Fun Enclave - Health and Fitness

"Sleep, else you might sleep forever" - Sleep for 7 hours to avoid heart attack

Agnel — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:56:07 GMT

What killed Ranjan Das and Lessons for Corporate India

A month ago, many of us heard about the sad demise of Ranjan Das from Bandra, Mumbai. Ranjan, just 42 years of age, was the CEO of SAP-Indian Subcontinent, the youngest CEO of an MNC in India. He was very active in sports, was a fitness freak and a marathon runner. It was common to see him run on Bandra's Carter Road. Just after Diwali, on 21st Oct, he returned home from his gym after a workout, collapsed with a massive heart attack and died. He is survived by his wife and two very young kids.

It was certainly a wake-up call for corporate India. However, it was even more disastrous for runners amongst us. Since Ranjan was anavid marathoner (in Feb 09, he ran Chennai Marathon at the same time some of us were running Pondicherry Marathon 180 km away), the question came as to why an exceptionally active, athletic person succumb to heart attack at 42 years of age.

Why did he die?

Was it the stress?
A couple of you called me asking about the reasons. While Ranjan had mentioned that he faced a lot of stress, that is a common element in most of our lives. We used to think that by being fit, one can conquer the bad effects of stress. So I doubted if the cause was stress.

The Real Reason
However, everyone missed out a small line in the reports that Ranjan used to make do with 4-5 hours of sleep. This is an earlier interview of Ranjan on NDTV in the program 'Boss' Day Out':

YouTube- Boss' Day Out: Ranjan Das of SAP India

Here he himself admits that he would love to get more sleep (and that he was not proud of his ability to manage without sleep, contrary to what others extolled).

The Evidence
Last week, I was working with a well-known cardiologist on the subject of ‘Heart Disease caused by Lack of Sleep’. While I cannot share the video nor the slides because of confidentiality reasons, I have distilled the key points below in the hope it will save some of our lives.

Some Excerpts:

• Short sleep duration (<5 or 5-6 hours) increased risk for high BP by 350% to 500% compared to those who slept longer than 6 hours per night. Paper published in 2009.
As you know, high BP kills.

• Young people (25-49 years of age) are twice as likely to get high BP if they sleep less. Paper published in 2006.

• Individuals who slept less than 5 hours a night had a 3-fold increased risk of heart attacks. Paper published in 1999.

• Complete and partial lack of sleep increased the blood concentrations of High sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-cRP), the strongest predictor of heart attacks. Even after getting adequate sleep later, the levels stayed high!!

• Just one night of sleep loss increases very toxic substances in body such as Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-alpha) and C-reactive protein (cRP). They increase risks of many medical conditions, including cancer, arthritis andheart disease. Paper published in 2004.

• Sleeping for <=5 hours per night leads to 39% increase in heart disease. Sleeping for <=6 hours per night leads to 18% increase in heart disease. Paper published in 2006.

Ideal Sleep
For lack of space, I cannot explain here the ideal sleep architecture. But in brief, sleep is composed of two stages: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM. The former helps in mental consolidation while the latter helps in physical repair and rebuilding. During the night, you alternate between REM and non-REM stages 4-5 times.

The earlier part of sleep is mostly non-REM. During that period, your pituitary gland releases growth hormones that repair your body. The latter part of sleep is more and more REM type.

For you to be mentally alert during the day, the latter part of sleep is more important. No wonder when you wake up with an alarm clock after 5-6 hours of sleep, you are mentally irritable throughout the day (lack of REM sleep). And if you have slept for less than 5 hours, your body is in a complete physical mess (lack of non-REM sleep), you are tired throughout the day, moving like a zombie and your immunity is way down (I’ve been there, done that ☹)

Finally, as long-distance runners, you need an hour of extra sleep to repair the running related damage.

If you want to know if you are getting adequate sleep, take Epworth Sleepiness Test below.

Interpretation:
Score of 0-9 is considered normal while 10 and above abnormal.

In conclusion:
Barring stress control, Ranjan Das did everything right: eating proper food, exercising (marathoning!), maintaining proper weight. But he missed getting proper and adequate sleep, minimum 7 hours.

If you are not getting enough sleep (7 hours), you are playing with fire, even if you have low stress.

Unfortunately, Ranjan Das is not alone when it comes to missing sleep. Many of us are doing exactly the same, perhaps out of ignorance. Please forward this to as many of your colleagues as possible, especially those who might be short-changing their sleep. If we can save even one young life because of this message, I would be the happiest person on earth.

Source : Email forward

8 Body Pains You Mustn't Ignore

Kimi — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:39:39 GMT

When it comes to muscle soreness, there is pain that is tolerable and that you can work through, and then there is body pain that you need to sit up and listen to.

Not recognizing the differences between these two situations is extremely problematic because there are some injuries that, if continually aggravated, could prove to require an extended recovery time.

Learning the difference, and especially knowing which more common pains you need to be on guard for, will help to ensure that you can maintain your workouts and stay free of injury.

Please keep in mind that while these are common scenarios, this is by no means aimed to be a replacement for proper medical advice. If you are having problems or experiencing any of these eight body pains and are unsure about what�s going on, never second-guess paying a visit to a doctor to get the pain looked at.

Here are the eight body pains you mustn't ignore:

1- Sudden head or neck pain
If you experience a sudden painful feeling in your head, especially when squatting with heavy weight, stop immediately and have a look at your form. This body pain you mustn't ignore could be a result of a blood vessel being overloaded due to pressure, or a seizing muscle that is having difficulty dealing with the stress of the weight you�re lifting.

If you are one of the many men lifting incredibly heavy weights when performing your squats, be sure to look forward and concentrate on keeping your shoulders and neck muscles loose. If you aren�t, they may be taking some of the force of the weight, which could lead to a serious strain in this area of the body.

2- Extreme groin-area tenderness
Again, if you�re performing heavy squats, deadlifts or lunges (which can be particularly bad for this) and you get a very tight, sudden pain in the groin area, it�s time to stop and take note as this is a definite body pain you mustn't ignore. This could range from a simple muscle cramp or a muscle pull, depending on the severity of the injury.

If you try to perform the same action once again (move down into a lunge, for example), and the pain still occurs, only with less severity, this is a strong signal that you�ve really pulled your inner thigh muscle.

While some muscular soreness is to be expected when performing a hard weight-lifting session, this type of tightness -- almost cramp-like -- is a signal that something is really hurt and you need to back off before you do more damage. If this is the scenario, stop with that lift and move on, only performing exercises that don't hurt for the remainder of the workout. Be sure to stretch that area as much as possible immediately following the workout. If you can, apply ice to help take down any swelling that may have occurred.

Give it about four days to a week to heal, and then proceed with your usual lifting schedule once again.

3- Sharp back pain
While you should always be paying attention to any type of back pain you experience, as this can become a chronic condition, when the pain is sharp and direct, stop immediately as this is one of the ultimate body pains you mustn't ignore. Sharp pain is usually a very good sign that something is wrong, and this could range from a slipped disc to a pinched nerve.

If you've been performing a great deal of lifts that require you to bring the weight overhead (such as snatches, military presses, etc.), then you are constantly loading the vertebra with a lot of excess weight.

All it takes, on your part, is one slight adjustment to your stance for a vertebra to move out of alignment, which could also lead to pain throughout the body, depending on which vertebra is dislocated.

Try to get yourself to a medical professional as soon as possible so you can asses just how much damage you did, and get the issue corrected before lifting again. It�s important not to attempt any more lifting whatsoever while you have this issue because your spine is the base of all movements. When something is problematic with your spine you risk injuring yourself further if you load any part of your body with weight.

4- Ankle pain while running
Many runners are extremely dedicated to their sport and are used to experiencing pain at some point or another during their workouts. Any time you try to force your body to run the types of distances some runners do (such as marathons), you are bound to wind up with some aches and pains.

Unfortunately, this also means that runners have become very accustomed to pushing through this pain and forcing themselves to keep going, despite some of their injuries being body pains they mustn't ignore.

When you�re running and you experience the type of pain in your ankle that makes your foot want to give out upon impact, it�s time to listen up and stop. This could be a sign of a sprained ankle or a strained ligament, and if it's not looked after, you could be facing weeks away from your training.

The ankle joint is loaded with a variety of ligaments and tendons, so it�s not that extraordinary for something to occur with just one off-balanced step. Having a proper pair of running shoes and trying to run on only level surfaces will go a long way toward preventing ankle pain from happening, but it�s impossible to completely eliminate the risk. If you are going to run, learn to pay attention to your body and know when enough is enough.

5- Extreme levels of hunger
For many men, getting their ideal body is a high priority in life. Whether they are actively tossing the idea of competing in a body-building competition around in their minds or they simply want to show off what their hard work and dedication in the gym has done, they will push themselves to extremes in order to achieve their goals.

Once the muscles have been built, this means turning to the diet aspect of things and taking control of the food you put in your mouth. If you are quite serious about your diet and have been restricting yourself for a month or more (while also approaching sub-10% body fat levels), it�s important to really listen to your body.

At times, after a period of very strict dieting, the body�s hormonal balance can get shifted around and you will experience intense hunger that just doesn't seem to go away, regardless of what you eat. At this point, it�s a clear sign that your body is trying to tell you something, and you should take a week or two off your diet before continuing. This is more than likely the hormone leptin acting in the body, which serves to regulate your body fat stores.

Bring your calories back up, then proceed with the diet regime. Not only will your body thank you for the much-needed break, but you�ll also likely find that, once the break is over, fat loss will get ramped up once again because your metabolism is in full working order.

6- Feeling light-headed
Another body pain you mustn't ignore when performing your workout is light-headedness.

This most frequently occurs after you�ve done an exercise where you are partially bent over and then rise back up into the standing position again. While some light-headedness is expected in some individuals -- if it�s an ongoing issue for you -- it would be smart to have your blood pressure checked out as this is indicative of low blood pressure.

While many need to watch their blood pressure to ensure it doesn�t get too high, for you it may be too low and you could risk fainting during your workout. Considering the danger that could be at stake if you felt dizzy while holding a weight overhead, you can see why it is essential to pay attention to this particular body pain.

One thing you may want to consider doing is making sure you are consuming enough salt in your diet. While you don�t want to go to the other extreme and start salting everything in sight, not worrying quite so much about your salt intake (if you are presently trying really hard to avoid it) may actually be a good thing.

So long as you are healthy and don�t have pre-existing health concerns, a slightly higher salt intake for very active individuals can be beneficial, since they will lose salt while they are sweating.

Keep in mind that this is not to be taken as a medical prognosis, and if you are experiencing this issue quite often, it�s really best to seek professional medical advice to be sure nothing more serious is at stake.

7- Relentless shin pain
Shin splints are another common running injury that can be quite persistent over time and are a result of continual pounding on the tibia bone. While some shin pain may just be due to overuse and can be remedied with a few days off, if you�re suffering from shin splints, you'll require a more in-depth recovery process.

If you are experiencing some shin pain, take note of how long it�s been going on and exactly where it�s located. If it�s been two weeks or more, book yourself an appointment with a sports doctor to have it looked at.

If the problem gets worse without help, you could wind up with a stress fracture.

8- Ongoing fatigue
Finally, the last type of body pain you mustn't ignore is fatigue that just doesn't seem to pass. You get more sleep; you try adjusting your diet; you take a few days off; you're doing everything you can think of to make yourself feel better, but nothing works. This could be a sign that you are severely overtrained.

Many men are accustomed to pushing through pain and fatigue, so it�s quite easy to overdo it when it comes to your workout volume and regime.

If you find that you are becoming less motivated for other aspects of your life that you used to enjoy, aside from your workouts, this is a sign you could be overtraining. Likewise, if it�s been a while since you've taken a thorough break from the gym and you haven�t seen much progress in the last little while, this is a sign that it�s time for a break.

Depending on the severity, overtraining can take anywhere from two weeks to many months to fully recover from, so catching this body pain you mustn't ignore sooner rather than later is highly beneficial to you and your recovery.

Be sure not to overlook these body pains you mustn't ignore when you�re in the gym. Having a high threshold for pain can be a good thing when you are really trying to push yourself, but if you aren�t aware of which pains are going to really damage you, you could be setting yourself up for big problems at the end of the day.

Eight cups of tea a day good for heart, brain : A Study

Chulbuli_Si — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:32:09 GMT

Drinking eight cups of tea daily might sound a bit too much for some people, but health experts say the intake can help fight heart disease, improve brain power and also boost longevity.

Independent dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton�s research on caffeine at King�s College, London, saw her review 47 published studies to reach the conclusion that caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee and cocoa have positive effects on mental function, increasing alertness, feelings of well-being and short-term memory.

Previous studies have already linked the drink�s healthy antioxidant properties and high flavonoid content to preventing heart disease and cutting the risk of some cancers.

Ruxton has supported earlier reports by claiming that an optimal intake of 400mg of caffeine a day leads to "key benefits in terms of mental function and heart health".

She assessed three studies, accounting for almost 90,000 patients, to find that drinking four cups of tea or coffee a day reduced chances of cardiovascular disease.

She referred to another study of 26,500 middle-aged smokers, which hinted that men who ingested more than two cups of tea a day pulled down the probability of getting a stroke by 20 percent.

Ruxton insisted that she aimed to "debunk" false beliefs surrounding caffeine.

Moreover, she asserted that people who avoid drinking team might be doing more harm than good.

"People who cut out caffeinated drinks may miss out on the potential health benefits of the compounds they contain," the Daily Express quoted her as saying.

She further suggested that there was "no need" for parents to stop children from drinking tea and coffee.

In fact, she claimed it was better than juice in some regards.

Also, Dr Catherine Hood, of the Tea Advisory Panel, agreed to Ruxton�s claims.

She said: "Caffeinated drinks have been unfairly demonised. Black tea, in particular, contains polyphenols, which are natural plant antioxidants.

"These have beneficial effects on many biochemical processes in the body because they protect cells against harmful free radicals.

"Flavonoids are thought to be especially useful, with a number of studies reporting a link between them and lower risk of heart attack."

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Decode Your Cravings

Aero — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:17:03 GMT

The urge to scarf is more than a hunger cue gone wild. It's a window into your nutritional needs and your personality.
By Bridget Doherty, Women's Health

When you crave salty food

What it says about your body: If nothing but the saltiest french fry will do, you may have a mineral deficiency. Studies have shown that women who eat low-calcium diets want salty foods more than those who get enough of the bone builder, says Michael Tordoff, Ph.D., a researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, an institute that studies taste and smell. One possible reason: Sodium temporarily increases calcium levels in the blood, which tricks the body into thinking the problem is solved. But you may have a shortage of other minerals, too. In animal studies, researchers have found that a lack of potassium, calcium and iron causes test subjects to devour table salt.

What it says about you: You go with the flow. Hirsch's research describes salt lovers as having an "external locus of control," meaning they believe that outside forces, not their own actions, determine their fate.

When you crave chocolate

What it says about your body: You reach for the chocolate because the flavor makes you swoon—but it does that because it stimulates the release of serotonin, Hirsch says. It's basically an antidepressant in dessert form that your body instinctively seeks out when your happy chemicals are bottoming out and you need a quick lift.

What it says about you: That depends on what type of chocolate you long for.

* Dark chocolate: You're the life of the party, a social butterfly and right in the mix of the team project at work.
* Milk chocolate: You're the quiet, introspective type. Your idea of a perfect afternoon is a solo run or one-on-one time with a good book.

When you crave spicy food

What it says about your body: If you're having trouble cooling down, your body may crave a fiery taste to make you perspire. That may seem counterintuitive, but it helps explain why Mexican food would be popular even when temps are scorching. Some research also suggests that people become addicted to the rush of spicy food—the spiked blood pressure, accelerated heart rate and rapid breathing, says Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., a co-author of The Secret to Skinny.

What it says about you: The Perfectionista—You love order, dislike wasting time and sweat the details.

When you crave sweets

What it says about your body: This is a lot like a chocolate craving—lusting after sweets could indicate that you're looking to boost your mood. Or it could be that you're just low on energy. The body absorbs refined sugars of the candy variety faster than any other type of food, giving you immediate fuel, Shames says.

What it says about you: Sugar fiends tend to walk toward the wild side, Hirsch says. He describes them as hedonistic, with few regrets. They also like to stand out and feel special

When you crave sweet and salty

What it says about your body: Your body needs glucose and sodium to function properly, so when the cells get sluggish (and you get tired), you reach for the chocolate-covered pretzels to get them revving, Hirsch says.

What it says about you: You're a loner, but a whiz, too. According to Hirsch's data, people who think a potato chip dipped in chocolate sauce is a match made in sensory heaven tend to be creative but private, to the point that they appear standoffish.

The seven dangerous acts after meal

Kimi — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:15:28 GMT

DON'T ACT THE 7 ACTIONS BELOW AFTER YOU HAVE A MEAL

Don't smoke- Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).

Don't eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.

Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.

Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted & blocked.

Don't bathe - Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.

Don't walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99.. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.

Don't sleep immediately - The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.