Medical Columns

"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.

Holds true even after more than a century.

The hollow medals

Forbes India Blog:

"We are under exercised as a nation. We look instead of play. We ride instead of walk. Our existence deprives us of the minimum of physical activity essential for healthy living." These words of wisdom by President John F. Kennedy, sums up my passion about the need for a move-mint in India. Our own Mahatma Gandhi had said, "It is health that is real wealth, not pieces of silver and gold."

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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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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.

Making Champions, Sacrificing Childhood

A few days ago, I received a call from a gentleman who wanted to make his 9 year old son a badminton world champion. He needed my help to get his fitness levels up to the mark.

The problem was that this gentleman wasn't interested in his kid, but was looking only for a world champ. The kid pain thanks to playing the sport without being fit enough, but the father didn't seem too bothered about that.

Just make it more interesting, he then told me that he could do training with his son. Why did he need us or any one else?

I just wasn't sure why he had come to us in the first place.

It's sad to see that kids are used commodities, and not as living beings, leave alone sons and daughters. Can there be some legislation for this?

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.

Health First, Medals Later

There is a lot more to playing sports than simply winning

Recently, a father came to me with his eight-year-old son. He wanted his child to become a future world champion in badminton. He wanted me to assess and then address his son’s physical fitness, which he felt was lacking. I was given 18 months to raise the child’s fitness level to international standards. I loved the challenge because I thought I had full parental support and we were on the same page.

To read more, check the story here ... http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/d5GIPv5mCn4Pmf8zESVD8J/Health-first-medals-later.html

Physical Activity: Cancer's biggest nemesis

On 4th March 2012, I had been invited to speak at Asian Breast Cancer Conference on 'Weight Gain, Diet & Physical Activity issues in Breast Cancer Survivors'. But I wasn't planning on going there and be another yes man. It was on purpose I focused only on Physical Activity, otherwise in trying to address to many issues, I would have diluted the most important one.

I took the oncology fraternity to task.

Is Cardio workout bad for you (for weight loss or otherwise)?

A friend of mine shared an article that spoke about 'How dangerous traditional cardio workout is for weight loss program.'

I have done a lot of articles on these topics, and always after thorough research. One of them is here... http://www.newslaundry.com/2012/03/quack-quack/ Scroll down till you see a BBC piece that I have spoken about.

For the piece in question, my response is below in red font.

This Type of Exercise can Damage your Heart

by Craig Ballantyne, CTT

Contributor:  Men's Health Magazine

Creator:  Turbulence Training

'Turbulence', are you serious! That is a very constructive term to have for name or training. My confidence level in whatever I am going to read next hasn't really sky rocketed though. Men's Health is not by any means a critically reviewed medical journal, which I am used, so I am going to be tough on them. 

Old story, new cover

Just read their (Vardan) website, they have created new words for therapy and treatments that already exist. They also base their physical therapy protocol upon fundamentally flawed 'functional training'. Just trying to blind all with razzle dazzle.

Functional Manual Therapy = osteopathy, physio or a combination massage methodologies.

Functional Mobilization™ (FM) and Soft Tissue Mobilization = see above

Automatic Core Engagement (ACE) = automatic and exists within patients with back pain regardless of training. Main issue is a delay in recruitment that functional training struggles to affect

Functional Tests = the body will always get better when practicing a skill so testing for a movement you're practicing is always going to show improvement - catch is you need to practice every movement possible (infinite)

- By Kieran Lowe, London

Osteopath & Sports Rehab

Starting to communicate better

Starting today, we will be using this blog, as it's a more dynamic communication tool.

Stay tuned in.

Testimonial: Severe Knee Pain to running 111km

Percy Fernandez:

I remember the evening I couldn't walk as I stepped outside the Metro. The pain was excruciating on my right knee as I simply couldn't walk. Thankfully, Rajat was with me as we were going into a meeting. And here I am, after a year. Stronger and wiser.

Thanks to them, I managed to run 111km on 11.11.11.

I love Rajat's approach to wellness. Holistic, I would say for want of a better word. Perhaps that's because he is a runner. His team is an illusion of magicians. They are professional to their marrow. They engage you. They can talk. And ofcourse, walk the talk. Most importantly, they are bunch of young, charming and vivacious boys and girls who add to that magical touch. Keep it up and keep up the good work.

Testimonial: Low Back Pain

Dear Dr Rajat,

Greetings for the day!

Few days back I had came to your clinic as a man who was having all kinds of pain (which no one should imagine also) in lower back and right leg. With weak muscle, rather super week muscle as Vish used to say.

I still remember that day you said to me that we will cure you, don’t worry, and this statement was not only a statement but it has come true after the regular sessions at B2F.

I must thank you and Vish for the effort you all have put in to help make my pain disappear and helped me in gaining the strength to my legs. Here in B2F the way of treatment is so positive that no one can feel that he is suffering from any problems. I would also like to say that you have best team especially Vish, he is most descent and friendly guy I ever meet and at the same time his approach to treatment is outstanding. He is not only given me good therapy but also has made me understand how to overcome these problems, if they were to appear in the future.

And lastly, I will add if any one wants to see magic, don’t go to any magic show, just visit Dr. Rajat at B2F and you will see a real magic.

Thanks for your help and support.

I wish a great marathon success.

Regards,

Rishav Sahay