Simple Health Boosters

Day-to-day activities may benefit your health. You didn't know that getting a new mattress can prolong your life? Well, it does. 

A simple list of tasks to take part in can truly lead to a healthier way of living. Breathe deeply, laugh often, and just like your grandmother always said: stand up straight. Good posture improves circulation in your body.

Eating healthy and exercising are obvious, but for those of us who are stuck indoors all day looking at a computer screen, balanced breathing and laughing are our only options!

Floppy Feet

As soon as the grass is visible after the first thaw, the flip-flops come out in full force. Girls get the mani-pedi combo to prep for summer. And guys, well, they just throw their stinky socks into the dirty laundry.

What many people don't realize though, is that regularly wearing flip-flops can be quite hazardous to your health. Twisted ankles, shin splints and strained joints are among the injuries that can result from this popular footwear.

The thonged design can cause muscle pain, tendonitis, and forces the toes to scrunch and curl up to keep the flip-flop in place. The moral of the story: Save them for beach and pool-side fun.

Your Body or the Planet? You Choose.

Organic farming methods have truly been on the rise. Eating healthy and living healthy are popular among many Americans who are trying to improve and prolong their existence on this earth. Paying a few extra dollars at the grocery store on organic milk, meat, and produce is common. However, many don't realize the effects that raising dairy cows and crops organically truly have on the environment.

Cows on organic feed emit more greenhouse gases than cows that are given hormones. This, in turn, hurts the environment more than it helps the human body.

Fruits and veggies that are pesticide-free have to be refrigerated until they reach their destination--resulting in more carbon dioxide emissions from trucks.

You can read on to find out more about how conservative farming may be better than this innovative agriculture.

   

Beat the Heat

Early summer heat has swept across the country, and talk about global warming is rampant, of course. High humidity, ozone warnings and dehydration are all things to be aware of, especially the very young and very old. But what can we do...or not do, to keep cool?

Don't:   1) Drink alcoholic beverages out in the summer heat.

  2) Consume beverages high in caffeine.

  3) Take in high amounts of sugar.

* These three things will increase your heart rate, and ultimately make you feel lethargic and even more thirsty than you were in the first place.

Do: 1) Drink lots and lots of water/vitamin water.

2) Drink juices high in vitamin C and fresh brewed iced tea.

* These beverages help to replenish your body's need for water. And surprisingly, you should avoid areas where the air conditioning is too cool! A drastic change in temperature and humidity can shock your system and make the unconditioned air feel even more unbearable.  

Health Myths

Exercise will cure obesity...false.

Running is a healthy workout...not true.

Carbs are needed for energy...wrong again!

These are just a few of several tales that many people believe, and even live by. Sure, maintaining a healthy diet and giving your heart a workout is crucial for a long, healthy life - but there is more to it. Hauling around extra weight is a dangerous workout in itself, running takes a toll on knees and carbs actually exhaust cells from an excess of "fuel" (energy). To learn more about healthy fibs, read on...

Healthy Quick Tips

1) Do you have split ends? Or thinning hair? Expensive products are apparently not the only solution to keeping your tresses healthy.

2) So many of us are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but those nights out with friends turn into early mornings, and not getting enough sleep can put a damper on our body's need for rejuvenation. 

3) Those extremely long mornings staring at a computer screen are finally over when it's time for a lunch break.  We eat, we feel refreshed to get back to work....and then, we're sluggish.  Why do we lose energy after we feed our hunger? 

4) I want chocolate.  Unfortunately, I just finished working out and have no sweets in my place so I won't be tempted.  But wait, there is such a thing as healthy junk food!  :o)

Organic Tanning?

Summer is upon us, and for those of us who didn't go to Mexico for spring break, so is the glowing reflection of winter-white skin. Getting outside to soak up some Vitamin D will help lift your spirits and give you a healthy glow, but only in moderation.

Tanning is dangerous, tanning may cause skin cancer, etc. etc. These statements have been researched, written about, and the issue of UV exposure has been argued for the good and bad. But if I told you you could tan organically, would you be intrigued to try it out? From skin cancer patients to avid tanning bed customers, organic tanning spray may be appealing.

A natural, sun-kissed glow can be achieved by this airbrush technique, which lacks the unpleasant chemical smells present in many self-tanning lotions and is safe enough to drink! But if you can't make it to a salon, an organic substitute can be purchased for a do-it-yourself tan.

Wallet-friendly Fitness

It's 2008 and many people are "going green" to help preserve the environment, but how are young people making healthy changes to save their bank accounts? Daily exercise routines can include heading to the gym, but for young adults trying to make it on minimal coin, the local fitness center can be costly.

Some have taken to bicycles. Child and Youth Health provides a list of exercising tips that young adults can take advantage of to reach healthy living goals. Don't have a bike? Target and K Mart are your best bets if you don't want to burn a hole in your wallet.

Bike riding is a safe and easy physical activity that helps improve the environment, your longevity, and saves you a buck or two when it comes to transportation costs. You can also take advantage of bike riding as a way to stretch or limber up before participating in other physical activities like a game or sporting event.