RealFitBody - Health and Fitness

Saint Arnold's Brewing Company In Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Samuel) — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 10:13:00 +0000

The Saint Arnold’s Brewing Company located in Houston Texas, also known as Texas Oldest Craft Brewery is one of the top brewing companies in the state of Texas. The company was founded in 1994 by Brock Wagner and Kevin Bartol and named after a patron saint of brewing, Saint Arnulf Metz.

The Saint Arnold Brewing Company originally operated on the far northwest side of Houston for fifteen years until it moved to a Northside district, north of Downtown Houston in 2008.

The Saint Arnold Brewing Company has quite a small crew who brews its large number of beers and takes care of every other operation required at the brewery. The brewery offers weekday and Saturday afternoon tours which is one of the reasons why it is one of the famous breweries in Texas and the United States.

Saint Arnold Brewing Company: List of Active Beers

The Saint Arnold Brewing Company has different brands and types of beers under its name. Its beers are categorized into; Year Round Series, Seasonal Beers, Divine Reserve Series, Bishop Barrel Series, and Icon Series

Year Round Series: Active Beers

Name Type

Fancy Lawnmower German-Style Kölsch

Daydream American saison

Santo Black Kölsch

Orange Show Blonde Ale with Real Blood Oranges

5 O'Clock Pils Bohemian Pilsner

Amber Ale Amber Ale

Ale Wagger Brown Ale

Pub Crawl Pale Ale

Citrodos IPA American IPA

Elissa IPA Indian Pale Ale

Art Car IPA American IPA

Endeavour Double IPA

Raspberry AF Berliner Weiss

Root Beer Imperial Cane Sugar

Seasonal Beers: Active Beers

Saint Arnold seasonal beers feature a line of beers which are only available or brewed at a particular time or season.

Name Type Available

Spring Bock German-style Bock February – March

Summer Pils Munich-style Helles April – August

Oktoberfest August – October

Christmas Ale Ale October – December

White Noise Belgian-style Witbier December – February

Pumpkinator Pumpkin Beer October

French Press imperial coffee

Divine Reserve Series

The Divine Reserve consists of a series of single batch beers which are aged to improve the taste and quality. The beers are brewed with a completely different recipe and released in small batches.

The Divine Reserve Series has several releases numbered 1 – 19 with the latest release being on January 3, 2019. The Divine Reserves Series features various types of beer including the Spiced Oatwine in its latest release. Others include; Imperial Stout, Baltic Porter, Adambier, Russian Imperial Stout, Belgian Strong Golden Ale, Belgian Quadrupel and many more.

Its Bishop’s Barrel Series consists of a series of beers that have been barrel aged. These beers are acclaimed to have improved taste and quality during to the aging in the barrels.

You can find beers brewed by the Saint Arnold Brewing Company in bars, grocery stores, restaurants, and liquor stores throughout Texas and Louisiana.

Pirates And Ghosts In Galveston Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Samuel) — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 10:07:00 +0000

Pirates and Ghosts in Galveston, Texas is an entertainment location which offers visitors a taste of the pirate life and a haunted scary attraction. Pirates and Ghosts is the main location in Texas if you are looking for where to connect with the world of Pirates, which is because it is located in the Galveston Island which was a port for pirates in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Pirates and Ghosts offer two main attractions: the Haunted Mayfield Manor and Pirates! Legends of the Gulf Coast. These attractions are open all year round to visitors who want to get a taste of pirate life.

Haunted Mayfield Manor

Haunted Mayfield Manor is the go-to destination for those looking for where to experience the thrills of a horror movie in reality. The sets, characters and the house itself are all organized to give you the experience of a lifetime.

Theme

The theme of the Haunted Mayfield Manor borders on a young doctor and his family who resides in a haunted house with ghosts, ghouls and strange shadow people lurking in the dark. The haunted house is so-named after the Doctor; Dr. Horace Mayfield.

The ghosts, ghouls and shadow people are actually actors who are employed to scare the living daylight out of you.

Activities

The Haunted Mayfield Manor offers a 20-minute tour of the house during operating hours. It also offers a Zombie Camp where you are cultured on how to survive a Zombie apocalypse.

Tickets Costs

A tour of the Haunted Mayfield Manor would cost about $10 per general admission. However, you can get discounts on the tickets if you decide to visit both the Haunted Mayfield Manor and the Pirates! Legend of the Gulf Coast attractions.

Tickets are bought online on the Haunted Mayfield Manor official website and admission is restricted to only those of ages 11 and older.

Location

You can find the Haunted Mayfield Manor at 2313 Harborside Drive, Galveston, Texas 77550. You can also check the official website for directions to the scary attraction.

Pirates! Legends of the Gulf Coast

Pirates! Legends of the Gulf Coast is Texas’ finest Pirate Exhibit which aims to relive the history of Pirates in Galveston

Theme

The Pirates! Legends of the Gulf Coast aim at giving visitors a feel of the pirate life. Unlike the Haunted Mayfield Manor, it is a fun house with several resident pirates and several activities including a Pirate camp. It is also a fun spot for children and provides access to children of all ages including adults to take a tour of the building.

Tickets Costs

Pirates! Legends of the Gulf Coast charge different fees for their tickets depending on the age of visitor. Children under age 5 get free access to the building, while children age 5-13 have to pay $6.75 for a ticket. Adults, on the other hand, are charged $10 for a ticket.

Location

The Pirates! Legends of the Gulf Coast attraction is located just beside Haunted Mayfield Manor at 2313 Harborside Drive, Galveston, Texas 77550. You can also find directions on their official website.

Here Is Why You Should Always Shower Before Going to Bed

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 17:38:00 +0000

Want to fall asleep faster, then a shower before bed should be your top priority.

While some guys, might say that "no reasonable would skip a shower before going to bed," we can all agree we have skipped the midnight bath more than once at some time.

As it turns out, taking a shower before bed will not only help you fall asleep faster, but studies have shown that showers can awaken your mind and boost your creativity.

Dr. Dianna Augelli of the Center for Sleep Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, showering before bed is a great way to improve your sleep quality, as it helps your body cool down and relax.

Dr. Augelli also says timing is everything, showering just ninety minutes before bed, will not only allow you dry out before sleep but also help you fall asleep faster and improve your sleep quality.

So, guys instead of tossing and turning every night, under the merciless heat, simply take a shower before bed and you'd be asleep in no time.

Here's What Smoking Just One Cigarette A Day Does To Your Body

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Smokers always find a way to justify their smoking habits by claiming it relieves them from the everyday stress and helps them think better. Others compare high-profile men like Ex-US President Barack Obama who smoked their way to a good life even while advocating for good health.

In the end, cancer and many other health risks always take their toll. So guys while you might think that smoking even a cigarette per day wouldn't cost you much because you moderate, it turns out that there is no significant difference between smoking a pack of cigarettes per day and just one cigarette per day.

According to a new research published in the journal BMJ, smoking just one cigarette a day is linked to high level of health risks just as smoking a pack a day.

The researchers took their data from 141 previous studies looking at the number of cigarettes people smoked and their subsequent health risks.

They discovered that men who smoked just one cigarette per day had half the risk of heart disease and over 40 percent of stroke risk than one-pack-a-day guys had.

The number was way lower than what the researchers had expected which proves that smoking just one cigarette per day wouldn't actually save you from the health problems associated with smoking.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the chemicals in cigarette smoke can damage the structure and function of your blood vessels, increase the buildup of waxy plaque. Over time, this can narrow and harden your arteries, limiting blood flow and finally leading to heart attack or stroke.

The study suggests that if you smoke just one cigarette per day, you are not much different from someone who smokes 20 cigarettes per day.

According to the study author Allan Hackshaw, Ph.D., people should aim to stop smoking altogether, rather than try to cut down on the number cigarettes they smoke per day.

No excuses guys quit smoking now.

Your Blood Type Might Put You At A Greater Risk For These 5 Conditions

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Turns out your blood type is more than just an alphabet and can tell a whole lot about you than you can ever know. Your blood type is determined by microscopic substances inherited from your parents that live on the surface of your red blood cells. You can easily check your blood type too, Advanced tech made sure of that

Those surface substances interact with your immune system in ways that can change (increase or decrease) your risk for certain diseases. Problem is, most people don't know their blood type and don't see any reason to expect for the sake of blood transfusion. But knowing your blood type can tell you if you're more or less susceptible to certain health conditions, still you can't change your blood type but you can change your lifestyle in order to be healthier.

1. Memory Problems

Turns out having memory problems is not only linked to lack of adequate sleep but your blood type too.

Blood type AB may increase your risk of cognitive impairment. According to a research from the Journal Neurology, older ABs are more likely than those with other blood types to have problems learning and remembering things.

According to the study coauthor Mary Cushman, MD, a professor of medicine and pathology at the University of Vermont, "the exacts reason why this happens remains unclear, but the fact that blood type AB is related to levels of certain clotting factors might provide a clue.

2. Cancer

Stomach Cancer

Still, on AB blood type, your risk for stomach cancer is roughly 26% higher than if you had blood type B or O. This is according to a study from the American Journal of Epidemiology which also concludes that your risk is 20% higher than those with type B or O if you are type A.

This is due to a bacteria called H.pylori present in the human guts. Blood types AB or A usually have a heightened immune system reaction to the bacteria that increase their cancer risk.

Gastric Cancer

For those with blood type A your risk of developing gastric cancer is higher compared to those with other blood types. Having type O negative or positive puts you in a safe zone by reducing your risk of developing gastric cancer.

Pancreatic Cancer

Another win for type O. Those with blood type are less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, while those with A blood type are 32% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, those with type AB blood type were 51% more likely and those with type B were 72% more likely.

3. Heart Disease

Once again type O's gets lucky. Your blood type may lower your risk for heart disease by up to 23% compared to people with other blood types. According to Harvard School of Public Health, people with blood types AB and B are at the greatest risk for heart attack, these blood groups have been linked to higher rates of inflammation, which partly explains their connection to heart disease.

4. Ulcers

Finally, something for those in the A or AB blood group. According to research the same H.pylori bacteria that may cause stomach cancers among those with blood types A or AB may increase your risk for ulcers if you're type O.

Although the reasons why type Os are more likely to develop stomach ulcers remains unclear, researchers believe that it is due to the difference in each type's immunologic responses to infection.

Since you can't change your blood type, living a healthy lifestyle is the only way to reduce your chances of getting any of the diseases listed above. Always remember to exercise, get enough sleep and eat right.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor.

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Here Is Why Blood Type O Is The Best Blood Type Ever

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Like seriously? Is there something like having the best blood type. Well according to several studies there is. There are 4 principal blood types with AB-negative being the rarest next to O-negative and B-negative.

Your blood type is determined by microscopic substances inherited from your parents that live on the surface of your red blood cells. So in other words, if your blood type doesn't fall in this category, there is nothing you can do to change it, but you can use the knowledge to live a healthier lifestyle to increase your chances of having a wonderful life.

According to several studies, those with blood type O seem to have a lower risk for almost every condition. Although the reason for this remains unclear, researchers believe that the difference might be the way in which the body reacts to infection and also having a lower risk of inflammation.

Having blood type O reduces your risk of several health conditions like

Heart Disease

For those with a blood type O, your risk of heart diseases reduces by 23% compared to people with other blood types. According to Harvard School of Public Health, this is due to the fact that other blood groups (AB or B) have been linked to higher rates of inflammation, which partly explains their connection to heart disease

Cancer

For blood type O's it is another win. Those with this blood type have a reduced risk for gastric, pancreatic and stomach cancers compared with other blood groups like group AB and B.

Memory Problems

According to a research from the Journal Neurology, blood type AB may increase your risk of cognitive impairment. Older ABs are more likely than those with other blood types to have problems learning and remembering things.

So, if you have the blood type O, then you are in luck. But for those who don't, there is nothing you can do to change your blood type, but there is a lot more you can do to decrease chances of the diseases and problems listed above. By living a healthy lifestyle, exercising, getting enough sleep and eating right.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor.

Here Is Why Blood Type O Is The Best Blood Type Ever

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 10:18:00 +0000

Having blood type O reduces your risk of several health conditions like

Heart Disease

Cancer

For blood type O's it is another win. Those with this blood type have a reduced risk for gastric, pancreatic and stomach cancers compared with other blood groups like group AB and B.

Memory Problems

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor.

Here Are 5 Facts You Should Know About HIV In 2018

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 07:00:00 +0000

At first thought most people will consider HIV/AIDS a terminal disease with no hope for its patients, some years carriers of the virus were heavily stigmatized and treated like outcasts because people lacked the proper education on the virus. Presently, that has changed.

Recently, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has listed Nigeria as second largest HIV epidemic in the world. Which means the country has the second highest number of citizens with HIV and it has one of the highest new infection rates in sub-Saharan Africa.

Things could not be any worse after condom manufacturer Durex listed Nigerian as the top cheats in the world which makes it much easier to spread the disease. Let's face it your condoms and preventive measures can completely protect you from the virus if it would have then the rate of single mothers could not be on the rise every day.

On a basic level, most of us are familiar with the virus, how it spreads, and how it affects the body and the preventive measures.

But there are so many misconceptions about the virus that exist since it came into the public eye in the 1980s.

Here are 5 facts you should know about HIV in 2018.

1. Having HIV Won't Shorten Your Lifespan

This was once a myth about people with HIV dying within 10 years. But according to doctors those with HIV could have the same lifespan as someone without HIV.

Dr. Malvestutto an infectious disease specialist in Columbus, Ohio, United State says that

If you're undergoing antiretroviral treatment and your viral load is undetectable, then you have about the same lifespan as someone without HIV.

However, there is one caveat to that: heart disease. According to Northwestern University researchers, people with HIV can have double the risk of heart attack, which makes it more important for people with HIV to live a healthy lifestyle like quitting smoking, exercising, eating healthy and controlling high blood pressure to reduce the chances of heart attack.

2. You Can Now Prevent HIV Infection Before You Are Exposed

Think of it as prevention before cure. 10 years ago, condoms and clean needles were the only possible means to prevent HIV transmission, but over the years with the improvements in modern medicine, you can prevent HIV transmission through a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment called Truvada which is a pill meant to prevent HIV infection for those who don't HIV.

The pill works by blocking the HIV virus from attacking the immune system. So if there are any chances you are with a partner who you aren't sure of their status and there happens to be a condom breakage, you can go for an HIV test and also get on PrEP to help prevent the possibility of an infection.

3. You Can Prevent HIV Even If You Have S*x With Someone Who Has HIV

If you had s*x without using condoms with someone who has HIV, you can actually prevent being the infection if you are fast enough.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are antiretroviral drugs that must be administered within 72 hours or sooner in case of potential HIV exposure and can reduce the risk of infection.

4. You Cant Get HIV From Oral S*x (Unless)

HIV can only be transmitted through blood or semen, and even if she swallows your semen there is little or no risk of her getting infected with the virus, at least that is what the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tells us. This is because there are low chances of semen entering the bloodstream if ingested through the mouth.

The risk is only high if there are sores in the mouth or pen!s or bleeding gums.

5. You Can't Get HIV From Kissing

Like seriously, this myth was debunked many years ago, but so many people still believe that can get HIV just from looking at someone that has HIV (lol). First of all, HIV is not contagious (only AIDS is).

You can't get HIV from exchanging saliva with an infected person. The virus can only be transmitted through semen or when it gets in contact with blood, so unless you guy are biting each other's lips till it bleeds then you can go ahead.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor.

Tips On Weight Loss: Does Throwing Up Help You Lose Weight

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 12:16:00 +0000

Weight loss is the desire of quite a lot of women. Even many of them blindly run after silly methods of weight loss while intentionally ignoring unhealthy effects to obtain the expected weight. In recent time, there has been a significant increase in the number of people who follow the method of throwing up for weight loss. Does throwing up help you lose weight? What is the harmful effect of this method? Should you use this unscientific method? The article below will help you to answer these questions.

What is throwing up for weight loss?

With this method, you can follow these steps. After taking food into the body, you stick your fingers or a brush down the throat to make you feel nausea. Finally, you vomit all the food in the abdomen.

Does throwing up help you lose weight?

Although this method is quite unscientific and silly, many people want to follow it. Simply, it is because the obesity cannot be solved after they make a great effort to go on a diet. Even the symptoms of the disease get worse. In addition, with this method, they do not have to undergo surgery while they still can eat delicious food without worrying about the weight problem.

For this reason, for many people, especially those who are eager for eating, losing weight by throwing up is regarded as a wonderful invention. Sticking to the principle of this method, at first, you will eat as much as you like, then you just go to the toilet and use your fingers or a toothbrush to shave the root of the tongue. As a result, you will stimulate the body to vomit food.

It can be said that this method surely helps you to lose weight. You have not taken even a small amount of nutrients into the body. Therefore, this action is similar to abstaining from food. However, this method of weight loss brings several serious risks.

What are harmful effects of throwing up for weight loss?

It is not a scientific method that is contrary to the law of nature. Therefore, you are not encouraged to reduce weight by this way.

Firstly, some people want to vomit quickly the food that has just been taken into the body because of their appetite. Consequently, they put their fingers or a tool too deeply into the throat, which may cause the injury to the upper jaw, the infection and a range of diseases of the throat and the respiratory tract. In addition, some of them suffer from tongue wounds because of their overuse of losing weight by throwing up.

Secondly, as mentioned, this method also makes the body not be supplemented with any nutrients. Consequently, the body lacks vitality and becomes weak. You will look seedy and pale.

According to experts, you may face a lot of risks after stimulating your throat to vomit. In particular, some of the potential risks are the psychological crisis, gastric pain, blood vomiting, depression and the high risk of becoming unconscious.

Worst of all, after throwing up by stimulating the throat becomes a habit, the body will naturally react by immediately vomiting after you are exposed to the food. At that time, it is challenging to eat the food and leave it in the stomach.

How can you lose weight without throwing up?

Keep in mind that you never allow the desire for weight loss to hide your sight. It is possible that the use of unsafe ways for weight loss will make you face health risks. You can still own a solid and strong body and a slim waist if you learn how to eat and drink in moderation and get much exercise.

1. Have a healthy diet

You should eat many small meals in one day, particularly, 5-6 meals per day. The purpose of this meal subdivision is to help the amount of energy produced after the meals to be burst to the maximum and avoid fat accumulation.
Vegetables and boiled food should be served first. Keep in mind that you just eat until the feeling of hunger goes away instead of eating till you are full up. With a lot of fiber, vegetables and fruits will keep you being full for a long time.
After eating, you need to go away from the dining room to avoid the appetite for eating.
When feeling hungry, you can drink a glass of water or some fruits with a little sugar such as guava, papaya, and dragon fruit.
However, you should not make your body get too hungry to eat. If so, you will feel tired and quickly lose the motivation for reducing weight.
You are also advised to limit the consumption of high-fat foods such as peanut, sesame, fatty meat, fried dishes, processed food, sweets and soft drinks.
You also have to drink 2 - 2.5 liters of water per day and take small mouthfuls of water several times a day.

2. Do physical exercise

Every day, it is necessary for you to consume from 300 to 500 kilocalories from physical activities.

You should arrange your time to take part in clubs of physical activities such as aerobic and swimming classes. Attending physical classes will help you to increase the motivation so that you can get much exercise for a long time without feeling bored. Ideally, you should go to these classes every day and continuously practice for 60 to 90 minutes daily.
Keep in mind that no matter which sport you choose, you also need to practice hard and regularly.

In essence, weight loss is a process that causes our body to sap energy slowly. If you lose 7000 kilocalories, your body will lose 1 kilogram. With the diet that supports you to reduce from 300 to 500 kilocalories per day, just within two weeks, you will reduce 1 kilogram. Strictly following the diet and taking exercise regularly, your weight will go down by 2 to 2,5 kilograms per month. This level of weight loss has been scientifically proven to be safe.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, there are quite a few ways of losing weight including healthy and unhealthy methods. Does throwing up help you lose weight? The answer is “yes,” but this is regarded as an unhealthy or silly method. As a result, it is not recommended that you should not use this method for weight loss because it may cause a range of negative impacts on the health. To reduce weight and ensure good health, you need to design a balanced diet and regularly take exercise.

4 Exercises That Can Help You Maintain Your Weight

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 10:00:00 +0000

Many people find it hard to maintain their weight after going through one weight loss program or the other. It is worse for those people who search for tips on how to lose weight overnight or for those who rely on slim teas instead of exercise and food moderation.

They soon find themselves slipping back into their old habits and within months they have gained a lot of weight. I have met many of them who choose slim teas over my Weight Loss tips and today they are back to square one. Worse of all, it becomes extremely hard to lose such weight once more because old habits die hard.

I am not an advocate for slim teas, dieting or any other weight loss program that does not depend on exercise and food moderation and that is why I get to keep my fit and healthy figure all my life.

For you to maintain your desired weight, you need to keep taking that regular amount of calories (food moderation) and keep your daily physical activities constant (exercise). An increase in calories or physical activity makes you lose more weight and a decrease in calories and physical activity makes you gain weight (although there is more involved, this is the major part).

Here I am going to talk about 4 exercises that can help you maintain your weight without stress, these exercises wouldn't require much time or energy but burn a lot of calories. You can also find these exercises in my Weight Loss Ebook which I will be publishing soon.

Here are 4 Exercises That Can Help You Maintain Your Weight

1. Dancing

Dancing is a great form of exercise which is not only fun but can be a good calorie burner, improve flexibility and help you maintain weight loss.

For most people, dancing is the best form of exercise since it's most enjoyable and can be done almost anywhere (even in the office).

Dancing movements such as jumping, swaying, twirling help burn calories which makes it almost as good as jogging.

You can simply book a 30-minute dance class or wait, book what? You can simply dance to the music in your home. You can check out the Best Dancehall Playlist of 2017 and get your grooves on.

2. Jogging

Another easy way to stay fit is to increase your jogging speed up a notch. If you increase your pace for the three miles to a 10-minute mile, or 6 mph, at 125 pounds, you burn exactly 300 calories, while a 185-pound person burns 444calories.

3. Walking

Can't keep jogging every morning. Simply walk.

Trekking to work or back from work or just taking a 30-minute walk after dinner helps to maintain your weight. Although running or jogging tends to burn more fat for fuel than walking but it's can still be a great way to keep your fit and healthy.

4. Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks is a great aerobic exercise which targets fat all over your body including belly fat. This exercise includes all-around body movement which could help burn a lot of calories.

These are simple exercises which could not require much effort but burn a lot of calories and help you maintain your weight loss. If you ever go on a journey to Weight Loss you should understand that you must make exercising a complete part of your lifestyle from now on.

So there you have it

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor.

3 Early Morning Exercises For Lazy People

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 13:00:00 +0000

Ugh, the alarms rings and you are reminded its morning, you turn over and you find yourself glued to the bed, rising up in the morning then brushing up to get early to work to beat the strength-draining early morning is already a daunting daily task for you..

So waking up every morning and having to move your body, muscles and bones for your own health becomes a really big deal for lazy people.

So, as your favorite health blogger, I felt I should step in and put together a list of 3 simple exercises which will require minimum energy but give great benefits in return. You don't have to wake up and think of your treadmill or go to the gym every day, these lazy man exercises can give you all those benefits.

Here are 3 Early Morning Exercises For Lazy People

1. Stretches

In my exercising routine, I treat stretches as warm-up exercises and not the main thing.

Stretching everyday gives your entire body flexibility, improve your sleep quality, and increases energy.

Stretching is very easy to learn and master, you probably do them every morning when you wake up with a yawn.

Simple stretching exercises can are arm swings, arm circles, all round arm stretches, high lunge with reach etc.

2. Jogging

Hate exercising... Then jog.

This exercise is so easy to perform and comes with a lot of benefits. Jogging for about 20 - 30 minutes would go all the way to help you lose weight, build your curves, lighten your mood and clear your mind.

Jogging also works the muscles of your body making it a very important exercise, it does much work to your lower body region (below your waist). Your quadriceps hamstrings (thigh muscles), your glutes (butt muscles) and your calves are strengthened. It also does minimal work to your shoulder and arm muscles making it an all-around body exercise.

3. Jumping Jacks

Another great exercise which works your entire body and also elevates your mood. This is a great aerobic exercise for those seeking to lose weight and stay fit.

Jacks (for short) require less energy and that is why for those who feel quite lazy to get up and move their body every morning.

So there you have it.

Here Is Why Sweat Smells Really Bad

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 11:30:00 +0000

Why does sweat smell, I mean, it should be just like water (odorless, colorless and tasteless), so why do I smell like dustbin just minutes after sweating?

If you have ever wondered why sweat smells really bad, you are not alone, even I wondered what really made sweat smell so bad. I mean even ladies (the clean freaks, no offense), do smell bad after sweating.

So why does it smell?

Well, your favorite health blogger did some digging and I discovered some information that could really help, especially for those who are trying to get rid of body odor and are tired of poor-working deodorants.

Sweat itself does not smell

You are like gini? what? Is my nose deceiving me?

It doesn't, it doesn't smell... Take a deep breath and read on

The familiar smell of body odor comes from normal skin bacteria breaking down the sweat secretions released from the sweat glands.

I practically research this information, so don't worry you can actually put your life on it.

Body odor mainly originates from the apocrine glands in the armpits, which release a thick, oily sweat rich in proteins and lipids which bacteria on the skin feed on.

So in real sense it is those bacteria that live on the skin that causes body odor, meaning

more sweat more body odor

more bacteria more body odor

Now that is why you are advised to bathe at least twice a day to reduce the number of bacteria on the skin,

Most things are all about bacteria and humans are full of them.

Also

Body odor occurs during exercise and when we feel strong emotions because these are the triggers (exercise and strong emotions) for the apocrine gland to secrete sweat.

The warm, damp conditions of the armpit are also a perfect environment for bacteria to thrive in and create smelly odors.

So there you have it.

4 Ways to Stop Making Excuses to Exercise And Stay Fit For 2018

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 10:00:00 +0000

If you find yourself making excuses to exercise, don't worry, I was giving a ton of reasons why I should skip my workout that morning and do it the next day.

I mean who wants to be grunting, moaning, twisting, turning, jumping and jogging for 30 minutes when I could spend those 30 minutes on an episode of Flash Season 3.

It is even worse for those who have very busy schedules, especially for those living in Lagos, who run the 4:30am to 8:00pm work schedule. Exercising does not seem to have many benefits as we are so much engrossed in our lives and working hard to make ends meet.

But,

Exercising 30 minutes a day will bring benefits you will enjoy when you are in your 50s.

Don't worry, I know you rather live till 100 years without having to be in a wheelchair, so as your favorite health blogger, I decided to come up with these 4 tips and hope it will get you off your lazy ass.

Here are 4 ways to stop making excuses to exercise

1. Ask yourself why you have to exercise

Just for weight loss, abs, curves or to get toned, if you are exercising just to show off your body, then you are in for a shock. Exercise goes deeper than that.

Exercise does more internally than you could ever imagine and this 81-year-old mama knows that. Her name is Ernestine Shepherd by the way.

Make a choice. 80 and active or 80 and in a wheelchair.

2. Use music

Scientists are still wondering why Humans are so connected to music, but we can both agree that music changes the mood completely.

Exercising can get boring even for me. Sometimes I can't just concentrate on counting the reps and give up to get ready for the day.

If you feel that grunting and moaning for 30 minutes are going to a really boring task, then you can simply introduce music to spice it up.

I go with Sia's songs by the way.

3. Get a partner

Something I learned from Khloe Kardashian Revenge Body is that partners are either motivators or inhibitors.

A good partner would give you a pretty good reason to exercise every morning which is different when you walk with someone who doesn't give a damn about their health and is just living life without a care.

A partner can be your friend, or someone you met in the gym or even your favorite health blogger, moi.

4. Write Down n Your Workouts

Get a workout schedule. I mean write down what you are going to do today, tomorrow and for the whole of the week.

This gives you a sense of responsibility and makes it easier for you to workout.

There are some factors which might affect your exercise routine and how frequent your exercise, luckily these factors such as lack of adequate sleep are under your control and shouldn't bug as the tips above will definitely help solve it.

Here Is How Often You Should Change Your Towel

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 09:00:00 +0000

There is an adage that goes thus:

Be careful how you treat people because the part of the towel you use to clean your buttocks will one day be the part your use to clean your face.

That's an African proverb by the way. However, I am not here to talk about African proverbs, but how often you should be changing your towels

When I was a child there was one simple answer for this, and that was

I use it until it tears, then I get a new one.

Quite unhygienic (also poor level of care I gave to the towel), but still economical. Presently, I change my towel much faster than that and I turn the used one to rags.

Here Is How Often You Should Change Your Towel

First, I am going to start with how often you should wash your towels because some people might use their towels more frequently than others causing it to wear out more quickly.

You need to understand your towel is a possible breeding ground for germs, fungi, bacteria and dead skin cells and it becomes worse when you barely hang a wet towel outside.

Washing your towel depends on how often you use it.

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According to Philip Tierno, a microbiologist and pathologist at the New York University School of Medicine, you should wash your towels after every 3 uses.

So, how often should you change it?

Well, there is no recommended time that you should change your towel, but how often you change them should depend on these 3 things.

Quality. Cheaply made towels won't last as long as high-quality towels.
The frequency of use. The more your towels are used, the shorter their lifespan will be.
Level of care. If you take good care of your towels — and wash, dry and care for them as you should — they will last longer than if you neglect them.

There are also some signs you should look out for in your towel to notice when it is time to change them. For example, old towels can develop a musty smell that may never go away, instead of trying so hard to get rid of the smell it is better you change it.

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Also, the fabric threads of your towel start to break in a year or two, this should be a good time to change your towel especially when the fibers are gone.

So there you have it. Towels harbor a lot of bacteria and you should be giving it more attention than you are now.

I remain your favorite health blogger Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor.

5 Reasons You Must Not Use Drugs or Tea To Lose Belly Fat

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Nothing does it faster and better than a quick fix. Or so you thought.

I remember a conversation I had with a lady once. She was concerned about her weight and claimed that she had exercised back to back and still nothing has changed. She was now looking for a quick fix to work it out.

To be sincere, with a quick fix like drugs, tea (herbal tea, slim tea or whatever you call them) You will be looking good in no time (2 weeks possibly), but for how long?

There are many reasons why I will not recommend anyone using a quick fix of any sort to keep weight or belly fat at bay and here are just 4 of them.

1. It won’t last

Quick fixes all have one thing in common “they are short-term fixes”.

You may get rid of the belly fat, by gulping down a certain supplement or going through a very strict diet and intensive training with a supplement tea in hand, but after losing belly fat, the next thing is all about maintaining it.

Now that is where the problem arises as most people who go through this quick fixes find it hard to maintain it.

What's the gain if you get rid of it in a week or two and can’t keep it off of the rest of your life?

2. It comes back worse

With long-term fixes it is hard for you to ever get belly fat again, but the opposite is just the case with quick fixes because you might be gaining that belly fat you thought you got rid of in a matter of months or years.

If you ever gain that fat again, there is a high chance it will be worse than it was the first time. I mean it will be harder for you to get rid of it this time causing more harm to not just your health but body image more than it did before.

3. Health Problems

Quick fixes involve either supplements (drugs) or very intensive exercises or both.

These methods engage your body in vigorous activities which might be too much for your body to handle and they might contain hidden side effects which you would not notice until after some time. These methods can affect your cholesterol, blood pressure, mental health and lead to many health problems later in life.

One question you should always ask yourself in the back of your mind when going through a fat loss program should be;

Is this good for my health?

And that is why I recommend you have a session with your doctor before taking any supplement, drug or even following and fat loss program.

4. It is very hard to stick to it

The strict diet rules, drugs, and exercises are just a little bit too strict for most people and immediately they lose the belly fat, they return back to their old ways of eating, exercising and living.

They don’t really work because you can’t mix them with your normal way of life and the program just seems like a phase of your life instead of something you do every day.

It could also be very hard to take the supplement every day because you might find out you just love skipping it (I mean, you have the great body already) and worse of all you did not exercise enough to get this great body, so you will be out of shape in no time since you can't exercise every day to keep it.

Quick fixes don't exist in my dictionary and they shouldn't in yours. Exercise shouldn't be hard work or boring, it should be fun and healthy.

It should be something you love doing, something that puts a smile on your face because you know you are doing it for the right reasons and will keep doing it.

So there you have it, do the right thing and get the right results.

I remain your Favorite Health blogger Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor

Here Is How Often You Should Be Shaving Your Armpits

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Well, we can all agree that the armpit is one of the most important places when it comes to body hygiene. As more emphasis is being placed on body hygiene in the recent years, people are becoming more sensitive and trying to portray a great body image.

But, sometimes we make certain mistakes when it comes to taking care of ourselves, which are due to ignorance most of the time.

When trying to take care of your body, it is best to make sure you know what you are doing, how safe the practice is, is there anything that could go wrong?

So, how often should I shave my armpits?

When it comes to shaving of the armpits, it is dependent on different factors. This is due to the fact that we are not all the same and do not go through the same circumstances in life. Some sweat more than others too, others sweat more but smell less, others are just disgusted with hair etc.

So, shaving your armpits should be based on the following factors below.

1. How Much You Sweat

If you sweat a lot then there is no need for you to keep hairy pits, as sweat is directly proportional to body odour and this is enhanced by armpit hair.

The hair traps the sweat around your armpit and then bacteria (which are the primary cause of the odour), get to work and make you smell really bad.

So, if you sweat a lot, you should try shaving once a week to keep it clean.

2. How You Smell

Sometimes, you might not sweat a lot, but you just smell bad. It is possible and from my own experience it is either you are not bathing well enough or you are not using a soap with a great scent, also it might be that you are not bathing regularly.

If you are in this category, then you should start doing the right thing by boosting your body hygiene and shave once a week.

3. How Fast Your Body Hair Grows

I can also relate to this with my experience. My hair grows insanely fast. This is normally due to testosterone, genetics etc.

If you are just like me and your armpit hair grows very fast then you should try shaving once a week to make sure you smell good.

4. If It Irritates You

Yes, having armpit hair might irritate some people, especially the ladies who try to look as hairless as possible. If having armpit hair irritates you then you can shave anytime you want, but remember that too much shaving might injure / damage the skin.

So, there it is. As for me, I normally shave twice a week, so that I can keep smelling good and looking good.

Note: It takes more than just shaving your armpits to smell good. There are men who are so hairy around there but still smell so good. if you want to know how they did it, just check no. 2 above.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor

6 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking More Water In 2018

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 10:00:00 +0000

Water is life and without water, for at most 3 days you would be dead, and before that time you will look like one of the zombies in the walking dead series.

Lack of enough water affects you in almost the same way lack of enough quality sleep affects your body from weight problems to cognitive problems and even headaches. You can check out the article on how lack of quality sleep affects your brain.

Drinking enough water is not just important it is vital

Do yourself some good and drink more water, it would not only help you work faster and smarter but it would also:

1. Increases your energy and make you less tired

2. Makes it easier to lose weight by making you full quickly

Drinking more water before and in between meals is a fast way for you to lose weight and maintain your weight. Drinking more water simply helps you get full quickly and also keeps you full so you would be eating less and that leads to weight loss.

Also, water contains zero (0) calories so you shouldn't be worried about drinking a lot compared to your energy drinks and coca cola drinks.

3. Brightens your skin complexion

I am fair by the way, but my complexion is something else, although it took more than drinking enough water to get there, drinking about 6 - 15 glasses per day was how I started out.

4. Boosts Your Immune System

What better way to increase your life expectancy than to give you natural arsenal a boost. Water helps in the production of lymph. Your body's immune system uses lymph to circulate white blood cells (the soldiers who fight the diseases) and nutrients to all of the body's tissues.

Water allows your kidneys to remove toxins from your body, if you don't drink enough water, toxins will build up and weaken your immune system and cause serious damage to your body.

5. Beats Headache Stop taking panadol/paracetamol for what simply drinking more water can relieve. Some headaches are caused by dehydration and just taking water will make you feel better in no time - it's not everytime you run to the chemist you know.

6. Makes you happier

If you live in my country, then you will understand how fragile the state of the nation is. You even have to apologize before asking a stranger a question. Drinking enough water can help improve your moods and make you happier. I find myself thinking more positive when I take enough water and that has helped me a lot.

4 Ways To Lose Weight Without Starving Yourself In 2018

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Losing weight can be as easy as improving your diet, changing processed foods for green and eating more snacks with fewer calories than more meals packed with calories you wouldn't burn.

For some people that would sound impossible, the discipline, determination, and dedication are just hard to stick to and you find yourself falling back. Others prefer to starve rather than stick to healthy diets

No matter you believe, losing weight isn't really hard and you don't have to starve yourself of your favorite meals to look good.

Being fit is a lifestyle and you have to be ready to live your life like a fit person if you really want to drop some pounds and look good

Here Are 4 Ways To Lose Weight Without Starving Yourself

1. Exercise More

If you are one of those people who find it difficult to exercise, giving yourself different excuses and being a couch potato, you've got to loosen up.

Exercising is the best way to lose weight if you don't want to completely scrap off your favorite meals on your quest to stay fit. And exercising go beyond losing weight, it also boosts longevity, improves your moods, helps you fight stress and depression and best of all, it improves your bedroom performance, winks.

So, What Exercises Should You Be Focusing On?

Squats, pushups, running (not jogging), stair sprints, in fact, you can find everything about exercising for weight loss and fitness in here.

or you can simply download my 8 Weeks Workout Plan For Weight Loss

2. Drink More Water Before And In Between Meals

I have always noticed that drinking more water before and in between meals always help get full faster and best of all, it helps me stay full.

That way I reduce hunger cravings and eat less, so instead of starving yourself just trying taking more water before and in between meals

3. Get A Lot Of Snacks

Fruits and biscuits could never be more important in your life.

Adding weight is due to eating a lot without burning it off (especially those who don't move around a lot). Snacks help reduce hunger cravings and best of all they wouldn't make you put on more pounds if taken the right way.

Another great thing snacks help us do is to control stress eating or eating because you are bored, this might be the reason you're getting adding so much weight, start taking snacks like biscuits and fruits like cucumber, watermelon, pawpaw, and orange whenever you feel like eating before the time you normal meal time.

4. Improve Your Lifestyle

This goes to all the couch potatoes.

Like I said before simply changing your diet (improving it) can help you lose weight, but if you don't move around enough or barely exercise, then it might be near impossible for you to lose weight.

For some people exercising is a chore, you can read this article if it feels like that for you.

If you still find yourself dodging your workout sessions, then you can simply get into Sports.

So there you have it

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor

Here Are 8 Things That Will Make You Age Faster Than Your Friends

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 25 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

Getting old is something we must all do and also something most people are not looking forward to.

While aging itself is inevitable and cannot be controlled by you, how well you age is something you should be thinking about.

Some people can look 10 years older than their age and I don't mean because they have a beard or something. I mean the appearance of wrinkles, drier and thinner skin, weakened bones, loss of hearing and eyesight even before they get to 50.

How well you age depends on you, if you will be looking like a 70-year-old grandma when you are just 50 or if you will be looking like Ernestine Shepherd when you are 81 (she is 81 by the way).

In reality, not all of us will age the same way, which means you are getting older and possibly dying out long before your friends.

Here Are 8 Things That Will Make You Age Faster Than Your Friends

1. Your Genetics

Turns out having a healthy father and mother is very important. If your parents or grandparents are able to live until 90 there is a good chance you might do the same.

Your genes determine how you age and how well you are physically and psychologically, this is why some people look really older than their age while others are completely different.

But your parents or grandparents living so long doesn't guarantee you will live just as long, it simply increases your chances if you follow a healthy lifestyle

2. Exposure to the Sun

Prolonged exposure to the sun is one of the worst things that can ever happen to your skin.

The harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun weaken skin cells and blood vessels which makes your skin look much darker than normal.

It leads to pigmentation, reduced skin elasticity and a degradation of skin texture, all signs of premature aging.

Along, it increases your risk of skin cancers like melanoma. According to a study in 2013 UV exposure seems to be responsible for 80 percent of visible facial aging signs.

Always remember to cover yourself properly before going out in the sun, wearing long clothing and using sunscreen could go long way to reduce exposure to the sun's rays.

3. Too Little Sleep

If you are still losing sleep with the excuse "money does not sleep" then be ready to never get to enjoy that money the time you make it.

Sleep deprivation not only damages your body but also your brain. Several studies have proven that staying up at night for whatever reason is not only counterproductive but wreaks havoc on your health.

Your brain not only suffers and makes you less of a human being, but your heart does same also. For the ladies it's kind of worse, sleeping late at night increases your risk for the most common cancer, breast cancer (which might make you lose your breasts by the way).

So if you are looking way much older than your age, you might want to step up your lifestyle pretty fast.

4. Not Laughing

Turns out that those who have less joy in their life will age faster. Living a stressful life is a quick way to age prematurely which is one of the reasons why Nigerians have their life expectancy pegged at 53 years. Too much stress in your life boosts your level of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol leads to weight gain, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.

Another thing about those who barely laugh and are always stressed out is that their skin suffers. Stress leads to more frowning which is one of the key causes of wrinkles on the forehead.

Stress makes you look at life mostly in a negative way, which is very bad for your mental health and growth, this will not only make you limit you but also cause your body to break down much faster.

Want to control stress, then read my articles on stress management.

5. What You Eat

The food you eat can also determine how fast you will age. Sadly, most Nigerians don't give a damn about the nutrients they consume as long as it fills their stomach and quells that hunger.

Most processed foods are filled with chemicals which are very dangerous to the body, but some people just decide to throw health measure out the window and feed their sweet tooth instead.

The meals you eat can either help your body sustain itself or force your body to underperform, at this stage you are simply accelerating your aging process as you are not the required amount nutrients your body needs.

6. Poor Skin Care

Caring for the skin goes beyond bathing three times a day. I see many ladies with facial scars, acne, and pimples and they prefer to cover it up with a lot of makeup rather than go treat it till it goes away. Later on, those facial problems accelerate skin aging which makes them look much older than they should be.

Proper skin care includes washing your face after exercise or whenever you've been sweating, removing makeup before going to bed, drinking enough water, exfoliating your skin to get rid of dead skin cells and using a good moisturizer/cream that does not irritate or bleach the skin.

Also, avoid touching your face with your hand. This is something I normally advise those trying to get rid of pimples, but it is also important for you too.

7. No Exercise

Working out should one of the most important activities of your mornings, working out not only help protect your body as you age, it also makes you age well, I mean you don't want to be looking like your grandfather when you are just 30. Exercise also helps with your mood and it fights stress. I don't joke about jogging when I feel down, it's like my own form of cocaine.

Exercise helps tone your muscles and gets your blood flowing so that your skin gets all the necessary nutrients.

If you are not exercising enough or not at all, then you are one of the reasons why Nigeria's life expectancy is at 53 years and that is why you are aging really fast.

8. Poor Perspective Of Life

This is really important.

Having a negative or I don't care or I am too lazy to do it perspective on life will bring you down mentally and physically. It will also affect you health wise, making your more depressed, frustrated and stressed out with the things you see around you and for many what comes next is suicide.

The simple thing you have to do is change your perspective, change how you see life, life is full of trials, but it's also full of beauties, full of greatness and full of happiness if you just try to see it that way. I have had my own fair share of lamentations and pains, but that doesn't mean I give in into negativity, I always stay positive no matter what and that has helped me a lot, mentally, physically and in all aspects.

One more thing is to change the way you see health and fitness. If you are so passive about your and do the 6 things I listed up there, then you shouldn't be worried If you are looking twice your age while your friends are looking fresh.

Money might be a very important resource for well being, but for you to get that money, you need to be healthy in the first place, don't give up your health for wealth.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor

4 Ways In Which Your Mobile Phone Is Destroying Your Health

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Face it, we are all addicted to our smartphones, statistics state that the average American spends well over three over a day on the phone, but I believe that figure would go higher here in Nigeria.

Most people find themselves glued to their phones even when they eat, sleep and surprisingly when they use the bathrooms.

The Mini computer has changed our lives completely, improved communication, education, eliminates boredom, but with every advantage comes disadvantages and the mobile phone is not left out.

Here are 4 ways your mobile phone is harming your health

1. Your Posture

Turns out that back pain and neck pain can be as a result of using your mobile phone. Peering down at your phone while you text, read or surf the web puts an unnecessary strain on your spine. When standing upright, there is about 10 to 12c pounds of force placed on the cervical spine by the average head, and if you just tilt your head 15-degrees it doubles.

This extra stress the spine to lead to accelerated wear and tear on your spine and would be aging faster than your friends without even knowing it.

So, learn to balance your posture next time when using your phone.

2. You are going blind

Turns out that your best friend could be damaging your eyes and high-quality phones like iPhones and Samsung devices are not left out. The LED screens found in most of these devices can harm the retina - the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.

This may lead to eye problems and even partial blindness if you are addicted to your phone and use it for longer periods in the day and at night just like I do.

The damage starts when the photoreceptors - types of neuron found in the retina that convert light into information - begin to die out due to the prolonged saturation of blue light.

This puts a strain on other parts of the eye, leading to increased levels of inflammation, discomfort, and pain.

Most people especially gamers are at risk of rendering their eyes useless in a not too distant future because they spend more time on their phones with the brightness level beyond 30%.

Beyond 30% is when you start subjecting your eyes to all that intense light that will definitely damage your eyes in time to come.

I normally spend a lot of time on my phone and laptop (it is an inseparable part of my life) and I noticed that after spending long periods viewing my phone or laptop screen my eyesight seem somewhat blurry whenever I look up. These are signs you should look out for and always try to avoid.

3. It's making you age faster

Well not literally, but if you keep losing sleep over your phone then you wouldn't just increase your health risks for long-term health conditions, including cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity, you would also age faster and look much older than your friends (that's if they are not insomniacs too).

According to research, the blue-violet light that comes from the smartphone will ultimately wreak havoc on your sleep.

The body's sleep patterns are influenced in part by the hormone melatonin. The amount of melatonin your body makes and when it makes it is influenced by the light we expose ourselves too late into the evening.

So if you go to bed with your smartphone in hand, chatting away don't be surprised you find it hard to fall asleep or sleep really late into the night.

Getting quality sleep is so important that without it, a healthy life is not guaranteed. Try dropping your phone an hour before bed and doing something else.

4. It Can Make You Go Deaf

Earlier this week I shared my story on How Using Earpiece Gave Me Tinnitus. Smartphones have brought music much closer to us and most people like me love to listen to music on their smartphones at any given opportunity. The problem is turning up the volume too high. The loud noises will damage the tiny hairs in the inner ear. Exposing these hairs to loud noises, while damage their ability to pick up sounds vibrations and result in hearing loss over time.

You could also get tinnitus along with the loss of hearing. It is recommended you use quality headphones (not earpiece) and avoid turning up the volume at all costs.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor

Beware!!! Here Is How Using Earpiece Almost Damaged My Ear

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

For someone who runs a health and fitness blog, you'd expect me to be the most careful person on earth, but yea, I flopped and maybe that's just because I am human and I can make mistakes.

I woke up to a beating sound in my ears and I knew something was wrong.

On the 10th of December 2017 I woke up around 4am to a beating sound in my left ear, it sounded as if my heart was in my left ear and it was quite annoying.

The beating sound seemed to increase when I tried to concentrate on it and that minute I knew something was wrong. Tinnitus was the first thing that crossed my mind and I was not far from the truth.

First Tinnitus is the perception of noise or ringing in the ear when there is no external sound present. Sounds differ when it comes to tinnitus, mine was a beating (humming) sound like my heart was in my ear, it could also be a ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking or hissing sound.

The sound may seem to come from one ear or both, from inside the head, or from a distance. It may be constant or intermittent, steady or pulsating.

Tinnitus can also affect your quality of life, stress, fatigue, depression, anxiety, memory problems and poor concentration are all associated with those who have tinnitus.

How My Earpiece Gave Me Tinnitus

Tinnitus is caused majorly by exposure to loud noises and that was my mistake. I filled my playlist with Sia's songs earlier this year and I have been playing them at the highest volume throughout the year.

While I was blasting away my best jams, I was also damaging my inner ear cells, so immediately I noticed the problem, I was fast to check out the possible cause and make adjustments.

Ever since I have dropped my earbuds and I am opting for headphones. But excessive noise can not only come from earbuds, attending a loud concert or parties, noise from a generator can trigger tinnitus.

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Tinnitus isn't caused by excessive noise only, other causes include:

Age-related hearing loss: For many people, hearing worsens with age. According to mayoclinic it should be around 60. Hearing loss can cause tinnitus.
Earwax blockage: The waxy substance in your ear is meant to protect your ear canal by trapping dirt and slowing down the growth of bacteria. When too much earwax accumulates, it becomes too hard to wash away naturally, causing irritation to the eardrum or hearing loss, which can lead to tinnitus.
Ear bone changes: Stiffening of the bones in your middle ear may affect your hearing and cause tinnitus. This condition is known as otosclerosis
Head injuries or neck injuries: Head or neck trauma can affect hearing nerves or brain function linked to hearing. Such injuries generally cause tinnitus in only one ear.
Ear infection: Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear that causes inflammation (redness and swelling) and a build-up of fluid behind the eardrum. Such ear infections can lead to hearing loss and tinnitus.
Reaction to some medications: Reaction to certain medications like antibiotics, cancer medications, water pills, quinine medications, antidepressants and aspirin at uncommon doses may cause or worsen tinnitus.

Ever since I noticed the beating sound, I have switched up my lifestyle, dropped my earbuds and barely listen to music at close range. These changes have not only help me sleep better but the last time I checked, I couldn't hear the beating sound anymore.

What to do if you have Tinnitus

Identifying the cause can help: I crosschecked my lifestyle with the possible causes of Tinnitus and that helped me act fast. If you have tinnitus that occurs suddenly or without an apparent cause or your tinnitus leads to hearing loss and dizziness, be sure to visit your doctor as soon as possible.
Improve your lifestyle: Stress and anxiety can worsen tinnitus and learning ways to relax can go a long way to help. Getting enough and quality sleep is also important.
Stay Away From Loud Noises: Make sure to protect your ear from loud sounds, wearing ear protection such as headphones minimize sounds and prevent further damage. I stopped listening to music with earbuds for some days in my case.

If the noise continues in only one ear for several weeks or if bothers you even after you try self-help measures be sure to visit your doctor.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger. Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor.

8 Ways To Increase Your Life Expectancy Before Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Living till your teeth fall off is the dream of many including me, but as the years go by, it seems harder and harder to live a healthy lifestyle as the days work tend to bring struggles, stress, and depression with it. No matter how hard times may be living a healthy lifestyle should be of the utmost importance and should be taken more seriously if your life expectancy has been pegged at 53 years (for Nigerians).

So, if you want to live beyond 53 and beat the poor quality of life you see around you daily, then you should try these 8 things as they will ensure your well-being as you age and increase your life expectancy.

1. Exercise Immediately After Bed

You don't need to keep my 8 Weeks Workout Plan to be healthy, just jogging in the morning is a good start to get you on the right path towards long life.

2. Spend less time on social media

Yea, I'm serious, social media is affecting your health if you think it's hard leaving all your friends on social media then think of me who has over 14,000 followers on my facebook page, so I know it's a really big deal.

But social media is really killing you, stressing your body out and possibly making you age faster. Negative side effects of social media such as eye strain, lack of sleep and social withdrawal are just a start.

It gets worse as social media makes you less happy, imagine arguing with people everyday, comparing your life to those slay queens and kings and big boys and girls you see on your page and reading most of the negative news which is only what makes headlines these days, all that leaves a negative impact on your health.

What to do

Don't start your mornings and don't end your nights with social media: I mean surfing the net shouldn't be the first thing you do in the morning, it should be exercised, that is if you want to increase your life expectancy. It also shouldn't be the last thing you do at the end of the day.

Focus on your other hobbies: Most people throw their potentials through the window just to live a fake life on social media, your hobbies can turn out to be your greatest source of joy, writing a book, programming, cooking, dancing, photography, art, and music are great hobbies you can start with.

3. Eat According to How Healthy You Want To Be

You want to be healthy and live longer, then focus on your meals and eat like someone who wants to live long and stay away from diseases. You want to eat as you like, gulping any food you can lay your hands on just to get fill your stomach, then you can, but don't expect to live a healthy disease free life and when those diseases and health problems come knocking, just know it's the choice you made.

Eating healthy meals means looking into the nutrients your food contains rather than how salivating it is. Avoid processed foods (foods which are produced by artificial processes) and watch the number of calories you are consuming and burning.

4. Get Exactly 8 Hours of Sleep Every Night

To be sincere, I barely get 5 hours of sleep per night. I find it hard to sleep when there is so much going on in my head. I simply stick to my how to fall asleep faster tips to help me fall asleep at night, but sometimes I don't just want to go to bed since I would achieve a lot by cheating sleep.

That unhealthy lifestyle not only cost me so much physically but mentally and emotionally and it took me double the amount of time to regain myself. Let's say I was losing myself slowly. Most people don't know how unhealthy it is to forgo rest and sleep until it becomes too late and that is when an illness could have made them bedridden.

Nowadays I get at least 6 hours of sleep per night and I stick to it, but I advise you go higher, 7 to 8 hours should be good enough and remember to stick to it.

5. Drink More Water

Do yourself some good and drink more water, it would not only help you work faster and smarter but it would also

Increases your energy and make you less tired
Makes it easier to lose weight by making you full quickly, reducing hunger and contains zero (0) calories
Brightens your skin complexion: I am fair by the way, but my complexion is something else, although it took more than drinking enough water to get there, drinking about 6 - 15 glasses per day was how I started out.
Boosts Your Immune System: What better way to increase your life expectancy than to give you natural arsenal a boost. Water helps in the production of lymph. Your body's immune system uses lymph to circulate white blood cells (the soldiers who fight the diseases) and nutrients to all of the body's tissues. Water allows your kidneys to remove toxins from your body, if you don't drink enough water, toxins will build up and weaken your immune system and cause serious damage to your body.
Beats Headache: Stop taking panadol/paracetamol for water can relieve. Some headaches are caused by dehydration and just taking water will make you feel better in no time - it's not everytime you run to the chemist you know.
Makes you happier: If you live in my country, then you will understand how fragile the state of the nation is. You even have to apologize before asking a stranger a question. Drinking enough water can help improve your moods and make you happier. I find myself thinking more positive when I take enough water and that has helped me a lot.

6. Set Your 2018 Goals Now

Having a purpose in life can also make you live longer. As you struggle to achieve your goals, the obstacles you meet on the way toughen you up and makes you stronger (that is if you are like me who doesn't give up).

Set your 2018 goals right now, don't wait till it's December 31st before thinking of what to achieve. 2018 is another chance for those who could not achieve their 2017 goals or those who underachieved their goals to try again.

7. Change Your Perspective

Why is life so difficult? why is life so hard? These are questions most people ask almost every day and the answer to that is simply it's the way you see it. If you see life as hard, as take it as you see it, or filled with so many trials and troubles, that negative perspective will bring you down mentally and physically. It will also affect you health wise, making your more depressed, frustrated and stressed out with the things you see around you and for many what comes next is suicide.

One more thing is to change the way you see health and fitness. Your life is heading nowhere, if don't give a damn about living a healthier lifestyle and how seriously you take your health is how healthy you will be.

8. Jog Immediately You Get Back From Work

Stress, fatigue and sleep deprivation, these work-related hazards (yes, they are), have once been a pain in my a**, especially if work so far from home and make use of public transport. Sometimes you don't feel like planning for tomorrow because you just feel like sitting at home and watching tv forever, but you got bills to pay.

Everything changed when I started jogging immediately I got back from work. Jogging is one of those great exercises which not only relieves stress but improves your moods, rather than taking a nap, I walk or jog to keep myself feeling positive and best of all it also increases my energy levels.

So there you have it. With these, you will prove WHO wrong because she puts your life expectancy at 53 years (Nigerians only).

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor

Here Are 6 HIV Myths You Need to Stop Believing Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

In the light of that, I decided that an article that debunks the myths and exposes some of that false stories about the virus was long overdue. For example, believing that a condom could provide you 100% protection from the virus, now that is a flawed belief.

On a basic level, most of us are familiar with the virus, how it spreads, and how it affects the body and the preventive measures.

But there are so many misconceptions about the virus that exist since it came into the public eye in the 1980s.

Here are 6 myths about HIV that most of you believe and the truths that should dispel them for good.

1. HIV MYTH: TRANSMISSION IS ALWAYS A HIGH RISK FROM PEOPLE WITH HIV

For decades, this was actually true.

If you had HIV then there is a high risk of transmitting the disease but is all in the past. Right now if you HIV is undetectable, meaning the viral load is low enough so it doesn't show up on blood tests - then it's very unlikely to be transmitted.

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According to Dr. Malvestutto, you should still use a condom to prevent STDs, but if there is a possibility that the condom breaks during sexual activity, the risk of you contracting HIV from an infected person is not there.

In fact, the CDC recently released a letter referencing this in September,

people who take ART daily as prescribed and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting the virus to an HIV-negative partner

So that's done and dusted.

2. HIV MYTH: HIV SHORTENS YOUR LIFESPAN CONSIDERABLY

Now, this is a myth I once believed in. I have heard of stories of infected persons dying within 10 years, some wouldn't live for up to a year before their body shuts down.

According to Dr. Malvestutto, those with HIV could have the same lifespan as someone without HIV. He said

If you're undergoing antiretroviral treatment and your viral load is undetectable, then you have about the same lifespan as someone without HIV.

According to a new study published in The Lancet, people who started antiretroviral therapy during 2008 to 2010 with CD4 cell counts above 350 (a marker of immune health) one year after initiation have an estimated life expectancy approaching that of the general population.

3. HIV MYTH: IF YOU HAVE HIV, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A LOT OF DRUGS WITH LOTS OF SIDE EFFECTS

This myth was once true but isn't any longer. Unlike the early days of HIV treatment, medications no longer present serious side effects which once included severe muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and headache.

Although some people have reported side effects and toxicity after taking few medications to control the virus.

According to Dr. Malvestutto.

Most people are afraid of going on treatment because they think they'll get incredibly sick, but that doesn't happen anymore. The majority of people just take their pill to keep the virus suppressed and have no side effects at all.

4. HIV MYTH: CONDOMS AND CLEAN NEEDLES ARE THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT HIV TRANSMISSION

10 years ago, yes condoms and clean needles were the only possible way to prevent HIV transmission, but since then there have been improvements and you can prevent HIV transmission through a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment called Truvada which is a pill meant to prevent HIV infection for those who don't HIV.

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5. HIV MYTH: IF YOU ARE EXPOSED TO HIV, THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT INFECTION

Well, You can prevent an HIV infection through post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if you are exposed to the virus. PEP are antiretroviral drugs that must be administered within 72 hours or sooner in case of potential HIV exposure and can reduce the risk of infection.

6. HIV MYTH: YOU CAN EASILY GET HIV FROM ANY EXCHANGE OF FLUIDS, INCLUDING ORAL SEX

Actually, you can't. HIV is transmitted through blood or semen, but the CDC emphasizes that you have "little to no risk" of getting or transmitting HIV from oral sex, because of low chances of semen entering the bloodstream.

The risk is only high if there are sores in the mouth or penis or bleeding gums.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor

Here Is What Energy Drinks Are Actually Doing To Your Body

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Going through so many health websites including mine you can find a lot of articles advising you to reduce or completely stop drinking coca-cola drinks because they don't just make you fat and cause your heart problems as you grow older, but because it can also increase your risk of cancer.

Well, your energy drinks are not left out too, it turns out that taking those energy boosters can affect your health. Now, don't roll your eyes in frustration because suicide rates have gone up this year due to poor health lifestyles which is one reason why you should take any health information you come across seriously.

After reviewing the current studies surrounding the risks tied to energy drinks (everything has risks right?), researchers concluded they might be associated with a wide-range of health problems.

According to study author Josiemer Mattei, Ph.D., the sweet stuff in energy which are made up of a high amount of added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners is what is messing with you and increasing your risk of diabetes, tooth decay, and kidney damage.

The amount of sugar in a 17 ounce can contain about 54g of sugar which is way higher than the recommended 36g per day for men and we all know what happens when you give your body more than what it can handle, it simply breaks down.

When you consume too much sugar, your body will eventually require more and more insulin to help glucose enter your cells. This insulin resistance can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. Not just that, high blood sugar levels can damage your nerves and blood vessels over time (so if you aren't seeing it now, just wait till you get older). This can set the stage for heart disease and kidney problems.

How It Affects Your Weight?

I always recommend my readers trying to lose weight to make water and fruit juices their no.1 beverage and nothing else. That's because sweetened drinks although very salivating can really mess up your weight and make you gain more pounds that you can ever hope to lose.

According to a Korean study depending on energy drinks can affect your moods and cause you sleep problems, increase stress and depression. Faced with the fact that the suicide rates of Nigeria just went up (meaning more people are committing suicide than ever before due to depression, frustration and stress), you might want to drop those drink to avoid any stories that touch.

In long-term, the health risks of taking energy drinks or even coca-cola drinks outweighs the short-term benefits which might be a boost in energy or just to quench your thirst. It's time to set your priorities straight. Will you keep taking these drinks that will affect your health negatively as you grow older or will you stick to the best drink ever (water) and stay healthy.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor.

Here Is How Nigerian Local Foods Are Making You Fat

noreply@blogger.com (The Heart) — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 11:18:00 +0000

When you talk about foods that make you fatten up quickly, what comes to the mind is Junk foods like your pizza, hamburger, meals from fast food joints. Our local dishes cannot be put in the same category with junk foods, but yes they do make you fatten up quickly.

Why?

Simple, most if not all of Nigeria's local meals contains a high number of calories due to the high carbohydrate content.

A calorie is the amount of energy in food or drinks. When you eat a certain meal your body makes uses of the calories in the meal for energy and other activities while the excess calories are stored away as glycogen or fat to use at a later time. So if you consume foods with a high number of calories and you don't make use of those calories, the excess will be stored and that will cause you to fatten up.

So everything boils down to the calories and how you make use of them.

In a meal such as Starch & Oil Soup, you have about 1,950 calories approx (although this will depend on how much of it you eat). If you eat this meal 3 times a day you could be going for around 5850 calories (values could differ), that is you are eating over a pound of weight daily, (although you get to burn some or most of these calories depending on your level of activity).

An average man would require about 2500 kcal to maintain a healthy body weight, while an average woman would require about 2,000 kcal. Remember these figures depend on how active you are, your age, present weight etc.

If you are not a very active fellow, the excess 2350 calories (from the 5850 calories) will get stored as fat and that is how you gain weight.

Worse still, if you decide to eat eba or pounded yam in the evenings and retire to sleep 2 hours later, you will put on weight. Because the calories you gain from eating that meal are stored in your body as fat instead of being used when you go to sleep (because you are not performing any physical activity at night), so that is why I recommend taking something light before bed and avoid eating late at night.

To clear the air.

Nigerian local foods can only make you fat depending on how you burn the calories you consume. Remember I said if you are an inactive fellow (doesn't exercise or engage in much physical activity), you will gain weight (fat). So, you can consume Nigerian food and still remain fit and healthy if you make use of the calories you consume.

I myself still consume our local meals up till today.

So there you have it.

I remain your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor.