Human health has long been an issue of great interest and curiosity besides the subject of vast research and studies. What makes us tick? The human body is like a well-oiled machine and functions well when all the systems are carrying out their 'duties' properly in conjunction with each other. But the larger 'duty' of managing the body well rests with us. Health is the vast sum of all functions that humans have to exercise in order to survive in a given situation or environment, the diverse the environment the greater the emphasis on health and its importance. But the irony is that besides illnesses and diseases that are the leading causes of deaths globally, factors like air pollution, water pollution, exposure to chemicals and pesticides also cause millions of deaths each year.
Let's get in detail some information on this as well as other health related issues from around the world. Risk factors
Health studies and medical data provide the startling fact that air pollution from industry and vehicle exhaust lead to the premature death of over 3.5 million people each year. When you find that that number is more than the combined deaths from Aids/HIV and Malaria, it is a rather grim picture indeed!
Particulate matter and gases like nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide from vehicular emissions and burning fossil fuels are the leading causes of suppressed lung growth in young children, asthma, diabetes and heart disease. Fetal brain growth is affected severely when pregnant women are exposed to air pollution. Even in countries that have strict legislation in place and have long histories of tackling air pollution, the solution does not seem to be in sight. Globally, several countries are involved in long-running legal tussles with world environmental agencies and pollution control boards over their failure to cut pollution levels. The ill-effects of global warming and the severity in weather patterns is something we have been witnessing for over a decade now.
Nationwide statistics
A recently concluded report on the health and lifestyle habits of Australians has thrown up some very worrying facts. Australian Health Policy Collaboration released 'Australia's Health Tracker' which examines the health of the people in relation to chronic illnesses and associated risk factors. The report concluded that Australia ranks as one of the most obese countries in the world with every fourth Australian being obese or overweight. An overwhelming 92 percent of teenagers had virtually no physical activity while in the adult category nearly 50% were found to have no regular exercise pattern resulting in high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and record-high suicide rates. The report also found that even when Australians were drinking less overall, the culture of binge-drinking was influencing young people to consume alcohol in excessive amount.
Lack of self-kindness can lead to the loss of identity, the blues, symptoms of depression, or a medical diagnosis of depression. You don't need any of these things at this time of life. Instead, identify the self-kindness steps that work for you--a trial and error process. While you're figuring this out, you need to continue to be a caregiver and take care of yourself.
Like buying new shoes, you have to "try on" self-kindness. You may eat lunch out with a friend for weeks, until you realize this is costly self-kindness. A new hobby may grab your attention until you realize you don't like it. Getting together with family members can be self-kindness, but this is difficult if relatives live far away, and your meetings are few.
Whether you are a volunteer family caregiver or a paid health care professional, each caregiver has to determine the self-kindness steps that work for them. I'm in my 19th year of caregiving and am also a health and wellness writer. To produce articles and books I need time for thought and research. Therefore, I build quiet time into every day. In fact, quiet is my top self-kindness step.
Mike O'Connor cites examples of self-kindness in his article, "40 Ways to Practice Self-Kindness," posted on the Kindness blog. Some ideas, such as drinking plenty of water, sound simple. In reality, staying hydrated is crucial to good health. Another of his suggestions is to learn to accept compliments and resist the urge to deny them. Being emotionally honest, asking for help, mindful eating, and limiting the time we spend with difficult people are more of his suggestions.
The question is, "What works best for me? You may have to get better at self-talk, for example. At the end of the day, if you find your thoughts slipping into the negative zone, counter these thoughts with positive ones. Doing this takes practice. Focusing on the benefits of caregiving can be helpful. Remember, you're making a difference in someone's life.
Be willing to change course. Keeping a self-kindness step that doesn't make you feel better is a waste of your time and energy. Nix that step from your list and head in a new direction. You may be stymied on this direction and, if so, ask a caregiver friend, or member of your support group, or a member of an online support group, for some ideas.
In their book, The Tough and Tender Caregiver, David A. Travland, PhD and Rhonda Travland compare the caregiver's needs to the care receiver's needs. "If the caregiver cannot continue to be a whole person," they write, "he or she is not going to be much good as a caregiver." The goal of self-kindness is to keep what makes you the person you are, and energize you for the weeks ahead.
The abdominal area is often one of the hardest parts of the body to tighten and tone. Most strength building activities that target this area are difficult and not very fun to do. Unfortunately, not only is a flabby waistline less than attractive, but it also puts you at far greater risk of heart disease and serious back issues. Following are a few, simple strategies for creating a smooth, flat and muscular belly.
It is first important for people to recognize the difference between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is the fairly harmless, soft fat that accumulates on top of the muscles and that can be easily pinched and measured with your hands. Although and excess amount of subcutaneous fat can be dangerous, all humans need a certain amount to support their normal metabolic functions and to ensure overall well-being.
Visceral fat, however, is a dangerous, yellow fat that collects around your actual organs. You have a lot of this fat if your belly feels bloated and hard. The accumulation of visceral fat is responsible for the development of heart disease, fatty liver disease and many other problems.
Understanding the type of fat you have will allow you to alter your diet and exercise plan accordingly. If you have subcutaneous fat, you can benefit from a moderate workout and diet plan. If your belly is distended with visceral fat, you should seek the guidance of a nutritionist and personal trainer right away. This could be essential for protecting your overall health from serious problems in the future.
The best diet for burning weight loss will contain lots of fresh and all-natural ingredients. Make a plan to stick to foods that have not been processed or refined. Moreover, focus on eating the things that your body needs, rather than constantly thinking about what you should be cutting out. If you load up on nutrient-dense foods, you'll hardly have either the appetite or room for options that lack nutritional value and are loaded with calories and fat.
One of the best forms of abdominal conditioning is running. The opposite arm and leg movements that running entails engages all of the abdominal muscles at once. If you don't like running, you're in luck. You can gain many of the same benefits by power walking or jogging an equal distance. You will also burn a nearly equivalent amount of fat while subjecting your joints and bones to far less stress.
If you choose to do abdominal exercises that require you to lie prone, such as sit-ups and abdominal crunches, make sure that you are using good form. Keep your chin tilted upwards and away from your stress while curling upward, so that you are lifting with your core muscles rather than your neck. Also, be sure to keep the lower back firmly pressed into the floor so that you are not using momentum to lift your upper torso.
You should also sign up for boxing training. This will provide the perfect combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength building for blasting away stubborn fat deposits and creating a tight, toned stomach. Guided boxing workouts are the best form of conditioning for obtaining remarkable results within the minimum amount of time.
Let's get in detail some information on this as well as other health related issues from around the world. Risk factors
Health studies and medical data provide the startling fact that air pollution from industry and vehicle exhaust lead to the premature death of over 3.5 million people each year. When you find that that number is more than the combined deaths from Aids/HIV and Malaria, it is a rather grim picture indeed!
Particulate matter and gases like nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide from vehicular emissions and burning fossil fuels are the leading causes of suppressed lung growth in young children, asthma, diabetes and heart disease. Fetal brain growth is affected severely when pregnant women are exposed to air pollution. Even in countries that have strict legislation in place and have long histories of tackling air pollution, the solution does not seem to be in sight. Globally, several countries are involved in long-running legal tussles with world environmental agencies and pollution control boards over their failure to cut pollution levels. The ill-effects of global warming and the severity in weather patterns is something we have been witnessing for over a decade now.
Nationwide statistics
A recently concluded report on the health and lifestyle habits of Australians has thrown up some very worrying facts. Australian Health Policy Collaboration released 'Australia's Health Tracker' which examines the health of the people in relation to chronic illnesses and associated risk factors. The report concluded that Australia ranks as one of the most obese countries in the world with every fourth Australian being obese or overweight. An overwhelming 92 percent of teenagers had virtually no physical activity while in the adult category nearly 50% were found to have no regular exercise pattern resulting in high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and record-high suicide rates. The report also found that even when Australians were drinking less overall, the culture of binge-drinking was influencing young people to consume alcohol in excessive amount.
Lack of self-kindness can lead to the loss of identity, the blues, symptoms of depression, or a medical diagnosis of depression. You don't need any of these things at this time of life. Instead, identify the self-kindness steps that work for you--a trial and error process. While you're figuring this out, you need to continue to be a caregiver and take care of yourself.
Like buying new shoes, you have to "try on" self-kindness. You may eat lunch out with a friend for weeks, until you realize this is costly self-kindness. A new hobby may grab your attention until you realize you don't like it. Getting together with family members can be self-kindness, but this is difficult if relatives live far away, and your meetings are few.
Whether you are a volunteer family caregiver or a paid health care professional, each caregiver has to determine the self-kindness steps that work for them. I'm in my 19th year of caregiving and am also a health and wellness writer. To produce articles and books I need time for thought and research. Therefore, I build quiet time into every day. In fact, quiet is my top self-kindness step.
Mike O'Connor cites examples of self-kindness in his article, "40 Ways to Practice Self-Kindness," posted on the Kindness blog. Some ideas, such as drinking plenty of water, sound simple. In reality, staying hydrated is crucial to good health. Another of his suggestions is to learn to accept compliments and resist the urge to deny them. Being emotionally honest, asking for help, mindful eating, and limiting the time we spend with difficult people are more of his suggestions.
The question is, "What works best for me? You may have to get better at self-talk, for example. At the end of the day, if you find your thoughts slipping into the negative zone, counter these thoughts with positive ones. Doing this takes practice. Focusing on the benefits of caregiving can be helpful. Remember, you're making a difference in someone's life.
Be willing to change course. Keeping a self-kindness step that doesn't make you feel better is a waste of your time and energy. Nix that step from your list and head in a new direction. You may be stymied on this direction and, if so, ask a caregiver friend, or member of your support group, or a member of an online support group, for some ideas.
In their book, The Tough and Tender Caregiver, David A. Travland, PhD and Rhonda Travland compare the caregiver's needs to the care receiver's needs. "If the caregiver cannot continue to be a whole person," they write, "he or she is not going to be much good as a caregiver." The goal of self-kindness is to keep what makes you the person you are, and energize you for the weeks ahead.
The abdominal area is often one of the hardest parts of the body to tighten and tone. Most strength building activities that target this area are difficult and not very fun to do. Unfortunately, not only is a flabby waistline less than attractive, but it also puts you at far greater risk of heart disease and serious back issues. Following are a few, simple strategies for creating a smooth, flat and muscular belly.
It is first important for people to recognize the difference between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is the fairly harmless, soft fat that accumulates on top of the muscles and that can be easily pinched and measured with your hands. Although and excess amount of subcutaneous fat can be dangerous, all humans need a certain amount to support their normal metabolic functions and to ensure overall well-being.
Visceral fat, however, is a dangerous, yellow fat that collects around your actual organs. You have a lot of this fat if your belly feels bloated and hard. The accumulation of visceral fat is responsible for the development of heart disease, fatty liver disease and many other problems.
Understanding the type of fat you have will allow you to alter your diet and exercise plan accordingly. If you have subcutaneous fat, you can benefit from a moderate workout and diet plan. If your belly is distended with visceral fat, you should seek the guidance of a nutritionist and personal trainer right away. This could be essential for protecting your overall health from serious problems in the future.
The best diet for burning weight loss will contain lots of fresh and all-natural ingredients. Make a plan to stick to foods that have not been processed or refined. Moreover, focus on eating the things that your body needs, rather than constantly thinking about what you should be cutting out. If you load up on nutrient-dense foods, you'll hardly have either the appetite or room for options that lack nutritional value and are loaded with calories and fat.
One of the best forms of abdominal conditioning is running. The opposite arm and leg movements that running entails engages all of the abdominal muscles at once. If you don't like running, you're in luck. You can gain many of the same benefits by power walking or jogging an equal distance. You will also burn a nearly equivalent amount of fat while subjecting your joints and bones to far less stress.
If you choose to do abdominal exercises that require you to lie prone, such as sit-ups and abdominal crunches, make sure that you are using good form. Keep your chin tilted upwards and away from your stress while curling upward, so that you are lifting with your core muscles rather than your neck. Also, be sure to keep the lower back firmly pressed into the floor so that you are not using momentum to lift your upper torso.
You should also sign up for boxing training. This will provide the perfect combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength building for blasting away stubborn fat deposits and creating a tight, toned stomach. Guided boxing workouts are the best form of conditioning for obtaining remarkable results within the minimum amount of time.
No comments:
Leave a comment