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/

Physical activity guidelines for adults

How much physical activity do adults aged 19-64 years old need to do to keep healthy?

To stay healthy or to improve health, adults need to do two types of physical activity each week: aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.

How much physical activity you need to do each week depends on your age. Click on the links below for the recommendations for other age groups:

• early childhood (under 5 years old)
• young people (5-18 years old)
• older adults (65 and over)

Physical activity for adults aged 19-64

To stay healthy, adults aged 19-64 should try to be active daily and should do:

At least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as cycling or fast walking every week, and  

             muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a 
             week that work all major muscle groups (legs, 
             hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms). 

75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity such as running or a game of singles tennis every week, and

             muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a 
             week that work all major muscle groups (legs, 
             hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms). 

  

An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity every week (for example 2 30-minute runs plus 30 minutes of fast walking), and

muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms).   

What counts as moderate-intensity aerobic activity?Examples of activities that require moderate effort for most people include:

• walking fast
• water aerobics
• riding a bike on level ground or with few hills
• doubles tennis
• pushing a lawn mower
• hiking
• skateboarding
• rollerblading
• volleyball
• basketball 

5 x 30 minutes

One way to do your recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity is to do 30 minutes on 5 days a week.

Moderate-intensity activity will raise your heart rate and make you breathe faster and feel warmer. One way to tell if you're working at a moderate intensity is if you can still talk, but you can't sing the words to a song. 

What counts as vigorous-intensity aerobic activity?Examples of activities that require vigorous effort for most people include:

• jogging or running
• swimming fast
• riding a bike fast or on hills
• singles tennis
• football
• rugby
• skipping rope
• hockey
• aerobics
• gymnastics
• martial arts 

Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity means you're breathing hard and fast, and your heart rate has gone up quite a bit. If you're working at this level, you won't be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.

In general, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity can give similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity.

For a moderate to vigorous intensity workout, try Couch to 5K, a nine-week running plan for beginners.

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What counts as muscle-strengthening activity?Muscle-strengthening exercises are counted in repetitions and sets. A repetition is 1 complete movement of an activity, like lifting a weight or doing a sit-up. A set is a group of repetitions.

For each activity, try to do 8 to 12 repetitions in each set. Try to do at least 1 set of each muscle-strengthening activity. You'll get even more benefits if you do 2 or 3 sets.

Healthy weight

• Adults who are overweight can improve their health by meeting the activity guidelines, even if they don’t lose weight.
• To lose weight, you are likely to need to do more than 150 minutes a week and make changes to your diet.
• Start by gradually building up towards 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week.

To get health benefits from muscle-strengthening activities, you should do them to the point where you struggle to complete another repetition.

There are many ways you can strengthen your muscles, whether it's at home or in the gym. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities for most people include:

• lifting weights
• working with resistance bands
• doing exercises that use your body weight for resistance, such as push-ups and sit-ups
• heavy gardening, such as digging and shovelling
• yoga

Try Strength and Flex, a five-week exercise plan for beginners to improve your strength and flexibility.

You can do activities that strengthen your muscles on the same day or on different days as your aerobic activity, whatever's best for you.

However, muscle-strengthening activities don't count towards your aerobic activity total, so you'll need to do them in addition to your aerobic activity.

Some vigorous-intensity aerobic activities may provide 75 minutes of aerobic activity and sufficient muscle-strengthening activity. Examples include circuit training and sports such as football or rugby.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults.aspx

Benefits of exercise

Step right up! It's the miracle cure we've all been waiting for.

It can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%.

It’s free, easy to take, has an immediate effect and you don’t need a GP to get some. Its name? Exercise.

Click on the links below to find out if you're doing enough for your age:

• early childhood (under 5 years old)
• young people (5-18 years old)
• adults (19-64 years old)
• older adults (65 and over)

Exercise is the miracle cure we’ve always had, but for too long we’ve neglected to take our recommended dose. Our health is now suffering as a consequence.

This is no snake oil. Whatever your age, there's strong scientific evidence that being physically active can help you lead a healthier and even happier life.

People who do regular activity have a lower risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers.

Research shows that physical activity can also boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

“If exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost-effective drugs ever invented,” says Dr Nick Cavill, a health promotion consultant.

Health benefits

Given the overwhelming evidence, it seems obvious that we should all be physically active. It's essential if you want to live a healthy and fulfilling life into old age.

"If exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost-effective drugs ever invented"

Dr Nick Cavill

It's medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have:

• up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
• up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
• up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
• a 30% lower risk of early death
• up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
• up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
• a 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
• up to a 30% lower risk of depression
• up to a 30% lower risk of dementia

What counts?

Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. One way to tell if you're working at a moderate intensity is if you can still talk but you can't sing the words to a song.

Examples of moderate-intensity aerobic activities are:

• walking fast
• water aerobics
• riding a bike on level ground or with few hills
• playing doubles tennis
• pushing a lawn mower

Daily chores such as shopping, cooking or housework don't count towards your 150 minutes. This is because the effort needed to do them isn’t hard enough to get your heart rate up.

A modern problem

People are less active nowadays, partly because technology has made our lives easier. We drive cars or take public transport. Machines wash our clothes. We entertain ourselves in front of a TV or computer screen. Fewer people are doing manual work, and most of us have jobs that involve little physical effort. Work, house chores, shopping and other necessary activities are far less demanding than for previous generations.

We move around less and burn off less energy than people used to. Research suggests that many adults spend more than seven hours a day sitting down, at work, on transport or in their leisure time. People aged over 65 spend 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down, making them the most sedentary age group. 

Sedentary lifestyles

Inactivity is described by the Department of Health as a “silent killer”. Evidence is emerging that sedentary behaviour, such as sitting or lying down for long periods, is bad for your health.

Not only should you try to raise your activity levels, but you should also reduce the amount of time you and your family spend sitting down.

Common examples of sedentary behaviour include watching TV, using a computer, using the car for short journeys and sitting down to read, talk or listen to music – and such behaviour is thought to increase your risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes, as well as weight gain and obesity. 

“Previous generations were active more naturally through work and manual labour, but today we have to find ways of integrating activity into our daily lives,” says Dr Cavill.

Whether it's limiting the time babies spend strapped in their buggies, or encouraging adults to stand up and move frequently, people of all ages need to reduce their sedentary behaviour.

“This means that each of us needs to think about increasing the types of activities that suit our lifestyle and can easily be included in our day,” says Dr Cavill.

Crucially, you can hit your weekly activity target but still be at risk of ill health if you spend the rest of the time sitting or lying down. For tips on building physical activity and exercise into your day, whatever your age, read Get active your way.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/whybeactive.aspx

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.

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/exercising-with-diabetes/

Health Packages - A Must Do Choice for You and Your Family

There goes a popular saying that "Health is Wealth". It's only the health that can fetch you a rewarding and productive life. In today's date, desk-bound lifestyle has made people increasingly indolent and this very fact has taken a toll on the healthy being. Health is one of the most concerned topics for every human being in the present scenario. Staying fit and healthy has become one of the top priorities. As a result, people take to different routes to remain healthy to desperately shed off the weight.

You would come upon a range of ways to slim down. In fact, if you ask the meaning of staying healthy, you will come across varying answers. One of the most popular and beneficial ways to downsize the fat is through the health packages. Their popularity is on a rise, especially in these days of inactive lifestyle. Staying healthy can only keep away the diseases from attacking you. Hence, by adopting the well-designed packages, you can ensure a healthy and happy living.

Why health packages

This might be one of the decisive questions striking your mind. Well, in the present situation, people are often compelled to sacrifice their health for the sake of earning money. Too much workload, stress and varying office timings often lead to improper food habits, thereby disturbing the balance in life. To address this serious issue, a lot of medical companies have come up with highly advantageous health packages.

Such packages are specifically tailored to suit the needs of people with diverse health issues and spanning all ages. For instance, you can find health packages for teenagers to be unique from the offer for elderly. Once you enroll for a specific package, you will be given different mechanism to keep yourself hale and hearty. Going for routine medical check-ups is integral to keeping healthy as early detection and prevention can arrest the development of many diseases.

Where do you get

A lot of hospitals, specialty clinics, and nursing homes advertise various health package deals. Keep your eyes open to avail the lucrative and discounted offers, which include you and your family's entire medical and hospital expenses. However, you got to be discerning enough to pick up the most beneficial and the reliable one out of the crowd.

It is beneficial

The customized health packages facilitate the prevention of illness and the preservation of wellness. During emergency you will not have to run to accumulate money or sacrifice your health due to the hefty expenses. The comprehensive health package deals make the entire treatment and medication cost manageable and affordable. In a way, the beneficial health packages also assure you savings in the long-term. It is important to mention that before making the final go, cross-check the offerings and ensure that whatever promised has been included in the health package that you have asked for.



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10 surprising things that improve your sex life

Crazy things that make sex better
Lots of things can improve your sex life, but some of them can be strange, scary and very surprising. Here are 10 shocking things that can make your sex life fantastic:
10 surprising things that improve your sex life
Embracing your booty

You may hate your big behind, but the chances are he secretly loves it. Although a lot of women want smaller butts, research has found that men are attracted to bigger rears because they signal a woman’s fertility.

The Swiss-ball

It turns out that the most fun piece of gym equipment around can also improve your sex life. Guys, you should do Swiss-ball press-ups, whilst girls you should use the Swiss ball to do kegels and ball squeezes. This will strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.

Celery

The time when a salad was a food for girls is gone fellers, and if you want to improve your sex life you better start chomping on the green stuff. Celery releases pheromones when you eat it that turn you on, and in turn makes you more attractive to women.

Sex bans

Denying yourself for short periods will give you a great build up and when you do finally indulge, the sex will be amazing. If you can’t manage a sex ban, instead use the no-touch rule, where you can’t touch your bed buddy, unless you use a “tool”, like a scarf or a feather.

Hugging

Research suggests that the closer a couple feels to each other the more sex they have. Hugging increases your oxytocin levels – the hormone that makes us feel intimate with the person we’re hugging. So if you want more loving, get cuddling.

Scars

Although scars may make you think of pirates, apparently women love them. Men with mild facial scars were ranked as more attractive. For those guys who want a long-term girl though, scars are not the thing to go for. Women said men with scars were not marriage material.

Having another birthday

If you want better sex then it’s time to have another birthday as researchers have found that older people have better sex. They cite better body image, more confidence and a stronger relationship as being the key reasons older people have better sex.

Sucking toes

For many the thought of someone else’s feet makes them queasy, but to a lot of people feet are a big, big turn on. In fact, feet are the most popular fetish, so even if you don’t think you like your partner’s toes maybe it’s time you give them a little attention – you may be surprised.

Chocolate

Not many people need an excuse to tuck into some chocolate, but if you are one of those people then remember that a few squares of dark chocolate can boost both your energy levels and your mood; in turn this will improve your sex life.

Long legs

We all know that men love long legs, but it seems women like their guys to have a giraffe-like pair of pins too. People whose legs are 5% longer than average are considered more attractive. So if you want more sex invest in some high heeled shoes.
http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/10-surprising-things-that-improve-your-sex-life/

You Need Not Take Big Steps For Being Fit

Who does not want to lead a fit and healthy life? But not many may be willing to take big steps like doing strenuous exercises, etc. for maintaining their fitness. If you also belong to this group, you can make a few small changes to your lifestyle and routine and can derive immense health benefits.

Unnecessary Calories

Fitness experts point out that when we experience a feeling of hunger, it may not really be hunger but it may be thirst. According to them, thirst can give the feeling of hunger. So, we should drink water first and see if the feeling of hunger subsides. Only if the feeling does not subside, we should eat our food. If you commit the mistake of eating when you have to really drink water, you will be adding unnecessary calories.

Reduce your intake of beverages.

Beverages surreptitiously add to the calories you consume. Further, beverages like coffee and tea are diuretic also and they may dehydrate your system. You can argue that this dehydration is mild but even this may sap your energy and you may soon become tired. Instead of beverages, you must ensure to drink plenty of water that will improve your health phenomenally by keeping you hydrated always.

Occasional Fasting Helps

It is true that starving on a regular basis is dangerous. But it may not harm if you skip your meal once in a while. Researches also reveal that such occasional skipping of meals bestow some good health benefits to the human body.

Make Sure To Consume Antioxidants

Antioxidants help us a lot by countering the ill-effects of free radicals. Thanks to the increase in the pollution levels, free radicals are everywhere and when they enter our body, it may lead to several ailments. But if you ensure to add foods that contain a good amount of antioxidants, you need not have any fear about free radicals. Some of the foods that contain antioxidants are leafy vegetables, fresh and colorful fruits, some types of meats, fish, poultry, etc.

Never Forgo Your Sleep

You can achieve big health gains if you have a good sleep during nights. It is a proven fact that it is only during sleep that your body carries out the repairing tasks and remedies even the damages caused due to strenuous workouts or stress. Sleeping for 7 to 8 hours a day is very vital for keeping good health. Those who forgo sleep regularly may lose their emotional balance also.

Be Mindful of What You Eat

In addition to avoiding eating like a glutton, you must watch what you eat also. If you eat slowly, chances of over-eating come down. Likewise, distractions like TV viewing, etc. may result in over-eating. You must consciously choose nutritious foods in order to maintain good health.

Occasional Sprinting

Fitness experts advise that every one of us should sprint occasionally. Even sprinting twice a week may bestow excellent cardiovascular benefits. You need not run long distances. Short sprinting is enough to give a boost to your fitness levels.

Shun desserts

Instead of desserts, you can opt for fresh fruits that are healthier. The calories desserts contain are 'empty calories'. By avoiding them, you are preventing energy fluxes. This step may not only increase your energy but will help you in reducing your waistline.

Walk, Walk and Walk

Never be afraid of walking. The more you walk, the more healthy you will be. In fact, walking is the easiest of exercises and can bestow enormous health benefits on a long-term basis. Whenever you go for a walk, make it a point to walk some extra steps. You will see its benefits in the long run.



http://ezinearticles.com/?You-Need-Not-Take-Big-Steps-For-Being-Fit&id=8769146

How To Make Smoothie Making Fun

Those who are conscious about what they eat and drink often recommend drinking smoothies to maintain good health and fitness. But just because you have decided that you will lead a healthy lifestyle does not mean making smoothies has to be an ordeal! You can have an incredible amount of fun making smoothies. Smoothies are a great way to maintain your levels of nutrition and keep a watch on your weight.

Smoothies retain the goodness of fruits and vegetables unlike juices that discard the pulp. This means you can indeed have a wide variety of fruits of vegetables and get their full benefits without wastage. The first reason why smoothies can be good fun is there are no hard and fast rules! You can try blending different categories of fruits and vegetables and make interesting smoothies that will make your taste buds sing. Here are some interesting tips that will help you with your smoothie making efforts a real pleasure.

Chose your liquid wisely

First up, decide upon the liquid you will use. The liquid is the first that that should go into your blender, as the liquid must surround the blade for your smoothie making process to be smooth and easy. The traditional choice for a smoothie has always been milk or fruit juices. Dairy milk or even soy milk can be used while making smoothies. You can also use a variety of fruit juices, but in that case beware of the added sugar content. If you are looking at breaking the mould and want to use some interesting liquids you could try things like almond milk or coconut milk. Fat free yogurt can also be a good choice if you want your smoothie to be creamy.

Go wild with ingredients and toppings

As we mentioned earlier, you can go wild with the choice of the fruits and veggies. The more colourful your choices, the better it is for your nutritional value. The more fruits and veggies you use the lesser liquid you will need to use. Also if you keep your fruits and vegetables frozen, you will not have to use too much of ice. As for the toppings or extras, you have a wide variety of choice as well. For a dessert style smoothie, the choice of a topping is usually ice cream. But if you are watching your weight, you cannot obviously opt for this sinful dessert topping! But that does not mean your smoothie will not taste good.

You can use protein powders, which come in a variety of flavours that can really give your smoothie a wonderful taste. If you are not keen on such powders, you can use a lot of natural flavourings such as honey, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla and nutmeg that will lend a wonderful taste to your smoothie.

Lastly, you will make sure you have a high power, easy to use blender that will liquidate your ingredients easily. Also ensure that you are not overloading your blender too much. Ideally, once you have your ingredients ready, your smoothie should be ready in less than a minute! Once you master these smoothie making tips, you will see that making smoothies is an incredible amount of fun.



http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Make-Smoothie-Making-Fun&id=8443720

Importance Of A Good Posture and How You Can Improve It

The posture of a person is the way they hold their body, right from when they are standing to when the sit somewhere or sleep. A good posture will be the best way to put as little pressure as possible on your spine as well as on the muscles and ligaments that support the area.

Why It Is Important To Have Good Posture

The lesser the pressure you put on your spine, the healthier it is for you. When you sit and stand incorrectly it could lead to a number of health issues in the long run and it will cause you a lot of pain. For example, slouching when you walk and sit may not affect you right now but your spine will get weak and bent and affect you as you grow older. In some cases when you try lifting heavy objects and you have a bad posture, you will be prone to catches, sprains and injuries.

Standing, sitting and doing things correctly helps to reduce the strain on your back and the back muscles. This prevents them from being overused and helps them work better. The overall difference is that you will have more energy and get less tired.

A good posture also makes a huge difference psychologically. A person who walks straight with their head held high and their shoulders back comes across as more confident as compared to someone who slouches and looks down at the floor. Standing straight will also help you look taller and slimmer.

What You Can Do To Improve Your Posture

Making changes will take a little time because your body needs to get used to the changes you are making. In the beginning, it is necessary to pay attention to the way you walk, sit and move. Once you notice the problems in your stance or the way you do things, you can try to improve it and you will have to make a conscious effort to maintain the good posture. Here are a few things you can do:

• When you stand, focus on the shoulders, the stomach, the back and the knees. Shoulders should be pushed back, the stomach should be tucked in, the back should be kept straight and the knees should be kept straight.

• When you sit, use the back of the chair for support. Keep your back straight against the backrest. Place both feet flat on the floor and try not to lean forward too much.

• When you sleep, ensure that your entire body is flat against a firm mattress. Position the pillow so that only your head rests on it and not your shoulders too.

• When you lift something, remember to hold the weight as close to your body as possible. Bend your knees slightly and keep your back as straight as you can when you are lifting it.



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Practicing Yoga For Skeletal Health

Yoga has been used as a practice for furthering the health of mind, body and spirit for more than 5,000 years. Although yoga originated in the east, its appearance and place in western culture has increased in recent years. It has become a regular part of health and exercise routines for busy moms, earth-loving hippies and professional athletes alike. The benefits of regular yoga practice are many, but yoga for skeletal health is one of the most important and often overlooked reasons for practicing yoga.
When we think of getting into shape and being physically healthy, we usually think about toning and shaping our muscles, keeping off extra weight and maintaining the shape of our outward physiques, which yoga can certainly help us do. We don't always think about our bones, our spine and our skeletal system. Yet, our skeletal system is what holds the rest of it together. When things go wrong in our spine and joints, it's like falling apart from the inside out.
Let's explore some of the ways yoga practice can help the body stay structurally aligned so everything else can keep doing its beautiful job.
Yoga Helps Maintain Bone Density
The bones in the body contain living tissues that need to be built and replenished in order to be healthy. Regular yoga practice has been shown to increase the density and mass of the bones, giving the bones a better chance of staying strong and guarding against osteoporosis. Focus on tree pose, bridge pose or any triangle poses to help build bone strength.
Yoga Improves the Flow of Fluids in the Joints

In order for joints to work properly, they need to produce a fluid called synovial fluid. Regular practice of yoga poses promote the flow and production of this fluid in the body creating joint mobility and healthy cartilage for an active, healthy lifestyle. No one likes being slowed down by achy joints. Try sun salutations to stimulate the production and flow of needed fluids for the joints.
Yoga Strengthens the Supporting Muscles around the Joints
Yoga poses that target balance and stability cause the smaller stabilizer muscles around the joints to kick in and strengthen themselves. Strong stabilizer muscles around the joints protects them from misuse and injury during activity and movement in everyday life. Focus on chair pose, tree pose, eagle pose and star pose for building the supporting muscles around the joints.
Yoga Improves Posture
Regular practice of yoga poses is one of the best ways to align and lengthen the spine. It also strengthens the core and brings awareness to the way we are holding our bodies. Many people who practice yoga regularly report having increased awareness of their posture in other daily activities. Try bridge pose, boat pose, mountain pose and forward bends for good posture.

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Benefits of Fasting As One of the Best Detox Methods

Many people are afraid of going on a fast because this is not seen as the norm. I believe that if you don't experience a fast then you're really missing out. Your body will heal at a greater rate through fasting, and the benefits of fasting are astounding.

When you fast, your body goes into a detoxification process. So this means that you may feel average or not the best earlier on as your body is dumping toxins and garbage into your bloodstream for removal that have been accumulating in your body over time.

The bad feelings you may experience earlier on in your fast may include moodiness, hunger pains, light headedness, tiredness and headaches to name a few. Everyone is different, so what and when you experience these and other feelings will differ from one person to the next. However this improves over a day or two.

On the other hand, the benefits of fasting are amazing. It's actually a little difficult to explain unless you've experienced it yourself. However, once you get over that "bad" period, you'll feel much better. Here are just 5 benefits of fasting:

1. You'll have more energy - I've had a number of people tell me they are amazed by how much more energy they have just by fasting on juice or water. Your body spends less time processing solids and your body is less burdened so you gain the benefit of more energy.
2. You'll have more clarity of mind - You'll find that finding solutions to problems or doing those crossword puzzles will be much easier than before. It's like your mind has been recharged.
3. Your senses will be heightened - For example, if you go to a market and smell the fresh produce or walk past a restaurant, you will notice that the different aromas are far more pungent than before a fast. Unfortunately the bad smells are more noticeable too!
4. You will see cosmetic benefits - You'll experience cosmetic benefits such as clearer skin, your eyes are more brighter, your hair has more vibrancy and you could even have less wrinkles!
5. Weight loss - although fasting really is the best detox, it also helps if you are wanting to lose weight. When doing an extended fast an average of 0.5 kgs (1.1lbs) can be lost per day. Sometimes more sometimes less, depending on your body, weight as well as how you are fasting, such as if you're doing a water or juice fast.

There are plenty more benefits to fasting.

I've helped people to overcome a range of health issues from weight loss, to chronic conditions including Ross River Fever, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Type II Diabetes to name just a few... I've even helped people who couldn't conceive for years to conceive. Unfortunately many medical professionals and even your family and friends will influence you to not undertake a fast, because they believe that abstaining from foods is bad for you. And I'm sure most of them haven't even fasted themselves so they don't understand the benefits.

You will never have felt so good on a fast, especially if you go for extended periods of say 7 days or more. The ancients knew fasting as the doorway to healing and great health, and I consider this to still be correct to this day.

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