When you are eating food, especially foods that you like, it is very difficult to not stuff yourself with it completely. Many people also experience the urge to eat food again even if they had a full course meal before, and most of the time they give into the cravings. However, this is not a healthy practice as you are not only overeating but also overworking your body.

When you over consume food, your body ends up storing the excess fat and energy, causing weight gain and other health issues. Here is where this Japanese eating habit comes in. Have you ever heard about ‘Hara Hachi Bu’?

The Cleveland Clinic explains "Hara hachi bu" is a Japanese phrase translating to "eat until you are 80% full." This dietary practice originates from Okinawa, Japan, where it's a cornerstone of healthy eating. Remarkably, Okinawans exhibit some of the world's lowest rates of heart disease, cancer, and stroke, coupled with exceptional longevity.

Also Read: The Blue Zones: What We Can Learn from the World’s Longest-Lived People

Experts highlight the value of this approach, particularly for those prone to overeating. It encourages stopping consumption when feeling slightly satisfied, offering a practical method for gauging appropriate portion sizes.

Why Should You Practice ‘Hara Hachi Bu’?

Eat like you have had enough, not like you cannot have another bite: When you have food on your plate, try to guess how much of it would make you feel full. Then, think about what 80% of that amount would look like. Maybe it's a little less than you usually eat, like leaving a small part of your meal. The idea is to feel like you've had enough, not like you can't eat another bite.

Also, how fast you eat matters a lot. Your stomach needs about 20 minutes to tell your brain you're full. If you eat too fast, you might eat too much before your brain gets the message. Experts suggest eating slowly, so your body has time to realize when you've had enough. This trick also helps people who don't eat enough, because they can eat smaller meals more often, which is easier on their stomachs.

"Minus One Bite" Strategy

Many of us feel like we have to finish everything on our plates, even when we know we're not really hungry anymore. It's hard to leave food behind. It's okay to not eat it all. If you often eat too much without thinking, try this, leave just one bite of food on your plate. It's a small step, but it can make a big difference. After you get used to that, you can try leaving two bites. The important thing is to take it slow. Don't try to change too much at once. Listen to your body and how it feels. Pay attention to your thoughts about food. This way, you can slowly learn to eat just the right amount, and feel better about your meals.

Some Other Mindful Eating Habits You Should Incorporate

Mindful eating is the key to healthy living, it helps you become more aware of your feelings and physical sensations. According to Diabetes Spectrum, this practice is used to help people deal with various challenges, including eating problems, sadness, worry, and unhealthy eating habits. Here are some habits you should incorporate in your life for better eating:

• Take your time and don't rush through meals.
• Pay attention to the texture and break it down thoroughly.
• Turn off the TV, put away your phone, and focus solely on your food.
• Try eating in silence to heighten your awareness of the food.
• Pay attention to how the food makes you feel physically and emotionally.
• Listen to your body and stop eating when you're no longer hungry.
• Ask yourself why you're eating, if you're truly hungry, and if your food choices are healthy.

Urgent action is required to strengthen diagnostics and vaccines to address gaps in dengue treatment, public health experts said.

The experts, including scientists and policymakers, were speaking at a day-long dialogue hosted in New Delhi by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) in collaboration with the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the WHO South-East Asia Region.

The convening assumes significance ahead of the monsoon season, which historically sees a rise in Aedes aegypti mosquito populations and dengue transmission across health systems in South and South-East Asia.

"The WHO South-East Asia Region alone accounts for more than half of the global dengue burden, with 1.3 billion people living at risk across 10 endemic countries," said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer in charge, World Health Organization, South-East Asia Regional Office.

Dr. Boehme called the rising burden of dengue both an economic crisis and a social crisis. She noted that beyond health system costs, dengue often leads to "lost productivity, lost wages, lost futures".

"To change this trajectory, we must close the gap on diagnostics, on vaccines, on therapeutics, and on health system resilience," Dr. Boehme said.

Also read: New dengue vaccine over 80% effective, prevents severe disease for up to 5 years

India Advancing in Dengue Fight, Gaps Remain

India reported over 2.89 lakh dengue cases in 2023, though experts believe the actual burden could be significantly higher due to underreporting and surveillance gaps.

Taruna Madan Gupta, Scientist G and Head, Development Research Division, ICMR, called dengue an "unequivocally a national health priority for India."

Gupta noted that "India is advancing on multiple fronts—from strengthening public health systems to enabling public-private partnerships, including Phase III trials of an indigenous tetravalent dengue vaccine with over 10,000 participants, and regulatory progress on global vaccines".

However, the expert flagged a critical gap, which is "the absence of an effective therapeutic" for the mosquito-borne disease.

The experts noted that even though there are improvements in surveillance and scientific understanding, patients still lack access to specific treatment options.

“Addressing this gap requires sustained commitment from governments, funders, and partners," said Dr Sanjay Sarin, Continental Lead Asia and Director South Asia, DNDi.

What Is Dengue?

Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which are most active during the daytime. Dengue fever typically has minor or no symptoms, but it can occasionally result in severe sickness, hospitalization, and even death.

Common Symptoms include:

• Sudden onset of high-grade fever.
• Intense headache
• Severe muscle, joint, or bone pain.
• Skin Rash that often appears 2–5 days after the fever starts
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Fatigue

It estimates that:

• About 390 million dengue infections occur annually worldwide
• Nearly 100 million people develop symptoms each year

These vaccines are designed to protect against all four serotypes of the virus, with a focus on reducing severe disease and hospitalizations.

In today’s fast-paced, wellness-driven world, looking fit does not always translate to being reproductively healthy. Currently, even fit and active individuals are facing fertility challenges due to hidden hormonal and metabolic imbalances. Hence, it is necessary to focus on reproductive health. Dr. Meenu Handa, Director of Fertility & Head Academic of Reproductive Medicine, Motherhood Hospitals, Gurgaon, decoded the link and listed some of the common fertility issues that most people overlook.

Now, a large number of people are opting for various activities such as yoga, Zumba, Pilates, the gym, and kickboxing to stay fit. Those who are health-conscious are also maintaining an optimum weight with a proper diet. These habits, in turn, can help to ensure good fertility. Shockingly, many people who are perfectly fit and fine on the outside may also struggle with fertility problems. Yes, that is right! This is also a common occurrence nowadays. Couples are panicking as they seem to adhere to a well-balanced lifestyle but still fail to conceive. So, this can be referred to as “invisible fertility issues," where underlying hormonal or metabolic imbalances silently affect reproductive health.

Decoding invisible fertility issues

Dr Handa said that many men and women who exercise regularly may suffer from issues such as hormone imbalance, fluctuating insulin levels, poor thyroid function, and compromised reproductive organ health. Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders, insulin resistance, and even chronic stress can exist without obvious physical signs and can take a toll on fertility. The expert also shared some of the common hidden infertility issues.

Even couples who are physically fit today often deal with high mental stress due to demanding jobs and poor work-life balance. This ongoing stress can quietly disturb hormonal balance in the body. Increased cortisol levels may affect ovulation in women and sperm production in men and, over time, can impact egg and sperm quality—making natural conception more difficult. That is why managing stress is just as important as staying physically fit when planning a pregnancy.

Women may have issues like poor ovulation, compromised egg quality, or hormonal imbalance, even if their menses tend to be regular. In some cases, even subtle symptoms like fatigue, acne, hair fall, or mood swings may be overlooked but can signal deeper hormonal concerns. Men can struggle with low sperm count, which can affect their fertility. Even insufficient sleep, excessive exercise, or extreme dieting can increase the chances of hormonal imbalance and fertility issues. It is necessary to consult an expert and seek timely help. Pollution and lifestyle stress also contribute to the trend.

Couples should not just plan a pregnancy because they are fit and exercise daily. Pregnancy should not rely only on outward fitness as a sign of reproductive health. Regular health check-ups, including hormone tests and fertility assessments, can help identify hidden issues early.

Follow these tips

1. Couples should eat a well-balanced diet, exercise daily, stay stress-free by practicing yoga and meditation, and get enough rest.
2. It is also imperative to maintain blood pressure and blood sugar levels within the recommended range, include healthy fats and proteins in the diet, avoid overtraining, and manage stress through relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation, which can support hormonal balance.
3. If a couple is unable to conceive even after 6–12 months of trying (depending on age), a detailed fertility evaluation is recommended.
4. Seeking timely medical advice is equally important if conception is delayed.
5. Couples who find it challenging to conceive may be advised to use ARTs, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

So, awareness, balanced lifestyle choices, and timely medical support can make a huge difference in improving fertility outcomes.

A heatwave is getting worse with each passing day, and with it come dehydration, stomach flu, and sometimes even mood swings. But little do people realise that the risks associated with a heatwave could be much worse - it turns out that exposure to extreme heat could also give you a stroke. Dr Deep Das, Consultant - Neurology, CK Birla Hospitals, CMRI, in an interview with Health and Me, decoded the link between heatwaves and the risk of stroke.

How does a heatwave affect stroke risk?

Dr Das said that in very high temperatures, the body does not always cope in predictable ways. The brain is particularly sensitive to these shifts. One of the concerns is stroke. In the heat, people tend to lose fluids without realising how much. Blood volume drops, and circulation is affected. In some cases, the blood becomes more prone to clotting. At the same time, blood pressure can fluctuate. This combination increases the chances of a disruption in blood flow to the brain.

Can extreme heat give you a seizure?

Seizures are another risk, especially in those who already have epilepsy. Even when the condition has been stable, heat can unsettle things. Dehydration and changes in electrolyte balance make the brain more reactive than usual. A person who has been well-controlled for months may still have an episode during a prolonged heatwave. What makes this difficult is that these changes are not always gradual. Symptoms can appear suddenly.

What are the symptoms of a stroke?

A stroke refers to a potentially fatal medical emergency. It can be sudden or gradual, and it is characterised by a blockage in blood circulation to the brain. It can result in rapidly dying brain cells and requires immediate medical attention. The symptoms of stroke can be identified as FAST:

1. Face: Face drooping on either side
2. Arms: Weakness in the arms or inability to move the arms
3. Speech: Slurred speech
4. Time: Time is an important factor; immediate action can be life-saving for stroke patients

Apart from this, other symptoms of a stroke are:

1. Severe, unusual headaches
2. Confusion
3. Loss of consciousness
4. Dizziness
5. Loss of balance
6. Inability to see clearly from one or both eyes

How to dodge a heatwave-related stroke?

In this weather, small precautions matter more than they seem. Some of the best ways to dodge a stroke amid a heatwave are:

1. Drinking water regularly helps, even before you feel thirsty
2. Staying indoors during peak afternoon hours reduces strain on the body
3. Living spaces need some form of airflow, even if it is basic ventilation

It also helps to keep an eye on people who may not notice these changes early—older adults, those living alone, or anyone with an existing medical condition.

Should you be worried?

Some people are more prone to stroke risk than others. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the risk factors, especially during a heatwave. If you are dealing with any of the following comorbidities, think twice before stepping out amid a worsening heatwave:

1. Hypertension
2. Diabetes
3. Irregular heartbeat
4. Sleep apnoea
5. High cholesterol

Furthermore, people who are 65 years and above must avoid stepping out from 12 noon to 4pm. Even people who have a family history of stroke must not step out during these hours.