Tip 6: Rest and Relax

Life is busy and it seems each year it just gets busier. Work, family, school, and other commitments just eat the day away and leave you with no time to sit back and relax. However, rest and relaxation is very important. In fact, getting enough rest is imperative to living a healthy lifestyle and when you do not relax and get enough sleep you are putting yourself at risk for illness as well as other side effects.

Side Effects of Not Getting Enough Rest

Believe it or not but the body needs enough rest each night to function properly. The amount of rest each individual needs every night differs, however the average adult needs approximately 7-8 hours of sleep each night to restore their body with the energy it needs to handle all of the demands of living each day. However, most individuals cut back on their sleep to pack more activities into their day. Unfortunately, this runs the body down allowing more viruses and diseases to attack the body because the immune system is not functioning as well as it should. Then, the individual gets sick and misses days or even weeks of all of those important activities. When you get enough rest your body runs as it should and your immune system is stronger and able to fight off infections more easily.

Also, when you don't get enough rest you have difficulty concentrating, thinking clearly, and even remembering things. You might not notice this at first or blame it on your busy schedule, but the more sleep you miss and rest you miss out on the more pronounced these symptoms will become.

In addition, a lack of rest and relaxation can really work a number on your mood. It is a scientific fact that when individuals miss out on good nightly rest their personality is affected and they are generally grumpier, less patient, and snap easier. As a result, missing out on rest to fit in all those activities might make you a bear to be around, which is not much fun at all.

So, the next time you think it is a good idea to stay up late to complete a task or hang out with friends, think again. Of course, one night is not going to hurt you, but night after night of not getting enough rest really will.

When many people are faced by a stressful situation at work, they respond with complete commitment, by working intensely hard at resolving it. To do this, they may work all hours, cancel vacations and cut back on sleep, all to make more time to tackle the problem.

If this is short-lived, then negative effects will be minimal and success will often be spectacular. However, if this level of hard work is sustained for a long time without relief, people increasingly risk ill-health and burnout. We rest and sleep because we need to.

Rest is what we do to let stress subside. Rest at the end of a day, and at the end of a week, helps us to calm down.

Doing fun things that we enjoy in our leisure time compensates us for the stress we experience at work, bringing some balance back into life. This is particularly important if we routinely experience unpleasant levels of stress.

A good way of getting rest and reducing long-term stress is to take up an enjoyable, non-rushed sport or hobby. Slow physical activities such as sailing or walking are good for this, as are others where there is little or no pressure for performance. Reading novels, watching television or socializing can also be very restful.

Vacations are particularly important, and you really do need to take these. Where possible, take two weeks off rather than just one week: A common observation that people make is that they really do not start to relax properly until the end of their first week of vacation.

Make sure that you take your vacations and that you use them to relax. Also, make sure that you get enough good quality rest during the week, so that you can keep on enjoying life to its fullest.

Tip: When we are stressed and anxious, we can often find it difficult to get to sleep as thoughts keep on whizzing through our heads, stopping us from relaxing enough to fall asleep. If you find this is the case: Make sure that you stop doing mentally demanding work several hours before coming to bed – give your brain time to calm down before you try to sleep. Try reading a calming, undemanding book for a few minutes, again to relax your body, tire your eyes and help you forget about the things that are worrying you. Write persistent thoughts and worries down in a notebook and then put them out of your mind. Review the notebook in the morning and take action if appropriate. Keep the same bedtime. Let your body and mind get used to a predictable routine. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol. Some people find that they sleep badly if they drink coffee or cola after 4pm. Others find that if they drink alcohol to excess, they wake up in the middle of the night and cannot get back to sleep.

Tip 5: Healthy Activities That You Can Do Every Day

At Home
It's convenient, comfortable and safe to work out at home. It allows your children to see you being active, which sets a good example for them. You can combine exercise with other activities, such as watching TV.  If you buy exercise equipment, it's a one-time expense and other family members can use it.  It's easy to have short bouts of activity several times a day. Try these tips:

• Do housework yourself instead of hiring someone else to do it.    
• Work in the garden or mow the grass. Using a riding mower doesn't count!  Rake leaves, prune, dig and pick up trash.    
• Go out for a short walk before breakfast, after dinner or both!  Start with 5-10 minutes and work up to 30 minutes.   
• Dehydration will hinder your aerobic performance, so no amount of working out is going to help if you are not drinking enough fluid. Water helps you burn calories and digest fat, and most importantly, it detoxifies you system.
• Walk or bike to the corner store instead of driving.    
• When walking, pick up the pace from leisurely to brisk. Choose a hilly route. When watching TV, sit up instead of lying on the sofa. Better yet, spend a few minutes pedaling on your stationary bicycle while watching TV. Throw away your video remote control. Instead of asking someone to bring you a drink, get up off the couch and get it yourself.    
• Stand up while talking on the telephone.    
• Walk the dog
•  Instead of spending one hour to the gym, do six 10-minute workout sessions throughout the day.

• Park farther away at the shopping mall and walk the extra distance.  Wear your walking shoes and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall.
• Stretch to reach items in high places and squat or bend to look at items at floor level.    
• Keep exercise equipment repaired and use it!
• Whatever you're doing do it faster. So if you're washing clothes, folding clothes, vacuuming the house or washing the car, speed it up just a notch.

At the Office
Most of us have sedentary jobs. Work takes up a significant part of the day. What can you do to increase your physical activity during the work day? Why not...

•  Avoid taking the elevator. Opt for the stairs. To burn over 200 calories at once, run up and down a flight of stairs as fast as you can. Do this every day in five-minute sessions.
• Brainstorm project ideas with a co-worker while taking a walk.    
• Stand while talking on the telephone.    
• Walk down the hall to speak with someone rather than using the telephone.    
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Or get off a few floors early and take the stairs the rest of the way.    
• Walk while waiting for the plane at the airport.    
• Stay at hotels with fitness centers or swimming pools and use them while on business trips.    
• Take along a jump rope in your suitcase when you travel.  Jump and do calisthenics in your hotel room.    
• Participate in or start a recreation league at your company.    
• Form a sports team to raise money for charity events.    
• Join a fitness center or Y near your job. Work out before or after work to avoid rush-hour traffic, or drop by for a noon workout.    
• Schedule exercise time on your business calendar and treat it as any other important appointment.
• Get off the bus a few blocks early and walk the rest of the way to work or home.    
• Walk around your building for a break during the work day or during lunch.

At Play
Play and recreation are important for good health. Look for opportunities such as these to be active and have fun at the same time:

• Plan family outings and vacations that include physical activity (hiking, backpacking, swimming, etc.)    
• See the sights in new cities by walking, jogging or bicycling.    
• Make a date with a friend to enjoy your favorite physical activities. Do them regularly.    
• Play your favorite music while exercising, something that motivates you.    
• Dance with someone or by yourself. Take dancing lessons. Hit the dance floor on fast numbers instead of slow ones.
• Join a recreational club that emphasizes physical activity.    
• At the beach, sit and watch the waves instead of lying flat. Better yet, get up and walk, run or fly a kite.    
• When golfing, walk instead of using a cart.    
• Play singles tennis or racquetball instead of doubles.    
• At a picnic, join in on badminton instead of croquet.    
• At the lake, rent a rowboat instead of a canoe.

Tip 4: Drink Tea!

15 Reasons to Drink Tea

     Tea contains antioxidants. Like the Rust-Oleum paint that keeps your outdoor furniture from rusting, tea's antioxidants protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.

     Tea has less caffeine than coffee. Coffee usually has two to three times the caffeine of tea (unless you're a fan of Morning Thunder, which combines caffeine with mate, an herb that acts like caffeine in our body). An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. If drinking coffee gives you the jitters, causes indigestion or headaches or interferes with sleep --switch to tea.

     Tea aids your body in digestion. Tea has been used for thousands of years as after-meal digestive aid.  It can also help relieve stomach cramps.

     Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Unwanted blood clots formed from cholesterol and blood platelets cause heart attack and stroke. Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, the same way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear. A 5.6-year study from the Netherlands found a 70 percent lower risk of fatal heart attack in people who drank at least two to three cups of black tea daily compared to non-tea drinkers.

     Tea may help prevent diabetes. There is some evidence to suggest that green tea might help to lower the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes.

     Tea protects your bones. It's not just the milk added to tea that builds strong bones. One study that compared tea drinkers with non-drinkers, found that people who drank tea for 10 or more years had the strongest bones, even after adjusting for age, body weight, exercise, smoking and other risk factors. The authors suggest that this may be the work of tea's many beneficial phytochemicals.

     Tea gives you a sweet smile. One look at the grimy grin of Austin Powers and you may not think drinking tea is good for your teeth, but think again. It's the sugar added to it that's likely to blame for England's bad dental record. Tea itself actually contains fluoride and tannins that may keep plaque at bay. So add unsweetened tea drinking to your daily dental routine of brushing and flossing for healthier teeth and gums.

     Tea can help lower blood pressure. Drinking green tea daily can reduce your risk of hypertension by up to 50%.

     Tea bolsters your immune defenses. Drinking tea may help your body's immune system fight off infection. When 21 volunteers drank either five cups of tea or coffee each day for four weeks, researchers saw higher immune system activity in the blood of the tea drinkers.

     Tea can help beat bacteria. An Egyptian study testing the effects of green tea on antibiotics found the tea to enhance the bacteria killing effects of the drugs.

     Tea protects against cancer. Thank the polyphenols, the antioxidants found in tea, once again for their cancer-fighting effects. While the overall research is inconclusive, there are enough studies that show the potential protective effects of drinking tea to make adding tea to your list of daily beverages.

     Tea helps keep you hydrated. Caffeinated beverages, including tea, used to be on the list of beverages that didn’t contribute to our daily fluid needs. Since caffeine is a diuretic and makes us pee more, the thought was that caffeinated beverages couldn't contribute to our overall fluid requirement. However, recent research has shown that the caffeine really doesn't matter -- tea and other caffeinated beverages definitely contribute to our fluid needs. The only time the caffeine becomes a problem as far as fluid is concerned is when you drink more than five or six cups of a caffeinated beverage at one time.

     Tea is calorie-free. Tea doesn't have any calories, unless you add sweetener or milk. Consuming even 250 fewer calories per day can result in losing one pound per week. If you're looking for a satisfying, calorie-free beverage, tea is a top choice.

     Tea increases your metabolism. Lots of people complain about a slow metabolic rate and their inability to lose weight. Green tea has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day. Over a year's time you could lose eight pounds just by drinking green tea. Of course, taking a 15-minute walk every day will also burn calories.

     Tea can lower stress hormone levels. Black tea can reduce the effects of stressful events by lowering the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in the body.

Tip 3: Protect Your Skin

Skin care comes down to practicing good habits. Here are five tips that can help guard against skin cancer, chapped skin, dryness, and more.

You need to protect your skin because of the vital role it has protecting your body. Skin care doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming, and can quickly become second nature, like brushing your teeth.
Limit Sun Exposure

You’ve heard the message a zillion times, and there’s good reason for that unrelenting repetition. Ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun cause many types of skin damage.

Take sun warnings seriously.

Avoid sun during the 10-2 PM hours--This is when the sun is strongest

Wear SPF 30 every day -- it's more important than ever.

Take SPF higher for days at the beach, the trail, the park, or the pool- SPF 70 or 80.

Know Your ABCD’s

Often the first sign of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, is a change in the size, shape, color or feel of an existing mole. Pay attention to your body and remember “ABCD.” 

Asymmetry, the shape of one half does not match the other. 

Border, the edges are often ragged, notched, blurred, or irregular in outline. 

Color is uneven. Shades of black, brown and tan may be present. 

Diameter, there is a change in size, usually an increase.
Stay Hydrated

Keeping your skin moist is essential to skin protection. Skin that is properly hydrated retains pliability and prevents chapped skin or scaly, flaky skin:

Drink lots of water. This is the key to hydrating your skin.

Use the right moisturizing cream or lotion for your skin type and apply it right after drying off from your bath or shower. Avoid products that contain sodium lauryl sulfate, as this ingredient removes natural oils needed by your skin.

Take warm (not hot) showers or baths, and limit them to between 5 and 10 minutes. It seems counterintuitive, but exposure to water actually dries out your skin. If dry skin persists, consider cutting back on the number of baths you take.

Take Health Precautions

Cold sores are caused by a viral infection of the skin bordering the lips, while bacteria can contribute to acne and other skin conditions. Practicing skin protection means paying close attention to what touches your skin, to lower your chances of exposure to germs:

Don't share any personal items, such as lip balms or toothbrushes.

Don't share drinks with other people.

Avoid touching your face with your fingers or with objects like telephone receivers that have been used by others.
 Use Gentle Skin Care

Washing your face is important to remove dirt, oils, germs, and dead cells. However, scrubbing your face causes irritation that can lead to chapped skin that, in turn, can leave skin vulnerable. For best results, you should:

Wash your face twice daily with warm water and a mild cleanser.

Gently massage your face with a washcloth, using a circular motion.

Rinse thoroughly after washing to remove all soap and debris.

Pat your skin dry — don’t rub — then apply your facial moisturizer.

Know Your Skin

Pay attention to odd freckles, moles, and growths on your skin, and consult your doctor if you notice any changes. For example, a change in a mole can indicate potential skin cancer. Be sure to treat any cuts that may occur to prevent infection. Other skin conditions that merit a dermatologist visit include frequent acne, inflamed or irritated dry skin, and skin rashes and irritations that don’t go away, as these could be signs of one of the many types of dermatitis, or skin inflammation.

Tip 2: Practice Good Dental Hygiene

Having good dental hygiene is very important as our mouth is the gateway to our body. We are what we eat. An unhealthy mouth means that all the infected debris and bacteria in and around the teeth enter our body while chewing food. This debris then causes diseases in the digestive, cardiovascular and reproductive systems of the body.

The oral cavity is comprised of the teeth, the gums, the oral mucosa and the tongue. We need to clean them all to have good oral health.

Dental disease is caused by bacteria that live in plaque, the filmy substance that fills the nooks and crannies of your mouth after meals. It cannot be emphasized more strongly—if you want to avoid tooth decay ("dental caries", or "cavities") and gum disease ("gingivitis" and "periodontitis"), you need to remove plaque from your teeth and gums. The most effective way to do this is to:

            Brush your teeth

Brushing your teeth after every meal if possible, or at a minimum, two times per day. Studies have shown that use of mechanical toothbrushes is superior to manual toothbrushing at removal of plaque. If you do use a manual brush, try and brush for at least two minutes whenever you brush.

Floss your teeth

Floss your teeth at least one time per day. It really is the only good way to remove plaque from between your teeth, where toothbrush bristles do not go.

Brush your tongue

Brushing your tongue can reduce the total bacteria population in your mouth.

Follow your dentist's recommendations

Use any other materials and methods your dentist may have recommended for your specific dental situation. For example, fixed bridges or braces might be hard to clean under, and thus prone to becoming decayed. Your dentist might recommend the use of an interdental brush, toothpicks, or oral irrigation devices to aid in the removal of plaque for your unique dental situation.

Remember: teeth are as important as the other organs of the body. Take care of them; they will shine happily as pearls in your mouth lending beauty and grace and working as dedicated chewing machines all your life.

Caution:

• Never use hard or medium toothbrushes, as they can injure the gums and the teeth.
• Use mouth washes with utmost caution. Keep them away from children.
• Never give toothpastes to little children; they will eat it and create a medical emergency.
• Enamel is the hardest substance in the body, but once broken or rotten, it cannot repair itself.

Quick Tips:

• Brush teeth twice a day and floss once a day at night before brushing.
• Contact your dentist in case of dental problems as early as possible.

Tip 1: The Importance of Eating Breakfast

People always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but is that really true?

“There’s some physiology to it — eating breakfast prevents you from bottoming out and getting too hungry,” explains Susan Kraus, MS, RD, registered dietitian at the Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. “Psychologically, you know you started the day off right. When eating breakfast becomes part of your regimen, you start having ownership of it, become more consistent, and feel that you’re making a change for the better. Nutritionally, when you have breakfast, there’s more of a guarantee that you’re getting the nutrients you need every day.”

Starting Off With Better Nutrition

Eating breakfast gives you a mental advantage. When you start off your day, your body needs fuel. “Glycogen stores start to deplete. If you haven’t had any food, by lunch you’ll start to feel fatigued,” says Kraus, adding that cognitive studies, particularly on children, tell us what happens if you don’t eat — you lose focus and concentration as well as the ability to think and problem-solve.

“Without eating breakfast, you’re more vulnerable to cravings and less likely to make healthy choices in the morning and throughout the day,” says Kraus. That’s a disaster — whether you’re on a diet or just eating for good health.

Focused Thinking

Recent research also suggests that there are advantages to both eating breakfast and choosing certain foods in particular. “Studies have shown that kids do better in school when they’ve eaten a high-fiber, low glycemic index breakfast like oatmeal, rather than a sugary cereal. The same approach should work for adults who go to work early and have to make quick decisions,” says Kraus. “It’s anecdotal, but at lectures, we always say the worst thing to serve attendees in the morning is the typical pastry — it’s only temporary filler. Couple that with a cup of coffee and you have a big surge of energy, but by midmorning your audience is sluggish or sleeping — everyone bottoms out.”

 For sustainable energy, partner high-fiber foods with proteins that promote alertness, like egg whites, turkey, chicken, fish, and lean meats.

“Breakfast can also be a smoothie, a slice of pizza, or waffles with fruit,” suggests Kraus. “It can be a homemade high-fiber muffin made with added egg whites and milk, nonfat dry milk powder, or whey powder instead of water to embellish the protein content.” Besides hot cereal made with milk, other ideas to try are smoked fish or hummus on whole-grain or rye bread or on half a whole grain bagel.

Weight Control

Eating breakfast reduces your hunger later in the day, making it easier to avoid overeating. When you skip breakfast, you may feel ravenous later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix, such as candy from the vending machine. In addition, prolonged fasting — which occurs when you skip breakfast — can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.

Eating breakfast gets you on track to make healthy choices all day. People who eat breakfast regularly tend to eat a healthier diet — one that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day too.

Unfortunately, more Americans are skipping breakfast. If you're one of them — whether you're trying to save time or cut calories — you may want to reconsider, especially if you're trying to control your weight.

Voobon Ventures focuses on 13 Healthy tips

Websites give you the information that you need to know on, "how" to be healthier  But is that enough?? Voobon Ventures active lifsestlye is going to go deeper into the healthy tips that are encouraged. Because not only do we need to know the tips but also how to incorporate them into our lives.  Not everything you read is for you, but Voobon Ventures Active Lifestyles is going to get you going in the right direction.  Here are the 13 healthy tips topics that are going to be covered:

• Snacking and Food Proportioning
• Get Social
• Exercise for Better Health
• Protect Your Skin
• Practice Good Dental Hygiene
• Increase Physical Activity, Picking a hobby or team activity
• Add Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Your Diet
• Drink Water and Eat Dairy
• Drink Tea
• Healthy activities you can do on a daily basis
• Plan
• Eat Breakfast Every Morning
• Resting and Relaxation

Prepare for the information, way to incorporate it into you life, and a healthier lifestyle!!!