Mental Health Determines Holistic Fitness

Give your partner a hug every day before work. Studies show this simple act can help you remain calm when chaos ensues during your day.

Have a good cry , It can boost your immune system, reduce levels of stress hormones, eliminate depression, and help you think more clearly.

Develop and maintain strong relationships with people around you who will support and enrich your life. The quality of your personal relationships has a great effect on our wellbeing. Putting time and effort into building strong relationship can bring great rewards.

Join a club or group of people who share your interests. Being part of a group of like-minded people and people with common interest provides a sense

source : The Times of India

What should we eat

Breakfasts is great, but choose what you eat with care for the right results  

  A good breakfast isn’t about a glass of juice or having a slice of toast. Though, there is no comparison between a homemade upma and a quick-fix omlette; all breakfasts are not equal in nutrition. Hence, to have a good breakfast, you need to know what to eat

“Eating five parathas, lassi and fried potatoes isn’t going to have any benefit, expect any addition to the waist-line and an extra layer of cholesterol in the heart,” says lifestyle trainer Deepali Jain.

Typically, an ideal first meal of the morning should be anywhere between 500 to 700 calories, depending on your level of activity. The math is simple: have a desk job, go low on calories and high on fibre and simple fee, unless you need that extra punch.

A fruit, and not juice, is a better option. A glass of low -fat milk, mixed cereals, nuts, bowl of sprouts, egg, vegetable and whole-grain bread are considered good option for the morning meal. A small piece of chocolate (Dark preferably), does wonders in the morning too. Had together, this meal provides 610 calories.

If you are a fruit person, then add those to your bowl of cereals. Choose between bananas, pears, oranges, cherries or apples. You could also do a quick stir- fry with onions, carrots, broccoli and green beans. The trick to eat healthy is to never have a whole fruit but parts of two or three.

Small meals better results

Depending upon person’s appetite, a breakfast, says nutritionist Sveta Bhassin, ca be broken into two units. Keep the heavy-duty food for the morning. This includes your breads, egg and bowl of vegetables then, keep the fibres and vitamins, essentially fibre- rich fruit, sprouts or cereals, for the mid morning hunger. This ensures that you eat well, eat in limit and also spruce up your metabolism. This will also cull your chances of lifestyle ailments such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.

A wholesome alternative

There is no denying that a healthy breakfast is important. But, assembling the breakfast that would meet your needs is easier. That’s why ready-made cereals. Not only are they carefully put together, but a bowl can effectively meet the body needs. Plus , you could make it healthier by adding fruit and nuts. For kids, there are options in terms of the flavours available to ensure that they get the right daily start.

Vegetables and legumes

Vegetables come from many different parts of plants,
including the leaves, roots, tubers, flowers, stems,
seeds and shoots. Some vegetables like tomatoes and
pumpkin are the fruit of the plant, but are included in
this group because they are used as vegetables.
Legumes are the seeds of plants from the Leguminosae
family. These vegetables are eaten in the immature
form as green peas and beans, and the mature form as
dried peas, beans, lentils and chick peas.
Vegetables and legumes are a good source of
vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and carbohydrate. Capsicum, broccoli,
cauliflower, cabbage and tomatoes are high in vitamin C. Dark green and orange
vegetables like spinach, broccoli, carrots and pumpkin are high in vitamin A.
Green vegetables, dried peas, beans and lentils are a good source of folate.
Most vegetables are good sources of many vitamins. It has been suggested that
a diet which includes vegetables rich in vitamins A and C, together with
vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts from the
cruciferous family, can help to prevent certain types of cancer.

How much from the Vegetables, legumes group is needed
every day?

Some practical suggestions:

• Eat a variety of vegetables every day. Include:
-  dark green vegetables like spinach and broccoli
-  orange vegetables like sweet potato, pumpkin and carrots
-  cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts
-  starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potato, taro and corn
-  salad vegetables like lettuce, tomato, cucumber and capsicum
-  legumes like dried peas, beans, lentils and chick peas.

• Choose a wide variety of vegetables from week to week.
Buy vegetables in season, as these are the best value for money.

• Use frozen and canned vegetables as an alternative to fresh. They are
nutritious, often cheaper, quick and easy to prepare, easily stored, and
available in remote communities. Try some no-added-salt varieties.

• Eat some vegetables raw or slightly cooked for maximum nutrition.
Children often prefer raw vegetables.

(Hard, raw vegetables should not be given to children under 4 years of
age as they may cause choking).

water and weight loss

Water is the most important substance you can put into your body for maintaining overall health. While the human body can survive for about 30 days without food, it will perish in 4 to 10 days without water. Water accounts for about 45 to 70 of the typical person’s body weight, and you continually lose water throughout the day through sweating, bodily waste and even breathing

How Much do I need to drink to benefit losing weight?

For the average person experts suggest getting at least 1.8 litres of water daily or eight 8 glasses. If you are on a diet to lose weight it is more important to consume more and keep drinking water throughout the day, unless you have any medical condition that doesn’t allow much water intake. A good guide for daily intake is to drink 30 millilitres of water for every1 kilogram of body weight. A 90 kilogram person should be drinking around 2 litres (12.5 cups) o fwater in order the gain the benefits of increased energy and metabolism.

If exercising is part of a weight loss program a bit more water should be included to account for water loss from sweating. Drinking water before, during and after exercise will keep energy levels high and help recovery after training.

Without sufficient water for the kidneys to function properly, the liver gets called upon to do some of the work the kidneys should be doing alone. The liver can then not work as efficiently as it should to carry out one of its own functions of metabolising fat and so this results in more fat being stored in the body and thus increased weight.

Health Benefits of Water

While there is indeed a drinking water and weight loss link, there are many more health benefits of water. For starters:

• water fills and bathes each of a body’s 100 trillion cells
• water makes up the fluid that travels the 60,000 miles (100,000 Km) of veins and arteries in a body
• 98% of intestinal, gastric, saliva and pancreatic juices are water and
• 92% of blood and  tears are water.

Water goes virtually everywhere and surrounds virtually every bit of tissue in our systems. If those health benefits of water weren’t enough, water holds nutritive factors in solution and acts as a transportation medium for those factors. Another transport function, and one of water’s most important jobs, is holding body wastes and toxins in solution and carrying them to where they can be removed from the body. Water also:

• acts as a lubricant for our joints and soft tissues
• provides the liquid necessary for the proper digestion of food
• helps maintain normal body temperature by allowing heat to escape as water evaporates from our skin and
• provides the medium for red blood cells to transport oxygen to the tissues.

So while it might be nice that there is a link between drinking water and weight loss, it is also clear that there are a great variety of other benefits to drinking water. And of prime importance, is the fact that water is one of the best natural protections against a variety of infectious diseases including influenza, pneumonia, whooping cough and measles. The performance of your tissues and their resistance to injury is absolutely dependent on the quality and quantity of water you and your child drink.

Reaching the recommended Intake

more palatable by adding sugar-free drink mixes or lemon and lime juices, reaching the recommended daily intake of water can seem less daunting. In addition, consuming tea, broth, fruit ice pops and fruit and vegetable By keeping a bottle of water with you at all times, choosing water when eating out and making water -based juices are healthy and low-calorie ways to reach the recommended water intake. Beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol should be avoided since they are not only high in calories but also act as a diuretic, which can lead to fluid loss and can contribute to dehydration.

Foods for heart

Green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetable like spinach, radish leaves, lettuce, etc. are healthy and are known to reduce the risk of heart diseases and cancer as well. That’s because they are extremely low in fat, calories and high in dietary fibre. They also contain folic acid, magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc. These minerals are beneficial for the optimum functioning of the heart. Studies have shown that one daily serving of green leafy vegetables can lower the risk of heart diseases by 11 per cent.

Oats
Oats are one the most healthiest options available for breakfast. Not only do they make you feel full and energetic, they are great for your heart too. Oats contain beta glucan, which is a soluble fibre that helps bring down cholesterol levels especially LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body. Have oatmeal for breakfast or have oatmeal bread or cookies to absorb their benefits.

Whole grains
Whole grains whether its wheat, barley, millet, pulses and even beans for that matter are good for the heart because they provide natural fibre and vitamins. They contains vitamin E, iron, magnesium and a host of anti-oxidants. Regular consumption of of whole grains reduces blood pressure too.

Soy protein
Soy is essentially soyabean curd. They are also available in the form of soya chunks and soya mince easily in the market today. Soy is an excellent healthy substitute for red meats which are high in fat, increase the bad cholesterol and saturated fats which are very bad for the heart.

Olive oil
Olive oil is one of the most healthiest oils available, whose consumption is actually good for the heart. Having olive oil as a regular part of your diet, helps ion lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body. Also, olive oil contains monounsaturated fats that are good for the heart and are packed with anti-oxidants. Extra virgin olive oil contains polyphenols and gives even greater health benefits. Drizzle some olive oil in your salad as a dressing instead of that unhealthy mayonnaise and high-calories dressings, or better still substitute it for your normal cooking oil and see the difference.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes is a good source of vitamins and acts as a blood purifier. Regular consumption of tomatoes is known to reduce the risk of heart diseases. Vitamin K present in tomatoes helps to prevent occurrences of hemorrhages. Eat tomatoes in the raw form in salads or sandwiches, cooked form in gravies or simply good old ketchup.

Apples
An apple a day, will surely keep the doctor away because they contain guercetin, a photochemical containing ant-inflammatory properties. It also helps in prevention of blood clots. Eat apples for breakfast with your cereal or eat them as a snack when you’re hungry instead to pigging out on deep-fried chips.

All about immunity: the ability to fight illness.

Immune is the body’s internal defence mechanism.Your immune system is the only thing that protects you from diseases and germs. This system has a lot of different parts which work together to keep out any harmful germs, and attack and destroy any that manage to get inside your body.

Every day , we are exposed to millions of germs but we do not get sick from them because of a our immune system.Every time we do get sick because a particular germ, our immune system works to get rid of it. And then, it remembers how to fight the infection if the same germ comes in the future. The older you get , the more germs your body gets immune to.

If a person does not have a strong immune system, they are susceptible to illness . This is especially true for children since their immune system is still developing and hence can be more vulnerable and delicate then that of an adult. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that a child’s immunity is strengthened by ensuring a healthy environment at all times, a balanced and nutritious diet and , if required dietary supplements that will strengthen their immunity.

Ensure your immune system stays in peak shape.

  To boost your immune system, the first thing you need to do is choose a healthy lifestyle. Your immune system functions at its best when it is supported by health living strategies such as these:

1. Eat a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

2. Avoid junk food, especially those that are high in saturated fat, sugar, artificial colours and artificial flavours.

3. Exercise regularly

4. Maintain a healthy weight

5. Control your blood pressure

6. Stay stress free; make meditation a part of your daily routine.

7. Get adequate sleep

8. Avoid smoking

9. If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.

10. To avoid catching infections , wash your hands and keep your home and work area clean and hygienic.

11. Get regular medical screening tests.

Sun Bath – Why Sunlight is Important For Good Health

Along with eating right and moving your body, it is very important to make sure you take time to breath in some fresh air and get some sunrays.

Going outside for a brisk walk, and letting that fresh oxygen hit your lungs does the same thing. Have you ever wondered why people get sick more in winter then in summer? It is because people do not leave their windows open as much, because of the cold.

 When we stay in rooms that are closed (no open doors or cracked windows), we end up breathing and re-breathing the same stale, funky air. Would you take a bath in the same water you used to take a bath the day before? No. So why should you continue to breath unfiltered air, with all its collected daily pollution and germs stuck in its atmosphere.

 You owe your lungs some pure, fresh air! Go outside each day, even if its for five minutes and just take some nice deep breaths

why important ?

Immunity is increased by exposure to sunlight, and your body’s resistance to infection is strengthened. White blood cells are increased, especially the protective lymphocytes. Antibodies are increased too. These effects can last up to three weeks. Even ten minutes of sun twice a week can greatly reduce the incidence of colds. A moderately tanned skin withstands infections better too.

Bones are strengthened by sunlight. It allows the body to make Vitamin D, which helps calcium absorption from the intestines and calcium deposit in building healthy bones. Sunlight prevents rickets and helps prevent and reverse osteoporosis. There is also a connection with lowered incidence of dental cavities.

Red blood cells function better after sun exposure . They have increased ability to carry and deliver oxygen to the body’s cells. This will increase your energy and endurance and help prevent many diseases.

Cholesterol is moderately lowered by sunlight exposure. The cholesterol is changed to Vitamin D in the skin in the presence of unfiltered sunlight. 

Sense of well-being is promoted by sunlight, and the mood is elevated. Daily exposure to natural sunlight will boost melatonin output, which also improves sleep. For most people sunlight is an important therapy, especially if combined with exercise, in preventing and treating acute and chronic depression. Remember to try to catch any possible ray of sunshine during winter’s cold and gloomy months.

Healing properties are found in sunlight. Skin wounds heal much better with short periods of sun exposure daily. Sunlight also helps to alleviate pain from swollen arthritic joints and even relieves some symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS).

Cancer of the breast, colon and prostate are less likely in people getting good exposure to sunshine.

WARNING

Small amounts of sunlight are wonderful. Large amounts are dangerous! Limit your exposure to the sun.

Importance Of Sleep

Improves Learning and Memory

Studies reveal that people who sleep for the required hours are far off better than those who do not get enough sleep by having a better memory and learning power. Thus, lack of sleep results in lack of memory and eventually, lack of learning. Good sleep alerts the mind and body, preparing it for accepting and learning new information through a process, known as memory consolidation. Hence, this primarily contributes to the critically importance of sleep for children and students. Most students stay awake the whole night to prepare for the upcoming exam not realizing that learning and memory function would be better when they get a proper sleep.

Prevents and Cures Diseases

One of the major health benefits of sleep is that it assists the body in fighting and recovering from numerous diseases and health problems. Why do your elders suggest you a sleep when you are down with a minor headache? Simple, sleep gives your body a chance to repair the damaged cells and functions, strengthen the immune system and avoid the beginning of other likely problems. Furthermore, proper sleep helps you to deal with physical and mental stress in a better way.

Keeps your Weight under Control

Are you one of those who’ve been following a strict diet and still putting on weight? Sleep is the answer to your question. Sleep is directly related to the metabolism of our body and hence affects gain and loss of body weight. Shortage of sleep gives a chance to the carbohydrates and fats to accumulate in the body to use them in dealing with the physical and mental stress on body. Per se, it affects the metabolism resulting in weight gain. Also, lack of sleep can cause hormonal changes thereby affecting our appetite.

Balances our Moods

How do you feel after a bad night’s sleep? Are you fresh and happy or irritable and distracted? Definitely, you are bound to feel sleepy the entire day, resulting in a bad day, undoubtedly. Conversely, observe your mood when you receive a good sound sleep. You will surely be perky and energetic. This is exactly the impact of what sleep has on your daily moods.

Prevents Sleep Disorders

Disturbed sleeping patterns can further lead to the development of various sleeping disorders, one being insomnia. Eventually, this lack of sleep can induce increased hypertension, stroke and heart diseases, and reduced strength in fighting with stressful circumstances. Therefore, the best way to keep sleeping disorders at bay is have a good night’s sleep.

Ensures General Safety

There have been two contrary thoughts on the state of a person while he is asleep. While one states that a person is most weak in his sleep, the other comments on the improvement of the person’s health while sleeping. Good sleep enhances body and mind alertness and hence, helps in preventing numerous mishaps and accidents that can otherwise occur due to lack of sleep. The story about ‘a man falling asleep while driving had to pay for his life’ sums up the entire concept behind sleep and safety.

Choosing a Diet Plan

Choosing a diet plan is an important step toward weight loss. You want to be sure you’re picking a plan that you can stick with to see results. Before starting any diet, it is wise to visit your doctor for a complete physical. Seeking out a Registered Dietitian is also a good idea, because your dietary intake can be tailored to your individual lifestyle and needs. In addition to these healthcare resources, here are a few things to look for in a healthy weight loss diet.

General Requirements 

Your diet plan should be realistic. Any program that claims you will lose weight quickly or that requires the purchase of expensive supplements should be closely scrutinized. A sound regime should include three basic principles: monitoring of food intake, increasing physical activity, and addressing the psychological component of weight loss, including the idea that it is a lifestyle change and not a quick weight loss fix. Including all three of these components contributes to easier weight loss and long-term success.

Slow, Gradual Weight Reduction

One pound of weight contains 3500 calories. This means you have to burn this many calories to lose one pound. With a daily deficit of about 500 calories, through decreased calorie intake and increased exercise, the rate of weight loss will be one pound a week. The recommended rate of weight loss is one to two pounds a week. This will help ensure that fat is being lost. A weight loss greater than this means you are losing your lean body mass in addition to fat. In the first week or two of your plan you may notice a weight loss of greater than one to two pounds. This loss is mostly water weight. The slow, gradual weight loss of fat usually begins after these first weeks.

Include All Food Groups 

To ensure you get all the nutrition your body needs throughout your weight loss, your diet plan should include all the food groups. Food choices within each food group and portion size matter the most. A diet plan that tells you a food group (such as fat or carbohydrate) is “bad”, or a plan encouraging the exorbitant consumption of a single food group, such as “eat all the protein you want” is best to be avoided.
Most plans do not include a calorie breakdown, but a healthy weight loss plan should contain at least 1200 to 1500 calories a day to include all of the necessary vitamins and minerals. A weight loss plan monitored by a physician can be the exception to this rule.

Choose an “Everyday” Plan 

A healthy meal plan is one that uses everyday foods and can fit into any situation. Remember that this is a lifestyle change and not a quick fix. Hence, a diet plan that requires specialty foods will be difficult to follow for the long-term. You should be able to apply your choices in any social situation, such as parties and eating at restaurants. In the beginning it might help to avoid situations you know will trigger overeating. As your habits change, and you become accustomed to your new lifestyle, it is reasonable to add these situations back into your life.

Choose a Well-Rounded Plan

In addition to addressing food, physical activity, and the psychological aspects of weight loss, a healthy plan should include rest, stress reduction, and an overall healthy lifestyle. Instead of a weight loss plan, it should be based on the idea of wellness that includes healthful eating and its role in an overall healthier lifestyle. A good example is learning how to deal with stress instead of turning to food.

Maintenance is Key 

It is often said that losing weight is the easy part, keeping it off is the hard part. Whether this is true for you or not, select guidelines that focus on long-term maintenance of weight loss. It is best to focus on behavior change so when the weight is lost you don’t revert to old bad habits.

Cheap Ways to Keep Fit

We all know sometimes keeping fit can feel like a chore, and even worse sometimes it can even seem like it’s putting a strain on your budget. Luckily there are lots of ways to keep fit without having to pay a gym membership, make any major investments in at-home gym equipment or purchase any expensive gear.

Get Outside!

Just going outside to exercise, whether you’re biking, jogging, walking, pushing the stroller, roller blading or doing Yoga, is probably the most affordable way to keep in shape. There are no membership fees, the fresh air is great for your body and you might even meet some new friends. It is also a great way to get your family involved in fitness too. You can play a game of catch, have a race or obstacle course, play Frisbee and lots more—the possibilities are endless.

Buy Used Equipment

Gym equipment can be great to have at home. It makes working out super convenient, but these machines can be pretty expensive. The best way to get great deals on gym equipment is by checking out garage sales, online classifieds sites like Craigslist and even eBay (you can limit to show only those in your local area). Gyms occasional replace their equipment so you can always call around to see if they are going to be having a sale of their older equipment.

                                                         Use the Buddy System

Personal trainers can be very expensive, so why not just buddy up with a friend or family member. You can encourage each other in your work outs, build workout plans together and keep each other from skipping workouts. Studies have shown that working out with a friend can also make you feel better mentally than if you were to work out alone.

Clean House

According to the American Cancer Society, you can burn up to 430 calories during an hour of heavy cleaning. So not only will you be burning calories and even improving muscle tone, but you will also be left with a feeling of accomplishment and you’re house will be spotless!  It’s a win win!

Design a Boot Camp

You can design your own boot camp program to do on your own or with friends. Simply choose 10 exercises, like push ups, tricep dips, squats, crunches or lunges. Then start your boot camp workout by doing a 10 minute cardio warm up which could be jogging, jump roping, aerobics or even dancing. Then it is time to get some fitness in! You’ll do the set of exercises, spending one minute doing each different exercise. Once you’ve done them all you can repeat the circuit two or three more times and end with a 10 minute cardio cool down