It's not the hours we spend at the gym that make a difference in our health, it's the little things too. Like paying attention to how you stand. Your posture affects every activity you do from cooking dinner to running on the treadmill. Take advantage of the moments throughout your day when you can to do a postural check-in: riding the elevator up to the office, standing in line at the ATM, washing the dishes, waiting for a traffic light to change to green. You catch my drift. Every time you are just standing around make sure: your pelvis is over your ankles, that your ribs are over your pelvis, your shoulders over your ribs and your head floating up above it all. Also make sure you have your weight evenly distributed on both feet. When I am standing still, I often find my glutes clenched, pelvis tucked under, and my ribs tilted back with my shoulders far behind my pelvis. Plus I tend to stand with most of my weight on my left foot. Needless to say, when I align my body and put some weight on my right foot, my back stops aching. Check your posture next time you are just standing there and see how you really stand.
Need some more pointers on how to improve your posture? Then check out — Attention: Stand Up Straight. And if you would like more tips on staying healthy during your busy days read all my Minutes to a Healthier You ideas.
Of all the balancing poses, headstands might just be my favorite. They're challenging and work the upper body as well as the abs, but I also love that there are so many variations of the pose. In Ashtanga Yoga, there are actually seven different headstands. The first one is Bound Headstand, followed by Double Arm Headstand, and here's the third, Forearm Headstand.
Sanskrit Name: Baddha Hasta Sirsasana C English Translation: Bound Hands Headstand Posture C Also Called: Forearm Headstand
We all have those little areas on our bodies that we'd like to change. Some people turn to dieting, some people exercise, and others consider plastic surgery. If back fat is your enemy, there's a new surgery known as the bra-line back lift designed to get rid of those bumps and rolls of skin on your back, sort of like a face lift or tummy tuck. Go in with rolls and leave with smoother, even skin.
It's not so much designed for slightly overweight people who carry their fat on their backs; it's more for people who've lost an extreme amount of weight or who have saggy skin from aging or too much sun exposure. After the surgery, you're left with a scar that a bra or bathing suit would hide. The procedure will run you from $7,500 to $10,000, so a flat back doesn't come cheap. Tell me . . .
Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. Not only does it help you think, but studies show that eating breakfast can help you maintain a healthy weight. Eating a hearty breakfast will keep your energy levels up and your hunger at bay. Here are some quick ideas that combine filling whole grains with protein.
Some bad habits are worse than others; in fact, some bad habits could shorten your life. In an effort to live a healthy long time, you may want to make a few changes to your lifestyle. Researchers looked at death risk and lifestyle factors, and here are the top five habits that could shorten your life:
Cigarette smoking
Being overweight
Low physical activity
Excessive alcohol use
Low-quality diet
Do you have or do any of the above? Well it's time for a change, especially since researchers found that having all five of the risk factors increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease times eight; the risk of dying from cancer was three times higher and the risk of dying from any cause was four times greater.
OK, OK, I know what you're thinking. This is some patchouli-smelling, long-haired, hippie-yoga dude who loves to practice shirtless. Try not to focus on that but watch what this amazingly strong and flexible man can do. See how he does Eight Crooked Limbs without even touching the ground, and then later gets himself into Hummingbird? This is two minutes of supreme yoga.
Tell me, does this inspire you to do more yoga, or do you feel like this is only possible for someone with a contortionist-like body?
It's not the hours we spend at the gym that make a difference in our health, it's the little things too. Like paying attention to how you stand. Your posture affects every activity you do from cooking dinner to running on the treadmill. Take advantage of the moments throughout your day when you can to do a postural check-in: riding the elevator up to the office, standing in line at the ATM, washing the dishes, waiting for a traffic light to change to green. You catch my drift. Every time you are just standing around make sure: your pelvis is over your ankles, that your ribs are over your pelvis, your shoulders over your ribs and your head floating up above it all. Also make sure you have your weight evenly distributed on both feet. When I am standing still, I often find my glutes clenched, pelvis tucked under, and my ribs tilted back with my shoulders far behind my pelvis. Plus I tend to stand with most of my weight on my left foot. Needless to say, when I align my body and put some weight on my right foot, my back stops aching. Check your posture next time you are just standing there and see how you really stand. 
Elemis
Mulberry
Energie