Kang's Black Belt Academy
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Wednesday, August 31, 2016 Are you All Talk and NO Action? We have all had at least one person in our lives that
always complains but, never does anything about it. If Honestly, we are probably all guilty of it in some way, shape, or form
as well. How many times have you heard or even said something like,
8:07 am edt “I am so overweight and out of shape. I need to do something.” “I should really eat better and workout.” “If only I had the time to workout.” “I’m so tired of my clothes not fitting.”“I wish I looked like I did years ago.”“That’s it. Tomorrow I am going to start exercising and eat better.”We could go on and on with the examples. Why do we do this? Why do we just talk about it and never actually do something about it? The reasons/excuses are endless. One would bet though that the majority of the time, it is because people are lazy and/or don’t make it a true priority. If someone truly thought that eating healthy and exercising were important to their quality of life, they would make the time and put in the effort. What can we do to change? There are many things you can do, but let’s take a look at a few.· Decide. Make the decision that this is it and mean it. Get up off your behind and go take a walk. Do 25 jumping jacks, push ups, squats. Yes. Right now! Get up and do some sort of activity that can be deemed exercise. This is you taking a stand. You are not putting up with your own excuses any longer and you are taking action this instant. Don’t wait any longer, you have been doing that for far too long!· Write them down. Write all of those things you have been saying you should or need to do down. Congratulations, you have now set some goals! Writing them down starts the process and provides some sense of commitment.Map them out. Map out how you are going to accomplish your goals. Take a look at what you want to accomplish and if it is too large to accomplish in a short period of time, break it up. For example. If you want or need to lose 25 pounds, that is going to be really difficult to do in 30 days. So, let’s break it down and set a goal to lose 10 pounds in month 1, 10 more pounds in month 2 and 5 in month 3. When we break down our larger goals into smaller more manageable ones, it makes it a little easier to accomplish them and stick with it. Once you have broken them down if necessary, you then need to write down what you are going to do to accomplish those goals. As an example, for losing weight, you should write down what you are going to adjust/do with your diet as well as exercise. Lay it all out so you have clear direction on what to do. If you are unsure, seek out a professional that can assist in making your goals more manageable as well as mapping out what you need to do to accomplish them. · Reward yourself. Here is the tricky part! A lot of people reward themselves with garbage food. As much as you want that cake or pie or whatever it is that is calling your name, it’s not worth it! Instead of making food your reward, find something else. Maybe it’s a new outfit or a new bathing suit. Heck, it could be a vacation. Whatever you can do within your budget to keep yourself motivated. If you stick with things, you’re going to need new clothes anyways!In the end, you and you alone have to make the decision. It all starts there. No matter what your doctor is saying, no matter how much you say you want things to be different, no matter how much support you will have, none of it matters if you don’t make the decision to change and take action immediately. Your future is as bright as you want it to be, but you have to want it bad enough. So, take a picture of yourself. That was the old you. Say bye to the old you that was all talk and no action and don’t look back! Go on, get moving. Your healthier self is impatiently waiting. Monday, August 1, 2016 August is National Family Fun month August is National
Family Fun Month! Treasure hunts are a great way to get your children engaged, entertained and away from their various screens.
Even though it’s relatively easy to find shortcuts online, set-up for these types of activities can be labor-intensive.
Follow the steps below to create a terrific treasure hunt for your kids. Treasure Hunt· Know your audience. The age and gender of the children you are preparing the hunt
for definitely make a difference. As a general rule of thumb, kids will stay engaged for a set of clues equal to their age
times two (for a 10-year-old, 20 clues is probably the longest you want to make your hunt). · Choose a location. For kids under
eight, you want to hide the clues in areas that are incredibly familiar to them, like their home or backyard. The more unfamiliar
the location, the easier the clues should be. For kids 9-12, you can host the hunt at a school or park, somewhere they’ve
frequently visited. For teens, you can get cooperation from area businesses, or from vendors at a fair or farmer’s market.
· Pick your theme. Team
competitions are usually incredibly fun for teens, but absolutely stressful for young children. Again, know your audience
and pick a theme that will keep them excited.· Start making clues! Take pictures, write short rhymes, or look online for riddles.
Use “invisible ink” (white crayon clues on white paper can be “decoded” with a highlighter), make
video clues, or have hunters call cooperating family members with a “password.” Just make sure your clues are
age appropriate – younger children will give up or become distracted if the clues get too tricky. · Decide how to present the first clue,
and where to hide the treasure. Have fun, be creative, and take lots of pictures. Happy hunting!
9:13 am edt Monday, June 27, 2016 The Green Bean Way Making just a few changes in your lifestyle can help you live longer. Adopt the following
six habits to keep your body looking and feeling young. Don’t Smoke. If you smoke, quitting is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to increase your health and
your life span. Quitting can slow disease and
9:22 am edt increase survival odds, even in smokers who have already caused significant damage to their lungs.Turn Off the TV. Too much time in front of the television can take a serious toll on your health. One reason sedentary behavior has such a significant impact on your health is because you expend less energy when you’re sitting or lying down than when you’re on your feet, just standing or walking around.Don’t Overeat. Author Dan Buettner, who studies longevity around the world, found that the oldest Japanese people stop eating when they are feeling only about 80 percent full. When possible, try to eat before you are extremely hungry; this will help control overeating. Slow down when it’s meal time and chew your food well before swallowing.Stay Out of the Sun. Avoiding the sun can head off skin cancer, and it can also keep you looking young by preventing wrinkles, fine lines, and saggy skin. When you are going to be outside for more than 15 minutes, reach for the sunscreen (SPF of 30 or higher).Eat Fruits and Vegetables. Eat at least three servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Fruits and veggies are nutritional powerhouses filled with fiber and vitamins, and they can lower your risk of heart disease by 76 percent. They may even decrease your risk of certain cancers.Exercise. Exercise not only makes you feel great and keeps you toned, but it aids in lower blood pressure, decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke, and trimming the chances of becoming obese or developing diabetes. In general, exercise extends longevity by diminishing the risk of a variety of different ailments. Moderate exercise, for example, a quick 30-minute walk each day, can lower your risk of heart problems. Monday, May 2, 2016 MAKING A MOLE HILL When it comes to fitness and improving
one’s health, it can be daunting and almost feel impossible at times. Like climbing a mountain! I
need to exercise, learn how to exercise, find a place to exercise, count my calories, eat better, shop for healthier food,
cook healthier food, set goals, track my progress, resist eating unhealthy foods, resist falling back into old habits…
The list can go on and on. How can we take this mountain of tasks down to a more manageable mole hill of
items? When it gets overwhelming, take a step back and focus on one or two things instead of everything
all at the same time. Here’s
an example. Instead of going cold turkey on all of the unhealthy things you eat, cut out a couple items
that you eat on a regular basis and replace them with healthier options. Once you do that for a bit, then
work on a eliminating a couple more. Start off working out days a week. Do this consistently
for a couple of weeks then add in another day. Ease into things, and that mountain you are trying to climb
will seem more manageable. Small steps in the right direction are still steps in the right direction, remember
that! Not everyone can make the huge, dramatic transition and handle it all at once. For
10:09 am edt most, when they attempt to do so, they eventually are overwhelmed and give up altogether or resort back to yo-yo diets and the search for mystical, magic pills for a quick fix. But as we all know, those magical pills don’t exist, and those fad diets work until we are not doing them any longer. Let those old habits die out along with your weakness for twinkies! When we focus on a couple of things from that large, seemingly never ending list, we are more likely to actually start and make progress. And that’s the whole point isn’t it? So make your list, set your realistic goals, plan them out and then pick the two or three things you are going to start with. As you get more comfortable with those two or three things, start to add in one or two more items from your list. Continue that trend, and soon you will find yourself closer to the summit and accomplishing things you never thought you could. Let’s recap. Create your mountain. Set your goals, plan them out and then take action. If you can handle the entire load, great! Keep going. If you cannot, you are not alone. Take on a couple of things at a time and keep moving forward to a healthier and happier you! Monday, April 4, 2016 Martial Arts & Manners You may be new to the martial arts or you may be a
seasoned black belt but, whatever your rank, it’s always a good idea to practice your martial arts manners. If you are
a parent of a student, reinforcing manners at home is key to growing the character of your children.A popular reason for enrolling children in the martial arts is to develop “life
skills”. These skills include discipline, self-control, patience, confidence, and courage, among others. The idea with
these skills and this motivation is to reinforce what is already being taught at home. Martial arts classes can be a valuable
tool for helping to really drive home the points you make at home in a very real way.Proper etiquette is a cornerstone of Martial Arts. While each martial arts school may vary
in what is considered proper, there are certain rules that remain consistent throughout the worldwide martial arts community.The atmosphere inside any martial arts school is one of courtesy
and respect, which is often very different from the atmosphere outside the classroom. For example, inside the school students
must address instructors with a respectful title, no matter the age of the instructor. However, outside the school, students
are accustomed to calling people by their first names. So it is no surprise that those new to the martial arts often are confused
by the etiquette
10:16 am edt of Martial Arts.In this martial arts school, we strive to teach all students proper etiquette that always applies in the martial arts school and hopefully, everyday life; it is courtesy and respect that make true martial artists stand out in all aspects of their lives. And if there are situations for which there is no clear rule, it is always wise — whether wearing a uniform and belt or not — to strive always to be modest, courteous and respectful to all, in particular those who are senior to you. Monday, March 2, 2015 Selecting a Caregiver for your ChildLooking for
a new caregiver can be a very stressful experience for a parent. Whether you are choosing in-home care, family day care or
a formal child care center, there are basic things you should know and insist upon. The most common question asked of potential
caregivers is “What do you charge?”, but this question only gives you some of the information you should have.
Here are some questions to ask when searching for the right person or center to watch over your child or children.
· What qualifications do the caregivers have? · Do they speak to the children/babies? Do they sing and read to them? Pay attention to how the caregiver/staff members interact with the other children. Studies show that singing and reading to babies help prepare a child’s ear, voice and brain for language development. · Do they answer the children’s questions patiently? Do they ask the children questions? · Is each baby allowed to eat and sleep according to their schedule or the schedule requested by parents? · Do caregivers respect the language, culture and values of families in the program?· How does the caregiver feel about discipline, toilet training, feeding, etc.? Do the caregiver’s beliefs match your own? · Does the caregiver handle conflicts without losing patience, shaming a child or displaying anger? · Are they trained in first aid and CPR? Do they have emergency protocols in place? You need to make sure, if anything was to happen, they know how to professionally handle an emergency situation. · How do other children in the center handle separation anxiety? What do the teachers do to help? · Do they provide care for a sick child? · What is the child to caregiver ratio? If at all possible, before making your program choice, observe caregivers interacting with children during the day. Parents can learn a lot about a program simply by watching. Trust your gut instinct, every parent knows when something doesn’t feel quite right. You may be turned off by a daycare everyone in town raves about or clash with a highly recommended sitter. If that happens, keep searching. Children deserve, and thrive under, good, nurturing care. If something just doesn’t feel right about your situation, look into other options. Saturday, February 7, 2015 Happy Valentine’s Day How often to do you take the time
to let the people you love know how you feel about them? Most of us would admit we probably don’t do it enough. We get
caught up in the daily worries and busyness. We can often forget to slow down and invest in the relationships that matter
most to us. If this sounds familiar, you are among the majority. Luckily, we have February 14th — a day set aside to
recognize those important relationships.In
the United States, celebrating Valentine’s Day usually means taking time to show your appreciation and affection for
those you love: spouses, partners, parents, children, friends, and family. Often, this holiday manages to creep up on us.
It can be difficult to plan ahead too far, but the red hearts, flowers, and candy begin popping up in stores right after New
Year’s Day, so a lack of time or options is no excuse.Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects and instructions have taken over the internet these days, so finding
the time and resources to make something special is easier than ever. The effort and thought you put into creating a customized
gift for that special someone will show them just how much you really care. Try writing a letter or poem, making paper lilies
out of children’s handprints or creating a photo book filled with special memories.There is still plenty of time to find a way to make this Valentine’s
Day memorable for the ones you care about. Take the time to show those around you how much you care – you might be surprised
how good it makes you feel to see their faces light up with the knowledge that they are special to you.Happy Valentine’s Day to you and all those you love.
6:25 am est Tuesday, December 2, 2014 Don’t be a Victim of Identity Theft Identity theft is a major crime that seems to be getting worse.
With all the news surrounding the breaches of credit cards issued by major retailers, more and more people worry about having
their identity stolen or their credit cards and bank accounts hacked. A growing number of consumers bank and shop online,
which presents a danger for those who don’t know how to ensure the legitimacy of a website. Identity theft has become
a large problem, but there are definite steps that can be taken to significantly lower your odds of becoming a victim.First, what is identity theft? It can be defined as the process
of a person stealing your personal information and using it without your permission. It can disrupt your finances and credit
and can take a lot of time to clean up. There are many ways your identity can be stolen. Thieves may go through your trash
to gather mail, documents, and any other discarded items that may have your personal information. Employees of legitimate
businesses have been charged with identity theft for stealing credit card information while on the job. Others send emails
or snail mail, pretending to be a place of business you are familiar with and asking you to send personal information. And
some identity thieves work the old fashioned way, stealing purses and wallets.There are a few things you can do to protect yourself from identity theft.First, make sure you read your credit reports. Credit reports will show a history
of loans and accounts you have opened. Make sure all the items on your credit report are legitimate expenses. You can get
a free credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com.Read
your bank and credit card statements, making sure all purchases, withdrawals and transactions were made by you.Shred any documents that have your social security number or
any other personal identification information on it.Don’t
ever give out personal information to companies who call or email you — legitimate companies don’t do this.Be very cautious when using personal information on your computer.
Make sure the sites you visit are secure and your Internet is password protected.Hopefully, you will never be a victim of identity theft. The tips above are just a few things you
can do to protect yourself. If your identity is ever stolen, contact one of the national credit reporting agencies and have
them put a fraud alert on your file. Get in touch with your credit card companies and bank(s) to let them know your accounts
have been compromised. Don’t stall if this happens to
7:16 am est you — acting quickly can limit the long-term effects of identity theft. Kick, Punch, & Sweat Away This holiday season, don’t let
stress get the better of you. There are a number of things you can do to help relieve stress but the best way to deal with
stress is to simply avoid it. That being said, some of us might feel like the holiday season turns us into stress magnets
… we just attract it. If that is a feeling you can relate to, one of the best ways to relieve stress is with exercise.
According to studies conducted by
the Mayo Clinic, exercise doesn’t just increase overall health and well-being, it actually has some direct stress-relieving
benefits. Any physical activity, increases endorphins – the neurotransmitters in your brain responsible for your feel-good
emotions. Exercise also helps improve sleep, increase self-confidence, and decrease symptoms associated with depression and
anxiety. If you are ready to reap
the benefits of exercise, any physical activity will do the trick, but consider the benefits of martial arts training. What
better way to relieve stress then breaking a sweat by hitting a punching bag? When you commit to martial arts training, you
have a person, much like a trainer, there to motivate you during your workout. Best of all, you will be learning multiple
skills while working out your whole body. Jogging is great and so is weight-lifting but in martial arts class you do so much more. You learn self-defense techniques,
and you have the opportunity to train your mind while you train your body. Although it is really a go-at-your-own-pace sport,
you do work out with others, so there is a great social aspect to it as well. No matter what your stress-relieving activity is; make sure you DO IT. Do not let
the holiday season raise your stress level or your blood pressure. Get out there and do something. If you are interested in
martial arts classes, come out and kick, punch, and sweat your stress away with us.
7:15 am est Sunday, October 5, 2014 Cardio Health Not The Only Focus With today’s
obesity epidemic and all the news about heart health, more people are forgetting the importance of strength training. Cardiovascular
training and strength training can work together to help you achieve optimal overall health, although it is often difficult
to find one activity that pairs the two together. Martial arts training is one of those activities that gives your heart a
workout while keeping you lean and strong.As we age, our body naturally loses muscle mass. If we don’t replace the lean muscle, we increase the percentage
of fat in our bodies. This is one of the many reasons it is important to participate in a fun and enjoyable activity that
provides both an aerobic and an anaerobic workout.The exercises, like kicking, squatting, lunging and punching, that are practiced in martial arts classes
are all great ways to increase strength. Push-ups, sit-ups, and leg lifts are also great strength training exercises common
to a martial arts class. We have moved past the stigma that building muscles is just for body builders.Below are some great benefits of strength training.· Bone Strength —
Strength training increases bone density and strength by stressing your bones. As we age, this can help prevent osteoporosis
or hunching.· Toning — Toning your muscles helps burn calories more efficiently. Muscles burn calories automatically, so the
more lean muscle you build the more calories your body will burn.· Endurance — Greater endurance is key to any sport and
life in general. When you have more lean muscle, you won’t get fatigued as fast.· Focus — Some research suggests strength training can
also help maintain focus in older adults.So remember: When you exercise, focus on cardiovascular health and building lean muscle. There are many options out
there to build lean muscle; start with weight machines, free weights, and resistant bands or participate in martial arts and
get a plethora of great benefits with just one activity.
6:01 am edt Sunday, August 31, 2014 Time Time is something we take for granted every day,
so if you haven’t ever wondered what the history of time itself looked like, that isn’t surprising. But, thanks
to time-fortime.com, we can have a better understanding of how the act of keeping
time developed.Timeline:· 1500-1300 BC — Sundial first used in Egypt tomeasure the
time of day by the sun’s shadow. Hours are shorter in winter and longer in summer.· 400 BC — Greeks use a water clock, which measures the outflow
of water from a vessel, to measure time.· 980 (approximately) — Alfred the Great, a Saxon king, uses burning candles to measure time.· 1370 — King Charles V of France decrees that all Paris
church bells must ring at the same time as the Royal Palace, helping end the ringing of bells at the canonical hours (prayer
times) decreed by the church.· 1400s
— Mechanical clocks are built in Europe, using a mainspring and balance wheel.· 1583 — Galileo Galilei realizes that the frequency of a
pendulum’s swing depends on its length.· 1657 — Christiaan Huygens invents the first pendulum clock, capable of far greater accuracy than
any preceding timekeeper, but the clock does not work at sea.· 1759 — John Harrison builds a clock that loses only 5 seconds on a voyage from
England to Jamaica. Navigators cheer and Harrison gets rich.· 1839 — Telegraph invented, allowing instant transmission of time signals.· 1840s — Time ball is dropped at noon each day at the U.S.
Naval Observatory. Ships in the harbor use the ball to set their clocks.· 1884 — Twenty-five countries accept Greenwich, England, as the prime meridian
(0 degrees longitude). The prime meridian gradually becomes the basis for time throughout the world.· 1886 — Salespeople for the R.W. Sears Watch Company fan
out across America selling affordable timepieces. The firm is later renamed Sears, Roebuck and Co.· 1905 — A radio time signal starts being transmitted from
Washington D.C. to help ships find longitude.· 1945 — Physicist Isador Rabi suggests making a clock based on the study of atoms,
using a method
7:37 am edt called atomic-beam magnetic resonance. · 1949 — National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST) builds the first atomic clock, using ammonia.· 1967 — A second is formally definedas 9,192,631,770 vibrations of the cesium atom. For the first time, time is not defined by the movement of astronomical bodies.· 1998 — Time is more popular than ever: about half-a-billion watches are sold each year.Time should be precious to all of us. There is only so much time in the day, so we should try to make the best of it. It doesn’t matter how you use your time. Rest, relax, work, play or learn. Some people say having a combination of each category leads to a well-balanced life. What do you think? Tae Kwon Do: More than just kicking and punching There was a time when martial arts was primarily
about self-defense. The majority of people training were adults and martial arts was perceived as mysterious and combative.
The people who trained in martial arts were viewed as “tough guys.” Schools were smelly, dirty and small …
the way we martial artists liked it. Those days are long gone and today martial art schools have evolved and focus on teaching
life skills and health benefits as well as self-defense and martial arts training.Over the last 30 years, people have realized the benefits of training in martial arts were
diverse and abundant. The benefits for children were especially great because it taught discipline, focus, confidence, and
integrity; all while keeping children in better shape. Martial art schools have even become more involved with the public
school system, working with them to raise better children and communities. Parents have realized confidence and self-esteem
are just as important as reading and writing.Bullying
has been a growing problem with today’s youth and martial arts can help children on either end of this issue. The child
who is being bullied might lack confidence or self-esteem — martial arts can help with both. Bullies typically lack
confidence or have aggressive tendencies and martial arts helps with self-control and behavioral issues. Adults have also
started training in martial arts for reasons other than self-defense. Adults primarily train for health benefits and stress
relief — self-defense is just an added bonus. People want variety and tend to stick with a martial arts type fitness
program because there is always an instructor who continues to hold them accountable and pushes them toward their goals.At the end of the day, martial arts can empower people young
and old. Whether a child is lacking focus or confidence, or an adult is looking for a good exercise program that’s fun
and motivating, martial arts classes can provide exactly what is needed. More families are training together and developing
a commonality between parent and child, which builds stronger families. So get out there: if you are not currently training
in martial arts there is no better time to start than NOW!
7:36 am edt Friday, August 1, 2014 Children and Nutrition — What Are You Doing About It? According to the Centers for Disease Control
5:01 am edt and Prevention:· Approximately 17% of children and adolescents (or 12.5 million) aged 2-19 years are obese.· The prevalence of obesity among children aged 2-5 years decreased significantly from 13.9% in 2003- 2004 to 8.4% in 2011-2012.· There are significant racial disparities in obesity rates among children and adolescents. In 2011-2012, obesity prevalence was higher among Hispanics (22.4%) and black youth (20.2%) than white youth (14.1%). The prevalence of obesity was lowest in Asian youth (8.6%).· There are also significant age disparities. In 2011-2012, 8.4% of children ages 2-5 were obese compared with 17.7% of children ages 6-11 and 20.5% of adolescents ages 12-19.The good news is that awareness regarding children and nutrition in the last several years has dramatically increased. Schools across the country are changing meal programs to provide healthier lunches and removing candy and soda vending machines from student areas.Large corporations are getting involved to help finance the changes, and even celebrity chefs are doing their part, developing recipes that provide better nutrition and fewer calories.The White House and the First Lady have taken on this mission as a focus for the betterment of our youth with their Let’s Move program (www.letsmove.gov).Healthy Weight for All Children — In 2007, the Robert Wood-Johnson Foundation (RWJF) announced that it would dedicate $500 million to reversing the childhood obesity epidemic in America. The relentless rise in childhood obesity rates has slowed, and in some areas has even decreased. Moving forward, RWJF will stress the importance of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight for all of our nation’s children.The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionwebsite (www.cdc.gov) contains a lot of information for children of all ages including:BAM! Body and Mind, which has interactive games for children ages 8 to 13 years old.For toddlers, you can find a Toddler Nutrition andHealth Resource List available from the Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) at: importance of establishing good, healthy eating habits, like cutting back on fast food and drive-thru meals, eliminating soda or soft drinks from your family’s diet and limiting candy and sweets to special occasions. In most cases, making these changes won’t automatically mean a higher grocery bill. It may just mean learning better shopping habits, like looking for in-season fruits and vegetables.There are a lot of simple changes that you, as a parent, can make which will benefit your child and help you maintain a good, healthy diet. Good nutrition goes a long way. Make it a way of life. Healthy Eats - Healthy Life With the rise of certain cancers and
4:59 am edt obesity, diet is becoming more and more of an important component of a healthy lifestyle. We all seem to be eating on the run and, unfortunately, “bad foods” are very convenient in this day and age. It can be difficult to trade convenient options for options that are less readily available, but if you know how beneficial it can be to eat right, you might be willing to go out of your way to make sure you get your fruits and vegetables in.Fruits and vegetables are not only low in fat but they have additional benefits that many people don’t know about. Not only can fruits and vegetables be a nutritious addition to any meal but they are also a great snack. Below are just some of the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet.Eating the recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke. Because they are naturally low in calories, low in fat, and cholesterol-free, fruits and vegetables are generally classified as “heart healthy” foods.Fruits and vegetables may also help protect against certain types of cancers. They are packed with antioxidants, which help protect the body from oxidant stress and boost immunity.Fruits and vegetables that are rich in potassium may also lower blood pressure — which is a key component to preventing stroke and heart disease — and help decrease bone loss. Keeping bones strong is an important part of staying healthy and strong as we get older. Fruits and vegetables are also packed with vitamins and minerals which can make you feel energized and healthy. With today’s busy schedules it is important to feel healthy and have the energy to get through the day.So, next time you get hungry or eat that meal on the go, make sure to add some fruits and vegetables. Apples, oranges, celery sticks, grapes, broccoli and many other fruits or vegetables can be great cooked, raw, or even juiced, and adding them as a regular part of your diet can be a big step toward getting healthy. Tuesday, June 3, 2014 Think Summer and Think SMART! It is time to relax, enjoy and
kick back a little. But summer is also a time to think smart and be safe. Here are a few ideas and tips to make your summer
the best it can be!First, take
precautions against the sun’s harmful rays and excessive heat. It is imperative, even if you are NOT in direct sun light,
OR you think there is good cloud cover that you have a high number sun block applied to all parts of your body. Even consider
wearing UV protected bathing suits.Stay
HYDRATED. You may feel great, but dehydration sneaks up on you. Water, water and more water is key; even if you think you
have had enough to drink,
6:06 am edt drink more.Mosquitos, in certain parts of the country, are not only a pest but they can carry diseases. Use a simple repellent, with DEET as an ingredient, in the evenings, and if you spend a lot of time in the backyard invest in a bug zapper.Sunglasses! Don’t forget about keeping your eyes in good health during summer. For summer safety, wear sunglasses that protect not only the lens, cornea and other parts of your eye, but the eyelid and surrounding skin. Experts advise, to choose sunglasses that block 99 percent to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays, and select a large lens or wraparound style for best coverage. Some contact lenses offer UV protection, but they don’t cover the entire sensitive eye area, so you should still wear sunglasses.Finally, we often leave our regular health routine during the summer and on occasions that is not horrible; but don’t lose sight of your regular exercise routine while staying hydrated, cool and eating right.Summer is a great time of year but THINK SMART and be SAFE! Wednesday, April 30, 2014 The Little Things A final thought on healthy eating…
It’s important to understand not all healthy foods stay healthy. Just because you start out with
a healthy item, what you do to it can greatly alter the nutritional content.Meaning, the salad you plan to eat with
9:54 am edt plenty of leafy greens turns in to a high-fat, high-calorie meal if you top it with unhealthy extras, such as bacon and cheese. The fastest way to turn a healthy salad unhealthy is to use high-calorie salad dressings. It’s the same idea with chicken — skinless chicken breast is not the same as the chicken fingers deep friend and dipped in a high-calorie sauce. Even one-calorie soda is nowhere near as healthy as zero calorie water. Be careful when trying to eat right that you are, in fact, eating smart. Diet is the Best Compliment to Exercise The desire to become healthier and get in better shape has been
a hot topic for many years. Health clubs, gyms, martial art schools and video workouts have become more and more popular.
While working out is very beneficial to maintaining a healthy weight and being in better shape, your diet cannot be neglected.
There seems to be so much information and focus out there on exercise routines, but not enough on a healthy diet.Obesity is becoming more of an epidemic in the U.S. and, yet,
it seems more people are working out. So why is obesity on the rise? Repeated studies have shown changing your diet, along
with exercise, is a more effective way to lose weight than exercise alone. People need to become more educated on what foods
to eat, how often and how much.The best thing for
someone wanting to lose weight is to understand it isn’t a sprint, but a marathon. Set a goal, get educated on diet
and exercise and do both. While a healthy diet is great for shedding pounds, exercise is great for building muscle, increasing
energy levels and improving balance and coordination. Martial arts training and a healthy diet are both great ways to achieve
your health goals while learning self-defense, gaining flexibility and feeling empowered.At the end of the day, a little variation in your diet combined with your exercise
routine can make a huge difference in how you look and feel. Drastic changes don’t need to be made to be healthy. Find
something you enjoy doing, find healthy foods you enjoy eating and start making a difference in yourself NOW!
9:53 am edt Happy Mother's Day Mother’s day is a time to celebrate
our mothers and/or special mother figures
9:51 am edt by showing how important they are in our lives. Change it up this year and do something different with Mom! · Create a memory jar. Pain and decorate a jar. Write favorite memories of your mom on slips of paper and encourage the other members of your family to write their memories down as well. Fill the decorated jar with the paper slips. Then, on mother’s Day, sit with your mom while she reads all of the memories you have shared · Take her to afternoon tea. Book an afternoon tea at a local teahouse or restaurant. Invite the people who are most important to your mom and spend the time talking about how much you appreciate her. · Plant a tree. Pick your mom’s favorite tree from your local garden center. Together, plant the tree in a visible place in your yard. Visit the tree each Mother’s Day to remember the love and appreciation you have for her. · Have a picnic in the park. Pack a picnic with your mom’s favorite meal and find a scenic spot to have lunch. Spend the time talking and laughing about the things going on in her life. · Donate your time to a local charity. Schedule a time with your mother to volunteer at one of her favorite charities. Go to a local nursing home, take items to a women’s shelter or help out a soup kitchen. Let your mom know how much you appreciate her efforts and how you admire her giving spirit.So, when celebrating Mother’s Day this year, show that special woman in your life you care! Happy Mother’s Day! Tuesday, April 1, 2014 To Your Health: The Benefits of Martial Arts Did you know martial arts is not only
great for children but great for adults as well? Most often martial arts is associated with self-defense, however there are
many more benefits than just learning how to defend yourself. Listed below are just a few ways martial arts benefits both
children and adults.Benefits for adults:1. Weight
Management
9:49 am edt A typical martial arts class burns 500 calories. Adding martial arts to your life can absolutely help you lose weight.2. Improved Heart Health Research has found the only real way to improve the status of cardio health is by doing activities that stress the heart or elevate your heart rate. Getting thirty minutes a day of a cardio exercise is a great way to stay healthy and help lower your chances of a stroke or heart attack. Martial arts is a great activity to stay healthy.3. Increased Muscle Tone Martial arts training doesn’t just burn calories and improve cardio health but it also builds muscle mass. The more muscle you have the more calories you actually burn and the more toned your body will look.4. Improved Reflexes Research shows practicing martial arts improves reflexes and having better reflexes can help in all aspects of life. Whether you play sports, drive a vehicle or play with your children, faster reflexes can definitely have a positive impact on one’s life.5. Improved State of Mind Researchers have found participating in a regular exercise routine is one of the best ways to improve your mood. Martial arts is a great activity to release endorphins which can improve your state of mind up to four hours after you are done training.Benefits for children:1. Discipline — Martial arts is one of the best ways to improve discipline in young children. Discipline in any person is important and learning discipline at a young age is vital to success.2. Socialization Skills — Martial arts is great at teaching social skills. Martial arts requires children to work together to accomplish a common goal without being competitive. When children work with other children it helps them learn and understand how to deal with different personalities and ability levels which in turn helps them become more social.Goal Setting — Martial arts is constantly about setting and achieving goals. The belt colors used in martial arts facilities are really just rewards for all the hard work that a student puts in. Learning how to set and achieve goals is essential in succeeding in life. 4. Self-Esteem — Martial arts is an individual, go at your own pace, activity and because of this students don’t typically feel let down or like failures. Yes, martial arts can be competitive if one chooses that path but for most students it’s about accomplishing goals and being rewarded which in turn builds confidence and self-esteem.5. Focus — Martial arts takes unbelievable focus. Students learn quickly that if they are not paying attention or focusing they can fall behind. Typically, it doesn’t take long for a student to learn to focus and pay attentionso that their peers don’t pass them by as all students get rewarded for listening and learning. The Art of Learning It’s April and it is a month
with which a lot history and world changes are associated.It’s been a long hard winter this year and in most parts of the world we are coming out of a deep frost or cold
snap. People are starting to have spring fever but don’t put too much emphasis on the calendar. April used to be the
second month in the Roman calendar which, of course, made March the first month until the Romans changed January to be the
first month. So, back in the day, your spring fever would have occurred in June.If you are a jokester, you are well aware of April Fool’s day. This day may have come about
when the New Year was celebrated on April 1 back in Roman times and then was changed to January 1. Some people still celebrated
New Year’s on April 1 and those who would not change would usually get some type of fool’s gift which continued
the tradition to this day.The diamond is the birthstone
of April and the flowers that make claim to this month are either the Daisy or the Sweet Pea.Theory has it that April, which used to called Aprilis, is derived from the Latin verb
Aperire, which means “to open,” this might be why April is looked at as the beginning of the trees and flowers
blossoming again.People born from March 21 to April
20 are considered an Aries on an astrological calendar. People born from April 21 to May 21, you are considered a Taurus.Regardless of the history, at this time especially in the United
States, April is considered the beginning of warm weather returning. People may start planting in some parts of the world
or harvest in other parts depending on where you live.In
many parts of the world, April brings a sort of happiness. The gloom and doom of the cold and early darkness seems to get
further and further away each day and people are anxious to get back outside again, especially if they live in a part of the
world that has a cold, bitter winter.Regardless of
its rank, the month of April still has some very nice holiday celebrations. The warmer weather may make people feel good,
and the month brings promises of spring and summer depending on where you live. So get out there and enjoy all that April
has to offer.
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