All of us make little health mistakes that cause damage to our bodies in the long run - simply because we are unaware we are doing something wrong. Here are some of the most common mistakes made by many of us.
1) Crossing our legs
Do you cross your legs at your knees when sitting? Although we may believe that this is the lady-like elegant way to sit, sitting this way cuts down circulation to your legs. If you don"t want varicose veins to mar the beauty of your legs and compromise your health, uncross your legs every time you realise you have one knee on top of the other. The best way to sit is to simply place both legs together on the floor, balancing your weight equally. If you feel like changing position, instead of crossing your legs, simply move both legs together to one side. As an alternative, you could also consider crossing your legs loosely at the ankles. This is a classically elegant way to sit, and is far better for your legs and your health than sitting with your legs crossed at your knees.
2) Not changing our toothbrush
How often do you change your toothbrush? Most of us wait until most of the bristles have either fallen off, or are in such bad shape that we"d be embarrassed to pull out our brush in public. However, since not many of us need to pull out our brush in public, we carry on with our frayed one until we lose it. Replace your toothbrush often. Damaged bristles can harm the enamel, and don"t massage your gums well. If you find brushing your teeth a pain like I do, but know you must do it, you might as well be doing it right. Imagine going through the annoyance of brushing your teeth twice a day only to find out that you"re damaging your enamel every time you clean your teeth. Also, use a brush with soft bristles unless your dentist has advised otherwise.
3) Eating out often
There are oils that are high in cholesterol, and oils that cause little harm and are better for your heart. However, no matter how light the oil is, it is never a good idea to eat too much of it. Avoid fried foods.Remember that in all probability your favourite Indian food restaurant throws a huge, HUGE chunk of butter in a tiny bowl of dal. Rita, who worked in the kitchen of a 5 star hotel, was shocked when she saw the cook chop a 500gm butter slab in half, and throw half into a Paneer Makhani dish. No wonder the customers left licking their fingers. And no wonder they felt so stuffed and heavy afterwards. Limit outdoor eating unless you know that you"re getting served light and healthy food.
4) Skipping breakfast
Never, ever skip breakfast. Remember, when you wake up in the morning it"s been around 10-12 hours since your last meal. Your body needs food now, more than at any other time. Eat a heavy breakfast. You will then be busy through the day, and the calories will get expended quickly. If you are trying to diet, eat a light dinner. Here are some more common health mistakes we make. Being informed and making a few changes can help make us feel a whole lot better.
5) High heels
High heels sure look great, but they're murder for your back. This however doesn't mean you should steer clear of stilettos. Wear them, but not when you know you will be walking around a lot. Wear them when going out for lunch or dinner - when the only walking you will be doing is to your car, to the table, and back. Avoid high heels when you are going somewhere on foot. If you are constantly tempted to wear your heels, take a good look at your flats. Is there something about them you dislike? Invest in a new pair of beautiful flats or shoes with a low heel. Buy something you love, that you will enjoy wearing. If possible, get a matching bag. You will then enjoy your flats as much as you do your heels.
6) Sleeping on a soft bed
You don't have to sleep on the floor be kind to your back, but do make sure you have a firm mattress. Although a mattress on springs is soft and lovely to sink into, it's bad for your back. If you already have an old bed with springs, you don't need to invest in a new one - simply get a thick wooden plank put over the springs, and place the mattress on the plank. Similarly, if your mattress is old and lumpy, throw it out and get a new one. Your neck and your back will thank you. The same rule applies to sofas. If you will be spending hours on a sofa, get a firm yet comfortable one. Sofas you completely sink into are not the best idea.
7) Pillows
No matter how comfortable sleeping with ten cushions is, have pity on your neck and resist. Sleep with one pillow, and make sure it is not too thick. If your pillow gets lumpy, discard it and go for a new one. Get a thin pillow if you sleep on your stomach, and something a little thicker if you sleep on your back, to give your neck adequate support
8) Not exercising
So all of us know we should exercise more, but many of us don't. This is a health mistake we consciously make! And why is that? Simply because we refuse to admit the damage we are causing to our bodies by not working out. A number of people only start working out once they've experienced a warning signal. Don't wait for a heart attack to strike before you decide to opt for a lifestyle change. Make the change now. You don't need to train for the marathon to be in top shape. Half an hour of brisk walking three to four times a week will make a world of difference to your health. You could then increase this to forty minutes, four times a week - and you're all set. If you haven't exercised for a week, you're making a mistake.
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
A FEW TIPS TO HELP YOU TO QUIT SMOKING
Quitting Tip Sheet
1. Quit cold turkey! In the long run it's the easiest, quickest, least expensive and most effective technique of smoking cessation. It only takes 72 hours before your blood becomes nicotine free and the symptoms of physical withdrawal reach their peak. There are over one billion "comfortable" ex-smokers on earth today and almost all of them quit cold turkey.
2. Our minds will quickly forget most of the reasons that made us want to quit smoking. Take the time now to write yourself a loving letter that will fully remind you of all your reasons for quitting. Keep your reasons letter with you and read it often.
3. Get rid of all your cigarettes. All of them! Tell friends and family that you've started a new nicotine free life. Commit completely to your healing!
4. Quit smoking one day at a time. Do not concern yourself with next year, next month, next week or even tomorrow. Concentrate on not smoking from the time you wake-up until you go to sleep. Be patient with your healing. Baby steps!
5. Attitude is extremely important because we are what we think! If we allow our mind to dwell upon negative thoughts like "quitting is hard" and that we're "depriving ourselves of smoking" we can make ourselves miserable. If we allow our mind to dwell upon positive notions like our freedom and healing are wonderful and glorious, or that we're doing ourselves a favor, our journey home can be awesome.
6. Be proud of yourself for not smoking! Don't rely upon others for your self pride.
7. Symptoms such as headache, inability to concentrate, dizziness, time perception distortions and the ubiquitous sweet tooth encountered by many, can be the result of a blood sugar drop that occurs after quitting. Help your body adjust by avoiding white sugar products and by putting small amounts of food (fuel) into your body at least every three hours. Always leave room for more food but never allow yourself to feel hungry. Get your sugar from juices and fruits (cranberry juice is excellent).
8. Be aware that many routine situations will trigger a crave for nicotine. Situations which may trigger a response include: after meals, talking on the phone, driving, drinking, reading, coffee, alcohol, setting in a bar or pub, social events with smoking friends, or even activities like card games. Try to maintain your normal routine while quitting. If any event seems to tough, leave it and go back to it later. Do not feel you must give up any activity forever. Everything you did as a smoker, you will learn to do at least as well, and maybe better, as an ex-smoker.
9. Drink plenty of fruit juice the first three days. It not only helps flush nicotine from your system it will also help raise your blood sugar level. Also, divide your body weight by two. Use the resulting number as the number of ounces of daily water that your body and lungs need for proper healing and flushing.
10. To help avoid weight gain, eat vegetables and fruit instead of candies and pastries. Celery and carrots can be used safely as short-term substitutes for cigarettes. Smoking was your bodies old cue that your meal had ended. Find a new cue.
11. If you are concerned about weight gain, do some moderate form of regular exercise. If you have not been exercising regularly, consult your physician for a practical exercise program which is safe for you.
12. If you encounter a crisis, (e.g. a flat tire, flood, argument, family illness, finances) while quitting, remember, smoking is no solution. Smoking will just complicate the original situation while creating another crisis - full and complete nicotine relapse.
13. Be honest! Truly see yourself as "addicted to nicotine" because you are! Just one puff and you will either immediately or shortly thereafter experience full and complete relapse back to your prior level of nicotine use or higher. Don't look at it as taking just "ONE" puff, look at it as taking them all back. Picture them all.
14. Don't debate with yourself how much you want a "cigarette." You don't crave a cigarette any more than the heroin addict craves a needle. The cigarette and needle are simply drug delivery devices. What you want is the drug inside.
15. Save the money you usually spend on cigarettes and buy yourself something you really want after a week or a month. Save for a year and you can treat yourself to a vacation.
16. Practice deep breathing exercises when you have a craving. Breathe slowly and deeply into the bottom of each lung while clearing your mind of needless chatter.
17. Visualize the challenges ahead (stress, tremendous joy, weight gain, boredom, an accident, a serious illness, the death of a loved one, a funeral, financial problems, the end of a relationship, drinking, extended periods of time around a smoker) and picture yourself successfully overcoming each of them.
18. Climb out of your deep smoker's rut and begin living your new life. Engage in activities that require more than an hour to complete and challenge your new body.
19. Ask yourself how you'd feel about going back to your old level of consumption. Quitting smoking is one of the few propositions in the world where being 99% successful means 100% defeat. It's an all or nothing proposition.
20. Remember that there are only two good reasons to take a puff once you quit. You decide you want to go back to your old level of consumption until smoking cripples and then kills you, or, you decide you really enjoy withdrawal and you want to make it last forever. As long as neither of these options appeal to you - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!
1. Quit cold turkey! In the long run it's the easiest, quickest, least expensive and most effective technique of smoking cessation. It only takes 72 hours before your blood becomes nicotine free and the symptoms of physical withdrawal reach their peak. There are over one billion "comfortable" ex-smokers on earth today and almost all of them quit cold turkey.
2. Our minds will quickly forget most of the reasons that made us want to quit smoking. Take the time now to write yourself a loving letter that will fully remind you of all your reasons for quitting. Keep your reasons letter with you and read it often.
3. Get rid of all your cigarettes. All of them! Tell friends and family that you've started a new nicotine free life. Commit completely to your healing!
4. Quit smoking one day at a time. Do not concern yourself with next year, next month, next week or even tomorrow. Concentrate on not smoking from the time you wake-up until you go to sleep. Be patient with your healing. Baby steps!
5. Attitude is extremely important because we are what we think! If we allow our mind to dwell upon negative thoughts like "quitting is hard" and that we're "depriving ourselves of smoking" we can make ourselves miserable. If we allow our mind to dwell upon positive notions like our freedom and healing are wonderful and glorious, or that we're doing ourselves a favor, our journey home can be awesome.
6. Be proud of yourself for not smoking! Don't rely upon others for your self pride.
7. Symptoms such as headache, inability to concentrate, dizziness, time perception distortions and the ubiquitous sweet tooth encountered by many, can be the result of a blood sugar drop that occurs after quitting. Help your body adjust by avoiding white sugar products and by putting small amounts of food (fuel) into your body at least every three hours. Always leave room for more food but never allow yourself to feel hungry. Get your sugar from juices and fruits (cranberry juice is excellent).
8. Be aware that many routine situations will trigger a crave for nicotine. Situations which may trigger a response include: after meals, talking on the phone, driving, drinking, reading, coffee, alcohol, setting in a bar or pub, social events with smoking friends, or even activities like card games. Try to maintain your normal routine while quitting. If any event seems to tough, leave it and go back to it later. Do not feel you must give up any activity forever. Everything you did as a smoker, you will learn to do at least as well, and maybe better, as an ex-smoker.
9. Drink plenty of fruit juice the first three days. It not only helps flush nicotine from your system it will also help raise your blood sugar level. Also, divide your body weight by two. Use the resulting number as the number of ounces of daily water that your body and lungs need for proper healing and flushing.
10. To help avoid weight gain, eat vegetables and fruit instead of candies and pastries. Celery and carrots can be used safely as short-term substitutes for cigarettes. Smoking was your bodies old cue that your meal had ended. Find a new cue.
11. If you are concerned about weight gain, do some moderate form of regular exercise. If you have not been exercising regularly, consult your physician for a practical exercise program which is safe for you.
12. If you encounter a crisis, (e.g. a flat tire, flood, argument, family illness, finances) while quitting, remember, smoking is no solution. Smoking will just complicate the original situation while creating another crisis - full and complete nicotine relapse.
13. Be honest! Truly see yourself as "addicted to nicotine" because you are! Just one puff and you will either immediately or shortly thereafter experience full and complete relapse back to your prior level of nicotine use or higher. Don't look at it as taking just "ONE" puff, look at it as taking them all back. Picture them all.
14. Don't debate with yourself how much you want a "cigarette." You don't crave a cigarette any more than the heroin addict craves a needle. The cigarette and needle are simply drug delivery devices. What you want is the drug inside.
15. Save the money you usually spend on cigarettes and buy yourself something you really want after a week or a month. Save for a year and you can treat yourself to a vacation.
16. Practice deep breathing exercises when you have a craving. Breathe slowly and deeply into the bottom of each lung while clearing your mind of needless chatter.
17. Visualize the challenges ahead (stress, tremendous joy, weight gain, boredom, an accident, a serious illness, the death of a loved one, a funeral, financial problems, the end of a relationship, drinking, extended periods of time around a smoker) and picture yourself successfully overcoming each of them.
18. Climb out of your deep smoker's rut and begin living your new life. Engage in activities that require more than an hour to complete and challenge your new body.
19. Ask yourself how you'd feel about going back to your old level of consumption. Quitting smoking is one of the few propositions in the world where being 99% successful means 100% defeat. It's an all or nothing proposition.
20. Remember that there are only two good reasons to take a puff once you quit. You decide you want to go back to your old level of consumption until smoking cripples and then kills you, or, you decide you really enjoy withdrawal and you want to make it last forever. As long as neither of these options appeal to you - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!
I care about you
Health - Important Tips
1) Answer the phone by LEFT ear.
2) Do not drink coffee TWICE a day.
3) Do not take pills with COOL water.
4) Do not have HUGE meals after 5pm.
5) Reduce the amount of OILY food you consume.
6) Drink more WATER in the morning, less at night.
7) Keep your distance from hand phone CHARGERS.
8) Do not use headphones/earphone for LONG period of time.
9) Best sleeping time is from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning.
10) Do not lie down immediately after taking medicine before sleeping.
11) When battery is down to the LAST grid/bar, do not answer the phone as the radiation is 1000 times.
12) Forward this to those whom you CARE about!
NEW USE FOR VICKS VAPORUB
This is something very simple and useful.
NEW USE FOR VICKS VAPORUB
WOW! I was raised, and raised my kids with Vicks. How come I never knew this? I can't wait for my next cough.
Amazing! READ ITALL. It works 100 percent of the time, Although the scientists at the Canada Research Council (who discovered it) aren't sure why.. To stop night-time coughing in a child (or an adult, as we found out Personally), put Vicks Vaporub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime and then cover with socks.
Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about five minutes, and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. This works 100 percent of the time and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition, it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly.
I heard the head of The Canada Research Council describe these findings by their scientists when they were investigating the effectiveness and usage of prescription cough medicines in children as compared to alternative therapies like acupressure.
I just happened to tune in to a.m. Radio and picked up this guy talking about why cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good due to the chemical make-up of these strong drugs, so I listened. It was found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bedtime and in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly.
My wife tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago and it worked 100 percent! She said it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her. The coughing stopped in a few minutes, and believe me, this was a deep (incredibly annoying - every few seconds!), uncontrollable cough, and she slept cough-free for hours every night she used it. If you end up sick, try it yourself and you will be absolutely amazed at the effect.
Pass this on - especially to those with children or grandchildren.
NEW USE FOR VICKS VAPORUB
WOW! I was raised, and raised my kids with Vicks. How come I never knew this? I can't wait for my next cough.
Amazing! READ ITALL. It works 100 percent of the time, Although the scientists at the Canada Research Council (who discovered it) aren't sure why.. To stop night-time coughing in a child (or an adult, as we found out Personally), put Vicks Vaporub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime and then cover with socks.
Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about five minutes, and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. This works 100 percent of the time and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition, it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly.
I heard the head of The Canada Research Council describe these findings by their scientists when they were investigating the effectiveness and usage of prescription cough medicines in children as compared to alternative therapies like acupressure.
I just happened to tune in to a.m. Radio and picked up this guy talking about why cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good due to the chemical make-up of these strong drugs, so I listened. It was found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bedtime and in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly.
My wife tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago and it worked 100 percent! She said it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her. The coughing stopped in a few minutes, and believe me, this was a deep (incredibly annoying - every few seconds!), uncontrollable cough, and she slept cough-free for hours every night she used it. If you end up sick, try it yourself and you will be absolutely amazed at the effect.
Pass this on - especially to those with children or grandchildren.
10 Brain Damaging Habits
1. No Breakfast - People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.
2. Over-eating - It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.
3. Smoking - It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.
4. High Sugar Consumption - Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.
5. Air Pollution - The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air deceases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.
6. Sleep Deprivation - Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.
7. Head covered while sleeping - Sleeping with the head covered, increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging fects.
8. Working your brain during illness - Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.
9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts - Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.
10. Talking Rarely - Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain.
The main causes of liver damage are:
1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring , and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when! frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.
We should prevent this without ! necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to "schedule."
Because :
Evening at 9 - 11 PM : is the time for eliminating unnecessary/toxic
chemicals (detoxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in an ! unrelaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doin g their homework, this will have a negative impact on health.
Evening at 11pm - 1 am : is the detoxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep sleep state.
Early morning 1 - 3 am : detoxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state.
Early morning 3 - 5 am : detoxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough suffere! rs during this time. Since the detoxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.
Morning 5 - 7am : detoxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.
Morning 7 - 9 am : absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time.Br eakfast should be earlier, before 6:30 am , for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30 am is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 - 10 am rather than no meal at all.
Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of
removing unnecessary chemicals. Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 am is the time when the bone marrow produces blood. Therefore, have a good sleep and don't sleep late.
2. Over-eating - It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.
3. Smoking - It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.
4. High Sugar Consumption - Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.
5. Air Pollution - The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air deceases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.
6. Sleep Deprivation - Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.
7. Head covered while sleeping - Sleeping with the head covered, increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging fects.
8. Working your brain during illness - Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.
9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts - Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.
10. Talking Rarely - Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain.
The main causes of liver damage are:
1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring , and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when! frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.
We should prevent this without ! necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to "schedule."
Because :
Evening at 9 - 11 PM : is the time for eliminating unnecessary/toxic
chemicals (detoxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in an ! unrelaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doin g their homework, this will have a negative impact on health.
Evening at 11pm - 1 am : is the detoxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep sleep state.
Early morning 1 - 3 am : detoxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state.
Early morning 3 - 5 am : detoxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough suffere! rs during this time. Since the detoxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.
Morning 5 - 7am : detoxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.
Morning 7 - 9 am : absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time.Br eakfast should be earlier, before 6:30 am , for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30 am is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 - 10 am rather than no meal at all.
Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of
removing unnecessary chemicals. Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 am is the time when the bone marrow produces blood. Therefore, have a good sleep and don't sleep late.
10 Healthiest Foods For Kids
Our kids are getting bigger. Between junk food, fizzy drinks and lower activity levels, the rates of overweight in children are reaching frightening proportions.
In 2000, 20.3% of boys (2-19 yrs) were overweight while 4.8% were obese. The figures for girls were even more worrying, with 26.6% of girls overweight and 6.8% obese.
Sir John Krebs, the chairman of the Food Standards Agency has described obesity as a 'ticking timebomb' and one of the most serious issues facing us today. And the epidemic of childhood obesity means that, for the first time in more than a century, life expectancy is set to drop.
So, the time has definitely come to get kids into the habit of healthy eating.
Author and nutritionist Leanne Ely has come up with her list of the Top 10 Healthiest Foods for Kids
Before we get to the meat of the matter, here's a quick disclaimer: allergies will prevent a normally healthy food from being a healthy food for any child who may have allergies. This is a general list, meant to offer help and inform when making food choices for your children without allergies. If you have any questions or concerns about food allergies, you may want to ask your GP for advice.
Also, other fruits and vegetables can easily fit into this list aside from the ones mentioned - these particular ones are highlighted for the reasons listed.
Top 10 healthiest foods for kids
Optimal Oats A fabulous breakfast food, full of B vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium. Old-fashioned oats and porridge offer quick energy for busy kids with its carb load and fibre count.
Egg 'em on Eggs are a great source of protein and a host of other nutrients, including the B vitamins, vitamin E and zinc (to name but a few). The Food Standards Agency doesn?t give a limit on how many eggs we should consume but do advise that a healthy diet will include moderate amounts of all protein sources including meat, fish and alternatives such as eggs, pulses, nuts and beans. Remember that young children should not be given raw eggs or eggs with runny yolks.
Nuttin' better Nut butters are great fast foods for kids. Kids need the fat (it's a good fat if it doesn't have hydrogenated oils mixed in it) and they need the protein. And while peanuts can be problematic and even life threatening to allergic kids, other nut butters may be okay (but definitely check with your doctor first). Almond butter is a personal favourite and you can make this simply by crushing or grinding up almonds or other nuts of your choice.
Culture club Kick your child's milk consumption up a notch and include yoghurt on the menu. A great source of calcium, yoghurt is easier to digest than regular milk, and the cultures (check the label for LIVE to make sure they're in there!) are very beneficial to good colon health... especially if your child has been on antibiotics. Watch it on the sugar content though. A better idea is to buy plain yoghurt and sweeten it yourself with fresh fruit.
Mmmm, mmmm melons! My personal choice would be cantaloupe in the melon department. Vitamin C, beta-carotene, bits and pieces of B vitamins and trace minerals and calcium fill every juicy bite. Melons are not to be missed when they're plentiful and in season.
Tree cheers! Kids like to call broccoli "trees" and sometimes you can get picky kids to eat "trees" rather than broccoli. Broccoli is one of the best vegetables for anyone, especially growing kids due to its calcium content and a whole host of other nutrients, such as potassium, beta-carotene and B vitamins.
Terrific tubers Sweet potatoes contain 30mg beta-carotene per serving. It would take 23 servings of broccoli to get that same amount! And with 3 grams of fibre per serving, sweet potatoes deserve a place at the table.
Protein power The fact is that growing kids need protein to keep growing. How you're going to give it to them can vary widely, according to your preferences. Good choices include legumes, beans (combined with a grain to make a complete protein), soy products like tofu, or meat, fish or poultry.
The whole truth The best nutrition is found in the whole grain. Brown rice and whole wheat bread are a quantum leap over their white counterparts and offer necessary fibre, minerals and vitamins. Don't short-change your kids with the white stuff.
OJ is OK Kids can drink too much juice. However, that doesn't mean they should never drink juice. Just don't give it to them in place of water. Orange juice is full of vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, folate and zinc. You can buy calcium-fortified orange juice, too - it's great stuff in moderation.
Now that you know Leanne's top 10 foods, here are a few kid-tested recipes she says will help you incorporate them into your family's diet.
Smoothie patrol
(From Leanne's book Healthy Foods)
Served with a Breakfast Cookie (recipe follows), this makes a great breakfast to go!
50g tofu (I buy the silken tofu)
1 banana, frozen
240ml frozen berries
1 scoop protein powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
120ml orange juice
Put everything in a blender and LET 'ER RIP!
Serves 1. Per serving: 216 calories; 4g total fat; (14%calories from fat); 7g protein; 41g carbohydrate; 2mg cholesterol; 12mg sodium.
Breakfast cookies
(From Leanne's upcoming Frantic Family Cookbook)
240ml brown rice crisp cereal (like Rice Crispies, usually available in health food stores)
120ml oats
2 tbs bran cereal, your choice
2 tbs powdered milk
2 tbs peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 tbs honey (CAUTION: Some experts say honey shouldn't be consumed by babies under 12 months; others urge you to wait until the child is 3.)
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. In a medium bowl, blend together dried cereals, oats and powdered milk. In a smaller bowl, blend peanut butter, vanilla, egg and honey together, mixing well. Make a well in the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Drop big spoonfuls of dough on a non-stick baking tray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown slightly.
Serves 10. Per serving: 70 calories; 3g total fat; (33% calories from fat); 2g protein; 10g carbohydrate; 57mg sodium.
Cheesy broccoli soup
(From Healthy Foods)
2 onions, chopped
a head of broccoli, chopped (stems and all)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbs olive oil
1 litre chicken stock
240ml skimmed milk
100g low-fat cheddar cheese, grated
In a large soup pot, sauté onions and garlic until softened. Add chopped broccoli and continue cooking. Add stock and cook until broccoli is very tender, about 30 minutes. In batches, process soup through a food processor or blender until almost smooth (some chunks are nice). Add milk and continue cooking another 20 minutes, but be careful not to boil or the soup will separate. When nice and thick, remove from heat and serve in individual bowls. Top each bowl with grated cheddar cheese and serve with a great big salad and whole grain bread. Makes a great dinner!
THE SEVEN DANGEROUS
DON'T ACT THE 7 ACTIONS BELOW AFTER YOU HAVE A MEAL
* Don't smoke- Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).
* Don't eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.
* Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.
* Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted & blocked.
* Don't bathe - Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.
* Don't walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.
*Don't sleep immediately - The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine
* Don't smoke- Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).
* Don't eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.
* Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.
* Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted & blocked.
* Don't bathe - Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.
* Don't walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.
*Don't sleep immediately - The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine
Instant Stress Relief
One of the most potent keys to expanding your capacity when you are under pressure is to control your breathing pattern during your day-to-day work. Every day you take between 16,000 and 23,000 breaths, and each breath takes in about 250ml of oxygen and disposes of 200ml of carbon dioxide.
In many Eastern traditions, breath is seen as the 'essence of life' and healing, and is known as 'Qi' (chi), 'prana', or 'life force'. For centuries the Yoga gurus have trained themselves to control their breathing rate to the point where they are able to slow their heart rate down, reduce their blood pressure, dramatically increase or decrease their body temperature, and control the amount of pain they feel in their body. The rate, depth and quality of your breathing can increase your energy levels, calm your nerves, clear your mind, enhance your health and even block pain."
There are 3 general breathing principles that apply to each situation. They are:
1. DEPTH: Allow your abdomen (belly) to move in and out as you breathe. Allow your breathing to be deep in your abdomen, instead of being shallow in your chest. This allows your diaphragm to efficiently draw air in and out of your body. Sitting for long periods often tenses the abdomen muscles, reducing the depth of each breath.As you breathe in, allow your abdomen to move out. As you breathe out, allow your abdomen to move in. (This is the natural way you breathe when you are asleep)
2. POSITION: Remind your body to be in an upright position, instead of stooped or hunched over posture. Being hunched over a computer all day can get your body into the habit of tensing stomach and chest muscles - which restricts your breathing. Every so often, stop what you are doing and deliberately sit up straight. Notice the difference your body position can make to your breathing pattern.
3. FREQUENCY: Taking longer rhythmic breaths both calm your body and help to focus your mind. Breathing in for 4-5 seconds, holding for 2 seconds, then breathing out for 4-5 seconds is a good starting frequency to create positive breathing habits.
Unless you make a habit of breathing deeper, with better body position, and good frequency every day, you will probably fall back into stress induced short, sharp and shallow breathing habits. Remember, using your breathing as a stress relief tool is quick and very efficient. This is the most potent of all the stress management techniques because your breathing patterns controls your emotions, and you can control your breathing.
In many Eastern traditions, breath is seen as the 'essence of life' and healing, and is known as 'Qi' (chi), 'prana', or 'life force'. For centuries the Yoga gurus have trained themselves to control their breathing rate to the point where they are able to slow their heart rate down, reduce their blood pressure, dramatically increase or decrease their body temperature, and control the amount of pain they feel in their body. The rate, depth and quality of your breathing can increase your energy levels, calm your nerves, clear your mind, enhance your health and even block pain."
There are 3 general breathing principles that apply to each situation. They are:
1. DEPTH: Allow your abdomen (belly) to move in and out as you breathe. Allow your breathing to be deep in your abdomen, instead of being shallow in your chest. This allows your diaphragm to efficiently draw air in and out of your body. Sitting for long periods often tenses the abdomen muscles, reducing the depth of each breath.As you breathe in, allow your abdomen to move out. As you breathe out, allow your abdomen to move in. (This is the natural way you breathe when you are asleep)
2. POSITION: Remind your body to be in an upright position, instead of stooped or hunched over posture. Being hunched over a computer all day can get your body into the habit of tensing stomach and chest muscles - which restricts your breathing. Every so often, stop what you are doing and deliberately sit up straight. Notice the difference your body position can make to your breathing pattern.
3. FREQUENCY: Taking longer rhythmic breaths both calm your body and help to focus your mind. Breathing in for 4-5 seconds, holding for 2 seconds, then breathing out for 4-5 seconds is a good starting frequency to create positive breathing habits.
Unless you make a habit of breathing deeper, with better body position, and good frequency every day, you will probably fall back into stress induced short, sharp and shallow breathing habits. Remember, using your breathing as a stress relief tool is quick and very efficient. This is the most potent of all the stress management techniques because your breathing patterns controls your emotions, and you can control your breathing.
STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters... S.T.R.
STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters... S.T.R.
My friend sent this to me and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree. If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Please read:
STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm , Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this... A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to S MILE .
T * Ask the person to T ALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (eg 'It is sunny out today').
R * Ask him or her to R AISE BOTH ARMS .
NOTE : Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 999 immediately! ! and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.
My friend sent this to me and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree. If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Please read:
STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm , Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this... A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to S MILE .
T * Ask the person to T ALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (eg 'It is sunny out today').
R * Ask him or her to R AISE BOTH ARMS .
NOTE : Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 999 immediately! ! and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.
VERY Important INFO about Water Bottle!!
How to avoid:
Check on the bottom of the bottle there is a triangle sign and there will be a number on it.
If the number is higher than or equal to 5 --> then this bottle is safe to use.
Whatever number under 5, will release the chemical. For most bottle water, the number is 1.
Did you know chemical released by plastic water bottles can cause cancer
(It is not the water that affecting you but the chemical releasing from the bottle)
Pass this to all your friends and also make them aware of it
Pass this to all your friends and also make them aware of it
CORRECT WAY OF COOKING NOODLES
The correct way to cook instant noodles without harming our bodies and
health. `Normally, how we cook the instant noodles is to put the noodles
into a pot with water, throw in the powder and let it cook for around 3
minutes and then it's ready to eat.
This is *the **WRONG* method of cooking the instant noodles.
By doing this, when we actually boil the ingredients in the powder, normally
with MSG, it will change the molecular structures of the MSG causing it to
be toxic.
The other thing that you may or may not realize is that, the noodles are
coated with wax (lilin) and it will take around 4 to 5 days for the body to excrete
the wax after you have taken the noodles.*
CORRECT** **METHOD* :
1. boil the noodles in a pot with water.
2. once the noodles is cooked, take out the noodles, and* **throw* *away the
water which contains wax(lilin)**.*
3. boil another pot of water till boiling and put the noodles into the hot
boiling water and then shut the fire.
4. only at this stage when the fire is off, and while the water is very hot,
put the ingredient with the powder into the water, to make noodle soup.
5. however, if you need dry noodles, take out the noodles and add the
ingredient with the powder and toss it to get dry noodles.
Please share this info and help save a life.
Health tips - Regular Health Mistakes
Regular Health Mistakes
All of us make little health mistakes that cause damage to our bodies in the long run - simply because we are unaware we are doing something wrong. Here are some of the most common mistakes made by many of us.
Crossing our legs
Do you cross your legs at your knees when sitting? Although we may believe that this is the lady-like elegant way to sit, sitting this way cuts down circulation to your legs. If you don"t want varicose veins to mar the beauty of your legs and compromise your health, uncross your legs every time you realise you have one knee on top of the other. The best way to sit is to simply place both legs together on the floor, balancing your weight equally. If you feel like changing position, instead of crossing your legs, simply move both legs together to one side. As an alternative, you could also consider crossing your legs loosely at the ankles. This is a classically elegant way to sit, and is far better for your legs and your health than sitting with your legs crossed at your knees.
Not changing our toothbrush
How often do you change your toothbrush? Most of us wait until most of the bristles have either fallen off, or are in such bad shape that we"d be embarrassed to pull out our brush in public. However, since not many of us need to pull out our brush in public, we carry on with our frayed one until we lose it. Replace your toothbrush often. Damaged bristles can harm the enamel, and don"t massage your gums well. If you find brushing your teeth a pain like I do, but know you must do it, you might as well be doing it right. Imagine going through the annoyance of brushing your teeth twice a day only to find out that you"re damaging your enamel every time you clean your teeth. Also, use a brush with soft bristles unless your dentist has advised otherwise.
Eating out often
There are oils that are high in cholesterol, and oils that cause little harm and are better for your heart. However, no matter how light the oil is, it is never a good idea to eat too much of it. Avoid fried foods.Remember that in all probability your favourite Indian food restaurant throws a huge, HUGE chunk of butter in a tiny bowl of dal. Rita, who worked in the kitchen of a 5 star hotel, was shocked when she saw the cook chop a 500gm butter slab in half, and throw half into a Paneer Makhani dish. No wonder the customers left licking their fingers. And no wonder they felt so stuffed and heavy afterwards. Limit outdoor eating unless you know that you"re getting served light and healthy food.
Never, ever skip breakfast. Remember, when you wake up in the morning it"s been around 10-12 hours since your last meal. Your body needs food now, more than at any other time. Eat a heavy breakfast. You will then be busy through the day, and the calories will get expended quickly. If you are trying to diet, eat a light dinner. Here are some more common health mistakes we make. Being informed and making a few changes can help make us feel a whole lot better.
High heels
High heels sure look great, but they're murder for your back. This however doesn't mean you should steer clear of stilettos. Wear them, but not when you know you will be walking around a lot. Wear them when going out for lunch or dinner - when the only walking you will be doing is to your car, to the table, and back. Avoid high heels when you are going somewhere on foot. If you are constantly tempted to wear your heels, take a good look at your flats. Is there something about them you dislike? Invest in a new pair of beautiful flats or shoes with a low heel. Buy something you love, that you will enjoy wearing. If possible, get a matching bag. You will then enjoy your flats as much as you do your heels.
Sleeping on a soft bed
You don't have to sleep on the floor be kind to your back, but do make sure you have a firm mattress. Although a mattress on springs is soft and lovely to sink into, it's bad for your back. If you already have an old bed with springs, you don't need to invest in a new one - simply get a thick wooden plank put over the springs, and place the mattress on the plank. Similarly, if your mattress is old and lumpy, throw it out and get a new one. Your neck and your back will thank you. The same rule applies to sofas. If you will be spending hours on a sofa, get a firm yet comfortable one. Sofas you completely sink into are not the best idea.
Pillows
No matter how comfortable sleeping with ten cushions is, have pity on your neck and resist. Sleep with one pillow, and make sure it is not too thick. If your pillow gets lumpy, discard it and go for a new one. Get a thin pillow if you sleep on your stomach, and something a little thicker if you sleep on your back, to give your neck adequate support
Not exercising
So all of us know we should exercise more, but many of us don't. This is a health mistake we consciously make! And why is that? Simply because we refuse to admit the damage we are causing to our bodies by not working out. A number of people only start working out once they've experienced a warning signal. Don't wait for a heart attack to strike before you decide to opt for a lifestyle change. Make the change now. You don't need to train for the marathon to be in top shape. Half an hour of brisk walking three to four times a week will make a world of difference to your health. You could then increase this to forty minutes, four times a week - and you're all set. If you haven't exercised for a week, you're making a mistake.