How much exercise do you really need?

Hello friends,

image via pinterest

I'm here with another blog post. This one discusses the the length of time anyone can devote to exercise. You only need 10-20 minutes.

One of the biggest obstacles to exercising is time. We often think that we need to give a whole hour to exercising, but research has shown that we really don't need that much. If you don't have 1 hour to exercising then that's okay. Short bouts of exercise, let's say, 10-20 minutes is all we really need.

Now if you're exercising to lose weight, then you probably need to devote more time to notice significant weight loss, but if you're like me and you're not looking to lose weight, then 10-20 minutes is all you need. Even 5 minutes of high intensity each day is also recommended.

The time literally just flies by during each exercise routine, because 10-20 minutes is more than enough to be/stay fit and be healthy. I usually go for walks or do some cardio or strength training. High-energy, up-beat music is my best friend during these workout sessions. The best part is that anyone can find 10 minutes out of their day to take a walk or do some exercise in the comfort of their own homes.

Just knowing that it only takes 10-20 minutes is enough motivation for me to exercise daily. I wanted to keep this article short and straight to the point, but if you need more information on this topic, you can click on this article, How much exercise do you really need? by WedMD.

 One more thing...
I'm also on Pinterest. Follow me here :o) And if you have a pinterest account, let me know. I'd love to follow you.

 I hope this post was helpful,


 

Infographic: Benefits of Kale

Hello friends,

Don't you just love infographics. they are an excellent way to present information in a manner that is organized and easy to read. I found this lovely infographic on Kale and I wanted to share with you. The benefits of Kale are endless! Kale is my favorite leafy green. It is excellent in smoothies and salads.

Kale has more iron than beef and more than calcium than milk. Now that I no longer drink cow's milk, kale has been my primary source of calcium.

Source

What do you think?

Detailed video on Organic Foods!

Hello friends,

BenjiManTV is a youtuber that I watch. He has an informational video all about Organic labeling and Organic Foods. I wanted to share this video....which acts like a compliment to my previous post on Organic foods vs. Non-organic foods.

Organic Foods vs. Non-organic Foods (which is better for you?)

In this post, I will discuss a recent article by the L.A. Times, which conducted a study to answer the research question: Is organic food better for you? Now I’m grateful for this study, because you learn something. I learned a lot in this study. I will discuss.

Now, I try my best to buy as organic as I can. For example, if I’m eating the skin of certain fruits and vegetables, I will tend to buy those organic. These include apples, strawberries, pears, celery, tomatoes etc.

 Why? Because foods grown organically tend to use little to no harmful chemicals, such as pesticides and growth hormones in or on them. 

Will I stop buying organic foods, because of this article? Heck No.

I will explain.

From what I’ve heard concerning this article especially on the news is that the study did not find strong evidence that organic foods are consistently more nutritious than conventional foods. 

The study then showed that organically grown food was also somewhat higher in total phenols, plant compounds that have antioxidant activity. These results varied a lot, however, possibly because of conditions under which plants were grown such as amounts of rainfall, soil type and ripeness at the time of harvesting. 

Plant phenols, compounds, and antioxidants are exactly why so many choose organic foods over conventionally grown foods. Research has shown over and over again, the benefits of antioxidants and phenols in foods. If the soil is healthy, containing what it needs to sustain life then the plants grown in this soil will include this as well. More on soil used to grow foods is discussed in the video below (courtesy of ihealthtube).

In my opinion, organic foods are better, because they contain less harmful chemicals. And this is very important. No one willingly wants to eat a whole bunch of chemicals, because of the foods that they put in their mouths. 

In fact, the study found a 30% lower rate of detectable contamination in organically grown produce. Two studies found that children who ate conventional produce had higher levels of pesticide residues in their urine, and the levels fell when the children switched to organic foods. 

I’m surprised that this isn’t discussed in news outlets. It is important to know this, because we need to know how these chemicals are affecting us, our children, ourselves. And what are those chemicals which were not discussed in the articles. This is important as well.

All in all, please do your best to consume as much veggies and fruits as possible for optimal health and wellness.

These are my thoughts on the article. Do you eat organic foods?

Here is a link to the article: http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-is-organic-food-better-20120831,0,4185111.story

Photo source

Cleansing the liver with these Foods

Hello lovely people,

Let food be thy medicine ~ Hippocrates

I had to take a a break from watching the Olympics to write this blog post. In this blog post, I will talk about the job of the liver and the importance of caring for the liver with 4 foods. Lastly, issues/problems that may arise when the liver is not working optimally.

Every nutrient goes through the liver. 

The liver helps with digestion, it makes proteins, and gets rid of all the junk (i.e. toxins) that enter the body via the digestive tract, the skin, and the respiratory system. 

When toxins enter the body, which can potentially destroy tissues or damaged cells, it is the job of the liver to help destroy these toxins from the blood stream.

The liver can become overworked and comprised. When the liver is not working optimally, disease and illness get that 'open window' to grow. As a result, the liver is often tied to many diseases and illnesses. Therefore, the health of the liver is of utmost importance.

A variety of foods and nutrients can ensure that you increase your natural antioxidants to help keep the liver working optimally.

Green tea: Contains antioxidants that break down the accumulation of fat in the liver and promote proper liver function.

Leafy Green Vegetables, such as arugula, dandelion greens, spinach, and mustard greens, cleanse the liver and help to neutralize heavy metals. Bitter greens cause the liver to secrete more bile, which is necessary for digestion.

Avocados: Protects the body against toxic overload.

Grapefruit, a great source of antioxidants and Vitamin C - two powerful liver cleansers and help the liver burn more fat.

Research on the liver has really made me acutely aware of the foods that I put into my body. I hope it does the same for you. You can find more information on Naturalnews.

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Smoothies + Fruit & Veggie Juice Inspiration

 We all need a bit of inspiration sometimes. I decided to browse pinterest for some smoothie and juice photos (+ recipes). I found these which are below. The recipes are not included (Sorry). I haven't juiced lately (smoothies have been my thing) and I wanted to try some new juice recipes. I wanted to feel inspired. I needed some inspiration. Maybe this can help you feel inspired as well. I hope you enjoy.

I have several juice and smoothie posts on my blog already, but sometimes its important to have something new and different.

All images are via pinterest.

Take care,

Getting in the mood for a workout session

image via pinterest

As much as I enjoy the benefits of exercising, sometimes I don't feel like it.

To get in the mood of working out, I will do either one of two things.

1. I will listen to 'up-beat' music. Music that requires getting up out of your seat to dance (usually soca/dancehall music). OR

2. I will watch several exercise videos on YouTube, like this one below.

BodyRock.Tv is no joke!

That usually does the trick for me.

How do you get in the mood to exercise?