Ok. There’s a good chance you are IT Savvy, big on social media and love punching away the keyboard. And if you happen to be earning a decent package then there is a fair chance that you love hanging out with your gang on weekends. So is that only on Fri nights or is Sat included. And what about that lazy hazy crazy Sunday to boot?
So what’s your favourite hangout? A coffee shop around the corner, a fast food joint in the next street or is it the cool food court in that snazzy mall? Here’s the great news. Go get your medical insurance done real fast and go for a big cover, coz you’re gonna need it bro! Now I know that sounds very uncool but there’s a big problem coming up and that’s your health.
You probably know India has one of the largest numbers cardio-vascular related patients. That’s not all, the number of Diabetic cases is going up dramatically, as well. The traditional simple diet has gone in for a rapid transformation over the last three decades since India opened up. The shift towards fast foods and quick service processed foods is beginning to take its toll. Increasingly the number of patients turning up with either heart related issues or diabetes related, are in the age profile of 25 to 40 years.
So if you believe that you are doing fine….well it’s time for a reality check.
According to a research study published in 2012 and conducted over a sixteen year period in Singapore, to study the impact of western style fast food on the Chinese Singaporean population, it was found that the impact of introducing western fast food to a relatively healthy population increased the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and coronary heart disease significantly, when compared to those who did not consume the western fast foods. (Source: Western-Style Fast Food Intake and Cardiometabolic Risk in an Eastern Country, Dr Andrew O. Odegaard, PhD, at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, along with the National University of Singapore).
Guess what? The study revealed that the participants who ate fast food most frequently were younger, better educated, smoked less and were more likely to be physically active. Rings a bell? So if you think that you are fine just because you only eat out over the weekends, well, think again.
According to the cardiologists, eating fast food twice or three times a week increases the chances of a heart related problem by 50 percent. And if you are the kind that lives on fast food four times or more in a week then the risk goes up to 80 percent.
You probably don’t realize that the number of times you eat out is enough for you to be in serious trouble pretty quickly. So it’s time for you to really start monitoring how often you eat out, what type of food you eat and how much you are eating.
If you can be smart enough to handle your career then do yourself another favour. Go try out the following:
Sleep early and get up early. Go for a brisk walk. Swing your arms actively; sideways and swimming motion. Regulate your breathing. Work up a sweat.
Walk: If you live in a flat, try walking up and walking down your apartment. In office, walk down instead of taking the lift down. This alone can give you the much needed exercise that your body needs. Weekends go for a run, if you can’t do it daily.
Watch what you eat!
Breakfast: Stick to a cereal with low-fat milk. Add a fruit. Some sprouts. If you are an egg eater, take a boiled egg white along with a toast. Remember, a toasted bread slice is better than a plain one as the toasting burns off the sugar in the bread.
Lunch: Avoid your fancy cafeteria and take along your lunchbox. Stick to low fat, non-oil diet. One roti, boiled vegetables, sprouts and a fruit would do just fine. Remember to keep your salt and sugar intake to the minimum. As you age, the impact of these get worse. So control it now.
Dinner: Try and eat early. Do break away from the Indian tradition of eating at nine and after. Try and finish your dinner not later than eight. If possible, nothing to beat a short walk if you can manage post dinner.
It will be a great idea to start swimming and/or cycling. It’s pretty in, great for health and it’s great for hanging out. Go get your friends into it too and watch your life come alive! Go do yourself a favour!
