.

I had to skip everything, right from running, working out, playing a sport. And I felt miserable and helpless that an injury stopped me from so many things. This is exactly the scenario with many of the people I consult. Most come up with the same issue of Knee injury so exercise is a NO NO, which is necessary for being fit.

First and foremost one needs to understand there are different kinds of Knee pain, it can be an injury, strained past injury, excessive weight, high uric acid, joint pain, arthritis. Depending upon what it is exactly that is giving the pain; there are different or similar solutions to it. In my case too, I spoke to different experts like Physiotherapist or My Trainer and I figured out that I need not stop exercising. I need to work on the strengthening of the knee and avoiding exercises that would worsen it.

In cases like High Uric acid and joint pain, of course dietary changes play a major role but exercises also need to be a part of recovery.

Things that would bother it more is exercises like Squats, that is why your doctor says start using western toilet and don’t sit down, as that motion would impact more on your knee and give pain.

Also avoid lunges, a form of exercise. Jumping moments as it would give shock to your joints especially the knees.

How do we still continue to be active with the knee pain?

What can be done?

1. Exercise to strengthen it: Sit on a chair and raise your leg up and put it down again, repeat this for 10 times in a set of two. After few weeks, repeat the same exercise with little ankle weights, if you can manage.

2. Roll up a towel or a cloth: to form a cylindrical type format and keep that under your knee with the leg extended, try to press that with the knee and then release, repeat this for 4-5 times.

You can follow these two exercises for a better and stronger knee muscles.

3. Avoid running, squats, jumping movements

4. Eat foods that make your knee stronger Walnuts, Almonds, Milk and Milk products

5. In certain cases physiotherapy exercises will be needed.

6. Strengthen the supporting muscles like glutes( hip muscle), core muscles and leg muscles.

7. Stretching the leg muscles will also help as the stiffness in this part of muscle can cause difficulty in movement of the knee leading to pain.

8. Anti inflammatory and high antioxidants food like fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts.

9. Have food rich on Omega 3 like flaxseed and fish

10. Home made ghee of cow’s milk.

11. Maintain body weight.

12. Warm up well before any type of activity.

13. Opt for swimming as it helps a lot in knee issue.

14. Wear proper fitting shoes

15. Do not increase or decrease your activity. Keep it moderate.

16. Increase your Calcium & D3 uptake. Sources can be Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, egg yolk

( avoid for people have high cholesterol/ triglycerides), Ragi, Broccoli, Nuts, Fish.

All these points can make your knee pain better and make it more stronger and don’t stop yourself from workout if there is knee pain.

January 19, 2015 By Ashwinkumar Rahate Leave a Comment

Squats and its benefits

squats

Human’s have been doing squats since time in memorial. Squat is a natural movement that humans have been doing since they existed. The great ‘ Gama’ became a world champion wrestler in 1910 using the Squat routine.

It is one of the important exercise and known as the ‘King of all exercises’. Squat is a compound full body exercise as more than one joint are involved during the squats. It works your whole body from head to toe.

You squat by bending through your hips and knees wit weight on your upper back until your hips come over your knees.

Squats targets Quadriceps, Gluteus ( hip0 muscle) maxims and hamstrings primarily and Gluteus medias, Gluteus minimus, Adductors , Gastrocnemius , soleus , Erector spine secondary muscles. Squats helps in gaining overall strength and muscles.

Even if you do not do aggressive workouts or gymming , doing squats daily is a good form exercise. There are several benefits of doing squats. Lets look at each of them

Benefits of Squats:

Burn More Calories
As I have mentioned above, Squats exercise is multi joints or compound movement as it targets maximum muscles. Once maximum muscles are targeted it helps to burn more calories.

Burn Fats
Squat targets multiple muscles at a time as a result of which testosterone level increases which in turn helps to burn more fats.

Build balance and Posture
The Squats exercise enables to build balance as well as good posture.

Makes knee and hip joint strong and flexible
Contrary to the popular belief that squats aren’t bad for your knees and lower back. In fact, if done properly under proper guidance you will strengthen the muscles surrounding your knees and lower back. Squats helps to make knee and hip joint stronger and flexible.

Improve blood circulation
Squat exercise helps to improve blood circulation to the entire body due to which the muscles get more oxygen and essential nutrients.

Squat exercise increases core strength
Squats with the proper posture will help to improve core strength.

How to perform basic squats

Stand with your feet, hip, back straight and shoulders apart. Move your hip back and bend your knees. Knee joint and hip joints should be moved at the same time. For better balance you can raise your arms in the front till shoulder level. Then return to the standing position. This should be repeated 10 times and 3 sessions of 10 each should be done.

Breathing during the Squats

Breathing is very important in any exercise. Inhale while going down and exhale while coming up.

To make this exercise more intense you can use dumbbells or barbells .

Who should avoid squats

The persons suffering from already existent knee injury and sleep disk (lower back pain) should avoid squats

Disclaimer: Before starting any form of exercise please take your physician and trainer’s advise

January 12, 2015 By Neha Morche 4 Comments

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds also known as Sabja (in Hindi). Most of us are aware of the fact that Chia seeds are a body coolant but they have other hidden benefits as well.

Listed below are the benefits and ways to consume them and some of side effects too.

Benefits

Chia seeds are rich in omega 3 essential fats, helps in reducing high blood pressure and promotes efficient nerve transmission.
It stabilizes blood sugar levels.
It has anti-inflammatory properties which is effective in reducing the pain and inflammation of Arthritis.
Being low in calorie, it also boosts metabolism and promotes lean muscle mass as it comprises of proteins, Hence it can be used for weight management programme.
Due to its antioxidants properties it has got longer shelf life.
It has minerals and vitamins which improves the hair and skin condition.
Once soaked in water, chia seeds makes us feel full faster thus controls the binge eating, reduces the cravings for fatty foods and cleanses the digestive system.
Chia seeds absorb a lot of water and so after consumption it helps in keeping well hydrated for longer.
Interestingly it does not have a strong taste unlike other seeds, hence they can be easily used in various recipes without changing the original taste.

These seeds are so versatile that you can use them in different recipes. You can sprinkle them on salads as seasonings, spread them on your bread mixed with vegetables, add to your ice creams, smoothies, milk shakes, Shorba, puddings, juices, yogurt, oat meals, muffins, pastas, noodles, pizza, and cakes, etc.

Eating two spoonful Chia seeds every day in any form can help you stay healthy and fit. Before we include Chia seed in our diet we need to be careful. Studies have shown that few people have encountered various side effects of Chia seeds, such as, gastrointestinal problems, allergies, blood pressure disorders.

Pregnant and lactating mother, people under medication, and unwell patients should strictly consult their doctor before making it a part of the daily diet. But if Chia seeds suit your system then you can add them to your recipes (as mentioned above). Surely it provides you a great health and vitality improving your immune system.

January 7, 2015 By Mitali Ambekar Leave a Comment

CARBOHYDRATES’- Seven Engines of POWER SUPPLY

Carbohydrates is the first source of energy to the body. It is one of the most important major nutrients, which also means we need it in major quantity. Thus, recommended to have about 60% in our daily food intake. It has one of the best advantages to our overall health.

Provides Energy: Our body requires energy to do even simple activity like moving from one place to another and carbohydrates helps us in that. So whichever the activity is walking, running, playing a sport, working in office or writing a blog –all require energy.
Elevates mood: Carbohydrates help you release Serotonin in our body which in turn will elevate your mood and give you the feel good factor. Remember the feeling when you have a spoonful of Dal rice or Hot phulka with vegetable when you are super hungry, exactly the same feeling. You feel relaxed and calm.
Muscle Recovery: Talking about muscle doesn’t mean only sports person require them. We all have muscles in our body that go through wear and tear with our daily activities too. Thus, we all need this wonder nutrient to recover our muscles, as they need to restore their deposits in form of Glycogen( stored form of glucose)
Helps prevent disease: The fibre that comes with this carbohydrates help us prevent many diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart problems , Constipation and many more.
Weight loss: This point may grab your attention, as it really helps in losing your weight indirectly. When we have the much needed carbohydrates, the body will not take up protein as a source of energy to work, thus avoiding muscle loss and in turn keeping the body’ metabolism high.

Carbohydrate intake-> Protein Sparing-> Muscle intact-> Metabolism high-> Burn more fat -> Weight loss.

One more reason being, the slow release carbohydrates helps in slow release of insulin in body, which in turn can avoid weight gain.

Good Memory: Glucose is the key brain fuel, which comes from carbohydrates and various studies have also shown that people who have a regular intake of carbohydrates have a better memory than the ones who avoid it.
Fuel for fitness: Sports person, runners, people doing regular exercises, they all need carbohydrates as the first source of fuel before, during and after the activity. As the body will use it the most and they can’t afford to lose muscle as a source of energy. If the body loses a lot of muscle, the joint strengthening is compromised leading to injury.

There are various such benefits of carbohydrates which we miss by avoiding them in our daily intake. Carbohydrates have a bad name in weight loss industry, as they say excess of it will make you put on fat, well anything of that sort happens.

So my suggestion is do not avoid carbs. It has such an important role to play in our healthy and fitter lifestyle.