FITNESS FOR FREE: HOME WORK OUTS

In order to stay fit, a healthy food consumption, as different nutrients as key ingredients is very necessary along with consistent work outs. A commitment to a regular workout regimen will increase your fitness level, improve your health and generate a greater sense of mental well being. In this article, we discuss about the work outs and exercises that can be done in your home, if you do not wish to get a gym membership. These work outs can get you in shape if you are consistent, committed and doing it in slow, controlled manner. 

• Warming up is the most essential thing you should do when you try to start to work out. It makes your muscles warm and pumps up your heart rate and helps to avoid probable injuries. Warming up includes running, stretching, jumping, jogging up and down your stairs etc.. You need to warm up until you sweat out just before starting your regular working out routine.
• Start to do push ups, start with at least 5 and increase accordingly.
• Start to squat down and then up in your feet, do it at least 10 times consistently for the first time and then increase accordingly.
• 15 seconds Planck is a good technique to build strength in you. With your two elbows and your foot fingers only resting in ground, stretch your entire body with your head held perpendicular to the ground. Increase the time period accordingly.
• Hip and thigh extension includes lying back on the ground bending your one knee making 90 degrees and stretching the other leg straight. With a bent leg, squeeze your glute, push through your heal, push your hips up. Keep your other leg straight through out the exercise.

These are the tips covering a basic start guide to work out sets in your home. More articles about them will be featured in the upcoming days in this blog. Make sure to stretch out after you finish doing a set of exercises, before continuing to the other one. And again, be consistent. When you exercise with consistency, your muscles will develop gradually and your mind will experience reduced level of stress and greater relaxation, hence improving your health and fitness level. Here is a video about various working out techniques without any equipment, for your guidance.

Thyroid Health

As you know, the different cells in the human body have their respective crucial functions and are fully operational. These cells are highly influenced by one of the largest endocrine glands in human body, the thyroid. Located at the front of the neck, thyroid's main role is to monitor the functioning of different cells in the body. By producing different hormones and using them to deliver different messages respectively to the different cells, this butterfly shaped gland, though small in size, has a greater responsibility in regulation of metabolism by instructing almost every cell about the consumption of nutrients and oxygen. 

The follicles situated in the thyroid stores the hormones which is sent out to the blood by thyroid. Triiodothyronine(T3), Thyroxine(T4) and Diiodothyronine(T2) are the three types of hormones stored in the follicles of thyroid. Out of these, Triiodothyronine(T3) and Thyroxine(T4) are the two of the most important hormones which interact with all other hormones produced  in the body like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol and even insulin. Correct amount of T3 and T4 hormones excels in the control of metabolism in the body and is one of the key factors in proper health and fitness. Imbalance in the amount of either of the hormones gives way to certain thyroid related disorders, which are caused by the communication breakdown between the thyroid gland and its monitor; a pituitary gland located in the brain, due to various factors like certain diseases or chemical imbalance, hence the thyroid gland releases too many or too few hormones.

Hyperthyroidism:

Hyperthyroidism occurs when the organ sends out too many of the hormones into the blood and causes the functions in the body to accelerate rapidly. In other words, the cells become overactive and the metabolism rate is pumped up, signalling the following symptoms to be experienced:

• Faster heart beat rate
• Weight loss
• Constant hunger
• Difficult to sleep
• Anxiety
• Irregular menstrual periods in women
• Hot and sweaty
• Frequent bowel movement

Hyperthyroidism. if not treated properly could lead to heart failure.

Hypothyroidism:

Just as opposite of hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid sends out too few hormones. In other words, the cells lack the hormones required to function effectively, hence there is listless growth of cells and metabolism rate slows down. The following symptoms could be signaled if a person suffers from hypothyroidism:

• Weight gain
• Fatigue and lack of energy causes sluggishness
• Sensitivity to cold
• Depression
• Hair loss
• Swollen joints

There are medical treatments for both types of thyroid disorders. So, it is requested to visit the physician as soon as possible, when you experience the listed symptoms too frequently.

For in depth knowledge and body maps concerning thyroid, browse: http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/thyroid-gland

  

Choosing your sunscreen this summer

Taking care of your skin is also an essential part of your proper health and fitness. Primarily, trying to avoid the sun from about 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. would be the best idea to be safe from the harmful radiations of the summer sun. But, for people in different cases, this would not be a perfect idea because they have to go out or travel during this time period. So, for them to not compromise their safety, there are various tips to be protected from the sun while going out, including wearing sunglasses, wearing full sleeved shirts, wearing caps to protect the face from the sun, applying sunscreen to the exposed body parts etc.. 

Choosing a sunscreen:

While travelling out in the summer sun, applying a sunscreen to the exposed body parts is the best way to get rid of the harmful radiations of the sun which can alter your health conditions causing lot of skin problems including cancer. However, using a sunscreen just without any proper knowledge of the specifications and  the methods of application of the product, and thinking it to be a savior is no fruitful. So, there are basic things to take an account of before purchasing or using a sunscreen.

• SPF rating: SPF (Sunburn Protection Factor) is the factor which states that the vulnerability of getting affected by a person wearing a sunscreen is 'that factor' times less in comparison with a person exposed to the sun without wearing any sunscreen. For example, if a person is wearing a sunscreen with SPF 15, then he/she is 15 times less vulnerable to get sunburn than the person using no sunscreen. However, using sunscreen with SPF 30 or 50 would be highly prolific. It is often not recommended to use sunscreens with SPF higher than 50 because it is believed that specifying a sunscreen with SPF higher than 50 is just another marketing strategy and doesn't guarantee extra protection.

• Broad spectrum: There are three types of UV wavelengths which are classified as UVA, UVB and UVC. While SPF only measures the UVB, exposure to the combination of UVA and UVB contributes to a deadly skin cancer. So, it is recommended to consume a sunscreen which has been labelled as 'Broad Spectrum' since this type of sunscreen helps to protect from both UVA and UVB radiations.

• Testing a sunscreen: Before purchasing a sunscreen for the purpose of daily usage, test a sunscreen in a small patch of skin first. Note the effect of it in your skin, i.e. either it bothers you or not. Because every brand of sunscreen is not the same just like the other sets of products in the market, it is necessary to check the side effects of that particular sunscreen in your skin first. 

• Avoid using sunscreen with dangerous ingredients: Try to consume a mineral-based sunscreen containing zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Avoid using a sunscreen with an ingredient as oxybenzone since it is considered as a hormone disruptor and often triggers allergic reactions.

Sunscreens should be applied to the body parts which are exposed to the sun, 30 minutes before going out to the sun. It should be applied evenly on exposed skin including ears, neck, arms, shoulders and other body parts according to your clothing style but avoiding the eye. If you have been swimming, washing your face often or sweating a lot, make sure to reapply the sunscreen for positive results.