Wednesday, October 7, 2009
A Healthy Diet to Beat Anxiety
Studies have shown that having a healthy diet may reduce signs and symptoms of anxiety. One can relieve tension and manage stress better by what a person does and does not eat. Let us focus on changing the diet plans of a person so he or she can live an anxiety-free life.
Everyone experiences anxiety. In fact, being unable to do so can be a sign of a serious psychological problem. In our hazardous world, anxiety is a strategy the body uses to help the mind recognize danger and keep well out of its way. As with most mental illnesses, it's not the presence of anxiety alone that creates problems, rather more about how severe it is and how much it gets in one’s way of life or quality of living. Most people feel anxious at some time in their lives. However, only about five per cent of people experience severe anxiety and rarely seek professional help. Anxiety is a mixture of physical and mental symptoms, part of what psychologists call the “fight or flight” response. When the body is under threat it automatically prepares either to defend itself or run. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, or remain focused on an important speech. In general, it helps one cope with the tasks and demands of everyday life. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it can become a disabling disorder. Fortunately, effective treatments for anxiety disorders are available, and research is yielding new and improved therapies that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive and fulfilling lives.
Studies have shown that having a healthy diet may reduce signs and symptoms of anxiety. Although food can't cure an anxiety disorder, consider some diet changes and that would benefit a severely anxious person. It is expedient to know what to have and what to avoid in your diet.
Firstly, avoid or limit caffeine intake as much as possible. Caffeine is present in many soft drinks, not just in tea and coffee and it can set up its own vicious cycle. It can speed up heart rate and disrupt sleep and these later on become prevailing signs of anxiety.
Secondly one should avoid too much alcohol. Alcohol can worsen the symptoms of anxiety, and can also disrupt sleep. Many people reach for a drink to calm their nerves, but the consequences of overindulgence can outweigh the benefits of initial relaxation. For some, a hangover, insomnia, and dehydration make one feel worse than before one had a drink. In excessive amounts, alcohol can actually act as a depressant, making the drinker feel sluggish or more anxious. Alcohol, like a simple sugar, is rapidly absorbed by the body. Like other sugars, alcohol increases hypoglycemia symptoms.
Eat complex carbohydrates like Potatoes, whole wheat bread, and pasta. These foods act as a mild tranquilizer by increasing the amount of serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter in the brain. They also take longer to digest than sugary simple carbohydrates like white bread and that way, one can stay fuller longer and blood sugar is likely to stay steady, eliminating stress and anxiety.
Be sure to drink eight or more glasses of water a day. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches and stress. One should be well-hydrated and drinking lots of water a day can decrease symptoms of anxiety.
Choose a daily supplement that supplies 100 per cent of the daily recommendation of all vitamins and minerals. Multivitamins and mineral supplements like B vitamins, whose role is to unlock the energy in food and Vitamin B-6 helps manufacture serotonin in the brain, are crucial.
Although tension and daily stresses are unavoidable, one can relieve tension and manage stress and anxiety better by watching out for what one eats and what one does not eat. Remember that a healthy body and a healthy mind are often one and the same thing.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Natural Cures for Sinus Infections
Sinusitis is an aggravating infection that you need to treat immediately but sometimes using antibiotics can be very expensive especially if the sinusitis occurs several times in a year There are natural alternative treatments that you can turn to which are safe and cheap.. If you want, you can ask your doctor about these alternative treatments.
In the first place you need to understand what sinuses do and how one can tell if he or she has a sinus infection.
The sinuses are responsible for keeping the air moisturized as it enters the system or body. Every time you breathe, there is an exchange of mucus and air. When your sinuses are plugged, the mucus is trapped thereby encouraging the growth of certain bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
How can you tell if you have a sinus infection? Most individuals will experience tiredness, weakness, fever, nasal congestion, and runny nose. Coughing often becomes worse during the night. There are also those who experience greenish nasal discharge, bad breathe, and pressure around the eye area.
You might want to try natural cures for sinusitis; inhaling steam is an effective way to unclog the sinuses. To achieve a faster relief, add eucalyptus oil in the water before boiling it, inhale the steam to release the trapped mucus so that you can breathe with ease. You can also get rid of the mucus by eating spicy foods. Incase you have facial pains; these can be relieved by massaging certain spots.
Certainly prevention is the best way to fight any health problems, so in essence you can prevent sinus infections by cleaning you house every day to keep away possible allergens like dust and dirt. Make sure that you’re eating a healthy diet and you also need to get enough exercise. Keep your sinuses always moist by using a saline spray or you can also use a room humidifier especially at night. Brushing your teeth is one of the routines you will have to maintain and also incorporate nasal irrigation into your routine.
If you try to follow these ways to prevent the onset of sinus infections, you can certainly live a sinusitis-free life. . If you can prevent the infection, then there is no need to purchase any medication or natural cure for the sinus problem.
In the first place you need to understand what sinuses do and how one can tell if he or she has a sinus infection.
The sinuses are responsible for keeping the air moisturized as it enters the system or body. Every time you breathe, there is an exchange of mucus and air. When your sinuses are plugged, the mucus is trapped thereby encouraging the growth of certain bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
How can you tell if you have a sinus infection? Most individuals will experience tiredness, weakness, fever, nasal congestion, and runny nose. Coughing often becomes worse during the night. There are also those who experience greenish nasal discharge, bad breathe, and pressure around the eye area.
You might want to try natural cures for sinusitis; inhaling steam is an effective way to unclog the sinuses. To achieve a faster relief, add eucalyptus oil in the water before boiling it, inhale the steam to release the trapped mucus so that you can breathe with ease. You can also get rid of the mucus by eating spicy foods. Incase you have facial pains; these can be relieved by massaging certain spots.
Certainly prevention is the best way to fight any health problems, so in essence you can prevent sinus infections by cleaning you house every day to keep away possible allergens like dust and dirt. Make sure that you’re eating a healthy diet and you also need to get enough exercise. Keep your sinuses always moist by using a saline spray or you can also use a room humidifier especially at night. Brushing your teeth is one of the routines you will have to maintain and also incorporate nasal irrigation into your routine.
If you try to follow these ways to prevent the onset of sinus infections, you can certainly live a sinusitis-free life. . If you can prevent the infection, then there is no need to purchase any medication or natural cure for the sinus problem.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
A healthy skin for a life time
To have and keep a healthy skin most often seems to be a bridge too far to many in terms of cost and effort. Good skin care and quality attention that ensures that your skin stays healthy and beautiful throughout your lifetime is not that far from natural means. Proper nutrition provides the best and foremost way to care for your skin.
The human body needs calories and there are three basic sources of calories, which must be present in a daily diet. They are carbohydrates, fats and protein. When it comes to a carbohydrate it could be food for healthy skin or it could contribute to acne and cause wrinkles. The two types of carbohydrates are simple, which are bad and complex, the good ones. The complex carbohydrates are good for a healthy skin. Good carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, and whole grains, like oatmeal, brown rice.
One of the best protein sources is Wild Pacific salmon. It is a “complete” protein, meaning it provides all of the essential amino acids and each serving provides the current minimum daily requirement for omega-3 fatty acids, which are the best kinds of fats to include in your diet. Other sources of protein are fish, soy and legumes. They provide omega-3 fatty acids, phytosterols and antioxidants. They are nutrient rich, but lower in calories than other protein selections.
It is important to note that water is the major component of virtually all skin care. Drink a lot of it. It is a natural and necessary ingredient. The constant flow of fresh new liquid releases toxins from your system.
Green tea also offers so many benefits to the skin and to the body. It contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and anti-bacterial properties. It is not a mystery green tea is so popular in the cosmetic industry. Loaded with Vitamin E and C, the antioxidant agents slow the signs of aging externally and provide beneficial vitamins for overall health when taken internally.
Try as much as possible to eliminate processed foods and caffeine from your diet, as these things can not only create skin problems, but they also impair your overall health.
Skin care shouldn't stop with healthy nutritious diets. You can also use natural skin care products which contain rich ingredients. For caution, you need to understand that feeding your skin with synthetic chemical-based products isn't going to give you a glowing complexion. Synthetic mineral oil clogs the pores, interferes with your skin's ability to eliminate toxins and encourages acne and other disorders.
And finally, you should always get good sleep, at least 8 hours of sleep every day is essential for your skin.
The human body needs calories and there are three basic sources of calories, which must be present in a daily diet. They are carbohydrates, fats and protein. When it comes to a carbohydrate it could be food for healthy skin or it could contribute to acne and cause wrinkles. The two types of carbohydrates are simple, which are bad and complex, the good ones. The complex carbohydrates are good for a healthy skin. Good carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, and whole grains, like oatmeal, brown rice.
One of the best protein sources is Wild Pacific salmon. It is a “complete” protein, meaning it provides all of the essential amino acids and each serving provides the current minimum daily requirement for omega-3 fatty acids, which are the best kinds of fats to include in your diet. Other sources of protein are fish, soy and legumes. They provide omega-3 fatty acids, phytosterols and antioxidants. They are nutrient rich, but lower in calories than other protein selections.
It is important to note that water is the major component of virtually all skin care. Drink a lot of it. It is a natural and necessary ingredient. The constant flow of fresh new liquid releases toxins from your system.
Green tea also offers so many benefits to the skin and to the body. It contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and anti-bacterial properties. It is not a mystery green tea is so popular in the cosmetic industry. Loaded with Vitamin E and C, the antioxidant agents slow the signs of aging externally and provide beneficial vitamins for overall health when taken internally.
Try as much as possible to eliminate processed foods and caffeine from your diet, as these things can not only create skin problems, but they also impair your overall health.
Skin care shouldn't stop with healthy nutritious diets. You can also use natural skin care products which contain rich ingredients. For caution, you need to understand that feeding your skin with synthetic chemical-based products isn't going to give you a glowing complexion. Synthetic mineral oil clogs the pores, interferes with your skin's ability to eliminate toxins and encourages acne and other disorders.
And finally, you should always get good sleep, at least 8 hours of sleep every day is essential for your skin.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Shaping your body by walking
I have an admirable and enviable shape of the body. I have got a flat stomach and that nice slender figure. I am not a member of any health club and I am not in any vigorous training program. I got it all as a gift from the best of nature. Having to live with very limited resources meant that I did not own a car and so had to walk most of the time to wherever I wanted to go.
I do agree with this article below that walking as an exercise greatly helps in toning your body.
The greatest myth about walking as an exercise is that walking helps only in reducing your weight and not toning your body the way you want it, by removing fat from specific parts of your body. Gym exercises and Swimming are looked upon as better options when body toning is in question.
This is not true, however. There is more to walking than just pleasure-walking and fast walking. There are many ways of walking and each of your body parts benefit from some way or the other.
Here's how you can shape your body the way you want, by walking.
1. Flat Stomach - Walk downhill with small, fast steps, stomach in, shoulders straight.
Make your steps as small as possible and very fast.
2. Shapely Thighs - Walk uphill with long steps, without bending your knees, stomach in, shoulders straight. This will shape your hips as well.
3. Slimmer Arms - Swing your arms freely as you walk. Feel the pressure in your upper arms as you stretch your arms back and forth.
4. Slim Waistline - Walk at a medium pace with your hands held high in the air above your head. Keep your hands straight and maintain a perfect posture as you walk.
Continued exercising in the correct way will bring you desired results. I suggest continuing any kind of exercise regularly for at least 40 days before expecting results.
About the Author
Lata Tokhi is the Founder and Editor of Dot Com Women, a premier women's website and fast-growing online community, and Celebrating Christmas, a resource for celebrating Christmas in style.
I do agree with this article below that walking as an exercise greatly helps in toning your body.
The greatest myth about walking as an exercise is that walking helps only in reducing your weight and not toning your body the way you want it, by removing fat from specific parts of your body. Gym exercises and Swimming are looked upon as better options when body toning is in question.
This is not true, however. There is more to walking than just pleasure-walking and fast walking. There are many ways of walking and each of your body parts benefit from some way or the other.
Here's how you can shape your body the way you want, by walking.
1. Flat Stomach - Walk downhill with small, fast steps, stomach in, shoulders straight.
Make your steps as small as possible and very fast.
2. Shapely Thighs - Walk uphill with long steps, without bending your knees, stomach in, shoulders straight. This will shape your hips as well.
3. Slimmer Arms - Swing your arms freely as you walk. Feel the pressure in your upper arms as you stretch your arms back and forth.
4. Slim Waistline - Walk at a medium pace with your hands held high in the air above your head. Keep your hands straight and maintain a perfect posture as you walk.
Continued exercising in the correct way will bring you desired results. I suggest continuing any kind of exercise regularly for at least 40 days before expecting results.
About the Author
Lata Tokhi is the Founder and Editor of Dot Com Women, a premier women's website and fast-growing online community, and Celebrating Christmas, a resource for celebrating Christmas in style.
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