Health

Body Weight vs Body Fat {Health}

Swathy · September 12, 2012 · 2 Comments

This is for all those people obsessed with weight loss who start in the dark and don’t seek enlightenment. When you are getting on to a weight loss regime, you should be definitely aware of certain facts. I am definitely not a big supporter of gymming but lately one of friends told me about the extra facilites a gym provides. You are given a trainer on a payment basis which is I think you are already aware of.

But, what you might not be aware of is that they calculate right from your height to measure your BMI, cholesterol levels, fat levels and all other things which even I am not aware of

So, this enlightenment came to me when I was talking to my friend and so, I thought I would spread it out to you

So, the very important thing you want to remember is that your fat levels should be in limits. And, no body weight is not directly proportional to body fat. Even people with normal weight can have higher fat levels depending on their lifestyle. So, when you start on a weight loss or fitness regime, you would want to keep or bring your fat levels in control.

Btw, I would like to tell you an interesting fact. Stairs are damn good to burn your fat levels. So, get going Also, if you had followed my Dare to Change series (I know, I have been very lazy lately!!), my first challenge was to use stairs instead of lifts as much as possible. And, then, I read this book called Sexy@Sixty in which the author asks one question “Can you climb up three flight of steps without gasping for breath?”. And, I can proudly say that I can climb upto 3 floors without really getting short of my breath and 5-6 storeys with a long breath inside!! Yay, I am happy to know I am fit enough What about you? How many floors can you climb without being too much stressed out?

Importance Of Folic Acid {Pregnancy}

Swathy · September 11, 2012 · 2 Comments

During pregnancy, the doctors advise and prescribe few supplements like folic acid, iron and calcium. As I said, I had severe nausea so I could barely eat anything. Because of this, I never cared about taking any of these supplements. When my husband shared the importance of these supplements, I felt really guilty. These supplements are really very important during pregnancy. Today I shall be sharing the importance of Folic acid for the baby.

So why is folic acid so important?

Folic acid plays a huge part in the development of a baby’s neural tube. Insufficient folic acid has been shown to increase the chances of a neural tube defect in the unborn baby. A baby’s neural tube is the first part of the central nervous system that grows. By the time this part is fully developed, and baby is born, it has become the baby’s brain and spinal cord.

My husband suggested me to also get this supplement from food sources apart from taking the tablets. Some excellent food sources of folic acid include green leafy vegetables – dark lettuces, spinach, greens of all types, broccoli, beet root, lentils and beans and even calf’s liver, fruits sources – oranges, grape fruit, raspberries. If you find these foods too unpalatable for you, then it’s an excellent idea to take a folic acid supplement. Folic acid is also found in copious amounts in non-vegetarian sources such as turkey and chicken livers.

For a pregnant woman, per day intake of folic acid should be 400-600mcg. These are the things I am sharing with my own experience and a bit of knowledge but it is always advisable to consult your doctor before blindly taking anything.

Thanks for such a great post Punam And, hope you all find this helpful. Btw, I would like to tell you all about Punam’s blog as well – be beautiful with Punam.

Is rheumatoid arthritis hereditary? {Your Opinion}

Swathy · September 10, 2012 · 13 Comments

I would request you all to please answer the question in case you know any doctor, you are a doctor or you have any one in your family or friends with such cases. I need some information regd. this disease.

For the uninitiated, rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease which occurs mainly in the joints but not necessarily restricted to it. The cause of the disease is as of yet unknown but a mistaken identity flares up the disease. The white blood cells start killing the body’s own cells thinking them to be foreign substances. In case of rheumatoid arthritis, they mainly attack the joints.

Apparently, according to wiki, low levels of vitamin D can also trigger this disease. For those who do not know, Vitamin D is extremely important to prevent any disease related to the bones. So, if you are getting less of Vitamin D, I would suggest you to eat a balanced diet and get good dose of sun everyday. Also, deficiency of calcium leads to arthritis so better to get a good dose of it. Waiting for your comments