Barrie Edwards Health and Fitness - A Sure Way To Improve Your Health - http://instantblogsubscribers.com/vip/barrieedwards

Barrie Edwards Health and Fitness - A Sure Way To Improve Your Health - http://instantblogsubscribers.com/vip/barrieedwards

5 Simple Stretching Exercises To Relieve Back Pain

As our bodies undergo day to day stress, it takes a toll on our backs, and stretching exercises to relieve back pain can help. Depending on the occupation that we hold, we either sit or stand for the better portion of our day.

 Poor posture of the spine can bring about pain and long term problems for our backs. Fixing our posture, and stretching exercises to relieve back pain will help your back. Another issue that we face is that we attempt to over compensate for lack of activity during the week and put ourselves through rigorous physical activity on the weekend.

 Exercise is highly recommended and even beneficial, however it can cause problems if you are not physically used to it. This can make your back and body able to be easily injured. Exercising during the week and also doing stretching exercises can prevent this from happening. The stress that our bodies go through during the weekday can be overcome by doing five stretching exercises to relieve back pain for 15-20 minutes a day. These stretching exercises to relieve back pain will require an elastic band that could be purchased at a local store.

1 Lower Back Stretch

Start by sitting on the floor with your legs together and straight out in front of you. Put the exercise band around your feet and hold on to it with both hands. Then "climb towards your foot using the band to pull yourself. Continue this until you feel a stretch from your calves, spine and lower back. Hold the position for 8-10 seconds as you breathe normally.Repeat 3 times.

  2 The Groin Stretch

 Lay on the floor face up with your legs in an almost split position. Bend your left leg at the knee and place your foot on the floor. Put the elastic band on your right foot and then pull gently with both of your arms. You should hold this position for 8-10 seconds and then repeat the exercise 3 times.Then switch to the other leg and do three times.

3. The Glute and External Rotator Stretch

 Laying on the ground face up, wrap the band around a toe and straighten your leg while holding on to the band. When your leg is extended twist your torso at the hip until your leg is on the ground while keeping your back as flat as you can. Then hold this position for 8-10 seconds and repeat 3 times. Switch to the other leg and repeat.

4. The Hamstring Stretch

 Start in the same position as the External Rotator Stretch. However, instead of twisting at the hip, lay straight with your leg straight up then pull your leg gently towards your head. This will stretch your hamstring and help to relieve tension on your back.

 5. The Quad Stretch

Lay face down on the floor and wrap the band around a toe then pull your leg towards your head. When you feel the stretch in your front thigh, hold the pose for 8 seconds and repeat twice more. Then switch to the other leg and do the same. These exercise will help with flexibility and strength but they are also wonderful stretching exercises to relieve back pain.

Barrie Edwards

http://www.superxenca.co.uk

Xenca

Xenca 



Xenca is the only company of its kind that is run entirely by its members for its members.
Our commission plan pays associates generous commissions and offers everyone the chance to share in the company’s profits.
So, when we say “welcome to the team – together, we’re better”, we really mean it!

Our Mission

Our mission at Xenca is to make a difference in people’s quality of life. We believe passionately that we all deserve to enjoy the best health and wellbeing possible. We think that looking and feeling great should come naturally and have committed ourselves to providing exceptional products designed to make this so. We also believe our customers and business partners deserve to enjoy an outstanding experience in their dealings with us and have committed ourselves to making this experience a refreshingly different partnership. When we say “together, we’re better” we really do mean it.

Our two Flagship Products

5 A Day + Green Superfood

All too often our western diet, busy lifestyles and modern farming methods mean we get too little nutritional value from our food. Each recommended serving of this powerful green supplement provides the nutritional equivalent of 5 – 7 servings of fresh fruit and veg in one go. At less than 12 calories per serving and with no sugar, artificial additives, preservatives or colourings, Five a Day + is a convenient way of guaranteeing a healthy intake of natural enzymes, vitamins, minerals, proteins and antioxidants.
Among its many reported health benefits, this natural food supplement has been found to boost energy, aid detoxification, improve recovery and improve mental concentration. It may also lower cholesterol and produce a measurable reduction in biological age

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Revitalise Collagen by xenca

The glue that holds you together

Collagen is a key component in our hair, skin, nails and connective tissue, providing them with firmness  and strength.  From early adulthood onwards our body produces less and less collagen resulting in a net loss of 1% or more a year.  As a result bones lose density, skin loses firmness and muscles lose strength.

The Revitalise range of collagen aims to help combat this problem.  Made with types I and II collagen (in the form of collagen hydrolysate for easy absorption), this nutritional supplement should be taken in conjunction with a balanced diet.  The range includes both pure collagen formulations as well as supplements, which combine additional ingredients to target specific needs.

Collagen Revitalise

To supplement the primary structural protein in the body

Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of collagen supplements in the treatment of degenerative joint disease.  Other benefits linked with collagen supplementation include firmer skin, a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, faster recovery from injury, stronger nails and healthier hair.  For best results take the recommended amount of collagen with water before bedtime for optimal absorption during sleep.

Article: 10 Reasons to use Collagen

Article: Collagen Product Details

Exercise And Stress

Exercise And Stress Even though exercise may not be the most exciting word in your vocabulary, it sure is a word with a lot of benefits. Participating in daily exercise will not only make you healthier in general, but it can also diminish the effects of stress on your body as well. Think about all the times you have heard someone say "the doctor says it's stress related". Normally people will laugh it off, concluding that doctors say that when they don't know the real answers or diagnosis. The truth of the matter is that too much stress will play a role in many diseases. To help increase your immune system and decrease your stress level as well, try exercise, as movement is the key word here. Bending, stretching, reaching and walking. There's really no need to buy any expensive equipment either, as you can implement more movement into your daily routine and reap the benefits. If you like aerobic exercise, you should grab a partner and have a blast with one of the basic aerobic videos. Or, you can simply go out for a walk and enjoy spending time together. As you may have heard, walking really is the best overall exercise you can do for your health. As long as you have a pair of walking shoes, you'll be fine. As you go through your daily activities, make it a point to walk a little farther, bend down and pick something up without using a pick up stick or moving the item towards you with your foot. While you are sitting, you should also do some simple and quick stretches for your neck and shoulders. If you enjoy sitting around watching television, you should consider buying a jogging board. These padded boards will make running, jumping, or walking in place less stressful on your knees and joints. They are easy to store as well and also very portable. In many people's opinions, jogging boards are the best pieces of equipment you can buy. They are also far cheaper than bulky treadmills and stationary bikes. There are several different exercises that you can do to help you eliminate the stress in your life. Walking is by far the best, as you can easily lose yourself and your troubles by walking. Even if it is just around the block, walking can do wonders for your health as well as stress. If you have a lot of stress in your life, you may want to consider a gym. Working out then sitting in the sauna is also a good way to relieve tension. If your gym has a pool, you may find swimming to be very beneficial as well, as it helps you to relax.

Choosing The Right Exercise For You

Choosing The Right Exercise For You

The type of exercise you do all depends on you and
what you like to do.  What you hate doing, paying
membership fees, and whether or not to buy equipment
are all things you need to consider as well as
answer.

If you choose something that you don't like to do,
you aren't going to keep doing it for a long period
of time.  Give it some thought - if you don't like
jogging, you aren't going to get up at 6 AM and go
running.  If you can't find something you like to
do, choose something you hate the least, which will
normally be walking.

Walking is great exercise, as it suits all levels
of fitness.  Anyone can start a walking program at
any time, it's normally the intensity and duration
that differs.  Walking is also a social exercise,
as it isn't difficult to find a training partner
to chat with while you exercise.  Walking with a
partner will also make time go by faster.

No matter what exercise you choose, you should
start at a low level of intensity and build it up
over a period of weeks, which is essential to the
longevity of your exercise program.  If you start
off too hard, you could end up with an injury
which will require time off to get over.

If you are really in bad shape, you should start
off by walking for 10 minutes each day.  Then,
increase it by 5 minutes every 2 weeks.  To make
things more interesting, you should try walking
a different course every few days.  You can also
roster a different friend to walk with you each
day of the week.

If walking isn't your thing, then you may want
to try a fitness center.  They have loads of
variety and normally have trainers on hand to
answer any questions you may have.  When you
choose a fitness center, make sure that they give
good service.

If they aren't willing to treat you well before
you join, then they certainly won't after you
join.  You should also make sure that the equipment
they use is well taken care of.  It's easy to
find out, as all you have to do is listen to the
machines.  If they squeak a lot or make noise,
then chances are they aren't being taken care of.

If you still aren't sure what you should do, then
you should look into golf or tennis.  Both are
good social activities in most areas, and you can
even meet new friends.  Tennis is great for fitness
although it isn't for someone who is just starting
out.  If you haven't exercised in a long time,
then golf may be the best activity for you.

Can a Raw Food Diet Help You Lose Weight Fast?

by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHNAuthor, Eating for Energy
If you are like most people, at some point in your life, your weight has been a concern. Some people are lucky enough, genetically speaking, to have to spend very little time or effort to maintain an optimum weight. For the rest of us, staying healthy, fit and trim is somewhat of a battle, and there is never a clear-cut winner. But sometimes, you need to simply shave off a few pounds. It might be a vacation that you have planned that requires a swimsuit-ready body; it might be an upcoming social event that you want to look your best for; or any number of other reasons that you might find yourself suddenly wishing that you were carrying a few less pounds.
Most of the usual methods for rapid weight loss are obviously unhealthy. Starvation diets and their like are one way to shave off a few pounds, but the effects on your body can be very dangerous. Instead, with a little fore planning, a raw food diet might be able to help you quickly and safely shed those excess pounds, and do what no other diet can do - keep them off for good.
The first thing to remember with the raw food diet is that faster is not always better, and you still need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you simply starve yourself, allowing only a few raw food items a day, you will do damage to your body. Allow the raw food diet to do its work the way it was intended; not as a crash diet, but a way to bring your body into harmony with the fuels you consume.
The raw food diet can help you in two ways. First, eating better provides the body with healthy fuel, and teaches it to use more effectively. Rather than quickly consuming and burning the energy from a chocolate bar, the energy from a piece of fruit will be absorbed in a more orderly fashion, and distributed to your body in a healthier way. Long after the sugars in the chocolate have been burned away or stored as fats, leaving you in a crash position, the fruit will be feeding your body.
What does this mean for the diet? It means fewer crashes, which means fewer cravings. Also, it means more energy. More fuel allows you to work harder, which will encourage quick weight loss. You can use the sustained energy from these raw foods to add more strenuous exercises to your routines, which will again encourage the body to burn off the stores of energy in your fat cells, because it will be getting used to the idea of getting cleaner, better energy from your raw food diet on a regular basis. If there is always more fuel coming, the body will not feel the need to store what it can for a dry spell.
Making these changes will, in a rapid but healthy time frame, reduce the amount of fat on your body. Given a proper run-up, you will be ready for that swimsuit in no time flat.

http://vur.me/barrieeviral/energy/

Healthy Fats and Healthy Raw Snacks

Healthy Fats
In moderation, nuts and seeds are also healthy raw snacks that are suitable for holiday parties. They are great sources of protein and healthy fats, which will keep you satiated for a longer amount of time. Look for walnuts and sunflower seeds for their omega-3 fatty acids, almonds for their protein content, and pumpkin seeds for their amazing iron and zinc content.
Most importantly, select nuts and seeds that are raw and unsalted. Roasting destroys the delicate essential fats, proteins, antioxidants, and other nutrients that these nuts and seeds are renowned for.
Bonus Tip: Try trail mix containing goji berries, raw cacao nibs, dried organic apricots, and any of your favourite nuts and seeds. Goji berries and raw cacao are the food chain’s greatest source of antioxidants and energy. Give this energizing trail mix a shot and you will never need another coffee!

Snack Time

So when is the best time to snack? The simple answer is to listen to your body. If you’re not hungry, then don’t eat. At the same time, the last thing you want to do is binge on bad foods because you haven’t eaten all day. Come to work prepared with a fixed amount of healthy snacks and graze on them throughout the day. If you fuel your body with nutrient-dense raw foods, you will eat less and have far more energy.

References:

Wolfe, D. The Sunfood Diet Success System. Maul Bros. Publishing, San Diego, CA (2006).

Khan, A (2003). Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care, 26(12):3215-3218.