Crunch Variations, Falling Asleep Fast, and Predicting Survival

Nutrition Corner

Eating nuts on a daily basis linked to 17% lower depression risk

Can nutritional interventions positively impact psoriasis severity?

Recipe for The Day

Easy Pineapple Sorbet: When the sun's shining, sorbet is the perfect refreshing treat to cool you down, but it can often be full of sugar and quite expensive. Our sorbet recipe uses just juicy frozen pineapple, lime and honey to make this insanely delish palate cleanser that everyone will love.

Lifestyle & Fitness Focus

6 Personal Goals Examples to Improve Your Life

• Improve Job Performance

• Increase Savings

• Live Within A Budget

• Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

• Get Regular Exercise

• Strengthen Family Bonds

Extreme Heat and Mental Health: 4 Effective Ways to Safeguard Your Mental Well-Being

• Know how heat impacts your condition: Knowledge is one of the most essential components in the fight against heat. Talk to your doctor about how the heat may impact you or your medications, then plan accordingly.

• Pay attention to your water intake: Dehydration is more prevalent during heat waves. Those with mental health conditions must pay special attention to how much water they drink, as dehydration can exacerbate symptoms. It also can compromise brain functioning and hamper serotonin production.

• Take a cool shower or bath: Bathing in cool water can help you manage the heat. It's imperative if you don't have an air conditioner.

• Identify triggers: For those living with SAD or summertime blues, it's important to identify your triggers to establish coping mechanisms. Recognize the patterns you have and plan accordingly.

5 Simple Ways to Fall Asleep Fast

• Lower the room temperature: A hot sleeping environment may affect a person’s thermoregulation, which could in turn impact their sleep quality.

• Set a sleep schedule: A sleep schedule may help you fall asleep faster. Your body has its own near-24-hour regulatory system called the circadian rhythm. This internal clock cues your body to feel alert during the day but sleepy at night.

• Practice yoga, meditation, and mindfulness: When people are stressed, they tend to have difficulty falling asleep. Research suggests that yoga may positively effect the quality, efficiency, and duration of sleep.

• Avoid looking at your clock: Waking up in the middle of the night is normal, but not being able to fall back asleep may be frustrating. It’s common for people with insomnia to look at their clock every time they wake up. This is known as clock-watching or time monitoring behavior (TMB), which research suggests may increase brain stimulation and exacerbate anxious feelings of sleeplessness.

• Watch when and what you eat: The time you eat during the day may affect your sleep quality. Research results from the American Time Use Survey suggest that eating within 1 hour before bedtime increases your chances of waking up after falling asleep.

3 crunch variations for the best ab workouts

• Sumo Squat SIde Crunch: Get more bang for your buck by working your legs, shoulders and obliques. Adopt a wide stance with toes pointed out, and lower into a squat with thighs parallel to the floor. Bend your elbows and raise your arms to shoulder height with palms facing forward, or place them behind your head and draw your shoulder blades together. Engage your core and keep your hips square, then drive your left elbow to your left knee and return to the starting position. Repeat on your right side.

• Standing Overhead Side Bend: Strengthen your obliques, shoulders and back muscles with side bends. To do the move, stand with your feet hip-width apart, engage your core and keep a tall spine. Hold a weight in both hands and extend your arms overhead, pressing your hands against the weight. With control, bend to the left on an exhale, keeping your hips facing forward and chest lifted. Pause, then inhale as you return to the center and exhale as you move to the right.

• Frog Crunch: This crunch activates the abs, obliques, hips, quads and adductor muscles along the inner thighs. Start on your back with your hands behind your head and legs extended away from you. Bring the soles of your feet together and allow the knees to fall outwards. On an exhale, lift your upper back off the mat and bend your knees, drawing the elbows and thighs toward each other. With control, slowly lower back to the starting position.