Tips for Fitting Exercise into Your Busy Life

If only there were more hours in a day! Life is busy and often times exercise seems to take a back seat to everything else we have going on in our lives. With all the benefits of regular exercise we all should really make time to fit in some physical activity into our daily routine…. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Here are some tips for helping fit some physical activity into your schedule.

Bring a sandwich to work. Instead of spending your time and money buying food at work, pack a lunch and take it with you on a walk or run. This way you can get some exercise in and eat when you get tired. If you usually eat with coworkers, encourage them to pack a lunch and tag along.

Work out instead of vegging out. If you’re like me, there are one or two television programs you just can’t miss. Just because you’re watching TV doesn’t mean you have to sit on your couch. You can use this time to do stretches, sit ups, or even lift weights. If you’re really ambitious, you can try aerobics or jogging in place.

Cut back on coffee breaks. Tomorrow, use clock or stop watch and add up how much time you spend on coffee breaks. If you cut back on coffee, you could use the extra time to walk around the office or climb the steps of your building. Plus, the endorphins from exercise are considered more energizing than most stimulants.

Use exercise as a social event. If you spend a lot of time during your week chatting with one of your friends, encourage them to become your workout buddy. Instead of sitting at a diner or a coffee shop to chat, socialize by jogging or going to the gym.

Do some housework. No, your husband/wife did not pay me to put this in here. Cleaning the kitchen, mowing the lawn, tending to the garden, and even dusting are all great ways to get a work out. Housework lets you stretch, works your muscles, and gets your heart pumping; all essential for staying in shape.

The most important part of any exercise plan is sticking with it. Make a plan keep it. If you build up slowly, you’ll eventually have a great exercise plan that fits into your busy life.

St. John’s Wort

St. John's Wort is found growing in dry areas in many temperate climates throughout the world. It is a shrub-like weed that spreads rapidly. It was believed to have bloomed on the birthday of St. John the Baptist, June 24; hence the name St. John's Wort.

Known for its use as a mild antidepressant, St. John's Wort is also being studied for its possible affects on other mood disorders such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. People taking St. John's Wort show an improvement in mood and ability to carry out their daily lives. Used topically, it may have antiviral and antibacterial effects.

St. John's Wort seems to be able to relieve temporary depression, and also makes it useful in treating chronic fatigue syndrome and the mood swings associated with menopause and PMS.  It is also considered a mild sedative and when used in the treatment of insomnia. St. John's Wort does not actually increase sleeping time, but may increase the time spent in deep sleep by helping to produce melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone.

St. John’s Wort can be found in most health stores, drug stores, and pharmacies. The recommended dosage for St. John's Wort extract, when taken for mild to moderate depression, is 500-1,000 mg per day. Results may be varied from individual to individual. You should consult with a health care professional to determine how long to use this supplement.

Pregnant women should avoid this product, and those who are photosensitive may experience an allergic reaction when exposed to sunlight. Some people may experience stomach upset, restlessness, mild allergic reactions or fatigue when using this herb.  It should not be taken by those who have chronic or clinical depression, and should never be used with prescription anti-depressants or any medication that interacts with MAO inhibitors. A physician should be consulted before taking this herb in combination with any other medications.

How Sleep Can Help Weight Loss

Have you been struggling to lose weight? Have you tried diet, exercise, and even weight loss pills, but nothing seems to be doing the trick? The trouble may not be with the things you’re doing while you’re awake, but rather the simple fact that you are awake. Studies have shown that getting more sleep and better quality sleep can help you shed pounds without expensive fad diets. So if you really want to get rid of those excess pounds once and for all, why not spend less time counting calories and more time in bed?

The first reason that sleeping more causes you to lose less weight is probably the most obvious. The more hours you spend sleeping, the fewer hours you have to eat. We all have cravings for certain foods that aren’t good for us, and the longer we’re awake, the longer we have to fight those cravings. Plus, sleep deprivation reduces deductive reasoning skills, so we have less will power to resist.

Getting a good night’s rest makes you feel energized and awake the next day. If you sleep well the night before, you’re more likely to be able to get up and go work out. Sufficient sleep can give you the energy to work out harder and for longer periods of time, further fueling your weight loss efforts.

We used to believe that you we hungry when your stomach was empty and full when your stomach had no room left, but we know better than that now. We now know more about hormones and other chemicals in the body and how they affect hunger. One of these chemicals is cortisol. Excess cortisol not only causes us to feel hungry when we’ve had enough to eat; it can also affect the amount of fat we store. On top of this, cortisol decreases memory retention along with other stress inducing side effects. Getting sufficient sleep helps return the cortisol balance to normal.

Two other chemicals that have recently been shown to be affected by the amount of sleep your get are the hormones leptin, which makes you feel hungry, and ghrelin, which makes you feel full. Reduced amounts of sleep can reduce ghrelin levels and increase leptin levels, causing you to feel you need to eat more when you’ve actually had enough.

Another side effect of sleep deprivation is a change in the way the body metabolizes carbohydrates. Most individuals have problems fully digesting carbs without sufficient sleep. This means that instead of being burned for energy; these calories are being stored as fat. Plus, excess carbs in your system can cause a rise in blood sugar levels, along with insulin resistance; these are both symptoms of type II diabetes.

And if all these reasons aren’t good enough for you, lack of sleep also drops the level of human growth hormone in your system. While HGH helps children grow bigger, it affects the percentage of fat in proportion to muscle in adults. Decreased levels of this hormone send even more of the food you eat to be stored as fat reserves, further hindering your weight loss.

So if you’re really serious about losing weight, make it a goal to get a full night’s sleep every night. You’ll likely start seeing those pounds fly off in no time.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera has been used to heal both internally and externally. Derived from the Aloe Vera plant, it has long, spiked leaves, which are thick-skinned and contain a clear gel-like substance. It is used today in many products, including cosmetics, skin lotions and moisturizers, burn gels and even sun screen creams.

It speeds the healing of many skin injuries, including burns, hives and poison ivy; and also acts as a laxative. For minor burns, the stabilized aloe gel is applied topically to the affected area of the skin three to five times per day. Treatment of more serious burns should only be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional. In addition, apart from providing relief from itching, it helps to heal blisters and sores. For people suffering from Psoriasis, Aloe Vera has provided relief by reducing the pain and itching. It has been proved that the gel causes considerable improvement in the nature of lesions as well.

The laxative element of the plant works by preventing the absorption of water from the bowel. For constipation, a single 50-200 mg capsule of aloe latex can be taken each day for a maximum of ten days. This component of Aloe also kills some bacteria, and is believed to act against a variety of viruses including herpes, chickenpox, and flu. It is recommended not to combine Aloe with other medications that are used to flush water and potassium from the body.

For internal use of aloe gel, two tablespoons, three times per day, is used by some people for inflammatory bowel conditions, such as Crohn's disease and colitis. However, while commercial gels and juices, which are processed under strict controls, can be found at most health food stores as well as many supermarkets, it is always recommended that one consult a physician before self-treating a medical condition.

Echinacea

Echinacea is probably the best known as an effective herbal remedy used for colds, coughs and flu. Known primarily as an immune system stimulant, Echinacea is a coneflower which thrives in meadows or wet valleys in the Midwestern United States. Echinacea is most famous for its medicinal properties, but it is also commonly seen in gardens as it has incredibly beautiful purple blossoms.

Herbalists consider Echinacea one of the best blood purifiers as well as an effective antibiotic. Echinacea stimulates white blood cells, which attack the viruses and bacteria that lead to illness or infection. This also makes it very beneficial for people with AIDS since their immune systems are weakened. It is also every effective in treating respiratory ailments like colds and bronchitis.

Research indicates this herb is utilized in an IV as a supplemental treatment for some forms of cancer. Some European medical professionals also inject Echinacea to remedy infections of the urinary tract. Although this practice is not used in the United States, it is still being studied.

Echinacea can also be used externally to treat skin conditions such as burns, insect bites, ulcers, psoriasis, acne and eczema. Some people use it to shield their skin from sun damage. Its antibacterial components can effect the healing of wounds. It can also be used in the treatment of hemorrhoids.

To make a tea out of Echinacea, use one to two teaspoons of Echinacea in a cup of unheated water. Slowly heat the mixture until it is boiling, and let it simmer for ten to twelve minutes. The tea can be taken as much as three times a day.

Echinacea is sold in capsule and liquid form. Dosage recommendation is 2 tablets, three to five times a day. Do not take if allergic to any flower belonging to the daisy family.

Evening Primrose

Evening primrose is a plant that can grow to eight feet in height, and it has beautiful blossoms. The plant blooms all throughout the summer, but each blossom lasts only one day. It blooms as the set sets and then withers in the sunlight, which is why it is called “evening primrose.” The seeds are are crushed to manufacture the oil that is used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which are necessary for the body to function in certain areas, evening primrose aids in: insulin absorption, regulating the heart, and mood regulation. The body does not manufacture these fatty acids on its own, so they have to be taken as food or food supplements. The oil from evening primrose is also used to treat the symptoms associated with pre-menstrual syndrome, menopause, and the soreness of the breasts that often accompanies menstruation.

Evening primrose can be taken both internally and externally. It has been known to improve acne, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin problems. The oil is also used in many lotions and creams since it has emollient properties that hydrate and soften the skin. It is also important to note that when evening primrose oil is used to treat skin conditions, it may take several months to notice positive effects.
The oil from evening primrose is available in capsules and in liquid form. The usual dosage is about three grams per day for most conditions. Doses of this oil, when taken medicinally, should always include an antioxidant supplement to ensure the unsaturated fatty acids don’t oxidize.
Side effects are uncommon, but may include bloating and abdominal discomfort in a small percentage of people. To minimize any unpleasant side effects from the use of evening primrose oil capsules, it is best to take them with food.