Friday 24 May 2013

Yoga Exercises for Back Strengthening


Incorporate yoga exercises for back strengthening to your fitness routine. Select yoga poses that concentrate on your lower and upper back. Because most yoga postures concentrate on stretching and toning several area, such exercises will also engage and strengthen shoulders, arms, belly, legs, ankles and feet.

Downward-Facing Dog Pose

Downward facing dog is really a classic staple of most yoga classes. Your latissimus dorsi, the broadest and strongest back muscle, is fully engaged in this pose, according to the book “Yoga Anatomy” by Leslie Kaminoff. Rest to deal with and knees to perform this pose. Stack your hips consistent with your knees while lining up your wrists beneath your shoulders. Curl your toes under so that your heels lift. Ground down using your palms and press your hips up and from your hands. Work to straighten your legs; however, do not lock your knees completely. Make alterations in your posture so your body weight is evenly distributed between your feet and hands. Release your head and gaze toward your navel. Stay in the pose for Thirty seconds before gently returning to your starting position.

Hero Pose
Hero pose concentrates on your upper back strengthening exercise. It also elongates your thighs, knees and ankles, Kneel on your yoga mat. Keep the knees together and separate the feet wide enough to allow room for the hips. Sit back toward your heels. In case your buttocks don’t reach the ground, convey a block, bolster, blanket or pillow underneath so your buttocks evenly sit on the support. Bring the rear of your hands to the top of your thighs. Broaden using your collarbone and relax your shoulders. Lengthen your spine and hold this pose for 15 breaths. Be mindful when releasing from this pose since your knees are at an angle which makes them vulnerable to injury.

Garland Pose
Garland pose is really a squatting posture that tones your back and lengthens your inner thighs. Put your feet as wide as the mat and squat down. Based on your level, you may be in a position to bring your feet closer together. Bring both hands to heart center and press your elbows to your inner knees. Stretch your spine long and widen using your collarbone. Hold the pose for five breaths and release.

Tuesday 21 May 2013

Strength Training Workout Shoes


Strength-training puts extra stress on the feet. Workout shoes for strength-training are simply as important as a weight belt and fitness gloves. They provide extra support for that feet, increased flexibility and mobility. Professional weightlifters aren't allowed to compete unless they've the proper weightlifting shoes throughout the competition. Weightlifting shoes are durable.

Points to consider

Weightlifting shoes are made with extra padding to supply support during heavy lifting. Weightlifting during squats requires extra ankle flex therefore the strength-training shoe should not have lace-ups within the ankles. They should be cut underneath the ankles and use straps together with laces. Strength-training shoes will have a hard rubber sole having a raised heel to angle the foot, that allows the lifter to maintain an upright posture. Strength-training shoes that don't fit will affect your lifting.

Chuck Taylor

Chuck Taylor weightlifting footwear is inexpensive weightlifting shoes which are good for squatting lifts. Chuck Taylors don't have the raised heel and aren't recommended for strength training. They have a hard sole that's thin and flat, that is useful in squats because your feet are near to the floor. Get the low tops for lifting rather than the high tops.

Pendlay Do-Win

The Pendlay Do-Win weightlifting shoe is created in China. They have body of an athletic shoe and have mesh sides, that allows the shoe to breathe. The possess the raised heel to 0.75 inch, that is lower than a traditional Olympic weightlifting shoe. There is a wooden heel and are available in a number of colors. Do-Win's are used for power cleans, front squats, overhead squats, snatches and bar Olympic squats.

Risto Sports Series 2

Risto Sports Series 2 weightlifting shoes possess a raised heel that is proportional towards the size of the shoe. The Sports Series 2 is really a custom-made leather weightlifting shoe. An additional 30 days is required to process and ship the Sports Series 2.They're sturdy, durable weightlifting shoes that really work for front squats, power cleans, overhead squats, snatches and Olympic squats. The Sports Series 2 are similar to the Adidas and Nike weightlifting shoes.

Friday 17 May 2013

What yoga poses to avoid during pregnancy


If you have been practicing yoga and wish to continue during your pregnancy, good for you! Yoga can help you prepare for the birth and show you toward a smooth delivery.

Throughout your pregnancy, the body is getting ready for you to give birth for your baby. The body produces a hormone called relaxin. It softens the ligaments and bones to create room for the baby. Avoid going further into poses than you're accustomed because relaxin may permit you to overstretch. An overstretched ligament is a serious and often painful injury and cannot heal easily.

Some twisting is ok if you modify the twist so you don’t compress your internal organs or even the uterus. Michelle Quigley Pearson teaches prenatal yoga with Yoga Momma in Phinney Ridge. She shows that you avoid twists “unless the twist is incorporated in the thoracic upper spine or open twists.” Michelle also says, “Pranayama is wonderful while pregnant. Breath helps to nourish baby and calm central nervous system, and when mom's body/mind feels good, baby feels safe. So, anything moms can perform to reset their own nervous systems throughout the day, by breathing or carrying out a restorative posture, helps to set baby's central nervous system to a standard that is more calm and healthy pregnancy, instead of an unsustainable constant stress. Avoid holding the breath, especially on exhale, because this can deprive the baby, and also you, of vital oxygen, and possibly affect baby’s central nervous system in a negative way."

As the belly gets bigger, you’ll wish to avoid lying on your stomach in addition to deep backbends that will stretch your belly. Your abdomen has already been stretching as the baby grows, so it's unnecessary to further this along. You'll most likely feel uncomfortable to lie in your stomach. Listen to your body.

It's not a good idea to raise your body temperature during pregnancy. Some practitioners and instructors disagree but many suggest avoiding hot yoga throughout your pregnancy.

On your third trimester, your doctor may suggest that you simply avoid lying on your back. All yoga postures could be modified, so you don’t have to lose out on restorative postures like svasana (corpse pose). The advantages of this pose are too immense to prevent it. Svasana can be done lying in your corner (preferably your left side since it helps your blood circulation). Use bolsters or blankets to assist support your back, belly, and legs.

Thursday 16 May 2013

The Health Benefits of Drinking Aloe Vera Juice


Revered for centuries and centuries, the natural aloe-vera plant has been going strong for centuries and shows no manifestation of stopping. What was ancient medicine has changed into modern medicine. Of the natural plants and herbs open to us today, the natural aloe-vera plant is a champion within the running as the most grown, processed and used medicinal plants currently available.

This is with good reason. Natural aloe-vera was once the medicine of royalty. Commoners and villagers needed to suffer and do without. Drawings of natural aloe-vera medicine can be found in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics down to the Mayan era. Once native to only Africa, aloe vera quickly proliferated and it is now found in almost every corner of the world. Mexico is now home to a few of the hugest aloe farms in the world with a few growing operations sitting at 3,000 acres strong.

Aloe vera is good in all forms be it powder, creams, gels and shampoos. However, the most typical use and way of transporting aloe in to the system is through its juice. The health advantages of aloe vera juice aren't withstanding. Each year hundreds of thousands of gallons of natural aloe-vera juice are swallowed by wise consumers around the globe. Aloe farming is now an enormous industry and the sales of gallons and gallons of natural aloe-vera juice show no indications of stopping. This is due to the natural and inherent health advantages that aloe has to offer.
Natural aloe-vera Is High in Vitamins & Minerals:

Natural aloe-vera contains many vitamins together with a, C, E, folic acid, choline, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6. Natural aloe-vera is also one of the few plants which contains vitamin B12.

Some of the 20 minerals present in Aloe Vera include: calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, sodium, iron, potassium, copper, manganese.

Natural aloe-vera is High in Amino Acids & Fatty Acids

Proteins are the building blocks of protein. There are approximately 22 amino acids that are essential for the human body and it is said that 8 of those are essential. Estimates of the proteins found in aloe range from 18-20 proteins, with all 8 essential proteins.

Alove Vera also includes quite a remarkable range of fatty acids. Aloe contains three plant sterols, that are important fatty acids- HCL cholesterol (which lowers fats within the blood), campesterol, and B-sitosterol. All are useful when you are reducing symptoms of allergies and acid indigestion. Other essential fatty acids include linoleic, linolenic, myristic, caprylic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic.

Aloe Vera is definitely an Adaptogen


Aloe Vera is a well-known adaptogen. An adaptogen is one thing that boosts the body’s natural capability to adapt to external changes and resist illness. It's thought that aloe’s power as an adaptogen balances the body’s system, stimulating the defense and adaptive mechanisms from the body. This allows you an increased capability to cope with stress (physical, emotional and environmental stress like pollution)

Aloe Aids in Digestion

Poor digestion relates to many diseases. A properly functioning digestive system is one of the keys and foundations of health. Aloe may soothe and cleanse this enzymatic tract and help improve digestion. The interesting aspect of taking aloe internally is the fact that, because it is an adaptogen, it helps with either constipation or diarrhea, assisting to regulate your elimination cycles in any manner you need. It’s been a great fix for people with problems such as ibs as well as acid reflux. Aloe likewise helps to decrease the amount of unfriendly bacteria as well as in our gut keeping your healthy intestinal flora in balance. Aloe is another vermifuge, which means it helps to eliminate the body of intestinal worms.

Aloe Works well for Detoxification


Aloe Vera is a gelatinous fertilizer, just like seaweeds and chia. The main help to consuming gelatinous plant foods in what you eat is that these gels undertake the intestinal tract absorbing toxins on the way and get eliminated through the colon. This helps the proper elimination of waste out of your body and help the detoxification of the body.

Aloe Alkalizes the Body

Disease cannot manifest within an alkaline environment. Most people are living and subsisting on mostly acidic foods. For excellent health, remember the 80/20 rule - 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acidic. Natural aloe-vera is an alkaline forming food. It alkalizes your body, helping to balance overly acidic eating styles

Cardiovascular Health

There hasn’t been lots of studies conducted in this but there's been some research to show that Natural aloe-vera extract injected into the blood, greatly multiplies the oxygen transportation and diffusion capabilities from the red blood cells.

Based on a study published in the 2000 publication of the British Medical Journal, beta sitosterol helps you to lower cholesterol. By regulating blood pressure level, improving circulation and oxidation from the blood, lowering cholesterol, and making blood less sticky, Natural aloe-vera juice may be able to help lower the chance of heart disease.

Aloe Helps Raise the Immune System

I think given the stresses in our daily lives, every one can use a lift to their immune systems. The polysaccharides in natural aloe-vera juice stimulate macrophages, which are the white blood cells of the immune system that fight against viruses.

Aloe can also be an immune enhancer due to its high level of anti-oxidants, which help combat the unstable compounds referred to as free-radicals, contributing to the aging process. (Free radicals really are a bi-product of life itself, it's a naturally occurring process but we are able to overload ourselves with unnecessary free-radicals by living a poor lifestyle) Aloe is also an antipyretic meaning it used to reduce or prevent fever.