The Top Best Gym Machines For Weight Loss

aedrops on January 18, 2019

fit

Which Exercise Machine Is Best For Helping People Lose That Stubborn Belly Fat?

Any exercise machine is great for burning fat, but each has its advantages. Strength training, or weight lifting in all its forms, is best for fat burning, but you can rest assured that cardio is important, too. Cardio machines are often assessed by how many calories people burn when using them. The nature of the workout is also critical of course. What are the best exercise machines for fat burning purposes?

There are the mainstays, like the treadmill. Treadmills are popular because they keep it simple, You hop on, and you get to walk. And modern treadmills have all kinds of nifty features, some even giving you a view as you exercise. The treadmill is a nice choice, but there have been many innovations regarding exercise machines over the years.

Have you ever been on an elliptical trainer? These machines call for a range of motion that is going to give you quite a workout. Both the treadmill and the elliptical can help you burn anywhere from 600-800 calories per hour. You also have the option of using a stair climber and so much more.

One great thing about joining a gym is you are going to have access to all the machines mentioned in this article, including weight lifting machines that are better for burning fat. You can also buy cardio and strength training equipment for your home gym, too, whether you purchase just one piece or a few.

The New Year has kicked off in high gear, and people have been trying to keep their resolutions. Losing weight and burning fat is on many people’s minds, and to do that, exercise is required. Perhaps you’re looking for the best fat burning piece of exercise equipment to put in your home, and you want one.

You also need to think about what you like to do. Exercise isn’t always fun, no matter what you’re doing, but each person has his or her preferences. Some people like treadmills, while others would much rather find the alternative. I’m about to introduce to you two of the best choices for cardio equipment when it comes to burning fat.

There is the exercise bike first of all. I would rank it 2nd. I’ve saved the best for last. Do you have a guess? It’s none other than the rowing machine. The rowing machine is a vigorous workout, and it’s like cardio and strength training combined. It’s a wonderful way to burn calories and burn fat.

Those rowers work hard out on the water. You’re not going to be out on the water, but you can act like you are. You’re going to be rowing towards your weight loss goals, and you’re going to get plenty of action. It’s time to decide which exercise machine you’re going to use to burn fat, or you can opt for using each one of these pieces of equipment if you would rather get a gym membership and take it from there. To learn more about your fitness goals visit fitnessachievement.com workout reviews .

Best Beginner Workouts to Help You Get Fit

aedrops on January 18, 2019

healthy

What Are The Best Beginner Workouts?

If you want to work out, you may not know where to begin. There are a lot of exercises that you can do, but only a few of them are going to really give your body what it needs to get into shape. Here are some ways to get a workout in that will benefit you as a beginner.

You’re going to want to find a few machines at your local gym that work out different parts of your body. When you’re trying to learn how to use a new workout machine you’ve never used before, it doesn’t hurt to look it up or to ask someone about it. People at the gym are likely to want to help a newbie out even if it takes them a bit of time to help you. You may also be able to learn to use a machine online if you look up a video related to it.

A good idea is to get a personal trainer that can teach you the basics. At some gyms, you can sign up to work with different people that have a lot of skill when it comes to training beginners. Make sure you are clear that you are just starting out and want to find the best workouts for the situation that you’re in. You don’t want to lie and say you know what you’re doing because then you may end up working with someone that expects more from you than you can realistically give to them in the way of effort.

Don’t work out too hard and cause yourself to get injured. You need to be careful because you can end up getting hurt if you workout too hard and do too much all at once. In the beginning, you just want to push yourself to your limits in small amounts. As you get used to working out, you can start to add more to your plate when it comes to workouts. But, don’t get stuck thinking you have to push yourself super hard or you may end up getting injured and that means you can’t work out until you’ve healed.

Beware of exercise manuals and machines that are just trendy and don’t really work all that well. Sometimes, you’ll see ads for things like workout books that don’t really work all that well for newbies or for people in general. Before you buy anything related to working out, be sure you look for reviews on it to get an idea of whether it’s good for people like you or not. You don’t want to invest your money into something that is not going to work and then that just ends up taking up space in your home.

You now know what it takes to do some beginner workouts. There are many you can choose from so don’t shy away from trying what is out there. Pick out a few workouts that work on different areas of your body to get into the best shape possible.

Chicken and Shitaake Mushroom Soup Recipe

aedrops on January 30, 2018

A chicken and shitaake mushroom soup recipe is the AllergEase healthy recipe of the week. This soup is yummy, soothing and nutritious. Just the thing for these frigid winter days! You don’t have to cook a whole chicken, but the result is a very rich broth which I think is worth the time. It’s very easy – just plan on cooking the chicken ahead of time (in the morning, the night before) so it’s ready for soup. (If making broth is not your thing, there is an option at the bottom of the page.)

How Nutritious is the Chicken and Shitaake Mushroom Soup Recipe?
Animal studies have shown that shitaakes have compounds with positive anti-tumor, cholesterol-lowering and virus-inhibiting effects! Wow, and they taste great.
It’s full of natural anti-inflammatories and antihistamines (lemon grass, ginger, garlic and cilantro) – all good for your seasonal allergies.
Bok Choy is chock-full of Vitamins A and Vitamin C as well as fiber.
Ingredients for Chicken and Shitaake Mushroom Soup Recipe
1 small whole chicken
fresh ginger root (about the size of a walnut, no need to peel – it will be discarded when broth is strained)
dried or fresh lemon grass (also to be discarded when strained)
2-3 cups bok choy, washing and chopped
8-9 big fresh shitaakes, thinly sliced
2-3 carrots, thinly sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
Method for Chicken and Shitaake Mushroom Soup Recipe
For the chicken and stock

Place the whole chicken in a stock pot, add the fresh ginger and lemon grass and add enough cold water to barely cover the chicken. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the water to a low simmer, reduce heat if necessary (you don’t want the water to boil rapidly). Season with salt and pepper and cook the chicken for at least 1 hour, until is is cooked throughout (check the thigh where it connects to the body – it should be cooked there).
Turn off the heat and allow everything to cool until you can handle. Remove the chicken from the stock, remove meat from bones and tear into bite size pieces (or let it cool overnight in the fridge and it will be even easier to handle).
“Ingredients chicken and shitaake mushroom soup recipe”
Taste the stock. If it seems “weak”, let it reduce for awhile – it will just get better. It it’s good, proceed.
Strain the stock into a clean container. If you’re doing it ahead of time, you can let it chill in the refrigerator. The fat will accumulate on the top and you can easily remove it with a slotted spoon=no greasy stock!
Now you’re stock and chicken are ready. The rest is a snap.
For the Soup

Prepare your vegetables and chop the cilantro.
“chicken and shitaake mushroom soup recipe”
Bring a soup pot to medium-high heat, add 1-2 tablespoons oil (I like sesame with this, but you can use olive oil) and the bok choy and mushroom. Cook until they start to soften and add garlic – stir to combine and release flavors.
“bok choy and mushrooms”
Add the yummy stock (as much/little as you think you will use. Any extra stock can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for later dishes – great for curries, etc.), the shredded chicken and the carrots.
“chicken and shitaake mushroom soup recipe”
Simmer for 15-20 minutes until carrots are just tender. Add the scallions and cilantro and heat through. Adjust salt and pepper and serve.
Serving Options:

Cook noodles separately and add to the soup when served.
Add miso paste to taste (don’t boil the miso, just add it to hot soup)
Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice or a touch of sambal oelek to your bowl.
Cooking Option: In lieu of making the stock, use canned stock, adding chopped fresh ginger to the soup, along with garlic and adding lemon grass paste (available in many produce departments) to taste. Use 2 pieces of boneless chicken breast (or other parts that you prefer), cooked in stock, then shredded.

10 Mom Tested Tips for More Healthy Eating

aedrops on January 30, 2018

When my first born was a baby, I followed the new mom trend to a “T.” I bought every book imaginable on raising children, from how to set sleep schedules, to how to best discipline, to how to make and freeze your own fully organic meals for you little cherub.

For months, I spent every Sunday afternoon scrubbing vegetables and fruits, cooking them until they turned to mush, pureeing and mashing them into smooth liquids that could be easily swallowed by the toothless. I had large Ziplocs in my freezer full of every kind of healthy food imaginable, all having first been frozen into perfect little ice cube sizes.

Then I had another baby, and Sundays were more survival than preparation. By the time the third baby came around, I was fully content with the cheapest glass jar of pre-prepared baby food possible. Gone were the recipes, the ice trays, and the organic trays of food.

This was all about self preservation.

Fast forward ten years, and I’m now the mother of three elementary age children who each have their own likes and dislikes, each of them picky in different ways, and each keeping me on my toes in my attempt to not ruin them nutritionally.

When I look back on those earlier years, I wish I had kept fighting the good fight. Perhaps I could have toned it back a bit, but truthfully, I gave up completely in trying to teach them young to love good, healthy foods. It was just easier to serve the packaged foods that tasted better.

Now that they’re older, I have to be more creative in my attempts to feed them healthy food. A lot of encouraging more healthy eating habits with children is in the presentation of the food! Here are 10 ways to teach your children to love healthy foods.

10 Mom Tested Tips for More Healthy Eating
1.) Serve a ham sandwich on wheat bread, and hear them gag. Cut it out in the shape of a gingerbread man, or a princess crown and it suddenly becomes a delicacy.

2.) Apples on their own are disgusting. Apples dipped in peanut butter? Greatest thing ever!

3.) Ranch dressing improves any and all vegetables.

4.) If you teach a ten year old how to sauté vegetables, and let him pick which spices he wants on them, he will gobble down plates of veggies at a time with nary a peep.

5.) If you keep OREO’s in the pantry, they will always choose those over a healthier option, so make the cookies a rare special purchase, rather than a staple.

6.) You can try to hide healthy ingredients in their food, but they will probably figure it out, and it will gross them out. It’s best to just be honest from the get-go. They’re much more likely to try food if they’re prepared for what’s inside.

7.) Only put three bites of a food you know they won’t like on their plate, and require them to eat it. Anyone can eat three bites, and the more they try, the more likely they are to become adventurous eaters.

8.) Don’t force a food on a child if they really, truly hate it. My parents used to make me try fish frequently, even though I hated it. They stopped when I fainted in a crab shop when I was eleven. Don’t make your children pass out over food…

9.) Never underestimate the power of trail mix. You can mix together a large container of peanuts, almonds, granola, raisins, and dried fruit, and if you throw in one bag of M&M’s, they will thank you for giving them candy for a snack. This is a big win, every time (and obviously only effective for children without nut allergies).

10.) Model healthy eating habits. If I require my children to eat healthy snacks, but they constantly catch me with my fist in the cookie jar, they’re not going to take me seriously.

I’ve learned over the years that it’s good to be intentional about nutrition as I feed my family, but I don’t have to be overzealous. I want to raise brave eaters, but I don’t want to be so staunch in my food requirements that they resent healthy foods.

Eating is an adventure, and being in charge of food preparation is a huge responsibility. And remember food choices can play a role in the severity of seasonal allergy symptoms. How are you teaching your children to love healthy foods?

7 Ways You’re Aggravating Your Allergies

aedrops on January 30, 2018

It’s no secret that Spring allergy season is back with a vengeance, ready to ruin your finally-sunny day. But are you accidentally making matters even worse for yourself? The answer could be yes, if you’re doing any of the following:

1. You try to out-drink your misery.

So you think throwing a few more back than usual will distract you from your allergy symptoms? Hey, we’re not judging, but we must tell you that you’re only sabotaging yourself. Studies have found that alcohol can worsen symptoms since beer, wine, and liquor contain histamine, produced by the yeast and bacteria during fermentation.

2. You fall into bed at night after running around all day.

When you flop into bed without showering first, pollen in your hair and on your skin now finds a new resting place on your pillow and sheets. On a similar note, wearing the same shirt/clothes all day and night means you’re bringing pollen into your home and then parading it around your house. If you suffer from severe seasonal allergies, you should be showering and changing clothes frequently.

3. You have house plants that hate you.

Studies show that more than 75 percent of hay fever sufferers are allergic to at least one common houseplant. Ferns, orchids, ficus, and ivy are just a couple common ones that are most irritating to allergy-prone people. If you have house plants, consider moving them out of your bedroom or living room area and somewhere you don’t hang out in as much.

4. You’re constantly cuddling Fido or Mittens.

So you say you have a hypoallergenic dog? Not quite. Regardless of if you’re allergic to animals, your pets bring in plenty of pollen, mold, and dust. We’re not about to tell you to keep your furry BFF at an arm’s length, but do try to ban them from your bed and couch and be sure to brush/bathe them often.

5. You “air out” your home on breezy days.

Even though things can feel stuffy inside, opening a window or door on a breezy day—when pollen is more airborne than usual—is asking for trouble. At the very least, wait until it’s a bit rainy to get some fresh air inside your home.

6. You run in the morning or lunch time.

Dawn is like an alarm clock for trees to release pollen, with pollen levels peaking around lunch time. If you’re a regular runner, try running in early evenings or scheduling your runs on days when the pollen count is lower.

7. You’re not using common sense.

If you know pollen is sticking to everything from your clothes to your pets, you should assume the same thing goes for your shoes…so take them off when you get inside. A breezy day? Don’t hang-dry your wet clothes! Feeling sick and run-down from your symptoms? Don’t lower your immune system even more by overworking yourself or depriving yourself of sleep. House covered in carpet and rugs? Vacuum! The list goes on and on. While most allergy sufferers won’t be able to completely beat their symptoms, you can certainly save yourself a little bit of misery. And when every little bit helps, it can add up!

Tricked-Out Technology for the Air in Your Home

aedrops on January 30, 2018

Keeping track of pollen counts—and responding to them—is no longer something you have to do on your own or through pollen.com. There’s some new technology on the market that sounds so enticing we had to share it with our AllergEase fans!

It’s called the Honeywell Bluetooth(R) Smart True HEPA Allergen Remover (did you get that?). To sum it up: It’s an air purifier that uses Bluetooth(R) technology to track local pollen counts and automatically adjusts its air-cleaning levels. Users will literally be able to customize the air quality in their homes.

According to a press release: “Indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air,” says Dr. Ted Myatt, ScD, a microbiologist and air quality expert with Environmental Health & Engineering. “A True HEPA air purifier with an odor reducing carbon pre-filter will capture 99.97 percent of air particles.”

The tricked-out new air-purifier comes with a free app that notifies users of pollen and mold levels, allows them to adjust their unit’s settings, schedule when the purifier should be working (i.e., on when you’re sleeping, off when you’re away), and more.

The Honeywell Bluetooth(R) Smart True HEPA Allergen Remover is priced at $250, but if you’re the type of person who likes outfitting your home with lifestyle-improving gadgets (um, and if you’re an allergy sufferer!), we think it’s pretty reasonable.

Climate Change and Allergy Seasons

aedrops on January 30, 2018

Doesn’t it seem like you just keep hearing how bad allergy season is? Or was? Or will be? It’s not just the media jumping on a much-reported trend; it’s because there’s been a lot to report about climate change and what it means for allergy sufferers.

Whether it’s an increase in precipitation that leads to longer growing seasons or a drought that means a continuous, unrelenting amount of allergens in the air, climate change is the culprit behind the unpredictability of how severe allergy seasons now seem to be. For at least two years in a row now, experts have called it “the worst allergy season ever.”

Typically, trees pollinate in the late winter and spring, while grasses release their pollen during the late spring and through summer. But lately it’s been a mess. This Spring, a long winter meant that when warmer weather finally hit, all the trees had to pollinate ASAP. It was a torturous couple weeks there for allergy sufferers. Just last year though, a warm winter meant trees were pollinating as early as the beginning of February.

Top it all off with an increase in carbon dioxide, which is what plants and flowers live off of. This feeding frenzy means—what else?—tons more pollen. In fact, pollen season has increased by more than two weeks in the past 20 years.

“The link between rising CO2 and pollen is pretty clear,” Lewis Ziska, a weed ecologist and top field researcher told USA Today. His lab tests have shows pollen production rising with carbon dioxide. Plants that were producing 5 grams of pollen in 1900 are now producing 10 grams and Ziska expects them to double to 20 grams by 2075 if carbon emissions continue to climb.

Up to 30 percent of people in North America experience nasal symptoms and another 60 percent experience eye symptoms. As you weigh your options for managing your allergy symptoms, consider AllergEase, which has been clinically proven help with nasal congestion and also contains eyebright, an herb that naturally helps relieve itchy eyes.

Healthy Food Alternatives this Holiday Season

aedrops on January 30, 2018

“What the heck is a tofurky?!” This was the question that arose during a conversation with my cousin a couple of years back, when she told me her vegan-practicing family would be having the dish for Thanksgiving that year. “It’s basically a turkey-flavored tofu roll and it’s amazing!’ she replied with a giddiness that left me wondering if she had found the eggnog before we did! Now, at one point in my life, I would have believed products like tofurky or vegan bacon were an abomination to everything that’s good and just in this world. Then, I took the leap and tried it. I had no idea such science was possible! It tastes like turkey! (slightly chewy but remarkable nonetheless) And it’s good for me, you say?! Is this some sort of witchcraft?! What madness! I’ll have another! So, of course, this led me to wonder; what other healthy food alternatives are out there?

Healthy Food Alternatives
Spaghetti Squash, Excellent Healthy Food Alternative

Spaghetti night was always a coveted night in my household. To the point where my parents made me take off the fake mustache and stop saying “Buongiorno” every five minutes. Simple enough recipe: prepare noodles, add sauce, COVER in parmesan, inhale. But if you’re watching your carb intake, spaghetti squash is simply awesome. Even better, you can grill it or microwave it to save time. All you need is olive oil and a fork. If cooked properly, it has the exact same flavor and consistency as those regular, starchy noodles. Invite some friends over for dinner and don’t tell them it’s squash, just watch their reactions. Makes you feel like a superhero. A health conscious, Julia Child-esque superhero.

Here’s another great swap you may not have known: Mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes. I heard your nostrils flair as soon as you read that sentence. Here’s the deal – it’s super healthy AND it tastes like exactly whipped potatoes. Best if you use a food processor. I’ve even included the recipe I like to use here, for your convenience. I was raised to try every food I’m offered at least once and I’m glad I did with this recipe. Potatoes have always been my biggest weakness but using cauliflower gives me all those nutrients without all the starch. Just go easy on the butter, bacon and cheese.

Please do yourself a favor and try at least one of these healthy food alternatives this holiday season. You can’t go wrong with any of them and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to try the mashed cauliflower or the tofurky, if you’re feeling bold. In the long run, they’ll save you a couple of inches in your waist line and have you feeling light on your feet. However, I understand if you want to take baby steps. I find a great way to start is by not dipping everything in ranch, but I’m a simple man… Have a safe, fun, and relaxing Thanksgiving this year! Buongiorno! 🙂

All Natural Solutions for Allergies

aedrops on January 30, 2018

Temperatures around the United States are slowly starting to heat up. Old man winter has had his fun but now it’s time for spring! I don’t know about you all but I’ve had enough snow, sleet, ice, and 20 degree weather. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy snow days, hot cocoa, and getting an occasional midweek day off but I’m a social butterfly and I’m ready to spread my wings! Spring brings lots of great things. (say that 10 times fast!) The weather is phenomenal, days get longer, bbq’s, flowers blooming, and more. As beautiful as it is to see flowers blooming, if you’re like me, the “awww that’s beautiful” moment is quickly followed by an “achooo” or two or three. 1 in 5 Americans suffer from seasonal allergies and I’m definitely one of them. I’ve tried everything for seasonal allergies any my lifestyle these days has me focused on finding all natural solutions for allergies. Full disclosure, I am biased because I work for AllergEase but even if I didn’t, I truly believe I would use this miracle lozenge. AllergEase lozenges have been clinically proven to reduce sneezing and a runny nose within minutes of consumption and without any of the side-effects of the chemical based drugs on the market today. Below is a quick overview of the herbs and ingredients in our lozenges and their benefits.

All Natural Solutions for Allergies

Eyebright- A wild plant native to Europe’s open meadows, eyebright has been used since the 12th Century to provide natural relief for itchy, irritated eyes associated with hay fever.

Elderflower- Ancient Romans used Elderflower for medicinal purposes, boiling the leaves to create a tea for treating coughs, colds and hay fever.

Stinging Nettle- Native to Europe, North America and some parts of Asia, stinging nettle has been used since the Middle Ages to manage inflammation and combat allergy symptoms.

Plantain Leaf– Has been used for centuries to help with discomfort and irritation of the throat.

Vitamin C, Menthol, and Organic Honey- Full daily dose of Vitamin C in each lozenge, a touch of menthol, and organic honey work great to soothe the throat and provide that added immunity boost we all need!

Before I go, I have to tell you about another all natural solutions for allergies. This solution is for kids four and up. We’re launching a children’s mixed berry lollipop at the end of March and it’s delicious! Scroll down to the bottom of this page and join our newsletter to stay up to date with the launch of our lollipop and to get a free sample!