Obesity is one of the silent killers affecting millions of people worldwide. The obesity statistics Australia says that 67% of Australian adults are overweight, and more than 12.5 million people are obese? Well, these are certified figures by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. You could be in either of the two groups. Obesity is all about excess weight, and everyone is prone to it. The worst thing about it is that you don’t see it coming. You just add a small amount of weight over time, and before you know it, you are overweight. What you need is a weight loss program to treat it. Cause of Obesity and Health Risks Obesity is not a condition that just comes from nowhere. In most cases, we contribute to this problem by not observing what we eat. But it’s also important to note that there are medical conditions that can cause obesity. However, these cases are very rare. The consumption of junk food is usually the cause of obesity. These are foods that contain too many calories than your body needs. Most of the snacks we eat on the street and candies play a big role in adding unhealthy weight. Wheat products such as pizzas, hamburgers, and other junk foods are major culprits for obesity. There are many health risks that are linked to obesity. Some of the risks cause serious chronic diseases and sometimes death. The risk of diabetes is very high when you are obese. Other serious health risks linked to obesity include stroke and many types of cancer. Best Ways to Treat Obesity Like we mentioned above, there are very rare cases where health problems cause obesity. Maybe you are taking medication that has a side effect of adding weight and so on. In such cases, a medical approach would be the most effective way to deal with the problem. Once the condition is treated, you will regain your healthy weight. But if you are obese because of bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyles, then the approach will be different. You need to find natural ways to shed off the excess weight. There are two things you need to do – Lose weight and check your diets. Checking Your Diet As the saying goes, we are what we eat. If you eat junk, then your body will just be junk. That’s why adjusting your diet is crucial when treating obesity. There are two things you will achieve with your new diet plan. The first thing is to cut off high-calorie food from your diet. Its calories making you obese. The second thing you need to achieve with your diet is the detoxification of the body. When obese, the body is filled with so many toxins that can cause life-threatening conditions. So, you need to eat food that will help flush out the toxins and free radicals in the body. You should eat a lot of fruits and vegetables because they are rich in antioxidants and fibre. These two are crucial in treating obesity. Weight Loss Programs Diet will not provide fast results if you are not trying weight loss workout. You need special weight loss exercises that will help you burn fat. The most recommended weight loss workouts are walking and running. With the two, you don’t need any special equipment to shed off excess weight. But you need to work with your doctor to help you decide between running and walking. Running helps lose weight faster, but you expose the body to too much stress, which can result in injuries. So, if a medical condition is not the […]

When you feel down, what’s the first thing that comes in your mind? I know most people think of taking antidepressant drugs, which is a bad idea. What most people don’t know is that eating good mood food can lift their spirits. This article is providing everything you need to know about mood-boosting foods. Research has shown a relationship between healthy food and brain health. Here are foods that will boost your mood. Fatty Fish Add fatty fish in your diet if you feel your moods are not where they are supposed to be. These varieties of fish are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fats linked to improved mental health. Some of the most recommended fatty fish include salmon and albacore. Salmon is also rich in Vitamin D, which also help ease depression. These two species of fish are highly recommended for people fighting depression. Make sure that you are getting the right portions to enjoy these benefits. Seeds and Nuts If you like snacking, avoid sugary and high-calorie snacks because they are bad for your mental health. Try snacking seeds and nuts instead. Research has shown that seeds and nuts are rich in tryptophan, which is synthesised into serotonin. Serotonin is one of the happy hormones that boost your mood. It also helps to improve your sleeping pattern for a healthier brain. Add almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, walnuts and other seeds and nuts in your diet. Eggs Besides being a rich source of vitamins, eggs are a fantastic good mood food. They are a great source of nutrients that improves brain health. Some of the nutrients you get from the eggs includes Vitamin B6 and B12. Eggs are also rich in choline and folate. Note that B12 and folate deficiency is linked to depression. Folate deficiency is also linked to dementia, among other mental conditions. So, adding eggs in your diet will help improve your mental health. Dark Green Vegetables Dark leafy greens are some of the superfoods you need for your body health. They are some of the best good mood foods to eat. But you need to be a bit choosey when buying. Ensure that you are stocking up the most nutrient-packed dark green vegetables. Research shows that broccoli, kales and spinach contain the highest mental health benefits. They are rich in iron, which improves neurological activities. Other nutrients you get from these superfoods include magnesium, potassium, Vitamin A and others. Beans and Lentils Another set of good mood food in the market is the beans and lentils. These fibre and protein-rich foods have also been found to offer fantastic mental health benefits. They are rich in B vitamins, which help in production of happy hormones such as serotonin. B vitamins also help to improve nerve signalling for proper communication between nerve cells. Beans and lentils are also great source selenium, zinc and magnesium. All these are nutrients that can also help to elevate your spirits. Berries Berries are some of the fantastic superfoods. They are rich in powerful nutrients that can help boost your mood. So, they are good mood food to add to your diet. Scientific research shows that eating berries helps improve brain health. Berries have nutrients that improve neuron signalling to enhance motor and cognitions. They also help prevent brain inflammation, which can cause mental health. Berries are also rich in powerful antioxidants that protect brain cells from damages. You can eat the whole range of berries. For your mental health, these are some of the superfoods to add to your diet. But make sure you are eating the right […]

When trying to lose weight, do you go for running or walking exercises? Well, this is one of the biggest debates in the fitness arena that most people are caught up in. But which of the two is the best when it comes to losing weight? The answer is neither of the two is better than either. Despite the different levels of intensities, the health benefits are almost the same. But, the amount of weight that you shed within depends upon the exercises that you chose. So, your weight loss goals and other factors key when making a choice. Here are some of the facts that you need to know before deciding to run or walk. Fact #1: What Does Research Say? There are many research works done on the impact of running and walking on weight loss. One of these research works was done on a large scale, where about 50,000 walkers and runners were observed. According to this study, all participants lost weight by walking. But the study found that running was more efficient in shedding off weight. The study also showed that men lost more weight running than women. So, according to this study, walking would be ideal for starters. Walking helps the body to get conditioned for workouts. But if you want to lose weight fast, then running is the best choice as long if you do it safely. Fact #2: Eating After Exercise Another fact that will help you decide whether to run or walk is after exercise eating effect. Studies show that the level of appetite after exercise is different between walkers and runners. Researchers found different eating habits after a 60-minute workout. For a group that was walking, the appetite hormone after exercise was higher than runners. In fact, they would eat more calories than they had burnt during the exercise. On the other hand, runners were found to fewer calories than they had burnt. That’s another reason why running has a leg up on walking. Fact #3: The After-Burn The other fact you need to consider before deciding on whether to run or walk is the after-burn effect. This is the ability of the body to continue burning fat hours after the exercises. Various studies have shown high-intensity exercises have a longer after-burn effect. This is good for weight loss. Running is more intensive than walking, and thus it has a longer after-burn effect. The higher intensity will vigorously increase your metabolic rate. This means more fat will be burnt after you are done with the exercise. This is one of the reasons why runners lose more weight than walkers for the same period. Fact #4: Overall Health When looking at the overall health, then walking becomes the best method to lose weight. Although the running helps you burn more calories, it also exposes the body to a lot of stress than walking that. That’s most people will have a problem with painful muscles and joints that would take very long to heal. Walking also can lower heart diseases more than running. Studies have also shown that walking can lower blood pressure. It also lowers cholesterol levels more than running. That’s another reason why you need to consider walking over running exercises. If you’re planning to start a weight loss program, now you have the facts you need to decide whether it’s running or walking exercises. Both of them will help you shed off some pounds, and each has its pros and cons. But for overall health, walking has a leg up on running.