Benefits of Aerobic Excercise

Aerobics, simply put, is a way to get your heart rate up to where you get in cardiovascular exercise. Walking, sprinting and running all help to get the heart beating rapidly so blood can circulate and move oxygen to all parts of the body. Playing basketball, hockey, tennis and other sports are excellent activities for good heart health.

A good aerobics workout makes you stronger and improves mental clarity. Unfortunately, many people live a sedentary lifestyle that does little to improve overall physical well-being and often they don’t find the time or energy to start exercising.

While aerobics is one of the best way to get in some exercise it should be remembered that aerobics alone will not do you much for your health if your lifestyle is filled with stress, a poor diet and habits that promote illness rather than health.

Before any exercise can begin, you need to know the current state of your health and just how much exercise is good for you. A checkup with your doctor will determine how ready you are to start on an exercise program. Likely, you will need to change your diet first as will power alone is simply not enough for many overweight people to start exercising. Your doctor and dietitian can help you set up an exercise program that is right for you.

Once you have the approval from your doctor, the next step is by taking a daily walk. If you are overweight or obese, you can begin by walking to the street corner or around the block. If you feel stronger, you can take an extended 20 minute walk. Whichever method you choose, move your arms as you walk. Moving your arms while you walk gets blood flowing to the shoulders and arms. Once you’re used to walking, you can increase your pace to the point that you begin to perspire. If walking isn’t for you, try Tai Chi or do exercise in a pool, both of which are easy on the joints and can give you a good workout.

Once walking has become routine, you can bicycle.It provides great cardiovascular exercise as it provides more challenges as you must pedal uphill as well as down. If you happen to live close to your job, you can save yourself the cost of fuel and wear and tear on your car by biking to work.

The winter months don’t allow for much walking or cycling. Ice, snow and the cold is enough to keep anyone indoors, but you can continue your exercise regimen by investing in a treadmill or a stationary bike.

The whole point behind aerobics is to exercise your heart muscle. The heart rate of a fit person beats slower than someone who is out of shape. A resting heart rate is a good indication of how easier it is for you to get sick. Healthy people rarely have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, nor are they susceptible to many of today’s modern diseases.

For optimal health, you can combine a daily routine of aerobics along with weight lifting. Aerobics primarily exercises the heart while weight lifting increases body strength, endurance and flexibility.

Once you make a start at exercise, you’ll find it more pleasurable than you thought and you will stick with your routine once you start to see the results of a better physique and a happier you.

The author is a freelance writer who has had several articles published at Helium, Suite 101 and his blog on Word Press. Currently he lives in Ottawa, Canada and promotes an affiliate business where anyone can buy and sell products, ebooks and more. Click here to get more information

The Benefits of Green Tea

Drink green tea to fight weight loss, boost the immune system and to protect the liver. It is known to be an excellent fat burner. You will find Green Tea to be an all-important element of the Hollywood Weight Loss Diet.

Long term consumption of green tea can protect you against cancers, especially of colon, bladder, pancreas, stomach, rectum, esophagus etc. The Cancer Society has deemed green tea as high priority for cancer prevention.

Since green tea has natural antioxidants, it can protect you effectively on heart disease, blood pressure control and reducing cholesterol. Antioxidants have the natural characteristic to reduce blood clotting. For those suffering from arthritis, green tea’s antioxidant properties can naturally postpone the onset and intensity of various types of arthritis. Green tea can protect the liver in two ways: by protecting the cells of the liver and by boosting the immune system. If your body is attacked with toxins through cigarette smoking and alcohol, green tea can drive them away.

Pregnant mothers should drink green tea because it contains supplements like iron, calcium and magnesium. Green tea is also known for its anti-ageing benefits, unbelievably speaking; the antioxidants present are equal to those present in 21 vegetables and fruits.

The chances of suffering a stroke are cut by as much as 80 percent if you drink green tea regularly. Green tea is known for enhancing the quality of our teeth, stopping dental decay and preventing gum disease. The chemical antioxidant known as catechin can kill viruses and bacteria that cause dental caries and throat infections. It also eliminates bad breath. You should not drink green tea when you are about to sleep or when you are hungry because it can ruin your sleep and increase your appetite.

V.S.ARUNRAJ believes health is truly our wealth and an investment in our health can lead us to live a fulfilling, rewarding life mentally and physically.

Spiritual Spring Cleaning

Spiritual Spring Cleaning: 7 Ways to Heal
by: Deborah King 

Spring: it’s a time of renewal for Mother Nature and also for us mere mortals. As the weather gets warmer we’re motivated to de-junk basements, scrub windows and dust doorsills.. But don’t stop with your physical world. Why not take the singleminded vigor with which you tackle your cluttered closets . . . and apply it to your soul? We all have issues that block the flow of spiritual energy and hinder our growth and happiness. Now is a good time of year to zero in on the spiritual bad habits you’re living with and work to replace them with healthy new ones. Here’s how to start:

• Identify Issues — Pinpoint your most distressing spiritual issues: Be honest with yourself. Do you live in a state of constant worry and anxiety? Do you obsessively re-live mistakes or traumas? Are you controlling and aggressive or, on the other end of the spectrum, passive and “victimized?” Be aware of nything that makes you feel depressed or powerless or unbalanced—anything that blocks the free flow of Spirit.

• Ask for Help — Turn to a trusted friend to help you identify your “trouble spots”. Tell a trusted friend: “I am trying to become more self-aware so that I can work on my spiritual health. What issues do you notice that I exhibit?” What you hear might be the last thing you expect. “You have a lot of anger toward your husband” or “I think you drink too much” or “You’re a workaholic” or “Every other word out of your mouth is negative.” This is tough exercise but will help you take a look at “you” from a different perspective.

• Find a Mentor — Seek out a spiritual guide. Do you know someone whose spiritual health you admire? An individual who seems centered, balanced, happy, at peace? If so, make a conscious effort to spend time with this person. Notice how she weathers the storms of life. Imagine yourself in her shoes: how would you react if your mother died, if you lost your job, if of your children was contemplating a change in gender. Ask her how she maintains her unruffled feathers. You’ll probably find that the healthiest people, spiritually speaking, have been through the fire and come out on the other side. They probably understand what you’re going through and will be happy to share their insights.

• Start a Journal. Set aside time every day to explore your issues on paper. A problem with jealousy? Wwrite about it in your journal—how resentful you felt when your friend finally met her soul mate, or when your coworker got a promotion. Write for yourself, not an imaginary reader. Let the journal take you to where it wants you to go.

• Meditate – a minimum of 20 minutes of meditation daily will open your inner world.. Meditation is a wonderful tool which will enable you to connect with your spirit, refresh your soul to simply recharge your batteries. What’s more, it’s necessary for spiritual health. Silence, stillness and solitude are basic human needs and we don’t get them unless we make room for them. Carving out time to meditate—time free of human and electronic interruptions—is basic spiritual hygiene.

• Start setting boundaries. Speak your voice. Take back your power. Have you given your power away? Are you allowing some other person or entity—a parent, a spouse, a job, an addiction—to shape your life? Do you take on tasks you would prefer not to do, or regularly squelch your opinions to keep from offending others? Now is the time to start breaking these patterns.

• Take in Nature. As often as possible, immerse yourself in nature. Find time to connect with the earth and its healing rhythms. Get up early and sit on your front porch to soak up the sunrise. Hike or camp or walk on the beach. Plant and nurture a small garden, even if it’s a pot in a window. Getting in touch with nature helps you get in touch with the needs of your own soul. It reminds us that renewal and rebirth are not only possible, but natural. Effortless. And spring, with its buds and birdsong, is an inspiring time to start your soul work.

About The Author:
An expert in health and wellness, Deborah King, Ph.D., is author of Truth Heals: What You Hide Can Hurt You. Contact her at www.TruthHeals.com or email her at deborah@DeborahKingcenter.com.

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