body postures

5 Reasons to Practice Sitting on the Floor

Swathy · September 5, 2023 · 7 Comments

family sitting on the floor, earth element, floor sitting — Source : Photo by Andrea Piacquadio at pexels.com

Originally published in July 2014.

The practice of sitting on the floor is an age-old tradition in India. And, with changes in lifestyle and modernization, we have somehow lost this practice which is responsible for so many benefits for our body. What used to be a part of life earlier is now a special practice for which we have to make time.

Due to Scleroderma, floor sitting was actually a difficult task for me. Thankfully, with medicines and regular habits, I am now able to sit comfortably. Getting up still becomes an issue sometimes though.

Let me add a disclaimer here. Floor Sitting is not recommended for people with arthritis or knee problems and if you have any such medical condition, please refrain from doing so or get medical advise at once.

Table of Contents

Sitting on the floor cross-legged with straight spine ( half padmasana or sukhasana, depending on which posture you hold ) provides a lot of benefits for our posture and overall health. Lets check out what are those.

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Sexy @ Sixty {Book Review}

Swathy · August 19, 2012 · 6 Comments

Overview of the Book

Sexy at Sixty. Is that possible? Namita Jain, the prestigious wellness expert, shows you how in Sexy @ Sixty, which is a celebration of this wondrous phase in your life. She aims to make it even more wonderful by giving you enough ammunition, in the form of many helpful tips on lifestyle, food, exercise and staying positive, to slay the bugbears that threaten to rain on your parade. Aimed at the modern not so young man or woman, the book is full of practical, easy to understand information:

Tables showing you the exact calorie count of your meals.
Illustrations for safe ways to exercise, whether by gentle stretches or strength training.
Chapters on how to tackle everything from skin care and weight gain to stress, arthritis and diabetes.
Easy to follow explanations for menopause or prostate issues.

My Review of the Book
To start off, I would like to say this is a book which will urgently make you go and exercise!! Yes, it really gives that feeling of urgency, written in a fun and very compelling way. I have never read any health books prior to this one and I beg ignorance about the author, Namita Jain, but apparently she is very famous and has authored quite a few books before this.

The book as the title suggests is aimed at middle-aged people. BUT, why am I suggesting this book is because an early start would only do you good. Namita talks about exercise and diet throughout the book and she outlines how the combination of two can protect your body from the numerous health risks which attack people above 30-35.

chapters covered

She covers all topics from menopause and prostrate to diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart issues, osteoperosis, arthritis, stress and also about Postures. I would have definitely loved if she had taken some of the topics in more detail but I think she meant the book to only be an introduction. The starting chapter of the book deals with the question that whether you are a couch potato or not?

which activity burns how many calories!

Can you climb up three flight of steps without gasping for breath? Do you sleep well? Do you wake up most mornings looking forward to the day? Do you go for a walk, visit the gym, play a sport or engage in some other energetic activity at least thrice a week? Do you eat wholesome, nutritious food? Do you relax and take time out without feeling stressed?

If you answered a ‘yes’ to most questions, it means you lead a fit life. And, if no, you need this book. Oh, I also forgot to mention that she provides some substitute recipes for high-calorie foods. Yes, the book did make me count the calories whenever I ate anything 🙁 But, the author is very practical and realizes that today’s lifestyle is different and mentions various things in a way which will sit well with our routine. For example,

If you are going for a party, take a light healthy snack before leaving. If you are dining out, order a clear soup and some salads to fill you up and prevent binging. If going for shopping, never go on empty-stomach. That makes you pick up cookies and indulgences which you would otherwise avoid.

calorie count of foods

And, that’s really true!! Happens with me. She gives a lot of exercise tips and also illustrates various yogasanas which are easy for people of 35-50 to do. She also mentions what shouldn’t be done. And, finally finishes off with chapters dealing with a well-balanced diet and colors on the plate and talks about surgeries like liposuction and tummy tucks and whether they are worth pursuing or not. The best part of the book is that it talks about weight loss being essential for health and not just looks. Many examples have also been given throughout the course of the book which makes it more relate-able.

Availability
You can buy the book here on Flipkart.com
Price – Rs 164 (18% Off)

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

PS: Post contains affiliate links.

I replaced my roller chair with a stable one!! {Health}

Swathy · August 3, 2012 · 8 Comments

This was one of the most important of the changes I did in my routine recently. As is the case with all offices, even my work place has the regular roller chairs in front of the workstations. Instead of desktops, we have laptops so the height of the chair is not much of an issue.

I have been using the roller chairs since quite a few months but its not very comfortable and in fact, it strains the small of the back and the vertebrae overall. So, I could never sit very comfortably on it. And, ultimately ended up exchanging it with a stable chair which has a proper base.

Since then, I can sit fully back on the chair keeping my back straight which gives a good posture and I have never felt uncomfortable as I used to on the roller chairs. So, if you do have same issues, try this option (if available) and hopefully, you will feel equally better 🙂

Which chair do you prefer in general?