Fitness to your mind, body, and soul is like the rain is to grass, flowers, and gardens. It refreshes and feeds necessary nourishments to assist with growth and flourishing. Fitness and health experts have been telling the public for many years how incredibly important committing to a lifestyle of health and fitness is for the mind, body, and soul.
How fitness helps the body
Physical fitness has many benefits for the body. It helps maintain muscle tissue, keeps the heart strong, strengthens the bones, boosts the immune system, strengthens muscles, aids in digestion, and helps keep excess weight off. Exercise has been proven to help with physical endurance so that you will not tire so quickly from day to day doing tasks such as climbing stairs, cleaning the house, or lifting your children.
Working out will get your heart pumping extra blood to your vital organs, including your brain. As the blood carries oxygen, your brain will benefit from this and experts assert that your cells can actually regenerate as a result, which is very beneficial for optimal brain function.
Let's face it: obesity is common in the United States and much of this is contributed to lack of healthy eating and exercise. The older you get, the slower your metabolism is; thus, the need for exercise becomes even more prevalent. Obesity leads to all sorts of physical problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. These are sure fire reasons why committing to a lifestyle of exercise is so important.
How fitness helps the mind
Fitness can significantly benefit the mind, as it increases blood flow and releases "happy" chemicals that help you to feel better emotionally. When you exercise, neurotransmitters called endorphins are released in the brain and provide a sense of well-being and happiness that can last for hours.
Another way that fitness helps the mind is that it relieves built up stress. As you go through your day to day activities, anxiety and stress can affect you mentally and physically. Chronic stress can cause physical and mental problems such as high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, and depression.
When you exercise, stress tension decreases and you get a sense of relief. Haven't you ever just felt overwhelmed with busyness and stress and went for a brisk walk only to feel much better by the end? Getting those muscles moving and heart pumping will decrease your stress level so that your mind can relax and be at peace.
How fitness helps the spirit
The spirit is the absolute essence of who you are. Underneath the physical body and separate from the mind lies a river of flowing life and love that oftentimes gets overlooked and forgotten about. Following the belief of the ancient physical and spiritual discipline of Yoga, committing to a lifestyle of fitness can certainly help the mind, body, and spirit.
As you embark on a journey to take care of yourself by exercising and eating healthy, you are less likely to be plagued with stress, anxiety, depression, and physical illnesses, which makes it much easier to tune into your spiritual life.
A healthy fitness regime is well worth the commitment in your life. Go ahead and make a plan to exercise at least 3 times a week. If you doubt your ability to commit to such a task, consider hiring a personal trainer, as he or she will be there to motivate you, instruct you, and encourage you to live a healthy lifestyle so you can be at your best physically, mentally, and spiritually.
You can stay fit doing all sorts of exercise. Choose from brisk walking, jogging, weight training, playing tennis, basketball, golf, or softball. Join a gym and sign up for a fitness class, yoga, or Pilates. There are plenty of opportunities for you to get into shape and stay in shape. All you need is to make a firm commitment and dedicate yourself to such a healthy task.
Written for Healthy Life Essex by Authors at Start Right PT.
In my family we have experienced the benefits of incorporating lemons in our diet from lemon water first thing in the mornings to juicing the entire lemon, putting whole lemons in smoothies etc. The leader of the women's ministry group that I am in asked me to do a presentation on the benefit of a fruit, I chose to research more on the therapeutic benefits of lemons and this is what I found. Limes also have similar therapeutic benefits, therefore if you are located where limes are more readily available you may be able to substitute limes for lemons.
Lemons originate from India, then spreading globally to temperate and tropical regions of the world. They were sought after by early sailors to prevent or treat Vitamin C deficiency, also known as scurvy. It is grown on an evergreen shrub and the tree produces ripe yellow fruits practically all year round. It is highly prized in the manufacturing industry for lemon oil, lemon juice, pectin, and citric acid.
Medicinally, lemons have been used for centuries. They have strong antibacterial and antiviral properties. Lemons contain vitamin C or ascorbic acid, citric acid (gives lemons sour taste), flavonoids, Vitamin B complex, potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, phosphorus, iron, and fiber. The fruit is low in calories - 29 calories per 100 grams - contains no saturated fats, nor cholesterol. Although lemon is acidic when eaten, it has an alkalizing and purifying effect on the blood.
For optimal benefit drink lemon water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. If you are less than 150 lbs- use 1/2 lemon squeezed into a glass of purified water and drink twice a day. If you are over 150 lbs squeeze the juice of a whole lemon into a glass of purified water and drink twice a day.
1) Colds and influenza: Lemons contain large amounts of vitamin C (88 percent recommended daily allowance), it is a water soluble antioxidant. It is widely known that a consumption of foods high in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infections and also removes harmful free radicals from the blood. Free radicals attaches to healthy cells damaging them and their membranes, causing inflammation and painful swelling. In the book Back To Eden by Jethro Kloss his recommendation for influenza: Add lemon juice to a large glass of hot water, while submerging your feet in a deep bucket of hot water about 104 degrees Fahrenheit, while adding water as hot as tolerable or around 110 degrees Fahrenheit for around 20 minutes, or until perspiring. Take lemon water hourly until symptoms are relieved.
2) Helps with elimination: juice of 1 lemon in 1 quart of warm water first thing in the morning has laxative properties. This will flush the waste materials of the intestines out. You can also mix in 2 Tbsp flaxseed oil to also relieve constipation.
3) Aids digestion: Lemons relieve digestive problems when mixed with warm water. It helps nausea, heartburn. The liver removes toxins from the blood stream and converts them into free radicals, the vitamin C in lemons is a powerful antioxidant which neutralizes free radicals. Lemons also help with digestion by stimulating the liver to produce more bile.
4) Fights cancer: Lemons contain compounds called lemonoids which have been shown to stop cell division in cancer cells. Cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach, and colon have been proven to be relieved with the help of lemons.
5) Relieves rheumatoid and osteoarthritis: Due to the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C in lemons, it has been shown that it relieves symptoms of pain and swelling. 1-2 oz. of lemon juice diluted should be taken 3 times a day.
6) Diabetes: Lemons contain a compound called hespiridin, which lowers blood sugar by increasing the activity of the enzyme glucokinase metabolizing glucose from the blood stream.
7) Heart Disease: Scientific studies have shown that intake of lemon juice has reduced the total serum cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
8) Stones: The citric acid in lemon juice dissolves gallstones, calcium deposits, kidney stones, and pancreatic stones. In Back to Eden, Jethro Kloss recommends taking 2 Tbsp lemon juice, followed by 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or vice versa on an empty stomach for 3 days.
9) Relieves sore throat: Use diluted lemon juice ( 1/2 lemon 1/2 water) and gargle frequently. It is better to use it full strength if possible.
10) Stops bleeding gums: Massage lemon juice gently into the gums a few minutes each day.
11) Nosebleeds: In case of nosebleeds, place on cotton ball and apply over nostril.
12) Cuts: Use to give prompt relief for cuts.
13) Skin: Great for acne. Apply lemon juice with finger or cotton ball in acne, leave on overnight then rinse the following morning. Blotch removal. Mix 1-2 lemons with banana puree and apply to blotches for an hour. Make a paste by combining lemon juice and salt, use to rub off dead skin cells on elbows and thighs.
14) Hair: Removes residue buildup from use of hair products, lightens dark hair and adds golden or red highlights. How to use: apply juice of 1/2 of a lemon to hair, sit in sun for an hour or until lightens to desired color, then shampoo and deep condition. * Do not do if you have very dry hair.
15) Mosquito bites: Squeeze lemon juice on mosquito bites to relieve itching and pain.
16) Ant repellant: Squeeze lemon juice on windowsills and baseboards and see ants run for the kill.
17) Pregnancy: Consuming lemon juice during pregnancy builds strong bones and teeth of infant.
18) Deodorizer: Use on hands to soften and remove strong odors, such as onions.
19) Stain Removal: Use with salt to remove ink stains, rusts, or fruit stains. Rub the stain with lemon juice then apply salt then put in sun.
How To Prepare Lemon Juice
1) Wash lemons with warm water and use a vegetable wash if not organically grown to remove pesticide residues.
2) Roll on a flat surface with the palm of hand, this will help to extract more juice
3) Cut in half and remove visible seed, squeeze by hand or use a juicer.
1) To receive optimal benefits of lemons, substitute lemon juice for vinegar in your favorite salad dressing.
2) Combine extra virgin olive oil/or flax seed oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, minced onions, minced red bell pepper, sea salt (opt) and herbs such as basil, parsley, oregano, dill or thyme.
Michelle Blackwood is passionate in sharing with others how they can achieve a better lifestyle, by avoiding the pain and suffering plaguing society through diseases. She gives health lectures and cooking classes for the public, in between homeschooling her children and keeping home for her hubby Devon. Her website is Healthiersteps there you can find great recipes using fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes, free of animal products. She also has an all natural line of bath and beauty products such as soaps, body butters, lip balms, and perfume oils.
As you get older your body starts to change. You may start to find that you lose your hair or it thins out a little. Your eyesight may start to fail and you may find that you are relying on your glasses a little more than you were before. A couple of glasses of wine, a drinking session that once was a regular thing for you, now needs more recovery time than serious surgery. There's a reason all this is happening to you. There's a reason you're starting to get aches and pains and your hangovers are starting to last a lot longer than they did before - you are getting older and it's your body's way of telling you that you need to slow things down a little.
Your twenties are for living life. Your thirties are for dedicating your life to husbands and kids, wives and careers, friends and family. Your forties are the years you should be seriously starting to take care of yourself unless you want to deal with a number of serious medical problems later on down the line. And if you want to live long enough to take care of your Grandkids too.
The number one killer for men up to the age of 44 is an accident. After the age of 44 however, the number one killer becomes heart disease, a disease that causes over 36,000 male deaths in the USA every year. If you neglect your health in the lead-up to your forties, you now have the perfect opportunity to turn things around. If you don't you could be facing a number of problems including weight gain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and much more besides.
If you're female you can help fight back against the ageing process by increasing your consumption of antioxidants. This means that you will need to eat more foods that contain Vitamin A, C and E which includes almonds, red peppers and sweet potato. These foods and vitamins in particular can help to prevent against various cancers, many of the signs and symptoms of ageing, and heart disease too. You could look at taking a daily multivitamin supplement to help increase your vitamin and mineral intake but nothing quite beats the 'real deal' and just by eating a few more of the healthier foods listed above, you could be doing your body the world of good. These vitamins and minerals are meant to repair any damage to the cells and reduce the amount of inflammation that can happen - this is not something easily mimicked with a supplement.
Men should increase the amount of sweet potato that they eat in their forties too. By increasing the amount of cantaloupes and carrots they eat, they could also be helping to keep skin cancer risks to a minimum as well as a number of other medical problems. We all know this but eating fresh fruit and vegetables really is good for you especially when you are in your forties and this goes for both men and women. Studies have actually shown there is a link between increased veggies, fruits, legumes and whole grains in the diet and a reduction in the chances of suffering with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In fact vegetarians had a 24% reduction in the chances of getting cardiovascular disease alone.
To improve your muscle function as you age, and also to ensure that you don't lose muscle over the years, you should be increasing the amount of tuna you eat. This is one of the best forms of protein. Essentially protein is the building block of your body and by increasing the amount you eat, you are giving your body the chance to rejuvenate old/ dead cells, improve the function of its immune system, and lead to stronger, leaner, better condition muscles, skin, and bones too.
Another great tip for men right now is that you should definitely be eating more brazil nuts. Just by eating three brazil nuts every day, you could be keeping the chances of you getting prostate cancer as low as it can be. If you don't fancy nuts, Portobello and brown mushrooms can do the trick just as well.
One final tip and one that the men will prove find quite handy - you should be eating more brazil nuts! By having a handful of these delicious nuts every day could keep down your chances of suffering with prostate cancer and if you're not a big nut-fan, you can achieve the same effect by eating brown and Portobello mushrooms.
Taking care of yourself really does make sense when you start from the inside and work your way out. The easiest way to improve your health is to ensure that you have plenty of exercise but also that you are eating the right foods. In your forties, eating the right foods could mean the difference between suffering with a number of medical condition in your fifties and sixties ... Or not!
J Humphreys is a British born-and-bred freelance writer with over ten years experience.
Well-travelled, well-educated and with a whole load of 'life experience' at the young ol' age of 29, she is able to write in a variety of tones, in a variety of contexts, but specialises in friendly, conversational, dry-humour pieces that get to the point yet inject a bit of humour into the mix. She's not a fan of fluff, or 'filler' to get to her desired word count.
While the holidays bring smells of gingerbread and sugar cookies, pumpkin pie, and nutty brownies, baking is a year-round hobby for many, which is great for their friends and family, but not the best when you're trying to maintain healthy lifestyle. It's easy to get caught up in the fun of baking and forget about the sugar, butter, and extra calories that go with it, but a few simple tips and tricks can help you maintain the fun (and the yum), while holding onto the healthy principles that support overall good health and wellbeing.
Quality Matters
Even if you did not make any ingredient type or quantity changes to your recipe, simply making sure you purchase high-quality products can improve the nutritional value of your baked goodies.
Chocolate
For example, when you make brownies, do you buy Dutch-processed cocoa powder or natural unsweetened cocoa powder? If you buy processed, it is an ingredient you can improve. Even if you buy natural cocoa powder, you can kick the ingredient up a notch by going for raw cacao powder (no, cocoa and cacao are not the same thing), which offers more nutritional benefits.
Sugar
The quality of your sugar matters too. Do you buy the same old bag of white granulated sugar? You can get the same sweetness and even a little more actual flavor with raw cane sugar (that has not been bleached or overly processed).
Butter & Milk
Now, when it comes to butter, we have a question for you ... What color is it? Is it almost white or is it yellow? Butter from pasture-raised, grass-fed cows is yellower and creamier than the usual garden variety butter you see at the supermarket, and it is higher in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin K2 and other good-for-you nutrients. The same goes for other dairy ingredients, like milk. Choosing organic milk from pasture raised, grass fed cows is much better for you than generic milk.
Eggs
Eggs, preferably organic, from pasture-raised hens provide the most nutritional benefit AND, being a product from a healthier and happier hen, will do a better job binding your ingredients.
Tips and Tricks
Once you're committed to buying high-quality ingredients, you can use these tips to make your baked goods a little healthier.
Cut the fat by 1/4. If the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use 3/4 cup.
Cut sugar by 1/4 to 1/2.
Add finely grated beets to brownie or other chocolate recipes and reduce sugar by 1/4.
Make cookies and brownies smaller.
Substitute 1/4 of the white flour in your recipe with buckwheat or almond flour.
Keep the cake frosting thin. Add moisture to inner layers by brushing apple juice on the layers surrounding the frosting.
Make pie crust out of meringue.
Happy Baking!
