Stephanie Linus Daily

Category: Health & Fitness

  • Outdoor Exercises That Are Great For You

    When the weather outside is wonderful, who wants to spend any time in a stuffy gym? Instead, gather the family and invite your friends to join you out-of-doors for a calorie-blasting good time. These activities make it easy to enjoy the season—and still lose weight, stay motivated, and stay fit!

    Some of them are pretty basic, you’ll see.

    Walking
    Walking is actually one of the best lifetime sports. It’s easy on the joints, you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment, and you can burn calories, even though it’s a more modest amount compared to some other activities. Brisk walking for 30 minutes, most days in a week is recommended.

    Also, did you know that your risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure go down as a response to just increasing your level of physical activity? Beyond that, if you’re trying to lose weight, you should shoot for 60 minutes of walking most days of the week. To keep weight off, get 60-90 minutes of walking most days.

    The trick is to incorporate walking into your daily life such as walking the kids to school or the bus stop in the morning or taking a stroll after dinner each evening. Good athletic shoes are all you need!

    walking

    Explosive Pull-Up
    I found this exercise on Fitness Magazine, and I’d sure love to try it… that’s when I can Lol! This exercise is great for your biceps, shoulders, and back.

    Find a branch or horizontal pole that’s high above your head. Jump to reach it, exploding from the ground and thrusting up. Use your arms to lift your head above the pole or branch, then ease yourself back down. Do as many as you can in 60 seconds.explosive pull up

    Tennis
    Grab a pal and start practicing your serve. This sport helps you loose lots of calories, once you know how to play it very well. It’s also very enjoyable and can be done with the entire family… just like the Oreniyi’s did on a recent Episode of Make Me Fabulous.tennis

    Beach Volleyball
    If you live in Lagos, then you’ll have no excuse about playing this sport. There are beaches in the city!

    Spike your fat burn and soak up some rays at the same time while losing some calories. Every serve and spike helps tone your arms, abs, legs, and chest.

    beach volleyball

    Jogging/Running
    Jogging is terrific for your heart and lungs, and it improves your stamina. If you’re trying to lose weight, it can burn calories more quickly than walking. It’s important to get a good pair of running shoes, and, for women, a quality sports bra.

    A note of warning, running does put more stress on the joints — the knees, ankles, and hips so the key is to start slowly and increase your time or distance gradually.

    running

    Cycling
    Not only is bicycling an excellent cardiovascular exercise, but you can really explore your community by cycling to different neighborhoods. Many people cycle to work and school.

    Cycling uses the quadriceps (the muscles on the front of the thighs) more thereby exercising those muscles properly.

    It’s important to make sure your bike is fitted properly to your body; otherwise, you’ll put too much stress on your back or knees.cycling

    I hope this helps. What sort of outdoor exercise do you love doing?

    Photo Credit: Fitnessmagazine.com, Getty Images

  • Why You Should Stop Using Your Phone In The Bathroom

    Using your phone in the bathroom can spread serious illnesses, and the problem is only becoming worse as people use handheld devices more and more. From tweeting, to putting up Instagram posts, making comments on facebooks and even answering calls, people use their phones for a good number of reasons in the bathroom.

    In a recent study of mobile phone habits of 1000 people by Wtop.com, about 75 per cent of those questioned admitted to surfing the web, using apps, emailng and texting while in the toilet – with more than 90 per cent saying they had returned calls. Are you guilty of this? If yes, here are some reasons you should stop this habit:

    1. Anything that you intend on taking out with you, into the environment, probably shouldn’t be accompanying you into the bathroom. That goes for electronic devices, that goes for food, and that also goes for anything that you might be sharing with people. – Huffington Post

    2. According to a U.K.-wide study by scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Topical Medicine and Queen Mary University of London, one in six mobile phones was contaminated with E. coli bacteria. Fecal bacteria and viruses like the flu can survive on someone’s hands and on surfaces for hours, especially in warm temperatures away from sunlight. – CBC

    3. The use of a cellphone without either washing your hands or cleaning off the device with an alcohol wipe could lead to a “cumulative effect of bacteria”. – Huffington Post

    4. Smartphones, keyboards and tablets are even more contaminated than toilet seats, said a study by U.K. watchdog Which? in 2013.

    5. Any place where people are touching their bodies, then an inanimate object, with their hands without washing – they are potentially transferring bacteria or viruses to the objects – Sunshine Coast Daily

    So, next time you want to take your phone to the bathroom, or use someone’s phone who has just taken it to the bathroom, you should remember these points!

    Stay safe.

     

     

  • Why Women Should Sleep More Than Men

    There is a lot of information on the internet supporting the fact that women live longer than men. This time, researchers are also saying women need to sleep more. According to Jim Horne, a sleep expert, women need a time advantage of twenty minutes more than the men, because they tend to multitask , and do a lot of things at once, therefore they use more of their brain than then the men.

    Researchers from Duke University have discovered that, compared to men, women experience more mental and physical consequences from inadequate rest.

    According to the research, women suffer more than men, both mentally and physically, if they are forced to skimp on their sleep. As well as a higher risk of heart disease, depression and psychological problems, sleep-deprived women have extra clotting factors in their blood, which can lead to a stroke. They also have higher inflammation markers, which indicate developing health problems.

    The study estimated men and women’s respective needs for sleep by assessing their ability to deal with insufficient rest and noticed a sharp difference between genders. The results showed that women had more depression, women had more anger, and women had more hostility early in the morning.

    So, guys, if the woman in your life woke up grumpy this morning, don’t be too hard on her. It is, apparently, only natural.

    To all you ladies, I would say you treat yourself regularly to a good sleep. Today might be a good time to start, don’t you think?

    Have a restful day!

  • 10 Foods To Improve Your Eyesight

    Protecting your eyes have a lot to do with the food on your plate. Are you eating the foods that are best for your eyes? Those of us with healthy eyes tend to take eye health for granted. Instead of waiting until our vision gets poor, let’s take a look at our diets to improve our eyes.

    The best way to improve your eyesight is through the foods you eat. Here are 10 foods that are sure to improve your overall eye health.

    1. Green Vegetables: Eat as many leafy greens per day as possible — and make sure not to overcook them as they can lose some of their valuable nutrients. They’re packed with lutein and zeaxanthin—antioxidants that, studies show, lower the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts. Vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and kale — are known to prevent loss of vision.

    2. Fish: Cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may help protect against dry eyes, macular degeneration and even cataracts.

    3. Eggs: Eggs contain proteins that are beneficial to the lens of your eye. The yolk is a prime source of lutein and zeaxanthin—plus zinc, which also helps reduce your macular degeneration risk. Start your day off with an egg or two to keep your vision on track.

    4. Blackcurrants: Black currants contain some of the highest levels of the antioxidant anthocyanins found in nature. It’s also rich in essential fatty acids, lending added support to its anti-inflammatory properties. For medicinal purposes, many opt for using black currant seed oil, but eating the whole food is always an option.

    5. Citrus Fruits & Berries: Good new for fruit lovers. Oranges, grapefruits, lemons and berries are high in vitamin C, which may reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

    6. Nuts: Almonds, cashews and peanuts all contain omega-3s, just like fish. Though they don’t contain as much, they’ve also been known to help reduce dry eyes and eye disease as you age.

    7. Tomatoes: Tomatoes are also an excellent source of vitamin C, another vision protector. They are also packed with carotenoids, including lycopene, which helps give tomatoes their vibrant red color. Research shows that the lycopene present in ocular tissues helps prevent light-induced damage to the retina and other areas of the eye.

    8. Carrots: Carrots are high in vitamin A, a nutrient essential for good vision. Eating carrots will provide you with the small amount of vitamin A needed for good vision.

    9. Avocados: Lutein is a natural antioxidant that may help maintain eye health, as we get older. An ounce of avocado contains 81 micrograms of lutein. Lutein has been shown to be concentrated in the macula of the eye, and research suggests that it may help maintain healthy eyesight as we age.

    10. Beef: In moderation, lean beef in your diet can boost your eye health. Beef contains zinc, which helps your body absorb vitamin A and may play a role in reducing risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration.

    So SL Fabz, be sure to include eye-healthy foods in your diet everyday.

    Do you know of any of any other foods that are great for eyesight?

  • 10 Bad Habits That Drain Your Energy

    Sometimes, we feel physically or emotionally drained. This stops us from achieving our dreams and might be the cause of some habits we practice often. Such habits could be physical, mental, emotional…

    Here are 10 things you need to stop doing if you want to boost your energy:

    1. Letting pain from the past devastate the present: Don’t give up on today because of the way things looked yesterday. Every day is a new day to try again.
    2. Skipping breakfast: Many people skip breakfast in an attempt to control their weight. However, doing so may undermine your entire day. After fasting all night, your body needs calories and nutrients to produce energy.
    3. Continuous complaining: Not only does complaining sap energy from you and everyone around you, it also doesn’t work.
    4. Lack of adequate sleep: I know some people believe that less sleep gives them more time in the day, but this is not actually true. Lack of sleep means you won’t function very well when sleep deprived.
    5. Skipping exercise: Regular exercise boosts strength and endurance, helps make your cardiovascular system run more efficiently, and delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. So next time you’re tempted to crash on the couch, at least go for a brisk walk—you won’t regret it.
    6. You don’t drink enough water: Dehydration causes a reduction in blood volume, which makes the blood thicker. This requires your heart to pump less efficiently, reducing the speed at which oxygen and nutrients reach your muscles and organs. This makes you very weak and tired.
    7. You’re not consuming enough iron: Boost your iron intake to reduce your risk of anemia and general body weakness. Foods rich in iron include beef, beans, eggs, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, and peanut butter, and pair them with foods high in vitamin C (vitamin C improves iron absorption when eaten together).
    8. Sacrificing too much for others: Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you do, there will be very little left that you can give to anyone, even those you love dearly.
    9. You have too much on your plate: One of most common reasons that people feel drained and exhausted is that they have too much to do and too little time. Many people take on more than they can handle. Learn to say no and create a little gap in your day. If you want more energy you need time for yourself too.
    10. Eating too much junk food: Processed foods are convenient if you live a busy life, but they’re actually working against you. Foods loaded with sugar and simple carbs like the ones you’ll find in a fast food center works to increase your blood sugar. Constant blood sugar spikes followed by sharp drops cause fatigue over the course of the day.

    It’s the start of a brand new week, SL Fabz. Stay active by keeping away from bad habits that drain your energy.

    Have a great week.

  • Get Rid Of Stretch Marks Using Home Remedies

    Many people see stretch marks as a sign of obesity. But I actually have to dispute that because I’ve seen stretch marks on slim people.

    Stretch marks occur as a result of the elasticity of the skin when you gain weight real quick, especially during puberty or pregnancy stage.

    When stretch marks are too much and in very visible parts of the body, they can make one really uncomfortable. But to get rid of them, you really don’t have to spend so much. Natural methods are cheap and safe.

    Here are a few:

    1. Aloe Vera.
    This is the most effective homeopathic remedy for curing, not only stretch marks, but other skin related problems. Aloe Vera is known for its healing and regenerating properties. You can apply it directly on stretch mark one time a day or make a paste by mixing  the Aloe Vera gel with olive oil. Then, use warm water to rinse the skin.

    2. White Sugar
    Natural white sugar is one of the best natural remedies to get rid of stretch marks. You can use the sugar to exfoliate your skin. Take a tablespoon of sugar. Add some drops of almond oil and lemon juice in it. Stir it well and apply directly on the stretch marks. Rub it for 8-10 minutes and then, take a shower. Do this repeatedly for one month until the stretch marks fade away.

    3. Lemon Juice
    The alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and vitamin C in lemons can efficienty remove the dead skin and make your stretch marks disappear fast.  Slice up lemon and rub it over stretch marks in a circular motion for 10 minutes. Then clean it with warm water. You can also create a mixture of lemon juice and cucumber juice and apply this mixture on stretch mark.

    4. Potato Juice
    Potato juice contains vitamins and minerals that foster growth and restoration of skin cells. Cut thick slices of a medium-sized potato. Take one of the potato slices and rub gently on the stretch marks for a few minutes. When the juice gets dried, wash the affected area with lukewarm water.

    5. Egg Whites
    Egg whites are full of proteins and amino acid. They are likewise rich in collagen and vitamin A and along these lines can treat scars or blazes excessively effected. Separate egg whites of two eggs and whip them. Clean affected stretch marks with fresh water and apply a layer of whipped egg whites. Let them dry and wash it with cold water. After, use olive oil as moisturizer. Use this method daily for at least two weeks.

    6. Cocoa Butter & Shea Butter
    Cocoa butter is best known for enhancing the blood circulation and anti-ageing properties and anti-wrinkling properties. While Shea butter melts on your skin at body temperature and so can be ingested fast. Mix these two with a little Vitamin E oil which is a compelling antioxidant that will penetrate through the layers of your skin and help its natural wound mending procedure while removing the scars on it. Store in a cool place. The cream will become strong again once it chills off. Apply this twice daily.

    Remember, whatever remedy you choose to use, you have to be consistent with it over some weeks for best results.

    SL Fabz, do you know of any other methods of getting rid of stretch marks through natural remedies?

  • 5 Healthy Reasons Why You Should Eat Cucumbers

    Whether you add cucumber slices to your salad, toss them in your smoothie or take them as a snack, cucumbers help keep you full without ruining your diet.

    But not only are they satisfying, they are also great for your body. Here are some impressive health benefits of cucumbers:

    Cucumber Rehydrates The Body
    If you are too busy to drink enough water, eat the cool cucumber, which is 90 percent water. It will cheerfully compensate your water loss.

    Freshen Your Breath
    Placing a cucumber slice on the roof of your mouth may help to rid your mouth of odor-causing bacteria. According to the principles of Ayurveda, eating cucumbers may also help to release excess heat in your stomach, which is said to be a primary cause of bad breath

    Fight Cancers
    Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol. These three lignans have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and prostate cancer.

    Packed with Vitamins
    Cucumbers are rich in most essential vitamins that the body needs. They contain vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and gives the body more energy and a youthful glow.

    Good For Diabetics
    Patients of diabetes can enjoy cucumber while also reaping its health benefits. Cucumber contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin.

    Protect Your Brain
    Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol called fisetin that appears to play an important role in brain health. In addition to improving your memory and protecting your nerve cells from age-related decline, fisetin has been found to prevent progressive memory and learning impairments in mice with Alzheimer’s disease.

    Good For Weight Watchers
    Cucumbers are low in calories and high in water, making them ideal for those who want to lose a few pounds. They are also high in fiber that aids digestion and can be a cure for constipation.

    Do you know of any other health benefits of eating cucumber? Do you eat cucumber often?

  • 11 Major Causes & Risk Factors Of Breast Cancer

    One important way to stay healthy is to have the required information to avoid certain diseases.

    The high rate of women dying from Breast Cancer in Nigeria yearly is alarming, and today, I’d like us to enlighten ourselves on the risk factors of breast cancer.

    While we do not yet know exactly what causes Breast Cancer, we do know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease. A risk factor is something that affects your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For instance, did you know that the older you get, the higher your chances of getting breast cancer?

    I found these causes and risks of breast cancer on NHS.UK and just had to share it here:

    Age
    The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. The condition is most common among women over 50 who have been through the menopause. About 8 out of 10 cases of breast cancer occur in women over 50.

    Family history
    If you have close relatives who have had breast cancer or ovarian cancer, you may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

    Previous diagnosis of breast cancer
    If you’ve previously had breast cancer or early non-invasive cancer cell changes in breast ducts, you have a higher risk of developing it again, either in your other breast or in the same breast again.

    Previous benign breast lump
    A benign breast lump doesn’t mean you have breast cancer, but certain types of lump may slightly increase your risk of developing it.

    Breast density
    Women with dense breast tissue may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer because there are more cells that can become cancerous.

    Exposure to oestrogen
    Your risk of developing breast cancer may rise slightly with the amount of oestrogen your body is exposed to. For example, if you started your periods at a young age and experienced the menopause at a late age, you’ll have been exposed to oestrogen over a longer period of time. In the same way, not having children, or having children later in life, may slightly increase your risk of developing breast cancer because your exposure to oestrogen is uninterrupted by pregnancy.

    Being overweight or obese
    If you’ve experienced the menopause and are overweight or obese, you may be more at risk of developing breast cancer.

    Being tall
    If you’re taller than average, you’re more likely to develop breast cancer than someone who’s shorter than average. The reason for this isn’t fully understood, but it may be due to interactions between genes, nutrition and hormones.

    Alcohol
    Your risk of developing breast cancer can increase with the amount of alcohol you drink.

    Radiation
    Certain medical procedures that use radiation, such as X-rays and computerised tomography (CT) scans, may slightly increase your risk of developing breast cancer.

    Takin Contraceptive pills
    Research has shown that women who use oral contraception (the pill) have a slight, but significant, increased risk of developing breast cancer. However, the risk starts to decrease once you stop taking the pill, and your risk of breast cancer is back to normal 10 years after stopping.

    So ladies, do you think you fall into the category of any of these risk factors? What steps have you been taking to protect yourself?

    Stay healthy ladies!

  • 3 Delicious Health Benefits Of Eating Chocolate

    I know you’re probably smiling while reading this post. Why wouldn’t you? Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and you’re gearing up to eat as much chocolate as you can!

    I’m not here to say you should over indulge yourself and eat so much chocolate… No. Chocolate has been said to cause a lot of problems including acne and obesity when taken in large enough quantities. But in recent years, studies have found that eating small amounts of the right kind of chocolate can actually be healthy.

    Studies show that Dark Chocolate (not just any kind of chocolate) is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health. Take a look at some of the surprising health benefits of chocolate:

    A Healthier Heart
    Regular chocolate eaters welcome a host of benefits for their hearts, including lower blood pressure, lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and a lower risk of heart disease.

    One of the reasons dark chocolate is especially heart-healthy is its inflammation-fighting properties, which reduce cardiovascular risk. A study showed that chocolate 5+ times per week lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease by 57%.  Another recent study in Australia showed that eating chocolate high in healthy antioxidants reduced the blood pressure-raising effects of exercise on overweight individuals.

    A Good Source Of Antioxidants
    Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants help free your body of free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to cells. Free radicals are implicated in the aging process and may be a cause of cancer, so eating antioxidant rich foods like dark chocolate can protect you from many types of cancer and slow the signs of aging.

    Reduces Risk Of Stroke
    A 2011 Swedish study found that women who ate more than 45 grams of chocolate a week had a 20 percent lower risk of stroke than women who treated themselves to fewer than 9 grams of the sweet stuff. Dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain as well as to the heart, so it can help improve cognitive function. This helps reduce your risk of stroke.

    I found other health benefits of chocolate while doing some research but these three above struck me the most.

    Because it’s rich in fiber, dark chocolate can actually help keep you full, so you’ll eat less. It also contains a number of vitamins and minerals that can support your health such as Potassium, Copper, Magnesium and Iron. The bioactive compounds in dark chocolate are also great for your skin. And let’s not forget its amazing taste. Hmm…. Yummy.

    SL Fabz, don’t forget. Eat chocolate in moderation. Don’t go overboard, chocolate still contains sugar and fat. Enjoy a little bit of it for its great health benefits.

    Have a Sweet Friday!

  • 6 Surprising Habits That Make You Gain Weight

    Everyone likes to stay fit. No, scrap that. Everyone needs to stay fit, and healthy.

    Whether we like to admit it or not, our weight is directly linked to our health. Being overweight and being underweight have adverse consequences on our health and are situations we must avoid at all cost. Unfortunately, its a bit difficult. French fries taste better than side salads and chicken is yummier when grilled or fried.

    However, a healthy weight is a lot easier to accomplish when the right choices are taken. Here are some surprisingly wrong choices you might have been practicing that is causing you to gain weight:

    Taking Big Bites
    Avoid spooning very large portions of food into your mouth. Cut your food into smaller pieces, use a smaller fork or spoon. You increase enjoyment and take longer to eat, which increases your satisfaction. Research has shown that people who took large bites of food consumed 52% more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer!

    Not Getting Enough Sleep
    You don’t even need to be conscious to work on losing weight. Getting the right amount of sleep is a major factor in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Sleep is essential for your metabolism, your blood-sugar regulation, appropriate hormone balance and energy health.

    Skipping Meals
    The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your chances of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study has shown that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your chances of overeating at the next meal.

    Eating Heavy Dinner
    When you hit your body with so much food at dinner, it can be difficult for the body to digest and process it all. The extra can be converted into fatty acids and lead to weight gain.

    Watching TV While Eating
    When you watch television, you’re not fully concentrating on anything else that you’re doing, and this includes eating. You get distracted while eating and tend to eat much more. Sometimes, you may not even remember all of what you ate! Statistics also show you eat 5-10 times more when you eat while watching TV.

    Eating Too Quickly
    It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. Slow eaters eat fewer calories per meal than fast eaters. So if you are concerned about that weight, cut down your speed.

    I personally learnt something new while writing this. I didn’t know that eating while watching TV could make me gain weight!

    SL Fabz, do you have any other habit to add to this list? Are you guilty of any of the above habits?