I realize I need to amp up my exercise routine, wandering down to the corner cafe or work doesn’t seem to do much for my health, at least nothing good. The trick is to find an activity that is enjoyable enough to do more than once or twice. Shopping can be a sweat inducing endeavour (I have seen those walking clubs at the mall) and you can seek out bargains at the same time! Although I must say when I have tried this it ended in a pity party because my budget was blown to bits and there was a lot of huffing and puffing while I sat at the food court scouring out the best deal. Once I collected myself I was soon chowing down on something deliciously full of fat, yum MSG but tasted oh so good! Walking outdoors puts me in a zen sort of mood once I have remembered to breath, I let go of worries and just enjoy the sensation of the breeze blowing through my hair, yes I walk that fast…maybe. It is what you make of it. Whether you spend thirty minutes catching up on gossip with a friend, feeding the squirrels or running away from angry geese at least you are out there getting some exercise and fresh air unless of course you live in a heavily polluted city and can’t breath without choking, in that case you might want to buy one of those masks (draw some vampire teeth on it to keep the muggers away) or just try not to breath too much.
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Walking may never become as trendy as CrossFit, as sexy as mud runs or as ego-boosting as Ironman races but for fitness experts who stress daily movement over workouts and an active lifestyle over weekends of warrior games, walking is a super star.
Women walk together up a hill as they participate in some morning exercise during a visit to Torrey Pines State Park in San Diego, California, November 14, 2012. REUTERS/Mike Blake
For author and scientist Katy Bowman, walking is a biological imperative like eating. In her book, “Move Your DNA: Restore Your Health Through Natural Movement,” she suggests there are movement nutrients, just like dietary nutrients, that the body needs.
“Walking is a superfood. It’s the defining movement of a human,” said Bowman, a biomechanist based in Ventura, California. “It’s a lot easier to get movement than it is to get exercise.”
Researchers say emerging evidence suggests that combined physical activity and inactivity may be more important for chronic disease risk than physical activity alone.
“Actively sedentary is a new category of people who are fit for one hour but sitting around the rest of the day,” Bowman said. “You can’t offset 10 hours of stillness with one hour of exercise.”
Last year researchers at the University of Texas School of Public Health asked 218 marathoners and half marathoners to report their training and sitting times. Median training time was 6.5 hours per week. Median total sitting time was eight to 10.75 hours per day, suggesting that recreational distance runners are simultaneously highly sedentary and highly active.
Leslie Sansone, creator of the “Walk at Home: Mix & Match Walk Blasters” DVD, said too many people believe that spending grueling hours at the gym is the only way to fitness.
“There’s this “Biggest Loser” idea out there that if you’re not throwing up and crying you’re not getting fit,” she said, referring to the popular television weight-loss show.
She added that a small study of non-obese men published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise by scientists at Indiana University suggests that three five-minute walks done throughout three hours of prolonged sitting reverses the harmful effects of prolonged sitting on arteries in the legs.
Three miles (5 kilometers) per hour is a good beginning, gradually working to 4 miles per hour, she said about walking.
Dr. Carol Ewing Garber, president of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), notes that fitness-walking guidelines of 10,000 steps per day may be too much for many.
“About 7,500 steps may be more accurate,” she said, adding that current ACSM recommendations call for at least 150 minutes of activity each week.
Garber, a professor of movement sciences at Columbia University in New York, said research suggests that even one bout of exercise causes beneficial physiological effects.
But she concedes that walking does not do everything. It is less beneficial for bones than running, and for strength, it is better to lift weights.
“Still,” she said, “If you’re going to pick one thing, research says it should be walking.”
We can’t even count the number of times we sat there wishing our iced coffee was spiked with booze. Averie Sunshine understands this craving. The blogger combines iced coffee with Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, half-and-half, and sugar, then tops it all off with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and chocolate syrup. (Photo: Averie Cooks)
Winter seems to drag on far too long but now that spring is finally here I have been pondering what newness should I embark on this year. I don’t do New Year Resolutions because I never stick to the boozy promises made to myself, I am more of a seasons kinda girl. That little voice inside my head is telling me time to try something different. I have always had a love of everything floral so I decided I want to surround myself with a plethora of aromatic plants. When I was a kid my sister and I used to watch I Dream of Jeannie. After the show my sister would walk around the house blinking her eyes often not paying attention to where she was going and bump into things. I would pretend to be Jeannie’s bitchy sister. It wasn’t the bitch part that drew me it was her love of perfume. Genie sized she would swim around in bottles of perfume, that was I wanted to do. I would make my mom buy me thrift store bottles and I would line them up on my dresser. I had all sizes and shapes, some still smelled of Chantilly, Avon’s Candid, Sweet Honesty, Love’s and my favorite was Charlie. I especially treasured a pink atomizer with a squeeze pump and fringes and would carefully pour leftover perfume into it. I would sit there alone in my room feeling the weight and texture of the glass bottles sniffing them until my sister barged in ruining the moment. I must say this took place in the 1970’s, there was no internet, didn’t have cable T.V., or any type of digital devices to amuse ourselves with, just old fashioned imagination and it was fun. I wonder what a school social worker would say about such behavior today?
I live in an apartment and do not have the luxury of puttering around in my own private garden. Looking around at my decor I do have several canvases depicting potted flowers of geraniums and tulips in window sills, vintage tea stained books lettering in Latin with dried rose and lavender floral arrangements tied with string all placed in visually pleasing spots around my home. It gives the space a warm cozy feel but just not the same as the real thing. Oh well, you gotta start somewhere right. Today I dream of heady gardenia, relaxing lavender and rose for sweet dreams, a dose of bee balm or lemon verbena for a little sunshine. The great thing about aromatherapy is how easy it is to personalize the scents. Mixing and matching to suit your preferences is effortless and the effects are immediate. One good sniff and poof, you have escaped your office or houseful of screamy demanding children and are stretched out lounging on a chaise in an English garden intoxicated and rejuvenated by mother nature! As long as there are no allergies aromatherapy can be used in many ways. One of my favorites is placing a dream pillow sachel of potpourri inside my pillow case tucked to the side. Mugwort is said to induce dreams, that may be so but I have yet to recall any close encounters with Russel Crowe or Bradly Cooper (what is it with facial hair? Great place to spritz some oil) so I will keep trying, perhaps if I toss in a sprinkle of rose petals said to encourage love and a picture but that might be going a little to far. One could easily line up a collection of pretty bottles on the bedroom dresser and admire them as you drift away.
The oils derived from flowers and plants can be used for various purposes such as massage for destressing, medicinal usage for anti-inflammatory issues to reduce muscle cramps and ease pain caused from arthiritis etc. but always educate yourself before using these oils as it can be harmful if used in concentrated form and some should not be applied directly on skin or digested. Now with that being said as for trying natural remedies to boost one’s mood, increase energy, relieve tension and aches or the simple pleasure of adding some pretty into your day everything should be fine as long as it is done mindfully. What fun to put together your own favorite scents and be the creator of your mood!
musingsofacoffeelush 