Is a Gold medal really worth it?

Forbes India Blog:

It’s amazing to see that for the longest time in history, we have been so crazy about winning, rather, wanting someone else to win a gold medal at the highest level in any sports in an arena. A lot of effort, time and money is spent in pursuit of that much-sought-after award. 

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The fizzy healthcare industry

Forbes India blog:

I bring up the issue of fizzy drinks as currently there is a big move on in the UK where the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, comprising of 220,000 doctors, is demanding the government to levy extra taxes on fizzy drinks.

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Think thrice before you choose your sports trainer

Forbes Blog India:

When a fitness trainer, attached to a premiere tennis academy tells me that muscle imbalances and poor posture are bound to happen in kids playing tennis for 4 hrs a day, I simply lose it.

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Medical Columns in newspapers

"Shut your eyes to the medical columns of the newspapers, and you will save yourself many forebodings and symptoms."
— Samuel Hopkins Adams
'The Sure-Cure School,' Collier’s Weekly (14 Jul 1906). Reprinted in The Great American Fraud (1907), 84.

This holds true even after more than a century. Most folks take every word in the newspaper as gospel-word without appreciating the source and person who has just taken something out of context without even understanding the condition and making it very sexy and sell-able.

Disclaimer: I write for a health column in Mint newspaper. The intention is always to present very well researched but simple advice to problems.

Most efficient and practical cardio-vascular exercise session

With marathon boom happening in India, people are confusing passion with activities like long distance running being best for your health. It was in 2007, during India's first Ultra marathon held in Bangalore, where the maximum distance was for 78 km, I did 100 km. The race organisers could not comprehend triple digits and it didn't show up on their results page. But during first weekend of October 2012, an ultra marathon was organised around Bhatti Mines where twelve people had signed up for 100 miles.

I am very clear in my head that I run because I am crazy about it. So might be the case with folks who attempted 100 miles. From 3-4 such people in 2007, today we have over a hundred who would happily enter for 100 km race. In 2006, there would a few hundred who would sign up forna marathon but today I would imagine more than a lakh run a marathon every year.

But for maintaining health and health benefits from cardio-vascular exercise, it's shorter duration higher intensity exercise that is more important. I usually suggest people to have 30-45 minutes brisk. Now, there is evidence for the same.

Intensity versus duration of physical activity: implications for the metabolic syndrome. A prospective cohort study -- Laursen et al. 2 (5) -- BMJ Open
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/5/e001711.full

Pain killers before exercise bad for you

Source WebMD

Popping a painkiller such as ibuprofen to ward off exercise pain or anticipated pain is a common practice among athletes of many ability levels.

Some think it will also improve performance as it reduces pain.

But the practice may be hazardous, according to new research that focused on the use of the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen before and after workouts.

"We conclude that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) consumption by athletes is not harmless and should be discouraged," writes Kim van Wijck, MD, a surgical resident at ORBIS Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Click here to read more

Intensity versus duration of physical activity - British Medical Journal

Implications for the metabolic syndrome. A prospective cohort study -- Laursen et al. 2 (5) -- BMJ Open

To read the full article, click here

Spinal steroid shots may have little effect on sciatica - Chicago Tribune

Despite the growing popularity of steroid injections to treat various kinds of back pain in recent years, a new review of past research finds the shots do little to alleviate sciatica, a common condition that causes leg and back pain.

To read the full article by Chicago Tribune, click here

Early death link to muscle power - BBC

How muscular you are as a teenager may predict how long you might live, at least if you are a man, findings suggest.

Experts stress the findings do not mean muscle building makes you live longer.

The effect of poor muscular fitness in those tracked was similar to well established risk factors for early death, such as obesity and high blood pressure.

For full article, Click here 

The challenge of medical empowerment

"Rather than just reform healthcare, efforts should be made to help people maintain or regain their own health"

The title of this post was also the title of the piece done by someone else today in Mint newspaper. I was so excited to see someone else talk in my tone that I just needed to steal the title.

To read the full story, click here

Below is my response which never made it to the newspaper.

I just read your brilliant piece in Mint Newspaper titled 'The challenge of medical empowerment'. Thanks a million miles for an amazing piece, questioning the whole healthcare industry in a very sutle manner.