Choi Sang-min, the father of a nine-month-old baby living in the southwestern city of Gwangju, was surprised when his boss recently just signed off without ado on papers he had submitted requesting parental leave.

"It was not what I'd expected. Because I heard that when a male colleague applied for parental leave a few years back, he was called in to the boss' office 'to have a word' with him," the 37-year-old college employee said.

"All I did was go and tell him, do the paperwork. That was it," he said.

Also read:Paternity leave on the cards: Minister

It was not much different for Yoon Hyo-suk, a father of two who decided to take a year off from work at an advertising agency in Seoul in July 2019 to "take the baton" from his wife and look after the kids, who were aged five and two at the time.

"Some people, of course, tried to talk me out of it, but there was no more gossiping about why a man was taking leave to take care of his kids," Yoon said.

"I realized there were so many other men like me taking leave and coming back the next year. It has become almost like a routine," he said.

Fathers choosing to be away from work for child-rearing are no longer considered a peculiar breed in South Korea. Their decisions are fairly easily accepted at workplaces and the cases are getting more common, backed by the growing positive view of fathers actively engaging in parenting, alongside expanded government benefits.

Data by the Ministry of Employment and Labor show that 27,423 working fathers, excluding those in the public service and education, took long-term parental leave in 2020, up 23 percent from the previous year.

Also read:Shakib seeks permission to skip NZ tour

Fathers accounted for 24.5 percent of the total number of parents on parental leave, a big jump from the 2017 figure of 13.4 percent, apparently driven by the surge in child-rearing demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The younger the age group you belong to, you don't perceive raising a child as husbands helping their wives, but as a shared duty that you do together," Kwon Me-kyung, a research fellow at the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education (KICCE), said.

A recent study by the KICCE found that 18.6 percent of 1,000 married couples with one child or more said that the father in their household either has taken parental leave or is planning to do so.

The percentage was higher among those in their 20s with 30.4 percent, 23.6 percent for people in their 30s and 14.2 percent for the group in their 40s.

For Choi, the decision was half voluntary and half inevitable.

"My wife is having a hard time taking care of the baby alone and we're a single-income family," he said. "But I want to be as progressive as possible in doing my part in raising our child. So I've been saving up to prepare for the time I'll be away."

South Korea first introduced the parental leave in 1987 for mothers only with a child under age 1, before it was opened to fathers from 1995. But the allowance programs had not been properly established until the early to mid 2000s.

In an effort to encourage more people to take parental leave, the government introduced a "bonus system" in 2014 of giving a larger monthly allowance if the second parent of a family takes time off after their spouse uses it up.

The second parent on parental leave can receive up to 2.5 million (US$2,260) in monthly allowances in the first three months, while the maximum allowance for those on such leave for the first time in their families is 1.5 million won per month.

Since February last year, a mother and father are allowed to take leave together. Starting next year, the upper limit of the first three-month allowances will increase to 3 million won per parent.

"The focus of policy support has moved on from helping women have more children and helping them keep their work-home balance, to providing as much benefits to fathers so as to encourage them to participate in child-rearing," Jung Jae-hoon, a social welfare studies professor at Seoul Women's University, said.

Also read: Workers to enjoy greater facilities; amended law coming

Industry circles have jumped on the bandwagon, with large enterprises taking the lead in encouraging male employees to take parental leave. Retail giant Lotte Group has made it compulsory for male employees with children to take time off.

"We cannot say that fathers taking parental leave have become a general trend, but we're certainly going in that direction," Jung said.

Under the current system, parents working in the private sector, with one child or more under the age of 9 or below elementary school third grade, are eligible for parental leave for up to 12 months.

There were only 819 men who took parental leave in 2010. It went up steadily to 3,420 in 2014, 7,616 in 2016 and 17,665 in 2018, according to the labor ministry.

The COVID-19 outbreak has added to the growth. The number of fathers who applied for the parental leave bonus surged 52.8 percent to 7,338 in the first half of 2020, ministry data showed.

Kwon of the KICCE noted that the government's latest blueprint for child-rearing support underlines "quality of life."

"I think there is a realization that the value and joy of raising children have been overlooked. So what the authorities are trying to do is to enable working parents to spend more time with kids without having to worry about the financial shortfall," she said.

Yoon, the father of two from Seoul, recalled that being with his kids during the period of leave as "one full hectic and miserable year," but said it was worth the time.

"I think I might use the remaining one year before it's too late. I've become better at knowing what they want, what they like and don't like, and getting closer to them," he said. "That's not something that you can learn from someone or anywhere else."

Working from home has almost become the standard of a typical weekday for most since the epidemic turned the world upside down in 2020. Because of this, many gym-goers have felt the shock of exercising within their own private space at home, without heavy equipment and less room to go all out. Whether you’re deciding to improve your body from scratch or modifying existing programs to suit your needs, here is how you can build muscles at home.

How to set smart goals for muscle gain?

Putting on muscle is something that’s going to take time; therefore, knowing the type of goal you’d want to commit to is vital. Ultimately, elements of body-building and aerobics are inevitable since the crafts emphasize putting on muscle over time, but deciding on a cutoff point before starting to tone is subjective, and there is no official time to stop.

Another factor to think about when setting your goal is to truly understand your body type. If you’re the sort to easily put on fat, having a prevalent cardio routine in the first few months of your program is vital in order to highlight your muscles. On the other end of the spectrum, if putting on mass is difficult for you, the bulk phase will have to be far longer before cutting is required. The plus side to this body type is that definition is going to be the easiest part, which can be contrary to other body types.

There are those who are slightly in the middle who have avoided either extreme’s their entire lives. This body type places almost equal emphasis on bulking and toning, while not excelling at either. Unfortunately, there will be no shortcuts and an immense amount of time and effort will have to be put in order to achieve growth and definition. Individuals who fall under this body type tend to build and lose weight easily.

Plan your muscle-building diet without supplements

Many say that diet is far more important than the workouts themselves, and the saying isn’t far from the truth.

Protein intake

The first step is to choose a diet that focuses on a larger-than-normal amount of protein intake. Protein is the most important ingredient for muscle building and there are tons of options to choose from: chicken, beef, soy, eggs, oats, and more. Healthy fat is a tricker staple to the diet and shouldn't be the primary component of any meals. Some examples include salmon, tuna, peanuts, sesame, tofu, and olives.

Carbohydrate intake

The necessity of carbohydrates is more important than ever as it will supply the body with enough energy to assist you in having a quality workout. Complex carbohydrates will be what you want to primarily be going for due to its nutritional benefits and long-term supplement of energy. Whole-grains, beans, nuts, fruits, and vegetables fall under this category and should be present in every meal to a certain extent. 

Balanced diet

Also read: What Does Yoga Do For Weight Loss?

Your diet won’t necessarily have to begin with a crazy meal count range (five meals and up) and can give you steady muscle growth with just breakfast, lunch, pre-workout snack, and dinner. Greek yogurt, fruits, eggs, and fruits are wonderful breakfast options. Lunch and dinner can consist of brown rice, broccoli, lean meats, quinoa, and beans.

Opt for healthy cooking

Anything that is pan-fried, baked, or roasted is the healthiest option and should be exclusively looked at when beginning your diet. Portions are moderated based on which step you are on: when bulking, you’d ideally want to put your body on a calorie surplus without overloading it, while toning is when you can afford to reduce carbohydrate and fat intake - resulting in a calorie deficit. It is possible to have both simultaneously, which is why bulking and toning are individual hurdles that will have to be overcome without any shortcuts.

What are the best muscle-building exercises at home?

Most homes won’t consist of large machines, racks, and trays of dumbbells, but with a minimal set of equipment, you’ll have more than enough to get started - just don’t expect rapid muscle growth within a short period of time.

Despite seeming counterintuitive to the task at hand, running/jogging are the best ways to keep your body fat percentage at the level you want. This is a good way to moderate your muscle gains as you begin eating more, without adding too much unnecessary mass. Running a decent warm-up, but should not be the main focus of your routines and should be done only three times a week maximum.

Also read: Yoga vs Pilates: Which One Is Better For You?

If you do not have any equipment at all, bodyweight exercises are all you have, therefore muscle growth will happen, but gradually. Full-body exercises that can serve as compound exercises include squats, push-ups, pull-ups, crunches, burpees, and Mountain Climbers are solid ways to start.

Repetition is difficult to quantify as you won’t have weights to fluctuate with, so a time-based system is far more effective to get things started. It starts looking like High-Intensity Interval Training when equipment is scarce, but muscle building is still achievable.

Willing to fork out a few bucks for workout equipment? If so, isolation exercises will start coming into the mix and you’d be able to focus on specific body parts per exercise. Granted, each workout will take longer, but having every possible part of a particular muscle group engaged is critical to see muscle growth.

Dumbbells with changeable plates and kettlebells are great go-to options to start with. With this equipment, exercises like bicep curls, flies, bench press, military press, lunges (can still be done without weights), and more. This method is recommended over body exercises as the very purpose of weight training is to specifically target muscle growth.

Also read: Is Being Vegan Good For Your Body?

Toning the body is slightly more flexible; with high repetitions and a lower weight to manage (if any), HIIT can come back into the fold as a viable option and can even pair nicely with lighter weights. In conclusion, muscle building is a good way to destress after a long day and it does wonders for anyone’s self-esteem, but muscle definition is often overlooked and should be synonymous with muscle building in order to avoid unnecessary heft that will make many not appear muscular in the first place. The process of bulking healthily with minimal supplements will be grueling, but more than worth it. 

The increasing popularity of health and wellness surged in the 2010s, encouraging many fitness studios to conduct classes that either adhere to standard routines or to branch out into contemporary hybrids. Out of all kinds of exercises, few have seen as much attention as yoga has. From young students to the elderly, yoga exploded into the latest trend for its versatile and unique approach to fitness. Yoga is renowned for its effectiveness in relieving stress, providing mental stimulation, and losing weight? Is yoga for weight loss or are there better options if you want to burn fat?

Also read: Yoga vs Pilates: Which One Is Better For You?

How does Yoga burn calories?

Yoga lacks the intensity of many other cardio activities like running, sports, and circuit training; but puts the body through enough of a workout to still see progress. Hatha Yoga is the most basic form and a favorite among beginners; the downside is that it is one of the slower-paced versions of yoga and many would struggle to burn more than 125 calories in an hour. Hot Yoga or “Bikram” yoga sets the room to a much higher temperature, enabling practitioners to put up more of a sweat, which does naturally set the body up to metabolize more effectively.

Ultimately the amount of calories burnt solely depends on the type of yoga practiced, the weight of the practitioner, and the duration of each session. The set number of calories burnt in a fixed amount of time will be higher if you have a higher weight percentage. Coupled with a calorie-deficit diet that is consistent and you should be shedding pounds slowly, but surely.

Yoga and diet for weightloss: How important is dieting?

Since the rate of calorie reduction is going to be a grind, the main constant that is necessary to turn yoga into a fat-killing activity is a healthy diet. Going on a calorie deficit (without starving yourself of course) is critical, but a few disciplined meals alone won’t cut it. You’ll need to commit to this deficit long-term if you’d want yoga to do its work and slowly chip away at your tummy fat.

Thankfully, yoga surprisingly can assist with this struggle too. According to studies, establishing mindfulness through art reduces the tendencies of stress eating, cravings, and appetite. To elaborate, mindfulness is about centering one’s attention to the present moment. It’s easier said than done, but if done right, your laser-like focus and new levels of calmness can help reduce unhealthy urges. Examples of food to look out for are high-protein sources such as chicken breast, beef, seafood, and egg whites. Milk, soy, and greek yogurt are decent complementary additions.

Also read: Is Being Vegan Good For Your Body?

Verdict

So far, we have discussed that what Yoga does for the body? Burning calories is simply a byproduct of yoga’s vast and diverse array of benefits. From a healthy mind to improved flexibility, yoga touches on a few fields of the body’s improvement that few other sports address. If you’re looking to burn calories fast, there are many other cardio options that will half the time for weight loss. But if you enjoy yoga for what it offers and can be patient, a healthy diet and committed regime will help you meet your weight loss goals.

Can I take painkillers before or after a COVID-19 vaccine?

It’s best to avoid them, unless you routinely take them for a medical condition. Although the evidence is limited, some painkillers might interfere with the very thing the vaccine is trying to do: generate a strong immune system response.

Vaccines work by tricking the body into thinking it has a virus and mounting a defense against it. That may cause arm soreness, fever, headache, muscle aches or other temporary symptoms of inflammation that can be part of that reaction.

“These symptoms mean your immune system is revving up and the vaccine is working,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a recent news briefing.

Certain painkillers that target inflammation, including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and other brands) might curb the immune response. A study on mice in the Journal of Virology found these drugs might lower production of antibodies — helpful substances that block the virus from infecting cells.

If you’re already taking one of those medications for a health condition, you should not stop before you get the vaccine — at least not without asking your doctor, said Jonathan Watanabe, a pharmacist at the University of California, Irvine.

People should not take a painkiller as a preventive measure before getting a vaccine unless a doctor has told them to, he said. The same goes for after a shot: “If you don’t need to take it, you shouldn’t,” Watanabe said.

If you do need one, acetaminophen (Tylenol) “is safer because it doesn’t alter your immune response,” he added.

The CDC offers other tips, such as holding a cool, wet washcloth over the area of the shot and exercising that arm. For fever, drink lots of fluids and dress lightly.

Call your doctor if redness or tenderness in the arm increases after a day or if side effects don’t go away after a few days, the CDC says.

Cancer specialists on Thursday called upon all wake of life to avoid alcohol to stay free of liver cancer as it increases the risk of the deadly disease.

They also urged the government to create more awareness among people and improve cancer treatment quality in the country.

The suggestion came up at a webinar marking World Cancer Day arranged by Rotary International District 3281, Bangladesh  titled- “Cancer Control in 50 Years of Independence: Role of Rotary.”

Dr Md Habibullah Talukder Ruskin, head of Cancer Epidemiology Department at National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital (NICRH) said the number of cancer patients has increased in the country alarmingly due to various reasons.

“People should avoid alcohol and wine to remain safe from ‘liver cancer’ as it increases the risk of the disease. Besides, hepatitis virus is also responsible for the cancer. On the other hand, many people in our country are affected by skin cancer due to drinking arsenic-contaminated water,” he also said.

 “Everyone should clean mouth properly to remain safe from cancer in mouth. If mothers don’t feed milk their kids then they are in risk of breast cancer. So every mother should feed their kid breast milk,” the event chair also said.

He suggested people to take safe food to remain safe from different cancer diseases.

Professor Sabera Khatun, Former Chairman of Gynaecological Oncology Department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) said ‘breast cancer’ is the most common form of cancer among women. And second position is uterus cancer.

“Mostly poor people are infected by uterus cancer. Around 87 percent of those affected by this type of cancer are found in Asian countries including Bangladesh, India and Bhutan; and African countries are infected in the disease,” she informed.

Dr Sabera also added that 70 percent uterus cancer is controlled in development countries. So there is needed more awareness and proper treatment in primary level in Bangladesh.

District Governor of Rotary M Rubayet Hossain said there are around 15 lakh cancer patients in Bangladesh. “Around 2 lakh people are added newly with cancer in every year in the country. Awareness about the disease should be raised here,” he also said.

Rubayet said the lung cancer among men and breast cancer among women are high in the country. The dangerous disease is increasing in the society. 

However, Rotary built the 1st building at Mohakhali, and Rotary Cancer Detection Unit started functioning here which turned into the present National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital.

Rotary has established Rajshahi Cancer Hospital at Katakhali, Rajshahi and is organizing a regular anti-cancer campaign throughout the country. 

Professor MA Haiu, former Director of NICRH; Professor Robed Amin, Line Director of NCDC at DGHS; Professor Swapan Bandopadhya, Head of Radiotherapy at DMCH; Dr M. Hasanuzzaman, Surgical Oncologist and Dr Patrick Bipul Biswas, Founder of Rajshahi Cancer Hospital spoke there.

However, a report recently unveiled showed, ‘From January 2015 to December 2017, a total of 76,543 new patients attended the outpatient department of the NICRH. Of them, some 35,369 had confirmed or provisional diagnosis of cancer and they were included in the final analysis.’

A total of 5,887 people with lung cancer were admitted to the hospital in these three years. The figure was 1983 in 2014, as per the report, indicating a nearly 200 per cent rise in cases in just three years. ‘Lung was the leading site of cancers in men followed by breast cancer in women – 24.7 per cent men were admitted with lung cancer and 5.2 per cent women.’

‘Besides, 4,998 breast, 2,719 cervix, 1,582 oesophagus, 1,366 stomach, 1,224 liver, 1,177 lymphoma, 1,054 rectum, 884 cheek /oral mucosa and 485 gall bladder cancer patients received treatment from 2015 to 2017 at NICRH,’ the report stated, adding that 77.2 per cent patients did not receive any kind of cancer treatment before attending NICRH.