BENEFITS OF EXERCISE :In order to feel better, posses more energy and live long, the health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity must be acknowledged. Below are ways in which exercise can improve your life.

Exercise controls weight 

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. You don't need to set aside large chunks of time for exercise to reap weight-loss benefits. If you can't do an actual workout, get more active throughout the day in simple ways by taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Exercise combats health conditions and diseases.

No matter what your current weight, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls. 

Exercise improves mood.

 A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk helps a person to experience an emotional lift. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

Exercise boosts energy.

 Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance when winded by grocery shopping or household chores. Exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to go about your daily chores.

Exercise promotes better sleep.

Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to fall asleep. 

Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life.

Regular physical activity leaves one feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Regular physical activity can lead to enhanced arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise.

 Exercise can be fun.                         

Exercise and physical activity can be a fun way to spend some time. It gives you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply engage in activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting. 

Exercising can help you look better. 

People who exercise burn more calories and look more toned than those who don't. In fact, exercise is one of the most important parts of keeping your body at a healthy weight.

Exercise can help a person age well.  

This may not seem important now, but your body will thank you later. Women are especially prone to a condition called osteoporosis (a weakening of the bones) as they get older. Studies have found that weight-bearing exercises like jumping, running, or brisk walking  can help girls and boys keep their bones strong.

  http://ivymandy.blogspot.com/2013/02/benefits-of-exercise.html

Meals for Mind and Body:Blackberry-Banana Slim-Down Smoothie

Banana and blackberries blended with light coconut milk, low-fat yogurt, and a touch of lemon zest and honey. 

Blackberries really fill you up, thanks to all that fiber. Bananas contain resistant starch (RS), a carb that acts like fiber and also helps you feel full and slim down. (Underripe ones give the biggest RS benefit.) The oil found in coconut fruit helps you shed belly fat, while yogurt (along with other dairy products) is a top source of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), a fatty acid that fights off fat. 

The Benefit: unleashes your natural fat-burning power and has only 250 calories and 5g of fat.
 

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen blackberries
• 1 small banana, sliced
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Preparation

Process blackberries, banana, coconut milk, yogurt, lemon juice, honey, and lemon zest in a blender until smooth. Divide the mixture evenly into 2 chilled glasses, and serve.

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving:	250
Fat per serving:	5g
Saturated fat per serving:	3g
Monounsaturated fat per serving:	0.0g
Polyunsaturated fat per serving:	0.0g
Protein per serving:	6g
Carbohydrates per serving:	52g
Fiber per serving:	9g
Cholesterol per serving:	4mg
Iron per serving:	2mg
Sodium per serving:	61mg
Calcium per serving:	161mg

Good to Know

Blackberries are rich in disease-fighting antioxidants.

250

5g

3g

0.0g

0.0g

6g

52g

9g

4mg

2mg

61mg

161mg

Meals for Mind and Body:Mediterranean Detox Salad

Mediterranean Detox Salad

Watercress, artichokes, celery, red onion, and feta tossed with cucumber vinaigrette.

Loaded with bloat-fighting water, cukes also have vitamin C and caffeic acid, which combats swelling. Watercress and artichokes both have diuretic properties to help you beat the bloat, and artichokes are also a natural source of the soluble fiber inulin. The sodium and potassium in celery help bring your fluids back into balance.

The Benefit: flushes toxins and beats the bloat for a mere 170 calories and 11g of fat.

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) English cucumber
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups trimmed watercress
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 2 large celery stalks, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

Preparation

Cut cucumber in half, and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Process 3/4 cup cucumber and lemon juice in blender. Add olive oil in a thin stream; pulse until combined. Season the dressing with black pepper, to taste; transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining 1 cup cucumber, watercress, artichoke hearts, celery, red onion, and feta cheese to a bowl. Toss with the dressing, and divide among 4 bowls; serve.

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving:	170
Fat per serving:	11g
Saturated fat per serving:	4g
Monounsaturated fat per serving:	6g
Polyunsaturated fat per serving:	1g
Protein per serving:	7g
Carbohydrates per serving:	12g
Fiber per serving:	1g
Cholesterol per serving:	17mg
Iron per serving:	2mg
Sodium per serving:	411mg
Calcium per serving:

Meals for Mind and Body :Feel-Good Salmon Sandwich

Levi Brown

Ingredients

• 1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Dash of salt
• 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 toasted whole-grain rolls
• 4 radicchio leaves

PreparationPut spinach, walnuts, garlic clove, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a dash of salt into a food processor; pulse, scraping down sides of bowl, until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a bowl; cover and chill. Combine paprika, dark brown sugar, crushed red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Pat dry salmon fillets; sprinkle tops with spice mixture. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook fish 7 minutes on both sides or until golden and cooked through. Split rolls in half; spread 1 tablespoon pesto on each bottom, and top with 1 fillet and 1 radicchio leaf. Add tops of rolls. Serve with extra pesto.

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving:	420
Fat per serving:	35g
Saturated fat per serving:	5g
Monounsaturated fat per serving:	13g
Polyunsaturated fat per serving:	15g
Protein per serving:	12g
Carbohydrates per serving:	22g
Fiber per serving:	9g
Cholesterol per serving:	9mg
Iron per serving:	6mg
Sodium per serving:	380mg
Calcium per serving:	246mg

Why You Should Drink Warm Water & Lemon

The way you start each day is incredibly important. Whether you're a mom, a coach, a writer, a small business owner or a yoga teacher, what you do first thing in the morning matters.

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, choices that you make regarding your daily routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down.

Ayurveda invites us to get a jump-start on the day by focusing on morning rituals that work to align the body with nature's rhythms, balance the doshas and foster self-esteem alongside self-discipline. 

Your mind may say you have to check emails, take the dog out, get the kids out the door, that you can't be late for work or that you just don't have enough time to cultivate your own morning rituals.

But, if you can only make time for one ritual that will improve your health, let it be this.....

Start the day out with a mug of warm water and the juice of half a lemon.

It's so simple and the benefits are just too good to ignore. Warm water with lemon:

1. Boosts your immune system 

Lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.

2. Balances pH

Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they are acidic on their own, but inside our bodies they're alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). As you wellness warriors know, an alkaline body is really the key to good health.

3. Helps with weight loss

Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster. And, my experience is that when I start the day off right, it's easier to make the best choices for myself the rest of the day.

4. Aids digestion

The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.

5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic

Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.

6. Clears skin

The vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well.

7. Hydrates the lymph system

This cup of goodness helps start the day on a hydrated note, which helps prevent dehydration (obviously) and adrenal fatigue. When your body is dehydrated, or deeply dehydrated (adrenal fatigue) it can't perform all of it's proper functions, which leads to toxic buildup, stress, constipation, and the list goes on. Your adrenals happen to be two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones, including aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated. Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. So, the bottom line is that you really don't want to mess with a deep state of dehydration!

Adopting just this one practice of drinking a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning for a month can radically alter your experience of the day. Don't be surprised if you begin to view mornings in a new light.

Like I said, the recipe is really simple—a cup of warm (not hot) water and the juice from half a lemon.

Yoga Moves to Beat Insomnia, Ease Stress, and Relieve Pain

Soothe stress

Relaxing for one minute in Child’s Pose gives your mind and muscles a chance to escape everyday madness.

How-to: Sit back on heels with the insides of legs and feet touching. Lean forward, bowing torso over thighs and lowering forehead to mat. Extend arms forward, palms down. Relax into pose, widening knees or bending elbows a bit, as desired. Focus on breathing, taking four to eight counts for each inhale and exhale and relaxing deeper into pose with each exhale.

Ease back pain

Slipping into bed should be a peaceful experience, but many Americans suffer from chronic back pain that prevents them from relaxing comfortably. This reclined twist will give you on-the-spot relief and ward off future trouble by stretching and strengthening muscles and ligaments near your spine.

How-to: Lie on your back on a mat, bend your legs, and squeeze your knees to your chest. Keeping your legs bent and knees together, lower both knees toward the mat on the left side. Hold your knees in place with your left hand and gently twist to the right. Extend your right arm and look right; hold for 5 to 15 breaths. Bring knees and hands back to the center, then repeat to the right. Stretch to both sides three times whenever you feel tightness in your back.

Cure a headache

A pounding head can keep you from falling asleep at night, but you don't always have to pop a pill. This move, called Legs up the Wall, gently stretches the muscles in your neck (often the culprit of tension headaches) and relaxes you at the same time—a combo that can ease your ache in just a few minutes.

How-to: Sit on one end of a mat with your right hip touching a wall. Lean back, turn to lie flat on the mat, and extend your legs up the wall; your butt should be nearly touching the wall and your legs should be together. Put your hands on your belly or rest them on the mat above your head. Close your eyes, relax your jaw, and drop your chin slightly. Breathe deeply and slowly in this position for 3 to 10 minutes.

Combat insomnia

Easy-to-hold Iyengar yoga inversions, which send blood to the head, can help send you off to dreamland. The gentle Supported Standing Wide Leg Forward Bend is easy to relax into and will help still your thoughts.

How-to: Stand with hands on hips and feet approximately four feet apart, toes slightly turned in. Place a block or short stack of books on the floor in front of you. Breathe deeply; exhale, fold forward, and place hands on floor shoulder-distance apart with fingers spread. Lengthen spine forward and place crown of head on block so both head and neck are fully supported. Draw shoulders away from ears and hug elbows in. (If you feel a hamstring stretch, widen legs and raise block.) Close eyes; breathe slowly in and out through nose. Hold up to five minutes, then come out of pose slowly.

Note: If you have glaucoma or high blood pressure, stick to upright poses.

Magic moves for more z's

From Health magazine

The next time you find yourself lying awake at night, grab your yoga mat: Research suggests this ancient form of exercise can help combat insomnia, relieve stress, and ward off aches and pains that can keep you tossing and turning. Closing your eyes and breathing long, slow breaths can have a sedating effect on the body, says Sara Ivanhoe, featured instructor on VH1'sCelebrity Rehab. "I've had trouble sleeping since I was an infant," she says. "One of the reasons I got into yoga is because I wanted to learn to relax on command." (Watch her interview here.)

Here are some of Ivanhoe's favorite calming and comforting moves. For best results, put on your pj's first and do them right before you turn in for the night.

Fiber and Your Diet

Bored with bland and tasteless high-fiber foods? Add excitement with burgers, meat loaf, waffles, pasta, and enchiladas–each packed with over 8 grams of fiber per serving. An essential part of heart health, fiber has been associated with decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease by carrying LDL (bad) cholesterol out of the body. 

Eat plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains for the most fiber bang for your buck. Try Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Arugula for a simple Italian dish with 8.2 grams of fiber per serving