Online Fitness & Health Advice

Blog

3 Fitness Workouts That Do Not Require Equipment

There are several reasons why some people are averse to taking up an exercise or fitness program, and one of them is the misconception that it is expensive to do so. Many, who would certainly benefit from doing regular exercise, fail to do so as they believe it requires them to take out a gym membership or splash out hundreds of dollars for fitness and exercise equipment.

Nothing could be further from the truth, and the simple fact is, there is absolutely nothing you need to take part in some exercise other than that you wear suitable clothing and have the commitment to do so. Further, there are multiple exercise routines and workouts that you can do that require zero fitness equipment. To prove it, we are going to outline three excellent workout exercises where no specialist equipment is necessary.

One slight caveat is that there are some fitness workouts you can do at home by utilising items that you are likely to already have. For example, o replicate weights, you could use a pile of books, a heavy laundry basket or a toolbox. You can also use items like chairs to lean on or stairs instead of a fitness step. Beyond these, use your imagination, as there are plenty of others.

Read More

5 Reasons That You Should Not Retain Fears Of Laser Eye Surgery

It is perhaps understandable why many people have fears about getting laser eye surgery from insighteye.com.au. For a start, our eyes are so precious, and we rely so much upon our vision, the thought that we could lose our sight is enough to stoke those fears, albeit the chances of it happening due to laser eye surgery is the same as being struck by lightning.

In addition, many people’s concept of lasers comes from movies such as Goldfinger. In one scene, James Bond is seconds from meeting an unfortunate end due to a laser beam employed by the evil Blofeld, which easily cuts through metal as it moves towards 007 at an alarming rate. When Bond asks if he expects him to talk, Blofeld utters the immortal words, “No, Mr Bond, I expect you to die”.

Rest assured, lasers used in laser eye surgery are not the same as those the bad guys in Bond movies use. Instead, they are precision lasers with beams that are just nanometres in diameter and operated with precision and skill. If that has not calmed your fears, here are 5 other reasons that should allay fears you have about laser eye surgery.

Read More

Do Dreams About Teeth Become Reality?

Do you ever have bad dreams about your teeth falling out, or wisdom teeth removal flashbacks, or that your dentist is approaching you with a 6-foot drill? In truth, we should call these nightmares, but whatever terminology we use, it is a fact that many people report having bad dreams about all sorts of horrible things happening to their teeth. The question is where is the line between these just being dreams, them being a foretelling of reality?

If the phrase ‘dreams come true’  is to be believed it would suggest that dreaming about cracked, broken or missing teeth is a sign that in the future you may have to deal with these dental issues. It is certainly the case that there are people who have such dreams and within weeks or days the dental problem they dreamt about comes true. However, and before you panic, is also true that for every person where the dream became reality, there will be thousands where it did not.

Nevertheless, we are told by those who study dreams that they do have some meaning to them, so what about those dreams where teeth and dentists are the focus? Well, here are some suggestions.

Read More

7 Habits You Have At Home That Can Stain Your Teeth

One of the reasons that dentists will never run short of patients is the fact that so many people have bad habits that invariably harm their oral health and in particular, stains their teeth, all of which could result in the need for dental implants. What compounds this problem is that most of these harmful habits take place at home which is where everyone spends the majority of their time.

Another issue that arises from these bad habits is that many of them are not just harmful to oral health by staining teeth, but are also harmful to one’s overall health. It is also true that whilst they can all take place at home, the fact that you can also do some of them in other scenarios such as at work or when out having fun, adds to the time that they have to stain teeth.

No doubt you could probably guess at one or two of the habits in question, but there are also one or two which may surprise you. As you read through the seven bad habits below, be honest about whether or not you are guilty of any of them. Even if it is just occasionally, ask yourself if they are worth it, given the staining and discolouration to your teeth that can occur.

Read More

How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?

Everyone, no matter your age or gender, needs exercise. At some point, you may even realise that your fitness isn’t up to scratch and that you have to do something about it. But how much exercise do you really need? Is there a golden number or a guideline? Read on to find out.

Exercise for the Average Adult

The Department of Health and Human Services has a figure in mind when it comes to determining how much exercise you need. And that figure is 150 minutes. That is, of course, if you are doing moderate aerobic exercise. However, if you are taking part in vigorous aerobic exercises, then 75 minutes per week is enough to keep your fitness levels at a premium.

In saying that, you shouldn’t just pound the pavement for 150 minutes and call it a week. It’s important to spread that exercise out over the course of the week – even if you can only spare ten minutes here and there to work on your fitness. Some excellent options for those 150 minutes are running, dancing, swimming, walking, and even chores like lawn mowing and gardening.

Alongside aerobic activity, it’s also a good idea to squeeze in some strength training. Work on each of your major muscle groups at least twice per week. This can involve using a weight or resistance to tire out your muscles.

Read More

Taking Care of Tennis Elbow

Taking Care of Tennis Elbow 

In recent years, more and more people are becoming aware that Botox is more than just a cosmetic injectable. It can also be useful for a variety of medical conditions, particularly relating to muscles. Let’s take, for example, someone suffering from tennis elbow. This condition can be debilitating, but could Botox be of assistance? Let’s find out.

What is Tennis Elbow?

Overuse of tendons and muscles in your forearm can result in a condition known as tennis elbow. It causes pain and swelling on the outside area of your elbow, alongside inflammation. Without treatment, this condition can get much, much worse.

Repetitive activity is one of the major causes of this condition. Your forearm muscles are placed under strain, and this causes your tendon fibres to strain at the point where they join from the bone to the outside of your elbow.

Contrary to popular belief that only tennis players get it, that’s not entirely true. Anyone in labour-intensive industries can be at risk, such as plumbers, painters, golfers, and carpenters, for example.

What are the Symptoms of Tennis Elbow?

The most common symptoms of tennis elbow are pain and a burning feeling around the elbow. This pain may radiate down your forearm, and your elbow might be painful to touch. If you grip, rotate, or even grasp your elbow, that may also cause pain. A physical examination from your doctor can offer a diagnosis.

Read More

Your Diet and How It Affects Cataracts

Usually, cataract surgery is recommended to resolve clouding or blurring of the lens –– generally referred as cataracts, one of the main causes of visual impairment, particularly in older people.

Women are often more vulnerable to cataracts due to hormonal changes, but the most important way to avoid degenerative eye disorders such as cataracts is to get a balanced diet consisting of antioxidants.

Although science recommends a good diet for all kinds of health reasons, it has also made it perfectly obvious that a good diet will avoid cataracts. To avoid cataracts, increasing intake of foods high in antioxidants and B vitamins is the strongest protection.

You’ll probably also have to significantly decrease the consumption of low-quality carbs — sugary foods and drinks and processed white starches if you want to avoid having ultimately having to undergo cataract surgery. Let us look at antioxidants and some of the nutrient-rich foods that can help decrease the risk of cataracts, along with some of the foods to avoid.

Read More

Fun Exercise to Do with Friends

One of the hardest things about exercise is not so much the act itself, but the motivation for doing it. When you are trying to work on your fitness on your own, it’s hard to get into the right mindset. But what if you got your friends involved and made it a social occasion?

There are many different and fun exercises you can do with those you love. You then not only reap the physical benefits but the mental ones as well.

Cycling

Whether you’re going for a casual pedal around your city streets or something more exhilarating on a mountain biking track, there’s no denying it can be a rewarding form of exercise. While cycling is a fun pastime on your own, it becomes a social occasion with friends.

What’s more, it’s good for your body. If you bike at a moderate speed of 19km per hour, you can lose up to 298 calories in just half an hour.

Attend a Group Fitness Class

Going to a gym class on your own can be quite daunting at first. You can also struggle with motivation to turn up in the first place. However, if a friend enrols with you, you rely upon each other to attend. You can end up having a lot of fun and getting that much-needed 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise every day.

Read More

How to Heal Strained Muscles from Exercise

Most people are aware of how critical exercise can be for your fitness and health. In saying that, there may come a time when your body says, wow, that was a bit too hard. You may just end up with a strained or pulled muscle as a result. So, what can you do about those pulled and strained muscles so that you can be back in action as soon as possible?

How Do You Pull or Strain a Muscle?

Before we help you take care of your pulled or strained muscle, it’s essential to get to know how they come about in the first place. Extensive pressure, sudden pressure, or overstretching are the most common causes. They can happen during a regular workout or during everyday tasks such as lifting something heavy or moving in a way you don’t usually.

A strained muscle can be quite painful, but it’s also something you can take care of at home. If, however, you feel extreme pain that doesn’t subside, a trip to your doctor may be in order.

How to Know You’ve Pulled a Muscle

When you pull a muscle during exercise, you will most likely know about it. A spasming feeling often follows immediate pain. You may also notice redness, bruising, swelling, weakness, and limited flexibility. The discomfort may also continue long after that muscle or muscles are at rest.

Pain from a strained muscle usually dissipates after a day. However, ongoing discomfort may mean you’ve got a sprain or tear, rather than a strain.

Read More

What’s the Difference Between Dermal Fillers and Botox?

Many of us don’t like the thought of getting older. It’s not so much the aging, as the side effects of getting older. That’s why many people look at Botox and dermal fillers as a way to combat some of those more common side effects – wrinkles.

But during your homework phase, you may come across mention of both Botox and dermal fillers. What’s the difference, and do you need one or the other to slow down the signs of aging? Read on to find out.

What is Botox?

Botox is a cosmetic injectable and muscle relaxer made from bacteria. For over two decades, it has been used to treat muscular conditions and neurological disorders that result in muscle weakness. It’s even useful for the treatment of migraines, overactive bladder, and vaginismus.

Its use in the cosmetic field is also widely known, for it can treat the wrinkles that form between your eyebrows and around your mouth and eyes. As you age, these wrinkles become more pronounced, and the job of Botox is to relax them and reduce their appearance.

Read More