Healthy Freak

While pregnancy is considered as a journey of joy and happiness, it comes with immense responsibilities. Looking at the increasing young population, pregnancy, if unplanned and unmanaged, could turn things upside down in personal as well as professional life. Unburdening the mind, it is essential for women to learn all about contraceptives to ensure their good health and well-being.  Getting accurate knowledge about contraceptives and being prepared calls for no harm. A lot of contraceptives are available in the market which ensures planned parenthood. Ranging from the intrauterine device (IUD), hormonal contraception to condoms, etc. opting for birth control pills is one such method that is 99% effective in most cases. While choosing an appropriate contraceptive method, it is essential to consider elements like health safety, effectiveness, availability (including accessibility and affordability), and acceptability. A detailed medical consultation could be the first step towards a...

Parenting is exciting and joyful but it is also equally exhausting and just not easy.  As much as the sight, touch and smell of a newborn is a thing of delight, babycare often becomes laborious, especially for new parents. In addition to sleepless nights, drastic lifestyle changes and painstaking schedules,  this new phase brings with it a whole lot of responsibility, care and dedication. To ensure you get off to a good start, we have collated some smart hacks that simplify the art of babycare from bonding and feeding to bathtime. Here’s how you can make parenting fun, exciting and stress-free. Strengthen your bond and their bones Little ones are fragile and delicate which makes touching, handling or holding them seem overwhelming. However, research proves that holding your baby for over 2 hours helps them cry less and grow better. It is important here to note that the neck muscles of newborns are not fully developed, therefore, your little ones need support under their heads ...

Do you find it hard to gain weight? And even those extra-cheese burgers or  ghee-laden parathas  fail to add the bulges? Even if the majority is finding ways to shed the extra pounds, being skinny is a matter of concern too. A little planning and good food nutrition could take you a step closer to gaining healthy weight and overall wellness.  While being naturally skinny is healthy for some people, it’s always good to keep a tab on your body mass index (BMI). Anything below 18.5 in the BMI scale taking into account the height and weight is considered underweight. While for some, genetics could be behind the slender figure and for others, it could be the body’s signal to an underlying illness. If left untreated, low weight could lead to health conditions including hair loss, malnourishment, delayed development and growth, anemia, infertility, weakened immune system as well as osteoporosis among others. Be sure to consult a medical professional if you experience rapid weigh...

Fellow sufferers, is your back so stiff that you can barely crawl out of bed in the morning despite a full night’s sleep? Does it hurt to stand in queues or during those walks to the pharmacy store? Then, read on to know all about managing that nagging pain in the back! Searing, pulsating and excruciating backaches are truly the worst of all uncomfortable conditions that can cause disruptive implications to one’s overall quality of life. Apart from restricting free movement, resulting in missed workdays and oodles of discomfort, backaches often bring out our most grumpy side to the fore. The pain often doubles up especially in the absence of a single soul around to help. As back pain strikes, life itself loses some of its joys. We’re sure you’ll agree.  While back pain is an umbrella term for any discomfort in the lower or upper back, its types are mostly based on the intensity of the pain being experienced. The term chronic back pain refers to any pain that lasts more than three ...

You already know that ‘skincare is not a one size fits all deal’, right? And you also do know that our skin has its types. But do you think mere adjectives like dry, sensitive, oily, combination and normal alone can determine the behavior of the largest living organ of the body? Well, does thickness, temperature, suppleness, color, and other crucial skin characteristics have no role to play? Thank God for Ayurveda that defines all the inherent aspects of the skin and has a unique understanding of skincare. Here’s how! Ayurvedic skin type is known to be influenced by our unique body type or  Prakriti  or due to an imbalance of a  dosha . That’s right, the skin is likely to show distinct characteristics based on the predominance of a particular  dosha . Read on, to see the unique characteristic that each dominant  dosha  brings to your skin and how these play a role in your skincare regime. Vata  Skin Is your skin cool to touch but also quite dry? Is it ...

A few facial lines can be endearing, but premature signs of aging can leave you by surprise! With age, these changes can not be avoided but slowed down if they are happening much before you are ready to embrace them.  Have you also started noticing dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles and other skin changes? They may not necessarily be a sign of the aging process but an excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, poor dietary habits coupled with stress fuels aging of the skin. Here are a few things you can do to reverse the damage that has already been done to your skin and infuse it with a natural glow: 1. Stick to a regular skin-care regime : A daily skincare routine can help you maintain healthy, soft and supple skin. Make cleansing, toning and moisturizing your daily ritual to intensely revitalise your skin. Likewise, a proper self-care regime can keep many infections, allergies and skin conditions at bay. Healthy lifestyle habits and suitable skin-care products regulate various s...

The 31st May 2020,  Man Ki Baat  session conducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on the significance of Yoga during the coronavirus crisis. In his address to the nation, the PM emphasized how Yoga is “good for the community, immunity and unity”.  With the launch of “Yoga at Home, Yoga with Family” campaign the Ministry of Ayush urges the nation to practice Yoga at home, to counter the effects of the global pandemic and boost overall health. Today, as we celebrate International Yoga Day, let’s explore the discipline further and unleash its greatness from the inside out.  The term Yoga is a derivation of the Sanskrit word  “Yuj”  which means yoke or union. The ancient Vedic practice, therefore, celebrates the harmonious union of body and mind extending its benefits to both faculties. Yogic practice incorporates the triple powers of breathing exercises,  asanas  or poses and meditation to bring the mind, the body and the spirit in a state ...