10 Exercises Done Inside the Home

Know it or not we exercise each day while at home.  Walking up and down stairs, cleaning, lifting or other home chores can all be considered exercise.

However, there are 10 exercises that can be done at home. These focus on specific muscle groups that will help even more than the aforementioned general exercises.  They are:

·  Workout to an exercise DVD, whether it’s an abs workout or cardiovascular.
·  Curls can be done by lying on your back, putting hands behind your head, and raising the upper body.
·  Leg exercises can be achieved by standing while holding on to the back of a chair or lying down on your side and lifting each leg for a number of repetitions. 
·  Work-at-home mothers who sit for hours at the personal desk can perform this exercise to keep the circulation flowing in their legs. Simply press down on your toes in an up and down motion.  Any activity that can be accomplished while sitting down will prevent muscular pain later.
·  Stretching exercises are essential.  Stand with both hands against a wall and move your right leg back so that your foot is flat against the floor.  Hold for a few seconds; then repeat with the left leg.
·  Arm exercises are important to improve muscle tone.  Use an exercise band and place both feet on one end and with each hand raise and lower the band; first with your palms up then down.
·  Put on a CD and dance for about 20-30 minutes.  This is a great cardiovascular workout.
·  Use 5 or 10 lbs. weights to exercise your arms.  You can even do this exercise sitting in a chair.
·  Incorporate sit-ups, jumping rope and push-ups into that daily routine.
·  Another great stretching exercise to perform is to lie on your back, bring up your right knee to your chest with your right hand and roll the knee to your left side so that it touches the floor.  Keep it in place with your left hand.

There are many exercises available on DVD which can be incorporated using bands and other exercise equipment.  Always stretch before starting any exercise routine to prevent injury.

Rating: 9
Where to buy: http://www.drugstore.com

Description: The Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor will give you a 99% accounting of your fertility level daily. Based on hormone monitoring only this monitor helps reduce the time it takes to conceive a baby by helping assist in timing your best conception days.

Review:  Quality tested, this monitor is non-invasive and 100% natural.  I found it very easy to use. All you do is first thing in the morning turn your machine on, take a urine sample and read your results.

The monitor has a large display screen for easy reading. It easily identifies the days you are most fertile. The status will show low, high or peak fertility.  Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor will ease the stress and frustration of trying to conceive.

Begin using it on or before the 5th day of your cycle.  The monitor is designed for women who have a normal cycle between 21 and 42 days. If your cycle has not been normal it is recommended that you wait until you have 2 normal cycles in a row.

The monitor runs on 4 AAA batteries.

If you have a medically diagnosed fertility problem consult your Dr. on using the monitor.

Criticism: The monitor does not include the tests strips, so be sure to buy those when you purchase your monitor.

Stress: some say they can’t live with it while others insist they can’t live without it.  Either way, stress causes serious health issues and should be avoided as much as possible. Here are 7 tips for living a stress free live.

* Control.  If you have an A type personality, odds are you are a perfectionist and therefore, experience stress most of the time. Control only those things you can, and leave the rest to fate.

* Negativity.  If you surround yourself with negative people or have a negative attitude you will always be in a stressful mode.  Look on the bright side of things think positive, be confident, empower yourself to drive away all the peripheral factors that bring negativity into your life.

* Fear.  Fear can cause stress-related health conditions such as anxiety, panic attacks and the inability to live a normal life.  Examine the issues causing your fear by either talking to a friend or a professional.

* Sleep.  Sleep deprivation can cause stress.  Lack of sleep will make you irritable, nervous, lethargic and unable to perform any task that needs to be done.  Ensure you sleep at least 7 to 8 hours a night.

* Exercise.  Walking, jogging, biking or running cannot only relieve stress, but keep you healthy and energetic.  Add a proper diet as well.

* Aromatherapy.  Utilizing scented oils at home can achieve calm and relaxation. The use of scented candles or teas such as chamomile, and warm baths of lavender and rose can put you at ease in an instant.  Meditation and yoga are great as well.

* Positive Thinking.  Life has enough problems without your having to worry about inconsequential matters.  Develop an attitude that is positive, empowering and one that inspires others.  Laugh as much as you can and as often as you can.

Living a stress free life may not be easy if it was, the journey would encompass a boring road lined with the same views and stepping stones.  However, conquering stress can uplift you and make your life more enjoyable.

Rating: 10
Where to buy: http://www.amazon.com

Description:  This is a beautiful keepsake type book that everyone needs in his or her collection. It is an inspiration in helping the human mind find the potential to create a peaceful and happy life.

Review: This book is one of the best there is.  It is so inspiring in it’s words, pictures, scriptures and ideas.  It would be a wonderful gift for anyone.

The seven steps included in this book were so helpful to me in a time when I needed inspiration to help me find a better way at looking at life.  They helped me realize that there are things in my life to be thankful for.

The scriptures were wonderful.  They set out ideas for me to think about and use in my life.  It was inspiring to read these scriptures and think about God and how he was the biggest part of my life.

The way it is written is so light and easy.  It is easy to understand and apply to everyday life.  With the thought of the day also included in helps you to focus on that day only.

It shows you how you can leave your past in the past and live for the day and remember the good things God has brought in your life.  It also helps you to rebuild your own self-esteem.

If you’re not a big reader this book is for you.  It only takes a few minutes to read the scripture, thought for the day and the ideas included with them.  Also just looking at the natural pictures will enlighten your heart.

I would recommend this book to everyone.  Whether you are religious or not it is such an inspiring and self-building book that everyone can get something from it.

Ingredients:

1 cup bread flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/8 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon  unsalted butter
1/4 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

Instructions:

This recipe is for a bread machine.  If using the bread machine follow directions that came with the machine. To make without a bread machine you will need to place flours, oats wheat germ and yeast in bowl and combine.  Add wheat germ, honey, milk, water and butter.  Mix together well by using your hands to incorporate all ingredients together.  Cover and allow to rise.  Place in loaf pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour or until bread is brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Additional Nutritional Information:

Calories: 147 Total Fat: 2.3g Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 257mg
Total Carbs: 27.5g Dietary Fiber: 2.6g Protein: 5.2g

Have you ever been at home or at work and became frustrated with the task at hand and muttered to yourself  “I can’t take this anymore!” We all have many pressures in our lives. Whether it is raising families, trying to make the mortgage payments, keeping up with the kids or a myriad of other things we deal with on a day-to-day basis.

Most of us find ourselves talking in negative tones, using negative words and becoming quite depressed afterwards.   Sometimes we are so tired we can’t get out of bed or do a simple chore.  The effects of negative thinking can and do have serious health consequences.

Negative thinking causes headaches, body aches and a host of health-related conditions that might not normally occur.  While depression is the main culprit, it is caused by feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, fear and anxiety. These feelings will generally result in an overall feeling of hopelessness. They can also lead to heart attacks and strokes.

In addition, negative thinking creates stress and stress is the number one cause of major health problems today.  While it’s not easy to stay positive in a world that’s often negative, the idea is to focus on you and your family.  Stay focused on what you can control, not what is totally out of your control.

There are people whose lives are surrounded by negativity and they have been plagued with diseases such as cancer and other debilitating illnesses.  While there are those who live in there own little world made up of negative thoughts and feelings, there are those who will battle those feelings with every fiber of their being to ensure they enjoy life to the fullest and not worry about tomorrow.

Positive thinking people may be less likely to get sick, and their view of the world is to always to look for the good in others, appreciate the now and not worry day after day about the future. They enjoy each day as it comes and live in the moment.  With everything going on in the world today, perhaps this is the best alternative to bemoaning one’s life and future.

The key to a long life is to stay focused on the here and now, enjoy loved ones and friends, experience new things, conquer old fears and live with a positive attitude as much as possible.

Rating: 10
Where to buy: http://www.amazon.com

Description:  This audio CD is for busy people and who isn’t busy these days?  It tells you how to power meditate in just a few minutes.  You can meditate anywhere, at anytime with the guides given in this CD.  It contains techniques to help you quickly release your mind from the stresses of the moment.

Review: If you are a busy person like myself then you probably think meditation is not for you.  This CD will show you just how wrong our thinking is.

My stress filled life was really getting the better of me.  I just couldn’t get all that tension out of my mind and it seemed to build and build until I thought I would explode.  Somewhere I read about meditation and I just knew there was no way I could find the time to do that.

I picked up this CD one day and thought I might as well see what it was about.  If nothing else maybe I would pick up something from it to help me out.  Boy did I ever find things that would help.

It taught me I could meditate just about anywhere and at just about anytime I wanted to.  Plus it was so easy to understand and follow that I just couldn’t believe it.

Thanks to this CD I can get through my day without feeling like I’m pulling my hair out 90% of the time.  When I get to the point of no return I just stop and breath like taught on the CD or do a relaxation exercise.  It is amazing how different I feel after I meditate.

If your life is busy and full of stress try this CD. You will enjoy it and actually learn from it.  Here’s to being relaxed, happy and healthy.

Ingredients:

4 large tomatoes, chopped
4 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (8 ounce) bottle balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

Instructions:

Place tomatoes, avocados and onion in a large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle with pepper.  Add salad dressing and toss to cover vegetables completely.  Cover and chill in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.  This will help all the flavors to blend together for better taste.  Serve cold.

Tip:  Avocados are a great source of serotonin a helpful agent for stress relief.

Additional Nutritional Information:

Calories: 364 Total Fat: 32.9g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 491mg
Total Carbs: 20.1g Dietary Fiber: 8.2g Protein: 3.8g