What do you know about health and fitnesss?

We use the term ‘healthy’ for a person who does not suffer from any disease and who lives a happy life. Good health is essential to perform all activities in life properly. If a person is sick, they feel weak, so in order to be active and successful we need to keep ourselves healthy.

There are various factors which may affect our health; some of them are as follows:

Personal Factors

A person’s health is in his own hands. We can stay healthy by following some simple rules.

We must eat a well balanced diet.

The food that we eat should be fresh and hygienic.

We should also maintain hygiene around us to avoid any infection.

We should not overwork ourselves and must take some rest.

We should exercise regularly.

Hereditary Factors-
Sometimes people suffer from diseases which they have inherited from their parents. These diseases are passed on from parents to their children. A few examples of such diseases are diabetes, baldness and heart disease.

Environmental Factors

Environmental factors are the maintenance of community health. This can be achieved by the following ways

-By providing safe cleaning water.

-Good sewage disposal system.

-Providing open and green spaces.

-Controlling environmental pollution.

-Preventing food adulteration.

Socio-cultural Factors

Apart from being physically fit, we need to be socially aware and well informed. Cleanliness of the body and its surroundings is a must for everyone’s health. To keep our body clean we should bathe regularly and clean our sense organs like our eyes, nose, ears, tongue and skin properly.

We should keep our surroundings also clean in order to avoid any infection, because dirty and unhealthy surroundings spread diseases. The garbage and dust should be disposed of properly and regularly. There should be no stagnant water as it may give shelter to mosquitoes and flies.

Food Hygiene

The food that we eat should be cooked in hygienic conditions.

Fruits and vegetables must be washed before use.

All foods must be kept covered.

Vaccination

Vaccination plays an important role to keep us away from various diseases. It prepares our body to fight against diseases.

Regular Exercise

Regular exercise keeps our body fit and it also helps in relieving stress. It keeps our body system fit and improves the working of various organs and results in a better blood circulation.

Thus, by following these simple rules, we can enjoy a healthy and a happy life.

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What Does Your Body Mass Index Mean For Your Health

Body Mass Index is a method used to determine if you are overweight. It involves comparing your weight to your height by dividing the weight measurement (expressed in kilograms) by the square of the height (expressed in meters). This is also known as your BMI. A BMI of below 18.5 is underweight, between 18.5 and 25 is an indication of healthy weight, 25 to 30 is overweight, a BMI of over 30 is referred to as obese, over 35 is known as morbid obesity, and over 40 indicates extreme obesity.

Your BMI will give you an estimation of the fat content of your body. This is not an exact science as muscle mass will contribute to your weight as well. People with a high muscle mass can have a higher BMI and a lower fat content. Older people may have a lower muscle mass and higher fat content and have a low BMI number.

Here is the importance of keeping your Body Mass Index out of the 25 to 29 or higher range. People with a BMI of 25 to 29 have more heart attacks and strokes. Other problems can include high blood pressure, diabetes, breathing problems and high cholesterol. There are also higher incidences of colon cancer. If your BMI is over 30 these risks can also increase.

Basic changes in what and when you eat are a good place to start. One simple thing is to simply not eat for 3 hours before you sleep. Try and replace sweets with more fruit is another. Go for extra servings of vegetables and put seasoning on them to make them more appealing.

Take a walk after a meal. Even 15 minutes of walking can help you control and start losing weight. Depending on the physical shape you are in you may be able to go to 30 minutes of exercise at a brisk pace 3 or 4 times a week but you should talk this over with your physician first.

Although the BMI is not going to be 100% accurate in determining your health it is a great starting place to motivate you to make some changes in your life if you want to be healthier as you get older.

Muscle building exercises

There are several muscle building exercises that will help you to develop a great physique. They can be divided into two categories, strength training and fat burning training. They can be done with or without weights. You will need to develop some goals and an exercise routine to achieve them.

Muscle building exercises: With all your training there are 3 important things to understand.

1. Firstly you always need to be challenging. Once you find that you can do the set of exercises easily, then put on 5 to 10 pounds more and repeat as many of the set that you can. In this way you will be continuously strengthening your muscles. You will develop more growth and burn off more fat by doing this.

2. Remember to stay focused when doing your Muscle building exercises: to do any job right you need to focus on what you are doing in order to do it correctly. Do not get distracted by anything, especially the TV. Try to do your workouts alone or with your trainer to be sure that you are focused on each set of exercises. This will ensure that you can do them better.

3. Make sure that you allow your body the recovery time it needs when you do your Muscle building exercises: Recovery time is necessary when you are developing tissue. The best way to do this is to plan your training so that you will do about 20-30 minutes workout 3 times a week. This means that you will have a day of rest in-between your workouts.

There are 2 types of machines that can be used:

1. Muscle building exercises using weights: These include popular equipment such as the Bowflex. These machines use resistance weights to strengthen, burn fat and put on growth. The Bowfex is especially easy to use as it uses resistance rods instead of weights. It also has a new type where you can just dial whatever weight you need to use.

2. Muscle building exercises not using weights: These are machines like tread mills, elliptical equipment and exercise bikes. These types of machines will build growth more slowly by endurance and strength. You can use these machines at home or in a gym.

Get a well-planned Muscle Building Program so that you don’t have to go through a trial and error process.

I have been more actively learning a variety of things after my voluntary retirement from a teaching job. I feel my mind is sharper than what it was when I was in my 30’s and 40’s.

One of the reasons why my brain stopped aging is because I have been actively engaging it in challenging exercises that are fun to do and help me keep me fit.

The other day I watched a video on Youtube that highly motivated me. I would like to share it with you and I am sure you will find it interesting.

Discover Youth (Long Version) I took a Young Brain Quiz to check myself out and was very happy to know I am on the right track.The site where I took the quiz also offers a free video course titled 8 Weeks to A Younger YouThe eight videos are on the following topics:- Week 1: Build a Core- Week 2: Start Smart, Start Slow

- Week 3 : Build Momentum

- Week 4: Gain Control

- Week 5: Look Inward

- Week 6: Discover You

- Weeks 7 & 8: Nourish Your Body and Brain

All the videos are worth watching and the entire course brings about a change in attitude.

I have placed an order for their book In Full Bloom: A Brain Education Guide for Successful Aging

Here is one of the amazon reviews about the book:

“This book does a big favor for those of us who know we are aging! The philosophy and approach presented respects our aging brain, and in a comfortable, easy-to-read style tells us on how our brains should continue to work for us and make us perform at our best. The east and west influence of the exercises presented makes this approach special. I have personally practiced almost all the exercises described here and found many of them fun. These exercises speak to us and tell us that the sky is the limit!They have trully fostered by intuitive side. What could be more rewarding!” –Mariam R. Chacko, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Considering the quality of the free information available on the site, I think, the book will provide a lot of targeted exercises and much more depth regarding the role of the brain in aging.

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1. Common muscle building mistakes

In order to succeed in your goal you will need to be aware of these common muscle-building mistakes. It is pointless putting in a lot of work toward your goal, only to be disappointed at the results. With proper knowledge and education you can avoid errors and achieve success

Common muscle building mistake #1: Failing to educate yourself. Looking at glossy magazines is not enough. If you are serious about improving your physique then you will need to know what you need to do. You can read some good fitness literature or watch some educational videos, about how to train and what you should eat. Knowledge is power and once you know about these two key elements you will be able to achieve your goals.

Common muscle building mistake #2: Relying only on training: many people think they can get a good body by just lifting a few weights. This simply is not true. Improving your physique cannot be achieved by training alone. It also requires attention to diet. Eating a healthy diet, which is high in protein, is essential to your success.

Common muscle building mistake #3: Not disciplining yourself: when you want to achieve a goal, the saying “no gain without pain” is very apt. You will need to be sure that you train religiously and faithfully. Make your exercise régime an important and essential part of your life. Do not relax your exercise routine or all your hard work will be useless.

Common muscle building mistake #4, taking too many of the wrong supplements: do not fall into the glossy magazine ad trap. Artificial supplements will help you to succeed in your goals, but they often have some unpleasant side effects. Too many supplements are not good for your body and again may give you side effects. Try to take natural supplements. They do not have side effects and will work equally well. Whey is a good protein supplement and comes in natural or different flavors. You can make a pleasant protein milk shake with your whey supplement. Cretin helps with growth and should be taken. The final supplement you may want to take is a good multivitamin.

We all know we need to have a healthy diet, so why are more people not doing this? We know we need to balance our diet with all of the food groups yet we get up everyday and ignore some of them. You may find that just a little planning can help your diet be healthier on a daily basis.

First of all, you need to two lists. One is what you do eat and one is what you should eat. Do you know what the food pyramid is? You can not eat correctly if you are not sure what that means. You may find you are already doing a pretty good job and just need to make a few minor changes. Many of us may need a major overhaul in our healthy diet.

Once you have your 2 lists you need to break them down into the following categories:

- Grains

- Vegetables

- Fruits

- Milk and Calcium

- Meat, Beans, Fish, and Nuts

This article is not meant to give you a diet plan. In 2005 the USDA replaced the Food Guide Pyramid with MyPyramid. To get the correct recommended daily intake of these various food groups do a Google search for MyPyramid. You will come up with more information than you can read.

What this article is about is getting to be honest with yourself. You can not have a healthy diet if you do not plan what you are going to eat. Everyone has impulses when it comes to food. That’s al right! However over the course of the week you need to work into your meals as many things that you like to eat with things you need to eat to be healthy.

Knowing the food groups will help you do this.

Planning variety into your day will help. Work some fruits and vegetables into your snacks. Depending on how your day goes it may be worthwhile to eat several smaller meals a day rather than large ones.

The other thing is to cover yourself just in case you fall short on any given day with a daily multivitamin. To live a longer healthy diet your body needs vitamins and minerals. Taking a daily multivitamin is an insurance policy against shorting your body against these. It’s an easy thing to do.

In summary having a healthy diet everyday takes just a little planning on your part, but the rewards are better health and a longer life. Once you get in the habit of organizing your meals and snacks you will find it is easy to do and worth the time it takes to do it.

Tips To Having A Healthy Colon

The Colon is the main part of the large intestine. It absorbs water and some mineral salts from food passing through the digestive tract and pushes waste towards the rectum and anus where it is expelled from the body as faeces. A healthy colon is essential to your health. Here are some tips for a healthy colon and a healthy colon diet.

A healthy colon diet is something you can control and it all starts with eating the proper amount of fiber. White bread is an example of food that contains no fiber and is consumed in large amounts by many of us. As the colon gets deposits built up on the lining it can not do its normal process. If your diet is high in fat and cholesterol you increase your chances of having colon problems. Try and think wheat over white. Wheat bread, wheat pasta, and brown rice are better for your health than the white version of these products.

Many people often wonder what are the signs of colon cancer. Getting your colon checked is the best answer because like other parts of the body a tumor can live for years before becoming cancerous. Other signals of potential colon cancer could be runny stools, blood in your stools, stomach cramps, weight loss, feeling tired, or feeling like you need to go to the bathroom when you really do not have to.
Constipation could be a sign as well. Any blockage due to inflammation or even a tumor could lead to constipation. Don’t panic. First take a step back and look at if you have had any changes in your diet. Have you ate less fiber and are there any changes in your lifestyle including less exercise. Constipation can be caused by many things other than colon problems.

A common question is how often should I get my colon checked. If you are over the age of 50 you should get a colonoscopy. It is interesting to know that more than 90% of all colon cancer occurs in people over 50. Family history is another factor in determining if you need to get checked. You should not wait until you are 50 if you have a family history. The frequency of your tests should be determined by your physician after that.

Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. The good news is the number of deaths from colon cancer is declining every year due to the number of people getting tested earlier.

It is often said that maintaining a normal growth pattern is nature’s lab test for good health. Measuring the growth of height and weight is a very inexpensive service that should be offered by all health care providers to children. Growth is influenced by many factors such as heredity, genetic or congenital illness and medications, nutrition, hormones and psychosocial environment

Causes of Growth disorders:

Children generally reflect their parent’s growth patterns and height. Parents who were late bloomers and experienced slow growth and late pubertal development may see the same pattern in their children. The final height these children achieve is usually normal. Parents who have a short stature usually have children whose adult height potential is in the shorter range.

Congenital (those present at birth) causes for growth failure include intrauterine growth retardation, skeletal abnormalities and chromosome changes. Intrauterine growth retardation may result from maternal infections, smoking, or alcohol or drug use while pregnant.

Skeletal causes, such as short limbed dwarfism, result from abnormal production of new bone and cartilage. These children usually have unusual trunk or limb proportions. Chromosome variations causing short stature can include Turner syndrome in girls and Down’s syndrome in boys.

Nutritional problems can influence growth in two ways. More commonly, the problem is a poor diet with inadequate nutrients, not enough calories, or the wrong food habits. Secondly, diseases that interfere with the absorption of food from the bowel will prevent the body from using those nutrients for growth.

Thyroxin hormone which is secreted by the thyroid gland located in the neck poses a major influence on the growth and development of brain and bones. It continues to regulate metabolism throughout adult life. Symptoms of inadequate thyroxin can include dry skin and hair, constipation, loss of energy, or feeling cold in normal temperatures. If there is an inadequate amount of thyroxin made, it can be replaced by tablets prescribed by the doctor.

Cortisol, which is made by the adrenal glands located on top of each kidney, has effects on fat storage, glucose production and bone strength as well as aiding the body to handle the stress of illness or injury. Unlike thyroxin deficiency, it is excessive cortisol production which stunts growth. There are also other signs that indicate excessive cortisol such as muscle wasting and weakness, weight gain, easy bruising and thinning of the skin. Treatment depends on the cause of the problem.

Treatment:

Growth Hormone is made by the pituitary gland located in the middle of the head at the base of the brain. Growth hormone affects glucose and fat metabolism, the production of protein to sustain new cell development and, most importantly, it stimulates bone growth at the growth plates located at the ends of the bones. Children with growth hormone deficiency usually have a dramatic slowing of growth and may be overweight for their height. They may have younger looking faces than their actual age, but have normal body proportions. Diagnosis is made with blood tests and treatment is the replacement of growth hormone by growth hormone injections. Treatment continues until the bone growth plates fuse indicating that growth is completed. This treatment should never be taken without being under an expert’s guidance.

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The importance of eye care cannot be overemphasized. Many common eye disorders disappear without any treatment. There are many effective products on the market for eye disorders like eye drops, ointments for itching, and dryness or watering of the eye. There are, however, some restrictions in using these medications. If you use these products for more than 72 hours, or if you have a problem on the eye ball, you should immediately consult a doctor.

In some cases, a minor eye problem may lead to a severe blinding condition. Before using any of these products one should understand about the structure of the eye, cause of disorder etc. The most complex sensory organs are the eyes. The eyelids are the major protective mechanism for the eye. There are some common disorders of the eye that can be self treated such as Blepharitis, Lice, Contact dermatitis, Thermal damage and many more.

Blepharitis is a common condition that is caused by inflammation of the eyelid. Itching and burning are the most common complaints for Blepharitis and this can be self treated by applying a hot compress to the eye, followed by an eyelid scrub. Contact dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin that causes swelling, scaling, or redness of the eyelid. This can be treated by Antihistamines that are taken orally.

Some common eye conditions usually require treatment from a doctor. A disorder such as Blunt Trauma to the eye needs immediate solution by an optometrist. It can activate bleeding into the eye and it can seriously affect the vision. Abrasion is another disorder which needs immediate treatment. This usually occurs when a fingernail rubs across the cornea or conjunctiva. Many other disorders like corneal swelling, keratitis, angle-closure glaucoma and utveitis are all an inflammation of the eye structures in the iris. Symptoms and signs for all these are similar to each other. Common symptoms include an aching eyebrow or a head ache that leads to nausea and vomiting.

There are many types of eye products available which contain both active and inactive ingredients. Eye washes, commonly known as ocular irritants, when used cleanse the debris from the eye. This will include some boric acid with sodium borate or sodium hydroxide to maintain acidity, which will clear up the eyes. The eye products include Vehicles, known as ophthalmic vehicles, which enhance drug action by increasing the thickness of the product.

There are preservatives in the product to destroy or limit the growth of bacteria. These types of preservatives will prevent allergies. The most commonly used product, for self treatment, are eye drops. These eye drops will be a water based solution that will lubricate the eye and thicken the tears. This will clean up the eye and prevent itching and redness of the eye. Eye care is necessary for all, as without good vision it can be uncomfortable. So, using these products, we can be self treated. If the pain or itching continues, you must consult a doctor immediately.

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When you have a runny nose, itchy eyes are sneezing or coughing, you are said to have caught a cold. Mostly, people catch a cold during the winter because of the low atmospheric humidity during the winter season which enables cold causing viruses to develop more easily.

The virus can enter your body either through your mouth or nose or sometimes through your hands. You are likely to catch a cold when you come into contact with an infected person.

For a common cold, you don’t really need to go to a doctor, but if the problem persists and you have a high fever, vomiting or severe headache then you must seek medical advice. The general medicines for a common cold are decongestants, nasal sprays or suppressants etc, but have you ever thought of the side effects that these medicines may have on you or your child’s body?

Pain killers like Aspirin can affect your lungs. Decongestants may cause heart palpitations and insomnia and some over the counter cough syrups can be responsible for drowsiness.

In fact, there’s no cure for the common cold. The Cold virus does not get affected by antibiotics but there are numerous home remedies which can provide relief from the pain and other symptoms of a cold.

These medicines, if nothing else, do not have any side effects. One way or the other, they do some good to your body. The common cold is not a serious problem, so why not try some alternative medicines, instead of exposing yourself to the controversial effects of over the counter general cold medicines?

Vitamin C is known for its remedial power against the common cold. Instead of taking vitamin C tablets, why not take lemon juice which may reduce the duration of the cold as well as the infection. Ginger is another wonder medicine for a cold. Ginger juice taken with honey reduces throat itching and soothes it. Chicken soup can also be given. Eating garlic enhances the body’s immune-stimulating properties, thus helps in fighting the common cold. Drink plenty of liquid foods like juices, lemon water etc. Last but not least; take proper rest to help make your immune system work faster.

Prevention:

Do not eat anything without washing your hands.

Avoid coming into contact with people who have a cold.

Eat a healthy balanced diet.

Maintain cleanliness in everything including surfaces, door knobs and utensils etc. You can clean them with disinfectant.

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