Lifting Weights And Improving Your Health

We face struggles in our day to day life, It seems we never have time to take care of ourselves the way we should. While the stock market is giving us all anxiety we do not have a way to vent this aggravation. Most of us reach for junk food, alcohol or other things that are not good for our physical or emotional health. This is how the downward spiral of bad habits begin and the more it is done the harder it is to break.

It is easy to say there is no time or money to exercise and get healthy, However if a person is truly committed to improving their health they can succeed at it without costing a small fortune. A large number of people have become indoctrinated to believe that they need to sign up at an expensive gyms or hire a personal trainer in order to have any hope of getting fit.

The truth of the matter is a person can become fit right in their very own homes. They do not need to pay an obscene amount of money for this. Fitness rest in simplicity if it is overly complicated no one will be able to follow it consistently.

Getting in shape requires some loose fitting clothes and something heavy to lift on. Lifting Weights is one of the best things to do for your body. Our body needs energy to live and grow when we have too much energy that is not burned up it turns into fat. As we add fat it becomes more difficult for our heart and body to maintain itself.

When we exercise we burn up more energy so there is less to become fat. However aside from maintaining our body temperature and organs we burn very little energy. Muscles burn fat so the more muscle we have the more calories we burn.

Aerobic exercising alone will not build muscle mass we will need to include weights for maximum results.
Resistance training is vital to force our body into adding muscle. When we lift heavy things it strains our muscles and they have micro tears. After we are done exercising our muscles heal and once they heal they become stronger. This is how muscle is added on top of this all the exercising will help create a channel to vent our stress.
As we reduce stress and become healthier our lives will become happier and more fulfilled.

Source: EzineArticles

Read More

Help on Setting Up a Home Gym

In order to get fit, exercise is necessary. One question is whether to get a gym membership to set up a home gym. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options. One excuse people make about not exercising at the gym is that they don't feel like making the effort to get there. It involves packing a bag, driving there, checking in and storing everything in a locker. 30 minutes to an hour is spent preparing for and commuting to and from the gym.

However, the gym membership provides free use of exercise equipment, such as exercise and weight training machines, free weights, stability balls, step benches, lockers and showers. Usually included in the membership are exercise classes and personal trainers. Also, there is something to be said for the motivation provided by working out with others. Plus, if one shops around, a decently priced membership can be found.
Setting up a home gym has disadvantages, too. The cost of the equipment is one such disadvantage. For a full workout, aerobic activity and strength training are recommended. This involves at least two types of equipment. If the equipment breaks and needs to be repaired or, goodness forbid, replaced, that's yet another large expense.

Outside of a gym doesn't always mean at home. Out from under the florescent lighting of the gym, one can enjoy the sunshine by taking a walk, going for a swim or hiking. None of these activities cost a thing, but none of them can be done in the winter, either. Winter activities, such as skiing, as well as the summer activities still have the problem of leaving home and bringing everything one might need.

To set up a home gym provides the opportunity to workout year around, whenever the mood strikes and with very little preparation. It has the added advantage of not taking too much time out of the day. Also, one does not have to worry about hours of operation, proper public workout clothes or having to exercise in front of others if the person prefers privacy. One can enjoy the mental comfort of being at home and not having to hunt for a gym that feels like a good fit at the right price. If the equipment at home is used long enough and often enough, it's cheaper than years of membership fees.

Working out at home or at the gym both has their pros and cons. The answer to the question of whether to get a gym membership or set up a home gym is wherever you feel the most comfortable.

Source: EzineArticles

Read More

Tips For Starting a Home Healthcare Business

The aging population growth and the preference of many older people to remain in their homes around familiar surroundings is one reason why home health care businesses will be growing in the years to come. Starting a home health care business requires research on the industry as well as state and local regulations, but it can be a financially rewarding business.

Below are several steps that have to be thoroughly researched and explored, but if done correctly will help you when starting a home health care business:

1. Review local home health care business regulations - each state will have rules and regulations regarding starting home health care businesses. Check with the local state department to determine which agency handles those regulations and request information. This is important to ensure that the business is meeting licensing and regulatory requirements from the first day of operations.


2. Determine services provided - researching the types of home care services to be provided can help determine if there is a need for those services. Research other local home care agencies to determine the services being offered. Developing a special niche of services will set the home business apart from the competitors, such as offering medical services if the competition only provides non-medical care.


3. Decide on the type of business entity - the business can be a sole proprietor, corporation, limited liability corporation, or partnership. It is best to consult with an attorney and tax accountant about which entity works best relative to tax liability, payroll, sales tax, worker's compensation and business liability.


4. Obtain a business license - each business must have an Employee Identification Number (EIN) from the federal government. This number is easily obtained online, or by calling the IRS, and does not cost money. This number is like the business' social security number for tax and liability purposes. Protect the number the same as a social security number.


5. Determine hours of business operation - will the home health care agency operation around-the-clock, or only specific hours of the day? This is where understanding the competition in the area can help with developing a niche that differentiates the business from competitors. If most home health care companies only provide daytime services, offering nighttime services can mean getting more business from customers who require evening or overnight care.


6. Develop employee requirements and job descriptions - if offering non-medical services only, the skills required by employees will be different than a home health care business that offers medical services. Finding quality, dependable employees can be a major part of operating a home health care business. Contact local CNA (certified nursing assistant) schools, as well as nursing or other health care training schools to determine availability of competent graduates on an on-going basis. Marketing a skilled, trained staff will solidify the reputation of the business. Developing long-term relationships with training schools and agencies will generate a supply of available qualified, licensed staff. All staff should be required to pass federal criminal background checks and random drug testing.


7. Obtain liability insurance - it is very important to have full liability insurance when operating a home health care business. Consult a licensed insurance agency to make sure that the insurance protects the owner, employees, and business from liability.


8. Apply for Medicaid and Medicare acceptance, as well as private insurance - many insurance companies are paying for home care services in lieu of expensive hospital or nursing home care. Applying and meeting the guidelines of all insurers will result in a wider range of eligible patients, as well as a reliable stream of income.


9. Determine minimum start-up costs, and work with local business start-up agencies to develop a business plan that will result in obtaining loans and funding for starting a home health care business. A business plan is not only for submitting to banks for funding, but will also serve as the guiding principles for the home health care business.

  Source: EzineArticles

Read More

Medical Tourism in Mexico

Medical tourism in Mexico is particularly popular with people from the US and Canada due to the close proximity of the country.

When visiting another country for medical treatment it is vital for the patient to conduct careful research on the quality and success rates of the hospitals and teams they are considering. Techniques and accepted practices can differ greatly from place to place.

As well as the growing costs and decreasing availability of medical services in their home countries, medical tourists are driven by easy access to international travel, the rise of advanced treatments even in developing countries, and the careful attention they receive by governments eager for foreign revenues. These all apply to medical tourism in Mexico as the country's largest hospital network, Angeles Health International, is located in Tijuana which is just across the US border. The hospital boasts Stanford trained physicians and personal rooms and nurses are provided.

Many medical tourists find doctors in foreign countries have been trained in the west to standards matching those of their home countries. Individual rooms and a focus on their comfort and personal needs are another attraction. Some treatments not yet approved in the west can be located in other countries that are now promoting medical tourism. Numerous extremely modern facilities are being built in Mexico and other countries to cater to this new demand.

The latest studies demonstrate that today's medical travelers come from Europe, Canada, the United States, the Middle East and Japan. Incomes are rising quickly in oil-rich countries, enabling residents to choose where to go for their healthcare. Today the country of India is the leader in providing medical services for this kind of traveler. Exotic locations like Mexico are already popular holiday destinations and so often patient's friends and families will join them on their trip.

Complicated medical treatments like hip-replacements and heart surgeries are performed in increasing numbers. These, as well as "elective" procedures such as plastic surgery, cosmetic dentistry and liposuction are proving more and more popular.

Some countries have the medical skills to rival the west, or even surpass it, particularly in areas such as stem cell procedures, alternative cancer treatments and ground breaking multiple sclerosis therapies. These services can usually be performed at a fraction of the cost of home-country treatments, and they increasingly employ highly-skilled and experienced surgeons.

Popular destinations for medical tourism now include Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Thailand, Malaysia and South Africa. Western countries are now also keen on offering some of these services, including: Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Spain. Turkey is also becoming known for its increasing expertise in cosmetic surgeries.

EzineArticles.

Read More

Your Diet and Your Cholesterol Level

Have you had lab work and your doctor told you, 'Your cholesterol level is high!!.'? I will attempt to share with you a number of foods that will help fix those bad numbers and some information on how you can eat more wisely.

Cholesterol lowering foods:

Listed are some cholesterol lowering foods: Apples, almonds, avocados, bananas, barley, beans, carrots, chili peppers, eggplant, green plantains, soybeans, spinach, sweet potatoes, walnuts, yams and yogurt with active culture.

This is the way some of the foods mentioned above will benefit you and help you to bring your cholesterol number down.

Soy beans and the products derived from them, such as soy milk, lecithin and tofu help break down fatty deposits so they can be flushed from the body more readily.

Yogurt; beware of yogurt substitutes, read the label, plain yogurt is your best bet. Use a blender to make smoothies using fresh fruit.

Medium sized carrots, eat three daily, this alone has been known to reduce the cholesterol level by as much as eleven percent.

Chili peppers reduce blood serum cholesterol levels by suppressing the liver's ability to produce cholesterol.
Garlic; five fresh raw cloves minced into other food daily for 25 days has been shown to lower serum cholesterol by nearly ten percent.

Studies have found that antioxidants in wine lowers cholesterol. Grape juice works just as well. Grape juice contains reveratrol, a naturally occurring chemical in wine that lowers cholesterol. The bioflavonoid is found in the skin of the purple grape. That bioflavonoid is the bullet in the gun of Vitamin C, it enhances Vitamin C's benefits to the body.

Be fat smart! There IS good fat that lowers cholesterol! Bad fats are saturated, they are derived from animals. Good fats go by a variety of names. PUFAS or polyunsaturated fatty acids. PUFAS is a generic term for all the essential fatty acids (EFA). They are called 'essential' because the body cannot make them so they must be in the diet. Essential Fatty Acids are required for growth, development and maintenance of cell membranes, including those of the central nervous system. A deficiency of EFAS has been linked to heart disease. Foods found to lower cholesterol are high in essential fatty acids; fish, un-roasted nuts, seeds and the oils from them.

Say no to margarine! Margarine is not heart smart! Margarine is a trans fat. A diet high in saturated fat raises the level of the bad guy, LDL cholesterol. But a diet high in trans fatty acid both increases bad cholesterol AND decreases good guy, HDL cholesterol -- a double whammy! A small amount of trans fats comes from dairy products and beef, but the majority or major source is margarine, particularly the hard margarine and shortenings made by hydrogenated plant oils. The Harvard School of Public Health now proclaims that partially hydrogenated vegetable oil found in margarine and shortening may be attributed to approximately 30,000 deaths each year.

Follow these suggestions and guidelines and your next laboratory report WILL have better numbers!
Source : EzineArticles

Read More

Help Your Broken Bones Heal Fast By Taking Good Care of Your Cast!

How to take care of your cast

Broken bones are no laughing matter and it can take a very long time to heal, depending on what you have broken. For people with chronic health conditions, like diabetes or immune problems, healing times can be very slow. This means that you may be stuck with your cast for weeks and even months! For this reason it is essential that you take good care of your cast.

Casts are used to stabilize the broken bone after it has been placed back in proper alignment following a fracture. The cast is also important for protection because it will keep the area from becoming re-injured or moving the bone out of alignment. Once casted, your bone can begin to heal and pain will decrease. This cast could be with you for some time so follow these tips to keep your cast in mint condition!

1. Do not get your cast wet!
A wet cast is bad news because it can cause mold and mildew growth on the cast. It can also cause skin irritation and infection beneath the cast. Keep your cast dry while showering by wrapping it with a plastic bag and sealing the edges with tape. Do not submerge your cast and attempt to keep it out of contact with the water, even if the cast is covered. Waterproof covers are marketed for keeping casts dry but should not be exposed directly to water because these products may leak. If you are going to be in your cast for a long time, ask your doctor if a waterproof cast is right for you!
If the cast does get wet, dry it using a hairdryer set to cool setting. If it is saturated and cannot be dried, it must be replaced.

2. Keep the cast clean!
Stay out of dirt and mud while in a cast. Avoid sandy areas.

3. Do not try to manipulate the cast!
This means that you should not cut it or remove the lining for any reason without consulting your doctor.

4. Do not put anything into your cast!
Itchy skin causes patients to stick pens, pencils and coat hooks into their casts. These items can get stuck or can cause open wounds that can become infected. Do not apply powder to the skin because it can become irritated. If the skin is itchy, try blowing cool air down into the cast using a hair dryer set to cool.

5. For pain, RICE!
Rest and elevate that limb to keep pain and swelling down. Take pain medications as prescribed. You may ice the cast to help with pain and swelling as needed. Do not put ice down the cast.

See your doctor if:
-Your skin has an open wound beneath the cast
-The cast begins to smell badly
-The cast is saturated with water
-The cast is too tight or has cracked

Seek emergency medical attention if:
-You develop severe pain
-You have swelling that causes pain
-You cannot move your fingers or toes
-Your fingers or toes turn cold or blue

Your cast is yours for a while, so be sure to take great care of it to prevent complications and delayed healing.

Source : EzineArticles

Read More