Jun 25, 2010

My Health My Wealth

Our health is on our hands, whether or not you want to be healthier or fitter, it's really up to us to decide. I know many people will make a new year resolution but hardly bring forward the plan till the year passed. It's time to make our resolution comes true by doing a little a day starting from our everyday routines.

While browsing through young families magazine brought home by my daughter given from her school, there is a phrase said a little a day, means a little a day can be added up to a lot of simple things done hence a healthier self.

If you think time is so precious, you could try the following tips I picked up from the magazine to boost up one's health.

1. Eat Breakfast, a healthy breakfast gives you a source of energy to meet the day's demands in a more stable manner than eating sugar-rich or caffeine-laced foods. It should comprise a serving of whole grains, digestible protein and a serving of fruit. If you skip breakfast, Alzheimer disease will visit you when you are getting older.

2. Spend 30 minutes outdoors, getting enough sunlight is as important as drinking water and having good nutrition. Our bodies produce vitamin D naturally when we're out in the sun. This vitamin can protect against muscle weakness, Type I diabetes and more than a dozen different cancers. Sunlight stimulates the pineal gland to produce melatonin, which aids sleep and has been shown to fight cancer. It's also a natural antidepressant.

3. Sleep regular hours, One of the most effective remedies for insomnia and other sleep-related problems is to have a regular sleep-and-wake schedule. This cycle is regulated by our brain as part of a daily rhythm. Chemicals like melatonin and cortisol in our nervous system tell our bodies when it's time to sleep and wake up. By keeping regular bedtime hours, we strengthen this natural rhythm, which helps us to fall asleep more easily.

4. Express Yourself, according to TCM beliefs, bottled-up frustration can affect liver function, which helps promote the smooth flow of 'qi' or life energy. This can lead to depression, constipation, body aches, headaches and even hypertension. So, de-stress and learn to express your emotions appropriately!

5. Exercise At Your Desk, do a mini workout within your hectic schedule. Take just 10 minutes every few hours and do some simple exercises like shoulder rotation, leg raises and neck stretches. They help you stay fit, relieve stress and keep your energy levels up.

6. Drink Infusion Tea, there's nothing that soothes like a good cup of freshly-brewed tea. The health benefits are plenty, too - studies have shown that tea contains anticancer properties and powerful antioxidants. Green tea lowers the risk of heart disease, chamomile helps relax the muscles and aids sleep, rose tea helps digestion and peppermint tea eases headaches.

7. Do Eye Exercises, eye exercises will keep your eyes healthy and minimise eye strain, especially for heavy computer users. It just takes a couple of minutes! Try these:
  • close your eyes and gently massage them with fingers using circular movements for one minute.
  • press three fingers against your upper eyelids, hold for two seconds and release. Repeat five times.
  • roll your eyes clockwise. Repeat five times and blink in between each time.

8. DIY Beauty, dont have time for a salon facial? Go to the kitchen instead. Common ingredients can be made into natural beauty potions. Banana is natural anti-wrinkle treatment: mash 1/4 banana, spread over your face, leave for 15 minutes and rinse off. For a nourishing cleansing mask, mix 1 teaspoon of plain yogurt with the juice of 1/4 orange, spread onto face and rinse off after five minutes.


9. Pamper yourself, allow yourself little indulgences. Instead of a quick shower, take a leisurely warm bath in the tub with Epsom salts that acts as natural muscle relaxant and helps to reduce stress. Take some time off for DIY manicure or pedicure. And always pair your activities with a positive attitude - look into the mirror every morning and tell yourself "I look good, I feel good and I will have a great day"

10. Priorities, Is your plate piles too high and schedule too crammed? List out your priorities and say "no" to the rest that are not important. If you're over-committed and under a lot of stress, you're likely to be unproductive, moody and may even fall ill. Make time for the things that matter most and let the less important things take care of themselves.

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