The Hindu Business Line : Perfect to a tee

As golf is a leisurely sport, not many people think of it as promoting heart health but it is one of the easiest and refreshing alternatives to a treadmill both to burn off extra calories and stay fit and de-stressed.

Golf has been proven to be physically, mentally and even spiritually good, as stress doesn't stand a chance in this sport. (Unless, of course, you're highly competitive and don't always win, it may actually increase your stress!)

Holistic healers such as Dr Deepak Chopra feel a good shot combines many things including present moment awareness, effortlessness and mind and body coordination.

On a physical level, the brisk walking and swinging of the club is known to increase cardiovascular capacity and reduce cholesterol. Every round you play, you walk between four and eight miles, and burn around a thousand calories. Even the simple act of bending to place your ball on its tee or to pick it up will help keep your joints supple and muscle groups trim.

Says Mickey Mehta, Mumbai-based Holistic Health and Fitness Guru, "Unlike other recreation oriented sport, golf is a retarded-meditative sport involving less physicality and more mental stimulation. As such the body is relieved of tension and strain which indirectly benefits endurance capacity and boosts cardiovascular fitness."

During the game the body releases powerful mood-enhancing chemicals called endorphins into the bloodstream. It can give you an excuse to do nothing but focus on playing in a pretty place for four calming, harmonious hours. Golf is also particularly beneficial for older people as it helps maintain flexibility, co-ordination, strength and agility. But those unsure about fitness levels, are advised to seek medical advice before taking up the game. The swing, the strikes, the follow-through all subject muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints to forces and loads. Unless you're adequately fit, you may be left with a sore shoulder, an aching back, a tender elbow. Could that be one reason why ex-legendary cricketer turned golf player Kapil Dev endorses a pain reliever like Crocin? Asked whether his golf was not proving to be enough for him, he says, "Crocin is one medicine I have used as a player on and off the field and I have faith and trust in the company. However I always consult the doctor when I am unsure."

Says Romit Bose, an instructor at Delhi Golf Club, "It's almost 10 years now and yet golfing never seems to die down but rather motivates me to stay focused and build my inner concentration just like meditation, with all-round development of my body, mind and soul. This game inculcates self-improvement and is a tremendous stress buster."

Success breeds stress, some say. Some kinds of stress keep you on the edge but others are detrimental. Perhaps that's why multinational companies are encouraging employees to take a vacation at resorts that boast a lush 18-hole golf course.

In fact, they even organise seminars, workshops and training modules at such resorts to help workers combine work with play and stay reenergized and motivated.

Says Aditya Aggarwal, Managing Director of Sunrise Health Resort (Jaipur), situated on the Delhi-Chandwaji-Jaipur bypass highway, "Companies are fast acknowledging the benefits their employees derive from availing facilities available at health resorts. Irrespective of whether it is a short weekend outing or a long duration holiday, revitalising the body physiologically help reduce the chances of falling ill and absenteeism from work. For a company that is a vital gain as well as reduced reimbursement on medical bills."

For years it has been "common knowledge" that people under a lot of stress have an increased risk of heart disease. Stress in turn raises the risk of heart disease. Says Padmashri awardee Dr Ashok Seth, Chairman and Chief Cardiologist, Max Devki Devi Heart and Vascular Institute, New Delhi, "No one knows if stress directly causes heart disease but stress can change chemicals in your body that contribute to heart disease. Stress may contribute to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, overeating, and lack of exercise, which can lead to heart disease."

Scientists say they can't offer a definitive explanation for the increase in stress-related heart attacks in recent times, but they've identified a number of factors, including lack of exercise and proper nutrition such as Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil.

Says Dr A. Ramachandran, Director, M.V. Diabetes Research Centre and Director, WHO collaborating Centre for Diabetes in India, Chennai, "The most vital functions these acids perform are reducing the triglyceride levels and stopping the white blood cells from sticking to the lining of the arteries (endothelium) and reducing the formation of clots that can trigger a heart attack or stroke."

Eating a heart healthy diet and exercising regularly will significantly lower stress levels. Assess priorities in life and take a balanced approach to living. Work, but also take time for solitude and time for sports, family, friends and a refreshing round of golf.