Jumat, 25 Mei 2012

How To Plan A Healthy Diet | Easy Tips.

Many people are unsure of what healthy eating means - not surprising when you consider the variety of, often conflicting, advice given.

Eating healthily isn't complicated once you know the basics. Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. 

Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, stabilizing your mood, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a tasty, healthy diet.
Eat Healthy

Most people know how to eat healthy, and know that they should — it’s just that when it comes down to implementing this knowledge, there’s a bridge that needs to be crossed from knowledge to action. So, here is a complete action plan to help you eat healthy. 

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success

How do you actually eat healthy, instead of just knowing that you should eat healthy?

Eat slowly so that you can get a feeling that you have had enough food and your tummy is full. Eat slowly and fully relish the taste.

Create a meal plan, constructed with super healthy foods that you enjoy eating.  

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think. Now, there are three parts of that solution, if you look closely, and all three parts are equally important.

1) Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.

2) Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking.  As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
3) Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts. 

Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet. 

Water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.

Exercise. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries, or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.

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Senin, 21 Mei 2012

How to protect your spine

Simple tips to protect your spine.

The human body is the greatest wonder of this world. At any given moment, it performs hundreds of thousands of individual functions like circulating and purifying blood, turning food intake into energy, maintaining proper internal temperature, taking in oxygen, and all the other operations which keep us alive and healthy. It works like a fully automatic machine.

The Spinal Cord is the center axis of the body, 26 bones encasing the spinal cord and defining the entries and exits for many nerves in and out of the nervous system. Our bodies are born with -- our Innate Intelligence -- every cell and organ sends and receives messages to and from the brain.


The Spine
In fact, the brain acts like a central communication depot, processing millions of messages every second. These messages, relayed as electrical impulses, are sent out over nerves the way phone calls travel along telephone wires.

Brain and spinal cord are critical to the survival and health of the individual. Protecting them is absolutely vital. the brain is encased in a "shell" of solid bone -- the skull.
 
A thick braid formed by billions of these nerves is attached to the brain and extends down from the base of the skull. This is the spinal cord. 


Smaller braids branch off from the cord. These braids divide again and again into tiny nerve fibers and fill the entire body, going to each cell, organ and tissue. Every human being has an estimated 15 billion nerve cells. All send and receive messages as nerve impulses through the spinal cord. 

But what about the spinal cord? How does the body protect it? 

The answer is the spinal column.

The spinal column is an elaborate "tunnel" of small, interlocking bones slightly curved in the shape of the letter "S." It's flexible enough to allow the body to twist and bend, but sturdy enough to protect the spinal cord. 

In order to protect our spinal column we must Learn how to sit, stand, move and exercise in a balanced manner to reduce the neck and lower back pain to a great extent.

STRETCHING regularly and correctly is one of the three ways to protect the spine and keep the body in balance. Its relaxing effects contribute significantly to your ability to recuperate and tone up. Who hasn't suffered from low back pain or stiffness at one time or the other? Even children are not immune to it.

The spine has three natural curves and a change in one curve affects the other two. The thoracic or middle back area is less mobile because of the ribs attached to it. This results in the neck and lower back being very closely related and an injury to one can often harm the other..

For example, if you suffer from whiplash injury and the neck muscles are not repaired immediately, the lower back tries to compensate it by balancing the body and thereby over-stressing itself. This can decrease the pressure on the nerves of the neck and decrease the pain. But, unfortunately, now the lower back is prone to injuries due to the increased stress on it.

A similar situation often occurs if the lower back is injured. The neck compensates the injury by providing the balance needed ot the body. This can lead to chronic problems later unless the muscle damage is repaired fast. Prevention, therefore is very important.

The pain in the neck and lower back is usually caused by stress or damaged muscles putting the spinal vertebrae and other related bones out of their normal positions.

The solution is three-fold. The first step is to learn how to sit, stand, move and exercise in a balanced manner to minimize muscle stress. Here are few tips for proper sitting: Sit with your feet flat on the floor. Knee should level with or slightly above your buttocks. Sit as straight as you can and then relax about 10 to 15 minutes after that. This is a good sitting posture. 

When writing, use a flat surface and look downward instead of flexing your neck forward. When reading, keep your book in such a way that your head remains straight. Muscles in front of your neck, if kept tight, will restrict the blood flow to the thyroid gland which would slow down the metabolism. This would make the body gain weight.

The second important factor is to stretch the muscles that contract while sitting. The muscles involved are the hamstring muscles (back of the thigh), the muscles in front of the neck, the hip flexures and pectoris minor muscles (in the chest). 

The hamstring muscles can be stretched by standing with the legs straight and bending forward while maintaining your normal lower-back curve. Stretching can be done a few times a day for 30 to 40 seconds or more. The most effective time for stretching is when the muscles are warm from exercise. Stretching is extremely powerful in reducing stress and tension and in preventing lower back and neck pain.

The third important part is the musculus skeletal structure of the body. The exercise program should be balanced as to give exercise to all the muscles. 

For example, many give exercise to the chest muscles ignoring the back. This can lead to an imbalance in the shoulder joints, neck and upper-back. Properly balanced training techniques can prevent the back and neck pains to a great extent. 

Did you find these tips helpful, if you have suggestion for readers please share in comment section

Minggu, 20 Mei 2012

Daily Healthy Tips

When it comes to being healthy and fit, it's the little things you do every day that make a difference. Here are the things I try to do to stay strong, lean, and full of energy so I can live a long, healthy life. Some are harder to stick to than others (like exercising before work), but when I make an effort, I always feel better. I'm curious to know if you're doing them, too, and if you're not, you may learn some new tips to leading a healthier life.

There are a few healthy habits which can be followed in daily routine life. These habits will improve blood circulation in the body and also increases the energy levels and fitness.

Exercise

If you are planning to add a daily dose of exercise to your routine, this is the right time to start. There is nothing like an early morning walk to start with. A good brisk walk of about 30 minutes will recharge your batteries for the day.

Half way round you could also exercise your joints by gently moving them around in different directions. If you are in your 30s, you could also jog for a brief while. People with arthritis must avoid jogging or too brisk walk. Avoid polluted areas for a walk. A couple of rounds in a nearby park will pump your spirits up.

If you are game for company, motivate your neighbors to join. Some like walking alone. Such people can try taking a Walkman along and listen to some good morning ragas.

A good walk in the evenings too is beneficial for health. When exercising outdoors in the winter time, choose all weather, well cushioned flat-soled shoes and thick cotton socks.

Breathe Well

Did you know that the average person reaches peak respiratory function and lung capacity in their mid 20's? Then they begin to lose respiratory capacity: between 9 and 25% for every decade of life! So, unless you are doing something to maintain or improve your breathing capacity, it will decline, and with it, your general health, your life expectancy, and for that matter, your spirit too!

Be aware of your breathing. There’s a pretty good chance you aren’t breathing correctly. At rest, when sleeping, while running – you can probably breathe different and breathe better. Most people have unhealthy breathing habits? They hold their breath or breathe high in the chest or in a shallow, irregular manner. These patterns have been unconsciously adopted, accidentally formed, or emotionally impressed. Certain "typical" breathing patterns actually trigger physiological and psychological stress and anxiety reactions!

Eat the right food

While we eat what we like and relish, we also need to fulfill the desires of our tummies. Your digestive system needs some support and hence, try and consume as much raw vegetables and fruits as possible. 51% of every meal should be Raw food. While this is ideal, it is practically impossible for most. But those who follow this will definitely see a huge difference in their lifestyle within 4-5 weeks in terms of reduced weight, active and ability to think better.

Daily Tips

To keep eye lashes smooth
To keep eye lashes smooth , brush them with petroleum jelly before going to bed.

Bitter Gourd juice help cure hangover
Bitter Gourd juice help cure hangover . It also helps cleanse , repair and reduce liver problem caused due to alcohol.


Gargling with warm water
Gargling with warm water and pinch of salt after brushing everyday helps reduce tooth ache.

Carrot juice
Carrot juice protects skin from sun damage.

Application of henna
Application of henna to hair very often causes hair to become more brittle and break easily.

Aloe Vera promotes
Aloe Vera promotes good hair growth and is also a good conditioner.

Tomatoes being rich in antioxidants
Tomatoes being rich in antioxidants help lower the risk of high cholesterol induced damage of arteries.

On one leg for 8 to 10 seconds can improve
Standing on one leg for 8 to 10 seconds can improve concentration and balance your mind.

Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate juice contains a high concentration of antioxidants that help prevent prostate and breast cancer.

Consumption of Almonds
Consumption of Almonds lowers cholesterol and also reduces the risk of life style disease.

Ginger Helps
Scent of fresh cut ginger helps cure nausea and also helps in reducing anxiety and depression.

For PMS (Pre Menstrual Syndrome)
For PMS (Pre Menstrual Syndrome) A Diet rich in potassium can ease PMS. (eg. Fish,beans, brocolli)

For Hiccups
A Teaspoon of vinegar swallowed cure hiccups.

For Constipation
Guava eaten with seeds provide roughage that relives constipation.

Sabtu, 19 Mei 2012

Take A Nap And Lose Weight

You hit the gym about four times a week. You sincerely watch what you eat. But you don't seem to be losing weight!!!!

The reason could be all those late nights that you are awake. If you want to lose weight, experts say you need to get enough sleep. Specifically, researchers have reported that women who sleep 5 hours or less per night generally weigh more than women who sleep 7 hours per night.

Sleep deprivation plays havoc on hormones. Leptin and ghrelin work in a kind of "checks and balances" system to control feelings of hunger and fullness. The hormone 'Ghrelin' is responsible for creating the hunger pangs and the hormone 'Leptin' tells the brain when to stop. When you don't sleep the Ghrelin levels increase and the Leptin levels decrease. The result is increased craving for food and not being satisfied inspite of eating more than you normally do.
So what's the connection to sleep? "When you don't get enough sleep, it drives leptin levels down, which means you don't feel as satisfied after you eat. Lack of sleep also causes ghrelin levels to rise, which means your appetite is stimulated, so you want more food,"

Secondly, the growth hormone is secreted, for the most part, during first round of sleep. This hormone plays a very vital role in managing the body weight as it controls the body's proportion of muscle and fat. When you don't get enough sleep the body tends to secrete less of this hormone resulting in increased body fat. Aging is another factor which reduces the time we spend in deep sleep which in turn reduces the secretion of growth hormones. This significantly increases the chances of weight gain.

A session of peaceful sleep helps reduce stress. Lack of sleep increases the stress and increased glucose levels. Sleep deprivation puts your body into a starvation mode. Sleep deprived people tend to eat high calorie sweets, salty snacks. This is because of the increased craving for food. Sleep deprivation and sluggishness go hand in hand. Lack of sleep reduces the physical activity levels. Even small activities like siting, standing, fidgeting are significantly reduced and hence you burn fewer calories there by making weightless difficult.

How many hours of sleep does one need?
If you are unsure of how many hours of sleep you need, then experiment. Sleep as much as you can for four nights in a row. The amount of time that you sleep the last night is the approximate hours of sleep that you need every night. That's because by the fourth night your body is refreshed completely and the body clock will reach the natural rhythm. Make sure you are on a balanced diet and also exercise 4-5 times a week. The health tip for a healthy body is a good night's sleep.


Tips for Good night's sleep
  1. Don't go to bed hungry. This does not mean that we should have a heavy dinner, A light dinner diet rich in sleep inducing amino acid tryptophan can help.
  2. Exercise at least three hours before bed time. Physical activity contributes to sleep. But exercising too close to bedtime increases the metabolism rate and alertness thus preventing sleep.
  3. Take a warm water bath before bedtime. The body temperature will drop once you finish your bath thus inducing sleep.
  4. keep your days active. Resist the temptation to nap during the day, so that your body is ready to sleep during the night.

Selasa, 15 Mei 2012

How to watch your waistline

Obesity is increasing at the global level, fitness & health are drawing lots of attention thanks to our lazy lifestyles. To enjoy a happy, healthy life and to live long, nowadays is more important than staying alive simply.

If you over weight, always gasping for breath and expect people to wheel you around or hold your hand and yourself for the exercise of climbing a set of stairs in your efforts to lose weight. What the hack....... there are ways to lose weight and you should focus these days on a long life together with the ability to enjoy your life.  

The pursuit of health and the ability to move independently through your life is an ongoing research project, it is really not going to end. Although there are various diets and weight loss plan available, but what works for one does not work for all.  

Watch your waist
As our body ages, it starts to break down, part by part. Our challenge is just not to keep it alive, but we should maintain it for a well and pain-free run. As we grow older, we move less. Not good for the body. For those, with huge waists are needed to get in shape quickly by weight loss, chances are as real as thick waist can land you in trouble. Research conducted at the University of Southern California refers to the type 2 diabetes latches on easily for those with excess fat around the abdomen. Reasons that are still under the scanner.
what can be adopted..
In Japan which is one of the trimmest nations on this planet, they added a new dimension to the fitness tests for them.  

They measure waist lines of people, in addition to regular health check-ups. This is to keep the disturbances such as diabetes away. By the way, the rule for men is 33.5 inch waist, and for women is 35.4 inches. Any one exceeding the limits is warned, put on a diet and re-measured some months later.  

There is a section in our population that will think this is too much. Especially when very few people in Japan suffer from weight gain. Just sumo wrestlers with the exception, and that it must be huge if they really want to get anywhere in their career.  

What can be done? So, how we can keep the average person away from wasting the waist? 

First of all, I advise you to check the diet. Go moderate in all of those things you really want. You can eat favorite foods such as chips as treats rather than included in the daily diet. Always remember that there are really no shortcuts to trim your waist. There are ways to lose weight and u should walk on those, you must exercise at least for 30 minutes each day, 30 minutes cardio is the minimum one needs to stay healthy as our lifestyles require it.

Be careful and remember, doing those ABS crunches alone will not work at all. 
Besides you may land up with an injured back if you go overboard or do them wrongly. Research conducted by several authorities throughout the world says a human being needs to take 10,000 steps a day to stay in shape. Basically, your body needs to burn the calories you eat. When you burn 3500 calories , you will drop by only one pound of fat in the body. 

Well, it's not exciting, and I agree, but then, is all about moderation. Besides, if you do those steps 10,000 a day, adding just 2000 more to make the miles you use an extra 100 calories. In the long run, say one year, you could land up becoming a 10 pounds (a little less than five kilograms) lighter than in reality without reducing your food intake.

So are you struggling to keep ur waisteline at bay....
can you share how you are doing it with me in comment section.... and thanks for reading

Senin, 14 Mei 2012

Work Place Workouts

Although I admire the enthusiasm and energy of people who live by the adage “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” I could never join their ranks. On days following restless nights, I struggle to focus, to keep organized and even to hold conversations. All of those things, of course, lead to increased stress... do you feel like me....In today’s lifestyle most of us have desk jobs where you are required to sit more than 8 hours at the desk. Our bodies are however not designed this way. Not only do we tend to put on weight on all the wrong places (and especially if our diet includes lots of calories) but this also causes common work-related pains, such as back aches, neck aches etc.


work place workout
Workplace sometimes becomes a place of stress and fatigue. People spend hours on the computer with high levels of concentration. This leads to fatigue and tiredness. To keep yourself fresh and energetic during work hours, a few methods can be followed which will give you complete relaxation to the entire body and you can work more efficiently.


Healthy and easy methods to reduce tiredness while at work,
Keep a good posture by holding your back straight. This might not be possible always, but keep trying and you can do it.
Keep moving your body frequently.
During the breaks, stretch your body and relax

Here are a few simple exercises that can be followed during work hours

Have a deep seating and Straight up your back. Also Straighten your arms and push down your chair and lift yourself. Now, take deep breaths and Straighten your upper half of the body. Breath for about 5 times. Do this every 40 minutes.

Put your right hand on the back of chair and put your left hand on the right thy, and twist your upper half of the body by applying a little pressure. Move your lower part of the body the other way by breathing out. Do this on both the sides. Breath in while in normal position and breath out while your stretch.

Move to the edge of your seat. Straighten your legs and keep your heels down and toes straight. Bend and move your upper half of the body down as like your navel touch your thigh. You can stop moving down your body as and when you feel. Keep natural breathing while you are bending. Move up slowly. Repeat this 3 times slowly.
Try these stretches

Stand up next to a table which is as high as your waist. Stand 1 and half feet away from the table. Put both your hands on the table and open your legs to the breadth of your shoulder. Now slowly straighten your body and legs

Now slowly bend without folding your hands or legs by moving your hip backwards and bringing down your head. You might have to hold your grip properly on the table and rest on your heals. While doing this take deep breaths.

Now after bending, put one of your legs a step forward and stretch further. Do the same for the other leg also.    

Sabtu, 12 Mei 2012

How to eat smart to lose weight

Try these simple eating tips for weight loss

If you tried everything for that quick weight loss and still failing in your mission, and loosing weight is your high priority these days. Let us help you in your weight loss. In our opinion to loose weight is very simple. ................... guess what ............ diet ..no....... gym.....no.............................Just eat smart guys

Are you one of the thousands of people out there wondering what the real secrets of eating right are? With so many fad diets and gimmicks available on the TV and in the media today, it's hard to sort out fact from fiction................... Have you resolved to lose weight?

Do you think thin = healthy = not eating? ................ Oh hell ..........Get real guys!

Let me explain How "Eating Smart" Can Help You Lose Weight?
Eat smart
Eating right can help you knock off those extra pounds.  So have you taken care of your annual donation to the gym knowing that you’re never going to step into it? Paying that gym membership makes you think “I’ll make it some day”. 

But let’s face it; most of us can barely make the time to draw a deep breath, let alone find a couple of hours, that includes fighting traffic and finding parking space, to work out.  Also many have a mental block about the gym and your body will never respond to anything you force it into.  So what do you do? You learn to compensate.  By eating; only this time correctly. How do you know how to eat smart?

Frequency
Do you wake up sluggish to a large cup of coffee/tea? Do you have a couple of bites for breakfast and then wake up ravenous late in the afternoon to bite into whatever you see? That’s because you probably eat your big meal at sunset.  Now its impossible to change habits overnight, so start slow. Wake up to the heaviest platter and get through the day in descending order.

Go “figure”
First, study your body; structure, metabolism, hunger pangs, thirst, eating patterns.  It’s very important to know when you feel hungry, how much and when not;

Note down the time and contents of your meal for a week so that you realize what you’re chomping and what you’re missing in terms of essential nutrients. Create a basket that includes all food groups; carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and even fat.  Keeping track of all that you eat is also a foolproof system to put an end to bingeing; once you actually see how much you’re putting into your body, it’ll automatically put your meals into perspective. 

One simple rule: your body burns most calories as soon as you wake and then goes into slow mode thereafter.  So eat your chocolates, fried food, sweets, cakes when you wake up and make the later mouthfuls healthier as the sun goes down.

Eat with your mind
It’s essential to finish with supper at sundown because your fat burning ability vanishes with the sunlight.  And since you’ve had your dinner early, you’re guaranteed to wake up with an appetite.  If you cannot stomach the idea of combine protein, carbohydrates and fats that early, start with a fruit.  High carbs like banana or apple are ideal to kick start that metabolism and also acts as a buffer to that cup you’ll sip on.  Never, I mean Never, begin your day with caffeine as your body will automatically go into slump mode.  Water constitutes 70 per cent of Human body so when we gulp some down as much as possible through the day to eliminate toxins.

The golden Cycle
Every time hunger pangs strike, replace every one out of three meals with water and watch the fat melt away.  If you ever want to lose weight eat!! The 3 W’s are the deal breakers-what, when and where you eat, for e.g eating dal chawal( plain rice with dal) at a restaurant at midnight can do more damage than a big piece of ladoo (sweet) in the morning.  Simply because one, your ability to burn fat at midnight is almost zilch and two even dal may have unhealthy ingredients when made outside whereas the bhaji you fry in good oil at home is absorbed into your system pronto because you’re burning most fat in the morning.

Jumat, 11 Mei 2012

42% of Americans Obese by 2030 Says Doc Oc

According to the National Institute of Health, being overweight and obese is the second leading cause of preventable death in the US.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of US predicts that in the next 18 years the number of obese people in the US is expected to rise to 42 per cent of the adult population.That means about 32 million more Americans will become obese by 2030 compared to current levels the proportion of Americans who are severely obese, meaning more than 100 pounds overweight, will reach 11 percent, about double the current rate.
Is this the future of Spider-man
The report's authors give a sobering price tag for these predictions,  such an increase would create $550 billion of obesity-related health care costs. It costs hundreds of billions of dollars each year and leads to deadly chronic diseases. But who is to blame for the US' obesity epidemic?

The report was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and was released at the CDC's Weight of the Nation conference, a gathering focused on the impact of the obesity epidemic. The authors analyzed data collected from each state and made projections based on a number of factors influencing obesity rates, including the cost of healthy and unhealthy foods, gas prices and Internet access. "Predicting obesity is tricky and no one variable showed up as causing obesity,  said one of the author.



One of the authors of the report, said the prospect of such increasing rates, particularly those of severely obese Americans, is alarming since efforts aimed at helping people lose weight have so far proven relatively ineffective. "Their weight continues to increase. Over the last 10 years, it has gone up tremendously," he said in a press conference. "This is a group at great risk of health complications, and yet they are increasing at an even greater rate than the rate of obesity."

Barbara Moore, the president of Shape UP America! at national campaign to raise awareness about obesity as a health issue said "Obesity is caused by a perfect storm of a multiplicity of factors and not one factor is going to be entirely responsible for this problem … personal choice and responsibility does play a part but a part of many other factors."

Although recent data suggest that rates of obesity have reached a plateau, current rates of obesity are still alarmingly high. About 34 percent of adults are currently obese, creating a whole host of expensive, chronic health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The report's authors said a number of factors could lead to the predicted rise in obesity. About two-thirds of Americans are currently overweight and could continue to gain weight and move into the obese category.


THE STATE OF OBESITY IN THE US:
  • About 35.7 per cent of the adult American population suffers from obesity now.
  • Over 42 per cent of adult Americans will be obese in 2030
  • Percentage of severely obese to double between 2010 and 2030, growing from five per cent to 11 per cent by 2030
  • Non-Hispanic blacks have the highest obesity rates at 44.1 per cent
  • Treating additional obese people to cost $550bn over 20 years
  • Medical-related costs of obesity estimated at $150 bn a year
  • Obesity costs account for about nine per cent of annual medical costs
  • At least 30 per cent of the populace is obese in most US southern states - Mississippi has the highest rate at 34 per cent
  • The western US has the lowest obesity rates, with Colorado at 21 per cent

Institute of Medicine (IoM) released a report that rejects the idea that obesity is largely the result of a lack of willpower and personal responsibility of the people of America. US has an 'obesity-promoting environment', an 'average person' cannot maintain a healthy weight. 
IoM Suggested some dramatic measures and changes, Recommends schools be the focus for anti-obesity efforts, It wants schools to ensure quality physical activity and awareness of nutritional standards among children,  about 50 percent of severe obesity in adults is consequence of obesity in childhood. Currently about 17 percent of children and adolescents are obese. Anti-obesity measures such as better urban design, access to recreational facilities, workplace health promotion and new drugs could help reign in the problem.
Doctors asked to play a more aggressive role. And employers have been urged to promote healthy eating and offer obesity-related health coverage.

IoM blamed Us farm policy, Lawmakers and food industry for obesity epidemic. 

US FOOD INDUSTRY LOBBY:
  • The industry is worth about $1.5 trillion annually
  • About $175m has been spent on lobbying since 2009, including an effort to defeat proposed sugary-drinks tax that was led by Coca-Cola and Pepsi
  • Lobbyists spent more than $40m to defeat the sugary-drink tax - they defeated the soda tax initiatives in 23 US states
  • The industry spent close to $1m fighting school menu changes
  • In US schools, tomato sauce on pizza is counted as a vegetable
  • In 2011 McDonald's Corp spent over $1.5m on lobbying efforts, Nestle spent close to $4m

 The IoM panel also suggested to tax sugar-sweetened beverages, as their link to obesity is stronger than that of any other food or beverage.

So who is to blame for the problem? Do the IoM's recommendations go far enough? And is it time to re-examine the framework when dealing with the issue of obesity?

Kamis, 10 Mei 2012

What Is Cardiovascular Disorder

To understand Cardiovascular disorder we have to study the function of cardiovascular system. Functions of the cardiovascular system include (1) transporting nutrients to cells, (2) removing waste products through the intestines and other excretory organs, and (3) pumping oxygenated blood from the heart via the arteries and returning deoxygenated blood via the veins. The cardiovascular system works in tandem with the respiratory and nervous systems. It works with the respiratory system by taking the oxygen inhaled into the lungs to the rest of the body, and delivering carbon dioxide from the body to the lungs for expulsion. Impulses from the the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems help regulate the heartbeat.

The heart is a cone-shaped organ, about the size of a clenched fist. Contrary to popular belief, the heart is not on the left side of the chest; it is almost central, but its most prominent pulsation is felt beneath the left nipple. It pumps blood throughout the body and averages 70 beats per minute in an average adult. This is accomplished via nerve impulses and contractions of muscles. The heart is loosely enclosed in a fibrous, protective, bag-like enclosure called the pericardium. The heart is comprised of 4 chambers. The top portion houses the atrium, of which there are right and left valves. The bottom portion of the heart contains the chamber known as the ventricle, of which there are also right and left valves.

Cardiovascular disease comprises of several symptoms and disorders; coronary artery disease (including arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, angina and myocardial infarction), hypertension, rheumatic heart disease and congenital heart disease. Coronary artery disease is the most frequent cause of death from cardiovascular disease.

In modern system of medicine, the drugs often used in the treatment are antiarrhythmics, antihypertensives, antiadrenergics, diuretics, antianginals and anticoagulants. These drugs are effective but have a number of side effects like severe headaches, mild constipation, shortness of breath, dizziness, loss of appetite, heartburn etc. In chronic cases, the treatment is obviously prolonged. 

The herbal system has a number of medicines that not only provide symptomatic relief but attacks the root cause without any known side effects. so we should try some herbal and alternate medicines also by consulting the experts.

Heart Disease Causes and Cures

Heart is the most important part of human body, the main function of heart is to supply oxygenated blood containing nutrients to different parts of our body,Cardiovascular disorder affects the functioning of this cardiovascular system resulting in any disease that affects the blood circulation in body.

Heart
In short the Cardiovascular system works for(1) transporting nutrients to cells, (2) removing waste products through the intestines and other excretory organs, and (3) pumping oxygenated blood from the heart via the arteries and returning deoxygenated blood via the veins.

The causes of cardiovascular disorders are diverse but atherosclerosis and hypertension are the most important. Heart disease is the commonly used phrase for a number of disorders affecting both the heart and blood vessels. A more apt term is cardiovascular disease. It is a leading cause of death and illness that affects millions of people worldwide.  The majority of these catastrophic events occur with little or no warning leaving us ill-prepared to deal with them.

Each day in America only more than 3000 people have heart attacks, 1400 die, and 2200 undergo bypass surgery or angioplasty. Two-thirds of the victims actually have seen a physician shortly before their illness and were reassured that there was nothing wrong with their heart! Many of the deaths and most of the heart attacks are the result of under diagnosis and under treatment, while 75% of the surgeries and angioplasties are due to over diagnosis and over treatment.
Most of the time our modern medical system fails, resulting in deaths or disabilities. we  can't cure heart disease this way. If you have a problem in your chest area, the fist on the list of the organs that need to be fixed is not your heart, it is GI tract.

The human gastrointestinal tract(GI) refers to the stomach and intestine  and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. (The "digestive system" is a broader term that includes other structures, including the accessory organs of digestion).

Most of the food we eat gets absorbed in the small intestine and most of the liquid gets absorbed in the large intestine. Liver gets "first pickings" of everything absorbed in the small intestine, which is where virtually all nutrients are absorbed.

All of the venous blood returning from the small intestine, stomach, pancreas and spleen converges into the portal vein.

All blood from the portal vein goes into liver.

75% of the blood entering the liver is venous blood from the portal vein.

Liver is the main organ inside human body who's function is to process substances that are 'foreign' to our body and to make them "friendly".

After blood have been processed inside liver, it goes into the heart, and heart pumps it to the rest of the body.Thirty per cent of the blood pumped through the heart in one minute passes through the body's chemical factory, the liver. The liver cleanses the blood and processes nutritional molecules, which are distributed to the tissues. The liver also receives bright red blood from the lungs, filled with vital oxygen to be delivered to the heart.

The liver is located at the top of the abdomen, and has two main lobes. It is the largest gland in the body, weighing 2.5 to 3.3 pounds. When we eat, more blood is diverted to the intestines to deal with digestive processes, So, it is liver's job to process all the foods that your intestines have been absorbing. "Liver" is probably an appropriate name for this gland, which makes the important decision as to whether incoming substances are useful to the body or whether they are waste.

The liver also synthesizes triglycerides and cholesterol, breaks down fatty acids, and produces plasma proteins necessary for the clotting of blood, The liver also produces bile salts and excretes bilirubin. 
When the quantity of waste increases we feel symptoms for heart diseases, when people have problems and symptoms in their chest area, do not look at the heart. Heart is not a cause of the problem, heart is the consequence of the problem.
Most problems can be fixed with improved lifestyle, improved diet, motion, parasites cleanse, bowel cleanse, dental cleanup, kidney cleanse and liver cleanse ...  

so get ready for the change and consult experts to live happy ..
best of luck

Rabu, 09 Mei 2012

The basics of Healthy, Happy living

The human body is the entire structure of the human organism and its main parts are: head, neck, trunk and limbs. Each part has different mechanism or system to control the movement or action of that organ( body part). Whether we are walking, talking, sleeping, playing or sitting, our body is constantly working hard to keep us healthy. It is important to know our body in order to take care of it and live a long healthy life.

this small video will help us to learn more about  our body

The base of our body is our skeleton, and all the other organs are beautifully constructed on it by Thee "Almighty Creator" each organ is beautifully deigned and perfectly placed to make our body a self operating fully automatic machine. If you just pay a little attention and try to understand the structure of your body,  you will start loving Thee "Almighty Creator" for his perfect engineering, that is why a scholar said "knowing others means you are wise, but knowing yourself means you are enlightened."  just have a look at the placement and design of our body parts i.e design of hand, how it is attached to shoulder bladder, your knee joint, what would have happened if it wasn't there......... just imagine......

The Almighty Creator not only gifted us such a beautiful body, but also provided easy to follow guidelines to keep this machine(body) fit and healthy. which we can find in different religious books, which are originally from God. If we follow those guidelines we can enjoy a healthy, happy life with ease.
 
There are hundreds of parts in our body attached together with the help of muscles, veins, and bones, each part or organ works under some specific systems, such as , skeletal system, digestive system, muscular system, lymphatic system, reproductive system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, urinary system and endocrine system, these all parts and systems work together to keep us healthy, but due to some unhealthy habitats some of these system gets effected and we fall ill, so it is very essential for us to know at least basic systems as well as bad habitats which result in disorders and illness.

Acquiring this kind of useful knowledge will be beneficial for our healthy , happy living

so best of luck and good wishes for you healthy happy living

please share your opinion in the comment box to share  some good knowledge and tips for healthy happy living

Selasa, 08 Mei 2012

Want to loose weight try some Yogurt

Researchers found that obese adults who ate three servings of fat-free yogurt a day as part of a reduced-calorie diet lost 22% more weight and 61% more body fat than those who simply cut calories and didn't bone up on calcium. Yogurt eaters also lost 81% more fat in the stomach area than non-yogurt eaters.

Scientists studying the power of probiotics yogurt ( a special kind of yogurt that has beneficial bacteria.to fight obesity got more than they expected  for, they not only found that yogurt made the subject slimmer, it also makes them sexier.

Studies in humans suggest eating yogurt may help stave off age-related weight gain. Some researchers in Us wanted to know how and why?  Maybe it has to do with the healthy bacteria that live in our guts, Experts say there are 10 times more bacteria in the body than human cells. “Maybe probiotics in the yogurt have something to do with the effects on weight.”

To test the theory, researchers fed one group of mice a normal mouse diet and another group the same diet with a mouse-sized serving of vanilla yogurt. One of the first thing they noticed was their fur coat, It was so thick and shiny, shockingly shiny.

But shiny fur wasn’t the only thing that set the yogurt-eating mice apart from their siblings, They were also slimmer and sexier actually the males had “swagger.”
“We knew there was something different in the males, but we weren’t sure what it was at first, you know when someone’s at the top of their game, how they carry themselves differently? Well, imagine that in a mouse.” scientist said.

They noticed their testicles were protruding out really far, It turns out their testicles were 5 percent bigger than those of their non-yogurt eating counterparts, and 15 percent bigger than those of mice on a diet designed to mimic “junk food” in humans. And in this case, bigger was better.

“Almost everything about the fertility of those males is enhanced,”  said a scientist, explaining how yogurt-eating males mated faster and produced more offspring. “There were legitimate physiological differences in males fed probiotics, not just the extra sexiness.” And let’s not forget the ladies. Female mice that ate yogurt were even shinier than the males, and tended to be better moms to their larger litters.

“scientists think it’s the probiotics in the yogurt, those organisms are somehow directly interacting with the mice to produce these effects.” Although the study is ongoing, the fluky findings could have implications for human fertility and weight control, not to mention hair health.

“When I saw those fur coats, I thought about adding more yogurt to my diet,” a scientist said

Senin, 07 Mei 2012

Daily Healthy Habits

We first make our habits, and then our habits make us” these are the golden words by John Dryden.  So here is a list of  healthy habits to make your healthy living easier. The habits are organized to guide you through out the day from your morning caffeine fix to bedtime, with a few general habits that are important for any time of day. With better awareness you can make better choices and when you make better choices, you will see better results, Here they are:

Wake Up Early: Wake up at 5.30am thank the 'Almighty Creator' for the sweet nap you enjoyed and spend some time for working on yourself before going to work. Don't hit the snooze button continuously on alarm and try to get up on the first ring. Here you may ask? Why wake up early? Well let me explain why ...............click here to read more

Good morning
 
Exercise Daily: You may be exercising 4 times a week or thrice a week but tell me frankly how often you tell yourself I Will Exercise Tomorrow Instead, It is very easy way to bunk your exercise routine. But setting the expectation of daily exercise will remove this potential excuse and within weeks you will see the benefits of this daily habit. People who exercise live longer on average than those who don't. According to dozens of studies, regular physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some forms of cancer, and depression. Exercise may even help you stay mentally sharp in your old age. 10 to 20 minute spurts of activity are fine, as long as they add up to about 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate exercise per week.

Review or Rewrite Your Goals: Doing this you will get closer to achieving your goals each day. Starting the day by reviewing or rewriting your goals means that you have better awareness of them throughout the day, also Write a “To Do” list about your important tasks in your pocket diary or type it on your mobile phone. put a mark on them as they are completed. So simple, yet so effective. You will feel in control and much organized.

Visualize the Day Ahead: Take a few minutes to shut your eyes in the morning and visualize what you would like to happen in the coming day a whole day of endless possibilities lies ahead. Doing this often you will see some of your desires become reality, Isn't it amazing.

Check The News Headlines: I think it’s important to have an idea of what is happening in our community and the world. If you don’t like reading much at least check the main stories, read some motivational materials or listen to some ,you will feel inspired throughout the day.

Make Your Morning Drink Healthy: Chances are you have a favorite early morning caffeine routine — but is it a healthy habit or a noxious fix? Try some of these, Regular or flavored brewed coffee (black), Espresso, Americano (espresso topped with hot water),
Misto or cafe au lait with skim or low fat milk (half regular coffee, half steamed milk) If you read more in the morning try some of these.
  • Latte with skim or low fat milk (a shot or two of espresso that has been poured into a cup filled with steamed milk and then topped off with foamed milk)
  • Cappuccino with skim or low fat milk (usually one-third espresso, one-third steamed milk, and one-third foamed milk — more foam than a latte)
  • Macchiato with skim or low fat milk (an espresso with a small amount of milk on top)
  • Tea (plain black, green, white, and herbal teas; hot and iced)
The goal is to avoid sweetening your drink, but if you have to, try using just one teaspoon of real sugar (it only has 20 calories) and forget the chemicals that come with artificial sweeteners. Also, try sprinkling your drink with spices available at many coffee joints. Cinnamon and nutmeg add sweetness and flavor to your favorite brew without any calories.

Take Time to Look Good: it’s a reality of life that people judge us by our appearance. I take a few minutes each morning to ensure I go out into the world looking the best I can.


Connect With Nature: Spending time outdoors in nature is great for your sense of well-being. Try to feel it......as we are a small part of this amazing universe, change in nature affects our body.

Put First Things First: Many people have their day controlled by tasks that are urgent , but not necessarily important. Examples include interruptions, some email and some phone calls. The habit of putting first things first is about organizing and executing your life around your deepest priorities.

Help your partner in daily house hold chores: Scientists in the U.S. tested over 100 working men and women and found those who took on most of the responsibility for running the home had significantly higher blood pressure than those who left it to their partner.The strongest link with high blood pressure came from worries over how to get domestic chores such as cooking, cleaning and shopping done.

Be Proactive: being proactive means showing initiative and taking the responsibility to make things happen. Whenever I you something to happen,  ask yourself: what can I do to make this happen?

Follow a Mediterranean Diet: The Mediterranean diet is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and fish. An analysis of 50 studies involving more than half a million people shows the impressive benefits of this diet. The findings show it significantly lowers the risk of metabolic syndrome – a combination of obesity, elevated blood sugar, increased blood pressure, and other factors that raise your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Snack Well: Substitute your chips, candy and chocolate with fruit, nuts, vegetables (carrots and celery are great to chomp on.

Quit Smoking: While it's no secret that giving up cigarettes can lengthen your days -- the amount of extra time may surprise you. According to a 50-year British study, quitting at age 30 could increase your lifespan by an entire decade. 

Save Money: Try to save at least 10% of each paycheck. A great way to find the money to save is to break it down to a daily amount, for example $10-15. One of the keys to getting rich is to take control of your spending. By taking account of your daily spending you will find it easy to save this much.

Have Time With Family : On a typical workday you won’t see much of your partner and children or your parents, so it’s important to, at the very least, be there most evenings. Say I Love You to your Family Members: don’t just assume that your family members know you love them,  say these words to your partner and children at least once per day and don't forget your parents.

Happy family
Read More: To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life. Reading provides positive escapism from the real world, which can help detract from the stress of daily life, amongst others: develops your mind, develops your brain, teaches, activates and sharpens the eye, Improves IQ, Improves vocabulary and word power, brightens your mind generally Just makes sure it’s a relaxing book, and not one about physics laws....oopss

Wind Down: Try to switch off the computer and the TV about 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime and let your brain have some down time after a long day. You will sleep far more peacefully when you do this.

Go to Bed At A Reasonable Time: The first habit of this list (waking early) begins by going to bed at a reasonable time and getting a good nights sleep & don't forget to remember and thank the 'Almighty Creator' for keeping you safe and healthy with your family.

That's all my friends.......
feel free to comment if you want to add up some of your good healthy habits
thanx

Minggu, 06 Mei 2012

Eye Care Tips

Eye care- Tips to rejuvenate your eyes
 
We watch TV non-stop, sit glued in front of our systems, read in dim light and compromise on sleep!........ Stop!....... Now........Time to be nice to the organ that helps us perceive the whole world! Let’s give our vision the rejuvenation it needs!

Be it pollution, stress or examination tension, you have enough reason to be worried about your appearance. After all you don't want to be called 'Queen of dark circles' or Princess puffy eyes'. Fortunately, there are simple remedies to treat your eyes. You don't need to visit a cosmetologist or even a saloon. You can sit at home relax in your easy chair and take care of your eyes.

Eyes
When we talk about vision improvement, we mean relaxation and efficient use of eyes. Faulty vision always means that there is tension and stress in the eyes due to some wrong approach. If your eyes are tense, then the whole body is tense.With few tips on eye care, you can rejuvenate and refresh your eyes. Moisten your eyes with false tears eye drops or by drinking extra liquid and fluid foods. Blink more often, especially if you are working on a computer or any other work which involves lot of eye work.

There are six eye muscles around the eyes, and due to tension in them, the soft part around the eyes changes its shape. It can lead to short sightedness among youngsters in many cases. Also, if you are a middle-aged far sighted person, it could be a consequence of working in front of the monitor for long hours.

"The common advice given to cool and relax one's eyes is to place slices of cucumber over eyelids". A few drops of coconut oil massaged around the eyes helps get rid of dark spots.
When one does not have time for face packs, using an under eye concealer is the best option. A solution of Glycerine and lemon juice applied around the eyes removes dark circles. Also, cotton pads soaked in cold milk and placed around the eyes cools the eyes.

A mixture of saffron and honey applied around the eyes can do good. It is believed washing ones face every night with rosewater refreshes the eye. In order to remove puffiness from the eyelids and also for long eyelashes a thin coat of castor oil can be applied before going to bed. Baggy or puffy eyes can be treated by keeping ice cubes on them.

Most people tend to dose off while reading. However, those who wear contact lenses must ensure that they take them off before sleeping as this could lead to puffy eyes.

Eat Healthy: Green leafy vegetables are a must. Carrot is good for eyes. Ensure that your diet is rich in Vitamins A, B and C.

Drink plenty of water : Your system needs purification.

Use user friendly make up: Make sure you remove your makeup before your retire to bed.

Finally sleep : It is important to get eight hours of sleep. You will feel revitalized and this will reflect in your eyes.  Restful sleep for six to eight hours helps rejuvenate your eyes in a natural way.

Mostly we do not give regeneration time for the eyes. If your eyes are fixed for a long time in the same distance, they create tension in the muscles. You should stretch your eyes. With stretching, the blood circulation is enhanced and also the waste products are carried out of the muscles. Some easy techniques are given below.

Acupressure: Press your eyes on the lower pupil. Now look up and move your eyes in a semi circle. Stretch your eye muscles and at the same time apply pressure on your eye balls. This way you stimulate blood circulation. Afterwards, rub your hands and cover your eye balls with your palms. Then, visualize something black and see the change in your darkness, How dark is it? . The moment you visualize something black, the darkness becomes darker and intense. It is a sign that your eyes have become more relaxed.

Tap the eyelids: You can do this exercise in pairs. Tap the lids of your eyes with your finger. One person lies down and the other taps him/her on the eyelids. You can also do it for yourself. This exercise is very refreshing. Tap around the eyes on the bone ridge, starting from the forehead, then under the eyes, and then on the lids. Do it for 20 minutes.
Unfocused Vision: Normally when you look at people, you focus on them directly. This involves only one part of the eye. But there is a bigger part of the eyes which is responsible for peripheral vision. In this technique as you look, along with focus, you also become aware of the periphery.

Jump on the trampoline: Jumping on a trampoline for 2-3 minutes also helps improve eyesight. When you go up, look far away and when you come down, look near. This way, you stimulate blood circulation, you breathe deeper and your body gets more oxygen. This exercise works wonders with the eyesight.

some other helpful tips:
  • Wear dark glasses if you need to be out in the sun.
  • Apart from the harmful sun rays, dry air and cool breeze also affect your eyes and cause eye damages and eye disorders like cataract.
  • When selecting dark glasses, make sure they are 100 per cent UV protected.
  • When sitting in an AC room, make sure the blow is not directed straight into your eyes this leads to drying and sensitivity of the eyes.
  • Make sure that you wear sunglasses while driving also because the sun rays can penetrate even through the windows of the car. Wearing substandard sunglasses will make the pupils dilate, allowing more harmful UV rays to enter the eye and cause damage.
  • While driving motorcycle, always wear protective eyeglasses. If you wear a helmet, choose one which allows you to see and also shields your eyes.