Healthy and Popular Recipes: Baba Ramdev Survives Nine Days Without Food: "Body Mass Index - Your Free Health check: Baba Ramdev Survives Nine Days Without Food : 'Baba Ramdev Survives Nine Days Without Food Baba ..."
With all the ‘politics-ism’ and ‘swami-ism’ happening on Indian television, the only thing that caught my attention was the frail looking man dressed in vibrant orange, going headstrong without a morsel.
He did survive (only one trip to medics) the nine days of ‘anna-shann’- absolute fasting.
The nutritionist in me has been restless since than trying to finding answers as to, “what happens to the body and mind when we go without food and water?” I have been wondering whether yoga gurus and saints know the art of going without food for long. Buddhist monks are known to follow fasts as a mandate sfor spiritual awakening. Do they know how to shut down the body’s engine to stop fuel wastage?
My research on fasting got to me collect some very interesting facts on the subject: spiritual, political, physiological. I like to share these interesting reads that I found (while surfing the google guru):
Spiritual aspect of fasting, as seen by a Buddhist:
The Buddha's spiritual awakening is directly related to fasting, but from the reverse. That is to say, only after the Buddha stopped fasting did he realize his mahabodhi, or great awakening. The founding story of the Buddhist faith relates how the Buddha was cultivating the Way in the Himalayas, having left his affluent life as a Prince of India. He sought teachers and investigated a variety of practices in his search for liberation from the suffering of old age, death and rebirth. In the course of his practices he realized that desire was the root of mortality. He determined, incorrectly, that if he stopped eating he could end desire and gain liberation from suffering. As the story goes, he ate only a grain of rice and sesame seed per day. Over time he got so thin that he could touch his spine by pressing on his stomach. He no longer had the strength to meditate. He realized that he would die before he understood his mind; further, that desire does not end by force. At that point a young herds maid offered him a meal of milk porridge which he accepted. He regained his strength, renewed his meditation, and realized Buddhahood. So by quitting fasting, and eating in moderation, he realized the central tenet of Buddhist practice, moderation.
Fasting has a political twist: Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev seem to have triggered a dormant trend initiated by Gandhi during his era.
Absolute fasting is not a new concept in causing a political stir. Mahatma Gandhi employed fasting as a tool in "Satyagraha". In attempt to avoid elements of self and egoism Gandhi developed very clear rules of fasting. According to Bhikhu Parekh, in his book in the Past Masters series, Gandhi’s reasons for fasting was essentially fourfold." It was his way of expressing his own deep sense of sorrow at the way those he loved had disappointed him. It was his way, as their Leader, for atoning for their misdeeds.It was his last attempt to stir deep spiritual feelings in others and to appeal to their moral sense.It was his way of bringing the quarreling parties together."
Physiology of Fasting: Diet wizards claim fasting as the magic wand for detoxification. Infact, many diets (partial fasting) are based on eating less and restraining from certain foods to aid in weight loss.
Several studies indicate that fasting gradually slows down the urge to eat. Maybe, that’s why Baba Ramdev managed 9 days without eating. The hormones responsible for hunger (Leptin) and metabolism (Thyroxine) reduced to a significant level in humans and rodent in a study by Univ of Amsterdam, 2008. To explain in layman language- the urge to eat is reduced as well as calorie expenditure slows down making you feel not-so-hungry.
So, what happens when you quit food? Why couldn’t Baba Ramdev prolong his fast (besides political pressure)?
Wikipedia offers some insight to this query of mine: Glucose is the ‘fuel ‘for brain. When denied glucose for more than 4–8 hours, the body turns to the liver for glycogen, a storage form of glucose, to be used for fuel. A process called glycogenolysis converts glycogen into a usable form of fuel. At this point, the body also uses small amounts of protein to supplement this fuel. This fuel will last for up to 12 hours before the body needs to turn to glycogen stored in muscles, lasting for a few more days. If glucose is still denied at this point, muscle wasting is prevented by temporarily switching to fat as the fuel source, meaning fat is converted into ketone through catabolism. Ketones, while not sugars, can be used by the brain as a fuel source as long as glucose is denied.
The body continues to use fat for as long as there is fat to consume. The body will generally indicate to the faster when fat levels are running extremely low (less than 7% and 10% of body weight for males and females, respectively) with an increased urge for food. Fasts are usually broken long before this point. If the fast is not broken, starvation begins to occur, as the body begins to use protein for fuel. Health complications associated with fast-induced starvation include electrolyte imbalances, thinning hair, lanugo, cardiac arrhythmia and renal failure. Death can occur if fasting is pursued to the point of complete starvation.
So, for now my hunger for knowledge is satisfied and I can fast (oops) rest until next sensation hits the media.
Tina Khanna
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Five heart disease misconceptions
Heart Test and Coronary Risk: Five heart disease misconceptions: "Employee Health: Five heart disease misconceptions : 'Desi Diet | Diet Plans India | Weight Loss| Indian Diet Plan | Popular Recipes | Diabe..."
Five heart disease misconceptions
Employee Health: Five heart disease misconceptions: "Desi Diet | Diet Plans India | Weight Loss| Indian Diet Plan | Popular Recipes | Diabetes Diet | Lose Weight Myth 1: Only older adults ne..."
Five heart disease misconceptions
Employee Health: Five heart disease misconceptions: "Desi Diet | Diet Plans India | Weight Loss| Indian Diet Plan | Popular Recipes | Diabetes Diet | Lose Weight Myth 1: Only older adults ne..."
Five heart disease misconceptions
Desi Diet | Diet Plans India | Weight Loss| Indian Diet Plan | Popular Recipes | Diabetes Diet | Lose Weight
Myth 1: Only older adults need to worry about their cardiovascular system
Factors that may actually lead to a heart attack build-up over years. Being a couch-potato, boredom eating and rarely exercising are all really bad habits that often begin in childhood days. An increasing number of medical experts are witnessing stroke patients in their 20's and 30's rather than the usual patients in their 50's and 60's. Simply being healthy and at the correct bodyweight does not make you immune, however, exercising regularly and maintaining a good body weight does help. You still need to check your high cholesterol and blood pressure level. The right cholesterol (or lipid profile) quantity should be below 200 mg/dL and a good blood pressure is about 120/80.
Myth 2: I'd feel sick if I had high blood pressure or high-cholesterol
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are termed "silent killers" because they do not exhibit signals. One-third of all mature people have high blood pressure and, of those, one-third are unaware that they have got it. High cholesterol levels are a measure of the fats stocked by your blood. Fats can be dropped anywhere in your physique, but tend to congregate around internal organs as well as your heart. This tends to run in family members so even if you're at a good weight and do not smoke, you need to have your cholesterol and blood pressure examined frequently. Once isn't enough.
Myth 3: Men and women DON'T feel the same signals
Males and females can, in fact, experience any of the warning signs, however, they typically don't. Ladies usually tend to have the subtler symptoms while males more regularly experience the more expressive forms. Both men and women may experience the "grab-your-chest-and-fall-down-gasping" kind of heart attack, but not necessarily. It is quite common to experience subtler symptoms such as jaw achiness, nausea or vomiting, breathlessness and intense low energy. Unfortunately, these subtler symptoms often tend to get described away. "My jaw hurt simply because I chewed my lunch too hard," or, "I'm probably out of breath because I ate too much." You need to pay close attention to your own body and to all the signs and symptoms.
Myth 4: Assuming that high blood glucose levels or being diabetic isn't a heart threat
Although trying to keep your blood glucose level with a proper range (80ml-120ml) will help keep you healthy, simply having the extra glucose in your blood increases the risk for heart attack, stroke, angina, and coronary artery disease. Nearly 65 per cent of people with diabetes will die from heart disease and stroke. In fact, diabetic adults are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or suffer a stroke than people without diabetes. Healthy adults should get at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity, eat the proper foods, eat more fibre, quit smoking and take medications as directed in order to help control blood glucose levels. Don't forget to also test your blood pressure and cholesterol.
Myth 5: My medical doctor would order medical tests if I were at risk of cardiovascular disease
Quite often, most people fail to inform their doctor of the little pains they feel. The medical doctors, not knowing most of the things we considered 'unimportant,' might pass over heart tests. Heart scans can find plaque build-up in your arterial blood vessels before you even know you have a problem but unfortunately heart scans aren't usually performed unless the doctor believes the patient is at risk of an immediate cardiovascular issue. That means all those "unimportant issues" we fail to report may leave our doctors just as unaware of our budding heart disease as we are, leaving far too many people go undiagnosed and untreated. With early detection, there is time to slow or even reverse the course of heart disease.
Source: shavemagazine.com
Myth 1: Only older adults need to worry about their cardiovascular system
Factors that may actually lead to a heart attack build-up over years. Being a couch-potato, boredom eating and rarely exercising are all really bad habits that often begin in childhood days. An increasing number of medical experts are witnessing stroke patients in their 20's and 30's rather than the usual patients in their 50's and 60's. Simply being healthy and at the correct bodyweight does not make you immune, however, exercising regularly and maintaining a good body weight does help. You still need to check your high cholesterol and blood pressure level. The right cholesterol (or lipid profile) quantity should be below 200 mg/dL and a good blood pressure is about 120/80.
Myth 2: I'd feel sick if I had high blood pressure or high-cholesterol
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are termed "silent killers" because they do not exhibit signals. One-third of all mature people have high blood pressure and, of those, one-third are unaware that they have got it. High cholesterol levels are a measure of the fats stocked by your blood. Fats can be dropped anywhere in your physique, but tend to congregate around internal organs as well as your heart. This tends to run in family members so even if you're at a good weight and do not smoke, you need to have your cholesterol and blood pressure examined frequently. Once isn't enough.
Myth 3: Men and women DON'T feel the same signals
Males and females can, in fact, experience any of the warning signs, however, they typically don't. Ladies usually tend to have the subtler symptoms while males more regularly experience the more expressive forms. Both men and women may experience the "grab-your-chest-and-fall-down-gasping" kind of heart attack, but not necessarily. It is quite common to experience subtler symptoms such as jaw achiness, nausea or vomiting, breathlessness and intense low energy. Unfortunately, these subtler symptoms often tend to get described away. "My jaw hurt simply because I chewed my lunch too hard," or, "I'm probably out of breath because I ate too much." You need to pay close attention to your own body and to all the signs and symptoms.
Myth 4: Assuming that high blood glucose levels or being diabetic isn't a heart threat
Although trying to keep your blood glucose level with a proper range (80ml-120ml) will help keep you healthy, simply having the extra glucose in your blood increases the risk for heart attack, stroke, angina, and coronary artery disease. Nearly 65 per cent of people with diabetes will die from heart disease and stroke. In fact, diabetic adults are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or suffer a stroke than people without diabetes. Healthy adults should get at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity, eat the proper foods, eat more fibre, quit smoking and take medications as directed in order to help control blood glucose levels. Don't forget to also test your blood pressure and cholesterol.
Myth 5: My medical doctor would order medical tests if I were at risk of cardiovascular disease
Quite often, most people fail to inform their doctor of the little pains they feel. The medical doctors, not knowing most of the things we considered 'unimportant,' might pass over heart tests. Heart scans can find plaque build-up in your arterial blood vessels before you even know you have a problem but unfortunately heart scans aren't usually performed unless the doctor believes the patient is at risk of an immediate cardiovascular issue. That means all those "unimportant issues" we fail to report may leave our doctors just as unaware of our budding heart disease as we are, leaving far too many people go undiagnosed and untreated. With early detection, there is time to slow or even reverse the course of heart disease.
Source: shavemagazine.com
Monday, May 30, 2011
Customized Health Solutions: Heart Test and Coronary Risk: Wrist size and Heart...
Customized Health Solutions: Heart Test and Coronary Risk: Wrist size and Heart...: "Heart Test and Coronary Risk: Wrist size and Heart disease co-related? Measuring Wrist Size May Predict Heart Disease in children Italian..."
Friday, December 24, 2010
Alzheimers Disease
A person with AD usually has a gradual decline in mental functions, often beginning with slight memory loss, followed by losses in the ability to maintain employment, to plan and execute familiar tasks, and to reason and exercise judgment. Communication ability, mood, and personality also may be affected. Most people who have AD die within eight years of their diagnosis, although the interval may be as short as one year or as long as 20 years. AD is the fourth leading cause of death in adults after heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Between two and four million Americans have AD; that number is expected to grow to as many as 14 million by the middle of the 21st century as the population ages. While a small number of people in their 40s and 50s develop the disease (called earlyonset AD), AD predominantly affects the elderly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)