Board Alert – Stretches during Breaks

Previously we talked about how to de-stress during the exam period. As a follow up, we decided to bring you a detailed article on some stretches students can do during their study breaks.

Preparing for boards is an arduous task and one can easily lose track of time sitting at the study table drowned in books and notes. Time is of the essence and so is your health. If you let exam stress take over, your body will soon give in. If you are already a fit person who likes to run before starting the day, good for you! However taking regular study breaks and moving about is equally important.

Studying at the table can be tiring when one has to sit in the same position of the straight back (ideally) and the wrist racing time as you practice your sums or diagrams. Don’t you find yourself arching your back every time you get up to take a break? Or jerking your arms every few minutes? That is a sign of tiredness and it can be easily treated with simple stretches that you can do at your desk.

Our target areas are arms, neck, back and legs – parts of the body that are most likely to ache. Here are some suggestions to deal with spasms and aches:

Arms – ‘Pen is mightier than the sword’. To use a pen you need your wrist to actually be able to hold the pen. So stretches for the arms and wrist are very important. Use your chair to do the exercises as shown in the image. In addition to this, rotate your wrist clockwise and anti-clockwise as there may be a lot of tension in the area from using a pen or pencil. 

www.webmd.com

Neck –Sleepless nights are aplenty and the last thing you need is a nasty neck spasm on the day of the exam! Pouring over your books can strain your neck and lead to headaches.

www.pt-rehabilitation.com

Back – Many youngsters are prone to back aches and believe it or not, back pain can begin from an early age if ignored. Keep back pain at bay by doing simple yoga moves while you sit on your chair. (As shown in the image) You needn’t run to get a yoga mat each time. Just pick the asana you are comfortable with and repeat as needed. Remember to go slow and steady. 

www.sparkpeople.com

Legs – Studying for an exam or a test means that you are sentenced to the chair and your legs are bound in shackles (it’s not an exaggeration! We have all been there). Exercises 1 to 9 in the image can be done for relieving strain in the legs.

www.tamartrotters.co.uk

These stretches will not only relieve you of physical strain but also help you to sleep better at night. Doing these stretches regularly will maintain proper blood flow in the body and keep you alert. With these quick and easy stretches you are well equipped to fight off any body aches and discomfort during your exams.

Food Therapy

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”, said Hippocrates, father of medicine.

Do you eat food just to get through the day? Did you ever stop to think about the wonders regular food in your kitchen is capable of doing to your body? Although food has been considered a ‘medicine’ in most cultures, it still seems to be underestimated. The question is – Why do we give food less importance as a ‘medicine’ than it deserves? 

 www.examiner.com

The contribution to food in our diet is much more than building proteins, carbohydrates and fats in our system. According to experts and studies, diseases caused by inflammation such as arthritis, allergies, heart diseases etc are due to our diet. That way Indian food has a lot of credit to take home as the spices are naturally full of anti-inflammatory properties. Thus giving food its due importance is priority and only when it is eaten properly, it works its magic.

In this article, we bring you some common fruits and vegetables that can transform your body and heal you of some common diseases:

· Apple – Helps build immunity, relieves headache and constipation

· Kiwi – lowers LDL cholesterol and blood pressure

· Banana – Provides energy, cures constipation and allergies

· Dates – Relieves constipation and alcoholic intoxication

· Grapes –Relieves constipation and migraine

· Broccoli – Provides immunity, reduced risk of cancer (when consumed over a long period of time)

· Carrots – Helps in preventing tooth decay, digestion, constipation and thread worms

· Cucumber – Relieves constipation, skin eruptions

· Onion – Beneficial in treatment of anaemia and blood cholesterol

· Spinach – Prevents anaemia

 www.health-nutrition.co

So you better start giving food the importance it deserves or else tiny blueberries (stacked one upon another, of course) with a cape over the shoulder will haunt your dreams. Blueberry is a Superfood, you see. Happy Eating!

Content source:
1. www.prevention.com
2. www.health.com
3. https://www.caring.com/articles/12-foods-super-healing
4. Foods that Heal, H.K. Bakhru

De-stress During Exams in 8 Steps

Are you waking up at night worrying about forgetting an answer?

a. Duh

b. Please!

c. Sometimes

d. Help me!

Or do you lay awake at night stressing over whether you will make it to the exam centre on time? Have you lost your appetite? These days with the board examination ‘looming’ over high school students exercise is your best option, besides studying of course.

We are not talking about the hard core stuff – that stuff looks good on posters for motivation during the exam! (We totally get you) ‘What is the point of exercising NOW when I didn’t bother all year’, you ask?

To put it simply, ‘exercise gives you endorphins and endorphins make people happy’ (in Elle’s words from Legally Blonde). Besides exercise can help improve your focus and sleep pattern. Some amount of physical activity is better than doing nothing. 

 www.stylecraze.com

In addition to the preparation time of a couple of months, exams that spread out over two weeks can be extremely exhausting. Therefore we suggest you squeeze in at least 15 to 20 minutes of workout each day. That’s not much, is it? Instead of plunking yourself in front of the telly as a break from books, you can work those muscles and stay active. Studying for long stretches can affect your concentration hence students are advised to club their study breaks with a physical activity. This will help in concentrating better and keeping burnout at bay.

Here are eight things you can do this ‘exam season’:

1. Begin whenever you like – early morning or evening. The main reason you are doing this is to reduce stress, not be stressed at the thought of pulling a muscle.

2. Keep your workout manageable and enjoyable. You should want to exercise everyday up until your exams are on.

3. Be slow and steady. Increase the amount and frequency gradually.

4. Opt for light aerobics or cardio (running, jogging), basic flexibility and stretching exercises. It is advisable to use one’s own body weight instead of hitting the gym for circuit or weight training. At this age, your own body can be an effective training tool for push-ups and sit-ups. Grab that I-pod and hit play on your favourite playlist.

5. Doing yoga early morning is a very good idea. Pick a spot in the park and head out as the sun rises. The morning air will help you de-stress and calm your mind. Yoga will help in improving muscle movement and in turn it will ensure that you don’t get too tired from writing. Back exercises will prevent back aches from sitting too long at your desk or during the exam.

6. If exercising or yoga is not your thing, play a sport. It will give you the physical activity your body needs but be sure not to go overboard or it can tire you out. Sports like cricket, football or tennis are some options to consider.

7. Eat well – stress of the exam can make you crave for carbohydrates and fatty food items. Eat healthy and in balanced proportions. You can pig out once exams are over and then some!

8. Eat small meals and eat them frequently. Studying for exams does not mean you give up on food and feel guilty about chomping on your favourite meal. Let food be your motivation!

www.shambhala.com

And remember - Early to bed, early to rise and the one who doesn’t, always whines. Whoever said this was very wise!

content source :
1. http://campusmindworks.org/students/self_care/nutrition.asp
2. http://www.wisegeekhealth.com/what-is-the-importance-of-exercise-for-students.htm#didyouknowout
3. http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-yoga-for-kids/?ref=pin

Spring Cleanse Your Body

All winter and no spring, makes Jack a dull boy.

Spring is finally in the air! Do you smell the flowers? Do you feel the warmth of the morning sun? Do you hear the bees and bugs coming after you? It is that time of the year when you pull out your spring cleaning checklist, rip your house apart and bid ‘Good Riddance’ to the clutter. Clutter is no joke – especially when you are up against months and months of stuff to get rid of (and make space for more!).

But how about a spring cleanse for your body while you are at it? We must pave way for the season synonymous with freshness , bloom and detoxification. Poor diet, lack of exercise, toxins, pollutants – all reign our bodies and need to be thrown out from time to time. 

www.delaneydillon.wordpress.com

With so many seasonal fruits on the way there is no excuse for you to not include them in your diet. Fruits such as apricots, bananas, mangoes, melons, strawberries, kiwis, pineapple and blueberries are to look out for. Reach for seasonal vegetables such as spinach, zucchini, carrots, radish, cabbage, broccoli, asparagus and artichokes at the supermarket. Why buy anything processed or frozen when you can buy it fresh? All the more reason to hit the farmer’s market in your locality.

Needless to say that spring is a good time to reduce or, if you can, totally eliminate non vegetarian food from your diet. Give your body a break. Meat provides no fiber or water content to your body so reduce its intake as fruits and vegetables meet both of these criteria. Ensure that almost 70 to 80 percent of your meal is vegetarian. Include more salads, side dish of vegetables – steamed or grilled, vegetable juice, green smoothies etc.

Drinking more water to stay hydrated is a no-brainer. Help your kidneys do their job well and flush out those stubborn toxins with water and juices. In addition to water, have green tea, vegetable broth, fresh fruit juice and supplement your diet with pro-biotic yoghurt. It is important to remember to balance the alkaline-acidic level in your body. Foods such as cucumber, sprouts, and green leafy vegetables help to balance the acidic levels. The best way to jumpstart your day and cleanse your body is to have lemon water first thing in the morning.

Get out and moves those joints in the sun. This way you get some exercise and a whole lot of vitamin D. The ‘sunshine vitamin’ as it is also fondly called is essential for your bones and to fight certain types of cancer. The changing weather can make you prone to catching a flu which is why Vitamin D from the sun is beneficial. It helps the body in developing resistance to viral infections. Just ten minutes in the sun with bare arms and legs is all you need to do to get your dose of healthy vitamin D. 

www.skinnymom.com

Don’t just sit back and relax, ‘spring’ into action and make the best of spring while it lasts – it is indeed the best time of the year.

Content source :
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/11-detox-tips-for-a-super-spring-cleanse.html/2
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-rodale/renew-your-vitality-with_b_3271558.html?ir=India
http://www.webmd.com/diet/detox-diets-cleansing-body?page=1
http://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-vitamin-d#Disease3
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php

Seven Fitness Habits You Need to Inculcate TODAY!

Stop waiting and start doing - Waiting for an occasion to start your fitness regime is a lame excuse. As you get closer to the occasion, you stress and obsess over the dress you want to fit into which basically sucks the fun out of exercising. Treat everyday as an occasion to look your best. So by the time the actual occasion comes, you really do look your best minus the time crunch! This way your exercise routine seems comfortable and goals more attainable.

Sleep Well – Make sure you get minimum six to eight hours of sleep every night. The body needs to recuperate from muscle aches and soreness from all the exercising as well as keep that metabolism in check. Besides, crashing in late and then having to get up early for a run never works. With little sleep in your system, you will never be able to get out of bed to move a muscle. The result – you will feel sluggish all day and by the time you are back in bed you will go to sleep feeling guilty and demotivated.

Shopping for food – Do not shop for food when you are feeling hungry. If you are out and about on an empty stomach you will reach for foods that are not good for you. Grocery shopping takes time so it is best to do it once you have eaten something. While picking your groceries, make sure you get real fruits and vegetables and not processed items. Don’t leave out cheat items such as chocolates or ice creams. Nobody said exercising has to be that cruel!

Cook yourself – A good way to keep a check on your fitness is to cook your food on your own. Don’t go for packed food that claims to be ‘healthy’ or ‘diet food’. Whatever you consume should be home cooked. This way you watch what you eat and how much you eat. It might seem hard in the beginning but you just might find it therapeutic!

Cheat days – Pick a day in the middle of the week and treat yourself with exotic or sinful food you are busy running away from the rest of the week. This way you will stay motivated. Don’t push the cheat day to the weekend as it can seem too far and the craving itself will stress you out.

Follow the clock – There’s a reason why the clock was invented. Stick to a time for each meal of the day and don’t skip it. Also, stay hydrated and be sure to snack on nuts, fruits or even a cup of green tea between meals. In addition to regularity, have an early dinner and hit the road for a walk before you tuck yourself in. This will allow your body to digest food properly and you will wake up feeling light and hungry for breakfast.

Variety is the spice of life – Be sure to mix up your exercise routine. If you follow the same moves day in and day out, you will lose interest very soon. Keep it challenging and interesting. Learn new workout moves and try pushing yourself a little everyday.