FitSugar

Minutes to a Healthier You: Shorter Showers

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:48:08 -0700

Itchy, flaky, dry skin is a common issue among fit women because they often shower twice a day - once in the morning, and once after a workout. The water washes away the natural oils in your skin that protect it from drying out. On top of that, now that cooler temps are moving in for many of us, we're indulging in longer, hotter showers to warm us up, which dries our skin out even more.

If you want to do your largest organ a favor, aim to be under the water for less than 10 minutes, and opt for warm water instead of a steaming hot stream. When you get out of the shower, pat yourself dry (don't rub), and then immediately moisturize your skin to seal in the moisture.

Minutes to a Healthier You: Lighten Your Load

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:00:14 -0700

The trend of the oversize purse is slowly waning, but let's face it - a big bag seems practical. You need somewhere to stow all your stuff. The problem is heavy handbags can cause back, shoulder, and neck pain and possibly lead to arthritis.

I suggest you go through your purse and lighten your load. Take five minutes and remove all non-essential items. Clean out your wallet too and get rid of credit cards you don't use regularly and business cards you no longer need. The same goes for receipts. If you're changing handbags as the seasons change, take the opportunity to figure out what you truly need to carry and what is just weighing you down.

Minutes to a Healthier You: Sing Your Heart Out

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:30:00 -0700

Sometimes, we don't give enough credit to the little pleasures that can lower our stress levels and improve our quality of life. But if you like to sing, sing out. It's good for your overall health.

Throughout history and cultures, singing has been used as a way to express emotion and help people heal, and the same principles can be applied to our daily lives. Singing can help you relax, boost your mood, and open up your breathing passages. Other studies have linked singing to lowered blood pressure, while other research has shown that it can help people manage chronic pain.

So don't be afraid to sing in the shower, or wail along with your favorite song on the radio. At the very least, it will probably put you in a happier state of mind.

Minutes to a Healthier You: Strengthen Your Core to Center Your Mind

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:30:46 -0700

In Summer, both daily and weekly schedules get all out of whack and the lack of structure leaves me feeling uncentered. To combat my emotional unease, I have added a little ab and core work to my morning routine. I am strengthening my physical center, hoping it translates to my mental life. First, I warm up my spine and follow up with some easy ab and back exercises - heel taps in neutral spine, hip-ups (aka reverse crunches), classic crunches, superman - ending with a few elbow planks. While ab work will never replace my morning coffee, I do like starting the day feeling a little stronger and much more connected to my core. Try it tomorrow and see how you feel.

Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:30:33 -0700

We all know the Summer sun can do serious damage, and I have been writing a lot about sunscreen lately. We all tend to remember to slather the protective lotion on our faces and shoulder, but skip many body parts that still see the sun. Next time you're heading out to play in sunshine remember to put some sunscreen on the following areas:

Ears - especially the tops
Feet - once again coat the top of your feet
Hands - the backs of your hands need sunscreen, especially when riding a bike
Low back - if you're wearing a short top that doesn't quite reach the waist of your pants
Lips - keep your sensitive lips covered with SPF lip balm
Neck - make sure to apply sunscreen to both the front and back of your neck

Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:00:00 -0700

It is not just the minutes spent sweating it out at the gym that count toward good health. Simple everyday activities promote a happy, healthy you, and one of those overlooked habits is chewing and enjoying your food. Take time out of your day to focus on your food. Your meals provide nourishment, but food has an emotional component as well. Not only will chewing your food, help you feel fuller longer, it will slow down your meal, leaving you satisfied with less food. Slowing down at meals can just make the entire process of eating enjoyable and improve your digestion. To focus on your food, don't eat breakfast while watching the Today show, don't eat lunch at your desk, and do put your fork down between bites at the dinner table and converse.

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Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Just because you don't have time to fit in a morning workout, doesn't mean you have to skip out entirely. Multitask while you're getting ready for work by fitting in lower body strengthening moves whenever you can. My favorite is doing sets of squats in the shower or while I'm brushing my teeth, blow-drying my hair, or waiting for my coffee to brew. Since squats are so effective at targeting your quads and glutes, it won't take many before you start to feel the burn. Do variations with your knees together, feet hip-distance apart, legs out wide, or heels lifted.

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Two Minutes to a Healthier You

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Dental hygiene seems simple, but new research shows that brushing and flossing goes more than mouth deep. When you're brushing your teeth (most of you do it twice a day), you're not only cleaning your pearly whites and promoting gum health, but you're also taking steps to prevent having a heart attack.

A study measured the bacteria levels in the mouths of heart attack survivors compared to participants without histories of heart problems and discovered more germs in the mouths of the survivors. According to the researchers, those with the most bacteria of all types in their mouths were the most likely to have had heart attacks.

Building upon previous findings that dental health affects overall health, this newest research goes to show that it really only takes two minutes to a healthier you. All you need are your handy toothbrush, minty paste, and a wheel of floss.

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60 Seconds to a Healthier You

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0700

It is more than just your time at the gym that makes you healthy; it is the simple everyday acts that take mere seconds to complete that add up to healthy lifestyle. I believe in starting at the bottom and working my way up, and that means taking care of my feet and toes. If your shoes pinch your toes, like many fashionable pointy toed shoes do, the blood supply to your toes is compromised. The nerves can get compressed too and this makes for uncomfortable, unhappy feet. To counteract discomfort from confining shoes, just slip them off and wiggle your toes. Free those piggies! Try to spread your toes as wide as possible, making space between each toe. Repeat five times. While you're at it, flex your feet pulling your toes toward your nose to stretch the soles of your feet and hold for 10 seconds. Your feet will appreciate the attention.

Check my other quick health tips.

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Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:00:00 -0700

It is more than just your time at the gym that makes you healthy; it is the simple everyday acts that take mere minutes to complete that add up to healthy lifestyle.

Here is one simple thing that you can do to start your day off right: drink eight ounces of water before breakfast. After sleeping for seven to eight hours your body needs water as well as food - being slightly dehydrated can actually slow down your metabolism. Before downing your latte, green tea, or juice, have a glass of water because according to the journal Obesity well-hydrated cells not only work better, but they help you flush out fat.

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