How to Exercise While Sitting at Your Computer

Sitting at the computer all day is not exactly good for the body. If you have to be at a desk all day long, doing some simple things can improve your posture and health.

Steps
1. Sit properly in a good chair designed for desk work. Your back should be straight, your shoulders back, and the top of your monitor should be level with your eyes. If you have to look down or up, you need to adjust the height of your screen. Also, make sure that your wrists do not lay on the keyboard or on the mousepad (unless you have a pad with a wrist rest). This will help prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Keep your legs bent at the knees so that the knees are only slightly higher than your hips. Feet should be flat on the floor or on a step stool of some sort.

2. Stand up every half hour to stretch or walk around a bit.

3. Stretch your calves, and give your eyes a break from focusing on your computer screen. This will also help prevent blood clots from developing in your legs. Blood clots are very common among middle-aged computer users.

4. Learn to stretch. To stretch your neck, flex your head forward/backward, side to side and look right and left. Never roll your head around your neck. This could cause damage to the joints of the neck.
5. Roll your wrists regularly (this will help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome if you spend a lot of time typing).

6. Roll your ankles regularly, this helps improve blood circulation (and that tingling feeling you can get when blood circulation is cut off, also known as "Pins and Needles").

7. Notice if you tend to hunch in front of the keyboard. To counter that, perform the following exercise: open your arms wide as if you are going to hug someone, rotate your wrists externally (thumbs going up and back) and pull your shoulders back. This stretch is moving your body the opposite way to being hunched and you should feel a good stretch across your upper chest.

8. Contract your abdominal and gluteal muscles, hold them there for a few seconds, then release. Repeat this for every few minutes all day long while you are working at your desk.

9. Stretch your arms, legs, neck and torso while sitting. This will help prevent you from feeling stiff.

10. Take advantage of the downtime created by rebooting or large file downloads to get up and try something more ambitious such as doing a few push-ups, sit-ups, and/or jumping jacks. Beware of your snickering co-workers though.
11. Acquire a hand gripper. They are cheap, small and light. When you have to read something either on the screen or on paper, you probably won't be using your hands very often so squeeze your gripper. It is an excellent forearm workout.

12. Acquire an elastic band (also cheap, small and light) and use it to do the actions mentioned in step 9 (i.e., when stretching your arms, do it by pulling apart the elastic band). You will not only stretch but it will also work the muscles slightly.

13. Take a few deep breaths. If possible, get some fresh air in your lungs.

14. Invest in a large size stability ball or stability ball style desk chair, and sit on it with back straight and abs firm. The actual stability ball is more effective, however the chair is a more viable option for use in an office environment. Sit, bounce or do basic toning exercises while watching TV or talking on the phone as well. Use the actual ball form in moderation when typing, as this is probably not the most supportive seating to prevent carpal tunnel and tendonitis.

15. While sitting, lift up your legs on the balls of your feet and set them down. Repeat these until your legs are comfortably tired. Then repeat it again about 10 minutes later. Do this whole routine for about an hour or so. This will exercise your calves.

16. Have a bottle of water by your side and make a habit of drinking some every half hour. If you do this consistently you will begin to feel more alert and in the long run you will get thinner.

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-While-Sitting-at-Your-Computer

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Drink to Your Health . . . With Water! Mother Nature's Healthy "Cocktail"

Some nutritionists insist that 80% of the country is walking around dehydrated. We drink too much coffee, tea, and sodas containing caffeine, which prompts the body to lose water. More troubling is that fact that when we are dehydrated, we don't know what to drink.

The answer is simple: drink water!
Water is pure liquid refreshment and accounts for a large percentage of what makes each of us "human." The average 150 lb. adult body contains 40 to 50 quarts of water. Almost 2/3rds of our body weight is "water weight":

- Blood is 83% water
- Muscles are 75% water
- The brain is 74% water
- Bone is 22% water

The Fountain of Youth, Health, and Everything Else that's Good
Water is necessary for your body to digest and absorb vitamins and nutrients. It also detoxifies the liver and kidneys, and carries away waste from the body. And when it comes to digestion . . . it's just not happening without water. Fiber alone cannot aid proper digestive function by itself. In fact, without water as its partner, good fiber goes bad, causing constipation and extreme discomfort.

If you're dehydrated, your blood is literally thicker, and your body has to work much harder to cause it to circulate. As a result, the brain becomes less active, it's hard to concentrate, your body feels fatigued, and you just "poop out."

Water - The Miracle Worker
Simple water -- when it's pure and free of contaminants -- is truly a "wonder drug." Without chemicals, additives, or anything unnatural, a steady dose of 8 glasses of water a day (ideally ½ your body weight in ounces of water) will:

- Improve Your Energy
- Increase Your Mental and Physical Performance
- Remove Toxins & Waste Products from your body
- Keep Skin Healthy and Glowing
- Help You Lose Weight
- Reduce Headaches and Dizziness
- Allow for proper Digestion
- Help to keep you more Alkaline

Drinking Water is Heart-Healthy
The findings of a six-year study of more than 20,000 healthy men and women aged 38-100 in the May 1, 2002 American Journal of Epidemiology found that women who drank more than five glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period than those who drank less than two glasses. The protective effect of water was even greater in men.

Drinking Water and Weight Loss
Water is a natural appetite suppressant, so developing a good water drinking habit can be a long-term aid in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Doctor F. Batmanghelidj MD, author of "Your Body's Many Cries For Water" says most times your “hunger” is your body asking for water – not food.

It's also important to remember that when the body is dehydrated, fat cells get "rubbery" and cannot be easily metabolized. This means that it's harder to lose when you don't drink your water.

Who Can Benefit From A Water Regimen? Everyone . . . including YOU!
Water is especially important for pregnant women and nursing mothers. For athletes and work-out fanatics, drinking water reduces cardiovascular stress and improves performance. And, since water reduces body temperature, it makes the whole exercise process safer and more effective.

Water is also an important "healing tool" for people with a history of kidney stones. Since water dissolves calcium in the urine, downing at least 8 glasses daily reduces the risk of stone formation. Drinking water is also valuable in preventing urinary tract infections in both men and for women, flushing impurities out of the system.

Even mild dehydration makes you more susceptible to viruses. For someone like me, with an immune system compromised from my battle with terminal cancer, water is a powerful weapon in my war on colds and other illnesses. I've also found that water helps me recover more quickly.

When your body is hydrated, drainage from allergies and colds doesn't stick and collect in your throat and lungs, and your cough is more "productive". Even cold sores that appear on the lips are minimized by drinking water because those eruptions tend to favor dry areas on the body.

Tips for Drinking Water
I know how hard it can be to remember to drink enough water every day, but I also know how hard it can be to bounce back from the effects of being even mildly dehydrated. So I'd like to share a few easy tips to help you reach your "water mark" every day:

- You are naturally thirsty i.e. “dehydrated” in the morning . . . help your body flush out the toxins it has been processing all night and take advantage of this thirst to get a “leg up” on your daily water requirements by drinking a glass of water first thing.

- If you are cold drink warm water instead of dehydrating coffee & tea.

- Don't wait until you're thirsty to have a drink – you are already dehydrated if you feel thirsty.

- Set a timer to remind yourself to establish a habit of drinking water and keep a bottle of water with you at all times.

- Compensate for diuretics . . . thieves that steal water from your body. If you drink coffee, tea, or sodas with caffeine, you'll need to drink a few extra glasses of water to make up for the water that these diuretic beverages "leech" from your system.

My personal choice is ionized alkaline water. The Jupiter water ionizers conveniently produce gallons of alkaline water each day for cooking and drinking. I get all the known benefits of pure water with the added advantages of micro-clustered water.

Source: http://www.betterwayhealth.com/drinking-water.html

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Coffee health and risks benefits

The last time I had a cup of coffee was back in May, it was badly needed because I was still in a theater production then, and being the sound director meant that my creative juices must flow constantly, a tough challenge if I may say so, and for that to happen I must stay alert and awake for most of the time, especially when rehearsals and production meetings went on late at night. Coffee has always been the trusted solution. (Image link)

After the production was over, I stopped drinking coffee and went back to taking [tag]green tea[/tag], a cup in the morning and a cup in the evening, if green tea was not available, I’d go for the indigenous herbal drink ‘[tag]pito-pito[/tag]‘ which was cheaper and easily available here in rural Cavite. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fond of coffee but has opted for tea for its healthier benefits. A health ritual that my grandparents taught me since my early childhood days, a practice I’ve religously kept until just this morning at breakfast.

To start my weekend with something different, I decided to fix myself a cup of nice, hot instant coffee complete with the powdered creamer. The experience and delight of having coffee with fried rice, eggs and tuyo, (dried salted fish) were simply heavenly and it brought back some past thoughts and memories.

I remember arguing with my grandmother as to why should I take green tea if it’s available or pito-pito instead of coffee. With her eyes sharply gazing into my young soul she explained that green tea is healthier than coffee, it will help me stay fit and healthy despite my skinny form and it will greatly compliment my [tag]tai chi[/tag] practice. It was a lesson well learned and proven by my experience, but she must have forgotten that before that lecture on green tea, she has taught me another lesson that has often kept me at odds against her and her teachings. She earlier told me, “Always doubt what you learn, read, hear, believe and know. Even your self.”

So in doubt of her teachings I wondered off to verify, prove and disprove the lessons and bits of wisdom she has imparted unto me. In this case, it’s about coffee. Is [tag]coffee[/tag] really unhealthy? If so then how come many people are still drinking and loving it?

Benefits:
1. May reduce the risk of suicide among women.
2. Helps prevent gallstones and symptomatic gallbladder disease in men.
3. Contains caffeine-related compounds (theophylline) that can alleviate the symptoms of asthma in some cases.
4. Can increase alertness and prolong waking hours.
5. May improve short-term recall.
6. Promotes the effectiveness of certain migraine drugs.
7. May reduce the risk of cirrhosis of the liver among heavy drinkers.
8. May postpone muscle fatigue and thus enhance athletic performance and endurance.
9. May protect against free radical damage to tissues – one study found that coffee has more antioxidant activity than red wine, green or black tea, or orange juice.

Risks:
1. Increases blood pressure among people with high blood pressure.
2. Causes insomnia, anxiety, and irritability.
3. May worsen symptoms of PMS in some women.
4. Can reduce fertility in women trying to conceive.
5. Can cause heartburn and indigestion.
6. May increase the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
6. May increase blood levels of homocysteine and the associated risk of cardiovascular disease.

Source: http://jrocas.com.ph/archives/coffee-health-and-risks-benefits/

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Health benefits of blueberries - Good for heart, eyes, cholesterol

Nutritionists and doctors recommend eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, infact it's not only better if all five of them are different but also a variety of colored vegetables and fruits. Different colored fruits have different chemicals and can provide us with a variety of different nutrients needed by our body, keeping is healthy, young and smart. Blueberries help in maintaining healthy skin and they are considered a very good food for almost everyone. If you do not like them raw, then they are easy to incorporate into fruit dishes, salads and home made jams.

Nutrition facts of blueberries and health benefits:

Nutritionists and doctors recommend eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, infact it's not only better if all five of them are different but also a variety of colored vegetables and fruits. Different colored fruits have different chemicals and can provide us with a variety of different nutrients needed by our body, keeping is healthy, young and smart. Blueberries help in maintaining healthy skin and they are considered a very good food for almost everyone. If you do not like them raw, then they are easy to incorporate into fruit dishes, salads and home made jams.

Nutrition facts of blueberries and health benefits:
Blueberries are one of the most recommended fruits, they have almost no Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. Blueberry is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese. They have some natural sugar too. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Center have found that blueberries rank No. 1 in antioxidant benefits, compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables. Berries contain a substance called anthocyanin which as has mild antibiotic properties good for treating intestinal bacteria. They also have a substance called pectin which is believed to he helpful in lowering cholesterol. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory. Blueberries are often recommended for people wanting to reduce weight. blueberries also contain Polyphenols, Folate, Riboflavin, Iron, Niacin and are low in calories. Antioxidants reduce your risk of developing both cancer and heart related diseases, also they can help keep your skin looking young and healthy.

Additional health benefits of blueberries:
1. Blueberries have a lot of antioxidants which, help to neutralize free radicals which can affect disease and aging in the body.
2. Helps promote urinary tract health.
3. Stronger blood vessels
4. They have anti-blood clotting and Anti-inflammatory properties.
5. They also have many antibacterial effects.
6. A reduced risk of heart disease.
7. Better memory.
8. Better vision/eyesight - blueberries have anthocyanosides which helps to slow down visual loss.
9. Suppress the formation of blood clots in the body.
10. Lower Cholesterol.
11. Aid In Weight Loss
12. Fight Osteoporosis
13. Reduce age related cognitive diseases like Alzheimers.
14. Boost Your Immune System (thanks to Vitamin C)

Again always consult your doctor before introducing any fruits and vegetables in your diet for health reasons. I am not a doctor. The FDA suggests that frozen fruits and vegetables are just as healthy as fresh and may even retain their nutritional value longer.

Source: http://www.saching.com/Article/Health-benefits-of-blueberries---Good-for-heart--eyes--cholesterol/773

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Health benefits of chocolates. Cocoa is good for heart and brain

There are billions of chocolate lovers in this world, infact the word "chocoholic" refers excessive desire to eat them. Unlike smoking, there is no addiction caused by eating chocolates, it is simply a craving which can be left anytime. Pure chocolate is made from plants (cacao trees) and has no cholesterol and almost no saturated fat. To give a sweet taste to chocolates and added flavours, most chocolates we see have sugar and milk products added on the top, which does contain cholesterol. Chocolates (particularly the dark one) is rich in antioxidants, which helps the body from aging caused by free radicals. Therefore antioxidants can reduce the damage that leads to heart disease. Chocolates contain "Flavonoids" which help to control blood pressure and balancing of certain hormones too. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or higher cocoa content. Those who drank cocoa with more flavonols showed more nitric oxide activity which helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure and, in turn, cardiovascular health. Cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in green tea.

A practical example:
The Kuna people of panama in the San Blas islands have a very low percentage of heart diseases than rest of the country. The Kuna people drink and eat good proportions of cocoa which helps them to maintain healthy blood vessels. This in turn helps to have a healthy heart and a lower risk of kidney disease, high blood pressure, type two diabetes and a few other conditions.

Eat Dark chocolate - Words of caution
To get the true health benefits of chocolates, try to get dark chocolate with reduced sugar. Additionally, limit yourself to a small bar. As mentioned earlier, excessive sugar, caramel, nougat and other dairy products actually tend to reduce the true benefits of chocolates. Many CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) specialists consider that their patients should stay away from it completely. Chocolate may also trigger headaches in migraine sufferers. You will need to do a little research if you have any health concerns about eating chocolate.

Unfortunately, the chocolate industry processing removes a lot of nutrients from cocoa including the flavanol because of the naturally bitter taste. Therefore, if you are relying on chocolate bars, do not regard it as health food, but rather as an occasional treat with slight benefits only. It is very important to consult your doctor before taking chocolate as a treat for your health.

Health benefits of chocolates
1. Chocolate is good for heart:
Yes, since chocolate is rich in antioxidants, it is good for heart. It helps to reduce the bad LDL cholesterol as much as 10%.

2. Chocolates can help you control blood pressure:
Due to the presence of Flavonoids it partly helps to reduce high blood pressure.

3. Chocolate is good for brain - it helps to enhance our mood:
Not only does it taste good, it also has serotonin which is a an anti-depressant, it also has caffeine which is a stimulant and stimulates endorphin which gives us a feeling of happiness.

Other benefits include:
1. Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite.
2. The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.
3. Are thought to help reduce platelet activation.
4. Chocolate contains vitamins A, B1, C, D and E as well as potassium, sodium, iron and fluorine.
5. Special extra-flavonoid-enriched cocoa can help a moister and smoother skin.
6. In a survey published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, those who ate chocolate every day seemed to have more sex drive, better lubrication, and an easier time reaching orgasm.

Source: http://www.saching.com/Article/Health-benefits-of-chocolates--Cocoa-is-good-for-heart-and-brain/772

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Diet for Middle Aged People

Diet has a very important role in man’s struggle against diseases and disability. Nutritious diets in enough quantities along with proper exercise are major contributing factors to physical fitness and health. Faulty dietary habits due to ignorance and mis-concepts about various food items lead to malnutrition. There can be undernourishment and associated problems of over nutrition. As age advances physical activity is on a decreasing level. In addition, there are age-associated changes in body tissues, body processes and cells. Diet, therefore, requires to be tailored to the needs of the specific age group. Some diseases of advanced age such as bone or heart diseases, diseases of blood vessels and cancer probably have nutritional components. Age associated disorders such as diabetes, gall stones, and high blood pressure also require dietary modifications. In fact, diet is one of the critical tools for the prevention of certain important diseases which are common among the middle aged population.

Many animal experiments have led the scientists to believe that overfeeding at young age hastens maturity and shortens life and over feeding after maturity shortens life and increases the incidence of some diseases.

Nutritional requirements for the normal persons and the older adult are not fundamentally very different. An important bodily change taking place with advancing age is a decrease in the number of functioning cells. This results in a decrease in the metabolic process of the body including activities of the heart, respiratory and urinary systems. Therefore, as age advances, energy needs of the body are reduced. Food intake has, therefore, to be suitably modified. However, the diet has to continue to be a balanced one for providing the body adequate nutrients such as vitamins and minerals for optimum functioning.
Many studies indicate that as a result of lowered food intake, several nutritional deficiency conditions are often seen in the ageing population. Thus anemia, deficiencies of vitamins B, C D and calcium occur more often in the older people. A significant finding has been that lower vitamin C levels and disorders of the bone like Osteomalacia, Osteoporosis, are common in this group.
The most satisfactory means of promoting good nutrition is by improving the quality of diet. Intake of foods rich in vitamins such as oranges, lemon, gooseberry (for vitamins C) vegetables such as carrots and leafy greens (for vitamin A and B and Iron) milk and milk products (calcium and vitamin D) should be encouraged. Adequate cereal and pulse based diets should be used to provide the required calorie, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Good nutrition during youth and middle age has a vital role in the prevention of those disorders which end up as serious ailments at a later date.

Maintaining body weight within normal limits is an important aspect of disease prevention. This helps to avoid diseases of the heart, blood vessels and diabetes. Obesity, or over-weight which becomes more obvious around the third and fourth decade of life appears to be the basic factor responsible for development of diseases such as myocardial infarction (heart attacks), hypertension (high blood pressure), cerebral strokes, diabetes and gall stones.

Obesity or excess weight is a common form of over nutrition in most affluent societies. This occurs in those who fail, for various reasons, to match energy intake to energy expenditure. That is, there is a reduction in exercise and activity; at the same time food intake is high.

The energy taken in as food is not spent by enough activity. In addition the modern life style as a consequence of mechanization further contributes to decrease in energy expenditure.

The key to weight control is a balance of energy intake and output. Customarily, to achieve this reduction in calorie intake (eating less) is recommended during middle and later years of adult life. It is important to remember that fats provide twice as much energy per gram as do carbohydrates and proteins. Hence it is advisable to avoid fats, oils, ghee, fried foods or oily foods. Preferenc3e should be for fruits, vegetables, salads, soups and light balanced meals.

An increase in physical activity can be equally or even more important than a decrease in the calorie intake to reduce weight. One may wonder why we should be slim and active. Obesity can mean ill health and premature death.

Diet modification has been accepted as one of the methods to prevent and decrease the ill-health and death associated with degenerative disorders. As a rule of thumb it can be stated that blood lipids (fat constituents) rise with an increase in total calorie intake, increase of fat intake, particularly of the saturated type (butter, vanaspati, ghee, coconut oil and animal fat). Blood lipids do not rise to the same extent when vegetable oils such as sunflower oil or groundnut oil are taken. Therefore, unsaturated fats should be taken in preference to saturated fats. It is recommended that a maximum of 30% of calories could be derived from dietary fats.

Consumption of carbohydrates (starchy foods) specially refined foods like sugar should be cut down as these food items tend to increase blood lipids. We will be better off if we eat fewer fatty; sugary and salty foods and drink less alcohol. Eating more foods containing complex carbohydrates, such as cereals, millets, pulses, fruits and vegetables, and leafy greens is far more beneficial.

A relationship between the intake of salt and development of hypertension has been known to exist. Hypertension is rare in people whose salt intake is lower (about 2g/day). The incidence of the disease is very high in populations where the salt intake is high i.e., around 20g/day (Japan). When salt intake is restricted to 200-500 mg/day, significant reduction in blood pressure can be obtained. People, who are obese and have a tendency to develop high blood pressure, should restrict their salt intake to 3-5g/day.

Balanced Diet for adults doing moderate work

Gms. Men Women
Cereals 520 440
Pulses 50 45
Leafy Vegetables 40 100
Other Vegetables 70 40
Tubers 60 50
Milk 200ml 150 ml
Oils/Fats 45 25
Sugar 35 20

Though diabetes is not due to faulty dietary habits, diet does have a great therapeutic value in treating these patients. For diabetics restriction of calories in order to achieve ideal weight has been repeatedly stressed. Individuals with a strong family history of diabetes may increase the consumption of foods containing complex carbohydrates and soluble plant fibers (vegetables, cereals, pulses) at the expense of simple sugars. Fat intake should be minimum and adequate proteins (pulses, milk, and animal foods) should be taken.

Source: http://www.saching.com/Article/Diet-for-Middle-Aged-People---Diet-for-fitness-and-good-health/326

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