Healthkicker BlogSubscribe to feedsubscribe

Sunday, 21 March 2010

  • Food For Health: Greek Yogurt


    Upon opening the refrigerator last night, I realized how awful my roommates and I are at grocery shopping, and how much more skilled my parents are. My fridge at college is filled with such staples as: soda (left over from a party), salad dressings, cheese, onions and tomatoes. Filling, right? My parents' fridge, on the other hand, contains various cheeses, hummus, tons of vegetables, delicious soup, bread, water and, my personal favorite, Greek yogurt.  

    My preferred brand is Fage (pronounced Fah-yeh), but Oikos and Chobani are also popular among the yogurt crowd. Nutritionally, Greek yogurt is known for its lower sugar and higher protein content, which makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time. Per ounce, it only contains about 15 calories. Try the lower-fat versions for an added health boost!

    How do you eat it? It's so thick, rich and creamy that by itself, it makes a great substitute for dessert. I like to add honey for the full Greek experience. Others add apples, nuts, cinnamon, chocolate, blueberries, strawberries...the list goes on and on! You can use it in smoothies, dips and soups to maximize the nutritional content of your favorite recipes as well.

    How do you eat Greek yogurt?

Saturday, 20 March 2010

  • The Best Thing For Your Health? Sleep!


    After a very tumultuous week of midterms and other such responsibilities that can only be enjoyed by the average college student, I am back in action and enjoying spring break. After a plane flight, a good meal, and seeing my friends and family, it became clear that there was one thing I needed to do: sleep. You see, the past week I had racked up a total of about 12 hours of sleep. While I don't exactly regret the three all-nighters my roommates and I pulled (I got a lot of work done! We had some good times!), lack of sleep can be extremely hazardous to your health, and can potentially be deadly.

    According to this report, studies have shown that not getting enough sleep can affect the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune and nervous systems. What exactly does that mean? Among other unpleasant side effects, staying up can harm you by: More Here...
  • Aromatherapy: Does it Really Work?

    The definition of aromatheraphy is "the use of fragrances to affect or alter a person's mood or behavior."  That said, there are a ton of aromatherapy products on the market that claim to either give us more energy, relax us, put us in the mood, and more.  They come in the form of soaps, creams and lotions, candles, air freshener, pillow sprays, bath salts, etc.  The question is, do they work?

    More Here...
  • Nutrition Really Matters



    We have been hearing out nutrition our whole lives, 'it's good to eat this, it's good to eat that', but most kids don't listen to that kind of stuff. Are you trying to eat better for a reason? Everyone has their own reasons for why they want to pay more attention to their health and their habits. Many for themselves and even more do it for others.

    How and why does nutrition matter to you? I focus on my nutrition and eating habits mainly because it will effect my running. If I am training for a race I make sure I eat as well as possible during training and even better during the week of the race. What you eat definitely matters in your performance. More Here...
  • Slow & Steady Wins The Race



    I have been trying to lose a few pounds, now don't get me wrong, I am by no means overweight, but I've put on a few flabby pounds over the past several months. The only reason I would like to shed a few pounds is simply to fit into my pants again. I have a couple pairs of pants that I can't get into right now and it's frustrating.

    Other than the actual number on the scale I want to measure my progress by measurements and the overall muscle in my body. I would love to be nice and toned and that is what matter's the most to me. Forget the number on the scale, especially if I look and feel great. I have been keeping track of my progress for the past 4 weeks and I am down about 3 lbs. It may not seem much, but I much prefer to keep it steady and slow. I've lost 2-3 pounds in a week before, but before I could even say cheeseburger, I gained it all back.

    I haven't really been 'dieting', I've simply cleaned up my diet and started to hit the gym a few extra times a week. I have been making sure to eat more fruits and vegetables and I have been tackling my biggest issue; dessert! I love sweets and they are definitely my weakness. I allow myself one dessert a day, usually something small, like a cookie and I usually eat it after my dinner.

    I feel a lot more confident doing it the slow way, I definitely feel that I will actually keep it off this time. My weigh in days are Wednesday's and this week I am hoping to see a .8 - 1 pound loss. I've been resting a lot because I have an injured knee so this week was mostly about my food consumption and whether I did a good job controlling it or not. I have about 6 more pounds I would like to lose I am honestly hoping to reach that goal by April 28th. Wish me luck!

    Have you ever lost weight? What techniques work for you?

  • Hey Ladies! What's Up with Your Health?


    Image Source

    Though we're well into the month of March, Happy Women’s History Month to all the ladies out there!  As you probably know, Women’s History Month is about celebrating women of the past and present for their courageous efforts, selfless deeds, and for being positive role-models for generations of women.  

    I think now is a great time to focus on what we can do to be healthy role models for ourselves and other women, like our daughters and future daughters.  It’s also about time we give ourselves a little more credit where it’s due, and cut ourselves some slack for not being Superwoman 24/7--there’s a reason why she’s a character!

    If we all were to pick one healthy thing that we’d like to make a habit each month, that adds up to 12 new healthy habits a year.  Twelve may not sound like much to you, but it could ultimately add years to your life—healthy and happy years. 

    Also, if we each kept a little notebook or Word document where we wrote down one thing that we were proud of ourselves for each day, no matter how big or small, perhaps women as a whole would finally see how fabulous they truly are.  You don’t have to be a Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, or Mother Teresa to be a positive influence—if you strive to be the best version of yourself as you can be, and accept even the parts of yourself that you consider "flaws," you, too, are a hero.

    So, my fab Healthkickers...

    My healthy habit for this month:  Drink at least 6 cups of water a day.

    Today I’m proud of myself for: Using the rainy weather to my advantage and getting a little spring cleaning done around the apartment.

    What is your goal of the month?  And what are you proud of yourself for today?  (Feel free to gloat a little! )

Friday, 19 March 2010

  • Advice: Preventing Running Cramps


    This comes from our Advice column!


    From Michcoy: "How do you prevent that cramp you get in your side when you run or jog??"


    What do you all think?  Answer here!: "Running and cramps."

  • I Wish My Mom Would Just Lose the Weight

    My whole life I’ve been hearing my mother complain about her weight nearly every single day. It just bugs me so much, because no matter how much I try to encourage her, she always discourage herself. She doesn’t look bad, she’s not a sloppy dresser, or a sloppy eater. The only problem is, is that she’s over weight, and she keeps on gaining weight.

    Whenever she looks at old photos of herself she starts saying “look at how small I was, now look at how fat I am.” Or when she tries on a pair of jeans she hasn’t worn in a few months and realize they no longer fit she start saying “these jeans use to be so big on me, now they’re so tight…I know I gained weight.”

    Whenever she says things like that I just give her a look. She starts laughing, but I know deep down inside she doesn’t find it as amusing. I tried talking to her about it, she’ll listen, but she never does it. I mean, she buys all these weight loss machines like the step climber, or a treadmill, or a bike…But never uses them. She already tried weight loss pills, and we all know they don’t work at all. And she even insisted on getting liposuction, which in my opinion you’re putting your life in danger just by going under the knife. If a doctor recommend it, then maybe yes, but if you want to do it just to avoid losing weight just by taking time out for yourself, then that’s a total different story. More Here...

  • Mens Deodorants – Why Bother?


    Image Source


    If you watch television, webcasts, or even listen to the radio, it is virtually impossible to avoid the countless commercials for all sorts of mens deodorants. Most of these ads suggest that the primary reason that a man would have to apply deodorant is to attract the opposite sex. Although these statements are presumably good advertising gimmicks, since they constantly reappear, they are somewhat misleading as to the primary reasons that men wear deodorant.

    Roughly 60,000,000 men in the USA alone regularly apply deodorant products. Of this number, the highest demographic is teenagers, since as they go through puberty, their bodies will begin to react by producing underarm odor, among other things. The high school gym locker is one of the most predominant areas where teenagers will require deodorant, to avoid odor from the sweat produced by physical activity.

    More mature men may have varied reasons for applying deodorant. More Here...

  • Why Poor Circulation In Legs Should Not Be Ignored


    Image Source

    When the legs and feet receive a reduced flow of blood than what is considered normal, it is what is known as poor peripheral circulation. Circulation issues can develop for many reason, though there are a few primary causes. The most common one is obesity, though advancing age and a sedentary lifestyle definitely add to it. Many people do not think much of them when they begin or even learn how to recognize the symptoms of poor circulation because the initial signs are so mild.

    Even though the symptoms of bad circulation begin in very mild forms, they have the potential to lead to much more dangerous complications down the road if they are not treated before then. Edema is one of the first symptoms of poor circulation that you are likely to notice. Edema refers to the swelling of the lower legs that can often be accompanied by itching and aching, as well as discoloration. These cosmetic concerns, however, can further lead to much more worrying consequences. More Here...