Most of the reading materials out there that deal with healthy living tend to speak about eating better, exercising more often, and drinking lots of fluids among other topics that have become cliché like today. This is why it is useful to look for tips for healthy living that actually work.
Generally speaking, you can rest assured that most of the hints for healthy livingthat you will come across are pretty common. This means that you need to sift out which of these tips work out well for you and which need to be discarded. We are going to review a couple of these tips.
Drinking Lots of Water
For starters, you can be certain that water ranks among the most useful of anything you can put into your body. This is because the body is filled with impurities which need to be washed away. In the same way, we tend to sweat a lot especially when we are engage in hard task and chores.
]]>
This means that you should take a lot of water. The amount will typically depend on what you are doing. Taking too much water is as disastrous as taking too little of it. The reason behind this is that the water tends to neutralize the salts and minerals that your body requires for normal function.
The implication being made here, therefore, is that you will be very wise to ensure that you take in the adequate amount of water. It will all depend on the activity you are engaged in at that point in time. Also, do not take water if you are not thirsty.
Eating Healthy
Along the same lines, you should use tips for healthy living to ensure that your diet is very healthy. There are a couple of food groups that you should integrate into every meal you take. These include vitamins, proteins and carbs.
In general, it is very well advised to eat as many fruits, vegetables and greens as is humanly possible. However, you should not do this to the exclusion of the other major food groups. Your body has different requirements that can only be satisfied by the right diet.
Along the same lines, the way in which you eat your food will go a long way in determining whether you are living healthy. In general, tips for healthy living will advise you to eat a heavy break fast, a medium sized lunch and a very light supper. Supper should also be eaten 3 or 4 hours before you go to bed to ensure the food is digested better.
Having Fun
Finally, most articles with such tipswill not mention to you the impact that your psychological state has on your physical well being. However, you can rest assured that having fun is as much a part of living healthy as is, say, eating healthy.
There are countless side effects suffered during and after the menopause. These include hot flushes, mood swings, depression, hair loss and bloating. But the one complaint that seems to unite most women is the struggle to keep in shape. Many women find that it is a lot more challenging to keep the weight off than it was in pre-menopausal years.
Women agonise over the bathroom scales, baffled as to why the diet and exercise routine that kept them in tip top shape before, is now rendering most of their wardrobe staples uncomfortably tight. So what is it that causes this pattern of excess pounds that simply will not shift?
Many of the struggles that face women throughout their lifetime stem from the same thing… Yes, the dance of the dreaded hormones…
During the menopause, your ovaries stop producing oestrogen. The body is left puzzled as to why the levels of oestrogen to which it was accustomed, have plummeted. So it decides to take matters into its own hands and produce oestrogen in the most obvious way that it can think… Fat cells produce oestrogen, so it is the natural instinct of the female body to increase fat cells for oestrogen production when the time has come for your reproductive organ to take retirement.
While a little weight gain (2-5lbs) can be healthy after menopause – for bone health purposes – too much is undesirable for many. The menopause certainly does not switch off the desire to look one’s best!
While good nutrition, exercise and lifestyle are critical elements to healthy weight maintenance, it is the balancing of your hormones which should take centre stage in your priorities. Hormonal imbalance and weight gain are closely related. If your hormones are not balanced your body may naturally begin to cling on to fat in areas that may have been effortlessly lean and toned before.
It is common for progesterone levels to fall during menopause. This factor does not necessarily cause weight gain, but it can instead bloat the body with water retention which has the effect of making you feel heavier and softer around the edges, as well as making your clothes that bit tighter!
]]>
Testosterone is not exclusive to our male companions. This hormone is an important feature of our female temple as it works to build muscle mass after our chick-boxing session or Yoga class. These muscle cells work to burn calories in your body and stimulate metabolism. Levels of this hormone drop during the menopause causing the loss of muscle mass and hence a slower metabolism. Next stop: Weight Watching…
Insulin resistance and stress are both common factors of the menopause which are responsible for weight gain.
So let’s have a look at some important steps which can help inject some order to the hormonal chaos…
Resistance exercise like Yoga, pilates and light weight training can be very effective for gently building muscle mass, using up energy and boosting metabolism – without exerting pressure on the joints.
Reducing stress levels should be a priority for everyone, and nobody more so than post-menopausal women. Relax your mind and body by indulging in something that you love. Research demonstrates that when you do practice a hobby that you enjoy such as walking the dog in the countryside or early morning Yoga, the stress levels on your body are reduced significantly.
A nutrient dense diet is also an important factor for supporting your inner stress management mechanisms.
When it comes to nutritional therapy for post-menopausal women, there is one particular group of nutrients that should frequently find themselves on your menu…
Phytoestrogens are compounds found in soy, lentils, beans, chickpeas and flaxseeds. They perform the same actions as oestrogen, but in a much gentler fashion. Phytoestrogens can help to balance hormones in the body by normalising oestrogen and progesterone levels. They also make up for lost oestrogen, meaning that the body no longer has to produce its own through fat storage cells.
Soy is very rich in phytoestrogens and may be an important factor in the fight against post-menopause flab. Soy is an easily digested protein and frequent consumption is related to lower body weight, fat mass and smaller waist size. Research suggests that soy protein helps you feel full for longer, preventing that late night snacking habit that may be costing you excess pounds around your belly!
Additionally, soy products have a low glycemic index, which will help prevent blood sugar spikes and food cravings. Blood sugar balance is of paramount importance for keeping your energy levels balanced and also for helping to keep your hormones in check. It would be advised to incorporate a source of protein with every meal and snack.
But the bottom line is to remember that a little weight gain as we age is natural and healthy – our bodies are simply designed this way. It is far healthier to be 5lb overweight in advanced years than 5lb underweight for optimal function of the body systems. As we age our metabolism naturally slows down so it is important to work with this natural cycle and exercise to help increase it. Stress balance is also key as when we produce too many stress hormones, our thyroid gland function can be compromised. The thyroid gland is responsible for controlling your rate of metabolism and if not working efficiently, your metabolism can be further stunted.
Everything slows down with age, so it has never been more important to indulge in a personalised food plan and keep at a healthy weight through good nutrition and an active lifestyle.
Rachel Henderson is a qualified nutritionist and founder and director of Food Fairy Nutrition Ltd. If you’re interested in benefiting from a unique and individually tailored online nutritional consultation service, or you’d simply like more information, please go ahead and click one of the links above!
Part one of a two-part segment talking about corporate wellness programs and providers to get the American workforce healthy. Aired in Fall of 2010. Featuring Bahram Akradi of Life Time Fitness.
While in Portland, Oregon I interviewed Tanya Barham of Recess. Tanya is a single-mother who has built a very successful company focused on fixing company wellness programs that suck. Tanya provides great advice for all entrepreneurs and, in particular, single-parent entrepreneurs. Enjoy! Video Rating: 5 / 5
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) last week released an updated report on the nation’s budget and economic outlook that comments on a number of health care policy issues. First, the CBO says that if another physician payment “fix” is enacted by Congress (as has happened every year since 2003), then spending on Medicare could be significantly more than the amount projected in CBO’s baseline. Under current law, Medicare physician payments rates are scheduled to be reduced, but if those rates stayed the same through 2021 then Medicare outlays over the next 10 years would be 0 billion more than projected. The CBO also estimates that federal Medicaid spending will increase by less than 1 percent this year, compared to an average annual increase of 8 percent between 2000 and 2009. The slowdown is due to the expiration of increased federal assistance to the states for Medicaid in 2009 and 2010. Finally, CBO is anticipating a one-year delay in the implementation of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Program created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). CBO projects the program won’t begin collecting premiums until 2013. Some in Congress have called for repeal of the ACA provision creating the CLASS program because of its long-term cost.
States
Aetna participated in one of two “Exchange Listening Sessions” hosted by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for community organizations and nongovernmental stakeholders. The meeting opened with an overview of the Notices of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) on Exchanges, Plan Standards, Eligibility and Enrollment; Medicaid Eligibility and Enrollment and Tax Credits. Comments from advocacy groups essentially called for the following:
Seamless interfacing of the eligibility system for Medicaid recipients, particularly the population impacted by the coverage expansion Credentials of Navigators (requiring more from community groups to avoid broker dominance) Parameters to constrain states from using flexibility as a guise to retreat from ACA requirements Improved foreign language translations of the material on the HHS website Stricter scrutiny of exchange board membership Alignment of Medicaid eligibility/enrollment rules with an exchange open enrollment period Integrating the exchanges with other public service agencies Requiring all carriers to contract with essential service providers
Joel Ario, Director, Office of Health Insurance Exchanges, remarked that the overarching goal of the exchanges was to expand consumer protections through greater transparency. His response to concerns about adverse selection was to point to the availability of the “young invincible” policy and the “3 Rs” — risk adjustment, risk corridors and reinsurance — as solutions. Regarding the potential for exchange products to not be affordable, Ario said the goal of the exchanges is solely to expand access and that the cost issue will be addressed by exchanges becoming “active purchasers”.
CALIFORNIA: As expected, consumer groups are threatening to push for a measure on the November 2012 ballot that would let voters decide on whether rate regulation of health insurance premiums should be allowed. Consumer groups plan to prepare the ballot language and submit the measure to the state Attorney General by November. Then the group will start collecting the 700,000 signatures necessary to qualify for the ballot. Exactly what the ballot language would require is not yet known, but it would likely look similar to legislation currently pending in the legislature. The legislation would require prior approval of all health insurance rates, payment of intervener fees, approval of employer benefit design changes and rate rollbacks. Consumer groups seem to be turning their attention toward a potential ballot measure rather than the legislative vehicle since the bill has come under strong opposition from not only health insurers and business groups but also CalPERS, the League of Cities and the State Department of Finance.
]]>
In other news, the California Health Exchange Board selected Peter Lee as its Executive Director. Most recently Lee was deputy director for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Lee previously served as executive director and CEO of the Pacific Business Group on Health. That role is similar to the one that the exchange is expected to play on behalf of individuals and small businesses.
IDAHO: The legislature’s interim Health Care Task Force met last week to address issues that include federal health care reform and the future Idaho Health Insurance Exchange. Despite his hostility toward federal health care reform and his executive order prohibiting many activities that would implement the ACA, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter indicated that the state would continue efforts to establish an exchange. Otter argued in support of the state’s acceptance of federal grant money to establish the exchange, stating that Idaho could see the loss of significant federal funds without quick action. Otter pointed out that failure to establish a state-based exchange would devastate health insurance agents in the state and would allow the federal government to dictate health insurance policy for Idaho. Noting that he does not need approval from the task force or legislature to apply for the grant money, the governor indicated that he had made the decision to pursue federal funds for an exchange.
Following the governor, representatives from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (Richard Armstrong, Director) and the Idaho Department of Insurance (Bill Deal, Director) made the case that action is necessary to address unsustainably high health care costs and inefficiencies in the marketplace. Specifically, they argued that operating the exchange at the state level allows the state to continue to govern the market, decide which carriers participate and pursue state-specific policies to assure competition and choice. According to regulators, the planning process for the exchange is underway and has thus far focused on obtaining stakeholder input and developing background research. Armstrong and Deal pointed to four potential courses of action for the state: apply for funding for an Idaho exchange; wait for lawmakers to decide options for an exchange; return/accept funding for an Idaho exchange based on state decisions; and decline to pursue additional federal grants, forfeiting the opportunity to decide on an exchange at a later date.
MICHIGAN: A 1.0 percent medical claims tax has passed both houses of the legislature and is now headed to Governor Rick Snyder for his signature. Having originated the idea in the Administration’s initial budget, the governor is fully expected to sign it. The tax replaces the existing 6 percent tax on the state’s Medicaid HMOs and the .2 billion it raises for the Medicaid program. The law allows for a maximum of 0 million to be collected from the medical claims tax, which would permit the state to receive another 0 million in federal matching Medicaid dollars for calendar years 2012 and 2013. Aetna argued against the legislation, as did many Aetna customers. The tax was not defeated, but opponents were able to mitigate portions of the tax, including: 1) the sunset date was moved up from 2016 to January 1, 2014; 2) the start date for tax payments was moved back to 30 days after the end of a quarter rather than payable monthly beginning in October 2011; and 3) a hard cap of 0 million is ensured in 2012 and 0 million with medical inflation in 2013, rather than a soft cap that could have potentially made payers liable for millions more each year.
NEW JERSEY: Last week the state Senate took action on a bill that would create the New Jersey Health Care Reform Implementation Council, with the intent of positioning the state to comply with new health care reform rules and regulations and reap additional federal assistance. The newly established council would be a 29-member panel of experts, policymakers, health care providers, academics and advocates to make recommendations for keeping New Jersey in compliance with federal health care reform and ensure the state maximizes federal aid. Under the bill, council members would serve for a period of five years, with the expiration of the first term in office staggered to continue the operations of the council. The council would be required to report to the governor and the legislature annually as to their activities and policy recommendations. With the full Senate’s approval, the bill now moves to the Assembly for consideration.
OKLAHOMA: Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak recently commented on the existence of faith-based health care sharing ministries and his department’s ability to respond to related consumer complaints. In the latest issue of the “Commissioner’s Corner,” Doak said that while faith-based sharing organizations might be an option to make health care more affordable, consumers cannot bring consumer complaints to the Oklahoma Insurance Department for resolution. Instead, they will have to settle any potential disputes with their health-care sharing ministry on their own. He encouraged consumers to consider this factor as they weigh the decision on whether to join a health-care sharing ministry.
WASHINGTON: Governor Chris Gregoire has announced that she is bringing back Fred Olson as her deputy chief of staff. He served in that role until December 2006, when he decided to retire. Olson, is a former reporter and managing editor of The Olympian, and has held posts at the Attorney General’s Office and Department of Ecology.
WISCONSIN: The Office of Free Market Health Care (OFMHC) has released a report titled “The Impact of the ACA on Wisconsin’s Health Insurance Market” that forecasts specific impacts on the individual and small group markets through 2016. The Department of Health Services contracted with Gorman Actuarial, LLC and Jonathan Gruber of MIT in 2010 to conduct the report. The report includes the following findings: 1) by 2016, the number of uninsured is projected to decrease by 340,000, or 65 percent; 2) 57 percent of the individual market (91,000 members) will be eligible for tax subsidies within the exchange; 3) the individual market will experience premium increases as compared to pre-reform premiums; 4) after the application of tax subsidies, 41 percent of the individual market will experience premium decreases as compared to pre-reform premiums; 5) the merging of the individual market with the HIRSP market will increase individual market premiums by 16 percent; 53 percent of the small employer groups will experience a premium increase as compared to pre-reform premiums; 6) in 2016 the traditional individual market will see an 83 percent decline, losing 150,000 members, while the newly reformed market will grow to 320,000 new enrollees.
Typically, acne is treated with skin creams and gels designed to dry it out. These creams can be both uncomfortable to the point of peeling a layer of your skin off, and also embarrassing as they usually give the face a ‘red raw’ appearance, which is tricky to camouflage. Alongside pharmaceutical skin creams, often antibiotics are prescribed by GP’s. These medications are rarely a success at keeping acne at bay on a long term basis. This is because unfortunately acne is usually treated by targeting the symptoms rather than the root cause.
The fact is your skin is your window of well being. If it is breaking out and inflamed it is trying to alert you that something isn’t quite right inside, and by simply treating the spots on a superficial level you are just not going to solve the problem once and for all.
Here are a few acne- clearing nutrition tips
Avoid Dairy – There are a number of reasons why dairy is linked so strongly to acne. Many people find dairy hard to digest and an unsettled digestive system is a common acne trigger. Dairy is an acid- forming, inflammatory food, and your body and skin function best in an alkaline environment. Dairy is also swimming with hormones which only burden your liver and can cause or contribute to a hormonal imbalance which is often expressed by inflammation on the skin.
]]>
Avoid wheat – Wheat products (bread, flour, pasta etc) can aggravate acne due to its gluten content. Many people struggle to digest gluten even if they do not have a diagnosed wheat or gluten intolerance. Wheat products have a ‘sticky’ nature which can further lead to irritation of the digestive system which can aggravate acne. The gluten- free food market is growing steadily and there are many bread alternatives to wheat now. Also rice pasta is worth a try for all you Italian food romantics.
FEED YOUR SKIN: Here are a few food examples to send your skin exactly what it needs to clear and cheer up:
Watercress – A pure skin cocktail of a plant, watercress contains vitamins A, C and E as well as B vitamins, sulphur, iron and iodine. Its antibacterial agents zoom in and out of the pores to cleanse and purify.
Pumpkin seeds – These tiny pods are pumped with zinc and super fats needed to keep the skin clear and glowing. Pumpkin seed oil is also delicious and heroically nutritious poured over salads, soups and veg.
Green leafy vegetables – These include skin saints kale, cabbage and spinach, which are the most alkalinising angels around, and also packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants– that’s pure radiance in a bite.
Garlic – Not only antioxidant rich but antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory. All those anti’s equate to one big anti-acne campaign led by this powerfully persuasive little clove. Garlic, onions, shallots and leeks all belong to the same family which is famous for its wealth of sulphur – an essential skin ingredient.
The skin is an incredibly complicated organ of the body. When there are imbalances which are expressed through acne breakouts, triggers are likely to be unique to you, which is why what works for your friend may not work for you.
Rachel Henderson is a qualified nutritionist and founder and director of Food Fairy Nutrition Ltd. If you’re interested in benefiting from a unique and individually tailored online nutritional consultation service, or you’d simply like more information, please go ahead and click one of the links above!
