In this post, we are concentrating on men’s fitness. Besides a healthy diet, exercise is essential for your fitness. Men’s fitness can be improved by regular aerobic exercises and strength training. Cardiovascular work and strength training can help you get a fit and strong body.

Building muscles:

If you want to stay fit, you need to keep your muscles strong. Your fitness regimen should include a workout routine that builds your muscles. Remember that muscle mass decreases with age. Without muscle-building exercises, this loss may be greater and faster. As per studies, aging can take away five to seven pounds (2-3.2 kgs) of muscle mass every ten years in one’s adult life. But by staying active and keeping your muscles exercised, you can reduce this loss and keep your muscles strong.

Cardiovascular workout:

Cardiovascular exercises are essential for a man’s fitness. Flexibility exercises, strength training, and cardiovascular workout can help in maintaining your fitness. You should include all these exercises in your workout plan. But out of these, cardiovascular work is the most necessary. These exercises will also help you to strengthen large muscle groups. Cardio exercises include running, brisk walking, cycling, swimming, etc. In the gym, cardio exercise machines include elliptical trainer, treadmill, stationary cycles, rowing machine, stepping machine, and ski trainer.

Aerobic exercises:

If you are short of time, you can try aerobic exercises. You can do aerobics during whatever free time you might get. It may not help you developing biceps, but if you are doing a cardiovascular workout, then the blood pressure, heart and cholesterol levels will stay healthy. And good health will ensure optimum fitness levels.

Nutrition:

Exercise alone cannot ensure fitness. You also need to have a nutritious diet. Experts recommend eating whole and natural foods. And take small and frequent meals instead of eating large amounts in one to three sittings. Include healthy variety in your meals so you get all essential nutrients for a fit body. Always include the three important macronutrients in your diet. These are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Prioritize proteins over carbohydrates but don’t exclude any one of the three to follow some fad diet.

Tips for keeping a man’s fitness level high:

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and especially when working out.
• Exercise properly using the correct techniques. Never start an exercise without understanding it properly. Follow all the instructions given by your trainer.
• Always have a spotter when lifting weights.
• Challenge the muscles, but don’t go beyond the safe limits.
• Do stretching and warm-up exercises before working out. Give yourself time to cool down after sessions.
• Check the exercise equipment for safety before using them.
• Don’t overstrain yourself while exercising. It might do more harm than good. It might cause physical injury and may also exhaust your enthusiasm and kill performance.

Conclusion:

A man’s fitness doesn’t just mean bulky muscles or a lean body. You need to maintain good health by following a nutritious diet and exercising regularly. Choose exercises that keep your muscles strong and your overall health good. But research and understand your workout plan carefully. If you have pre-existing health conditions, consult your doctor before starting any exercise.

The post Essential workout & nutrition mantras for a man’s fitness appeared first on WellnessHub Nourishing Your Mind, Body, and Soul.

Experts fear that low and middle-income countries like India will see a higher rate of anxiety and depression during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. While the immediate necessity is to address the respiratory infections due to COVID-19, the growing threat of stress, anxiety, depression both in the community and among health workers must not be ignored. Once the immediate crises is over, we would need systems in place to assess and treat individuals who need mental health care.

If the COVID-19 pandemic is making you anxious too, don’t ignore it. Instead, make efforts to manage your anxiety and feel better. The following few suggestions can help.

How to manage your stress and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic

1. Acknowledge your feelings:

First of all, acknowledge and accept that you are feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed. Hiding your fears and keeping up a bold face might do more harm than good. Anxiety can increase your worries manifold. It can disturb your sleep patterns and make it difficult to concentrate on work. Stress and anxiety can also lower your immunity and worsen preexisting health problems. And they can cause an increased dependence on alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

It is, therefore, important to acknowledge your fears and anxiety. Don’t feel guilty about it. The world is facing an unprecedented problem, and getting worried about it is understandable. But you need to manage this worry and prevent it from turning into a mental health problem.

2. Limit your consumption of news:

At a time when people are locked within homes, consumption of news has increased manifold. You want to know the latest count of COVID-19 cases in your country. You want to know the rate of fatalities. And you want to know every step that the government is taking to curtail this pandemic.

But so much consumption of news can have its adverse effects. Some news sources might even sensationalize a news story, creating unnecessary panic among people. Avoid all such news sources. Do not believe the content on social media without checking its veracity.

The best strategy would be to choose one or two trusted news sources and resist the temptation of hunting for the pandemic stories wherever you can find them. Also, limit the times you access the news sources. Watching the news one or two times in a day is enough for you to stay informed while preventing unnecessary anxiety. Instead of consuming news all day long, watch something entertaining and fun.

3. Educate yourself:

If you fear you might have COVID-19, educate yourself about its symptoms. But don’t spend hours googling about it. Instead, check out the trusted sources like government or WHO websites. Watch your symptoms calmly. And contact your doctor only when necessary. The healthcare system is already overloaded in most countries. So disturbing your doctor every time you cough or sneeze is not a good idea.

4. Make healthy lifestyle choices:

When you stay inside your home all day and for so many days, it is easy to get languid and listless. But you must stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This includes taking a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, maintaining good personal hygiene, and keeping your home clean and well ventilated. Avoid bad habits like smoking and too much alcohol consumption. Think positive thoughts and adopt healthy habits. Take sufficient sleep and try to relax. Yoga and meditation can help reduce your stress and anxiety.

5. Spend time with family:

Spending quality time with your family will help you relax. Our busy lifestyle often demands the sacrifice of family time. If your area is under lockdown, it is a perfect opportunity for you to enjoy time with your family. Turn off the TV, put your phones and iPads aside, and talk with your dear ones. Share jokes, reminisce good memories, and enjoy family time. Even if you are in self-isolation or home quarantine, you can still converse with your family members. Just follow the necessary precautions recommended by your doctor.

6. Stay at home, but be social:

Staying locked at home no longer means being cut off from the world. And social distancing does not mean cutting down your connections with your loved ones. Instead of spending hours reading worrying news stories on your phone, use it to talk to your colleagues, friends, and relatives. Social interactions are beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety. So talk to friends, renew old bonds, share some laughs and motivating messages, and keep the anxiety and depression away.

7. Do things you enjoy:

You will feel less worried if you engage yourself in something you enjoy. Activities like singing, dancing, gardening, handicrafts, etc. can keep you engaged and make you feel happy. If you don’t have a hobby, pick up one now.

You can also make the best use of Coronavirus lockdown time by gaining new knowledge or skill. You can start some online courses. Or even YouTube videos can teach you cool new skills like Do-It-Yourself crafts.

In short, do something fun, and let it help you forget your worries.

8. Talk to your children to ease their anxiety:

It’s not only the grownups that are feeling anxious about the COVID-19 pandemic. Even children and teenagers are experiencing anxiety. When parents get worried, children notice it and feel worried too. And if a family member is affected by the Coronavirus, children can feel scared and stressed out. Parents must understand this and talk to their children about the Coronavirus problem. Listen patiently to all the fears and questions of your children. Explain to them the details about the COVID-19 in age-appropriate language. Remove their worries. You want to keep your children safe from Coronavirus. Reduce their worries about it too.

Conclusion:

Anxiety and stress can affect your immunity and aggravate your preexisting health issues. While a dangerous virus is spreading over the world, it is vital that you stay physically and mentally strong. So, avoid the things that are increasing your worries. And engage yourself in activities that can make you healthier and happier.

We hope the tips mentioned above will help you manage stress and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic. If you continue to feel troubled, consult a doctor. Also, look out for any disturbing symptoms in your family members. These might include the person alienating himself or herself from all others, showing increased anger or mood swings, loss of appetite or difficulty in sleeping. If you notice any marked change in someone’s behavior, don’t ignore it. If you and your family can’t help such a person towards better mental health, seek medical advice.

The post How to manage your stress and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic? appeared first on WellnessHub Nourishing Your Mind, Body, and Soul.

For many women, weight is closely linked to their perception of themselves. In extreme cases, it may even lead to body dysmorphic disorder or eating disorders. Compared to men, women find it harder to lose weight. Men have more muscle, whereas women may have more fat. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, men often seem to lose weight faster than women. Menopause may also make weight management harder for women. And the food cravings caused by premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can destroy all diet plans.

But with a healthy diet and regular exercise, women too can achieve a healthy weight.

Tips for weight management for women

1. Eat a balanced diet:

Eating a healthy and balanced diet is the first step towards weight management.

Try to include more protein in your diet. Food items like Cottage Cheese, Greek Yogurt are rich in protein and keep you feeling full for longer. Cottage Cheese and Greek Yogurt also have Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) which may help in weight loss. You also need to make your diet rich in fiber. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, berries, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all rich in fiber. And they are packed with various nutrients essential for good health.

Reduce your intake of Refined Carbs. These are commonly found in products like bread, pasta, and other packaged food items. Replace these with whole grain food items like oats, brown rice, barley, buckwheat, quinoa, etc. Avoid processed food as much as possible. Processed food is high in calories, sugar, and sodium, but low in vital nutrients. So limit your intake of processed foods and stick to the natural goodness of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.

Avoid consuming added sugar. Sugar can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. So avoid sweets, candies, sugary drinks.

2. Avoid unhealthy drinks:

You don’t just eat calories. You drink them too. So, just eating healthy is not enough. You need to be careful about what you drink as well. Avoid sugary drinks. Choose fruits over fruit juice. Limit the sugar you put in your tea, coffee, etc.

Drink more water. Water keeps you hydrated. It may also help you calm down a food craving. Drinking water about a half-hour before a meal can help in reducing overeating. This leads to less consumption of calories. And according to a study. drinking 16.9 ounces (500 ml) of water may even increase the number of calories burned by 30% after 30–40 minutes.

3. Practice smart eating habits:

Eating habits matter a lot when you are trying to lose weight. Here are some smart eating habits that can help you in better weight management:

• Note down what you eat: Keeping a journal of what you eat can show you where you are going right or wrong. It can also help you plan your diet and motivate you to stick to it.
• Enjoy what you eat: When you eat food, keep your focus on it. Enjoy the food’s taste, smell, and texture. This will give you the feeling of fullness sooner. It will also make you more careful about what you are eating.
• Snack intelligently: Losing weight does not mean you need to starve yourself. Snacking between the meals might even help you lose weight by preventing food craving and binging later. But choose your snacks smartly. Instead of reaching out for that muffin or that packet of potato chips, reach out for healthier food. Choose fruits, berries, seeds, nuts, Greek Yogurt, etc, which are delicious as well as healthy to eat.
• Stop torturing yourself: Don’t torture yourself with over-strict or fad diets. Don’t fall into the trap of weight-loss pills. All these do more harm than good. A balanced diet and healthy lifestyle choices are what you need to lose weight without getting sick.
• Nibble, don’t gorge: Eating in small bites may also give you the feeling of fullness sooner. And when you are treating yourself to something that you know is unhealthy, nibble on it instead of taking big bites. Chew your food more slowly. Try to chew your food 50 times per bite. If you take a long time finishing one potato wafer, you are less likely to reach out for many more.
• Use smaller plates: If you don’t have enough space on your plate, you’ll put less food on it. This may help reduce your risk of overeating.
• Don’t starve yourself: An adult woman’s diet should contain no less than 800 calories per day. If you consume less than that, you might lose weight fast but might also develop several health issues. That is why it is a good idea to consult a doctor, nurse, dietician, nutritionist before you put yourself on a diet.
• Have a nutritious breakfast: A healthy breakfast that contains plenty of vital nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber can help you lose weight too. Skipping breakfast might lead to binge eating later. Having a nutritious breakfast can make your alert, improve your mood, and give you a feeling of fullness. Include items like oatmeal, Greek Yogurt, seeds, berries, fruits, etc. in your breakfast to begin the day on the right note.

4. Exercise right:

Along with a healthy diet, you also need to do regular exercise.

• Resistance Training: Resistance training is one of the best exercises for weight loss. It will help you build muscle and increase your endurance. It is especially helpful for women over 50 as it can also help in preserving bone mineral density. This resistance training can protect older women against osteoporosis. It also increases the rate of calorie burning while at rest. Resistance training includes exercising like lifting weights, body-weight exercises.
• Cardio: For younger women, Cardio or Aerobic exercise can work well. Cardio exercises increase your heart rate to burn extra calories. Try to include 20 to 40 minutes of cardio every day.
• HIIT: If you can’t exercise every day, you can also try HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). Doing HIIT a few times in a week can help you burn calories, reduce belly fat, and increase weight loss. An intense burst of movement alternating with brief periods of recovery keeps your heart rate elevated and helps in burning calories.
• Yoga: If you are not comfortable with intense exercises, try Yoga. Yoga can prevent weight gain and help you burn fat and calories. And Yoga is also beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety and prevent emotional binge eating.
• Walking: Walking is a moderate intensity exercise that can help in weight loss, strengthen your bones and muscles, boost your immunity, and give you various other health benefits. Being a moderate-intensity exercise, anyone can walk for weight management and good health. Minimum 30 minutes of walking per day is recommended. The advantages of walking go beyond physical fitness. It can even improve your mood and make you feel happier.
• Stay active: Even if you can’t exercise every day, you can still try to adopt a more active lifestyle. Travel short distances by walking instead of driving. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk whenever you have a few minutes free. As per an estimate, non-exercise-related activities may account for 50% of the calories burned in a day.

5. Sleep Well:

Irregular or insufficient sleep may also lead to weight gain. A study by researchers at the University of Colorado found that one week of sleeping about 5 hours in a day caused an average weight gain of 2 pounds in the participants.

Sleep deprivation can cause changes in the hormones that regulate hunger and appetite. It can reduce the hormone Leptin which suppresses hunger and also encourages the body to spend energy. Lack of sleep reduces the brain’s ability to make reasoned decisions. It may also affect your motivation to lose weight. Sleep deprivation may lead to binge eating too. All this may cause weight gain.

So, try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day. And keep a regular sleep schedule. If you have difficultly falling asleep, consult a doctor.

6. Take Probiotics:

Probiotics are a type of beneficial bacteria. These helpful bacteria can improve your gut health and excretion of fat. Probiotics can also alter hormone levels leading to a reduction in appetite. All of this can help with weight loss. Lactobacillus gasseri probiotic can decrease belly fat and overall weight.

Probiotics can be consumed easily through food or supplements. Probiotics are naturally present in most fermented food. Food items that are rich in probiotics include yogurt, pickles, kefir, kombucha, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread, and some cheeses.

7. Beat the stress and be happy:

Negative moods like stress, anxiety, depression can lead to emotional binge eating. Such negative emotions can also disturb your sleep cycle, demotivate you from your weight loss goals, and may lead you to give up exercise and start eating unhealthy food.

Try to relax by doing things you enjoy. Listening to soothing music, walking in the park, keeping a journal, socializing with friends, taking up a hobby, and other such pleasant activities can help. In short, stay happy. When you are happy, you are more likely to stick with your resolve to losing weight.

And when you set your weight management goals, be realistic. Unrealistic goals can lead to disappointment, demotivation, and derail you from your weight loss plans.

Weight management can be a hard battle for women. But it can be won. With proper modifications in your diet and lifestyle, you too can achieve a healthy weight.

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Studies suggest that taking a healthy breakfast every day keeps you more physically active, compared to skipping breakfast and eating a heavier meal later. Breakfasting everyday helps in controlling obesity and Type 2 Diabetes and prevents large fluctuations in your blood glucose level.

However, it is important that you eat healthy breakfast. Breakfast items typically offered at restaurants or available in supermarkets may not always be healthy. Muffins, pancakes, waffles taste great. But eating them every day is not a healthy choice.

What is a healthy breakfast?

A breakfast that is a healthy mix of protein, vitamins, and other essential nutrients is a healthy breakfast. Try to make your breakfast nutritious by including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins and fats. Keep harmful fats and sugars away. Remember that a well-balanced breakfast can boost your energy, make you more alert, and keep you from overeating during the rest of the day.

11 food items you should include in your healthy breakfast

1. Coffee:

Coffee is rich in caffeine and is a great drink to get rid of the morning drowsiness. It can make you feel more alert. It can also improve your mood and mental performance. Caffeine can increase your metabolic rate and fat burning. It is also rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants can help in reducing inflammation and protecting the cells lining your blood vessels. They can also help in decreasing diabetes and liver disease risk. Just be careful while adding sugar to it. Better still, skip the sugar.

2. Green Tea:

The caffeine content in Green Tea is only half the amount found in coffee. It provides only 35–70 mg of caffeine per cup. But it is an excellent drink for a healthy start of your day. It too can make you alert and improve your mood. And it is great for raising your metabolic rate.

Green Tea can also help in reducing blood sugar and insulin level. This may be a helpful for people with diabetes. The EGCG antioxidant in green tea may help in keeping your brain, nervous system, and heart healthier.

3. Protein Shake or Smoothie:

If you don’t want a drink with caffeine, protein shakes and smoothies can be a good option for you.

For the protein shakes, you can use protein powder, including whey, egg, soy, and pea protein. Whey protein might be a great choice as it is absorbed most quickly by the body and helps in reducing appetite better than other proteins. Whey protein may also help in lowering blood sugar levels if included in a carb-containing meal.

Whatever protein powder you use, make it more nutritious with fruits, greens, seeds, etc. It will prove to be a filling and satisfying drink.

4. Eggs:

Eggs are a good option to include in your breakfast. Eating eggs at breakfast increases feeling of fullness. This may prevent you from overeating in your next meal. Eggs may also help in keeping the blood sugars and insulin levels steady.

Eggs are high in cholesterol, but they don’t raise cholesterol levels in most people. Whole eggs may even modify the shape of “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase “good” HDL cholesterol. This can help in reducing the risk of heart disease.

The lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants in egg yolks can help in preventing eye disorders like cataracts and macular degeneration. Eggs add high-quality protein to your diet. And they are rich in choline which helps in brain and liver health.

Eggs are also quick to make. So, no matter how rushed your morning is, you can include eggs in your breakfast.

5. Cottage Cheese:

Cottage cheese is a rich source of calcium and may help in bone strength and prevention of osteoporosis. If you are a vegetarian and don’t eat eggs, include cottage cheese in your breakfast. It is rich in protein. Cottage Cheese also increases metabolism, decreases hunger hormone ghrelin, and gives you a feeling of fullness. Full-fat cottage cheese also has Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) which may help in weight loss. Cottage Cheese may help in regulating blood pressure and preventing certain cancers, such as prostate cancer.

6. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is made by straining whey and other liquids from milk curds. This makes the yogurt creamier and more concentrated in protein. It increases levels of hormones that promote fullness. So, like eggs and Cottage Cheese, the protein-rich Greek Yogurt also gives a feeling of fullness and can help prevent over-eating.

The full-fat yogurt contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). This CLA may help in fat loss and decrease the risk of breast cancer. Some types of Greek Yogurt also have probiotics like Bifidobacteria that help in keeping your gut healthy.

Add berries and chopped fruits to the Greek Yogurt for vitamins, minerals, and fiber content. It makes for a delicious and healthy breakfast.

7. Oatmeal:

If you like to eat cereals in your breakfast, Oatmeal is a great choice for you.

Oats contain a fiber called beta-glucan which has many health benefits. The biggest of these is that it helps in reducing cholesterol. Beta-glucan is viscous fiber. It promotes feelings of fullness and may prevent over-eating in the next meal. Oats are also rich in antioxidants and may help in heart health and blood pressure.

Oats are not a rich source of protein. So pair oatmeal with eggs or cheese to get sufficient protein in your breakfast. Also, if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, buy only gluten-free certified oatmeal.

8. Seeds:

Including seeds in your breakfast is a good idea. They add a delicious and healthy crunch to your meal. They are a good source of fiber and different seeds are rich in different nutrients. Seeds have various antioxidants that help in fighting ailments and maintaining better health.

Flaxseeds, Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds can be great for your health. Flax Seeds and Chia Seeds are a good source of omega-3 fats. Hemp Seeds are rich in protein and have a good proportion of omega-6 to omega-3 fats. Sesame Seeds are rich in lignans and several nutrients. Pumpkin Seeds are rich in phosphorus, monounsaturated fats and omega-6 fats and Sunflower seeds are rich in protein, monounsaturated fats, and vitamin E.

In short, seeds can give you many health benefits. They are easy to include in your diet and taste great. Just add them to salads, yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, etc. and enjoy.

9. Berries:

Don’t underestimate the health benefits of berries. They taste great and are packed with antioxidants. They are high in fiber and low in calories. Their sugar content is less than fruits, yet they taste as good. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries can help in maintaining good health. They can also reduce markers of inflammation and prevent oxidizing of blood cholesterol.

So include berries in your breakfast. They will make your meal delicious and healthier.

10. Nuts:

Along with seeds and berries, nuts can be a great addition to the taste and nutrition value of your breakfast. They are high in calories, yet may be helpful in weight loss because they give a feeling of fullness and may prevent overeating. Nuts may improve heart health, decrease inflammation, and reduce insulin resistance. Nuts are also rich in nutrients like magnesium, potassium and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Nuts may also help people with diabetes. One study suggests that replacing a portion of carbs with nuts may help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Include two tablespoons of chopped nuts in your breakfast to make your meal healthier and crunchier.

11. Fruits:

Fruits are packed with nutrients. They can satisfy your cravings for something sweet in a healthier way. Fruits contain vitamins, potassium, and fiber. And they are low in calories. One cup of chopped fruits provides 80–130 calories. Fruits can help build your immunity and give you better overall health. With high fiber content, they are also very filling and can help in weight loss.

So you see, healthy breakfast can be delicious too. It can give you the energy to face a hectic day and help in maintaining good health. Just try it!

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Healthy habits may add a decade to your life. Here’s how.

If you want to live healthier and longer, take care of the five crucial health factors. These are:

1. Healthy Diet: 

A healthy diet is a key factor in maintaining better health. It can protect you against many chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, even some cancers. Proper diet is also important for better immunity.

A good quality diet is rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and low in salt, sugars, saturated & trans-fats. A healthy diet includes staples like cereals, fruits, vegetables, starchy tubers or roots, and animal products like meat, fish, eggs, and milk. Try to eat fruits and vegetables of all colors. And reduce your intake of salt, sugars, and unhealthy fats. It is also important to observe proper meal times. Erratic eating habits and long gaps between meals can also adversely affect health.

2. Regular Exercise:

Only proper diet isn’t enough to maintain good health. You need regular exercise too. An active lifestyle can save you from many diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular problems, etc. Regular moderate exercise like walking for at least 30 minutes, five days a week can help you feel healthier and happier.

Exercise helps in managing healthy body weight, lowers blood cholesterol, and reduces the risk of a heart attack. It can also reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and may even save you from some cancers. Regular exercise also helps in managing blood pressure. It reduces the risk of Osteoporosis and is essential for maintaining strong bones, muscles, and joints.

When you stay active, you have better immunity. This can help in quicker recovery from injuries and diseases. Exercise also ensures better sleep and improves mood, making you feel happier and more relaxed.

3. Maintain a Healthy Body Mass Index:

Obesity is not just uncomfortable, it can lead to many serious health issues. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, some forms of cancer, anemia, infertility, etc. Your weight can also put too much strain on your back and joints, reduce immunity, and increase the risk of osteoporosis. So, maintaining a healthy body weight is essential for good health. Better Body Mass Index helps in managing non-insulin-dependent diabetes, increases energy levels, improves your self-esteem and makes you feel better.

So, try to maintain a healthy BMI. A balanced diet and regular exercise can help you achieve it.

Tip: How to calculate your BMI?

Use this simple formula: BMI = kg/m2 where kg is a person’s weight in kilograms and m2 is their height in meters squared.

Healthy BMI range for adults (18-65 years) is 18.5 to 24.9.

4. Proper Sleep:

Good sleep is essential for better health. Sleep deprivation or sleep deficiency can impact your health, mood, and performance. Sleep helps in maintaining healthy brain functions and better overall physical health. It also supports growth and development in children and teenagers.

Lack of sleep makes you more vulnerable to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. It also increases the risk of accidents, putting you and others around you at risk. If you don’t take enough sleep, it will also affect your mood.

So, no matter how busy you are, take enough sleep. 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day is enough for most adults. Children need more sleep than adults. Make sure your sleep time is tuned to your body clock. A regular sleep schedule and quiet time before sleeping helps in better sleep. Avoid heavy meals or heavy exercise before sleeping. Try to keep your bedroom quiet and clutter-free. Don’t stare at your smartphone or computer for long duration before sleeping. Remember, sleep is not only essential for rest, it is important for better health too.

5. Positive Outlook:

People are often told to be positive. A positive outlook is essential for a happy life. Now it has been proved that positivity and optimism can also help you live a healthier life. Our thoughts and feelings can impact our bodily functions. Thinking negatively all the time can affect your sleep and give you stress and hypertension. It may even lower your immunity. Positive emotions strengthen your immune system, prevent depression, and make you feel happier and healthier. Positivity can save you from hypertension and heart disease and help you achieve better weight control and healthier blood sugar levels. Even when facing serious illness like cancer, positive outlook can help in speedier recovery.

So, maintain a positive outlook, think positive thoughts, and try to focus on the good things in life. It will make you feel happy. It will also help you have a better health.

Healthy lifestyle habits can give you longer and healthier life. Better life choices can give you better health. Avoid things that can hurt your health like smoking or excessive drinking. Maintain an active lifestyle and good weight. Remember that a healthy lifestyle with regular physical exercise, a well-balanced diet, proper hydration, and sufficient sleep can do wonders for your physical and mental health. Just a little care and you can easily add a decade to your life.

The post Want to live a longer and healthier life? Adopt these 5 healthy habits. appeared first on WellnessHub Nourishing Your Mind, Body, and Soul.

 How to build your immunity

1. Take proper diet to build your immunity:

A healthy diet is essential for a healthy body. When your diet is deficient in vital nutrients, it can weaken your immune system. A diet high in saturated fat can lead to unhealthy weight. Obesity reduces the number and function of White Blood Cells, leading to weak immunity.

Make sure your diet is high in vital nutrients like protein, vitamins, minerals, and low in saturated fat, salt, and sugar. Include immunity-boosting fruits and vegetables in your meals. Many fruits and vegetables have vital nutrients that help in strengthening the immune system. You need a healthy combination of all of these to have strong immunity.

Some immunity-boosting food items are:

• Vitamin C: Citrus Fruits, Spinach, Kale, Bell Peppers, Brussel Sprouts, Papaya, Blueberries.
• Vitamin E: Peanuts, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Spinach, Broccoli
• Vitamin B6: Lean Chicken Breast, Cold-Water Like Tuna, Baked Potatoes, Bananas, Chickpeas.
• Vitamin A: Pumpkin, Cantaloupe, Squash, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes
• Vitamin D: Fatty fish like Mackerel, Salmon, Tuna, Sardines). Fortified Milk, Orange Juice, Cereals.
• Iron: Chicken, Turkey, seafood. Beans, Broccoli, Kale.
• Folic Acid/Folate: Beans, Peas, Green Leafy Vegetables
• Selenium: Garlic, Broccoli, Brazil Nuts, Barley, Sardines, Tuna
• Zinc: Oysters, Crab, Lean Meats, Poultry. Baked Beans, Yogurt, Chickpeas.

2. Dietary supplements:

As much as possible, try to take a healthy and balanced diet. However, if you are still deficient in some vital nutrients, you can take dietary supplements. Taking fortified food like fortified milk, cereals, health drinks, etc. can help you. However, before you start any food supplement, you must consult a doctor. Don’t take any food supplements without first taking proper medical advice.

3. Take sufficient sleep:

Proper sleep is important for strong immunity. When you sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines to help promote sleep. They also help in managing infection, inflammation, and stress. Constant sleep deprivation can reduce the production of these protective cytokines. Lack of sleep can also decrease the production of infection-fighting antibodies.

In short, lack of sleep can make you vulnerable to infections and delay your recovery. Long-term sleep deprivation can also increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

So, take proper sleep. Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day whereas children and teenagers need up to ten hours of sleep per day.

4. Exercise & maintain a healthy weight:

Regular exercise doesn’t just help you lose weight. It is also important for a strong immune system. A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of obesity and heart diseases. It can also weaken the immune system. So, regular exercise is important to stay fit and have strong immunity.

However, excessive exercise is also not recommended. It puts a strain on the body and may weaken your immune system. A moderate and regular exercise like walking, cycling, swimming, yoga for 30 minutes might work better to boost immunity.

5. Avoid bad habits like smoking, alcoholism:

Smoking and excessive intake of alcohol also have adverse effects on the immune system. So free yourself of these bad habits and choose better health.

6. Control your stress and stay happy:

Chronic stress and negative feelings like loneliness, anxiety, grief, etc can also affect your immune system.

When you are stressed, your body increases the production of a hormone called cortisol. This helps the body deal with the stress, temporarily limiting the bodily functions that aren’t needed in fight-or-flight situations. While short-term stress is not harmful, long-term chronic stress can reduce the immune system response. This means, you are left more vulnerable to viruses and infections.

Conclusion:

Having a strong immunity is vital for a healthy body. With a little care, you can strengthen your immune system. Just make good choices. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, take proper sleep, and try to be happy and relaxed. Can you do that for yourself?

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This army is your immune system. It works constantly to keep you safe from illness.

The immune system creates and manages the white blood cells. And these white blood cells fight against viruses and bacteria, guarding you against infections. If you don’t keep this natural defense system strong, you will fall sick again and again.

Immunity is a strong system and can withstand a lot. However, you need to make sure it stays strong. While you are caught up in your modern lifestyle, you may not notice the damage you are doing to your immunity. But a strong immunity is essential for a healthy body. If you have a weak immune system, you are more vulnerable to infections. You will fall sick more frequently, and your illnesses might be more severe and damaging.

Modern lifestyle is unhealthy in many ways. It is more sedentary, more exposed to pollutants, and under a constant attack of stress, bad diet and sleeping habits. All this puts our immune system under strain. There are many factors that can weaken your immunity. Some of the biggest causes are given below.

Causes of weak immunity

1. Poor diet

Most people know a balanced diet is essential to maintain a healthy body. Yet, too few care to follow a healthy diet. Your diet is often too high in saturated fat, leading to unhealthy weight and obesity. Obesity has a direct effect on immunity. It reduces the number and efficiency of the white blood cells, weakening the immune system.

Poor diet also leads to a deficiency of vital nutrients. When your body does not get sufficient minerals and vitamins, it cannot function properly. A nutritious diet is essential for a strong immune system too. If you are not careful about what you eat, you are weakening your immunity.

2. Lack of sleep:

Do you often sacrifice your sleep to stay ahead of your workload? Well then, you are directly damaging your immune system.

When you sleep, your immune system releases cytokines. Cytokines are vital protein-messengers needed to fight against inflammation and various diseases. If you don’t sleep enough, you reduce the quantity of these cytokines in your body. Result? Weak immunity and increased risk of serious troubles like obesity, heart disease, cardiovascular problems, and diabetes.

So, if you want strong immunity, you need to take proper sleep. 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day is recommended for adults and up to 10 hours for children and teenagers.

Make a note that too much sleep is unhealthy too. If you spend half the day sleeping, that will not help your immunity either.

3. Stress can lower immunity:

Modern life is full of stress. And stress has a direct effect on the immune system too. A normal level of stress is healthy and boosts performance. But chronic stress exhausts the body and lowers its immunity, making you fall sick more often.

You can’t escape stress in today’s world. But try to ease it out. You need to relax and pace yourself to control your stress level and stay healthy.

4. Environmental pollution:

Environmental pollution is increasing day by day. And so are its negative effects on your health.

According to some studies, air pollution can even weaken your immunity. Certain pollutants in the air are depleting the ozone layer. This is increasing the harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. UV rays have long been linked to skin cancer. But they can also increase the risk of cataracts and weaken your immune system.

So, when you step out in the sun, guard yourself against the UV rays by wearing sunglasses and a good sunscreen.

5. Negative outlook:

Your thoughts don’t just affect your mood. They can affect your health too. Negative thoughts and feelings can attack your immunity, making you fall seek. Feelings of loneliness, anxiety, grief, and depression can weaken your immune system. A study published in the Journal of Neuroimmunology in 2014 shows that increased anxiety associated with loneliness causes increased suppression of the immune system.

When you feel sad, you stop taking care of yourself. You may eat an unhealthy diet, give up exercising, even ignore personal hygiene. All this affects your immune system.

6. Sedentary lifestyle can damage immunity:

Your work may require sitting and working on the computer for hours. Or you may like relaxing and enjoying movie marathons at home. But if you are not exercising enough, you are hurting yourself in more ways than one. An excessively sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of obesity, heart diseases, and weakened immunity. If you combine the lack of activity with bad habits like smoking, alcoholism, you are directly damaging your immunity.

Various Immune system disorders like autoimmune disorders, primary immune deficiency, or acquired immune deficiency also weaken out immunity. These are serious conditions that require proper medical care. But for most people, poor immunity is the result of just bad lifestyle and dietary choices.

Conclusion:

Proper diet, sleep and exercise, and a positive outlook can go a long way in strengthening your immune system. Take a healthy diet. You can take food supplements (after consulting a doctor) if you are deficient in any vitamin or mineral. Take proper rest, manage your stress, adopt clean and healthy habits. Environmental pollution is increasing. Newer and more dangerous strains of viruses are emerging. Modern life is full of challenges. You need to stay strong to face the increasing stress on your body. You need a strong immunity.

The post You are damaging your immunity without knowing it. Stop doing these now! appeared first on WellnessHub Nourishing Your Mind, Body, and Soul.

On December 31, 2019, a new strain of Coronavirus was reported in Wuhan, China. It is called SARS-CoV-2 and causes the disease called COVID-19. This new virus strain has quickly spread across the world and has affected almost 100,000 people. It has caused 3,300 fatalities so far. And if its spread is not contained soon, it will result in many more deaths.

So, what can you do to stay safe from Coronavirus?

When it comes to health problems, prevention is always better than cure. Here are the most important Dos and Don’ts you can follow to stay safe from Coronavirus.

Coronavirus Dos and Don’ts

Do follow these:

• Wash hands frequently and well with soap and water. Use alcohol-based sanitizer when you go out.
• Maintain good personal hygiene.
• If you have a cough or cold, you should wear a mask before you step out of your home.
• Maintain good respiratory hygiene. While coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or disposable tissue. But if you have neither, cover your mouth and nose with the inside of your elbow. If you cover your nose and mouth with your hand, wash or sanitize your hand.
• If you suspect you have COVID-19 disease, consult the doctor immediately and stay confined to your home.
• And if you experience symptoms like cough, difficulty in breathing, or fever during or after travel, consult a doctor immediately. Inform them of your travel history.
• Take sufficient sleep and rest. Avoid stress. Exhaustion, lack of sleep, and stress can make you more vulnerable to infections.
• Eat a healthy diet, take plenty of water and other healthy drinks
• Keep your home clean and well-ventilated.
• Disinfect equipment used while handling animals.
• Wash your hands with soap after touching animals or animal products.
• If you wear a single-use mask, discard it safely after use and wash your hands.

Avoid these:

• Avoid going to crowded places.
• You must avoid touching your nose, eyes, and mouth.
• Stay away from people who have flu symptoms. It’s advisable to keep a distance of at least one meter from such a person.
• Avoid traveling if you have a cough or fever.
• Avoid traveling to countries that are affected by Coronavirus.
• If you wear a safety mask, do not touch it once it is on.
• Avoid going to market places where various animals are kept.
• Avoid contact with sick animals, stray animals, spoiled meat, and waste/fluids in an animal market.

In addition, follow these food safety precautions if you eat meat:

• Don’t eat raw or under-cooked meat.
• Use different chopping boards or other utensils for raw meat and cooked food.
• Wash your hands carefully with soap after handling raw meat.
• Wash your hands between handling raw meat and cooked food.
• Don’t eat animals that were sick.

Basic protective measures against Coronavirus by WHO.

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