(Credit-Canva)
Kids are generally not conscious of things like their posture, clothing and other habits. They have to be constantly reminded not to slouch and do things that can end up hurting them. Good posture is very important for kids, it not only allows them to look confident, but it also helps them avoid injuries, bone misalignments or any other issues.
Many things can affect their posture - injuries, weak muscles, and even their genes can play a role. But what kids do every day matters a lot as well. Sitting hunched over while playing video games, carrying a backpack that's too heavy, or getting hurt during sports can all make their posture bad. Good posture helps kids avoid pain and enjoy activities. So, it's important to help them learn good habits when they are young.
Here are some yoga poses that can help your child fix their bad posture and ensure a good foundation for them to grow.
This exercise makes the muscles in the bottom and lower back strong. Strong muscles help kids stand up straight. Have your child lie on their back with their knees bent. Then, tell them to slowly lift their bottom off the floor. Make sure they breathe in while lifting and breathe out while lowering. You can make it fun by having them count out loud or blow air while they lower their bottom. This helps them learn to control their muscles.
This pose is like standing like a mountain, strong and tall. It teaches kids how to stand with their bodies in a good line. Start by standing with feet flat on the floor, like roots going into the ground. Feel the weight evenly spread out on both feet. Then, tighten the muscles in the legs, and make the spine grow tall, like the trunk of a tree.
This pose is like a cobra lifting its head, and it helps open the chest and make the back stronger. It's a bit harder than some other poses, so kids should be careful. To do it, start by lying on the stomach, then slowly push up with the forearms. Lift the chest off the floor, like a cobra rising up. It's important to go slowly and stop if there's any pain in the back.
This yoga pose helps stretch and strengthen many muscles. It helps the core, hips, and shoulders. Have your child start on their hands and knees. Then, tell them to lift their hips up and back. They should make a shape like an upside-down "V". Tell them to hold this position for a few seconds and remember to breathe normally. This pose helps them become flexible and strong.
When done correctly, this yoga pose can help you fix bad posture and strengthen your back and chest muscles. Imagine your body making the shape of a bow. To do this pose safely, it's important to warm up your body first. This helps prevent any injuries. Bow pose is powerful for improving posture, and helping to open up the chest and shoulders.
Credit: iStock
For many women, fitness is still wrongly linked only with loss of weight, a slim body, or a certain physical appearance. In reality, fitness is much more than body size. It is also about strength, flexibility, hormonal balance, mental strength, bone strength, and long-term disease prevention.
A woman may not look thin and still be metabolically healthier and more active than someone who normally appears slim but has poor muscle strength and low stamina.
Lifting heavy weights in the gym makes women bulky is the most common myth. This is not true for most of the women. Strength-related training helps to improve the tone of muscles, posture, metabolism, and density of bones. It is mainly important because women are at a greater risk of osteoporosis later in life. Regular resistance exercise can also help to protect the joints, reduce the risk of injury, and support healthy ageing.
Some practices, such as walking, running, or cycling, are very good for the health of the heart, but cardio alone is not enough. Women also need a well-balanced routine that includes strength-related training, stretching, mobility exercises, and proper recovery as well. A complete fitness plan supports a better level of energy, improves the composition of the body, strengthens bones, and improves insulin sensitivity.
During different stages of women's lives, exercise plays a very major role, including menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, perimenopause, and menopause. Regular physical exercise can also help to reduce stress, improve sleep, support mood regulation, and lower the risk of lifestyle-related conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and PCOS-related complications.
Women do not need extreme diets or exhausting workouts to stay fit. Even 30 minutes of regular movement, when integrated with strength exercises two to three times a week, can make a great difference. The main goal should be sustainable fitness, not punishment. When women see fitness as self-care rather than pressure, it becomes a powerful tool for confidence, independence, and long-term health.
Photo credit: iStock
Panic attacks are a consistent problem that impacts millions of people worldwide. This feeling of uneasiness and discomfort can impact one's life drastically. Though often the solution to this common problem is costly and full of medications and therapies. Fortunately, certain ways can help you get rid of your issue with panic attacks. The solution: sprinting. It is a very low-cost and effective solution for this everyday problem, according to a recent study.
Ricardo William Muotri's research at the University of São Paulo Medical School was published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. Research using data from clinical trials finds that Brief Intermittent Intense Exercise (BIE) can be a very effective and low-cost solution for panic attacks. This study concludes that 30-second sprints help your body forget the fear related to panic disorder. In this way, the physical sensations associated with panic fade away.
The research also sheds light on how to use intermittent physical exercise to get relief from panic attacks. The fruitfulness of this whole process can be seen in just 12 weeks. The exercise should be done in a methodical order.
The 30-second sprinting lets your body feel the sensation of a racing heart, and that, in turn, trains your brain that it is not a dangerous physical symptom. As a result, the effects of panic attacks lessen with time. Along with this, the intense physical exertion stimulates peptide hormones and endorphins that calm your nervous system. Another important aspect of sprinting is that it is a low-cost option to treat panic disorder. This is the case because it does not require any medication or specialized clinical procedures.
A panic attack is a sudden rise of discomfort and uneasiness along with intense fear. These emotions, in turn, cause multiple other physical and psychological problems along with the initial issues and compound the overall torment of having panic disorder.
Physical symptoms of panic attacks:
Emotional symptoms of a panic attack:
Credit: iStock
There’s a real issue here—“gym supplements” aren’t automatically harmless, and unsupervised use can increase cardiovascular risk, especially when stacking multiple products.
Most harm isn’t from basic supplements like protein—it’s from stimulants, hormone-like substances, and unregulated combinations. The risk becomes significant when users chase rapid physique gains without medical awareness.
1) Stimulant-heavy pre-workouts
2) Anabolic agents / “muscle boosters”
3) Protein excess + dehydration
High protein alone is usually safe in healthy individuals, but can increase the risk of electrolyte imbalance and arrhythmias when combined with:
4) Fat burners / thermogenics
5) Electrolyte imbalance
6) Contamination & mislabeling
People at risk include those with:
These should not be dismissed as “normal gym effects.”
© 2024 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited