21 December,2010 02:57 PM IST | | Priyanjali Ghose
We're celebrating turning one by bringing you the best wellness tips certified by medical experts, fitness gurus and celebs to keep you healthy, and possibly even wealthy and wise, in the New Year
Does your fitness regime need a boost? Are you looking for a tip on nutrition that will help keep you motivated? Do you wonder what it takes Diandra Soares to stay in such great shape? We checked in with fitness gurus, medical experts, and fitness icons to each give you their one 'life-saving' tip that has helped stand them in good stead, not to mention 'in good shape', so that the secrets to good health need no longer remain the knowledge of a privileged 'healthy' minority.
1. Keep away from the 3S's - stress, scotch (alcohol) and smoking for great sex
Prakash Kothari, Founder Advisor to World Association for Sexual Health (WAH) says, "Special senses play an important role in an individual's life in general, and sex in particular. One must strengthen these 'special senses' that include fantasy, touch, sight and smell. The most important way to enrich these senses is through yoga and pranayama."
Benefits: Helps in better oxygenation and better concentration.
What happens if you don't: Smoking affects semen and sperm qualities and may also lead to erectile dysfunction. Alcohol negatively affects balance, judgment, and coordination. On the other hand, stress may also impair sex life and induce sterility
2. Skipping breakfast can lead to memory loss. Really.
Clinical psychologist Seema Hingorany believes that the brain is best fuelled by a steady supply of glucose. She advises, "Studies have shown that skipping breakfast can have serious repercussions on the function of memory. Eat plenty of foods that keep your brain sharp and clear, like fruits and vegetables. Foods like blueberries, strawberries and spinach have amazing abilities to improve brain functioning."
Benefits: Berries are rich in glucose and help protect the brain through their inherent antioxidant properties. Also, foods that are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, folic acid, iron, zinc and B12 are excellent resources that help keep the brain in good health.
What happens if you don't: Not eating a balanced breakfast affects blood-sugar levels; an inadequate supply of nutrients risks brain degeneration.
3. Post workout stretching is as important as your workout
Leena Mogre, director, Leena Mogre's Fitness says that most people neglect stretching after a workout and thus suffer from physical discomfort. "Work out for a shorter period, but never compromise on stretches," she says. Mogre advises holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds. Carbohydrates like apples, bananas, and proteins like egg whites and tofu should be consumed within 90 minutes of a workout.
Benefits: Increased flexibility, muscle recuperation, lends the body harmony
What happens if you don't: Accumulation of lactic acid that leads to various infections. Flexibility of the body is endangered and can injure muscles
4. Your abs are created in the kitchen, and not in the gym
Zareen Watson of Watson Fitness, who is behind famous bodies including Sonam Kapoor and Lara Dutta says, "Everyone wants that well chiseled body, the sculpted muscles and that oh-so desirable flat and defined waistline. Most folks think that the answer lies in hundreds of crunches or its equivalent form of torture. Sound nutrition plays the most important role in keeping dreaded bulges at bay."
Benefits: Obtaining energy, helping your body grow, and repairing worn out tissues. Faster muscle growth, stable blood sugar levels, control of appetite and limited fat gains
What happens if you don't: Obesity, thyroid dysfunction, kidney malfunction, and intestinal problems can occur
5. Getting a good night's sleep can slow the ageing process
Holistic health guru Mickey Mehta advocates resting for an hour for every two hours of activity. "When the body is not at ease, it is disease. If you serve yourself, only then can you serve others." Mehta advises having a hot water bath with 500 grams of common salt before tucking in and sleeping with the lights off.
Benefits: Sound sleep helps the body and mind repair, recover and heal. Among the boons of a good night's rest of seven hours or more are controlled blood pressure, sugar management, proper cardio and liver functions and smooth digestion.
What happens if you don't: Rapid ageing and lowered levels of immunity
6. Running helps free your mind and body
Saina Nehwal, the badminton player, who recently made India proud by winning the gold medal in the Commonwealth Games says, "I love to run and running has really kept me fit. Each time I win, it motivates me further to keep running and keep fit for my next game." Saina runs for an hour every morning, six days a week. Other than undergoing various forms of physical training, Saina also practices stamina-building exercises, prays every morning and stays away from junk food, including ice creams, chips, and all oily food.
Benefits: Running helps lose weight, slows down the ageing process, and makes one less susceptible to osteoporosis, diabetes and hypertension. It also helps relax the mind and body.
What happens if you don't: Makes you vulnerable to disease, risk of weight gain
7. Read, don't watch TV an hour before bedtime for sound sleep
Dr Sanjeev Mehta, sleep specialist, Lilavati Hospital, says, "Reading is a contemplative, reflective and internal habit that relaxes you and helps you sleep deeper." He adds that switching on the television or computer when you do not get sleep, does not allow the brain to relax. Mehta however advises against reading horror books before retiring for the day.
Benefits: Unlike television or computer, reading does not involve exposure to sound and harsh lights and thus does not stimulate the brain. Therefore, adrenaline secretion decreases and the brain get a chance to switch off.
What happens if you don't: Disturbed sleep disrupts metabolism and overall health. The body does not get time to recuperate, which can result in the loss and/ or gain of weight.
8. Iyengar yoga is the way to super curves
Model Diandra Soares practices Iyengar yoga four times a week. She says, "It has helped me look the way I do. I team yoga with Pilates twice a week and alternate it with cardio, weights, and Power Plate thrice a week. I go on a complete strict detox of alcohol for an entire month twice in the year, which has really helped me."
Benefits: Yoga works wonders for lower back pain, osteoarthritis and helps in breast cancer recovery. It also develops stamina, strength, balance and flexibility.
What happens if you don't: Lubrication of joints is affected, possible weight gain, decrease in flexibility
9. Eating 'natural' food is your best insurance against disease
According to Vijaya Venkat, director, The Health Awareness Centre, the best way to stay healthy is to rely on 'natural' diets that include plenty of fruits and veggies, instead of rushing to a doctor and swallowing pills. Mediation helps too! Venkat says, "The human mind has taken us from sickness to sickness. Nature is wellness. Flow with your body. Nobody has ailments like hypertension and diabetes, they are merely interpretations."
Benefits: A diet rich in 'natural' foods helps control blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes along with giving you a healthy glow
What happens if you don't: Other than the mental strain of visiting doctors for every reason, too many pills can adversely affect your health and have side effects
10. Drying undergarments in the sun is your best defence against fungal infection
Admitting that it is difficult to expose wet undergarments to sun in a cramped city like Mumbai, Dr Sudeshna Ray, gynaecologist, Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre says drying undergarments in the sun can help stave off infection in the groin area. She also advises not using harsh soaps to clean private parts as they may alter the Ph balance. She instead advises using cold running water to wash those areas.
Benefits: Washing of the garments and drying them in the sun, ensures organisms that are present in discharges from the genital organs are destroyed to avoid and stop the spread of infection.
What happens if you don't: Bacterial infection
11. Oxygen therapy can help you breathe easy
Dismissing the common perception that oxygen therapy is associated only with the last stages of life, Dr Prahlad Prabhudesai, cardiologist, Lilavati Hospital says, "Oxygen therapy is cost effective and can greatly improve the quality of life."
Benefits: Helps in the cases of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and severe bronchitis. Also increases stamina and relaxes the mind. This can also enhance lung capacity, and helps patients with respiratory problems.
What happens if you don't: Lack of oxygen causes discomfort for people who suffer from lung disease and respiratory disorders. It can also negatively affect mood, sleep and stamina.
12. Not having a fixed exercise regime is not a bad thing
Model, model coordinator and actor Milind Soman, who turned 45 this November, says he gets his adrenalin rush from running. "I love to run and that's been my secret mantra for many years now. Even when I was a swimming champ at 23, I never felt as good as I do today, in terms of health," says Milind. Soman does a 30-km run at least four times a week. "I don't have a fixed diet or fitness regime, a fixed running schedule or place to run. I just run whenever and wherever I feel like," he says.
Benefits: Increased chances of sticking with a fitness plan for life
What happens if you don't: High chances of losing motivation and dropping out of new fitness regimes early on
