If you want to tone your arms in time for tank top wearing season but don’t have a lot of time, don’t fret. Try these three exercises that take ten minutes and guarantee to tone your upper body.

1.Sit up Pull Over.  Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.  Extend your arms over your head and hold a dumbell in each hand. The weight should be light (3-5 pounds). Contract your abs and curl yourself up until your head, arms, shoulders and back are off the floor. While bringing your body up, bring your arms forward towards your knees.  Hold for a few minutes once you are off the floor and then slowly lower back down. Repeat two to three sets of ten.

2.Ponytail extensions. Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold dumbells in one hand. Extend your hand straight overhead with the opposite hand that is weight free supporting the elbow. The intent is to keep your elbow from flaring out. Bend your elbow and lower the dumbell behind your head. Bring it back up to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Repeat two or three sets of ten on each side.

3.Push ups. Good old fashioned push ups work wonders. They may not be fun to do, but they produce results. If you can’t do a real push up then start on your knees and work your way up to doing real ones on your toes. Push ups are great for toning the upper arms, shoulders, and your back.

These exercises should be done consistently three times a week for at least six weeks to see results. If you start now you will be in great shape by summer and ready to show off your new sculpted upper body.

Food is an important part of our lives and our diet affects our health in every way. Even our mood is in part subject to how we eat. Certain elements in food can lift your mood by releasing neurotransmitters, brain chemicals that help brain cells communicate with one another. Foods that are processed or have trans fat in them will leave you feeling sour yet foods that are healthy and contain nutrients and antioxidants will give you energy and make you feel great. Here are five mood boosting foods:

1.Asparagus. This green veggie may not seem that enticing but it can do wonders for your mood. It has been found to be a natural mood enhancer. It also contains a high amount of Vitamin E which increases sex drive and is great for your skin.

2. Whole grains. Whole grains are an excellent source of Vitamin B. Low levels of this vitamin bring about feelings of fatigue, poor concentration, anxiety and depression. People that suffer from climical depression also often have low levels of one or more of the B vitamins. Eating whole grains will ensure that your levels of this vitamin are sufficient.

3. Peas, pumpkin, and broccoli. Foods that are rich in essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and iron are energy boosters. As many people are deficient in these minerals, they tend to suffer from depression, sluggishness, and a dreary mood.

4. Smoothies – Three natural mood boosters are orange juice, bananas, and yogurt which can be substitued with milk or soy milk. Making a smoothie with these ingredients will give you energy and will start your day off right.

5. Fish and avocados. Both foods contain high amounts of essential fatty acids which are key in promoting brain and cell function. Without adequate levels of Omega 3’s you can become lethargic and unhappy
Eating a healthy diet will translate into a good mood and healthy outlook on life. It is all about balance – if you eat something that isn’t so healthy it’s not the end of the world, just get back on track again as soon as you can.

Your family should be the most important thing to you, and keeping them healthy should be a number one priority. It is easy to let unhealthy habits slip by, due to lack of time or knowledge. Here are three healthy tips to get and keep your family healthy.

1. Eat together. Sitting down for meals ensures that your family is eating a proper meal and it also gives you time to chat and catch up. It is amazing how many families do not sit down together, even once, during the week. Make it a priority to get your family together for one meal a day-supper is usually the best time for everyone.

2. Focus on hygiene. It is important to teach your kids at a young age that washing their hands is very important. Your hands are the first line of defense when it comes to your health. Bacteria, viruses and even fungi can travel from someone else’s hand to an object, then to your hand, eyes, nose or mouth and ultimately into your internal system making you sick. The best prevention for this is washing your hands. It is so simple but most people don’t do it enough. Teach your children to soap up frequently.

3. Make exercise a family activity. Your family is much more likely to exercise if you make it fun and do it together. Plan outdoor activities for the weekend such as hiking, camping, swimming, bicycling, or anything else that your kids like to do. Make physical activity more like play instead of exercise and try to do something active every day.

Often, the things that keep families together are the things that are the healthiest. Making time to hang out together doing something active, or even just sitting down as a family will keep your family close knit and will give you quality time together.

When most people think of training to improve endurance, they think of conditioning the cardiovascular system to improve transport of blood to the working muscles. Metabolic conditioning is actually the opposite of this. It involves conditioning the muscles to better use what’s being delivered to them by improving the efficiency of the different metabolic pathways.

Metabolic conditioning refers to conditioning exercises that increase the storage and delivery of energy for any activity. There are three biochemical means through which our body provides energy needed for any type of movement. These are referred to as “metabolic engines” and are known as the phosphagen pathway, the glycolytic pathway, and the oxidative pathway. The phosphagen pathway is the means from which we get most of our energy used for anything that is highly physical such as sprinting. The second, the glycolytic pathway, is the means through which we get our energy to do more moderate activities such as jogging. The last oxidative pathway provides us with energy for activities that do not require much energy such as walking. In a very basic form, metabolic conditioning is a way of strength training which taxes all of these pathways in order to enhance performance. This involves intense training periods alternated with very minimal rest periods.

Metabolic training or conditioning is very intense but it produces results. Bodybuilders and other athletes find this way of training highly effective and it can be for anyone-as long as you are willing to put out the effort.

The old saying, “no pain no gain” might be true to some extent, but you shouldn’t be suffering from strained muscles all the time. If you are sore to the point of barely being able to move your body, you have gone too far. To ease your tired and achy muscles and get some relief fast, try the following three options:

1. Massage. A massage is for more than pure relaxation-it can do wonders for sore and stiff muscles. Massages increase blood flow to the strained area which speeds up healing. It also prompts the body to release endorphines which are a natural pain killer.

2. Have a bath. A bath is a nice way to loosen up your stiff body, especially if it has epsom salts in it. Magnesium and sulphate are the leading components of Epsom Salt and they are both great for easing muscle and joint pain. Magnesium also helps rid the body of toxins and reduce inflammation, making it the ideal treatment for tired muscle and arthritis.

3. Flush it out. It is important to drink a minimum of eight glasses (64 oz.) of water daily to hydrant your body, and even more if you are sore. Dehydration can enhance muscle pain so make sure to drink lots of fluids all day long.

If you have overdone it working out, it is important to take it easy for a while. Light walking and stretching is ok and can even loosen you up, but anything more than that can cause irreversible damage to mucles and tendons.

Today, the leading cause of death worldwide is chronic disease. Chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases kill millions of people each year and many times they are preventable. It is estimated that about 338 million will die of chronic diseases in the next ten years. Although this number is staggering, there are things that you can do to prevent yourself from becoming a statistic.

The first thing to do is stop smoking. Smoking is the leading cause of cancer and can cause other problems such as emphysema, chronic lung problems, and heart disease. Even second hand smoke can cause problems-those who are subjected to it for a period of time are more likely to develop and die from heart problems and lung cancer. Another way to cut your risk of chronic disease is to avoid alcohol or drink it in moderation. Drinking alcohol regularly can lead to chronic liver disease and other health problems. The next thing change to make in your life is to eat healthy. A poor diet can lead to many health problems, one of the main ones being diabetes. Even those that already have this disease can minimize the effects by following a healthy diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Highly processed foods and sugar should be avoided as much as possible. Lastly, exercising almost every day can reduce your risk of chronic diseases up to 50%! The power of exercise should not be under estimated- it prevents heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers, and diabetes.

By making healthy choices today you can lower your chances of acquiring a chronic disease. About 80% of premature heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and up to 40 per cent of cancers, are preventable through leading healthy lifestyles.

Men are quite different physically from women and therefore, they have different nutritional needs. Men also are very susceptible to heart disease due to their diets and they show signs of this disease 10 to 20 years earlier than women do. Furthermore, men are extremely susceptible to prostate cancer. Research shows that if a man lives long enough, the chances are great that he will develop prostate cancer at some point. Here are four essential foods for men to stay healthy:

1. Fiber: Fiber is important to keep the digestive system running smoothly-men need at least 25 grams per day. By eating whole grains, beans, grapefruit, and berries men can easily get the recommended daily amount. Taking a flax seed supplement is a great way to ensure you are getting a good dose of fiber.

2. Seafood. Seafood is not only delicious, but it is high in protein and zinc. Zinc ensures your immune system is working to the best of its ability and also promotes prostate health. Salmon, prawns, trout, oysters, cod, and bass are all healthy options.

3. Garlic. Both raw and cooked garlic are good for you - even deodorized garlic capsules help bring down blood cholesterol levels of men. Garlic has also been found to be a potent cancer fighter, especially if taken raw. Add garlic to your food when you can – sauces, stir fries, and hummus are all great ways to get more of this amazing herb into your body.

4. Tomatoes. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes that is especially good in the prevention of prostate cancer. Cooked tomatos enhance the potency of lycopene, so tomato based pasta sauces, stewed tomatoes in chili, and extra tomato sauce on pizza are all good options for men.

Eating healthy may not fit into some men’s repetoir, but the importance of diet is commonly overlooked. Eating a well balanced diet doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite foods-just eat more of the healthier ones.