Aromatherapy and Stress Alleviation

Various therapies are in vogue these days for various ailments and diseases. Aromatherapy is a traditional medicinal practice that helps to improve the emotional and spiritual being of a person. The basis of this therapy is to make use of oils and some aromatic herbs for improving the emotional and physical health of a person. As per the science practitioners, this is considered to be more of a placebo based treatment. As a result of which the effectiveness of this therapy in actual treatment is comparatively low. Nevertheless strong evidences have supported the effectiveness of using this treatment in traditional healing. A good number of ailments are cured with the help of this therapy. You can also try using aromatherapy essential oils for reducing your stress.

Various Uses of aromatherapy

Several doctors and therapists opt for aromatherapy practice with clinical treatment. Dentists often keep aromatic candles in their offices for helping patients to get rid of anxiety and feel a peace of mind. Moreover psychiatrists and clinicians use essential oils for providing relief to nervous patients. In fact it was revealed in a study that Lavender fragrance helps to create a change in the behavioral pattern of infants. Restless infants calm down and are lulled into sleep by the scents of oils.

Alleviates stress and offer peace of mind

The main reason why Aromatherapy helps with stress is that anxiety is more about the emotional condition than physiological. If you think that you will not stress out and take measures to calm your mind, you can immediately change your current state of being stressed. Opting for aromatherapy for over a period of time can completely help you to avoid stress. The aromatherapy is based on the use of scented oils and their scents have a tranquilizing effect on the mind.

The process of using essential oils

You can combine this therapy with deep breathing. Furthermore you can soak in a bathtub filled with oils or light up perfumed candles to emanate a soothing aroma. If you want you can also use a mist spray diluted with a few drops of oils. Usually rose is a popular fragrance. However other flavors also work well. The professionals in the spa combine the use of oils with customized massage option. A good massage helps to release all pent-up tension from the muscles and knots the form around your shoulder and other back areas. The essential oils are also derived from plants having a curative benefit of their own. As a result when the oil seeps into your body, it has a healing effect on your worn out muscles. The scent also works wonders on your mind. Thus the combination of the triple effects helps to give you an effective approach to your physical and mental condition.

Choosing the best oils

Some of the best essential oils that help in reducing stress include Chamomile, Lavender, Pine, Thyme, Eucalyptus, Rose, Sandalwood, Sage, Rosemary, Lemon, Jasmine, Cyprus, Clary sage, and Peppermint. Get the best essential aromatherapy oils that do not cause any allergic reaction and completely alleviate your stress.

Combining Work And Exercise With The Treadmill Desk

Exercise and fitness have taken a backseat in the face of work. More jobs today are desk-based or involve remaining in a static position for long periods. This has led to back problems and weight issues with the former accounting for the second most common reason why workers take sick days off.

It's true that we can all dedicate some time for workouts. That would mean learning to manage time very efficiently. And, while it sounds quite easy to do, other responsibilities crop up which force us to skip much-needed exercise. But, there's a way to balance the need for exercise with work. It may not burn as many calories as a dedicated workout session but is far better than skipping it altogether.

Treadmill desks have become popular office equipments that allow users to work while using the treadmill. A desk is integrated into the treadmill to accommodate personal computers, laptops, telephones and other office equipment.

The workout users get is not level with a good cardio workout as the treadmill isn't ordinarily used to run on. Rather, users walk at a pace of one to two miles. Despite this slow pace, however, it's estimated that between 100 and 300 calories can be burned every hour. This can translate into weight loss of more than 20 kilos a year.

Conventional treadmills can be converted into treadmill desks with some know-how. Else, they can be purchased for a price of less than $100 to high-end equipment exceeding $4,000. Whichever type is purchase, users can be guaranteed better health with regular usage.

Properly designed treadmill desks make exercising easier by minimizing noise, injuries to the knees which can occur with poorly designed equipment, and have speed settings that vary from below a mile an hour to over five.

Inactivity and health

Physical inactivity has been linked to a number of health problems. Top of the list is obesity which aside from lowering confidence in people, contributes to Type II diabetes. Here, blood sugar and insulin levels can't be managed properly and can hinder living an ordinary lifestyle. Heart disease is another whose risks can be lowered by the simple act of walking everyday for 30 minutes.

According to experts, people who exercise regularly but spend long periods of time sitting can develop cancer faster than those who don't. Inactivity causes the body's metabolism to change, they say, which produces biomarkers linked to cancer. This is cause for worry since today's workers spend a large chunk of their days sitting down at their desks.

Many small periods of activity like getting up to deliver mail to a colleague rather than emailing it, walking around while speaking on the phone and texting, and going down to the cafeteria for a snack rather than having it brought to your station can reduce the odds of developing the health problems listed above.

Buying tips

If you work from home or have a choice in choosing your own treadmill desk at work, look for one that's able to deliver different speed settings. This is very important as there will be times when you'll want to go for a run or tone down the pace to a leisurely stroll. If you don't intend to purchase a whole new unit, look for a treadmill desk that fits over the arms of your existing treadmill.

5 Tips on How to Find the Best Day Spa Salon

You go to the Spa salon for relaxation and to get the stress and other worries out of your system. It is very important for you to know that you should choose an appropriate place that treats you in a right way and gives best services. A small survey will help in this matter.

The following are the 5 simple ways which can help you to find the best day spa:

• Search for the Salon:

First of all you need to search for the Spa and Beauty salons in your city through the internet or yellow pages. You can also ask your friends and family members where they prefer to have such treatments and why do they prefer that salon over other salons. This will help you to know what to expect from the salon.

• Staff at the Salon:

Once you have the various options of day spas available, you can visit these places and meet the staff members. A perfect salon includes a friendly and welcoming receptionist, expert and gentle massage therapists, and over all polite staff. All the therapists must have a license; you can request to check their license before you go for your day spa. A lot depends on how the staff behaves and treats you, as you don't want to go to place where they are in a rush or not attentive when you are talking to them.

• Ambiance of the Salon:

Another important thing to note while you pay a visit to a salon is to see the ambiance. From aroma of the salon to the lighting to the colors used in decoration and every other small thing should make you feel welcome and delight you. To ensure this you can ask for the tour of the salon and also check how clean they keep their equipment.

• Your budget:

The things that we discussed till now were related to the salon, now we will see what you need to check about yourself. The budget part is a very crucial part in deciding your day spa. You can compare various rates and choose the one that best fits within your budget. There are selected days at some salons where the special discounted rates are applicable to the services, check for such information and pick your day.

• Trial Service:

If you still have confusion and can't select the salon; you can go for a small service and judge by the results for those small services. This will definitely help you to pick the best day spa.

Combine these tips with your instincts and you will get the optimum result in choosing your best day spa. Then you can go ahead and relax yourself by experiencing the pleasure of getting the best.

Buying a Second Hand Concept 2 Rowing Machine

Buying a Rowing Machine can be quite emotional! If you've never seen or heard about the Concept 2 machine then you'll be none the wiser and will think that lesser equipment is actually alright and will stand the test of time. Once you've seen one of these and maybe spent some time working out on one, in a gym or 'borrowed' from a friend, you really won't want to buy any other make.

If your budget doesn't quite allow you to spend $900+ on a new one (and that's for a new older model!) then you're not alone.

What about trying the second hand market, but where do you look?

eBay & other online auctions

These auction sites are obviously a bit of a gamble, especially when you're thinking of parting with your savings. You need to make sure that the rower you're buying is in relatively good condition, some of the things to look out for with rowers and in particular the Concept brand:

• You really need to have a look at one before buying! This can be difficult with auction sites but try doing a local search and if need be wait until a suitable one becomes available, it might need a bit of patience!

• Make sure there is no damage to the support structure of the rower. One of the good things about the Concept 2 rower is that you can replace broken and worn parts but whilst its OK changing some rollers or even replacing the chain, replacing some main structure like the monorail & track is going to cost! Look out for cracks and other signs of damage on the main structure.

• Has the rower had regular maintenance? If it's been looked after, your immediate ownership costs should be less. Look at the condition of the chain, wear and tear on the flywheel, condition of the rollers etc.

• Where has the machine been used? Again look at the general condition of the rower. Pay close attention to the fan grill, is it full of dirt? Rowers that are stored in garages and not maintained correctly tend to be caked in dirt around the flywheel area.

• Give it a 'test drive'. Is the rowing action smooth and natural, make sure the chain isn't snatching as you row.

Local free ads

Another good place to look for second hand machines. The advice is the same as per sourcing through an auction site.

Try and spend some time with the rower before committing to purchase. If you are offered a drink by the current owner, why not accept? This would give you some 'personal time' with the machine, use this time to thoroughly check the rower for damage, make sure nothing looks out of place, it has no loose parts, generally are you happy with it?

Summary:

These are fantastic machines, a regular favourite in the big name gyms and the build, maintainability and support is second to none.

If your budget prevents you from buying a brand new one, don't opt for second best and look at inferior brands, you might just regret it. The second hand market for the Concept rowers is very good and providing you are patient and check out your rower carefully you should be able to get an excellent machine at a very keen price.

Burning Fat Fast Without Help From a Diet or Exercise

Adding unwanted pounds to your body is easy but getting rid of them is a task which can be very difficult. There are a large number of obese in the United States and elsewhere in the world. These people look forward to burning away the additional fat from their body but generally refrain from going through a regimen which requires them to follow a diet and plenty of exercise. They choose for alternatives, which can help burn away the fat without the need for exercise or diet. Now these people can turn towards green bean coffee extracts, which can help them effectively. Therefore, there is no reason for you to believe that you will have to go through a great deal of trouble to get rid of the fat in your body.

Researchers have been looking forward to understanding whether extracts from green bean coffee are really helpful in losing weight from 2001. Fortunately, they have been able to determine that green bean coffee extracts are indeed capable of burning away fat without the requirement of getting into any sort of diet or exercise. If you are one of those who feel that you have too much fat within your body you can certainly look forward to taking supplements made from this extract.

In order to understand how you will be in a position to burn away the unwanted pounds you will have to study how this supplement can help you. You do not have to believe that this is another wonder drug that has recently been introduced into the market by one of the major dietary supplement manufacturers in the world. Green coffee beans are just unroasted coffee beans and contain higher levels of a chemical that is known as chlorogenic acid. This component is thought to have health benefits, which can assist with weight loss. It affects the way the body handles blood sugar and metabolism thereby aiding in weight loss. It is also useful for people with high blood pressure who may find it beneficial in reducing their high blood pressure levels.

Coffee beans quickly lose the chlorogenic acid which they contain immediately upon being roasted. Supplements that are made from green bean coffee beans are usually sealed and bottled quickly in order to retain the chlorogenic acid to activate the metabolism of fat within the liver which is important to reduce weight.

If you are worried that you will have to spend a large amount of money in order to shed the unwanted pounds you have you can certainly look towards supplements of green bean coffee, which will prove economical to your wallet and help you in losing fat without a difficulty.

What Sets Nutrisystem Apart From Other Diets?

This is the time of the year when people begin thinking about which diet they might use this year to help them to finally lose the weight. You probably can't read a magazine or watch a television program without seeing advertisements for all sorts of different diets. One of the diets that might stick in your mind is Nutrisystem =. It's a popular and current plan. I'm often asked what makes it special or popular.

Common comments are things like: "what's so special about Nutrisystem? Is there anything that makes it different from other diets? What are the pros and cons? What should I know about it before I decide which diet to try?" I'll try to address this in the following article.

What Makes Nutrisystem Special?: Everyone has their own opinion of course. But in my view what makes Nutrisystem a bit unique and different from other diets is a variety of factors, which I'm going to discuss right now. The biggest stand out though is that it is based on the glycemic index. This means that the meals are designed to be low in sugars and carbohydrates while being high in fiber and protein. This encourages your body to burn more fat since it doesn't have carbohydrates at its disposal. I think that this is vital because the whole point of being on a diet is that it is effective and that you actually lose weight.

Another thing that I believe makes this diet popular is that it requires very little work on the dieter's part. The food is mostly provided for you, although you are asked to add in fresh sides. All you really have to do is heat up or remove the wrapper from the meal. You are provided with a breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and dessert for each day. They have several different plans to choose from at difference price points. Speaking of the price points, they often range from about $8 to $10 per day for five daily meals. This is extremely competitive in my opinion. Most of the time, the shipping and counseling is included in this price. They also allow for you to customize your order and chose your own foods without having to pay anything extra.

Finally, I believe that one real strength of this diet is the food. They offer a lot of foods that you wouldn't typically associate with a diet like pizza, tacos, burgers, bagels, cakes, and ice cream. There is a lot of variety and you often get the eat comfort foods and desserts which can make dieting a lot more tolerable.

What Are The Pros And Cons?: I believe that the pros are the foods, the ease of use, and the convenience. As far as diets go, this is a fairly easy one to be on. I also feel that it's reasonably priced, considering the cost of groceries today. I also find that many people are happy with their results. It's also relatively easy to get a lot of free support and to have your questions answered.

If I were to list the cons, I'd say that it is a diet. Your portions are controlled and although there are a lot of choices as far as foods go, you can't just eat what you want any time that you want. There also is a costs involved, although I believe it's less than most diets. Additionally, the results are dependent upon your compliance, just like any other diet. I do feel that this is a relatively easy diet, but if you don't stick with it, your results may be affected by that. However, this is just common sense that most people expect.

How To Heal Skin With Sun Damage

Whether you spent too many days running around in the sun as a kid, or just managed to get one too many major sunburns in your life, you know that the damage that your skin sustains below the surface never actually goes away. But if you accidentally forgot to reapply the sunblock and are dealing with a little bitty burn, there are definitely ways to heal a sunburn fast.

Of course, you must remember that you can't fully undo sun damage. You can ease the pain and get your complexion looking healthy again, and you can take the steps necessary to prevent future sunburns, but damage below the skin's surface accumulates over time, which is how skin cancers such as melanoma form. The best thing to do is use a natural skin lotion sunblock with an SPF of 30 or above every single time you head outdoors, and perhaps go even higher with the UV protection if you know you'll be out in the sun for hours.

But right now, you're focused on the burn you're suffering this second. The first step is to remove yourself from the sun, by getting indoors or into the shade. If it's a painful burn, you can take an aspirin to ease the pain; otherwise, a cool, damp cloth applied on the area will be enough to remove the heat from the sunburn.

Next, use an aloe vera healing gel to soothe the inflamed area, and once the skin is no longer tender, you can use other herbal skin care products that contain aloe to rehydrate and calm burned flesh. Don't forget to drink plenty of cool fluids to rehydrate your body as well. If your skin still feels dry once the sunburn is mostly healed, use the best face lotion for women that you can get, and apply it regularly until your complexion is hydrated again.

If you've had bad sunburns in the past, the best thing you can do to prevent future skin issues is to protect yourself with sunblock, and cover yourself from head to toe in it. When you're not in the sun, keep your skin hydrated daily with a natural skin cream to make up for the dehydration that comes with sun-parched skin. Try to stay in the shade instead of in direct sunlight whenever possible though; remember that your burns from the past have stuck with you, and can cause problems for you later in life if you don't take care of yourself now.

Keep healing gel on-hand so any time you get a little too much sun, you can apply it for one of the ways to heal a sunburn fast. But it's always better if you don't get burned at all.

Best Treadmill For Home - Four Most Important Tips When Buying a Treadmill

If you wish to make the primary step to becoming a healthier, trimmer you, then getting a treadmill would be the better option. The treadmill offers you a reduced impact, safe workout which burns a maximum quantity of calories in the least amount of time. By avoiding injury with a treadmill workout, you'll manage to have a continuous home fitness program that keeps you in form and on the go. However, buying a treadmill is truly a tough task as a result of the presence of so many brands and models in the market. Most premium treadmills share several features which you can search for when shopping to find the best treadmill for running. Before you choose, discover what you need to find out about purchasing a treadmill.

Cushioning is a shock-absorbent layer below the belt created to lessen the impact of your feet on the device. An effective cushioning on a treadmill helps protect the ligaments, joints and the spine while working out. A bad cushioning might lead to an injury and discomfort. The majority of treadmills have a few type of cushioning, but the best treadmill for home would possess a stronger cushion layer especially made to minimize impact on your joints and ligaments. Ensure your treadmill offers an excellent cushioning system - particularly if you'll be running! In case you are attempting to determine if a cushioning system is excellent or poor, first figure out if it's a shock based, cushion based, or spring based system. If its shock based search for adjustability and reliability, if its cushion based ensure it has 8 points, and if its spring based make sure the springs provide an enough rebound rate.

Regardless of your exercise routines, your treadmill's motor matters. The motor drives the treadbelt, or track, forward. Treadmill motors are actually rated by their horsepower (hp). Horsepower ratings could be determined by peak performance, intermediate duty or continuous duty. Watch out for makers that list Peak Power. Peak Power are actually higher numbers and seem remarkable, but all Peak Power shows is a motor's optimum power before failure, not it's preserved outcome (Continuous Power). Continuous Duty Horsepower is a more accurate measure of the motor power. This is the power at which the treadmill could continuously, gradually run for 24 hours without slowing down. You will want at least 1.5 C.H.P (continuous horsepower) for a home treadmill. Ideally, a 2 C.H.P is suited to home joggers and runners.

The next most important attribute is the belt. It is the part which comes in steady contact with the user's jogging or running shoes. The best treadmill for home will have two-ply belts for the most durability. The length of the belt must also be taken into consideration. If you just want to stroll on your treadmill search for a minimum belt surface length of 48 ins. However, if you are a runner, get a running or belt surface length of 60 inches as a minimum. A belt which does not have sufficient length will feel insecure and limiting when running or jogging because of lack of room. If there are more than one individuals of the treadmill, it is best to buy a larger treadmill to fit the individual of the biggest dimension, as larger treadmills can also cater for users of smaller size.

You want to secure your investment so a sound treadmill warranty is a must. You ought to choose a motorized treadmill with a life-time guarantee on the motor and structure, or a minimum of 10-15 years at the very minimum. The longer the period of the guarantee, the greater is the quality.

Treadmills are fantastic equipments designed for enhancing your fitness levels. Considering all the above items, you should be able to get the best treadmill for running which meets your requirements. Remember them and you'll have no trouble discovering the ideal one.

How Many Calories Are Consumed In A Typical Medifast Meal?

I often hear from folks who are wondering how many calories they might consume each day on the Medifast diet. To that end, many will wonder how many calories are in a Medifast meal. Common comments are things like: "how many calories can I expect to take in every time I eat one of the diet meals? Do the calories vary from meal to meal? Do some have more than others?" I will address these concerns below.

By And Large, The Medifast Meals Contain A Consistent Amount Of Calories: I find that many people assume that some of the meals (like the brownie or the soft serve ice cream) contains many more calories than some other lighter meals (like the chicken noodle soup.) I can see how this would be a reasonable assumption. After all, who wouldn't just assume that a brownie is going to be more harmful to your diet than a cup of soup? The truth is, these two items are very similar. The brownie comes in at only 110 calories while the chicken noodle soup comes in at 100. And believe it or not, this is true of most of the meals. Many of them have a calorie content that ranges from 90 to 110 calories. I will list some examples now just to show you how a wide variety of menu items are all consistently similar. The new macaroni and cheese contains 110 calories. So does the chocolate chip pancakes, the chili, the pudding, the peanut butter soft serve, the shakes, the snack bites, the pretzels, and the chocolate crunch bar. Examples of foods that have less calories are the eggs (at only 90) and the oatmeal (at only 100.)

An exception to the rule that I just discussed are the maintenance bars. They have more calories. Both of the current flavors (the caramel nut bar) and the oatmeal raisin contain 170 and 150 respectively.) That is why you are limited to only one of these each day. The same is not true with the lighter crunch bars. These crunch bars are not limited.

Adding It All Together: Keep in mind that you will be eating five of these prepackaged meals each day. So that's around approximately 500 - 550 calories. Knowing that you take in around 1,000 calories each day on this diet, where does the remainder come from? You'll provide that with your main lean and green meal. This is the meal that you make (or provide via restaurant or frozen foods) yourself. The point is, you are safe to choose any of the items on the menu (with the exception of more than one maintenance bar) and you should be taking in a consistent amount of calories without needing to worry about anything.