The Stretching Debate

Is Stretching Really Good For You?

It has been a common belief amongst athletes that stretching before strenuous physical activity prevents injury. However, researchers are now finding contrary evidence that stretching before exercise may actually do more harm than good. While it is true that stretching “cold” muscles can cause strain on muscle fibers, overall flexibility is undeniably an important part of overall fitness. Therefore, when researchers state that stretching does not prevent injury, they are not presenting an accurate and unbiased picture. If you stretch once in a blue moon or for a few seconds before your workout, you really won't receive much benefit. If you don't stretch consistently and correctly, it is certainly not going to do you much good on the athletic field, in the gym or in your everyday life. Continue reading "The benefits of stretching"

Reducing your daily expenses is no easy task, but if you take a look at your spending and apply some discipline to your life, you'll be saving money in no time. Here's some tips for controlling your day-to-day spending:

ANALYZE WHAT YOU SPEND. Sit down with a notebook and calculator and figure where your money goes every day. Be real with yourself. Don't underestimate the little thing you spend money on. Every cent needs to be accounted for.

LOOK FOR LUXURY ITEMS YOU CAN DO WITHOUT. Once you've broken down your spending, the first thing to do is look for luxury items you don't really need. Now, this doesn't mean you need to make yourself miserable, but if you want to get your daily expenses down, you need to make some tough decisions. Could you do without that Starbuck coffee? Could you bring lunch to work? Could you rent a DVD instead of going out to the theater? These are some of the tough decisions you'll have to make. Continue reading "Tips For Reducing Your Daily Expenses"

Green tea offers so many benefits to the skin and to the body. It contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and anti-bacterial properties. It is not a mystery green tea is so popular in the cosmetic industry. Loaded with Vitamin E and C, the antioxidant agents slow the signs of aging externally and provide beneficial vitamins for overall health when taken internally.

Furthermore, recent research has concluded that green tea can prevent cancer. The death rate in Japan from cancer is significantly lower than that in the States. In Japan, green tea is part of their daily staple and consumed as much as 5 to 6 cups a day. This suggests that the main ingredients in green tea (*tannin, *catechin-see definition below) in sufficient amounts can lower the mortality rates of cancer patients. Continue reading "Health benefits of tea"

Green or Oolong Best Tea for Weight Loss

Tea, the world’s most popular beverage after water, has long been thought to help control weight. Mounting scientific evidence is not only supporting this claim, but explaining why it works.

A paper recently published in the scientific journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research reviewed studies conducted during the past ten years and found significant evidence that tea helps to aid weight loss. The exact mechanisms are still being studied, but tea has been shown to help stimulate fat metabolism and slow down fat absorption. Continue reading "Tea and weight loss: Fact or fiction?"