health benefits Archives - Page 4 of 4

June 17, 2018 By Vaishali Khanna 2 Comments

Sleep Apnea, its symptoms and how you can prevent it?

Has anyone ever told you that you have a tendency to snore? Or maybe you don’t…but you have a partner or family member who does? Do you find that you tend to wake up throughout the night? Or maybe you think you get good sleep, but you consistently find yourself with a dry mouth in the morning?

These are all signs that could suggest that you (or…your beloved snoring family member) may have something called “Sleep Apnea.” Well, there are people who cannot sleep without a machine and that is because they suffer from a medical condition called ‘Sleep Apnea’.

Let’s actually break this down. What is Sleep Apnea?

The most common type of Sleep Apnea is ‘Obstructive Sleep Apnea’ (OSA). OSA is a potentially life-altering and life-threatening breathing disorder that occurs during sleep.

The upper airway repeatedly collapses, causing cessation of breathing (apnea) or inadequate breathing (hypopnea) and sleep fragmentation. The breathing stops during sleep for 10seconds to a minute or longer. Oxygen levels in the blood decrease.

One challenge with something like this is that you may not necessarily wake up entirely. So it’s not always easy to self-diagnose. BUT – Sleep fragmentation results in chronic daytime sleepiness (which you would expect if you’re constantly getting interrupted throughout the night).This disrupts healthy sleep and causes a number of short-term and long-lasting effects that threaten the health and well-being of those who suffer from the condition.

How many people have OSA? The prevalence of OSA in the general population is still unclear. Several epidemiological studies have attempted to examine this issue. Epidemiological data from Young, Palta, Dempsey, et. Al (1993) in a study paper titled:- Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: natural history, diagnosis, and emerging treatment options, estimated that in a group of 602 middle-aged individuals 2% of women and 4% of men meet the minimal diagnostic criteria for sleep apnea with excessive daytime sleepiness.

People most likely to have or develop OSA may have any of the following: Obesity, especially in the upper body

Small upper airway due to excess throat tissue or abdominal jaw structure

Nasal Obstruction

High Blood Pressure

Family History of OSA

Overweight Obese individuals

Obesity, particularly abdominal and upper body obesity is the most significant risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea. Excess body fat on the neck and chest constricts the air passageways and sometimes the lungs – thus setting the stage for interrupted breathing during the night. And according to the research…The more obese a person, the greater the risk of apnea.

The good news is that there are some general things that can make a big difference.

This includes:

Losing some weight, if you are overweight or obese (even as little as 5% of your body weight can make a change)

Avoid alcohol, sedatives, and hypnotics (as they can sedate the very muscles we need to breathe)

Sleeping on your side or in a semi propped position

If you have sleep apnea, do not take sleep medicines or sedatives. These chemicals will increase the relaxation in the tissues of the upper airway and make the obstruction worse. The specific treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is usually a mask worn at night to keep the airway open or using a sleep machine that can help you breathe and sleep properly.

If OSA is left untreated, it can increase the risk of developing:

Hypertension

Cardiac arrhythmias

Myocardial ischemia

Stroke Pre-diabetes

Decreased quality of life (because who wants to feel sleep deprived?)

Weight loss is frequently recommended to improve OSA among obese patients. Not only does sustained weight loss improve OSA,it also improves many other independently linked co- morbidities such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes. The greater the change in body weight or waist circumference, the greater is the improvement in OSA

March 28, 2018 By Dr. Viral Thakkar 7 Comments

Household Chores, your way to health

I visited a village sometime back and was amazed at the physical strength of the women there. While I do not deny that the rural areas have their own set of health issues, but, it cannot be denied that women, due to the physical labour that they are involved in, are much stronger than many urban women.

The act of using a hand mill to grind wheat builds your hand muscles. Many women are farm labourers too and spend their early morning in the field which ensures that they are not Vitamin D deficient. Farm work itself provides exercise to upper and lower body, limbs. And guys, this is hard labour work.

Household chores are considered to be boring and financially worthless but we cannot deny that they are helpful in keeping many of us fit. You will not find many women with a bulging stomach in villages! This does not mean we all become farmers, but kick the laziness now to be healthy!

Dust with a lemon cleaner: Be happier

A citrusy scent is a potent mood booster, according to a 2014 Japanese study. Research shows that spending as little as ten minutes inhaling a citrus fruit can decrease the overall mood disturbance, a measure of tension, anxiety, depression, confusion, fatigue and anger. So carry a citrus flavored soap when you do your dishes. According to Ayurveda, you will be in touch with the water element of existence which is an instant mood elevator. This is also a great time to practice breathing exercises.

Clean up your garden!

People in the gardens are in touch with the energy of the earth and sun. According to Ayurveda, the energy from these two play a critical role in balancing one’s health. Apart from that, you breathe fresh & the vitamin D is critical for your health. In recent Swedish study it was found out that people with sedentary life style, spending most of their time indoors are likely to suffer from more cardiovascular diseases. Australian researchers discovered that a chemical released by freshly cut grass makes people feel more relaxed and more joyful.

Grow flowers and vegetables: Lower depression risk

Gardening is known to have reduced depression according to a study done in Norway. People diagnosed with depression spent six hours a week gardening; after a few months, they experienced a notable improvement in their depression symptoms, and their good moods continued for months after the study ended. Well, you might not be able to have gardens in cities, but get on with your small flower pots, indoor plants, or best, have a volunteer group, adopt a village and help the farmers!

Image Credit: http://christsoldiergirlfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/chores.jpg

Chopping Vegetables

This extremely boring task is usually diverted to the maids in our houses in India. However, if you have the time, do it yourself with complete mindfulness. Ensure that every slice is of the same size and watch your breath. It is bound to increase your awareness and concentration.

A better sex life

According to a 2015 study from the University of Alberta. “If a partner isn’t pulling their weight in housework, either one will have to pick up the slack, or the chores will remain undone. This will develop tension and bitterness in the relationship, which will transfer into the bedroom,” according to Medical Daily. So all you orthodox men out there, share the chores for some awesome time in bed!

Every household chore is equivalent to an exercise in a gym or in a park. Did you know 30 minutes of ironing equals 11 minutes of step aerobics.Think of ironing as weight training for the upper body? Make sure that you stand up straight and work your arm muscles hard as you press down. And remember to change hands regularly, so that you don’t end up with one arm more muscular than the other.

For a complete work out, play with your children in your garden, run after them and trust me you won’t go fat! Be happy! Be healthy!

Track these yourself with your GOQii band!

January 11, 2018 By Urvashi Malhotra - GOQii Coach 4 Comments

Vitamin D- The Gift of Sun

“Mrs. Sharma has been prescribed vitamin shots by the doctor”, gossiped my maid. She explained this both with surprise and fantasy with little clue of what the issue was with Mrs. Sharma. All she knew was Mrs. Sharma had been complaining of constant pain in most bones of her body

My 9 year old nephew, Phagun, pesters his mom to give him chocolate flavored supplement in his milk. He loves chocolate flavor, but he claims that adding this supplement to his milk would enhance the “power of milk” – a clear case of impact of television on children. But, is there any truth in what Phagun is claiming? Let’s understand.

The common thread between the 2 stories above is an essential nutrient called Vitamin D. Also known as the sunshine vitamin, it is produced by the body in response to sunlight. Latitude, cultural dress habits, season, sun avoidance, and sunscreen protection can all limit vitamin D production. Hence the sedentary lifestyle of Mrs. Sharma could be the reason of her problems today.Dietary source of Vitamin D comes from fortified foods such as milk, juices,margarines, yogurts, cereals, and soy, animal foods (oily fish, eggs, and liver).Vitamin D is constantly being used for calcium metabolism and bone and hence its connection to calcium absorption in the bodywhich means Phagun was right.

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to play a role in almost every major disease like Osteoporosis, Osteopenia, osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis. Research has shown that there is a correlation between low vitamin D levels, insulin resistance, and inflammation, all of which contribute to PCOS and other hormonal disorders

The best and natural way to get vitamin D is to sit in sun for short period of time for about 10 to 15 minutes -one doesn’t need to tan or burn our skin to get vitamin D. The more skin you expose the more vitamin D is produced.Vitamin D supplements is also a good way to get vitamin D particularly if you can’t get enough sunlight for some reason, or if you’re already deficient and is then recommended by physicians.Supplementation with 800 to 1000 IU/day of vitamin D is safe for most people and can ensure levels of vitamin D within the optimal range.

So next time, if you are trying to avoid sun to save yourselves from tanning or to avoid a risk of an additional pimple, think twice. Absorb the sun, its free and can free you from lot of troubles.

May 27, 2016 By Sophia Lashkari 2 Comments

Diabetes and Okra- The Super Food

Locally okra is known as bhindi (Hindi) or ladies finger. I am sure; besides the recipes with Okra, you would have also heard that this veggie is good to control blood sugar. So is it scientifically true?? Let us explore that.

It’s in the seeds of Okra. In Turkey, roasted Okra seeds have been used as a traditional medicine. It’s these seeds that have shown results in lowering blood sugar levels in studies done. Also it’s shown to prevent diabetic associated complications as it lowers HbA1c levels.

So how do these seeds help?? These seeds are alpha- glucosidase in nature and gum contains insoluble fiber. They inhibit the carbohydrate metabolizing enzyme; hence prevent release of sugar in blood stream.

How are these to be taken?? You need to split the Okra in two and soak it in water overnight. Next morning squeeze the gum (the mucilage in water) and seeds into water and drink this water on empty stomach early morning every day. You got to take it this way because the researches done support intake in this form, it isn’t clear if the cooked form too hold similar blood sugar control benefit.

One thought of care out here is that if you going to just have these okra seeds water without dietary control and lifestyle medications, it alone isn’t going to work miraculously in controlling blood sugar levels. It has to be coupled up with complex carbohydrate rich diet with good fiber intake from salads and control on simple refined carbohydrate meals. And surely exercise too!!

Besides health benefits in lowering blood sugar, Okra is also rich in vitamin A and B complex vitamins, and helps in lowering lipid levels too.

Sleep Apnea, its symptoms and how you can prevent it?

Household Chores, your way to health

Vitamin D- The Gift of Sun

Diabetes and Okra- The Super Food

Sangeeta Jajodia goes from a Simple Housewife to a Super Woman!

Nikita Jain Battles A Rare Condition & Wins With The Right Coaching