BODY &SOUL
Tune into Deepak Chopra’s mindfulness sessions
Wearable fitness brand Fitbit has launched the Mindful Method programme curated by Indian-American alternative medical expert Deepak Chopra. It features content across sleep, stress management, mental wellness and the importance of the mindbody connection.
The 10 audio and video sessions include guided meditations, and techniques to help cultivate happiness and optimism. The programme will expand over the coming months, with sessions on how to incorporate mindfulness throughout your day, and using mindfulness as a tool to build awareness and concentration, and manage stress and emotions.
Each session is less than 20 minutes long, and can be found in the Fitbit app. The Mindful Method is currently exclusively available to Fitbit Premium users; membership costs Dh40 for a month or Dh330 for a year, and a free 90-day trial is available to users; www.fitbit.com.
Take part in a free three-day fitness event at UFC Gym
UFC Gym in Business Bay is celebrating its fifth anniversary with an action-packed, three-day free fitness event from Friday to Sunday. The gym, which is an extension of the Mixed Martial Arts organisation, will offer boot camps, Brazilian jiu-jitsu sparring, a self-defence seminar and more. A DJ will be on site to blast out energetic tunes, while healthy meal plan company Smart Calories will offer nutritional bites to refuel participants throughout the day.
The family-friendly event will cater to guests of all ages and capabilities. Those attending will get a chance to enter raffles and win access passes to Azure Beach, a hotair-balloon ride, Rayya Spa vouchers and more. You can get the full schedule and register by calling 800 832 496.
Can you safely exercise in a face mask? Study says yes
A study published in the European Respiratory Journal this month concludes that wearing a face mask has “only a modest effect” on the ability of healthy people to do vigorous exercise. Researchers tested the breathing, heart activity and performance of 12 people in their forties when they were using an exercise bike – with and without a mask. Results showed that wearing a face mask led to an average reduction of 10 per cent in their ability to perform aerobic exercise.
“It does not suggest a risk to healthy people doing exercise in a face mask, even when they are working to their highest capacity,” said researcher Dr Massimo Mapelli. “However, we should not assume that the same is true for people with a heart or lung condition. We need to do more research to investigate this.”
Professor Sam Bayat, chairman of the European Respiratory Society Clinical Respiratory Physiology, Exercise and Functional Imaging Group, said of the study: “Although these results are preliminary and need to be confirmed with larger groups of people, they seem to suggest that face masks can also be worn safely for indoor sports and fitness activities, with a tolerable impact on performance.”
Abu Dhabi to get new healthcare-focused mall
Wellness has been on everyone’s minds, which is why a new complex that offers a range of healthcare services and retailers under one roof is set to open in the capital city. Wellness Boulevard by Al Falah Healthcare is being pegged as a one-stop solution for all your healthcare needs, and is scheduled to open in Khalifa City in the third quarter of this year.
The complex is spread across 7,600 square metres and has several levels. While the names of brands and vendors are yet to be announced, Wellness Boulevard will offer visitors all the conveniences of a shopping mall – with food and family options – alongside custom-fitted clinics and high-specification medical facilities.
“Wellness Boulevard will be a community-led facility and a first of its kind in the UAE and the region,” said Falah Zayed, investment manager at Al Falah Healthcare. “By offering the best-in-mall services, courtesy of global retailers and food brands, the complex will cater to the daily needs of a large, diverse and expanding population that demands access to the best facilities at a time and location that suits them.
“This will be complemented by Wellness Boulevard’s unrivalled collection of renowned healthcare providers, with leading names offering the highest standards of medical care and clinical treatments,” he said.
The goal of launching the healthcare hub is to enhance the amenities available in Abu Dhabi, as well as redefine the way patients, customers and their families access standards of care and facilities.