Joseph Pilates, a German immigrant, developed the famous and highly popular Pilates exercise program, designed to get you fit without the bulky muscle of the Mr. America type. He spent many years, beginning as an adolescent, studying various body disciplines in his search for a program of exercises to promote health and fitness with a lean look and a graceful demeanor. Among the disciplines he studied was yoga, which he integrated into his method. Developed in the late 1920’s, Pilates yoga today is a well respected and wildly popular form of this ancient art and body discipline.
(more…)
June 24, 2008
Pilates Yoga
June 12, 2008
How to Increase Your Metabolism
Do you find it hard to loose weight and keep it off? As we get older it gets even harder, which is a sign that we need to increase our metabolism. The food that we eat converts into energy, and the word ‘metabolism’ refers to the process that the body uses to distribute the nutrients from the food. Our basal metabolism keeps us alive and provides basic energy for life support, which requires 60-65% of the calories eaten daily. An additional 25% of calories are used during physical activity and another 10% are spent processing the food we eat. Everyone’s rate of and ability to increase metabolism is different and is affected by many variables including general health, chronic health conditions, lack of physical activity, and age. We’ve all seen those people who can eat anything they want and never seem to gain an ounce, regardless of their level of physical activity; this is a prime example of a person with a relatively high metabolic rate.
June 2, 2008
Natural remedies for anxiety
Say all you want about the value of natural herbal remedies, in my case they have done nothing. I have a doctor who is completely fascinated by herbal medicine. When I came complaining of chronic stress and severe anxiety attacks, he pointed me towards some natural remedies for anxiety. He started me off on some herbal pills, gave me meditations to do, and prescribed diet, exercise, and a good nights sleep.
May 29, 2008
Exercise ball
To me, exercise ball exercises seemed like a stupid trend. One of my good friends is getting into them, and I was very surprised. You see, he is what you might call a man’s man. He never goes for that kind of thing. For him, a workout exercise program means jogging, push-ups, sit ups, and lifting weights. He is a no-frills guy. So to see him going in for exercise ball videos was pretty surprising. I wanted to find out more.
May 25, 2008
Airbrush tanning
With all the hard work put into exercise, why not show off that great body? Lean and toned muscles are accentuated and complimented by a rich tan. Darker, glowing skin also sends out a message of health and exotic beauty. Each year, millions of women try desperately to attain and keep a good tan by laying in the sun for hours upon hours. This practice takes time to complete, but more importantly, is damaging to the skin. Prolonged sun exposure can cause cancer, and make the skin age much faster than usual.
There is the option of rub-in tan lotions, but those are a big messy hassle, that leave streak marks as far as the eye can see. For a streakless and even tan, you ought to check out the art of airbrush tanning? This effective, harmless procedure can save you from damaging sun rays, and can even be fun to do. There are several methods which you can use. You’ll soon enough find the technique that works best for you.
The first method of airbrush tanning involves going to a salon. At the salon, you stand in a shower stall that sprays your entire body in a glowing dark paint. You wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from the chemicals, and a swiveling nozzle circles your body several times, for complete coverage.
This technique works by dyeing the outermost layer of skin. Composed mainly of dead, discarded tissues, this part of the epidermis will replace itself in five to ten days. This style of airbrush tanning will last longer then a sun tan, and is also the safest choice to select when salon tanning. Tanning beds, for example, give that almost genuine sun kissed look, but may carry a host of undesirable illnesses. For example, venereal diseases can be passed on through tanning beds, making that tan not so worthwhile!
The next method of airbrush tanning is more popular, and with good reason. Because the tanning solution is applied by an experienced tanning specialist, you can rest assured that you’ll get an even, all over tan.
If you want to get all that you possibly can out of your airbrush tanning session , here are a few recommended tricks that will make your airbrush tanning experience a little richer. To start with, always exfoliate skin the day before your airbrush tanning appointment. This will make the tan last longer. Before you leave the salon, ask the sales person to recommend a tanning cream specifically geared towards locking in moisture. Using these types of tanning creams helps retain the smooth and soft glowing skin you want.
May 23, 2008
Cold remedies
Have you ever found any cold remedies that really work? I’m asking because I need help. At least twice a year I develop what can only be described as a nasty cold, and I end up suffering with it for at least two weeks. During these two weeks not only can I not find any time to work, and my house is a mess. My husband is very understanding, but after a while he starts to get grumpy. My daughter wants me to play with her but I am always so stuffed up that I get dizzy and feel like I am about to fall over.
Surely there has to be some cold remedies out there that I have yet to try. Something has to work. I can take some medications that work for a while, but after they wear off I feel worse than before I took it. Since I cannot be on a steady diet of medicines while I am watching a young child, I have to think of other cold remedies to help ease my cold into something a little more bearable. When I take cold medications I get clumsy, and that is not a good thing when my daughter is so active and gets into so much trouble.
May 22, 2008
Blood pressure cures
Do you suffer from high blood pressure? Unfortunately, this is now a common condition. Most cases of high blood pressure result from poor life style practices and our diets. When blood pressure becomes high, you risk developing plaque in your arteries, which may cause heart attacks and strokes. So it’s important to monitor blood pressure. You may wonder if there are blood pressure cures – or if this is something you just need to accept. Fortunately, there are many natural blood pressure cures to get you back to a healthy state. While no single remedy may produce blood pressure cures, a combination of several life style and dietary changes can truly produce a cure.
May 20, 2008
Airbrush Tan
Check out all the leathery old folks out there! Now, how do you suppose they got this way? Could it have been caused by the powerful glow of the moon? I don’t think so. These folks are most likely sun bunnies. Those Caucasians who crave darker skin. Are you destined to be a leathery old man or woman as well? Hey, if you sun bathe on a daily basis, I’m thinking you are. It’s inevitable. The harmful UV rays from the sun will darken your skin and weather it like it’s no joke. We’ve known this for years now. That’s why new-age methods of tanning have come about. Not tanning beds! Those are worse than the real sun. I was thinking more along the lines of an airbrush tan. This is the glow of the future.
May 17, 2008
Hula Hoop
Exercise trends come and go. From exercise ball exercises, to recumbent bicycling, to power walking, to cross country ski simulators, our society has had a rich variety of useful and not so useful exercises. One of the most underrated, yet useful exercise trends, however, is the exercise hula hoop. Exercise hula hoops are great for weight loss, fitness, building mobility and flexibility, and a wide variety of other skills. They even help you to build coordination. Best of all, hula hoop exercises can be done anywhere. A hula hoop exercise requires very little space. You do not even need to be able to move around. You can simply stand in place, wiggle your hips, and there you go. You are hula hooping.
May 16, 2008
The Atkins Method: Is it Right for You?
Over the years, the Atkins plan has become synonymous with weight loss. Fans of the program say that it has proven to be instrumental in helping them to shed unwanted pounds. They talk of improved overall health and greater energy as a result of the Atkins program. However, critics maintain that Atkins could lead to heart damage, making it an unhealthy diet.
Supporters of Atkins say just about anyone can slim down using their program. However, there are certain people that are most likely to benefit from the Atkins plan. These include yo-yo dieters, who find themselves losing weight, only to gain it back again; dieters who feel constantly hungry; and those who eat for emotional reasons. Binge eaters and constant snackers can also benefit from the Atkins program. In addition, those who suffer from a food addiction are prime candidates for Atkins.