Remedies for Sinus

Home Remedies for sinus

Causes of Sinus Infection:
* Follow-up to a cold or flu.


* Injury to the nose.


* Growths inside the nose (polyps).


* Smoking.


* Irritating fumes.


* Environmental and food allergies.

The causes for this occurring are referred to under Coughs and Catarrhal Infections and the effects are very similar a blocked-up feeling in the nose, slight temperature, tickly cough, headache and excruciating pain in and around those cavities particularly above the eyes. Many of the remedies, particularly the inhalants, oils and tickly cough cures given under Colds and Chest Infections will work well.




Home Remedies for Sinus Pressure Relief:

* You should inhale steam vapors periodically. This is a very simple yet effective home remedy for sinus allergies. All you have to do is bow your head over a hot water bowl so that the steam can reach your face directly. Start inhaling the steam vapors. Repeat this for 2-3 mins as many times as it is convenient to do so. The main purpose is to thin the usually thick mucus so that drainage is enhanced.


* Consumption of garlic juice or garlic capsules. It has been said that garlic has anti-bacterial and anti fungal properties. Since a sinus infection could be either bacterial or fungal in nature, the properties of garlic should be an effective natural cure. Another option is to put some chopped fresh garlic in a bowl of hot water and inhale the steam 2-3 times a day. This is another effective home remedy for sinus allergies.


* Another natural cure and home remedy for sinus infection is to use Apple Cider Vinegar, which contains potassium. This helps decrease mucus production and have shown to be beneficial as a natural home remedy of sinus allergies, runny nose and the common cold. Mix 2 teaspoonfuls of organic Apple Cider Vinegar in a full glass of warm water and drink it up. Do this 3 times a day.


* Food allergy is one of the major causes of sinus allergies. It may sound preposterous, but many people have found that avoiding certain food groups totally cured them of this condition! For chronic sinus allergies sufferers, you need to avoid taking dairy products, wheat, eggs, chickens, ducks, chocolates, peanuts, bananas and corn. To be absolutely sure which food group you may be allergic to, a diagnostic blood test is highly recommended. Therefore, avoiding certain food groups which are known to cause allergic reactions can be a simple and yet effective home remedy for sinus allergies.


* 2 fresh young nettle tops, 1 tablespoon blackberry leaves, 1 sprig fresh peppermint, 1 head meadowsweet 600 ml(1 pint) boiling water. Infuse all the herbs in the boiling water for 10 mmutes, covered. Take in the springtime to clear this painful problem before summer arrives. This will prevent sinus infection.


* Taken separately or in combination with juices of beet and cucumber, or with spinach juice, has been found beneficial in the treatment of sinus trouble. In the case of combined juices, 100 ml each of beet and cucumber juices, or 200 ml of spinach juice, should be mixed with 300ml of carrot juice to make 500 ml or half a litre of the mixed juice. This will help in reducing sinus allergies.
.
* Natural home remedy for sinus infection using Essential oil of eucalyptus or pine. A few drops of either in hot water are good to inhale. This is beneficial for the treatment of sinus allergies.


* The liberal use of mangoes during the season is considered an effective remedy for prevention and treatment of sinusitis. Mangoes contribute towards formation of healthy epithelium, thereby preventing frequent attacks of common infections like sinusitis. This is attributable to a high concentration of vitamin A in the fruit.

Making Up your Eyes

Making Up Your Eyes

That Actually Work

Eye make up tips are provided on these pages to educate and entice you. There are countless tips that can be considered, but only the best are worth your time. Many of us realize that the eyes are the most essential part of the make up of the face. Take note of these eye make-up tricks for a quick glamour fix that you’ll just adore!

· Arch your brows to begin. The key to a clean look for your eyes begins with a beautiful shapely brow! Avoid the “werewolf syndrome” by trimming and shaping your brows.  I always take in a picture to show how I want my brows to look.

Eyeliners. Eyeliners add further definition to the eye and put a more finished look to the effect desired with the application of the eye shadow. To apply the eyeliner, draw the line first on the lower lid, and then draw a line on the upper lid, starting from the inner corner and going towards the outer corner. The eyeliner should be applied closely to the lash line.

Mascara. In putting mascara on the eyelashes, a woman adds more life to her eyes and makes them seem brighter. The color of the mascara that you should choose, however, should complement the color of your skin.

· Choose your shadows wisely. Eye color makes a difference when choosing shadow colors. Brown eyes look good with most colors, however, try adding some variety to your face by spicing it up with some color. Blue and green eyes should avoid the blue and green shadows. This will give you a pale and dull appearance. If you have blue or green eyes, smoky colors tend to bring out your eyes the best. A make-up trio is good to buy because part of the work is already done for you, color coordination. When you use a color trio, go from lighter to darker starting at the lid part of your eye.

· Applying the Shadow. Most women just start applying shadow without the most important initial step, the base. Using foundation to base your eyes brings out the true color of the shadow and allows the shadow to stay on longer. After the base, apply the shadow with a long tipped brush. These are just better for application and blending. To top it off, add a little liner to the very top of your lids to make your eyes appear sexier, but be sure to smudge it. Helpful hint-after applying more than one color, blend them with a separate brush to create a more natural look.

· Mascara is a Must- Choosing your mascara is tricky. Most women don’t put much thought or money into the type of mascara that they use. Well, if I were to invest in one expensive type of make-up, it would be the mascara. Why? Well, for one, cheap mascara can actually lead to breakage of the lashes! It’s true… cheap mascara, which leads to clumping, weighs down the lashes, which eventually leads to tearing lids out to remove the mascara. You can choose thickening mascara, lengthening, or conditioning (if you don’t need longer or thicker lashes) depending on what you need. The make-up market has a plethora of mascara products to choose from. I suggest avoiding colorful mascaras, as they tend to add too much to your look.

· Pull your look together by color-coding. Basically, be sure to tie it all together by choosing the rest of your cosmetics to match your beautiful new eyes. If you are wearing smoky eyes, red lips look great! Shimmery shadows go great with nude or earth tone lips. Never mix shiny lips with shimmery, eyes unless you want to look like a character from High School Musical. Just be sure that you aren’t over killing on one color.

Curl lashes An eyelash curler will make even long lashes look more gorgeous. For added effect, you can heat the curler under a blowdryer for a couple seconds. Test curler before applying to lashes because you could burn yourself.
Apply mascara Place the wand of your mascara brush at the bottom of lashes and wiggle back and forth. Follow with another few sweeps of the wand. Apply to bottom lashes as well.

How Sugar ruins our Health

124 Ways Sugar Ruins Your Health

As much as we try to deny it, we all feel in our bones that sugar is harmful to us. Why else would we try to restrict our and our children's intake of it to only a few sweets at a time? We know it instinctively, but perhaps we need to know more

-Sugar can suppress the immune system.
-Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in the body.
-Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
-Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
-Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection (infectious diseases).
-Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function, the more sugar you eat the more elasticity and function you loose.
-Sugar reduces high density lipoproteins.
-Sugar leads to chromium deficiency.
-Sugar leads to cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, and rectum.
-Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose.
-Sugar causes copper deficiency.
-Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
-Sugar can weaken eyesight.
-Sugar raises the level of a neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
-Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
-Sugar can produce an acidic digestive tract.
-Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline levels in children.
-Sugar malabsorption is frequent in patients with functional bowel disease.
-Sugar can cause premature aging.
-Sugar can lead to alcoholism.
-Sugar can cause tooth decay.
-Sugar contributes to obesity.
-High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.
-Sugar can cause changes frequently found in person with gastric or duodenal ulcers.
-Sugar can cause arthritis.
-Sugar can cause asthma.
-Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections).
-Sugar can cause gallstones.
-Sugar an cause heart disease.
-Sugar can cause appendicitis.
-Sugar can cause multiple sclerosis.
-Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.
-Sugar can cause varicose veins.
-Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.
-Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
-Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
-Sugar contributes to saliva acidity.
-Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
-Sugar can lower the amount of Vitamin E in the blood.
-Sugar can decrease growth hormone.
-Sugar can increase cholesterol.
-Sugar can increase the systolic blood pressure.
-Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
-High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar bound non- enzymatically to protein)
-Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein.
-Sugar causes food allergies.

-Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
-Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
-Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
-Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
-Sugar can impair the structure of DNA.
-Sugar can change the structure of protein.
-Sugar can make our skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
-Sugar can cause cataracts.
-Sugar can cause emphysema.
-Sugar can cause atherosclerosis.
-Sugar can promote an elevation of low density lipoproteins (LDL).
-High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in the body.
-Sugar lowers the enzymes ability to function.
-Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.
-Sugar can cause a permanent altering the way the proteins act in the body.
-Sugar can increase the size of the liver by making the liver cells divide.
-Sugar can increase the amount of liver fat.
-Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.
-Sugar can damage the pancreas.
-Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention.
-Sugar is enemy #1 of the bowel movement.
-Sugar can cause myopia (nearsightedness).
-Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries.
-Sugar can make the tendons more brittle.
-Sugar can cause headaches, including migraine.
-Sugar plays a role in pancreatic cancer in women.
-Sugar can adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.
-Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves.
-Sugar can cause depression.
-Sugar increases the risk of gastric cancer.
-Sugar and cause dyspepsia (indigestion).
-Sugar can increase your risk of getting gout.
-Sugar can increase the levels of glucose in an oral glucose tolerance test over the ingestion of complex carbohydrates.
-Sugar can increase the insulin responses in humans consuming high-sugar diets compared to low sugar diets.
-High refined sugar diet reduces learning capacity.
-Sugar can cause less effective functioning of two blood proteins, albumin, and lipoproteins, which may reduce the body's ability to handle fat and cholesterol.
-Sugar can contribute to Alzheimer's disease.Sugar can cause platelet adhesiveness.
-Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance; some hormones become underactive and others become overactive.
-Sugar can lead to the formation of kidney stones.
-Sugar can lead to the hypothalamus to become highly sensitive to a large variety of stimuli.
-Sugar can lead to dizziness.
-Diets high in sugar can cause free radicals and oxidative stress.
-High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.
-High sugar diet can lead to biliary tract cancer.
-Sugar feeds cancer.
-High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.
-High sugar consumption can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration among adolescents.
-Sugar slows food's travel time through the gastrointestinal tract.
-Sugar increases the concentration of bile acids in stools and bacterial enzymes in the colon. This can modify bile to produce cancer-causing compounds and colon cancer.
-Sugar increases estradiol (the most potent form of naturally occurring estrogen) in men.
-Sugar combines and destroys phosphatase, an enzyme, which makes the process of digestion more dificult.
-Sugar can be a risk factor of gallbladder cancer.
-Sugar is an addictive substance.
-Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.Sugar can exacerbate PMS.
-Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.
Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.
-The body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.
-The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.
-Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
-Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.
-Sugar can slow down the ability of the adrenal glands to function.
-Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.I.Vs (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to the brain.
-High sucrose intake could be an important risk factor in lung cancer.
-Sugar increases the risk of polio.
-High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.
-Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.
-In Intensive Care Units: Limiting sugar saves lives.
-Sugar may induce cell death.
-Sugar may impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in living organisms.In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44% drop in antisocial behavior.
-Sugar can cause gastric cancer.
-Sugar dehydrates newborns.
-Sugar can cause gum disease.
-Sugar increases the estradiol in young men.
-Sugar can cause low birth-weight babies.

Face Pack for oily skin

                                        Pack for Oily Skin

Pack for Oily Skin

                 A] 1tsp Multani Mitti

1tsp Rose Water or Plain Water

½ tsp Lemon Juice.

Mix together and make a paste.Apply on skin.Keep till dry.Then wash with plain water.

B] Juice of 2 carrots

½ tsp Flour

Mix together and make a paste.Apply on skin.Keep till dry.Then wash with plain water

Breathing Therapy

Correct Way Of Breathing Can Be Very Helpful

Our noses have left and right nostrils. Are these nostrils having the same function for inhaling (breathe in) and exhaling (breathe out)?

Actually it's not the same and we can feel the difference. Accordingly, the right side represents the sun and the left side represents the moon.
When having headache, try to close your right nostril and use your left nostril to do breathing for about 5 min. The headache will be gone.
If you feel too tired, do it the opposite way. Close your left nostril and breathe through your right nostril. After a while, you will feel refresh again.
Because the right side belongs to heat, so it gets hot easily. The left side gets cold easily.
Women breathe mainly with their left nostril, so they get calm down easily.
Men breathe mostly with their right nostril, so they get angry easily.
When we wake up, do we notice which nostril breathes faster? Is it the left side or the right side?
If the left nostril breathes faster, you will feel very tired.. Close your left nostril and use your right nostril for breathing and you will get refresh quickly.
You can teach your kids about it. The effect of breathing therapy is much better for adults.


I used to have headache every night and I was not able to study. I took medicine but I was not cured.
One night as I sat down to medidate, I closed my right nostril and breathed with my left nostril. In less than a week, it seemed that my headache problem had left me! I continued doing it for about a month and since then there was no recurrence of headache in me.
This is my own experience. I used to tell others who also suffer headache to try this method as it was effective for me. It also works for those who have tried as well. This is a natural therapy, unlike taking medicines for a long time may have side effect. So, why don't you try it out?


Practice the correct ways of breathing (breathe in and breathe out) and your body will be in a very relaxing condition.

How to reduce Wrinkles

How To Reduce Wrinkles And Look Younger

Would you like to reduce those worrisome fine lines on your face and look youthful again? Here are some helpful tips.
As you get up there in years, certain problems are going to crop up and one of them is wrinkles. They can show up around your eyes, forehead, cheeks and neck. You can get rather depressed when you look into a mirror. Take heart, there are answers.
Maybe you cannot stop time from marching on, but you can reduce the signs of the aging process and look better than ever. Here is what happens and some suggestions to follow.

Why Do You Develop Wrinkles?
As a person ages, the skin undergoes significant changes. The inner layer of the skin begins to thin and the cells begin to divide more slowly. Fat cells begin to lessen or die beneath the dermis.
The network of collagen fibers and elastin which provide a sort of scaffolding for the surface layer begin to loosen and unravel. Skin then loses its elasticity. It tends to droop and forms furrows.
The oil secreting and sweat glands atrophy, and the skin cannot retain its moisture. Therefore, it becomes dry and scaly. Constant facial expressions form characteristic lines. Gravity makes the situation worse and contributes to the formation of drooping eyelids and jowls. Also, eyebrows tend to move up as someone ages perhaps because of forehead wrinkles and the skin has less of an ability to repair itself so wounds heal more slowly.

There are other forces at play that can make your skin suffer, such as :
1. The sun damages collagen fibers and causes an accumulation of abnormal elastin. Metalloproteinases, or enzymes, are produced that are able to repair most of the damage, however, it is this repetition of the rebuilding process that is done over and over again that causes skin problems.
2. The sun's UV radiation promotes oxidation. This also leads to the development of skin abnormalities.
3. Cigarette smoking causes the thickening and fragmentation of elastin, reduces circulation and the amount of oxygen that is supplied to the skin, and leads to less Collagen formation and reduced water content in the skin. Lastly, smoking compromises the ability of the skin to fend off free radicals causing cell destruction.
4. Air pollution – Ozone may be a problem for the skin. It may cause depletion of Vitamin E in the skin which is a vital antioxidant.
5. Rapid weight loss – This can cause fine lines since it reduces the volume of fat cells which cushion the face. This will cause the skin to sag.
6. Heredity – You may have inherited some skin characteristics from your parents.
Wrinkles are the most noticable signs of aging. As tissues sag, these lines form a type of canvas that is covered with cracks that have varying depths. As time marches on, they deepen and reach the dermis. As the dermis loses its elasticity, it becomes slack which leads to the formation of more pronounced wrinkles over 0.05 mm in depth.
Here is the normal progression of wrinkles characterized by age group:
20-25 – Vertical wrinkles on one's forehead and even between the eyebrows may already be visible. Fine lines at the external edges of the eyes are not yet noticeable.
25-40 – In the epidermis, wrinkles begin to deepen. They are less than 0.0005 mm in depth. They are caused by the superficial drying out of one's skin as well as the slowing down of cellular renewal.
40-50 – Fine lines around the lips, crow's feet, furrows alongside of the nose and the line between the eyebrows are all beginning to deepen. The skin loses it elasticity and the facial contours are not less well defined.
50 and over – Hormonal secretions end as menopause appears and this speeds up the aging process. The skin's surface begins to modify and intermediary lines are replaced by ever deepening furrows.
The older you become, the more wrinkles you get. You can minimize this damage by taking good care of your skin.

Anti Aging Skin Care Treatments: here are a few promising treatments for sagging skin. There are some new wrinkle creams and topical lotions, like Avotone or Revitol, that contain natural ingredients that may help lessen this problem. For example:
1. Argireline - this is a safer alternative to Botox. It is not derived from any poisonous substance, but from naturally occurring amino acids. This element relaxes facial tension because it is able to reduce the excessive release of neurotransmitters which are also known as catecholamines. These make your facial muscles become tense. If your muscles are not tense, they do not contribute to wrinkles. Also, it may slow down the degeneration of elastin and collagen which normally occurs with aging.
2. Dermox SRC - this is a specially tested serum that helps to control wrinkles, increases the synthesis of collagen, and restores the skin's surface.
3. DMAE - it has been indicated that this antioxidant is able to function as a cell membrane stabilizing agent. It reinforces the skin's foundation of elastin and collagen, makes cells live longer, and helps avoid cell dehydration. It may also assist in the healing of scars, which includes acne scars, and helps to flush out excessive lipofuscin from skin cells reducing age spots.

How Can You Minimize Fine Lines and Wrinkles?
There are many things you can do to reduce the wrinkles that you already have and minimize future occurences. These include:


Stay out of the sun
Avoid smoking
Use a very good topical anti-wrinkle cream
Drink plenty of water
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
Exercise

By following these steps regularly, you will be taking important actions to help maintain a youthful appearance while reducing the onset of aging skin.

Warm Up & Stretching Exercises

UPPER BODY WARMUP

1) Arm Swings -- 1 minute

Stand with feet comfortably apart, knees slightly bent, and start with arms at shoulder level. Stretch arms straight out to the side and back behind you, contracting shoulder blades together, then bring them all the way across the torso, gradually speeding up the movements and increasing the range of motion until your muscles feel loose.

2) Shoulder Circles / Windmill Arms -- 1 minute 

Place hands on shoulders and start with small rotations backwards, gradually increasing the range of motion and then reversing circles and doing the same thing forward. Do both at the same time, or alternate one at a time. For greater range of motion toward the end of the minute, swing straight arms up overhead, forward and backward, in windmill fashion, as though you were going to swim the front crawl or back stroke. (Not pictured)

LOWER BODY WARMUP

3) Partial Squats -- 1 minute

This exercise will help you warm up the large muscles in your thighs and buttock, muscles used heavily in hiking, scrambling, jogging, and cycling, as well as any daily activities like sitting down and standing back up.

Position your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. Turn your toes out slightly so that your knees track directly over the middle toe of each foot. The wider your stance, the more turned out your toes will be. If you choose to use a wide stance and your toes remain facing straight forward, the torque on your knees may be a little uncomfortable or even painful; check alignment right away. Keep your back flat (not vertical, but flat from shoulders to hips) and chest upright, abs tight to support the lower back, arms in front to counter-balance. Lower your hips and torso to a comfortable spot for you then exhale as you stand upright. Try to keep your heels flat on the floor. If you have any discomfort in the knees, then simply keep this movement in your pain free zone until you can have an expert assess any imbalances or problems with your muscular structure. If you have a difficult time keeping heels down, the frog stretch will help over time.

4) Elbow-Knee Touches -- 1 minute

Stand tall with legs shoulder distance apart and arms stretched out to the side. Without bending forward at the waist, lift your leg up and bring your opposite elbow in front of the body to meet it, then alternate with the other elbow and knee. If you have difficulty doing this move without excessively bending the standing leg or leaning forward, you will greatly appreciate the hamstring and lower back stretch, the last one listed below. If you feel stiff in the back as you bend forward and rotate, the standing rotational stretch will feel especially helpful. This movement is important for anyone involved in torso twisting activities, such as kayaking, climbing, skiing, or even gardening.

5) "Butt Kicking" 1 minute

This exercise will warm up the hamstrings in the back of the upper thighs. You may not be able to actually kick your own butt, but the goal is to try to get your foot as close to the butt as possible. If you like, you can do this as a high-footed jog, or simply keep one foot on the ground at all times. Keep your torso upright so as to prevent hyperextending the back. Play around with foot position--toes pointed, toes flexed--and see how different a single move can feel by simply changing one thing.

Once you are all warmed up, move right to the static stretches.


FRONT-OF-BODY STRETCHES

6) Tree / Door Jamb Chest Stretch, 20 sec.

A great feel-good stretch for everyone we’ve introduced to it, including climbers, kayakers, hikers, computer programmers, or any other people who typically have forward-shoulder posture or sedentary sitting jobs.Stand by a tree or wall and extend your arm out from the torso at a right angle, with elbow bent at 90 degrees. Place your forearm or hand against a wall (or both at the same time, if using a door jamb, as shown) and lean forward. For a more comfortable position, stagger your stance as shown with one foot forward to keep your balance. Hold the stretch on each side for about 10-15 seconds, and vary the angle (i.e. height of arms) depending on what part of your upper body is tight.

7) Hip Flexor Lunge Stretch, 20 sec.

Hip flexors frequently are tight in those people who spend lots of time sitting, (whether at work or in a kayak) and over extended periods of time, they can pull your body into improper posture, resulting in lower back pain if not resolved. Hip flexors are involved in repetitive motions that involve lifting the leg forward—such as hiking, walking uphill, and step aerobics. To keep them stretched out, try the following stretch using your body weight. Stride forward with one leg, coming up on the toes of the leg behind you, and lower your torso until front leg is at a right angle, knee just at or behind shoelaces. Hold onto a tree or wall, if you need help with balance. Keep your torso erect, and slowly extend both arms overhead, reaching fingers to the sky and looking up toward hands. Press the hip forward until you feel a good stretch right at the bend in your forward hip. An option is to turn the foot out, as shown (a modification of the Warrior posture in yoga) with insole of the foot flat against the ground.

8) Frog Stretch, 20 sec.

It’s a great stretch for thighs, hips, calves, and lower back. With hands out in front of you and feet and knees turned out so they remain in alignment, squat down as low as possible keeping heels flat on the floor. (If your heels pop up, try stretching your tight calves on a stair step with ball of the foot on the step and one heel pressing down toward the floor, hold 15 seconds.) Press knees open with elbows to prepare hips and legs for climbs that involve facing into the wall with legs spread far apart. Be persistent with this and with time you should see dramatic improvement.

BACK OF BODY STRETCHES

9) Spinal Rotation Stretch, 20 sec.

Place left foot up on high surface (car bumper, rock, chair), hips and toes squared forward. Twist your torso to the left, right hand on left knee to give you a little extra leverage. Try to reach left hand toward right hip, so that you resemble a pretzel, or, to get an added stretch in shoulders and upper back, extend the left arm straight behind you. As you exhale, gradually twist farther behind you, eyes toward your hand. Repeat to the other side. Some folks may feel a very minor pop along the vertebrae when doing this—sort of like your own chiropractic adjustment. Be gentle the first few times you try it, and as always, keep stretches pain free and comfortable.

10) Lower Back and Hamstring Stretch, 20 sec. 

This is an excellent stretch for the hamstrings and lower back muscles. Stand with feet a bit wider than shoulder width, and slowly bend forward at the waist. Grasp your elbows with hands and dangle your head between your legs. Keep this comfortable, and as you hold the stretch, you’ll notice the muscles lengthening as gravity helps you drop down even further. Keep the legs straight but not locked; reach hand and torso toward opposite calf, bending toward the knee, and then repeat other side. To get out of the stretch, place hands on the thighs and round the spine, exhaling as you stand up.

With these general warm-up and stretching exercises completed, your body will be much better prepared for participation in any and all summer activities with less likelihood of muscle strain or stiffness. As you start out, take it easy for the first 10-15 minutes or so, getting the body more thoroughly warmed up in the moves specific to your chosen activity. Finally, once you are finished with your adventure, you may be ready to go for beers, sodas, or pizza--but take just a few short minutes to run through the last 5 stretching exercises. This will help you increase your range of motion while the body is still warm, and leave you more limber than when you started. It also will help prevent stiffness that often sets in following a long car ride. Believe me, your body will thank you for it.

A to Z Formula to be Slim

A to Z Formula to look Slim

A

AVOID ALCOHOL

AVOID ALCOHOL: You booze, you lose! Alcohol increases your levels of the hormone leptin, which in turn makes you crave sweets.Don’t want to be branded a teetotaller? Order a glass of Sauvignon Blanc – 119 cals per 5 ounces.


B

BREAKFAST

BREAKFAST: A good breakfast with fibre and protein will keep you full till lunchtime and help you avoid bingeing. Opt for multi-grain cereal, lowfat curd or fruits to kick-start your metabolism.


C
CORTISOL: Prolonged stress leads to high levels of cortisol which makes you crave junk foods. Solution: deal with long-standing stressors. As for short-lived ones, treat yourself to an oil massage.


D
DENSITY: Go for grub with an energy density of two or less. To calculate this, simply divide the calories by the weight in grams (per serving). Stay at it and watch the pounds melt faster.


E
EAT AT REGULAR INTERVALS: Go no longer than five hours between meals. Several small meals through the day lead to a better metabolism and greater control over binges.


F
FRUCTOSE: Ditch the artificially sweetened juices and sodas and get your fructose from natural sources such as fruits. Because natural fructose is kinder to your waistline.

CHEWING GUM

G
GUM: Chewing on gum helps cleanse the mouth of bacteria, satisfies a sweet-tooth and reduces your urge to eat. The next time you feel the urge to reach for a biscuit packet, try a piece of sugarless gum instead for a zero-calorie treat.


H

OLIVE OIL

HEART-HEALTHY FOODS: Overweight people face a greater risk of heart disease. So, switch to olive and vegetable oils. Fill up on omega rich foods like walnuts and fatty fish. Choose non-fat dairy products and lean cuts of mutton and skinless poultry.


I
INSULIN: The amount of insulin you secrete may dictate your diet. High insulin secretors shed more weight on a low-carb diet and less on a lowfat/high carb diet. Got a jelly belly? You secrete excess insulin and could benefit from fewer carbs.


J
JOURNAL: Write down everything you eat and you could cut your intake by 1,000 calories a day. Food journaling may seem boring but goes a long way in making you aware of what you eat and thereby helps you shed pounds.


K
KETOSIS: Ketosis refers to the point where your body runs low on carbs and burns fat for fuel. Therefore, ketosis jump-starts a diet. Restrict carbs and lose more initially. Later, allow yourself wholegrain cereals and roti, in moderation.


L
LOW BLOOD SUGAR: This is often the reason for between-meal cravings especially for sweet. When it strikes, reach for naturally sweet foods such as fruits and accompany it with a little low-fat dahi for a healthy dose of protein.

MILK

MILK: Get better results from your workout by downing milk. Two cups of skim milk after intense weightlifting can build more
muscle and burn twice as much fat as drinking fruit juice. But go with real cow's milk as it’s more beneficial than soya milk.


N

OMELETTE

NUMBERS: Nobody enjoys weigh-ins, but people who hop on the scale once a day are more likely to lose and maintain their loss. Make a standing appointment for yourself. But try to strike a balance rather than obsess over the number you see.


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OMLETTE: Eggs are an ideal protein source. Protein helps build muscle, which will fry more calories per pound than fat. Bonus: You burn about 25 per cent of the eggs' calories just by digesting them.

PEANUTS

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PEANUTS = PROTEIN: Take the edge off your appetite by snacking on a handful of peanuts everyday. Because, protein is the "secret" to weight control. Peanuts also boost your resting metabolic rate due to their fatty acid content.


Q:
Q 10
Coenzyme Q10 is one of the nutrients needed to produce energy. Most people an energy - mg a day. Other benefits include a stronger immune system. Besides, it's also a great antioxidant.


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REPLACEMENTS: Replace any silly weight loss pills you have been advised to take, with a good low fat smoothie.You will lose just as much weight without the side-effects of a pill.


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SLIP-UPS: Slip-ups are bound to happen.Anticipate them. Instead of letting them derail your efforts, learn from them and get right back on track by simply keeping your eye on your target.

TEA

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TEA: The fat-busting benefits of green tea boil down to disease-fighting compounds called catechins. Max your results by steeping your tea for longer. The darker the hue of your brew, the more catechin-rich the cup.Add some lime to tone down the bitterness.


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USER-FRIENDLY: There are a million fad diets around; your friends are probably trying some too. But what helps you lose weight isn't the type of diet but compliance with it. Find a plan you can live with so you'll stick to it.

VINEGAR

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VINEGAR: Studies show that consuming 4 tbsp of a vinegar mixture with a high-carb diet drops your calorie intake by 275 per day. If you can't stomach vinegar, mix into a low-fat dressing to add zing to your salad.

WATER

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WATER: It quenches thirst without the calories. Infact, water also ups your caloric burn rate. Sipping six extra 8-ounce glasses a day can burn 17,400 more calories (about 5 pounds of fat) per year.


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XYLITOL: Xylitol is a natural substance found in vegetables that tastes and looks just like sugar. But while sugar harms, xylitol protects against disease and has anti-ageing benefits. In its crystalline form, it can replace sugar in cooking.

YOGA

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YOGA: Normal-weight women who practise yoga for four or more years will gain three pounds less over 10 years than those who don't. Grab your mat and get breathing!


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Zs
When you skimp on sleep, your brain thinks you're low on fuel and sends a message to your stomach to start growling.Women who sleep for 5 hours or less are an average of 5 pounds heavier than women who snoozed for 7 hours.Want to stay slim? Hit the pillow.

How to avoid illness

How Few changes in eating can aviod illness

You are too busy to bother about what you feed yourself, often rushing to grab a burger, gorging on a pizza and washing these down with a cola. The reasons given for treating our body to junk are many. Health foods? Too expensive. Counting nutrients? Impractical. Organic and natural food? Not always possible.


But a wrong diet is the root cause of all illnesses. The way out? Make small changes in your eating patterns. Don’t make a 360-degree change, go one step at a time. Try to be as natural as possible, gradually include more raw foods and get rid of unhealthy eating patterns. Here are easy-to-adopt plant-based diet practices that can help ward off (and in most cases, reverse) ailments like obesity, diabetes, gastric problems, etc.


Say ‘No’ to animal protein
Don’t pack in protein from animal sources - cheese, milk, meat, butter, eggs etc. Unlike plant-based protein sources, these take more time to digest, making you feel heavy and bloated. To make matters worse, unknowingly there is a tendency to have acidic food to help digest the protein (eg, consuming alcohol with meat). And as is commonly known, one of the bottomlines of a good diet is to avoid acidic food (animal products, sugar, dairy, sugar and colas) and have more alkaline stuff (fruits, vegetables).


Too much acid also leads to long-term thinning of the bones and lower muscle mass. Moreover, meat contains huge amount of animal fat that’s a direct cause of obesity, heart diseases, cholesterol, etc. Moral of the story? If you want to avoid the afore-mentioned diseases, give your body a protein dose with normal greens and fruits.


Dairy can be avoided
Have soya milk or almond milk if you can’t do without your daily glass of milk. Dairy products, especially the ones available after processing these days, do your body no good.


Oily fact
Watch your oil consumption. The best way to consume oil is through nuts and seeds rather than the refined form where all fibre is lost. Think you cannot make your sabji without a generous dollop of ghee? Here’s how you can do it - Add a little salt to soften the onions and fry them in a pan without oil or fat. If you feel it sticks, just sprinkle a little water. Onions will get fried just as well.


Change your cooking style
Healthy, oil-free cooking might take a little longer than usual, but it’s worth the wait. Begin using vegetable broth to cook your sabjis and curries. Can’t do without tasty (oily) temptations like patties, fries or cutlets? Simply coat your patties in fine peanut powder and roast them. It might take a while, but the oil released from the peanuts is enough to cook them. Try it to believe it.


Have whole foods
Eat only whole foods because most of the nutrients and flavour is in the skin and when you peel them, you throw away the nutrients. Ever wondered why you add sauces and masalas to spice up vegetables? It’s because while peeling the skin, you are ridding it of its flavours too. If you learn to cook with whole foods, you won’t feel the need to artificially flavour them with sauces. Similarly, have unpolished rice and brown rice instead of the white one,s and atta instead of maida.


Use water sparingly
Washing vegetables, grains and fruits is well, necessary, but don’t overdo it, else you’ll lose all nutrients. Steam your veggies instead of boiling them. You’ll require less water and retain nutrients too. Also, never wash vegetables after chopping them.


Have fruits separately
Do not combine fruits with a meal. Our bodies digest fruits very quickly as compared to other foods, as fruits are very sugary and therefore ‘ferment’ in your stomach. This is fine normally, but if you eat fruits post a heavy meal, then the fermenting fruit remains in your stomach a lot longer and can cause bloating, gas and discomfort. Also, have fruits instead of juices. The calories are higher in juices and with fruits, you’ll get your fibre too.




Follow the monkey
Nature is the best teacher and among all animals, man’s closest relative monkey leads the way. Ever seen a monkey peel an apple? Not really. But it certainly does so for a banana or an orange. Follow the principle in your diet too! Never peel fruits and vegetables that don’t need peeling.

Cold prevention strategies

8 Effective Cold Prevention Strategies

 1. Wash your hands - The world we live in is filled with viruses and bacteria that can make us ill. Your hands are no exceptions. Wash your hands often to keep them clean. If you cannot wash them, at least use some hand sanitizer, such as Purel.


2. Drink hot fluids, especially in the morning - The rhinovirus incubates in the back of the throat and spreads in the upper respiratory area because it's cooler than the body temperature. Rhinovirus can't survive at 98.6 (hence it doesn't travel far down into the bronchi or the lungs). By drinking hot fluid (such as hot tea and lemon) you can prevent the virus from incubating.


3. Keep your hands out of your face - We have already discussed the germs and viruses on your hands. You cannot wash them continuously, so in between washings keep your hands out of your face. Your face is an open portal to your insides. Keep the germs away from your portal.


4. Drink water - Drinking more water is my answer to everything. Water will help clean out your body and keep it clean. It will also keep your body functioning at 100%. You should drink at least (eight) 8oz glasses of water everyday. This will also help you lose weight.


5. Eat your fruits and vegetables - There are phytochemicals and antioxidants in fruits and vegetables that can help strengthen your immune system and prevent diseases. You should eat at least four servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits every day.


6. Multivitamins - If you are not eating all of your fruit and vegetable servings, you should take a multivitamin to ensure you are getting all of the vitamins your body needs to function properly. Take a simple one-a-day multivitamin everyday.


7. Stay warm - Being cold weakens your immune system and makes your body more susceptible to illness. Look at the day’s temperature at weather.com before leaving your home. Wear layers in and out of your home when it is cold.


8. Relax and rest - Stress weakens your immune system. You can reduce your stress levels by relaxing and getting more sleep. Sleep is essential to maintaining a healthy immune system. Sleep will also boost your recovery time if you become ill.


Getting a cold can derail your nutrition and activity plans. However, if you follow the strategies I laid out for you, you can prevent this from happening