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Health

Sleep Deprivation Effects and How to Overcome

sleep deprivation effects

Sleep is the most important part of our everyday life, when an individual sleeps the body repairs and refreshes itself. Therefore when there is a deprivation in sleep either for a short or long period, the body suffers as it didn’t get enough time to refresh itself. With most studies that say seven to eight hours per night is the optimum amount, sleep is far more important than we think. It is a wonder that most people do not achieve these and suffer from various sleep deprivation effects. The lack of sleep has a major effect on the clarity of thinking, memory, and learning capacity.

What Causes Sleep Deprivation?

Sleep deprivation is both voluntary and involuntary. There are three major causes of sleep deprivation:

Lifestyle

Living an unhealthy lifestyle is one of the major reasons for sleep deprivation. Drinking too much caffeine or alcohol right before going to bed disturbs the sleep pattern. To change this into a healthy lifestyle, one has to maintain and record a sleep diary, note down the foods you take during the day and the time you ate, what type of stress you dealt with, etc. Work on these and find a solution either by own or by consulting with a doctor.

Medication

The medication also has a major impact on a person’s normal rhythm of sleep. Taking sleeping pills to treat insomnia only changes the body’s sleep pattern and will not cure the disease.

Medical conditions

Most people suffer from severe health problems both physically and mentally. Depression and post-traumatic stress lead to sleep deprivation and result in a lot of other side effects over time.

What are the common sleep deprivation effects?

The common physical effects of sleep deprivation include:

Exhaustion – Feeling extremely “tired” both physically and mentally is the commonly found effect from most people. No matter how small the task is, you’ll feel like your entire energy is drained.

Discomfort – When you lack sleep, there will be discomfort throughout the day and night. It’s not exactly pain but a feel that makes you dull all over the day. Sitting, lying, walking, nothing will make you feel “okay” when you didn’t get enough sleep.

Blurred Vision – Getting brief moments of going blind for a short time is the major effect of having too little sleep.

Impaired reactions and movements – One cannot behave or react properly to any routine activities or situations. Sometimes, you do everything in slow motion.

How to overcome sleep deprivation?

Here are 8 tips to get great sleep:

Regular bedtime – Going to bed and waking up at the same time is the most effective method to maintain a proper rhythm of sleep pattern. This greatly helps in running your internal clock properly.

Regular exercise – Exercising for twenty to thirty minutes a day improves sleeping habits.

Don’t lie keeping your eyes open – Staying awake in bed for a long time interrupt the sleeping habit greatly. Therefore, it is better to do something else, getting out of your bed until you feel sleepy.

Good quality mattress – Mattress plays a major role in getting quality sleep. The body should get proper support and comfort when lying on the bed.

Avoid eating/drinking during bedtime – Do not eat or drink anything for two hours before bedtime, because digestion or urgency to pee at night interrupts the sleep heavily.

Avoid Caffeine – It is best to avoid caffeine completely or at least avoid taking it for 6 hours before bedtime. Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine contain sedatives which heavily disturbs the rhythm of sleep pattern.

Final thoughts

Not sleeping well is not okay and never will be. Sleep is essential for our overall health. It is necessary for healthy brain function, physical restoration, and mental wellness. The benefits of getting ample sleep are huge. It aids in living a healthier and happier life. Therefore, sleep well for a more balanced life.

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wellness

Tips to staying healthy in retirement

Retired people mostly worry about the three things which are wealth, health and relationships. Wealth is the first major worry for almost all retirees. Second is the health that occupies their mind. Retirement should not be like staying at home alone, it should be like starting to spend time on things you’ve really wanted to in your service period. Retirement can be one of the best times of your life, but the thing is you should make sure you’re staying active and healthy. Our immune systems should run at its peak efficiently. To achieve, here are some tips for staying healthy in retirement.

Fitness

Having sedentary lifestyle spoils the overall health, so it is necessary to stay active and engaged. This fewer the health problems we face like obesity, arthritis, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, etc. For being active, our mind should be filled with good positive attitude. Getting older is not a barrier to achieve anything in life. Talk to your doctor and know about your restrictions you might have, and then get engaged with all the activities you’ve wanted to do always but didn’t find time.

5 simple ways to stay active and healthy

Staying healthy in retirement is easy when you choose anyone or all the 5 as your daily routine:

Swim

Swimming and any water-based workouts are completely safe and effective regardless of your age. This is easy on the joints and will not be harmful even if you’ve any bone problems. Swimming is the approved exercise to increase the heart health, improves muscle strength, and cardiovascular health. Thus, it is considered to be a good choice for elderly people.

Lift weights

This may sound weird but we need to rethink on this, look at the benefits it creates including self-confidence, stronger bones and muscles. Trainer would advice on the effective exercises for aged people or even for people with disabilities.

Hiking/Walking

Walking or Hiking helps in connecting with nature and to interact with neighbors or other people in the park and outdoors. The sense of independence is the key here, this benefits most hikers and help them relieve from everyday stress. Walking or Hiking also includes other health benefits like heart health, mobility and a reduced risk of hospitalization.

Joining a Sports League

Adult sports leagues are available all across the country and whatever your sport of choice is, there is a high chance to find the players in your area. Thus, this has physical and mental health benefits of making some new friends.

Yoga

If you’re hesitant to do more active exercises or sports, then yoga is the best choice. This helps in increasing flexibility, lowering stress level, increasing blood circulation, etc. thereby good for overall health.

Final thoughts

For staying healthy after retirement, the major key is to stay fit and to follow an active lifestyle. Following these five simple yet effective ways will not only help in improving health and fitness but also makes your life happier and more balanced.

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Health

Dust mite allergy – How to get rid of it!

Dust mites are the most common bugs found in almost all places even if your house is super clean. These creatures are microscopic resembling small bugs. They don’t leave bites on your skin but can cause skin rashes. Some of the other common symptoms include sneezing and postnasal drip. Dust mites are different from bedbugs that leave a bite on your skin. These beasts live in humid places and consume dead cells of the skin. They multiply easily on warm surfaces like beds, cushions, clothing, automobile seats, furniture, etc. Dust mites cannot spread diseases and never live near people but they can only cause dust mite allergy.

Dust Mite Symptoms

Sometimes when we wake up, we feel congested, itchy eyes, itchy skin, or a runny nose. These are the common symptoms when you’re likely allergic to dust mites. Not everyone is harmful to these dust mites but few have such bothersome symptoms. Continuous sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose are the common reactions from the immune system for any type of foreign invader into the body. It becomes worrying when you start having redness on your skin, itching, etc.

How to remove these dust mites

As these dust mites mostly live in the bedroom, it is best to start mite-proofing from there

Hot Water Wash

Washing bedding with hot water once a week is recommended for removing dust mites. For people with a severe dust mite allergy, it is better to wash pillowcases and sheets at a higher temperature every week.

Mite Detergents

Though common insecticides won’t work on these dust mites, there are products available in the market for anti-dust mites. They use a chemical called benzyl benzoate which is used in laundry additives to eliminate dust mites.

HEPA filter

Running a HEPA filter for your bedroom to remove airborne dust mites is recommended to mite-proof the bedroom. These air filters create relief from dust mite allergy and other symptoms that trigger asthma.

Vacuuming and cleaning carpets

Using steam vacuums instead of hot water vacuuming can greatly remove dust mites in carpets. This has to be done in a routine for every 2 months to see the best results.

Final tips to protect from dust mites

  • When vacuuming step outside for about 20-30 minutes and have someone do the job.
  • Never go to bed with damp hair or freshly-showered, as these increase the number of dust mites in the bed and create worse symptoms.
  • Instead of having curtains in your bedroom, try replacing them with bamboo or wooden blinds because curtains have to be washed often.
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Health

Asthma Symptoms – When to worry?

Asthma is a very common disease that affects around 235 million people worldwide. At present, this is an incurable disease and the medications are available only to keep the symptoms under control. In the case of severity, it will also lead to death. So it is better to consult a doctor when there is trouble in breathing and that resist you from doing your routine works. How does asthma occur? Environmental conditions like pollution, dust, etc are found to be the most common reasons. Some people are not prone to these conditions while others are getting affected due to their immune and poor lungs. Normal coughing is considered to be one of the asthma symptoms when it repeats for weeks, months, and even years.

How does it feel like?

It is a must to be aware of your body conditions to monitor the asthma presence. How to find out if you are suffering from asthma?

Trouble in breathing – this is the first thing that shows out. You may not be able to breathe normally if your environmental condition is too cold or dusty. It begins with wheezing (whistle sound) when you breathe and affects your day-to-day activities. This sound arises if your airways are either swollen or narrowed, which is what we name asthma, a chronic disease.

Chest pain – As the air passage got narrowed or inflamed, it disturbs the lungs from doing their work properly. This causes pain in the chest making you feel uncomfortable and is medically called an “asthma attack”.

Coughing during exercise or sleep – A continuous coughing during the night or when exercising is another feel that shows there is a problem in your lungs.

Too much mucus – Mucus is the naturally produced substance from the mucous glands. It is dangerous when there is too much secretion and that blocks the airways.

Types of asthma 

There are various types of asthma identified based on the occurrence or region affected.

  1. Exercise-induced asthma – as the name implies, the person gets the symptoms in 15-20 minutes of any physical activity.
  2. Allergic asthma – certain conditions like cold, mold, dust, pollen, and pets’ hair can create difficulty in breathing.
  3. Non- allergic asthma – irritants in the air like perfumes, air fresheners, cigarette smoke, burning wood, etc. can make the lungs weak.
  4. Genital asthma – sometimes it is your blood relatives from where you get affected and hence named inheritable.
  5. Aspirin-induced asthma – the symptoms were triggered due to certain medications like ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin.

What is the common treatment in practice?

Like we discussed earlier, asthma is incurable, only the symptoms can be controlled with the help of certain medications as prescribed by the doctor. An asthma inhaler is the commonly used treatment method that prevents blockage and gives instant relief from the difficulty in breathing. In the case of severe asthma, the bronchial thermoplasty method is used, in which the doctor will heat up the insides of the lungs using electrodes that will smoothen the muscles and reduce the tightening.

How to prevent it?

Here are a few tips to avoid asthma:

  • Keeping away from environmental conditions which caused the asthma symptoms earlier.
  • Getting vaccinated for pneumonia.
  • Staying away from allergens that cause breathing problems.

On a quick note, don’t panic if you get this disease. Following recommended dosage of medications prescribed by your doctor helps keep this under control. Natural treatments like breathing exercises are usually recommended to keep your lungs healthy. Do you know any other natural methods to control? Please let us know in your comments.

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wellness

Underlying facts to stop biting nails

Nail-biting is a common habit found among many people around the world. Everyone bites nails in their childhood but it is an issue when you continue to bite even in your adolescence. Biting nails is an automatic thing that happens even before you start to think about it. Researchers have said that people with certain mental health conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, separation anxiety disorder, etc. may develop a habit of biting nails but not everyone has this. This habit can be stopped when you have patience and self-control. In rare cases, when people could not stop biting nails and develop various health risks should consult a doctor to overcome this.

What makes you bite nails?

Although the real reason behind this developed habit is unknown, some of the most common reasons based on the studies have brought us to these:

  1. Stress and Anxiety – These are commonly found among many people. Due to workload, everyone develops stress and it is difficult to overcome this mental condition. When you feel separated, you create the habit of biting your nails to keep you occupied.
  2. Might be Genetic – Some children learn to bite nails on seeing their parents.
  3. Feeling boredom – To keep you occupied and to fight boredom, some start to bite nails but it is not an issue if this doesn’t repeat.
  4. Concentration – Have you seen anyone biting nails in the meeting hall? It is just their way of staying focused.

Apart from these above-mentioned scenarios, the actual cause or mindset behind biting nails is still unknown.

Risks of biting nails

Would you like to know when to stop biting nails? Here are the certain risks or side effects that follow with nail-biting.

  1. Fungal or Bacterial Infection – we all know fingers and nails are the hotspots for many germs, these get into your stomach and causes infections in the intestines.
  2. Dental Problems – Due to the continuous chipping, the teeth will get misaligned which brings an unpleasant smile. A few studies show that vigorous biting can create Jaw problems too.
  3. In-grown nails – Improper growth of nails is another risk that affects the entire finger with pain, swelling, redness, and bleeding.
  4. Thinning or discoloration of nails – continuous biting or cracking nails will affect the overall nail health resulting in thin or discolored. Usually makes them pale white or yellowish.

How to prevent it?

Anyone who has this habit and faced many awkward situations wants to come out of it. Here are a few simple tips that can help you prevent:

  1. Trimming nails – Ragged edges trigger you to begin biting. To avoid this, follow a weekly routine to trim the nails. You can also choose to do a manicure every week to have good-looking nails. The point is if you make them appear beautiful or not letting them grow longer will help you stop biting.
  2. Wearing gloves – Although it is difficult to bring this into practice, at least you can avoid creating awkward situations when you are in a meeting and caught biting your nails.
  3. Coating with bitter nail polish – Yes, these products are available in the market to help you stop biting nails.
  4. Replacing the habit – Overcoming a habit doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time. If you get the thought to bite a nail try to bring a second thought like using fidgets, stress balls, etc.

Apart from these, if you have certain mental health conditions as we discussed in the first paragraph, it is better to consult a doctor who suggests therapies to overcome.

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Health

How to get rid of an athlete’s foot?

Athlete’s foot is a common fungal infection that occurs in the feet. The fungi that create this infection are Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton. These parasites live in dark, warm, and moist environments, between our toes and inside our toes. Athlete’s foot symptoms are usually dry and itchy skin, scaling, painful inflammation, etc. It is important to know how to get rid of an athlete’s foot before it gets severe. Although this is a common disease that can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) medicine, people who have diabetes should seek doctors for immediate recovery.

How athlete’s foot spread?

Athlete’s foot can spread through direct and indirect contact:

  • Direct contact occurs if an uninfected person touches the infected area of somebody who has an athlete’s foot.
  • Indirect contact occurs through contaminated places, bed sheets, towels, socks, swimming pools, etc.

Athlete’s foot does not affect only the feet, sometimes it can spread to the groin and underarms as well. Therefore, it is a must to wash your hands if you do touch the infected area.

Common causes of athlete’ foot:

Sharing socks or shoes with others – this is the most reason behind the infection, the insides of shoes are warm, moist, and dark. This is the optimal surface for the fungus to grow rapidly. So it is good not to share the socks and shoes and using a foot powder to reduce the moisture in socks and shoes is also a better choice.

Walking in barefoot – walking barefoot on moist surfaces like locker rooms, showers, etc. can also be the reason for the spread of fungi. It is important to wash and dry the toes immediately after using such surfaces.

Tips on how to prevent athlete’s foot:

Following are some of the tips on how to get rid of an athlete’s foot:

Keep your feet dry – Foot fungus survives only in a moist environment; therefore use foot powder to reduce the moisture. Walking barefoot in the open air around the house helps keep your feet dry.

Wear sandals – wear sandals if it happens to walk on moist surfaces. This allows good air circulation in between the toes, allowing them to stay dry.

Using clean and hygienic socks – Washing socks every day in hot water is the best way to completely stop the growth of fungus. It is must to wear only after making it completely dry.

Anti-fungal creams and sprays – There are many medicines available over the counter which help treat athlete’s foot.

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Health

Skin Cancer Causes, Types, Treatment, and Prevention

Those were the days when cancer was a disease that was considered rare. Today, we can see an alarming rate of people who are being affected by the same. One of the most common types of cancer found these days is skin cancer. People who are not taking care of themselves and are not sun-safe are considered the most common skin cancer causes. One thing that helps us feel relaxed is that skin cancer can be diagnosed earlier or on time, it can be treated and even cured.

What is skin cancer?

When there is an uncontrolled growth of cells in the tissues of the skin, then it is considered skin cancer. This formed tumor is malignant and affects the other remote organs when flowing through the bloodstream. That is why it is important to treat skin cancer immediately when diagnosed.

What are the main causes of skin cancer?

Exposure to Sun – Overexposure to the Ultra Violet rays of the sun increases the chances of getting affected by skin cancer in the long run.

White Skin – People with less melanin pigment are prone to this cancer when compared to the darker-skinned tones.

Exposure to a carcinogen – Too much exposure to certain chemicals like nicotine, tar, and arsenic are found as the skin cancer causes.

Family History – Genetic reasons and family history can also be the reason behind the occurrence of skin cancer. If someone from your family is affected with skin cancer then there is a high chance of getting the disease.

Types of cancer

There are three types of skin cancers:

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC): This type of cancer arises from basal cells, which are present in the deepest layers of the epidermis. This is the most common type of skin cancer and many people affect by this frequently when compared to the other types. It appears as a patch of skin, which is red and irritated. Sometimes it could also be in form of a bump or sore, that does not heal. Areas like the scalp, ears, face, etc, or the parts that are constantly exposed to too much sunlight are usually affected by BCC. If the condition is diagnosed in time, then curing it is possible.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) – This type of cancer affects the squamous cells in the epidermis. It appears as skin crusting or scaling, the affected area could become red and burned. There could also be bumps that cannot heal. This condition is also due to overexposure to sunlight. One of the scary things is it affects any part of the body and spreads faster to other organs, so it is a must to treat the disease earlier to stop spreading.

Melanoma – This is the most dangerous type that affects the pigments of the skin. It spreads rapidly and could lead to death. There is less chance to treat this disease through minor surgeries before it gets spread to the other parts of the body.

How it is treated?

In considering your age, general health, type of cancer, size of cancer, and where it is on your body, the treatment choice will depend. Most commonly followed treatment methods include:

  • Surgery
  • Scraping
  • Freezing
  • Radiotherapy
  • Chemotherapy

Prevention of skin cancer

While skin cancer is treatable, the best treatment of all is prevention. Following are some of the healthy lifestyle significantly reduces the chances of developing skin cancer.

  • Avoiding excessive exposure to sunlight
  • Covering up the skin when going out in heavy summer.
  • Applying good quality sun creams.
  • Using protective gloves when handling dangerous chemicals.

Following the above tips can protect yourself and your family from any types of skin cancer.

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Health

Lower Back Pain- causes and how to overcome

One of the world’s most common health problems is Back Pain. According to the World Health Organization, it is also on the top 10 diseases list. Most people at any age suffer from back pain which affects work life and general well-being. There are a few ways to avoid the common causes of lower back pain. This article will help you identify the techniques and explain how to reduce the pain.

What are common causes of back pain?

Our human body’s complex system is the lower back. This must work well to enable movement. The Spine also contains cartilage-like pads called discs. Damages to these components lead to back problems. The most common causes of lower back pain problems include:

Injury

Injury is the most common cause of back problems. Some type of accidents like car crashes falls, and sports field injuries might include broken bones, ruptured discs, torn ligaments, etc.

Physical overexertion

Sometimes we fail to handle very heavy items properly. This causes too much strain on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the lower back which leads to pain.

Ruptured discs

Sometimes discs in the spine change their shape of rupture. When this occurs, more pressure is applied on the nerves which potentially causes back problems.

Medical conditions

There are a variety of medical conditions like osteoporosis, kidney problems, arthritis, sleep disorders, etc. that causes severe back pain problems.

Poor posture

Sitting in a poor posture for a long time puts too much pressure on the muscles and discs that contribute to pain in the back and sometimes may cause long-term damage.

How to avoid the back pain

There are few ways helpful in curing or reducing back ache.

Sleep on your back

Due to the whole day routine works like walking, running, sitting down, and lifting objects, the spine gets compressed. Hence, sleeping on your back gives the chance to your spine to relax, therefore reducing pain.

Chiropractic treatment

Chiropractic treatment is one of the effective methods to reduce back ache. These professionals are trained in identifying musculoskeletal problems in the human body. They can identify the root cause of the problem and suggest treatments accordingly. During this diagnosis, the following common causes can be identified:

  • Ensuring the spine is properly aligned
  • Identify the postural problems that cause spine pain
  • Identify ruptured discs or other serious health problems that contribute to pain.

 

Good pair of shoes

Ensuring your body has a stable and well-balanced base reduces the pressure placed on ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Therefore, purchase a high-quality pair that fit your feet well.

Exercises

There are a few exercises that help strengthen the core muscles for avoiding spine pain. This also reduces the chances of back injury effectively.

Regular massages

Massaging the muscles at back increases the blood flow. Proper flow of blood can help you remain flexible, and prevent any pain related to ligaments.

Summary

Overall, protecting from back problems is very simple. All you need to follow is a healthy lifestyle. It is good to see a doctor when any of the above methods didn’t help in reducing the pain.

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Health

Bone Health – risks and how to overcome?

Bones are the protectors of organs, providing structure, storing calcium, and anchoring muscles. Bones continuously change during ages. Old bones break down and new bones are made. Most people reach the peak at the age of 30. Bone health is important to have a healthy body. There are various factors that affect bones. These include:

Calcium – A diet that has low calcium leads to bone loss, risking fractures, and diminished bone density. Therefore, it is best to maintain a good calcium diet.

Physical activity – Osteoporosis is a condition that mostly affects bones that are brittle and weak. People who are physically inactive are likely to have a higher risk of this disease.

Hormones – In the case of women, bone loss increases due to reduced levels of estrogen. Increased levels of thyroid hormone will also cause bone loss. In men, decreased levels of testosterone diminish bone density.

Eating disorders – For some people who have undergone weight-loss surgery or other diseases conditions like anorexia or bulimia, the stomach loses its ability to absorb the calcium from a regular diet.

Size – People who have thin structures have less bone mass and are highly risky to fractures.

Smoking and drinking – Those who smoke regularly contributes to weak bones. Too much alcohol consumption also increases the risk of suffering from osteoporosis.

How to avoid the risks?

There are a few simple steps to follow to slow down bone loss.

Adding calcium to the diet – Good sources of calcium like broccoli, almonds, dairy products, etc. should be included in the diet to increase bone health. If it is not possible to follow the diet, then it’s good to go for supplements as per the doctor’s advice.

Vitamin D – Vitamin D-rich foods like whitefish, salmon, mushrooms, eggs, etc. increases bone mass.

Exercises – Physical activity plays a major role to maintain strong bones. Jogging, walking, climbing, etc. should be followed every day to slow down the bone loss.

It is important for both men and women to keep their bones as healthy and strong as possible. Bones fitness exercise amplifies muscle strength and overall health. Follow these simple tips to have healthy bones.

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Fitness

How to lose face fat?

Face fat is a result of several factors that include lack of proper diet, genetics, dehydration, etc. Losing face fat is a difficult job unlike other parts of the body. Having a perfect facial shape is vital as that is the first area that most people focus on. This is the main area that creates a larger impression on others. It will not be good if you have a beautiful body but not a beautiful face shape. This is why; many people are willing to reduce excess face fat. It’s very easy to achieve only if the regular facial exercises and right eating habits are followed correctly. Let us find out how to lose face fat with the following tips.

Tips to lose face fat:

Cosmetic surgery – There is no doubt that cosmetic surgery is a very fast way to reduce facial fat. However, this involves some risks so that it is better to go for other methods first. 

Facial exercises – It’s all about the cheek and chin. In the case of beginners, it is a must to do facial exercise 1 time a day for a month. Although the results are not immediate for some parts of the face, this is considered the safest method to reduce face fat. It can be learned easily and can be done just by simply sitting or standing or when relaxing in bed. Facial exercises are not only good at reducing fat but also help to protect the skin from anti-aging and reduce wrinkles effectively.

Drinking more water – You may ask what is the connection with this end. Drinking more water helps reduce hunger which makes you eat less food. Fewer calories intake is the best way to lose fat. Usually, it is recommended to take around eight to eleven glasses of water each day. 

Walking every day – A half-hour of walking will do wonders in reducing body fat. Walking is considered as a primary exercise, this increases blood circulation throughout. Hence, it is preferred to reduce fats in any part of the body. 

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