symptoms of high blood pressure

For controlling your blood pressure readings, there are two effective yoga exercises that helps lower the blood pressure:

Inverted Yoga

Inverted yoga reverses the action of gravity on the body. The biggest changes when performing Inverted Yoga is due to the circulation. In inverted poses, legs and abdomen are placed higher than the heart.

Lengthening up through the legs and keep them very active so your spine opens and the entire body actively involved in the pose.

One of the reasons for this is simply because the force of gravity is reversed and venous return becomes significantly greater.

Normally, the muscles of the calf and other skeletal muscles in the lower extremities must contract in order to pump unoxygenated blood and waste back to the heart through the veins.

In inverted poses, gravity causes the blood to flow easily back through the veins and this brings the low heart rate high blood pressure in the feet to a minimum. This in effect gives skeletal muscles a chance to rest.

When partaking in Inverted poses, the draining of waste and blood from the lower limbs along to the heart is amplified and problems such as swollen ankles and vericose veins are relieved.

Rhythmic Breathing

It’s time to learn about breathing, because inhaling and exhaling has the power to nourish the body and calm the mind.

Not just any old breathing will do. If you’re like most people, you take shallow breaths, pull in your stomach when you inhale and never empty your lungs of carbon dioxide when you exhale.

Here’s the physiological explanation: Long, slow breaths are more efficient than short, fast ones.

To take in a good breath, your lungs must first be basically empty. Thus the key to efficient breathing lies in exhaling completely. The upper chest begins with a full exhale, then goes to the mid chest area, and leaves off with tightening of the abs.

Only after a good exhalation can you draw in a good lungful of the oxygen-rich air your blood needs for nourishing cells.

signs of heart attack in women

Once you know the signs of a heart attack, you may be able to save a life because of your quick recognition and resulting action in the emergency.  The signs of a heart attack may be different for men and women although the heart attack symptoms for both genders are the same.

Heart Attack Symptoms That Are Typical

You may feel a squeezing or gripping pain in your chest or you could feel a pressure or sense of fullness in your chest that is extremely uncomfortable or painful for you.  You may experience this pain or discomfort for a few minutes and it can return once it has stopped.

Shortness of breath may occur before a heart attack or it can happen during the heart attack.Atypical symptoms such as sweating, nausea, vomitting, and dizziness are suffered during a heart attack. 

Heart Attack Symptoms That Are Atypical

Many times, women heart attack symptoms do not feel the pain that men typically suffer during a heart attack.  Women will experience the atypical symptoms of a heart attack that are subtler and may not be recognized as heart attack symptoms. 

Atypical symptoms include weakness, nausea, feeling tired, and faint.  Other symptoms that women may experience include in their back, jaw or neck and light-headedness.

A heart attack should be treated in the first hour after the attack has occurred because this can reduce further damage to the heart.Further damage to the heart can be prevented if the call is made in a quick fashion.The first hour is critical when noticing a heart attack as it can kill a person within that same hour if medical help is not sought. 

Dial 911 or emergency at the very first signs of a possible heart attack.  Do not wait longer than five minutes before making the emergency call for help.  If you go in your own car, you may not be seen right away so use an emergency vehicle for your arrival at the hospital although it may not always be possible to receive a ride in an ambulance to the hospital. 

Even if the symptoms have stopped after a few minutes, you must notify your doctor.  Take whatever type of medication that your doctor has prescribed for you in the case of a heart attack.In the event of a blood clot, you can insert an aspirin underneath your tongue as a recourse for thinning your blood. 

When the signs of a heart attack are recognized, it’s best not to waste any time.  Seeking medical help quickly and arriving at the hospital through the services of an ambulance will be your best bet at receiving medical attention in a timely way.

fitness strength training

Before physical fitness training, one must give importance to doing warm-up or stretching exercises to prevent accidents or to enhance the output during the training.  There are also a number of precautionary measures and tips to serve as guidelines when doing fitness exercises.Here are some of them.

1.  To increase your flexibility and to avoid injuries, stretch before and after a firm workout.Almost everyone knows that stretching before workout prevents injuries during the exercises, but only few people know that stretching after workout, when muscles are still warm, can increase flexibility.

2.  Hold your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility.  While holding your position for 20 seconds is enough for warm ups, holding each position for at least 60 seconds will develop the body’s flexibility.

3.  Do not go into a stretching position then immediately return to the relaxed position, and do it repeatedly.  This is more appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position.While stretching, it’s best to stay in that position for 30 seconds, then slowly retract.  You may do this exercise repeatedly this way.  Bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage some joints or muscles.

4.  Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to doing the hardest exercise or position.

5.  Make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups.The neck always seems to be neglected during a workout.  Stretching the neck muscles can be as simple as placing the palm of one’s hand against the front of the head and pushing it.Repeat for the back and sides of the head.

6.  Stretch regularly to continually increase your range of movements and your level of flexibility and strength.

7.  Workout considering only your capabilities and not of others.Don’t try to perform an exercise that you know are not capable of starting or finishing just because some others can do it.  Increase your limits slowly.Don’t ignore your body.There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your range of motion.

8.  Learn to rest.  Rest in between sets and stations to make sure that the body has enough time to recover its energy.It’s best to not work the same bodypart for two straight days.The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out.

9.  Do aerobic exercises to strengthen your heart.Aerobic exercises are those physical activities that much oxygen for fuel.This includes cardiovascular exercises such as skipping rope, running or swimming.

10.  To increase intensity for longer periods of time, it could help listening to music.You can use mp3 players, CD players or lightweight am radio receivers for this.Wear a headset so others are not disturbed by music while exercising.

Apart from preventing injuries and increasing one’s limit, it is also said that stretching is good for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit.

Having a hectic schedule is the major reason why people don’t exercise.  Finding the time to do it seems almost impossible.  Usually, after a hard day’s work, you only want to go home and rest and perhaps stuff yourself with something unhealthy. 

Based on our survey of 500 fitness buffs, about 28% of them exercise anytime they can, exactly the same percentage of people who prefer to workout in the evening.  The most popular time to exercise is in the morning.  Two hundred of those included in the survey train during that time of the day while the least preferred time is the afternoon.

The body has a natural rhythm which means that our energy levels fluctuate throughout the day.  What is interesting is that our bodies adapt to our daily schedules of sleep, work and rest.  We have more energy during the time of the day when our bodies anticipate a lot of work to be done based on previous behaviour. 

If you train at 6 a.m. everyday, then your body will get the most from a workout that takes place at that exact time of day.  Since your body has been conditioned to do work in the morning, exercising at any other time would not be as effective.  Fortunately however, the difference is only minor and working out at a time that you are not really used to is still better than not working out at all.

Ideally, it would be best to exercise during the time of day when your energy level peaks, however you don’t really need to rearrange your life around this detail.  The bottom line is:  Just exercise, regardless of what time of day you do it!

The following are five tips to help you get some exercise time out of your hectic schedule.

1. Shorten your workout.
Do a 15 or 20-minute session instead of your usual hour or hour and a half.  You can increase the intensity to make up for the shortened exercise time.  Such "short but sweet" workouts can yield dramatic results.

2. Get up 30 minutes earlier.
Wake up half an hour earlier and do your exercises.  Your body will adjust to the new schedule soon enough.

3. Have a 30-minute lunch.
Divide your lunch hour into two with 30 minutes of exercise and another 30 minutes of eating.  Working out before eating will also curb your appetite enabling you to consume fewer calories.

4. Maximize baby’s nap time.
If you are a work-at-home parent, squeeze in some exercise when your baby goes down for a nap.  A ten or 15-minute routine is fine.  Do this at every opportunity, and by the end of the day you would be able to log in a total of about 20 or 30 minutes of exercise.

5. Create a complete workout routine.
Use your creativity to design a combination workout that you can perform 3 or 4 times a week.  Your program should include both strength training exercises and cardio.  A sample workout would be 10 minutes of weight training and 20 minutes of aerobic activity per session. 

Don’t let your hectic schedule keep you from working out.  You only need to be flexible and be ready to do what you can, when you can.  If you’re serious about getting fit, your efforts will pay off.  As they say, "If there’s a will, there’s (always) a way."

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After a long day at work or school, you’re starving and once you’re home you eat away your exhaustion.  When you’re done however, you get that uncomfortable pain in your stomach gas!  This unpleasant feeling is due to an imbalance in your system that has been caused by the manner in which you consumed the meal you just had.

When food enters your body, your digestive system breaks it down into a form that it can absorb.  It extracts the nutrients and distributes it and then gets rid of the waste products.  However, if you upset the delicate acid/alkaline balance of your digestive tract, the body reacts in a way that you would know something has gone wrong, thus the discomfort you feel after eating.  Outlined below are a few things you can do to improve your digestion and prevent bloating and gas.

1. Chew your food well.  Your saliva is alkaline and chewing your food at least 15-20 times before swallowing allows more of it to be mixed in with the food.  This is the first step of the digestion process.  Chewing your food well also forces you eat slowly thereby keeping you from gulping down air which causes unwanted gas.

2. Do not drink too much while you are eating.  When you take in a lot of liquid as you eat, you reduce the alkaline level in your mouth.  When this happens, the result is improper digestion. 

3. Do not chew gum between meals. When you chew gum, stomach acid is produced and this is not needed when the body is not actively digesting.  The acid levels of adults start to decrease at around 38-40 years of age.  Try not to chew gum right before or right after eating.  If you like gum, choose one made from the natural sweeter xylitol which encourages the production of saliva and is also good for your teeth.

4. As much as possible, drink room temperature beverages.  A beverage that is very hot or very cold will lower your enzyme production and this can lead to adrenal exhaustion.

5. Avoid drinking coffee with your meals.  Coffee has a high level of acidity and it causes the stomach to flush out its contents before it can be properly assimilated by the body.

6. Have something raw at each meal. The enzymes in raw foods help boost the digestion process.  If you eat cooked and processed food most of the time, you may want to take a food enzyme product which does the same thing.

7. Take a probiotic supplement.  Probiotics are good bacteria that support colon health and help in the digestion and assimilation of nutrients.  They also aid in the prevention of diarrhea especially when you travel and are a good remedy for constipation as well.  Also, it is important to take a probiotic after taking antiobiotic medication because this depletes and destroys the friendly flora in our digestive system.

By following these tips, you would be able to enjoy your meals knowing that you will no longer experience bloating and gas.  If you still suffer the same thing after trying these tips, it would be best to seek help from your health care provider.

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So you have finally reached your weight goal, great!  It certainly feels good to know that your determination and commitment have paid off.  What you need to do now is to sustain your weight loss.  According to statistics, 92% of people who reach their target weight regain what they lost within a year.  Do not allow yourself to be a part of that statistic.  Outlined below are 5 tips to help you maintain your weight loss for good.

1. Find out the root cause of your weight gain.  There are a lot of people who balloon to obesity because they seek comfort in food.  If you are an emotional eater, discover what triggers you to turn to such behavior.  If you think it is necessary, seek professional help.  As long as the underlying problem is never identified and dealt with, you are most likely to eat uncontrollably once again.

2. Control your portions.  You don’t have to be precise and carefully measure each morsel of food that goes into your mouth.  What’s important is to be aware that half a cake is not beneficial but a sliver is fine.  Pizza is okay as long as you don’t consume the entire thing.  You can have a few slices with a large salad but you do need to go for a walk after dinner.  Another way to limit the amount of fattening food you consume is by always eating salad with lunch or dinner and having something before going to a dinner party.  If you keep a food journal, you will be able to see if you are eating too much and need to offset it with exercise and more salads.

3. Keep a food journal. A food journal is a very practical aid that enables you identify your eating behaviour, both good and bad.  By jotting down everything you eat and when you eat, you will be able to find out what your weaknesses are as a dieter and make the necessary positive adjustments. 

4. Find out how to prepare healthier versions of your favourite foods.  There is a way to cut down the caloric content of your favourite dishes, you just need to be creative and resourceful.  Check out cooking shows on TV and recipe books sold in stores as well as online which teaches dieters healthier substitutes for high calorie favourites.

5. Always keep the Golden Rule of Weight Loss in mind which is:  you must burn off more than you consume.  It is important to engage in some form of physical activity thirty minutes everyday.  Walking is simple but very effective.  You can upload music or any free podcast that interests you (a foreign language you can learn, sermons, motivational talks) and hit the pavement.  Or perhaps a recreational sport may be more to your liking such as tennis, badminton or golf.  You can also get the rest of the family involved to make it more fun and interesting. 

In order to maintain your weight, you should be aware of your eating behaviour, specifically what you eat, why you are eating it (is it because you are hungry or is it just a substitute for something), and when you eat because you need to first digest your food before sleeping.  It is not advisable to eat late at night as your body would no longer have the time to burn the calories.  What it does is that it stores it as fat.

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If you are one of those people who feel socially inadequate because you know nothing about wines, then this article is for you.  Read on and learn about the basics of wine knowledge.

What is wine anyway? 

It is an alcoholic beverage made of fermented grape juice.  Its alcoholic content is usually 14 percent or less.  There are two basic types red wine and white wine and under each are several kinds.

The four basic types of red wines:

Cabernet Sauvignon (cah-ber-nay so-ven-yon). The grape that is made to produce this wine comes from the Bordeaux Region of France.  This fragrant wine contains different flavours such as raspberry, black cherry, tobacco, cedar, and dried herbs.  It is a strong wine that is recommended for beginners and the faint of heart.  Cabernets can be both drunk immediately or stored to mature.

Pinot Noir (pee-noh nwahr). This is a delicate and light-bodied wine that is recommended for beginners.  The flavour tastes of plum and strawberry.

Zinfandel (zin-fun-dell). This wine is squeezed from a big grape in California. It has a rich purple-red color with strong spicy berry flavours.  There is also a white version which is quite popular.  It is made by winecrafters who take out the grape skins after the fruits are smashed.

Merlot (mer-loh). This is a fruity wine that is well-known in the U.S.  It is made from red grape which is known for its use in the Bordeaux area just like the Cab.  However, they have less tannin and are thus a bit sweeter and smoother.  Dark red in color, Merlots has the predominant flavours of cherry and black currant.

"Red wine headache" is believed to be due to tannins which contain sulfites.  However, there are many sweet white wines and foods such as deli meat that contain higher amounts of sulfites than red wine. 

Many have heard about how good wine is for the heart.  According to studies, wines which have a high tannin content such as the Cabernet and Zinfadel have a beneficial effect on vascular health.

Basic types of white wines:

Chardonnay (shar-duh-nay). This wine is made from the Chardonnay grape which grows almost anywhere.  One great thing about this grape is that it takes well to experimentation.  There are many different flavours that winemakers have come up with using this grape.  

Riesling (rees-ling). This wine is made from a German grape which is popular for its fruity flavour and balance of acids.  Affordably priced, many of this wine is produced in California.

Sauvignon Blanc (so-ven-yon blahnk). Dry, light and with a tartness to its taste, this wine tastes of figs and herbs.  It is not to be aged but consumed after purchase, just like most wines.

Pairing wine and food

Reds go well with red meat dishes while white wine matches fish, chicken and vegetable entrees. Be careful when selecting reds because if they have not been aged properly, they may be too dry.  Merlots are a good choice if you’re a wine beginner as they’re ready for drinking.

If you are serving a white dish but prefer reds to whites, you can serve your food with a lighter red like Pinot Noir.  Light reds go well with tuna or salmon which are the meatier fish.  In the same way, pork loin would go well with stronger white such as Chardonnay.  As for dessert, go for one of the sweet whites like Reisling.

When it comes to wines, the bottom line is knowing what you like and discovering your personal taste comes with experience.  If you are trying to lose weight but you love wine, there’s a popular diet called The Mediterranean Diet which incorporates weight loss and wine drinking.

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It has been stressed over and over again that when trying to lose weight, having someone to partner with increases the chances of success of both you and your partner.  In fact, your significant other may be the best dieting partner you can have.

According to a recent report from Yale University, when two people are equally motivated to lose weight, they can give each other support which would enable them to lose more weight than they do it without a partner.

Weight loss is a serious matter that goes far beyond counting calories.  It requires a lifestyle change which makes it a major endeavour thus support from loved ones, in particular one’s spouse, is crucial. 

Nutrition experts say that when partners commit to change their attitude about eating, the experience can be very beneficial and may even lead to permanent weight loss.  However, they also note that if one partner is committed and the other isn’t, conflict may arise.  The best thing to do is not to give up but simply lead by example and be as supportive and helpful as you can.  Being a good influence would most likely lead to positive results.

When your partner doesn’t have the same level of commitment as you, he or she may give up and would want you to do the same thing.  The best thing to do in such a situation is to try to find the reason for your partner’s struggle, further show your support, then emphasize your commitment to your new lifestyle and request for his or her support as well.  Do not allow your partner to sabotage your efforts.  

According to the same experts, when couples focus on merely "dieting together", the moment they "go off"  the diet, the old wrong eating habits are resumed and they start regaining the pounds they have lost.  Thus couples should instead aim for lasting changes in eating behaviour and attitude towards food and not merely restrict their caloric intake until their individual weight goals are achieved.  When people only think about cutting down on calories, they will be stuck in the cycle of losing and gaining with their weight constantly fluctuating. 

Communication is an integral part of this joint weight loss effort.  Dieting with your partner is a wonderful way to deepen your bond with each other and achieve a healthier body at the same time.  However, both of you need to keep the lines of communication open all the time.  You and your partner should both be assured of each other’s constant support.  In the same way that dieting can strengthen a relationship, it can also break apart one that’s already shaky. 

On the other hand, if both of you are seriously committed to it, dieting with your spouse can be a one-of-a-kind-experience where you can experience success together

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