FEW HEALTH TIPS FOR CITY WOMEN

Whether you’re studying or working or just hanging out, city life can take a toll on your health. Here are some easy ways to stay fit and healthy.

Ladies! This one’s for you. For all of you living the city life, here’s how you can stay fit and healthy and not let the toll of everyday life get to you.

Exercise – From auto rickshaws who’ll take you anywhere to shops and restaurants that’ll deliver anything, it’s almost like cities are designed to make a person inactive. Plus, it’s really easy to just spend all your time in the daily chores of life. That’s why it’s important to make exercising a priority and take an hour out at least 5 times a week for a workout. Exercising not only keeps you in shape, but it also releases pheromones, which are known to have a positive effect on your mood.

Plan – Women tend to balance many balls in the air on any given day. And this can lead to a lot of stress – one of the biggest causes of many diseases today. One tip to staying stress-free is to plan things in advance. Writing things down will allow you to take only an amount you can handle. Also, don’t try to be a superwoman and delegate whenever possible.

Take time out for yourself – From your taskmaster of a boss to your Bollywood-esque romance, and your hectic social life to that to-do list that never gets fully ticked, we get that your life is busy! But don’t just spend all your time doing things for others. Make sure you take some time everyday for yourself. Paint, cook or just meditate – just remember to make yourself a priority.

Health check-ups – Typically, in India we don’t take periodic health checks seriously. It’s important to realise that one visit a year the doctor can prevent so many visits in the future. This is especially true for women over 30. Speak to your doctor about getting a mammogram, Pap smear and bone density check right now and you’ll be ensuring many years of health in the future

Sleep – There is no doubt that a productive day is dependent on the quality of sleep you’ve had. Make sure you get the hours of sleep your body needs.

Stay hydrated – One thing that often gets missed out in the hustle-bustle of city life is good old water! Carry a bottle with you and try and get at least 2 litres a day. Fresh lime-water or herbal teas are also good substitutes, but avoid sugary aerated drinks.

Eat nutritional food regularly – You’re working late, you’re hungry and crabby, the samosa guy comes along and you decide to have one. Heck, you’ve been working hard, you deserve it. No, you don’t! Your body deserves much better than a stale, oily samosa. Make eating regular meals a priority in your life. It’ll help you stay healthy and looking slim. Good food with a balance of nutrients also helps to keep your skin glowing and hair shiny. It’s a win-win all the way.

Look after your skin – India tends to be hot and dusty. This coupled with the rising levels of pollution in the city can take quite a toll on our skin. Find skincare products that suit you and a regimen that you can follow with ease. At the very least, make sure you wash your face at least twice a day. This should be followed even if you’ve been at home all day. Also, don’t forget that all-important sunscreen.

Be responsible for your own sexual health – Whether you’re in a long-term relationship or dating sporadically, you have to be responsible for your own health and safety. Don’t leave anything to chance and find a contraceptive that works for you. Remember, STIs are very real and can happen to anyone, so make sure you indulge in safe sex using a condom.

Stay happy – Mental well-being is as important as physical health. Chat with your girlfriends, go on a vacation or indulge in some retail therapy – make sure you do something that makes you happy!

HOW TO STAY HYDRATED IN SUMMER

As the summer season arrives in full force in the subcontinent, the best thing you can do to beat the heat is to stay hydrated.

Your body depends on water for survival.  After all, it makes up more than half of our body weight and every organ in the body needs water to function. Don’t wait for symptoms of dehydration like extreme thirst, dry mouth, and headache to act.

Here are few tips to stay hydrated in summer season.

Don’t wait to get thirsty this summer. The fact is that by the time your mouth is dry, you’re well on your way to dehydration. As water is the best natural drink available, guzzle at least 2  liters a day.

Be sensible about the amount of water you drink. If you are exercising or going out in the hot sun you will need to drink more water.

In summer we sweat more and lose essential minerals from our bodies. Cucumbers are a cool way to put the potassium back and they also contain ascorbic and caffeic acids, compounds that help us stay hydrated because of their moisture retaining properties.

Make drinking water a mindless habit. Let it be part of your early morning routine.  Keep a bottle within easy reach while you are relaxing in front of the television or working on the computer. Take regular sips even if you are not feeling thirsty. Drink a glass of water before every meal.

Eating water-based foods is a great way to supplement your water intake and stay hydrated. Eat fruits like watermelon and pineapple rather than drinking the juice. They are cooling and perfect for hot summer days. They have high water content and are rich in minerals. Another perfect fruit for summer months is the apricot as it is good for fluid retention. Honeydew melon, commonly known as muskmelon cools the body so gorge on it. The vitamin C and minerals present in these fruits are an added benefit.

Munch on cucumbers and tomatoes.  These foods have more than 90% of their weight in water content.

Fresh citrus fruits such as orange, grapefruits, lemon and lime are excellent as they not only hydrate the body but also provide valuable nutrients.

Take a break from coffee this summer and sip the benefits of green tea. Enjoy it with lemon, as it will keep the body from retaining water. Herbal iced teas are also great thirst quenchers. Be adventurous and mix and match flavors.

Enjoy the miracle of tender coconut water. It hydrates perfectly as it has the exact proportion of electrolytes as human cells and plasma. It also contains a host of vitamins and minerals.

UNHEALTHIEST HABITS OF WOMEN

Around the world, women typically assume the role of caretakers of health’ when it comes to their families. It’s a tad surprising then that they can be so lax with their own health.

Here are some of the unhealthiest habits women everywhere indulge in on a daily basis: 

Wearing uncomfortable shoes

From wearing flimsy flip-flops that provide little to no support, to wearing very high heels that can play havoc on the joints, women around the country are guilty of the crime of putting style before support.While flip-flops or V-slippers seem like a comfortable option for a hot country as ours, most of them provide very little arch or heel support. Also, being as open as they are, they expose the feet to dust and other dirt from the roads.

Heels over 2 inches high have been known to have an adverse effect on the joints and can even contribute to osteoarthritis that affects the knees, hips, ankles and feet.

For daily wear to college or work, remember to wear comfortable shoes that provide cushioning, as well as support to the entire foot.

Wearing ultra tight jeans

While the skinny jean trend is a huge fashion hit, it may not be the best thing for your health. Studies have shown that constrictive clothing can cause a number of medical conditions like vaginal yeast infections, bladder infections and even blood clots in the legs. You may have noticed abdominal discomfort when you eat while wearing tight clothing. Constantly wearing tight jeans can worsen the condition.

Not wearing the right bra

The right bra not only gives you a great shape and allows your clothes to fit better; it can also be a huge contributor to better back health. Wearing a bra that’s the wrong size or one that does not give you the support you need can cause neck and back pain, as well as cause circulation problems. So get yourself measured for the right size and get a bra that fits you well.

Wearing synthetic underwear

Heat, moisture and synthetic clothing can be a breeding ground for yeast infections and itching and you definitely don’t want that in your private regions. Wearing sexy underwear or thongs once in a while is not a bad idea, but for daily use, stick to good old cotton underwear.

Carrying very heavy bags

Many women, especially moms, often joke that they carry the world in their bags. And while it’s convenient to have everything you need in your bag, a very heavy bag can take a serious toll on your neck and back health.

Try and take out unnecessary items from your handbag and if you carry a laptop, use a bag pack to carry it, as against a sling bag.

Wearing heavy earrings

One of the best things about being a woman is the joy of accessorizing  And who can resist a great pair of earrings? Some women, however, go overboard when it comes to wearing large, dangling earrings. Cosmetic surgeons are often approached by women who've torn their ear lobes because of constantly wearing big earrings or worse, sleeping with their earrings on.  To avoid torn earlobes, it’s best to wear light earrings on a daily basis or wear heavy ones with a chain as support.

Avoiding weight training in gyms

Many women believe that lifting weights as part of their gym workout will lead to them bulking up like men. The truth is that because of the presence of oestrogen in women’s bodies, weight training will not lead to bulky muscles, but rather will help to burn fat, strengthen bones and even cut down the risk of diseases like osteoporosis and diabetes in the future.

Not paying attention to heart health

For some reason, heart disease and heart attacks are only associated with men. While it’s true that oestrogen protects women’s heart for a majority of their lives, post menopause, women are as susceptible to heart disease as men. But the notion that heart disease doesn't touch women is so strong that very often women even ignore symptoms of a heart attack. Ignoring heart health is a big mistake and women as well as men should take all the necessary measures to ensure a healthy heart.

Finishing off their kid's meals

Although this applies only to moms, it’s such a common habit that we had to include it in this list. In an attempt to reduce left overs and wasted food, many moms wipe off their kids’ plates at the end of a meal. Depending on how much the child has left, this could be a substantial addition of calories and can seriously derail the mom’s weight management efforts.

Indulging in fad diets

The need to lose weight, and lose it fast, causes women of all ages to turn to fad diets. From cabbage soup diets to zero carb diets, almost all these fad diets have been proven to be disasters. Not only do they cause your weight to go through the roof the second you get off the diet, they can also cause serious medical harm.

The only trick to weight loss is a healthy diet, regular exercise and enough sleep.

FEW NUTRITIONAL FOODS FOR WOMEN

Women are not only physically, psychologically and mentally different from men, but their nutritional requirements are also different. A woman’s nutritional needs are different from a man’s nutritional needs. They require foods with different nutritional value to stay energized and focused. While eating healthy is the aim, there are certain foods that are more important for women.

Here are few nutritional foods women needed to eat.

Whole grains

Digestive problems are very common in women. Whole grains are high on fiber and hence help the digestive process. They are also known to cut off the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Oatmeal, whole wheat bread, brown rice etc. are some of the best sources.

Green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are natural wonder in themselves. They are packed with minerals, vitamins, iron and lot of fiber.  Green leafy vegetables are spinach, cabbage, lettuce, kale etc.

Berries

The colourful berries like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries are known to have powerful anti-cancer agents. They play a key part in repairing cells and may fight many diseases including breast cancer and colon cancer.

Walnuts

Walnuts reduce the cholesterol level. They are full of monounsaturated fats. Besides, they have polyunsaturated fats which reduce the risk of heart disease.

Tomatoes

Lycopene in tomatoes helps in keeping your skin looking young. Along with that, studies suggest that it also helps in preventing breast cancer. In addition, tomatoes help in preventing heart diseases.

Turmeric

Turmeric has curcumin, a poly-phenol  which has medicinal values. Research suggests it is useful in treating conditions like inflammation, arthritis, digestive problems all of which are very common in women.

Foods containing folate

Pregnant women should include foods containing folate in their diet. It is known to prevent major birth defects. It is also important to keep the heart healthy. Folic acid or folate is usually found in spinach, oranges, kale etc.

Calcium rich foods

Osteoporosis is common in women. It is essentially because women do not take sufficient amount of calcium and end up having weak bones. Calcium also helps in preventing colon cancer. Yogurt  milk, cheese, egg etc. are great sources of calcium.

Flax seeds

Flax seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. They help in reducing the risk of breast cancer and other heart diseases. The anti-inflammatory properties help in preventing arthritis.

Iron rich vegetable

Women generally lack of iron. Iron is an essential mineral used to transport oxygen to all parts of our body. A slight deficiency of iron causes anemia (fatigue/weakness), and a chronic deficiency can lead to organ failure.Sun-Dried Tomatoes,Dried Apricots, Fresh Parsley, Spinach etc. are great sources of iron.

Non-vegetarian can also take Salmon.Salmon is rich in iron. Salmon also is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which improves the mood and controls the mood swings.

So ladies, these are the list of food you need to eat. It’s time for healthy shopping!