Mind and Body - Super Active

At your level of fitness, you likely already know how powerful the At your level of fitness, you likely already know how powerful the mind is when it comes to keeping physically active. Try the following quick “mental workouts” to really get the most out of your strongest muscle!
Defeat self-defeat!

Keep motivated by knowing how to overcome self-defeating thoughts like “I’m too tired to work out,” or “I have no time.” Imagine yourself confronting your most difficult activity challenges--from waking up early to leaving class or work on time to working through fatigue. If you hear yourself think, "I don't feel like it" or, "this isn't my day," ignore those thoughts, lace up those shoes and get to your workout. The confidence and pride that comes with overcoming a challenge is huge! Think about how much you love these positive feelings, not to mention the satisfaction and feeling of well-being that comes from having a good workout. You’ll be better prepared to overcome negative thinking next time when you know you’ve done it before.
Envision success

Completing an activity challenge in your mind can help you complete it confidently in reality. Before you work out, imagine yourself getting to the track or the gym even before you’ve laced up your shoes.

Try to imagine the feelings you experience as you start, peak and then finish your planned workout. Fast-forward to the locker room, when you feel tired but satisfied.

When you work out in real life, it will seem easier because you’ve already mentally completed the challenge.
Visualize improvement

Once a week, try visualizing a tougher workout –10 more minutes on the treadmill, another mile on your run, more reps with your free weights – as you move toward your anticipated goal, whether it's a 20-mile jog or stronger calf muscles. Imagine both the good and the bad feelings: the fatigue and discomfort as well as the confidence boost and pride that come from completing a challenging workout. Then imagine yourself accepting the challenges that come with working towards a goal. Your mental confidence will help you get through your next workout – even if it’s more difficult than you expected – to reach your goal with pride.
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Microwave Popcorn

With so many light varieties of microwave popcorn on the market, it's easy to think that this snack is healthy, but with high levels of sodium and the chemical diacetyl, some health professionals caution about making this a regular snack. A better choice? Putting a few plain kernels in a brown paper bag and popping your own. You control the flavoring!

 

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8 important weaning foods for your baby

Often mothers are eager and enthusiastic to start giving their babies foods other than breast milk. But when its time the big question that comes to their mind is – ‘What food should I pick up?’. Here is a list of foods that are easy on your baby’s little tummy and makes a great weaning option.

Juices: Start with clear and fresh fruit juices. Choose a fruit that’s available throughout the year. Apples are usually considered the best pick. Peel an apple, cut it into small pieces, boil it in a pan. Mash the apple with a spoon or your hand and put it in a strainer. Strain out all the juice and collect it in a container. Offer spoonfuls of this clear liquid to your baby in the beginning.

Alternatively you can also offer your baby dal ka pani. Soak yellow moong dal overnight; make sure you keep it covered. Next morning drain the excess water and boil the dal in water preferably double the amount of dal taken. When boiled well use a strainer to collect the clear dal water in a container and offer few spoonfuls at a time.

You can start with these clear liquids once your baby is over six months.

Fruits: If your baby is accustomed to apple juice move to apple puree after two weeks. Peel the apple cut into small pieces; put it into a pan and steam. Once done allow it to cool and then mash it to make a puree. Offer to your little one with your fingers or a feeding spoon. Try the same with a pear.

An overripe banana is every child’s favorite weaning food. Mash it up with a spoon or fork and offer to your little one.

Also try other fruits like papaya, mango and chickoo. But remember to introduce only one at a time.

Vegetables: A mashed potato makes a good start to introduce veggies. But make sure that the potato is boiled well and mashed thoroughly. Add a little water if the need be. Once your baby is seven months old try other vegetables like carrot, bottle gourd, pumpkin, tomatoes. All boiled and hand mashed thoroughly.

Soups: Make clear vegetable soups. Boil the veggies or pressure-cook them. Mash them and put them in a strainer to strain out the clear liquid. Add a pinch of salt if needed. A mix of carrots, beetroots, tomatoes make a good veg-soup. You can introduce soups when you baby is around 8 months old.

Greens: Add spinach to your baby’s diet during the eighth or ninth month. Wash clean and boil the greens. Make a thick paste and offer your baby.

Cooked foods: From the eighth month, you can start to give your baby a wholesome meal of rice and dal preparation. Take equal amount of dal and rice, wash thoroughly and keep aside. In the cooker add little amount of ghee and heat it. Add jeera or rai for seasoning, just a pinch of it. Put the rice-dal mix in the cooker and add enough water, salt and turmeric. Pressure-cook it, cool and then mash the preparation if the need be, before you offer your baby. You can also add vegetables like potatoes, carrot, gourd, beans etc to make it more nutritious.

Nutritious mixes: Take rice, wheat, ragi, moong dal in equal amounts. Wash and sundry. Roast the mixture in a skillet and then grind it. Keep it in an airtight container. This is a highly nutritious mix for the baby. Once your baby has started to tolerate liquids, take one spoonful of this mixture and boil it in water. Cool it down and offer to your baby. You can also add a spoonful of this mixture to your khichdi preparations or to other veggies. Slowly and steadily you can help your baby wean off breast milk comfortably.

Water: Surprise how water made it into the list? Remember your baby was only on breastfeed for six months, now that you have introduced other food items, water is a necessity. It will help keep your baby hydrated, clean the systems and aid digestion too.

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Natural beauty care tips with fenugreek seeds / methi seeds

The seeds and leaves of methi (fenugreek) are readily available and widely used in Indian kitchen. They have a strong aroma and a bitter taste. But when used in small quantities they impart flavour to your food. It is commonly used in curries, vegetable dishes, dals and not to forget the mouth-watering methi paratha. But did you know that methi is a rich reservoir of medicinal properties too? Methi contains protein, fibre, vitamin C, niacin, potassium, iron and alkaloids. It also contains a compound diosgenin which has oestrogen-like properties, as well as steroidal saponins. These compounds impart many benefits to methi – from being your beauty product to being an answer to your health problems!
Induce and ease child birth

Fenugreek has been known to be helpful in inducing childbirth by stimulating uterine contractions. It is also known to reduce labour pain. But here’s a word of caution. Excess intake of fenugreek seeds during pregnancy could put you in risk of miscarriage or premature childbirth.

Ease women’s health problems

Fenugreek contains compounds like diosgenin and isoflavones with oestrogen-like properties which help reduce symptoms like discomfort and menstrual cramps associated with PMS. These compounds also ease menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and mood fluctuations. Women are more prone to iron deficiency during adolescence (initiation of menstrual periods), during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Including green leafy veggies like fenugreek (methi) in your diet can supply a good amount of iron. But make sure to add tomatoes or potatoes to the preparations to enhance the iron absorption.
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How to Improve Eyesight Naturally at home?

Eyes, one of the most beautiful features of your body have to be healthy and they should always look fresh. Eyes can be small or big, some people might have really beautiful and attractive eyes that can catch the attention of others. It is always important to have good eyesight for each and every human being. You should always protect your eyes from dust and dirt to prevent infections and other eye diseases. It is your responsibility to take care of your body and body parts that can look stunningly beautiful and nice. Prevention is always better than cure. The following are some the measures and steps to develop your eyesight naturally at home.

Pencil Push-Ups

Grab a pencil from your work table and make a mark or write an alphabet or a number on the middle of the pencil. You will only have to focus on the pencil and the mark you made on it to enhance your eyesight. Hold the pencil vertically at an arms distance and focus on the mark that you have made on it. Do not move to the next step until you completely focus on the mark. Now bring the pencil closer to your nose in a straight line, focusing on the same mark that you have made on the pencil. When the pencil comes closer to your eyes, you will need to focus on the mark accordingly and stop moving the pencil immediately when the pencil doubles. Give some rest for your eyes for a few seconds by closing your eyes or looking at something else. When you feel that your eyes are completely refreshed try focusing the mark again, if you see double pencil again, rest your eyes for a few seconds more. Now try focusing on the mark again and slowly move the pencil in a straight line to an arm’s distance. You can repeat this exercise again that can naturally increase your eyesight. Spend 5-10 minutes for this small exercise daily and relax by hearing music, if you are a music lover.

Daily Food Diet

Your lifestyle and food you consume plays a great role in your eyesight. Consume food that has enough nutrients and vitamins for your eyes. Green leafy vegetables, fish like salmon and tuna, citrus fruit juices like orange and lemon, fruits like banana and nuts can help you attain nutrients for your eyes. Smoking can affect your eyesight and can cause cataracts, so try and avoid smoking. Always use sunglasses while you go out on a sunny day or while traveling to keep your eyes away from dust, dirt and sunrays. Continuous usage of laptops, mobile, watching TV can also reduce the level of your eyesight, so always give a good break to your eyes by blinking them while using laptops or television or close your eyes for a few minutes and listen to some music to relax. So try these remedies to improve your eye sight and always remember to keep your eyes safe.
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Tips on how to ensure your kids live a healthy lifestyle

The one way to ensure your kids live a healthy lifestyle is to teach them. It’s our responsibility as parents to ensure our children grow up with the right frame of mind so that they can continue to make the right health choices when they leave the house, and subsequently teach their kids. So how do you teach them?



The most effective way to teach your kids to live a healthy lifestyle is by example. If you, yourself don’t know what healthy living entails, how can you teach them or expect them to be healthy? There are three main areas to focus on to ensure the whole family is healthy:



Food and diet

If any of your kids have food allergies – wheat, nuts, dairy, gluten, etc. – then you may already be clued up about healthy diets for children. If not, why not visit a nutritionist for some advice on the best healthy diet for your kids? Try to limit their intake of fizzy drinks and junk food, and get them to enjoy vegetables by cooking them into a delicious stew or pie.



Exercise and physical activity

For this one, you don’t necessarily have to take the kids to gym with you; simply get them on their bicycles to ride alongside you while you jog, or initiate a game of soccer in the backyard. The best way to get the kids moving is to create the habit, which requires scheduling a physical activity three to four times a week. If they grow up with the habit of exercising at 16:00 every day, chances are they will make time for exercise or gym when they’re adults too. Your medical scheme encourages family health, so make good on their advice and guidelines.



Sound sleeping

If you don’t want your kids to learn bad sleep behaviour, then don’t fall asleep in front of the TV or sleep at random times. If you have trouble getting your kids into bed and lights-out by (say) 20:00, then turn it into a little healthy competition: “The first one to sleep through to tomorrow morning gets to ride in the front seat on the way to school,” or to open the new packet of cereal, etc.
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Health benefits of broccoli

Helps nervous system
Broccoli is comprised with the large amounts of potassium, which is needed for a healthy maintenance of nervous system. it also regulates the optimal function of the brain and invests for the muscle growth.
Supports blood pressure
With the amounts of potassium it also feeded with the calcium and magnesium components which help for the blood pressure regulation.
Fights free radicals
The rich amounts of antioxidants and vitamin C fight with the with the free radicals. Vitamin aids for the common cold and lulls the discomfort reap with it.
Bone health
For the bone health and osteoporosis every one have to take the vitamin K and calcium filed ingredients and we find them easily in broccoli.
Repairs skin damage
Broccoli repairs the skin from the damages with its glucoraphanin content, glucoraphanin acts well to clean the toxins and makes the skin better.
Strengthens immune system
Beta carotene, minerals like selenium and zinc in the broccoli helps to strengthen the immune system.
Healthy heart
The amount of the thickness of the arteries in the body increases the risk of heart diseases, it can become thinner by the carotenoid lutein in the braccoli and prevents us heart issues.
Healthy diet
Broccoli is known for its low fat and high proteins, hence it is recommended for the indigestion problem, constipation problem, and to maintain low blood pressure.
Promotes healthy vision
Braccoli is the good source of vitamin A that is required to the retinal formation, where it is a molecule that absorbs the light for the vision.
Reduces osteoarthritis
Sulforaphane is a compound generally obtained in broccoli and in sprouts, cabbage, it has the name to decrease down the cartilage fall off in joints with osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative disease that shows its affects on the hips, spine, hands, feet, and knees.
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