Omoni Oboli is a Nollywood actress, scriptwriter, filmmaker, author, businesswoman, wife and mother.

But despite this long-running list of obligations, she manages to make time for her fitness and health which is evident in her toned figure.

She recently shared her secrets for staying healthy in spite of a busy schedule with Business Insider Sub Saharan Africa.

For Oboli, diet is the first thing to consider. In her words, One of the first things is your diet. You have to watch what you eat, how you eat, when you eat. You have to be disciplined.

Next, she stressed the importance of exercising, adding that this is more than just working out.

You have to exercise. For me, exercise is not necessarily about weight loss, it's about staying healthy. We just have too many body parts and you have to oil them, that's what exercise should be about. It should be a lifestyle. It should be about wanting to stay healthy", she stated.

ALSO READ: 5 important tips that will keep you on track with your fitness resolutions

Apart from making time for her health, Oboli also finds time for her hair. The proud 'naturalista' (a woman who rocks her natural hair that is not permed) shared her tips for growing and maintaining healthy natural hair like hers.

To have great natural hair, she recommends loving ones hair. Just take care of your hair and it will take care of you right back. Are you loving your hair? It's a living organism, it wants love. So if you are loving it, it will love you right back by growing, Omoni said.

She goes on to talk about washing, deep conditioning, hydration and henna (a one-of-a-kind ingredient that smooths, softens and strengthens natural hair).

In Obolis words, How often are you washing your hair? How often are you doing deep conditioning? Our hair is kinky so it can be quite tough to handle and if you don't deep condition, it breaks. It's not soft enough for you to manage. You have got to deep condition. I henna my hair quite a bit."

For naturalistas, I would say consider using henna once a month,once in six weeks or once in two months depending on your schedule and make sure you hydrate your hair a lot, in the morning, at night. Make sure you have a spray bottle of water and maybe a little bit of conditioner and spray on your hair so your hair stays hydrated and it's not dry because when its dry its brittle and it breaks. Once your hair breaks, you wont see growth. So just take care of it and it will take care of you right back, she concluded.

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Here is Omoni Obolis secret to staying fit and healthy in spite of a busy schedule - Pulse Nigeria

IT used to be something most of us did every night without too much thought.

But now it seems we have become a nation obsessed with sleep from how much we are getting and when we get it, to the quality of it. More has been revealed about the importance of shut-eye on our long-term health.

7

Data recorded by FitBit shows the average amount of sleep we currently get in the UK is seven hours and 49 minutes a night, with an average bedtime of 11.27pm.

But busy lifestyles mean many struggle to nod off and stay rested.

Much like our diet, the type of person we are is often reflected in our sleeping habits.

Here, sleep psychologist and FitBit expert Hope Bastine tells JENNY FRANCIS what your kip says about you and how to get a good 40 winks.

7

What it is: Like those who binge-eat food, you are all or nothing when it comes to sleep. You often go through stints with much less than six hours a night, getting into bed late because you have binge-watched that box set or stayed out with friends until the early hours. But then it all catches up with you and you binge on sleep, bagging yourself way over ten hours.

Why you sleep like this: You are a free spirit and tend to go where the mood takes you, whether in life, or in bed. It is easy for you to get absorbed in what you are doing. Your mind works by telling you that balance in life is about doing something extremely unhealthy and balancing it by then doing something super-healthy which in reality, does not work. You are in need of routine.

How to sleep better:

1. Try to make your bedtime between the same two hours so you slowly start a new sleep routine.

2. Do not set yourself crazy sleep targets such as: I must get ten hours tonight. You cannot catch up on sleep.

7

What it is: Like an intermittent faster, every night you are awake or asleep, times are clustered together. While you might be in bed for seven hours, you will usually sleep for a solid five or so hours without the slightest interruption, but suddenly find yourself awake for a solid two hours at a random point in the night, unable to get back off.

Why do you sleep like this? You are able to switch off but not for long enough and this translates in your sleep patterns. You worry about things, which means while you can rest, your mind wakes you up after around five hours as you feel like there is something you need to remember.

How to sleep better:

1. An hour before you get ready for bed, write down all the big things on your mind from shopping lists to anything you are worried about. This will help clear your mind.

2. If you wake up in the night, get out of bed and do a relaxing activity with the lights low. Reading, writing, sewing, or light stretches. This will help calm you.

7

What it is: Like the person who eats little snacks throughout the day, you grab sleep when you can. It is not unusual for you to have a couple of naps a day, then sleep for a couple of hours in blocks at night. You sleep when you feel tired and are up and about when you are awake.

Why you sleep like this: You are a busy person, have your own sense of rhythm and are comfortable doing what feels right for you. But you could be missing out on vital amounts of shut-eye.

How to sleep better:

1. Start by making your sleep/nap chunks longer, for example two-hour naps at a time. This will be hard at first but once you manage to achieve this, keep upping it until you learn to sleep for longer.

2. Organise your schedule to be more in tune with your circadian (natural) rhythm. Make an effort to be active during the day to keep your body from thinking it needs sleep, and turn down the lights two hours before bedtime to make your body want to sleep when everyone else does.

7

What it is: Much like one of the biggest diet crazes of eating in an eight-hour window, you sleep near exactly to a 16:8 ratio. Awake and alert during the day, and in bed for around eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Why you sleep like this: You like routine and are well conditioned to the environment around you. You try not to over-think things and see sleep as something to enjoy rather than dread.

How to sleep better:

1. Continue to make the best of your energy levels throughout the day by getting regular exercise. This will keep your inner clock awake during the day and tired at night.

2. Stick to a wind-down routine before sleep every night, this can help you fall off even quicker.

7

What it is: Like the One Meal A Day diet, where you wait for the big eating event of the day, you wait for your chunk of sleep. You take ages to nod off, only to finally fall asleep only a few hours before you have to get up. Or you go off without any problems only to wake up at 3am, unable to go back to sleep until the alarm clock goes off.

Why you sleep like this: You are quite an anxious person, and probably suffer from tired-but-wired syndrome. It takes you a while to decompress. You cant switch off as you overthink the Ive got to go to sleep or Ill be tired scenario.

How to sleep better:

1. You need a pre-bed mental activity. Find what works for you, whether it is cooking, puzzles or reading to shut off your brain.

2. Pull back from self-medicating with caffeine and alcohol. Try to cut back on both as much as possible to help your mind reset.

7

What it is: Some nights you might enjoy a wonderful eight hours straight, some nights you will wake up throughout the night. Your sleep is completely unpredictable.

Why you sleep like this: You are a responsive soul and react to the content of your day and the environment you are in. You do not respond that well to change. When you have had a stressful day it leads to a restless night.

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How to sleep better:

1. Tune in to your body and acknowledge when you are stressed, emotional, excited or relaxed. You can work on trying to stop any anxiety or over-excitement in its tracks before you reach bedtime.

2. Start a nightly journal to write down what you have done that day, how you are feeling. And notice routines in your patterns.

More:
From binger to grazer, six different sleep diets and how you can improve your kip - The Sun

Heart disease and weight: A Cardiologist shares 6 diet and exercise tips to stay fit  |  Photo Credit: Getty Images

New Delhi: Maintaining a healthy weight is imperative for overall health, and can help you prevent and control a multitude of diseases. If you are obese or overweight, you are at maximum risk of developing serious health problems, including, hypertension, heart disease, respiratory problems, gallstones, type 2 diabetes mellitus and certain kind of cancers. Ensuring that you maintain ideal body weight is an important factor when it comes to your heart. Thetheme for this years World Heart Day, My Heart, Your Heart, represents a promise to oneself, our family and the community to take steps in reducing the risk of heart diseases. As we inch closer to the day, lets make better lifestyle decisions to bring down this risk. But before we tell you what can be done to maintain a healthy weight, let us understand a few things, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden in our country and how obesity is linked to heart health.

According to reports, being 20% over your ideal weight significantly increases your risk for developing heart disease, especially if you have a lot of abdominal fat or belly fat. The American Heart Association states that even if there are no related health conditions, obesity itself increases risk of heart disease by multifold. There are several factors that can contribute to a persons weight such as family history, genetics, environment, metabolism, habits and behaviour. While we cannot alter certain risk factors for heart disease, we can certainly take control of our lifestyle habits.

According to The Lancet study, prevalent cases of cardiovascular diseases increased in India from 25.7 million in 1990 to 54.5 million in 2016. Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in 2016 was highest in Kerala, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, and West Bengal.

This theme for this years World Heart Day, My Heart, Your Heart, represents a promise to oneself, our family and the community to take steps in reducing the risk of heart diseases. As we inch closer to the day, lets make better lifestyle decisions to bring down this risk. But before we tell you what can be done to maintain a healthy weight, let us understand how obesity is linked to heart health.

Being overweight is nothing but an excess of body weight from muscle, fat and bone. Therefore, it is important to evaluate/measure obesity via regular Body Mass Index (BMI) check-ups. An obese individuals cardiac requirements are higher, it is required to pump larger amounts of blood. Over a period of time, in some individuals, the heart cannot compensate, and eventually, it begins to lose some of its ability to pump blood to the rest of the body. And when over overstressed, it can lead to heart failure.

It is hard to maintain preferred bodyweight regardless of where you are in your weight loss journey. However, you may know that consuming certain types of food can spike your heart disease risks. Whether you have years of unhealthy eating under your belt or you simply wanted to fine-tune your diet, all you must know is - what foods to eat, with what frequency and which foods to restrict.

Another important aspect is that exercising isan important driver of physical fitness and weight loss. Exercising should never be an option. An ideal combination of diet and exercise regimen is important, once this is in place, youll be on your way towards leading a heart-healthy life. Six heart-healthy tips to consider are as follows:

Control your portion size: How much you eat is just as significant as what you eat. Putting extra on your plate and eating till the time you are stuffed can lead to overconsumption of calories. Use a small bowl or plate to help control your portions. Eat larger portions of low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods, such as vegetables & fruits, and smaller portions of high-calorie, high-sodium foods, such as refined, fast foods/ processed. This trick can shape up your diet as well as your waistline.

Cut sodium in your food: Excess Sodium intake can contribute to high blood pressure, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Reducing salt consumption is a vital part of a heart-healthy diet. Salt that comes from processed foods or canned products, for instance - frozen dinner soups and baked goods, is especially harmful. Consumption of fresh foods and making your own soups and stews can lessen the amount of salt you consume.

Choose low-fat protein sources: Fish, lean meat, poultry, low-fat dairy products and eggs are a few great sources of protein. One must be careful while choosing low-fat options, like choosing skimmed milk rather than whole milk, and skinless chicken breasts instead of fried chicken patties. Peas, beans and lentils also are good sources of protein - they consist of less fat and no cholesterol making them good substitutes for meat. Substituting plant-based protein for animal protein, for example, replacing hamburger with a soybean burger will reduce your fat and cholesterol intake and increase your fibre intake.

Limit unhealthy fats and sugar: Controlling how much saturated and trans-fats you consume is an essential step to moderate your blood cholesterol level and lower your threat of coronary artery disease. Increased blood cholesterol level can result in a build-up of plaque in your arteries that are known as atherosclerosis, which can significantly increase your risk of stroke and heart attack.

Also, it is a proven fact that junk food has large amounts of sodium, artificial food colourants, hidden calories, etc. They may be delectable in taste, but they lead to weight gain. Consumption of unmodulated amounts of junk, over a period of time, results in heart diseases, blindness, kidney disease, foot gangrene, etc. This occurs due to hardening and development of blockages of the blood vessels pumping blood in and out of the various organ in our body.

Exercises to shed bodyweight: In order to shed access fat, it is imperative that one must exercise to get the body into a calorie deficit. Therefore, one must attempt to burn more fat/calories instead of eating calorie-dense meals each day. One of the most effective exercises is weight training combined with a cardiovascular exercise such as cycling, jogging, swimming, dancing & skipping - they are all active methods of cardio. Doing these for a couple of days in a week will certainly help you to get closer to your weight loss goals. The entire motive should be to at least put the heart rate up for about 30-60 minutes daily.

Bariatric surgery: Obesity is a harsh reality of this century, coupled with type 2 diabetes mellitus, it is the most severe life-threatening and costly epidemic. Non-surgical approaches have a few limited possibilities. When all non-surgical options have been exhausted, talking to your physician about metabolic surgery/bariatric surgery would be a good idea. This remains the sole hope for a healthier future of those who are obese and striving to maintain a healthy heart but have exhausted all corrective actions.

(Disclaimer: The author, Dr Zakia Khan, Interventional Cardiologist at Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, is a guest contributor and a part of our medical expert panel. Views expressed are personal)

Link:
Heart disease and weight: A cardiologist shares 6 diet and exercise tips to maintain a healthy weight - Times Now

High blood pressure or hypertension can majorly affect your heath health. If left untreated hypertension can put you at a higher risk of heart diseases. There are many factors which can contribute to high blood pressure like stress, work pressure, sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical movement and many factors. You can control your blood pressure numbers with some minor changes. You can do some simple modifications in your diet and lifestyle to control your blood pressure numbers. Some foods can increase blood pressure whereas others can help you control blood pressure. Diet for hypertension should include such foods which can lower your blood pressure naturally.

Yogurt is one option which can help you in controlling blood pressure numbers. Yogurt is extremely healthy which can be added to your diet and it can help you with managing blood pressure numbers as well. A study presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and lifestyle in 2016 also found that women who consumed five or more servings of yogurt throughout the week were at a lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

Yogurt can be added to your daily diet it will provide you some essential nutrients. Yogurt contains vitamin B12, calcium and phosphorus. It is also a source of protein. Probiotic property of yogurt is also beneficial for health as it improves your digestive health, boots immunity and many more.

If you want to add yogurt to your diet, make sure that it is a low-fat yogurt without any added sugar.

Also read:High Blood Pressure Remedies: These Teas Can Lower Your Blood Pressure Numbers Naturally

Hypertension: Yogurt is a healthy for high blood pressure patientsPhoto Credit: iStock

Senior Dietician Ruchika Jain explained "Study conducted in 2016 highlighted the benefits of yogurt for high blood pressure patient. The results showed that yogurt is good for hypertension. Another concept which is Dietary Approaches to Stop hypertension which is commonly called the DASH diet also emphasises on having low-fat dairy and yogurt is an appropriate choice.

Yogurt is not a magical remedy for hypertension but along with a healthy well-balanced diet and exercise, it can help in controlling blood pressure. Yogurt also contains other essential vitamins and minerals which are good for one's health."

"Yogurt indirectly helps in controlling high blood pressure. It contains magnesium which is good for high blood pressure. Calcium is also there in yogurt which helps in muscle contraction which is good for the heart muscles. Another factor which can indirectly help in controlling blood pressure is weight management. Obesity can lead to high blood pressure. Yogurt is a good source of protein and can help in weight loss. When you lose your weight your blood pressure is more likely to become normal," she explained how yogurt is beneficial in hypertension.

Also read:Hypertension: Can Yoga Reduce Blood Pressure? Know 5 Best Yoga Poses For High Blood Pressure

Ruchika also described the best time to at yogurt "Most people believe that it is not good to have yogurt at night. You can have it at any time of the day but prefer having it during day time. It can be taken as a filler between meals. It can also be consumed in breakfast as it a good low-fat protein source."

Hypertension: You can add yogurt to your daily dietPhoto Credit: iStock

"One can consume one to two cups of yogurt a day. Research says that it can be consumed minimum five times a week but you can eat it every day. It can be taken daily and one to two cups is enough," Ruchika added.

Also read:Hypertension: 5 Best Exercises To Control High Blood Pressure Naturally

(Ms. Ruchika Jain is a Senior Dietician at Aakash Super Speciality Hospital, Dwarka)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

Get Breaking news, live coverage, and Latest News from India and around the world on NDTV.com. Catch all the Live TV action on NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram for latest news and live news updates.

The rest is here:
Hypertension: Can Yogurt Help You Control High Blood Pressure? The Best Time Have It And How Much - NDTV News

When it comes to losing weight, slimmers will be on the searching for the best and most successful weight loss plans. One woman recently lost 3st 5lbs by combining two diet plans and she documented her progress online on Reddit. The dieter - who goes by the screen name ypiyales - shared before and after images on her account. Alongside the images she wrote: Hardest thing I've ever posted! So embarrassing to have 'before' pics out in the universe and even my 'after' isn't ready because I want to lose 15-20 more lbs... but not long to go!

The 27-year-old decided to share how she had achieved her weight loss transformations to delighted fans of the social media site.

Responding to a fan question about how she had managed to slim down, she revealed shed combined different diets to keep things interesting and different to encourage natural weight loss.

I eat once a day (OMAD) intermittent fasting and I follow a ketogenic diet.

So lots of meats, veggies and cheese! One Meal A Day (OMAD), isnt for everyone, and if you are starting out I dont recommend going cold turkey.

I had to take my time and re-train my body. Start off with the Keto diet plan, [its] so easy eat tacos without the shell, burgers without the buns, pizza with almond flour and cheese crust!

I wanted a natural and easy way to lose weight but by not sacrificing all of lifes simple pleasures.

The first thing I had to do was realise that I needed to prioritise, your SHOULDS and your MUSTS.

She went on to explain that your should's are the things that you should do but never really get around to and the musts are things that you needto do.

She said: There is not an option, it is a dealbreaker.

Change the way you identify yourself. If you have always called yourself'big-boned', 'overweight' or 'curvy' you will never succeed, because that is your set point, that becomes your identity.

Start visualising about who you want to be, and watch the changes unfold!

As well as dieting and changing the frame of mind, the slimmer also incorporated a fitness regime into her weight loss plan, stating: Initially I started off by going out for walks after every meal to encourage blood circulation and jump-start fat burning.

Then once I was comfortable with walking, I increased my exercise to jogging and running after meals.

This really helped take control of my weight loss and it encouraged me then to go out of my comfort zone and become more active [by joining a gym], she said.

Why is the Keto diet so successful?

A predecessor to the famous Atkins diet, the keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb plan, which limits carbohydrates intake to 20 - 50 grams a day.

The Keto diet has become one of the most popular methods worldwide to shed excess weight and improve health.

Research has shown that adopting this low-carb, high-fat diet can promote fat loss and even improve certain conditions such type 2 diabetes.

Carbs are typically reduced to under 50 grams per day, and Fats replace the majority (75percent) of your daily calorie intake. Proteins should account for around 20 percent of energy needs, while carbs are usually restricted to 5 percent.

This carb reduction forces your body to rely on fats for its main energy source instead of glucose - a process also known as ketosis.

The Keto diet has many versions that can be tailored to an individuals needs and goals making it one of the easiest diets to follow online.

View original post here:
Weight Loss: Woman drops 3st in a couple of months by following diet plan - what is it? - Express

Watch your diet

Bowel health is largely determined by the gut microbiome, the vast population of bacteria that live in our intestine. Research suggests a high-fibre diet is crucial for healthy bowels, as these bacteria break down fibre into substances that have anti-inflammatory properties. But diets high in salt, saturated fat and red meat can lead to increased risk of inflammatory diseases. Specific bacteria have been linked to bowel cancer, says Prof Philip Quirke of the University of Leeds. We think that the maintenance of them is probably linked to diet, because you find higher rates of bowel cancer in places with high red meat consumption, and lower levels in areas where diets are based more on high fibre content.

One of the main causes of bowel problems, such as constipation, is interruptions to the natural rhythm of the body. Bowel activity is normally greater when you wake up and after each meal, especially after breakfast, says Dr Maura Corsetti of the University of Nottingham. But in todays world, many people dont make time for this. Instead they delay bowel movements when they feel a stimulus, because theyre rushing out of the house or at work. This can lead to a bowel that is not opening regularly. So when you feel the desire to go, you should go.

The gut is full of nerves, and during times of stress they release neurotransmitters that can generate inflammation in the gut, says Dr Elizabeth Mann of the University of Manchester. Its well known that stress worsens many diseases, and this is one of the pathways by which this occurs. Exercise is an effective method of reducing stress, and it has an additional positive effect on bowel health by speeding up transit times.

Antibiotics can be necessary to clear infections, but this comes at a cost: they disturb the normal balance of bacteria in your gut, wiping out many of the microbes that have health benefits.

Because the gut microbiome is mostly formed before the age of two, feeding patterns in early childhood play a crucial role in determining bowel health in later life. Scientists say there is evidence that breastfeeding babies can result in them having a far healthier gut, as can a diverse, healthy diet when they transition to solid foods. This is important, because if you dont develop a diverse microbiome early in your childhood, then you may be more at risk of inflammatory diseases such as asthma and eczema, Quirke says.

Read this article:
Five ways to maintain healthy bowels - The Guardian

When it comes to losing weight, slimmers can choose from a long list of diet plans to shed the pounds. From the low-carb keto diet to cutting to going vegan like Simon Cowell, there are many ways to slim down. On top of diet and exercise, there are other things which have been shown to help speed up the process even more. Using coconut oil can help flatten abs, and by swapping their usual cooking oil for it, slimmers could lose weight and burn belly fat quickly. Abdominal fat, better known as belly fat, is the fat that tends to lodge around your organs. Belly fat isnt just an issue due to its appearance. It can actually put people at a risk of more serious health issues such as heart disease diabetes and inflammation.

Any reduction in abdominal fat is likely to have very positive effects on ones metabolic health and drastically reduce risk of chronic disease.

By ditching current cooking fats for coconut oil, dieters could see huge improvements.

How does it work?

Coconut oil is one of the worlds most friendly fats.

It contains a unique combination of fatty acids, which have powerful effects on metabolism.

Several studies show that just by adding coconut oil to your diet, slimmers can lose fat, especially the "dangerous" fat in the abdominal cavity.

Coconut oil is high in Medium Chain Triglycerides, which are fatty acids that are metabolised differently than most other fats, leading to beneficial effects on metabolism.

In one study, 15-30 grams (1 to 2 tablespoons) of medium chain fats per day increased energy expenditure by 5 per cent, totalling about 120 calories per day.

As well as its ability to speed up metabolism, coconut oil can also reduce appetite as it makes slimmers feel fuller.

Many studies on medium chain fatty acids show that, compared to the same amount of calories from other fats, they increase feelings of fullness and lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake.

There are also other studies showing that medium chain fats lead to weight loss, reduced waist circumference and various improvements in metabolic health.

In one study on obese men, 30 grams of coconut oil for 4 weeks reduced waist circumference by 2.86 cm.

How should it be eaten?

Slimmers will be surprised to know that by consuming just a small amount of coconut oil, they could see improvements to their weight.

Studies have found that 2 tablespoons seems to be an effective dose.

This has been shown to benefit weight, reduce belly fat and improve other health issues.

Coconut oil is ideal for cooking because almost 90 per cent of its fatty acids are saturated, making it extremely stable at high temperatures.

Eating grapefruit before daily meals has also been found to speed up the weight loss process.

Rich in antioxidants, nutrients and fibre, grapefruit is one of the healthiest citrus fruits that can be eaten.

It has several properties linked to weight loss, especially its fibre content, which helps promote fullness and reduce calorie intake.

More here:
Weight loss: Use this cooking oil to burn belly fat and lose fast - what is it? - Express

Diet and exercises can do their part, but here are some simple tips and tricks that can prove to be helpful if you are working towards getting a flat stomach. Check it out.

A flat stomach is what everyone wants. Many people have a problem with their belly area when it comes down to fat loss. In addition to weight loss, fat around your belly can make you look bloated stopping you from wearing your favourite shirts and sweaters. While exercise is the best way to reduce that fat, going to the gym becomes a tedious task; especially when you have a hectic schedule. So here are 5 easy tips and tricks you can follow to get a flat stomach without going to the gym.

Cut down on those sweeteners

Sugar has the most amount of calories which can directly create a problem in the stomach area. Not just sugar but sweetened drinks, sodas, coffee and smoothies can all be the culprit for it. If you are tired of just drinking water, you can be choosy with your drinks by ditching the regular whipped cream with almond or coconut milk. Fruit or vegetable juices can also give the same rush while also limiting the sugar intake.

Stretch

The fat around your abdomen could also be bloating. A sedentary lifestyle and airy foods can cause food and air to get trapped in the intestines. It can often cause discomfort and the feeling of being stuffed all the time. So just stretch out the abdomen area to release all the toxins from the digestive system.

Go Vegetarian for Dinner

Eating meat and heavy foods can take a longer time to digest which causes all the fat to get accumulated around the waist. This can get worse when you are sleeping and getting no exercise whatsoever. So go vegetarian or vegan for dinner so that the food can be digested easily leaving no room for accumulation of fat.

Reduce the stress level

We know that it is easy said than done and only telling someone to reduce stress is not automatically going to do the drill. But, stress can actually release a hormone called cortisol that is responsible for the increase in appetite which could be the reason behind your large waist.

What do you do to get that waist in control? Let us know in the comments section below.

Go here to read the rest:
Weight Loss: 4 ways to get a flat stomach without stepping foot in the gym - PINKVILLA

When Sarah Armisto heads to SUNY Purchase this Sunday morning for the Westchester Walk to End Alzheimers it will be with a heavy heart.

In June, Armisto lost her father, John, to the disease. While it came a few years after he was officially diagnosed, there were warning signs for more than a year before that. He was 72 years old at the time of his death.

Armisto, a Harrison resident, has participated in the past three walks at Purchase, but for the first time she will traverse the campus in his memory.

Its definitely going to be different, just knowing that hes not here, she said. For the past five years Ive watched him deteriorate in front of me. Hes always been physically here, and unfortunately, he lost his battle. But hes not suffering anymore, theres no more pain, so itll be different because there are no more next steps to the disease.

On Sunday, Armisto will be one of about 1,500 participants in the second of five walks this fall organized by the Hudson Valley chapter of the Alzheimers Association. For the third consecutive year she is a volunteer closely involved in the planning of the walk as well as other initiatives for the organization throughout the year.

David Sobel, the president and CEO of the Alzheimers Associations Hudson Valley chapter, said that the larger organization with the help of its legions of supporters who come out in force has helped make it the third-leading fundraising outfit in the world for Alzheimers research. It is exceeded only by government funding from the United States and China, he said.

The United States plans to increase funding for Alzheimers research in Fiscal Year 2020, providing an additional $350 million that will push next years total funding to about $2.8 billion, Sobel said. With that type of success, Sobel is optimistic that treatments and a cure for the dreaded disease is closer than ever before.

We have a tremendous group of advocates who continue to lobby governments to provide us with enough funding so we can find a cure, find the cure for Alzheimers, Sobel said.

Armisto said she, too, is extremely bullish on researchers finding a cure in her lifetime.

I know were going to have a cure, she said. So it makes me so happy to know that when I get to that age, the age of my father when he was first diagnosed, that this isnt going to be something that Im going to have to worry about. Its something that can be treated.

Sobel said more is being learned on a regular basis, including how lifestyle choices could improve your chances of avoiding Alzheimers. A healthy diet, exercise, avoiding smoking, refraining from drinking too much alcohol and getting about seven hours sleep a night all help, he said.

For Armisto, having so many people rally around a common issue this Sunday is inspiring.

At a time when everyone is so divided, this is one of the few issues that can really bring people together no matter what you believe in, Armisto said.

Last year, the five walks in the Hudson Valley raised just over $1 million, according to Sobel. Last Saturday was the first event, the Putnam County walk. For those who cant make this Sunday at Purchase, there will also be the Orange/Sullivan walk on Oct. 5, the Dutchess/Ulster Walk on Oct. 19 and the Oct. 20 event in Rockland.

For more information on all of those events, visit https://www.alz.org/hudsonvalley. To register for Sundays walk at Purchase, visit http://www.WestchesterWalk.org. Same-day registration begins at 8:30 a.m. A ceremony commences at 10 a.m. with the walk stepping off at 10:20 a.m.

View post:
Walk to End Alzheimer's Comes to Westchester on Sunday - The Examiner News

News Release, American Heart Association

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 6, 2019 Almost two-thirds of medical students had above-normal blood pressure and were more than twice as likely to experience clinicallyhigh blood pressurecompared to the general public, according to a study presented at the American Heart Associations Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions.

High blood pressure is typically linked with older age, being overweight, smoking and/or being in general poor health. However, this study found that many first- and second-year medical students had abnormalblood pressure levelsof which they were unaware, potentially putting them on a path for heart health risks at a younger age.

Researchers at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, surveyed 106 male and 105 female medical students whose ages ranged between 21 and 37, with the average age being 25.8 years. The students also provided information about tobacco use, alcohol consumption, diet, exercise habits, mental health, social support and past medical history. Their blood pressure and waistlines were measured for this study.

The study results revealed that:

The researchers said that its unclear why young men would be significantly more prone to high blood pressure than women, however, the stresses of a demanding medical education in addition to anxiety, lack of exercise, lack of sleep and/or poor diet may be contributing factors.

Elevated blood pressure should not be something that we only associate with being older, said lead study author Jacek Bednarz, Jr., a third-year medical student at Lincoln Memorial University. Young people lack awareness about their own blood pressure. Getting your blood pressure regularly checked is a simple way to protect ones health.

According to the American Heart Associations Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2019 Update, an estimated 103 million Americansor about half of all U.S. adultshave high blood pressure, a major public health threat that accounted for 11% of deaths from 2005 to 2015. During the same time period, the number of deaths due to high blood pressure rose by almost 38%.

While this is a small study, it is interesting. As one of the most common and dangerous risk factors for heart disease and stroke, all people, even those who are young and believed to be in good health, should have their blood pressure checked routinely, said the American Heart Association Chief Science and Medical Officer Mariell Jessup, M.D., FAHA.

Data compiled by the American Heart Association shows approximately 80% of all cardiovascular disease can be prevented by controlling high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, along with adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors such as not smoking. Positive lifestyle behaviors such as eating healthy foods, regularly engaging in physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight could have the most impact since they contribute to multiple health conditions.

Additional studies are needed to assess the prevalence and heightened risk of high blood pressure in medical students, and the risk factors that lead to it.

Co-authors are Daniel W. Mok, M.S.; Jan D. Zieren, D.O., M.P.H.; Theresa M. Ferguson, B.A.; Jordan M. Glass, M.S.; Kelcie L. Smith, B.S.; and Brian Yonish, B.S.

Author disclosures are in the abstract. This study was funded by the authors.

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High blood pressure affects young, healthy medical students - The Southern Maryland Chronicle