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HT Readers’ take: Make fitness your new mantra
Tricity residents feel that authorities must take steps such as organising community health and wellness programmes besides marathons and other sports events to motivate people towards adopting a healthier lifestyle. On an individual level, residents will do well to limit their screen time and avoid junk food, they say
Yoga and meditation sessions
Lifestyle diseases have become a major contributor in rise of lifestyle diseases. All of us should help in reducing the frequency of such diseases in City Beautiful. Authorities must organise yoga and meditation sessions in the lungs of the city- the neighbourhood parks and gardens. Moreover, each of us should turn towards healthy food and shun all junk food.
Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh
Healthy lifestyle necessary in times of pandemic
People must adopt an active lifestyle to stay fit. It’s not necessary to go strenuous exercise regimes, just 45 minutes of light exercise a day and healthy food can help keep the doctor away. Just one person resolving to get fit and healthy, can change the lifestyle of the whole family. We need to turn the lens on fitness, especially in these trying times of the pandemic.
Shubham Dhiman, via email
Junk food a major concern
Residents of the tricity are more health conscious than those in other cities. Luckily for them, they also have a range of facilities, including parks, green belts, gyms etc at walking distance from their homes. The only problem here is the consumption of junk food and inactive lifestyle, especially among children who spend long hours in front of mobile and computer screens. Schools could go a long way in enforcing healthy lifestyle values among children.
DS Banati, Mohali
Regular check-ups must
Sadly, despite living in city with a luxurious lifestyle, people here are losing out on the health quotient. People need to adopt healthier habits, such as going for exercise and morning walks. They must also avoid fast food and carbonated drinks. Regular check-ups can help detect any underlying issues at an early stage. People should start by preparing a time-table for sleep, exercise and meals.
Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali
Make simple changes
Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension can be prevented or at least controlled by following some simple measures, such as regular workout, brisk walking, cycling, and shunning fast food. People can make simple switches in the lifestyle, such as using cycles instead of cars for commute. Using the stairs instead of the lift and playing in the park instead of on computers.
Som Gupta, Pinjore
Awareness campaigns can help
Hectic lifestyles have increased the prevalence of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity among residents, which is especially worrying in times of the pandemic. The need of the hour is to start public awareness campaigns and encourage people of all age groups to take up physical activities, such as morning & evening walks, exercise, yoga, & meditation. Rather, it should be made compulsory for all age groups. Further, there is need to control consumption of fast food.
Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali
Catch them young
City beautiful is blessed with green belts and large areas under forest cover, but ironically, many among us are unmoved by this ‘privilege’ and ‘pleasure’. Schools and colleges should have health and fitness programmes so that students can be taught the importance of a healthy lifestyle at a young age. Parents must also discourage children from excessive use of mobile phones for gaming and entertainment. Instead, they should be encouraged to take up cycling, swimming and other such activities.
Shammi Bhatia, via email
Community health initiatives
Educational institutes, local authorities and residents’ welfare associations must work together and get people to adopt an active lifestyle by organising sports events every weekend. This will not only encourage people to take up physical activities but also habour community bonding. Apart from this, dietitians should visit localities to guide residents about healthy eating.
Amanpreet Kaur Bains, Kurali
Planned city, sedentary lifestyle
Well-planned cities like Chandigarh which have markets, schools etc in each sector contributes to lesser physical activity. Poor public transport also leads to people sticking to personal vehicles, such as cars and two-wheelers. This means the chances of them walking or cycling to their destination, is much lower. Most adults in the city rarely use bicycles, and don’t encourage their children to do so either. Home-delivery services also make it possible for residents to get on with life without stepping out of their homes. Administration needs to organise events such as marathons etc to get residents to stay active.
Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali
Personal choice, but community initiatives
A healthy lifestyle is a personal choice. But authorities can encourage that among the masses by organising awareness programmes, community health events etc. Steps such as increasing the tax on junk food items can also help discourage its consumption to some extent. Ensuring there are parks and gyms at all walking distance from residential areas can also help people stay motivated to stick to their fitness regimes. Programmes and advertisements on lifestyle diseases and how to prevent them can also make people adopt healthier habits.
Prabhjot Nagpal, Zirakpur
Junk food, alcohol and smoking poison for the body
Health experts say that sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet are responsible for many diseases. With availability of gadgets, physical activity has substantially decreased. Ready-to-cook junk food seems to satisfy the palate but is harmful for our health. Late-night dinners, alcohol, smoking are the worst enemies of the heart and lungs. As far as possible, one must stick to home-cooked, healthy food and also take up as much physical activity as possible.
Usha Verma, Chandigarh
Yoga, the time-tested solution
A large number of lifestyle diseases can be prevented by making yoga the way of life. Spend just a few minutes of your morning practicing this age-old technique and you can be assured of a healthy life. Consuming neem and tulsi will also help keep the diseases at bay. Strong immunity is a must in these times of Covid-19.
Harnam Singh, Mohali
Zero physical activity
Technology has no doubt enhanced our productivity, ability and efficiency but at the same time, it has also led to a sedentary lifestyle. With the pandemic lockdowns, taking much of our work, education and even entertainment online, the chances of physical activity has reduced even more. Residents of Chandigarh don’t even take part in simple household chores such as cooking or cleaning, and have domestic helps to care of it. A major chunk doesn’t even go for walks or mild exercise.
Yasmin D Khosla, Panchkula
Parents, set a good example for kids
Unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise and little physical activity poses a public health hazard. Administration must step in by developing parks, gardens and gyms for the public. Institutions like schools, colleges and universities must motivate children on healthy habits and compulsory physical activity must be a part of the curriculum. Parents must also follow healthy habits to set an example for new generations. Healthy youth will lead to a healthy future of the nation.
Garv Bhupesh, Panchkula
Govts need to be the driving force
While results of the national family health survey are mixed, there have been radical improvements in maternal and child health, sex ratio and population control. Other areas, such as childhood nutrition where marginal gains are deemed insufficient, and require renewed corrective efforts. Rising figures of anaemic women and children since 2015-16 points to the need for improving the food security and nutrition supplementation schemes. The broader message is that resources that the state and society need for healthier lives will only come if governments deliver consistent and high economic growth.
Sanjay Chopra, Mohali
Prevention is better than cure
The rate of incidence of cancer in the city is alarming. Sedentary lifestyle, poor dietary habits and alcoholism are behind most diseases. Besides, with temperatures dipping, people will bring down physical activity. It is paramount that people take preventive measures and improve their lifestyle before it is too late.
SK Khosla, Chandigarh
Make use of your neighbourhood park
Chandigarh is famous for its parks and green spaces. But sadly, over the last decade, its use has come down drastically. Now, instead of parks, people go to gyms for strenuous physical fitness regimes. People also use to take pride in bringing home-cooked food. Now, they are opting for junk food packed in plastic. We need to bring back the habits of the years gone by, so as to preserve our health as much as we can. The administration can also do its bit by encouraging cycling etc, by way of introducing more cycle tracks.
Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh
Limit screen time
First and foremost, limit your screen time and time spent on social media. Instead, make time for a walk in the nature, bird watching, dance, light exercise and other such activities that will bring down your stress levels and also improve your physical health. Secondly, families must resolve to restrict the consumption of junk food. Improve your sleep and meal schedule, and during work, take at least 10 minutes off to walk around. A hectic lifestyle that leaves no time for your health and family is of no use.
Nishu Aggarwal, Panchkula
Walk, practice yoga
Lifestyle diseases such as obesity are more pronounced in affluent families because they lead a sedentary life, which makes them quite lethargic. Regular walks and yoga can help bring down diseases such as hypertension. Shed lethargy and keep away from junk food, and good health will knock on your doors.
SC Luthra, Chandigarh
A generation at risk
Health is not gained in a day. People in general should improve their lifestyle by following healthy eating habits. Incorrect and wrong eating timings, job stress, little physical exercise, lack of awareness about healthy habits is making our generations unhealthy. Administration can facilitate by providing parks, gyms and other facilities but it is our prime responsibility to follow and improve our lifestyles by following healthy habits.
Anju Mohan, Panchkula
Act before the situation gets out of hand
Diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, joint paints, vision problems and teeth decay, are rising among today’s population due to poor lifestyle habits. The UT as well as the states of Punjab and Haryana need to improve their public health policies, and work to bring down the incidence of lifestyle diseases. Preventive measures and awareness are the only way to control the problem before it gets out of hand.
P Mehta, via email
Health is wealth
Chandigarh suffers from high incidence of lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, heart-attack and hypertension. The government must take serious note of this. Lack of awareness, unhealthy eating habits, zero or little exercise are the main reason behind this. Awareness about achieving fitness through cycling, brisk walking, avoiding junk food, consuming healthy food should be spread among the masses.
Subhash Chugh, via email
Make use of mass media to promote fitness
People should start educating their kids about staying away from junk food to prevent obesity and diabetes in the long run. To encourage physical activities among residents, the authorities must organise workshops and events such as marathons from time to time. We are lucky to have open-air gyms in our neighborhood parks, but sadly these have not been put to use due to the pandemic. Each sector must hire trainers to give fitness tips to the residents. Mass media such as FM Radio etc can also play a huge role in encouraging fitness.
Vikas, via email
Forced to stay indoors
Many non communicable diseases are on account of lifestyle and occupational habits. The pandemic has also contributed to a large extent in the rise of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension etc. People were forced to stay indoors and there was no scope of any outdoor activities. Children were the most affected due to the closure of the schools. The screen time has also led to sleep and mental disorders. It is high time that we realise the importance of our health. We have to stop eating junk food and move towards more nutritious and healthy food. Daily walk, exercise, meditation and yoga can lead to better health.
Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh
Employers, it’s your responsibility too
Long working hours are also one of the contributors to lifestyle diseases. Employers must encourage their staff to have 30 minutes of yoga/ exercise break in between the shift. And parents, must make sure that their children limit the screen time and junk food consumption.
Chander Vij, via email
Political will for public health initiatives
Low political will, institution corruption and resource mismanagement also contribute to poor implementation of public health programmes. Public health promotion can be seen as the whole process of enabling or empowering people to increase control over and improve their overall health. It focuses on creating awareness of health issues, engendering behavior modification. To promote good health (physical, mental and social well-being), authorities must do whatever it takes to help people work towards better health. Social media platforms like WhatsApp and blogs can be very potent in this regard
Vineet Gandhi, Chandigarh
Reader of the week
Success stories of others can help stay motivated
We can’t force someone to leave their comfort zone, but success stories of those who have been able to turnaround their lifestyle for good can motivate others to adopt healthier habits. As a community, marathons, health camps etc can help us stay motivated towards our fitness goals. But it is upon the individual to work towards a healthy lifestyle.
Kiran Bala, Mohali
What experts say
Lifestyle changes
One should avoid trans fats and eat dinner on time. Also, non-diabetic people can fast frequently. Besides this, it is important to do physical activities to lifestyle diseases.
Dr Sanjay Bhadada, HOD, endocrinology, PGIMER
Healthy eating
People should avoid junk and processed food and have more of green veggies, fresh fruits, calcium and fiber-rich food. Eat small portions at regular intervals and exercise at least five time a week for 45 mins.
Dr KP Singh, director, endocrinology dept, Fortis Hospital, Mohali
Reduce stress
To control lifestyle diseases, people will have to increase physical activities and start using facilities, such as cycling tracks and parks, available in the city. People must also try to reduce stress by doing relaxing activities like yoga. Also, say no to fast food and trans fats.
Dr Harinder Bali, cardiologist
Yoga and exercise
Adopting exercise and yoga early in life can potentially alleviate the prevalence of preventable diseases such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, depression and anxiety.
Prof Akshay Anand, in-charge CCRYN centre for mind, body interventions by yoga, PGIMER
Get active
I think people have become very lazy nowadays. They think by just consulting dieticians they can attain fitness. Ideally people should be spending one hour everyday doing running, playing some sport, brisk walking, or performing yoga and exercise.
Opinder Kaur Sekhon, veteran athlete
