Health and Fitness

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Why you should love your...BIG BOTTOM: The physical flaws that are good for your health

Scientists at Oxford University have found that storing fat in your bottom, rather than stomach, cuts levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and raises the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol that protects against hardening of the arteries.

Their review, published in the International Journal of Obesity, showed the benefits of an ample derriere extend even to cutting the risk of diabetes.

Gluteofemoral fat stored around the bottom seems to act as a buffer, mopping up inflammatory fats that could have a dangerous effect elsewhere

Professor Jimmy Bell, head of metabolic and molecular imaging at Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, explains: ‘Fat comes in “good” and “bad” forms.

Burning off too much of this healthier form of fat isn't good for you

'Gluteofemoral fat stored around the bottom seems to act as a buffer, mopping up inflammatory fats that could have a dangerous effect elsewhere.

‘Because fat around your backside breaks down more slowly than belly fat, it produces fewer inflammatory cytokines — chemicals which have been linked to diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

'Burning off too much of this healthier form of fat isn’t good for you.’

However, excess fat around the middle can have severe health implications, so getting rid of it is important.

source: dailymail.co.uk

Weight-loss clinics are handing out dangerous slimming drugs with lethal side effects

Patients are being put at risk by doctors selling them potentially dangerous weight-loss pills at private slimming clinics.

A number of centres in England were found to be handing out drugs which could have lethal side effects, a health watchdog has revealed.

Two of the drugs routinely being given to patients – phentermine and diethylpropion – are similar to amphetamines and were banned from this country in 2000 over fears they caused heart disease.

Both were subsequently reinstated following legal action by the manufacturer.

But due to serious safety concerns, they are not used on the NHS and private doctors are strongly advised not to prescribe them.

But in the last two months the Care Quality Commission has found six private clinics handing out the drugs without warning of the dangers.

In some cases doctors had not even bothered to check patients’ blood pressure beforehand, even though the pills have been linked to heart problems.

The watchdog is concerned that many other private clinics across the country are handing out the pills.

There are about 80 registered private slimming clinics run by doctors in England, part of a diet industry worth a total of £2billion.

Some centres charge initial ‘registration costs’ of £20, followed by monthly fees of £80 which cover regular consultations with doctors who advise on diet plans and slimming pills.

In one clinic, the Diet Centre in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, CQC investigators found that a nurse was handing out slimming pills even though she did not have the correct qualifications.

Inspectors said there was no evidence patients had their blood pressure or weight recorded before being given phentermine and diethylpropion. The clinic has since been shut down.

Phentermine was one of the drugs regularly given to patients despite being banned in 2000 over fears they caused heart disease

New Leaf Health in Leeds, and Dr Anthony Adam Schiff in Newbury, Berkshire, were found to be handing out potentially dangerous drugs and given warning notices.

The CQC says it has ‘major concerns’ with three other clinics.

A spokesman said: ‘We would urge anyone who has concerns about medicines that they’ve been prescribed or information they’ve been given by a slimming clinic to contact their GP – but also to tell CQC.’

Josy Lofthouse suffered palpitations, breathlessness and insomnia after taking slimming pills given to her by a private clinic.

She said a doctor took her blood pressure, height and weight and she was given a month’s supply and told ‘almost as an afterthought, that they might make me feel depressed’.

The 5ft mother of two, from Barnet, North London, took them as she was desperate to slim from a size 16 to a 12.

Mrs Lofthouse, 52, said: ‘I became hyperactive and a raging insomniac. I learned afterwards that the drugs were amphetamine-based, like those taken illegally by young ravers who want to party all night without getting tired.

‘Worst of all, I developed terrifying and constant heart palpitations that I couldn’t control. By the end of the first week on the tablets I’d lost a few pounds, but I was too frightened to continue.’

She subsequently managed to drop several dress sizes by eating sensibly and working out.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Four Simple Steps for Hair Care

Our personality changes completely just with the change of hair styles. But to keep retain hair’s beauty we need to take special hair care. Every type has its own beauty, but mostly the process of hair care might be same. It’s natural that many of the women want to change their style, cut, hair color time to time. Those who have straight hair want to try fizzy hair styles whereas those who have fizzy or curly hairs want to get straight hair. Similarly happens with hair colors. Girls change hair colors to follow the trend, so any of these process when taken they leave bit side effects to hair like split ends, breakage and damages, hair loss with chemicals and your hairs then need special hair care treatments too.

On the other hand changes in seasons, in your health also leave impacts on hairs.
These days there are a lot of hair care treatments are available in salons, however by using some simple home tips on regular basis you can also get fine results.

Massaging your scalp:

Scalp massage plays a pivotal role to keep your hairs strong. Massage increase the blood circulation which some how is like food for hairs and helps to strengthen your hairs. After massaging scalp don’t forget to take steam. Steaming your scalp will open up the pores and help to absorb oils. This hair care treatment is really awesome which you can easily take at home. You can use coconut, olive oil for it but if you have week and dry hair then apply almond and egg oil. With regular use you will get incredible result.

Hair Washing & cleansing:

To take special hair care Hair cleansing is another important step. Never use harsh and shampoos while over using can also effect and weak your hairs.

Diet helps to grow hairs healthier:

Healthy diet and healthy life style is actual pillar due to which your hair beauty stands. Vegetables and plenty of water will nourish your hairs speedily. Daily exercise also fastens your blood circulation due to which health of your hairs improves better.

Trim hairs to get rid of split ends:

Split ends stop your hair length whereas also leave weaker effects, so to get rid of this trim your hairs after every third month. With proper oiling and trimming your hairs will grow strongly.
So by these simple hair tips, take special hair care to enhance your personality.

source:womenzmag.com

Monday, January 23, 2012

13 Fitness Secrets Only Pro Football Players Know

By Billy Miller, former Saints Tight End from Promax Nutrition

At-home workouts can be hit or miss, depending on how hard you push yourself. Sometimes when you’re on your own, it’s hard to motivate to train hard -- and see major results. Here, Billy Miller offers his fitness secrets for women, straight from the NFL Combine -- the drills and physical tests the athletes perform before the season starts. Miller says, “Borrowing from the Combine can add a motivational piece to workouts that’s often missing—not to mention allow people to see just how strong and powerful these football players are. Of course, the whole family can try the tips I’ve listed here, and bring a whole new meaning to sibling rivalry.”

1. Swap high-intensity interval workouts into your weekly routine

Raise your heart rate (to 75%-90% of your max, depending on fitness level) for a short period of time (20 seconds to 2 minutes), then bring your heart rate back down to recovery (65% of heart rate max). Repeat this process: Beginners start with 2-3 times. Note: To find your estimated maximum heart rate: Subtract your age from 220.

2. Use a heart rate monitor to track your workouts.

Know how high you are getting your heart rate, and how quickly you’re recovering. (Fast recovery is a true sign of fitness.)

3. Stay hydrated.

Research suggests drinking half your body weight in ounces per day.

4. Get enough sleep.

Those eight hours are important for muscle -- and brain -- recovery.

5. Replenish your muscles.

I like to eat a Promax LS (Lower Sugar and natural sweetened with Stevia) bar 30-45 minutes post-workout to replenish the fuel (ATP) depleted from my muscles. Eating within this window of time helps you maintain an elevated metabolism.

6. Drill yourself.

Instead of a using a treadmill or elliptical machine, set up cones or ladders on the floor, and do “athletic” drills to enhance your agility. The stop-and-go nature of these drills will burn more calories -- and help prevent injuries later on.

7. Get competitive.

Incorporate competitive drills into your fitness routine. Get a partner and compete against each other, i.e.: short races around cones, or games using balls. The healthy competition will motivate you and help stave off boredom.

8. Go total body.

Use more total-body exercises, for example, a squat with dumbbells, to a bicep curl, then a press overhead versus just a stand-alone squat or bicep curl. You’ll burn more calories at once and do more in less time.

9. Take fish oil daily to decrease inflammation in the body and help enhance recovery.

You can buy it in easy-to-swallow capsules, you just have to look.

10. Plan your week so you have high, moderate and low-intensity workouts spread out through the week to balance your regimen.

Also, be sure to have one or two days dedicated just to recovery, where you perform yoga or other flexibility work. More is not always better. Without recovery, your body will secrete excess amounts of cortisol (stress hormone), which will cause your body to hold onto body fat and break down muscle tissue.

On a side note, if an individual works out for long periods of time at only low intensities, or only at high intensities, their cortisol levels will increase, causing the body to break down lean muscle tissue and hold onto body fat. They may lose body weight, but it is lean muscle tissue that they are losing, and not body fat. So, a person who weights 200 lbs with 30 % body fat can do excessive “cardio,” lose 20 lbs and still have roughly 30% body fat. Why is this important? They now weigh less but are actually fatter. Now they have a smaller body with roughly the same amount of body fat, which is a serious health concern. On the other hand, if they do high-intensity interval training and get proper recovery, they will then be in an anabolic state, leading to increased lean muscle tissue (giving you a good shape to your body), elevated metabolism and a healthier hormone profile.

11. Perform static stretches after your workouts, and warm-up with dynamic flexibility exercises.

A dynamic warm-up includes moves like squats and lunges performed using only your body weight, to increase circulation in your muscles and warm your body through its range of motion. Static stretches slow the muscle fibers, and are best saved for after a workout, to cool your body down.

12. Prevent plateaus by incorporating new workouts or exercises into your routine every two to four weeks.

Your muscles will have to adapt, forcing you to work harder and burn more calories. Try new fitness classes or simply swap a type of exercise -- like running -- with cycling for a few weeks.

13. Add stealthy sources of protein to your food, to balance your meals and insulin (read: energy) levels.

Sprinkle seeds into soups or top a salad with them, for an extra boost of protein and Omega-3’s.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Use a red plate to lose a bit of weight: People who eat off them cut their food intake by 40%

Eating from a red plate could help dieters lose weight, scientists claim.

Serving up meals on red plates or drinking from red cups cuts consumption by about 40 per cent, according to one study carried out by German and Swiss academics.

Researchers say the colour red may encourage diners to avoid snacking because it is commonly associated with the idea of ‘danger, prohibition and stop’.

Weighty issue: Researchers say using a red plate stops people eating as much food and using red cups could also stop pub-goers drinking as much alcohol

They claim the discovery means the Government and food industry could use red packaging on unhealthy foods as a deterrent – and could even use more red in pubs to prevent people drinking too much.

In the study, 41 male students were asked to drink tea from cups marked with red or blue labels. They drank 44 per cent less from cups with red labels.

In the second part of the study, 109 people were given ten pretzels each on either a red, blue or white plate. Those with a red plate ate fewer pretzels.

The results were published in the journal Appetite.

Ursula Arens, from the British Dietetic Association, said: ‘Red may be associated with alarm or something primeval.'