Secret foods for instant stress relief by lowering cortisol

Modern lifestyle has made sitting in front of screen for long hours a part of everyday life for many of us. This is leading to poor posture, muscle weakening, and increasing cases of back, neck, and shoulder pain among young people. The couch–potato lifestyle is linked to every single health condition right from neck and back pains to sciatica to obesity and indigestion Here are few helpful desk job health hacks👇 1️⃣Take regular breaks to stand up and move around while working – once every hour. For every hour of sitting, stand for 3 minutes. Creating a flexible work system, like using standing desks and taking calls while walking is another trick to bring some activity to the daily routine. 2️⃣Use a Standing Desk Many people spend the majority of their workday sitting at a desk. However, using a standing desk can help incorporate movement and improve posture. 🔸Stand up while you read emails or reports. 🔸Move your rubbish bin away from your desk so you have to get up to throw anything away. 🔸Use the speaker phone for conference calls and walk around the room during the calls. 3️⃣Post Meal walk This is the simplest practice you can adopt to make sure your gut health is in place as well as blood sugar levels are balanced. You can do 10-15 mins of mild walking, after you finish your meal. Doing it after breakfast, lunch and dinner will make sure your activity through the day is well divided. 4️⃣The 20-20-20 rule For every 20 minutes, you should look away from the screen for at least 20 seconds to see something at least 20 feet away. This simple exercise aids in the relaxation of both the muscles that assist focus the eye and those that help you see clearly. 5️⃣Take the Stairs Instead of taking the elevator, consider taking the stairs. This is a great way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine and improve cardiovascular health. If you work on a high floor, consider taking the stairs for a few flights before switching to the elevator. 6️⃣Do Desk Exercises There are a variety of exercises that can be done at your desk to help incorporate movement into your workday. Some examples include calf raises, desk push-ups, and chair squats. Small changes can add up and make a big difference in your overall health. Let’s take the first step in breaking up sedentary time and start moving more! It is important to note that activity is different from exercise and should not be seen as a replacement. Start moving today and prioritise movement over sitting whenever possible!!

Fatty liver!! 1 in 3 Indians suffer from Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease! Nearly 38% indians have some or the other stage of Non alcoholic fatty liver disease. As the name suggests, fatty liver is when there is excess fat built up in the liver. Some amount of fat in the liver is natural and required. But, if the fat weight exceeds about 5% of the liver weight, it is considered to be a fatty liver. 🔸Types of fatty liver There are two main types: 1️⃣   Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) 2️⃣   Alcoholic fatty liver disease, also called alcoholic steatohepatitis 🔸Alcoholic fatty liver Drinking large amounts of alcohol, even for a few days can lead to increased fat buildup in the liver. The liver is where all the alcohol we consume is metabolized, hence maximum damage happens here.  It is the 1st stage of alcohol-realted liver damage.   🔸Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) NAFLD is a type of fatty liver disease that is not related to heavy alcohol use 1️⃣   NAFLD,in which u have fat in ur liver but little/no inflammation/liver cell damage,recently renamed as metabolic-dysfunction related fatty liver disease 2️⃣   Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) The severe form of NAFLD is called NASH or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in which there is fat deposition, inflammation as well as scarring in the liver. Risk factors for NAFLD 🔹Overweight/obesity 🔹A high waist to hip ratio Ideal- for Men: ≤0.90 For women: ≤0.85 🔹Insulin resistance 🔹Type 2 diabetes 🔹Dyslipidemia 🔹Metabolic syndrome (presence of diabetes, high lipid levels, hypothyroidism, high uric acid)   Other risk factors👇 🔹Genetic history 🔹Sedentary lifestyle 🔹Consumption of processed foods 🔹Stress 🔹Smoking 🔹Erratic Sleep Schedule 🔹Heavy metal toxicity like mercury&lead are surprisingly common. These come through food,breathing in industrial areas 🔹Certain medication   🔸Tracking the progress If you have ticked more than 3 of the above causes, you might be at risk. Get Your blood work done as well as a sonography along with Fibroscan Blood tests👇 🔹Fasting Insulin 🔹HbA1c 🔹FBS 🔹GGT 🔹Lipid profile 🔹SGPT/OT 🔹ESR 🔹hs-CRP   🔸Why has it become so common? The reason is our sedentary lifestyle. Our food is more processed. Sleep schedules are not in sync with circadian rhythm, &we are putting in more toxins through pollution, food additive , coupled with ⬆️prevalence of IR, type 2 diabetes, obesity 🔸Dietary and lifestyle changes to manage fatty liver👇 🔹 Eliminate/avoid Sugar-sweetened beverages and fructose-containing processed foods. ▪️For example: sauces & condiments, fruit juices, cold drink, packaged sweets- cup cakes, pastries, cookies, biscuits, chocolates ▪️Sugar switches on fat production in liver, creating an internal process called lipogenesis, which is body’s normal response to sugar. Fructose, sugar that heads directly to  liver, actually ramps up lipogenesis. ▪️Excess sugar and starch creates more serious problems including high triglycerides, low HDL, and high amounts of small LDL cholesterol . ▪️So, reduce ur fructose intake - avoid fruit platters, fruit juices (even if it's home made without sugar). ▪️Restrict the number of fruit to 1-2  small fruit/day. ▪️Eliminate all high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). 🔹Maintain a Healthy Weight If you're overweight or obese, try to reduce your weight in a healthy way. Losing even a small percentage of your body weight can significantly reduce fat in the liver. Depending on your level of fatty liver recommendations could be 3-5%/as much as 10% 🔹Keep diabetes, hypertension, & hyperlipidemia under control, get regular checkups &use medication, if required A combination of diabetes, hypertension &dyslipidemia can contribute towards fatty liver, so managing the blood sugar, triglyceride &HDL level would be very important! 🔹A calorie deficit, Low carb, high protein and high fat diet balanced with good amount of vegetables - is mainstay in managing fatty liver. When you go low-carb, you also need to make sure that you balance it out with quality proteins and fats. 🔹Add healthy fats Avoid hydrogenated oils, vegetable oils, soyabean oil. Instead of these refined oils u can use healthier cooking option like cold pressed coconut oil, mustard oil, ghee &olive oil Fatty fish rich in omega 3 fatty acid - sardine, mackerel, salmon can be included 🔹Eat more fibre Increasing fibre intake improves the gut microbiota, which reduces liver damage and inflammation. Fibre-rich meals also help with portion control, thereby supporting healthy fat loss. 🔹Avoid refined flour products  Refined flour foods-croissants, khari, rusk, breads, biscuits, cakes. They cause spike in blood glucose levels, leading to increased fat buildup in the liver 🔹Include Garlic, it contains a compound-Allicin that reduces inflammation in the liver 🔹Include cruciferous vegetables like- Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage This family of vegetables contain sulphur compounds that play an important role in the detoxification process in the liver.   They also contain "Indole" a compound that is known to reduce inflammation in liver 🔹Black coffee, black and green tea are excellent for the liver since they contain antioxidants & polyphenols. Coffee intake has been shown to reduce fatty liver disease. Ideally, it is black coffee, no sugar, no milk, a minimum of 2 cups/day, complete intake before late evening 🔹 Routine daily exercise improves insulin resistance and reduces fatty liver. Start with something as simple as walking for 30min/day  Exercise they has benefits on fatty liver - aerobic exercise, resistance training & high- intensity interval training 🔹Sleep: Quality sleep is imp for body to repair. 7-8hrs of sleep is imp to allow the cells to regenerate &heal. Toxins produced by the liver r then effectively removed. Poor sleep has been linked to obesity, insulin resistance& inflammation factors they can exacerbate NAFLD 🔹 Manage Stress stress can have significant impact on liver health. when we experience stress, the body releases stress hormone-cortisol which can effect  liver function   Cortisol release may be linked to insulin resistance and inflammation, which could⬆️ the amount of fat stored in the liver cells

Doing a regular body check-up can help doctors diagnose a disease before it poses high risk. Reduces the risk of complication during treatment – once you are diagnosed with a health condition at an early stage, the complexity and risk involved are less when compared to diagnosing at a very late stage. ⌛️Regular medical check-ups play an important role in preventing disease and maintaining good health. By visiting a doctor for routine check-ups, the development of dangerous diseases can be detected at an early stage. ⌛️Annual medical check-ups allow you to monitor the dynamics of your body condition, control blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and carry out tests. Doctors can assess risk factors and warn about possible health problems when they can still be prevented. ⌛️Regular check-ups with a dentist, ophthalmologist, gynaecologist and other specialists are also important. They allow you to diagnose diseases at early stages of development. For example, timely treatment of tooth decay will prevent tooth decay and costly prosthetics. Following are the pathology tests that are generally part of a routine health checkup: Blood and Urine Tests. Lipid Profile Test. Cardiology: Chest X-Ray, ECG & 2D Echo Cardiography. Vitamin Check. Abdominal Check: Ultrasonography of Abdomen & Pelvis. Thyroid Function Tests: TSH, T3, T4.  

Those participants who meditated showed enhanced activity in the brain centers that control pain and they also experienced less pain as a result. A bigger study of 3,500 people researched the effects of habitual meditation. The study found that meditation helped to reduce complaints of intermittent or chronic pain HEALTH BENEFITS OF MEDITATION 👌 Reducing stress levels Meditation is a great way to manage stress and anxiety. It helps to reduce the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and promotes relaxation of the body and mind. 👌 Improving Mental Health Regular meditation practice can help manage depression, anxiety and other mental health problems.  👌 Strengthen the immune system Meditation can increase the activity of natural killer cells (NK cells) in the body, which helps fight infections and diseases more effectively. 👌 Improving concentration and memory  Meditation can help improve focus and concentration ability. It can also improve memory and cognitive function. 👌 Reducing pain Meditation can help manage chronic pain such as migraine, arthritis or spinal problems. It helps to relax muscles and reduce the perception of pain. HOW TO START PRACTISING MEDITATION 🐬 Find a quiet place. Choose a quiet place where you won't be disturbed. This can be a room in your home or a secluded place outdoors. 🐬 Adopt a comfortable posture. Sit on the floor or on a chair with a straight back. You can use a pillow or block for support. 🐬 Focus on your breathing. Close your eyes and begin to pay attention to your breathing. Focus on the sensations as you inhale and exhale. 🐬 Let the thoughts go. When thoughts come into your mind, simply observe them without judgement or evaluation. Allow them to go away just as they appeared. 🐬 Start with short sessions. Start by practising meditation for 5-10 minutes a day and gradually increase the time to 20-30 minutes. 🐬 Be consistent. Regular meditation practice is key to its effectiveness. Try to find time each day for your practice.