The Brunette Diaries

Tips To Help You Maintain Your Weight Post Weight Loss

Neither it is easy to lose weight, nor it is a cup of tea to maintain the lost calories. Once you’ve lost a significant weight, you feel proud of having to achieve what once you thought was a dream. But often people feel so proud, they allow themselves a lot of cheat day, that not only harms your system but also puts you off of your daily routine. It is NECESSARY to award yourself some prizes, but if you want to maintain that weight loss, you got to work harder all over AGAIN. Worry not, we have some tips for you, especially that will help you keep your fitness at bay, and your health top notch.

1) Never skip your breakfast

Breakfast is the MOST important part of your meals. It helps the body kick start, provides the right energy for you to keep going the whole day. It’s a proven fact, people who have breakfast as compared to those who DON’T are healthier and at lesser risk of obesity.

2) Exercise daily

Remember the time you worked so hard to lose all the fats that you carried, but now that you achieved your goal, you don’t hit the gym that often. Regular exercise is a MUST, it helps you burn any new fat that the body produces. It also keeps you on track with your health.

3) Weigh yourself quite often

Checking your weight on regular intervals helps you keep a track. It shows if you have gained or are gaining constantly. You can, accordingly, moderate your diet and exercises. Anytime you feel lazy about following your routine, just check your weight.

4) Lift weights

Doing cardio may be fun, but weight lifting is essential for maintaining your weight loss. You may not need to hit the gym every day of the week, if you train in heavy lifting, going 3-4 times a week is more than enough for your body. Lifting weight builds your core stronger, eventually helping your system to be stronger and healthier.

5) Stay hydrated

No matter what, keep your water intake proper. Don’t neglect this point, water is extremely crucial for any problems. Acne – drink water, constipated – drink water, need to lose weight – drink water!

6) Make sustainable changes in your lifestyle

Now that you’ve achieved the unachievable, you need to keep that goal forever. If your work schedule doesn’t allow you working out a time or you have to eat outside often, DON’T. Make sure you remind yourself of all the hardships you went through to achieve wherever you stand today. Make necessary changes in your lifestyle and priority to your health and fitness.

Get on roll, guys! It’s time to take your health seriously! 😉

Why You Should Have The YOGA Way Of Lifestyle

Yoga is a Sanskrit word derived from the Sanskrit root “yuj” which means to connect, join or balance.
Yoga is a way of life, it is not removed from it. We do not need to feel disappointed or frustrated considering our limitations with regard to physical health, shape and size of the body, lack of time, lack of space or unavailability of a teacher. Yoga, in fact, is the means to overcome all these problems. Yoga includes every aspect of life. Yoga touches everything in life. All healing methods and meditations are part and parcel of Yoga. Yoga is like the sun itself, which brightens everything that comes into contact with it.

Yoga is usually defined as union: It is a unison of the limited self and the Divine Self. The aim of Yoga is not really to unite us with anything for we are already united. It is to help us realize our identity with the Divine Self, to make us know and tune into our intrinsic nature.

The Bhagwad Gita, a very widely known classical text on Yoga, gives various definitions of Yoga.

1) Yoga is equanimity of mind in success and failure.
2) Yoga is discretion in work.
3) Yoga is the remover of misery and destroyer of pain. Yoga is the supreme secret of life.
4) Yoga is serenity.

Also, check out this article (Click here) of how ATTOI is taking the initiative to bring all the YOGA professionals to the birthplace of YOGA, Kerala.

Here’s why you should make YOGA a part of your life:

1) Helps with weight management

Through the twists and bends and cleansing practices, yoga stimulates detoxification, the preliminary requirement for effective weight loss. Also, it promotes better metabolism and fat burning potential. Regular practice of yoga also helps to reduce stress, thereby lowering cortisol, the primary culprit behind the dreaded belly fat.

2) Stronger bones and joints

Various balancing postures of yoga improve bone density and strengthen the joints and bones. This cuts down the risks of osteoporosis, fractures, and arthritis through bone loss.

3) Helps with menstrual and menopausal issues

Yoga could help to ease menstrual woes, including water retention, bloating, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, and irregular menstrual cycles. Various restorative and balancing poses are also known to help with menopausal symptoms management, including hot flashes and osteoporosis.

4) Keeps un-curable diseases like diabetes under control

Various yoga poses and Pranayama techniques could help to improve insulin sensitivity, lower anti-diabetic drugs usage, promote weight loss, and curb spiraling sugar levels. Yoga also helps to lower stress, one of the primary contributing factors to Type II Diabetes. Yoga, when practiced regularly, gives the diabetic patients a chance to enjoy a better lifestyle.

5) Helps with blood pressure management

Conscious breathing practices promote better oxygen intake, thereby improving circulation and keeping the blood pressure under control.

Lastly, practicing YOGA every day, making it a part of your life will give you a better health, physically as well as mentally, also will improve your lifestyle drastically.

Indian Women Are As Likely To Develop Renal Problems As Men

*How much do you know about Renal Problems?*
*Do you know what causes it?*
*How can we avoid having those problems?*

WORRY NOT! TBD will guide you. Renal problem is a serious topic, and you should be well educated about it, more importantly, should be aware of things that cause renal problems, and if you ever encounter yourself in THAT situation, what you should be doing or who you should be consulting!

Kidney disorders are a worldwide health concern with severe outcomes of kidney failure and premature mortality. Kidney disease is currently the 8th leading cause of mortality among women.

Prevalence of Chronic Kidney disease (CKD) among women is as common as among men. Women are 5% more likely to develop CKD in comparison to men.

CKD is also considered a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome and reduced fertility. Women who have CKD are at increased risk for negative outcomes for the mother and the baby; pregnancies in women with advanced CKD are most challenging with high rates of hypertensive disorders and preterm births. It comes as a shocker to many that the kidneys, each about the size of a fist play such a major role in your wellbeing.

What causes renal disorders?

So what exactly causes these 2 little fist-sized organs to suddenly go out of order? Kidney diseases are mostly caused due to diabetes, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries. However some of these diseases can also occur due to the inflammation of the kidneys. This condition is called nephritis. Some anatomic disorders too can lead to renal diseases besides the one resulting from metabolic disorders. The chances of the latter happening however are thin for in the case of metabolic kidney disorders are rare since they need to be inherited from both parents.

Rising renal problems in kids

Occurrence of renal failure in Indian kids has been increasing at an alarming rate in India. 20 % of the Indian kids are suffering from kidney diseases. Parents have a leading role in order to keep their child healthy and lead a disease free life:-

1) Diet – A balanced diet contains a mixture of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Avoid processed food, fizzy drinks in order to maintain sugar and salt level Parents should keep their children fit, active and eating well to ensure that they do not become overweight. Encouraging children to take part in sports and physical activities to keep them fit.

2) Consume water – Healthy fluid intake is necessary for children, especially water. But if a child is dehydrated, he/she should not urinate more frequently as the water gets absorbed by the body.

3) No- smoking – teenage is the age that is most attractive for cigarettes and hence parents should keep an eye on their children.

4) Medicines and drugs – Aspirin and other banned drug usages may directly affect the kidney or liver. It dehydrates the body and succeeds to kidney failure.

5) Reduce sodium intake – Too much of sodium can lead to hypertension, so cutting down on salt intake is better. Daily 1.5 to 2.3 grams daily is the prescribed amount of salt intake

6) Increase potassium – Potassium helps in balancing the water level and reduces the effect of sodium thereby reducing blood pressure. So it is a key that kids are nourished with potassium rich food(potato, spinach, beans, low fat dairy products).

What are the treatment options?

When treating kidney, the doctors tend to concentrate more on the underlying cause of the disease. The infections can also be cured by antibiotics if the infection is caused by bacteria. In case of acute kidney failure this scheme works best. In such cases treating the original cause can help return the kidney to its normal functioning. But in most of kidney failure cases, the blood pressure has first to be brought to be normal in order to evade any more progression of disease.

End-stage kidney failures are only controlled by dialysis or kidney transplant. Dialysis can be done once a week or more often depending on the condition. In case of transplant the diseased ones are replaced by a new or a healthy one. These transplants are said to work 80 percent of the time. The only fear in this case what is the body rejects the transplant. The risk however is worth it because a healthy kidney can help you live a better life.

Fitness Tips From Fitness Guru Herself, Up Close With Sonam Bajwa

Interviewing celebs and great personalities is one of the perks enjoyed by the team of TBD. We get to ask various questions that many fans wish to ask their role models. This time, TBD got the chance to get up close with the beautiful and graceful, Sonam Bajwa.

Sonam, who is known for her role in “Carry On Jatta 2” starring alongside with Diljith Dosanjh, also participated in the Femina Miss India Contest in 2012. But, if you follow her on Instagram, you’d know she is a huge fitness freak too. She loves Gymming and the results are evident from her super hot body for which she seems to have worked hard.

Check out our video on our Youtube Channel:

Also, here are some pictures from Sonam’s Instagram proving her love for fitness!

Happy National Lemon Juice Day!

Yes, there is an entire day dedicated to LEMONS. When life gives you lemons, have tequila shots :P. More like, when life gives you a chance to celebrate lemon Juice Day, JUST DO IT! This fruit is well, may be hard to taste all on its own, but if you add it to different drinks, dishes or simply water, it delivers many health benefits.

WHAT IS LEMON GOOD FOR?

•   The lemon is high in vitamin C, fiber and various beneficial plant compounds.
•   These nutrients are responsible for the health benefits of lemons.
•   In fact, lemons may support heart health, weight control, digestive health and more.

HISTORY OF LEMONS:

• The 1900s: Little Lemon

Lemon is a common name for both boys and girls.

• The 1800s: Posh Lemon

Lemons are a sign of wealth and their trees are grown outside of homes to show affluence and provide fragrant smell.

• 1493: Continental Citrus

Christopher Columbus brings lemons to The New World

SOME MORE BENEFITS OF LEMONS:

1) Treats Indigestion

Lemon juice helps to cure problems related to indigestion and constipation. Add a few drops of this citrus fruit juice to your dish (take care, it does not go well with milk), and it will aid in digestion. It acts as a blood purifier and a cleansing agent.

2) Prevent Kidney stones

Kidney stones are small lumps that form when waste products crystallize and build up in the kidneys. They are quite common, and people who get them often get them repeatedly. Citric acid may help prevent kidney stones by increasing urine volume and increasing urine pH, creating a less favorable environment for kidney stone formation.

3) Hair Care

Lemon juice has proven itself useful in the treatment of hair care on a wide scale. Its juice, when applied to the scalp can treat problems like dandruff, hair loss and other problems related to the hair and scalp. If you apply this juice directly to the hair, it can give your hair a natural shine.

4) Weight Loss

Lemons are often promoted as a weight loss food, and there are a few theories as to why this is. One common theory is that the soluble pectin fiber in them expands in your stomach, helping you feel full for longer. That said, not many people eat lemons whole. And because lemon juice contains no pectin, lemon juice drinks will not promote fullness in the same way. Another theory claims that drinking hot water with lemon will help you lose weight.

5) Controls blood pressure

Drinking lemon juice is helpful for people suffering from heart problems because it contains potassium. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, and nausea as it provides a calming sensation to both, the mind and body.

So, don’t forget to celebrate National Lemon Juice Day with lemons and do pass on the good information

Are You On The Highway To A HEART ATTACK?

I’m on the highway to hell…..

Well, you might not to be on your way to hell, but you surely are heading towards a heart attack if you follow any of these habits. It may be your mood, sleeping schedule or even your surroundings. The little things that you need to be kept a check on, these littlest things make a huge difference, and in this case, can definitely put your life in danger. If you notice any of these signs similar to your behavior or lifestyle, you need to make serious changes and that too ASAP.

1) Sleeping for less than 6 hours

With our fast-paced life, we tend to work more hours than spending it in taking care of ourselves. Sleep is as essential as food for the body. Many adults and well now, even young adults struggle to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, and that is leading them to their death beds. We don’t realize it, but as our health start deteriorating, our bodies fail to function properly and it’s only then that we start taking care of ourselves.

2) Getting cranky or angry over little things

Turning into a Hulk is cool only in movies, having fiery emotions in real life can drastically increase your risk for a heart attack. Researchers at the University of Australia questioned 313 patients who had suffered suspected heart attacks about their anger levels before the onset of symptoms. They found that patients were 8.5 times more likely to have a heart attack in the two hours following an intense outburst of anger, defined as “very angry, body tense, clenching fists or teeth.” The more often you’re angry, the higher your chances for a heart attack.

3) Living in a smoggy area

Smog doesn’t just give you breathing problems, lung diseases or bad hair, it is just as bad for your heart as well. Exposure to such air leads up to heart attack symptoms. Even the small combustion particles that come from fuel burning and vehicle emissions are equally dangerous to your health.

4) You live in an area with extreme temperatures

Studies show that both extreme cold and extreme heat can put people at risk for heart attacks. Abrupt temperature swings also may be bad for your health. Cardiology researchers in Michigan recently linked extreme day-to-day changes in temperatures to a significant increase in heart attacks, a finding that raises the disturbing possibility of yet another harmful effect of our warming planet on human health.

5) Your mother had a heart attack

Or it was your father, either of your grandparents, siblings. No matter which relative, heart disease and risk factors for heart disease are strongly linked to family history. There are at least 67 sites in the DNA sequence, or variants that can increase your risk of a heart attack, each of these variants raises the relative risk of cardiovascular disease by about 10%. But if you have a number of them, it adds up. The good news is, having a family history of heart attacks don’t guarantee you will have one. Actively maintaining a healthy lifestyle can lower your overall risk.

Though, we don’t guarantee that having a healthy heart leads to heaven 😛

Unexpected Weight Loss Could Be a Serious Problem

Many unexpected stuff can make you happy, like getting an unexpected holiday or finding money in your pocket, or like unexpected weight loss.

NO, unexpected weight loss might just be a real serious problem, so while you may be celebrating for losing some weight, get checked up if it isn’t a symptom to any diseases or disorder!

1) Muscle loss (sarcopenia)

People tend to experience muscle loss as they age because they neglect to maintain muscle health. This kind of muscle atrophy is sarcopenia, which can begin as early as your 40s and cause unexplained weight loss and reduced strength, energy, and mobility. To avoid muscle loss, one should add more protein and vitamin D to their diet. Older adults require more protein to build muscle at that age. Also, adding weights to your workouts helps build muscle mass and strength.

2) Cancer

Cancer, in general, can cause weight loss, but there are several types of cancer, such as lung, pancreatic, biliary, and colon, that are known to lead to unexplained weight loss. Abnormally functioning cancer cells grow out of control, speed up your metabolism, and wear out your entire body by using its resources, which causes weight loss. Cancer treatments can also lead to weight loss. Radiation and chemotherapy often cause a decrease in appetite, and it can lead to side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and mouth sores that discourage eating.

3) HIV and AIDS

AIDS, Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, chronic and potentially life-threatening disease that is caused by HIV, human immunodeficiency virus. HIV can make it harder for your body to absorb nutrients, which causes malnutrition and can lead to a decreased appetite. While there’s no cure for HIV or AIDS, there are medications that can dramatically slow the progression of the disease and allow you to live an otherwise healthy life.

4) Depression

Usually, when a person is depressed, he or she losses interest in almost everything that exists in life, even the ones they enjoyed previously. In this mood-disorder, giving up eating is one common thing that is found, whereas many start overeating. But, depression does result in weight loss which isn’t healthy at all. While there’s no one single cause of depression, many cases can be treated effectively with medication and therapy, although some antidepressants can also contribute to further weight loss.

5) Diabetes

Diabetes is often associated with weight gain or obesity, but surprisingly, weight loss can be one of the diabetes symptoms. When the body is no longer able to produce insulin sufficiently, glucose is no longer making it into the bloodstream to be used as energy. When there is an insufficiency in insulin, the body starts burning fat and muscle for energy, causing a reduction in overall body weight. If you are a diabetic and are experiencing weight loss, you need to see your doctor asap.

Let us know if this article helped you in any way, also suggest what you’d like us to write on.

Let’s Take A Pledge For The Mental Well Being This World Mental Health Day

10th October is celebrated as World Mental Health Day all around the world and this year’s theme is young people and their mental health in a changing world.

Being in your teen years may just be the hardest part of your life. Adulthood is a time of life when many changes occur, such as entering college, changing states for studies, or even looking for a new job. But out of all this, trying to know where you belong, what you like and where exactly you fit in can be a stressful job. It may be exciting for many but also be times of apprehension for some.

In such times, these feelings of uncertainty, facing challenges or making decisions lead to mental illness. In all this, there comes the new technology, online technology. While many reap the benefits, and some are under pressure, it keeps on adding peer pressure, looking at other’s lives on social media, the happy lifestyle put many teenagers in depression and driving them to hate their lives.

Many adolescents are also living in areas affected by humanitarian emergencies such as conflicts, natural disasters and epidemics. Young people living in situations such as these are particularly vulnerable to mental distress and illness.

All you need is understanding:

Prevention begins with being aware of and understanding the early warning signs and symptoms of mental illness. Parents and teachers can help build life skills of children and adolescents to help them cope with everyday challenges at home and at school. Psycho-social support can be provided in schools and other community settings and of course training for health workers to enable them to detect and manage mental health disorders can be put in place, improved or expanded.

Half of all mental illness begins at the age 14:

Half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14, but most cases go undetected and untreated. In terms of the burden of the disease among adolescents, depression is the third leading cause. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. Harmful use of alcohol and illicit drugs among adolescents is a major issue in many countries and can lead to risky behaviours such as unsafe sex or dangerous driving. Eating disorders are also of concern.

Importance of awareness:

Fortunately, there is a growing recognition of the importance of helping young people build mental resilience, from the earliest ages, in order to cope with the challenges of today’s world. The evidence is growing that promoting and protecting adolescent health brings benefits not just to adolescents’ health, but to the society on a whole.

On Twitter, people have been tweeting about mental health and how important it is of an issue, have a look!

Keep Off These Foods If You Want To Enjoy A Healthy Heart

Your heart is the engine of your body. It is responsible for the circulation of the life of our bodies, that is, blood. Therefore, you have to take good care of it if you want to live a healthy and long life. To help you do this, we have compiled this list of foods you need to avoid to maintain a healthy heart.

1) Cold Cuts

In themselves, cold cuts do not endanger your heart’s health. However, their continued usage means that you will keep exposing yourself to raw salt consumption. By taking too much salt, you expose yourself to heart diseases.

2) Beef Jerky

Even though beef jerky is popular among meat lovers, its continued eating exposes you to excessive raw salt consumption. The results? High risk of developing artery failure and cardiovascular diseases. In fact, a 1–ounce serving can contain up to 700 milligrams of salt, which is more than four times what you expose yourself to when taking the same amount of chips.

3) Margarine

In as much as people love it, margarine is a source of unhealthy trans fatty acids, which make it dangerous for your cardiovascular health.

4) Processed Meats

Even though they are not dangerous in themselves, avoid them when possible. The reason is that they are persevered using salts and nitrites that are responsible for weakening your heart health. Therefore, it is necessary to take a maximum of two servings weekly. This way, you will avoid exposure to these chemicals.

5) Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are not that “soft” on your heart. On the contrary, these simple sugars are rich in soda that is culpable for triggering stroke inflammation and raising sugar level. The result of such conditions is that they strain artery walls and increase your risk of developing heart disease. If it is a must to take soda, then you should limit it to a maximum of seven 8-ounce servings weekly.

6) Added Sugars

Added sugar is another culprit behind increased chances of developing heart disease. The reason is that it increases blood pressure and high triglyceride levels.

Since you know the secrets, the ball is in your court to avoid these delicious and sweet poisons that could harm your heart health. It is now up to you to apply these little secrets and enjoy healthy living.