She’s got a figure that most women crave. And if you’re wondering what it is that Beyonce does to maintain her perfect hourglass shape, we’ll let you in on her secret. It’s the hula hoop. And she’s not the only one. The hula hoop is quite a rage even Michelle Obama is a fan of this simple apparatus.

So what is it about the humble hula that makes it such a hit? This simple hoop not only tones your abs and glutes, but it also helps get rid of those problematic love handles.

To keep the hula spinning on your torso, you need to sway the hips quickly, thus effectively trimming the waist, thighs and hips. Hula hooping is also a brilliant cardiovascular workout, all that swaying gets the heart rate up. Experts say that vigorous hula hooping for eight minutes can burn up to a whopping 110 calories.

One more benefit of using a hula hoop regularly is that it helps build and strengthen core abdominal and lower back muscles. This helps improve and strengthen the spine. As a result, it improves one’s balance, posture and agility. The good thing about hula hooping as a form of exercise is that you don’t have to spend much on it. Plastic hula hoops are relatively inexpensive and are the perfect option for first-timers. Also, plastic being a light material will make it easier for you to get the nuances of using it effectively. Once you have mastered the art, you can always go for a special exercise hoop.

When buying, make sure you get one with a large diameter as these rotate slower, making it easier to keep the hoop in motion. Once you’ve got it going, opt for a smaller hoop. You have to move much faster to keep up with a smaller hoop, this will ensure that you get a more effective workout. One thing that you must avoid, as a beginner, is making the mistake of moving with the hoop. This will make it much tougher for you. The ideal motion is side to side with a little forward shift in the hip that is bumping the hoop along. It is difficult to describe, but easy to feel when you start to get it right. Alternate the direction that you spin the hoop from time to time to get a more even workout for both sides of your body. And guess what, if you’re having a tough time to get your kid to play and exercise, this may just be the perfect option. Just gift your kid a hoop.

Getting the motions right and trying to balance the hoop on the waist without it falling down will be a perfect challenge, one that your little one is bound to enjoy. You can compete with your child to see who can swing the hoops for the longest time. It’s also an ideal birthday party game, one that will have kids jumping for their turn to have a go at it.

So go ahead, get yourself a simple yet highly effective plastic hoop and spin away to a fun workout to get that perfectly shaped body you’ve always dreamed off. Happy hula hooping!

To get started…

• Lay the hula hoop on the ground.

• Step inside the hoop circle. Reach down and grip the edges of the hoop.

• Place your hands apart at a distance that is comfortable for you.

• Bring the hula hoop up to your waist level. Grip the hoop firmly with two hands.

• Gently relax it against one side of your torso and get prepared to send it into a spin.

• Start to move your waist in a circular motion. Spin the hoop.

• Keep moving your waist in a circular motion as you let go. Aim to get the hoop to wrap itself around your waist, round and round. The hoop will definitely fall the first few tries. Just pick it up again and keep going. As you get the feeling for the motion, relax and have fun.

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“An apple a day” now has a new meaning for those who want to maintain mental dexterity as they age. This article is exclusively about Washington Apples, which are gaining lots and lots of popularity.

Research from the University of Massachusetts suggests that eating and drinking apples, Washington apples in particular and apple juice, in conjunction with a balanced diet can protect the brain from the effects of oxidative stress that contributes to age-related memory loss.

And thus, when it comes to eating apples, I strongly recommend Washington apples, as, out of the 7,500 varieties grown worldwide, the best are planted in the commercial orchards of Washington State. And these delicious and healthy Washington apples are now available in India and are grouped as 5 categories :

• juicy Red Delicious: This one’s a classic – the most widely grown apple in  the world. It is bright red and sometimes striped. Crunchy with mildly sweet flavor, Reds are also great in salads. Washington apple growers have been producing the world’s best Red Delicious apples since the 1920s.

• mildly sweet Golden Delicious: Mellow and sweet, Goldens are great for eating out of hand, baking and salads. In salads and other dishes, their flesh stays white longer than other apples. The dry, warm climate of Eastern Washington is perfect for growing this delicate yellow Washington apple.

• green and juicy Granny Smith: Green, extremely tart, crisp, juicy  and versatile, Grannies are a favorite of Washington state pie-bakers. These Washington apples are also excellent for snacking and salads. Warm days and cool summer nights ensure its crunch and flavor.

• tart and crisp Gala: Pinkish-orange stripes over a yellow background is the signature of this crisp, automatically-sweet, snappy Washington apple. Galas,  have gained popularity among consumers in the past 15 years. Snacking and salads are its primary uses.

• syrupy sweet Fuji: The Fuji holds its texture when baked. This Washington apple is known for  its hard texture and syrupy sweetness. It’s also excellent for baking and salads. Washington’s cool weather in the late fall helps develop its reddish-pink color and superb flavor.

Here are some of the benefits of Washington apples:

1. Whole-Body Health Benefit : The disease fighting profile of apples provide a potential decreased risk of cancer, lung cancer and heart disease. It also reduces the damaging effects of the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, prostrate cancer, type-2 diabetes and asthma.

2. Cancer Prevention: Quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples, helps prevent the growth of prostrate cancer cells. Also, flavanoids may reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50% . A study indicated that photo-chemicals in the skin of an apple/ Washington apple, cut-down the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43% !!

3.  Healthy Lungs: A study indicated that people who ate atleast 5 apples per week experience better lung functioning and also have a lower risk of respiratory disease. At the University of Groningen, Netherlands, apples were singled out as a fruit that could cut smokers’ risk of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in half.

4. Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention: Washington Apples and apple juice may help protect arteries from harmful plaque build-up. Also, a Finnish study showed that people who eat a diet rich in flavonoids have a lower incidence of heart disease.

5. Weight Loss: Washington Apples are a delicious source of dietary fiber which improves digestion and promotes weight loss. A medium apple contains about 5 gms of fiber, more than most cereals. Also, apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol.

Hope this helps you in understanding the benefits of apples. And if you guys have decided on eating one everyday, then, my suggestion is, go for Washington apples. The Washington Apple Commission sent a bunch of apples for me to review, and believe me guys, they taste like heaven! Truly delicious… each one of them!

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It’s summer! And its that time of the year again when cotton clothes, cool drinks and chilled foods make an appearance everywhere. Following a good summer diet is very much important now.

You can beat the heat to some extent by including plenty of green, leafy vegetables, fruits, sprouts, juices and other healthy fluids. A tall glass of chilled lassi or buttermilk, fresh fruit juice or lemon juice from a hygienic source is ideal. Use more of the moisture-loaded varieties in vegetables and fruits.

Melons which have high moisture content can be very refreshing in the hot summer months and make a great summer diet. Make a juice with melons, a chickoo milkshake or a banana smoothie, and enjoy them. Eat cucumbers, bottle gourds, ridge gourds, ash gourds, spinach, mint, lettuce, cabbage, mushroom, tomatoes and other veggies regularly that have plenty of water in them.

Avoid foods that increase your thirst and weight. Excess body weight can be more uncomfortable in summer and can be eased to a great extent by following this summer diet. Some foods that might increase your discomfort during summer are high fat foods, fried foods, fatty meats, sugary eats or beverages, high-caffeine drinks and alcohol.

Get more fluids

Don’t ignore thirst signs. In your two-liter fluid requirement, make sure you include healthy beverages as a part of your summer diet. Try something different like green tea, herbal tea, herbal juice, or vegetable juice. Ask your grandma for recipes for traditional summer diet and drinks. They are not only refreshing but also nutritious. Make a smoothie with soy milk, honey and fresh fruit.

Fluid requirement

Approximately, 30 ml of liquid for every kg of body weight that you carry should be the norm everyday. Fluid requirement increases with increase in physical activity, and varies in disease conditions. Consult a qualified dietitian for details. If you take alcohol or caffeinated beverages, make sure you drink some water before or after the beverage.

Even if you work in an air conditioned office, you still need adequate hydration to prevent dry skin.

Safe summer diet

When you make raw foods a part of your summer diet, be sure that they are hygienically prepared and served. Bacterial activity is pretty high in summer and uncooked foods are good storehouses of bacteria. Bacteria can multiply in cooked foods too, placed between temperatures of four and 70 degrees.  If your immune system is not strong, such food can make you sick.

To prevent food-borne illnesses, wash hands before handling food, drink clean water, refrigerate foods properly, and eat freshly-cut or cooked foods as far as possible. If you have to consume leftovers, make sure you heat them well before eating.

Meal plan for summer

On rising: Two glasses of water, followed by a cup of tea
Breakfast: Cornflakes with unsweetened soymilk and fruit
Mid-morning: Fresh lime juice
Lunch: Sprouts and greens salad, brown rice with rasam, veg curry, curd
Evening: Mango juice
Dinner: Clear vegetable soup, whole wheat bread, lean sandwich, fruit and nut salad

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During the holidays, many youngsters tend to lose all sense of time and discipline, especially when it comes to meals. This also happens to those who are traveling. They have no idea when to eat what. Irregular meal times can lead to lowering of the metabolism and cause acidity. Also, when the meal is too late and the gap between meals is too long there is a tendency to overeat or you lose control and eat anything you see, especially fatty snacks or sweets, even though you have resolved to avoid these foods.

The ideal time to eat breakfast is between 8 and 9 am. If you wake up very early, you may want to eat breakfast by 7 or 7.30 am. If you have to leave for an early work shift or catch a school bus, you should eat breakfast by 7 am rather than skip it or eat it later at the office or school at 10.30 am, which is too late for breakfast. Knowing when to eat what is very essential.

You would have eaten dinner by 8 or 9 pm, so breakfast should not be more than 12 hours later. When you wake up in the morning, your metabolism comes up from resting or basal state to active state. When you eat, chew and digest food, the metabolism rises further. That’s why it’s important to eat breakfast at the right time and never skip it. Also, the body has been without food for 10-12 hours. This is like a fasting state, so you must eat breakfast and eat it at least by 9 am or 9.30.

Lunch should be after 4 to 5 hours with a fruit in between around 10.30 to 11 am. A good time for lunch is between 12.30 and 1.30 pm; 2 pm should be the latest as most people who go beyond this time tend to develop an acidity problem.

Tea time should be between 4 and 5 pm and even if one is not so hungry at this time, it’s necessary to have a cup of tea or coffee and a couple of crackers or a slice of toast. Those not used to tea or coffee could drink a glass of skimmed milk or buttermilk at this time. The reason: the gap between lunch and dinner could be 7-8 hours. Many who miss this break have no idea when to eat what and thus tend to lose all control by 6 or 7 pm and eat oily snacks, cookies or sweets by this time. Otherwise, they eat nothing from lunch to dinner and eat from dinner till they go to bed without any control on quantity or restriction on fatty food.

At 6 or 7 pm, after your tea and cracker, you should also have a fruit, and if still hungry, a glass of skimmed milk or buttermilk too. This is usually the time when many people get home from work and start indulging in all the wrong food. Dinner is best between 7.30 and 8.30 pm and the latest should be by 9.30 pm. It’s ideal to finish dinner at least two hours before you go to bed. At night, your metabolism is slow and if you eat very late, most of the food will be stored as fat.

Thus having a good understanding about when to eat what makes a person more sensible and far more healthy!

Happy New Year to all the readers of HealthAndLife.in!!

And with the New Year come resolutions, but not all of them guarantee good health for 2010 and the years after. Here are some suggested  health-related resolutions that people should focus on. As we all know, small things add up to big difference-makers over time. Also, this advice will benefit anyone following it from the immune system to emotional well-being.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

It is one of the most neglected aspects of our health. Few people get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep, and we know that lack of sleep has been linked to a deficient immune system, increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and even certain types of cancers. We see a higher incidence of cancer in nurses and people who work graveyard shifts, as they do not get the recommended amount of sleep over extended periods.

The best way to keep this resolution is to maintain a sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. It will keep your body on track and also help you fall asleep more easily at night. You have to be strict and very rigid about it. In my case, it’s at the expense of a social life, but I make sure I get those eight to nine hours a night.

QUIT SMOKING, ONCE AND FOR ALL

This is clearly the most important thing one can follow for good health. If you smoke, stop in 2010. You can take the help of ‘quit smoking’ help forums. The most important thing — make a plan and set the date about two weeks ahead of time. Have things in place so that, when those obstacles come up, you know how to deal with them. Get a support group. You can even ask your doctor to help you. Remember, it is the most important thing you can do for your health.

DON’T SET UNREALISTIC DIET GOALS

Obesity and weight are huge issues. But shedding excess calories is actually quite easy. All you need to do is to maintain a healthy diet. So, don’t drink anything with high calories. The more you cut down calories from your beverages, the better. Studies have shown that a person will be able to reduce 35 pounds in one year just by cutting out coffee.

NOTHING BEATS AN EXERCISE

Along with a healthy diet, exercise is a must. Weight-lifting is awesome. It’s great, especially for women. While that’s great for bones and metabolism, it does nothing for your heart. So, don’t forget the cardiovascular exercises for your heart. Do them at least twice a week. Also, try aerobics.

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Getting over your ex is a difficult job. You may have loved him with all your heart. But something went wrong and the ‘they lived-together-happily-ever after’ ending is now history. But alas, you find it difficult to put your past behind and get on with life. Well, that’s how life is. Here are some ways to help you to get over your ex and move on with life… First things first. Delete his number and SMSes from your mobile. It may hurt at first and you will miss all those sweet nothings you shared with him. Remember, he isn’t going to be with you anymore, so there’s no point hanging on to his messages.

His greeting cards, gifts, letters and cute teddy bears might have been a prized possession then. But now, they are nothing but a reminder of him. So, get rid of them. And yes, that includes the chocolate wrappers that are left from your last let’s celebrate-our-we-first went-out anniversary.

What’s the use of watching films if you can’t get inspired by them? Shred your ex’s photo to bits and flush it. Or write his name on a blank paper and strike it out repeatedly. This will definitely help you get over your ex, angst and pain. Or if the two of you have had a mutual break-up, then it’s only fair that you return all his belongings to him.

You might know many of his friends and though they might want to have a cordial relationship with you, it’s advisable not to. If some of your friends still maintain contact with him, then tell them not to discuss him when they are with you. That is the best possible way to get over your ex.

Whoever said that true love comes only once? Just sit back, relax, and take life as it comes. True love is sure to find its way back into your life.

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It may not be the season for oranges, but this fruit is known to have several benefits and is among the most popular fruits around the world. Oranges can be had not only as a snack but also as a major recipe ingredient in various dishes. Nowadays, orange juice is an integral part of a healthy breakfast — thus promoting a healthy start to the day.

They’re mainly available in two categories — sweet and bitter, with the former being the type most commonly consumed. Generally, an orange should have smoothly textured skin and be firm and heavy for its size. These will have higher juice content than those that are either spongy or lighter in weight.

BENEFITS:

• Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C. One orange supplies 116.2 per cent of the required daily amount of vitamin C. Good intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer, as it helps to get rid of free radicals that damage our DNA.

• Vitamin C, which is also vital for the proper function of a healthy immune system, is good for preventing colds and recurrent ear infections.
  

• Anti-oxidants in oranges help protect skin from free radical damage known to cause signs of aging. An orange a day can help you look young even at 50! Oranges, being rich in vitamin B6, helps support the production of hemoglobin and also helps keep blood pressure under check due to the presence of magnesium.

• According to a study by US and Canadian researchers, a class of compounds found in citrus fruit peels called Polymethoxylated Flavones (PMFs) has the potential to lower cholesterol more effectively than some prescription drugs and that too without side effects.

• Fiber in oranges helps by keeping blood sugar levels under control thereby making oranges a healthy snack for people with diabetes. The natural fruit sugar in oranges, fructose, can help keep blood sugar levels from rising too high after eating.

• Consuming foods rich in betacryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in highest amounts in oranges, corn and pumpkin may significantly lower one’s risk of developing lung cancer.

• Oranges, like most citrus fruits, produce more juice when warmer — extract juice when they are at room temperature. Rolling the orange under the palm of your hand on a flat surface will also help to extract more juice. Vitamin C gets destroyed fast when exposed to air, so eat an orange quickly once cut up.

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Most people who plan to lose weight and start a weight-loss regime (including diet), wonder whether they need to cut out all added sugar from their food intake in order to lose weight.

Sugar by itself does not contain fat in its chemical composition. And when it is consumed along with coffee or tea, and milk and curd, it does not register as fat in the body and thus is irrelevant to the ‘lose weight, quit sugar’ stuff . It comes in as carbohydrate food, which is immediately used as energy. Similarly, if you have a couple of teaspoons of jam, jelly or honey, the sugar is used up as energy. However, if you eat candies, with sugar content equivalent to about 3-4 teaspoons of sugar or take 300 ml of a soft drink (roughly 7 tsp of sugar) the excess sugar is converted to fat.

In short, as long as you are not diabetic you may safely consume 3-4 teaspoons of sugar every day, distributed through the entire day, and still lose weight. Moreover, giving up sugar completely and substituting it with a sweetener is not recommended, as they can have harmful side effects even though they say that such artificial sweeteners help to lose weight. What you could do, though, is give up sweet treats like cakes, ice cream, candies, pastries and other sweets instead.

Recommendation: All those above 35 years of age must have a blood test done regularly, at least once a year, to check blood and lipid levels (sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride, etc). This must be done at least 12 hours after your last meal. Ideally, a blood sample should be provided early in the morning on an empty stomach. This is very much important if  you are obese and have to lose weight in order to stay healthy even after 40 years of age.

If your fasting blood sugar is just above 120, you could have borderline diabetes. Then you have to eliminate refined sugar from the diet. Otherwise at any age you don’t have to eliminate sugar in coffee, tea, milk, etc. to lose weight.

Thus, giving up sugar does not actually help you to lose weight. In order to lose weight effectively, you should engage in physical exercises.

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“I only need to do strength training since I want to build muscle.”
“To get rid of this belly and get a defined mid-section you need to focus on doing an hour of ab crunches every day.”

The above and many more such declarations are routinely heard in any gym or a fitness studio amongst a group of fitness enthusiasts. However well-intentioned these statements may be, they are based on an individual’s perception of what he or she thinks will work for them. And of course, very often even those needs and goals are based more on preferences than actual needs.

Your fitness needs are not only about your current favorite activities, but also about functional strength and comprehensive exercise programs that can help you deal with lifestyle-related illnesses and many other health concerns.

By mixing it up and introducing variety into your fitness program you not only cross-train your body and keep the mind engaged but also maximize the effort and time you put into your workouts. The idea is to keep your workouts interesting, challenging, comprehensive and result-oriented while you engage in your favorite sport or activity. Follow these tips to assure a complete workout for yourself.

1. Variety is the key

To see results, you need to vary your workouts. Our muscles have a memory and become used to the repetitive activities that we perform on a regular basis. To see changes in your body, try following a plan that includes varied cardio activities, strength training and flexibility exercises. Doing the same exercises or workouts also causes stress on the body that leaves you open to injuries. Something you definitely do not want. So even though you may want to focus only on your running, including a few days of rowing or cycling would actually help in your training.

2. Explore your options

There is no single solution that works for everyone. Just because a friend lost weight on a particular diet or workout regime, or the really muscular guy at the gym does weight training six days a week, does not mean it will work for you. Once you explore your options, you can determine what mix will work best for your body.

3. Go for cardio

You must do cardio, anywhere from 3-5 times a week depending on your goals. For weight loss or reduction in body fat, aim for five days a week of cardio. For strength training, two days a week of cardio is sufficient, along with 10 minutes of cardio warm up on strength training.

4. Check your intensity

It is important to make systematic increases in the weights you are lifting. Can you do more than 10 reps of any exercise without feeling a slight burn? Then the weights are too light. Stretch to improve quality of your workouts. Stretching will make you flexible, so you can move and lift better.

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This revelation of the effects of smoking, especially on your eyes is astonishing. An approximate amount of 4000 chemicals present in the cigarette smoke gets into the bloodstream of smokers and may cause damage to the eye. It can even cause the thinning of the membrane covering the eye, (conjunctiva) resulting in bloodspot and irritate the eyes.

Age-related macular degeneration and other diseases have also been linked to effects of smoking. The causes of macular degeneration are not completely understood, but smoking is believed to be the main preventable risk factor. Smoking directly is linked to the rising of intraocular pressure that can lead to glaucoma and accompanying optic nerve damage. Although the effects of smoking stretches to several eye diseases, including nuclear cataract and thyroid eye disease, the most common cause of smoking related blindness is age related macular degeneration, which results in severe irreversible loss of central vision.

How does smoking damage the eyes?

Thousands of chemicals get into your bloodstream when you inhale cigarette smoke and can travel throughout your body. These chemicals cause damage to the macula. Tiny blood vessels can burst through the macula, leading to irreversible damage, or alternatively, the cells of the macula slowly die. Both ultimately lead to loss of vision.

UV Protection

Exposure to UV radiation can harm your eyes and affect your vision as well. There are three types of UV radiation. One type, called UV-C, is absorbed by the ozone layer and does not present any threat. More and more scientific evidence is showing that exposure to both UV-A and UV-B can have adverse long- and short-term effects on your eyes and vision.

If you are exposed, unprotected, to excessive amounts of UV radiation over a short period of time, you are likely to experience an effect called photokeratitis which is one of the effects of smoking.  Like “sunburn of the eye” it may be painful and symptoms including red eyes, a foreign body sensation in the eyes, extreme sensitivity to light and excessive tearing may be noticed. Fortunately, this is usually temporary and rarely causes permanent damage to the eyes.

Long-term exposure to UV rays can definitely be hazardous, thus chances of developing a cataract are a possibility, and may cause damage to the retina, the damage to the retina is usually not reversible.

It is highly recommended to wear good quality sunglasses that offer good protection and a cap whenever you are outdoors.

I hope this information has helped you a lot. Please share this with your loved ones and protect them as well. Quit smoking and start seeing the brighter side of life!!

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