Many people focus only on cardiovascular exercise at the gym. While “cardio”, as it is often referred to, is great for your heart, cholesterol, blood pressure and helps burn calories, strength training is also an essential component of a balanced fitness program. It can slow the muscle loss that comes with age, build the strength of your muscles and connective…
The benefits start just minutes after quitting. If you have been smoking for a while, you might wonder if quitting is even worth it. You wonder, “The damage is done, so does it really make a difference?”. Absolutely. Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself, and it happens quicker than you think — less than half an hour after you…
Cigarettes are made from tobacco. The tobacco plant is the only plant ever discovered to contain the drug called nicotine. Nicotine is a very strong poison that can kill a human in less than an hour if even a small amount is injected into the blood-stream. Tobacco smoke contains very tiny amounts of nicotine that are not deadly, but are…
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety. The way you feel while you are awake depends in part on what happens while you are sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to…
Fruit juice is often perceived as healthy. That is understandable, given that it is natural and has the word “fruit” in it. However, what many people fail to realize is that fruit juice is also loaded with sugar. In fact, fruit juice contains just as much sugar and calories as a sugary soft drink. Take a look at the breakdown…
What Are Vegetable Oils? Vegetable oils are usually manufactured from genetically modified crops that have in all likelihood been heavily treated with pesticides. The manufacturing process involves many steps such as chemical extraction, bleaching and deodorizing. These oils are therefore highly processed. Take a look at this video. If the vegetable oil is to be further processed into shortening or margarine,…
Fast Food is a major public health hazard. Because it is so convenient and cheap, it is sometimes hard to resist. Many people crave the taste of their favorite fast food burgers or fries, which makes it even harder to pass up. Unfortunately, fast food can be one of the unhealthiest options out there when it comes to your…
Weight gain A 355ml can of coke contains 140 calories and 39g of carbohydrates (sugars). A 160lb man working on a fat loss program would aim to consume no more than 60 to 70g of (low glycemic index) carbohydrates in a day. A single can of coke can wipe out an entire day’s gains if you are working towards fat…
What are Organic Foods? Consider two apples sitting side by side: The first is picture-perfect, almost plastic looking, while the other has a few minor blemishes and looks like it was just picked from a tree. Biting into the first apple, you experience a bland flavor and chalky texture. Biting into the second apple, sweet juice literally trickles from the…
The name “breakfast” refers to breaking the fasting period of the prior night. Your body responds to not eating for hours and hours by slowing down or diminishing its metabolic rate and burning fewer calories to conserve energy. By eating breakfast, you wake your metabolism up and get your engines burning those calories you need to burn to lose weight. Eating…
Measuring waist circumference helps screen for possible health risks that come with overweight and obesity. This risk goes up with a waist size that is greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men. Your body has two types of fat: visceral and subcutaneous. Subcutaneous fat is found just under your skin, and is the type…
Do you check the nutrition fact labels on the food products you buy? Is price or brand the only deciding factor for you? Here is why it is important to read nutrition fact labels and how it can benefit your health. All packaged foods come with nutrition labels. These are meant to provide us with all the necessary information and…