Health Advice

Many people have naturally dry skin and the cold weather, central heating and air conditioning make the condition worse. The skin is usually very rough to touch, feels uncomfortable and tends to be very itchy. Psoriasis is a chronic scaly skin condition that often runs in families and affects about one in a hundred. The skin is very red and thickened by layers of scaly areas. Although there is no permanent cure for the condition it can be helped with treatments such as regular us of emollient to help relieve the symptoms and help provide a protective barrier. Regular application of the creams will help smooth the skin, reduce the scaling and keep it more comfortable.

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Normal heart rate decreases with age and we are told that as we get older we need to decrease the intensity of our exercise. However if you’ve been exercising for years then you’ll be in a different heart rate training bracket. Generally the fitter you are the slower your resting heart rate – when we’re not exercising our resting heart rate varies between the activities that we’re doing i.e. sleeping, sitting around etc. for good cardiovascular health it is generally recommended that 20 mins of exercise at least three times a week is valuable although the more you do the fitter you’ll be.

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Top female cyclist normally cycle for 3 hour track session several times a week as well as going to the gym to work on leg strength. Running however tends to be avoided as it’s dangerous on the joints and high forces can damage tendons. In terms of diet it’s recommended that you eat lots of carbs and drink energy drinks as well as fruit and vegetables for the daily dosage of vitamins. The main health benefits for women are that it offers a good cardiovascular workout and has a low impact on the legs which in turn doesn’t do too much damage to the ankles or knees. It also helps tone your bottom and legs which is one of the areas most women tend to target for toning and fitness. For women who are starting out in cycling it’s worth borrowing someone’s bike first to see if they like it. After that choosing the right type of clothing is also important along with comfortable trainers.

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One of the things we notice from everyday movement or once you start exercise is the noise of clicking knees. Although it may not cause you pain some of us find it worrying and wonder the route of cause. Doctors however are more positive on this and say that the clicking is completely normal and can be found in many healthy people - there isn’t a need to worry unless you feel pain or limited movement. In some people damage to the joint surfaces of the knee or torn cartilage can cause the clicking and can be due to overuse or a previous sports injury. If you are worried about this its worth seeing your local GP who can arrange to have a MRI scan to determine if it is down to any damage between the joints.

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One of the best ways of celebrating pregnancy these days is by throwing a Baby Shower, having a sports themed baby shower is one way of having lots of fun, staying active and involving everyone in the games. With a whole range of decorations and food ideas in the market sports themes will be easy to plan. Many websites offers blogs where you can find information about baby shower ideas and recipes. If you do decide to go with a sports themed baby shower you can provide healthy food which promotes healthy eating for everyone even if you’re not pregnant. A healthy balanced diet is recommended for everyone throughout life even if you’re not pregnant but during pregnancy to ensure both you and your child get the right nutrients for growth is essential. Recommended foods will be those which are high in calcium, iron and folic acid. For the baby shower in particular, food items such as fruits salads, pasta dishes all which are easy to prepare and healthy are great. For healthy treats raisin and bran muffins go down really well as does a mozzarella and tomato salad which is light item for those who want to avoid a heavy snack. With so many recipes available in the supermarkets there’s no reason why you can’t make your baby shower fun and healthy at the same time.

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If you have suffered a sports injury such a leg strain, shin splints, knee pain and foot problems all of which are common amongst active people acupuncture is a great way of treating it and promoting exercise recovery. Today increasing number of clinics offer acupuncture as a option. The ancient remedy is more than 2000 years old and part of traditional Chinese medicine. Its based on syndromes rather than symptoms and Chinese practitioners including acupuncturists are trained to look at the patient as a whole and not just the injury or condition. Its one of the few complementary therapies that has been scientifically studied and found to be helpful in the treatment of all kinds of medical problems.

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After being in gloves through winter and being dried out by central heating in doors and the cold air outside it’s probably time to kick start your hand care regime. Your hands generally take the brunt of the work we do hence often give away our age and lifestyle even more than our faces. Washing hands is essential for hygiene but washing in hands in warm water strips the moisture so the more you wash the drier the skin can get. The easiest way to give them a deep moisturising boost is to plaster on a thick layer of cream and then pull on a pair of thin cotton gloves before you get into bed so the cream can work in overnight. The added heat generated by being wrapped up helps drive the moistening ingredients deeper into your skin.

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