Achieve The Best Shape of Your Life

Thin, trim, athletic and slim? Many men and women across the globe wish for such a figure, but few are fortunate enough to have it without a great deal of work.

Whether you are an avid athlete or a chronic couch potato, this fairly easy dietary regimen should give you a good push in the right direction. Pair it with some regular exercise and a positive attitude, and you could be well on your way to the best shape of your life!

Tip #1: Give up soda.

It's true? soda is full of empty calories. Sure, it may help you to stay awake at work, but it can also corrode your teeth and increase your waistline's girth without warning. Sugary drinks impact the acidity of saliva, which quickly increases the likelihood of cavities. Furthermore, continuous consumption of soda and other super-sugary beverages can impact your digestive process.

If you can't give up soda, at least decrease the amount of soda that you drink in a given day. Try to treat soda as just that ? a treat. Have one glass a day with lunch or dinner, and drink ice water or spring water for the remainder of the day. Water is great for your body, helps to flush out toxins, and keeps you hydrated. That?s a lot more than we can say for soda!

Tip #2: Pass up salty, greasy fast food.

Believe me, as a French fry-aholic, I feel your pain. As a cross country runner in high school, I gave up eating fast food at all my favorite chain restaurants. I don?t think I ate a single French fry or chicken McNugget for six months or more. And how could I forget, when my running season was over and I indulged myself in an Extra Value Meal, my stomach cried out in pain for all the greasy chow dumped into it after months on a healthy diet.

Again, if you can?t give up the fast food, try to limit the amount you consume. You can pair your cheeseburgers with salads or fruit cup, or, you can consider switching to a healthier alternative like a deli sandwich or wrap.

Tip #3: Shut out the sugar.

Like I should talk here, being a self-proclaimed chocoholic. But without a doubt, I eat five or ten times as much candy now as I did during my high school sports seasons. Now, ten years later it is ten times tougher to prevent those sugar calories from sticking on my tummy, legs, and hips. What?s a girl to do?

During those months of training for my races, I gave up ice cream and 90 percent of the candy I used to eat. I also chowed down on healthier snacks, like carrot sticks and crackers when I got hungry. Try cutting out the majority of your sweet indulgences and treat yourself to just one (OK, or two) sugary treats a day. A small candy bar, a single brownie, two cookies?give yourself a limit and stick to it. If you feel especially motivated and determined, try to give up the sugary snacks completely for a few days a week.

Tip #4: Stop eating before bed.

Without a doubt, eating and sleeping should not go together as blissfully as they do. Eating makes us feel full and being full is akin to satisfied. Satisfied equals comfortable, and comfortable often leads right to sleep. But, if you limit yourself to eating dinner and all snacks prior to a certain time, you can help prevent those extra pounds from sneaking on late at night.

Sure, it?s all right to get a midnight snack once in a while, or to indulge at a friend?s party or other social engagement. The big idea is to work out a routine of eating before it gets to be late at night. Stick to the schedule as best as you can, and be sure to eat three balanced meals a day.

Tip #5: Exercise!

Adhering to the right kind of diet should help you initially, but exercise does the body good in so many ways. Whether you like to walk, jog, run, bike, swim, go to the gym, or do exercise videos, exercise is critical to keeping your body in the kind of shape you crave. Fitness is good for your body, mind, and soul. Paired with the right kind of diet, a regular regimen of exercise can really work wonders on any body!

Remember, everybody's body is different. What works for me may not work as well for you, and vice versa. Whatever the case, cutting some of the sugary sodas out of your diet and working out on a regular basis should bring positive results.

Consult your physician before attempting any rigorous dietary routines or dietary supplements.

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Tips for Your Allergy Action Plan

Mild to moderate allergies can ruin a beautiful day. But allergy symptoms are manageable when you plan ahead and prepare for pollen and other allergens.
Make these six tips part of your allergy action plan.

1. Discover Your Personal Allergy Triggers

Most people blame pollen for their allergies, but dust mites, pet dander, and mold also trigger many allergies. To avoid the allergens that trigger your allergic reactions, you need to know what they are. Get an allergy skin test. Skin tests are the one way to know what's triggering your allergies.

2. Check the Pollen Count
Pollen counts are highest on hot, dry, windy days. Check the forecast before making plans. Pollen is released by plants between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., but travels best on mid-day breezes. Plan outdoor activities for early morning or at sunset. Remember, ragweed releases its pollen in the fall, so pollen counts may be high into September or even mid-October.
3. Allergy Proof Your Home
Keep windows and doors closed on days when pollen levels are high. Use an air conditioner to circulate and cool indoor air. And be sure to change the filter every couple of months. If you have carpets, consider replacing them with hardwood or linoleum floors.
4. Clean House to Reduce Allergy Symptoms
Pollen, pet dander, and dust settle throughout your house. Vacuum twice a week -- floors as well as furniture such as couches -- to remove these allergens. Use a microfiber cloth to dust bookshelves, blinds, and other surfaces that collect dust. Don't hang clothes out to dry -- they'll bring in pollen. Use the clothes dryer instead.

5. Rinse Allergens Out of Your Hair and Clothes
Pollen collects on your clothes and hair. After an outing on high-pollen days, wash your clothes and rinse your hair. If you like to jog or ride bikes, choose allergy-friendly workout clothes. Polyester fabrics attract and hold less pollen than clothes made of cotton or wool.
6. Proactively Treat Allergy Symptoms With Medicine

The sooner you take allergy medicine, the better it will work to reduce symptoms.
Antihistamines work by occupying histamine receptors sites in your body, thus preventing histamine from causing allergic symptoms. Histamine is the substance your body releases that leads to stuffy noses and itchy, watery eyes from allergies. Antihistamines are most effective when taken continuously during allergy season.

Decongestants decrease nasal congestion by causing blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood flow to nasal passages. They are best for short-term use. Using decongestant nasal sprays for more than three to five days can aggravate allergy symptoms.

Steroid nasal sprays decrease inflammation (swelling) and mucus production. This action helps reduce the reaction of the nasal tissues to inhaled allergens. Nasal steroids can also treat nasal polyps that often cause obstruction and lead to nasal congestion and sinus infections.

Allergy eyedrops usually contain anti-inflammatory agents, decongestants, or antihistamines. Depending on the active drug in the eyedrops, they work by decreasing inflammation or inhibiting histamine release. The result: a decrease in itchy, tearing, or swelling.

How To Get Rid Of Double Chin

Mother Nature's done a lot of good stuff, but one thing we could have done without is gravity. Since the day we stepped into our late teens, gravity has been pulling us down. And of all our body parts, none is more gravity-sensitive than the neck. Put on just a little weight, a few years, and the next time you look into the mirror you'll see a pudgy layer of flesh hanging below your chin. Ugh! The Birth of the Double Chin! What's even worse is you don't need to be overweight to get a double chin a lot of skinnies have them too, if their jawline is not very sharp and they don't exercise regularly.

From a health perspective, there's nothing dangerous about a double chin unless you are seriously overweight. Even then, the double chin is just a symptom of obesity, not a problem. But harmless or not, we women still find double chins unattractive. Getting rid of a double chin is not all that easy. The standard rules apply. Get regular aerobic exercise. Eat less fat and stay clear of crash diets, which do more harm than good. Here are some spot reducing exercises, which should help, but you will see better results if you combine them with a regular exercise programme.

Chin Up

Tilt your head back and open your mouth as though you were biting into an apple. Do this exercise 10-15 times every day for a firm chin and neck. And if you've always liked chewing gum, you've now got a perfect excuse. Chewing is good exercise for your jaw and chin muscles.

Boo!

Stick out your tongue! If you enjoy pulling faces, you'll love this exercise. Extend your tongue to the tip of your nose. If you can't get there, go as far as you can. Repeat about 30 times.

Splash Out

Dip a few ice cubes in a mug of water and slap your neck and the area under your chin with this ice cold water. Do this about 15 times.

Different Strokes

Apply cold cream under your chin and stroke your neck from the base of your throat to your chin, with your fingers. Use firm, quick strokes.

Neck-Exercises

1. Rotate neck slowly in a clockwise direction, and then alternate in an anti-clockwise direction.

2. Lie on your back with your shoulders lifted slightly off the floor. Rotate your head to the left and then right. Tilt your head reaching as far back with your neck as possible, keeping your shoulders slightly arched. Then tilt your chin forward toward your chest. Do this about 10 times.

3. Contract and relax your neck muscles. This firms your neck muscles and can be done any time of the day, at any place.

If you can't lose it, hide it! Here are some great tricks:

* Long hair draws attention to your neck - which is just fine if you have a long, graceful neck. But if you don't, the best cuts are those which end at or above the jawline. Short hair gives the illusion of a longer neck.

* Wear dresses with low necklines. Avoid turtlenecks like plague. Open, broad necklines are more flattering for women with double chins.

* Avoid chokers. Stick to long necklaces or those which sit at the base of the throat, but have drops.

* If you apply foundation, apply one shade darker to the area below your chin. Blend it well with the rest of your face. This will draw attention away from your chin.

* Cosmetic surgery should be a last resort. If you've tried everything else, and have money to burn, you can have your neck 'sculpted'. The plastic surgeon will make a tiny cut under your chin, suck out the fat that has collected there and sew the edges together.

* Walk Tall: Hold your head high while you walk and keep your chin up. A good posture also makes your neck look more graceful and draws attention away from your double chin.