This Mother’s Day, get your mom checked for diabetes, hypertension, anxiety

Mother’s Day, celebrated on the second Sunday of May, is an occasion when we are supposed to tell our mothers how special they are to us. However, that doesn’t mean we should wait just for this day to tell them that! As millennial mothers are increasingly facing an onslaught of lifestyle diseases, listing out ways to avoid them is probably the best gift we can give.

Women with a desk jobs or ones with stressful personal and professional lives are the ones most likely to come down with disorders like hypertension, diabetes, anaemia, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression. However, they can be easily prevented by tweaking certain lifestyle habits.

“One of the most common trends with millennial women nowadays is unhealthy binging on chips, crackers, biscuits and namkeens. They not only increase belly fat but also make one more lazy and low on energy,” says Dr Kajal Pandya Yeptho, diabetologist.

What sort of food should one snack on, then? “It is extremely crucial to opt for eatables that not just keep you hydrated but are helpful in lowering fat levels and are easy on the stomach. One should have super foods like baked potatoes, seeds, oats and berries. Dry fruits, sprouts, roasted peanuts, fruits, yoghurt and chana are also good snacking options. As far as drinking is concerned, one must consume herbal teas, juices, ice teas or just water to avoid putting on weight and keep diseases at bay,” says Dr Pandya.

Another factor that can help millennial moms remain disease-free is exercise.

“Indians are facing an unhealthy future burdened with a slew of lifestyle diseases. But instead of expensive medication and therapy, the cure lies in making exercise a compulsory part of everyday life. Exercises play a crucial role not only for physical but also for emotional well-being. For women of today’s day and age, it is essential to stay fit instead of leading a sedentary and machine-dependent life. Regular exercise keeps you away from diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol and depression. A perfect combination of cardio and muscle training exercise is recommended. Women should at least designate one-hour every day on their physical fitness irrespective of the role she plays,” says Dr Sushila Kataria, Director, Internal Medicine at Medanta - The Medicity.

And what sort of physical activity is best?

“It’s a myth that weight training is not meant for women. However, the fact of the matter is that women keep losing 2% of their muscle mass every year after 30 years of age. Therefore, to keep their bodies fit and healthy, women should combine lightweight exercises with cardio activities such as walking, running, swimming or dancing. One should keep her exercise regime interesting. A combination of yoga and varied dance forms can also be used,” says Dr Kataria.

And last, and definitely not the least, is the sleep factor. “Good sleep is even more helpful than exercise. Although there is no set sleep limit for adults, seven hours is considered optimal. Increased use of electronic equipments such as laptops, phones and television eat away a lot of sleeping time and affects the quality of sleep. Therefore, for a good restful sleep, one should do light exercise in the evening, bathe and limit screen time (TV, phone, computer). As the environment can also make a difference, it is a good idea to keep the room dark and cold, listen to soft music and read to ensure sound sleep,” advises Dr Kataria.

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