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• lose weight
• reach your goals
• quick fitness fixes
• path to health and wellness
• healthy benefits for your body

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Tired of feeling like the path to health and wellness is a long, drawn out path? Then start small! Use these quick five minute fixes to boost your health and to reach your goals one step at a time!

Wear a pedometer to determine the distance you walk each day. Shoot for 10,000 steps per day. If you aren't reaching that goal, add an extra mile to your routine or take the steps instead of the escalator whenever possible.

Add jumping to your exercise routine : also known as plyometric moves : to build muscle and improve your bone density. Try jump squats or scissor lunges in your next routine.

Spend the extra money to purchase good work out necessities : clothing, shoes, bras, supports, etc. Purchasing the better brands versus going the cheaper route will ensure that you use them and that they are the best for your workout.

Edgeboston.com says to break up your workouts into 10 minute spurts. Daily recommendation is at least 30 minutes a day of moderately intense exercise, but it doesn't have to all be done at once. Any sort of physical activity counts as exercise, and little bits of it throughout the day really add up.

Don't be a creature of habit. Switch up your routines, walking routes, gym machines and even what days you do specific workouts. Change is good when it comes to exercise and fitness.

Consider the other ways that you can lose weight without really trying : clean the house and burn 200 calories or work in the garden and burn 272 calories.

Even if you have to travel or spend all day in a car or on a plane, still try to fit in physical activity. Take advantage of bathroom breaks by stretching and doing some light exercise. Walk briskly through the airport in between flights if traveling by plane.

Use downtime- Readersdigest.com suggests that anytime you're cooling your heels during the day-waiting to meet a companion at the mall or staring at the download bar- look for opportunities to take a short walk, do toe raises or perform some other physical movement.

Yoga has many healthy benefits for your body and your mind. Even if you are a novice, take a class and try something different.

Work out with your significant other or a friend or family member. This allows you to be a spotting partner for one another or just spend some quality time together working out.

• cope with stress
• stress management
• high blood pressure
• stress fighting foods
• overall wellness
• managing stress
• stress on our lives
• diet for stress

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

STRESS. We all deal with it at some point in our lives. But having too much stress in your life can be very harmful to your health and can make you more vulnerable to everything from colds to high blood pressure and even heart disease.

Stress management is a valuable tool to learn when it comes to your overall wellness. While there are many ways to cope with stress, eating stress-fighting foods is one good way to start. From boosting serotonin levels to lowering stress hormones, there are a number of foods that actually counteract the impact of stress on our lives. According to MSNBC, there are three nutrients that have the ability to soothe your nerves including Folic acid, a B vitamin that enhances mood; Vitamin B-12, which boosts your energy; antioxidants such as Vitamins C, E, and the mineral selenium, which help to repair damage to cells caused by stress.

The following foods should be part of your diet for stress management:

Complex Carbohydrates: All carbohydrates give a signal to the brain to produce that “feel good” chemical, serotonin. To keep a steady flow of serotonin, dieticians suggest complex carbs like whole grain cereals, breads and pastas and oatmeal.

Oranges: Because they are a wealth of vitamin C, studies show that oranges are great stress-busting foods, as well as a great immune system strengthener. Experts suggest taking 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C before a stressful event.

Spinach: It's the magnesium in spinach that helps to regulate cortisol levels that particularly get depleted when we are in stressful situations. Not enough magnesium can trigger headaches, adding to stressful situations. One cup of spinach is the recommended amount, as the magnesium goes a long way. Can't do spinach? Try cooked soy beans or salmon instead, for the same effects.

Fatty Fish: Omega-3 fatty acids are important to prevent surges in stress hormones, as well as protect against heart disease. Try fatty fish like salmon or tuna for your Omega-3's.

Black Tea: Good for lowering levels of cortisol following stressful events, many experts swear by the healing powers of black tea. Black tea helps you to recover quickly following stresses and helps you to remain calm.

Pistachios: Chosen for their ability to soften the pre- and post-effects of stress, experts suggest eating a handful of pistachios every day to help lower blood pressure so it won't spike when faced with stressful situations.

Avocados: Another great high blood pressure reducing food is avocados, due to their potassium content. Half of an avocado has more potassium than a medium-sized banana. Additionally, avocados, in guacamole form, are a great and nutritious treat when stress has you craving snack foods.

Almonds: Chock full of vitamins, like vitamin E and a range of B vitamins, almonds are a great treat to eat that help with resiliency when dealing with stress.

Raw Vegetables: In a purely mechanical way, crunching on raw vegetables can help to alleviate stress. By releasing your clenched jaw and possibly warding off headaches, chomping your carrots, celery and other veggies is beneficial on many levels.

• good night's sleep
• bedtime snacks
• relaxation chemicals
• calming your nerves
• slowing your brain
• good night

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

A good night's rest is good for your overall well-being and is also helpful in keeping a youthful appearance and will make you feel younger too. So which foods should you snack on if you're finding it hard to get to sleep and counting sheep just isn't working?

According MSNBC.com, among the best natural sedatives is tryptophan. One of the ingredients necessary for the body to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter best known for creating feelings of calm, and for making you sleepy.

Experts suggest the following snacks to induce “feel-good relaxation chemicals” thereby calming your nerves and slowing your brain towards relaxation:

Non fat popcorn Oatmeal with sliced bananas One cup of plain yogurt with mixed nuts or granola Sesame seeds Pretzels Low fat vanilla pudding Grapes Healthy cereal with skim milk Low-fat granola bar

It's also suggested that bedtime snacks not exceed more than 200 calories

So next time you're tossing and turning opt for any of the snacks above to achieve a peaceful night's sleep that you need and deserve. Good night!

• sunburn
• mosquito bites
• summer bummers
• tips and tricks
• mother nature
• heat rash
• bee stings
• poison ivy
• poison oak
• flip flops
• insect or snake bites
• fireworks burns

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Now that summer is upon us again, it's time to get out and enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer. But unfortunately, there are plenty of “summer bummers” : those things that we find in nature that try to ruin our good time. Keep these in mind the next time you are outdoors and your summer can be bummer-free!

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Sumac: Coming in contact with the sap from a poison ivy, oak or sumac plant can cause a pretty nasty rash. Symptoms start as redness and swelling at the infected site, and then progresses to a strong itching feeling. Over-the-counter medicines will help alleviate the pain and all symptoms should be gone in a week or two.

Heat Rash: Also referred to as prickly heat, is a red or pink rash usually found on body areas covered by clothing. According to health.msn.com, heat rash can develop when the sweat ducts become blocked and swell and often leads to discomfort and itching. Children are most commonly affected by heat rash resulting in small pinkish pimples on the skin. Most of the rashes heal on their own, but to alleviate the symptoms take a cool bath, air dry and avoid using lotions on the affected area.

Mosquito Bites: Mosquitoes may be one of the most annoying bugs around. The blood-suckers bite and can leave some major itching in its aftermath. To protect yourself against these annoying little bugs, wear bug spray when you are outdoors for an extended period of time, use screens in your windows and doors, and don't let water sit stagnant in your yard, as this becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.

Flip Flops: Despite being fashionable, flip-flops do very little for you in the way of summertime protection. Flip-flops can lead to stubbed toes, cuts, abrasions, having a large object dropped on your foot, and insect or snake bites. If you plan on being outdoors a lot this summer, you should maybe opt for a closed toe shoe instead of your flip-flops. (Not to mention there is NO arch support in your fashionable flip-flops!)

Bee Stings: While most reactions to bee stings are mild, there are a number of people who are severely allergic to bee stings. For those who develop a swollen tongue, feel like their throat is tightening up or are having breathing problems, they need to get to the ER immediately. Mild reactions include swelling, redness, and itchiness, while severe reactions can result in death. According to MSNBC.com, if you don't have a severe reaction, apply ice or cold running water directly to the sting. Remove the stinger if it's still in the skin by brushing the skin with a credit card or using tweezers. To take the pain away, apply hydrocortisone cream or a paste made of baking soda and water.

Fireworks Burns: Burns due to handling fireworks is one of the number one reasons why people end up in the emergency room during the summertime. Most injuries involve the hands, arms, eyes and ears, with most of these injuries being burns. Minor burns can be treated at home by running cool water over the burn and then put a cool, dry cloth on them. More severe burns will need to be treated by a doctor.

Sunburn: Prolonged exposure to the sun and its harmful UV rays can cause pain and redness on the skin commonly known as sunburn. Sunburn can happen within hours of sun exposure and can last for weeks depending on the grade of the burn. Over-the-counter pain relievers, cold compresses, aloe or moisturizing creams can all alleviate the pain and stinging associated with sunburn. Burns that are expressed through blisters need to be treated by a medical professional.

• eat your leafy greens
• health benefits of spinach
• provide nutrients
• eye disease
• vision loss
• array of nutrients
• great source of iron
• healthy favor

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Ever since we saw Popeye take out that can of spinach to make himself super strong, we have known about the nutritional benefits of spinach. But there are plenty of other benefits of spinach that maybe even Popeye was not aware of.

Leafy, green vegetables, like spinach, provide more nutrients than any other food. Researchers have found at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that have been known to act as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents.

According to MSNBC, spinach protects against eye disease and vision loss and is also good for brain function. It guards against colon, prostate, and breast cancers as well as heart disease, stroke, and dementia. It lowers blood pressure; is an anti-inflammatory; and is great for bone health.

Spinach has an amazing array of nutrients, including high amounts of vitamin K, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and iron. In addition, a carotenoid found in spinach not only kills prostate cancer cells, it also prevents them from multiplying. Folate promotes vascular health and has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers and to help stop uncontrolled cell growth, one of the primary characteristics of all cancers.

The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach protect against colon cancer in addition to fighting inflammation, making them key components of brain health, particularly in older adults. Spinach is loaded with vitamin K and is also rich in lutein, which protects against age-related macular degeneration, and it may help prevent heart attacks by keeping artery walls clear of cholesterol buildup.

With this laundry list of health benefits, it's no wonder why fresh spinach should be a daily staple in your diet. It's easy to find year-round so do yourself a healthy favor and aim for a few ounces, raw or steamed, every day. Cooked spinach is a great source of iron, and is totally fat free.

So maybe Popeye was really onto something,