Preparing Yourself to Live a Long Life

With the likelihood of living to a ripe old age a distinct probability for most people, it behooves us to prepare ourselves to live a longer life. Because of many changes from the past, it is entirely possible for most of the population of today to reach the age of ninety or even 100 years of age and beyond. Health and fitness, among other issues, will be of paramount importance.

Reasons why a longer life is more likely
• There have been many advances in the medical field to fight disease and dying.
• New discoveries are being made everyday in the technology areas.
• Many people are willing to put in the time and effort to improve their lives.
• People are taking better care of themselves and their health.
• Anti-aging products are having beneficial results for the older generation.

Areas in which to make preparations for living longer
• Interests. Keep your mind active and alive by educating yourself daily.
• Finances. Have enough money to enjoy life even if it means working longer.
• Family and friends. Pay attention to matters in the family to provide happiness.
• Environment. Make life more enjoyable by improving your living conditions.
• Health. Take better care of your physical health to enhance living.

Interests. It is never too late to start learning something new. People in their advanced years are returning to finish their education. Reading and studying can be achieved by anyone in any station of life.

Finances. If money is tight, there are so many ways that people can prepare to save more money for the future or to earn money if the senior citizen years have already arrived. Older people can still be productive in the workplace or can start a home based business in order to earn extra money.

Family and Friends. Although there are some few people who profess to have no family, most people are surrounded by people they love, whether family or friends. These are the people who matter most and with whom one can find the most enjoyment in life. Love is very important to everyone, and this is where it originates.
Environment. Whether a person is in a mansion or a tiny apartment, living conditions can be pleasant and happy. Cleanliness is important. A lack of clutter can provide a more peaceful and satisfying environment.

Health. The health issues are many and varied from exercise to taking health supplements of which there are many on the market today. There are many products for anti-aging which may make the later years more enjoyable and worthwhile. Finding ways to maintain or improve health is vital to one's physical and mental well being.

Prepare yourself today to live long and enjoy life.

Motivation for Fitness Beginners

Have you ever thought of yourself standing on a beach and then turning all heads around you?? Have you ever thought of wearing a tight fitting shirt and then feeling very pleased with yourself to wear it because it fits you perfect?? If not then this article is not for you, you may try reading the other sections. If yes then this is a must read for you. And I assure you, that spending your time reading this page is definitely worth your time. I am hoping that you guys would be pretty well pumped up after reading this.

What do you think is motivation?? It's basically a driving force which arises within you and which helps you tremendously to achieve your goals. Now this definition can differ from person to person. A lazy potato couch might define motivation in terms of junkies like crunchies, potato chips, soft drinks etc. On the other hand an industrious person might define it in a better manner saying that it is that force which keeps you going in your quest for success. But then there is only one winner and that is the industrious person. That's because success never comes easy, it always comes along with hard, hard and hard work!! There are a few things in everyone's life that a human being tags as their most prized possessions. I believe the most prized possession that we all have till date is nothing other than our very own human body! The human body is the mastermind behind all success stories of elegant personalities. This might sound a bit weird/different to some (whatever you choose to call it) but its fact! I have always believed that if you have to succeed in life then you should always start with taking care of his/her body.

Get up early, wake up fresh and look at yourself in the mirror. Then you have to ask yourself "Am I really somebody in this life?? Have I achieved enough greatness to inspire people?? Do I have that burning desire in me to make it big??"

Exercising was never so much in trend as much as now. Today it's a real pleasure to see teenagers going to gyms and pumping hard despite having very busy schedules. That's what I call true "DEDICATION". Because that outlines your attitude towards your own body. Such people "LEAD". They aspire to become true leaders in life.

Why bodybuilding??

I hear nerds telling me "Bodybuilding isn't rocket science". True. It isn't for the faint-hearted either. Like it is said in the bodybuilding circles "It's not a sport, it's a life style". And it truly is a life style. Bodybuilding is a full time job, you can't just finish off your workouts and call it a day. You are never really "DONE". You have to be focussed on your goals and keep awareness about your body. Hard work always has its results. Always. It may not be soon, it may not be next month either but it will happen. "PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE" - That's the key. Bodybuilding brings about discipline in your life which helps you organize yourself and behave in a certain manner. Not only do you get tough physically but you also get tough mentally.

Apart from this, regular exercising keep you fit and fine but it also boosts a lot of self confidence but it also inculcates a lot of self respect in yourself. If you do not have self-respect for yourself, if you do not have respect for your decisions in life, then it's almost a cinch that you will never make it to that landmark which you have always dreamt about all your life. Remember it's you and only you who can change your life and make it a better one. People around you can only guide you or at the most warn you about the adversities that you might face in your life. The rest lies in your own hands, in your very own hands... You might choose to end everything right here or you might choose to start and create a new history. The choice is always yours; it always has been that way. You might be lying in your bed warming your back while you know you are going to miss your workout if you do not get up instantly.

Even then you choose slumber over sweat. People often ask me, "What's going to happen if I miss my workout for one day?? One day is not going to kill me!! "But you know one day missed out of practice takes one day longer to get better!! So people don't procrastinate! Procrastination is one of our favourite passions which are quite definitely an ignominy!! Focusing on your fitness goals is very important and you should never ever lose focus, no matter what happens!!! Don't stop, doesn't stop... Go on! One more rep, one more rep and then another one and then another one till you can't do another! You are wholly responsible for taking care of yourself so do be a responsible man and take care of yourself. Just like Sir Abraham Lincoln said "If you try 99 times and fail 99 times, you ought to get up and try once again for the 100th time..That's what makes you a real man!!" Always remember that great things were never accomplished easily... All great deeds require a great deal of hard work and a lot of perseverance...

Am I too old to start training??

Age - This one word has become an excuse for too many now. When I advise elderly people to start building, I usually get the same dull answer "I guess I can't do this. I am too old to." But that's what he thinks. Nothing can be standing as an obstruction in your mind when it comes to chasing a goal. You have to look through them. You have to visualize the person you are trying to become. Only cowards try to hide their faces when it comes to applying themselves in some real life situation. So I guess you got to choose which category you belong to. You are never too old not to start off. You can start anytime, anywhere. You're "WILL" and not your "age" decides who you would become. So before its too late and your fears of staggering with a stick becomes a reality, pick yourself and get to the gym. After you see those results in the mirror, you will surely be thanking yourself for all those troubles you had to go through. People have made it through several kinds of difficulties in their lives. There are endless obstacles in my own life too. And I do admit that I get drifted away at times, but I soon dust myself up and get back to work on track. You should know where you belong, what you are chasing, who you want to be. Go on, and believe in your track of life. Belief is all you need to succeed.

Yoga And Sciatica Relief

Yoga is good for many things and two of these things are providing sciatica relief and the prevention of it. In this article I'm going to share with you what this ancient exercise can do for you with regards to increasing your core strength and improving your posture.

Lower back problems are a major health problem, especially in developed countries where sitting for most of the day is now the norm. Visits to the doctors and days laid out in bed could be decreased by strengthening the groups of muscles based around the abdomen, the back and the hips.

By sitting around all day, the muscles that support the spine can get very weak. This can lead to back pain as the nerves are no longer kept in place. It can also mean compression of the sciatica nerve by muscles that are out of place.

However, using yoga as the means to stretch and strengthen these muscles can prevent most back pain and give sciatica relief.

My cousin recently complained of terrible sciatic pain down the back of the leg. It was the ham strings cramping because the muscles around her spine were no longer strong enough to keep her spinal discs in place. She was in agony and was having to take a cramp preventative tablet every night before bed, and every day before driving.

When her disc felt a lot better, she was still getting trouble with her ham strings. They were too tight as she suffered from scoliosis. This is a condition where the design of the back means that the hips are held at an angle and this can cause further back pain and very tight tendons in the legs. The well-known Olympic athlete Usain Bolt suffers from this condition and has to be treated by physiotherapists to prevent his hamstrings from becoming damaged.

Going back to my cousin, she is now fit and well, because she decided to wait until the disc was back in place in her spine before she started to work on the strength of the muscles in her lower back.

So by practicing yoga for just 20 minutes every morning, she has managed to strengthen all of her core muscles so that her spine is once again supported.

She told me that she did the following exercises to help to strengthen her back and to give sciatica relief:

The cobra - lie on the stomach and lift your head and your chest up off the floor. Use your back muscles to lift you - not your arms or hands.

The locust - lift your head off the floor and lift your feet. Hold your arms down and outwards. Do not use your hands but use your back muscles to do this stretch.

The butterfly. Sit on the floor with your knees out and your feet together. This will open your hips and stretch your hip flexors.

So as my cousin says, just do twenty minutes of yoga a day to give sciatica relief. It makes a huge difference and she hasn't experienced any real back pain discomfort since and neither has she suffered from sciatica.

In fact, she feels and looks so good that I would like to suggest to her brother to start doing it too. Yoga gives sciatica relief - but it also gives piece of mind and wellness.

Pilates and Scoliosis

Pilates is good for many conditions and scoliosis is one of them. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine and can be very painful. If you're posture is slightly lopsided with uneven shoulders and back pain you could be suffering from the condition.

If you have scoliosis then know that you're not alone. Over 8 million people in the USA have the condition and millions in the UK too. It can be uncomfortable and in some cases it can be an emotional strain in addition to a physical one. Even at a young age, the sufferer's posture can be affected and other children and adults will notice. It's not an easy condition to live with, but it is possible to improve it by doing regular exercises to strengthen the muscles that support the spine.

Scoliosis can be caused by arthritic spinal degeneration or congenital conditions. It can affect otherwise healthy people, sufferers include Princess Eugenie and the athlete Usain Bolt. It can also affect people who have conditions such as cerebral palsy.

Pilates can help by building up the muscles that support the spine. When the musculoskeletal system is out of kilter, then it's important to build flexibility, strength and improve the posture.

How Pilates can help with Scoliosis

As scoliosis begins to have a negative effect on the muscles that support the spine, it cannot support your body as well as it once did. Although Pilates won't be able to correct the curve in your spine, it can do a lot to strengthen the muscles and you won't have to endure the same amount of pain.

It can also help you to have a better posture. This will also give you less pain. Regular practice will enable you to be more aware of your posture and of the alignment of your spine. You'll be able to better adjust your posture to rebalance the body.

Some Pilates Poses that can help with Scoliosis

Pilates poses will tone and stretch the muscles around the spine. By practising Pilates regularly you'll be able to prevent or slow down disc degenerations.

It's recommended that the poses and exercises that are given most focus by the scoliosis sufferer are those that will balance each side of the pelvis and trunk area.

Try these poses for the best effects:

- Straw - The spider - Stretch with pole - The Hundred - modified - The Roll Up - Back extension with the exercise ball

After doing these exercises regularly - for example at least 3 times per week, the muscles around the spine will strengthen and less pain will be felt by the Scoliosis sufferer. Over a period of time, the posture will also be improved.

Please note that those who have already undergone spinal fusion surgery shouldn't do these Pilates exercises until further research has gone into whether it does any damage or not.

Why You Should Get Your Kids Doing Pilates TODAY

We all know the benefits of practising Pilates as an adult, but what about your kids? Shouldn't they be getting some of that good stuff for themselves? Here's what you can expect as benefits for the youngster who does Pilates.

It Will Get Them Moving

Every child should spend at least one hour doing physical activity on a daily basis to stay healthy. This exercise should be aerobic for cardiovascular purposes, but strength training is recommended 3 times a week. By getting them started with Pilates you can get them fulfilling this requirement and they'll be increasing their strength and improving their posture to boot!

Moves such as the Hundred will provide an aerobic challenge and raise the heart rate. The slower movements will stretch out the muscles to make them stronger and more toned. Great for children who just love to eat!

If you don't fancy taking on the extra financial expense of signing them up to a class - don't worry you don't have to. You can purchase a DVD where a qualified instructor will explain and demonstrate the moves clearly.

It's Good For The Brain

Not only will the exercise improve circulation and the transportation of oxygen around the body, Pilates can lend a calming benefit. As it's a mindful type of discipline, it can teach your child how to focus, concentrate and control their emotions. This exercise will also increase the ability of the prefrontal cortex which enables the child to deal with complex tasks and planning.

It Will Give Them Flexibility

Children are naturally more flexible than adults, and that should be encouraged. The poses of Pilates can help the muscles of your child stay in good shape as they grow. It will also help to protect them against sports injuries - the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby Team are always at it as a protective measure! It will also help with any other activities that involve balance and strength such as gymnastics or dance classes.

Postural Improvements

We all know that many kids are just crazy about using computers, tablets and electronic games. All that sitting down is not good for the spine and we weren't designed to sit all day long. The child's posture can suffer from being hunched over electronic devices. By practising Pilates, the good habit of holding a neutral spine is introduced early and will go a long way to promote the good posture and habits that will prevent future back pain.

Teenagers can be notoriously difficult to communicate with as their hormones kick into action. By making Pilates part of the quality time that you spend together doing something useful, you can work on keeping that bond with your child. They'll be thankful that you took the time and effort to do it in later years.

If you're still wondering whether you should be getting your kids to do Pilates with you - then read up on it further, but it makes sense to build it into your daily routine and you'll be doing yourself a favour too!. It's an investment in your child - for now and the future.

Botox As a Preventative Measure

Botox is most popular with adults in their forties but younger and younger women are utilizing the injections as a preventative measure. It has become a part of their beauty ritual that they complete either two or three times a year. The injections last up to four months, so all patients, regardless of their ages, can keep up with the smoothing effects and the distinct lack of muscle overuse that contributes to premature wrinkles. Some women are deathly afraid of aging, because the aging process is a physical one that shows wrinkles, spots and sagging. These are the three areas that many women in their twenties and thirties have begun to focus on when it comes to amplifying the effectiveness of their beauty routine.

Many women invest in regular visits to their local dermatologist. They go to repair sudden skin irritations and quite often to create or tweak a regime that can help slow down and even reverse some of the signs of aging that have begun to creep onto their faces. Younger women starting in their early twenties are listening to the tips of more mature Botox users and seeing the results up close. They are learning that they don't have to wait until the age spots or dullness has become a problem; they can nip it in the bud right now by finding the best exfoliation method for their skin type and sensitivity. The same is true for wrinkles. With the news being that the longer you use Botox the more the lines are permanently relaxed, younger women are flocking to the dermatologist's chair because preventative beauty treatments are far more satisfying and rewarding than reactionary beauty treatments that take up to 12 weeks to work and aren't made for everyone. But when the botulinum toxin injections are effective, they meet the expectations of the client for a smoother, refreshed appearance relieved of minor sinking and noticeable wrinkles. Young women don't want to worry about their looks in the future so they are preserving them now.

Honestly, there are times when the patients need to acquire more patience with their daily schedules and incorporate healthy eating and sleep patterns along with their beauty regime. But oftentimes genetics combine with environmental elements to legitimately speed up the ways that aging will show up on their bodies. Botox has been proven to be a viable treatment for many women. A series of predetermined injection sites that have been shown to be effective for treating frown lines, crow's feet and laugh lines, whether the patient is twenty-three or fifty-three. For most women, when the jars of creams aren't doing enough, it's time to see what the needle of Botox can do.

Should You Do Yoga With Your Kids?

If you're wondering whether you should do yoga with your kids, then the answer is yes. Researchers have found that there are some excellent benefits for youngsters to enjoy when it comes to practising this ancient exercise discipline.

The mindfulness of practising yoga has been found to help children develop their academic, social and emotional abilities. Not only are these children able to better control and regulate their emotions, they can deal better with stress and comfort themselves. We all know that children learn better when they are calm and focused. They also generally have better social skills and this can only make them happier.

Benefits of yoga for children:

- Increased uptake of oxygen, better circulation and hormone functioning - Increased attention and control of emotions - Improved prefrontal cortex function - this area of the brain enables more complex planning and execution of these - Improved management of chronic illness - Increased strength of muscles and flexibility - Positive attitude

What can you do with your child to encourage them to do yoga with you?

Introduce them to some of the fun yoga poses such as the Cow or Cat stretch and the Cobra. They'll love to pretend that they are animals. Try the Tree - tell them they are rooted to the earth and they have to sway their 'branches' in the breeze.

You don't have to wait until your children are any particular age, you can get started early. In fact, the earlier the better so introduce them as infants. You'll be doing your part in creating a generation of a more focused and happier population for our planet.

What about yoga in the classroom?

For the older child, schools are becoming more interested in introducing yoga to the classroom. Education providers have recognised that yoga can improve listening skills and wake up sluggish minds. With all the technology that many children have at home to play on, children often exercise less and don't get the movement that they need to stay healthy. Yoga has been found as an excellent way to get them stretching and flexing their muscles for better circulation. It's also good for the posture as it stretches out the spine.

What about the child who suffers from ADHD?

By partaking in a discipline that provides a chance for personal reflexion and an opportunity to be in the moment, children who need to cope with ADHD have a lot to gain. Impulsivity can take a back seat for a few minutes whilst the child puts their mind on the now. It's also popular as it's an activity that everybody can do at once without there being any competition to be the winner. Everybody's a winner.

Are there benefits for teenagers?

The mindfulness of yoga can help to calm the teenager who has upcoming exams or tests. It's an anxiety reducer after all. Not only that, it can improve the memory and it enhances focus and concentration. Yoga is also ideal as a stretch method for those who are revising for exams and are usually hunched over a text book.

So back to your question, should you do yoga with your kids? I'm sure you can see that the benefits are very appealing for both you and your youngster.