From early childhood, parents, teachers and others have tried to impress on us the role of vitamins in maintaining normal metabolic processes and, thus, good health. You learned from them that vitamins are essential for the body to function normally and stay well. They are also important for growth.

Vitamins are found in the food you eat and the beverages that you drink. In fact, in recognition of their importance, you often include vitamin supplements in your diet.

But while you recognize the benefits of vitamins, what do you actually remember about them? For example, you always hear about vitamins A and B, but do you really know or recall what these vitamins do for you? What are the sources of these vitamins? What happens when you lack vitamins A and B?

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is necessary for the growth and repair of body tissues. For those who want smooth, soft and disease-free skin, vitamin A is essential. It also helps protect the mouth, nose, throat and lungs from infections.

It provides better eyesight and aids bone and teeth formation. These benefits make this vitamin a necessary in a child’s diet.

It is comforting to know that this important vitamin is available in different foods. Yellow vegetables such as carrots, squash and sweet potatoes are rich sources of vitamin A. Dairy products such as milk, an ideal breakfast beverage, are also packed with vitamin A. If you pair milk with cereal and finish off with a fruit, you will have a healthy, filling and balanced breakfast. Cereals are also a great source of carbohydrates, proteins and B-vitamins that the body needs for extra energy and increased stamina.

It is essential to have enough vitamin A in the body because lack of this vitamin can cause itching and dry skin, loss of smell and appetite, night blindness, fatigue and susceptibility to infections.

Vitamin B

True, sticks and stones may break your bones, but vitamin B deficiency can cause damage not only to your bones but also to organs like the liver and skin. When you fail to take enough vitamin B, deficiency symptoms such as fatigue, muscular weakness, loss of smell and appetite, sluggishness and even paralysis may set in.

This vitamin is not stored very long in the body. It is excreted in the urine. Therefore, regular intake of vitamin B is recommended to replenish its loss.

Vitamin B is also known as vitamin B complex. This is because it is comprised of similarly structured compounds, which includes B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (panthothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B (biotin), B12 (cobalamin), and folic acid.

It is useful to know that there are a lot of food products rich in vitamin B. These foods include grains, beans, green leafy vegetables, banana and orange.

Recognizing its importance, food manufacturers now supplement their products with vitamin B.

It is best to take vitamin B-rich foods in the morning, so our body will have enough energy for your activities throughout the day.

Healthy living

With people becoming increasingly conscious about health, it is only proper to keep in mind the role and importance of vitamins like A and B. Eating the right kinds of food is basic to good health. So when you think about food to include in your diet, think not only about taste and convenience, but also what vitamins these will provide your body.

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In the same way as nature has threatened the mankind with harmful parasites and toxic bacteria, it has also provided us with some of the most effective and invaluable herbs that can relieve us from the pangs of diseases. Right from the beginning of civilization man has extensively depended on nature to supply him with his medicinal needs. It is proven that the herbal products are some of the best therapeutic substitutes to modern drugs.

An example of such drug is Nature Cleanse. As the name suggests it is a natural supplement for colon infections. The herbal constituents of the product are well proved therapeutic valuables like Aloe Vera, Peppermint, Flax Seed, Cascara Sagrada, Slippery Elm Bark, Rhubarb root and Marshmallow Root. These herbs help to keep the body clean and healthy.

These herbs can be very vital in protecting and cleansing some of the body’s most vulnerable organs like colon and liver. Colon, when infected, can host a huge number of parasites and bacteria that can affect the digestive system and cause problems like constipation, gas problems and many more. The herbal contents of the natural products destroy the toxic bacteria and fight the parasitic germs, thus protecting the organ and in turn the whole organ system from damage.

Healthy colon is also essential to keep the body weight in check as the parasites that it can host when infected have the ability to increase body weight in leaps and bounds.

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Start with one-lb, weights and add a pound every two weeks or so as your strength increases (most women stop with five- to eight-lb. weights). While training, follow the “Double E” rule: Exhale during the Exertion phase. Also, keep elbows and knees loose and hold in your stomach muscles tightly for extra back support.

1. Squat. With one-lb. weights in each hand, stand with feet shoulder width apart, toes pointing forward or at a slight angle. Bending at kens and hips, squat down so you mimic sitting in a chair. Keep back flat and chest out (do not bend forward). Go down to a comfortable level, so thighs are parallel or nearly parallel to floors, raise up. Repeat 12 to 15 times.
2. Kick out for legs. Strap one-lb weights to your ankles and stand behind a chair. Without bending your right knee, lift your right leg out to the side as high as you can; lower. Do eight repetitions; rest; o two more sets. Then do three sets on opposite side.
3. Lifting the world. Sit on a chair. With arms out at sides, grasp a one-lb. weight in each hand at shoulder level. Slowly raise arms, elbows facing out, as if lifting the world; lower arms. Do eight repetitions; rest. Repeat two times.
4. Taking a dip. Sit on the edge of a stable, low chair with feet on a chair facing you (or on the floor, for beginners). Using your arms to support your body, slowly lift your rear off chair and carefully lower it toward the floor, until elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Raise yourself back up. Do eight repetitions; rest. Repeat two sets.
5. Kick back for arms. Standing, bend forward at your waist. With a one-lb. weight in each hand, bend elbows and bring hands into chest. Bring one arm straight back until; elbow is parallel with torso. Return to start. Do eight times; repeat with other arm; rest. Repeat set.
6. Reverse crunch. Lie on back, hands at sides, legs up degree angle. Squeezing stomach muscles pull knees and head toward each other. Return to start. Do 20 repetitions; rest. Repeat.

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Take a Hike

Whether it is a short trek into the woods, or a steep ascent up a hill, or a major climb up a mountain peak, hiking offers an exhilarating lower body workout and effective aerobic activity. A basic knowledge of the outdoors, First Aid procedures and equipment are essentials. Beginners are advised to take short trips first with experienced guides or groups. It’s totally an egg-head thing to do to hike alone.

Gear up in bright-colored cotton tops and shorts or loose pants and a cap to wave off the sun. Good sturdy hiking boots is a good investment if you are planning to keep this a regular activity in your calendar, but otherwise, good running shoes with traction still intact can do the job. Be sure to keep a windbreaker (a light waterproof jacket) handy just incase the weather takes a turn. Sunblocks and a bottle of insect repellant are essentials that you might want to add to your list. For more details on the “What’s”, ask the dudes who will be facilitating your trip.

It is best to keep hydrated at all times and to keep some energy food (dried fruits, nuts etc.,) handy to sustain you during long hikes.

A sure hit for nature lovers, and those who enjoy going away during the weekend. Hiking may well be the gig to get you into shape, so why not get into those boots and tread that path up that peak to fitness.

An overnight trip to the wilderness will not cost as much as a night-out/dine-out with the gang on a Friday night.

Rock and Roll

If you want great upper and lower body workout, why not try climbing a Rockwall. No, you don’t just go to the nearest rock face that you see and start imitating Spiderman, the proper way to do this is get professional help.

You may start with one of those beginner walls then move to the more complicated and nerve-wrecking verticals. And once you get the hang of it, you may try the actual rock walls in the outdoors. You may contact local mountaineering groups in your school or area for their rock climbing schedules or you may check with your rock gym for their own outdoor rock activities. It is best to do this activity with someone you know or have done the activity with. Safety should always be your first concern.

Gear for this activity may prove a bit expensive, but do not worry, rentals are readily available. If done regularly and properly major benefit for the cardio-vascular department as well as with major muscle groups. Rock climbing in two words: Toned and Trim.

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Decide the kind of bath you want. If you intend to use the tub instead of the shower, choose the right bath to suit your moods and fill the tub with warm or cold water. Then add a few drops of fragrant oils. Be sure to test the temperature of the water before slowly lowering yourself in. After you have finished and thoroughly dried yourself, massage your body from head to toe with a rich body cream to moisturize your skin. That finishing touch ought to make you feel wonderful and ready to face the day.

Generally, baths are classified as those that invigorate and those that sooth.

Invigorating

• For energy – keep water just above the body temperature to increase your circulation and your energy level. Top the bath up with cold water after five minutes. A drop or two of aromatic oils will revitalize and help get the circulation going.

• To focus – a cool bath will give your body a boost and increase the blood flow to the center of the body and the brain. Four to five minutes will do to get your adrenalin going.

• To cleanse and purify – Soak in a warm bath for 15 to 30 minutes to unclog those pores.

• To lift your mood – for an emotional pick-up, stick to tepid baths and stay put until you feel better. This brings serenity back to your life. Citrus or mint oil will clear your head and open your breathing passages.

• Add spice to your sex life – soak in a moderately warm bath for about 15 minutes. A few drops of ylang-ylang added to your bath make a fragrant aphrodisiac.

Soothing baths

• To treat stress – A close-to-body temperature bath for 15 to 30 minutes will help relieve stress.

• To ease muscle pain – No more than 10 minutes in a bath that is just under hot-tub temperature is best. Epsom salt and sea water are wonderful for soothing muscles and a few drops of peppermint will also help.

• For headaches – Soak a cool bath for just 5 minutes to constrict blood vessels. One or two drops of peppermint oil will have a cooling effect on the skin, while lavender has an analgesic effect and chamomile will reduce tension.

• To induce sleep – Relax and soak in a very warm bath – not too hot or you will strip your body of its natural oil. Sleep will come easily with the help of a few drops of ylang-ylang, lavender or rose oils. While the bath was considered a luxury by people of old, it has become a necessity to modern man. Despite the pressures of the times people will take time out to discover its sensuous and restorative powers.

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Problems Due To Over Weight:

There are many methods people try for reducing their body weight. Over weight can cause you a number of discomforts that includes unable to walk easily, leg pain, arthritis, back pain, heart related complaints, high blood pressure and mental depression too.

Methods to Reduce Your Weight:

If you are suffering with over weight, then you can think about how to reduce your weight in a safe method. There are methods like herbal medicine, exercises, colon cleansing, ayurvedic herbal methods and supplements.

Can You Adopt Yoga For Weight Reduction?

Yoga is a natural and peaceful method to control your body and mind. If you consider yoga as a spiritual science, you can gain more mental peace. Do you know that mental disturbances and stress can also cause over weight? You may tempt to eat often if you are not peaceful mentally. Some of the effective yoga exercises are given below to reduce your weight:

Yoga Asana or Posture:

Postures have different types of movements that help to provide good blood circulation to all the organs in your body. These poses are performed in standing, sitting, lying down (either in supine position or prone position), balancing and up side down positions. Some of the postures which can reduce your weight are as follows: Shoulder stand pose, cobra pose, twisted pose, Locust pose, half plough pose, plough pose, symbol of yoga pose, camel pose , peacock pose etc.

Breathing Exercise:

Breathing exercises are popularly known as pranayama in yoga. Some of the cleansing techniques are also available in the breathing technique. These breathing techniques in yoga help to remove the excess level of carbon dioxide from your blood. You will also get more oxygen level into your blood. This action can help to remove the waste from your cells of the organs.

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Weight loss depends on how much you are able to burn your extra weight. It depends on the burning of the deposited fat in your body. If you eat more cholesterol food, the fat which is not burned will get deposited in your body.

Burn your calories every day with proper exercise

You can eat fewer calories everyday and burn them all. If you eat 300 calories every day, make sure that you do exercise and burn 300 calories. In this way you would be able to reduce at least 2 pounds in a week. You should be aware that a sudden reduction of your weight may affect your health.

Make yourself disciplined in your eating habit:

You can be aware of what you are eating every day. This will help to avoid the food item which are unhealthy as well as food item which can increase your body weight. Your normal intake of food is three meals a day and one snack. In between you may take tea, coffee or cool drinks. This is what a common routine.

Why don’t you think it in otherwise? Instead of meals, you can take a cup of vegetables either raw or steamed vegetables at least once in a day. This will burn your calories better, especially the raw vegetables. Moreover, they are having high level of fiber in them. Fiber helps to evacuate the waster matter from your digestive system more effectively. Thus you are benefited in many ways.

Your blood will also get purified if you prefer to eat raw vegetables. You can add one cup of fruits in your meals. This should come in your daily food plan so that your mind gets accustomed to the veggies and fruits. You can then avoid the fried items, which makes your body hard to burn.

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Because control of your diabetes depends mostly on a balance of diet , exercise , insulin and emotions , daily self monitoring of your control of your disease may be recommended by your physician. Through careful monitoring you and your physician can determine any need for adjustments in these keys to your good health. The benefits of self monitoring vary among individuals and your physician will explain how the merits of various tests relate to you and your condition.

If you have insulin dependent diabetes , your doctor will probably ask you to test glucose level several times throughout each day. The goal will be to obtain consistently normal results . If you detect a change , you will be asked to watch to see if any pattern is developing . Depending on the situation, your doctor may recommend that you vary your insulin dosage, after your diet or exercise program, or make an office visit.

Self testing is particularly valuable for patients with “ brittle “ or unstable diabetes who have wide swings in blood sugar levels. It is also helpful for those who have complications of diabetes , such as kidney or eye problems.

If your before meal readings are consistently normal , your doctor may have begin you with the readings after your meal , a time when glucose levels are more likely to be high. If these readings are consistently normal , you may be then advised to test less frequently.

Home glucose monitoring can be useful for patients who cannot always tell whether or not they are experiencing hypoglycemia. Some patients may often misjudge their situations and take simple carbohydrates in an attempt to raise a blood sugar level that is actually already normal. As a response to this , their blood sugar continues to rise , they would discover that they were not hypoglycemia and could avoid using unnecessarily high blood sugar and poor control.

During pregnancy self testing is particularly important because diabetic control can greatly reduce the number of fetal abnormalities and stillbirths among infants of diabetic mothers.

In patients treated only by diet or by diet and oral medication, home monitoring may be less necessary because blood glucose level fluctuate less.

Self Testing a Blood Sample

Your physician self care team will acquaint you with the various products available with which you can test your blood for glucose level. They will explain techniques that will be easy to follow. And they will make specific recommendations so that your testing routine will fit into your daily routin.

Your self testing procedure will involve pricking your finger to draw a drop of blood. Convenient pricking devices are available for this purpose. You will then transfer the drop of blood to a tiny strip with a chemically coated pad at one end , wait one minute, and watch the pad change color according to the amount of glucose present in your blood. With some strips you can compare the color with the colors on a chart and estimate your blood sugar by matching colors visually. With other strips end of the strip is inserted into a metering device, which displays a digital readout of your blood sugar level. Metering devices are small enough to tuck into a purse or a briefcase.

Physician say there is little difference in accuracy between the two method. However, people who have visual impairments often have more success using the digital readout device than with the visual comparison method . Metering devices are more expensive. However, ranging in price to several hundred dollars. Still, the largest part of the expense in the long range is in the cost of the test strips. They range in the cost of which they are purchased. Comparative price shopping is recommended. Your physician and health care team will advise you on ways to purchase your testing strips in quantity and may advise slicing strips length wise and thus obtaining two for the price of one, if accuracy can be maintained that way. Some of the strips retain their color in their container and can be labeled and checked for accurate reading with your health care team.

Self Testing a Urine Sample

Several urine tests are available for monitoring glucose level with a urine specimen. Your health care team will select the one most appropriate for you and will advise you on how many times a day to test your urine. For example, if you are insulin dependent, you will probably be asked to test before each meal and at bedtime . If acceptable blood tests are done, urine tests may not be necessary.

Your health care team will explain several factors that you should understand concerning the validity of self monitored urine tests. One is your rental threshold, the blood sugar level at which your kidneys spill excess glucose from your bloodstream into your urine. Rental thresholds vary among individuals . They usually are higher in older adults. The normal renal threshold for most middle aged people is 160 – 180 mg of sugar per deciliter of blood. Thus a person whose renal threshold is higher than 200 mg may not find urine testing helpful because it does not dependably reflect the blood sugar, and the person may not be aware of poor control. Some patients may have low thresholds , as during pregnancy. Then the blood sugar test is recommended.

Some people “ first – voided “ specimens . Other test “ second voided “ specimens. Your health care team will explain that the first voided sample indicates the diabetic control over a period of several hours with the urine collected in the bladder; the second voided sample indicates the level of control at the moment. The kind of sample you test can make a difference in what you do about the results.

Some urine tests for use at home or while travelling involve placing a few drops or urine in test tube and adding water and a tablet containing a special preparation designed to react to the glucose component of the urine. After 15 seconds you compare the color of the test tube liquid with those on a color chart.

Other urine tests involve dipping a small strip or stick into urine, waiting 15 seconds for a reaction to take place , and comparing color changes.

Blood Testing Versus Urine Testing

How can you determine whether to use blood or urine tests for your self monitoring at home? Your physician will advise you of the merits of both methods and techniques. Generally, however, most physicians believe that blood tests provide a more accurate picture of blood glucose levels than urine tests. This is because urine is retained in the bladder for hours before it is tested , while your blood is constantly circulating and reacting to your body chemistry. A blood test will give you a more immediate reading of your glucose level.

Blood sugar tests can enable you to make careful adjustments to maintain blood sugar level at a level as close as possible to normal. This is particularly important if your are pregnant; if you have frequently occurring insulin reactions, kidney disease, or a high renal threshold ; during illness. Also, blood testing is recommended for infants who are not toilet trained.

When your health care team provides you with instructions regarding self monitoring, they will also give you some helpful hints for becoming more efficient, about the testing procedures as well as saving money. For example, they will advise you on where to purchase your equipment and what quantity to buy. Health professionals learn this kind of consumer information from other diabetics and will be happy to share it you. Diabetics have found it helpful, for instance, always to check the expiration dates on equipment. Also , directions for timing various tests differ. You should remember to check and follow the timing directions carefully because timing is essential to getting accurate results. And, when recording your test results, remember that percentages, pluses and minutes may not read the same with the all tests.

As you begin your self monitoring procedures your health care team will be available to answer your questions. Your questions are probably like those of most other diabetics, and few helpful answers at the right time will be essential to put you on right track.

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Many foods contain bacteria that are not dangerous in small numbers. But the longer germs are around, the more they multiply.

One of the most common food-related illnesses is salmonella, from raw meats, poultry and dairy products. Other bugs include E. coli, found in salami, contaminated veggies and salads which cause diarrhea, organ damage and, occasionally, death; and Listeria from pate, soft cheese, unpasteurized dairy products and uncooked seafood. The flu-like symptoms and vomiting can lead to miscarriage in pregnant women.

Storing food properly and throwing it out reaches its expiry date can assure you that you are keeping germs out of your system.

In the refrigerator

Store most perishables below 40C. Opening the fridge door raises the temperature so it is a good idea to place a few magnetic thermometers in different sections for easy – and efficient – monitoring of temperature levels. Store protein foods in the coldest part (the temperature can vary by 30C indifferent places).

Use most items within a few days. If you are not sure how fresh the foods was to begin with, or if you brought it home in a hot car, use it as soon as possible. Take note of the following maximum storage times:

• Leftovers-1 day

• Sausages-2 days

• Chicken-3 days

• Cured meat-2 weeks

• Oily fish (salmon)-4 to 5 days

• Lean fish-5 to 7 days

• Shrimps and prawns-3 days

• Oysters-eat them fresh (and never on an empty stomach)!

• Milk, cheese and butter-keep until the “use by” date

• Eggs-hard-boiled eggs will not keep as well as uncooked eggs so use them within a few days

In the freezer

The following are recommended storage times for a freezer at minus 180C. Food safely lasts longer but flavor and texture deteriorates:

• Whole joint-4 to 6 months

• Minced meat-2 months

• Sausages-1 to 2 months

• Oily fish-3 months

• Steaks-3 to 4 months

• Pork cops-3-4 months

• Bacon-1-2 months

• Whole chicken-6 months

• Chicken pieces-4 months

• Lean fish-4 to 5 months

• Shrimps and prawns-3 months

• Squid-4 to 5 months

Tip: When freezing fish, glaze it with a layer of water to stop it dehydrating. First, freeze the fish, dip in cold water to “glaze” it, then wrap well and put it back into the freezer.

In the pantry

• Dried foods generally do not go bad, but the quality deteriorates, especially after the pack is open. Dried foods usually last for around six months in an unopened container placed in a cool, dark place.

Tip: Once water is added to dehydrated food, the bacteria become active again, so it must be stored in the refrigerator.

• Canned food. For best results, use canned food within 12 months if they do not have a use-by date. Food is fresh when canned and loses flavor and color over time. When food is canned, the heat kills the bacteria and keeps food safe without preservatives: Always beware of cans which:

a. are leaky – watch out for strains on the label;
b. bulge at the end (this means the germs are at work inside);
c. have been dropped or are damaged in any way;

Tip: Store canned food in a cool, dry place – not in the fried, as moisture could cause rust.

Once you have opened a can treat the contents like fresh food and use quickly; transfer leftovers from the can to an airtight container in the refrigerator the food may react with the metal once it is exposed to the air. Remember; do not put steaming hot food inside the ref because it will spoil.

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