Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts

What Exercise Actually Does to Your Body

You know a sweat session has major health and stress-relief benefits.  But what is happening head to toe? Here’s exactly what a workout does for you.

1. You burn calories.
When your body breaks down energy-dense foods, like carbs and fats, it turns them into the molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate).  Then, when the body converts ATP into ADP (adenosine diphosphate), it gives off energy and allows muscles to contract and move. It’s what we mean when we say we’re “burning calories,” says Joseph E. Herrera, DO, chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine for the Mount Sinai Health System.

2. You heat up. 
As your body burns calories, its temperature rises, and you sweat. “Sweat wicks away heat, which allows your body to keep working out without overheating,” says Herrera.

3. Your heart beats faster.
Exercising raises your heart rate in order to quickly push blood and oxygen to the muscles. If you train for endurance events often, your resting heart rate may get lower, says Herrera, as your heart becomes more efficient at supplying blood to your organs and muscles.

4. Digestion can turn wonky.
Ever felt like you suddenly had to go to the bathroom after starting a run? Blood flow is directed away from your core and intestines to your large working muscles, which can lead to diarrhea. Tip: Avoid food an hour before exercise.

5. Happy hormones flow. 
At the start of a tough workout, you get a spike in adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol.  Your body senses you’re in “flight” mode (i.e., trying to escape a threat). Next, endorphins help cut muscle pain and improve mood. Other compounds, called endocannabinoids, may also be partly responsible for that “runner’s high,” according to animal research.

6. Your brain gets a boost. 
Aerobic activity improves our thinking skills and memory, possibly because there’s increased blood flow to the brain during exercise. Getting active may also promote brain growth.

7. Muscles get stressed (in a good way). 
Each time a muscle is challenged, micro tears occur, says Herrera, but they aren’t harmful; they contribute to muscle growth over time.

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5 Yoga Poses To Help You Show Off a Firm and Flat Belly!

Belly fat is certainly something what most people strive to remove constantly, but sometimes not even having a balanced diet and frequent exercising is possible to achieve a flat belly.  Fortunately, today there is an excellent alternative to eliminate fat in the abdomen effectively in a natural way, so that you will get surprising results in a few months.

 In this article, we’re going to show you 5 positions that will you help you eliminate the fat accumulated in the abdomen, and this will be possible with some simple exercises that will strengthen your abdomen in no time!

What you need to do to achieve a flat abdomen (Plank)
With this posture, you’ll work on your thighs, buttocks, shoulders, back and the area of the belly. Put yourself in a position like for push-ups from the chest and place your hands aligned vertically with the shoulders. Then, inhale deeply while you look towards down and make sure you always keep the back straight.
Finally, remain in that position tightening the abdominal muscles and keep yourself in this position for 30 seconds. You must repeat this process 5 times and rest only 15 seconds between each repetition.

Position of the arc
This position strengthens the abdomen and helps your digestion to work properly. Place you mouth down on the ground, stretch your legs and your arms should be glued to your body. Raises your feet towards your back and subject your ankles with the arms stretched. Keep this position for 30 seconds. Then, return to the initial position resting for 15 seconds. Repeat this 5 times. Health.

Position of the cobra
It helps you strengthen the abdomen and the back. Place you mouth down, stretch the legs and stretch the arms so that you lift up the superior part of your body while your head is pointing to your back as much as you can. Breathe deeply while holding that position for 15 seconds. Health. Repeat this process and res for 15 seconds on each repetition.

The boat
You will be able to exercise the muscles of your abdomen, back, arms and legs. Lie down with your legs and arms alongside the body. Take a deep breath while at the same time you raise your back and your legs. Keep your eyes toward the front and remain in that position for 30 seconds. You must repeat this 5 times resting for 15 second during each repetition.

The position of the chair
You strengthen the back, abdomen, buttocks and legs.  Place you of foot in a “Namaste” position and flex the knees as if you had to sit on a chair. Health. Then, raise your arms above stretching them the most possible. Keep the back straight and help yourself with the weight of your torso to balance yourself as you’re flexing the knees. Remain in that position for 30 seconds and repeat this process 5 times resting for 15 seconds during each repetition.

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The Biggest Truths And Myths About Protein And Exercise!

If you want to lose weight, it is logical that your diet will be based on protein and reduce the intake of carbohydrates and fats, but also it cannot be forever like this.

- I already eat enough protein and do not need any more
If you are a woman, you have about 60 kilograms, run three times a week for 20 minutes a day and eat at least 20 ounces of chicken, egg and yogurt (about 60 grams of protein), the answer is yes, you are eating enough protein. The balance of the diet is crucial for the functioning of the metabolism and the Mayo Clinic advocates daily intake in the ratio of 20 percent protein, 50 percent carbohydrates and 30 percent fat. Health.

- Proteins of animal origin are better than vegetable protein
Proteins are composed of 20 amino acids, 11 of which contains the human body, and the remaining nine are required to enter in nutrition. Proteins of animal origin are more complete because they contain all nine amino acids, while those of vegetable origin is not represented all nine. Health.  However, and vegetarian diet can provide a person of good protein, but it is essential to combine foods. In order to get a meal high protein food is necessary to combine grains (bread, pasta, etc.) with legumes (soy, lentils, peanuts, etc.).

- Proteins help me lose weight, but not in the long term
There are many diets that recommend only protein foods, but this, experts say, is not healthy nor effective. If you eat a lot of calories, even if they are only proteins, you will still gain weight. If you diet contains only proteins, without an adequate part of essential fats, and no fiber and no carbohydrate foods and that is the base of part of such a strategy diet, it will be doomed to fail and to be metabolic failure.

- If I do not exercise a lot, I do not need proteins
Wrong. Proteins are not exclusively reserved for muscle growth. The protein has basic function is the metabolic processes in the billions of cells of the human body. Health. For example, enzymes are structurally – protein. Without enzymes, there is no implementation of metabolic reactions. Insulin, one of key, according to the structure of the hormone – is a protein. Without protein there are no antibodies in the human immune system and they are responsible for the dynamics of bone tissue in the musculoskeletal system of the human body.

- Proteins should be eaten after training
Increased physical activity, whether it is running or any other sport, there is a growing need for protein intake. Protein feed muscles, helping them with recovery after activity and protein meal should be first in line after the training. Those who exercise are advised to eat a fillet of tuna, chicken, granular cheese, yogurt or eggs. But the human body has a mechanism and for the proper operation are necessary all the macronutrients.

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13 Ways How To Stay Slim Without Diet Or Exercise

Everyone knows the “secret” to losing weight – hard workouts plus a healthy diet offer the best results if you’re trying to shed some pounds. However, today we’re going to show you some simple natural remedies which will help you lose weight naturally and with no side-effects.

Deep breathing

It may sound like nonsense, but learning how to unwind and deep breathing for a few minutes every day while clearing your head will help you achieve your weight loss goals. Many people just don’t know how to relax, and stress has been related to weight gain and other serious health problems. So, try to relax after a hard day at work and work on your deep breathing in order to manage your weight.

Green tea

Green tea is one of the simplest weight loss remedies – it has no calories and contain numerous essential nutrients that can boost your health and reduce your weight in no time. Experts suggest drinking at least 2 cups of green tea every day for best results.

Maintaining the time gaps between your meals

Consuming smaller meals and maintaining the time gaps between them will surely help you lose weight. Ideally, you should go for 3-5 hours between meals, and try eating light snacks or salads in between to keep yourself full.

Listen to your stomach

If you want to lose weight, you need to learn to listen to your stomach. Sometimes, you just need to stop eating and know when you’re full – overeating won’t keep you full for a longer period and will only create additional problems.

Smaller plates

According to research, eating from smaller plates can help you slim down naturally. Instead of a big plate, take your child’s plate and eat smaller meals throughout the day. Hey, it doesn’t hurt to try, doesn’t it?

Whole grains

Whole grains are rich in fiber which will keep you full until your next meal, which makes them the ideal choice for breakfast.

The 12-minute jinx

Several scientific studies claim that the appetite center in the brain is suppressed after 12-14 minutes. If you’re often feeling hungry after a meal, try eating slower to see if it helps.

Write it down

Write down your weight changes in a notebook in order to control your weight gain and learn how to stay in shape.

Do your household chores

Cleaning the kitchen, bathroom and floors and doing your clothes can help you lose a significant amount of weight. Do anything you can instead of staying in front of the TV changing channels, as physical inactivity is the enemy of weight loss.

Homecooked meals

If you want to lose weight, you must ditch all processed food and start cooking your own meals at home. They can be just as delicious as the food you eat in restaurants, so you don’t have to worry about plain taste. Get a recipe book and start cooking!

Smaller portions

If you keep your portions smaller than usual, you will be able to lose more weight. However, this doesn’t mean that you should completely deprive your body of food – just make sure to eat just enough to satisfy your palate. For starters, cut your meals in half and see if there are any changes.

Love your body more than food

You need to learn how to love yourself more than food in order to stay in shape. Just look in the mirror and see if you like yourself the way you are – if you don’t, you need to take action.

Caffeine addicts can still get a boost in exercise performance from the stimulant

Those addicted to caffeine perform at similar elevated levels as those who consume less, a study shows.

CAFFEINE HAS LONG been known as a great way to increase performance on a whole bunch of tasks—ranging from mental to physical—but recent studies found that for habitual caffeine consumers the boost in functioning wasn’t as pronounced. A new study, however, has shown that caffeine addicts can still get the same increase as those who don’t consume as much of the stimulant every day.

The research, which was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, took 40 experienced cyclists and divided them into three groups based on daily caffeine consumption—one which only had about 60mg a day, another with 143mg, and the highest with an average of 351mg a day, which is equivalent to about three cups of regular coffee. After ingesting either 600mg of caffeine, a placebo, or a control, they then cycled as hard as possible for three time trials until they burned 450 calories. The results showed that, across the board, those who got the caffeine dose, regardless of their average daily amount, cycled about 3% faster during the trials.

The study showed that if you want to improve performance in your regular exercise routine—even if you consume a lot of daily caffeine—make sure you get more than your normal intake, about double according to this study (or drop your daily amount down). Other past studies that showed no gain in performance from habitual and heavy drinkers didn’t raise the amount of caffeine high enough to show an effect.

Most experts agree that the optimal dose of caffeine to help boost performance is about 300 to 900mg a day, with no extra effect happening beyond the higher level. But it is usually up to the individual as to what amount makes them feel and perform the best, so experiment with different amounts until you find what works well for you.

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This Simple Exercise Removes Back and Belly Fat in No Time!

What if there was a way to fully transform your body in a very short time?

This article does not offer you some kind of miraculous potion or wraps, but a simple and effective exercise that will make your dreams come true!

Remember- we are not saying it’s going to be easy- we are saying that it’s definitely going to take only 4 minutes of your time a day!

In only 28 days, you will reduce body fat, and dramatically boost your strength and endurance. The difference after this period will be huge!

We are presenting the Plank Challenge, which involves planking for 20-45 seconds daily during the first week, all the way up to 3-4 minutes by the end of the challenge.

The effects of this exercise are due to the fact that it is a full body workout, and the engaged muscles are located in various body parts. However, make sure you do it correctly!

This is the plan:

Hold the plank for 20 seconds during the first two days, and increase up to 30 seconds on the 3rd and 4th days. Then, aim for 40 seconds on the 5th day.

Rest on the 6th day, and then continue planking for 5 seconds on the 7th and 8th day.

Hold the position for a minute in the next two days.

On day 12, you should plank for full 90 seconds, and the next day, make a break.

Continue planking for a minute and a half on the 14th and 15th day. In the next two days, you should try to hold the plank position for 2 minutes.

Plank for 150seconds on the 18th day, and then make a day break. Resume with 150 seconds planking in the next couple of days, and hold for 180 seconds on the 22nd and 23rd day. The next day, plank for 210 seconds, again make a break for a day and hold the plank for 210 seconds on the 26th day as well.

Hold the plank for 240 seconds on day 27, and on day 28, try to endure it as long as you can!

As soon as you finish the challenge, the effects will be visible and you will be amazed! Yet, do not stop here, and enjoy the miraculous results of this short exercise!

source: http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/

How To Have The Perfect Abs With Only One Exercise

Each of us who has tried any exercise programs, asks: Is there an exercise that certainly, with no failure will shape perfect abs?

Fortunately, there is a positive answer to this question.

Marie Vinzor, leader of Pilates movement and founder of the Pilates studio Vinzor explains that there is only one exercise that will surely burn fat from the abdominal area.

“The intermittent-ab exerciseis great because it activates all the abs” -- said Vinzor.

How to do the exercise?

Take care of a few basic rules before you lie down on the floor. Prepare to twist the body as much as possible.


  • Lie on the floor, relax your spine, and stay longer in that position.
  • Place your arms on your head, keeping them behind one another or with your fingers crossed. Let them be completely straight and open.
  • Lift your legs at an angle of 90 degrees.
  • Lift your right leg toward your chest, at the same time straightening up the left one.Simultaneously, turn upper body towards your right side.Your right leg and leftarm should touch.
  • Now change sides. Your left leg should touch your right arm.
  • Repeat the exercise 5 times on each side.

How to Improve Your Posture – The Best Exercise for Proper Body Posture

Do you remember the comments regarding the correct posture that annoyed you during your childhood?

No matter how boring were the demands of your parents we, they were absolutely right.

Curvature of the spine – everyone knows that it is not pretty. No one is adorned by slumped shoulders and a bent back.

Then, why are we still so lazy to hold our back properly? This is because the front part of the human body is more developed than the back.

Back muscles should be continuously strengthened, as this will reduce the burden on your spine and you will always walk upright.

This simple exercise can be of great help to strengthen the back muscles :

Lie on your stomach, with your face down. Slowly lift your upper body as high as you can. The arms can be fixed on the hips.Hold in this position, which activates the greatest number of muscles, you can feel the tension.

Do 10 repetitions. 

This will be enough for the first time. If you are doing this exercise every day, constantly increasing the number of repetitions, your back will be corrected very quickly.

You will quickly forget about the pain in your back and neck. You will have the proper posture and you will feel much better and healthier.

The curved and bent spine affects the operation of all internal organs. Improper holding of the  back pressures the thorax,  and the lungs, liver, heart suffer.

When you hold your back correctly, you will be healthier, more beautiful and confident.

Additional motivation for women: When you hold your back and shoulders straight, the breasts look bigger.

source: http://www.goodmorningcenter.com

This One Simple Exercise Strengthens Every Muscles and Helps You To Lose Weight Fast!

“Plank” is one of the most popular and most effective exercises throughout the world. It forces you to work, not only the stomach, but also the muscles of the entire body.

If you devote 5 minutes a day, you will be surprised with the results.

The essence of the exercise is that you should “float” above the floor at least once a day for several minutes, relying only on the hands and feet.

Undoubtedly, you have to be placed in this a position just 2 minutes – which is not an easy task.

At this point a large number of muscles activate. But, as a result of this exercise, you will have a strong back, tight buttocks without cellulite, sculpted legs, flat stomach and nice hands.

How to do the “Plank” exercise:

“Plank” is a static exercise. Without any movement, so it is important to keep the body properly.

Lie on the floor with your stomach downwards. Bend your elbows90 degrees and place yourself in a recumbent position on your elbows.

Your body should form a straight line from the head to the heels. Rely only on the tops of the forearms and toes. The elbows should be directly under your shoulders.

Keep your body as straight as possible, tighten the abdominal muscles and do not relax. Try not to lower the hips toward the floor.

Feet.Gather them. It will be harder to keep a balance and that will increase the pressure on the abdominal muscles.

Legs. They should be straight and tight, otherwise, the pressure in the right abdominal muscle, which supports the lumbar part of the spine, will also be reduced.

Buttocks. Stretch and do not relax until the end of the exercise because this increases the activation of all muscles of the lower torso.

Lower back.The most important moment. In properly performed exercises, the lower back should be flat. This means that it must not be curved or weakened. Imagine that your back is firmly clung to the wall.

Stomach. Tuck it in and try to underline the ribs in this position. During the exercise, hold your stomach in such a position, but do not hold your breath.

Elbows. To avoid unnecessary burden on your shoulders, put your elbows directly below the shoulder joints.

Hold in this position as long as you can. For beginners 10 seconds are enough. As a rule, people with different physical readiness retain this pose for 10 seconds to 2 minutes.

After that take a break for 2 minutes and repeat the exercise. 5 repetitions will be enough. If you are a beginner, do not try to break the record, start slowly.

It is very important to do this exercise every day, preferably at the same time.

The benefits of the “Plank”exercise

A tight buttocks. The exercise is focused on the gluteal muscles and hamstrings legs. So you do not only get the desired shape of the buttocks, but you free yourself from the cellulite.

Strong back. During the exercises the lower back muscles are active, also the shoulders and the neck part. Therefore, this exercise can serve as prevention of osteochondrosis in the neck and the lumbar part of the spine.

Besides that, it frees the pain in the shoulders and the pain between the shoulder blades, which occurs as a result of carrying heavy bags or sitting on a desk for a longer period.

Tight attractive legs. The main burden of this exercise falls on the feet. This exercise includes all of the leg muscles – from the hip to the heel.

There is no room for concern if you feel a burning sensation in your muscles -- it’s a sign that the muscles are working.

Tight hands. It is quite obvious that in this exercise you are intensively training the hands together with the feet. So they maintain half of the body weight.

Flat stomach. When the whole body is tense, it automatically activates the abdominal muscles, both thelower and the lateral.

source: http://www.goodmorningcenter.com

Here Is How To PREVENT SAGGING BREASTS On A Natural Way!

Perfectly shaped breasts are dream for every woman, but in the most cases this situation is not possible. The breasts lose their elasticity and suppleness through the years. Sagging breasts undermine how a person feels about herself and feels less attractive.  The article that we will present you today will offer you a lot of help about what causes breast sagging.

Breasts are made of milk-producing glands, connective tissues and fat, so if you want to keep them in a good shape, you have to give them proper care. Many studies have shown that skin begin to show signs of aging and become loose when women reach their late thirties, especially when the woman has gone through the pregnancy.

Apart from pregnancy and age, poorly fitting bra, over tanning, smoking, nutritional deficiencies, strenuous exercises, rapid weight loss or gain and menopause can also cause sagging breasts.

Diseases such as tuberculosis and breast cancer, carbonated beverages, alcohol, excessive consumption of nicotine are also contributing to this problem.

Now we will present you several natural methods and remedies that will tone up and tighten sagging breasts.

How To Firm The Breasts

There are numerous remedies for firmness of dropping pair such as essential oils, plant oils, masks, massaging and regular exercises.

Maintain an Optimal Weight

If you lose and gain weight continuously (struggle with weight), it will definitely take a toll on your breasts. The skin over the breasts loses its elasticity when stretched. When you are on a weight loss regimen, you burn fat from the breasts really fast compared with other parts of your body. Continuous relaxing and stretching of the skin make them sag and droop over time.

Consume Plenty Of Water

Cells are predominantly made of water, so that is the main reason that we should consume right amounts of water every day. The skin over your pairs will look dull and shrunken if you don’t consume enough water. When your skin doesn’t receive the right amount of water, it will look wrinkled, dry and flaky. This situation will lead to premature aging of the skin.

Nutrition and Exercises

The combination between eating and healthy food is the key to lose weight while keeping your skin firm. Your breast can also lose their fullness if you a lot of weight in a short period of time.

Essential nutrients are needed for breast support and growth. Protein deficiency will lead to losing the firmness and strength of your pairs. You have to consume rich in vitamins, proteins, essential fats, carbohydrates, minerals and calcium. Garlic, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, onions and tomatoes are some of the food that should be consumed.

Aloe Vera

If you want to get rid of sagging pairs, you have to use this powerful plant that has skin tightening properties. Put some aloe vera gel on your pairs and massage them gently for 10 minutes. Let the gel stay on them for another 10 minutes and then wash with cold water. To get effective results, do this procedure 4-5 times a week.

Pomegranate

This powerful fruit is anti aging agent that prevents sagging breasts. Phyto-nutrients presented in the pomegranate seed oil lead to firm breasts.

Firm the Breasts With These Home Remedies


Breast Masks

The breast masks will firm the skin around your pairs so try to use them once a week.

Vitamin E Oil and Egg Breast Mask


  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp Vitamin E Oil
  • 1 tbsp Plain Yogurt

Instructions:


  • Mix all the ingredients that we listed above and apply the mixture over the breasts
  • Rub it in nicely
  • Let it stay for 30 minutes
  • Wash it off with water

Breast Exercises

By strengthening surrounding ligaments, chest exercises can significantly improve the appearance of the pectoral area. Push-ups is one of the most popular exercise that will reduce the excess fat and shape your breasts. You should also practice the exercises showed on the following picture.




Massage

Massage with olive or coconut oil will increase the elasticity, improve the skin texture and tone and add firmness to your breasts.

Ice massages

By rubbing a few ice cubes around the breast region, you will firm your skin and breast muscles. (for more fun, you can practice this procedure with your partner – enjoy).

Plant oils

Grape seed oil, olive or vegetable oil have also beneficial effects for toning the breast tissues and skin. All of them will nourish the breast skin and firm them. The mixture between vegetables oils and two drops of any essential oil will give you excellent results.

Try to Avoid These Sagging Triggers

There are certain potential triggers that you have to avoid if you want to prevent saggy breasts.

Poorly Fitting Bras (Wrong Sized)

Your breasts can also sag if you wear a wrong sized bra.

Over Tanning & Smoking

According to the study in 2008, breast dropping can be caused by smoking. Any poor lifestyle habit – high fat diet, eating nutrient poor or too many UV rays can also lead to this unpleasant situation.

source: http://losingweightdone.com/

Getting rid of eye floaters: Home remedies and exercise

Eye floaters are spots moving through your field of vision. They may appear black or grey, stringy or cobweb-like, they may move, drift, or dart when you move your eyes. Many eye floaters are brought on by age-related changes in the eyes – for example, when the jellylike substance of the eye becomes liquefied. If eye floaters appear and increase quickly or suddenly, you should see an eye specialist right away.


There are many different reasons for eye floaters. Some are harmless and others require immediate medical attention. The following natural remedies may help you get rid of eye floaters.

Home remedies for eye floaters


Here’s what you can do to chase those irritating spots away.

Relax: Sometimes, when your eyes are tired or strained, it can contribute to eye floaters, so getting some good rest is imperative.

Give yourself a massage: Massage your temples gently while your eyes are closed and covered with a warm cloth. You can also rub your hands together to generate heat and place them over your eyelids.

Do some eye exercises: Roll your eyes in circular motions clockwise, then counter-clockwise. Repeat a few times a day. Another exercise is to hold an object (for example, a pen) in front of you as far away as possible. Focus on the object and slowly bring it closer to your face – about six inches away. Repeat moving it further and closer a few times.

Limit TV and screen time: Prolonged screen time can harm your eyes.

Drink plenty of water: Water can help detox the body, as eye floaters may be indicative of a toxin accumulation.

Eat antioxidant-rich foods: Foods high in antioxidants can help fight off free radical damage (which can lead to eye floaters). Antioxidant-rich foods include blueberries, kale, pomegranate, oranges, and strawberries.

Eat taurine-rich foods: Eating foods high in taurine can help support healthy vision. Examples include meat and seafood.

Do yoga: Yoga can reduce stress, and many of the movements require your eyes to be closed which can help them rest.

Use sunglasses: Wearing sunglasses can protect your eyes from UV rays that are harmful for your eyes.

Sleep well: Getting proper sleep will ensure that your eyes are not strained or tired.

Other treatments for eye floaters


In cases where medical treatment is required to treat eye floaters, some options are:


  • Using a laser to disrupt the floaters, breaking them up, and making them less noticeable
  • Removing the vitreous humor surgically
For the most part, you will have to continue monitoring your eye floaters to ensure they are not worsening and impacting your vision. Follow-up appointments are necessary to ensure no other complications have developed.

You should see a doctor immediately if you get more eye floaters, there is a sudden onset of new eye floaters, you begin to see flashes of light, and if you experience peripheral vision loss (side vision loss). These symptoms could signify a retinal tear or retinal detachment, which could contribute to vision loss if not taken care of right away.

Eye exercises and self-acupressure for eye floaters

You may have heard of the traditional Chinese medicine of acupressure, which involves applying pressure to points in the body to boost circulation and promote healing. This treatment is similar to acupuncture, but instead of using fine needles, fingers target the healing points.

Acupressure for eye health is an effective natural way to improve eyesight – and you can easily perform it on yourself.
There are seven acupressure points around the eye to focus on. They start at the corner of your eye – closest to your nose – and continue across the brow, ending underneath your eyelid. Massaging each point for at least 10 seconds will increase circulation to the eyes.

In Chinese medicine, energy meridians run along the body and connect certain parts together. So another effective pressure point for your eye health is the tip of your thumbs. By massaging this point, you can target areas in the neck in order to boost circulation to the eyes. Massaging both your thumbs regularly can lead to brighter, clearer eyesight. You can achieve similar results by massaging your big toe.

Acupressure is easy to perform and can be done daily – all you need is a few spare minutes to improve your eyesight.
There are a variety of exercises for your eyes. For starters, you can blink. Every time you blink, you create moisture, which in turn soothes the eyes. If you start feeling some eye strain, simply blink continuously for four to five seconds.

Other forms of exercise are breathing or meditation, often easier to do first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. By closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing, you can recharge. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth for at least two minutes, then open your eyes without focusing on anything in particular. Repeat at least three times.

Giving your eyes a break is a great way to improve eyesight. Just remember to avoid eyestrain by looking away from your computer screen, for example, and don’t watch too much television.

What to avoid if you have eye floaters

When living with eye floaters you should avoid the following:

-Using the computer or watching TV in the dark
-Watching a lot of movies
-Reading in poor light
-Wearing sunglasses for long periods of time

You should also avoid stressful situations and emotional turmoil. If you are a smoker, quit. If you don’t smoke, avoid secondhand smoke. Moderating your alcohol intake is always good idea.

source: http://www.belmarrahealth.com

Improve Your Posture And Het Rid Of Back Pain With THis Simple Exercise

3 Major reasons why you should take care of your posture holding:

1. Incorrect posture increases the risk of back pain, feeling of tightness in the chest and poor blood circulation.

2. Correcting your posture can greatly reduce pain in the back, shoulders and neck.

3. Studies have shown that good posture decreases stress, improves hormonal balance, breathing, improves digestion process, improves mental clarity and overall health.

Fortunately, there is a simple way through which we can improve our posture. A simple and excellent advice is to exercise muscles used when standing in a natural, useful position.

The exercise that you can do to strengthen these muscles is laying extension, which in yoga is called grasshopper position (locust pose – shalabhasana).

Practice the exercise gently and do what suits you and what suits your personal options. If you have back pain, be sure to consult your doctor before beginning a new practice.

Step 1: Lie on your stomach, face down, and touch the floor with your forehead.

Step 2: Extend your legs behind and spread them in the width of the hips. Distribute the weight evenly over the top of both feet.

Step 3: Gently lift the upper part of your body and make sure to keep your head up. Do this slowly and lift as high as you feel comfortable.

Step 4: Inhale and lift your head up looking ahead. During the exhaling lift your fingers and hands. Keep your hands close to the body with the palms down.

Step 5: Use your thigh muscles and lift your legs up. Your weight should rely on the lower ribs, abdomen and pelvis.

Stay in this position from 10 seconds up to 1 minute, depending on your ability. Repeat the exercise 5 to 10 times.

This exercise will strengthen your back muscles, torso and legs and will help you significantly improve your posture.

In addition, check the video and see the exercise so it will be easier for you to do it.

source: http://www.naturalhealthcareforyou.com

With Only One Exercise a Day to a Perfect Buttocks !

We’ll show you just one exercise, which results are really visible .

Well we know the excuses that most of us use to avoid exercising. However, a suitable replacement of the way of life that involves little movement is the exercising at home.

It’s easier to be said than done, but with the help of a popular prop, the pilates ball, you can easily afford a specific exercises that will strengthen your buttocks, but more important it will strengthen the muscles of the pelvis.

This simple exercise with pilates ball gives immediate effect on your body and until you easily lift and lower your body all the muscles of the buttocks and the lower back are in function which in the same time enhance your strength.

The first step !

Lie on a flat, hard surface so that your shoulders will not move from the ground, and extend your legs directly to the ball without bending your knees.


The second step !

Squeeze the muscles of the buttocks and lift them off the ground, propping with the feet on the ball with the arms outstretched along the body. You will feel the tension in the lower back where your stomach muscles will do their job.  You should stay in this position for 10 to 15 seconds.

The third step !

Keep the buttocks raised, then bend your knees and move the ball towards you until your feet are found on the surface of the ball.

After the exercise, stretch your legs and return to original position and repeat the exercise in series to five times. It’s not complicated, right?


source: http://losingweightdone.com/one-exercise-day-perfect-buttocks/

What Happens to Our Brains When We Exercise ?

Every time when you exercise, you feel new energy, but how it’s happen, experts explaining…

When you start exercising, your brain recognizes it as a stressful moment. As the heart rate speeds up, the brain thinks that you fight with the enemy or escape from someone.

To protect yourself and your brain from stress, your body releases protein called brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

BDNF has protective powers and acts to feel happy and to clarify things that we don’t know.

At the same time endorphins release too, that also fight against stress. It is associated with the feelings of euphoria and also prevents you to feel pain.

Although BDNF and endorphins make you feel good, you should know that they have the same effect as morphine, nicotine or heroin, the only difference is that the first two are good for you.

A survey has confirmed the following: people who have exercised, but not at the day of the survey, have better results on the tests for memory than those who have never exercised.

But the results from the people who exercised that morning were incomparable with the people who have never exercised.

Therefore:

- Start exercising as soon as the alarm rings.

- Keep track of your daily workouts and exercise at the same time.

- When you think to start with small steps, start with even smaller. Over time you will get better and better.

- Always keep in mind that you are happiest when you first start exercising.

source: http://losingweightdone.com

See What Happens With You After Walking Barefoot for Only 5 Minutes a Day

We come from beings that had to walk barefoot. Those were the times when there was no concept of wearing shoes or anything that could protect our feet. But, even today people that live in the country are in the habit of walking barefoot across their yards, which is good because our bodies need that sense of touch, one of the most important senses. When we put on shoes we don’t give a chance to our body to get in touch with Mother Nature.

Walking barefoot is important most of all because our extremities have points that are connected to vital organs in our body, so walking without our shoes helps stimulate these points and transmit positive energy to our organs.

The “Chi”
This concept of energy flow is nothing new to mankind and can be found in Eastern philosophies and medicine. The Chinese call this vital energy “chi”, while the Indians call it “Prana”. They believe that by stimulating certain points on our body we can affect our health in a positive way by making the energy flow. The energy flows through the meridian system, which is similar to blood flowing through the bloodstream. When the energy flows, your body recharges, and if some point in the meridian is blocked, the organ connected to it is weakened because it doesn’t receive energy. If this is happening on a continual basis, you develop a disease in connection to that organ.

So, when you walk barefoot, you send signals to the organs through these points which revive the energy flow through the meridian system. This is called “grounding” and means to connect with the natural bioelectrical field of the planet.

Acupressure
It is essential to find time to walk barefoot in nature. But, if you are unable to do that you can always stimulate the energy flow with foot massage. Make sure to massage your feet and hands every morning by applying strong pressure (but not too strong). Your best guide where to do the massaging can be the points where you experience pain. These pain points need massaging the most.

Foot massages are common practice among the Chinese. It is customary for the children to massage their father’s feet when the father arrives home after a long day of work. This is considered a sign of respect, but they are also aware that massaging your feet can stimulate the energy flow.

People have found out that acupressure massages can help them in solving disruptions in the work of hormones, heart failure, frequent infections, lack of energy, indigestion, tension and even sinuses. It helps the affected organs recover in the healthiest way possible.

If you decide to walk barefoot make sure to do that every day for at least five minutes and try to increase the time gradually. As a result at some point you may wake up in the morning with emotions that you haven’t experienced before, which is perfectly natural because you are reconnecting with Mother Nature and rekindling the natural intelligence of your body.

source: healthyfoodstyle

Say Goodbye to Neck and Shoulder Pain With One Simple Exercise

Do you struggle with neck and shoulder pain? If so, you are not alone. This is a condition that affects a large proportion of people these days and in many ways is symptomatic of our current lifestyles.

Don’t dismay: there is a simple and easy exercise you can use that has been shown to help reduce discomfort in these areas in a whopping 50% of cases. And as an added bonus, if you add this program to your routine you’ll also benefit from a better stance that will flatten your stomach, increase your height and generally improve your health.

The Problem

As mentioned a lot of people these days suffer from neck and shoulder pain. This is particularly true for those that work in an office at a computer. In this case, you will likely spend much of your time hunched over and typing with your shoulders and neck leaning forward.

Over time, this causes your peck muscles (the ones on your chest) to shorten and tighten, while the muscles on your back (the lats and the traps) become slack and weaker.

The end result is that you walk around like a caveman and unsurprisingly experience pain in the affected areas. This is known as kyphosis in extreme cases.

The Movement

The exercise then is simply the side lateral raise. Here, you stand with your feet together and arms by your sides, holding in your hands two light dumbbells. Now, you are going to raise your arms directly up by your sides in a crucifix position.

This works to strengthen your lateral deltoids – the muscles on the outside of your shoulders. As these strengthen, this in turn helps to keep your shoulders in the correct position throughout the day. As an added bonus, it will also help to stretch your pecs due to the similarity with the pec fly and that will help to prevent the pulling that brings the arms forward.

Other Exercises

There are also a number of other exercises you can to do improve your flexibility and posture. Bent over raises are a similar movement that require you to bend forward as you perform reps and this targets your posterior (rear) deltoids.

Another useful one is to perform either pull ups or lat pull downs. Either of these will target the lats which can act as a counterpoint to the pecs and pull your body back around the front.

Also important is to avoid doing what a lot of people do in the gym – focusing on the ‘mirror muscles’. Mirror muscles are the ones that look good in the mirror – like the abs and the pecs and invariably they are found on the front of the body.

Spend all day doing sit ups, bench presses and bicep curls though and ignore your lat pull downs, shrugs, triceps extensions and erector spinae and the result will be that your front pulls the rest of your body down into a ball.

Bear all this in mind next time you hit the gym and you can remedy your poor posture instead of adding to it!


source: http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com

1 Glass of Turmeric Juice is Equivalent to 60 Minutes of Exercise – Study

A well-known kitchen ingredient, turmeric is not just your ordinary spice. Turmeric spice popular as a part of curry dishes is almost always found in superfood lists because of its many health benefits ranging from its antibiotic properties to boosting memory to even combating some cancer types. And according to a study, there’s one more benefit we can add to the already long list: turmeric can improve your cardiovascular health as much as physical exercise!

Turmeric and the Cardiovascular System


The study, which was published in the American Journal of Cardiology, claims that turmeric extract can lower risks of heart attack by up to 56%. This recent study supports the earlier research published in 2012 in the Nutrition Research journal in which it says that eating the spice or taking supplements can be as effective as an aerobic exercise in improving your heart health. Just imagine a pinch of turmeric and its effects to the cardiovascular system can be compared to an hour of brisk walking or jogging. If your main goal for exercising is to improve your health, this may be what you have been waiting for.

Curcumin, the Magical Ingredient


The health benefits of turmeric can be attributed to its primary polyphenol, known as curcumin. Not just responsible for the spice’s color, curcumin has active properties that can improve vascular function, particularly in postmenopausal women. At this time of a woman’s life, heart problems could easily arise and thus become a real health concern.

How to Take Advantage of Turmeric for Your Cardiovascular Health


Here are some important points to bear in mind if you plan to use turmeric for your heart health:


  • Based on the results of the study, 150 mg of turmeric extract (equivalent to 25 mg curcumin) taken for eight weeks every day can improve heart function.
  • Curcumin content in turmeric powder that you can buy in stores is not high, usually just 2%.
  • To enjoy the health benefits, you need a teaspoon of turmeric daily or as an alternative, you can buy turmeric extract capsules instead.
  • Adding a pinch of turmeric to your meals, drinking turmeric juice, or adding turmeric to your teas can help you reap the rewards.


While turmeric does help improve the health and function of the cardiovascular system, you shouldn’t rely on the spice entirely and forget about exercising. Even experts, including the researchers of the study, agree there is nothing that can replace being physically active no matter how many supplements you take and how much curcumin you consume.


source: stethnews

What Lack of Exercise Will Do to Your Body

Ever been interested in what would happen if you completely stopped exercising? Going to the gym, playing sports, going on long walks and jogging are all great pastimes but even the best of us would usually rather be lying down on the couch most evenings.

So if you finally gave in to that urge and just quit all the exercise… what would happen?

The Initial Results

To begin with, you would find that your body started to adapt to your new sedentary lifestyle. As you live, so your body changes and this process is what’s known as SAID – Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands. Lift heavy things, your arms get stronger. Go for runs, your body gets more energy efficient.

Lie there all the time? Your body doesn’t need to anything and so it loses the ability to do so. You will gain weight, your muscles will entropy and you’ll become a blob that literally blends in with the furniture.

It goes further than that too. You’ll also lose flexibility in your connective tissues and start to find it hard to bend over and touch your toes, to link your hands behind your back or eventually even to cross your legs.

Heart Problems

This might sound like an aesthetic problems and not much more but in fact that blobishness also brings some other serious problems with it.

You see your heart is also a muscle and as you fail to exercise it, it too will atrophy. This in turn results in it becoming less able to pump blood around your body.

That means your muscles won’t develop the strength or size they otherwise would and you’ll struggle severely to make it up the stairs, go for long walks or generally exert yourself. You’ll be constantly out of breath.

This has other more noticeable effects in the short term too. For instance, you’ll be more likely to experience varicose veins as the blood pools in the bottom of your legs. You’ll look constantly red in the face as your blood pressure increases (because the heart is working comparatively harder) and your general appearance will suffer too.

More importantly, you’ll have increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other conditions. Studies show that there is a clear link between the time you spend sitting and your likelihood of dying younger. The conclusion of the linked study was that sitting is comparable to a number of serious diseases in terms of the risk it posed.

Other Issues

There are a slew of other issues involved here too. Weight gain as a result of sitting will increase your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes which can lead to the loss of sight and limbs. Bone density will decrease risking osteoporosis and other issues.

Arthritis is also more likely for those who don’t exercise and as working out is good for neurogenesis and for the production of ‘feel good’ hormones, you also put yourself at risk of depression and dementia.

A complete lack of any exercise or activity then would likely kill you. But the scary thing is that it would take a much less extreme lack of activity to be at risk from many of these same problems. Make sure you are not on that path!


source: healthyfoodhouse

Simple Yoga Stretches For Relieving Chronic Sciatica Pain

The sciatic nerve (also called ischiadic nerve, ischiatic nerve) is the largest single nerve in the body. It begins in the lower back, runs down the back of each leg and is composed of individual nerve roots that start by branching out from the spine in the lower back and combine to form the sciatic nerve.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica (sigh-at-ih-kah) is not a disease but a symptom of an underlying medical condition and is referred as one or more of the following symptoms:

Constant pain in the lower back, going down the leg from the back (rarely in both legs)
The pain gets worse when the person sits
A feeling of burning or tingling is felt down the leg
Weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot
The person has difficulty standing up or walking.

Most Common Causes of Sciatica:


  • Lumbar herniated disc: Sometimes referred to as a ruptured disc, slipped disc, protruding disc, bulging disc, or a pinched nerve.
  • Degenerative disc disease: This condition occurs when a weakened disc results in excessive micro-motion at that spinal level, and inflammatory proteins from inside the disc become exposed and irritate the area.
  • Isthmic spondylolisthesis: when one vertebral body slips forward on the one below it because of a small fracture in a piece of bone that connects the two joints on the back side of the spinal segment.
  • Lumbar spinal stenosis: Characterized by narrowing of the spinal canal.
  • Piriformis syndrome: When the piriformis muscle pinches a nerve root of the sciatic nerve.
  • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction: Caused by irritation of the sacroiliac joint.
  • Pregnancy: Weight gain, a shift in the person’s center of gravity, and hormonal changes as a result of a pregnancy, can cause sciatica.
  • Scar tissue: This occurs when a scar tissue compresses the nerve root.
  • Muscle strain: When an inflammation from a muscle strain puts pressure on a nerve root.
  • Spinal tumor: Tumors in the lower back can pinch the nerve root.

Possible Treatment Options:

Bed rest is recommended by most doctors. Another ways to treat sciatica is by using medications to relieve pain and inflammation (including injectable and oral cortisone) and relax muscles, physical therapy and massage. Conditioning the lower back with stretching exercises will help alleviate the symptoms of sciatica. Sometimes, the only treatment for persisting sciatica, which is caused by nerve compression at the lower spine, can be with surgical procedures.


source: curejoy

The Best Exercise For Maintaining A Proper Posture Getting Rid Of Back Pain

Do you remember that in childhood you got anxious from the comments from your parents to hold your body in a straight position? No matter how boring this comments were, your parents were right.

A deformed spine – is not beautiful. Bent shoulders and back in not beautiful also. But why we are so lazy to hold our back in a straight position. The muscles on the back should strengthen every day in order to decrease the weight on you back so you can walk straight without problems.

You should do this exercise in order to strengthen your back muscles:

Lay on your stomach with your face facing the ground. Than lift the upper part of the body as high as you can. You may put your arms next to your hips and don’t move them. Stay in this position which activates the largest number of muscles and feel the tension. Repeat 10 times.

You will forget on the pain in the back and neck. You will reach a straight position of the body and you will feel more beautiful and healthier.

Deformed spine has an effect on the work of every organ in your body. This creates pressure on the chest and you lungs, liver and hearth suffer. If you hold your back in a straight position you will be healthier, more beautiful and you will have more self-confidence .

Additional motivation for women: when you back is in a straight position your breast look bigger.

source: healthylifetricks