Lifestyle - LifeMojo

Personal Hygiene Tips for Good Health

LifeMojo Team — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

One of the most effective ways you have to protect yourselves and others from illness is good personal hygiene. Good personal hygiene is the first step to good health. Habits such as washing your hands and brushing and flossing your teeth will help keep bacteria, viruses, and illnesses at bay.

Practicing good body hygiene also helps you feel good about yourself, which is important for your mental health. Proper personal hygiene is essential for social interactions and respect in the professional arena as people who have poor hygiene (body odor, bad breath, etc) often are seen as unhealthy and may face discrimination. The steps below will help you improve your personal hygiene:

Bathe Daily: A daily shower is a must whether you feel grungy or not. A regular bath (every morning and after all athletic activities) helps in keeping you clean, fresh and odor free. Cleaning your body is also important to ensure your skin rejuvenates itself, as the scrubbing of your arms, legs, and torso will slough off dead, dry skin and help your skin stay healthy and refreshed, and will prevent acne, blemishes and other skin eruptions. Also, do not share your towel and wash them on a regular basis.
Wash your hands: Washing your hands after using the restroom, before making or eating food, after handling dogs or other pets, after handling garbage, and after coughing or sneezing (or if you have been around someone who is coughing or has cold), goes a long way toward preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses. Most infections, especially colds and gastroenteritis, are caught when you put your unwashed hands, which have germs on them, to your mouth. Hands and wrists should be washed with clean soap and water, using a brush if your nails are dirty. Dry your hands with something clean and dry, such as paper towels.
Trim your nails: Keeping your finger and toenails trimmed and in good shape will prevent problems such as hang nails (when a loose strip of dead skin hangs from the edge of a fingernail) and infected nail beds. If possible, trim them weekly and brush them daily with soap so that no dirt or residue remains beneath the nail. Fingernails should be trimmed straight across and slightly rounded at the top whereas toenails should be trimmed straight across. The best time to cut your nails is after bathing when they are soft and easy to trim. It's also a good idea to moisturize nails and cuticles regularly.
Practice good oral hygiene: The mouth is the area of the body most prone to collecting harmful bacteria and generating infections. Recent studies have found a strong link between gum disease and narrowing of the arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis), which can lead to heart attacks and stroke. The researchers believe that the bacteria that causes gum disease can leave people's infected gums and enter the bloodstream, activating the immune system and making their artery walls inflamed and narrowed. Another theory is that the bacteria enter the blood and attach themselves directly to the fatty deposits that are already present in a person's arteries, causing further narrowing.

To minimize the accumulation of bacteria in your mouth (which can cause tooth decay and gum disease), brush your teeth atleast twice a day and floss daily. It will also help to prevent bad breath. Replacing your toothbrush (after 3-4 months or when bristles become out of shape) is also essential to good oral hygiene. A new toothbrush is free from germs and plaque. Try to store your toothbrush in a place where it can easily dry. In order to have and maintain good oral hygiene, it is critical to visit your dentist at least every six months.
Take care of your hair: Washing your hair at least every other day is important to keeping your hair and scalp healthy and in good shape. If you suffer from lice or dandruff, then take necessary action at the earliest. Also, it is critical that you get a hair cut frequently for healthy hair. The longer you wait to get your hair cut, the more frail and brittle your hair can become, especially if it is longer.
Wear Clean Clothes: Wear a fresh set of clothes as often as possible. Dirty clothes are a source of contamination and can cause very serious skin disorders if worn over and over without washing them. Also, try wearing a clean pair of socks every day (especially after athletic activities) as this keep your feet dry and not smelly. Wash clothing and linens on a regular basis as the longer it takes you to clean them the smellier they become.

Good hygienic habits are easy to begin and maintain, and are the most effective ways to protect yourselves and others from many illnesses.

Sore Throat Remedies

LifeMojo Team — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Sore throats are the most common reason that patients visit their doctor. The tonsils and throat are very open to infection due to the contaminated air that flows through the area. The contaminated air contains pollutants, bacteria and viruses that attack throat tissue.

What is a Sore Throat?

Sore throats (known medically as pharyngitis) are an acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the lower pharynx. Tonsils and the soft palate may also be inflamed. The main indication of a sore throat is pain when swallowing and sometimes a burning sensation and tightness in the throat. Secretions may be discharged from the mucous membrane or the throat may be very dry.

What Causes Sore throat?

A sore throat can have many causes including:

Common viruses, and even the viruses that cause the flu, can cause a sore throat. Some viruses can also produce blisters in the mouth and throat.
Breathing through the mouth can produce throat dryness and soreness.
Sinus drainage (post nasal drip) may cause a sore throat.
A sore throat can also be caused by bacteria. The two most common bacteria to cause a sore throat are Streptococcus (which causes strep throat) and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum. Arcanobacterium causes sore throats mainly in young adults and is sometimes associated with a fine red rash.
Sore throat appearing after treatment with antibiotics, chemotherapy, or other immune-compromising medications may be due to Candida, commonly known as "thrush."
A sore throat lasting for more than two weeks can be a sign of a serious illness.

What are the symptoms of Sore throat?

Sore throat symptoms include:

A dry, scratchy or swollen throat,
Pain when swallowing, breathing or talking.

A sore throat usually occurs as a result of an infection that has its own additional symptoms. For example, if your sore throat is caused by a cold, you may also have coughing, fever, sneezing, body aches or a runny nose.

What are the Remedies for a Sore throat?

There are numerous options available to help you deal with this uncomfortable condition. Here are a few to get you started:

Fluids are great help. Sufficient intake of water helps in washing away infections quickly from your system.
If possible try to rest your voice for the day. Avoid straining your throat by talking too much, especially talking loudly.
The old standard is to gargle with warm salt water (1 tsp salt dissolved in one glass of water) at least a few times a day. It eases the scorching feeling in your throat. It works by improving the circulation around the throat area. It also cleans the pharynx thus enabling your immune system to be more potent.
Gargling with an infusion made of henna leaves (mehandi leaves) heals a sore throat as it has antibacterial properties.
Mango bark helps to soothe a sore throat as well as other similar illnesses. You need to extract the fluid of the bark which is then ground, and applied to the throat. Ground bark can also be used to gargle by stirring 10 ml of the mixture into 125 ml of water.
Baking soda & salt gargle: Mix 1/2 teaspoon of each baking soda and salt with a 1/2 cup of warm water and gargle a few times each day.
Put ginger root in a glass of hot water, wait 5-10 minutes and drink. Repeat several times a day.
Coarsely powdered cinnamon (dalchini) added to a glass of water along with two tablespoons of honey and a pinch of ground pepper and then boiled, is another remedy for sore throat.
Mix 2 tablespoons of sesame (til) oil and one tablespoon of honey. Take one spoon 3 times a day.
Avoid fried or cold foods, very cold drinks and anything sour as they can aggravate a sore throat.
Another useful home remedy is to fill a tablespoon halfway with honey and then squeeze a lemon to fill up the spoon. Thereafter, add a sprinkle of pepper, put the spoon in your mouth, and suck on it slowly.
Garlic (lahsun) is also known to relieve sore throat as it is a natural antiseptic. It can be eaten as well as consumed in a tea.
Sucking on hard candy, in the sugar-free variety, helps to keep your mouth and throat moist, which can help you get some relief from sore throat.

There are countless remedies available for sore throat. However, these herbal treatments can be of great help in healing sore throat, whether the throat infection is caused by a cold, voice overuse or other viral or bacterial infections.

Effects of Smoking on Nutrition

LifeMojo Team — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Cigarettes are one of the most lethal carcinogens known to man. They are the single most common and preventable cause of cancer in society. Although most people know that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer and other respiratory illness, and it is one of the main causes of heart disease, most people do not grasp the nature and extent of how harmful tobacco is.

The combination of smoking, liberal drinking and poor nutrition conceivably elevates the risk for various chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Studies show that, beyond the act of smoking itself, smokers may engage in other negative health behaviors like:

Eating too few fruits and vegetables,
Consuming alcohol and caffeine,
Not getting sufficient sleep,
Eating foods with a high fat content,
Being physically inactive (not getting enough exercise).

A recent study conducted by professors at Berkeley shows that smoking influences nutrition in ways that cannot be accounted for in diet alone. Some of their findings are given below:

Vitamic C: Vitamin C is an important disease-prevention antioxidant. Antioxidants are thought to help the body fight off diseases ranging from cancer to heart disease, and help stave off the degenerative effects of aging. The more a person smoke, the more vitamin C is lost from the tissues and blood. For example, Smoking just one cigarette robs the body of 25mg of vitamin C (the amount of vitamin C in an orange). But the body needs more vitamin C to counteract the damage that smoking causes to the cells. To make up for this disturbance, a smoker needs to increase their vitamin C intake to around 2000mg a day by eating more vitamin C rich foods like oranges and by taking vitaminc C supplements.
Vitamin D: Cigarette smoking has a significant effect on vitamin D metabolism. Smokers have a 50% greater incidence of poor vitamin D levels compared with non-smokers.
Calcium: Cigarette smoking has a significant effect on calcium metabolism. Deficient calcium absorption, of course, can lead to osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones. You don't want that to happen.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is believed to inhibit fatty deposits on the inner walls of the arteries. Smoking causes hardening of the arteries. Therefore, smokers may reduce their risk of developing heart disease by taking Vitamin E supplements.
Blood Circulation: Studies have shown that cigarette smoking impairs blood circulation and blood flow from the heart (21% lower in smokers than in non-smokers).
Increase in Blood fat: Two to four cigarettes in a row increase blood fats 200 to 400%. The average smoker has 4 to 6 times the chance of having heart disease if he's in the 45-54 year age group.

If you smoke, you need to eat even healthier than a non-smoker just to get the same nutrients. To help your body's use of nutrients, drink green tea, eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and take vitamin C and vitamin E supplements. And of course, look into quitting!

Diet for Kidney Stones

LifeMojo Team — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Kidney and bladder stones cause excruciating pain, tend to recur, and are distressingly common. Roughly 10 percent of persons in the world will have at least one stone in the course of their lives. The disorder has a long history. Stones have been found in Egyptian mummies and have been mentioned in histories of Babylonia and ancient China.

What are Kidney stones?

A kidney stone is a hard mass developed from crystals that separate from the urine within the urinary tract. Normally, urine contains chemicals that prevent or inhibit the crystals from forming. However, These inhibitors do not seem to work for everyone, so some people form stones. If the crystals remain tiny enough, they will travel through the urinary tract and pass out of the body in the urine without being noticed.

What are the types of Kidney stones?

Here are a few types:

Calcium oxalate stones are the most common type of kidney stone, occurring in about 80% of cases. Common sense has long held that consumption of too much calcium could promote the development of calcium kidney stones. However, current evidence suggests that the consumption of low-calcium diets is actually associated with a higher overall risk for the development of kidney stones. This is perhaps related to the role of calcium in binding ingested oxalate in the gastrointestinal tract. As the amount of calcium intake decreases, the amount of oxalate available for absorption into the bloodstream increases; this oxalate is then excreted in greater amounts into the urine by the kidneys. Calcium oxalate stones form when ingested oxalate combines with calcium present in the urine.
Calcium phosphate stones are less common. The formation of calcium phosphate stones is associated with underlying health conditions such as hyperparathyroidism and renal tubular acidosis. They usually have a smooth surface, are hard and grow to a large size and can damage the kidneys.
Uric acid stones are more likely to form when the urine is persistently acidic and there is excessive uric acid in the blood and/or in the urine, which may result from a diet rich in animal proteins and purines, substances found naturally in all food but especially in organ meats, fish, and shellfish. Other common causes of high blood uric acid levels are gout and certain metabolic disorders.
Struvite stones are associated with urinary tract infections. Preventing struvite stones depends on staying infection free. Diet has not been shown to affect struvite stone formation. Women and children are more susceptible to forming these stones than men.
Cystine stones result from a rare genetic disorder that causes cystine, an amino acid and one of the building blocks of protein, to leak through the kidneys and into the urine to form crystals.

What are the Symptoms of Kidney Stones?

Common symptoms include:

Pain in your side and back, below your ribs,
Episodes of pain lasting 20 to 60 minutes, of varying intensity,
Pain "waves" radiating from your side and back, to your lower abdomen and groin,
Bloody, cloudy or foul-smelling urine,
Pain with urination,
Nausea and vomiting,
Persistent urge to urinate,
Fever and chills (indicates an infection is also present).

What diet is recommended for Kidney stones?

Here are a few dietary modifications to help you fight Kidney Stones:

Drink more liquids

Drinking 8-10 glasses of liquid each day helps to keep the urine dilute - which reduces the concentration of stone forming minerals in the urine. At least half of the liquid should be water; the other liquids could be any beverages you like.
Reduce the amount of salt you eat

Reducing the salt (sodium) in the diet helps to reduce the amount of calcium in the urine that in turn reduces the tendency for calcium stone formation. Dietary salt reduction is best accomplished by not adding salt to your food and by avoiding those high sodium foods such as processed meats, salty convenience foods (regular, boxed or canned soups, noodle or rice mixes) and salty snacks.
Be sure your diet contains adequate amounts of calcium

Several years ago it was believed that dietary calcium should be restricted in patients with calcium kidney stones. At least two scientific studies now show that the inclusion of at least two servings of high calcium foods per day in the diet actually reduces the rate at which calcium-containing kidney stones form. People who form calcium oxalate stones should include 800 mg of calcium in their diet every day, not only for kidney stone prevention but also to maintain bone density. A cup of low-fat milk contains 300 mg of calcium. Other dairy products such as yogurt are also high in calcium.
Avoid those foods which can increase the amount of oxalate or uric acid in the urine

Oxalic acid or oxalate is found mostly in foods from plants. But only a few have been shown to increase the amount of oxalate in urine. They are rhubarb, spinach, strawberries, chocolate, wheat bran, nuts, beets, and tea. Avoiding these foods may help reduce the amount of oxalate in the urine. Eating foods containing calcium also reduces oxalate in the urine. Calcium binds oxalate in the digestive tract so it is not excreted into the urine.
Vitamin C

The body converts vitamin C into oxalate that increases kidney stone formation. Therefore, if the physician has recommended reducing oxalate in the diet, taking vitamin C supplements may not be a good idea. Doctors recommend no more than 500 milligrams each day for people who have had kidney stones. A person who has a tendency to form kidney stones should consult a doctor or dietitian before taking large doses of vitamins or minerals.
Sugar and animal protein

It has been found that too much of these may also aggravate the development of calcium or calcium oxalate stones. Some sugars occur naturally in foods and that is not a concern. However, people who get kidney stones may benefit from avoiding packaged foods with large amounts of added sugars, and from reducing sugars added in food preparation and at the table.

Meats and other animal proteins - such as eggs and fish - contain purines, which break down into uric acid in the urine. Foods that are especially rich in purines include organ meats, such as liver. Nondairy animal proteins may also increase the risk of calcium stones by increasing the excretion of calcium and reducing the excretion of citrate (citrate prevents kidney stones) into the urine. Therefore, people who tend to develop kidney stones should avoid eating more protein than the body needs each day.
Insoluble fiber

Fiber is the indigestible part of plants. There are two types of fiber: soluble (dissolves in water) and insoluble. Both provide important functions in the body, but it is insoluble fiber (found in wheat, rye, barley, and rice) that may help to reduce calcium in the urine. It combines with calcium in the intestines, so that the calcium is excreted with the stool instead of through the kidneys. Insoluble fiber also speeds up movement of substances through the intestine, so there will be less time for calcium to be absorbed.

So make a habit of eating fruits and vegetable daily in your food. It will surely help you to cure the existing kidney stones as well as prevent you from future kidney stone problems.

Tips for Long Distance Runners

LifeMojo Team — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Long distance events are great for those athletes who enjoy running and have a desire to maintain dedicated training throughout the week on a long-term basis. Success in the distance events comes from planning. Training must be consistent and progressive. The training sessions are designed to physiologically and psychologically enhance an athlete's potential to maximize his/her competition experiences.

However there is risk involved with demanding too much from the body too soon. If a runner wants to reach the point where long distances become very manageable and less physically stressful, then it's essential to build up running distances very slowly over time. Running is considered a "high impact" exercise because of the jarring effect it has on the body with every single foot-fall. Although the knees bear much of the burden, the impact that results when each foot meets the ground effects the entire skeletal frame. Over time the body will adapt to the constant demands as muscles, ligaments and tendons eventually strengthen as the runner's conditioning improves.

The physical and mental challenges which face the long distance runner are huge. The long distance run is the ultimate test of stamina and mental concentration combined. There are no quick fixes to making long runs easy, it is often down to hard work, grit and determination, but there are a few tips which can maybe make the task just a little easier.

Pacing: There is no such thing as too slow when you set out on a long distance run. If you are aiming for a specific time then for the first 10% of the distance consider going at 85-90% of the pace needed. Do not go over 100%, any time gained in the early stages is normally exponentially lost in the latter stages.
Stay Loose: Some runners get tense in their shoulders and arms when they start to get fatigued, leading to neck and back pain. You can prevent tensing-up and slouching by shaking out your arms and shoulders regularly. Also, make sure you don't ball your hands up in a tight fist as that tightness will radiate up your arms, to your shoulders and neck.
Rethink the Mileage: Mentally break your course into smaller sections. Your 20 km run will feel much more doable if you break it into four five-kilometer segments. Once you get to the 15 kilometer mark of an 20 kilometer run, think to yourself, "OK, just under 5K from here".
Stride: This is another technique that will help your legs feel less tired. When running, you have a stride length. That is how far you go with each step. Sprinters have large strides to go fast (you will notice your stride to automatically get larger as you increase speed) while long-distance runners should have a smaller step. Smaller steps will conserve energy. So the next time you run, you should decrease your stride to a little lower than your normal jog stride.
Choose Your Ideal Path: The best place to run is a smooth dirt path. Concrete sidewalks can jar your joints as you run. Indoor and outdoor tracks offer a great surface but can get pretty boring pretty fast. If you choose to run on grass, make sure you stay aware throughout your run for obstacles or uneven patches.
Breathing: Here is a technique that will help your cardiovascular system to conserve energy. When you breathe, you probably breathe mostly from the chest. Then, when you finish, you have a heaving chest. Instead of breathing entirely from your chest, you should breathe from your stomach too (belly breathing). That way, you will take in more oxygen because it fills up the whole lung. It also splits the work that the muscles have to do to get you right amount of air. Your chest will still be heaving after a long run but it should be much better than before.
Take a Walking Break: Don't feel guilty if you stop or walk to get the fluids down during your long run. Many people walk through water stops in marathons. And taking a short walking break gives your running muscles a quick rest, so you'll feel more energized and refreshed when you start running again.
Hydrate: Dehydration can make you weak and dizzy and can leave you with chills even on the warmest day. Drinking plenty of fluids during your long run is probably the most important thing you can do to keep healthy throughout your run.
Proper Fuel: Running out of energy at the end of a long run is known as 'hitting the wall.' Properly fueling during your long run can help you avoid becoming overly tired (which is when you become prone to injury). Sports gels, bagels, bananas, raisins, and candy are all good choices for food to eat on the run. Sports drinks are a good energy alternative if eating while running causes nausea. If training for a marathon, long runs are a good opportunity to learn what type of fuel works best for you before the big race.
Listen to Music: Adding tunes to your next long run can help pass the time by taking your mind off of the seemingly endless journey ahead. A well timed beat can help to get the blood going or start it up again midway through the run. Also, consider multiple playlists for different runs to keep the music fresh. Either way, music can really be a difference maker during a long distance trek, so don't leave home without it.
Know Your Goals: This is probably the most important tip of all. Though the previous ones can help you, you are the one who decides if you really want to finish the run or not. If you have the motivation, you can do it. Assess why you started running and think why it is important to you. And that is the biggest motivation booster you can get. As people say, "When there's a will, there's a way".

Find some buddies to run with. Running with other people can be a great way to keep your mind off the distance you are trying to cover. If you don't have any friends that enjoy running there are usually a lot of running groups around any city that are welcoming to new comers. Make sure you run with people who are at about your pace so you don't have to push yourself beyond what you can do.

How to Eat Healthy - Tips

LifeMojo Team — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Eating healthy isn't always easy. Today's hectic lifestyle can often leave us struggling to maintain healthy eating habits while constantly on the go. Families are busier then ever and more often than not, the healthy choice is not the easy choice. But with a little planning there are ways to make sure we are getting the valuable nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods

You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods.
Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables

Surveys show most people don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.
Eat moderate portions

If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know that recommended serving of cooked meat is 85 gram (3 ounces), similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings.
Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products
Sugar is added to a vast array of foods. In a year, just one daily 300 ml (around 10-ounce) can of soft drink (130 calories) can increase your weight by around 6 kg (13 pounds). See suggestions below for limiting salt and substituting whole grains for refined grains:
- Eat whole-grain breakfast cereals, such as wheat flakes, shredded wheat, muesli, and oatmeal. Bran cereals are not actually whole-grain cereals, but their high fiber content also makes them a good breakfast choice.
- Substitute whole-grain breads, rolls, tortillas, and crackers for those made from refined grains.
- Substitute whole-wheat pasta or pasta made from 50% whole wheat and 50% white flour for conventional pastas.
- Choose fruits and vegetables often. They contain very little salt unless it is added in processing.
- Read the Nutrition Facts Label to compare and help identify foods lower in sodium.
- Choose fresh or frozen fish, shellfish, poultry, and meat most often. They are lower in salt than most canned and processed forms.
Drink more water

Our bodies are about 75% water. It is a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush our systems, especially the kidneys and bladder, of waste products and toxins.
Keep fat to a minimum

Adult diets should be low in fat, especially saturated fat. Saturated fat, which is the predominant fat in animal products, is more easily deposited as fat tissue than unsaturated fats. Saturated fat can also be converted into cholesterol and cause blood cholesterol levels to rise. Small amounts of polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats may have some health benefits when they are part of a healthy diet.
Eat regular meals

Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.
Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods

Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them.
Drink alcohol in moderation

A healthy diet can include a moderate amount of alcohol (men should drink less than two standard drinks per day and women less than one standard drink per day). Alcohol should not be given to children.
Watch those snacks

Why do we eat snacks? They taste great, they're easy, and they satisfy our sweet and salt cravings. And, let's face it, crunchy food is fun. However, some snack foods are high in fat & salt.
Keep a food journal

The most important tool for weight loss or any dietary change is a food diary (in which you keep note of every single thing you eat throughout the day for at least a week). It helps you track what you're eating, makes you accountable and makes it easier for you to identify areas for change.
Get on the move

As we have seen, too many calories and not enough activity can result in weight gain. Moderate physical activity helps burn off those extra calories. It is also good for the heart and circulatory system and for general health and well-being. So, make physical activity part of your daily routine. Use the stairs instead of the lift/elevator (up and down!). Park your car a little further. Go for a walk in your lunch break. You don't have to be an athlete to get on the move!
Take time to chew your food

Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Avoid stress while eating

When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised, causing problems like colitis and heartburn. Avoid eating while working, driving, arguing, or watching TV (especially disturbing programs or the news). Try taking some deep breaths prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
Eat early, eat often

Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off.

Finally, take one step at a time. Establishing new food habits is much easier if you focus on and take action on one food group or food fact at a time.

Types of Strength

LifeMojo Team — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Strength training is an essential element of fitness for virtually every sports man and woman. The benefits of strength training to athletic performance are enormous and many. Not only is it an integral conditioning component for power athletes such as cricket and football players, performance in the pure endurance events can be improved with a well-structured strength routine.

Mention strength training, and weight lifting or using machines immediately comes to mind. But there are many types of strength. But before we get into that let us see what strength means.

What is Strength?

Well, a simple definition of strength is the capacity your body has to exert muscular and skeletal force against a resistance. The resistance can be the weight of your own body, the weight of something else or both. So, the larger capacity you have to move your own body or a foreign object in your environment, the stronger you are.

What are the different types of Strengths?

Here are the basic types of body strength namely:

Maximal Strength

Maximal strength is the amount of force that can be generated from one, all out effort, regardless of time or bodyweight. Some people say weight training is best for maximal strength training, and for some exercises they are right. However, many trainees are using weights to perform exercises because they can't handle the weight of their own body. For example, many men and women do Lat Pull Downs because they can't do pull ups or chin ups.

Explosive Strength

Explosive strength is strength per unit of time. In other words, this is how much force you can generate in the shortest amount of time. In terms of bodyweight training, it means how fast you can move your body from one position to another. Think of explosive movements like jumping squats or plyometric pushups where your body is propelled with such force it actually leaves the ground.

Strength Endurance

Strength endurance is the amount of force you can generate for an extended period of time. It is the ability to be as strong as possible as long as possible. This type of strength is characterized by being able to perform a movement repeatedly without being overcome by fatigue or sacrificing form. There are 2 different types in this one:

Dynamic strength-endurance is typically associated with cyclic exercises in which considerable tension is repeated without interruption during each cycle of movement". It is also apparent in acyclic events requiring maximum power repetitions with short rest periods in between such as jumping or throwing activities.

Static strength-endurance implies isometric tension of varying magnitude and duration or in holding a certain posture. Static strength endurance is associated with relatively long or short term sustained muscular tension, its duration in each case being determined by its magnitude.

When you think of bodyweight strength training, this is normally the type of strength people think of. Rhythmic, repeated bodyweight calisthenics for example builds strength endurance.

Speed Strength

Speed strength is defined as the ability to quickly execute an unloaded movement or a movement against a relatively small external resistance. For example, working with a punch-out drill against the heavy bag would equate to the execution of a relatively small external resistance, as the weight of the glove is insignificant. Speed strength is also very important for fighters. Unfortunately, many athletes train improperly, hence sacrifice this strength quality.

Limit Strength

It is the amount of force that you can generate for one all-out effort. Consider Limit Strength as the base upon developing your muscles. A foundation (your muscles) built on weak grounds (training program) will be detrimental to your success. There are three types of Limit Strength:

Eccentric (how much weight you can lower under control)
Concentric (how much weight lifted at one time with all-out effort)
Isometric (how much weight you can hold without losing control)

Examples of Limit Strength include Powerlifting, Olympic Weightlifting, Shot Put.

Stabilization strength

It is a lot more than just balance. Stabilization strength involves improving the stability and strength of the core. Without core strength, force production, force transference, and force reduction will not occur properly. This will lead to altered joint mechanics and eventually injury. Stabilization strength training involves little joint action to enhance muscle endurance and deep stabilization of the core.

For the best overall results, a combined fitness program incorporating all of these types of strength is recommended.

Weight Loss vs Fat Loss

LifeMojo Team — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

People seem to use weight loss and fat loss interchangeably, not understanding the difference between the two terms. It is important that people understand that there is a big difference between losing weight and losing fat.

What's the difference? Let's start by defining weight loss & fat loss:

Weight Loss is the loss in your body-weight - the sum weight of your bones, muscles, organs, body fat and water in the body.

Fat Loss is the loss in your body fat - the amount of fat your body carries. Healthy goals are 12-20% body fat for men and 18-25% for women.

Weight is good, not bad; you do not want to lose weight, and most importantly for your health, you do not want to lose muscle. Our weight is made up of tissue, muscle, bone, blood, fat, water, and the rest of our physical body. Muscle, like every other component of our physical make-up, is most important. And fat is also a necessary, vital part of our physical make-up. Excess fat is bad news and that is what you should focus on, fat loss.

As you know, a scale measures how much weight you have lost, but it will never tell you where this weight was lost from. This is where the problem lies. Carbs bind to water. So eating less carbs will make you lose weight (water loss). This is why you lose so much weight on a diet like Atkins the first 2 weeks: it's mostly water. Of course, increasing your carb intake will make you gain weight again. On the other hand, you'll gain muscle while losing fat when you get into strength training. But on the weight scale it will look like you're not making progress: your body-weight doesn't change. Two people with the same height can weigh the same but look completely different as one has lower body fat than the other. For this reason, a bodybuilder or a large athlete can weigh much more than the average people.

The best way to monitor your progress, when embarking on a new diet, is to measure your body fat percentage and your lean body mass. Lean body mass is your weight excluding fat. Lean body mass includes bone, muscle, and other fat free tissues with the majority of this being muscle. By measuring these two items, you will be able to determine how much fat you are losing and whether or not you are losing any muscle. The simplest way to measure your body fat percentage is through skinfold testing. Other method is using a machine which displays the body fat percentage using bioelectrical impedance method.

Not only is it healthier for you to lose fat, you will feel better while you're doing it. There is no need for the starvation diets or the "all liquid" diets. Eating smaller meals more frequently is the key to this process. Starvation diets actually slow down your metabolism in the long run, making it harder for you to keep the weight off.

If you want to lose Fat here are a few tips to help you:

Make vegetables your primary source of carbohydrates
Eat 5-6 small meals a day consisting of high protein, moderate carbs, and low-fat.
Do cardiovascular workouts atleast 3-4 times a week.
Do intense weight training atleast 3-4 times a week.
Eat more raw foods.

Focusing on fat loss will help to ensure that your body looks great and you feel great as well. It will give you the body you truly desire without sacrificing your diet and your health. So stop starving yourself and start starving your fat! The result will be a leaner, healthier you!

Importance of Oral Hygiene

LifeMojo Team — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is important to your overall well-being.

What is Good Oral Hygiene?

Good oral hygiene in the mouth, if you can see and feel in the mouth, means that the teeth are clean and free of dirt; gums are pink and don't hurt or bleed; and bad breath is not a constant problem. If your gums, when brushing teeth, bleed or often have bad breath; this may mean that the problem is in the mouth.

Why is oral hygiene important?

Here are some reasons why you should have a good oral hygiene:

Prevent Oral Cancer: When you have your dental cleaning, your dentist is also screening you for oral cancer, which is highly curable if diagnosed early.
Prevent Gum Disease: Gum disease is an infection of the gum tissues and bone that keep your teeth in place and is one of the leading causes of adult tooth loss. If diagnosed early, it can be treated and reversed.
Prevent Plaque and calculus: Dental plaque is a soft whitish deposit that forms on the surface of teeth. It forms when bacteria (germs) combine with food and saliva. Plaque contains many types of bacteria. You can remove plaque by good oral hygiene. Calculus, sometimes called tartar, is hardened calcified plaque. It sticks firmly to teeth. Generally, it can only be removed by a dentist or dental hygienist with special instruments.
Prevent Tooth Decay (Caries): Tooth decay is the gradual breakdown of the tooth's enamel and interior tissue that can cause cavities and, eventually, the death of the tooth. A main cause of tooth decay is due to a build up of plaque. The bacteria in the plaque consume sugar from food residue in the mouth and excrete lactic acid, which becomes part of the plaque layer. If plaque isn't removed, the acid dissolves the tooth's enamel and inflames the gum tissue.
Help Maintain Good Physical Health: Recent studies have linked heart attacks and strokes to gum disease, resulting from poor oral hygiene.
Prevent Bad Breath: Bad breathe, also known as halitosis, is caused by poor oral hygiene.
Good oral hygiene prevents cavities: One of the most obvious reasons to practice good oral hygiene is to prevent cavities.
Have a Bright and White Smile: Your dental hygienist can remove most tobacco, coffee and tea stains. During your cleaning, your hygienist will also polish your teeth to a beautiful shine.

What can you do to maintain good dental hygiene?

Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. It is important to get into a regular habit of good oral hygiene. Good oral health is important to your overall well-being.

Brushing teeth properly

Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a soft-medium brush. It is usually advised that you should use a toothpaste that contains fluoride (fluoride helps to prevent tooth decay). Spend at least two minutes brushing, covering all areas (inside, outside, and biting areas of each tooth). Pay particular attention to where the teeth meet the gums. Get a new toothbrush every 3-4 months or when bristles become out of shape, whichever is earlier.

Flossing

Floss your teeth at least once a day after brushing, and preferably twice a day. Dental floss helps clean between the teeth. If you are not sure how to floss, then ask your dentist.

Use a piece of floss (looks a bit like cotton thread) about eight inches long which you can pull between teeth. Wrap the ends around the middle fingers of each hand. Gently scrape the floss against the sides of each tooth from the gum outwards. This will clean the narrow spaces between the teeth which toothbrushes cannot get to. The gums may bleed a little when you first begin to floss. This should settle within a few days. However, if it persists then see a dentist.

Other things you can do

There are other simple steps that you can take to greatly decrease the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. These include:

Visit your dentist for regular check ups and cleanings.
Try to have nutritious food (vegetables and fresh fruits). In particular, you should limit the amount of sugary foods and drinks that you have. Also, remember fruit juices are more erosive than whole fruits.
Try to avoid soft drinks.
Use an antimicrobial mouth rinse. Antimicrobial mouth rinses can help prevent gingivitis.
Quit smoking and don't use any tobacco products; they can increase your risk of gum disease and cancer of the mouth and throat.
Some fruits such as strawberries are excellent tooth whiteners. Strawberries can be rubbed on the teeth or mashed up in a paste and brushed on. Leave on the teeth for five minutes. Rinse well.
Eating sweetened cereals dry is bad for teeth, always add milk.
Drinking frequent cups of tea or coffee with sugar added will increase the risk of teeth decay.
Don't chew on hard objects that could crack a tooth.
Brush or scrape your tongue daily to help remove bacteria.
Don't ignore gums that bleed when you brush or floss or changes in the way your teeth fit together when you bite.
Drinks lots of water. Rinse your mouth thoroughly after every meal or snack to make sure no food residue is sticking to your teeth.
Don't chew on pens or pencils. It is a good way to damage the teeth.

So make good oral hygiene a habit, brush after every meal and then floss. Not only will you prevent tooth decay and gum disease, but you will become more confident in your social dealings as well.

Facial Exercises to Tone and Lift Your Face

LifeMojo Team — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Your face has more than ten bones and 12 muscles, with numerous branches of nerves, arteries, and veins. As a person ages, the skin on their face begins to sag. This can be caused by loss of muscle tone and elasticity.

Facial exercise can help in all of these areas. It is typically used to stimulate blood flow and circulation, to better prepare skin for a facial treatment, relieve tension, or assist in treating medical conditions.

What is Facial Exercising?

It is a series of contractions and applied resistance to specific muscles in the face, sort of like body building but for the face and neck. In addition to increase in muscle size, which provides a nice lift to the face, when muscles are contracted the supply of blood to that area increases by ten times than normal, which brings more oxygen and nutrients to skin.

How do Facial Exercises work?

Facial exercises pull and push the facial skin to permit more oxygen as well as nutrients to the cells of the skin. As a result the old and damaged cells are whisked away and the face complexion gets better or cleaner. Since facial exercise enables the skin to absorb more moisturizer, the wrinkles will be rubbed out within no time. The most advantageous aspect of facial exercises is that they are economical and you can do it absolutely free.

What are the benefits of Facial Exercises?

Benefits of facial exercise can be given as below:

It stimulates blood circulation to feed the cells of the outer layers, promoting better color and skin tone.
It rejuvenates the elasticity and natural collagen, and smoothes sunken areas of the face.
It diminishes fine lines and softens deeper lines to create a more firm and youthful texture.
It brightens and tightens the skin.

Here are a few of the exercises that you can do at home to get started:

Exercises for a Double Chin

The chin is just another handy place for the body to store fat and too much body fat being deposited under the jaw causes double chin. Here are some double chin exercise that you can do every day (twice a day if possible):

Sit upright, tilt your head back looking at the ceiling, while keeping your lips closed and then start a chewing movement. You will feel the muscles working in your neck and throat area. Repeat 20 times.
Lie on your bed, with your head hanging down over the edge. Slowly bring your head up towards your torso and keep it there for 10 counts. Relax and lower your head towards the floor again - repeat 5 times.
Sit upright and face forward and while keeping your lips together, separate your teeth by dropping your jaw and then push your jaw forward, keep for a count of 10, bring back to starting position and repeat 5 times.
Sit upright, then tilt your head back as far as you can manage, now open and close your mouth several times feeling the muscle stretch each time.

Exercises for a Cheek

Over the course of time, the skin of the cheeks tends to lose its elasticity causing it to sag and developing wrinkles. The following exercises, if done regularly, will assist in lifting and firming the cheeks:

Have a relaxed smile with your lips closed and then suck in your cheeks toward and on to your teeth. Hold this for 10 counts, relax and repeat 10 times.
Look in a mirror while doing this exercise. Smile a wide as possible while keeping your lips closed and your mouth corners turned up. Try to make your mouth corners touch your ears. Next wrinkle your nose and see your cheek muscle move upwards and feel these muscles work. Keep for 5 counts, relax and repeat 10 times.
Pout your top lip, turning the corners of your lips upwards and move your cheek muscles towards your eyes. You should at this stage try to get your top lip touching your nose. Keep in this position for 10 counts, relax and repeat 5 times.
Keep your lips and teeth closed and blow air under your top lip (do not let the air out) and keep it there for 10 counts, then move the trapped air to your left cheek for 10 counts, then your right cheek for 10, then your lower lip and hold for 10. Relax. Repeat 5 times.

Eye Facial Exercises

While keeping your eyes closed the whole time, first look down and then look up as far as possible. Repeat the facial exercise 10 times.
Keep your eyes closed while lifting your eyebrows and stretching your eyelids down as far as possible. Keep in this position for 5 counts, relax and repeat 5 times.
Lift your eyebrows while closing your top eyelids until about halfway closed, then open your eyelid wide open until the white of your eye shows over your iris.
Gently tone the muscles of the eyes by pressing two fingers on each side of your head, at the temples, while opening and closing your eyes rapidly. Repeat 5 times.

Forehead Exercises

Forehead is one of the places where lines and wrinkles easily form. The following exercises, if done regularly, will help you reduce forehead wrinkles and make your forehead skin look and feel tighter:

Lie on your bed with your head hanging over the edge. Lift your eyebrows as high as possible, with your eyes opening very wide. Relax and repeat 10 times.
Sit upright facing forward and while bringing your eyebrows down over your eyes, wrinkle your nose as far up as possible while flaring your nostrils. Keep for a count of 10, relax and repeat 5 times.
Frown as much as possible and try to bring your eyebrows over your eyes while pulling the eyebrows toward one another. Then lift your eyebrow as far as possible while opening your eyes as far as possible as well in a look of surprise. Repeat 5 times.

You can see the obvious improvement in your face only after two weeks. Within six to nine months you will be looking five to ten years younger than you were before starting to exercise! It's so much fun to have a natural skin care, and look younger with these simple exercises.