Dr. Sunanda Gupta

Before:

For a morning jog of no longer than 30 or 45 minutes at a relaxed pace (you can hold a conversation), a glass of water might be all that's needed ahead of time provided you had a decent dinner the night before. But if last night's meal wasn't filling or if you ate it early, drinking some orange juice or a banana will replace glycogen stores in your muscles to stave off sluggishness. If you're heading out in the afternoon, have a snack like fruit yogurt, milk and fruit, nuts, and milk or nut chikki.

After:

There's no need to take in calories immediately, but try to eat a snack, your breakfast or your next meal within an hour or two. Skipping a solid post-run meal could lead to lethargy or sugar cravings later in the day or down the road, even sickness or injury.
 

In an incredibly fast paced and unhealthy lifestyle of the modern world, irregular menses aren’t exactly an unusual situation. The length of a monthly cycle may either last longer than usual or end earlier than usual, only to begin in a short while again, accompanied by greater abdominal pain and blood loss. Irregular cycles may vary from 8 to 21 days or more. The variation of 21 days or more is considered highly irregular and abnormal. A woman may face some menstrual irregularities at both ends of menstrual life, (onset- menarche and end of cycle- menopause) which is normal and in most of the cases, it is self-establishing. 

Causes of Irregular Menstrual Cycle: 

The cause of irregularities in menstrual cycle is basically hormone imbalance. The altered levels in the body lead to irregular cycles. There are many factors in routine life which affect hormonal balance. Some of them are: 

1. Poor diet or wrong dietary habits 
2. Stress and anxiety, thoughts and emotions
3. Lifestyle: Lack of physical activity and exercise, too much physical exertion, stress and strain during menses. 
4. Illness: Long-term illness like fever, tuberculosis, thyroid problem etc. 
5. Medication: Certain medicine if taken for a long time, like oral contraceptive pills, hormonal therapy etc., alters hormonal balance.  
6. Imbalance of Tridosha (vatta, pitta and kapha) in body, leads to irregularities of reproductive system. 

As per Ayurveda, Vatta is the main culprit in menstrual irregularities.

How To Deal With Menstrual Irregularities:

With the sudden acceptance of eastern concepts of yoga and organic and indigenous medicines around the world, Ayurveda has gained importance in treating irregular menses, gynecological and obstetric problems. 

1. Lifestyle and Food- There is no alternative for lifestyle and food habits correction. Eating healthy and nutritious food, regular exercise, yoga, physical activity, outdoor games lead to good physical health. 
2. Meditation and Breathing: Exercise is good for taming hormones. It keeps a person physical and mentally healthy. 
3. Avoid heavy physical work during menses. 
4. A good oil massage over body keeps Vatta in balance (one of the important tridoshas of body: vatta, pitta and kapha). 

Ayurveda has proven to be much helpful in regulating the menstrual cycles. According to certain studies, Ayurveda came in rather handy while tackling PCOS, a disease distressing 1 in 3 women today. It is certain that Ayurveda medicines work better in certain scenarios and definitely have fewer risks in comparison to allopathic medicines and surgeries. Over a period of time, they have proven much more beneficial in overcoming the irregular menses and the irritation along with the accompanying pain and PMS symptoms. Ayurvedic medicines use herbs and roots and almost everything found in nature to discover a rather organic cure for diseases. Certain plants like Shatavari are used to reduce the much spoken about mood swings or PMS symptoms during periods which can only worsen in case of an irregularity. The bark of the Ashoka tree has proven to be quite helpful in relieving menstrual pain and excessive bleeding. Other plants and their parts like the Lodhra, Guggul, Guduchi and Amlaki, Jatamansi etc. are useful in regulating periods and reducing the stress and irritation accompanied by it.

Panchkarma- Basti therapy (Enema- administration of medicines through rectal route). In this treatment, decoction of different herbs and medicated oils are used for giving enema. Basti has proven its efficacy since centuries, for treating Vatta. A course of 5, 8, 15, 30 or 60 basti, as per person’s requirement can be given for menstrual problems. Irregular periods, although are faced by a large chunk of women, pose different symptoms for different people and hence individualized treatment is advised. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an ayurveda and ask a free question.

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial STD that can affect both men and women. It can be transmitted from one person to another through oral, vaginal or anal intercourse. A person who is already suffering from an STD is at a high risk of suffering from Gonorrhoea as well. This disease affects the eyes, throat, vagina, urethra, anus and female reproductive tract. Gonorrhoea can be treated with antibiotics as long as it is diagnosed in time. In order to do so, it is essential to understand the symptoms of this disease.

Some people do not show any visible symptoms of gonorrhoea. This is known as nonsymptomatic Gonorrhoea. Even though there are no symptoms, these people can infect others through unprotected intercourse. However, in most cases, the symptoms of this STD can be seen in 2 to 14 days after exposure to the bacteria. These symptoms are different for men and women.

Men infected with this disease may not show symptoms for several weeks. Some of the symptoms of this disease as seen in men are:

1. Frequent urge to urinate
2. A burning or painful sensation while urinating
3. Pus-like discharge from the penis
4. Inflammation and redness of the tip of the penis
5. Swelling that may or may not be accompanied by pain in the testicles
6. Sore throat

In some cases, the pain may even spread to the rectum.
Gonorrhoea is more difficult to diagnose in women as the symptoms were shown are milder and tend to be similar to other infections. Some of the symptoms to look out for are:

1. Watery or creamy discharge from the vagina
2. Painful or burning sensation while urinating
3. Increased urge to urinate frequently
4. Heavier periods
5. Spotting in between periods
6. Sore throat
7. Painful intercourse
8. Pain in the lower abdomen
9. Fever

Gonorrhoea can be diagnosed with a simple blood test or by taking a sample swab from the infected area and subjecting it to lab tests. Once diagnosed, it can be treated with antibiotics. In some cases, an injection may also be required. It is important to complete the full course of antibiotics even if the symptoms disappear in a few days. As with any other STD, prevention is better than cure. To avoid suffering from this disease, always use a condom while having intercourse. If you have more than one partner, insist on getting tested regularly. This is extremely important as many cases of Gonorrhoea go undetected for the lack of symptoms shown. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a sexologist.

Eating healthy and maintaining a happy number on the weighing scale is stuff that dreams are made of - or so you thought! It is never too late to get on to the weight loss bandwagon in case you have a few extra pounds that you are not too proud of. But the concern is how to get rid of the pesky extra kilos in a smooth sailing and effortless manner?

Well, that's easy - take these diet ideas and lose weight effortlessly even as you eat healthy!

• Shop Right: Get nutrition right by first of all shopping right. When you fill your kitchen and pantry with healthy food, remember that good food choices will automatically follow you. So, ditch the packaged food and go for fresh ingredients that can help you cook up a storm even as you get aromatic and rich homemade flavours, right on your table. And remember there is nothing better than the satisfaction of a home cooked meal at the end of the day. Throw in some organic grains, put out the brown bread, and get yourself some fresh tasting ingredients to make a pasta sauce from scratch or prepare a salad dressing in a matter of minutes.
• Smaller Crockery: Are you guilty of overeating? The real culprit might just be your crockery - or rather, its size. Try taking on smaller portions with smaller bowls and plates. This will ensure that you take smaller heapfuls by default, and before you know it, your stomach will be full!
• Smaller Meals, Bigger Effect: You may have heard this being said many times, but it is true. The trick is to pace your metabolism and throw small quantities at it, so that it is easier to break the food down faster. Take at least five to six meals in a day and watch how soon your tummy starts to shape up and lose its flab.
• Mental Hunger: Hungry for a snack and ravenously so? Well, it may be time to tackle that pesky mental hunger. Begin by taking a few glasses of water and then give yourself a few nuts like almonds as well as some raisins. Keep these kinds of snacks handy so that you can pass your time when you are bored or even anxious, without overeating and putting on excessive kilos.
• Vegetables and Fruit: A good dose of fibre can help in tightening your contours because these digestive fibres are well known for flushing toxins out of your system and breaking down the food really fast!

So get on the effective diet bandwagon and banish those fad diets from your menu, today! If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a specilized dietitian-nutritionist and ask a free question.