Tag Archives: feel-good hormones

If you are dragging through the days lately, you are not alone. Here’s the fix …

by Michelle Sutton-Kerchner Stress is a natural part of life. You can’t eliminate it. However, you can learn healthy ways to manage it … Stress usually has negative connotations. It is associated with excessive responsibilities, sick kids, overbooked schedules, and traffic jams. Used effectively though, stress can increase mental and physical functioning. Its release of fight-or-flight brain chemicals can energize us into action. It is impossible to banish all stressors from your life. Avoid the frustration of this futile attempt, and the additional stress it will cause. Instead, focus on better ways to deal with it. Start with these: Sleep Well Lack of quality sleep contributes to stress by exacerbating negative occurrences. Little hassles become disproportionately hard to manage. You are also inclined to make poor decisions and more mistakes when tired, which leads to more stress. Skip the Comfort Food Power up your brain and immune system with food for thought. No stress-attack needs to be fueled by sugar and caffeine. That only leads to a crash. Go for foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like tuna. Snack on nuts and seeds. Essential nutrients improve concentration and help maintain energy. Monitor the amount you eat. Too much food can …

Losing just a little weight has significant impact on your overall health ...

A return to brown-bagged meals and cafeteria lunches is a great time to examine your nutritional consciousness. How much sugar is in your diet? The answer affects everything from your heart to your waistline ...

by Michelle Sutton-Kerchner Is body weight an accurate fitness indicator? New research proves a good workout leads to improved health, despite those extra pounds … False Assumptions A person’s size is often associated with his/her fitness level. Yet, being thin does not make one a marathon runner. Being overweight does not signal a life filled with syndicated TV. You can’t judge a body by its cover. A large person could be thriving in health underneath. Thin does not mean physically fit. For those relentlessly sweating away on the Exercise Floor, taking the stairs, and declining the sweets, have hope. Efforts are not in vain. Regular exercisers should not be overly concerned with the bathroom scale. It does not determine a person’s health or fitness level. Focus on Fitness Although pounds may not be pouring off, working out can improve the fat to muscle ratio and affect where fat is distributed. Health experts warn of the dangers associated with belly fat, including diabetes and heart disease. Exercise helps eliminate problematic visceral fat, which packs around the organs in this area. Although you may not fit into skinny jeans, your deep abs may be firm. Body shape (middle roundness) is a more …