Welcome To Healthy World: April 2015

One of the most common causes of asthma as well as upper respiratory tract infection is moisture in the home. This moisture will come from both the interior as well as the exterior of the home. You can prevent the accumulation of moisture by ensuring that the home has been constructed properly and that plumbing systems are working efficiently. Excess moisture in the home makes your house prone to the growth of mold, infestation by pests and also poor ventilation.

KEEP YOUR HOME PEST-FREE

Pests are one of the leading causes of allergens in the house as well as being disease causing vectors. You can ensure that pests do not gain entry into your home by sealing any holes and cracks in walls, getting rid of any water sources around the home and ensuring that all food is stored in sealed containers. One thing to note about pest control is that using pesticides also puts you and your family at risk of getting poisoned. As such, it is better to look for options that will not be harmful to either humans or pests such as diatomaceous earth or boric acid.

KEEP YOUR HOME CLEAN

Most people will claim to clean their homes on a regular basis but how thoroughly do you clean your house? Dust should be cleaned out daily as its accumulation can cause a number of health problems. Keep in mind pesticides and other chemicals that can be found in products around the home and cause allergic reactions. You should control the amount of dirt that comes into the home and also take note of the cleaning products that are used around the home. Some cleaning products as simple as a basic marble cleanser can have unwanted chemicals that could pose health risks.

KEEP THE AIR CLEAN

Air quality is a serious household concern that easily goes overlooked by the common homeowner. In short, the air you breathe in your home should be as clean as possible. Proper ventilation will ensure the house remains well ventilated with a good circulation of air. There are also a number of air cleaning products that you can buy that help filter dust and allergens from air. These devices are great investments, especially for older homes that might have less clean of air quality than a newer home.

KEEP YOUR HOME CONTAMINANT FREE

This simple means ensuring there are no contaminants that could poison the people of that household the biggest culprit of this is cleaning products as they tend to have a wide range of harmful chemicals. The paint that you use is also an important consideration if you would like to avoid exposure to lead poisoning. In some cases, you may want to consider hiring an inspector to evaluate certain areas of your home that are prone to such risks. In addition, you may also want to assess how well the home is sealed and protected from contaminants. A good grout sealer can go a long way.

KEEP YOUR HOME SAFE

Keeping your home safe will make its occupants less prone to health issues and injuries. One of the best places to start would be installing smoke detectors in the home as fires tend to be the leading cause of injuries. If you already have fire alarms, then consider having a fire alarm inspection done to ensure all devices are in good working condition.

TIPS FOR A HAPPIER FAMILY

Tips for a happier family

1. Balancing work and home life

it’s not easy balancing your work and home life, but how you manage it can make quite a difference to your relationship with your family. Having a balance between work and home – being able to work in a way which fits around family commitments and isn't restricted to the 9 to 5 – boosts self-esteem as you're not always worrying about neglecting your responsibilities in any area, making you feel more in control of your life. Your family will be happier to see more of you, and you'll have a life away from home.

2. Look after yourself

Parents often spend all their time looking after everyone else in the family and forget about themselves. If you don’t look after yourself, you can end up feeling miserable and resentful, and you won’t be able to give your children the support they need. Admit to yourself that you actually have feelings and needs of your own. It’s not selfish to treat yourself once in a while! It doesn't have to be expensive - but putting aside some time to do just what you want to do, even if it's only 10 minutes a day - is so important.

3. Discipline

Rather than thinking of discipline as a punishment, you should use it as a way of teaching your children how to meet their needs without hurting or offending anyone. While you may be angry, it can help to keep calm and teach your child how he or she could have handled the situation differently, and how he or she can go about it differently next time. This way is both more positive and more constructive.

4 Setting Boundaries

We often use boundaries to protect children from harm or danger. But it is important that you try to explain why boundaries are there, rather than issuing orders – for instance, if you pull them away from an open fire explain why. Children may be reluctant to follow instructions if parents command them. However, an explanation as to why the instructions are important will help your child understand, and therefore cooperate.

5. Communication

Communication is important – during both the good and the tough times. Children often find it hard to put their feelings into words and just knowing that their parents are listening can be enough. Talk about yourself – not just about your problems but about your daily life. If they feel included in the things you do they are more likely to see the value of including you in the things they do.

6. Quality Time

Try to organize some time together as a family a few times a week – perhaps three meals a week you could sit down to eat as a family. This will give you all a chance to connect and talk about the important issues, as well as the more fun topics. Ask your children to help you with the chores or to run errands. They may protest but they will feel included in your life rather than being an outsider.

7. Joint Decisions

With older children, it is normal for them to test the limits of boundaries to see what they can get away with. You may need to adapt boundaries as children grow into teens – it can even help to involve your child in the negotiation of new boundaries. Too many restrictions will be hard to keep on top of, so it is a good idea to work out which boundaries are really important to you, such as the ones for your children’s safety, and which boundaries are not worth fighting about. With fewer restrictions, your children will appreciate that the boundaries you do set are serious.

8. Comforting

it is important for a family to be there for each other through the hard times, as well as the good times. If there is a family tragedy, or a family member has a problem, pulling together can really help. Your children will need your help at this time, and it is important to be open and communicate with them. They will need reassurance and explanation, and will react differently depending on their ages. It can also help to talk to someone impartial.

9. Be flexible

More than anything, children just want to spend time with their parents. It can be lots of fun to make time for an impromptu game or an unscheduled trip to the park, as well as being something that you and your children will remember fondly. It’s good to have a routine, but it’s not the end of the world if it’s interrupted from time to time for spontaneous fun and games. For busy families, it can be useful to schedule in a few hours every now and then for a lazy afternoon together.

10. Spend quality time with your partner

It can be difficult to find time for you and your partner once you have children, but it is important to make time for each other. After all, children learn about relationships from their parents. Make sure you communicate with them frequently about all the day to day matters, as well as just things you enjoy talking about. Try to organize time that you can spend with each other, whether it’s going out for a meal, or just relaxing in front of the TV together.

WAYS TO RELIEVE STRESS

Ways to relieve stress

Reducing the stress in your life will take a lot of reflection and action, but it will be worth it. If you're less stressed, you'll be able to sleep better, will have a more positive outlook on life, and will be much more able to enjoy your daily interactions. To reduce stress, you have to work on minimizing the stressful situations in your life and to relax your mind and body.

1. Meditate

It's simple. Sit up straight with both feet on the floor. Close your eyes. Focus your attention on reciting (out loud or silently) a positive mantra such as “I feel at peace” or “I love myself.” Place one hand on your belly to sync the mantra with your breaths. Let any distracting thoughts float by like clouds.

2. Breathe Deeply

Take a 5 minute break and focus on your breathing. Sit up straight, eyes closed, with a hand on your belly. Slowly inhale through your nose, feeling the breath start in your abdomen and work its way to the top of your head. Reverse the process as you exhale through your mouth.

3. Listen to music

Music has the power to transform. If you feel the tensions rising, stick on a little classical music to transport you to a higher plane or plug into your favorite song to transport you to good times and happy memories. Listening to soothing music can lower blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety. If you want to let off steam and get rid of pent up anger, stick on some rock or pop really loudly and belt out the song at the top of your voice.

4.Go outside

If you are feeling frazzled at work or at home, one quick way to relax is to head outdoors. You get a fresh perspective on the problem and breathe in fresh air.

5. Exercise

Exercise is well known as a stress buster. When we do it our bodies release feel good hormones which make us calmer. Exercise also uses up some of the hormones that the body makes when it's stressed.

6. Yoga

Yoga can be a quick route to relaxation. You don't have to do a full blown hour long workout to appreciate some of the benefits.

7. Visualization

Try visualizing a peaceful scene away from your current tensions. It could be a golden sandy beach with the azure waves lapping at your toes; it could be a warm bath with scented oils. The idea is to take your mind off the current worry and transport yourself and your mood to somewhere relaxing and calm. The more detail you imagine the calmer you'll get.

8. Have a cup of tea

It's a well-known cliche that many-a-problem can be solved by putting the kettle on, or that a cup of tea's the best thing to calm you down after a shock. The classic, common-sense way to relax may actually work.

9. Mindfulness

It's quite closely linked with meditation. The idea is to be mindful of something and appreciate it in that present moment and block everything else out. It may be appreciating the color of a flower or examining a piece of jewelry to see how it was made. Focusing on the present can reduce stress. "Turn off your screen, choose a common object like a pencil or a penny (not your phone) and begin breathing very slowly focusing on the object and describing it to yourself in as much detail as you can. To focus completely and fully on something in the present is the essence of mindfulness."

10. Pick your own way to relax

Different activities work for different people. Some people may find reading a book or magazine for 10 minutes a good way to relax. Others may find a therapeutic value in gardening or even cleaning. Spending just a quarter of an hour doing something you enjoy can make all the difference. You could have sex, watch your favorite comedy show, walk the dog or stroke the cat – all relaxing activities to take the sting out of tension. We all get stresses in life, so it pays to have a few quick tricks up your sleeve to deal with them.

BEGIN YOUR DAY WITH A GOOD BREAKFAST

Why You Should Eat a Healthy Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast provides you with the energy and nutrients that lead to increased concentration in the classroom.
Studies show that breakfast can be important in maintaining a healthy body weight.
Hunger sets in long before it's time for lunch, but because it's not convenient to eat properly, many people who have not eaten breakfast snack on foods that are high in fat and sugar.
People who skip breakfast are unlikely to make up their daily requirement for some vitamins and minerals that a simple breakfast would have provided.
Breakfast provides energy for the activities during the morning and helps to prevent that mid-morning slump.

Tips on Eating a Quick and Healthy Breakfast

Pick 2-3 foods, including at least one from each of the following food groups:
-bread and grain (i.e.cereal, toast, muffin)
-milk and milk product (i.e. low-fat yogurt, low-fat milk)
-fruit or vegetable group (i.e bananas, apples, carrots)
Pick up portable breakfast items when at the grocery store. You should buy foods like fruit, low-fat yogurt, whole grain breakfast bars, or granola bars for those mornings when you have to eat breakfast on the go.
Replace or accompany that morning cup of coffee with a glass of orange juice or milk.
Make an omelette! You can shorten preparation time by chopping up your vegetables ahead of time.
Get up 15 minutes earlier. You can fix and consume a healthy breakfast in 15 minutes or less.
Plan ahead to eat breakfast. This means you should decide what you are going to eat for breakfast before the next morning. You can save time by putting out the box of cereal or cutting up some fruit the night before.

WATER RICH FOOD

Why water-rich foods are good for your health?

Water-rich fruits and vegetables offer the same benefits as water, plus a few more. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables with high-water content:

It’s a diet rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and fiber.
It keeps the body hydrated, preventing tiredness and fatigue.
It helps to flush waste and toxins out of the body. Water-rich foods are popular in detoxing and cleansing diets.
It reduces water retention.
It decreases the need for insulin in the body.

What water-rich foods should I eat?

Most water-rich foods include fruits and vegetables with about 85 to 98 percent of water. Here is a list of some of the best ones:

Vegetables with a water content of 90 percent or more

Bell pepper
Broccoli
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Pumpkin
Radish
Spinach
Tamoto
Zucchini

Fruits with a water content of 85 percent or more

Apricot
Blueberry
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Orange
Pineapple
Strawberry
Watermelon

BENEFITS OF BANANAS

Adding a banana to your daily diet has an array of benefits in your body

Bananas are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world for good reason. The curved yellow fruit packs a big nutritional punch, wrapped in its own convenient packaging. Some scientists believe that the banana may have even been the world's first fruit.

EXERCISE TIPS

Tips to exercise regularly

Set a simple target

The beginning is always tough. And if you start with a simple target, you will be able to achieve it and then you will also feel motivated. So, if you are going to start walking, then start with a target of 20 minutes of walking initially and then increase it gradually to 40 minutes. Be realistic while setting your goal.

Focus on quality

There are a lot of people who spend a lot of time in the gym without really adding much to their fitness regimen. Quality needs to be a vital part of your exercise regimen. If you are hitting a gym, make sure that you do it under the guidance of professional trainers.

Concentrate on simple exercises

Don't get influenced by the six pack and eight pack abs of film stars. Listen to your own body and its requirements. Know how much to push yourself. The fundamentals are basic: You need to set a target, focus on quality, and challenge yourself. Focus on simple exercises and then work your way up to more complicated routines as you get more comfortable and gain confidence while pushing yourself.

Make it a habit

Be consistent, that's the mantra for maintaining a regular exercise regimen. There are no short cuts to your fitness goals. You have to exercise regularly if you want the desired results. On most occasions, people start exercising on an enthusiastic note and then they falter as the initial enthusiasm wears off. So, stick to your schedule.

HEALTHY EATING

Eat healthy food while still enjoying the foods you eating

Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods

You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.

Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables

Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.

Eat regular meals

Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.

Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods

Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them. Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices. Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly. If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.

Balance your food choices over time

Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.

Remember, foods are not good or bad

Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.

KITCHEN TIPS TO KEEP YOU SLIM

Here are our kitchen tips to help you stay slim

Keep healthy foods visible...

Try to make healthy food options more accessible by ensuring they are as appealing and convenient as possible, as well as making them visible and easy to find. Leave out a colourful fruit bowl, prepare a salad in advance, and put some chopped veggies at the front of your fridge, for example.

Move bad foods out of sight

Just as putting healthy food in a prominent position can help your diet, it follows that the opposite is also true. While it may be best to avoid buying junk food completely, if you must stock up on the odd treat make sure they are hidden away at the back of cupboards to help prevent cravings. By making these foods a little more difficult to get to (store them behind piles of tins, in high cupboards or in locked drawers – whatever helps), you will also prevent mindless snacking and give yourself some thinking time to decide whether you really want to give in to temptation.

Get some fridge-spiration

To help stay motivated in the face of your cravings, try transforming your fridge from a source of temptation into an inspirational reminder of your progress so far. Consider sticking your favourite photograph of yourself on your fridge for a positive reminder of why you should resist those cravings next time you’re tempted to hit the fridge. Alternatively, stick on a motivational quote or a handwritten note to yourself listing five good reasons not to binge.

Opt for small, blue serving dishes

While many of us think we are eating standard portion sizes, this is in fact not always the case. To help reduce your temptation to overeat, try swapping your plates, bowls, glasses and cutlery for smaller ones, which will help control your serving sizes as well as how quickly you eat. Also, while you are making the switch, think about opting for a blue colour scheme for your crockery, as blue is thought to act as an appetite suppressant.

Set aside an eating area

Whether you eat your meals in the kitchen or a separate dining room, it is important to set aside an area with a table where you can sit down and eat. Furthermore, it is important to ensure you actually sit there. Make it a rule never to eat out of packets or standing up and you will find that this drastically reduces your tendency to overeat. The process of putting food on a plate and sitting down to eat it not only reduces the tendency to mindlessly pick at food, it also increases your awareness of what – and how much – you are eating, and may make you think twice about doing it.