ofsmokes&mirrors: fitness

Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts

Coping Up With Flu

5:33 AM - Posted by chill whiner - 1 comments

It has been a week yet I still have cough and colds plus occasional fever. I already tried drinking medicines but still nothing seems to work for me. My boss, who happens to be a doctor, discouraged me from me from taking antibiotics. Instead, he told me to let my antibodies do the working and allow my body to naturally heal itself. Anyway, for those of you who could be in the same predicament as I am, here are some of the things that you could do to speed up you recovery.

1. Drink lots of water – Water is said to contain disease curing properties. It is a natural remedy for common sickness. This benefit can be attributed to the fact that water acts as a body purifier, by removing toxins and waste from the body.

2. Take Vit C – Scientific studies show that intake of vitamin C actually reduces the severity of cold symptoms. It acts as natural antihistamine thus it controls allergy. By taking a dose of this vitamin, the duration of colds may shorten.

3. Get plenty of sleep – Sleep is shown to have a critical function in the immune system. It actually provides an opportunity for the body to cleanse, repair, and rejuvenate on a deep cellular level. Thus, a need for plenty of healing sleep.

As a final reminder, do take care of yourself. Our bodies are the only ones we have. We better take care of it in the best possible way. Do not forget to bring your handy umbrellas as it is best for us to be prepared in this ever changing weather. Drink your multivitamins. It actually helps your body.

And just in case you have been travelling abroad with known cases of Swine Flu, do self quarantine. After all, the symptoms you manifest may be more than just a common flu. If symptoms persist, do consult your doctor.

A Wellness Experience

7:09 PM - Posted by chill whiner - 1 comments

After a gruesome week where I had to cope up with so many stresses, I decided to pamper myself. I visited my favorite spa, Body Bliss, which offers several services. It was much needed as I could feel a heavy weight on my shoulder, pain on my hands and a recurring headache that Ibuprofen cannot seem to ease.

As I entered the spa, the dim lights and the smell of essential oils seem to provide a serene feeling. It was the first time in so many weeks that I felt that calm.

The therapist immediately attended to my needs. The session started with warm water cleansing of my feet which was followed by muscle stretching, the relaxing Bentosa cupping and a combination of Shiatsu, Sweddish and Thai massage. Slowly, the soothing effect of the therapy began to loosen the stiffness of my muscles. Bit by bit, there was a sense of ease that has brought me tranquility.

The session I had was indeed therapeutic. The Bentosa cupping is an ancient Chinese-Filipino practice wherein small glass or bamboo cups are attached to the skin. These hot suction cups are placed on acupressure points of the body, particularly at one’s back, to activate blood flow, clear toxins and energy channels and prevent colds and fever. The “cold wind” which is locally known as panuhot is sucked out from the body leading to a better feeling. The massage, on the other hand, gives a lot of physical and mental benefits. The physical benefits of massage include relieves muscle tension and stiffness, reduces muscle spasms, promotes deeper and easier breathing, improves blood circulation, reduces blood pressure, helps relieve tension-related headaches and effects of eye-strain, enhances the health and nourishment of skin and strengthens the immune system. As for its mental benefits, the massage is said to foster peace of mind, promotes a relaxed state of mental alertness, helps relieve stress, fosters a feeling of well-being and reduces level of anxiety.

No wonder that after a much needed treatment, I feel so relaxed. I felt I was reborn to face yet another challenging week ahead.

Enjoy More Citrus for a Healthier You

1:29 AM - Posted by chill whiner - 0 comments

I have always been a fan of citrus fruits. Taking any kind of citrus fruit seem to perk up my day. Honest. Well, lucky me since these fruits does not only taste really good but they also pose great health benefits.

Citrus fruits include oranges, grapes, limes, lemons, pomelos and tangerine. They are not only good sources of vitamin C but they also contain other essential nutrients. Loading your diet with lots of them need not worry you as they have no fat, sodium nor cholesterol.

A study showed that intake of these fruits may provide protection against cardiovascular diseases. The high pectin content in some types of citrus contributes to soluble fiber consumption, which has been linked to increased cardiovascular health and reduced risk of certain types of cancer. Apart from that, it was also said that citrus fruits can be used as treatment of various illnesses such as to reduce vomiting or diarrhea and for regulating fertility.

And if you are stressed out causing risks to your body's immune function, opting for a healthy food choice such as citrus fruits can actually help build your immune system thus giving you your needed protection.

So enjoy these fruits whether as drinks or eating it as it is for a healthier you.

My Sunday Morning Guilty Pleasure ... Badminton

2:47 AM - Posted by chill whiner - 5 comments

My brother and I together with my classmates have been recently hooked with playing badminton. It all started with the school's sports fest that eventually became our Sunday morning addiction.

We have to admit that we still have a long way to go to be at par even with the people we usually see at the court. Yet, the game is not about being overly good at it. To us, it more of enjoying each others company and making fun at ourselves every time we miss. It is more of quenching out thirst for adrenaline rush that we only found in playing badminton.

I recently read in a website that apart from being fun, badminton, though only an indoor sport, actually poses great health benefits. It may seem an easy sport yet it offers amazing treat to our bodies. For one, it is said that regularly playing badminton reduces one's bad cholesterol and increases the good cholesterol. The bad cholesterol is what induces the risk of heart attacks, stroke and hypertension while good cholesterol helps in forming and maintaining cell walls and structures thus aiding it in adjusting to changes in temperature and is used by nerve cells for insulation. Yeah, it may be highly technical but it simply means badminton promotes overall wellness for the body. Badminton also protects individuals regularly paying it from heart disease since the sport conditions and strengthens the heart muscle. Finally, one of its most sought after benefit is its weight reducing effect. People playing tend to sweat it all out where excess fats and calories are burnt to produce more energy while playing. This then helps maintain or even enhance one's figure.

See? All it takes it for us to get up, take that racket and shuttle cock then we are all of to one exciting game to wellness.