8 Health Reasons You Should Never Skip Breakfast

Breakfast is a very important part of our diet. If you are in habit of skipping your breakfast, here are some very important reasons why you should not.

Break-the-fast, after going hours without food you, finally get up in the morning and need lots of energy to kick start the day. Only breakfast can provide you with this energy.

If you’re of those who’re still not having your breakfast, now is the time to change that habit. Here are some extremely important reasons why!

Why you should never avoid breakfast

1. Breakfast improves your metabolism:

Your blood sugar level drops down in the morning. You need food that can provide you energy to get through the morning. Body needs fuel to keep it running and the night is the longest gap in the refueling process. To make sure your metabolism keeps on going you need to have something within 2 hours of waking up.

2. Keeps you on track if you’re looking to lose weight:

Researchers have found that those who eat breakfast tend to maintain and lose weight. Though people skip breakfast in the hope of losing weight they tend to eat more during lunch or even choose unhealthier options later on which results into weight gain.

3. Helps to maintain insulin response:

Skipping meals leads to a hyper insulin response when calories are consumed later on. That means the level of insulin in blood is more than the glucose level which can lead to metabolic disorder. This in turn results in to fat accumulation.

Quick & Healthy Breakfast Ideas

"A healthy breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” says Dr Jyothi Prasad, chief dietitian, Manipal Hospital, Bangalore.“There’s a nearly ten-hour long gap between dinner and breakfast, during which the body is on fast mode. As the name suggests, breakfast is the meal you eat to break that fast,” explains Dr Prasad, “It refuels your body with essential nutrients to kick-start your day. So don’t skip it.”

4. Helps perform better at work/school:

Hungry employees and students don’t do any good at work/school. When you are hungry you are irritable and disinterested which reflects on your work too. Breakfast helps you to wake up and makes you attentive.

5. Burns those calories early:

If you have breakfast you can burn those calories early! How is that? Well, instead of going hungry till lunch and then hogging on something loaded with calories with fewer hours left in the day to burn it consider refuelling yourself early and getting enough time to burn those calories.

6. Aids in setting a good example:

If you have kids, you always want to set a good example for them. By having breakfast on time you will show the quality of leadership by example.

7. Gets you your essential nutrients first thing in the morning:

There are food which we have only as a part of our breakfast like cereals, fruits and milk. If you bypass your breakfast you might never get those nutrients.

8. Skipping breakfast can make you grumpy:

Oh yes! If you have been skipping breakfast and are in bad mood, you probably should know why. Not having breakfast makes you grouchy. You might not even realize it and keep wondering why you’re so irritable!

Apart from all these reasons to have your breakfast there are few things you should always keep in mind:

• Never have dessert for breakfast, it will cause blood sugar loss later on and you will be tempted to eat even more.
• Read the labels carefully, even if it says ‘nutritious’ look into the details and understand if your body needs that kind of food to start the day.

Stay full, stay happy!

By Mdhil | Mdhil – Mon, Jun 18, 2012

How to survive an asthma attack if you’re caught without your inhaler

What to do when there is no inhaler? If you have asthma, you probably never go anywhere without your inhaler. But what if, due to negligence, you go out without it and have a sudden asthma attack?

"The importance of always carrying rescue medication cannot be understated", says associate professor Loo Chian Min, head and senior consultant, Department of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine, Singapore General Hospital (SGH). "It is absolutely vital that you don't forget your inhaler wherever you go."

What happens during an asthma attack
Asthma occurs when the airways (bronchial tubes) in the lungs become inflamed and are blocked by mucus, making breathing difficult. The chest tightens and the lungs seem to produce a wheezing sound.

There could be many triggers for an asthma attack.Air pollution, exposure to irritants such as dust, cigarette smoke and pet dander, physical exertion and emotional outbursts can all trigger an asthma attack.

Six things to do if caught without an inhaler during an asthma attack
"Never, ever let up on your asthma medications even if you feel your condition has improved," says Loo. Asthma needs constant care and proper management at all times. Your very life depends on it.

However, should you be caught without your inhaler due to unforeseen circumstances, you could try these coping techniques:

• Sit upright

Stop whatever you are doing and sit upright. Bending over or lying down can constrict your breathing even more.

• Take long, deep breaths

This helps to slow down your breathing and prevent hyperventilation. Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth.

• Stay calm

Staying calm may prevent further tightening of your chest muscles and make your breathing easier.

• Get away from the trigger

The asthma attack could be triggered by dust, cigarette smoke or the smell of chemicals (e.g., ammonia, chlorine gas, sulphur dioxide). Get away from the trigger as soon as possible and go to an air-conditioned environment or any place with clean air.

• Take a hot caffeinated beverage

Hot caffeinated drinks like coffee can help to open up the airways slightly, providing some relief for an hour or two.

• Seek emergency medical help

If the wheezing, coughing and breathing difficulty do not subside after a period of rest, seek immediate medical attention.

Symptoms of an asthma attack
An asthma attack can be mild or severe. Be alert for these general symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing/breathlessness
• Wheezing
• Tightness in the chest
• Coughing

If you experience severe breathing difficulty, a rapid increase in your pulse rate, severe coughing, and notice that your nails and lips are turning bluish, get medical help immediately, as these are signs of a severe asthma attack.

Treatment of asthma
Doctors treat asthma with a combination of long-term and quick-relief medications, and medications to treat allergy-induced asthma.

Long-term medications include:

• inhaled corticosteroids to reduce inflammation of the bronchial tubes,
• bronchodilators to open up the airways and
• leukotriene modifiers to reduce both airway inflammation and mucus production.

Quick-relief medications are prescribed to cope with sudden asthma attacks. These are inhaled medications such as Ipratropium (Atrovent) and Albuterol. They relax the airway muscles temporarily to make breathing easier.

Asthma inhalers are the asthma sufferer's mobile medical kit. The inhalers deliver medication directly to the lungs for immediate relief during a sudden asthma attack.

"Go and see a doctor even if you have recovered from an asthma attack. Asthma attacks are signs that your asthma is not well-controlled. You may need stronger medication for a worsening asthmatic condition," says Loo.

This article was written by Teresa Cheong for Health Xchange, with expert input from the Department of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine, Singapore General Hospital.

Info : http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/fit-to-post-health/survive-asthma-attack-caught-without-inhaler-123121299.html

10 Great Digital Camera Tips And Tricks

By David Elrich | Digital Crave – Tue, May 1, 2012

Nikon Mode Dial

Digital cameras have been around for years yet even those on their first—or fifth—camera will take better photos and videos if they follow these simple pointers.

Check Your Settings Before You Press the Shutter
No matter if you have a basic point-and-shoot like the Canon PowerShot 300 HS or an advanced Nikon D7000 DSLR, the first thing you absolutely must do is check your camera settings right after you press the "on" button. The last time you used it might've been at night or indoors and you left the settings for that type of shot. Or your kids/partner/whomever was using it and fiddled with the buttons and dials. This can ruin your next series of shots if the conditions aren't right, perfect for a Homer Simpson D'oh! moment.
Make sure you start off in Auto/intelligent auto then make the changes you like—if any at all. Many of today's newer cameras have very sophisticated intelligent auto settings. Make sure you use them to avoid "shoulda coulda" moments.
Speed Up Your Camera
One of the biggest camera complaints—especially for affordable compacts—is speed or lack of it. You can't turn a Focus into a Ferrari but you can enhance shot-to-shot time so you aren't twiddling your thumbs waiting for the camera to take another photo.
First find the "burst" or continuous mode in the menu system and engage it so the camera automatically clicks as fast as it can. Then make sure you disable the Review Photo setting which automatically puts your last image on the LCD screen for you to check out. These two changes will make you feel like you have a new camera. And while you're at it, make sure you have a "speed rated" memory card which will also improve response as it takes less time saving images to the card. Since they're so affordable, look for Class 6 or greater SD cards.

Flash up with Canon 260 HS

Great Portraits—Almost Every Time

Your camera's built-in flash should be used for more things than indoor birthday parties. The next time you're taking a portrait, make sure the flash is set to "Fill Flash" or "Forced Flash," depending on your specific model. Now the flash will fire when you press the shutter and evenly illuminate the targeted face, eliminating any shadows.
Also use this setting when you're outdoors at the beach or a picnic, especially if there's strong sunshine and harsh shadows. Simple but it works like a charm.
One of the Biggest Things To Avoid
Digital Zoom. Although you can extend your camera's basic zoom using this feature your pictures will look awful. With a digital zoom a center portion of the view screen is enlarged, adding loads of yucky digital artifacts especially at extreme ranges. Make sure it's turned off.
Battery-Saving Tricks
There's nothing worse than a dead battery at the critical moment. Obviously, charge your camera overnight before you hit the streets. However there are ways to squeeze some extra life from your battery if you see a warning. If your camera has Wi-Fi or a built-in GPS, turn them off completely. Also if you have optical image stabilization, turn that off too. You may get a shaky shot but at least you'll have something.
Turn down the brightness of the LCD screen too. Remember that Review Photo setting mentioned earlier? Make sure that's turned off as well. Don't turn your camera on and off in hopes it'll last longer—it won't as you use more juice booting up your camera. Also most cameras have a sleep mode; cut the time to around a minute.
Turn This On
Grid Lines are hidden on many cameras and they're well worth using. Typically when you're framing a shot on the LCD screen, you should keep the horizons straight but it's hard to do properly. With grid lines--typically a white tic-tac-toe pattern overlaying the screen—you can do it easily by lining up the horizons. Landscapes, group shots and vertical images will look much more professional.
Always Shoot Best Quality
You would think manufacturers set cameras at best quality as the default for stills and videos but unfortunately this is not always the case. Make sure image quality (resolution or pixels) is the highest available then check compression, if it's available. Here you might see a number of stars, or words like Good, Better, Best. Always choose the highest level since less compression means fewer digital artifacts--in other words a more accurate image. The same holds true for movies.
Remember it's always better to have a high-quality original and downsize it using your own software after the fact. Social media sites will automatically re-size your shots for quick uploads so quality isn't super critical here but if you want to make big prints for an album or scrapbook, it's important to have as many pixels as possible.
Don't Be So Sensitive
Manufacturers love to brag about the sensitivity of their cameras, claiming they can shoot in very low light. In some cases this is true but in most it's not. Sensitivity is measured by an ISO rating, ranging from 100 to 16,000 or more. When a camera is in Auto, it'll pick the ISO setting and in low light, it will use the highest number. For many models, particularly point-and-shoots, this is a recipe for disaster as digital noise—speckles—are introduced to the image and color shifts so it's barely recognizable.
If your camera has an ISO limit, set it to a maximum of 400 or 800 since your results will be much more pleasing. If you're feeling adventurous, I suggest you do some informal testing of the various ISO settings indoors without the flash. Review them on your monitor and see where the quality falls off. I've used cameras where 400 is the limit, others where 3200 or 6400 is solid.
Hollywood Tips
Hollywood DPs (Directors of Photography) work for years perfecting their craft but you can capture clips that are just fine for YouTube and the family HDTV. First, keep your camera horizontal at all times, set to best quality and with image stabilization engaged (if available). Resist the urge to quickly zoom in and out and do not abruptly move it from side to side. If you want to pan a nice landscape, always move the camera from left to right and do it slowly.
Play Is Good
The beauty of every digital camera is the simple fact you can take hundreds of shots almost instantly. You can press any combination of buttons you want and even if your photos are ready for the Delete pile, just erase them and start all over again. Cameras are very forgiving, even if you think they'll never work properly again.
Press Menu, go into Setup and hit Reset All if you're really lost in the digital woods. Your camera will now have the manufacturer's defaults and you can start all over again. And in the rare instance your camera freezes up, take out the battery, pop it back in again and hit the power button. Things should be as good as new.

Info : http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/10-great-digital-camera-tips-tricks-174146195.html

Top 7 most overrated health foods

RealBuzz – Tue, Apr 24, 2012

• Whether through word of mouth, the media or advertising we are frequently exposed to claims about the best foods to eat. However, these claims are often exaggerated or simply untrue. Don’t be fooled by the hype by checking out these overrated foods

Overrated health food 1: Acai berry juice

Health magazines rave over it and celebrities apparently swear by it, so should you be drinking acai berry juice too? Well, research suggests that this self-proclaimed “superberry” may not quite live up to its hype. Although the berry itself is nutritious, it is difficult to get hold of in its fresh form. Furthermore, studies suggest that the juice only has average health benefits when compared to that of other fruits. In fact, acai berry juice was found to be lower in antioxidants than pomegranates, blueberries and red wine – which are also much cheaper alternatives.

Overrated health food 2: Goji berries

All berries are rich in powerful antioxidants that are thought to help prevent cancer, slow down ageing and ward off other nasty illnesses. However, little research has been done to prove that the much publicized – and expensive – goji berry is better than any other berry for maintaining good health. In fact, the humble, relatively inexpensive blackcurrant could actually be your best choice. According to research carried out at the Scottish Crop Research Institute, which examined the nutrients and antioxidants in various types of fruit, blackcurrants may be the healthiest fruit of all.

Goji berries

Overrated health food 3: Yoghurt

Many people think of yoghurt as the ultimate health food. However, while it is a good natural source of calcium and other nutrients, many flavored yoghurts (including those that “contain real fruit”) are high in added sugars, making them not much healthier than any other sugary treat. Furthermore, while yoghurt can be rich in probiotics, many people have trouble digesting dairy, which can cancel out these benefits. For a healthy choice, opt for low fat, unsweetened yoghurt (try goat’s milk yoghurt if you have trouble digesting cow’s milk) and add your own fruit for sweetness.

Overrated health food 4: Smoothies

Smoothies have become a buzzword in health and fitness in recent years, with many people opting to start their day or kill between-meal cravings with a fruit smoothie. However, while they can be a good substitute for other sweet snacks when prepared correctly, the health benefits of smoothies in general may have been blown out of proportion, as many smoothies purchased in stores and at smoothie bars are packed with syrups and refined sugars.  Furthermore, even natural sugars in smoothies can add hundreds of extra calories onto your daily intake.

Overrated health food 5: Whole wheat bread and pasta

With nutritional advice frequently advising us to up our intake of whole grains, many of us plan our diets around whole grain carbohydrates such as whole wheat pasta, bread and cereals. However, the health benefits of these processed carbs are highly overrated. There is a vast difference between unprocessed whole grains and refined wheat flour products, which are generally lacking in vitamins and minerals. The closer a grain is to its natural state the better it is for you, so swap pasta and bread for unprocessed whole grains such as whole oats, barley, millet and wheat berries.

Overrated health food 6: Granola

Just as with whole wheat products, granola does offer some health benefits, being quite rich in fiber and nutrients derived from the rolled oats, nuts and seeds it contains. However, these nutrients and health benefits are just as easily obtained from a bowl of porridge or muesli sprinkled with seeds and nuts. By making this swap from granola, you will not only be cutting costs but also cutting out the high quantities of sugar and oil generally used in commercially available versions of this calorie-laden snack.

Overrated health food 7: Vitamin-fortified drinks

With vitamin-fortified drinks you can boost your hydration levels, add to your nutrient intake and enjoy a refreshing soft drink all at the same time – perfect, right? Well, unfortunately not quite. Along with the vitamins and minerals contained in these drinks, you will, in most cases, also be guzzling down heaps of added sugar – often the equivalent of that contained in fizzy drinks. Furthermore, the synthetic vitamins they contain do not compare with those consumed in their natural form. Do your health a favour by swapping vitamin drinks for water and fresh fruit instead

Info: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/7-overrated-health-foods-090000858.html

Top 10 cellulite-busting foods

RealBuzz – Wed, May 16, 2012

Ginger

One cause of cellulite is poor circulation, so eating foods such as ginger that boost blood flow can help to improve its appearance. As well as being good for circulation, ginger is also good for detoxification and strengthening the lymphatic system, which can help with the circulation of lymph fluid and toxins that can accumulate in fat pockets under the skin, contributing to the bumpy appearance of cellulite.

Asparagus

Asparagus is another food with circulation-boosting properties. On top of this, asparagus is a great stress reliever due to its abundance of folic acid, which can help to stabilise a stressful mood. As prolonged levels of stress can increase fat storage on the body, adding foods such as asparagus to your diet can help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Avocados

While anyone fat, thin, young or old can suffer from cellulite, ageing does tend to increase the visibility of cellulite due to the loss of elasticity and thinning of skin. Therefore, try eating foods rich in Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) which can help to strengthen skin and keep it supple and elastic. Avocados are a particularly rich source of EFAs, as well as being high in many essential nutrients.

Oily fish

Another top food for keeping the skin in good condition is oily fish, which is high in skin-strengthening omega-3 fatty acids. As an added bonus, the fatty acids present in oily fish are also good for reducing inflammation and boosting the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems, making them a good choice for keeping cellulite at bay.

Dark, leafy greens

Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale are rich in an antioxidant called lutein, which research has shown is good for helping the skin to retain its moisture and elasticity and increase its lipid levels - all good news for those suffering from cellulite. On top of this, leafy greens are nutrient-rich and are good for the circulation and detoxification.

Cranberry juice

A sluggish lymphatic system is one of the primary causes of cellulite, so those wishing to reduce its appearance should try boosting their intake of cranberry juice, which is noted for its abilities to cleanse the lymph system. This powerful juice helps to emulsify stubborn fat deposits in the lymphatic system so that they are more easily flushed out the system.

Bananas

Bananas are a rich source of potassium, which is helpful for reducing cellulite in many ways. Firstly, potassium helps to reduce water retention which can be a leading cause of cellulite. Furthermore, potassium can help to support the lymphatic system and ensure it works efficiently at circulating fluid and cleansing the body of impurities.

Whole grains

Whole grains are packed with fibre, which is an essential for keeping your body running smoothly. Fibre helps speed up the process of detoxification and clear out waste products that can build up in your system, often leading to cellulite. Eating whole grains also helps to keep the heart healthy and boost circulation to cellulite-prone areas.

Papaya

Eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is one of the best ways to detox the body and reduce the appearance of cellulite, and papaya is a particularly good choice of fruit. Papaya is not only rich in potassium - one of the most important nutrients when it comes to battling cellulite - but it is also high in antioxidant beta-carotene, which can help prevent damage to body tissue.

Berries

To help keep skin firm and taut and disguise the appearance of cellulite, try adding some vitamin C to your diet to help boost your skin's collagen levels. Berries are a particularly good source of vitamin C, as well as being extremely high in the antioxidants necessary for fighting toxic waste, which can slow down the lymphatic system and accumulate in cellulite-prone areas.

Info : http://sg.news.yahoo.com/10-cellulite-busting-foods-081008841.html