Benefits of Noni Fruit Drink

Which has improved benefits of noni fruit drink?

Most of the Tahitian noni fruit drink customers and producers would disagree that in contrast with its Polynesian counterpart, Hawaiian Noni fruit drink, the Tahitian is much enhanced in terms of nourishment. Tahitian natural noni customers fight that as measured up to the Hawaiian edition, the Tahitian is much enhanced sustenance and even flavor wise. They utter that Tahitian noni fruit drink is not only a healthy food drink but as well has medical values as it can in fact heal many kinds of diseases.

Merely the same, whether Hawaiian or Tahitian

As a result, if Tahitian is enhanced, what does it formulate of Hawaiian Noni fruit drink? Customers of the Hawaiian edition speak otherwise, challenging that theirs is the unique edition of the noni drink. The truth is that whether it is Tahitian or Hawaiian, both are prepared of the equivalent noni fruit as well as healthful elements. Manufacturers and producers may make use of the noni crop from Tahiti or in Hawaii, but the concluding juice that will be manufactured consists of the similar noni fruit drink benefits that customers can get pleasure from. In locations where it is more common it is in use as unfermented in sugary form. This piece of writing takes a glance at the various methods the fruit drink is extorted and made obtainable for eating. Most of the Noni grows in weathers that are free of contamination.

Noni fruit drink has same healthful elements everywhere

There must be no quarrel and the truth remains that the Tahitian, Hawaiian or any other trademark of noni goods they more or less have the same elements and producers are not supposed to declare that theirs is the greatest. On the whole, what’s inarguable is the truth that the noni fruit drink is highly advertised as a very nourishing food drink appendage which is rich in precious minerals as well as nutrients that our bodies can take advantage of.

Benefits of Noni fruit drink are mostly supplemental to good health

One of the most important health benefits of noni fruit drink is the aptitude of the fruit drink to give relief to different skin conditions such as allergies and rashes. It is as well supposed as healing to some illness even though it is preeminent that you confer with your doctor or health supplier when you intend to make use of noni fruit drink for medical reasons.

Towards the end of the day, whether we make use of Tahitian or Hawaii organic noni fruit drink, we will yet have the benefit of all the noni fruit drink health benefits that these goods provide if simply because they come from the similar source that is the noni. What ever brand it may be either Tahitian noni fruit drink or Hawaiian fruit drink, it must have the medical values as it can in fact heal many kinds of diseases.

Tai Chi and Qigong

Imagine if every one of the 60 million men, women, and children living in the western United States suited up each morning for 20 to 40 minutes of low-impact, no-sweat exercise. That’s what happens in China, where an estimated 60 million people-particularly the elderly-start their days with routines that look just as elegant and graceful as ballet.

They’re practicing either the slow, beautifully choreographed tai chi chuan (pronounced “tie chee chwan”) or the more subtle, less dancelike qigong (pronounced “chee gong”). Both disciplines combine a series of fluid movements with meditative attention to the breath and body.

And while both have existed for thousands of years, they’re relative newcomers to the United States. Tai chi chuan (also known as tai chi) has gradually gained popularity over the past 25 years as a gentle, relaxing form of physical activity and as a way to cope with a variety of ill­nesses. Qigong (sometimes spelled “chi gong” or “chi kung”) has taken root in this country more recently, although for similar reasons.

Qi: The Key to Healing.

In Chinese medicine, chi or qi is life energy, a vital force not formally recognized by mainstream M.D.’s. Qigong-the word means “cultivation of qi”-originated about 3,500 years ago, as Chinese physicians realized that a combination of low-impact movements and meditative focus could move qi around inside the body. Qigong exercises inspired all of the martial arts, including tai chi.

Tai chi was developed by Chang San­Feng, a semi-mythical Taoist monk and qigong practitioner who is said to have lived around A.D. 1400. One night, the story goes, he dreamed of a snake and a crane fighting. He was so fascinated by the animals’ movements that he decided to combine them-as well as the combative movements of deer, tigers, bears, and monkeys-with qigong. This modified version of qigong became known as tai chi.

The phrase tai chi chuan is variously translated as “supreme boxing” or “optimal fist fighting.” It is considered a martial art­but unlike karate and kung fu, with their hard punches and kicks, tai chi emphasizes fluidity of movement. According to tai chi masters, this gentle dance fosters the flexibility of a child, the strength of a lumber­jack, and eventually the wisdom of a sage.

Tai Chi:Talking the “work” Out of Workout

Because tai chi is more popular than qigong in the West, it has been subjected to more extensive research in the United States and Europe. The majority of studies have found that tai chi offers significant and surprising health benefits.

One reason it’s so therapeutic is that it provides a deceptively intense workout. Canadian researchers reached this conclusion after monitoring a small group of men who had been taught a 20-minute tai chi routine. The men’s heart rates rose to about 50 percent of their age-specific maximums-not high enough to qualify as a strenuous aerobic workout, but sufficient to reduce the men’s risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, and obesity.

This is the sort of exercise that physicians typically recommend for people over age 55. No wonder other researchers have since endorsed tai chi as a good all-around activity for seniors as well as for those with chronic medical conditions.

Tai chi also appears to have a positive effect on a variety of specific health problems and concerns. Studies show that it can help people who have high blood pressure,
rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

Research has shown that tai chi can also help improve balance and prevent falls. At Emory University in Atlanta, researcher Steven 1. Wolf, M.D., divided 200 people (average age 76) into three groups. One group received tai chi instruction for 15 weeks, another received biofeedback balance training for 15 weeks, and the third attended seminars about fall prevention but received no physical training. All of the participants reported their falls over a 4-month period. Those who practiced tai chi went an average of 48 percent longer without a fall than those in the other two groups.

Qigong: Proving Its Worth

Qigong has never been as popular outside China as the many martial arts it inspired. But that’s slowly changing as research-most of it from Asia -confirms the profound health benefits of qigong’s subtle, meditative movements. So far, studies indicate that qigong can help people who suffer from heart disease, stroke, or respiratory problems.

It may also help with chronic pain and stress. In fact, people who practice qigong generally agree that the exercises enhance their ability to manage stress. When researchers at the Chinese Institute of Aviation Medicine in Beijing trained 18 jet fighter pilots in qigong, the pilots were better able to perform under stressful flying conditions.

A Taste of Tai Chi

Most teachers of tai chi say that learning one of the 50-move “short forms” popular in the United States takes about a year-and truly mastering the discipline takes a lifetime. The best way to train in tai chi is to enroll in a class. To find one, look in the Yellow Pages under “Tai Chi” or “Martial Arts” or ask for referrals from yoga or martial arts instructors.

To get just an idea of what tai chi is like, try these first five moves from the form that Terry Dunn demonstrates in his video Tai Chi/or Health.

To test the effects of tai chi on people with high blood pressure, cardiologists at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, England, assigned 126 heart attack survivors (average age 56) to one of three groups. The first practiced tai chi once or twice a week; the second engaged in aerobic exercise once or twice a week; and the third participated in a support group that met once a week. After 8 weeks, the tai chi group registered the greatest drops in blood pressure, surpassing even the aerobic exercise group. The support group’s blood pressure readings remained unchanged.

Other research has shown the benefits of tai chi for people who have rheumatoid arthritis, a potentially crippling inflammatory joint disease. At Charlotte Rehabilitation Hospital in North Carolina, 20 people with rheumatoid arthritis practiced tai chi for 1 hour twice a week. Over the course of 10 weeks, none of the participants experienced any aggravation of their symptoms. This is important because many doctors are reluctant to advise people with rheumatoid arthritis to exercise, fearing that overexertion will trigger joint inflammation. Apparently, tai chi poses no risk of inflammation.

Preparation: Stand with your heels together and your toes pointing outward at about a 20-degree angle. Place your arms at your sides. Focus on your breathing. Bend both knees and slowly shift all of your weight onto your right leg.

When there’s no weight on your left leg, move the leg to the left so that your feet are shoulder-width apart. In a low seated position, slowly shift all of your weight to your left leg, keeping your back straight.

When there’s no weight on your right leg, turn your right foot, pivoting on your heel until your feet are parallel. Shift your weight so that it’s equally distributed between both legs. With your feet firmly planted on the ground, slowly rise up, straightening your legs. Rotate your elbows outward. Then flex your wrists upward until they are at a 45-degree angle with the plane of your shoulders.

Beginning: In this sequence, your torso is still and erect. Only your arms and shoulders move. Stand in the ending Preparation position. Inhale. Imagine that strings are tied around your wrists, pulling them upward in front of you. Allow your fingers and hands to dangle in a relaxed state as you slowly bring your wrists up to shoulder level. When your wrists are at shoulder level, exhale and lift your fingers. Straighten your hands so that your palms are facing slightly forward. With your legs firmly planted on the ground and knees slightly bent, project your energy from the tips of your fingers.

Inhale. Drop your elbows to a position over your hips and draw your hands back to your shoulders. Gently lift your palms, then your fingers. While maintaining your wrists and hands in this position, allow your arms to slide down the length of your body until they are at your sides. Return to the ending Preparation position.

Ward Off Left: Begin in the ending Preparation position. Shift your weight to your left leg and pivot 90 degrees on your right heel. As you turn, raise your right hand to shoulder level with your palm down, and move your left hand to a position over your right hip with your palm up. Imagine that your hands are holding a large ball. Square your shoulders and hips to the right, keeping your knees bent and your weight in your seat and legs.

While keeping your back straight, shift your weight forward to your right leg and bend your right knee so that it is positioned over your right foot. Look left over your shoulder and step out with your left heel along the line of your left shoulder. Plant your left heel about 24 inches out, then step down with your toes so that your left foot is flat.

As you set your toes down, shift all of your weight to your left leg and turn your torso left from your waist. As you turn, raise your left forearm across your chest and drop your right arm so that your right hand is over your right hip, palm facing down. Pivot your right foot 45 degrees.

Ward Off Right: This sequence follows from Ward Off Left. Bring your right hand, palm up, to your waist level and your left hand, palm down, to the level of your left shoulder, as though you were holding a large ball. At the same time, rise up on your right toes. Shift your weight to your left leg. Keeping your back straight, sink your weight into your left hip.

While keeping your hands in position, step out with your right leg about 24 inches,
along the line of your right shoulder. Plant your right heel, then your toes as you shift your weight forward to your right leg. Your knee should be bent and over your right toes. As you do this, raise your hands to throat level in front of you, with your right hand in front of your left and your palms facing each other. Imagine that you’re holding a medium-size ball. Keeping your back straight and your knees bent, pivot your left foot 45 degrees .

Grasp the Bird’s Tail. This sequence follows from the Ward Off Right position. With your right knee over your right toes in Ward Off Right, turn your torso to the right at your waist. Do this while keeping your arms in the same position within the frame of your shoulders. Move your right palm forward so that the fingers point outward, and move your left palm back, in an upward position, so that the fingers point toward your right elbow.

Slowly shift your weight and turn left. At the same time, allow your left hand to swing down with the force of gravity and then back up so that it’s in line with your left shoulder. Your right arm should remain bent, with your fingers up, as your forearm is brought across your chest. Your elbows should have a slight bend, as though you were holding a ball at chest level.

With your weight on your left leg, turn right and shift your weight onto your right leg. As you turn, bring your left arm across your chest, with your palm facing to your right. Bring the palm of your right hand up so that your palms meet and press together over your right knee, which is in line with your right toes. Your hips and shoulders should be squared to the right.

Without turning your waist or shoulders, shift your weight back onto your left leg. Separate your palms, pull your hands back to your shoulders, and point your fingers up and your palms forward. Shift your weight to your right leg and extend your palms forward until your elbows are almost straight, as if you were pushing something.

A Qigong Sampler

Because qigong is only now becoming popular in the United States, teachers may be hard to find. Ask tai chi, yoga, or martial arts instructors in your area for recommendations. To get a sense of how qigong differs from tai chi, try these three exercises offered by qigong master Ching Tse Lee, Ph.D., psychology professor at Brooklyn College.

The Rejuvenator: Stand with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. Keeping your upper body straight and relaxed and your arms at your sides, slowly bend your knees about 45 degrees into a quarter-squat position. Slowly raise your arms in front of you about 35 degrees, with your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing each other. Bring your palms closer until you feel qi (characterized by sensations of tingling, throbbing, trembling, cold, heat, or electricity). Once you feel qi, stay with it and become familiar with it. The sensations may come and go. Practice this exercise for 3 to 10 minutes, or as long as you can comfortably maintain the bent-knee position. This exercise should leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

The Calmer: Begin by doing the Rejuvenator. After you’ve experienced qi for 5 to 10 minutes, observe your breathing-the natural expansion of your body as you inhale and the contraction as you exhale. Merge into the moment meditatively. Next, observe how your palms move farther apart when you inhale and closer together when you exhale. Once you’ve appreciated your breathing and body expansion and contrac­tion, feel the energy all around you. Does one part of your body feel lighter or heavier? Warmer or colder? If you practice daily, you’ll eventually feel the energy around you as even and balanced. This exercise produces a sense of profound calm.

The Energizer: This exercise enhances the circulation of qi around your body. Begin by doing the Rejuvenator. Then relax and observe your breathing for a few minutes, feeling the expansion and contraction of your body, as in the Calmer. While inhaling, let your arms float up to shoulder height, with your elbows slightly bent. While exhaling, let your arms stretch out effortlessly. Inhale and let your arms bend and slowly descend until your thumbs touch the sides of your legs. Exhale and let your arms straighten out along your sides. Repeat this exercise for 3 to 5 minutes. As you do, focus on the qi flowing around you. You may feel it circulate from your back to your hands as you complete each cycle. Empty your mind meditatively. Become one with the exercise. Even if you don’t notice qi movement at first, you will eventually-sometimes when you least expect it.

Video (Difference Between Tai Chi and Chi Kung)

Nutrition

Eating high-fat foods is a lethal habit, second only to smoking in terms of the number of lives it claims. According to one study, a high-fat diet is responsible for some 300,000 deaths each year.

Like smoking, a high-fat diet kills by directly contributing to a host of serious health problems. The strongest evidence links dietary fat to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and diabetes. And, of course, there’s obesity, which is a risk factor for many of these diseases.

Research has also identified a high-fat diet as a risk factor for chronic health problems such as hearing loss, osteoarthritis, and-in men-impotence.

“Most Americans who have chronic health problems would not have those problems if they ate a low-fat diet,” says Neal D. Barnard, M.D., president of the Wash­ington, D.C.-based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Adding Carbs, Subtracting Fat

In recent years, Americans have trimmed a little fat from their diets. But total fat consumption is still at near-record levels. Not surprisingly, so is obesity.

For years, carbohydrates were vilified as fattening. As it turns out, carbs are actually your friends, your body’s main source of energy.

What’s more, carbohydrates supply fewer calories than fat-4 calories per gram versus 9 calories per gram. So you can actually eat more carbohydrates than fat for the same number of calories. “Fat calories really sneak up on you,” observes Ron Goor, Ph.D., coauthor (with his wife, Nancy) of the Eater’s Choice low-fat cookbooks. “A few handfuls of potato chips has the same number of calories as two medium-size baked potatoes topped with nonfat yogurt and steamed vegetables:”

“If you reduce your fat consumption from the typical 35 to 40 percent of calories to the 10 percent recommended in my program, you can eat one-third more food without increasing your total calorie intake,” adds Dean Ornish, M.D., president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, whose ultra low fat diet has been shown to reverse heart disease. “You’ll feel full and satisfied but still lose weight. And you’ll reduce your risk of fat-related diseases:”

No wonder the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest-a Washington, D.C.-based consumer nutrition organization-urge all Americans to reduce their dietary fat intakes. In a joint report,
these groups estimated that if every person cut his fat consumption by one-third (to approximately 20 percent of calories), the nation’s health-care bill would plummet by
$17 billion a year.

Guidelines for Healthful -Eating

To our credit, we Americans are consuming less meat, eggs, and whole milk these days. But in exchange, we’re chowing down on a lot more pizza, french fries, and other fast-food items loaded with hidden fat.

You can take steps to pare down your dietary fat intake and reap the many health benefits of low-fat eating. The process begins with reading nutrition labels. As a general rule, you’re much better off if you select foods that derive no more than 20 percent of calories from fat per serving.

But beware: The serving size may be smaller than what you actually eat, so your fat intake is higher than what’s listed on the label. And don’t be fooled by the percent Daily Value. This figure tells you how much of a day’s worth of fat a food provides. But because it’s based on a hypothetical 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, not on the number of calories in the food itself, it often misrepresents actual fat content.

You can get a more accurate read on a food’s fat content by doing the math your­self. Simply multiply the number of grams of fat per serving by 9, then divide that figure by the number of calories per serving. If the answer is 0.20 (20 percent) or less, then the food is acceptable.

Also, scan labels for the words low fat or nonfat. They can be used only on foods that meet certain criteria for fat content. (A low ­fat food supplies 3 grams or less of fat per serving; a nonfat food, less than 0.5 gram per serving.) Supermarkets now carry literally hundreds of low-fat and nonfat foods. What you see-and taste-just might surprise you.

With some foods, switching from the full­ fat to the low-fat or nonfat variety can take
some getting used to. For example, people who trade in whole milk for nonfat (skim) milk often complain that the latter tastes thin and watery. But after about 6 months of drinking nonfat milk, it tastes fine-and whole milk tastes too rich. “If you keep your fat intake down,” notes John Foreyt, Ph.D., director of the Nutrition Research Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, “your fat cravings and preferences for fatty foods eventually decline.”

But as with full-fat foods, you must be careful not to overindulge in low-fat and nonfat foods. A study by Barbara J. Rolls, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and bio behavioral health at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, found that people often consume substantially larger amounts of foods that they know are low-fat or nonfat. And that means lots of extra calories-and eventually extra pounds.

HGH (Human Growth Hormone) – The Fountain of Youth

As the name implies, the role of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) is to regulate the development and maintenance of the important functions of your body. HGH pituitary gland responsible for production and secretion of human growth hormone is the master hormone in our body that controls the production of the other entire hormone.

Slowdown in the production of this hormone is associated with aging in the body very closely. Aging process, physical function (they are a function of other systems and skeletal, circulatory, nervous, hormone, or) begins with a gradual degeneration. Body will start to lose the ability to repair itself and maintain. The end result is reduced ability to work away from, to look aged.

It allows you to slow the aging process in these cases, and to increase the level of HGH scientific has been proven that it may even reverse to some extent. Of course, you like that lifestyle changes are essential if you want to look younger and more physical activity, and other requirements. The ultimate goal, you will need to change the quality of life. If you do not have it ready for you to make these changes to expect a rise in hormone levels for the recovery of “youth” might be unrealistic.

As mentioned above, HGH is the master hormone that controls production of other hormones of the body literally. Hormone of the “other” that is associated with the function of these various systems of the body. Depletion of HGH level will affect the hormone production of the “other” of these automatically.

As we work to enhance the level of hormone in your body, you get a starting point for the production of other hormones. Let’s take a look at some of the most important benefit.

Skin: the skin is facing the onslaught pollution constantly, attacks against the ultraviolet rays from the sun, such as extreme weather events, such as smoking habits, etc., HGH, in order to reduce the wrinkles in its effects, to strengthen the body’s repair mechanism You.

Simple New Year’s Tips for Eating Healthier While Saving Money

Use these tips to save money and eat healthier and smarter, the simple way this New Year.

Tags: Savings Galore

The one biggest health issue facing Americans is our weight. Let’s face the facts, 44% of our nation is obese, and lifestyle diseases are the leading cause of death as a result. Simply put, we need to start eating healthier. A lot healthier. And we are here to help. The following simple Savings Galore tips can have you back on track with your diet while saving money in no time.

Ulcerative Colitis

Commit to Healthier Food

It starts with you and a commitment to eat healthier food. It’s tough. You can still cheat by making healthier versions of your favorite foods and snacks. But it starts here and with you. Once you are ready to make this commitment, keep reading to learn more.

Get Recipe Ideas Online

You will need ideas for healthy, delicious snacks. You can easily find them in the portal called the Internet. There are millions of amazing recipes that taste great, are inexpensive to create and that won’t make your belly bulge. You can’t ever have enough, so get to researching your favorite ones already!

Preplan Meals

You will need a plan of action. The best way is to create a food calendar. Plan out what you will make and eat for the week the lies ahead. Doing so will allow you to purchase the right foods to make the wholesome meals that you are planning to enjoy.

Order Farm Fresh Produce from Savings Galore

Use your Savings Galore membership to get the best deals on locally grown and organic food, delivered right to your door. Next, use your membership to find the best coupons at your local grocery store. Combined, you can save a lot of money and drop the pounds while feeling great!

Find The Most Suitable Careering Agency In Phoenix, Arizona Region

Life has its complexities for everyone and with time, they tend to multiply. Both women and men, find difficulties growing as they reach golden years. Owing to the hectic pace of life, people find it hard to extract time for themselves, let alone the relatives. However, it does not mean your parents, grandparents or elderly relatives should be left on their own, when they need company and assistance the most. To ensure the elderly relatives and family members get utmost care and assistance when you are absent, you may opt for services of quality care giving service agencies. A lot of people are choosing their packages to meet diverse needs of their parents and elderly relatives.

Services Offered By Top Notch Caregiver Entities

It is a misconception that you need to hire caregivers only when your elderly relatives need medical attention. On the contrary, these agencies offer trained staffs to assist and spend time with elderly people for numerous needs that are not related to medical emergencies.

Below listed are a few services offered by in-home caregivers Peoria AZ agencies:

  • Aid in performing daily chores

There are plenty of elderly people who are not particularly ill or suffering from severe ailment, but need human assistance for performing daily chores. They feel less confident in doing activities like bathing, washing clothes or cooking by themselves. More than physical help, the presence of a person boosts their level of confidence. This is where professional caregivers can play a big role.

  • Reminder for taking medications

While all elderly men and women do not get subjected to dementia a lot of them tend to become forgetful with age. There is no way natural ageing and its effect on the mind can be stopped. Forgetting to take medications can lead to serious inconveniences and health problems for many such persons. Professional caregivers can remind those elderly persons to take medications on time and they can also aid in taking medications should the need arise.

  • Care for pets

There are several elderly persons who have pets like dogs and birds at home. They find the company of their avian and animal friends soothing and blissful. However, not all of them are able to take care of the pets properly owing to fragile health. Bathing a big dog or taking him for annual sterilization is not easy for elderly people. This is another area where services and assistance of caregivers can make a big difference.

  • Transportation assistance

At times, your elderly relatives or parents may need to step out braving the weather and crowd for several needs. It can be due to festive shopping needs or keeping an appointment with a doctor. For meeting such need without hassles, they will benefit from seeking assistance of expert caregivers. They can also be helpful for accompanying the senior persons to social events.

Selecting The Apt Care giving Service Agency

It is quite important that you pick the most suitable caregiver service provider for your elderly family members. Beyond doubt, you will be leaving them to the care of these entities for a considerable amount of time.

Below listed are a few tips to select a suitable caregiver entity:

  • First of all, you need to know about the expertise level of the entity. It is always advisable to opt for staffs and services of such an entity that has been in this sector for quite a long time. Top caregiver agencies keep highly trained and certified staff who can cater to various needs of elderly people with patience and friendliness. Veteran agencies listen patiently to customer queries and offer suitable solutions accordingly.
  • You should opt for packages of a regional caregiver entity that offers flexible packages and rates. It may not be necessary to hire their staffs for all days of the week. You may need services specifically for weekends and holidays when you need to go out, for example. The rates are often hour based but you may also find package based quotes.
  • Checking testimonials of clients of these agencies can be useful. However, you should walk an extra mile and check their reputation in social media agencies. Direct interaction with their customers can help you sect the right agency.

Controlling Body Weight

The best first step to prevent overweight is to check the increase immediately by making changes in the diet related to the activity. Instead of reducing the total food intake, it is much better to adjust it according to the energy expenditure.

It is convenient to consider the energy expenditure of people employed in an urban society as divided into three parts corresponding to three eight hour periods. One part is spent in bed, the second at work and travelling to work, and the third in various non-occupational activities and recreation. The ‘rate of energy expenditure when in bed approximates 400-500 calories per 8 hours. At work the energy expenditure is determined by the nature of the occupation. In a sedentary job it amounts to about 900 calories per 8 hours; in a job involving moderate physical activity, to about 1,200 calories per 8 hours. On an average 900 calories per 8 hours can be considered as the expenditure for non-occupational activity.

Based on the above classification, the total food intake can also be divided into three – breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is our first meal and comes just before the 8 hour period of work requiring maximum energy. Thus, it should be our heaviest meal providing us the maximum calories. The main activity after lunch is non-occupational and recreational apart from some portion left over from the work period. This implies that lunch should be lighter than breakfast. The 8 hour period of rest in bed follows dinner, which should be the lightest meal in terms of energy value, as this rest period involves the minimum energy expenditure.

This diet plan is known as the ‘breakfast diet’ plan, since breakfast is the heaviest and most important of all meals, according to this plan.

Taking a heavy breakfast, a lighter lunch and the lightest possible dinner prove to be an effective, check on body weight and an easy way to shed the extra kilos without cutting down on the total dietary intake.

Alexander Technique

The Alexander technique is a training process in which a person learns to identify and change faulty posture and movements. The goal is to free the body of muscular tensions that cause stress and fatigue by eliminating common postural problems resulting from such habits as slouching, holding the head in an awkward position when talking on the telephone, or carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder. A number of poor posture patterns are the result of well intentioned reminders by parents or teachers to stand or sit up straight. Many people respond by holding their spinal muscles in a constant state of tension instead of aiming for a relaxed balance of head, neck, and torso. Tight or restrictive clothing and high heeled shoes are other common culprits that contribute to incorrect posture and muscle tension.

Origins

The technique was developed in the late 19th century by an Australian actor, F. Mathias Alexander, during a period in his career when he was losing his voice. While examining his movements in a triple mirror, he realized that the tense and artificial postures he habitually assumed with his head, neck, and torso during performances were affecting his vocal chords. By changing his self defeating habits, he was able to “liberate” his voice. Encouraged by his success, he began to teach others some of his methods and in 1908, he published one of his earliest pamphlets: “Reeducation of the Kinesthetic System (Sensory Appreciation of Muscular Movement) Concerned with the ,Development of Robust Physical Well Being.” In the decades that followed, he attracted many distinguished followers, among them philosopher john Dewey, authors George Bernard Shaw and Aldous Huxley, as well as a number of physicians and scientists. By the time he died in 1955, his technique was being taught worldwide.

Practitioners

Instructors are trained and certified at centers affiliated with the North American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique. They may give private lessons and also conduct group classes and workshops. Some doctors and physical therapists use the method, and many hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and pain clinics now offer instruction to their clients. So do performing arts institutions, including the juilliard School in New York and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.

When it is used

The technique is most frequently recommended as a way of dealing with back and neck pain. It is also used to counteract some of the effects of scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and arthritis, to improve respiratory function, and as an adjunct to breathing exercises for asthma patients. Some performing artists claim that it has helped them to overcome stage fright; many athletes have found that it not only enhances their skills but also helps reduce the likelihood of sports injuries. A growing number of people who work at computers are investigating the Alexander technique as a way of avoiding stress injuries from repetitive movements, which have become a disabling occupational hazard.