Has the current COVID19 wave gone away OR is the next COVID19 wave coming again? No one knows for sure. But two things about COVID19 are well known. First, those countries where over 50% population has been vaccinated are reporting very few deaths. Almost all who are dying have not taken a vaccine. Second, Inactivity is the number one comorbidity leading to severe disease and death. Physical Activity (PA) has been discussed at length in my last two blogs.
Category: Miscellaneous
Physical Activities and their Advantages
Physical Exercise (PE) may appear dull and boring to a busy person. Gyms are the preferred destination for the Mod generation. ‘Exercise’ means wearing a gear, warming up and going out to a ground for a boring routine of stretching and jumping. Physical Activity (PA) is a much broader term encompassing PE, dancing, walking, cycling, digging (gardening) or even carrying heavy grocery or small children. Infact, it involves many more activities as you will read further.
Inactivity and Ill Health
The ‘Inactivity‘ word appears similar to ‘idleness‘ but is not really so. An out-of-work person may be idle but very active. Similarly, a person who regularly visits a gym or spends an hour or two in the sports field may be highly inactive during the long hours that person is in home or in office.
The intensity of Physical Activity and COVID19
Did people who maintained a high level of Physical Activity or PA during the last year and a half, suffer from COVID19 disease? Other way round, did those infected by COVID19 do PA regularly? If yes, at what level of intensity? How do we quantify a PA and how much PA is safe during COVID19? These are the many questions which came up from some of the readers who read the last blog. An attempt is now being made to discuss these issues in as simple terms as possible.
Citizenship Dilemma Part 2
This article is about the citizenship dilemma faced by Indians.
Citizenship Dilemma Part 1
This article is about the citizenship dilemma faced by children born abroad.
क्या शराब महिलाओं को अलग तरह से प्रभावित करती है?
आधी सदी पहले, भारतीय महिलाओं और शराब के बारे में एक ही सांस में बात नहीं की जाती थी। कुछ अमीर और ‘आधुनिक’ महिलाओं के बारे में सोचा जाता था कि वे महंगी शराब का सेवन करती थीं और उनके बारे में शांत स्वर में बात की जाती थी। प्रत्येक दशक के साथ महिलाओं की मुक्ति और सशक्तिकरण में वृद्धि हुई। अधिक से अधिक किशोरियाँ दूर-दराज के शहरों में पढ़ने के लिए चली गईं और छात्रावासों में रहने लग गयी। युवा महिलाओं को बेहतर वेतन वाली नौकरियां मिलीं जिसके लिए ग्राहकों के साथ बैठकें या महानगरों में करियर बढ़ाने वाले सम्मेलनों की आवश्यकता थी। इन किशोरियों और युवतियों, जिन्होंने पढ़ाई/कड़ी मेहनत की थी, को कम से कम सप्ताहांत पर आराम की आवश्यकता थी। दावत और सैटरडे नाइट पार्टीज/ किटी पार्टीज के लिए जाना नया रिवाज बन गया। इसे मध्यम वर्ग में भी सामाजिक स्वीकृति मिली।
Does Alcohol affect women differently?
Half a century ago, Indian women and alcohol were not talked about in the same breath. Some rich and ‘modern’ women were thought to indulge in expensive wines and were spoken about in hushed tones. Women’s lib and empowerment increased with each decade. More and more adolescent girls went to study in faraway towns and stayed in hostels. Young women got better-paid jobs that required meetings with clients or career-enhancing conferences in metros. These adolescent girls and young women who studied/ worked hard needed relaxation, at least on the weekends. Going for get-togethers and Saturday night parties/ kitty parties became the new norm. It gained social acceptance in the middle class too.
Alcohol Intake and Covid Stress
Till COVID19 struck India, alcoholic drinks were easily available except in states under prohibition, Gujarat, and Bihar. Around 36% increase in liquor sales was taking place before the pandemic struck. Alcohol was a drink for unwinding, socializing, and celebrations as also for meeting business associates. Working ladies and girls were also being lured with targeted advertising campaigns. Bars, discotheques, and microbreweries were having a booming business, especially on weekends. Even the ‘ahatas’ country liquor shops were blooming almost everywhere.
Seeds
This is a story, reflecting not only grief but of many in my country but also their resolve to reconstruct, rebuild and survive…so that their seeds flourish one day.