Living in a sprawling metropolis like Mumbai can be tough — battling traffic jams, choking pollution and sultry weather are just some problems faced by the residents of the city. Add a fast-paced life to that and you have an environment ripe for health disorders. On the occasion of World Health Day (April 7), we get experts to discuss the top disadvantages of living in the city and what you can do to overcome them.
Do pranayama for 15 mins
Stress and insomnia: Deadlines, work pressure and relationship problems lead many youngsters to seek medical support. Instead of turning to sleeping aids and other drugs to help you relieve stress, try practising pranayama for 15 minutes every day. Another simple trick to fall asleep faster is to concentrate on your breaths, while forcing your mind to stay blank.
Loneliness and depression: For the outstation residents, living away from your family or moving to a new environment can leave you with feelings of solitude. Join a social club or enrol in a yoga class. Incorporate social events in your schedule — instead of working out in a gym, join a group dance class, try communal dining instead of dinner-for-one or participate in events such as an arts festival.
- Shobhana tarey, yoga guru
Get regular eye exams
Eye stress: Get regular eye examinations, as the increased use of computers and mobile phones stresses your eyes.
Malnutrition: Due to the increased cost of living, lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart ailments and obesity, excessive consumption of fast food, lack of physical activity and stress can lead to malnutrition. You should get a basic check of your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, vitamin B12 and D3 levels, as these are commonly abnormal in urban populations.
Unhygienic conditions: Overcrowding, poor sanitation and improper waste disposal lead to breeding of flies, mosquitoes and rodents that spread diseases. Avoid street and junk food on a regular basis and increase your intake of fresh fruits.
- Dr Falguni Parikh, consultant — internal medicine, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital
Get regular eye exams
Eye stress: Get regular eye examinations, as the increased use of computers and mobile phones stresses your eyes.
Malnutrition: Due to the increased cost of living, lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart ailments and obesity, excessive consumption of fast food, lack of physical activity and stress can lead to malnutrition. You should get a basic check of your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, vitamin B12 and D3 levels, as these are commonly abnormal in urban populations.
Unhygienic conditions: Overcrowding, poor sanitation and improper waste disposal lead to breeding of flies, mosquitoes and rodents that spread diseases. Avoid street and junk food on a regular basis and increase your intake of fresh fruits.
- Dr Falguni Parikh, consultant — internal medicine, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital
Boil and filter water
Contaminated water: Diarrhoea, worm and other infections spread through contaminated water. Water shortage in the city makes it difficult for people to store it. The best way to prevent these disorders is by boiling and filtering water before consumption.
Improper sanitation: Due to the lack of public toilets, women and children especially face personal hygiene-related problems. Ensure that you maintain good personal hygiene to prevent these disorders.
- Dr Amit Shobhavat, consultant physician, Nova Specialty HospitalsStretch every two hours
Longer work hours: In big cities, employees work longer days regularly and spend a lot of time sitting in the office. This leads to postural imbalance. You should take a few minutes break every two hours to stretch and flex your muscles.
Physical stress: A sedentary lifestyle can cause tension on your muscles. Alter your posture every few hours, use a wall to do stretching exercises at work and keep yourself hydrated to avoid aches.
-Dr Unnati Shah, physiotherapist
Don’t ignore your sexual well-being
Skewed work-life balance: Between managing personal and professional commitments and leading a hectic lifestyle, women tend to ignore their sexual health, especially since the effects of poor reproductive health are not alarming or incapacitating. Besides regular health check-ups, healthy diet and exercise, you need to avoid smoking and stress as well as reduce alcohol intake.
- Dr Richa Jagtap, clinical director and consultant reproductive medicine, Nova IVI Fertility
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