Winter Health Tips

12:55 AM // by Unknown // // 0 comments



WINTER: The bitter weather. The short days. The fattening food. Winter brings some of its own health challenges, but you can stay healthy as we head into the springtime.

 New Year's Resolution One: Keep the Weight Off this Winter

 The winter just wouldn't be the same without cookies, bread and anything laden with butter, cream and cheese. Studies show that, on average, Americans gain one net pound per year because of winter eating of so-called comfort foods. There are ways to avoid this weighty dilemma by serving highly nutritious, tasty food even when temperatures plunge below freezing. Helpful tips include: -- Eat enough fiber, especially in the form of fruits and vegetables.

 -- Serve fruits and vegetables that are currently in-season; they will taste much better than out-of-season produce.

 -- Substitute high-fiber sweet potatoes for high-carbohydrate potatoes.

 -- Use low-fat dairy products in recipes.

 -- Use applesauce in place of butter or oil in cakes.

 -- Rely on seasonings and herbs rather than fat for making food tasty.

 Registered dietitians from Northwest Hospital, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital and LifeBridge Health & Fitness are available for media interviews.

 Who Knew Something So Simple Could Do So Much: Avoiding the Cold and Flu Through Handwashing

 Experts increasingly believe handwashing to be the most important element of germ control and disease prevention. Cold and flu viruses are more likely to permeate the immune system when the weather turns bitter. Besides getting an annual flu shot (available to anyone over 6 months of age but especially recommended for people aged six months to 18 years and from age 50 years and over), there are precautions that everyone can take to avoid catching a virus and/or spreading one to others. Handwashing, experts increasingly believe, is a valuable tool at anyone's fingertips.

 Do you know that there is a correct way to wash one's hands?

 If you are using soap and warm water:

 -- Rub your hands together hard for at least 15 seconds sing a song such as "Happy Birthday" twice, which will be roughly that length.

 -- Make sure you wash areas that frequently get missed: the backs of the hands, between the fingers, the thumbs and the fingernails.

 -- Use a paper towel to turn off the water if you use your bare hand, it will be re-contaminated.

 -- If you are using waterless soap:

 -- Make sure it contains at least 70% alcohol.

 -- Rub the soap solution into every area of your hands until they are completely dry.

 Medical experts at LifeBridge Health are available to talk about handwashing as a preventative measure for cold, flu and other illnesses.

 Winter Blues: How to Handle Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

 Nearly everyone gets the winter blues at some time or another, but for some, they are actually a serious medical disorder. It is estimated that over 6 percent of Americans suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and over 14 percent get the milder form called Subsyndromal Seasonal Affective Disorder (SSAD). Both disorders are more prevalent in the parts of the world closest to the poles, leading researchers to think that down feelings in the wintertime are related to the lack of daylight. Your doctor can help determine whether or not your depression is season-related, but how do you know when your depression is severe enough to warrant a trip to the doctor?

 Symptoms of depression include:

 -- Feelings of sadness, hopelessness and helplessness

 -- Lack of energy

 -- Feeling slowed down

 -- Trouble falling or staying asleep

 -- Changes in appetite and/or weight

 -- Inability to concentrate or make decisions

 -- Thoughts of death or suicide

 -- Loss of interest in people and activities

 -- Restlessness

 If you don't have severe symptoms of depression but are simply feeling blue this season, there are things you can do to lift your spirits, such as:

 -- Make it a priority to get exercise. On the rare sunny winter days, go outside and take a brisk walk so you get the mood benefits of sunlight as well as exercise.

 -- Take a daily vitamin.

 -- Stay well-hydrated by drinking water whenever you are thirsty.

 -- When the sun is out, do your work by a window.

 Psychiatrists from Sinai and Northwest Hospitals are available to talk about dealing with the winter blues and when see a doctor about depression.

 The Great White Death Commeth: How to Safely Shovel Snow

 Most portions of the U.S. are expected to experience a snowier-than-usual winter, according to the 2009 Farmer's Almanac. Unfortunately, this means we will all be shoveling our driveways and sidewalks more often. Shoveling snow is a moderate-intensity exercise that could result in injury if done incorrectly. Follow these tips to stay snow-safe this winter season. It will take some preparation, but your legs, back and heart will thank you:

 -- Before shoveling, warm up your muscles in your legs, arms, shoulders and back by stretching.

 -- If you must stand on ice, put down salt or sand to give your feet some traction. To maintain the best balance, stand with feet apart at hip-width.

 -- Use an ergonomic shovel with a bend in the handle it will save your back by permitting you to bend less. When you do need to bend, bend at your knees.

 -- Spray the dish of the shovel with olive oil before you start. The oil will help the snow easily slide on and off.

 -- To give yourself the best leverage, space your hands apart on the shovel handle.

 -- Don't put too much snow on the shovel at once. Shovel only truly manageable amounts of 1 to 2 inches at a time.

 -- Protect your back by tightening your stomach muscles while you lift.

 -- That said, if you can, push the snow instead of lifting it.

 -- Walk to drop the snow rather than throwing it, but if you must throw it, do not bend at the waist, but instead rotate your entire body to face the direction of the throw.

 -- Slow down. Most injuries occur when people try to shovel too quickly.

 -- Take a break every 5 to 10 minutes to regain your breath. Shoveling snow is like weightlifting, and if you don't take breaks, you put could yourself at risk for heart attack.

 -- If you are overweight, elderly, or have a history of heart or back problems, you should forego shoveling snow altogether and use a snow blower or else have someone else shovel your snow.


How To Care Hair ?

12:52 AM // by Unknown // // 0 comments


Hair plays an essential role in every individual’s life. It can transform a person’s appearance to a great extent. It can be twisted and rolled, curled and straightened, colored and can make various styles to keep up with the changing fashion trends. But one needs to take a great care of hair to keep them healthy. To prevent hair from falling, dandruff and breakage, they need healthy diet and better hygiene. Poor diet, illness and deficiencies of any particular vitamin and mineral affect the quality of hair and troubles like dandruff, thinning hair, balding, premature graying etc. which tear down the hair.

 How you care for your hair is essential. Luckily, hair breakage can be both prevented and treated. Diet and lifestyle are two major factors that manipulate the health of the hair. So here are the few ABCs for having excellent hair.
Eat healthy food that helps the hair in staying strong and shiny. Your diet can also stop hair loss. Poor dietary intake can cause the hair to fall out. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet to prevent hair breakage. Lean proteins, fruits, raw vegetables, whole grains, legumes, omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon or flaxseed oil and dairy products will keep hair at its healthiest. Drink plenty of water.

 Use more natural hair care products like shikakai, lemon, coconut oil, vinegar etc. for hair care. Rinse dry hair in lemon juice to get back the lost shine. Mix apple cider vinegar with water to get shiny and bouncy hair. Apply honey on your scalp to solve the problem of tangled and frizzy hair. Mix honey in two cups of fresh cream to create an excellent natural hair product for dry hair.

 Always use a natural and mild shampoo and conditioner that restrain ingredients such as keratin, rosemary, plant proteins and seaweed extract. It is important to wash your hair because shampooing removes dirt, dead skin cells, hair oils, and any hair products you may put into your hair. Use a conditioner after shampooing; it’ll moisturize your hair, give it extra shield, add shine, reduce static, and makes it easier to untangle.

 Change your beauty treatment around your hair. Use a wide-toothed comb to detangle wet hair instead of brushing it. At all times use brushes or combs with widely spaced bristles or teeth and smooth tips. Sharp tooth combs can damage your hair, cause split ends, and rub your scalp.  Hair is most brittle when it is wet so avoid brushing or combing when it’s wet, or else it will cause breakage. Wait until your hair is entirely dry before brushing it.  Reduce the use of chemicals in your hair, particularly gels, perms, dyes, or bleaches.

 Dry your hair with minimal heat. This hair care tip is one that everyone should follow because extreme heat will damage most hair. Lessen the frequency or intensity of heat used from blow-dryers, flat irons, and curling irons. Hot air can be injurious to your hair so when using a hair dryer use the cool setting.

 In a day brush your hair for 3-4 times on a regular basis in order to stimulate your scalp. The stimulation of your scalp is what promotes the natural oils in it to allocate equally and also removes dead scalp tissue. This hair care tip is particularly important to people who suffer from extreme dandruff, regular brushing will help keep dandruff under control. Just remember to do it with a quality hairbrush, specifically one with natural bristles.

 Get your hair trimmed off every month. Every 30 days, cut about a 1/8 of the ends of your hair off in order to promote its growth and shed dead ends. You will see that this even helps ease your ability to style your hair.