Health & Fitness Rejuvenation Ideas for Women

By Rae Saeed, Staff Writer

Speaking from experience, it’s quite a struggle staying healthy. Think about people who want to become fairly fit and maintain a proper diet. Now think about the fact that these people hate diet and exercise and simply want the easy way out. Though it may not be as easy as taking weight loss pills, there are fairly quick and healthy ways to get the body you want.

There are a lot of diets and fitness regiments women try all the time that should actually be avoided at all costs.

According to four time world champion boxer, personal trainer and yoga instructor, Sumya Anani, that is too true. She’s noticed that some women went into boxing to lose weight. Anani insists that a lot of these ladies should start out with boxing before getting into kickboxing.

“If ladies want to lose weight, do not jump into kickboxing classes, start with boxing. Too many women that need to lose weight have injured their knees and lower backs kicking bags. Develop a foundation with boxing first, and believe me, that will get the weight off,” said Anani.

Anani’s home fitness regiments include:

• Get several pairs of dumbbells ( five lbs, eight lbs and 10 lbs) for starters
• Do four sets for every body part
• Mix it up ( do lunges one day and squats the next day)
• Grab yoga dvd’s from the library to alternate on those other days

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Melt the Winter Chill Away with Soup

by April Lentini

January is National Soup Month, and now is the best time to get your slow cooker out to try some new soup recipes. Gather around your dining room table for some comfort food, and melt the winter chill away with the steamy aroma of wholesome, flavorful soup.

Photo by Jugglerpm/Flickr

Who Started National Soup Month?

Nobody really knows who started Soup Month or when it began. Some believe it was started by a popular soup company, but no commercial endorsements of this national holiday can be found. While January is publicized as National Soup Month, there are no congressional records or official proclamations for this. Regardless, National Soup Month is widely celebrated as a time to embrace and explore a wide variety of soups.

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Dangers of Coloring Hair While Pregnant

By Jeffrey Greaves

Millions of moms color their hair but deciding whether to color or highlight ones hair while pregnant has many women wondering. Expectant moms want to know if it is really is safe to use chemicals and dyes. What are the risks and dangers involved with traditional processing? Are there any alternatives? Experts agree that certain chemicals in hair coloring products commonly found on drug store shelves may harm one’s health as well as put the fetus at risk.

If you want to make the most informed decision about coloring hair when pregnant, understanding the straight facts about chemical processing, and taking a close look at natural alternatives to chemical hair dyes, can help.

Here’s what you need to know:

What the Experts Say about Chemical Processing

The traditional color process involves the use of harsh chemicals, and some experts believe that oxidative hair dyes can be hazardous. The American Cancer Society, the Harvard School of Public Health and the American Journal of Epidemiology have all conducted studies that suggest a link between chemical hair dye and certain types of cancer.
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Chronic Illness Survivor Reveals Ways To Beat Holiday Stress

Research supports the idea that having a positive outlook can extend one’s life while stress on the other hand, is linked to six leading causes of death, according to a report issued by the American Psychological Association(APA): heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.

Individuals afflicted with chronic illness, and their caregivers are particularly vulnerable to stress especially during the demanding holiday season. The ailing economy and its impact has also become a contributing factor. According to an APA survey, 73% of Americans name money as the number one factor that affects their stress level.

Chris Tatevosian, author of Life Interrupted-It’s Not All About Me,a self-help memoir about living and coping with multiple sclerosis believes it’s vital to organize, orchestrate an delegate during the holidays. “In light of the forthcoming holiday season, the medical world affirms that living with MS or any chronic illness or disability can impact energy levels, and the ability to function is limited. More importantly the amount of energy and quality of functionality changes drastically from moment to moment, especially when we are stressed. Because it is impossible to know how we will be able to function on any given day, planning for holiday events is almost an impossibility. The holidays, sadly but true are extremely stressful for everyone, whether you are healthy, ailing or functioning as the caregiver. Conserving your already compromised supply of energy becomes vital, because exceeding one’s allotted energy does not mean our bodies just slow down. On the contrary, it completely shuts down, and when that happens ,the last place one wants to be is in the presence of a crowd of holiday revelers,” he said.
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Teaming Up Against Cancer

by Rebecca Jaskot

October is over and the pink has disappeared from our grocery items. Though, that does not mean the time to spread awareness and fight cancer is over. Cancer patients fight every day and so do many people who want to help. Thousands of Americans have found a way to actively fight cancer by running in marathons to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Sue Zazo, 49, is not a super-athlete, but she has completed nine marathons through LLS. She is a participant in Team in Training. TNT is a fundraising effort and sports training program started by LLS that takes everyday people, and trains them to become life-saving heroes.

On a cold morning this October, Zazo ran in the Detroit marathon in honor of her father, who died of leukemia. She raised $1,500 for the race so another daughter won’t have to lose her father like she did. “We’re changing lives one mile at a time,” said Zazo

Senior Campaign Director for the Michigan Chapter of TNT, Tami Duquette, said participants are surprised at what they can accomplish. “You help them cross the finish line, and they feel like they can do anything. And they really can,” she said. Today, TNT is the world’s largest sports training program with 62 chapters in the U.S. and Canada. Participants can run, walk, cycle, tri or hike for a cure.
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Does discipline really change the behavior of children?

By Mark Lakewood, CEO

Do you sometimes get frustrated disciplining your child because the discipline appears to be ineffective? Do you sometimes change your discipline in search of the most effective one to use on your child? Have you come to the conclusion that no discipline is effective on your child? If you are experiencing any of these thoughts or feelings today, I would like for you to consider the following:

Have you ever wondered why so many people commit murder when they know the consequence is the death penalty or a lifetime in prison?

Never rely or count on discipline to affect the behavior of your child. Discipline was never intended to have an effect on your child. The only thing that discipline provides is a consequence to misbehavior, something that should occur automatically after your child misbehaves. Whether or not the discipline has any positive impact on your child relies specifically on your child and what he/she thinks as a result of the discipline.
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Bullying Prevention Skills and Techniques for Children

Child bullying is a big problem in our schools today. The main difference between child bullying today from the past is the nature of the bullying and the violence that occurs in the aftermath. Cyberbullying is becoming a popular and more destructive form of bullying than traditional bullying. More children today are bringing guns to school to seek revenge on others. Child bullying has been around and will probably remain for years to come. Unfortunately, we do not have the power to rid the world of bullying. The answer to the issue of child bullying rests within us, especially the victims of bullying. Victims of bullying are never responsible for being bullied. On the contrary, victims of child bullying have the power in themselves to think, behave, and react in ways that limits or eradicates bullying. As a society, we spend much of our energy identifying and punishing the bully that we fail to spend adequate time empowering the victims of child bullying. We should spend more of our energy on the things that we can control rather than the things that we have limited or no control over. We need to teach children about the power that they already possess. Let me elaborate on a few issues that parents should teach their children regarding bullying prevention.
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Colored Eye Contacts - Beyond Colors of the Rainbow

by Peter Tolan

Colors have a very important part in a human being’s life. Although at night colors disappear and every shade subsides into silence, turning each form and shape into grey or black, during the day colors give life to objects and creatures, they rule the outside world as well as our imagination. They surround us making the world a blast of colors.

Colors always have an impact on a person’s state of mind, even when that person isn’t conscious of it. Dark colors can make us feel depressed while light, loud colors put a smile on our faces. Cold colors cast a chill over a company in contrast with warm colors which suggest torpidity.
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