How To Be Fit

Islamabad: A new study by Carolyn Dunn, nutritionist at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, has looked into the implications of greater awareness of eating in a weight control program. The study will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Porto, Portugal. Dunn and his colleagues evaluated the effectiveness of conscious eating in an online weight management program called Eat Smart, More Move, Less Balance (ESMMWL), developed by NC State University and the NC Division of Public Health. Although preventable, obesity is not an easy problem to solve because many causes and factors such as behavior, environment and genetic predisposition work together to initiate and sustain the disease. after the study. Individual behavior affects diet, the amount of physical activity or inactivity, and the use of medication. Environmental factors, such as the availability of a variety of foods, the ability to physical activity, education and marketing of food also have a big impac...

Most people turn their eyes when they tell someone they have an allergic reaction to gluten, but the truth is that it can be a serious sign of stomach problems. Intolerance occurs when gluten proteins in the digestive system are treated as foreign bodies in the body. This triggers the discomfort of the stomach while inhibiting the body's ability to absorb natural nutrients. Diarrhea and nausea are the most obvious signs of intolerance to certain foods, but here are some other symptoms that can occur if you have gluten intolerance. Chronic migraine Headache is common in people with gluten intolerance. Although not associated with a specific type of headache, the pain usually occurs about 30-60 minutes after eating. Itchy skin If there is a problem with the digestive tract, it can sometimes manifest externally through itching and / or eczema, dry and irritated skin. fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is also known as soft tissue rheumatism and refers to pain in the muscles, tendons and li...

Just because you can not go to the gym for a few days (or nights) does not mean you have to rob your body of a good workout. If you really want to lose weight and tighten up for the summer, you need to find some time to do some sport in one way or another. If a trip to the gym will not take place, home training is a good option. You can not have your favorite treadmill with all the features, but you have the assurance of a quick and comfortable workout. Use these five simple tips to get the most out of your home fitness routine and stay fit throughout the year. 1. Find your room. Clear and open is the way to go if you are looking for the best place to train at home. You do not need a room the size of an airport hanger, but you need enough space to make two big steps in each direction. , , Unless, of course, your favorite form of exercise is the pole. 2. Plug It In Today, there are a variety of exceptional fitness videos that can really get great results. For this reason, your workou...

We all want our life to be happy, but only few us able to lead a life happily. According to George Ohsawa, the person who discovered the macrobiotic way of life, we have seven stages of judgement or thinking ability. The first stage is the subconscious mind. This is the consciousness of the autonomic nervous system, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The second stage of thinking is sensorial, that is, judgements make using the sense of organs that distinguish colour, shape, distance, sound, smell, taste, and touch. This stage of nerve function is instaneous and spontaneous and does not require the consciousness of higher brain function. At this stage, there is no time for thinking exists in even the simplest creatures such as insects, fish, and snails. However, this stage of judgement also exists in more complex creatures such as mammals, including humans. In humans, however, those sensorial reflections are slower and less sharp than those of simple creatures si...

In a world ever-increasing information and growing demands on mental function, brain strain is not an uncommon occurrence. Fatigue is one of the most, often cited complaints that send people to their doctors and, increasingly, to their health food stores. As often as not, fatigue and a decline in mental alertness are the result of inadequate nutrients and oxygen in the brain, and a consequent decrease in brain function. Additionally, free radical damage seems to be a common theme in diminished neurological function. If you are feeling groggy and foggy, supplements can help. For optimal mental functioning, the brain like any other organ; has certain basic requirements. The neurons in the brains are like all other cells in the body; each requires delivery of nutrients and oxygen, as well as removal of waste Obviously, adequate circulation is paramount to ensuring brain health. As we age circulation can be compromised to varying degrees. Certain supplements can boost circulation to ...

There is no doubt that there are many techniques of stress control that are being practiced by people in the present times. But one technique that remains unbeatable is the yogic shavasana. Complete relaxation is a combination of physical state and the mental state. It is the physical state when the muscles are soft and without tension and the brain waves slow down to a serene state of emotional and mental calm. This is the Alpha state in which the brain's rhythm slows down to 8-14 cycles per second and the two halves of the brain are in  balance. in this state the immune system is working at its optimum level and the body is able to heal itself easily. The mind is at its peak, both creatively and intuitively. This is the state of ultimate relaxation or deep relaxation as it is called. Shavasana is the prelude to reaching the alpha state, which is the key to good health, creative thinking and intuition. It is equivalent to the Zen 'No Mind' state,  a state where you...

Fibre is also known as roughage, fibre  is a component of food that is more or kess indigestible and can be found in all fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fibre can be either insoluble( the less digestive bran fibre) or soluble( cellulose fibres from fruits and vegetables). For good health, you need both types of fibres in your diet. Fibre is important to your body because it helps with the proper functioning of the intestinal tract as it speeds the elimination of waste products. It is a natural laxative and alleviates constipation. Those suffering from constipation should have a rich fibre diet. In addition, a rich fibre diet prevents against colon cancer, as there is less exposure of cancer causing agents to the intestinal tract. Individuals with diabetes may also benefit from a high fibre diet since it modulates the rate at which glucose enters the blood and prevents increases in blood levels of sugar and insulin. Soluble fibre may also help  to reduce cholestero...

Healing through breathing is used in all braches if eastern medicine, through not in orthodox western medicine. It involves breathing in the chi, as Chinese and Japanese medicine calls the "life force" or the 'prana' as Indian medicine names it, into the lungs and visualizing it flowing from them first into the solar plexus and then to the area to be healed. During exhalation the disease is visualized flowing out of the body. The Re-Energizing Breath These two exercises in breathing will first perform a releasing function on your body and mind and then  re-charge them. The second exercise is especially structured to boost your vitality but it should be used sparingly to prevent hyperventilation. Breathe in deeply through an open mouth and sigh out with a relaxed throat. Your upper back widens on inhale, and release on exhale. Don't worry if you yawn; it's your body's homeostatic mechanism correcting your oxygen and carbon dioxide balance....

We know how to breathe. It is something that occurs to us automatically, spontaneously, naturally. We are breathing even when we are not aware of it. So it seems foolish to think that one can be told how to breathe. Yet, one's breathing becomes modified and restricted in various ways, not just momentarily, but habitually. We develop unhealthy habits without being aware of it. We tend to assume positions( slouched positions) that diminish lung capacities and take shortened breaths. We also live in social conditios that are not good for the health of our respiratory system. Benefits of deep breathing Deep breathing produces the following benefits: Improvement in the quality of the blood due to its increased oxygenation in the lungs: this aids in the elimination of toxins from the system. Increase in the digestion and assimilation of food. The digestive organs such as the stomach receive more oxygen, and hence operate more efficiently. The digestion is further enhanced ...

We all know that water is a major and important part of our body. But we have not given enough attention has been paid to water and its importance in diet.Water is one of the most necessary elements for our body to operate efficiently. Every cell in our body depends upon water to function properly yet most of us do not understand the role of this vital nutrient. It takes just atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen to create the unique essence of human life... water. The power of this thirst quencher, skin purifier, stomach cleaner, weight controller and cornucopia of good health has often been underestimated. Water was, in face an integral part of the treatment of several diseases and disorders by ancient Egyptians, Jews, Greeks, Persians and Hindus for several centuries. The Chinese used water as a remedy several centuries before Christ. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, successfully used a combination of hot and cold water for the management of several diseases li...

Why do some people look more than their age while others manage to present a youthful picture till they are quite old? Infact, I know a lot many people who don't  look half their age. Does if have anything to do with their diet? Of-course, it has everything to do with the diet factor. A person who is young but fat and obese definitely presents an ungainly sight whereas a middle aged but rim person looks efficient and youthful. Youthful looks don't come with an exercise regimen, alone. Unless an exercise regimen is combined with wise and smart eating, it is of little or no benefit. Obesity= more input and less output, whereas fit body= less input and more output (Input  =calories consumed Output  =calories expended) This is a simple formula but makes a lot of sense. Whenever the number of calories consumed by a person is more than the calories expended by him, the extra calories will add up on his body in the form of fat. The only way to get rid of the fat is t...

One of the first sign of aging is the appearance of the grey hair. It is something most people dread and fear. They adopt various ways and means to keep themselves looking young through hair-dyes. Although in the earlier generations the appearance of grey hair was in the age group of forties, today it can be seen in much younger people. Often boys and girls as young as 25 have grey hair. Up till now, most people accepted greying as an inevitable part of the aging process. One can either live with it or cover it with hair dyes. But now some experts are suggesting that certain changes in lifestyle can actually prevent premature greying and delay the entire process. The greying of hair is knows as palitya in Ayurveda. each hair has a root, a stem or a thickness, from person to person. What is strange is that it is rounded in normal straight hair while curly hair has an oval or flattened section. The different color of the hair is caused by pigment scattered in varying amounts through...

Are you tired of  wrinkles and an aging face? The panacea lies in doing certain exercises for the face. facial exercises can be effective in keeping you looking young since they prevent the slacking of facial muscles. Benefits of Facial Exercises Never mind how good you skin care might be, there will be a time in your life when all your facial muscles simply go slack, lax, saggy, baggy and creepy. Facial exercises are economical-they do not take great effort or too much time, and pay handsome dividends in achieving a more smooth, with less wrinkles, lines and bags, resulting in a skin that is glowing with health and vitality. An ageing face has lines, wrinkles, folds and bags which are nothing but the supportive muscles in your face going soft- losing their firmness, and not supporting the skin any more. Facial exercises can help with this problem by creating the facelift your might need, with a non-surgical procedure. Who can do these exercises? Facial exercises ...

Everyone want to look young, show me a man or a woman who doesn't want to look younger than his or her age and I will show yo a liar or a saint. If the cosmetic industry is a billion dollar one, globally, it is only because of the fact that we all want to look good. Looking good is essentially a human trait. It do not really know whether the animals also indulge in the pursuit of good looks, but one never knows. There was a time when only women bothered about their looks and skin but with changing time it is common to find men going to parlors for a facial treatment and taking as much care of their skin as their female counterpart. It is a good thing, too. Caring about the skin does not make a man less manly, in fact the smooth skin can only add to his charm and personality. Looking good gives confidence and a sense of enhanced self-esteem, which is essential in today's world. In a world so full of consumerist attitude, good looks are a part and parcel of a personal...

Correcting Bad Posture Perfect posture is ideally one whereby an individual is able to adopt a position of easy balance. It should require the minimum of effort to maintain but provide maximum mobility and function. good posture is one that is proactive. It allows the body to function at its best by working with external forces when possible, and anticipating and meeting individual needs for strength, stabilization and flexibility. The skeletal system was designed to take the stresses and strains of gravity; the muscular system is not. Bad, or reactive, posture allows the body to give in to external forces, thereby compromising function and potentially predisposing the individual to physical problems. Developing proactive postural habits should be considered as the foundation to building a fit body that functions effectively. Posture Correction Requires From an Individual the Ability: To be aware of their own posture as well as others To differentiate between muscular tensi...

Round about the turn of the century, a young Australian actor called Fredrick Alexander lost his voice, but only when he was on stage doing his one-man Shakespeare recitals. Doctors couldn't find anything the matter and conventional therapies didn't help. Alexander realized he must be doing something wrong, so he rigged up three mirrors to study himself rehearsing. He saw that when he lifted his head heroically as he recited, he tipped it back, constructing his larynx and incidentally crushing his spinal discs. Yet he could have sworn he'd just been holding his head high. Once he realized how out of touch people are with what they are actually doing with their bodies. Alexander spent the rest of his life working on his technique. What exactly did Alexander Discover? Basically, he discovered that all of us, when making efforts to do even the simplest things, physical or mental, impose on ourselves harmful tensions that restrict our performance. We are all in the h...