Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Exercise and Balanced Diet for a Healthy Life

Exercise and Balanced Diet for a Healthy Life
By Kaneez Zehra Jamal 

A combination of a good exercise regime and a balanced diet will produce lasting results of healthy life. Exercise not only keeps a person fit but makes one feel good about oneself. As the sayings go, "a healthy body has a healthy mind" and "you are what you eat". Exercising regularly stimulates the brain to produce endorphin, a chemical that helps a person feel more relaxed and peaceful. A balanced diet is essential to maintain a healthy weight. Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand.
Studies have shown that aerobics exercises can make your bones strong which in turn helps you age better. Eating a low fat, low carb and high protein diet can be helpful in achieving goals faster. Exercising regularly prevents the risk of developing heart diseases, diabetes and certain types of cancers. To ensure that you are exercising hard enough without straining your heart, calculate heart rate by using the heart rate calculator. The optimum workout requires the heart beat to go up to 75% of heart rate which will burn a lot of calories in little amount of time.


Basic exercises to get you started: There are three basic components to all exercise routines; Aerobics, Strength training and Flexibility or Stretching.

Aerobics exercise: Walking, jumping and swimming are the best forms of aerobics exercise. Jump rope brings the heart rate up much faster than walking. Hence, ten minutes of jump-rope, is equivalent to twenty minutes of walking. Swimming is considered as the only workout that allows all the muscle groups to work together simultaneously to burn maximum calories.

Strength Training: Weights and Pilates are known as muscle toning and strengthening workouts. Weight training should be done at least three times a week. Pilates are getting quite popular nowadays especially in the western countries. It teaches control of mind and body and helps strengthen core muscles.

Flexibility exercises: Yoga and stretching. Yoga is known for relaxation. It calms anxiety and brings about a holistic approach to life. Stretching is highly recommended after every workout. It is a good way to prevent injuries and soothe tired and sore muscles.

Benefits of exercising: The benefits of exercise are innumerable, to name a few:  Increased brain performance;  Feel more energetic ;  Releases stress ;  Keeps diseases at bay ;  Makes the heart stronger ; and  Removes anxiety and depression

Importance of a Balanced Diet: A balanced diet will provide you the energy your body needs to function properly. It is important to maintain healthy eating habits so that your immune system is strong enough to fight illnesses. Poor diet can hinder the growth and development in children. Kids with bad eating habits are more likely to continue it for the rest of their lives.

Easy tips to follow: A healthy diet is a composition of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, dairy and whole grains. Here are some simple do's and don'ts to get you started.

• Don't fill yourself up with empty calories, like cakes and cookies, etc.
• Try to make every calorie count by obtaining them from the four major food groups.
• Prefer fresh fruits over store bought juices.
• Try to eat six small meals instead of three large ones.
• Always eat a healthy snack between breakfast and lunch, and between lunch and dinner.
• Finally have a small snack just before bed time. That way you won't end up consuming large portions at each meal.

When starting a healthy lifestyle, do some homework on how to calculate heart rate for optimum workout, find out the caloric intake required for your age and try to maintain a food journal in the beginning. Just keep yourself disciplined through exercise, maintain a balanced diet, and you can enjoy a happy life for many years to come. Start bringing a change today by living the healthy way.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kaneez_Zehra_Jamal/2203076

Friday, November 13, 2015

How To Gain Better Health and Stay Happier in Life

How To Gain Better Health and Stay Happier in Life
By Jovia D'Souza 

Health is one of the most important areas of life. Without good health, it can be hard to get anything done or work towards your objectives and goals in life. Poor health can also lead to a sad life. When you start working towards a healthier you, you will start to see your life changing and you will feel better about everything around you. When you are healthy, every function in the body is enhanced, including brain function that helps you tackle issues that you initially viewed as challenging, you will begin to have a positive outlook to live greatly improving your moods and balancing emotions. If you have been wondering how to be healthy, here are some of the starters for your journey to better health and happier life.

1. Mind what you eat Foods play a huge role in health and it is therefore not a wonder that you are considered to be what you eat. The best way to start your journey towards better health is to know your foods in terms of nutrients. When you know which foods give your body what nutrients and minerals, you will be in a position to choose your foods for balanced healthy meals that serve the body in every way. You will also know which foods to limit and which ones to completely scrap out of your diet and choose heart healthy recipes. You ought to be aware of everything that enters your mouth for the sake of promoting good health.

2. Beat bad habits Some of the bad habits that can deteriorate your health include smoking and drinking too much alcohol. Overeating and snacking on unhealthy foods also fall into this category. Even though it could be hard to get over the habits, it is actually very possible to fight them when you are truly dedicated and committed to improving your health and life in general. Identify areas that you need to start making changes and come up with a strategy to quit all unhealthy habits. Simple changes can lead to healthy living at home and elsewhere.

3. Exercise Exercises are very important in keeping fit and boosting health. You will also feel happier when you are more active than when you just spend your hours lazing around. Exercises vary from very simple activities such as walking, jogging and swimming to gym sessions that are much more intense. You can come up with an exercise regime that you can keep up with and remain interested in. If you are trying to lose weight, this is a very good way of starting your journey towards your ideal weight. Eating right and exercising go hand in hand in boosting your health.

4. Get regular checkups The mistake most people make is rushing to the hospital only when they are suffering and need medical attention. This should not be the case if you care about your health and life. Regular checkups can be very good in identifying health issues in their early stages and curbing them easily. Depending on the results of your checkup, the doctor is able to offer guidelines to ensure that you remain healthy and keep risks at bay.



There are so many ways of how to be healthy and you can choose to get help from professionals to guide you. Health talks are some of the best you can attend to get insight on how to live a healthier happier life. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jovia_D'Souza/2007086

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Slow Down! Enjoy Your Food and Enjoy Your Life

Slow Down! Enjoy Your Food and Enjoy Your Life

How long does it take you to eat a meal? 5 minutes, 10, 20? You may have learned that it takes at least 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that you are full. Many of us don't spend enough time eating to wait for that message. In addition to preventing overeating, eating more slowly can have other significant benefits.


Slowing down for digestive health. Do you ever feel bloated or gassy after a meal or throughout your day? There are many reasons why that may occur, many of which can be treated with the best nutrition for you. But, also consider when you eat quickly you may be swallowing air at the same time. Imagine what a bunch of extra air does for your GI tract. Gas and bloating can equal too much air, as simple as that. A big benefit of slowing down your eating is to feel better when the meal is done and the rest of the day.

Speed eating in the U.S.  A sad state of things - that we actually have contests to see how fast we can eat. But, truly - in the U.S. the speed of our eating is reflected in our awareness of hunger. An interesting study conducted by Brian Wansink and described in his book Mindless Eating - Why We Eat More Than We Think surveyed individuals in Paris and in Chicago to evaluate how they decided it was time to stop eating. What they found was those in Paris stopped eating because they no longer felt hungry. In contrast, the Chicagoan stopped eating because the television show they were watching was over or their plate was empty. According to this, we aren't paying any attention to our level of hunger - we are relying on external cues to determine if we should continue eating or not.

Slowing down to taste your food. Food is delicious! At least the food I eat is. If you find you finish a meal and haven't really enjoyed it, then you have wasted time and that wonderful food you have been given. Try this tasting exercise:

• Take a small piece of dark chocolate (or something else delicious) and hold it in your hand.

• Look at the chocolate like you have never seen it before - noticing the color and shape.

• Touch it, noticing the texture of the chocolate.

• Smell it, inhaling deeply to really enjoy the aroma.

• Now place the chocolate in your mouth and feel it in your mouth without chewing it. Let it slowly melt in your mouth enjoying every last bit.

Do you ever eat a meal like this? Perhaps time does not permit every bite to be savored to this extent, but could you benefit from practicing even a small portion of a mindfulness approach to eating? What if you really smelled your food and enjoyed the complex aromas, really looked at your food and it's beautiful colors, really tasted your food and enjoyed every bit before you swallowed it? Do you think you would enjoy your meal more? Would you be more appreciative of the food you have? How might this impact your food choices, eating habits and even other areas of your life?

Slowing down to enjoy life. Practicing slower eating will help your body digest food more easily and will allow you to find greater pleasure in the food you eat. But not only will it have those benefits, practicing mindfulness in eating may be a start to practicing greater mindfulness in other areas of your life. Do you take a deep breath and smell the fresh air and really look at the trees blowing in the wind when you are on a walk? Or do you rather spend that time also on your phone or doing something else? Do you really listen to your kids or your partner when they are talking to you, or are you half participating in the moment? If you have kids I am sure you can appreciate how quickly they change - soak up every moment that you can to enjoy their bright eyes and precious smiles. What can you do today to be more mindful in your eating and in your life? Practice one new habit today - I promise you it will be worth the effort.

Lynda Enright, MS, RD, CLT is certified as a Wellness Coach and LEAP Therapist who partners with individuals who want to look and feel amazing. Lynda helps individuals improve their health by addressing each individual as the whole person finding the causes of weight gain, fatigue, bloating, acid reflux, congestion, brain fog or achy joints. For tips on eating well and balancing a healthy lifestyle, visit http://www.BeWellConsulting.com


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Lynda_Enright/1815370

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Benefits of Eating Healthy Are Endless




The Benefits of Eating Healthy Are Endless
By Josef Bichler   

We live in a world of preservatives; a big percentage in our diet consists of processed foods and is most unhealthy. More than 3,000 food additives, preservatives, flavorings, color and other ingredients are added to our foods. This has ramifications for our health which in turn can bring on many illnesses. The right choice and eating healthy is now more important than in the past when food quality was better than to what it is today.

More and more of us, it seems, are negatively affected by the food we eat, therefore it has become more crucial and beneficial of eating healthy. With the many pressures and lifestyle changes over the last decade or so people are so busy these days they forget the benefits of eating healthy. For the quickest way to have a meal, fast food and take away is often chosen over cocking or preparing meals at home. So, we don't think about the healthy diet any more. We prefer to consume fast foods instead of healthy diets because we don't take the time to prepare the healthy diet.

The unfortunate part of all this, our health will suffer; maybe not now, but in years to come. However, this is subject to change for anyone who is willing because there are many benefits of eating healthy. This information will show some of the health benefits offered by eating healthy. Change of lifestyle and diet to improve your overall health is worth the investment for the dividend you will receive in years to come, and much safer than the stock market.

Maintain Healthy Weight. It is important to keep your weight within the healthy standard. This is not hard to do. When changing your diet to healthy food the weight will automatically adjust over time and stay at a healthy level. Try to consume healthy foods, for instance: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, or other natural proteins. This will start to stabilize the weight. The benefits will start to show when processed fatty and sugary foods are replaced for nutritious ones. There are many benefits of eating healthy and weight control is one of them.

A Noticeable Difference in Feeling Better. Consuming healthy food is important to make you feel better every day. The natural vegetables and fruits are effective in providing lots of energy levels throughout the day because they contain many compounds that are helpful to improve your overall health. As well it builds your muscle tone and improves your confidence. Studies have shown and many experts believe that the healthy diet can improve some ones confidence and social skills. It means, a proper diet is able to improve your overall mood and confidence level during the day.

Strong Immune System. The immune system in your body is the protector of your organs from any illness or disease, providing the immune system is strong. This has many functions, such as detoxification, anti inflammatory and its antioxidant system. If imbalance occurs in any of those systems by not getting the right nutrients this will increase the risk for illnesses to take hold. Eating enough healthy food everyday is beneficial because it keeps your immune system strong, which comes from the nutrients contained in raw vegetables.

There are many good nutrients that can prevent disease and strengthen the immune system. Try to consume foods with high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, which is the miracle worker when it comes to health. It is also known that the body cannot make its own omega 3, so it has to come from food we eat. It is important to include such foods in to your diet: any meat from grass-fed animals if possible, organic milk, fish, olive oil, krill oil, calamari (or squid), salmon, scallops, mussels, some dairy products, nuts and more.

How much do you need? Healthy adults (and pregnant women) should aim for 500 mg of omega 3 a day; if you have or are at risk of heart disease, a higher quantity may be taken. A variety and mixture of foods are important with all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins to include in to your daily diet for optimal health. Because there are times when it is not always possible to follow a strict diet plan every day, in its place a specific natural supplement is able to take care of any shortfall.

Helps to Build a Healthy Mind.Building a healthy mind is one of the benefits of eating better. Healthy foods are important to keep your brain and mind sharp. There are many essential nutrients, such as the omega 3 fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, tryptophan, DHA, and many more, which are important for our brain and body functioning normally. Those nutrients really improve your brain function, you can always have a positive mind when you consume healthy foods regularly. The benefits of eating healthy are endless and there are many more options you choose from.

My name is Josef Bichler I have a passion for wellness and showing others how to live healthy lives. I have corrected my own health problems with the use of alternatives only. I have helped countless others achieve their health objectives through lifestyle changes, the meaning of right supplementation, the benefit of a strong immune system and understanding why it is necessary to eat healthy. For more ongoing health information subscribe to my free weekly newsletters, this also gives you the opportunity for comments, suggestions and questions you may have, as well download my free e-book report to help making better food choices: http://www.healthythenaturalway.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josef_Bichler

Thursday, September 17, 2015

11 Major Health Tips For Living A Healthy Diet and Lifestyle




11 Major Health Tips For Living A Healthy Diet and Lifestyle
By Paul A Philips 


Indeed we have now gone beyond the first quarter of the year. Have you managed to maintain those New Year's resolutions regarding your intentions for a healthy diet and lifestyle? For many people staying on the white line that's consistent with attempts to keep up their intentions/promises of a healthy diet and lifestyle can be difficult. The first thing to acknowledge here is that we are not perfect and prone to make mistakes then it's up to us all to recreate our intentions... and remember nobody at least not that I know achieves perfect health. The trick is to realize that it's ongoing so keep yourself fired up and inspired on how you can maintain that healthy diet and lifestyle!
Responsibility is the key and caring for yourself by bringing thoughts and deeds into action. Keep educating yourself on this lifelong process while learning to discern is another key. So, here are my 11 major health tips for a living a healthy diet and lifestyle. I would strongly recommend putting these tips in your health strategies.
1. Eat plenty of raw food. A raw food diet allows you to get the full nutritional benefit in your food. Food like this doesn't get the vitamins and enzymes denatured (misshapen) through irradiation, heat or freezing and is therefore able to take part effectively in the body's metabolism...
2. Avoid eating too much at once. Eating in moderate amounts throughout the day allows you to keep your insulin levels normalized. Fasting intermittently also helps with insulin levels. Both situations can contribute to also maintaining or losing weight because of insulin normalization.
3. Distinguish between healthy and unhealthy fats. Don't fall for the marketing hype; you need good quality fats as part of an essential diet. For example, contrary to what's been said saturated fats are good for you. An excellent example of a good healthy saturated fat is coconut oil with multiple health benefits.
4. Choose organic. Organic food doesn't have chemicals laden as in the non-organic option. It is GMO free and has higher nutritional value...
5. Avoid GMO's. GMO foods have potential harmful effects from their 'toxic genes,' contain a number of chemicals used as herbicides, fungicides, pesticides and fertilizers... which can not only compromise the nutrition value but also cause potential harm. Some GMO fruits have been known to contain 30 times more fructose than organic.
6. Alkalize you body. Eat foods that contribute to raising you body's pH for the healthier option.

7. Avoid junk foods. With their next-to-nothing (or nothing at all) nutrition value these toxic sugar laden, high salt foods have the effect of causing a whole range of health problems. Learn to discern this.
8. Drink plenty of good clean filtered or natural water. Having a plentiful supply of water for the body provides numerous health benefits.
9. Aim to get around 15-30 minutes direct sunlight a day. If not available say in winter times then try supplementing with vitamin D3 tablets. Around 5000 IU's a day will suffice...
10. Exercise around 15-20 minutes a day. There is some excellent information to be found online explaining the health benefits of exercise and why it is needed.
11. Have a generally upbeat/up happy attitude in life. Remember thoughts, feeling and emotions... your attitude in life manifest reality. Keep a close monitor on how you see life and if needed make the necessary changes.
It is hoped that the reader has been encouraged to enquire and make the necessary changes for living a healthy diet and lifestyle. If you liked reading this article then go to http://www.NewParadigm.ws for more related articles, blogs and videos... including a free download PDF entitled 'The Greater Way and the New Paradigm Experience'. Hosted by Paul A Philips. One again the link is: http://www.newparadigm.ws/

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Simple Healthy Diets, Health Tips for Healthy Living



Health Tips for Healthy Living
Healthy living facts
This article is designed to give tips to readers about how they can improve or augment actions in their life to have a healthy lifestyle; it is not meant to be all inclusive but will include major components that are considered to be parts of a lifestyle that lead to good health. In addition to the tips about what people should do for healthy living, the article will mention some of the tips about avoiding actions (the don'ts) that lead to unhealthy living.
"Healthy living" to most people means both physical and mental health are in balance or functioning well together in a person. In many instances, physical and mental health are closely linked, so that a change (good or bad) in one directly affects the other. Consequently, some of the tips will include suggestions for emotional and mental "healthy living."
Eating (diet)
Reader Stories
All humans have to eat food for growth and maintenance of a healthy body, but we humans have different requirements as infants, children (kids), teenagers, young adults, adults, and seniors. For example, infants may require feeding every four hours until they gradually age and begin to take in more solid foods. Eventually they develop into the more normal pattern of eating three times per day as young kids. However, as most parents know, kids, teenagers, and young adults often snack between meals. Snacking is often not limited to these age groups because adults and seniors often do the same.
Tips:
  • Eat three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); it is important to remember that dinner does not have to be the largest meal.
  • The bulk of food consumption should consist of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products.
  • Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts (with emphasis on beans and nuts).
  • Choose foods that are low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars; look at the labels because the first listed items on the labels comprise the highest concentrations of ingredients.
  • Control portion sizes; eat the smallest portion that can satisfy hunger and then stop eating.
  • Snacks are OK in moderation and should consist of items like fruit, whole grains, or nuts to satisfy hunger and not cause excessive weight gain.
  • Avoid sodas and sugar-enhanced drinks because of the excessive calories in the sodas and sugar drinks; diet drinks may not be a good choice as they make some people hungrier and increase food consumption.
  • Avoid eating a large meal before sleeping to decrease gastroesophageal reflux and weight gain.
  • If a person is angry or depressed, eating will not solve these situations and may make the underlying problems worse.
  • Avoid rewarding children with sugary snacks; such a pattern may become a lifelong habit for people.
  • Avoid heavy meals in the summer months, especially during hot days.
  • A vegetarian lifestyle has been promoted for a healthy lifestyle and weight loss; vegetarians should check with their physicians to be sure they are getting enough vitamins, minerals, and iron in their food.
  • Cooking foods (above 165 F) destroys most harmful bacteria and other pathogens; if you choose to eat uncooked foods like fruits or vegetables, they should be thoroughly washed with running treated (safe to drink) tap water right before eating.
  • Avoid eating raw or undercooked meats of any type.
Tips for special situations:
  • People with diabetes should use the above tips and monitor their glucose levels as directed; try to keep the daily blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible.
  • People with unusual work schedules (night shifts, college students, military) should try to adhere to a breakfast, lunch, and dinner routine with minimal snacking.
  • People who prepare food should avoid using grease or frying foods in grease.
  • People trying to lose weight (body fat) should avoid all fatty and sugary foods and eat mainly vegetables, fruits, and nuts and markedly reduce his/her intake of meat and dairy products.
  • Seek medical advice early if you cannot control your weight, food intake, or if you have diabetes and cannot control your blood glucose levels. Continue Reading
Source : http://www.medicinenet.com/healthy_living/article.htm