Showing posts with label Healthy Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Healthy Tips. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

How to lose weight fast (part-1)

How to lose weight fast

1. Drink plenty of water. First how to lose weight fast tip is that our body needs a lot of water so give in to water. Water is not just way to flush out toxin but if you have more water in your body you will generally feel healthier and fitter. This it self will discourage any tendency to gorge. The best thing about water is that is has no calories at all.

2. Start your day with a glass of water. As soon as you wake up, gulp down a glass of cool water. It’s a wonderful way to start you day and you only need a lesser quantity of your breakfast drink after that. A glass of water lets out all your digestive juices and sort of lubricates the insides of your body. You may have your morning cup of tea but have it after a glass of water. It is good for you.

3. Drink a glass of water before you start the meal. Water naturally needs some space so that you feel fuller without actually having to stuff yourself.

4. Have another glass of water while you are having the meal. Again this is another great how to lose weight fast super tip and a way of making yourself full, another great weight loss tips, so that you can actually rise from the table eating less but feeling full just the same. Instead of drinking it one gulp, take sips after each morsel. It will help the food to settle faster so that you get that feeling that you are full faster. SIDENOTE: Water is such a remarkable thing, but seldom do we give it the credit that it deserves. Did you know that over 66% of your body weight is nothing but water’ It’s amazing! Water also plays a vital role in weight control, which is why I donated so much space to it, above.


5. Stay away from sweetened bottle drinks, especially sodas. Hey all those colas and fizzy drinks are sweetened with sugar and sugar means calories. The more you can cut out on these sweetened bottle drinks, the better for you. So if you must drink sodas, then stick to diet sodas.
How to Lose Weight Fast

how to lose weight fast

6. Include in your diet things that contain more water like tomatoes and watermelons.These things contain 90 to 95 % water so that there is nothing that you have to lose by feasting on them. They fill you up without adding to the pounds.

7. Eat fresh fruit instead of drinking fruit juice. Juice is often sweetened but fresh fruits have natural sugars. When you eat fruit, you are taking in a lot of fiber, which is needed by the body, and fruits of course are an excellent source of vitamins.

8. If you do have a craving for fruit juice then go for fresh fruit juice instead of these that contain artificial flavors and colors. Or even better, try making your own fruit juice taking care not to sweeten it with too many calories.
How to Lose Weight Fast – Foods

9. Choose fresh fruit to processed fruits.Processed and canned fruits do not have as much fiber as fresh fruit and processed and canned fruits are nearly always sweetened.

10. Increase your fiber intake. Like I mentioned, the body needs a lot of fiber. So try to include in your diet as many fruits and vegetables as you can.

11. Go crazy on vegetables. Vegetables are your best bet when it comes to how to lose weight fast. Nature has a terrific spread when it comes to choosing vegetables. And the leafy green vegetables are your best bet. Try to include a salad in you diet always.

12. Eat intelligently. The difference between man and beast is that we are driven by intelligence while beasts are driven by instinct. Don’t just eat something because you feel like eating it. Ask you’re self whether your body really needs it.

13. Watch what you eat. Keep a watchful eye on every thing that goes in. Sometimes the garnishes can richer than the food itself. Accompaniments too can be very rich. Remember that it is the easiest thing in the world to eat something without realizing that it was something that you should not have eaten. Selective memory you know’

14. Control that sweet tooth. Remember that sweet things generally mean more calories. It is natural that we have cravings for sweet things especially chocolates and other confectionary. Take this weight loss tips seriously and go easy on theses things and each time you consume something sweet understand that it is going to add on somewhere.

15. Fix times to have meals and stick to it. Try to have food at fixed times of the day. You can stretch these times by half an hour, but anything more than that is going to affect your eating pattern, the result will either be a loss of appetite or that famished feeling which will make you stuff yourself with more than what is required the next time you eat.

16. Eat only when you are hungry. Bonus how to lose weight fast tips here–> (make sure you are not just thirsty!) Some of us have the tendency to eat whenever we see food. We use parties as an excuse to stuff our selves. Understand that the effect of a whole week of dieting can be wasted by just one day’s party food. Whenever you are offered something to eat do not decline it completely bit just break of a nibble so that you appear to mind your manners and at the same time can watch your diet.

17. Quit snacking in between meals. Do not fall for snacks in between meals. This is especially true for those who have to travel a lot. They feel that the only time they can get a bite to eat is snacks and junk food. The main problem with most snacks and junk food is that they are usually less filling and contain a lot of fat and calories. Just think about French fries tempting but terribly fattening.

18. Snack on vegetables if you must. You might get the pangs of hunger in between meals. It is something that you can very well control. Or even better, try munching on carrots. They are an excellent way to satisfy those hungry pangs and are good for your eyes and teeth. True, you might end up being called Bugs Bunny, but its miles better to be called Bugs Bunny than fatso.

19. Go easy on tea and coffee. Tea and coffee are harmlessby themselves. It’s when you add the cream and sugar that they become fattening. Did you know that having a cup of tea or coffee that has cream and at least two cubes of sugar is as bad as having a big piece of rich chocolate cake’

20. Try to stick to black tea/coffee.Black tea or coffee can actually be good for you. But personally I would like to recommend tea rather than coffee. The caffeine in the coffee is not really good for you because it is an alkaloid and can affect other functions of your body like the metabolism.

21. Count the calories as you eat. To lose weight fast it’s a good idea to have an idea of the calories that most food items have. If it is a packed thing then the label is sure to have the calories that the substance has.

22. be sure to burn out those extra calories by the end of the week. If you feel that you have consumed more calories than you should have during the week, it happens you know, and then make sure that you work off those extra calories by the end of the week.

23. Stay away from fried things. Fried things are an absolute no-no. The more fried things that you avoid, the lesser weight you will gain. Fried things are called so because they are fried in oil or fat. And even if the external oil is drained away, there is still a lot of hidden oil in it so stay away from it.

24. Do not skip meals. The worst thing you can do while watching you diet is skip a meal. It has just the opposite effect of what you want. You need to have at least four regular meals every day.

25. Fresh vegetables are better than cooked or canned vegetables. Try to eat your vegetables raw. When you cook them, you are in fact taking away nearly half the vitamins in them. And canned vegetables too are processed and are not nearly half as good a method of how to lose weight fast as fresh vegetables. When you buy your vegetables it would be a good thing to see if the label says that it is pesticide free.

26. Nothing more than an egg a day. Eggs are not such a bright idea. It would be best to reduce your intake of eggs to maybe three in a week. But for those of you die hard egg fans, you may have up to one egg a day but nothing more than that.

27. Make chocolates a luxury and not a routine. Chocolates are not or at least they should not be a part of your diet. So do not indulge too much in them. Even the bitter chocolates are not good for you because though the sugar is less there is still the cream in them.

28. Choose a variety of foods from all food groups every day. This is a fine way of keeping deficiency diseases at bay. Change the items included in your diet every day. This is an excellent way of keeping deficiency diseases at bay and it helps you to experiment with a variety of dishes and there by you do not get bored of your diet.

29. If you can say no to alcoholic beverages please do. Alcoholic beverages too are not good for you. Beer can be fattening and the rest of the alcoholic drinks may not be fattening by themselves but after a couple of swigs you will be in no position to watch your diet and your appetite too will be something to battle with.

30. Try to have breakfast within one hour of waking. The first critical part of the day in how to lose weight fast is you have to start your metabolism early. It’s always best to have breakfast within an hour of waking so that your body can charge itself with the energy it needs for the day. The idea is not to wait for your self to get really hungry. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day but that does not mean that it should be the most filling meal of the day.

How to lose weight fast food tips (part-2)

How to lose weight fast food tips

31. 50 to 55% of your diet should be carbohydrates. It is a myth that you should try and avoid carbohydrates when you are on a diet. Rather the other way round I should say. Carbohydrates are a ready source of energy and so 50 to 55% of your diet should be carbohydrates.

32. 25 to 30% of your diet should be proteins. When people are asking me how to lose weight fast I always get them to look at their protein intake. Various processes and activities are going on in our bodies. Things are broken down and being built up again. Resistance has to be built up, recovery from disease too is needed and for all this the body needs plenty of proteins so see to it that 25 to 30 % of your diet consists of proteins.

33. Fats should only be 15 to 20 %. You need only this much of fat in your diet so keep it at that.

34. Try and adopt a more vegetarian diet. A vegetarian diet is undoubtedly better for those of us watching our diet. There are a lot of advantages of keeping to a vegetarian diet but I don’t want to sing an ode to vegetarianism now. What I would suggest is keep to a vegetarian diet as much as you can. Make a non- vegetarian diet a week end event or something if you find it impossible to give up eating all those animals.



35. Choose white meat rather than red. White meat, which includes fish and fowl, is miles better than red meat, which includes beef and pork for those trying to lose weight.

36. High Fiber multigrain breads are better than white breads. Remember how I told you to increase the fiber content in your food; well this is the answer to that. It is not only better in terms of the fiber content but also in terms of the protein content as well.

37. Reduce your intake of pork. Pork is not something that can help you to lose weight. The fatiness of pork is the reason for this weight loss tips. So the lesser pork you eat the better chances you have of losing weight. And remember that pork includes the pork products as well, things like bacon, ham and sausages.

38. Limit your sugar intake. If you can’t have things unsweetened go for sugar substitutes. These things are just as sweetening but are certainly not fattening.

How to Lose Weight Fast39. Graze 5 to 6 times a day. Instead of sticking to just three meals a day, try grazing. Grazing means try having 5 or 6 smaller meals instead of three king sized meals. It is an excellent way of having smaller quantities of food.

40. Go ahead eat cheat food, but only for flavor. There are many things which you have to avoid from your diet but which you may have an undying craving for. Do not avoid them altogether. You could call them cheat foods and indulge in them once in a while. But take care just to tingle your taste buds, don’t hog on them. Instead of that share them with others. In this way

41. Watch your fat intake. Each fat gram contains 9 calories so by reading the total calories on a food and knowing the quantity of fat, you can estimate the % of fat, which should in no way exceed 30% of the food.

42. Go easy on salt, as too much salt is one of the causes of obesity. Make it a point to really cut down on salt. Try to bring down your salt intake to half of what it was last year.

43. Change from table butter to cholesterol free butter. If you have a choice why not go for it, any way it is healthier for you and tastes just the same. Bear in mind that these small changes can go a long way towards weight reduction.

44. Instead of frying things try baking them without fat. Baking is by far a healthier method of preparing food than frying. Baking requires lesser oil or fat.

45. Use a non stick frying pan for your cooking so that you do not have to add oil. The golden rule is to try and avoid as much oil as possible and a non stick pan is the perfect solution to this problem.

46. Boil your vegetables instead of cooking them, or even better, eat them fresh. However if you do not like eating your vegetables as it is, try steaming them without adding anything at all. This is probably the healthiest way to eat cabbages, cauliflowers and a host of other vegetables.

47. Carry parsley with you. Parsley is an excellent thing to munch on in between meals. Not just is it good for you in terms of vitamins, but it is also a perfect way of making your breath fresher.

48. Choose low fat substitutes or no fat substitutes. how to lose weight fast by knowing what you are eating, reducing fat intakes is an important part of how to lose weight fast. There are plenty of low fat or even no fat substitutes available in the market so why not choose wisely. It is much better for you heart too. Many people just go for shopping and pick up whatever they can. They do not bother to find out if there are nay substitutes for the thing they are looking for. In the markets of today, you will be astounded at the range of goods that manufactures have to offer.

In fact with all the hue and cry that is being made about weight loss, low fat substitutes and no fat substitutes are hitting the stands faster than mushrooms that sprout after the first rains. So the next time you head for the stores instead of picking up what you have always picked up, see if there are better substitutes. Remember that our bodies need nutrients and not just calories. Fats give us nutrients but with more calories than what proteins or carbohydrates do.

49. Avoid crash diets. I know that many people are deciding that hey I can just do a crash diet and lose it quick. but not so fast. You may think this is a great way in how to lose weight fast but NO.They are bad for health and you will gain what you have lost once you take a break. Crash diets are not a solution to weight loss. It might seem as if you have lost few pounds but the moment you give up on the crash diet every thing will bounce back with a vengeance. Take a look at it in this way. Do you think that it is possible for a person to survive on a crash diet for the rest of his or her life’ Certainly not! So at some time or the other, you will have to give up the crash diet and then you will see for yourself that a crash diet does more harm than good on the long run. Crash diets may have a lot to promise, but very rarely do these promises ring true. Crash diets are things people go on in order to wear an old dress or suit for a particular occasion. That’s the only purpose that they serve as far as I can see.

How to Lose Weight Fast50. God gave us teeth for a reason... Therefore we should develop a habit of chewing all food including liquid food and soft foods like sweets, ice creams at least 8 to 12 times. This is essential to add saliva to the food, as it is only in the saliva that sugar is digested. Often we find that whatever goes into our mouth goes down like lightning. We hardly give the saliva any time to act on the food. So does digestion take place like it should’ Do we just stuff our tummies with food that doesn’t get digested or in other words that doesn’t yield the benefits that it should’

51. Dry wine is better than sweet wine. Sweet wines naturally contain a lot of sugar. But on the other hand, in dry wines most of this sugar has been fermented away so from the weight point of view dry wines are better than sweet wines.

52. When you decide it’s time to start working out, start slowly and don’t get discouraged if you don’t achieve your fitness goals after the first week. Many people make this mistake. They feel that if they really push their bodies they can lose more weight in a couple of work outs. This is a very serious thing in fact. If you try to push your body too much in the first few goes, you are likely to end up with sprained joints, a sore back and even torn ligaments. The rule to be followed here is slow and steady wins the race.

53.Check your weight before you start the routine and keep checking for changes but do not expect a radical change immediately, it might be one or two weeks before you notice some change. However it is crucial that you continue to monitor your weight. You may bear in mind the fact that even a few pounds loss is a big achievement.

54. When you do notice a change, reward yourself. When I say reward I do not mean go for some goodies like chocolates or sweets. Maybe you could go for a movie or buy yourself something like a new dress or a trinket. This is something that can keep you going. It is a good idea to save on the money that you wanted to spend on ice creams and chocolates and then treat your self to something more substantial.

Exercise how to lose weight fast tips (part-3)

Exercise how to lose weight fast tips

55. You can take a day off from exercise every week. This is not just a weight loss tips but it is part of the exercise routine. Your body needs a day off from an exercise routine so do not hesitate to take a day off from what ever you have been doing.

56. Exercise out doors as far as possible. There are two advantages of doing whatever you are doing out side. One advantage is that it gives your body a chance to get a lot of the much needed fresh air and sunshine. The second advantage is that the surroundings keep you perked up and it is a break form remaining cooped up all day long

57. Try to collect some information about exercise, there are a lot of things that you can do at home. The key in knowing how to lose weight fast is to exercise and learn more about it. Extensive research has been done on exercise and plenty of this information is easily available. You can try browsing the net or getting a book or two on how to exercise at home. This information will be useful to you to know how much you need to work out on each specific exercise in order to burn off the desired number of calories.

58. Try to get somebody to exercise along with you. Having an exercise partner is a secret to success in how to lose weight fast and those people that know how to lose weight fast use to their advantage. Teach your new weight loss tips to others. But it should be somebody committed or else your interest might dwindle. This is indeed an excellent idea. One of the advantages of getting a committed person to exercise with you is that it keeps you going. There may be days when you feel just too lazy to crawl out of bed in the mornings. On such days, the knowledge that some body is waiting for you is enough to slide out of bed. Another advantage is that you can discuss your progress and fears with another person and be a sympathetic listener to the other person as well. This is a fine way of getting motivated your self.


59. Stop when your body has had enough. There is no sense in pushing it. When you have worked out for a considerable time, your body will start giving you signals. Heed those signals. This is particularly true in the initial stages. Take one step at a time. Stop when you are out of breath or when a certain part of your body tells you that it has had enough.

60. If you want to increase your time of exercise or your work out routine, do it gradually and not in sudden steps. Well easier said than done. Most of us have such hectic schedules that it is quite impossible to fit in time for exercise right? Wrong. I want to say it once and for all, your body, or anybody’s body for that matter needs proper exercise. If you make up your mind to do it, you just can.

61. Select an exercise pattern to suit your life style. All of us have different life styles and professions so there is no sense in trying to follow the book strictly. Try and follow an exercise routine that is suitable for you. You have to understand that even more important than the exercise it is sticking to it. So unless you choose something that can suit your life style, you are not going to stick on to it.

62. Don’t stand, walk. If you can walk about then do so. Do not stand in a fixed position. Pacing about is a good thing to do. If you are thinking deeply about something, try pacing about, it will aid in your thinking.

63. Don’t sit, stand. If you can stand, then do not sit. The golden rule is to choose a position that is less comfortable.

64. Don’t lie down, sit. The rule that we mentioned above rings true here as well.

65. Do not be a couch potato. It is the easiest thing in the world to become a couch potato. You know what we are talking about don’t you’ That shapeless thing that sits or reclines on a shapeless chair in front of the television and stupidly munches away at something fried! This is the easiest first way in how to lose weight fast, if you are inclined to become a promising old couch potato, break the habit, cut at the very root of the vine. And you want to know what the best way is for that’ Take away that favorite chair of yours. In fact, it would be a very good idea if you could keep a chair that isn’t too comfortable in front of the TV. This will discourage any tendency to become a couch potato and is an easy tip in how to lose weight fast.

66. If you have a sitting job, stand up and stretch yourself every half an hour. Most of the jobs today are indeed sitting jobs that are in one word sedentary. This is especially true for those who sit and punch away at the keyboard or toy with the mouse all day long. So if you have such a job, make it a point to get up at least every half an hour and stretch your self.

67. While making telephone calls try walking up and down. I hope you will agree with me that this is an excellent suggestion.

68. Use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can. Elevators are one hell of a convenience particularly if you have to go up or down some twenty floors. Exercise that is convenient is to me a critical how to lose weight fast practice as we do not have to take any extra time for these little bits of helpful exercise. But elevators also make us very lazy. There may be no sense in trudging up some twenty flights of stairs because by the time you get there you will be totally pooped. But while coming down, if you have the time, you can easily come down the stairs instead of using the elevator. Coming down is not at all exhausting. And talking about the time factor, I don’t think that there is much of a difference. Sometimes waiting for an elevator door to open at your floor after you hit the button can take up all of eternity.

69. Smoking is bad for weight loss. Smoking as such may not contribute to weight loss but smoking leads to other conditions like erratic eating habits and excessive dependence on things like coffee. Teach loved ones that smoke these weight loss tips and maybe they will stop too.

70. If you hate running, remember, you do not have to run a marathon to stay fit. 20 minutes of cardio each day is good enough for most.

71. And if you can’t run, try walking. 15 minutes of brisk walking a day is enough to keep most fit.
How to Lose Weight Fast

how to lose weight fast

72. Any distance is walk able if you have the time, so consider walking to places that you would normally drive (such as work or the market if they’re not too far away). It may take you longer, but the health benefits will last you a lifetime.

73. It sounds strange, but some people have reported that they lost more weight when they drank black coffee before a workout. While there’s no hard data to support this, nutritionists speculate that the caffeine in coffee makes the body rely more on fat for fuel during the work out. It’s worth trying!

74. Here’s a corollary to the tip above: Avoid drinking coffee in excess, as it tends to desensitize your body to the fat burning effects of caffeine.

75. Stop using remote controls. If you really want another way of how to lose weight fast then maybe shutting off the TV and getting out are really good but get off your butt to change the channels.

76. Do things like fetching, turning things off and on by you Often when we come back tired from work, we tend to get others to do simple chores for us. These things are no big deal. They are things that we can very well do for our selves but we don’t. That is why we often ask our kids to fetch us this or take away that. Training your pet is a wonderful thing indeed. It is quite remarkable how some people get their dogs to fetch them something. But the fact is that while you may be making sure that your dog is getting a lot of exercise, you are neglecting your bit of the story.

How to lose weight Fast – Random Tips (part-4)

How to lose weight Fast – Random Tips

77. Here’s a pop quiz. Lots of how to lose weight fast tips in one place. Escalators help us to:

Move up and down faster
Gain weight
Stand stupidly as they move up and down
Look down at other people when you are going down
Look up to others when we are going up

you have to pick the correct answer from the 5 alternatives given. You can see for your self that all the options are in a way correct. So the next time you travel on an escalator, don’t just stand there…climb up or down along with it. (Or better yet, take the stairs.)

78. during commercial breaks walk about. When you are watching Biggest Loser and seeing how to lose weight fast on the ranch then try this.If you want to sit all evening with your eyes glued to the tube, then do so. But at least spare your eyes the agony of a commercial break. When the next commercial flashes on screen, instead of surfing, get up and take a walk. Reach over and try to touch your toes or do any such simple exercise that will at least get the blood flowing in your veins.

79. Wriggle your toes and your fingers whenever you can. This too is a stress buster and it gives you a chance to at least work your hand and leg joints. This will tell you how sore they are and if their condition is so bad, just think of the rest of your body.

80. Turn on music and dance like wild. Let your hair down once in a while. Go back to the days of wild childhood. Close the door of your room, turn on your sound system to the highest volume possible (but a little lower than the level at which your neighbors start to complain) and then do the wackiest dance that you can think of. Jump on your bed and jump off it again. Roll all over the floor. Pretend that you are Michael Jackson or Madonna (you will never see them keeping still) and do ever boogie move that you know.


81. Carry a soft flying disc or Frisbee with you. Toss it around and get up to fetch it. This is also an excellent way to beat stress. It makes a person feel good to throw something away forcefully when the person is all worked up. And the thing that you throw is something soft and can’t damage anything, and then what is stopping you’ It is not really the throwing part that we are interested in. It is the fetching part. Each time you get up to fetch it back; you are giving yourself a chance to stretch those muscles and joints

82. Get down at a block before your destination and walk the rest of the way. You might not have time to fit in long walks in your busy schedule so this is one way of ensuring that you at least get to walk for a little bit every day. This weight loss tips will add a few blocks a week every week and make a huge difference in your overall health. If you take the bus or the subway, get down at an earlier station and see if you can walk the rest of the way. If you drive to work, see if you can get space in a parking lot that is a little away from your office.

83. When nobody is watching try doing pelvic gyrations. This might not be how to lose weight fast but it will definitely start to tone your midsection. If you take a moment to observe it you will see that it is the mid section of our body that gets the least bit of exercise and that is probably why the signs of weight gain are mostly seen there. It is the same reason why we find it very difficult to lose weight in that section. So the best thing that you can do is consciously try to give that part a little bit of exercise. Stomach crunches might be too strenuous an exercise to start off with but gyrations are relatively mild. Pelvic gyrations make you thrust your midsection towards all directions and this is the best way of tightening every muscle in that mid section and that is of course what weight loss is all about.

84. Tuck in your tummy whenever you walk. Get that proper gait. And the best way for that is to tuck in your tummy and inflate your chest. Do not let your tummy hang above your belt line like some unruly layer of flesh. Bring it under the belt. Each time you tuck in your tummy, you will feel the pressure on the muscles of your stomach. This tightening and loosening of these muscles is even better than stomach crunches.

85. Try breathing exercises. You might be surprised to know that breathing exercises too can lead to weight loss. If you are doing the breathing exercises properly, you will find that you can exert a lot of pressure on the muscles around the mid section. You can feel a tightening of these muscles each time you breathe in or breathe out. So go ahead and breathe properly, it is good for you.

86. Try yoga. Yoga is one of the best ways of losing weight. Of course I can’t go into a full lecture about yoga over here but I can tell you that I have never seen people with better-toned bodies than those who practice yoga. One of the benefits of yoga is that you learn to control virtually every muscle and joint of your body so that the issue of weight gain will cease to exist.

87. Try massaging your partner. This is a fun way to lose weight and an opportunity to show a loved on weight loss tips. It is something that can give your partner a lot of pleasure and at the same time can give you a lot of exertion there by leading to weight loss. The attitude over here should of course be you scratch my back I will scratch yours. It should not be a one sided effort or else the interest will soon dwindle. In fact it is a good idea if couple takes up weight loss routines together. They can keep watch over each other, help control those urges to eat and motivate each other to stick to the routine. There are a lot of things that couples can do together that can help them to keep physically active.

88. If you can’t think of any thing else to do try punching your pillow. Really? How to lose weight fast in bed? Now here’s another one of those weird ideas but believe me it works. Not too many of us have punching bags at home and if you have really fluffy pillow giving it a good punching routine is just as good as anything else. This is also a nice way of letting off steam so go for it. After all something is better than nothing. But I would suggest that you do not hit it too violently or else the stuffing might come out. Do not bother too much about the force with which you hit the pillow. It is number of hits that are important. Try to get at least fifty punches in one bout.

89. Instead of waddling up and down the staircase, try taking them two at a time. Now this is something that you have to be careful about because we do not want you to trip. So when you do this make sure that your feet are well and truly planted on each step before you increase the beat and try two at a time.

90. If you have a dog, take it for a run and let the dog lead you on. You will be surprised as to how much exercise a dog can give you. Animals are sensible enough to know that they need a lot of exercise so let your animal lead you on. Take your pet dog out for as walk and before you know what hit you, it will turn out to be a run.

91. Join a dance class. Dancing is a wonderful way to burn off those extra calories. It is true. When you dance you are in fact burning away a lot of calories. Of course we are not referring to the slow ballroom kind of dances in which one person actually leans on the other one for support. We are talking about fast dances. The best way to do it is by joining a dance class because they will really wok you out. But I would suggest that you wait for a couple more pounds to vanish before you think of becoming a ballerina.

92. Whenever you can, lean against a wall with your hands flattened against the wall and in such a way that your face is very close to the wall. Then use you hands to push your body away from the wall. Do these two or three times at a stretch.

93. If there is a pool nearby go for swims as often as you can, swimming is one of the best exercises. Water has a lot of advantages. And if nothing else, a cool dip in a pool is a wonderful stress reliever.

94. Try playing something like table tennis or basket ball. Games are a fun way to lose weight. It is much more exciting to play a game than just work out by yourself. The best thing about games is that they are addictive. Once you start playing you will soon end up with a friends’ circle and then the playing goes on without even you knowing it. It is something that you can look forward to and there is no stress involved in this program. In fact the more you play the less you will consider this to be a part of your weight loss program. As you burn away those calories, you will also be able to expand your social circle.

95. Any work out should start with a 5 to 10 minute warm up and should end with a 5 to ten minute cool down session. Whatever physical exercise you are involved in, you must remember to warm up before the exercise really starts. Do not just plunge into the water and start thrashing about, to put it figuratively. Your body needs to reach a certain level of readiness before it can actually start responding to exercise. And this readiness is achieved by the warming up process.

97. While traveling in an elevator instead of just standing there and staring stupidly at the numbers going up or down, try raising your self onto your toes and then back on your feet again. Do this several times. Also try flexing your buttock muscles as well. In fact there are many muscles in our body that we can twitch and flex without inviting the attention of others.

Even if others do notice you, it’s no big deal provided you are flexing a muscle in a decent part of the body. (Most of the other parts do not have muscles any way.) Others might brand you as a health freak but it is miles better to be known as a heath freak than as a sack of potatoes.

98. Undress and stare at yourself in front of your mirror. If what you see displeases you, then you have all the more reason to work out.

Try tucking in the extra fat in all those wide areas, this will give you an idea of which part you need to be working on. Turn to you side and get a very good view of your side profile.

This is an excellent way of checking whether you have a tummy that is starting to bulge or has bulged already. Try pulling in air and then take a look at your tummy; if it has gone in even a little bit, there is hope for you. If you start now, you can control it where it is now and may be if you really set your mind to it; you can lose a couple of inches in a just a few weeks.

Weighing your self on your bathroom scales is a good idea but personally I would recommend this mirror viewing. To be very frank, a few pounds gain may shock you but does not really disgust you. But a flabby figure and extra fat certainly will.

99. If you have a banister rail or a balustrade that will support you, sit on it and pump your legs as if you are riding a bicycle, taking care not to fall off of course. This might sound like another crazy idea and I don’t want to argue with you about that. I just want to tell you that by doing such crazy things, you are in fact not missing a single chance to lose those extra pounds. It is a way of keeping your mind alert all the time. Every thing must look like an opportunity to you.

100. Do not slouch in your chair but try to maintain an erect posture with your tummy tucked in. Slouching is a very bad habit. Not only is it bad for your back but it also gives you a very flabby figure. It is your way of saying yes to a comfortable, weight-gaining pose. Make it a point to always sit as erect as you can. It is also a terrific way to ward off back problems.

101. Psst. I would like to let you in on a secret. As it is I understand that most of us tend to put on weight particularly in the mid section, right. It is the tummy that seems to have a mind of its own. Well I will tell you a sure shot method to reduce the flab around the waist line. Mind you this doesn’t hold true for post pregnancy tummies.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

TRADITIONAL COSMETICS INDONESIA


The Natural Beauty of Woman
A Javanese woman is very much concern for her physical appearance to be always slim, beautiful with an alluring bright smiling face.

As a Javanese idiom says "Ngadi Sarira" to maintain the body to be always in perfect condition is of prime important. The way of life of a Javanese is greatly influenced by the royal culture. Not surprisingly that the art of "Keeping Beauty' is originated from the court palaces.

The Secret of a Princess Beauty
The Ladies of the Royal Families have a reputation to inherit the beauty of goddesses from paradise.

As told in the story of wayang (leather puppet) by the dalang (puppet master) , all parts of a princess body is always perfect and alluring: the beautiful black thick hair, a smooth skin, bright eyes, charming eye brows, eye lids and nose, bright reddish lips, white nicely teeth, wonderful built neck and shoulder, beautiful hands and arms, a waist like the one of a bee meanings slim and perfectly built.

The dalang with a clear deep voice, like in the poem reading adores the beauty of a princess with a thousands of words. It seems that all words of a complete dictionary are not enough to express of what a wonderful beauty a princess has.

The use of Traditional Jamu and Cosmetics
Nowadays, some secrets of this Karaton (Palaces) culture of "Ngadi Sarira" are known by many women from outside the Karaton walls. The Jamu is widely used to give an inner beauty, due to a good physical health.

Some of the products are consumed directly by eating it, for instance Kepel Fruit (a brown fruit of a chicken egg size), it's a natural deodorant. By eating it that would fragrant the odor of the body even the urine smells the fragrance of that fruit.

Jambu Mawar ( a kind of rose apple, mawar means a flower of rose) gives a fresh smell of breath. Some cosmetics are for outside application such as bedak dingin (cool powder) and lulur (scrubbing powder).

Beauty Care
Every woman is always proud of her hair – thick and shining, color and style. For natural shampooing, the ash of rice stalks work as a shampoo to clean the hair. After being washed by water, ingredients consist of
coconut milk, jeruk purut (a kind of citrus fruit smells like a lime ) and pandanus leaves are to be applied. It functions as a conditioner to clean the dandruff. The hair then washed by water again, to be dried while vaporizing with ratus fragrance.

Finally, a hair oil by the name of cemceman, made of coconut oil with pandanus , kenanga flower, jeruk purut etc. is applied.

Skin Care
For face caring, bedak dingin (cool powder) is applied. It's made from tendered rice with special ingredients, such as pandanus, kenanga flower etc.

For other parts of the body, lulur is applied, popularly known as mandi lulur (lulur bathing).

Lulur is also made from tendered rice, pandanus, some leaves of kemuning (with yellow color) and some medicinal roots. The lulur should stimulate the body to throw out the dead cells, replace it with new ones, stimulate blood circulation under the skin, smooth the skin and at the same time scents it.

Steaming the body
Steams of several boiled herbs are applied to ensure body freshness, including the woman organ. The steaming took about a ½ hour.

Producers
Besides the traditional cosmetics made by hand, in the country there are some big and well known manufactures of cosmetics, using modern machinery. These products are used widely across the country, even this cosmetics have been exported to many countries of the world.

(Suryo S. Negoro)

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

JAMU (TRADITIONAL HERBAL MEDICINE FROM INDONESIA)


'Back to nature' is not merely a slogan in Java and Indonesia. The visible proof is the use of traditional herbal medicine of various type of 'medical plants', either from the leaves, the fruits, the roots, the flowers or the barks, etc.

These herbal medicine had been used since the ancient time up to now, it is largely consumed by people of different level; lower, middle and upper, in the villages and in the big cities.

The study of jamu had been conducted by Rumphius, a botanist as early as the year 1775 AD by publishing a book 'Herbaria Amboinesis'. A scientific research for jamu by the research center of herbal medicine in Bogor Botanical Garden, resulting a publication of a book 'Medical Book for Children and Adults', composed by E. Van Bent.

The first seminar about jamu has been held in Solo in 1940, followed by a Formation of Indonesia's Jamu Committee in 1944. In the 1966, a seminar on jamu was held again. In 1981, a book by title of 'The use of Medical Plants' was established to support the jamu industry in the country.

The method of using the jamu remains the same as the ancestors did. Some are consumed by drinking it and some are for outside application.

At present one could buy easily ready made jamu packed modernly in the form of powder, pills, capsules, drinking liquid and ointments. Of course there are still jamu shops, which sell only ingredients or prepare the jamu on spot as required by buyers. Some women are roaming the street to sell jamu, is a common view across the country.

The traditional methods of making jamu such as by boiling the prepared herbal ingredients (jamu godok) still prevail in Javanese society. The popular traditional tools of making jamu are still available in many Javanese houses such as; Lumpang (small iron Mortar), pipisan, parut (grater), kuali (clay pot), etc.

What kind of disease could jamu cure?
The reply is almost every disease, jamu could cure. There are various kinds of jamu to combat different kind of illness. In Principle there are two types of jamu; the first is jamu to maintain physical fitness and health, the locally popular are Galian Singset (to keep women body fit and slim) and Sehat Lelaki (to keep men body healthy). The second is jamu to cure various kinds of illness. Except the above, there are special jamu created with the purpose to maintain a loving family harmony. The popular products among other are Sari Rapet, which makes a women sexual organ in a good condition, as for the man the matched product is jamu Kuat Lekaki (strong man). The Javanese are also taking a great care to pregnant women during pre and postnatal period by producing the related jamu. There are also jamu for the babies.

The Herbs for Jamu
There are hundreds of herbs for jamu prescriptions, among other are:

Spices
Ginger (Zingiber Officinale)
Lempuyang (Zingiber Oronaticum)
Temu Lawak/ Wild Ginger (Curcuma Cautkeridza)
Kunyit/ Tumeric (Curcuma Domestica)
Kencur/ Greater Galingale (Kaemferi Galanga)
Lengkuas/ Ginger Plant (Elpina Galanga)
Bengle (Zingiber Bevifalium)

Leaves
Secang (Caesalpinia Sappan Hinn)
Sambang Dara (Rexco Ecaria Bicolar Hassk)
Brotowali (Tiospora Rumpii Boerl)
Adas (Foeniculum Vulgare Mill)

Fruits
Jeruk Nipis/ Calamondin (Citrae Aurantifalia Sivingle)
Ceplukan (Physalic Angulata Him)
Nyamplung (Calophylum Inaphyllu)

Barks
Kayu Manis/ Cinamon (Gijeyzahyza Glabra)

Flowers
Melati/ Yasmin (Jataninum Sunbac Ait)
Rumput Alang-alang (Gramineae)

It is worth to note that some jamu factories in Java are exporting its products. Besides the export of ready made jamu, 25 kinds of herbal plants and ingredients are also in the list of export to Europe, Australia, USA, Japan, etc.

No Side Effects
The people like to consume jamu due to :
Availability in many places
Comparatively cheap price
No side effects

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Enjoying Exercise & Healthy Eating


seemingly little effort? Do you wonder why it's so easy for them and such a struggle for you? One simple reason? Time. The longer a person follows a healthy lifestyle, the easier it becomes. That time and diligence offers a new, positive perspective on exercise while you may still see it as a struggle. After all, doesn't exercise mean getting up early and huffing and puffing through a killer workout? Doesn't weight loss mean giving up pizza and burgers for twigs and berries? It may look that way in the beginning but, if you stick with it, you can become one of those annoyingly healthy people and even go on to annoy others.

The Party Isn't Over

What does a healthy lifestyle look like? For some people, it looks like a lifestyle without any kind of fun. You have to slog through boring workouts. You have to start cooking your meals and you can't go out to eat anymore...what fun is that? At first, it may look like you have to give up everything in order to lose weight and get healthy. The reality is, what you gain from these changes is much more meaningful and satisfying. Not only will your body change, but your mind will change as well.

As you stay on your healthy path, you'll start to appreciate why healthy eating can be enjoyable and feel good. Why? Because of how your body responds to healthy food. That Big Mac might taste great, but imagine how it would feel to choose the healthier meal instead without feeling as though you've missed out on something. It can happen, but only if you never give up.

Here's a taste of what happens when you maintain a healthy diet:
The way your body feels after a healthy meal will become more important to you than the instant pleasure of having something loaded with fat or sugar. Healthy foods make your body happy...soon, you'll want to make your body happy more than you'll want that instant gratification.
You'll start to enjoy healthy food. Take it from the Junk Food Queen I used to be...you CAN live without chips, Cokes and Taco Bell...and you will gladly give those things up once you experience how your body feels after healthier meals.
You'll realize you can still enjoy your favorite foods. The only difference is the frequency. Now, instead of having it several times a week, you might indulge once or twice a month. Many times, you may even turn that burger down because you know it will make you feel tired rather than energized.
You will enjoy your favorite foods without guilt. The best part is this: by not indulging every time you want a treat, when you do eat it, you'll savor every single bite.
You'll start to see food as a tool for your body, rather than something that controls your life. If you exercise, you'll learn very quickly how food affects your workouts. Eating a heavy, fatty meal may make you tired and, as a result, your workouts will suffer. Soon, you'll want better workouts and you'll be more motivated to eat healthy foods.
You'll become more adventurous with food. Eating healthy often opens the door to more options than you usually give yourself. You'll try new vegetables and grains, experiment with herbs and flavors you've never tried. You'll begin to realize there are an amazing number of choices out there for healthy, tasty foods.
Your family will benefit. Even if you're the only one in your family eating healthy, those habits rub off on others. Being a good role model for your kids is one way to teach them how to live healthy when they become adults. Part of that is teaching them the right way to eat.
Your friends and co-workers will benefit. Many healthy eaters bring lunch to work. This often leads other co-workers, those who eat out, to look at their own habits. Don't be surprised if they come to you for advice on how you do it.
You'll be able to avoid temptation. Healthy eaters are much better at avoiding the usual pitfalls like party foods or overloaded buffets. Why? They learn, by practice, the different tools to staying healthy--eating regular meals so they're not starving, filling up on healthy foods first to eat less of the bad stuff, and choosing just a few quality treats to enjoy instead of everything in front of them.

These changes come over time...sometimes weeks, months or years of slowly working on your habits, choices, lifestyle and beliefs. Allowing yourself this time is crucial for permanently changing how you look at food and healthy eating.

The positive changes don't just end there...your feelings and perspective on exercise will change as well. Here's how it works.

What could possibly be good about exercise? Like healthy eating, if you keep up with your exercise program, you'll find it not only becomes easier but you'll actually have times you look forward to it. Really! As you exercise over time:
You'll start to appreciate your body. It doesn't take much time to see improvements in strength and endurance when you start exercising. As you feel that strength grow, you may get excited about your workouts...wondering how much you'll lift next time or how fast you'll walk or run.
Everything in your life will get a little easier. Carrying groceries, taking care of kids, going up and down stairs...many daily activities will get easier. You may even find you play more with your kids with your newfound energy.
Your confidence levels will grow. The more you work your body, the more your body can do and following through on your exercise goals lets you know you can trust yourself. That self-trust is a key ingredient to a healthy life.
You'll try things you never imagined. I've seen my clients go through this and it always amazes me. I had one client in her 50's who could barely lift 5-lb dumbbells. Within a few months, she was running in a 5k and toying with the idea of a triathlon. Another very shy client ended up taking a bellydancing class--something she would never would've tried before she got fit. The stronger you get, the more confidence you'll have to branch out.
You'll be inspired to change other areas of your life. This is exemplified by another client who was in his 40's and owned a barber shop. When I met him, he worked up to 16 hours a day. As he began taking the time to exercise and successfully changed those bad habits, he started looking at his other bad habits--one of them, being a workaholic. He cut his hours, hired more people and started to enjoy his family and his life.
Your health will improve. You already know exercise can help with diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol, as well as help protect you from other illnesses and conditions.
Your sex life will improve...oo la la!
Your children will have a better chance at being healthy. As with healthy eating, being a good role model when it comes to being active gives your kids the know-how to be active themselves. Exercise with them and you get the bonus of quality time.
You will be more alert, more energetic and an annoyance to all those people in the office who are dragging towards the end of the day.

What's in store for you, if you keep trying your best, is a better life. It may not seem that way in the beginning, which is one reason many people quit before they experience these changes. Any new lifestyle change can seem overwhelming at first, but there is a secret to staying on track: take it one day at a time, one healthy choice at a time. Stay with it and you'll finally see the bright side of exercise.
By Paige Waehner, About.com

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Ten tips for healthy and fast meal planning


Samara Felesky-Hunt, For the Calgary Herald

Time is the biggest factor when it comes to cooking healthy meals--and for most of us, time is increasingly short supply.

It's a tough task to eat healthy meals when there's just no time to organize and prepare food-- especially when we're dealing with family members who have all kinds of different meal preferences.

There are, however, tips and tricks you can use to put healthy dinner meals on the table that you and your family will enjoy--without taking up too much of your ever-decreasing time.

Here are 10 ways to put healthy meals into action.

1. Plan, plan and plan. Today, a little planning goes a long way to ease the stress on meal preparation. There is nothing worse than walking in the door at 5 p. m. and staring at the cupboards, wondering what to prepare for dinner.

On the other hand, it's a great feeling to walk in the door, knowing the chicken is marinating and ready to grill, the vegetables are cut up and the potatoes are ready to be baked. Be sure to plan at least four days of menus before you go grocery shopping.

2. Visit "Let's make a meal" at dieitiansofcanada.ca.You can create your own menu from the ideas given for each meal on this very handy website. The tips and information show how different meal choices compare to Canada's Food Guide for your age and sex. The site also provides shopping tips, a full pantry list, simple and easy recipes, and tools for easy menu planning. 3. Use five-minute windows of time to make big headway on making meals. Prepare meat and fish before dinner: Meat can sit in an oil-based marinade for about 24 hours in the refrigerator. Fish should sit for no more than four to six hours.

Chop vegetables when you have a chance in the morning. Just cover them with a damp paper towel to keep them crisp in the refrigerator.

4. Plan for no-cook dinners or simple dinners on busier nights. Try dinner salads using grilled chicken and fish, or make up an antipasto plate and serve with a lentil soup. You can make a veggie omelette, or spinach frittata in no time.

5. Once a week, incorporate a one-pot dinner into your menu plan. Use your slow cooker. Time is at a premium, so take advantage of the complete meal in one pot. Save time cooking, satisfy a crowd and make cleanup super easy.

6. Plan for a kitchen-sink night. Make dinner from practically nothing. You will be amazed with the meals you can come up with using only 10 or fewer ingredients--and it's a great way to use up what is in your refrigerator before you go grocery shopping again. Quesadilla, pizza, ethnic recipes and Mexican dishes are great for nights like these.

7. Build a better breakfast each morning. Make breakfast a larger meal to fill your family for the day, so they are less hungry at the dinner hour.

Add a banana berry protein shake to a bowl of steel-cut oats, for example. Make the shake the night before and make oatmeal two to three days ahead of time. Warm oatmeal each day, top with honey, wheat germ and dried fruit, and serve with milk.

If everyone is in a hurry, choose the shake to go and make up scrambled eggs rolled in a whole wheat tortilla to be eaten on the run.
8. Be sure also to incorporate "planned overs"as a part of your weekly menu. Get the most out of your time by cooking more food than you need.When it comes to last night's vegetables and grains, they will do just fine to complement tonight's dinner. If you are making a stew, a hearty soup or chili, double the recipe and freeze the second batch for another day.

9. Organize snacks for cars, offices, purses, knapsacks and/or briefcases. Planned snacks will keep appetites in check for the dinner hour. Keep dried fruit bars, nut bars, trail mix, and vegetable juices handy for when family members need an energy snack. An airtight container on the kitchen counter can be stocked full of a mixture of favourite dried cereals, chopped mixed fruits and assorted unsalted nuts, topped with cinnamon and coconut.

10. Be on the recipe watch for quick, easy and delicious recipes. Check cookbooks such as Simply Great Food or Great Food Fast, both from Dietitians of Canada. Look on the web at realsimple.com,cookinglight.com,or canadianliving.cafor seasonal menu ideas. SAMARA FELESKY-HUNT IS A REGISTERED DIETITIAN AT THE DOWNTOWN SPORTS CLINICS IN CALGARY. HER COLUMN APPEARS WEEKLY IN THE HERALD. SHE CAN BE REACHED AT DIETITIAN-ONLINE.COM.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Good Foods That Affact The Complexion


Written by Maraz S.

a Grain and Cereal

A grain and cereal such as the brown rice ,oat , corn , soybean ,mung bean , black bean , sesame, has the high vitamin B. Besides, it has the vitamin E that is Antioxidants helping to build and heal the strength of the cell , there is a research that specifies the vitamin E help to enhance the moisture to the skin , and help to protect the damage from the contamination to the skin.

Fresh Water

the water is function of every system within the body. if the body receives not enough water, complexion will not bright. Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day that make skin bright because the water will help to heal the flexibility of the muscle and also protect flabby skin from plumply losing weight as well.

Fish

Fish is a good protein source that is the nutrient helping to reinforce and repair the cell in the body deteriorated, and have Selenium that is a Antioxidant helping slow down oldness and the decline in the body

the Fruit and the Fresh Vegetables

fresh vegetables has vitamin A that help to make skin to not dry and bright always, and also has vitamin C that importantly participate to build fiber , collagen which be part that make face complexion to sees firm and be flexible. So the freash vegetables and the fruit should be the food that you should pack in a menu every meal. The fruit that has a large amount of vitamin C, for example, orange , lemon , pineapple, tomato and guava as for vegetables and fruit that have a large amount of vitamin A , for example, banana , papaya , pumpkin and carrot.

Olive Oil

olive oil is a oil from the plant, although it has a high calorie but there is a merit that has fatty acid that high benefit to the body , and first-class fat that be formed control cholesterol level in the blood. Specially in olive oil compose the vitamin A and E that is Antioxidants helping protect deterioration of the cell to makes the skin to sees young, moisture and soft.

Eating Healthy to Avoid The Stress


Written by Maraz S.

Hard working may cause you to get stressed. When strain occur, most people often eat poor food that will really raise stress and cause other troubles. Follow simple tips below help you get healthy and avoid stress.

Eat breakfast without exception
you should eat breakfast, although you may feel you're not hungry. Passing over breakfast makes body harder to keep the sugar levels and proper blood all day, therefore you should always eat something.

Healthy lunch
Even though many people would like to eat fast food for lunch, you can actually eat healthier and also save a lot of money if you take a couple of minutes and bring a lunch from home. you will feel much better than eating out, although you do this just a few times a week.

Keeping a snack
Carrying some protein-rich snacks in your bag, office, or car will help you keep away from the tiredness, the accompanying humor swings and blood sugar level. Energy bars, granola bars and trail mix, granola bars all have the nutrients that you need.

Healthy light meal
If you are stressed and like to eat munch, you should choose healthy munchies such as sunflower seeds, celery sticks or even carrot sticks instead of chips or other non healthy munchies.

Get the good food in your home
The Important thing that you should do, is to get the good food in your home, and get the bad food out. The good way to do that is to design a healthy menu for meals at the opening of the week, list the ingedients that will be used in your healthy menu, then go to buy it.

Eating For A Good Healthy Heart


Written by Maraz S.

High-risk cholesterol or a terrible diet is something we all experience at sometime. In our whole lives, It's impossible to eat healthy, even though we may attempt doing that. Eating healthy is something everybody should try to do in order to restoring health and cutting down the risk of heart attacks.

Eating for Your Heart

Everyone know certainly that a diet richly fats in will help increase your cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease. People who are obese are more risk to heart disease. A high sodium diet may raise your blood pressure that cause bringing about to inflammation and even heart disease.

Tips for preventing heart disease and improving your health


Plenty of fiber

Fiber, found in whole grain products, will helps you to control your cholesterol and control sugar absorption that helps you keep your digestive system healthy as well.

Eat plenty of fish

Salmon, sardines and herring are entire superior sources of omega-3 fatty acids that may help to get your cholesterol down to a more good health level and other fish are great too.

Choosing carbohydrates

Stay away from sugary foods such as cakes cookies, pastries, and candy. Eating a large amount of sugar isn't good for your heart at all. Healthy carbohydrates involve brown rice, a lot of vegetables, whole gain pasta, and whole grain breads. The main aspect of yout diet should be vegetables and fruits for your health.

Choosing good oils and fats for health

Saturated fat, found in butter, meat, and even copra oil, will raise the risk of heart disease. You should keep away from them until you're at a healthy weight and your cholesterol levels are reduced. Even those that love red meats can enjoy seafood and nuts for their main sources of protein.

To protect your heart, Monounsaturated fats such as olive oils will help you. Olive oil is an perfect selection for cooking, dressing, or even as a dipping sauce.

Healthy cooking methods

Stir sauteing and frying with canola oil or olive oil are both excellent methods, as you shouldn't fly your food with batter anymore. If you cook chicken, remove the skin and bake it in the oven in foil.

If you cook fish, you should always bake it Instead of frying. Steaming your vegetables can help keep the most nutrients. You should use cream sauces or lots of butter anymore either. When you eat veggies, try squeezing orange juice on them or your favorite seasonings.

Begin to follow these guidelines as you make the suitable changes to your diet. Although it takes time for them to become habits, eating healthy is always great for your body and your health, especially for your heart and preventing the risk of heart disease.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Good Tips to Weight Loss


Many suffer from being overweight and obese. Overweight is caused due to intake of calories more than required by a person. Individuals who do less work or work that requires less physical strains and consume lot of junk foods (especially those rich in fats) are prone to become obese and overweight.

Overweight leads to lot of complications. It may cause hyper tension, diabetes, respiratory problems, cancer etc. Hence one as to follow a strict procedure for losing weight to lead a healthy life.
Motivation & Goal

Before one starts to adopt to any of the weight loss methods one needs to have a motivation to lose weight. If you have the strong motivation you could achieve it. One should also frame a goal like how much weight to reduce.
Dieting

Dieting plays an important role in losing weight. Consume healthy and nutritious foods which include green vegetables and fruits. Avoid foods rich in fats, oily foods, ice cream and junk foods. Dieting does not mean you should starve without eating any food.
Weight Loss Program

There are various weight loss programs that help to lose weight. Individuals could consult a weight loss expert and follow a proven weight loss program that would be suitable for their health condition.
Regular Exercise

Regular Exercise (Aerobics) is a must for losing weight. It helps to burn the excess fat in our body. Involving in physical activities or sports will prove to be effective in losing weight.
Weight Loss Products

Weight Loss Supplements or Drugs should be taken only after consulting a Doctor. It may not be applicable to everyone. It is intended for individuals who are not able to lose weight by dieting and exercise. For some the Doctor may prescribe weight loss pills along with regular exercise and dieting.

Simple Beauty Tips


Listed below are some of the tips for beauty care which could be done at your home. Why spend on cosmetics when you could try it cheaper!
Apply some fresh milk on your face (unboiled) with a help of cotton. Clean it after few minutes. This would clear the dirt from your face. Your face should look sheen.
Mix 2 tbspn of orange juice along with 2 tbpsn of curd and then apply it on your face. Leave it for few minutes and then wash your face.
Take 2 carrots and boil it. Squeeze the carrot and mix 1/2 spoon of honey and then apply it on your face which would make your face glossy.
To get rid of the wrinkles on your skin take some pomegranate’s seed and mix it with 2 tbspn of butter. Apply the paste on your skin for 10 to 15 minutes. If you follow this process daily. You should see an improvement in few weeks.
Mix 1 tbspn of pomegranate juice along with 1 tbspn of sandal powder. Apply this paste on your face and leave it for few minutes which would help to bring the glow to your face.
Mix some Red Sandalwood powder along with rose water. Mix it thoroughly and then apply it on your face. Wash your face after 15 minutes. This will help you get rid of acne, blackheads and prickly heat.
Mix 2 tbspn each of olive oil, castor oil and almond oil. Apply it in your hair (from root to tip of your hair). Leave it for half an hour and the wash it with a shampoo. This would strengthen your hair and prevent hair fall.
To eliminate dark circles around your eyes use cucumber or potato cut in round piece and place it on your eyes.
Apply tomato juice on your face. Leave it to dry for fifteen minutes and then wash your face. It should bring a glitter to your face.
It is common to see our skin turn to dry during winter season. To avoid this you can use an apple. Grind the apple into a thick paste (not juice). Apply it in your hand, face and other parts of body.
Apply coconut water in your face with the help of cotton. This will eliminate the dirt on your face and make you feel free from oily face.

10 Essential Health Tips


1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.

10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Suicide Information


Suicide is a major, preventable public health problem. In 2004, it was the eleventh leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for 32,439 deaths.1 The overall rate was 10.9 suicide deaths per 100,000 people.1 An estimated eight to 25 attempted suicides occur per every suicide death.2

Suicidal behavior is complex. Some risk factors vary with age, gender, or ethnic group and may occur in combination or change over time.
If you are in a crisis and need help right away:

Call this toll-free number, available 24 hours a day, every day: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You will reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a service available to anyone. You may call for yourself or for someone you care about. All calls are confidential.
What are the risk factors for suicide?

Research shows that risk factors for suicide include:
depression and other mental disorders, or a substance-abuse disorder (often in combination with other mental disorders). More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have these risk factors.2
stressful life events, in combination with other risk factors, such as depression. However, suicide and suicidal behavior are not normal responses to stress; many people have these risk factors, but are not suicidal.
prior suicide attempt
family history of mental disorder or substance abuse
family history of suicide
family violence, including physical or sexual abuse
firearms in the home,3 the method used in more than half of suicides
incarceration
exposure to the suicidal behavior of others, such as family members, peers, or media figures.2

Research also shows that the risk for suicide is associated with changes in brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, including serotonin. Decreased levels of serotonin have been found in people with depression, impulsive disorders, and a history of suicide attempts, and in the brains of suicide victims. 4
Are women or men at higher risk?
Suicide was the eighth leading cause of death for males and the sixteenth leading cause of death for females in 2004.1
Almost four times as many males as females die by suicide.1
Firearms, suffocation, and poison are by far the most common methods of suicide, overall. However, men and women differ in the method used, as shown below.1 Suicide by: Males (%) Females (%)
Firearms 57 32
Suffocation 23 20
Poisoning 13 38

Is suicide common among children and young people?

In 2004, suicide was the third leading cause of death in each of the following age groups.1 Of every 100,000 young people in each age group, the following number died by suicide:1
Children ages 10 to 14 — 1.3 per 100,000
Adolescents ages 15 to 19 — 8.2 per 100,000
Young adults ages 20 to 24 — 12.5 per 100,000

As in the general population, young people were much more likely to use firearms, suffocation, and poisoning than other methods of suicide, overall. However, while adolescents and young adults were more likely to use firearms than suffocation, children were dramatically more likely to use suffocation.1

There were also gender differences in suicide among young people, as follows:
Almost four times as many males as females ages 15 to 19 died by suicide.1
More than six times as many males as females ages 20 to 24 died by suicide.1
Are older adults at risk?

Older Americans are disproportionately likely to die by suicide.
Of every 100,000 people ages 65 and older, 14.3 died by suicide in 2004. This figure is higher than the national average of 10.9 suicides per 100,000 people in the general population. 1
Non-Hispanic white men age 85 or older had an even higher rate, with 17.8 suicide deaths per 100,000.1
Are Some Ethnic Groups or Races at Higher Risk?

Of every 100,000 people in each of the following ethnic/racial groups below, the following number died by suicide in 2004.1
Highest rates:
Non-Hispanic Whites — 12.9 per 100,000
American Indian and Alaska Natives — 12.4 per 100,000
Lowest rates:
Non-Hispanic Blacks — 5.3 per 100,000
Asian and Pacific Islanders — 5.8 per 100,000
Hispanics — 5.9 per 100,000
What are some risk factors for nonfatal suicide attempts?
As noted, an estimated eight to 25 nonfatal suicide attempts occur per every suicide death. Men and the elderly are more likely to have fatal attempts than are women and youth.2
Risk factors for nonfatal suicide attempts by adults include depression and other mental disorders, alcohol abuse, cocaine use, and separation or divorce.5,6
Risk factors for attempted suicide by youth include depression, alcohol or other drug-use disorder, physical or sexual abuse, and disruptive behavior.6,7
Most suicide attempts are expressions of extreme distress, not harmless bids for attention. A person who appears suicidal should not be left alone and needs immediate mental-health treatment.
What can be done to prevent suicide?

Research helps determine which factors can be modified to help prevent suicide and which interventions are appropriate for specific groups of people. Before being put into practice, prevention programs should be tested through research to determine their safety and effectiveness.8 For example, because research has shown that mental and substance-abuse disorders are major risk factors for suicide, many programs also focus on treating these disorders.

Studies showed that a type of psychotherapy called cognitive therapy reduced the rate of repeated suicide attempts by 50 percent during a year of follow-up. A previous suicide attempt is among the strongest predictors of subsequent suicide, and cognitive therapy helps suicide attempters consider alternative actions when thoughts of self-harm arise.9

Specific kinds of psychotherapy may be helpful for specific groups of people. For example, a recent study showed that a treatment called dialectical behavior therapy reduced suicide attempts by half, compared with other kinds of therapy, in people with borderline personality disorder (a serious disorder of emotion regulation).10

The medication clozapine is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for suicide prevention in people with schizophrenia.11 Other promising medications and psychosocial treatments for suicidal people are being tested.

Since research shows that older adults and women who die by suicide are likely to have seen a primary care provider in the year before death, improving primary-care providers' ability to recognize and treat risk factors may help prevent suicide among these groups.12 Improving outreach to men at risk is a major challenge in need of investigation.
What should I do if I think someone is suicidal?

If you think someone is suicidal, do not leave him or her alone. Try to get the person to seek immediate help from his or her doctor or the nearest hospital emergency room, or call 911. Eliminate access to firearms or other potential tools for suicide, including unsupervised access to medications.
For More Information About Suicide

Suicide Information and Organizations from NLM's MedlinePlus (en EspaƱol)
References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) : www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars

2. Moscicki EK. Epidemiology of completed and attempted suicide: toward a framework for prevention. Clinical Neuroscience Research, 2001; 1: 310-23.

3. Miller M, Azrael D, Hepburn L, Hemenway D, Lippmann SJ. The association between changes in household firearm ownership and rates of suicide in the United States, 1981-2002. Injury Prevention 2006;12:178-182; doi:10.1136/ip.2005.010850

4. Arango V, Huang YY, Underwood MD, Mann JJ. Genetics of the serotonergic system in suicidal behavior. Journal of Psychiatric Research. Vol. 37: 375-386. 2003.

5. Kessler RC, Borges G, Walters EE. Prevalence of and risk factors for lifetime suicide attempts in the National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 1999; 56(7): 617-26.

6. Petronis KR, Samuels JF, Moscicki EK, Anthony JC. An epidemiologic investigation of potential risk factors for suicide attempts. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 1990; 25(4): 193-9.

7. U.S. Public Health Service. National strategy for suicide prevention: goals and objectives for action. Rockville, MD: USDHHS, 2001.

8. Gould MS, Greenberg T, Velting DM, Shaffer D. Youth suicide risk and preventive interventions: a review of the past 10 years. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2003; 42(4): 386-405.

9. Brown GK, Ten Have T, Henriques GR, Xie SX, Hollander JE, Beck AT. Cognitive therapy for the prevention of suicide attempts: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association . 2005 Aug 3;294(5):563-70.

10. Linehan MM, Comtois KA, Murray AM, Brown MZ, Gallop RJ, Heard HL, Korslund KE, Tutek DA, Reynolds SK, Lindenboim N. Two-Year Randomized Controlled Trial and Follow-up of Dialectical Behavior Therapy vs Therapy by Experts for Suicidal Behaviors and Borderline Personality Disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2006 Jul;63(7):757-766.

11. Meltzer HY, Alphs L, Green AI, Altamura AC, Anand R, Bertoldi A, Bourgeois M, Chouinard G, Islam MZ, Kane J, Krishnan R, Lindenmayer JP, Potkin S; International Suicide Prevention Trial Study Group. Clozapine treatment for suicidality in schizophrenia: International Suicide Prevention Trial (InterSePT). Archives of General Psychiatry, 2003; 60(1): 82-91.

12. Luoma JB, Pearson JL, Martin CE. Contact with mental health and primary care prior to suicide: a review of the evidence. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2002; 159: 909-16.

NIH Publication No. 06-4594