9 Health Mistakes Women Don’t Realise They’re Making

Attention ladies; even if you think you’re a fitness and diet guru, we guarantee you’ll be making some of these health mistakes without even realising it.

Cut out these bad habits and you’ll be healthier before you know it.

Unhealthy friends?

Having unhealthy friends

Who you’re friends with can have a big influence on your health without you even realising.

Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine compared obesity to a virus. When your friends gain weight, you’re more likely to gain weight yourself.

That doesn’t mean you need to ditch your friends as soon as they put on a couple of pounds – study author Dr Nicholas Christakis suggests instead taking cues from your healthier friends.

Only relying on cardio

“I can’t work out with weights because I don’t want to bulk up!” you proclaim as you follow the familiar route to the treadmill for the thousandth time. But is there any truth behind this popular excuse?

In short, no.

Far from bulking you up, building muscle will help you to shed the pounds. Experts estimate that for every pound of muscle you gain, you’ll burn an extra seven -13 calories per day.

Any fears you have of looking like She Hulk can be put to bed. Because of lower levels of testosterone, women don’t bulk up anywhere near as quickly as men.

Overusing social media

We all enjoy a sneaky Facebook stalk every once in a while, but do it too often and you could become depressed, according to researchers in Germany.

They found that overuse of Facebook can pose a serious risk to our mental wellbeing.

Checking out other people’s holiday photos was the major culprit, with one in three study participants reporting that this made them feel depressed or lonely.

Twitter is no better, with a University of Vermont study finding that Twitter users gradually become more stressed and unhappy the more they use the site.

Relying on diet products

When your sweet tooth is crying out for sugar, it can be tempting to turn to sugar-free diet options. Sadly these substitute snacks aren’t as guilt-free as you’ve been led to believe.

In place of sugar, manufacturers will often use nasty artificial alternatives to provide that sweet taste.

Aspartame, commonly found in diet drinks, was found to increase your risk of obesity by 41 per cent in a University of Texas Health Science Centre study.

Psychologists in a separate study at Cornell University observed that phrases like ‘sugar-free’ can subconsciously trigger overeating. In some cases, this meant people ate twice as many calories as they would have done if they opted for the full-sugar version.Don't become fixated on your abs (REX)

Focusing on stomach toning

All too often we become fixated on trying to develop a rock hard stomach by performing endless crunches. If this sounds like you, you’re wasting your time.

Want to know just how useless crunches are? A Men’s Health study found that you’d have to do a staggering 22,000 of them to lose just a pound of fat off your stomach.

If you want to lose weight, focus on high intensity interval training instead.

HIIT increases your metabolic rate for up to 24 hours after you exercise, and boosts fat oxidation.

Wearing high heels too often

Who can resist a pair of killer hills for accentuated legs and an instant confidence boost?

Wear them too frequently however, and your feet won’t be thanking you.

Wearing four-inch heels increases the pressure on your feet by around 30 per cent, leading to damaged tendons, reduced circulation and bone and nerve deterioration.Swap heels for flats occasionally and your feet will thank you (AP)

Not getting enough calcium

A recent survey conducted by Creighton University Medical Centre showed that 85% of women don’t get enough calcium per day, which leads to an increased risk of osteoporosis.

It’s recommended that women between the ages 19 to 50 need a daily calcium intake of 1,000mg.

Topping up on calcium is easy with dairy products like milk and natural yoghurt. If dairy doesn’t agree with you, you’ll also find high levels of calcium in fish such as salmon and sardines and even leafy veg.

Using electronics before bed

That one last game of Candy Crush you squeeze in before you hit the hay could be ruining your sleep pattern, if researchers in Sweden are to be believed.

They observed that people who use mobile phones or tablets directly before going to sleep found it harder to doze off, causing lasting health issues.

As well as displaying signs of insomnia, these pre-sleep tech-addicts suffered from headaches throughout the day.

Eating what your date eats

Next time you’re on a hot date, psychologists suggest you need to spend more time checking what’s on your plate than staring into your partner’s eyes.

University of Birmingham researchers have discovered a link between new relationships and weight gain, particularly in women.

According to their findings, when dining with a new partner you subconsciously mirror their portion sizes, which can lead to weight gain if they eat more than you’re used to.

https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/9-health-mistakes-women-don-t-realise-making-090000295.html

How To Get Rid Of A Cold And A Blocked Nose: 12 Remedies

Christmas colds are par for the course this season.

While everyone else is gearing up for the office party, you're all bunged up feeling sorry for yourself.

Sadly, there is no magical cure for the common cold, but there are plenty of things out there to help relieve symptoms such as sinus pains and blocked noses.

Cures for colds and blocked noses! [REX]

We've compiled a list of some of the best and most unusual pieces of advice, so you're not a snotty mess missing out on all the fun.

1. Break Out The Swiss Ball

If you're feverish, then don't attempt this, but as my fitness instructor always used to say "If you're only sick from the neck up, get back on that treadmill!"

The common cold shouldn't stop you from continuing with moderate exercise. In fact, gently working up a sweat can do wonders for seeing off a cold faster, thanks to the endorphin-producing, immune-boosting consequences of a workout.

2. Humifidiers

Blocked noses are really annoying. There are lots of places touting really expensive humidifiers, but actually this really simple steam in haler, for as little as £4.99, works in just the same way!

Simple steam inhaler [Medisure]

3. Coconut Water

Yeah yeah, we know, every man and his dog is trying to sell you on the benefits of coconut water. But besides it being the trendiest thing to drink since Fiji water, there is some evidence to prove it hydrates you at a faster rate than tap water.

And as any good Doctor will tell you, recovering from a cold is all about hydration, hydration, hydration!

(In the absence of coconut water, normal water will also work just fine).

4. Blow The RIGHT Way

Blowing your nose (rather than sniffing) can actually be good for you.

However, there IS a right way to go about it.

Trumpeting really hard isn't just annoying for everyone around you, it also risks damaging blood vessels and pushing the phlegm into the passages between your nose, throat and ears, leaving you open to earache.

The best way to blow is to press on one nostril and gently blow out of the other, in one swift motion. Then repeat on the other side.

5. Get In The Shower

Quite apart from making you feel generally refreshed, a steamy shower can work in the same way as a humidifier - clearing your sinuses.

A hot shower can make you feel better for a number of reasons [REX]

6. Allergy Tablets

Although you should always consult a doctor before using medicine other than for its intended use, tablets for allergies such as hayfever can be useful to those suffering from colds.

They often contain antihistamines, which in some forms can help decrease the swelling in your nasal passages and prevent you from feeling so stuffed up!

7. Raw Onion and Raw Garlic

Yep, it's gross, but eating raw onion and garlic can help. You won't make any friends doing this, but you might get over your cold faster in order to hang out with your old ones.

Cooking onion is thought to strip it of its antimicrobial properties.

Just knock it back! [REX]

8. Dark Chocolate

This isn't just to make you feel better after scarfing raw onion and garlic, but it might help wtih that too!

The theobromine in dark chocolate can help stop persistent coughs and soothe sore throats.

9. Vaporub Babies' Feet

If it's not you but your little one that is feeling ill, popular doctrine says massaging vaporub into their feet and then covering with socks is best practice.

This means the vaporub is far enough away from hands and mouths where it would risk ingestion, but it is able to be absorbed and effective.

Rub on their feet to get them to sleep [REX]

10. Hot Toddies For Everyone!

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, didn't you know.

Sitting around feeling sorry for yourself while missing out on the season's party drinks is no fun.

Hot whiskey and lemon might be an oldie, with limited medical efficacy, but it makes everyone feel better, so who cares right?

11. Saline Solution

Is there anything a bit of salt water can't cure?

Whether it's gargling it three times a day, to spraying it up your nose, saline solution (salt water) can help.

Try dissolving a heaped tablespoon of salt into half a cup of water.

https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/how-to-get-rid-of-a-cold-and-a-blocked-nose--12-remedies-145022952.html

How to get started in healthy living — part 2

The benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle

In part 1 of this guide to healthy living, we looked at the overall picture of healthy living, and at some of the factors that contribute to a healthier lifestyle. But how do you go about making changes to your life without causing havoc and disruption? This section will show you how small changes to your lifestyle can equal big results.

Learn to cope with stress

Two-thirds of us feel under stress at work, according to a MORI poll — while outside of work, other factors like money worries, relationship and family problems, health issues and travel chaos send our blood pressure soaring. We can’t prevent stress (and how boring life would be if we did!) but we can learn todeal with stress better — and we should do so, for the sake of our health.

Chronic, uncontrolled stress produces high levels of a hormone called cortisol, which over time can affect our mental functioning and weaken the immune system. Stress has also been linked to the development of stomach ulcers and high blood pressure. A study led by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that men with the highest level of anger in response to stress were over three times more likely to develop premature heart disease than men who reported lower anger responses. They were also over six times more likely to have a heart attack by the age of 55.

Take action

• Learn what your stress triggers are so that you can avoid them as much as possible. Some classic triggers include leaving things to the last minute, taking on more than you can handle, being put on the spot when you’re not prepared, being late and having to cope with other people’s mistakes or failings.
• Find a healthy coping mechanism. Getting drunk or eating a whole packet of biscuits doesn’t count! Try a chat with a friend, some breathing exercises (see below), thinking of something funny, a 10-minute walk or a soothing hot drink. It’s even worth writing down what coping mechanisms work for you, as you may not always think of them at times of extreme stress.
• Don’t try to be perfect in everything you do. You’ll make life a lot less stressful if you sometimes accept things as ‘good enough,’ rather than striving to achieve 100 per cent.
• Breathe. One of the first things we do when we’re under stress is hold our breath, or breathe in a rapid and shallow manner. This prevents us getting fresh oxygen in, to fuel the brain and muscles. Start by breathing out as far as you can (ideally through your mouth). Exhale every last bit of carbon dioxide! Then allow your inhalation to occur naturally (ideally through the nose). Gradually lengthen the in-breath, but always ensure the out-breath is longer, to dissipate tension.
• Do the ‘sphere of influence’ test. This involves determining whether a particular stressor is within your control to change. If it’s not, then accept that there’s nothing you can do about it and that it isn’t your fault. If it is, then deal with it as best you can now and consider how you could avoid a repeat of the situation in future.
• Ensure you get sufficient levels of vitamin B and C, which chronic stress depletes. Zinc and magnesium levels can also be affected by stress — leaving your immune system vulnerable — so be vigilant with these or consider supplementation.

Get to grips with health checks and screening

Many of us only visit the doctor when something goes wrong — but healthcare is as much about prevention as cure, so it’s important to stay on top of regular checks and screening. When did you last have an eye test? When is your next smear test due? Have you had your blood pressure checked recently? What about that itchy mole on your back? Screening gives the experts a chance to identify problems while they are still minor and easily treatable, and yet, according to a survey by healthcare provider HealthSure, 57 per cent of men and 42 per cent of women have never had a health screen or wellbeing check. Start taking control.

Take action

• Get out your diary and write down when your important health checks are next due — for example a smear test, mammogram or cholesterol check. If you don’t know, then ask your doctor. If they don’t know, then start with a ‘clean slate’ and get checked now.
• Keep note of your test results. While, for example, your blood pressure may still be ‘normal’, you should still be made aware if it has gone up since the last time it was checked.
• Check your breasts each month — and men, check your testicles regularly so that you become aware of what feels ‘normal’ to you.
• If anything — a mole, your eyesight, back pain, your reproductive organs, a stubborn cough — is bothering you pick up the phone NOW and make an appointment to see the relevant professional. Ignored health problems don’t go away.

Get a good night’s sleep

There’s no doubt that sleep deprivation is a major health problem — women who sleep less than eight hours a night over a 10-year period have a slightly higher risk of heart disease, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, though other studies say anywhere around seven to nine hours is ideal. The two major factors to tackle are poor quality sleep (insomnia, constant waking or difficulty falling asleep) and simply failing to get enough zzzzzs in altogether.

Take action

• To improve sleep quality, avoid caffeine for four to six hours before bedtime (depending on how ‘caffeine-sensitive’ you are). But a warm drink, such as hot milk, can help prepare you for slumber. Don’t take work to bed with you — which is likely to make you wakeful. According to The Sleep Council, a warm bath, some soporific music or gentle yoga can help get you wind down.  
• Make your bedroom sleep friendly: the ideal bedroom is well ventilated, completely dark and has an ambient temperature of 22ºC (72ºF), according to the London Sleep Centre.
• Avoid alcohol in the evenings if you wake up tired. While it helps you fall asleep faster, alcohol disrupts sleep quality and depth, and leads to more frequent awakenings and earlier-than-usual waking times.
• As far as hours in bed are concerned, you may not be able to stay in bed longer in the mornings due to your daytime commitments, but you can almost certainly go to bed a little earlier. If you constantly suffer from daytime fatigue, go to bed 30 minutes earlier each night for a week. If that doesn’t help, increase it to an hour. Maintain the same sleep patterns at weekends, too. The body likes routine.

Take care of your teeth

Many people balk at the cost of private dentistry — yet wouldn’t think twice about spending that amount of money on a haircut or highlights, or a new pair of glasses. Our teeth are integral not only to our appearance but also to the way we chew food and speak. Yet few of us are as conscientious as we should be of our dental health — leading to tooth decay and gum disease. According to the British Dental Association, most adults suffer from at least a mild form of gum (periodontal) disease, which can lead to tooth loss, and, in more serious cases, heart disease, premature births and chronic inflammation in the body.

Take action

• Floss once a day
• Rinse out your mouth after eating sticky sweet foods if you can’t brush them
• Don’t rinse your mouth out with water after brushing — as the fluoride in toothpaste helps protect your teeth.
• Replace your toothbrush at least every three months
• Clean your teeth for two minutes — not a perfunctory 10 seconds! Ask your dentist to show you how to brush properly if you’re not sure.
• See the dentist and hygienist twice a year for a check-up.
• Chew sugar-free gum after eating. Chewing gum after a meal stimulates the production of saliva, which helps to neutralize plaque acids and reduce the risk of tooth decay.

Stub out your smoking habit

While smoking prevalence is on its way down, too many people are still slaves to the evil weed. The average cigarette contains over 4,000 toxic chemicals — so it’s no surprise that smoking increases your risk of cancer and heart disease, respiratory problems, diabetes, eye disease, erectile dysfunction and hearing loss, not to mention making you age prematurely and putting those around you at risk of smoking-related conditions. Nicotine is such a powerful drug that no safe level has been determined. While cutting down helps, in the long run, there are no half measures with smoking. Unlike alcohol, stress or dietary fat — there is no amount that is acceptable for health.

Take action

• Set a date on which you are going to give up and get prepared for that day.
• Don’t expect giving up to be easy — it’s not. The first few days, when nicotine withdrawal symptoms are strongest, are likely to be tough, so prepare yourself for that.
• Work out how much money you will save between now and Christmas if you give up smoking tomorrow.
• Get help from your doctor, pharmacist or the NHS SMOKING HELPLINE: 0800 169 0 169.

Now you are well on your way to understanding the health jigsaw and how small changes can equal big results, check out How to get started in healthy living — part 3 to find out how to adjust your diet and activity levels for the better…

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/how-to-get-started-in-healthy-living-part-2/

How to get started in healthy living — part 1

How to lead a healthy lifestyle

Never before has there been so much talk about healthy living. The newspapers are packed with stories about the latest dangers and hazards to our health — from mobile phones to sugar, mercury fillings to artificial sweeteners, and genetically-modified foods to noise pollution. The headlines can leave you feeling confused and overwhelmed — and above all, powerless.

But in reality, choosing to live a healthier lifestyle is a choice that any of us can make. It’s not about reacting to the latest scare story, banning certain foods or products from your life and adopting an extreme, all-or-nothing approach — it’s about balance and moderation. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being a little more health aware, and doing the best you can on a daily basis. After all, it’s not what you do for the next seven days that’s going to affect your health for the next seven years; it’s what you do for the next seven years!

The health jigsaw

You could view healthy living as a jigsaw puzzle — made up of many different pieces, all crucial to the finished picture — but all of different shapes and sizes. If one piece is missing entirely, the overall picture isn’t complete. For example, you could be a fitness fanatic who eats healthily and never drinks alcohol — but you haven’t found a way of coping with the high levels of stress your job brings — and you can’t remember the last time you went for a health check. Or you could be someone bursting with energy, who survives on four hours sleep a night, thrives on stress and never gets ill — but who lives on junk food and caffeine.

While there are quite obviously some pieces missing in these jigsaws, scenarios such as this are far from unusual. For example, while you may be debating whether to have your mercury fillings removed, are you taking the simple step of flossing daily to look after your dental health? As many as 23 per cent of women between 30 and 54 have severe gum (periodontal) disease, according to the American Academy of Periodontology, which, as well as being the leading cause of tooth loss, has been linked to heart disease, premature births and chronic inflammation in the body.

Big health issues

Evidently, we sometimes aren’t seeing the wood for the trees — we’re worrying about the little things (should I drink normal coke or diet coke?) while ignoring the bigger issues. According to the Sleep Council, for example, 20 million people in the UK — that’s roughly a third — don’t get enough sleep, and two thirds claim that stress is a major factor in their lives.

We’re missing a few jigsaw pieces on the healthy diet front, too. While the UK’s average daily fruit and vegetable intake is three pieces — significantly less than the minimum recommended intake of five per day — research from the Office for National Statistics shows that 17 per cent of adult women drink over the recommended 14 units per week, while over a third of men drink above recommended levels.

But while we are glugging down the booze, many of us aren’t drinking enough water. Research by the Lucozade Sport Science Institute found that around 50 per cent of people hit the gym in a dehydrated state — (and that’s before they’ve even started their workout!). At least they’ve managed to get to the gym, though —56 per cent of men and 70 per cent of women aged 16 to 54 in the UK fail to reach the recommended levels of physical activity for health benefits. While 10,000 steps per day is the Holy Grail — sufficient to reduce you risk of heart disease, aid weight loss and improve musculoskeletal health — a report in the journal Sports Medicine found that less than 5,000 is more typical for the average Brit.

A positive attitude to healthy living

 Fascinatingly, our health isn’t just about what we do with our lives, it’s also about how we think, too. In 2002, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in the United States found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by 50 per cent compared with those with a less positive outlook. How? The researchers speculate that it’s likely to be to do with pessimists having a greater risk of future problems with their physical health, emotional stress and career achievements — along with possible changes in their immune systems.

With the wrong outlook, you could see the healthy living jigsaw as an overwhelming, unachievable challenge. How can you possibly manage to put ticks in all those ‘health’ boxes? But look again, and you’ll see that the fact that there are so many pieces means that there are countless ways you can make small changes in your life, which will have a big impact on your health and How to get started in healthy living — part 2 shows you how to do exactly that …

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/how-to-get-started-in-healthy-living-part-1/

7 Quick Housework Tricks for a Healthier and Happier You

For many, housework is a necessary evil that takes up too much time. Parents will agree; you can spend hours polishing and preening your house till it sparkles, but the mess always finds its way back again.

So, is it really worth it? The angel on your shoulder says ‘do it, you’ll feel better once it’s finished’ whilst the devil tells you to pick up the remote. Yes the TV provides instant relief – no stress of dust and dirty dishes here! But the nagging need to tidy up soon returns.  

If you’re torn between a comfy couch and clean floors, listen up. We’ve 7 quick housework tricks that promise a healthier and happier you.  

Housework Workout

Some argue that housework isn’t intense enough to be classed as exercise, but we disagree. You can work up a sweat without a gym membership.

With headlines like ‘sitting’s the new smoking,’ it’s clear that physical activity of any capacity is better than none. So why not multitask with housework? We’re advised to complete 30 minutes exercise each day to stay fit and healthy, which can be easily achieved thorough a housework workout.

First up: don’t stand around. If you’re waiting for the kettle to boil, fill the time with squats or push-ups. Always choose manual over automatic. Ditch the food processor and use a knife to chop up vegetables for toned, trim arms.  Push your thighs to the limit by running up and down the stairs 5 times every time you need to use them. Dumbbells? Reach for 2 bean tins and give us 10 – 15 reps.

Or stick on your favourite feel-good music. Cranking up the volume and completing chores as fast as you can is a great way to get the adrenalin pumping. If you’re out of breath, you’re doing it right. 

Make it Routine

Take control of your time by getting into a healthy routine. For families especially, assigning specific tasks to a certain time each day can really help increase productivity and reduce stress.

Whether that’s by drawing up a chart to say ‘who does what and when’ or setting alarms for your own use, having a routine is incredibly time-effective. Regular mealtimes/ bedtimes provide children with the structure they need day-to-day.

Routine tasks soon become habit, ensuring that the housework is done and dusted, and you can relax guilt-free.

Keep it clutter free

Nip clutter in the bud. If you’re a self-confessed hoarder, try to keep your collections of keepsakes and ‘potentially useful’ junk to a minimum before it gets out of control. We’ve all seen laundry on the floor/dishes in the sink and thought ‘I’ll sort them later.’ But when they start to remain a permanent feature of your home, you need to reconsider your clutter habits.

Clutter is chaotic and can contribute to stress levels. Live by the mantra ‘don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today’ and you’ll be much happier.

Keep it Simple

If housework isn’t your forte, don’t worry about cleaning every inch of your home – it will only put you off. Instead, dedicate short bursts of time to each task; 10-15 minutes max. This way it doesn’t become tedious, but still gets done.

Colleen Madsen from 365 Less Things maintains a tidy home by choosing to throw one thing away each day; a quick and easy way to deal with clutter.

Minimalist decor

There’s an emphasis on the emotional connection tied to housework. As a nation of perfectionists, there’s a pressure to clean. But don’t fear it, just do it– a healthy home is a healthy mind.

Minimalist interiors tick two boxes; they project a calmer, clutter-free environment and are easier to clean.  Creator of Zen Habits, Leo Babauta suggests healthy housework habits lie in clear surfaces – worktops, walls and floors. He believes that by concentrating on the essentials (only buying and using what you really need) you become more efficient in all areas of your life, not just the home.

Cheap and cheerful

Don’t waste the pennies on cleaning products you’ll never use. Think back to those oldwives tales your grandma used to tell you – they’re just as effective, and at a fraction of the price.

White vinegar works wonders. Instead of buying wood polish, apply a drop of vinegar to a cloth to rub down your worktops – its great at clearing away water stains. If your bin needs cleaning or the dishwasher is starting to smell, try bicarbonate of soda. Its deodorising effect is a cheap and cheerful way to eliminate bad smells. And to get rid of grease? Eucalyptus oil, every time.

Get everyone involved

A problem shared is a problem halved, so share the workload. Cleaning is a timely process and it’s good to have an extra pair of hands. It’s also the perfect way to introduce the little ones to new responsibilities. Asking them to do chores and rewarding their efforts teaches them skills that they can transfer to other areas of life.

https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/7-quick-housework-tricks-healthier-happier-090000323.html

How to Live a Natural and Healthy Lifestyle – 12 Tips on Healthy Living

Family having fun on tropical beach
A Natural and Healthy Lifestyle.

Program your mind to always be living a natural and healthy lifestyle and the body will soon crave it. Imagine that the body is your engine and give it the very best “fuel” and conditions to prevent diseases. The body is amazing in its ability to constantly work towards restoring a state of optimum health. Once you realize the benefits, and then put into practice the steps necessary to achieve them, a natural and healthy lifestyle will become second nature to you. A natural and healthy lifestyle is sustainable which is of great benefit to nature and to our children. That alone is a reason to shift to a more natural lifestyle.

12 tips on healthy living – how to live a natural and healthy lifestyle:

Eat organic and unrefined food.
Drink water or make your own juice.
Prepare food in a way that doesn’t “kill” the food.
Grow organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries.
Use natural resources as wild berries, herbs, mushrooms.
Eat to live, don’t live to eat.
Spend more time outside, and live in harmony with nature.
Use natural alternatives to medicines when possible.
Compost your wastes and recirculate as much as possible.
Reuse and/or buy second hand, give away things you don’t need.
Follow your intuition (listen to your soul), follow your heart, dare to be yourself.
Practice meditation and yoga.
Find your special natural and healthy lifestyle.

It is unattainable for all to do all the things on this list – it is apparent that if you live in an apartment on 32nd floor in New York it’ll be difficult to grow your own vegetables. A good alternative is to buy organic grown vegetables. For many it may also be a problem to find organically grown vegetables close by. Organic green super foods and vitamin/mineral supplements can be a good addition to your diet if you can’t find organic products. Walter C. Willett has an excellent book on the bestselling guide to healthy eating, debunking dietary myths and proposing the radical benefits of low-carbohydrate diet, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy is filled with advice backed up by documented research.

Start out small – set goals!

My best advice is that you simply discuss with your spouse, partner and or kids what changes you would like and wish to do in your life, in order to have a more natural and healthy lifestyle. You don’t need to implement all of the 12 tips on healthy living. Start with one or two. When you are making this a family matter it is easier to accomplish as you can support one another when necessary. It is most probable that you have different wishes and needs.

Write down your goals and put them on a place where you easily can see them. Don’t try to change everything from one day to another. Take one step at a time. Soon it will become a new habit and then you can introduce the next step. If you do this you will find that it is not hard. And when you notice the effect it has on your well being you will be inspired to continue – the ball is spinning.

Example of a goal could be: (make a deadline).

I want to lose xx pounds.
I want to get rid of my belly fat.
I don’t want to expose my children for additives, artificial preservatives or pesticides.
I want more energy.
I want to cure my colon problems.
Your main goal should be to live a HAPPY NATURAL LIFE! Bring it to mind it’s never too late to begin – Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Start implementing a few of the tips on healthy living today.

http://irresistiblehealth.com/?p=63

Exercising with diabetes

Introduction to exercising with diabetes

Despite the seriousness of diabetes, if you are a sufferer, a carefully controlled exercise program can significantly help your condition and improve the overall quality of your life.

In addition to the general health and fitness benefits that everyone enjoys from exercise, structured training will help your diabetes in a number of ways.

Exercising with diabetes can help:

• Help control blood sugar
• Help weight management
• Help avoid further diabetes complications
• Reduce stress
• Improve quality of life with diabetes

So, if you suffer from this disease, follow the realbuzz.com step-by-step guide to exercising with diabetes and improve your quality of life. This guide includes advice on:

• How to kick-start your training program
• Training precautions
• Correct training protocols
• Exercise tips

Safety first before exercise

Before you begin your exercise program there are a couple of basic precautions that you should take. Once they’re completed, you’re ready to improve your fitness.

Get a check-up before exercising

Book a check-up with your doctor to discuss your plans. Your doctor will actively support your actions and will also be able to offer you further advice pertinent to your condition.

Get a professional

Next, to maximize the benefits of your training, it is wise to link up with an exercise professional who is qualified to advise you on training with diabetes. Time spent at this stage will reap continual rewards because focusing on the correct training for you will result in faster and long-term progression.

Now you’ve got the all clear to begin exercising, follow the realbuzz step-by-step guide to preparing for your exercise sessions.

Eating before exercise

Several hours before your session, eat a high carbohydrate, low fat meal that also contains protein. The exact time will depend on your own particular rate of digestion so experiment with different eating times to find out what suits you best. The addition of protein in your meal will help the ‘slow release’ of energy as opposed to energy peaks that will upset your insulin balance.

Additional eating for exercise

Between one hour before you exercise and actually starting, you may benefit from additional carbohydrate — typically up to 15 grams. Similar to your main meal, experiment to find out what is best for you.

Energy drinks for exercise

Throughout your workout, keep a sports energy drink close at hand in case you experience hypoglycaemia. A sports drink will be rapidly absorbed and is easily portable, whether your workout takes place in the gym or outdoors.

Wear identification when exercising

Always wear identification in the form of a wrist band, necklace or similar, detailing your condition, contact details and any instructions.

Think safety when exercising

For safety reasons and as a psychological boost, advise the gym staff and friends and family that you are exercising. This is particularly important at the start of your program when your body is gearing up to the new challenge of exercise.

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5 health facts you don’t want to hear

Tough health truths you need to know

Healthy living is tough, especially with the amount of misleading myths and products that surround the industry. These facts might not be encouraging, but you need to know them if you are serious about living healthily. Here are the top 5 health facts you don’t want to hear.

There is no quick fix

Nowadays we are constantly bombarded with promises from the next big thing in fad dieting, with claims of ‘instant results’ or ‘dropping pounds overnight’. As much as we’d like these boasts to be true, they sadly aren’t at all. Studies actually show that fad diets result in weight gain. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the majority of participants who went through fad diets instantly gained weight following the diet due to lowered levels of the hunger suppressing hormones peptide YY and leptin.

Science aside, ask yourself this – are you really going to keep up with those ridiculous eating habits in the long term? Diets with such severe results are 99 per cent of the time completely unrealistic, and the sooner you accept that the sooner you’ll start learning healthy eating habits that actually work.

Exercising doesn’t mean you can eat what you like

Whilst it’s true that exercising frequently means you can enjoy the odd guilt-free treat once in a while, it should by no means be an excuse to eat to excess. In half an hour of running the average person will burn around 250 calories. You can eat the equivalent amount in any range of snacks in a matter of minutes. You’ll notice these time scales don’t balance out, so if you continue to eat unhealthily you’ll soon find that the effects of exercise simply can’t keep up.

A simple way of avoiding this temptation is by counting the calories you burn and consume. Once you see how much effort you have to put in to burn off even small snacks, you’ll realise exercising isn’t a free pass to stuff your face with junk.

‘Health foods’ can be unhealthy

Many supposedly ‘healthy’ foods aren’t quite what they’re made out to be. For example, if it claims to be fat free it’s probably packed with sugar. Sugar free? You can bet it’ll be full of artificial sweeteners. Take cereal bars as an example. This popular ‘healthy’ breakfast choice can contain around four teaspoons of sugar per bar, as well as high amounts of saturated fat. A survey conducted by consumer magazine Which? showed that an alarming 97 per cent of cereal bars on the market contain added sugar.

Drinks aren’t much better either. ‘Diet’, ‘light’ and ‘sugar free’ versions of your favourite drink can seem like a great healthy alternative, but according to a study conducted at the Texas Health Science Center, people who frequently consume diet drinks are 41 per cent more likely to be overweight. It’s thought that this is because the concoction of artificial flavourings and sweeteners found in these drinks can spark the appetite, whilst simultaneously inhibiting the brain cells that tell your body it’s full.

You can’t target an area of your body to lose weight

‘Spot training’, as it’s often called, is a health myth that sadly isn’t true. Losing weight on a particular part of your body with targeted training is not a realistic goal. Yes, that’s why those thousands of crunches you’ve been doing haven’t dented your beer belly. There are plenty of studies that have proven this to be the case, including one carried out at the University of Massachusetts. Participants who ‘targeted’ their stomachs by only doing abdomen exercises were found to lose weight equally across their abdomens, upper backs and buttocks.

Instead of worrying about a certain target area when you work out, you should focus on losing weight all over your body. That means there’s no way of quickly ditching that flabby stomach other than good old-fashioned exercise and healthy eating.

Fruit and veg aren’t what they used to be

It’s a well-known fact that eating fruit and vegetables is a great way of keeping your diet healthy and nutritious. But did you know the fruit and veg available today isn’t as healthy as it once was? Go back just 50 years and you’d find fruit that is higher in six major nutrients including protein, calcium, iron and Vitamin C. This was revealed in a study at the University of Texas, with some modern-day fruits seeing as much as a 38% reduction in certain nutrients.

The researchers put this down to modern farming methods, including hybrid breeding of crops to make them larger, and the range of pesticides being used which have stripped some of the nutrients from soil. However, fruit and veg are still a great source of nutrition in your diet, so until a time machine is invented you’ll just have to make do with what we have available today.http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/5-health-facts-you-don-t-want-to-hear/