Year: 2022

Spinach

There’s a reason why Popeye the Sailor was obsessed with this superfood. Spinach contains approximately of 5 grams protein in a cup-sized quantity. It is also packed with anti-inflammatory vitamins like A, B and C. Making it a must-have post-workout food. And there’s a variety of ways in which you can consume spinach. From pesto pasta to good old sabzi, you can also include this superfood in vegetable smoothies for easy digestion.

Watermelon

Watermelon is one of the favourite post-workout food that countless fitness experts swear by. When you work out, if you’re doing it right, you will sweat, which is why you need to rehydrate later on. And, Watermelon with its 92% water composition, makes for the perfect post-workout snack or drink as it is great for hydration. It also contains vitamin which helps with inflammation as well as other essential vitamins and minerals which aid muscle recovery.

Bananas

Bananas are anyway one of the favourites among fitness freaks as it is packed with iron, and contain fibre, potassium, folate, and antioxidants, such as vitamin C. It’s no secret that they have long been known to promote muscle recovery. They not only contain carbs, which help replenish glycogen levels but also, potassium which is an electrolyte that your body loses when it sweats and it’s crucial for your heart health.

Fish

One of the best muscle recovery foods. Fish contains high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. Consuming fish regularly is exceptionally good for healing inflammation, and it serves as a great source of protein. Some of the best fish varieties that you can include in your diet to promote muscle recovery are fatty fish like Rohu, Hilsa, Bangda, and Paplet.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits contain massive quantities of Vitamin C, which is known to promote the healing of muscles and reduce inflammation. It also helps to maintain your bone health and integrity. Soft tissues, like that of your throat, are also known to benefit tremendously from Vitamin C. Some of the best citrus fruits you can include in your diet are tomatoes, kiwi, grapefruit, passionfruit, and oranges.     Source: HT

An extensive study that looked at whether mindfulness training and exercise could improve cognitive performance in older persons showed no such improvement after either intervention.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis examined the cognitive benefits of exercise, mindfulness practise, or both in older adults who reported age-related memory changes but had not yet been identified as having dementia for up to 18 months.

The findings are published in JAMA.

“We know beyond any doubt that exercise is good for older adults, that it can lower risk for cardiac problems, strengthen bones, improve mood and have other beneficial effects — and there has been some thought that it also might improve cognitive function,” said the study’s first author, Eric J. Lenze, MD, the Wallace and Lucille Renard Professor and head of the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University. “Likewise, mindfulness training is beneficial because it reduces stress, and stress can be bad for your brain. Therefore, we hypothesized that if older adults exercised regularly, practiced mindfulness or did both there might be cognitive benefits — but that’s not what we found.” Lenze and his colleagues still want to see whether there may be some cognitive effects over a longer time period, so they plan to continue studying this group of older adults to learn whether exercise and mindfulness might help prevent future cognitive declines. In this study, however, the practices did not boost cognitive function.

“So many older adults are concerned about memory,” said senior author Julie Wetherell, PhD, a professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego. “It’s important for studies like ours to develop and test behavioral interventions to try to provide them with neuroprotection and stress reduction as well as general health benefits.”            Source: ANI

You turn off the lights and get yourself ready to snooze. Are you on your back, side, or stomach? Though there is no strong science connecting your sleep position to things like back pain, snoring, personality, and how often you wake up during the night, here are some interesting associations that have been noted.

On Your Belly

Are you a tummy sleeper? If so, do you have problems sleeping? Your slumber pose may not be helping. You’re more likely to be restless and toss and turn to get comfortable when you sleep on your belly. It can strain your neck and your lower back, too. If this is how you like to sleep, you may want to use a very soft pillow or none at all to keep your neck comfortable.

Belly Position: Freefall

About 7% of the population sleeps this way. You lie on your belly with your arms around a pillow and your head turned sideways. If this is your favorite sleep position, some research suggests you may be more likely to speak your mind and be sociable and outgoing. You also may not be very open to criticism.

Back Sleeping

This position can cause low back pain for some people. And if you already have that, it can make it worse. If you snore or have sleep apnea, it can make those bigger problems, too. If you have one of these issues and can’t get comfortable another way, talk to your doctor about what might help.

Back Position: Soldier

This position is favored by about 8% of the population. You sleep with your arms down and close to your body. Some research suggests you may be more likely to be quiet and keep to yourself. You also may expect a lot from yourself and from others.

Back Position: Starfish

Only about 5% of people sleep this way. You lie on your back with your arms up near your head. According to some studies, you may be more likely to be a good listener and not want to be the center of attention.

Side Sleeping

There are many ways to sleep on your side, but the most comfortable is with your knees bent slightly toward your chest — the fetal position.

Side Position: Fetal

More than 40% of people sleep in this curled-up side-sleeping position. It’s the most common position for women — they’re twice as likely as men to sleep like this. Some research suggests you may be more likely to be warm, friendly, and sensitive, but you also may have a protective shell around you.

Side Position: Log

This is when you sleep on your side with both arms down. About 15% of people “sleep like a log.” Some research says you may tend to be social, easygoing, and trusting. Source: Webmd.com