HEALTH & FITNESS: Quit sedentary living!!

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Namita Jain, The Hindu / August 14, 2011.

According to the World Health Organisation, up to 85 per cent of people lead sedentary lives. That's a large number of people creating a larger problem — a passive lifestyle is as much of a risk factor for disease as high blood pressure, obesity and smoking. Take a look:

1. It makes you an easy target for chronic health conditions such as heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia.

2. It speeds up the process of ageing. Your vanity may be a good thing after all — at least it may force you to get up and about if only to look younger.

3. Sitting all day long can spoil your posture and give you a backache.

4. Inactivity can cause mood swings, a feeling of lethargy and a general dip in energy levels.

5. Know what happens when you don't use a piece of machinery for long? It rusts. As do your muscles after long periods of inertia. The resulting muscle atrophy can lead to physical injuries.

6. Physical inactivity messes with your immune system, making you prone to illnesses.

Get moving, Get active

Step up your activity level. Every little bit counts, even household chores such as spring cleaning and carrying your weekly shopping home. Whenever you move you use up energy and burn off calories — your ultimate target. Here is an interesting calorie chart for you:

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http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article2353866.ece

HEALTH & NUTRITION: The nutri edge!

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NEERAJA MURTHY / The Hindu / July 5, 2011.

Students at the National Institute of Nutrition Photo: Neeraja Murthy.

As the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) releases the new dietary guidelines for Indians, a group of budding nutritionists talk about spreading the good word on nutrition

So, what is the diet secret? The nutritionists, of course. The in-demand food experts who give you gyan about the amount of calories you load in your body by indulging in deep-fried gulab jamun or how your food and an unhealthy lifestyle has resulted in your burgeoning waistline. With more and more people saying hello to a sense of eating that sits lightly on the stomach, nutritionists have become the most-sought after experts.

At the National Institute of Nutrition in Tarnaka, the mood is upbeat. New dietary guidelines for Indians have been released and a group of budding nutritionists talk about spreading the good word on nutrition. “It's exciting to be part of a profession where you can make a healthy choice,” say Swetha, Anusha, Pallavi Sharma and Karishma Shah — M.Sc students of the Institute.

A few kilometres away at Kamma Sangham in Ameerpet, a big group of students studying Nutrition at St. Ann's College sit attentively as a group of women in their gym gear showsimple exercises with dumb bells. The event was ‘Just Lose Fat', a three-day exhibition focusing on eating right and losing weight.

Nutrition experts who talk about dietary supplements and slimming centres that promise Deepika Padukone's slim figure have all become the order of the day. People are falling for the bait, but what about the side-effects? Swetha recalls the experience of going to a yoga centre where her brother was offered a 15-day package with a promise that he would lose 3 kgs in one week! “I was shocked when I heard it. I asked him ‘Is it not unhealthy? How can one lose so much weight in such a short time?' But there are people who fall for these packages,” she says. The youngsters say the concept of health as an investment is still a long way to go in India. “Obesity, especially in children, is alarming and parents don't realise it is the result of compromises in lifestyle. Why aren't public health messages aired on cartoon channels?” asks Pallavi.

Full Story at,

http://www.thehindu.com/health/diet-and-nutrition/article2161811.ece