From the crib to the coffin, our bodies crave activity. Whether you are a newborn, a young child or a nonagenarian, see how yoga can be a mainstay for a healthy and happy quality of life.
We are natural born yogis.
Babies are natural yogis. We are all born with an innate ability to breathe, move, stretch, and rest; yet many of us quickly forget about these inherent qualities. Not only are yoga poses such as the happy baby pose appropriately named, babies are great yoga teachers because they remind us how exciting and exhilarating it is to move our bodies generously. Whether we believe it or not, it seems we are born to practice yoga. Just watch happy babies grab their toes and kick their legs up in the air and you may soon realize what you might be missing. Have you been neglecting your own mind and body over the years?
If you are one of the many stiff, tense and tired individuals who don’t get enough exercise, please keep reading and let the following examples inspire you to get moving.
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On November 8th’s episode of the Biggest Loser, Ramon Medeiros received some very encouraging news. At the beginning of the season he was told that he was a diabetic and he was completely unaware. Look ahead to week eight at the Biggest Loser Ranch when he was told by Dr. H that not only had he reversed his diabetes but also that his high blood pressure was gone. Like Ramon, you can reverse your diabetes – and here’s how.
Before we talk about the how we need to talk about the why. Why did you develop type 2 diabetes? There are numerous factors that can bring in on, including genetics, eating an unhealthy diet, and leading a sedentary lifestyle, but the biggest reason people develop type 2 diabetes is because they become overweight or obese. As people’s weight increases their pancreas cannot keep up with the insulin production to reduce the body’s blood sugar. Your body is also less sensitive to the insulin it is still producing which is known as insulin resistance. Type 1 diabetics’ pancreases do not produce insulin so unfortunately reversing diabetes in these patients is not yet possible.
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By Melisa Wells from Suburban Scrawl
I’ve been a group fitness instructor for nearly eight years now, and until recently it’s never been difficult for me to “find the time” to exercise. I get paid to teach classes on a schedule and although every class I teach doesn’t provide the best workout for me personally, it’s still scheduled time for me to move. A couple of years ago, I was up to teaching nine classes each week and I felt really great. Gradually though, due to the economy and changes in club scheduling, I started losing classes and now teach only one—a cycling class—each week.
Suddenly it became necessary for me to “find the time” to exercise. I have been taking Zumba classes and recently restarted Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred at home. I’m starting to feel good again, but Thanksgiving looms.
I have nothing against the holiday, really. Thanksgiving is full of family togetherness. Unfortunately, it’s also full of food, which seems to go without saying, but when you’re the type of person who is trying to get back into fighting shape, the thought of a food-focused holiday is a little stressful.
It’s okay though: I have a plan.
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I recently spoke with Heather Toone about her new health program Power of ONE. Heather’s Power of ONE program is an interactive, online group coaching class that will help you eat better, lose weight and improve your relationships. Heather’s new program takes on a holistic approach to health and will help you see results with weight loss while also helping you make lifelong changes one day at a time.
The premise behind the Power of ONE is for you to take one small action towards positive changes. You make these small changes daily and they build upon each other. “My goal is to empower participants to create, with intention, the life they want,” Heather said. “So the daily effort may be something as little as waking up in the morning and listening to a positive affirmation, or something bigger – like trying a new food or recipe, or participating in a new exercise.”
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By James O’Brien
The human body has two kinds abdominal fat: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is the stuff that you can pinch and move with your hands; visceral is the kind that can make the belly bulge, but feel hard to the touch (the notorious beer gut). Even if you don’t sport a beer belly, you might still have visceral fat that could be giving you health problems.
While being overweight is not an ideal state of health in general, it’s the visceral fat in particular that nutritionists and health experts cited at ScienceBlog.com connect most commonly with diabetes, glucose-related problems, hypertension, and heart disease.
Problem is, visceral fat doesn’t always stick out. Doctors have discovered thin-looking patients whose abdominal organs are packed with visceral fat. These people face the same kind of health risk as their more obviously beer-bellied counterparts.
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