6 Benefits of the Miracle Drug Called Exercise

Exercise improves blood flow to the brain and feeds the growth of new blood vessels and brain cells. A recent study shows that a protein secreted by muscles during exercise, called cathepsin B (CTSB), is directly linked to memory and cognition. Understanding how this protein affects the brain helps doctors come closer to addressing the risk of dementia and other degenerative brain conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

It Lifts Your Mood

Exercise relieves stress, improves sleep, and lifts your spirit. It lowers the likelihood of anxiety and depression and can be used in treatment.

It’s the World’s Best Skin Treatment

Your skin will glow because the increased blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients that improve skin health.

It Keeps You Young (Literally!)

Not only do flexibility and balance keep you moving quickly and feeling young, but studies show that exercise can add up to 5 years to your life. That’s because it helps slow down the aging of cells.

It Promotes and Speeds Up Healing

Studies show that people with conditions like type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, or heart failure, or people recovering from a stroke will manage symptoms and heal faster by exercising. Throw out those old wives tales that tell you not to use your joints if you have arthritis or chronic lower back pain. The right kind and amount of movement can work wonders. Be sure to check with your doctor first about the best exercise for you, especially if your condition is severe.

It Makes You Svelte

You’ve heard all your life that exercise helps you lose weight. Yes and no. It is part of any healthy diet plan. But remember exercise is actually helping build muscle and likely increasing your appetite, so losing weight may not come quickly. But the good news is that exercise helps you burn fat more efficiently and causes fat cells to shrink — your body will happily tune up.

The great news: You don’t need to be a gym rat who suits up in expensive gear and works out for hours. Raking leaves, pruning bushes, dusting, vacuuming, strolling, and dancing — any physical activity counts.

The U.S. government recommends exercising 150 minutes a week — that’s 5 days of 30 minutes each. Take a walk! In the long run it’s more beneficial than becoming a marathoner (marathons are physical stressors).

No time? Don’t despair: Researchers have discovered that high intensity interval training (or HIIT) can do the trick: a 10-minute workout can be just as effective as a 45-minute session if the intervals are carried out with vigor.

Try it! You can bike, run, or swim. During the “all-out” phases you have to move really fast. The intensity isn’t for everyone, so check with your doctor first:

Fast Track Training:

2 minutes: Warm up

20 seconds: All-out bike, swim, or run

2 minutes: Repeat the exercise, slow and easy

20 seconds: All-out bike, swim, or run

3 minutes: Cool down

Whew!

Keep up the good work in 2017,

The Remedy Chicks

Photo: iStock.com

5 Chair Exercises That Will Reduce Your Belly Fat While You Sit

If you belong to the category of people who spend most of their time sitting at work, we have amazing chair exercises which will help you to get in shape while sitting!

According to the statistics, the average American has only 4 hours of free time on a daily basis and most of them have a tendency to spend this free time in front of the TV or scrolling down on Facebook, and again sitting while doing that!

What’s more, the average American mother has 36 minutes of free time every day, meaning that they do not have free time to go to the gym or do some sports activity.

If you are one of those, these chair exercises will be perfect for you, and you will have no excuses since you can perform them at your own home.

Denise Austin is a popular fitness trainer which will show you how to do these 5 simple exercises which are mostly for busy women and workaholics.

Apart from performing them regularly, make sure to have a healthy and balanced diet.

The following exercises will definitely make you do anything to free yourself at least for an hour daily to exercise and get the body you dream of!

12 Exercises To Tone Your Glutes And Get An Amazing Butt

Everyone likes a perfect shaped butt, especially women, but this is not an easy task and it requires advanced exercises which will shape your glutes and tone your butt. Continue reading below to learn some amazing butt exercises which you can include in your daily workout.

Step-ups

Step-ups are an amazing exercise which can activate your glutes and provide a great cardio workout at the same time. Find a platform higher than your knees, or start on a lower platform first until you’re comfortable. Step on it with one foot and raise your body up, then bring the other knee as high as you can before stepping down. If you want to make the exercise more challenging, take small weights in your hands.

Rear leg lifts

Kneel on your forearms and knees, then lift one leg off the floor and push the foot towards the ceiling. Now, bring the leg down and continue with the other one. Adding some ankle weights will make the exercise tougher.

Bridges

This exercise can really work your glutes! Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and knees pointed upwards, then raise your butt until your feet, shoulders and head are touching the floor. Push your hips as high as you can and squeeze your glutes while you’re on top of the move. This exercise is easy to learn, so when it becomes too easy straighten one leg and push off one leg at a time.

Deep squats

To do a deep squat, you need to go as low as you can while keeping your back straight to activate the glutes. Your stance should be wider than shoulders, and you must keep your back straight at all times. You can make the squats more challenging by holding a weight in front of you, or doing one legged squats. Deep squats will strengthen your core and improve your flexibility as well.

Cossack lunges

Cossack lunges are great for improving flexibility and balance, while also toning your butt. Keep your legs wider than your shoulders then shift your weight from side to side as you squat on one leg, while keeping the other straight. Once you’re at the bottom, point the toes upwards and repeat with the other leg.

Fire hydrants

This great exercise will open up your hips, improve your mobility and strengthen your glutes. Start by kneeling and raise one leg to the side while keeping a 90-degree angle with your knee. To make fire hydrants more challenging, rotate from the hip and make small circles in the start followed by wide swooping circles later.

Hip thrusters

Sit on the ground with a bench behind you and use a weighed barbell over your pelvis. Put a pad between you and the bar to reduce the discomfort. Now, roll the bar until it’s above your hips, then lean back against the bench so that your shoulder blades are near the top. Begin the movement by extending your hips vertically and support your weight by only your shoulder blades and feet. Extend as far as you can, then return to the original position.

Horse stance

This stance is a staple of several martial arts and is an excellent way to build your thighs and glutes. Stand straight and open your default stance by a foot or two beyond your shoulder-width, then squat down as if you’re going to sit on a chair. Keep your thighs parallel to the ground – you should now feel the burn, but don’t give up. Try to hold the position as much as you can – start by 15-30 seconds and gradually increase the duration.

Plie squats

Point your toes upwards and widen your stance, then bend your knees in the direction of your toes and stand up when you can no longer see them.

Side leg lifts

Lie on your side and lift one leg up, then bring it back down slowly and switch sides in the end. This is a great exercise if you want to build the smaller muscles in your legs besides the glutes.

Gluteal squeezes

Lie down on the floor then raise your hips up while squeezing your glutes and holding for 3 seconds. Repeat the exercise as long as you can.

Flutter kicks

This exercise will target your abs and glutes. Lie on the floor then raise your legs from the ground at 45 degrees and push one up while pushing the other down, alternating like that as long as you can.

Repeat the exercises 3 times a week for a perfectly shaped and toned butt.

One Month Before Stroke, Your Body Will Send You These Warning Signs – Don’t Ignore Them!

Yes, and this is the main reason why in this article we are going to talk about strokes, the most common warning signs and how to protect yourself.

First, you should know that there are 2 major types of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are more common and are caused by a narrowing or blocking of arteries to the brain, resulting in severely reduced blood flow.

Hemorrhagic strokes are less common and are caused by bleeding in the brain. Can I ask you a simple question –  do you know what is stroke? Well, stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. And, it’s the no. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die. And, now you probably ask yourself – what are the effects of stroke? The brain is an extremely complex organ that controls various body functions.  If a stroke occurs and blood flow can’t reach the region that controls a particular body function, that part of the body won’t work as it should.

It’s extremely important to identify the warning signs of a stroke and get medical help as soon as possible to reduce the risk of serious damage to the brain. This can help lower the risk of death or disability and improve your chances of recovery. The medical experts say that the signs and symptoms may vary from one person to another depending on the type of stroke, the part of the brain affected and the extent of damage. But they all tend to begin suddenly.

Stroke – Most Common Symptoms

• Hiccup.
• Unconsciousness
• Lightheadedness or weakness.
• Pain.
• Breathing problems.
• Hallucinations.
• Epileptic attacks.
• Personality changes.
• Sickness.

12 Exercises To Tone Your Glutes And Get An Amazing Butt

Everyone likes a perfect shaped butt, especially women, but this is not an easy task and it requires advanced exercises which will shape your glutes and tone your butt. Continue reading below to learn some amazing butt exercises which you can include in your daily workout.

Step-ups

Step-ups are an amazing exercise which can activate your glutes and provide a great cardio workout at the same time. Find a platform higher than your knees, or start on a lower platform first until you’re comfortable. Step on it with one foot and raise your body up, then bring the other knee as high as you can before stepping down. If you want to make the exercise more challenging, take small weights in your hands.

Rear leg lifts

Kneel on your forearms and knees, then lift one leg off the floor and push the foot towards the ceiling. Now, bring the leg down and continue with the other one. Adding some ankle weights will make the exercise tougher.

Bridges

This exercise can really work your glutes! Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and knees pointed upwards, then raise your butt until your feet, shoulders and head are touching the floor. Push your hips as high as you can and squeeze your glutes while you’re on top of the move. This exercise is easy to learn, so when it becomes too easy straighten one leg and push off one leg at a time.

Deep squats

To do a deep squat, you need to go as low as you can while keeping your back straight to activate the glutes. Your stance should be wider than shoulders, and you must keep your back straight at all times. You can make the squats more challenging by holding a weight in front of you, or doing one legged squats. Deep squats will strengthen your core and improve your flexibility as well.

Cossack lunges

Cossack lunges are great for improving flexibility and balance, while also toning your butt. Keep your legs wider than your shoulders then shift your weight from side to side as you squat on one leg, while keeping the other straight. Once you’re at the bottom, point the toes upwards and repeat with the other leg.

Fire hydrants

This great exercise will open up your hips, improve your mobility and strengthen your glutes. Start by kneeling and raise one leg to the side while keeping a 90-degree angle with your knee. To make fire hydrants more challenging, rotate from the hip and make small circles in the start followed by wide swooping circles later.

Hip thrusters

Sit on the ground with a bench behind you and use a weighed barbell over your pelvis. Put a pad between you and the bar to reduce the discomfort. Now, roll the bar until it’s above your hips, then lean back against the bench so that your shoulder blades are near the top. Begin the movement by extending your hips vertically and support your weight by only your shoulder blades and feet. Extend as far as you can, then return to the original position.

Horse stance

This stance is a staple of several martial arts and is an excellent way to build your thighs and glutes. Stand straight and open your default stance by a foot or two beyond your shoulder-width, then squat down as if you’re going to sit on a chair. Keep your thighs parallel to the ground – you should now feel the burn, but don’t give up. Try to hold the position as much as you can – start by 15-30 seconds and gradually increase the duration.

Plie squats

Point your toes upwards and widen your stance, then bend your knees in the direction of your toes and stand up when you can no longer see them.

Side leg lifts

Lie on your side and lift one leg up, then bring it back down slowly and switch sides in the end. This is a great exercise if you want to build the smaller muscles in your legs besides the glutes.

Gluteal squeezes

Lie down on the floor then raise your hips up while squeezing your glutes and holding for 3 seconds. Repeat the exercise as long as you can.

Flutter kicks

This exercise will target your abs and glutes. Lie on the floor then raise your legs from the ground at 45 degrees and push one up while pushing the other down, alternating like that as long as you can.

Repeat the exercises 3 times a week for a perfectly shaped and toned butt.