It is critical to understand how to use isolation to your advantage during a Covid pandemic. Eating a balanced diet and getting 30 minutes of exercise every day can help our bodies prevent, fight, and recover from ailments. While no dietary supplements can avoid or cure COVID-19 infection, healthy eating habits and regular exercise are essential for immune system support.

5 Ways To Include Exercise And A Good Diet In Your Isolation Routine 

During these testing times, when the entire world is in lockdown, it becomes imperative to remain focused and disciplined. Setting achievable targets for a day, and maintaining a positive mindset helps one to stay motivated and energetic. In our efforts to remain engaged during the Isolation period, health should be guarded jealously. Both physical and mental health must be looked after during isolation. To remain fit, exercise and proper diet should be included in your isolation routine.

Exercise Routine At Home

According to health experts, there are different ways to exercise in your isolation routine while remaining indoors. If followed rigorously, they can help you to maintain your health. Let us discuss some of these good practices in detail.

 

Yoga - Yoga is an elixir for humans, that keeps mental and physical health in perfect shape. During these challenging times, anxiety pervades our minds affecting our physical health too. Under such circumstances, yoga comes to your rescue. Yoga can be practised in limited areas within our homes with ease.

 

If one isn’t familiar with yoga postures, plenty of certified yoga instructors on youtube or other social media platforms can help you in performing and perfecting the yoga postures. 

 

The health benefits of yoga are universally acknowledged and are best suited for your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being during the isolation period. It is a cost-effective, simple and highly efficient way to rope in your isolation routine and remain healthy.

Light exercises - Another method to maintain fitness is to follow an exercise regimen at home. An individual can include light exercises in his morning routine or can do simple tasks in patches throughout the day.

 

Skipping rope is a great cardio exercise and increases muscle strength. Skipping of cable can be carried out according to comfort for any length of time. Apart from the flexible time limit, it can be practised at any period of the day.

 

Alternatively, if one has a treadmill at home, that is a great way to exercise and maintain fitness with ease. Otherwise, push-ups, pull-ups, lunges, or weight exercise using household items as weights can also come in handy.

 

These are light exercises that can be conveniently practised at home to achieve fitness goals and are especially recommended for fitness enthusiasts.

Climbing Stairs - Due to lockdown going to the gym isn't possible anymore; however, one way to remain healthy is to climb the stairs of your house or building in which you live. Climbing stairs is an ideal workout to increase stamina and is an easy way to include in an isolation routine. However, one should refrain from touching the railing of the stairs. Stair workout is trendy among athletes and is an ideal workout during isolation. There are plenty of videos in social media where famous athletes have resorted to this exercise to be in shape.

Dancing or Zumba - Isolation can make anyone lazy and non-productive. It is, therefore, necessary to self motivate oneself in different ways. If one gets tired of following the same exercise routine every day, then he can choose dancing as a means to exercise. It is a fun way to lose weight and increase agility.

 

There are different dance forms such as Zumba, Latin dance, aerobic dance, or Bollywood style of dancing that are ideal ways to relieve stress besides keeping you in shape.

 

Dancing boosts metabolism, strengthens body muscles and keeps you happy. Dancing is a complete body workout and can be easily performed at home. It is a simple and entertaining way to include in your isolation routine. So, happy hours coupled with fitness is a recommended recipe during the lockdown. 

Gardening or Cleaning Home - Not many people realize the fitness benefit of cleaning home by themselves daily. It is an easy and cost-effective exercise to remain healthy. Performing simple tasks like sweeping or mopping the floor or cleaning windows, cleaning your vehicle burn extra fat and relieve your stress.

 

Similarly, gardening makes you squat, tone your abdomen and pressure applied on thighs, arms, strengthen them. These are simple ways to include in your isolation routine and can work wonders on your mental and physical well-being.

Steroids for fitness 

While remaining indoors, some people who were into the body-building routine may not get the opportunity to visit gyms. Such individuals may be tempted to take Human grade steroids to boost their energy level.

 

The human-grade steroids are of different types and if taken without medical prescription may end up damaging vital body organs. A person can also become addicted and face severe health emergencies. It is advisable to take a properly nutritious diet followed by exercises to build muscles and avoid steroids as they are incredibly harmful.  

Food For Your Health

Food for boosting health 

Embracing exercise routine during self-isolation keeps your body and mind focussed and energized. However, exercises are not sufficient to keep you healthy. It would be best if you eat a healthy diet regularly to boost your immune system. Isolation is a perfect excuse to dwell on satisfying your taste buds with healthy foods.

 

It is essential to take a diet which is rich in protein, fibre and minerals to tide over the crisis time with comfort. It would be best if you take small meals at regular intervals of time. A critical aspect of a healthy diet is to plan and ensure that you have all the required ingredients. However, processed food should be avoided, and more fresh fruits and vegetables should be included in your diet.

 

Apart from a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients, it is equally important to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day. You should drink lukewarm water or fresh fruit juice frequently, especially after exercising as one loses water by sweating.

Conclusion 

During the self-isolation period, one is likely to feel lost and wasted. It is the right time to see the brighter side of life and be self-motivated. Home workouts are essential to keep yourself free of any physical or mental problems. Similarly, plenty of rest, spending time with friends and family and munching a balanced diet at regular intervals keeps your immunity healthy. Keeping positive thoughts also helps in relieving stress, and maintaining a hearty lifestyle, a vital necessity during the isolation period.

Maharashtra Demands More Ventilators Amid Covid -19 Pandemic

Maharashtra Demands 2000 Ventilator From Center 

As of April 22, Maharashtra has the maximum number of COVID-19 patients and highest mortality rate in the country.

With the rising number of Covid-19 patients across the state, the Maharashtra government has asked the Center to step in and provide 2000 more ventilators. The concern being doubling of cases rapidly and virus entering new territories across the state. The state medical authorities are actively preparing to contain the crisis.

Lockdown Extension  

The first phase of the lockdown helped in no community transformation of the virus. Within Maharashtra, 90% of the cases have been registered from Mumbai, Pune and Metropolitan region around Mumbai, while the rest of the state accounts for 10% cases.

However, due to the exponential spike in new cases, the Maharashtra government has extended the lockdown till April 30.

How to contain pandemic?

The state government has now devised a new strategy to combat the pandemic. The measures include fever clinics to monitor potential carriers of the virus, a substantial increase in testing, door to door survey, drone surveillance in crowded areas, stringent enforcement of social distancing norms and containment zones to stop the transmission of the virus.

Health Care 

The Maharashtra state health department has designated 120 hospitals with approximately 4000 ICU beds for critical COVID -19 patients. Vacant residential complexes, schools, guest houses, hotels, etc. are converted into health care centres for providing medical aid to quarantine patients with mild symptoms of COVID -19.

Objective 

The key goal is to stop the transmission by curing the patients and slow down the disease spread, thereby flattening the curve.

The government has estimated the requirements and is stockpiling the medical essentials like medicines, oxygen cylinders and hence the demand to supply 2000 ventilators from central government.

One of the most eagerly awaited books for readers includes 14 additional military tales of incredible bravery and supreme sacrifice.

India's Most Fearless - 2 (Review) 

 As the name suggests, this is the second book of the "India's Most Fearless" series by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh. 

The book is a flowering tribute to the valour of the Indian armed forces and their indomitable spirit to defend the motherland. 

The souls who, despite towering odds, performed assigned duties miraculously, at times sacrificing themselves for the nation without remorse. The book sheds light on their lives, their families and, in a few cases, even their plans, which didn't fructify.

Description

 The real-life stories are meticulously crafted with dedication and are a sincere attempt by authors to give a sneak peek into the lives of our warriors.

The book narrates tales of men/women from the three services who conducted their duties feverishly while stationed in different parts of the nation. These stories are about courage, discipline, humility, patriotism, and devotion towards the country and the dignity with which it is executed. 

This book kept the momentum and enthraled the readers with a mix of emotions throughout. There are 14 separate accounts in this book, but one unique and underlying attribute surfaces in each one of them, the mental endurance to be at the frontline risk.

Summary

The authors have carried out extensive research and presented real-life stories without hyperbole. The book makes one realize that the sacrifices rendered by our heroes and their families deserve to be told among the citizenry.

Image Courtesy - Google 

Covid -19

As we all know, Covid-19 arrived on our shores and appeared as the biggest dystopian threat our generation has ever faced. Not only the unprecedented scenario has thrown life out of balance with travel bans, lockdowns, and eventually curfew enforced by the respective Indian state governments, but our fiscal, medical, administrative capabilities are stretched to the hilt. While the most significant element in avoiding local transmission of the virus is the engagement of people with the right knowledge and precautions, yet the impact of Covid-19 on individuals and society can't be ignored. While India is struggling to rid itself of Covid-19's stranglehold, its impact is noticeable in several forms like physical, mental and economical.

Physical Impact - 

As the spread of Covid-19 takes place in phases, through imposing travel restrictions, the government has taken measures to prevent the spread of the virus from imploding in society by community dissemination which is analogous to the third level. The closing down of schools and colleges and the postponement of both academic and competitive examination was the first step the government initiated to frisk children out of the path of injury, and to sensitize parents by creating awareness about the disease and retain children indoors. The measure was taken to ensure children who have a relatively weaker immune system can be protected from Covid-19. 

Other steps introduced to curb the spread of the virus include stringent adherence to medical surveillance at international airports to detect and isolate any Covid-19 infected inbound traveler and closure of all popular tourist destinations.

Subsequently, the government's restrictive measures involve lockdowns in 75 districts accompanied by the full lockdown of vulnerable states until March 31, which is rational and may be expanded further depending on the emerging conditions. The lockdown was followed by a curfew in several states, such as Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttrakhand, etc., and the imposition of the epidemic act on mischievous elements violating the administrative actions. 

The complete shutdown of public transportation, minimal attendance of public servants in government departments and rigid compliance to travel restrictions were initiatives intended to scuttle the transmission of the virus in the community. 

The government's action has brought the country to a standstill, with a significant section of people are confined indoors.

Mental - 

As social isolation becomes necessary to mitigate the transmission of the virus, confinement of a large population in their respective homes can become extremely stressful for few. There is a great deal of panic, irritability, paranoia, and stress that builds up due to a lack of information or misinformation. The mass hysteria created by media and unsolicited advice and assumptions through social media further create anxiety, confusion, and stress among people making them behave irrationally like stockpiling of essentials. The mental health of children should be closely monitored as they are not only vulnerable but also most threatened under such circumstances. 

"Medical studies analyzed have shown that more than 20 percent of the people quarantined during SARS epidemic registered feelings of anxiety, while 18 percent claimed they felt worried, 18 percent sad and 10 percent guilty. Some reported post Traumatic Stress (PTS) symptoms."

When a large section of the population is debarred from attending social recreational activities in addition to self-isolation or quarantine guidelines, such restrictions may have immediate and probably long-term mental health impacts. In such challenging times when outdoor social interaction is limited sticking together as a family and participating in creative activities not only strengthens family bonds but also is an effective method to deal with mental stress.

Economic Impact -

The global economic impact of Covid-19 is catastrophic with a bloodbath in equity and commodity markets wiping out investor's wealth across continents. With quarantines and lockdowns in China have crippled supply chains across the world and across industries, India isn't insulated from the economic meltdown either. The severe shortage of essential components and raw materials have exposed the vulnerabilities of the manufacturing sector thoroughly dependent on China. From electronics to pharmaceutical and electrical to automobile the embattled industrial sector is battered and sulking in uncharted territory. 

The MSME ( Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) sector which is the backbone of the Indian economy is passing through the toughest phase. It provides employment to 18 crore people while contributing significantly to the growth and India's GDP($1,183 billion). With the economic recession looming, these MSMEs who were already reeling from the paucity of funds due to NBFC credit crises are facing double whammy one of the dwindling demand scenarios and raw material supply and are unlikely to recover unless immediate fiscal stimulus is provided by the government.

With travel regulations in a place bustling restaurants, markets, sprawling malls bore deserted look leading to job losses at a rapid pace. Health emergency leading to restrictions is stifling the economy and is turning into a financial crisis in India.

Rating agency Moody's has slashed its 2020 growth projection for India to 5.4% from 6.6% forecast earlier on the back of slower recovery, citing largely domestic factors and cautioning that global economy will be adversely impacted by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.