Best tips on how to make your diet more heart friendly.

1. Swap nonfat yogurt for sour cream.
Using nonfat yogurt instead of sour cream in this recipe for Salmon Cakes With Creamy Ginger-Sesame Sauce cuts out 4 grams of fat and 2 grams of saturated fat, and doubles the calcium, says Ellie Krieger, a registered dietitian and host of the Food Network’s Healthy Appetite.

Quick tip: Straining yogurt in a paper towel for at least 30 minutes will eliminate some of the water, giving it a rich, creamy texture closer to that of sour cream.

2. Say bye to butter with canola oil.
Krieger also suggests eliminating some of the butter in desserts and replacing it with heart-healthy canola oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fat. The neutral taste lets the remaining butter flavor shine through while slashing fat. Her Double-Chocolate Brownies, for example, call for only 2 tablespoons of butter, about 1 gram of fat per brownie in a recipe that yields 24.

Quick tip: Heart-healthy eaters should skip traditional brownies, which can pack more than half a tablespoon of butter per brownie!

3. Learn to love leaner meats.
Choosing lean cuts of meat will help zap the fat from your diet. Opt for round, sirloin, chuck, or loin, and extra-lean hamburger. Even better, add bulk with meatless ingredients, as Krieger does in these Burgers With Green Olives, or this Greek Burger With Peppers. Each patty has less meat and packs lots of vitamins and nutrients in the space the veggies take up.

Quick tip: If you simply can’t resist a traditional burger in all its juicy glory, make sure the meat is at least 90% lean, says Krieger. Turn lean ground beef into delicious comfort food with Health’s take on meatloaf.

4. Discover the joy of soy.
After leaving reality TV show Top Chef, Lee Anne Wong lost 50 pounds, in part by eating more soy, which adds lean protein without much fat. Stick to natural sources, like edamame, to avoid the blood-pressure-boosting sodium added to some processed products. Wong’s recipe for Grilled Tofu With Asparagus is a little heavy on the oil, but had the dish featured lean pork chops, the meat alone would rack up 11 grams of fat (including 4 grams of saturated fat) per serving.

As women age, their dietary needs change.A healthy diet is always important, but even more so as women get older.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests women should consume:

At least 1,500 milligrams daily of calcium, which may be found in dairy products and leafy green vegetables, or dietary supplements.
Eight milligrams of daily iron — needed to help produce red blood cells. Healthy sources of iron include fortified breakfast cereals, spinach and beans.
Limited intake of saturated and trans fats.
Limited intake of salt (sodium) and added sugars.

Plenty of fiber.

What to do if menopause makes you miserable?

Start with a visit to your doctor. If you don’t have one you really trust, fix that problem before you try to tackle the rest, women’s health experts recommend.

A good doctor will do an exam to make sure menopause is what is causing your symptoms, take stock of which ones are most bothering you, and help you weigh the benefits and risks of treatment options with your medical history in mind. For example, women bothered most by sleep problems may find a non-hormone solution. Ditto for vaginal dryness.

Hormone therapy — taking estrogen, progestin or both — works. It tames hot flashes, improves sleep, keeps bones strong and prevents vaginal dryness. It also can raise the risk of cancer and heart problems. However, studies show that the risk is small to an individual woman who starts on the pills at normal menopause age and uses them for fewer than five years.

Experts suggest:

If you use hormones, use the lowest dose for the shortest time possible, and try to quit or cut down every few months.

Ask about ways to use hormones other than taking pills, such as estrogen patches that can be cut to adjust the dose, or estrogen-secreting vaginal rings. Some preliminary research suggests these modes may be safer than taking pills.

Do not take hormones to try to prevent heart disease or dementia. If you take them to keep your bones strong, talk with your doctor about possible alternatives.

If you were taking birth control pills for symptoms during the transition into menopause, check with your doctor about whether to continue. Many oral contraceptives contain far more estrogen and progestin than traditional hormone replacement therapy does.

For hot flashes, try to figure what triggers one, such as hot drinks, spicy foods, alcoholic drinks, stress, hot weather, or a warm room. Dress in layers, and keep your office and home cool.

Eat a healthy diet to keep bones strong, maintain a healthy weight, get regular exercise and don’t smoke.

To sleep better, go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, eat regular meals at regular times, and not late at night. Limit caffeine. Avoid nightcaps: Alcohol may make you feel drowsy, but it interferes with sleep patterns.

2. What you do in bed matters- Reading or watching television while lying down is best avoided as when you lift your head to view the screen your muscles may contract causing pain in the neck.

3. Don”t just sit there- Apparently, staying in a particular position for too long stresses the postural muscles in your body. Hence, one should frequently change positions.

4. Cross your legs- The doctor advised alternately crossing a leg if you are sitting for long hours in a particular place, like while in a theatre, as it helps move back and hip muscles.

5. Around the house: Regularly used household items should be preferably kept on easily accessible shelves, as it can help avoid bending and stretching movements.

6. Watch where you put your wallet: Marcus advised men to completely stop sitting with wallet in the back pocket as it can result chronic pain.

7. When you do have to lift a heavy object, bend with your knees and hips -
While lifting heavy objects it should be brought close to the body, such that leg muscles bear maximum pressure.

8. Shoveling snow: A short walk to warm up before beginning to shovel may be a good idea. Also, a smaller blade can help limit each load¸ as snow is pretty heavy.

9. For women only: Women should try to lose weight after pregnancy and strengthen key postural and abdominal muscles, as it is weakened and stretched.

Try to follow a regular sleep schedule

Make sleep your top priority. At least till your body gets adjusted, avoid doing things that will keep you alert and awake when you need to sleep.
Get dark, solid curtains for your bedroom. Wear an eye mask to get total darkness. Even a bit of light can make your body react and tell you it’s time to wake up!

Play relaxing music. Suddenly the market is flooded with soothing music meant especially for people who need some external inducement – so stock yourself with your fave music.

It is better and will make you more productive if you can snatch at least a half hour shut eye before you leave for your job.

Even before you start on your job, practise keeping awake at nights.

Always wear dark glasses when you leave for home in the morning. This way, your body does not get alerted by the sunlight to keep awake during the day.

The temperature in your room has to be kept cool and soothing.

See that you are not disturbed on any count. Family members need to be given proper instructions to this effect.

Never miss breakfast. See to it that this is the first meal of the day whatever be the time.
Did you know that the so-called ‘energy’ sports drinks are chock full of sugar and caffeine? Avoid them as far as possible.
Instead drink plenty of water – it will help you to flush out toxins.
Limit your tea/coffee intake as far as possible.
Consume nutritious snacks. Your daily diet must contain a lot of fibre.
Foods like chips, candy, all deep fried foods, and whole milk products should be given the miss at night.
As far as possible carry home made food – that way you can ensure you are getting nutritious food.

Do you find it hard to balance your work and family? Have you thought of taking a much-needed break? Its medically proven women are much more prone to health risks than men. Women health needs extra care and attention. Here are some health tips for women, which should be religiously followed amidst all the ordeals, such as, full-time job, meeting office targets, family responsibilities and household chores. As they are the major factors that take its toll on women. Many a times it’s hard for women’s to juggle and strike a balance between their personal and professional life. Amidst all hard work, family responsibilities and hormonal changes like pregnancy, women’s health menopause; women rarely get the time to give personal attention to their health and wellness. Still the simple health tips for women must be included in the daily routine of every woman.

Women Health Care

Women health care in most cases takes a back seat. Health care for women needs extra nutrition and care. They should follow specific diet tips and develop a healthy eating habit. Diseases that are common in women are anemia, anxiety, depression, osteoporosis, migraine, weight gain and weakness. They are the ailments which begin with simple symptoms but might range to severe degree if adequate attention is not provided. So try to follow the health tips for women before it gets too late for everything.

There are various health magazines for women and women health websites giving a number of healthy tips for women. Women’s health care practices will indeed improve if they put a stern eye over the health tips offered by the various sources. So let�s have a look over the simplest of the ways and try to remain healthy and happy.

Health Tips for Women

* Drink lots of water
* Develop a healthy eating habit and live more on fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, food rich in fiber, shoots, seeds and cereals.
* Increase your protein intake and also have more of carbohydrate in your diet.
* Make, yoga, exercises and work out a daily practice. These will surly help you to remain fit and active.

1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster. Think ‘move’ in small increments of time. It doesn’t have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing.

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we’ve seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or ‘tough guy’ stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can’t live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It’s a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: ‘Smoke gets in your eyes’…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it’s because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don’t? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body’s boss.

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There’s a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can’t be unhappy when you’re smiling or singing.

Feeling run-down? Can’t seem to get back the pep you once enjoyed? Well you’re not alone, thousands of people are experiencing symptoms of feeling overly tried during the day due to lack of energy.

For people in their forties and older it’s due to stress, anxiety, depression, not enough sleep, poor eating habits, and the lack of physical exercise.

Chronic fatigue among older people may be the result of thyroid disease, diabetes, hepatitis, and anemia.

For many, lack of energy is due to people overloading their day with a self induced work ethnic causing them to become overly tried. This is often due to skipping lunch, working through breaks and so-on. Work on your organizational and time management skills to lessen your work load.

Good new! Most fatigue sufferers don’t have to head for that rocking chair yet!

Here are some tips that will put pep back in your step:

• Take a good vitamin B complex supplement

• Join the gym and exercise at least four times a week

• Cut back on carbohydrates and eliminate sugar from your diet

• Drink water instead of soda, at least 8 glasses of water a day

• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables

• Lose weight. Even a small amount of extra weight will make

some people feel tired.

• Get plenty of sleep. Most Americans sleep less than 8 hours a night. Just an extra 45 minutes of sleep will bring your energy level up.

• Clutter distracts the mind, making it difficult to concentrate. De-clutter your life and get a boost.

Make it a point to schedule time for exercise, sports, hobbies and vacations. The time you’ll enjoy the most is the quality time you spend with your family doing the fun things you all enjoy.

your body fit and healthy

How do you feel to be healthy? Nice! Must be wondering if there is that magic wand, I can become slim, fit and healthy. Nice to think but how to make this a reality? Takes time. Can’t happen overnight.

You can follow certain simple and easy technics which will help you be fit and healthy. Have you decided to go for it! then read on.

- Do not make a future plan for your exercise, if you have to do it, just do it now.

- Wake up a bit early, pull your pants up and start walking out. If not like an exercise, just walk out. Go where you like, spend sometime out in the morning. You can opt to buy milk, vegetables, newspaper or whatever… just go out. Slowly increase the speed of your walk.

- Follow the Golden Rule – Breakfast like a KING, Lunch like a Prince and Dinner like a PAUPER. Keep your dinner very light, avoid cheese, butter, curd or any other fat products.

- Breathe in and breathe out deeply whenever your remember. Do simple stretching exercises.

- Last of all… Dont worry.. Be happy. Stress can cause lifestyle diseases. Be away from stress. Life is short, enjoy every moment of it.
An easy guide to lose body fat quick and naturally :We can lose weight by consuming the body fat loss diet with recommended caloric value and regular exercise.
Treatment for low back pain: Low back pain is a common issue among computer surfers and bike riders. These are a few simple exercises which will help relieve low back pain.
Balance your spine – Stretch: Learn how to sit, stand, move and exercise in a balanced manner to reduce the neck and lower back pain to a great extent.

Healthy Habits: Healthy habits that can be followed in daily routine life. These habits will improve blood circulation in the body and also increases the energy levels.
Workplace Workouts: Keep yourself fresh and energetic during work hours. These simple and easy methods can be followed for complete relaxation of the entire body.
Tips and Technics to Treat your eyes: Most computer users suffer from the problem of tired eyes, dark circles and headaches. Follow these ten tips to avoid them.

Banana is rich in fiber content and also contains natural sugars like sucrose, fructose and glucose. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy  for a strenuous 90-minute workout.   No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.   It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and  conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst  people suffering from depression, many felt much better after  eating a banana.   This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a  type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel  happier.

PMS: Forget the pills — eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which  can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical  fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it  the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food  and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to  make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams  this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a  bid to boost their brain power.  Research has shown that t the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to  make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood  sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:Before  reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected  area with the inside of a banana skin.  Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Smoking: Bananas can also  help people trying to give up smoking.  The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance.  When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.  These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in “The New  England Journal of Medicine,” eating bananas as part of a  regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!