Isn't Meditation Fun?

Well honestly... no. Meditation is no fun at all. It's difficult, sometimes tedious, often frustratingly hard work. As a matter of fact, if you are having fun while meditating there is a good chance that it's just your mind trying to distract you from the hard work. Sorry.

Many people today have some serious misconceptions about what meditation is and what its purpose is. So let's first look at what meditation is not.

Meditation is not relaxation. Of course there's nothing wrong with relaxing. It's important to take time to relax especially in today's fast paced, stressful world. And while meditation can and does help us relax, it isn't relaxation itself.

Going to your "happy place" is not meditation. That is relaxing. And, as I've already said, meditation is not relaxation.

By the same token, listening to music is a wonderful way to relax. It is not meditation.

So what is meditation? Meditation is training the mind to stay fully present and in the moment. It is being fully awake and aware of everything going on around us as well as within us. It's being aware of our thoughts, our emotions, and our physical sensations, and at the same time being fully aware of the noises and activities going on around us. While we are aware of everything, we also calmly exist. We are making no judgments about whether a thought, a noise or a sensation is good or bad. We just exist with the universe. The Sanskrit word for this type of meditation is Shamatha which means, "Calm Abiding". In Zen Buddhism it's called Zazen, "Just Sitting".

So here we are, just sitting. The instruction then is to put a portion of our attention on our breath. The reason the breath is used is that it is always with us. We breathe all the time but usually we are not aware of it. It just happens. Also, when our attention is on the breath, it brings our mind and our body into sync. You could say it brings us more fully into our body, more fully into the present. When we breathe in we are aware we are breathing in. When we breathe out we are aware we are breathing out. Then when we have a thought, we label it a thought. We might say to ourselves, "Thinking", or "Thought".

The rest of our attention is on everything else. We are not trying to go into some sort of trance-like state where we lose touch with the world around us. That, also, is not meditation. On the contrary, we are learning to be fully present. When the phone rings we might call that a noise. Or, since the noise and a thought such as "Oh, the phone's ringing" happen so closely together, we could call that a thought as well. Whatever happens we label it a thought, a sensation, a noise. Then we let it go and go back to the breath. It's important that we not form an opinion about these thoughts, sensations and noises. They just are. Just as we just are in that moment. That's the whole of the instruction. Simple right? Yes it's very simple. And it's very hard. And it's definitely not a lot of fun.

There are so many benefits to this basic meditation practice it's difficult to name them all. Physically meditation can lower blood pressure and build the immune system. It can help us sleep better and wake up more easily. Emotionally it helps with depression, anger issues and a wide variety of unpleasant emotions. We find we can concentrate more easily, focus and retain what we learn more efficiently.

But one of the most amazing benefits to meditation is the ability to hear our thoughts, to feel our emotions, and then to realize we have the choice to react to those thoughts and emotions or not. We sometimes identify so closely with our thoughts we don't even hear them. We just react to them. The same with our emotions. We don't actually feel them until we've already reacted. And it is the reaction to these things that causes the problems in our lives, not the thoughts and emotions themselves.This is how addictions work. An irrational thought becomes an irrational emotion and before we know it we've smoked a cigarette, eaten an entire pie or done something else that we regret.

In some Eastern traditions it is understood that we are not our thoughts or our emotions. We are the Watcher, the Witness. The One who decides. With a regular meditation practice we regain the ability to choose. We gain control of our lives and that, I suppose you could say, is fun.

Susan L Qualls has taught meditation, fitness and qigong for many years both in group classes and in one on one mentoring. To read more of her articles please visit http://www.susanlq.com

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Weight Loss Medication or Meditation

Losing weight is a good thing. Some people try diet, exercise, and medication for this purpose. Others will try yoga, meditation, and Chinese tradition methods to lose weight. In both ways, it is a good approach because we will get the same desired results.

Is it possible to lose weight with meditation? Is it possible to lose weight with meditation? This article is not in favor of medications or meditation. I have watched people losing weight with yoga and meditation. Yoga helps you get in shape and it burns 2 to 3 calories per minute.

The best yoga exercise is "Ashtanga vinyasa yoga" where there is never any separation between your breaths and movements. Every pose starts with inhales and ends on exhales. That is why yoga has good effects on n your metabolic rate. Yoga is also a good cardiovascular exercise.

Chinese traditions methods are also used to lose weight. Most people get good result with these methods and that is why Chinese tea, Chinese pills, and Chinese acupuncture are famous among people.

Meditation is not a method to lose weight but it is used to calm your mind and body. Meditation removes stress and it is a good way to release tension.

Medications are also successful for weight loss but there is a lot of discussion on this topic. It is always preferred to lose weight with diet and exercise. Medication cannot be a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle guarantees long life and success. Meditation and yoga are indications of a good lifestyle.

Yoga or meditation can be used only if you are not overweight. If you are overweight, medications are necessary.

Medication vs. Meditation

• You cannot use medication without the consent of your doctor. Do not take risk of your life. Weight loss supplements, pills, and shakes are included in medications.


• Meditation can be done on your own. You can also use Chinese methods. Do not use acupuncture as a weight loss technique without medical supervision.


• Medications have some side effects while meditation has none.


• Medication makes you feel ill and sick. Yoga and meditation are indications of a good lifestyle.


• Chinese tea and other natural supplements improve your overall health while medicines are used for treatments of certain problems.

What should be your choice?

It depends on your health. If you are an overweight person, go with medication. If you are living a healthy life, do meditate for 15 minutes. It will make your life happy and peaceful.

How to introduce meditation in your life?

Most people do not have time to meditate. That is a problem. When we are living a healthy life, we do not pay attention to our fitness. Select a time and room where you will not be disturbed or interrupted. Go in your room and do meditation for 15 minutes. No more no less. Do not do it for more than 15 minutes for your 1st 10 days. I want you to stick with this plan. If you will spend more time in it you will not be able to find time for it.

Meditation and yoga are two different things. However, their purpose is single-minded devotion. These exercises develop focus, stability, and inner peace.

To live a healthy life and to perform well in life, it is good to spend some time in silence.

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Smoking Can Cause Menopause To Start 2 Years Early

A recent study by the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia revealed some interesting findings on menopause. It has found that white women who smoke and carry specific gene variants are more likely to start their menopause earlier than those who do not.

The study was comprised of four hundred women aged between thirty-five to forty-seven. The study focused on the link between smoking and the existence of one nucleotide polymorphisms appearing in four genes and the metabolism of environmental chemicals and steroid hormones; and whether that affected menopause symptoms starting earlier.

The combination of smoking and the presence of these four genes, in affecting when one starts menopause, was found to be a much greater risk for women of European descent. The heavier the women smoked the higher the risk grew, as one might expect. The North American Menopause Society has highlighted that heavy smokers could start menopause two years earlier than they would have had they not smoked. Smoking can also affect the intensity of the hot flashes, with smokers suffering more than non smokers. On top of that, there are all of the other dangers associated with smoking such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. These risks are naturally increasing as women grow older, and smoking just increases the risk.

The American Lung Association (ALA) has also warned that cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which by the way is incurable, is on the rise in middle-aged women. COPD is now the third most common leading cause of death in people in the United States, with women aged forty-five to sixty-four being fifty-one times more likely to have the disease than men.

The ALA has suggested that the rise in the number of women who now have a smoking habit is likely a direct correlation with the increase in COPD amongst women. They went on to say that there are several positive initiatives underway that can help to fight this disease. One way is to support women who want to quit smoking by providing tobacco cessation counseling as well as improve the services their health care providers give, and they go on to suggest better laws be introduced to reduce widespread tobacco usage.

Everyone knows smoking is bad for them, so no news there, but if you are a middle-aged woman, kicking the habit will not only help with overall health issues, but also your menopause too.

Crila for Menopause is a herb that works astonishingly well. Our customers have reported significant decreases in their night sweats and hot flashes. It is a natural alternative to HRT and continues to improve the quality of sleep, and life in general of so many of our happy customers. Read our testimonials and you will be surprised and impressed.

 Emma Paterson - Crila Health

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Know Your Skin Type

Skin types change over a period of time. Younger people tend to have normal skin, but as you age it changes into other types depending on the water content, oil content and sensitivity level.

Water content provides comfort and elasticity to skin. Oil / lipid content provide softness to your skin.

The initial type of skin is genetically determined, that is the type of skin you are born with. However, the health and quality of the skin, later in life largely depends on what you eat and how you take care of your skin. You look great if you have a great skin. To always look great you have to determine your skin type, so that you can take good care of it by the recommended methods and slow down the aging process.

To know your skin type, there is a simple test. Take a clean tissue and wipe the skin of face with it, the moment you get up in the morning. Depending on the oil on the tissue it will be categorized as:

1. Normal
Tissue will not reveal any traces of oil and skin will feel vibrant, elastic and supple. Normal skin is the blessed skin as it is the least problematic skin. Even with a little care, it will look good in your advanced age. Skin is clean, smooth, has a healthy blood circulation and complexion.

2. Dry
Tissue will not reveal any traces of oil in this case also but the skin will feel dry, flaky and tight after wiping it. It will develop wrinkles, fine pores and a sallow tone. It is very prone to aging and becomes sensitive also. To keep it healthy it needs good and regular skin care.

3. Oily
This skin will cause oily stains on most of the tissue. Excess production of sebum not only makes skin oily, but also stretches pores. When the oil mixes with dirt and make up breakouts can also happen.

4. Combination
Tissue test will show oil stains around your oily areas -nose, chin and forehead. It will remain dry under the rest of the area - eyes and cheeks. It will require two different types of treatment, for the oily areas and for the dry areas.

5. Sensitive
Redness, dryness, burning and itching can show up on the sensitive skin. If your skin is sensitive, see what triggers it so that you can avoid them.

For more information on skin care and related products, see http://www.purastem.com

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3 Important Features of a Good Hairstyle

Our hairstyle defines our look, to a large extent. We can beautifully disguise ourselves behind a look, if it goes right. Depending on the hairstyle you can probably look younger, stylish & glamourous with just a bit of tweaking here and there.

However, there is a flip side too! If you have the habit of dashing into salons without bothering to understand what hairstyle suits your face or style, you can end up with a disastrous look in a matter of minutes.

While many people think that hair gels or hair sprays can fix any haircut (yes, even if it has gone wrong!), it is certainly not an option you can live with for too long! If the basic look is not right, even the hair accessories cannot help.

Hair care and hairstyling requires time. You need to know what suits your hair and what doesn't. As with hair care products (oils, shampoos, gels, colors etc), hairstyle too demands a careful selection. But how do you decide what is a good hairstyle for you? Are you someone who follows yearly hairstyle trends or do you still follow a classic hairstyle you began your childhood with? Do you match the shape of your face with the hairstyle or do you simply match yourself with a celebrity? Do you choose a comfortable hairstyle or something elaborate that need hours of styling? Do you love a neat hairstyle or being messy is your kind of fashion? The questions don't end here. However, the search for answers does! Here's what a good hairstyle should offer:

1) Comfortable & Long lasting : A hairstyle should be easy to manage. Specially for kids, always choose a hairstyle that is hassle free. Bangs or fringes getting into eyes is the greatest discomfort (no matter how fashionable it is!), so choose an optimum hair length for the front. A disastrous haircut can probably make you run back to the salon every fortnight, getting a fix here and there to get it look normal. A good haircut should last at least two to three months.

2) Match your face shape: A hairstyle should always match your face shape. While you cannot physically match a hairstyle with your face, at least browse through the pictures with similar face shapes. There are quite a few online apps (just Google!) that can help you match your face to a particular hairstyle.

3) Enhance your look: A good hairstyle should enhance your appearance. A person can change his / her personality with a lot of add ons (clothes, accessories, makeup) and hairstyleis certainly the biggest. The entire look is put together by all the elements to create a confident appearance. Although in everyday life we don't need to rush to the salon every now and then, getting a suitable and good looking haircut is good enough to enhance your personality, create confidence about yourself and of course, create a lasting impression!

Your hair are your precious feature. The healthier you eat, the healthier your hair will be. Stress is certainly the sole and biggest reason why your hair begin to lose their voluminous growth and shine. You could certainly get a great looking haircut and probably maintain it with the help of hair gels and other chemically loaded hair products, but the true strength of your hair is your nutrition and a stress free lifestyle. Look well after yourself, beauty will naturally follow!

Nidhi Jain has written articles on various topics like Self Help, Food, Travel, Stories etc. She has also written web content articles for diving, kitchen, financial websites etc.

http://ohbutthatsjustlife.blogspot.in/

http://crayoncreatives.blogspot.com/p/self-help.html

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Five Secrets To Living A Long Life

Are you one of those people who wants to have a long and healthy life? What you need are ideas on how to make sure you can start securing your future from today. Living long depends on both your body and mind. The factors below are simple to follow and have long term benefits for your body and mind.

1. Reduce the stress

It is important to ensure that you do away with stress. Have a positive change in attitude in your life in order to get rid of all the anxiety. Stop looking at your life negatively or putting unnecessary pressure on yourself. Instead, set realistic goals that you can reach comfortably. Also, participate in activities that will relieve your tension every week.

2. Sleep more

If you are one of those people who spend half of your bed time working or watching television, you are in for a shock. Sleep is a key factor that will help maintain help and make you feel rejuvenated. You should keep an eye on your sleep patterns. If you have insomnia, soothing music can help put you to bed. Another trick is to make sure you tire yourself out during the day.

3. Less exhausting workouts

It is a common belief that going to the gym and participating in heavy workout sessions will keep you young. The truth is these fitness regimes will make you lose weight.

However, as far as increasing your life goes, heavy work outs out may not have as big an effect like light exercises (i.e. yoga courses). Choose moderately engaging activities instead like riding your bike, traveling or swimming. As opposed to the gym, you can go for yoga retreats to keep your body fit and make sure your relaxed as the same time.

4. Eat well

As cliché as this trick may sound, the kind of diet your body is accustomed to will eventually translate on how fit it is. Make sure you eat well. Also, your body is like a car. It needs to be serviced regularly. Do not miss out on your doctor's appointments and medical checkups.

5. Worry

Worry is good. The pressure created from worrying is beneficial to you. According to a research carried out by Friedman and Martin, if you are too optimistic, your body will be unable to handle trauma when it occurs. You need to allow your mind to get worried sometimes. Worry can also result to healthy lifestyle choices like saving money because you're afraid of being broke.

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Three Types Of Casts For Broken Bones

For many of us of a certain vintage, a cast is a chunky, white thing made of plaster of Paris that the orthopedic doctor puts on your broken arm or leg and all of your friends at school sign their names and draw pictures on it. But that isn't the only option out there these days. A child with a broken arm now might be sporting a funky, brightly colored fiberglass cast. And in the future, casts might have a whole new look if a newly developed 3D cast design proves to be as great as its inventor hopes.

- The Standard Plaster of Paris Cast: This is the old reliable cast from way back when. It has a soft, cotton layer next to the skin, and a hard layer on the outside made of plaster of Paris. It will dissolve in water and is notorious for being itchy on the inside, but you can write on the outside, as generations of children have enjoyed doing for their friends with broken limbs.

- The Newer Fiberglass Cast: This is not very different from the old school plaster of Paris cast. Although the fiberglass is waterproof, the padding inside still needs to remain dry. This type of cast comes in fun colors and is much lighter than the plaster of Paris version. And yes, your friends can still draw on it.

- The Futuristic Cortex 3D Cast: Don't expect to get one of these yet; the design is brand new. It only got media attention in June 2013. But once it is perfected, if all goes as hoped, this lightweight, customized cast will spare patient the annoyance of having an unreachable itch inside a cast. Its web-like design means some skin will be exposed and the limb will have some ventilation. It should be a lot more comfortable, but drawing on it will be challenging!

The orthopedic doctor will decide which type of cast is best for each individual patient. Casts are not a one-size-fits-all item. Bones can suffer minimal, hairline fractures or horrific compound fractures where the bone rips out through the skin. The average person suffers two broken bones in his or her lifetime, and a broken bone is a common part of childhood. Thankfully children recover relatively quickly!

Most broken bones in young children heal in a matter of weeks, some in just three weeks. The same breaks in an adult take much longer to mend, and in the elderly can require longer hospital stays. Your orthopedic doctor will explain which activities you can continue and which must be avoided completely as the bone mends. Remember, cast must be kept dry, and this will affect many normal daily activities such as bathing. When the cast finally comes off, which might be after several weeks, your skin will need some serious tender loving care because it's pretty dry and stuffy in a cast. Follow your doctor's advice, and that broken limb will soon be back to normal.

Are you based in Phoenix, AZ? You should visit the following website:

Orthopedic Doctor Phoenix AZ

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New Year New Me

It has been a while since I wrote my last article. During that period there has been a number of personal changes. The main one for me was relocating and changing jobs at the same time. This was the reason for the hiatus.
However in relation to trying to maintain a balanced diet, and a healthy lifestyle, it became very difficult, and unfortunately led to consuming foods high in saturated fat and salt, but the main nutrient that I loved as well was sugar.

I decided to make the change because i was on the bus journey home, and I was just so so tired, sluggish and fed up. I am not normally the type of person to feel that way, but it took me till that point to realise that something was wrong.

The first agenda I had to address was the lack of exercise. I stopped going to the gym because of relocating and adjusting to the new situation. so I decided researching into different gyms locally. Finally I found one, and i signed up the next day. I now regularly attend the gym, I try to aim for minimum of twice a week, but more than that is a bonus.

The second item on the agenda was diet, as explained earlier I love sugar, and really needed to cut down. Therefore the daily sugar intake needed reducing, otherwise the weight would had continued to increase regularly, which would had led to health problems later on in life ( wh did not want obviously) I started swapping high sugary food and drink for lower sugar options. For example swapping milk chocolate for dark chocolate, a sugary cereal for museli or porridge (depending on how I feel daily)

The third item on the agenda was portion control. when I moved into my new place, the portions I had were bigger than what I usually had previously. This was due to again, changes, and I got to the point that I would consume it, without thinking about if I was full or not.Therefore I decided to snack more, so that when it came to mealtimes, I would not have a big portion, I would have a smaller portion. This is because I am slightly full, due to the snack that I would have had earlier. The good thing about this is that overall i am saving calories on a daily basis, which would lead to weight loss later on in the coming weeks.

Other changes that I have made included drinking more water, as the body sometimes becomes confused into deciding if it is food or fluids. Our bodies are at least 70% water, so it is very important to try and consume as much fluids as possible, as we lo fluids on a regular basis. Also it can help determine if the body is actually dehydrated, rather than consuming a sugary food to help keep hunger at bay, which can help consume less calories, which in an effect can support weight loss.

Finally having at least eight hours of sleep is important, as studies have shown that having enough sleep, can help maintain weight. This is because the brain (if the body has enough sleep) would be better equipped to make better changes for the body, for example deciding if the body is hungry, craving for something sweet, or dehydrated. If the body has a lack of sleep, then the brain would find it difficult to decide these changes, so it could be that the brain may make the wrong decision, especially for the body, which in the long term could lead to weight gain

Another change that I have done was that I am not driving as often. This is because where I am working now there is no availability for parking. Therefore I have to take public transport, which means more walking, and less driving.

Overall as it is now the third month of the year, it is very important to make these changes above, so that by the time it is the summer period, hopefully there would be a little bit of weight loss, which would boost a bit of confidence.

I am a qualified nutritional advisor with 4 years experience. I can support people with weight management issues and general wellbeing. You can view me on either my website on http://www.livelongrocks.co.uk. Or you can view me on my blog http://www.livelongrocks.blogspot.com

Both of the above can help you with any nutritional support. Or if you have any queries you can, contact me through the websites above.

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Is Health Affected by Stress?

This may at first glance, seem a fairly obvious question with a fairly obvious answer that stress has an adverse or negative impact on an individual's health, either physically or mentally.

Whilst this may seem true to most people, there is a slightly more underlying complex issue which concerns the nature of stress, its value as well as its detriment's, and why an understanding of the nature of stress and how it should be handled can have a major impact on an individual's health.

It is a fairly recent understanding in the field of holistic medicine that stress can have an impact on an individual's health. Until fairly recently there was a belief that external factors had a relatively limited impact on an individual's health, and it was largely how the individual handled their external environment that determined how they felt.

This in effect was saying that an individual should really be bullet-proof, and that with a few exceptions the external environment and the stresses of that environment had relatively little impact on an individual's ability to function.

This belief has pretty much swung the other way nowadays, with an understanding that external environments that generate stress do have an impact, and there is a much healthier focus on either removing some of the levels of stress if possible, or on finding ways of helping an individual to cope with the nature of stress.

There is also an understanding that certain levels of stress can in fact be quite a good thing at times, partly because they generate a degree of motivation and impetus within an individual to change and do things and move their lives forward in ways that they might not do otherwise.

The whole focus of an individual maintaining their own sense of health promotion by understanding their health and what works for and against them as an individual becomes more of an imperative with the rising costs of health insurance and health care, and the onus that puts on an individual to take responsibility for their own health and the factors that affect it.

The issue of stress should perhaps be clarified by splitting it into two main areas, the external motivators of stress and the internal motivators of stress. This in part is important because it clarifies areas of life that an individual is in control of, and clarifies areas of life that an individual is not in control of.

Once an individual is clear, or clearer about what they are in control of in their life then they have a sense of purpose about being able to change the things they can. Often external stress such as work pressures, travel/commute pressures and family pressures are often seen as being outside the control of the individual, and as such represent a greater level of stress because they are powerless to affect the outcome.

Peter Main is freelance writer who writes extensively about health, healthcare and health insurance with a particular focus on current issues and debates, such as the state of healthcare reform and how it impacts on peoples lives

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Yoga for Skeletal Health

The ancient practice of yoga, which dates back more than 5,000 years, improves skeletal health through skillful selection and consistent application of a variety of exercises. Yoga poses for skeletal health are chosen for their ability to improve posture, increase flexibility and relieve skeletal system tensions. Yoga assists in maintaining bone density. It also helps minerals that are stored in the bones, as well as the blood cells produced in bone marrow, to be released to the bloodstream for the body's use as needed.

The Importance of a Healthy Skeletal System

Human skeletons contain 206 bones. Joints connect the ends of some bones. Encapsulated synovial fluid provides lubrication to the adjoining bone ends to reduce friction. Ligaments and muscles attach to bones by making use of either attachment points or insertion points on the bones. A healthy skeletal system is the foundation for a healthy body. Yoga postures optimize the conditions necessary to improve or maintain skeletal health.

Treating Osteoporosis with Yoga

Loren M. Fishman, a medical doctor affiliated with the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, led a pilot study to research the effectiveness of yoga in treating or preventing osteoporosis. The findings of this study were published in "Topics for Geriatric Rehabilitation" in 2009 and can be viewed here. Although the number of participants who completed the study were small, results were significant. Those in the study who faithfully performed the prescribed yoga routines showed noticeable improvement in the bone density of both spine and hip.

Yoga Helps Joints and Musculoskeletal Disorders

Because yoga increases the circulation of synovial fluid, it helps joints move more freely and reduces joint pain. In addition, yoga positions that require the use of a person's muscles to push and pull on the skeleton stimulate local bone growth. Yoga also has proved useful in treating musculoskeletal disorders of the hand and wrist. Marian Garfinkel, with the Medical College of Pennsylvania, led studies in 1994 and 1998 that confirmed the effectiveness of yoga in lessening the effects of carpal tunnel syndrome and improving grip.

Align the Body and Improve Balance with Yoga and Props

Yoga poses align the body and improve balance. Because yoga allows the use of props, people with disabilities or physical ailments can perform poses that otherwise would be impossible. Yoga instructors familiar with the proper use of props are able to individualize the various routines to fit each person's age and condition. Such individualization maximizes the benefits of yoga for the skeletal health of every participant.

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To read more or receive Free Yoga videos, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/AuraWellnessCenter

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Music For Health and Healing

My exercise routine includes at least one day of dancing - moving my body in rhythm with music. I experimented with many videos and my favorite is the Zumba. When I first saw Zumba dancers I wondered why people got so excited in 1950s about Elvis Presley moving his hips. In a Zumba routine you gyrate and shake every part of your body. It is liberating and also fun. It is also a great way to keep fit and lose weight.

Zumba is a Colombian dance fitness program created by dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez in the 1990s. The legend has it that Beto forgot his normal aerobics tape one day for his class and he improvised using the tapes of salsa and merengue music which he happened to have in his bag. The class was such a success that he continued using South American dance music instead of the more traditional aerobics music. After the initial success in Colombia, Beto moved to USA in 2001, and the rest is history.

Today some 14 million people take weekly Zumba classes in over 140,000 locations across 150 countries. Then there are millions more like me who follow the program at home on video. Part of Zumba's popularity is its adoption by such celebrities as Jennifer Lopez, Victoria Beckham and Jackie Chan.

Music can retrain the brain

Such music-cum-dance has benefit way beyond keeping fit and losing weight. It is being used for those who suffer from neurological disorders or have had a stroke. The thesis is that the brain has a high degree of plasticity, and even when it is damaged, music can create new pathways to the brain. There are learned scientific treatises on how music can indeed be used to retrain the brains. The knowledge in this area is evolving rapidly as new brain-imaging techniques confirm the brain's plasticity (i.e. its ability to change) and identify networks that music activates in the brain.

One man puts this knowledge into practice. Ronnie Gardiner is a jazz drummer turned healer who thought of committing suicide some 30 years ago. He changed his mind and, reinvigorated to live and looking for a new purpose, he went on to develop the Ronnie Gardiner Rhythm and Music Method. This is a way to teach people to memorize a series of coordinated movements set to music with a steady beat.

Ronnie, in his mid 70s, lacks any sort of medical training but more than 200 physical and occupational therapists in his hometown in Sweden are using his method to help people with neurological disorders. The method is meant to supplement physical therapy and medical treatment, not to replace them. The results so far are reported to be encouraging.

Barbara Meynert is the founder of http://www.sagevita.com. Sage Vita, which means a life of wisdom, advocates a lifestyle that will enable us to live not only longer but also well and to engage in lifelong learning and with the world around us. Come and visit Sage Vita to learn more guidelines and information along a number of dimensions - including physical, mental, spiritual, social, and financial at http://www.sagevita.com.

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Food to Boost Brain Power

You are what you eat. Fuel your brain with the right foods to boost mental stamina and improve memory and learning.

Did you know that even though your brain is the body's command centre, it only accounts for about two percent of your total body weight? If you eat the right amount of calories to maintain your weight, about 20 percent of that energy is used to power up your grey matter.

The brain comprises of billions of neurons which send and receive messages from the entire nervous system. Signals are passed from one neuron to the next and certain nutrients are needed to produce neurotransmitters which make the jump between the neurons. Serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine are common neurotransmitters that can have a big impact on your mood, your sleep patterns, mental sharpness and thought processes.

The continual activity within the brain requires a high level of energy to keep going. It's your body's job to supply its control center with a good stream of glucose energy. The right nutrients can help to boost mental productivity and help your body cope better with stress and the demands of a busy modern lifestyle.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are vital for good brain development. These good fats help to regulate serotonin levels in the brain, of which a low level may be linked to depression, mood swings and lethargy. Omega-3s improves mental sharpness and concentration.

DHA, one form of omega-3, is found in oily fish like salmon, herring, trout, sardines and tuna. Other foods high in omega-3 are flax seeds, walnuts, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, strawberries and avocados.

B-VITAMINS

Vitamins in the B-range can help to improve mental stamina and memory and relieve the affects of mental exhaustion and depression.

Foods rich in vitamin B include vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli or high protein foods, like meat, egg yolk or peanuts. Whole grain foods are rich in vitamin B6, which plays an important part in synthesizsing some of the neurotransmitters. Bananas are often labelled as brain food because they are high in vitamin B6, contain potassium and provide glucose energy for the brain. Brown rice and oatmeal are good sources of vitamin B6 and some bread and cereals may be fortified with B12. Oysters contain a good amount of vitamin B12 and they are rich in zinc and iron, other important elements for the brain.

Folic acid (vitamin B9), is essential for the development of a baby's brain and nervous system during pregnancy. Leafy green vegetables and liver are high in folic acid.

PROTEIN AND CARBS

Foods high in proteins also help to maintain a healthy brain function and good mental performance for learning. Good protein brain food includes eggs, almonds, walnuts, meat, soybeans, milk and other dairy products.

Proteins can also be paired with carbohydrates to supply the brain with a good boost of glucose energy. Food combinations of protein and carbs, like yoghurt with muesli and nuts or whole wheat toast and a scrambled egg are good breakfast choices.

ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants are the protectors of the brain and nervous system and guard against 'free radicals' or molecules which damage cells and contribute to aging. Antioxidants also help to improve memory and cognitive ability of the brain.

Foods rich in antioxidants include spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, raisins, plums, pecans, sunflower seeds, dates, red kidney beans and the cocoa bean.

Whatever foods you choose to power your body and your brain, it is always important to eat a balanced diet, with food choices from the different groups. Also remember to reach for that refreshing glass of water - it's essential for your brain! Just as dehydration adversely affects many different body functions, a lack of water also causes mental fatigue.

Susan du Plessis has been involved in helping students reach their full potential for 20+ years. She holds BD and BA Hons (psychology). For more information visit Edublox *** This article can be freely used as long as a link to "Edublox" ( http://www.edublox.com ) is provided.

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Omega-3 Fats And Their Potential Life-Saving Health Payoffs

For your health, nothing is more important than the food you eat. This article serves as one of a countless number of others that reiterate this statement. In the case of this article, as the title says, it hones in on the wonderful health payoffs of omega-3 fats.

Regular dietary intakes of omega-3 fats have many health payoffs. This includes the avoidance or reversal of a whole host of illnesses like:

*Heart disease and related problems such as high blood pressure, a narrowing of arteries through plaque build up; irregular heart beats... deaths through myocardial infarction (heart attacks)...

*Prevention of strokes

*Cognitive learning disorders

*Bipolar disorders like depression

*Arthritis

*Children having autism

*Type-2 diabetes

*Ischemic stroke

*Breast cancer growth

*Omega-3 fats serve help develop a strong immune system

... The list goes on

The benefits of omega-3 fats are nothing new to Doctors in the USA. However, through fear of having their business undercut the medical/pharmaceutical establishment do not want doctors showing patients the available documentary evidence that, for example, fish oil foods rich in omega-3 fats can prevent or reduce heart disease. Doctors could lose their job for recommending this.

Yet another awful case of medical/pharmaceutical authoritarian heavy handedness where profits are regarded as something more important than the welfare concern of patients...

I would strongly recommend that you learn to discern this principle in other cases related to health. Remember, it is ultimately up to you to take hold of and control of your health.

Getting the balance right

An equal and therefore balanced intake of omega-3 to omega-6 fats would make part of a balanced diet.

To avoid upsetting the balance then I would recommend avoiding junk foods with their imbalances of omega-6 cheap and nasty fats. To this end I will leave you to your own research.

Omega-3 rich sources:

Coconut Oil is not only rich in omega-3 but has many hidden health benefits.

Foods and supplements of cod liver oil or other fish oils like that in krill have been highly recommended. Stemming from the hidden purpose of marketing to increase sales figures, fats have been unfairly demonised in mainstream media. Fats are indeed an essential dietary requirement and fish oils provide a healthy supply of fats.

Eggs, particularly yolks have a plentiful supply of omega-3.

Great sources for veggies include flaxseed, borage and evening primrose oils. Other sources, whether you are vegetarian or not are nuts such as walnuts.

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How Does Protein Build Muscle?

Proteins come into existence when the protein-rich foods that we eat are digested and broken down into essential amino acids. These transformed amino acids eventually become super-charged proteins that replace damaged or overworked muscle and tissue throughout the body. Even if there is no damaged muscle from working out or lifting weights, protein must be eaten regularly to maintain a healthy level of amino acids throughout the human body.

Essential amino acids are the key

Of course they are much more critical to athletes, weight lifters, and others active individuals who require excessive muscle mass or function in certain areas of the body. In a nutshell, protein builds new muscle by repairing and strengthens existing muscle fibers which are usually torn continuously from the stress of lifting weights or other exercises. Now you might be wondering, how exactly does protein build new muscle if there is a low level of essential amino acids present in an individual's diet? The truth is without the essential amino acids, new proteins won't be made, and your body will no longer build and repair muscle tissue. This in turn can lead to extreme muscle soreness and fatigue (and is not conducive to one's health).

How does protein build muscle for lifters and body builders?

Body builders tend to have their own formula in order to determine how much protein they should be ingesting daily. That amount is somewhere between 1 and 2 grams of protein for each pound of the individual's body weight. This formula, for the most part, provides a good overall idea of how much protein a serious weight lifter or athlete should be ingesting.

Nutrition and Rest are essential to the process

There is a somewhat uniform and proper routine for getting optimal results from intense exercise. Either during or immediately following the workout plenty of water should be consumed. It is equally as important to eat healthy meals with large amounts of protein both before and after lifting. Some weight lifter's have been known to have 5,000 to 7,000 calorie diets. The theory is that the excess calories can be turned into muscle. Remember, after a hard workout muscle fibers have been damaged and need time to rest and heal in order to increase in size. So therefore, sleep as well as relaxation are both very important for one's recovery. Consistently getting at least eight hours of sleep per night is recommended. While you are sleeping, your body releases HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which is very important in the repair of muscle fibers.

Drink plenty of water to prevent "protein dehydration"

One thing that is extremely important to remember is that ingesting large amounts of protein can make it easier for an individual to become dehydrated. When this happens a substance called urea is unable to be carried out of your body as waste. This can lead to potential kidney damage. So it is very important to drink plenty of water. For more information about protein, how it can help you, and how you can build muscle Click Here

Edward Rosenberg is a professional health and nutrition expert. He has studied and researched dozens of various products over the past 4 years. For complete in-depth research about protein and how it can help you Click Here.

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Foods To Eat For Staying Healthy

There is a widespread perception that excluding unhealthy foods from your diet is the way to healthy life but mostly people forget that healthy diet is not all about cutting what you should not eat but also its about including some foods which are beneficial for your health. There is a long list of foods which are excellent for improving our health and well-being and protect us from many diseases. In this article let us discuss about some of the foods which we must eat regularly to stay healthy.

Nuts

They are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats which are highly beneficial for our body. They help in reducing bad cholesterol and prevent heart diseases. Nuts are also an excellent source of protein and naturally contain antioxidants. It is advised to eat Nuts in moderate quantity as they are high in calories.

Beetroot

Recent studies have confirmed that drinking beetroot juice during exercise regime helps in improving stamina as well as it is helpful in lowering cholesterol levels and control blood pressure. It is the most recent food to be hailed as a Super food.

Onions

Studies have revealed that onion and garlic are an excellent remedy to lower cholesterol levels in the body as well as they have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.

Green Leafy Vegetables

It has been always suggested and recommended by our elders to eat a lot of green leafy vegetables and there is reason behind it. These vegetables are a rich source of many nutrients like calcium, iron, vitamin c, potassium and so on. Spinach is also rich in estrogen hence serves as a good nutritious food for women. If you want to improve your heart, eye and overall health include lot of green vegetables in your diet.

Oats

We are well aware that grains are excellent for maintaining our health but to derive maximum benefit from them it is advised to eat them in their natural state that is why oats have become so popular. They are rich in minerals like iron, zinc and calcium and vitamins. It is one of the most commonly eaten breast fast item these days. It helps in controlling blood pressure, reduce chances of diabetes, lowers cholesterol levels and are easy to digest.

These were some of the foods which should be in your regular eating menu. We are what we eat hence to remain healthy and disease free in today's changing environment it is very important to keep a close watch on our daily dietary intake.

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Which Vitamins Do I Need?

Consuming healthy food items means to ingest almost everything, of course, reducing the oily and spicy items. The goal within this would be to acquire nutritional vitamins of several choices which are usually the answer to a great well-being. Obtaining dieting food dish abundant with nutritional vitamins enables you to be taking in a more healthy way, helps keeping you disease free and also helps make each day your day. Precisely what are the leading 5 vitamins you should look into meals and which food products are abundant with them? Let's understand.

Vitamin A

Without doubt it's vitamin A which constantly is going to be in number 1 in the listing of very best vitamin supplements. The reason is it's not only enriches your body but as well as shields. Vitamin A works like anti-oxidant which shields the body from free radicals. It makes you survive longer by controlling your immunity mechanism. And for surviving long, your eye-sight should stay healthy for longer, correct? Vitamin A does so. This also will increase your cell replication, bone growth, cellular durability, for example. Essentially, almost all sorts of fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, lettuce, and so forth. are loaded with vitamin A. An Animal liver is yet another massive source this supplement which you could include in your diet plan food snacks.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is yet another prominent health supplement which is verified useful in maintaining your skin layer wrinkle-free. Vitamin C defends your skin and reduces many challenging heart illnesses also it has the potential to get rid of even most cancers. Doctors generally accept it to be suitable vitamin for long term health. The majority of fruit and veggies that have this supplement for example orange, tomato, lemon, guava, papaya and, surely, strawberry will be able to add to your diet without difficulties.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D! Of course no!!! I'm exhausted by getting sun bath. Certainly no worry. Besides UV ray of sunshine, you may get vitamin D from cod liver oil and omega-3 fatty acids, furthermore, from milk and other fortified meals and dietary supplements. Vitamin D builds powerful bone tissues. It also boosts the resilience of your blood cells. Nevertheless, you actually have be careful because often times it can step up your sexual desire as well as vitamin D is claimed to step up the creation of sexual hormones.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is the other free radicals destroyer, this means that, yet another anti- oxidant. The most favored concept is usually that, it helps prevent aging. Factual enough, vitamin E at the same time enhances the defense mechanisms and thus keeps the blood cells in good health. Spinach, walnuts, vegetable oils, tropical fresh fruits are typically great supply of vitamin E(also known as aging protective food items).

Vitamin B6

Just about all B nutritional vitamins,specially, B6 helps in developing antibodies and, thus, helps battling bacteria and bacterial ailments. It will help the central nervous system run much more adequately. Vitamin B6 is the cure to anemia since it can help the generation of red blood cells. Which means that, B6 tends to make your blood cell perform more effectively and will keep them balanced. Banana, cauliflower, grapes, eggplant, squash are a few of the foods abundant with this supplement.

You should incorporate several different food items to acquire just about all the nutritional vitamins necessary to your daily diet to be able to stay healthier and also live longer. Check out every single vegetable available at your market-place, make your investigation and select your own nutritious diet food dishes.

Paying attention to and keeping up with the suitable diet plan food meals in our daily routines can easily lead to living daily life at its best. This also make every person acquire sound body and mind.

Hello, I often write about vitamins and minerals. To read more about how you can live healthy lifestyle, check out some of my following articles. Click here to read about some of the thiamine rich foods that you should eat.
Also check out benefits of thiamine here.

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The Right Way To Clean Your Water Bottles

We are using water bottles for our daily water drinking and we tend to reuse the same bottle over and over again. Do you know that if the water bottle is not cleaned property, bacteria may grow within the bottle and you may get bacterial infection? In this article, you are going to discover the right way to clean your water bottles...

The first and the easiest way to clean your water bottle is by using warm and soapy water. All you need to do is to pour out all the remaining liquid inside the bottle, add in some dish-washing soap together with a little warm water, close the bottle and shake it. If you have a brush, you can use it to thoroughly clean the inner of the bottle as well. Rinse it with clean water after that. Make sure you rinse the bottle thoroughly so that you completely wash off the soapy water.

Next, you can try by using vinegar to wash and disinfect your water bottle. Most people don't follow this technique because they find it inconvenient. However, you can use this method to disinfect the bottle once a while. Again, pour out all the leftover liquid in the bottle, wash and rinse with vinegar. You can also fill in vinegar into the bottle and left it overnight. Vinegar is a natural bacteria killer and it is not harmful to our human health.

Besides this, you can also use bleach to disinfect your bottle. However, make sure you lower the concentration of bleach by mixing it with water. Remember, you just want to kill the germs and bacteria in the bottle, thus, using weak bleach would be enough. And ensure that you wash and rinse the bottle thoroughly so that you completely wash off the bleach.

Other than this, using water bottle cleansing tablets would be effective as well. There are many types of bottle cleaning tablets out there in the market. Choose the one that is right to your budget and use them according to the instructions.

These are some of the right ways to clean and disinfect your water bottle. Remember, you are using the same bottle over and over again for your daily drinking activity, hence, make sure you clean it every time after use. Drinking water is one of our most fundamental activity, if you do not clean the bottle, you will be drinking in bacteria day in and day out.

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How To Keep Elderly In Bed At Night

Each year more than 13 million seniors take a fall, and over half can't get back up without assistance. Many of those falls occur at night, when it is dark, and seniors are disoriented from lack of sleep. In order to keep elderly loved ones safe, it is important to keep them in bed at night. Serious injury, hospital stays, and other problems can arise if they wander at night. But what can caregivers do to help keep their elderly loved ones in bed at night?

Address the needs. There are a variety of reasons a senior may get up at night, they may need to use the bathroom. They may need to get a drink. They may be uncomfortable and unable to sleep. They may be bored. If you can find ways to eliminate these causes, they will stay in their beds, and have a safer night.

Seniors sometimes get up at night to get a drink, something to eat, or to take medication. This is such as simple problem to solve, as a bed organizer or tray can be used to keep water, medication, pain killers, and food items near the bed, eliminating the need to leave the bed to have that need filled. The important thing to remember is to keep these options within arm's reach so that the senior can stay in bed, rather than try to navigate through dark halls or rooms to get to the kitchen.

Another common reasons seniors are up at night is to use the bathroom. Helping seniors stay in bed at night might mean limiting liquids a few hours before bed, making sure they use the toilet right before retiring for the night, and providing them with bathroom assistance products such as overnight adult diapers, bed pans and bed pads, urinals, and other supplies that can help reduce the need to leave the bed.

As people age, their bodies often change, and less sleep is needed, and sleep becomes harder to obtain. Discomfort from physical ailments, or boredom can get in the way of sleeping. This may result in staying up late, or waking very early. Reduce the risk of slips, falls, and other nighttime hazards by helping seniors who can't sleep to stay in bed. The best way to do this is by providing them with tools to help themselves move and adjust in bed to achieve comfort. A BedCaddie, for example, a bed rail, and other tools can help with comfort. Then also address boredom. A reading light and a bedside organizer that can keep books, papers, games, the television remote, and other items to fight off boredom can keep seniors in bed and safe.

Safety rails: This is a bedside rail that literally helps keep seniors in bed, as it protects them from falling out. It can also offer support for entering and exiting the bed, which can increase safety, especially in the dark.

Even if you take every precaution possible to keep elderly in bed at night, they may get out of bed. Thus, be sure to do what you can to increase safety if they do leave their beds. This means having lighting in high traffic areas, clearing clutter and making paths for the areas most commonly used. Help them to wear secure footing, such as socks with traction, and consider a pendant or other elderly monitoring system they can use to call for help should they need it.

Dianna Malkowski is a Physician Assistant and Mayo Clinic trained nutritionist who helps customers of The CareGiver Partnership with questions to their caregiving questions. She invites you to visit blog.caregiverpartnership.com for more helpful family caregiver information. Also look here for additional tools http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/landing/daily-living/.

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Yo-Yo Health Habits and How to Stop

We commonly hear about "yo-yo" dieting, but in fact people are tempted to approach many other health habits in that up and down style. What is yo-yoing? When you try dieting or getting healthy in an all or nothing fashion, then you're yo-yoing. These health habits feel great when you're on the upswing, successfully performing all the rules that you've set in place. Once you run out of motivation to practice health habits at such a stringent level, then you enter the yucky downswing of this practice. All the progress you made can seem to vanish overnight. How do you break this vicious cycle?

Yo-yo habits place a burden on your body by not letting health settle into a steady rhythm. With so many ups and downs, the body doesn't feel rested or truly taken care of. The habits are also intertwined with mental-emotional ups and downs. To break the cycle, this style of healthiness has to be recognized for what it really is---a diversion rather than true self care. When you decide to go from nothing to everything, from total neglect to constantly pressuring your mind and body to do one thing, real health habits don't get a chance to develop.

Which health habits are you used to yo-yoing? Are they related to diet, exercise, sleep, or something else? Think about why you approach your health habits in this manner. Sometimes fear can infiltrate a natural urge to get healthy and make you feel like if you're not doing everything, then it's not worth the effort. This mindset can make you feel more deficient than it does provide you with effective motivation, support, and momentum toward health. Feelings of fear and deficiency then become the foundation for new health habits, and they don't offer a very steady foundation at that.

This pendulum mindset obviously tells you that putting in smaller amounts of effort more consistently is not good enough. But does that make sense? When you watch an athlete practicing a sport, someone who goes all or nothing doesn't get a chance to regularly practice good habits for performance. Your health is the same way. Consistent habits, even if they're on a smaller scale will go a lot farther than large efforts that only last a few days to a week. When you focus on quality over quantity in health, you're taking a more realistic approach and one that your body will welcome more openly and sustain over a longer period of time.

Take a look at your health habits and figure out whether they're in danger of the chaotic yo-yo experience or whether they're actually sustainable. Think about which of your habits have never lasted past the short-term and why that may be. If you notice some yo-yoing going on, brainstorm on how you can re-frame these habits into more lasting and quality expressions of health.

As you resist the urge to yo-yo and you settle into more realistic and consistent health care routines, you'll be amazed at how much farther your efforts take you. The fears will be easier to face when you're not riding a health roller coaster, and feelings of deficiency will be less frequent and instead be replaced with more natural confidence and motivation surrounding your health.

What can you do to stop the vicious cycle of yo-yo health habits in your life?

Healthovers is a natural health website that connects the dots between symptoms to help relieve chronic health issues, improve overall health, and support natural beauty. Dr. Aarti Patel, N.D. is a naturopathic doctor who creates a well-rounded natural health plan for each Healthover. What is a Healthover? It's a makeover for health! Visit http://www.Healthovers.com today to request a free 10-minute phone consultation.

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