May 2020 - Starmark

Do You Know How to Prevent Coronavirus Infection?

Are you terrified because of the novel Coronavirus pandemic? Stop worrying and follow these 7 preventive measures to prevent yourself from COVID-19.

The world is witnessing one of the most dreadful situations in recent memory. The blanket of COVID-19 has engulfed almost every corner of the world and no one is safe. Keeping in mind the famous saying – prevention is better than cure – all of us must pull up our socks and face this challenge. Every little step from you will count in fighting off this pandemic. There has never been a more apt time to get united and be conscious of our actions. So, let’s take a look at all the steps you, as an individual, can take to fight off COVID-19.

Preventive Measures Against COVID-19

Since COVID-19 is a novel virus, Scientists are working day in and day out to find its cure. Even at the earliest, we have to wait for several months for the cure to reach us. This makes preventive measures all the more important.

Besides, this disease is highly contagious, and if you get infected, you will pass it on to your loved ones who are living with you.

In the same line of thought, it should be noted that once you get infected, it may take up to two weeks for the symptoms to show up. So, it is very much in the realm of possibility that you wouldn’t even know that you are infected. As a result, you will unknowingly spread it to others.

All these variables make COVID-19 extremely dangerous. Enforcing the following measures will drastically reduce your chances of contracting this awful disease. You will end up keeping yourself as well as your loved ones safe.

So, here are the preventive measures against COVID-19:

Wash Your Hands Frequently

Washing hands, in general, is a good idea, but it is of paramount importance in the current climate. You need to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds every 3-4 hours if you are working outside. Using anti-bacterial or anti-viral soap is preferred, if possible. Remember to work the lather between your fingers, the cuticles of your fingernails, and wrists as well.

If you stay at home, you don’t have to wash your hands that frequently, but make sure you wash your hands before every meal, and if you are coming from a public place. However, if you are using a shared item such as a computer or doorknob or calling bell (items that are touched by multiple people in your household as well as by people outside your home), then positively wash your hands afterwards.

In case of unavailability of soap and water, use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol content. Those of you, who still have to go out to work, carry a hand sanitizer with you all the time. While using a sanitizer, please ensure that you rub your hands until they dry.

Avoid Touching Your Face as Much as You Can

Humans touch their face 16-23 times every hour on average when they are awake. Now, we understand that it is not possible to eliminate this habit all of a sudden, especially most of the times you touch your face unknowingly. It almost works as a reflex reaction. But, try and avoid touching your face as less as you can. Let us explain why this is important.

COVID-19 is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus is very powerful, proven by the fact that it can stay alive on hard surfaces for 72 hours. In other words, the laptop you are using or door knob you are touching may be infected simply because someone else who is suffering from COVID-19 has touched it, let’s say, three days back.

So, when you touch your face after touching these surfaces, you are allowing the virus to enter your body through the gateway of your eyes, nose, and mouth. Thusm you shouldn’t bite your fingernails, rub your eyes, and scratch your face, among others. Avoid these instincts as much as you can.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has clearly stated that COVID-19 is also transmitted through fomites (inanimate objects that carry infection such as utensils, furniture, and clothes, among others) alongside respiratory droplets. So, be sure to follow this measure.

Cover Your Mouth While Sneezing

You have to be accountable for all your actions, even if you are not infected. As we stated earlier, the signs of this disease are sometimes not even seen in the first two weeks. So, you wouldn’t even know whether you are infected or not.

One such measure that lessens the spread of this virus is when you cover your mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing. In the previous point, we stated this disease can spread through respiratory droplets. So, when an infected person sneezes or coughs, the surrounding air can carry the disease to the healthy people around him or her. Besides, the droplets can stay on hard surfaces for three days as well.

So, cover your face with a handkerchief or a tissue paper every time you sneeze or cough, even when you are at your home. If you don’t have a handkerchief or a tissue paper near you, and you are about to sneeze or cough, simply cover your face with the inside of your elbow.

Maintain Social Distancing

Along with all the other points, maintain social distancing. We know it’s tough. It’s tough staying at home, not seeing your friends, not being able to hang out, and not being able to go to your multi-gym, among others. But, you have to think long-term. This is for the greater good. For now, working out at home is safer. There are several exercises that you can perform without using any equipment.

If you don’t follow social distancing now, things might get out of control and the longer you avoid social distancing, the longer it will take to control this virus, meaning the longer will be the lockdown.

Therefore, stay at home 24X7 and go out only when it is necessary, such as to buy medicine or groceries. Even when you go out, you need to ensure that there is at least six feet distance between you and the person next to you.

Avoid Eating at Public Places

The restaurants have been shut down for a reason. This highly contagious disease can spread through the food, dishes, tables, chairs, and washrooms, among others of a restaurant. Therefore, control your urge for outside food and don’t go out to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, cake shops, and other eateries.

You should also avoid getting home deliveries from there as well, just to stay on the safer end of the spectrum. Home-made food is the go-to option now. However, if you have to rely on delivery or takeaway food, order from a clean and hygienic place and pick hot food instead of cold food.

Disinfect Household Items

Maintain cleanliness in your household. Keep an alcohol-based disinfected spray by your side to clean hard surfaces. Focus on the items that are frequently touched by multiple people such as furniture, doorknobs, calling bells, desks, faucets, sinks, light switches, and kitchen countertops, among others.

Every time you go out to get groceries, disinfect the bag in which you carry your belongings. You can use white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide for cleaning purposes as well.

Eat Immunity-Boosting Foods

Increase your chance of being safe by including immunity-boosting food items in your meals. Eating healthy during such a precarious time will reward you by keeping you safe.

Look out for food items that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals since they will help you in keeping your immune system strong. When you eat food items that have selenium, probiotics zinc, beta-carotene, curcumin, and vitamins C and D in them, you end up providing a protective layer to your body.

Some of the immunity-boosting food items that you can include in your meals are sweet potatoes, yogurt, broccoli, spinach, ginger, garlic, green tea, papaya, turmeric, almonds, watermelon, wheat germs, sunflower seeds, oysters, and poultry, among others.

Take a look at this infographic that tells you everything that you need to do (just like the article) in brief.

Final Thoughts

The situation is undoubtedly scary, but we can work through it if all of us make individual contributions in the form of following the aforementioned preventive measures. Remember, the safety of yourself and your loved ones primarily rest on your hands. So, let us all be responsible and fight this together. Please spread the word and encourage your family members and friends to follow these measures as well.

Before we conclude, there is another piece of information that we must share with you. If you feel sick, do not immediately go to a medical clinic. Overcrowding the medical intuitions will only worsen the situation. Instead, consult your doctor through phone and tell him or her about your symptoms and follow their advice.

What to Eat After Workout -Know about Your Post-Workout Meal

Wondering what to eat after workout? Take a look at our guide that would suit your fitness regime so that you stay in your best shape.

You can only reap the benefits of your workout if you are complimenting it with the right food and adequate rest. The workout regime that you perform requires proportion nutrition to fuel your muscles. The food that you consume after working out is extremely important since it will dictate how your body is going to respond to the demands of the exercise that you are performing.

When it comes to the right diet, the amount of information that is available to you online can sometimes be overwhelming. On top of that, we are certain that your friends and family also have their own suggestion on what you should eat. Therefore, to avoid all confusion and to give you a clear picture of what to eat after a workout, we have brought this guide for you. In addition to that, we are also going to tell you about the timing of your food intake, as in, how long should you wait after a workout to eat. So, let’s get straight into it.

Figuring out What to Eat After Workout

If you are into fitness, you need to understand how food intake affects your exercise regime. When you perform a physical activity in the form of a vigorous exercise, your muscle tissues get damaged, fluids and electrolytes are drained through sweat and glycogen (energy) is depleted.

The nutrition in the form of food that you intake after a workout helps in replenishing the lost muscles glycogen. Moreover, a proper meal would help stimulate protein synthesis, which would, in turn, help in building and repairing new muscle tissues as well as restoring electrolyte and overall fluid balance.

When your body goes through a vigorous activity such as workout, it starves for fuel, and that fuel is the nutrient you intake. If you starve yourself after a workout session, you will develop an imbalance physiological condition. There has to be a supplement of carbohydrates, proteins including dairy proteins, healthy fatty acids, and beneficial beverages.

A proper diet is a balanced diet and includes foods from all the aforementioned groups. But before we list out all the food items from each category, let us help you understand the timing of your food intake.

How Long Should You Wait to Eat After a Workout?

The duration that you need to wait after a workout to eat depends on the type of workout routine you are performing.

For instance, when you are under a light aerobic workout regime, your basic goal is essentially to stay in shape. Therefore, consuming a balanced diet one hour after the exercising is ideal.

When it comes to intense weight resistance workouts where the goal is to increase muscle size, we suggest you consume 30-40 gm of healthy carbohydrates and 20-30 gm of lean protein as close to your workout routine as possible.

On average, you should take your meal 45 minutes after your workout. However, if you have consumed a meal before exercising, the chances of the benefits of that meal retaining after the workout regime are still high.

So, if you want, you can take a bit of break between your workout and post-workout meal in that case. If not, then please follow the time guideline we have suggested. Remember, if you delay the supply of carb to your body by as little as two hours after finishing your workout, it may cause around 50% lower rates of glycogen synthesis.

Alright, now that you know the timing of your food consumption, let us focus on the real deal – the type of foods that you need to consume.

Carbohydrates

As we stated earlier, the glycogen stores in your body get diminished when you exercise. This is why you need to consume carbohydrates as they help replenish them.

The amount of carb that you eat is also dependent on the type of exercise you do. For instance, if your workout regime is focused more on endurance than resistance or strength-based training, then you would require more carb since endurance sports (swimming, running, cycling) depletes glycogen at a faster rate.

The post-workout meal that you take must have 0.5-0.7 grams of carbs per pound of your body weight. This should be taken within 30 minutes of the training in order to generate glycogen resynthesis.

The consumption of carb is even more essential for people who workout twice a day compared to those who take one or two days rest between their workout sessions.

Moreover, you need to remember that insulin secretion which is responsible for promoting glycogen synthesis is stimulated best when you intake carbs and proteins at the same time. The ratio should be 3:1 (carbs to protein). This means that if you are consuming 150 gm of carb, then you need to take 50 gm of protein.

Try to include the following carb foods in your meal after workout:

Whole grain bread
Whole grain cereal
Rice cakes
Quinoa
Oatmeal
Crackers
Chia seed pudding
Sweet potatoes
Apples
Bananas
Berries
Pasta
Dark, leafy green vegetables

Proteins

Exercise helps in breaking down muscle protein. The pace at which this happens is, of course, dependent on the level of training you are under.

Protein is required so that your body gets the amino acids it needs for repairing and building proteins. It also would contribute towards building the blocks that are needed to build new muscle tissues.

As per the amount of protein, try and consume 0.14-.023 gm of protein per pound of your body weight soon after the workout. It has been seen through various studies that the consumption of protein helps in maximizing the ability of the body to recover quickly and efficiently after exercise.

Try to include the following protein-rich foods in your meal after workout:

Salmon
Tuna
Turkey
Chicken
Eggs
Tofu scramble
Plant or animal-based protein shake
Soybean
Lobster
Crabs
Pumpkin seeds
Cashews
Sesame seeds
Lentils
Oysters
Clams
Scallops
Lamb
Pork
Walnuts

Dairy Products

Dairy product - what to eat after workout

Dairy products are also rich in protein and it is crucial that you include them in your post-workout meal. Studies have shown that even 9 gm of milk protein is enough for stimulating protein synthesis in your muscles, which help in you recovering from your exercise routine.

A single cup of low-fat kefir comprises of 9.2 gm of high-quality protein which helps in repairing muscle cells. When answering the question of what to eat after a workout, we recommend you include both soy and milk-based protein. This is because they would help you in building your muscle mass.

It should be also noted that milk-based protein helps you in supporting the effective growth of lean muscle mass.

Your post-meal workout should contain the following dairy products:

Milk
Greek yoghurt
Kefir
Cottage cheese
Ricotta cheese

Healthy Fats

Contrary to popular belief, your body needs fat. Of course, there is a distinction between health and unhealthy fat and you need to include the former in your meal after a workout.

Many people assume that if they consume fat, it will slow down their digestion and inhibit the proper absorption of nutrients. While it is somewhat true, you need to remember that fats won’t reduce the benefits of your nutrients.

Also, consuming high-fat meal after a workout session won’t affect the synthesis of your muscle glycogen. However, you must limit the amount of fat that you consume. Alright, with that being said, the foods that you should include in your post-meal workout are as follows:

Flax seeds
Avocado
Coconut oil
Nut
Nut butter

Beverages

Next up in our list of what to eat after workout is the beverage section. In here, we suggest you include herbal tea since the chemical and nutrient compound present in them helps in the effective processing of carbohydrates and proteins.

Herbal tea would also help you in recovering your strength followed by a workout. Besides you can include coconut water as it is a great source of electrolytes. Sports drinks can also be taken as they help in replacing the water, sugar and electrolyte content that you have lost.

Some of the ideal options for beverages for your post-meal workout are as follows:

Herbal tea
Green tea
Tart cherry juice
Coconut water
Sports drink

Water

Last but not least, our list of what to eat after workout will be incomplete if we fail to mention this very important point.

Water, yes, it sounds basic, but its importance can’t be ignored. Staying hydrated before and after workout helps you in recovering from the day’s exercise as well as it would help you improve the next day’s performance.

A good way to assess whether you are consuming an adequate amount of water or not is through checking the colour of your urine. Transparent urine is healthy. However, when your urine is yellow in colour, it means that you are consuming less water.

Summary

You need to supply proper nutrient to your body so that it can reap the most benefit out of the workout sessions that you are doing. Be sure to include different types of food in your diet – carbohydrates, proteins, dairy products, healthy fats, beverages, and water in your post-meal workout. Remember, the answer to the question of what to eat after workout lies in the judicial selection of proper food source.