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Archive for October, 2009

Quit Smoking For A Healthy Lifestyle

Here is another reason quitting smoking would be an important step to living a healthy lifestyle. I was sent this article and wanted to share it as well.

girl-smoking-771378Is Smoking Tougher on Women?

By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter

Research suggests they’re more susceptible to dangers of tobacco

SUNDAY, Oct. 25 (HealthDay News) — Women may be more vulnerable than men to the carcinogens and other noxious substances in cigarette smoke, a growing body of research suggests.

In one study of nearly 700 people with lung cancer, Swiss experts found that women tended to be younger when they received the diagnosis, even though they smoked less than the men who developed lung cancer.

In another study, researchers from Harvard University and the University of Bergen in Norway evaluated more than 950 men and women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), known to be linked to smoking. The result: The women with COPD were younger when they got the diagnosis and had smoked less than the men with the respiratory ailment.

“Maybe women are more susceptible to the lung-damaging effects of smoking,” said Dr. Inga-Cecilie Soerheim, a visiting research fellow at Harvard and a researcher at the University of Bergen, who led the COPD study. She presented the findings in May at the American Thoracic Society’s annual conference.

Click here to view the full article.

Healthy Lifestyle is a way of life. We need to get in the habit of wanting to make the right choices.

Two great products to help with quitting smoking.

Miracet

Quit Smoking Aid

A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE is only a few steps away.

Healthy Lifestyle Just From Breathing

Energy Comes from Oxygen

Did you know?

90% OF OUR ENERGY COMES FROM OXYGEN, AND ONLY 10% FROM FOOD AND WATER

oxyciseHave you ever had an energy drink?
Swallowed energy pills?
Done anything involving food and drink to get energized?

Well, guess what? Now you have the secret to more energy! It’s not the pills
nor the drinks! The secret is actually free —— OXYGEN!

How interesting to note that the energy received from food and drink is
only 10% of the energy we really could give ourselves through
increasing oxygen. Click here for more reasons why Oxycise! will change your life.

How do you increase your oxygen intake? Simple. Breathe a little deeper.
Take a minute right now and just take a few deep breaths. Take some big
deep belly breaths.

The reason we yawn is because our body is calling for more oxygen. Odds
are, you’re yawning while reading this because you’re in a relaxed
state and you’re not bringing enough oxygen in to keep your body and
mind energized. So, don’t be shy, breathe in deeply and feel your
abdomen expand as you fill your lungs with some of that great
energizing oxygen.

In addition to the energy, it only makes sense that more oxygen will also
boost your metabolism 90% better than food and drink. How long can you
go without food? Without water? Now, how long can you go without
oxygen? That’s right, oxygen has a more dramatic effect upon your
metabolism than anything else. So get breathing, feel better, and get
more energized!

For more tips on breathing check out our introductory DVD,
which delves deep and teaches you really precise breathing techniques
which are proven to boost your metabolism and help you lose the weight
you hate.

REACH YOUR HEALTHY LIFESTYLE GOALS

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5 Overlooked Weight Loss Factors – Healthy Lifestyle

Creating a Healthy Lifestyle

Article by

Joel Marion

Diet and Fitness

Diet and Fitness

We’re often told that losing weight is a simple mathematical equation of calories in, calories out. Burn more calories than you eat and you’ll lose fat. However, is it really that simple? The truth is that the actual “number” of calories you consume is not the only factor that affects your fat-loss efforts.

In this article, we’ll discuss five other things that should be considered when determining the effect of your diet on your waistline, primarily overlooked fat loss factors. Incorporate this knowledge into your workout and nutrition routines and soon you’ll be ripped like Ryan Reynolds — and attracting looks from fitness babes like Amy Weber and Jamie Eason for it.

1. The Thermic Effect of the Food You Eat

The thermic effect of food (TEF) measures the amount of energy that is required to support the processes of digesting, absorbing and assimilating food nutrients as well as the energy expended as a result of the central nervous system’s stimulatory effect on metabolism when food is ingested. Of the three macronutrients, protein carries the highest thermic effect. Eat more protein: burn more calories.

2. The Fiber Content of the Food You Eat

Due to its chemical makeup, fiber is classified as a carbohydrate; however, it is unlike other carbohydrates in that it is an indigestible nutrient. Even though each gram of fiber contains four calories, these calories will remain undigested and will not be absorbed. Therefore, if you were to consume 300 calories of red beans (a food in which nearly 1/3 of the caloric content is from fiber), approximately 100 of these calories would pass through your intestinal tract undigested.

3. The Glycemic and Insulin Indices of the Food You Eat
Healthy Dinner

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

The glycemic and insulin indices are scaled numbers that refer to how quickly a particular carbohydrate source enters the bloodstream as sugar and how much insulin is needed to rid that sugar from the bloodstream, respectively. Generally speaking, there is a positive relationship between the two; the quicker sugar enters the bloodstream, the more insulin is needed to rid that sugar from the bloodstream. When high levels of insulin are present within the blood, fat burning is brought to a screeching halt, which is anything but desirable for those whose goal it is to obtain a lean, muscular physique. Don’t let this be an overlooked fat loss factor.

4. The Different Macronutrients Present in the Food You Eat

Although insulin’s primary function is to shuttle glucose (sugar) into skeletal muscle, it also carries many other nutrients to their respective storage sites — this includes lipids (fat). Since carbohydrate ingestion stimulates a large insulin response and fat ingestion gives rise to blood lipid levels, when the two are consumed together, they promote the greatest fat storage.

5. The Size, Frequency and Time of the Meals You Eat

Large, infrequent meals tend to promote storage of the ingested nutrients, as the body is unsure as to when the next feeding will take place. Conversely, consuming smaller, more frequent meals will result in an increase in metabolism and utilization of the ingested nutrients. Also, ingesting a large amount of carbohydrates before bed spikes insulin, deters nocturnal thermogenesis (break down of fats) and increases fat storage during sleep. On the contrary, consuming a great deal of calories early in the day does not bring about this problem; rather, these calories are likely to be used as energy to support daily activities.

vegetables

Healthy Lifestyle

Fight the Fat

As you can see, someone could be eating a relatively small amount of calories daily, but at the same time be promoting a great deal of fat storage by: 1) Making poor food choices; 2) Combining macronutrients in a nonproductive fashion and; 3) Consuming food infrequently and at inopportune times. To illustrate this further, let’s take a look at a recent study that analyzed the diets of 38 police officers. This study discovered that although the officers were consuming a hypocaloric diet (fewer calories than they burn), they all had unhealthy levels of body fat and had been gaining fat mass over the past five years. If all you had to do to lose fat was consume fewer calories than you burned, then these individuals would be losing fat, not gaining it.

To confirm the importance of the factors that I previously mentioned, let’s take a look at some of the other things this study noted:

— Only 15 percent of their diet consisted of protein, the macronutrient with the greatest TEF.

— Their diet contained very little fiber.

— Over 50 percent of their carbohydrate intake was derived from simple sugars, which have very high glycemic and insulin indices.

— They didn’t note this, but I’m willing to bet that they didn’t avoid the fat-carb combo.

— They ate infrequently — only 10 percent of their caloric intake was consumed at breakfast and over 50 percent was consumed right before bed.

By now, it should be obvious that fat loss isn’t just a matter of calories in, calories out. And while it’s a little more complex than that, you can easily use the tips in this article to ensure you’re getting the most from your dieting efforts.

Healthy-EatingFor more information on how to lose weight and create a healthy lifestyle click here

A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE is only a few steps away.

Get Rid of Stretch Marks

SkinCare

http://healthylifestylealternatives.com

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Aloe vera has been shown in clinical studies to have a positive effect on wound healing and holds anti-inflammatory properties.

As stretch marks start out as microscopic tears in skin layers due to overstretching of the dermis, aloe vera helps heal these small wounds without causing scar tissue to form, effectively preventing the appearance of stretch marks. Aloe vera has been used for thousands of years by the Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Indians and Chinese to decrease the appearance of scars and to moisturize and heal skin.

This extract from the aloe leaf protects skin from environmental factors and promotes skin regeneration.

Healthy Lifestyle means taking care of your skin too.

Research Your Quit Smoking Aids – Healthy Lifestyle


15smoking_span

Quitting smoking leads to a Healthy Lifestyle.

Research Your Quit Smoking Aids Well – Your Success Depends On Your Choice Millions die of smoking-induced lung cancer and heart problems every year. At the same time, millions try to get rid of the habit every year with varied degrees of success. A lot of this success or failure is owed to the type of quit smoking aids chosen. What Are The Choices You Have? Since the dependency on nicotine is difficult to fight, you need to have all the support you can get; and in order to get the best support, you need to know what is available for you. Therefore, before you start your quit smoking exercise, check out what is available to you.

1. The nicotine patch – this is one of the popular quit smoking aids because it is easy to use and quite effective in fighting off the habit. People love to use this method because it means that they do not have to worry about taking medication or withdrawal symptoms.

gum

Healthy Lifestyle

2. The nicotine gum

– this has the same ingredients as the nicotine patch but it is used differently. While the nicotine patch is pasted on the skin and left to work at its own pace, the nicotine gum is used as and when the craving for cigarette is felt. This works in two ways – it reduces the dependency on the nicotine, and it replaces the cigarette smoking habit with that of chewing which some people find very helpful and calming.

3. The stop-smoking tea – this is one of the popular natural quit smoking aids available in the market. Its popularity is owed to its fast action and lack of side effects. There are cases where the smoker could get rid of his/ her habit within a week with the stop-smoking tea. The tea has one hundred percent herbal ingredients and is comparatively low in cost.

4. The nicotine-free cigarettes – this looks and even smells like the real cigarettes. However, they contain no nicotine. These quit smoking aids are best for the people who are highly addicted to the habit and have associated smoking with bowel movements and/ or sleep. This type of aid would need to be supplemented by medication that fights the ensuing withdrawal symptoms.

stop-smoking-357-7847695. Counseling – this is one of the most critical quit smoking aids that most smokers ignore. In order to be successful you would need to know what you should expect when you stop smoking. What are the withdrawal symptoms? How best to handle these? What are the medications available? How long does it take to get rid of the habit? These are only some of the questions that counseling would provide.

Create your Healthy Lifestyle and quite smoking now.

For more information visit:

A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE is only a few steps away.

Healthy Looking Skin

By SkinCareGuide.caAntiAging
Revitol Anti Aging Free Trial

Having a Healthy Lifestyle means taking care of your body and your skin.

Anti Aging

Adults all over the world are thinking about their skin right now! Wrinkles, puffy eyes, dull complexion, are conditions that more than just several of us try to avoid. Here are some hints, and facts to keep your skin looking younger.

What causes wrinkles?

Most often, they’re created by years of unprotected exposure to the sun, combined with each person’s unique genetic predisposition. As we age, we also lose subcutaneous fat and our skin becomes thinner – the result is the increasing appearance of wrinkles.

Prevention is your biggest friend

Why use sunscreen? In a word: prevention. Sunscreens prevent sunburns, photodamaged skin (such as brown spots or wrinkles), actinic keratosis and perhaps squamous cell and other skin cancers. Use a moisturizer with sun screen already in it to simplify things and get protection everyday. You can learn more on www.SkinCancerGuide.ca.

One of the best things to do for better skin?AntiAging2

One of the best things you can do to keep your skin looking young is to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep. When you don’t get enough z’s, your cells do not have enough opportunity to repair themselves, leaving you with skin that’s aging quicker than it should.

Sleep repairs

Sleep is essential for healthy, radiant skin. When you’re sleeping, your body finally has the time to repair itself. If you don’t get enough sleep, your skin will begin to appear dull and dry, and your nails will become brittle. For you skin’s sake, get your beauty sleep!

Why is the eye area special?

Always wondered why you need a special cream for under your eyes? That skin is structured more delicately then the rest of your face and has less fatty tissue. This causes it to wrinkle faster than the rest of your skin. So remember to gentle apply your eye cream at night.

Get rid of puffy eyes

Some quick hints to decrease puffy eyes in the morning; keep your eye cream in the fridge (the cold helps contract the tissue), use an extra pillow at night to elevate your head (this drains more fluid) and stay hydrated.

Don’t let your hands age

Keep your hands looking beautiful by using your exfoliating lotion or face mask weekly on your hands. Keep them covered with gloves in harsh weather or when dealing with any kind of chemical, doing dishes or working in the garden. And of course, don’t forget to moisturize and use sunscreen!

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Healthy Lifestyle Goals

Get Your Vitamins Through Your Food – Healthy Lifestyle

Healthy-EatingBy: Mike Selvon

Healthy eating is a big step you can take to living a healthy lifestyle. These days, it seems like we are always turning to science to give us the answers to our problems. When it comes to nutrition, the answer is often a vitamin supplement. But do we really need them?

As it happens, vitamins and minerals are plentiful in a balanced diet. By eating the right foods to get a complete range of nutrients, you may be able to give up those daily tablets after all. A natural vitamin is best.

Vitamin A – It’s at the beginning of the alphabet so why not start there. Also known as retinol, vitamin A affects your vision, skin, bone growth, immune system and reproductive functions. It’s easy to find in a variety of foods; just remember to think yellow! Good sources of natural vitamin A include carrots, mango, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and the decidedly un-yellow broccoli.tomato

Vitamin B1 – This is more commonly known as thiamin. Your body uses it to control metabolism and ensure your nerves function properly. There are a wide range of foods containing this vital nutrient, including spinach, green peas, tomato juice, watermelon, sunflower seeds, pork and soy milk. Even the pickiest eater will find something that provides them with their daily dose of natural vitamin B1.

Vitamin B2 – You may know it as riboflavin. This one also works on your metabolism and promotes good vision and healthy skin. Some of the best sources for this natural vitamin are spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, eggs, milk, liver, oysters and clams.

Vitamin B3 – This is sometimes called niacin, and it’s also important for your metabolism, nervous system and immune system. You can find this natural vitamin in foods like spinach, potatoes, tomato juice, lean ground beef, chicken breast, tuna, liver and shrimp.

banana

Healthy Lifestyle

Vitamin B6 – This is a key nutrient to keep your blood cells healthy. To get more of it into your diet, try some of these natural vitamin sources: bananas, watermelon, tomato juice, broccoli, spinach, acorn squash, potatoes, white rice and chicken breast.

Vitamin B12 – This natural vitamin is used when your body makes new cells, and also helps to keep your nervous system working properly. You can get it from eating animal products like meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, milk and eggs. If you don’t eat animal products, you will probably need a vitamin supplement to make sure that you’re getting enough of this vital nutrient.

strawberry

Healthy Lifestyle

Vitamin C – When cold and flu season strikes, it is time to load up on this immune system builder. Vitamin C also plays lesser-known role in helping your body to absorb iron. Some of the best fruits and vegetables for stocking up on it are spinach, broccoli, red bell peppers, snow peas, tomato juice, black currants, kiwi fruits, mangos, oranges, grapefruits and strawberries.

Vitamin D – This one helps your body to absorb calcium, and may also play a role in maintaining strong muscles. While we can produce this vitamin ourselves by exposing our skin to sunlight, many people don’t make enough of it that way. Try supplementing your natural vitamin production with fortified milk, fatty fish, egg yolks and liver.

Vitamin E - It’s an antioxidant, so this natural vitamin helps to keep us from ageing too quickly. It also protects your cell membranes. You can find Vitamin E in polyunsaturated plant oils such as soybean, corn and canola oils, and also in wheat germ, sunflower seeds, tofu, avocado, sweet potatoes, shrimp and cod.

Vitamin K - You need this one to help your blood to clot. To make sure you’re getting enough, eat lots of Brussels sprouts, leafy green vegetables, spinach, broccoli, cabbage and liver.

The whole vitamin alphabet is important to keep you healthy and happy. Make sure that you eat a wide variety of vitamin-rich foods so that all of your nutritional needs are covered.

If you just can’t manage to get certain nutrients into your diet, there are supplements available. However, a well-balanced diet should provide you will everything you need for your body’s nutrition.

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a way of living. Making changes that you know are good for you. Changes that can help achieve you Healthy Lifestyle goals.

GET YOUR COPY OF EAT RIGHT TO FEEL GREAT HERE!Healthy-Eating

A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE is only a few steps away.

School Health Officials Promote Healthy Lifestyles For Children

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Article from NWTN Today Healthy_LIfestyle_Child1

Tennessee is celebrated Child Health Week Oct. 5-11, focusing on ways children and families can make healthy eating choices, be physically active, and develop healthy habits that last a lifetime.
Children who are taught at an early age to make healthy lifestyle choices decrease their risk of obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Schools, parents and caregivers are instrumental in teaching youth to make healthy choices.
School nurses play an important role in of each of the 11 schools across Weakley County.
Their mission is to support students’ educational success by promoting health and wellness. This year school nurses across the county have implemented “Wellness Wednesdays.”
Each Wednesday, students are educated on the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
The goals and objectives for Student Health Services include reducing communicable diseases, increasing school attendance, providing care to students and staff, providing health education, promoting health and safety, intervening with health problems, providing case management services, and to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self management, self advocacy and learning.
A healthy school environment is essential to having healthy and productive students.

To read full article from click here

Healthy-Lifestyle_child2 I believe schools all over the country should follow the example of this school in Tennessee. If parents and schools both collaborated and helped to influence their children to be active everyday instead of playing video games and watching TV it would greatly reduce the rate of overweight children. Teaching children to make healthy food choices is important as well. Children are influenced easily by television commercials and their friends. When there are commercials about junk food children want what they see on tv. If their friends are eating unhealthy snacks they want it too. Parents need to make the choice to live a healthy lifestyle for themselves and for there children. They need to lead by example and make sure there are plenty of healthy eating options in the house.  Getting on board with the schools is extremely helpful in your child’s healthy lifestyle because they are at school for a good part of the day. If they have programs to get active and be educated on how to eat healthy it can increase their chances of making healthier choices and living a healthy lifestyle that carries into their adulthood.
Parents, schools, and communities can make a difference in the health of their children and adolescents by working together to promote health and wellness.

Healthy-Lifestyle-Cookbook

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A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE is only a few steps away.

Living a Healthy Lifestyle Also Means Preventing Illness – How to Outsmart the Swine Flu

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Well, there’s certainly a good chance you’ll be exposed to the germs, no matter how healthy your lifestyle is, according to the latest government statistics. A recent White House report predicts that as much as 20 to 40% of the population could experience swine flu symptoms, with more than half of cases seeking medical attention. But whether you get sick or spread the bug to others may be largely due to your health habits. Here are 7 simple health behaviors to keep you and your family free from the flu (swine or seasonal).

Syringe_889_18111540_0_0_40Healthy Lifestyle tip 1. Get a Vaccine

“No matter how well you wash your hands, you still have to breathe,” says Robert Belshe, MD, professor of medicine and pediatrics at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and director of the vaccine center at Saint Louis University, which is conducting clinical trials for the swine flu vaccine. “If you breathe in flu aerosol particles—which are invisible and can travel as far as 10 feet—you’ll likely catch the flu.” That’s why vaccines are so important: They prime your body to mount a flu-fighting response before you’re even exposed.

This year, you’ll need two different flu vaccines: one for seasonal flu, and a separate one for swine flu. Everyone can get the seasonal flu vaccine, but the swine flu vaccine will be preferentially given first to the highest-risk groups as quantities roll out. The first 45 million doses will be available mid-October. The five groups with highest priority, according to Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease at the NIH, are:

  • Pregnant women
  • Caregivers of children less than 6 months old
  • First responders and health care workers
  • Healthy people ages 6 months to 24 years
  • People ages 25 to 64 with underlying conditions like heart disease and asthma
  • People ages 65 and older don’t seem to be at increased risk of swine flu. Read why here.Have your children vaccinated and get the shot as soon as you can based on your eligibility. Some states will provide the swine flu vaccine through schools or community clinics; it should also be available wherever you get the regular seasonal flu vaccine.

Healthy Lifestyle tip 2. Be Obsessed with Hand Washing

Even if you are exposed to swine flu (by using a germy pen at the post office, say), if you clean your hands before you touch your face, there’s little chance the germs can reach your eyes, nose, or mouth, the usual ways they enter your system and start wreaking havoc. “Washing hands is enormously effective,” says Wayne LaMorte, MD, a professor of epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health. One University of Michigan study found that regular hand washing can reduce respiratory illness transmission by more than 20%.Handwashing

Two-thirds of people say they make an effort to cover their coughs and wash their hands more now that swine flu is circulating, according to a new American Red Cross poll. A good, solid number, sure, but it’s still not 100%. The key is to make hand cleansing a habit. Aside from after a bathroom break, wash your hands with soap and water—or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer—before you eat, after being in crowded public places, like the mall, or if you’ve been near someone who’s sneezing or coughing.

Healthy Lifestyle tip 3. Take Flu Symptoms Seriously

About 70% of people hospitalized for swine flu had an underlying health condition, according to the most recent government data. For example: Asthma occurs in 8% of the US population, but 32% of people hospitalized for swine flu last spring had asthma. Pregnant women are 4 times more likely than the general population to be hospitalized for swine flu. People with underlying chronic conditions—especially diabetes or heart, liver, or kidney disease—are also more likely to face swine flu complications.

Healthy Lifestyle tip 4. Stop Nibbling Your Nails

Nail_bitingNo matter how anal you are about hand washing, let’s face it—you can’t park yourself in front of a sink or use hand sanitizer 24-7. That’s where the avoid-unnecessarily-touching-your-face rule comes in. “Rubbing your eyes or biting your cuticles can increase viral transmission,” says Aiello. In doing so, you give germs a more direct route to your mouth and nose, where they enter your body and start making you sick.

Healthy Lifestyle tip 5. Keep Your Cube Clean

Chances are you don’t remember. About 41% of office workers say they rarely or never disinfect their desks, according to a new survey from Clorox in consultation with Corporate Wellness, Inc. To add to the risk factor, that’s despite the fact that two-thirds of people say they eat lunch at their desks at least once or twice a week. If your unclean desk harbors germs, you can pick them up (and get sick) while shuffling papers or answering the phone—and especially when you lunch right on top of them. To play it safer this flu season, University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba, PhD, recommends that you use disinfectant spray or wipes. Schedule a standing reminder in your Outlook calendar to wipe down your desk after you eat.

Healthy Lifestyle tip 6. Be Your Healthiest Self

Scientists are still learning exactly how and which healthy habits bolster immunity, but there’s clearly some solid evidence for adopting—andhypno_sleep avoiding—certain behaviors. One good-for-you habit is sleep. A recent Carnegie Mellon study found that sleeping 8 hours a night (instead of 7 or fewer) can make you 30% less likely to develop a cold—a sign that sleep plays an important immune-boosting role. A well-balanced diet, full of these power nutrients, may help fortify your immune system too. And avoid these unhealthy habits, such as smoking or letting stress get the better of you, which have been linked to decreased immunity.

CLICK HERE TO GET A MULTI VITAMAN FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a way of living. Making changes that you know are good for you. Changes that can help achieve you Healthy Lifestyle goals.

Simple Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

HealthyLifestyle2By Paige Waehner, About.com

You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean? In general, a healthy person doesn’t smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

The trick a healthy lifestyle is making small changes…taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water…these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.

Exercise

One of the biggest problems in America today is lack of activity. We know it’s good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we’re used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you’ll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.

Just adding a little movement to your life can:

  • Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
  • Improve joint stability
  • Increase and improve range of movement
  • Help maintain flexibility as you age
  • Maintain bone mass
  • Prevent osteoporosis and fractures
  • Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
  • Enhance self esteem
  • Improve memory in elderly people
  • Reduce stress

So, even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good. One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity.

Simple Ways to Move Your Body

You can start the process of weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you’re not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.health-tv

  • Turn off the TV. Once a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical with your family. Play games, take a walk…almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch.
  • Walk more. Look for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail, take a walk around the block, take the dog for an extra outing each day or walk on your treadmill for 5 minutes before getting ready for work.
  • Do some chores. Shoveling snow, working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor…these kinds of activities may not be ‘vigorous’ exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.
  • Pace while you talk. When you’re on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.
  • Be aware. Make a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more–getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc.

Learn about more ways to fit in exercise.

Eating Well

Nutrition and DietEating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older. You can use the new  Food Guide Pyramid to determine how many calories you need and what food groups you should focus on or, if you’re looking for smaller changes, you can use these tips for simple ways to change how you eat:

  • Eat more fruit. Add it to your cereal, your salads or even your dinners.
  • Sneak in more veggies. Add them wherever you can–a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.
  • Switch your salad dressing. If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you’ll automatically eat less calories.
  • Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat less calories without having to change too much in your diet.
  • Make some substitutes. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you’re at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items.

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to mean drastic changes. In fact, drastic changes almost always lead to failure. Making small changes in how you live each day can lead to big rewards, so figure out what you can to be healthy today.

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a way of living. Making changes that you know are good for you. Changes that can help achieve you Healthy Lifestyle goals.

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This policy is valid from 01 December 2009 This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, we will and do accept and keep free products, services, travel, event tickets, and other forms of compensation from companies and organizations. This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content. The owner(s) of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified. To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

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