Health-&-Fitness
Quit Smoking: How to prevent Nicotine addiction
Everyone knows that smoking is harmful to health that increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other diseases. Knowing this, many of those who once smoked a cigarette out of curiosity later became complete smokers. Those who have been smoking for a long time, fail to quit smoking. Most chain smokers think of quitting smoking again and again but are not able to quit even after trying. However, if you are a smoker, you may follow some rules that can help you quit smoking easily. Let's take a look at some tips given by smoking cessation experts.
There are many products that can be used to recover from nicotine addiction. However, most of the products might not be available locally. Hence, it would be great if we can make a habit to leave smoking without using any products.
How to Quit Smoking Tobacco Products
Find a strong reason to stop smoking
If you want to inspire yourself or move away from something, you always need some solid reason. To get rid of the habit of smoking, you need to have a goal of your own. For example, quitting smoking greatly reduces your risk of heart disease or lung cancer, and keeps your body young even as you get older. Also, there are many more reasons you can add to your list to quit smoking. Finally, a person who is addicted to smoking can easily restrain himself if he can understand the identified issues properly.
Read Intermittent Fasting: Health Benefits and Risks
Take help from nearest and dearest ones
Tell your friends, family, and colleagues that you want to quit smoking. Tell them to encourage you. Maybe if you go to a party and grab a cigarette, it will be useful if the people around you refrain from smoking. The study says that the combined behavioral therapy is very useful in eliminating our various bad habits.
Control your stress
Many people think that smoking is especially effective in relieving their stress. In fact, it is more a matter of thought than of consumption. When a person settles his mind that smoking helps him with anxiety or emotional issues, it becomes very difficult to get rid of cigarettes very naturally. In this case, if you are stressed, all you have to do is take a break and go to a natural shelter.
For example, staying in a circle of friends to overcome depression, listening to some beautiful songs, entertaining yourself in the natural scene, etc. As a result of implementing these, you will be able to realize for a while that it is not smoking, but natural or physiological activities that will alleviate anxiety and demand balanced energy.
Read Types of Meditation: Which One is Right for You
Changes in eating habits
Having a cup of tea, with a cigarette; or smoking a little after eating a meal is like someone's daily routine. Some people hold a soft drink in their right hand and hold a cigarette in their other hand. Note that since you want to refrain from smoking, it is very important to change your eating habits for a while. For example, one can keep away from tea or soft drinks for a few days, brush one's teeth after eating rice. After a meal, chat with a friend or have a little conversation with a loved one.
Nicotine gum and Lozenges
Since regular smoking is a strong bad habit, when someone suddenly tries to refrain from smoking, the person's mental behavior or body changes in various ways. So, think of some alternatives to cigarettes. Studies show that using nicotine gum, lozenges, or chewing gum as an alternative to cigarettes can be somewhat helpful in avoiding bad habits. There are some chewing gums available in the market for quitting cigarettes that are quite effective. You can try them.
Read Muscle Building Diet: Best Foods for Muscle Gains, Definition and Fat Reduction
Seek help from a doctor
Sometimes a brain addicted to nicotine needs to consult a doctor to get rid of smoking. According to the advice, certain rules can be used to keep track of the harms of smoking, such as meditation. Alternatively, if you use cigarettes to relieve stress, think differently. With the advice of a doctor, you can take mental illness medicine instead of cigarettes.
Stop drinking alcohol
Alcohol is overly connected with smoking and it is as harmful as smoking. So drinking alcohol should be avoided. If you are an alcoholic or casual drinker, you should refrain from alcohol too.
Do physical work
Physical activity will help you quit smoking. You can start walking or jogging when you desire to smoke. Physical activity can take away your craving to smoke. Moreover, this will eliminate extra calories from your body.
Read Barbells vs. Dumbbells: Which is better for Workout, Strength, and Muscle Growth?
Some traditional methods
After smoking for a long time, nicotine goes deep into the body. There is no substitute for water to wash away the nicotine that accumulates in the body as a toxin. Drink plenty of water to quit smoking. Besides, you may eat ginger. Some of the ingredients present in it suppress the desire to smoke in various ways. You can eat ginger tea or raw ginger.
You can eat grape juice. It increases the performance of the lungs by removing toxins that accumulate in the body due to nicotine. In addition, the desire to smoke began to decrease. You can eat oats to quit smoking. Mix 1 teaspoon of oats with 2 cups of boiling water and leave it overnight. The next morning, boil again for 10 minutes and continue to eat a little after each meal. This will get nicotine out of the body. With that, the desire to smoke will also decrease.
Read Health benefits of Chamomile Tea
Eat fruits and vegetables
Under no circumstances should you refrain from healthy eating while quitting smoking. Instead, one should eat plenty of vegetables and fruits at this time. According to a study by Duke University, cigarettes start to taste bad when you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. So keep fruits and vegetables on the food list regularly.
Try again and again
If you are highly addicted to smoking, you may not stop it on the first try. Hence, there is no substitute for trying again and again to quit smoking. Set a time for yourself on how quickly you want to quit smoking. Proceed that way gradually step by step.
Also read: IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to a Long Healthy life
IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to a Long Healthy life
The Japanese have greatly impacted the world with their distinctive culture for many years. Their entertainment, food, history have gotten the attention of many neighbouring countries and even regions in the west. Despite having so many unique attributes to their heritage, few can compete with Ikigai in terms of depth and meaning. More of a concept than a discipline, Ikigai has been regarded by many as an ideology that has resulted in the nation’s long life expectancy. Let us see if Ikigai, the Japanese secret to a long healthy life, is truly a solution that the world has overlooked.
What Is Ikigai?
Ikigai is an ideology of sorts that prioritizes finding your purpose and value in life. It’s pretty existential but holds moral integrity in high regard.
There are four main “pillars” that everything in the Ikigai is based on:
- what are you good at;
- what the world needs;
- what you love; and
- what you can be paid for.
In Japanese culture, work and putting in long hours are some of the most important things one can do with his or her life. Therefore, Ikigai is a mental framework that gives the average person motivation to continue every day with an objective in mind. This could either mean applying the Ikigai in the context of work, or even as a wholesome frame of mind to centre one’s self outside of the working environment.
Ikigai isn’t a framework that was created as far back as the feudal ages; in fact, the term was coined by Akihiro Hasegawa, a psychologist and professor at Toyo Eiwa University. “Iki” means life in Japanese and “Gai” means something that is deemed valuable. The ideology has seen a basic rendition of its framework in novels dating back to the 60s, but it is truly more relevant now than ever.
Read Law of Attraction: Ways to Manifest Your Dreams
Why Is Ikigai Popular?
Ikigai may have a relatively simple structure, but it’s simplicity makes it easier to navigate around life when one is overloaded with stress, anxiety or purposelessness.
Looking at what you love and what you are good at specifically, these two pillars are all about self-improvement and reflection in order to know which steps to take. It is a gateway to a more optimistic mindset that can take the form of exercise, being with nature, having gratitude, and being able to come to terms with the imperfections in life. Ikigai has been often correlated with the older generations in Japan and has often been correlated with the population’s long life span.
As the nation has recently been faced with underwhelming retirement pensions, more have opted to prolong their employment period, which is where Ikigai comes in. What you can do for the world and what you can be paid for are the more practical of the two pillars that are less prone to subjective interpretation, where any citizen can decide where they would like their career to go and how they can find meaning to it. Although working life may not be the most common way to apply Ikigai, it is still useful to consider as many Japanese spend the majority of their lives working.
Finding purpose within and without a career is where the true balance ultimately comes in as many who do eventually retire craft the will and even a sense of urgency to start a new chapter of their lives - whether that could be with a new profession or a hobby that involves loved ones.
Many are at the mercy of their worries when approaching the late stages of their career and even retirement as the future is open-ended and unknown. Ikigai helps to visualise the future as a canvas that can be painted by your dreams and goals, without an end in mind. This does explain why many Japanese in their 80s are still achieving impressive goals while preserving an optimistic mindset.
Read Types of Meditation: Which One is Right for You
Effectiveness of Compound Exercises for Muscle Definition
When it comes to getting the ideal summer body, it can be a little difficult to know where to start if you have only been lifting casually or are new to exercising. There’s dieting, weights, cardio and so much more that are thrown into the mix before time can do the rest. In the process of workouts specifically, many tend to be either lost or misinformed about the role of compound exercises in muscle definition. The basics of weight training for toning are to increase your reps and decrease the weight so that the muscle begins to show. How important are compound exercises for muscle definition? Are isolated exercises the only thing needed?
History Of Compound Exercises
Compound exercises are known for covering multiple muscle groups at once, making it at least the most time-efficient and versatile out of both weight lifting options. Additionally, the intensity does add other benefits such as burning more calories, improving muscular coordination, and gaining muscle mass and strength. Compound exercises are essential for bodybuilding, powerlifting, and numerous sports like basketball, rugby, wrestling, and many more.
Read: Intermittent Fasting: Health Benefits and Risks
Compound exercises, in essence, is the first method of weight lifting due to how little is needed to execute, and straightforward technique. While compound exercises have a higher risk of injury, having proper form is easily trainable; starting with lower weights while getting the technique right is critical in order to successfully mark your progress every session.
Bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups and push-ups are some of the earliest concepts of compound exercises that can tackle the back, shoulders, arms, and chest all at the same time.
Why Are Isolation Exercises Important?
As the name suggests, isolation exercises target a particular muscle group and it usually is usually used to complement compound routines that usually take a lot more practice to get the form right. Bodybuilding is the niche that is built on understanding isolation exercises perfectly in order to sculpt the body - which equates to muscle definition.
Read Barbells vs. Dumbbells: Which is better for Workout, Strength, and Muscle Growth?
Certain specific muscle groups require more attention as compound exercises will not have a direct effect on them due to it only being a secondary source of strength. Front, rear deltoids, treps, lats and so many muscle groups are essential to sculpt in order to alter the silhouette of your body for the most obvious sign of definition.
Isolation exercises are also good to build overall muscle size and it is common for many gym practitioners to rotate between machines and dumbbells to ensure that every muscle group is paid attention to. Though it is not wrong to do so, it is definitely backed up by compound exercises so that the same muscle group can truly be used to the point of exhaustion, leading to muscle hypertrophy.
The reason why size is being mentioned is that definition is normally more pronounced when size is looked at first. Whether one is overweight or underweight, muscles need to be engaged first and experience hypertrophy before going through the definition phase. It is possible to go straight to definition if you have a low body fat count, but being too lean may not meet the universal standard of what is considered “cut”. There is nothing wrong with it if lean is the look you are going for.
Read Muscle Building Diet: Best Foods for Muscle Gains, Definition and Fat Reduction
Can Compound Exercises Fit In?
Although isolation exercises are the key to attain muscle definition, they are commonly complemented by compound exercises. The latter’s ability to cover multiple groups at once makes it so that no muscle is left disengaged. Even though this does not correlate to definition immediately, having increased strength, an understanding of technique, and enhancing blood flow are all huge bonuses that are not to be overlooked.
For definition, isolation exercises should be the primary emphasis as it is more conducive to commit to high reps with lower weights. This is the basic makeup of most isolation exercises and is crucial for getting definitions. Because smaller muscle groups are primarily targeted, it takes a lot less weight to ensure that you properly exhaust your muscles as much as possible before hypertrophy.
Emulating this with compound exercises will pose a challenge if you choose to adopt this tactic as reducing the weight of your exercises will only allow primary and secondary muscle groups to disperse a miserable, non-impactful amount of force. Not only will this waste your time, but it defeats the purpose of compound exercises, to begin with.
Read TRX vs. Other Gym Equipments: A Detailed Comparison
Compound Exercises for Definition
Bench Press
Out of all the major muscle groups, the chest has possibly the smallest selection of exercises out of the lot, but that just makes things easier for you. Incline press, decline press, and flies are basic isolation exercises that can be used to shape up the different parts of your chest, but the bench press activates most muscles in that area and is reliable for at least warming up before heading for the dumbbells and machines.
Read: Best Health Clubs and Gyms in Dhaka in 2021
Shoulder Press
The shoulder can be one of the most daunting major muscles to define as there are so many minor muscle groups that require different techniques for individual exercises. Shrugs bare very little similarities to front raises for example, and working on one does not translate to even remotely engaging the other. Shoulder or Military press is a good compromise that engages deltoids and traps simultaneously while forcing you to maintain the perfect technique required for the other exercises.
Squats
Legs literally occupy half of your body, which means that the very act of doing squats will save you a few exercises. Hamstrings, glutes, and calves are the big three that benefit from proper squats and are easy to follow up with after a few sets. Machines are more commonly used; leg press, calf raises, and leg curls are common follow-ups to squats and will certainly benefit from being engaged beforehand.
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Intermittent Fasting: Health Benefits and Risks
At first, it may seem strange that abstaining from food could lead to healthier living. Since young, many were taught that the key to a healthy life revolves around exercise and nutritional meals. Although that is completely true, the fitness industry has started to get more creative with diets catered towards different goals and intermittent fasting promotes fat loss and even muscle definition! Although it occupies a niche and does it relatively well, this form of dieting has its fair share of risks that are associated with it. Here are the health benefits of intermittent fasting and possible risks to watch out for.
What Is Intermittent Fasting
The word “fasting” is straightforward enough, but “intermittent” can be a little misleading, and if done wrong, can lead to massive health consequences. Rather than an actual diet, Intermittent Fasting moderates the time you eat instead and that throws your body off its regular routine into something that can optimise its metabolism. The traditional fasting method is to abstain from food 16 hours a day, or even fasting a full day twice a week. This can sound extreme, but the logic lies in humans having the capacity to survive off food for a relatively long period of time.
Alternatively there is a strict calorie deficit rule that encourages to only consuming 500-600 calories on two separated days in a week. This is a moderated form of fasting that allows an easier transition for those who are new to this diet. The most common method of fasting is to go by the 16/8 method, which promotes sacrificing breakfast and only opening an eating window between 1pm to 9pm. This is the simplest method by far and does not require calorie counting, leaving a significantly smaller margin for error.
Read: Best Health Clubs and Gyms in Dhaka in 2021
Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Alters Hormones and Genes
On a microscopic level, fasting makes a lot of alterations to the hormone and genetic components to the body, but not in a bad way. Insulin levels for example drop a fair bit which is good for the body to metabolise at a faster rate. Blood levels are also affected when fasting which does trigger natural growth hormones within the body to ensure muscle-building too.
Additionally, fasting doesn’t make any direct alterations to genetic material, but it does strengthen its protection from diseases and extend its longevity. These changes are rather detailed compared to other factors, but it is good to know how extensive the changes are just by conditioning your body.
Read Muscle Building Diet: Best Foods for Muscle Gains, Definition and Fat Reduction
Burn Fat
Naturally, this would be the primary reason why anyone would choose to go on this rigorous journey, but its popularity is warranted. It isn’t any surprise that abstaining from food frequently would equate to fewer calories and that in turn, increases norepinephrine which is a compound used to break fat.
The intervals of intermittent fasting are relatively short compared to other types of fasts and are meant to kickstart the body to burn the fats reserved since no new sources are coming in. This style of dieting is the epitome of bodily conditioning; in order to get the most out of it, being careful with the type of food you eat and enforcing regular exercise is still critical to ensure that your body is burning fat from reserves.
Read What is Protein Powder? Benefits of Taking Protein Supplements
Reduces Risk of Diabetes
When the body is “starved” off its regular eating routine, you will start to lose insulin and that has large implications to building a tolerance for certain diseases. With a reduction of insulin, blood sugar is automatically lowered and this is the primary factor that determines whether type 2 diabetes surfaces or not. There are many foods that also reduce blood sugar and would go wonderfully with intermittent fasting to reduce the risks to almost zero.
Reduces Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Oxidative stress is the cause of chronic diseases that stem from aging. When your systems get older, protein, DNA will start to age and see the damage. It was previously implied that fasting can help strengthen our genes and cell’s lifespan - which does inject a little more vitality into our immunity than many other ways of fasting. By separating yourself from a regular intake of food (especially unhealthy ones), other forms of inflammation will start to reduce, which is the cause for many common illnesses that strike the elderly.
Read: Health Benefits of Chamomile Tea
Good for the Heart
By improving blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers, it’s no surprise that the heart will see benefits from these results. A high intake of sugar and fat can damage your arteries, which is where avoiding food for more than half the day will do wonders to stabilize blood flow and improve circulation. Fasting alone will not lead to complete improvement; cardiovascular activities and static exercises are good ways to reduce these risks better.
Can I take COVID vaccines from two different brands?
After a year of research and experiment, COVID vaccines turn out to be the savior. Several organizations already get approval from the proper authority. So far, all the approved vaccines are effective. To get full protection, two doses of vaccine are needed in four weeks of interval. There is a common question that may arise, whether the vaccine is effective if you take from two different brands. However, it is still debatable as no effective research has been published on that, but experts have given their opinion on that.
Currently, experts suggest that everyone should get the vaccine from the same brands. To create a more flexible COVID-19 vaccination environment, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) initiated a research named Com-COV to determine the effectiveness of mix and match the two different brands.
Read: Indian COVID variant: Why is it more deadly? How is it affecting the neighboring countries?
But, initially, it is assumed that getting vaccination from two different brands will not get you the greater protection against the diseases. In this context, Dr. Nikhil Bhayani, infectious disease specialist with Texas Health Resources, conveyed, “By using two different vaccines, there is not going to be a greater magnitude of protection against the disease.” Besides, he also recommends not to get the vaccines from two different brands yet. Hence, we should wait until the Com-COV publishes its findings.
Com-COV’s first stage experiment will come out by June or July 2021, though the study will continue for at least a year. The researcher will mix match the vaccines from all the available brands. Hence, we may need to wait a long time to get details on all brands.
Read: Russian Vaccine Sputnik V: Things we should know to fight COVID-19
Vaccines can be mix-matched in exceptional situation
While some experts suggest taking both doses from the same brand, some healthcare professionals suggest that the vaccine can be mix-matched rare cases. For instance, one can take one dose from Moderna and another dose from Pfizer. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this should be considered only in rare cases.
What can be the rare cases?
The exceptional or rare case might occur if a person does not remember the vaccine brand of the first dose, or the documentation does not have the name of the brand. Further, another case can be if the first dose brand is not available anymore or at a certain point in time. However, for now, the vaccine mic match can only be done for Moderna and Pfizer as both of them are similar.
However, a question might arise if a person should wait to get the second dose from the same brand if that brand’s second dose is not available. There is no actual answer to this concern. Therefore we may take the second dose from another brand, or we may wait. But it is evident that only taking the first dose will not protect us from getting COVID. Therefore, we will need to wait for the research result to come out. Besides, it will not be wise to take decisions on our own, but we cannot make the decisions either as the health care experts and government agencies are there to guide us.
Read Covid: How this Indian firm is vaccinating the world
Best Health Clubs and Gyms in Dhaka in 2021
Gym culture is now a new trend for the youth of Dhaka. With this chaotic, very fast, and unplanned urbanization, there is no way to breathe in the air of this city. Furthermore, the open space and playing fields are disappearing. In this situation, a large number of teenagers and young people who spend time at home or on the screen of computers or mobile phones are now going to the gym. They spend a certain amount of time during the day on the gym's treadmill, cross trainer, or a cycling machine. Some of them have become gym-centric entrepreneurs while exercising. On that note, we have listed some top health clubs and gyms in Dhaka in 2021.
The Most Renowned Health Clubs and Gyms in Dhaka in 2021
Muscletech bd Gym
Muscletech has been providing top-class gym service since 2003. They offer multiple facilities such as a gents facility, ladies facility, steam bath facility, locker room facility, and shower facility. It is located in Pallabi, Mirpur, and also has two more branches in Mirpur 10 and Mirpur 1. Mr. Bangladesh William Ficky and Kamrun Nahar are the main trainers. Besides, the gym has a few assistant trainers too.
With more than 12 pieces of gym equipment, Muscletech has an excellent sound system that can boost the users' confidence while training. This gym center can train 110 people or do a gym together. Note that it has a completely separate room for girls. The admission fee to this gym center is Tk. 1000. It provides training on a monthly and yearly basis. It has a different price range, and the monthly fees start from Tk. 400.
Location: Setaras Dream 1/11 (5th floor), Anik Plaza Bhavan, Pallabi, Mirpur, Dhaka-1217.
Read: Barbells vs. Dumbbells: Which is better for Workout, Strength, and Muscle Growth?
Adonize Fitness Center
Adonize is an international quality gym located on Bashundhara City's Level 9 and 10. Men and Women have separate floors, and each floor covers a 14,000 square feet area, which is huge. Adonize offers its service through ten trainers who are certified from the USA and other countries. About 200 people can go to the gym at a time on each floor. The center remains open every day from 6:30 am to 10:00 pm except Friday.
Various international-level gym equipment make this gym fun for any fitness enthusiast. Further, you can take a swim, take a steam bath, or shower after the gym. With more than 200 lockers, you can keep your personal items safe and secure. The Adonize also offers Yoga and Aerobics for the girls. They have monthly and yearly service, which starts from Tk. 6,650 per month. However, this price is subject to change depending on various occasions.
Location: Adonize Fitness Center LTD,Bashundhara City, Level 9 & 10,Panthapath, Phone : 8158864-5,Mobile:01731922942 (office).
Read Bodybuilding Vs Powerlifting: Similarities, Differences, Pros, Cons
California Fitness
It was founded in 2000, which has three branches in Baridhara, Uttara, and Bashundhara. However, we will discuss here the main branch Baridhara. California Fitness opens at 6:30 am in the morning and closes at 10 pm at night. The gym has a main trainer and two assistant trainers. However, there is no separate trainer for women.
Here 60 people can exercise together. Besides, the user can take yoga, meditation, and freehand exercises too. They also offer a steam bath, shower, and spa without any additional cost. California Fitness offers monthly, and yearly packages starting from Tk. 3,000 per month and offers a discount for the yearly sign up.
Location: House # 319, Road # 4, (Eastern 1st and 2nd Building), DOHS, Baridhara, Dhaka-1206.
Read: Muscle Building Diet: Best Foods for Muscle Gains, Definition and Fat Reduction
Fitness Plus
Fitness Plus is one of the few best gyms in the Gulshan-Banani area. It was founded in 1999 as Life Plus, and the gym was later renamed Fitness Plus. However, this gym has no branches. It is a modern air-conditioned gymnasium that also has its own generator to provide uninterrupted service to the users even during the load shedding.
The exercise is done in three shifts. The good thing is that the women will get separate trainers. There are facilities for yoga, yoga, aerobics, meditation, freehand exercises. Besides, the users can have the facilities like steam baths, showers, lockers, and first aid. The Fitness Plus charge according to the shifts starts from Tk. 2500 per month.
Location: House # 23, Road # 18, Block # A, Banani, Dhaka-1213.
Read HIIT VS Crossfit: Know the Difference
Inspire Fitness by Sohel Taj
Once an influential politician and Member of Parliament, Sohail Taj opened a new gym in 2020 with the aim to build a healthy Bangladesh. It remains open from 6 am to 11 pm, and it offers a separate hour for the women. With international-level equipment and trainers, it is an elite class gym. Inspire Fitness' membership plan starts from Tk. 4000/week.
Location: 751, Satmasjid Road, 7th Floor, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209.
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South Avenue Gym
South Avenue opened in 2000 for both men and women. This gym can accommodate 25 people at a time. The South Avenue Gymnasium has a gym, health, steam bath, sauna, jacuzzi, locker, shower, and first aid facilities for customers. There is 1 trainer and 3 assistants for men training and 1 separate trainer and 1 assistant for women.
In the gym, body exercises are done with the help of Treadmill, Cross Trainer, Stepper, Bench Press, Leg Press, Set up bench, Abdominal, Olympic Bar, Tiber, Ring Machine, and Dumbbell. They offer monthly and yearly packages. The monthly plan starts from Tk. 5,500 while the yearly package is Tk. 30,000. It has only one branch in Gulshan.
Location: 44, South Avenue, Road # 13, Gulshan # 1, Dhaka-1212.
Read Tips to Help You Reach Your 2021 Fitness Goals
Western Bowling and Fitness
This gym is equipped with modern equipment. Besides, it offers shower facilities, free physician consultation, digital sound system. There are two types of membership in this gym, single membership, and couple membership.
Couple members get some discounts as compared to single members. The monthly fee starts from Tk. 2400. This gym has a variety of equipment, such as - treadmill (motorized), treadmill (manual), cross trainer, bike, belly machine, signup machine, push-up bar, gimbal, two-star, dumbbells, fixed dumbbells. A member can access the gym anytime between 8 am to 10 pm.
Location: Shimanto Square (Rifles Square) 4th Floor, Road # 2, Dhanmondi, Dhaka.
Read: TRX vs. Other Gym Equipments: A Detailed Comparison
Gym Plus
Established in 2009, Gym Plus is a private gym located in Wari, Old Dhaka. 30 people can exercise or take the training together. However, there are separate trainers for women. Everyone usually gets at least 1 hour of exercise.
The operation hour is from 9 am to 7 pm. The facility includes 3 motorized treadmills for running, 4 bikes, two cross-trainers, Gym ball, Two Star, push-up bar, dumbbells, and fixed dumbbells of different weights. To access all these facilities, you will have to pay a non-refundable admission fee of Tk. 2000 and Tk. 1000 per month.
Location: Wari Super Center, 28/1, Ranking Street, Wari, Dhaka-1203.
Read What is Protein Powder? Benefits of Taking Protein Supplements
Barbells vs. Dumbbells: Which is better for Workout, Strength, and Muscle Growth?
Venturing into weight lifting can be a daunting task when first starting out. Machines, plates, bars and dumbbells all thrown together can be intimidating as navigating through all possible exercises with each item and picking the best ones for your workout plan is no easy feat. Out of all the tools available, dumbbells and barbells are two most prevalent pieces of equipment for muscle building and it can be tricky to decide which is better. Here, we answer the question “Are barbells better than dumbbells?”
The Role They Play
Before diving into the comparison, it is important to note that both barbells and dumbbells are primarily designed for strength building and overall muscle growth. The act of executing repetitions with weights is to put the targeted muscle group in a state of hypertrophy when under stress. That’s right; in order to allow muscles to grow, they must be deliberately damaged in order to recover with higher density and strength.
Therefore, regardless of which one does it better, both of these styles of weightlifting were ultimately designed for the same goal. Barbells have a lot less flexibility in terms of exercise varieties as compared to dumbbells but excel in compound exercises that are made to tackle multiple major muscle groups. Dumbbells on the other hand, have more flexibility but have a far lower limit in terms of actual weight. Both tools will have various exercises that are unique to them that cannot be overlapped, but there are enough exercises that do overlap that have subjected the two types of weight into this debate, to begin with.
Read Muscle Building Diet: Best Foods for Muscle Gains, Definition and Fat Reduction
Compound Exercises For Both Barbells and Dumbbells
Shoulder Press
Otherwise known as military press, the two do not differ greatly when it comes to executing this exercise, but as the weights increase, balance starts resulting in safety concerns if unprepared. Unlike barbells, dumbbells force the user to ensure complete symmetry between both arms when raised overhead.
Barbells do require the same, but it is easier to execute this as both arms will be parallel with each other and keeping the bar straight becomes the only concern from a technical perspective. Dumbbells' flexibility shines in this exercise as users can choose to place the weights right next to the ears if necessary to ensure that the side deltoids also get activated, while this would be impossible for dumbbells (as you’d hit your head on the bar).
Read TRX vs. Other Gym Equipments: A Detailed Comparison
Bench/Incline Press
When it comes to the chest, both also don’t differ significantly, but the weight limits on your dumbbell racks will slowly become a concern the longer you’ve been training. The exercise commonly demands an incredible amount of weight compared to shoulder press and incline rows, which does naturally increase the risks of muscle tears and even dislocations if the weights are not placed down properly after a set. The bench press is equally viable on both dumbbells and barbells, but barbells tend to be favoured among competitive lifters due to the amount of weight that can be added on, while dumbbells are preset and commonly only go up to 50kg at your local gym. As a beginner and even intermediate weight lifter, both options are viable, but barbells will start to have a higher priority when your strength is too much for dumbbells.
Rows
Using an inclined bench, many have resorted to the dumbbell option of rows by tucking their knees into the far corner of the seat and resting the chest on the backrest. Although it may look a little odd to beginners and non-weightlifters - many have adopted this as an alternative to barbell rows. The back is a massive muscle group and dumbbells are not commonly used for compound back exercises as compared to barbells.
Isolated, single-arm rows while leaning forward yes, but not compound. One of the reasons for this is because of the weight limit like with the bench press; arguably, doing rows with dumbbells can open avenues for more injury if not done correctly on the bench. Barbells have safety racks below and allow for a wider range of motion due to not having any obstruction like the seat would have. Overall, barbells win in this exercise for safety, higher weight, and cleaner form.
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Fairness Creams: Dangerous Side effects of Skin Whitening Beauty Products
You always tend to use whitening creams for the natural attraction to beauty. Before going to any party, rely on the fairness creams of the market to make yourself presentable. But these types of creams are very harmful to your skin, even if they make you feel whiter temporarily. You often see tempting offers in various advertisements. None of this is long-lasting. Dermatologists have been coming up with this warning for a long time. There is a lot of demand in Bangladesh, especially for Korean beauty products. Keep in mind, Korean products don’t necessarily mean good. Let's find out what harms using this type of cream results.
Harmful aspects of using whitening cream
Reddish rash
Another name for it is rosacea, which causes red rashes on your face and makes the blood vessels inside the skin visible. If your skin is light and you regularly use creams on that, you will face this problem.
Loss of skin color
This is one of the dangerous effects of using cream. As a result, not only your skin but your whole body will gradually become pale. In the final stage, it leads to skin cancer.
Itching
Frequent cream use consumes oil produced naturally in your skin. Subsequently, the skin becomes dry. And itching excessively grows in this dry skin. One cream is enough to permanently damage your sensitive skin through itching.
Acne disease
"Remove your acne scars" After seeing this word on the cream, you may be buying it. But such creams contain toxic chemicals. These will not remove the dark spots of your acne with daily use. Rather, you use any medicine to treat acne next time, it will reduce its effectiveness.
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Sunburn
Excessive use of whitening cream makes your skin thinner. And thin skin is relatively more vulnerable to the sun's ultraviolet rays. The effects may extend from wrinkles on the face at a very young age to skin cancer.
Decreasing immunity of the skin
The use of cream on the face doesn’t just create a different layer on the skin. Rather, it also destroys the normal ability of your skin's immune cells. Thus, your skin gets defenseless against bacteria and fungi.
Kidney and neurological complications
Most of the fairness creams you get in the market contain high levels of mercury. And this mercury is responsible for damaging your kidneys as well as various neurological problems.
Health benefits of Chamomile Tea
Tea has always been treasured by society for its versatility, health benefits, and taste. Whether it’s consumed leisurely when catching up with a friend or consumed daily for its detox properties, there’s always a type of tea that resonates with a large population of the world. Chamomile, in particular, has stepped up to become one of the most prominent types of tea for dietary purposes and for good reason. Chamomile tastes great and is packed with so many benefits that traditions have used this as a medicinal supplement for generations. Here are some of the health benefits of Chamomile tea.
What is Chamomile Tea?
As its name suggests, Chamomile tea comes from the Chamomile herb that has been one of the best representatives of herbal medication. Its species is derived primarily from the Golden Marguerite, or yellow chamomile. Chamomile contains Chamazulene, a compound that is known for anti-inflammation, analgesic, and antispasmodic properties (basically the components for a stronger immunity system). Unlike black or red teas, Chamomile is on the lighter side and is traditionally consumed as a refreshing beverage that compliments meals or snacks. More importantly, Chamomile has arguably the most health benefits out of any teas and is worth trying to improve your immunity system.
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It Prevents Insomnia
Many of the stronger teas in the market contain caffeine which can serve as a milder alternative to coffee when in need of an energy fix, but Chamomile tea does the opposite and is an organic solution that can give sleeping pills a run for its money. The tea soothes the body’s nervous system and can lead to better sleep. This can also double down as a relaxing agent which is perfect for high-intensity situations. This Tea is great when you are in need of relaxation after a long day.
Helps Lower Blood Sugar
Part of the appeal of a detox is to reduce unnecessary weight and clutter in the bloodstream, which Chamomile tea does wonderfully. Although it is not an elixir for diabetes, it is a reliable supplement to diabetic medication to curb the spike of blood sugar within the body. This tea functions as a long-term preventive measure rather than medication for an existing condition.
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Increases Bone Density
Many usually correlate bone health with calcium, but Chamomile has much to offer in this department too. Once again, Chamomile serves to reduce the risks of bone fragility. Interestingly, this especially applies to post-menopausal women who are susceptible to a reduction of bone density due to alterations in estrogen levels.
Reduces Inflammation
The immune system is where herbal medicine has been known to make its mark, and camomile is one of the best at treating it. The tea reduces inflammation primarily pertaining to hemorrhoids, gastrointestinal pains, and autoimmune disorders. Inflammation can cover a myriad of systems such as digestive, skeletal, and muscular, but the tea’s role extends throughout these systems.
Read Coronavirus Tips: Immunity Booster Herbal Teas to Prevent Infection
Reduces Risk Of Cancer
There are various types of cancer preventers in the food and drinks market, but chamomile has been documented to reduce the production of cancer cells directly in recent studies. Although a 2012 study showed that marigold tea is a more potent solution for this, chamomile still contains properties that can reduce the risks significantly. The compound that supports this claim is apigenin, which has been linked to fighting breast, skin, prostate, and digestive-related cancer.
Treats Colds
Possibly the most common practice to demonstrate Camomile’s medicinal properties is with a cold. One of the most common illnesses, the tea’s antioxidant properties are effective in clearing nasal congestion, soothe sore throats and reduce runny noses. In addition, mixing the tea with some honey speeds up the recovery as it reduces throat inflammation that leads to coughing and reduces the excess of phlegm discharge.
Read: Aloe Vera: The magical herb with multifarious benefits
Reduces Muscle Spasms
If your muscles are on a fritz, Camomille can reduce its effects easily. The tea contains over 30 flavonoids, compounds that are primarily responsible for the herb’s anti-inflammatory properties. Rather than in the form of tea, the herb can be infused with essential oils and applied to the skin to relax sore muscles that have been acting up. This can also help with cramps, caused by the uterus outputting prostaglandins, a hormone-based substance that causes inflammation.
Treats Skin Conditions
In addition to having anti-inflammatory properties, Chamomile tea possesses antibacterial features that help reduce the surfacing of acne. It is considered one of the best among all teas for this benefit due to the sheer amount of antioxidants it contains. Once again, if drunk, chamomile works best with honey for users to get the best effect, but applying directly on the skin via compressed chamomile or grounded leaves are effective ways too. Naturally, as a cure for bad skin, the tea also helps boost skin help which allows improved moisture and whitening.
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Reduces Dark Circles Under the Eyes
This is a rather unusual application of Chamomile tea as it technically requires the tea to be made, but it is the used teabag that sees the most value. According to India’s leading beauty expert Suparna Trikha, refrigerating the tea bags after use and leaving them on the eyes for some time can gradually reduce the darkness under them. Due to its antioxidant qualities, the tea helps to reduce puffiness around the eyes and properly moisturises them like it would when making contact with the skin.
Eliminates Dandruff
Lastly, Chamomile tea also plays a vital role in removing dandruff altogether. There is much about hair care that is interchangeable with skincare. The scalp is a skin surface that largely determines the condition of your hair and a poorly maintained scalp can lead to dandruff. Therefore Chamomile’s antibacterial properties can help reduce oil clutter much like how it functions when treating acne.
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Muscle Building Diet: Best Foods for Muscle Gains, Definition and Fat Reduction
The fitness industry isn’t shy when it comes to advocating the importance of dieting when trying to keep fit. Though workouts are great, it only occupies a couple of hours of your time, versus the rest of the day when food is the prevalent influence. Getting “cut” for the summer body has always been the dream goal for many and that usually requires an intensive diet that may make exercising look like the easiest part of reaching that goal. So, here are the top foods for muscle definition.
What Kind Of Diet Should You Be Looking For?
Logically, being defined means that your muscles have to be completely visible. Veins, sculpt and even muscle fibers all contribute to the definition of getting shredded - this would be impossible if one’s fact content is beyond a certain mark. Therefore, going on a calorie deficit kind of diet makes the most sense as the goal is to reduce body fat while supplying your muscles with a good amount of protein for some bulk.
The exercises to be done will ultimately require weights and bulking will happen, especially to untrained muscle groups, but with high repetitions and a shorter rest time between sets, the definition will be the main result to look forward to.
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Top Foods for your Muscle Building Diet
Kale
Vegetables aren’t exactly the tastiest things on the planet, but they are great for fat loss and contain tons of nutrients. Fiber is naturally prevalent in fruits and vegetables, which does boost the body’s metabolism significantly, but Kale stands out for its iron. This nutrient is key to muscle development and helps the body circulate oxygen into your body, effectively part of the process of muscle synthesis.
Joints also benefit from Kale because of its richness in Vitamin K. If you are susceptible to joint pains, this will safeguard your bones to ensure that they can keep up with your training. Although there are other neat options on this list, kale is almost mandatory due to how much its nutritional value aligns with muscle definition.
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Millet
This ingredient isn’t exactly the talk of the town in the world of fitness, but it certainly is a viable option as you plan your meals before and after training. Essentially, millet is birdseed. It works great for people and rivals the likes of quinoa because of its ability to help the blood flow with magnesium that contributes to definition.
Additionally, millet contains plant-based protein which is perfect for complementing meat ingredients that also contains protein. It may not be the most obvious choice around, but it certainly holds value for your regime. The ingredient works best in breakfast bowls, salads, quinoa and even bread.
Read What is Protein Powder? Benefits of Taking Protein Supplements
Hemp Seeds
It may come from cannabis, but its properties are 100% legal as it does not give you any sort of high. Not the easiest ingredients to find in the South Asian region, but it is rich in amino acids which are one of the most sought after nutrients, - hence pre workouts.
In essence, amino acids are energy suppliers that are good for muscle definition and stamina. It contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLC) and Omega-6 fatty acids which are key to fat burning. The ingredient also does wonders against inflammation and boosts the health of your skin, nails and hair too. It is an overall great product, but it should not be consumed in excess. It works best with blends that contain hemp powder or salads.
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Quinoa
There is a reason why quinoa sets a benchmark for other superfoods to follow or even surpass. Ever since the fitness industry has influenced many to start living healthier, quinoa has been a hot topic in conversation. It is a complex carbohydrate that has a substantial amount of protein and amino acids.
The former is crucial for all diets involving muscle building, however, its amino acid is a nice addition that boosts the body when it repairs muscles. The benefit from this dish shines the most during the muscle repairing phase - therefore a calorie deficit should not necessarily lead to a protein surplus. Quinoa works the best after your workout and it is difficult to get the most out of it during your resting time. It is usually taken as the prime carbohydrate of choice, or else it can complement a salad.
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Cottage Cheese
The first dairy ingredient on the list, cottage cheese is a neat addition to the meal, especially if you choose to stay off carbohydrates due to how rich it can be. The strength of this cheese is its containment of Casein, which is currently one of the most viable protein sources in the supplement market.
Casein helps your blood’s natural amino acids get a boost and lets that elevation stay a while longer. It slows digestion down, which means your body takes a longer time to digest it. This does wonder for more intensive training or regimes that are longer in duration. Interestingly enough, cottage cheese is versatile enough to be paired with fruits and pancakes.
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Spinach
Spinach is a classic and can be an alternative to Kale if that is your preferred choice. It is the foundation for many versions of the salad dish worldwide and for good reason. It contains a high amount of iron when boiled and magnesium which allows the body to metabolise carbohydrates better.
Studies have shown that spinach has also helped to boost testosterone levels which translate over to muscle strength. It may be a bit of a stretch to declare spinach as an all-encompassing ingredient for muscle definition, but it is one of the few ingredients on the list that can be eaten multiple times during the day. Naturally, spinach is best when in a salad, but can work as a side for meat and quinoa too.
Lentils
Lentils are hassle-free add ons that work wonders for muscle building. They may not get the most love in the fitness community, but they pack a whopping 18 grams of protein minimum per cup. An average serving of protein powder contains between 20-25grams of protein, which makes this natural ingredient a powerhouse when it comes to protein. Other benefits of lentils include their low cost and decently long shelf life. It goes well with rice and salad.
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