SELF HEALTH + HEALING

If you're looking to get rock-hard abs, remember that proper dietary choices is your first step, but from there a comprehensive fitness program and targeted ab exercises will help you achieve your goal.

If you're looking to shrink and tone your belly, there's a better way to do it than trying to do crunches. In fact, research has indicated that doing abdominal exercisesalone -- even when performed five days a week for six weeks -- has no effect at all on subcutaneous fat stores and abdominal circumference.

In an op-ed piece for Forbes Magazine, Jennifer Cohen suggests using strategies that burn up cortisol instead. Cortisol is a hormone in your body that depletes lean muscle and holds onto fat in the abdominal region.

Battle ropes offer a welcome reprieve from the drudgery of treadmill cardio sessions. Use this fat-burning workout twice weekly to sweat yourself leaner and fitter!

Battle ropes are more than just a passing fad; they're a valuable weapon for getting you to your fighting weight! In fact, a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that a mere 10-minute battle-rope workout increases heart rate to peak levels and should be classed as high-intensity exercise.

These long, thick ropes work your cardio levels to the max while enhancing your grip, strength, conditioning, and overall level of work capacity. They're great for cardio and general physical fitness.

This scientist thinks floating in salt water could treat mental health disorders

While floating has always had fans in the wellness world, it’s undeniably grown in popularity. In 2011, there were 85 float centers in the United States, according to Aaron Thompson, who runs an online directory of flotation centers, and now there are more than 250. Floating has also attracted the interest of a small group of scientists who are trying to figure out if it has a place as a kind of therapy for some kinds of distress, including PTSD. Any proof that this helps people with stress disorders is anecdotal at this point, but something special appears to happen in brain while the body floats. Now, some scientists, like the neuropsychologist Justin Feinstein, are trying to find out what.

If you think you have a parasite, don't worry. You're not alone, they're more common than you think.

Yes, we all have parasites. It’s practically impossible to not come in contact with them; they are in just about everything, from food to carpet. However, having parasites does not necessarily mean they are negatively affecting you.

Parasites will always exist; they are part of the cycle of life. Even healthy individuals have them, the difference is that they are not doing harm; instead, they are doing their job

"You know yoga is good for you, but beyond being able to touch your toes, how does it increase your overall health? Here’s the latest research on the ancient practice."

There were no signs that a heart attack was imminent. Dilip Sarkar was not overweight. Nor did he have high blood pressure or high blood sugar. In fact, the 51-year-old vascular surgeon from Virginia swears he had never been sick a day in his life. But in 2001, Sarkar found himself clutching his chest and eventually getting wheeled into the operating room for emergency by-pass surgery. Shortly after the life-threatening ordeal, which he later attributed to a hyperarousal state, Sarkar became fascinated by Ayurvedic medicine and yoga therapy as a way to improve his health and prevent this near-fatal event from happening again.

It's not just you.

You can crush a spin class, run a 5K with ease, and power through weight sessions at the gym. But you still get winded climbing a flight of stairs. 

The good news is that's totally normal. "It doesn’t mean you’re out of shape," says Jordan Syatt, a certified personal trainer and Greatist expert. "You just elevated your heart rate and need more oxygen." Unless you’re doing staircase workouts or using the StairMaster religiously, a quick burst of energy can leave you short of breath, says Nieca Goldberg, M.D., a cardiologist and director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at NYU Langone Medical Center.

The push-up may seem simple, but doing it with bad form will cause more harm than good. Here`s how to do it right

Push-ups are one of the first exercises to come to mind when we think about bodyweight training for our chest, shoulders, and arms.

It doesn’t get any more basic than putting your hands on the ground and pushing your body up.

As soon as you start the movement, you can tell whether or not your upper body strength is up to par or if you need to overcome any weaknesses. But despite the simple nature of the push-up, there is much more benefit to doing this exercise properly than from just doing as many repetitions as you can.

Working out smart can make you, well, smarter

For years, study after study has shown that a good sweat improves brain function. But what’s the optimum dose? Only recently are scientists figuring out the proper prescription and timing necessary to achieve the biggest boost. Following new research out of Stanford University and the Mayo Clinic, companies like Google, Reebok, and the online-coaching platform TrainingPeaks are strategically using physical activity to make employees smarter and more productive. 

Feeling overwhelmed affects everything from digestion to stroke risk.

The advice, “Stop worrying! Stress is bad for you” is true, but as with a lot of health guidance, its vagueness makes it less effective.

It’s like when people say that getting lots of sleep is important, or that you should eat more fiber—it’s the kind of thing people might like to do, but will probably keep forgetting to do, because it’s not immediately clear how it will make them healthier.

"If you want to dramatically improve your energy, get the body you’ve always wanted, say goodbye to inflammation and bring the ageing process to a halt, then following the alkaline diet is the easiest way to get you there. The alkaline approach to health is all about eating and drinking those things that will have an alkaline-forming, rather than acid-forming effect on the body. It’s often misunderstood that the alkaline approach is trying to change your pH, but it’s all about supporting your body and giving it the tools it needs to maintain it’s ideal pH of 7.365."

Intuitive Eating is an approach to sustainable healthy eating and body acceptance. Intuitive eaters believe that the process of dieting is the main problem.

Most people are starting to accept the idea that “diets” — the kind you go on and then off of — don’t work in the long run. In fact, reports now show that about 90 to 95 percent of all diets fail! (1) One of the ironies behind failed diets and yo-yo dieting is that, ultimately, some diets make you fat.

Meanwhile, people tend to blame themselves, feeling like a lack of willpower, no self-control and bad genetics are the reasons they can’t lose weight. Sometimes they blame themselves so much that they stop eating and enter into a dangerous starvation mode rather than adopt a more healthful approach like mindful eating.

With a few simple tweaks, this classic move can become an even better toner.

Why push-ups are great

Push-ups are just as effective at building your chest and arm strength as bench-pressing, research shows.

Your plan: Build on a classic push-up

Get into a straight-arm plank with hands a few inches outside of shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Draw belly button in to engage core. Keeping body in a straight line from head to heels, inhale as you lower chest to the floor, elbows back, then exhale as you push back up. Watch the video:

If the word chia brings up a mental image of a clay creature sprouting hair, you are not mistaken. But the seeds responsible for sprouting fuzz on Chia Pets are also an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Who knew? "

For women, the RDI of omega-3s is 1.1 grams (1,100 mg) a day, so if you're looking for a new source that's vegan, gluten-free, and easy to consume, you'll want to pick up some of these seeds immediately. One ounce of chia seeds (about two tablespoons) contains 137 calories, one gram of saturated fat, 11 grams of fiber, four grams of protein, 177 milligrams of calcium, and 4.9 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. Aside from offering omegas, when chia seeds come in contact with water, they bulk up just like flaxseeds do. So when you eat them, they make you feel full. This means not only will they prevent you from overeating, but they'll also improve your digestion.

"Fatigue can be a problem for people on a day to day basis -- but ginger can help! Find out how ginger boost energy levels naturally and safely."

If you feel tired or run-down from day to day — no matter how much rest you get — and want a natural pick-me-up that doesn’t involve a ton of caffeine, then you should consider adding more ginger to your diet!  This spice does more than add a great flavor to your food, it will also help boost energy levels safely and naturally.

Here’s how ginger can make you feel more energetic every day.

Light therapy, a treatment for a kind of depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), may also benefit nonseasonal depression, a new study indicates.

“The combination of light and an antidepressant seems to work very well for treating nonseasonal depression,” said study leader Dr. Raymond Lam, a professor and head of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at the University of British Columbia in Canada.

Depression, a leading cause of disability worldwide, affects one in 20 people, according to background information with the study. Current treatments include psychotherapy and antidepressant medication, but recurrent episodes are common.

"Learn 10 yoga poses to improve the health and flexibility of your hips.."

Did you know that the hips are made up of 17 muscles? These muscles provide stability and balance, and give us range of motion for almost all our daily activities. Not taking care of your hips can be detrimental to your health and create problems such as poor balance, lower back pain, misalignment in lumbar spine, and limited range of motion in the hips and lower back, to name a few.

But fear not! Incorporating 10 simple exercises into your daily routine can greatly reduce your risk of having hip problems. 

Learn how to get all the incredible health benefits of spirulina--the amazing cyanobacteria.

Are the mega health benefits of spirulina the nutrient dense protein miracle you’ve been waiting for?

Spirulina, says certified nutritional consultant and Project Juice co-founder Lori Kenyon Farley “is a type of bacteria called cyanobacterium (but referred to as blue-green algae) that produces energy out of sunlight just like plants. It’s believed to have been a staple of the Aztecs and one of their main sources of protein.”

So, spirulina isn’t new. Got it. But, at first, consuming blue-green algae that tastes like the bottom of a pond doesn’t sound entirely sexy. That is until you hear what spirulina can do for your body. Kenyon Farley continues, “Spirulina may be one of the most nutrient dense items on earth.”

With more people taking a mindful approach to their consumption of animal products, it’s important to take a closer look at the benefits, risks, misconceptions and key lessons to learn from...

‘Get to know a diet’ is a weekly series that takes a closer look at some well-known diet trends. This week, we ask a dietitian and a nutritionist about vegetarianism and veganism.

What does it mean to be a vegetarian or vegan? With more people ascribing to both and taking a mindful approach to their consumption of animal products, it’s important to take a closer look at the benefits, risks, and key lessons to learn from vegetarianism and veganism.

Animal-free, to various degrees

In understanding just what it means to be a vegetarian or vegan, it may be helpful to understand each as residing along a continuum. This is because, first and foremost, there’s no single definition of what it means to be vegetarian.

Leading a healthy lifestyle will improve your overall health, and increase your energy and level of fitness

These days as people work more and their lives get busier, they have much less time for themselves. It’s easy for people to forget about taking care of themselves and what’s most important, their health and fitness. However, leading a healthy lifestyle will improve your overall health, and increase both your energy and level of fitness. Here are 5 tips on how to lead a healthy lifestyle:

Let’s get this out of the way up front. Wheatgrass juice does NOT taste great! It tastes like grass, as you may have imagined by it’s name. It’s earthy and and pungent and although some that drink it often say it is sweet(ish), it’s definitely an acquired taste."

I have never met someone who actually likes the taste of wheatgrass the first time they try it – myself included. That first sip, usually taken too slowly because of the cautious nature of the drinker, lingers a tad too long on the tongue, making that first experience even worse. You’re better off simply throwing back that shot!

The taste is not WHY you should drink wheatgrass, though. You should try it and drink it because of it’s really good for you – a true elixir of health and repair.

- See more at: http://fitlife.tv/why-you-need-to-add-wheatgrass-to-your-healing-supplies-original/#sthash.wrCyUVma.dpuf

"A cup of joe jolts your mood, reduces disease risk, and adds a kick to workouts."

A morning cup of coffee is a must for many runners. It wakes you up, energizes your workout, and—how can we say this nicely?—gets your systems moving, too. But there's more reason to indulge in that second or third cup. The latest research shows that drinking coffee is a (mostly) healthy habit that may make you happier and less stressed, and reduce risk for diseases. Caffeine isn't the only beneficial compound in coffee—it's also a rich source of antioxidants, which means decaf drinkers benefit, too.

Ice works for injuries because it narrows your blood vessels, while heat helps to soothe ongoing muscle aches and pains.

Applying ice or heat can provide relief from injuries, aches, and pains, but they shouldn't be used interchangeably. Generally speaking, ice works well after a sudden injury while heat helps to soothe ongoing muscle aches and pains.

Ice works for injuries because it narrows your blood vessels, which helps prevent blood from accumulating at the site of injury, which will add to inflammation and swelling while delaying healing. This is also why elevation is helpful, since it  limits blood flow to the area to minimize swelling.1

A good rule of thumb to remember following an injury is RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. You should generally ice the area for 48 to 72 hours to reduce secondary tissue damage and ease pain.

Whether you’re looking to rev up brainpower, calm racing thoughts, or boost overall happiness, the solution might be in a pair of gym shorts. Read on to learn how moving our bodies can benefit our brains.

http://greatist.com/fitness/13-awesome-mental-health-benefits-exercise

Who needs a gym? You've already got the best fitness tool for your bodyweight workout at your disposal.

This no-equipment-needed routine from alignment and movement expert Pete Egoscue will allow you to strengthen your body anytime, anywhere. You’ll begin the 17-minute workout with squats and jumping jacks to get your heart rate up. From there, delve into some fun and playful moves that will tap your inner child and condition multiple muscle groups. Just before your body gives out to fatigue, squeeze in some challenging mountain climbers. End with a few relaxing postures to release tension and improve your body’s alignment. The key to this essential bodyweight workout is to do what you can, increasing your sets and reps as your fitness improves over time.

Practical, medicinal, and mystical, essential oils bridge the gap between real and ethereal. Whether it’s lice or lethargy, there’s an oil for that.

Essential oils have been used for centuries, from Ancient Egypt to the Ayurvedic tradition to the modern massage table, for therapeutic, cosmetic, and ceremonial purposes. With powerful effects both immediate and prolonged, and mounting scientific evidence of their benefits, these potent compounds are regaining popularity as safe and effective tools to support physical wellness, enhance yoga and meditation practices, and maintain emotional balance.