Oct 31

5 Yoga Poses To Awaken Your Body And Mind

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Yoga is one of the most powerful ways to ensure holistic wellness in life. While International Yoga Day is around the corner, we have handpicked a few yoga poses that you can practise in the morning to start your day on the right note. We spoke to Anchal Rout, a Delhi NCR-based Yoga and Reiki healing expert. Anchal Rout said, “Practising yoga in the morning can help create a positive mood, arrange your energy, and focus your thoughts.”   Simple Morning Yoga Poses Here are five yoga poses recommended to kickstart your day, brought to you by our yoga expert:   Mountain Pose (Tadasana) This is one of the most effective poses as it aids in strengthening and aligning the spine, preparing the practitioner for other poses. To get this position right, you have to join both legs, hands are to be placed near the body, and weight is to be distributed in equal measure. Breathe in deeply, bring your arms above your head, and extend them towards the ceiling like you’re attempting to grab for the sky. This position relieves tension and gives you a centre, a feeling of balance and stability.   Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana) This gentle flow […]
Oct 30

14 Exercises for Seniors to Improve Strength and Balance

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In North America, falls are one of the leading causes of injury and death for senior citizens. However, you don’t have to fall prey to slips and falls. By exercising, you can improve your balance and your strength, so you can stand tall and feel more confident when walking.   How to Improve Your Balance as You Age Read on to learn how to improve your balance as you age and what exercises help improve balance.   Exercise 1: Single Limb Stance It’s best to start off with a simple balance exercise for seniors. Here’s how you do this one: stand behind a steady, solid chair (not one with wheels), and hold on to the back of it. Lift up your right foot and balance on your left foot. Hold that position for as long as you can, then switch feet. The goal should be to stand on one foot without holding onto the chair and hold that pose for up to a minute.   Exercise 2: Walking Heel to Toe You might read this and wonder, “How is walking an exercise to improve balance?” This exercise makes your legs stronger, which enables you to walk without falling. Put your right […]
Oct 29

How to Stay Fit and Balanced During the Holiday Season

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Here are some expert tips from Chuze Fitness’ senior fitness director on staying active and healthy during the holidays As the holiday season quickly approaches, so does the stress, holiday parties and high-calorie desserts. Even the most dedicated fitness and wellness fans can find it challenging to stay on track this time of year, but Dana Gilbert, senior director of fitness at Chuze Fitness, has valuable tips to keep the holidays healthy and active. Remaining motivated to work out during such a busy time of the year is no small feat, but Gilbert says that carving out time for fitness pays off in several ways for clients and members. “The options for workouts are endless and will support your well-being with increased energy, improved mood, better sleep and decreased stress,” she says. “Not every workout must be hours long, sweat-producing and muscle-fatiguing, but being intentional about staying active is!” Devoting time to creating a “movement and mindset menu” can also help those who feel overwhelmed this time of year, Gilbert says. She suggests the following “menu”:   Appetizer – Get your body moving for a 10-20 minute duration Enjoy a brisk walk outside, dress accordingly, and take a friend. Do […]
Oct 28

How Does Exercise Affect Cortisol Levels?

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Stress isn’t just in your brain—it’s in your body, too.   The word “stress” just brings up bad vibes, right? So, it makes sense that cortisol—aka the “stress hormone” — would have a bad reputation. Exercise can even have an impact on the hormone, so it’s important to learn the best exercise to reduce cortisol. It’s good to also note that, “cortisol is not, in itself, bad—it’s just a hormone,” says Mike Molloy, Ph.D., founder of M2 Performance Nutrition, who’s studied microbiology and immunology. “But the dosage and amounts of cortisol in the body need to be right.” You may be wondering if your favorite workout, like running, increases cortisol. It is true that one of the things that can throw (or keep) your cortisol levels off is exercise—especially when the rest of your life is stressed out. But that doesn’t mean you should swear off sweating in the name of being stressed. Scroll down for all the details on cortisol, its relationship to exercise, and what you need to know about keeping yours in check.   What Is Cortisol? Cortisol may be nicknamed the “stress hormone,” but this steroid hormone does way more than that. In fact, “cortisol is […]
Oct 27

5 Quick tips: Choosing healthy protein foods

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1. Upgrade the protein on your plate. The Healthy Eating Plate encourages you to eat protein-rich foods like beans, nuts, tofu, fish, chicken, or eggs in place of less-healthy options like red and processed meats. For example, try a turkey or black bean burger instead of a traditional beef burger. Or slice up a fresh-roasted chicken breast or salmon for your sandwich instead of using processed high-sodium lunch meat.   2. Don’t stress too much about protein quantity. Most reasonable diets provide plenty of protein for healthy people. Eating a variety of healthy protein-rich foods—for example an egg with breakfast, some turkey or beans on your salad for lunch, and a piece of salmon or tofu with a whole grain side dish for dinner—will ensure that you get all the protein and protein building-blocks (amino acids) you need. Choose higher-protein foods instead of bulking up with pricey protein shakes or powders, since some of these are loaded with sugar or other additives.   3. Try a meatless Monday—or more. Diets high in plant-based proteins and fats can provide health benefits, so try mixing some vegetarian proteins into your meals. Going meatless can be good for your wallet as well as […]
Oct 26

A Pilates instructor shares a five-move abs workout designed to improve posture and lower-back strength

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Do this quick five-move Pilates abs workout instead of your usual core session   If you’ve ever done endless crunches in search of stronger six-pack muscles, you may have been missing a trick: Pilates abs workouts. This low-impact, accessible exercise is ideal for beginners, but still challenges your core muscles. Grab a yoga mat (and a small Pilates ball if you have one) and do this five-move routine from Louise Buttler, the founder of online Pilates platform Live Brave. “Pilates is centered around having a strong core,” says Buttler. “It’s a form of exercise that targets all the abs muscles—obliques, transversus abdominis and rectus abdominis—which improves posture, lower-back strength and helps reduce the risk of injury.” Do the following routine two to three times, depending on your fitness level.   How to do Louise Buttler’s Pilates abs workout 1. (Supported) Russian Twists Reps: 10 on each side Sit on your mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, in line with your sit bones. Keep your spine straight and lean backward so your back forms a 45° angle with the floor. Buttler says you’ll know you’ve found the right position if you feel your abs “quiver”. […]
Oct 25

Exercise can boost your memory and thinking skills

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Exercise benefits health in so many ways. It preserves muscle strength; keeps your heart strong; maintains a healthy body weight; and staves off chronic diseases such as diabetes. But exercise has brain benefits too. Many studies have suggested that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory are larger in volume in people who exercise than in people who don’t. One finding is that engaging in a program of regular exercise of moderate intensity over six months or a year is associated with an increase in the volume of selected brain regions. Exercise can also boost memory and thinking indirectly by improving mood and sleep, and by reducing stress and anxiety. Problems in these areas frequently cause or contribute to cognitive impairment.   Which exercise is the best for the brain? Is one exercise better than another in terms of brain health? We don’t know the answer to this question, because almost all of the research so far has looked at one form of exercise: walking. “But it’s likely that other forms of aerobic exercise that get your heart pumping might yield similar benefits,” explains Dr. Scott McGinnis, assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. A study […]
Oct 24

Heart health essentials: Age-specific tests and tips to keep your heart strong

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Starting with preventive care in your 20’s and continuing on schedule throughout checkups and heart-healthy habits will clearly reduce CVD risk later in life.   Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the world’s leading cause of death. Despite all the noise around creating campaigns to reduce early deaths from CVD globally, it has been an uphill battle, characterised by a major stride on the road to global non-communicable disease mortality through ischemic heart disease. In this article, we focussed on promoting heart health across the lifespan, with early preventive measures at the right time through testing and heart-healthy habits. Here are the essential tips to keep your heart healthy along with important tests for consideration at each stage of life:   Heart Health in the Age of 20s and 30s When we spoke to  Dr Harsh Mahajan, Founder & Chief Radiologist, of Mahajan Imaging and Labs, he said that there are so many years before heart disease may appear to be popping up; this is when you should lay down the foundation for lifetime cardiovascular health. Heart disease can creep up silently-hypertension, high cholesterol, and the countless bad lifestyle choices that will bring serious conditions into the picture sometime later.   Early […]
Oct 23

Calisthenics: five ways this bodyweight workout can benefit your fitness

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Calisthenics, a workout routine that has existed for centuries, has seen a major resurgence in recent years – partly due to its simplicity and effectiveness. Celebrities including Chris Hemsworth and Jamie Foxx swear by this style of training, which has been used since at least ancient Greek times. Rooted in movements that resemble gymnastics, typical calisthenics exercises include push-ups, squats and lunges. This training method harnesses gravity and your own bodyweight to build strength, flexibility and endurance. It’s incredibly versatile and can be performed almost anywhere, as you don’t need any equipment. It’s also extremely beneficial for health and fitness in more ways than you might realise. Here are just a few of the benefits these no-frills bodyweight workouts can have.   1. Boosts core strength Calisthenics strengthens the deep core muscles in your abdomen and back, which play a crucial role in supporting and stabilising the spine. By strengthening these deep core muscles, calisthenics improves coordination, which in essence makes your body more resilient and responsive – helping you avoid accidents and injury in your day-to-day tasks. A stronger core helps you maintain better posture and have control of your movements, lowering risk of muscle strains, pulls or missteps […]
Oct 22

How Indoor Cycling Benefits Your Physical and Mental Health

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Indoor cycling benefits basically every muscle — including your brain. Here’s how to start your own routine and reap the health and fitness rewards.   Like it or not, indoor cycling is a fitness trend that refuses to die down. It feels like pretty much everyone is guilty of flocking to a couple of classes per week or has even made the plunge and added something like a SoulCycle at-home bike to their home gym. And for good reason: Indoor cycling has crazy benefits for ladies and gents alike, from your muscles to your mental health. As any dedicated cyclist knows, there’s a lot more to the sport than flashy indoor bikes with on-demand, interactive workouts. Cycling is one of the best forms of cardio you can do, especially long-term. “Cycling is non-weight-bearing, so it reduces the risk of injuries due to wear and tear on your joints, particularly your knees,” says Robert Mazzeo, Ph.D., associate professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder. Knees are commonly the first joints in the body to show signs of aging, so it’s important to take care of them over your lifetime with healthy, gentle forms of cardio, such as cycling, […]
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