www.life365.in
R HEART U O Y S E H C T H AT T O U Y L I A D G IN AN INSPIR Vol. 1 No. 34 Pages 16 PUNE, MONDAY MAY 28, 2012 Rs.4 WEATHER Sunrise .....................05:58 Sunset ......................19:06 Moonrise .................12:03 Moonset ..................00:40 Temperature Min ...........................24 0c Max ...........................38 0c
ON THE SAME PAGE
THIS SUMMER, GO FRUITILICIOUS!
TIGERS ‘BUFFERED’
This marriage bureau helps epileptics find a match >> P5
Head the fruity way to beat this scorching summer >> P8
Will buffer zones make a difference? >>P12
The night shift or the grave yard shift as it is called, works against your body clock and could be silently digging you in. Preventions and care suggested by doctors can help sustain health
Are you on TARINI G. PURI
night shift? The Prescription
T
he almost proverbial 9-5 working hours of government offices, are indeed quite scientifically developed develop to ensure maximum maximu work-productivity. The hu human body, after all, is programmed to be healthy by program exerting exertin itself while the sun is and revive after sunset. up an For people who work away from w the t conventional office hours, health and psychological disorders are common complaints. Studies comp conducted in the West have conduc shown that working night shifts or with rotating shift hours hou increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, thyroid disorders and th cancer. The disrupted c daily rhythm and d sleep also impacts the s immune system. i The phenomenon is not n limited to the West alone. IT professionals, a BPO BP employees, doctors and an nurses are in the danger zone anywhere in dan the w world. Dr Prathamesh Kulkarni works the night shift at a leading leadin hospital in the city. After two years of doing the routine, routin he says his body seems seem to have adjusted. “It
Work Hours
was tough in the first few months, but now I can make do with even about four hours of sleep. I pop a pill on the occasional days that I feel hyperacidity or extra exertion. I like the night shift because it gives me an opportunity to work in the day shift as well,” he says. It’s easy to fall prey to the lure of extra waking hours if it earns a few thousands more, but is it worth it? Ankur Deshmukh from Pune still has dark circles under his eyes to remind him of the graveyard hours he worked for fifteen months in a KPO on the outskirts of the city. A year later, he now recalls those nights as a ‘nightmare’. “My system was upside down. After a point, I didn’t know which food I was eating for which meal. I survived my office hours with several cups of tea and crashed the minute I reached
Rest Hours
z Drink plenty of water z Limit intake of tea/coffee to one cup z Avoid sitting in one position for long hours z Practice ‘desktop-yoga’ z Pranayam improves focus z Avoid TV, loud music or exciting reading material at least 3 hours before sleep
z Make a daily routine and stick to it z Engage in everyday activities only after getting at least minimum hours of sleep z Mild exercise followed by yoga ending with shavaasana will induce sleep z Consume a light meal before hitting the bed z Avoid oily, spicy food
home.” Jayanth Rajan, a biotechnologist, recounts a similar story after working night shifts in a Baroda-based chemical plant for nine months. “I was always sleepy and always hungry. It was very difficult to fall asleep after returning from office and I would pray that the doorbell shouldn’t ring”, he says. According to Pune’s leading physician Dr. H.V. Sardesai, health problems due to night shifts are inevitable. “The circadian rhythm of the body, popularly known as ‘body clock’ goes for a toss when a person forces his body to work when it naturally demands sleep,” he says. According to Dr. Sardesai, indigestion and acidity are the most common problems
reported by the night owls. He advises mild medication to treat hyperacidity but warns against making it a habit. “It takes at least three to six weeks for the body to adjust to a new routine. It’s better to consult your physician instead of selfmedication,” he warns. Side effects notwithstanding, it’s a matter of survival for Yograj Tripathi, a security guard who loses 5-6 hours’ crucial hours of sleep every night. >> Continued on Page 5
EXTRAA Contact Dr H V Sardesai SR No 775/76 Ankur B Bulding, Opp Kamla Nehru Park, Dr Ketkar Road, Erandwane, Pune Phone: (020) 25677501
‘Come, ride on my Mountain Bicyles’ INNOVATIVE ENTREPRENEUR
Aniket Mahashabde, a 22-year-old entrepreneur has turned the cyclerenting business on its head by making available premium MTBs for longdistance tours to the discerning adventure lover
What is your
LIFE 365 daily all about?
RAKESH NAIR
C
ycle renting is not a business unheard-of in our city. However, Aniket Mahashabde, a 22year-old student-entrepreneur pursuing BBA in Indira College, completely reinvented the concept of being a cycle merchant when he founded a bicycle- and motorcycle-tour company. Mahashabde, within a short span of six months after launching his business venture, is now a known member among cycling enthusiasts in Pune.
The spark It all started when Mahashabde tried organising a cycling expedition in Konkan. Most
participants he drew sported normal bicycles, making Aniket realise that there are not many out there who own international MTBs (Mountain Bicycles). Helped by the initial capital pooled in by his family, he purchased 50 ‘GTA aggressor’ model cycles, which cost him Rs 16,000 apiece. The rationale, he explains, was that selecting the best cycles minimises maintenance and using a standard model facilitates ease in technical assistance.
His friends and colleagues warned him not to expect too much, stressing that the business is not a profitable one. “It’s wrong to say it is not profitable, but the margins are obviously really low. Summer is a hard time but in monsoons, people start venturing out for short rides in the outskirts of the city. However, the season for long-distance cycling only starts by winter,” says Mahashabde.
Early breakthrough
Differential experience
Aniket Mahashabde with his band of trailblazers
“The experience of riding a normal Rs-4000 cycle cannot be compared with a Rs-16000 MTBride. Ever since I joined BBA, I’d been thinking of unique business ideas, preferably
setting up an independent self-sustaining venture. As a child, I have pedalled a lot in the city streets, but the ‘cycling bug’ revisited only three or four
Life 365 is more than just a daily that packages `life’ in its 16 pages. It is a platform to understand your city better in terms of the good work silently being done by hundreds of good samaritans. Their stories of
how they lend an extending hand could propel you to contribute your bit to the society. In this progressive city of Pune, the desire to the serve the society is very strong, as we learnt from interaction with citizens.
years ago. I clubbed my hobby and business ideas and floated the company ‘Cymour’, which roughly means cycle loving,” says Mahashabde.
Do you know of a person, a group of persons, an institute, an initiative or an activity that would inspire people or promote the larger social good? Are you one of them? Life 365 offers itself as your
This entrepreneur began with a bang, by renting out 40 of his bikes for a 2-night adventure cycling event named ‘Enduro’. Ever since, seven to eight regular customers hire his cycles on rent every weekend. >> Continued on Page 5
trusted platform to share it with others. Contact us at: www.life365.in or Life 365, Aaj Ka Anand building, Shivajinagar, Pune 411005.