The Benefits of Stretching: Start Your Morning Off Right With Stretching

It seems the most natural thing for people to do when they first wake up (even before running to the coffee pot) is to reach up and get a nice, good stretch. And just as your coffee may help to set your day, so will these important few moments of stretching you give yourself. There are real benefits to these sleepy moments that may come as a surprise. As always, consult a physician before embarking on anything physical!

Promotes Relaxation and Stress ReliefIt’s so easy to jump right into our busy days, but when you take a few minutes before diving head-fist

45 best health tips ever

We've done the legwork for you and here they are: the 45 best health tips. Make that 46 - taking the time to read this tops the list.
1. Copy your kitty: Learn to do stretching exercises when you wake up. It boosts circulation and digestion, and eases back pain.
2. Don’t skip breakfast. Studies show that eating a proper breakfast is one of the most positive things you can do if you are trying to lose weight. Breakfast skippers tend to gain weight. A balanced breakfast includes fresh fruit or fruit juice, a

How to Get Amped up About Exercise After a Long Winter

I’m going to admit something right up front: I hate exercise. I really do. And whenever I come clean about this dirty little secret of mine, people immediately try to convince me that I’m wrong: “Oh, no,” they say, “you just haven’t found the right exercise yet!” I’m sorry, Well-Meaning-Person, but you’re incorrect. I’ve tried them all. I don’t like them.

We know it can wake us up in the morning, but what else does caffeine do to our body?

 

We love our morning coffee, but how much is too much?
Studies show that even up to three or four (8oz) cups of coffee, or about 300 mg, daily is safe. The problem is, on some days, our morning joe is just the beginning.

Add in beauty products that contain caffeine and a few bites of dark chocolate, and we might be blasting off into the red zone of caffeine overload. Staying awake and our routines may actually affect blood

20 Ways to Get Healthier for Free

Good for you, and your wallet

        By Jacquelyne Froeber

Dip into our smart batch of strategies to stay happy and healthy (at no cost!).

Borrow (don’t buy) your next fitness DVD
Join the local library—for the workout DVDs. Most libraries have a big selection, the perfect antidote to a boring (and pricey) gym routine. And because the key to sticking with exercise is to keep it interesting, you can switch it up (cheaply) as often as you want.

Free stop-smoking help
If you?re trying to stop smoking,

Get off the grid for an hour and get in tune with everything you’re missing out on.

While we admit technology is more than amazing, we also have come to realize that even more amazing is the life we may be forgetting to live.

We may tend to see our computer screen more than we see the faces of those we love. We text, we email, we update statuses and browse the web, but we forget to schedule time to turn it all off and just connect and decompress.
Here, then, is a challenge for all of us: Take at least one hour a day to turn off technology and simply enjoy the moment. We’ve even

If you’re a fan of the great outdoors, make nature and your surroundings your gym.

Working out in the gym can sometimes feel incredibly intimidating, what with all the machines and hard bodies surrounding you. So, when the weather is calling you to the outdoors, why not take your workout with you?

Here are just a few suggested exercises to get you started — after you consult your doctor to make sure you’re physically capable of activity, of course: