Health Topics

Archive for the ‘Health And Fitness’ Category

Orange
This is one of the sweetest fruits available in Nigeria, with majority of people planting it in their surrounding and gardens. Orange is a rich source of Vitamin C which can help prevent Scurvy in children. The fruit also contains pectin which is a unique fiber that aids the control of the body cholesterol level.

Garlic
Though this small but powerful bulb has some pungent smell, it is so helpful in lowering the body’s cholesterol level. It can be chewed in its raw form or sliced and used for seasoning of meat or fish. Whichever form it is used, Garlic remains one of the most potent sources of natural healing for the human heart.

Salmon
This fish is one of the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acid which aids in eliminating inflammation in the blood arteries. It is so rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, that elderly people are advised to include it in their daily diet. They are however expensive when compared to the normal fresh-water fishes available.

Carrot
This is one fruit I love eating always. It is commonly found in the Northern part of Nigeria, where the soil texture aids its growth and cultivation. Carrots contain a high level of antioxidants which helps to reduce heart-related ailments in the human body. Carrot can be eaten raw or sliced and used as salad fruit or juice. It can be easily sourced anywhere, as it is relatively cheap and available.

Tomatoes
This is a very common fruit in Africa and other temperate regions. One good thing about this fruit is the low calories it contains and the high level of Vitamin B and C which helps eliminate scurvy in children Tomatoes also contains beta carotene, phosphorus and calcium. Due to its high fiber content, it can be used as an antidote against indigestion.

Almond
This is a common fruit which can be found in the tropics and other temperate environment. Almonds fall into the nut category, which are by nature not only nutritious, but also healthy for the heart. They contain more Vitamin E when compared to other nuts. It is also a good source of calcium which is essential for strong bones in children.

There is a lot a person can do such jog or walk every morning, play basketball or any other sport with friends but if a person wants to have muscles and look lean, then one can sign up with a personal trainer.

People workout for 3 reasons;

The first is that the person is overweight and the only way to lose those extra pounds will be to reduce ones calorie intake and at the same time workout in the gym.

The second is that the person is underweight and the only way to add extra pounds is to have more calories in ones diet and workout.

The third is just for fun and to keep that person in shape.

The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and gain or lose weight.

Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.

Here are some benefits of exercising;

1. It is the easiest way to maintain and improve ones health from a variety of diseases and premature death.

2. Studies have shown that it makes a person feels happier and increases ones self esteem preventing one from falling into depression or anxiety.

3. An active lifestyle makes a person live longer than a person who doesn’t.

Working out for someone who has not done it before should be done gradually. Endurance will not be built in a day and doing it repeatedly will surely be beneficial to the person.

It is advisable to workout regularly with a reasonable diet.

A person can consult with a dietitian or a health professional to really help plan a good diet program. It starts by evaluating the lifestyle and the health of the patient before any program can be made.

Afterwards, this is thoroughly discussed and recommended to the person which usually consists of an eating plan and an exercise program that does not require the use of supplements or one to purchase any expensive fitness equipment.

A good diet should have food from all the food groups.

This is made up by 2 things. The first is carbohydrates. The food that a person consumes should have vitamins, minerals and fiber. A lot of this can come from oats, rice, potatoes and cereals. The best still come from vegetables and fruits since these have phytochemicals, enzymes and micronutrients that are essential for a healthy diet.

The second is fat which can come from mono and poly saturated food sources rather than animal fats. Since fat contains more than double the number of calories in food, this should be taken in small quantities to gain or lose weight.

Muscles shrink (the technical term is atrophy) as we age. Muscles will become small, thin, and wiry as we age and the only method of reversing this process is strength training. Strength training gives your muscles that full, toned, and youthful look. A fitness routine aimed at developing strength can come in many forms; body weight exercises, traditional weight lifting, kettlebells, plyometrics, speed (sprint) training, or any combination thereof. The key thing is to work all the major muscle groups in your body; shoulders, chest, back, abdominals, and legs.

For example, a very simple and very short strength fitness routine could be hill sprints and burpees, just two exercises. Find a hill near your house that is between 50 to 100 metres in length. Run up the hill as fast as you can. The hill itself forces you to use perfect sprinting form, which means you to use a full range of motion. You must pull your knees high, lean into the hill, and pump your arms high and fast if you want to run up a hill at top speed. Once you reach the top walk back down at a brisk pace but not so fast as to be careless and injure yourself. At the bottom of the hill do a set of 10 burpees. Now repeat, sprint up the hill as fast as you can, walk down at a brisk pace, then to 10 more burpees. Do this 5 times. It won’t take you 15 minutes to do but if you do this 4 times a week I can guarantee you will be strong.

Being strong translates into looking good. Do you want the kind of butt and thighs that look incredible in a pair of jeans or in a bathing suit on the beach? If so you will only get that kind of look from strength training. If you want strong shoulders that taper into a thin, hard, waist you had better do some kind of muscle-building as part of your fitness exercise program. All the plastic surgery in the world can’t build a great butt and thighs or strong shoulders or a hard waist and that’s a fact!

If you haven’t exercised in a while begin by walking up the hill and walking down. When you do the burpees do them in a slow and easy manner. Do this routine for 4 weeks. After that time start by jogging up the hill, walking back down, and start to speed up your burpees ever so slighting. Do this for 4 more weeks. After this time you should be ready to do this fitness routine at full speed.

To stay looking and feeling young you also need to devote time to cardiovascular training. You can do moderate paced cardio training such as jogging, swimming, or bike riding. Or you can do short but intense cardio training such as sprints, intervals, or complexes. In fact, the simple routine mentioned above (Hill Sprints and Burpees) is also a great cardiovascular routine. The sprinting and the constant motion will get your heart rate really high and it will stay high for 45 minutes to an hour after you have finished you 15 minute fitness routine helping you burn fat even after you finish exercising. Cardio will help you burn fat to reveal that strong, sexy body you will build with strength training.