Taking Precautions in Your Outdoor Sports and Activities

Outdoor sports can be exciting and entertaining, coupled with the fact that it is good for your health. But statistics show that more people get injured doing outdoor games and activities than when doing it indoors. It's not very hard to understand why this is so, and there is no sense in saying people should not play outdoor because of the safety risks. But then you should take precautions to protect yourself and eliminate the possible instances of danger.

Generally all outdoor sports can be grouped into three categories with respect to where they take place including water, land and snow. This grouping is necessary because outdoor sports in the same group have similar precautionary measures. Playing in the snow can be very dangerous because your body continues to struggle to keep you warm. This is why you need to make sure that you wear enough thick clothing to prevent you from losing body heat. Before you go out skating make sure your skateboard decks are in good shape and not damaged in any ways. Make sure that you wear strong footwear, helmet and eye goggles when going for skiing, ice fishing, ice sailing and Bobsledding.

Water games in the outdoors are also something you should always try out with the entire family. But before you step outdoors make sure you have a life jacket for yourself and every other member of your family. Use life jackets designed for children on your kids since they provide greater protection than the ones made for adults. The life jacket should always be there whether you're skiing, skating, kayaking, canoeing, jet skiing, rafting or yachting. If the weather is cold then you need to wear thick clothing, but if it's hot you can put on light clothing so you don't feel the heat. Wear simple clothing that can protect you from sunburns if it is sunny. Fishing can also be fun for those who don't want to get wet, but make sure that you have the necessary fishing tackle equipment so you can make a good catch.

Outdoor activities in the land need greater precautions as people are more likely to get serious bruises and injuries on land than in any other places. Drink enough water before you go out cycling or running on a hot day to prevent dehydration. You should also have water bottle filled with water to cool your thirst. Wear proper footwear and protective helmets and clothing to prevent bruises and head injuries in case you fall. Climbing and caving can be very tense. You need to make sure you have all the right equipment and check that they are perfectly okay before you go out. Wear the right shoes for climbing and put on gloves to protect your hands against lacerations.

Use a very good backpack to pack all your equipment so you don't develop back injuries as a result of your physical activities. Wear socks and the proper footwear for the kind of outdoor sports you're doing to protect you against foot blisters and ankle sprain.

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5 Best Herbal Teas For Weight Loss

The weight loss industry has become big business... even herbal tea manufacturers are jumping on the band wagon at this epidemic phenomenon. 5 best herbal teas for weight loss explores the nature and 'actions' of popular herbal tea blends that help with weight loss and weight control.

Having to consider losing weight and hearing that four lettered word... D-I-E-T... is something that makes the majority of us cringe with despair. Whether it's starving yourself on the latest fad diet, or spending ridiculous amounts of money on the newest weight loss program - that make big (yet mostly false) claims to radically reduce your weight in the quickest amount of time - most of us will succumb to this false ideology that looking slim is 'in'.

Herbal teas are a cheaper and healthier alternative in helping with weight loss. But don't be fooled for one second that just solely drinking herbal teas will achieve this. The truth is, there is no magic drink, or pill, or lotion or potion for that matter that can help you lose weight without much effort on your part. The keyword is 'helping' and herbal teas are considered an excellent tonic in aiding weight control and in maintaining a healthy body.

The mantra of regular exercise and a balanced diet maybe hard work to fight the bulge but at least it wouldn't compromise your health in the long run.

Dandelion

Known as the "little plant that roars", it has natural diuretic and laxative properties to remove water and food weight before digestion begins and help your body reduce the feeling of 'feeling bloated'. Many avid dieters believe that diarrhea keeps their bodies from absorbing calories or fat but this is not the case and could lead to dehydration and dependency on laxatives. Dandelion is also a beneficial aid for digestion and because of its mild laxative properties, it can help in bowel movements to become more regular.

Green Tea

Despite not being classed as a herbal tea (as its leaves come from the actual tea plant 'camellia sinensis'), Green Tea has had the most extensive research carried out that has been proven to be very effective in weight loss. This is due to the 'polyphenol' component which is responsible for its slimming effects. It also contains caffeine which gives the drink its stimulant effects and can increase metabolism which helps to burn fat and calories. It is these reasons why the ingredients in Green Tea are widely used in popular diet pills.

Those suffering from anemia should take caution when drinking Green Tea, as it could lead to a reduction in iron absorption in your body which could cause iron deficiency.

Guarana

Guarana's main ingredient is 'guaranine' which is identical to caffeine. It can act as a stimulant to accelerate body functions such as increasing the heart rate, digestion and respiration due to its caffeine content. It is also a diuretic and can stimulate the nervous system and help you fight depression and cope with stress, thus it may help you to avoid 'emotional eating' which is one of the main causes of weight gain. Due to its high caffeine content, those suffering from sleep disorders and anxiety problems should be wary when taking this in large doses.

Hoodia Gordonii

Hoodia Gordonii is known as a 'natural appetite suppressor' and has been used for centuries by South African Khoisan herders to endure lengthy periods without food or water, whilst they were hunting and gathering. It contains the active ingredient, known as P57 which is responsible for appetite suppression that can "fool" the mind in thinking the stomach is full so you're not tempting to snack as much. Caution should be taken as long term use could lead to addiction and malnutrition.

Siberian Ginseng

Known as the "king of tonics", Siberian Ginseng is a popular herb to use for its ability to stabilize blood sugar levels thus reducing the desire to eat sugar and sweets. However, people who suffer from high blood pressure, narcolepsy (frequent and uncontrollable deep sleep) or taking blood thinning drugs should avoid it.

It can stimulate the nervous system and act on the pituitary and adrenal glands to give you stamina and help combat fatigue. An increase in stamina means you can work out for longer without feeling tired! Also used to treat nervous disorders, exhaustion, strengthen organs, increases mental ability and a powerful anti-dote to stress and problems with aging.

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How to stay forever young

Research shows that certain foods can lessen the degree to which the effects of ageing show. Stem the years with a well-balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Here’s how.

Eat more tomatoes

Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene – a powerful antioxidant that protects against coronary hear disease and cancer – especially cancer of the lung, stomach, mouth or colon.

Add garlic and ginger to your cooking

Garlic has antioxidants, antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral properties and can reduce high blood pressure, lower HDL (bad fats) cholesterol and triglycerides, reduce blood stickiness and dilate blood vessels. It is also helpful in treating intestinal, respiratory and skin infections. It is believed that eating a clove of garlic a day helps to protect the body against cancer and heart disease.

Replace two meat dishes per week with soybean alternatives

Complete protein and low in fat, soybeans (i.e tofu, edamame beans and legumes) contain isoflavones that help to prevent ageing due to hormone imbalances. Soy may protect against breast and prostate cancers, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis and heart disease. Soy helps to maintain oestrogen levels in menopausal women too.

Detox with berries

All black and blue berries such as blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrant and black grapes contain phytochemicals, powerful antioxidants.

Snack on nuts and seeds instead of high sugar foods

Nuts and seeds are rich in vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium and essential fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids (food for your skin!). Eat a handful, about 30 g daily. Note the nutritional details of nuts and seeds as some have a higher fat content than others.

Complete breakfast with a low fat yoghurt drink

Yogurt (and yoghurt drinks like laban) help to boost immunity and improve digestion and the absorption of nutrients from the gut.

Sweeten food with honey

The research carried out in 2007 on rats at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand revealed that honey could be used to combat the effects of ageing, including memory decline and anxiety. Researcher Nicola Starkey says: “Diets sweetened with honey may be beneficial in decreasing anxiety and improving memory during ageing.” Honey contains natural sugar so will help to satisfy your sweet cravings too.

Get out more

Alright, it’s not a food, but sunshine is good for you. Elderly people are at risk of developing heart disease and diabetes due to a vitamin D deficiency as a result of natural aging process. They can reduce their risk by spending more time in the sunshine to boost vitamin D in the skin, as revealed by the study done by Dr Oscar Franco at Warwick Medical School and published in Diabetes Care Journal 2009.

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