Healthy Lifestyle Steps

Summer Food for Dogs

Over the last 30 years I have keeping large dogs like Doberman, German Shepherds, Retrievers and each year I have only concluded that summers are a time when these dogs become very lethargic, panting in the heat and not enjoying meals, sadly waiting for summer months to just pass.

So I thought that I will try a new diet and wait and watch their reaction. So I started giving a breakfast of milk, lightly toasted bread ( around half past seven in the morning).

Around noon plain Yogurt Sour Curd .

In the evening after sunset dinner comprising Chicken stew along with boiled Chicken, boiled carrots beans, cabbage, boiled rice.

My years of observation is that they really enjoy this new healthy diet meal.

Yogurt or Curd really cools them down in the summer months .

So you can try giving Yogurt or Sour Curd . You can buy the Yogurt or make Sour Curd in your kitchen .100 gms is good for any healthy adult dog.

For the stew use the Chicken stock along with the Chicken but avoid any kind of Salt. The quantity of the meal will depend on the age of your dog and the breed.

If you do not have access to Yogurt or Curd or do not know how make a Chicken stew for the dog then I will guide you how to do it in the next Article.

Summer Food for Dogs

Extrinsic Factor of CHANGE in the new Millennium

We often see that there are some factors which Change our simple ordinary daily life.

Out of these factors there are some which happen where you do not have any control. These are called Extrinsic Factor namely Act of God, Government policies.

While we cannot control extrinsic factors, we do try to protect ourselves from them. When there is a Hurricane or a Tornado we naturally prefer a pre-planned protection rather than face it. However inspire of that we still find damage to property, shops, business premises, livestock, crops.

Adapting to ,all the after effects of all Extrinsic factors of Change,is an Art of Survival for tomorrow, for which you need assessment of all the Intrinsic Forces of Change that is those factors in which you have full or some control. While you cannot control the happening of anything termed as anAct of God namely Earthquake, Forest Fire, Storms, Floods what you can try and control is having adequate Insurance and rework whether you are under insured or adequately insured.

The global lock down because of Covid is probably the biggest Extrinsic Factor of CHANGE in the new Millennium.

With spending patterns restricted to just essentials ,this lock down has heavily afflicted many business units, including small establishments, which in turn is affecting the people directly or indirectly associated.

While government decisions on the lock down is something you cannot control, however some of the Intrinsic Factors of Change in our life you can make some planned efforts try and control primarily the spending pattern. A reassessment of the spending pattern is highly essential to avoid a total wipe out of the savings.

Extrinsic Factor of CHANGE in the new Millennium

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do

Mental strength isn't often reflected in what you do. It's usually seen in what you don't do. Developing mental strength is a "three-pronged approach." It's about controlling your:

Thoughts
Behaviours
Emotions

1. They don’t give away their power. People give away their power when they lack physical and emotional boundaries. You need to stand up for yourself and draw the line when necessary. If other people are in control of your actions, they define your success and self-worth. It's important that you keep track of your goals and work toward them. Oprah Winfrey is an example of someone with a strong grip on their power. Winfrey grew up dealing with poverty and sexual abuse, but "she chose to define who she was going to be in life by not giving away her power."

2. They don’t expect immediate results. A willingness to develop realistic expectations and an understanding that success doesn't happen overnight is necessary if you want to reach your full potential. Mentally weak people are often impatient. They overestimate their abilities and under estimate how long change takes so they expect immediate results. It's important to "keep your eyes on the prize" and relentlessly work toward your long-term goals. There will be failures along the way, but if you measure your progress and look at the big picture, success will become attainable.

3. They don’t dwell on the past. The past is in the past. There's no way to change what happened, and dwelling can be self-destructive, preventing you from enjoying the present and planning for the future, It doesn't solve anything, and can lead to depression. There can be a benefit to thinking about the past, though. Reflecting on the lessons learned, considering the facts rather than the emotions, and looking at a situation from a new perspective can be helpful. But they do take time to reflect and learn from the past.

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do

4. They don’t fear time alone. Creating time to be alone with your thoughts can be a powerful experience, instrumental in helping you reach your goals. Becoming mentally strong re-quires you to take time out from the busyness of daily life to focus on growth.

Here are some of the benefits of solitude:

Solitude at the office can increase productivity.
Alone time may increase your empathy.
Spending time alone sparks creativity.
Solitary skills are good for mental health.
Solitude offers restoration.

5. They don’t give up after the first failure. Success isn't immediate, and failure is almost always an obstacle you will have to overcome. Take, for example, Theo-dor Giesel, also known as Dr. Seuss whose first book was rejected by more than 20 publishers. Dr. Seuss is now a household name. Thinking that failure is unacceptable or that it means you aren't good enough does not reflect mental strength. In fact, bouncing back after failure will make you stronger Instead, they make time for solitude.

6. They do not shy away from change. There are five stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Following through with each of the five steps is crucial. Making changes can be frightening, but shying away from them prevents growth. The longer you wait, the harder it gets. Other people will out-grow you.

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do

7. They don’t worry about pleasing everyone. Often we judge ourselves by considering what other people think of us, which is the opposite of mental toughness. Those who are constantly trying to be a people-pleaser will find: It's a waste of time; people pleasers are easily manipulated; it's OK for others to feel angry or disap-pointed; and you can't please everyone. Dropping your people-pleasing mindset will make you stronger and more self-confident.

8. They don’t resent other people’s success. Resentment is like anger that remains hidden and bottled up. Focusing on an-other person's success will not pave the way to your own, since it distracts you from your path. Even if you become successful, you may never be content if you're always focusing on others. You may also over-look your talents and abandon your val-ues and relationships Dr. Seuss kept at it despite near-constant rejection.

9. They don’t fear taking calculated risks. People are often afraid to take risks, whether it's financial, physical, emotional, social, or business-related but it comes down to knowledge. A lack of knowledge about how to calculate risk leads to in-creased fear. To better analyse a risk, ask yourself the following questions.

What are the potential costs?
What are the potential benefits?
How will this help me achieve my goal?
What are the alternatives?
How good would it be if the best-case scenario came true?
What is the worst thing that could happen, and how could I reduce the risk it will occur?
How bad would it be if the worst-case scenario did come true?
How much will this decision matter in five years?

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do

10. They don’t feel that the world owes them anything. It's easy to get angry at the world for your failures or lack of success, but the truth is no one is entitled to anything. It must be earned. Life isn't meant to be fair. If some people experience more happiness or success than others, that's life — but it doesn't mean you're owed anything if you were dealt a bad hand. The key is to focus on your efforts, accept criticism, acknowledge your flaws, and don't keep score. Comparing yourself to others will only set you up for disappointment if you don't receive what you think you're owed. They do take small steps toward the goal.

11. They don’t make the same mistakes over and over. Reflecting can ensure you don't repeat your mistakes. It's important to study what went wrong, what you could have done better, and how to do it differently next time. Mentally strong people accept responsibility for the mistake and create a thoughtful, written plan to avoid making the same mistake in the future.

12. They don’t concentrate on things which they can’t control. It feels so safe to have everything under control, but thinking we have the power to always pull the strings can become problematic. Trying to be in control of every-thing is likely a response to anxiety. Rather than focusing on managing your anxiety, you try controlling your environment. Shifting your focus off the things you can't control can create increased happiness, less stress, better relationships, new opportunities, and more success. Instead, they focus on what they can do Indeed, they're able to say "no."

13. They don’t waste time feeling sorry for themselves. Feeling sorry for yourself is self-destructive, indulging in self-pity hinders living a full life. It wastes time, creates negative emotions, and hurts your relationships. The key is to affirm the good in the world, and you will begin to appreciate what you have. The goal is to swap self-pity with gratitude.

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do

Contact lens wearers urged to switch to glasses during COVID-19 pandemic

Those who wear contact lenses may want to switch to glasses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 10 the American Academy of Ophthalmology released safety measures for the eyes, as evidence suggests that the novel coronavirus may be transmissible through the eyes. People are Instructed to avoid rubbing their eyes, touching their faces and touching surfaces that may have been exposed to the virus. People who wear contact lenses touch their eyes often when putting on and removing contacts. They also tend to touch their eyes and faces more often than others who don't wear contact lenses.

"Some people are not very hygienic and may have forgotten to first wash their hands" said Thomas Steinemann, a clinical spokesmnan from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. While experts have said there's still no definitive proof that the corona virus can enter through the eye, wearing glasses ls considered a preventive measure to help avoid the disease.

Glasses can serve as additional barriers to protect you from the virus, although they're not as effective as goggles. Additionally, when attempting to secure your glasses, It's recommended to cover your fingers with a tissue instead of touching the glasses with your bare hands. Those who continue wearing contact lenses should wash their hands properly before and ater putting In or taking out their contacts. The association also recommended avoiding contact with water while wearing the contact lenses, following orders from professionals regarding use of contacts and cleaning or substituting contact lenses and containers routinely.

Contact lens wearers urged to switch to glasses during COVID-19 pandemic

Starting The 1000 Calorie Diet: Tips

1. Pay Great Attention to Nutrition

There are a lot of types of this diet and the most common types are the 1000 calorie low carbohydrate meals, the 1000 calorie low fat meals and the 1000 calorie high protein diet. Forget about all of these! The 1000 calorie carbohydrate meals diet lacks the carbs that will energize you, the 1000 calorie low fat meals eliminates all fats, including the healthy omega-3 and omega-6, and the 1000 calorie high protein diet is high in protein and lacks other nutrients.

Eating only 1000 calories a day will surely make you lose pounds but you may harm your health. Therefore, eat all the nutrients and pay great attention to nutrition. There is simply no room for sneaky calories such as added sugars, sugary drinks, processed foods and alcohol. Count your carbs wisely and stay healthy.

2. Don't Cheat

In all weight loss programs, the recommended number of meals per day is five which means that apart from breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can eat two snacks. The snacks should be consumed in mid-morning and mid-afternoon and they usually include nuts and fruits.

Each snack shouldn't have more than 50 calories. When you do the math your three main meals will have 900 calories, 300 calories per meal.

Although you need to count the daily calories, you can rearrange them as you like. However, it is very important that you don't cheat. Don't make excuses and don't eat anything that was not planned. After all, this diet should last for only two weeks and you are the one who wants to lose those pounds fast. It may not be easy but do your best to stay disciplined and focused and all the effort will pay out.

Starting The 1000 Calorie Diet: Tips

3. Stay Away From The Fad Diet Plan

Even though you desperately want to lose a couple of pounds, don't ever do anything that will jeopardize your health. Some people opt for the fat 1000 calorie a day diet plan, temporarily lose a few pounds and end up with a bunch of health problems.

It is crucial that you stay away from fad 1000 diet programs and stick to a healthy program. The fad 1000 calorie a day diet consists of only one or two foods from the food pyramid.

That means that your body would lack the required nutrients from the other three or four food groups. The probable side effects of a low nutrient diet are not something you would want to deal with. All the nutrients from the pyramid need to be consumed on a daily basis, even if you are on a very low-calorie diet.

4. Sample 1000 Calorie A Day Diet Meals

Although this diet is pretty drastic, it is possible to eat healthy and tasty foods. Since every single calorie's nutritional value counts, make sure to make the most of your meals.

Sample meals might include a 1/2 cup serving of oatmeal with almond milk for breakfast, a green salad with 3 oz of chicken breast for lunch and a 1-cup serving of whole grain pasta with marinara sauce for dinner, according to Livestrong website. Snacks can include fresh fruits and vegetables or a 1/2 oz serving of nuts, Drinks include water, black tea and coffee without sugar.

Another sample meal from Weightlossresources website might Include 2 small slices of wholemeal bread and a small banana, 200ml glass of orange juice for breakfast, 1 wholemeal roll (45g) filled with 70g tuna and 10g reduced calorie mayonnaise, mixed salad of 50g lettuce, 50g red or yellow sweet peppers and 10g spring onions for lunch and 70g roast chicken breast without skin, 80g mashed potatoes with 30ml semi-skimmed milk, 60g steamed or bolled broccoli, 50g boiled carrots and 100ml gravy made from granules for dinner. As far as snacks go, they recommend 100g pot of low fat fruit yogurt in the morning, and 28g of lower fat crisps in the afternoon.

Starting The 1000 Calorie Diet: Tips

5. What Should I Eat For Breakfast?

Some experts say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and we agree that it should be healthy and nutritious enough to give you the much-needed morning boost. Even though you are paying extra attention to the calorie intake, that doesn't mean that you can't prepare a delicious meal that contains a little more than 200 calories.

A good breakfast menu might include 1 whole wheat English muffin (120 kcal), 1 pat butter (36) and 1 cup of fruit (74). Opt for tea or coffee without sugar. If you crave sweets, a banana smoothie might just save the day. The ingredients are (blend together) 1/2 cup (8 oz.) plain, low-fat yogurt (77), 1 tsp honey (16), 1/2 banana (50), 1 cup fresh/frozen berries (97), 1 tbsp. flaxseeds (55), and 1/2 cup water.

6. What Should I Eat For Lunch?

Research has shown that almost one half of working Americans skip lunch on a regular basis and use their lunch time to do everything else instead of actually eating. This is something that cannot happen to you when you are on a very low-calorie diet. Firstly, your body is already running on low.

Additionally, skipping lunch may result in overeating at some point during the evening. The meals we recommend are easy to make and don't require a lot of skill or time.

For instance, you might eat one toasted wheat bread, scrambled egg, 1/2 ounce shredded low-fat cheese 2 slices wheat bread, 2 ounces lean meat, sliced tomatoes, onions, and olives.

Another option is to make a scrambled egg on toast. The ingredients include 1 large egg (72), 1 tbsp. fat-free milk (11), 1 slice whole wheat bread (70) and 1/2 oz. low-fat shredded cheddar cheese (25). You could also eat 1 large tossed salad with 2 tbsp. dressing (100), 1/2 cup of tunaw/.5 oz. lite mayo (135), 1 cup of low-fat wheat thin crackers (130) and 12 ounces of diet soft drink (0).

7. What Should I Eat For Dinner?

People who want to lose weight usually tend to skip dinner without realizing its Importance.

Since you aren't going to eat anything for another 8 to 10 hours, your body needs the essential nutrients in order to continue functioning properly. And when you're on the 1000 calorie a day diet, your body needs all the nutrients it can get. One of your dinners might include 2 ounces shredded chicken breast, 6 cherry tomatoes, a cup of shredded lettuce, a slice of onion and one tablespoon low fat dressing.

You can also eat one flour tortilla, a cup lettuce, 75 calories rice, and half cup beans.

If you miss your old food and feel like you don't have enough energy to continue, try making a hamburger.

The required ingredients are 4 oz. very lean ground beef (149), 1 tbsp. ketchup (15), 1 small grated carrot (21), 1/2 finely chopped onion (24), 1 egg white, beaten (72), 2 cups lettuce, shredded (10), 1/2 cup cucumber, sliced (8) and 1 tomato, sliced (16). Mix the ground beef, grated carrot, onion and ketchup together and form into patty. Dry-fry or barbecue, and serve with salad.

Starting The 1000 Calorie Diet: Tips

Health Risk from Energy Drinks

An energy drink is a type of beverage marketed in a way that suggests it will provide consumers with enhanced levels of mental alertness and physical stimulation.

The amount is usually more than double the amount found in other soft drinks while the average cup of coffee contains 40mg. Theresa May has enlisted the ban in a bid to combat the rising levels of childhood obesity in the UK, which she describes as “one of the greatest health challenges this country faces". The ban would apply to drinks which contain 150mg of caffeine or more per litre.

Energy drinks also typically contain high levels of sugar - one of the main motivations for imposing a ban - and may contain other ingredients linked to boosting energy such as ginseng, guarana, carnitine and taurine.

Health Risk from Energy Drinks

According to nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, energy drinks offer "zero nutritional value" and there is no reason why children would need to consume them to get through the day. Excess amounts of caffeine can lead to high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting and convulsions, she tells. Other adverse health effects linked to excessive energy drink consumption, as illustrated in a study published in the International Journal of Health Sciences in 2015, include: anxiety, insomnia, gastronomical upset, headaches, hyperactivity and diuresis.

A study in Sweden also found links between energy drinks and dental erosion."High levels of sugar impact directly on obesity and tooth decay, both of which are known issues in children and adolescents," explains paediatric dietitian and British Dietetic Association spokes. person Clare Thornton-Wood. "Meanwhile, high caffeine intakes in children and adolescents can also raise blood pressure and interfere with concentration at school," she tells." Young people suffering with eating disorders often use low calorie energy drinks to boost energy levels with the caffeine they contain whilst limiting calories," Thornton-Wood adds.

Health Risk from Energy Drinks

Eating Broccoli Could Guard Against Arthritis

Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) are launching a new project to investigate the benefits of broccoli in the fight against osteoarthritis. Initial laboratory research at UEA has found that a compound in broccoli called sulforaphane blocks the enzymes that cause joint destruction in osteoarthritis - the most common form of arthritis.

Broccoli has previously been associated with reduced cancer risk but this is the first major study into its effects on joint health. With funding from both Arthritis Research UK and the Diet and Health Research Industry Club (DRINC), the £650,000 project will explore how sulforaphane may act to slow or prevent the development of osteoarthritis. It will prepare the way for the first patient trials and could lead to safe new ways of preventing and treating this painful disease.

Sulforaphane is a bioactive compound found in cruciferous vegetables, particularly broccoli. Eating broccoli leads to a high level of sulforaphane in the blood, but scientists don't yet know if the sulforaphane gets into joints insufficient amounts to be effective. This is one of the things that the UEA team hopes to discover. Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability in the UK where it affects around six million people.

It is a degenerative joint disease which gradually destroys the cartilage in the joints, particularly in the hands, feet, spine, hips and knees of older it people. There is currently no effective treatment other than pain relief or joint replacement.

Eating Broccoli Could Guard Against Arthritis

Prof lan Clark, of UEA's School of Biological Sciences, who is leading the research said: "The UK has an aging population and developing new strategies for combating age-related diseases such as osteoarthritis is vital –to improve the quality of life for sufferers but also to reduce the economic burden on society."

As part of the three-year project, the UEA team will also investigate the effects of other dietary compounds on osteoarthritis, including dially disulphide which is found in high amounts in garlic and also appears to slow the destruction of cartilage in laboratory models.

A concentrated extract of freeze dried broccoli sprouts cut development of bladder tumors in an animal model by more than half, according to a report in the March 1 issue of Cancer Research.

This finding reinforces human epidemiologic studies that have suggested that eating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli is associated with reduced risk for bladder cancer, according to the study's senior investigator, Yuesheng Zhang, MD, PhD, professor of oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. "Although.this is an animal study. It provides potent evidence that eating vegetables is beneficial in bladder cancer prevention," he said.

There is strong evidence that the protective action of cruciferous vegetables derives at least in part from isothyiocyanates (ITC), a group of phytochemicals with well-known cancer preventive activities. "The bladder is particularly responsive to this group of natural chemicals." Zhang said. "In our experiments, the broccoli sprout ITCs after oral administration were selectively delivered to the bladder tissues through urinary excretion."

Other cruciferous vegetables with ITCs include mature broccoli, cabbage, kale, collard greens and others. Broccoli sprouts have approximately 30 times more ITCs than mature broccoli, and the sprout extract used by the researchers contains approximately 600 times as much.

Eating Broccoli Could Guard Against Arthritis

Although animals that had the most protection against development of bladder cancer were given high doses of the extract, Zhang said humans at increased risk for this cancer likely do not need to eat huge amounts of broccoli sprouts in order to derive protective benefits. "Epidemiologic studies have shown that dietary ITCs and cruciferous vegetable intake are inversely associated with bladder cancer risk in humans.

It is possible that ITC doses much lower than those given to the rats in this study may be adequate for bladder cancer prevention," he said. Zhang and his colleagues tested the ability of the concentrate to prevent bladder tumors in five groups of rats.

The first group acted as a control, while the second group was given only the broccoli extract to test for safety. The remaining three groups were given a chemical, N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN) in drinking water, which induces bladder cancer. Two of these groups were given the broccoli extract in diet, beginning two weeks before the carcinogenic chemical was delivered.

In the control group and the group given only the extract, no tumors developed, and there was no toxicity from the extract in the rats.

About 96 percent of animals given only BBN developed an average of almost two tumors each of varying sizes. By comparison, about 74 percent of animals given a low dose of the extract developed cancer, and the number of tumors per rat was 1.39.

The group given the high dose of extract had even fewer tumors. About 38 percent of this high-dose group developed cancer, and the average number of tumors per animal was only .46 and, unlike the other animals, the majority were very small in size.

Eating Broccoli Could Guard Against Arthritis