When it Comes to Nutrition

Posted on Aug. 21, 2008 at 4:52 AM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

There is so much advice out there on Nutrition it's become an absolute minefield, especially with the advent of the internet, just what is it all about. Although everyone knows it is very important to eat an healthy diet, are you sure what is good for you and what isn't. When it comes to fruit, although we all know a few of our favorites,  why not try, bananas, apricots, dates, melons, peaches, pineapples, raisins, strawberries, tangerines and even just drinking 100 percent fruit juice, the list is almost endless. Some of the better vegetables to be including in your diet would be carrots, collards, green beans, green peas, potatoes (my favorite), spinach, broccoli, tomatoes.

Lean meats are essential also, like shellfish, beef, poultry, pork, the most essential thing here would be to make sure you select only the very lean cuts and trim away any visible fats, also try and poach, broil or roast the meats whenever possible always try and remove all the skin from any poultry you have.

Lose Weight

Blueberries: These 'super' berries are so full of anti-oxidants that they actually rank number one in the world of anti-oxidants! They are an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, B complex, iron, and Ellagic Acid and Anthocyanin. Blueberries can help prevent certain types of cancer, dissolve bad cholesterol, strengthen the cardiac muscles, boost the body's immune system and prevent infections.

-Yogurt: A powerhouse of goodness for your body, it is an excellent source of calcium, protein, and Vitamin B12. It boosts the body's immune system and reduces the risk for certain types of cancer. Yogurt contains "good" bacteria that help to digest food, provide relief from vaginal infections, and prevent stomach infections.

-Whole grains: Due to the high fiber content, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, and disease-fighting anti-oxidants in whole grains, a diet rich in whole grains reduces the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Add oatmeal, whole grain breads and pastas, and brown rice to your diet.

-Beans: A complex carbohydrate that is rich in fiber, folic acid, protein, calcium and iron, beans can lower cholesterol levels, balance blood glucose levels in diabetics and reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Dried beans provide the most nutrients. Best choices are red beans, kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans.

Bowflex Diet

In your Bowflex manual you get a menu with details and choice of what you can eat. You would be eating slightly below 2,000 calories a day. For most people that number is not high or low, and efficient in loosing weight. You have to burn more than you eat. That's very important. But you cannot torture your body. You are doing exercises and your body absolutely needs calories .You have to drink more liquid than you do. It would be the best to use water. Always have a bottle of water somewhere beside you. One of the side effects is that if you eat like 3 hours and drink more fluid, there is no way you'll feel any hunger. You will feel light and happy.

Control Your Cholesterol Level

Cholesterol is an essential part of our metabolism; it helps make hormones, for example. But too much in your bloodstream can be a problem, especially if it is being left behind on the walls of your arteries. There are several simple techniques you can use to keep your cholesterol levels in a safe range, or to help reduce them if they are too high.   Have you recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol? If you would like to manage it yourself, through diet and lifestyle, read on.

Physical exercise increases the amount of HDLs in your bloodstream. So while you are enjoying that game of tennis or walking through the bush, the HDLs in your bloodstream are increasing in number, busy collecting fats from cells and returning them to the liver for disposal.  

Best Exercises for Back

Posted on Aug. 21, 2008 at 4:51 AM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Back exercises are often prescribed effectively as an alternative to surgery. Doing daily back exercises can significantly reduce back pain related to a variety of common ailments. However, not every exercise is appropriate for some conditions and certain back exercises may even make the problem worse. This is why it’s important to check with your doctor about which exercises will help or hinder you.

Back Strengthening Exercises

Back exercises are one of the better ways to relieve yourself from back pain and lead a healthy life. It is important to ensure that exercises are worked within a range of motion, so as not to further strain the painful back. In case you experience pain while doing some stretching steps, stop exercising immediately. Avoid sudden movements and jerks when performing back exercises, even though it maybe hard to perform the steps in a slow and controlled motion. One of the back exercises that gently stretch your back muscles is: lie on your back with knees bent. Slowly raise your left knee to your chest, while pressing your lower back firmly against the floor. Remain in position for 5 seconds. Relax; repeat the exercise with your right knee. Repeat this exercise 10 times for each leg.

Sciatica Exercises

Sciatica exercises focus on strengthening the abdominal and back muscles. These exercises include stretching, which helps in improving the flexibility of the back muscles, resulting in reduced pain. Doctors recommend different exercises for sciatica patients, depending on the cause of sciatica, which can also occur due to serious medical conditions such as an infection or tumor. One has to do these exercises regularly and in a proper manner in order to derive maximum benefit.

The most common sciatica exercises that are recommended for the treatment of sciatica-related pain are the Hamstring stretching exercises. The hamstrings are the muscles located in the back of the thigh and help in bending the knee. You must also perform exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles in order to get relief from the sciatica pain.

Benefits of back exercises

One of the simpler back exercises that you can do is a pelvic tilt. Lie on your back with your feet flat and knees bent. Keep your legs together and cross your arms over your chest and then you are going to tilt your pelvis and push your low back to the floor. Slowly lift your buttocks off the floor as far as you can without straining your muscles. After maintaining the position for about 5 seconds, slowly lower your buttocks back to the floor.

Lower Back Pain Exercises

Lower back pain exercises are very important for the treatment of back pain and the strengthening of the back muscles. The lower back pain exercises recommended by one’s orthopedic surgeon or the physiotherapist need to be carried out regularly and in the correct manner in order to derive maximum benefit.

Walking, swimming, biking and aerobic exercises are commonly recommended lower back pain exercises. However, doctors recommend different exercises in accordance to the condition of a patient. The exercises recommended in the initial and final stages of the treatment also vary. It is important to ensure that the abdominal muscles remain contracted during each exercise. For this, one needs to lie on his/her back with knees bent and hands resting below ribs.