Whether you see your doctor once a year for a regular check-up or visit your doctor on an ongoing basis for treatment for an ongoing health condition, there may be some information you don’t want to share with him or her. While confessing your most personal issues to your doctor can be awkward or even embarrassing, there are some things you shouldn’t keep from your doctor, no matter how much you’d like to. Remember it’s for your own health.
You aren’t taking the pills your doctor prescribed for you during your last visit. You may never fill the prescription, miss a pill or two or just stop taking the medicine because you are feeling better. However, you need to tell your doctor if you are skipping your medicine altogether or have been missing doses. Not taking medicine as prescribed can delay your recovery or cause side effects. For instance with antibiotics, you need to take the full-course for them to be effective.
You are engaging in fad diets. If you are trying to lose a few quick pounds, you may have tried a trendy, but less-than-safe diet. If you’ve drank nothing but lemon juice for the past week, your doctor should know about this. Why? Extreme dieting can be dangerous for your health – for instance you are likely missing out on key vitamins and minerals. If you want to lose weight, your doctor can prescribe a healthy way of doing so.
Don’t lie about your family history. Don’t say your family history is perfect when it is not. If your mother has battled depression and your family has a history of heart disease or diabetes, letting your doctor know is important. Screenings can be ordered to help prevent disease or catch it in its earliest stages.
Are you a caffeine junkie? Do you need your cup of coffee before you’ll even talk to anyone in the morning? Are energy drinks the only thing getting you through the long afternoons at work? If caffeine is the best part of your day, you may need to be careful. While some studies have found that caffeine can help to improve mental acuity and performance, others have found that too much caffeine can have a negative impact on your health, energy levels and your mood.
While a cup or two of coffee each day won’t hurt, any more can be harmful. Studies have shown that high doses of caffeine have been linked to infertility and an increased instance of hip fractures in aging women. You also need to consider that caffeine comes from more than just your coffee. Certain headache medicines, ice tea and chocolate can all contain caffeine.
Here are five signs that you may need to cut it on the caffeine:
You frequently hit a slump in the afternoon. If you can’t make it through the day without stopping for more caffeine, you may be hooked on caffeine.
Your urine is dark yellow or orange. This is a key sign of dehydration. Coffee is a diuretic that can actually lead to dehydration because it increases that amount of urine you release daily, which can cause your body to lose too many fluids.
You can’t sleep. If it takes you longer than a half hour to fall asleep, caffeine may be a problem. It takes caffeine about 45 minutes to one hour to become absorbed by your body. This can easily affect your sleep cycle.
You feel anxious. A racing heart, restlessness, jitters and sweaty palms are classic signs of a caffeine overdose.
You are experiencing heartburn. Too much caffeine can lead to acid reflux.
If you are dieting or just aiming to eat healthier, you may have heard numerous people tell you that you should not eat after 8 pm if you don’t want you eating to have a negative impact on your waistline. The good news for all of your late night snackers is that this is not true! It’s not so much when you eat but what you eat when t comes to battling the bulge or aiming to eat healthy. There are plenty of healthy midnight snacks that are diet friendly, won’t sabotage your health and will not have a negative effect on your quest to lose weight.
• Try a glass of water. Being thirty can often mimic hunger pangs. Instead of reaching for food, try a glass of water. Wait 10 to 15 minutes to see if your stomach is still tossing and turning. If it’s not, chances are you were just thirsty. If your stomach is still going, opt for a healthy snack
• Have a glass of milk. Milk is low in calories as well as fat. Milk also contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid that can help to get you in a deeper sleep.
• Have a handful of nuts. Nuts are rich in antioxidants and full of fiber, which can help you to feel fuller longer.
• Have some whole grain popcorn for a quick late-night snack. Popcorn is a great source of complex carbohydrates and it is also low in low calories.
• Have some vegetables as a midnight snack. Veggies are packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients that can help to nourish your body while you snack. They are low in fat and calories.
• Opt for whole grains. Foods that are packed with carbohydrates can help to raise tryptophan, which can help you get back to sleep. It is important to remember that foods like white bread, chips and pasta can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, which can cause you to get a less-than-perfect night’s sleep.
If you are bored with your regular workout routine or just do not seem to be getting the results you want, don’t give up. There are plenty of ways to help energize your workout and inject some excitement into your same old boring workout routine. You no longer have to cringe at the thought of your daily exercise routine.
Be sure to stay hydrated. Drinking water is a great way to help replace the fluids you lost during a strenuous workout. However, it is fine to start experimenting with other hydration options. For instance, green tea may help to boost your energy levels are a workout that left you feeling sluggish and chocolate milk can help your muscles to recover.
Seek out your motivation. If you have a family member or friend who truly inspires you to workout and stay healthy, get in touch with them. A simple conversation over the phone or over lunch may just give you the motivation you need to get going.
Try something new. Spice up your same old routine with a rather unique exercise class – try pole dancing or salsa dancing.
Say goodbye to traditional crunches and use a fitness ball. Fitness ball workouts can help to done your abdominal muscles while allowing you to work on your balance.
Have a dance party. Get dancing by yourself, with some friends or with your significant other. Dancing can help to build strength and flexibility as well as burn calories and boost your mood without you even realizing it.
Take a trip to the mall. Invest in a little black dress or a bikini. Set yourself a deadline to look great in your new purchase.
Make some changes to your playlist. Music can be very motivating. Make some changes to your playlist to include some of the most motivating tunes you can find.
Read a health, fitness or nutrition blog. This can serve as an inspiration or give you new ideas for workouts or recipes.
Reward yourself for meeting your exercise goals. This can include plans with friends, time to relax, a shopping trip or a trip to the spa.
Get outdoors. Take a hike, play sports, go for a swim or run outdoors. Take advantage of every gorgeous day you can!
With the average American having consumed upwards of 4,500 calories at Thanksgiving dinner and the holiday season in full swing, it is very easy to pack on five pounds without even realizing it. For many, the holiday season is a time to indulge and throw healthy habits out the window until January. If you aren’t careful, you can get yourself very caught up in the holiday treats. Here are some tips for making it through the holidays without packing on the pounds.
Keep a consistent Diet
Aim to be the same person you are year round. If you normally eat healthy and exercise on a regular basis, stick with it. Be the same person you are throughout the holidays. Avoid becoming wrapped up in the holidays and all the food that comes with them. If you normally eat sweets in moderations, continue to consume sweet in moderation.
Holidays do not mean calories don’t count!
Be aware of the number of calories you consume. If you have to, keep track of your daily caloric intake. This way you know if you are eating healthy or if you are enjoying too many holiday treats. Also be wary of the liquid calories. The holidays are often a time to toast. Remember that alcohol can quickly add calories to your diet and you won’t even feel full.
Winter Workouts
Take the holidays as a time to try something new when it comes to your workouts. Use the holidays as a time to ramp up the intensities of your workout or consider adding time on to your daily workout. Avoid skipping workouts because you are traveling or are busy preparing for the holidays. Make time to exercise and make time to add extra steps into your day – even if this means parking at the end of the parking lot when you run to the mall to pick up some last minute holiday gifts.
Remember there are more to the holidays than just food. Take time to focus on being grateful and appreciating friends and family. Just because you are spending time with family does not mean you have to focus the holidays around food.
Are Your Friends Having a Negative Effect on Your Health?
The way you eat, exercise, sleep and lifestyle choices all have an effect on your health. One aspect of your life that may have an impact on your health without you even realizing it is your friends. Could dating, happy hour, business function or just grabbing a quick bite to eat with your friends be having a negative effect on your health.
Despite the fact you may be living your life as a role model when it comes to health and fitness, your friends may be able to slightly influence your healthy lifestyle. Like it or not, eating often becomes a group activity. Think about it. How many times have you met a friend for dinner, a drink or a cup of coffee? In fact, research indicates that individuals who eat with friends are likely to increase their food intake by more than one-third of what they would normally eat if they were eating at home or alone. Having a thriving social life or a lot of friends, just may cause you to eat more than you think.
Everyone has a friend that is a comfort eater. A break-up, loss of a job or not doing so hot on final examines can lead to comfort eating. This friend will help you eat your way through whatever unpleasant event life throws at you. Ice cream, cake, making cookies, dining out or even a night of binge drinking is this friends ways of dealing with pain, stress or any other problem you may be experiencing.
On the other hand, everyone likely has a friend who is likely the life of the party. Drinking, partying, bar food and staying out well past 2am is a way of life as well as a way of blowing off steam and dealing with whatever problems life may throw at you. A night full of drinking and eating unhealthy foods can leave you feeling ill; especially if you lead a relatively healthy lifestyle otherwise. Additionally, parting can cause you to lose sleep and spend a lot of time around smoke. All of which can ruin your once healthy lifestyle.
Believe it or not…too much of a good thing can actually become a bad thing. Despite the fact that it may be hard to believe, being a diet and exercise fanatic can actually be detrimental to your health.
When selecting your food choices, a diet that only includes very healthy food choices can often be a very limited diet – which means you may not be getting all of the nutrition you actually need. Additionally, a common misconception about eating healthy foods is that you can eat as much as you want. Despite the fact a food may be healthy, overeating is overeating. No matter how healthy a good is; eating too much is eating too much. The trick to eating healthy is to find a balanced between healthy foods and foods you enjoy. The best way to go about this is to follow the Recommended Dietary Intake Guidelines (RDA). This can help to ensure a healthy balance.
Now for exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine indicates healthy adults, ages 18-65, participate in 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity five days per week. Those under age need to participate in 60 minutes of physical activity on a daily basis. Whether you or someone you know is an exercise junkie, it is possible to become exercise obsessed. Working out multiple times a day and having to try the latest new exercise crazes can become a problem. Some over-exercise because they fear the risk of developing diseases – such as heart disease, stroke or type II diabetes. Others may over-exercise because they are compelled to lose a ton of weight or want to look as fit and toned as possible.
When you have an exercise disorder, you become obsessed with your weight, looking in mirrors, appearance, your BMI and your muscles. This can cause a large number of problems – including overuse injuries. To stay healthy, you need to consume a healthy, well-balanced diet and engage in exercise safely. When you aren’t doing this the right way, you are losing fat as well as your muscle mass – this can become a huge health hazard.
If you are typically an outdoor exerciser, the winter months do not have to mean an end to you enjoying your outdoor workouts. There are plenty of winter activities that are fun, challenging and can burn a whole lot of calories. The weather does not have to be warm for you to enjoy the great outdoors.
Consider ice skating. Look for a local outdoor (or indoor if you choose) ice skating rink. Lace up your skates and enjoy an hour session on the ice. One hour of ice skating can burn over 400 calories.
Spend a day at the slopes. Whether you are an expert skier or snowboarder or have never hit the slopes in your life, a day at a ski resort can be exciting and challenging. For each hour you spend on the mountain, you can burn around 250 calories.
Find a pair of snow shoes and get walking, running or hiking. Snowshoeing can allow you to enjoy the winter scenery while getting in one challenging workout. Snowshoeing is not for someone looking for an easy workout. One hour of snowshoeing can burn more than 400 calories.
Go back to your childhood days of sled riding. Sure going down a hill seems effortless and a lot of fun. However, getting up the hill is where you will get your workout in. Trekking through the snow back up to the top of a hill can burn around 200 calories in just 30 minutes of sled riding.
