How to Lose Weight with Minimal Dieting

It has long been thought that dieting is actually bad for your health. If you don’t need to lose a lot of weight, dieting can really hurt you rather than help you. When you limit your nutrition by not eating a specific food group, like carbs, or when you limit your calories every day, you are really creating a deficiency in your body. This can lead to health problems down the road, and it can harm you once you go off the diet. If you have been limiting your calories for so long, for example, when you stop limiting your calories, you fill up on all those unhealthy foods you had been avoiding. Needless to say, the weight goes right back on. Instead of dieting, then, try some of these tips for a healthier lifestyle, and a healthy weight.

Follow the Craving

If your body is craving something, you are probably lacking a specific nutrient. The key is to figure out what nutrient that is, so you can get it without being unhealthy. If you are craving salty foods, you are probably dehydrated because salt helps your body store water. If you are craving ice cream, you are probably in need of calcium, so you could have a glass of milk instead. Don’t deprive your body of these nutrients, though, just because you are watching what you eat. Just make healthy choices that match up and you should notice a difference, and feel better, too.

Eat Slowly

As Americans, we are accustomed to eating really quickly. It starts in school, when we were only given a short time to eat, and it continues throughout our lives as we are too busy to sit down and have a proper meal. Instead of rushing through your food, eat more slowly. If you eat standing up or while doing other things, make sure you sit down or pay attention to your food. If you do this, you will notice when you feel full and stop yourself before you overeat.

Stop Before You are Full

Contrary to what your mother told you while you were growing up, you don’t have to clean your plate. It’s okay to take a doggie bag home from a restaurant or wrap up some leftovers after cooking at home. When you’re full, you’re full. Stopping just before you are full can help you feel lighter, as well, and can save you a ton of calories in the long run. It all adds up!

Master Portion Sizes

Americans are particularly bad at putting too much food on the plate to begin with. Most portions should not be any larger than your fist, but think about how many portions of food we have that probably totals the weight of our fist and forearm. If you can be conscious of the portion sizes you need to make you feel full, you’ll eat less without even knowing it.

Make Healthy Choices

Adding healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to your diet can help you shed the pounds without even trying. Sure, a piece of white bread and a piece of wheat bread have comparable calories in them, but the wheat bread will give you more nutrients than the white bread will. The fiber you find in the whole wheat bread will help you stay full and keep your digestive tract regulated, which can help you feel thinner. When you feel fuller and lighter with less food, it’s obvious you’ll lose weight without trying!

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Beauty Recipes Using Food Items

You don’t have to visit the pharmacy every time you want to brighten up your skin. Just visit your pantry!
They say you are what you eat. To some extent, that is true; whatever you eat is processed by your metabolism and used by your body to make everything work how it is supposed to. This is why some people think that eating greasy foods or chocolate will make you break out. If you eat greasy foods, it follows that your skin might become greasy which would cause you to break out. There is research that both proves and disproves this old wives' tale, but did you know that there are some food products that can improve your skin and hair from the outside? You don’t even have to eat them to see the wonderful benefits.

Honey

Honey has fantastic moisturizing properties, and it is also antibacterial. Most acne is actually caused by bacteria on the skin, so using honey in lieu of an antibacterial soap can be extremely beneficial for your skin because, rather than drying your skin out to rid yourself of problem-causing bacteria, it will moisturize your skin while doing the same. You can mix it with brown sugar, granulated sugar, or sea salt which all have exfoliating properties. Once mixed, rub it gently on your face and rinse it off. Also, honey can smooth out frizzy hair. If you add a tablespoon of it to a liter of water and spritz it on your hair, your flyaways will disappear.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice has long been known for its bleaching properties. If you squeeze some in your hair before sitting out in the sunshine, it will give you natural, beachy highlights that every woman craves. However, if you apply it to hyperpigmentation on your face - those little dots you get from acne sometimes - it can help lighten those, too. Dab it on, let it sit for 30 minutes up to overnight, and rinse it off with water. You’ll see a difference in a few days. If you mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with half a teaspoon of aloe, you can get rid of the grease in your hair. Mix it with your shampoo and rinse it all out as normal. Greasiness will magically disappear. If you boil chopped lemons with two cups of water until the water has been reduced, you can use the mixture that is left as a natural hairspray.

Vinegar

Vinegar can work wonders on your skin and hair. If you use vinegar instead of conditioner once a month, your hair will shine like it’s never shined before. This is because the vinegar strips the products and grease that build up over time out of your hair, leaving it naturally shiny. You can also use apple cider vinegar as a toner for your skin. Just wipe it on your face and you will see that it exfoliates immediately, leaving your skin beautiful and glowing.

Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil has been said to be a miracle product for your skin and hair. Rub it on at night and use a warm, wet rag to steam your face. This will open your pores and, as you rub the rag on your face, will also remove all traces of makeup. Wash your face with your favorite soap after this and you will notice that your skin feels soft and manageable. You can also use olive oil like a hot oil treatment for your hair. Put it in your hair and leave it for half an hour before you rinse it out. Your hair will be moist and beautiful.

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How Blood Transfusions Work

Blood transfusion is commonly used in case of fatal blood disorders, illness and excess blood loss during injuries or surgeries. How blood transfusions work and help a person to survive in such dreadful situations is the topic which we will discuss in this article...

The human body consists of approximately 4 to 6 liters of blood. A normal, healthy, adult male usually has 5.6 liters of blood and female has 4.8 liters of blood, (approximate values). Though this amount may vary from one person to the other, low blood may cause various complications and may even be life-threatening. There may be a lot of reasons behind the decreased amount of blood. It can be due to some injury or because of some illness. In such situations it becomes important to get blood from a donor to maintain the optimal amount of blood in the body. The process of transferring blood from the donor to the receiver is known as blood transfusion. Human beings have 8 types of blood groups, hence it is very important to match the blood group before transfusion.

How a Blood Transfusion is Performed

Human blood has four components: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. Blood transfusion can be the donation of whole blood or any individual components like plasma or platelets or just the white blood cells. Hence, transfusion may not necessarily be related to blood donation. The rest of the amount is again transfused into the donor's body. But blood transfusion can be done only when the donor's blood group matches that of the recipient. If the donor's blood does not match with the recipient's, blood will agglutinate and will clog the vessels which will hinder circulation. This may even result in death.

Blood Group Compatibility
There are four blood types: A, B, AB and O. Apart from this, blood groups can be Rh+ or Rh-. So the combination results in 8 types of blood groups. Among these 8 types O Rh- is the universal donor, which means it can donate blood to any of the blood groups, while AB Rh+ is the universal acceptor as it can accept blood from any blood type. The following table will help you to understand the compatibility of various blood groups with each other.

Blood Group Can Receive Blood from Can Donate Blood to
O Rh+ O Rh+ and O Rh- A Rh+, B Rh+, AB Rh+, O Rh+
O Rh- O Rh- A Rh+, A Rh-, B Rh+, B Rh-, AB Rh+, AB Rh-, O Rh+ and O Rh-
A Rh+ A Rh+, A Rh-, O Rh+ and O Rh- A Rh+ and AB Rh+
A Rh- A Rh- and O Rh- A Rh+, A Rh-, AB Rh+ and AB Rh-
B Rh+ B Rh+, B Rh-, O Rh+ and O Rh- B Rh+ and AB Rh+
B Rh- B Rh- and O Rh- B Rh+, B Rh-, AB Rh+ and AB Rh-
AB Rh+ A Rh+, A Rh-, B Rh+, B Rh-, AB Rh+, AB Rh-, O Rh+ and O Rh- AB Rh+
AB Rh- A Rh-, B Rh-, AB Rh- and O Rh- AB Rh+ and AB Rh-

Process of Blood Transfusion
The process is simple but there are few important steps to follow before transferring blood. Following are the steps which are followed in the process of blood transfusion.
The process starts from the very first step of getting blood. You can get blood either from a blood bank or from a donor.
In case of donor, you have to get the blood tested before taking it. The donor needs to undergo some tests like HIV test, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, etc., which are mandatory before the donation. The medical history of the donor is also an important factor which is considered.
The donor's blood group should match the recipient, which is done by a simple test. The blood is tested in an in-vitro condition and is matched with the recipient's blood. The plasma is also matched separately in order to avoid complications. If the blood group is matched, blood will easily mix with the sample of the recipient's blood but if it doesn't, it can agglutinate.
Once the blood unit is considered safe for transfusion, the required amount is taken from the donor. Generally, a person can donate 1 unit of blood (450ml) at one time but if the donor is healthy, he can even donate up to 2 units. In case more blood is required, multiple donors are arranged. The collected unit should be used within four hours to avoid infection.
If only the plasma or any particular component has to be transferred, blood is taken from the donor and then with the help of a centrifugal machine, plasma is separated from the blood and the rest of the blood is transfused back into the donor's body.
The obtained blood is transfused with the help of a tiny tube called a cannula. It is inserted into the vein of recipient's arm. The cannula is connected to a drip, which is further connected to a blood bag through which it is transferred.
During transfusion, the recipient is closely observed to ensure any adverse reactions of the blood unit. If any problem is observed immediate action is taken.
After the transfusion the receiver often feels energetic and better due to the increased amount of oxygenated blood in the body.
Though most of the people do not show any signs of discomfort at the time of transfusion or even after that, 1% to 2% of the people show side effects such as chills, allergy, fever, etc., which can be overcome with the medication prescribed by the doctor. So in future, if your doctor advises you to undergo any type of blood transfusion, discuss all the details and let him know about your medical history and allergies if you have any. Doctors and researchers are trying their best to make blood transfusion safer day by day. To conclude, we can say that i

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An Amazing Technique to Treat Achilles Tendonitis

Many people with chronic Achilles tendonitis use stretching and strengthening exercises to treat the problem at home. One theory, based on the idea that torn muscle fibers in the calf are the cause of the problem, suggests that stretching and strengthening could make the problem worse. Read on to discover an alternative way to heal Achilles tendonitis.

Have you been using stretching and strengthening exercises in an attempt to treat your chronic Achilles tendonitis? If so, you may be prolonging the injury. One school of thought says that this type of very common therapy could be exactly the opposite of what you need to speed the healing of Achilles tendonitis and other heel issues, and it all has to do with muscle fibers.

It’s well-known that Achilles injuries are closely related to the calf muscles. Many people say that stretching and strengthening the calf muscles is the key to resolving pain in the Achilles tendon. However, a closer look at the cause of Achilles tendonitis reveals that this may not be the best thing for the injury, and could in fact be causing more harm than good.

The Theory

The Achilles tendon attaches to the foot at the back of the heel, but it stretches down the entire length of the calf. Because the calf muscles attach to the leg just above the back of the knee, Achilles tendon issues really involve the entire lower leg. If there is damage to the calf muscles, Achilles tendonitis could result. One theory holds that if the muscle fibers in the calf are torn or knotted, the Achilles tendon will not be properly supported, resulting in inflammation and pain.

The Alternative

Massage and Compression for Realignment
For torn or knotted muscle fibers, stretching and strengthening exercises could be counterproductive. The muscle fibers may need to be rested, massaged, and realigned in order to bring the muscle back into proper working order. By stretching the calf muscles and the muscles surrounding the Achilles tendon, people with injuries could be preventing themselves from healing. The reason is that stretching has a tendency to tear muscle fibers even more, resulting in improper growth. Instead of stretching, therefore, the muscles should be compressed.

In order to compress the calf muscles to promote muscle fiber realignment and healing, those with Achilles tendonitis can massage their legs fairly aggressively. If people have Achilles tendonitis on one foot and not the other, chances are that they will find the calf muscle on the affected leg to be sorer in more places than on the unaffected leg. Deeply massaging calf muscles to discover these tender spots is the first step to recovery.

What to Avoid

Once the tender spots of the calf have been located, people with injuries should continue to massage the painful areas quite frequently without fearing a little bit of pain. It may be painful to compress and work out the knotted, torn areas of the calf muscles, but this pain could result in a stronger Achilles tendon. One note of caution, however: sore Achilles tendons themselves should never be aggressively massaged. Because Achilles tendon pain is caused by inflammation, massaging the Achilles will only irritate it, making the inflammation worse. The important thing to understand is that Achilles tendon pain is not necessarily caused in the location of the pain. The root cause of the pain could be much further up the leg, so focusing on those problem areas is likely to resolve the pain in the tendon.

Don’t Make a Bad Problem Worse

One important thing to note is that calf massage and other tendonitis treatments should begin as soon as pain is experienced in the Achilles tendon. By treating the root cause of the issue as soon as possible, athletes can avoid chronic problems. For those who do have chronic tendonitis, regular calf massage can be used as a preventative measure. Anyone with a chronic or acute sports injury should always consult a doctor or physical therapist before trying any alternative or home care techniques. With the approval of a professional, regular massage of the calf muscles could help to clear up Achilles tendonitis.

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What's the Reason We Dont Sneeze With Our Eyes Open?

It's true that we can't sneeze with our eyes open, because the action of closing eyes and sneezing is automatic. But, did you know, (achoo!! excuse me) that some people can actually train themselves to sneeze with their eyes open?

Sneezing is good for us. It aids in getting rid of germs and other foreign particles out of the body. When something tickles in the nose, or if you have a cold or a dust particle stuck in the nose; then the body's natural response is to sneeze. However, one thing that seems impossible while sneezing is - to keep the eyes open. Yep, we can't sneeze with our eyes open. Here's more on this ordinary phenomenon.

The Science of Sneezing

As already mentioned, sneezing is an automatic action. It is a reflex. The medical term for sneezing is sternutation, which means the act of involuntary expulsion of air from the nose.

Call it an involuntary or automatic action, reflex, natural response, the fact remains that it is next to impossible to keep your eyes open while sneezing! As you can't control air escaping out of your nose during a sneeze, you will not able to control the motion of your eyes too. The muscles of the eyes act automatically when the action of sneezing occurs. The whole action of sneezing is quite a complex process; when the inside wall of your nose gets tickled, a message is sent to the sneeze center inside your brain. This center sends a message to the muscles of chest, diaphragm, stomach, back of the throat and the eyelids. All these muscles work in tandem to sneeze out the irritants.

Therefore, not only the eyelids, but also chest or stomach muscles are beyond your control during a sneezing action. On the other hand, there have been some instances where people have managed to sneeze while keeping their eyes open. Weird, huh?

Yes, some rare individuals can sneeze with their eyes open. However, it is not natural. These people train themselves to sneeze while keeping the eyelids open with their fingers. Ouch! Sounds painful... You can check out several videos of this body trick on the Internet.

Here are two myths related to sneezing which are now debunked.

Myth #1: Your eyes will pop out, if you do not close them while sneezing.

Myth #2: The germs or irritants that are expelled during a sneeze can go right back into your eyes, if you do not keep them closed.

Interesting Facts About Sneezing
The fastest sneeze recorded is 103.6 mph (167 km/h)!
Did you know that there are people who sneeze when they are exposed to sunlight? They are called photic sneezers. It seems this condition runs in the family.
Plucking hair from your eyebrow can make you sneeze
Iguanas sneeze more often than other animals. They sneeze to get rid of salts which are formed during digestion.
Did you know that Donna Griffiths from England has the longest sneezing attack of 978 days?
Body Tricks That are Impossible to Do

Just as you can't keep your eyes open while sneezing, there are certain body tricks that you will find are beyond the bounds of your ability.
You can't lick your elbow.
You can't tickle yourself.
Everybody's seen Samantha twitch her nose in Bewitched, but the trick is impossible to do, at least by a human.
You can't lick your nose or chin.
Here is something you can try. Sit on a chair and start making clockwise circle with your right foot on the floor. Then, with your right hand's index finger try to draw '6'. Impossible, isn't it?
Though, the aforementioned tricks are impossible to perform for an average individual, a few people can do them with considerable ease. Just like most of us can't really put our whole fist in the mouth, but some people gifted with small hands and big mouth, can accomplish this feat.

Scientists still can't explain why we can't keep our eyes wide open while sneezing. Hence, it is reasoned out that it is the body's natural response to keep the eyes closed while sneezing. Anyway, next time you sneeze, bless you!

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Ab Exercises Is More Effective Than Equipment

If you are looking to tone your midsection then you will have to inculcate abs exercises in your workout plan. The most effective ab exercises without equipment are crunches, and if you follow correct form and techniques you could easily get washboard abs. Any bodybuilder will tell you this, that the most important thing when you workout is to follow correct techniques and breathing. Lot of people ignore this and concentrate on doing more repetitions. Another misconception people have is that they need to go to a gym if they wish to work out their abdominal. There are several abs exercises which you can do from the comfort of your home and don't need any exercise equipment.

If you are devising an abs workout plan you need to remember that muscles need rest to replenish and recover from any strenuous activity like exercise. So in a week you can do effective abdominal exercises 3 times, for example on day 1,3 and 5 of the week. Here are some effective ab exercises.

Leg Raises
Lie down on your back and keep your legs fully extended and arms by your side. Lift your legs together off the ground till you form a 45 degree angle with the floor. Exhale as you go up and then slowly lower your legs back as you inhale. Do not touch the floor when you come back down stop a couple of inches from the floor. Repeat the movement 15-20 times, do it slowly don't use momentum or jerky movements, complete 2-3 sets. 

Basic Crunches
When you talk about abdominal exercises you just have to mention crunches. Keep your back on the floor with legs bent at the knees and feet planted firmly on the ground. Interlock your hands behind your head and crunch your torso to come up so that your chest touches your knees. Breath out as you come up and breathe in as you go back down when doing crunches. Go down in a controlled motion and stop a couple of inches from touching the floor, repeat movement for 15-20 repetitions. Do 2-3 sets of these most effective abdominal workouts by resting for 2-3 minutes between each set. 

Reverse Crunches
Keep your hands interlocked behind your head and lie down on your back. Now cross your legs and lift them up so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Exhale and bring your legs towards your chest by lifting your hips off the ground, inhale and go back to the starting position. Do 2-3 sets of 15-20 repetitions, remember to crunch your abs when you pull the legs towards your chest.

Oblique Crunches
Lie down on your side on the floor with your knees bent and legs on top of each other. Position one hand behind the head and keep the other one by the side close to your torso. Now exhale and crunch up make sure you go as high as you can and then come back down. Repeat the movement with the other hand by shifting your legs to the opposite side. Do 12-15 repetitions of these effective abdominal exercises with 2-3 sets for a good abs workout.

Plank
This exercise will strengthen your stabilizer muscles and increase your core strength. Lie down on your stomach and place your arms on the ground. Now lift your body up so that the weight is supported by the elbows and your upper arm is perpendicular to the floor. Make sure your hips are up and the legs are fully extended. Hold the position for 20 counts and maintain normal breathing, repeat the exercise 2-3 times.

Inculcate these exercises in your lifestyle and tone your midsection in quick time. Support your workout regimen with healthy eating habits and follow it with discipline to get good result.

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Ab Workouts Is Essential for Women

In this world of uncertainty and obesity, it's necessary that you take care of your health. This implies to all men and women but women especially because they have more responsibilities. They play many roles; a woman is a mother, a wife, a homemaker and a working professional in many cases. It's necessary that she remains fit so that she can handle all these responsibilities with ease. One of the first things a woman wants is an attractive stomach. Whatever you consume goes into stomach, so it's obvious that the stomach requires its daily workout. In this article you will fi
nd some good ab exercises for women which will help you lose stomach fat fast and show excellent results.

Most Effective Ab Exercises

You've been obsessing over those abs for many years now. No matter how much you try, your stomach shows no signs of improvements. Most women due to time constraints can't even go to the gym, so here are some good abs workout for women which can be practiced anywhere.

Toe Touch
For this exercise, you are going to need a pair of 8 pound dumbbells. Lie on an exercise mat holding a single dumbbell in both hands. Lift your legs in the air, until they are perpendicular to the floor. Without any movement from the legs, lift your shoulders and chest off the mat and try touching your toes with the dumbbell. Make sure you don't bend your knees. Do 10 reps.

Hip Flexor
Kneel on the right knee and put your left foot in front of you. Place both your hands on the left knee and contract the right side of your glutes. Move your hips forward and make your back straight. Hold this position for 2 minutes.

Reverse Crunch
Lie down on the exercise mat and place your hands on the floor. Lift your knees up towards your chest. Make sure your legs are at 90 degree angles and are held together. Squeeze your abs and curl your hips off the floor, by bringing your knees close to your face. Do 10 reps.

Body Plank
Lie face down on the mat on your forearms, make sure palms are flat on the mat. Raise your entire body up and rest it on the elbows and toes. Keep your spine flat and your body position should be like a straight line. Tuck in your abdominal muscles so that it doesn't hang in the middle. Hold this position for a minute. Repeat as desired.

Ball Crunch
This list of good abs workout cannot be completed without exercise or medicinal crunches. Lie on the ball and make sure it's positioned under your lower back. Cross your arms on the chest and contract your abs. Lift only your torso in the form of a simple crunch. Remember as you go up, the ball shouldn't roll or change its position.

Regular Crunch
This famous ab workout is done by lying on the exercise mat with your knees raised towards your chest. Hands should be placed behind your back with elbows coming straight out to your sides. Contract your abdomen muscles and raise your shoulders of the floor. Make sure you keep your back straight while raising yourself up and coming down.

Plank Variations
Lie on the exercise mat face down with your legs apart and your hands stretched in front of you. Now, lift your head and legs for 15 seconds. Lower them and do the following movements; raise your right arm and left leg and hold them for 30 seconds. Now lift your left arm and right leg and hold it for 30 seconds. Do each movement at least 15 times.

So these were the most effective ab workouts for women. With regular practice, you can lose that excess tummy fat for sure and even make your core muscles strong. Also consult a doctor before attempting any of these exercises if you suffer from back or hip pain.
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Abdominal Exercises Is Needed For An Old Ages

As one ages, the things and activities that were once possible to be followed through with ease, become difficult to take up with the same enthusiasm and energy. Is that the bane of old age? Maybe so, but that does not mean one slumps down and considers that all is over. Remaining young at heart is the key they say and that is what one should aim at achieving. But let's not get philosophical here, okay? Let's instead talk about something that is as plain as paper - exercising. People who have been exercising throughout their lives and have maintained great health cannot be pulled down with the feeling of aging and becoming old. 

And then there are those senior citizens who realize the importance of including abdominal exercises along with normal cardio workouts like walking and swimming in their routine. It is a curse that most senior citizens have to face - a paunch or a tummy that has a lot of belly fat stored in it. This makes a person more prone to diseases, especially when they are old. It can also drastically effect their energy levels. In this following article we will be looking through some of the upper and lower abdominal exercises for seniors and how to go about the same.

Abdominal Exercises for Senior Citizens

Why is it important to carry through abdominal exercises, especially for senior citizens? A strong set of abdominal muscles help to develop a strong core and this in turn helps to support the lower back. 

As is pretty common, problems with the lower back go on to give rise to several problems and ailments in the overall body and that is why it is recommended that the ab muscles be strengthened. In that way it's all connected and helps in maintaining great health. Let's get to these easy abdominal exercises in the following section. The specialty of these exercises is that they can be carried through with the simplest of equipment and without any extra preparations having to be made.

Oblique Crunch
Sit comfortably on a chair so that the soles of your feet are flat on the floor.
Your back should be straight, but make sure that it does not rest against the back rest.
Place both your hands behind your ears. This is your starting point.
Start off by contracting your abdominal muscles and twisting to the left side with your right hand.
As you approach the left side, pull your left leg up so that the right elbow and the left knee touch each other.
Then return to the starting position and do the same on the opposite side.
Repeat 10 times on both sides.


Reclining Curl
Sit on a bench or a chair that has no back rest. Even if there is a back rest, one's buttocks and back should be far away from it.
Your feet should be flat on the ground.
Tighten your core muscles and suck in your abdominal muscles.
Concentrate on maintaining a straight spine that does not bend at the hips or the shoulders.
Maintaining this position, inhale deeply and lower yourself by taking your head and back, back. Stop just before you are about to touch the back rest.
Count till 5 and slowly pull yourself up.
Exhale as you come up.
Do about 10 repetitions of the same.
As your core muscles become stronger, aim at increasing the difficulty level of the exercise.
This can be done by crossing one's hands over the chest or holding them straight out.
Then ditch the 10 repetitions and opt for maintaining a minute of the same exercise.


Opposite Twist
Lie on your back and bend your knees so that the soles of your feet are flat on the ground.
Maintain about 2 inches of space between the feet.
Your head will be comfortably placed on the ground and your hands will rest on the thighs.
Pull the belly button in. Imagine that it is touching the floor.
From this position, extend both your legs so that they are about 5 inches off the ground.
Inhale deeply and raise your right hand above your head and at the same time bring your left leg to the starting position.
Then switch sides and bring the left hand and right leg in eh center.
Continue to switch sides so that you have done 16 raises on both sides.
Increase the sets as you gain strength.


Bicycle Crunch
Lie on your back on an exercise mat.
Place your hands at the back of the head and raise your shoulders about 3 inches off the ground.
Maintain a gap of about 4 inches between the chin and the chest.
Bend your knees and raise them so that the shin is parallel to the ground.
Now inhale and twist your shoulders to the left side. At the same time straighten your right leg.
Hold for a second and switch to the opposite side.
Continue to alternate the legs and twist the shoulders on both sides.
When you twist on both sides, it is considered as one set.
Do 3 sets with 10 repetitions each.


The best part about these abdominal exercises is that they can be easily carried through at home and that too with ease and comfort. Simple and effective, is it not?
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Art and medicine are complementary Discussion

Art and medicine are indeed complementary.   Through the ages, they have been linked in many ways.  The study of anatomy is inherent to the drawing student’s basic courses, as it is to the medical student.  And, the process of drawing anatomy can help the doctor-to-be to memorize parts and contours of the body, as it can teach the artist to respect and care for their own body.  Leonardo Da Vinci’s anatomical drawings are still used by medical schools for examples.

The very processes of art are therapeutic.  Medically, it has been proven that physical therapy can be enhanced by creative projects.  Knitting and crafts are often prescribed for recovering patients.  The mental health aspects of art are not lost to the academic medical community, either.  Art therapy is a well-respected facet of institutions and elder-care, as well as those working with all children and adults.

Medicine has studied artists for all sorts of answers about the neurochemistry of creativity and inspiration.  The mind-body-spirit connections have an important link with the art process.  The uplifting flow state of concentration has its own wavelength in the brain.  Wouldn’t they like to be able to put that into a bottle for prescription? 

Artists have long been asked to design models of working body parts and even DNA molecules for medical studies and instruction.  Medicine uses these art forms to show to both patients and the press, and in the medical schools.  Sculpture techniques are used in forming casts, and cosmetic surgery.  Some of the same skills are used in stitching up wounds as well as fiber arts.  Prosthetics are works of art, with some mechanics thrown into the designs.  Plastic fabrication and jewelry techniques have come into play with some of these devices, so there is a shared technology.  Breakthroughs in one field can help another.

Many artists are employed with website design, instruction and interpretation for hospitals and insurers.  The visualization of concepts is something that artists can apply to any field, but it is perhaps essential in the medical field, which serves the full range of humanity, and is multi-cultural.  Images translate better than most languages.  So, the global medicine practiced by health organizations and charities is very complementary to art.  Even graphic facial expressions, illustrated, are used to determine pain levels

Historically, artists recorded operations and medical procedures in fine art as well as for illustrated textbooks.  Herbals and native medicines can be shown through art across any borders of culture or language.  Exercises and physical therapy are also enhanced by artistic instructions and illustrations.  All those take-home brochures and booklets are designed by artists for simple-to-follow self-help, as preventive or follow-up instruction. 

A little art can cheer patients in hospitals, as chapels and stained-glass can sustain the spirit of both patients and caregivers.  The positive focus of uplifting art has been proven to calm and encourage healing.  Art can be medicine.  The arts help the medical world in a myriad of ways, both practical and aesthetic.

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How To Enjoy More And Comfort In Your Healthy Life

A truly healthy lifestyle results from a balanced lifestyle. The key points of a balanced lifestyle include having adequate time for work, family and relationships, relaxation and fun. In order to maintain a healthy balance there has to be a combination of exercise; a sensible diet; reduction of caffeine and sugar; avoidance of alcohol, tobacco and drugs; stress reduction and getting enough sleep.
Physical activity and exercise is great for stress prevention and reduction. A combination of stretching, muscle toning and aerobic exercise tends to be the best. You should get 30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week. The best news is that you don't need to do all 30 minutes at once. It has been proven that breaking it down into small 10 to 15 minute intervals is just as beneficial.
Walking is a great exercise and can easily be incorporated into your day. Try parking in the farthest space rather than closest space possible. Take a few trips around the grocery store with your cart prior to beginning your shopping. This is especially helpful during winter months in colder climates. Carrying your purchases to your car rather than pushing them out in a cart helps improve muscle tone as well as giving you an aerobic workout.
A healthy lifestyle requires a sensible diet. Eating three moderate or five small meals comprised of a balanced diet dispersed regularly throughout your day helps maintain even blood sugars and fuel for your mind and body. Caffeine and sugar should be limited, as the body treats them both as drugs. They can influence hormone and blood sugar fluctuations and lead to an increase in stress production.
Your diet should include protein, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, carbohydrates, and fats. Lean proteins (like beef, pork, chicken, fish, legumes, eggs and dairy products with reduced fats) are preferable to non-lean proteins (like fatty cuts of meats, organ meats, bacon and sausage) and processed meats (like luncheon meats). These fatter cuts should be kept at a minimum and generally limited to a few servings a week. Dairy products such as milk, cheeses and yogurt provide calcium and protein. A few servings of these should be included in your daily diet plan.
Fruits and vegetables should make up the majority of your diet. A wide range of fruits and vegetables provides variety and provides a better balance of vitamins and minerals.
Carbohydrates are important for maintaining energy and help with mental clarity. They should be kept to a few servings a day. Whole grains are more beneficial because they provide more vitamins and nutrients and are metabolized at a slower rate, reducing spikes in blood sugar.
Fats are essential to the human diet. They provide essential fatty acids and allow for better uptake of nutrients. Best choices are olive oils, canola oils, nuts and nut oils.
Exercise and diet alone are not the answer for a healthy lifestyle. Cigarette, drug and alcohol use should be avoided. However, there is evidence that alcohol used in modest amounts may be useful. These studies have concluded that a glass of red wine with dinner can be beneficial for protection of the brain, heart and lungs. It is thought to prevent prostate and breast cancers, reduce inflammation and boost longevity.
Stress tends to be different from person to person. Stressors can come from personal, family, financial, peer and professional issues, but are not limited to any specifics. The most crucial step to stress management is identification of the stressors in your life. After you have identified what has stressed you out, you can begin to work on the issues.
Maintaining a stress journal can be helpful in the identification of stressors. You should keep track of: what caused your stress, how you felt physically and emotionally, your response actions and what you did to make yourself feel better.
Once stressors are identified you should change the situation by avoidance or alteration. Then work on changing your reactions by adapting and accepting. Don't forget to make time for relaxation and fun.
Don't underestimate the value of sleep in a healthy lifestyle. Sleep allows your mind and body to refuel, regenerate and energize. Getting enough sleep increases your ability to think clearly, react appropriately, maintain motivation and gives you the stamina to enjoy the various aspects of your life.
While it is impossible to include all of these aspects daily, the more habitual you are to include them the better your chances of maintaining a healthy lifestyle become. Take a few minutes and reflect on what you did today. What can you do to improve? How can you live a healthy lifestyle?

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