Healthy Hair

Do you want to know the secret to healthier hair? Here it is: It’s not what you put or apply on them; it’s what you eat that makes them healthy!

Do you know that the foundation of all new skin, hair, and nail growth is the nutrients found in food? This means that when the diet is healthy, the body will grow stronger and healthier cells.

So what are considered foods for the hair?

Salmon

Salmon tops the list because it’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, a high quality protein which is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron.

Shiny, healthy hair is a result of well-nourished scalp; and for a well-nourished scalp, the essential omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon are perfect. According to dieticians, dry scalp results to dry and dull hair. So for good and healthy looking hair, feast on salmon for its omega-3 content.

If you’re Vegan, a good source of omega 3 fats is flaxseed. For healthier hair, be sure to include 1 or 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed in your daily diet.

Green Vegetables

Dark Green Vegetables

For healthier hair, Vitamins A and C are also essential. These two, Vitamins A and C helps the body produce sebum, the oily substance secreted by the hair follicles. Sebum is the body’s natural hair conditioner, and it helps keep the hair healthy and shiny. Good sources of Vitamin A include dark green vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and Swiss chard. Aside from Vitamins A and C, dark green vegetables also provide iron and calcium which are also needed by the body.

Beans

Protein is necessary to promote hair growth, and beans are a rich source of protein. Moreover, beans also contain plenty of iron, zinc, and biotin, minerals that are necessary for healthy hair. Best sources of protein are legumes like lentils and kidney beans, so be sure to include them in your diet.

Nuts

Nuts

Nuts, especially Brazil nuts, are one of nature’s best sources of selenium, an important mineral for healthy scalp.

Another nut that’s also very useful in growing and maintaining healthy hair is walnut. Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that helps condition hair. Walnuts, cashew nuts, pecans, and almonds are also excellent sources of zinc. Do you know that zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding? To avoid this, make sure nuts are a regular part of your healthy hair diet.

Do you know that having a healthy sex life has major benefits that you have never imagined possible? Below are some of these benefits.

1. It Burns Enough Calories to Help Loose Weight
Are you aware that for every 30 minutes that you engage in love-making, you actually burn 75 to 150 calories? This is according to the founder and the Medical Director of Alternity Healthcare, Dr. Desmond Ebanks. Sex is a good physical activity, and it’s comparable to other physical activities that also help burn calories. For instance, doing Yoga for 30 minutes burns 114 calories; dancing for 30 minutes burns 129 calories; and when you walk for 30 minutes, you also burn 153 calories.

Do you know that making love also help muscles stay lean? This is because sexual arousal and orgasm releases testosterone, the hormone that helps build and maintain bone and lean muscle tissue.

2. It Makes the Heart Healthy
Making love raises the heart rate and increases the blood flow. A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showed that having frequent sex, more than twice a week significantly reduced the risk of fatal heart attack by 50%.

3. It Makes Sleeping at Night Better
Studies show that people who have frequent and satisfying sex say that they handle stress better. The reason for this is simple: after the woman’s orgasm and after the man’s ejaculation or orgasm, a deep relaxation typically follows. People report that sleep becomes more deep and restful after satisfying lovemaking.

4. It Boosts the Immune System
A study conducted at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania showed that individuals who have sex once or twice a week show 30% higher levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody known to boost the immune system.

5. It Improves Mental Health
According to a medical expert, the quickest way to boost mood, fight depression and beat anxiety is through sex with a love one. This is because psychologically, sex improves mental health by building intimacy and reducing stress. When stress is reduced, the cortisol level of the person is lowered which in effect reduces the chances of increased blood pressure, increased acidity in the abdomen, hyperglycemia.

6. It Can Help Ease Pain
Medical experts believe that there is a real connection between sex and pain management. This happens when the hormone oxytocin is secreted in the body through sexual arousal and orgasm. Oxytocin in the body causes the release of endorphins or natural opiates, which make the act of making love, or having sex a powerful analgesic.

Muscles that are healthy and strong are very appealing. Can you imagine an older man with sexy muscles in all the right places? Think about strong sexy muscles in the chest, in the arms, in the shoulder and back muscles, the core (the abs), and the leg muscles.

Here’s the catch! There’s more to this than just older men with sexy muscles.

Chest Muscles

Men with chest muscles are sexy and attractive. Of course it takes a lot of exercise and discipline to develop those muscles in the chest, but what many do not know is the fact that the process of building strong chest muscles improves the metabolism. Exercises directed at building strong chest muscles help the body remove sugar from the blood, ultimately protecting the person doing the exercise against diabetes.

There’s more! When men who are entering their golden age towards their senior years exercise and focus on building stronger muscles in the chest, it not only helps them stay healthy, it also helps a lot in their daily activities. According to health experts, as men age, activities of daily living such as cutting grass and carrying groceries are affected due to loss of muscle strength. The best way to maintain muscle strength is through exercise, in particular exercises that focus on the triceps, biceps, shoulder and back muscles, and chest muscles.

The best exercise for strong chest muscles is the bench press because it works all the chest muscles and especially helps in building pecs.

Arm Muscles

The arms are very important, that’s why preserving muscle mass and muscle strength is very important. Everyday, there is the constant need to work, to lift and to carry things, and to do a million other tasks using the arms and the hands. Without muscle strength in the arms, these daily tasks will never be done.

The best exercise for strong arm muscles is called curls which can be done with dumbbells, a barbell, or a machine.

Shoulder and Back Muscles

The shoulders are involved in almost every movement of the arms. This means that even in ordinary days, without proper or formal exercise, the back and shoulder muscles are exercised. However, building back muscles requires extra attention so they become stronger. The best way to do this is by challenging the muscles with exercises that focuses on resistance training. The best exercise for the shoulder and back muscles is rowing as it builds back muscles very effectively.

So if you want to look good and feel good, work on those three muscle groups now and you will never regret doing it!

Below are some of the reasons that explain why exercise is very important and why people need to exercise.

Exercise Keeps Your Heart Healthy

The heart is the most important muscle in the body, and regular exercise helps keep the heart strong and healthy. As people exercise regularly, the heart is kept strong as it pumps more blood per beat. This means that at rest, the heart rate is lower. With regular exercise, the heart will be free from plaque making it a very reliable pump. Together with the heart, the cardiovascular system will also function more effectively.

Exercise Helps Fight Diseases

Regular exercise has also been known to help prevent the following diseases: high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, bone loss or osteoporosis, and even loss of muscle mass.

Other good things that come as a result of regular exercise include stronger immune system (which helps fight against common colds and flu) as well as stronger and more flexible muscles and joints. Then there’s one more: regular exercise is said to also help alleviate some aspects of the aging process.

Exercise Makes You Smarter

Regular exercise does not only affect a person’s physical well-being; it also makes him smarter! This is because regular exercise helps improve a person’s mental function.

How does this happen? It is said that regular exercise increases a person’s energy levels which results to an increase of serotonin in the brain. The increase of serotonin then leads to enhanced mental clarity, which then leads to better things such as being able to make better decisions and to have a happier outlook in life.

Exercise Is One of the Best Antidotes for Stress

Regular exercise produces serotonin which helps make a person feel better. Moreover, regular exercise generates a relaxation response that serves as a positive distraction from any form of stressors. In a nutshell, exercise helps lift up the mood and keep depression at bay.

A happier and healthier you: this is the promise that comes after doing regular exercise. It’s really not impossible, nor is it difficult. The question is simple: do you really want to be healthy? If yes, then exercise! It’s as simple as that!

Walking is said to be one of the easiest and simplest way to lose weight. Normally, a 30 minute walk in the morning and another 30 minute walk in the evening are ideal.

To make your daily walks more effective, here are different types of walk that you can do to make your daily exercise more interesting and high impact.

Cat Walk

The Cat Walk targets the abs, the obliques, and the inner thighs. The cat walk is done by placing the hands on the hips, taking a step forward, crossing the left leg over the right thigh (so left foot lands to right of an imaginary median line in front of you) as torso rotates to left.

Balance Walk

The Balance Walk targets the abs and the hips. The balance walk is done by talking a step forward with right foot, then raising the arms straight overhead with the palms facing each other. The arms reach the top as the right heel touches down.

Toe Walk

The Toe Walk targets the shoulders, the abs, and the calves. This is done by walking quickly on tiptoes, keeping the weight centered on the balls of the feet and taking short steps just like a ballet dancer. Consecutively, press the arms overhead. Begin in a goalpost pose with the elbows bent 90 degrees and raised out to the sides at shoulder level. In this position, the hands should be in fists with the palms facing forward. Next, quickly press the arms straight overhead and open the hands so that the palms are facing each other.

Continue toe walking for 1 minute, alternating the goalpost and the overhead arm position as you move along.

Tick-Tock Walk

The Tick-Tock Walk targets the hips and the butt.

This is done by bringing the fists in front of the chest with the elbows bent. Form a diagonal line with bent elbows, with the left elbow above shoulder level and the right elbow below as you take a step forward with your left foot.

As you land on your left foot, lift your right leg out to the side with your toes pointing forward. Straighten your arms in the diagonal line.

If you find this difficult, you can modify this to make it easier. Simply keep your elbows bent by your sides, place your fists in front of your chest. You may opt not to do the arm movements if you find it to confusing or challenging.

Next, bend your elbows and return your fists to the chest, this time with your right elbow above your shoulder level and the left elbow below. Take a step forward with your right leg.

Next, extend your arms again as you land on your right foot and then lift your left leg out to the side. Do the tick-tock walk for 1 minute or more.

Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise. Begin walking now and enjoy the good health that comes from doing it regularly.

Dancing

Oh! I’m sure a lot of eyebrows are probably raised when the title was read, but it’s true!

Studies have shown that ballroom dancing is one of the many activities perfectly suited for most people, even seniors. Why is that? The reason is simple. It starts with dancing as a whole. In general, dancing encompasses something bigger that just the steps done and the music being listened and moved to. Dancing involves the interaction of the total person: dancing makes him perform a physical activity; it allows him to interact with others thus enhancing his social interaction; and it stimulates his thinking as he listens to the music, as he plans his movements, and as he smiles to his partner or audience. This he does while making sure that he is enjoying every minute of it.

Thus, dancing involves every aspect in a person: the physical, the mental, the social, and the emotional; it “exercises” the whole person!

Benefits of Dancing

Health – In dancing, the cardiovascular system gets better, the muscle tone improves, and calories are burned. Dancing is considered a low-impact aerobic activity which also develops strength, balance, and flexibility. Dancing sharpens agility, speed, and control.

Dancing

Relaxation – Dancing as a form of exercise is a great stress reliever because it’s done in a fun and pleasant atmosphere.

Social Life – The socialization with other dancers allows a person to meet new people and create new friendships and associations. It affords people a chance to be excited on something; to look forward to dance practices or dance presentations, which in turn improves their attitude towards life. Isn’t it true that when there’s something exciting being looked-forward to, people are more motivated to wake up every morning and do better and become better? This is very important especially with seniors.

Fun – In relation to the benefits dancing brings to a person’s social life, dancing is an awesome way to inject excitement to life. The whole process of learning how to dance and executing the dance as perfectly as possible can be very challenging. But the invaluable thing here that money can not buy is the fun and excitement that happens as dance steps are learned and practiced. It’s what happens during the practices that are very valuable; the friendships forged between dancers. One can just imagine the smiles and the laugh of all the participants during the dance practices.

Here’s another plus: dancing makes a person smart! This is according to a major study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly . The result of the study added to the growing evidence that stimulating one’s mind can ward off Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia. Dancing also increases cognitive acuity at all ages.

All these and more make dancing a perfect activity for people, even seniors. Just a gentle reminder: start slow and enjoy dancing!

Live a healthy lifestyle

So your doctor tells you that your bones are no longer as strong as they should be and that you have osteoporosis, a condition that renders your bones to be brittle and porous. What should you do?

I’m sure the first question that enters your mind would be to ask if something can still be done about it. Sure there is, as your doctor will surely tell you that though osteoporosis can no longer be reversed, something can still be done to stop it from progressing.

The solution calls for a lifestyle change; a total deviation from many unhealthy practices to a new and totally different way of life.

Calcium and Vitamin D

First, the new lifestyle change requires a new boost of both calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the body absorb Calcium which is essential in building strong bones. Women who are in the menopausal stage need 1,200 milligrams calcium and at least 400 IU to 600 IU vitamin D daily for better bone health.

Since it’s not a guarantee that the calcium from food taken daily is sufficient to meet the calcium needs of the person with osteoporosis, calcium supplements may be taken. There are two types of calcium supplements: calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.

• Calcium carbonate must be taken with food for the body to absorb it. There are, however, side effects of calcium carbonate such as constipation, gastrointestinal upset, and gassiness.
• Calcium citrate is generally well tolerated and it can be taken without food.

Healthy Foods Rich in Calcium

Dairy products and some vegetable are rich in Calcium. Here are some examples of these calcium-rich food and how much calcium they contain:

• Low-fat milk or soy milk (8 ounces): 300 milligrams calcium
• Low-fat yogurt (8 ounces): 250-400 milligrams calcium
• Calcium-fortified orange juice (6 ounces): 200 milligrams-260 milligrams calcium
• Cooked broccoli (1/2 cup) 40 milligrams calcium
• Cooked turnip greens, spinach, collard greens (1/2 cup): 100 milligrams calcium
• Cottage cheese (16 ounces): 300 milligrams calcium
• Canned salmon (3 ounces): 180 milligrams calcium

Do Weight-Bearing Exercises

Strength Training

Doing regular exercises for people with osteoporosis is invaluable. Now you might wonder if you’re getting it right: exercise for those with osteoporosis. Yes, definitely! Doing regular exercises fit for muscle strengthening is ideal in osteoporosis management. So what are these exercises? Well, there are at least 5 exercises that are best for those with osteoporosis. But remember that before doing any of these exercises, go talk to your doctor fist. He will tell you what to do and how to do them properly.

So what are these exercises? These are very simple exercises that need very minimal equipment. These are: walking, hiking, dancing, aerobics, and strength training. To know more about these exercises, talk to your doctor. He may also recommend you to someone who can help you with your exercise, like a trainer for example.

Here are 5 tips to remember before starting an exercise regimen.

1. See Your Doctor First

It is essential that prior to jumping into a treadmill or before lying on your back and reaching for your toes that you have to go see your doctor first.

This can not be overemphasized enough for the reason that your doctor knows what’s best for you based on your current health condition. Your doctor will make recommendations as to the type of exercise that will benefit you most; and he may also know of somebody who can assist you in your exercise program.

2. Choose a Program that You Like

Be sure you choose the kind of program or exercise that you like; something that you will enjoy doing. Would you like to do it alone? Or would you like to do it in a gym? Would you like to be assisted by a fitness instructor or would you rather do it alone? These are just some of the options you have. Be sure to think about these questions and decide what’s best for you according to your liking

3. Start Leisurely

Avoid jumping into any exercise regimen too fast. Do it slowly or gradually; you’re your body adjust to the regimen. The number one reason why many people begin an exercise program and then stop after just a few attempts is because the overdid it the first few times, causing severe and abrupt exhaustion.

A good way to start slowly is to walk in the mornings or in the evenings, even for just a few minutes.

Maybe you can walk to the street curb in the next block, or to the park and back to your house. When you do this regularly, your body will slowly adjust. In due time, you can slowly increase the frequency of your activity, or the variety of your exercise regimen.

4. Find an Exercise Partner or Partners

Some people do better in their exercise programs if they do it with a buddy or when they do it with friends. So you might consider looking for an exercise partner or an exercise group. How about getting your friends to walk with you every morning? Or you can also ask from your neighbors, friends, and associates if there is already a walking group in your neighborhood? Having friends that share your goals are valuable – they make exercise enjoyable and worth looking forward to.

5. Decide to Live Healthy

Since you are already moving forward with gusto, do an assessment of the other things in your life that you need to change. In order for you to progress, there are things that just need to be left behind: bad habits perhaps? For instance, stop watching soap opera in the early evenings. Instead, have a leisurely walk in the patio or in the garden. Go to your favorite barbershop when the soap is showing. This way, you give yourself more time to walk and exercise rather than just sit and do nothing. Simply avoid nonproductive activities.

Deciding to live healthy through exercise is a good move. Press on; never let a day pass without you getting the exercise you need. What’s the easiest and cheapest form of exercise? Walking! Sp pick up yourself from the couch, put on your most comfortable shoes, text or call your friends and tell them its time for you to take your walk! 

Arm Toning and Strengthening Exercise

According to experts, arm toning and strengthening exercises are important throughout life. This means that age is immaterial; one can be 16 years and start doing the arm toning and strengthening exercise, or one can be in her late 50’s. One advantage of doing the arm toning and strengthening exercise is that it likewise develops upper body strengths – not just the arms!

The Bigger Picture

To make the most impact, however, health experts suggest that it would be wiser to look at the whole body as the object – not just the arms. So, more than just the arm toning exercises that are essential in attaining sexy and toned arms, a healthy diet and regular cardiovascular exercises are also highly recommended.

So you might be asking now what kinds of exercises are ideal to get those sexy and toned upper arms? According to exercise instructors, they use multi-muscle, multi-joint exercises for their clients. This means that they work more muscle at one time which helps increase the number of calories burned. This is crucial so that the fats found in the upper arms are burned and the muscles are strengthened and toned.

Are Gym Equipment Necessary?

Experts say if you have them; use them. But if you don’t, it does not really matter much. Upper arm strengthening and toning can be done using any of the following:

o Bands;

o Weights;

o Machines;

o Cables;

o your own body weight; and

o Even your grocery store bags!

The best multi-joint, multi-muscle exercises recommended by exercise experts are the following:

1. push-up or tricep push-up;
2. Reverse Plank Pull-up;
3. Bicep Curl/Shoulder Press Combo; and
4. Tricep Dips.

Music helps fight fatigue; it also invigorates the mind and the muscle. Now you may sarcastically ask me “Do you mean that when I listen to music, I stay healthy?” My answer will be a resounding yes! But then let me add that listening to music is of course not enough. To stay healthy, there are some things you have to do as you listen to your favorite music.

If you follow a healthy lifestyle and you exercise regularly, you can increase the enjoyment from your workouts when you listen to music.

According to the results of a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, when the tempo of music was increased by 10 % without the knowledge of the participants who were cyclists, the subjects pedaled with more power and went farther because they enjoyed the music.

Listening to music also helps motivate people who are exercising to push harder and to keep going.

This is especially true if the music being listened to is the right kinds of music: inspirational, those with good beats and tempo. It has also been noted that music that has action words in their lyrics – words that propel people to action such as “work it”, “push it” and “I believe” can actually subconsciously drive people to keep going.

Have you noticed that when you are enjoying the music that’s playing as background when you are working out or exercising (and this is also true when you are doing your chores at home); you actually finish your tasks without even noticing it and you realize that you’re not really exhausted or tired? This is because music helps lower an individual’s rate of perceived exertion; this is according to Karageorghis, deputy head of research at the School of Sport and Education at Brunel University.

Lastly, listening to good music also makes people feel better; puts a smile on their faces.

So, listening to music is not just about entertainment after all; it’s also about fitness and health!

An end note; There is a warning: listening to music while working in the office, while studying, or while performing tasks that requires concentration is not advisable. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Wales Institute showed that listening to music while performing tasks that require concentration and memory recall negatively affected performance.