Interesting Health Facts

Getting Your Family into Fitness and Fluids:

Getting your family into fitness is easier than you may think. You don’t have to join an expensive health club or buy a lot of fancy exercise equipment.Specialists recommends that you accumulate a total of 30 minutes or more of moderate activity on most days of the week. This means that sweaty workouts aren’t essential for a healthy lifestyle. Even three 10-minute walks around the block can help you get fit.

It is definitely time to take advantage of all the fun fitness activities available wherever you live – in your house and yard; at the park and the mall; out on the river and beach; and up at the lakes and mountains. Getting fit can be as simple as a regular 30-minute noontime walk with friends; an after-school walk to the park with the dog; walking around the field while your kids play ball; or just taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.

And, to go hand-in-hand with increased physical activity, you definitely need to think about your family’s fluid intake. Water is sometimes called “the forgotten nutrient” because so many people do not get enough to drink. Staying well hydrated is important for everyone – and the more active you are, the more fluids you need.

Unfortunately thirst is not a particularly good indicator of when you need to drink more. When you feel thirsty, you are probably already a bit low on fluids. The thirst mechanism is even less accurate in children and older people. They can become seriously dehydrated quite quickly, especially when the weather is hot or dry.

The best defense against dehydration is a good offensive. Here are five ways to make sure that your family gets the fluids they need in any climate. With these tips, you can stay hydrated and perform better during all your spring fitness activities.

#1: Be proactive. Plan ahead and keep plenty of beverages on hand:

* Keep your fridge and cupboards stocked with your family’s favorite fluids. In addition to water, stock up on low-fat milk, 100% juices, and sports drinks.

* Always carry fluids when you leave the house. Never leave home without a water bottle, sports bottle or thermos filled with cold, refreshing beverages.

* Get kids into the water habit. Encourage them to drink whenever they pass a water fountain – whether they feel thirsty or not. Offer cold water with after-school snacks.

#2: Be realistic. Make small changes in your usual beverages. Despite the ads, pop is not the best beverage for active people. To gradually switch to more refreshing choices:

* Serve fat-free or reduced-fat milk with all your meals.
* Buy only a limited amount of pop and sweetened juice drinks.
* Make cold water and 100% juice readily available.

#3: Be adventurous. If you’re tired of the same-old beverages, try some refreshingly different ways to quench your thirst – without lots of empty calories or caffeine:

* Explore iced herbal teas like mixed berry or mandarin orange spice.
* Mix club soda with cranberry or another of your favorite juices.
* Add a wedge of fresh lime or lemon to water and juices.

#4: Be flexible. Balance what you drink with your activity level. Since thirst isn’t always a good indicator of fluid status, remember to:

* Drink several glasses of water before any planned activity.
* Drink often during physical activity – at least every 15 to 20 minutes.
* Drink at least 16 ounces of fluids after being active.

#5: Be sensible. Enjoy a variety of beverages – just don’t overdo it. A moderate intake of caffeine is probably OK for most healthy adults. To keep your intake sensible:

* Go caffeine-free when you do drink pop.
* Switch to decaf coffee or tea after a cup or two in the morning.
* Try herbal tea or hot tea with a lemon wedge.

Bottom line: Get up off the couch – and enjoy some springtime fitness with your family. And, be sure to bring along plenty of refreshing beverages!


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Know your family’s health history:

To find clues to your future health, look to your family tree an important source of information about the genetic and environmental factors that combine to influence your personal health. Physicians use family health histories all the time to help in diagnosing and preventing disease. They can offer invaluable information about diseases or conditions a person may be predisposed to.

A family health history is a record of pertinent medical information about your relatives. Family histories should be traced back at least two generations. Grandparents and parents provide the most important information about direct risk. However, information about the health of siblings and aunts and uncles can help provide a more complete family picture.

Health histories should note the age, or age of death, of these relatives, as well as any specific medical conditions, such as heart disease or cancers. Especially important is a history of colon cancer and, for women, breast or ovarian cancer. It is essential to note the age of onset of diseases.

Your family’s health history can be gathered by speaking directly with your immediate relatives or other family members. If parents are deceased, it is possible for children to request their medical records from the hospital within five to 10 years following their death.

Armed with information about pertinent health problems within your family, a physician can help tailor your own health plan.

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Healthy foods that we ignore:

There are hundreds of foods with amazing health benefits that we should eat. Some are exotic fruits, which can’t be found in nearby grocery store , nor in the market. Others in turn, we see every day on the stall but we don’t give them any importance.

Beet – Studies have shown that people who drank 500 ml of beetroot juice were reduced blood pressure in an hour. The results are measurable, even after 24 hours of consumption. The survey shows that beetroot can fight certain cancers.

Pumpkin – a pumpkin provides significant amounts of vitamins A, C and E, beta carotene, calcium and iron. Is a food supplement that helps digestion due to its high fiber content .

Cabbage – A low-calorie vegetable, cabbage can be included in many diet programs. It is also an excellent source of vitamin C and has significant levels of glutamine, an anti-inflammatory.

Blueberries – the risk of inflammation and certain cancers can be reduced by eating blueberries. Blueberries also contain, anthocyanins and other chemicals that inhibit the formation mechanism of cancer cells. Studies have shown that blueberries are excellent and memory.

Sardines – are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins D and B12, calcium and protein.

Turmeric – A key ingredient in Asian cuisine, this sauce is probably the most beneficial to health. It has many medicinal properties, being an important antiseptic. In Japan, it served as a tea. It benefits against Alzheimer’s disease or cancer.

Cinnamon – Rich in antioxidants, is associated with type 2 diabetes treatment. Traditionally, it is used to prevent colds, constipation and treat toothache.

Pomegranate juice – used in Persian cuisine, pomegranate juice is used both as fresh and as a concentrated syrup. Although it has a very high sugar content, which means it is also high in calories, juice provides 50 percent of daily requirement of vitamins A, C and E, folic acid 100 percent and 13 percent potassium .

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Interesting rice facts:

More than 90 percent of the world’s rice is grown and consumed in Asia, where people typically eat rice two or three times a daily.

More than 40000 varieties of cultivated rice (the grass family Oryza sativa) are thought to exist but the exact number remains a mystery.

Of the 40,000 varieties more than 100 grow world-wide, but only around 10% are marketed and sold.

In Burma a person eats 500 pounds of rice a year.

The Chinese word for rice is the same as the word for food.

Rice is so important in some countries, that they have festivals and celebrations to honor this wonderful food.

Rice provides 20% (i.e.  one fifth) of the world's dietary energy supply.

Rice is a good source of insoluble fiber, which is also found in whole wheat, brand and nuts.



Reference:  http://www.strange-facts.info/