Health Tips

30 Simple Diet and Fitness Tips

Curb your sweet tooth

Got a late-night sugar craving that just won't quit? "To satisfy your sweet tooth without pushing yourself over the calorie edge, even in the late night hours, think 'fruit first,'" says Jackie Newgent, RD, author of The Big Green Cookbook. So resist that chocolate cake siren, and instead enjoy a sliced apple with a tablespoon of nut butter (like peanut or almond) or fresh fig halves spread with ricotta. Then sleep sweet, knowing you're still on the right, healthy track.

Here are some tips that could help improve your vision and eye health.

• Firstly, make sure you have no refractive errors or other medical conditions that could cause diminished vision. If in doubt, get your eye refraction tested by an optometrist and check if you need spectacles.
• The most important way to help improve vision and eye health is to have a balanced nutritious diet. One should opt for foods that are rich in vitamin A, C, E and beta-Carotene like carrots, apples, green leafy vegetables, fish, nuts, beans etc.
• The eye is one of the delicate organs in the body. It needs utmost care. Tears are naturally formed in the eyes to lubricate them. Therefore, one must take care that there is adequate tear formation, and that there is no blockade in formation of tears.

• Dryness of the eyes causes hazy vision. Frequent blinking prevents dryness of the eyes and effectively lubricates it. Therefore, make sure to blink often.
• Continuous staring at electronic monitors and phones also cause strain on the eyes. One must take a break and look away from the screen every 20 minutes.
• Quit smoking or do not start: If you want to maintain good eyesight, you better not smoke. If you are already smoking, it is better to quit. Smoking decreases blood supply to the miniature blood vessels in the eye, causes early cataracts as well.
• Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses when you are out in the sun and dust.
• If you work with chemicals that might potentially cause injury to the eyes, please make sure to wear protective eye-gear. It is important to wear them during certain sports like ice hockey, swimming, skiing etc.
• Exercise your eyes: Perform simple exercises of the eyes like rolling the eyes in clockwise and counter clockwise direction alternatively. You can do this in the mornings, and at any time your eyes are strained.
• Get adequate sleep: Sleep rejuvenates the eyes as it does other organs. Ensure to get adequate sleep. A minimum of 6 hours of undisturbed sleep is good.

Tips to control dandruff during Monsoon!

New Delhi: Hair care during monsoon becomes a herculean task and one of the most common woes during the rainy season is dandruff. From using a diet low in sugar and high in antioxidants to opting for light conditioner can help in getting rid of such problems, says an expert.

Sangeeta Velaskar, vice president and head, Medical Services and R&D, Kaya India has a few tips to help control dandruff:

* Use an effective anti-dandruff shampoo specially formulated with active ingredients such as zinc pyrithione or piroctone olamine, which control the fungus and yeasts. Such a shampoo can be used as often as required -- once, twice or even thrice weekly. Combine it with a mild conditioner formulated for greasy hair.

* It is important to keep the scalp dry. In case your hair gets wet in the rain, make sure you wash it thoroughly with a mild cleanser and use a conditioner thereafter. Remember to dry your hair completely before leaving the house.

* If you have sticky hair, just opt for a light conditioner that is suited for limp and oily hair. The trick is to pick the right product. The conditioner should be applied to the hair ends and not on the scalp. Application on the scalp may increase dandruff, especially during monsoon.

* Recognise your severity. If you are suffering more than moderate flaking and itching, be sure to find the right product. There are products that include intensive solutions targeted at severe dandruff sufferers. Do visit a dermatologist if the problem persists.

* A diet low in sugar and high in antioxidants will reduce inflammation and could help in controlling dandruff.

Know what stress can do to your skin and hair!

New Delhi: In today's fast-paced world, stress has become a way of life for many people owing to their hectic schedules.
While a little stress is considered to be good, a stressful life can lead to serious mental and physical health problems.
Not just that, but stress can also wreak havoc on your beauty such as skin and hair, according to expert.
Pankaj Chaturvedi, dermatologist and specialist hair transplant surgeon at MedLinks, a centre for skin and hair treatment, shares what stress can do to skin and hair:
* Acne: Since our skin and mind are deeply connected; the moment stress hormones are released, oil production in the skin increases and leads to acne breakouts.
* Ageing: It is easy to identify people who are stressed because the signs of ageing such as wrinkles and dark circles start to show on their face much earlier than they should.
* Hair loss: Due to stress, our blood vessels get constricted and the hair follicles are unable to get the required quantity of oxygen and other nutrients, which are necessary for hair growth. Lack of nutrients often leads to hair loss for various people who are stressed.
Here are some of the best ways to reduce stress:
* Get a nice massage. It will help to relax your body and open all the blocked energy channels.
* Exercise for some time. It motivates you and lifts your mood. It helps to energise you and is the key to a healthy body.
* Meditate for at least 15 to 20 minutes per day. You can do it any time, any place at your convenience. Sitting in peace can help you to focus your thoughts and help release stress.
* Eat small frequent meals and eat healthy food. Some foods that are really good for busting stress include almonds, blueberries and salmon.
* Sleep for at least eight hours. Lack of sleep makes a person cranky and irritable. Nothing can beat a good night`s sleep in releasing stress.

(With IANS inputs)

Hold time with anti-aging revolution, RRR Facial 

The world is too modern to age – say the wise! Trailing in the same path, ALPS Beauty Clinics, renowned cosmetic clinic chain has been this revolutionary anti-ageing facial called, RRR. The treatment is known to have skin- firming and lifting properties.

Let’s know it all from aesthetician & cosmetologist and Founder-Director of Alps Beauty Clinics, Ms Bharti Taneja.
What is RRR Facial?
As the 3 R’S of this facial stand for rehydration, rejuvenation and regeneration, this is a complete therapy for aging skin. It not only works on the skin but also tones up the facial muscles with the help of face lifting. The pure collagen mask applied in end, supplies skin with 95% of pure collagen that improves elasticity and hydration level of the skin.
This is amongst the successful skin treatments to combat signs of skin-ageing.
As the three R’s imply – this facial, rehydrates, regenerates and rejuvenates the skin. So, if you encounter sagging or loss of elasticity on your skin, due to age or any other factor – this treatment is sure to prove beneficial by treating such issues.
How it works?
The elements involved in this treatment boost the collagen production in the skin-cells – making you do away with early signs of ageing. This process involves exfoliating and enhancing the fabrication of new cells for faster renewal of your skin – which shows!
The facial is done using a micro-massager or uplifting machine which uplifts your face while making the saggy skin firm and elastic. In the end, a face mask called ‘young-skin’ mask is applied all over your face –containing 95% of collagen.
This works as a great skin-food and rehydrates your skin as well – improving its firmness and flexibility.
So, the next time you frown over your laugh lines? Laugh it away with RRR. 

Shingles or herpes zoster is a painful skin condition that occurs due to the virus called varicella-zoster, the same virus, which also causes chicken pox. This virus generally affects a single nerve, but sometimes affects the adjacent nerves in the human body. Due to this action of the virus, the affected person gets itchy, red and painful rashes on the skin. The rashes then increase in size and get filled with fluid, often look like blisters. It generally appears on one side of the face or body in stripes. The shingles blisters take minimum of 7-10 days to crust and dry up.

Causes of Shingles

People who had already suffered from chicken pox are more prone to get shingles as the same virus varicella-zoster causes both the diseases. There is no clear proof why the chicken pox- affected people easily get affected by shingles. But it may be due to the fact that chicken pox affects the immunity of a person and weakens it. So the weakened immune system makes way for the virus to become active again and cause shingles. Apart from that it also affects the person due to the following reasons.

• A weakened immune system due to some other diseases like HIV, cancer, diabetes, etc.
• People older than 50 years of age, easily get affected by this virus.
• Stress also makes the person vulnerable to this skin condition
• Intake of certain medicines, such as steroids that affect the immune system and make it weak.
• If a woman gets affected by chicken pox during her pregnancy, then chances are there that the baby may get shingles in the first two years of his/her life.

Symptoms of Shingles

There are various symptoms that indicate that you are suffering from shingles. However, the symptoms are categorised as early and advanced, based on the stage of the shingles.
The early symptoms of shingles are:

• Painful itching rashes on the affected area of the skin
• Headache and fever
• Indigestion problem
• Sensitiveness towards light

The symptoms that you may experience at the later stage of shingles are:

• A tingling sensation in certain areas of the body.
• The rashes in the early stage become blisters and get filled with fluid.
• A feeling of dizziness.
• The rashes also start spreading.
• You may also experience a change in your vision.

Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Shingles

There are many allopathic medicines to cure shingles, but we cannot rule out their side effects, whereas home remedies are cost-effective as well as come with no side effects. And at the same time home remedies are easily available and easy to follow.