Friday, January 27, 2012

Exercises to Shape Your Butt


Do you have a flat butt? Or one that is too plump? Every woman desires a well-toned and shaped butt. There are three main muscle types in your buttocks and they are the Gluteus Minimus, Gluteus Medius and the Gluteus Maximus. Resistance exercises such as squats and lunges are an excellent and proven means to train your butt. You could even perform them with dumbbells in your hand or a bar across your shoulders. Vary the width of your feet to alter the emphasis of squats and if you can bring your feet closer, your quads will work well. If you choose to do lunges, you can choose from stationary, walking, alternating and side lunges. You can even perform squats with kick backs for greater effect.
Walking Your Way to a Great Butt
Walk up the hills, hike or even walk in the park when you are free to target your glutes. If you are able to pick up the intensity of your walk and begin to walk briskly over time, you will begin to burn more flab (even from your buttocks). It helps to warm up with some stretches and crunches. You can even try a butt clenching exercise while you walk. All you need to do is clench your butt cheeks together, hold them for 10 seconds before you release. You can repeat this as long as you walk or even as long as you can without feeling uncomfortable. At the end of your walking session, don’t forget to cool down by reducing your walking speed.
Sculpt a Better Backside
A shapely, sculpted and well-defined butt is a dream for most women. Deadlifts are a great exercise for your hamstrings, butt and your lower back. With hip extension you can feel the burn in your glutes. Other than that, simple exercises like hiking, biking, and running will make you feel good and also burn calories to tighten your tush. Controlled kicks in kickboxing work very well for your thighs and butt as well. You could even choose to alternate your routines to help your body tone up faster. The treadmill workout is also a good option for anyone who cannot find time to go the gym to exercise.
You can fix your trouble area in your body and flaunt a sexy butt, beautiful thighs, curved hips and well-toned legs with these exercises. Have you tried any other exercises? Share them here.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Recognizing Sleep Apnea


Recognizing Sleep Apnea
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a condition where there is irregular breathing or pauses in breathing during sleep. In the most common form of Sleep Apnea- Obstructive Sleep Apnea- these stops in breathing are caused because of repetitive obstructions of the upper airway. In people suffering from sleep apnea, these interruptions in breathing can happen from 5 to 100 times in an hour. 

What Causes Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is caused when excess fat tissue in the neck leads to constriction of the airway or when a large tongue or relaxed throat muscles block the air passage. Enlarged adenoids and tonsils also lead to blockage of the airway, causing sleep apnea. Deformities of the jaw, teeth or the nasal passage are other factors that cause sleep apnea in certain cases.

What Are The Effects Of Sleep Apnea?
Since sleep apnea leads to a reduction of oxygen in the blood during periods of irregular breathing, it causes light and disturbed sleep, which further leads to tiredness and fatigue during the daytime. Other factors related to poor sleep also come into play in the case of people suffering from sleep apnea. On a day to day basis, sleep apnea leads to fatigue, daytime sleepiness, poor sleep quality, irritability and headaches. But the condition can turn dangerous because in the long term sleep apnea can lead to: 
  • Arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Heart attacks and strokes
  • Obesity
  • Heart failure
  • Work or driving related accidents caused due to long term sleep deprivation
  • Loss of memory and concentration
  • Moodiness
  • Depression and other psychological issues
  • Change in personality
  • Reduced libido

What Are The Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea?
The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are sudden loud snorts and snoring during sleep. However, the sufferer who is asleep during these episodes of apnea is unaware of the problem till it is brought to notice by someone else. 

Other less common symptoms are:
  • Poor sleep
  • Morning headaches
  • Waking up with a dry mouth
  • Excessive sweating during sleep
  • Heartburn
  • Weight gain
  • Confusion on waking up

How Is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?
A diagnosis of sleep apnea can be confirmed on the basis of symptomatic observations combined with physical examination and family history. However, a health practitioner may use tests called the Polysomnogram (PSG—a test that records a person’s breathing at night) and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT- a test that checks how quickly a person falls asleep in the daytime) to determine if a person is suffering from sleep apnea.

How Is Sleep Apnea Treated?
Light sleep apnea can be treated simply by bringing about lifestyle changes like losing weight or changing sleeping habits. In some cases, sleeping on the side can solve the problem. Giving up medications like sleeping pills or sedatives that may lead to relaxation of the muscles is also advised in some cases. However, more serious cases of sleep apnea often require surgical intervention or device usage. 

Some of the common treatments for serious sleep apnea are:
  • Oral Devices: The use of oral devices worn in/on the mouth that may help to keep the tongue from falling back, elevate the soft palate or bring the jaw forward.
  • PAP: Positive Airway Pressure machines are used to maintain a regular air flow through the use of a mask and a machine that blows air into the nose, thus keeping the air passage open and unobstructed throughout sleep.
  • Uvulopatatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): A surgery that involves the removal of the adenoids, the tonsils, and some tissue from the soft palate, uvula, and the back of the throat is used for a permanent treatment of sleep apnea.

Sleep Well To Live Well


Sleep Well To Live Well

Short term effects/Symptoms Of Sleep Deprivation?of lack of sleep are...

  • Lack of concentration and loss of memory
  • Depression
  • A weakened immune system, leading to frequent illnesses
  • Decreased pain threshold
  • Stressed relationship with spouse or partner

Long term sleep deprivation can cause...
  • Cardiovascular diseases like heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure
  • Weight gain and obesity
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Growth retardation in children
  • Poor quality of life
  • Psychiatric problems like mood disorders

How Can I Sleep Better?

  • Start Exercising: 
  • Do Not Eat Right Before Bedtime: 
  • Make Your Bedroom A Place To Sleep: Make your bed comfortable by using the right type of mattress and pillows. Use dark curtains and draw them at night while leaving them open during the daytime in order to let your body differentiate between day and night. Also use the bedroom only for intimacy and sleep, so that your body and brain both understand that the bed is a place to shut down and sleep instead of making it a place for reading, working on the laptop or watching television.
  • Avoid Substances That Hamper Sleep: Viz: Tea, Coffee, caffeine, nicotine in cigarettes,Cola,disturbing pictures, talks.
To Sleep: listen to soothing music, drink milk, eat 3 to 4 hrs before going to bed,avoid arguments, distrbing issues, listen to good spiritual talks etc etc . Exercise during day , keep physically active etc

Living Free Of Diabetes


Living Free Of Diabetes
With an incidence of Diabetes increasing 20 times in the last twenty years, India is fast on its way to becoming the Diabetes capital of the world. 
The good news, that one can be easily delay and often prevent  developing the disease. And this can be done by bringing about some simple lifestyle and diet changes. 

Lose Weight: 
Exercise: 
Quit Smoking:  

Switch To A Healthier Diet: 
  • Contrary to popular belief, diabetes is not caused by eating too much sugar. But it can in fact be caused by the weight you gain by eating things that rapidly turn to sugar in your body—read refined cereals, starch rich foods and sweets. Fatty foods are another culprit that lead to an increased risk of not just diabetes, but heart disease as well. A healthy diet should start with cutting down on sugar, fat and refined foods.
  • Adding fiber and fiber rich foods is a natural corollary to a diet that goes against refined foods. Fiber rich foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds not only help you lose weight, but have proven benefits when it comes to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes.
  • A diet composed of large amounts of sugary beverages (aerated drinks, juices, too many sugar laden cups of tea or coffee), red meat, processed foods, sweets and high fat dairy products (mithai, paneer, chocolate etc.) is associated with an increase risk of diabetes. Since you are looking at a long term health plan, totally removing these items from your diet may not be possible. However, exercising portion control and moderation where these foods are concerned is necessary for leading a healthy, diabetes free lifestyle.


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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Heart concerns & tests and treatment..by Dr. Aashish Contractor

Cardiac Tests and Treatment Procedures:

Last week we discussed the warning signs of heart disease, and the various types of heart disease. When one suspects a cardiac problem, there are a large number of tests which can be done to diagnose the condition. These tests are usually done in a sequential manner, starting with the most basic test, the ECG. Some of the commonly done cardiac tests are described below.

ECG:

This is usually the first cardiac test recommended when one is suspecting a heart problem. Electrodes (they look like small stickers with a metal tip) are applied to various points on the upper body, and on your ankles. An ECG measures the electrical activity of the heart. A change in the ECG pattern can be indicative of the presence of heart disease. The doctor usually looks for two types of changes –
  1. changes which indicate a block in the coronary arteries
  2. changes which indicate a problem with the rhythm of the heart beats, such as palpitations.


Stress test / stress ECG:

During a stress test you are made to walk on a treadmill while your ECG and blood pressure is measured. The speed of the treadmill is gradually increased and the goal is to keep walking till you are exhausted and cannot walk any farther. The stress ECG provides more information than a rest ECG since the oxygen demand on your heart is greater while exercising. A positive stress test indicates that there are changes on your ECG which are suggestive of a block in your heart (coronary) arteries. A stress test also gives you information on your cardiovascular fitness.

Echocardiography:

This tests the pumping function of the heart. It also helps to study the motion of the heart valves which control the flow of blood in and out of the heart. During the test, sound waves are bounced off the surface of the heart to produce a picture on the screen.

Thallium stress test / nuclear medicine stress test:

This stress test is like a regular stress test, but a dye is injected into the heart and pictures are taken of the heart, before and after the stress test. This test can detect areas of the heart muscle that have been damaged by a heart attack and areas that are not getting enough oxygen due to partial blockages of the coronary arteries. Nuclear medicine tests can also provide information on the functioning of the left ventricle. These tests are more accurate than standard exercise tests and are often performed when stress test results are inconclusive.

Coronary angiogram or angiography:

This is the ‘gold standard’ of all tests to detect heart disease. This test identifies the specific locations of blockages or narrowings in the coronary arteries. It also determines the severity of any blockages present and evaluates the functioning of the left ventricle (the largest chamber in the heart). This information is essential to determine if heart surgery is needed.
To perform the test a thin plastic tube (catheter) is inserted into an artery in the leg and is threaded upto the coronary arteries. Dye is injected into the coronary arteries while an x-ray machine shoots numerous pictures from various angles. You are fully conscious during the test which does not take more than half an hour.

Treatment for Heart Problems:

Your cardiologist will use the results of your diagnostic tests, along with your personal history, to outline options for treating your problems. Often medication, along with changes in lifestyle, is all that is needed.

Coronary Interventions:

If you have coronary heart disease, you may need an intervention such as an angioplasty, or coronary bypass surgery. The goal of an angioplasty, or bypass surgery is the same – to improve the blood supply to the heart muscle.

Angioplasty and stent placement:

In an angioplasty a catheter is inserted into an artery in the leg and is threaded upto the coronary arteries. A balloon is passed through the catheter and is inflated to widen the coronary artery at the site where it has become narrowed by plaque. Often a thin cylinder of wire mesh, called a stent is placed at the site of the blockage after it has been dilated. However, even after an angioplasty one needs to be careful and lead a heart-healthy life, or there is a high chance of the blockage forming again. In about 15-20% of cases, the arteries again close due to process called restenosis. If this has to occur, it usually takes place within the first six months. In the last six months, drug coated stents have been introduced, which greatly lower the chances of restenosis.

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery:

As the name suggests, in this surgery an artery is taken from a part of the body and is used to detour the block. The most common sites from where an artery is removed is from the chest, known as the internal mammary artery or from the arm, known as the radial artery. A bypass surgery is much more invasive than an angioplasty, and involves cutting of the breast-bone, and the recovery process takes about six weeks.


Thanks & Regards,
Dr. Aashish Contractor
Head of Dept: Preventive Cardiology andRehabilitation
Asian Heart , MMRDA ,Bandra East, Mumbai

Monday, January 23, 2012

9 Best Edible Natural Oil Around the World



9 Best Edible Natural Oil Around the World
Gone are the days when all you had to do was choose between sunflower or olive oil. Now it seems you can by the oil from just about every plant, nut or seed out there but should we be adding them to our stir fries or drizzling them over our salads? Lets Find out...

Top rated - rapeseed oil
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Rapeseed oil contains omegas 3, 6 and 9, essential fatty acids so it's great for heart health, brain health and joint mobility. It is also a rich, natural source of vitamin E � essential for healthy skin and a strong immune system. High in mono-unsaturated fats and with less than half the cholesterol raising, saturated fats of olive oil it is one of the few natural oils that can be heated to deep-frying temperature without its antioxidants, character, colour and flavour spoiling. In short, one of the best oils there is and what's more � some of the very best rapeseed oils are produced right here in Britain.

Best all rounder - olive oil
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Olive oil is a great source of heart protecting, cholesterol lowering, monounsaturated fat as well as free radical fighting antioxidants known to protect the body against premature aging and cancer. It can be used to cook with up to temperatures of 180 degrees and is mild enough in flavour to be used with most dishes. However, extra virgin olive oil (the oil that is extracted from the first press) is not quite so stable so it is best used cold.

Best for tight budgets - sunflower oil

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Cheap, easy to find and a great source of the free radical fighting antioxidant - vitamin E. In fact, just 1-2 tablespoons contains all your daily requirement. It is also a good source of cholesterol reducing omega 6 polyunsaturates. However, it contains very few omega 3's so if you use sunflower oil regularly, you need to be sure you're getting enough omega 3s in your diet from other sources to balance things out. A chemically stable oil, it is suitable for deep-frying but don't be tempted to re-use the oil more than a couple of times as re-heating it to high temperatures can result in the formation of trans fatty acids known to raise cholesterol and increase the incidence of some cancers.

Best for high temperatures - groundnut oil

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Ground nut oil � sometimes called peanut oil has a high smoking point making it ideal roasting, making Yorkshire puddings or frying. It is an excellent all-rounder and has a very neutral, light flavour perfect for use in oriental dishes that often combine quite delicate flavours. Do be careful though as this oil is made from peanuts so anyone with a nut allergy should steer well clear.

Best for adding flavour - sesame oil

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Another great source of cholesterol lowering omega 6 fatty acids light sesame oil can be used for deep frying and the dark or heavy sesame oil (made from roasted sesame seeds) adds a delicious rich flavour to stir-fried meats or vegetables. Used a lot in oriental dishes it's rich flavour works as a seasoning in itself.

Best for rice dishes - avocado oil

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Avocado oil has very little if any omega three fatty acids but it is a great source of monounsaturated fats and is also rich in skin enhancing vitamin E. It has a slightly nutty flavour that is delicious drizzled over salads or rice dishes. However, it can also be used to cook with as it has a higher smoking point than many oils so it's fine to grill, saut� or stir-fry with it.


Best oils for dressings and dipping - walnut oil

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A delicious, aromatic, nutty oil that is a good source of omega three fatty acids and tastes delicious (used as a dip along side a good balsamic vinegar) as a dip for freshly torn, warm breads for warm breads. It's also great for drizzling over salads and risottos and goes really well with white fish, meat, mozzarella and goat's cheese. However, this oil tends to become bitter when cooked and can go off very quickly so buy in small quantities and store in a cool, dark place.

Best for vegetarians - linseed oil

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Linseed oil is a much richer source of omega 3 than any other oil and a great choice for strict vegetarians who need to get omega 3 fatty acids solely from plant foods. Omega three fatty acids help to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, increase concentration (particularly in children), alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and they may also help prevent Alzheimer's. Linseed oil however, is not suitable for cooking as heat can make it taste bitter and it can quickly become rancid if it is not stored correctly (in a cool dark place). Studies show that if this happens the benefits are negated and possibly reversed.

Best for drizzling - hazelnut oil

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Hazelnut oil is a great source of Vitamin E which helps to maintain a heart health, good skin, a healthy reproductive system and a strong immune system. Fairly pricey and not so readily available as many other oils it is worth seeking out either from your local health food store or on line to drizzle over salads, rice dishes or fresh pasta adding a delicious, subtle, nutty flavour.



Thursday, January 19, 2012

hurt back have back pain read this ...I found this useful


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Back pain slip disc whats best to use hot or cold remedys?

have a bad back picked somethig heavy up wrong waY PUT my back out whats best to use hot or cold pads eddie

Answers (5)

 
  • Start with cold, ten minutes on ten minutes off for an hour, then go to heat for as long as it feels good.

    Source(s):

    My neighbor has that problem and that's what he does.
  • Intially, use a cold pack to bring down the swelling. After that, use a hot pack to increase cirulation to the area and promote healing. Try some therapeutic grade oils to structurally realign your spine and bring circulation to your back to help it heal. Valor oil blend applied to the bottoms of the feet will hellp with realignment. Helichrysum and Peppermint oils applied to the area where your disc slips will help your back heal.

    Source(s):

    www.oil-testimonials.com/848536 for the oils.
  • if its muscle moist heat ya should have iced it first from the beginning.. massage it out and anti imflamatory like advil....i would do ten on ice ten on moist heat best way is to wet and ring out a towel put in microwave...gonna be hot dude put in a plastic bag like from store and put it on your back sleep on the floor a few nights. now if ya herniated a disc..the pain will need to be treated by a doctor. you should get reflief from the heat and massage
  • This injury happened more than ten hours ago. Use warm moist heat only. Heat will dilate the blood vessels and speed up recovery of damaged muscles etc. Cold is only indicated at time of injury to control swelling and bleeding. This occurs because cold constricts blood vessels.

    Source(s):

    Ex Lecturer in Health Sciences
  • If you were diagnosed with a slipped disc than I would suggest you try spinal decompression exercises, they may be very helpful to you. Here is a video showing how to do an excellent exercise, hope it helps:

    http://www.natural-alternative-therapies…