Movement Monday
Don’t slouch! Standing up straight and keeping a good posture will help you look leaner and thinner.
Tag Archive for: health
Workout Wednesday
An effective cardio exercise will increase your heart rate, which burns more calories while strengthening your cardiovascular system.
Workout Wednesday
Pilates strengthens the core muscles by developing your pelvic and abs stability zones and improving muscle and joint flexibility.
Medical Treatment for Adrenal Fatigue
Adrenal glands are an important part of your body. They are, “small, triangular-shaped endocrine glands, situated on the top of the kidneys. These glands regulate body’s stress response through the synthesis of catecholmines and corticosteroids, including adrenaline and cortisol.
Stress is usually the reason behind adrenal fatigue. Excessive stress may be due to work pressure, moving, change in job, death of a beloved one, marital problems and physical illness. Some other factors that contribute to adrenal stress are fear, anger, guilt, depression, anxiety, excessive exercise, physical or mental strain, sleep deprivation, trauma/injury, surgery, toxic exposure, chronic pain, chronic infection, maldigestion, malabsorption, chronic illness, low blood sugar and nutritional deficiencies.
Adrenal Fatigue is a condition that was first described in medical texts in the 1800’s. However, over most of the last one hundred years, doctors argued as to whether it was a legitimate medical condition or not. The main stumbling block to the recognition of Adrenal Fatigue as a scientifically valid medical condition was that science had yet to determine a way to test for its existence.
There are so many symptoms for adrenal fatigue. For instance, it causes weight gain, and an inability to lose the weight. There is also “High frequency of getting the flu and other respiratory diseases that tends to resist treatments” and “Experiencing upper back or neck pain with no apparent cause.” Next, there is reduced sex drive. There is also the difficulty in waking up in the mornings. Also forgetfulness is another symptom of adrenal fatigue.
There are more symptoms: there is the feeling of being lethargic in the evenings and still being unable to sleep. Furthermore, there are “cravings for salty, fatty, and high protein foods such as meat and cheese,” and an increase of PMS symptoms for women. It does not stop there. The “periods are heavy and then stop, only to start flow again a couple days later.
Proponents of the adrenal fatigue diagnosis claim this is a mild form of adrenal insufficiency caused by chronic stress. The unproven theory behind adrenal fatigue is that your adrenal glands are unable to keep pace with the demands of perpetual fight-or-flight arousal.
Take your blood pressure while sitting down. Then, stand up and immediately take your blood pressure again. Your systolic (first) number should have raised 8 to 10 mm. If it dropped, you probably have adrenal fatigue. Pupil dilation exam — (Equipment required: Flashlight and a mirror) Look into the mirror and shine the flashlight into the pupil of one eye. It should contract. If after 30 seconds, it stays the same or, even worse, dilates, you most likely have adrenal fatigue. Pain when pressing on adrenal glands (located over kidneys).
Active Nutrition for an Active Lifestyle
It’s important to eat right at all times. But when you live an active lifestyle you have got to be sure you’re fueling your body right in order to keep up and not get run down and even get sick. If you don’t have the proper nutrients and end up running around like crazy, then you are more likely to have faster crashes and burns and even to end up catching colds and other illnesses much easier.
So here’s how to eat to fuel your body so you can keep up with everything you want to do.
Healthy Nutrition for an Active Lifestyle
Antioxidants
Fruits and vegetables are a great source of antioxidants. What this does for your body is protect it from damage due to free radicals which will cause you to age faster and break down the cells in the body. Lots of colorful fruits and vegetables will help to neutralize the effects of free radicals on your body. So fill up your plate, or at least half of it, with these foods.
Whole grains, low fat dairy, lean meats, and fruits and vegetables all provide the vitamins and minerals needed for energy to fuel an active lifestyle. Our bodies aren’t very efficient at producing the vitamins and minerals needed to function properly, so we have to choose the right foods with the right amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Instead of eating three large meals a day, eat smaller, healthy, well-balanced meals throughout the day. Eating six to eight smaller meals a day instead of three large meals will keep you energized throughout the day so you can maintain your active lifestyle. It will keep your energy up and metabolism high.
Healthy Fats
You cannot avoid fat. Most foods contain fat and your body is in need of fat. But you need to choose healthy fats, not empty calories. Eating fats with key fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 will provide you with good heart health and will lubricate your joints. A great healthy fat to eat would be nuts like walnuts.
Eat before Exercise
Don’t follow the old adage of waiting 30 minutes before you can swim. Eating prior to exercise will fuel that workout. But be smart about what you eat. You don’t want a big heavy four-course meal; it should be sensible. This way you aren’t hungry in the middle of your workout.
Stay Hydrated
Remember to drink water throughout the day. An important part of nutrition is to remain hydrated, no matter what kind of lifestyle you live.
What you put into your body – your food and drink – is going to have a huge impact on how you perform throughout the day. So choose the right diet, but then fine-tune how you eat throughout the day based on how you perform. Be open to making changes and space out your eating schedule differently. Doing this will improve your performance, and will help you maintain your active lifestyle and remain in good health while doing it.
Back Pain Indicators
Back pain is usually an indicator of an underlying problem. For example, if your back bothers you once and later the pain will stop. Later, the pain may start again. This means you have received the indicator of future problems. The first time you have back pain, you can consider it as a warning that something is not right. You will need to pinpoint exactly where the pain originated, and what you were doing when the pain began.
Once you determine the day the pain started, and exactly what you were doing when the pain began, you will know what to avoid doing later in life. Did you fall? Were in you a car accident? Were you picking up a box?
What Did the Pain Feel Like?
After you have determined what triggered your back pain, you will need to take into consideration the symptoms associated with the pain. Did you feel the pain? Did you feel weakness in the area surrounding the muscles? Did you feel weakness that extended to your legs? Before the pain hit, was your back stiff, or did you feel numbness in the area?
Now that you know what triggered the pain, you can utilize the indicators to discover where exactly the pain started. Was the pain in the top of your back? Did the initial pain cause radiating pain? Did you feel pain around your neck? Was the pain constant or did it come and go? Did the pain shoot to other locations in your body?
How Did the Pain React?
Did the pain increase when you performed certain activities, or moved in a certain way? Did the pain decrease during certain activities or movements? Did the initial injury cause constant pain, or did the pain come and go over time? Were there any long-term problems associated with the injury? Did the pain go immediately, or did it take a while to fade away?
Why You Should Consider These Questions
The answer to these questions can assist your doctor in determining the cause, and fully understanding the condition you are suffering from. If you were in an accident, and were treated by a medical professional, you will want to let your doctor know what tests were performed when you were treated. What was found on the exam, tests, and images taken during the visit?
If you did see a medical professional and they recommended a specific treatment, what was it? Did the treatment help you? If the treatment did help, are you willing to try the same treatment again?
Backpain Caused by Other Conditions
Did your back pain start after having surgery? Maybe it is associated with a joint or musculoskeletal disorder. By letting your doctor know if you have any of these problems, you may help them find a solution to your problem.
Other things you may want to take into consideration is whether your job requires you to lift heavy objects, causes emotional distress, or causes you to suffer serious stress. Are you required to stand for prolonged periods of time, or maybe sit for extended periods of time?
Do you exercise properly, or often? Do you stretch before exercising? How much stress do you endure on a regular basis? Do you perform physical activity in order to relieve emotional and mental stress? All of the problems listed here can cause acute and chronic back pain.
Does Your Family Carry a Hereditary Back Problem?
Once you have asked yourself the important questions above, you need to consider your family history. If there is any possibility of hereditary back problem. If there is, letting your doctor know there is a possibility of this history, it can help him to determine the origin of your injury or pain. Many times, patients ignore this possibility, which causes confusion for physicians.
Recurring Back Pain
If your back pain has occurred before and has recently come back, let your doctor know the answer to the questions above. Let your doctor know exactly what treatments you have tried at home, along with what has worked and what has not.
Doctors commonly recommend rest as a treatment for back pain. They may also make a referral to a chiropractor or physical therapist. These professionals will be able to recommend stretches you can do to release tension from muscles that are commonly overlooked, which may prevent future pain.
It is important that you do not ignore back pain indicators. As soon as back pain starts, take note of it. Discuss the problem with your doctor to help prevent future problems and possible permanent damage.
Dont Get Caught Up In Fad Diets
You are tired of the jokes, and the odd looks’ people give you. It is embarrassing and you need to address your weight as soon as possible. Read this article and you will find some of the best weight loss tips that exist for somebody living in this day and age.
You may be tempted, when trying to lose weight, to cut fat out entirely. But it’s important to remember that fat has a high satiety value in foods, so a little will go a long way. Case in point: baked potato chips may have no fat, but because of that, they don’t trigger your satiety level as quickly as regular or even the “fat-free” Olestra chips do. So, you’re tempted to eat the whole bag. Better, for example, to eat a small amount of high-quality, high-fat food – let’s say, a small high-end dark chocolate bar – then to gorge on large quantities of low- or non-fat foods. You’ll be more satisfied without having to say “No” to treats.
Losing weight starts with a plan. Figuring out what changes you need and want to make and sticking to it will help you stay on track. Determine what sort of foods you are going to eat and stock up. Find out where you are going to work out and how often you can fit it in your schedule. Making these and other plans related to your weight loss will be am important key to your success.
If you find yourself hitting a plateau in your weight loss or fitness goals, try mixing up your exercise routine a bit once in a while. Work different muscles and areas of your body and you may be able to burn off more of the fat that your previous routine wasn’t targeting.
Whatever weight-loss regimen you assemble, make sure it is one you can stick with. Behind every goal to lose weight there is a second, implicit goal: Keeping the weight off. To do this, you need a routine that can be converted into a life-long process. Avoid extreme programs that will be unsustainable in the long run.
A great way to help you lose weight is to purchase a jump rope. Jumping rope might just sound like a children’s game to some, but it’s actually one of the most intense exercises you can do. Boxers jump rope to get in peak condition for a fight.
A great way to help you lose weight is to not eat snack foods right out of their container. When you eat snacks right out of their container like a box of cookies, you’ll be more likely to eat too many. Instead, put a serving or two on a plate.
In conclusion, you cannot tolerate the laughter and dirty looks you have to deal with. Even if they are not directed at you, you still feel as though they are. This article is your escape to being a more attractive looking and healthier individual. Do not hesitate and get started now!
How to Lose Weight Fast and Easy
If you’ve heard it once you’ve heard it a dozen times – fad diets don’t result in permanent weight loss. But what about when you want to lose a few pounds fast. It’s hard not to try the Cabbage Soup Diet or Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days Diet. While these diets might work is this really safe weight loss and will it last? According to NBC’s Biggest Loser medical doctor Dr. Michael Dansinger, there’s nothing wrong with rapid weight loss.
Losing 20 pounds in a week because of an aggressive exercise and easting program that involves hours a day of exercise combined with healthy eating choices and restricted calorie intake can result in exactly this kind of weight loss. However, such a program should never be undertaken without first getting your physicians approval.
Even without taking it to the extreme losing 3 to 5 pounds a week can easily be accomplished. Losing weight fast is really as simple as a math formula. You must burn more calories than you take in. A deficit of 500 calories seems to be the recommended and can be accomplished by reducing your calorie intake and increasing your physical activity.
If you want to lose those pounds faster than exercise more and eat less. Around 1100 calories combined with one hour of exercise a day will lead to a loss of 3 to 5 pounds in the first week. If you weigh more than 250 pounds then the amount will be more. Great news – According to Dr. Michael Dansinger, the more fat you have to lose the faster it will come off.
Did you know you can lose up to 5 pounds in fluid just by reducing starch and sodium intake. While cutting back calories has the greatest effect on weight loss it’s important to not do any drastic reduction or you’ll put your body into starvation mode and you’ll lose nothing. Dieticians recommend not going below 1,200 calories a day.
5 Tips to Quick and Effective Weight Loss:
- Drink plenty of water. You can reduce hunger by drinking more water.
- Eat plenty of low calorie fruits and vegetables. They’ll make you feel full.
- Eat six small meals a day rather than three large ones.
- Get rid of all those foods that are bad for your waist (and your health) by removing them from the house.
- Weigh yourself daily and track the food you take in – it will keep you focused on your weight loss.
Now that you know how to lose weight fast and easy, what are you waiting for?
10 Top Tips to Help You Quickly Lose Weight
Losing weight can be a real challenge. Doing it quickly and in a manner that’s healthy is important, but not as difficult as you might think.
Follow these 10 top tips to lose weight quickly.
1. Watch What you Eat
You should be keeping an eye on everything you put in your mouth. It’s the garnishes, and the extras that can be packed with calories.
2. Burn off Those Extra Calories
To lose weight you need to take in fewer calories than you burn. As you track your calories if you are taking in more than you are burning you’ll need to ramp up the exercise. This is important so don’t let it out of your sight.
3. Fried Foods are Bad
If you want to lose weight fast, you need to avoid fried foods completely. Even if you drain or soak off the oil, it’s within the food. To lose weight quickly take fried food out of your diet.
4. Don’t Skip Meals
This is one of the worst things you can do while trying to lose weight quickly. If you skip meals, you will actually gain weight. Eat a minimum of four to six meals a day.
5. Only Fresh Fruit Juice
We all know how important it is to drink plenty of water but sometimes we have a craving for something other than water. In that case, you should choose fresh fruit juice that contains no added sweeteners, which translate to calories.
6. Increase Your Fiber
Fiber is really good for you and it is important in your weight loss program so make sure you are getting enough.
7. Go Vegetable Crazy
When it comes to weight loss vegetables are your best choice. While all veggies are good for you, leafy greens are your best choice. Make sure you include them in your salad. Fresh veggies contain the nutrients you need and they offer important fiber to the diet. They make great snack foods and can quickly take care of hunger pangs.
8. No Between Meal Snacks
Do not fall into the habit of snacks between meals. This is a common problem for people on the move. They get hungry and grab whatever junk food is nearest to take away the hunger pains. These are not only calories you don’t need or want; there is also a great deal of fat in these snack foods. Just eliminating junk food snacks and soda can easily lead to a 2 to 3 pound reduction a month, without doing anything else.
9. Your Diet Should Be Made Up of 30% Protein
If you are going to build muscle, you need protein. Muscle burns fat and so you’ve got a winning situation here.
10. Eat Smart
The difference between eating smart and eating to eliminate the feeling of hunger is the difference. Don’t just eat to eat. Ask yourself if what you are about to eat is going to offer your body nutrition.
These 10 top tips will help you lose weight quickly. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard.
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The Secret to Lose Weight and Build Muscle Fast
Weight loss – there’s a lot of buzz around it, but how do you lose weight and build muscle fast? Glad you asked! It’s time the secret was out.
The weight loss industry is a multibillion dollar industry and they’d like everyone to believe there’s some big secret that they know and you don’t. That’ how they sell you magic weight loss formulas. It’s time you knew the truth about what it takes to lose weight and build muscle fast.
Muscle vs. Fat
If you are trying to lose weight and build muscle and you want to do it fast, crash diets that seriously restrict your caloric intake aren’t what you need. When you lose weight while dieting, you lose muscle and fat. Exercise will preserve your muscle and build new muscle. You need to eat healthy and incorporate a vigorous exercise regime into your daily life. That will build muscle and you can watch the fat shrink away.
The Right Foods to Build Your Muscles
If you want to build your muscles, you are going to have to feed them, and not just any food – the right foods. Proteins are key to building your muscles. This is why bodybuilders use protein shakes to bulk up. But don’t ignore carbs, because they are also important to building muscles.
The key to losing weight and building muscles quickly is to eat a balanced diet. You should be taking in two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight if you are following a serious exercise regime, however if you are not exercising you should be taking in no more than .8 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Calorie Counting
Without ever cutting calories, increasing your exercise and you can see an amazing reduction in weight loss. The formula to weight loss is really no secret. You must use more calories than you take in. So start paying attention and make sure you are burning up more than you are taking in. You also need to make better food choices – healthier choices mean you’ll have more energy and feel fuller.
Building Muscle
You aren’t going to bulk up overnight. If that’s your goal and you put the time in you’ll see the result in a few weeks, without any magic potions or pills. Start slow, with weights you are comfortable working with. Always do your exercises properly. Match your goals and your training to get the results you expect.
There you have it. There’s really no big secret. The right mix of diet and exercise and you’ll be toned and lighter in no time at all. You really can lose weight and build muscle fast.
