Your Daily Guide toward a better Health

0 Fitness Do's and Don'ts

It is important to obtain all the necessary information pertaining to fitness exercises before starting a regular fitness regime. There are numerous simple and common mistakes that are made by amateurs while working out and these are not as harmless as they may appear. Sometimes, improper techniques and an incorrect fitness routine can lead to injuries or sprain. Therefore, to preclude the possibility of an injury and boost effectiveness and safety of your exercise routine, it is absolutely essential to have a clear perspective of what one must do and not do while exercising.

To begin with, it is extremely important to warm up through gentle movements such as walking or jogging before entering into a rigorous fitness activity. This is because cold muscles are highly susceptible to injury and tears and therefore, a warm up exercise helps prepare the muscles and makes them more pliable and limber. For a similar reason, it is necessary to stretch before, in between and after exercises because flexibility greatly enhances the effectiveness of exercises and the safety of muscles. It would also help greatly if, before beginning a fitness regime, you contact a professional or expert fitness trainer and nutritionist. The former can help set out a plan for you apart from providing information on proper techniques, the most beneficial number of hours for exercise as well as the most beneficial types of exercises for your age, body and goal. The latter also plays a crucial role as diet, though often neglected, is an extremely important aspect of fitness. The nutritionist will advise you the right kind of diet that can complement the fitness routines and exercises. It is therefore, extremely important to keep a track of what you eat especially because diet influences the outcome of your fitness exercises.

A proper knowledge of what one should not do is also equally important. It is usually thought that lifting heavy weights will lead to better results. While this may be true in general, it is crucial to note that lifting heavy weights without proper technique can lead to massive problems and injuries. Avoid engaging in risky routines without consulting an expert fitness partner in the gymnasium or professional and certified trainer. A simple caution should be raised against any jerky movements induced by lifting heavy free weights. While lifting free weights, it is absolutely essential to maintain a good posture and lift the weights in a smooth and continuous flow without losing concentration. Equally important is to exercise in moderation, and ensure that you do not go overboard and strain your muscles through over-exercise.

These are the most important do’s and don’ts related to fitness exercises.

LASIK is short for Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. This mouthful of an acronym is the technical name for corrective eye surgery using laser to improve the vision of people who require lenses and spectacles. Ever since its development in the early 1990s, its popularity has grown several fold and it is now one of the most preferred options for treating eye disorders.

The questions asked most often are who can go in for such surgery?Exactly what does laser eye surgery involve?

LASIK or Laser eye surgery is a surgical procedure during which the shape of the cornea is permanently changed. (The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris and the pupil). This is done by the use of a laser. The surgeon reshapes the cornea in such a way as to correct the refractive error because of which the eye is unable to focus on objects and thereby improves the vision. Simply put, LASIK surgery involves cutting a flap in the top layer of the eye and folding it back so that a laser can reshape the surface of the eye. After this is done, the flap is put back and the eye is left to heal.

According to Delhi based independent medical practitioner Dr. Arpanaa Kumar, “LASIK or Laser eye surgery is usually performed on patients above the age of twenty one. This is because eyes in teenagers and children keep changing until their growth is complete. So, LASIK surgery should only be performed on individuals whose eyes have stabilised.” She continues, “Before prescribing LASIK, it is important to see that the eyes are healthy and that the patient does not have any contraindications to make LASIK unsuitable for them. Conditions like glaucoma, corneas that are too thin or steep or severely dry eyes can be contraindications.” Pregnant women, too, are advised not to opt for LASIK.

The surgery itself does not take very long. It is not painful because you’re under local anaesthesia, and the entire procedure takes about fifteen to thirty minutes.

Let’s please just face it! Our feet are the last things we take active care of. Infrequent pedicure and shoe-buying aside, how much do we really care about our feet? Not much, really. Compare the amount of time you spend keeping your face and hands in top form to the amount of time you spend on your feet and you will know exactly what we mean. And the truth is that caring for feet (and by extension, legs) is an important part of healthcare. Studies in the US have shown that most people have a foot injury of some kind by the time they reach the age of forty, and women undergo majority of common-problem foot surgeries.

And given that women are also slaves to fashion – think stilettos, kitten heels, wedges – the havoc that is played in the region of our lower extremities is massive! According to orthopaedic surgeon Steven Raikin, M.D., of the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, USA (quoted in Women’s Health magazine’s online issue), “One-inch heels can increase the pressure on your feet by about 22 percent. Two inches can add up to 57 percent, and three inches can add a whopping 76 percent.” The fitting of toes into a narrow space, the elevated heels, and the pressure of walking like that can add up and lead to bunions, hammertoes and even cause calf muscles to tighten and become painful.

This is not to say that you have ditch your fashion sense if you care about your feet. It is important to take care, that’s all! Orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. K.N. Verma says, “Standing for several hours in high heels can lead to painful calf muscles. Another way to ensure healthy feet is to watch your weight, he advises. “Many people who come to me with problems in their feet and legs are overweight. In fact. women in India tend to be calcium deficient, causing their bones to become weak, and increased weight can only be detrimental.’ he says. Like we needed another reason to watch our weight!

Breast cancer is a dreadful disease which is most common among women and affects one in eight women. But what men may not know is that it can also occur in them! Many cells in the human body undergo cell division, and this normally occurs in a controlled manner to maintain healthy tissues. Breast cancer occurs when some cells in the breast tissue divide uncontrollably and create an abnormal lump of cells. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of death due to malignancy in women.

"Male breast cancer is more common disease than we actually think and it is more dangerous in men than women. In males it catches the chest wall early so even a small nodule in males should be immediately investigated. However, the treatment for both men and women is similar," shares Dr Sameer Kaul, senior consultant, oncology surgical Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.

Causes

"Cause is not completely understood, but some men seem to be at higher than average risk of developing the disease. The cause in females can be genetic predisposition and in males it can be hormonal dependence," saysDr AK Anand, radiation oncologist, Max Healthcare.

This rare cancer most often occurs in men over the age of 60. It is more common in men who have:

o Several close members of their family (male or female) who have had breast cancer, or

o A close relative diagnosed with breast cancer in both breasts, or

o A relative diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40. Dr Puneet Gupta, a senior oncologist in Max Healthcare shares. "It is estimated that at least 35% of all cancers have a nutritional connection. Even common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet. With lifestyle factors such as smoking, the risk only enhances."

Treatment

"Like breast cancer in women, treatment depends upon the stage of the cancer and the overall physical condition of the patient," says Dr Vedant Kabra, surgical oncologist, Max Healthcare, Saket.

Most men diagnosed with breast cancer are initially treated by surgery. A modified radical mastectomy (removal of the breast, lining over the chest muscles, and portions of the auxiliary lymph nodes) is the most common surgical treatment of male breast cancer. Sometimes portions of the muscles of the chest wall are also removed. After surgery, adjuvant therapies are often prescribed. These are recommended especially if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes (node-positive cancer). Adjuvant therapies include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy and hormonal therapy. In cases of metastatic cancer, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or a combination of both, are generally recommended.

The call should be taken or else…

The sad part is that males are generally not aware of the problem that they are having since they are under the impression that breast cancer only targets women. "Since it is a rare condition, people can't even think of the consequences later on. A larger call must be taken and males must definitely be made aware of the condition."

Coping with the condition

Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be a very trying and anxious time for a man. One may experience a range of emotions such as shock, disbelief or anger. These feelings are very common, although everybody responds differently and has his own way of coping.

Symptoms

Symptoms include a firm mass located below the nipple and skin changes around the nipple, including puckering, redness or scaling, retraction and ulceration of the nipple. Treatment depends upon staging and the health of the patient. Other symptoms are:

o Nipple discharge

o Lump, mass or swelling in the breast, nipple or chest wall

o Inversion of the nipple (the nipple has turned inward)

o Nipple or skin of the breast has a red appearance or is very dry and scaly

o Skin dimpling or puckering When a lump is found, most of the times it is a benign condition called gynecomastia. However, all lumps and abnormalities need to be examined by a physician. Nipple discharge and lump are the most common symptoms detected by a patient before diagnosis.

Here are a few tips that might help you feel better

o Try and find out as much as you can about the condition and its treatment.

o Speak to your doctor or someone you are comfortable with about all your questions and concerns.

o Take care of yourself. During your treatment, you'll need to plan your schedule carefully. Allow yourself time to rest. And don't be afraid to ask for help. Your friends and family want to help, but they may not always know what to do. Be specific about your needs.

o You may find it difficult to cope as you may feel alone and left out. Remember that there are people there who can support you, so do not be afraid to ask for help.

Stress is like a disease; it overpowers your senses, leaves you dizzy and then reigns supreme. Let’s talk about how men can reduce stress and live a healthy life.

Since we are going to deal with stress relief in the specific context of men,VIMHANS psychologist, Dr Pulkit Sharma brings to light many interesting facts. Hope you identify with them and deal with them rather than cursing fate!

1.    Identifying and resolving conflicts: Men often find themselves entangled in circumstantial conflicts and feel divided.

Quick Fix: They must draw a realistic picture and methodically prioritize between various options in hand.

2.    Strike a balance in life - Why focus all your energies on your career, family or friends? This is unhealthy and leads to stress.

Quick Fix: Men must take out time for themselves, indulge in their hobbies and give considerable amount of time to their families. Quality time is a great stress reliever.

3.    Interpersonal relationships: Men prefer not to confide in others as this is just part and parcel of their deep routed nature. Nevertheless, they run the risk of exposing themselves to high levels of stress and need to engage in stress relieving exercises.

Quick Fix: They must enter into a reciprocal relationship, which enables them to express themselves and reduce the stress they are suffering.

4.    Deal with negative emotions: Men must acknowledge the presence of negative emotions and deal with them.

Quick Fix: Repressing your innate feelings and fearing failure can only aggravate stress; talking it out is a great stress reliever.

5.    Handle societal pressure: Patriarchy comes with its side-effects. Men often feel burdened to perform well as the sole bread-winner. This attitude is where the problem lies.

Quick Fix: A successful career graph deserves applause but certainly not at the cost of too many sacrifices on the personal front. One must understand that patriarchy is a concept which is created and not something which has been passed on to us by ancestors.

6.    Indulge in exercise: A healthy lifestyle relaxes your nerves.

Quick Fix: Hit the gym or enroll yourself for aerobics, yoga or even swimming classes; all great stress relievers.

7.    Avoid substance abuse: Initially alcohol, cigarettes and drugs may give a short-term relief from stress but in the long run it can lead to addiction.

Quick Fix: It goes without saying that addiction is an abuse to oneself so stay away and find healthier methods of being stress free.

8.    Create a healthy work atmosphere: Envy is one of the seven most deadly sins.

Quick Fix: You must redirect negative energies creatively and work towards living the philosophy of live and let live.

9.    Indulge in self-introspection: Either in a counseling session or a cup of coffee with your partner or friend. Talking to each other and not about each other helps.

10.    Learn that humans can fail: Failure can either lead to an emotional breakdown or conversely make a man strive for perfection. Either case is an extreme one.

Quick Fix: Learn to acknowledge one’s limits and de-stress yourself from self-created situations of undue pressure.

“We must learn to experience multiplicity of things and unwind, may be even let go off our inhibitions and just be”, signs out Dr Sharma. This is exactly what is required. Men, you must just be!

0 Lifelong Benefits of Exercise

Mahatma Gandhi believed exercise can do wonders. In his seminal work, Hind Swaraj, he rejected modern amenities that claimed to “save labour” because he feared that it would lead to the atrophy of our limbs, and questioned the logic of saving labour and endangering our health.

This concept is more relevant today than at any other time in our past. What most of us do for ‘work’ is sit at a table for long hours and go home so exhausted from it that all we can think of is sleep. Physical activity has reduced manifold. This decrease in physical exercise is directly proportional to the drastic increase in diseases in our world.

According to Dr. Arpanaa Kumar, Delhi-based independent medical practitioner, “Physical exercise is very important because it is a very effective way to keep our body fit, supple and free from diseases.” In a world where obesity and obesity-related diseases are only increasing, our food habits are deteriorating (either due to availability or time), and physical exercise is the only way to combat these lifestyle hazards.

Regular exercise can keep your heart healthy for longer and play a larger role in keeping old-age related diseases such as alzheimer’s and osteoporosis at bay. Diabetes or other chronic diseases can be kept under control by physical exercises such as walking.

For women, regular exercise can not only help relieve pre menstrual syndrome and menstrual cramps, but also reduce their intensity in the future. Studies have also shown that incidence of breast cancer among women who exercise regularly is significantly lower than those who don’t.

Aside from the many physical benefits that regular exercise has, there are several mental and spiritual benefits too. Traditional forms of exercise - such as yoga - can help keep the mind calm and clear, and even aid in improving concentration and building mental strength. Exercise can relieve depression and many other stress-related disorders.

And aside from all that, it gives one a feeling of being in control of one’s body and that can give a boost to the self esteem of a person like few other things can.

Think you know the facts about getting fit? You will be surprised to learn how many are really fiction.

Myth #1: Strength training tends to give women a bulky, masculine physique.

It's very hard for women to build large muscles as women have comparatively very low level of testosterone, which influences muscle gain. “Picking weights improves the bone density, muscle mass and sculpts your body,” suggests ace physical instructor Yashmeen Manak.

Myth #2: When you stop exercising you put on weight.

It’s one of the reasons people don’t take up exercising. When you stop exercising there is no expenditure of calories but the input is the same and you are bound to gain weight. Once you stop exercising, then you need to alter your diet as you are not burning the calories like before.

Myth #3: Slimming gadgets for weight loss.

“There are no shortcuts for weight loss,” informs Wanita Ashok, a certified Aerobic Instructor.

There is no machine, no special diet and no special pill that will allow you to lose weight safely.

Passive exercise offered by machines does not work until and unless you are exercising your muscles. “The key to weight loss is about making lifestyle choices and adopting healthy habits,” adds Ashok.

Myth #4: Sweat indicates the calories burnt.

People believe that the more you sweat during exercise, the more fat you lose. How much you sweat does not necessarily reflect on how hard you are working out.
"Sweat is merely a cooling system of the body. When we exercise, heat is generated by the body and to dissipate the heat the body sweats. It is the body’s way of regulating temperature," adds Manak.

Myth #5: When you stop exercising, your muscles turn to fat.

One must understand that muscles and fat are totally two different types of tissues.

The muscle does not turn to fat or vice versa. Fat has to be burnt and muscles have to be built. Keep in mind that the approach through exercising is totally different for both. However, lack of exercise does make the muscles shrink, reducing the body's calorie-burning rate.

Myth #6: Spot reduction

The place where the body stores fat is predetermined. 100 crunches or endless number of abs exercises will not burn the fat in your stomach. Working on a specific area will strengthen and tone the muscles in that area.

A 40 minute of cardio workout will put the body in a fat burning stage and thus the weight loss will take place, confirms Ashok.

Common cold and flu are viral illnesses that is they care caused due to infection by a virus. Read to know the causes of cold and flu.

Cold can be caused due to several different types of viruses (>200 types), but rhinovirus is the commonest cause and it causes about 30%-35% of all adult colds. Other viruses which commonly cause cold are coronavirus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza virus.
Flu (influenza) is caused due to infection by any of the three types of influenza virus. The three types of influenza virus are types A, B, and C. Of these types, A and B are more common and cause serious epidemics every winter. The type C is milder and has not been reported to cause any major outbreak. The type C flu virus usually causes milder respiratory symptoms. Many animals such as ducks, chickens, pigs, whales, horses, and seal can get infected with type A flu virus whereas the type B viruses circulates widely only among humans.

Common colds and flu occur recurrently. As there are many viruses which can cause cold, the body never develops resistance against all of them and as the flu virus changes form frequently people don’t develop resistance to flu virus. According to experts, children in preschool and elementary school can experience six to 12 colds per year and adolescents and adults usually have two to four colds per year. Flu vaccine taken every year can protect you from type A and B flu viruses. There is no flu shot for type C virus.

However you take care of your leather shoes, they will wear off once they are wet. With the monsoon already in, if you get caught in the rain without an umbrella, here are some ways you can undo the trouble provided you act quickly. Here are a few instructions on how to take care of wet leather shoes and prevent them from getting spoilt.

As soon as you get home, remove the shoes and dry them in room temperature.

Use a damp rag and gently wipe dirt and excess oil from the shoes. Doing so will keep your shoes from getting stained.

Rub in a leather conditioner with your fingertips. Focus on areas that have got wet. Start by using a tiny amount of conditioner and follow up by adding more conditioner. Leather conditioner can easily be purchased from a local sewing or fabric store.

Put your leather shoes out to dry. If the weather outside is wet, place the shoes inside a room and dry it in room temperature. Do not use heat to dry the leather in the hope that heat will dry the leather faster. The leather may take several days to dry.

If you feel the leather shoes are dry in some areas, condition those areas. Do not condition it in excess as that might give a greasy effect to the leather. Make sure that you only use your fingertips to rub leather conditioner into the dry areas. Using a tool on the leather may cause more damage than help.

Tips and Warnings

Make sure that you do not expose your shoes to harsh chemicals when trying to cleaning it as that can damage the leather. Only use natural products to wipe the dirt and oil from the leather shoes.

Always condition or polish in a circular motion.

Do not wear the shoes once you have put them aside to dry. Also, avoid wearing them in monsoon as much as you can.

When shopping for leather shoes, try picking those that are coated with a waterproofing agent that helps seal the shoes from water.

Once your leather shoes have got wet, the best bet is to act on the damage as soon as possible. The more you delay in conditioning and polishing it, the less likely it is to be durable.

Never expose your leather shoes to a blow dryer.

You can not wear leather shoes and still have fun with gumboots in monsoon as they are safer and easy to keep clean.

Smoking causes decay to the brain by damaging memory, learning capability and logic and reasoning power, suggests a new study.

The panel of researchers from the kings College at London conducted a series of brain tests and collected data on lifestyle and health of more than 50 people to analyse how smoking has affected their brain and health. It was concluded that smoking affects worse than high blood pressure or obesity. The participants were examined again after the interval of four years and then eight years. The result remained same that smoking rots the brain causing lower scores in the brain tests.

The people whose memory and other cognitive capabilities experienced the greatest decline due to smoking were at the highest risk of heart attack or stroke.

Cognitive capabilities start fading with aging and disrupt the daily functioning and well-being of many people. Therefore, it is imperative to create awareness about the need to modify some lifestyle practices to prevent cognitive decline, said Dr. Alex Dregan, a researcher.

If you have been trying to lose weight, one of the key aspects to consider would be your metabolic rate. Metabolism is basically the process by virtue of which the body utilises calories obtained from food and converts them into energy. A high metabolic rate facilitates prompt utilization of calories; hence, there are lesser chances of excess calories being accumulated as fat. Therefore, the higher the metabolic rate, the better it is.

Apart from the basics, there are 10 things you must know about metabolism that will aid your weight loss process.

A List of 10 Things you must know about Metabolism

This is a list of the 10 things you must know about metabolism to make your weight loss drive a sure shot success.

Remember, the process of metabolism cannot be changed completely; however, it can be altered by managing calorie intake and increasing physical activity.
How do you know if your body metabolises calories fast enough? There is a measuring scale called the BMR or the Basal Metabolic Rate, which has to be calculated. Once you know what your BMR is, your calorific needs can be planned accordingly.
Cutting down your calories drastically will never help you lose weight because the BMR would reduce. For losing weight, you need to eat healthy as per a fixed routine, rest well and maintain an active lifestyle.
Concentrating on weight training and gaining muscle mass should be the easiest way to boost the metabolic rate of the body.
Healthy weight loss should also involve at least 6 to 8 hours of restful sleep each day. The lesser your sleep, the more difficult it becomes for the body to regulate the levels of blood sugar. Mounting stress resulting from sleep deprivation can lead to obesity.
Your BMR should typically slow down with age.
Moderate heavy physical exercises should boost your BMR considerably. Include brisk walks and jogs as part of your daily routine.
If you have an underperforming thyroid gland, your metabolism should be even slower. Therefore, thyroid malfunctions, if any, should be addressed first for kick starting the weight loss process.
Caffeine is a stimulant with its own set of negatives. The central nervous system gets affected upon caffeine consumption though caffeine is also responsible for boosting metabolism.
Rather than counting calories, it would always be better to try and maintain a balance between calorie intake and physical activity.

There will be several things that you might not know about fat, regardless effects of low-fat diet are highlighted in almost every health-related discussion. What is the actual meaning of term ‘fat’, which is used so very often? Generally associated with excess muscle mass, fat actually has a vital role to maintain body mechanisms.

Fat Cells

Fat cells are generated with consumption of calories, which usually expand up to six times than their size. These cells reach maturity at the age of 16 years. Thereafter, lifestyle and genes’ impact enables gaining or losing weight. Fat cells also secrete estrogen that disturbs hormonal balance, leading to illnesses, health risks and complications.

What Happens when you Lose Weight?

When you shed excess weight, the fat cells only shrink. The shrinking of fat cells is often confused with their elimination. However, if you are losing fat in a controlled manner, fat cells can still swell and multiply. In this case, cells remain within the body and are less active metabolically.

Connection of Fat Cells with Inflammation

Fat tissue attract macrophages, the immune system cells that catalyses inflammation within the body. Therefore, consumption of extra calories will add to the vows for the overweight individuals, wherein body loses immunity to fight against infections.

Behaviour of Fat Cells in Different Parts of the Body

It has been observed that men become fat from the midsection region. The concentration of fat cells in the belly region is more, alleviating the risk of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increasing blood sugar level. Unlike hip or thigh fat that is stored just beneath the skin, abdominal fat cells are deeper within the body. But these cells are metabolically more active than others present elsewhere, but are the causes of diabetes, liver dysfunction, coronary artery disease, stroke and some cancer forms.

Fats are Essential for Body’s Natural Processes

Body is most likely to suffer with insufficient consumption of fats. One of the primary functions of fats is transportation of vitamins throughout the body, energy production and regulation of cholesterol levels. Deficit of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) will make it difficult for body to absorb calcium, producing hormones and blood circulation. Among health risks due to inadequate fat content in the body are night blindness, rickets, anaemia and brittle bones.

Necessary Amount of Fat Content

Health experts agree to the fact that 30% of your total daily calories should be fat calories. But one must understand that fat has twice the number of calories of a carbohydrate or protein, and therefore relatively healthier.

Recommendations

The quota of 30% fat consumption should be chosen wisely. Treat yourself with healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and fatty fish, whereas bad fats such as fried food, baked goods and sugary soft drinks should be avoided. Besides, exercise entire body on a regular basis in order to avoid health risks that arise due to excess fats.

You could be fooled into thinking that crash and fad diets will give you a quick fix solution, Crash dieting may seem as the best option for those looking to lose some weight quickly but have you ever thought about the effects of crash diets on your overall physical and mental health?

Crash Diets

Is a diet that is under 1200 calories eaten daily. It is not a very healthy methods of weight loss that deliver results in a very short span. There are many effects of crash dieting including short-term weight loss, dehydration, nutritional deprivation, leading to long- term health complications.

Depriving Yourself

Crash diet tends to make dieters tired, irritable and lethargic and brings on food cravings. There's a rapid weight loss, making it look like the plan is working. At this point, you haven't actually lost any fat; all that's happened is that you've used up the body's limited store of glycogen, a form of carbohydrate. As you use up the glycogen, your body loses water with it, so you appear to be losing weight very quickly.

Primarily, crash diets slow down your body’s metabolic rate. Your body wants to maximize each calorie it receives because it is afraid of starvation so continued weight loss after the crash diet is extremely difficult.

Health Risks

The short-term dehydration and nutritional deprivation, can go hand in hand. Even if you consume a lot of water throughout your diet it is hard for your body to retain water if you are not eating balanced meals. Severely restricting your caloric intake deprives your body of vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins and nutrients that it needs to sustain itself.

Having a diet free from fat is not acceptable since your body needs 30% of its daily calories to come from fats leading to malnourishment. Leading to weakening of the immune system, development of gallstones, hair loss & cholesterol related disorders. In addition, a lot of crash diets suggest the use of laxatives or salt water flushes which increase risk of dehydration and don’t allow the body to absorb nutrients and fats which in turn leads to nutritional deprivation.

Further, weight gain is another issue due to change in metabolic rate that your body goes through while you are crash dieting. Thereafter, due to the body’s adjusted metabolism, it becomes increasingly difficult for you to loose weight.

Eating Disorder developing anorexia, bulimia & untimely food cravings further leading to a number of other disorders.

Osteoporosis women are more susceptible to developing osteoporosis especially in the menopausal phase and crash dieting makes them even prone to it due to the weakening of bones caused by calcium deficiency.

Muscle and Tissue Loss Crash dieting causes the fat to be stored and the muscles are burned instead of the fats and calories. This causes a great deal of muscle loss and loss of tissues around organs like the brain, kidneys and the liver.

Early Aging Crash dieting speeds up the process of aging. You will notice signs of aging on your skin like sagging skin, fine lines and wrinkles early on.

Some other serious crash diets effects include electrolyte imbalance, low blood cell count, development of cardiovascular system disorders and organ damage.

Mental Health

A lot of crash dieters go into depression once they hit the weight loss plateau and start putting on weight. Depression is also accompanied by lethargy, tiredness, mood swings and irritability. Crash dieters are also known to complain about lack of concentration and confidence in them.

The Yo-Yo Effect

Yo-yo dieting messes up your metabolism, and may even raise the levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood, increasing your risk of arterial disease and heart problems. They weaken your immune system, cause heart palpitations and cardiac stress.

The Best Solution

If you were considering a crash diet, you should reconsider. Not only will it be unsuccessful in helping you achieve weight loss but also you will undoubtedly expose yourself to health risks in the long run. The best way to get down to your healthy weight and feel and look your best is to do it slowly. A balanced diet and moderate regular exercise will gently get you toned up, and keep the weight off for good.

Best Exercises for Lowering the Risk of Uterine Cancer

A study at the American Association of Cancer Research suggests that women engaging in exercise for 150 minutes a week lower their risk of uterine cancer by 34 per cent. The study’s findings about cancer’s risk in underweight and overweight women is rather surprising; while the former were 73 per cent less likely to develop uterine cancer with regular physical activity the latter reduced their risks by 52 per cent.

Exercises to Prevent Uterine Cancer

The American Cancer Society recommends 30 minutes of exercise five days a week to decrease the chances of developing uterine or endometrial cancer. The most effective exercises that will help you reduce uterine cancer risk are:

Brisk Walk: Brisk walking is an easy and effective exercise to cut the risks of contracting endometrial cancer. According to a study at the University at California, briskly walking a mile burns up energy and gives less time to the carcinogens in the food to reach the intestinal lining and develop into cancer.

Floor Exercises: Floor exercises involve tensing and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. In floor exercises, the pelvic muscle is held tight, knees are bent and legs are pulled apart. The exercises support the lower abdominal organs to prevent pelvic pain and occurrence of inflammation that may develop into cancer. Practitioners are advised to hold the position for longer periods for better results.

Yoga Positions: Incorporating yoga positions, such as uttanpadasana, into practise helps reduce the risk of uterine cancer. In this yoga asana, a practitioner lies on his/her back with legs and feet straight by the side. Thereafter, the legs are raised up straight i.e. 90 degrees for a few seconds. This yoga position supports the pelvic muscles and reduces excess weight around the waistline by strengthening thighs, waist, hips, back and spinal cord.

Paripurna navasana, also referred to as boat pose, strengthens the pelvic region, hip flexors and the spine. It helps to reduce the risk of gynaecological disorders such as cervical and uterine cancers. Similarly, uddiyana bandha posture (an advance breathing yoga exercise) strengthens the abdominal region, the pelvic areas as well as the uterus to maintain a healthy digestive system by producing pancreatic fluids. Blood rushes into the heart and returns freshly oxygenated to each organ, to help body's fight against cancer by making available as much oxygen for healthy cells.

Massage Therapy: Health experts recommend massage therapy for uterine cancer patients to enhance the body’s immune system by flushing out toxins. Massaging also helps to reduce muscle tension and improve joint mobility.

Health experts agree that the best way of preventing endometrial cancer is by maintaining a healthy weight, which can be done with engagement in physical fitness.

However pleasant an experience pregnancy may seem like, after a while most mothers wish it lasted only a few months. With 9 months of fatigue, on and off nausea, mood swings and weight gain, you sure do not want an unhealthy baby by the end of it. Take a look at these ways of nurturing a healthy baby.

See your Doctor or Midwife

As soon as you know that you are pregnant, consult a midwife or doctor so the latter can organise antenatal care for you. To organise the care as early on as possible implies that that you will get advice and tips on how to have a healthy baby right from the beginning. Doing so will also help you have enough time to organise ultrasound scans and tests.

Watch your Diet

Make sure that whatever you eat during the course of your pregnancy is healthy. If you have no idea what to eat, you may:

eat at least five portions of vegetables and fruits every day,

eat plenty of carbohydrates in the form of pasta, rice, bread, etc. These should comprise the main meals. Give preference to wholegrain carbohydrates than white to make sure that you get plenty of fibre,

take daily servings of protein in the form of fish, meat, eggs, pulses or nuts and dairy food,

take two portions of fish per week. Make sure that at least one of them is oily. Fish is dense with protein, minerals, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids helps in the development of the baby’s nervous system.

Maintain Food Hygiene

Although, it is right to eat for two during pregnancy, there are certain foods that are best avoided during the term. Watch out for foods that have listeria in them. Listeria is a bacterium that causes an infection called listeriosis. Although, the bacterium is rare and doesn’t pose a threat to one’s health, it can lead to birth complications and pregnancy. Listeriosis may even lead to miscarriage. Therefore, wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating. Avoid foods, such as unpasteurised milk, undercooked ready meals, blue-veined cheese, etc.

Run an Extra Mile

Pregnancy may be a time for you to rest, but that doesn’t mean you should totally cut yourself from exercising. Some of the best exercise choices for pregnant woman include brisk walking, yoga, pilates, aquanatal classes and swimming.

Take Supplements

For a healthy pregnancy, you must take prenatal multivitamin supplements soon after you started planning for pregnancy and continue until you are breastfeeding. Prenatal vitamins include vitamin A, D, E and K that help prevent birth defects. Consider taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements as these help in initiating a healthy development of the baby’s brain.

A healthy pregnancy is bound by restrictions of diet and other lifestyle related aspects that a pregnant woman could have practised without a care pre-pregnancy.The aforementioned ways are a pre-requisite to a healthy mother and baby.