--REJUVENATE WITH THE DETOX DIET--
Fitness today is much more than merely looking good. It relates more to the ‘feel good’ factor that adds to the effervescence and confidence that one feels from within. The drive to attain the svelte look and the key to keep fit seem to come with a wholesome and healthy diet coupled with an earnest and guided work-out.
A Detox Diet is a dietary regimen aimed at removing the toxins or contaminants present in the body. Toxins can come from food or water or from chemicals used to grow or prepare food. They can even come from the polluted air that we breathe. Our bodies bring in toxins and then process those toxins through organs like the liver and the kidneys. If accumulated, they can create serious health hazards. Following a Detox diet is an attempt at detoxifying the body and cleansing it internally by following a certain schedule of food consumption.
Seema Thakur, Pune’s leading fitness expert elucidated the intricacies of a Detox diet plan. She explained, “A Detox diet is ideally effective if followed for at least a fortnight. The indispensable thumb rules of the diet include the consumption of lots of fruits, vegetables and water and the abstinence from alcohol and caffeine. This helps in keeping the body hydrated and also in radiating the skin. The diet maintains a gradual progression from liquid to semi-liquid to semi-solid and finally solid food intake. The typical diet constituents are essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and fibres that can be obtained from various fruit juices like orange, grape, lemon, apple or pineapple and food preparations like vegetable soups, salads, steamed cabbage or broccoli and roasted chicken. Herbal tea containing peppermint or chamomile can be taken. Also fish, organic chicken or some beans such as lentils, mung or black beans can be consumed to maintain the protein levels”.
Speaking about the ideal work-out regime, fitness trainer, Rajeshree Sureshmane said, “While following a Detox diet, work-out needs to be carefully monitored as the carbohydrate intake is highly reduced, which can alter one’s energy levels. Thus, a steady but low-intensity work-out needs to be carried out. It needs to be holistic including cardio-sets, abs and toning exercises. It is quintessential to warm up before the work-out and incorporate the cooling down exercises involving stretching and relaxation after the work-out. Work-outs coupled with yoga and meditation can work wonders and can be really synergetic for the body”.
After all, for that perfect silhouette, we surely need to burn it up!
Friday, 5 October 2007
Call center clocks: The 21st Century Bane..
With India flaunting its GDP ascension and leaping on to the BPO boom, the call centers are aptly today’s ‘youth mantra’. Lofty salaries, luring incentives and considerably simple job requisites seem like a flawless career alternative to the majority of the IT-city youngsters. But the real intangibility concerns the costs they are paying in terms of health hazards for the entire gain.
Speaking about the serious issues of the call center employees’ physical and mental health and the grave repercussions of working in erratic schedules, Pune’s renowned physician, Dr.H.V. Sardesai threw light on some of the alarming medical facts.
Call center jobs are characterized by working in day or night shifts and irregular routines. This disturbs the body’s biological cycle which is called the Circadian rhythm in medical terms. It is the fundamental biological function taking place in the human body based on which there are about 100 dependent rhythms. These rhythms include hormonal functions, fertility, menstrual cycles for women, breathing cycles and acid secretions. These functions are directly affected when the Circadian rhythm is disturbed. The human body is naturally conditioned to follow a particular time table. When this natural flow is drastically altered, the body can seldom cope with the sudden changes. This in turn leads to many physical as well as emotional disturbances. Physical problems include hunger problems, digestion difficulties, severe weight gain or loss, drowsiness and emotional hazards like moodiness, frustration, irritation and restlessness.
Another problem that has recently developed is what is called as the ‘Metabolic Syndrome’. As a result of constant stress, sitting, lack of exercise and movements, there can be weight gain and many bio-chemical changes in the body. This can lead to the development of the metabolic syndrome. The metabolic risks include abdominal obesity, genetic predisposition, ageing, hormonal imbalance and high blood pressure. Proneness to coronary heart diseases and diseases related to plaque build ups in artery walls increases.
Stress in also one of the most common complaints. It causes anxiety due to which there is hormonal imbalance and hormones like adrenaline can be secreted in a large quantity. This can lead to high blood pressure and could also lead to cardiac problems in the long run. Stress can also create disorders like anxietyneurosis and behavioural problems. Stress aggravates even more when a person doesn’t exercise. When there is no muscular exertion or exertion in the young age, problems like cholesterol rise, increase in lipid profile and proneness to diabetes increase in the early 40s or 50s.
Dr. Aparna Pitre, Pune’s leading Homoeopathic practitioner informed about another medical problem known as the ‘Computer Related Syndrome or CRS’ which has become increasingly common among call center workers as a result of using the keyboard and sitting in front of the computer for long hours. CRS is characterized by tightness, stiffness and aching of the upper extremities. It mainly occurs due to long hours in front of the computer, positional errors and body posture. Symptoms like weakness of fingers, tremors and non-specific pains in hands or arms are typical to CRS.
Also the problem of ‘The Brainfag Syndrome’ is becoming very common among the call centre employees. It is medically a psychiatric difficulty characterized by headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, eye exertion and inability to focus and concentrate. This syndrome can occur usually after a prolonged period of job in a call center.
Awareness about the distressing aftermath of challenging the body clock and working against the natural cycle needs to be cultivated. After all, it is truly quoted, ‘Symptoms, then, are in reality nothing but a cry from suffering organs’.
Speaking about the serious issues of the call center employees’ physical and mental health and the grave repercussions of working in erratic schedules, Pune’s renowned physician, Dr.H.V. Sardesai threw light on some of the alarming medical facts.
Call center jobs are characterized by working in day or night shifts and irregular routines. This disturbs the body’s biological cycle which is called the Circadian rhythm in medical terms. It is the fundamental biological function taking place in the human body based on which there are about 100 dependent rhythms. These rhythms include hormonal functions, fertility, menstrual cycles for women, breathing cycles and acid secretions. These functions are directly affected when the Circadian rhythm is disturbed. The human body is naturally conditioned to follow a particular time table. When this natural flow is drastically altered, the body can seldom cope with the sudden changes. This in turn leads to many physical as well as emotional disturbances. Physical problems include hunger problems, digestion difficulties, severe weight gain or loss, drowsiness and emotional hazards like moodiness, frustration, irritation and restlessness.
Another problem that has recently developed is what is called as the ‘Metabolic Syndrome’. As a result of constant stress, sitting, lack of exercise and movements, there can be weight gain and many bio-chemical changes in the body. This can lead to the development of the metabolic syndrome. The metabolic risks include abdominal obesity, genetic predisposition, ageing, hormonal imbalance and high blood pressure. Proneness to coronary heart diseases and diseases related to plaque build ups in artery walls increases.
Stress in also one of the most common complaints. It causes anxiety due to which there is hormonal imbalance and hormones like adrenaline can be secreted in a large quantity. This can lead to high blood pressure and could also lead to cardiac problems in the long run. Stress can also create disorders like anxietyneurosis and behavioural problems. Stress aggravates even more when a person doesn’t exercise. When there is no muscular exertion or exertion in the young age, problems like cholesterol rise, increase in lipid profile and proneness to diabetes increase in the early 40s or 50s.
Dr. Aparna Pitre, Pune’s leading Homoeopathic practitioner informed about another medical problem known as the ‘Computer Related Syndrome or CRS’ which has become increasingly common among call center workers as a result of using the keyboard and sitting in front of the computer for long hours. CRS is characterized by tightness, stiffness and aching of the upper extremities. It mainly occurs due to long hours in front of the computer, positional errors and body posture. Symptoms like weakness of fingers, tremors and non-specific pains in hands or arms are typical to CRS.
Also the problem of ‘The Brainfag Syndrome’ is becoming very common among the call centre employees. It is medically a psychiatric difficulty characterized by headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, eye exertion and inability to focus and concentrate. This syndrome can occur usually after a prolonged period of job in a call center.
Awareness about the distressing aftermath of challenging the body clock and working against the natural cycle needs to be cultivated. After all, it is truly quoted, ‘Symptoms, then, are in reality nothing but a cry from suffering organs’.
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