I love giving people things that will make their lives better, especially health-related items. You do have to exercise tact and make sure the gift is something they want, not just something you think they need.

Here’s what I have on my personal health and fitness wish list. Maybe you would like to compare it with yours—or may be it will provide some suggestions for hard-to-please people on your gift list.

Yoga mats, zafus

Gravity table

Pilates equipment

Massage oils, massage tables, and soothing music to listen to during massage

Meditation cushions, candles, music, and art

Essential oil sets

Flower remedy gift sets

Baskets of herbal teas

Tai chi, jazzercise or martial arts, meditation, yoga or dance classes

Vitamins and nutritional supplements

Books on alternative therapies, longevity, sports medicine, and nutrition

Skin care and body care products made with natural ingredients

Potted plants of culinary and/or medicinal herbs

I’m sure you can think of more.

Be creative, because these are the kinds of gifts that could save a life, or extend the enjoyment of life, for someone you love.

What’s on your health and fitness wish list? Almost everything I’ve listed can be ordered on line, often at great Savings—so you can please the people on your list—and buy yourself some great health and fitness items, too, and start the new year right.

It is a biological process affecting women’s hormonal systems which occur for women aged 40 to 60 years old. In this situation, women undergo hormonal, physical and mental upheavals. The visible symptoms do not manifest in all women though.

Hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings, changes in sex drive, backaches, these are among the most felt and seen symptoms of menopause. From 55 to 65% of women undergoing menopause experience these symptoms.

At menopause, the ovaries start to have lower production of the estrogen and progesterone hormones. The diminishing production is automatically sensed by the pituitary gland which makes it trigger more production. Read the rest of this entry »

Yoga is an ancient Indian form of exercise that helps improve health and fitness. It is also traditionally viewed as a set of spiritual or philosophical exercises that leads a person to greater self-awareness and internal peace.

In India and in many parts of Asia, yoga is used as a means to attain spiritual enlightenment.  The word yoga in original Sanskrit language means to control, to join, or to unite.

There are different types or schools of yoga such as Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action), Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion), and Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Knowledge), and Hatha Yoga.  Each school of yoga emphasizes a different aspect of the ancient art. Read the rest of this entry »

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When you ignore your health and eat unwisely, what you do is nothing but “a rape” you commit on the body that is gifted to you by God.  You should immediately undo the mistake you committed and lose your fat quickly.

To lose fat quickly, you should eat the right kind of foods. The results are achieved by a combination of the right foods and the right exercises, food regimen outweighing the exercises regimen in results.

Your intake of food should consist of proteins to the extent of 40%, good carbohydrates, another 40% and good fats, only 20%. Read the rest of this entry »

Burn The Fat, Feed The  Muscle is a best seller with significant proof that it works. It will probably appeal the most to the kind of women whose goal is to lose weight build lean muscle.

Time

It takes effort and a significant time investment.  It trades focus, dedication and hard work to get significant, permanent and natural fat loss (as opposed to some rapid fat loss programs where youre required to take drugs or supplements and where the weight is a lot more likely to come back). Read the rest of this entry »

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The training regimen of a boot camp is becoming increasingly popular these days. These camps have come into vogue after similar but much stringent programmes have been successfully employed by the armed forces of various countries, especially the US, to train their personnel.

A boot camp is usually a small group of people working out together. The first day generally begins by a fitness test of all participants. Thereafter, members are divided into teams and each team works on a particular exercise. Sophisticated equipment used at gyms is often absent from boot camps; this is a platform where volunteers try to increase their stamina and strength by taking up traditional exercises like sit-ups, push-ups and jogging.

Working out at boot camps not only saves the expenses of going to a gym but also gives people a greater chance to widen their social circle. Boot camps are often organised in parks and the fun of exercising in fresh air and open grounds with one’s friends is another advantage that draws a large number of people to join such fitness modules. The monotony of working out alone at one’s private gym is also largely absent from these camps. Read the rest of this entry »

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It is inevitable that you will gain weight during your pregnancy because you are eating for you and your baby. Not to mention you will gain as your baby develops and grows. The normal weight gain for pregnant women is 25 to 35 pounds. This is just an average range so don’t be afraid if you gain more or less than that.

The importance is to stay fit and healthy during the nine months you are carrying your baby or babies. You don’t want to do anything too strenuous or start a diet or follow a fad diet to keep weight gain down. Here are some ways to stay fit and healthy during your pregnancy.

Eating healthy meals is important because you are providing nourishment for your baby. Don’t cut back on calories because you are afraid of weight gain. Pregnant women should add 200 to 300 calories to their daily intake.

The quality of the foods you eat is just as important as the quantity. Eat organic foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals which will give you energy and nourishment. It is acceptable to give into cravings, but eat sweet treats or generally unhealthy foods in moderation.

To stay in shape and minimize too much weight gain you should exercise regularly. Find an exercise routine that you are comfortable with and one where you won’t overexert yourself. Read the rest of this entry »