Saturday, October 24, 2009

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
***********