To look good later, start now

Listen to your heart pg 53 If yoursquove been raised on a staple diet of Hindi movies you could be forgiven for believing that heart attacks almost always involve sudden severe chest pains that being about much clutching at the heart and collapsing Most people experience much subtler symptoms a hurting arm sweating breathlessness nausea pain in the jaw neck shoulder dizziness and tiredness This makes it imperative that you remain alert to any symptom thatrsquos out of the ordinary And even if it proves to be nothing more than indigestion at least you can laugh at it it should not stop you from seeking immediate medical attention Posture Perfect pgs 139 140 143 You may not know it but there are actually different kinds of bad posture with scientific names too depending on which way your body tends to stoop Here are three out of the eight most common ones 1 Kyphosis Or the hunchback posture Here are the upper back is excessively rounded 2 Scoliosis Or the sideways posture Here the spine tends to lean more to one side 3 Lordosis Or the potbellied posture Here the lower spine tends to excessively curve inwards The Causes There are several reasons why people tend to develop poor posture over a period of time Here a re a few reasons Impossible high heels look delectable but can take a toll on your spinal cord Overcome it Donrsquot throw away those highheeled Jimmy Choo sandals away Flaunt them by all means but only for shorter duration and when not too much walking standing up is involved Keep a pair of sensible and comfortable shoes handy in your car To be slipped into when the party is over An improper bra size is likely to tug at your breasts and consequently at your back Overcome it Spend some time on getting the measurements right and try out different styles before choosing ones that falls in line with your centre of gravity Spending hours hunched before the computer screen may pass off as your job but it isnrsquot doing any favours to your back In fact itrsquos what can give rise to a hunched back in the long run Overcome it Invest in a chair with a straight back arm support and a firm cushion When seated tuck a small firm cushion in the small of your back for support Use a footrest to elevate your feet slightly Necessity is the mother of invention as Mandar an architect so aptly demonstrates lsquoI put a carton under my desk to rest my feet onrsquo The screen of the computer should be at eye level so that the spine and neck are not strained Avoid sitting for long periods Take frequent breaks to move and stretch your muscles if your job keeps you standing for long hours use your breaks to sit down and relax Tomato is high in GammaAmino Butyric Acis GABA a compound that lowers blood pressure Friends and Foes pgs 55 to 57 In every sphere of life it is essential that you learn to sift the friends from the foes The same rules apply to your food as well Friends will give your heart a helping hand Celery helps lower blood pressure Garlic is beneficial for the heart Saffron contains crocetin that helps lower blood pressure Fish is packed with Omega3 fatty acids which lower the risk of heart diseases and strokes Lowfat milk and milk products are calciumrich and donrsquot contain as much saturated fat as their regular counterparts Sprouts are packed with nutrients especially proteins Whole grains are nutritious and they come with the added advantage of being high in fibre Fresh fruits and vegetables surely no list is complete without them Nuts only consume a fistful and seeds are a source of good mono and polyunsaturated fats so say yes to almonds walnuts flax and sunflower seeds FOES donrsquot have your best interests at heart Salt causes water retention and high blood pressure Restrict intake to a teaspoon per day Processed and packaged foods including canned soups ketchups sauces and pickles Again far too much salt and other preservatives go into their making Red meat has too muchu00a0cholesterol to do your heart any good Snacks like chips and fried nuts count as junk food best excluded from your diet Tips gt Consume whole grain instead of refined ones add atta wholewheat flour instead of maida refined flour to thicken soups and sauces gt Boost fibre intake Eat the skin of the fruit gt Prepare for hunger pangs Keep handy some kurmura or any roasted savoury for when you feel lsquosnackyrsquo gt Vary your cereals Try bajra ragi brown rice and oatmeal as cereal options to whole wheat Osteoporosis Fight Plan Exercise abbreviated exercise plan Exercise is crucial whether or not you already have osteoporosis If you do ask your doctor to recommend a safe workout based on the severity of your condition and current health status Pressups Stand tall facing the wall Place palms flat on the wall more than a shoulderwidth apart Bend elbows and bring chest closer towards the wall Repeat Bicep curls Sit or stand tall Hold weight in your palms and bend your elbows slowly tensing the bicep muscles as you lift up Then lower down Calf lifts Stand tall Slowly raise yourself up on your toes tensing your calf muscles and then lower yourself Extracts taken from Sexy at Sixty Health and Beauty at Every Age Namita Jain 200 published by Westland Available in leading book storesu00a0