Food and Nutrition

Food and Nutrition

 Make sure you get a balanced diet, as often as possible.

 Along with fresh veggies and fruits, eat slim meats (if you’re not vegetarian), nuts, seeds (sprouts) and salads. 

 Opt for fresh, seasonal and local produce over exotic foodstuff imported over ridiculous distances.


 Drink water – you need to stay hydrated. Not only is it good for your internal organs, it also keeps your skin healthy and lessens acne.

 To determine your water requirement, divide your weight (in pounds) by two. This gives the daily ounce-recommendation.

 Cut down on caffeine and caffeinated and aerated beverages.

 Limit alcohol intake. Tobacco and drugs should be an absoluteNo.

 Steer clear of sugar, stimulants and processed food.

 Maintain a healthy weight.

Exercise

 Exercise at least four days a week for 20 to 30 minutes each day. If it’s all not possible at a go, break your workouts into smaller sessions.

 Try to get as much physical activity as you can. Skip the elevator and take the stairs, walk to the supermarket instead of hunting for parking space etc.

 Wake up early to practice simple meditation. It harmonizes body, mind and soul.

 Doing household chores also counts as activity.

 Pets can be a great source for your exercise. Especially a dog. Walking dogs, caring for them involves good amounts of physical activity.

 If exercising alone bores you out, hook up with a partner or friend who is committed to exercise. The fun factor will also let you stay committed.

 Exercise also works as an outlet for pent up stress. So keep exercising, especially when you’ve got work bearing down on you.

General Health

Get adequate rest daily. Don’t deprive yourself of sleep for extended periods of time.

 If you’re on medication for an illness, ensure that you follow the course all the way through.

 Skin, teeth, hair, nails are all indicators of general health. Loss of hair or lack of lustre may mean poor nutrition.

 Make friends with your family physician. Get regular check-ups done.

 Watch out for the signs of major illnesses, especially cancer, heart disease etc. Early detection is the key.

 When it comes to healthy living, even little things count. Like eye health. Make sure you rest them well. They’ll serve you a long time.

 Take care of your teeth. Dental health has been linked, among other things, to premature heart disease.

 Try to get all your nutrition from the food you eat. If you aren’t getting it though, multivitamins and nutritional supplements are a good option.

 Get your vitamin D from the sun. But also stay UV-protected.

Health and Happiness

 Slow and deep breathing is a good counter to stressful situations. Practice it.

 Surround yourself with positive energy and a strong social circle. Good vibes translates into good moods.

 Engage in social work. Do things for the less-privileged.

 Work on your looks, but don’t get obsessed. Pamper yourself occasionally.

 Believe in your abilities. Work on your shortcomings. Life is a continuous self-help program.

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Top Ten tips for Better Health

The following tips will not only make you look better and feel better, but they will also keep you from developing long-term serious health problems.

• Cover up in the sun
  UV rays are penetrating the earth's atmosphere all year long. It's important to wear protection at all times to protect yourself from excessive sun exposure.
• Cut out fat
  Dairy products such as cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions.Butter and sauces in sandwiches should be kept to a minimum, if possible. And try to avoid fried or fast food, as they have a high amount of fatty acids in them.
• Don't smoke
  Give up smoking as soon as you can. Smoking not only causes lung cancer, but its also recently been linked to many other illnesses. Research has shown that smoking reduces life expectancy by seven to eight years. So try giving up the next one.
• Drink alcohol in moderation
  Recent studies have shown that a glass of red wine a day can help protect against heart disease. But if you drink excessively, you will have health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer in later life.
• Eat Healthy
  Make sure you eats lots of fruit and vegtables each and every day. Even try adding a multivitamin to your daily routine. You'll soon see the difference.
• Get active
  One of the best ways to stay healthy is to exercise. It's recommended to do 30 minutes of cardio exercise 3 times a week. This even includes going for a walk with the dog, or even running around with the children.
• Keep stress in check
  Getting stressed out is bad for your health. If you are stressed in the work place you are more likely to cause an accident and injure yourself or even fall ill.
• Positive outlook
  It has been scientifically proven that a person with a positive outlook on life will be healthier than someone who doesn't.When you smile your brain releases small amounts of serotonin that give your body a good feeling. So next time your sad, smile.
• Relax
  Relaxation has actually become a medical treatment. It's very important to relax in the evenings after working. Try find somewhere that you feel comfortable, and just kick back. It can be anywhere from a chair, to a bubble bath.
• Ways to increase your daily excercise
  Walk to the shops rather than taking the car. Try taking the stairs whenever possible. If you get two or more buses, can you walk one of the journeys? Or even get off the bus or train a stop earlier.

 

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Smile, it's good for you!

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“You’ve probably heard that smiling can positively affect your mood, right? Well there’s some new research to confirm that something as simple as a smile can impact how you feel:

A study published in the journal Psychological Science in November found that people who smiled after engaging in stress-inducing tasks showed a greater reduction in heart rate than people who maintained a neutral facial expression.”

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

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How to Make Your Hair Grow Faster

There's no scientifically proven way to make your hair grow faster. But, there is a lot of research on what causes hair loss. And the less hair you lose, the more hair you have growing to your length of choice, right? While some of the causes of hair loss can't be helped, there are several things you can do to encourage your hair to grow to its full potential.

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    Keep your hair in excellent condition.
   Keep your hair in excellent condition. Seeing a hairdresser regularly to have your hair cut and styled will keep it in top condition. Hair in good condition gives the impression it's longer even if it's not because it looks good and has no split ends, etc.
   
   
   • Use a quality brush to keep your hair brushed, such as a boar bristle brush. Tilt your head forward and brush with your head upside down to bring the oils to the ends of your hair and stimulate the scalp.
   • Keep your hair well moisturized. You don't need to use commercial product but you do need to know what you can use to condition your hair properly if you resort to natural items.
   • Don't wash your hair every day; allow the hair oils to condition your hair rather than constantly washing the oils out.
   • Massage your scalp while washing your hair. Massaging your scalp can help your hair grow faster and longer as it increases the blood flow in your scalp.
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    Be kind to your hair.
   Be kind to your hair. Your hair falls out on its own (approximately 70 to 150 hairs daily),^[1] but you may be pulling it out faster as a result of the things you do to it. The gentler you are with your hair, the less chances it has to fall out excessively. Some things to keep in mind include:
   • Don't put your hair into tight ponytails or cornrows. Use butterfly clips and loosebraids instead.^[2]
   • Brush your hair carefully. If you have wavy or curly hair, there are probably times when you encounter resistance as you're brushing. Right before brushing, use your fingers to gently comb through your hair. And when you brush, start at the ends, and hold the strand you're brushing with your other hand so that if you pull on the hair with a brush, you're not pulling on the root (pull from the grip of your hand instead).
   • Brush your hair before you shower in the morning. Throughout the night your hair can knot up a lot. Brushing your hair before you shower reduces tangling when washing it in the shower. When using conditioner, try sifting your fingers through your hair. This reduces extensive combing after your shower and helps to distribute the conditioner evenly.1 day a week put on a good conditioner,hair mascara or a home made conditioner for your hair that could be made of avocado,eggs,oils for 20 mints or 15 and try to not use hair sprays.
   • Minimize tangles in other situations, such as on windy days, by containing your hair with buns, braids, hats, etc.
   • Minimize how much you style your hair. Any kind of styling that involves pulling your hair at the root (blow drying, using a straight iron or acurling iron, or using rollers) can contribute to hair loss.^[2] Heat styling also can encourage hair to break. If you really need to dry your hair fast, use a blow dryer for 5 minutes only.
   • Avoid overly long or elaborate extensions or tight hairstyles that tug your natural hair. Pull on it or pull it out too many times and it won't come back.^[3]
   • Avoid or minimize harsh treatments like dyes, tints, bleaches, straighteners, and permanent waves. These weaken your hair and increase the likelihood of breakage and loss.^[2][4]
   • Minimize or stop using heating items on your hair.
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    Maintain good nutrition.
   Maintain good nutrition. Your body needs several building blocks in order to produce a healthy head of hair. In particular, you'll need enough protein^[5] and vitamins, and you can easily meet your body's requirement by eating a balanced, nutritious diet, or by taking a multivitamin and protein or other appropriate macronutrient supplements consistently if you can't eat well due to illness or otherwise. Keep in mind, however, that it can take several months to notice the results, so don't get discouraged.
   • Research suggests that iron deficiency makes hair loss worse. Women with heavy periods are at a higher risk of iron deficiency. However, unless you have an iron deficiency diagnosed by a doctor, you shouldn't take iron supplements. They can upset your stomach and cause severe constipation, and iron overload can be dangerous. Taking a multivitamin and eating iron-rich foods (tofu, lentils, beans, oysters, spinach, prunes, raisins, lean beef) is more than enough. ^[6]
   • If you're a vegetarian, eat foods rich in Vitamin C whenever you eat iron-rich veggies. Vitamin C will help your body absorb the kind of iron that is found in vegetables.^[7]
   • Avoid purchasing unnecessary supplements such as biotin. Despite the many claims that biotin promotes hair growth, no studies have shown this to be the case.^[8]However, hair loss is a sign of severe biotin deficiency; in these cases, the hair loss will be accompanied by a scaly rash around the nose, mouth and genitals.^[9].
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    Avoid dramatic weight loss.
   Avoid dramatic weight loss. As you shed pounds, you may also shed hair. The dramatic changes that your body undergoes when it loses weight quickly (the change in nutrients, the stress involved) can cause your hair to thin. Diets low in protein and iron (for example, very low-fat diets) and also those high in protein but low in fruits and vegetables (for example, Atkins) that result in dramatic weight loss can also trigger significant hair loss. Instead, keep a balanced diet, and focus on gradual calorie reduction (one or two pounds a week).^[4]
   
   
   • Each hair on your head grows for 2-5 years, slows down for about six weeks, and rests for 3-5 months before falling out so a new hair can grow in its place. Normally, 15 percent of your hair is at the resting phase, but a sudden change in nutrition can cause some hair follicles in the growing phase to switch into the resting phase prematurely, possibly raising the percentage to more than 30 percent.^[4]
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    Relax.
   Relax. Stress is a common cause of reversible hair loss.^[7] When you experience physical or emotional turmoil, it can take anywhere from three weeks to four months for the results to show up in your hair.^[10] It is important to relieve your stress.
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    Address any pressing health issues.
   Address any pressing health issues. Hair is a strong indicator of overall health. Many nutritional deficiencies can cause hair growth to slow, and can cause hair to thin. Hormonal problems such as hypothyroidism and PCOS can also cause thinning.^[11] If your hair has gotten seriously thinner, or stops growing for more than a few months, discuss it with your doctor as soon as possible.

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