Love the oil companies

Love the oil companies. Just like your car needs high-quality oil, so too does your body. Not all oils were created equal, though it’s hotly contested which ones are better for you than others. Personally, I love a good olive oil – it’s 100% natural and is rich with Omega 9 fatty acids. Enova is another one that we’ve found to work quite well in our lifestyle at home. Choose your oil wisely, though – your weight loss goal should be more than simply cosmetic. It’s a good rule of thumb when it comes to food: the more natural something is, the better it is for you.

Habit of napping

Rest is as important as physical activity for general health. Identify periods during the day when you can be passive, without stimulation, doing nothing, and make time for them. Consider the following when planning rest into your schedule:

1. Try to get into the habit of napping: ten to twenty minutes in the afternoon, preferably lying down in a darkened room.
2. Spend some time outdoors as often as you can to get exposure to bright, natural light. If you are concerned about harmful effects of solar radiation, do it before ten in the morning or after three in the afternoon and use sunscreen.
3. Try to give yourself about an hour in dim light before you go to sleep at night. Lower the lighting in your house and bedroom. If other members of the household object, wear sunglasses.
4. Pay attention to sleep hygiene: all the details of lifestyle, including intake of caffeine and bedroom design, that affect the quality of sleep. When you are ready to go to sleep, try to keep your bedroom completely dark.
5. To minimize early waking, try to postpone the evening meal until after dusk and schedule some kind of stimulating activity in the early evening.
6. If your mind is too active when you get into bed, you will not be able to fall asleep - no matter how tired you are. Learn and practice one or more relaxation techniques that can help you disengage from thoughts.
7. Consider natural sleep aids. Valerian and melatonin are both effective remedies for insomnia.
8. Determine how much sleep is optimal for you. People vary in their need for sleep, from as little as four hours a night to as much as ten. Most require seven to eight hours, but ideal amounts can change over time. You can adjust your bedtime and see how you feel after sleeping for various amounts of time, or simply note how much you slept on days that feel right.
9. If you do wake early, try to use the time productively. Read or write for an hour, then try to go back to sleep until morning. Think of the yin-yang symbol, which symbolizes harmony with a small dot of white on a black background and vice versa. Seen in from this perspective, a period of nighttime wakefulness complements your daytime nap.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Tape this list to your fridge!

An important step in creating a healthy kitchen is to read and understand food labels. When you begin restocking your pantry, food labels are your best resource to assess what to keep and what to toss. This practice will also give you an overview of your choices in the supermarket, and is a good starting point to modify your shopping habits. Use the list below to determine which items to discard. Many of these ingredients are considered pro-inflammatory and therefore unfavorable to healthy aging. If the list of ingredients contains one or more of these undesirables, toss and don't buy again!

1. Animal fat, such as lard
2. Artificial sweeteners or non-nutritive sweeteners
3. Coconut oil
4. Corn oil
5. Cottonseed oil
6. Fractionated oil
7. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
8. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil or vegetable shortening
9. Margarine
10. Palm or palm kernel oil
11. Blended vegetable oils
12. Safflower oil
13. Soybean oil
14. Sunflower oil

Note: High-oleic versions of sunflower or safflower oils are acceptable, as they have fatty acid profiles closer to that of olive oil.mood depression

Fitness, Equipment & Health

In the summer, nothing smells better to me than coconut suntan lotion mixed with the smell of the ocean or pool (yeah I’m weird and like the smell of chlorine). Now that I know more about sunscreen, I’ve learned to read ingredients and pick the products that are most effective in preventing sun damage. Unfortunately those sensible products don’t smell like coconuts!

Philosophy Coconut Body Butter
Luckily Philosophy has read my mind and come out with Coconut Body Butter! I couldn’t believe my luck when I spotted it at Sephora last week. They also have a Coconut Body Scrub, Coconut Lip Shine, and a Coconut Body Gel/Shampoo/Bubble Bath. The Philosophy Coconut Collection is only available at Sephora stores (or the website).

For a cheaper alternative, I’m thinking about being naughty and buying the coconut tanning lotion at the drugstore, and mixing it with my regular moisturizer. Then if I go in the sun, I’ll put my sensible sunscreen over it to have the best of both worlds!

Thanks to Jeanie Kwak for writing this guest post about her obsession with skin care, and how she cares for her skin.

I’m going to debunk a myth for you about Asian skin. We are known to have some kind of ageless secret. We have thick hair, clear skin and we never look over 25. All of this appears to be done with ease. While it is true that I was the last to mature in High school and, at age 25 I looked 16, something happened at 30. I looked, well, 30. It’s like that movie Freaky Friday, when Lindsay Lohan wakes up and suddenly she is her mom. What to do? Go to a PTA meeting and make do?

I think not. I will need to do something about this switch-up.

I am now obsessed with skin-care. What works? What doesn’t? I begin to learn words like: Retinol, Glycolic Acid, Antioxidants, Microdermabrasion. Oh, and sunscreen. It seems like all this slackness is due to the sun. If I had known that, I would not have frolicked carelessly sans the sunscreen. NOW, I read about Mexoryl and Helioplex and physical blocks like they are a god-send. I’m excited about Mexoryl because I have read that Mexoryl is a heat and photo-stable chemical that readily prevents UVA and UVB damage. It has the broadest UVA and UVB range. It first appeared in Europe but is now slowly making its way to the US. Kiehl’s carries products with the ingredient Mexoryl. So does Lancome and La Roche Posay’s Anthelios line. I use Neutrogena now which has Helioplex but I am going to make the change to Kiehl’s.

And for my new skin-regimen (which used to consist of soap and Oil of Olay cream) - I am on a daily regimen of Eucerin Q10 Cream for day and night. I haven’t thought much of the effectiveness of CoEnzyme Q10, which is a powerful antioxidant, until I tried DHC’s powerful Q10 cream, and also saw a glowing review of this antioxidant by dermatologist Leslie Baumann. DHC is a Japanese skin-care line that carries a gentle, skin-friendly line. I’ve always been a bit so-so about their products but the Q10 cream really does wonders. I woke up with soothed baby-soft skin. Even my boyfriend noticed in the morning. It is a bit pricey so I decided to go with Eucerin for now. I allow myself one expensive product a month. That way my skin is not overwhelmed by too many products.

Every night I apply Neutrogena’s Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Night Cream. I know that only a certain percentage of Retinol is effective, but I started off with a lighter version because I am new to Retinol and I wanted to start off gently before I bring out the big guns. And I LOVE what I see. Even tone, softer lines. After 2 nights! I have now been on Retinol for a month. I heard it takes about 12 weeks to see complete results. Retinol changes the skin’s turnover rate. This new skin needs to be protected (sunscreen) and maintained (moisture, antioxidants). I plan to incorporate Skinceuticals products next month. These products have a graduated higher level of Retinol. There are also wonderful reviews for the legendary C-E Ferulic Serum, which I’ve read slowly and incrementally changes the texture and elasticity of skin. I’m sold. I am super excited to buy these 2 products. One word of caution: Since these 2 products are not in stable packaging, it is important to store them in a cool dark place. The fridge, I’ve read, is a good place to keep them. Oh, and I would buy them from somewhere reputable instead of Ebay. I am going to my local Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa where they carry the full Skinceuticals line.

This Week's Feature Health Spas manhattan gynecologists OBGYNs (Obstetrician-Gynecologists) in Manhattan, NY, See Reviews and Book Online Instantly. All appointment times are guaranteed by our dentists and doctors. If you find yourself stressed out a lot and you wish you could just get away, you shouldn't have to travel very far. A vacation doesn't need to include expensive plane tickets, hotel stays, rental cars and whatever else people have in mind when they think of a vacation. In fact, you can stay right in your local area and have a nice, relaxing vacation by visiting your local health spa. Check out our series of health spa articles to learn more about the benefits of spas and spa treatments.

Welcome to Fitness, Equipment and Health! Our mission is to provide you with the most accurate and up to date information available regarding working out, exercise, exercise equipment, health and wellness, relaxation, reacreation, and sports. Our expert staff of writers are dedicated to providing you with the most up to date information on the most important topics affecting your health where exercise and fitness are concerned. We are adding new articles weekly, so be sure to stop by often.

Our primary focus is to provide visitors with a wealth of imformation regarding fitness, recreation, sports, and relaxation as it pertains to living a healthy lifestyle. Though we don't have articles relating to alternative health issues, their is a wealth of information available on such topics as acupuncture therapy at the Health Care Center. We recommend checking out this resource for a wide range of health topics not covered here.

Last Week's Feature

Camping Gear Many individuals often spend time camping and hiking during summertime just to get away from the stresses of civilization. With the convenience of modern technology, many campers set out on nature trip with fully-furnished RVs and trailers, especially when the rest of the family tags along. More adventurous campers prefer to do it "the old fashion way" by braving nature with their feet and some camping and hiking gear. Check out our camping gear articles to learn more about the equipment you should take along on your next camping trip.