8 Reasons Why Yoga Is Good For Health

Yoga is not something like stretching, but creating balance in the body through both strength and flexibility. The continued practice of yoga makes the body strong, flexible and improves the functioning of the respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and hormonal systems.

There are a number of yoga asanas (poses) with different names and includes standing postures, seated twists, backbends, arm balances, inversions and core holds.

1. Lowers Stress and improves your mood

The practice of yoga helps to boost oxygen levels in the brain that lowers the stress and makes you happier. Yoga encourages you to relax, slow your breath and allows you to focus on the present.

2. Boosts Confidence

The act of meditation can actually boost your confidence by releasing tension from your mind. Without any forms of anxiety, it helps you to establish an internal connection with yourself so that you can feel confident about your body.

3. Lowers the risk of injury

Exercise, such as running includes a higher risk of injury and increase muscle tension. Yoga concentrates on balancing this activity. Yoga unites both your body and mind and therefore allows you to turn in a way that outcome in an injury free, healthier you.

4. Helps you lose weight

One major contributor to weight gain is excess stress. Regularly practicing yoga enables you to bring a deep sense of relaxation to both your body and mind, helping you to distress and allowing you to lose-weight naturally. With yoga Sun Salutations and Kapal Bharti pranayama are ways that help you to lose weight.

5. Increases flexibility and posture

The continued practice of yoga makes your body strong, supple and flexible. Yoga practice tones the body muscles and makes them strong. Also, it helps to improve your body posture when you sit, stand, sleep or walk. This would, in turn, help relieve you of body pain due to incorrect posture.

6. Builds muscle strength

Yoga helps you to improve your muscle tone. Strong muscles not only give a good look, but also protect us from back pain and arthritis.

7. Benefits breathing and lowers blood pressure

Consistent yoga practice will increase your lung capacity as a result of the deep breathing process. It will also help in sports to increase your stamina and endurance. Also, meditation and yoga asanas slow down your heart rate, which in turn lowers blood pressure.

8. Increases your blood flow

Yoga asanas get your blood flowing. The yoga relaxation exercises help in proper blood circulation in your body. Yoga also gets more oxygen to your cells, which function better as a result.

How Physical Fitness Can Be Rewarding to Your Health

There are many advantages of adopting a regular fitness plan, you feel younger and live better. According to a report from the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who exercise regularly are less prone to health ailments and are at a comparatively lower death risk.

Benefits of Physical Fitness:

According to recent study, researchers have discovered that exercises help in getting relaxed, develops proper sleep pattern, helps prevent weight gain problems as well as helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and depression. In several extreme cases, it has also been beneficial to survive breast cancer. It was seen that people with cancer showed remarkable immunity when they exercised. It also helped patients with heart failure and help them in improving their quality of life, decrease the frequency of hospitalization and in certain areas avert death rate. Therefore, the point is if exercise can work effectively for people with mild health conditions, it can be a good benefactor for those who lead a normal healthy life and help enrich their health to a greater level.

How to Start?

Firstly, to begin a physical activity, you do not have to strain yourself for the results. Also, do not expect the results in just one day. Patience and dedication are the two key factors for maintaining a physically fit well-being. A humble beginning can go a long way so even if you start with a moderate exercise four to five days a week, you will be able to notice the results over a few months. Make sure that you exercise at a moderate intensity for 3 hours across the span of a week. Try to avoid any period of inactivity and do exercise without fail. You should try to incorporate supplementary exercises like cardio twice a week along with weightlifting exercises to strengthen your muscles.

Retaining the habit to exercise.

This is probably the bone in the fish, as it is very easy to go off track and keep to your fitness schedule. Most people often find it difficult to manage their time. For them even a ten-minute activity can keep them physically fit and active. To stick to your plan it is essential to set a goal that is realistic and you should try to fit more active elements into your daily routine to stay healthy such as avoiding the elevator and taking stairs for a couple of floors or walking or cycling to the grocery store instead of driving

Importance of Massage for Health

Massage therapy has been around for more than two millennia and has healed countless souls from antiquity to the present. Body massage therapy through the years has evolved as an indulgence and as a healing art that found its niche in this modern world. Body massage therapy is promoted as a sanctuary of relaxation and healing amidst the noisy timbre of the modern metropolis. An addictive indulgence that anyone can enjoy from all walks of life and in all age groups.

Modern medicine and alternative medicine has discovered the many massage benefits offered by the different traditional techniques like Swedish, Thai, Deep tissue, reflexology and sports massage. Body massage can soothe away the stress brought about by your body weight upon yourself. This postural stress is fairly common among desk job professionals and telemarketers who spend their whole days behind their desk sitting down. The kneading strokes on the tense muscles can soften the tissues and improve circulation in the region. Lactic acid that causes the muscle pain are slowly dissipated into the blood until it's no longer painful. Arthritic pain in joints can also be relieved by those gentle circular touches augmented by healing massage oils. The gentle touch upon the body gives the patient a sense of re-assurance and care relieving him from all those anxiety and depression. A Therapeutic body massage is one of the holistic approaches identified in the palliative and supportive care of patients suffering from cancer.

The progressive flow of energy through the Sen Lines in traditional Thai massage has made remarkable improvements in sleeping disorders of patients. Body Massage therapy has been found to modulate the sleeping cycle to its normalcy among anxious and depressed individuals. Swedish massage has been researched extensively that a temporary boost in the serum lymphocytes and White Blood Cells (WBC) as a whole is observed after a 45 minute session. This increases one's immunity against invading viruses and bacteria, making the patients more resistant to these types of infections. Researches have also reported that a regular head and neck massage can relieve the symptoms of tension and migraine headaches, and decrease the frequency of their recurrence significantly. Sports massage and deep tissue massage can relieve the pain of overworked muscles and improve physical sports performance among treated athletes.

Until this day, millions of people worldwide have benefited from the wonders of body massage therapy. It has provided them with a relaxing way of easing out the stress, relaxing the muscles, and relieving chronic pain.

10 Super Simple ways to Improve your Mental Health

Little Things you can do to Improve your Mental Health

Interesting Little Things you Can Do to Improve Your Mental Health

10 Things you Can Do to Improve Your Mental Health

1. Make sure you go outside, or change your environment at least once a day.

2. Text, snapchat and message your friends. Make sure you don’t isolate yourself.

3. Budget for small treats and indulgences.

4. Decide to say “no” to people-pleasing tendencies. Be secure in who you are and in what you want for “you”.

5. Invest in hobbies which your genuinely enjoy, and which tend to leave you feeling good about yourself.

6. Have a favorite playlist which you know will lift your mood.

7. Decorate your space or room in a way that reflects you.

8. Limit how much time you spend with those who drain your energy.

9. Treat yourself the way you’d treat a special person, or good friend.

10. Don’t compare yourself to others, just appreciate being you.

8 Effective Daily Lifestyle And Weight Management Tips For Health And Fitness

There are simple weight management tips you can do in your daily lifestyle. While they are easy to do, they are valuable and effective. Here are 8 daily tips for successful weight management:

1. Reduce the portions in your meals. Be conscious of the calories when you portion your meals. In your plate, one quarter should comprise a portion (palm-size) of lean protein such as chicken breast or salmon and one quarter of brown rice or other unrefined grain, while half of your plate should contain different varieties of colorful veggies. If you still feel hunger pangs after eating, wait for 20 minutes. It's enough time for the foods that you ate to digest. Otherwise you can eat extra veggies, tossed salad or a small slice of fruit


2. Eat your regular meals, don't skip. In weight management, it is essential to eat 3 regular meals and snacks. It is particularly important to eat breakfast. It'll jumpstart your metabolism. Consider that you need food to fuel your body. Without food to sustain your body, it cannot work efficiently.


3. Load up your calories in the morning until noon. Consuming more calories on the first half of the day curbs your hunger during the night. You do most of your activities at daytime, anyway. In the evenings, you are normally less active, so eat lighter dinners.


4. Eat more fiber. The recommended amount of fiber consumption for women is 25 to 30 grams per day. However, many women fall short of that. Increase your fiber intake by eating whole grain breads and cereals. They are high in fiber. Make your pasta and rice whole wheat instead of white. Add more dried beans when you prepare your meals. More fiber intake makes you feel fuller faster, making you eat less. It curbs your hunger as well. Lower your cholesterol by consuming more soluble fiber.


5. Know what the good sources of fiber are. Sources of insoluble fiber are corn bran, wheat, cereals, pasta, bread, fruit and root vegetables skin and most veggies such as green beans, potatoes and broccoli. What are the food sources of soluble fiber? They are psyllium, barley, oat bran, oats and legumes like split peas, dried beans and most fruits and veggies.


6. Have regular exercise- make it daily. Engage in an exercise routine or get more physically active. Ask for the advice of your health professional or exercise physiologist.


7. Make sure that you eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies daily. These food sources are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber while being low in calories and fat. Two to three servings of fruits should be included in your daily diet. If you can, avoid eating canned juice and fruit. You'll also have added fiber and nutrients intake if you eat fruits with the skin. Incorporate more fruits and veggies in your lunch and dinner. You can snack on them, too.


8. Drink sufficient amounts of water. Take in 6 to 8 glasses of water everyday. You'll prevent yourself from overeating while you keep yourself hydrated.

These weight management tips and tricks to inculcate in your daily meals and lifestyle can effectively aid in your health and fitness.

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How Foxtail Millets Are Beneficial to Health

Foxtail millet or belonging to the family of millets is an annual grass and the second most widely planted species of millets in East Asia.

Foxtails are cheaper to acquire and easy to cultivate having a crop cycle of about 60-90 days. Its early maturity and efficient consumption of water make it suitable for cultivation in the dry area. A warm season crop, typically planted in late spring, it has the longest history of cultivation among millets.

In China, foxtail millet is the most common millet and one of the main food crops, especially among the poor. In Europe and North America, it is planted at a moderate level for hay and silage and birdseed. However, in South India, especially in rural Andhra it has been a regular diet among people. It belongs to the old culture of Tamil. In old Tamil texts, it has been associated with Lord Muruga and Valli.

This easily cultivable crop is highly rich in fibre, protein and low in Glycemic Index. Foxtail is ideal for reducing cholesterol of body, controls blood sugar and aids in metabolism rate. As an antioxidant, it removes all acidic elements from the body.

Use in Diabetics:

Regular use of foxtail is a good guard against coronary diseases and reduces chances of cardiac arrest and fatalities. Being a diabetic friendly food, it contains a fair amount of phenolic (a strong anti-oxidant) used to get rid of toxins in the body. Rice is usually devoid of essential minerals and vitamins, but foxtail millet has enough amounts of both besides being rich in all amino acids, making it a desirable food for diabetics. Studies have shown that carbohydrates and fibre in foxtail millet are beneficial for diabetics, reducing blood sugar levels by about 70%

A Gluten Free Diet:

Many people are getting diagnosed with gluten sensitivity ( also called the Celiac disease), a substance found commonly in wheat. People who cannot consume wheat are left with very few options as most of the products in the market like biscuits, bakery items like bread, etc are made from Wheat. As a gluten free diet, foxtal millet is a perfect food for people suffering from Celiac, promoting digestion, increases energy levels and helping in maintaining cholesterol levels. In fact, they provide higher nutrition than wheat. A unique benefit of foxtail is that it helps in eradicating viruses and germs.

Preparations of Foxtail:

An easy to cook food, foxtail is an ideal substitute for rice or other grains that could cause blood sugar. It can be easily eaten with all side dishes that you eat along with rice, e.g., sambar, rasam, curds, dal, etc.

You can even make pulao, khichdi, pongal, upma and other such dishes. These millets can be beautifully served as a fibre rich salad or added to soups, burgers, muffins, pancakes and an endless list of such dishes.

Not every type of whole grain has so many qualities packed into one single shell. So start including Foxtail millets into your diet from today. You can make it all the more healthy and nutritious by buying only the organic millets, free from chemical sludge, pesticides and harmful sprays.

Independent Blogger, Environmentalist, Organic Food Enthusiast, Organic Products Researcher. I am looking forward to share my knowledge in Foxtail millets and gain new knowledge.