Running Your Way to Success

We already know that running is not just for runners anymore but in knowing what else can we get when we run? Running for 30 minutes at least thrice everyday has already been tried, tested and proven to maintain healthy weight but apart from that it has also shown to improve motivation and perspective among people who run. In other words, running can lead you to a happier, fitter and healthier life.

Running for Health

There is no need for you to join any marathon or running event in order for you to start your running activity. Running alone is a healthy activity whether or not you are in it for competition. In order to maximize the benefits of running, you should run at least 30 minutes continuously three to four times within a week. This can guarantee healthy bodily systems such as ensuring adequate blood circulation within the body.

There is also no need for you to spend too much when you engage in running. You only need a comfortable pair of shoes and you can do it just about anywhere from parks to highways. In fact, fun runs are a great way for you to keep an active lifestyle. Obtaining the right and appropriate shoes for your feet is the key in preventing injuries.

Running for Attitude

The quickest way that you can develop a healthier, happier and fitter character to face the challenges of life is to run. With this, you will develop a sense of motivation so that you can slowly work towards success. Running 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes continuously then it is also implied that you can do almost anything that your heart desires. There are a lot of people who have already become addicted to running as it gives them full control and power over themselves. It is one of the most rewarding activities even when you do it on a not-so-ideal weather.

You will develop an attitude of positivity thereby teaching you that you can do anything possible if you set your mind and heart to do it. Running with a negative attitude will not get you very far. It will make you feel like a big obstacle has been set to prevent you from running further. It prevents you to develop an affinity with this activity and nothing good will come out if you only force yourself to do so.

Running with a positive attitude will motivate you to achieve more. In fact, it is an achievement in itself. Once you look forward to running more, you are actually looking forward to a stronger and faster goal. In addition to this, you can develop a sense of fulfilment as you start working on other aspects of your life. You will deal with any problem that you can encounter at work and deal with all challenges that life has brought you.

Running for Perspective

Conquering the 30-minute mark of continuous running is like conquering any inhibitions that you have about running. You will wonder whether you can run longer, faster or further than what you can within 30 minutes. Fun runs will help you gauge how much you can handle. Some organizations will sponsor these kinds of events to inspire young athletes and health enthusiasts like you to engage in this activity.

Relationship between Diabetes and being Overweight

Being overweight is a global concern and in fact has become an epidemic in most parts of world. It leads to a lot of life threatening conditions including diabetes particularly type 2 diabetes. The condition is no longer just the concern among the older population even though the risk increases with age. However, a large number of the younger population is also diagnosed with being overweight. Statistically speaking, the figures are gradually increasing.

What is the relationship of diabetes and being overweight?

There are a lot of people who think that these are two separate entities. Although there is some truth in this statement, it cannot be ignored that the relationship of the two is already established. Without adequate intervention in diet and exercise, type 2 diabetes will develop over time and it does not just take years but can occur within months after becoming overweight.

Many studies have shown that being overweight and diabetes are strongly linked between each other particularly the type 2 diabetes otherwise known as the adult onset diabetes. However, there is a misnomer on the term “adult onset diabetes” because type 2 diabetes has been increasingly found among overweight children and adolescents.

What the condition is essentially about?

In type 2 diabetes, the production of insulin is adequate and appropriate but because of the complications of obesity or being overweight the body cannot use insulin the way it was supposed to be.

The normal production of insulin will become “overproduction” later on since the body could not utilize it according to its purpose. As a result, the body could no longer obtain the right amount of blood sugar levels and start developing the condition “insulin resistance.” This condition has increasingly become a result of obesity or being overweight.

How can we prevent such condition to develop?

The very root of the problem is not medical but dietary. Obesity or being overweight is highly preventable as long as you follow the right diet. Education and increase in awareness is the most important keys to solve the rise of numbers diagnosed with type-2 diabetes especially among children. It is important to tackle the issue of being overweight during its early phases in order to prevent the development of the disease.

There is a lot of information related to obesity and diabetes related literature not only in books and health magazines but also in the internet. Furthermore, diet is not the only thing that should be given attention to but also exercise. Most overweight people lead a sedentary lifestyle and this should also be taken account for if you want to prevent diabetes from developing.

Diabetes and being overweight are not hard to prevent. Mild weight loss during the course of a lifetime can significantly reduce the risk of developing this disease around 5-10%. A well balanced diet in addition to moderate exercise daily is a very important step so that your body will not adapt and be resistant to insulin. Reduction of life’s stress is also very important for long-term diabetes prevention.

If you are already suffering from obesity, it is suggested that you take even just 30 minutes of your time everyday and spend it on moderate exercise as you slowly start the process of losing weight. Not only that you will improve the quality of life you are going to live but you will also reduce any medication intake in order to control the condition. In the process, you will save money, time and effort but still develop a healthy and quality life.

Overweight and Blood Pressure – Lowering the Levels

When you are overweight, you will face a lot of complications including high blood pressure. In view of this, it is important that you should get your blood pressure taken at the very least 2 years in order to prevent further complications. Complications related to high blood pressure includes damage to blood vessels, risk of heart disease, increasing the risk of heart attack, kidney failure and even stroke.

Testing your blood pressure only takes a few minutes. Your doctor will be able treat you as soon as you are diagnosed. Furthermore, you will also be given some helpful advice on lifestyle changes that you can follow. The following are helpful advices to help you deal with high blood pressure not only when you are overweight.

Quit Smoking

If you smoke and you are overweight, you are doubling the risk of developing health related issues therefore it is important that you try to quit smoking. For some people, this is easier said than done but when you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle you should put a stop on this unhealthy habit. What happens when you smoke? Your heart rate will increase as a result to the temporary increase in the blood pressure brought about by the constriction of your blood vessels. If you quit smoking, you will reverse the effects of smoking in your system.

Weight Loss

Keeping your blood pressured checked can be achieved through losing weight and leading an active lifestyle. Too much fat engulfing your heart will result to doubling the work load that your heart is currently facing. You will increase the risk of developing heart attack and stroke in the process. In this view alone, you will find that losing weight can help you increase the overall health of your circulatory system.

Alcohol Moderation

It is important that you limit the amount of alcohol that you are consuming. Alcohol consumption significantly increases blood pressure especially in people with the predisposing factors. Alcohol moderation should be practiced so that you will help your blood vessels function well thus delivering adequate amount of blood within your system. If you cannot totally quit drinking then it is important that you moderate your intake to not more than 1 glass.

Reduce Salt Intake

Blood pressure is easily increased through the increase in salt intake. You will retain water along with salt intake. When your body retain too much water, it follows that your circulation will become overloaded with fluid. Your body will compensate this too much water by regulating the circulation thereby increasing your blood pressure. You can reverse this by reducing your salt intake. This is the reason why doctors sometimes prescribe low salt-low fat diet to their patients.

Reduce Stress

Stress is probably the most active aspect of our lives and it is one of the major causes of increased blood pressure especially when we allow it to affect us. Dealing with stress will help you achieve a well-balanced lifestyle. You should not let it build up inside you. You should develop some hobbies that will become an outlet where you can pour off daily stresses. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises can help you relieve the stress from your system as well.

Follow Doctor’s Advice

The reason why other people with high blood pressure continue to suffer from the condition is because they are non-compliant to the doctor’s recommendation. It is important that you drink your medications on time and follow through with every last bit of advice that your doctor tells you. Doing so would help you increase your life span or perhaps even lead quality life ahead.

How to Lower Your Cholesterol in Obesity

High blood cholesterol content is not just for people who have the medical condition to develop it. Keeping your cholesterol levels in check is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well as living quality life all throughout. There are a lot of ways by which you can lower your blood cholesterol when you are overweight but the goal and results practically remains the same. You will prevent many illnesses and diseases like heart conditions if you lower the cholesterol levels in your body.

Here are some important reminders that you can do:

1. Make necessary changes in your diet and food consumption. This is by far the easiest but the most overlooked way of lowering your blood cholesterol. In reality, it is actually easier said than done especially when we don’t possess the will to do so.

2. Burn off excess fats and calories from your body by doing regular and moderate exercise. Thrice a week would suffice if you cannot make it daily.

3. It is also important that you spend at least 30 minutes of exercise if you can exercise daily within the week.

4. Eat foods that are rich in nutrients. Healthy diet should consist of foods that are complete with all necessary vitamins and minerals. The only way that you can achieve this is to include fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.

5. Foods that are rich in fiber are also very important such as wholegrain foods.

6. Include at least two dishes of fish in your diet every week so that you can get adequate amount of omega 3, which is an important fatty acid.

7. Cut out any junk foods or processed foods from your diet so that you will not consume too much salt and monosodium glutamate, which can further increase cholesterol levels in your body. You will also significantly lower saturated fats from your diet if you do this.

8. Only consume lean meat in your diet. For example, you should remove the skin from the chicken that you consume since it contains a lot of fats.

9. Drink alcohol in moderation if you can’t completely eliminate it off in your lifestyle.

10. Finally, read nutritional values that are included on the food that you are eating.

Starting off on a fitness program is essential in keeping your cholesterol levels in check. It is important that you do this on a regular basis so that you can maintain cholesterol levels in your blood.

1. Start with the fitness program slowly. Do not strain your body just because you want to lose excess fat, weight or lower your cholesterol quickly. There is no quick solution in this not even when you want to lose weight. Once you have started off with the program, work your way from there gradually until you reach the 30-minute daily mark.

2. Don’t forget to make your fitness program become part of your daily routine whenever possible so that you can maintain the level of activity you can do each day. Make time in your busy schedule and you can easily do this by developing your organizational skills.

3. Include adequate water intake in your diet so that you don’t dehydrate. Water is a very important aspect in keeping your body refreshed and in facilitating easy release of toxins out from your system.

Remember, if you start with the right footing in your activity, you will reach your goal in keeping the levels of your cholesterol in check.

12 Essential Tips in Achieving Better Health

Many people think that achieving better health is as easy as turning 360 degrees but in reality it requires a much bigger decision. It requires you to take a big leap in admitting that you have to make some necessary alterations in your lifestyle so that you would become healthier and fitter to face life’s challenges. Here, you will find some essential tips in achieving a better health and a fresher you.

1. Develop a healthier perspective in life and make it a lifetime goal to achieve so that you will renew it each coming year. Doing this would undoubtedly result to a healthier and newer you especially when you want to reach better mental health. Developing a healthier perspective is the same as developing a positive outlook so that you would not fall into the grip of life’s stress.

2. Reinforce your activities with knowledge. If you start learning about healthier ways, you will find that there are still things that you need to improve in order for you to live a healthier life. Take advantage of the internet to gather all the information that you need and visit your local bookstore for some books, magazines and pamphlets that support healthy living. There are also clubs and support groups that will provide some helpful advice on healthy lifestyle as well as DVDs that are designed to provide information.

3. Start the changes in your kitchen. Sometimes in our busy lives, we forget that our kitchen is where health starts therefore you need to start organizing the foods that you are going to consume on a weekly basis so that you can maximize your time spent preparing your food. Discard anything that does not support the word ‘health.’

4. Make a list of healthier foods and replace the junk foods that you can find in your kitchen. Purchasing electrical devices that will support healthy eating such as blenders would help you make fresh fruit juices instead of relying on pre-packed juices.

5. Develop organizing skills by getting a planner calendar that you can pin up inside your kitchen so that you can put all your notes and markings on specific days. You need to stick to the schedule no matter what you do.

6. Make a journal and start doing it on the day that you started to make the changes in your lifestyle. You can either go for traditional methods or utilize your computer to do the same. Include all the thoughts that you have daily on your journal as well as any changes that you notice inside and out. All of these things are essential when you try to look back on the days that you are still developing your healthy lifestyle.

7. Always carry positive thoughts in you so that you can reinforce the confidence that you have in the beginning of this activity. These positive thoughts will carry you through the rough times that you will inevitably face during the early phase.

8. Increase your daily activities. While it is good that you make the necessary changes in your diet, you should also do adequate amount of exercise during the day so that you can keep your body fit.

9. Stop bad habits. They say that habits are hard to break like smoking and drinking but if you want to achieve better health and better life you need to bring these habits to their end.

10. Include fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins and minerals to promote health.

11. Avoid too much stress from your life. There are many ways that you can do this such as keeping your organization skills in check.

12. Reduce fat, sugar and salt consumption. Only consume enough when you consume your food in order to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.

Acupuncture and Your Nutrition

As you begin your acupuncture sessions, you will realize how big the number of people who are joining you in this practice. Along the way, you will realize that you need to start a new diet program so that you can benefit more from the therapy. If you work towards eating and practicing healthy, you will notice that acupuncture can actually have its maximum effect. You will notice that your minor ailments are slowly receding and that you will experience a totally new you with a healthier practice to maintain. Altering your diet to work alongside acupuncture sessions will not only make you feel better but will also improve the quality of your life and live longer.

However, it is important that you consult with your physician first before you begin altering your usual diet. It could be that at some point it may be bad for your health, which is why a professional guidance would benefit you more. Your physician may also be able to suggest good food that can radically change your health for the better. Any major changes should be consulted to a health professional so that you know exactly what you are doing. Take note of any symptoms like exhaustion and weakening during your diet change and consult your doctor if it worsens.

Acupuncture professionals will be able to recommend good herbs for you to take as well. A nutritional tea herb that you can drink along with the acupuncture session may enhance the effects of each session giving you a better and healthier perspective. You need to be open with your acupuncturist especially when there are things that you are allergic from. Tea bags can also be used as a replacement, which generally have some effects. There are herbal medications or supplements that are ideal to couple with acupuncture sessions to improve any medical condition you may have.

The three main factors of a healthy life are – healthy diet, herbal supplements and acupuncture. With these three present, you will be able to improve any medical ailments that you may have. You can also enhance the way your body utilize the food that you eat by improving your digestion.

However, above all these, you need to pay extra attention to whatever food you are eating. Physical activities are also important to keep your body physically fit and sound.

You need to ask your acupuncturist about certain things that you need to be aware of. A good acupuncturist will assist you and guide you towards achieving a healthy life.

Acupuncture for Fibromyalgia Treatment

Thousands of people have already been affected with Fibromyalgia and so far with the kind of technology we have now, there is still no cure for this disease. The treatment process is only geared to alleviate you from pain temporarily. Not only will your muscles be in pain but also your joints where you will suffer other problems such as stiffness. You will also find it hard to sleep thus resulting to constant fatigue. Chinese acupuncture would help you regarding the symptoms.

There are a lot of people who suffer from this disorder that found their relief from acupuncture and other traditional form of healing.

Acupuncture is a method of traditional medicine that can be tolerated with minimal to no side effects therefore patients who have participated in this form of healing will feel better than when they leave their doctor’s offices. Acupuncture needles are used to stimulate the flow of energy into your body. The process of insertion of the needles may feel a little uncomfortable but when they are done properly, you will feel nothing at all. Make sure that you go to a professional acupuncturist who is trained and has mastered the techniques of acupuncture.

Patients with fibromyalgia only receive treatments that are symptom specific just to help them cope with their condition. Acupuncturists will use needles but they will also use warming-up and cupping techniques so that the flow of energy can help cure the joint pain. The entire process only takes a short amount of time and there are a lot of patients who were relieved after the treatment.

However, some patients report that they feel no relief at all and the treatment process can be expensive therefore you need to make sure that you are decided on taking on the therapy. Many patients find relief with continued or repeated therapies and realized that it is something that they need to include in their weekly or monthly budget.

Patients with fibromyalgia greatly benefits from acupuncture especially with regards to pain. However, there is little proof documented about the benefits of the procedure aside from the testimonies of patients who have undergone the procedure. The studies conducted about acupuncture never really did come out beneficial in terms of documentation since it became a mind over matter issue.

Patients who claim to have found relief in the procedure may have been relieved only through their faith and faith is not something that the general population bases their beliefs upon. You might want to consult your physician regarding this procedure and see what they think about the issue. Sometimes, doctors can be accommodating that they will provide the information that you should know.