Swimthelanguage

Who doesn’t want to be noticed and look beautiful? Everyone wants to look best. And when it comes to looks, hair plays a vital role too. Healthy, soft, shiny hair is an instant booster to your overall appearance. And if you are the proud owner of a gorgeous crowning glory then go ahead and flaunt it! Make other jealous of you. It is surprising how many treat their hair with disrespect. They don’t give it the care needed and use harmful synthetic products. Result: hair fall, dandruff, frizzy hair etc. and then they wonder why their hair is not shiny, flowing and sexy like in the ads in spite of using the same shampoo or conditioner! Well they need to understand some facts of hair care. Hair is a delicate, growing organ (it’s in fact a modified type of skin) in need of lots of care.

Even a simple basic routine of oil massage-shampooing-conditioning is enough. All you need is to use the right kind of product. Remember, hair needs to be treated carefully with a lot of attention towards proper nutrition to maintain a healthy growth. Instead of the synthetic hair oils from the market, use oils from your kitchen cupboard. Using warm olive oil, castor oil, almond oil, etc will do wonders to your hair. When infused with herbs like camphor (Kapoor), Hibiscus, mint, Shikakai, essential oils like lavender, jasmine, etc. it nourishes the hair to the roots and imparts softness, resiliency, luster and vibrancy to the hair.

A nice warm head massage is to be followed up by wrapping the hair in a warm towel for 20-30 minutes and then wash off using a herbal shampoo and finish off with a herbal conditioner. To add that final touch, use apple cider vinegar as the final rinse for your hair. Once dry, style as you want.

A complete range of hair care aromatherapy and Ayurveda products are available to choose from. They are a safe choice as they have no side effects. Many of the ingredients used in them are available in the market for you to buy and make your own herbal hair care product which will be 100% chemical free especially as no preservatives are added in.

But before you go in for any of the natural products, you should know your hair type, color, texture, quality so accordingly you can choose the right kind of products and improve on it. Proper care will give you healthier and better looking hair but when ignored it will lead to hair loss, breakage, split ends, dull hair. Read the rest of this entry »

The holidays are great times where we get to share time with friends and family but it is also known that the holidays can cause us to be very unhealthy. That is why health advise that are easy to follow during the holidays are a great way to get rid of that holiday fat everyone gets used to.

We do not have to gain weight every winter and even though we hate it, we still do it every year. While you may still splurge a little if you do incorporate some of these health advises then your new year may be better than the previous ones.

Eating almonds and walnuts is one of the best health tips around because they are loaded with Omega 3′s. If you don’t know, Omega 3′s are great for your heart so while you are eating pounds of turkey, these nuts could help keep things balanced. Drinking water will also help reduce the amount of extra pounds you pack on for the holidays. Most health tips recommend that you drink 7 to 9 8 ounce glasses of water every day. Read the rest of this entry »

Hair is the crowning glory of the body, and at the same time it is an indicator of the body’s overall health. Shiny, lustrous hair that are strong at the roots means that the person is healthy; while discolored, dull hair with split or weak ends indicate an internal disorder with the body. Hair itself is made of a protein called as keratin. It grows from pockets within the scalp of the head, known as follicles.

Though hair is a non-living part of the human body (at least because it has no nerves in it), it needs to be taken great care of. We already know how much care people are already taking of their hair. Even if you put your television on for half an hour, chances are that you will come across ten advertisements flaunting their hair-care products. But do these products really work?

In this article, some Ayurvedic herbal techniques of hair care are explained. The common problems with hair are falling hair, dull hair and dandruff. Let us see some simple methods of treating these problems. Read the rest of this entry »

Here are some health tips you might find useful. I myself have survived a serious health problem and not just survived it but emerged from it at the age of 58 in the best health I have ever enjoyed.

DAILY EXERCISE:
Lots of walking/running/cycling. Bodies like to be worked so work yours. Just bear in mind a gradient approach and don’t over-tax it.

STRESS:
Human beings are tough creatures so I’m not over-keen to play the “stress” card. A busy, active, responsible life with a few thrills and spills is recommended. But get sufficient rest and sleep and give yourself some down time. Take a walk and get yourself some space. As well as ensuring you get sufficient rest, get sufficient WHOLESOME food food and liquids. Read the rest of this entry »

Tax day is past, but remains emblazoned in our memories. It seems everyone wants your money, and after the bills are paid, there often isn’t much left over. So, what do you do about surprise expenses like a big unexpected dental bill? The usual choices are:

1) Go ahead and do it and pay it out of savings
2) Borrow some money and pay it off over time
3) Put it off and tell yourself you will do it in the future
4) Don’t do it and hope for the best. Well, there is another option you may not have considered: Travel abroad for treatment

Why consider going abroad for treatment? First and foremost, to save a lot of money. It is not unusual to save 50% (and sometimes more) on extensive, complicated dental treatment in other countries. If you are looking at proposed treatment that totals thousands of dollars, the numbers are enticing. After all, who doesn’t want to save money? Read the rest of this entry »

Hypertension for years has been known as the silent killer because most people that have high blood pressure are not aware they have the disease. The same can hold true for periodontal disease which is also known for not showing tell tale signs of it until it has advanced to the stage where you are losing your teeth.

The warning signs are there which includes bleeding, tender and swollen gums while brushing, flossing and eating hard food. When your gums began receding or pulling away from your teeth it’s time for one of those dreaded trips to the dentist. If left unattended plaque will spread and grow below the gum line. The toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque will stimulate an inflammatory response in which the body turns on itself. The tissues and bone that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed.

The gums begin separating from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that become infected. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Eventually, the teeth become loose and may have to be removed.

At this point, you really need to see a periodontist. This is a dentist that is trained in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gum disease. If you value your oral hygiene as well as your health, a peridontal evaluation is in order especially in the following situations:
Gums that bleed easily, such as during brushing or flossing Red, tender and swollen gums or gums that have pulled away from the teeth Persistent bad breath Pus between the teeth and gums Loose or separating teeth A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite A sore or irritation in your mouth that does not heal

If you’re diagnosed with periodontal disease, the periodontist may recommend surgery. This is a last resort and is performed if it is determined that the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired non-surgically. Read the rest of this entry »

The aim of these exercises is to help you overcome back discomfort and help in the prevention of back pain. Strong backs do not get injured nearly as often as weaker backs. Stretching alone will not help you if your back is not strong so it is important to do regular exercises for lower back pain.

If you purchase some weights all of these exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home. It is important that before you undertake any exercise programme however, that you get cleared by your doctor particularly if you suffer from chronic back pain or have recently undergone surgery. These exercises are aimed at making the spine stable and they will make it stronger if done regularly; generally it is recommended that you try to work out at least 3 times per week.

Start with 15 reps at a time for each exercise; you can build up the number of sets as you become stronger and more stable. When doing these exercises, in order to activate the transverse abdominal muscles you need to pull in your belly button to the spine. People have a tendency to distend or push out the belly button when they exert force, this has an adverse reaction to core stability, so remember pull in the belly button, suck in those abs and hold but don’t forget to breathe!

OK for the first exercise lie on the ground, keeping the pelvis relaxed, but exaggerating the curve in the lower back by bringing the belly up towards the ceiling, making the contraction nice and hard by exaggerating the curve however the opposite movement is where the exercise comes in to play. Tilt your pelvis back towards your head as you suck your belly button down towards your spine, then tilt back towards your knees and then back towards your head. Repeat. This is the key exercise to start with if you have an acute episode of back pain but only work to your pain tolerance. This exercise aims to increase the range of motion and also by bringing the pelvis back it will help to relax the muscles by taking the pressure off the discs.

To take this exercise to the next level, as before make the contraction nice and hard by exaggerating the curve in the back, lift the pelvis off the ground towards the ceiling into the bridge position, supporting through your shoulders. When you are in this position it is important to keep your body nice and hard by contracting your abdominal muscles and your pelvic floor muscles as you move into the plank position by kicking the right leg straight out,the knee must be in the same plane as the knee of the balancing leg. Keep your stomach tight and avoid twisting or slouching. Maintain the plank for ten seconds keeping nice and strong then bring the extended leg back down, alternate and extend the other leg straight out. By taking the balance point away the small muscles of the lower back will have to contract hard in an effort to stabilise the spine.

Next, lying on the ground, engaging the core, arms outstretched to the side, palms up, lift both feet off the ground bending the knees at a 90 degree angle to the hips, keeping the core still and the knees and heels together, rotate first to the left side and then to the right. The idea is to keep your shoulders down and your head still looking straight up all the time.

To progress from this exercise, in a similar position, extend your knees away from your chest a little further and continue to rotate from side to side maintaining your core stability.

Now still lying flat on your back in the starting position, engaging the core, lift your head up off the ground as you extend your left hand diagonally to the right leg as that leg comes high off the ground to meet the hand, then head, hand and leg go back down to the starting position, then alternate opposite hand with opposite leg again lifting the head off the ground as the cross extension occurs. Alternate, repeat.

For the next exercise again in the starting position, lift the left leg high off the ground towards your chest assisting with your arms to pull all the way as you lift your head off the ground to meet your knee. Alternating right leg, left leg, this exercise will stretch out your hamstrings and lower back.

OK time to get up. Standing before a low bench or table if you are doing these exercises at home, gently squat by bending the knees keeping the head and chest up, rotate, extend arm and reach across to the opposite side of the bench and back up to the standing position, then squat, rotate and reach with the opposite arm to the opposite side of the bench. It is really important that we do not hunch over for this exercise, make sure to bend the knees but keep the body upright in the extension.

Next getting a dumbbell approx 8-10lbs in weight, standing upright, feet close together, dumbbell in left hand, elbow fully bent, tilt body down to the same side as the one you are holding the weight, then back up extending arm straight up above the head. Do not push the arm over the head or tilt to the opposite side; arm comes up and straight next to the head. Do 15 reps and then alternate weight to other side and repeat.

When using weights for some of the exercises,if it is too easy with the chosen weight, increase the weight 5lbs at a time until you get to the point that it is challenging on the last rep. Read the rest of this entry »

With a great deal of Americans tasked with more work than time to do it eating can sometimes become an afterthought. Aside from you missing out on a potentially tasteful meal, there are nutritional and work safety concerns which you should take note of. Furthermore and more importantly there are some actionable tips that may make you more conscience of your behavior which should ultimately make the transition into making smarter choices while eating at work simple and easy.

1. Watch what you eat. Pay very close attention to what you’re consuming while at your desk. A lack of consciousness due to taking calls, meeting with people, or sending emails can lead to overeating and weight gain. Pick a meal that is moderately sized but will not fill you up.

2. Bring your lunch. Prepare and bring a healthy meal such as a salad with chicken or turkey, nuts, vegetables, and beans. This will give you great balance and nutrition in terms of your portion sizes, fiber as well as protein. Try as much as possible to reduce and potentially eliminate take out lunches which generally tend to be expensive, highly caloric and fat, lack the essential nutrients you need to function, and are over-sized.

3. Take a walk when you can. If leaving your desk is absolutely impossible take advantage of functional spaces at work that will allow you maximize your potential to be active. Park far away from your office entrance, purchase a small water bottle and frequently walk to the water cooler to fill it up, make several batches of copies and walk to the printer several times a day. The more physical activities that you can incorporate in your day the more your muscles move and blood flow and the better off you are.

4. Sanitize your work space. Be sure to wipe your entire desk, phone, and keyboard with a disinfecting spray or wipes. This will help rid unwanted bacteria from growing and accumulating in your food while you eat.

5. Use a place mat. Provide yourself with additional protection after you disinfect. Place mats are important because they can provide a barrier between existing bacteria on your desk and food.

6. Eat with co-workers. This will relieve stress from the monotony of your work and encourage productivity and creativity among one another.

7. Do not make it a habit. In some instances there may be situations which call for your complete and undivided attention while eating. Hopefully this is not the case and you will be able to add diversity to your lunchtime eating habits by meeting with friends at a neutral site or reading and eating in the cafeteria with colleagues.

Fitness is defined as a state of being healthy, which prepares the body for the physical necessities of daily life. To be more precise, fitness provides strength, flexibility and stamina for the proper functioning of the body. It is a total solution for a perfect, fine-tuned life. The five main components of fitness are aerobic endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility and body composition. The right kind of physical and mental exercises and proper intake of nutritious food are the factors that contribute to fitness. A well-balanced diet not only makes one fit, but provides all necessary nutrients for the body. Mental fitness, essential for the psychological well-being of a person, is also a key factor in sustaining a healthy state.

Fitness lowers the risks of various health issues such as obesity, cardio-vascular problems, habitual inactivity and depression. It helps to prevent age-related problems. Moreover, fitness makes one feel relaxed and active throughout the day.

To stay physically fit doesn’t entail spending hours in a gym or on costly fitness to develop muscle mass like body builders. All you need to do is improve power and endurance and get mobile. Read the rest of this entry »

In deciding to use Suzanne Somers’ diet plan you may wonder if it is an easy one to follow? With following any diet there will be steps and rules you need to apply in order for them to work properly. Suzanne Somers’ diet plan is no different but I think the diet is pretty simple.

Suzanne Somers’ diet plan is laid out for you in two levels. In the first level you are going through the steps of learning a new way of eating. Her diet is a form of food combining and you learn how to do this by following seven steps.

What food combining allows your body to do is first properly burn carbohydrates as fuel. Once your body has limited sources of carbohydrates it can then break down your fat reserves causing you to lose the weight. These seven steps teach you when to eat certain foods and how to combine the different food groups. You do this because your body digests proteins and carbohydrates differently.

Level one is the weight loss part of Suzanne Somers’ diet plan and yes there are foods that you will need to cut out of your diet. The list is fairly small but you get an understanding on how certain foods affect your body. This is something that you will find with most diets. There are foods that you need to cut out of it to get the best results.

Being able to eat is one of the most appealing things about Suzanne Somers’ diet plan. One of the rules is that you don’t skip meals. You actually shoot for eating three meals a day and you eat until you feel satisfied and comfortably full. There is no calorie counting involved with this diet.

There are so many diets that limit you to what you can eat. Personally, I love my salads but I am not willing to make them my main and only meal for an extended amount of time. With this diet plan you’re satisfied because you learn to satisfy your body’s needs by eating real food.

Even with the few foods that you do cut out there is still such a variety of things that you can eat that you don’t miss them much. Suzanne Somers’ has created a balanced plan so your body is receiving the necessary nutrients that it needs.

Once you reach your goal weight through level one then you move on to level two. At this level you are maintaining what weight you have lost. You do this with moderation. At this stage you are learning to balance what you eat so you can enjoy all foods. Even some of the ones that you had previously cut out of your diet.

The key to maintaining what you have accomplished with this diet is to not go back to your old habits. You are learning a new way of eating and it is a lifestyle change. If you feel that you have indulged too much with level two then you diligently practice what you learned from level one until you are back to the weight you want.