Showing posts with label Health Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health Tips. Show all posts
Research shows that walking 10,000 steps a day will significantly improve your health. Putting one foot in front of the other can build stamina, burn excess calories and give you a healthier heart.
What's so great about walking?
Walking can be done almost anywhere, at any time, and in any weather. It's also a great way to get from A to B, which means you can fit walking into your daily routine.
How do I know how many steps I'm taking?
The average person walks between 3,000 and 4,000 steps per day, and 1,000 steps is the equivalent of around 10 minutes of brisk walking. To find out how many steps you take each day, buy a pedometer similar to the one in the video at the bottom of this page. You only need a simple one that tracks steps, and it can cost as little as £4. Clip it firmly to a belt or the waistband of your trousers, and it will measure every step you take: around the house, across the office, window shopping, to school or the park. You might find that you walk almost 10,000 steps a day, or that you walk less than you think. Whatever your results, you now have an invaluable tool to help motivate you.
How many calories will I burn if I walk 10,000 steps a day?
You'll typically use between 300 and 400 calories by walking 10,000 steps. For sustainable weight loss, you should aim for a calorie deficit - that is, more calories used than consumed - of around 600 calories per day.
What if I don’t take any exercise at the moment?
If you aren’t used to being active, start slowly. No one expects 10,000 steps on the first day! If you're worried about your joints or any existing health condition, talk to your GP. If your joints are a problem, you can see if your local swimming pool holds exercise classes. The water helps to support your joints while you move, and once you lose a bit of weight that will reduce the pressure on your joints.
Do I need any special clothing?
We recommend a pair of cushioned trainers, which most people have already.
What’s the best way to start?
Using your pedometer, find out how many steps you take during a normal day. It could be as little as 900 or as much as 5,000 depending on what you do. Interestingly, city dwellers who use public transport tend to walk more than country dwellers. Aim to take your highest total number of steps daily for a week or so, remembering to log the numbers every night in a diary to keep track. As soon as you feel comfortable, try to increase your steps to 10,000 a day.
10,000 steps sounds like a huge amount. How do I fit all that walking into my busy day?
Try these tips for getting more steps into your life:
* Get off the bus early and walk the rest of the way home or to work.
* Walk to the station instead of taking the car or bus.
* Invest in a ‘sholley’ or shopping trolley and shop locally if you can.
* Walk the children to school, whatever the weather.
* Get fit with Fido - walk the dog. For more tips and advice see the link on the right of the page.
I find walking boring. How can I make it more fun?
* Find a walking partner so you have someone to chat to as you walk.
* Get an MP3 player and listen to your favourite tracks or podcasts as you go.
* Remember how much good you're doing for your health by walking, and enjoy the scenery, shops and people you see.
How long do I have to keep walking?
The rest of your life! It takes a while for a regular activity to become a healthy habit, so just keep going and it will become second nature. You’ll soon find yourself doing many more than 10,000 steps some days.
What if I can’t walk for a few days due to illness or a holiday?
Just start again when you can, and build up slowly if you've been ill. The sooner you get back into the exercise groove, the better. When going on a holiday, choose one where you'll have plenty of opportunities to walk, for instance along the beach or in the countryside.
Is walking enough? Or should I think about other exercise as well?
It's recommended that adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, at least five days a week. That could all come from brisk walking, or it can come from a mixture of physical activities.
Once you're feeling the benefits if 10,000 steps a day, you're bound to start thinking about other forms of activity. You could visit your local fitness centre and see what's on offer. Some people enjoy competitive sports, others prefer sociable physical activity such as dancing.
How do I know how many steps I'm taking?
The average person walks between 3,000 and 4,000 steps per day, and 1,000 steps is the equivalent of around 10 minutes of brisk walking. To find out how many steps you take each day, buy a pedometer similar to the one in the video at the bottom of this page. You only need a simple one that tracks steps, and it can cost as little as £4. Clip it firmly to a belt or the waistband of your trousers, and it will measure every step you take: around the house, across the office, window shopping, to school or the park. You might find that you walk almost 10,000 steps a day, or that you walk less than you think. Whatever your results, you now have an invaluable tool to help motivate you.
How many calories will I burn if I walk 10,000 steps a day?
You'll typically use between 300 and 400 calories by walking 10,000 steps. For sustainable weight loss, you should aim for a calorie deficit - that is, more calories used than consumed - of around 600 calories per day.
What if I don’t take any exercise at the moment?
If you aren’t used to being active, start slowly. No one expects 10,000 steps on the first day! If you're worried about your joints or any existing health condition, talk to your GP. If your joints are a problem, you can see if your local swimming pool holds exercise classes. The water helps to support your joints while you move, and once you lose a bit of weight that will reduce the pressure on your joints.
Do I need any special clothing?
We recommend a pair of cushioned trainers, which most people have already.
What’s the best way to start?
Using your pedometer, find out how many steps you take during a normal day. It could be as little as 900 or as much as 5,000 depending on what you do. Interestingly, city dwellers who use public transport tend to walk more than country dwellers. Aim to take your highest total number of steps daily for a week or so, remembering to log the numbers every night in a diary to keep track. As soon as you feel comfortable, try to increase your steps to 10,000 a day.
10,000 steps sounds like a huge amount. How do I fit all that walking into my busy day?
Try these tips for getting more steps into your life:
* Get off the bus early and walk the rest of the way home or to work.
* Walk to the station instead of taking the car or bus.
* Invest in a ‘sholley’ or shopping trolley and shop locally if you can.
* Walk the children to school, whatever the weather.
* Get fit with Fido - walk the dog. For more tips and advice see the link on the right of the page.
I find walking boring. How can I make it more fun?
* Find a walking partner so you have someone to chat to as you walk.
* Get an MP3 player and listen to your favourite tracks or podcasts as you go.
* Remember how much good you're doing for your health by walking, and enjoy the scenery, shops and people you see.
How long do I have to keep walking?
The rest of your life! It takes a while for a regular activity to become a healthy habit, so just keep going and it will become second nature. You’ll soon find yourself doing many more than 10,000 steps some days.
What if I can’t walk for a few days due to illness or a holiday?
Just start again when you can, and build up slowly if you've been ill. The sooner you get back into the exercise groove, the better. When going on a holiday, choose one where you'll have plenty of opportunities to walk, for instance along the beach or in the countryside.
Is walking enough? Or should I think about other exercise as well?
It's recommended that adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, at least five days a week. That could all come from brisk walking, or it can come from a mixture of physical activities.
Once you're feeling the benefits if 10,000 steps a day, you're bound to start thinking about other forms of activity. You could visit your local fitness centre and see what's on offer. Some people enjoy competitive sports, others prefer sociable physical activity such as dancing.
The riskiest foods
Food poisoning is a horrible, even potentially life-threatening experience. But it’s hard to determine if food is safe to eat, partly because problems are relatively rare.
But knowing which foods are potentially risky can help.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has issued a list of the top 10 FDA-regulated foods linked to outbreaks since 1990. (That includes produce, seafood, egg, and dairy products, but not meat.)
Be aware of the risk, but don’t avoid these types of food. “They are everywhere and are part of a healthy diet,” says CSPI staff attorney.
Food poisoning is a horrible, even potentially life-threatening experience. But it’s hard to determine if food is safe to eat, partly because problems are relatively rare.
But knowing which foods are potentially risky can help.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has issued a list of the top 10 FDA-regulated foods linked to outbreaks since 1990. (That includes produce, seafood, egg, and dairy products, but not meat.)
Be aware of the risk, but don’t avoid these types of food. “They are everywhere and are part of a healthy diet,” says CSPI staff attorney.
A three-month course of the supplement appeared to be as effective as drugs, cutting the rate of psychotic illness like schizophrenia by a quarter.
The researchers believe it is the omega-3 in fish oil - already hailed for promoting healthy hearts - that has beneficial effects in the brain.
A "natural" remedy would be welcomed, Archives of General Psychiatry says.
"The finding that treatment with a natural substance may prevent, or at least delay, the onset of psychotic disorder gives hope that there may be alternatives to antipsychotic drugs," the study authors said.
Antipsychotic drugs are potent and can have serious side effects, which puts some people off taking them.
Fish oil supplements, on the other hand, are generally well tolerated and easy to take, say the scientists.
The international team from Austria, Australia and Switzerland tested the treatment in 81 people deemed to be at particularly high risk of developing psychosis.
Natural choice
Their high risk was down to a strong family history of schizophrenia, or similar disorders, or them already showing mild symptoms of these conditions themselves.
For the test, half of the individuals took fish oil supplements (1.2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids) for 12 weeks, while the other half took only a dummy pill. Neither group knew which treatment they were receiving.
Dr Paul Amminger and his team followed the groups for a year to see how many, if any, went on to develop illness.
Two in the fish oil group developed a psychotic disorder compared to 11 in the placebo group.
Based on the results, the investigators estimate that one high-risk adult could be protected from developing psychosis for every four treated over a year.
They believe the omega-3 fatty acids found in the supplements may alter brain signalling in the brain with beneficial effects.
Alison Cobb, of the mental health charity Mind, said: "If young people can be treated successfully with fish oils, this is hugely preferable to treating them with antipsychotics, which come with a range of problems from weight gain to sexual dysfunction, whereas omega-3s are actually beneficial to their general state of health.
"These are promising results and more research is needed to show if omega-3s could be an alternative to antipsychotics in the long term."
source BBC News
The researchers believe it is the omega-3 in fish oil - already hailed for promoting healthy hearts - that has beneficial effects in the brain.
A "natural" remedy would be welcomed, Archives of General Psychiatry says.
"The finding that treatment with a natural substance may prevent, or at least delay, the onset of psychotic disorder gives hope that there may be alternatives to antipsychotic drugs," the study authors said.
Antipsychotic drugs are potent and can have serious side effects, which puts some people off taking them.
Fish oil supplements, on the other hand, are generally well tolerated and easy to take, say the scientists.
The international team from Austria, Australia and Switzerland tested the treatment in 81 people deemed to be at particularly high risk of developing psychosis.
Natural choice
Their high risk was down to a strong family history of schizophrenia, or similar disorders, or them already showing mild symptoms of these conditions themselves.
For the test, half of the individuals took fish oil supplements (1.2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids) for 12 weeks, while the other half took only a dummy pill. Neither group knew which treatment they were receiving.
Dr Paul Amminger and his team followed the groups for a year to see how many, if any, went on to develop illness.
Two in the fish oil group developed a psychotic disorder compared to 11 in the placebo group.
Based on the results, the investigators estimate that one high-risk adult could be protected from developing psychosis for every four treated over a year.
They believe the omega-3 fatty acids found in the supplements may alter brain signalling in the brain with beneficial effects.
Alison Cobb, of the mental health charity Mind, said: "If young people can be treated successfully with fish oils, this is hugely preferable to treating them with antipsychotics, which come with a range of problems from weight gain to sexual dysfunction, whereas omega-3s are actually beneficial to their general state of health.
"These are promising results and more research is needed to show if omega-3s could be an alternative to antipsychotics in the long term."
source BBC News
The adverse effects from smoking include:• Various Cancers
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Passive smoking is a risk factor for others including pregnant and children
Smoking is an addiction and you must have the will to stop it and you must believe that also. The best way is to stop it immediately. If you want to reduce it slowly it is difficult to stop. Every individual is different. If you cannot stop it immediately it is better to try to stop it gradually. It is never late stop smoking.
Once you quit smoking, the health benefits could be felt by you immediately, within 24 hours, which could motivate you to be free from smoking.
Many million people want to stop smoking in our world, but 2% to 3% only quit successfully for 3 to 12 months. If we think about stop smoking scientifically, at first, we must know all the adverse effects of smoking. The decision to stop smoking is the next step. You must always remember there are no safe tobacco products.
The tips to stop smoking include:
• Set a stress free date for stopping
• Find a partner who may be a friend, relative or colleague for motivation and support
• Inform all so that nobody offers you a cigarette
• Make a plan for deep breathing exercise or other physical activities; consult with your doctor. Exercises give you more energy and help to reduce stress
• Healthy food and consult with your doctor or dietician about the possible weight gain also
• Avoid the triggers to smoke. They are stress, after a meal, after a coffee or after a drink. You must decide how you deal with the triggers.
• Very dangerous are the cravings which can last for 3 to 5 minutes. Deep breathing, a walk, your music or a telephone call to somebody can help to overcome the cravings. If possible avoid chips, other snacks and chocolates or take in small quantities.
• Everyday be proud of you and this gives you positive energy to master this.
• You must be in a position to manage the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. There are few helps for that – nicotine nasal sprays, nicotine inhalers, nicotine patches and nicotine gum.
Other therapy forms like psychological therapy may also be useful. The first fourteen days are very difficult and here you may need help. The risk of relapsing is the first three months after stopping. But with a strong will you can stop completely. It takes ten years for your body to recover completely from the effects of smoking. So stop smoking now.