Family Health Zone

Product Review: Neoprene Fitness Dumbbells

For all you exercisers out there, did you know that there is a new type of dumbbell available that is made with neoprene. Sounds odd I know, but actually, these hexagon shaped dumbbells are easy to handle and have a non-slip grip. How about we take a look at some benefits of owning these particular type of weights.

To begin with, they:

• maximize your workout with extra resistance
• are excellent for aerobic exercises
• definitely comfortable
• have a dense foam casing which provides a cushioned, non-slip grip, and
• adds strength to your walking or aerobic routine.

Priced from $3.50 to $12.00, depending on the weight, these brightly colored dumbbells bring new life to traditional black and grey metal weights. 

Each weight is dipped in high visibility neoprene, and the neoprene coating adds a great look and a great feel! Additionally, they are available from 1 lb. to 10 lbs. They are good quality dumbbells and great for weight training at home. The neoprene dumbbells are less damaging on flooring, and because of their unique shape, they don't roll away. They are also easier to grip and more gentle on your hands.

Now you might be asking, “Well how can I incorporate these dumbbells into my exercise routine?” Here are some tips:

• If you work all day sitting at a computer, you may want to take out these weights and just take a five minute break; raise and lower your arms at the elbow, using the 5 lb. weights.
• You can also hold a weight in each hand with arms outstretched, then slowly raise and lower your arms about ten repetitions. These exercises will tone your arms.
• Another common exercise is to bend at the waist and with the weight in one hand, lift parallel to your waist.

If you’ve ever seen Richard Simmons DVD, or still have his original VHS tapes; using weights and bands are part of his exercise program. There are so many advantages to using weights these days; it is a good idea to check the many different exercises you can perform.

Check online or at your local gym to determine specific exercises that are best for you and your specific needs, and the types of weight needed.

Dessert Recipes: Baked Brown Sugar Apples

This is the perfect light dessert, especially for those long, winter days. It's delicious as is, or served with a scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt.

Ingredients:

• 4 Granny Smith apples
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ cup raisins
• Cinnamon for sprinkling

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325F.

In a bowl, combine the raisins, pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Wash and core each apple and place in a baking dish.

Divide the brown sugar/raising mixture into four parts and fill each apple with the mixture.

Bake approximately 40 minutes or until the apples are tender.

How To Reduce Your Blood Pressure with Cucumber Juice

When it comes to using cucumbers, most of us just throw a few on our salad at lunch or dinner. And then there are some of us who have learned to use them to reduce puffiness around the eyes. But if you want the real benefit of cucumbers, then take them off your eyes and pop them into the juicer ... just not the same ones!

Cucumber juice can indeed help with your skin, but it’s actually more beneficial in reducing your high blood pressure. So, before you start taking some of those new blood pressure medications, or find that your current medication aren't controlling your blood pressure as well as they should, suggest to your physician that you want to try drinking a nice, tall glass of refreshing cucumber juice, a few days a week. Just remember, if you are under a doctor's care and treatment for high blood pressure, always talk to your doctor before making any changes in your diet. High blood pressure is nothing to fool around with!

There was a study done recently that showed foods high in potassium, magnesium and fiber can reduce blood pressure. In combination with a healthy diet these foods reduced the systolic blood pressure of the participants of the study, by 5 points and their diastolic blood pressure by 3.5 points.

So what’s this have to do with cucumber? Well, cucumbers are not only high in these three nutrients; they’re also a significant source of Vitamins A and K, folate, caffeic acid, and silica. They also contain a significant amount of Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that may also help to lower blood pressure.

Since cucumber juice isn’t exactly a high demand product, your best bet for drinking a quality juice, is to make your own. Making your own juice is great with any fruit or vegetable because you know what’s going into the juice and you know it’s fresh and full of live, active enzymes.

Cucumber is great for juicing because the water content is very high within the pulp. However, this means that most of the nutrients are actually contained within the skin. So try and buy un-waxed cucumber if possible because waxed cucumbers generally require pealing, removing valuable nutrient content. Buy your cucumbers from the refrigerated section of the grocery store and make sure to put them in your fridge as soon as you get home. They don’t stay fresh very long, so don’t wait longer than a day or two to juice them. Try to choose cucumbers that are firm, rounded, and that have a bright to dark green color. These are the best quality and will give you the best results.

If you want the benefits of cucumber juice, but just don’t think you will enjoy the taste, try mixing it with other juices. Carrot and Celery juices can both taste great when mixed with cucumber, plus they have great benefits of their own. If neither or those juices spark your fancy, use your imagination and start mixing. You probably don’t want to go too crazy, but if you can find a combination you like the taste of, you’re more likely to actually bother drinking the juice everyday.

A good tasting combination, if you enjoy the flavor of tomato juice is:

• 20 tbsp (300 ml) cucumber juice,
• 7 tbsp (100 ml) tomato juice and
• 1 tbsp chopped up parsley

In addition to lowering your blood pressure, cucumbers can improve your skin, help grow hair, nails,  and teeth, and even clean out your kidney. So, if you want to reduce your blood pressure while also promoting other factors of good health, why don’t you try throwing a few cucumbers in your juicer?

How Friendship Contributes to Good Health

We all know stress and anxiety are bad for us. If left unchecked, these emotional problems can have serious physical effects. We spend millions of dollars every year on yoga classes and videos, relaxation tapes, massages, spa visits, and herbal remedies, all in a bid to reduce our stress levels and live healthier lives. The truth is, there a great and easy remedy for stress relief that costs little no money: go talk to a friend.

For years, scientists have been aware of the fight or flight response. When we are confronted with a stressful situation, our bodies produce chemicals. These chemicals induce us to either stand up and fight the situation, or run away. This is how science has always viewed the situation, till now. The problem with this theory is that it was based on research experiments using solely male subjects.

Scientists believed that men and women responded the same way to stress; however, recent studies have shown that isn’t true. When women are confronted with stress, we produce oxytocin, the hormone associated with bonding. This response probably developed so a woman would protect her family instead of risking her life or abandoning them in a dangerous situation. Nowadays it means that when women are stressed, we seek out friendship.

The fact that we seek out friendships when we face stressful situations still doesn’t explain why these friendships help women relieve stress. There are several aspects of friendship that help us lower our stress level.

• Help in time of need. We feel more stressed in a situation if we view it as hopeless with no way of escape. Having a friend there who will do anything for you can make a situation seem less hopeless because we know they’ll always be there to bail us out.
• Support. We can feel less stress in our lives if we learn to look at situations positively and cope with them accordingly. Having a friend there for support and encouragement can help force us to look on the bright side. A friend can also help us strategize and come up with solutions about how to deal with the situation.
• Laughter. A good hard laugh has been shown to lighten our mood, release stress, and give us a more positive outlook on life. Being around friends can help us smile and laugh, no matter how high our stress level is.
• An ear to listen. Sometimes we need to simply vent our frustrations out loud in order to feel  better. We don’t need feedback; we just need someone with an open mind to listen while we rant. A good friend can provide this kind of support.

So if you want to live a long, healthy, happy life, get on the phone and call up a good friend. If you can’t call a friend, go out and make a new one. You’ll definitely be better off for it.

Acne – Myths and Common Misconceptions

Acne afflicts many people all over the world. There are also many rumors floating around about the  causes, treatments, and anything else related to acne.

Here are some myths and truths that can help clear up some of the rumors about acne:

• The more you clean your skin, the better your acne will get. Acne is caused by oil in your skin, not by the dirt on your face. While it’s important to cleanse your skin twice a day, cleaning more than that can overly dry your skin. Many people believe cleansing all the time will actually worsen the condition.
• Eating fatty foods will make your acne worse. Specific food groups, such as fast food and chocolate, should not trigger breakouts; however, some people have breakouts due to reactions from certain foods. If you notice that you break out after eating a certain food, avoid it in the future. Your overall diet also contributes to skin health.
• Stress causes breakouts. Research has shown that breakouts are not triggered by stressful situations. If you experience acne problems before a big or stressful event, watch what you do with your hands. Leaning on your hands on your face can cause a breakout, something you may do in times of stress.
• Acne will clear up on its own. Most people are under the false impression that acne only afflicts teenagers; however everyone from babies to women in their 40’s can experience acne. Instead of waiting for it to go away, you should get it treated.
• Covering pimples with make-up will make them worse. As long as you use the right make-up, it should not cause breakouts. Buy make-up specifically designed for people with acne. If it still triggers breakouts, try a different brand. Just like food, different ingredients in make up can cause a reaction and result in a breakout.
• Pimples go away when you pop them. Never ever pop a zit. Contrary to popular belief, popping zits can make them worse rather than better. Popping a zit can cause infection, increase the likelihood of scarring, and slow healing. If you must try to speed up healing, spread the base of the zit apart instead of squeezing it. This opens up the pore allowing it to heal.
• If one medicine doesn’t work, you have to live with acne. There’s a reason that there’s not one acne medication on the market. It’s because not one product works for everyone. If one doesn’t work, keep trying. Also, it sometimes takes a while for medications to work. Don’t worry if a treatment doesn’t work after a week.
• A tan helps clear up acne. While a tan may make acne less visible, it will do nothing to clear up a breakout. Regular tanning can make your skin look old much faster and promotes skin cancers. The permanent damage you cause is not worth slightly decreasing the appearance of pimples. 

Once you know the facts about acne, you can learn to prevent breakouts and find the right medicine to help you get beautifully clear skin.

Product Review: Exercise Bike: The Schwinn 212 Series

Product Review: If you are in the market for a good solid stationary bike, a high-tech Schwinn model may be the bike for you.

The Schwinn 212 priced at $399.00 offers the following features: 16 levels of resistance and a reliable belt drive transmission that ensures quiet operation. It also features a variety of workout options, including six profile courses with calorie goal, BMI measurement, recovery test results mode, quick start, and one manual program. The LCD screen provides the following feedback: time, interval time, RPM, watts, distance, pulse, speed, calories, and resistance. The weight of this bike is 93.5 pounds and can hold maximum weight capacity of 300 pounds.

The Schwinn 212 provides contact heart rate sensors. Its Bio-Fit wide comfort seat offers dual position lumbar support seat back and side bolsters, and the padded seat adjusts in the for/aft positions to accommodate a variety positions for multiple users. Other features include bottle holders positioned under the seat, remote/cell phone holder, and reading rack.

Referred to as a recumbent stationary bike (the term recumbent literally means lying down. Exercising in a recumbent or reclining position allows the user to have full ergonomic back support, without causing strain on the arms, neck and shoulder. For many people, having convenient access to quality exercise equipment is critical to sticking with a long-term exercise program.

This bike is heavy-duty and well-built, and just fine for real people. The seat is large and comfortable- you don't have to be a super-fit athlete to use this bike. It does require home assembly. It's super-quiet and rock-solid. Other bikes under $300 aren't in the same class; if you can afford the extra one or two hundred dollars you won't be disappointed. The action is smooth and the different levels of resistance are nicely graduated, and it's comfortable for long rides. Adjusting the seat for different riders is easy and takes just a few seconds.

If you are in the market for a sturdy exercise bike, offering you plenty levels of resistance, and more importantly, offering a comfortable seat - check out the high tech Schwinn models. Can be purchased at most sporting goods stores or retailers online.

Benefits of Strength Training for Children

When most people think of strength training, they imagine big buff body builders. Contrary to popular belief, when done properly, strength training can be safe and beneficial to your child.

• Helps with sports performance. Many preteens want to start a strength training program to improve their sports capabilities. When done properly, strength training can help your child become a better athlete. Just remember that it should be used to help with sport performance, not be a sport itself. Pre teens and teens bodies are not ready for extreme muscle building.
• Can prevent injuries. The stronger your child is, the less likely they are to hurt themselves when participating in other physical activities. You may think that they can hurt themselves through strength training, but injuries are usually minor when proper technique is used.
• Improves child’s stamina. This is helpful when it comes to sports, but can be a plus in all aspects of life. Improved stamina can help your child get through long, physically and mentally demanding days with less pain and stress.
• Improves overall physical health. Strength training can strengthen bones, lower cholesterol, improve heart and lung function and help your child maintain a healthy body composition.
• Teaches healthy exercise practices. With the percentage of obese children today, most parents should be concerned about teaching their child healthy exercise practices, and strength training is a way to do it. They’ll learn to be able to stick with a healthy exercise program and not overdo it. For this reason, you should also incorporate regular aerobic activity into your child’s schedule.
• Build’s self esteem. A lot of how your child feels about themselves come from the way they look. If they start looking and feeling better, they’ll feel better about themselves. They will also   build their self esteem by knowing that they can set goals and achieve them in a healthy manner.

While many people promote strength training for children, there are some safety concerns. If you’re going to let your child do strength training, make sure it is done properly.

• Don’t start too young. In order to master strength training, a child must be able to do the movements in proper form. Young children are still learning to control their motor functions and shouldn’t be distracted by building muscle.
• Visit your child’s pediatrician. You doctor can not only tell you if your child is physically capable of starting strength training, they can also help you choose an appropriate exercise program and safety measures.
• Start slow. Make sure your child has mastered the movements before allowing weights or other forms of resistance to be added. Many injuries in strength training are caused by incorrect form. In order to keep your child healthy, be sure they can perform the activity without resistance before letting them use weights.
• Remember to add weights slowly. This is meant to help your child, not get them stronger as fast as possible. A child should be able to do 15 reps of an exercise properly before moving on to more resistance.

If you follow these safety guidelines, you will start to see all the benefits to your child’s life in no time.

How To Reduce Stress Naturally

Is there too much stress in your life? Is everything piling up and weighing you down? Perhaps you’ve tried pharmaceutical and herbal remedies, but nothing seems to work. You should try a proven natural therapy that has been used for generations to relive stress and make you feel better.

So what is this miracle cure that makes us feel so great?

It’s laughter. Laughter is nature’s way of easing tension and helping us relax. So take some time to laugh every day and you’ll be feeling better in no time.

So how does laughter work exactly? Well, laughter works on several levels to make us feel better and less stressed. First, laughter works to relieve stress physically. When we laugh, stress hormones in our blood, like cortisol, are actually reduced. Laughter also gives us a mini workout, which improves out health and releases hormones that make us feel happier. Lastly, when we laugh, it helps boost our immune system. The stronger our immune system is, the better we feel and the more prepared we are to combat stress.

Laughter helps us emotionally release stress as well. Our bodies are designed to release excess emotions physically, through acts such as laughing and crying. When we laugh, it releases some of our negative emotions as well. It can also change the thoughts that promote our emotions. Laughter helps us think more positively, worry less, and be less stressed. Even if laughter doesn’t promote positive thinking, it can make us forget about our negative thoughts and feel better.

If you’re laughing with friends or loved ones, you are also promoting social bonding. When we are bonded with people, it promotes supportive relationships that can make us feel more supported and less burdened, so we feel less stressed out about our situation.

So what do you do if life just isn’t that funny? What if you just can’t find anything to laugh at?

You fake it. That’s right, fake laughing. Consider one study done on forced laughter. Participants were asked to watch a movie and either not laugh at anything or laugh at the jokes whether they thought they were funny or not. After the movie, participants filled out a survey on how much they liked the movie. Believe it or not the people who laughed rated the movie as significantly better and funnier. Laughing, forced or not, improves the way you view the world and helps to fight stress from your everyday life.

In addition to stress relief, laughing has also been show to help you eat less, boost your immune system, increase your pain threshold, and even help you heal faster. So don’t delay. Whether it means going to a funny movie or laughing for no good reason at all, start laughing your way to a less stressful life today.

Grab a Glass of Juice Instead of Vitamins or Supplements

If you go into a health food store, or even a normal grocery store, you’re likely to find at least one aisle full of various vitamins and supplements. While these products may be helpful, they’re expensive, they can be a hassle, and they’re just not always the best way to get all the nutrients you need.

So, besides the hassle of taking a lot of pills every day, what’s so bad about supplements? While there’s nothing wrong with supplements, except that, they were designed to supplement a good diet, not replace it.

The best delivery system for vitamins and nutrients is the natural one. Supplements may not be digested or absorbed all the way, which means you don’t get all the benefits you’re supposed to. The only reason you should be taking supplements is if you can’t get the nutrients through your food, but unless you have some sort of medical disorder, or take certain prescribed medications, you can. You can get most of what you need from fruit and vegetable juices.

The important part of getting appropriate amounts of nutrients from juice is that you choose the right variety of juices. Different juices contain different vitamins in varying concentrations. Here’s a list of the vitamins and minerals contained in popular fruit juices.

• Orange: Vitamin C, Most B vitamins, potassium, foliate, and thiamine.
• Grape: Potassium, manganese, is rich in antioxidants.
• Pink Grapefruit: Vitamins C and A.

If you really want to stay healthy without supplements, you’re going to have to break down and start drinking vegetable juices. You may have avoided them in the past because you don’t like the taste, but these juices are great for you and don’t have the high sugar content that fruit juices do. If you just can’t take the taste of vegetable juices, try masking the flavor by adding some fruit. There are also a couple of companies out there that market bottled vegetable juices that are actually quite good.

Here are some of the power veggies that contain the most vitamins and minerals

• Spinach: Thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), foliate, vitamin C, Vitamin K, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc
• Beets: Calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, choline, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Be sure to mix this one with another juice.
• Broccoli: Thiamine, vitamin C, beta carotene, calcium, sulfur, and potassium. It’s also high in fiber and protein.

If you want the most potential from your juices, you have to make sure they’re 100% percent juice without preservatives and additives. You can do this by checking labels, or by simply making your own juice. If you make your own juice, throw whole fruits and veggies in the juicer. The juicer will take out the solids and you’ll get a juice with greater nutritional value.

You may also want to invest in a good quality juicer. It can be a great investment and you may not need to bother with supplements or vitamins again.

Dessert Recipes: Homemade Fruit Sorbet

You can make this sorbet with any of your favorite fruits. Sliced strawberries, peaches, kiwi, bananas and mangos work well but really you can use just about any fruit of your choice.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh fruit
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 pinch  salt
• sugar to taste

Instructions:

Spread sliced fruit in one layer on a baking sheet.

Freeze, uncovered, until frozen solid. Once the fruit is frozen, let thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Place in a blender with the orange juice and process until smooth. Add a small pinch of salt and a little sugar to taste.