Your Daily Guide toward a better Health

0 4 Simple Steps to End a Panic Attack

Panic Attacks Are Common

When I first became certified as a Hypnotherapist in 1990, I was surprised by the number of people who came to me with anxiety and panic attacks. Many people experience panic attacks frequently and live their lives avoiding situations that frighten them, in many cases irrationally. This simple technique for ending a panic attack was part of my hypnotherapy training and has been used successfully by many of my clients since then. Using the four easy steps below, you can learn to end a panic attack in as little as three minutes.

What Is A Panic Attack?

A panic attack is a condition of adrenaline being released into your bloodstream. A message of fear sends a signal to the adrenal glands that there is an emergency.

The adrenal glands are pea-sized organs that sit on top of your kidneys. They are filled with adrenaline that, when released into your body, gives you heightened abilities to respond to emergency situations. This emergency response causes physical symptoms that many people misinterpret as a heart attack or other serious physical conditions. Misinterpreting these symptoms can cause the fear response to continue.

Here's How It Works

Adrenaline causes the heart to pump extra blood. This extra blood gets pumped into your major muscles to increase your ability to run fast and to increase the strength in your arms. Extra blood also goes into your brain to give you heightened abilities to respond to the emergency.

It takes three minutes from the time that your brain sends the emergency signal until your body is fully adrenalated with extra blood in your large arm and leg muscles and in your brain. In that three minute period you experience your heart pumping hard and extra blood flowing throughout your body. As long as your adrenal glands keep getting an emergency message, they continue to produce and release additional adrenaline. Once your brain stops signaling an emergency, your adrenal glands hold the adrenaline instead of releasing it.

It Only Takes Three Minutes To Stop A Panic Attack

It takes three minutes for your adrenal glands to fill your body with the adrenaline response. It also only takes three minutes for your body to stop the adrenaline reaction. If you stop a panic attack as soon as it starts, the reaction only has to last for three minutes.

It's Very Simple

Stopping a panic attack is very simple. All you have to do is stop the emergency message from being sent to your adrenal glands. Learn these four simple steps and your panic attack will only last for three minutes. Once you understand how this works, you never have to have a panic attack again.

Learn These Four Simple Steps

If panic attacks have been a recurring problem, write the four basic steps on a little card, with a list of sample Coping Statements on the back. Mark the card with bright stripes to make it easy to find in your wallet, and keep it with you everywhere you go until you memorize the steps and know them thoroughly. Study these steps and learn them in advance. If you have a panic attack, get out your card immediately and follow it exactly. Once you learn these steps you won't need the card.

Full Resolution

If you experience panic attacks more often than occasionally I strongly suggest that you work with a practitioner to resolve the cause of your anxiety. You owe it to yourself to be free of anxiety. Permanently resolving issues of anxiety is one of my areas of specialty.

The Four Steps:

Relax.
Stop Negative Thinking.
Use Coping Statements.
Accept Your Feelings.

Here's How:

Step 1. Relax.

Relax by taking slow, deep, complete breaths. Calm yourself by remembering that you are only having a panic attack and that nothing more serious is happening to you. Continue to take slow, deep, complete breaths. Slow, deep, complete breaths will relax your body, which is the first step to reversing the release of adrenaline.

Step 2. Stop Negative Thinking.

Stop negative thinking by shouting the word "STOP!!!" really loud inside your head. By shouting the word "STOP" you are interrupting the emergency message that your brain is sending to your adrenal glands. Often people having a panic attack get into an endless loop repeating the same catastrophic thoughts over and over in their head. Interrupting this endless loop gives you the opportunity to replace the scary message with a calming one.

Step 3. Use Coping Statements.

A coping statement is a positive statement that is at least as strong as the catastrophic statement that you have been scaring yourself with. Replace the negative thought with a positive one. Choose a statement that addresses the negative thought.

For example, if you think that you are having a heart attack (a common fear during a panic attack) then you might be saying something in your head like, "Oh my God, I'm having a heart attack" or, "I'm gonna die, oh my God, I'm gonna die!" After you shout the word "STOP!" immediately replace the fear thought with a positive statement that helps you to cope with the situation, such as "I'm only having a panic attack and it will be over in three minutes if I relax" or, "My fear is making my heart pound harder, my heart is fine."

If you feel afraid hearing footsteps behind you on the street you might say, "I've walked down this street hundreds of times" or, "I walk alone on the street every night when I come home from work; what I hear behind me is someone else who is walking home from work."

Other coping statements might be, "I've gotten through this situation many times before and I can get through it again" or, "I am fine, everything is fine."

Brainstorm the kinds of fearful thoughts that bring on panic for you and then make a long list of coping statements that you can look at when you need to rather than trying to think of coping statements in the middle of a panic attack.

Note: If your fear is in response to a real danger I suggest that you consider making new choices that address those fears. If you are concerned about your health consult with your doctor.

Step 4. Accept Your Feelings.

Accepting your feelings is very important. Minimizing this experience usually serves to perpetuate it.

Start by identifying what emotion you are feeling. Most panic attacks are caused by the emotion of fear or some variation of fear. Identify the emotion you are feeling and find the reason that you feel it.

Validate that feeling and the reason for it. If you are having a panic attack before giving a speech, you are afraid because it's scary. Stage fright is a common cause of fear and panic. If you're afraid that you're having a heart attack, it's certainly valid to be afraid of that. If you are afraid of footsteps behind you on the street it's reasonable to be afraid that something bad might happen to you.

In all of these cases take the appropriate precautions. Have a regular check up so that you know that your heart is healthy. Walk in a well-lit area and be aware of your surroundings on the street. Walk like a warrior and not like a victim. These are all important precautions to ensure your safety. Then, when you use a coping statement that reminds you that you had a check up recently and that your heart is fine, you can reassure yourself that it's okay to be afraid, knowing that you are safe.

Fear is a positive emotion that reminds you to take care of yourself. Listen to your feelings, take good care of yourself, and keep your emotions in proportion to the situation by keeping an appropriate perspective.

Many people have stopped having panic attacks after learning these steps. However, there is a deeper solution to permanently resolving panic and anxiety responses, fully giving you emotional freedom and happiness. Your mind has the power to significantly influence your negative responses in all situations. By working with hypnosis and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming, a powerful way of changing or enhancing your thinking processes) we can achieve any goal, solve any problem and create the excellence you desire in all areas of your life.

One of the most widely suggested tips to lose weight easily is, in fact, the hardest thing to do. According to a study published in the journal Obesity, about 38 percent of people, who were obese and controlled their diet strictly, witnessed a loss of 5 percent of their total body weight by the end of 2 years and those, who didn’t monitor their diet, packed 5 percent more by the end of 2 years. With multiplexes flashing tempting advertisements of fatty food at passersby, there is hardly any way you can stop yourself, but here are certain strategies that can help you reduce food portions even without you realising.

Use Smaller plates/bowls

If you are turning away thinking this strategy won’t work, we have a proven study reported by researchers from Cornell University, who found out that when the participants were given identical servings in bowls of different size, the one’s, who ate on a smaller sized bowl, ate less. Researchers suggest that one must make an effort to add healthy food items into the plate more than those that breed fats.

Use larger folk/spoon

It may sound counter intuitive, but a study found out that people, who eat with a larger folk, are tricked into eating lesser quantity. Researchers, through their study, were amazed to find out that larger utensils tricked diners to think that they are eating more when actually, they ate less.

Keep healthy food atop the list and the fridge

Human instinct is to eat the first thing that is on sight when hunger strikes. Therefore, to make sure that you eat less and healthy, keep healthy food items within your reach and small packets of junk in the back.

Eat with the non-dominant hand

If you usually eat with your right hand, start eating food with left and vice versa. Researchers, through a study, found out that participants, who ate with their dominant hands, ate out of habit and not because they were hungry.

Chew sugarless gum while cooking

Chewing sugarless gums helps one curb cravings and thereby, eating less. Chewing gum at regular intervals may not help one control diet, but having them at certain times of the day or night helps in eating less.

When on a journey to lose weight, discipline is a friend, a philosopher and a guide who gets you to your aim. It is the cornerstone for anything that you want to see yourself achieving. It is one of the most sought after virtues. Discipline begins at an early age. However, it can be easily inducted in one’s lifetime.

There are many ways in which one can get disciplined; the prime factor here is to have the mind in a strong position so that one can get in the, I want to lose weight mode.

Know the flipside - Find out what will happen if you do not lose weight, try and research on the topic. You will know that excessive weight leads to many complications, such as, type 2 diabetes, cancer risks and heart diseases to name a few. It is not good to have excess weight and the sooner you realise the better it will be to discipline yourself.

Your Aim – Make sure you have a goal that can be worked upon. Do not aim to be a hunk or a diva in a span of three months; believe us, it will never work out. This is being said not to discourage you but unless you’re not disciplined and setting achievable goals, you will find yourself stuck in the rat race to being the fittest. You will find that not much is happening even though you’re exercising as a result of which whatever little hard work you had put in to discipline yourself will and then your discipline will fall to the pits.

Motivation – So what exactly motivates you to lose weight? A certain clothing that you want to fit into? Is it a girl or a guy you have a crush on, or a wedding that you need to attend in a few months time? Always tear out relevant pictures and other important things that will motivate you even further and make you want to achieve your goals. You will automatically discipline yourself.

You CAN - remind yourself that you can, nothing is impossible in this wide world and as discussed earlier, set achievable/realistic goals and voila, you will be on the road to being the sexy and fitter you!

Time-Table – Yes, this may sound old school, but a time table will work in your favour. Remember the time table in school? It was followed rigorously wasn’t it? So, one of the most important things is to create a time table and following it, every time you move away from that schedule remind yourself about the consequences. It may be a diet chart, a gym schedule or anything that helps you lose weight. Make one, now!

Losing weight is not an easy task, and to tell you the truth it may get on to your nerves at times. But just think about the way you will look and feel when you do lose weight. Priceless, isn’t it? Get, set, go then!

Can Fruits and Nuts Make You Lose Weight

Eating Fruits and Nuts is considered a healthy choice for people who are trying to lose weight. Both of these provide high quality, fibre rich and low fat nutrients to your body and are very easy to carry. Although nuts and fruits alone cannot provide complete nourishment to your body, they are indeed a great option for snacking as a part of your balanced weight loss diet plan. Before including them in your diet plan, consider your daily calorie intake, required fat consumption and food preferences.

Weight Loss with Nuts

The rule of thumb to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume in a day. Therefore, keep in mind that nuts are high in calories and excess consumption of these may also become a hurdle in your weight loss goal. One cup of mixed nuts includes 876 calories, which is almost 75 per cent of the calories an average woman needs in a day. Limit your daily consumption of nuts to half oz. per day. This will give you 87 calories and that won’t be an obstacle in your weight loss plan. Another consideration about eating nuts is the amount of sodium they contain. Due to high amount of sodium, the body starts retaining water making it difficult for you to shed those extra kilos. Nuts like almonds, walnuts and cashews are considered best nuts for weight loss even though they are rich in calories Always remember that including them in your diet won’t make you lose weight quickly but will ensure that you lose it in a healthy way.

Weight Loss with Fruits

Fresh fruits are best food options for those wanting to lose weight. Not only low in calories, foods are high in fibre and contain antioxidants. The antioxidants help in detoxifying the body by neutralising the free radicals present in your bloodstream. This aids in weight loss and reduces the risk of certain cancer forms. Moreover, it prevents the onset of health and skin problems associated with aging. You can replace cheese sandwiches with fruit salad and dessert with sugar-free fruit custard. Fruits such as water melon and musk melon naturally have high levels of water; this keeps you hydrated and curbs water retention in your body to facilitate faster weight loss process.

Basically, fruits and nuts make you feel full for longer and curb your chances of indulging in unhealthy and calorie-rich junk and fast foods. The bottom line of losing weight with fruits and nuts is that you should consume them in moderate quantity without compromising on your daily calorie need and quality of the food you consume.

Diabetes increases your risk of developing cardiovascular problems, diabetic eye disease and kidney disease. All these complications of diabetes are worsened if you have hypertension.

Relation between diabetes and hypertension

You do not develop diabetes because you have hypertension but hypertension can worsen many complications in people with diabetes, like heart disease, diabetic eye disease and kidney disease. Many people with diabetes have co-morbid hypertension (almost 60% of people with diabetes have hypertension as well).

Diabetes affects the arteries and leads to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs due to build-up of fatty substances on the inner walls of the arteries, which then narrows the lumen of the arteries. The narrowing of the lumen of the arteries or clogging of the arteries increases the work load of the heart. Atherosclerosis also increases blood pressure, and if the blood pressure is well treated it can lead to blood vessel damage, stroke, heart failure, heart attack, or kidney failure.

Complications of diabetes and hypertension

People with diabetes are at risk of developing complications like

Coronary artery disease (heart disease)
Strokes
Peripheral vascular disease (hardening of the arteries in the legs and feet)
Heart failure

And if you have hypertension along with diabetes the risk of developing these complications is increased.

What Should Blood Pressure Be if You Have Diabetes?

The normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg. If your systolic and/or diastolic pressures are more than 140/90 mmHg on several occasions, your doctor may diagnose it as hypertension.

But if you have diabetes or kidney disease, blood pressure reading above 130/80 mmHg will be considered high and your doctor will recommend medications to treat high blood pressure.

If you’re a hypertensive diabetic treatment of high blood pressure is just as important as treating diabetes to prevent diabetes complications.

What Are the Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?

Most people with hypertension have no signs or symptoms even if their blood pressure is very high. The same is true for people who have hypertension and diabetes. But high blood pressure can do immense harm in people with diabetes like it increases the risk of heart disease, kidney disease and stroke.

Hence experts say that all people with diabetes should regularly get evaluated to diagnose hypertension.

How Is High Blood Pressure Treated?

If you have diabetes blood pressure reading above 130/80 mmHg will be considered high and your doctor will recommend medications to treat high blood pressure.

Do not stop or change treatment for high blood pressure without consulting your doctor.

Antihypertensive medications that are preferred in people with diabetes include ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs).

The ACE inhibitors as compared to other drugs have shown to prevent or delay the progression of kidney disease in diabetics with hypertension in addition to controlling blood pressure.

If your blood pressure is not adequately controlled with one drug your doctor will add another medication.

How Do You Prevent High Blood Pressure?

Besides medications for high blood pressure lifestyle changes that are recommended include:

Diet changes- Include plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods in your diet. Use low fat dairy products. Avoid foods that contain trans fats and saturated fats
Limit salt intake to less than 1600mg/day
Do exercises regularly

Every diabetic knows the vitalities to a healthy life: balanced diet, regular exercise, weight management and checkups. Making sure that one takes care of his/her body to waver off complications is just as important. Some of the biggest concerns with diabetes include:

chronic skin infections

foot infections

tooth loss and gum disease

vision problems

blood circulation and heart diseases.

Here are 5 steps to keep the body free of any complications.

Feet Care

Common problems of the feet may cause several complications such as fungal infections, corns, blisters, dry skin, sores, ingrown toenails, plantar warts and calluses. While anyone may develop the risk of these foot complications, diabetics are at a higher risk because of a slow healing process and a weakened immune system that may make it more susceptible to infections. Make sure that you take time to take care of your foot daily.

Wash, pat dry and examine the tops and bottoms of your feet.

If there is any change, consult your doctor, who may prescribe antiseptic creams that need to be applied several times a day to keep the healing process intact.

Never walk around barefoot.

Wear fitting footwear.

Skin Care

Bacterial infection, itching and fungal infection, though widely prevalent, may be especially problematic for diabetics because of the poor blood flow and lack of ability to fight infections.

Do not ignore skin problems such as bacterial infections, fungal infections and itching.

Boost the body’s ability to fight infections by controlling blood sugar.

Use talcum powders and moisturising lotions in the affected areas.

Visit a doctor regularly to stave off the likeability of breeding an infection that may otherwise by invisible to you.

Eye Care

Diabetics can easily damage the blood vessels in the eyes, thereby causing several complications such as glaucoma, retinopathy and cataracts. Waver off these risks by ensuring that your blood sugar levels stays under control and seeing an eye doctor regularly.

Teeth and Gum Care

A lot of people develop gum diseases during their life time, but a diabetic is even more likely to develop serious gum disease at an earlier age. To prevent diabetes teeth and gum diseases, make sure that you brush your teeth after every meal, floss daily and see your dentist at least twice a year.

Caring for Heart

Heart disease, stroke and heart attack are serious concerns that diabetics face a greater threat of.

To prevent the likelihood of these, make sure that you follow the doctor’s advice in keeping the blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure in check.

Make sure that your exercise regularly.

Lose weight if you are obese.

Eat a heart-healthy diet.

When cuticle (it forms third outer layer of our hair) is damaged, the scales on the cuticles separate and our hair become dry, thus resulting in split ends. Split ends make our hair look weak and dull and our hair loses texture and volume. In this regard, it is important for you to note that the only way of getting rid of split end is to cut off the damaged ends.

Read about a few reasons that cause split ends and avoid any of these damage-causing practices from stealing good health of your hair.

Over Brushing your Hair

While a few would love the unkempt look, there are those who want to look prim and proper always, as a result these people tend to over brush and compromise with their hair quality. Since over brushing causes split ends, it is advisable for you to stop doing this and be a little kind to your hair.

Poor Diet

A diet lacking in essential nutrients can certainly cause your hair to dry and lose the natural lustre. This lack of moisture will result in split ends. So, the only way to avoid them is to include foods such as dark green veggies, legumes, beans, nuts, eggs, low fat dairy products, and carrots in your diet. It is best to go for a variety of foods. And, for those of you who go on crah diets, here’s some bad news: crash diets aren’t well-rounded diet and deprive your hair of essential nutrients required for hair health.

Overuse of Hair Styling Tools

Styling can often result in dry hair. These tend to rob your hair of the moisture and leave them dry and unhealthy. Limit your hair exposure to styling tools such as dryers, curling rods, crimping irons and straightening irons, as they encourage split ends. Although for many people hair styling is the most unavoidable but if you want your hair to look their best, minimal harm must be caused to them.

Undergoing Chemical Therapies

Chemical therapies and using products such as hair colours and relaxers can speed up hair damage as the chemicals present in them are harmful for your hair. Initially these seem to work magic for your hair but the real damage is caused to the internal layers of your hair, thus resulting in split ends.

Excessive Shampooing and Conditioning

Of course, for the scalp and hair to be in good health and shape, you need to shampoo and condition your hair, but when you overdo , it dries your hair. If you’re worried because your scalp is oil you can ask a trichologist to recommend a mild shampoo. Condition your hair post shower because it seals the cuticle.

Constant use of Hair Accessories & Changing Hair Style

Unless bobby pins and barrettes do not have a rubber tip do not use them because these rip the hair strand.
Do no tie your hair with scrunchies everyday because they weaken the hair and encourage split ends; if you must try your hair, use a soft scrunchy with rubber bands.
Avoid wearing tight pony tail and braids because these can cause your hair line to recede and will weaken your hair roots and apparently this will cause your hair strand ends to split.
Hair accessories with metal link will make your hair to be caught in them and pull your hair apart.

Most people would start to grow significant strands of white hair during their 30s and 40s. It embarrasses them but they can no longer ignore the problem. Many people start to dye their hair but that is not a lasting solution. Although there is no harm in getting your hair dyed, but there is nothing like naturally flawless black hair.

There is no way to reverse natural greying of hair as it depends on genetic factors, but you can prevent premature greying (hair becoming white) by following the tips given below:

Use of Avla – Make a paste of Avla in water and apply to the hair. Let it rest for 1 to 2 hours and then rinse. Distinctly thickened and blackened texture of the hair would be visible after rinsing. You can also use Avla hair oil for massaging your hair.
Fresh juices – Have fresh vegetables or their juices. The juices include carrot, lettuce, alfalfa and the like. These provide energy and vitality to your body while the drinks such as refined sugars, soft drinks, white flours and pastries.
Indian gooseberry – Have as much of this fruit as possible. It is known to be a tonic for preventing white hair. You can also make a lotion with Indian gooseberry, lemon slices and coconut oil. Massage your scalp thrice a week and leave for an hour.
Bhringraj oil - Use this oil to massage your hair. Consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner to know more about anti-pitta herbs as they help in preventing greying of hair.
Fruit juices and honey – Apart from Avla, honey, brahmi,Shankhpushpi, Vacha and brahmi ghrutam are known Ayurvedic treatments for preventing white hairs.
Shun unhealthy habits – Abuse of alcohol, prescription drugs and smoking have been linked to inhibition in hair growth.
Try a home remedy - A home remedy for darkening gray hair involves making a weekly poultice. It is made from henna powder, coffee, yogurt, fenugreek, mint juice and basil juice. You need to apply for 3 hours before rinsing with a shampoo.
Curry leaves – Boil curry leaves in coconut oil and apply the mixture on your hair. It is a good treatment to prevent formation of white hairs.
Coconut oil with lemon – A traditional method of preventing white hair formation is mixing coconut with lemon or almond oil and massaging of scalp.

Boon for body building enthusiasts, health supplements such as weight gain powder are shortcut to get bigger and stronger muscles along with gaining weight. In the same manner, people with the desire to gain weight consume weight gain power without any second thoughts. One must have complete understanding of dangers of health supplements before choosing these. The quickest way of increasing body weight is not the safest way, as its usage has not been accredited or recommended by physicians.

Weight gain powder

Available in various flavored powders and mixed with liquid, weight gain powder raises body's ability to produce energy in a quick time span. Thereafter, the energy is utilized in training harder, providing fast results. A catalyst for high-intensity training ascertains weight gain. Classified as osmotically active substance, the health supplement pulls water into muscle cells and increases protein synthesis.

Who should intake weight gain powder?

Health risks and effectiveness of weight gain powder are one of the most researched topics by nutrition experts. According to health experts, inappropriate consumption of weight gain powder causes muscle cramps / pulls along with other adverse side effects. In some other cases of inadequate consumption, ailments such as anecdotal reports of kidney damage, liver problems, heart problems, dehydration and diarrhea have been reported. Weight gain powder is extensively rich in vitamin C and iron content, which are the reasons of diarrhea and stomach problems, respectively. To avoid unnecessary health ailments, one must use weight gain powder only if he is healthy and has no kidney problems.

Risks associated with weight gain powder

Kidney Problems: Kidney ailments are predominantly associated with intake of weight gain powder. Although, weight gain powder is an indirect cause of kidney stones that make body hormones susceptible to it.

Liver Problems: Liver problems have been reported on inappropriate intake of weight gain powder. The health supplement proves fatal when consumed with alcohol.

Muscle Pulls and Cramps: Sometimes, people train too exhaustively with unrealistic supposition. This assumed approach may result in lack of sufficient fluid supply that cause muscle pulls / cramps.

Breathing Problems: Breathing problems have also been associated with improper consumption of weight gain powder. Inappropriate dosage of this health supplement has often led to breathing problems such as coughing, sneezing, wheezing and even asthma. If one has some breathing problem, weight related health supplements should be avoided.

Nausea and Diarrhoea: One of the uncommon syndromes of improper intake of weight gain powder, Nausea and Diarrhoea can occur in case health supplement remains insoluble in the stomach.

Do you feel that your body is too lean and thin? If you want to pack your body with right amount of weight at the right places in order to give an edge to your personality, go through the points listed below and work accordingly.

The basic thing about gaining weight is to eat more. Just as the people wishing to reduce weight need to eat less, you need to eat more. The same rule applies in both the cases. As you cannot have much food in a single meal, increase the number of meals you take in a day. You should have something to eat after every 2 hours.
Calculate the number of calories that you consume daily and also the number of calories that you burn daily. Gradually increase your calorie intake. Thereafter, make a weekly diet chart in such a way that you take 3500 extra calories in a week. It would help you to gain about 1-2 pounds in a week’s time.
Increase the portions of protein and fat in your diet. For doing so, include chicken, meat, eggs and milk in your diet. Moreover, have lots of green vegetables and fresh fruits. You should also keep variety of assorted nuts ready as handy snacks.
Proper workouts and weight lifting is very important for men in gaining weight. If you fail to do so, the extra calories that you consume would get converted into ugly fats rather than lean muscles. It is advisable to engage in such activities at least thrice a week in order to further accelerate your weight gain process.
Determination plays a key role in gaining weight. You need to plan your diet and workout sessions and stick to it. It is necessary to have calorie laden food, but you should stay away from unhealthy fats and junk foods as they harm the body and various health problems are associated with them. You may treat yourself with an occasional feast after a long time of self-control, but it should be restricted to a minimum level.

Gaining weight may seem to be challenging. However, if you follow the right technique it is not as difficult. So keep these points in mind and give a desired look to your body. With little efforts, you can have the body that you always dreamed about.

0 Alcohol and Weight Gain

Who doesn’t enjoy a stiff drink at the end of a taxing day at work; or a couple of beers on a Saturday evening with friends? But Alcohol and Weight Gain are synonymous unfortunately so your alcohol consumption is playing havoc with your weight loss (or gain) plans.

According to a research paper entitled “Patterns of alcohol drinking and its association with obesity” written by Ahmed A Arif of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, USA and James E Rohrer of Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Program/Rochester, USA; and published by the Bio Med Central, current drinkers were found to have lower odds of obesity than non-drinkers. But binge drinkers and those who consumed more than four drinks a day had significantly higher odds of weight gain. Similarly, the odds of significant weight-gain were found to be lower among those who reported drinking frequently and consuming less than five drinks per week.

A glass or two of wine a day is not bad

But the question here, says Delhi-based Dietician and Nutritionist Dr Ratna Dubey, is whether you are drinking something like wine or cocktails. “Cocktails contain various mixers and sugar and other high calorie stuff.” A glass or two of wine a day is not bad, but watch those pretty coloured drinks with cute little umbrellas in them.

Drinks and their calorie counters

The other thing to know is your drinks and their calorie counters. They are not really diet drinks after all! A five-ounce glass of wine has around 150 calories, a 1.5-ounce shot of vodka or 12 ounces of light beer could be adding 100 calories to your counter. Dr. Dubey adds, “Some studies have shown that consuming alcohol temporarily inhibits the oxidation of lipids (fat) in the body.” So essentially this means that you’re adding calories and not even burning what you already have.

What is the wise move when drinking?

Vidhi M, a self-confessed social drinker who is currently on a diet to lose weight for her sister’s wedding this winter says, “I’ve always known that through alcohol you can gain weight. So, when I’m on a diet, the first thing I strike off my list are cocktails. If I must drink, it is usually just one diet coke and vodka in an evening; and max once a week.” Dr. Dubey thinks that’s a wise move. While moderate consumption can aid a healthy lifestyle, each individual’s body has a different definition of “moderate”, she explains. And as Vidhi put it with a smile, “Abstinence never hurt.” Alcohol and weight gain are indeed synonymous, so quitting the former should take care of the latter.

Instead of trying quick fix, artificial means for weight loss, it's best to go in for natural, healthy means: regular exercise, a nutritious, low-calorie diet and stress control. Many weight-loss pills have serious side-effects and are therefore best avoided.

Weight-loss pills can help obese patients only if used together with a restricted diet and regular exercise or the treatment will be ineffective. Also, they are meant for simple nutritional obesity and have no role in patients suffering from other causes of increased weight such as thyroid disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), side effect of certain drugs, etc.

Different weight-loss pills work in different ways. Sibutramine is a weight-loss agent that acts on the brain to enhance satiety, helping patients feel satisfied with a smaller portion of food. The problem with the pill is that the weight loss is rather modest-in the range of two to four kilos at the most-and much of the benefit is lost when it is discontinued. The drug also increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 16%.

Therefore, its use has been banned in Europe. Another drug orlistat acts within the stomach and small intestine by preventing the absorption of up to one- third of dietary fat. Its side-effects include increased defecation, menstrual irregularity, fatigue, sometimes jaundice or even liver failure and rectal bleeding. It can cause severe hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) in diabetic patients. It must not be used by breastfeeding mothers.

‘Lose 10 kilos in a week’ may sound tempting to try, but it also involves a great degree of risk. For instance, rapid weight loss, which includes extreme low calorie diet and stringent workout schedules besides restricting foods, may be harmful to your heart’s health.

Effects on Functions of Heart

According to a research by the Weill Cornell Medical College, rapid weight loss puts the heart in danger by increasing the risk of heart attacks. Here’s how the heart’s functions are affected by rapid weight loss.

A strict workout regimen may disrupt heart’s primary function of pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. In a quest to lose weight quickly, the heart may not be able to adjust to the changes introduced impromptu.
When you stick to a low calorie diet, the body may not get sufficient amount of nutrition. If the body fails to utilise and convert proteins into energy because of a strict weight-loss regimen needed for its functioning, the human heart could be severely damaged.

With a change in weight, the blood pressure and heart rate also change. The changes may make one experience irregular heart rhythms, which could lead to heart failure.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that may occur as a result of a low calorie diet. Limiting calorie consumption to the point of starvation raises the risk of heart diseases considerably. Reports by the University of Maryland Medical Center suggest that long-term complications of anorexia include high or low blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and a possible heart attack.
Crash diets for quick weight loss may be fatal as they are likely to lead one to death from heart arrhythmias or irregular heartbeat. This happens when liquid formulas for weight loss fail to provide adequate nutrients to the body.

It is important to consider one’s heart rate when opting for weight loss products as doing so will keep one fit to exercise and burn the calories required for weight loss. If you are opting for a rapid weight loss program, it is important that you get your heart rate regularly and closely monitored by a doctor before, during and after the weight loss program. Should there be no hurry in losing weight, it is safe to opt for a slow but steady weight loss program. Besides, following a healthy weight loss program keeps the side-effects at bay.

The American Heart Association suggests weight loss for both cardiovascular health and aesthetics with a healthy diet (including plenty of fresh fruits/vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products) along with moderate physical activity.

It’s important to eat a balanced diet and maintain an exercise routine for overall wellness, but people often don’t think of keeping their brains healthy. Lifestyle factors - including nutrition - play a critical role in brain health throughout life, and can have an important influence on how the brain develops and functions from infancy through late adulthood.

Benefits of DHA Omega-3

DHA Omega-3 is one of the good fats, known as a polyunsaturated fatty acid. It is one of the three major omega-3 fatty acids and it has been shown to support brain health throughout every stage of life. DHA is the dominant omega-3 fatty acid in your brain, representing 97% of these healthy fats. It is especially concentrated in the region of the brain that is responsible for complex thinking skills.

Research studies have looked at the role DHA plays in helping to support memory improvement and learning. The Memory Improvement with Docosahexaenoic (DHA) Acid Study (MIDAS) found that healthy adults with mild memory complaints who took 900 mg algal DHA for six months had nearly double the reduction in errors on a test that measures learning and memory performance versus those who took a placebo, providing a benefit roughly equivalent to having the learning and memory skills of someone three years younger.

If you are pregnant or nursing, DHA is an important nutrient to help support the development of your baby’s brain. In a study where mothers took DHA supplements during breastfeeding, their children had improved hand-eye coordination at 2.5 years and improved attention skills at five years of age.

A study done by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis found that increasing maternal DHA intake by 1g a day increases a child’s IQ by 1.3 points.

Food Sources of DHA-Omega 3

Although DHA is the most abundant Omega-3 in our brain, our bodies don't efficiently make DHA. We need to eat foods rich in this important nutrient in order to keep our brains functioning optimally.

The best food source to get DHA from is cold-water, fatty fish like salmon and tuna; you cannot get it from eating nuts. Nuts only have ALA Omega-3, which does not have the established health benefits that DHA Omega-3 provides. While most people believe that fish produce their own DHA, it is actually the algae in their food chain that makes them a rich source of DHA. Algal DHA is a source of DHA that is sustainable and vegetarian.

Some foods and beverages in India, including milk drinks and mixes, are fortified with life’sDHA, an algal DHA that is sustainable and vegetarian. Some drink mixes in India include: Junior Horlicks, Cadbury Bournevita Lil Champs, ActiGrow, and Kid’s Pro. You can find foods such as eggs, cheese, yogurt and even chocolate fortified with DHA.

Milk is a natural-wellness drink that provides you innumerable vitamins and nutrients including calcium, phosphorous and vitamin D. It promotes healthy function of your muscles and blood vessels, strengthen your bones and teeth and most importantly, keeps you hydrated. The list of pros of drinking milk does not end here; it has several other health benefits that are rarely known.

Milk prevents Cardiovascular Diseases

A recent study on Welsh men has found a significant link between milk/dairy consumption and reduced risk of cardiovascular ailments. The men who regularly drank milk had fewer incidences of heart attack opposed to those who had almost no or negligible consumption of milk. Although the researchers have suggested that this link could be due to certain properties of milk, the epidemiological studies have shown that the reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases can be contributed to higher intake of calcium.

Some specific studies have suggested that high intake of calcium can reduce LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol in our bloodstream and triggers higher levels of HDL ‘good’ cholesterol— both these factors are important for prevention of cardiovascular illnesses.

Milk reduces risk of Type 2 diabetes

Consumption of low-fat dairy products can help mar the risk of type 2 diabetes, suggests a recent study. The researchers studied more than 37,000 middle-aged women, who reportedly had highest consumption of low-fat dairy products. The study concluded that these women had lower chances of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those women who did not include much of dairy items in their diet. This can be due to the fact that the low-fat dairy products have low glycemic index, thus keeping the blood glucose level within the normal range and are rich in nutrients, especially calcium and magnesium.

Milk can prevent both Colorectal and Breast Cancer

A recent research has shown that 45, 000 Swedish men, who regularly drank 1.5 glass milk per day, had almost 35 per cent lesser risk of cancer than those whose consumption was limited to two glasses a week. Another study has shown that women who have been drinking milk since childhood had the least risk of developing breast cancer. The findings of these studies have shown high amount of calcium in the milk and a natural form of fat (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) in the dairy products prevent cancer.

Milk prevent obesity and excess of fat accumulation around the abdomen

It is a popular belief that dairy products cause weight gain, but studies have shown that people who include milk and dairy products in their diet tend to be slimmer than those who do not. The strongest link of milk consumption with lower risk of obesity was found with low-fat milk/dairy products.

Apart from above mentioned benefits of milk, it can be used as a moisturiser for soft, supple and glowing skin. Milk is a great source of vitamins and nutrients, therefore, try not to exclude milk from your diet. It is advisable to drink at least one cup of milk every day. If you are conscious about your weight, drink toned/low-fat/fat-free milk.