Showing posts with label Articles Health and Fitness. Show all posts

Monday, September 24, 2018

6 Things to Know About Exercising on Your Period

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

6 Things to Know About Exercising on Your Period

Your period and all that comes along with it is enough to make you want to ditch the gym and stay in bed with a hot compress and a bag of salt-and-vinegar chips. But that bag of chips isn't doing that belly bloat any favors—while a sweaty workout can. Here's what you need to know about exercising on your period.

What Type of Workout You Do Matters

Don't get us wrong, you earn yourself a fist-bump just for getting your butt to the gym. Any exercise is better than none, but if you're looking to get the most sweat-equity for your efforts, then make this workout a high-intensity one. "Higher-intensity exercise can release more endorphins, which are the feel-good chemicals released in our brains when we exercise," says Alyse Kelly-Jones, M.D., an ob-gyn at Novant Health Mintview OB/GYN. Endorphins help relieve pain and get rid of prostaglandins, which are chemicals that are produced during menstruation (and at other times, like when you get injured) that can cause inflammation, muscle contractions, pain, and fever. So the more endorphins you release, the less period pain you feel.

Another reason to go for box jumps over yoga? Sex hormones. Progesterone and estrogen levels are actually at their lowest point during menstruation, says Kelly-Jones, and that means your body is able to access carbohydrates and glycogen more easily than they can when estrogen is at an all-time high (the middle of your cycle). That means the fuel your body needs to power through an intense set is more readily available, and you can push harder to get the most out of short bursts of fast-paced movements. (Need inspo? Try the 30-Day HIIT Challenge.)

Cardio Is Better Than Strength Training

If your goal is to alleviate symptoms, then the week of your period is when you should focus more on the treadmill and less on the barbell. Research shows that there's a direct correlation between aerobic capacity and the severity of PMS symptoms—when your aerobic exercise goes up, the PMS symptoms go down. But when the scientists looked to see if the same thing happened with anaerobic power—so, strength training—they found that there was no significant connection between the two variables.

Not to mention that your body temperature is actually lower when you're on your period, thanks to the drop in hormones. This increases the amount of time it takes your body to tire, and you can store more heat without exhausting your central nervous system. What that means for you: Those sprint intervals are going to feel easier than they did mid-cycle.

Exercising Won't Lighten Your Flow

The first few days, when your period is usually the heaviest, is when you're probably least likely to book a TRX class. But if that's part of your regular routine, then it could pay off to go anyway. Kelly-Jones says that regular, moderate exercise could reduce your flow each month, making it a solid preventative method. That's because "estrogen is decreased when body fat is decreased, and estrogen stimulates growth of the uterus lining [that you shed when you have your period]," she explains. Translation: Regular exercise (and a healthy diet) can mean less body fat, which means less estrogen and a lighter menstrual flow.

Unfortunately, the TRX class won't have an immediate impact on your flow, says Kelly-Jones. "Once the cycle starts, it's going to be what it is," she says. Since your uterus lining has already been thickened throughout the month, by the time you get your period it's simply in the process of shedding it because you're not pregnant. So getting your sweat on won't change how heavy your period is right now.

But It Can Help With Other Symptoms

Okay, so you may not be able to avoid a heavy period if you took a workout-hiatus, but getting back into it can help with other symptoms, like that god-awful belly bloat. "As you sweat during exercise, your body is shedding water, which may relieve some bloating," says Kelly-Jones. "There have [also] been studies that connect a higher level of overall physical fitness with fewer PMS symptoms." Case in point: Research published in the Crescent Journal of Medical and Biological Sciences shows that if you work out three times a week, specifically making time for moves that get your heart rate up, then symptoms like headache, fatigue, and breast pain can be lessened.

You're Not More Likely to Get Injured

Yes, it's a good idea to squeeze in a quality HIIT session when exercising on your period. And no, there is no reason to worry about an increased risk of injury. "Adjusting your activity while you have you period is really a myth," Kelly-Jones says. "Everything is fair game, unless you bleed very heavily and become anemic. Then you might feel more fatigued," so you may not be able to go as hard as you normally do.

Research backs her up: While scientists have found that women are more likely to get ACL injuries at certain points of their cycle, that risk increases during the preovulatory phase, which is when hormones start being produced again, the ovaries are stimulated, and an ovarian follicle starts to mature. That typically occurs from days 9 to 14 of a 28-day cycle, so yeah, it's after you get your period (the first day of your period is considered day one of your menstrual cycle, says Kelly-Jones).

Not to mention that, even though a woman's risk of injury is higher, research also shows that neuromuscular training can cut that risk in half. Researchers discovered that the risk increases because there's a difference in the way women's knees move during menstruation compared to ovulation. But Timothy E. Hewett, Ph.D. (who's been studying the effect of the menstrual cycle on injury for more than 15 years), found that when athletes were taught how to reduce load on their knees and ankles and build up strength and coordination, the rate of ACL injury, ankle injury, and knee-cap pain fell by 50 to 60 percent. So simply strengthening and learning how to properly move your body while you work out can help—period or not.

In other words, have no fear and keep on busting reps like your badass self.

And Your Performance Will Still Rock

Unless you have extremely heavy bleeding, like Kelly-Jones mentioned above, it's not likely that you'll have a worse workout. After surveying 241 elite athletes about how their menstrual cycle affected their performance, researchers noted that about 62 percent of them thought their workout was just as good when they had their periods compared to when they didn't. (Plus, 63 percent of them said their pain decreased during training and competition as opposed to recovery time.) And lest you think they're simply better at powering through because they're elite-level, know that that just isn't so. Another study from West Virginia University found that, when analyzed during both the first and second half of their menstrual cycles, female runners still performed just as well on their periods as they did when off. So go on and grab those sneaks—it's time to start sweating.

Here's Everything You Need to Know About Dry Needling

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

Here's Everything You Need to Know About Dry Needling

How does it work?

The process consists of small, monofilament needles that are inserted directly into the tissue and manipulated to make the muscle relax, ultimately relieving pain and improving function. Once the needle is inserted, an involuntary twitch often happens, and the twitch may be a sign that the treatment will be successful, according to a study in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.

"We know that inserting a needle into the soft tissue can alter the way that your body perceives pain and potentially the way your muscles work," says Briggs. "This change occurs on a chemical and electrical level in animal models, but limited research has been conducted in humans."

Is it actually effective?

Anecdotally, yes. But because there's limited research available to prove it, there isn't a standard of care for dry needling yet, and many hospitals refuse to use it as a treatment. "Physical therapy practice is governed on a state level by the state's local practice act," explains Briggs. "Depending on the wording of the practice act, physical therapists may not be allowed to perform an intervention that penetrates the skin, which has led to some limitations in the ability to perform dry needling."

Currently, Briggs and his team are performing research to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of dry needling for this reason, including its impact on runner's knee. "It's been shown to be a safe intervention, and we feel that the more research confirms the benefits of dry needling, the more it will become a common practice," he says.

How do I know if dry needling is right for me?

If you're afraid of needles or allergic to metals, then it's obviously best to steer clear of this treatment option. But if you're not and you want to give it a whirl, Briggs recommends checking in with your doc to evaluate if it can be a helpful addition to your current treatment program—especially if you're pregnant, have a bleeding disorder or heart condition, or suspect that an infection or illness is the source of your pain. "We also don't recommend dry needling immediately following surgery," he says.

That said, when you have pain it's often referred to as a trigger point or a knot, explains Briggs. "If pressing on these knots in your muscles reproduces some familiar pain, it's likely that treating it with dry needling will help your symptoms." Dry needling has been shown to be helpful for people with knee arthritis, chronic low back pain, jaw pain, plantar fasciitis, and neck pain.

How do I find a legit practitioner?

The best way to determine if a physical therapist is fit to perform dry needling is to investigate his or her training and experience, à la Nancy Drew. "There isn't a universally accepted certification to be able to perform dry needling, and requirements for additional course work may vary depending on clinician type (physical therapist, physician, chiropractor, etc.), and the state in which they're licensed," says Briggs. (You can find out what your state requires here and here.) Briggs also recommends asking for referrals from previous patients to find out firsthand if you're comfortable with their physical therapist providing dry needling. Knowledge is power and, hopefully, pain-free.

Cold and Flu K-Cups Are Now a Thing

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

Cold and Flu K-Cups Are Now a Thing

We've officially reached a time where you don't need to wish for a spoonful of sugar to tolerate medicine when you're feeling your worst. If a cold virus or the flu has you down, there's a new way to ease your aches and stuffy symptoms to help you feel human again. Enter...CVS?

The company has just released cold and flu pods that—yes—you can brew in your Keurig machine. Use the daytime one for a non-drowsy way to make it through the day with menthol and green tea flavors. Take the nighttime version with chamomile, lemon, and white tea to power down and kick the cold like you would with NyQuil. (Oh, and try these recipes using matcha tea once you're back in action). CVS

Sure, it might not be as tasty as these delicious coffee recipes, but you can at least set aside that neti pot and make a hot cup of cold cure. The twin pack of day and night versions is $8.49 at cvs.com and comes with eight pods. Oh, and while you're at it—if you love tea, maximize your sipping benefits with these teas that boost your health.

Why You Feel Neck Pain When You Do Crunches

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

Why You Feel Neck Pain When You Do Crunches

Like most ever-evolving gym goers, I finally realized that to actually develop abs, I needed to start doing more core work (go figure!). But when I added a ton of crunch variations to my regular routine, I realized it wasn't my abs that were tapping out from exhaustion—it was my neck. Every time I came up, the muscles holding my head were crying out louder than my soon-to-be six-pack. The pain went away like typical muscle soreness, so I assumed it just meant my neck was weak. Embarrassed, I never thought much of it until I was working out with a friend and halfway through a round of crunches, unprompted, she said that she didn't even feel it in her core, but instead—you guessed it—in her neck.

"Neck pain during crunches is incredibly common," assures Pete McCall, C.S.C.S., a San Diego–based trainer and host of the All About Fitness podcast. Plus, he told me, you can't really "strengthen" your neck, and it wouldn't solve much anyway. (You can help ease aches from "tech neck," though, with these yoga poses for better posture and neck pain.)

The real problem? You're doing crunches all wrong.

"Most people perform a crunch from the upper body instead of the abdominal region, which works your neck muscles—and not the way you want," explains Joel D. Seedman, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., owner of Advanced Human Performance in Atlanta.

Think of your spine like a noodle: It can bend back, forth, and around, but the structure remains linked together in one fluid line at all times. The exception to this is your cervical spine, which is the top portion that runs from your shoulders up into your skull. Despite being physically connected, your head has the ability to move independently from the rest of the noodle. And when you go to do a crunch, your head may lag behind, disrupting the perfect arc and causing a strain on those supporting neck muscles thanks to gravity, explains McCall. (Here's how to fix several other imbalances that may be causing you pain.)

If performed properly, crunches will keep your spine in line from lower back to head. But if you let the head lag, you're leaving your neck vulnerable to a strain. "Imagine each disc in between your vertebrae as a jelly doughnut," says McCall. "If your head is jutting forward, it puts too much pressure on the front and squishes jelly out the back." Best case, this slight compression results in the mild discomfort that'll keep you from churning out enough reps to ever actually see abs in the mirror. But with enough pressure, this improper form can actually lead to a bulging disc, which comes with serious pain, numbness, and muscle weakness.

A handful of studies have shown that simply tucking your chin toward your chest before and during a crunch can reduce the muscle activity in your neck. Why? It activates the hyoid muscles—which run from your chin to your collarbone—to act as stabilizers, says McCall.

Try it: Visualize holding a peach between your head and your throat, McCall suggests. If you don't squeeze, you'll drop it, but too much pressure will squish the fruit, releasing juice everywhere. (If visualizing just isn't working, try folding up a towel and squeezing it between your chin and your chest.)

Then, rather than placing your hands behind your head for the crunch (which encourages you to pull on the head and create further strain), place your hands on your forehead. (Or you could ditch the crunches altogether and opt for these 18 ab exercises for a flat, toned belly.)

In fact, a 2016 study in Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that when people both tucked their chin and lightly touched their face during a crunch, it relaxed their sternocleidomastoid—the thick muscle that runs from your ear to your collarbone—and alleviated neck pain, compared to when they did a basic crunch. Bonus: The variation engaged their abs and obliques more, too.

You may also want to pull your low back and stomach into the floor, says Seedman, as this adds a slight posterior pelvic tilt, keeping the upper spine from being able to move independently. And crunch up really slowly. "People often think in a crunch, they need to get their torso off the ground in this big motion. But it should really be a small, compact movement," he explains. Remember, your goal is to activate the abs, not to bring your shoulder and head up. If you take the momentum out and glue your lumbar spine to the mat, it signals to your nervous system to create contractions in your core, actually working your abdominal muscles in a way that makes you stronger and keeps you pain-free.

Your Activity Tracker Can Now Help You Sleep Better

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

Your Activity Tracker Can Now Help You Sleep Better

We all know that sleep is important. Getting too little, or simply poor quality Z's, can up your risk of serious chronic health issues like heart disease and obesity—not to mention it can screw with your gym goals. (That, on top of these 6 shocking side effects of sleep deprivation, is more than enough encouragement to get into bed.) Yet, it seems like every night when your ideal snooze time rolls around, there's always something more important to do.

Luckily, you aren't doomed to be stuck in this poor sleep cycle forever. FitBit announced a new sleep tool that makes getting a solid night of sleep much more attainable. Now available on their app and all their sleep tracking devices (including the new Alta HR), Sleep Schedule was developed by a team of three sleep experts and is designed to help you start (and more importantly stay on track with) a more consistent sleep schedule.

First, you'll set sleep goals based on your personal sleep data, which the app starts tracking as long as you wear your device to bed—you don't even have to manually hit the "begin sleep now" button in the app anymore. After tracking your habits for awhile, the app will start dishing out recommendations and adjustments for you to make, all in the name of getting an optimal amount of sleep each night. In other words, it's the perfect customization for those who've always found that eight-hour rule a little too one-size-fits-all. (Find out how much sleep you really need.)

But that's not all this sleep tool does. Remember when you lived under your parents' roof, and they constantly told you it was time to turn off the TV and hop under the covers? That's likely because they wanted you to hit the hay at the same time each night, as science proves that's better for your health. The app does the same thing in a less naggy way, with its customizable bedtime and wake-up targets sending you reminders when bedtime is near—especially if you fall off the nocturnal wagon.

Lastly, when you wake up in the morning, take the time to log into the FitBit app. In the sleep section, not only will you see your recommendations and how much sleep you got that night (and week), but clicking on a specific day lets you dive deeper into your insights. The app breaks down how much time you spent in each stage of sleep—awake, REM, light, and deep sleep—helping to explain why you either feel alert and ready to go, or tired AF with a desperate need for caffeine. (On the upside, you'll score these 8 health benefits of coffee.) Based on what you see, it may become more obvious than ever where you need to make adjustments in your bedtime routine.

Sleep Schedule is just the first in a series of sleep-focused initiatives FitBit is developing with its panel of experts, so get under those covers and start snoozing your way to better health.

Benefits of Swimming for Your Overall Body Fitness 1

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

Benefits of Swimming for Your Overall Body Fitness

Are you looking for a single workout that has many peripheral benefits? If yes, then swimming is the best workout option for you. It not only helps you to maintain your general fitness but it has some other benefits such as toning your muscles, controls your breathing and other meditative qualities and so on. All these benefits separate swimming from other forms of exercises.

Today let us discuss about the benefits of swimming as one of the important health and fitness tips.

Swimming Helps to increase your energy levels
Swimming is the most effective way to burn calories
Swimming reduces stress level, depression and anxiety
Swimming allows you a full body workout using all the muscles in the body
Swimming improves body flexibility
Swimming helps you to lose weight
Swimming lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many more
Swimming counts as both cardio and strength training

As you can see there are so many positive sides of swimming. Just 30 minutes of swimming, three times a week along with a healthy diet is the key to stay fit.

If you haven’t started it yet, we will advise you to incorporate swimming as your daily fitness routine. 30 minutes of swimming is equivalent to normal 60 minutes of workout. Apart from swimming we can recommend you yoga as one of the quick fitness tips.

Benefits of Swimming for Your Overall Body Fitness

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

Benefits of Swimming for Your Overall Body Fitness

Today let us discuss about the benefits of swimming as one of the important health and fitness tips.

Swimming Helps to increase your energy levels
Swimming is the most effective way to burn calories
Swimming reduces stress level, depression and anxiety
Swimming allows you a full body workout using all the muscles in the body
Swimming improves body flexibility
Swimming helps you to lose weight
Swimming lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many more
Swimming counts as both cardio and strength training

As you can see there are so many positive sides of swimming. Just 30 minutes of swimming, three times a week along with a healthy diet is the key to stay fit.

The Very Basic Idea on Health And Fitness

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

The Very Basic Idea on Health And Fitness

Don’t you think it is our responsibility to take care of our personal health? Being healthy does not only mean to stay away from ill health but also mean the complete presence of physical, mental and social well being.

Maintaining a proper health and fitness is not a easy task. We need to involve into some daily physical activities and need to take healthy and fresh food. These can provide us long-term health and fitness benefits. We can consult an dietitian or professional trainers for some quick fitness tips that can keep us healthy and steady.

Proper nutrition and physical activities are beneficial for us. There are many people suffering from the diabetes and other chronic health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, asthma, overweight and so on. Proper diet and exercise can our major body organs functioning also get regularized. It gives us mental peace and health with improved memory power and concentration level.

5 Foods Recommended by Experts in Their Fitness Tips

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

5 Foods Recommended by Experts in Their Fitness Tips

Are you planning to lose some weight in order to keep yourself healthy and fit? In that case both physical activities and proper diet is very much important. You can consult any dietitian or professional trainers for health and fitness tips for yourself.

So, if you are planning to lose some weight, then your diet plan should consist fat burning foods with balanced nutrition. The below discussed food will surely help you to go through a healthy diet.

Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli
Oats
Egg Whites
Almonds
Fish

Let us discuss how these foods will help you in your weight loss process.

Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli

These vegetables are high in fiber, so adding these to your diet will keep you healthy and fit. These crunchy cruciferous vegetables are caloric deficit foods and help you to burn your calories.

Oats

Adding oats in your breakfast menu shows wonderful fat burning result. It contains good amount of fiber and complex carbohydrates that takes time to break down and keeps us feel fuller for a long duration.

Egg Whites

Egg whites are very low in calories, have no cholesterol, are high in protein and provide amino acids that our body can’t produce. Thus making eggs a great choice for those who are looking forward to lose some weight.

Almonds

Almonds have a number of health benefits. They are enriched with vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Almond lowers cholesterol levels, reduces risk of certain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and heart disease.

Fish

Fish is a very nutritious food and rich in minerals, protein and vitamins that are important to maintain a good health. They are the source of omega-3 fatty acids that are necessary for brain development in children. They are also good for our eye and heart. Eating fish reduces the risk of arthritis and cancer.

These are the 5 foods that not only help you to be healthy and fit but also help you to reduce your weight. Keep on reading this blog for more fitness tips and tricks.

Quick Health and Fitness Tips for Busy Professional

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

Quick Health and Fitness Tips for Busy Professional

Are you a busy professional who does not have time for regular work out regime or time to take food on right time? If yes, then you must go through this blog to get some quick health and fitness tips.

Screen-Shot-2016-11-18-at-10.55.04-AM-e1479495372534

A short workout is always better than no workout at all. Here are some quick fitness tips and tricks for busy professionals who are too busy to find out time for their daily workout and healthy lifestyle routine.

Take plenty of water. Always carry your water bottle with you during the day.
Make sure you take a healthy breakfast before going out for the whole day work. Your breakfast must contain food that have fiber, healthy fats and protein.
Carry healthy snacks with you like fruits, nut, salads etc.
Avoid taking sugar with tea and coffee. Try to take green tea instead.
Try to use stairs instead of lift in order to live an active lifestyle.
If you don’t have time to go to a gym, at least try to do jogging, swimming or walking for half an hour per day.
Do not starve. Try to take healthy food on regular intervals.

Are you going to make some changes in your daily routine after reading this blog? Just comment and do let us know.

Quick Fitness Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle in the Winter

Ahmed Malik Articles Health and Fitness ,

Quick Fitness Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle in the Winter

Make sure that you are getting a right nutrition in this winter because if you are not following a balanced lifestyle and nutritious diet, then you will surely face a health hazard in this winter season. Here are some quick fitness tips that will help to keep you healthy in this season.

organic oils to fight dry skin

Some Fitness Tips that you should follow to stay healthy and fit in this winter:
Drink plenty of water. It is better to drink your water warm or at room temperature, rather than cold water.
Herbs like Gooseberry, Aloe Vera etc have detoxifying properties. These help us to maintain the moisturising balance.
Use organic oils to fight dry skin. Dehydration and cold breeze causes dry and flaky skin which is a main problem of the winter season. Apply coconut oil externally to keep your skin moisturised.
Take organic honey each day. It fights with winter allergies as it contains several vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to boost immunity levels.
Add oil-reach foods like nuts, olive, ground flax-seeds, green leafy vegetables and so on in your daily diet.
Maintain your life by cultivating these simple fitness tips in your daily routine to ensure that you make the most of this winter season.

Monday, September 24, 2018

6 Things to Know About Exercising on Your Period

What Type of Workout You Do Matters

Cardio Is Better Than Strength Training

Exercising Won't Lighten Your Flow

But It Can Help With Other Symptoms

You're Not More Likely to Get Injured

And Your Performance Will Still Rock

Here's Everything You Need to Know About Dry Needling

How does it work?

Is it actually effective?

How do I know if dry needling is right for me?

How do I find a legit practitioner?

Cold and Flu K-Cups Are Now a Thing

Why You Feel Neck Pain When You Do Crunches

Your Activity Tracker Can Now Help You Sleep Better

Quick Fitness Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle in the Winter

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