10 best ways of destress

We all know that too much stress is bad for everyone and there are alot of sickness in related to stress ie. high blood pressure, obesity, cancer and etc. Find a way to relax is the piece of health advice for everyone! Healthy lifestyle starts from DESTRESS!

Here are the 10 ways you can effortlessly weave stress relief into your hectic routine, instead of talking about meditate with candle for an hour and etc.

Before your leave work - prep for tomorrow
Nothing is more stressful than being unprepared. Take a few minutes to make a to-do list and clean up before you leave. When you come in the next morning, you will have the sense that you are incontrol of the situation and can handle it.

Before you leave house - arm yourself with snacks
Some people turn to comfort food such as ice cream and cookies to ease stress. Keep some snacks on hand will help you alot.

When you have only 5 minutes - try to repeat performance
Doing almost any routine, repetitive activity or reciting a word that represents how you wish you felt is a qucik way to achieve a Zen-like state. This will lower your blood pressure, slower heart rate and breathing and decreased muscle tension. Repeating phrases with spiritual meanings helped to cope with problems. from anxiety to insomnia.

In the bathroom - wash your hand
When you are stress your will be more susceptible to cold viruses and other germs because your immune syste is surpresses. Hand washing is the best defense.

In the car - turn on some tunes
Slow music is a proven stress buster, so set your dial to a soothing station during your commute.

On the weekend errands - use the ATM
Limiting your cash withdrawals to once a week is a quick, easy way to monitor your spending habits. write everything down so you can see exactly where you stand financially. Set your goal by using real figures make you feel so much better without having stress.

At the gym - hit the pool
Floatinf in water triggers the body relaxation response and lower stress hormone.

At home in the evening - give your thumbs a rest
The increase of the blurry boundaries bewteen work and home life leave  us with less downtime than ever before. This spills over to our family life. Set a regular time your will check it in the evening so you are not constantly disrupting home life to keep tabs on work.

When you are facing a major life change - recall the past success
Taking 5 minutes to reflect on how you pulled through your stressful situations can help you to reconnect you resilient side.

Before bed - do an asana in your pajamas
A simple spinal twist can help you get a better night's sleep. Sitting on your bed with legs crossed, place your right hand down on the bed behind you and rest your left hand on the right knee. Sit up straight and inhale for 4-8 counts, lengthening your spine as you breathe. On your exhale, begin to twist toward your right hand. Hold this position for four more breaths, lenghtening your spine on the inhale and deepening your spine on the inhales and deepening your twist on the exhales. Repeat the opposite side.
For the best healthy lifestyle, destress is very important. Try this if you want to detress!

Diet secrets of slim women

What is the diet secrets of slim women? Sound interesting! Every woman is also dreaming to be slim... and keep saying i want to be slim, but no action. Check the few of the secrets that can keep your dreams come true!

Weigh in regularly
- at least once a week, to ensure you aware what is your weight and watch out your diet

Learn to love exercise
- regular workouts can help you maintain lean muscle mass, which means you'll burn energy even at rest

Strive for five
- fruit and veggie servings. Those women who consume 60% more veggie is likely to ward off weight regain than others. Fruit and veggie have more fber and water content which make you have less room for high calorie food

Pump up protein
- Higher amount of protein may prompt the release of hormones that help you feel full

Eat out less often
- with the portion sizes frowing exponentially, some dishes packed with more than 1000 calories. This will sabotage your weigh-loss success

Keep these 5 principles might help to keep you slim, who knows...

Maximize the antioxidant superfoods nutrition

It is not only what you eat that counts, it is also on HOW YOU EAT IT. The way your prepare and serve antioxidant-rich foods can either sap or supplement their nutritional strength. Maximize the benefits of your meals with these power-up strategies.

Upgrade your antioxidant superfoods by the following ways : -€

Tea
Squeezing in lemon. Citrus helps tea's antioxidants survive your intestinal tract and be digested.

Squash
Steaming, then drizzling with olive oil. A small portion of fat helps take in  the fat-souble carotenes.

Apples
Munching on Northern spy. This crisp variety has more free-radical fighters than others.

Broccoli
Nuking or steaming. Or try broccoli sprouts, which contain 100 times more nutrient than broccoli has.

Chocolate
Going NUTS. Pick dark chocolate with almonds; the crunch adds vitamin E.

Combined food with better nutrition

Instead of taking only milk, you can mix with soy to have a better nutrition on bone builder. Have you ever heard of this? There are many other foods that mix well and give you better nutrition benefit that you expected.

Below are some of the example of combined food that mix well and work on your health.

Milk & soy
The isoflavones in soy and calcium together preserved bone density better than either alone. Soy's isoflavones may mimic estrogen's effects, increasing the production of bone proteins which combine with minerals to keep your skelaton strong.
Combine soy and dairy milk on cereal, or drink calcium fortified soymilk will give you a better bone builder nutrition.

Avocado &  spinach
Both of this will give you a immunity booster. The monosaturated fats in avocado release spinach's nutrients. You will absorb up to 15 times more beta-carotene and 5 times more lutein by pairing the two. Beta-carotene can strenghten the immune system and fend off infection and lutein may help prevent cataracts.
Put half an avocado on a spinach salad.

Tomato & broccoli
This combination is known as cancer fighter. This team slower tumor growth rate. Lycopene in tomato works as an antioxidant that protects the body's cells and active agents in broccoli fight off carcinogens.
Toss the two into a soup or pasta dish.

Mango & almond
This is so-called heart healper. Mango contains vitamin C and A. Almond contains Vitamin E. these vitamins help to reduce harmful LDL cholestrol.
Swirl both of this into a bowl of oatmeal.

Garlic & onion
 This works as artery unclogger. This may kill your breath, but you will love what is do to your heart. This is keep arteries plaque-free.
Add both to a chicken or fish saute.

These combinations will give you addtional or better nutrition than taking it alone. For a healthy lifestyle or for your better health, why not give a try on this?

The best belly-trimming smoothie

Try this for this smoothie for your belly trimming...

50ml milk
2 tbsp vanillla yougurt
2 oranges
1 banana
50g strawberries
50g mango
2 tsp vanilla whey-protein powder
3 ice cubes

Toss everything into a blender and whip till smooth, drink while it is still fresh. This is approximately 160 calorie. I take this twice, and it really works on me. Give a try ya...

Pick a diet

The low fat gurus said certain fats are ok while the low carb components are beginning to endorse wholegrains. With every new guideline and selling, each diet has FOUR BASIC RULES for healthy diet : -

• consume carbs in the form of wholegrains and fibre
• avoid trans fats and saturated fats
• eat lean protein
• fill up on fruit and vegetables.

The low-carb south beach diet, ie. now esopouses the virtues of eating the Mediterranean way - including lots of carbohydrate - rich fruit and vegetables.

Let's see what is low-calorie diets, low-carb diets, low-fat diets.
Low calorie diets are your are eating lot of fruit, leafy greens which help keep you feeling full
Low carb diets are more emphasize on good carbs, such as fruit, veggies and wholegrains
Low fat diets are taking good fat from olives, avocado and nuts, or even red meat occasionally.

The key of all of this, of course, is moderation rather than deprivation - eating in a way you can live with. STAY FIT AND HEALTHY!

Nuts and health

What do you know about nuts towards health?

Eat 7 almonds, 7 hazelnuts and 3 walnuts a day....

Adding nuts to a mediterranean diet can reverse symtoms of metabolic syndrome. The next question is what is mediterranean diet? A mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, whole grains and fish; nuts are high in monounsaturated fats. Together, these foods may reduce triglyceride levels and the inflammation characteristic of the condition.

Almonds contain of high abosorbing protein, fiber, folid acid vitamin E & etc. It helps to reduce LDL cholesterol.

Walnuts rich in fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B, magnesium and anoxidants. Hazelnuts also helo to reduce  LDL cholesterol and heart disease

Hazelnuts is rich in oil which provide energy to human. Besides, it helps to prevent cancer and heart disease. It riches of various vitamin ie. vitamin B1, B2 and B6.

Add these 3 nuts together and start your healthy diet for your healthy lifestyle! Bear in mind, eat all these nuts in raw is much better than those roasted and sugar added.

Weight Gain Excuses

When the weight gain in our body, as a human, we always find excuses saying that " i have low metabolism" or "genetic" & etc. No matter what your excuses are for over weight, your diet is always related to your weight problem, BECAUSE YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.

Below are some of the suggestions for you to overcome your excuses which i find are useful : -

Excuse 1 : I don't have the time to organise nutritious meals everyday

Actully, you can still eat healthily even when on the run. Prepare a packed lunch the night before, such as chicken and salad wholemeal sandwich, or, have a snack bar as your breakfast to avoid an empty stomach.

Excuse 2 : I only have time for fast food lunches

Fast food lunch is popular among working adults. Fast food is high in sodium and fat, with the soda drink relatively high in sugar. This will increase the risk in becoming fat or overweight. It is encouraged that working adult should choose healthier food ie. low-fat yougurt, tuna flakes, almonds, low-sodium soups and fruits

Excuse 3 : I feel empy if i don't consume rice or noodles

Rice and noodles are asian favourite. white bread, noodles adn white rice are rich in refined carbohydrates which are considered bad carbo as it can cause a sudden surge in blood sugar.

Whole gains, vegetable and fruits also contains carbo, but these are good carbo.

To control yourself from overeating carbo, add protein to each meal ie. fish, tuna, eggs or soy tunas

Excuse 4 : I have to attend many social gatherings. I can't lose weight in that type of environment

Eating consistently and moderation are important in this. Exercise and healthy diet are more crucial than attending many social gatherings. Do everything moderately will ensure you are having a healthy lifestyle.

Why do we need OMEGA 3?

Omega 3 is very good to heart. It is found in oil-rich fish and some plant oils and is also known as ‘n-3‘. They are from the family of ‘good’ fats - polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) which are essential in the diet.

Why is omega 3 vital for the heart?

• it helps to protect those who have a family history of heart disease
• it reduces the cholestrol level in blood system
• it makes the blood platlets less sticky, this prevent the blood from clumping together
• it reduces the blood fat
• it helps to reduce heart rhythm abnoralities

Besides of heart disease, what are the other disease caused if you lack of Omega 3?

• brain function: optimal brain and eye development in babies, especially in premature babies, attention deficit disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and depression
• rheumatoid arthritis
• inflammatory skin disorders
• inflammatory bowel disease

Where can we find omega ?

• Fish - small fishes ie sardines
• Fish oil ie. salmon oil
• Milk powder
• Cereal
• Cooking oil
• walnuts

In clonclusion, omega 3 will help to protect your heart and recude the rick related to heart disease. It is also very vital to maintain healthy bodily functions - required for cell membranes and physiological functions. Care for your heart and any part of your body!

Nutrition for elderly

In order to support the elderly energy and nutritional intake levels while exercising, the daily diet shall incorporate the follows : -

1. protein-contained foods such as fish and lean meat (preferbly white meats) 
• to ingest lean muscle forming and maintain the nutrition
2. brown rice, wholegrain, cereals and wholemeal bread
• to maintain the cardiovasular health and relieves constipation
3. omega-3 and 6
• to regulate joint inflammation that causes aches and immobility
4. antioxidant nutrients
• to stabilize free radicals that attack tissues
5. glucosamine and chondroitin
• to build healthy cartilage and tissues

Above is the summary of so-called nutrition for elderly... Consume the best nutrition in accordance to age is very important for the best healthy lifestyle!

Better health for elders

Encorage your parents ro exercise and at the same time help your parents to exercise to ensure they have better health. Your parents not only feel cared for and motivated to excercise with your accompany but they would be more happy to exercise. In addition, this is the best way to reinforce the bonding within you and your parents.

Exercise that should be included in for elderly.

1. Aerobic activity - to improve the oxygen flow to the brain and whole body. Ie. walking, swimming and bicycling
2. flexibility training - to increase nimbleness and flexibility. Ie. use stress ball to squeez and release
3. strength training - to improve and maintaing muscle strength. Ie. dumbell 1kg
4. balance training - to prevent fall. Ie. balancing by standing on one leg, ballance board or exercise ball

The Regular exercise above will also improve balance in elder people who have arthitis of the knee. Generally it will bring the benefits as follows : -

• higher oxygen uptake, becoming less breathless
• improve heart muscle funtions
• good collestrol level
• increase bone density, reduce osteoporosis risk
• increase flexibility
• lower risk of falling
• greater stregth
• faster respond
• better sleep
• increase mental energy
• better health for elders

The best nutrition for the best health for elders will be listed next... Check it out later!

Healthy breakfast to start a day

The best breakfast of the day should have the combination of carbohydrate, protein, fat as well as vitamins and minerals.

Here, i have a guide on preparing Easy & Healthy Breakfast within 3 minutes...

1. Muesli - those toasted with dried fruits, sunflower, seed, buckwheat kernels & linseed. Oats provide carbohydrate, B vitamins, iron and magnesium.
2. Yougurt - select those natural without added sugar. Yougurt is high in calcium, vitamin B12, potassium, magnesium and active live probiotics
3. Almond nuts - supply protein, vitamin E & B3, minerals such as iron, magnesium and zinc
4. Soy lecithin - plays an important role to breakdown the fats, preventing buil-up fats and bad cholestrol in walls of heart, blood vessels and liver
5. Strawberries or other fresh berries (optional) - contains highest concentration of antioxidants

Mix all the above and gain the maximum nutrients for your breakfast to kick start of a day.

It is not a good idea to skip breakfast. Healthy breakfast helps you to work and think better, as well as reducing your cravings for high calorie and low nutrition food in the afternoon and dinner.

Have a try on this!

Who tend to get High blood pressure and hypertension?

Who will be the easily trapped by high blood pressure / hypertension?
The people who are in the groups below must be extra careful and take more precautions than others.

Age
The older one gets, the higher the risk is

Gender
Men generally have greater risk than women

Heredity
The likelihood is higher if a family member has it

Salt intake
Those who like to have salted food, high in sodium will result water retention and increase blood volume and ressure in the blood vessels

Overweight
BMI of 25 - 29.9 indicates overweight, while above 30 indicates obesity. (Refer to calculation of BMI in "Are you part of obese". High BMI will cause the rise of blood pressure.

Stress level
Stress will narrow blood vessels and increase blood pressure

Lack of exercise
Those inactive group will be easily trapped in obesity and cause to hypertension

Alcoholic
Excessive alcohol intake will tend to raise blood pressure. It will damage the walls of blood vessels.

Smoker
The contents of cigarette will tend to increase the blood pressure.

Inadequate quality sleep
Inadequate sleep will definitely increase stress and affect the pressure in your blood.

In couclusion, if you want to avoid the risk of high blood pressure or hypersion, you should take the below initiatives: -

• cut down sodium intake
• lose weight even little as 5% - 10% of your weight which match to the healthy BMI
• Practice relaxation or meditation
• exercise regularly
• limit alcohol intake
• quit smoking
• sleep well

Notes : The usage of medication ie. oral contraceptive pills, painkillers and diet pills will raise blood pressure.

In view of high blood pressure or so called hypertension is very common in the world, we should take initiatives to stay away from whatever will cause this sickness for a healthy lifestyle and happy living.

High blood pressure or hypertension

High blood pressure is a silent killer. Why do we say so? This is the most prevalent vascular disease as it exists for years without any warning signs until complications develop. High blood pressure is main risk factor for cardiovascular include coronary disease, stroke, artery disease, kidney disease and heart failure.

What do you understand about hypertension?

Our heart will pump blood through blood vessels, blood presses aganst the walls of the vessels and cause presuure. For those who are suffering from hypertension, the pressure is extremely high and abnormal. For the longer period, the heart work harder to pump sufficient smount of blood to all tissues of body. Eventually, this will treaten your heart, brain and kidney and caused whatsoever disease with regards to your heart.

What are the symptoms associated with hypertension?

Headache, Sweating, Rapid pulse, Shortness of breath, Dizziness, Blurred vision, Nausea, Nose bleeding, Confusion

What are the food that help to prevent hypertension?

1. Salmon - 150g for 3 times a week
2. Fresh fruits and vegetable – 500mg of vitamin C
3. Coenzyme Q-10 – 100mg a day . This vitamin can be obtained from heart, liver and meat of lamb and beer, fish (fresh sardines and mackerel) and eggs. Some vegetables ie. Spinach, broccoli, peanuts, wheat germ and whole grains.
4. Vitamin E- this vitamin can be found in cold-pressed vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, spinach, sweet potatoes and eggs.
5. Garlic
6. Whole grains
7. Hawthorn
8. Ginkgo biloba – 120mg
9. Dairy food – 2-3 serving
10. Berries – 100g
    

If you want to make a difference, change your dietary pattern, to prevent high blood pressure or hypertension!

Effective Cardio Exercise

For effective cardio exercise, it is important to monitor our heart rates. Our heart rates can be monitored with a wrist cardiac monitor while exercising. Some of the more common brands of wrist cardiac monitors include Suunto, Polar, Garmin and Mio.

Our maximum heart rate varies with our age. The formula to calculate maximum heart rate is:

Max Heart Rate (HR) = 207 - (age X 0.7)

To effectively burn calories, we would have to maintain our Max HR around 60%.

Here are 2 examples of cardio exercise routines tailored to burn calories & effectively lose weight:
1. Run-Jog Routine
Run at 35% Max HR for 3 minutes. Then sprint at 90% max HR for 6 seconds followed by a jog at 60% max HR for 12 seconds. Repeat the sequence for a total of 16 minutes and finally end the exercise with a 2 minute walk at 35% max HR to cool down.


2. Run-Row Routine
Start with a run at 50% max HR for 5 minutes. Then row at 90% max HR at level 8 for 2 minutes followed by rowing at 30% max HR at level 10 for 3 minutes. Repeat the sequence for 30 minutes and then cool down.

These two cardio exercise regimes are specifically tailored to burn more calories and help in effective weight loss. Our heart rate is optimised during these exercise routines and it will help us to burn off the unwanted fat in a shorter period.

How to lose fat effectively?

I found this video is very useful and you might be interested in, so i uploaded here and to share with you how to lose fat effectively. It just take you 3 mins... Check it out!

Top 10 worst drink

Check out what is the top worst drink and avoid it. The worst drink will not bring you any nutrition yet bring you into trouble.