Author Archives: schatzi

Health and Fitness for Body, Mind, Spirit and Anti-Aging

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Male or female, maintaining youthfulness is something we all desire. It’s human nature. In early biblical times it wasn’t unusual to live well beyond 100 years and still remain productive (mentally, physically and even sexually). For example, Abraham and Sarah had their long-awaited son at 100 and 91 years of age, respectively; and Caleb at 85 years of age returned to fight and claim his land with the same energy and passion he had at 40 years old. These people were obviously doing something right.Well, the world has changed dramatically since those early times; and our diet and lifestyle is a far cry from what was the norm several thousand years back. With the present average life expectancy at 77 years, the question so many of us, continue to ask is: exactly how (in this modern world) do we retain our youthful radiance and maintain productivity to a good old age?Studies have shown that the best prevention against aging is through promoting health and fitness of body, mind and spirit. So here are a few tips for anti-aging and habits that are sure to promote the health and fitness of your body, mind and spirit.Healthy eating: it’s very important to eat well for your health

Limit intake of foods that are hard to digest and avoid processed foods
Keep yourself re-hydrated as your body depends on your water intake to function well
Eat more fish, fruits and vegetables which are rich in the vitamins and minerals essential for boosting the immune system, sustaining good vision, preventing disease and eliminating toxins
Minimise intake of salt and sugars which tend to cause and aggravate blood pressure, chronic disease and metabolic disorders
Outdoor/physical exercise: physical activity is essential for overall well-being

Get some sunshine in your life – medical experts agree that the sun stimulates the brain to release a very important feel good hormone for your body, known as Serotonin
Outdoor activity also keeps you connected with the world around you and is great for engaging your body and mind
Get a breadth of fresh air – why not take regular countryside breaks, particularly if you live and work in a polluted, congested, high pressure city
Get involved in endurance sports such as walking, climbing, cycling, as this will keep your body and mind strong
To ease muscle tension as well as minimise falls and sports injuries, do regular stretches and other floor exercises
Relaxation: there is nothing that ages young and healthy individuals faster than stress

Take some time out of your busy schedule, just for yourself, to do something creative and enriching
Developing faith and a prayer life are important for keeping your mind at peace even amidst the challenges of life
Popular eastern practices such as meditation (yoga) and tai chi are also great tools to help develop awareness and balance of body, mind and spirit.
Social life: we are social beings, created for and performing best in the company of others

Get out there and meet new people, share your experiences and learn from others
Make time for loved ones, be encouraging and make a positive contribution in someone else’s life
Get inspired and challenged by others as you get yourself involved in groups, clubs and societies that are of interest to you
Mental activity: a strong and capable mind is an asset worth protecting and developing

Having a positive attitude towards life (reflected both in your words and thoughts) is a key requirement for a healthy spirit and a strong mind
Take the time to dream, plan, prepare and set goals for your life, no matter your age. It gives hope and encouragement for tomorrow
Instead of resisting change, embrace new opportunities and challenges; read widely and learn new skills- life is a journey, not perfect but rewarding
Life is as big and liberating or as small and stifling as you make it out to be. Having a positive mindset and developing healthy habits for your body mind and spirit are essential for anti-aging, sustaining good health and retaining youthful radiance, whatever your age.

Ideas to Keep You Motivated on Your Off Days With Your Health and Fitness Routine

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Sometimes we simply just do not feel like eating healthy, working out, we just plain and simple do not want to do anything that will benefit our health. These are just one of those off days that everyone has now and then. Even the top of health fanatics and fitness experts have some of these days, nobody is perfect. There is nothing wrong with you if you simply just do not feel like being dedicated and sticking to the routine for a day. Your simply just having one of those off days. But just because you are having an off day and just do not feel like doing whatever it is you do to maintain your fitness and health. Dose not mean that you should avoid doing whatever it is you have been doing to benefit your health and fitness. Your health is one of those important things you should stay motivated to better or maintain. So, you need to simply find ways to keep you motivated. And, to especially motivate you on those off days.Ideas that may keep you motivated:
You can make your health important- The bottom line your health is just as important if not more important then anything else. Watching TV, playing on the computer, staying up on your current events, taking a night out on the town, is no where near as important as your health. How can you do all these things, keep doing them, and enjoy doing them for as long as you live if your health is not in the best of shape. Putting your health on the top of your list everyday and reminding yourself of all the things you want to do in life can really push you through one of those off days.
Visualize It- If you picked on a fitness routine to get into shape, change the way you look, lose weight, then you obviously have a goal. Now, nothing can be more rewarding or motivating then taking a nice look in the mirror at your current self if you have not reached your goal yet. Doing this can almost be daunting and it force your butt to get into gear on one of those off days because you do not want to look like that anymore. You started the fitness routine, diet, or whatever it is because you have a goal set in mind. Now after you stare at current self in the mirror and picked at yourself for a bit. Visualize how great you are going to look when you have reached your goal. Not only how great your going to look, but how great your going to feel physically and mentally too.
Reward yourself- Rewarding yourself with something great that you have wanted when you reached a certain goal is great motivation. By having that reward set, whatever it may be, for whatever you may have done ( worked out so many days a week, lost so much weight, controlled your eating habits, there is endless amount of things you can reward yourself for when on a fitness routine or new diet), will definitely get your but into gear. You can not have this reward till you met the goal you have set for yourself and having an off day can set you back further from getting whatever it is you may want. Do not let your off days hold you back from your reward. Take charge and get your routine done on that off day so you can be closer to that reward.
Calling all support- Having a support team, people that stand behind you on whatever you are doing to benefit your health is one of the best things you can have and utilize. When you are having one of these off days you should definitely call on your support team if nothing else works. Having someone else besides yourself to remind you why your doing this and knowing the right words to say to you to get you motivated can be exactly what you need on an off day. So, do not be ashamed of your off day and avoid talking to someone about it. They can be exactly what you need to get you motivated and on track.
Do something- Even if you do not feel like going in 100% on your off day, you should still do something. Something is better then nothing when it comes to your health and fitness. By doing something even if it is a 30 minute stroll around the park you might find yourself rejuvenated and with more energy. This could leave you to still going through with your current fitness routine.

The Essentials of Health and Fitness

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In today’s time, with the increasing number of obesity cases, diseases, and different conditions that are associated to being overweight, it’s difficult to ignore the importance of health and fitness in our daily life. Health professionals often attribute some detrimental illnesses like diabetes, cancer, or even mental issues to health and fitness.Without proper nutrition and lack of ways to guarantee one’s fitness, people are faced with numerous threats to their health on a daily basis. But the sad thing is, nutrition and different ways to be healthy are everywhere. It’s just that many people do not know how to utilize and improvise things to secure longevity and better quality of life. What they need to understand is the fact that health and fitness is not a one-way process, instead, it is and should be comprised of these three components: physical, physiological, and nutritional.Physical• Exercise plays a crucial role in a person’s life. So many researches can prove that people who regularly exercise have a better quality of life and tend to live longer than those who don’t. When it comes to fitness, the rights types of exercises are very important.• Cardiovascular Exercise – This type of exercise raises the heart rate at 70-85%, which is the ideal range. The maximum heart rate, however, will depend on the person’s age. This is best done with aerobic exercises that help in weight loss, reducing bad cholesterol, and lessening the risk of heart attacks.• Strength Training – This is a musculoskeletal exercise that increases the resistance that muscles can endure. When done regularly, it strengthens and enlarges the muscles. As a result, a person can benefit from an increased metabolism, making weight loss or maintaining the weight easier.• Stretching- Many people do not realize its importance in health and fitness. It should be done along with an aerobic exercise or weight training. Stretching helps increase muscles and the ability of the tendons and ligaments to elongate. This exercise increases flexibility.• Core Stability- This exercise involves strengthening the muscles that line up the spine and make up the abdomen and pelvic floor. Core strength training corrects a bad posture, which helps minimize or prevent injuries.Mental Rest and RelaxationRest and relaxation are essential to the mind and body to recuperate. Just like the muscles in the body that get sore, the brain also needs time to cool down. Without enough rest and relaxation, the body functions poorly, there is a decrease in performance, and complications may arise. This is why having enough amount of sleep is a must for everyone to give the body enough energy for it to function at its best. It is also important to relax in between physical activities.NutritionGiving the body with proper nutrition is a must in health and fitness. The body needs ample amount of vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and carbohydrates to function optimally and be free of diseases. Eating the right nutritional food helps facilitate the body’s ability to strengthen the immune system. As a result, since the body can function at its best without having to suffer from various diseases, there will be no need for any medical drugs.The benefits of having an active and healthy lifestyle are life-changing. Whether you want to increase your activity level or join a fitness plan, giving your body the attention it needs will definitely pay off in the future.