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Indian Express
a day ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Why yoga is the best therapy for doctors: Surgeons and physicians say how pranayama and asanas keep them going
A nine-hour surgery, emergency and bleeding on the table, anxious patients spilling out of the OPD and a dying patient's relative clinging on to hope — doctors have a tough time holding on to so many lifelines and processing collective anxiety. Little wonder then that a 2021 study showed that 75 per cent of doctors in India were under severe stress. And if there is one solution that takes care of both their physical and mental well-being without eating into their schedule, it is yoga. Dr Sonal Gupta, Director & HOD, Neurosurgery, Fortis, New Delhi As a neurosurgeon, I have to be on my feet for about seven to eight hours at a stretch. And since there's little focus on ergonomics in neurosurgery, the operating room environment and surgical techniques aren't designed to minimise physical strain. So I cannot imagine any day without my morning yoga, which keeps my knee joints stable and my spine supple. In fact, if I go without yoga for a week, I get a neck pain so severe that I have to be on pain relievers and muscle relaxants. Since I have to bend over the patient, twist my torso and assume awkward postures for an extended time period, my lumbar spine gets stressed. Certain surgical instruments and procedures require repetitive hand and wrist movements. Brain surgeries are particularly demanding as they require the surgeon to look through the endoscope continuously without moving and simultaneously keeping their arms extended to use tools like drills and retractors. Such surgeries strain the muscles and tendons in my neck and back. More than physical strain, I need to focus sharp, something that pranayama helps me with. I give myself an hour every day for my exercise routines, five times a week. I do yoga at least thrice a week, more if I am not lined up for early morning surgery. But I do it in combination with cardio exercises and strength training. Yoga itself can be considered a form of strength training. I begin my routine with 10-15 minutes of yoga and then 45 minutes of other drills. In the evenings, I play badminton to unwind. I do eight to 10 sets of surya namaskar daily. I usually follow it up with the cobra pose or Bhujangasana, which opens up the shoulder blades, neck and collar bones. It improves circulation, lung function, massages and regulates the adrenal and thyroid glands. The table top pose, or Bharmanasana, is another of my favourites as it strengthens the wrists, arms, shoulders and core while stretching and lengthening the spine. Additionally, it can improve posture, balance and focus while relieving stress. The cow pose or Bitilasana is a good spine arch routine that straightens the spine, improves abdominal and diaphragmatic breathing capabilities and opens up stiff shoulders. I have made yoga a part of my patient recovery protocol. Convalescents who need screws to stabilise the spine and help bones heal are recommended yoga after three months. Those without screws can take it up in six weeks. Yoga is best for them in strengthening their core. Dr Santoshi Janardan Nagaonkar, Director, Urological Oncology & Robotic Surgery, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai I try to do yoga at least four times a week and combine it with my cardio and strength training. Surya namaskar is my all-in-one routine and helps me when I am travelling and find limited windows to exercise. In fact, yoga has many stretches that can rival those of Pilates. But it doesn't require gadgets. Whatever happens, I never give up on pranayama. Breath exercises are good for metabolism. They help lower cortisol levels and keep me calm, so that my decision-making is more judicious. Laparoscopic surgery strains your shoulders and neck muscles. But as a robotic surgeon sitting at a console, where both my neck and hands are flexed and I need to operate the joystick for every precise movement, pressure builds up in my elbows and wrists. Sometimes you need to take quick action, so your hands need to be flexible and agile. Only yoga poses allow wrist-focussed stretches, rotations and fingertip grips. I prescribe yoga to all my patients, particularly recently diagnosed ones, so that they can retain their positivity and body confidence. For those in chemotherapy, yoga helps increase their strength and muscle mass so that they can complete their cycles. Dr Balaraja S, Department of Internal Medicine, PGI, Chandigarh One hour, six days a week. That's my yoga routine, no matter how busy my OPD is. It improves my mood, sleep quality and sense of satiety. It helps me develop a positive attitude, relieving stress and fatigue. At one time I was into stress eating. With yoga, my craving for snacking has gone down. I sleep well now. I started practising yoga consistently since last year and have lost 13 kg. When I started out, it was tough to get into the flow. Being overweight, stretching was not easy. But in just a month, I could feel my body loosen up, become flexible and full of energy. Apart from pranayama, my favourites include Tadasana, Chakrasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Bhujanasana and Dhanurasana, all of which strengthen the core, firm up the abdomen, reduce anxiety and improve organ functions. In fact, after I noticed the fat-busting effects of yoga, I wrote a thesis on the efficacy of yoga in improving fatty liver. We found that yoga with dietary calorie restriction is not inferior to exercise with dietary calorie restriction. In fact, we were able to control liver inflammation and fibrosis in our test subjects within six months. As a doctor, I have developed an Obesity Yoga Protocol for patients, which consists of a series of asanas, pranayama and meditation, along with dietary and lifestyle interventions. We also have a Y-Break protocol at PGI of about five to seven minutes, where healthcare workers do a specific set of relaxation techniques during lunch or tea break. That helps us jump right back in. Dr Deepak Kumar Chitralli, nephrologist & transplant physician, Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru I have been practising yoga for the last five years, 6 am to 7 am, five days a week. Two days I reserve for other intense exercises. Surya namaskara can be a full body workout when you do it at a faster pace. Other than that I do a lot of forward-bending asanas because they improve flexibility, stretch the spine and hamstrings, massage abdominal organs and can help relieve back pain and stiffness. These also reduce stress and improve digestion. Initially, I could not understand if yoga was indeed changing me. Till people told me that I looked visibly relaxed, calmer and in control. This is important for a doctor so that he does not transmit his stress levels to his already anxious patients, most of whom are on dialysis or are transplant recipients. In fact, post-transplant patients can do gentle asanas as they are restorative and benefit from pranayama. These days I can see more patients and assess them better in the same consultation time. I do not feel fatigued even after seeing 50 of them back-to-back. Still if I feel stretched, I take a 15-minute pranayama break, snap back and move to the next patient.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Top Stocks to Buy With $7,000 and Hold for Decades in Your TFSA
Written by Andrew Walker at The Motley Fool Canada With the TSX trading near its record high, investors are wondering which top Canadian dividend stocks might still be good to buy right now for a self-directed Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) focused on passive income and total returns. Fortis (TSX:FTS) doesn't offer a high dividend yield, but the dividend-growth outlook and the reliability of the revenue and cash flow make the utility company hard to beat when it comes to finding a solid stock to own for income and long-term capital gains. Fortis owns $75 billion in utility assets spread out across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. The businesses include power generation facilities, electricity transmission networks, and natural gas distribution utilities. Companies and households need electricity and natural gas regardless of the state of the economy, so Fortis is a good stock to own during challenging economic conditions. Fortis grows through acquisitions and organic developments. The current $26 billion capital program is expected to raise the rate base from $39 billion in 2024 to $53 billion in 2029. As the new assets are completed and go into service, the increase in earnings should support planned annual dividend hikes of 4% to 6% over five years. Fortis raised the dividend in each of the past 51 years. Enbridge (TSX:ENB) is also a player in the natural gas distribution sector. In fact, its US$14 billion purchase of three natural gas utilities in the United States in 2024 made Enbridge the largest operator of natural gas utilities in North America. These assets, when combined with Enbridge's extensive natural gas transmission and storage assets in Canada and the United States, position the business to benefit from the anticipated surge in natural gas demand in the coming years. Gas-fired power generation plants are being built to supply electricity to hundreds of new AI data centres. Enbridge's oil pipeline infrastructure and oil export terminal remain strategically important for Canada and the United States. Enbridge's network moves about 30% of the oil produced in the two countries. Investors received a dividend increase in each of the past 30 years. The current $28 billion capital program should support ongoing dividend growth. Investors who buy ENB stock at the current price can get a dividend yield of 6%. Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS) is arguably a contrarian pick in the Canadian bank sector. The stock has underperformed its large peers for several years, but a new CEO is driving a turnaround plan designed to improve investor returns. The bank is shifting its growth focus away from Latin America to the United States and Canada. Bank of Nova Scotia spent US$2.8 billion in 2024 to buy a 14.9% stake in KeyCorp, an American regional bank. The deal gives Bank of Nova Scotia a platform to expand its U.S. presence. Earlier this year, the Bank of Nova Scotia sold its businesses in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama. It still has large operations in Mexico, Chile, and Peru. Investors will need to be patient, but the stock should be attractive at the current price, and you get paid a solid 5.9% dividend yield to wait for the transition plan to deliver results. Fortis, Enbridge, and Bank of Nova Scotia pay attractive dividends that should continue to grow. If you have some cash to put to work in a TFSA focused on dividend income, these stocks deserve to be on your radar. The post 3 Top Stocks to Buy With $7,000 and Hold for Decades in Your TFSA appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Made in Canada: 5 Homegrown Stocks Ready for the 'Buy Local' Revolution [PREMIUM PICKS] Market Volatility Toolkit Best Canadian Stocks to Buy in 2025 Beginner Investors: 4 Top Canadian Stocks to Buy for 2025 5 Years From Now, You'll Probably Wish You Grabbed These Stocks Subscribe to Motley Fool Canada on YouTube Fool contributor Andrew Walker has no position in any stock mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Bank of Nova Scotia, Enbridge, and Fortis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2025 Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Building a $42,000 TFSA That Generates Passive Income
Written by Sneha Nahata at The Motley Fool Canada Building a $42,000 Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) portfolio for generating passive income without tax worries involves investing in top Canadian dividend stocks. These TSX stocks have solid dividend payment and growth history, supported by their fundamentally strong businesses, growing earnings base, and sustainable payouts. Moreover, TFSA investors should focus on diversifying their TFSA portfolio to spread risk and generate steady income in all market conditions. For instance, investors could consider blue-chip stocks such as Enbridge (TSX:ENB), Fortis (TSX:FTS), and Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY). These companies have resilient businesses, which enable them to generate stable earnings regardless of market conditions, thereby rewarding shareholders through consistent dividend increases. Notably, energy infrastructure giant Enbridge has increased its dividend consistently for three decades. Moreover, the company aims for mid-single-digit growth in its annual dividend in the long term. Similarly, Canadian electric utility company Fortis has raised dividends for 51 consecutive years and is expected to continue growing them by 4-6% annually through 2029, driven by its expanding rate base. Moreover, the Canadian banking giant Royal Bank of Canada has increased its dividend by about 7% annually since 2014. Its high-quality assets, strong deposit base, and operational efficiency will drive future earnings, supporting higher payouts. Besides these top TSX dividend-paying stocks, let's look at a few more names that offer resilient payouts and attractive yields to generate tax-free passive income. Brookfield Renewable Partners (TSX: is an attractive stock for building a passive-income portfolio. Its highly diversified portfolio of renewable power assets, substantial operating capacity, and long-term, inflation-linked contracts position it well to generate solid funds from operations, which enables it to pay higher dividends. Notably, the company has increased its distributions by at least 5% annually for the past 14 years and currently offers a high yield of 5.8%. Brookfield Renewables is well-positioned for future growth thanks to its large development pipeline, rising demand for renewable energy, and a highly contracted portfolio with an average term of 14 years. Moreover, about 70% of its contracts are tied to inflation, supporting organic growth. In addition, its low operating costs and ongoing asset recycling efforts further strengthen its growth prospects. Thanks to its resilient earnings base, Brookfield's management expects to deliver a total return of 12% to 15% annually in the long term, implying that the company can continue to grow its dividend at a healthy pace. In short, its consistent dividend growth history, sustainable payouts, high yield, and visibility into future payments make it a solid investment for TFSA investors seeking steady passive income. Telus (TSX:T) is another top pick for investors seeking dependable, long-term passive income. The telecom leader has a strong track record of rewarding shareholders. Telus has raised its quarterly dividend 27 times since 2011. Moreover, it currently offers a juicy 7.5% dividend yield. Telus plans to grow its dividends by 3%–8% annually through 2028 while keeping a healthy payout ratio of 60–75% of free cash flow. Notably, its ability to profitably expand its user base, low churn rate, and disciplined capital spending will support future dividend payments. Moreover, Telus is investing in network upgrades and spectrum to stay competitive and expand its 5G offering. Additionally, its focus on diversifying the revenue base and reducing costs bodes well for growth, enabling the company to consistently reward its shareholders. The post Building a $42,000 TFSA That Generates Passive Income appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Made in Canada: 5 Homegrown Stocks Ready for the 'Buy Local' Revolution [PREMIUM PICKS] Market Volatility Toolkit Best Canadian Stocks to Buy in 2025 Beginner Investors: 4 Top Canadian Stocks to Buy for 2025 5 Years From Now, You'll Probably Wish You Grabbed These Stocks Subscribe to Motley Fool Canada on YouTube Fool contributor Sneha Nahata has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Renewable Partners, Enbridge, Fortis, and TELUS. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2025
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A $5,000 Investment Strategy to Supplement Your Pension
Written by Andrew Walker at The Motley Fool Canada Canadian savers are searching for the best strategy to build a self-directed Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) or Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) portfolio that can provide extra retirement income along with earnings from government and work pensions. One popular investing approach involves buying top TSX dividend stocks and using the distributions to acquire additional shares. This can often be done automatically through a company's dividend-reinvestment plan (DRIP) and is normally easy to set up with your online investing broker. Some firms provide investors with a discount on the share price as an incentive to use the dividends to buy more stock instead of taking the cash. The benefit for the company is that the money can be then used for growth initiatives or to pay down debt. The normal DRIP discount is typically in the 2% to 5% range. In addition, there is no transaction fee for making the DRIP purchase. Each time a dividend payment buys more shares, the next dividend payment is larger. This, in turn, can potentially buy even more stock, depending on the movement of the share price. It takes some time to see meaningful changes, but the compounding process can have a significant impact on the size of the portfolio, especially when dividends increase at a steady pace and the share price trends higher. Fortis (TSX:FTS) is a Canadian utility company with $75 billion in assets spread out across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. The businesses include power generation facilities, electric transmission networks, and natural gas distribution utilities. Nearly all of the revenue comes from rate-regulated assets. This means cash flow should be predictable and reliable, which makes it easier for management to plan growth investments and to pay steady dividends. Fortis is working on a $26 billion capital program that will increase the rate base from $39 billion in 2024 to $53 billion in 2029. As the new assets go into service, the boost to cash flow should support planned annual dividend hikes of 4% to 6% over five years. Fortis raised the dividend in each of the past 51 years. The stock is down from the 12-month high of around $69 to $65 at the time of writing. Investors who buy the dip can pick up a dividend yield of 3.8%. Enbridge (TSX:ENB) is another top TSX dividend stock to consider today. The energy infrastructure giant has increased its dividend in each of the past 30 years. Acquisitions made in 2024, along with the current $28 billion capital program, should drive steady earnings expansion to support ongoing dividend increases. Enbridge is best known for its oil pipeline infrastructure, but it has diversified the portfolio in recent years, adding an oil export terminal, natural gas utilities, and a renewable energy developer. Enbridge has extensive natural gas transmission and storage assets in Canada and the United States and is a partner in the Woodfibre liquified natural gas (LNG) export facility being built in British Columbia. Investors who buy ENB stock at the current level can get a dividend yield of 6%. Fortis and Enbridge pay attractive dividends that should continue to grow. If you have some cash to put to work, these stocks deserve to be on your radar. The post A $5,000 Investment Strategy to Supplement Your Pension appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Made in Canada: 5 Homegrown Stocks Ready for the 'Buy Local' Revolution [PREMIUM PICKS] Market Volatility Toolkit Best Canadian Stocks to Buy in 2025 Beginner Investors: 4 Top Canadian Stocks to Buy for 2025 5 Years From Now, You'll Probably Wish You Grabbed These Stocks Subscribe to Motley Fool Canada on YouTube The Motley Fool recommends Enbridge and Fortis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Fool contributor Andrew Walker has no position in any stock mentioned. 2025
Web Release
13-06-2025
- Health
- Web Release
Fortis Healthcare Recognized for its Global Contribution to Medical Value Travel at Advantage Healthcare India 2025
Fortis Healthcare Recognized for its Global Contribution to Medical Value Travel at Advantage Healthcare India 2025 Advantage Healthcare India 2025, an International Summit dedicated to advancing India's position as a global hub for medical value travel has recognized Fortis Healthcare's global contribution to medical value travel, where Fortis has contributed to India's reputation as a leading destination for medical tourism. Fortis Healthcare bagged Advantage Healthcare India's Medical Value Travel Awards 2025 in 7 categories. · Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla was recognized for its contribution to Cardiac Care – Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, Pediatric Cardiac Sciences · Fortis Memorial Research Institute was recognized for its contribution in Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology and Orthopedic Surgery (Joint Replacements) Besides above, Fortis Healthcare also got honoured with several recognitions at FHWP Annual Convention 2025. Foundation of Healthcare and Wellness Promotion (FHWP) serves as a collaborative platform bringing together healthcare delivery Institutions, medical value travel organizations and healthcare facilitators to transform India into a global hub and preferred destination for medical and wellness services. Doctors who were recognized for their clinical contribution. · Dr Rahul Bhargava – Most Popular Adult BMT Doctor · Dr Ashok Seth – The Most Popular Interventional Cardiologist · Dr Vivek Vij – The Most Popular Liver Transplant Surgeon · Dr Rana Patir – The Most Popular Neurosurgeon · Dr Mohan Keshavamurthy – The Most Popular Uro-Oncologist · Dr A K Anand – The Most Popular Radiation Oncologist · Dr Anu Sridhar – The Most Popular Gynecologist · Fortis Healthcare – The Most Popular Patient Centric Team Anil Vinayak, GCOO, Fortis Healthcare said, 'This recognition is a proud moment for Team Fortis and reinforces our global mission to provide world-class care to patients across borders. We are deeply grateful to our teams and associates whose dedication made this possible. Together, we remain committed to building a healthier world through innovation, collaboration, and clinical excellence.'
