health-fitness
Best Android, iOS Apps for Home Exercises
With the world being turned upside down due to the pandemic, many have been forced to work at home and have not gone back to the office for a year now. Depending on the leniency of the area, some companies have been overly guarded with their procedures and have just made working from home the default. With that, many workers are under confinement with limited ways to exercise. Thankfully, the epidemic arrived in the midst of a digital age, which means all is not lost if you just have a phone with you. Are you are looking for an app to give you workout pointers while stuck at home? Here are some of the best fitness apps for Androids and IOS.
Top Mobile Apps to Assist You in Workouts at Home
Map My Run
It’s no surprise that Under Armor has become a mainstay in the fitness community due to its quality products, meaningful collaborations, and extremely aggressive marketing. What is a surprise, however, is how good their Map My Run app is.
If you’re all about the running/jogging life, there are few apps out there that can compare to this one. The app tracks your running route and accurately measures the duration of your jogs. If your running is consistent, Map My Run also gives you a breakdown of your performance and even has an online feature that lets others know about your running routes and progression.
This running tracker is one of the few out there that understands the weight of establishing an online community and looks to be one of the best choices for veterans and novices alike. This app is free to download.
Read Bodybuilding Supplements to Avoid when Gyming
Fitness Buddy
What Map My Run does in running, Fitness Buddy does for weightlifting. The app is critical for those who are looking to take their weightlifting routines to the next level. Fitness Buddy is rather contemporary and has recognized the importance of providing regimes that are designed around home-based exercises. The name this app has chosen wouldn’t be fully accurate if they didn’t factor in diet plans as well.
Fitness Buddy also zeros in on elaborate meal plans and an array of recipes to help fitness enthusiasts keep themselves accountable to every aspect of this lifestyle. Diets like Keto, Paleo, and more are available for your reference. There are over 400 exercises on the app, that include videos, step-by-step photos, and detailed instructions so that even the newest member of the fitness community can get a good sweat in. This app is free to download.
Read: Best Fruits for Fitness and Bodybuilding
JEFIT Workout Planner
The app’s name says it all. JEFIT Workout Planner will be best suited for relatively seasoned fitness buffs who are thrilled to mix up their workout routines ever so often. The software functions more like a digital journal rather than a workout instruction manual. The currently has over 8 million users and also has trackers and programmes available, but serves more as an assistant to your design, rather than the main feature.
If you’ve taken a shot at personalising your own workouts, but want some inspiration, the app has got your back on this too. Beginner, Advanced, Sports, Equipment-based, Bodyweight and so many more options are available at your fingertips. The best part is that its jack-of-all-trades approach may not be for those who are leaning heavily towards a specific fitness style but is great for anyone confined at home. This app is free to download.
Read Kettlebells: The Best Equipment for Home Workouts
Workout for Women
Women have their own types of workouts that are better suited for them and many apps only provide a general guide that doesn’t quite factor body type in. Workout for Women puts its purpose in its name and provides some of the best workouts for ladies who are either tight for time or would gladly commit hours into it.
The interface is cleverly compartmentalised and everything you could want is easily accessible. The app won the award of being Google’s best Free Female Exercise app in 2020 and Google’s Best Health and Fitness App in 2019. If you’re a woman who wants to keep fit, this app is an absolute must to try at the very least. This app is free to download!
Read Pandemic Yoga: How to strengthen lungs, ease breathing problems with yoga
30 Day Fitness Challenge - Workout At Home
The community giving this app a 4.8 out of 5 stars should show you how wonderfully packed the 30 Day Fitness Challenge app is. While not the most elaborate of programmes, the 30-day challenge does provide coaching tips and training plans that focus on home-based workouts. This app has more than kept up with the times and will do you good.
The interface is extremely easy to use and the exercises suggested are predominantly bodyweight; meaning that you won’t be caught off guard halfway through the routine, realising that you need to run out to buy some dumbbells.
If you don’t need a workout for your entire body, you could also commit an entire month to their butt and abs challenge. If you’re happy with the results, there is an inbuilt online platform that can let your friends know that the home is just another gym for you. This app is free to download.
Read: Arm Exercises: Why Beginners Don’t Need Them For Bulking
Nike Training Club
It’s nice being included in things, especially when it’s the community of one of the world’s leading fitness brands. Nike has transcended the status of being just an apparel/equipment brand for fitness but has become a name that holds the highest status in fitness knowledge as well.
The app houses workouts led by professional trainers and explore all forms of workouts, including yoga and HIIT. The lessons can be studio-based, meaning that the instructor on the app will do the actual workout with you, such as one would in a class. This application has everything and is reflective enough to know that there will always be novices who are in need of more guidance for fitness. This application is free to download.
Read Tips to Get Marathon Level Endurance and Stamina
4 years ago
Bodybuilding Supplements to Avoid when Gyming
Every guy wants to have a muscular physique. Not everyone will think it’s ideal to be a hulking giant, but regardless, putting on muscle is a testament to hard work and dedication. To do so, there are often many supplement brands who adamantly try to suggest that shortcuts are indeed possible. While some bodybuilding supplements like protein are generally considered positive, there are others that are highly questionable and make promises they can’t keep. They risk nothing by marketing their product that way, but you risk everything if your health takes a turn for the worst after committing to the wrong supplement.
If you are starting your muscle-building journey, these are the supplements you need to avoid when gyming.
Pre Workout
Pre Workout is so popular nowadays that calling it out would be controversial in its own right. Pre-workout serves as an energy booster that will get you going for your entire workout; supposedly giving you extra energy that translates into strength and overall efficiency. It’s no surprise that caffeine is thrown into the mix, but an overload of that can be extremely harmful to the body.
Read Kettlebells: The Best Equipment for Home Workouts
Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols are included as well and a surplus of this can lead to bloating and diarrhea. Ultimately, taking a pre-workout isn’t a nutritional supply agent per se, but more of being a “luxury” that gives you energy. With the correct meals, your body should have enough energy and strength to go about doing your workouts properly.
Test Boosters
Test boosters aren’t for everyone as they truly only help those who generate a lower amount of testosterone than the average count. Having a surplus of testosterone can be very harmful to the body. Test boosters are seen as a cheap alternative to growth hormones that are supposed to be natural. While that may be true for some brands, the harms of a surplus of this hormone include prostate swelling, oily skin, decrease in sperm count, and fluid retention, just to name a few.
READ: Best Fruits for Fitness and Bodybuilding
The consequences are difficult to identify short term, but these symptoms will show up gradually, and that’s when test boosters would have done more harm than good. There are plenty of natural ways of using a healthy amount of this hormone, and the side effects are not worth it for just a few extra points of muscle.
Fat Burners
We get that cardio is a chore to most people; but if it was easy, more people would be in shape. Fat burner presents itself as a “shortcut” to traditional dieting by claiming to help the body metabolize faster. It’s common knowledge that fiber is healthy and is a primary nutrient that helps with metabolism, but fat burners don’t use fiber. Instead, the supplement relies on caffeine.
Read Olympic Exercises Anyone Can Do
A regular cup of coffee increases metabolic rate between 3-4% every 2 hours, which amounts to about 12.5 calories burnt. Fat burners may dump a lot more caffeine into your body than a standard cup of coffee would, but your body has a capacity of the speed at which it can metabolize at its fastest. This supplement gets sold on the name itself, while the ingredients beyond caffeine do next to nothing with boosting metabolic activity. Definitely a hard pass on this; there are far cheaper alternatives that can provide caffeine to the body in safer quantities.
Protein Powder (Kind Of)
Protein powder is NOT bad in its own right but can be consumed poorly which will lead to severe consequences. Protein powder generally suggests one or two scoops of protein, mixed in with a bit of water - which is fine.
READ: Arm Exercises: Why Beginners Don’t Need Them For Bulking
What is not fine, however, is how many consumers perceive this supplement. The keyword in supplement means to “supply”, not replace. This means that protein powder should never act as a replacement, but only to provide additional aid if your meals generally lack protein. This could be due to work, inconveniences, or cost; which is why this supplement is by far the most popular in the weight lifting industry.
While protein powder can be safe if you go for the traditional whey and soy options and adhere to the guidelines, problems can start to surface when your workouts do not optimize the added aid. If you do not have enough of a workout to let your body metabolize the protein, you could gain unnecessary weight.
Read How to heal lungs naturally and improve breathing after recovering from COVID-19?
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA)
This supplement has been getting a lot of attention in the market recently and is known to have been advertised by professional athletes for its effectiveness. Ultimately, BCAA gives the body leucine, isoleucine, and valine - amino acids that trigger muscle growth; however, these amino acids can be acquired elsewhere and the actual BCAA formula does absolutely nothing.
The only added benefit of BCAA is the reduction of soreness which isn’t something worth spending on every month. Overall, BCAA doesn’t suffer from being bad for the body by any means, but its effectiveness has no scientific backing and could be a huge waste to spend on.
READ: Heat Stroke: Symptoms, First Aid, and Prevention
Glutamine
Glutamine is the same shtick as every other gym supplements out there, to help your body increase its muscle mass. This name hasn’t been used among regular gym goers recently, but it is good as it suffers from a similar problem as BCAA.
Athletes have used Glutamine to showcase the ability to gain healthy amino acids while keeping the immune system healthy and maintaining large muscles all at once. Even if there is some truth to Glutamine’s effect, it does not have enough advantages to warrant a regular commitment.
Read Pandemic Yoga: How to strengthen lungs, ease breathing problems with yoga
4 years ago
Best Fruits for Fitness and Bodybuilding
It is such common knowledge that fruits and vegetables equal good. Regardless of lifestyle, the two have been the face of healthy eating, but that’s about where it ends for some. Differentiating different fruits and vegetables isn’t the main priority for many - as long as it isn’t a milkshake or cake, it’s better. With the right guidance and diet plan, certain fruits can help to optimize the results you are looking for when on a fitness pursuit. Here are some of the best fruits to improve fitness or put on muscle.
Fruits To Avoid
Before looking at the ones you do need, it’s important to first establish why not all fruits are the same and how alternative choices will sabotage your fitness progression. The avocado is one of the biggest culprits of this and not because it’s bad, but mainly because it does not compliment many bodybuilding diets out there.
Most plans involve a strict reduction of fat and sugar, with simple carbs being the primary energy source. Avocado is the antithesis of this principle and primarily contains fat. General strength-based exercises don’t involve much cardio, and fat is the least preferred energy source if your exercises focus on static.
Read Avocado: Is it overrated? Know the benefits, alternatives
Durians are another type of food that has a high amount of both carbs and fat, which is a lethal combo that can do more harm than good. While avocados at least have the reputation of dominating anything that’s Keto-related, Durian is off-putting too many and offers too few health benefits to substitute other fruits that are both delectable and nutritious.
Coconuts are the final options for fruits to avoid. While coconuts are nowhere near as controversial, the difficulty would be steering clear away from this delicious fruit. Coconuts are more versatile than the two other fruits on this list, which means that some foods you may think are harmless may secretly have coconut oil in them. Coconuts are also commonly turned into shavings and could spell disaster for your waist if they are cleverly used with your favorite desserts. Out of all fruits, coconuts have the highest amount of saturated fat and is deceptively heavy for how light it can taste.
Read How to heal lungs naturally and improve breathing after recovering from COVID-19?
Best Fruits for Muscle Building
Oranges
As children, oranges were possibly the signature citrus fruit to go for when pursuing a life of healthy eating -and for good reason. Oranges are jam-packed with Vitamin C and are particularly viable before your workout due to the nutrient preventing nitric oxide from being broken down. Alternatively, you could consume the fruit after your workouts and enjoy the fruit for its stellar antioxidant properties. The fruit is tasty and easily made into juices - so having it anyway you like wouldn’t stray too far away from its natural nutritional value.
Apples
If fruits had a mascot, apples would be it. From nursery adages to in-depth nutrient charts, none can deny how versatile and valuable this fruit can be. Apples contain polyphenol which helps to increase your body’s strength. While this effect may seem enticing, it is important to note that the fruit still is extremely high in sugar and should not be consumed in excess. Like almost any other fruit, juicing it naturally is a good option, while baked apple paste isn’t too bad of an idea either. Be warned that apple crumbles or apple pies don’t count as progress!
Read How to Eat Red Meat Without Jeopardizing Your Health
Cherries
For such a small fruit, cherries have some of the strongest flavors among all fruits. This is why taking more than a handful of them can make it a chore to consume. With the correct amount, cherries are a treat and contain anthocyanin, which is responsible for muscle recovery and helps to reduce inflammation. As we know, muscle hypertrophy is all about recovery and this fruit fits the bill in every way possible. Cherries work best on their own and should be eaten sparingly.
Watermelon
This tropical fruit isn’t as straightforward as the rest when it comes to nutritional benefits. Watermelons help regulate blood flow and contain citrulline, which is responsible for being converted to arginine and nitrous oxide. Watermelons are a good source of fruits if you ever consume them as an assortment, but are not the most vital to have on a daily basis. Once more, be careful about how much sugar you are consuming when feasting on this fruit.
Read Ketogenic Diet: Know the benefits and risks
Bananas
Bananas are perfect for carb-heavy diets and are best before workouts to resupply your body with glycogen. The fruit is renowned for its ability to help muscles maintain their size. Bananas come packing with an incredible amount of potassium which is good for muscle contractions and is a critical electrolyte for the body all around. Bananas are possibly one of the most common fruits to be consumed with a protein shake, but going full natural with it works too.
Managing Your Intake
While sugar cravings can partially be satisfied with fruits, it is important to note that sugar is still sugar and should not supersede the number of carbs taken. It is good as a snack for pre and post-workouts, and never functions as a meal substitute or a snack to be eaten throughout the entire day. Ultimately, gauging the amount of how much you should consume each day depends on your calorie intake cap. Balancing your fruits with oats, nuts, and even vegetables can make for a far more fulfilling role if you are not the type to snack.
Read Sweet Danger of Sugar: know the side effects of consuming too much sugar
4 years ago
'India likely to have Covid shot for children by September'
India is likely to have its indigenous Covid-19 vaccine for children by September, Director of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)'s National Institute of Virology (Pune) Priya Abraham said.
Abraham's remarks come amid the ongoing phase II and III trials of Covaxin for the 2-18 age group.
"Hopefully, the results (of the trials) are going to be available very soon. The results will be presented to the regulators. So, by September or just after it, we may have Covid-19 vaccines for children," Abraham told India Science, an OTT channel of the science and technology department.
Read: Bangladesh- India flight operation to resume Aug 20: FM
ICMR and Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech co-developed Covaxin, India's first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine.
"Apart from Covaxin, Zydus Cadila's vaccine trial is also going on. This can also be applied to children and will be made available. Studies on booster doses have been going on overseas, and at least seven different vaccines have been tried for it," Abraham added.
"Now, the World Health Organisation has put a stop to it till more countries catch up with vaccination. This is because there is an alarming vaccine gap between high-income and low-income countries. But, in future, recommendations for boosters will come," he said.
Read: India hands over 31 ambulences, other medical equipment to Bangladesh
The vaccination programme against Covid-19 started in India on January 16 for people above 18 years. With more than seven months into the drive, so far only 9% of the country's adult population has been fully vaccinated, the figures compiled by Our World in Data showed.
The Indian government aims to vaccinate the entire population above 18 years of age by the end of this year.
India needs to administer 10 million doses a day to achieve its aim of inoculating the adult population by December, experts say.
4 years ago
What we know about Covid-19 booster shots
US health officials may soon recommend Covid-19 booster shots for fully vaccinated Americans.
A look at what we know about boosters and how they could help fight the coronavirus:
Why might we need boosters?
It is common for protection from vaccines to decrease over time. A tetanus booster, for example, is recommended every 10 years.
Researchers and health officials have been monitoring the real-world performance of the Covid-19 vaccines to see how long protection lasts among vaccinated people. The vaccines authorised in the US continue to offer very strong protection against severe disease and death.
Read: US okays Covid booster dose for those with weak immune systems
But laboratory blood tests have suggested that antibodies – one of the immune system's layers of protection – can wane over time. That does not mean protection disappears, but it could mean protection is not as strong or that it could take longer for the body to fight back against an infection.
The delta variant has complicated the question of when to give boosters because it is so much more contagious and much of the data gathered about vaccine performance is from before the delta variant was widely circulating. Delta is taking off at the same time that vaccine immunity might also be waning for the first people vaccinated.
France and Germany plan to offer boosters to some people in the fall. The European Medicines Agency said it too is reviewing data to see if booster shots are needed.
Read Dengue vs. COVID-19: Symptoms, when & where to test, ways of prevention
When would they be given?
It depends on when you got your initial shots. One possibility is that health officials will recommend people get a booster roughly eight months after getting their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
Officials are continuing to collect information about the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was authorised for use in the US in late February, to determine when to recommend boosters.
Who would get them?
The first people vaccinated in the US would likely be first in line for boosters too. That means health care workers, nursing home residents and other older Americans, who were the first to be vaccinated once the shots were authorised last December.
Read: US to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months
Booster? third shot? What's the difference?
Transplant recipients and other people with weakened immune systems may not have gotten enough protection from vaccines, to begin with. They can now receive a third dose at least 28 days after their second shot as part of their initial series of shots needed for them to be fully vaccinated.
For those with normal immune systems, boosters are given much later after full vaccination – not to establish protection, but to rev it up again.
What questions remain?
Still unknown is whether people should get the same type of shot they got when first vaccinated. And the nation's top health advisers will be looking for evidence about the safety of boosters and how well they protect against infection and severe disease.
Read Liquid Medical Oxygen and Covid-19 Treatment: Things we need to know
Global access to vaccines is also important to stem the pandemic and prevent the emergence of new variants. Booster shots could crimp already tight global vaccine supplies.
What about the unvaccinated?
Dr Melanie Swift, who has been leading the vaccination programme at Mayo Clinic, says getting more shots into people who have not yet been vaccinated at all is "our best tool, not only to prevent hospitalisation and mortality from the delta variant but to stop transmission." Every infection, she says, "gives the virus more chances to mutate into who knows what the next variant could be."
"People who took the vaccine the first time are likely to line up and get their booster. But it is not going to achieve our goals overall if all their unvaccinated neighbours are not vaccinated," Swift says.
Read: Why might COVID-19 vaccine boosters be necessary?
4 years ago
Arm Exercises: Why Beginners Don’t Need Them For Bulking
For generations, movies have depicted the ideal man to be one who has bulging biceps and a frame that dwarfs other guys. While bodybuilding is a realistic goal for anyone to get into Hollywood shape, we all have to start somewhere. Often, many correlate muscular arms and chest to the epitome of being buff. What if we told you that despite your good intentions, working on your arms as a beginner is pointless? Here’s why beginners don’t need to train their arms for bulking (at first)!
The Excitement Behind Arms
Nothing quite shows progress in the gym like your sleeves getting a little too tight for you. Large arms are commonly seen as a testament to your workouts and are tied with your chest to be the most noticeable benchmark for your gains. Exercises like skull crushers and hammer curls are staples in every arm routine and the pump is possibly some of the most out of all arm exercises out there. Despite how alluring short-term pumps can be, it is not efficient to embark on this journey if you are brand new to weight lifting.
Read Tips to Get Marathon Level Endurance and Stamina
For beginners, the most important thing to do is to establish a routine of compound exercises INITIALLY. Isolation exercises are indeed important but serve to zero in on body parts that are already in the process of being sculpted by compound exercises.
Arms certainly fall under the former and arguably have lesser priority than other isolated muscle groups such as lateralis and deltoids. The reason behind this is that compound exercises already engage a plethora of muscle groups and since your arms are used in almost every one of those exercises, they will indeed grow on their own.
While working on arms from the get-go is by no means sabotaging your chances of growth, it would be redundant if they were not conditioned for strength and size, to begin with. Many coaches advise beginners to take up more all-rounded exercises, to begin with, such as pull-ups, push-ups, and bench presses for starters. After getting a general sense of what it means to engage your body in weight lifting, bulking starts when separate days are allocated for specific body parts.
Read: Kettlebells: The Best Equipment for Home Workouts
Chest Equals Triceps
The rule of thumb is that the chest engages the triceps and the back engages the biceps. The bench press should be one of the first exercises you’ve tried when working out with a full-body program. While shoulders, chest, and arms are engaged, the pushing motion of such heavyweights relies on your triceps specifically for the lift-off before your chest is engaged.
The incline bench press is also responsible for this, despite technically being an isolated exercise. During the lift-off period, your triceps will be lifting most of the weight for a brief moment, but when your chest begins to carry the weight, your triceps are still engaged.
Despite being a simple exercise on paper, the bench press has been a hot exercise every weightlifter implements due to its versatility. If you are extremely keen to work on your triceps more than your chest, you can follow up from a regular bench press exercise with a close grip version. This puts more emphasis on your triceps, despite going through the same motion as the standard. Be warned that this exercise will require you to reduce the weight on the bar as your triceps will be the main target, and the chest will only provide minimal support.
Read: Best Health Clubs and Gyms in Dhaka in 2021
Back Equals Biceps
It’s understandable to be tempted by doing nothing but curls all day to get your biceps popping, but it is one of the smallest muscle groups in your body - and can be put on hold for now. The back has tons of exercises, both isolated and compound, that will have you tucking your arms back at a 90-degree angle - which, in turn, will work on your biceps without a doubt.
Classic exercises like bent-over rows, seated rows, and lat pulldowns all possess a pulling motion that isn’t too far off from some bicep exercises, to begin with. Much like the chest, if your primary muscle group is not engaged, you are not executing the exercise correctly. Therefore, learning how to properly activate your back muscles is key to executing the rest of your exercises correctly.
Unlike chest exercises, back exercises don’t quite have the flexibility to pull off alternate grips that can lean more towards bicep-focused workouts. As the back is larger, many of the supposed compound exercises do isolate to a certain extent and will require a lot more time and effort to master the fundamentals. But fear not: since your biceps are biologically one of the smallest muscle groups, it is easily engaged and will definitely grow in proportion to the rest of your body when you have exercised long enough.
Read Benefits of Leg Workouts: Why You Should Never Skip Leg Day
Mastering The Fundamentals
In conclusion, there is a common misconception that massive, chiseled arms are acquired through common arm workouts, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Attaining the mass alone needs to be done proportionately and that will come when focusing on your entire body. While full-body exercises can be daunting and the results won’t come so quickly, being disciplined and letting time and effort do the rest is critical for your success.
Once your shoulders, back, and chest have had enough time to get accustomed to lifting heavily (with proper form), your arms will definitely catch up with your grown traps and lats. The isolation part comes later when you either feel like you’re hitting a plateau or simply decide that it’s the right time to tone. While arm exercises can be used for bulking, it’s a lot more effort for significantly fewer results.
Read How Effective Are Machines At The Gym?
4 years ago
The link between the COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy
Earlier this week we reported the government has decided to include pregnant and lactating women in the nationwide Covid-19 inoculation programme amid a worrying rise in Covid-19 hospital admissions across the country.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued a notice regarding this Sunday. Although the pregnant women are now eligible for Covid-19 vaccination, they must follow some instructions before getting vaccinated, according to the DGHS.
They have to take the Covid shots from government vaccination centres with medical facilities after getting counselling from a registered physician there.
Read: Pregnant woman with Covid-19 unlikely to pass infection to newborns: Study
Pregnant women, who are unwell or suffering from chronic illness or have a history of vaccine allergy, will not be allowed to take the jabs.
Medical experts say there’s no biological reason the shots would affect fertility. And the AP reports real-world evidence offers more assurance for anyone worried about their chances of conceiving: In Pfizer’s study, a similar number of women became pregnant in the group given the vaccine as in the group given dummy shots.
Researchers are starting to study anecdotal reports of short-term changes to periods after the vaccine, but there’s no indication so far that the shots put fertility at risk, said Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a gynecologist and professor at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Read: Pregnant, lactating women to get Covid jab: DGHS
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and obstetrician groups also recommend COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant individuals, who have a higher risk of severe illness if infected with the coronavirus. Research shows pregnant people who get the virus are more likely to be admitted to intensive care, receive invasive ventilation and die than their non-pregnant peers.
The CDC also followed tens of thousands of pregnant women who got the vaccines and found they had comparable pregnancy outcomes to pregnant women before the pandemic.
So whether you are thinking about having a baby, trying to conceive or undergoing fertility treatments, you should not delay vaccination, Dr. Denise Jamieson, chair of the department of gynaecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine, told AP.
4 years ago
Heat Stroke: Symptoms, First Aid, and Prevention
Each year the heat of the sun is increasing significantly, resulting in a variety of physical problems. One of them is heatstroke. When the body temperature is higher than 105-degree Fahrenheit, it is called heat stroke. It is a serious physical condition that can lead to death. But with a little caution this summer, we can avoid such deadly conditions.
Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke
When the external environment temperature rises, our body automatically tries to maintain the internal temperature. As the body temperature rises, the veins in the skin widen and dispel excess heat into the external environment. In addition, the body is cooled due to sweating. However, excessive sweating in extreme heat makes the body lose water and salt.
As a result, physical weakness, fatigue, dizziness, muscle aches, extreme thirst, and nausea can occur. This condition is called 'heat cramp' or 'heat exhaustion. If you stay in a humid and hot environment for a long time or if you work hard, it is not possible for the body to control the heat. Rises to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. This is called 'heatstroke.'
Read How to heal lungs naturally and improve breathing after recovering from COVID-19?
Symptoms of Heat Stroke
To deal with the heatstroke, we need to know the symptoms first so that we can take further steps. When the temperature rises in our body, various reactions occur. Initially, there may be less severe heat exhaustion or heat cramps before the heatstroke. Usually, heat cramps lead to pain in the muscles of body parts; as a result, the body feels weak and gets very thirsty.
The next stage of heat exhaustion is rapid breathing, headache, dizziness, nausea, incoherent behavior, etc. In both cases, the body heat remains under control, and the body sweats abundantly. Heatstroke can occur if immediate action is not taken in this condition.
Read How to Eat Red Meat Without Jeopardizing Your Health
Let's know the symptoms.
· The body starts sweating profusely, and suddenly the sweating stops.
· Body temperature quickly exceeds 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
· Breathing becomes fast.
· Abnormal pulse rate. For example, sudden increase and decrease of the pulse.
· Blood pressure becomes low.
· The amount of urine decreases.
· Hands and feet tremble body cramps.
· Dizziness
· Severe headache
· Sudden abnormal behavior.
· Being incoherent in speech.
Read: Clive Wearing: The Man with the 30 Second Memory - Forever Today
First Aid
If you see someone with the above-mentioned symptoms, you should come forward with first aid. As soon as symptoms of heatstroke appear, first, wipe the body with cold ice water to reduce body heat. Also, bring the infected person to a cool environment.
Taking off or loosening the body clothes as much as possible will help to reduce the body heat and pass the air. Drink plenty of cold water, fruit juice, or saline. However, if the patient loses consciousness due to heatstroke, the person should be taken to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.
Read: Beat the Heat: How to Stay Cool in Simmering Hot Weather?
Who has a Higher Risk of Heat Stroke?
Heatstroke can happen to any person in extreme heat and humid environments. However, those who work hard in the open field in the hot sun, such as farmers, workers, rickshaw pullers, are more likely to have a heat stroke. If pedestrians walk for a long time under the hot scorching sun, they can have heat stroke. Also, school children playing on the school field under the sun can also have heat stroke.
Whoever works long hours in humid and hot environments (such as garment workers) indoors or inside the factory also has risks. Elderly and children contain lower body heat capacity. Hence they are more at risk. Further, dehydration increases the risk of heatstroke. Some medications increase the risk of heatstroke, especially medicines to increase the urine, antidepressants, and psychiatric medications. In addition, older people often suffer from various diseases or take various medications, which increase the risk of heatstroke.
Read: Dengue vs. COVID-19: Symptoms, when & where to test, ways of prevention
Preventing the Heat Stroke
Heatstroke can be avoided by following some precautions on hot days. These are-
· Try to wear loose and light clothing. Moreover, the fabrics should be white or light in color. Wearing cotton clothing is better.
· Stay in a shady place or indoor as much as possible.
· When going outside, using a wide-brimmed hat, cap or umbrella can save you from excessive temperature.
· Those who are involved in work outside should cover their head with an umbrella or something.
· Drinking plenty of water and other fluids will keep the balance of salt and water in your body as both salt and water comes out with sweat.
· Should refrain from consuming tea and coffee as these can increase the temperature.
· Try to avoid working under the sun in hot weather. Try to do these tasks early in the morning or at night. However, if you are bound to do the task during the day, make sure you drink plenty of water and saline. Moreover, take a break during work and take a rest from time to time.
Read Sweet Danger of Sugar: know the side effects of consuming too much sugar
Ways to Stay Dehydrated
To stay safe from heat stroke, we should take foods that can keep our body dehydrated for a long time. You can try the following items.
Tamarind juice
Tamarind juice is very useful to cool the body quickly. Tamarind juice made with a combination of sugar and salt makes it more delicious and protects the body from dehydration quickly. It also contains potassium and magnesium, which help to keep the body healthy and functioning for a long time.
Coconut Water
There are no natural ingredients like coconut water to survive heat stroke. It instantly cools the body and maintains body heat balance. It also protects the body from dehydration, even in excessive heat. Prevents thirst for a long time and contains other mineral salts which are beneficial for our body.
Read Easy Homemade Summer Drinks to Beat the Heat and Increase Immunity
Sugarcane Juice
Sugarcane juice is very useful for dehydration, and it instantly maintains water balance in the body. Besides, it is also rich in nutrients and delicious to drink.
Lemonade/ Lemon Juice
Lemons contain vitamin C, which helps the body to refresh quickly. It is also a very tasty and healthy drink that normalizes body temperature. Mixing coriander and mint with it to make lemon juice is also beneficial for the body.
Read Easy Homemade Drinks to Boost Up Digestion Power Naturally
4 years ago
Best Sports Apparel Brands For You
The popularity of fitness comes from more than just exercises. Innovative diets, fitness equipment, and televised events are all components of the community. The athleisure sportswear scene is possibly one of the most focused parts of the industry as everyone wants the best gear when keeping fit. Almost everyone who even thinks about doing fitness needs to dress the part for safety and comfort. If you are looking to start your fitness journey, or are due for an upgrade - here are some of the best sports apparel brands for you to consider.
Top 7 Popular Sportwear Brands in the World of Sports
Under Armour
It’s no surprise that Under Armour has been relentless with its marketing and celebrity collaborations. Dwaine Johnson, for example, has his own series and the brand also isn’t shy to celebrate contemporary campaigns such as the pride movement with exclusive launches.
The brand’s strength lies in its versatility, as the brand boasts polo shirts, running shoes, leggings, masks and so much more. Sports that the brand has its hand in include golf, basketball, running, football, outdoors, and other forms of training. If you are looking for a general place to start, it would be hard to look for something Under Armour won’t have for you.
Read:Pandemic Yoga: How to strengthen lungs, ease breathing problems with yoga
LuluLemon
If you are looking for the face of yoga apparel, look no further than Lululemon. The brand has broken through its niche in yoga and has become a statement brand that yogis take pride in sporting. While the brand took off for its premium quality yoga apparel, Lululemon has transcended its own boundaries; offering choices in gloves, water bottles, hats, bags, and much more for both men and women.
Lululemon is an equally viable brand to take a look at if you’re keen on running and doing static training too. Lululemon caters to the athleisure crowd heavily too and offers plenty of choices for casual wear too.
Read How Do Sunglasses Protect Your Eyes?
Nike
Nike is arguably the face of all sports apparel and for good reason. The brand has set the standard of premium sportswear since its debut in the 60s. The brand has not only sponsored almost every sport in some form but has also made waves in the world of sneaker collectors.
Nike has shown off their ability to range from being cost-effective to producing some of the most high-end merchandise you can think of. You can never go wrong with Nike and is an absolute classic that fits into any sport you’d want to do. While Nike is undoubtedly reliable across all their products, taking a look at their footwear could be a great place to start.
Read Best Team Sports for Weight Loss
Reebok
While Reebok has been pretty hit and miss with the younger crowd, it is undeniable that what the brand may struggle with within contemporary marketing can be compensated for prestige-level quality. While the brand has not found a niche market for its products per se, it has collaborated with many partners to produce a series of impressive collections.
Reebok is simple in design and will cater to those who want understated efficiency. The brand has a bit of everything and can cater to both dedicated athletes and avid fans of the athleisure look. Reebok’s Club C 85 Vintage Shoes and Classic Vector track pants are decent sparring points to check out.
Read How to buy men’s watches: A beginner’s guide
Champion
While Champion is a versatile brand that can cover almost everything, many of its products are angled towards competitive fighters. Despite this, Champion does not oesthrosize its audiences and continues to open its arms to all sorts of consumers.
Champion recently launched a series dedicated to Mohamad Ali and puts emphasis on his virtues through quotes and simple designs on staple boxing apparel such as hoodies, shorts, and more. Their overall selections are on the limited side, but there is an undeniable level of premium associated with the brand. While the Champion brand is rather boutique in its selections, they are designed to be seasoned by regular athletes too.
Read:Best Martial Arts For Fitness
Patagonia
Lovers of the great outdoors will not need to go further than Patagonia. The brand knows the outdoor climate like few others and has crafted gear that is resilient towards rough terrain, harsh weather, and other obstacles that might come your way. For the full off-road experience, the brand uses quilted and cool ultralight material known as Capilene.
Interestingly, Patagonia also offers food choices for the outdoors, along with other products for women and children. Patagonia is also big on environmental conservation and encourages second-hand sales in order for customers to start recycling.
Read Kettlebells: The Best Equipment for Home Workouts
Adidas
This list couldn’t be complete without Nike’s rival since what seems like forever, Adidas! The brand has gone through transformations that would make each decade of development appear completely different from the last. From its dedicated sports section to its renowned branch of streetwear, everything that Adidas touches will have a place for an occasion or two. Adidas is known for their three-stripe design that pops on clothing and shoes alike, having kept that consistent while their designs change around it.
Adidas has done courageous collaborations with the likes of Lego, Beyonce, Bape and so much more. The brand has secured itself as a titan in the sports apparel industry and continues to produce impressive designs and top-of-the-line materials without compromising on the basic look that defines the brand. Adidas’ streetwear, sports jumpers, and hoodies are all good places to start.
Best Best Men's Wear Clothing Brands in Bangladesh
4 years ago
Kettlebells: The Best Equipment for Home Workouts
Until now, the epidemic has forced many companies to adopt a work-from-home culture that has stifled the fitness progress of many. Home-based workout content started flooding media platforms, with many experts sharing their tips for a healthy lifestyle when stuck at home. While many bodyweight exercises are easily doable and cost-effective, weight-based workouts are not. Dumbbells and machines are costly due to how many are needed for a properly balanced workout, however, the kettlebell could be the solution. Here is why kettlebells are one of the best equipment for home workouts.
Why Kettlebells?
When it comes to viable weights to have at home, only dumbbells and kettlebells are realistic contenders. With machines being ever so bulky and normally serving specific body parts, acquiring enough machines at home to get a well-rounded workout would be ridiculously costly and a strain on your home. The same also applies to barbells.
Primarily focused on compound exercises, space barbells have no place for isolated movements. To acquire enough weights for your bar would also rely on having a generous amount of space for stowing. This also applies should you choose to get a rack for the most important activities like squats and bench presses.
Read Tips to Get Marathon Level Endurance and Stamina
While it is true that kettlebells and dumbbells offer a variety of weights, kettlebell workouts are vastly different as to how they are performed and can compromise a little more on recycling weight.
Lunges, curls and raises are common exercises that target specific muscle groups, and switching up the weights in every set is extremely necessary to see progress. Kettlebell movements are far more dynamic, using drastic motions such as snatches, swings, and cleans. Because of this, it is already clear that the dedicated exercises require the use of more muscle groups than dumbbells.
Read:Pandemic Yoga: How to strengthen lungs, ease breathing problems with yoga
Kettlebell’s Uniqueness
To explain why kettlebells have such a unique style of working out, it’s important to examine the weight itself. The kettlebells’ handles, also known as “horns” are measured between six to eight inches, which allows for variety in terms of grip length, which can change up your workout quite dramatically.
The weighted part at the bottom is called a bell and it is the main weight the handle is connected to. While dumbbells have a handle for one hand that evenly distributes the weight on both sides, the kettlebell has its weight below the grip, which in turn changes the center of gravity for your workout.
The length of a kettlebell handle was specifically designed to allow single and double hand grips which do broaden the use of the equipment. Because its center of gravity is on the bell itself, snatches and swings have become the ideal way to use it, but in return require far more discipline from the user’s side.
Read How to choose the best shoes for running
It can be tricky to get both arms symmetrical when executing an exercise, but slight imbalances won’t hamper your workouts too much. Kettlebells however require perfect technique as its style of movement has very little room for error. Twists and bends tend to be clear when it comes to executing wrong techniques and it is easy to identify when your form is askew.
Exercises Dumbells Can’t Do
If you are not convinced that kettlebells are a better investment, there are many exercises it can do like dumbbells. Single Arm Overhead Raises, Front Raises, SIngle or Double Arm Curls, SInge Arm Rows, and more. While Kettlebells may struggle at the chest department when compared to dumbbells, the kettlebell has a plethora of exercises that the latter will not be able to emulate.
Read:Best Martial Arts For Fitness
Kettlebell Swings
Possibly the most well-known exercise of them all, the Kettlebell Swing has the person start with their back arched and the kettlebell below that at a 90-degree angle. With both hands, the user will swing the kettlebell forward while extending his/her knees so that the posture is upright while the kettlebell is swung forward.
As you can tell, there are many muscle groups activated during this exercise and will require a reasonable amount of practice to get right. Hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, arms, and the core are all worked in a single motion and the kettlebell weight itself puts these muscle groups into tension for growth.
Read Best Team Sports for Weight Loss
Kettlebell Goblet Squat
Kettlebells definitely have the edge over dumbbells when it comes to squatting. Despite the name, Goblet Squats are not that difficult to do and bears a resemblance to barbell squatting. The standard rules apply: knees are never meant to exceed the feet and the back must be arched when squatting for safety purposes.
The only difference is that the user will have to grab the outer edges of the handle with an inward-facing rip. After that, the elbows must be securely tucked together until it is vertically parallel to the rest of the body. If done correctly, your forearms should be hugging the bell.
Read Off-Road Vs Road Cycling: Know the Difference
Kettlebell Halos
Kettlebell halos are definitely unique to this equipment and will need a proper grasp of the technique before increasing the weight. The user will have to grab the handles at its corners and proceed to raise the kettlebell to face level. After that, the hands must be traced around the head as though you are literally drawing a halo.
It might sound silly, but this exercise is a shoulder blaster and can give your deltoids, traps, and arms a workout like none other. This exercise will require some initial guidance as the wrong technique and even the wrong weight can have you smack your head during the rotation by accident. Also, if your grip isn’t firm, your elbows could be severely damaged if you drop the ball in the middle rotation.
Read Benefits of Leg Workouts: Why You Should Never Skip Leg Day
4 years ago