BMI

Brain Damage

Dandruff

Energy Foods

Fitness

Cool in Hot Weather

Avoid Strokes

1. Regular Exercise
   Walking for half-an-hour a day avoids strokes. It reduces bllood pressure and maintains a healthy weight. It also reduces stress which reduces BP.

2. Drink Tea
   High intake of black or green tea reduces incidence of heart disease and stroke. Possibly due to the vasodilatation, anti-inflammatory and anti-blood clotting effects.

3. Restrict Salt
   Avoiding too much salt reduces blood pressure. Substitute with a splash of lemon juice

Body Mass Index (BMI)
Your Body Mass Index is the most accurate indicator of healthy weight. It is obtained by dividing your
weight (in kilos) by height squared (in meters).

Brain Damaging Habits

 1. No Breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level.
This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients
causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases
the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will
accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered, increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and
decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in
effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation
thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain.

Dandruff

Dandruff affects nearly all of us at some point in our lives. And for millions of men and women, it can be a regular hurdle in the grooming process, as dandruff can cause considerable embarrassment when it becomes visible on hair and clothes. No wonder people will try almost anything to rid themselves of this persistent and stubborn condition. Here's how you can confront those unwanted 'snowflakes'.

WHAT IS DANDRUFF?
A person's entire body surface continuously sheds dead skin cells. The skin cells of the scalp are also continuously dying and being shed. In most people, however, these flakes are very small and evident only as mild flaking. Only when the number of cells being shed increases and they start falling in clusters or clumps is it known as dandruff, medically as Pityriasis Simplex Capillitii.

WHAT CAUSES DANDRUFF?
The following conditions can predispose us to the dandruff formation:
• Oily scalp with increased sebum secretion.
• Fungal overgrowth on hair (Pityrosporum ovale or Malassezia glo-bosa). This fungus breaks the triglycerides present in the sebum of the hair and produces a free fatty acid called oleic acid. This penetrates the scalp and causes separation of the scaly upper layer of skin which sheds off in clusters, showing up as dandruff.
• Genetic reasons.
• Other lifestyle triggers include bathing in very hot water; an unclean environment; poor quality of water in which you wash your hair; excessive use of cosmetics, hair gels and dyes; poor general health and nutritional deficiency

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE DANDRUFF?
The main symptom of dandruff is flaking seen on the surface of the scalp and the hair. In some people dandruff may additionally result in an itchy scalp.
There are two types of dandruff — oily and dry Dry dandruff is usually seen as clusters of scales like snowflakes, either loosely on the hair or on the clothes (usually the shoulders). Oily dandruff appears as thick greasy scales on the scalp and sometimes on the back of the ears and eyebrows. In some cases oily dandruff is known to overlap with a scalp condition called seborrhoeic dermatitis — an inflammatory skin disorder.

MYTHS ABOUT DANDRUFF
• Dandruff causes hair loss:
Hair roots are much deeper in the scalp whereas dandruff is the result of superficial flaking. It is a very common condition and, not surprisingly, people with hair loss also suffer from it. However, dandruff does not cause hair loss.
• Dandruff is contagious and can spread by sharing comb*:
You already have organisms which cause dandruff on your scalp, they just aren't active. So you can't get it from or give it to others.

HOW DO I TREAT DANDRUFF?
Most people turn to shampoos for relief. These shampoos use a combination of ingredients which principally fall into the following groups:
• Keratinolytic agents: These regulate the abnormal shedding of skin from the scalp and also loosen the attachment of scales to the scalp so that they are easily washed off. Some of these agents are ZPTO, salicylic acid, sulphur, steroids and tar.
• Anti-fungal agents: These decrease the fungal growth on the scalp, thus reducing dandruff. This category includes ketoconazole, ciclopirox olamine and selenium sulfide.
• Naturopathic agents: There are several naturopathic and herbal agents that claim to have anti-dandruff and keratinolytic properties and are mostly used in over-the-counter, anti-dandruff shampoos, either alone or in conjunction with one of the above agents.
But more than the type or brand of shampoo, correct application is the key Wet your hair and apply the shampoo, gently massaging it onto the scalp for one to two minutes. Leave it on for five minutes before rinsing it off thoroughly This should result in the scales being separated and washed off. Apply shampoo a second time if during the first application there wasn't enough lather.
Treat dandruff completely. Very often, people use anti-dandruff remedies for a week or so and as soon as the dandruff seems to have cleared, they stop using it. An anti-dandruff shampoo should be used twice a week. Continue till the problem reduces and then use once a week for at least four more weeks. ^
If you are prone to frequent recurrences of dandruff, continue to use an anti-dandruff shampoo once a week on a regular basis.
There has long been resistance to using these types of shampoos as they are believed to be harsh and come with an unpleasant odour. But recently, shampoo manufacturers have been adding more conditioners and perfumes to improve the cosmetic appeal and general acceptability of their products. Thus the newer anti-dandruff shampoos available in the market are not as harsh on the scalp and one can safely use them on a long-term basis.
There are also various home remedies that have been suggested for dandruff: lime juice, curd, vinegar, soaked fenugreek seed paste, tea tree oil. These probably work because of their natural kera-tolytic (or peeling) agents and/or antimicrobial action. Proceed with caution as these may cause irritation.

HOW CAN I REDUCE THE APPEARANCE OF DANDRUFF IN THE FIRST PLACE?
• Avoid blow-drying your hair daily:
It will make your scalp dry and irritable, thus causing added flaking. If you do have to blow-dry your hair, keep the drier at least 10 inches away from the scalp. •Avoid extremely hot water showers: Very hot water can strip natural oils from the scalp, making it flake more.
• Let in the sunshine: A little sun exposure is good for dandruff. That's because direct ultraviolet light has an anti-inflammatory effect on scaly skin conditions. And it may explain why dandruff tends to be less severe in summer. However, don't overdo it.

WHEN SHOULD I SEE A DOCTOR?
If your dandruff fails to go with the shampoos or if the scales of your scalp are oilier or are stuck on and large, it may be a case of seborrhoeic dermatitis or psoriasis or you may be suffering from an underlying medical disease causing dandruff. Consult a dermatologist for proper evaluation and diagnosis of your condition. A doctor normally prescribes a topical agent or an oral drug in addition to a medicated shampoo for effective dandruff reduction.

Dr Sachin Varma is a consultant dermatologist at Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, Calcutta.
- From t2 magazine of The Telegraph

Foods for Energy

Eat breakfast each morning and refuel your body with a meal or snack every five to six hours. Wisely choose simple energy-packed foods:

• Upma: Fibre-rich complex carbohydrates such as those in semolina will keep you charged for three to four hours.

• Spinach: Green leafy vegetables are good sources of magnesium. Muscles rely on this to process carbohydrates.

• Lentils: Excellent source of iron. Also found in kidney beans (rajmah) and chick peas (chana).

• Fish: High protein fishes like tuna, seerfish (surmai), mackerel (bangda), sardines and pomphret contains tyrosine which energises brain function.

• Orange Juice: Great source of Vitamin C.

• Oats: The breakfast porridge liberates a steady stream of energy as carbohydrates.

• Low-Fat Curds: Made from skimmed milk are rich sources of calcium.

• Bananas: Great energy snack. Good source of potassium that maintains normal muscle and nerve function.

Source: Kanaka Singh in The Reader's Digest, Oct 2001

  Fitness

• Use protective equipment (e.g. good shoes for walking).

• Warm up before you get physical.

• Find a qualified instructor.

• Listen to your body - heed the warning signs.

• Have a balanced diet.

Keeping cool in hot weather.
o Close all drapes and blinds to keep out the sun,( if you do not have any air conditioning).
o Drink plenty of water to help you keep cool and replace the fluids lost through perspiration.
o Avoid strenuous outside activity.
o Avoid being outside during the hottest part of the day.
o Wear loose, lightweight, light coloured cotton clothing and a cap.
o Eat small meals and eat more often.
o Placing a bowl of ice in front of the fan, will produce cool air.
o Take cool baths or showers. .

Liver Damage Prevention

THE MAIN CAUSES OF LIVER DAMAGE ARE:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring , and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking
oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil.
Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) Foods also add to the burden of liver.
Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be
finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have
to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good
eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to
absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to "schedule."

Because :

Evening at 9 - 11 PM : is the time for eliminating unnecessary/toxic chemicals
(detoxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration
should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife
is still in an unrelaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children
doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on health.

Evening at 11pm - 1 am : is the detoxification process in the liver, and
ideally should be done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 1 - 3 am : detoxification process in the gallbladder, also
ideally done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 3 - 5 am :
detoxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough
for cough sufferers during this time. Since the detoxification process
had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough
medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.

Morning 5 - 7am :
detoxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.

Morning 7 - 9 am : absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you
should be having breakfast at this time. Breakfast should be earlier,
before 6:30 am , for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30 am is
very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast,
they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast
late until 9 - 10 am rather than no meal at all.

Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of
removing unnecessary chemicals. Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 am is
the time when the bone marrow produces blood. Therefore, have a good
sleep and don't sleep late.

Shoes

If you're like most people, you don't pay enough attention 
to footwear and foot care. 

Most of us walk around in shoes that have lost their shape 
and need new heels. We tend not to realize that the 
"savings" we realize from neglecting what we walk in 
represents a false economy. Posture, spinal problems and 
back pain can all be affected by shoes. 

Here are some simple things that you can do to improve your 
quality of life, inexpensively, from the bottom up: 

* Regularly reheel your shoes, especially if you wear out the heels at an angle. 

* If you do wear out your heels at an angle, consider using 
"leveler" inserts, sold inexpensively at shoe repair shops. 

* Buy cushion inserts and replace them when they wear out. 

* Use shoe trees when storing your shoes, to help them keep their shape. 

* Rotate regularly between different pairs of shoes. 

* Select footwear appropriate for the activity. 

* Consult with a physician, if you experience any problems with your feet. 

Taking good care of your feet is one of the best investments you can make in your good health. This is one area in which a few dollars well spent can save you hundreds or even thousands in medical bills down the road. 

Self-Hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is relatively easy to learn. Once you have
mastered the basic steps, you can tailor it to your needs.
Self-hypnosis is used to promote relaxation, reduce stress
and relieve pain.
 
1. Sit in a comfortable position with your legs uncrossed.
 
2. Choose a small object or spot to focus on. A flickering
candle works well for some but a picture or spot on the wall
will do. Make sure that whatever object you pick is in front
of you and just slightly above your line of sight. Focus all
your attention on this spot.
 
3. Breathe slowly and deeply in a comfortable rhythm. As you
relax, think, "My eyelids are feeling heavier and heavier.
They feel like weights are dragging them down. They are
almost heavy enough to close. In a little while, I will be
so relaxed that they will close."
 
4. With your eyes closed, visualize a real or fantasy place,
one that is peaceful and comforting, far away from all
concerns and distractions.
 
5. With these images in mind, relax the muscles in your
arms, legs and the rest of your body. Imagine feelings of
coolness, numbness, warmth, heaviness or lightness. Focus on
these sensations, letting your mind expand on them.
 
6. To bring yourself out of a state of hypnosis, think, "Now
I am going to wake up." Pause count to three, then open your
eyes.

Sleep - Are you getting enough of it?

• Adults need to sleep one hour for every two hours awake (average 8 hours).

• Most people have two peak times of alertness at about 9 am and 9 pm. Alertness wanes to its lowest point at about 3 pm, after which it begins to build again.

• The brain keeps an exact accounting of how much sleep it is owed. It must be paid back.

• "Larks" or early risers, need to go to sleep an hour earlier.

• "Owls" or late risers should sleep an hour more in the mornings.

Staying Healthy

Our body has an amazing ability to heal itself. All it needs is a little help.

• As little as two helpings of fish a week cuts risk of a thrombotic stroke.

• Eating more fruits, vegetable and fibre, lowers blood pressure.

• Brisk walking for half an hour a day, four days a  week lowers heart attack risks.

• The day you quit smoking, the carbon monoxide levels in your body drop dramitically. Within weeks your blood becomes less sticky. Risk of a heart attack declines.

• Watch your weight. Eat less. Increase physical activity.

• Take it easy. Learn ways to control your anger and anxiety.

Staying Young

OLD AGE STARTS AT 80
7-Point programme to stay young:

1. Aerobic fitness.

2. Mental stimulation.

3. Learn something new.

4. Avoid high and prolonged stress.

5. Rich social life.

6. Healthy eating.

7. Think young.

Live to be 90

To be a nonagerian, start watching your weight from 21. According to Maria Corroda from the University of California, people who weigh the least at age 21 and exercise regularly are more likely to live till 90

Stop Snoring
1. Elevate the legs at the head of the bed, using bricks or blocks. 
    Elevating the head helps keep the airway open.
2. Don't use extra pillows, which serve to kink the airway.
3. Avoid all depressants a few hours before bed. Take no alcohol, tranquilizers, sleeping pills or    antihistamines late in the day.
4. Lose weight. Three of four snorers are at least 20 percent over their ideal weight.
5. Wear a cervical collar. It keeps the chin up and the windpipe open.
6. Wear a "snore ball." Cut a small, solid-rubber ball in half. Using two patches of Velcro, attach the flat side of the half-sphere to the back of the pajama top. If done correctly, this keeps the snorer off his or her back, the position for almost all snoring. 
Source: "Prevention," Emmaus, PA (adapted)

WHY INDIANS ARE STRESSED AND UNHEALTHY

Manmohan Singh had his arteries bypassed some months back,
a procedure that increasing numbers of Indians are having. Last year,
medical journal Lancet reported a study of 20,000 Indian patients and
found that 60 per cent of the world's heart disease patients are
in India, which has 15 per cent of the world's population.

This number is surprising because reports of obesity and heart
disease focus on fat Americans and their food. What could
account for Indians being so susceptible -- more even than
burger-and-fries-eating Americans?

Four things: diet, culture, stress and lack of fitness.


DIET

There is no doctrinal prescription for vegetarianism in Hindu diet,
and some texts explicitly sanction the eating of meat. But
vegetarianism has become dogma.

Indian food is assumed to be strongly vegetarian, but it is actually
lacking in vegetables. Our diet is centred around wheat, in the north,
and rice, in the south. The second most important element is daal
in its various forms. By weight, vegetables are not consumed much.
You could have an entire South Indian vegetarian meal without
encountering a vegetable. The most important vegetable is the
starchy aloo. Greens are not cooked flash-fried in the healthy
manner of the Chinese, but boiled or fried till much of the nutrient
value is killed.

Gujaratis and Punjabis are the two Indian communities most
susceptible to heart disease. Their vulnerability is recent. Both have
a large peasant population -- Patels and Jats -- who in the last few
decades have moved from an agrarian life to an urban one. They have
retained their diet and if anything made it richer, but their bodies do
not work as much. This transition from a physical life to a sedentary
one has made them vulnerable..

Gujaratis lead the toll for diabetes as well, and the dietary aspect
of this is really the fallout of the state's economic success. Unlike
most Indian states, Gujarat has a rich and developed urban culture
because of the mercantile nature of its society. Gujaratis have been
living in cities for centuries.

His prosperity has given the Gujarati surplus money and, importantly,
surplus time. These in turn have led to snacky foods, some deep
fried, some steamed and some, uniquely in India, baked with yeast.
Most Indians are familiar with the Gujarati family on holiday, pulling
out vast quantities of snacks the moment the train pushes off.

Gujarati peasant food -- bajra (millet) roti, a lightly cooked green,
garlic and red chilli chutney, and buttermilk -- is actually supremely
healthy. But the peasant Patel has succumbed to the food of the
'higher' trader and now prefers the oily and the sweet.

Marathi peasant food is similar, but not as wholesome with a thick
and pasty porridge called zunka replacing the green.

Bombay's junk food was invented in the 19th century to service
Gujarati traders leaving Fort's business district late in the evening
after a long day. Pao bhaji, mashed leftover vegetables in a tomato
gravy served with shallow-fried buns of bread, was one such
invention.

The most popular snack in Bombay is vada pao, which has a
batter-fried potato ball stuck in a bun. The bun -- yeast bread -- is
not native to India and gets its name pao from the Portuguese who
brought it in the 16th century. Bal Thackeray encouraged Bombay's
unemployed Marathi boys to set up vada pao stalls in the 60s, which
they did and still do.

The travelling chef and TV star Anthony Bourdain called vada pao
the best Indian thing he had ever eaten, but it is heart attack food..

Though Jains are a very small part (one per cent or thereabouts)
of the Gujarati population, such is their cultural dominance through
trade that many South Bombay restaurants have a 'Jain' option on
the menu. This is food without garlic and ginger. Since they are
both tubers (as also are potatoes), Jains do not eat them, because
in uprooting them from the soil, living organisms may be killed
(no religious restriction on butter and cheese, however!).

Even in Bombay, this intolerance prevails. Domino's, the famous
pizza chain, has a vegetarian-only pizza outlet on Malabar Hill
(Jinnah's neighbourhood). Foreigners like Indian food, and it is very
popular in England, but they find our sweets too sweet. This taste
for excess sugar extends also to beverage: Maulana Azad called
Indian tea 'liquid halwa'. Only in the last decade have cafes begun
offering sugar on the side, as diabetes has spread..

CULTURE

India's culture encourages swift consumption. There is no
conversation at meal-time, as there is in Europe. Because there
are no courses, the eating is relentless. You can be seated, served
and be finished eating at a Gujarati or Marathi or South Indian thali
restaurant in 15 minutes. It is eating in the manner of animals:
for pure nourishment.

We eat with fingers, as opposed to knives and forks, or chopsticks,
resulting in the scooping up of bigger mouthfuls. Because the nature
of the food does not allow for leisurely eating, Indians do not have
a drink with their meals. We drink before and then stagger to the
table.

As is the case in societies of scarcity, rich food is considered
good -- and ghee is a sacred word in all Indian languages. There is
no escape from fat. In India, advertising for healthy eating also
shows food deep fried, but in lower-cholesterol oil.

The insistence by family - 'thoda aur le lo' -- at the table is part
of our culture of hospitality, as is the offering of tea and perhaps
also a snack to visiting guests and strangers.

Middle class Indians, even families that earn Rs10,000 a month,
will have servants. Work that the European and American does,
the Indian does not want to do: cooking, cleaning, washing up.

Painting the house, changing tyres, tinkering in the garage, moving
things around, getting a cup of tea at the office, these are things
the Indian gets someone else to do for him.. There is no sense
of private space and the constant presence of the servant is
accepted.

Gandhi's value to India was not on his political side, but through
his religious and cultural reforms. What Gandhi attempted to drill
into Indians through living a life of action was a change in our
culture of lethargy and dependence. Gandhi stressed physical
self-sufficiency, and even cleaned his toilet out himself.

But he wasn't successful in making us change, and most Indians
will not associate Gandhi with physical self-sufficiency though
that was his principal message. Indian men do no work around
the house. Middle class women do little, especially after childbirth.
Many cook, but the cutting and cleaning is done by the servant.
Slim in their teens, they turn thick-waisted in their 20s, within a
few years of marriage.

STRESS

Since we are dependent on other people, we have less control over
events. The Indian is under stress and is anxious. This is bad for his
health. He must be on constant guard against the world, which takes
advantage of him: the servant's perfidy, encroachment by his
neighbours, cars cutting in front of him in traffic, the vendor's rate
that must be haggled down. Almost nothing is orderly and everything
must be worried about.

In the Indian office, the payroll is a secret, and nobody is told what
the other makes. Knowledge causes great stress, though the lack
of information is also stressful, leading to spy games and office gossip.

Because there is no individualism in India, merit comes from seniority
and the talented but young executive is stressed by the knowledge
that he's not holding the position he deserves. Indians are peerless
detectors of social standing and the vertical hierarchy of the Indian
office is sacrosanct.

Dennis Kux pointed out that Indian diplomats do not engage officially
with an American of lower rank, even if the American was authorised
to decide the matter. In the last decade, when Indians began owning
companies abroad, the Wall Street Journal reported on cultural
problems that arose. Their foreign employees learnt quickly that
saying 'no' would cause their Indian bosses great offence, so they
learnt to communicate with them as with children.

Indians shine in the west where their culture doesn't hold them
back. In India honour is high and the individual is alert to slights
from those below him, which discomfort him greatly.

LACK OF FITNESS

There is no culture of physical fitness, and because of this Indians
don't have an active old age.

Past 60, they crumble. Within society they must step back and
play their scripted role. Widows at that age, even younger, have
no hope of remarriage because sacrifice is expected of them.
Widowers at 60 must also reconcile to singlehood, and the family
would be aghast if they showed interest in the opposite sex at
that age, even though this would be normal in another culture.

Elders are cared for within the family, but are defanged when they
pass on their wealth to their son in the joint family. They lose their
self-esteem as they understand their irrelevance, and wither.

The writer is a former newspaper editor who lives in Bombay

Tackle Tiredness

• Begin the day with light free-hand exercises.

• Have a 3-piece breakfast of carbohydrates, proteins and fat. Avoid food laden with sugar. This triggers insulin causing low blood sugar and tiredness.

• Make a  daily list of priorities and follow it. Avoid time wastage.

• Pay heed to your body signals.

• Do not get addicted to anything - tea, coffee, smoking, alcohol, drugs, even exercise.

• Drink plenty of water.

• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Do not skip meals. Eat small quantities, if needed.

• Sleep adequately. Not too little, not too much. (6-8 hours). Mid day nap good for elderly.

• Break new frontiers. Start something new.

• Be on your toes. Move during the day.

• Breathe deeply occasionally.

Adapted from an article by Preeti Singh, in The Telegraph, Kolkata

Water Is Important

1. 75% of Indians are chronically dehydrated.
2. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
3. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
4. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
5. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers
~ Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?

Weight Reduction
1. Eat healthier, try to lose weight, and get more exercise. 
2. Eat smaller quantities.
3. Cut out all fried foods and sweets.
4. Have lots of salads, fruits and little-cooked vegetables.
5. Drink atleast 8-10 glasses of water a day.
6. Briskly walk 20-30 minutes daily.

Workout Plan for You

There are three aspects of fitness that you should keep in mind when planning workouts: Stretching, weight training, and cardiovascular conditioning.
Stretching/Warm Up: Before any workout a short five to ten minute warm up should be performed. This can either be a brisk walk, a short bike ride, jump rope or even dancing to your radio. Follow this with light stretches of major muscles for 2-3 minutes: sit on the floor and try to touch your toes, stand and bend from the waist to one side and then the other, reach both arms overhead, etc
Cardio: Start with 30 minutes of brisk walking thrice a week. Gradually, increase your time to 45 minutes followed by five minutes of jogging. Eventually, increase your jogging time. Studies show that your total time of cardio is what counts. So if you have 15 minutes before you start your day and another at lunch or after work, it is still better than nothing at all. Some good cardio options are: walking, running, jump rope, swimming, dancing, bike riding.
Weights: A good set of variable weight dumbbells may be a good option for you. These have bars of different weights that can be added together to increase or decrease the amount of weight available for you. These weights come with a booklet that show many different exercises to do and are available at most fitness equipment stores.
Note: Working out should increase heart rate and breathing, but not so hard that you can't have a light conversation

Author's Name: Dr. Dipak R. Sarbadhikari
Contact address: Click here
URL : www.sarbadhikari.com/practice.handgen.htm
Updated: 20 Aug 2011

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