GOOD TIPS FOR YOUR HEALTH

Brush up on hygiene. Many people don't know how to brush their teeth properly. Improper brushing can cause as much damage to the teeth and gums as not brushing at all. Lots of people don’t brush
for long enough, don’t floss and don’t see a dentist regularly. Hold your toothbrush in
the same way that would hold a pencil, and
brush for at least two minutes. This
includes brushing the teeth, the junction of
the teeth and gums, the tongue and the
roof of the mouth. And you don't need a
fancy, angled toothbrush – just a sturdy,
soft-bristled one that you replace each
month.
Neurobics for your mind. Get your brain
fizzing with energy. American researchers
coined the term ‘neurobics’ for tasks which
activate the brain's own biochemical
pathways and to bring new pathways
online that can help to strengthen or
preserve brain circuits. Brush your teeth
with your ‘other’ hand, take a new route to
work or choose your clothes based on
sense of touch rather than sight. People
with mental agility tend to have lower rates
of Alzheimer's disease and age-related
mental decline.
Get what you give! Always giving and
never taking? This is the short road to
compassion fatigue. Give to yourself and
receive from others, otherwise you’ll get to
a point where you have nothing left to
give. And hey, if you can’t receive from
others, how can you expect them to
receive from you?
Get spiritual. A study conducted by the
formidably sober and scientific Harvard
University found that patients who were
prayed for recovered quicker than those
who weren’t, even if they weren’t aware of
the prayer.
Get smelly. Garlic, onions, spring onions
and leeks all contain stuff that’s good for
you. A study at the Child’s Health Institute in
Cape Town found that eating raw garlic
helped fight serious childhood infections.
Heat destroys these properties, so eat
yours raw, wash it down with fruit juice or,
if you’re a sissy, have it in tablet form.
Knock one back. A glass of red wine a
day is good for you. A number of studies
have found this, but a recent one found
that the polyphenols (a type of antioxidant)
in green tea, red wine and olives may also
help protect you against breast cancer. It’s
thought that the antioxidants help protect
you from environmental carcinogens such
as passive tobacco smoke.
Bone up daily. Get your daily calcium by
popping a tab, chugging milk or eating
yoghurt. It’ll keep your bones strong.
Remember that your bone density declines
after the age of 30. You need at least 200
milligrams daily, which you should combine
with magnesium, or it simply won’t be
absorbed.
Berries for your belly. Blueberries,
strawberries and raspberries contain plant
nutrients known as anthocyanidins, which
are powerful antioxidants. Blueberries rival
grapes in concentrations of resveratrol –
the antioxidant compound found in red
wine that has assumed near mythological
proportions. Resveratrol is believed to help
protect against heart disease and cancer.
Curry favour. Hot, spicy foods
containing chillies or cayenne pepper
trigger endorphins, the feel-good
hormones. Endorphins have a powerful,
almost narcotic, effect and make you feel
good after exercising. But go easy on the
lamb, pork and mutton and the high-fat,
creamy dishes served in many Indian
restaurants.
Cut out herbs before ops. Some herbal
supplements – from the popular St John's
Wort and ginkgo biloba to garlic, ginger,
ginseng and feverfew – can cause
increased bleeding during surgery, warn
surgeons. It may be wise to stop taking all
medication, including herbal supplements,
at least two weeks before surgery, and
inform your surgeon about your herbal
use.
I say tomato. Tomato is a superstar in
the fruit and veggie pantheon. Tomatoes
contain lycopene, a powerful cancer
fighter. They’re also rich in vitamin C. The
good news is that cooked tomatoes are
also nutritious, so use them in pasta, soups
and casseroles, as well as in salads. The
British Thoracic Society says that tomatoes
and apples can reduce your risk of asthma
and chronic lung diseases. Both contain
the antioxidant quercetin. To enjoy the
benefits, eat five apples a week or a tomato
every other day.
Eat your stress away. Prevent low blood
sugar as it stresses you out. Eat regular and
small healthy meals and keep fruit and
veggies handy. Herbal teas will also soothe
your frazzled nerves. Eating unrefined
carbohydrates, nuts and bananas boosts
the formation of serotonin, another feel-
good drug. Small amounts of protein
containing the amino acid tryptamine can
give you a boost when stress tires you out.
Load up on vitamin C.We need at least
90 mg of vitamin C per day and the best
way to get this is by eating at least five
servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every
day. So hit the oranges and guavas!
SOURCE: THE INTERNET