Among those that wish for being healthy, the broad categories are only two. The first group believes in sweating it out at the gym and counting each and every calorie that they consume. The second lot is deliriously happy in the fact that they burn 60 calories in every hour of sleeping!
It's not just disinterest in activity, but also lack of time, that is a practical concern. When you get home at 8 pm most nights, or when you have to leave for work in the morning when the sun has barely woken up, gymming or cooking up a healthy meal is not really easy. If you are worried that your aversion to activity, or busy schedule, or the stress of life is preventing you from being healthy, there are a few shortcuts to help you achieve just that.
These 5 health hacks for every man who is busy and stressed will turn exercise into a mere supporting character and help you get through even the busiest of weeks.
Warning: Before you rely overtly on these 'hacks', remember that you do need to exercise. Weight isn’t your only consideration - well being is too.
Books to Lower Blood Pressure
Book reading is therapeutic. In more ways than one. Immersing yourself in a great book can make your brain come alive. Diving into a page-turner definitely makes you happy, but it also has health benefits. According to Surbhi Joshi, an alternative medicine practitioner based in Dehradun,
Reading a book increases cognitive engagement. That has a domino effect on the body. With higher engagement, you have a tendency to de-stress, which reduces your amount of the stress hormone cortisol. When that happens, it leads to lowering your blood pressure.
But here's the caveat: this does not apply to Kindle! Or e-books. Or PDFs. "What is the point in exposing your system to something that is artificial when you can read a physical book? There is such joy in even smelling a good book!", exclaims actor Priyanka Chopra.
We agree. And so does a study by Yale School of Public Health that also stresses that magazines and newspapers don’t have as much of an effect, probably because people tend to read them in shorter bursts.
Get Active to Get Relief From Back Pain
This is a hack that Akshay Kumar swears by.
I injured my back two decades ago while shooting. I have never been in favour of surgical intervention because what saved me was working out. Lifting is not healthy for me, or for that matter, for most people. But I just have to keep moving to keep the pain away. If I am inactive for days on end, the pain always comes back. Which is also why I really like parkour or playing basketball.Akshay Kumar
People earlier believed lying down and resting as much as possible would be beneficial if their back hurt. But experts are now actually of the opinion that doing so makes the condition worse.
Akshay's logic is supported by Dr Rajesh Talwar, a Delhi-based orthopaedic surgeon who says,
It is actually inactivity in general that’s likely to hurt your back the most. This is because exercise strengthens your core, which alleviates pressure and tightness from your lower back. It also builds up your back muscles, so they can better support your spine.Dr Rajesh Talwar
Brush Well to Keep Sickness Away
What was that nursery rhyme that advocated brushing in a particular way?
Healthy mouth means healthy tummy, and even lungs. Turns out there is solid logic behind it. It may sound weird, but the one word common to both is bacteria.
Dr Amit Khosla, a Panchkula-based dentist says,
Bacteria in your mouth can get into your respiratory system. This can boost inflammation in your lungs and wind-pipe, increasing your chances of contracting respiratory infections like pneumonia.
Keep excessive bacteria away to prevent dental and gum diseases. "Besides brushing and flossing at least twice daily, make sure to get a scaling - which is essentially deep cleaning - by your dentist. This is the only way to remove plaque, the sticky film that consists of bacteria and sugars," advises Dr Khosla.
Spike Your Water to Improve Hydration
It's stale news that water is essential for good health. But sometimes, some people are not able to get the full benefits of water. If you have to pee within 30 minutes of drinking water, you are not getting the maximum benefits of water.
Surbhi Joshi, an alternative medicine practitioner says,
Add some amino acids or trace minerals to increase your hydration. Try a pinch of magnesium or sea salt. This is especially important if you are working out a lot, battling illness, or just stuck inside for most of the day. Centrally heated offices have notoriously dry air, which can increase dehydration.
Wear Socks to Bed to Fall Asleep Faster
We saved the weirdest (and also the most effective) for the last. Those who struggle with anxiety and sleep issues could benefit immensely by keeping their socks on. A thin pair of gloves may help, too. Make sure, they are cotton - or a breathable material.
Researchers have found that warm hands and feet are the best predictor of rapid sleep onset. The logic: according to National Sleep Foundation, warn feet leads to vasodilation—dilation of the blood vessels—giving a signal to the brain that it’s time to sleep.
(Aarti K Singh is an independent writer with close to two decades' experience in various media. Having worked in radio, TV and print media, she is now indulging in her passion to rediscover the world, besides juggling a PhD and raising her son.)
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