Thursday, September 17, 2009
Safety Tips for Yoga Beginners
Trying to force yourself into a yoga posture your body is not ready for, or not flexible enough for, could prove disastrous. Yoga is meant to be a nurturing form of exercise, not a rigid imitation of poses. You can stretch and strengthen your body without having to touch your nose to your knees, or your feet to your head.
Following are suggested ways to help you in your yoga practice:
Style -- Practice gentle forms of yoga, such as Kripalu, Viniyoga, or Integral Yoga. Bikram, Ashtanga and Power Yoga are generally too vigorous for beginners and inflexible people.
Your Instructor -- Find an instructor who is experienced, certified and cares about your physical imitations. He or she can modify the pace or perhaps offer alternative poses to meet your specific needs. In addition, never let an instructor try to force your body into any pose. Practice the "hands off" approach!
Warm Up -- Get in ten minutes of warming up with easy movements to increase circulation, lubricate joins and ready your body to stretch. You want the poses to progress from simple to more difficult.
Poses to Avoid -- The plow, full shoulder stand, headstand and full lotus. These poses can place tremendous strain on joints and disks.
Protect Your Back -- Keep your knees slightly bent and hinge from your hips when you bend forward from any standing position. For arching backwards, concentrate on opening the front of the body by lengthening from the navel to the sternum. Be careful not to over-arch your lower back, as this will compress the lumbar disks.
Protect Your Knees -- Never lock your knees when in a standing posture. If you feel any strain while doing sitting or kneeling postures, place a cushion or folded blanket under your bottom.
Your Neck -- Be sure you keep your neck in alignment with the rest of your spine at all times, especially when arching backwards. Be careful not to allow your neck to drop back or down.
Enjoy your yoga practice and you are sure to reap the rewards -- you will know when you are ready to take it a step further -- or perhaps you will be happy right where you are at. Let your body be your guide.Get to now it and its injury-prone areas and back off from any movements that causes pain or cramping. And above all, never compare yourself to others!
Motivated to Action
By Bill Mansell
Action! It's the most powerful word in the English language. Planning is important; positive belief is critical; preparation makes a difference. But, without the follow-through principle of action, nothing happens -- nothing!!
This concept is simple, but sometimes, not so easy to implement. Have you ever had a time in your life when you just couldn't get motivated? You knew what you wanted to do, you had the desire, but you just couldn't motivate yourself to take the first step. When your get-up-and-go has gone and you find it difficult to get motivated to take action, consider this -- you may be going about it all wrong.
Experts in the field of human motivation tell us that instead of waiting until we are motivated to take action, we need to reverse the process and take action to get motivated.
Nothing makes us feel enthusiastic like acting enthusiastic. Nothing inspires creativity like getting started on a new project. Nothing gives us the energy to move ahead like taking that first step, and then the next. Your emotions take their clues from your actions, not the other way around.
Many lack motivation because of fear: fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of too much success, fear of what others might think, fear, fear, fear. It can leave us paralyzed and ineffective. What is the cure for fear? ACTION! If you are afraid of rejection, contact more people. If you fear ridicule, make your presentation dynamic and audacious. If you worry about failure, take action that will move you toward success. The truth is, most of the things we worry about never come to pass. So why worry? Instead, take decisive action to cure your worry and overcome fear!
So, next time you just don't feel like it, do it anyway. Few things are as bad as we imagine they will be if we will simply jump in with both feet, pretending that we can't wait to get started. Pretty soon you will feel like it. Shakespeare said it like this, "assume a virtue if you have it not." In other words, if you want to be happy, try acting happy. If you need energy, act as if you have barrels full! If you want to feel motivated, take motivated action. Ham it up! Make it fun. Without a doubt, your feelings will follow your actions and pretty soon your actions will help you feel truly motivated. Try it!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Hand Care
Hand Care
for facials or skin care treatments, or using homemade skin care products to take care of your face but you may have forgotten all about your hands. Your hands need just as much care as your face and you don’t even need to go to the beauty salon for this. Here are a few quick tips on how to care for your hands.
Hand Care Tips
- Always wear rubber gloves when you plan to do any household work or gardening. If your hands are exposed to too much water, soap, detergents, dirt or chemicals then, the skin of your hands can become wrinkled and rough.
- Ideally, you should moisturize your hands at least 4 times in a day, especially after washing them. Even if you do not have time make it a habit of moisturizing your hands before you go to bed at night. This is just as important as brushing you teeth before you go to bed, every night.
- You can also use your face exfoliator on your hands. This will help to remove any dirt and dead skin cells, and nourish and rejuvenate the skin of your hands.
- You can scrub your hands with bath salts, after washing them with soap. This will leave your hands squeaky clean. Do remember to slather some moisturizer on your hands afterwards.
- If you have oily hands, you can try rubbing cornmeal on them after washing them with soap.
- Go in for regular manicures (professional or homemade) to keep your hands and nails in good condition.
- Drink lots of water and fresh fruit juices. Eat a balanced, low-oil diet.
- Exercise regularly. If you are healthy and fit, you skin will have a healthy glow.
- If the skin of your hands is dry and flaky—you can massage a little petroleum jelly on your hands before you go to bed at night. After you do this, you may wear thin cotton gloves. Wake up in the morning and enjoy the soft feel of your hands.
- A quick, easy-to-make homemade scrub for your hand will help. Here’s the recipe for a rejuvenating homemade hand scrub:
Ingredients for the homemade hand scrub recipe
- White Oats- 1 tbsp.
- Honey-1 tsp.
- Water-½ cup
Milk (refrigerated)-1 tbsp
How To Prepare The Hand Scrub
Take the water and the oats in a glass (Pyrex) vessel. Boil the mixture till the water evaporates, completely. Take care not to burn the oats. Scrape out the well-boiled oats and put it in a glass bowl. Add the milk and honey to the boiled oats and mix well.
How to apply the hand scrub
- Clean your hands with a mild soap.
- Pat your hands dry with a soft towel.
- Apply the hand scrub, evenly, over your hands (fingers included).
- Leave on for 10 minutes.
- Wash off the hand scrub with lukewarm water.
- Pat your hands dry with a soft towel.
- Take an almond-sized drop of moisturizer in your palm. Massage it into the skin of your hands and fingers, using gentle but firm rotating movements of your finger tips.
- Use this hand scrub two times a week for best results.
- This hand scrub exfoliates, moisturizes and rejuvenates the skin of your hands. Use this hand scrub, regularly, and enjoy the clean,
- soft and firm feel of your hands. (You may use this scrub for your feet as well.)
Note: Do not use if you are allergic to any of the ingredients.
source:http://www.beautytipshub.com/
Friday, September 4, 2009
5 Natural Common Cold Beaters
5 Natural Common Cold Beaters
by: Jacob Mabille
The aptly named common cold hits nearly every one of us on a regular basis and once a single family member has it, it can spread quickly and viciously. While the cold itself is relatively harmless it still presents almost crippling symptoms. The common misconception is that you can fight a cold, essentially getting on with your life and trying to ignore the problem. This is much more likely to prolong the agony as a pose to beating it. In preference to turning to the pharmacist there are natural ways to reduce the recovery time and relieve the nagging symptoms of a cold.
Rest
The misconception that exercise will help to sweat out a cold is misleading. The body needs to be able to fight the cold infection and by exercising or being excessively active you are reducing its capability to do this. Resting allows the body to fully combat the cold virus. The immune system and various immune functions within the body are strengthened or generated during sleep. It is these that will help your body beat the cold.
Water
When suffering from a cold the body is susceptible to becoming dehydrated. In order to prevent this it is absolutely essential that sufferers drink plenty of water. The recommended eight glasses of water a day is the absolute minimum that you should be aiming to drink when suffering from a cold. For this reason, water can help to further strengthen the immune system and subsequently beat the infection.
Vitamin C
It may sound something your mom or your grandmother would try to convince you but it is widely believed to be true. However, too much vitamin C can cause diarrhea and possible even kidney stones. Many proponents of vitamin C as a cold remedy would argue that 1,000mg every hour is not damaging and will help to reduce the time a person suffers from a cold. However, it has been medically proven that 250mg has the same positive effects as any larger dose with fewer and less severe side effects. The best way to obtain this level of vitamin C is through fruit juices because this also provides a good source of extra fluid.
Garlic
Garlic is another age old herbal remedy for colds. It helps to strengthen the immune system and is also a good antiviral. Putting garlic in meals will help to prevent colds and can also reduce the suffering time of patients. The best way to consume the garlic is freshly ground and raw. Many people would find this a struggle, especially because a lot of people eat as many as three or four cloves as soon as they show symptoms of a cold.
Elderberry Extracts
Elderberries may look harmless but to the cold virus they are far from it. It is a powerful antiviral as well as being a highly effective prophylactic. As an antiviral it can help to stave off the actual infection causing the cold, and its prophylactic properties strengthens and rejuvenates the immune system. Elderberry and blueberries are among the best varieties of fruit a cold sufferer can eat for these very reasons.
The Immune System Role
You will have probably noticed that almost all of these remedies are strongly based around the strengthening of the immune system. This is because there is essentially no cure for the common cold and we are forced to rely on our bodies to fend off the infection. In order to do this, the immune system needs to be as strong as possible and the stronger it is the less suffering will be required.
source:e-healtharticles.com
by: Jacob Mabille
The aptly named common cold hits nearly every one of us on a regular basis and once a single family member has it, it can spread quickly and viciously. While the cold itself is relatively harmless it still presents almost crippling symptoms. The common misconception is that you can fight a cold, essentially getting on with your life and trying to ignore the problem. This is much more likely to prolong the agony as a pose to beating it. In preference to turning to the pharmacist there are natural ways to reduce the recovery time and relieve the nagging symptoms of a cold.
Rest
The misconception that exercise will help to sweat out a cold is misleading. The body needs to be able to fight the cold infection and by exercising or being excessively active you are reducing its capability to do this. Resting allows the body to fully combat the cold virus. The immune system and various immune functions within the body are strengthened or generated during sleep. It is these that will help your body beat the cold.
Water
When suffering from a cold the body is susceptible to becoming dehydrated. In order to prevent this it is absolutely essential that sufferers drink plenty of water. The recommended eight glasses of water a day is the absolute minimum that you should be aiming to drink when suffering from a cold. For this reason, water can help to further strengthen the immune system and subsequently beat the infection.
Vitamin C
It may sound something your mom or your grandmother would try to convince you but it is widely believed to be true. However, too much vitamin C can cause diarrhea and possible even kidney stones. Many proponents of vitamin C as a cold remedy would argue that 1,000mg every hour is not damaging and will help to reduce the time a person suffers from a cold. However, it has been medically proven that 250mg has the same positive effects as any larger dose with fewer and less severe side effects. The best way to obtain this level of vitamin C is through fruit juices because this also provides a good source of extra fluid.
Garlic
Garlic is another age old herbal remedy for colds. It helps to strengthen the immune system and is also a good antiviral. Putting garlic in meals will help to prevent colds and can also reduce the suffering time of patients. The best way to consume the garlic is freshly ground and raw. Many people would find this a struggle, especially because a lot of people eat as many as three or four cloves as soon as they show symptoms of a cold.
Elderberry Extracts
Elderberries may look harmless but to the cold virus they are far from it. It is a powerful antiviral as well as being a highly effective prophylactic. As an antiviral it can help to stave off the actual infection causing the cold, and its prophylactic properties strengthens and rejuvenates the immune system. Elderberry and blueberries are among the best varieties of fruit a cold sufferer can eat for these very reasons.
The Immune System Role
You will have probably noticed that almost all of these remedies are strongly based around the strengthening of the immune system. This is because there is essentially no cure for the common cold and we are forced to rely on our bodies to fend off the infection. In order to do this, the immune system needs to be as strong as possible and the stronger it is the less suffering will be required.
source:e-healtharticles.com
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