We are fanatical about health and fitness and we want to share our expertise and insights with you. Our latest articles are listed below. Or, browse the categories to the right. We look forward to serving you!

-The Health and Fitness Experts

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Apples are a super healthy snack. They’re full of vitamins and antioxidants and research has shown that they can even help lower bad cholesterol and boost exercise endurance. But if you’re watching your weight, you might be worried about how many calories are in an apple. That depends on the apple’s size (see the chart below). But don’t worry too much about the calories, because apples are stuffed full of all kinds of goodness.

How Many Calories in an Apple

The quick answer: for a 100g serving, there are 52 calories in an apple. But that’s not really very useful, since you don’t weigh apples before you eat them. (I sure don’t!) So, here are estimated apple calories for various apple sizes. (If you want to know about apple carbs, fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, etc., see the the Apple Nutrition Facts Chart below.)

Apple Calories by Size
(fresh apples with skin)

Apple Size	Diameter	Weight*	Calories**
*Apples vary: sizes and corresponding weights are approximate. **Calories and data based on the weight shown in grams for fuji, gala, granny smith, golden delicious, and red delicious apple varieties. See References and Sources for more info.
Extra Small	2½ inches (6.5 cm)	3.6 oz (101g)	53
Small	2¾ inches (7 cm)	5.3 oz (149g)	77
Medium	3 inches (7.5 cm)	6.4 oz (182g)	95
Large	3¼ inches (8.5 cm)	7.9 oz (223g)	116
1 Cup (slices)	n/a	3.8 oz (109g)	57
1 Cup (quartered and chopped)	n/a	4.4 oz (125g)	65

If you are trying to judge apple size, note that 3 – 5 pound bags of apples usually contain small and extra small apples.

You should always eat apples with the skin, because 2/3 of the fiber and many of the healthy vitamins and antioxidants are in the skin or just below it. Plus, you don’t save many calories by removing the skin. Just be sure to always wash the apples well before you eat them. But if you decide to eat them without the skin anyway, here are the apple calories you’ll be eating:

It’s best to eat fresh (raw) apples. But you’ll find them in many other forms. Here are the calories in various other forms of apples:

Apple Health Benefits

The old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” was right! Apples are full of all kinds of healthy goodness. Here are some of the areas where apples can help improve your health.

Cardiovascular Health

One way to avoid the doctor is to keep your heart healthy. And apples can help. A University of Florida study found that women who ate dried apples every day for a year (about 75g per day) had a 23% decrease in bad cholesterol (LDL) and a 4% rise in good cholesterol (HDL). And researchers suspect that eating fresh apples while have even better effects. That’s good news for your cardiovascular system.

Pectin, the soluble fiber found in apples, is also good for your heart because it helps prevent the build up of cholesterol on the walls of your blood vessels. More good news for your heart.

Losing Weight

The same University of Florida study also found weight loss benefits in apples. On average, the women in the study lost over 3 pounds each. Researches suspect the weight loss was due to the pectin (soluble fiber) in the apples that helps make you feel full and helps you eat less.

Exercise Endurance

Several studies have found that eating an apple before your workout could help you delay fatigue and boost your endurance. Apples contain quercetin, an antioxidant, which has been shown to improve endurance by making more oxygen available to your lungs. In one study at the University of South Carolina, researchers gave quercetin to healthy and active but untrained (non-professional athlete) adults and tested their bicycle endurance. They found that on average, the participants’ maximum oxygen consumption increased by 3.9% and they could ride more than 13% further before they felt fatigued.

Digestive Tract Health

We all need insoluble fiber to help keep our digestive tract healthy and moving. And most of us don’t get enough. Here again, apples can help out because they are considered a good source of dietary fiber.

Apple Nutrition Facts

Apples contain all kinds of healthy nutrients. They have both soluble and insoluble fiber, Vitamin C, and many other healthy nutrients and antioxidants. (See the Apple Health Benefits section above for details.)

If you are interested in the specific nutrition facts for apples, see the following charts where we give you info for various forms of apples.

All About Apples: Interesting Facts and a Little History

Did you know that there are over 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the United States, and over 7,500 around the world? But the only apple native to North America is the crab apple. And the first apple trees in the United States where planted by the pilgrims in Massachusetts.

Of all the different apple varieties, there are typically only a few that you can find in grocery stores or farmers’s markets. The most popular are the sweet tasting Red Delicious and the tart Granny Smith. Some of the other you might find are the Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Empire, Fuji, Gala, McIntosh and Cortland varieties.

If you want to find out more about apples, the University of Illinois has an really interesting list of Apple Facts, and Purdue University has an interesting outline of Great Moments in Apple History.

And next time you reach for a snack, remember that an apple is always a healthy choice!

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2. Delicious Healthy Smoothie Recipes with Apple
3. The Health Benefits of Juicing Apples and Pears

How many calories in a banana? It depends on size (see the chart). But if you are counting calories to lose weight, there is much more you need to know…

How Many Calories in a Banana?

Let’s get to the point. There are 89 calories in 100g of fresh, raw bananas. But that’s not very useful, since no one eats bananas by the gram. You eat them by size. So let’s look at banana calories by banana size. (If you are interested in banana protein, fat, carbs, dietary fiber, sugar, calories from fat, etc, see the Full Banana Nutrition Facts section below.)

Banana Calories by Size
fresh (raw) bananas

Banana Size	Length	Weight*	Calories**
*Bananas vary: sizes and corresponding weights are approximate. **Calories based on the weight shown in grams. See References and Sources for more info.
Extra Small	Under 6 inches (15 cm)	2.9 oz (81g)	72
Small	6 – 7 inches (15 – 18 cm)	3.6 oz (101g)	90
Medium	7 – 8 inches (18 – 20 cm)	4.2 oz (118g)	105
Large	8 – 9 inches (20 – 23 cm)	4.8 oz (136g)	121
Extra Large	Over 9 inches (23 cm)	5.4 oz (152g)	135

Wondering how to measure a banana? It’s measured along the outside curve (the longer curve), from the bottom to the base of the stem. Don’t include the stem in the measurement.

If you are cooking or baking with bananas, you’ll likely be measuring by cups or weight instead of length. Here are those calorie counts. (Again, if you want to know banana protein, dietary fiber, sugar etc, see the Nutrition Facts section below.)

Complete Banana Nutrition Facts

The good news is that bananas are pretty healthy. They are about 75% water, low in fat, low in sodium and high in potassium, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. For example, a large banana will provide you about 10% of your Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of potasium, about 25% of your RDI of Vitamin B6, and about 20% of your RDI of Vitamin C.

The bad news about bananas is that they are relatively high in sugar. For example, that large banana will eat up about 10% of your daily allowance for carbohydrates, mostly in the form of sugar. And there isn’t much protein in a banana. While they do have some fiber, they are not considered to be a “good source” of fiber. That would require 3.5 – 4.9 grams of dietary fiber per serving, which they don’t have.

If you are counting calories, you typically want to look for foods that are low in sugar and high in fiber and protein because those foods tend to have fewer calories and they make you feel full for longer periods of time. This is especially important for breakfast and snacks. When you eat a banana you will get a bit of a sugar spike and then you’ll likely be hungry again relatively soon.

Confused? See the When to eat bananas and when to avoid them section below.

Here are the full nutrition facts for fresh, raw bananas.

If you are cooking or baking with bananas, here are the nutrition facts sliced and diced by more common cooking measurements:

When to Eat Bananas (and When to Avoid Them)

In the nutrition facts above above we pointed out that bananas are high in sugar, moderately low in fiber, and low in protein. So should you avoid them altogether? Not always — they do have their place. Here are some tips to help you figure out where bananas can fit into your diet.

Avoid bananas for breakfast and meal replacements

You want your meals to be low in sugar and high in fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates. That will release energy into your bloodstream more slowly over a longer period of time, giving you a full feeling that will prevent you from getting hungry and being tempted to snack. This true for any meal, but especially breakfast. Bananas don’t fit that description, so avoid them for breakfast and definitely don’t eat bananas as a meal replacement. There have been some fad diets like the Japanese Morning Banana Diet that promote eating only bananas for breakfast. Don’t do it! There are many healthier fruit choices to eat with you meals — like apples! (read about apple calories and health benefits)

Bananas are OK for occasional desserts and snacks

If you are counting calories and trying to lose weight, desserts have no place in your diet. But if you must have desert, a banana is a good alternative to a high-calorie dessert. Similarly, bananas can give you a quick energy boost and they make a much healthier snack than a candy bar. But in both cases, you shouldn’t make it a regular habit. Again, look to other fruits that are lower in calories and higher in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Did we mention we like apples?

Bananas are great for protein shakes and smoothies

When you are making protein shakes or smoothies, bananas are a great choice. They can add nice texture, good taste, and a natural source of sugar and sweetness. And you can balance some of the banana’s shortcomings by also using other, healthier fruits, protein powder, and/or raw eggs. This can balance out the high sugar content and add some fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and protein.

How We Got Yellow Bananas: A Brief History of the Modern Banana

Did you know all bananas aren’t yellow? There are over 1,000 different varieties of bananas. They come in different sizes, shapes and even colors, like red and purple. Some are soft and sweet and some, like plantains, are firm and starchy.

When we think of a classic banana, we are thinking of the Cavendish banana. It starts out green, turns yellow when ripe, and turns brown and black when it gets overripe. The Cavendish banana is not a native variety. It’s a hybrid that was not even created until 1836.

The banana itself was not a very popular fruit in the United States until the early 1900′s when the the United Fruit Company started importing bananas and marketing them as the first fast food. This was a calculated and intentional attempt to take market share from the ever-popular (and considerably healthier) apple. And it worked! You’ll still find find apples in every grocery store, but you’ll find banana’s, too.

If you liked this article, you might be interested in reading our article about the many health benefits (and few calories) in apples.

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2. Calculating Calories in Foods- How Important is It?
3. Key Nutritional Facts About Fiber for Fitness

Dr. Oz has called raspberry ketone supplements “the #1 miracle in a bottle to burn your fat.” That seems like a fantastic claim, especially coming from Dr. Oz.
So, what the heck are they and — more importantly — how can you use them to lose weight?

What are Raspberry Ketone Supplements?

Raspberry ketones (pronounced keytones) are a naturally occurring compound found in — you guessed it — raspberries. They have a pleasing fruity aroma and are FDA approved for use in foods and cosmetics. (see Are they safe? below.)

Raspberry ketone supplements are simply dietary supplement pills that contain high doses of raspberry keytones. You can find them at health food stores, some grocery stores, and online.

How to use them to burn fat and lose weight?

How can you burn fat with raspberry ketone supplements? That’s pretty easy. Just take the supplement with breakfast each morning and you’ll give your metabolism a boost and encourage your body to burn fat.

How much raspberry ketone should you take? Most supplements come in 100 mg dosage. According to Dr. Oz and Lisa Lynn, the weight loss expert that appeared on his show, you should start with 100 mg at breakfast. But Ms. Lynn suggested that if you don’t see the results you want, you can take another 100 mg with lunch.

As with anything, be sure to do your research and find a quality supplement from a reputable company.

It’s important that you use the supplements as only one part of your overall weight loss plan. They can definitely help you achieve your goals, but raspberry ketones won’t work unless you combine them with a complete fitness plan that includes a healthy diet and regular exercise!

How does raspberry ketone work to burn fat and promote weight loss?

It works by stimulating your fat cells to release fat into your blood stream to be burned as energy.
Basically, the fat in your body is energy that your body has decided to store. Depending on several physiological factors (like body weight, exercise, and diet), your body’s cells decide to either store extra energy as fat for later use, or release it from fat stores to be used as energy now. Raspberry ketones stimulate your body to release the fat and that shrinks your fat cells.

The result is that you increase your metabolism, burn your fat, and lose weight.

However, you should note that no human studies have been done on raspberry ketone, so the exact effects on people are not definitively known. Current theories are based on studies conducted on mice in Japan and Korea. Those studies found that raspberry ketones help to break up fat cells and stimulate the production of adiponectin, a hormone that helps your body regulate the processing of fats and sugars. Increased adiponectin levels tell your body to release stored fat and burn it as energy.

Studies have found adiponectin to be very similar to capsaicin, the main compound found in hot chili peppers. Capsaicin has been studied in humans and studies have shown that it does increase metabolism.

So, while scientific evidence seems to suggest that raspberry keytone can boost your metabolism and burn fat, no studies have been conducted to prove or disprove this theory. But we’re sure there will be some soon, so stay tuned for an update!

Supplements vs. Fresh Raspberries

Why take raspberry ketone supplements? Shouldn’t you just eat fresh raspberries instead? Yes and no.

There are many great health reasons to eat fresh raspberries, and you should add them to your diet. We are always in favor of eating healthy, whole foods, and that includes fresh raspberries.

But each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of raspberries has only has 1 – 4 mg of ketone. So to get the recommended 100 mg dose, you’d need to eat 25 – 100 kilograms (55 – 200 pounds) of raspberries a day. That’s just not possible. And even it were possible, all the calories you eat would guarantee that you gained weight instead of losing it! So supplements are the way to go.

Are Raspberry Ketone Supplements Safe?

Raspberry keytones are on the “Generally Recognized as Safe” list of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They have a nice fruity aroma — like raspberries, of course — and have been used for years as a flavoring additive in foods like soda and ice cream. They are also used as an aromatic ingredient in cosmetics.

However, the “Generally Recognized as Safe” designation by the F.D.A. only applies to the “intended use” of a substance. The dosage in rasberry ketone supplements is many times the normal intended use in foods and cosmetics. So it’s not clear if this use as a dietary supplement is truly considered safe by the F.D.A.

Also, the process that stimulates the metabolism increase and related fat burning also stimulates the release of a hormone called norepinephrine, which has been associated with increased blood pressure and heart rate. This could be a problem for some people with cardiovascular or other problems.

So, while raspberry ketone supplements have no known side effects, there have been no comprehensive studies to confirm it. As always, you should check with your doctor before adding any new supplements to your diet.

Miracle Obesity Pill?

While raspberry ketone is a very promising dietary supplement, you should not trick yourself into thinking that you can get skinny by simply taking a pill. The most important tools for losing weight are a healthy, well-proportioned diet and regular exercise. Raspberry ketone supplements can be a great addition to help you meet your weight loss goals, but they won’t work alone.

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2. Some of the best foods that you can eat to lose weight
3. Does Eating Less Really Make You Lose Weight?

All exercises are not created equal. When it comes to exercises to help you lose weight, some really stand out. But the very best exercise to lose weight is…

…are you paying attention …the very best exercise for weight loss is:

the one that you’ll actually do on a regular basis.

While that may sound silly or obvious, it’s an important point. Let’s take a quick look at the basics of losing weight, and then let’s jump into some recommendations to help you pick the best weight loss exercise that’s right for you.

How to Lose Weight: The Basics

How do you do that? The proven way to lose weight and keep it off is through a healthy diet and regular exercise. That gives you control of the calories you eat and the calories you burn. You should know that keeping a calorie deficit will not be easy. But the good news is that once you reach your target weight, you no longer need to keep a deficit – you just need to keep a balance. So you can eat more or exercise less and still keep the same weight. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

In the rest of this article, we focus on the exercise piece of the weight loss equation. That’s the part that helps you burn extra calories.

The Exercise That You’ll Actually Do

Exercise is a really important part of losing weight. Remember, every pound you lose requires a 3,500 calorie deficit. Those are a lot of calories and you are unlikely to meet your goals by dieting alone. So if you want to lose weight, it’s important that you add regular exercise to your day.

Naturally, some exercises are better than others. For example, if you make time for a 30-minute workout and you are choosing between jogging and walking, you’ll burn more calories jogging. But if you skip your workout, you won’t burn any extra calories at all. It’s much better to walk than to do nothing!

This sounds ridiculously obvious. But it’s really important that you find exercises that you’ll actually do. Don’t be intimidated by exercises that seem too difficult and don’t worry about starting with something too easy. The most important thing is that you start exercising now and that you keep it up. You can always change to a different exercise if you get bored or if it gets too easy. Just start now.

How to Pick a Good Weight Loss Exercise

Weight loss basics are pretty simple: you need to burn more calories than you eat. One pound of fat is roughly 3,500 calories. So for every pound you want to lose, you have to burn 3,500 more calories than you eat. We call that creating a calorie deficit.

So, the most important thing is to just pick something and get started. Now! But if you don’t already have an exercise in mind, how do you pick one?

Here are some things to consider when picking the right exercise for you:

Pick a good cardio exercise

Building muscle is an important part of a weight loss exercise routine, because muscles burn more calories than fat – even when you are sleeping. But you should start your focus on a solid cardio exercise. Cardio workouts will burn more calories than strength training. And as a bonus every cardio exercise will actually help to build and tone your muscles.

Is it too hard or too easy?

Find a happy medium. You want to burn as many calories as possible, but you don’t want to dread your workout so much that you’ll make excuses to avoid it. And you want to be careful to avoid injuring yourself. So, if in doubt, go with the easier exercise. Either way, if you find you picked something too hard or too easy, adjust your workout accordingly or change to a different exercise.

Can you do it with a friend?

Regularly or even occasionally meeting a friend for a regularly scheduled workout can be a great motivator. Even if it’s your dog. If someone else is counting on you, you are more likely to exercise even if you don’t feel like it.

Can you start today?

Start with something you can do now, today. You may decide that you want get your workouts doing Stand Up Paddle Boarding. But if it’s the middle of winter or if you haven’t yet saved enough money to buy a board, then that won’t work. Start with something else now and add Stand Up Paddle (or whatever) to your workouts later.

Is it available every day?

For most people, it’s not realistic for you to workout every single day. And depending on your exercise, it’s not healthy to do it every single day. But you want to make sure that your exercise is available every time that you are available to do it.

For example, if you choose running or jogging as your primary exercise, can you do it every day? If you are running on a treadmill, then you are all set. But if you decide to run outdoors and you live in a climate with cold snowy winters or blistering hot summers, what will you do on days that the weather prevents you from running outside? If you can’t do your exercise year round, then think of a backup exercise that you can do during the days or seasons that your primary exercise won’t work.

Best Weight Loss Exercises and Their Calories Burned

You know the best exercise is the one that you will actually do. But now you need to pick one. Here are some of the best weight loss exercises and the estimated calories that they burn. We listed them in order from vigorous intensity down to moderate intensity. If you’re just getting started, try out a more moderate intensity exercise first and work your way up the list.

Note that the numbers below show approximate calories burned by an average person doing a 45 minute workout. The calories you burn are based on your weight, and the table shows calories burned for people of various weights from 125 -200 pounds.

Remember, the most important thing is that you just get started. Today. Now. So pick an exercise — any exercise — and get going!

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3. Exercise is The Healthiest Way to Lose Weight

Sweat it out to the most popular and promising technology of the year.

It's not easy to stay on top of your fitness goals. Try these fitness apps to help keep you on track.

1. Nike + iPod ($20)

Introducing a piece of glorious workout inspiration from the professionals at Nike, you can now easily track every workout and every bit of progress—including your calories burned, distance covered, heart rate, time and speed—when your iPod touch or iPhone wirelessly transmits all of this workout data to nikeplus.com so you can concentrate on the important part: sweating your butt off. Nike + iPod combines a truly innovational fitness app with your iTunes library, so every workout is accompanied by the tunes that get your energy pumping and your feet moving.

Use the Sodium 101 app to help limit your salt intake.

2. Sodium 101 (Free)

Evil salt is hidden in so many foods that you probably have no idea are bad for you. However, sodium can quickly put a dehydrated body in danger or cause your body to soar into dangerous high blood pressure zones. Salt intake is vital if you’re trying to shed poundage and excess bloat. Sodium 101 is an app that will raise your awareness when it comes to consuming the salt hidden in canned foods, snack foods, and processed sauces.

Track your calories and meet your fitness goals with the MyFitnessPal app.

3. MyFitnessPal (Free)

Did you know that those who keep track of their daily meals always lose more weight than those who don’t? That’s why an app like MyFitnessPal is a vital fitness ally. This app has a user-friendly interface that makes counting calories an easy daily chore. Just select the foods you eat from MyFitnessPal’s huge food database, which contains over 1.1 million foods—even your favorite restaurant chain menu items, fast food selections, organic ingredients, and your mama’s favorite home cooked specialties too.

Flatten your abs with the Ab Workout Pro app.

4. Ab Workouts Pro ($0.99)

Do you have a spare tire? No, I’m not looking for help with my car; I’m referring to that thick layer of flab that tends to present itself around our mid-sections as we become less active. If you’re shy to be seen in a bikini because of your bulging belly, Ab Workouts Pro can help you attain that six-pack you’ve always desired! Offering daily ab-blasting workouts that will target your core muscles (your abdominals and your lower back) this app will provide all of the flab-busting inspiration you need to crunch your way to optimal health.

The MapMyFitness app will help you track all your outdoor exercise routes.

5. MapMyFitness (Free)

I love MapMyFitness and I take advantage of it to map my favorite running routes, cycling routes, and hiking routes. I even use it to map my favorite dog walking routes (and my pooch sure appreciates it too). MapMyFitness offers a user-friendly interface with step-by-step instructions on how to map out your workout routes, provide data on the distances you’ve covered, the terrains, and if you want some company, it even lets you share them with friends via your social networks!

Melanie Gray is a writer for www.bbgeeks.com, a popular site that provides BlackBerry news, commentary, and reviews about service providers and products such as mobile broadband.

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Anita: Maximum Control Extreme Control No Wire Sports Bra

To help yourself stay comfortable and supported while you work out, replace your sports bra every 6-12 months. However, there are a few easy things you can do to help extend the life of your sports bra.

1) Take Off Your Bra Right After Exercising

Ages ago, women didn’t sweat, they ‘glistened.’ Today’s women work out just as hard as the guys do and they’re not afraid to show how hard they’re working. If you like to run, use the elliptical, rowing machine or do another form of exercise that makes you sweat, take off your bra as soon as possible. If you have the time before dashing off to your next obligation, rinse out your bra in the gym locker room. This will help remove some of the sweat and bacteria that can cause the fibers to break down.

If your work out routine includes activities like weight training or yoga that don’t cause you to sweat (Sidenote: Just because you’re not sweating, doesn’t mean it’s not a great workout. Anyone who says yoga is easy hasn’t tried it.), you might be able to get more than one wear out of your sports bra before washing. If you’re not washing it, hang it up to make sure the bra is able to breathe in between wearings. Whatever you do, don’t leave it balled up in your gym bag.

2) Wash On Gentle, Hang Dry

If it’s not possible to hand wash your sports bra (and really, who has time for that?), wash your sports bra using the gentle cycle or a lingerie bag. If the bra has a set of hooks, take the time to close them, which can keep them from snagging on other garments during the washing cycle. Powdered detergent is best, but if you must use liquid detergent, use it sparingly. Stay far, far away from liquid fabric softeners because these can actually coat the fabric of the bra, keeping them from wicking away sweat as you work out.

After washing, take the time to hang dry your sports bra. The fabric they’re made of usually dries quickly so you don’t have to worry about wet laundry cluttering up your house. If you’re in a pinch because you forgot to throw that last load of laundry in the dryer last night and need to tumble dry your bras, forgo the dryer sheets. These act like fabric softener and can harm the fabric. Just make sure to set the heat on low because high heat can break down the fibers of the bra.

3) Know When It’s Time To Replace

Even the best cared for bra will need to be replaced eventually. An older bra will be stretched out, especially along the rib cage band and the shoulder straps. It’s time to replace your sports bra:

• If you’re noticing more movement as you’re exercising
• If you can’t read the care tag anymore
• If it suddenly seems too big
• If your workouts are working and you’ve lost more than 10-20 pounds
• If you’re pregnant (working out while pregnant is completely safe — just listen to your body)
• If it’s pilling or otherwise worn

Exercising can do wonders for your physical and mental health. However, if you’re not taking care of your sports bras, you could be faced with an uncomfortable injury since your breasts will no longer be properly supported. Take the time to take care of your bras and you could extend their life. These little steps can go a long way towards keeping you (and your bras) in top condition.

About the Author:
Cindy Prosser is a former underwear model turned freelance writer and mommy. She’ll happily commit to wearing her sports bra so long as she’s not obligated to do any exercise She does occasionally get out for a run with the jog stroller when she’s not busy writing for Bare Necessities.

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It has been documented that 1 out of every 5 American senior or elderly citizen suffers from visual impairments and that this population of the 60 and above age group are more likely to suffer from severe vision handicaps than the younger adult population. Aging is one of life’s inevitable natural phases which are more often associated with a significant increase in sickness and diseases as one’s body sometimes regresses at this stage.

Ageing can bring about certain alterations in the clarity and health of one’s vision. As eyes are our “window to the world”, this vital organ is key as to how we function and enjoy in our environment. As such, when one reaches this particular era in their lives, utmost care and regular eye examination is a must.

Vision problems of this generation can run from mild to severe.

Astigmatism

One of the most common visual impairments that are experienced by mostly everyone at varying degrees. It is caused by an alteration in the cornea’s particular curvature and can either be hereditary or acquired. Symptoms for astigmatism may differ from mild to severe head tensions or aches, eye strain and lack of focus or clarity in one’s vision.

Depending on the severity, several options are available to remedy this condition but the most prescribed would be the toric lenses as they correct the curvature of your cornea to bring back your sense of sight. toric contacts deals are available in optical shops and through online retailers.

Watery or dry eyes

This condition may be two pronged; one can experience watery eyes due to sensitivity to the elements such as light, wind or sudden changes in climate and temperature; or one may suffer from dry eyes characterized by the lack of moisture in the eyes resulting in irritation and impaired vision. Treatment can range from wearing eye glasses with enough UV protection, to medicated eye drops and at times, contact lenses provide the most viable solution.

Presbyopia

Simply put this is described as an incapability to focus clearly on close distances and is usually associated with old age. It can run from difficulty in reading to getting headaches or eye fatigue. early presbyope contact lens are mostly recommended to correct this type of vision impairment as they allow your eyes to be able to focus and see clearly at close distances.

Floaters

They are named as such because they are mostly characterized by seeing floating specks hampering your clear vision. When frequency and degree of these floaters increase, it is better to seek the advice of your eye doctor as this could be a symptom of detachment in your retina which could lead to a far more serious visual impairment.

Aging should not be feared rather should be something that you would look forward to. Like any part of your body, keep in mind that your eyes are also subjected to the daily wear and tear brought about by our particular lifestyle. Keeping your eyes healthy gives you much better chances of enjoying the twilight years of your life.

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Vacations are always the best time to unwind, pig out and have a completely grand time. It is that once in a year experience that we all look forward to, whether you are basking in the hot and sandy beaches of Cyprus or enjoying the feel of the icy cold snow in Aspen. And it is during these times that we throw caution into the wind, forgetting about eating healthy or staying fit. We somehow have the notion that vacation and exercise just don’t mix.

Most of us binge out during vacations then we scram to get in shape afterwords. Vacations do not necessarily mean we need to let go of our healthy lifestyle. Here are some simple tips you can follow to ensure that you have a nice time on your vacation and still stay fit and healthy.

Explore

Most countries are known for certain sports, you can explore and try out the particular sport of the country that you are vacationing in, it will be a good way to exercise and at the same time learn about their culture. You can try the British rugby or get some Cyprus tennis experience.

If you are staying in a hotel or a resort, chances are they are equipped with facilities for recreation and leisure. Find out what options are available and take some time off your sightseeing to whip your body into shape.

Eat Light

Start your day with a heavy breakfast and since you are on a vacation and would most likely want to try out new delicacies, you can opt to eat a light snack every 3 hours just so you can make the most of your vacation while still keep to a healthy regimen.

Get Moving

As you enjoy the new sights in your vacation paradise, might as well get your body moving and lose those extra pounds, you can try brisk walking along the Mexican mountain trail path, running along the sandy shores of the Bahamas, or getting a full body work out by enjoying a game of tennis in Cyprus.

Watch What You Drink

Avoid mixed drinks or juices high in sugar content and certain additives, opt for water and sugar free drinks instead. Do not over indulge in the heavier alcoholic beverages; a healthier glass of red wine is a much better alternative.

Keeping yourself in top shape even on vacation is easily achievable, just keep in mind these very simple steps and keep those unwanted fats off your body all throughout the year.

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Though herbal remedies have helped mankind from the very beginning, scientific research on herbal medicine in our modern world is still considered to be in its stage of infancy. Herbalists and herbal medicine has long been a target of skepticism especially from the medical authorities. Though the medical field has undoubtedly paved the way for breakthrough treatments for the most dangerous of diseases, herbal remedies also trace their roots from science. Let us not forget that most of the drugs that we use today were made from plant based substances. The most common, aspirin, was traced from the plant willow bark which has long been used in relieving headaches.

Though in its early stages of research, the efficacy of herbal drugs have long been accepted and now that more consumers are looking into natural alternatives for their health needs. Herbal remedies are again gaining the recognition that it has long established in past civilizations.

Uses of Herbal Medicine

As homeopathic remedies – Homeopathy is based on the principle that the body is uniquely capable of healing its own illness. Our body’s natural healers are found in the very soil, in plants and in minerals, and when taken in sufficient quantities can strengthen the body’s defenses against diseases. It is nature’s own brand of vaccination to ward off and treat certain illnesses in our body.

As skin care medicine – Herbs have long been used as natural remedies for acne, wrinkles, aging as well as skin burns and lesions. The detoxifying properties found in most herbs promote the elasticity and resiliency of our skin. Long before the moisturizing creams and anti aging serums, nature has already given us an abundance of plants that we can use to keep our skin young and beautiful.

As medicines for digestion – Roots and herbs have been used in the kitchen as spices for a reason. These spices are incorporated with natural properties that aid in digestion and used as treatment for most gastrointestinal disorders such as constipation, bloating, diarrhea and gas pains.

As herbal detoxifiers – Detoxification is ridding our body from harmful toxins that can trigger the weakening of our body’s natural defenses making us susceptible to certain diseases. Herbal detoxification has been a method used for many years to detoxify and cleanse our liver, lungs and kidneys. Herbs such as dandelion, chamomile, coffee and parsley are just some of our natural detoxifiers.

As antioxidants – Based on recent studies by the US Department of Agriculture, herbs are a rich source of antioxidants that prevent and slow down the production of free radicals that can damage our body and cause cancer.

Herbal remedies are nature’s gift to mankind. Whether you believe in it or not, the fact is that you have been knowingly or unknowingly using these remedies for a long time, as every bit of spices that you add in your food contain herbal properties that help keep your strong and healthy.

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