5 easy steps to pump up your heart !

Want to keep your heart healthy? Then you need to know the following.

Holly Andersen, director of education and outreach at the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital has offered some easy steps to improve heart health and overall well-being throughout the year.

Step 1: Know your numbers. Your blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels are the most important numbers you will need to know before you begin on the path to good heart health.

Step 2: Start walking. Exercise is the fountain of youth. A simple 20- to 30-minute walk a few days a week can actually reduce the risk of premature death by more than 50 percent.

Step 3: Laugh out loud. Laughter really is the best medicine. Just 15 minutes of laughter is about equivalent to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise with respect to our cardiovascular health. Laughter has also been linked to the healthy function of blood vessels, an increase of the brain hormones that improve mood, and reduction of pain and anxiety.

Step 4: Focus on your waistline, not your weight. Your waistline is a better measurement of your overall health than your weight because the amount of fat around your waistline is directly linked to high blood pressure and high cholesterol and can place you at increased risk for diabetes.

Step 5: Get a good night's sleep. Sleep is one of the most undervalued elements of our daily routines, but it is absolutely vital to good health. Lack of sleep increases your blood pressure, induces stress, increases your appetite and slows down your metabolism, dampens your mood and decreases your cognition.

Tips to keep your knees, back injury-free !

Follow some simple tips to keep your back, knees injury-free :

Who is most prone to back and knee injuries ?

Those with bow legs - outward curvature of legs or knock knees, where the knees touch each other while running, or flat feet, where the entire sole comes into contact with the ground --- should avoid running. They can instead train on the cross-trainer or swim for their cardio workouts. These conditions can lead to back or knee injuries.

Those who are excessively over-weight, too, should avoid running till they lose some pounds through a diet combined with specific workouts such as rowing or cycling. Such people's knees and lower back are already under pressure and could get easily injured.

Those used to walking with their feet pointing at an outward / inward angle from the body should avoid running till they consciously learn to walk without angled feet. Walking without the right form itself is inviting injury to the lower back and knees.

Some people have a posture where the legs are bent at the knees while walking. They need to straighten their legs first through stretching exercises before getting into a running or brisk walking regimen. Such a posture can cramp the calf muscles, leading to injuries.

Exercise - Reap The Benefits !

Exercise has oodles of benefits, from controlling blood sugar to trimming your waistline. But what might be a fun, enjoyable activity for one person might seem like drudgery to the next. 

Is some sort of specific health concern stopping you from stepping out? No worries. There’s a sport or activity that will pump you up but still keep you safe. The key is finding one that suits your interest and health needs. Once you click on the court, in the field, or on the links, you’ll discover a whole new world. What’s even better: When you find a sport you enjoy, you’ll be more likely to exercise—and to reap those sweaty benefits. First, be sure to check with your doctor or health-care professional before starting any new physical activity. To get yourself in the game, following these guidelines to find the best sport for you.

If You Have Heart Disease

Good for you: Moderate, nonstrenuous activity in moderate temperatures. Try mall walking, swimming, or cycling on a stationary bike.

Possibly unsafe: Straining and strenuous activity in very hot and humid weather or very cold weather. Avoid push-ups, sit-ups, and walking up steep hills.

If You Have Peripheral Artery Disease

Good for you: Aquatic exercise, cycling, and walking.

Possibly unsafe: Weight-bearing and high-impact exercise such as basketball and tennis. 

If You Have High Blood Pressure

Good for you: Moderate aerobic and strength-training exercise. Walking, jogging, and stair climbing are fine.

Possibly unsafe: Straining and strenuous exercise, such as power-lifting with weights.

If You Have Neuropathy

Good for you: Moderate intensity, low-impact exercises in moderate temperatures. Swimming is a good choice if you have pain or burning in your feet.

Possibly unsafe: Strenuous, weight-bearing exercises such as step aerobics or hiking long distances, and working out in extreme temperatures. 

If You Have Retinopathy

Good for you: Moderate, low-impact exercise with no straining during which you keep your head above your waist.

Possibly unsafe: Anything that involves straining, jumping, holding your breath during exertion, or exercising with your head below waist level. Examples: basketball, heavy weightlifting, and certain yoga poses.

If You Have Kidney Disease

Good for you: Light or moderate exercise such as walking or swimming, and high-repetition strength-training using light weights and doing more than 15 repetitions at a time.

Possibly unsafe: High-intensity, vigorous sports and lifting heavy weights

Tips To Get Back To Exercise After A Break - Part 2

Do What You Love 

Other methods of preventing burnout while keeping your motivation levels high include choosing an activity that you can actually look forward to doing every day. “You may hear that a spin class plus circuit training is fantastic for fitness, but if you dread both of those activities, it’s doubtful you’ll stick with them for long,” says Aaron Snyder, a certified trainer and nutritional consultant in San Diego. “The less willpower it takes to workout, the better.”

Snyder found his own way back to a healthy workout routine by finding an activity that exhilarated him. “After living a year abroad, I had completely gotten out of my usual rigorous workout schedule,” says Snyder. “So I began doing wind sprints on the beach three or four times per week. This felt more like fun to me than work [and] I began to lose some of the extra fat I had accumulated during my hiatus.”

Set new goals

Reducing extra pounds may be the primary reason why you decided to start exercising again, but broadening your view of success can keep you on the road to fitness. Dr. Susan Bartell, a Port Washington, New York-based psychologist and health expert, recommends setting small, short-term goals that are readily achievable. This method allows you to feel accomplished immediately. Short-term goals can include simply extending the length of your workout by a minute or two each day or walking on the treadmill at a higher resistance level for a few minutes. 

After you begin to feel more comfortable with your new fitness routine you can begin to set long-term goals. “Long-term goals should include adding new workouts to your routine (take a class once a week instead of only using the treadmill), challenging yourself (running in a 5K race) and never staying stagnant when it comes to…the challenge of your workouts,” says Bartell. “Give yourself a goal of how long or how often or how hard you want to exercise each month and make a new goal once you’ve achieved the one you set (as long as this is medically healthy for you, of course). This will help you stay motivated.”

Concluded

Tips To Get Back To Exercise After A Break - Part 1

Deciding to get back into an exercise routine after a long hiatus can be emotionally as well as physically challenging. The idea of reliving the aches, pains, and shortness of breath that you may have experienced when you first began working out is sometimes reason enough to just forget the whole thing. But whether your routine came to a halt because of medical problems, a hectic schedule, or perhaps just a very enticing sofa, there are ways to get and stay motivated as you resume a healthy workout routine.

Give yourself a break 

“The emotions with which people cope when returning to exercise are varied,” says Dr. Vicci Hill-Lombardi, associate professor in the department of athletic training at Seton Hall University’s School of Health and Medical Sciences in South Orange, New Jersey. She concludes that the emotions run the gamut from frustration to anger to fear to guilt. “Frustration at having to start from square one; anger that it is difficult to find time...to exercise; guilt at allowing exercise and fitness to take a back seat to everything else; fear if the cessation of exercise is due to injury. Overcoming these emotions can be difficult,” says Hill-Lombardi. These obstacles, however, are not insurmountable. Making time during the day to exercise is hard for lots of people — “experienced athletes and beginners alike,” continues Hill-Lombardi. And if the veterans can drop the exercise ball and return to their healthy routines without beating themselves up, so can you.

Start slow 

When you have decided that it’s time to get back into your workout routine, you may be tempted to simply dive back into the deep end of the pool. Bad idea. “When you stop exercising for a significant period of time, your body slows down — this means metabolism, cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility,” says Sara Haley, a Los Angeles-based global master trainer and creative consultant for Reebok. “When [clients] go on vacation, or have a baby or just take a break for a while and do not exercise, they come back weaker.” This means that it’s best to take a few steps back before jumping forward with your fitness routine. “Take whatever you were doing before your hiatus and start back at a moderate level,” continues Haley. “If you jump back in too quickly you risk overdoing it, injury and burning out.”

To Be Continued....

Do You Have an Athletic Heart ? - Part 2

Facts :

Athletic heart syndrome is not uncommon

Abnormal ECG and abnormal echo cardiography in an athlete should alert us about AHS.

Employment, marriage and day-to-day life are absolutely not a problem with AHS

High-level athletes should have a periodic check for AHS.

If detected early, the training programme can be modified.

After stopping of high-level activity, a majority of the changes due to AHS can get reversed in a period of months or years.

AHS is not a famial  or genetically transmitted condition

Awareness about AHS will oversome the fear psychosis caused by abnormalities in cardiac investigations.

Concluded

Source : TOI

Do You Have an Athletic Heart ? - Part 1

Athletic Heart Syndrome (AHS)

Excessive exercise can put you at risk of athletic heart syndrome. protect the heart from stress of strenuous physical training.

Regular moderate exercise is of paramount importance to good health - for prevention of heart attacks, strokes, for better management of diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, sexual performances - but the flip side of excessive exercise training is athletic heart syndrome (AHS)

Causes :

AHS occurs due to hypertrophy of the heart muscle. Typically it is described as increased heart muscle mass, increased chamber dimensions and wall thickness. Generally, AHS is a far more efficient heart than a normal heart. It is accompanied by slow heart rate. The heart muscle hypertrophy is the same as seen in biceps or arm muscles after continued weight training. The muscle fibres of the heart increase in length, diameter and number with prolonged endurance training like long-distance running, dancing and sports. The muscles become thickened by pressure overloads like weight training, rowing, etc. These changes in heart have to be differentiated from pathological hypertrophy of the heart muscle.

Diagnosis :

Most athletes with AHS have no symptoms at all. It gets diagnosed by an abnormal ECG, X-ray and echocardiography. Most tests get normalised after some years of stopping the exercise. high-level training athletes should be aware of AHS. If breathlessness, graying (syncope), chest pains occur, they should be evaluated. AHS should not be a cause of concern to any employment. After cessation of athletic activity, most heart-related changes will regress to normal, over a period of months.

To Be Continued...

Source : TOI

Sit Up Straight !!

CORRECTING BAD POSTURE

Whether we are standing, sitting or lying down, gravity exerts a force on our joints, ligaments and muscles. Good posture entails distributing the force of gravity through our body so no one structure is over-stressed. bad posture can result from injuries, inactivity, lack of certain vitamins and minerals, hormone levels, bad sleeping habits, genetics and repetitive stress on areas in or leading to back or congenital shaping of the spine. it can be corrected with a combination of diet and exercise. you need to be aware of your movements - the way you sit, stand and lie in bed. Using a back support cushion may help when you are sitting for long periods or while you are driving. Taking frequent breaks to move around and stretch may also help.

EXERCISES 

Pilates improves mental and physical well-being, increases flexibility, endurance levels and strengthens muscles through controlled movements done as mat exercises or with equipment to tone and strengthen the body.

A person who practices yoga goes through a series of specific poses while controlling his or her breathing. There are several different positions that help improve posture.

Raise both arms straight up, alongside your ears. Bend your forearms toward shoulders to touch your shoulder blades. repeat this 10 times with both arms.

Stand straight and raise both arms out to your sides at shoulder length. Hold till you slowly count till 10. Slowly lower arms to sides, counting ten as you lower. Gently raise arms back to shoulder height, counting to ten as you raise arms. repeat this 10 times.

Stretching can greatly help you if you spend long hours behind a desk. Stretch your head in all four directions over your shoulders  and gently massage your neck.

Source : TOI

Reduce Weight by Natural Ways - Part 3

Preparation of Home Remedies

According to ayurveda home remedies are prepared in the same way and with the same purpose as other ayurvedic medicines. The main aim is to obtain the maximum therapeutic benefit while making it palatable.

Some common methods of preparing home remedies are:

Juice

The juice may be taken from the fresh leaves, flowers or stems of the herb. The part of the herb used should be crushed or ground in a mortar and pestle, to make a paste. This paste should be put in a piece of cloth and squeezed to take out the juice.

Dosage: One to two tablespoons twice a day.

Powder

Dried herbs are used for powders. The herbs are usually dried in a cool, shady and well-ventilated place, although some herbs are dried in direct sunlight. The herbs are then ground into a fine powder and stored in a dry, airtight bottle. The powder may be taken with water, or if specified, with milk or honey.

Dosage: Half to one teaspoon twice a day

Decoction

A decoction is prepared by boiling the herb in water (ratio: 1 part herb to 16 parts water). The herbs are broken into pieces and soaked in water overnight. This mixture is then boiled until it reduces to one quarter of the original volume. It is then filtered and stored in a glass bottle.

Dosage: One to two tablespoons twice a day.

Infusion

Herbs are soaked in water to make an infusion (ratio: 1 part herb to 8 parts water). Hot infusions result from adding herbs to hot water, or gently heating but not boiling the mixture. This is strained and taken internally. Herbal teas are forms of hot infusions. Cold infusions are made from soaking the herb overnight. Honey can be added.

Dosage: half to one cup once or twice day.

Paste

A paste can be made from either fresh or dried herbs. The flowers, roots, stems, leaves or bark are ground and mixed with water. Pastes are mainly used for external application, in cases of cuts, burns and swellings. The paste should be thick enough to be applied in a layer to the skin.

Tablets

The herbs should be first dried separately and then mixed together in a powder form, in fixed proportions. Water or herbal juice can be added to this powder to make a paste, from which tablets of a specific size or weight are made. Tablets remain potent longer than juices, powders, pastes or decoctions.

Dosage: 1 or 2 tablets twice a day.

Medicated ghee and oil

Ghee is cooked with herbal juices, decoctions or pastes. The ghee should be heated with the herbal mixture at a moderate, controlled temperature. High temperatures can easily burn the ghee or oil, destroying its effectiveness. Medicated ghee and oils are either used internally or massaged externally.

Dosage: Half to one tablespoon.  

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Warning : The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Never use any home remedy or other self treatment without being advised to do so by a physician.

Concluded

Reduce Weight by Natural Ways - Part 2

Home Remedies for Losing Weight

Increase the quantity of fruits and vegetables and low calorie foods.

Avoid intake of too much salt as it may be a factor for increasing body weight.

Milk products like cheese, butter etc. and non-vegetarian foods should be avoided as they are rich in fat.

Mint is very beneficial in losing weight. A chutney of green mint with some simple spices can be taken with meals. Mint tea also helps.

Spices like dry ginger, cinnamon, black pepper etc. are good for loosing weight and can be used in a number of ways.

Regular intake of carrot juice.

Avoid rice and potato, which contain a lot of carbohydrates. Among cereals wheat is good.

Vegetables like bitter gourd (Karela), and bitter variety of drumstick are useful in loosing weight.

Honey is an excellent home remedy for obesity. It mobilizes the extra deposited fat in the body allowing it to be utilized as energy for normal functions.

Dosage: One should start with small quantity of about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning. A teaspoonful of fresh lemon juice may also be added.

Fasting on honey and lime- juice is highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity without the loss of energy and appetite. For this, mix one teaspoon of fresh honey with the juice of half a lime in a glass of lukewarm water.

Dosage: Take several times a day at regular intervals.

Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.

Exercise is an important part of any weight reduction plan. It helps to use up calories stored in body as fat.

Walking is the best exercise to begin with and may be followed by running, swimming or rowing.

The gum of Commiphora Mukul called 'guggulu' is the drug of choice for the treatment of obesity.

To Be Continued .....

Reduce Weight by Natural Ways - Part 1

  

The chief cause of obesity or overweight is often overeating, irregular eating habits and not following the rules of eating such as improper mixing of food items in one meal.

In ayurveda, Charak Samhita describes eight different types of bodies that are disease prone. Out of these, the obese body is described as the one afflicted with the most diseases and troubles. Obesity is the condition or physical state of the body when excessive deposition of fat takes place in the adipose tissue. 

Extra fat puts a strain on the heart, kidneys, liver and the joints such as the hips, knees and ankles and thus, overweight people are susceptible to several diseases like coronary thrombosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, gout, liver and gall bladder disorders. Chief cause of obesity is overeating, irregular eating habits and not following the rules of eating or mixing non-compatible food items in one meal. 

To decrease weight and get rid of obesity three things must be kept in mind :

• Controlling eating habits.
• Regular exercise.
• Avoiding the causes of weight gain

Diet recommended to lose weight

Early morning

Juice of half a lemon mixed in a glass of warm water and a teaspoon of honey.

Breakfast

Wheat or Mung bean sprouts and a cup of skimmed milk.

Midmorning

A glass of orange, pineapple or carrot juice.

Lunch

Salad of raw vegetables such as carrot, beet, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes. Steamed or boiled vegetables

Whole grain bread or whole wheat chapatis (Indian bread) and a glass of buttermilk.

Roasted cumin seeds, green coriander leaves, a little salt and some grated ginger mixed in the buttermilk.

Mid-afternoon

Coconut water

Dry fruits

Lemon tea

Fresh vegetable soup

Dinner

Whole grain bread or chapatis

Steamed vegetables

Seasonal fruits except banana and apple.

To Be Continued .....

8 Tips to Take Control of Your Weight

Anyone who is overweight will testify that losing weight is not as easy as it seems. The people that are lean, or have gone from fat to skinny will say it’s just a matter of motivation and elbow grease. Although it is not as simple as that. Our environments have waged war on us. Their weapons are sedentary lives and Trans fats of mass destruction. All is not lost though, here are some quick simple tips to get ahead!

1. Substitute Water. 

Our bodies are about 65-70% water. It follows that water would be not only essential, but the best possibly choice of liquids to ingest. In fact, our bodies will sometimes simulate a hunger response, when in reality the body is craving hydration. When hungry, drink a glass or two of water to check if it suppresses your hunger.

2. Chew Your Food. 

Chewing our food very slowly and deliberately has several benefits that are often overlooked. It gives us the ability to relax, and enjoy our meal. Slow chewing is the first, and highly important, step in a complex system of digestion. Besides, if we eat slowly, we might feel full before finishing the whole meal, and can leave the rest for the next meal.

3. Exercise daily. 

How silly of me to include something as obvious as exercise. I did a 30 day trial with waking up, and walking for 30 minutes first thing in the morning. My journal records that I was feeling amazing during the period of time that I was following this habit.

4. Publicize your intentions. 

Start a blog, join a forum, and have other people keep you accountable to help. Tell other people your plan, it would help you get the motivation to go with it!

5. Create a food schedule. 

Plan your day so that you’re eating at approximately the same time each day. This scheduling will incorporate itself into your circadian rhythm, and aid in digestion.

6. Do not over eat. 

Know your limit and stop eating when you are full. I have often been a victim of wanting to finish a meal so that it doesn’t go to waste. This has left me with many a stomach ache. Next time, doggy bag it for later, and don’t hurt yourself!

7.Choose your snacks wisely. 

Put down the Lays® and cheese puffs. Pick up the apple and baby carrots. Make the right decision, I know you can do it.

8.Lifestyle. 

Remember, it’s not about special diets, or special exercise programs. The real secret is in turning your health into a lifestyle, and focusing on this healthy lifestyle with every choice you make.

Source : forum.abfun.net

Reduce Blood Pressure Naturally - Part 1

High Blood Pressure contributes to an alarming number of deaths each year. Although it may not have apparent symptoms, high blood pressure leads to heart attacks and strokes aside from also causing kidney failures. You can reduce your blood pressure by reducing your weight (if you are obese) and making a few small changes in your life, say doctors.

WALK IT OUT

Walking at a brisk pace can help lower your pressure. A good workout will ensure the heart uses oxygen more efficiently. Getting a rigorous cardio workout 4 to 5 times a week can make a huge difference. Start by incorporating about 15 minutes of exercise in your daily routine and slowly increase the time and difficulty level.

DEEP BREATHING

Learning some slow breathing and meditation techniques can do you wonders. It will help reduce stress drastically and keep your blood pressure in check. Try taking 10 minutes every morning and at night. Inhale and Exhale deeply. If you can, join a yoga class for some time, so that you can learn the proper method.

GO FOR POTASSIUM-RICH FOODS

You have probably heard of the negative effects of sodium on the body and potassium is an essential mineral to counter the effects of sodium on blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium. Try adding sweet potatoes, tomatoes, orange juice, potatoes, bananas, peas, and prunes and raisins to your regular diet.

To Be Continued....

Source : Health Wellness, TOI

Don't get defeated by obesity. Just fight it away !

Obesity is an excess proportion of total body fat. A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20 per cent or more above normal weight. By preventing obesity, you are also preventing medical conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease.

Practical Tips :

• Recognize that obesity is a disease. While most epidemics can be defeated with a pill or vaccine, obesity requires people to change the way they eat and live.

• Eat, healthy. Include fruits, green vegetables, cereals and whole grain foods in your daily diet. Avoid sweets, fried, junk packaged and refined foods. Eat small meals.

• Set aside at least 30 minutes every day for cardiovascular exercise. Walking, jogging, running, cycling and swimming are great for weight loss.

• Ignore popular quick-fix weight loss methods unless they are medically supervised. This category includes fad diets, weight loss pills and powders and fat burning machines.

• Become a non-smoker.

• Avoid drinking. Most forms of alcohol contain a high percentage of fat.

• Reverse the clock. Discouraging as this state of health might be, remember that you are not a lost cause. Give life a second chance. There are effective solutions; from lifestyle modification, diet and exercise on one end of the spectrum to bariatric surgery on the other.

Source : Times Wellness


Inputs : Dr.Muffazal Lakdawala, Bariatric Surgeon, Mumbai, India.