Body Postures and Health Issues

Hey guys!!! I was watching Femina Miss India today (I know I'm late so just felt like catching up). One thing which you notice very soon in these kinds of pageant contests is the carriage of the contestants. They not only talk well and look beautiful but carry themselves pretty well and a major part of that comes with their body postures. Body Posture is a study in a itself and it is extremely important to maintain a good posture. A good posture can make you look thinner, appear taller and enhance your personality; not to mention help you in losing your weight and increases your confidence levels. 

Personally, I did try for a week or so maintaining a proper sitting posture with straight back and no slumping at all and honestly, I could tell the difference in my weight, in my height and carriage and also it helped me relieve some of the stress too. Now, I do work on computer a lot and so do a lot of my friends and peers and almost everyone today spends a lot of time on computers. And, of course, its not very easy to sit in front of computers in the swivel chairs so we tend to lose the correct posture after a certain amount of time. And, then there is a matter of office furniture (or a lack of it!!) and we do tend to forget to relax while working on the computer. Yes, concentrating for a long time on computers does play havoc with the minds too in increasing the stress and making us forgetful. So, we forget that we can relax ourselves of the strain by getting up from the chair or looking beyond the screen in front of us. Oh, btw, in case you think getting bigger screen is better, let me tell you bigger the screen more is the strain coz you are very close to the screen. 

So, one of my friend always keeps on complaining about back pain or leg aches or wrist strains or neck-shoulder stiffness and she sits in front of the computer for like 8 hours a day on average. I know its lot less if we compare to some of the software geeks but still it is a lot and I do not blame our work for that coz our work can be divided into two parts - in front of computer and away from computer. So, one just have to remember to stay away from computer when not needed. But, then I am not even blaming my friend!!! Its just that the workplace is designed so. Not fair at all. 

Then, there is another of the lady who has all sorts of medical issues just due to the bad furniture in her office. She is pretty short so when she sits in a swivel chair, her legs don't reach the ground so they just remain hanging. Now, you might be aware that no part of your body should be left hanging because the blood circulation stops in those parts of the body. Same thing happened with her legs and now her legs are pretty much weak. Not fair at all, right?? Offices should take care of their employees too.

Now, the next generation is all addicted to video games and computers and who has any time to go outdoors and play some games and have fun!!! The social life today has become restricted to facebook and twitter. So, body problems are bound to arise. How to prevent all these kinds of problems??? Watch out for the next post.

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Health Benefits of Buck Wheat (Kuttu ka Atta)

Did you know that this 'Kuttu ka atta' is really very nutritious. It is a fruit not a grain as you all must be aware of. But, it is equally rich in the nutrients it possesses. Buck Wheat is especially high in fiber. And, fiber is important for our body to clean out all the toxins making detoxification of body easy and weight loss. More the fiber, better the digestion and better we look.  Fiber also helps in curbing our cravings. If you eat an appropriate amount of fiber in all your meals, you tend to eat less in between your meals and you would likely not munch on junk foods any way.

Not only that, buck wheat is very rich in its proteins content and B vitamins apart from minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese. The good news for all is that Buck Wheat is also rich in essential fatty acids for our body which keeps our skin soft and glowing from the inside. It lowers blood pressure, cholesterol and manages diabetes as it is low in glucose. Buck Wheat has been known to reduce hemorrhaging in people with high blood pressure due to the presence of a chemical which stranghtens the capillary walls in the body.

So, are you enjoying these Navratras eating a lot of Buck Wheat and helping your body to detoxify?

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American Corn - A Healthy Snack

We are getting so many American corns in the market these days. Why not make a good use of it and replace our unhealthy snacks with this healthy one. And, it is appetizing too. You can chew it directly, rub lemon with salt on the corn and then enjoy the taste or remove the corn and make simple salads or soups from it. You can also roast it lightly over the stove just like maize. Just remember never to over do it or the corn will get charred. All the recipes are easy to make and provide the same amount of nutrition. 

Corn is extremely good at cutting down the heart risks by around 10%. It is rich in all kind of vitamins, carbohydrates and fiber. Thus, eating corn is not only enjoyable but extremely healthy. More fiber means more weight loss. And, you can google for American Corn recipes and you will surely get a lot of them. You can also make corn parathas and include it in sandwiches along with paneer or aloo.So, next time you feel like munching on something, go ahead and bite into corn. You need not even think once about the calorie intake then. And, it also controls your cravings for junk food as it is naturally sweet. But, people with diabetes should be careful as excess corn can cause sugar spikes in the blood. The best thing is it is so cheap as compared to a pizza or even a pav bhaji as an evening snack.

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Lose Weight with Love

This is a really interesting article I came across when looking for weight loss tips. And, probably the best one which I think will work out for anyone who cares to give it a try. The articles says to love your body and yourself for what you are instead of just cringing on every extra flab and fat on your body. Accept your belly pooch or wrestler arms and look for the goodness in yourself. Appreciate yourself instead of criticizing. And, treat your body as a temple. Look out for everything you feed it and feed only the best and freshest things available. It might seems impossible to try all the items listed in the article so go for it one by one and try to substitute something which is not available. Like, the article says you to incorporate green juice. You can use the spinach-lettuce drink as a substitute and add other various foods which you like. Read the entire article here.

I would like to add that whatever your body type or size, it is very important to wear clothes which flatter you not the ones you flatter. Some clothes look fabulous on mannequins and friends but if they do not flatter us, there is no point looking silly in such clothes. If you have unsightly arms, do not wear sleeveless. Avoid wearing fitting tops and shirts with potbellies. Instead, go for umbrella cut tops which will hide your paunch and believe me they would make you look great. These were just examples. So, next time, you choose clothes, choose wisely and do not forget to try them before buying. Same goes for jeans too.

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Wake up early to kill weight

Waking up early is a big hindrance for many people in the way of healthy lifestyle. Some people can just not wake early. I am not commenting on anyone because you can count me in. I try so hard and sometimes, I am able to do it but most of the times, my routine gets disturbed and I end up sleeping till 11 or 12. It sounds heaven for some who do not get time for themselves. But, in the long run, it is really hell. But, I have observed that waking up early makes me happy, keeps me relaxed all day long and my day goes well overall. 

Waking up early does not really mean getting up at 4 or 5 but you can make a routine to get up regularly at 6 or 7. If it is not possible for you to do that right away, decrease your sleeping time by half an hour. Go to bed half hour early and wake up early. This way you would have an established schedule. Waking up early actually acts as a stress buster because your body feels good. And, you get to breathe purer and fresher air which does a lot of good to your body. If you do some deep breathing exercises, that would be even better for your system as you would be giving your body an overloaded dose of oxygen which will kick start your day. Actually, waking early is also great for your skin and hair too. And, it is a great boost for your self-confidence too. Actually, if you do anything out of ordinary or something which you have been trying to do and failed many times, it acts as a stress buster and confidence booster. So, try to do one thing better every day which will improve you overall.

Today's Habit: Try to wake up early than your regular routine and do some deep breathing exercises in the morning.

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Breathing: a way to lose weight and detox

Today's Habit: Breath deeply.

Detoxification and losing weight are becoming too similar these days because the habits or the lifestyle which one should lead to achieve both the goals are same. When you help detoxing your body, you tend to lose all the unnecessary fat in the body which has been accumulated just as a result of the unhealthy lifestyle one has been following. There is one simple habit which one can follow everyday to help your body detox and lose weight.

Breathing is an art which is best learned by watching the sleeping babies. If you notice them, you will find that they breathe from their abdomen/stomach. That is actually the correct way of breathing. Over time, we get so engrossed in our life that we forget to breathe and our breaths become shallow which is inadequate for the proper functioning of the body. The way we breathe (from the chest) does not allow the body to take in enough of oxygen which is important for the proper functioning of the body.

So, every time you breathe, remember to breathe from the abdomen. To help you with the habit, you can perform pranayam or breathing yoga postures. The best bet is anuloma-viloma posture which I have already talked about in one of my earlier posts.Performing this exercise and pranayam everyday by taking deep breaths early in morning as soon as you get up, you would be in-taking more oxygen into your body. This will also help in proper blood circulation all over the body and hair growth. To help you with deep breaths, you can also resort to heavy and intense exercises if you like.

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Weight Loss Tips

While surfing the internet, I came across a really great video which has lot of information about how to lose weight - the do's and the dont's. It is around a 20 minute video. But, before I share the link to the video, I want to make you aware that it is actually an advertising video for their weight loss program. And, I do not have any kind of affiliate link with them or I am not doing this for any personal gain of mine. I do not earn anything out of it. I am sharing this link purely because I liked the whole lot of information shared on there and would love you all to gain that information too. So, there I wrote about my disclaimers so here goes the link: Weight Loss Tips. Enjoy and hope you learn something new out of it.

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Fennel Seeds: For digestion and detoxification

Fennel Seeds (saunf in hindi) have become increasingly popular these days to aid in digestion. Well, they do deserve their popularity because of the immense health benefits they provide. You would be surprised to hear that something so insignificant can help us stay healthy for a long time. Everyone knows that it is used as an after-meal breath freshener. But, there is more to this natural breath freshener. 

This herb or spice is very much rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium and vitamins like B1, B2 and B3. It helps with proper digestion of your food and also controls your appetite. It cures the acidity or bloating problems of the stomach. Not only that, it also relieves the respiratory problems so people having problems in the respiratory tract or lungs or even sinus problems should take fennel seeds. It also relieves of heartburn and intestinal cramps and spasms. Fennel seeds are great for women especially as they promote growth of the breast tissue and relaxes the uterus helping in menses period. They are also used to treat the hormonal imbalances in the body and stimulates milk production in the nursing mothers.

Since the seeds are high in fiber, they are also great for detoxification of the body and also in losing weight. Regular intake of the seeds help in dealing with the problem of water retention in the body helping in losing weight and also, as said earlier, reduces the appetite. And, foods with high fiber content always helps the body to get cleanse well. So, start chewing a tea spoon of fennel seeds from today and clean your body naturally. Caution: Make sure you are not allergic to the fennel seeds. It is rare but possible.

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Brown Rice: Benefits

Brown Rice is a better substitute to the stipulated white rice. Why? Because it comes with a whole lot of health and beauty benefits instead of just helping in increasing the carbs in the body. 

Brown Rice is very useful in detoxification and losing weight. How? Because of its fibrous nature. When brown rice passes through the oesophagus and the intestinal tract, it absorbs all the toxins along with it and flushes them out of your body. Similarly, due to its fibrous nature, it helps you in losing weight instead of gaining. Since fibre is actually just passed out of the system rather than being absorbed, it is mainly useful in taking out the unnecessary waste from the body. Eating more fiber is actually very healthy for the body. It keeps your body metabolism in check and regulates your bowel movements for one. It helps in lowering the cholesterol and blood sugar levels. 

And, the best benefit of all is that it helps you in losing weight. How? Fiber is actually pretty heavy on stomach and takes a lot of time to chew so while you are busy chewing your food, your brain takes time to register when you are full and consequently, you end up eating less food, most of which passes out of your system. So, you can maintain weight. And, since it just passes out of your body, it clears up all the toxins. Thus, it makes your skin look good from the inside. So, next time you think eating rice, look out for brown rice and it is actually more delicious than the white rice too. And, you think of detoxifying your body without giving up the food, you might want to gorge on brown rice.

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Eat more to Lose Weight

It has been a few weeks since I have missed out on posting the healthy habits to lose weight. Today, reviving the series, I would be talking about a habit which you might think very much contrary to the weight loss programs. But, it works best if you try to realize the body anatomy behind it. So, I would try to give a biology session as a part of the explanation. Do not worry. It would not be boring but it would help you understand better about your own body and its needs.

Today's Habit: Eat small meals at regular intervals. 

Imagine drinking enough water at one time to get you through the day without getting thirsty again. Well, it is not possible, right? Similarly, you can not eat your food just once in a day and hope it to take you through the day. Eating just once or twice a day is common enough in people who are working. They say they do not have time. But, they forget one thing. If you do not feed your body properly at regular intervals, your body can not help you live through the day. Eating supplements is not at all a good way to replenish your nutritional needs. Instead, you are harming your body by not feeding it regularly and piling up the fat reserves in your body. How? Simple. Our body is accustomed to function properly only when it is full. And, the food gets digested within a matter of three hours. So, you are supposed to eat again after three hours. Eating does not necessarily mean gorging on meals. You can eat healthy snacks like fruits, nuts, soups or salads. But, the snacks should also be healthy only. Eating unhealthy things will upset your body and weight both.

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Sleep more to lose weight

Are you hooked to chewing your food yet? Here comes the next habit. I have already discussed this in a way. But, this time I would discuss this in context with weight loss.

Today's Habit: Proper Sleep is essential for weight loss.

Sleep is a very complex activity. We all know that. So, how does it contribute to weight loss? Sleep stabilizes the body functioning by releasing certain hormones. It relaxes the body and makes it function properly. So, not sleeping properly leads to hormonal problems. 

There is a hormone which makes us feel hungry. It is Ghrelin. Studies show that people who have trouble getting proper sleep produce more of this hormone which in turn increases your cravings and you eat more than your body can handle. And, these cravings are more for the junk food. Did you ever feel that you want to eat junk food? I do, sometimes. Now, we know the reason.

Then, there is another hormone, Leptin, which sends signal to our brain when you should stop eating. When you do not sleep properly, these hormones are produced in less quantity and obviously, when you do not know when to stop eating, you would end up eating more. 

So, now that you know that sleep can cause bad hormonal imbalances which lead to obesity, you should start taking proper sleep. Regular exercises aid proper sleep. Make sure you go to bed early and take deep sleep according to your body requirements.

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Chew more to lose weight

Last week, I talked about walking as a simple exercise to kick start your day and reduce your weight. Today, I am talking about a habit which is often overlooked. But, it is the key to enjoy food and derive all the vital nutrients from it. Developing this habit would need a more conscious effort than others but it is the one which pays out the maximum.

Today's Habit: Chew every morsel of your meal 35 times before swallowing.

More you chew the food, more you are diluting it and breaking it down. Obviously, by doing this, you are helping your body to extract nutrients from it and digest the leftover and pass out the waste from the system. Chewing your food more sends your brain signals when you are full and need not eat more. This is not possible when you are, literally, galloping your food down your oesophagus. And, not only that, chewing restricts the amount of food you intake putting a control on over-eating tendencies. Thus, you consume less calories, extract more nutrients and help your body ingest those nutrients easily. This also increases the body metabolism as it has less work to do. 

Breaking down the food is a very huge process for the body which needs lot of energy and sometimes, the food is excreted out of the body as it is without the nutrients being extracted from it which means you just added fat to your body but no vitamins or minerals. When you chew the food, your taste buds derive more pleasure with all the tastes. So, if you ever meet a food critic, you would notice they chew more to analyze every bit of taste which is brought to their palette. Become a food critic and remain thin. 

I know it is almost impossible to develop this habit. Even, I had to instruct my mouth consciously to chew every morsel I eat at least 35 times. But, it was worth the effort. So, next time you sit down for a meal, remember to count 35 every time you put something in your mouth. Some of the food gets dissolved before you chew it 35 times but some foods need more chewing like salads and rice. To break them down, continue chewing till they completely dissolve in your mouth after counting 35. The effects will show in a month of your developing this habit. You would feel more fuller with less intake and more healthy than ever before.

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Walking for Weight Loss

In the Lose Weight with simple Habit series, last week we discussed how drinking adequate amount of water can help you to lose weight. Today, I would be talking about another very simple habit which will help your body improve its metabolism and consequently, help in burning the fat more efficiently.

Today's Habit: Take a 20 minutes walk or stroll daily

Walking is among the most effective form of exercises without over-straining you. And, it is also one of the most effective weight loss exercises you can do. A 20 minute walk daily provides enough of the physical exercise you need to keep your fat burning consistently. Walking improves your metabolism and the amount of oxygen you inhale daily. Oxygen is important for the proper functioning of the organs and more oxygen you inhale, the better would the results be. Improved metabolism helps burn fat more efficiently and helps with easy digestion of the food. If you have ever thought of an exercise which will take care of every part of your body, Walking is your answer. You can walk any time of the day with whatever speed you are comfortable with. You need not do 'running walk' to help your body. A peaceful walk at a normal pace is enough to give your body a boost and if you are consistent, you would realize that your pace of walking improves day by day. One thing to remember is to take care of your posture while walking. Keep your back straight and chest stiff. Do not slouch while walking.

Walking in the early morning is a very good way to give your body the fresh oxygen available. The air in the morning is purer than that in the evening. A slow walk in the morning air will awaken all your senses and you will feel your body has rejuvenated. It will keep you energetic all day long and your quality of sleep will improve if you stick to the habit. Do not forget to have a glass or two of water before beginning your walk. If you get bored of walking (which is kind of difficult), try to change your surroundings everyday. Walk along different paths everyday. Ask a friend to accompany you, take a jukebox along with you or observe nature on your walk. You can even plan on your day or take a 'me time' during your walk. When you make walking a part of your daily routine with such involvements, it will not feel as work but rather become a habit without which you will not be able to live. So, go ahead and take a walk now and feel the difference. 

A tip: A Walk on soft green grass (wet with dew) early in the morning with naked feet. It is an acupuncture therapy and is great for eye sight.

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Drink Water to Lose weight

Losing weight easily becomes a nightmare for everyone. We all try so desperately to be in shape and most of the time we are unsuccessful and the sole reason for this is because we are not trying it in the right way. And, things which we go wrong about are, generally, the most trivial and the most important habits of our daily life . I would be talking about one habit per week and you can change or inculcate the habit in your life and see the difference it makes in one week.

Today's Habit: Drinking adequate amount of Water

I know it sounds pretty simple and obvious. And, many will think they are already doing it quite right. But, there are many ifs and buts involved in this seemingly simple habit too. I would advise you all to first go through the post "Drinking Water for Skin and Hair Care". 

Water cleans up the toxins from our system and improves the fat metabolism. It helps the liver to fight the fats in our system and pushes it out through the kidneys. But, there is a loophole there.

Too much of water can wash away a lot of minerals and vitamins too from the body along with the fat. So, regulate the amount of water you drink according to your body weight, age and the physical activity you do in a day. A good estimate would be not to increase the regular water intake if you find your urine to be colorless. Another very good way to regulate water in body is to drink a liter of water in the morning as soon as you wake up and reduce your water intake after 7 PM in the evening.

Sometimes, drinking water leads to water retention in the body instead of passing it out of the system. The reason is due to the presence of huge amounts of salt and sugar in your body. So, reduce the intake of salt and sugar to reduce your weight. You can see the difference in a week. Tips to reduce salt and sugar intake:

• Drink your tea and coffee with honey or without any sweetener to reduce the calories
• Decrease the amount of salt you take everyday by a pinch and soon you will be used to less salt 
• If you drink milk, do not add sugar to it
• Reduce the desserts, sweets, chocolates and carbonated beverages you take

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