Health Topics


A cold is uncomfortable, but it is usually just an inconvenience. Medicines normally do not fully cure a cold you can however, adopt various remedies by which you can reduce or ease your cold. Take care that occasionally cold-like symptoms may be signs of a more serious illness. Call for advice if you, have chronic respiratory problems such as asthma or lung disease, are a heavy smoker, or have other serious or chronic illness. Call for advice if symptoms worsen after 3-5 days, if symptoms don't improve or remain bothersome after 7 days, or if symptoms are not resolved after 14 days. Seek immediate assistance if cold related symptoms rapidly worsen or if you develop painful or difficult breathing, wheezing, or difficulty swallowing. Normally the below mentioned tips and prove to be quite helpful in controlling your cold.

Tips & Remedies for Colds


Raise the humidity level by sitting in the bathroom with a warm shower running or using a humidifier/vaporizer (cool mist preferred). Empty and clean daily to reduce the growth of molds.
Drink lots: all fluids are good; warm fluids seem to provide the most relief. Try hot tea and hot water with lemon .

Gargle with salt water; homemade salt water (1/4 tsp salt dissolved in 8 oz of warm water, or a store version, will help relieve a sore throat.

Ear infections--There are several types of ear infections. Antibiotics are used for most, but not all, ear infections.
Suck on hard candy. Hard candies are as effective as cough drops.

Try saline nose drops or sprays.

Remain up and about. Extra rest may help, but you'll generally feel better by staying moderately active. Read, do puzzles, play board games. Boredom makes you feel worse!

Some Over the counter medications may provide temporary relief, but beware of potential side effects. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or thyroid disease, check with your physician regarding decongestant use.

Use Vicks Vapo-Rub; even if it doesn't really Do anything, doesn't it just smell like it should be helping?

Just like brushing your teeth, healthy habits should be cultivated on a daily basis.

The following is a guide to daily tasks:

1. Activity should be a daily occurrence. Walk, run or jump for a minimum total of 20 minutes a day.

2. Protect your skin. Sun block should be applied on face, neck, arms and hands even in the dead of winter. It protects against climatic toxins too. Moisturize skin daily.

3. Eat fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products and small amounts of protein. Avoid sweets and other processed foods.

4. Meditate or spend a minimum of five minutes daily in quiet time.

5. Find your spiritual self. Discover what inspires you, raises your level of consciousness, motivates you, and satisfies your soul.

6. Exercise your brain. Read, study, solve problems, and learn new skills. As does the body, the brain atrophies with lack of use.

7. Hug somebody.


Being Fit and Healthy is every souls dream. A healthy and fit body along with a healthy mind makes life an interesting journey and this world a heaven. Here are a few steps to achieve a healthy body.

Commit To Get Fit
The first thing you need to do is commit yourself to a fitness programme. The best way to do this is join a local gym – once you've coughed up the cash, you can view it as an investment.
Choosing A Gym
Many health clubs will be offering good deals on membership. Try to find one with a swimming pool.
Equipment
You don't have to spend a fortune on fitness gear but you should invest in a good pair of cross trainers for indoor and outdoor use. If you're going for the yoga and Pilates approach, you won't need trainers.
Work It Out!
Before you rush headlong into a tough workout schedule you should actually work out how fit you are and how far you've got to go.
Diet
Try a 'fat-burning', sugar-free diet for one month. Cut out ALL sugar, cakes, biscuits, chocolate and white bread.
Liquids
Are you getting enough? Water that is! If you feel that you are under performing mentally and physically or suffering from constipation, sinus problems, lethargy or depression, you may be dehydrated. The average intake of water should be eight glasses of water a day to keep the brain and internal organs functioning efficiently.
Healthy Arms
Here's how to get them….Hold a dumbbell or can of beans in your right hand and rest you left knee and left hand on a chair or bench, keep left arm straight. Bend your right knee and make sure your back is parallel to the floor. Bend your right elbow up and behind you keeping it close to your torso with the palm facing in. Extend the forearm back so that the arm is straight and the upper arm is squeezed into the body. Slowly return the arm to the bent position and repeat. Use a 3-5lb weight and perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Healthy Legs
Focus on the inner thigh muscles to get rid of the wobble. Try swimming. For lean, trim legs, do 20–60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise like running, skating or cycling at least three times per week. Cardio circuit training classes that include running and jumping are a great way to slim down the thighs. Deep stretching will also streamline any lumpy areas.
And finally,
Get active! Whether you can fit 10 minutes or 60 minutes into your day do something that raises your heart rate. Try brisk walking for part of your way to and from work or during your lunch hour. With the light evenings and inclement weather, get on your bike, roller blades or just your feet and just get moving!


No, The time of day during which you choose to eat has no bearing on how your body processes food. Any extra calories you take in will be stored as fat whether you eat them at noon or midnight.


That's not to say that evening eating isn't a problem for many dieters. It's easy in the evening to snack while relaxing.


When we eat in front of the television, we aren't paying attention to what we are eating in front of the TV report feeling like they haven't eaten at all. It appears that the food eaten doesn't register all that well when we are distracted.


*Don't deny fat. Eating fat-free cookies and other treats that contain refined carbohydrates can lead to bingeing. Instead, allow yourself up to 30% of your daily calories to come from fat, particularly mono- and poly-unsaturated vegetable oils, nuts, and fish oil.


*Stay with it. More than half the dieting success stories in the survey said they applied these strategies to their diets every day.


Ready to start a fitness program? Measure your fitness level with a simple four-part test. Then use the results to set fitness goals and track your progress.
You probably have some idea of how fit you are. But knowing the specifics can help you set fitness goals, monitor your progress and maintain your motivation. Once you know where you're starting from, you can plan where you want to go. And it's easier than you might think! Get started with the simple assessment guidelines below — based on guidelines provided by the President's Challenge, an activity program designed by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
Gather your tools
Generally, fitness is assessed in four key areas — aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility and body composition. To do your assessment, you'll need:

A watch that can measure seconds or a stopwatch
A cloth measuring tape
A yardstick
Heavy duty tape
Someone to help you with the flexibility test
You'll also need a pencil or pen and paper to record your scores as you complete each part of the assessment. You can record your scores in a notebook or journal, or save them in a spreadsheet or another electronic format.
Check your aerobic fitness: Brisk walk
To assess your aerobic fitness, take a brisk one-mile (1.6-kilometer) walk. You can do the walk anywhere — on a trail or track, inside a shopping mall or on a treadmill. Before and after the walk, check and record your pulse in your notebook or journal.

To check your pulse over your carotid artery, place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. To check your pulse at your wrist, place two fingers between the bone and the tendon over your radial artery — which is located on the thumb side of your wrist. When you feel your pulse, look at your watch and count the number of beats in 10 seconds. Multiply this number by 6 to get your heart rate per minute.
Let's say you count 15 beats in 10 seconds. Multiply 15 by 6 for a total of 90 beats per minute.
After you've recorded your pulse, note the time on your watch and walk one mile (1.6 kilometers). After you complete the walk, check your watch and record the time it took you to finish — in minutes and seconds — in your notebook or journal. Then check and record your pulse once more.
Measure muscular fitness: Push-ups
Push-ups can help you measure muscular strength. If you're just starting a fitness program, do modified push-ups on your knees. If you're already fit, do classic push-ups. For both types:
Lie facedown on the floor with your elbows bent and your palms next to your shoulders.
Keeping your back straight, push up with your arms until your arms are extended.
Lower your body until your chest touches the floor.
Push your body upward, returning to the starting position.
Count each time you return to the starting position as one push-up. Do as many push-ups as you can until you need to stop for rest. Record the number of push-ups you complete in your notebook or journal.
Assess your flexibility: Sit-and-reach test
The sit-and-reach test is a simple way to measure the flexibility of the backs of your legs, your hips and your lower back. Here's how:
Place a yardstick on the floor. Secure it by placing a piece of tape across the yardstick at the 15-inch (38-centimeter) mark.
Place the soles of your feet even with the mark on the yardstick.
Ask a helper to place his or her hands on top of your knees to anchor them.
Reach forward as far as you can, holding the position for two seconds.
Note the distance you reached.
Repeat the test two more times.
Record the best of the three reaches.
Estimate your body composition: Waist circumference and body mass index
With a cloth measuring tape, measure your waist circumference at its smallest point — usually at the level of the navel. Record your waist circumference in inches or centimeters in your notebook or journal.
Then determine your body mass index (BMI) — an indicator of your percentage of body fat — through a BMI table or online calculator. If you'd rather do the math yourself, divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and multiply by 703. Or divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. (To determine your height in meters, divide your height in centimeters by 100). Record your BMI with the rest of your scores in your notebook or journal.
Monitor your progress
Now that you know your fitness level, keep track of your progress. Take the same measurements six weeks after you begin your exercise program and periodically afterward. Each time you repeat your assessment, celebrate your progress — and adjust your fitness goals accordingly. Show the results to your doctor or personal trainer for additional guidance.