Life is a gift and must be preserved with care because it is our right to protect it. But what we do to protect it depends on the information we have at a given time and this boils down to our choices. So we must make conscious effort to seek the right information and build on it while taking care of ourselves.
Healthy Eating
Eat less Salt: excess of salt can lead to high blood pressure. Most of the salt requirement of our body is met in the food we buy, so we should keep an eye on our salt intake.
Skip eating out : Eat more meals at home. Preparing food by yourself not only polishes your culinary skills, it is economical too.
Salad: Every time I go to the store, I pick up a head of lettuce, some broccoli, celery, carrots, and grape tomatoes. Once at home, I chop up all of the ingredients, stick them in a big sealable container, and put it in the fridge. It only takes about 10 minutes, and you can get a good 3-5 good sized salads out of it. It's also easy to do a fruit salad this way.
Make soups, casseroles and stews a day ahead. Allow to stand overnight and skim any fat from surface. Keep nutritious low calories snacks .e.g. carrot, celery sticks, dips ready in refrigerator, ready for snacking. "do not" have tempting treats in your home .What you eat can and does make a difference to how you feel and to your energy levels. You could describe energy as the fuel on which our bodies run. Our bodies create energy by breaking down carbohydrate, fat and to a lesser extent protein.
Eat less carbs - There is a common myth that "fat turns into fat". Well, not exactly. I can guaranteed you that if you replaced (calorie for calorie) your carbohydrates for healthy fats, you would lose weight. I'm not saying go on the Atkins diet, but try to stick with a "lowish"carbohydrate diet made up mostly of slow-digesting carbs and vegetables.
The most important healthy cooking tip to remember is this: food is nourishment, but it is also a great source of joy. Not many people eat solely for the purpose of fueling their bodies. This is our primary reason for eating, but we also long for a pleasant eating experience. The smells, the tastes, and the feel of the food all contribute to the experience. Healthy cooking just involves adding another dimension to that experience: knowing that you are doing something positive for your body.
Adding exercise to your daily health regime is as simple as making time in the evening, or getting up earlier in the morning. All it can consist of is walking for at least 20 - 30 minutes at about 5 days a week. There are many variations of exercise, but if you at least start by walking, you are then giving your body some chance of staying somewhat healthy and mobile.
Women of all ages should visit their gynecologists for an annual physical examination to maintain optimum health. If they are sexually active, their annual physical should include a Pap smear test, which is a test that detects cervical cancer. The Pap smear has played an enormous role in decreasing the cervical cancer rate among young women. In addition, women between the ages of 40 and 50 should include mammograms along with their annual physicals. When women cross the age 50, they should include testing for colorectal cancer along with their physical examination.
Parents especially mothers, should teach their adolescent daughters about self-examination for breast cancer. Early awareness helps young women detect breast cancer in the early stages. All women should follow the below mentioned tips for healthy living. Mothers should follow these as well as educate their daughters about healthy lifestyles, so both mother and child grow to have healthier and longer lives.
Women of all ages need the mineral calcium in their body. Research suggests that the Post Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) including cramps can be reduced by 50% if proper calcium supplementation is followed. Osteoporosis after menopause can also be reduced drastically if proper daily calcium supplementation is followed. The menopausal women can reduce hot flashes and night sweats by taking vitamin E 400-800 mg per day. This also helps them protect their immune system and cardiovascular health.
If a woman is considering having children, then folic acid supplementation reduces the chances of them giving birth babies with birth defects. Stress is also one of the major factors that affect women's health. Research has shown that women can add few more healthy years to their life by finding ways to reduce stress. One of the proven ways to reduce stress is practicing yoga for 20 - 30 minutes a day.
The chances of having hormonal imbalance increases after a woman reaches the age 30, so if you are at this age range, talk to your doctor so that he/she can recommend a prescription for over the counter hormone supplements. Visits to dentists should also be done once in at least six months to keep your mouth clean and maintain your beautiful smile to help you look younger. Quit or avoid smoking completely, as well as drinking alcohol. Try to drink at least eight ounces of water everyday. Drinking water prevents your body from dehydration and helps flush the impurities from the body. When going out in the sun use proper sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful rays of the sun, potential skin cancer, and heat strokes. Unless you are in a single healthy relationship, always use a condom and practice safe sex. This helps reduce the chances of developing cervical cancer and other sexually transmitted diseases. Also, try to integrate exercise for 20-30 minutes everyday to lessen your chances of developing heart related illnesses while giving you more energy everyday.
Both Aanasmith & Michael Russell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.