https://thoughtfulindia.com/category/health-spirituality/ Health, wellbeing, Ayurveda, yoga and faith: evidence-aware reporting on the body, the mind and spiritual practice for Indian readers. en Copyright Thoughtful India Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 GMT https://thoughtfulindia.com/brand/ti-logo-512.png https://thoughtfulindia.com/category/health-spirituality/ https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/11/hrt-back-in-favor-women-told-to-avoid-it/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/11/hrt-back-in-favor-women-told-to-avoid-it/ In 2002 one study drove women off hormone therapy. Two decades later, the FDA and America's gynecologists have changed course, and many women are asking what they were never told. Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 GMT Suchitra Sharma Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/10/girls-heart-health-first-period-female-life-stages/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/10/girls-heart-health-first-period-female-life-stages/ Four US medical societies want heart-risk assessment to start around ages 8 to 15 and to follow women through pregnancy and menopause. Pregnancy warning signs that are more common in South Asian women are part of the new framework. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/10/holding-two-opposing-truths-bohr-linehan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/10/holding-two-opposing-truths-bohr-linehan/ What a physicist's discovery about light and a psychologist's struggle with suffering reveal about the possibility of change. Sat, 24 Oct 2026 05:00:00 GMT Maya Sharma Health & Spirituality Science https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/09/the-3am-awakening-cortisol-vata-circadian-biology/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/09/the-3am-awakening-cortisol-vata-circadian-biology/ Waking at 3 a.m. with a racing mind? Cortisol's early-morning rise and lighter second-half sleep explain most of it — the liver-glycogen story is only a Wed, 16 Sep 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Science Culture https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/09/science-of-vamkukshi-left-side-sleeping/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/09/science-of-vamkukshi-left-side-sleeping/ Ayurveda's vamkukshi advises resting on the left side after meals. Modern reflux studies back the left-side habit, but the heart and lymph claims don't hold up. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Culture Science https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/yoga-diplomacy-how-india-exports-wellness-to-the-world/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/yoga-diplomacy-how-india-exports-wellness-to-the-world/ From ashrams to Instagram: how yoga became India's most successful cultural export, what was gained in translation, and who captures the value. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Culture https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/water-crisis-cities-running-dry-across-india/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/water-crisis-cities-running-dry-across-india/ Groundwater falling a meter a year, 30-40% of treated water leaking from pipes. India's urban water crisis is already here — not a future warning. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Politics Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/the-mahabharata-generation-young-indians-rediscovering-dharma/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/the-mahabharata-generation-young-indians-rediscovering-dharma/ Educated urban Indians under 35 are reading the Gita and Upanishads not as religion but as philosophy — a selective intellectual recovery of Hindu texts. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Culture Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/indias-healthcare-paradox-world-class-hospitals,-broken-primary-care/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/indias-healthcare-paradox-world-class-hospitals,-broken-primary-care/ India's corporate hospitals rival the world's best while rural primary care collapses. Why the paradox persists — and what would actually fix it. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/indian-diet-and-protein-deficiency-nutritional-challenges/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/indian-diet-and-protein-deficiency-nutritional-challenges/ India solved calorie hunger but not protein hunger. What national surveys show about protein intake, stunting, and why vegetarian diets need diversity to work. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/ayurveda-global-ancient-medicine-modern/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/ayurveda-global-ancient-medicine-modern/ Ayurveda is going global — ashwagandha in every supplement aisle. What's genuinely evidence-backed, what's marketing, and what respectful integration looks Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Culture Business https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/ageing-india-demographics-meeting-development/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/ageing-india-demographics-meeting-development/ By 2050, one in five Indians will be over 60. Pensions are fragmented, geriatric care an afterthought. The dividend is maturing — and India isn't ready. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/09/smart-capsule-to-target-colon-diseases/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/09/smart-capsule-to-target-colon-diseases/ Purdue engineers built a smart drug capsule that survives the stomach and releases medication directly into the colon — a potentially cheaper, targeted Wed, 30 Sep 2015 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/08/join-the-happy-feet-club-of-naperville-to-get-in-shape-and-meet-friends/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/08/join-the-happy-feet-club-of-naperville-to-get-in-shape-and-meet-friends/ Naperville's Happy Feet Walker's Club helps members build daily walking habits — and friendships — with group walks and new routes. Here's how to join. Wed, 26 Aug 2015 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Naperville Diary https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/04/nasa-study-pays-18k-to-lie-in-bed-for-70-days/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/04/nasa-study-pays-18k-to-lie-in-bed-for-70-days/ NASA's $18,000 bed-rest study at UTMB Galveston: 70 days in bed to understand how spaceflight changes the body — and how to counter it. Tue, 21 Apr 2015 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/04/kumari-shibulal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/04/kumari-shibulal/ Suchitra Sharma meets Kumari Shibulal, whose Sarojini Damodaran Foundation funds full scholarships for underprivileged students across India. Mon, 20 Apr 2015 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/01/still-possible-catch-measles-disney-parks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/01/still-possible-catch-measles-disney-parks/ In January 2015, five Disneyland workers contracted measles — including two who were vaccinated — as California's outbreak passed 53 confirmed cases. Wed, 21 Jan 2015 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/01/5-foods-cut-belly-fat/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/01/5-foods-cut-belly-fat/ No food melts belly fat on its own — but eggs, oats, dals, nuts, and leafy greens make the calorie equation easier. Suchitra Sharma on eating for a flatter Mon, 12 Jan 2015 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Food Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/11/90-year-old-arrested-feeding-homeless/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/11/90-year-old-arrested-feeding-homeless/ In 2014, 90-year-old Fort Lauderdale activist Arnold Abbott was arrested under a new city ordinance for doing what he had done for decades: feeding the Mon, 10 Nov 2014 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/10/boost-immune-system/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/10/boost-immune-system/ You can't 'boost' your immune system like a phone battery — and trying can backfire. What actually keeps immune function working: sleep, movement, food, and Mon, 06 Oct 2014 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/06/tongue-patch-new-way-to-lose-weight/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/06/tongue-patch-new-way-to-lose-weight/ The 'tongue patch' diet sews a mesh patch onto the tongue to make eating painful. Doctors called it dangerous — and it was never FDA approved. Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Food Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/a-simple-blood-test-can-detect-autism-in-children/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/a-simple-blood-test-can-detect-autism-in-children/ Researchers began a 660-child study of a blood test that may flag autism risk earlier — though experts caution it cannot diagnose the condition alone. Mon, 29 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/bedbug-infestations-in-hospitals/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/bedbug-infestations-in-hospitals/ Researchers are studying ultraviolet light systems to disinfect hospital rooms against bedbugs and drug-resistant bacteria like MRSA. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/biggest-losers-host-gains-105-pounds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/biggest-losers-host-gains-105-pounds/ Ajay Rochester says she has regained 105 pounds since winning The Biggest Loser, opening up about the pressure of being the show's public face. Fri, 19 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/lighter-weight-with-more-repetitions-helps-build-leaner-muscle/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/lighter-weight-with-more-repetitions-helps-build-leaner-muscle/ McMaster's Stuart Phillips explains why lighter weights, more reps to fatigue, build muscle as well as heavy lifting — with less injury risk. Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/03/raise-your-metabolism-to-lose-weight/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/03/raise-your-metabolism-to-lose-weight/ Slow metabolism or just slow habits? The honest, natural ways to nudge your metabolic rate — strength training, protein, sleep — without gimmicks. Thu, 14 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/03/lack-of-sleep-makes-you-fat/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/03/lack-of-sleep-makes-you-fat/ Short sleep is strongly linked to weight gain — and lab studies show why: less sleep means more eating, especially late-night snacking. The honest evidence. Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/03/food-memories-may-aid-weight-loss-researchers-say/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/03/food-memories-may-aid-weight-loss-researchers-say/ The short version: Your memory of a meal counts toward feeling full. Recalling lunch in detail reduces later snacking; eating distracted increases it. Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Food Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/03/latest-in-diets-fast-diet-fast-for-two-days-and-eat-anything-you-want-for-the-next-five-days/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/03/latest-in-diets-fast-diet-fast-for-two-days-and-eat-anything-you-want-for-the-next-five-days/ The short version: The 5:2 diet — five normal days, two ~500-calorie days — produces weight loss, but no more than ordinary dieting. Fri, 01 Mar 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Food Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/jennifer-love-hewitt-shares-how-buti-yoga-helped-her-lose-weight/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/jennifer-love-hewitt-shares-how-buti-yoga-helped-her-lose-weight/ Jennifer Love Hewitt graced Shape's March 2013 cover in a bikini, crediting Buti — a yoga-dance-plyometrics fusion — and 60 minutes of daily exercise for Sat, 16 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/hormonal-breakouts-how-to-treat-and-prevent-acne-during-your-period/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/hormonal-breakouts-how-to-treat-and-prevent-acne-during-your-period/ Why periods trigger stubborn breakouts — and the dermatologist-backed ways to prevent them, from salicylic acid to prescription options. Mon, 04 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/more-women-are-now-injecting-fat-into-their-bodies-than-having-it-removed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/more-women-are-now-injecting-fat-into-their-bodies-than-having-it-removed/ British headlines in the early 2010s announced that fat transfer, injecting a patient's own fat into the face, hands, or buttocks, had become more popular than… Tue, 29 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/alcohol-affects-the-quality-of-sleep/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/alcohol-affects-the-quality-of-sleep/ The nightcap is sleep's most successful con: alcohol helps you fall asleep, then fragments the night, suppresses REM, and worsens snoring. Mon, 28 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Lifestyle Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/junk-food-linked-to-asthma-and-eczema-in-children/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/junk-food-linked-to-asthma-and-eczema-in-children/ Children who eat fast food three or more times a week appear more likely to suffer severe asthma, hay fever, and eczema. Tue, 15 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/11/study-proves-exercise-protects-the-brain-from-fatty-foods/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/11/study-proves-exercise-protects-the-brain-from-fatty-foods/ A rodent study reported by the New York Times found that exercise blunted the memory-impairing effects of a high-fat diet. Here is what it did and did not show. Thu, 08 Nov 2012 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Food Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/the-skeptical-engineer-who-turned-master-pranic-healer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/the-skeptical-engineer-who-turned-master-pranic-healer/ The original version of this story presented an extraordinary anecdote as fact: a woman crippled by arthritis, healed in days after a television appearance and… Thu, 13 Sep 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/one-more-reason-to-not-lose-weight/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/one-more-reason-to-not-lose-weight/ A 2012 European Heart Journal study of 43,265 people found a subset of obese people at normal risk of heart disease and cancer — if they were fit. Wed, 05 Sep 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/mcdonalds-to-open-its-first-veg-only-joint-in-vaishno-devi/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/mcdonalds-to-open-its-first-veg-only-joint-in-vaishno-devi/ McDonald's announced its first all-vegetarian outlets near Amritsar's Golden Temple and the Vaishno Devi shrine — a milestone for the Big Mac empire. Wed, 05 Sep 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Food Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/being-confident-in-ones-own-skin-it-would-seem-is-just-a-nip-n-tuck-away/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/being-confident-in-ones-own-skin-it-would-seem-is-just-a-nip-n-tuck-away/ Cosmetic procedures promise confidence, but the brochures skip the risks. An honest look at what surgery can and cannot change, and the questions to ask first. Mon, 03 Sep 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Lifestyle Health & Spirituality https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/what-women-can-learn-from-mens-workouts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/what-women-can-learn-from-mens-workouts/ Women were told to fear the weight room. The men had it right all along: lift heavy, eat enough, rest — and stop doing endless cardio. Mon, 27 Aug 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/womens-heart-attack-symptoms-differ-from-mens/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/womens-heart-attack-symptoms-differ-from-mens/ Rosie O'Donnell's August 2012 heart attack — which she nearly ignored — spotlighted how women's cardiac symptoms differ from the classic chest-clutch. Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/teen-develops-less-invasive-means-to-detect-breast-cancer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/teen-develops-less-invasive-means-to-detect-breast-cancer/ Brittany Wenger, 17, won the 2012 Google Science Fair with a neural network that detects breast cancer malignancy with 99% accuracy. Tue, 21 Aug 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/fitness-bucket-list-for-women/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/fitness-bucket-list-for-women/ Ten fitness goals worth chasing — from a 5K to a two-minute plank to a sunrise yoga practice. A bucket list for women who want to feel strong. Mon, 20 Aug 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/study-eating-the-whole-egg-as-dangerous-as-smoking/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/study-eating-the-whole-egg-as-dangerous-as-smoking/ A 2012 Canadian study linked egg yolks to faster artery plaque buildup — about two-thirds the effect of smoking. What it found, and what headlines skipped. Wed, 15 Aug 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/study-junk-food-laws-may-help-curb-kids-obesity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/study-junk-food-laws-may-help-curb-kids-obesity/ An August 2012 Pediatrics study found that students in states with strong school junk-food laws gained less weight — evidence that policy shapes waistlines. Mon, 13 Aug 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Food Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/pranic-healing-workshop-in-oswego-on-aug-29-with-chandan-parameswara/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/08/pranic-healing-workshop-in-oswego-on-aug-29-with-chandan-parameswara/ An introductory pranic healing workshop with Chandan Parameswara was held in Oswego on August 29, 2012 — a look at the no-touch energy healing practice. Mon, 13 Aug 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Naperville Diary https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/07/the-fastest-growing-religion-in-america-is/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/07/the-fastest-growing-religion-in-america-is/ The 2012 Religious Congregations and Membership Study found Islam grew 67 percent in a decade — the fastest-growing major religion in the US. Mon, 23 Jul 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Global Economy Health & Spirituality Interesting https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/07/in-dieting-magic-isnt-a-substitute-for-science/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/07/in-dieting-magic-isnt-a-substitute-for-science/ Crash diets promise magic, but lasting weight loss comes from food as daily medicine: whole foods, gradual habits, and the wisdom of traditional eating. Mon, 23 Jul 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Health & Spirituality Interesting Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/07/eat-the-cake-cookie-and-still-lose-weight/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/07/eat-the-cake-cookie-and-still-lose-weight/ The research on lasting weight loss points away from rigid restriction and toward sustainable plans: total calories over time matter more than banning any Tue, 10 Jul 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Food Health & Spirituality Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/06/dessert-with-breakfast-helps/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/06/dessert-with-breakfast-helps/ A 2012 Tel Aviv University study found that a big breakfast including dessert helped obese dieters lose more and keep it off — but the caveats mattered more Wed, 27 Jun 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Food Health & Spirituality Interesting