And Be Beautiful ..
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Be Healthy ..! Exercise
Exercise is about more than keeping in shape. It also can help with your emotional and mental health. Exercise can help you improve your self-esteem, keep your mind off problems, and give you a sense of control. In general, people who are fit have less anxiety, depression, and stress than people who are not active.1
Research suggests that exercise can help specific mental health problems. Exercise may help prevent depression from coming back (relapse) and improve symptoms of mild depression.2, 3
Be safe while you exercise
Moderate exercise is safe for most people, but it's a good idea to talk to your doctor before increasing your activity. Anyone age 65 or older should talk to a doctor before exercise.
- Start slowly, and gradually increase how much you exercise.
- Stop exercising if you have severe pain, especially chest pain, or severe problems breathing. Talk to your doctor about these symptoms.
- People who are likely to have high anxiety or panic may have an episode during exercise because of the buildup of certain body chemicals (such as lactic acid) from exercise. If you have any problems during exercise, talk with your doctor.
Tips for being active
It can be hard to be active when you feel depressed or anxious or have a mental health problem. But activity can help you feel better, so do your best to find a way to be active. It's fine to start with small steps. You can build up from a few minutes a day.
- Don't overdo it. Start with simple exercises, such as walking, bicycling,swimming, or jogging.
- Warm up your muscles for about 5 minutes before you start exercising. To do this, you can walk, slowly move your arms and legs, or do simple muscle stretches.
- Use the talk-sing test to see whether you're exercising at the right pace.
- If you can talk during exercise, you're doing fine.
- If you can sing during exercise, you can exercise a little faster or harder.
- If you are not able to talk, you're probably exercising too hard. Slow down a bit.
- Cool down for 5 to 10 minutes after you exercise. It's okay to do some stretching exercises during cooldown.
- Drink water before, during, and after exercise.
- Get regular exercise but not within 3 to 4 hours of your bedtime. This might make it hard to fall asleep.
- You can make daily activities part of your exercise program. You can:
- Walk to work or to do errands.
- Push a lawn mower, rake leaves, or shovel snow.
- Vacuum or sweep.
- Play actively with your children, or walk the dog.
Be Healthy ..! Exercise
Running, walking, gardening – it’s all good. Regardless of what you do, regular exercise and physical activity is the path to health and well-being. Exercise burns fat, builds muscle, lowers cholesterol, eases stress and anxiety, lets us sleep restfully.
Need a reason to work out? Here are 7 to start
What if someone told you that a thinner, healthier, and longer life was within your grasp? Sound too good to be true? According to a wealth of research, exercise is the silver bullet for a better quality of life.
Not only does regular exercise aid in weight loss, it reduces your risk for several chronic diseases and conditions. Finding activities that you enjoy and that become part of your daily routine is the key to a long and healthy life.
The list of health benefits is impressive, and the requirements are relatively simple -- just do it.
Ward Off Disease
Research has confirmed that any amount of exercise, at any age, is beneficial. And, in general, the more you do, the greater the benefits. The National Academy of Sciences has recommended that everyone strive for a total of an hour per day of physical activity. Sounds like a lot, but the hour can be made up of several shorter bursts of activity (it can be walking, gardening, even heavy housecleaning) done throughout the day.
Physical activity is an essential part of any weight-loss program, to maximize your fat loss while keeping valuable muscle mass. But exercise has many other health and longevity benefits. It can help prevent or improve these conditions:
1. Heart Disease. Regular activity strengthens your heart muscle; lowers blood pressure; increases "good" cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins or HDLs) and lowers "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins or LDLs); enhances blood flow; and helps your heart function more efficiently. All of these benefits reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Researchers at Duke University suggest that the amount of physical activity, rather than its intensity, has the biggest impact on improving blood lipids (cholesterol). According to The New England Journal of Medicine, these researchers also found that any exercise is better than none -- although more is better.
2. Stroke. In an analysis of 23 studies, researchers found that being active reduces your risk of having and dying from a stroke. According to a study published in the journal Stroke, moderately active study participants had 20% less risk of stroke than less active participants.
3. Type II Diabetes. This disease is increasing at alarming rates -- by 62% since 1990 -- and 17 million Americans now have it. Physical activity can enhance weight loss and help prevent and/or control this condition. Losing weight can increase insulin sensitivity, improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and reduce blood pressure -- all of which are very important to the health of people with diabetes.
In a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Frank Hu, MD, of the Harvard School of Public Health found that a brisk walk for one hour daily could reduce the risk of type II diabetes by 34%.
4. Obesity. Overweight and obese conditions can be prevented or treated with exercise along with a healthy diet. Activity helps to reduce body fat and increase muscle mass, thus improving your body's ability to burn calories. The combination of reduced calories and daily exercise is the ticket to weight loss. And controlling obesity is critical, as it is a major risk factor for many diseases. Lowering your body mass index (BMI) is a sure way to reduce your risk of dying early and to live a healthier life.
5. Back Pain. Back pain can be managed or prevented with a fitness program that includes muscle strengthening and flexibility. Having good posture and a strong abdomen is the body's best defense against back pain.
6. Osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercise (such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting weights) strengthens bone formation and helps prevent the osteoporosis or bone loss often seen in women after menopause. Combine a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D with regular weight-bearing exercise for maximum results.
According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, data from the Nurses' Health Study showed that women who walked four or more hours per week had 41% fewer hip fractures than those who walked less than an hour a week.
7. Psychological Benefits. Improved self-esteem is one of the top benefits of regular physical activity. While exercising, your body releases chemicals called endorphins that can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. The feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric" and is accompanied by an energizing outlook. Exercise can help you cope with stress and ward off depression and anxiety.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Top Tips for Beautiful Teeth and Gums
Take Care of Your Tongue
Tackle bad breath every time you brush -- take time to brush or scrape your tongue, too. Your tongue plays host to the bacteria that help cause bad breath, so giving it a scrub, or using a tongue scraper daily, can help reduce odor-causing compounds.
Top Tips for Beautiful Teeth and Gums
Regulate Your Acid Reflux
If you have acid reflux, you'll want to get it under control to help preserve tooth enamel and oral health. Common foods and drinks that trigger reflux include chocolate; alcohol; caffeinated drinks like soda, coffee, and tea; garlic and onions; dairy; tomatoes; citrus fruits; mint; and spicy, fatty, or fried foods.
Top Tips for Beautiful Teeth and Gums
Foods Can Stain or Brighten Teeth
There's speculation that strawberries may have natural teeth-whitening properties. But it's best to brush thoroughly after eating teeth-staining food like blueberries, coffee, and cigarettes. To help minimize discoloration, brush, then munch on apples, pears, carrots, or celery, all of which trigger tooth-bathing saliva, which helps keep your teeth bright.
Drink colored beverages through a strawSending the liquid straight to the back of the mouth allows less time for it to touch your teeth and potentially stain them.
Top Tips for Beautiful Teeth and Gums
Stop Stains With Baking Soda
If your love of coffee, red wine, or other tooth-staining food and drink is leaving your pearly whites dim, try brushing baking soda on your teeth twice a month, just like you would toothpaste, then rinse away to help brighten your smile. If plain baking soda irritates your teeth or gums, you may want to try a toothpaste that contains baking soda or avoid it completely.
Top Tips for Beautiful Teeth and Gums
Say Cheese for White Teeth!
The casein and whey protein in cheese can help keep your tooth enamel in top form by reducing demineralization. A bonus: Cheese also has vital, tooth-building calcium. Don't forget to include vitamin D in your diet, which helps your body absorb calcium. A few vitamin D-rich foods include milk, egg yolks, and fish.
Top Tips for Beautiful Teeth and Gums
Replace Your Toothbrush
Toothbrush bristles fray, flatten, and wear over time. To help keep your smile bright, replace your manual toothbrush every three or four months; for electric toothbrush heads, follow the manufacturer's advice. Feeling sick? Avoid harboring germs by replacing your toothbrush at the beginning and end of your illness.
Top Tips for Beautiful Teeth and Gums
Go Easy With Toothpicks
If you don't have floss, a toothpick will work to remove food stuck between teeth, but be gentle. It's easy to press too hard and damage your gums, or even worse, break off a toothpick below the gum line. Floss helps remove food from between teeth better than a toothpick and fights plaque buildup by getting rid of bacteria that form there. Regularly using a toothpick to remove food trapped in a single area may indicate a bigger problem that requires a dentist's attention.
Top Tips for Beautiful Teeth and Gums
Floss First or Brush First ?
Flossing first helps make brushing your teeth more effective by removing food that gets trapped between teeth. If handling floss flusters you, look for floss holders at the drugstore. When it's time to brush, be sure to angle bristles 45-degree at the gum line, then brush gently, moving the brush back and forth.
Top Tips for Beautiful Teeth and Gums
Brush at least twice a day — after breakfast and before bedtime. If you can, brush after lunch or after sweet snacks. Brushing properly breaks down plaque.
Brush all of your teeth, not just the front ones. Spend some time on the teeth along the sides and in the back. Have your dentist show you the best way to brush to get your teeth clean without damaging your gums
Take your time while brushing. Spend at least 2 or 3 minutes each time you brush. If you have trouble keeping track of the time, use a timer or play a recording of a song you like to help pass the time
Be sure your toothbrush has soft bristles (the package will tell you if they're soft). Ask your parent to help you get a new toothbrush every 3 months. Some toothbrushes come with bristles that change color when it's time to change them
Ask your dentist if an antibacterial mouth rinse is right for you.
Learn how to floss your teeth, which is a very important way to keep them healthy. It feels weird the first few times you do it, but pretty soon you'll be a pro. Slip the dental floss between each tooth and along the gum line gently once a day. The floss gets rid of food that's hidden where your toothbrush can't get it, no matter how well you brush.
Having a Beautiful Smile !!
When you get your picture taken, everyone says, "Say cheese! Smile!" So you do — you open your mouth and show your teeth. When you see the picture, you see a happy person looking back at you. The healthier those teeth are, the happier you look. Why is that?
It's because your teeth are important in many ways. If you take care of them, they'll help take care of you. Strong, healthy teeth help you chew the right foods to help you grow. They help you speak clearly. And yes, they help you look your best.
Beautiful teeth are important, so cigarettes and coffee that stain are a no-no, as
are sweet foods which rot your teeth. Get your fill of these nutrients to make your teeth strong, white and dazzling.
Calcium
Calcium builds and strengthens teeth. Feed your teeth: Dairy produce, fruit, vegetables and some types of mineral water.
Phosphorus
Along with calcium, phosphorus forms the mineral 'weave' of our bones. Feed your teeth: All foods contain phosphorus, so as long as you eat abalanced diet you'll get enough of it.
Fluorin
Fluorine is a trace element that strengthens tooth enamel. Feed your teeth: Mineral water that contains fluorine, radishes, cress, cherries and tomatoes
Tips for healthy nails ..
Follow these 14 tips for not only well-groomed, but healthy nails on all 20 fingers and toes.
1. To keep your nails hydrated, rub a small amount of petroleum jelly into your cuticle and the skin surrounding your nails every evening before you go to bed or whenever your nails feel dry. Keep a jar in your purse, desk drawer, car — anywhere you might need it. Not a fan of petroleum jelly? Substitute castor oil. It’s thick and contains vitamin E, which is great for your cuticles. Or head to your kitchen cupboard and grab the olive oil — it also works to moisturize your nails.
2. Wear rubber gloves whenever you do housework or wash dishes. Most household chores, from gardening to scrubbing the bathroom to washing dishes, are murderous on your nails. To protect your digits from dirt and harsh cleaners, cover them with vinyl gloves whenever it’s chore time. And for extra hand softness, apply hand cream before you put on the rubber gloves.
3. When pushing back your cuticles (it is not necessary to cut them) come in at a 45-degree angle and be very gentle. Otherwise the cuticle will become damaged, weakening the entire nail, says Mariana Diaconescu, manicurist at the Pierre Michel Salon in New York City.
4. Trim your toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. This is particularly important if you have diabetes.
5. Dry your hands for at least two minutes after doing the dishes, taking a bath/shower, etc. Also dry your toes thoroughly after swimming or showering. Leaving them damp increases your risk of fungal infection.
6. Air out your work boots and athletic shoes. Better yet, keep two pairs and switch between them so you’re never putting your feet into damp, sweaty shoes, which could lead to fungal infections.
7. Wear 100 percent cotton socks. They’re best for absorbing dampness, thus preventing fungal infections.
8. Stretch out the beauty of a manicure by applying a fresh top coat every day, says Susie Galvez, owner of Face Works Day Spa in Richmond, Virginia, and author of Hello Beautiful: 365 Ways to Be Even More Beautiful.
9. Make your nails as strong as a horse’s hooves, and take 300 micrograms of the B vitamin biotin four to six times a day. Long ago, veterinarians discovered that biotin strengthened horses’ hooves, which are made from keratin, the same substance in human nails. Swiss researchers found that people who took 2.5 milligrams of biotin a day for 5.5 months had firmer, harder nails. In a U.S. study, 63 percent of people taking biotin for brittle nails experienced an improvement.
10. Add a glass of milk and a hard-boiled egg to your daily diet. Rich in zinc, they’ll do wonders for your nails, especially if your nails are spotted with white, a sign of low zinc intake.
11. File your nails correctly. To keep your nails at their strongest, avoid filing in a back-and-forth motion — only go in one direction. And never file just after you’ve gotten out of a shower or bath — wet nails break more easily.
12. Massage your nails to keep them extra strong and shiny. Nails buffing increases blood supply to the nail, which stimulates the matrix of the nail to grow, says Galvez.
13. Polish your nails, even if it’s just with a clear coat. It protects your nails, says manicurist Diaconescu. If you prefer color, use a base coat, two thin coats of color, and a top coat. Color should last at least seven days but should be removed after 10 days.
14. Avoid polish removers with acetone or formaldehyde. They’re terribly drying to nails, says Andrea Lynn Cambio, M.D., a New York City dermatologist. Use acetate-based removers instead.
healthy nails ..
“Changes in fingernail appearance can indicate something deeper is going on in the body.” They can provide clues to your health and nutritional status
The following are simple ways to decode your fingernails
Color
White spots – zinc deficiency
Yellow nails – liver and/or gallbladder issues
Bluish or grey colored nails – heart condition
Brown nails – adrenal gland dysfunction
Ridges
Vertical ridges – metabolic disorders or lung issues
Horizontal ridges – gout, heart and circulation conditions
Small bulges – nail fungi or iron deficiency
Shape
Spoon shaped – iron deficiency or damage from harsh detergents
Hourglass shape – bronchial or lung conditions
Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair ..
Poultry*
This everyday entree is extraordinary when it comes to protein, as well as hair-healthy zinc, iron, and B vitamins to keep strands strong and plentiful. Because hair is nearly all protein, "foods rich in protein are literally giving you the building blocks for hair," Drayer says
Other options: Lean cuts of beef are another good source of lean protein
Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair ..
Blueberries*
Exotic super fruits may come and go but when it comes to vitamin C, "It's hard to top this nutrient superhero," Drayer says. C is critical for circulation to the scalp and supports the tiny blood vessels that feed the follicles. Too little C in your diet can lead to hair breakage
Other options: Kiwis, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and strawberries
Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair ..
Greek yogurt*
Cruise the dairy aisle for low-fat options such as Greek yogurt, which is high in hair-friendly protein, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid -- an ingredient you'll often see on hair care product labels), and vitamin D. Emerging research links vitamin D and hair follicle health, but exactly how that works isn't clear
Other options: Cottage cheese, low-fat cheese, and skim milk also fit the bill
Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair ..
Lentils*
Tiny but mighty, these legumes are teeming with protein, iron, zinc, and biotin, says Fishman, making it a great staple for vegetarian, vegans, and meat eaters
Other options: Toss other beans such as soybeans (the young ones are called edamame) and kidney beans into your soup or salad
Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair ..
Spinach*
The iron, beta carotene, folate, and vitamin C in spinach help keep hair follicles healthy and scalp oils circulating
Other options: Try similarly nutrient-rich dark, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and Swiss chard
Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair ..
Eggs*
A great source of protein, eggs are loaded with four key minerals: zinc, selenium, sulfur, and iron. Iron is especially important, because it helps cells carry oxygen to the hair follicles, and too little iron (anemia) is a major cause of hair loss, particularly in women, Drayer says
Other options: You can also boost your iron stores with animal sources, including chicken, fish, pork, and beef
Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair ..
Sweet Potatoes*
Sweet potatoes are a great source of the antioxidant beta carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. "Basically, every cell of the body cannot function without enough A," Fishman says. It also helps protect and produce the oils that sustain your scalp, and being low on vitamin A can even leave you with itchy, irksome dandruff
Other options: Carrots, cantaloupe, mangoes, pumpkin, and apricots are all good sources of beta carotene
Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair ..
Oysters*
Oysters are rich in zinc, a lack of which can lead to hair loss (even in your eyelashes), as well as a dry, flaky scalp. Three ounces has a whopping 493% of your daily value. You can get some zinc through fortified cereals and whole grain breads, but oysters can boast a good level of protein too. "Remember, hair is about 97% protein," Drayer says. Without enough protein, your body can't replace the hairs that you naturally shed every day and what you do make can be dry, brittle, or weak
Other options: Get your fill of zinc with nuts, beef, and eggs
Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair ..
Walnuts*
These are the only type of nut that have a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. They're also rich in biotin and vitamin E, which helps protect your cells from DNA damage. Since your hair rarely gets much shielding from the sun, this is especially great, Drayer says. Too little biotin can lead to hair loss. Walnuts also have copper, a mineral that helps keep your natural hair color rich and lustrous, Fishman says
Other options: Try using walnut oil in your salad dressing or stir-fry instead of canola or safflower, Fishman says
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