Tag Archives: spring

Be a Happy and Healthy Bride on Your Wedding Day

by Kelsey Murray

Spring and summer are possibly the most popular times for a wedding. Unfortunately for many brides, along with the wedding comes a boat load of stress to look “perfect” on their big day. Sadly, this quest for perfection can be very hard on a bride’s health. Crash dieting is often the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions a bride’s preparation for her wedding.

Aside from drastic weight loss, there are many other things that brides often do in preparation that can be unhealthy or harmful to her health. Here are some tips for avoiding some common practices that brides-to-be might not realize are putting their health in danger.

Choose your makeup carefully. Some makeup contains ingredients that can cause allergic reactions. Some symptoms might include skin redness, dryness, and itchiness. Look for makeup that is fragrance-free or made for sensitive skin and do not change makeup brands right before a big event because you do not know how your skin might react to it. If you are having your makeup done professionally, ask the makeup artist which makeup he or she uses and make sure that it will not cause you to have a reaction.

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Posted on June 15, 2023 by Health Buzz

Should You Spring Clean Your System With a Detox?

Mary Hartley, RD, MPH, is the director of nutrition for Calorie Count, providing domain expertise on issues related to nutrition, weight loss and health. She creates original content for weekly blogs and newsletters, for the Calorie Count library, and for her popular daily Question-and-Answer section, Ask Mary. Ms. Hartley also furnishes direction for the site features and for product development.

Calorie Counters want to know whether or not it is wise to cleanse the system with a detox diet. Here are a few of the readers’ favorite “Ask Mary Q+As” about spring cleaning.

Should I fast to prepare my system for a change?

Fasting is unnecessary. Your system does not need to prepare for change. In a fast lasting longer than a day or two, the body starts to breakdown some of its muscles and organs to generate fuel for the central nervous system. Because muscle is a major calorie burner, less muscle could lead to lowering overall calorie requirements, which could make it more difficult to lose weight in the future. And then, due to feast-or-famine thinking, food deprivation could lead to overeating when food becomes available again. Instead of fasting, it’s best to just go ahead and begin to eat a balanced diet of wholesome food at a lower calorie level.

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Posted on April 17, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Exercise Outside With Seasonal Allergies This Spring

Usually everyone is excited for the rain to dry up and the sun to start poking through so they can take their workout outside and soak up some vitamin D, but if you suffer from seasonal allergies, you may be dreading the changing of the seasons. Itchy, watery eyes, a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat can make it hard to get out of bed, let alone pound the pavement for an exhilarating run.

Even if pollen does knock you on your butt, you don’t have to banish yourself to the gym year round. There are a few things you can do to lessen your allergy symptoms, or at the very least, prevent them from getting worse if you do decide to take your workout outdoors.

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Posted on April 15, 2024 by Kelly

The Top 10 Worst Allergy Cities

by Kelsey Murray

Finally! Spring time is here! Grass is growing, trees are budding, and flowers are popping up everywhere you look. But, if you suffer from allergies, then you might not be able to see all of the new life that is springing up due to your itchy eyes and runny nose. Yep, it’s official: allergies are in full swing.

For eight years, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has released a list of the top Allergy Capitals in the USA. The list is based on each city’s pollen scores. The city with the highest pollen amounts was awarded a score of 100 and all other cities were rescaled according to their relative amounts of pollen.

So what if you live in one of the worst allergen cities?

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Posted on April 4, 2024 by Health Buzz

7-Step Guide to Conquering Your Swimsuit Meltdown Moments

Guest blogger, Carol Dunlop is certified through FiTour as a Personal Trainer and through the American Red Cross as a CPR, AED and First Aid Instructor. She has competed and placed in several Fitness America and National Bodybuilding competitions. To receive your Free E-course “How to Burn Calories While you Sleep,” check out her website, OptimumBodySculpting.com.

Aaaah Spring! The images that come to mind; flowers, sun, sand and bikini season! There, I said it, that dreaded 2-word phrase that can cause you to run to the cottage cheese isle for weeks on end. Wait! It doesn’t have to be this way. Follow my 7-Step guide and make this bikini season the one that makes you utter, “Bring it on, baby!”

Step 1: Eat Breakfast: Never skip breakfast, it’s the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast makes your body believe that you’re starving. Eating breakfast gives you an energy boost and prevents you from overeating later in the day, not to mention keeping you alert and attentive to detail.

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Posted on March 26, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Healthy Green Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

Both St. Patrick’s Day and the first day of spring are right around the corner, making this the perfect time to celebrate with a bit of green! Whether you’re Irish or not, March 17th is as good a time as any to honor the Irish heritage and help usher spring in on the 20th. What are you’re favorite ways to celebrate? Shamrocks, leprechauns and rainbows are just the beginning of all the fun things you can bring out for your St. Patrick’s Day party.

Green beer is fun but let’s be honest, it’s incredibly overdone. There’s nothing wrong with including some but to really rev up the fun, expand your St. Patrick’s Day festivities to the food.

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Posted on March 10, 2024 by Theresa

5 Sweet Treats for Spring

It’s perfectly okay to have a sweet tooth. As a card carrying member of the “sweet tooth club,” I know what it’s like to want something sweet after a meal. If you’re trying to make changes to cut back on sweets and lots of added sugars, it can be daunting thinking about giving up the sweet things you like.

The key is to find a healthy middle ground. There are no “good” or “bad” foods. The idea of restricting really just makes you want it more. Instead, think about how often you have heavier desserts like cake and ice cream. Keep the portion to a few bites. But, have low-calorie sweet treats more often when you crave a little something sweet.

Here are a few refreshing spring desserts that will be sure to satisfy. They are delicious and healthy sweet treats that will get you through the warmer months ahead:

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Posted on April 20, 2023 by Rebecca

The Best Outdoor Exercises for Spring

Guest blogger Jill Knapp is all about family and loves spending as much time with them as possible. Her second passion is bringing awareness to Type II diabetes. It is near and dear to her heart. Since being diagnosed with the condition a little over three years ago, she has lost 100 pounds.

She is a diabetes advocate and a passionate motivational speaker getting others inspired to lose with and get fit. She is now the mentor to the Miss Healthy Dr. Oz contestants. Visit her site: Get up and Get Moving.

Spring is a wonderful time of year. It seems that spring just gives a new beginning. It’s a great time to kick start your exercise. No more cold days that may help excuse you from getting fit. Make spring about getting your exercise outdoors. Not only can you get a great workout, but you can save money while not having to belong to a gym. 

Here are six ideas to head your feet moving outside for some fresh air and exercise.

1. Daily walks:  OK, you are stuck at work all day. Make it a point to take a walk outside on your lunch break. Not only will this help you burn some calories but it will also help you clear your mind. 

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Posted on April 18, 2024 by GuestBlogger

10 Spring Vegetables and Fruits You Should be Eating

Emily Fonnesbeck is the Registered Dietitian for the Biggest Loser Resort, and joins us today to share some of the healthiest seasonal produce of spring!

Spring is here! I love the warmer weather, flip flops, tulips, blossoming trees and especially… spring produce! If I had to list my favorite fruits and vegetables, most of them would be on this list. Spring produce always seems so refreshing after a long cold winter.

Here are some fruits and vegetables you will see popping up in grocery stores and on produce stands. I have tried to give you tips on what to look for when purchasing them as well as how they can help you nutritionally.

Apricots: Try to purchase these ripe or just under ripe. If ripe, try to eat within a day or two or if they need to ripen, do so in the refrigerator. Fruit with a green tinge will not ripen properly so avoid those. Wash apricots just before eating to preserve quality. Apricots are good sources of vitamin A and vitamin C for immune function and maintaining healthy cells and tissues. (more…)

Posted on April 7, 2024 by GuestBlogger

What I Love About the Indy Mini

brooke-randolph-indy-mini-marathon1May in Indianapolis is a big deal. The Indianapolis 500 is the Sunday before Memorial Day, but we celebrate all month. For our First Friday’s gallery walk, most of the stores and businesses on Mass Ave create tire art, which is displayed all month. Some of my favorites this year are Henry’s triple layer cake with a cherry on top, Stout’s extremely detailed eagle, and the huge stethoscope that stretches down a multi-story building.

We are serenaded by the sounds of cars speeding around the brickyard and many take field trips to the track to watch practices, qualifications, and carb day. Carb day is the last day race cars are allowed on the track to practice prior to race day; it is a shortened practice time after which there is the Pit Stop competition and a concert. Race car drivers are at least as famous as basketball players in Indianapolis, and Hollywood celebs join in the fun for the weekend of the race. The 500 Festival kicks off every year on the first Saturday of May with the Mini-Marathon. (more…)

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

We Love Walking Outside

walkingThis week, what we love doesn’t require that you go to the grocery store in search of a few healthy snacks, but instead, it’s simply an action that we do every day and quite honestly, should do more: walking.

With the long-awaited arrival of Spring, nothing feels better than taking a simple 20-minute walk on your lunch break or a leisurely stroll after dinner. Walking doesn’t cost you a dime, but its health benefits are likely to do more than just keep money in your wallet. (more…)

Posted on April 7, 2024 by heather