Healthy Tips and Facts

Though they are considered to be among the most flexible joints in our body, shoulders still remain one of the most common spots of pain. usually caused by wear and tear due to overuse and little recovery time, this is also common among people who have desk-bound jobs and are hunched over their computers.     Experts say that a constant or nagging pain in your shoulder may also lead to poor posture, neck pain and other issues like breathing difficulty. That apart, excessive pressure on your shoulders while working out without proper guidance can injure the joints, too. So, here are some exercises to loosen up those stiff shoulder muscles. Ideally, they should be done under proper supervision. Pic: Side planks help in strengthening muscles SIDE PLANKS WITH A TWIST: The coolest thing about this one is that this shoulder-opening exercise also works your love handles. HOW TO DO IT:   On a yoga mat, lie down on your right side and stack both legs on each other. Now, lift y

A 70-year-old lady complained of severe pain and swelling in her legs and difficulty in standing. She was diagnosed with a fracture in the neck of her femur and had to undergo hip replacement surgery. The cause of her fracture was later found to be osteoporosis.     It is a condition where bones become fragile and brittle and susceptible to fractures. Aged people and post-menopausal women are most likely to suffer from osteoporosis. Low calcium intake, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking, corticosteroid intake, heparin, hyperthyroidism, sedentary lifestyle, obesity etc are other risk factors. Osteoporotic fractures most commonly occur in hip, wrist or spine. THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE CANNOT BE STRESSED ENOUGH:  Adults aged 19 to 64 should do at least two hours and thirty minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as cycling or fast walking, every week to keep their bones healthy. Weight-bearing exercise and resistance exercise are particularly importa

Standing on one leg, drinking wine, and other tips that can ease aches and pains Concerned about how your joints are working? You need to think about physical and the medical aspects, as well as your diet. EXERCISE WISELY: Regular exercise helps keep weight in check and prevents stiffness and swelling.   "Low-impact activities like biking and walking are better than running or aerobics, while swimming takes the entire load off the joints," says physician Dr Yousef Habbab. Exercises that tarchi, pilates and yoga, improve posture and reduce wear and tear on joints, he says. STOP SMOKING: A few cigarettes a day can more than double your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to Swedish researchers, who followed more than 30,000 women over seven years. STAND ON ONE LEG: Balancing exercises are important, says osteopath and physiotherapist Tim Allardyce.     "Stand on one leg with your eyes open (progress to eyes closed) and try to keep your balanc

A HEALTHY BREAKFAST UNARGUABLY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MORNING ROUTINE AS IT IS THE FIRST MEAL OF THE DAY: BreakFast is not just a meal to satiate your hunger. It is also about feeding the soul and spirit as well. It is in essence a celebration of the joy of eating. In recent times there have been several conversations around breakfast. The Idea is to reconceive breakfast to preserve the virtues and eliminate the vices. Health and nutrition experts have stressed on the need to have a healthy breakfast as it is first meal of the day. "It is not about how much you eat. the focus should be on how healthy you eat. Steamed food, whole grain cereals, eggs, soy milk, juice without any added sugar or preservatives, can all be included in the list of healthy break- fast." says Sheela B, a  school dietician and nutritionist. The increasing awareness on eating healthy has taken people on the road to organic  food and food products. The ideal combination for healthy breakf

TIPS:  one medium-sized banana eaten about 45 minutes to an hour before the workout is enough to keep you going. Here's a list of foods that are considered ideal to eat before a workout. BROWN RICE WITH CHICKEN: Brown rice is absorbed slowly and is a good source of fibre and carbs while chicken is an ideal form of lean meat and protein. This is an ideal combination to consume before a workout. You would require about 200 to 300 calories. Hence, you can eat about one medium size bowl of brown rice with two pieces of chicken YOGURT: Yogurt contains calcium and proteins, and a bit of natural sugar is also present in small quantities. Because it is easy on the stomach and digestive system, it's a great option to consume before an intense workout. Adding some whole grain cereal, fruits or honey to yogurt will give you a quick energy boost. PROTEIN SHAKES: These are popular among those who hit the gym. Protein is important for overall development of the muscles, bones a

YOU'RE ONLY AS OLD AS YOU FEEL, GOES THE POPULAR ADAGE. BUT WHAT IF YOU FEEL OLD, TIRED, AND RUNDOWN ALL THE TIME?   Fatigue is feeling of chronic tiredness, or lack of energy that does not go away even when you rest. It is both mental and physical, i.e, physical or psychological fatigue. It can be a response to poor eating habits, emotional, stress, however, fatigue is a symptom of an underlying medical problem, like iron or vitamin deficiencies,l or conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea or thyroid. Making lifestyle changes like increased physical activity and wholesome nutrition are important ways in which you can regain the lost energy. Here are five strategies that one might follow. 1) SHED THOSE KILOS: The last thing you may feel like doing when you're tired is working out. But exercise boosts energy levels almost immediately and actually causes changes in your body at a cellular or mitochondrial level. It also stimulates the release of the hormones called e

     Depression is crippling, especially when you're in the midst of it. The mental health condition doesn't have a gender norm attached to it, and both men and women have different ways and tools to fight it. Women are more upfront about this issue, whereas men mostly don't accept the fact that they're going through anything that can bring them down. However, depression can engulf one completely, if not addressed right from the beginning. While there are many tools one can use to fight depression, professional counselling being the first and foremost, there are other means as well that you an try, to bring in varied lifestyle changes that can help restore an emotional balance within you. Yoga is one such tool that can help you overcome depression and keep your mind at peace.      According to Harvard Mental health Letter, studies suggest that yoga can reduce the impact of stress, help recover from depression and anxiety, keep the body and mind at ease and improve en

LOAD UP ON PROTEINS AND GHAR KA KHANA: khanduja, who sticks to 'ghar ka khana', explains, "It is important to plan your nutrition during your training period, which should stimulate your runs. You must keep practicing that diet, so that when you are actually running a race, your body is accustomed to it."        Insisting that proteins are a must, khanduja says one can either go for protein supplement or eat soybean, paneer and dal. "for non-vegetarians, chicken is a great source of protein. A runner should focus on clean eating and must include salads, fruits and greens in their diet. Stick to a natural diet as much as possible and avoid packaged or processed food. Fruits will keep you hydrated", he says. Most runners advise staying hydrated all the time, to avoid dehydration and cramps. MAINTAIN BALANCE: Chandan and Taru Matete, who completed the Comrades Marathon held in South Africa, follow a similar diet plan to fuel and energise themselves. Ta

FLEXIBILITY: Daily stretching is essential to improve and maintain flexibility, which in turn will help improve performance and prevent injuries. Yogasanas are recommended. STRENGTH TRAINING: Strength training improves a runner's body strength and overall athleticism. This is turn reduces muscular fatigue that heads to poor performance and injuries. WARM UP AND COOL DOWN: Before training runs and races, it is important to warm up, The faster the workout or race, the longer the warm-up should be. A warm-up of 5-10 minutes helps to flush out lactic acid build-up in muscles and prevents delayed muscles and prevent delayed muscle soreness. Start with gentle rotations, followed by swings, and light cardio. CROSS-TRAIN: Cross-training helps to maintain your aerobic fitness while avoiding excessive impact forces from too much running. SPEAK TO AN EXPERT: Over training, running injuries and poor performances are often the result of an ineffective training program. A good running coach can

Why do people fail at diets? This isn't a very simple question and the answer to it reaches beyond just dieting itself. So, before embarking on a diet, you need to give a thought to your daily routine. Here are things you need to look into before you start a diet. YOUR SLEEPING PATTERN: The human body hasn't changed much ever since we learned to walk erect. Sundown still means sleep for the body. Sunrise still means time to roll. You play with this rhythm, you will face consequences. Sleep has direct effects on your meals timings, craving issues and nutrition partitioning. YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES: We were built to be as mobile as possible. Today, we are as immobile as we will ever get. of course, we need to do our jobs, but that doesn't mean you can't be active. walk shorter distances, help in house chores or do some grocery shopping. Not only will you burn calories without trying too hard, but this will better your heart, joint and muscle health.