Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

When you’re looking to build muscles, strength training is the first thing on the list. When you’re looking for a six pack or bigger arms, you’ll go straight to the weights. But even if you’re not looking to bulk up, strength training can still massively benefit your health. Many people avoid strength training because they don’t want the bodybuilder look. However, if the only exercise you do is aerobic, you might be missing out on huge health improvements. 1. Reduces belly fat In 2014, a study published found that strength training was far more effective at reducing and preventing abdominal fat than aerobic exercise. Strength training not only burns your calories, but it also increases the amount of lean muscles, which then stimulates your metabolism.

People have been drinking infusions of tea for many years, starting in China and India. Today, tea is devoured more generally than some other beverage on the world aside from water. Billions of people drink tea and an extensive number of studies show tea have numerous medical advantages. Green tea is one of the most advantageous drinks you can consume. It's without sugar, doesn't have any calories, and is loaded with antioxidants prevention agents that give plentiful health benefits. Examine the infographic underneath to recognize why you should start drinking this remarkable green tea right now.

Feeling empowered and positive doesn’t come easy to everyone. It’s especially hard if we’ve had a challenging day, full of stressful moments like running late, being stuck in traffic, making small mistakes at work. It’s easy to let moments and days like this get you down, however, you can become more positive and practice by making small changes in your day. These small changes can help you gain from negative experiences, and become more empowered by them. Here’s 9 quick tips to help you on your way to feeling empowered, even on the most stressful day: 1. Don’t do anything

We all want to feel good in a swimsuit on the beach, right? Have you ever wondered when or if that will ever happen? Is it simply losing weight? Gaining muscle? Is there a certain body type that defines sexy health? Could you simply choose to change your mentality and feel sexy the way you are now, without changing anything? I have asked myself these questions too. My weight has fluctuated a lot in my life, and for most of it I have felt extremely self conscious in a swimsuit. You know when I finally started feeling comfortable in a bikini? When I truly started loving myself.

Having a baby is one of the most incredible things you can do. Unfortunately, babies demand a lot of time and energy and it can be tough to find time for yourself as a new mom. It’s important for all moms to know how to rest and relax though. With that in mind, here are some great relaxation and meditation tips for new moms. 1.Create a Sacred Space at Home One of the first things that new moms want to do is create designated space in the house where they are able to retreat and enjoy some quality quiet time if they need it.

Flexibility is the capability of your body to achieve its full range of motion. It’s needed in most day-to-day activities, even the simplest ones such as bending and walking. If you’re flexible, your muscles remain mobile. We take flexibility for granted when we’re we’re younger, but as we age, our muscles will naturally lose strength, and we might notice ourselves become less supple and more stiff. This can affect our range of movement, especially around the joints. This can have the effect of stiffness in the muscles and joints. This loss of tissue elasticity causes our bodies to tighten and we lose that flexibility. The key reason that we lose flexibility, and we become more at risk of aches and pains is from not being active. This can lead to more permanent issues such as bad posture and lack of muscle function. Keeping flexible is important to avoid this and to keep us in good health and fitness.

Ever since I was a little girl, I felt other people’s emotions strongly. I remember being so confused when family conflicts arose because I could so clearly see each person’s side and how valid it was. I was confused why everyone couldn’t understand that everyone’s intentions were good and loving and then we could just all move on with our lives in harmony! As I grew older, I remember feeling like I would literally step into someone else’s shoes, and feel the world as if from their perspective. From this place, I could really understand where they were coming from, even if their decisions from the outside might seem strange. I remember wanting to help every single person in my life through all of their tough times, and beyond that, I sort of felt that it was my duty. I couldn’t just turn my back on someone who was suffering...especially someone that I loved.

With our modern busy lives, it’s easy to let even the simplest self-care go out the window. It can be tough to find the time to look after ourselves when we’re juggling lots of different priorities. This can leave our own needs at the bottom of the list, and we all know it's hard to get around to those items last on the to-do list. And we’re talking about the regular, day to day self-care, not the lavish ‘treat-yourself’ social outings, appointments and pamper days that come to mind when you think self-care. If you don’t take the time to look after yourself, you can start to feel very stressed and unfulfilled as well as overwhelmed. But to improve ourselves we must take care of our minds and bodies. Here’s our tips to create a self-care routine, and ways you can stick to it! 1. Do self-care that works for you

Many things change as you grow old, your sexuality being one of them. The sexual drive you had in your 20s is not the same as when you have in your 30s, 40s, and 50s. In your 30s and 40s, you are usually busy with raising the kids and working to secure your financial future that you hardly have any time to concentrate on your sex life. You might not prioritize your sex life at these stages and might not notice the changes until it hits you in the face. In your 50s and beyond, with your kids most likely being out of the house, you can now focus on yourself, and that's when most women recognize the changes in their sex drive. Causes of low sex drive and how to enhance your sexuality There are lots of reasons why your sex desire declines as you age including fluctuations in your hormone levels, illnesses, job stress, and relationship issues.

We all know that a good posture gives us a taller and more elegant look, but standing straight can also do wonders for your health. Did you know your posture affects your digestion, breathing and how well we move? That’s not to mention the ways it can boost your confidence. However many of us lack a good posture. It can be easy to slip into bad posture habits, through weakness, pain, and routine. There’s many ways you can be adding to bad posture without knowing it. Here’s some of the common causes of bad posture, as well as some tips to counter them. 1. Slouching While you may be comfortable slouching in a chair, over time this can strain your muscles and lead to bad posture. This can also increase tension and cause pain. Try to get in the habit of not slouching and sitting up correctly. Sitting on the edge of your chair will help to fix this, as it will cause your core muscles to activate, keeping you straight. While this might be uncomfy at first, this is because your muscles need to be conditioned to support you. Exercises like planks and bridges that strengthen your core and your glutes will help you to stop slouching.

should / verb 1.used to indicate obligation, duty, or correctness, typically when criticizing someone’s actions. ”he should have been careful” It’s just an idea, right? A concept? A word in the dictionary? I’m not sure what sparked my interest in how “should” or “shouldn’t” plays a role in my life, but it crosses my mind daily now.

If you look at the lifestyles of highly successful people, you’ll realise that they’re not that way by accident, or by luck. They’ve learnt to make all those successful, proactive and useful behaviours a habit. Whether it’s waking up early to have more hours in the day, getting a work out in each day, taking the time to focus on self improvement, reading more, drinking less… the list can go on, but the one thing all these healthy habits have in common, is that it takes time for them to become a daily aspect in your life. If you’re thinking of making a small change to take on a healthy habit, or you’re thinking of something a little more life changing, hard work, effort and dedication are the things you need to achieve your goal. But just how long does it take to form a new habit - or stop a bad one? A quick internet search, will tell you it takes 21 days to form a habit. This is a popular myth that still rings in people’s brains today.

Some people feel as if there is nothing that can be done when faced with certain difficulties. However, there are those of us that only search for solutions when the going gets tough, and, eventually emerge as winners to whatever obstacles life puts on their path. Modern life pushes us to fulfill different challenges. Things like creating a successful career, having a happy marriage, maintaining solid friendships, good health, and a positive outlook are things most of us would like to achieve and experience. Oftentimes however, we give priority to certain parts of life at the expense of others. The goal then, is finding balance and live in an energy of joy, regardless of the circumstances. The ones who are brave and persistent enough, can cope with the sometimes rapid rhythm of life, and compose a happy melody through which they dance throughout their lives.

Both the Spring and Autumn equinox signify great change. Our clocks change, the weather changes, and we’re getting prepared for summer or winter. While the equinox signifies the start of hot weather, or cold winters, don’t forget to take in the beauty of the season, rather than looking further ahead. There’s plenty of beautiful sights to take in around spring and autumn, especially in nature. We’ve put together a list of the best places to take in the seasonal changes this year, wherever you are in the world. Tokyo, Japan

After a night of improper sleep, how do you feel in the morning? Groggy, tired, irritated and dazed? Well this comes as a no surprise since sleep is essential to recharge the mind and body after a hard day’s work. And when there is improper sleep, the mind and body both feel down and less eager to go about with the activities of the day. Ayurveda, the ancient medicinal practice that originated in India classifies sleep disorder based on the dosha types – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Each of the doshas has a significant impact on the sleep preferences and patterns of an individual. Similar to most of the things associated with Ayurveda, the present balance and body constitution of an individual influences sleep imbalances. In order to treat the issue of sleep imbalance effectively, it is important to know the present state of balance and the body constitution.

What are the chakras? According to yoga, our inner bodies are full of subtle energy. This energy moves along a central channel called the sushumna nadi, These centers are thought to be doorways into the depths of awareness – awareness that is within the body, outside the body and also that can expand in such depth that we come to realize the innate vastness of our true nature. When the chakras are aligned, we are centered, balanced and healthy. When they’re out of alignment, illness is more apt to manifest in the body and mind. This is why it’s necessary to understand what each chakra represents, so that we can do proper chanting, pranayama and asana to support the balanced nature of each one. Here is a thorough overview of each of the 7 chakras, and how they relate to your well-being, as well as information so you can keep them each in balance. Root Chakra Also known as the muladhara chakra, is connected to our sense of foundation and being deeply rooted or grounded.

Feeling low in confidence is a feeling many of us have experienced before. During work, amongst peers, maybe even with a loved one - there are many situations that can challenge our confidence and leave us feeling doubtful. But no one is naturally self-confident. Self confidence is a skill that builds up over time, and is something that you can use against the daily grind. To get you started in building up your self confidence, here’s our top quick tips for an instant boost of confidence - perfect for that next big presentation at work, mustering up the courage to ask your crush out, or just to feel more powerful in your day to day life. 1. Prune yourself If you look your best, you’re likely to feel your best too. It’s incredible how a shower, a haircut or a shave can make you feel absolutely amazing, and do wonders for your self-image. This will boost your self confidence by miles, and can be achieved by just waking up a little earlier to give your image a little more TLC than usual.

Being loved up and part of a couple is a great thing, especially when you start to share parts of your life together. However, after a few years - you might find yourself grabbing the remote and binge-watching Netflix instead of getting out and doing new and exciting activities as a couple. It’s important to give the time to come up with fun and exciting date ideas, and do things together to strengthen your bond and keep your romance exciting. Here’s our top 8 ideas of activities to do as a couple, to deepen your bond, instill healthy habits together, and keep things fresh! Yoga We may be biased, but we think yoga is a great activity to share with your loved one to deepen your bond.

With today’s technology and modern life, there are more distractions than ever getting in the way of having a productive work day. From the moment you sit down at your desk, there can be 101 things that steer your attention away from your to-do list. If you’re finding that you tasks just aren’t getting done, here’s some tips to make your day more productive. 1. Start the morning right for you A healthy breakfast, an early workout, time spent getting yourself looking professional… Sometimes there’s just not enough time before sitting down at your desk at 9am to get absolutely everything done - especially if you want your eight hours of sleep too! Starting your day on a high note can set the tone for the rest of the day, so think about what your priority is.

Do you constantly get worked up about something or the other – be it a work presentation, your relationship or even about a party you need to attend? You have days when you find your heart pounding while you sweat profusely and wonder what is it that you’re really experiencing – is this an anxiety attack or am I just stressed, you may wonder. While both stress and anxiety have similar mental and physical symptoms, the difference lies in the fact that stress is short-term whereas an anxiety disorder is a sustained state of mind which tends to remain even in the absence of a triggering situation. If you find yourself experiencing the latter, you might be suffering from some form of an anxiety disorder. Before you panic or shun this thought, understand that you are not alone in this battle. As per a recent study, anxiety has become the number one mental health issue in North America, with one-third of the North American adult population experiencing anxiety issues.

A good morning, can make it more likely you’ll have a happy and productive day. Fortunately, you can set yourself up for success each morning and some form of a somewhat consistent ritual or thing you do, that you enjoy and can look forward to. This can make all the difference in putting yourself on a positive course for the day ahead. These 8 morning routine ideas are a mix of movement, mindfulness, reflection, and others. Experiment with a few until you find one from this list (or perhaps another not listed), that you’d be excited to practice each day. If you begin to notice even slight improvements in your energy levels, productivity, and overall happiness, from any one of these ideas, stick with it, so it becomes second nature and a healthy habit. Here are 8 morning routines to to be happier and successful. Treat yourself to start each day! 1. Yoga Movement after a night’s sleep can wake everything up. Yoga designed for a morning practice,

Have you ever envisioned your life 30 years from now? What do you look like? How do you feel? Are you able to play with your grandchildren and enjoy everyday activities? These are common questions among most in regards to their future and quality of life as they evolve through the aging process. The question remains how we can slow down the aging process and ensure that our future is bright and fruitful? As a personal trainer, I have had the good fortune and pleasure to work with many seniors over the course of my 20 years in the fitness industry. Through my very own hands-on experience, I have been able to witness the physical benefit of exercise and healthy nutrition can yield a higher quality of life and sense of well-being among the senior population. So what exactly are the benefits of exercise as we age?

Meditation has now entered the public consciousness as something less mystical and more practical. Far from the romantic notion of the mystic on the mountain, meditation has always had its practical uses. Increasingly, the benefits of meditation are becoming apparent in modern life and well-being. There is increasing research that practicing seated meditation has the power to make us more alert, energized, creative, clear in our thinking, and productive. Whether you're craving a boost in productivity, or just want to feel better in at work, meditation has real potential to help. Here are a few ways meditation it can boost personal productivity and focus, whether around the house, in the workplace, or working on a creative project.

When I was 17 years old, the most unthinkable of events of my life took place on a Saturday in January. One that started out like any other Saturday, but would change my life and the lives of the rest of my family forever. After arguing over Saturday morning chores, I zipped off to the local mall, more of a leisure activity with girlfriends, rather than a shopping expedition. When a couple of hours later I returned, I knew immediately that something was radically wrong. The minister was walking down the path in front of my parents house. "What happened? Is it my father? Is it my Mother?” No said, the grim and paled face minister, "It is Chris, he is dead.” This would be the beginning of a whirling, incredibility, that would last for many years, and maybe does even to this day, as I tried to comprehend the “unthinkable”.

We all know that practicing yoga can have great physical health benefits, but it can also benefit your psychological and mental health state. There’s no denying the high that you get after a successful yoga class or practice, and that zen-like state of feeling calm, grounded and centered. Yoga is a great practice if you’ve been feeling down, negative, or scattered with your thoughts. Practicing yoga has a way of subsiding those negative emotions, bringing you into a state of calm and peace. Yoga also helps you feel a connection to your body, and helps you become more aware of any thoughts, emotions and physical feelings around your mind and body. This sensation of mindfulness can help improve our emotional health, and lead into a calm state. The psychological benefits of yoga have lead to the practice being regarded as a great practice for those suffering from stress, anxiety, and other mental health problems. Yoga changes your brain.