In the last days of Heart Health Month, we've been focusing on ways to get our hearts healthy now and in the future. One key way to keep healthy is to smarten up at the grocery store when reading labels. Here are just a few tips to help you figure out what it all means on the front of the label, and the back:
Although most women mistakenly believe that cancer is the biggest threat to their lives, heart disease is actually the leading cause of death among women in the US. While lack of exercise, obesity, high cholesterol and smoking are all predictable causes of heart disease, stress and anxiety are also culprits. Recent research suggests that the complicated physiological reactions to stress, including rises in blood pressure, affect your heart health.
Being that February is heart health month, I thought I would tell you that the American Heart Association is urging more people to be trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). It seems that not many Americans are trained in the potentially life saving treatment.
It is estimated that only 15 to 30 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims receive CPR from a bystander before emergency medical services personnel arrive on the scene.
This year's Heart Truth Red Dress Collection 2008 Fashion Show had some big stars show up in support of Heart Health Month. From Heidi Klum to Molly Sims to Liza Minnelli, the ladies were looking radiant in their red dresses — minus Laura Bush who apparently didn't get the memo and wore white (wtf?). To see more pics of the celebs including Heidi Klum, Sara Ramirez, Molly Sims, Jenna Fischer and more supporting awareness of Heart Disease just read more
Discover the power of eating heart-healthy red foods during the first-ever National Eat Red Week, Feb. 4-10, 2008 in support of Heart Health Month.
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We're finally up to the last wide-legged forward bend pose in Ashtanga Yoga, Wide-Legged Forward Bend D. If you do all four in a row, A, B, C, and D, your hamstrings, hips, and lower back will feel amazingly stretched and open. It's a great series of stretches to do after a run if your lower body gets really tight.
If you love to stretch your hamstrings, then I'm sure you've been loving Wide-Legged Forward Bend A and B. There are technically two more poses in this series in Ashtanga Yoga, and this one called Wide-Legged Forward Bend C is my favorite.
Sanskrit Name: Prasarita Padottanasana C
English Translation: Feet Spread Intense Stretch Pose C
Also Called: Wide-Legged Forward Bend C
If you want to know how to do this pose and see some easier variations then read more
If you love stretching your hamstrings and lower back in Wide-Legged Forward Bend A, then you're going to love this pose. You can do A for five breaths, come to stand up, and then go right into five breaths of this pose. It's great to do as a warm-up before a run or bike ride.
If you're a runner, your hamstrings and lower back must get really tight. Wide-Legged Forward Bends are one of the greatest stretches to do because you can let gravity pull your torso down and you get an amazingly deep stretch. There are actually four versions of this pose in Ashtanga Yoga, and here's the first one.
Looking for a great stretch for your quads? Kneeling Shin Stretch pose is great, but if that's too easy for you, give Sleeping Hero a try.
Sanskrit Name: Supta Virasana
English Translation: Sleeping Hero Pose
Also Called: Reclining Hero
This pose can feel really intense on your knees, so if you feel any pain at any point in this pose, come to sit back up.