Latest news with #HTLifestyle
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Role of vitamin D in pregnancy: Is sunlight a boon or bane for expecting moms?
The human body produces Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight so it is commonly known as the 'sunshine vitamin'. This vitamin has a crucial role in aiding both maternal and fetal well-being, as the lack of vitamin D might affect pregnancy outcomes. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Garima Jain, MBBS, DNB, CIMP, CGC, CCCGDM, Obstetrics and Gynecology at Apollo Cradle & Children's Hospital in Bengaluru's Brookefield, explained, 'During pregnancy, the need for calcium rises in the body to support the proper development of the baby's skeletal system. Further, vitamin D can help absorb calcium, which makes it important for the body as it is necessary for the development of stronger teeth and bones. Vitamin D also helps regulate the immune system and reduces inflammation, promoting better health for the mother.' Studies suggest that infants born to mothers with adequate levels of Vitamin D are less likely to develop conditions such as asthma and rickets whereas insufficient levels of Vitamin D in the blood can cause complications during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm delivery, and low birth weight. Dr Garima Jain shared, 'The body naturally produces Vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight. While sunlight is beneficial for producing Vitamin D, excessive exposure can be harmful. If skin is exposed to UV radiation often, the chances of skin damage, sunburn and even skin cancer increase.' She added, 'During pregnancy, women are at risk of heightened skin sensitivity, which exposes them to melasma, skin pigmentation. Half an hour of exposure to the sun during the early morning or late afternoon is mostly safe and healthier compared to remaining under the sun's direct rays at peak times. Applying sunscreen to sensitive areas while leaving some skin exposed allows the body to absorb sunlight for Vitamin D production without risking sun damage.' Dr Garima Jain opined, 'Since sunlight alone may not provide enough vitamin D, including dietary sources such as fortified milk, eggs, salmon, and cod liver oil is very important. Including these in the diet helps in maintaining good health. In some cases, particularly when blood tests identify a deficiency, taking prescribed supplements of Vitamin D is recommended.' Sunlight is vital in helping the body produce vitamin D, particularly during pregnancy. Moderation, however, must be practised to avoid the risks of too much overexposure. Like anything finite or harmful, natural sunlight may be substituted by a balanced diet and supplementation. Getting enough Vitamin D from sunlight, food and supplements may help ensure a healthier pregnancy as well as more positive outcomes for mother and baby. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Yoga expert shares 4 simple asanas to reduce chronic fatigue and inflammation
Staying on top of the game, grinding, hustling at work, and upskilling, may have become the norm in a fast-paced world that romanticises hustle culture, but your health is silently screaming for help. Sadly, sometimes the modern lifestyle leaves little to no room for proper self-care. What happens is your daily exhaustion piles up, which you so conveniently shove under the carpet, slowly building up to chronic fatigue. In turn, fatigue increases inflammation, and as a chain reaction, inflammation raises the chances of chronic diseases. This is why setting time aside for self-care to wind down with yoga is essential for maintaining long-term health. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, yoga expert and founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa, shared how yoga can help beat fatigue and inflammation from the fast-paced lifestyle of today. He said, 'The health index of a society is a direct reflection of lifestyle. Most diseases that the world is currently suffering from are autoimmune diseases, which are predominantly lifestyle disorders. With extended work hours, digital exposure, and a sedentary lifestyle, dedicating time for self-care has become a challenge, leading to burnout and fatigue. Yoga provides a holistic approach to overcoming these challenges through simple yet powerful practices." Benefits: Stretches the spine, reduces backache, promotes hip flexibility, reduces fatigue, relieves tension and calms the mind. Benefits: Improves back flexibility, restores spine health, releases tension from the neck, promotes good posture and stimulates abdominal organs reducing inflammation. Benefits: Cleanses the channels and stimulates energy towards the skull. An uplifting practice that activates the nervous system, enhancing mental agility. How to do: Benefits: It is an extremely powerful practice for conscious relaxation and recovery of the organs. It increases awareness of the entire body and helps in mindful observation as well as rejuvenation of all systems. Regular practice of Yoganidra reduces blood pressure, regulates heartbeat, improves sleep quality, enhances emotional health and builds mental strength. While stress is mainly viewed as mental, the body holds a lot of stress, and Yoganidra helps in recognising and consciously releasing the accumulated stress. ALSO READ: Yoga coach shares 7 asanas women suffering from PCOS, PCOD should practise daily for 20 minutes Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
World No Tobacco Day 2025: Doctors share why smoking with morning tea on empty stomach harms gut and lungs
A cup of steaming tea while taking a puff of a cigarette has been glorified. But this habit may be doing you more harm than you realise, adversely affecting your lungs and gut, setting up for digestive and respiratory conditions in the long run. World No Tobacco Day, observed annually on May 31, which advocates for cutting down on tobacco consumption, is an appropriate time to draw attention to this health-wrecking habit. HT Lifestyle reached out to experts, who explained how this simple combination of tea and a cigarette in the morning may be dangerous for your lungs and gut health. Dr Sarat Kumar Behera, senior consultant pulmonologist, Manipal Hospital, Bhubaneshwar, shared with us how tea combined with smoking in the morning can impair respiratory health. He said, 'Smoking a first cigarette in the morning, when the lungs are most vulnerable, immediately reduces lung function. While sleeping, the lungs are in a resting state, in which they recover from the respiratory system. A first-morning cigarette jolts this system with a hit of poisonous chemicals, which impairs oxygen exchange and destroys the delicate hair-like structures (cilia) that remove mucus and other debris. This interference can result in difficulty breathing, lower energy, and an observable loss of appetite as the body fights to restore balance." Here are some more ways it can damage your respiratory health, as shared by Dr Sarat: Now that you know the ill effects of cigarettes on your lungs and overall respiratory health, let's also take a look at how the tea-cigarette combination impacts your gut when consumed on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Dr Gyan Ranjan Rout, consultant gastroenterologist, Manipal Hospital, Bhubaneshwar, explains how this seemingly harmless habit can trigger a chain of negative reactions in your gut, from acid reflux to suppressed appetite. He said, 'From a digestive standpoint, nicotine is a major disruptor. It stimulates excess gastric acid secretion, which is particularly harmful when the stomach is empty, as it usually is in the morning. Combined with caffeine from tea, this creates a hyperacidic environment that aggravates conditions like gastritis and peptic ulcers.' Dr Gyan shared these negative consequences of smoking and sipping on tea in the morning: ALSO READ: World No Tobacco Day: Expert shares 5 ways smoking actively damages your mental health Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Expert on how quitting tobacco improves health in just 20 minutes to 20 years: ‘Risk of heart disease drops to half'
World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced 'Unmasking the appeal: exposing industry tactics on tobacco and nicotine products' as the theme for this year. Also Read | World No Tobacco Day: Expert shares 5 ways smoking actively damages your mental health While we all know that consumption of tobacco is harmful to overall health, certain lifestyle trends have made smoking appear attractive. Therefore, it becomes essential to know how quitting tobacco improves our health. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Tanya Khanna, nutritionist and yoga trainer at Alyve Health, explained how quitting tobacco kickstarts the healing process in our body in just 20 minutes to 20 years. 'Tobacco use remains one of the leading causes of preventable illness and death worldwide. However, the moment a person decides to quit, the body starts healing within minutes and continues for decades,' Tanya said. She revealed how quitting smoking can improve our health after 20 minutes, 12 hours, 9 months, 10 years, or 20 years. She explained the changes that go on inside our body, and how it should be incentive enough to quit the habit today. Just 20 minutes after the last cigarette, the heart rate and blood pressure begin to drop to healthier levels. Blood circulation starts to improve, signalling the body's immediate response to the absence of nicotine. Carbon monoxide, a harmful gas found in cigarette smoke, begins to leave the bloodstream. As a result, oxygen levels in the body return to normal, reducing the burden on the heart and lungs. Just one day after quitting, the risk of a heart attack starts to decrease. The body continues to purge itself of the toxins introduced by tobacco, and the healing process progresses steadily. Lung function begins to improve significantly. Breathing becomes easier, physical endurance increases, and energy levels rise as circulation stabilises and lung capacity grows. The tiny hair-like structures in the lungs, called cilia, start to regrow and function properly. These structures help clear mucus and fight infections, leading to fewer coughing episodes and respiratory illnesses. The risk of developing coronary heart disease drops to half that of a current smoker. The heart, blood vessels, and lungs continue to repair themselves. The risk of stroke is significantly reduced, potentially returning to the level of a non-smoker. The risks of cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, and bladder are also greatly diminished. The risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of someone who still smokes. Additionally, the chances of developing cancers of the larynx and pancreas are reduced. At this stage, the risk of coronary heart disease becomes comparable to that of someone who has never smoked. The long-term risks of stroke and many types of cancer continue to decline, reaching near-normal levels. 'Quitting tobacco is not just about avoiding disease, it's about improving quality of life. Former smokers often report better breathing, improved energy, healthier skin, and a renewed sense of control over their health. Most importantly, it's never too late to quit. The sooner you stop, the sooner you start healing,' Tanya concluded. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
High performers may be at risk of silent burnout: Expert shares 6 red flag behaviours and what managers can do to help
The high performers at work, those who are always delivering and at the top of their game, may be suffering from silent burnout. It may not be evident, as burnout among high performers often goes overlooked; they actively stay on the grind, are the first to log in, hit targets religiously, manage multiple priorities, and even take the initiative for extra work. But deep down, emotional exhaustion looms, which, over time and if left unchecked, can lead to an eventual meltdown, from which recovery may be all-consuming. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Piyali Maity, clinical director of counselling operations at 1to1help, shared how high performers may be silently suffering. She said, 'Ever so often, the emotional health of high-performing employees is overlooked because they seem to be functioning well at work, meeting their goals and demonstrating eagerness to take up more challenging tasks. However, according to a 2020 Gallup report, '76 percent of employees experience burnout at least sometimes,' with high performers being particularly vulnerable. It is, therefore, critical for managers to recognise the early signs of burnout and offer the right kind of support in order to sustain well-being in their teams.' Piyali shared a detailed guide listing out the behavioural patterns of high performers that hint at burnout and what managers can do to help: 1. Check in regularly: Regularly check in with high performers to understand their emotional and mental well-being—don't assume they're always fine. 2. Encourage sustainable work habits: Recognising effort, not just outcomes, helps high performers feel valued and promotes sustainable, healthy performance. 3. Encourage rest and recharge: Share practical strategies like taking micro-breaks, setting a daily work cut-off time, and maintaining personal boundaries. Promote the idea that rest fuels performance. 4. Model healthy boundaries: Modelling a healthy work-life balance as a manager encourages high performers to respect their own boundaries and prioritise well-being. 5. Foster psychological safety: Foster a culture where sharing struggles is as accepted as celebrating wins, reassuring your team that seeking help shows strength, not weakness. 6. Promote mental health resources: Promote the use of well-being resources and stay alert to signs of distress, offering empathy and support when high performers need it most. ALSO READ: Nearly 50% of Indian employees want to switch jobs, 30% experience daily stress: Gallup report Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
