In this week’s episode of Health For You, renowned neurologist who’s also a fitness enthusiast and one of the popular doctor on X Dr Sudhir Kumar of Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad sheds light on some of the most crucial aspects of brain health, stroke awareness, sleep, and fitness. From debunking detox myths to explaining why stroke is more common than we assume, this insightful conversation dives deep into the secrets of keeping your brain sharp and healthy.
Excerpts of the podcast follow.
Part of it is genetic – we get brain genes from both parents. But using the brain also matters. Just like muscles get stronger with training, the brain improves with usage. Other factors like good sleep, a stress-free life, and nutrition also influence brain health. I’d say 50 percent is genetics, and 50 percent is environmental factors.
Definitely. The brain thrives on:
Myth 1: Stroke is not very common: Stroke is more common than we assume—1 in 4 people over 40 will have a stroke in their lifetime.
Myth 2: Stroke doesn’t happen to me. It happens only to others: Stroke can happen to anyone, not just others. Even “fit” people who exercise can have a stroke if their internal health markers are poor.
The three most common symptoms are:
If these symptoms appear temporarily and resolve, it could be a TIA (transient ischemic attack), which means a major stroke may follow. Immediate medical attention is necessary.
The window to administer a clot-busting drug is 4.5 hours from the onset of symptoms. The earlier, the better. A brain CT scan is essential before treatment, as strokes can be caused by either a clot or bleeding.
Unlike a heart attack where aspirin helps, for a stroke, aspirin should not be given without a CT scan. Instead:
Migraine is a type of headache, but not all headaches are migraines. Migraine symptoms include headache, nausea, light sensitivity, and pain in specific areas like behind the eyes or the back of the head. It is one of the most common disabling diseases.
Yes. Common triggers include:
Sleep is not passive. Important functions include:
Yes.
Yes. Benefits include:
Watching reels is passive and may negatively affect the brain. However, creating content for reels requires thinking and can be beneficial.
Avocado. It has a fancy reputation, but the same nutrients can be obtained from other foods. In fact many of these fancy sounding foods are overrated.
I hate the word detox, whether it is some juice for detox, fasting for detox, or an only-fruits diet for detox. Our liver and kidneys work 24/7 to detoxify our bodies, so why do we need all these so-called detox methods? This concept is not valid, yet so many influencers promote various detox juices and herbal products. Surprisingly, even some top doctors not only promote these detox methods but actually consume those juices themselves. I wonder what they have learned in their MBBS.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
Yaslen Clemente isn't just an influencer—she's a fitness powerhouse. The social media star is known for her intense workouts, and she recently sha
Samantha Espineira knows how to turn heads, both on and off the runway. The successful model and Instagram influencer regularly shares breathtaking
Best Health Tracker: Oura Ring 3Why We Love It: I’ve tried many, many fitness trackers—but I tend not to stick with one watch or band for very long. I’ve
A new study has debunked a popular TikTok wellness trend called cycle syncing, which claims that tailoring a workout routine to match the hormonal changes that