Wellness
Wellness
The Best Martial Arts For Fitness
Here are the top 5 styles of Martial Arts for fitness. Some arts are better than others for accomplishing specific goals. Which one is best for you?
Wellness
Why do we need water?
Everybody knows that they need to drink water, especially while exercising or competing, but few understand the science behind exactly why. Water makes up most of the human body, including 80 percent of our blood, 90 percent of our lungs and 70 percent of our brain. All told, about 60 percent of our bodies are […]
Wellness
Avoiding injury while power lifting
You don’t have to lift extremely heavy weights to get benefits out of strength training. If you want to start looking like a body builder, though, power lifting is a must. This is the practice of lifting weights heavy enough to put you at failure within four to six repetitions. It’s not for everybody, and […]
Wellness
How to choose a martial arts school
Whether your New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, relieve stress or learn a new skill, martial arts lessons may be the answer for you. Most classes provide a full-spectrum wellness experience. The only trouble is, for most parts of the Western world, you have so many options it’s hard to know where to take […]
Wellness
Healthy body, healthy brain
Anybody who has kept up with an exercise routine for even just a few weeks has felt the restorative effects of a good workout. How many times has a run helped you clear your head or how often have you felt relieved of stress after hitting the gym? Research is emerging that helps to fully […]
Wellness
Exercise for better grades
The myriad physical benefits of exercise are far from breaking news. What is surprising to many people, however, are the equally numerous mental benefits. In addition to the well-documented improvements in mood and stress reduction related to a decent workout, new research is beginning to reveal just how exercise can improve overall brain function. This […]
Wellness
Staying healthy on vacation
Vacation can be a welcome break from the routines of everyday life. Unfortunately, it often also means a break from the beneficial routines of diet and exercise that you’ve worked hard to build. The desire to take it easy may make exercise seem unappealing, or it could just be difficult to fit it into your […]
Wellness
Random acts of kindness are good for your health
The dreary days of winter can start to affect not only how you feel, but how you treat those around you. Extend the spirit of the holiday season into the New Year by being generous, thankful and kind to others. Everyone knows it “feels good” to do good, but did you also know that doing […]
Wellness
Are your home fitness habits keeping your heart healthy
In recognition of American Heart Month, February is a great time to take a look at your health habits and give them a nudge in the heart healthy direction. According to the Center for Disease Control, Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States with one in every three deaths occurring […]
Wellness
Creating your own home gym
Home gyms can be a major time convenience and more cost efficient in the long run than an expensive gym membership. Before you begin assembling a home gym, it is important to outline your goals. Are you looking to bulk up and build mass? Or lose weight and improve your cardiovascular health? Every exercise regimen […]
Wellness
Bring the hottest fitness trends to your home workouts
The American College of Sports Medicine recently released its projections of the biggest trends projected for the coming year. Although some fitness trends, such as small-group training and combination classes, are great add-ons to a home fitness program, many of them can be used at home every week to bring new energy and effectiveness to […]
Wellness
Outdoor exercise as the seasons change
Runners and cyclists always have the option to take the easy way out when winter months make regular routes cold and wet. That’s one of the ways health clubs stay in business. But if you still appreciate the flexibility and experience of exercising outdoors, changing weather doesn’t have to be an obstacle. Just keep in […]
Wellness
The many benefits of the humble dandelion
Of all the weeds that can overtake our yards and ruin our gardens, the dandelion reigns supreme. However, despite its invasive nature, nutritionists and herbalists have long understood the value of the misunderstood dandelion. In fact, both American and Chinese traditional medicines have used all parts of the dandelion to treat a variety of ailments […]
Wellness
What you should know about Creatine
Creatine is one of the most widely used and well-researched supplements on the market. In fact, the creatine market in the United States alone is estimated at $14 million per year and over 50 percent of professional football players report using the supplement. Readily available in pills, powders and sports drinks, many athletes and fitness […]
Wellness
Postpartum fitness: How to get back in shape after having a baby
After giving birth last fall, one of the first questions I had for my midwife was, “When can I exercise again?” I ran until I was 7 months pregnant, when I had to hang up my running shoes due to health concerns. So I couldn’t wait to get moving again. (Information on keeping a safe […]
Wellness
6 Home Fitness and Diet Strategies for a Healthy Thanksgiving
Feel great, eat well and get moving this Thanksgiving. Follow these 6 eating and fitness tips for the whole family and have your best holiday season yet.
Wellness
The many benefits of a morning workout
Not many of us wake up, hop out of bed with full energy and can zealously tackle our workout first thing in the morning. The natural inclination is often to put if off, generally until the end of the day, when all the other important things like work and school have been accomplished. But is […]
Wellness
Understanding sweat
Sweat is one of those aspects of exercise, along with exhaustion and muscle soreness, that we just learn to live with, as much as we may dislike it. Some people, though, learn to embrace sweat. For these exercisers, sweat is a sign that they’re doing something right, that they’re releasing toxins and burning off all […]
Wellness
Shin splints: Causes, prevention and treatment
Shin splints are one of the most frustrating things a runner will ever encounter. And chances are, most runners will deal with them at one point or another. In fact, shin splints make up more than 13 percent of all injuries suffered by runners. Since this condition is so common, it makes sense to prepare […]
Wellness
Pain-free running
We often push ourselves through our workouts, encouraged by the mantra “No pain, no gain.” But the truth is that this is a gross oversimplification. Some pains shouldn’t be ignored or worked through because they could be a warning of debilitating injuries. Running, in particular, can come with all sorts of little aches and pains, […]
Wellness
Self-myofascial release: A home fitness technique with serious impact
What if you could reset your body to undo the cumulative effects of minor (and major) injuries, poor posture and repetitive movements over the years? Imagine the effect this could have on your performance and your enjoyment of physical activity. Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) is a simple technique you can perform at home that does just […]
Wellness
Home Equipment Choices
There is a dizzying array of home fitness equipment on the market. That’s the good news. The bad news is that you get what you pay for. If you are in the market for fitness equipment for the home, look for equipment that is durable and can be counted on for continued service throughout the […]
Wellness
Dust Off Your Treadmill and Gear Up for Summer Training
If you want to feel and look good for summer, you have to start now. Here’s exactly how to get fit for summer in 5 simple steps.
Wellness
Saturated Fat
The main dietary factor in high levels of cholesterol is high levels of saturated fats in the diet. But what, exactly, IS saturated fat? If saturated fat in the diet is an important predictor of cardiovascular disease (and it is!), what can be done to reduce it in the diet? Perhaps by answering the first […]