FEATURED ARTICLES
- Details
- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Are you 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.
Don't spread germs. Always wipe down gym equipment before and after using them to protect yourself and others from germs and bacteria that can be passed from unclean gym equipment.
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.
Build better bones and as much bone density as you can by doing weight-bearing activities like running or jumping as much as you can in your twenties and thirties.
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.
- Details
- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Summer is the season when that tasty fruit, the watermelon, once again makes an appearance around the dinner table and the picnic area. Besides being made up of nearly 90% water, watermelons are also a great source of significant vitamins and minerals.
So, what is watermelon made of? It is chock full of a considerable amount of vitamins A and C. It contains thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate and niacin in small amounts. It is a great source of potassium, and also contains magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and iron in trace amounts. It is also very low in calories, free of fats and cholesterol and is rich in carotenoids.
Because of these nutritional facts and their amazing taste, we should enjoy watermelons while they last!
- Details
- 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.
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
While these are but a few suggestions, they will all help to get you back on track towards a less stressful life.
- Details
- Written by Lisa Jillanza
According to an About.com report, SPF is actually determined indoors by exposing human subjects to a light spectrum to determine how the light affects their skin.
The study said that sunscreen with an SPF of 15 filters 92 percent of UVB rays. In other words, a sunscreen with a SPF of 15, will “delay the onset of sunburn in a person who would otherwise burn in 10 minutes to burn in 150 minutes. The SPF allows a person to stay out in the sun 15 times longer.”
Unfortunately there is currently no measure of UVA absorption that has been determined. Most sunscreens offer protection from UVA and UVB rays, although the time factor that a person can stay out in the sun and not be affected by UVA rays cannot be determined like that of UVB rays.
Either way, it is extremely important to wear sunscreen of at least a SPF of 15 when you are outdoors and reapply every two- to three hours.
- Details
- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Summer is a great season to partake in the numerous delicious seasonal fruits. Not only do these summertime fruits taste great, but they also give you many nutritional benefits.
Some fruits to enjoy before the season ends include:
Berries: the phytochemicals in blueberries, strawberries and blackberries all boost immunity, and protect against heart diseases and circulatory problems.
Peaches and Plums: full of vitamin C and beta carotene, peaches and plums help to eliminate free radicals from the body.
Pineapples: being packed with the most vitamins and minerals, pineapples are also a great digestive aid.
Papayas and Mangoes: both are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, beta carotene and fiber.