People, There is No Way that the Effects of Your Exercise Depend on the Surrounding Air Quality8/29/2019
 Smog or Rain, Exercise Takes Off Air Pollution’s Strain on the Heart There is a layer of smog that covers up the city sometimes and we can never be pleased with it-its not the fog due to chillness but one due to smoke and other air pollutants. Air pollution is reaching newer heights every day with almost every family owning a two-wheeler and many of us having one or even two cars sometimes. Energy use and production contribute majorly to air pollution which not only affect climate change but also gets aggravated by the same and also raises earth’s temperature. There have been numerous health effects of air pollution discovered and they include a host of respiratory ailments (such as asthma), cardiovascular diseases, adverse pregnancy outcomes (preterm birth) and sometimes death too. It was not long back in 2013 that the World Health Organization declared outdoor air pollution to be carcinogenic to humans. Almost more than 90% of us live in places where air quality exceeds WHO guidelines. Get more information about air pollution by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com.
Reverse Effect? We do know that exercise keeps us healthy, elevates our mood, takes off depression, anxiety and stress, keeps us in good spirit and reduces the risk of chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease risk. On the other hand, pollution has the potential to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, asthma and COPD. So, the question does arise whether air pollution and poor air quality cancel the benefits of exercise on cardiovascular health. Researchers have looked into this issue by evaluating exercise levels (which includes gardening, cycling, sports and walking) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2 is mostly the result of traffic) levels of 51,868 adults aged between 50 and 65 years. Over the 17.7 years period 2,936 of them were hit by heart attack for the first time while 324 suffered from recurrent heart attack. Researchers could associate the link between increased levels of NO2 with more frequent heart attacks but the risk was lower among those who were physically active. While moderate cycling for around 4 hours every week cut down risks by 31% the risk further decreased by almost 58% when all four types of physical activity discussed above were performed. Also, those who practiced sports had a 15% lower rate of initial heart attack and a 9% lower risk coming from the benefits of cycling irrespective of the air quality. But those residing in areas where exposure to NO2 was greater faced 17% increased risk in first-time heart attack and 39% for recurrent heart attack. This study clearly shows that performing physical activity regularly has the potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular illness in individuals despite higher air pollution levels. While pollution can cause damage to health it cannot bring down the benefits exercise can have on an individual. Also, one needs to understand that moderate-intensity exercises are good enough to bring about benefits to individuals living in polluted areas. Maybe you can cycle to work, catch a bus from your second-nearest bus stop or walk daily to improve health.  Is This Some Kind of a Game? Hell No! The Child Knows it  Coming Back to an Alcoholic Parent Everyday is Terrifying Are you blessed with a cherished childhood experience? If yes, then you are one of the lucky fellows who got to grow up with love, affection and happiness. Some grow up oblivious to what’s been happening in the outside world that’s full of disappointments, sadness and misery and there are others who know about it but don’t/can’t do anything about it. Children are our prized possessions with their hearts pure and their thoughts clear. A child is like wet mud-just like how we can use the mud to create designs of our choice we can mold our kids to evolve into a person with the attributes and personality that’s been nurtured during their younger years. Though nature bestows certain personalities in kids its mostly nurture that dominates these attributes-the family that we grow in, the environment surrounding us and the people we interact with. Growing up in a family filled with love, care and joy surely affects the child in a positive way making him/her a good person at heart and a loving one to interact with. Whereas, children who have a bad childhood experience often grow up with depression, anxiety and other emotional problems that would take the efforts of another loving person who could cross their paths to sort out their traumatized childhood. Bad childhood experiences could be growing up in poverty, malnutrition, absence of love or care from parents and so on. Some others such as witnessing fights between parents, going through parents’ divorce traumas, being with a parent who suffers from mental illness or substance abuse problems or suffering from sexual, physical or emotional abuse are what we term adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
Take Care of Kids, Spare them of the Trauma ACEs puts the person into stress which in turn affects the mental and physical health of the person putting their successive generations at greater risk. The severity of the outcome depends on identifying the adverse event in the child’s life at early stages and the future of the child’s health depends on the severity of these outcomes. The question that lingers in each of our minds is whether the risk of ACEs could be reduced or minimized when there are people who care and love for the kid at home or in the neighborhood? A study was conducted on 65,680 children aged between 6 and 17 years to find out answers to this question. Of the total lot almost 44% hadn’t suffered from ACEs, 25% were exposed to one type of ACE, 11% to two types of ACEs, 7% to three types and 13% to four or more types. Research results published in Pediatrics journal shows that the number of ACEs was inversely proportional to school performance. On a comparative bases, those children exposed to four or more ACEs were 2 times likelier to repeat grades at school, 4 times likelier to regularly skip homework and thrice likelier to have a ‘don’t care’ attitude about school, studies or their improvement. But when the number of protective factors increased the outcomes at school too improved. Protective factors include safe neighborhoods, enough nutrition, absence of second-hand smoke and a positive parent-child communication, the last factor being the most important of all found in this study. The study shows that a parent who can communicate openly and meaningfully with the child opens the child to positive outcomes and improvements in life pushing away the ACEs from the child’s mind. In short, the parent’s relationship with the child can have a great impact on the child’s life. Kids who had six or more protective factors were less likely to repeat grades, skip homework or act carelessly about school in comparison to those with no more than three protective factors. Identifying protective factors that are feasible for your family and implementing them can go a long way towards improving the child’s health and school performance. School outcomes determine a child’s wellbeing and health as it affects both, the mental and physical health of the kid. To understand how emotional wellbeing is important for an improved quality of life please visit the website www.firsteatright.com. When he/she studies more it means living longer and healthier which are attributes that can be passed over to the next generations as well.  Maintaining Correct Posture While Walking Prevents Unwanted Complications to your Health  None of them are Senior Citizens but Still They Walk with a Pole! You and I started to walk long back when we were one-year-olds clinging onto our moms/dads as a lifeboat to save us when we trip and fall! Its well-known that habits last a lifetime and one can be sure that there is no chance in this world that we forget to walk correctly. But our fears have come true and there is no way that our quality of walk is better than before. And, that’s most probably because many of us have simply forgotten to walk more sitting in front of televisions, computers and video games. It’s now time that we start re-learning our walking techniques and get back to the basics of a proper walk.
Glorifying your Gait Walking helps in improving overall physical fitness of your body, improves mood, takes off stress, reduces risk of chronic diseases and protects cardiovascular health. It is one of the best forms of exercise that can be practiced by individuals of any age group, any time of the day and anywhere. Most of us refuse to take it as a good exercise form just because we walk everyday-from the living room to the bedroom, from the office pantry to the washroom and from our apartment to the road outside to catch an auto. This is all that we walk but we talk too much on the effectiveness of this exercise form. Don’t you think that many of your walking styles might be totally incorrect and even affecting your knee? Children usually copy the walking styles of parents and if in case the parent is doing it wrong it leads to a series of side effects. Maintaining symmetry is extremely important and your footsteps must be rhythmic to ensure that you are walking in the right track. It is always necessary to strike the ground heel first and then put your forefoot forward. You need to balance it right with the perfect style that includes speed, step width and step frequency. Its necessary to hold your head straight, avoid tilting it and refrain from slumping your shoulders. Your arms too play a critical role in affecting your walking style and speed. Bend your arms at 90-degree length and swing them briskly in tune with your opposite leg to maintain balance. Think of a pendulum and move each arm briskly back and forth. If any of these aren’t in place it can badly affect you-a bad posture and shoes that don’t support your brisk walk can enforce more strain on the muscles thereby leading to joint problems and muscle aches. Footwear plays a crucial role in determining your walking style. If you use something that’s more than a year old and you have been walking daily then its time for a change of footwear. Pace too is definitely important while walking and this determines your calorie-burning capacity. You can walk slowly for one minute followed by three to four minutes of a brisk walking pace. You can also mix and match your own interval with your suitable pace and intensity. Motivation too keeps you going forward with your activity with much more enthusiasm. Maybe you can use a pedometer to track your steps, calories burnt and heart rate. Wearing a heavier vest (https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2019/improving-your-walking-routine.html?intcmp=HEA-HL-FEED) or carrying a load on your back triggers greater weight loss in the same stipulated time duration. Its seen that individuals develop a specific walking style by the age of 7 which follows him/her through adulthood. We sometimes identify a person by the way he/she walks and the walking style too tells a lot about the person. Someone who is constantly rushing is mostly stressed, a person who takes bigger strides has got a purpose in life while someone who walks with drooping shoulders and crossed arms maybe depressed and lacks a motive in life. Decide upon your style-do you want to take bigger strides in life or stay unfocused? There are different walking formats that can be interesting and worthy giving a shot. For instance, Nordic walking uses poles to help you move forward while you walk, power walking helps you achieve around 7-9 km/hour and rambling makes you enjoy scenic beauty and nature trails while motivating your body to exercising too. Choose the right walking style, maintain your posture and pace to achieve best results from your activity. References How to Change your Gait? https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/26/magazine/how-to-change-your-gait.html How to Walk Properly? https://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/health-wellbeing/exercise-fitness/how-to-walk-properly  Artificial Sweeteners are Sorrowful for their Story  Soft Drink that Proclaim to be Sugar- or Calorie-Free Have Hidden Secrets Reunion of friends is a pompous affair especially for women who get to meet their buddies not very often! In one such reunion I found one of my besties treating herself to a cup of caffeine-rich beverage and adding a pinch of artificial sweetener to it. Taken by surprise I probed into it and enquired whether she was a victim of diabetes but I was taken aback by her reply. She has been using these since a few years as they are low in calories and prevent weight gain! So, we are ready to do anything and everything that’s going to prevent us from putting on fat and in this process, we are putting our health in a self-destruction mode. The controversies surrounding such sweeteners have been resolved and in fact, we have been getting more and more evidences that help in proving their negative impact on our body.
Artificial Sweeteners: A Not-so-sweet Affair? Peaking obesity rates have forced many countries to levy extra taxes on overweight people and some countries have introduced sugar taxes too to improve the health of their citizens. This move has forced many companies in the food industry to include low/zero-calorie sweeteners instead of white sugar to meet the rising demands on low-calorie and low-sugar foods. Sweeteners offer 0% nutrition and they are substances that have been used for improving taste but nothing else. This world has witnessed an increase in consuming these sweeteners in foods and beverages owing to rising obesity rates. Its not only oily food but also sugar which is a major culprit when it comes to calories. One gram of sugar contains 4 calories and if you are including a teaspoon of sugar in your beverage it amounts to 16 calories plus your milk plus your cream. Do you know that consuming one of your favorite donuts adds upon more than 250 calories to your body? Don’t take sugar lightly though it might be white and as pure as milk! Diabetes Supporters Artificial sweeteners, a substance that was invented to prevent increase in blood sugar levels is now proven to act as a bait for diabetes. Our very own discovery has backfired! A new study now shows us that artificial sweeteners have the ability to promote metabolic syndrome and put people at an increased risk of prediabetes and diabetes especially when the individual suffers from obesity. Metabolic syndrome is a dangerous one that puts an individual at a greater risk of high blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Abdominal fat increase is also highly likelier putting the individual at an increased risk of heart attack and strokes and, increasing the risk of diabetes by 3-5 times. Read more about artificial sweeteners and various evidence proving its benefits and disadvantages from the website www.firsteatright.com. The stem cell-based study on animals by researchers showed that low-calorie sweeteners increased fat accumulation in cells depending on the quantity of the sweeteners used. When obese individuals were tested for fat samples after consuming these sweeteners, they displayed a change in gene expression. This research comes as a warning sign for obese individuals especially those affected by diabetes/prediabetes as they are already at an increased risk of stroke and heart attack. Moreover, they suffer from increased insulin resistance and increased glucose levels in the blood. In another research, biopsy samples of abdominal fat of 18 subjects who consumed low-calorie sweeteners were taken. While four of them were on a healthy weight the other 14 of them had obesity. While gene expression of the healthy-weighted candidates was not significant the obese individuals showed increased glucose transportation and overexpression of fat-producing genes. Dead End? So, have we come to a dead end with regard to artificial sweeteners? The ones that were introduced as sugar-friendly ones have proved to have disastrous effect on humans. While avoiding sugars as much as possible is the healthiest option it is not practical in real world. Most of us like our coffee and tea with sugar. Sweets are unavoidable during a celebration or announcement of some good news. But, understand that moderation is the key to everything. Cut down your sugar intake, use artificial sweeteners minimally (I would personally recommend against using them) and lead a healthy lifestyle with nutritive meal plans and regular exercise schedules to keep blood sugar levels under control.  Any Form of Exercise Reduces Your Obesity/Overweight Risks Like parent, like child! A child’s first role model is his/her parent whom the child adores and imitates. If a parent is healthy, eats nutritious foods and exercises regularly chances are more that the kid too follows suit. But when the parent himself/herself is sluggish or lethargic there is no denial that the kid too grows to be like the parent. All said and done, our current lifestyle practices and sedentary behavior has led us to a state wherein obesity and overweight rates are climbing up and almost a quarter of the kids today are either overweight or obese. India has the second highest number of obese children in the world. With the rising number of Western-styled food courts and eateries our nation is approaching a state of no-return. Children don’t play outdoors blaming the scorching heat and stay inside the comforts of the chilled AC rooms with an electronic gadget in their hand. They travel to school via school bus or parents drop them in two wheelers or cars. While evenings were spent playing outside during early days, nowadays evenings are for attending special classes, extracurricular activity classes or for doing homework. Not many kids go down and get a good day’s play in the playground. With all this troubling us we have a new research which says that children who commute to school by walk or by cycle are less likely to be overweight or obese than those who travel by car or public transport.
Physical Activity Negates Increase in Overweight/Obesity in Kids The study included more than 2000 children and probed into their physical activity levels, body composition and socioeconomic status. Almost 50% of kids participating in the study practiced some sports daily and an equal number of them commuted to school by foot, bicycle or scooter. The research found that kids who commuted actively to school had lower risks of obesity/overweight as they had less body fat. The researchers relied upon body fat and mass instead of BMI as a measure of obesity rates and correlated how these measured up to physical activity levels. These researchers felt that BMI was flawed and it was in no way an appropriate tool for measuring the health risks linked to obesity. Read more about BMI and how it’s been used in today’s world as a weight measure by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. Whereas, if we use BMI measures it was found that kids who were actively involved in sports were likelier to be overweight/obese compared to those who participated in sports less than once a week. But if we consider fat mass and muscle mass, kids involved in sports had more muscle development with not much difference in fat mass. This shows that many inactive children are not classified as obese due to reduced muscle mass. Body fat, on the other hand, proved that staying inactive increased the risk of obesity or overweight. This is the first study to analyze obesity/overweight rates in primary school-going children by relating two extracurricular activities-commuting to school daily and participating in sports activity. Only when we understand the impact levels of different activities on child obesity levels will we be able to conquer the obesity epidemic and bring our children onto healthy eating ranges. Walking/cycle to school and participating in sports guarantee kids against overweight/obesity issues and this is good news as any of these are practical, easy and simple to implement but their effects are worthwhile and tremendous.  For the Love of Coffee which Now Boasts of Weight Loss! Coffee lovers, here is yet another news about the health effects of coffee but this time its nothing in short of celebration! For most of us coffee is the first beverage of the day, something that cannot be missed at any cost to replenish us with the energy needed for pulling through the day. Since time immemorial, coffee has been acclaimed as an energy booster mostly because of the presence of caffeine, a naturally occurring stimulant in the beverage which also holds responsibility for other health benefits as well. Coffee was associated with caffeine and only caffeine until some years back but now people have started choosing from a variety of caffeinated and decaffeinated options. Currently, coffee has been associated with protecting the body against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, liver cancer, stroke and heart health but don’t we also see articles very often debating over the ill effects of drinking coffee? Most of us don’t have a definite answer to the straightforward question whether coffee is good or bad for health. Maybe because the effects depend upon the quantity of the beverage consumed too! Concerned about the quantity of coffee you are consuming right now? Check whether your consumption falls within acceptable caffeine limits with the help of www.firsteatright.com.
Brown: The Color that Unites Fat & Coffee Brown adipose tissue (BAT) or brown fat is one of the two types of fats found in all mammals including human beings. BAT was initially assumed to be found only in babies and hibernating mammals but thanks to repeated research we are now sure that adults too contain brown fat in their body. The other type of fat is white fat which is dangerous to the body when it goes beyond certain proportions (20% of body weight in men and 25% in women who are of a healthy weight). While white adipose tissue (WAT) is used for storing calories BAT is used for burning calories by generating body heat. So, people with a lower BMI have a higher amount of BAT while those with a higher BMI have a higher amount of WAT. While we are aware that BAT can have positive effects on the body until now researchers were not so sure on the acceptable ways in which this fat could be stimulated to actively benefit humans. By benefit, here it means to improve blood lipid levels, blood sugar levels and burning extra calories which helps in weight loss. Obesity is playing havoc in human lives and despite steps to curb the obesity epidemic with lifestyle and dietary changes the numbers are only increasing. If we don’t do something sooner, we would be nurturing a generation of children who would reap the effects of our deeds. BAT plays a bigger role in burning calories and the study discussed here might be the first of its kind to show that a cup of coffee might have a direct impact on the brown fat functions-a fat that could hold the key to solving the obesity epidemic. The research team initially started with a series of stem cell studies that worked towards finding out whether caffeine would stimulate brown fat and once they were sure about the results and the dosage, they applied the same to humans as well to check the results. Research shows that brown fat is concentrated mostly in the neck region. Thermal imaging technique is used to find the brown fat reserve in the body. The research team used this technique to locate BAT and also assess its capacity to produce heat. They imaged the neck region immediately after an individual drank coffee to test whether brown fat got hotter and indeed, it did bring a smile onto the faces of these researchers as the brown fat got hotter. The next step for these researchers would be to test whether it’s the effect of caffeine which stimulates this reaction or if there are other elements in the coffee that brings upon this effect. Caffeine supplements too are considered as to whether they would have the same effect on our body. Once definite results are achieved the same could be used in weight management to bring about desired results in individuals.  What a 'Stroke' of Luck Stroke doesn’t come with much warning and doesn’t leave the person with much time too to seek help before causing worse nightmares, disabling the person permanently or leaving him/her with a whirlwind of problems. Stroke is nothing but an interruption of blood flow to the brain which results in loss of neurological functions. This interruption, when it is in the form of blockage results in ischemic stroke-the most-common form of stroke in more than 85% of stroke-affected people. Sooner that blood flow to the brain is restored better it is for the individual. Lack of oxygen and nutrients puts the brain cells at an increased risk of damage or death. This damage is irreversible mostly and might be cognitive, physical or mental damage.
Re-routing Blood Flow to the Brain The percentage of damage or recovery in a stroke-affected person depends on how quickly the condition is identified. Such a clause doesn’t surprise us when FAST is used as an acronym to identify stroke occurrence in people where it stands for Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time to call emergency services. Be fast to understand FAST and take the necessary action (if you wish to know what it is, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com) immediately to save the patient. But once stroke is identified quickly physicians can save the patient with the help of clot-busting drugs and other procedures to enable continuous blood flow to the brain. The damage to brain cells doesn’t stop where the blood flow is cut off but the damage continues to spread rapidly unless preventive measures are taken. The area surrounding the dying region (penumbra) can be saved when blood flow is normalized and further damage might be prevented henceforth. Physical Clot Removal While the physical removal of blockage for up to six hours after stroke is advantageous to the patient and has been approved a new trial wanted to find out whether the same advantages hold good and if it is possible to remove the clot safely up to 16 hours after stroke in a patient. Of the 182 participants 92 of them were randomly assigned to receive both thrombectomy and standard medical therapy while another 90 of them received medical therapy (control) alone. All the participants were examined at the beginning, the next day after randomization, after discharge from the hospital and at 30 and 90 days respectively. It was found that three months after the procedure fewer patients (14%) who had their clot removal procedure done died compared to controls (26%). Almost 45% patients who received thrombectomy were more functionally independent compared to 17% of controls. On a positive note, neither of the two groups faced any serious side effects. Though the study was to be pursued for a longer period there was no need for it as the team could identify overwhelming benefits from the clot removal procedure. The study results show that such physical intervention to remove blood clot has a positive effect on people curbing their risk to death or permanent disability. While stroke exists as a condition which needs immediate intervention to save the patient’s life, the new research comes as a pleasant surprise to all of us as this provides physicians with a possibility to treat it even hours after the initial symptoms. Everything has got its pros and cons in life and so does thrombolysis. While minor risks involve bruising the punctured site in the neck or groin in the affected limb major risks involve the risk of blood clot travelling deeper into the artery or vein or maybe even an injury to the affected area after treatment. There are possibilities of bleeding too as a result of thrombolysis and thrombectomy and when this is the case, the treatment must be stopped immediately.  Alcohol Consumption is Legal Above 18 but Strictly Illegal in Front of Your Kids The number of pubs, breweries and late-night parties have increased and people actually feel pleased about it. The younger generation’s idea of entertainment is unending flow of booze, night outs, sleepovers and late-morning sleeps. Generally, individuals love to consume alcohol as a way of celebration, when in distress, emotional stress or likewise. We do see a bottle of champagne in many offices when their project is a booming success or even after weddings or birthday parties. When drinking socially has become increasingly seen these days, how about drinking in front of children? Parties and get-togethers are never devoid of our lovely kids whose presence doesn’t deter few parents when it comes to consuming alcohol. But what impact does it have on the child as well as the parent?
Parents: A Child’s First Role Model Children adore their parents and during their initial stages or even until teenage, parents are a child’s first superhero! They look up to their parents with admiration and try to imitate them in many scenarios be it while having meals, talking, walking or even laughing. When such simple acts are followed don’t you think that a child would surely observe your act of drinking and follow the same too? In general, children learn about what’s acceptable and not by observing their parents & drinking too is no exception. Individuals go for a glass of wine after a tough day at work to relax and this might even be good enough to ease off tension. But the same can have a delirious effect when the quantity consumed exceeds prescribed limits or when you have children lurking around. A study by the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) shows that a glass of wine is more than enough to make your child anxious about your behavior and start worrying for their parents. A drunk parent makes kids feel awkward, embarrassed and even concerned about their parents. While the parent might not see any noticeable changes the kids always point out every awkward situation that’s an outcome of a parent’s consumption of alcohol. They feel that parents are pushy, their bedtimes are disrupted and even start to panic when they are around their heavy-drinking parents. The study too showed that almost 50% of parents commented that they were unsteady in front of their kids, 29% accepted that they were drunk and another 29% thought that it was not a bad think to stay drunk until it did not affect the kid in any way. From the children’s side, almost one in five kids felt embarrassed when their parents consumed alcohol, 11% were worried, 7% said it led to arguments with them, 8% said their parents were unpredictable, 12% said that they paid less attention and 15% said that they had been put to bed earlier than usual (https://www.businessinsider.com/drinking-in-front-of-your-kids-can-leave-them-anxious-embarrassed-and-worried-even-if-its-just-a-glass-of-wine-2017-10?IR=T). Despite the frequency of alcohol consumption however minimal it might be kids of those parents who drank did not consider them as positive role models. Above all, the child is sure to copy you. Statistics too show that children who live with family members who drink are at a higher risk of drinking, many parents who drank were also ok with their kids drinking alcohol until it was well within the limits while those living with parents who never drank were at a minimal risk of drinking alcohol. Recommendations to Parents
Should you drink in front of your children? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/should-drink-front-children/ Drinking in front of your kids can leave them anxious and embarrassed: https://www.businessinsider.com/drinking-in-front-of-your-kids-can-leave-them-anxious-embarrassed-and-worried-even-if-its-just-a-glass-of-wine-2017-10?IR=T Should I avoid drinking in front of my children? https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/oct/23/should-i-avoid-drinking-in-front-of-my-children  Sit, Stand, Dance & Enhance Health  Morning Walks Help us Reduce BP Levels for the Rest of Day Even before the bird chirps and the sun rises, we see parks and lanes occupied by older adults who are up so early for their morning walks or a jog (fitter elderly people prefer this). This scenario is nothing different from what has been happening since decades but technological improvements and Westernization has brought in the bermuda shorts and the smartphone jacks that enable people to listen to music or talk shows and bring a hint of peppiness and a dash of spirit into their otherwise routine schedule that involves reading the newspaper, meeting friends during their walk, playing with grandchildren (if they are blessed enough to be not thrown away from the house) and eating very small portions of foods. Apart from this, many of the individuals aged above 55 years suffer from a series of health problems right from knee pain (which is present in 1 in 4 women above the age of 55), diabetes and elevated blood pressure levels to heart problems. Some of these individuals’ medicine count is incredible-it crosses double digit numbers!
Many problems are faced by overweight/obese individuals whose weight issues play an important role in affecting their good health. Thirty minutes of exercise in the morning has the capability to lower blood pressure for the rest of the day in those older men and women who are obese/overweight and this is known by all. What we don’t know is the fact that disturbing your continuous sitting routine by taking short and frequent breaks all through the day has the capability to enhance benefits of reduced blood pressure in women to an even greater extent. So, when you sit down to watch your favorite soaps on TV which might continue for hours don’t forget to get up during ads and walk around, bend up and down (even minimally would do) or rotate your wrists and ankles in a standing position to keep your body flexed. Don’t Sit & Burn but Do Walk & Turn We’ve seen articles that show that prolonged hours of sitting down negates much effects of exercising in any person and this made a group of researchers curious whether prolonged hours of sitting negated the advantages of exercise in the morning in older adults. Also, they wanted to know whether such morning exercise schedules would add more benefits if those were combined with taking frequent and short breaks in between sitting schedules. The research included 67 participants of which 35 of them were women. All of them were asked to take part in three different scenarios in any random order with each of the scenarios being separated by a gap of 6 days. The three scenarios were:
Systolic Vs Diastolic: Riskier between the Two Systolic pressure (the first number) is the pressure in blood vessels that exists when the heart beats and diastolic pressure (the second number) is the pressure that exists between beats. How many of you are aware of the fact that BP numbers were modified in 2017 and are not 120/80 mmHg anymore? Please update yourself on the latest numbers with the help of www.firsteatright.com. According to experts, higher systolic pressure readings above the age of 50 is more predictive of cardiovascular events than diastolic blood pressure. So, this study proves to be extremely beneficial to women encouraging them to take up light activities in between sitting sessions to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Though the research team is surprised over the gender-bias associated with the result their theory is that all women in the study were post-menopausal (time of life during which their risk for any heart disease is at an all-time high) and had difference in adrenaline response. While the above strategy works good for lowering blood pressure, adopting the exercise-sitting break routine in people at a higher risk for BP and above the age of 55 might prove to be advantageous in controlling and preventing the development of high blood pressure.  Chill Out with Chilled Energy Drinks? Be Aware of their Debilitating Consequences After a day’s work out at the gym or tired from your morning hectic work there is every chance that your heart goes out for the chilled energy drink that’s ready to beguile you with its refreshing taste and false promises. Energy drinks are extremely popular today especially among teenagers and young adults who rely upon it as their lifeline to energy. These individuals owe their gratitude to these drinks considering it as a dietary supplement which has no side effects but only positive impact on the body. The marketers of these products too are clever indeed! They book reputed celebrities and powerful people to advertise their product promising improved concentration, physical performance and decreased fatigue while ensuring that its disadvantages are out of focus.
Energy drinks contain a large proportion of sugar, caffeine, taurine, amino acids and may/may not be carbonated. Promoted as health supplements that provide instant energy, muscle strength and endurance there are no scientific studies that support these advantages but there do exist many of them that enlist numerous disadvantages of drinking these beverages. Studies have proved that when these drinks contain ingredients apart from caffeine it makes them extremely dangerous and hazardous. Someone who consumes such energy drinks frequently is at an increased risk of cardiac problems such as heart attacks, arrhythmias and mind-related changes such as anxiety and phobias. Drink Your Way to Heart Attack Researchers, curious to know how energy drinks affected the heart, enrolled 34 adults aged between 18 and 40 years in their study. This study was published in the renowned Journal of the American Heart Association and conducted in the US. Though there were only 34 people involved, this is the largest control study of the effect of energy drinks on the heart. All the participants consumed two 16-ounce bottles of one of two energy drinks or placebo that was filled with lime juice, carbonated water and cherry flavoring for three days. It was a double-blinded study which gave no chances of one-sided conclusions as both, the participants and the researchers were unaware of who drank which product. Researchers measured the electrical activity of the participants’ heart using an electrocardiogram and blood pressure too every 30 minutes for a period of 4 hours. This activity measures the time taken by the lower chambers of the heart to prepare to generate a beat again. When the time interval is too short or too long, there are chances of an abnormal heartbeat putting the individual at a risk of arrhythmia that can lead to life-threatening consequences. Results showed that those who consumed energy drinks displayed higher heartbeat intervals at four hours in comparison to those who consumed a placebo. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure rates also displayed higher ranges in these individuals. Researchers became sure that the effect was highly above what caffeine alone might cause. But further research is needed to find out the list of ingredients that might play vital roles in causing these effects in energy drinks. Energy drinks normally have around 300 mg of caffeine per 32 ounces and anything under 400 mg does not cause electrocardiographic changes. Drinking between three and five 8-ounce coffee cups a day amounts to the accepted 400 milligrams of caffeine. This once again clearly proves that caffeine is not a problem when its consumed below its acceptable ranges and it’s the other ingredients that’s doing all the dirty trick. Consuming more than the recommended amounts of caffeine too causes side effects which are explained in detail at www.firsteatright.com. Hence, people, especially youngsters and those suffering from health conditions, should stay cautious, avoid consuming energy drinks frequently and choose healthier options instead to stay active and energetic. Healthcare professionals must also advise their heart patients, those with high blood pressure and other patients as well against consuming energy drinks for their own health benefits.  Weight Gain Happens due to Decreased Metabolic Rates Despite Maintaining Portion Sizes Reaching half century might be a reason for celebration in the game of cricket but not a joy for many in real life. Greying hair, appearance of crow’s feet, menopause troubles (for women), diminishing eye sight and declining charm are not the only troubles you face once you enter your 50s. There are even more complicated ones that can put your total body metabolism and physical health to a toss, such as increase in weight.
Its not surprising to see individuals in their 20s, 30s or 40s struggle to shed off extra kilograms juggling between exercise sessions, diet plans and detox drinks in a desperate attempt to lose weight. It doesn’t make sense when someone in his/her 50s tries to compete with people belonging to a younger age group as it is a complete waste of time. ‘The going gets tough when the age gets going’ cannot be truer as shedding away those extra flabs and weight around your waistline becomes close to impossible. How to Lose Weight After You Cross 50 There is no denial that we reach our peak bone mass by the age of 30 and we all manage the rest of our lives with the stored-up bone density. Age also decreases muscle mass and physical activity levels-two primary reasons for increased weight gain after 50. American College of Sports Medicine puts each of us in a shock mode by revealing that our bodies experience a 5-10% decline in muscle mass every decade after the age of 50 because of which resting metabolic rates decline by around 2-3% every decade. This means that you might be eating the same quantity of food as in your 40s and still gain weight. This almost answers all of our doubts regarding increased weight gain as we age. Humans love to stay active and go about doing their activities. We consciously don’t decrease our activity levels just because we grow old. Age does it in most people’s cases due to different reasons-some suffer from arthritis/joint pain while few others start devoting less time for physical activity and move around less often. This decreases muscle activity thereby causing muscle loss. Remember, nothing is impossible to a willing heart. All you need is that extra push and effort to help you stay on track. Simple changes mentioned here can help you go a long way towards good health: Strength Training: Walking might be the best activity suitable for people across different age groups. But one must combine it with at least two days of strength training to build muscle mass and lose weight. Cardio exercises help you burn fat, but muscle building involves resistance training. Either do lighter weights with more reps or heavy weights with decreased number of reps. There are reports showing the advantages of lifting weights only twice a week-it helps to gain around 1.4 kilograms of muscle mass. Power-pack your Protein Routine Youngsters, especially guys crave for protein-rich food during their teenage years and well into their 20s or 30s to build muscles after which your craze diminishes. Reputed nutritionists and dietitians recommend adults over the age of 50 to at least consume 30-40% of their daily calorie intake from proteins. Sadly, not even half of the requirement is fulfilled by those over 50 years. It works much better when the protein consumed is dispersed evenly throughout the day. Latest studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition show that eating equal quantities of protein during every meal is linked to increased muscle mass in people over the age of 67. Don’t forget your eggs for breakfast, munch on a handful of nuts for lunch and add some protein-rich curry/milk during dinner. Dine out Less Frequently People over 50 years eat out frequently due to absence of restrictions in the form of children (kids go out for higher studies or are married off) whose presence compels them to prepare food at home and feel like ordering good food every now and then. They consume high-calorie, processed foods and eat out to their heart’s content thus increasing daily calorie values. It is advisable to rely on home-cooked food to keep your waistline in check. Add Fat, Only the Good Ones Weight loss is more about what you eat compared to what you do. Forget about eating the same way in your 50s as you did in your 20s and 30s. Stay clear of junk food. Eat foods rich in proteins, whole grains, fruits, veggies and ‘good’ fat. Get the complete list of foods that are high in ‘good’ fat from the website www.firsteatright.com. Substitute your oily samosas and kachoris with yummy fruits and veggies. These little changes to your diet can go a long way towards improving your overall health. Sleep Well Our life is indeed cruel. In our teenage years and as younger adults, we feel like sleeping for hours together but lack of time curbs us of our sleeping beauty pleasures whereas after 50 years we have ample time but are unable to sleep. Research shows that overweight/obese people get less sleep comparatively. This lack of sleep increases the production of hunger hormone ghrelin which makes an individual eat more. One must also diligently follow similar sleep routines every night. Go to sleep and get up at roughly the same time every day. This sets your circadian rhythm and your body is disciplined to avoid any more chances of becoming obese/overweight.  Painting Outdoors is Far Better as the Chemicals are Dispersed in Air  Kids Eating Lead are on a Self-destruction Course Colors make our life colorful, every color has a mood attached to it, the splash of colors across the wall adds beauty and creativity to the place and above all, bring in elegance and warmth to our abode. Hospitals walls are white, school walls are multi-colored, gyms are given combination colors and restaurants follow a theme! Homes too are painted according to the individual’s taste and preferences-maybe a pattern on one wall with plain colors on other three walls to make the room look different yet smart. We decide upon the age of a building mostly by the look that it wears and this look is based on the painting of the structure. Even a 20-year-old apartment seems to be bright and gay when its repainted! We like to repaint the walls and structure so very often to maintain the newness of the place and keep it in good condition. Most paint their buildings at least once in 5 years while there are some who have never painted it in more than a decade. In Western countries every individual takes responsibility for his/her place and does every task possible-right from gardening to painting their house. They involve kids too in most of these chores and hence, have an attic or a basement where all the stuff related to these chores are stored. Anywhere around the world people do have leftover paint cans, brushes and turpentine to ease out the process when need occurs immediately. But, the chemicals in paints pose a serious threat to our health and there are chances for debilitating effects on our well-being too.
The Smell of Paint Some feel dizzy while entering a newly painted house, some other cough and a few others’ eyes start to water. There is a pungent smell that fills the room when we enter painted houses and its recommended to stay off the house for a couple of days until the smell diminishes and things return to normalcy. It’s especially true in the case of children who cannot adjust to such conditions many times and are at an increased risk of falling sick. A sick child is the last thing that we wish and the latest research would surely discourage many of us to even think about repainting the house. A study published in a journal shows that women exposed to common paint chemicals at work were likelier to give birth to children with autism spectrum disorder-more the exposure to these chemicals, higher was the risk of the disease despite taking into account many autism-related factors such as smoking history, alcohol consumption levels and the mother’s age at the time of giving birth. We already have older studies that have shown a link between paint chemicals and autism but this present study is not a green signal to confirm that painting chemicals are sure shot classifiers of autism though evidences do point in that direction. Many oil-based paints contain benzene in ample quantities which is a carcinogenic agent that’s also present in glue, markers, vehicle exhaust and pesticides. Don’t worry! All of us are exposed to vehicle exhausts, use glue to make our beautiful craft activities and kids too use glue for sticking and pasting. This doesn’t mean that all of us are going to be affected by cancer some other day. The dangers are high only when the exposure is for a prolonged time and at higher quantities. At the same time, spending your night inside a locked newly painted house or one that lacks sufficient ventilation is a big threat indeed. So, how about people who work in paint and chemical industries? They are definitely at a higher risk of exposure to benzene-a class of chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs can cause harmful effects on our health such as irritate our eyes, nose and throat, cause breathing difficulty, nausea, cancer and can even cause damage to the central nervous system. Pregnant women exposed to these compounds are at an increased risk of giving birth to low birth weight infants who suffer from learning disabilities owing to such weight changes. These VOCs are found in various things right from air fresheners, cosmetics, furniture and carpets to varnishes, dry-cleaned clothes, office printers, wood burning and gasoline. Avoid using products containing VOCs as much as possible and if you are using them ensure that the product contains tags such as ‘Low VOC content’ and dispose off the product once your job is finished. Never leave them in your garage or basement as this can lead to disastrous side effects. There have been new batches of paints released that state ‘zero VOC’ claims yet these too release chemical gases that are harmful. Toxic Lead Paints are also strong sources of lead whose exposure can once again affect children’s development, retard growth and cause damage to the central nervous system. Its lead that gives paint its color and texture thereby amounting to about 70% of a can of paint. When such paints are used to prepare kids toys and furniture there is a great possibility that the kids chew on these toys taking in small quantities of lead into their body. This can lead to convulsion and even death sometimes in kids. While the recommended lead limits are 90 ppm for household paints its been found that one of the paints manufactured contained unrealistic amounts of lead-as much as 74,200 ppm which is toxic beyond words (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/over-73-of-paints-found-to-have-excessive-lead-study/articleshow/61334283.cms). Paints are harmful and toxic to all of us especially, pregnant women, young kids and older people. We cannot refrain from painting but all we can do is to ensure that the painted place is well-ventilated and airy. Nowadays we have multiple options in the form of zero VOC paints and low-chemical paints and it’s better to make use of them to stay away from harmful side effects. References Paint Stripper Chemical Methylene Chloride Poses Risk of Cancer: https://cen.acs.org/articles/92/web/2014/08/Paint-Stripper-Chemical-Methylene-Chloride.html Are Paint Fumes a Health Concern? https://time.com/5619823/paint-fumes-harmful-research/  Pain Here & There, Joint Pain Everywhere Indeed, cardiovascular disease and diabetes are two of the worst side effects of obesity but there is another side effect that’s been ignored completely and its arthritis. Arthritis remains one of the most common but least understood diseases. In fact, it is not one single disease but an umbrella term used for joint pain/diseases. Obesity has the ability to increase the risk of some forms of arthritis while making all forms of arthritis worse.
The Fatty Connection between Joints Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis remain the top-most forms of arthritis affecting most of the world’s population. Osteoarthritis (OA): Physicians advise patients to lose weight before knee pain strikes them. Its not rare that knee pain or joint pain strike overweight people and it seems 100% logical. When we apply more pressure on the joint there is more stress onto it and this makes it wear away faster than expected. Your weight determines how much stress you impose on joints, especially those such as the hips and knees, in common any weight-bearing joint. To make this simple, for every extra kilogram of weight you carry there is about 4 kilograms of pressure forced onto the knees. If you are 10 kilograms overweight then you are exerting 40 kilograms of extra pressure on the knees. This is definitely huge and there is no doubt that your weight-bearing joints are sure to suffer from early damage. This surely makes any obese/overweight person at a maximized risk of osteoarthritis. Moreover, the fat also releases chemicals that promotes inflammation and these chemicals surely promote the development of OA. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): In RA, our own immune system attacks our joints causing inflammation anywhere in the body and resulting in joint pain. The chemicals that promote inflammation in OA are the same ones in RA too that affect various joints. RA can affect even those with a normal BMI as it has the ability to alter body composition such that the individual has more of fat and less of muscle. This makes it indispensable for the person to watch his/her diet and exercise plan. Individuals with RA are at a 50% increased risk of mortality due to heart disease and hence, ensuring to keep heart-related risk factors under control exists as the primary aim in RA patients. A new study shows that obese patients have a greater chance of doubling their disability risk compared to those patients who are overweight. The researchers focused on more than 20,000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and observed that extreme obesity was linked to rapid progression of the disease. Sadly, those who lost weight were at an even greater disadvantage of getting disabled rapidly, all the truer in the case of individuals who are thinner from the start. Individuals start losing weight as they grow old and suffer from illnesses. It makes sense when overweight/obese people lose weight intentionally but when someone loses weight without efforts it’s a sign of concern. Such unintentional weight loss is also an indication that the person is becoming frail and has every chance of catching hold of some new disability. When individuals lose weight unintentionally, it is required to put them onto strength training, physical therapy and other practices for avoiding disability. Obesity may cause grave consequences in people with rheumatoid arthritis but there is an equal chance that people with immune system disorder can also become obese due to this disease. RA causes pain and disability which makes the patient sedentary leading to weight gain. But there is an equal opportunity that obesity can cause joint damage alongside RA. All these make us come to the conclusion that while healthy body weight is desirable it is ok to target being overweight too, for the time being when the RA patient is suffering from severe obesity problems. While the overwhelming concern about getting into overweight ranges from obese category seems on the cards why don’t you aim for the best with the help of the best dietitians and nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com who specialize in weight loss diets?  Shying Away from the Problem is no Solution to It C’mon guys, men have breasts too and it’s not solely a ‘girl’ thing. The only difference is that it is smaller, simpler and cannot produce milk. Men take great pride in their chiseled body and take great care to avoid ‘man boobs’ as commonly called. Those with extra tissue around their breast shy away from many activities including swimming. While breast-related complications are rare in men we cannot deny some of the common breast problems that men face in their lives.
Gynecomastia Gynecomastia-benign enlargement of the male breast is hated by men across the world. Adolescent males and those in their middle ages are more prone to this condition that can be treated for sure. How many of you are willing to accept that almost half of the male population will experience breast tissue growth anytime during their lifetime? Almost none because most of you are either shy or embarrassed to bring out the skeleton in the closet. But, bringing such cases to the limelight and seeking solution helps in creating awareness and treat more individuals. Breast Enlargement: Again, an Overweight Issue? When breasts have a firm or rubbery mass extending from the nipples (mostly both the nipples) it is defined as gynecomastia and the individual has more prominent breasts. This condition is extremely common during adolescence where around 65-70% of boys between the age of 13 and 15 experience breast enlargement (both the breasts are enlarged 75% times). There is no pain or discomfort in most cases but almost 25% men complain of tenderness. Causes Gynecomastia is mostly due to hormone imbalance or low testosterone levels, certain medical conditions or excess body fat. Obesity: Ahaa! Overweight can have effects even on the male breast region. Now, maybe there is a reason for men to exercise vigorously and avoid such embarrassment. Excess weight can increase estrogen levels in the body (male hormones are converted into estrogen) and induce growth of breast tissue or sometimes, your overweight can cause the breast tissue to enlarge as well. While losing weight solves the problem in some people not all reap success. Liver disease and certain medications are said to contribute towards almost 25% of cases of breast enlargement. Liver disease: Liver helps in breaking down estrogen and any disorder in the liver (such as liver cirrhosis) increases estrogen levels and causes breast enlargement. The enlarged breasts attain normalcy only when the disorder is corrected. Medication: Certain drugs are responsible for breast enlargement. Very high doses of male hormone too contribute as the body converts certain amount of testosterone into estrogen. Other less common causes include:
Treatment Gynecomastia is common during puberty but goes away on its own in a while, its common in older adults too due to decreased production of testosterone but cannot be categorized as a medical problem. But if there is pain or tenderness in the enlarged area it is better to consult your physician who examines and rules out concerns of malignancies or other hormonal disorders. If the enlargement is due to excess fat weight loss is the best option for reducing this enlargement. Choose a weight loss program depending on your requirement with the help of expert dietitians and nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com. Though the doctor rules out any complications yet the enlargement continues for more than 12 months it is recommended that you go for surgical removal of the excess breast tissue. But if the individual is unbothered about his physical beauty surgery becomes unnecessary in this regard. So, hope this article takes off every man’s and boy’s worry about his enlarged breasts and help them move forward in life.  The Bond between the Mom & Child that Develops from Breastfeeding is Irreplaceable Introduced into the world by their moms, infants feel secure and safe resting in their mother’s lap suckling the breast milk and going to sleep. While we serious can’t know what these babies think after being inside their mother’s womb for more than nine months, we do know one thing- Nothing can beat the warmth of a mother’s touch. But with rising infertility rates and other problems the number of surrogate mothers is also on the rise. Does this mean that the infant born through surrogate pregnancy is deprived of the advantages of breast feeding some of which include improved immunity, better cognitive skills and protection against infections? Beyond all these advantages the infant also is at a risk of missing out on close skin and eye contact with its mother-the basis for a strong and undeterred mother-child relationship. But now all this agony and misery is put to an end with induced lactation.
Lactation: A Different Ball Game Indeed The woman’s body undergoes different hormonal changes during pregnancy to prepare itself for delivery. Breast feeding too is linked hormonally and the breast is prepared by estrogen and progesterone for lactation soon after pregnancy. Induced lactation is the process by which a non-puerperal woman is stimulated to lactate. The non-puerperal woman in discussion here might be a mother who had chosen surrogacy for her child’s birth, women who have a same-sex relationship or those who have adopted new-born babies too. This concept was initially introduced to nourish infants whose mothers had died after delivery or were unable to breastfeed. Generally, breastmilk production is initiated in this process-estrogen and progesterone stimulate proliferation of the alveolar and ductal systems all through pregnancy increasing prolactin production. Soon after delivery, estrogen and progesterone levels fall and prolactin initiates milk production. Induced lactation works by replicating the same process in the interested woman. Starting induced breastfeeding depends on how much time the woman has before the actual process starts. If the entire process is planned and the mother knows that she needs induced breastfeeding then there are months to go before the arrival of the baby. In this time the physician might suggest hormone therapy in the form of supplemental estrogen and progesterone to recreate the same process that would happen in a pregnant lady. Just two months before the baby’s arrival hormone therapy is stopped and the lady is requested to express breast milk as this helps in the production of prolactin. Start slowly maybe for five minutes thrice a day and increase the duration and the frequency gradually summing to pumping for 15-20 minutes every three hours or so. But hormone therapy works only when there is sufficient time before the baby’s arrival. Else the physician suggests medications to induce lactation. Whatever might be the method of lactation pumping milk remains essential as this helps in maintaining continuous milk supply. Expressing milk is the best way to induce more milk production. Starting the process at least two months in prior to the baby’s arrival is recommended. Generally, the baby feeds at least for 7-10 times daily and if you plan to satisfy your baby’s needs solely relying on breast milk you need to work hard towards it-expressing milk as often as possible (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2019/jun/24/induced-lactation-why-a-woman-doesnt-need-to-bear-a-child-in-order-to-breastfeed-it). And I would like to remind you that every effort taken is worth and you would surely bring on a smile onto your face when you feel your little one’s body wrapped closely to your chest, his/her skin warmly against yours tucking your fingers and sucking your nipples deep in slumber. These occasions and memories are irreversible, to be enjoyed at the spur of the moment and relished forever in life. References Transgender Woman Breast-feeds Baby After Hospital Induces Lactation: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/15/health/transgender-woman-breast-feed.html  Incorporating Nutrients-rich Foods in a Meal is a Great Step Towards Better Health Cooking a meal and eating it is a difficult task with the plentiful eat-out options and food delivery apps available at hand. Bringing in restrictions, elaborate meal plans or ingredient substitutions might make you feel irritated or even grumpy but once you understand the complete advantages that these might bring upon your health and routine there is no way that you are going to compromise on these tiny nuances. Generally, the food that we eat is rich in energy (meaning calories) and poor in nutrients (such as vitamins, minerals and likewise) while it should be the other way around. We eat to keep ourselves energized, perform activities and replenish our energy stores for timely needs but beyond all these we should enjoy what we eat. Choosing nutrient-rich foods is simple as they are easy to find, we are familiar with them and these foods belong to one of the five food groups. Be cautious to achieve the right balance of nutrients and establish a healthy eating pattern that is simple, effective, long-lasting and stress-free. Pinpointing Nutrient-rich Foods Before planning the meal for the day, identify nutrient-rich foods and beverages to reap greater benefits with your healthy eating plan. Ensure to choose from:
Leafy greens such as broccoli & spinach, whole grains such as quinoa and wheat commonly found in cereals, colorful fruits such as berries, oranges and pomegranates, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, zero-fat or low-fat dairy, veggies such as beets, carrots and bell peppers and lean meats must be essentially included in your daily meal plan. Changing Meal Plans Once you are completely aware of what nutrient-rich foods are, its time to switch over ingredients and foods replacing your energy-dense ones with nutrient-dense foods. Some options include replacing white bread with brown bread; aerated and sugary drinks with plain water, tender coconut water or unsweetened beverages such as coffee/tea; take out chips as a snack and add in crunchy carrot sticks or a handful of nuts to your snack menu; choose fruits such as melons, kiwis or berries for your dessert as they are naturally sweet instead of pouncing over ice creams or mithais that are rich in calories; swap processed meats with lean meats. The foods that go into your body affect your energy stores which in turn have a significant effect on your overall performance-affecting your marks if you are a student, affecting your work ability when you are at office or your energy to handle situations if you are a mom taking care of your family. Choosing the foods wisely is the first step towards success. Apart from our regular breakfast, lunch and dinner menu its mostly snacks that jeopardize the daily calorie consumption sweeping off calorie limitations. Snacks such as samosas, cakes, ice creams, chips, carbonated drinks and sweetened beverages are calorie-laden with meagre nutrients. Choose your snacks wisely. Go for something such as a handful of nuts, a portion of fruit, low-fat milk or puffed rice. Consuming snacks is not bad. It’s the foods that you consume as snacks that makes all the difference. Healthy snacking options are elaborated in detail at www.firsteatright.com and this would give you an idea of the kind of snack that would go well for you and your family. While the idea of mostly relying on vegetables and fruits might seem mundane and impossible for those who have relied upon other things to fill their tummy it is essential to know that we are not in a rush to eat a plateful of produce immediately. Start slowly, add a portion of fruit and vegetable along with every meal and gradually increase the portion size to suit your requirements. Another important reason for making a gradual increase is because these veggies and fruits are fiber-laden and consuming too much fiber too fast can cause bloating and gas. Remember to drink plentiful of water alongside to ease the digestion process. Eat healthy food, do physical activity regularly and stay fit.  Stay Composed to Get Perfect BP Measurements The pressure rises even more when we come across high blood pressure readings on the scale. Simply getting your upper arms cuffed with a hand cuff that gives your readings accurately isn’t the need of the hour. The focus should be to understand what are the commonest of factors that can affect these readings. The placement of the hand, your posture and even your speech can elevate BP readings drastically. Bear this in mind-blood pressure isn’t only due to genes but it is also your lifestyle, diet, workout routine and sleep habits that have a strong impact.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry is aware of the fact that blood pressure rates are strongly affected by a diet that’s high in salt, fat and sugar and a sedentary lifestyle. But what we don’t know are four major factors that have a stronger impact on BP measurements: Over-the-counter Medications: Any OTC meds used to treat pains and inflammations have the ability to increase BP measurements. Decongestant medications, those used to treat mental health, oral birth control pills, cancer meds and steroids also fall into this category. But stopping to take these meds are ridiculous and one must always consult the physician on the next course of action. Caffeine Affection: The day might never start without caffeine and never stop without a pint of alcohol. Gosh, but both of these are strong contributors of blood pressure. Restricting caffeine intake to 2-3 cups a day helps in controlling spike of BP measurements. Even green tea and other caffeinated drinks that help in keeping the person alert and attentive have this bad reputation for increasing BP levels too simultaneously. So, rather than relying on these drinks why not go for a quick walk outside, do a few pushups, listen to some refreshing music or talk to your chatterbox friend to get rid of the sleepiness and become active? Supplements: Supplements are never regulated by the FDA and there is already a plethora of accusations surrounding them. Despite being labelled as natural or herbal there are many of them that use an ingredient called licorice that can elevate BP levels. Soy has become famous universally but sadly even these products along with certain cheese varieties and cured meats contain high levels of tyramine. Tyramine has the potential to interact with antidepressants and cause hypertension. Haphazard Readings: The sight of a policeman can evoke fear in people but what’s the need to panic on seeing a doctor? Known as white coat hypertension there are some individuals whose BP levels rise on seeing his/her physician. In order to capture proper measurements in these people it is recommended that they wait for 10-15 minutes before taking the reading. Also, these people can take a measurement at home and then compare it with the one taken at the doctor’s place to see the difference in results. Readings taken at home are said to be close to precise as the patient is in his/her natural environment and at peace. Never drink caffeine or smoke at least 30 minutes before readings are taken, empty your bladder, don’t keep talking while you are in the middle of taking a reading, maintain a proper posture by resting your hands on a table instead of allowing it to hang in the air and above all, don’t sit cross-legged. High BP levels are always called a silent killer as it causes serious damages without giving a hint of it. Elevated blood pressure levels are a great risk factor for stroke or heart attack. A sedentary lifestyle, over-consumption of salt, abstaining to exercise and weight factors play a pivotal role in affecting your blood pressure measurements. Control them with the help of a registered dietitian nutritionist at www.firsteatright.com who can counsel you on what to eat and what not to eat. Cardiovascular-related Problems in Younger Women Increase the Chances of an Early Menopause8/7/2019
 Follow your Heart We live in an era during which occurrence of heart attack and stroke in young adults has become as common as a fracture or an injury. The lifestyle, eating styles and work scenarios contribute greatly towards such increase in risk of serious diseases and illnesses. Women take things to their heart more often, get stressed over multiple issues and are also burdened with the responsibility of multitasking and ensuring the smooth functioning of the household. The pressure of balancing between home and work exerts greater pressure on today’s young women owing to which their risk of heart attack and stroke too increases. That’s mostly due to eating out owing to lack of time to cook nutritious food, lack of time to exercise and take care of oneself. The risk doesn’t stop here but also leads to an early risk of menopause which brings along it a cascade of health consequences.
A Series of Health Hazards Every woman fears the beginning of her first period cycle as well as the end of the last cycle as both are sure to bring about plenty of hormonal changes in her body which affect her mental and physical well-being greatly. Menopause is the permanent end of the period cycle which occurs between the age of 45 and 55 in women generally while the average age is around 51 years in most of them. This brings along it a great decrease in estrogen hormone which exists as the root cause for a number of problems such as abdominal fat, increase in weight and risk of diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Find tips on handling menopause with confidence and balancing estrogen levels with ease by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. The increase in risk of cardiovascular problems made researchers to wonder whether the reverse of this is also true-whether the occurrence of an early heart attack or stroke increases the risk of an early menopause? A group of researchers collected data on 177,131 women from 9 different studies. Every woman was categorized into one of the different groups depending on the age in which they went into menopause classifying those who reached menopause before the age of 45 as “early.” Every woman’s medical history was studied for any incidence of cardiovascular events. Results showed that women who suffered from some cardiovascular problem before the age of 35 were at a two-time greater risk of going into menopause by the age of 45 while those women who suffered from certain cardiovascular-related problem after 40 was likelier to get their menopause at the normal age of around 50 or 51 years. It is highly recommended that physicians raise an alarm to the woman involved on such a risk when she suffers from some heart-related problem as early menopause is equally dangerous, being a primary cause for higher risk of death, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. The only factor that still remains unclear is the ‘X’ factor in a cardiovascular event that causes early menopause or is it that early menopause is associated with lower estrogen levels which leads to an early cardiovascular event in such women? Hopefully, we get an answer to this question and also the solution for overcoming this risk in the near future. Until then it is the duty of every girl and woman to take care of her body by following a healthy diet, exercising regularly and staying away from the clutches of stress.  Align your Exercise with your Personality & Interest calories and be done with your exercise ritual for the day. The reasons for which you indulge in exercise regularly goes a long way into saying how fit you will be. Exercise is the basis of a healthy life and also for a stress-free living. Today, we have got various exercise forms, training approaches and techniques to make your exercise time interesting, monotonous-free and fruitful. Gone are the days where you can either choose to walk, jog, run or swim. Boot camps have become our favorite, swimming camps are spread everywhere, cross-fit sessions, Zumba dances, power yoga, HIIT and many more have made our lives fun-filled and cool. How do you choose your favorite and result-oriented exercise that best suits your body type?
Mind-Body Interaction A new study gives us a clear understanding on the basic things that help us to stay fit. It says that certain motivating factors and self-regulating behavior determine our level of fitness. The research team collected data from about 400 physically active individuals through an online survey done via social media platform. The questions in the survey were pinned down with an intention of getting a hold of the personality factors, motive for participation and self-control styles and also to find out whether these factors affected the individual’s work-out frequency. From the survey we know that all the participants were highly fitness oriented but there were differences in outputs depending on their choice of exercises. Those individuals who chose CrossFit, group exercises or sports-based workouts were highly motivated by their social connectivity than those who focused mainly on aerobic exercises (such as running) and resistance training exercises. Above all, those participants who focused on resistance training exercises and sports were motivated by a sense of challenge (intrinsic reason) rather than the routine reasons such as weight management or a precaution against diseases (extrinsic reasons). The study clearly showed that underlying motivation and self-control affected frequency of exercise. It proved that those participants who quoted reasons such as enjoyment, challenge and stress management exercised more frequently and CrossFit participants had maximum intrinsic motivation to exercise. The study did not focus on how a participant’s personality affected his/her choice of exercises but simply showed that those who exercised were more meticulous and friendly comparatively. If you are curious to know which type of exercise suits your personality type, its better to visit www.firsteatright.com and get hold of your exercise type. Never go with the herd. Just because others do it there is no requirement that you must also follow the same. There are quite a lot of individuals who choose a particular program despite the fact that the program doesn’t meet their style, personality, interest or reason for exercise. Apart from thinking about it only from a physical point of view there is a need to think about it from a motivational point. When we consider both, the frequency and duration of the physical activity might increase too. We are all well-aware of the need to exercise and the role of physical activity in decreasing the risk of various illnesses and ailments linked to the heart, brain, muscles, bones, immunity and more. Still, not even a quarter of the worldwide population meets the standard requirement of engaging in at least 150 minutes of medium-intensity workouts and two days of resistance training per week. So, as a result we are now living in a world where obesity and diabetes are epidemics, children born with defects are common and the quality of life of the individual has become a question mark. Please ensure to choose an activity that complies with your personality and interest. It might be indoor floor exercise or a game of badminton. There is nothing wrong in sticking with your wishes, doing what best suits you and going with your goals in mind. These help you exercise more, reap better results and stay active rather than falling a prey to some diet fad or fitness trend that keeps popping up every once in a while.  Hormone Imbalance Causes Increased Craving for Carbs & Fats  Emotional Disturbance Brings About an Increase in Food Cravings Passing by a cake shop or chocolate house on a normal day is testing enough as we tightly cling on to our well-balanced eating routines and a disciplined lifestyle to keep up our promise which is nothing but changing our eating habits for the better. Indeed, we don’t skip our weekend cheat meals or Friday night movie time with a tub of popcorns and that’s bad enough. There are times when our cravings overpower our willpower and all that remains is the satisfaction of eating our favorite sweet treat and the guilt that follows soon thereafter. Craving for food is even more predominantly seen on those days right before a woman’s menstruation cycle.
Raving Food Cravings Food cravings has been a topic of interest to researchers for a long period-They love to get definite answers to multiple questions-who gets these cravings, why, for how long, how often and how to curb them. There have been more than 150 symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) identified including depression, anxiety, stress, mood swings, sleeplessness and above all, food cravings. Food cravings might be only one of the symptoms of PMS (caused mainly due to hormone fluctuation) but it is a mighty symptom that needs to be corrected as early as possible. Some even figure out that it’s time for the monthly menstruation as their body suddenly bosses over their taste buds and demands an immediate supply of their favorite chocolates, sweets and chips. Almost 85% of women have some form of PMS symptom but only 20-40% meet their diagnostic criteria for PMS. There has been research showing that these food cravings can occur in women even when their diagnosis for PMS is false-in fact, we have a study showing that 97% women have experienced food cravings without any menstrual cycle closeby (https://www.popsci.com/science-of-pms-food-cravings/). These cravings have the potential to shoot up total calorie intake by as much as 500 more calories per day! Whoa! Why? There are different theories postulated for the reason behind these PMS food cravings. Research suggests that change in levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone can cause cravings for foods rich in carbs, fats and sugars right before periods. Some feel that endogenous opioid peptides (EOPs) that are amino acid bonds always present in the body might be the reason sometimes. Also, cortisol (stress hormone) levels spike and serotonin (mood balancing hormones) levels dip whose combination is deadly increasing the cravings for sweets, fats and carbs. One study published in a reputed journal found that 50% of women in United States crave for chocolates before menstruation-this might be because of the fact that our body runs low in magnesium during premenstrual cycle and the cocoa in chocolate is high in magnesium content. Sometimes, irregular periods or absence of periods can cause binge eating behavior in some people too. Food cravings might be common to all but the type of food we crave might change. It’s been seen that women with PMS crave for all macronutrients and total increase in energy while those without PMS crave for fat and energy. We do know that the days right before menstruation are like a roller coaster ride for women as they have various emotions disturbing them from deep within- a sense of frustration, anger or even hopelessness. Individuals rely on food for physical and psychological comfort and have succumbed to emotional eating multiple times unknowingly increasing their total calorie intake. Women feel that all their emotional traumas and unpleasant feelings that arise during PMS go down with the dust when they are engaged in eating good food. While this might seem to elevate the mood immediately its effects also wear out in quite a short duration and again the craving might set in which is indeed not good for the woman’s health. Tame Your Cravings Our menstrual cycles occur every month and hence we need practical and efficient ways to put our PMS cravings under control or even more, avoid them completely. Usually our cravings wander around a tub of ice cream, sweets or fats that are full of empty carbs. Its not wrong to choose carbs but the type of carbs that you choose must be convincing enough-maybe go for some whole grain sandwiches, pasta or rice with vegetables to satisfy your hunger as well as your taste buds. Also, just because you have indulged in some junk food, it does not mean that you skip the next meal as this might lead to overeating and of course, extra calories. Try to eat small meals throughout the day to ditch any cravings or overeating. Make it a point to eat small healthy snacks in between your meals to keep you full. Choose foods rich in fiber as these control blood glucose levels and also improve your satiety for longer periods. Periods is difficult, tiresome and wreckful for many people as they suffer from extreme body pain and abdominal discomfort. This might also be your worst time for exercise but lack of it can also engage you in negative thoughts and make you yearn for emotional foods. Instead, try doing simple yoga postures, go for a short walk with your friend or practice meditation at the comfort of your home. Exercise in general elevates mood levels, keeps off stress and brings in well-being and I am sure all these changes can be felt during your menstruation too. Never try to totally stay away from what you love. Give in to your cravings once a while but ensure that the portions are controlled. You can also bring in certain swaps to enjoy your food as well as to keep it well under recommended calorie limits. For instance, choose unsweetened yogurt with berries instead of the sweetened yogurt, eat a piece of dark chocolate rather than munching upon the entire chocolate bar, replace fries with popcorns or go for fresh fruits/fruit juice instead of the calorie-laden smoothies with cream. When you follow these techniques, it would indeed become a pleasant surprise for yourself as things get better, cravings become lesser and emotional trauma decreases. References Why You Have Food Cravings on Your Period: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19947726/why-you-have-period-cravings/ How to Deal with Period Cravings: https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/08/07/how-to-deal-with-period-cravings_a_23069359/  Stay Away from Unhealthy Foods to Avoid Debilitating Health Consequences Sidetracking heart attack to be a disease that affects the older generation is a thing of the past. Nowadays there are more youngsters who face the wrath of the disease greatly. The haphazard eating behaviors, sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity are the main reasons behind such ghastly situations.
The disease presents itself with certain common symptoms such as labored breathing and tightness in the chest in both adults and children. Other common signs of cardiovascular problems in youngsters include:
A Gentle Reminder Although aware of what is right and what is wrong, many of us take our health for granted and don’t pay enough attention to it until something strikes us badly. Its good to refresh ourselves on the facts given below: Obesity is a leading cause of numerous problems in kids due to various factors such as genetics, environmental issues, sleep and others. Most important of all are diet and exercise. Overweight and obesity increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol levels, increase in blood pressure, osteoarthritis and metabolic syndrome-all of which increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. We read, see and hear from people around us, advertisements, government hoarding and others on the ill effects of an unhealthy body weight yet we seem to be attracted to the cheesy pizzas, hot samosas and jalebis, juicy burgers and the oily French fries. A birthday party or a meet up with friends is incomplete without any of the above-mentioned items. Parents too have developed a habit of rewarding their children with chocolates or sweets for some activity performed, take youngsters outside for a full-fledged processed meal and never think twice before ordering out as it minimizes their workload tremendously. Smoking is commonly witness among younger adults who take pleasure in whiffing out a wave of air. Cigarette use results in decreased cognitive skills, lesser ability to focus and destruction to mental and physical health. Unhealthy diets have become a routine affair with many individuals. Most of us consume more than double the permissible quantities of fats, sugar and sodium putting our health into distress. Such haphazard eating patterns have the ability to increase risk of high blood pressure and diabetes which exist as the underlying cause for many other health problems. Sedentary lifestyle is yet another cause for rise in health problems. Children are recommended to practice at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity exercises daily but not even 50% kids fulfill this requirement. Most of them are glued to their personal laptops or mobile phones. Parents too don’t encourage children to go out and play owing to their busy work schedules and different personal interests. Interests of children have changed tremendously; lifestyles have become sedentary and their health is taking a downside owing to insignificant exercise routines and activity schedules. Today’s lifestyle makes the occurrence of diseases unpredictable. Children or adult, young or small anyone can be affected by any disease irrespective of the age or sex. Following a healthy lifestyle, eating a nutritious diet and leading a disciplined life can only help us become healthier adults. To get yourself into the healthy daily routine that’s practical get in touch with reputed dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com. An Out-of-sync Relationship between our Gums, Heart & Blood Glucose Levels is Dangerous to Health8/4/2019
 Dentists Can Help Us with the Perfect Smile for our Health & Outlook While each part of the body, internal organs and systems have a definite responsibility of their own they do work in combination with each other for a perfect and smooth functioning of human life. We realize the presence of certain disorders and health problems as it affects our daily routine but, in some cases, some of these issues don’t seem to disrupt our functionality until one day where they land us into serious troubles with our health and wellness.
Dumping Diabetes into the Dumps Diabetes is predominantly present in the human population and has been estimated as a serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease-almost 5 times higher in the case of middle-aged men and 8 times higher in women with elevated blood glucose levels. Almost 50% of diabetics show signs of cardiovascular disease during diagnosis. That’s because increased blood sugar levels in combination with free fatty acids in the blood changes the makeup of blood vessels leading to cardiovascular disease. Blood vessels might become thicker preventing normal blood flow thereby resulting in heart problems and sometimes, stroke too. But what about those individuals who remain unaware of the presence of elevated blood glucose levels in their body? Even our gums, teeth and glucose levels have great understanding between themselves. Severe periodontitis (inflammation of the gums) risks are elevated (almost three times higher) when a person suffers from diabetes. Research also shows that risk of death due to ischaemic heart disease is 3-times more in people suffering from both, diabetes and periodontitis in comparison to those only having diabetes. Researchers have gone a step further and analyzed whether undetected blood sugar disorders (dysglycemia) pose a threat to heart attack/myocardial infarction and gum disease/periodontitis. Ischemic heart disease is a common cause of death worldwide and a healthy lifestyle can surely prevent you from succumbing to it. Get in touch with reputed nutritionists and dietitians at www.firsteatright.com who can help you follow a healthy lifestyle for better health and wellness in life. The study involved both cardiologists and dentists who analyzed 805 myocardial infarction patients from 17 Swedish cardiology clinics and 805 controls who were matched by their age, sex and post code. Presence of gum disease was analyzed using X-rays and blood sugar disorders with blood tests. Those who tested positive for glucose were ripped off their inclusion and finally, it was only 712 patients and 731 controls who were included. Blood sugar control was classified into three categories namely normal, reduced glucose tolerance and newly detected diabetes. Results showed that:
 A Treat to the Eye but Doesn’t Beat Other Salts Over Health Benefits  You plan to cook a delicacy and suddenly notice that your kitchen cabinet lacks something extremely essential for cooking-salt. You run to the nearby supermarket to purchase it but find yourself in a precarious position as you see the unexpected-there are diverse options to choose from including table salt, kosher salt, sea salt and finally something pink in color that sits with a very pretty look on the shelves as she knows that she is different from the rest-the Himalayan salt. Until now salt has been white in color for us and there has not been a second thought picking something as simple as a bottle of salt from the grocer’s store. For those who have already faced such a scenario and for those who would be facing it very soon (as pink salt is becoming predominantly seen everywhere) this article would definitely help you choose the right salt in the right quantity for your yummy tummy dish!
Why Salt? 98% of salt is composed of sodium chloride and our body needs sodium for performing various functions such as contracting and relaxing muscles, maintaining fluid levels in the body, avoiding dehydration, sending nervous impulses and avoiding low blood pressure. Excess salt is bad for health as it raises BP levels but avoiding salt too puts us in a dangerous position as low BP is worse than high BP in some scenarios. There have also been evidences showing that eating salt can kill harmful bacteria and reduce the risk of infection. Until now we have been seeing arguments supporting sea salt and table salt. Sea salt has been the winner mostly as it is believed to contain minerals that are mostly absent in table salt. It also undergoes less processing retaining most of its minerals such as magnesium and potassium compared to table salt making it a healthier option. Himalayan salt too falls into the same category as sea salt in terms of processing. So, what is pink Himalayan salt and how exactly is it beneficial for the body? Pink Salt Linked to Better Health Pink Himalayan salt is a type of rock salt that’s ideally found in the Punjab region of Pakistan near the Himalayas. Some brand it to be the purest form of salt available and maybe its due to its minimal processing, just because it’s found at the foothills of the Himalayas or because its hand-mined and ground without using any instruments! If you look at it chemically its almost similar to table salt containing 98% sodium chloride. Only 2% is made of trace minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium that gives the salt the pretty rosy pink and makes it taste differently from other salt options. Amazingly, there is frenzy surrounding the pink salt not only in the food industry but also it has achieved a greater status as a home décor, spa product and salt lamp. Markets and shops do make use of the beautiful rose color in pink salt to make table lamps promoting them to prevent seasonal affective disorder (https://time.com/4834865/himalayan-pink-salt-benefits/)! An animal study shows that salt can have an amazing effect on clearing depression and this is more than enough reason for the marketing people to sell it to us! Spas have not missed to use this golden opportunity to provide their valuable customers with Himalayan pink salt therapy to ease stress and anxiety. But sitting in peace for half an hour would provide this calming effect with/without therapy, right? Coming back to health, pink salt is claimed to contain 84 different trace minerals but these minerals are present in the 2% of salt. Mankind consumes very little of salt and the presence of minerals don’t even amount to a significant amount and hence, it’s unlikely that we can experience any health benefits on our body. Pink salt, table salt and sea salt contain almost 98% sodium chloride with the only difference being that pink salt has larger crystals compared to table salt. This means that it is saltier and can be used in lesser quantities for cooking. Another important claim is that pink salt is the most natural form of salt which seems to be true to some extent. Table salt is usually processed and mixed with certain chemicals to avoid clumps whereas pink salt is mostly in its natural form without any addition of chemicals or additives. On the downside, pink salt naturally contains less iodine than iodized salt and if you have iodine deficiency you must compensate for it by consuming other foods rich in iodine such as dairy, eggs, fish and vegetables. Iodine is essential for the normal functioning of the thyroid hormone. Taste-wise too though people feel that pink salt tastes better, in reality there is not much taste difference between any salt varieties. It’s all in your mind. Just because the pink color of the Himalayan salt makes it prettier and a treat to the eye it doesn’t mean that the Himalayan pink salt must be glorified. Though there are more minerals comparatively they are not going to benefit your health-only cause you more expenses! But if choosing pink salt does give you mental satisfaction there is nothing wrong in choosing it! Above all, more than culinary purpose pink salt is now used as a beauty product indeed. They are sold as shot glasses, bedside lamps and bath soaps. Maybe it’s time for hues of pink to adore your lovely abode beyond what’s stored in the kitchen! References How Pink Salt Took Over Millennial Kitchens https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/12/himalayan-pink-salt-in-your-kitchen/577390/ Is Sea Salt Really Healthy or Just Overhyped: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/is-sea-salt-really-healthier-or-just-overhyped_n_563149efe4b00aa54a4ca8b4  Bond Over your Canine Pet for Beating Stress  Walking your Dog Leads to Better Health What’s a home without people? The joy and happiness experienced while returning back to your place with a feeling that someone’s waiting for you is unmatchable. This ‘someone’ needn’t be your mom, dad, spouse, sibling or friend but can be a pet too. Yes guys! Pets have the power to do more than keep you company. They can improve physical health, mental well-being and also help children develop social and emotional skills. While it might be old news to dog walkers it surely does surprise the rest. Healthy Bets on Pets Being with animals, playing with them and interacting might help to decrease cortisol (stress hormones) levels and lower blood pressure. Studies show that animals have the power to decrease loneliness and improve mood. Dog owners are sure to second the fact that their pets help them stay physically and mentally fit. You are sure to take your dog for a walk a couple of times daily and this helps you stay fit and even lose weight. A study shows that looking at your dog directly into the eyes helps in the secretion of the love hormone, oxytocin, in both the owner and the pet which helps them bond over even stronger than before. Another solid advantage is that pets are likelier to help individuals establish social connections with people in their neighborhood. Studies show that owning a pet is a great opportunity to start a conversation and those with a solid social network are 50% likelier to live longer than people who don’t have one. Many dog owners have reported becoming acquainted with someone whom they met through their pet. Animals Do Cure While many know that animals as pets can make us happier many studies have proved that they can also make us healthier. Pets don’t include only dogs and cats but other adorable creatures such as fish, rabbits, birds and horses too. Hospitals, jails, schools, nursing homes and mental institutions too use these pets for treating patients. This isn’t something new and pets have been used in hospital and other settings too for more than a couple of centuries. There have been several studies linking pets with improved health. Studies have shown that heart attack patients who owned pets lived longer than others and also BP patients found solace in their pets which helped reduce their blood pressure. For more information on the logic behind decreased cardiac risk of dog lovers please visit the website www.firsteatright.com. Even horses have been found to be beneficial in people with disabilities. Studies have found it to help people with autism adhere to instructions and commands better, follow verbal cues and complete the activity in a better way. Dogs too help children with ADHD and this has been proved with the help of a study. Researchers enrolled two groups of students affected by ADHD for a 12-week therapy. The first group read to a group of therapy dogs while the second group read to a group of puppets that resembled dogs. The first group that read to real animals expressed better social skills, abilities to share more, volunteer and cooperate while suffering from fewer behavioral problems. Another study showed that kids with autism spectrum disorder were calmer while playing with guinea pigs in the classroom setting and their anxiety levels too dipped. Even feeding and changing water for your fish can keep juvenile diabetes under control. Dogs are very attentive and have the ability to judge any disturbance to your mood, mind or attitude instantly. Researchers believe that mindfulness is all about attention, intention, compassion and awareness-things that individuals have to work, upon but these come to animals naturally. While all this sound encouraging and interesting researchers are worried whether bringing pets into hospital or school settings might increase individuals’ exposure to germs greatly. While there are studies showing that introducing pets to our little ones helps them stay away from asthma and allergies in the case of some people who are allergic to animals it might give them a lot more trouble than pleasure. Above all this, one must know how to handle these adorable creatures as mishandling them or disturbing them when they are fatigued and stressed (yes, pets too face these issues) can result in animal bites that are harmful.  Fishes provide a Sense of Serenity & Calmness |
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Dr. Nafeesa Imteyaz of First Eat Right clinic, is the Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Bangalore. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Pune. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Hyderabad. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Chennai. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Mumbai. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Delhi. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Kolkata.