Watch these stretching moves video!

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Stretching moves great as warm up & cool down exercises

Who knew stretching can make your body lean and limber. Try out these six scientifically proven moves for yourself.

The expert Researcher Arnold Nelson, Ph.D., coauthor of Stretching Anatomy (Human Kinetics), compiled these stretches. “If you increase your joint range of motion, exercising will seem less challenging,” Nelson says. Translation: You’ll enjoy workouts more when you stretch your muscles. You can maybe even do more of them!

The plan
Rev your heart with at least three minutes of cardio before you bend. Then perform the exercises, holding each for 30 seconds. Pause 15 seconds between moves then repeat sequence two or three times. You’ll need an armless chair and a hip-height table. Run through the 15-minute routine three times a week to get the most out of this workout.

Technique tips
Ease into each stretch. Avoid bounding. Save bouncing for your Urban Rebounding class because it signals to muscles to contract rather than extend. When you feel a mild strain, pause. Breathe deeply as you hold the position. Results are within reach!

Leaning reach

Sit on floor, legs extended. Bend left knee; place left foot flat against right inner thigh. Put left hand on floor to left of left thigh; grasp right toes with right hand, keeping back straight. Pull toes toward you (as shown). Hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat.
• Stretches butt, hamstrings, calves

Balanced bend

Stand with left side near end of table. Balance on right leg; extend left leg onto table (as shown). With legs straight, bend forward as far as you can; reach through legs; grasp back of thighs. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch legs; repeat.
• Stretches butt, hamstrings, inner thighs

Figure four

Stand facing table. Balance on left leg and place right leg, knee bent and calf flat, on table, hands on either side (as shown). Keeping calf flat on table, lower torso toward right leg. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch legs; repeat.
• Stretches butt, hips

Tush push

Stand with back to table. Balance on right leg, knee soft; bend left knee and place top of foot on table, hands flat 6 to 12 inches behind butt, fingers facing away. Move torso back slowly until butt touches heel of left foot; maintain that contact as you push hips forward, arch your back and roll shoulders down and back (as shown). Hold for 30 seconds. Switch legs; repeat.
• Stretches hips, thighs

Real kneel

Stand facing side of armless chair, about 12 inches away. Keeping right leg straight, place bent left leg on seat of chair and left hand on chair back for support. Lean forward so body stays in alignment from ear to heel (as shown). Hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat.
• Stretches calves

Jackknife

Lie faceup; bend left knee and bring it toward chest. Keeping right leg straight, foot flexed, grasp left knee with both hands and pull it toward chest as far as you can (as shown). Hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat.
• Stretches butt, thighs

Thanks to Jay Sullivan for the photos.

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Detoxify the natural way this Christmas

Have an even more joyful yuletide season by knowing how to detoxify after the holidays the natural way!

The yuletide season is filled with fun, food and drinks! It’s time to celebrate and be merry!

The tradition of Noche Buena (Christmas feast on the eve) among Filipinos has long been observed where family clans unite and prepare family recipes that make Christmas extra special. We enjoy all the delectable food served on the table and feast on other scrumptious foods. The merry making season often leads to overindulgence of food. We stuffed with stuffing, filled with ham, crammed with cakes and saturated with sodas or alcohol.

Food overload
Chinese medicine views proper digestion as the most important component in living a long and healthy life. The digestive function is composed of numerous organs that work together to break down, absorb, and process the nutrients in the foods you eat. You can become malnourished in the absence of a healthy digestion. As toxins build up in your system, it leads to degenerative diseases and rapid aging down the road.

The cause of indigestion is even made worse by overeating rich, fatty, spicy foods as well as alcohol, coffee and other acidic foods.

We may call Christmas and the New Year as a good time to let go and indulge on delicious food. Before overeating and ultimately diarrhea get in the way of fun celebration. We managed to come up with ways on how to detoxify and recover from overindulgence in a natural way. Here are remedies to soothe digestion and help it get on the right track.

Walk it off
After a large meal, take a stroll for a good 10 to 20 minutes. Walking is a perfect, gentle exercise that promotes digestion and encourages the cleansing of the lymphatic system. Walking also aids in moving the food along the digestive tract, improving digestion and absorption. An effective way to maximize your walk is to walk while massaging your abdomen with your palms, in a circle around your belly button.

Herbal tea brings relief
Relieve the feeling of fullness by sipping herbal teas to aid digestion. Make your own mix of herbal tea through a blend of mint, rose mint, oregano, cilantro, sage, and basil one teaspoon each. Mix them all in one cup of hot water. Drink after each meal to soothe and prevent bloating. Sip your favorite tea flavors such as peppermint, chamomile, and four red fruits to help settle your stomach.

You can also start your morning with apple cider. Apple cider vinegar is traditionally used to remedy digestive distress, support liver detoxification, normalize digestive juices, and reduce intestinal bloating. Mix 1 tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar with 12 ounces of warm water, and drink it in the morning in an empty stomach. You can also add a small amount of honey or maple syrup to mask the sour taste. Lemon can also help.

Alcohol overindulgence
The liver is one of the hardworking organs in your body. It performs a wide variety of functions. The liver processes nutrients, produces bile to help digest food, eliminates wastes, and cleanses the blood of toxins namely alcohol and other dangerous substances.

The liver has the ability to regenerate itself but the effects of alcohol eventually wear down the liver. It is strongly recommended to keep alcohol drinking to a minimum for the longevity of your liver and your health.

Ginger tea to the rescue

Ginger is an ancient remedy of Chinese used to minimize the symptoms of hangover. It has been found to soothe the digestive lining and balance gastric juices thus making a great remedy for overeating. You can even drink ginger tea in between alcoholic beverages.

Ginger tea comes in commercially prepared bags but if you want to go natural, follow this recipe. Cut a 2-inch piece from a fresh ginger root. Slice the ginger into thin strips. Bring three cups of water to a boil in a pot. Add the sliced ginger and reduce heat to a low simmer. Brew for about five minutes. Strain the ginger. Sip the freshly made ginger tea slowly. You can add honey to taste.

Drink up!
We are not talking about chugging down the mugs of beer! Drink up water. It is hardly a secret remedy for combating hangover so it bears repeating. Alcohol intoxicates and dehydrates your system so neutralizing its effects with water can reap good effects too. It can help combat some of the unpleasant hangover symptoms and rehydrate your body and flush out toxins. Drink a few glasses of filtered water at room temperature after a night of drinking spree.

When you wake up the next day, drink lemon water as a starter. Drink one lemon squeezed in 12 ounces of warm filtered water. Lemon activates your liver to release toxins and cleanses as well as move the roughage left in your intestines. Make sure to drink at least 8 ounces of glasses of water to flush toxins out of your system.

Detoxify with herbal tea
Chinese traditional medicine uses natural substances to help support the healthy functions of the liver, lymphatic system, bowels, urinary tract, and skin. You can try these herbs as teas to cleanse and eliminate buildup of toxins and wastes in your body.
- Chrysanthemum flower is traditionally used to cleanse the liver and neutralize toxins.
- Hawthorn berry is used to cleanse the blood of plaque and other toxins.
- Turmeric supports the detoxification process of the entire body by increasing bile production, releasing and eliminating toxins. Add a tablespoon of the spice in a pot over medium heat. Stir for five minutes.
- Milk thistle protects and restores the liver thanks to its content called silymarin.
- Dandelion roots have been found in studies to enhance the flow of bile thus relieving liver congestion.

Heal your aching head
During times when you wake up with a “morning-after” headache, try this herbal tea to lessen head pressure. Boil 2 tablespoon each of chrysanthemum flowers and mint leaves in 4 cups of water for 15 minutes. Drink throughout the day until your headache subsides.

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Merry Christmas everyone!

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Calorie blaster walking work out

Turn your typical walking workout into supercharged steps by adding a few smart strength moves. Burn fat, tone muscles and peel off pounds at the same time. All of these steps in 30 minutes.

The workout
Trainer Abbie Appel, creator of the DVD Step Strong and Stable, designed this fun, effective get-lean routine to help you firm up and slim down, fast! The perform-anywhere program consists of five mini walk-burst-tone circuits. Breeze through them without a break up to four times a week on nonconsecutive days to look sexy head to toe in only one month.

Walk. Warm up by beginning each circuit by jogging or walking in place for four minutes at a brisk pace.

Burst. Move directly into a one-minute high-intensity drill. Pick one of these high-energy moves, or freestyle: Running in place with high knees, use a skipping ropes, try doing jumping jacks- anything that gets your blood pumping and fat burning! Adding these little energy surges may fight flab 36 percent better than a steady-paced stroll, a study at the University of Guelph in Ontario found.

Tone. End each circuit with a stop-and-tone move. Do two sets of the indicated reps to get a leg up on a fitter physique.

Technique tips
Amazing arms Swing arms front to back, elbows bent, keeping shoulders relaxed. Wave good-bye to jiggle!
Awesome abs A firm, flab-free belly is within your reach. Concentrate on engaging stomach muscles as you move.
Tight tush For maximum fanny firming, head for hills and squeeze those glutes as you push off your rear foot.
Lean legs Lengthen your stride to recruit your inner and outer thigh muscles. You don’t have to worry about wearing skirts or hot shorts when your legs look lean.

Burst 1: Prussian march

Stand with a ledge or a step on your right. Step right leg up and pump arms as you quickly drive left knee up toward chest (as shown), then lower to ground. Continue for 30 seconds. Switch legs; repeat.

Burst 2: Scramble

Lean on ledge in a push-up position, arms straight. Quickly bring one knee at a time toward chest (as shown). Continue, quickly alternating knees, for one minute.

Burst 3: Shimmy step

Stand on ledge so heels face out. Raise arms overhead as you step down with left leg (as shown). Continue for one minute, alternating leg.

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How to trim your waist

The most difficult areas of the body to lose fat is the waist. It takes a big amount of discipline and dedication to take it off. The reasons why fat is stored in the belly section can be because of pregnancy, a beer belly, couch potato, or from sitting in a cubicle. The good news is it’s possible to take control and make your waist look fit again.

Read below to know simple ways to lose fat found on your waist.

Tip 1 - Drink plenty of water. Refrain from consuming pop soda, juice, and other highly sugar processed drinks. Water helps your body lose weight.

Tip 2 - Aim to have at least 7 hours of sleep. When the body is deprived of sleep, it produces two important chemicals namely insulin and leptin. Insulin is produced by the body during sleep to regulate blood sugar and helps the body to naturally burn calories. The body produces Leptin during sleep. It suppresses the appetite in a natural way.

Tip 3 - Steer away from foods high in saturated fat and trans fat immediately. It means to avoid butter, margarine, salty and sugary snacks. If you can’t avoid foods such as potato chips, corn chips, ice cream, cookies, cake, and other highly processed snacks, consume them sparingly. Do not indulge on these kind of processed foods all the time. Saturated fats are difficult to remove from the body.

Tip 4 - Keep stress in check. High level of stress has been found to cause build up of fat deposits in the mid-region of the body or your tummy area. Incorporate relaxation time into your schedule to help manage stress. Studies has shown that yoga, massage, bath, meditation, prayer, stroll at the park can curb stress and help the body balance itself.

Tip 5 - Burn excess calories by using more calories than what you eat or drink. The amount of calories that you burn each day should exceed the number of caloric intake to lose fat. It is best to keep a record of the calories you use during work out or any physical activity and the calories you eat or drink each day.

Tip 6 - Gradually increase the amount of exercise. Target moderate exercise 4 to 5 times per week. Moderate exercises can be in the forms of swimming, walking, light jogging, treadmill, and gardening or yard work. The exercise helps increase calorie burning and help to eliminate build up of triglycerides.

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How to have a slimmer waist

A slim waist best epitomizes the standard of beauty for women. It does not matter whether you are plump or thin, a narrow waist relative to your body is the key. How do you achieve a relative narrow waist to your body without having to lose weight in other areas?

Follow these simple ways to narrow your waistline in no time without any need for surgery:

Yoga
Yoga exercise helps reduce fat around your waist while strengthening your core. Nothing beats an exercise like yoga to correct your posture while enhancing a sound mind and toned body.

Posture
Stand up straight and hold your stomach in. Good posture is taught to young children yet as we get older we tend to forget how to maintain a correct posture. It goes beyond aesthetic purpose but also helps strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles. Thus, it keeps your stomach from bulging out. It instantly makes your stomach look slimmer and your waist smaller.

Lipo in a box or Spanx
Purchase one of these great products that will hold your waist in. It gives you an instant skinny waist and helps your clothes fit the way you want.

Ab exercises
The most effective way to slim down your waist is to develop that abs into steel! If you need extra motivation and clear instructions, purchase a video such as Abs of Steel with Tamilee Webb (add amazon). If you want to work your abs on your own, visit our recommended ab exercises (add link to ab exercises). You will need to variety of moves to target different muscles such as crunches, side bends, torso twists and hip extensions. Always remember to exhale forcefully on the crunch and squeeze your muscles as much as you can.

Exercise
Ab exercises alone won’t give you a smaller waist. Your time and efforts put into toning your muscles go to waste if they’re hidden underneath a layer of fat. It will only help pull things in and firm you up. If you don’t burn fat, you will still have that “jiggle of fat instead of a toned look.. Some women prefers a soft tummy but if you don’t like jiggling tummy then you need to burn fat to let the muscles show.
Go for exercises such as rowing, swimming, and walking to enable your body to go into fat burning mode, which is a requirement to lose inches around your waist.

Computer time
Be conscious of your posture when you are behind your computer. Chances are, your slumped posture tends to let your stomach bulge out thus your stomach develops a pooch.

Detoxify
Toxins present in your system can build up in your intestines thus causes you to be bloated. You need to cleanse and detoxify your body to eliminate these wastes. Try a detox such as the Master Cleanse.

Reduce stress
Did you know stress signals the body to produce a hormone called cortisol that stimulates storage of fat in the midsection? Stress can also cause improper digestion leading to gas and bloating. Try yoga and meditation to help you cope better with stress. It is also recommended that you try to assess what causes the stress and decide the steps to take to eliminate it.

Patience
The process of shrinking your midsection fat and getting a slimmer waist takes time so try to be patient. No specific drug or plan will target fat reduction of your waist. Your waist size is a good indicator of your overall health. Thus, you need to eat healthy, drink plenty of fluid, perform toning exercises and lead a stress-free lifestyle as much as possible. The first place you tend to gain weight is the last place to lose it. Stick to your weight loss plan and be patient with it.

Don’t eat late at night.
Your body starts to prepare into sleep mode after 8 pm. Your metabolism gradually slows down late during the night. When you eat late at night, it causes more fat stored in your waist and stomach. Refrain from eating 3 hours before you go to bed. If ever hunger sets in late during the night, opt to have something healthy like a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts.

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7 foods that experts wouldn’t eat

Read this before you drink your regular fresh milk or take a bite on your apple.

Certain foods may sound healthy for us. Yet, a hotly debated topic among experts and consumers alike is “What foods should you avoid?” The list has some very interesting answers. These foods does not necessarily comprise of the “banned” list as you head into the holidays, particularly the grocery shopping that comes with it. Read through the “food for the thought” list of foods that experts won’t eat.

1. Canned tomatoes

The expert
Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A

The culprit: A synthetic estrogen called bisphenol-A (BPA) found in the resin linings has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The acidity prominently found in tomatoes causes BPA to go into the food. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s body is more than the allowed amount. It suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. “You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,” says vom Saal.

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe’s and Pomi.

2. Corn-Fed Beef

The expert
Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming

The culprit: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. Farmers, nowadays, feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. This means more money for cattle farmers and lower prices at the grocery store leading to a lot less nutrition for us. The USDA found out that grass-fed beef is higher in beta carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. “We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure,” says Salatin.

The solution: Substitute corn-fed beef with grass-fed beef. It can be found at specialty grocers, farmers’ markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It’s usually labeled because it demands a premium. Ask your local butcher if you don’t see it.

3. Microwave Popcorn

The expert
Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group,

The culprit: The chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), used in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. It causes liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize-and migrate into your popcorn. “They stay in your body for years and accumulate there,” says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

The solution: Use a skillet to pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes

The expert
Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board

The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that end up in soil. In the case of potatoes-the nation’s most popular vegetable-is they’re treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. “Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won’t,” says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc the publisher of Prevention). “I’ve talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals.”

The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn’t good enough if you’re trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

5. Farmed Salmon

The expert
David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.

The problem: Salmon was not intended to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. All of these factors results to farmed salmon lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame-retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. “You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer,” says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. “It’s that bad.” Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

The solution: Make the switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it’s farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

The expert
Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society

The culprit: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. The rBGH, unfortunately, also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. “When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract,” says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. “There’s not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans,” admits North. “However, it’s banned in most industrialized countries.”

The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

7. Conventional Apples

The expert
Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and co director of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods

The problem: If fall fruits held a “most doused in pesticides contest,” apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As a result, apples don’t develop resistance to pests and are sprayed often. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. Kastel, however, counters that it’s just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. “Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers,” he says. There is an increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson’s disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples. If you can’t afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first.

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Look younger with these exercises

Who says you should let yourself go as you get older? Introducing age-defying moves to help you keep looking forever young and looking wow!

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Your best body is within your reach!

Are you more than eager to uncover a more youthful and leaner new you? Try these age-defying exercises to help you look your best no matter what your age is.

You need a set of 3 to 10 pound weights. Complete two sets of each move twice a week on nonconsecutive days. Add 30 to 60 minutes of brisk cardio on most days.

Sumo squat

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Hold one weight in both hands directly overhead. Squat low and swing weight between legs (as shown) and then forward, lifting it overhead, as you return to standing. Do 12 reps.
• Works shoulders, butt, legs

Dragonfly

Start on all fours, a weight in each hand. Extend left leg behind you in line with body; extend right arm out to side at shoulder level. Keeping left leg lifted, curl weight toward chest (as shown). Straighten arm for one rep. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
• Works shoulders, chest, back, abs

Gorgeous get-up

Kneel with a weight in each hand, arms overhead, palms in. Bring left leg forward, knee bent, thigh parallel to ground (as shown). Push off ball of foot to stand. Return to kneeling. Switch legs; repeat for one rep. Do 12 reps.
• Works shoulders, back, butt, thighs, hamstrings

Sidestepper

Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes out, a weight in each hand in front of thighs. Lunge to left side as you draw arms toward chest, elbows bent (as shown). Push off left foot and lower weights to return to start. Repeat on right for one rep. Do 12 reps.
• Works shoulders, back, butt, thighs

Back attack

Lie facedown with legs pressed together; reach behind back, interlace fingers and draw shoulder blades together. Lift chest off ground as you kick heels toward butt with control (as shown) three times for one rep. Return to start. Do 10 reps.
• Works back, butt, hamstrings

Do-si-do

Stand with feet hip-width apart, a weight in each hand. Balance on left leg, knees soft (as shown), then lunge forward with right leg as you curl weights toward chest. Push off right foot to return to one-leg balance. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
• Works biceps, abs, butt, thighs, hamstrings

T-rrific toner

Stand with feet hip-width apart, a weight in each hand, arms extended at shoulder level. Lift right leg back and lower torso forward until body forms a T, arms straight toward ground, palms in (as shown). Return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
• Works abs, hips, thighs

Bridge buffer

Stand with feet hip-width apart, a weight in each hand, arms extended at shoulder level. Lift right leg back and lower torso forward until body forms a T, arms straight toward ground, palms in (as shown). Return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
• Works shoulders, arms, chest, abs, hips, butt, hamstrings

Turbo twist

Sit with legs out in front, knees bent. Hold one weight in both hands at chest level; lean back at a 45-degree angle. Maintain position as you contract abs and twist torso to right (as shown), then left for one rep. Do 12 reps.
• Works arms, back, abs, obliques

Thanks to SELF for the workout plan for women.

Technorati Tags: exercises, female workout plan, fitness health, how to look younger, woman workout