Ideal for Weight Loss and Stress Reduction – Yoga

Yoga is a meditation practice that has been around for many centuries. It has a number of positive effects on the body, mind and soul and has been known to be able to cure almost any ailment.

 

One of the many reasons that people practice yoga is for weight loss. Certain asanas can help tone your body and help you shed the excess fat and weight that you’ve been trying to. Yoga for weight loss works better as is it boosts the overall health of your body apart from helping you shed excess weight.

 

Here are some asanas that you can try, to lose weight:

 

The bow pose (Dhanurasana):

• Lie down on the floor-on your stomach.
• Slowly lift your legs and try to stretch and hold your legs with your hands.
• Stay in this bow like posture for at least 30 seconds and then let go.

The bow pose improves your digestion and appetite. It can cure constipation and gastrointestinal problems as well. Apart from this, it flexes your back and improves overall flexibility.

 

The locust post (Shalbasana):

• Lie down on your yoga mat- on your stomach.
• Raise your left leg about 10 inches. Ensure that your leg is straight; don’t bend your knees.
• Try doing the same with your right leg.
• To end this asana, trying to raise both legs together and stay in that position for 30 seconds.
• Make sure your hands are under your thighs.

This asana stimulates the abdominal organs and the (autonomic) nervous system.

 

The half spinal twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana):

• Sit on your yoga mat with your legs spread out.
• Bend your left foot at the knee and place it over the right leg.
• Bend your right knee and fold that leg in, such that your right heel is under the left buttock.
• With your right hand, hold your left toe.
• Twist your trunk while inhaling, with your left arm encircling your back as you twist. The palm of the hand should be facing outwards.
• Inhale and exhale slowly.

This asana stimulates the heart, liver, kidneys and lungs.

 

The cobra pose (Bhujangasana):

• Start by lying face down on your mat.
• Your hands should be placed on either side, palms flat.
• Now, raise your head and look upwards while bringing your palms close to your shoulder, elbows erect.
• Slowly shift the weight from your stomach to the hands, lifting your upper body.
• Stretch your shoulders back so that your chest is thrust out.
• Your hands are still bent at the elbows at this point. Straighten them out to stretch arms, making them perpendicular to the floor.
• Relax your back and shift the weight onto your arms (which are straight).
• Slowly go back to the previous position and follow the steps backwards to release this pose.

This asana improves blood circulation, cures indigestion, constipation and relieves stress.

These yoga poses are great to detox the body and help you lose weight. They stretch and work on the muscles that can accumulate fat such as the torso, abs, arms and thighs. Practicing these poses regularly will definitely help you lose weight. Time to say goodbye to those love handles, forever!

 

Better Health Through Juicing

I’m sure avid followers out there have noticed that I haven’t had any guest posts lately.  There’s a number of reasons for that – mostly technical.  But Chris, although now in Chicago, is from my home state of Oregon and has a passion for juicing and some great recipes on his website that I knew you would all love.

Remember back in March, Karen Brooks of In-Home Wellness Solutions joined me for a number of juicing videos.   But the question of juicing, diet, and weight loss is frequently asked of me and quite frankly, I’m not an expert on juicing.  I do my own juicing and can make some recommendations, but I like to defer to the experts on any subject that I don’t feel competent enough in to give advice.  So, today I’d like to introduce you to Chris Wimmer. . .

Here’s Chris Wimmer –

I’m Chris Wimmer and Kellie asked me to share some of my knowledge, passion, and experience with home juicing. Juicing has been a significant part of my effort to get healthy in 2014. My results won’t get me invited onto a national TV show but I’ll take weight loss of 20 pounds, improving my daily energy and removing caffeine from my system!

Typically, I incorporate just one or two fresh juices in my daily diet. They help me get my daily requirements of vitamins and minerals while boosting my energy. However, I also like to save about one day every other month where I just juice the entire day. I find it a great ritual that helps me stay in tune with my body.

Juicing Cleanse

Before you start a juice cleanse, it’s important to prepare properly. Proper preparation will ensure you get maximal results, minimize any detoxification side effect, and most importantly do it safely.

Pre-Juice Cleanse Checklist:

• Consult your physician – especially if you have any health conditions that require you to take prescription or herbal medicine.

• Do not take any vitamin or nutritional supplements the day before (or day of) a cleanse. You will be consuming mega doses of vitamins, minerals, and powerful antioxidants so it’s not necessary and could possibly even overload your system.

• Do NOT juice fast if you are pregnant or nursing. This is not the time for a cleanse as the toxins you purge could go to your baby. But don’t worry; the juice will still be there when you are done.

• Be prepared to not smoke, drink alcohol, or drink caffeinated beverages during the cleanse. If you do currently, it’s wise to lower your consumption of these the week prior to a cleanse. Going cold turkey will set you up for some tough withdrawal symptoms.

• Plan your juice fast for a quite low key day. This will let you rest your body so it can concentrate on purging the toxins from your body.

• Let your friends know you are juice fasting. Especially if you are going to see them that day. If they really are a friend they will support you. No need to try to hide your juicing!

• Eat more raw fruits and vegetables the 2 days prior and eliminate dairy.

• Have any sinful snacks? Hide them away or give to a neighbor to hold! It’s harder to cheat if it’s not in reach.

• Buy your favorite (non-caffeinated) herbal tea to drink on your cleanse.

• Plan your juice menu. You can either purchase a 1 day juice cleanse from a local juice store or create your own juices. A good juice cleanse should provide you a wide variety. A good rule of thumb is to make a rainbow of juices: green, red, orange, and purple.

Thank you to Kellie for letting me share my knowledge and passion for juicing.

About: Chris Wimmer writes and shares his personal experience about hydroponic gardening, juicing, and cooking at HealthSmartLiving.com.

The Amazing Wellness Benefits of a Spa

There are many more advantages of a hot tub than what seem obvious. It is not just an item of luxury;but, something that means different things to different people. A hot tub bath might be a therapeutic remedy for someone who is feeling tired and worn out. And, for someone it could be an entertainment package and a place to spend some fun time with the family.  It could also be the best exercise equipment for an overweight person struggling to shed weight. That’s the kind of expectation from a spa / to provide for and prove its worth on multiple aspects.

Wellness with Spa and Hot tub Therapy

The sort of benefits that the spa hydrotherapy can offer is commendable. The truth however is that water has been deployed in treating chronic illnesses since ages. Harnessed in different ways, the properties of water, such as its buoyancy, current, flow and temperature, are used to cure issues like arthritis, obesity and more. The following are some of the health and fitness related advantages that

1. Relaxation for Tired Muscles: Spending only thirty to forty minutes out of your entire day, in a spa, can ease off the strain and muscular pain that your muscles experience. Hot tub therapy can also minimize joint pain / great news for those suffering from arthritis. Isn’t it?

2. Cure for Fibromyalgia: For those who don’t know, fibromyalgia is a chronic health condition in which the one suffering from it complains of pain and stiffness in the body, fatigue and poor blood circulation. Warm water bath is an age old remedy for treating such symptoms. Hot tubs are therefore effective in soothing the condition.

3. Weight Loss: There is only one definite cure for weight issues. And that is exercise. However, people who are obese are asked to refrain from strenuous exercise. The end result is that they are not able to shed too much weight. The strain that exercise causes on their joints and muscles can cause more harm than any good that exercise can ever do. That is where the role of spas and hot tubs comes into play. Because the water in the vessel creates buoyancy, the person feels weightless. There is minimum pressure on the joints; hence there is less risk of injuring the bones and muscles.

Exercising In A Spa

Since everyone can’t afford a swimming pool or gymnasium, spas are a feasible alternative to be considered if you wish to keep in shape. Exercising in a hot tub has far more benefits that exercising otherwise could have. If you wish to keep your workout comfortable, Master Spa hot tubs or swim spas are the best for you. You can even meditate in a spa!

 How to Identify Food Intolerances

Recent research is showing that the rates of food intolerances among Americans, particularly children, are rising steadily. The problems with food intolerances go well beyond simple digestive issues. If left untreated, they can cause neurological damage, obesity, behavior problems, mood disorders, metabolic issues, hormone disorders, infertility and serious diseases of the digestive tract.

Some evidence has even suggested that an unresolved food intolerance can contribute to cancer and a shortened lifespan. Therefore, it becomes critically important to identify and fix the problem. Although awareness regarding these problems is increasing, studies show that most people who have a food intolerance aren’t even aware of it.

Some people are asymptomatic, but most others simply don’t know what to look for. Here are some of the most common signs of food intolerance.

 

Food Intolerance Sign – Feeling Ill

Do you often find yourself with an upset stomach shortly after eating? Perhaps you suffer from uncomfortable gas and bloating as well? These are typically the most immediate signs that your body doesn’t agree with a certain food.

In some food intolerances, people lack an enzyme that is necessary for proper digestion of certain food components. The most common example of this type of situation is lactose intolerance.

However, there are some food intolerances that are immunological in origin. This occurs when the body recognizes a certain substance, usually a protein, as a foreign pathogen. The immune system then mistakenly attacks the cells of the digestive tract, causing digestive dysfunction. Over time, immunological food intolerances can cause serious intestinal diseases. If you suffer frequent digestive issues, but you can’t think of what may be causing it, you may want to consider a food intolerance test.

 

Food Intolerance Help – Elimination Diet

It’s possible to be intolerant to anything, but there are a handful of foods that pose the greatest threat. These include wheat, corn, soy, milk, peanuts, shellfish, eggs and tree nuts. However, people can also possess intolerances to honey, certain meats, mushrooms, coconuts, rice, seeds, certain fruits and beans. If there are numerous risk factors in your diet, you may want to root them out via the process of elimination. An helpful guide is Cleanse and Detoxify Your Body: 28 days to better health using nutrient-dense whole foods.  Remove one suspected food from your diet for a couple of weeks and see how you feel. Reintroduce it slowly and note any possible reactions. If you have no discernible response, the food may be safe. Continue the elimination diet until you’ve identified all culprits. For added benefit, food intolerance testing can root out additional threats to health.

 

Food Intolerance Neurological Symptoms

Neurological symptoms are strongly associated with immunological food intolerances. Besides attacking the digestive tract, the immune system can also attack the body’s nerves. This often results in muscle spasms, difficulty concentrating, pins-and-needles, pains that feel like they’re in the bones, electric shock feelings, abdominal pain and cramping and itching or crawling feelings. Some research has linked unresolved food intolerances, like gluten intolerance, with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and dementia. These findings suggest that long-term nerve damage may be to blame.

 

Food Intolerance Symptom – Low Mood

It’s not uncommon for low mood to accompany a food intolerance for a variety of reasons. Intolerances that damage the intestines can inhibit the proper absorption of nutrients, many of which are necessary for mood-enhancing neurotransmitter production. Common triggers like gluten and casein can also plug into the brain’s opioid receptors, causing irritability, a deadening of positive emotions and an inability to enjoy things.

 

Food Intolerance Symptom – Constipation

Frequent constipation is another sign of food intolerance. When problematic substances plug into your opioid receptors, they can also halt peristalsis, or bowel movement. A lack of this movement means that you become constipated. Chronic constipation, while unpleasant, is also bad for health overall. When the body can’t eliminate waste, toxins accumulate and cause illness and malaise.

 

Food Intolerance Symptom – Fatigue

Loading your body with a foods it can’t tolerate puts a lot of strain on it. It expends a great deal of energy on healing damage and trying to fight off what it sees as a harmful invader. This is the same principle behind why you feel so exhausted when you’re sick. If you’ve been exposed to a food you’re intolerant to, be sure to take it easy and get plenty of rest and nutrition.

 

Food Intolerance Symptom – External Signs

Symptoms of a food intolerance aren’t always invisible. In many cases, they can show up as skin problems. Rough, dry or scaly patches on the skin, psoriasis, eczema, lupus and chronic yeast infections can all be linked to food intolerances. Even acne can be triggered by food intolerance by promoting inflammation and reducing resistance to germs.

 

Food Intolerance Testing

Unfortunately, the process of elimination doesn’t suit everyone and has its flaws. It is very time consuming, and you may skip over potential triggers without even knowing it. Plus, some people just don’t want to wait to find out how to get better. The best option for determining or confirming a problem food is to have a food intolerance test. Food intolerance testing accounts for a wide array of potential triggers, even the more obscure ones. This will help you understand how to re-shape your diet to safeguard your health.

 

Author Bio: Sarah is a small business owner, and is currently learning about health, using the internet. Aside from working on her own business, she likes to use social media, and read travel books.