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The Quint

This is Vishnu Ki Secret Life, the podcast where you'll learn something new about nutrition, fitness, life or lifestyle choices, usually through Vishnu's own experiences and sometimes questionable decisions.

Diet, exercise, alcohol, drugs, bio-hacking, it's all on the table on Vishnu Ki Secret Life.

You can follow Vishnu Gopinath at @VishnuSaysWhat (https://twitter.com/VishnuSaysWhat)

Host: Vishnu Gopinath

Producer: Vishnu Gopinath

Vishnu Ki Secret Life

The world before the coronavirus is now gone, changed forever. How can we deal with the new reality we now face? Everything about our lives has changed – from our work, to our relationships and our exercise and even spending habits.

Questions flood our minds, filling us with anxiety. Understanding this new situation can be difficult. In this time of crisis, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lost. Not to worry, because we have answers that can help. This episode of Vishnu Ki Secret Life dives into adapting to change. From practical methods, to different ways of thinking, there are several approaches to better adapt to change. Understanding these, can mean the difference between positive or negative change. Can we make the most of this tense period, and come out of it happier and healthier? Knowing what to do and how to do it, can bring us closer to this possibility. Everyone deals with change differently. Don’t beat yourself up about it if you feel lost. Understanding is the first step to growth. So, listen to this podcast, where we help you understand what to do.

Host and Producer: Vishnu Gopinath
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Can We Better Deal With The Big Changes in Our Lives?

What do music lessons, art therapy, cooking, and video-calling have in common? Well, they're all great ways to pass your time in lockdown, silly!

This is a special episode of Vishnu Ki Secret Life, recorded from deep within the confines of my home during lockdown. 

More than two weeks have passed since most of the world went into lockdown, to stop COVID-19 from spreading any further. Two weeks in isolation can do a number to anyone's mental health and peace, going from fun to "when will this end?" quicker than you can say, "coronavirus is not that dangerous".

We're joined by an art therapist, a music teacher, a part-time chef and full-time lawyer, and a counsellor, on this special episode!

Guests: Nyana Sabharwal, Founder, SafeSpace
Anu Singh, Art Therapist, Certified Zentangle Teacher & NLP Coach
Suyash Gabriel, Drummer & Music Teacher
Arnab Ghosh, Lawyer & Part-Time Chef

Host and Producer: Vishnu Gopinath

Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How to Be Happy, Sane and Productive Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

In the interest of limiting the novel coronavirus’ spread, a number of organisations in India and across the world have asked their employees to work from home, thus eliminating person-to-person contact.

This, as you may know, is all contributing to what has become the watchword in this time of pandemic and panic –– social distancing.

Social distancing is a set of non-medical steps that can limit the spread of the virus.

If we don’t practice social distancing, and if the number of infected keep rising, we also risk overburdening our healthcare system, something that Italy has had to deal with.

Things have changed, and will have to change as we go on... social distancing – by not going out, by working from home, by limiting human interaction, becomes an essential part of this.

Today we’ll show you how to prepare for social distancing and do it effectively so you can weather the coming weeks with good health and peace of mind.

Guests: Dr. Jayakrishnan, Co-ordinator, Regional Prevention of Epidemic Disease Cell, Calicut Medical College

Dr. Sumit Ray, Chairperson Critical Care Medicine and Chief of Medical Services, Artemis Hospitals Delhi

Host and Producer: Vishnu Gopinath

Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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COVID-19: How To Prepare For Social Distancing During Coronavirus

Modern life is unbelievably stressful. According to a 2018 study, 9 out of 10 Indians feel they’re suffering from stress because of work, health or money. 3 out 4 said they don't feel comfortable talking to a medical or mental health professional for their stress. 

On this episode of Vishnu Ki Secret Life, I explore five alternatives to meditation for relaxation and stress relief.

These techniques are useful for different challenges you face daily, including work stress, sleeplessness, social anxiety, and general anxiety.

The methods I tried include Autogenic Relaxation, Jacobson’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique, Guided Visualization, Diaphragmatic Breathing and Body Scan Relaxation.

Which method will suit you best? Listen to the podcast and find out!

Guest: Sri M, Spiritual Guide

Host and Producer: Vishnu Gopinath

Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz Music
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Relaxation Beyond Meditation: Five Alternative Stress-Relief Techniques

Do you feel guilty or ashamed after you eat some foods? Do you hide what you eat or how much you eat from people? Do you ever stuff yourself till you’re full, and then keep eating?

If you said yes to any of these questions, you, or someone you know, might be suffering from food addiction.

On this podcast, I document my own struggle with food addiction, and how I try to cope with it on a daily basis.

What’s food addiction?

It’s an addiction to junk food that’s as strong as drug addiction and as damaging, if not more damaging.

Like any addiction, a food addiction can kill you prematurely, by causing obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol and a range of lifestyle disorders…and if it doesn’t kill you, it makes you miserable, by taking from you slowly till you’re left a shell of your former self.

Guest: Naini Setalvad, Obesity, Lifestyle & Nutrition Consultant
Host and Producer: Vishnu Gopinath
Editor: Shelly Walia
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What is Food Addiction: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

I think it’s safe to say most of us were hoping 2020 was better than 2019. But just over a month into 2020, many people have already felt that stress levels, both physical and mental have gone up.

And the first thing that goes for a toss when life gets overwhelming, is your self-care routine. Diets go out the window, exercise routines are ignored and we often stop the steps we took to make sure we were feeling and doing fine.

But self-care is essential to a healthier state of mind, a better mood, improved energy and overall wellness.

On this podcast we learn all about how to ensure you self-care and different approaches to self-care.

Guests: Kamna Chibber, Clinical Psychologist
Abhishek Munian, 28
Jennifer Fatogun, 28
Veeran Singh, 28
Namrata, 27

Host and Producer: Vishnu Gopinath

Editor: Shelly Walia 

Listen to our series of guided meditation podcasts here.
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The Importance of Self-Care

On Vishnu Ki Secret Life, we usually talk about fun, light topics with a little bit of knowledge you can take for your own daily life.

Today we're talking about something a little serious - Mental health. Specifically how people's mental health has been affected by the CAA protests and anti-NRC protests, going on in India right now. The CAA protests have had a visible impact across the country, with people mobilising in large numbers to protest peacefully. Protests have turned violent in many parts of the country, with police firing, using tear gas and lathi charges against protesters.

But while the political and social unrest continues, people’s mental health has taken a turn for the worse.

We spoke to people who have regularly attended the CAA protests, people who’ve been following the protests closely, as well as psychologists and therapists volunteering support for people in distress during the protests.

So today we explain how and why your mental health suffers at times like this, and how you can take care of yourself.

Guests:

Srividya Rajaram, Psychologist

Siddhant Sachdeva, 20, Student, IPU

Shalini Pratap Singh, 19, Student, Delhi University

Zijah Sherwani, 26, Journalist, The Quint

Ataliq Khan, 23, Journalist, The Quint

Garvita Khybri, 29, Journalist, The Quint

Host and Producer: Vishnu Gopinath

Editor: Shelly Walia

Additional Reading:
Mental Health in the Times of Protest
'Society is suffering': Hong Kong protests spark mental health crisis
The Lancet Comes Under Fire Over Report on Health of Kashmiris
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Mental Health: How Anti-CAA Protests Have Affected Our Mental Health – And What Can You Do?

Almost 100 percent of all New Year’s resolutions fail. But this year we’re giving you a guide to set better resolutions and accomplish what you set out to achieve.

Do you want to lose all the weight you’ve gained over the holidays plus a little more? You want to make 2020 the year you quit smoking? It’s very doable, but you just need to take the right steps, with the right guidance.

Today’s episode of Vishnu Ki Secret Life covers just that - how to set better resolutions and how to accomplish your goal.

Listen in!

Guest: Kavita Devgan, Nutritionist & Author of 'Don't Diet!' and 'Ultimate Grandmother Hacks'

Host & Producer: Vishnu Gopinath

Editor: Shelly Walia

Read the story on The Quint.
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Setting New Year's Resolutions & How to Achieve Them

What is a calorie? Why do calories matter? Are all calories the same? And can you stay healthy if you just count calories and work out regularly?

Today we’ll answer all these questions and more.

We have three guests with us today – clinical nutritionist Rupali Datta, 23-year-old Abhishek Sarin, who works as a constultant in Delhi, 22-year-old Udayan Sinha, who’s a journalist. Both Abhishek and Udayan have lost approximately 20 kilos each.

And this is everything you need to know about calories.

There’s one group of nutritionists who swear by calorie counting and its effectiveness for weight loss, weight gain, or maintenance. Then there’s another group that says calorie counting is the biggest farce of the 21st century.

Which group is right? We answer every single question you might have about calories on this podcast.

Host & Editor: Vishnu Gopinath

Guests: Rupali Datta, Clinical Nutrionist(Fortis Hospitals, Max Hospitals)
Abhishek Sarin, Consultant
Udayan Sinha, Journalist

Producer: Shelly Walia
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Calories 101: The Last Guide to Calorie Counting You’ll Ever Need

......And we're back!

This is Episode 1 of Season 2 of Vishnu Ki Secret Life, the show where you learn something new, through my own experiments, and with the help of experts and others who’ll be joining me. Today we’re talking about how to get back on track when you either stop a diet or fail on the way to your goal!

Stop me if you’ve heard this story before. The festivals are here, you’ve had a few weeks of eating good rich food, mithai, cake, and other delicious things…. And suddenly your clothes are just a little tighter!

Despite everything on Season 1 of Vishnu Ki Secret Life, despite knowing all the ways and science behind it, I defaulted on my health this year. I ignored all the lessons I’d learned and put on like 10-12 kilos. And then I was sad.
So, I thought, let’s take a step back from my own advice, and speak to a nutritionist and an expert in the field. And that’s our first guest on this episode, Kavita Devgan.

She’s a nutritionist and weight management consultant as well as the author of ‘Don't Diet! 50 Habits Of Thin People’ and ‘Ultimate Grandmother Hacks’.

I also spoke to my brother Vivek, who recently got back to being healthy, after steadily gaining weight for the most of the last two years. Growing up we’ve both been overweight or obese for large parts of our life.

So, today, Kavita, Vivek and I will tell you different methods to get back into a healthy routine IF you’ve wandered off the path and found your clothes tighter than usual.

Host & Editor: Vishnu Gopinath

Guests: Kavita Devgan, Nutritionist and Author of 'Don't Diet! 50 Habits Of Thin People’ and ‘Ultimate Grandmother Hacks’
Vivek Gopinath

Producer: Shelly Walia 
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How to Get Back on Track With Your Weight Loss Plan, With Nutritionist Kavita Devgan!

I first learned about Modafinil in 2012. It’s a prescription drug that’s commonly used to treat narcolepsy and a range of other issues including sleep disorders, and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. It’s also used, off prescription, as a ‘cognitive enhancer'.

I read a study that said Jet fighter pilots could function for up to 37 hours of continuous wakefulness, with a very small drop in baseline function on 100 milligram doses of Modafinil.

I tried Modafinil for the first time in law school. I’d kept delaying a number of previous exams, and one thing led to another, and eventually I had just two weeks to write 9 exams. 

Listen to the podcast for the full story!

Read the story here.
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Smart Drugs: What I Learned From Modafinil

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