Walking For General Health

Walking is a healthy activity that is a necessary part of almost everyone’s day, and if we commit to doing more of it every day there are very real health benefits. Most people don’t think of walking as a valid form of exercise, but the surprise is that its an incredible way to take care of our hearts and body without having to invest in a gym membership. No matter where you are you can almost always get out to do a little walking, and the benefits are ones that can extend your life.

The Benefits Of Walking

Most forms of exercise require us to use specific types of equipment or to have sufficient space to make the exercise possible. Walking is one of the few that doesn’t require any form of equipment, nor does it require you to get out and pound your knees to jelly running. Walking can help keep your body limber and your joints capable of moving freely, other benefits of walking include:

  • Healthy weight goals are easy to reach with walking, if you do it consistently.

  • Heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes 2 all respond exceptionally well to walking.

  • As you walk your bones and muscles will grow stronger, firmer, and healthier.

  • Balance and coordination have been shown to improve in response to a regular routine of walking.

These benefits are all from doing something you do every day anyway, you just have to do a little more of it. It doesn’t require an active daily walk either. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to the convenience store rather than driving, all of these are great ways to get more walking in your day.

Techniques For Walking

Like any form of exercise there are right and wrong ways to walk for health. While any walking is going to help your health, using the proper techniques will ensure that you get the most out of your daily walk. Below we’ve listed out the points that describe an excellent walking technique:

  • Keep your head elevated, eyes forward, and watching where you’re walking.

  • Keep your neck, back, and shoulders relaxed during your walk, allowing them to move freely.

  • Keep your arms slightly bent and allow them to move freely while you’re in motion.

  • Keep your stomach tight and your back upright, neither leaning forward nor back.

  • Use a walking style that transitions from heel to toe to work with your body’s mechanics.

Following these steps will aid you in getting the best results from your walking routine. Every day you spend doing additional walking ensures that you will be both healthier and stronger. Research shows that doing at least two and a half hours of exercise a week will improve your overall health, provided that that exercise is aerobic in nature. Add a strength building regime that works all the major muscle groups of your body twice a week and you’ll be on the road to excellent health.

Look Flawless This Summer with Laser Hair Removal

We all have those days where we wake up, look in the mirror, and just feel fantastic about the way we look. This generally lasts just long enough for us to notice that first imperfection, and often that imperfection is due to hair growing in places that perhaps we’d rather it wouldn’t. Whether an unwanted mustache or just hair growing in a bit thicker than we’d like, there are options to tackle these annoying hairs and make yourself look incredible this summer. Laser Hair Removal is a painless process offered by multiple aestheticians and can be used on almost any hair on the body.

What Is Laser Hair Removal?

The technology to use coherent (focused) light to eliminate hair on our body has been available for decades, but advances have turned an adequate treatment into a high-precision powerhouse of hair removal. The process fires lasers at existing patches of light, the dark hairs transmitting the heat from the light down to the follicle it’s growing out of and destroys them. This process results in hair removal that can last for months, years, or even a lifetime.

Why Not Wait Until Summer?

It takes some time for this process to work, and multiple treatments may be necessary to accomplish the goals you’re striving for. These treatment sessions typically are scheduled approximately a month apart so you want to get started before summer is just around the corner. With properly timed hair removal treatments you can guarantee that you’ll look incredible and clean when summer arrives.

Where Can Hair Be Removed?

There is nowhere that hair grows on the body that laser hair removal can’t tackle. From the delicate area around the bikini zone to permanently eliminating underarm and facial hair, its a perfect solution for anyone who has hair they want to get rid of. With a series of treatments, you’ll be able to enjoy beautiful skin free from hair for years to come.

How Much Does It Cost?

The cost of hair removal treatments varies from patient to patient, the particulars involved including the amount of hair that needs to be removed, the location, and the number of treatments required. Most treatment providers have package deals that will let you get the best value for the most hair removal over a series of sessions. What can be said is that every year the technology improves and the cost of the removal process goes down every year.

If you’re looking for a cosmetic treatment doctor who can help you determine if these treatments are appropriate for your concerns with unwanted hair, then consider calling Dr. Trang D Nguyen at Conroe Family Doctor in Conroe, TX. Their team of specialists has been working with patients like you to eliminate their unwanted hair while taking care of their other health care needs. There’s no reason to be ashamed of unwanted hair this summer, call and schedule a consultation about your hair removal needs and prepare for one of the most beautiful summers of your life!

Tackling Hypertension With A Healthy Diet

If you’ve received a diagnosis of hypertension, or high blood pressure, you’re probably concerned about taking medication to bring it down. Your lifestyle plays a central role in handling your diagnosis, and taking steps to reduce your blood pressure may eliminate, or at least delay, your need for medication to help with it. Below we’ve listed a number of steps you can take to help handle your hypertension without resorting to medication.

Focus on Losing Weight

We know that your weight is probably a constant topic of conversation with your physician, but it’s important in controlling your hypertension. The extra pounds you’re carrying can result in a condition known as Sleep Apnea, which has been shown to increase blood pressure. Even losing a little bit of weight can make a significant difference in your blood pressure, with every pound reducing your blood pressure a little more. If you carry weight around your waistline, this becomes even more important.

Regular Exercise

Keeping your heart healthy is akin to keeping any other muscle or organ in your body healthy, it needs to be exercised. If you exercise at least 30 minutes a day you can see a significant drop in your blood pressure, but it’s essential that this becomes a consistent part of your daily regimen. If you stop exercising, you can lose the benefits you gained by doing it regularly.

Eat Healthily

There are a number of dietary factors that can have a positive effect on your blood pressure, starting with reducing the amount of salt you consume. Add in low-fat dairy products, fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and avoid cholesterol and saturated fat and you can see a significant decline in your hypertension. Look into the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) to get more information on a heart-healthy diet.

Reduce Your Alcohol Intake

If you regularly imbibe alcohol it may surprise you to learn that it can lead to high blood pressure. Alcohol isn’t all bad, however, when consumed in moderation. Taking a drink or two every day can actually reduce your blood pressure, but too much alcohol can actually have the reverse effect.

Lower Your Caffeine Intake

It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that a substance that is renowned for its ability to speed up the heart rate and fill us with energy might have a negative impact on your blood pressure. The amount that your blood pressure increases when you regularly consume caffeine can depend entirely on the individual, but increases of up to 10 points have been observed.

If you want to learn more about controlling your hypertension through diet, then it’s time to contact Dr. Trang D Nguyen at Conroe Family Doctor. These experts have been helping patients like you take control of their health through diet and exercise, and believe that a healthy lifestyle is the first step to take before resorting to medication in cases where it’s safe to do so. Contact them for an appointment today at their Conroe, TX office and start on your road to better health!

Call For A Consultation Today