Health Benefits Of Swimming

Swimming is a very popular sport all around the world and can be a very good source of exercise. There are different ways of swimming: recreational and competitively.

Recreational swimming can provide you with a low-impact workout. Competitive swimming can provide the health benefits of vigorous workout as well as the thrill of competition.

Some health benefits of swimming are:

• It keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body. This can also be great for physical therapy exercises.
• It builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness.
• It helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs.
• It tones muscles and builds strength.
• It provides an all-over body workout.
• It can be relaxing and peaceful.
• It can improve flexibility and coordiation
• It is a good exercise to do on hot days.
• You can also swim with your dog!

Swimming is overall a great way to exercise. If you don’t know how to swim, you can look up areas around where you live that can give you the guidance and materials to learn how to swim.

 

How To Conquer Stress

Stress. Everyone experiences it in their life. Let’s start off by talking about what stress is: a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. There is actually a difference between positive or negative stress.

Stress isn’t always a bad thing, it’s your body’s response to changes that create a lot of demands. Positive stress is our perception of a situation that could be stressful such as a promotion in a job. We choose to believe it is an opportunity that will give us a good outcome.

Negative stress is our perception of something that causes us feelings of discomfort and/or anxiety such as losing a job. There is also acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is short term and can intensify then disappear quickly. Chronic stress is long term and can last for a very long time.

Here are some things you can do to help relieve stress:

1. Deep breathing or meditation
2. Music
3. Exercise
4. Practicing gratitude
5. Progressive muscle relaxation
6. Avoid unhealthy habits such as drinking or smoking
7. Talk it out

The more you do mindful practices to help reduce stress the better you will become dealing with stress.

The Healthiest Foods To Eat

Lots of food in America is either processed or is really unhealthy and people tend to go on really unhealthy diets to make themselves “healthier.” It’s important to remember that having a balanced, diet is the true secret to being healthy. Here are some foods that are great for a balanced diet.

1. Almonds – These nuts contains lots of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E. Some health benefits of almonds include lower blood sugar levels, reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels.
2. Brazil nut – These nuts are most commonly eaten raw and are high in protein, fiber, selenium, thiamine, copper and magnesium. They provide numerous benefits for our health.
3. Lentils – These contain nutrients like fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins. They are low in calories and contain virtually no fat.
4. Oatmeal – Oats contain both soluble and insoluble fiber meaning soluble fibers form a viscous gel that helps to lower cholesterol and stabilize blood glucose levels.
5. Broccoli – This has a great source of vitamins K and C. It also provides potassium and fiber. Vitamin C builds collagen which helps cuts and wounds heals. It also builds collagen which forms body tissue and bone.
6. Apples – These are rich in important antioxidants, flavanoids and dietary fiber. The antioxidants in apples may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
7. Kale – Kale is low in calories but high in fiber and has zero fat. It is good for aiding digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It is also filled with many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium.
8. Blueberries – These have a good source of vitamin K and also contain vitamin C, fiber, magnesium and other antioxidants.
9. Avocados – The avocado is the only fruit that provides a substantial amount of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. They are naturally nutrient-dense food and contains nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
10. Sweet potatoes – These are a good source of vitamin A. They are also a good source of vitamin C, magnesium, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6.

The 5 best workout apps

Working out doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. Not having a personal trainer can be an excuse for yourself to not exercise or you could be thinking that you don’t have the right materials to work out properly. There is a very easily solution to all of these problems and you don’t even have to leave your home. Your phone is able to do so much for us, including giving you the tools you need to help you work out.

1.) PEAR - Personal Fitness Coach

This app is eyes free, hands free audio coaching. The app provides users with guided workouts for a variety of fitness levels and intensities that adapt based on your performance. PEAR has a free option with a limited selection of workouts, but if you really want to get the most of the app you can pay $5.99 each month that gives you unlimited access to the workout library and extra features.

2.) My Fitness Pal

This app can track your food and workouts. You can also make personalized goals for yourself. It contains over 6 million food types in its data base so you will definitely be able to track what you’re eating. You can also add friends so you can keep track of your health together.

3.) Headspace

Working out doesn’t just have to be for your body, it can also be for your mind. This app is all about guided meditation. This app has reminders for you if you have trouble remembering and this apps helps with sleep, happiness and breathing.

4.) Pocket Yoga

If you want to learn yoga but don’t want to go to a class this is a perfect app for you.  There are 27 sessions that cater to your level of difficulty and you are instructed with detail on every pose.

5.) RunDouble

This app tracks your progress as you run and can give you extra motivational boosts. There are lots of different programs on the app that can help you achieve your goals, whether you’re a beginner or a marathon champ.

The Healthiest Things To Order At Starbucks

When ordering at Starbucks it can be hard to remember to not get a drink or food that isn’t healthy. There are a lot of pastries and sugary drinks that can be hard to avoid. A lot of people need their morning coffee in order to get their day started. It can be tempting to grab a Frappuccino but it is filled with unhealthy fats, sugar and calories.

If you still want to drink Starbucks but want to be healthier here are some things to remember before you even step in the door.

1. Take it easy on the calories – stick to the 60-100 calorie range when it comes to your drink.
2. Avoid sweeteners – syrups in your drinks can have a lot of chemicals. This tiggers cravings for sweets throughout the day.
3. Keep it simple – healthier options are coffee, tea, espresso, and cappuccinos.

Here is a list of healthier drink options that you can order at Starbucks.

1. Teavanna Shaken Iced Passion Tango Tea – this is one of my favorite drinks to order. If you get this drink unsweetened there won’t be any added syrups.
2. Iced Coffee – I am not a fan of iced coffee but if you’re like my friend, Sam, you need it every day. If you have it without any sweet stuff put in it is more healthier but if you don’t like it plain you can always add healthier options such as almond milk or Stevia.
3. Brewed Coffee – along with the theme of iced coffee there are actually many health benefits to drinking a cup of coffee. The potential health benefits associated with drinking coffee include protecting against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, liver cancer, and promoting a healthy heart.
4. Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher – the berries give the drink a sweet flavor so there is no need for any syrups and the green coffee extract gives a caffeinated boost.
5. Orange Mango Smoothie – or any smoothie from Starbucks is better than some of their other drinks because of the fruit.
6. The Violet Drink – this is another one of my favorite drinks. It’s a very berry hibiscus refresher with coconut milk.
7. Pumpkin Spice Latte- although this isn’t a healthy option originally you can make it one. You can change the milk to almond milk, ask for no whipped cream and say you only want one pump of the pre-sweetened pumpkin syrup.

There are certainly more healthy options at Starbucks but I’d thought I’d list some of my favorites and some popular favorites.