Jun 20

Considering that most of us learned to walk approximately a year after being born, you might make fun of the idea that you might need to take a refresher on proper walking. We should be experts on walking by now. However, the truth is, over time, people can get walking habits and patterns of movement that are not well organized or essentially unhealthy.

Walking is so natural to us that it is frequently prescribed without hesitation. All adults, regardless of age and health status, are advised to walk vigorously for a total of at least two and a half hours per week.

For adults who are in good physical shape, walking is a routine that it is impossible to consider how they learned how to do it. Nevertheless, it is likely that as we have logged pedestrian miles, many of us have picked up a small number of dreadful habits along the way that are making our walks less efficient, and maybe even harmful.

Ideally, by adulthood, you should walk with head erect, back straight and upright, arms bent, knees extending and flexing, feet striking the ground with the heel and pushing off with the toes. The pelvis should rotate back and forth about 8 degrees and list a little downward on the side that is not bearing weight. The knee of the weight-bearing leg should flex as you push off your toes. Moreover, while you bob up and down a little when you walk, the pelvic rotation and list, in combination with the movements of the knee, ankle, and foot, manage to smooth out that vertical movement.

Our upper bodies also get into the action. At reasonable speeds, rotation of the trunk and shoulders should be out of phase with the pelvis. Consequently, the forward swing of one leg is matched by the forward swing of the arm on the opposite side, a balancing act clearly visible in the overstated movements of a marching soldier.

Regrettably, only a few of us accomplish the ideal gait, and even fewer uphold it. Eventually, we may lower our heads and thrust our trunks forward at the waist, so our center of gravity is pitched as if we are always about to tumble forward. Instead of swinging elegantly, our arms may dangle lethargically at our sides. The rhythmic heel-to-toe movement may become a smack on the pavement.

Tips on Walking the Right Way:

It is doable to correct decades of ingrained walking habits with a little work. Actually, even if you do not think your gait is graceless, you might gain something from the following tips:

1. Look ahead. Lift up from the top of your head. Do not tuck your chin or look at the ground, but train your sights 10 to 20 feet ahead of you. If you need to check the ground to avoid obstacles, lower your eyes, not your head. An erect head reduces the likelihood of neck and shoulder pain.

2. Stretch your spine. Your shoulders should be level and square, neither thrust back nor slumped forward. Tuck your buttocks in. When your body is in alignment, you should be able to draw an imaginary straight line from your ear to your shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle when viewed from the side. Maintaining correct posture while you walk will help you to avoid hip and lower back pain.

3. Bend your arms. Flex your elbows at close to 90-degree angles and let your arms swing at waist level. Your fingers should be curled, but not clenched in a fist. If you have gotten into the habit of dangling your arms, it may take some conscious effort to keep them raised.

4. Swivel your hips. A slight pivot at the hip can add power to your stride.

5. Flex your feet. Come down on your heel; lift up off your toes. Assume that the person walking behind you wants to see the sole of your shoe as you walk.

6. Take measured steps. Too long a stride throws you off balance. Concentrate on taking shorter steps, but more of them.

7. Share your load. There is a lot to be said for carrying parcels on one’s head; any load on the back or shoulders is likely to affect posture by thrusting the trunk forward. A backpack, which distributes weight evenly across the shoulders, is the best choice for carrying objects. If you use a shoulder bag, transfer it from one side to the other every few minutes as you walk.

May 23

For people beyond their 50s, aging gracefully is often a challenge. While bones and muscles begin to deteriorate as we grow older, these have more to do with inactivity than aging.

Usually, at this age, people change in lifestyle and they start spending more time at home or under the close supervision of caregivers. Thus, the consequences are rapid muscle deterioration and increase in fat deposits.

Unexpectedly, cardio exercises alone are not as successful in older people as compared to those who are still at their prime. Once we reach 50, we must combine exercise with a balanced diet. An ideal combination of cardio exercises and healthy meals will make sure that we maintain flexibility of muscles and slower weight gain.

Unless you are stuck on a wheelchair, you should try to have an active lifestyle by doing some simple activities. Gardening, playing golf, or walking regularly are some of the easy ways to keep you active.

A good and balanced diet is important for all age groups. You cannot remain fit and fat free unless you take proper care of what you eat. Go for nutritious, fiber rich food as much as possible. Avoid eating fast food and junk food as much as your grandchildren should.

You can easily stretch yourself whenever you get the time. Simple activities help a lot in maintaining flexible muscles and strong bones. Even if you have limited walking abilities there is always a way around that. Proper walking equipment, like the ones available at DoAbility UK, can help you become active again.

Nov 28
Health Tips for Winter
icon1 Cheryl Weisz | icon2 Health Tips | icon4 11 28th, 2010| icon35 Comments »

Winter is a season when some people fall sick, catch flu, cough, or colds. Hence, it is important for you to take care of your health, most especially during winter.

Here are a few winter health tips that will assure you an enjoyable winter with a fit body, free from any illness.

Primarily, a balanced diet assures you proper health all through the year, and you should particularly make sure that you take properly balanced meals, which would include the vital nutrients like carbohydrates, minerals, proteins, and vitamins. However, in winter, you should prefer fresh and seasonal food items. Fruits and vegetables can be eaten as salads. Dry cereals, grains, grams, and nuts can be consumed for their very high nutrient value. To develop strength, immunity, and resistance, foods with greater proportion of carbohydrates should be eaten.

You should drink plenty of water during the day to avoid dehydration. You should also include warm soups in your meals. Many people also consume alcoholic beverages to keep their body warmer to beat the cold. However, it should be drunk in only lesser quantity and infrequently.

We also know that the benefits of exercising are many. Nevertheless, during winter, exercising is even more significant for a number of reasons. Exercise stimulates the body and develops resistance and the immune system to fight flu, cough, colds, and other illnesses that are quite common during winter. Working out at the gym or doing any physical activity like cycling, jogging, running, or walking, provide immense warmth to the body since a lot of heat is generated as the calories burn.

Lastly, you should always wear protective garments like jackets and sweaters to shield yourself from the cold winds and snow.

Oct 24
Reading in Bed
icon1 Cheryl Weisz | icon2 Health Tips | icon4 10 24th, 2010| icon3No Comments »

Reading in bed may be the reason why you are experiencing neck, upper back, and shoulder pain. When you maintain a specific position for 20 minutes or so, the muscles involved tend to shorten. In the case of lying down or sitting in bed to read, the pecs and the biceps are used the most. When those muscles constrict without being allowed to re-lengthen, they make a situation known as Disproportionate Muscle Tension (DMT).

DMT is caused by a limitation in one muscle group and an expansion of the opposite muscle group brining about an imbalance between muscles. That imbalance creates stress into the joint and disturbance in its range of motion that eventually causes pain. When the pecs and biceps compresses due to DMT, the muscles next to the back portion of the shoulder blade and those that insert into the neck become sore and painful.

Along with the tightening of the biceps and pecs, tightness can also take place in the muscles at the front part of the neck. When you read a book, the tendency is to drop your chin toward your chest and your head falls forward. This creates a stretching and dwindling of the muscles in the posterior portion of the neck. It may not produce pain on the first night you have done it, but as you repeat this awful posture, it will eventually lead to shoulder and neck pain.

For many people, reading before sleeping may be a form of loosening or a way for them to relax. If you really have to do this to help you slumber or relax, get a book holder. Make sure you adopt a pose that does not cause your head or shoulders to fall forward. This will help promote a healthier posture that will promote strength and firmness for the upper back, neck, and adjacent areas.

Oct 10
Natural Anti-Aging Tips
icon1 Cheryl Weisz | icon2 Health Tips | icon4 10 10th, 2010| icon33 Comments »

If you want to expedite your aging process, sleep late and drink lots of alcohol and caffeine.

Anti-aging face creams will not do any good if you are not getting at least 8 hours of sleep and you continue to drink toxins that can age you quickly.

Nevertheless, if you wish to slow down the aging process, look great, and have more energy, limit your treats to once a week.

Drink herbal tea to calm you down instead of taking in caffeine-fueled coffee. Even decaffeinated coffee has the same effect as caffeine. Herbs like ginseng, maca, and rhodiola have active ingredients that suppress aging. They boost energy levels and strengthen the immune system.

Stimulating the pressure points on your feet (reflexology) reduces stress, and if you are relaxed, you look younger. To abate stress instantly, press into your solar plexus point using your thumb. This is located exactly below the ball of your foot. Press down for one minute and do the same on your other foot.

Mind to body techniques such as tai-chi and yoga can help you feel less worn out or stressed.

Whereas the right amount of sun can help you look younger with tanned, glowing, healthy skin, too much sun can cause irreparable skin damage. The aging effects of too much sun exposure deplete your body of vitamin B. Continuous sun exposure is responsible for premature skin aging and skin cancer. To look younger, keep your skin from harmful UV rays.

An occasional detox is amazingly effective as well. This can be anything from a light one day juice fast to a full-scale water fast. But of course, you need to check with your health care provider before embarking on any new diet or exercise.

It is also best to stop smoking if you do because this can accelerate the normal aging of your skin and produce wrinkles.

Based on numerous studies, obesity and its associated diseases cause premature aging. Diets with excessive saturated and trans fats agitate the body and promote free radicals that lead to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and joints disease. Dietary choices are crucial in delaying aging and age-related diseases. To age well, it is substantial to eat well. The anti-aging diet is high in fresh fruits and vegetables, low in trans fatty acids, and moderate in protein and lean dairy products.

Aug 22
Bathroom Hygiene Tips
icon1 Cheryl Weisz | icon2 Health Tips | icon4 08 22nd, 2010| icon3No Comments »

Gleaming fixtures aside, the bathroom can easily be one of the most unhygienic places in the home. Microorganisms thrive in humid environments. Wet areas can support the proliferation of germs and serve as a reservoir for them.

Maintain a dry and well-ventilated bathroom. Be sure to clean your bathroom thoroughly on a regular basis.

A visibly clean toilet may have around 189 different germs.

Arm yourself with a very good bathroom cleaner and follow these bathroom hygiene tips:

TOILET

The toilet can be a depository of bacteria and viruses from feces. Cover the toilet when flushing to keep germs from being propelled to other nearby surfaces such as on toothbrushes. Regularly clean your toilet. This is especially important whenever someone is suffering from diarrhea or vomiting. Scrub the inside of the bowl several times a week. Do not forget to disinfect the seat, rim, lid, and the flush handle, which is frequently touched.

SINK

Washing your hands is still one of the best ways to prevent sickness. Always wash after using the toilet, coming into contact with bodily fluids, or cleaning any part of the bathroom. However, be aware that the sink can harbour bacteria and fungi. Contaminated hands may also leave colds and flu viruses on your sink taps. Scour the basin regularly with a clean rag soaked with an anti-bacterial cleansing solution, then rinse the basin with water. Disinfect your taps every day.

BATHTUB AND SHOWER

The shower and tub can shelter bacteria and fungi, which can cause skin infections and trigger respiratory allergies. Germs can lurk in cracks inside a tub. Regularly scrub the bathing area. Clean the shower walls before the shower floor to prevent spreading germs. Pay special attention to the corners of the shower. Molds can form and damage your shower curtain. Wash your curtain using an anti-bacterial cleaning solution.

DRAINPIPES

Drainpipes can be home to germ-carrying pests such as cockroaches. Hair, soap, and other substances can also clog them. Take out hair or soap particles that collect around the drains or plugholes. Periodically pour an anti-bacterial cleansing solution down your drains to prevent unpleasant smells from developing and to keep residue from accumulating inside your pipes.

FLOOR AND WALL TILES

Wet floors can help spread ailments like plantar warts and athlete’s foot. Grime can easily accumulate in the grouting of tiled floors. Eliminate molds and mildew from tiled floors by regularly cleaning the floor. After washing, disinfect your mop and rag with an anti-bacterial solution to prevent transferring germs to other surfaces.

Next Entries »