February 6, 2002 - Water Works for Weight Loss
January 8, 2002 - Keep Your New Year's Resolution
October 11, 2001 - Measure Progress
September 18, 2001 - R.I.C.E. for Injuries
May 16, 2001 - Mixing Medications
May 8, 2001 - Optimize Your Heart Rate
May 1, 2001 - Fight Cancer with Tea
April 24, 2001 - Careful with that Alcohol
April 17, 2001 - Don't Be Afraid of Guacamole
April 10, 2001 - New Sugar Substitute Called Splenda
April 3, 2001 - Food Gifts
March 27, 2001 - Protect Your Skin
March 20, 2001 - Heart Disease
March 13, 2001 - Use Your VCR
March 6, 2001 - Climbing Stairs
February 27, 2001 - Alzheimer's Disease
February 20, 2001 - Eat Your Beans
February 13, 2001 - For a Total Workout, Include Body, Mind and Spirit
February 6, 2001 - 6 Important Questions to Ask Yourself When Looking For a Quality Gym
January 30, 2001 - Take Your Vitamin E Supplement Even if You Think You Don't Need it
January 23, 2001 - How to Weight Train for Specific Sports
January 16, 2001 - Laser Away that Back Pain
January 9, 2001 - Five Tips on How to Stick with your New Year's Resolutions
January 2, 2001 - Soy Can Help Prevent Cancer
Other Features:
Health & Fitness Tips 2000 Archives
10 Essential Health Tips
Daily Exercise Suggestions
Latest Medical Breakthroughs
Daily Health Task Lists
Tracking Your Fitness Levels
Hot Health & Fitness Finds
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Health & Fitness Tips Newsletter Archive
10 Essential Health Tips (The Basics to Practice Everyday)
1.Move More: Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!
2. Cut Fat:Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!
3. Quit Smoking: The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.
4. Reduce Stress: Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.
5. Protect Yourself from Pollution: If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.6. Wear Your Seat BeltStatistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.7. Floss Your TeethRecent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.8. Avoid Excessive Drinking While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing. 10. Choose Your Parents Well The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.
Article source from: http://www.health-fitness-tips.com/features/10-essential-health-tips.htm
Meditation
To understand what true meditation is, consider a lake. When the surface of a lake is still you can see to the bottom clearly. When the surface is agitated by waves, this is impossible. The same is true of the mind. When it is still you may see and experience inner calm.
Meditation involves a subtle act of "letting go" - and it is not something that you can learn through sheer hard work . Some women benefit greatly from this kind of preparation , where as others can slip into meditative state comparatively easily without it .If meditating inside, choose a warm space, free from noisy distractions and clutter. If outside, choose a place where you feel safe and relaxes, and there is little extraneous activity to disturb you. You can practice meditation at any time of day or night, but try to the get into a daily routine to make it easier to train your mind.
A comfortable sitting pose is very important if you are to meditate properly without distraction. Sit with your legs crossed and your spine erect. You should hold your shoulders straight, but relaxed. Children find this pose easy, but adults may need some assistance. Place a cushion under the buttocks to relieve any tension in the lower back.
The following positions are all suitable for meditation. Aim to hold your hands as comfortably as possible. This ensures that you remain relaxed while meditating . Resting your hands on your knees or in your lap also helps to hold the spine straight and shoulders erect
Hands cupped - Place one hand on top of the other, palms upwards, and lay them in your lap.Hands clasped - Clasp your hands gently by interlocking your fingers,. Lay your hands in your lap.Chin Mudra - Use your thumb and first finger to form a circle. Rest your hands on your knees.
Breathing is a key element in meditation and concentration. Begin with 5 minutes of deep abdominal breathing, to provide your brain with plenty of oxygen. Then slow your breathing right down, keeping it rhythmical, inhaling for 3 seconds and then exhaling for 3 seconds
At first you will find that your thoughts tend to jump about. Do not try to force your mind to be still, as this will set additional brain waves in motion, hindering your meditation. Allow it to wander, and then gently command it to become calm. Focus your energy and your attention inwards by concentrating on an uplifting mental image.
Acrticle source from: http://www.womenfitness.net/meditation.htm#What_is_Meditation:
Proper Dieting
Yoga
Yoga asanas can be practiced by young and old alike. While there is no one who should be excluded, check with your doctor before you begin a course if you suffer form a medical condition or have any doubts
A Look on Diet Fitness
Many people nowadays are very much conscious about their own health and fitness. In addition to that, these people, and many others as well, are now having that desire to sculpt their bodies to ahieve that magazine-cover look. As a result, gyms, health spas and other fitness centers have proliferated all over to cater to the needs of the fitness buffs and afficionados.Even on television exercise machines, weight loss products, and other paraphernalia to improve fitness have more or less gained control over the airwaves and made their way into the households. But exerise is not the only way to build that body beautiful. It also entails certain amount of responsibility on the foods one chooses to eat. Being healthy and fit requires one to observe diet fitness.Diet fitness is as essential as exercise itself. Diet for fitness provides the essential nutrition one needs to restore worn-out muscles and for healthy growth. Diet fitness should never be taken for granted. With the popularity of keeping fit, many different views, methods, programs and dieting strategies have been formulated by many professionals. Among these are high carb diets and high fat diets. Whih one is more effective and which one should one choose to follow?First thing to know would be the fundamental differences between these two diet approaches. As the name implies, high carb diets concentrates on taking in carbohydrate-rich foods while high fat diets endorses fat-rich foods. High carb diets are utilized to glycogen stored in the liver and muscles. Glycogen is a glucose complex that provides large amounts of energy ready for use in anaerobic exercises.Fats, on the other hand, is well-nown for being the richest source of calories. It actually contains 2.5 times more calories than carbohydrates and proteins alike. Studies also show that it takes the body 24 calories to metabolize carbohydrates while it only takes 3 to burn down fat. So which one to follow? A person can follow a high carb and low fat fitness diet or the other way around. It is absolutely not recommended to follow both at the same time; unless of course if you want to gain body fat.But then diet fitness is not all about losing fat, one must also consider his diet in order to keep fat away. Research shows that sustainable loss of weight can only be achieved on a diet which suits the individual food preferences, lifestyle, medical profile and satiety signals.Diet programs all over can help you shed off excess pounds, but only one diet can help you stay sexy, and it is the one that satisfies you most. Other important aspects of having a fit diet are moderation, balance and variation. One must be careful not to leave out important nutrients and other substances necessary for healthy body functioning. health organizations are clear about the amounts of nutrients an individual should have in the body.Low fat high carbs, high carbs low fat; the question is not which diet program will work out but which is it that will work for you. Striving for a sexy and healthy body does not have to burden an individual, diet fitness does not have to mean sticking to the same kind of food for life. One may even try to be adventurous and try out new foods out there. Who knows? one may even discover spinach interesting.
Article Source from: http://ritehealth.blogspot.com/search/label/Diet
Tummy Exercise Myths
Our bodies are genetically conditioned on how we lose or gain weight. Interestingly enough, the first place where we gain weight is the last place where we lose it. We cannot reduce only the part we do not like. Once we lose fat from our body, we lose inches everywhere even where we do not want to lose.
The problem with tummy muscles is that we do not generally exercise this muscle in daily life. It is not greatly challenged from climbing stairs, bending, stretching or walking. We, therefore, have to make a special effort to encourage it to come back into line. The movements have to be small and controlled and depend on the effort put in by the exerciser to get really good results. Secondly during pregnancy, as the baby grows inside the muscle (transverse) is pushed forward. A huge amount of stretching is going on and tends to leave the muscle loose and hanging forward after the birth. It is essentially the lack of strength left in this muscle which allows the tummy to sit in that rather round forward position Mothers would recognise from after birth.In all cases it is the lack of exercise for this muscle which causes it to become loose and give the 'pot bellied' appearance.
Myth No. 1: By doing some midsection exercises one can reduce 'love handles'. Fact: You cannot reduce fat from a certain targeted area of your body just by using exercise alone. And the abdominal area is no exception. So if you want to get a flat stomach and to reveal your abs, losing the fat covering them is the way to go. And the only way to do this is to lose fat proportionately from your entire body by burning more calories than you consume. Myth No. 2: You have to do tons of crunches.
Fact: Overuse of crunches will only shorten your abs, pull your head forward and gives you a bad posture. To reduce fat in your bodies, you need to do cardio exercise and eat nutritious foods in reasonable amounts. In simple language 'burn more calories than you consume.' The cardio helps to burn that stored fat and the lower calorie diet forces the body to use the accumulated fat for energy.
In addition, the crunches and a total body workout (with weight training) helps the body to increase muscle mass. Muscles burn fat; fat does not burn itself so, the more muscle we have, the more fat our body uses for energy, so we lose weigh faster. If you only do crunches, you will develop your abdominal muscles and strengthen them. This will reflect in better posture and less back problems, but you will not be able to see your abdominal muscles because they will be covered with fat.
Myth No. 3: Exercise is more important that nutrition.Fact: Diet is one of the key factor when trying to get a flat tummy. Plan your nutrition in advance, to avoid dietary downfalls. Focus on protein, green vegetables, fiber-rich fruits, and zero calorie drinks such as Green Tea and water. Avoid all sugar.
Myth No. 4: You must do train your tummy every dayFact:You don't need to do direct tummy training every day. Instead, train them twice per week and use non-conventional exercises such as Mountain Climbers and Stability Ball Jackknives to reduce the stress on your low back. Avoid the overuse of crunches and sit-ups in your training program. Instead, beginners, should focus on abdominal endurance with planks and side planks, and work up to more advanced exercises, but still avoid doing hundreds of crunches lying on your back.Concentrate on increasing daily incidental activity. Reduce the use of labour saving devices like remote controls etc. Rearrange the house or office environment so that it is physically inefficient making movement mandatory. Try standing or, even better, pacing when chatting on the phone. Park further away from the entrance of a shop, and use the stairs instead of the elevator
Article source from: http://ritehealth.blogspot.com/search/label/Beauty
Chronic Back Pain some great Ideas
If a pain recurs and lasts for more than three to four months, it is a chronic back pain. Generally, back pain is obvious. Our spine is the centre point of major bundles of nerves and hence, pains are common in this area even by a slight twist or bend during the normal course. A normal pain subsides in itself. However, if the pain does not subside for a long time and when it gets stimulated with every small movement, it means that the pain is chronic and needs immediate attention. Now let us see how to deal with chronic backaches successfully.
What To Do When Confronted With Back Attacks?
Unlike common backaches, severe pains are more serious and definitely need to be treated under the supervision of an experienced doctor. Nevertheless, if it is very difficult to bear the pain till you visit your doctor, you should know how to deal with such situations. People suffering from severe backache usually find it difficult to sleep. Improper sleep will only add more stress to the backache. Hence, the right way to sleep during back pains putting least stress on the spine is to sleep on your side with your knees bending at a 90-degree angle, or to sleep on your back by placing a pillow beneath your knees. You can try some anti-inflammatory medicines to get some temporary relief from the pain. However, all these techniques are only for managing the situation temporarily and for a permanent cure of a backache, you should immediately consult your doctor.
Magnetic Therapy - A Best Remedy For Chronic Pains
Magnetic therapy is a kind of treatment in which a magnetic pad is provided to the patient to place it at the area of pain in order to gain relief. These pads are also recommended to be used as mattresses and by sleeping on them; the patient can get permanent relief from his backpain. Usually during an injury, the affected area gets inflamed and it creates an imbalance at the cellular level in its sodium and potassium ion concentrations. Hence, magnetic therapy helps to rebalance the electromagnetic ion concentrations efficiently, thus healing the condition more speedily and effectively. It not only restores mobility but also enhances flexibility and minimizes the chances of muscle spasms.
The above stated tips are some of the common tips to cope with your severe backache problems. However, the most important thing that people suffering from back pains should know is to avoid lengthy bed rests. Although bed rest is important, it should be minimized or avoided as far as possible. Bed rest only delays the rehabilitation process. However, you can do some simple exercises without injuring your back and strengthen your back muscles to speed up the chronic back pain healing process.
Be it a lower or a severe upper back pain, if it does not subside and persists, it can be a chronic back pain. Know from here what a magnetic therapy is and how useful is it in dealing with severe back pain and what makes it the best back pain cure in chronic ailments
Article source from: http://ritehealth.blogspot.com/search/label/Beauty
Abdominal Muscle Exercises
As a personal trainer, I get asked this question at least once a day, "Which the best exercises to get firm, flat and toned abdominals?" It's not an easy question to address, since there are hundreds of abdominal exercises.Let's face it. Our eyes gravitate towards a flat and well toned abdominal region. We all want that elusive flat, firm and enviable look of 'washboard abs'. The muscles of your abdominal region, and indeed the midsection aren't isolated; they weave through your torso like a web of high-tensile steel, and it's critical to train them the right way.So how do you get results fast? A recent study by the American Council on Exercise has the answer. Let's discover the 3 most effective exercises to get flat abdominals, the correct way to breathe during abdominal exercises and tips and tricks to get results faster. I have integrated these exercises to help thousands of clients get results. You can view my clients in action with exercise videos and download full color abdominal exercise routines, diet plans and ebooks by registering on my websites mentioned at the end of this article.A California study conducted by the American Council on Exercise has determined that the classic sit-up is not the best answer for stronger, flatter abdominals. The conclusions were intriguing, to say the least. The traditional sit-up was among the least effective abdominal muscle exercises.Sit-ups (in which you raise your trunk up from the floor with your knees straight or bent) involve the hip muscles disproportionately relative to the abdominals. This means the hip muscles work more and the abdominal muscles work less i.e they are not getting trained in the right manner. In addition, there is an unnecessary (and potentially harmful) strain on the lower back. The sit-up is not only ineffective, but potentially harmful.There's more, and it's equally surprising. The study indicated that several gadgets for the abdominals were either ineffective or marginally more effective than a regular abdominal crunch, which doesn't cost you anything, other than the time required to learn the right technique.Now for the big news. The top three abdominal muscle exercises were:The Bicycle maneuver.The Captains Chair.Crunch on an exercise ball.For best results.Start with 2-3 sets of each exercise, 8-10 repetitions. Increase by 8-10 repetitions each week till you work your way up to a set of 40 repetitions in each set. 2 sets of 35-40 repetitions a day for the abdominals is ideal, and you do not need to train more than that.Breathing during abdominal muscle exercises.With all abdominal muscle exercises, exhale as you contract / exert / come up / crunch your abdominals; inhale as you relax / lower / return to the starting position.Points to remember.1. If you have lower back injuries or pain, consult a doctor before you begin, so you don't hurt yourself. Also see a physician if you are over 35, have been sedentary for a long time, have high blood pressure and/or cholesterol, are a smoker, have chest pains or shortness of breath or have had a joint or muscle injury.
2. It's not the number of repetitions, but the quality and technique that gets results. Overdoing sit-ups can hurt your lower back. Besides, the best way to get those flat lower abdominal muscles is to be patient for 8-10 weeks, eat a healthy diet and do regular aerobic exercise.
Articel Source from: http://ritehealth.blogspot.com/2009/01/hair-loss-simple-steps.html
Hair Loss - Simple Steps
If you are experiencing hair loss it is important you act now and not wait until it becomes noticeable and start to affect the way you look and feel about yourself. Whether you are a male or female, few things will affect confidence and esteem like a noticeably balding head.Going bald will make you look, feel and actually act older. Your personality and attitude will change to reflect your dampened ego. You will become less outgoing and less apt to approach members of the opposite sex. Your going bald can dictate the way you are seen and treated by others and yourself.I know, for at the tender age of 21 I started rapidly loosing my hair and all those negative changes started to happen in my life. It was sheer determination and the dread of looking like my old grand dad this early that turned things around for me.If you are experiencing hair loss, here are some things I learned that helped me with my battle to stop from going bald and retake control of my life.
1. Check with your doctor.Sometimes hair loss can be a symptom of disease. Thyroid disease, Lupus and Diabetes are two examples of illnesses known to case balding. Check with your doctor and be sure there is not a more serious matter at hand.
2. Watch your diet.Eating correctly will affect not only the overall health of your body, it will also affect the health of your hair and scalp. Maintaining a proper diet is critical for keeping healthy locks.
3. Check your stress levels.Anxiety and stress are common causes of hair loss. Regardless of how hectic life may get, you should take every necessary step to reduce tension and limit its affect on your body. If you must, use yoga, meditation or some other form of stress reduction technique.
4. Careful what you use on your head.Many of todays' hair care products contain chemicals that are harsh and can actually be damaging. Check the ingredients of your shampoos, dyes, perms and conditioners. Choose products that substitute chemicals with natural substances that are milder and which stimulate the scalp and encourage growth.
These few tips will go far in avoiding further hair loss and may even reverse the process. Do your research and take all necessary steps. Going bald can be painful but there are many products on the market that will help. Just know that the issue can be successfully addressed and the earlier you act the better.
Don't wait until it's too far gone. There are products that can immediately stop hair loss and quickly re grow your hair.
Article Source: http://ritehealth.blogspot.com/2009/01/hair-loss-simple-steps.html