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An India Today investigation on Health 360 explores how early signs of Parkinson's disease may appear years before diagnosis through subtle symptoms like constipation, reduced sense of smell, mood disturbances and disrupted sleep.
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00:00What if the future of your brain is already whispering to you years before anyone calls it a diagnosis?
00:07On the show this week, we explore the subtle signs your body and mind could be sending
00:12long before conditions like Parkinson's and dementia are formally identified.
00:18We'll uncover how early signs of Parkinson's may appear in something as simple as your gait
00:23and how dementia can cast shadows years before memory loss becomes undeniable.
00:29Most importantly, we'll dive into what you can do now, especially in your forties
00:33because emerging research shows that what you eat and how you live during midlife
00:38can profoundly shape your brain health decades later.
00:43Also on the show, rucking the practice of walking with added weight has been gaining attention
00:49for its simplicity and effectiveness.
00:52We'll show you how it is done.
00:54We're also telling you all that you need to know about diabetes and hypertension remission.
01:00And while we are at it, all that you need to know about semaglutide craze
01:05and why you should be careful now that weight loss medicines are available in the country
01:10like any other toffees.
01:12That and much more lined up today on the show.
01:15I'm Sneha Murdani, this is Hairdry 60.
01:44Drucking strap on a backpack and add some weight.
01:48Turn your walk into a workout that packs a punch.
01:51This is rucking.
01:53Simple, tough and surprisingly addictive.
01:56It's not just a stroll.
01:58It's strength, endurance and grit rolled into every step.
02:03Whether you're climbing hills, pounding pavements or hitting trails,
02:07rucking takes your ordinary walk and transforms it into a full body challenge
02:12you'll actually look forward to.
02:14We're telling you more about how rucking is done in this report.
02:35Well, it's a pleasant afternoon.
02:37I thought why not go for a walk.
02:38Then I kind of improvised in my head and I thought why not just try to do something
02:42which will burn more calories and also ensure that I get my strength training in.
02:48Hence, I decided to go for rucking.
02:50I picked up this backpack of mine.
02:53It's about roughly 10 kilos and I decided to throw it on my back
02:58and go in for rucking today.
03:02What exactly is rucking?
03:04Here's what you need to know.
03:11It looks like an ordinary walk but it isn't because I've thrown in this backpack
03:15right behind me and this is so important.
03:18It's a complete workout.
03:19It burns calories.
03:21It's also important from the point of view of your mental grit,
03:24endurance and strength training.
03:26And that's why everyone should be rucking.
03:35Rucking is simple.
03:36It means walking with weight on your back.
03:39It takes its inspiration from military training but now rucking is making its way
03:44into mainstream fitness.
03:47Put simply, rucking is the act of walking or hiking while wearing weight on your back.
03:53It's an excellent way to increase the efficiency and intensity of a workout.
03:58For so many years, humans actually the only living creatures capable of carrying a lot of weight
04:05on their backs.
04:06It comes naturally to them.
04:08This isn't something that requires special effort or special focus so to speak.
04:14It's something that comes very, very naturally.
04:17No cell phones, no distractions.
04:19In a world which is obsessed with high intensity fitness, this is as simple as it gets.
04:25But make no mistake, it's simple, but it's really powerful.
04:31Rucking targets key muscle groups in your legs, upper body, back and core to promote improved
04:37strength and yes, longevity.
04:40And studies have linked it to stronger aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, increased calorie
04:46burn and improved bone health.
04:49This is research from PubMed.
04:52The benefits of rucking.
04:54Research estimates that we lose around 3-8% of our muscle mass every decade after the age
05:00of 13.
05:01What's more, up to 16% of people over the age of 65 have sarcopenia, which is age-related
05:08muscle loss.
05:09Women tend to present with this issue earlier than men.
05:13Sarcopenia puts us at a higher risk of cognitive decline and increased susceptibility to infections
05:18and metabolic syndrome.
05:20It's been correlated with osteoporosis.
05:23What's the antidote here?
05:25Clearly, it is strength training.
05:27It helps you preserve your muscle mass, which becomes extremely important as you head towards
05:32your sunset years.
05:33It deals with sarcopenia in a way nothing else does.
05:38But I know strength training as a phrase also sounds a little difficult for a lot of people.
05:44They associate it with, you know, intense workouts at the gym and difficult things to do like run,
05:50for example, which may be not very convenient for a lot of people for the kind of impact that
05:56it may have on your knees and joints, but this is a low-impact exercise, which means everyone can do
06:03it.
06:04You don't really have to carry 10% of your body weight.
06:06You can carry whatever is comfortable for you.
06:09The idea is to challenge yourself in whichever way you can.
06:14Well, so the thing with rucking really is that it doesn't require any fancy gear.
06:18Yes, there is a lot of rucking gear available in the market and it is expensive.
06:23What you can actually do is use a backpack like I have done, it's lying around at home,
06:27put in some weight and start rucking and as you progress, increase the weight of your backpack.
06:33The idea is that it should challenge you, but it also should be comfortable.
06:37Now, research has said that yes, it improves endurance, mental grit as we know,
06:43but also it helps in burning calories, which means that it will also help you lose weight.
06:50Isn't that great?
06:51Well, I have found just so many reasons to start rucking, which I have done.
06:56You also should find one.
06:59Emerging research shows that with the right lifestyle choices,
07:03this condition can be reversed without relying solely on medication.
07:09We're talking about diabetes and other metabolic disorders like hypertension, for example,
07:15balance, nutrition, consistent movement, stress management and sleep.
07:19People are reclaiming control over their health, lowering blood sugar and even seeing that diabetes go into remission.
07:29This really isn't about quick fixes.
07:30It's about sustainable habits that empower your body to heal itself and rewrite the story of your health.
07:49He was diabetic, he was hypertensive, he was an ex-phronic smoker, so there were lots of things to deal
07:55with.
07:58Earlier, my lifestyle was a typical IT guy's lifestyle, eating all kinds of junk food, 24-7, snacking, drinking tea,
08:08coffee all the time and whatever else comes with it.
08:18At a time when questions are being raised on shortcuts, used by many to get to what they believe is
08:24the optimum weight for them.
08:26Shortcuts involving use of medicines to lose weight, often unprescribed.
08:32Here is the story of a man who has managed successful remission of diabetes and has also kept his hypertension
08:40and his cancer at bay.
08:44With sheer dedication and faith on improving lifestyle.
08:47When I first saw the patient, he had symptoms suggestive of prostate enlargement and when we actually got testing done,
08:58we found out that he has stage 4 prosthetic cancer.
09:02And unfortunately, it was stage 4, it had spread over to other parts of the body as well, to multiple
09:08other parts of the body.
09:09Now, the patient also had a history of heart disease.
09:13He had a stent placed in his heart, he was diabetic, he was hypertensive, he was an ex-chronic smoker,
09:20so there were lots of things to deal with.
09:24That was essentially the condition when we first encountered the patient.
09:28Nitin Chandra, a 60-year-old IT professional, is a living testimony of how nature works like medicine.
09:35And that improving your lifestyle can help you get to your health goals.
09:40Earlier, my lifestyle was a typical IT guy's lifestyle.
09:44Eating all kinds of junk food 24-7, snacking, drinking tea, coffee all the time and whatever else comes with
09:53it.
09:53A totally sedentary lifestyle.
09:55Once you start a change in your lifestyle, in my case, I was not used to moving or exercising.
10:01So all of that did take some effort.
10:06But generally, it will take maybe a week or two to get used to it and once your body adapts,
10:11you will never look back.
10:12Because your body will not allow that kind of lifestyle and food.
10:18So once you are there, a lot will change.
10:22Like in my case, I totally reversed my diabetes and hypertension and it has been 5 years now.
10:29On paper, diabetes is a lifelong disease.
10:32But for many, it does not have to be like that.
10:36So when we talk about diabetes reversal versus diabetes management, as is conventionally done, there are a few key differences.
10:44So all the currently existing diabetes medications, be it pills or injections, they work more symptomatically.
10:54They just work at the elevated blood glucose levels or the elevated HPA1C levels but what is frequently ignored is
11:03the root cause behind those metrics.
11:05So the root cause is, as I said, insulin resistance.
11:09So there is no medication which currently directly is able to counter and for a long term reverse insulin resistance.
11:19That is only possible with your lifestyle.
11:23From fat to fit, from diabetic to healthy, from sedentary to active, from mood swings to a state of happiness,
11:34no shortcuts, no overnight fixes, small changes done daily, powerful enough to rewrite a diagnosis.
11:43So when a patient has moved from being an insulin resistant diabetic to a person who is again insulin sensitive,
11:53that is akin to being in the same condition he was prior to getting diabetes.
11:59So when we have eliminated the root cause, we can safely say that we have reversed the condition.
12:05The term literally means that we have reversed the patient's journey.
12:11So he came from a non-diabetic background to a type 2 diabetic background and now we have changed the
12:18direction and brought him back to a stage when he was non-diabetic and sensitive to insulin.
12:24A reminder that while diabetes may be chronic, for some, remission is within reach with the right support and sustained
12:34efforts.
12:34For years, semaglutide, the drug behind brands like Ozempic and D-Go-V has been out of reach for many,
12:41locked behind patents and high prices.
12:44But now in India, that's changing.
12:47With patents that have expired, Indian pharmaceutical companies are racing to launch affordable genetics that are now flooding the market.
12:55But we are exploring here on how the patent story actually unfolded, what it means really for patients and how
13:05the entry of genetics is transforming both the market and lives of patients.
13:10Well, it's been a week since India saw a revolution of sorts, an opening up of the market on semaglutide
13:17with patents expiring.
13:19Many call it a statin moment in healthcare.
13:21Many say this is a new Prozac moment.
13:24For those unversed, the statin revolution was the acceptance of the small molecule in treatment of cholesterol.
13:30The Prozac moment we know was when this antidepressant 2 became a blockbuster medicine.
13:37So is this the GLP-1 moment?
13:41First things first, what has really happened over the last one week?
13:45What really is semaglutide that has now become a part of our everyday conversation?
13:54Semaglutide is actually the active drug in what you know as Ozempic and V-Go-V.
14:00It's most popular actually.
14:02Developed and patented by Novo Nordisk, a company, a pharmaceutical company.
14:10What then is a patent and how is that expired?
14:13A patent is actually a time-limited monopoly.
14:16The standard rule is that 20 years from the filing date, after that the invention enters the public domain.
14:23In this case, Novo Nordisk had found this and the patent has now expired after roughly about 20 years or
14:30so.
14:31Now, anyone can legally make users sell semaglutide.
14:35And that is why we see 50 plus types of genetics enter the Indian market.
14:40They're bringing out their own versions of semaglutide medicines, as we know, for diabetes management.
14:46But now has so many takers for weight loss.
14:50The way these medications work is that when we take them, our body produces more insulin.
14:59So when we produce more insulin, blood sugar levels go down.
15:03And that's how they help people with diabetes.
15:06But they also help with weight loss through two mechanisms.
15:09One, they suppress the appetite.
15:12So naturally, if people don't feel hungry, they'll eat less.
15:17And if they eat less, they'll lose weight.
15:20The other thing they do is they delay the rate at which the food leaves the stomach.
15:25So after we eat, the food sits in the stomach for a longer period of time.
15:30That means that people feel full for a longer period of time.
15:34And so they don't feel hungry.
15:36And so they eat less and then they lose weight.
15:39So those are the three mechanisms by which they work.
15:43So the reason why the drug is getting cheaper is because the monopoly has weakened.
15:47Competition has increased.
15:49India's pharmaceutical ecosystem can, of course, produce these medicines at a very cheap rate,
15:55not because the quality is not optimal or there are no checks,
15:58but because of the kind of capacity that we have in producing these medicines.
16:04So what about the price drop from 28,000?
16:08We've actually come down to medicines as cheap as 3,000 and even lesser.
16:14Of course, generics have now flooded the Indian market.
16:18So semaglutide, as we know, lowers blood sugar levels, suppresses appetite effectively, boost insulin release and keeps one full for
16:27a longer time.
16:28India is, of course, now finding so many takers for this medicine because of these very obvious reasons.
16:3410.1 crore people living with diabetes, 25.4 crore living with generalized obesity, 35.1 crore with abdominal obesity.
16:45Semaglutide has seen about an 85% price reduction.
16:48So while the semaglutide gold rush has begun in the country, the union health ministry has said a crackdown also
16:54has started to ensure that unethical pharmaceutical practices in the supply chain of these weight loss drugs, as known as
17:02GRP1 medicines, does not happen.
17:05It's already started actually and the drugs controller of India has intensified its regulatory surveillance against the unauthorized sale and
17:14promotion of these medicines.
17:16The drugs controller, in collaboration with the state regulators, has initiated a series of targeted actions to curb possible malpractice
17:24across the pharmaceutical supply chain and prevent unauthorized sales.
17:29What's important is that you must know an internal medicine specialist or an endocrinologist can be the only doctors prescribing
17:38this medicine and no one else.
17:40What if Parkinson's isn't something that suddenly appears but something that starts quietly years before a diagnosis?
17:48Emerging research shows that the earliest signs of the disease begin deep in the brain long before tremors, stiffness or
17:54other symptoms show up.
17:56Subtle changes in movement, sleep, mood and even smell may be sending signals that most of us miss.
18:03Understanding these early whispers could change the way we detect, track and eventually treat Parkinson's.
18:09Long before it reaches the stage we typically recognize.
18:14Parkinson's disease is commonly associated with visible symptoms like a trembling hand.
18:20However, doctors are increasingly recognizing that the condition may begin much earlier, often years or even decades before any movement
18:29problems appear.
18:30From stage 1 to stage 5.
18:33Stage 1 is mild Parkinson's disease which affects one side of body with some stiffness and tremor and does not
18:40affect the quality of life significantly.
18:44Stage 2 starts affecting increasing effect of Parkinson's disease.
18:48It affects both sides but does not impair the balance.
18:53In stage 3, both sides of body are affected by Parkinson's disease and the balance is also impaired.
19:00In stage 4, both sides are affected.
19:04The disease is moderate and the patient is not able to carry out his daily activities very well.
19:10And stage 5 is the severe stage of Parkinson's disease when the activity of daily living are severely limited and
19:19patient may require help from other people.
19:21In its earliest phase known as the prodromal stage, Parkinson's can show up through subtle non-motor symptoms.
19:29These include constipation, a reduced sense of smell, mood disturbance such as depression and destructive sleep because these signs are
19:38common in the general population and not specific to Parkinson's.
19:43They rarely lead to an immediate diagnosis.
19:46Our interest in prodromal stage has increased significantly because we have realized scientifically that other areas of the brain, areas
19:55which affect the gut functioning, the smell, the sleep may be involved earlier by the same mechanisms which cause Parkinson's
20:04disease, giving rise to a long prodromal phase.
20:08And if we are able to identify people who are going to succumb to Parkinson's disease, eventually we can use
20:17interventions in the prodromal phase to prevent Parkinson's disease.
20:22Scientists believe these early changes are linked to the gradual accumulation of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain.
20:31This build-up first affects areas that control sleep, smell and gut function before eventually reaching regions responsible for movement.
20:41Only when symptoms like slowness, stiffness or tremor develop, is Parkinson's clinically diagnosed.
20:48As the accumulation of alpha-synuclein in basal ganglia or the area responsible for our movement leads to impact on
20:58brain's control of movement causing tremor, cogwheel rigidity, stiffness and impaired walking.
21:05So, while we know the mechanism, the knowledge of this mechanism allows us to identify the disease or possibility of
21:15disease before the disease becomes manifest, giving rise to considerations of creating medications or interventions which can prevent or delay
21:25Parkinson's disease.
21:26So, let's tell you a little about an international study from Egypt that found prodromal constipation in 22% Parkinson's
21:34cases before motor onset.
21:36While international research has expanded understanding of the non-motor symptoms, Indian neurologists are careful not to label patients prematurely
21:46as the diagnosis itself can cause great psychological distress and that is why early diagnosis is very tough in this
21:55disease.
21:56What you eat in your 40s could shape the health of your brain decades later.
22:01The foods, habits and choices you make now will not just affect your waistline, they influence memory, focus and even
22:08your risk for dementia years later.
22:12Every bite counts and the decisions you make today could be the key to a sharper, healthier brain tomorrow.
22:19Yes ma'am.
22:20What if the biggest investment in your brain health isn't a puzzle or an app on your phone but what's
22:27on your plate?
22:28Well, your 40s are a turning point not just for your body but for your brain as well.
22:35And new research suggests what you eat now could shape how your brain functions decades later.
22:41The study has been published in the reputed journal JAMA Neurology.
22:45We often associate memory loss and cognitive decline with old age.
22:49But the process actually begins much earlier, silently, gradually, in mid-life, in your 40s when the brain begins to
22:58undergo subtle changes, slower processing, reduced plasticity and early signs of inflammation.
23:05That after the age of 40, there is some sort of senescence in the brain which starts setting.
23:14It's not a universal rule.
23:15But yes, as we age, definitely there are certain changes inside the brain.
23:20All our organs age as we become old.
23:24So brain is also a part of that system.
23:28So yeah, definitely there are certain things that we should keep in mind.
23:32Definitely if the lifestyle is not good, so then it can set off certain processes which can definitely lead to
23:43a rapid cognitive decline and memory problems as we age.
23:49Your 40s are when risk factors start accumulating.
23:52Poor diet, high sugar intake, unhealthy fats, these directly impact brain structure and function over time.
23:59Highly processed foods, excess sugar, trans fats don't just affect your waistline, they can accelerate brain aging as well.
24:06So food plays an important role and the timing, the quality and the quantity of food.
24:13There are three factors which we must keep in mind.
24:17So what sorts of food we eat?
24:20So that is very important.
24:23So as I told you, the timing of the food.
24:28So to make it very simple, we should avoid late night dinners.
24:32That is a very important takeaway.
24:34We should consume more raw food items like fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts, etc.
24:44And we should avoid processed food, ultra processed food and junk food.
24:50On the other side, what you eat can also protect your brain.
24:54So what you eat in your 40s really matters.
24:57Diet, science, sugar and processed foods can increase the risk of memory problems and cognitive decline as you age.
25:04But incorporating whole foods, healthy fats, plenty of vegetables can strengthen brain resilience.
25:11By taking good quality food, what we are doing essentially is reducing, minimizing that amount of oxidative stress
25:18of the wear and tear that each cell has to grow, including the brain.
25:23So if we consume diet which is rich in antioxidants, which is rich in polyphenols, catechins.
25:29So definitely the wear and tear will be less.
25:33The brain will, the cell will have to exercise less to clear off those toxic products.
25:40So that is why we advocate consumption of fruits, especially blueberries, if we talk about brain health.
25:47And taking less of refined sugar and refined carbs like paida and refined sugar, etc.
25:52Experts say small daily changes like swapping sugary snacks for fresh fruit or riding fish a few times a week
25:58can have long term benefits for memory, focus and overall cognitive health.
26:03So it turns out your 40s aren't just some middle crises.
26:07It's also a prime time to invest in your brain.
26:10Eating well now could pay off decades later.
26:14Well, it's a wrap on this edition of Health Free 60.
26:17We hope you enjoyed watching the show as much as we did, putting it together for you.
26:21You can find these reports up on our website.
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26:39Until next time, take very good care of yourself.
26:41Bye for now.
26:42Bye for now.
26:43Bye.
26:51Bye.
26:55Bye.
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