Top Three Exercises For Stress Relief

Whether coming from our jobs, personal life, incompetent drivers, or the soaring gas prices stress seems to be all around us, bombarding us with an over load that has us over worked, cranky, and restless. The effects of prolonged stress on the human body can be devastating to our health resulting in migraines, muscle aches, insomnia, digestive problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, weight gain, asthma, and heart disease along with a wide range of other health problems. Learning to effectively manage stress and adding regular exercise to your routine is a valuable part of stress relief which is vital to good health. But do not worry, you do not have to make time to go to the gym or worry if your fitness level is not up for that aerobic work out, here are three of the best exercises for stress relief than can be done by just about any one at any fitness level, of course as always, before beginning any new exercise program you want to be sure that your health care provider has cleared you for exercise if you have any recent injuries or health care concerns.

Tai Chi:
Tai Chi is an ancient martial art form. This Chinese art has been practiced for centuries and is a perfect exercise for stress relief. Tai Chi uses very fluid and graceful movements that are slow and precise, focusing the mind and strengthening the body. It can be done just about anywhere by people of all ages and is fairly simple to learn. People who practice Tai Chi experience a better sense of balance, over all improvement in health, sleep better, and feel a since of clarity and improved mental focus along with the stress relief.

Pilates:

Pilates was originally developed as a method of rehabilitation for injured dancers and soldiers. Incorporating simple moves similar to yoga in parts, pilates stretches and lengthens your muscles, improves the strength and stability of your core (the torso), and is also very calming and soothing making it a great choice for stress relief. Stress relief is not the only benefit of pilates, you also get a longer, stronger spine, better posture, more graceful muscle tone, and stronger abs. And because a large portion of pilates can be done as a mat work out, it is great for people with special needs to consider that may make traditional exercise more difficult.

Water Aerobics:

If you would like something to get your heart beat going and improve your over all tone and health, along with giving you stress relief, water aerobics is another great choice. Unlike traditional aerobic classes, being in the water lessens the impact of the movements on your joints, legs, and spine. Being in the water makes your motions effortless, yet the resistance of the water provides a better, stronger work out. The calming sensation of being in the water offers great stress relief and gives you a wonderful work out for your muscles, weight loss, and cardio building along with the stress relief.

Whichever routine you choose, or perhaps some combination of the three, you will find great stress relief from starting a regular routine and the stress relief will only enhance the other great health benefits you will obtain.

A Guide to Natural Sleep Aids

Everyone has experienced occasional lost sleep. But, lost sleep on a regular basis is a cause of concern and might be a symptom of insomnia. If you are one of the many suffering from insomnia, you can choose from a wide variety of sleeping aids.

One such option you can choose is by using natural sleep aids. These all-natural sleeping aids are usually herbs, foods, or methods that are used to promote sleep. Some of the most popular natural sleeping aids include the following:

Valerian

This herb's use as a sleeping aid can be traced back to centuries ago. Interestingly, valerian works similarly to conventional sleeping pills. By increasing the levels of GABA, a calming neurotransmitter in the brain, valerian induces drowsiness and sleepiness.

You can take valerian an hour before bedtime as an extract, tea, or capsule. You can experience its full effect after a week or two of regular intake. 

Light

The level of light the body is exposed to produces different reactions. A lot of light signals the body to wake up while a decrease in it induces the body to sleep. However, slight differences in the level of exposure may confuse the body and cause irregular sleep. For example, if you stay indoors with minimal lighting during the day, the body might not recognize the shift between night and day. To increase chances of better sleep, expose yourself to more light by walking around the neighborhood in the morning or early afternoon.

Aromatherapy

This form of therapy relies on your body's response to certain olfactory signals. Scents like lavender, chamomile, and ylang ylang work well in calming your body and mind. You can try putting lavender sachets in your pillow or adding lavender oil to your bath water. You can also try sipping chamomile tea before going to bed.

Relaxation Techniques

Insomnia or lack of sleep is often due to the stress you feel. Practicing relaxation techniques prior to your bedtime increases your chances of having a better sleep. Some methods you may want to consider include deep breathing, visualization, yoga, and progressive muscle relaxation.  

Sleep-friendly Diet

Different foods have varying effects on your sleeping pattern. Whereas caffeine and sugar-rich foods can disrupt your sleep, foods rich in tryptophan and magnesium can help you sleep better and longer. Including foods like milk, turkey, legumes, dark greens, and nuts in your diet is a good way to boost your body's tryptophan and magnesium levels.

Music

According to studies, slow and soft music can soothe and relax the body. By playing soft tunes before bedtime, your body becomes primed for sleep. Sounds of nature like water flowing through rocks or chirping birds are also good choices.

Exercise

Regular physical activity boosts your body's endorphin levels. Endorphins, also known as the body's feel-good hormones, relax and soothe the body. Exercise also relieves muscle tension and stress which promotes deep sleep. However, keep in mind not to exercise close to one's bedtime as this can increase adrenaline levels and induce insomnia.

Damian@FitnHealthy

Refocusing Your Workout Routine After and Injury

Fitness and workout is hard after an injury. Ever had an injury and totally fell off your workout routine?

Your fitness and workout may have to follow these simple steps to refocus on your workout routine.

You see it all the time were professional athletes have an injury in their professional sport. Some are career threatening and some are just sprains or broken bones. What ever the injury is it stops them from continuing their routines.

They have to rehab their injury and refocus back into their workout routines. You know what it is like to get into a routine and something happens. You take a little time off and all of a sudden you start giving excuses why you can't workout. We should talk about some tips you can use to keep yourself focused or even to get back into that workout after your injury has healed 100%. Also you should make sure that your Doctor has given you a clean bill of health.

Even if your Doctor says your ready to go, you may feel a little afraid to push it in the beginning, but one workout routine that you could do to lesson the strain on your injury is a water routine. You could find a local swimming pool and start using the resistance of the water to start redeveloping your strength and confidence in your healed injury. Once you feel confident you can start doing activities out of the water. There are many different items you can use to help you along the way in the water to create more resistance and gain even more strength. The goal here is that you are lighter in the water and believe it or not you will find it more enjoyable. You can then develope your confidence and start getting back to your old routine.

Log down your daily workout. Keep track on a calendar how long you workout and how often. Remember you don't have to exercise for an hour. All you need is twenty minutes or a half an hour. Also remember if you are really sore after your workout you possibly pushing yourself to hard. Some people try pushing it right away and find it harder to workout more than before and start getting dejected. Then they quit. Also if you log down your workout you'll find that checking each day off gives you a rewarding feeling and is easier keep up with your motivation.

Find yourself a friend who also would like to workout. This can help you in many ways. First if your not confident because of your injury, he or she can help spot you so you don't re-injure yourself. Also they could provide you with the encouragement you need to keep up with the everyday or every other day routine.

One of the most important tips that anyone can give you is to just keep it up. Just do it! Workout for the amount of time you have. If you only have twenty minutes then that's what you do. The bottom line is you have to just keep doing it no matter what. Also do not be hard on yourself if you miss a day, OK, just get back in the saddle again the next day. Keep something like before pictures and compare them with pictures after a few weeks and see the difference. Also look at clothes that you start getting to small for and enjoy the results.

Another thing you could do is keep pictures of people working out or watch fitness programs once or twice a day, they will get you motivated. Also remember a simple long walk will go a long way and will break up a routine that will just get tiresome.

A Brief Guide To Exercise Stretching

The majority of us spend a large chunk of our day in a seated position. Think about it, you sleep for 7-8 hours and most of that may be in the foetal position, you get up maybe drive to work...in a seated position and then get behind a desk, when you get home you sit in front of the TV to unwind. Added to this if you do take some time out for exercise, can you honestly say that you finish your session with a good stretching routine? Just think of your poor bunched up muscles crying out for a BIG stretch!

I realise that I've just made a big generalisation but it hopefully helps you to understand where I'm coming from. There are many forms of stretching and much opinion of when it's better to stretch, before exercise, during, after or none at all! Some people think that we should stretch whether we exercise or not and others don't. So it can be confusing.

To keep it simple this advice is aimed at those who want to carry out a static stretching routine on its own and not before or after an exercise session. I don't intend to add any new theories to this debate but what I do want to do is to keep it clear and and concise, so read on!

Benefits of Stretching:

* Can improve your flexibility. 

* Helps you to relax. 

* Reduces the risk of joint sprain or muscle strain. 

* Can reduce the risk of back problems. 

* Can reduce post exercise muscle soreness. 

* Can reduce tension in the muscle.

Warming Up. Before starting your stretch routine I would recommend that you 'warm up' your muscles prior to doing so. Stretching is often mistakenly thought of as a sufficient way of warming up your muscles but its important realise that a gentle warm up prior to stretching is a safer option as your warm up routine will increase blood flow to your muscles and therefore reduce the chance of injury prior to stretching.

A gentle warm up should consist of light rotation of the joints such as the shoulders, hips, knees and ankles followed by gentle to brisk walking or walking/jogging on the spot. This should last approximately 5 minutes or so until you feel warm and slightly out of breath.

Types of Stretches. Stretches can be split into 5 different techniques: Static, Ballistic, Passive, Ballistic/Dynamic and Proprioceptive. If you are a beginner I would recommend the simplest and easiest technique to ease you gently into it which is the Static stretch where you stretch the muscle to a point where you feel the tension and holding the stretch for approximately 15-20 seconds.

Static stretching can improve your flexibility over time and is one of the safest forms of stretching. Good luck with your journey to improved flexibility!

Damian@FitnHealthy

6 Simple Breathing Exercise To Deal With Stress

Breathing is something we all do during our life time. We all know we are going to die if we are not breathing. Breathing is a reflex action done by our body to provide the flow of oxygen around the body to the vital organs.

Wikipedia, online encyclopedia, describes humans breathe between 12 and 20 times per minute, with children breathing faster than adults. 

Babies may breathe as much as 40 times per minute. Adults normally breathe about 500-700ml of air at a time. 

Breathing is something we all do during our life time. We all know we are going to die if we are not breathing. Breathing is a reflex action done by our body to provide the flow of oxygen around the body to the vital organs.

Wikipedia, online encyclopedia, describes humans breathe between 12 and 20 times per minute, with children breathing faster than adults. 

Babies may breathe as much as 40 times per minute. Adults normally breathe about 500-700ml of air at a time. An average 14 year old takes around 30,000 breaths per day.

However, we can control our breathing. We can be more relaxed by breathing in and out so deeply. The more we allow our body to be filled by deep breathing, the less stress we place on our body and mind.

The more we practice our deep and controlled breathing, the more natural it becomes and we can call on it at any time of day to help us through those tired or stressed out moments.

With all the problems we have -- either we feel stressed out at work, or at the end of a long hard day and we can’t sleep, or if we just want a few minutes to our self -- we will find this simple breathing exercise really beneficial. 

Here are some steps to do breathing exercise:

1. You can lie down, sit down or stand up as long as you are comfortable. Breathe in slowly through your nose to the count of four. Breathe very deep until all your body feel expanded.

2. Hold on that deep breath for four counts, and then exhale slowly through mouth to a count of eight.

3. Repeat the breathing in – right down so your tummy expands. Hold on to it and then exhaling nine more times. 

4. You can breathe deeper once you get used to the above steps by leave one hand on your stomach and place the other lightly across the chest. Breathe right down so your tummy expands

5. When it can’t go any further, breathe in some more and fill the tops of your lungs. Inhalations and exhalation are the same length, eight counts each, without holding in between.

6. When you exhales, let the old air out from your chest then from your tummy. So, you are going to be relaxed.

Damian@FitnHealthy 

10 Things You Should Know About Stretching

10 Things You Should Know About Stretching

Before fitness training, one must give importance to doing warm-up or stretching exercises to prevent accidents or to enhance the output during the training.  

There are also a number of precautionary measures and tips to serve as guidelines when doing fitness exercises.  

Here are some of them.

1.  To increase your flexibility and to avoid injuries, stretch before and after workout.  Almost everyone knows that stretching before workout prevents injuries during the exercises, but only few people know that stretching after workout, when muscles are still warm, can increase flexibility.

2.  Hold your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility.  While holding your position for 20 seconds is enough for warm ups, holding each position for at least 60 seconds will develop the body's flexibility.

3.  Do not go into a stretching position then immediately return to the relaxed position, and do it repeatedly.  This is more appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position.  When stretching, hold that position for several seconds, and then slowly relax. 

4.  Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to doing the hardest exercise or position.

5.  Make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups.  For some people, even if they have strong bodies, they tend to neglect the neck when working out of stretching.  Stretching the neck muscles can be as simple as placing the palm of one's hand against the front of the head and pushing it.  Then, do the same to the sides and the back of the head.

 

6.  Stretch regularly to continually increase your range of movements and your level of flexibility and strength.

7.  Workout considering only your capabilities and not of others.  Do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are people who can do it.  Increase your limits slowly.  Listen to your body. There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your range of motion.

8.  Learn to rest. Rest in between sets and stations to make sure that the body has enough time to recover its energy.  Also, it is advisable that you don't work the same muscle groups consecutively for two days. The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out.

9.  Do aerobic exercises to strengthen your heart.  Aerobic exercises are those physical activities that much oxygen for fuel. This includes cardiovascular exercises such as skipping rope, running or swimming.

10.  Music may help you when you want to train for longer periods or to increase your intensity.  You can use mp3 players,  lightweight ipod etc for this.  Just make sure that you brought your headset with you so you wouldn't disturb people who don't prefer music while exercising.

Apart from preventing injuries and increasing one's limit, it is also said that stretching is good for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit.

You may do this exercise repeatedly this way.  Bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage some joints or muscles.

10 Things You Should Know About Stretching

10 Things You Should Know About Stretching

 Before fitness training, one must give importance to doing warm-up or stretching exercises to prevent accidents or to enhance the output during the training.  There are also a number of precautionary measures and tips to serve as guidelines when doing fitness exercises.  Here are some of them.

1.  To increase your flexibility and to avoid injuries, stretch before and after workout.  Almost everyone knows that stretching before workout prevents injuries during the exercises, but only few people know that stretching after workout, when muscles are still warm, can increase flexibility.

2.  Hold your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility.  While holding your position for 20 seconds is enough for warm ups, holding each position for at least 60 seconds will develop the body's flexibility.

3.  Do not go into a stretching position then immediately return to the relaxed position, and do it repeatedly.  This is more appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position.  When stretching, hold that position for several seconds, and then slowly relax.  You may do this exercise repeatedly this way.  Bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage some joints or muscles.

4.  Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to doing the hardest exercise or position.

5.  Make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups.  For some people, even if they have strong bodies, they tend to neglect the neck when working out of stretching.  Stretching the neck muscles can be as simple as placing the palm of one's hand against the front of the head and pushing it.  Then, do the same to the sides and the back of the head.

6.  Stretch regularly to continually increase your range of movements and your level of flexibility and strength.

7.  Workout considering only your capabilities and not of others.  Do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are people who can do it.  Increase your limits slowly.  Listen to your body.  There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your range of motion.

8.  Learn to rest.  Rest in between sets and stations to make sure that the body has enough time to recover its energy.  Also, it is advisable that you don't work the same muscle groups consecutively for two days.  The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out.

9.  Do aerobic exercises to strengthen your heart.  Aerobic exercises are those physical activities that much oxygen for fuel.  This includes cardiovascular exercises such as skipping rope, running or swimming.

10.  Music may help you when you want to train for longer periods or to increase your intensity.  You can use mp3 players, CD players or lightweight am radio receivers for this.  Just make sure that you brought your headset with you so you wouldn't disturb people who don't prefer music while exercising.

Apart from preventing injuries and increasing one's limit, it is also said that stretching is good for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit.

 

Damian@FitnHealthy

Tried Floatation Therapy ?

When it comes to getting away from the sea of troubles most of us face in modern life there is nothing quite like floatation therapy to make us feel buoyant again. Floating on water feels so simple, elemental, supportive and comforting - something we can probably link to our beginnings in the cosseting warmth of the womb.

Today we are spoilt for choice when it comes to floatation therapies, with many spas offering some sort of treatment, from small hydro baths right up to large pools. There are of course even floatation tanks for the home, not to mention the biggest tank of all - the sea. All we have to do is lie back and think of...nothing.

 

  

Beginnings
The origins of floatation dates back to 1954 when Dr John C Lilly, a medical practitioner and neuro-psychiatrist, began research into the origin of consciousness and its relation to the brain. He tried many experiments with different kinds of float tanks in a bid to create a device that would deprive or restrict the number of external stimuli so that the brain and the individual could be tested in an atmosphere of isolation. Initially these devices were called Sensory Deprivation Chambers but in recent years this has been changed to Restricted Environmental Stimuli Therapy
The philosophy behind floatation therapy is to provide people with a way of improving physical, emotional or psychological health. Central to this is a need for deep relaxation, which has been validated by recent research showing that up to 80 - 90 per cent of people visiting a GP do so because of a psychosomatic or stress-related disorder.

How it works
The advantage of floatation therapy is that it enables most individuals to experience very deep levels of relaxation without needing to learn any special technique. The deep relaxation that occurs in floatation slows down bodily functions, heart rate and brain activity, allowing the conscious and analytical part of the mind to enter a state of deep rest and to be bypassed. It does this through the absence of stimuli such as light, visual images, noise, gravity and touch. Floatation also stimulates levels of the natural painkiller and endorphin, encephalon, which encourages a sense of well-being and euphoria. According to Dr Lilly 40 minutes of floatation is equivalent to an incredible eight hours of sleep.

It is also worth bearing in mind that short of becoming an astronaut and blasting into space, floatation is the only time our body weight becomes free from the effects of gravity - literally taking a load of our mind! 

 

 Forty minutes of floatation is the equivalent of eight hours of sleep

Benefits

With such a powerful form of relaxation it is no surprise that floatation provides the following therapeutic benefits:

Mind

Floatation is an excellent way of relieving stress (plus associated digestive tract conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and ulcers), depression and anxiety, as well as promoting healthy sleep. It is also believed that floatation stimulates and synchronises the left and right hemispheres of the brain, enhancing concentration, mental clarity, memory retention, self-hypnosis and facilitating freedom from phobias and addictions.

Body

The decrease in heart rate means it is ideally suited to people with cardiac conditions and high blood pressure. The fact that the body is completely supported and free from gravity encourages blood flow to the joints and releases muscle tension, making it effective for sufferers of musculoskeletal and rheumatic conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and chronic back pain. This pain relief is enhanced by the production of endorphins. Floatation has also been used to aid recovery for those with sporting injuries right through to patients with cancer. Skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis also react well to floatation, particularly in Dead Sea salt water 

Floatation pools

The range of floatation pools in spas has never been greater, from single person tubs to full size floatation pools. The latter can be found at destinations such as Nirvana Spa in Berkshire. These pools contain solutions of salts (often from The Dead Sea) which are heated to body temperature of 35 C, providing deep relaxation without the restriction of an enclosed environment, making them ideal for those who find tanks too claustrophobic.

Smaller single person floatation baths by companies such as Finders provide a more intimate method of relaxation. These baths sometimes combine hydrotherapy jets to tackle cellulite and improve circulation. Hydrofloat by Finders provides the essential qualities and benefits of traditional spa and hydrotherapy, together with the therapeutic benefits of Dead Sea salts. This neat facility, where a person floats in pure Dead Sea water, provides a custom-made environment with the additional control of sound, light and air. http://www.findershealth.com
 

Dry floatation
Dry floatation offers the feeling of weightlessness and benefits of floatation without getting wet. The dry floatation tanks have a rubber lining which a client lies on. This lining is folded over the body and the person is then lowered down and a support is removed, leaving the client cocooned and floating on the heated water below, albeit in a restricted manner. It is often combined with aromatic essential oils and particularly body wraps, which benefit from the heat generated below. Dry floatation is also an effective pre-massage treatment.

Floatation tanks
Floatation tanks still adhere to the same design principles laid down by Dr Lilly, but now make the most of modern production techniques. The tanks typically resemble egg-shaped enclosed bath tubs - usually made from fibreglass - with a door on top to allow access, and are built to eliminate all outside distractions and stimuli, although interior lights are usually provided. A large amount of Epsom Salts is added to water to create a 30cm deep pool of salt water in the tank, which is heated to body temperature. All these elements create an atmosphere that enhances relaxation and well-being. Tanks are not just limited to floatation centres and spas, with models finding a place in homes, sports clubs, health centres and even corporate headquarters.

Floating in nature - The Dead Sea

To experience the ultimate in natural buoyancy the place to go is most definitely Mother Nature's very own floatation pool - The Dead Sea. This remarkable stretch of water, described as a 'Sea of Peace' between Jordan and Israel (although it is actually a large lake), is the saltiest and most buoyant sea in the world, and at 400m below sea level is also the lowest point on earth. The jade green water (10 times saltier than the Mediterranean) contains 150 different minerals and salts, which imbues it with incredible curative powers. The high concentrations of magnesium make it particularly efficacious for sufferers of skin conditions such as psoriasis, while the presence of bromine has a powerful relaxing effect on the nervous system.

The sea's high salinity contributes to the highly viscous and oily water, which is so dense and supportive it makes your body literally 'sit' out of the water like a cork. The haze given off by the evaporating sea and high atmospheric pressure also filters out harmful UVB rays that cause sunburn, so you can enjoy your float without burning your belly!

Taking a dip in normal sea can also have powerful physical and emotional benefits, when we float in the ocean our bodies are busy absorbing health-giving minerals from the marine environment while being supported.

SOURCE Richard Brugger | GO

Quick and Easy Ways to Relax and Take it Easy

4 Quick and Easy Ways to Relax and Take it Easy

 

If you are like millions of other people you find yourself felling run down and stressed out at times.  You may be unable to sleep, restless, and cranky because of your inability to relax.  Here are  four quick and easy ways to help you relax and take it easy.

Relax and Take it Easy Tip # 1:

Take a bath.  No, not one of those jump in jump out and wash behind your ears kind of baths.  Grab a few candles, especially aromatherapy ones with great soothing and relaxing scents such as lavender, chamomile, cinnamon, or sandalwood. 

Find some luxurious bubble bath or bath oil and grab a soothing CD and escape to a magical place of relaxation.  You will be amazed how how refreshed and relaxed you feel and how the warm waters can help to ease muscle tension and rejuvenate tired aching muscles and joints; a great way to relax and take it easy.

 

 Relax and Take it Easy Tip # 2:

Turn your bed into a night time escape.  You can do this easily by using some soothing aromatherapy products such as aromatherapy pillows or a soothing night time spray that you use to lightly mist the linens of your bed with a relaxing blend of lavender and other essential oils that can help lull you away to dream land.  Add to this a CD of nature sounds to drive away environmental noise that is played softly letting you escape into the sounds of a calmly crashing surf or the awe of a summer thunder storm.  And what a better time to relax and take it easy than when you unwind for a great night's sleep?

Relax and Take it Easy Tip # 3:

Meditate.  No, you do not have to join some new age group to meditate.  The art of meditation has been used for centuries to help people relax, deal with stress and pain, and to regain a sense of balance and clarity.  Meditating is a great way to relax and take it easy by helping you to redirect your thoughts and your mental being somewhere else, to a calm and soothing place free of stress.

Relax and Take It Easy Tip # 4:

Get some fresh air.  In this hectic cubicle world many of us live in today, you will be amazed at how relaxed and refreshed you feel after merely being in nature and getting some fresh air on a regular basis.  If you have a quite out of the way beach or leisurely wooded trail that you can enjoy then take advantage of it.  But even if you do not, simply taking a good book to the park and stretching out on a blanket or walking around the gardens examining the flowers can be a great way to ease you back into nature, help you connect with a larger world around you and infuse your lungs with the much needed fresh air that they so rarely get in our stale steel and concrete tombs.  So go outside, take a deep breath, and learn to relax and take it easy.

There you go, four very simple and easy ways that you can relax and take it easy.  The biggest key is to realize that we all need that down time for our mental as well as our physical well being.  So make some time for yourself today to relax and take it easy.

3 Superb Herbs to Calm the Nerves

No matter who you are or what your situation, life is filled with common stressors that can make it difficult to relax. The herbs on this list have a long history of use for the relief of overactive nerves. If you find that you could use some extra help in coping with stress, these herbs might be right for you.

 

1. Lavender:This herb is great for managing stress, and can be used in many forms. Lavender flowers can be steeped in hot water to produce a soothing tea, or it can be consumed as an essential oil. Lavender is a central herb in aromatherapy, as merely smelling lavender flowers or oil produces a calming effect. Lavender contains the compound linolool which has demonstrated anxiolytic properties and has also been shown to have a positve effect on sleep quality.

2. Chamomile: This herb has a long history of use to relieve anxiety and improve sleep quality. Chamomile is most commonly consumed by steeping in hot water to produce a slightly-sweet relaxing tea. Chamomile has been the subject of scientific research regarding its anxiolytic properties, which seem to be caused by a combination of different compounds. Chamomile has a number of other health-promoting properties which I will likely discuss in a future article. Be warned that chamomile may not be the best herb for relieving stress during the daytime, as it tends to induce drowsiness.

3. Kava-Kava: Also known simply as kava, the root of this plant has long been used by Pacific Islanders to relieve anxiety, and has even been used as a sort of "social lubricant" in a role similar to that occupied by alcohol in other cultures. Unlike alcohol though, kava has a reputation for inducing calm without disrupting mental clarity. Ground kava root is traditionally prepared via cold water extraction methods, though it can also be steeped in hot water or consumed raw. Kava contains a number of compounds known as kavalactones which seem to be responsible for its anxiolytic and sedative properties. Be warned that the use of kava can cause sedation that might be less than desirable during activities which require alertness (e.g. driving or operating heavy machinery). Be warned also that there is mixed evidence regarding the potential for liver toxicity attributed to kava.

Note: This article is not intended to constitute medical advice. Those with anxiety disorders might find it nearly impossible to cope even with the aid of the herbs listed above. If you find that your stress or anxiety is becoming unmanageable, do yourself a favor and contact a doctor to find out about available treatment options.

This article was written by Jacob Wonn, a young man with a passionate interest in herbal science.

Deep Tissue Massage Importance

A body massage that thoroughly invigorates and revitalises - the deep tissue massage is a massage therapy that re-aligns layers of muscles and deep tissues to release muscle tension and chronic knots by breaking them down. Using deep finger pressure and slow but firm strokes, a deep tissue massage is especially helpful to relieve aches and pains in areas such neck, upper back, lower back, calf muscle and shoulders.

   

During the body massage, you must tell the therapist what's your comfort range the pressure points. This massage penetrates the deeper muscles and connective tissues.It has been used to relieve the strain from muscles in chronic stress and usage. Deep tissue massage may release contractures (fibrous healing) in a muscle area with previous injury.

• Reduces chronic pain - This massage has been often found to be more effective that conventional medicines when it comes to curing chronic pains. It works effectively your sore points by increasing blood circulation in the body. It also loosens tight muscle clusters and relieves you from the pain and discomfort of sore muscles.

 • Relief from stress - A relaxing body massage by trained therapists at a renowned spa is a great way to do away with stress and associated headaches, sore shoulders and tight muscles. Soak in the benefits of the rejuvenating body massage and welcome a better lifestyle.

• Rehabilitating injured muscles - A thorough deep tissue massage by a trained therapist at a beauty salon and spa induces movement of toxins from injured muscles and subsequently, stretches twisted muscle mass. A relaxing deep tissue massage is a natural way to heal sports injuries.

• Breaks scar tissues - Regular sessions of this massage can break up and over time, erase scar tissues. Massage therapy improves lymphatic circulation and drainage to enhance flexibility of the affected area.

This massage has had beneficial focus on other physical ailments like:

• Repetitive strain injury like carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Sciatica
• Tennis elbow
• Fibromyalgia
• Piriformis syndrome

For good results post a relaxing body massage at a beauty salon and spa, it's crucial to indulge in after care.

• Soak your body in a warm bath with Epsom salt. This is another great way of getting rid of toxins.

• If there's soreness of muscles, you can apply an ice pack for relief.

• Drinking plenty of water and fluids will help flush out unnecessary toxins from your body and rehydrate muscles.

• Light exercises prevents muscle aches and pain post a deep tissue massage therapy.

Pamper yourself with de-stressing deep tissue massage and feel the difference.

Source : By Ritesh Mastipuram / Ezine  

Does Exercise Beat Stress?

Exercise not only shapes our bodies, it also shapes our minds. With the ability to calm, elevate mood and counter anxiety and depression, exercise is a valuable tool for combating stress. But how does it work?

Chemical Reactions

One of the most well-known ways that exercise provides mental benefit is through chemical reactions brought about in the brain. During exercise, the body's stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, are reduced, while endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, are stimulated. Endorphins have also been associated with providing a sense of euphoria, but according to the review article, "The Antidepressive Effects of Exercise," published in Sports Medicine, it is unclear if the endorphins are directly responsible for these feelings or if they simply block pain while allowing the pleasure chemicals, dopamine and serotonin, to be more apparent.

Brain Reconstruction and Resilience

Currently, the National Institutes of Mental Health are studying the effects of exercise on mice and results suggest that regular physical activity can actually reshape the brain circuitry involved with emotional processing while protecting against stress. Other studies, published in The Journal of Neuroscience and Behavioral Neuroscience, have found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), involved in protecting and producing neurons, was higher in active mice than in those who were sedentary. Additionally, the active mice developed new neurons that appeared to be more resilient; when faced with stress, they displayed more controlled reactions than the inactive mice.

Total Body Communication

The American Psychological Association describes the benefits of exercise as total body communication, "Biologically, exercise seems to give the body a chance to practice dealing with stress. It forces the body's physiological systems -- all of which are involved in the stress response -- to communicate much more closely than usual...And all of these are controlled by the central and sympathetic nervous systems, which also must communicate with each other. This workout of the body's communication system may be the true value of exercise..." By regularly activating these communication pathways, the better the body becomes at handling stress. The less often this happens, the less efficient the body is with coping.

Improved Overall Well Being

By performing regular physical activity, the body typically becomes healthier and stronger which can reduce stress associated with other health issues that may be worsened, or brought on, by inactivity. Lost work and lost wages, doctor's visits, and expensive medications can lead to worry, insomnia, and irritability. According to Harvard University Health Publications, during the stress response, mind and body can amplify each other's distress signals, creating a vicious cycle.

Although they can work against each other, the mind and body are also capable of working together to provide tremendous benefits. Regular exercise provides improved health, better sleep, and more energy. This can lead to improved self-confidence and a sense of command over body and life, which can help an individual feel more equipped and confident when faced with stress.

Whether it's a needed escape, meditation or playtime, exercise can provide a way to get away from it all, either in solitude or with friends or family. Harvard University Health Publications state, "...when your body is busy, your mind will be distracted from the worries of daily life and will be free to think creatively."

Source Many Seay/ Fit Day

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Planning to give your Valentine some chocolate? Make it dark chocolate and you'll be helping more than your relationship… you'll also be helping their heart. 

What is it about dark chocolate that makes it so heart healthy?

 "There is a lot of science behind the cocoa bean and a substance called flavanol," explained Jared Bunch, MD, electrophysiologist with the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute. "Flavanol is also in things we look at as healthy, like grapes, apples, blackberries and legumes and has been extensively studied regarding its heart-related benefits."

Research has shown that consuming four to eight ounces of 75% dark chocolate per day can be good for your heart. But what are the specific benefits of consuming flavanols? 

Helps How We Respond to Stress
When people get stressed, the body responds by releasing chemicals into the blood stream (cortisol, epinephrine, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and norepinephrine) that raises the blood pressure. Dark chocolate has been shown to reduce the levels of cortisol and epinephrine.

Lower Blood Pressure
Studies show that consumption of cocoa increases nitric oxide, which is a naturally occurring chemical in our body that prompts the blood vessels to dilate. This simple process lowers blood pressure.

Lowers Bad Cholesterol
There are two types of cholesterol - HDL (good) and LDL (bad). Flavanols reduce LDL cholesterol and can increase HDL cholesterol and since dark chocolate is high in flavanols, consuming the treat can also lower your cholesterol. 

Helps Stability of Injured Vessels
Cocoa may help stabilize blood vessels that have been injured by plaque build up over time, thus reducing the likelihood of blood clots forming that could cause a heart attack or stroke. 

Source : Intermountain Health/ Dr. Bunch

The Importance of a Rest Day

Rest days are an aspect of training which we maybe don't consider to be "training" - but ask any high performing athlete, and they'll tell you that Rest Days make the difference between hitting a new PB or picking up a new injury.

 REST

verb
verb: rest; 3rd person present: rests; past tense: rested; past participle: rested; gerund or present participle: resting

    cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength.
    "he needed to rest after the feverish activity"
    synonyms:    relax, take a rest, ease up/off, let up, slow down, pause, have/take a break, unbend, repose, laze, idle, loaf, do nothing, take time off, slack off, unwind, recharge one's batteries, be at leisure, take it easy, sit back, sit down, stand down, lounge, luxuriate, loll, slump, flop, put one's feet up, lie down, go to bed, have/take a nap, nap, catnap, doze, have/take a siesta, drowse, sleep;

noun
noun: rest; plural noun: rests; suffix: -rest; suffix: -rests

    an instance or period of resting.ri
    "you look as though you need a rest"

They say that big, multi-stage events (such as the Tour de France) are won in bed - how a team use their rest and recovery time is one of the leading factors in a winning team. How you spend your rest days can vary depending on which stage of your training you're in; if it's a rest day dring the taper before your marathon, odds are, you'll have too much nervous energy to just do nothing. Alternatively, if it's the day's rest in a multi-day event - your stategy will probably involve a lot more rest in that rest day.

Rest days are easier to plan for and to fit into a training plan when you're working towards an event, however if you train all year round, it can seem harder to find the time.

Why take a rest day?

• Prevent overtraining -  working out every day can lead to fatigue which can increase your risk of injury
  
• Prevent tedium - training with the same routine can lose its appeal if you do the same thing every day, rest days work as a mental break from your workout as well as a physical break
  
• Improve recovery - DOMS (delayed onset muscle soresness) can really affect your training, with appropriate rest days built into your routine, you can avoid training on already sore muscles
  
• Improve sleep - whilst you shouldn't spend your entire rest day asleep, taking a day to catch up on some Zzzz's can really help your training and productivity in the following days

We asked the Tribesports community & a selection of personal trainers how they like to spend their days - and from the results, we've pulled out 3 distinctive types of rest day-ers:

1. The life admin rest day: No exercise? Fine. I'll just do my chores instead.

"Rest day = laundry day. FACT."  

Source Jon B / Tribe Sports

6 Ways to Avoid Burnout

You may have started the year with the best of intentions, vowing to exercise more, but after a few weeks of trying to stick to your resolutions, you may be feeling burned out and ready to abandon your goals. This is not uncommon. In fact, many people lose their motivation and feel burned out because they’ve had negative experiences with exercise. And those undesirable experiences can alter your resolve and make you question whether or not exercise is even beneficial or worth your time.

The good news is that it is possible to avoid burnout. These guidelines were created to help you make regular exercise a permanent lifestyle change.   

1. Know the Signs of Exercise Burnout

These signs and symptoms are indicators of exercise burnout:

    Exhaustion instead of energy
    Joint or muscular pain
    Difficulties sleeping
    Fatigue or weakness
    Persistent muscle soreness
    Yawning during exercising

2. Find a Deeper Connection with Exercise

It’s no secret that exercise offers a wide range of benefits, including reduced blood pressure, higher energy levels and stronger muscles. But it’s worth taking the time to ask yourself how can exercise benefit you on a deeper level. You will be more likely to commit to exercise when you understand the primary reason you want to exercise. Whether you want to play with your kids without gasping for air or one day qualify for the Boston Marathon, knowing what really motivates you will help keep you going when life gets busy or your interest begins to flag.

3. Gradually Progress Exercise

Trying to do too much, too soon is a sure-fire way to burn out on exercise. Gradually incorporating exercise into one’s life, however, can help you establish the building blocks and appropriate strength necessary to participate in higher-intensity training. Many people desire to participate in higher-intensity fitness programs because they promise to burn a lot of calories. These classes offer magnetic atmospheres and a fun, social connection, but these classes may cause more harm than good for those who aren’t yet prepared for more rigorous workouts.

A qualified fitness professional can help you discover the best routine and exercise progression for your current fitness level. If you’ve been sedentary, consider starting with one or more of the following modalities:

    Aquatic fitness classes
    Walking
    Basic body-weight training  
    Using cardiovascular machines
    Basic yoga or Pilates

Once you’ve established a baseline of fitness, you can progress to more challenging programs. Why is this important? Gradual changes lead to long-term results and helps you avoid injury, pain and negative perceptions toward exercise.

4. Monitor Your Stress

Many people do not realize that exercise is actually physical stress applied to the body. And, while exercise can be a great stress-reliever, pushing an already-stressed body past its boundaries is a recipe for burnout.

When stress levels are high, the human body breaks down and mental clarity decreases. It also undergoes physiological changes such as increased blood pressure, heart rate and perspiration. Hormonal changes also occur, providing the necessary energy for the “fight or flight” instinct that often kicks in. Not surprisingly, research has shown a correlation between stress and immune function. When chronically stressed, immune function decreases and the body is more susceptible to sickness and infections.

Ask yourself, “How much stress is in my life?”

If you’re going through a highly stressful period in your life, keep moving with lower-intensity exercise. Walking, yoga, biking, swimming and water jogging are great alternatives to high-intensity training. During stressful times, add in an extra recovery day if sticking with higher-intensity workouts. When life rebalances itself, revisit higher-intensity training.  

5. Cross Training

Cross training—including two or more types of exercise into your regular routine—is an effective method for avoiding burnout. Cross training helps you avoid doing the same motions day after day, which reduces the stress on your muscles and joints. 

A combination of resistance and cardiovascular training is particularly effective because it enables you to increase both muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance at the same time. For resistance training, you can incorporate a combination of body-weight training, yoga, Pilates and traditional weight training.  Equipment such as medicine balls, resistance bands and BOSUs also are effective and add variety to one’s workouts.

6. Prepare and Repair

Your body needs good nutrition to sufficiently “prepare and repair” your muscles between workouts.

Many resolutions include both diet and exercise, but you should be wary of drastically cutting calories.
The body requires energy (enough calories) to sustain exercise, especially high-intensity workouts. If your body does not have enough energy on store, your muscles cannot repair properly, so be sure to include a balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

 Source : Elizabeth Kovar M.A / ACE