10 Easy Exercises for the Busy Person

Are you trying to be more active but do not have time to have a proper workout or go to the gym?  If that is the case, we can help you out with a few tips for exercising, without really exercising!

• One of the most natural ways to get a workout without noticing is probably laughing. Get together with a group of friends and head over to a comedy club.  By the end of the night your abs will be aching.
• Are you one of those people who will wait ages for the elevator to arrive? Perhaps take the stairs instead.  Taking the stairs can be faster than waiting and riding the elevator.
• Keep active at your desk.    When you’re sitting in your chair try some breathing exercises and easy aerobics.  For example, hold in your stomach and let it out.
• Leg lifts are an even better aerobic to do from your chair at work.  It’s easy to do and your colleagues won’t look at you funny.
• Buy a stress ball and squeeze it during work, while watching TV or even at school. This burn calories, relieves stress and improves your blood flow. 
• It’s always helpful to think of an alternative.  If your work is fairly close to you, instead of taking the bus all the way to the door step, hop off a few stops before and enjoy the fresh air.
• Speaking of fresh air, if you have children or pets, spend some time outdoors.  Play some of their favourite games which will keep you running around.
• Everyone’s home tends to get a bit messy and that may be your excuse to avoid going to the gym.  Although if you are doing a full thorough clean of your house, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning windows, all of these activities get your heart pumping!
• Some people find gardening relaxing but it is also hard work.  Activities like this allow you to enjoy your hobbies and include some exercise outside.
• Do you enjoy the nightlife? Grab dancing shoes because whether it is tango, salsa, hip hop or ballet, dancing uses all of your body parts and you get a great work out while having fun.

Finding time to exercise can be difficult especially after a long day of work when you just want to go home and sleep.  By switching up your daily routine just a tad, you’ll be able to add in fun, easy exercises.  You’ll be feeling less fatigued and more alive in no time!

Natural Sunscreens

We all know sunscreen protects us from damaging sun rays which cause our skin to age, wrinkle and potentially result in skin cancer – but do we know the dangerous effects of sunscreen?

Sunscreen can contain harmful chemicals which absorb into our skin causing it to age and in some cases develop skin irritations. Our naturopaths at Hopewood have developed a list of Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to helping you to choose a safe sunscreen for your family to keep your skin natural, healthy and fresh.

DO’s

Zinc Oxide is an active ingredient which blocks the UVA and UVB rays rather than absorbing into your skin along with the harmful rays. It is a natural element and you should be looking for sunscreens that contain Zinc Oxide.

Titanium Oxide is a natural element that works similarly to Zinc Oxide. It blocks the sun’s rays rather than absorbing them and potentially building up within your body. Studies on both zinc oxide and titanium oxide show there is little or no saturation of these compounds by our skin. Sunscreens without Zinc Oxide or Titanium Oxide leave your skin exposed to 20% more radiation.

DON’TS

PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) – Luckily most manufacturers have stopped adding this harmful chemical as it creates skin irritations within a huge 40% of the population. However when travelling to other countries make sure this chemical is not included in any sunscreens that you purchase.

Padimate-O and Parsol 1789 – These two chemicals have the dangerous potential to attack cellular components once absorbed into our skin. They may damage our DNA and may result in future health problems so best to avoid them.

Benzophenone, homosalate and octy-methoxycinnamate – After much research and tests these chemicals are said to dangerously affect our hormones, our brain and even reproductive organs. Doctors suggest choosing sunscreens without any of these chemicals.

Overall our advice is to choose Zinc Oxide or Titanium Oxide based sunblocks. This will helpt to ensure your skin maintains its natural minerals and oils, allowing you to age gracefully and beautifully.

4 Foods to eliminate for 2013

The New Year is here and it’s time to make those New Year’s resolutions come to life. Many New Year’s resolutions deal with making healthy changes to our diet. Whatever we intake leaves a lasting effect and may contribute to being overweight, health issues and even disease. Here at Hopewood we have combined a simple checklist of foods you should eliminate (or try to cut down on to start off with) for 2013 to help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions.

Soft Drinks – Even though many advertisements tell you otherwise, carbonated soft drinks do not eliminate thirst or hydrate you – in fact they make you thirstier due to their salt content. Apart from that, there are countless reasons to say goodbye to soft drinks--they are addictive, they contribute to obesity (due to their high sugar content),and of course harm your teeth. For a healthy alternative, try water with a squeeze of lemon or iced herbal teas for a hydrating beverage. Beware of sugar free drinks (next blog)

Deep Fried Food – Foods cooked at high temperatures create a substance called acrylamide which is linked to cancer. Even though there is a safe level of consuming this substance, deep fried food consists of 100 times the safe limit. Addicted to fried potato chips? Try slicing up a sweet potato and baking it for a nutritional alternative.

Excessive Alcohol – We all know that excessive alcohol is bad for us and can lead to many health problems such as cirrhosis of the liver, cancers, high blood pressure and many others. This year cut down on alcohol consumption and be aware of what you’re drinking. Instead of spirits and beer, try switching to a sparking non-alcoholic wine. It’s a nice addition to parties and celebrations.

Canned Soups – This may come as a surprise to many but most canned soups you buy from a supermarket have a high level of artificial preservatives like MSG, sodium and trans-fats, as well as high levels of sodium. Throw in some veggies and herbs in a pot and make your own healthy, tasty version.

We hope everyone had a great break and good luck with your New Year’s resolutions. Remember to love your body and treat it well – it does a lot for us.