If you can't sit cross legged even for a minute, here is what your body is telling you

 

For some people, sitting cross-legged even for a few seconds is not possible. In many people, it leads to pinching pain, numbness and cramps, which is a sign that something is miserably wrong with your health, especially with the muscles of your lower body. Being unable to sit cross-legged for a long time is a clear sign that you have tense muscles.

Benefits of sitting cross-legged

- It improves the range of motion

- It improves blood flow

- A great way to stretch your muscles

- Good for your knees and joints

- Improves your posture

- Boosts your bowel movement

- When you sit cross-legged, your ankles put more pressure on the arteries of your inner thighs. This makes your heart pump more blood, leading to a better blood supply to all parts of the body.

Here is what your body is trying to tell you if you cannot sit cross-legged for more than one minute.

You have weak glutes

When you sit cross-legged, your body weight lies on the glutes and if your glutes are not strong enough, the area will start to feel numb. For this, you need to indulge in exercises that are good for your glutes.

If you cannot do that, ensure that you get up every other hour and walk to improve your blood circulation.

Your thighs are not strong enough

Your thighs bear the stretch when you sit cross-legged and not having a stronger thigh will not help you hold the pose for a long time. Thus, it's absolutely important to work out your legs at least once a week.

Your pelvic muscles are weak

Having loose pelvic muscles is worse than having way too tight pelvic muscles. When your pelvic muscles are way too tight, it becomes hard to mobilize them. The only solution to both problems is to be regular with your pelvic exercises.

You have a poor blood circulation

Stiff muscles are a sign that your blood is not circulating properly and that is the only reason you feel numb in the lower body. As you age, the problem becomes even worse. Muscle stiffness also leads to stiffness in your ankles and joints. All this hampers your movement.

Ways to rectify the problem

There are various exercises and yoga poses that one can do to bring more agility to the lower body.

Here are six yoga poses and stretches that can help you sit cross-legged for longer

1. Child pose - Helps in making your hamstring and quads more flexible

2. Pigeon pose - The pose improves the hip mobility

3. Toe touch - Helps relax your leg muscles

4. Vajrasana - The pose helps stretch your thigh muscles to the max

5. Lung pose - The pose makes your glutes stronger

6. Bridge pose - It helps align your pelvic muscles properly

You can perform all these poses daily for 10 seconds for a month to see the difference.

Bajaj Chetak electric scooter becomes dearer by Rs. 27,000

 

Following a price-hike in March, Bajaj Auto has once again increased the prices of its Chetak e-scooter in India.

After the latest revision, the two-wheeler has become costlier by up to Rs. 27,620 and starts at Rs. 1,42,620.

As for the highlights, the vehicle has an all-LED lighting setup and runs on an electric powertrain that delivers a range of 95km/charge.

Here's our roundup.

Design: The two-wheeler houses a digital instrument cluster

The Bajaj Chetak has a neo-retro design, featuring an indicator-mounted front apron, an under-seat storage compartment, a flat-type seat with a pillion grab rail, and a rounded headlamp.

The scooter packs touch-sensitive switches, a digital instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity, an all-LED setup for lighting, and a key-less start-stop system. It rides on designer alloy wheels.

Fact: It delivers a range of 95km/charge

The Bajaj Chetak packs an electric motor and a 3kWh Lithium-ion battery. The setup delivers a combined output of 5.3hp/16Nm. The battery can be fully charged in five hours and delivers a range of 95km on a single charge.

Safety: A combined braking system prevents skidding

To ensure the rider's safety, the Bajaj Chetak is equipped with a disc/drum brake on the front wheel, and a drum brake on the rear wheel, along with a combined braking system to avoid skidding on the roads while braking.

Suspension duties on the e-scooter are taken care of by link-type forks on the front side and a mono-shock unit on the rear end.

Fact: Bajaj Chetak: Pricing

After the latest price-hike in India, the Bajaj Chetak starts at Rs. 1,42,620 for the Urbane model and goes up to Rs. 1,44,000 for the Premium variant (both prices, ex-showroom). Meanwhile, bookings for the vehicle have now been closed once again.

Wonder why Apple stopped giving chargers with iPhones? Here's the reason

 Apple had tackled the criticism it faced by stating that this move was for the benefit of the environment. The firm has now released some figures which showcase the impact made by its decision to stop giving out charging adapter with iPhones

Apple had announced in 2020 that the firm will no longer be giving out charging adapters along with iPhones upon purchase. This decision by the technology giant had caused a furore among buyers. The common outcry was that iPhones are expensive and the least Apple could do is provide a charging adapter along with the smartphone.

Apple had tackled the criticism it faced by stating that this move was for the benefit of the environment. The firm has now released some figures which showcase the impact made by its decision to stop giving out charging adapter with iPhones.

Apple has stated that that power adapters use large amount of materials such as plastic, copper, and zinc for manufacturing. Apple was able to conserve 8.61 lakh tons of copper, zinc and metal by not giving out charging adapters with its iPhones, the firm stated in its Environmental Progress Report.

Apple explained that by not giving out a charger it was able to reduce the size of the iPhone box thus making the packaging process more efficient. "Leaving out those adapters was a bold change for Apple, and a necessary one for our planet," said Apple on the environment page of its website.

"Since removing them from iPhone and Apple Watch packaging last year, we've avoided mining a significant amount of materials from the earth, and we've eliminated the emissions that come from processing and transporting them," stated Apple.

In its Environmental Progress Report, Apple states that it was able to reduce CO2 emissions to 22.6 million tons from 25.1 million tons in 2019. The firm claims that by introducing the M1 chip for its Mac devices, the firm was able to reduce its overall carbon footprint by 34 per cent.

Do Not Click WhatsApp Message For Changing To Pink Colour, Phone Can Be Hacked

New Delhi, 19th April 2021: These days a Whatsapp viral message is becoming very viral. It claims to change WhatsApp to pink colour. A link is also given in the message. Cyber experts have advised not to click on the link given in the message.

If you click on the link your phone will be hacked and you may not be able to use WhatsApp. Let’s know how to avoid it.

In the viral message, it is being claimed that clicking on the link will make WhatsApp pink and add new features to it. It is said to be the official update of WhatsApp.

Cybersecurity expert Rajasekhar Rajhariya has written on social media, “Be careful about Whatsapp Pink! Attempting to spread the virus in WhatsApp group with APK download link.”

Rajaharia has advised not to click on any link in the name of WhatsApp Pink. Clicking on the link will make it difficult to use the phone.

At the same time, Jiten Jain, director of cybersecurity company Voyager InfoSec, said that users are advised not to install APK or other mobile apps other than Google or Apple’s official App Store. He said that with this type of app, your phone can get penetrated and information like photos, SMS, contacts, etc. can be stolen.

When contacted, WhatsApp said, “Anyone can get an unusual, uncharacteristic or suspicious message on any service, including email, and anytime that happens we strongly encourage everyone to use caution before responding or engaging. On WhatsApp in particular, we also recommend that people use the tools that we provide within the app to send us a report, report a contact or block contact.”

In home quarantine? Reach out to these Hyderabad home chefs for meals(Contact Numbers also available here, share for the needy ones)

 Home chefs across the city are now delivering healthy and tasty food to your doorstep while you are recovering at home.

Contracting the coronavirus can be a reason to worry for many people — especially for those who don’t have family and friends around to help with food and other necessities. With the second surge being reported and thousands of people testing positive, social media is now flooded with requests from people enquiring about home cooks and caterers: those who can provide food to those quarantined at home.

When someone tests positive for the coronavirus, it is essential that they eat fresh nutritious food on the road to recovery. Cooking food may be a daunting task, especially in the first few days after contracting the virus. Home chefs across the city are stepping in to help, whipping up fresh, healthy food and delivering the meals to homes.

Most of these home chefs use delivery apps to send the food to customers. While some provide free delivery up to a certain distance, if customers are ready to pay, the delivery personnel from the apps can pick up and drop off the food at any location across the city.

The News Minute has reached out to home cooks and food suppliers, and has collated a list for the convenience of all those in home quarantine. Here’s hoping that this makes it easier for you and your loved ones.

Telangana CM KCR tests positive for Coronavirus

 CM K Chandrasekhar Rao has mild symptoms, an official note from the Telangana Chief Secretary said.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to an official note from the Chief Secretary on Monday evening. The news comes as the state’s COVID-19 cases are rapidly increasing. 

The Chief Secretary said that the Chief Minister has mild symptoms and has been isolated in his farmhouse in Erravali. A team of doctors are currently monitoring KCR’s health. 

Telangana reported 4,009 new Covid-19cases and 14 deaths from 8 pm on April 17 to 8 pm pn April 18. The number of cases dropped from 5,093 as the authorities conducted fewer tests over the week-end.

During the 24-hour period that ended on April 18, 8 p.m, 83,089 tests were conducted while 1,29,637 samples were tested the previous day.

The fresh cases pushed the state's cumulative tally to 3,55,433 while 14 deaths have taken the fatality toll to 1,838.

According to a bulletin by the state health department, the case fatality remained at 0.51 percent against the national average of 1.2 per cent.

Almost all parts of the state continue to see a surge in the cases. Greater Hyderabad and surrounding districts remained the worst affected along with the districts bordering Maharashtra.

The state capital reported 705 new cases. Medchal Malkajgiri and Rangareddy district adjoining Hyderabad reported 363 and 336 cases respectively.

As many as 13 out of total 33 districts in the state added more than 100 cases during the last 24-hours. Nizamabad district bordering Maharashtra saw 360 new cases followed by 264 in Sangareddy, 175 in Jagtial, 146 in Warangal Urban, 135 in Karimnagar, 129 in Mahaboobnagar, 125 in Siddipet and 115 in Kamareddy.

The number of active cases in the state also jumped to 39,154 from 37,0137 the previous day. Of the total number of active cases, 39,154 are in home/institutional isolation.

Long wait for Tata Cars – Altroz, Harrier, Nexon, Tiago, Safari, Tigor

 In the month of March 2021, Tata Motor’s monthly sales increased by 9% thanks to its three super sellers Tata Altroz, Tata Tiago and Tata Nexon

Severe shortage of semi-conductors, a disruption in the supply chain of other spares due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country and other constraints being faced by the auto industry in general has resulted in longer waiting periods. Automakers such as Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra, Hyundai, Nissan, and Toyota have all cited longer waiting periods. Rising demand among buyers in view of more personal mode of transportation has also compounded the issue of extended waiting periods. Tata Motors authorized dealers have also revealed that waiting periods extend from 3-4 weeks for the Altroz 5 seater hatchback going upto 16-17 weeks for the Nexon compact SUV. Tata Nexon has highest waiting period The Tata Nexon compact SUV has seen the highest demand in the company lineup, recording strong sales in the country. It has been regaled for its range of safety equipment and now commands a waiting period of around 16-17 weeks. Tata Nexon is priced from Rs. 7.09 lakhs to 11.46 lakhs for petrol variants going up to Rs. 8.45 lakhs to Rs. 12.79 lakhs diesel counterparts. The Tata Nexon EV, the best-selling electric vehicle in India, priced from Rs.13.99 lakhs to Rs.16.39 lakhs, is also in high demand but lower than the petrol and diesel models at around 6-7 weeks. Tata Cars Waiting Period – April 2021 Tata Safari is the next model in the company lineup with high demand which currently stands at 6-7 weeks and going up to 10 weeks in certain cities. The Tata Safari, the 3 row SUV, based on the Harrier, was launched in Feb 21 and it was even prior to official launch that dealerships commenced bookings. Prices range from Rs.14.69 lakhs for the entry level XE variant going up to Rs.21.45 lakhs for the top of the line XZ+. In Ghaziabad, the wait for the Safari is the longest while there is a 2 month waiting period for buyers in cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow, and Noida. Cities of Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, or Jaipur, have a waiting period of around 1.5 months. Tata Tigor and Harrier Tata Tigor and Harrier have a waiting period of 5-6 weeks while the Tata Tiago commands a waiting period of 4-5 weeks. The Tata Harrier is priced from Rs. 13.99 lakhs to Rs. 20.45 lakhs. It has been seeing good demand in recent months with total sales of 2,284 units in March 21, up 261 percent as against sales of 632 units in March 20. The Tiago is the most affordable model in the company lineup priced from Rs. 4.85 lakhs to Rs. 6.84 lakhs. The Tata Altroz commands the least waiting period of 3-4 weeks on it higher end models while buyers of the base variant have a 7-8 week waiting period. The Tata Altroz is priced from Rs.5.69 lakhs to Rs.8.25 lakhs for its petrol variants. The turbo petrol variants carry price tags from Rs.7.73 lakhs to Rs.8.85 lakhs while the turbo diesel variants are priced from Rs.6.99 lakhs to Rs.9.45 lakhs. All prices are ex-sh.

COVID-19 Vaccine: All above age 18 eligible for inoculation from 1 May, announces Centre as coronavirus cases surge

 This comes as India's total tally of COVID-19 cases crossed the 1.50-crore mark on Monday, with around 25 lakh cases being added in just 15 days

With the COVID-19 curve showing no signs of easing across the country, the Centre on Monday announced that the third phase of the coronavirus vaccination drive will open for all persons above age 18 from 1 May.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the meeting, Modi said that the government had been working hard for over a year to ensure that maximum numbers of Indians are able to get the vaccine in the shortest possible time. He added that India is vaccinating people at a world record pace and will continue this with even greater momentum.

The government issued a press release stating that the decision was taken as part of the 'liberalised and accelerated Phase 3 strategy of COVID-19 vaccination'.

Under the third phase of the vaccination drive commencing next month, the vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 percent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the central government and would be free to supply the remaining 50 percent doses to state governments and in the open market.

Manufacturers would have to make an advance declaration of the price for 50 percent supply that would be available to the state governments and in the open market before 1 May, 2021, an official statement said.

Based on this price, state governments, private hospitals, industrial establishments, etc would be able to procure vaccine doses from the manufacturers.

Private hospitals would have to procure their supplies of COVID-19 vaccine exclusively from the 50 per cent supply earmarked for entities other than those coming through the central government channel.

The private vaccination providers would need to transparently declare their self-set vaccination price and the eligibility through this channel would be opened up to all adults, that is everyone above the age of 18, the statement added.

This comes as India on Monday recorded 2,73,810 new coronavirus cases, an unprecedented figure since the pandemic broke out in January 2020, to take its tally of infections to 1,50,61,919. With 1,619 deaths, the toll rose to 1,78,769.

The government announcement comes the same day as British prime minister Boris Johnson cancelled his planned visit to India next week due to the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases in the country.

India has begun inoculating its citizens earlier this year in January, using two COVID-19 vaccines – Serum Institute of India's Covishield developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and Bharat Biotech's made-in-India vaccine, Covaxin.

So far, the government had allowed vaccinations only for frontline workers and those above 45.

8 iPhone Battery Saving Tips That You Must Know

 Because of the way charge cycles work, keeping your battery from being depleted too fast can lengthen its lifespan.

In other words, battery saving tips will help. Here are a few of our favorites that you should keep in mind.

• Keep your brightness as low as you can stand.
• Make sure you always have the latest up-to-date version of iOS installed on your device.
• Use Safari instead of third-party browsers like Google Chrome or Firefox.
• Background App Refresh, which lets an app automatically update content in the background, is a notorious battery killer. Try going into Settings > General > Background App Refresh and disabling it for apps that don’t need it.
• Location Services is a similar story. Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and disable it for apps that don’t need to know where you are. At the very least, set it to While Using for apps that do need your location.
• Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data. Set Fetch to a longer time interval, or alternatively, set it to Manual to save the most battery life.
• Navigate to the Battery menu to figure out which apps are eating up the most battery life. Deal with them accordingly.
• If you use Spotify or Apple Music, try listening to music via Wi-FI instead of over cellular. Or, better yet, download songs to your device for offline listening.

What happens if battery degrade?

Apple defines an officially degraded battery as any one that contains less than 80 percent of its original battery capacity.

A degraded battery will no longer be able to pump out the same amount of power as a fresh one. That can cause problems during times of peak power draw, such as when you’re running CPU-intensive applications.

In some cases, hitting that peak power threshold will cause an iPhone to randomly shut down.

Of course, Apple has baked in a failsafe to prevent random shutdowns: power throttling. By slowing down the performance of your iPhone, there’s less demand on the battery and less chance of a random shutdown.

In recent versions of iOS, Apple has given users the option of turning off power management. This will result in more random shutdowns in severely degraded batteries. Users will need to weigh the pros and cons of each themselves.

Put simply, it’s nearly impossible to track what’s a “normal” rate of battery decay.

That’s largely because battery degradation depends on how often you use your smartphone and what you use your smartphone for, among other factors.

Apple says that it should take about 500 complete charge cycles for a fresh battery to degrade to 80 percent.

A charge cycle is defined as a device that’s completely charged being depleted to 0 percent.

Of course, partially charging your iPhone from whatever point it’s at will eventually add up to complete charge cycles.

Based on some rudimentary math, a degradation of 1 percent of battery capacity per month may be normal. That’s if you frequently use, deplete and charge your smartphone.

But, again, so much of this is variable that it’s hard to give a concrete number. Your mileage may vary drastically.

What makes your battery degrade

Essentially, anything that will run through your iPhone’s battery quickly can degrade it, since you’ll be using up your charge cycles.

Power-hungry apps like those that use Background App Refresh and Location Services are common culprits.

As far as other factors, they’re pretty varied, too.

For example, if your smartphone gets too hot while charging, it can irreparably damage your battery — in turn, reducing your battery’s overall lifespan and capacity.

A good tip is to take off any case on your iPhone before charging and to ensure that you never charge your iPhone in the sun or in hot ambient temperatures.

Some users report faster battery degradation when using USB-C fast charging, while others claim leaving your iPhone on the charger for too long can sap battery capacity.