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How to Breathe Correctly During Weight Training

Lat-Pull-DownExercise is essential for good health. In exercises we often give importance to the workout pattern, form and technique as it enhances the performance.  Today, through this blog I would like to focus more on the breathing technique during Weight Training

Weight training is subject to moderate or high intense workout.  When we exercise at the end of every set the muscles lack enough oxygen and lactic acid is produced. In a short, we are unable to do more repetitions or exercise with more weight. The universal method of breathing during weight training exercise is opposite of gravitation- exhale means lifting the weight or pulling the weight and breath out  and when we come back to the starting position inhale or breath in .

Here I would like to give 2 examples

First Example is a bench press:

bench-press
Bench press is known as a pushing movement of exercise. Here we are pushing the barbells or the dumbbells opposite of the gravity so we need to exhale while pushing it up. And while we bring down the barbell or dumbbells towards gravity inhale.

The Second Example: Lat Pull Down

Now we are focusing on the pulling movement. The name of the exercise itself tells us this is the pulling movement of exercise

When we pull the Lat Pulley bar down we need to exhale because weight is going up during this phase remember opposite of gravitation exhale. Again coming back to the starting position inhale.

There are benefits of breathing right while exercising. Some of these benefits include boosting energy levels as well as metabolism. We can do our exercise with more weights; correct breathing will help us to improve our posture.

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5 ways to boost your hemoglobin

5-Ways-To-Increase-Hemoglobin-Count

One day, my client came to me for the regular follow up. She looked pale to me which ideally was never the case. I tried to find from her why was she looking pale. I probed her to find out if she felt tired after doing any work. And, she said she feels lethargic throughout the day and can’t walk for more than 10 minutes. She felt breathless. I immediately asked her to get her Haemoglobin checked and when she got me the reports. I was surprised to see that her hemoglobin was just at 9. She was definitely anaemic.

The ideal range for women as you all would be aware should be above 12-16mg/dl for children 11-13mg/dl and for males 14-18mg/dl. I believe in “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. Nourish your body with a good dose of iron through nutrition rather than popping in supplements.  I told her about hemoglobin boosting foods which I would like to share with you all.

  1. Garden cress seeds: Few years back, this seeds were not commonly known. As, the awareness on health is spreading, this seeds have created its own space in the fitness industry. It is known as Halim (Hindi) or Aliv (Marathi). It is one of the richest vegetarian sources of iron with good bioavailability. 100gms of garden cress seeds provides 1.5mg of iron. It is often given during pregnancy and also it acts as Galactagogue which stimulates milk production in lactating mothers. Daily recommendation is 2 tsp. You need to soak the seeds for a while so that it emanates less heat. If you are trying for the first time, start with ½ tsp to see if your boy easily accepts it because of its heat. You can have garden cress in different forms such as it can be added in kheer, ladoos and be sprinkled on salads.

 

  1. Haeme Iron– It includes liver/oysters/red meat. Liver (pork/beef/chicken/turkey) gives roughly around 23mg of iron in 100 gms. Oysters/mollusks give around 28mg of iron in 100 gms. However, as we know these foods are very high on cholesterol and saturated fats. The frequency of these meats should be minimal. Once in a week 2 medium pieces can be consumed. Also, try to go for either grilled/baked/steamed to make it healthier.

 

  1. Pumpkin seeds- Like, garden cress seeds these seed are gaining popularity these days. 100 gms of pumpkin seeds serves around 8 mg of iron. Pumpkin seeds are not only rich in iron but also in calcium, magnesium, and manganese and iron. Include at least 2-3 tsps in your daily routine. You can have it as a mouth freshener or else sprinkle it over salads.
  2. Spinach– 100 gms of cooked spinach gives around 3.75mg of iron. It is packed with calcium and fiber too. So, next time don’t forget to add this lovely looking greens in your salads/soups and veggies.

 

  1. Dark chocolate– To your surprise, dark chocolate with 75-80% cocoa contains around 17mg of iron. It is also packed with antioxidant. Next time, you can enjoy dark chocolate without any guilt. While savouring, portion needs to be monitored. You can have 2-3 pieces of the chocolate.

The daily recommendation allowance (RDA) for iron:

 

Age Male Female Pregnancy Lactation
Birth to 6 months 0.27 mg* 0.27 mg*
7–12 months 11 mg 11 mg
1–3 years 7 mg 7 mg
4–8 years 10 mg 10 mg
9–13 years 8 mg 8 mg
14–18 years 11 mg 15 mg 27 mg 10 mg
19–50 years 8 mg 18 mg 27 mg 9 mg
51+ years 8 mg 8 mg

* Adequate Intake (AI)

In animal foods, iron is often attached to proteins called heme proteins, and referred to as heme iron. In plant foods, iron is not attached to heme proteins and is classified as non-heme iron. Heme iron is typically absorbed at a rate of 7-35%. Non-heme iron is typically absorbed at a rate of 2-20%.

Also, Vitamin C rich foods like kiwi/amala/lemon/guava/strawberries/sweet lime/oranges enhances the absorption of iron. Henceforth, whenever you consume any iron rich food, don’t forget to have a glass of lemon water along with it which would double up the absorption of the iron.

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Amazing Health Benefits and Uses of Jamun Fruit

Jamun

Jamun or Black plum is an important summer fruit, associated with many health and medicinal benefits. The black plum is known to relieve stomach pain, carminative, anti-scorbutic and diuretic. Black Plum vinegar is good to reduce enlargement of spleen, diarrhoea, and those have urine retention problems. Jamum’s ployphenolic compounds are effective against cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, asthma and arthritis.

Black Plum fruit and its leaves are good for diabetic patients. The black plum has anti-diabetic features. The fruit helps to convert starch into energy and keep your blood sugar levels in check. In the summer season, the sugar patient should eat Black Plum regularly because of its low glycemic index. It reduces the symptoms of diabetes like frequent urination and thrusting. The extract of bark, seeds, and leaves are too beneficial in the treatment of diabetes.

Black Plum has adequate amount of iron and vitamin C. The presence of iron in the black plum is good to increase the haemoglobin count.  The fruit’s iron content acts as blood purifying agent. Since, it is the medium of purifying your blood; therefore, it is good for skin and beauty. Iron content is beneficial in menses where the lady faces blood loss. People suffering from anemia and jaundice should eat Balck Plump because of its high iron content.

Black Plum juice has many health and medicinal benefits. Being a seasonal fruit, one should try to have more and more amount of Black Plum juice during the month of June, July and August. Some of the amazing and surprising health benefits of this juice are given below.

  1. It is used to treat digestive disorders such as diarrhoea
  2. This juice along with curd is good against digestive problems.
  3. Teeth related problems can be solved by applying black Plum juice or by drinking it.
  4. Jamun juice is beneficial in treating of piles.
  5. Drinking of the fresh fruit juice helps in cough and asthma.
  6. Jamun juice enhances your immune system.
  7. It protects you from cold and acts as anti-aging agent.

 

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Autonomy + Motivation + Accountability = Wellness

AutonomyPlusMotivation

Everyone knows the basics of healthy living. Eat a balanced diet. Exercise. Get a good night’s sleep. Not long ago, if you needed more guidance than that, you had to find an expert (books, physicians, etc.). They were the only ones with the tools and knowledge to help you. This was okay for people who had the time and resources to seek out that expertise but for most people it was a huge barrier. And when we’re looking to make changes in our behavior, barriers strip us of motivation.

Flash forward to the current day and we have a convergence of technologies that addresses some significant obstacles. These include:

  • Wearable Fitness Technology – Wristbands, watches, pendants, eyeglasses, and even clothing that can sense steps taken, quality of sleep, heart rate, and more.
  • Smartphone Apps – For detailed tracking of exercise, food and nutrients consumed, blood sugar level, etc.
  • Online Services – That were formerly only available to professionals such as genome testing, full lab panels and microbiome (gut bacteria) testing.
  • Internet of Things – Infrastructure that allows these technologies to talk with one another. Step on your scale and it updates the food diary on your smartphone tracker app with your weight.

The age of autonomy is here. No longer must we depend on experts to know where we stand health-wise. But is that enough? Apparently not. As noted in a previous post on this site, Rethink Wearable Tech…Fad or Future, despite the growing popularity of devices like Wearable Fitness Trackers, many people stop using them only a short time after they get them.

You see, technology hasn’t figured out when you need space and when you need a little nudge. It’s not very good at helping you explore why you’re stuck or why you sometimes regress. It does a bad job at changing and adapting with you. And, it doesn’t know how to link your goals for good health to your vision, your values. Technology is just clueless about motivation and accountability.

Enter the Health Coach. Health Coaches are the latest member of your wellness team. Unlike physicians whose role is to diagnose and prescribe, Health Coaches help you make the changes you want to make by stoking the fire you have within. And unlike Nutrition Counselors or Personal Trainers who hand over wellness plans and monitor compliance, Health Coaches partner with you to uncover the strategies that honor your values and lifestyle. They work with you to keep you accountable.

Health Coaches are experts in human behavioral change. They recognize that family, physicians, and employers may influence positive changes in health, but the real inspiration to move towards wellness has to come from you. Health coaches use a process that surfaces what is most important to you and links those values to the healthy behaviors and goals that matter most. This is where motivation comes from.

As you progress, your coach helps you create a plan to reach those goals. The emphasis on you is critical. The plan can’t be some cookie cutter nutrition or exercise program that the coach pulls from some file. It must be a customized plan that strikes a balance between flexibility, because “stuff happens,” and specificity so you can link your plan to your progress. Without a tailored plan, it’s difficult to hold yourself accountable.

Health Coaching is a new field. Research on its impact is just emerging but initial results are encouraging. These include:

And all of these studies took place prior to and without the benefit of the technologies mentioned earlier. When we combine the ability for technology to collect data in a transparent way with the skills and knowledge of a professionally trained Health Coach, some magic starts to happen. Health Coaches know you as a person and can figure out when you need space and when you need a little nudge. Health Coaches excel at helping people explore why they’re stuck or why they sometimes regress. Health Coaches understand that wellness goals must change and adapt as you change and adapt. And Health coaches know how to link your goals for good health to your vision, your values.

Technology provides you autonomy. Health Coaches honor that autonomy, inspire motivation, and maximize accountability. And this combination results in a happy, healthy, and productive life.

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]