Archive for November, 2008
November 11th, 2008 -- Posted in Stress Management |
The demands and pace of modern day life can lead to stress and anxiety. On a regular basis, we are dealing with the stresses of work, commute, family, bills, and other responsibilities. Stress is often overlooked but it is important to minimize stress and find relief because it can be harmful to your health and quality of life. Stress can lead to heart issues, headaches, high blood pressure, digestion issues, depression, and other strains to the body. Fortunately, there are simple ways that you can reduce stress by activities such as exercising, eating healthy, and taking herbs for relaxation.
Here are some tips on how you can reduce stress in your life and make some steps towards improving your well-being.
1. Try to dedicate some time to meditation. Find some quiet time during your day to clear your mind and breathe. Just 10 minutes is all you need to take out of your busy day. Find a quiet place in your home to sit still, close your eyes, and concentrate on only your breath. You may find your mind wandering back to all the stressful aspects of life but with time, you will learn to focus your mind to the present moment.
2. Take herbs for stress and relaxation. There are many natural options available to help provide stress relief. Some herbs and supplements include Seditol, St. John’s Wort, Valerian, Passion Flower, Scull Cap, Hops, Chamomile, and Gingko. These herbs have shown to promote tranquility and mood stability.
3. Get the recommended 7-9 hours of Sleep. The body needs rest in order to endure the day’s activities and to be alert. Sleep will also strengthen your immune system to prevent illness.
4. Eat healthy foods and avoid overeating. Eat foods that strengthen your body and provide energy throughout your day. Try to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your meals as well as whole grains. Stress can often time lead to overeating without realizing it. Make an effort to cook meals and avoid eating unhealthy fast foods.
5. Get exercise on a regular basis. Getting exercise can reduce stress by relieving tension in your muscles as well as releasing endorphins that give you energy and leave you feeling energetic. Practicing Yoga can provide exercise as well as a means of meditation and reflection.
6. Prioritize how you spend your time. Stress can be due to a hectic schedule and feeling overwhelmed. Be more deliberate in how you spend your time and make some tough decisions to eliminate some tasks if necessary. Maintaining a calendar or checklist can help keep you more organized and in control.
7. Talk to a therapist. If there are serious causes of stress in your life, try talking to a professional who can provide advice and some objective perspective. A therapist can also recommended further actions for you to take to relieve stress.
Take the steps that you work for you in reducing stress and promoting relaxation. There may be some activities that are more or less effective for you. It is recommended that you consult with a professional before adopting a new diet or take supplements.
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November 3rd, 2008 -- Posted in Super Antioxidant |
Here is a list of easy meal and snack ideas to ensure that you are getting your super antioxidants:
Breakfast: Incorporate blueberries into your meal. You can add them to your cereal, yogurt, or cottage cheese to get your antioxidant boost or you can have them in your bagel or muffin. If you’re in a hurry, you can always pack some fresh or dried blueberries to go. Another quick and easy option is to have a prepackaged blueberry cereal bar.
Lunch: Have an antioxidant rich salad. Having a salad with leafy greens such as spinach will deliver antioxidants but you can mix in additional vegetables, fruit, and nuts for more. Possible vegetables to add include tomato, carrots, squash, corn, and broccoli. For fruit, try mango, peaches, mandarin oranges, or melon. Top it off with some walnuts or flax seed and you’ve got an antioxidant hearty meal.
Snacks: Treat yourself to something sweet. Fortunately for your palate, eating foods with antioxidants does not mean sacrificing taste or favorite sweets. Peanut butter is a good source of Vitamin E which acts as an antioxidant. Have peanut butter as a dip for carrots or bell pepper or spread it on a piece of whole grain bread. Feel free to have a cup of tea or coffee during your break but beware of your sugar intake.
Dinner: Serve fish with a side of vegetables. Grill some tuna with a side of kale, broccoli, or brussel sprouts. Start with some whole grain bread or a baked yam. You can even toast to your health with a glass of red wine.
Dessert: Break off a piece of dark chocolate. Try for the higher percentage cacao in order to limit the percentage sugar in the chocolate bar. You can get your chocolate fix and antioxidants at the same time with this dessert option.
Vitamins and Supplements: You have the option to take supplements as your source of nutrients. There is a numerous selection of supplements now available to ensure you get your antioxidants. Some options include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, CoQ10, and Alpha Lipoic Acid.
As you can see, being healthy and getting your antioxidant intake does not mean starting a boring diet. Super antioxidants can be found in many of your favorite foods and are commonly found in your grocery store.
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November 2nd, 2008 -- Posted in lose weight fast |
It is a challenge to lose weight in this modern, on-the-go time that we live in. Busy people often times choose fast food over a home cooked meal or drive a short distance over walking. However, it is as simple as choosing the healthier alternative to get you to consume fewer calories, burn more calories, and ultimately lose weight. In addition, there are natural supplements and vitamins available give your body that extra assistance to lose weight . You don’t have to commit a large amount of time in order to lose weight.
Here is a list of 10 quick and simple ways of how to lose weight for busy people; these tips will not take much more than 30 minutes extra out of your day. Joining a formal weight loss program or hiring a personal trainer can be costly in both time and money. These weight loss tips will show you the results and fit into your busy lifestyle. Whatever you are willing to commit is at your discretion; you know your body and limits best so only do what feels right to you.
1. Make a written commitment to yourself. A big step in losing weight is making the mental commitment in order to stick to your weight loss goal. Write down your goal officially and maybe choose a timeline in which you wish to achieve your goal. Post it on your refrigerator or mirror as a constant daily reminder. This should not take more than 5 minutes.
2. Tell your friends about your goal. Peer motivation is proven to help people in meeting their goals. Tell some friends or family about your weight loss goal and ask them for your support. They’ll be sensitive to your dietary needs and also act as supporters by simply asking how your progress is. Maybe they’ll even want to join you and then you have a friend to exercise with. Find time to bring it up during your regular conversation.
3. Write in a dietary journal. You’ll be more accountable for the food that you eat if you keep a log of everything that you eat on a daily basis. Simply carry a small notebook with you and write down the foods that you consume. You’ll be less likely to have that extra cookie if you know it’ll be recorded in your journal. This should only take a few minutes after each meal.
4. Drink about 8 glasses of water. Staying well hydrated is known to increase metabolism and hence burn more calories. It is also necessary to keep your muscles hydrated when exercising in order to effectively build muscle. This should not take more than 5 minutes.
5. Choose walking over driving whenever you have the chance. When given the opportunity to walk to the store or to run errands, choose walking over driving. That extra travel time can be put towards your exercise time. This is also the environmentally friendly alternative since you’ll be burning calories instead of gas. The time sacrifice depends on the distance but this can be counted towards your exercise time.
6. Eat a healthy breakfast. It is proven that having breakfast helps with metabolism throughout the day and can also control your appetite. Have some fruit, low sugar cereals, oatmeal, or yogurt. Try to skip the bacon, sausage, and pancakes. Or you can have a quick cereal bar on the go which should not take more than 5 minutes.
7. Skip dessert. Sweets are delicious but they are also high in sugar and calories. Trade in that cookie for a piece of fruit or have some yogurt instead of ice cream. There are healthier ways to get your sweet fix without the guilt. This takes no additional time out of your day.
8. Order salads at restaurants. Next time you find yourself choosing from a menu, order the salad. They can be quite delicious as well as good for you. Avoid creamy dressing and toppings such as fried chicken. Do say yes to vegetables, nuts, fruits, and healthy protein. This takes no additional time out of your day.
9. Exercise for atleast 30 minutes a day. It’s easy to make the excuse that you don’t have time to exercise but set aside atleast 30 minutes a day for some activity. Exercise can range from sports to running to yoga. There are a variety of fun and creative ways to get your exercise time in without necessarily going to the gym.
10. Take natural supplements and vitamins. There is a great selection of supplements out there to provide weight loss support in the form of appetite suppressant, increased metabolism, or reduced fat absorption. Examples of weight loss supplements include Fucoxanthin, cider vinegar, and hoodia. This takes only a minute out of your day.
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