Due to a lot of health complications, problems and stress related issues people are very cautious of what they eat and exercise too. Many people read books in order to get a deeper insight in the world of health. There are some books which are highly recommended for good health and greater self.

1. Yoga- A path to Holistic health: This book is written by B.K.S Iyengar, a yoga guru from India. His method of yoga became famous as the Iyengar Yoga. His previous books are also well known for his different ways of yoga and views on health. He is one of the leading yoga teachers in the world and getting direct views from him is very helpful for a yoga beginner or an established yoga follower. He has talked about poses which are helpful for some health ailments and also given other asanas which are helpful for proper respiration and also reduce stress.
2. The Pilates Body: This book is written by Brooke Siler. It provides a guide to the reader to tone muscles and strengthen the body without the use of any weights and introduces the reader to Pilates, a form of exercise. The author discusses the basic poses and alignments in Pilates. Besides the basic stuff, she has also given modifications for   people who have some joint, neck and back pains and people who have grown old. The author, who learnt  from the oldest living instructor of Pilates, has given a very brief and proper understanding of Pilates in the book.
3. SuperFoods HealthStyle- Proven strategies for Lifelong Health: The authors of the book, Steven Pratt and Kathy Matthews have given a program for a year which is based on healthy food, exercise and other good and healthy habits. There are many healthy recipes which one can use to prepare delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner and also desserts. Along with the recipes, the authors have also given quantities of the food to be eaten daily.
4. Understanding Nutrition: The author of the book is Eleanor Ross Whitney. She talks about the latest developing trends in the field of nutrition and food. The book is very helpful for students learning nutrition and also for people who love to get into the depths of their own nutrition and food they eat. The language used by the author is simple such that commoners can also understand the concepts.
5. You- The owner’s manual: The authors of the book are Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, both doctors. This book written in a humorous way talking about the various body parts and organs which many do not even know about. Their basic aim of writing the book is to make the reader understand their own body and how to make sure nothing goes wrong with it.

To get that lean look you’ve always fantasized about, all you need to do is go to the gym and workout! But we all know that it is easier said than done. Some people follow their workout schedule diligently while the others leave it half way. And most often than not, people do not get what they desire. However, in order to get that body you have always drooled over, you need to put in a lot of dedication and hard work. Only working out in the gym may not yield results. Diet is also an essential component that can help you get the body you have always wanted.

The following seven steps will guide you to reach your goal of having a lean body:

You have been going to the gym everyday now to lose that extra flab but it is just not showing the results you want to see! You are naturally frustrated with your workout and tired of running on the treadmill because you are not getting what you desire out of your regime. Giving up is not an option. So, what you need is motivation to maintain the regularity of your workout!  

The most common reason to give up exercise is not losing weight or not getting the desired results. This leads to laziness and erratic workout schedules. You need to find the best way to keep yourself motivated to run that extra mile so that you can be regular for your daily workout. Here are five ways you can use to keep yourself pumped up and not avoid your gym schedule:

1. Set Realistic Goals: Set weekly goals, but realistic ones. If you are working out just once a week, make it a point to go twice this week and then thrice the next week and so on. Try and mark your days on the calendar so that you know when you went last and when you have to go next. This way, you can reach your target quite easily without adding unwarranted frustration to your life.

1. Reward yourself: Once you fulfill you weekly goals, make sure you gift yourself something you like. For instance, a healthy dinner at your favorite place down the wharf should do the trick. Another good way of keeping yourself motivated is, buying new workout clothes, like the t-shirt that never fit you last year. In this way, you would know that your workouts are working.

1. Change your Workout: Once you have regularized your workout, don’t get stuck up with the same exercise regime. Change is always good. Challenge you body by changing your cardio days with running outdoors along the beach. Try some variations by doing Pilates or yoga or even aerobics.

1. Get an exercise buddy: The thought of getting out of the house to go and sweat in the gym ‘alone’ is very distressing. Rope in a friend from your neighbourhood or a colleague for your workout. Also, if one of you is lazy to get up for your workout, the other one easily motivates the other to get up and run to the gym. Make sure you don’t get work to the workout; the workout can get very stressful then!

1. Get out of the gym, go Outdoors! If you feel that the gym is the only place you can lose weight, then you are totally wrong. After a point you may not be motivated to go and just run on the treadmill for 20 minutes. At such a point in your exercise life, go outside your workout place. Even an hour of sports like tennis, daily, gives enough cardio and strength workout. Trekking on weekends is a great getaway and a great workout! 

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Years of experience and research indicate that since men and women are different, there are different foods that are beneficial to each of them. In order to maintain good health and wellbeing, there are some food products that men and women should avoid.

Looking at food broadly, there are some categories of food products which should be an absolute no-no for men who want to have a better and healthier life ahead. The following are the categories of food products which have to be listed as ‘better to avoid’ food items:

•  Fats: Trans-fat and saturated-fat products: A balanced diet should include approved amounts of all food classes including fat. Avoiding fat does not mean that it should be banned from the diet. But, over eating trans-fat and saturated-fat food products is harmful, especially for men. More fat increases weight in the abdominal area. Moreover, men are more likely to put on weight compared to women around the abdomen due to excess fat. To add to the concern, fats serve as a trigger for the most feared chronic illnesses like high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The most common food item with saturated fat is meat. Sausage, pork, chicken meat and turkey should be eaten in minimal quantities. It would be better if men could avoid meat. Excess vegetable oil in fried items like chips and other foods like pastries and cakes are also sources of trans-fat. Men need to avoid these food items to prevent formation of bad cholesterol.

•  Food containing sodium: Salt is a main ingredient in the food we eat. Though it is often just a ‘pinch of salt’ in each meal, in totality it adds up. Most of the men are prone to high blood pressure due to excess intake of sodium in their diet. Along with high blood pressure, risk of liver dysfunction also is high. Though there may be control of salt in home prepared items, increase in consumption of canned food and preserved food, especially by men, has increased the levels of sodium among them. Thus, canned foods, frozen food, cheese, popcorn, fries and spices especially mustard which contains great amount of sodium should be avoided as much as possible. Men should also stay away from foods like burgers that not only contain saturated fat but also high amount of preservatives.

•  Soy: All Soy products are high in proteins and have become very common. Women need Soy protein in order to get their hormonal balance right especially in the middle ages. But, men do not require Soy for protein. Soy products do cause hormonal imbalance in men. It can lead to lowering the sperm count and also reduction in the testosterone levels in men. Thus, tofu based food and Soy milk should not be on the food list for men.

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Every smoker knows that quitting is difficult. It is hard to stop when you are not correctly motivated and when you do not have a strong support system to help you.  Giving up smoking is a gradual process. It requires total dedication and resistance. And ultimately, it depends on the person and his or her will to quit smoking.

Keep the following aspects of quitting in mind before you take the leap:

• Gradual process: Understand that quitting is a slow process. One cannot give up smoking completely in an instance. Your body and your mind will crave the addiction and when it won’t get what it desires, it will misbehave. Reducing cigarettes from a pack a day to even 3 a day is a big step towards quitting.

• Keep track:  Quitting will be easier if you make a note of the place and the time at which you smoke. At the end of the day, you will know how many cigarettes have been consumed. If you have the self-will to quit, you will try and reduce the count to see just one or two notes in the diary.

• Activities triggering smoking: If you identify the situation or activities that lead you to smoke, it will be easier to quit smoking. For example, a person who is working takes a smoke break when he is done with his assignment. If he recognizes this pattern, he shouldn’t leave his work station after finishing his work but he should reward himself with something else, like drinking coffee.

• Talk to a quitter: A person trying to quit should talk to a person who has quit. This will motivate the person and also ensure that a relapse does not occur in all cases. This will make the person feel more confident and allow him to quit smoking.

• Reward yourself: Once you have successfully completed your goal to reduce the number of cigarettes or to identify the trigger situation, you should reward yourself with something that you like. For instance, clothes or good food. Similarly, if you have been unable to stick to your goals, you should be fair and penalize yourself. The idea here is to get you into a habit of recognizing what is good or what is bad and then making you work towards mending your ways. This reward and reinforcement method is the best way to understand and keep a track of the progress to quit.

• Exercise regularly: Exercising and smoking are opposite activities. Increasing exercising and jogging will increase the stamina and will ensure clean and fresh breathing. This will automatically make a person reduce smoking since smoking affects continuous breathing which is essential for consistent jogging or running.

Pushing one’s boundaries is the most important aspect to quit smoking. Along with self motivation, motivation from close ones will increase the possibility of quitting.

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Eating food that you crave is not harmful. But, binging on it is unhealthy and unacceptable. Most of the food that you crave is not ideal for a healthy diet but when you consume small quantities, you allow yourself to enjoy the guilty pleasures of life and not harm your body in the process.

You crave certain kinds of foods because your mind tells you so. Thus, if you learn to keep a control on your thoughts and desires, there is a good chance for you to let those cravings die a natural death.

To help people live a healthier life, many dieticians, nutritionists and cooks have introduced foods that can be healthy substitutes for delicious yet dangerous foods.

• Milk and milk products are an indispensable component of human diet. Many people crave ice-cream, chocolate and other fatty dairy products. These can be replaced with fruit sorbets, low cal chocolates etc which taste similar but do not add the calories to your daily cal count. Cheese is another dairy product which people indulge in. Buying a healthier alternative is always a good option.

• Some folks may believe that their daily meat intake cannot be swapped with anything. Regular meat eaters should try and reduce their meat intake or replace their share of white meat with red meat, which is healthier for the body. It helps purify the blood and also keeps the protein levels high. Adding seafood delicacies to the diet plan is also another healthier alternative. Fish like sushi or even salmon are better options since they have more protein content as compared to red or white meat.

• Pastas, pizzas and burgers are common foods when it comes to getting a quick meal. To minimize the after-effects of eating pastas, one should be careful in adding cheese (maximum calories come from the cheese). Also, adding extra vegetables to the pasta makes it healthier and enjoyable. Same goes with pizzas. Avoiding mayonnaise in the burger will not only make it healthier but also allow you to eat what you desire.

• For the people with a sweet tooth, products like cakes, donuts, sweet croissants are unavoidable. But with little changes and replacements, you can cut down the unhealthy ingredients. If eating slice cakes or chocolate pastries is a regular affair, substitute chocolate with gingerbread cakes or a simple sponge cake. Eat regular donuts instead of the ones with gooey chocolate; it will reduce a lot of unhealthy calories. Or, replace donuts with English bagels which are not made out of refined flour but out of whole wheat. Chocolate Cookies can make way for graham crackers or oatmeal cookies.

• Chocolates cannot be substituted. We all know that. But, we can take certain precautions to avoid adding those calories. One can eat dark chocolates rather than sticking to milk chocolates or regular ones. Dark chocolates contain high levels of magnesium, a chemical that the body craves in chocolate. The best substitutes for chocolates are peanuts and dry fruits.

Though one cannot make perfect reductions in ingredients or substitutes for each and every food, one can try and make such food options healthier. Once in a while indulgence is needed, but for everyday satisfaction, one needs to look at replacements and yet enjoy the tempting foods.

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Recovering from a cold or a mild fever without taking medication indicates your body is capable of curing minor illnesses because it is built to fight infections. But sometimes a mild fever may turn out to be a big one which may be a way for your body to let you know that something is wrong.  You need to pay heed to ‘warning signs’ that your body may show you and thus ensure that you are keeping yourself safe.

Everyday occurrences may also prove to be troublesome if you don’t keep a close watch. Here are some signs you should look out for:

• Hair fall and dryness: Normal hair fall is common among all women and men. But sometimes there maybe excess hair fall that may go unnoticed. A sudden increase in hair fall is a cause for concern and should be addressed carefully.

There may be various reasons for it like a change in diet which does not suit the person or a change in weather but whatever the cause, a thorough check up is essential to ensure everything is ok.

Even if you take care of your hair in the correct manner, sometimes the hair becomes too dry or too oily. It may just be the weather playing havoc with you or may be a severe case of hormonal imbalance.

• Eyes: Some people may experience a sudden reddening of the eyes and most of them do not realize the cause. Eyes can become red and dry due to many reasons like extreme consumption of alcohol or even straining the eye in front of the computer for a long time. Reddening of the eye can also be labeled to the same cause. In rare cases, it can be a symptom of cataract. Thus, a delay in visiting an ophthalmologist could prove to be troublesome and must be avoided.

• Chronic Cough and Cold: Many people who experience cold and cough especially in the mornings ignore it by saying ‘it is normal and happens everyday’. The general cough syrup will not make a difference. This is because generally, the reason for such chronic cold and cough is stress. Rarely, it can be attributed to polluted air and pollens in the air which are more likely to cause asthma. Either way, it is better if one consults the general physician and takes appropriate medicines.

• Bad Breath: Almost all of us have experienced a ‘bad-breath’ afternoon. Most often, it is because of the garlic or the onion in the food that we’ve consumed. And to cover it up, we’ve always popped in a piece of chewing gum or mint capsules. But, bad breath without any food is an indicator to visit the dentist. Bad breath can mean an unnoticed cavity or plaque planning to damage your teeth.

• A lot of sleep: Sleeping before regular bed time does not only indicate fatigue but also some lacking nutrition in the body. Taking health supplements do help to stay more active throughout the day but one should also visit the nutritionist to get a proper diet plan. This is also an indication of stress and a lot of brain work. Meditation and yoga can help ease out the stress and ultimately lead to good sleep at the right time.

Exercise

Falling ill often is a clear indication of a weak immune system.  Working out in the gym or playing a sport does not only increase your stamina, it also increases resistance to harmful germs and bacteria in the environment, thus improving the immune system.

Everyday stress and tension weakens the immune system leading to chronic illnesses like daily cold and headache, acidity and other stomach infections. Daily exercise helps strengthen the immune system and also helps put a stop to the stress and the tension.

Most forms of exercise like running or jogging help improve blood circulation and also help eliminate waste and toxics from the body. This indirectly also helps fortifies the  immune system.

Along with removal of waste products, the body temperature also increases while exercising. This helps killing the germs that multiply in an otherwise cozy environment.

Working out and sweating it out, in any form does have other effects than just losing weight. It always helps to have an active and fast paced lifestyle.

Diet and Nutrients

Exercising in only one part of building a tough immune system; diet, ofcourse, is the other. Adding the correct nutrients to the daily intake of food is the basic reason of charting a diet. One has to make sure that the following nutrients are present in the daily diet:

• Vitamin C and Vitamin E are anti-toxicants and inclusion of these two Vitamins in the diet is vital. Vitamin C is available in most of the vegetables like cabbage and fruits like lemon, orange, tomatoes. Vitamin C also decreases the danger of heart attacks since it enhances the levels of good cholesterol in the body.
• Vitamin E on the other hand helps construct the B-cells or antibodies in the body which are essential to build a strong immune system. Most of the elderly people are given vitamin E supplements to give a boost to their fragile immune system.
• Zinc is found in foods like oysters, crabs and vegetables like beans. Zinc helps increasing the strength of the White Blood Cells (WBC) which combats germs. Inclusion of Garlic and Omega3 pills in the diet helps multiply WBCs too.

 

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Influenza, AKA Flu, is not just the usual colds. The virus that causes flu is very contagious and sometimes so strong that it can lead to severe illnesses such as Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Ear infections and other flu-related complications that can become life-threatening. Additionally, the self-limiting characteristic of a virus makes flu at some point an incurable condition.

Medications can only alleviate the signs and symptoms of flu but it cannot kill the virus nor heal the person immediately. The virus also comes in different forms. That is why people, young and old, usually get infected with flu over and over again since the body cannot create a specific immunity against the disease.

The effects of flu vary from person to person. Every year, the number of individuals who get infected with flu and dies of flu steadily increases. It usually occurs on people of extreme ages who have weaker immune systems since they are more prone to get very ill when flu strikes them while people who have better health conditions have higher degrees of protection against it.

Seasonal flu can be very unpredictable. Customarily, it appears suddenly. Signs and symptoms of constant fever, headache, constant to severe body malaise and body ache and extreme exhaustion are the first to appear. In contrast to the common cold, the flu virus seldom causes sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and sneezing. Cough and chest discomfort is most likely to occur in influenza and may get worse.

Fortunately, the devastating health effects of flu can be prevented. You can stay healthy and protected from acquiring flu by getting a flu shot every year. A flu vaccine is contained in every flu shot. With this vaccine, the body will be able to create certain antibodies to enhance the body’s immunity against the specific strains that the vaccine have. People who are strongly advised to routinely get a flu shot are those who are pregnant, healthcare workers, people aged 65 years old and above, those who have long-term health conditions and the people who care for them.

The saying “Prevention is better than cure” may sound cliché and overused. But this timeless principle has definitely saved million of lives. Invest on getting a flu shot now and reap the priceless benefits of staying healthy and fit!

Since the time of the Ancient Greeks, honey was used for its medicinal properties. During the World War II, it was utilized as an antibacterial agent for treating wounds. And now, after thousands of years, it continues to provide us with wondrous healing miracles.

The advent of antibiotic drugs and other medicines during the 20th century stole the limelight away from the medicinal value of honey. It was not only in these recent times that the glory of using honey for health purposes was slowly retrieved. It was through the efforts of Professor Molan, a New Zealand based researcher, that honey from the Manuka bush was discovered to contain antibacterial characteristics that are potentially better than any other honey sold in the market.

Honey has gained its antibacterial properties of hydrogen peroxide from the enzyme that bees add to the nectar. Prof. Molan was able to conduct a research on the efficacy of the Honey from Manuka Bush, a native plant in New Zealnd, in fighting bacteria. The degree of the Manuka honey’s antibacterial properties was then compared to a standard antiseptic. Results showed that the former had broader spectrum in fighting against bacteria than that of the latter.

As a matter of fact, there were evidences that illustrate its effectiveness against antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureas (MSA) which was found to be as sensitive as Staphylococcus Aureas, the most sensitive bacteria to honey. If this will be proven correct, Manuka Honey could be the key to eradicating the occurrence of nosocomial infections all over the world. Aside from that, Manuka honey also has anti-inflammatory effects that are helpful for the timely healing of the wound.

The Mauka honey is basically used as a treatment to wounds and ulcers regardless of its cause. For example, wounds caused by radiation treatment of cancer patients were applied with honey dressings. The effects turned out satisfactorily excellent. Aside form that, Manuka honey can also be used as an anti-aging agent. It is effective in removing scars on the skin that are caused by aging or injury. It can also be used for treating acne and other skin diseases. The product can also be utilized in treating seasonal health conditions like flu, hay fever, sore throat and cold as well as swellings caused by injury, infection or disease.

Some doctors and patients have already witnessed the healing prowess of the Manuka honey and they are convinced that it is a viable and effective treatment. What’s more is that Manuka honey is available worldwide at a reasonable cost. But the best part is that, the Manuka honey being a natural herb carries no harmful side effects and so it is safe for use.