How To Get Back on the Healthy Track After the Holidays

By Stacy Stehle -

The holidays are a time to come together with family & friends that maybe you haven’t seen in a while and sharing time together. It is also a time when you get out the extra tables just so that all the food can have a place to go. Do you find that you graze all day long during the holidays? I think many do.

Let’s face it, the holidays are a time when we tend to over indulge in food. There are usually so many different choices around you have to try them all. Of course this is also the time when we toss our workouts out the window. Sound familiar?

Now that the holiday is over you may find that you are faced with lots of leftovers or having these uncontrollable cravings. Your energy could be low, you could feel sluggish and you just are having a hard time getting back on track with your health and your routine.

What can you do? How can you get back on the healthy track?

1. Don’t throw in the towel and give up on being healthy till after all the holidays are over – this will just set you back even more, making it much harder for you to create the momentum you need to move forward. This will just make you feel worse as time goes on.

2. Don’t beat yourself up for what you did over the past holiday – focus on the present moment, what can you do now to make a change? You have right now to get back on track. It’s never too late

3. Make healthy conscious food decisions and eat consistently – eating 5-6 small meals a day which include a good protein, complex carbohydrate, fiber and essential fatty acids. This will help you to keep your blood sugar level stable and create more energy for yourself. Try to stay away from sugar, trans fat and saturated fat.

4. Schedule time to exercise – Getting your body moving is key to changing up your energy, get your body back on track and feeling better. The best way to start is by walking! Get in a 10-20 minute walk to get you started, then schedule in daily exercise for yourself. Do something that you love to do (that way it won’t feel like work!).

The key to getting back on track is to take small steps. The holidays should be a time of celebration and enjoyment! As we approach our next holiday, be more aware of what you want and how you want to stay on track!

Stacy Stehle is an Intuitive Energy & Healthy Lifestyle Coach, Network Marketer and Founder of Ocean Energy Wellness. She empowers women to create a healthy, inspired life guided by the energy of the ocean.

To learn more about a creating a healthy lifestyle, download our Free Guide & Action Plan: 5 Secrets to Unlocking a Healthier, New You: http://oceanenergywellness.com/ocean-energy-wellness-guide/

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Tips For A Healthy Christmas

By Mark Warrington -

It’s almost the time of year where everyone gets home to spend the holidays with their family. This is also the season where we love to stay warm and eat the Christmas treats that are set on the table. The spending-time-with-the-family thing is indeed very joyous, but eating a lot of sweets and fatty foods coupled with the lazy cold weather? It is such a weight gaining avenue. While everyone wants to enjoy the holidays without having to add several pounds to their weight, here are some tips on how to have a healthy Christmas this year.

Eat, Eat, and Eat Healthily. Since Christmas time is never allowed to pass without having sumptuous meals, you might as well eat of what they are eating also. There is no need to miss out. However, you can have smaller portions or just a little bit to satisfy the taste buds. Having a fruit and vegetable diet with occasional white meat like fish will be enough to power your body. In cold seasons, you will have to eat fewer calories because your metabolism also becomes relatively slow. Having just the right amount of carbohydrates and calories will ensure that none of it will be stored as fat.

Vice-Free Holiday. It’s also high time to prepare a New Year’s resolution. You might want to lose weight or you might want to quit smoking and drinking because these are very harmful to your health. Most heavy drinkers and chain smokers started from little tastes of these vices. And mind you, that little taste often becomes a habit. So think about some healthy resolutions that you can make part of your new year that’s coming up.

Burning Fat in the Cold Weather. You don’t have to postpone your exercise routines just because you are at home or the gym may be closed during the holidays. You can still continue using creative ways to simulate the usual routines that you do at the gym. In fact, you can even use day to day activities as a form of exercise. It could be better if you had your own home fitness equipment so that you could proceed with the usual routines if you feel uncomfortable when you exercise without it.

If you can do all of these tips, you can safely say that you had a great and healthy Christmas. As a matter of fact, these tips are also applicable to your everyday life. Christmas or not, it is important that everyone eat the right foods, live a vice-free and healthy lifestyle, and regularly exercise to keep our bodies healthy.

Over at the FitnessArmory.com, you can let our expert advice on fitness and equipment reviews help you create the perfect home gym but without all the huge costs. We have the exclusive reviews on all your favorite brands and models to help you get in shape, get healthy and look great. Recent product reviews include: NordicTrack ProQuick 100 Dumbbells, NordicTrack T7 SI Treadmill. We invite you to stop by or drop us a line if you have any questions or need help with your fitness equipment selections.

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Healthy Holidays – Feel Good, Not Guilty

By Idaline Hall

The winter season, with its holiday traditions of foods and festivities, can be the toughest for dieters. Yet with careful planning, you can enjoy the holiday feasts and rounds of parties without foregoing health and weight maintenance.

‘Tis the season to party, and if you’re like most people, a quick lesson on how to maneuver through a room filled with party platters and holiday treats (a.k.a. fat traps) might just save your diet this season. Believe it or not, it’s possible to eat, drink, and be merry–and still maintain your weight.

Simply follow these survival tips to enjoy the festive season without gaining extra pounds.

  1. Eat a small, healthy snack before a party to curb hunger pangs.
  2. Lighten Up on the Drinks. When ordering a drink at your next party, keep in mind that calories from holiday beverages can add up.
  3. Slow your drinking pace. Put your drink down between sips and socialize more.
  4. Make drinks last longer. Sip your drink or use a straw. You can also dilute cocktails with water, ice, or club soda to increase the volume.
  5. Switch back and forth. If you have an alcoholic beverage, make the next one a nonalcoholic one mixed with diet soda, seltzer, or club soda, all of which have few or no calories.
  6. Go virgin. Order a cocktail of fruit juice, carbonated water, or a diet soft drink or drink mix.
  7. Try seltzer. Having a seltzer or sparkling water with a twist of lemon in your will make you less likely to reach for more fattening drinks.
  8. Order mulled cider. With about 107 calories and no fat per 8-ounce mug, this is a healthy treat you can indulge in without putting on pounds.
  9. Splurge on drinks that really matter. Dont deny yourself a champagne toast at midnight. Instead have light drinks throughout the evening, waiting for the one you really want.
  10. Snack Smart. Watching the calories and fat from drinks won’t matter if you’re standing by the nut bowl the whole evening.
  11. Think baked, not fried. Steer clear of greasy chicken wings and snack chips; instead, reach for baked foods–and if you must dip, go for salsa.
  12. Steer clear of high fat food items such as pastry puffs; opt for crispbreads or French bread instead.
  13. Try hummus. Another smart substitute for creamy dips, it has only 26 calories and 1 gram of fat per tablespoon–plus, it’s full of protein.
  14. Head for the cold seafood plate. Shellfish, such as shrimp, are delicious, low-calorie and low-fat, as is cocktail sauce.
  15. You can’t go wrong with fresh. Raw vegetables and fruit are the best choices for mindless muching.
  16. Don’t ignore the cold cuts platter. It’s a lot better for you than many other things at the buffet table. As long as you don’t add mayonnaise, go ahead and splurge on turkey and roast beef. Steer clear of salami and bologna, however, which are higher in fat.

Respectfully submitted by Idaline Hall. For more helpful weight loss tips, visit: http://WeightLossThatFits.com

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Do Not Underestimate the Psychological Effects of Fitness

By Vic Vogel -

There is much written about the physical effects of fitness. Overlooked, but equally important, are the psychological effects derived from fitness. Fitness gurus often speak of the mind and body experience. There is more to this than the metaphysical implications. Fitness has a profound affect on your psychological state.

In an article reviewing the impacts of exercise on the psychological state Dr. Daniel Landers, from Arizona State University had this to say, “The research literature suggests that for many variables there is now ample evidence that a definite relationship exists between exercise and improved mental health. This is particularly evident in the case of a reduction of anxiety and depression…Exercise is related not only to a relief in symptoms of depression and anxiety but it also seems to be beneficial in enhancing self-esteem, producing more restful sleep, and helping people recover more quickly from psychosocial stressors.”[1] The chemical effect that exercise has on the brain causes an improved mood, “Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You will also look better and feel better, when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression.”[2] Although much more research is needed, it is clear there is a direct link between your psychological state and your physical fitness.

Going into 2010 recession has gripped us, unemployment is higher than it has been since the Great Depression, and people are experiencing more psychological trauma, e.g. depression, anxiety, and loss of self-esteem, especially during the holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The difficulty in taking advantage of fitness is the lack of knowledge about fitness and the effect it can have on health, both physical and psychological. Least known are the psychological affects. The personal training profession spends much of its time measuring the physical effects of exercise and nutrition. Lost in many cases is the association of improved psychological impact resulting from exercise and nutrition. This lack of knowledge leads to focusing more on the physical aspects of fitness training at the exclusion of the psychological issues. Personal support plays a large role in reinforcing the psychological impact of fitness training. Most trainers focus on body fat percentage, weight, body circumference, and lean body mass to measure progress. Equally important are mood, self-esteem, self-worth, and a healthy psychological state. The measurements for psychological impact often rest in others opinions, journals, mood charts, and feedback from loved ones. Discrimination based on appearance, related to size, is well documented in the business world. Fitness not only effects your personal life, it effects your professional life, which then effects your psychological state of mind.

Most people feel the need to improve their fitness during the holidays. Mostly, this is due to the physical effects of eating and lack of exercise, e.g. pants are too tight. In the current times, it is equally important to seek fitness for psychological reasons. People often experience stress, depression, and anxiety during the holidays. They increase their exposure to others, e.g. parties, relatives they have not seen for awhile, and hordes of shoppers in stores. How others view you can either lead to feelings of insecurity and poor self-esteem, or elation and good self-esteem. Your fitness level will have a direct bearing on how others perceive you, and the resulting psychological impact.

Your psychological health is impacted by physical factors and emotional factors. Physical factors can be improved through exercises that increase and release endorphins in the body, “Endorphins act as analgesics, which means they diminish the perception of pain. They also act as sedatives. They are manufactured in your brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of your body and are released in response to brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. The neuron receptors endorphins bind to are the same ones that bind some pain medicines. However, unlike with morphine, the activation of these receptors by the body’s endorphins does not lead to addiction or dependence.”[3] Emotional health is experienced by the positive reinforcement people receive about their improved appearance, which in turn improves their self-esteem. This blog is too short to go into detail about these relationships. There are many articles and books on this subject. They can be researched through the internet and libraries.

When deciding to embark on a fitness program ensure you consider not only the physical benefits related to fitness, but also the psychological benefits. Make sure when designing your strategy for fitness that you include measurements that relate to your psychological improvement. Review these measurements as often as the physical measurements you have established. This holistic approach to fitness will benefit your Total Fitness.

[1] Landers, Dr. Daniel. “The Influence of Exercise on Mental Health”. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS SERIES 2, NUMBER 12, OF THE PCPFS RESEARCH DIGEST July, 2006:

[2] Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity. Mayo Clinic.com. 12 16-2009

[3] “Exercise and Depression”. WebMD. 12-16-2009

Vic Vogel is an internationally NFPT certified personal trainer /fitness consultant, author, and sports nutritionist. He provides fitness consulting to individuals and businesses. Vic has conducted fitness lectures in both businesses and non-profit organizations. He is the Principal and owner of Strategy for Fitness, [http://www.strategyforfitness.com], and CEO of Victor L. Vogel & Associates, Inc. Vic’s two books Building a Strategy for Fitness: A Model to Reach and Sustain Total Fitness & Health, and Strategy for Fitness: Nutritional Manual can be found at Amazon. Vic publishes a fat loss review blog http://www.wayfastfatloss.com He holds a Masters degree from the University of Oklahoma.Vic resides and practices in Oklahoma City, where is specialized in clients over 50.

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Healthy Thanksgiving Ideas

By Cindy Hamilton -

Thanksgiving Day can be a nightmare for those trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight. With everything from mashed potatoes to macaroni and cheese to pumpkin pie all around, the average American consumes over 2,000 calories in this single meal.

But, it is possible to enjoy a Thanksgiving Feast without the guilt. Try these tips:

  1. Whether your Thanksgiving meal is at noon or at night, always eat a healthy meal in the morning to avoid overeating later in the day. Try a bowl of oatmeal with raisins or an egg white omelet with veggies. Arriving at your Thanksgiving meal with an empty stomach will only lead to overeating and guilt.
  2. Workout before going to Thanksgiving dinner or if Thanksgiving is at your house, put the turkey in the oven and then jump on the treadmill or put on a workout DVD. Exercise will improve your mood and help you make better eating choices later in the day. Also, if the weather permits, take a family walk AFTER dinner as well.
  3. If Thanksgiving is at your home, try for healthier menu options such as removing the skin from your turkey, substitute regular butter and cheese for the low-fat versions, use egg whites instead of whole eggs or try low-fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream. Also, remember to offer several healthier side dishes such as steamed veggies or a green salad.
  4. If Thanksgiving dinner is not at your home, offer to bring a side that you know will go well with your diet. That way you will know that there will be at least one item on the menu that you can eat. Offer to bring a veggie tray, steamed carrots or a big green salad.
  5. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and keep your stomach full. Avoid caffeine and alcohol that can dehydrate you and cause you to overeat.
  6. Remember portion sizes. A serving of turkey should be no larger than the palm of your hand. Opt for a small spoonful of high-calorie foods such as candied yams or cranberry sauce and pile your plate high with foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. When it comes to dessert, only enjoy one small helping of your favorite or opt for fresh fruit instead.

Remember, food does not need to be the main focus of your Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is about enjoying friends and family and being thankful for all the many blessings throughout the year.

Cindy Hamilton has been writing about health and nutrition since 2007 and is the creator of http://www.family-health-and-nutrition.com. In 2009, Family Health and Nutrition was voted as one of 100 best sites for healthy parents by onlinenursingprogram.net and in 2010 was named #32 best health and nutrition site by AboutUs.com

Hamilton holds a Bachelor Of Science Degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

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Invest in Yourself With These Healthy Living Practices

By Dr. Stacy Irvine, D.C.and Steph A Miller -

Are you thriving or surviving? Are you living a life you love or do you feel exhausted most of the time, accompanied with an overwhelming sense that there’s just not enough time in the day?

Financial gurus tell us to, “pay yourself first” and to immediately place 10% of our income into an account for our future. They say when we invest money into a long-term plan and consistently add to it, the future dividends grow at an exponential rate.

This same premise holds true with regards to our health and well-being. When we invest small increments of time and energy over a long period of time into self-care, the returns are also exponential for health and vitality.

When investing in your health, it helps to know exactly what you need to do. The following is a list of healthy living practices that will help you increase your energy, health and happiness:

1. Nutrition. Food affects us on so many levels: body composition, mood, energy and immune response. On the cellular level, it’s true “you are what you eat”. The foods and their nutrients are the raw materials to repair and rebuild our cells. The human body reproduces over 300 billion new cells on a daily basis. That’s a lot of opportunity to replace old weak cells with stronger, more resilient ones! With the correct type and quality of nutrients, you can build a stronger and healthier body in no time.

2. Exercise. The body is made to move. In fact, without physical activity, some physiological processes fail to work at all, and others work less than optimally. For instance, the pumping action of the lymphatic system, which facilitates cellular nutrition and waste removal, is improved with physical movement.

There are 4 types of exercise that add a dimension to health and fitness:

a. Aerobic activity. This is any activity in which you sustain an elevated heart-rate and respiration for an extended period of time, typically over 20 minutes. The benefits of a cardiovascular workout include healthier heart and lungs, improved circulation, digestion, mood, energy, increased immune response and caloric burn.

b. Resistance training. Also known as strength or weight-training, many women now understand that lifting weights affects them differently than it does men. For women, their bodies will build more muscle but, unless they decide on a professional career in body building, will never achieve the mass men do. Even small changes in body composition will enhance daily metabolism, burning calories at a faster rate. `Pumping iron’ increases range of motion, muscle tone, maintains joint stability and increases muscle strength, bones, tendons and ligaments.

c. Flexibility or stretching. As one of the most under-rated forms of exercise, stretching is your best friend, especially as we age. The benefits of increasing our flexibility include alleviating stress and muscle tension; facilitates muscle recovery as well as being a conducive cool-down that maintains and increases range of motion and mobility; improves posture and reduces pain; and enhances circulation and oxygen delivery to muscles.

d. Mind-Body. Recently, this type of activity has been achieving popularity in the West. Mind-body exercises are those which require us to place our awareness in our body, posture, breathing and movements. Some examples include active forms like Tai-chi, certain types of yoga and Pilates; while restorative forms include yoga and meditation. When practicing mind-body exercises, expect to experience stress-reduction, improved circulation and energy flow, increased mindfulness and improvement in the benefits and performance in the other forms of exercise listed above.

3. Stress-Reduction Techniques. In today’s world, it is nearly impossible to avoid all stress. Actually, some levels of stress are beneficial! However, if stress is not managed properly, it can accumulate in our body and affect us on a cellular level. Eventually, if the stress is not released, it manifests in the form of physical ailments.

Besides nutrition and exercise, here are several suggestions to release your stress:

a. Eliminate unnecessary tasks, responsibilities and obligations. Learn to say no and know your limits. Much of what we do on a daily basis is unimportant to us and others.

b. Journaling. A great way to process feelings is through writing. Many people find it relieving to get their thoughts and feelings on paper and out of their heads and hearts.

c. Money-management. Financial stress is typically the number one source of tension for most of us. Taking control of our finances and tying up loose ends in money matters will help free up a lot of wasted energy.

Investing in your health is a life-long practice. When you first embark on this journey, it may be a little rough. But when you start small and focus more on consistency, these healthy living practices outlined above become second nature.

If you’d like to make it easier for yourself, enlist the assistance of a qualified professional health practitioner to help you along the way. One way to do this is to join group events, like the health and fitness retreat I will be attending in April, 2010. “Retreat to Healthy Living in Barbados” is a week-long event for women looking to develop and enhance healthy living practices.

Dr. Stacy Irvine is a founder and co-owner of Totum Life Science, a boutique fitness and health care center in Toronto. Through her work as a chiropractor and strength and conditioning specialist, Dr. Irvine’s clientele ranges from beginners, just starting out on an exercise program, to elite and professional athletes, looking for advanced rehabilitation and training program strategies.

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Simple Tips to Healthy Living

By Gregory Ortel -

It is a well known fact that when people maintain a healthy lifestyle, they lead a much fuller life. This poses a challenge for many who want swift results. These short range remedies may range from vitamin pills, supplements or a number of medications that may offer some relief. Yet what they’re forgetting is that there are often some very simple things everyone can do to improve their health. Below we will show you a few simple techniques that will pay off with a healthier being.

It is Crucial to Drink Plenty of Water: Your body will be greatly compensated when you drink plenty of water. The greater part of us, forget to drink the recommended amounts of water. A well-hydrated body is less likely to suffer from headaches, depression, constipation, kidney problems, weight gain and a myriad of other health issues. Your kidneys depend on large quantities of water to wash out the toxins. You can maintain a healthy weight level when your metabolism improves. Increasing your water intake, instead of drinks such as coffee or soda can be very beneficial. It will not take very long for you to recognize a change. Exercise Just Enough: Regular exercise on a continual basis is a good option, however overdoing it to lose weight fast is not. Easy and gentle workouts are your ticket to feeling better and also losing the extra pounds that you have always wanted to shed. Very popular forms of gentle exercise include yoga and swimming. You will actually help reduce joint inflammation and also allow yourself to have greater mobility. They’ll help you to improve your respiratory capacity so you won’t feel so out of breath, and they’ll help you strengthen your heart muscle, which can reduce your risk of heart attack enormously. As an added benefit, you will keep your weight down.

Reduce Stress Levels: Anyone who suffers from high levels of stress will know the health problems associated with this. Weight gain, insomnia and anxiety are just a few of the issues caused by heightened tension. Look into behavior that will have a significant reduction of your tension. If the annihilation of the issue is not possible, you can decrease the effects somewhat. These could include walking, meditating, massage therapy, or any other stress-relief method you feel works best for you. In order to achieve the best physical condition possible; you first need to figure out how to downgrade your level of stress.

You do not have to give up on things you like to live a healthy lifestyle, but you do need to make wise choices. To be healthy you do not just need to lose some weight and eat like a rabbit. To have complete health you need to have a spirit that’s well and good mental health, as well as happiness. Putting these with your physical health will make sure you enjoy a long happy life.

Is living healthy important to you? Visit Healthy Living Habits for tips on improving your health.

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Improve Your Well-Being – How Your Attitude to Health Can Help

By William Newart -

What is Health?

How do you define health? Is it a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being? Is it merely the absence of disease or infirmity? Or is health a resource for everyday life, rather than the objective of living; a positive concept, emphasizing social and personal resources as well as physical capabilities?

Good health is harder to define than bad health (which can be equated with the presence of disease), because it must convey a concept more positive than mere absence of disease, and there is a variable area between health and disease. Health is clearly a complex, multidimensional concept. Health is, ultimately, poorly defined and difficult to measure, despite impressive efforts by epidemiologists, vital statisticians, social scientists and political economists. Each individual’s health is shaped by many factors, including medical care, social circumstances, and behavioral choices.

Health Care

While it is true to say that health care is the prevention, treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of mental and physical well-being, through the services offered by the medical, nursing and allied health professions, health-related behavior is influenced by our own values, which are determined by upbringing, by example, by experience, by the company one keeps, by the persuasive power of advertising (often a force of behavior that can harm health), and by effective health education. Healthy individuals are able to mobilize all their physical, mental, and spiritual resources to improve their chances of survival, to live happy and fulfilling lives, and to be of benefit to their defendants and society.

Achieving health, and remaining healthy, is an active process. Natural health is based on prevention, and on keeping our bodies and minds in good shape. Health lies in balancing these aspects within the body through a regimen consisting of diet, exercise, and regulation of the emotions. The last of these is too often ignored when health advice is dispensed, but can have a pronounced effect on physical well-being.

Diet

Every day, or so it seems, new research shows that some aspect of lifestyle – physical activity, diet, alcohol consumption, and so on – affects health and longevity. Physical fitness is good bodily health, and is the result of regular exercise, proper diet and nutrition, and proper rest for physical recovery. The field of nutrition also studies foods and dietary supplements that improve performance, promote health, and cure or prevent disease, such as fibrous foods to reduce the risk of colon cancer, or supplements with vitamin C to strengthen teeth and gums and to improve the immune system. When exercising, it becomes even more important to have a good diet to ensure that the body has the correct ratio of macro nutrients whilst providing ample micro nutrients; this is to aid the body in the recovery process following strenuous exercise.

If you’re trying to lose weight by “dieting”, don’t call it a diet, first of all – successful dieters don’t call what they do a “diet”. A healthy diet and regular physical activity are both important for maintaining a healthy weight. Even literate, well-educated people sometimes have misguided views about what makes or keeps them healthy, often believing that regular daily exercise, regular bowel movements, or a specific dietary regime will alone suffice to preserve their good health. Despite the ever-changing, ever-conflicting opinions of the medical experts as to what is good for us, one aspect of what we eat and drink has remained constantly agreed by all: a balanced diet.

A balanced diet comprises a mixture of the main varieties of nutriments (protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins). Proper nutrition is just as, if not more, important to health as exercise. If you’re concerned about being overweight, you don’t need to add the extra stress of “dieting”. No “low-fat this” or “low-carb that”; just healthful eating of smaller portions, with weight loss being a satisfying side effect. Improve health by eating real food in moderation. (For many reasons, not everyone has easy access to or incentives to eat a balanced diet. Nevertheless, those who eat a well-balanced diet are healthier than those who do not.)

Exercise

Physical exercise is considered important for maintaining physical fitness and overall health (including healthy weight), building and maintaining healthy bones, muscles and joints, promoting physiological well-being, reducing surgical risks, and strengthening the immune system. Aerobic exercises, such as walking, running and swimming, focus on increasing cardiovascular endurance and muscle density. Anaerobic exercises, such as weight training or sprinting, increase muscle mass and strength. Proper rest and recovery are also as important to health as exercise, otherwise the body exists in a permanently injured state and will not improve or adapt adequately to the exercise. The above two factors can be compromised by psychological compulsions (eating disorders, such as exercise bulimia, anorexia, and other bulimias), misinformation, a lack of organization, or a lack of motivation.

Ask your doctor or physical therapist what exercises are best for you. Your doctor and/or physical therapist can recommend specific types of exercise, depending on your particular situation. You can use exercises to keep strong and limber, improve cardiovascular fitness, extend your joints’ range of motion, and reduce your weight. You should never be too busy to exercise. There’s always a way to squeeze in a little exercise, no matter where you are. Eliminate one or maybe even two items from your busy schedule to free up time to fit in some exercise and some “YOU” time. Finding an exercise partner is a common workout strategy.

Emotions

You may have heard about the benefits of diet and exercise ad nauseam, but may be unaware of the effect that your emotions can have on your physical well-being and, indeed, your longevity. Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life. Mental health is how we think, feel, and act in order to face life’s situations. Prolonged psychological stress may have a negative impact on health, such as weakening the immune system.

Children are particularly vulnerable. Caring for and protecting a child’s mental health is a major part of helping that child to grow into a normal adult, accepted into society. Mental health problems are not just a passing phase. Children are at greater risk for developing mental health problems when certain factors occur in their lives or environments. Mental health problems include depression, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia and conduct disorder. Do your best to provide a safe and loving home and community for your child, as well as nutritious meals, regular health check-ups, immunisations and exercise. Many children experience mental health problems that are real and painful, and they can be severe. Mental health problems affect at least one in every five young people at any given time. Tragically, an estimated two-thirds of all young people with mental health problems are not getting the help they need. Mental health problems can lead to school failure, alcohol or other drug abuse, family discord, violence, or even suicide. A variety of signs may point to a possible mental health problem in a child or teenager. Talk to your doctor, a school counselor, or other mental health professionals who are trained to assess whether your child has a mental health problem.

Control your emotions. If a driver overtakes you on the wrong side, or pulls out of a side road in front of you, don’t seethe with rage and honk your horn; You’re hurting no one but yourself by raising your blood pressure. Anger has been linked to heart disease, and research has suggested that hardening of the arteries occurs faster in people who score highly in hostility and anger tests. Stay calm in such situations, and feel proud of yourself for doing so. Take comfort in the knowledge that such aggressive drivers only increase their own blood pressure. Your passengers will be more impressed with your “cool” than with your irascibility.

If you are in a constant rush, feeling that every second of your life counts, just slow down a little. Yes, every second does count, but consider the concept of quality of life. Compare how you feel when you’re in a hurry with how you feel when you’re not. Which feels better? Rushing everywhere increases your stress level. The body tries to overcome stress by making certain physiological adjustments. Some time after you slow down, the physiological adjustments and the stress symptoms revert to normal. If you don’t ever slow down, the physiological adjustments and the stress symptoms persist. It is this persistence of the body’s response that matters. You may develop physical, physiological or psychological problems, and may not be able to lead a normal life. Many cases of stress are somehow connected with money, or rather the lack of it. Such people struggle to make ends meet or to acquire more material possessions. This brings us to our final discussion: attitude.

Attitude

It is always pleasant to enjoy the fruits of our labors, of course. Sometimes, however, it seems that whatever we do, it’s just not enough to be able to afford that new car or that foreign holiday. So, what do we usually do then? We work harder, longer; we increase the stress on our minds and bodies; we spend less time with our families and friends; we become more irascible and less likeable people. If you find yourself in this situation, just stop for a moment, and consider: Is it all worth it? What is the purpose of life? Surely it is to be happy. You’ll probably be happier if you adopt the philosophy that true quality of life is not to be found in material things. If you convince yourself that you want less, you’ll need less. If you need less, you’ll cope with life more easily, and the happier, and therefore healthier, you’ll be. Buddha called this “enlightenment”. Enjoy a “good-health attitude”. Focus on your abilities instead of disabilities. Be satisfied with what you have, rather than be dissatisfied about what you don’t have and probably never will have.

If you simply cannot cope with a healthy diet, exercise and emotional control, but genuinely prefer to eat junk food, be permanently drunk, be under constant stress, and be disliked by others, then enjoy your life while it lasts, but understand that the trade-off is that it will probably not last long. If you accept this willingly, you’ll be happy. There is some merit in the philosophy that it is better to live a short, happy life than a long, miserable one.

Conclusion

Personal or individual health is largely subjective. For most individuals and for many cultures, however, health is a philosophical and subjective concept, associated with contentment, and often taken for granted when all is going well. The evidence that behavioral factors such as diet, physical activity, smoking and stress influence health is overwhelming. Thus, health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of the individual and society. Perhaps the best thing you can do for your health is to keep a positive attitude. Optimal health can be defined as a balance of physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual health. Maintain a positive attitude!

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Sunday, July 24, 2011 – Exercise

If it weren’t for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn’t get any exercise at all.

~Joey Adams

5 Secrets for Optimal Health

By Teal Scott

Modern medicine has seen a lot of changes in recent years, but there’s still too much focus on dealing with specific physical ailments rather than preventing them. Learning to utilize the intensely symbiotic relationship that exists between the mind and the body can help you to maintain a healthy life. Here are five practical ways to achieve optimal health that your doctor won’t share with you:

1. Change Your Thoughts. The role of the placebo effect has largely gone unnoticed, misunderstood and even trivialized, which is unfortunate. The mind’s effect on the body (which we call the placebo effect) could be the single most important part of the healing process. Many people believe they do not have control over their own thoughts. This is not true. Changing thoughts, like anything else, simply involves practice. The things that tend to get our attention are things we do not like about our lives, or the negative thoughts, while the things that are positive about our lives go unnoticed. Change your thinking to one of optimism and gratitude. Consciously looking for things to enjoy, appreciate and be thankful for is enough to dramatically change the energy that you are projecting into your world, as well as into your body. Learn to recognize your negative thoughts and beliefs, and then replace them with thoughts that feel good to think. Soon, you will find you have let go of the thoughts that are standing in the way of your physical and mental health.

2. Stop Paying Attention to the News. We often get so familiar with our normal routine that we do not realize we are filling ourselves full of information that is not in line with good health. Many people get out of bed and immediately tune into the news. This ensures that you will start the day off on a negative foot. News, like any other business, must find a way to sell. Shock value sells. Negativity sells. It evokes a strong reaction from the reader or watcher that ensures it will get the attention needed to stay in business. The news paints an inaccurate view of our world. We often think that it is important to pay attention to “reality” and what is going on in the world, but the extreme and negative things that are going on, are not all that exists in our world. There are also (even more so than the amount of negative things) positive things going on every day. These are the things that don’t make for good headlines. When we hear or see something negative, but can’t do anything about it, it fills us with the feeling of powerlessness and fear. It helps form an inaccurate belief that the world we live in is one which we should be afraid of. We also form the belief that we can be a victim at any moment. This way of seeing the world is incredibly detrimental to all aspects of mental and physical health.

3. Eat for Health. You are what you eat. When you are in a positive mind set, you will find that you gravitate towards foods which are a match to your overall health. When you are in a negative mind set, you will gravitate towards foods which are not a match to your overall health. It remains true that physically taking steps towards health is no match for taking mental steps towards health. However, when you are nourishing your body with healthy things, it can definitely help you to achieve mental health as well. Realize that feeding your body in a healthy way is one way of showing love to yourself. Try to have fun expanding your palette. No matter what you’ve heard, healthy food does not have to taste bad, it can even taste better than unhealthy food. Deliberately look for restaurants with healthy options on their menus. Eat whole foods, fresh vegetables and fresh fruits. Eat less processed foods, and get help to slowly overcome your attachments to sugar, alcohol, caffeine and other “junk” foods. This should not be a stressful transition to make. The stress involved in dieting often only worsens the problem instead of solves it. So, set attainable goals and make the transition from unhealthy foods to healthy foods a gradual one. In no time, you will notice a difference in your energy level and your overall health.

4. Find an Exercise You Love to Do. It is no secret that regular exercise plays a large role in health. You are living life in this physical body, so… use it! You do not have to be athletic to exercise and it does not have to be a source of stress for you. In fact, exercise for the sake of exercise when you don’t enjoy it is detrimental to health. No one likes to force themselves to exercise. The way to get around the stress involved with exercise is to make exercise a part of something else you love to do. If you do not yet have a particular exercise you enjoy, you can start by searching for an activity that incorporates exercise which raises your heart rate for at least 30 minutes. You may try several activities before finding the one that really fits. Any type of exercise turns from a burden into a joy when you are focusing on what you love to do. For example, people who love being in water can exercise by swimming and because they love water so much, they will look forward to the exercise they are doing. The focus involved in a game of racket ball, for example, can make players forget the amount of exercise they are actually getting. Physical exercise can also be a great way to get out and socialize in the community. Exercising with other people makes the process of exercise not only easier but more enjoyable. A lot of people are looking for other people to exercise with. If you integrate exercise into your daily routine, it will lead to a longer, healthier and more fulfilling life.

5. Put out Into the World What You Want to Get Back. Simply put, you get back what you give out. We have a tendency to expect others to change the way that they are thinking and acting without realizing that the only person we can ever change is ourselves. The interesting dichotomy is that the minute you change the way you think and act, the world outside of you will also change. Begin to experiment with this by practicing random acts of kindness. Some good examples include: writing an affirming note with a message such as “you are worthy of all this life has to give” and putting it anonymously on someone’s car windshield or opening someone’s door for them. These simple activities empower you. They help you to see that you can make a positive change in the world. You will start to feel capable and proactive. The positive way you will feel as a result of doing this will reflect out into all aspects of your body and mind. You will begin to notice very quickly that you are being treated the same way you are treating others and there is nothing quite like a supportive environment to help you achieve your optimum health.

Taking steps towards your mental and physical health, along with making your health a priority, enables you to live the fulfilling and joyful life which you deserve to live. Your life is an open canvass. Enjoy it and make a masterpiece of it. Let your physical and mental health pave the way.

Teal Scott, The Spiritual Catalyst is a contemporary spiritual guide who writes and teaches publicly about spirituality, the meaning of life, and the road to health and happiness.

See more at http://www.thespiritualcatalyst.com.

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