mensLifestyle.com

HEALTH AND FITNESS
  • Do you neglect your eyes and forget to take proper care? Then you are making a big mistake. Never ever take your eyes for granted as these organs make sure that you enjoy every color of life. Eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of the body, and one must always take absolute care to keep them safe. There are some steps that you need to follow for taking utmost care of your eye health.

    1. Wash your eyes daily

      This is one of the most important tips to keep your eyes healthy and safe. Wash your eyes with cold water after you wake up every morning. Due to being closed for hours at night, some dirt particles accumulate in the corners and under the eyelashes. Make sure you wash them properly everyday. After you return home from outside go to the washroom and flush your eyes with water.

    2. Good food

      Do you know that good eye health begins with good food? Healthy food such as omega-3 fatty acid, vitamins C and E, lutein, and zinc help in avoiding problems related to vision such as cataract and macular degeneration. To get rid of such health issues, you must fill your plate with food such as salmon, tuna, fish oil, spinach, collards, orange, oyster, pork, beans, eggs, nuts, kale, and other fruit juices. A healthy diet reduces ailments such as Type 2 diabetes and obesity, which are the prime cause of blindness in adults.

    3. Avoid smoking

      Are you a chain smoker? If so, then you must immediately quit smoking as smoking makes you more likely to damage your optic nerve, leading to macular degeneration, and getting a cataract. Ask your doctor for help for ways to avoid further damage to your eyes due to smoking and to help kick the habit.

    4. Sunglasses are here

      If you are not addicted to the various shades of sunglasses, then it is the right time for you get one. An apt pair of sunglasses with right shades would protect your eyes from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Excessive exposure to these harmful rays increases the chances of macular degeneration and cataract. You are advised to go for a pair of sunglasses that prevents 99% to 100% of UVB and UVA rays. In case you wear contact lenses, then there are lenses that offer UV protection. Do grab a pair of the right sunglasses or contact lenses to avoid any further harm to your eyes.

    5. Try to gaze less at the computer screen

      There are some serious health issues that often occur as you continue to stare at the computer or mobile screen for a long span of time. Issues such as blurry vision, eyestrain, and dry eyes are prevalent among those whose eyes are exposed to a screen for a prolonged period. Constant washing of the eyes is one way of avoiding excessive strain.

    Interested in more articles about Health And Fitness? Explore them here. Keep yourself updated with fresh content by liking us on Facebook or subscribing to our Newsletter.

    If a daily dose of fantastic images related to Men’s Lifestyle gets you going, follow us on Instagram

  • High blood pressure is one of the most common health conditions worldwide. It is also known as hypertension and is caused due to tension or high pressure in the arteries.

    A blood pressure reading comprises of two figures. The numerator is known as the systolic blood pressure, which denotes the pressure in the arteries as your heart contracts. The denominator denotes the diastolic blood pressure. The diastolic blood pressure indicates the pressure in the arteries as your heart relaxes.

    If your blood pressure reading is above 140/90, then you are suffering from high blood pressure. High blood pressure is harmful to health and may also make you susceptible to severe health conditions like cardiovascular diseases.

    Here are some tips which may help you reduce high blood pressure.

    Maintain a good health by exercising

    Blood pressure conditions are closely associated with weight. Being obese or overweight can interrupt your breathing during sleep and cause your blood pressure to increase.

    Obesity is known to cause poor blood circulation. It worsens blood pressure and is harmful to long-term health.

    If you are overweight and suffering from hypertension, you should immediately prioritize losing those extra pounds. Maintain good health by exercising regularly like jogging, cycling or brisk walking. Aerobics also helps reduce high blood pressure.

    Follow a healthy diet

    Exercise should be accompanied by a healthy diet. You can follow Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

    Ensure that you eat 5 to 6 meals (3 full meals and 2 or 3 healthy snacks) per day. Include healthy elements such as fruits, nuts, herbs, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet to maintain a healthy blood pressure.

    Cut down on your sodium intake and increase potassium food sources for best results. Restrict your sodium intake to 1500 mg or less per day. Eat an adequate quantity of fruits and vegetables for potassium. Avoid processed food as it often contains added sodium.

    Consume foods with vitamin C and D

    Vitamin C is known to have medicinal value. It helps remove extra sodium from the body and relaxes blood vessels. You can include citrus fruits like orange and lemon, to your diet.

    A deficiency of Vitamin D may make you vulnerable to high blood pressure. You should eat cereals that have abundant levels of vitamin D to regulate your blood pressure.

    Reduce stress and cut down on alcohol and smoking

    Blood pressure worsens due to stress. Try relaxation and stress management activities like yoga, meditation and morning walk. Methods of relaxation such as deep breathing, self-awareness, and acupuncture also help.

    You should quit alcohol and smoking, or at least cut down their consumption to a considerable extent. It will help you maintain a healthy blood pressure besides other health benefits.

    Lead a healthy life, monitor your blood pressure regularly and seek medical help when necessary.

    Interested in more articles about Health And Fitness? Explore them here. Keep yourself updated with fresh content by liking us on Facebook or subscribing to our Newsletter.

    If a daily dose of fantastic images related to Men’s Lifestyle gets you going, follow us on Instagram

  • The abdominal V, which is the elusive sculpture in men’s lower abs, is something that most women love to see in their boyfriends or husbands. Apart from enhancing your attractiveness to women, it also acts as a confidence booster. You may even have seen such figures in magazines and gyms and wished to have one. Feeling envious? You too can get this if you have the attitude to work out hard. You need an aggressive abdominal workout and cut out fat from your food.

    Aggressive abdominal workout

    When working on how to get an abdominal V, you need to work out your lower abdominal muscles. There is the rectus abdominis muscle that runs down straight from below your chest to the pelvis. This muscle is responsible for the formation of the six packs as well. Working out as well as strengthening the lower end of this muscle can answer your question of how to get the abdominal V. To achieve the desired result, you have to undergo a definite schedule of workouts. Not only abdominal workouts, you need to also do a variety of them. While some exercises will build core strength, others will reduce the risk of back pain resulting from intensive exercise. Let us go through one of the best lower ab exercises for abdominal V.

    Hanging legs raises

    If anybody asks you about how to get the abdominal V you can confidently say that you got it by doing hanging leg raises. Actually, this is a very good exercise for your lower abs. Your perfection and performance in the exercise depend solely upon how much stress you can put on your lower abdominal muscles.

    Get yourself hanging from a bar with straight and upwardly extended arms. Get a grip that facilitates hanging. Legs should also be straight down. Now try raising your legs just with the sheer strength of your abdominal muscles. What comes into play here are the lower abdominal and pelvic muscles. Raise the legs until they make about a 90-degree angle with the body. Exhale while pulling up your leg and hold the contraction in the abdomen for few seconds. Now slowly take your legs down to the initial position all the while relying on the abdominal muscles to make it a slow process. Breathe in while bringing your legs down. Repeat it, but you should consult your gym trainer for the recommended number of repetitions.

    Precautions

    All the while during the exercise your position should be straight. If there is any twist or turn, you may suffer from back pain or injuries.
    Some people perform this exercise on a vertical bench, which is easier. You can talk to your gym trainer regarding how to get the abdominal V. Your arms, which are under tremendous strain during the exercise, will get some support in a vertical bench.

    Interested in more articles about Health And Fitness? Explore them here. Keep yourself updated with fresh content by liking us on Facebook or subscribing to our Newsletter.

    If a daily dose of fantastic images related to Men’s Lifestyle gets you going, follow us on Instagram

  • Obesity is a health issue that is caused due to an excess of body weight. This abnormality happens because of physical inactivity and overconsumption of calories. In certain cases, obesity occurs due to genetic problems, toxins, hormonal imbalance, stress or side effect of medications. When a person gets overweight, it means their weight has gone beyond the normal weight according to their height. The term obesity also signifies the ranges of weights that have been displayed to enhance the likelihood of certain diseases and other health issues.

    According to research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an adult whose body mass index (BMI) lies between 25 and 29.9 is said to be overweight. And a person with BMI 30 or above is considered obese. If you are facing the issue of obesity, you do not need to worry as there are some notable steps to combat obesity.

    Foods to add to the obesity diet

    • High-fiber foods

      Foods such as nuts, beans, vegetables, berries help to increase satiety but not the calories.

    • Lean protein

      People who indulge themselves in eating minimum 3 to 4 ounces of protein per meal are found more satisfied.

    • Wild-caught fish

      You must not forget to include omega-3 fats as obesity tends to increase inflammation.

    • Coconut

      Do you know that coconut milk and coconut oil contains MCFA that makes your body to burn the fat easily and are less likely to be stored as unwanted fat compares to others.

    • Shorten your meal

      Try to get less hungry as that could lead you to eat a lot later. You are advised to eat for every 4 hours.

    Foods that must be avoided for obesity

    There are some of the common foods that you often use during the daytime. To get rid of obesity avoid the following foods.

    • Sugar

      Boycott sugar as it makes you consume the empty calories.

    • Refined flour

      These addicting products often lead one to overeat.

    • Sweet beverages

      There are many people who do not think of the calories they are consuming.

    Natural treatments for obesity

    • Green coffee extract promotes weight loss.
    • Green tea makes the body able to burn energy.
    • Rhodiola commits to reducing cortisol and helps your body to burn fat for energy.
    • Chromium would help you to reduce your cravings for sweet and maintains your blood sugar.
    • There are effective oils to prevent obesity and lead to weight loss. Essential oils of cinnamon and grapefruit are the most effective oils for obesity. It is advisable to mix two drops of grapefruit with one drop of cinnamon and have it for 30 days continuously. If you start doing this regularly, you will find a lot of difference.

    Some of the effective tips to get rid of obesity have been given above. Follow these tips and stay healthy.

    Interested in more articles about Health And Fitness? Explore them here. Keep yourself updated with fresh content by liking us on Facebook or subscribing to our Newsletter.

    If a daily dose of fantastic images related to Men’s Lifestyle gets you going, follow us on Instagram

  • There are fundamentals that we all need to have in our lives. While working and food are necessary, exercising your body is equally important. Apart from keeping you in shape, it is also a great way to relieve stress.

    Some workouts focus on specific regions, and the best way to go about it is on a fixed schedule. Reserve two days of the week for a particular region and focus on it. This is bound to give you excellent results. Many fitness experts come up with all kinds of workout routines. But there are some basic exercises that are common in most of the workout routines. With a slight variation, the same workout can be done by both women and men. While it is best to exercise in the guidance of a fitness trainer, once you are familiar with the routines, you can do it yourself.

    The upper part of the body requires independent focus. Concentrating on these regions will show an improvement after a few days of intense workout.

    Here are some of the best upper body workouts that you should consider.

    Plank row and rotate

    One of the best upper body workouts, this exercise affects your abs, biceps, triceps, chest, and shoulders. It’s quite simple, and you can master it in barely a few days.

    Begin with the push-up position. Straighten your body by balancing it on your hands and heels. Move your feet wider than your shoulder length.

    Keep your hips in level and lift your hand up from the floor. Bend your left elbow and place your hands parallel to your shoulder.

    Then go back to the initial position and repeat the same from right to left.

    Complete two sets of 10 reps by alternating sides.

    Dip kick

    The targets of these exercises are triceps, upper back, and shoulders. Sit on the floor and bend your knees. Keep your feet straight on the floor. Move your torso back by 45 degrees and keep your palms on the floor in line with your shoulders with your fingers facing outward.

    Now bring your left knee to your chest and place your left foot on top of your right knee.

    Now bend your elbows behind you and lift your hips by a few inches.

    Pilates press

    This particular exercise targets abs, biceps, triceps, chest, back, and shoulders. It is one of the best upper body workouts.

    Start this exercise with the push-up position. Balance your body on your hands and toes while keeping your knees on the floor.

    Now bend your right knee by 90 degrees so that your toes point upward.

    Also, bend your elbows and keep your arms close to your body while lowering yourself toward the floor.

    Complete ten reps of this exercise and switch legs while doing so. Do two sets of this exercise.

    Strap happy shaper

    This exercise aims to tone abs, middle back, and shoulders.

    Start in the plank position and balance body on your forearms. Clasp your hands together and move forward until your face is almost touching the floor.

    Press your shoulders back to return to start position and start again.

    Complete two sets of 10 reps.

    These best upper body workouts are elementary and can be done at home only. It’ll only be useful if you do all the exercises in entirety. The best time to do them is a few hours before a meal.

    Interested in more articles about Health And Fitness? Explore them here. Keep yourself updated with fresh content by liking us on Facebook or subscribing to our Newsletter.

    If a daily dose of fantastic images related to Men’s Lifestyle gets you going, follow us on Instagram

  • The bottom-most part of the large intestine is called the colon. In case of cancer, this region develops polyps, which lead to colon cancer over a period of time. These adenomatous polyps initially develop as a benign lump of cells that are non-cancerous. But, with the passage of time, they turn cancerous and result in colon cancer.

    Polyps usually don’t manifest any symptoms, and even if they do, they are very few and often go undetected. Hence, doctors highly recommend getting yourself a thorough check up once you cross 50 years of age. This can help you to excise any polyps present in the colon before they can turn cancerous.

    Symptoms of colon cancer

    The following are symptoms that could imply the person is suffering from colon cancer.

    • Unusual weight loss
    • Tiredness and fatigue
    • Feeling of partial bowel relief and not complete emptiness.
    • Frequently recurring gas, cramps and abdominal uneasiness.
    • Blood in stool

    Disturbance in bowel movements for prolonged durations could be due to common problems such as diarrhea, constipation, or even change in stool consistency.

    Causes of colon cancer

    Although the causes of colon cancer are not very well identified, it is known that colon cancer is caused due to genetic aberrations, i.e., when the DNA sequence becomes abnormal, thereby turning healthy cells into cancerous cells. As opposed to a healthy cell, a cancerous cell continues to divide even when no new cells are required. Uninhibited division of cells then goes on to become a tumor.

    With time, these cancerous cells continue to divide and slowly invade the nearby normal cells and tissues. Cancerous cells can travel and affect other parts of the body by depositing elsewhere. Moreover, these new tumors are called metastasis.

    A widely known cause of colon cancer is gene mutations, which could be due to inheritance as well. However, this occurs in a very few people. These gene mutations don’t necessarily mean cancer but promote an increased risk of cancer.

    Prevention of colon cancer

    The first and foremost way of preventing colon cancer is getting yourself screened regularly. People with an average risk of developing the disease should start with getting screened regularly from the age of 50. If you have a prior incidence of colon cancer in your family, then you should consider starting with screening much earlier.

    There are various ways through which you could get yourself screened. Consult your doctor and find out which one of them is most suited for your condition.

    Some medication has been found to minimize the risk of colon cancer, though this is a rough estimation and there is no deterministic amount of drug and dosage details supporting it. Aspirin and aspirin-like drugs are one such example. However, this drug is not recommended as a prevention due to its heavy side effects.

    Colon cancer prevention for people with a high risk

    Although colon cancer is surely a severe disorder, treating it in the early stage makes sure that you survive without further troubles. Pay attention to any early persistent symptoms and take extra precaution if you have a family history and are at higher risk of the disease.

    Interested in more articles about Health And Fitness? Explore them here. Keep yourself updated with fresh content by liking us on Facebook or subscribing to our Newsletter.

    If a daily dose of fantastic images related to Men’s Lifestyle gets you going, follow us on Instagram

  • Cardio is nothing but a form of exercise that increases your heart rate and helps you lose weight. It is the basic exercise that you are asked to start with while at the gym. It is one of the most popular exercises to increase your metabolism and thereby to increase your energy levels. Once your metabolism level increases, the heart and lungs also work efficiently, and the quality of life is improved. This also enhances your body to fight any disease or sickness. It can help you manage stress and not be worked up in tough situations.

    There are different cardio workouts that can help you increase metabolism and reduce weight:

    Walking

    This is the simplest and the most efficient way to cardio. It is nothing but fast-paced walking for 45-60 minutes every day. This improves your blood flow and heart rate.

    Running

    The benefits of running are similar to walking. The only difference is that running will help reduce weight at a faster pace and the calorie burnt after every run is much more than the calorie burnt after every walk.

    Cycling

    Cycling is one of the most effective cardio, as it reaches the muscles of the legs and helps to evaluate the weight. The advantage with cycling is that it can be done inside the house and outside at any time of the day.

    Swimming

    Swimming is regarded an effective exercise overall for the entire body. It not only increases the pace of your heartbeat and lungs but floating and treading water stretches different kinds of muscles and helps you burn calories, keeping you fit and healthy.

    Cardio benefits you in different ways, and some of them are mentioned below:

    • Weight loss

      One obvious benefit of cardio is weight loss. The different exercises burn calories, resulting in consistent weight loss. In the gym, cardio is the most basic and best exercise to start with.

    • Increased bone density

      One other benefit of cardio is that it increases the bone density. Because cardio stretches the muscles and pushes them to work better, it increases the bone strength more than normal.

    • Reduced heart risk

      Cardio increases and improves the heart rate. Due to intense exercise, the blood flow to your body increases that results in a physically active body and heart. This, in turn, reduces the risk of heart attack and heart diseases.

    One major lookout before starting cardio is not to start it all of a sudden. Your body might not be able to take the pressure. It’s wise to start small and continue it consistently; then go big. Walking is the easiest way to start, after which you could move to running and other intense exercises. A healthy lifestyle can take you a long way!

    Interested in more articles about Health And Fitness? Explore them here. Keep yourself updated with fresh content by liking us on Facebook or subscribing to our Newsletter.

    If a daily dose of fantastic images related to Men’s Lifestyle gets you going, follow us on Instagram

  • Now and then we hear of a new fitness training that is vouched to work. Reviews and feedbacks from people around us is the best way to find out about them. One particular training that has shown a considerable effect on the body is circuit training.

    What is the meaning of circuit training?

    It is a high-intensity training that aims to increase body strength and muscular endurance. A circuit has a set of exercises which starts one after the other immediately. It’s a highly intense training that you can slowly begin with. It may seem very challenging at the beginning, but you are sure to adapt to the exercises eventually.

    You will be doing about 8 to 10 exercises in a circuit. Each of them will be working on different muscle groups. The activities will have 10 to 25 reps where each rep lasts from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. It will take about 30 minutes for the workout in case you take breaks in between.

    Which are the areas targeted by circuit training?

    The exercises are aimed at full body fitness. So, you will be focusing on everything from your arms, legs, back, to your core.

    What are the benefits of circuit training?

    There are numerous additional benefits that you will gain from circuit training. If done correctly, it improves flexibility. It serves as an excellent cardiovascular workout and increases your strength. It improves sports performance.

    Which are the effective circuit training exercises?

    The following are a few circuit training exercises targeting each part of the body.

    Upper body circuit training exercises

    • Shoulder Presses
    • Bent over rows
    • Standing dumbbell curls
    • Triceps Dips
    • Push-ups
    • Russian ab twists

    Lower body circuit training exercises

    • Walking lunges
    • Sumo squats
    • Calf raises
    • Hamstring curls on a Swiss ball
    • Deadlifts
    • Superman

    Compound circuit training exercises

    • Jumping Lunges
    • Mountain climbers
    • Thrusters
    • Cleans
    • Bench hop-overs
    • Single-arm swing

    Sprint for one minute

    These need to be fast sprints where you go for just a minute as fast as you can. You can opt for any of these.

    • Running
    • Jumping role
    • Rowing
    • Cycling
    • Up-hill jogging
    • Stair climbing

    Rest for a minute

    Once you have completed the circuit training exercises, you need to take some rest. After resting for a minute, you can go back and repeat the circuits as many times as you want.

    Circuit training can even be taken up by beginners. Start with low impact exercises so that you get used to the routine. You can later increase the intensity of the exercises. Starting under the guidance of a trainer is always more beneficial to ensure that you are doing the exercises right and getting the best out of it. However, you can start yourself as well and take inspirations from videos on the web and learn from them as well.

    Interested in more articles about Health And Fitness? Explore them here. Keep yourself updated with fresh content by liking us on Facebook or subscribing to our Newsletter.

    If a daily dose of fantastic images related to Men’s Lifestyle gets you going, follow us on Instagram

  • When a group of muscles or a muscle sustains repeated force against resistance for a long period, it is called muscle endurance. The ability of the muscles to exert more than what they naturally can is nothing but the stamina of the muscles. People strive for muscle endurance when there is a need to use muscles more than normal or if you want it to contract in a particular way. This can happen if you keep repeating the same exercise focusing on that particular muscle. For example, athletes practice running and swimming more than often so that their leg muscles move in a particular and faster way. These are certain exercises you can perform for greater muscle endurance:

    Plank

    Plank is a form of exercise that can increase your overall body strength and tighten your muscles so that they can endure pressure. Your legs remain straight, and the entire body is lifted. This helps to tighten your lower back and shoulder muscles. The muscles gain strength and can resist force for a period.

    Squats

    People who are concentrating on lower body muscle endurance usually squat it out. In squats, your entire body weight is on your legs, and you bend up and down. The leg muscles tighten and strengthen. Therefore, the exercise is practiced by athletes more than normal. Squats are best recommended when the focus is on leg muscles.

    Pushups

    Pushups are recommended for muscle endurance for the entire body. Pushups make multiple muscles work at the same time, thereby improving your resistance power. At times, while measuring muscle endurance, a pushup test is performed. By counting the number of pushups you can do in a minute, it becomes easy to measure the increase or decrease in muscle endurance.

    While working on muscle endurance, you should know the right type of muscle to concentrate on. Our body has two muscle fibers named fast and short twitch. Here, the short twitch contributes to muscle endurance and help you perform in long duration activities. Your genes determine the composition of your fiber. And therefore, there are people who are naturally strong without making much effort.

    There are certain easy steps that you could follow in your everyday life to improve muscle endurance like taking the stairs instead of elevators, walking as much as possible and standing at times while working instead of sitting for long hours. These small tasks will always keep you on toes, thus contributing to the flexibility and strength of the muscles. The simplest is to invest in a healthy lifestyle where you eat healthy food and exercise at least 30 to 45 minutes every day. If you do this, then you might not need to put extra efforts in gaining muscle endurance. Constant improvement in muscle development will lead to increase in muscle endurance.

    Interested in more articles about Health And Fitness? Explore them here. Keep yourself updated with fresh content by liking us on Facebook or subscribing to our Newsletter.

    If a daily dose of fantastic images related to Men’s Lifestyle gets you going, follow us on Instagram