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Good Posture strengthens your muscles

June 28, 2008

You may feel like you’re already standing straight, but in reality, most of us stand like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Practice good posture by bringing your head and neck back. The key element is breathing in to tighten your gut. That’s the component that lifts your chest and will give you Marine-like posture. Here are the five points of perfect posture:


Sometimes the smallest changes in your life can lead to the biggest results. Sucking in your gut while you do crunches, or even when you take the elevator, is a good example. It helps your body not only look younger — by skimming a couple of inches off your middle and adding them to your lungs/chest — but it also helps your body get stronger, because you’re engaging your abdominal muscles.

 

Here are the five steps to perfect posture:

  1.     Pull your shoulder blades back slightly toward each other and down away from your ears.
  2.     Lift your chest up and out.
  3.     Pull your head back just enough to keep it in line with your spine.
  4.     Position your pelvis or hips to create or maintain a natural arch in your lower back.
  5.     Pull your belly button in toward your spine without changing or tilting your hips or losing the arch in your lower back.

 

Written by James · Filed Under Exercise 

Surfing the Net - New e-Therapy

June 28, 2008

The Net has its uses, even in treating patients suffering from psychological disorders, a new study has found. Online psychological treatment, or e-therapy, has been found to be as good as personal therapy in treating panic and panic related symptoms.

 “Mental illness is a growing problem worldwide… and the management of anxiety and depression generally falls to family doctors who may lack the time and resources to deliver appropriate psychological treatment to their patients,” said the study’s co-author Kerrie Shandley.

“So other methods for delivering effective therapy need to be developed,” she added. The study found that when panic disorder sufferers used the e-therapy programme ‘Panic Online’ along with support from a general practitioner, their panic disorder and related symptoms were reduced, with 30 percent losing their symptoms altogether.

The study followed 96 people with a primary diagnosis of panic disorder who completed the ‘Panic Online’ programme over 12 weeks.

Fifty-three of the participants had face-toface assistance from their GP, who had received specialist training in cognitive behavioural therapy, and 43 had assistance from a clinical psychologist via e-mail. The participants completed a phone interview conducted by a psychologist and a series of online questionnaires to assess panic-related symptoms over the course of the treatment and at a sixmonth follow-up. “Both groups were shown to significantly improve over time,” Shandley said.

“There were no noticeable differences between the participants who had assistance from their GP and those who had assistance from a clinical psychologist.”

Written by James · Filed Under Therapies 

Effects of Coffee on your health

June 28, 2008

With coffee houses at every corner, we are all consuming increasingly more amounts of caffeine. Catching up with friends over a cup has become a part of our everyday life. The coffee pot is also an indispensable fixture in offices. A cup or two seems to give the burst of energy sought by office workers each morning, or to gain a slight edge on a mental task late at night. However, the caffeine plays havoc with your body and mind.

WHAT IS CAFFEINE?
In its pure form, caffeine is a bittertasting fine white powder that looks like icing sugar. It is soluble in water and so is easily absorbed into the blood stream and rapidly reaches the brain.
In general, a single dose of caffeine will appear in the bloodstream within 10 minutes of consumption. It reaches a peak concentration between 30 and 60 minutes later, but absorption is slower on a full stomach.

PSYCHOACTIVE DRUG?
Experiments that measure the electrical activity of the brain have shown that the caffeine in just one or two cups of instant coffee dramatically changes the pattern of brain activity from a typical resting state to that of an alert person.

Caffeine also stimulates the adrenal glands to raise the level of stress hormones. These are the ones that are released when we are anxious, scared, angry or nervous and produce the ‘fight or flight’ response. These hormones also energise and stimulate the brain. Hence, caffeine not only increases the body’s stress levels, but also blocks the action of one of the body’s de-stressing chemicals.

DURATION OF EFFECT
It takes 24 hours for one cup of coffee to pass through the kidneys and urinary tract. People who have had several cups of coffee will have lots of caffeine in their bloodstream, inhibiting sound sleep. The body must expend energy in expelling the caffeine and as it is, due to lack of sleep we have less energy, causing a terrible cycle. Caffeine will continue to affect your functioning as long as it remains in the bloodstream. Enzymes in the liver also break down the drug and remove it from the system.

Some people can drink large amounts of coffee without much effect, while others feel jittery, anxious and simply cannot tolerate caffeine. Smokers experience its effects for a shorter time while women on the pill react to it strongly.

ADDICTION
Caffeine is definitely habit forming. Many people certainly depend upon it and suffer significant withdrawal symptoms (headaches, dizziness, fatigue, tiredness, anxiety, irritability and anger) when they stop consumption abruptly. As the initial stimulating effect of caffeine wears out, the person craves for another cup to experience the same lift. People taking more than four cups a day become dependent on it. These symptoms are often relieved by rushing to another cup of coffee, which creates a vicious circle re-enforcing the addictive habit further.

REPLACE COFFEE WITH:
Green tea Herbal or lemon-honey tea Plenty of water

Written by James · Filed Under Health 

Benefits of Walnut on Health and Beauty

June 22, 2008

On every continent and for thousands of years, nuts have been an important food for humans, and for good reason. Nuts are good for you — they are cholesterol-free and contain healthy, unsaturated fats which can help lower the risk of heart disease. Nuts also provide magnesium, which helps maintain bone structure; and chromium, which helps to ensure proper insulin function. They contain zinc for growth and wound healing, and manganese, which protects against free radicals. All nuts are a good source of vitamin E, an important antioxidant. Like all plant foods, they are high in fibre and phytochemicals — both of which help protect against cancer and other chronic diseases. It makes your glow and are an excellent source of proteins.

Some studies show that eating a small handful of nuts can be as beneficial as cholesterol-lowering drugs when it comes to heart disease. And in 2003, the FDA approved a claim that eating nuts in moderation as part of a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Nuts used to be considered fattening because of their high calorie count. But, now that nutrition science has started sifting the difference between good fats and bad fats, nuts are back in favour. Not only for inner health but for outer , nuts are excellent for hair and .

PISTACHIOS:
Popularly known as ‘green almond’, pistachios are a great nutritional treat. Besides, you could also use them in gravies, pastes and pates. A mere 100g of Californian pistachios contain 19.3g protein, 14mg iron, 140mg calcium. Iron assists in the process of respiration and energy and increases red blood cells.

Here are the benefits:
It contains monounsaturated fats that lower cholesterol. It is a low glycemic index food. It is rich in Vitamin B6. It is the highest phytosterol nut. It is excellent source of fibre among nuts. It is very low in calories. Low in fat. One ounce of pistachios contains more antioxidants than one cup of green tea. Can lower blood lipid levels. It maintains blood sugar levels Contains the antioxidant lutein that is known to reduce the risk of age related macular degeneration and cataract.

WALNUT:
Eating a handful of Kashmiri walnuts every day is one of the easiest ways you can improve your diet and your health, add a glow to your , lustre to your hair and prevent aging.

Walnuts are one of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fibre, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants such as Vitamin E which is very good for the heart, hair and .

They are an excellent brain food as they improve memory.

They are an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids than any other nut. Therefore they are known to reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol and improve HDL (good) cholesterol making them a very powerful antioxidant which fights free radical damage.

The anti-inflammatory benefits and Omega 3 fatty acids in walnuts help fight asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. It may even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

HAZELNUT:
Around the world, hazelnuts are valued for their rich flavour, but not many know that they are also one of the most nutritious nuts. Here are the benefits: A rich source of dietary fibre Excellent source of vitamin E — 100 per cent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin E can be reached by hazelnut consumption of only 25-30 per day. Contains heart-friendly B vitamins that have cardio-protective benefits. Hazelnuts also contain the blood pressure lowering minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium. Contains a variety of antioxidants and phytonutrients that benefit the immune system. Have the highest concentration of foliate among tree nuts. Foliate reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects, and may help to reduce the risk of cancers, Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Excellent source of energy and a good provider of unsaturated fats or “good fats”. Hazelnuts are one of the best nut sources of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids per serving and hazelnuts have the lowest percentage of saturated fat.

ALMOND:
Mamro Almonds are known to be of high quality. They are also: An excellent brain food Contains omega 3 fatty acids Contains Vitamin E which is excellent for the High in antioxidants

CASHEWNUT:
They are a: Very good source of zinc Excellent source of good quality fat Good for the Good for cholesterol Good for men’s health Low in glycemic index, hence giving you energy for a longer time. So now, you don’t have to feel bad about filling up on nuts. In fact, you can go nuts!

Written by James · Filed Under Health 

Your weight during Pregnancy

June 22, 2008

Many women spend much of their adult lives struggling to lose weight or avoiding extra pounds. No, wonder that it is sometimes hard for women to allow themselves to gain appropriately for a . Most mothers-to-be have concerns about their weight gain, ranging from “Am I gaining too much weight?” to “Am I gaining enough?” Current recommendations are that you should gain somewhere between 10-12kg during your if you are an average-size person. If a woman already is overweight when she becomes pregnant, most practitioners suggest that she gain between 8-10kg. Your doctor can help determine the appropriate weight gain in your particular case.

Do not use as an excuse to eat, and, conversely, do not go crazy worrying that you are racking up the pounds. The main objective is to consume a healthy, well-balanced diet based on a variety of foods. A woman who is not pregnant needs between 1,800 and 2,200 calories per day. When you are pregnant, you need to increase your calories by about 300 per day. You will probably gain the right amount of weight if you generally eat healthy foods, and let your own appetite be your guide.

An ideal weight gain starts with the addition of 3-4kg in the first 20 weeks of . Subsequently, during the second half of the , you would gain around a half kg each week.

The amount of weight you gain is important. Excessive weight gain during may signify that there is some problem. The important factors that should be ruled out includes

induced hypertension: Excessive and rapid weight gain can be an early sign for PIH. Rapid weight gain, more than four pounds in a week, can be a sign of severe fluid retention from pre-eclampsia. Therefore it is important to monitor BP regularly at least once a week and you should visit your gynaecologist regularly.

Anemia: Along with excessive weight gain there may be symptoms like fatigue, tiredness, breathlessness. It is important to take iron regularly and check Hb at least once in month. (In both the above situations fluid retention in body causes weight gain).

Diabetes in : is a “diabetogenic state”. This means that pregnant females are at risk of developing impaired blood sugar. Blood sugar level should be regularly checked in and special tests like Glucose screening test and Glucose tolerance tests are being done to diagnose it early in .

Hypothyroidism in : It can also cause excessive weight gain, more importantly it can lead to congenital anomalies and mental retardation in the baby. Ideally levels should be checked before conception and treatment should be started immediately if hypothyroidism is detected. Similarly levels of thyroid hormone should be monitored regularly in . It has been seen that excessive weight gain may be an indicator for some heart or kidney ailment. It is very important, thus a patient visits gynaecologist regularly so that if any problem is there, can be diagnosed early and treated.

Special circumstances: If you are carrying a multiple gestation, of course you should gain more weight. Your physician will discuss your ideal weight gain with you. Typically, for twins, the weight gain should be 14-18 kg, and for triplets or higher gestations, even more. Gaining too much weight can be a problem. It can make an unpleasant experience, causing backache, leg pain, varicose veins, and fatigue. It may lead to hypertension and diabetes. Excess weight may also be difficult to lose after delivery. Excessive weight gain may also cause problems for the baby. Technically, an overweight baby is one who weighs more than 4500 gm. Large babies do make vaginal deliveries difficult, increasing the risk for caesarean section. Overweight babies may have an increased risk for health problems later in life (eg, obesity, adult rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes). Women who are gaining too much weight during should follow the guidelines for healthy eating; avoid foods that do not have nutritional value; and consult a doctor, and dietitian.

Written by James · Filed Under Pregnancy 

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