Stretching exercises

RRFKS2GFDVER Stretching is important to help lengthen and loosen your muscles. People used to think that stretching was the first thing you should do before exercising. Now we know that you should warm up for 5-10 minutes by doing some light exercises and then you should stretch. The reason for this is that stretching cold muscles can directly contribute to pulled and torn muscles.

Here are some examples of stretching exercises:

Hamstring stretch
Lie on your back and place a piece of exercise tubing (or a rolled-up towel) around the bottom of one of your feet. Pull the tubing and raise your leg at the same time until a comfortable stretch is felt. Return to the starting position; and repeat for 10-15 repetitions. Repeat with other leg.

Torso twists
Stand with a shoulder-width stance. Place hands on hips. With knees slightly bent, turn from side to side, keeping feet firmly on the floor. Complete a total of 15-20 full swings.

Arm swings
Stand tall and hold arms out to your side. Slowly swing your arms back and forth across the front of your body. Repeat this continuous motion for 30 seconds.

Cross shoulder stretch
Stand up straight, with knees slightly bent. Place feet hip distance apart. Make sure toes are pointing forward. Keep shoulders even as you complete this stretch. Bend right arm at elbow joint, extend arm across chest. Place left hand on the right elbow to gently support the arm during this stretch. Feel the stretch in your right arm and shoulder. Inhale (breathe in) through your nose, and exhale (breathe out) through your mouth, as you complete this stretch. Hold stretch for a count of 8. Repeat this stretch on opposite side, using right hand to stretch left arm and shoulder.

Chest Stretch
Stand up straight, with knees slightly bent. Place feet hip distance apart. Make sure toes are pointing forward. Keep shoulders even as you complete this stretch. Place arms behind your back. Clasp your hands together, extending your arms behind your back and hold this position. Feel the stretch in your chest. Inhale (breathe in) through your nose, and exhale (breathe out) through your mouth, as you complete this stretch. Hold stretch for a count of 8.

Quad Stretch
Stand and hold onto a wall for balance if needed. Grab the top of the right foot and bend your knee, bringing the foot towards the buttocks, knee pointing straight at the floor. You should feel a stretch right down the front of your leg. Squeeze your hips forward for a deeper stretch. Switch sides

Precautions
See your doctor if you have any medical conditions, illnesses or injuries

What is Fitness?

Fitness isn’t how many miles you run, or how many squats you can do. It’s not the medals hanging on your wall or the food you eat. Fitness isn’t abs, pecs, quads, biceps, triceps or lats.

Fitness is what happens when we wake up and want to roll back over and sleep for another hour. Fitness is not hitting the snooze button. And braving the snow, rain, and hail. Fitness is forcing your body to keep running when your mind tells you to quit.

Fitness is not about being thin, having a small waist, or having bulging muscles. It is a combination of qualities that enable us to be at our full potential in performing vigorous physical activities. Physical Fitness involves the performance of the heart, lungs, and the muscles of the body. Specifically, it takes into account our Cardio Respiratory Endurance, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, and Flexibility. To some extent, Fitness also influences our mental and emotional development since what we do with our bodies also affects what we can do with our minds.

Although Physical Fitness and good health influences each other, they are not the same. Healthy people could be physically unfit due to lack of exercise. On the other hand, Physically Fit people perform their everyday tasks effortlessly.

What is a good fitness routine for a full-body workout?

The most efficient and effective way to do a full-body workout is to focus on multi-joint exercises that give you the 'most bang for your buck'. This means the more muscle groups you can work at once (within reason), the better. For example, instead of just doing a set of biceps curls, perform lunges with a curl at the bottom of each lunge. Focusing on multi-joint exercises will allow you to train all of the major muscle groups without spending your whole day in the gym.

The best time to do fitness workout thing in the morning, before you have eaten. This taps into stored body fat instead of food you have recently eaten. If you can’t walk outside or on a treadmill, you can melt pounds in place. Turn on some upbeat music and walk in place pumping your arms and bringing your knees as high as you comfortably can. Advanced: To advance the move and tone the body further, hold a soup can in each hand and “punch” one can alternately up and forward on each 4 count of steps.

There are literally thousands of exercises to choose from.
Here is an example of a total-body workout:

1. Push-ups (kneeling or regular)
2. Pull-ups (assisted or regular)
3. Standing shoulder press
4. Standing biceps curls
5. Triceps kickbacks
6. Bodyweight squats

Perform 1-2 sets and between 8-20 repetitions with a slow and controlled tempo.

As you can see, full-body routines are almost infinite in their variety. Adjust your routine to match your fitness needs and goals. If you are training for a sport, be sure to add in power, speed and agility work. The key here is to get creative with your workouts but not to the point where the exercises lose their effectiveness. Trying to create the perfect 'functional' exercise by combining as many exercises and variables as you can will only result in a loss of effectiveness and possibly an increased chance of injury.

What is a balance tool in fitness training?

Balance tools have been used to increase core and balance stability and strength. When you use one of these tools, it will challenge your ability to balance, which is helpful in teaching your body how to maintain control in different, challenging environments, as well as increase the number of muscles you use during an activity (thereby increasing the amount of calories you burn). You might see tools such as Dyna discs, Airex pads, or BOSUs. All of these tools will help you gain better balance and core stability.

Is Dehydration dangerous?

Dehydration, is defined as the loss of bodily fluids. It occurs when an organism loses more fluids than in takes in.The human body is anywhere from 55% to 78% water depending on age, gender and amount of body fat, and water is essential to human life.

Water forms the basis for all fluids in the body, such as blood and digestive juices, and it's the catalyst in all metabolic functions throughout the body. Water removes toxins and waste products from the body, and it carries nutrients to the cells of the body.

Did you know that by the time you are thirsty you are already dehydrated? Dehydration, as little as a 2% loss in fluid, negatively impacts your body and your mind.

Here are the effects of dehydration at a mild to moderate level:
Fatigue
Muscle weakness
Poor concentration
Headaches
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Decreased metabolism

For athletes or those with physical jobs, the inability to perform and focus as a result of mild dehydration may increase the risk of injury. Athletes and those with physical jobs may suffer a loss of performance of up to 30%. They may experience flushing, low endurance, rapid heart rates, elevated body temperatures, and rapid onset of fatigue. It is imperative that you drink enough fluid before, during, and after your workout or work shift.

Severe dehydration is the loss of 10-15% of body fluids and is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical care. The signs and symptoms of severe dehydration include extreme thirst, irritability and confusion, very dry mouth, dry skin and mucous membranes, lack of sweating, little or no urination, any urine that is produced will be dark yellow, sunken eyes, shriveled and dry skin, rapid heartbeat, fever, coma, and even death. Dehydration of any kind will not correct itself.

Many people who suffer from one or more of these ailments have no idea that dehydration is the cause, and that getting relief is as simple as consuming more water. Drinking plenty of water is the best way to stay hydrated because water is processed by the body differently than other types of fluids. It is recommended that you drink the number of ounces in fluid that is equal to half your body weight each day. For example, if you weigh 100 pounds, your hydration goal would be approximately 50 ounces per day with normal activities. You would adjust accordingly for days that you exercise intensely, drinking more.

Most active individuals have some level of dehydration at the end of a workout or work shift. Here is another hydration tip… It is recommended that you drink enough fluids to replace approximately 150% of the weight lost during exercise.

It is important to replace fluids lost when exercising, but drinking pure water exclusively isn't always the safest choice for those who participate in very strenuous or long-duration exercise. When significant amounts of fluid are lost through high-intensity exercise, just replacing water can lead to a chemical imbalance in the body and deficiencies in electrolytes (hyponatremia). Sports drinks, like Gatorade, can help restore electrolytes. These drinks should contain carbohydrates, sodium, and some potassium. The electrolytes in our body include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate, but sodium is the substance of most concern when replacing fluids lost through exercising. Electrolytes are essential for proper organ function. The loss of electrolytes may contribute to dehydration headaches. It is imperative that you take in the proper balance of water and electrolytes, especially during exercise.

Lassi - Refresher Summer Drink

Lassi is a popular yogurt based drink. It is as healthy and nutritious as yogurt. In Pakistan, it is the most famous summer drink. It is a hot weather refreshment. It is one of the easiest drinks to make.

It is a traditional Pakistani dairy beverage, originally from Punjab, made by blending yoghurt with water, salt, and spices (depending on the type of lassi) until the drink becomes frothy. It is consumed by over one billion Asians throughout the world. With its smooth, cool and refreshing taste, it is the perfect accompaniment to the hot and spicy flavours that epitomise Pakistani cuisine.

This traditional drink is economical and plentiful in Pakistan, where cows and buffalo provide an overflow of dairy-based recipes. Traditional lassi is sometimes flavoured with ground roasted cumin. In Punjab lassi sometimes uses a little milk and is topped with a thin layer of malai, clotted cream. Lassi is enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment. With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis.

Lassi can be of many types, but below are some of the most popular drink of summer-

- Sweet Lassi
- Salty Lassi(Chaas)
- Mango Lassi
- Pineapple Lassi

Its versatility, though, doesn’t end there. You can have your lassi sweetened with sugar or fruits. The ultimate luxury – saffron lassi – is popular in the Sindh region of Pakistan and Jodhpur (Rajasthan).

During Holi, the Indian festival of colors that marks the advent of spring, revelers frequently consume bhang lassi, bhang being a liquid derivative of cannabis – an occasion to let one’s hair down sanctioned by religion and culture!

How to Sleep Better

We do know, however, that good sleep is one of the cornerstones of health. Six to eight hours per night seems to be the optimal amount of sleep for most adults, and too much or too little can have adverse effects on your health.

The cure to sleep difficulties and daytime fatigue can often be found in your daily routine. Your sleep schedule, bedtime habits, and day–to–day lifestyle choices make an enormous difference in the quality of your nightly rest. The following sleep tips will help you optimize your nightly rest, minimize insomnia, and lay the foundation for all–day energy and peak performance.

1: Get on schedule - If you keep a regular sleep schedule, going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, you will feel much more refreshed and energized than if you sleep the same number of hours at different times. This holds true even if you alter your sleep schedule by only an hour or two.

2: Naturally regulate your sleep-wake cycle - Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin production is controlled by light exposure. Your brain should secrete more in the evening, when it’s dark, to make you sleepy, and less during the day when it’s light and you want to stay awake and alert. However, many aspects of modern life can disrupt your body’s natural production of melatonin and with it your sleep-wake cycle.

3: Keep the room as dark as possible - A peaceful bedtime routine sends a powerful signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down and let go of the day’s stresses.

4: Be mindful of what you eat or drink before bed - Your daytime eating and exercise habits play a role in how well you sleep. It’s particularly important to watch what you put in your body in the hours leading up to your bedtime.

5: Get anxiety and stress in check - If you can’t stop yourself from worrying, especially about things outside your control, you need to learn how to manage your thoughts. For example, you can learn to evaluate your worries to see if they’re truly realistic and learn to replace irrational fears with more productive thoughts. Even counting sheep is more productive than worrying at bedtime.

6: Ways to get back to sleep - It’s normal to wake briefly during the night. In fact, a good sleeper won’t even remember it. But if you’re waking up during the night and having trouble falling back asleep, the following tips may help.
-Stay out of your head.
-Make relaxation your goal, not sleep.
-Do a quiet, non-stimulating activity.
-Postpone worrying and brainstorming.

7. Visit your doctor- If you are concerned that you may have a sleep disorder, tell your doctor. Some of the most common sleep disorders are insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), narcolepsy, parasomnias, and heartburn (acid reflux). If you are indeed suffering from and are diagnosed with any of these conditions, your doctor will recommend treatment accordingly.

Foods That Help and Hurt

While no magic food will prevent every patient’s, a few dietary improvements can make a world of difference and may alleviate even the most daunting symptoms. One of the most important things is to improve your overall health and well-being to find out which foods can offer relief — and which should be banned from your table.

People who suffer from arthritis are familiar with the pains, cracks and pops define the condition. But small changes in your diet can yield big rewards in managing the disease.

1. Fatty fish (salmon, herring sardines) or any other food with omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, soy beans, flax seeds, canola oil and pumpkin seeds. Fatty fish also contain vitamin D, which helps prevent swelling and soreness.

2. Extra-virgin olive oil - Olive oil contains oleocanthal, which blocks enzymes involved in inflammation. About 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil acts like one-tenth of a dose of ibuprofen,

3. Sweet peppers, citrus fruits and other vitamin C-rich foods - Vitamin C protects collagen, a major component of cartilage. Inadequate amounts may increase your risk for some kinds of arthritis.

4. Brazil nuts - Contain huge amounts of selenium – 272 micrograms in just three or four nuts, compared to 63 micrograms in 3 ounces of tuna.

5. Onions and leeks - Contain quercetin, an antioxidant that may inhibit inflammatory chemicals, much like aspirin and ibuprofen do.

6. Tart cherries - The magic ingredient is anthocyanins, the pigments that give cherries – and grapes, black raspberries and eggplant – their vibrancy. They’re also powerful antioxidants that cut inflammation.

7. Green tea - Studies show that certain antioxidant compounds in the brew lessen the incidence and severity of arthritis.

Foods to Avoid

1. Shellfish, red meat - Purine, a compound that’s abundant in shellfish, meats, high-fat dairy foods and beer, converts to uric acid. These foods are no-nos for people at risk for or suffering from gout: clams, oysters, mussels, anchovies, herring, mackerel, liver, brain, kidney and sweetbreads.

2. Sunflower, safflower, corn and soybean oils - They're high in omega-6 fatty acids, which increase inflammation. Watch out: These oils are prevalent in U.S.-made baked goods and snacks.

3. Sugar - Some studies suggest that sugar may increase inflammation. Although it offers a quick energy boost, the high doesn’t last, which can be a drag for arthritis sufferers who already suffer from fatigue. Sugar is also high in calories, which leads to weight gain and added pressure on your joints.

Weight Loss & Dieting Tips

Our body weight is determined by the amount of energy that we take in as food and the amount of energy we expend in the activities of our day. Energy is measured in calories. If your weight remains constant, you are probably taking in the same amount of calories that you burn each day. If you're slowly gaining weight over time, it is likely that your caloric intake is greater than the number of calories you burn through your daily activities.

All too often, we make weight loss much more difficult than it needs to be with extreme diets that leave us cranky and starving, unhealthy lifestyle choices that undermine our dieting efforts, and emotional eating habits that stop us before we get started. But there’s a better way! You can lose weight without feeling miserable. By making smart choices every day, you can develop new eating habits and preferences that will leave you feeling satisfied—as well as winning the battle of the bulge.

Yet no matter what approach most people use to diet, their weight loss is temporary. The weight they lose almost always returns in the long run.

Think lifestyle change, not short-term diet. Permanent weight loss is not something that a “quick-fix” diet can achieve. Instead, think about weight loss as a permanent lifestyle change—a commitment to your health for life. Various popular diets can help to jumpstart your weight loss, but permanent changes in your lifestyle and food choices are what will work in the long run.

Slow and steady wins the race. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week to ensure healthy weight loss. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your mind and body, making you feel sluggish, drained, and sick. When you drop a lot of weight quickly, you’re actually losing mostly water and muscle, rather than fat.

Set goals to keep you motivated. Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don’t work as well as goals like wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children’s sakes. When frustration and temptation strike, concentrate on the many benefits you will reap from being healthier and leaner.

Use tools that help you track your progress. Keep a food journal and weigh yourself regularly, keeping track of each pound you lose and inch of your waist lost. By keeping track of your weight loss efforts, you’ll see the results in black and white, which will help you stay motivated.

Keep in mind it may take some experimenting to find the right diet for your individual body. It’s important that you feel satisfied so that you can stick with it on a long-term basis. If one diet plan doesn’t work, then try another one. There are many ways to lose weight. The key is to find what works for you.

TIPS FOR PLANNING A HEALTHY DIET

A healthy diet leads to feeling better about yourself and being more energized in your daily life. Eating the right foods, the right way, is a magic formula that can reduce the risks of diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It also will help increase energy, improve memory, and stabilize moods.

Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not just what you eat, but when our life-style changes, our eating habits also get changed and we seldom look for safe and healthy food habits; this change of food habits is indeed very dangerous to our overall body metabolism. So we have to curtail certain unsafe methods of eating and drinking.

Making some restrictions in our eating habits does not mean that we have to stay away from our favorite foods or dishes; the only thing we have to take care is that we must be conscious and cautious always. We have to make sure that we are not crossing the limits; this precaution will certainly do the trick for you.

1. Set yourself up for success - Instead of stopping a particular food all of a sudden, you can start the process slowly by reducing the consumption, in stages. This will make you mentally satiated and at the same time, will help you to stop it fully at a later stage.

2. Control your eating and eat just to satisfy the needs of the body; if you are not hungry don’t fill your stomach unnecessarily.

3. Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs.

4. Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance.

5. The importance of getting vitamins from food and avoid pills - The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases. And while advertisements abound for supplements promising to deliver the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables in pill or powder form, research suggests that it’s just not the same.

6. Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.

7. Limit sugar and salt - If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.

8. Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.

9. Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.

Eating strategies - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best. Adopting healthier eating habits does not have to be difficult, and it can put you quickly on your way to improved health. With a little bit of effort, you can make changes in your eating patterns that can make a substantial difference in your health. The key is being willing to change habits and adopt new ones.

Get a Head Start with Breakfast
Breakfast is one of the most important meals, yet it is probably the most skipped meal of the day. The word "breakfast" describes exactly what it does: breaks a fast. After a good night's rest, your body has gone eight to twelve hours without food or energy. It needs to replenish its blood sugar stores. Blood sugar, or glucose, which comes from the breakdown of food in the body, is your body's main source of energy.

These breakfast choices are sound nutrition choices because they are not only low in fat and cholesterol but also provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Some foods that you should choose less often are sausage, bacon, butter, whole milk and cream (including commercial nondairy creamer). These foods are high in saturated fat and cholesterol.

1—Choose fruit more often. Just a few great choices in the fruit family are: cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, oranges, bananas, pears, and apples.
2—Choose whole-grain cereals and products more often. Examples are whole wheat or bran breads, bagels, and cereal.
3—Try making pancakes and waffles with whole wheat flour instead of white flour and one whole egg and one egg white rafter than two whole eggs. For a low-fat topping with fiber, try applesauce, apple butter and cinnamon, or fruit and low-fat plain yogurt.
4—Fruit juice and skim milk are familiar breakfast drinks. For an extra boost in the morning, why not try a fruit smoothie made from juice, fruit and nonfat plain yogurt blended together. Other nonfat choices are seltzer water, coffee, and tea.

Lunch
At lunch, try to eat these foods less often: processed luncheon meats, fried meat, chicken, or fish; creamy salads, french fries and chips, richer creamy desserts, high-fat baked goods, and high-fat cheeses.

1— Try a fiber-rich bean, split pea, vegetable, or minestrone soup. Use commercially canned and frozen soups and cream soups less often—they can be high in sodium and fat. If you make your own soup, use broth or skim milk to keep the fat content low.
2— Have a bean salad or mixed greens with plenty of vegetables. For fiber include some vegetables like—carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and kidney or garbanzo beans. For a low-fat dressing, try lemon juice or a reduced-calorie dressing. If you use regular dressing, use only a very small amount.
3— Try sandwiches made with water-packed tuna, sliced chicken, turkey, lean meat, or low-fat cheese, and use whole-grain bread or pita bread. To decrease fat, use reduced-calorie mayonnaise, or just a small amount of regular mayonnaise, or use mustard. Mustard contains no fat.
4— For dessert, have fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, or a frozen fruit bar.
5— Fruit juice and skim milk are good beverage choices. Club soda with a twist of lemon or lime, hot or iced tea with lemon, or coffee without cream are refreshing drinks.

Dinner
For many, the end of the workday, represents a time to relax, and dinner can be a light meal and an opportunity to decrease fat and cholesterol.

1— Eat a variety of vegetables. To increase variety, try some that might be new to you, such as those from the cabbage family (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage), dark-green leafy vegetables (spinach and kale), and yellow-orange vegetables (winter squash and sweet potatoes).
For old favorites, like peas and green beans, skip the butter and sprinkle with lemon juice or herbs. Or, how about a baked potato, with the skin, and topped with low-fat yogurt and chives, tomato salsa, or a small amount of low-fat cheese?
2— Try whole wheat pasta and casseroles made with brown rice, bulgur, and other grains. If you are careful with preparation, these dishes can be excellent sources of fiber and low in fat. For example, when milk and eggs are ingredients in a recipe, try using 1 percent or skim milk, reduce the number of egg yolks and replace with egg whites.
3— Substitute whole-grain breads and rolls for white bread.
4— Choose main dishes that call for fish, chicken, turkey or lean meat. Don't forget to remove the skin and visible fat from poultry and trim the fat from meat.

Choosing the right place for eating Out

Eating out has become a very popular concept amongst all generations. Majority of us enjoy taking a break from the usual routine of home cooked dinner and eating out. Sometimes it is to relax and enjoy with family and friends while sometimes it is for official and work purposes like a business lunch ,a team outing etc. On special occasions like Birthdays ,we like to give a treat to our loved ones and share our joy with them .

Choosing the right resturant can be fun, but it can sometimes be detrimental to healthy eating resolutions as well. Between large portion sizes, creamy sauces and the sometimes high calorie content of restaurant meals, eating out can knock even the most determined dieter off the wagon. You don't have to skip the restaurant; smart dining out is all about making the right choices.

Seafood restaurants usually offer broiled, baked, or poached fish, and you can often request butter and sauces on the side. Many steak houses offer small steaks and have salad bars.

Try ethnic cuisines. Italian and Asian restaurants often feature low-fat dishes. though you must be selective and alert to portion size. Try a small serving of pasta or fish in a tomato sauce at an Italian restaurant. Many Chinese, Japanese, and Thai dishes include plenty of steamed vegetables and a high proportion of vegetables to meat.

Steamed rice, steamed noodle dishes, and vegetarian dishes are good choices too. Ask that the chef cook your food without soy sauce or salt to decrease sodium. Some Latin American restaurants feature a variety of fish and chicken dishes that are low in fat. Make sure you get what you want here are just a few things you can do to make sure you're in control when you eat out.

Choose a meal that contains plenty of brightly colored vegetables. They are rich in fiber, which can make you feel fuller more quickly. Vegetables are also packed with many of the essential vitamins and minerals the human body needs every day, as well.

Skip the Creamy Dressing, Salads are always a healthy option, but opt for vinegar- and oil-based dressing in place of creamy choices like Ranch or Thousand Island. One ladle of creamy dressing can add up to 300 extra calories to your meal, defeating the purpose of choosing a healthy salad over some other options on the menu.

Ask how dishes are cooked. Don't hesitate to request that one food be substituted for another. Order a green salad or baked potato in place of french fries or order fruit, fruit ice, or sherbet instead of ice cream. Request sauces and salad dressings on the side and use only a small amount.

Ask that butter not be sent to the table with your rolls. If you're not very hungry, order two low-fat appetizers rather than an entire meal, split a menu item with a friend, get a doggie-bag to take half of your meal home, or order a half-size portion. When you have finished eating, have the waiter clear the dishes away so that you can avoid postmeal nibbling.

Health benefits of oregano

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a perennial herb indigenous to Europe, Asia, and particularly the Mediterranean. It is a member of the mint family and is closely related to marjoram. The primary active medical ingredient in oregano is carvacrol, which has its highest concentration in the oil from oregano plants of the Mediterranean.

Oregano has been used since ancient times to treat medical ailments, Wikipedia reports that Hippocrates used oregano as an antiseptic, as well as a cure for stomach and respiratory ailments.

Benefits
- Both fresh and dried oregano can be used to create different dishes. Tea made with oregano is said to cure loss of appetite, nervousness, indigestion, bloating, flatulence, coughs, urinary problems, bronchial problems, headaches, swollen glands, and to promote menstruation.

- If you add oregano to pizzas they could be good for you, says a study by an Indian-origin researcher says the seasoning is a powerful weapon against prostate cancer.

- It was found that oregano has the potential to become a powerful weapon against prostate cancer. The researchers studied carvacrol, a chemical in oregano. Added to prostate cancer cells in the lab, it wiped them out.

The health effects of oregano do not stop with its antibacterial properties, however. Oregano is also a powerful source of many antioxidant vitamins. Antioxidant vitamins are thought to play a vital role in the prevention of many forms of cancer, as well as perhaps slowing down the aging process.

Oregano has been shown to have over 42 times the antioxidant activity as apples, 30 times higher than potatoes and 12 times more than oranges. As a matter of fact, ounce for ounce oregano is thought to be one of the most antioxidant dense of all foods.

Health benefits of rice

Rice is the staple food in most of the countries and it is an important cereal crop that feeds more than half of the world’s population.

Health benefits of rice can be found in more than forty thousand varieties of this cereal available in the world.Rice is mainly consumed in two different forms: brown rice and white rice. Brown rice is unmilled or partly milled and retains the outer bran and germs and as such can be called whole grain rice. It is these outer layers that contain all the nutrients.

Health benefits of rice include providing fast and instant energy, good bowel movement, stabilizing blood sugar levels and providing essential source of vitamin B1 to human body. Other benefits include skin care, dysentery and heart diseases.

Rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates which give us the energy we need. According to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations), rice provides 20 percent of the world's dietary energy supply.

Rice is low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium and hence makes a perfect food for those with high blood pressure and requiring a low-sodium diet. The calcium in rice (especiall brown rice) helps lower blood pressure.

Replacing rice with wheat is not a good idea since it means reducing your intake of amino acids (protein's building blocks) and Vitamin B. As for brown rice, it has the outer layer (husk and bran) intact thereby making it high in fibre. Now of course we want fibre but if your rice has more fibre than you can digest, brown rice will only cause indigestion. On the other hand, rice that emits blinding whiteness may not be the best source of nutrients either.

Thus, to get the best of both worlds, polish your rice to the extent that helps it retain its nutrients (proteins, Vitamin B and fibre) and looks brownish or reddish. Remove the outer bran but allow the rice grain to show off its brown/red strains. Don't worry, this won't compromise the taste and yes, you can eat basmati rice with the brown/red strains as well.

The protein in this rice (red-rice or hand-polished rice) is absorbed much better by your body than in brown rice. It is also way easier to cook and digest as compared to brown rice. It is easy to digest, easy to absorb, easy to assimilate proteins from and easier on your excretory system too. This is exactly how the farming community of India eats its rice.

Brown rice is said to contain high levels of neurotransmitter nutrients that can prevent Alzheimer’s disease to a considerable extent.

Rice powder is also used externally as a soothing powder in cases of skin inflammation such as small-pox, measles, prickly heat, burns and scalds.

To sum it up, rice is an important part of a healthy diet. To derive the maximum benefit from it, include unpolished or brown and wild rice varieties as often as you can in your meals along with white rice.

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Type of Rice

There are at least a dozen different types of rice to choose from at the grocery store: long-grain, short-grain, white, brown, basmati, instant or converted.

The different types of rice include the following:
- Short-grain rice is very starchy and cooks up soft and sticky. It’s used in things like sushi, paella, and risotto.

- Long-grain rice contains less starch so the cooked grains are drier and more separate. It’s often used in pilafs or dishes with a lot of sauce.

- Jasmine and basmati are long-grain varieties that have been cultivated to bring out distinctive flavor profiles. They often turn up in Indian and Asian food.

- Brown rice—which is also available in long and short grains—is a lot chewier and heartier than white rice and takes about twice as long to cook.

You can also buy instant or converted rice. Both have been partially cooked and then dehydrated. If you’re using a pre-processed rice, it’s important to follow the preparation instructions on the package.

Nutritional Differences in Rice:
Brown rice is a whole grain, meaning that both the germ and the bran parts of the grain have been preserved. In white rice, these have been polished away. As a result, brown rice is higher in magnesium and other minerals. It also has more fiber. For example, a cup of white long-grain rice contains just one gram of fiber, whereas a cup of brown rice contains four. As a point of reference, you’re shooting for between 25 and 30 grams of fiber each day.

One of the things fiber does for you is slow down the speed at which carbohydrates are converted into blood sugar.

There are fairly big differences between the various kinds of rice in terms of cooking times and the texture of the cooked rice. So, if you are cooking from a recipe, it’s important to pay attention to what kind of rice the recipe calls for. Substituting a different kind of rice can really change how a recipe comes out—not always in a good way.

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Benefits of papaya

Papaya is a melon like fruit with yellow- orange flesh with dozens of small black seeds enclosed in skin that ranges in color from green to orange. Papaya has high nutritional benefits. It is rich in Anti-oxidants, the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; and the minerals, potassium and magnesium; and fiber.

Together, “these nutrients promote the health of the cardiovascular system and also provide protection against colon cancer.” In addition, papaya contains the digestive enzyme, papain, which is used like bromelain, a similar enzyme found in pineapple, to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, and allergies. Vitamin C and vitamin A, which is made in the body from the beta-carotene in papaya, are both needed for the proper function of a healthy immune system. Papaya may therefore be a healthy fruit choice for preventing such illnesses as recurrent ear infections, colds and flu.

The pectin in papayas is used to make jellies. The black seeds are sometimes used to substitute black pepper when ground. In fact, many times, adulteration of black pepper is done with papaya seeds. Papaya seeds also help relieve itching due to mosquito bites, when rubbed on the bites.

In parts of Asia, the young leaves are eaten as a food after they are steamed, while in some other areas, a tea is prepared from the leaves especially as a remedy for malaria.

Papaya extracts are used in soaps and other skin care products. Papain is used as one of the ingredients in some chewing gums.

The fruit is good for hair growth and is known to check the growth of dandruff.

Because of the high content of papain in the raw papaya it is used to make meat tender.

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Papaya Tea

It is made from the leaves of the papaya tree. It is rich in digestive enzymes and vitamins A, B, C, E and the minerals zinc and phosphorus.

Ingredients
Three Papaya leaves
One litre Water

Method
- Cook papaya leaves in water
- Simmer until the water is reduced to half, strain and store in the refrigerator.
- Fifty ml, three times a day is considered to be a therapeutic dose.

For preventative measures it is used in much the same way that the Japanese drink green tea.
- Papaya tea stays well for about 3 days.
- If you do not have a fresh supply of leaves, consider preserving the leaves either by drying or lacto-fermentation.


Health Benefit of papaya leaf tea:
- Anti tumor activity leading to protection against tumors and cancers.
- Protection against alcohol induced gastric damage like ulcers etc.
- Correcting issues related to digestion due to the enzymes it contains.
- Offering a diuretic effect reducing swellings etc. However exercise caution if you are taking other diuretics as taking papaya tea could result in excessive fluid loss.

Common Pilates Injuries to Avoid

Patients with pain stemming from excessive movement and degeneration of the intervertebral discs and joints are particularly likely to benefit from a Pilates exercise program. In addition, postural asymmetries can be improved, thus decreasing wear and tear resulting from uneven stresses on the intervertebral joints and discs.

Pilates improves strength, flexibility and suppleness of the muscles of the hip and shoulder girdle. Fluid and supported movement through these joints helps prevent unnecessary torque on the vertebral column.

Because of the increasing popularity of Pilates, there seems to be more complaints of Pilates and back pain. some of which are due to overcrowded classes and inexperienced teachers. Because of the complexity and focus needed to execute the movements properly, if they are not cued just right and without proper warm-up, you could wind up hurting yourself.

There are many different hybrid types of Pilates classes popping up and people are joining them, thinking they are learning the classical movements. Pilates on the ball, Pilates with the bar and Yogilates are just a few that combine other forms of exercise that you may just not be ready for.

The Pilates program also teaches awareness of movement habits that may stress the spine, and helps the patient change these habits to those that preserve neutral alignment. Awareness of excessive tension and the use of proper focus helps the patient use the body efficiently.

Imprinting the Spine: When you imprint the spine into your mat, this means you are pressing the spine or back into the mat.
This exercise can cause compression on the discs of the spine.

Right Method: Neutral Spine is the only place where the muscles can work safely and effectively to support the spine in all movements.

Roll-Up: Most people use momentum to do the roll-up. This exercise can cause Pilates lower back injuries when done repetitively and with tight hip flexors and weak core muscles.

Right Method: Use a mini ball at the lower back to help support the back as you roll into it only halfway down.

Swimming and Swan Dive: Lying on your stomach with arms and legs extended.These exercises, when lifting the arms and legs, can cause the back to hyperextend and cause excessive disc compression.

Right Method: Draw the abdominals up off the mat and extend one arm and opposite leg, keeping the head down on the mat.

Rolling: Rolling like a ball is supposed to be gentle and like a massaging action.If you have Osteoporosis, this exercise can cause fractures of the spine if done too aggressively. Also, by throwing the head and not engaging the abdominal muscles, it can cause compression of the lower back as well as whiplash in the neck.

Right Method: Practice just balancing on your tailbone - sitting up or lying down - hugging your knees and rocking gently back and forth without rolling up to a balance.

Leg Circles: Lying on your back with one leg at 90-degree angle and the other straight on the mat. If you have tight hamstrings, keeping both legs straight, can pull excessively on the lower back and not allow you to effectively keep the tailbone down and use the abdominal muscles to stabilize the body.

Right Method: Bend the leg you are circling so the spine can relax into its neutral position and then the torso is better able to stay anchored, making the exercise more effective.

Fitness Safety Tips

One of the best ways to tone your body, lose weight, and improve your energy levels is to participate in regular physical exercise. Performing 20-30 minutes of exercise, three to five times a week can not only get you looking and feeling better, but it can also reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other serious illnesses. However, before you rush into an exercise routine, it is important to become familiar with some exercise safety tips. Practicing exercise safety will ensure that you limit your chances of injury and get the most out of your health and fitness routine!

Consult a health professional.
If you’re starting out on a new Fitness routine, remember to consult a health professional to provide expert advice before you begin. This is a must to foresee possible health risks posed by the exercise, especially for those with medical conditions. It is best to seek professional guidance rather than risking your health and safety.

Start Slowly
If you are just beginning to get back into the routine of regular exercise, it is important to start slowly. Don't think that you are going to be able to climb a mountain or participate in a triathlon right away! You need to build up your stamina slowly and get your body accustomed to physical exertion. The majority of exercise-related injuries are a result of pushing too hard when you are just starting out.

Warm Up and Cool Down
The most important part of exercising is the ten minutes before and after your workout! Spend ten minutes warming up your muscles before any type of exercise. If you jump straight in, you risk damaging your muscles or straining your heart. Do some slow jogging to increase your heart rate slowly and warm up your muscles.

Stay Hydrated
Dehydration is one of the common problems suffered by individuals who frequently exercise. This may pose as a serious problem as water is a vital component of the human body, making up almost 78% of our body. Make sure you hydrate by drinking plenty of fluids so that which is lost from sweating is restored back to your body. Fluids help muscle endurance, as dehydrated muscles easily get sore and tired.

Work with a Fitness partner.
A Fitness partner or a buddy may be helpful especially if you are not exercising under the watchful eye of a Fitness Trainer. A Fitness friend can be your spotter, motivator, or warn you in case you are overtraining. Besides, working with someone is better than exercising alone. It makes all the exercise much more fun.

Wear the right kind of clothing and footwear.
Wearing the wrong shoe is usually the common cause of exercise injuries. Make sure that you’re wearing the right shoe size, and provide much needed support for your feet. Appropriate clothing is also a must. Wear comfortable clothes that are quick to dry and allow you to move freely during your regimen.

Know your limitations.
Don't do everything at once. Just because you've been pedaling an hour a day on a recumbent cycle doesn't mean you can suddenly bike up a mountain without suffering pain and stiffness the next day. Get used to outdoor activities gradually, and you'll have the whole summer to play outside.

Common Fitness & Workout Injuries

Sometimes it’s a matter of doing the right activity too much or too often; sometimes it’s a matter doing the right activity wrong; and sometimes it’s a matter of choosing the wrong activity for your particular body type or physical conditioning.

Even the most fit person can injure themselves during exercise. Fitness injuries are not just limited to the obese.There are ways to prevent injuries, your first step is always to see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Exercising with chronic pain is a recipe for disaster and may turn a temporary problem into a permanent one. Once you visit your doctor, talk to him or her about how to work around your injury.

The best prevention against fitness injury is to warm up properly before exercising by stretching and doing light movements to warm up your muscles. Starting to exercise without warming up makes your muscles prone to injury.

Common fitness injuries are pulled muscles, strained back, turned ankles and shoulder sprain. Often, when people begin a fitness routine using weights, they will try to lift a weight heavier than they should. This is one of the most common causes of strained backs and shoulder injuries. The most vulnerable muscles, however, are the hamstring, thigh, leg and calf, and strains in these muscles are common even in the most fit athlete. For beginners, the most common place for injury is the ankle or knee.

Here are some of the common fitness & workout injuries
- Pulled/Strained Muscles: This may be caused by not doing warm-up exercises and not stretching. If you fail to do warm-up exercises, you are surely asking for trouble. Warming up is done to prepare your muscles for the task ahead of you.

- Lower Back Pain: This usually happens when you often do an exercise that uses the muscles on your lower back intensively, like Running. Another cause is lifting a heavy weight without bending your knees. To avoid this, try doing exercises that strengthen your lower back and abdomen. Take a day off from the activity that causes it so the pain will not get worse.

- Knee Pain: Pain in the knees can be from a variety of causes. But this type of injury can put your Fitness life at risk especially if you are a runner. One way to avoid knee pain is by not overusing your knees.

To avoid these injuries, follow these simple guidelines: warm up and stretch, cool down after you exercise, do not lift too much weight immediately, and take some time to rest and let your body heal. By following these rules, your chances of getting injured are minimized and you become insured of being able to exercise for a longer time.

Setting Your Fitness Goals

In life, friends, family, education & work. How does anyone find time to exercise?

Becoming and staying Physically Fit requires the setting of specific Fitness Goals. You have to be realistic in setting your Fitness Goals and make them achievable. you should take a more calculated approach when setting fitness goals. It may seem counterintuitive to start small, but remember that you want to set yourself up for success not burnout or injury.

However, it's important to find some way to incorporate activity into your busy lifestyle. Researchers have found that moderate daily exercise may reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and other chronic diseases. If you are seeking general health improvement, just 30 minutes a day should do the trick.

Becoming and staying fit is a lifelong process, so don't become discouraged. Small steps, each day is the key.

- Focus on one goal and be extremely specific about it. Having a single, clear and defined goal will layout the foundation for you to discover how to reach that goal. That means quantifying what you want to achieve that is meaningful to you. Here are some examples:

“I want to lose 10 pounds in 1 months.”
“I want to run a 5K by the end of two months.”

- Motivate yourself. Common motivations are: to have a long, healthy life; to Be Physically Fit; to look better; to be thin or lean; to improve one's love life; to take up a sport; and to eliminate serious health concerns. But regardless of what motivation you have, you need to make your program a part of your routine, gear up, proceed, and be committed to your Fitness Goals.

- Rest but stay Focused. When you are specific about your goal, you can create a process to take specific, actionable steps to meet your end result. By keeping it simple, hitting an achievable milestone will be an empowering experience. There will be less variables to think of while tracking progress, and a smaller goal will also be easier to fit in your schedule. Once you’ve established what you want to achieve, then you can move on to figuring out how you should achieve it.

Don’t consider missing your goal a failure. The final outcome is not supposed to be the end of your fitness experience. The habit you create and the intrinsic change in your behavior. Keep going, and you will eventually reach your goal.

Choosing a Gym

Choosing a gym is an important investment in a healthy lifestyle, so take the time to find the right gym for your needs. Choosing the right gym will ensure your success. It would be easier for you to pick up a gym that suits your need if you have a more specific Fitness Goals.

The most important way to ensure that you will stick with an exercise routine is finding a gym that is close to your home or office and one where you feel comfortable, Although there are certain Common Features amongst Gyms (e.g. variety of exercise equipment and classes, a weight room, a locker room, and qualified trainers), they are not alike. The difference lies in the gym's level of privacy, extent of opulence, clientele, and staff. Before Joining a Gym, analyze your requirements, your budget.

Tips for selecting a right Gym
- Narrow down your interests: The first thing to look for when choosing a gym is deciding what you are interested in doing. Some gyms offer more classes than others, some have pools, and others offer amenities like racquetball. Other gyms offer child care or have a coffee bar, which might make them more expensive but may also mean you would work out more often.

- Cost: Be aware of what you are looking for in a gym and what you will be paying for in a membership. If you just want to use the weights but are getting charged for the sauna, racquetball courts, swimming pool, etc., you may wish to look into a no-frills gym at a lower rate.

Equipment - Equipment selection is a very individual point that holds varying weights for different people. Some people like a wide variety of equipment and machines while others just need some benches, dumbells and barbells. A gym that has too much equipment can be just as bad as a gym that doesn’t have enough as they can be quite confusing, especially to a beginning trainer.

Trainers - Are the other people who work out at that gym friendly and/or knowledgeable? Training in a positive atmosphere can do wonders for anybody. Fitness Instructors or Trainers not only guide you through your workout, they can also help motivate you and offer advice on any fitness related activities. The well-trained, informed, and concerned fitness expert is a vital asset in the gym. However, the staff at many Fitness Establishments isn't always experienced or even qualified.

Clientele
Almost everyone who goes into a public gym is people-conscious. If you are a gym-beginner and will most likely suffer from insecurities of being in a new environment, find a gym with a quieter, more subtle crowd. However, there are those who prefer a competitive surrounding and need constant scrutiny of fellow trainers to boost them toward their Fitness Goals. In this case, opt for a packed gym. Still, if you're not into socializing, you can always choose to workout at home - provided you have the proper Fitness Home Equipment. It all depends on you.

Changing facilities - Some gyms have good changing rooms while others have what seems to be a closet. Many gyms offer lockers as well. If a good locker room is important to you, be sure to check this out before signing up.

Hours Of Operation - Everyone has a different preference for when they like to work out. Some people are early morning people where others would rather wait until the gym is empty and go late into the night. Inquire about their holiday gym hours. Are they closed on all statutory holidays? What about weekends? Do they have reduced hours on these days?

Pilates

Pilates (pronounced: puh-lah-teez) improves mental and physical well-being, increases flexibility, and strengthens muscles through controlled movements done as mat exercises or with equipment to tone and strengthen the body.

Joseph H. Pilates, the founder of the pilates exercise method, which emphasizes the balanced development of the body through core strength, flexibility, and awareness in order to support efficient, graceful movement.For decades, it's been the exercise of choice for dancers and gymnasts.

Most gyms these days offer Pilates classes which are mostly mat work. This is a method of exercise and physical movement designed to strengthen, stretch and balance the body. It uses controlled movements in the form of exercises or equipment to strengthen and tone the body. Pilates is somewhat similar to Yoga but they have different goals.

Many types of people, at many levels of fitness, who have begun doing Pilates exercises say they've seen improvements in range of motion, flexibility, circulation, posture, and abdominal strength and decreases in back, neck and joint pain.

Here I am discussing some of the benefits of Pilates

Body Awareness - awareness of how you sit or how you stand or how you move and being able to relate those habits to the aches and pains and injuries you have or have had in the past. For example, she says, it can help make you aware of that chronic tweak in the neck you get from sitting at the computer all day with rounded shoulders and a phone cradled between ear and shoulder.

Refreshing mind-body workout - One becomes aware of how body feels and how to control movements through emphasizing correct spinal and pelvic alignment, proper breathing and concentration on smooth, flowing movement. Pilates gets your mind in tune with your body.

Prevent body from sport injuries - Pilates conditions the whole body, helping you enjoy daily activities and sports with greater ease and less chance of injury.

A Stronger Core - Pilates develop a strong core which consists of the deep abdominal muscles and those muscles close to the spine. Control of the core is achieved by integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle.

Acquire efficient patterns of motion - Through developing proper technique, you can retain body to move in safer, more efficient patterns of motion which are useful in injury recovery, sports performance, attaining good posture and optimal health.

There are two ways to exercise in pilates:
Today, most people focus on the mat exercises, which require only a floor mat and training. These exercises are designed so that your body uses its own weight as resistance.
The other method uses a variety of machines to tone and strengthen the body, again using the principle of resistance.

Nowadays, Pilates is clearly recognized as a positive form of movement-based exercise that can truly be tailored to any level of Fitness or health.

Measuring Weight in Fitness Assessment

There are an endless number of possible tests and measurements that trainers and coaches may use to determine an individual's baseline fitness level. Even the military has its own standards: Army Physical Fitness and Combat Readiness Tests.

These tests are often the starting point for designing an appropriate exercise program. Weight assessment can also be a sole factor, many people use the bathroom scale as their sole measure of progress. This makes sense, since they want to lose weight.But do you really want to lose weight, or do you specifically want to lose fat? Do you also want to be healthier?

Weight loss is affected not just by what you eat but by what physical activity you are engaged in, what your Body Composition is made of and even by genetics. Still, losing weight, gaining weight or maintaining your weight largely depends on the amount of calories you take in and use up during the day. If you eat just about the same amount of calories to meet your body's energy needs, your weight will stay the same. The Key to Weight Control and Fitness is keeping your energy intake (food) and energy output (physical activity) in balance.

You should only weigh yourself every couple of weeks. You can measure your progress more accurately with the measuring tape.

Process:
- Take shoes and socks off.
- Stand on the scales with feet evenly spaced and weight evenly distributed over both feet.

To compare your weight with the standard height and weight table for men and women go to the Fitness Calculators section. After recording your weight, you should monitor it by weighing yourself subsequently, no more than once a week (not daily) and preferably at the same time. You could also take pictures, videos, or measurements of yourself to help you compare with your results and keep track of your progress.

While some of us weigh just the right amount and others need to gain a few pounds, many of us fight excess body fats at some time in our life. Whatever your Fitness Goals, you should understand and gain from the Important Role of Exercise in Keeping your Body Weight Under Control.

Fitness Assessment

A fitness assessment is a series of measurements that help determine physical fitness. There are several standard tests in a fitness assessment and many involve exercise in some form. The main tests are fitness assessments, evaluation of body composition, muscular strength, muscular and cardiovascular endurance and flexibility. Additional tests may evaluate resting heart rate and blood pressure and maximal aerobic capacity.

Fitness testing can be done in two areas i.e. health-related fitness and skilled-related fitness.

- Health-related fitness - we refer body composition (height, weight, body mass index), aerobic capacity (e.g., treadmill stress test), flexibility (sit and reach, shoulder stretch, etc.), muscular endurance and muscular strength.

- Skilled-related fitness we refer agility, balance, anaerobic power and those specific motor skills. All of these testings and each of them taken separately should be conducted by and under control of a professional. Otherwise they are useless.

A fitness assessment is frequently performed at a health club, and these tend to be fairly minor assessments. The assessors may not be particularly well trained. In most cases, if one has not exercised much in the past, the best place to assess fitness is with one’s doctor prior to beginning an exercise regime. Some of the tests performed may be similar, but will have the added attraction of interpretation by an expert.

A physician can also help one establish a modified fitness program based on high blood pressure readings, or on any heart anomalies. A doctor can also help address such problems medically as needed. This is most valuable since it can be dangerous to proceed with an exercise program if one has cardiac or blood pressure issues. Any injuries may also be evaluated to help determine the safest way to become more fit, or to maintain physical fitness.

Basic Components of Personal Fitness

Physical fitness is considered a measure of the body's ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist hypokinetic diseases, and to meet emergency situations.

Some people think that being physically fit means to function effectively throughout your workday, perform your usual other activities and still have enough energy left over to handle any extra stresses or emergencies which may arise.

Trying to decide what the main components of personal fitness are usually depends on your own individual needs or goals.
But I am guessing, as with many of us, your goal is to lose weight and improve your fitness and/or appearance..but we could just describe the main components of personal fitness as:

1. Cardiorespiratory endurance
the efficiency with which the body delivers oxygen and nutrients needed for muscular activity and transports waste products from the cells. To measure this Fitness Component, you can step on and off a 10- to 12-inch-high step and then take your heart rate after three to five minutes. You can also do long Runs and Swims to assess your cardiorespiratory endurance.

2. Muscular endurance
This is the ability of a muscle, or a group of muscles, to sustain repeated contractions or to continue applying force against a fixed object. For a fitness assessment of your muscular endurance, you can do push-ups on your fitness mats. The more push-ups you can do, the fitter you are.

3. Muscular strength - Is the amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert against a heavy resistance. You can measure physical fitness components, like this, by lifting weights.

4. Flexibility - is the degree to which an individual muscle will lengthen. This should be performed before and after each workout. By performing a simple motion and observing how far you can go, you can assess the flexibility of each part of your body.

5. Body composition - - the percentage of body fat a person has in comparison to his or her total body mass.Body composition can be measured through the Body Mass Index or BMI. If you are using body composition to measure your fitness goals, it is important that you use the same body fat measurement technique.

Advice on using Red meat

It’s no secret that red meat can be harmful to our health — while high in protein, it’s also packed with fats that can contribute to heart disease and diabetes and other compounds that can promote cancer.

The findings show that each extra daily serving of processed red meat – equivalent to one hot dog or two rashers of bacon.

Conversely, replacing red meat with fish, poultry, or plant-based protein foods contributed to a longer life. Nuts were said to reduce mortality rate by 20%, making a case for swapping roast beef for nut roast.

Research claimed that women who cut down on red meat are likely to suffer from anxiety and depression.

Wellness experts are of the opinion that eating a moderate amount of lean red meat, which is roughly about three to four small, palm-sized pieces a week, would be important for overall health and would help women fight depression and anxiety. Red meat contains high level of nutrients including Omega-3 fatty acids which are crucial for mental as well as physical health.

Though red meat is good for your health, stick to lean-cut meat to avoid excessive fat consumption and heart issues. Make sure you exercise enough to utilise excessive calorie/ protein intake say experts.

Red meat is an excellent source of protein. It is rich in iron with good bio-availability which helps in the development and well-being of the mind. But make sure to not consume preserved meats like ham, bacon, salami as they are high in their fat content and are often held responsible for chronic conditions like cancers.

Red meat can still be eaten as part of a balanced diet, but go for the leaner cuts and use healthier cooking methods such as grilling. If you eat processed meats like bacon, ham, sausages or burgers several times a week, add variation to your diet by substituting these for other protein sources such as fish, poultry, beans or lentils.

12 Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

Lemon is one of the most inexpensive fruit that is available yet with number of Health Benefits and it is also easily available citrus fruit, popular for its culinary and medicinal uses. Lemon is used in making variety of recipes such as lemon cakes, lemon chicken and beverages like lemonade and lemon-flavored drinks.

Lemon, we all now that it is very rich in Vitamin C and t also contains vitamins like vitamin B, riboflavin and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium as well as proteins and carbohydrates. Lemon is usually taken in the form of lemon juice and lemon water. Lemon water when taken in the morning provides a great health benefits.

Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

1. Relieve digestion problems like bloating, heartburn, and constipation. With the aid of lemon water, the bowels eliminate waste more efficiently. It also helps to digest your foods and dissolve gallstones by helping your liver produces more bile – a fluid secreted by liver and stored in the gallbladder, to assist in the digestion of fats.

2. Relieve fever, cold or flu. Add juice of 1 lemon to a cup of hot water with honey and drink it. You can drink it for every 2 hours until the fever or chills subsides.

3. Help in removing blackhead, acne, and make your skin more radiant. This is due to the vitamin C in lemon which can rejuvenate the skin from within. Its alkaline nature kills some type of bacteria known to cause acne. To remove acne, apply fresh lemon juice on acne part and leave it overnight. Rinse it on the following morning.

4. Natural remedy for sore throat. Lemon can also help in fighting problems related to throat infections, sore throat and tonsillitis as it has an antibacterial property.

5. Help in respiratory problems and breathing problems such as asthma.

6. Combat rheumatism and arthritis. Lemon has a powerful alkaline effect in the body, and therefore a natural agent against excess acid, which is in part responsible for rheumatism. Drink lemon in lukewarm water 3 times a day and if you experience severe pain, add the juice of 2 lemons 3 times a day.

7. Help to control high blood pressure. Due to the high potassium content in lemon, lemon water helps in controlling high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea.

8. Relax anxiety, combat fatigue. Lemon has calming effects.

9. Good for weight loss. One of the main and major health benefits of Lemon water is that lemon water helps in reducing weight faster. If a person takes lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can reduce the body weight as well.

10. Assist in toothache by getting rid of the pain. The massage of lemon juice on gums can stop gum bleeding.

11. Freshen up your breath after consuming certain alcohol, cigarettes or spices, or that is caused by insufficient salivation.

12. Act as blood purifier. Drinking lemon water can help in the diseases like cholera or malaria.

Try to make use of the above 12 benefits of drinking lemon water. Since water plays a vital role in your body, dehydration can be dangerous and life threatening. To learn about importance of drinking water, symptoms of dehydration and tips on how much water you should drink every day.

Honey and Lemon benefits for Weight Loss

Obesity is the physical condition of the body when excessive deposition of fat takes place in the tissues, putting a strain on the heart, kidneys, liver and the joints such as the hips, knees and ankles and thus, overweight people are susceptible to several diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, liver and gall bladder disorders.

Going on a honey and lemon diet can help relieve you of your weight problem.

Honey is an excellent natural home remedy for obesity and lowering of cholesterol levels. It mobilizes the extra deposited fat in the body allowing it to be utilized as energy for normal functions and purifying the blood as a result. Fasting on honey and lemon-juice, an alkaline food, is highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity without the loss of energy and appetite. For this natural cure , mix one teaspoon of raw honey (unheated) with the juice of two teaspoons of lime or lemon juice in a glass of room temperature or lukewarm water (not boiling water!).

Take this remedy as a wake-up drink once in the morning on a empty stomach. Also commonly taken after a big and oily meal, this simple delicious tonic is an effective digestive and detox tonic. And of course, in every successful weight loss program, do bear in mind that principles such as forming healthy eating habits and diets, and keeping to a regular exercise regime over the long run are extremely important as well

Benefits of Honey, improves immunity, relieves anxiety

Pure, natural honey brought to us by one of God’s marvelous creations, the honeybee. It is packed with over 180 different compounds, providing us with many healing properties and health benefits. The consumption of three to five tablespoons of honey each day provides these benefits without side effects, risks or negative health consequences.

The benefits from honey are directly proportional to its quality. Honey is primarily composed of fructose, glucose and water. It also contains trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins, including niacin, riboflavin, panthothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Honey contains flavonoids and phenolic acids, and the darker the honey, the higher the level of antioxidants. Honey acts as a prebiotic and aids in the growth of friendly bifidobacteria, thus improving gut health.

All varieties of honey are rich in amino acids. One study has found that the level of amino acids present in honey is a reliable indicator of its antioxidant capacity. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of life, essential for our very existence. When you examine the various properties and benefits of each amino acid, you will start to form a clearer picture as to why honey is so beneficial

Even in our day-to-day lives, whether it's a sore throat or a slight burn, we immediately use honey as a quick home remedy. But did you know that this magical product is effective in many other ways too? Here are some alternative ways you can make use of honey.

Improves immunity: Amongst the many health benefits of honey, what is most impressive to me is that honey can be a powerful immune system booster. It's antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties can help improve digestive system and help you stay healthy and fight disease. Start every brand new day with this cleansing tonic if you want to see this health benefit of honey: before breakfast, mix a spoonful of honey and lemon juice from half a lemon into a cup of warm water and drink it.

To relieve anxiety and nervousness: Yes, if you want to reduce or lower your stress levels, you don't necessarily have to depend on medical prescriptions. Add some pure honey in your porridge. The nutrients in honey produce a calming effect, especially when taken in significant amounts. That's the reason why some consider it a part of the breakfast of champions. Honey can also be mixed with a suitable beverage for a good night's sleep!

Acts as an energy booster: Why consume palpitation-inducing energy drinks when you already have honey? You can mix honey with some water and then drink this solution. The glucose content in the honey will be absorbed by the brain and in the bloodstream, which will reduce your body fatigue. This one is simple, yet effective.

Remedy for ulcers in diabetics: While you have a host of products in the market that can cure ulcers, you can speed up the healing process naturally, if you use honey as a topical solution. Its ability to heal wounds will certainly come in handy when other ointments are not advised to use, especially if you suffer from diabetes.

Healthy oils: Which oil should you use?

Almost everyone that comes of age, rarely understand why certain ailments affect them through later stages in their life. No matter how healthy you might seem, or how moderate you are with eating the right stuff, There comes a day when it just drops on you suddenly & you're running to & from to the doctor, checking your sugar levels, Cholesterol levels, which could lead to things like heart disease & other heart related issues.

Cooking oils & certain oils used in products such as potato chips, crackers & specific types of candy for example all have chemically altered oil, which is very bad for the human heart. Below i intend to explain to the best of my knowledge the difference between the oils used in food products, which oils to avoid and the differences between virgin olive oil & extra virgin olive oil.

If you're not sure how to choose healthy oils for cooking, it's important that you understand the essential differences between saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Once you understand the basic characteristics of these fatty acids, you'll know which commonly available oils are good for your health, and which ones you should avoid whenever possible.

Here's a look at the basic differences between the three types of fatty acids that are found in all commonly available oils:

Saturated fatty acids pack together tightly, making oils that contain a large percentage of them extremely stable when exposed to heat and light. Oils that have a high percentage of saturated fatty acids are your best choice for cooking.

Monounsaturated fatty acids do not pack together as tightly as saturated fatty acids do. They are relatively stable when exposed to heat, so oils that contain a high percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids are a fair choice for cooking.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids do not pack together very well. They are unstable when extracted out of whole foods, so oils that have a high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids tend to produce significant amounts of free radicals when exposed to heat. These oils should never be used for cooking.

Additionally, when we look at fat beyond just the cooking oils in everyday food, it leads to a lot of confusion. Generally speaking, we all need fat for several reasons. Fat gives us essential fatty acids - omega-3 and omega-6. It helps in absorption on fat- soluble vitamins-A, D, E and K. Fat adds the satiety value to foods we eat, and it supplies our body with crucial energy.

Which oil should you consume? Definitely not the refined version that the TV ads make us believe is cholesterol free or good for the heart. Refined oils are scrapped of all the necessary healthy nutrients, i.e., the vitamins and polyphenols that work in the body as antioxidants. So buy the filtered oils. Although they may look dark and can have a different smell, it is the aroma of the natural seeds from which the oil is extracted.

Following is a quick reference guide to help you select the best cooking oil to set a healthier table for your family.

Corn Oil: Corn oil’s mild flavor makes it a great all-purpose oil for general cooking and baking.3 It is also one of the most heart-healthy cooking oils you can use, the most stable of oils for frying and it produces very little odor when cooking. Corn oil, such as Mazola® Corn Oil, contains more cholesterol-blocking plant sterols than any other cooking oil.

Canola Oil: Canola oil is a useful cooking oil due to its light flavor.2 It’s considered a healthy cooking oil because it is low in saturated fats (unhealthy fats) and high in healthy unsaturated fats.1 Canola is a good option that does not have much of an effect on the taste of your food, and is good for light cooking, sauces and desserts.

Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil is typically soybean oil; however, it can be blends of other oils as well. Vegetable oil is an all-purpose oil for cooking or baking and its high smoke point – the temperature at which an oil begins to smoke – makes it a good option for high temperature cooking.4 Vegetable oil is not as high in monounsaturated fats, or “good fats,” as most other oils, but it is useful when sautéing or pan-frying foods.

Olive Oil: A well-known mainstay of the “Mediterranean diet,” olive oil is high in friendly monounsaturated fat.2 Researchers say diets rich in olive oil may have heart health benefits similar to those of taking a low-dose baby aspirin every day.3 Heating olive oil causes it to lose a lot of its natural flavor, so use this oil to prepare dressings or no-heat sauces.

Eat light, healthy food in summer

SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE and with the change of seasons comes the promise that many people make each year--to take better care of themselves. Make the promise happen by simply changing your eating habits.

Let's face it, on a scorching summer day the last thing you need is a heavy meal on your stomach weighing you down and causing you to feel sluggish. Say goodbye to the bloating comfort foods of winter and hello to summer's lighter fare.

In summer, light food should be preferred which can be digested easily. So, oily and junk food like pizzas, burgers must be avoided.

While summer produce is at its peak plan a variety of healthy dishes full of fresh fruits, vegetables and salads. These meals not only taste good but they're also loaded with the nutrients that your body craves to stay strong and give you energy.

Be sure to pick fruits and vegetables that are fresh and blemish-free. At home wash or soak them thoroughly in cold water to remove dirty areas.

Stock up on quick eats like bananas, peaches, nectarines, celery and carrot sticks. They are healthy and satisfying snacks that can be eaten on the run as the perfect substitute to junk food.

Track your protein and carbohydrate intake - What you eat is the next thing that is important. You should get a good idea of what is a carb based food and what is a protein based food. Animal proteins like eggs and meat are not easy to digest and can pose a digestion problem during summer periods. However you can include pulses and fishes, yogurt and fruits in your diet to gain proteins. Nuts are good option for snacks time; but avoid eating fried ones. Roasted or plain would be a better option.

This may be initially harder than you expect but in the end this adjustment will pay great dividends in having a healthy diet for summer.

Drink plenty of water- To have fun during summers at the maximum level, include lots of water in your daily diet. We lose too much water in summers due to sweating so gulp good amount of plain water to replenish it. It will keep your body and skin well-hydrated, cool and healthy.

Some of the most beneficial food items during summer, according to doctors, are:

Watermelon: A thirst-quencher, watermelon is 92 percent water. Sweet with a mild flavor, this fruit ripens during the heat of summer. High in vitamin C, watermelon has large amounts of vitamins A and B6, thiamine, potassium and magnesium. Watermelon is served in slices, balls or cubes, and either alone, in salads or mixed with other fruits.

Fresh Salads: Serving fresh salads for meals rather than cooking helps keeps the house cool, a great idea for combating summer heat. Salads offer thousands of possible flavor combinations and can include fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. As long as you avoid high-calorie dressings, salads can be nutritious and low in saturated fat, which can help you maintain a beach-ready figure. Most fruits and vegetables contain water the body needs in summer because of excessive sweating.

Mango: Unripe mangoes can be steamed, pealed and mixed with cumin seeds and salt to make an effective remedy for heat strokes and exhaustion in summers.

Gooseberry (Amla): A great refresher and reverses the ageing effects caused by strong sun rays while providing extra stamina for gym sessions. It specially benefits heart and hair.

Apricot: They can be of great help for people who develop acne in summers as they provide the body with iron, vitamin C, potassium and fibre. They can be a great pre- or post-workout snack.

Cardamom: A cup of cardamom tea can do wonders for those who have been in the hot sun for long because of its detoxifying properties.

Corn: A good source of pantothenic acid, which provides vitamin B to lower stress levels, corn in any form whether it is roasted or boiled is a healthy snack as it lowers cholesterol levels.

Butter milk: A glass everyday to avoid dehydration and indigestion.

Yoghurt: They are a great and healthy alternative to ice-cream as they are packed with nutrients, vitamins and calcium which help to soothe ulcers, allergies and heat boils during the season.

Clove: The wonder spice!

Although most spices are excellent sources of antioxidants, cloves rank as the richest source of them all. The abundant health benefits of cloves have been well known for centuries. Cloves have antiseptic and germicidal properties that help fight infections, relieve digestive problems and arthritis pain.

They are also used to flavour paan. Clove oil is used in the manufacture of perfumes, soaps, bath salts and as a flavouring agent in medicine and dentistry. Cloves help stimulate sluggish circulation and thereby promote digestion and metabolism. In Chinese medicine, it is used for vomiting, indigestion and other related problems. If you are feeling stressed then, boil some water with basil leaves, mint leaves and clove. Then you can use this water for black tea. Add little bit of honey to it. This will help you ease tension.

Toothache: The use of a clove in toothache decreases pain. It also helps to decrease infection due to its antiseptic properties. Clove oil, applied to a cavity in a decayed tooth, also relieves toothache.

Digestive disorders: They are well known for relieving flatulence and can actually help promote good digestion as well as metabolism. They may also help relieve vomiting and diarrhea as well as a host of other digestive disorders.

Coughs: Chewing a clove with a crystal of common salt eases expectoration, relieves the irritation in the throat . Chewing a burnt clove is also an effective medicine for coughs.

Other Benefits: Cloves are an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin K and C and omega-3 fatty acids, and a good source of calcium and magnesium. Cloves also have a significant amount of protein, iron, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and hydrochloric acid.