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| Sauna session: No substitute
to workouts, but this helps |
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I've
been accused by some readers of focussing too much on strenuous
workouts, exhorting people to work hard in the gym, hoisting weights
to build muscle and pounding the treadmill to cut flab. So this
time I thought I'd write on something that you could also do in
your gym but which involves little more than kicking back, sitting
down and relaxing.
If your gym has a sauna or steam room-and
most urban gyms throw those in these days-then you could consider
using them regularly. A once-a-week sauna or steam session has
great benefits, particularly for those who work out frequently.
I personally prefer the sauna (pronounced, as I learnt recently,
"sow-na" and not "saw-na"), which is a small
room where you can get a dry heat experience. Commonly, saunas
have wooden slatted benches and a wood-oven that generates dry
heat. Saunas owe their origin to Finland, where the practice was
born nearly 2000 years ago and has become an integral part of
the national culture.
The benefits of sauna can seem to be miraculous
or sensible, depending on which enthusiast you're listening to.
Some die-hard sauna fans insist that regular sessions can detoxify
the body, strengthening its immune system and promoting longevity.
Some studies have also shown that sauna sessions can improve blood
circulation and help in weight control, allergy reduction and
respiratory problems. I'm not too sure about these but here's
my take on sauna sessions. Saunas mimic some of the effects that
physical activity has on your body. Basically, the body's metabolism
rate increases, as does the blood pressure and pulse rate. But
a dry-heat session in a sauna also dilates the blood vessels (particularly
the peripheral ones) and this can relieve strains, sprains and
other muscle pain or soreness that you often suffer after a workout.
Fact is a sauna session after a strenuous workout is a great way
to relax your muscles.
Here are some simple precautions. If you're
a heart patient or suffer from high-blood pressure, the very benefits
of a sauna can turn into ill-effects, so be careful and consult
your doctor before you go. Also, a sauna session can be extremely
dehydrating, so it is important to drink water before, during
and after the session. Also, avoid drinking alcohol before you
go for a sauna session as its depressive effects can counter the
benefits.
Remember, even though you sweat a lot during
a sauna session and your pulse rate rises, it isn't the same as
physical exercise. I say this because I see many people going
for saunas and steam sessions in the mistaken belief that these
alone will help them lose weight. Readers (see the first paragraph)
may berate me but there's no substitute for a hard physical workout
if you're looking to get back into shape. Let's say an occasional
sauna session is just a reward for sticking to your workout routine.
-Muscles
Mani
write to musclesmani@intoday.com
Caveat: The physical exercises described
in Treadmill are not recommendations. Readers should exercise
caution and consult a physician before attempting to follow any
of these..
SHAKING
OFF DANDRUFF
Don't
mistake that scratching as just an itch over the irritable balance
sheet. Dandruff is a bigger nuisance and needs tackling at early
stages. A growing number of celebrities, Brad Pitt and Bill Gates,
would agree. When asked what was the bigger threat to The Beatles,
drummer Ringo famously quipped: "The atom bomb. We've already
got dandruff."
What Is It: A person's entire body
surface continuously sheds dead skin cells. Dandruff is characterised
by the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp at an excessive
rate. It is not dangerous and does not cause balding.
Causes: Skin cells that grow and die
off too fast are the cause of dandruff. Excessive use of hairsprays
and gels is the common cause. Infrequent shampooing of the hair,
improper use of hair-colouring products and excessive use of electric
hair curlers are the other main reasons. According to Dr Manindar
Sokhi, Chief Homeopathy Consultant, Baksons Homeopathy, "the
occurrence of dandruff is related to a person's food habits. A
diet with spicy and oily food can aggravate the condition."
Symptoms: Dandruff can happen at any
age. Says Dr Sokhi: "The problem occurs more often in winter
due to the dryness of skin. The most common symptom of dandruff
is scaling and itching." Dandruff scales usually occur as
small, round, white-to-gray patches on the top of the head. Scaling
can occur anywhere on the scalp, in the hair, on the eyebrows,
the beard and can spread to the neck and shoulders.
Treatment: Mild dandruff can be controlled
by regularly shampooing the scalp with a mild, non-medicated shampoo.
"Shampooing and massaging of hair is a temporary solution
to the problem," says Dr Sokhi. The scalp should be massaged
gently to loosen flakes and the hair and scalp rinsed thoroughly.
Brushing the hair with a natural-bristle brush can also prove
beneficial.
-Manu Kaushik
PRINTED CIRCUIT
Digital Eye
Pentax *ist DL2
 That
is its name. Time was, when pentax was renowned for its Pentagonal
focussing lens, which gave its SLR cameras their USP. The switch
to digital, however, has seen the company losing out to rivals
Nikon and Canon. Now comes the *ist dl2. It features a 6.1 megapixel
resolution, strictly middle-of-the-road nowadays. However, the
camera's killer app may not be its resolution or lack of it, but
its 'Auto Picture Mode', which not only selects the light, aperture
and speed settings, but also what mode (Portrait, Landscape, Sports)
you should take the picture in, just perfect for photo-illiterates
who want to own a big camera. Though the price hasn't yet been
announced, it is expected to retail at around $700-800 (Rs 31,500-36,000).
 Wear
your data
The Imation Wristband
You
see kids wearing yellow 'livestrong' bands everywhere (that is,
you see these kids everywhere, not that they wear the bands everywhere).
Fact is, most of these bands available in India are fake, and
not a rupee from their sales proceeds goes to Lance Armstrong's
Cancer Foundation. Our suggestion: if you do want to stand out,
wear your data on your wrist. Imation, in the news recently for
acquiring Memorex, is planning to introduce a wristband that can
hold 256 MB of data. No price has been announced yet, but expect
it to be upwards of the Rs 1,500-2,000 you would pay for a standard
256 MB flash drive.
Speak Softly
Logitech X-230/530
 There
are speakers and then there are speakers, but when it comes to
the computer almost all sound the same. Tinny. Then the Swiss,
handy at making cheese, watches and knives (not in that order)
have also made a gem of a speaker system. Actually, make that
two. The company is Logitech and its 2.1 surround system, the
x-230 (ideal for making your entire office appreciate your music)
and the more home/CEO-friendly x-530 5.1 surround system are by
far the best-sounding speaker systems one has heard in a long
time. The best thing about them? The price.
Price: Rs 3,995 for the x-230 and Rs 6,995 for the x-530.
 All
my data
Caviar 500
Know
just how much 500 gigabytes of memory is? That much memory would
store the first millennia of Business Today issues (if the magazine
had been around for that long) and still have enough space to
spare. Well, some people over at Western Digital think that file
sizes are getting out of control, especially with every suit's
obsession with PowerPoint. The company's response? A 500-gb drive,
the Caviar 500 that can not only store immense amounts of data,
but also transfer it quickly and quietly. Priced at $349 (Rs 15,705),
it might be a bit pricey now, but a few months down the line you
could probably get this for a steal.
-Compiled by Kushan Mitra
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