Sunday, October 25, 2009

Preventing Bad Breath

Preventing and Fixing Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Many people have bad breath without even realizing it. This can cripple your likelihood of enjoying a healthy social life, finding a significant other, and even advancement in your career. Halitosis or bad breath is mostly a result of poor hygiene and is completely treatable. It is quite easy to prevent and fix bad breath with the following guidelines.

Brush your teeth and scrape your tongue first thing every morning, and also after each time you take a nap. Foul-smelling bacteria have had a chance to take over your mouth while you slept, and are most likely causing yucky "morning breath."

After you brush your teeth and scrape your tongue, rinse your mouth thoroughly and gargle with fresh, cool water. This is a very important step, one that many people overlook.

Drink plenty of water - Insuring that you drink plenty of water throughout the day can help to control bad breath (halitosis). This can be an especially important consideration for those people who suffer from xerostomia (chronically dry mouths).

Rinse your mouth with water often - Rinsing with water can mitigate bad breath problems for brief periods of time. Rinsing will both dilute and partially remove the bacterial waste products that are the cause of breath odors.
Stimulate your mouth's flow of saliva - You can help to minimize bad breath odors by stimulating your body's flow of saliva. This is because saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that cause bad breath.

One way to stimulate salivary flow is to chew on something. Doing so will trick your body in to thinking that it is getting a meal. And in preparation for digesting this meal your body will increase its production of saliva.

Chewing gum, cloves, breath mints, or lozenges can also be used to stimulate salivary flow. If you elect to use one of these products make sure it is sugar-free since sweets will promote the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay.
After you eat or drink anything (besides water), thoroughly rinse your mouth and gargle with water. Use this practice without fail, day and night, and you will keep abreast of nasty bacteria buildup in your mouth, which cause bad breath. Run your tongue along the surfaces of your teeth throughout the day, and if you ever notice any plaque buildup, brush your teeth again and rinse thoroughly with water, making sure that you feel your teeth, not plaque buildup, which is a contributing factor in bad breath.


Fixing Bad Breath on the Spot -

Drink water and ask for lemon to be included. Surreptitiously squeeze as much of the lemon into the water as possible, as it will help cover up the odor.
Chew a piece of gum or eat some mint candy.
Gargle with salt to neutralise some of the odour.
Sneak a spoon into the bathroom. Check to make sure you're alone. Look into the mirror, stick out your tongue and check for a pasty white goo on it. Turn the spoon upside down and use it to scrape your tongue, using a back to front motion. If you can't manage to sneak off with a spoon, head to the restroom, wash your hands, use your fingernails to scrape your tongue.

12 ways to stay top of Stress

12 Ways to Stay on Top of Stress

It takes a million years for one gene to change in our bodies. One million years! I'm bringing this up because, physiologically, we're the same humans we were 300 years ago. But look at how things have changed in that short time. Some things make life easier now: washers and dryers, transportation, abundance of food, electricity, etc. But some things make life today more insane: cell phones, traffic, increased population, fake food, TV, busy schedules. I heard a statistic from a doctor-friend that we make more decisions in one day than people used to make in a year. No wonder we're stressed out and reaching for doughnuts or alcohol to cope.

All this craziness and high-speed living isn't going away. Since we can't change our genes, we have to create a map to navigate this crazy life. What can you do to try and stay on top of the stress so it doesn't affect your health, happiness, or waistline?

1. Exercise.
Amen for endorphins. Believe me, they've helped me many days with my perspective. If you have to work out, then go take a brisk walk and get that blood flowing. It isn't about working out to lose weight -- it's about being healthy and staying sane.

2. Eat the real stuff. Crappy food (fast, processed, and loaded with sugar) doesn't help your chemical brain and body handle stress. Living food, real food, helps support your mind and body while it's trying to deal with the million things coming its way. Every time I reach for the chocolate, I'm looking to feel something from it. Don't get me wrong -- if it's just a little here and there because I enjoy the taste of it, great. But if I'm using it the minute I feel overwhelmed, then that's when that food is no longer OK to eat. It doesn't make the problem go away, and then I just feel bad about eating the food to pacify myself. Grab green food instead. Put things in your mouth that are going to support your immune function and keep you levelheaded.

3. Notice. Try not to let the stress overtake you. Recognize the situations that cause the stress and notice them coming your way. You have a better shot at fending off the full effects of the stress when you can anticipate it.

4. Get it off your chest. Talk to a friend or partner about the stress. Sometimes just getting it off your chest can help unload some of the burden.

5. Keep your sense of humor. If you do have the chance to talk about it, try to see the irony and humor in the wacky bits. I think someone is dead in the water once they lose their sense of humor.

6. Stay grateful. Make a habit of saying thank you. You will notice the sunny spots a lot more often, and not just the gray skies and storms.

7. Ask, "What's the hurry?" Have some fun. We're always so busy going somewhere, we miss just enjoying the moment. If an opportunity comes your way to do something fun, take it.

8. Take a deep breath. When you feel the stress getting to you, take a moment. Get away, even if it's just for an hour, to be with yourself and your thoughts. Some people like to take a walk, meditate, lock themselves away in a beautiful bath, or go to church. Find the peace and the silence.

9. Keep it simple. Simplify where you can. Does Junior really need to be in 78 activities at the age of 5? Do you have to go to every little party or gathering you're invited to?

10. Turn off the TV. A lot of it is bad news anyway, and it robs us of hours that we could use to be getting other things done. Since everyone complains that they have no time, get some by unplugging from the tube.

11. Sleep. If you're rested, you have a better shot at handling things. Not to mention, you may not stress out as easily if you have a chance to recover at night.

12. Drink water. Hydrate with water. Help you entire system function better just by drinking enough water. Oh, and by the way, if you don't think that weight loss and proper hydration have a relationship, think again. Shift the paradigm on its side -- don't think about exercise and nutritional eating just as something you have to suffer through to get into those jeans. Instead, think of them as armor that will protect you in this crazy world, with all of the bazillion details you deal with every day.

Tips for Good Night's sleep

10 tips for good night's sleep

Stick to a schedule. Erratic bedtimes do not allow for your body to align to the proper circadian rhythms. Mum was right when she set a time we always had to go to sleep as kids. Also, make sure you try to keep the same schedule on weekends too, otherwise the next morning, you’d wake later and feel overly tired.

Sleep only at night. Avoid daytime sleep if possible. Daytime naps steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to 20-minute, power naps.

Exercise. It’s actually known to help you sleep better. Your body uses the sleep period to recover its muscles and joints that have been exercised. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon. Exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.
Taking a hot shower or bath before bed helps bring on sleep because they can relax tense muscles.

Avoid eating just before bed. Avoid eat large meals or spicy foods before bedtime. Give yourself at least 2 hours from when you eat to when you sleep. This allows for digestion to happen (or at least start) well before you go to sleep so your body can rest well during the night, rather than churning away your food.

Avoid caffeine. It keeps you awake and that’s now what you want for a good nights sleep. We all know that.

Read a fiction book. It takes you to a whole new world if you really get into it. And then take some time to ponder over the book as you fall asleep. I find as I read more and more, regardless of the book, I get more tired at night and so find it easier to fall asleep. Different for others?

Have the room slightly cooler. I prefer this to a hot room. I prefer to turn off the heat and allow the coolness to circulate in and out of the windows. If I get cold, I wear warmer clothes. It also saves on the bills as you’re not going to require the heat all night long.

Sleep in silence. I find sleeping with no music or TV on more easy and restful. I guess others are different, but sleep with no distractions is best for a clearer mind.

Avoid alcohol before bedtime. It’s a depressant; although it may make it easier to fall asleep, it causes you to wake up during the night. As alcohol is digested your body goes into withdrawal from the alcohol, causing nighttime awakenings and often nightmares for some people






Super Food for Shedding weight

10 superfoods for shedding weight

It's time for a new slim-down funda: Eat more to weigh less. Eating the right foods help you shed weight by increasing your calorie 10 superfoods for shedding weight burn and 10 superfoods for shedding weight cutting down food cravings.

1. Steak : Contrary to popular perception, eating a beef stake may help you drop weight. In a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women on a diet that included red meat lost more weight than those eating equal calories but little beef. The protein in steak helps you retain muscle mass during weight loss.


2. Eggs : Dig in to eggs, yolks and all: Eggs do not harm your heart, they can help you trim inches. Women on a low-calorie diet who ate an egg with toast and jelly each morning lost twice as much weight as those who had a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories but no eggs, a study from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge reports. Egg protein is filling, so you eat less later in the day.

3. Oats : "Oatmeal has the highest satiety ranking of any food," Grotto says. Unlike many other carbohydrates, oats—even the instant kind—digest slowly, so they have little impact on your blood sugar."


4. Lentils : Lentils are a great tummy flattener. "They're high in protein and soluble fibre, two nutrients that stabilise blood sugar levels," says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of The F-Factor Diet (Putnam Adult). Eating them helps prevent insulin spikes that cause your body to create excess fat, especially in the abdominal area."

5. Apples : An apple a day can keep weight gain at bay, finds a study from Penn State University at University Park. People who chomped an apple before a pasta meal ate fewer calories overall than those who had a different snack. Apples are high in fibre—4 to 5 grams each—which makes them filling. Plus, the antioxidants in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat or an "apple shape."


6. Chiles : A great reason to spice up your meals: You'll increase your metabolism. A compound in chiles called capsaicin has a thermogenic effect, meaning it causes the body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chiles. Plus, "you can't gulp down spicy food. Eating slowly gives your brain time to register that your stomach is full, so you won't overeat.


7. Yogurt : Dietitians often refer to plain yogurt as the perfect food. With its trifecta of carbs, protein and fat, it can stave off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady. In a study , people on a low-calorie diet that included yogurt lost 61 per cent more fat overall and 81 per cent more belly fat than those on a similar plan but without yogurt.


8. Parmesan : Women who had one serving of whole milk or cheese daily were less likely to gain weight over time, -dairy fans didn't experience the same benefit. Whole dairy may have more conjugated linoleic acid, which might help your body burn fat.


9. Avocado : Don't let the fat content of an avocado (29 grams) scare you—that's what makes it a top weight loss food. The heart-healthy monounsaturated fat it contains increases satiety.


10. Olive oil : Like avocados, olive oil has healthy fat that increases satiety, taming your appetite. But that's hardly its only slimming feature. Research shows it has anti-inflammatory properties.

Going VEG is good for health

Why going 'veg' is good
Veggie delight

Why going veg is a good idea ?


Detoxifies: A veggie diet contains dietary fibre (bottle gourd, pumpkins, spinach, cabbages), which flushes toxins out of the body. A diet containing only eggs, fish and mutton is a poor source of fibre.

Stronger bones: Gorging on meat can lead to protein overload. This can tax our kidneys, interfere with the absorption of calcium and prompt the body to extract existing calcium from the bones. Such calcium excretion is rare amongst vegetarians.

Carb deficiencies: A non-vegetarian diet is a poor source of carbohydrates. Carb-deficiency can lead to ketosis – a condition where the body starts breaking down fat (instead of carbs) as a source of energy.

Easy digestion: Complex carbohydrates in vegetarian foods are digested gradually providing a steady source of glucose. Conversely, meats rich in fat and proteins are difficult to digest.

Healthy skin: Eating beetroot, tomato, pumpkin and bitter gourd can clear off blemishes. And guava, apples, pears and peaches, eaten along with their peel, promise a glowing complexion.

Weight management: Avoiding meat is the simplest way to reduce fat intake. Instead, eating whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and fruits, lowers cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and obesity.

Easy on the teeth: Our molars are more suitable for grinding grains and vegetables than tearing flesh. Digestion begins with the saliva, which can only digest complex carbohydrates present in plant foods.

Phyto nutrients: Diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, stroke and bone loss are partially preventable with a good intake of phytonurtients. As these are present only in vegetarian diet, the non-vegetarians are at a loss.


The Dream Diet

Presenting - the dream diet

You hit the gym four times a week; you watch what you eat without cheating. Yet, your weight won’t budge. All those late nights might be the culprit. The experts advise you to sleep off those extra kilos. Does it get any easier than that? If you think this is too good to be true, read on as we back up the claims with solid scientific facts.


The link between sleep and weight


Sleep deprivation plays havoc with the hormones. The hormone Ghrelin is responsible for hunger pangs while another hormone, Leptin, tells your brain when it’s time to stop. When you don’t get enough shut-eye, your Ghrelin levels increase and Leptin levels decrease. The result – an increased craving for food and a feeling of not being satiated despite eating more than you normally do! Secondly, the growth hormone is secreted, for the most part, during the first round of sleep or the slow-wave sleep. This hormone plays a very important role in body weight as it controls the body’s proportion of muscle and fat. When you don’t get proper sleep, you secrete less of this hormone. In fact, just one week of sleep deprivation reduces the production of the growth hormone significantly. And low levels of growth hormone equal more fat. Also, as we age, the time we spend in deep sleep reduces, which translates to reduced growth hormone production. Add to that reduced hours of sleep and you significantly increase your chances of weight gain. Also, a good restful sleep has the ability to de-stress the mind and body. Lack of sleep tends to cause physical stress. This leads to excessive production of the stress hormone Cortisol, which in turn stimulates the production of glucose in excess. And this little extra is then converted into fat. Sleep deprivation puts your body in starvation mode Sleep deprived people tend to opt for high calorie sweets, salty and starchy foods to snack on. That’s because sleep deprivation stimulates the cells to shout out for more food. Want to beat those hunger pangs? Go to bed!


Sleep deprivation and sluggishness go hand in hand


When you sleep less, you are low on energy and as a result you are less likely to be physically active. In fact, even small non-exercise related activities like standing instead of sitting or simply fidgeting are significantly reduced. As a result you burn fewer calories. Also when the body senses low energy levels, it reacts by hoarding calories as fat, thereby making weight loss difficult.


How many hours of sleep do I need?


If you are unsure how many hours you need, experiment, when you have the luxury to, by sleeping as much as you want for four nights in a row. Record how many hours you sleep on the fourth night. The hours of sleep you received that night will be the approximate number of hours you should try to get every night. That’s because by the fourth night your body is refreshed and your body clock will reach its natural rhythm.


What if I sleep less to exercise more?


The American Thoracic Society International Conference recently held in San Diego, California reported the following in a study – Women who don’t get much sleep, up to five hours each night, are much more likely to have put on 33 lbs (15 kilos) over a 16 year period. This is 30 per cent more likely when compared to the women who managed to get seven hours sleep each night. 1. What surprised the researchers was that sleeping patterns had a much greater influence on women’s long-term weight than eating habits or physical activity. 2. At the start of the study, the women who slept up to five hours a night weighed 5.4 pounds more than those who got seven hours or more. They also put on 1.6 pounds more each year than the good sleepers. 3. The 1.6 pounds extra per year may not sound like much, but multiply this number by ten and you have a sizeable weight gap. Imagine what the difference would be over 20 or 30 years! 4. However, having the best sleep every night and a terrible diet will not make you lose weight. Make sure that your daily food intake includes 25-30 per cent protein, 45-55 per cent complex carbohydrates, 15-20 per cent essential fatty acids. Secondly, make sure you are on an effective exercise program, 4-5 times a week.


For a good night’s sleep


Don’t go to bed hungry : While this does not mean that you should have a heavy snack at bedtime, it does suggest that a light snack, rich in sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan, can help.


Take a warm bath an hour before bedtime : Your body temperature will slowly drop after you get out of the tub making you feel tired.


Keep your days active : Resist the temptation of nap so that your body will be ready for a restful sleep at night.

Reasons why to start drinking Green Tea

25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Now. Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits. It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health. And if you're not drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea today, you're definitely NOT doing your health a big favor. Here Are The 25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Right Now: 1. Green Tea and Cancer Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer. The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E. This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer. 2. Green Tea and Heart Disease Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Even after a heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells. 3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals. What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity. 4. Green Tea and Weight Loss Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day. That translates to 7 pounds in one year. 5. Green Tea and Skin Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging. Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer. 6. Green Tea and Arthritis Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage. 7. Green Tea and Bones The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea. It helps keep your bones strong. If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density. 8. Green Tea and Cholesterol Green tea can help lower cholesterol level. It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, by reducing bad cholesterol level. 9. Green Tea and Obesity Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells. If you are on a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese. 10. Green Tea and Diabetes Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate. 11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's Green tea helps boost your memory. And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's. 12. Green Tea and Parkinson's Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain, which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's. 13. Green Tea and Liver Disease Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers. 14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure. Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure. 15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria. 16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar Blood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level. 17. Green Tea and Immunity Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections. 18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu. Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold. 19. Green Tea and Asthma Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma. 20. Green Tea and Ear Infection Green tea helps with ear infection problem. For natural ear cleaning, soak a cotton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear. 21. Green Tea and Herpes Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes. First green tea compress is applied, and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment. 22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases. It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath. 23. Green Tea and Stress L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety. 24. Green Tea and Allergies EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies. So, if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea. 25. Green Tea and HIV Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells. What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

How to turn Dark Circles Under Eyes into Shining Bright Eyes


Dark Circles Under Eyes to Turn into Shining Bright Eyes
Dark circles under eyes immediately start disappearing turning them into shining bright eyes as the eyebrows get raised naturally and lift the eyelids further up and lock them there. The skin under the eye is thinner than the rest of the skin around. Hence the veins under it give it a blue tinge appearing as dark circles there. Also the skin under the eye is affected more by the sun tanning. Rubbing or scratching the eye darkens the skin under the eyes as well. Medications causing the blood vessels to dilate also pronounce these dark patches. Lack of nutrition discolors this area too. Lack of sleep or excessive fatigue turns skin pale and shows these dark patches more. Pregnancy and menstruation also accentuate the dark under eye circles. Age sags the skin, drooping the eyelids and generating bags over there. The dark circles start showing even more than before. But the way we have been going through our previous posts not only lifts-up the drooping eyelids, removes the excess eyelid skin along with the excess fat-tissue, removes dark circles under eyes, and turns back the eyelids that have gone turned-in or turned-out; but also gets a total facelift for you without going for an anti aging eye cream or an anti wrinkle eye cream, or any surgical procedure. Just open your eyes FULL in their TOTAL WIDTH by putting a slight smile on your lips, and you will have got the two bright eyes on your face! And then this only is the right way you should always open your eyes in while you are awake. If you are really interested in and really curious about whatever you are looking at, it automatically happens so.

Tummy Exercise Myths






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 than 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 day
Fact: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. ...

Abdominal Muscle exercise

Abdominal Muscle Exercises


Since there are hundreds of abdominal exercises so it"s not easy to say which is the best exercises to get firm, flat and toned abdominals

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 study has by the American Council on Exercise has discovered 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.

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.

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.

Weight Loss by changing eating habits


Change your eating Habits and loose weights

Do easy ways to lose weight exist? Everyone knows that diet, lowering caloric intake, and exercise, increasing the number of calories you burn, combine into a formula for losing weight. But sticking to the diet is the hard part. It won’t be easy, but with a little work it sure is easier. Here are some tips to make it easier. Keep a daily log of everything that passes your lips. Writing down everything you eat and drink, even water, will help you eat less. Studies show that people who keep track of what they eat end up eating 15% less.

Switch from juice, soda, and other calorie drinks to water. 245 calories a day is nearly 90,000 calories in the course of a year. That’s 25 pounds. Water isn’t that bad, is it? Keep in mind too that juice and soda don’t trigger a feeling of fullness, despite their calories.

Eat five or six smaller meals a day instead of three large meals a day. Eating more meals with smaller portions results in eating 30% fewer calories. Furthermore, even the same number of calories eaten in smaller portions during more frequent meals can result in weight loss. You’re less likely to binge because the body releases less insulin.

Make sure your wardrobe only includes the ’skinny’ clothes. If you don’t have clothes that are comfortable when you’re heavier, you’re more likely to be reminded to keep slim every time you dress. And if you have to purchase a whole new wardrobe you’re less likely to gain weight.

Use smaller plates. It’s proven that people eat what’s in front of them. Use the salad plates instead of dinner plates. Similar to the idea of using smaller plates, serve your food on the plate rather than in bowls on the table. When the plate is empty the meal is over, instead of spooning another portion onto your plate.

Don’t eat white bread, sugar or white rice. Those foods are loaded with carbohydrates which lead to higher blood sugar and weight gain. Do eat whole grain breads and brown rice. Don’t be concerned with the sugar, pretty soon you won’t miss it.

Weight loss isn’t easy, but relatively speaking there are easy ways to lose weight. Don’t think it won’t take a little work. If weight loss were easy everyone would be slim all the time.

Weight Loss by Drinking Water

Weight Loss Just By Drinking Water

Make A Successful Weight Loss Just By Drinking Water - Maybe The Easiest Weight Loss Method
Well, you may have heard it before - you can lose weight just by drinking pure plain water. Do you think it is like that? Yes, it is, you can lose weight just by drinking water. I will explain why it is so.
There are studies that show that just by drinking water your metabolism will increase with up to 30 percentages. That is quite impressive, isn't it? To make your weight loss possible you need to drink eight glasses of water every day, and if you have lots of overweight you need to drink a few glasses more. If you live in a warm climate or if you exercise very intensive you need to drink more than the eight glasses. You maybe think that eight glasses is much water to drink, but you shouldn't drink it at the same time; instead you need to spread it out throughout the day.

Drinking water is not only great for your weight loss. Just by drinking lots of water you will look better because and your skin will become more glowing. Your muscles will work more effective when you exercise which will lead to a better shaped body.
A few tips about how you should act when you decide to lose weight just by drinking water:
Start every morning with a glass of water.
Drink a glass of water before every meal.
Drink lukewarm water, it may be easier to drink lots of water when it isn't cold.
Add a slice of lemon if you don't like the taste of the water.
Avoid drinking just before you go to bed.

Drinking water is a cheap and very effective way to lose weight, but often you need to add some diet and exercise to make your weight loss effective.

Tips for Whitening teeth

TIPS FOR WHITENING TEETH
WHITENING TEETH



First impressions make a huge difference, and a great smile can give you the confidence you need to smile with pride. While everyone wants a bright and white smile, but aren’t sure how to achieve it. To help you get the pearly whites you’ve always dreamed of, please en
joy the following list of simple tips to get whiter teeth.


Eating Habits A lot of foods have staining properties that will, over time, affect the whiteness of your teeth. Foods like berries, soy sauce, and curry are all dark foods that can stain your teeth. You don’t need to give up any of these foods however, simply remember to brush your teeth after each meal or snack. Also, the more raw and natural foods you eat, the better. Fast food and chemical-based processed foods are much more likely to leave stains.


Drinking Habits Coffee, soda, wine and tea also contribute to yellowed teeth. Not only do they satin, but hot and cold temperatures also make your teeth more vulnerable to stains, making hot coffee that much worse. Like with food, brush after drinking staining substances, but not directly after wards or you could wear down tooth enamel.


Natural Solutions It may come as a surprise, but many fruits have natural whitening properties when used correctly. You can mash up some strawberries and put them on your brush with toothpaste, or just rub on to the teeth, Leave on for five minutes, then rinse off. Another whitening fruit is orange peels. Rub orange peels on the teeth, and rinse. You can also try orange peel, bay leaves, and toothpaste finely mixed.



Baking Soda It’s widely know that baking soda can whiten teeth and can be found in many toothpastes already. You can also make your own baking soda whitener by mixing baking soda with salt or by simply adding a small amount of baking soda to your toothbrush before the paste.



Smoking Smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco damage and yellow your teeth in immense amounts. If you’re a smoker or chewer and want whiter teeth, start by cutting down on your tobacco habits as much as possible. Even the smallest cut down will help you have whiter, brighter teeth.



Fluoride Some waters and even toothpastes contain fluoride, which has been discovered to yellow teeth. Check toothpaste and water bottles for fluoride before purchasing to avoid accidentally darkening your teeth.


Water Drink as much water as possible throughout your day. This will rinse any remaining food or substance from your teeth and lead to overall whiter teeth and improved oral health. Drinking plenty of water is good for the rest of your body too, and added bonus!



Dental Care This should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many people complain about yellow teeth that don’t even brush regularly. Both flossing and brushing 2-3 times a day at least is the best white to maintain a bright and healthy smile.



Home-Cleaning Kits There are a lot of teeth whitening kits on the market to choose from, but few of them are right for everyone or even healthy to use. Before deciding to purchase one of these kits, do thorough research on which is best for you. Some of them may do harm than help, and leave you in pain and unsatisfied.



Routine Cleaning Last but not least, see the dentist as often as possible for a check-up and cleaning. No one can get your teeth cleaner than the dentist, and they can give you new and useful tips on how to maintain whiter teeth in healthy ways. Most dentists also offer teeth whitening services, which are guaranteed to be safe, healthy and effective.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Remedies for acidity

HOME REMEDY FOR ACIDITY




Causes of Acidity



Refined and fibreless food is the main cause of acidity.

Stress is the other main cause.

Smoking and excess of alcohol
tends to weaken the nervous system, as a result
the mucus membrane and the stomach lining stops functioning properly.

High intakes of spicy foods, overeating and eating hurriedly are also the causes of acidity.


Home Remedies for Acidity




Sucking a piece of clove
will give relief from acidity.

Consumption of milk and milk products is beneficial during acidity.

Intake of fresh mint juice daily is the best home remedy for acidity..

Taking a mixture of two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and two teaspoons of
honey in a glass of water before meals
, will reduce the chances of acidity and is
another good home remedy for acidity.

Another effective acidity cure is to
boil cumin seeds in a glass of water and drink
it with meals.

Intake of spicy foods, fried foods and pickles should be avoided.

Unripe foods with high pectin content should also be avoided.

The fruits like watermelon, banana and cucumber also reduce acidity and is good
natural remedy for acidity.

One of the effective home remedies for acidity is
Herbal tea containing spearmint
(pudina) and liquorice (mulethi) is also beneficial
instead of normal tea, coffee and
other aerated drinks.

Drinking water in the early morning
controls acidity, as water is a good neutralizer
for acid. This is one of the effective acidity treatment.

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise is an old and
highly beneficial phrase. This good habit will
prevent and control acidity.

A good Home Remedies for Acidity is to
take two teaspoonfuls of white vinegar
along with your meals.
This will help in proper food digestion and will also control
the Acidity that occurs in your stomach.

Frequent use of medicines like aspirin or disprin should be avoided.

A good acidity remedy is
to Suck 10 grams of jaggery after meals will prevent acid
formation.


Drinking cabbage juice daily also prevents acidity.

Raw salad of vegetables like onion, radish should be avoided. This is not a good diet
for acidity.

Its always better to have the dinner at least 2 hours before going to bed.

A good natural remedy for acidity is to
Drink coconut water 3-4 times a day also
prevents acidity.

Eating yogurt will provide immediate relief from acidity. This is one of the effective
home remedies for acidity.

Drinking a glass of water with a teaspoon of soda is also beneficial and is good home
remedy for acidity. 

Ginger is a spice well known for its gastrointestinal complaints.

Take a small piece of ginger and convert it into pulp and add to this an equal amount
of coriander. Mix both of them properly. Eat this
as this is one of the good Home
Remedies for Acidity.

 

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Why Should We Drink Green Tea



BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA


Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits. It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health. And if you're not drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea today, you're definitely NOT doing your health a big favor.
Here Are The 25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Right Now:

1. Green Tea and Cancer

Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer. The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E. This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.

2. Green Tea and Heart Disease

Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Even after a heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.

3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging

Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals. What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.

4. Green Tea and Weight Loss

Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day. That translates to 7 pounds in one year.

5. Green Tea and Skin

Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging. Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer.


6. Green Tea and Arthritis

Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.

7. Green Tea and Bones

The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea. It helps keep your bones strong.
If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density.

8. Green Tea and Cholesterol

Green tea can help lower cholesterol level. It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, by reducing bad cholesterol level.

9. Green Tea and Obesity

Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells. If you are on a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese.

10. Green Tea and Diabetes

Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate.

11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's

Green tea helps boost your memory. And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's.

12. Green Tea and Parkinson's

Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain, which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's.

13. Green Tea and Liver Disease

Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers.

14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure

Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure. Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure.

15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning

Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria.

16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar

Blood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.

17. Green Tea and Immunity

Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections.

18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu

Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu. Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.

19. Green Tea and Asthma

Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma.

20. Green Tea and Ear Infection

Green tea helps with ear infection problem. For natural ear cleaning, soak a cotton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.

21. Green Tea and Herpes

Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes. First green tea compress is applied, and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.

22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay

Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases. It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.

23. Green Tea and Stress

L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety.

24. Green Tea and Allergies

EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies. So, if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea.

25. Green Tea and HIV

Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells. What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Foods that Heal

FOODS THAT HEAL





Apples

Protects your heart
prevents constipation
Blocks diarrhea
Improves lung capacity
Cushions joints
***********
Apricots

Combats cancer
Controls blood pressure
Saves your eyesight
Shields against Alzheimer's
Slows aging process
***********
Artichokes


Aids digestion
Lowers cholesterol
Protects your heart
Stabilizes blood sugar
Guards against liver disease
***********
Avocadoes

Battles diabetes
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
Controls blood pressure
Smoothes skin
***********
Bananas

Protects your heart
Quiets a cough
Strengthens bones
Controls blood pressure
Blocks diarrhea
***********
Beans

Prevents constipation
Helps hemorrhoids
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Stabilizes blood sugar
***********
Beets

Controls blood pressure
Combats cancer
Strengthens bones
Protects your heart
Aids weight loss
***********
Blueberries

Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Stabilizes blood sugar
Boosts memory
Prevents constipation
***********
Broccoli

Strengthens bones
Saves eyesight
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
***********

Cabbage

Combats cancer
Prevents constipation
Promotes weight loss
Protects your heart
Helps hemorrhoids
***********

Cantaloupe

Saves eyesight
Controls blood pressure
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Supports immune system
***********

Carrots

Saves eyesight
Protects your heart
Prevents constipation
Combats cancer
Promotes weight loss
***********
Cauliflower


Protects against Prostate Cancer
Combats Breast Cancer
Strengthens bones
Banishes bruises
Guards against heart disease
***********
Cherries


Protects your heart
Combats Cancer
Ends insomnia
Slows aging process
Shields against Alzheimer's
***********

Chestnuts

Promotes weight loss
Protects your heart
Lowers cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls blood pressure
***********

Chilli Pepper

Aids digestion
Soothes sore throat
Clears sinuses
Combats Cancer
Boosts immune system
***********

Figs

Promotes weight loss
Helps stops strokes
Lowers cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls blood pressure
***********

Flax


Aids digestion
Battles diabetes
Protects your heart
Improves mental health
Boosts immune system
***********

Garlic

Lowers cholesterol
Controls blood pressure
Combats cancer
kills bacteria
Fights fungus
***********

Grapefruit

Protects against heart attacks
Promotes Weight loss
Helps stops strokes
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers cholesterol
***********

Grapes

saves eyesight
Conquers kidney stones
Combats cancer
Enhances blood flow
Protects your heart
***********

Green Tea

Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Helps stops strokes
Promotes Weight loss
Kills bacteria
***********
Honey

Heals wounds
Aids digestion
Guards against ulcers
Increases energy
Fights allergies
***********
Lemon

Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
Smoothes skin
Stops scurvy
***********
Limes

Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
Smoothes skin
Stops scurvy
***********
Mangoes

Combats cancer
Boosts memory
Regulates thyroid
aids digestion
Shields against Alzheimer's
***********
Mushrooms

Controls blood pressure
Lowers cholesterol
Kills bacteria
Combats cancer
Strengthens bones
***********
Oats

Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Battles diabetes
prevents constipation
Smoothes skin
***********
Olive Oil

Protects your heart
Promotes Weight loss
Combats cancer
Battles diabetes
Smoothes skin
***********
Onions

Reduce risk of heart attack
Combats cancer
Kills bacteria
Lowers cholesterol
Fights fungus
***********
Oranges

Supports immune systems
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Strengthens respiration
***********

Peaches

prevents constipation
Combats cancer
Helps stops strokes
aids digestion
Helps hemorrhoids
***********
Peanuts

Protects against heart disease
Promotes Weight loss
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers cholesterol
Aggravates
diverticulitis
***********

Pineapple

Strengthens bones
Relieves colds
Aids digestion
Dissolves warts
Blocks diarrhea
***********
Prunes

Slows aging process
prevents constipation
boosts memory
Lowers cholesterol
Protects against heart disease
***********
Rice

Protects your heart
Battles diabetes
Conquers kidney stones
Combats cancer
Helps stops strokes
***********

Strawberries

Combats cancer
Protects your heart
boosts memory
Calms stress
***********

Sweet Potatoes

Saves your eyesight
Lifts mood
Combats cancer
Strengthens bones
***********
Tomatoes

Protects prostate
Combats cancer
Lowers cholesterol
Protects your heart
***********
Walnuts

Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
boosts memory
Lifts mood
Protects against heart disease
***********
Water

Promotes Weight loss
Combats cancer
Conquers kidney stones
Smoothes skin
***********
Watermelon

Protects prostate
Promotes Weight loss
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
Controls blood pressure
***********
Wheat Germ

Combats Colon Cancer
prevents constipation
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
improves digestion
***********
Wheat Bran

Combats Colon Cancer
prevents constipation
Lowers cholesterol
***********