Monday, May 13, 2013

Expert fitness tips for a healthy, effective summer slim-down

While children long for the lazy carefree days of summer, many adults view the season as a reason to be active and get healthy. Whether it's to look good for an upcoming beach vacation or simply to have the energy to enjoy the season to the fullest, setting health goals is a great first step.

Sticking to those aspirations doesn’t have to be difficult or stressful. Just follow a few expert tips and you’ll look and feel great in no time.

Leading fitness expert and celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor Kristin McGee has partnered with CalNaturale Svelte to help busy adults maintain overall health and wellness. Her top tips for an effective yet healthy summer slim-down include:

Go outdoors
The weather is nice, so why not take your workout routine outdoors? So many outdoor activities are natural calorie-burners, plus they’re a lot of fun. Ride bikes on the weekend, run around and play tag with your kids, or play fetch with the dog. Infuse your social activities with fitness, too. For example, finish a date night with a romantic walk outside, or have friends over for an outdoor barbecue and dance party.

Lighten meals
Light foods pair well with warmer weather, so take a fresh approach to meal time. Visit your local farmers market to pick up fresh, seasonal food and get creative in the kitchen. Incorporate water-based fruits like watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew and pineapple into meals. For dessert, freeze grapes for a sweet treat after dinner.

Snack well
Look for snacks and drink options made from pure and simple ingredients. CalNaturale Svelte is a premium protein shake that can serve as a delicious meal replacement. This dairy- and gluten-free shake is also perfect as a pre- and post-workout drink or an anytime on-the-go snack. Each tasty flavor helps control hunger and provides vital nutrients for sustained energy, important for keeping up with the bustle of summer to-do’s.

Drink up
Stay hydrated by stocking the fridge with healthy drink options. A big pitcher of cold water with slices of strawberries, cucumbers and lime is a refreshing drink that’s readily available. This low-calorie drink quenches on even the hottest days.

Rise and shine
Get some fresh air first thing in the morning; it will keep you energized all day long. Take a quick walk or practice yoga outside – try it during sunrise for a great way to start your day. You’ll be surprised with how cheery and upbeat you’ll feel.

Green your thumb
Gardening is a great way to enjoy the warm weather, plus you burn calories without even knowing it. Try planting your own herb garden. It’s a simple activity you can even do with your kids. Plus, you will have quick access to fresh herbs when you want to add a healthy flavor boost to your dishes.

Try new activities
Warm weather is the perfect time to try something new. Take tennis or golf lessons, or meet friends on a weekly basis to play a different sport. Hit the sand with the family and try some beach body Pilates; do a few crunches on your towel, try some planks in the sand, and even some crab walks. Don’t forget sunscreen and sunglasses to protect your skin and eyes.

For more healthy tips and information from McGee, visit www.sveltebrand.com.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

15 best fitness tips for good health

 Leading a lifestyle that spells good health is a combination of different factors that includes exercise and eating right.

About a decade ago, for me, good health meant either being able to perform a certain exercise like bench press, running, etc. If you really want to assess your health, then you need to look at your overall health, which would mean mental, emotional and physical health. Here are 15 best fitness tips for good health - it's better to start as early as you can, and work on your health.

 Be active daily for mental health
Prolonged periods of inactivity are often the cause of anger, frustration, lethargy and depression. On the other hand, those who are active regularly experience a better mood, feel more energetic, and overall enjoy a better life.

Be active daily for physical health
Being active does not necessarily mean doing a 25km run daily, and nor does it necessarily mean squatting double your bodyweight daily. Even lighter activities like walking, swimming, yoga, playing with kids, cleaning up the house, riding a bicycle, etc are all examples of being active. For most people, intense activities like weight training, sprinting, etc should ideally be kept to about 3-5 times a week, and on the other days, lighter activity is recommended.

Strength train and lift heavy
Almost every month there seems to some study that comes out with the finding that strength training, including lifting heavy weights has multiple health benefits. Starting from weight management, increased energy levels, better glucose metabolism, etc there are many reasons why you must strength train. You can strength train by using your own bodyweight and lifting barbells, dumbbell, kettlebell, etc.

Do cardio
Now cardio does not necessarily mean doing painfully long and slow activities like distance jogging. It can also be done in a short time with intense activities like sprinting, circuit training, kickboxing, etc. Infact, the intense options seem to provide better results overall, in terms of cardio fitness, improving body composition, increasing growth hormone production, etc.

Maintain healthy bodyweight and bodyfat levels
The extra fat increases your chances of getting a heart attack, diabetes, hypertension, etc. Also, I would like to mention that extra bodyweight, even in the form of muscle is not necessarily healthy in the long run. Whether muscle or fat, the extra weight has to be carried around by your joints, and at a later age, that can really start telling on your joint health.

Check your BMI
A good way to calculate your ideal bodyweight is to use the BMI calculator. Now I know that a lot of people feel that the BMI is not an accurate way to measure ideal bodyweight, but in my opinion, unless someone has unnaturally huge muscles thanks to steroids, the BMI is a reasonably accurate calculator of one's ideal bodyweight. Again, it is not necessarily perfect, but is pretty close for most people.

Maintain ideal flexibility and mobility levels
Most people in their 20's have already lost a lot of flexibility that they had when they were 5 years old. So you can only imagine how much tighter they will get when they are in their 40's and 50's. The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way. You can improve your joint mobility and flexibility levels as long as you work on it. You should be able to touch your toes.
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Flexibility and mobility workouts
Start your workouts with 10-20 minutes of joint mobility work, and finish your workouts with 5-10 minutes of stretching, and focus more on your tight areas. You can also do mobility and flexibility work on your off days to get in extra activity and improve faster.

Eat a balanced diet
Our body relies on a variety of nutrients to function properly, and no matter how much someone might try to convince you that a particular food group needs to be avoided altogether, you will find that eating it, even if in small amounts, is better. For eg: without adequate carbs you will struggle to do intense workouts and perform well. Similarly a diet very high in protein can cause a lot of stress on your kidneys.

Eat a balanced diet
I would also suggest that you get your nutrients from a variety of sources. For example, don't just rely on chicken for your protein, eat fish, eggs, red meat, etc. Each source offers a different mineral and vitamin profile for you to take advantage of. And yes, don't forget to intake enough water for optimal health.

Limit junk food
Let's face it, we live in a society where we are surrounded by junk food, and trying to resist it all the time, including when we go out with friends and family is likely to drive you nuts. So once in a while your little indulgence will not kill you. In fact, many experts claim that if 80% of your calories are clean, then you can have some fun with the remaining 20%.

Monday, March 18, 2013

New breath of life for health body

The new health advisory body established to provide independent advice on the health needs of asylum seekers has officially begun operations.

   The Immigration Health Advisory Group (IHAG) members, led by former Defence Force medical officer Dr Paul Alexander, include medical professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists and GPs, as well as advocates and officials.

   A spokesman for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) said IHAG would have a broader scope than the former Detention Health Advisory Group (DeHAG) which had been “instrumental in facilitating improvements in health care for people in detention"

“Since DeHAG’s establishment, there have been significant changes in the size, nature and complexity of the immigration detention and status resolution environment, including expanded use of community detention and the use of bridging visas for clients who formerly would have been in immigration detention,” the spokesman said.

   “This has meant that the type of health services provided, and the way in which services are used by clients, have also significantly changed.”

   He said the new group would not only advise on the needs of people in detention but also on the health of asylum seekers in the community, as well as recent humanitarian visa holders.

   “The expanded capacity of the group includes the design, development, implementation and evaluation of health and mental health policies and services for asylum seekers, refugees or recently granted permanent visa holders receiving support through the department’s assistance programs,” he said. 

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Tips to help avoid a preventable hospital return



Patients too often leave the hospital without knowing how to care for themselves, leading to a preventable return. Here are tips to improve your chances of a successful recovery at home:

_Be sure you understand your illness and the care you received in the hospital.

_Ask if you will require help at home. Can you bathe yourself? Climb stairs? Will you need bandages changed or shots? If so, do you have a caregiver to help, or will you need to arrange a visiting nurse?

_Repeat back your care instructions, to be sure you understand them.

_Ask for a written discharge plan that lists your medical conditions, your treatments, and the plan for your ongoing care.

_Get a list of all medications, how to use them, and what to do if you experience side effects. Be sure to ask whether to continue medications you were taking before this hospitalization.

_Ask what symptoms suggest you're getting worse and what to do if that happens, especially at night or during the weekend.

_What follow-up appointments will you need and when? Ask if your hospital will make the appointments for you, and send your records.

_Do you have transportation home, to follow-up appointments, and to the drugstore?

_If you have a regular physician, make sure the hospital sends a report of your hospital stay.

_If you are uninsured or will have difficulty affording prescriptions, a hospital discharge planner or social worker may be able to link you to community resources that can help.

_Get a name and number to call if questions about your hospitalization or discharge arise.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Tips for helping kids eat healthy

 The Health Ministry's 2006/2007 New Zealand Health Survey found one in 12 children between two and 14 were obese, and one in five children were overweight.

But how do parents get their kids to eat healthy? Is it the parents' job or is it the responsibility of our society as a whole?

An extract from Dara-Lynn Weiss's book The Heavy: A Mother's Battle Against Her Seven-Year-Old Daughter's Obesity, published on Stuff.co.nz recently caused some serious debate on Weiss' approach to putting her daughter on a strict Weight Watchers-style diet.

What's your advice for getting your children to make healthy food choices? Do you get tough or should we just let kids be kids? Is it the cost of food that's making our obesity stats worse?

Click the green button to share your tips for getting young Kiwis to eat healthier.

We'll compile a list of top tips for parents from all our submissions. 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Scott Tischler Unveils 3 Healthy Eating Tips for a Busy Life Style to help with New Year's Resolutions

Scott Tischler knows all too well what it means to lead a busy life. Between being a law school student and working full time Scott is still able to eat healthy and work out daily. Scott Tischler is not a personal trainer rather Scott is someone who truly loves and believes in healthy eating and daily exercise. Scott truly believes that the secret to a healthy life style is a good combination of healthy eating and daily exercise. It can be difficult to fit in daily exercise let alone eating healthy every meal. With these healthy eating tips it can become easier to have a healthy meal.

1.    Plan ahead. One of the reasons that binge eating happens is because the body is starving for the correct nutrition. If meals are planned ahead of time then the house should always have food available. So instead of reaching for the snickers bar or chips reach for something healthy such as broccoli or chicken breasts.

2.    Cook several meals at a time. There are nights where the last thing anyone wants to do is to cook a meal from scratch. This unfortunately can lead unhealthy eating. By cooking several meals at a time a meal is as simple as heating it up in the microwave or oven.

3.    Use a cooler when going to work. By using a cooler and a few reusable icepacks not only will money be saved but it allows for healthier eating habits at work. Pack salads, greens, chicken, tuna, or anything that is healthier than a quick bite to eat through any drive through.

With these healthy eating tips eating healthy can be easier. Not only could it save lives it could also save some money. Those who complain that eating healthy is too expensive do not realize that by eating cheap and unhealthily it will cost more in the end.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/1/prweb10300747.htm

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/business/prweb/article/Scott-Tischler-Unveils-3-Healthy-Eating-Tips-for-4177804.php

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Tips for healthy living in 2013? Be positive, pray, goof around

Eat your veggies. Don't smoke. Get some exercise. Watch your weight. 

Those are good tips for staying healthy. They're also uttered so often that they go unheard by many.
Several health experts in the region gave fresh suggestions — some of them philosophical — on how to improve your health in 2013 and have a better, safer life. 

Here they are: 

» Enjoy downtime. “We don't allow ourselves opportunities to just let down,” said Dr. Donald Darst, president of Midwest Regional Health Services. “We just put ourselves through way too much. Everything has to be go, go, go, go.”
» Pray. You are more than just a physical creature, said Dr. H. Dele Davies, vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “You have a mind, and you have a spirit.” Those who pray are happier, more satisfied. “It's controversial, but it's certainly something that I believe,” Davies said.
» Spend less time in front of screens. Go do something, said Cindy Brison, extension educator for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Douglas and Sarpy Counties. Doing stuff instead of looking at televisions and computers means “living life instead of being a voyeur,” Brison said.
» Spend more time with family. Brison said people always say they want to make family a priority. Do it.
» Know your medical numbers. Have a primary care physician who will go through vital numbers with you. Those numbers include cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass index, or BMI, said Dr. Steph Erickson, a family physician with Alegent Creighton Clinic.
» Goof around. Having fun at work builds camaraderie, breaks down cliques and cuts tension, Darst said.
» Be ergonomically sound. Make sure you use good body positioning and posture. This reduces muscle tension, pain and repetitive strain injuries, said Rebecca Tomhave, clinic nurse for employee health at St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln.
» Be positive. People who feel hopeless do worse in fighting disease and living life, Davies said. “We know that the mind has a strong influence on physical health.”
» Practice household safety. Have an escape plan in case of fire, and make sure your kids know how to open the windows, Erickson said. Assess tripping hazards, make sure the gas stove works properly and don't overtax electrical outlets.
» Review your medications. Go through your medications with your pharmacist or physician, said Amy Friedman Wilson, director of the Creighton Center for Drug Information. Make sure your meds are appropriate for your current condition and that none interact negatively. This includes natural supplements and over-the-counter drugs.
» Treat people with dignity. It helps not only others but you as well, said Dr. Ruth Margalit, director of UNMC's Service Learning Academy. “You gain just as much as you give because it opens you to the opportunity to learn from people.” 

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