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Squats and its benefits

squats

Human’s have been doing squats since time in memorial. Squat is a natural movement that humans have been doing since they existed. The great ‘ Gama’ became a world champion wrestler in 1910 using the Squat routine.

It is one of the important exercise and known as the ‘King of all exercises’. Squat is a compound full body exercise as more than one joint are involved during the squats. It works your whole body from head to toe.

You squat by bending through your hips and knees wit weight on your upper back until your hips come over your knees.

Squats targets Quadriceps, Gluteus ( hip0 muscle) maxims and hamstrings primarily and Gluteus medias, Gluteus minimus, Adductors , Gastrocnemius , soleus , Erector spine secondary muscles. Squats helps in gaining overall strength and muscles.

Even if you do not do aggressive workouts or gymming , doing squats daily is a good form exercise. There are several benefits of doing squats. Lets look at each of them

Benefits of Squats:

  • Burn More Calories
    As I have mentioned above, Squats exercise is multi joints or compound movement as it targets maximum muscles. Once maximum muscles are targeted it helps to burn more calories.
  • Burn Fats
    Squat targets multiple muscles at a time as a result of which testosterone level increases which in turn helps to burn more fats.
  • Build balance and Posture
    The Squats exercise enables to build balance as well as good posture.
  • Makes knee and hip joint strong and flexible
    Contrary to the popular belief that squats aren’t bad for your knees and lower back. In fact, if done properly under proper guidance you will strengthen the muscles surrounding your knees and lower back. Squats helps to make knee and hip joint stronger and flexible.
  • Improve blood circulation
    Squat exercise helps to improve blood circulation to the entire body due to which the muscles get more oxygen and essential nutrients.
  • Squat exercise increases core strength
    Squats with the proper posture will help to improve core strength.

How to perform basic squats

Stand with your feet, hip, back straight and shoulders apart. Move your hip back and bend your knees. Knee joint and hip joints should be moved at the same time. For better balance you can raise your arms in the front till shoulder level. Then return to the standing position. This should be repeated 10 times and 3 sessions of 10 each should be done.

Breathing during the Squats

Breathing is very important in any exercise. Inhale while going down and exhale while coming up.

To make this exercise more intense you can use dumbbells or barbells .

Who should avoid squats

The persons suffering from already existent knee injury and sleep disk (lower back pain) should avoid squats

Disclaimer: Before starting any form of exercise please take your physician and trainer’s advise

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Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds also known as Sabja (in Hindi). Most of us are aware of the fact that Chia seeds are a body coolant but they have other hidden benefits as well.

Listed below are the benefits and ways to consume them and some of side effects too.

Benefits

  • Chia seeds are rich in omega 3 essential fats, helps in reducing high blood pressure and promotes efficient nerve transmission.
  • It stabilizes blood sugar levels.
  • It has anti-inflammatory properties which is effective in reducing the pain and inflammation of Arthritis.
  • Being low in calorie, it also boosts metabolism and promotes lean muscle mass as it comprises of proteins, Hence it can be used for weight management programme.
  • Due to its antioxidants properties it has got longer shelf life.
  • It has minerals and vitamins which improves the hair and skin condition.
  • Once soaked in water, chia seeds makes us feel full faster thus controls the binge eating, reduces the cravings for fatty foods and cleanses the digestive system.
  • Chia seeds absorb a lot of water and so after consumption it helps in keeping well hydrated for longer.
  • Interestingly it does not have a strong taste unlike other seeds, hence they can be easily used in various recipes without changing the original taste.

These seeds are so versatile that you can use them in different recipes. You can sprinkle them on salads as seasonings, spread them on your bread mixed with vegetables, add to your ice creams, smoothies, milk shakes, Shorba, puddings, juices, yogurt, oat meals, muffins, pastas, noodles, pizza, and cakes, etc.

Eating two spoonful Chia seeds every day in any form can help you stay healthy and fit.  Before we include Chia seed in our diet we need to be careful. Studies have shown that  few people have encountered various side effects of Chia seeds, such as, gastrointestinal problems, allergies, blood pressure disorders.

Pregnant and lactating mother, people under medication, and unwell patients should strictly consult their doctor before making it a part of the daily diet. But if Chia seeds suit your system then you can add them to your recipes (as mentioned above). Surely it provides you a great health and vitality improving your immune system.

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CARBOHYDRATES’- Seven Engines of POWER SUPPLY

carbohydrates

Carbohydrates is the first source of energy to the body. It is one of the most important major nutrients, which also means we need it in major quantity. Thus, recommended to have about 60% in our daily food intake. It has one of the best advantages to our overall health.

  1. Provides Energy: Our body requires energy to do even simple activity like moving from one place to another and carbohydrates helps us in that. So whichever the activity is walking, running, playing a sport, working in office or writing a blog –all require energy.
  2. Elevates mood: Carbohydrates help you release Serotonin in our body which in turn will elevate your mood and give you the feel good factor. Remember the feeling when you have a spoonful of Dal rice or Hot phulka with vegetable when you are super hungry, exactly the same feeling. You feel relaxed and calm.
  3. Muscle Recovery: Talking about muscle doesn’t mean only sports person require them. We all have muscles in our body that go through wear and tear with our daily activities too. Thus, we all need this wonder nutrient to recover our muscles, as they need to restore their deposits in form of Glycogen( stored form of glucose)
  4. Helps prevent disease: The fibre that comes with this carbohydrates help us prevent many diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart problems , Constipation and many more.
  5. Weight loss: This point may grab your attention, as it really helps in losing your weight indirectly. When we have the much needed carbohydrates, the body will not take up protein as a source of energy to work, thus avoiding muscle loss and in turn keeping the body’ metabolism high.

Carbohydrate intake-> Protein Sparing-> Muscle intact-> Metabolism high-> Burn more fat -> Weight loss.

One more reason being, the slow release carbohydrates helps in slow release of insulin in body, which in turn can avoid weight gain.

  1. Good Memory: Glucose is the key brain fuel, which comes from carbohydrates and various studies have also shown that people who have a regular intake of carbohydrates have a better memory than the ones who avoid it.
  2. Fuel for fitness: Sports person, runners, people doing regular exercises, they all need carbohydrates as the first source of fuel before, during and after the activity. As the body will use it the most and they can’t afford to lose muscle as a source of energy. If the body loses a lot of muscle, the joint strengthening is compromised leading to injury.

There are various such benefits of carbohydrates which we miss by avoiding them in our daily intake. Carbohydrates have a bad name in weight loss industry, as they say excess of it will make you put on fat, well anything of that sort happens.

So my suggestion is do not avoid carbs. It has such an important role to play in our healthy and fitter lifestyle.

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Geriatric Health Maintenance-A Systematic Approach

healthy-living

I recently participated in the 100 km OxfamTrail walk and the one thing that I was overwhelmed about is the number of senior citizens who were participating in this challenge. It’s nice to see senior people fitter than many youngsters. One fine example was that of Milind Soman’s mother who at 76 years old looked fit and completed the 100 km trail walk in 40 hours along with her daughters. That was commendable.

Growing old is great but along with that maintaining your health is equally important. At some point in our life many of us have faced and dealt with an old parent’s illness. And therefore I feel that staying healthy as a senior citizen is very important.

Your mental and physical health plays a crucial role in the latter years of your life. Staying healthy means eating nutritious foods, exercising, and getting regular medical check-ups. Prevention and early detection are the best defense against illness and disease.

As people get older, physiological changes occur in their body as a natural part of aging.Due to aging mostly all organs are affected and some diseases and co morbid conditions become more prominent in the elderly.

Psychological issues can also play a role in physical and mental health of older adults. At senior stage a balanced diet and regular exercise are strongly linked to better health outcomes. Regular medical checkup and important preventive measures at home help to improve the safety and health of seniors.

As health needs change with age, one thing remains the same: healthy living (healthy lifestyle), one of the best way to avoid disease (related to Skin, Bones, joints, and muscles, mobility and balance, body shape, face, teeth and gums, Hair and nail, memory, immunity, hearing, vision and sleep).

 Living a longer, healthier life can be made easier with these simple steps.

Healthy Eating Habits: Always try to have natural foods, avoid the artificial source and opt for fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fiber-rich foods—bean, spinach, and romaine lettuce, for example—lean cuts of meat, fresh fish, and poultry instead. Processed food usually filled with unhealthy things like high-fructose corn syrup that leads to overconsumption. Secondly, contains lot of artificial Ingredients. Most processed foods are Low in Nutrients.

It requires less energy and time to digest processed foods. Processed foods contain MSG (Monosodium glutamate – to enhance flavor), it also contains lots of sodium and typically all the wrong heart-clogging oils. Therefore it is always good to go with natural food available, if possible go with homemade food.

Activities:Physical activity is vital for developing the strong bones and muscles. This would help in avoiding falls or accidental injuries. Exercise is add on as part of overall healthy lifestyle and to avoid obesity, which is the root cause of other diseases. So if you have not started your activity, please get and include some physical activities into your routine before it gets too late.

Stop Smoking, tobacco:Dump the cigarette/tobacco habit before this dumps you. And stay away from those who do smoke, as second-hand smoking is more dangerous than direct smoking.

Meditation: I personally believe in meditation, as it really help to avoid stress because like obesity – stress is also a main cause of 70% diseases. So Meditation really helps you in terms of Psychological&Physiological. To get more information about Meditation you can also check my blog at:

https://goqii.com/blog/myths-and-health-benefits-of-meditation/

So what are you waiting for get up and change your lifestyle from sedentary to Active and live healthy long life.

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