Tuesday, April 30, 2013

How To Make Your Skin Glow

Most of us think of skin as just our body’s visible outer layer, but doctors consider skin an organ, meaning that it is very much alive and charged with many important duties.

In particular, the skin is the first layer of your immune system, serving as a shield between you and legions of germs such as viruses and bacteria. It also protects your insides from sun, cold, scrapes, cuts, and moisture. And, of course, your sense of touch is crucial for everyday function.

Like any part of your internal body, your skin can be healthy or ill. It can be well nourished or malnourished. It can be exercised, and it can wear down with age or abuse. In particular, as we age, our skin becomes thinner and drier. Plus, other, more unpleasant things happen to our skin. Things like wrinkles, age spots, dark circles, and large pores, which tend to turn up like uninvited guests at a wedding.

While you can’t control your age, you can control numerous other factors that accelerate this aging process, including excessive exposure to sunlight, loss of estrogen during menopause, poor dietary habits, stress, and cigarette smoking.

Unlike the other organs of your body, you can apply medicines, moisturizers, and other healthy potions directly to the skin. For that reason alone, there is absolutely no reason you can’t have healthy, attractive skin throughout your life.

To keep your skin and face young and healthy, and to maintain its natural, protective moisture, follow these tips......


1. Skip the long, steamy showers and opt for shorter, cooler sprays.
Long, hot showers strip skin of its moisture and wash away protective oils. So limit showers to 10 minutes and keep the water cool.

2. Check the dryness of your skin by scratching a small area on your arm or leg with your fingernail.
If it leaves a white mark, your skin is indeed dry and needs both moisture and exfoliation (that is, removal of the outermost layer of dead skin cells).

3. Treat your neck and chest like an extension of your face.
Your neck and upper chest area is covered by very sensitive skin, making it a prime spot for telltale signs of aging such as dryness, sun spots, and wrinkles. To keep this area youthful, use facial cleansing creams that hydrate and cleanse gently rather than deodorant soaps, which can be drying. Top it all off with a good facial moisturizing cream. If this area is extra dry, use a facial moisturizing mask twice a month.

4. Run a humidifier every night in the winter to moisturize the air in your bedroom.
Not only will it ease itchy, dry skin, you’ll be able to breathe the moist air more easily.

5. Take 160 milligrams of soy isoflavones per day or pour soy milk over your cereal.
Soy consumption may support skin health by supplying high-quality protein needed for building and maintaining collagen, the material essential to connective tissues. Soy isoflavones may also act as antioxidants to protect collagen from damage caused by free radicals, highly reactive molecules that can weaken or destroy cell membranes. Free radicals can also damage DNA, create age spots and wrinkles, and depress the immune system, increasing the risk of skin cancer. Good sources of soy isoflavones include soy milk (20-35 mg soy isoflavones per serving) and tofu (20-30 mg soy isoflavones per serving).

6. Switch from a deodorant soap to one with added fat, like Dove, Oilatum, or Neutrogena. Deodorant soaps can be drying, whereas added-fat soaps leave an oily, yet beneficial, film on your skin.

7. Keep your beauty products clean and simple, particularly if you have sensitive skin.
Stay away from products with color, fragrance, or those that produce bubbles or have “antibacterial” on the label. These can all irritate skin.

8. Smooth a couple of drops of olive oil over your face, elbows, knees, and the backs of your arms every evening.
The oil contains monounsaturated fat, which refreshes and hydrates skin without leaving a greasy residue.

9. For soft, young-looking hands and feet, slather on moisturizing cream and then slip on thin-fabric socks and gloves while you sleep.

10. Tone your skin with a sage, peppermint, and witch hazel combination. S
age helps to control oil, peppermint creates a cool tingle, and witch hazel helps restore the skin’s protective layer. Combine 4 ounces of witch hazel with 1 teaspoon each of sage and peppermint leaves and steep for one to three days before applying to your skin.

11. Select a moisturizer that contains skin-repairing humectants.
Is that a new word for you? Humectants attract water when applied to your skin and improve its hydration. Good ones include glycerin, propylene glycol, and urea. Also look for skin products that contain alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), compounds that help reduce wrinkles and improve dry skin, acne, and age spots. AHAs, which naturally occur in grapes, apples, citrus, and sour milk (think buttermilk or yogurt), work by speeding up the turnover of old skin cells, making skin look younger.

12. Use a loofah daily to keep ingrown hairs and scaly skin under control.
While in the shower, gently scrub bumpy or scaly skin with a circular motion to remove dead cells. For extra-smooth skin, sprinkle a few drops of an alpha-hydroxy product on the loofah before scrubbing.

13. Take rose hips every morning to help build collagen.
Rich in vitamin C, rose hips (available at drugstores) can help keep skin smooth and youthful. Follow label directions.

14. Pop a high-potency multivitamin every day.
Many nutrients are vital to healthy skin, including vitamins C, A, and B. The most reliable way to get them all every day is to eat well, as well as take a daily supplement.

15. Use unscented baby powder to keep areas where skin meets skin — like the inner thighs, underarms, beneath large breasts — clean and dry. This is important to prevent a common skin condition called intertrigo, which occurs when such areas remain moist, fostering the growth of bacteria or fungi.

16. If you’re gearing up for a day in the sun, steer clear of scented lotions and perfumes. Scented products can lead to blotchy skin when exposed to the sun.

17. To treat dry, rough, itchy skin, try these bath add-ins:     
Half a pound of sea salt and one pound baking soda. Soak until the water is cool to detoxify your skin and soothe the itch.

Two cups Epsom salt. In addition to soaking in it, while your skin is still wet, rub handfuls of Epsom salt on the rough areas to exfoliate skin.

A few bags of your favorite tea. The tea provides antioxidants as well as a delicious scent.
One cup uncooked oatmeal tied into an old stocking or muslin bag. Oats are not only wonderful for your inner health, but provide a healthy glow on the outside as well, leaving a film on your skin that seals in water.

Equal parts of apple cider vinegar, wheat germ, and sesame oil. Apple cider vinegar is both antibacterial and alkalinizing (meaning it helps maintain the proper acid balance), while sesame oil and wheat germ add moisture.

One cup powdered milk with one tablespoon grapeseed oil. The lactic acid in the milk will exfoliate your skin, and the grapeseed oil will give your skin a powerful dose of antioxidants.


18. Apply ice wrapped in a towel to dry, itchy skin.
A few minutes on, a few minutes off. Allow the moist cold to relieve your skin and draw warming blood to it, but don’t let your skin get so cold as to sting or hurt.

19. Smooth aloe vera gel over extra-dry skin. The acids in aloe eat away dead skin cells and speed up the healing process. Cut off an end of an aloe leaf, split open, and spread the gel on the dry area.

20. Plunk your rough, dry elbows into grapefruit halves.
First exfoliate your elbows in your bath or shower, then cut a grapefruit in half and rest one elbow on each half, letting them soak for 15 minutes. The acid in the grapefruit provides extra smoothing power.

21. Hang room-darkening shades in your bedroom.
They help avoid sleep disturbances or insomnia caused by ambient light. Sleep is critical to your skin’s health because most cell repair and regeneration occurs while you’re getting your z’s; if you’re not getting enough rest, your skin cannot renew itself.

22. Cook with garlic every day.
Skin cells grown in a culture dish and treated with garlic had seven times the life span of cells grown in a standard culture. They also tended to look healthier and more youthful than untreated cells. Plus, garlic extract dramatically inhibited the growth of cancerous skin cells.

23. Go for a run, ride your bike, work out in the garden on a hot day — anything that gets you sweating. Sweating is nature’s way of eliminating toxic chemicals that can build up under skin. Plus, regular exercise maintains healthy circulation and blood flow throughout your body, including your skin. If you’re exercising outdoors, though, remember to wear a sunscreen on your face that protects against UVA and UVB rays, or a moisturizer with sunscreen protection.

24. Grill salmon brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with toasted, crushed walnuts.
There, you’ve just gotten a skin-healthy dose of poly- and monounsaturated fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, which studies suggest may affect the amount of sun and aging damage your skin experiences. By extension, make sure olive oil is the primary source of fat in your cooking each and every day, and try to have salmon twice a week or more.

25. Brew a pot of tea, chill, then store in the fridge and drink throughout the day.
Tea, as you probably know, is a great source of antioxidants, molecules that fight the free-radical damage caused by sun exposure and cigarette smoking. One Arizona study, for instance, found that the more tea people drank (particularly tea with lemon) the less likely they were to develop squamous cell skin cancer.

26. Switch moisturizers every time the seasons change.
Your skin needs more moisture in the winter than in the summer. So the same day you bring those sweaters down from the attic for the winter, buy a heavier moisturizer. When you trade in the sweaters for shorts, switch to a lighter one.

27. Here’s one for men:
Recognize that skin-preserving products like cleansers and moisturizers aren’t just for women. Men need skin care just as much as their wives and sisters. To prevent wrinkles and skin cancer, use a moisturizer containing a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 daily. Also use a gentle exfoliant weekly and a nighttime moisturizer that contains alpha-hydroxy acids to encourage skin regeneration.

28. Prepare a homemade oat scrub and use on your face every other day.
Oats moisturize and exfoliate your skin at the same time. Grind enough rolled oats in a food processor or coffee grinder to fill 1/2 cup. Combine with 1/3 cup ground sunflower seeds, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint leaves, and 4 tablespoons almond meal. Mix 2 teaspoons with a small amount of heavy cream. Scrub your face and neck with the mixture, then rinse thoroughly with cool water.

29. Add a teaspoon of grapeseed oil to your toner.
The oil acts as an anti-aging serum by helping your skin cells repair and rejuvenate themselves.

30. Avoid these three skin destroyers: Smoking, tanning salons, and sunbathing.
All three will age your skin prematurely.

31. For double protection, apply a cream containing vitamin C to your face over your sunblock. The cream helps prevent facial skin damage, dehydration, and wrinkles. Also try creams containing vitamin E or beta-carotene.

32. Use a spritzer with rose, sandalwood, or bergamot essential oils mixed with water.
These oils are great for hydrating the skin. To create an herbal spritzer, mix a few drops of essential oil with water in a small spray bottle and spritz on your face whenever your skin needs a little boost. Your skin is more pliable when it’s hydrated, so a spray helps stave off frown lines and general movement wrinkles. The hydrator also keeps pollutants out and keeps your skin’s natural lubricants in.
An added bonus: Your makeup will stay on longer and look more natural.

33. Clean your face and neck with a natural cold cream and follow with a rosewater and glycerin rinse twice a day to remove skin-damaging pollutants.

34. Keep your hands off your face!
Because your hands touch so many surfaces, they are a magnet for dirt and germs. Rub your eyes, stroke your chin, cup your cheek, and you’ve transferred everything on your hands to your face. As an extension of this, use headphones or a headset when talking on the phone. This, too, keeps hands and germs away from your face.

35. Stop with one glass of wine or one alcoholic drink.
Overdoing it enlarges the blood vessels near the surface of your facial skin.

36. De-shine your face throughout the day by periodically dabbing on loose powder to blot excess oil. Don’t use pressed powder, which actually contains oil as an ingredient.

37. Never, ever rub your eyes — apply compresses instead.
The skin on your face is extremely delicate, especially under your eyes. So use a very light touch on your face at all times. If your eyes itch, apply a cold compress or washcloth to the area, or try a cotton pad moistened with toner or witch hazel.

38. Use a single family of skin-care products.
If you buy and use lots of different skin-care products, there’s a good chance some contain the same ingredients, thus making them redundant. And some brands just aren’t very compatible with others, though you’d have no way of knowing that until you already paid for and opened them. You’ll get much better results if you use products that are designed and formulated to work together, such as Clinique, Mary Kay, Albolene, or Neutrogena. You may have to shell out a little more cash, but experts agree you’ll get better results.


Sunday, April 28, 2013

Kidney Care: How to Prevent Kidney Stones in Summer

People who work in a hot environment or have a work routine that does not allow them to have enough water are prone to develop stones. Specifically a 5 to 7 degree temperature rise due to climate change could yield a 30% increase in kidney stone problems. When people relocate from areas of moderate temperature to areas with warmer climates, a rapid increase in stone formation has been observed. There is a known geographic variation in stone disease that has been attributed to regional differences in temperature. The incidence of kidney stone disease is particularly high in areas with dry, hot climate.

Kidney stones are also caused due to dehydration, which too increases due to rise in temperature. This happens when people lose more water through sweating but fail to consume enough water to make up for the lost volume. The water loss eventually leads to higher urine concentrations, which in turn increases the risk of kidney stone formation.


These 9 steps to prevent kidney stones
1. Drink plenty of water during the day and at night before bed so that your body stays hydrated throughout each 24-hour period. If you don't void (urinate) every couple of hours, you're not drinking enough. You should shoot for producing a whopping 2.5 liters of urine daily.

2. Drink lemonade as this has been shown to reduce the risk of kidney stones

3. Cut back on products with large amounts of oxalate - an acid that can lead to the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones. These include products like drinking soda, iced tea, chocolate, rhubarb, strawberries and nuts.

4. Cut down the intake of caffeine as it leaves you dehydrated even though you think you are taking in plenty of liquids.

5. Reduce the salt intake and make that a regular habit

6. Ask your physician about medications that can help prevent kidney stones. Medications include those that control the amount of acid, alkali or cystine in the urine – factors that can cause kidney stones to develop.

7. Check your intake of animal protein, including meat, eggs, and fish. These foods contain purines, which are natural substances that metabolise or break down into uric acid.

8. Have more salads as it maintains the coolness levels.

9. Exercise and lose weight and stay healthy


Stay Healthy ......


Friday, April 26, 2013

The secrets to keep best hair


Boost Thin Hair With Silicone

Eat Fish and Nuts for Healthy Hair

Protect Shine With Lukewarm Water

Mend Split Ends With Protein

Get That 'Redhead Bounce'

Don't Treat Dandruff With Oils

Skip High-Powered Blow Dryers

You might expect a powerful blow dryer to slice a few precious minutes off your styling routine. But in a comparison of blow dryers, all dried hair in about the same amount of time. Some are much noisier than others, though. The group found the more expensive dryers were the quietest, and the noisiest were as loud as a lawn mower.
 
 
 
 

Brush Less to Limit Hair Loss

Take Care With Tightly-Wound Hair

Don't Let Brands Clean Your Wallet

What are you really getting for extra money spent on specialty products? Consumer Reports tested products on 1,700 ponytail samples and found that pricy shampoos were no better than cheaper ones. What should you buy? Choose shampoos and conditioners designed for your hair type, such as those for oily, fine, or color-treated hair.
 
 
 
 

Use Gentle Color to Cover Grays

Hair doesn't just change color as we get older – it also becomes weaker and grows more slowly. That means damaged hair won't be snipped off as quickly by haircuts. Chemicals used on "mature" hair should be weaker to avoid damage.
 
 
 
 

Calm Frizz in Winter, Too

Keep Brushes Away From Your Curls

Avoid Extreme Color Changes

Give the Blow Dryer a Rest

Protect Hair From the Sun

Shower Before You Swim

Take a Time Out From Styling

Be Aware of Changes in Your Hair

Thursday, April 25, 2013

The Secrets To Stay Sexy

Wonder gow to look so sexy, confident, and amazing all the time. Here are stay-sexy tricks and tips that'll get everyone's heads turning.

1. Watch what you eat.
If you want to don that little black number on your next nightout, be more mindful of your diet. This means stocking up on fruits and veggies and saying goodbye to soda and junk foods.
Important: Concentrate on getting enough protein and fiber, and reduce your intake of carbs.

2. Stay hydrated.
Consider water as your new best friend. Not only will it help burn fat faster and make you feel full quickly, it will also keep your skin supple!
Try this: Alternate drinking water of different temperature (hot, lukewarm, and cold) throughout the day. Doing so will burn fats 50 percent faster.

3. Sweat it out.
Jog, dance, do yoga—choose whatever you fancy! What’s important is you burn fats regularly so you can easily score your dream bod. Need a boost? Ask your BFF to be your workout buddy. Gym time can double as bonding time, too!

4. Go ahead—pamper yourself.
So what if indulging in a luxe spa session is a little pricey? You deserve it! Opt for a full-body massage, get a facial or French manicure, and you’re guaranteed to feel sooo good about yourself after.

5. Think: To be sexy is to be healthy.
Quit nasty habits (smoking?) and keep in mind the value of being healthy 24/7.
Remember: being sexy starts by leading a healthy lifestyle.

6. Be confident…Attitude is everything.
 Believe that you’re hot and everything else will follow. Once you exude such enviable confidence, you will carry yourself with posh and grace, and everyone will just stare at you in wide amazement. This is why we can’t get enough of celebs—they’re just oozing with appeal and confidence! Follow their lead.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

The Top 10 Calorie-Burning Exercises You Should Try

1. Running
 
Running is one of the most popular calorie-burning exercises. If you run at 12 minutes per mile, you can burn 495 calories per hour. Up your pace to 7 minutes per mile, and you can blast a whopping 867 calories per hour!




2. Kickboxing
 
Kickboxing is a full-body sport that works every major muscle in your body and burns serious calories -- about 619 calories in 60 minutes for a 130-pound woman.





3. Rollerblading
 
Put on your rollerblades and go for a glide! Inline-skating as a form of exercise is a lot of fun and it also melts as many as 743 calories in an hour.





4. Spinning
 
Spinning on a stationary bicycle literally torches calories -- an average 130-pound woman can easily burn 681 calories in an hour. Bonus: It's also low-impact, meaning it won't put pressure on knees and joints as running and many other aerobic exercises do.





5. Squash
 
With squash, you'll get an excellent stop-and-start cardiovascular workout, challenge your co-ordination skills and burn an astounding 743 calories per hour.





6. Jumping rope
 
Jumping rope is an inexpensive, portable and effective way to burn major calories -- we're talking 619 calories per hour.





7. Swimming
 
Swimming laps in the pool not only tones up your arms and legs as well as gives your heart a good workout, it also burns 433 to 681 calories per hour.





8. Step aerobics
 
Step aerobics involves stepping up and down onto an elevated platform. It may sound easy but don't underestimate the calorie-burning potential of this exercise -- a 130-pound woman can easily blast 526 to 619 calories in 60 minutes.





9. Rock climbing
 
Rock climbing is a challenging exercise that provides a total body workout -- you'll burn about 681 calories ascending and 495 calories rappelling per hour.





10. Rowing
 
The rowing machine is an effective calorie buster that really works your arms, legs and core -- you'll burn 433 calories to 526 calories per hour, depending on the intensity of your workout.













Wednesday, April 17, 2013

10 Most Challenging Mountains to Climb

Mountains have always represented something in human culture that’s almost impossible to overcome. But some mountains aren’t that difficult to conquer - some are no more than big hills. On the other hand, there are some mountains in the world that are deadly and near impossible to conquer.

 

 

1. Annapurna


Annapurna I is the 10th highest peak in the world, at 8,091m but it has a staggering death rate. Exact figures vary, but it is estimated that 130 people have climbed the mountain and 53 have died in the attempt. That gives a ratio of 40% summit-fatality, by far the highest of all the mountains. A number of these deaths were due to avalanches and the ascent via the south face is considered the most difficult climb in the world.
Hindus regard Annapurna as a god. Gods should be respected, and in this case it seems that they should also be avoided.


2. K2


Another Himalayan peak that could quite easily take the title of “most challenging”, K2 has had a death rate of 19.7% since the 1990s and is considered one of the most technically difficult mountains in the world. There have been two disasters on the mountain in recent years – the 1986 disaster, which claimed 5 climbers during one storm and 8 in the weeks prior to the storm, and the 2008 disaster in which 11 people died, with 3 others seriously injured. One of the most dangerous areas is the Bottleneck, a narrow area which is technically the quickest route to the top but also extremely risky. 13 out of the last 14 fatalities on K2 have occurred around the Bottleneck.
Despite these risks, 280 people have summited K2 and it is regarded as the “holy grail of mountaineering”. It certainly is an achievement to conquer it.


3. Kangchenjunga


Our top 3 mountains each have their own claim to being the single most challenging mountain in the world. Kangchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world, certainly has earned a reputation for peril as the death toll has climbed in recent years rather than decreased. It stands at 22% of all attempts, and only 187 climbers have ever summited it.
At 8,586m high it was once considered the highest in the world but was replaced by Everest in 1852. There’s no direct route up it, the weather conditions are difficult and there are frequent avalanches. There is also limited access from the Indian side and it is revered as a sacred mountain, so it is largely untouched. For that reason, it’s an enticing challenge for climbers but it’s also an extremely dangerous one.


4. Matterhorn


When it comes to death tolls, this mountain is fearsome, with 500 deaths between 1865 and 1995. It’s an iconic and popular mountain, but its popularity is part of the danger, as paths get overcrowded. The peak is also prone to avalanches and rockfalls, making it extremely hazardous. It was first climbed by Edward Whymper in 1865, who had been obsessed by the Matterhorn for some time. But even on this first triumphant trip, there was to be disaster as one of the party slipped while descending and he and 3 other men fell down the north face, leaving only Whymper and a father and son by the name of Taugwalder alive. The accident was later depicted by the artist Gustave DorĂ© in his work “The Matterhorn Tragedy“.
So, the mountain was tinged with tragedy from the start but but didn’t stop another party setting out just two days later. And climbers continue to tackle this symbol of the Alps, fully aware that they may not come back.



5. Everest


It’s the highest mountain in the world, at 8,848m so naturally you would expect it to be among the most challenging. However, the number of climbers that successfully summit every year – including disabled climbers – would suggest that it’s not the most difficult climb. The number of climbers, though, can add to the danger as the congestion of 50 or more people on the mountain in a single day slows everything down and can delay others’ descent – always dangerous at a height where altitude sickness can strike down even the most experienced climber.
The commercialization of Mount Everest can lead to complacency, but events likes the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster prove that, even in modern times, the mountain is still a deathtrap. 15 people died that season, and 8 of them in storms on May 10-11. The death rate for modern times is 5.5% of all who try and summit and there have been around 200 deaths in total. It may have been conquered by the most unlikely people, but it takes nothing but bad luck to have an accident on Everest and it should not be underestimated.


6. Denali


This is a lesser-known but deadly mountain, with over 100 deaths on its slopes. Also known as Mt. McKinley, it is North America’s highest peak at 6,194m. Its Alaskan location towards the North Pole means that the atmosphere is far thinner than on other mountains, and only around 50% of climbers reach the top. It was apparently first conquered in 1906, by Frederick Cook, but that was later proved false, and a further claimed ascent in 1910 was also viewed with some suspicion. The first verifiable conquest of the mountain was in 1913 by Walter Harper and it has been climbed many times since. However, the death toll and success rate are still grim enough to deter all but the most skilled climbers.


7. The Eiger


The North Face of the Eiger is another mountaineering spot that’s been turned into a metaphor for an insurmountable obstacle. And there’s a good reason for that – the sheer 6,000ft face of the so-called “Ogre” is subject to rockfalls and melting ice and the mountain has seen 64 climbers die while trying to replicate the 1938 summit. The North face is also known as “Mordwand” (“Murder Wall”, a play on “Nordwand”.)
Its notoriety also lives on in an unlikely tribute from British children’s author J.K.Rowling. In the “Harry Potter” series, a Dark Wizard is called Gellert Grindelwald, Grindelwald being a village close to the mountain. It’s unlikely to be a coincidence, as Rowling likes to weave real-life references into her character names and the association only strengthens the mountain’s connection with death and destruction.


8. Nanga Parbat


Nicknamed “the Man Eater”, Nanga Parbat has seen 62 deaths on its rocky slopes, approximately 5.5% of all the climbers who have attempted it. In the 1930s, there were a number of German attempts on the mountain, as the British allowed them no access to Everest at the time, but the losses were heavy – an avalanche in 1937 killed 16 men instantly, while an ill-fated expedition in 1934 saw 9 deaths, including the famous climber Willy Merkl. It was eventually conquered in 1953 by the Austrian Hermann Buhl, who completed the ascent alone but there have been many deaths since then. It is still considered a very challenging climb and contains the world’s largest mountain face – the Rupal Face, at 15,000 foot high. It has never been climbed in winter and is still claiming victims. The most recent, Joel Wischnewski, disappeared in February 2013 and has not yet be found. A chilling reminder of how this mountain got its nickname.


9. Cerro Torre


This is a Patagonian mountain which is steeped in controversy. The first claimed ascent was by Cesare Maestri in 1959, where he claimed that he and Austrian Toni Egger reached the summit but that Egger had been killed in an avalanche and had taken the photos of the summit with him. A later attempt in 1970 stopped just short of the summit and left the mountain littered with equipment, including a bolt ladder along the southeast ridge. The bolts remained there until a pair of North American climbers – Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk – removed most of them on their “fair means” ascent in 2012. They were both praised and criticised for this action, but the mountain remains extremely challenging, with or without bolts. It’s only 2685m high – a baby compared to some of the Asian peaks – but it was for a time considered the hardest mountain in the world.


10. Baintha Brakk


One indication that a mountain is difficult to climb is how many times it’s been summited…hence the appearance of Baintha Brakk in this list. The 7,285m steep peak in Pakistan has only been conquered 3 timers, despite numerous attempts. The last successful ascent was last year, in September 2012, and there was a gap of 24 years between the two other ascents in 1977 and 2001. By contrast, Everest is summited 300 times a year. It is an extremely steep and rocky climb, with the South Face rising 3km in only 2 km horizontal distance. Even the Britons who conquered the mountain in 1977 paid the price for it on the descent – one broke both legs, the other contracted pneumonia and broke 2 ribs. A mountain to tackle if low odds of success motivate you!



source from : http://www.smashinglists.com/top-10-most-challenging-mountains-to-climb/

Friday, April 12, 2013

The Body Weigh Training you should try

The latest exercise craze doesn’t involve bells, whistles, flexy bands, or any other special equipment. Instead, it uses you. Body weight training refers to exercises in which you use your body’s weight as a tool for building strength. You’ll recognize many of the moves. But fitness experts are getting creative with ways to use your own weight as resistance.

Here’s a typical body weight training workout you should consider trying:





Push-ups
• Lay belly down on the floor, with your feet roughly 15-20 centimeters apart. Place your palms flat on the ground and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

• Keeping your body straight and long, come up onto your toes and lift your body off the floor with your arms until they are fully extended.

• Slowly bend your arms at the elbows and lower your chest towards the floor. Stop roughly 10-15 centimeters before touching the ground with your belly. Try to keep your back and legs straight and in a single plane.

• Push back up into the original position. That’s one push-up.

• If this is too hard, do the exercise with your knees on the floor. Or even simpler, do the exercise standing, using a wall. Start with your feet roughly 50 centimeters from the wall.

• Aim for doing three sets of 8 reps.
 
 

 

Plank

• While in the push-up position, move your right foot next to your left foot and straighten your body. This is the the plank position.

• Spread your fingers wide so your middle fingers are pointing forward. Your hands should be on the floor directly beneath your shoulders.

• Tuck in your tailbone so your legs, hips and torso form a straight line.

• Push the crown of your head forward, tuck your toes and press your heels back, stretching down the entire length of the back of your body.

• Hold this position, breathing deeply, for as long as you are able to without straining yourself. Work up to 2 minutes.
 
 
 


Chin-ups

• Grasp a chin-up bar with your fingers with your palms facing you.

• Before pulling up, take a deep breath.

• Begin pulling up with your chest forward and shoulders back while looking up to where you’re pulling yourself.

• Point your elbows to the floor as you exert yourself.

• Bend your legs and cross your feet, squeezing your glutes as you reach the top.

• Do as many reps as you can, maintaining proper form.

 
 
 

Lunges

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart or slightly closer.

• Raise your chin slightly throughout this exercise.

• Take a large step forward with your right leg, planting your foot firmly on the floor with your toes pointed forward or slightly inward. Align your right knee over your right foot.

• Keeping your back straight and upright, bring your left knee straight down until it is 2.5–5 cm from the floor.

• To raise yourself, press firmly into the floor with your right foot while extending your right knee. Return to the initial standing position and repeat with your left leg forward.

• Make a goal to do three sets of 20 lunges with each leg.





Squats

• Stand in front of a chair with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your body erect and your chin raised slightly throughout this exercise.

• With your arms extended forwards, slowly lower your bottom towards the chair as if you’re about to sit. Just before your body touches it, return slowly to a standing position. Repeat, doing three sets of 12 squats.

• As you do this exercise, keep your back straight, your knees behind your toes, your weight centered over the middle of your foot and heels (not over your toes), and your feet flat on the floor. If you need help with balance or flexibility, use a chair that has arms, and use them as needed.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Why should we LOVE milk?

It helps keep your weight in check


People who consume more dairy products weigh less and have less body fat than those who consume less. Milk seems to satisfy our hunger better than other drinks—perhaps due to its protein. And people who drank skim milk felt fuller and ate less at their next meal than people who drank a fruit drink. If you are concerned about weight gain, choose low-fat or nonfat milk instead of whole milk, which can have as much as 8 grams of fat per serving.



It builds bone

Just 1 cup of milk provides 30 percent of the daily value of calcium, a mineral that helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth. To get that amount of calcium from other foods you’d have to eat more than 7 cups of raw broccoli, for example. Calcium is critical to the formation of bones in children and teenagers and becomes equally important to rebuild the bone mass that we lose as we age.



It helps keep muscles strong

One cup of milk provides 16 percent of the daily value for protein, which builds and repairs muscles. In fact, several small studies (partially funded by the dairy industry) found that chocolate milk might help athletes refuel as well as or better than popular sports drinks. Chocolate milk contains the mix of protein and carbohydrate the body needs to recover its energy supplies after an intense workout.