Lifestyle changes include:

* Maintaining a normal weight, with a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to 24.9.
* Reducing sodium in your diet to less than 2,300 mg a day, which is about 1 teaspoon of salt.
* Exercising—such as brisk walking—that raises your heart rate for at least 30 minutes a day on most, preferably all, days of the week.
* Limiting alcoholic drinks Click here to see an illustration. to 2 drinks a day for men, and 1 drink a day for women.
* Getting 3,500 mg of potassium in your diet every day.
* Following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products, with reduced amounts of saturated and total fats.

How is bad breath caused? Well, the congregation of excess bacteria in your mouth can trigger a bad odour in your mouth so when you take care of your mouth, your aim should be getting rid of all of that bacteria. These tips below stream out the things you can do to avoid bad breath.
1) Brush twice a day

Once as soon as you wake up and once before you go to bed. This way you are clearing your mouth of any bacteria especially at night, after your meal. At night, your mouth can hold amazing amounts of bacteria so brushing reduces the amount. Use a soft tooth brush so that your gums don’t recede or you won’t hurt yourself.

2) Use a tongue scraper or a tongue cleaner and a floss

A lot of bacteria stays on your tongue which can cause a lot of bad breath so to clear out all of that bacteria, use a tongue scraper or a tongue cleaner to take off the yellow gunk that may stay on your tongue at times and will get rid of the bacteria. Using a floss every now and then will make sure that bacteria doesn’t stick in corners too.

3) Avoid the spice and pick the mints

Spicy food, onions and garlic are the lords of leaving bad odour in your mouth so you can easily combat this by finishing a good Indian takeaway with parsley, mint or the best is fennel seeds. This way your mouth is temporarily masked of any smell and then you can go home and brush up.

4) Saliva stops smell

Saliva is really good because it flushes out the bacteria out of your mouth throughout the day. A dry mouth means that there is no saliva to push out all of those bacteria so your mouth can smell. This is why sometimes in the morning after a good night’s sleep, your mouth can smell because there is not a lot of saliva being produced when you are asleep. Water is a good way you can constantly keep flushing out the bacteria and the other benefit is that you can keep your saliva flowing to clean out your mouth of any bacteria. But watch out, alcohol and coffee won’t do you any favours because all they do is dry out your mouth further and probably accentuate the smell.

5) Chewing gum is good

The main point of chewing gum isn’t to get the fresh minty smell but even though it does cover up bad breath with minty smells, it is temporary. What chewing gum does is that it stimulates saliva to fight the bacteria.

6) Choose the right mouthwash

Buy those mouthwashes that fight bacteria, not just the ones that mask the smell caused by bad bacteria in your mouth. You can get these by looking carefully in the right shops or by contacting your dentist to give you the mouthwash that specifically says it combats bacteria.

7) The dentist is there to help

If you have any issues, contact your dentist and don’t forget visiting your dentist at least twice a year. Bad breath can be caused by gum diseases or other mouth problems so it might not be able to go away that easily. Your dentist is always ready to help you.

Drinking water on regular basis.

Drink plenty of water, Smokers are often dehydrated as it is, which makes your body hold tighter to the water it does have. One good way to get your body to release excess water is to drink plenty of water! As contradictory as it may sound,  your body will easily let go of retained water when you keep yourself well-hydrated. The general recommendation is 64 ounces per day, and more if you are overweight already.

Have a clean Diet with fruits & vegetables.

The temptation to snack on sweet and salty foods when you quit smoking may be strong, but try to avoid doing so. Instead lean more toward plenty of fruit and vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats. Instead of chips, try snacking on small amounts of nuts and seeds. Rather than candy, try some fresh or dried fruit. Also avoid caffeine, alcohol and sugary soda pops.

Exercise regimen.

Check with your doctor first to be sure you can safely withstand physical activity, and then get moving! You’ll probably want to keep it moderate to begin with, like brisk walking or swimming. Don’t be surprised if your lung capacity has greatly diminished if you’ve been smoking for a long time – but it will usually come back the longer you remain a non-smoker and continue to exercise regularly. As you get stronger, gravitate toward more strenuous forms of exercise, like weight training, dancing, or running. The better you feel physically, the less tempted you’ll be to abuse your body with junk food or cigarettes.

Stay away from other Addictions.

People are so habituated that they will always looks for a replacement. People who quit smoking will pick up another bad habit to replace it, like eating pounds of chocolate or fatty foods. Replace cigarettes with carrot or celery sticks, salads, fresh water, and deep breathing. You’ll feel much better than you would by giving in to the temporary buzz lattes and chocolate provide. Your primary objective in quitting smoking is to look and feel better while adopting more healthful habits.

Get your self healthy.

If you DO see the scale go up a few notches, don’t let it get you down! Remember that it’s temporary. The more you focus on getting your body healthy and strong, the more quickly those pounds are going to drop back off again. keep affirming that you are doing something wonderful for yourself, and you’ll be in much better health in the long run.

He linked them to raising rates of birth defects and testicular cancer and falling sperm counts.  Campaigners called for action to address the problem. They warned that while exposure to a single chemical may cause no harm, the cumulative effect could be profound.

Professor Sharpe’s report was commissioned by the CHEM Trust, a charity which works to protect humans and wildlife from harmful chemicals. There is evidence that male reproductive health is deteriorating, with malformations of the penis becoming more common, rates of testicular cancer rising, and sperm counts falling.

It is thought that all these conditions – collectively called Testicular Dysgenesis Syndrome (TDS) – are linked to disruption of the male sex hormone testosterone. Professor Sharpe concludes that exposure to a cocktail of hormone-disrupting chemicals in the environment is likely to be at least partly to blame by blocking the action of testosterone in the womb. His latest report highlights animal studies showing that testosterone-disrupting chemicals can cause TDS-like disorders.

In addition, de-masculinisation effects due to chemical pollutants in the environment has been reported in many species of wildlife. The direct evidence of an effect in humans is so far less compelling – but is beginning to mount.

Minimise exposure

Professor Sharpe said: “Because it is the summation of effect of hormone-disrupting chemicals that is critical, and the number of such chemicals that humans are exposed to is considerable, this provides the strongest possible incentive to minimise human exposure to all relevant hormone disruptors, especially women planning pregnancy, as it is obvious that the higher the exposure the greater the risk.”

New EU chemicals legislation, called REACH (Registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals) puts the onus on the chemical industry to prove that its products are safe.

Campaigners say it could be used to reduce exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals.

Elizabeth Salter Green, CHEM Trust director, said; “Chemicals that have been shown to act together to affect male reproductive health should have their risks assessed together.

“Currently that is not the case, and unfortunately chemicals are looked at on an individual basis.

“Therefore, government assurances that exposures are too low to have any effect just do not hold water because regulators do not take into account the additive actions of hormone disrupting chemicals.

“It is high time that public health policy is based on good science and that regulatory authorities have health protection, rather than industry protection, uppermost in mind.”

Ms Green advised pregnant women to keep cosmetic use to a minimum and avoid DIY.

A government spokesperson said the report would be studied with interest, and that the risks to health of hormone-disrupting chemicals were regularly reviewed by the Scientific Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT).

“The Food Standards Agency and the Health Protection Agency are also currently involved in work relevant to this issue. We will continue to consider any new evidence that emerges.”

A statement from the COT in 2006 concluded there was no clear link between data from animal experiments and trends in humans – but it was an important area for research.

Source: BBC NEWS

Don’t let shyness keep you away from this popular Latin dance. People of all ages are flocking to salsa lessons, dancing their troubles away, and getting an exhilarating workout as well.

Dancing the night away at gyms and community centers, nightclubs and parties across the country, millions of Americans are discovering the pleasures of salsa.

Whether you dislike gym exercise or work out regularly, salsa dancing can be a fun and exhilarating alternative, as well as a great aerobic workout. Even the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended dancing as a way to stay in shape or shed extra pounds.

Yet even if you’re tempted by that rollicking Latin beat, you might feel shy about just plunging onto the dance floor. Perhaps you’re intimidated by the idea of dancing with a partner. Or you’re convinced that you could never master the dance’s undulating move

The Health Benefits of Salsa Dancing

Not only is dancing an exceptional way to let loose and have fun, but it also provides some terrific benefits for your health.

In fact, Mayo Clinic researchers reported that social dancing helps to:

* Reduce stress

* Increase energy

* Improve strength

* Increase muscle tone and coordination

* Builds endurance and stamina

* Helps with weight loss

* Relieves stress

* Helps you release toxins via sweating

* May help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels

* Can lead to a reduced heart rate over time

Dancing Off Those Calories

How many calories will you burn while dancing? That depends on the type of dancing. Here’s a range of some of the most popular varieties, based on a 150-pound person, per hour:

* Swing dancing: 235 calories/hour

* Ballroom dancing: 265 calories/hour

* Square dancing: 280 calories/hour

* Ballet: 300 calories/hour

* Belly dancing: 380 calories/hour

* Salsa dancing: 420+ calories/hour

* Aerobic dancing: 540+ calories/hour

First thing is to assess your current eating habits. This is important because you need to know what’s not working. If your current eating habits are keeping you overweight, and you want to be slim, it figures that you need to change those eating habits. If something is not working, change it.

Second thing is increase your exercise. This helps to burn extra calories and raises your resting metabolic rate. It keeps your body working efficiently and it boosts your motivation to lose weight.

Assessing your current eating habits.

Keep a record of your eating habits for a week. The record should contain the following information:

• What you are eating
• How much you’re eating
• When you eat (note the times) – you want to know how far apart your meals and snacks are.
• Why you’re eating at those times – is it because you’re hungry, or are you ‘comfort eating’?
• How you feel after eating – pleasantly satisfied or bloated and stuffed.
• How many glasses of water you drink each day

When you find out your current eating habits, you’ll need to determine which habits are sabotaging your efforts to lose weight. Those are the ones you want to change.

Goal Setting

Determine what your weight goal is. Or you may prefer to monitor your progress in terms of your waistline or hip measurements. Whichever one suits you is best. Eating healthily is not all there is to getting slim. You must become more physically active (read ‘exercise’) in addition to eating properly if you’re to lose weight permanently.

Action Plan

Now that you know what your ideal size is, you have a goal that you’re working towards. You need to then determine a plan of action to help you achieve that goal.

To help you decide on the right plan, bear in mind that eating should be a pleasure. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Which nutritious foods do I enjoy eating ?
• How soon after eating do I get hungry again? Most adults get hungry about 3 to 4 hours after eating a meal.
• Do I eat only when I’m hungry?
• How can I stay full? Drink lots of water. Scientists recommend between 6 and 8 glasses of water daily. Your body needs it, and it helps you stay full.

With the answers to those questions in mind, form an action plan, and start a new daily record to help you keep track of your progress. When deciding on which actions to take, you need to refer back to your initial assessment of your current eating habits. Decide which habits are preventing you from losing weight. Write down alternative habits that you want to cultivate, which will help you get slim.

These new habits you want to form are now your ‘targets’ – milestones on your way to your ideal body shape and size.

Taking Action

To form healthy eating habits, start with small changes.Don’t make too many changes at once. Set yourself main targets, such as ‘I will drink 8 glasses of water each day’, then set smaller targets to help you reach each main target.Decide on the foods you will be eating regularly. Make sure they’re foods you enjoy. Eat small portions, about 5 or 6 times each day, instead of three large meals. This helps keep your metabolic rate high, and helps you lose weight naturally.

How to stay motivated to continue eating healthily

1. Believe that you can do it, and accept responsibility for your health and for the way your body looks.
2. Reward yourself each time you successfully complete a small target. Celebrate each small success – don’t wait until you’ve lost tons of weight before you reward yourself. Make the journey enjoyable by treating yourself each time you make progress.
3. Keep in mind what you hope to achieve – remind yourself of how lovely and healthy your body is becoming each day as a result of your new eating habits. Remember, each small step in the right direction is bringing you closer to your main target.

With a clear goal in mind, a feasible action plan and tips to help you stay motivated, you should find it easy to form habits that keep you slim and healthy at the same time.

How Exercise Helps You to Slim Your Body

Let’s say you eat an average slice of angel food cake (approx 150 calories).

• If you jump rope, you can burn off all these calories in about 13 minutes.
• If you walk at 3mph, you can burn off these calories in about 30 minutes.
• In addition, exercise helps to raise your metabolic rate, which makes it easier to lose weight.
• Finally, exercise also helps you to lose weight by boosting your motivation to stick to your weight loss program.

1. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are the “bad” cholesterol. LDL is mostly fat with only a small amount of protein. It can clog your arteries. If you have high cholesterol, your doctor will want you to lower your LDL.
2. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are the “good” cholesterol. HDL is more protein than fat. It helps clear the bad cholesterol from your blood so it does not clog your arteries. A high level of HDL can protect you from a heart attack.
3. Triglycerides are another type of fat in the blood that can affect your health. If you have high triglycerides and high LDL, your chances of having a heart attack are higher.

Begin by finding out about what the acai fruit really is. Acai berries are a super nutritious fruit that have been harvested in the Brazilian rain forests of South America for centuries. They are high in antioxidants, and possess many healthy benefits. Because of the high levels of antioxidants in this super fruit, they are known to lower your cholesterol, and protect your immune system. They are also known to boost your metabolism, and are excellent fat burners.

Acai berries have vast amounts of fiber which aids digestion. They also contain amino and fatty acids which will help you feel fuller, and gives you a healthy glow. These amazing berries are rich superfoods that will give you many valuable nutrients that will help you to lose weight easier.

To lose weight with the acai berry select the diet supplement of your choice. You can also find them in the form of capsules, juice, smoothies, powders, and freeze dried.

Take the supplement according to the product’s directions. You will start to notice the healthy benefits in acai berries almost immediately.  Acai berries help your body feel strong and healthy. When you start to lose weight with acai berry, you will be amazed.

Let’s first have a look what stress actually is: You feel stressed when….

… you feel helpless 
… you feel driven by others 
… you don’t know how long the pressure will last 
… you feel you are a victim 
… you feel you can’t handle it

Stress is a natural body reaction to cope with extraordinary pressures. The key is not just to know how to avoid those stressful feelings but to know how to get rid of them fast.

The more you are in control of your life and the way you spend your time, the less stressed you will feel. So stress relief is a matter of organization!

First Aid Against Stress:

1. What is the source of my stress?

Your first task is to figure out the real source for your stress. Just ask yourself what really causes you to feel pressured. The daily way to work? The routine tasks at home? The noise? Your partner? Your boss… and what about that/them exactly?

2. Relaxation

Breaks from your work are vital for staying balanced. This sounds simple and yet, sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. Taking a break allows you to switch off or step back so you can see the big picture again. It will put your current task in perspective and allow you to see new solutions and opportunities. At the very least it will just recharge your batteries for you to keep going. Breaks will save you time! You will notice it latest when you have been busy doing something that – with hindsight – should not have been done at all.

3. Sport

Find a sport or a form of movement that you enjoy. Enjoyment is key here. No point in forcing you to do something, that just creates more stress. The impact of sport on eliminating stress hormones is well documented. And regular activity is also proven to prevent stress from building up in the first place.

4. Say “No”

Many people say “yes” to often when they wish they had said “no”. As a result we pile up too many tasks and finally feel we can’t cope anymore: stress emerges. So why do we say “yes” when we mean “no”? Most people think that “yes” makes them look competent, strong and helpful and that saying “no” is a sign of weakness. Yet, the opposite is true. Saying “no” is a sign of strength. It takes courage to say “no” to a a friend or a boss and it shows that you value your own time, goals, family and friends.

Quick-Fix for Any Stress Situation

Often stress is a matter of perspective. Ask yourself the following questions to find new perspectives that will immediately relieve your stressful feelings:

1. Is my life in danger? Yes: Act quickly! No: Relax, it’s not all that bad.

2. Is the life of someone I love in danger? Yes: Act quickly! No: Relax again.

3. If I had only 3 more months to live, would I get annoyed about this thing now?

4. If I had to explain my stress to a 4-year-old child, would it understand what troubles me?

5. Could I imagine that I would laugh at my current situation in 5 years? Or in 5 months?

If so, why not laugh about it in 5 minutes?

Source Life Coach

Health care can be for an individual or for a large group of people depending on how the systems are organized. Importance of health care cannot be overemphasized. In society, people are worried about the kinds of systems there are, to deal with issues of health. In developed countries, their systems are designed to cater for all people; whether poor or rich. However, the systems are lacking in regard to flaws.

In developing countries, people usually take care of health as an individual thing and, if you do not have enough money, you might not get access to quality care. There are so many disparities and, some systems in certain countries are becoming worse; not able to deal with demand of health. Health is not a cheap affair, you have to have a good system if you want it to work for you. Governments have the responsibility to create or formulate policies that will favor people in this regard. Good systems of health can be erected by the top most leadership of a state.

The importance of good health care can be seen in the hopes of a people who are yearning for health. To become rich or to produce something in life, you have to have that ability or strength. If you are sick, you are likely not to develop yourself in any way. Therefore health is wealth and this is the biggest lesson that we can learn today. When you are in good health, you will be a happy person and enthusiastic about the business of life. Sickly people will dread every moment of their pain and, they are not able to have joy and peace. When it comes to preventative health care like the use of vaccinations, we are going ahead of time and making sure that you are safe from future illnesses. When it comes to prevention of pregnancy as part of care for health, we are able to structure our lives an take control. However, measures such as abortions are pretty controversial.

However, those countries that have legalized abortion need to ensure that people who choose to undergo it are safe and protected. Good health care will give rise to a generation that is ready to take on the world. Diseases have a way of making the future look very deem. For example, the spread of the AIDS virus has really dealt a huge blow on this generation. Proper care is beginning to be felt in many corners of the world especially areas where it is rampant like sub Saharan Africa. Therefore, make sure that no matter whether you are and individual or a group, you prioritize on health. Investing in good care for health is investing in life.

Source : Ezinearticles