Health benefits morning walk

Health benefits of morning walk

1. Healthy Body: Walking daily can lift your mood and will make you physically strong. Just walk for half an hour a day and you can feel the difference yourself. Walking is the easiest way to have a healthy mind and body. It is a kind of aerobic fitness which is easy to do and provides many benefits.

2. Weight Control: Walking helps in keeping weight under control when followed by good and healthy diet. Scientists also say that even without changing diet habits, losing weight is possible if you’re walking for at least 45 minutes daily. Walking elevates heart rate and burns some calories which help in maintaining healthy weight. So, if you want to maintain your weight then do walk for at least 30-40 minutes daily and you’ll see the results soon.

3. Beat Breast Cancer: Walking for health atleast 45 minutes daily is also beneficial for breast cancer patients. Scientists say that people, who do exercise like walking every day, survive more than inactive people. Walking regularly also reduces woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. Walking alters the ratio of estrogen metabolites and makes it harder for breast cancer to take hold and that is why, it is really beneficial for ladies suffering from breast cancer.

4. Fight Diabetes: If you’re a diabetic patient and want to keep it under control, then walking can help you. Walking keeps your weight under control – which is the major cause of diabetes. Walking also involves utilization of more insulin, which improves blood sugar levels and thus it eventually helps in keeping diabetes under control and also reduces the risk of getting it. So, if you are a diabetic patient and want to control diabetics then walking can be a great and easy remedy for you. Moreover, if you’re not a diabetic patient then walking will reduce the risk of suffering from diabetes.

5. Healthy Heart: Walking is the easiest physical exercise and studies show that walking daily for 30-45 minutes can help in preventing heart diseases. Walking increases heart rate and strengthens heart which increases blood circulation through body and helps in making your heart healthy. Walking also lowers cholesterol levels which ultimately help in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.  So, to maintain a healthy heart you need to start doing physical activity like walking regularly.

6. Live Long: Scientist says that walking can prevent and delay osteoarthritis which is an age related condition and thus, it can add years to your life. It is also believed that walking 30 minutes can extend our life by 1.4 years. Amazing, right? Walking also prevents diseases which eventually gives us healthy and long life.

7. Prevents Miscarriage: This may sound a bit surprising but it’s true, walking during pregnancy reduces fatigue and related pains which reduces the risks of gestational diabetes. Walking also lowers hormonal fluctuations which cause uterine contractions and this helps in protecting against miscarriage. So, if you want to protect yourself from miscarriage then start indulging in physical fitness like walking which is easy to do.

8. Prevents Dementia: According to scientific studies, walking regularly can prevent dementia, which is a disease affecting brain function, memory, language and attention of human beings. Dementia is a very common problem especially for people above 65 years of age and thus walking regularly reduces the risk of dementia by up to 54 per cent.

9. Tones Body: Who doesn't want a toned body? Walking regularly can help you in achieving toned legs, bum and tummy. Walking can give definitions to calves, quads and buttock muscles. You can also tone your abs with just walking, but for this, you need to take care of your walking posture too. Start walking religiously daily for at least 30 minutes from today only get toned body.

10. Provides Energy: Walking regularly provides energy to the body. This increases the blood circulation and oxygen supply. Walking is also considered an effective antidepressant which helps in dealing with depression. You can walk with your friends in group and chit-chat while walking. Isn’t it a great way to start a day? So, reduce your stress and anxiety by enjoying your walk with your friends.

11. Burns calories: Walking is good for those who are just starting to work out. An hour of walk everyday together with a healthy diet is a good tool to cut down the extra flab. The number of calories burnt is directly proportional to the speed employed and the distance covered while walking. This is one of the most important benefits of morning walks.

12. Reduces the risk of diseases: Walking increases the blood circulation within the body, which in turn keeps all heart related diseases at bay. Walking regularly also increases the bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis and other bone related disorders. It is also said to significantly reduce the risk of developing diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer. This is another of the morning walk benefits that cannot be ignored!

13. Energizes the body: Walking stimulates the circulation of blood in the body and simultaneously boosts all metabolic activities. A brisk walk elevates the mood, perks up the energy levels and regulates blood pressure and cholesterol levels too. It almost works as an anti-depressant! Surprised about the good number of health benefits of brisk walking. What can be a better benefit to the walking exercise regime?

14. Best and easy workout: Walking is one of the easiest and most economical ways to stay physically active. This can be done almost anywhere and at any time. Although walking outdoors can be quite refreshing, it can also be done inside the house on a treadmill.Walking also keeps the bones, muscles and joints healthy. Regular walking strengthens the muscles of the legs particularly the hamstrings and quadriceps.

15. Stress buster: Walking is directly linked to a reduction in the stress levels. Its benefits can be equated to those of aerobic exercises that help to calm down the nerves. While walking, the body releases endorphin which in turn stimulates relaxation.

Benefits of SLEEP

Benefits of SLEEP

1. Sleep Keeps Your Heart Healthy

Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

2. Sleep May Prevent Cancer

People working the late shift have a higher risk for breast and colon cancer. Researchers believe this link is caused by differing levels of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night. Light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that both makes us sleepy and is thought to protect against cancer. Melatonin appears to suppress the growth of tumors. Be sure that your bedroom is dark to help your body produce the melatonin it needs.

3. Sleep Reduces Stress

When your body is sleep deficient, it goes into a state of stress. The body's functions are put on high alert which causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones. Higher blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, unfortunately, make it harder for you to sleep. Learn relaxation techniques to counter the effects of stress. There are also stress reduction techniques for sleep.

4. Sleep Reduces Inflammation

The increase in stress hormones raises the level of inflammation in your body, also creating more risk for heart-related conditions, as well as cancer and diabetes. Inflammation is thought to one of the causes of the deterioration of your body as you age.

5. Sleep Makes You More Alert

Of course, a good night's sleep makes you feel energized and alert the next day. Being engaged and active not only feels great, it increases your chances for another good night's sleep. When you wake up feeling refreshed, use that energy to get out into the daylight, do active things, and be engaged in your world. You'll sleep better the next night and increase your daily energy level.

6. Sleep Bolsters Your Memory

Researchers do not fully understand why we sleep and dream, but a process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep. While your body may be resting, your brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. Your dreams and deep sleep are an important time for your brain to make memories and links. Getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better.

7. Sleep May Help You Lose Weight

Researchers have also found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. It is thought that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. So if you are interested in controlling or losing weight, don't forget to pay attention to getting a good night's sleep.

8. Naps Make You Smarter

Napping during the day is not only an effective and refreshing alternative to caffeine, it can also protect your health and make you more productive. A study of 24,000 Greek adults showed that people who napped several times a week had a lower risk for dying from heart disease. People who nap at work have much lower levels of stress. Napping also improves memory, cognitive function and mood.9. Sleep May Reduce Your Risk for Depression

9. Sleep May Reduce Your Risk for Depression

Sleep impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression. You can help to prevent depression by making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep, between 7 and 9 hours each night.

10. Sleep Helps the Body Make Repairs

Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage.

Boost your immune system.

1. Eat lean protein at every meal. No one food will magically fend off the flu, but certain nutrients take the lead in helping protect your body from billions of bacteria, viruses, and other germs—and protein is one of them. One of the reasons is that the antibodies that help fight disease are actually made of protein. Another reason: Many foods high in protein also contain other immune-boosting nutrients. Lean cuts of beef and pork, as well as protein from beans, soy, and seafood (particularly oysters and crab), contain zinc—a mineral that helps up the production of infection-fighting white blood cells; even mild zinc deficiencies can increase your susceptibility to infections. Nuts, like almonds and cashews, are also good sources of protein, as well as magnesium, both of which help support a healthy immune system.

2. Shoot for 5 cups of fruits and veggies a day. Almost any kind is good, but if you’re going to pick and choose, opt for the ones rich in vitamins A, C, and E. Here’s why: Vitamin A (which you get from sweet potatoes, carrots, and dark leafy greens) helps white blood cells fight off infections more effectively; it also helps regulate the immune system. Citrus fruits (like lemons, oranges, and grapefruit), as well as bell peppers, papayas, and broccoli, contain vitamin C, which improves the absorption of iron from plant-based foods and helps the immune system protect against disease. And vitamin E, found in nuts, seeds, and turnip greens, has been shown in scientific studies to combat flu and upper respiratory infections. If you eat a variety of greens (and oranges and yellows and reds) as part of a balanced diet, you’ll get all the good stuff you need to help fight disease. Taking a multivitamin or mineral supplement may help in some cases, but talk to your doctor—sometimes too-high doses of certain minerals can cause imbalances and actually suppress your immune response.

3. Take a 10-minute walk a few times a day. Getting a total of 20 to 30 minutes of daily physical activity can bolster many defenses of the immune system. Exercise gets antibodies and white blood cells moving through the body faster, so they may detect illnesses sooner; plus, an increase in circulation may also trigger the release of hormones that “warn” immune cells of intruding pathogens. Keep your workouts moderate; high-intensity activity, such as a marathon running or intense gym training, could actually decrease the amount of white blood cells circulating through the body and up your risk of illness.

4. Get your vitamin D levels checked. About 50 nmol/L is generally enough to maintain overall health; less than 30 nmol/L is too low for most people. New research suggests vitamin D could boost immune response, and too-low levels may be linked to an increase in seasonal colds and flu. Many of us are deficient in vitamin D, which we can get from the sun and very few foods. Talk to your doctor; you may need a supplement to boost your numbers

5. Reduce your stress levels. Do yoga, play with your dog, listen to music—find ways to chill out because research shows stressalters how well your immune system works. Preliminary research published in the journal Biological Psychiatryexamined two groups of people—caregivers of family members with cancer and individuals without that type of stress. The scientists found something goes awry in the caregivers’ white blood cells, leaving them less responsive to inflammation and raising their risk of illness.

6. Cook with olive and canola oils. These contain healthy fats, which act as a lubricant for cells. This lubricant improves flexibility and communication between the cells, which promotes immune function. Just be careful that you’re not consuming too many omega-6 fats in the meantime: Research shows that people who consume disproportionately more 6s (found in the soybean oil used in most processed snack foods) than 3s are at higher risk for inflammation and immune system problems.

7. Limit your drinks. One is okay for most people, two is fine for some, but drinking any more could suppress the immune system. New research out of Brown University showed excessive alcohol consumption is toxic to immune system cells called dendritic cells, which play a critical role in helping seek and destroy invading microbes. This could lead to serious, and even life-threatening, infections, not to mention increased vulnerability to the cold and flu virus.