Health Fitness

If you have one or more of these risk factors, even if you are experiencing no symptoms, your doctor may want to test you for diabetes.  It is particularly important to pay attention to the signs and symptoms of diabetes and its risk factors.

Boosting ones metabolism is something many people try to achieve everyday. Having a high metabolic rate increases the amount of calories, or energy, the body burns on a daily basis. Without optimal metabolism the body will store excess calories as fat for future use. The problem for many people is they don’t ever use these excess calories and as a result struggle with weight issues.

There are many factors that affect a person’s metabolism including age, weight, hormonal changes, lean muscle mass, diet, genetics, stress and the amount of physical activity undertaken on a daily basis. As you can see boosting your metabolism involves many factors, but the fact of the matter is that it is relatively easy to boost your metabolism if you are committed to doing so.

Here are 11 tips to help you boost your metabolism


1. Build lean body mass. As we age our bodies metabolism or ability to burn calories decreases. One way to offset this problem is by exercising. Lean muscle burns calories and the more you have the more calories you burn, even while resting. You can build muscle through resistance or weight training at least twice a week. You can also boost your metabolism by doing cardio exercises. You can choose to do this between or in conjunction with weight training. Simply going for a walk or using the stairs instead of the elevator are good ways to get in an aerobic workout.


2. Eat Breakfast. Many people ignore eating breakfast. What they don’t realize is that it’s the most important meal of the day. Breakfast gives your metabolism a boost and provides a consistent energy supply throughout the day. The majority of people who eat a healthy breakfast have fewer weight and health issues than those who don’t.



3. Sugar is bad. Processed and refined sugar such as found in sweets and soft drinks overload the body with sugar causing many serious health issues including obesity and diabetes. Complex carbohydrates are a better energy source because they supply an even level of blood sugar. The human body just isn’t built to deal with the large amounts of refined sugar most people include in their diet.

4. Spicy foods that make you sweat can help boost your metabolism.

5. Get a good night’s sleep. There is research that shows that people who do not get sufficient sleep tend to gain weight. This may be because the body uses sleep to heal and regenerate itself, including its muscular system.

6. Drink more water. Water is the lubricant of the body. It also flushes toxins out of the body and keeps the kidneys operating at maximum efficiency. This allows the liver more time to do what it does best, metabolize fat stores.



7. Eat small meals. Eat 5 to 6 small meals per day spaced 20 to 3 hours apart. This gives the body a steady supply of energy and prevents binge eating.

8. Don’t miss meals. Skipping meals in order to loose weight is counter productive because it actually slow metabolism and can lead to over eating.



9. Plan your meals. If you have a daily or weekly menu you are much more likely to stick to your plan.

10. Drink green tea. Green tea has been shown to boost metabolism and unlike coffee does not stress the body with caffeine.

11. Include more high energy foods in your diet including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These provide a more balanced energy source and will not cause blood sugar spikes.



Boosting your metabolism can be done if you are dedicated to doing it. This does not mean you need to stress over each little thing but if you eat right and exercise you should see a decrease in body fat and a much more energetic and happy you.

For more tips to boost your metabolism.

4. Find 7-8 Hours Of Sleep - I don't say this because I hear other people saying it; I say this because new fascinating research has shown that the amount of restful sleep we get seems to directly correspond to the power of our immune system. In one study, people getting 6 hours of sleep or less picked up around three times the sickness picked up by the group that got 7 hours of sleep or more. That's drastic! Staying in a good habit of 7-8 restful hours can help keep your immune system healthy and on track for years to come.

5. Get Back To Nature - Get outside! Taking hikes, nature walks, or swimming at any natural water source are all great ways to get back to nature. The benefits really pile up quickly, because not only is the air fresher in these locations (as in incredibly less pollution in the air), but there are higher oxygen levels at places like forests, beaches and mountains. Anything you can do to get back to that refreshing air will leave you feeling amazing, and the higher oxygen levels will go to work healing your body automatically!

6. Find Some Sunlight - Sunlight always varies upon where you live, of course, but natural sunlight is one of the most powerful ways to enhance your mood. Have you ever had the experience of warm, sunny days where everyone seemed to just be in a state of bliss no matter what was going on in their lives? That's the powerful of sunlight, and it plays a huge role in many of our metabolic functions, helping to convert basic substances to the forms that our bodies need. Get out in the sun whenever you can!

7. Do What You Love - When it comes down to it, nothing affects your personal energy levels as much as what you do for a living. If you're truly lined up with your passion, your life mission, then you'll likely find yourself losing track of time and working long hours just doing what comes naturally to you. Living in this state of grace is what allows you to work those hours and not feel tired, but rather feel fulfilled. If you're doing something that's not filling you with inspiration every day, I'd really spend some time thinking over what your gifts and abilities are and how they might be of service to the world!

I hope that you'll take the time to play around with these 7 simple ways to claim back your personal energy. If you do, you'll quickly find that there was a level of personal energy unleashed that was just lying dormant all this time! We all have the potential to live life in an empowered way, and I sincerely hope that these keys will help you on your journey to unlocking that potential.

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Think back over the last few days just for a minute. How many of the people that you've come into contact with have been healthy, vibrant and alive? How many people have been frustrated and completely sapped of their personal energy? Where are you now? I'd like to offer you 7 highly-effective, proven strategies that you can implement today to start claiming back your own personal energy and really enjoying everything that life has to offer.

1. Real Hydration - You certainly don't have to drink 8 glasses of water a day! Your hydration comes from both the water you drink and the foods you eat. Start your day off with 1-2 glasses of pure water to hydrate yourself after the natural dehydration of a good night's sleep. Then, just have small amounts of water during the day; the secret is that by spreading out smaller amounts of water over the course of the day, you increase your hydration dramatically more than chugging down just once or twice. Hydration from food follows in step 2 below.



2. Add In More Raw Foods - Raw foods naturally contain their original water content, increasing hydration to your cells (meaning you don't have to drink nearly as much water since you're getting it from your food in the first place!) Raw foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds also contain the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients our bodies need to thrive on. By getting back to a more natural human diet, you'll find that you not only increase your hydration but start getting radically healthy with energy levels through the roof!



3. Get In A Quick, Vigorous Workout - Workouts don't have to be long to be effective! In fact, perhaps the healthiest workout you could do would be around a half hour (or even less)! The key is to hit it hard and push yourself to new levels of strength, endurance and energy, whether that's through weight training, sprinting, kayaking, swimming or any other creative options you can think up. The harder you push yourself, always with great form, the more you raise beneficial hormones like HGH and destroy stress and cortisol, which cause deterioration of muscle tissue and destroy your mental acuity.

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I want to welcome all the females and the males out there with a first article that pertains to both sexes. Its true, men and women are different is can be, in appearance, in the way we think and act, we're simply hard-wired that way. But the bottom line is: we're all looking to improve our health and there are some things that we can all do to get healthier together. Today, I'm talking specifically about physical health-preventing aging and chronic disease and losing weight. Here are my top 5 health tips for both men and women that all have added health bonuses that make them my all time faves. Here we go...

Water. Yes, we all know we're supposed to get 8 glasses of it per day but I'm always amazed when I realize how critical it is to our daily functioning. Without proper hydration, our concentration and focus plummet. We need water to feel alert and for our livers to flush toxins and fat out of our bodies. Of course, water keeps bowels moving regularly and this is also key to preventing disease and keeping weight down.




 
Omega 3. I especially love them in the form of Fish or Cod liver oil, that form of Omega 3's are ready for the body to use and prevent heart disease, reduce blood pressure, help varicose veins, improve circulation and reduce blood triglyceride levels. Omega 3 is also beneficial for those with depression and cancer as well. Added bonus: helps you lose weight, especially when already exercising.



Calcium/Magnesium. Again, we know this dynamic duo to be essential to building strong bones, but they do oh so much more. Magnesium helps with constipation, leg cramps, hypertension, and kidney stones and calcium eases insomnia-and both help with nerve function, which is great if under stress. Plus both play a role in assisting in weight loss as well. Who couldn't use deeper sleep and to lose a pound or 2?




Fiber. This sounds like one for older folks but each and every one of us could use the gentle internal brushing that fiber provides for us. Fiber absorbs excess fats, preventing their absorption (and again, helping in weight loss) and has benefits for colon cancer, heart disease and diabetes. And you easily get it from foods, so no need to purchase supplements.




Protein. There's tons of research out there these days on the importance of getting good quality protein in the diet. From stabilizing blood sugar to promoting the building of muscle to helping with weight loss, high-protein is the new low fat.

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The most common complaint we hear from our health coaching clients is lack of energy. Everyone seems to be burning the candle at both ends. Our lives are filled with activities from the moment we wake up until we fall into bed in the evening. We find ourselves running on the treadmill of life, not sure if we are really getting anywhere. Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever wished you had the energy to get you through the day?

If you implement these 5 habits into your daily routine, you will start to notice a significant boost in your energy. For the most part, everything we do is out of habit. Pay attention to your daily routines. Do they vary much? If you are like most people, probably not.

Instead of living your life based on un-supportive habits, start to be proactive in life and consciously create habits which will support your health, mind, body and spirit. In this article, we will discuss the benefits to just 5 habits that will significantly improve how you feel and how productive you are in life.



Habit 1: Focus on what you want. This sounds simple, doesn't it? Why wouldn't you focus on what you want? Why would you want to focus on what you don't want? The reason is simple, out of habit we tend to focus on what we don't want. "I don't want to be fat anymore." "I don't want to be tired all the time." "I don't want to be stuck in this dead-end job." "I don't want to be passed over for a promotion." "I don't want to argue with my kids, friends or spouse." Do any of these statements sound familiar?



When you focus on what you don't want, that is exactly what you attract into your life. Your mind doesn't hear the NOT and focuses only on the rest of the statement. Your mind hears "I want to be fat" "I want to be tired all the time" "I want to be stuck in this dead-end job." "I want to be passed over for a promotion." "I want to argue with my kids, friends or spouse." If these are the messages you are sending yourself, you can see how you are keeping yourself stuck. It is impossible to free yourself of what you don't want by focusing on it. The only way to get what you want in life is to focus your attention on that which you do want. As you focus your attention on what you want in life this will naturally raise your energy. You will be attracting to yourself that which you truly want in life instead of that which you do not want.

Reference Source: www.diabetes.org