Do You Know The Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency?

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Vitamin D is one of the four fat soluble vitamins essential for the body in order to function properly. Unlike other fat soluble or water soluble vitamins, vitamin D acts like a hormone in your body since it has receptors on every cell and organ. Vitamin D is formed inside the body from cholesterol after it has been exposed to the sun. The daily requirement of vitamin D is around 400-800 IU and it is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies. People who stay indoors a lot or live away from the equator are more likely to develop vitamin D deficiency. Not eating enough fish and dairy is a major cause as well.

The symptoms exhibited by a person with vitamin D deficiency are quite subtle at first to be noticed but they are definitely there if you pay close attention. Here are some of the symptoms that directly linked to Vitamin D deficiency;

Being sick and infected often

Vitamin D plays a vital role in keeping your immune system strong and functional which causes your body to be able to defend itself against invading microorganisms that can make you sick. It interacts with cells directly and increases their ability to defend themselves against bacteria and viruses.

Low levels of vitamin D are an important contributing factor if you find yourself getting sick often. Severe infections like bronchitis, pneumonia and influenza are also linked to people with low vitamin D levels in their body.

Supplements of vitamin D for around 1000-4000 IU daily as directed by the physician could help in increasing your immunity and also help you deal with pre-existing infections like any mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder that had vitamin D deficiency as a root cause.

Being tired and lethargic

Feeling tired after a long day of hard work is very normal but feeling tired all the time without having done any strenuous exercise or work exhibits signs of vitamin D deficiency.

Anything under 20 ng/ml of vitamin D in the blood is considered to be deficient and most women who have the deficiency will range from 4-10 ng/ml.

Day time tiredness and headaches should be a valid indicator for you to go and get yourself checked, even if your vitamin D levels in the blood are above 20 ng/ml but below 30 ng/ml, there’s still a reason for you to worry. Taking daily supplements of vitamin D will help reverse the effects of tiredness.

Luckily, if you’re too tired to visit the doctor, you can get cured with the help of telemedicine. This saves you time from going to the doctor and filling out forms. Telemedicine has saved many lives since patients don’t have to go through filling out several forms.

Pain in bones and lower/upper back

Vitamin D is crucial for bone health as it helps your body in improving its calcium absorption from the blood to the bone. Around 9000 women with chronic lower back pain were found to have lower vitamin D levels in the body. Since the lower back and lumbar region supports the framework of the body and helps maintain posture, not getting adequate vitamin D cause less calcium absorption from blood to the bone and hence makes it weak and cause pain.

A great way to attain vitamin D naturally is a gentle walk in the sun around noon when the sun is at 90 degrees. This will allow the most sunlight absorption into the skin and help convert cholesterol into vitamin D.

People with weak bones need to be extra careful. They can break their bones easily if they fall. Make sure medical help is always available nearby your house in case of any emergency.

Depression

Depression is a widely discussed topic that has many underlying causes, from chemical imbalances in the brain to environmental ones but scientists have found a link between depression and vitamin D deficiency. Most people especially older women go through a bad phase of mood swings and general depression. Doctors like to call it “seasonal depression” which is common during the winter where sun exposure is limited. Adding supplements into your daily diet will help regulate your mood.

Slow Wound Healing

Impaired wound healing after an injury or surgery are signs that vitamin D levels are dangerously low. This symptom only arises when the levels exceed beyond the mentioned low levels of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is crucial for substances like collagen that help make newer skin and help strengthen the skin barrier. The process of proper healing also involves anti-inflammatory actions which are not seen in patients with low vitamin D levels. Many patients with ulcers outside the body showed positive results when the vitamin D levels in their body were increased.

Bone Loss

Patients diagnosed with bone loss or decreased bone mass believe that they only need to increase their calcium intake. This is not true. Calcium will only absorb in the body once the levels of vitamin D are adequate. Low bone density is a very serious indication that your body has lost its calcium reservoirs and further intake of calcium cannot help unless vitamin D is added to the diet to help the proper absorption and deposition of calcium back into the bones. This is more common in women who are menopausal or already in their post menopause stage.

Vitamin D will not only help give your bones their strength back but also make you less tired and protect your bones from getting fractured.

Muscular Pain

Muscular pain is a wide category that could have tons of causes but many of them have been traced back to vitamin D deficiency. It causes chronic muscle weakness aside from bone weakness and the correlation between calcium deficiency in bone and muscles is also related to vitamin D deficiency due to its important in muscle movement.

Anxiety and sleep disorders

Vitamin D deficiency has been known to cause problems in the body mostly concerning the brain. The deficiency leads to muscular spasms and anxiety. It also hinders in melatonin regulation that affects normal sleep wake cycle. Studies have shown that there have been signs of decreased vitamin D levels in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Though no clear cut, links were found that could relate the Vitamin deficiency with a brain disorder but patients exhibited signs of improvement when exposed to sunlight every day for a few minutes.

Get yourself checked for vitamin D deficiency today.

Author Bio:

James Crook is a passionate health and fitness blogger. Currently, he is working with Centra Care –Urgent Care Leesburg facility. Follow @jamescrook911 for more updates.

The post Do You Know The Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency? appeared first on NUTRITION CLUB Natural Health Food Supplement Distributor Canada.

7 Foods to Fight Joint Pain & Arthritis

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Did you know some foods can reduce joint pain and fight against arthritis?

The 7 foods below can minimize inflammation responsible for joint pain and arthritis.

There are more than 50 million people aged 18 and older who suffer from a form of arthritis, according to sources. According to some sources, arthritis is the main cause of adult disability in the United States.

But why is arthritis so common?

There are several different types of arthritis which classify the condition of joint pain or joint disease. Incidentally, there are more than 100 various forms of arthritic conditions. Arthritis is a complex disease. However, it can be caused by genetic factors or as the result of an autoimmune response, causing the body to produce inflammation, which then leads to joint pain.

If you are not fighting joint pain and arthritis but are looking to prevent it, the following can be good ways to maintain a healthy body free from joint pain:

• Eat omega 3’s (healthy fats)
• Protect joints by using proper lifting and bending techniques
• Avoid injury

If you are currently suffering from symptoms of joint pain or arthritis, continue reading below for more ways to fight.

What are Signs & Symptoms of Inflammation?

So, how does inflammation start? And, what is some signs of inflammation is present?

There are multiple signs of inflammation. Some may feel tired and feverish, as this indicates the immune system is working extra hard. Other signs of inflammation include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Heat
• Redness
• Loss of movement or function

To first reduce joint pain and the risk of arthritis, one must look at reducing the amount of inflammation their own body produces.

How can you reduce inflammation?

According to Harvard Health Publishing, it is important to keep good hygiene, drink clean water, make a healthy decision when planning to travel, practice safe sex, and eat right.

Now, onto the ‘eating right’ part.

What Are 7 Foods to Fight Joint Pain & Arthritis?

There are 7 foods to fight joint pain and arthritis listed here.

These helpful anti-inflammatory food items include the following:

1.) Cherries: Cherries are high in antioxidants and other properties which decrease inflammation. In a study conducted by Agricultural Research Services (ARS) and Western Human Nutrition Research Center California-Davis, female participants were given Bing cherries daily while avoiding other forms of antioxidants for purposes of the research. The research showed that within the five-hour window following having the cherries for breakfast, levels of urate in the blood, which is known to cause inflammation, dramatically decreased.

2.) Nuts: Some nuts, such as walnuts, are high in omega-3 fatty acids. This Omega-3s can reduce the body’s amount of the C-reactive protein, which catalyzes the inflammation known to cause arthritis and even disease. According to sources from the Living with Arthritis Blog, it may be a clever idea to watch where other fats are coming from when increasing the number of nuts in your diet. This is because some nuts are already high in fat. Everything in moderation!

3.) Carrots: Carrots contain Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other beneficial vitamins which boost immune support and inhibit inflammation. The probability of being diagnosed with types of joint pain such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increase as we grow older. The immune system begins to function less efficiently without proper care. Eating proper vitamins like those found in veggies can improve immune function and thus decrease the chance of inflammation.

4.) Spinach: Polyphenols are found in spinach and other dark leafy greens. These are a form of antioxidant which use their electrons to harness free radicals, which are known to cause aging and even illness. There are known to be thousands of polyphenols in plants.

5.) Brussel Sprouts: Brussel sprouts can reduce joint pain and the onset of arthritis because it contains high amounts of many nutrients, including Vitamin C. According to Healthline, Brussel sprouts have 81-percent of the Referenced Daily Intake (RDI) for Vitamin C, and 137-percent for Vitamin K. Much like Vitamin C, Vitamin K contains elements which greatly reduce inflammation.

6.) Oily fish: Fish such as mackerel contains resolvins, which are a class of fat that is said to halt the travel of inflammatory cells to areas of inflammation. According to BBC News, the effects of these resolvins may be increased by taking an aspirin.

7.) Basil: This aromatic herb is also known to reduce types of inflammation said to cause joint pain and arthritis. According to sources, basil contains eugenol, which exhibits effective anti-inflammatory properties.

What Foods Should You Not Eat to Avoid Arthritis and Joint Pain?

Just as some foods help with arthritis and joint pain, there are those that do not. These foods should be avoided as much as possible to reduce the risk of joint pain and arthritis.

The foods to avoid are:

1.) Refined flour

2.) Vegetable oil

3.) Fried foods

4.) Sugar

5.) Artificial sweeteners

6.) Saturated fat

7.) Processed Meats

These foods can trigger inflammation and other factors which cause joint pain, arthritis, and more.

Supplements You Can Take for Joint Pain or Arthritis

There are many supplements and over-the-counter options one can take to relieve or reduce joint pain or arthritis.

Flexoplex, for example, is a glucosamine-based supplement marked to be a powerful and all-natural option for lubricating joints while reducing joint pain and increasing flexibility. Flexoplex is also said to fight inflammation.

There are nine main ingredients in Flexoplex which are carefully selected to garner the most results.

For more information regarding Flexoplex, visit Joint Health Magazine.

Conclusion:

Although joint pain and arthritis can be complex to understand, treating and managing your pain is of the utmost importance. The above foods can not only help prevent arthritis and joint pain, but they are also perfect for those already suffering from types of joint pain and arthritis. These foods and supplements can help the body fight against the natural decline posed by aging so that you can live a full, healthy, and pain-free life.

 Other sources:

https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/kids/healthy-joints

 

Author Bio: Ella James is an independent researcher and writer. She has contributed to many online websites related to general health and fitness. Her interests include reading and writing about day-to-day health, fitness, and skin care problems. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

 

The post 7 Foods to Fight Joint Pain & Arthritis appeared first on NUTRITION CLUB Natural Health Food Supplement Distributor Canada.

The Surprising Health Benefits of Gaming

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Most people want to be healthy. Most people also utilize relatively similar methods to become healthy or to maintain their well-being. For example, they may eat better, consuming more fresh fruit, or they may start to go to the gym, performing cardio exercise and resistance training to firm their body. Likewise, they may start to practice mindfulness meditation. However, what most people will not do is take up a hobby that a lot of research now says it’s very good for you: Gaming.

Gaming can be good for you in two main ways: I can improve your physical health, and it can give your brain a workout. gaming has been shown to increase grey matter in the areas of your brain associated with certain tasks, for example motor skills, long-term planning, and memory. This is particularly true if you play certain genres of games, as platform games in particular have been shown to improve memory. As well as this, gaming it’s been shown to reduce the speed of cognitive decline in the elderly, and thus it may have important applications in the field of elderly care.

Gaming is Not Only Good for your Brain

Gaming can also improve physiological health. One particularly exciting trend in gaming is exergaming, in which one plays the game through movement, and one’s body acts as a controller. The Nintendo Wii and games such as Wii fit were pioneers in this area, and this could potentially improve the health of whole societies, particularly as we tend to live more sedentary lifestyles than only a few decades ago.

So, though it is not yet well known, gaming can actually have a part to play in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. What’s amazing is that the above benefits are merely the tip of the iceberg, with research ongoing in the way gaming can benefit pain management, eye health, and a multitude of other things.

To find out more, see the infographic below from our partners at Computer Planet.

The post The Surprising Health Benefits of Gaming  appeared first on NUTRITION CLUB Natural Health Food Supplement Distributor Canada.

Supplement King Launches Revolutionary New Pre-Workout

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Supplement King Launches Revolutionary New Pre-Workout! Click image below for more information!

The post Supplement King Launches Revolutionary New Pre-Workout appeared first on NUTRITION CLUB CANADA.

Beat Your Hangover With These 3 Smoothies

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When you wake up after a big night out, and start to experience those dreaded hangover symptoms including headache, dry mouth and feeling generally under the weather, it can be all too tempting to opt for a big fry-up and coffee to start the day.

However, the last thing your body needs after an unhealthy night being filled with alcohol is to be filled with even more unhealthy foods, stodge and grease. Your body needs to be compensated for the dehydration it has suffered and to receive a nutrition boost and it will definitely thank you more.

We have been searching for the ideal healthy hangover cure so check out these three top hangover beating smoothie recipes which will help you to feel human again while filling your body with lots of good nutrients at the same time.

Helping Hand For Your Liver

The ingredients

Three handfuls of kale – or you can choose spinach leaves if you prefer

• Two celery stalks
• Two apples
• A quarter of an avocado
• A tablespoon of flax seeds
• Fresh ginger
• A squeeze of lemon
• Two to three glasses of water                   

Core and chop the apples, then chop the celery stalks into small pieces as well, to help the blender make a smoother mixture. Add all of the ingredients into the blender with one and a half glasses of water initially and blend until smooth.

Add more water if required to get the smoothie mixture to the consistency which you prefer – it’s best to add a small amount at a time as it’s easier to add than it is to remove water and you don’t want to end up with a runny mess.

This smoothie helps your liver work to remove all the toxins of the night before, through its cleansing ingredients. It is also rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, fibre and essential fats, which all help the body to remove toxins more effectively.

A quick tip to help remove bad breath following a night out drinking is to add parsley to your smoothie – it has specific qualities which help to freshen your breath when consumed.

Detoxing hangover smoothie

The ingredients:

• One teaspoon of cocoa powder
• Half an avocado
• One small  beetroot, chopped
• One teaspoon of honey
• One apple
• Ginger

Two scoops of Focus Performance whey protein powder

Two to three glasses of water                            

Core and chop the apple and chop the beetroot before blending. Add all the ingredients to the blender, with one glass of water initially and then gradually add more water until the consistency is how you would like it to be. For added zing, throw in a few ice cubes as well.

Avocado, apples and beetroot are all cleansing ingredients and will help your liver to detox after an alcohol-fuelled night out. These ingredients will all help to reset your body’s mineral levels and support your liver.

Ginger is great for helping to reduce feelings of nausea which are commonly associated with hangovers, while the honey and cocoa powder add some sweetness to improve the overall flavour of the drink.

Nutty post-party delight

The ingredients

• A medium-sized banana
• 50 grammes of frozen berries
• 15 grammes of oats
• Two tablespoons of cashew nut butter
• 150 millilitres of almond milk
• A teaspoon of coconut oil
• A teaspoon of coconut nectar

This naturally sweet nutty smoothie doesn’t take much preparation at all – simply chop up the banana and throw everything into the blender. You can add in a glass of water if you want the consistency to be more liquid.

The combination of banana and nut ingredients in this smoothie makes it a naturally sweet and energy-replacing drink. Alcohol can leave the blood sugar level feeling low so this smoothie packs a sweet punch to help pick you up naturally. And the best thing is it takes just a few minutes to make, using ingredients from your store cupboard.

After a night out on the town, your body suffers from dehydration, reduced blood sugar, fatigue and general lethargy. While chips, fry-ups and hair of the dog might be tempting and seem the easy option, these are not hangover cures which your body will thank you for in the long term.

Natural fruit and green leaves help your body to detox quicker, assisting your liver to break down the alcohol remnants. While nuts and bananas provide a much required energy and sugar boost, bringing the body back up to par without resorting to a gallon of coffee.

All three of these smoothies contain essential minerals and nutrients to help support your liver, boost your energy levels and clear out all of the toxins from your body post-party, and they are really quick and easy to make as well.

So next time you are planning a night out, make sure you have some nuts, kale and bananas on hand to create your own rescue smoothie when you get up the next day.

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Kettlebell Swings Should Be a Core Part of Your Workout. Here Are 6 Reasons Why

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I was first introduced to Kettlebell Swings three years ago by a friend of mine who swore that KB swings did more her clients than any other exercise. I was somewhat skeptical, but she’s been a trainer for the better part of fifteen years so I decided to give it a go.

I started by buying a 16kg and a 24kg kettlebell and working them into home workouts. I’ve since began to notice more and more gym-goers adding swings to their workouts, and for good reason, they’re a do-it all workout.

I spent six months doing nothing but variations of kettlebell swings, turkish getups and goblet squats. The result? I wound up in the best shape of my life.

Reason 1: They do more for your squat and deadlift than any other exercise

During those six months, I didn’t do deadlifts or traditional squats. Logic would hold that my deadlift and squat strength would decline. I was shocked when I was able to add 40lbs to my deadlift. Even more shocking, my squat strength also improved.

This is such a common occurrence that it’s received it’s own nickname “The What The Hell Effect”.  This article does a nice job of explaining why, but the short answer is kettlebell swings build explosive strength and they also will do wonders for your posterior muscles. Muscles that are fundamental for both squats and deadlifts.

 

Reason 2: They do wonders for tight hamstrings.

If you grew up playing sports and have spent the past 15 years sitting at a desk you probably have three thing: tight hamstrings, short hip flexors and poor posture.

Prior to my KB swing workouts the last time I could touch my toes was the twelfth grade. Now, I’m not only able to touch my toes from a standing position, I can slide my first knuckle under my feet. At the bottom of every swing, your hamstring flexibility will be challenged, which explained the reason for this new-found mobility. With each passing week I could see a noticeable improvement in virtually all aspects of mobility.

Reason 3: They’ll help your posture

Swings are a great exercise for posture for a few reasons. First, if you’re performing swings correctly your shoulders are going to be drawn back which naturally activates your lats and your core is going to be engaged. It’s hard to have poor posture when your shoulders are packed and your core is slightly engaged, the kettlebell swing does a great job of encouraging this position.

Second, underdeveloped glutes can lead to poor posture. Having weak glutes is extremely common because of how much time we spend on our ass. As we discussed above, swings build a rock solid posterior.

Reason 4: Build Bullet-Proof Grip Strength

The first thing I noticed after my first swing workout was how sore my forearms were. More than anything else I have noticed my grip strength has gone through the roof.

After your first few days of kettlebell swings you’ll likely feel it in your forearms. Hanging on to a kettlebell through a set of swings will do wonders for your forearms. As add weight and build in variations like one-handed swings, swings to racks and alternating swings you’ll continue to challenge and build your grip strength.

Reason 5: They make for an incredible cardio workout

If you’re looking to improve your cardio or burn fat kettlebell swings should become your best friend.

The best part is you only need 10 minutes a day. The protocol is very simple, perform 10 sets of 10 two-handed swings each day. If you are new to swings I would recommend the average male start with 16kg and the average female start with 8kg.

Reason 6: You can build entire workouts around swing variations

Kettlebells are the perfect tool for complexes. Moving from exercise to exercise is seamless and rarely requires you to drop the kettlebell to move from one to the next. Swing variations typically form the back-bone of these complexes, many of which can be done in under 10 minutes and will do more for you than your traditional one hour gym workout.

This is a very simple kettlebell workout that is a good starting point for beginners.

There are so many combinations that can be done with a 16 or 24kg kettlebell your workouts will never get stale or boring.

In Summary

In the past two or three years I’ve noticed most gyms have started to add kettlebells. And if you’re not a member at a gym, you can buy a 16kg and a 24kg kettlebell for about $150 or build your own. Kettlebell swings might very well be the most economical and efficient way to get in shape. They take very little time, demand very little in terms of equipment and can offer a true full body workout.

Take the 30-day swing challenge, perform 10 sets of 10, 5 days a week. You’ll be amazed the results.

Author Bio:

John C. is a physiotherapist student who also holds a BSc. in Kinesiology as well as a Master’s Degree in Biomechanics. When he’s not studying or blogging over at Brace Access you can find him at the rink doing what all good Canadian boys do, playing puck.

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7 Health Benefits of Cycling

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People across the world practice cycling as a means of recreation, sport, commuting and also for exercising. Nearly 12.4 percent of Americans cycled in 2016, as per Statista. The number of young cyclists has been rising gradually.

Cycling reduces congestion on roads, reduces noise and air pollution and lesser utilisation of fossil fuels than other means of transportation. You will be surprised to know that other than these advantages, cycling has some amazing health benefits too. Let us take a look at them.

1. Cycling strengthens the cardiovascular system:

Cycling works your cardiovascular system and boosts your metabolism. Provided, of course, that you pedal at the right intensity!

Newcomers often make the mistake of riding too fast while cycling. Hop in the saddle and full speed ahead – this is usually what people think. But this is the wrong approach if you want to improve your health in the long run. Choosing the right intensity and duration is very important.

Cycling is good for your heart: It is associated with improved cardiovascular fitness, as well as a decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease. As an endurance sport, cycling can be exceptionally good for cardiovascular fitness while also helping with weight loss.

2. Cycling is good for your muscles:

Riding a bike is great for formation and shaping up of your muscles, especially in the lower half of the body – your calves, your thighs and your rear end. It’s also a great low-impact mode of exercise for those with joint conditions or injuries to the legs or hips, which might keep them from being active.

We all know that cycling is a fantastic workout for our muscles, but do you know which muscles do we work on while we’re riding a bike?

• Leg muscles used while cycling:
• Quadriceps muscles (front of thighs)
• Hamstrings (rear of thigh)
• Calf muscles
• Hip flexors
• Gluteus Maximus (your butt)
• Plantarflexion of the foot
• Dorsiflexes of the foot
• Together all of these muscles contract in a sequence that creates the pedalling motion.

3. Cycling is good for your waistline:

You can burn a lot of calories while biking, especially when you cycle faster than a leisurely pace. Cycling has been associated with helping to keep weight gain down.

It is an aerobic exercise, which is the kind of exercise you need to perform to lose fat on any part of your body. Aerobic exercise burns many calories and the key to losing weight is burning more calories than you consume.

You need to perform heart-rate-raising exercises like cycling that burn abundant calories and reduce your total body mass. Cycling will help you get rid of that excess fat but only in combination with a healthy diet.

4. Cycling is good to recover from injury:

A recent study found that elderly patients with knee pain and osteoarthritis actually improved their condition when cycling was introduced to their routines, proving that as we get older, taking time to exercise—even just spinning a few minutes a day can be hugely beneficial.

5. Cycling improves coordination:

Moving both feet around in circles while steering with both your hands and your body’s own weight is good practice for your coordination skills.

6. Cycling is good for your mental health:

With the incursion of social media into every facet of our lives, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to have a positive view of our own lives while constantly being bombarded by the achievements of others. So if you need a cure for the Instagram blues, bicycling has your back.

A meta-analysis of studies on physical activity and self-esteem determined that the former has a positive impact on the latter and the impact was not significantly altered by the intensity or duration of physical activity. So just a little cruise here or a few days biking to work there can have an overall positive impact on your perception of yourself. And why shouldn’t it, you’re wonderful!

7. Cycling is good for your immune system:

Cycling can strengthen your immune system and could protect against certain kinds of cancers. Cycling raises your heart rate and gets the blood pumping round your body. It burns calories limiting your chances of being overweight.

As a result, it’s among a selection of forms of exercise recommended by the NHS as being healthy ways to cut your risk of developing major illnesses such as heart disease and cancer.

So, cycling is definitely a great activity for some fun and to keep yourself fit!

Author Bio:

Ann Hawkins is a traveller and adventurer. She writes about her adventurous experiences and is associated with routines.

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How to Build Muscle Mass on a Raw Food Diet

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There have long been negative and misleading perceptions about the compatibility of the raw food diet with weightlifting and building muscles: the idea of the skinny, haggard vegans who’ve disbarred themselves from adequate sources of protein. This is a myth, and one that is fortunately being debunked over time by the rising emergence of weightlifters in the bodybuilding community who are advocating the vegan diet, with many of them showing that a ripped, muscular torso and clean eating aren’t mutually exclusive. Here are some tips to make it easier to get the body you want without having to sacrifice the health benefits of your raw food diet.

Go for the Greens

Leafy green vegetables are mostly known for their high nutritional concentration of vitamins and minerals, but they are also rich sources of healthy proteins that will contribute to the development of muscle mass. Kale, broccoli, spinach, and alfalfa are all incredibly good for you and packed with a lot more protein than you’d imagine. In addition to their protein content, they are, of course, packed to the gills with all the vitamins, folic acid, and nutrients they’re already famous for. Eat these in quantity every day to count towards your increased protein intake.

Beans Are Your Friend

Beans and legumes are true super-foods and terrific sources of complex carbohydrates, fibre and protein, as well as numerous nutrients. They have extremely low GI ratings as well, so they will take a long time to digest, keeping you feeling energized and fuller for longer. Garbanzo and mung beans are both excellent examples that you can start with, and from there, try experimenting with other varieties to keep your diet varied and ensure you don’t get bored of any one particular type.

Increase Your Nut and Seed Intake

These are the secret weapon in the raw food muscle building diet. Nuts and seeds are crammed full of healthy fat strings and carry a high protein content. They’re good for you on almost every level and can be easily added to a variety of dishes. The same can be said for seeds, such as flax, chia, and hemp that are all bursting with nutrients and are high in protein. Ordinarily, if you were aiming to work out for a cut, then we’d recommend you exercise strict portion control. However, if you’re looking to simply gain muscle mass, then nuts could make your life a lot easier and are incredibly flexible to cook with.

Eat Your Heart Out

If you’re really looking to gain muscle, you’ll have to eat the aforementioned foods in high quantities, well above your daily calorie maintenance levels. If you’ve been following the raw food diet for any length of time, then you already know that you need to eat raw foods in greater quantities to make up for the processed carbohydrates other diets draw their energy from. However, seeing as you’ll be needing to increase both your protein and carbohydrate intake to build muscle mass, you can eat most of the aforementioned foods as much as you like. Two things to bear in mind. Firstly, eat a large meal around 45 minutes after the conclusion of your workout: this is when your body needs fuel the most, and also when it will have the most benefit to your physical development. Secondly, the only foods you might need to be a little careful about eating are nuts, simply because they have the most fats out of any element of a raw food diet. They’re great as a part rather than the whole of your workout diet plan, but it can be tempting to sit with the spoon in the jar of your favourite peanut or almond butter past the point of indulgence. Consider saving nuts for between meal snacks to ensure that they don’t overwhelm the rest of your food intake.

Stay Hydrated

This is an often overlooked aspect of bodybuilding for both raw food enthusiasts and others. Water is an essential part of an active diet, and its importance grows exponentially when you’re pursuing a regular workout schedule. Water is especially important when weightlifting: you need your muscles to be well hydrated to develop mass and be able to lift at your maximum potential. The popular workout supplement creatine keeps more water in your muscles increasing the amount you can lift. We wouldn’t recommend that on a raw food diet plan, but it is illustrative of just what a key role water plays in your workout regimen.

Author bio

I`m Eva Henderson, writer, traveler and content coordinator at oddsdigger.com . I enjoy outdoor activities, yoga  and mythology. Hope you will enjoy my articles! If you want to learn more about me and my hobby feel free to visit my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The post How to Build Muscle Mass on a Raw Food Diet appeared first on NUTRITION CLUB CANADA.

The 7 Healthiest Cities in the U.S. and Canada

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Choosing to be healthy seems like a no-brainer. But it’s far easier said than done. Dieting or exercising all by yourself can feel miserable or restricting, and it often ends without a ton of success. It’s proven that we’re far less likely to lace up those running shoes or grab the boxing gloves if we’re tackling this fight against obesity and heart disease alone. According a study published in the Journal of Social Sciences, people “gravitate towards the exercise behaviors of those around them.” This means you’ve got a much higher chance of shattering those fitness goals and maintaining a healthy existence if you’re surrounded by like-minded individuals.

So what places promote wellness most, and how can you join them? We decided to comprise a list of the seven healthiest cities in the US and Canada to make it easier. Note that cities were judged based on nutrition and eating habits, access to exercise and recreational space, and overall health statistics.

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

Minneapolis-St. Paul is, year after year, considered one of the healthiest cities in the country. But to land a spot at the top of the list year-after-year comes through a structural dedication to promoting fitness. With over 230 miles of bikeways in the city, the Twin Cities is ranked as the number two cycling commuting city by the U.S. Census Bureau. Many of these folks bike their way after work to Lyndale Farmers’ Market, a year-round source of fresh, local produce supported by over 200 vendors. And if that wasn’t enough to convince you of how fit our friends in Minnesota are, the city has even installed a skywalk system that connects buildings for over 50 downtown blocks, making it easier to walk to work even in subzero temperatures.

Seattle, WA

The Pacific Northwest is a traditionally healthy area of the country, boasting legendary hiking trails, literally thousands of lakes and rivers fit for outdoor activities, and greenways in every major city. Seattle chooses to promote wellness in other ways by supporting its massive downtown Pike Place Market, a local source for fresh fish, fruits, and vegetables. On top of that, the city recently passed a Sugar Tax which they hope will help to reduce childhood obesity rates and improve the overall health of kids and adults.

Vancouver, B.C.

The largest city in Western Canada is also the country’s healthiest, stemming mostly from its citizens’ devotion to curating healthy habits. Vancouver is proud to report lowest smoking rates amongst large cities as well as the smallest overweight population in the country. Not only do the residents of Vancouver shun the bad, they also promote the good: the city is incredibly friendly to gluten-free, organic, and vegan diets, and make access to these sort of ingredients incredibly affordable.

Calgary, Alberta

Physically, the fit folks of Calgary are a bunch of studs and studettes. The population of the city is expanding rapidly, catering especially to young professionals seeking a high standard of living. While Alberta itself is the least healthy province in Canada, the young adults of Calgary are choosing to prioritize health, as shown by the exceptionally low rates of obesity and high blood pressure. This is likely due Calgary being one of the cleanest cities in the world, offering tons of outdoor parks and very strict anti-smoking laws.

Ottawa, Ontario

The next time you complain that you can’t work out because the weather is awful outside, look to the people of Ottawa. Canada’s capital might have awesome summers with tons of bike trails, outdoor recreational facilities, and a river perfect for kayaking, but the winters there are long and brutal. But it’s citizens find a way to stay healthy by consuming a diet rich with fruits and vegetables and staying active in the winter months. Keep it up!

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

In 2016, Saskatoon scored an “A” in overall health as part of a report evaluating health performance in major Canadian cities. This is no shock to anyone who’s been there and taken a walk or canoed down the South Saskatchewan River. Locals find awesome and creative ways to stay active during the winter months as well, including cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and hockey. All of this activity has contributed to reducing health risks like stroke and heart disease in the majority of the population.

Washington, D.C.

According to Forbes, Washington, D.C. is the second healthiest city in America because of its higher than average number of recreational facilities. Not to beat a dead horse, but it goes to show that routine exercise is one of the biggest factors in leading a healthy life. Atop that, D.C. residents eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day–thanks to the multitude of farmers markets in and around the city.

By Jayson Goetz

Jayson is a recent graduate from Arizona State University who lives in Phoenix.  Being a lover of nutrition and travel, he’s always ready to try new restaurants and visit new places.  He started writing in hope of sharing his experiences with fellow foodies and travel bugs.

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Workout Exercises at Home

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Let’s face it. We’ve all been there – those painful days when it’s difficult to go outside especially when it snows. So what would you do to exercise? For those who don’t have a gym membership to rely on, your best shot at staying healthy is to exercise at home on a budget.

In this article, we would be looking at some workout exercises that you can do indoors at home without spending too much.

1. Jump Rope

One of the problems you could face when you work out a lot is that your body might get sore after a workout which leaves your body needing a post-exercise recovery equipment which would provide you with a deep tissue massage which could speed up your recovery. Jump rope is great for a good cardio at home without burning out. It would make you run out of breath but it won’t make your calves feel sore. For a good cardio in a matter of minutes, jump ropes are quite good to get you there.

2. Stair Stepping

As simple as this sounds, it works well and is quite effective. This is a great exercise that you can try at home even if your home doesn’t have a set of stairs. You can get the biggest book you own and place it in front of a TV and step up and down while you watch the network news. You may not work out much sweat as you would with other equipment in your home, but it’s a great way to keep your body active and blood pumping. If you have the budget for it, you can also purchase a stair stepper to increase your workout from home.

3. The Plank

This home workout exercise is for those who don’t have a lot of time but still desire to build up their core muscles. The first thing you want to do is to get into a push-up mode with a little twist. Instead of bending your arms as you would, moving down to the floor, hold that position with your arms extended far. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then 20 seconds and 30 seconds. It looks easy at first but when you hold that position for 40 seconds to 2 minutes, you’ll realize how hard it is. The Plank is one of the most challenging exercises that you can ever engage in.

4. Lunges

Doing lunges at home is a bit different from what you’re used to in the gym. Rather than exercising with lunges and stepping back into place, step forward and continue to go forward till you make it to the farthest room from you. You can try this when you go down the hall or from one room to another. When this gets routine or too easy for you, you can add weights in your hands to make them more challenging. Another form of workout that you can do at home is to workout while cleaning. You can perform lunges while mopping the floor and vacuuming. This allows you to workout on your body during chores.

5. Weights

Lifting weights and cardio are the building blocks of an effective workout. If you have a goal to strengthen your arms and shoulder, you can water bottles in your home with other forms of containers as a makeshift weight. If the water bottles are not giving you the desired results, you can switch to milk jugs as well as to tailor your exercise to the exact weight level that you need. Another substitute for weights is a small bag of rice. These substitutes work well for endurance butt work like the glute presses for women. Set yourself down on all fours and squeeze one of the items below in the crease of your knee. Take a step and drop to your forearm to engage your butt as you flex your foot. Repeat this on the opposite side as well. You will feel the burn in the muscles of your upper arms. You can also go through high knees to get that heart pumping – but only if you do double time. March down to the hall and lift your knees as high as possible.

6. YouTube Workout

Planning for workout exercises at home? There is no better way to do it than with YouTube. A simple search for “workout” on YouTube will reveal a list of workouts that you can use for your home workout training. If you want to learn how to perfect traditional strength training workouts like push-ups and crunches, YouTube is a great resource for this as well.

By: Emmanuel Domingo

Few things are more important to Emmanuel than staying active and fit. In addition to regularly hiking and dancing, he also loves focusing on nutrition by cooking healthy, but flavourful and exciting meals for himself and his girlfriend.

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Massage Alternatives to Soothe Painful Muscles

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Muscle pain, also known as myalgia, is not new to fitness buffs. Spending long hours training at the gym can lead to microtrauma to the muscles as a result of overuse. Although the pain means that you have pumped your muscles hard enough, it can also render you incapable of doing daily tasks for a brief period of time.

Massaging your painful and sore muscles can help soothe the achiness. However, it’s encouraging to know that there are alternative remedies you can try as well if you suffer from painful muscles. These alternative remedies go beyond the usual administration of analgesics like paracetamol, mefenamic acid, naproxen, or ibuprofen to alleviate muscle pain. Some examples of these are:

Compression Machine

A compression machine is a handy tool to ease muscle soreness and fatigue after an intense physical activity. It comes in various lengths and cuff sizes. The machine generates an adjustable cuff pressure via a wearable cuff that inflates and deflates to provide muscle relaxation, improve blood circulation, and release lactic acid from the muscles.

Acupuncture

This treatment stems from the belief of 16th-century Chinese doctors that pain is caused by the imbalance of energy in a person’s body. Stainless steel needles are used to stimulate your body’s energy-carrying channels, all 14 of them, to correct imbalances. Aside from balancing energy flow throughout the body, it also increases blood flow and enhances the production of natural painkillers known as endorphins.

Yoga

Stress can make myalgia symptoms worse and yoga happens to be a great antidote to stress. It also involves a lot of stretching, which can improve circulation and decrease inflammation.

Alternative Treatments for Muscle Pain

Aside from the methods mentioned above, proper diet is likewise suggested if you want to manage muscle pain. At the same time, there are certain natural remedies you can try to soothe your aching muscles. These include:

Chamomile

Chamomile doesn’t only contain high quantities of zinc, selenium, and other minerals that work together to enhance the immune system. It also has soothing and calming properties that can greatly relieve muscle pain.

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, a natural pain reliever, and is being used as an active ingredient in most ointments and lotions. A body chemical called substance P is present in capsaicin and when the amount of substance P decreases (provided cayenne pepper/capsaicin was applied to the affected area), the pain subsides together with it. The pain-reducing property of cayenne pepper makes it a very useful herb in treating myalgia.

Calendula

Calendula is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent with active compounds known to relieve inflammation and pain by bringing down the swelling of the nerves. That’s why calendula is recommended as an herbal remedy for myalgia. Take calendula tea two to three times a day to relieve the symptoms.

Ginger

Ginger is considered one of the top healing herbs produced by nature. Aside from serving its purpose as one of the spices in most Asian cuisines, ginger root is a great medicinal herb as well since it contains natural anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, it can naturally reduce and soothe muscle pain.

Relieve Symptoms of Muscle Pain at Home

They say prevention is better than cure. Hence, to prevent muscle pain from getting worse, do these tried and tested home treatments:

Soak up the sun

Vitamin D, known to everyone as the sunshine vitamin, actually has some effect on muscle and nerve functions. So make sure to soak up the sun if you want to relieve yourself of muscle pain.

Sweat it out

Experiencing muscle pains doesn’t mean that you have to lay off exercise completely. Instead of doing high-impact routines, opt for low-impact ones such as yoga, swimming, and tai chi.

Get better sleep

Muscle pain might disturb your sleep pattern. In order to achieve better sleep quality, you should adopt good sleeping habits. Avoid foods, beverages, and activities that can keep you up until late at night, and instead, try going to bed early and waking up at the same time every day. Make sure that your room is comfortable. Keep the room temperature moderated, dim the lights down, and reduce sources of noise.

Diet

If your muscle pain is caused by overuse, you need to do something to help your body heal the microtrauma in your soft tissues faster. It helps to incorporate protein-rich foods into your diet such as beans, seafood, lean meat, soy, and eggs as protein is known to aid tissue building and repair. Omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory property that can help in relieving muscle inflammation so you might want to eat a healthy dose of salmon, sardines, and walnuts as well.

Hydrate

Your muscles are composed of 70% water. Keep them well hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of fluids during and after your workouts to enhance your recovery. Keep in mind that dehydrated muscles are more prone to injuries which can lead to muscle pain.

Massage isn’t the end-all and be-all of muscle pain relief. There are other ways to soothe painful muscles and none of which are too complicated to follow through. Keep these list of remedies in mind if you want an alternative way to manage painful muscles.

By: Joe Fleming

Joe Fleming is the President at ViveHealth.com. Interested in all things related to living a healthy lifestyle, he enjoys sharing and expressing his passion through writing. Working to motivate others and defeat aging stereotypes, Joe uses his writing to help all people overcome the obstacles of life. Covering topics that range from physical health, wellness, and aging all the way to social, news, and inspirational pieces…the goal is help others “rebel against age”.

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Forearm Exercises and Fitness Tips

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Many people go to the gym with the purpose of shaping their abs and glute muscles. Most often, forearm exercises are overlooked. Your forearm is an essential part of your body that also needs to be trained and strengthened since it serves several purposes such as:

• Powering your lifting and grip strength
• Aiding coordination of your hands, wrists, and fingers
• Helping you to move more weight

Performing forearm exercises also helps you reach your fitness goals. Even if the exercises are focused on training and developing your forearms, some of the forearm exercises involve your entire body. Don’t miss these forearm exercises that you can even do at home:

1. Push-ups

Push-ups are a common yet great forearm exercise that you can do with zero equipment. As long as you have enough space where you can perform it, you’re ready to go.

How to do push-ups:

Place your hands on the ground, raise your body with the support of your hands and your feet slightly apart. Make sure that your head is aligned with your back and hip. Start doing push-ups by lowering your body toward the ground, then push yourself up. Repeat this 10 times for three sets.

2. Chair-ups

In this forearm exercise, all you need is a chair which can be found in your home. Performing this exercise can help you develop thicker and stronger wrists which will lower your risk of sustaining wrist injuries.

How to do chair-ups:

Grab a chair and place it in front of you. Lie down on your stomach, face the chair in front and stretch your arms to grip the chair’s legs. Then try lifting the chair’s rear using your wrists. Repeat this 15 times for 3 sets.

3. Hand grip exercises

Hand grip exercises allow you to develop stronger forearms as well as improve your grip and dexterity, which diminish with aging. This exercise is easy enough to include in your daily exercise routine. You only need a hand gripper to perform this forearm exercise.

How to do hand grip exercises:

It’s quite simple. Just squeeze your hand gripper for as many sets as possible. You can even do this hand grip exercise while you are watching television, commuting, or even while you’re in the bathroom. Repeat this for as many times as you want.

4. Wrist circles

This is another type of forearm exercise that doesn’t require any equipment. All you need are your hands.

How to do wrist circles:

Stand with your feet apart. Extend your arms in front with your palms facing down. Then rotate your wrists in a circular motion. To increase intensity, you can hold small weights in your hands such as dumbbells or a bottled water.

5. Palms-up wrist curl

This forearm exercise makes the use of dumbbells. If you don’t have a pair of dumbbells, you can use a water bottle filled with sand.

How to do palms-up wrist curl:

While sitting on a chair, hold one dumbbell on each of your hand with your palms facing up. Raise the dumbbells and lower them slowly. Repeat this 10 times for 3 sets.

While you’re on the goal of having stronger forearms, you can maximize the results of exercises through the following fitness tips:

1. Eat whole grains before you do your workout. Doing forearm exercises are also tiring so you need to fuel your body. Whole grain foods such as oatmeal and fruits contain fewer carbohydrates but are enough to energize your day.
2. Portion your meals. Just because you want to attain a slimmer and stronger body, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t eat. Portion your meals and don’t eat too much before your workout since this can make your body feel sluggish.
3. Drink plenty of water. Doing forearm exercises that involve the movement of your entire body is likely to make you sweat a lot. Replace your body’s lost fluids by drinking water or beverages that will also help replace your body’s electrolytes.
4. Observe proper rest intervals. Have at least 10-15 minutes of rest for each set of exercise that you do. With proper rest, you’ll be able to rejuvenate your body and be energized to do the next set of exercise.
5. Be consistent. If you want to build and strengthen your forearm muscles, you should also observe consistency. There’s no point in exercising if you don’t perform your exercise regularly.
6. Gear up properly. When exercising, make sure that you are wearing the proper protective gear. For forearm exercises, wrist supports might be needed depending on the intensity.

If you want to perform a more intensive forearm exercise regimen, it is best to consult with a specialist, either your gym instructor, a doctor or a physiatrist, about what exercises and routines are appropriate for your body.

By: Joe Fleming

Joe Fleming is the President at ViveHealth.com. Interested in all things related to living a healthy lifestyle, he enjoys sharing and expressing his passion through writing. Working to motivate others and defeat aging stereotypes, Joe uses his writing to help all people overcome the obstacles of life. Covering topics that range from physical health, wellness, and aging all the way to social, news, and inspirational pieces…the goal is help others “rebel against age”.

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