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

5 shocking sex facts

Sex can help you give a great speech

Before you get carried away, we are not suggesting you hop into bed with your boss or sleep with the entire audience. However, having sex can help ease those all too familiar and very dreaded pre-speech nerves. This theory was developed by the psychologist Stuart Brody, who asked 22 women and 22 men to keep sex diaries about their bedroom antics. The group of men and women then had to undertake stressful tasks, like public speaking and mental arithmetic tests. Brody found that the couples who had had penetrative sex were less stressed and their blood pressure levels returned to normal at more speed that the others. Sadly though, those who “did it” alone did not reap the calming benefits, so buddy up before your next big speech.

A couple kissing

The Victorians were filthy

It turns out that the Victorians weren’t the tight-lipped prudes we once imagined. In fact it would seem that the Brits of the nineteenth century were a rather fruity bunch. Not only was this the age that heralded the vibrator as a cure for hysteria, but it also saw a rise in kinky behaviour and tools, such as nipple piercings, pubic wigs and some rather gruesome looking sex chairs. The sauciness doesn’t end there though. Although it is still disputed, it’s thought that the term blow job also derives from this “prudish” period where people would speak about a ‘below job’ and referred to prostitutes as ‘blowsys’.

We kiss to inoculate

Researchers at the University of Leeds believe that humans kiss to inoculate. Women who catch cytomegalovirus typically cannot carry a baby to term. However, if women are exposed to the virus in small doses then they become inoculated. And how can you inoculate against the virus? Why, through swapping saliva of course. Therefore, the brain boxes at the University of Leeds have concluded that we don’t jump into bed with each other straightaway because if we did we might infect women. Therefore we kiss to protect women from catching cytomegalovirus. So pucker up and stay healthy by smooching.

Giving oral is as good as the gym

Sadly girls, giving oral will only benefit you if you’re the giver not the taker. A study has found that pleasuring a guy and swallowing can lower women’s blood pressure and reduce their risk of getting pre-eclampsia. However, if you don’t have the stomach to tackle your man’s area in this way there are other ways you can lower your blood pressure. Another study found that having regular sex with a partner you lived with could lower your diastolic blood pressure, whilst another study found a link between cuddling and reduced blood pressure. So, although you shouldn’t give up on the gym altogether, ladies, it might be worth swapping your sports kit for something a little slinkier once in a while.

Sperm is a great face cream

Although it’s not a great idea to bottle your man stuff and give it to your girl as a present, it turns out that sperm contains protein, which if applied to the face has the same anti-wrinkle benefits as moisturising creams. Apparently the white stuff can tighten skin and give you a little surgery-free facelift. Interestingly, this isn’t the only benefit sperm has to offer. It also contains zinc, magnesium, calcium, potassium and fructose. Plus, if you’re still not convinced that sperm is super, a recent study in Albany found that women who had sex without condoms had fewer signs of depression than women who used condoms or did not have sex at all.

https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/5-shocking-sex-facts-090000217.html

The Best and Worst Foods to Eat During Pregnancy

When I was about three months pregnant, my obstetrician told me, "Certain foods go to the front, and others go to the back." Since then, no matter how many years I studied nutrition or how many prenatal classes I taught, no statement was as succinct or painted as clean an image as that one. So if you’re around three months pregnant, and you’ve already gained about 20 pounds, most of that weight gain probably had little to do with your growing fetus and more to do with overfeeding.

Armed with a cache of wit and wisdom, I'd like to share a few maternity mantras to help you enjoy this unique and amazing time in your life – while also looking ahead to enjoying the way you look and feel after your special delivery:

The thought of eating for two could lead to eating too much. Excessive portion sizes and giving into every craving could lead to double time at the gym after delivery. Even more seriously, it could put you at risk for complications during pregnancy. On average, the demands of pregnancy require around an extra 300 calories per day. The goal is to add foods rich in nutrients you may otherwise not get enough of, like calcium from milk or fiber from whole grains.

The power of protein is important for you and your baby to fuel muscles and promote growth.You may be getting enough protein from your typical diet, but it's important to choose the right sources of lean protein and be sure to double check that your taking in the right quantities. Choose chicken, lean meat, low-fat dairy and part-skim cheeses.

Docosahexaenoic acid is important for your baby's brain and eye development. Food sources that are naturally high in DHA and omega-3 fatty acids include fortified eggs, walnuts and certain fish. Fish is an excellent source of protein that's low in calories and high in nutrient value, but when it comes to the type of fish to select, we need to keep food safety in mind. Women in their childbearing years, as well as pregnant and nursing women, should avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish because of their methylmercury – a heavy metal that's toxic to a developing baby's neurological system. The Food and Drug Administration is updating its advice for pregnant women on the appropriate levels of mercury in seafood, but don't wait for this information to appear on seafood packages – you can probably have several children before that happens. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americansincorporated the FDA's warnings to state that pregnant and breastfeeding women should consume eight to 12 ounces of a variety of safe seafood per week, while limiting white albacore tuna to six ounces a week. You may need to speak with your health care provider about taking an omega-3 supplement.

Vitamins such as folic acid and vitamin B-6 aid in reducing the risk of neural tube defects that causes spina bifida. Taking a daily multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid before you are pregnant is recommended, and be sure to choose rich food sources including lentils, dark green veggies and non-citrus fruit. You can find vitamin B-6 in fish and meat, as well as in non-animal sources such as bananas, avocados, potatoes, spinach and fortified grains.

Carbohydrates are a pregnant woman's best friend. They help halt nausea, squelch craving and smooth moods. Whole-grain, high-fiber carbs can also help alleviate the discomfort of constipation, but be sure to couple fiber with fluid, or else it'll cork you up instead of provide a moving experience.

Calcium is essential for your baby’s bone development and for your long-term bone strength. Don’t underestimate how much your intake of calcium today will help bolster your bones for the future. You can put a solid deposit in the bone bank by choosing yogurt, cheese and other non- or low-fat dairy products. Fortified cereals and dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greensare also high in calcium.

Let’s get something straight about weight gain in pregnancy... You are supposed to gain weight. This is normal. It's suggested that one to four pounds total should be gained during the first three months (first trimester), and two to four pounds per month should be gained during the fourth through ninth months (second and third trimesters) for a total of approximately 25 to 35 pounds for women who start their pregnancies within a healthy weight range. Weight gain ranges may differ for those who begin this journey either over- or underweight.

Keep in mind that although you might be in a hurry to ditch post-pregnancy pounds, it took at least nine months to put them on, so be as patient with yourself as you will have to be with your new bundle of joy.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2014/06/05/the-best-and-worst-foods-to-eat-during-pregnancy?int=986d08&int=986d08

5 Steps to Get Healthier NOW

If you are like most people when you think about change you focus on all of the things that need to happen at once and you become overwhelmed by this. It is likely if you are already feeling overwhelmed before you've actually made any changes that you will not succeed in whatever it is that you are trying to change and you will give up because it is just "too hard" or "impossible". It is really easy to live in this mindset. In fact this is the default mindset for a great deal of people. This doesn't mean most people are failures, it means that most people are capable of SO MUCH MORE than they give themselves credit for. I find that a lot of the people I meet and work with feel like they can't get healthier or have their ideal bodies or lives because there are just too many things that they would need to do in order to achieve this. I am always excited to share this tip: when we break up big goals into small action steps you will be taking clear steps towards accomplishing your goal.

So today I want to share with you five very simple steps you can take right now to start being a healthier and happier you.

1. Drink Up! I know you hear it all of the time but there is nothing more important than drinking enough water for your health. Your body is made up of 75% water and most people are not drinking enough to keep themselves hydrated throughout the day. If you find it challenging to drink plain water, watch my YouTube video of how to make your water more exciting by clicking here. Always bring a water bottle with you when you are on the go! And don't forget to drink water first thing in the morning (hint: adding lemon to your water makes it alkaline and oh so delicious)

2. Swap Out - If you have a habit of eating refined sugar, salty snacks, or drinking too much alcohol, find a way to swap one of your bad habits out each day. Instead of reaching for the candy bar at 3pm, remind yourself to swap it out! Reach for an apple that will give you fiber and sustainable energy. If you immediately come home from work and crack open a beer or poor a glass of wine, start with a glass of water or sparkling water. I'm not telling you to give up your treats, just to find places where you can have less of them. This will make a huge change in the way you look and feel. Be patient and remember to swap it out!

3. Mix Up Your Workout - If you are already working out regularly, that's awesome! If not, don't worry you're still awesome, but let's get you moving. Whether you are coming from no exercise or a non stop workout regimen, it's important to mix it up. Trying something new will help you connect to your body more deeply. This connection is so important because the stronger it gets the more powerful you become. When you truly become connected to your internal body it becomes much easier to know when you are hungry, when you need rest, and to observe cravings and realize where they are coming form and why. I urge you to physically get out of your comfort zone at least once a week. Even if you are trying something in your living room, just do it! You will be glad you did.

4. Make Your Veggies the Main Star of Your Plate - This one is huge! If you can choose one meal a day to focus on your vegetables you will start to see and feel results quickly. Cooked veggies, raw veggies, roasted veggies, I don't care what veggies they are just eat them. We have lived in a world where the meat and rice (or some variation on that) are the main part of the meal. When in reality the vegetables should be. You don't have to be a vegetarian to eat a lot of veggies! Make 80% of your plate be filled with veggies at least one meal a day, and the other 20% can be any other (whole) food of your choice. If you need some ideas check out my recipes or my Instagram for veggie inspired meals!

5. Get Some Sleep! This, like drinking more water, is said often. It is so important that I can't make a list about getting healthier without it. Create space in your life for rest and regeneration. If this means that you have to cut out one t.v. show, so be it. Getting enough sleep will help your body function properly, it will help your metabolism work optimally, keep you from prematurely aging, and keep you from having cravings. People are more likely to eat junk food the day after they have little sleep than after a night of good sleep. Every body is different so get to know how many hours you need, and commit.

Try these five things today and see how different you feel. None of these steps are crazy extreme, you are completely capable of achieving all of them. These are simple attainable steps that will help you take a large stride in the direction of health and happiness.



http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Steps-to-Get-Healthier-NOW&id=8728988

Fitness for Women: Five Tips to Keep Your Body Healthy!

In the present day scenario, women are increasingly balancing professional as well as personal lives during their day to day routine. Believe it or not, the constant endeavours to maintain the precarious balance tends to take a toll on the body of a woman especially as she ages. Therefore, it is extremely important for the ladies to pay attention to their fitness and work towards preserving the body's strength in order to ensure that they are able to live a long and healthy life even when they are old.

Here are a few simple suggestions that can be easily incorporated in your day to day routine and help you maintain a fit body:

Eat good food: Food is the fuel for our body, isn't it? Therefore, it is important to eat right. Don't get us wrong, we are not asking you to shift to the hospital's diet and give up the passion for all the food items that you love. Instead, all you need to do is start eating healthy food that includes green leafy veggies, salads, grilled meats, etc. In fact, try to include more colours in your plate by opting for green vegetables, red carrots, bell peppers, coriander and a host of other things. After all, healthy eating will maintain a healthy metabolism within the body and automatically improve your fitness levels.

Drink plenty of water: Add a little extra water to your daily routine or simply increase your fluid intake and you will automatically notice the change in your body's metabolism rate. Also, drinking water is a natural technique to flush out the toxins from within the body. Both men as well as women should include this as a habit in their daily routine.

Supplement the calcium requirement: The body of a woman is prone to calcium deficiency as the age progresses. This leads to several types of bone disorders at a later stage in life. However, if the ladies take conscious efforts to fulfil the calcium requirements of the body as the age advances, the chances of the occurrence of such bone related problems are automatically reduced.

Exercise: An everyday exercise routine of at least twenty minutes is a must for ladies who are planning to keep their body healthy as well as strong in the long run. Ideally, the type of exercises to be included in this routine is decided in accordance to the body type and requirements of the individuals. Therefore, it is best advised to consult a fitness expert before you start any type of exercise.

Yoga: In addition to exercise some basic yoga postures practiced on a daily basis help in stimulating the body's immunity from within. This in turn ensures a fitter body for the ladies even as they grow older.



http://ezinearticles.com/?Fitness-for-Women:-Five-Tips-to-Keep-Your-Body-Healthy!&id=8753906

Does Fitness = Health?

There seems to be a great deal of emphasis these days about attaining the perfect abs, sculpted upper arms, toned calves and getting rid of every ounce of fat.

Magazines, reality shows, advertisements, and celebrities all tout the perfect physique; at what price? Working out at a gym, jogging, doing Pilates, Yoga or any form of vigorous activity to maintain physical health is fine when done on an appropriate scale.

It is now an accepted fact that our mind and body are connected. We also know that moderate exercise does bring about positive mental benefits as physical activity increases oxygen flow to the brain and produces greater amounts of endorphins, otherwise known as 'feel-good chemicals'.

But what is moderate for each of us? I know people who go overboard with exercise and are obsessed with physical fitness to the exclusion of their mental wellbeing. They end up damaging both mind and body in the process.

Worst of all they judge others who don't follow their regime of running marathons and triathlons not knowing that they are the ones who need to re-balance their lives.

Today more than ever I come across so many fitness buffs. They work out in a frenzied almost obsessive-compulsive manner but prefer to sweep emotional issues they face under the rug.

An extreme example I can recall was a company director who took part in ironman events in the region. An ironman event consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile marathon, raced in that order and without a break. He was an avid runner and cyclist whose life revolved around these events and constant training in between despite having young children.

Not even getting pneumonia during a couple of the events and being hospitalised could keep him away! He once got himself discharged earlier before full recovery because he wanted to take part in another race.

For all his physical prowess the sad thing was that as a member of the senior management team he totally lacked people skills. His cold demeanour made staff afraid of him and they did their best to avoid him.

On the other hand I recall the words of my Managing Director when I worked in banking. He was a slim, healthy man in his 50's then. When I asked what he did for exercise weekly he said a 20 to 30 minute run on the treadmill a few times a week kept his mind clear and his body healthy.

There is something off kilter with society today when fitness freaks think that they are healthy. I don't believe that fitness equals health. I know of too many people who have dropped dead on the golf course or who died young from no real reason except in my mind, due to overworking the body.

I look back at my parents and grandparents and at farmers who toil their land. They do a natural amount of exercise, commensurate with what the body can take. They kept to nature and what the body was built for. Today the overworking of our bodies in doing a marathon for instance requires a buildup of protein with special diets to get the body ready for the big day.

Some recorded symptoms of overworking the body include loss of focus, sluggishness, chronic joint and bones pains, lack of motivation and falling sick more often. This to me is highly unnatural and one I am hesitant to condone in my own life. What are they trying to prove?

As an NLP Trainer I see people like this running away from themselves. They are obviously running loops in their addictive strategies that don't allow them to exit. They are sports aficionados who never miss a game of cricket, golf, or tennis and who also only 'talk' sports off the field. They might think that an addiction in sport is a good thing but any addiction takes us out of balance and something else suffers eventually.

Changing mindsets is a near impossible task with these people as they hibernate in their comfort zone refusing to open up to new possibilities. When such individuals turn up in my workshops they invariably stay aloof from the rest of the group and again take cover behind a sports buff façade. It is like there is an emotional wall between mind and body with the connection switched off.

I strongly feel that the closer we keep to nature the closer we are to home. I see people like this embracing addictions and they don't even realise it. They are at DIS-EASE with themselves. The erroneous belief of fitness equals health is their downfall that eventually leads to physical ailments.



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