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Steps to Staying Healthy Even at Home

July 30, 2013 By Melissa Page

You don’t have to spend all your time and money in the gym to stay healthy. While it may seem impossible, there are numerous ways to improve your health even at the comforts of your own house.

So if you’re a stay-at-home mom, a retiree, an individual who works from home, or simply someone who can’t find time to hit the gym after work, here are a few practical steps to stay and remain fit and healthy even at home.

1. Set a schedule

For improved health, everyone is recommended to spend at least 30 minutes of daily exercise–whether it’s jogging, or any other cardio workout. If you start the day really early, you can set your exercise time during the afternoon. For instance, if you’re a mom who prepares breakfast and sends kids to school, you can start with your regimen when everyone else is out of the house. If you find it hard to spend 30 minutes straight workout, you can divide them into sets of 10 so that it won’t feel long.

2. Stick to your schedule

Starting a workout regimen is quite easy; sticking to it is the hardest part. There are many factors that can disrupt your exercise program and the most common factor is laziness. Once you’ve started exercising, try your best to stick to your promised schedule everyday. Once you give in to laziness, you’d find many other reasons to quit. A good idea is to workout in short periods of time, so that you won’t get bored easily. Thirty minutes isn’t that long!

3. Have workout tools at home

If you can afford to transform an entire room into a home gym, lucky you. If you can’t, however, investing on the basic fitness equipment is fine. There are many workout equipment in the market today that offers more functionality and lesser space. Some of these equipments roll cardio training, core strengthening, and weight lifting into one. Buying instructional DVDs is also a great investment. This way, you’d be able to see how a certain exercise is performed to ensure positive results and less injuries.

4. Turn household chores into exercise

If you find running on your treadmill a weary endeavor, why not spice it up? There are numerous ways to break a sweat at home, and most of them involve household chores. Set three days a week keeping your home squeaky clean. You can have gardening on Mondays, scrubbing the floors on Wednesdays, and cleaning the garage on Fridays. Without noticing it, you can burn more calories than you can imagine. This exercise regimen is also twofold. You can break a sweat and keep the house clean at the same time.

5. Eat healthy

Exercise won’t work if you still eat unhealthy food. Remember: a healthy body is the result of exercise and proper diet. Although it may be hard not to be tempted by food (especially if the kitchen is only a few steps away), try to take the step towards a healthier lifestyle by following a diet program. This doesn’t mean starving yourself or doing a crash diet. Instead, start replacing the junk food you have in the fridge with something nutritious such as fruits and vegetables.

With a positive outlook and by following the steps above, you’ll surely have an improved lifestyle even at home. Do you have any other tips to share?

Melissa Page is a health writer and health buff who’s always on the lookout for low-cost health insurance plans for her family and friends. When she’s not writing, she plays bowling.

How To Keep Your Heart Healthy For Valentine’s Day

February 6, 2013 By Melissa Page

file1771264379137[2]February is the month of hearts: heart-shaped cards, pillows, soaps, boxes of chocolates, even eggs! But have we ever took the time to think about our actual blood-pumping heart? Do we keep it healthy enough to enjoy future Valentine’s days?

Aside from being the Valentine’s month, February is also known as the American Heart Month. With heart disease being the leading cause of death for both men and women (according to CDC), you might want to start paying close attention to your cardiovascular health. If you don’t know where to begin, here are some healthy heart tips.

Get regular exercise.

Everyone needs regular exercise as daily exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease. It also helps control your weight and reduces stress. According to the American Heart Association, ages 18-65 should be getting at least 30 minutes of intense activity five times a week. Brisk walking for 30 minutes is good, but if you have a sedentary lifestyle, take small steps. You can start with activities such as gardening, walking the dog or taking the stairs.

Stop smoking.

If you haven’t started, don’t even think of it. Smokers are more likely to have a heart attack than non-smokers. Staying away from smoking can prevent heart and lung diseases, aside from cancer. If you already had a heart attack, quitting smoking reduces the risk of a second one.

Keep weight down.

An obese person is more likely to have a stroke or heart attack compared to those who have a normal BMI. Extra fat also puts extra stress and strain to your heart, pushing it to pump harder. If you want to put your weight down, try eating more fruits and vegetables and less sugary food. Utilize cold press juicers to help you make nutritious fruits drinks. Make sure not to go beyond two drinks of alcohol a day as well.

Maintain oral hygiene.

High levels of bacteria found in infected areas of the mouth can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. Also, bacteria from the mouth can enter the body and reach the heart – resulting in myocarditis and endocarditis.

Reduce salt intake.

Too much salt intake increases the risk of high blood pressure. On average, Americans take in more salt than the recommended limit not because of the salt shakers on the table, but because of processed food, canned goods, breads and pastas. Try eating food that is less processed to decrease salt and improve the overall quality of health.

Manage stress.

If you are stressed, you are vulnerable to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, unhealthy eating, and drinking alcohol. Ensure a healthy heart by taking time to relax from work or personal stressors. You can do this by trying meditation techniques, yoga, music therapy, or simple relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises.

Know your numbers.

It’s a great idea to monitor your status to know where you stand. Frequently check your body mass index and blood pressure. Get yourself screened and take advantage of cheap healthcare plans for regular visits to the doctor. When you know your heart’s health status, you would know what you should do for a more healthy lifestyle.

The tips mentioned above will keep your heart healthy for Valentine’s day (and any other day of the year, for that matter). Have a happy and healthy heart!

About the author: Melissa Page is a fitness buff who works with numerous successful companies. When she’s not busy writing, she’s at the gym or at bowling centers.

A Patient’s Guide to Avoiding Medication Errors

November 12, 2012 By Melissa Page

Every patient has the right to receive competent care and correct medications. But why are medication errors still increasing and continuously affecting lives around the world? In a recent report by the National Coordination Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention, approximately 1.3 million people are affected each year – the same number who have contacted pharmaceutical lawyers and filed for suit.

According to survey, these incidences usually happen in the hospital and are caused by several issues: sheer volume of patients, unfamiliar medications, indecipherable handwriting, and many more. Although a huge chunk of the responsibility goes to your medical health provider, it would not hurt to learn what factors to consider before taking the medicine – for your own sake.

Below are the five “rights” nurses consider upon drug administration. To help avoid medication errors, you must check on these and take action to make sure you are receiving the care you deserve.

*Before anything else, list down the medicine prescribed to you by your doctor. Include the proper dose, timing, and manner of taking it. If you can’t list them yourself, ask someone else to do it and keep the list close to you.

Right Patient

When the nurse arrives, he or she may ask for your name. If you can, say your full name loud and clear to avoid miscommunication. If the patient can’t speak, he should always have a “significant other” to speak up for him. In modern hospital settings, technology is also used to identify patients.

Right Drug

You may notice that before the nurse administers the drug, he or she mentions the drug name and enumerates what its effects are. This is where your list comes in handy. Ask your health provider to repeat the drug’s name and cross-reference it with your list. If it isn’t there, ask the nurse to verify the medication with your doctor.

It is also advisable to be knowledgeable on the effects of your prescribed drugs. With the use of the internet, you can easily gather this information.

Right Dose

There are times when more than one medication nurse comes to you at a certain time of the day. If he or she attempts to administer a medication you have just taken, speak up. Sometimes, communication among healthcare providers is also compromised.

Did the nurse give you the same dosage as the doctor ordered? Be keen on the dose you take. Check your list for consistency.

Right Route

Some medications are to be taken orally, others are given via IV, and others even applied on the skin. There are some medications that can be confusing, though. They sometimes look like a tablet, but instead of swallowing them, they should be allowed to melt under the tongue for proper absorption. To avoid mistakes, listen to your health provider’s instructions.

Right Time

Based on the doctor’s orders, take note of the time you’re supposed to take your medication. Some medications are given four, three or two times a day, others are given just once a day, or just when needed. Remember the time you took the last dose – your nurse might probably ask before handing over your next dose.

The advice mentioned above work well if you are in the hospital setting. If you stay at home, then a pill box with the proper labels would work best!

About the author: Melissa Page is a passionate blogger who writes for successful firms such as Staff Care, a medical staffing company. When she isn’t writing, she’s playing bowling with friends.

Lesser Known Minerals: Understanding their Role in the Body

November 1, 2012 By Melissa Page

We all know that minerals are good for us because they regulate body processes and keep us from getting sick. We are aware that we need calcium to strengthen our bones, iron to help distribute oxygen to different parts of our body, and zinc to boost our immune system. But do you know that we also need selenium, molybdenum, boron, copper and cobalt? Do you know what they are for?

Only a few people know about it, but trace minerals (such as those mentioned above) are equally important to macro minerals such as calcium, potassium and sodium. Trace minerals also help resolve certain health conditions and are essential for one’s optimum functioning. The only difference is that these minerals are present at lower levels in the body compared to macro minerals.

Here’s a closer look at these lesser known minerals and what they do:

Copper

No, this kind of copper does not go through television cables. This one helps iron in forming blood and is important to bone and cartilage development. It also enables the body cells to use the energy present in carbohydrates, fat and protein. It is also needed in hair formation and pigmentation of skin.

Lack of copper may lead to anemia, anorexia, edema and retarded growth.

Food sources: cocoa, liver, kidney, raisins, oysters, peas

Cobalt

This mineral is an integral part of Vitamin B12, which is used for producing red blood cells and maintaining the nervous system. It is required by the body for the formation of blood and helps treat a certain type of anemia. Some athletes rely on cobalt to increase the oxygen-carrying ability of the blood.

Lack of cobalt leads to poor growth, fatigue, poor circulation and anemia.

Food sources: green leafy vegetables, clams, meat, oysters

Boron

Boron plays a role in preventing osteoporosis by helping build and maintain healthy bones. It elevates the levels of estrogen and calcium in the blood and reduces the loss of calcium and magnesium in urine. Also, Boron maintains healthy cell membranes and facilitates enzyme reactions of the body.

Studies show that lack of boron impairs mental function.

Food sources: dried fruits, cider, beer, wine, apricots

Selenium

This trace mineral acts as an antioxidant which fights cell damage. It is also known to prevent a protein malnutrition and enhance proper immune response. Aside from aiding in the proper functioning of the heart, it is also believed to possess protective properties against cancer.

Selenium deficiency is linked to joint diseases and is believed to lead to heart abnormalities.

Food sources: seafood, rice, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, kidney, meat

Molybdenum

This trace mineral is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and is excreted in the urine. Aside from its role in the metabolism of iron, carbohydrates and fats, it also helps protect teeth against tooth decay. It also helps prevent anemia and enhance general well-being.

In extreme cases, lack of molybdenum can lead to irregular heartbeat.

Food sources: wheat, dark green leafy vegetables, liver, eggs

About the author: Based in San Diego, California, Melissa Page is a passionate writer who blogs about health, parenting and travel. She currently works with ICan, a company that gives smart and affordable insurance options. When she is not writing, she plays bowling with her friends.

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