Hello and welcome to another edition of the Lounge wellness roundup! Every Saturday, we bring you our pick of the wellness stories we have published over the past week, lest you've missed any of them.
This week we have two stories about nutrition--one on the benefits of fasting and the other on protein shakes--and a third on the internet and healing.
Read on to know more
Why the internet makes it difficult to get over trauma
In this poignant piece, Shephali Bhatt writes about this same time last year when the second wave of the pandemic swept through the country. “The internet inadvertently became a key witness to the deaths, devastation and desperation caused by the second wave of covid in the country, touted as the “worst human tragedy since the Partition of India” by a Centre for Global Development report released in July 2021. In some cases, it also changed the way people perceive and consume the internet more permanently,” writes Bhatt. She goes on to explore “anniversary trauma” and how many people haven't yet gotten closure and moved on.
When should you include a protein shake in your diet?
“Most people don’t get enough protein into their diet. Whether you eat a plant-based diet or are a meat eater who is apathetic about your protein intake, I find most people aren’t getting the protein they need,” writes Jen Thomas, who then goes on to offer a solution to this--protein shakes. However, not all shakes are the same. They could be plant-based or milk-based, isolated or hydrolysed. “It pays to read the label and do your research on what’s inside your protein powder,” writes Thomas. She also offers suggestions on how to make your protein shake more interesting.
Can fasting help you regulate metabolism and stay healthier?
Love it or hate it, but you just can't ignore it. As Medha Dutta Yadav points out that the practice of fasting, whether for health or spirituality, has been around for a while and is here to stay. “Fasting—for any reason, religious or otherwise—can be a much-needed natural detox for the digestive system. Little wonder that diet regimes such as intermittent fasting and circadian fasting make ample use of the principles of fasting to regulate metabolism and arrive at a healthier way of living,” writes Yadav, adding that fasting is more effective than calorie restriction, especially at increasing fat loss while simultaneously preserving muscle tissue, which is hard to achieve, even for regular gym-goers. She lists out a number of other benefits, including better brain health, fewer issues with digestion, decreased inflammation and so on. However, it doesn't necessarily work for everyone. “One should always discuss with their doctor before starting to fast,” she writes.
