EXERCISE: Walking Meditation

I am reposting this entry straight from Walgreen's "Walk with Walgreen's" site. It seems to be sound advice!

Walking meditation is an active form of meditation which is done while in motion rather than while seated. It's easy to do and is a great way to find calm and relaxation anywhere you go. In walking meditation, the experience of walking becomes the main focus; becoming mindful of the experience while walking can lead to greater awareness and an overall sense of wellbeing.

Here’s How To Do A Walking Meditation:

1. Dedicate a specific time to practice walking meditation. Once you are more familiar with it, you will be able to practice meditating even during normal walking, but in the beginning it's good to set aside a time devoted to the experience.
   
2. Have no destination in mind, walk just to walk. You'll want to focus on the walk itself, not on any particular place you want to go. When you have a set destination, your mind will be preoccupied with getting to that place and the walk itself will no longer be the focus. For now, think of the journey as the destination! This new way of thinking will help you to be present in the moment rather than always thinking about the future.
   
3. Pace your breathing with your steps. Take one step as you inhale, take another step as you exhale. Don't focus your eyes or thoughts on anything in particular. When thoughts about anything other than your walking come to mind, you can acknowledge them but make it a point to let them go, and bring your mind back to the actions of your body; your steps, your breathing, etc... Keep the pace and your breathing slow and relaxed.
   
4. Try to live in the moment. Focus on what you are experiencing right now, not the past or the future. If your mind begins to wanders, let those thoughts pass, and then bring your attention back to the present, to your breath.
   
5. When you are more comfortable with it, you can begin to incorporate this practice into your daily life - taking three or four slow, mindful steps whenever you remember to. Notice how this changes the quality of your day. At first it might feel difficult or strange, but it gets easier and feels more natural with practice, and the benefits will be obvious!

NUTRITION: Benefits of Eating Ginger

Here's another post from Walk with Walgreen's regarding one of my most favorite spices ... Ginger!


Did you know that ginger is not only a delicious addition to foods and desserts, but it's also great for your health? One of the most useful benefits of ginger is its ability to help soothe muscle aches and pains, a great thing when you are sore from a good, long walk! Daily consumption of ginger is great for those who regularly exercise, and many weightlifters rely on it to help with recovery after intense physical activity. 

The potent anti-inflammatory compounds in ginger have been known to help those who suffer from arthritis to manage their pain levels. Recent studies point to ginger as a possible inhibitor of cancer cells, while its germ-fighting qualities can help to stave off infections and lessen the severity of colds & flus.

Ginger is so packed with these health-promoting substances that you don't even have to use very much of it reap the benefits. For nausea or tummy troubles, you can make ginger tea by steeping a few slices of fresh ginger in hot water.  If the taste is too spicy, you can sweeten it up with a bit of honey. Alternately, a soothing ginger lemonade is delicious any time! Just add some freshly grated ginger to a mixture of ice water, lemon juice and your preferred sweetener. Arthritis patients have found relief by regularly consuming small amounts of ginger in cooked foods, such as sliced up with some mixed vegetables and made into a stir-fry dish. The more ginger you eat, the more noticeable the results will be.

EXERCISE: Walking? Wear a Pedometer!

Again, I am reprinting this from Walk with Walgreens. 

Omron® The Partner You Can Count On

You’d be surprised by how many steps you already take each day; a few hundred walking to the bus, another couple hundred going down the block for lunch, and with an Omron Pedometer you’ll know just how many steps you’re taking and begin looking for ways to see that number get bigger every day.

A Few Steps Toward a Healthier Life

Walking is a great way to stay healthy. In fact, walking 10,000 steps a day is widely recommended by health and fitness professionals, and when you track your steps with a pedometer, like the Omron HJ-112, studies show you’re likely to increase your total number of steps a day by 2,000 or 1 miles*

Getting Started

Warm Up First:

before your walk, stretch (arm circles, hip circles, and leg lifts to get your blood flowing and reduce the risk of injury.

Use a Pedometer:

You can count on Omron pedometers to accurately track your daily routine and help you reach your recommended 10,000 daily steps.

Set Goals:

Begin slowly and work your way up. By setting goals you'll push yourself farther and achieve more. Try adding a half mile every other day to your daily steps, and then increase to a half mile daily.

Mix It Up:

Add variety to your routine by changing pace, walking up hill, or just changing your route.

Add Resistance:

Include some upper body exercises as you walk such as arm reaches or carrying water bottles in each hand to increase your calorie burn.

I bought the HJ-150 a couple of days ago ... at $19.99 at Walgreen's, how can you go wrong?

The Pedometer With A Brain™
Easy to UseWear on your hip to accurately track and measure your daily achievements. Advanced Technology with the Smart Sensor The Gosmart Hip Pedometer is more advanced than pedometers that use a pendulum design.  The Smart Sensor, the brain inside the GOsmart Hip Pedometer, knows exactly when you're taking a step.  It filters out non-walking movements so you know your step count is accurate.  Since it has no moving parts - there are no loud clicking sounds.
The large screen displays:
• Steps
• 7-day memory
• Clock
It also automatically resets at midnight - so it's always ready to go for a walk
Contents
• Pedometer
• Battery installed
• Instruction Manual
This product contains a CR Type Coin Lithium Battery which contains Perchlorate Material - special handling may apply.
Made in China
Storage Conditions: -4°F min. - +140°F max.
© 2008 Omron Healthcare, Inc.

NUTRITION: Are You Nuts About Nuts? You Should Be!

I am reposting this from  Walk with Walgreens ...

Many consider the mighty walnut to be more beneficial to your health than any other nut. According to Joe Vinson of the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, "A handful of walnuts contain almost twice as much antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other commonly consumed nut. But unfortunately, people don't eat a lot of them.” 

The quality antioxidants in Walnuts can protect the body from disease. Walnuts also provide the body with high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals. And let’s not forget, they’re delicious! Drop some in your morning no-atmeal or yogurt, toss some in your salad, or bake some in a healthy fruit dessert. Walnuts make almost anything better.

Based on the popularity of our post about walnuts, we wanted to continue the nutty discussion with Brazil nuts. Act like an Amazonian and grab a handful. They’re higher in calories than other nuts because of their fats, but they are also rich in vitamins, anti-oxidants, and minerals. A cup of brazil nuts can get you toward your daily recommended value of thiamin, vitamin e, calcium, magnesium, and selenium. 

Brazil nuts are also free from gluten, which makes them a popular ingredient in the preparation of gluten-free food formulas. And we can’t forget about brazil nut oil. It can be used in cooking as well, but also as massage oil, for aromatherapy, and even to make paints. 

We’ve already highlighted the health benefits of walnuts and Brazil nuts, so we thought we’d tackle almonds too. Almonds are like miracle nuts – they’re good for your entire body! They help with brain development, so kids should munch on a few every morning. Mono-saturated fat, protein and potassium contained in almonds are good for the heart.

Got dry skin? Put some almond oil on it. Almond milk is even added to some soaps to improve complexion. Almonds can also boost energy, help with weight loss, prevent constipation, and regulate blood pressure. You have every reason to grab a handful!

EXERCISE: Walk with Walgreens

I never used to watch Donald Trump's Apprentice shows, but Conrad had always been a fan, so I decided to give them a try a few years ago ... Now I'm hooked. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago the task was to create a presentation (including a box design) for Walgreens' new promotion: Walk with Walgreens. (They have teemed up with the  Magic Johnson Foundation  on this project.) The following day the boxes would appear on the shelves at Walgreen's, so I decided to go get a couple first thing that morning.
So, I trekked out to Walgreen's, handed over $6.00 for two boxes and away I went. Inside the boxes was a nifty Walgreen's drawstring backpack and an inexpensive pedometer. Once I got home I went online and registered. it takes maybe two minutes to fill everything out and check for the verification email. Super easy!
I immediately started wearing it an have racked up almost 100,000 steps in less than two weeks! Granted, several days were high-action days while touring Switzerland, but still, it's exercise! It's easy to log on every evening and add your steps, but I wasn't able to do that while we were gone. Luckily you can back-date entries, so I didn't lose any data.
I have since bought a more sophisticated pedometer that I put on every morning. It's a habit now, so it's pretty much second nature.


Anyone up for a challenge? Go to Walgreens' get a $3.00 box and join me! Add me as a friend ... I'm PaleoMermaid!


Here's a link to their website: Walk with Walgreens