The healthy snack

The study

The presence of polyphenols

Conclusion

The secret to a long life might not be as mysterious as you think. People in the healthiest countries in the world appear to have found ways to increase their life expectancy beyond the average. The five healthiest countries are Iceland, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand and Finland. A Japanese citizen, at the age of 115, is one of the oldest people in the world.


The following infographic explains that there are many ways to increase life expectancy. Frequent exercise is one of the most common habits among the healthiest people. Exercise doesn't have to include running marathons. Less intense exercise may have more benefits than vigorous exercise. Other habits include healthy eating without mass consumption of junk food. Most healthy people practice mindful eating by not overeating. Healthy individuals get more sleep and try to live a life without stress.


We might not yet have the secret to immortality, but there are easy ways people can increase their life expectancy.


Source: Best Public Health Schools

Core Stability has become a very hot topic and with good reason. Really it has only been since the 1980's that serious research has been done in the area. Overall the results have been rather astounding and should be considered a bit revolutionary in regards to fitness, health, and athletics.

Generally speaking the spine is a rather weak point for the human body, when you consider the range of motion we constantly put ourselves through. Twisting, bending, or even maintaining a straight position while supporting large amounts of weight can put a lot of pressure on a small point along our spine. The worst thing about it is that an injury can develop gradually without much of a warning until suddenly something slips out of place.

Personally I had this exact thing happen to me. While I worked out regularly and played sports, I never focused very much on 'core stability'. Then one day when I was running, I stepped down off a curb and the impact of my foot on the pavement sent a jolt up to my spine. The next day I couldn't walk. From a big picture standpoint my injury was not that major and I was fully recovered in a few weeks. But the fact that I was so vulnerable to such an injury by doing something so simple caused a lot of concern.

Since that injury many years ago, core training has been a staple of my routines and I have not suffered any sort of back injury since then.

by Ulf Liljankoski

Core Basics


The core is comprised of all the muscles in the trunk area of the body. Everything that wraps around the midsection and supports the spine should be considered part of your core. Far too many people, myself included, simply focused on abdominal work and occasional lower back work. But that creates an imbalance in the core muscles. You need to have a relatively equal level of strength to create proper balance in the entire core which means working everything regularly.

All of these muscles combine to make a bridge between your upper and lower body. The bridge needs to be strong in all areas including connectors to the hips. Aside from preventing an injury, a strong core helps your balance, strength, and stability. Athletes from all types of sports have learned that a great core increases their performance in numerous ways. This added functionality helps in everything we do including keeping good posture.


Core Training


Ideally core training is very functional. It incorporates twisting, bending, stretching, and working the entire trunk regularly in variety of angles and positions. Personally I don't just train abdominals anymore. I do core exercises on 'Ab' days and constantly shift the exercises I do for variety. Then I target the lower back muscles on back day to go with deadlifts and other exercises.

It is highly recommend by fitness professionals that you should switch from doing just basic abdominal work to instead incorporating a regular core training routine that should be done at least twice a week. There are plenty of sample core routines you can find on this site. With an overwhelming amount of benefits from having a stable core, there really is no good reason not to include it in your regular training routine. On top of everything else, a well toned core is much shapelier and visibly appealing beyond what you get from just working your abdominals.


Nutribomb Bodybuilding Supplements provides the best training and fitness information available on the internet.

Tea tree oil has become well renowned for its medical properties. Furthermore, medical research has shown that tea tree oil has anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. This makes tea tree oil an effective home remedy against many cuts and grazes. Therefore, it has bee prescribed for the use amongst the Australian army during the Second World War.

Generally speaking when it comes to skin problems the application of tee tree oil is a very effective method to combat skin blemishes. Particularly, it is a great way of removing moles and warts.

It is by far the easiest and safest way of doing so. There seems to be an emerging consensus that the application of tea tree oil gradually destroys the mole on a molecular level.

A few weeks of application is very likely to remove them completely. There are also a number of reasons which set tea tree oil apart from other mole treatments, therefore making it the best choice for most.

Pros of using Tea Tree Oil.

• There are no ill side effects to applying it which is. Indeed surgical removal of moles can leave nasty marks which are not to be desired.
• It is inexpensive. Indeed, it is a lot cheaper then going to the doctor and most or any pharmaceutical mole removal creams.
• It is found to be effective against all kind of moles. Certain kind of moles tends to be more difficult to remove, often necessitating incision within the skin to remove the mole permanently.
• It is a natural way. Any way in which you look at it natural remedies always tend to be the most effective in the long term when it comes to health and at least you know that you're not applying something toxic to your skin.
• It is easy to apply. All you have to do is soak a cotton swab in the tea tree and then apply it to the area where the mole is.

There are really very few problems with the use of Tea Tree oil but they do exist.

Cons of Using Tea Tree Oil

• There is no guarantee of it working for you. No formal studies have been done on its effectiveness when it comes to moles.
• It takes time to work. It may a few weeks for it to really get to work and numerous applications during the day.
• It can stain clothing. Because it is oil it is likely to leave a residue.
• In rare instances you may find yourself to be allergic to Tea Tree Oil. For this reason it is prudent to test weather you have any adverse reaction to it.

Overall, I would recommend Tea Tree Oil as a one of the first lines of defense against moles and various skin blemishes. The Cons of using it as a treatment are rather negligible.

David Smith is an expert who specializes in healthcare and beauty. He writes for RemoveSkinMoles.Com, a website where you can find information on the best mole removal remedies.

Though it can feel good to have the sun's rays shining down on your body it can also be very dangerous if you don’t take steps to protect your skin. The warm sunshine may feel nice now but will not look nice later when the skin prematurely ages and the possibility of skin cancer arises.

cc licensed ( BY NC SD ) flickr photo shared by Éole

Stay Out Of The Sun

The first way to protect the skin from the sun is simply to stay out of it as much as possible. This does not mean you have to stay inside all of the time, it simply means you should exercise caution when spending time in direct sunlight. If you are spending time at the beach try to spend a majority of the time in the shade like under an awning at a beach pavilion or a large beach umbrella.

Wear Sun Protective Clothing

Another way to protect one's skin from the damaging rays of the sun is to cover up with clothing. Instead of going bare chested at the beach, try covering up with a t shirt. There are also sunscreens that can be added to a wash cycle. That can add sun protection to the clothes so they offer even greater protection.

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by visualpanic

Wear Sunscreen

The most important things to do when spending time outdoors in the sun is to wear sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen is the only way to keep the sun's rays from damaging the skin when your skin is exposed to them. Try to put on sunscreen every morning before leaving the house and remember that the term SPF references how much time the sunscreen will be effective for. If a sunscreen is SPF 30 it means that it will protect the skin for 30 minutes before losing it's effectiveness. Taking a bottle or tube of sunscreen and reapplying during the day is the only way to ensure continuous sun protection.

Sun Protection Window Tinting

People who drive tend to have more sun damage on the left side of their face and arms than on the right side. This is because people who drive expose their left hand to the sun as it is streaming through the car window. Luckily there are window tinting kits that can be used to block out the harmful rays of the sun and stop them from reaching the body while driving in the car.

This article was written by JustRopes.com, the online leaders in climbing rope.

Bottled water in America is a multi-billion dollar industry. Americans spend billions of dollars on bottled water, yet just about all of those people have a source of water right in their homes that costs a fraction of the price. Why do we spend so much money on bottled water when we can just turn on the faucets in our kitchen sinks? Water is essential to our bodies; it keeps us healthy and alive. But is one type of water really that much better for us? Some people are actually scared to drink the water in their homes. They use it to bathe and cook with, but they just won’t drink it. Why not? Is tap water bad for you?


Tap Water in a Developed Country

When you compare tap water across America to tap water in undeveloped countries all over the world, it’s hard to consider our tap water “bad.” In some other countries, it truly is bad to drink the water, and contaminated drinking water can kill millions of people every year. When you compare our tap water to water sources elsewhere, you see an example of what unsafe drinking water actually is. In those countries, they need bottled or filtrated water. Here, we don’t necessarily need bottled water, but we seem to prefer it and consider it safer and healthier. Is it really?


Bottled versus Tap


Bottled water advertisements and labels tell us that the water is completely purified, and they make us think the water they bottle comes from the most natural of places, like mountain springs and glaciers. The truth is that bottled water often comes from the same places as tap water does; the only difference is that it’s filtered a few more times. The extra filtration doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. In some lab studies, tap water was found to have no higher concentration of bacteria or germs than bottled. And for people who think bottled water just tastes better than tap – in many, many blind studies, people have consistently been unable to differentiate tap water from bottled.


Chemicals in Tap Water

Most people think that tap water is bad for you because it contains a lot of chemicals. They’re partially correct. Tap water does contain chemicals, but it doesn’t contain “a lot” of chemicals. Chemicals like chlorine and fluoride are used to treat the water and kill any germs that may exist in it before it’s delivered to your home. In large amounts, chlorine is toxic. However, the levels of chemicals like chlorine that are found in tap water are not enough to harm you. Another concern is lead, which sometimes enters tap water when pipes are corroding. Lead is dangerous, but again significant amounts are not present in tap water.


The Verdict

In the end, tap water is not bad for you. Water is good for you, no matter what. However, there have been some rare cases of tap water contamination. If you’re worried, you can perform a home test of chemicals in your drinking water. Alternatively, you can purchase a carbon filtration system that will purify your tap water and eliminate your need to buy bottled water ever again.

Chelsea Smith is a Health and Nutrition major at the University of Texas who loves to write about her passions and interests. She recently did an article on the benefits and nutrition of nuts.
Photo Credit: Tim Bayliss Photography

The brilliance and determination of Olympians can inspire us to participate in more sporting activities and stay in the moment without feeling bored with our workout. Instead of sitting on the couch and watching them excel on television, get them to spur you on in your own personal fitness goals.

Sophia Warner

For many individuals, developing a career and raising a family often stands in the way of managing a healthy lifestyle and fitness level. If we were to take that same commitment and apply it our exercise routine, we would be singing a different tune. Start by getting motivated with this spectacular group of athletes who sets the example for the rest of us with their sheer bravado and eye on the prize. Here are some of their Olympic health tips.

Paralympic athlete Sophia Warner reached the peak of her career at the mature age of 37. The lighting fast sprinter won silver in her class at the 2011 World Championships thanks to a rigorous training schedule. In between caring for her two children, Warner trains for six hours a day, five times a week. For her brilliant balancing act, she wins gold. Her Olympic health tip is: be determined, not matter what obstacles and you too can achieve your goal.

Debbie Flood

Not everyone can manage such heavy training, but rowing Olympian Debbie Flood offers her Olympic health tip quote; “Not everybody wants to do as much training as an Olympian but everyone is capable of getting fitter and achieving in sport!" Flood advises that there are a variety of ways to keep fit, such as joining clubs or the gym, doing exercises at home or doing recreational walks in the countryside.

Always set yourself a goal, no matter how big or small, to be your primary source of motivation. When things start to get tough, think back to that goal in order to push yourself forward. Another top Olympic health tip is to respect your body and get excellence out of yourself. According to Flood, sports and exercise is good for body, mind and spirit.

Jessica Ennis

World heptathlon championship and Olympic poster girl Jessica Ennis also gave her Olympic health tip. According to her, to be truly fit training must be progressive.

Doing the same training everyday will not help you achieve your goal. Therefore training must be regular, yet different. In order for it to become a habit, training must also be fun otherwise motivation will soon decrease. Whether your sport is on the field or in the pool, these Olympic health tips will get you right on track.







Penny Munroe is an avid writer in heath related news and tips. Articles include sourcing the best clinical job to summer fitness tips.

One of the main reasons people go to the gym is to develop some muscles. Developing muscle fibre isn't as easy as one might expect. Without proper knowledge you could be wasting your time in the gym. Every weight trainer should  know how to maximize their muscle growth.

This article highlights some tips you should know before you start your muscle-making workout. These instructions will give you an understanding of how to utilize your time at the gym and what to consume so that you can get the perfect figure you have always desired.

To get your body energized, you must work on your body’s major muscles. This can be done with workouts like squats, dead-lifts and pull ups. These exercises are used the least by most gym users. They are a little more difficult than the others and require harder work, so they get the smallest amount of consideration from the weight trainers. Most weight lifters want to build up their visible muscles, such as their triceps and biceps. As a result, they wind up over training these muscles while not focusing on their major muscles, like the chest.


When you train your larger muscles, the smaller muscles automatically get a workout, so there is no need to work on them as intensely as your larger muscles. Also, there is often a fear of overtraining the minor muscles. This may lead to a further setback on days when you might not feel like going to the gym. Your muscles will become sore and you would have wasted your time.

Another Important factor in muscle building is your diet composition. Your body needs proper amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Proteins are generally considered as the main nutrition in gaining body muscles. Most of the nutritionists recommend eating more proteins, especially on a workout schedule.

Fats are generally considered harmful, but they are needed in order for the body to perform properly. This is even more critical when you are regularly training and working your muscles. All you should do is  replace the normal fats with healthy fats, such as Omega 3 foods. Avoid consumption of saturated fats as they do not support your workout.

Carbohydrates are also an important component in muscle growth. They provide the needed energy to burn fat and build muscle.. Also, they help in the healing of  torn muscle fibers.

You should eat about 5 to 6 portions of meals a day to ensure your body is never in starving mode. If your body has no food to break down as energy, it will acquire the necessary energy from your muscles. This is a situation that you do not want to face. Your time at the gym would have been wasted.

Once you have things in order, you will start experiencing muscle gain. Although this can be a slow and time-lagging game, have faith, you will achieve your desired size in no time.

To supplement your gym workout you might want to consider taking either protein shakes or creatine.

What exercises do you do at the gym? Get involved and add you comments below!