May312011

Boosting Your Brain

Your brain is one of the most valuable assets you have, but what many people do not realize is that their brain can become sharper with practice and work or can become more flaccid if they fail to give it the attention it needs. Maybe you have neglected your mind for a period of time, but even though it will take a little while for your brain to start becoming as sharp as it once was, you can use these tips and tricks to get your brain to where you want it to be.

Memory games: There are all sorts of different memory games that you can buy in stores or even use for free online; many of these games are fun, and they also cause your brain to stretch itself in new ways that will improve your memory in other areas of your life as well.

Memory Improvement Techniques!

Puzzles: Puzzles such as Sudoku and jigsaw puzzles are great for your brain; you can also exercise your brain (and – in time – sharpen it!) by doing word search puzzles and crossword puzzles.

Read: You might hear people brag about the fact that they “only read” non-fiction books or self-help books – but really, it hardly matters what you read so much as it matters that you read, as you will work out your brain and will broaden your capacity for thought no matter what you are reading. And in any case, it is much better to entertain yourself by reading books – even if they are commercial fiction books – than to flip on the television for your entertainment!

Creative activity: Creative activity such as painting, drawing, playing an instrument, or writing are all great ways to exercise your brain, and not only will you get the satisfaction of having creative output you can be proud of, but also, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of a brain that has been worked out.

Master Your Brain Now!

As you take these steps to make sure you continually exercise and stretch your brain, you will notice that your capacity for memory and thought are much greater (and much sharper!) than they have ever been before.

May302011

Tips For Keeping Yourself Healthy Every Day

Too many people go on crazy diets or start to work out a ton in order to ‘get healthy,’ trying everything they can to take care of it all at once. But when it comes to keeping yourself as healthy as possible, the best approach is to turn healthy living into a habit that is part of your everyday life. Follow these tips for healthy daily living, and you will find that your body and mind feel better than they’ve ever felt before!

Sleep is probably the area of healthy living that gets overlooked most often, as lots of people decide they “function fine” on little sleep. But whether you function fine on little sleep or not, the body requires us to get at least eight hours each night, which few of us get! If you want your body and your mind to remain healthy, you need to start making sure you give them the right amount of sleep.

Paying attention to what you put into your body is also, of course, a big part of making sure you remain healthy each day. People often think of food when they think of what they put into their body, but it is also important to remember that liquids are part of this category as well. You should avoid carbonated, sugar-filled beverages, of course, but additionally, you should do your best to drink one gallon of water every day.

And when it comes to keeping your body healthy every day, perhaps the most difficult part is getting regular and consistent exercise. Too many people decide to skip exercise altogether since it can be an inconvenience, but exercise is a necessary inconvenience if you want to keep yourself healthy. You do not need to undertake an aggressive workout routine, but you do need to make sure you get your blood pumping and muscles working. Your exercise routine can be as simple as taking a nice walk every day when you come home from work, or you can do something more involved like a trip to the gym.

It is not difficult to keep your body and mind healthy, but in order for this to happen, you need to make sure that you follow these tips and keep up with it every day!

May292011

Taking A Look At What “Organic” Fruit Means

These days, whether you are shopping at a health food store or even at a supermarket such as Walmart, you are likely to notice that some fruit is labeled as organic, while other fruit is not, and you might be wondering exactly what the difference is between the two. After all, you might know that “organic” food is usually synonymous with “healthier,” but you might also find yourself asking, “Isn’t fruit already organic, and isn’t it healthy either way?”

There are a couple things that “organic” fruit does differently from fruit that is not grown organically; firstly, most fruit these days is protected from insects with the use of pesticides, which also, of course, gets on the fruit itself, but organic fruit protects against insects using natural means; secondly, a lot of fruit these days is grown using unnatural growth hormones and preservatives in the soil, which organic fruit avoids.

A good example of the difference between organic fruit and inorganic fruit is for you to bite into an organic apple and into a non-organic apple, and to set them side by side; as time passes, the organic apple will turn brown much more quickly than the other apple, which will give you an idea of the preservatives used in non-organic fruit. Furthermore, you are likely going to enjoy the way that organic apple tastes a whole lot more as well!

Eating fruit that is grown using non-organic means is certainly not “bad” for you, but such fruit is also not as healthy for you as organic fruit, and it certainly cannot match organic fruit in taste either.

There is not a huge price difference between the two fruit options, and after you start to enjoy the added taste and health benefits of eating organic fruit, you will certainly agree that the slight uptick in price is definitely well worth it!

May282011

A Green and Healthy Way to Commute

There are many people today who are trying to find a hobby to stay healthy. Activities that are done from the comfort of a chair at home is the main reason they are out of shape. Staying healthy and having fun results from bike riding, making it a very popular choice with people. Riding a bike is possible with some pavement and some time. Almost every town has bike paths through some wonderful and beautiful areas.

Cadillac makes great bikes that are comfortable to ride and should be considered for any woman that is seeking a new bike. Their most popular women’s bike is the Cadillac L21 Women’s Comfort Bike. This bike can be used in many different applications. Pure fun while riding around the neighborhood is one really nice option. Commutes to work or to school can also be conquered with it.

The bike itself has many great features. The seat and the handlebars are both fully adjustable to any woman’s build. They are both set in an all aluminum frame which is very light. Because of this light frame the bike can be carried around with little effort. The bike saves even more weight by using stainless steel wheels. They are long lasting and easy to clean when they are dirty.

Many different speeds can be achieved since the bike is fit with a Shimano 24 speed gear box. Forward placed pedals make the ride much more comfortable than other bikes. Maximum power is achieved with each pedal since this positioning places the legs in position for a fully extended leg. Every woman will enjoy being able to get the most exercise from each movement.

This Cadillac bicycle is perfect for those who want to commute to work and school, as well as those who want to take leisurely bike rides. The whole bike is created from long lasting parts that are intended to give you many years of enjoyment. Every time you take a bike ride you will enjoy the exercise and fun it provides.

Cadillac L21 Womens Comfort Bike

May282011

Gatorade Versus Water

The question of whether Gatorade or water is better has seemed to swirl endlessly for the last forty years, fueled by those with strong opinions on either side. After all, does it truly make sense that hydration – one of the most important things for our bodies – can be better achieved from a product bought in the store than from plain old water?

In order to understand the argument between water and Gatorade, it helps to understand a little about the history of Gatorade. Researchers at the University of Florida first created Gatorade when the Florida Gators’ head football coach asked them if there was a way for his players to be less sluggish during long, hot practices. Gatorade was immortalized not long afterward, when the Florida Gators defeated Georgia Tech in the 1967 Orange Bowl, and the Tech coach claimed his team had lost because they did not have Gatorade on their side.

Of course, you probably already know that Gatorade is designed to “replenish” your body, in ways that water alone supposedly cannot do. And this, in fact, is the basis of the answer to the question: Which is better, water or Gatorade?

Gatorade truly is valuable to athletes, as it was specially, scientifically formulated to replenish all those elements lost through sweating during intense physical exertion that water alone cannot replenish. While athletes can stick to a specific diet that will replicate the effects of Gatorade when water is included in the diet, it is much easier to pop open a bottle of Gatorade!

Mix Your Own Gatorade At Home!

On the other hand, Gatorade includes sugars and other elements that are not necessary for the body when at rest. If someone is sitting on the couch watching a movie, Gatorade will do very little in the way of “replenishing,” because the person’s body will not be sweating enough to need anything replenished!

For athletes, the best approach to take with Gatorade is to drink plenty of water leading up to an event, and then to consume plenty of Gatorade during the event. And for those who are not engaging in intense physical exertion, try to drink Gatorade as sparingly as you drink other sugar-filled drinks such as soda, as you have no serious need to replenish any great loss.

May272011

How to Apply the Five Moral Restrants to Your Yoga Practice

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If you’ve begun a serious yoga practice, you’ll want to incorporate the yamas—the five moral restraints—into your daily practice. Personalize each of the five restraints such that it applies to you and your particular situations. Consider these five restraints as you go through your asana (yoga poses), and then seek to carry these principles with you throughout the day.

The very first yama is referred to as ahimsa, which means practice of non-violence. You may practice this by being warm and kind towards your coworkers, family members, neighbors, and strangers you encounter. It may mean restraining your temper in personal situations, or perhaps in a more global sense, in your attitudes towards entire demographics of people.

The second yama is satya, or commitment to truthfulness. How you use this principle is up to you; you may wish to guard your tongue against anything but telling the truth, or perhaps you will internalize this to seek only truth and goodness inside yourself. You might embrace this principle by speaking words of truth or by honoring your integrity and the integrity of others.

Number three is asteya, which is the resistance to stealing anything. You may decide this means you will have integrity with your tax returns or refuse ot take credit for a coworker’s contributions to a project. Perhaps you wish to interpret this moral restraint to relate to your communion with the world at large, that you wish to take as little as possible from the earth, maintaining her wholeness and replenishing resources as you use them.

Number four is brahmacarya, which is the moral restraint of moderation. You can practice this by thinking through what extremes tempt you, such as overeating, oversleeping, excessive drinking, or any other way you take too much or indulge too much. If you live within the confines of moderation, you will be able to give to those around you.

The last yama is aparigrapha, or refusal to hoard for oneself. This principle leads us to never hoard our possessions, but to give freely, sharing with others in need.

The five moral restraints, or yamas, will lead you to enlightenment, especially if practiced in conjunction with the niyamas.

May262011

Getting Back In Shape

Plenty of people who are now in their 50s, their 40s, their 30s, and even their 20s were athletes once upon a time, and are athletes no more!

The thing is, it is often not until you go out and try to play some sort of recreational sport that you realize that you are not in nearly as good of shape as you once were. Here are some tips for you to follow if you have recently had a painful epiphany and have realized that it might be time to start getting back in shape!

Working out and eating healthy: This is the biggest thing of all when it comes to getting back in shape – and you cannot do one or the other, but you have to actually do both! You might find this to be difficult at first, but it will become a lot easier as time goes on, especially as you begin to see results.

Intensifying your workout: If you have been eating healthy and working out for what seems like ages, and you have realized that you are still not in the shape you want to be in, you might need to make a move to “up” the workouts you have been doing.

There are plenty of different ways you can go about doing this, but some ways to think about are increasing the amount of time you are working out, increasing your repetitions, or simply upping the speed at which you are doing the repetitions.

Additionally, you might want to consider doing something totally different with your workout in order to get yourself in better shape.

Make it a lifestyle: The big area where so many people fail is that they go on some sort of “crash diet” and “crash workout routine,” and they are unable to keep this up in the long run. Start out with something that will be easy for you to stick with, and from there, you can build on it. Once you put all these things together, you will be able to start improving the shape you are in – until you are back to where you want to be!

May252011

Ways to Incorporate the Five Observances of Yoga Into Your Life

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You’ll want to give the five observances (niyamas)  and the five moral restraints (yamas) equal attention as you pursue your yoga practice in earnest. Think about these five observances as your move through each of your asana (poses), and then apply these principles to your daily life.

The first of the observances (or niyama) is sauca, or attention to all things pure. You may wish to look for ways to purify your life. This principle may motivate you to quit habits that bring shame. You may feel moved to make restitution for mistakes. Or perhaps you will decide to purify your body by drinking clean water and refusing to eat foods that are unhealthy. Another way to purify yourself is to avoid smoke and to avoid consumption of processed foods or caffeine.

Number two on the list of observances is contentment, also referred to as santosa. This is the practice of accepting what you have, and appreciating the blessings in your life. You might embody this through meditation upon your blessings and focusing on that things are good in your life, practicing acceptance.

Number three is tapas, which is zeal. You can practice this by focusing on your energy related to desire for change, growth, and earnest pursuit of all of the yoga disciplines. Relish your eagerness to perform the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the yoga practices.

Number four on the list is svadhyaya, which is the introspective study of the self. Meditate deeply, allowing yourself to explore your inner world, determining what inside you is pleasing and not. Examine your intent, your determination, your desires. Inner work can be rewarding, exhausting, rejuvenating, and exciting.

The fifth niyama is isvara-pranidhana, or dedication to your higher power. You will want to commit yourself to a spiritual practice that you will connect to the physical as you go through the motions of your yoga practice. The combination of physical and spiritual is incredibly powerful.

As you honor the yamas and niyamas (the five moral restraints and the the five observances), you will experience physical, emotional, and spiritual growth.

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May242011

Ways to Help Kids Deal With Stress

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If your child seems stressed out a lot, you’ll want to read up on stress relief for kids. Try the following suggestions to help your child cope with stress.

Try dancing. If your kid seems uptight, try loosening him up with physical activity. Put on some music and set the example by you dancing first. The more active you both can get, the better.

Offer your child something squishy to squeeze. Squeezing a stress ball may help your child deal with immediate sources of pressure. Buy your child a squishy stress ball and teach him to squeeze it when he’s upset or angry.

Give your child a massage. Just like adults benefit from massages, kids relax when touched affectionately as well. Give lots of hugs as well. Tuck them into bed and give them a back massage, listening to them talk about their day.

Talk without making eye contact. When stress is intense, your child may not be able to tell you how she feels while looking at you, but she may be able to talk once the lights are out and you’re sitting at the foot of her bed. Be gentle, and ask leading questions, listening to your child’s answers. Being a safe place for your child to talk is an excellent way to help your child manage stress.

Try using music. Try putting on a serene music track as the soundtrack of your household. Music can slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure, if the beat is right and the music is soothing.

Try a few jokes. Laughter is one of the best ways to release stress. Make jokes, or if you aren’t funny, buy a joke book. Look for the humorous side of things, and be sure to make fun of yourself once in a while.

Keep at it; you are teaching your child how to find stress relief strategies that will last a lifetime.

May242011

Creating Healthy Alternatives To Fast Food

If you not only eat fast food out of necessity at times, but actually enjoy it as well, you might be looking for a way to eat this same food (or something very similar) without getting all the unhealthy components of this same fast food. The good news, if you find yourself in this position, is that you can make just about any fast food menu item at home – and just about anything you make at home will be a lot healthier (and probably a lot tastier as well!) than anything you could get at a fast food restaurant!

After you have figured out what meal you want to replicate, figure out what you need to buy; for instance, if you are wanting to replicate a meal with hamburgers and fries, you can buy organic hamburger beef and french fries at a store such as Whole Foods, and can buy fresh-baked buns, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, and healthy sauces to go with the burger.

Instead of getting soda to go with your meal, as you might usually do, you should consider switching to a sparkling fruit juice, or to homemade iced tea; even though water is always the best thing for you to drink, it does not necessarily go great with burgers – unlike these options, which are healthier than soda and go great with burgers!

When it comes time to cook your food, you also should make sure you are cooking it the right way; instead of frying your fries, try baking them, and instead of frying your burgers, try making them in a George Foreman Grill or on a regular grill outside. When you cook your food this way, you will not only have a much healthier option, but you will also have something that tastes a whole lot better than anything you could get at a fast food restaurant!

You might think that all of this will take far too much time, but actually, you can make several burgers (and a whole batch of french fries) at once, and you can store these in your fridge and have “fast food” waiting for you whenever you want it!