Tips For Healthy Life

Archive for the ‘Health Tips’ Category

Heart disease is one of the leading killers of Americans today. The fact that most of us live very hectic lifestyles with many demands on our time and attention sometimes results in us loosing site of the things that we can do in our lives to help assure that we are taking the best care of our hearts as we can. We are going to examine some healthy living tips that may appear to be common sense but can easily be overlooked.

EAT A HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS DIET

Eat 4 to 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day. These foods are not only low in calories but they also contain vitamins, minerals and fiber that are essential to a healthy heart. If you feel that your diet leaves you lacking in some essential nutrients consider supplementation as an alternative.

In order to control high blood pressure and cholesterol eat whole grains. These are low in fat and high in fiber and vitamins that will help you do this. The risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity has been shown to be reduced by eating as little as three servings per day. Start your morning off by eating oatmeal (not instant) with whole grain toast. In the afternoon instead of snacking on a bag of chips substitute granola or even air popped popcorn.

Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. This will do two important things to help your heart health. First it helps you keep your weight down. The body will sometimes confuse dehydration with hunger and you will tend to eat more than you should. It is also good for your skin. The second way it helps is that doing this will help prevent your blood from thickening. As your blood gets thicker it puts a strain on your heart because it has to work harder to pump blood to areas of the body where it is needed. By drinking an adequate supply of water your heart has to work less.

EXERCISE REGULARLY

Exercise is a very important component of heart health. Aerobic exercise such as walking, bike riding, dancing or running is the best. Remember that when you are considering an exercise program take a moment and think about what you truly enjoy doing. If you enjoy something it is much easier to stick with it over the long run. Regular exercise will help control blood pressure and cholesterol numbers and make your heart and lungs stronger. Along with reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke exercise will also increase stamina and mood.

GET ENOUGH REST

Many sacrifice sleep in order to make more time in their busy day. By doing this it limits the body’s ability to control blood sugar. People who have diabetes are well aware of this. What this can do is lead to inflammation in the veins and arteries. This can cause scars to form in the arteries and increase the possibility of plaque buildup. This buildup can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Your goal should be to get eight hours of sleep each night in order to protect your heart as well as keep blood sugar levels under control.

QUIT SMOKING

If you are a smoker it is important that you speak to your doctor and find a way to quit. Nicotine increases the amount of blood that is needed by the heart thus reducing the amount that can flow through the veins to other parts of the body where it is needed. Carbon monoxide will also knock oxygen molecules off red blood cells thus limiting the amount of oxygen which the heart receives. It is important to realize that nothing about smoking is good for heart health.
By: John R Bradstreet

Eat your vegetables! is what mom used to tell us all the time, but for some reason, as kids all of us despised them. Fruits, yes, were tolerable, but vegetables always seemed like the enemy. What we didn’t know is that they can do so much for our bodies, that if we would have eaten those vegetables then, we wouldn’t have half the health troubles we have now (and this includes something as minor as dry skin or oily hair). So what is that fruits and vegetables do for us, that everyone touts them as the best preventive measure as well as remedy for so many problems? Let’s find out.

What do Fruits and Vegetables do for you?

When you consume a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, you are taking in a lot of nutrients that help your body maintain its immunity to several diseases, and lead a long healthy life. Here’s a list of the benefits you obtain from consuming these wonder foods.

➾ Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, which contributes to several health benefits. These include:

• Prevention of constipation
• Weight loss and maintenance
• Prevention of cholesterol and heart problems
• Prevention of diabetes

➾ These popularly termed superfoods are also rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants available from vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin C, that are known to destroy disease-causing free radicals. As such, by consuming these you can:

• Prevent the development of the various types of cancer
• Improve blood circulation
• Prevent mild to severe infections
• Prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases

➾ Other benefits of fruits and vegetables include:

• Detoxification of the body
• Improved metabolism and energy levels
• Great skin and hair quality
• Improved clarity of thought and alertness
• Improved vision (particularly from consumption of carrots)
• Healthy teeth and gums
• Healthy pregnancy and childbirth

All in all, you are in for a very safe and healthy lifestyle if you make these wonder foods a part of your daily diet. Of course, you must take care as to not counter the effects of these foods by consuming foods very high in calories and no nutrition whatsoever. Also ensure you perform regular exercise for best results.

What Fruits and Vegetables should you Consume?

Try to consume as many colorful fruits and vegetables. Almost all vegetables and fruits are safe for consumption, with a few exceptions which can be unhealthy when consumed in excess. These include potatoes, mangoes, and grapes. The more color you have in your plate, the healthier your meal will be. Mix red cabbage, lettuce, peas, beans, carrots, olives, broccoli, and peppers with beans to make a salad. Also enjoy meals that consist of spinach, cabbage, green beans, kale, squash, and the like for maximum benefits. In fruits, enjoy apples, bananas, peaches, a handful of berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), a handful of grapes, oranges, pears, grapefruits, papayas, and watermelons. Fruits and vegetables that can be consumed with the skin should be consumed like that so that you can get maximum nutrition from them. Some important tips to keep in mind when consuming fruits and vegetables are as follows.

• Always consume fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid canned varieties.
• Cook them lightly if you must. Else, enjoy vegetables roasted, grilled, or steamed. If you wish to boil them, do so in as little water as possible, and try to use that water for other preparations to retain the lost nutrients.
• Try and cut vegetables and fruits just when you are going to eat them, as cutting them and storing can lead to loss of certain nutrients.
• You can also enjoy fresh fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies, though the best benefit is attained by enjoying them in their raw forms.
• You may also consume unsweetened dried fruits as these are as nutritious as the fresh varieties.

How Much Fruits and Vegetables should you Consume?

Experts suggest that you should be consuming 5 portions of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. In fact, people adhere to strict fruit and vegetable diets to avail all the benefits they have to offer. One portion of fruit could be one apple or banana. One portion of vegetables could include a side salad with your lunch. This fruit could be added to your breakfast cereal. The vegetables could make a meal on their own or in conjunction with other foods.

As you can see, the power of fruits and vegetables is only for you to try and experience to believe in it. Speak to any nutritionist or doctor, and they will swear by the benefits these foods offer to the body. Enjoy them five times a day in small portions and you will find yourself feeling fitter, healthier, and refreshed. By:-  Puja Lalwani

Leading a physically and mentally well-balanced existence is the ideal way to live a healthy life style. This is, of course, easier said than done, and there are a great many other things involved. The way you think, what you eat, where you work, where you live, what you do, what your financial situation is, who you know, and so on. You need a certain amount of self-discipline and self-motivation to maintain a sensible daily rhythm. You need to discover what works for you and what doesn’t. You need to accept that certain things are beyond your control and there is little point in knocking yourself out about them. You need to understand that leading a healthy life-style is a continual and life-long process. You’re never going to reach a point where you can think, oh, it’s all okay now, I’m okay, I don’t have to make any more effort hereafter – unless you’re dead and gone, that is. Life is a chain of continued efforts, an on-going process. Think of yourself as a work of art in progress.

Here are a few healthy living tips. They work for me. Maybe they will work for you. You should always find your own path to living the healthy lifestyle.

• Everything should be done in moderation – eating, working, resting, playing, maintaining hobbies, socializing, and so on.
• You should take stock of how you spend your day, so you can reschedule your time, concentrate on important chores, cut down on the inconsequential, and thereby suffer less stress.
• Don’t take on more work or personal responsibilities than you can realistically handle.
• Do what you love. The money will usually follow.
• Try to be less materialistic and keep your life simple. It is really unnecessary to keep up with the Joneses. Why buy a car if you can avail of public transport? Why own a cell-phone when you don’t really need one? Why beat yourself up trying to upgrade to the latest software when the old one serves you just fine?
• Pay all your bills regularly and on time. Never take a loan if you’re not sure about meeting the monthly payments. Live within your means.
• You should sleep for at least eight hours every night. A siesta in the afternoon, if possible, is also a good idea and certainly refreshing for your brain.
• Control your mind. What you think and how you think affects your general well-being. Refuse to entertain negative or self-derogatory thoughts and emotions. This will require practice, especially if you have fallen into the habit of seeing the glass half-empty.
• Cultivate your spiritual side. You don’t have to turn religious and burn candles at public altars, but keeping in touch with your intuition and your inner self is important.
• Go for comfort over fashion any day.
• Eat well and healthy. Learn to cook well. Try new recipes. Make meals interesting and fun.
• Exercise regularly. Go for a short run every morning. Do Yoga. Exercise your eyes regularly, especially if you spend a lot of time in front of the computer. If you have to run errands around the neighborhood, walk or cycle around. Walk up stairways instead of taking the lift.
• Go for regular medical check-ups. If you have health problems, talk to your doctor and discuss all the options that are available for you. Get a second, third, fourth opinion. Research on the Internet. Don’t panic, lose hope, or give up easily.
• If you have the space, cultivate a garden. Working in a garden is a great form of exercise, and growing plants brings a lovely deal of cheer and satisfaction to the soul. If you don’t have the space, make space. You can have your garden in small tubs or containers.
• Maintain a good social life. Take an interest in other people and help without expecting anything in return whenever possible.
• Be honest, ethical, polite, and sincere. Don’t flatter anyone unless you mean it and don’t ever lie.
• Read books, magazines, newspapers. Be aware of what is going on around you, locally, nationally, and internationally. Try to learn at least one thing new every day.
• Don’t take yourself too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself.
• Don’t indulge in malicious gossip.
• Pay attention to the thing that you’re doing at any given moment, and do it well.
  By:- Sonal Panse

We all are always advised to follow healthy habits in order to live a healthy life. A healthy, or disease-free life, is definitely what everyone will always look forward to. If you follow healthy lifestyle habits, you will automatically prevent most of the diseases. A healthy and disease free life also boosts your self confidence and makes you like the way you look and feel. So, if you are wondering how to live a healthy lifestyle, then take a look at the following tips and techniques.

Tips on Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Most of us often wonder what exactly living a healthy lifestyle means? Is it to have a good diet? Or to stop bad habits and personal practices like smoking? Well, these are definitely some of the best answers to how to live a healthy lifestyle, but not the only ones. There are several other healthy living tips that you need to follow in order to have a healthy lifestyle. They are:

* As mentioned above, having a suitable and balanced diet plays a major role in maintaining proper health. Therefore, avoiding fast or junk food as much as possible, reducing intake of sweet and fatty foods are some of the important points in a guide to healthy living.
* Secondly, you need to undertake some physical activity every day so as to help in proper digestion, burning of calories and proper functioning of the body. A daily 30 minutes of exercise; or a jog or cycling can help in keeping fit and also in losing weight.
* One of the often neglected points is maintaining proper personal hygiene. If you are wondering what are some good personal habits to have, then note that having a bath every day, wearing clean clothes are some of them that go a long way in helping you have a healthy lifestyle.
* At the same time, cleanliness is also one of the major factors that lead to having a healthy life. Wearing clean clothes, living in clean surroundings, getting rid of the clutter and waste around definitely brings in good, positive vibes, leading you to healthy living.
* Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption as it contributes in nothing good, but simply leads to body abuse. Alcohol and smoking have been confirmed to be the most common disease causing factors. Therefore, one of the best healthy living tips is to let go of these bad habits.
* Have a regular meals and sleep timetable. Having food at regular intervals and on a fixed time everyday helps in prevention of stomach problems. At the same time, sleeping for a full 5-6 hours everyday helps in getting rid of stress. Leading a disciplined life is one of the important healthy lifestyle tips.
* If you are looking for some more tips on how to live a healthy lifestyle, then note that having a positive attitude or being optimistic plays an important role in maintaining health. Being positive helps in avoiding anxiety and depression to a great extent. It also helps in maintaining healthy relationships and coping effectively with pressures and problems.
* Lastly, when thinking of how to be healthy, remember that along with work, relaxation and enjoyment are essential. Spending good quality time with your loved ones, going for picnics, taking a break from routine help you have a healthy lifestyle.

These were some of the important points you need to consider if you say that know how to live a healthy lifestyle. Now that you know what living a healthy lifestyle means, start acting on it. right now and you are sure to see the difference in just a few days. Good luck! By Madhura Pandit

Of all modern ailments, one that is increasingly on the rise is sleep disorder. While primary causes are linked to lifestyle, lack of exercise and balanced diets; stress and overwork are other factors that cause or aggravate sleep disorders.

Sleep disorders are classed as follows:

Insomnia:

This is trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. A common ailment and affecting one in three Americans disorder. Insomnia occurs in people of all ages, usually a night or two, but sometimes for weeks, months, or even years.

Transient Insomnia is the inability to sleep well for a few nights, which lasts less than four weeks. This insomnia is brought on by excitement or stress. Children sometimes experience it before the first day of school or a big test, while adults may get this after an argument with a family member or before an important meeting .

Short-Term Insomnia is the type of insomnia that lasts from four weeks to six months. This type of insomnia is brought about by prolonged periods of stress, and as the person adjusts to the stress, or the situation gets better, the sleep returns to normal.

Chronic Insomnia is poor sleep daily for more than six months. More than 20 million Americans suffer from this.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder which features constant sleepiness and a tendency to sleep at inappropriate times. A patient of narcolepsy suffers sleep attacks as well as continual sleepiness and a feeling of tiredness. If not recognized and managed, narcolepsy can negatively affect the quality of a person’s life.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep disorder. It affects more than 12 million Americans. When a person suffers from OSA, the muscles in the throat relax during sleep and makes breathing difficult. The brain senses the breathing difficulty and wakes the person up to resume breathing. If the brain wakes the person many times, this can result in fragmented sleep with poor quality.

When untreated, OSA can lead to many medical problems, including heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, and depression. But proper treatment can eliminate these risks. Most common symptom of this is snoring, or snoring interrupted by pauses.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) is a leg disorder that is very similar to Restless Legs Syndrome but is evident during sleep rather than awake. Periodic limb movements usually occur in the legs but may also affect the arms, and are. An observer might describe them as a “jerk” or “kick”.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), which often appears in otherwise healthy people, is not related to emotional or mental problems. As the name suggests, the symptoms mostly affect the legs, but the arms and trunk may also be involved.

Restless legs Syndrome. If you have RLS you feel in your legs something like not like the pain of a leg cramp, and you may have difficulty describing the exact feeling. However, virtually everyone with this disorder reports that the uncomfortable feelings are temporarily relieved by moving the legs.

These days, most physicians and physiotherapists are focusing on the importance of proper and regular diet, plenty of exercise and sleep hygiene to alleviate these problems. There are centers dedicated to study of sleep disorders and they provide an in depth analysis of sleep patterns for patients. Based on these studies, remedial suggestions are given.

Continue reading “Sleep Disorders” » Sleep Disorders