Simple tips to avoid skipping exercise

Even the most dedicated among us sometimes feel lazy to exercise. You may have the intention of exercising, but may come up with a number of excuses to skip gym. Keep in mind these simple motivational tips to inspire yourself whenever you're tempted to skip your exercise regime.


Get your priorities right. 
Fitness should be important to you not only because you want to lose weight or get into shape, it should also be because you love exercising. Don't let working out seem like a chore. Make it a habit.


Don't just stick to one fitness program. 
This is your chance to try out different things. Take a break from weight training and treadmills. Try out yoga, kickboxing, pilates or even Tae Kwon Do till you discover something that you truly love doing.


Keep some variety in your workout. 
Doing the same things everyday will seem monotonous and boring. When you try something new, don't give up if you find it difficult. Give yourself time and worth practice you're bound to improve.


Don't go overboard when you start something new. 
Begin slowly and pace yourself accordingly. Similarly, don't push yourself too hard. Give yourself a routine that you can mange even on days when you're absolutely down. Accept your limits and work within them.


Try to workout with a friend. 
This way, you can inspire each other when you want to skip your routine and also while you're working out.


Don't set goals that are seemingly impossible to attain after some time. 
If you set a grueling pace, you won't be able to keep up with it over time. Instead keep your goals simple and gradually increase them after you accomplish each one.

Laugh 15 minutes a day for good health

Have people forgotten to laugh? In the good old days, they used to laugh 18 minutes a day, but today not more than six minutes.


Experts say children can laugh up to 300-400 times in a day, but as adults this frequency drops to 15 times a day. But it's medically proved that laughter benefits your health.

"Laughing exercises the heart as well as the lungs. When one laughs, the heart rate goes up and the brain is relaxed."


Do we need to laugh more today? "In a fastpaced world, stress-related diseases are on the rise. More than 70 per cent of illnesses are related to stress. To escape stress, people turn to alcohol, smoking and drugs. If only they realised the wonder medicine of laughter!"

According to research, open-mouthed laughter is most appealing. "Laughter sounds good only when it's open-mouthed. Conversely, a closed mouth laugh such as a snigger, which scientists describe as a 'pant-pant' sound, has the opposite effect." A study suggests that beginning in childhood, we learn to associate the wide-open guffaw with life's most positive experiences. Eventually, all it takes is to hear that happy sound to feel happier.


Laugh your way to health!

Great workout at work

Take stairs instead of elevators

While a regular workout routine is an essential part of reaching your weight-loss goals, there will be times when your job or family obligations get in the way of exercising.


There are occasions which keep us so busy that we either forget to exercise or deliberately avoid doing them. But that shouldn't be the case at all; doctors recommend a 20-minute exercise routine daily, irrespective of what's going on in your life. However, days when you are super-busy, try to get in a five- or ten-minute walk or simply incorporate more movement throughout the day. After all, some exercise is always better than none. Here are seven tips to help you squeeze in fitness throughout the day.


- Park farther away from the office, or choose public transportation.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator, especially if you have just a few flights to climb.
- Go for a walk during lunch. One way to do this is to skip your usual salad spot on the corner and find one a little farther away.
- If you bring lunch to work, use the time you save buying lunch to take a walk around the block.
- Walk over to co-workers' desks when you need to chat with them or deliver messages rather than using e-mail or the phone.
- Instead of meeting friends in the office or over lunch, meet to take a walk instead.
- Use your headset or cell phone and walk around while talking on the phone.
- Stretch occasionally while sitting at your desk or leave a light pair of weights at work and do some upper-body exercises.

A cup of tea improves brain power

A new study has suggested that drinking tea not only improves brain power, but also reduces tiredness and increases alertness, thereby improving the performance.


For the study, the researchers looked at the effect of key chemicals found in tea on the mental performance of 45 young volunteers. The effects of these ingredients, an amino acid called L-theanine – which is also found in green tea – and caffeine at levels typically found in a cup of tea, were compared with a dummy treatment.


The active ingredients significantly improved accuracy across a number of switching tasks for those who drank the tea after 20 and 70 minutes, compared with the placebo.The tea drinkers' alertness was also heightened, the study found.Tea was also found to reduced tiredness among the volunteers, who were aged under 40.

Carrots make u more attractive

Those who eat fruit and vegetables such as carrots and plums are considered more attractive, say scientists.

Their research has shown that men and women whose skin has a yellow glow are thought to be particularly attractive and healthy – and yellow pigments called carotenoids, found in certain fruit and vegetables play a key role in giving the skin that hue and just two months of increased consumption could produce visible results. It could also lead to new strategies for encouraging the young to eat more fruit and vegetables.

Skincare for Women on the Move

Summer is setting in and just travelling to work zaps you. Turning up the air conditioner in your car sadly isn't the solution because the harmful rays of the sun can get to you anyway. From the outdoor heat to air-conditioned offices to polluted streets, our skin goes through so much in one day. But is there any way to protect it?

We give you a complete skincare guide for women on the move. Check it out. 

Hydrate your skin
Continuously exposing your skin to the environment can dehydrate it due to intense heat and sometimes low humidity too, thus affecting the natural ability of your skin to moisturize itself. Furthermore, the skin's natural renewal process or exfoliation is also hampered. This may lead to dry skin, wrinkles and an uneven skin tone too.
That's why it is essential to hydrate your skin by consuming a good amount of water and juices daily. An average of 8 glasses of water each day should do it for you! So if your job requires you to be outdoors for most of the day, make sure to carry a bottle of water with you and refill from time to time.

Wear you sunscreen
It's something you may just ignore in a hurry, but it protects you from most of the skin damage caused by the sun's rays – tanned skin, wrinkles and more. Dermatologists usually recommend the use of a U VA / U VB sunscreen, with SPF 15+ or higher to stay protected. Apply the sunscreen as frequently as possible, especially when you are exposed to the sun for long, like while swimming or jogging.

You could also use a good day time moisturizer like the Olay Total Effects Normal UV which not only fights the seven signs of aging but also protects you from the sun with its SPF 15 ingredients.

Wash your face often
If you're a working woman, you'd obviously be exposing yourself to the polluted air. Ever thought about how much damage it does to your skin? Ensure your skin is free of the dirt by washing your face often. You need not use a face wash each time since that will only dry your skin further. However, remember to splash water on your face throughout the day to keep it clean!

A good cleanser will help you get rid of the dirt that gets deep into your skin. The Olay Total Effects cleansers help you remove dust, dirt, oil and impurities to give you absolutely clean skin.

Treat your skin
The best time for your skin to heal is while you sleep. So treat your skin with a serum before you hit the bed. An anti-ageing one will be preferable for best results.

Try out the Olay total Effects Serum for best results. The product, with its high concentration of Vita Niacin, helps fight the 7 signs of ageing.  Also, fast absorption quality of the serum ensures deeper penetration, and hence better results. What's better is that it doesn't leave you with a sticky or greasy feel.

Try a face scrub
Exfoliating is another key to good skin. Invest in a good face scrub and use it once a week to get rid of dead skin cells and unclog your pores. This is especially good if you use public transport regularly and are exposed to pollution often. Simply apply the scrub on your face in circular motion. Be gentle around the eye area and do not apply it on your eyelids. Wash off and apply a light moisturizer to finish.

Now that you are equipped with this skincare guide, you can stay protected even if you are outdoors all day!

Tips to boost your energy levels!

Almost everyday we observe people complaining about feeling tired. Most of these complains arise post lunch where people feel physically and emotionally zapped.

Unfortunately, leading a hectic life has become a natural part of life, thus, many people cannot afford to be tired. The challenge, therefore, is to maintain health and vitality, which can only be done by preserving the energy we have and be sure that it isn't squandered by situations and behaviors that will ultimately present a challenge to our functionality. Though we are conditioned to expect such vitality to decline with age, there is much you can do to slow that decline by preserving your vital energy reserves.

Ways to increase energy levels

Bananas and watermelon
These revive energy as fast as sugary sweets do. In fact, ripe bananas rate almost as high as table sugar on the energy-upping index. However, unlike sugar, fresh fruit gives you a stamina boost plus the nutritional benefits of fiber, vitamins and minerals. An added bonus is that there's no food quite as portable as a banana. Since watermelon can be a bit messy to eat at your desk, cut some into chunks the night before and stash in a plastic container. (Dates, mangoes, papaya and pineapple also rank high on the energy-revving scale.)

Carrots and potatoes
Just like sugary snacks and soft drinks, carrots and potatoes can up your blood sugar to an all-time high. Unlike junk food, they provide a host of important nutrients (such as vitamins A and C, frolic acid and potassium) along with that energy blast. Keep a bag of baby carrots in your desk drawer and you'll be less likely to make an afternoon trip to the vending machine.

Cornflakes and shredded wheat
Even without adding sugar, wholesome cereals such as muesli, corn flakes, instant oatmeal, puffed rice top the list of breakfast foods that provide quick energy. This morning meal tends to be digested slowly, which means that blood sugar levels stay stable.

Water
If you're not drinking at least 10 to 15 cups of water a day, especially in warm weather or if you work out regularly, you're setting yourself up for dehydration. Don't wait until you feel thirsty because at that point, your body is already suffering. Make a habit of setting a full glass of water on your desk all day long. Drinking nimbu paani is a healthy way to replenish nutrients that are lost after a workout.

Managing your energy budget
When you take the time to consciously rest, relax, meditate and eat well, you are preserving what vital energy you already have and are also taking the opportunity to cultivate more. This is of paramount importance to your quality of life, level of immunity and your physical and mental stamina. It is recommended you meditate at least 20 to 25 minutes daily. Make sure that you sleep for at least seven hours everyday. Try and squeeze in a quick a 15 to 20 minute power nap during the day to help you fight fatigue and low energy. One should also try and stretch for 10 minutes twice a day. When we stretch, we're actually contracting and relaxing our muscles, thus preventing any kind of muscle stiffness. This practice will allow blood to flow freely throughout the body thus giving us energy in minutes. Gently stretch your toes, legs, arms, shoulders, and neck. Make sure you do not have any medical conditions that can cause fatigue. These include low thyroid function, low hemoglobin levels, and a range of other ailments, which can be determined by blood tests. Go for a complete body check- up at least once in two years.

Baby with smoker parent have high nicotine level

A new study has suggested that babies who sleep in the same room as their smoker parents exhibit nicotine levels that are three times higher than those who sleep in a separate room.

It said third-hand smoke - harmful smoke particles that can stick to clothes, skin and furniture - is responsible for the elevated levels.

This is the conclusion of a study carried out in Catalonia, which also shows that ventilating bedrooms is not effective in reducing the levels of toxins from passive smoking.

"Passive smoking is the leading preventable cause of childhood death in developed countries", said Guadalupe Ortega, lead author of the research study.

Known as BIBE (Brief Intervention in Babies. Effectiveness), the study highlights exposure to tobacco smoke among this very vulnerable age group in private spaces, where no specific programs are yet in place", he said.

The study involved the participation of 96 primary healthcare centers in Catalonia.

The experts interviewed the parents of 1,123 babies (under 18 months of age), who had at least one smoking parent.

They analysed hair samples from 252 babies in order to determine their nicotine levels, and carried out follow-up visits three and six months later.

The parents' statements largely coincided with the results obtained from the hair analysis - 73 per cent of the adults said they smoked or allowed smoking in their homes, while 83 per cent of the hair analysed showed up high nicotine levels.

The study is published in BMC Public Health.

An apple a day keeps cholesterol away

An apple a day can really keep the doctor away by reducing bad cholesterol levels in women.

Apples are truly a miracle fruit that convey benefits beyond fiber content.

Animal studies have shown that apple pectin and polyphenols in apple improve lipid metabolism and lower the production of pro-inflammatory molecules.

According to a study randomly assigned 160 women ages 45-65 to one of  two dietary intervention groups:
            -one received dried apples daily (75g/day for 1 year)
            -and the othergroup ate dried prunes every day for a year.
Blood samples were taken at 3, 6 and 12-months.

The results were surprising which stated that incredible changes in the apple-eating women happened by 6 months - they experienced a 23 per cent decrease in LDL cholesterol.
The daily apple consumption also led to a lowering of lipid hydroperoxide levels and C-reactive protein in those women.
Unexpectedly the apple consumption reduced bad cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol by about 4 per cent.
Yet another advantage is that the extra 240 calories per day consumed from the dried apple did not lead to weight gain in the women; in fact, they lost on average 3.3 lbs.
Reducing body weight is an added benefit to daily apple intake.
Part of the reason for the weight loss could be the fruit's pectin, which is known to have a satiety effect.

Treadmill exercise helps Parkinson's patients

People with Parkinson's disease who walk on a treadmill at a comfortable, low-intensity speed for a longer duration may be able to improve their gait and mobility, according to a new study.

The researchers have found that such exercise may be better than walking at faster speeds for a shorter period of time.


They also found benefits for stretching and resistance exercises. The study showed that low-intensity exercise performed for 50 minutes three times a week was the most beneficial in terms of helping participants improve their mobility. Walking difficulty is the major cause of disability in Parkinson's disease.
These results show that exercise in people with Parkinson's disease can make a difference in their function. Exercise may, in fact, delay disability and help to preserve independence.


The study compared 67 people with Parkinson's disease who were randomly assigned to one of three exercise groups:
       -walking on a treadmill at low intensity for 50 minutes,
       -higher-intensity treadmill training to improve cardiovascular fitness for 30 minutes,
       -and using weights (leg presses, extensions and curls) and stretching exercises to improve muscle strength and range of motion.
Participants exercised three times a week for three months under the supervision of exercise physiologists.
The team measured participants' cardiovascular fitness before and after training, and found cardiovascular improvement in both the low- and high-intensity groups. Other measurements included the distance covered in a six-minute walk and timed tests of walking short distances, such as 50 feet.