Tag Archives: muscles

Yoga: How true it reduces heart disease risk

The most common form of heart disease affecting humans is the Coronary Artery Disease. The disease portrays acute build-up of cholesterol in the layers of the arteries constituting the heart. The blockage induces a phenomenal slowed down blood circulation. The left auricle functions in generating the signals dubbed as heart beats. As a result of the incrementing inadvertent blockage the muscles keep panting due to the lack of supply of blood to the muscles. Since the blood supply to the muscles are snapped to an instance, the muscles are forced to reciprocate to the bodily functions. The plaques present in the arterial walls of all humans suffice huge pressure in the process which may lead to weakening and thereby a crack in the arterial wall. Again this may concur with unforeseen blood clot in the region. This compromising blood clot, topped with blockage sustaining in the arteries lead to the preponderances of heart attacks. (more…)

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5 Reasons Your Posture Matters

How many times during your childhood did your mom tell you that you needed to sit or stand up straight or pull your shoulders back as she walked by, and remind you that if you didn’t start having better posture you would end up hunched over for the rest of your life? Whether or not you actually listened, mom may have been on to something when she pulled those shoulders back and forced you to stand taller. Having good posture has a variety of benefits, so the next time you find yourself slouching keep these things in mind:

1. It helps you become more confident: Slouching over or hunching your shoulders makes you look and feel less poised overall, giving off an aura of self-doubt. Simply standing up straighter gives you an air of confidence that can translate into an actual boost in confidence and self-assuredness.

2. Fosters a healthy back and spine: If you sit or stand with bad posture for long enough you’ll start to notice that your back, shoulders, and neck will begin to ache. This is because your spine and back are not meant to be curved over like that. Try standing and sitting up straight instead; you’ll immediately feel better, and your back and spine will thank you. (more…)

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Frogs’ Amazing Leaps Due to Springy Tendons

*The secret to frogs’ superlative jumping lies in their tendons. Researchers at Brown University, filming frogs jumping at 500 frames per second with special X-ray technology, show that the frog’s tendon stretches as it readies its leap and then recoils, much like a spring, when the frog jumps. The finding could explain how other animals are exceptional leapers. Results appear in Biology Letters.*

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Some species of frogs and many other animals are able to jump far beyond what appear to be their capabilities. The trained contestants in the frog-jumping competition in Calaveras County, Calif., come to mind, but even ordinary frogs can leap several times farther than their physiology would seem to allow.

“Muscles alone couldn’t produce jumps that good,” said Henry Astley, who studies the biomechanics of frog jumping at Brown University. (more…)

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Research Reveals New Secret Weapon For Le Tour

Winning margins in the Tour de France can be tight. In 2010 just 39 seconds separated the top two after more than 90 hours in the saddle. When every second counts, riders do all they can to gain competitive advantage, from aerodynamic carbon fibre bikes to the latest sports nutrition.

Now there could be a new, completely legal and rather surprising weapon for riders aiming to shave vital seconds off their time – beetroot juice. (more…)

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