How to Hold your Breath Longer

If you are a swimmer, a diver, a dancer, or an athlete, you can benefit by learning how to hold your breath longer. Although it is difficult to hold your breath for a long duration in the first attempt, continuous practice will help you to hold your breath longer. Holding your breath means you have to increase the capacity of your lungs to control inhaling and exhaling air. However, be careful while you practice holding your breath. 

Never practice to hold your breath alone as you may pass out if you hold your breath for too long. Stop holding your breath if you begin to feel weak and dizzy. Also, be sure to practice these exercises only under the strict supervision of an expert. If you really wish to learn to hold your breath longer and impress your friends, then here are some tips to your aid. Read through the following sections to learn the different ways of holding your breath for longer durations.

Holding Your Breath Longer

Breathing Exercises

Although there is no way by which you can increase the size of your lungs, you can do several breathing exercises to increase the capacity of your lungs to hold air. Take a deep breath slowly through your nose and hold it for 30 seconds. Subsequently, gradually exhale the air through your mouth. Rest for 30 seconds and then do it again. Do this breathing exercise once in the morning and once at night. Gradually increase the time of holding your breath. You may use a stopwatch to check and see as to how long you have managed to hold your breath each time.

Quit Smoking

If you are a heavy smoker, then try to quit smoking. Quitting helps increase your lungs ability to release carbon dioxide and absorb more oxygen. If you are a regular smoker, the black smoke and the tar will damage your lung tissues to a great extent. Quitting will improve your lungs and you can effectively hold your breath for longer.

Swimming

Swimming is a great exercise that helps hold your breath longer. It strengthens your lung tissues thus helping you to hold your breath for longer. Start with small sessions so that your lungs and muscles grow strong. Increase your time gradually until you have reached your goal.

Useful Tips

Don’t hold air in your cheeks. Splash cold water on your face before you start practicing holding your breath. Alternatively, you can also use a cold washcloth on your face. Research studies have shown that washing your face with cold water triggers bradycardia or the slowing of the heart rate. However, don’t use icepacks. Make sure the water temperature is around 21 degree celsius and the rest of your body is in a relaxed position.

In order to hold your breath longer, you need to relax your muscles. Meditation is a good exercise that lowers your heart rate and helps you relax. The more you lower your heart rate, the better you can hold your breath. To meditate, close your eyes, and focus on a thought that makes you calm and relaxes your nerves.

Try not to move at any point when holding your breath. When you move or do some physical activity, you waste oxygen and you need to breathe more to get adequate oxygen supply. On the other hand, when you relax you consume less oxygen as your heart rate drops down. Try holding your breath when you are in a relaxed state.

These are some of the best ways to hold your breath. However, be sure to practice these techniques only under the supervision of an expert to avoid complications.

How to Fight a Cold

Any query of medications for cold is most often met by a reply that goes like “with medications the cold will last seven days and without medications it takes about a week”. This is because there is no known cure for common cold. Often it is said that humans cannot call themselves thoroughly developed as long as the cure for common cold eludes them. 

Cold is one of the most common ailments that affect mankind and the only way to respond to it, as of now, is to fight it or to work for relief. Common cold, though it doesn’t pose a serious risk to the health, can be quite irritating. Getting infected with just one symptom of cold is enough to hamper any type of work. 

So, for proper functioning, it is important that we know how to get relief from cold. For this, this article will be of immense help. If you follow all the remedies given below, then you can tide over the battle with cold, without much discomfort. Keep on reading to know how you can fight a cold.

Remedies For Cold

Supplements

There are various supplements that can provide relief against cold. The best is of course zinc tablets and lozenges. Vitamin C supplements are also very effective in fighting the cold virus. One should take vitamin C supplements every 3 to 4 hours. Marshmallow and slippery elm soothes the sore throat. These also provide relief against the cold.

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup has traditionally been the most widely used home remedy for common types of ailments like fever and cold. A bowl of homemade chicken soup helps open the nasal passages and provides the much-needed relief. It is better if you do not go for commercial chicken soup. Have at least three bowls of chicken soup throughout the day.

Liquids

Drink plenty of liquids like water and juices throughout the day. Needless to say that you shouldn’t drink cold liquids as it will aggravate your condition further. Drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of boiled water and fresh fruit juices during the day. The liquids will act as the natural body cleanser and also provide the body with essential vitamins and minerals. It is also important that you stay away from all alcoholic and caffeine-related beverages.

Rest And Sleep

During cold, the virus weakens down the body and the immune system. Stay away from any rigorous activity so that the body doesn’t have to use extra strength to fight the virus. It is always better if you can manage to sleep nine to twelve hours a day. Good sleep will rejuvenate the body and you will feel less weak.

Nasal Flush

Regularly flush the nasal passages with water using a netti pot. This will clear the sinuses and help in proper elimination of mucus. Another effective method is to gargle with salt water. Both gargling and nasal flush should be done regularly to speeden up the healing process and also for cold relief.

Humidifier

If the season is dry and cold, then it is very helpful if you can install a humidifier in your room. This will help in restricting the natural environment from aggravating the cold. You should also keep the house free of dust and other allergens.

How to Breathe when Running

You have put on your shorts, laced up your running shoes, got your playlist lined up and are all set to take on the tracks. However, before you sprint, make sure that you have your breathing technique in place. Having your breathing technique in place will save you from post-run fatigue and stress. 

If you feel giddy, queasy, breathless and high-strung after a good mile of running, then it means you are not sucking in enough air to sustain your speed, performance and energy. Believe it or not, even the savviest of runners forget to breathe when on the run. Result - fatigue, increased blood pressure, cardiac cramps and more. 

If you really wish to run a marathon without passing out, then all you have to do is boost your breathing skills to save your heart and lungs from hitting a slump. The cue is to breathe, and breathe correct! You must have often seen and heard coaches and spectators pressing the runners to breathe hard. 

For a physical activity as intense as running, air exchange is crucial. So make sure that you suck in enough oxygen and push out carbon dioxide when on the go. These breathing techniques for running should ensure that you sprint an extra mile without tiring your body or injuring yourself.

Breathing Techniques For Running

It is easy to forget to breathe while you are sprinting on the tracks or even breathe erratically. However, if you wish to forego the stress, have more energy, and perform better in the run, then you will have to learn to breathe well, even while on the go. For that, it is important to develop a proper breathing pattern to stop your blood pressure or your heart rate from shooting high. The trick is to breathe comfortably instead of gulping in air.

If you feel wobbly and shaky after a good mile of running and your heart thumps faster, then it could be that your body isn’t getting enough oxygen and is sustaining more carbon dioxide instead. It’s crucial therefore to oxygenate your body fully and expel carbon dioxide from it as well. A 3:2 inhale-to-exhale ratio can do the trick. The cue is to inhale on the left, right, left foot strikes and exhale fully on the right and left foot strikes.

Experts say that maintaining rhythmic strides while running can save one from sport-related injuries. Using a 3:2 ratio not only pushes out carbon dioxide from the body and improves oxygen levels, but also helps to balance the stress on both sides of the body, which means lesser stress and lesser injury.

Just establish a steady rhythmic pattern between your steps and your breathing. You can repeat a chant or cadence to create your own breathing pattern. In that way, you will be in a better position to control your breathing.

Another important technique is to co-ordinate breathing with your steps. In that way, you can jog for many extra miles without running out of oxygen. The trick is to keep a “dead fish expression”, meaning keep your lips slightly parted and let your jaws fall a little open. Keep your facial muscles relaxed and try and breathe from your diaphragm instead.

Following these breathing techniques should make your respiration easy while on the run. However, remember not to over think about breathing as doing so might stress you out and hamper your performance.

Egg Allergy in Children

Nowadays, allergies have become a very common ailment, and in children it is egg allergy that is the most prevalent. In fact, egg allergy is the second most common food allergy, after cows’ milk allergy in children. In most cases, egg allergy doesn’t pass onto adulthood and is quite rare in adults. According to various studies, egg allergy is usually outgrown by the time the children turn seven. Egg allergy occurs because in some children the various proteins in eggs cause an overreaction by the immune system. 

While the substances in eggs that trigger an allergic reaction are harmless for most children, in those who suffer from an allergy due to it, their immune system releases an army of antibodies called immunoglobulin E to counter the allergen. This leads to allergic reactions, which, in some cases, can be very severe, leading to anaphylaxis.

This is why parents of children with egg allergies should always be on their guard to prevent their wards from, knowingly or unknowingly, eating eggs or egg-based products. Given below are more information on egg allergy in children.

Symptoms Of Egg Allergy In Children

Red bumpy rashes develop on the skin soon after eating eggs. There is also redness and swelling around the mouth. The skin may also experience an outbreak of eczema.

Egg allergy can also result in vomiting, nausea, belly cramps or diarrhea.

The allergy can also trigger asthma with coughing and wheezing. Other respiratory symptoms include runny nose and sneezing. The eyes also start itching and watering.

It can lead to anaphylaxis, though this is rare in egg allergy compared to other food allergies. Certain signs can show if the child has suffered an anaphylactic reaction. These signs are pain and cramp in the abdomen, a drastic drop in blood pressure, rapid pulse and dizziness and loss of consciousness.

Diagnosis Of Egg Allergy In Children

The symptoms generally appear within minutes to couple of hours after ingesting or coming in physical contact with eggs.

The allergy can be confirmed with an allergy skin prick test or an RAST test.

In addition, physical examination and medical history of the child will help in correctly diagnosing if the child is suffering from egg allergy.

Treatment Of Egg Allergy In Children

To avoid an allergic reaction, it is always better to avoid eggs and egg based products altogether. Make sure that the child also doesn’t come in contact with eggs as in some cases allergic reactions can be triggered when the egg touches the skin.

Antihistamine medications can help in controlling the minor reactions. These medicines will also provide relief to the child.

In case of anaphylactic reactions due to egg allergy, epinephrine must be administered. That is why the guardians of those children with severe egg allergy should carry a injection of epinephrine with them since anaphylactic reactions can be very severe and quick.

As always, prevention is better than cure, so it is better to scan each food products to make sure that no eggs have been used. Make a list of all the foods that the child must avoid.

Effects of Soft Drinks

Before knowing anything about the harmful or ill effects of soft drinks, let’s first discuss the reasons as to why do we consume soft drinks and can’t resist a can every time we head towards the refrigerator or pass by a shop. 

First and the foremost reason of buying a can of soft drink is its ubiquitous status. You might not find ‘consumable’ water everywhere but can surely find soft drink even in the remotest corners of the world. Be it desert or mountain, malls or stores, you would find soft drink everywhere. 

Now, how is one supposed to resist the urge when soft drinks are displayed predominantly on the vending machines leaving no space for any other drinks or beverages? Kids will surely back the second reason which says that soft drinks are tasty. No wonder buying a soft drink is one of the top priorities of kids when strolling malls and supermarkets. 

The next reason is based on a question. What do you expect teenagers to do when their favorite pop singer or actor is relishing a bottle or can of soft drink on TV commercials or big hoardings? Without a doubt, it is imitating them.

Effects Of Soft Drinks

This is probably one of the prominent reasons why school and college-going students go for soft drinks. And if these reasons are not enough, the convenience with which they are available and the cheap price add to the craving. More than the thirst factor, gulping down soft drink has become a habit for people today. 

This is probably because of the caffeine components of soft drinks which have addictive properties. Soft drinks have a number of harmful effects that we should be aware of. Mentioned herein are some of the common side effects of soft drinks.

Side Effects Of Soft Drinks

It has been experimentally proved that soft drinks are one of the prominent reasons for obesity. The weight gain is directly related to the amount of soft drink that a person takes in. With every single can, people unknowingly add many extra calories to their body weight.

Another very common effect of soft drinks is diabetes. With every can of soft drink, people add large amount of sugar in their body. Long habitual intake of soft drinks can lead to ineffective insulin production from pancreases which consequently affect the sugar level in the body. This further leads to diabetes.

It has been proved that frequent consumption of soft drink can lead to weakening of the bones and osteoporosis. Soft drinks impair the calcification of the growing bones in children.

Studies also say that soft drinks increase the risk of tooth decay. The acidic content of soft drinks can dissolve the tooth enamel and make them weaker. It is recommended that people should avoid taking soft drinks between meals to prevent dental erosion and tooth decay.

This fact may shock you, but is quite true. Researches have proved that constant and habitual intake of soft drink can lead to kidney stones formation. This happens because of the acidic and mineral radical balance. The body tries to buffer the acidity caused by the soft drinks with the calcium from the bones. This leads to calcium erosion, which ultimately gets settled in the kidney in the form of stones.

Soft drink also leads to impaired digestive system. Soft drink contains phosphoric acid which competes with the hydrochloric acid present in stomach and affects its functioning. The ineffectiveness of stomach leads to undigested food which further causes indigestion and gassiness.

Soft drinks cause dehydration in the body. Both the sugar and caffeine components of soft drinks are dehydrating agents. They both lead to excess urination, which makes you thirstier than before.

Soft drinks have strong caffeine content. Caffeine causes irritability, restlessness, tension, high blood pressure, excessive urination and other side effects. It is also believed that soft drinks increase blood pressure. Some studies also claim that soft drink has harmful effects on liver.

The sweetener used in soft drinks is Aspartame. It is 200 times sweeter than normal sugar and is far more harmful with many side effects. Next time, when head towards the refrigerator or a store to satiate your thirst with a can of soft drink, make sure you remind yourself of all the side effects that gulping down the beverage will bring forth.

Healthy Blood Pressure Range

With our lifestyles becoming sedentary and with no time for any physical activity, our body faces a number of complications dealing with which becomes difficult at times. One such health complication which we might face because of our inactive lifestyle and unhealthy eating routines is fluctuation in the blood pressure level of the body. 

Blood pressure is nothing but the reading of the force which is exerted by the flowing blood on the blood vessels, veins and the arteries. The blood pressure of a person is enough to judge the health of a person. Any fluctuation in the pressure surely indicates the risk pertaining to the health of an individual. 

A healthy blood pressure is the pressure level which is considered to be an ideal pressure level that a person should try and preserve. The healthy pressure rate is measured based on two measurements viz systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. 

Systolic blood pressure is the pressure exerted on the arterial walls when the blood gets pumped out to the arteries, while the latter is the pressure which is measured between two heart beats or when the heart is at the resting stage. The article provides you with tips to maintain healthy blood pressure range. Read on to discover more.

Tips To Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure Range

As per ‘World Health Organisation’ (WHO) the normal blood pressure rate is generally reflected as the systolic or pulse rate value less than 140 and the diastolic value below 90. According to many renowned health organizations, the healthy blood pressure level for an adult will be a systolic pressure between 90-120 and a diastolic pressure between 60-80. 

According to the ‘National Institute of Health’ the suggested optimum blood pressure level is 120/80 mmHg. After an all-inclusive study of the suggested blood pressure rates of different health organisations, one can say that the exact healthy blood pressure rate reading will be somewhere between 120 and 130 systolic pressure, and between 80 and 85 diastolic pressure. 

Steps To Ensure Healthy Blood Pressure Range

The first step you should take is to maintain a healthy eating pattern. Good intake of food, vegetables, low fat dairy products and other fibre-rich food items will help your pressure level to be on the safer side.

You should take steps to reduce your daily sodium intake in order to keep blood pressure on the healthier side. Try and purchase fresh unprocessed food items, make sure that you read the nutrition fact section on any packaged food you are buying, cut down on consumption of fast food, minimize your use of condiments and salted food items in order to cut down on your consumption of sodium.

Having and maintaining a healthy weight and body mass index (BMI) will also help keep your blood pressure under check. You should try and maintain BMI somewhere between 18- 25. Any measurement below or above this reading can prove to be unhealthy for a person.

You should cut down on your intake of alcohol. Consuming too much of alcohol also can cause fluctuations in the blood pressure level. Keep your alcohol consumption of 2 servings a day and maximum of 9-12 servings a week in order to maintain your pressure level.

Providing physical challenge to your body is the best way to deal with any health issue. A regular exercise routine will definitely keep your blood pressure levels towards the healthier side. Little exercise every day will keep your blood circulation good and will prevent any risk pertaining to blood pressure.

How to Get Ripped Fast

Every young boy’s dream (minus the extraordinary few that take to ballet) is to to sport impeccable six pack abs and bulging brawny biceps. Lucid dreams gradually spawn haphazard muscle building regimens. However, if one uses the incorrect approach to getting ripped fast, the effect won’t be as anticipated! In fact, most of these ideas cause hindrance in gaining muscle mass. Firstly, caution must be taken with regard to whether the aspiring bodybuilder requires a fat loss program or a bulking program to inch closer to his dreams. 

We all possess a good set of abdominal muscles which are hidden under a layer of skin that further contains a layer of fat. Hence, a good deal of exercise promises visibility of ripped abs. You might stumble upon several ‘get ripped fast’ supplements in the markets. Stay away! They will only do you more damage than good! Be that guy who steals the show by simply taking off his shirt as you execute the tips mentioned below.

Getting Ripped Fast

Weight Training

Don’t be beguiled into believing that 100 push ups and two continuous hours of weights is the secret to turning into Sylvester Stallone within a week! If you do, you should be more perturbed about your acumen than your physique! Volume overload is a bad idea. 

Instead, perform weight training exercises with the sole intention of maintaining muscle mass. It is important that you strive to maintain the intensity of your workouts instead of increasing the total number of reps and sets! This guarantees to preserve the strength and vigor of your muscle tissues.

If you were accustomed to doing five sets of bench-press entailing 5 reps of 180 pounds, you should offer yourself some respite by reducing it to 3 sets at least! The key motive here is to increasing muscle power by maintaining the same weight intensity and to conserve energy by going easy on the reps. Avoid excess of isolation workouts, if your aim is to get ripped. 

Focus on bench press, dead lifts, squats, calf raises and shoulder press as opposed to bicep curls and the like! Exercises such as deadlifts and squats inflict immense pressure and tension on the body, which inevitably lead to large hormone spikes. Thanks to these hormone spikes, development of muscles is underway! 

Increase Your Metabolism

Higher the rate of metabolism, higher will be the speed at which your body burns all your calories to work towards your ideal physique. If you achieve fast metabolism, the layers of fat on the abdominal muscles will burn with more ease than otherwise. 

Eat frequently in smaller quantities to improve your metabolism. For instance, eat a banana at 3 pm and then treat yourself to some oatmeal at 5 pm followed by a chicken salad at 7 pm! Soon enough, your body will let go of the compulsion to save calories since the next round of reinforcements will be on its way in the next two hours! Hence, the body would be ever so willing to expend its calories and facilitate muscle building activities!

Nutritional Diets

A bulky person has to make a special effort to lose excess fat before anticipating a ripped body. He therefore must reduce his calorie intake and follow nutritional diet instructions. 

He has to inculcate the habit of counting calories and keeping a safe distance from unhealthy fattening foods like pizza, burgers and so on! Substitute these consumables with vegetables, fruits and good proteins! Yes, if you crave for a ripped body, increase your protein intake and limit your intake of carbohydrates since it gets converted into glucose. 

This, in turn, deposits fats in your system, probably hiding your muscle tone! Hydrate yourself well and ensure that your liver is functioning properly, considering that a poor one aids in fat accumulation!

Cardio Movements

Never neglect your heart! Your heart is the best pump ever made! Always include some cardiovascular exercises in your elaborate workout plan. Pick a few simple cardiovascular exercises that you can implement on alternate days. 

Do not perform hour-long cardio sessions after having completed your intense weight lifting workouts! Health issues will ensue if you do not give your body and heart a fair share of rest. Cardio will not bring you phenomenal results, but is essential to provide impetus for intensive workouts and stale heart rate!

While a fat man will need to limit calorie intake and work out intensively, a skinny guy will have to focus on gaining extra weight and muscle mass to support his frame. Follow the given tips and your body will be shredded to the bone and ripped in no time. Hope you do get a ripped body fast.