An exciting new exercise tool is coming to the United States soon from Japan. This super-firm pad, made from inter-woven fibers (hence, it’s call a “nest”) supports your body while you perform all sorts of exercises on it. It’s perfect for jogging in place, jumping and dancing, plus you can use it for extra leverage the way you’d use a Pilates ball — giving your situps, pushups, and other leverage-based exercises more efficiency. It also provides an excellent platform for elderly folks to workout with super-low impact. It’s also fun for kids and couples.

“Many actresses and athletes are fascinated by Vernest…it looks like a fancy coushion, but you’ll know its difference as soon as you put your body on it. Nothing else can give you the springiness and the floating feeling you get with Vernest. (more…)

Annmarie Kostyk is taking her readers on a quest for the most delicious chocolate in all of the United States with her third book, The Chocolate Travel Guide: United States Edition 2010.

All things chocolate are covered including bean to bar makers, chocolatiers, confectioners, chocolate festivals, luscious hotel chocolate buffets, chocolate classes for the novice and the professional, and chocolate travel destinations. This guide features over five hundred addresses and websites showing chocolate lovers where to go to meet all of their chocolate needs.

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by Valerie Brooks
One of the latest trends to hit health conscious foodies is designer nutrition bars and cereals. Although supermarkets have a plethora of sports bars on the shelves, there are companies that will allow you to custom order specific ingredients designed for your particular taste, diet, and lifestyle. You basically “design” your own foods and have them shipped to you. The idea of customizing foods, called nutrigenomics, is gaining a lot of press, and it can get highly scientific when it boils down to determining which foods are best for your particular DNA. But on a simpler scale, the following companies are offering products with common ingredients to choose from, but specific enough to suit individual needs.
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by Valerie Brooks
One of the most beneficial technological advances for healthy diet seekers is the availability of online support groups. If going to live meetings doesn’t fit your lifestyle, you can have a virtual meeting online. You can also find a wealth of support systems for a host of unhealthy habits. Here are some good choices:

Wellsphere

This comprehensive wellness site offers online support groups for nearly every condition or lifestyle imaginable. Whether veganism is your thing, or you have fibromyalgia, diabetes, weight loss struggles, or just want to live a greener existence, Wellsphere has a spot for you. You can lurk through any of the “community” pages and read postings from health experts on a bevy of topics, or look through the “WellPages,” which will connect you to a variety of resources, such as blogs, discussions, news pieces, videos, and other notable and respected health sites. See wellsphere.com.
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by Roberta Striga
Did you know that skin is our largest organ? It comes as no surprise then it can show tell-tale signs if we are not feeling well (physically, mentally or emotionally). Ayurveda is all about the holistic approach and bringing all of you into balance. The same is applied to our skincare routines. And by skincare we are not talking about just your face. The rest of your skin needs plenty of nourishment too so try to keep that in mind.

While in the current economic climate Ayurvedic consultations might be too expensive to even contemplate, giving your skin the optimum care it needs to glow does not have to be difficult. Nor expensive. Try to incorporate any of these into your daily skin routines and watch your skin transform –- from sullen and gray to dewy and glowing.
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by Roberta Striga
The first thing people notice is your skin. Superficial? Perhaps. But it’s only to be expected. No matter how we try to hide it and in case of females no matter how much slap we put on our faces, if our skin is not healthy it will show.

In winter more then ever, skin is prone to reaction what with the cold, windy weather and the temperature difference we are exposed to on daily basis. Even if you never had problematic skin chances are you will be little off-peak come winter time.
Ayurveda first seeks to determinate what kind of an ayurvedic skin type we posses and then it prescribes the treatments accordingly to bring it into balance.
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by Valerie Brooks

What’s New in Diet Supplements

A number of natural (and not so natural) supplements are gaining press in the new technology arena for weight loss. Most diet supplements fall into one or more of these categories: appetite suppressants, metabolism enhancers, fat burners, colon/liver cleansers, diuretics (water weight loss) and kidney cleansers. And remember, if a diet product is considered a “supplement,” then it’s designed to add to, enhance, or otherwise facilitate a primary diet and exercise program…in other words, to supplement it. Supplements are not meant to be the only component of your weight loss program, but additions to it.

Here is a listing of the more popular weight loss supplements to take note of:
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by Valerie Brooks
Today’s mom-to-be has some very cool health options. Some of the trendiest include prenatal yoga, water aerobics for an easier delivery, going green for a healthier mom and baby, saving baby’s cord blood for possible life-saving use, and indulging in prenatal massages.

Prenatal Yoga

Less than ten years ago, it was a rarity to find a studio that offered prenatal yoga. Now, it’s hard to find one that doesn’t. In many ways, yoga is the perfect workout for prospective moms, and its popularity is growing. One of the reasons is the concentration of breath during yoga, which ensures a healthy dose of oxygen for mom and baby, while training mom to control her breath, which will be a godsend during labor. The meditative and relaxing aspects of yoga are obviously healthful benefits as well. The asanas chosen specifically for pregnancy concentrate on easing body aches associated with pregnancy, and stretching the muscles that will be most beneficial to the birthing process. Prenatal yoga classes will also show students which poses to avoid during pregnancy.
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by Valerie Brooks
A holistic trend is permeating the diet world, and this is a good thing. Rather than focusing on fad diets that may work temporarily, or narrowing in on one specific method, such as low-carb or low-fat, diet trendsetters are taking a broader approach. They’re taking the whole person into consideration and offering a wider array of healthy choices, lifestyle options, and support communities to help people educate would-be dieters, and assist them in making permanent changes that lead to healthy weight loss. As technology expands and perfected products hit the shelves, waist bands shrink.

Most diet programs are trying to get you to eat well, eat less, and incorporate a sensible exercise routine into your lifestyle. The exact recipe for these things is what makes each diet program unique. But overall, the trend is to include all of these components in an effort to treat the “whole” person.

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by Valerie Brooks
Green tea is no longer confined to the beverage arena. Its myriad medicinal and curative effects include acting as an immunity booster, offering anti-cancer properties, improving insulin sensitivity, assisting with balancing cholesterol levels, and slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. To reap the most benefit from this wonder leaf, a host of products now contain green tea. While its ingestible form is usually seen in powder (great for mixing into beverages) or extract, which may come in liquid or pill form, now you can wear it, eat it, or even brush your teeth with it.
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by Rachna Chopra
Ayurveda proposes to analyze our body in terms of the five elements that compose it. The five primary natural elements or Panchbhootas that our body is created with–namely: aether, air, fire, water and earth–exist inside as well outside our bodies, signaling the fact that we are indeed microcosms of creation, comprised of the elements that comprise the universe.

These five primary elements combine in different measures to create various physiological functions. Ether and air combine to create Vata dosha, a force that directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration and elimination. Fire and water combine to form Pitta dosha, a force that runs the processes of transformation including organic and cellular metabolism. Water and earth combine to form the Kapha dosha, the force responsible for growth and protection, such as the mucousal linings and cerebral-spinal fluid.
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by Valerie Brooks
The role of sugar in the American diet is a timeless topic, and we’ve come a long way from the days where pure white cane sugar was the staple sweetener. Today’s options are broader and include a wider variety of healthy sweetening alternatives. A trend that continues to maintain its popularity is one where consumers are noticing a particular product’s glycemic index. Another is to purchase foods that use a natural and more healthful sweetener. And yet another is to choose those same sweeteners for home cooking.
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by Rachna Chopra
Ayurveda is a traditional system of Indian medicine, attributed to Dhanvantari, the physician to the gods in Hindu mythology. Literally, the word means the science of life in its totality. Our modern existence with stringent demands on time has compelled us to reduce the complexity of the science of Ayurveda into simplistic understandings. Ayurveda is commonly understood as a set of healing medicines and massages. What is not commonly understood is how this healing occurs. Ayurveda in essence is an ancient science and art of right living, of which physical and mental healing is a consequence. A true science of living, will, in all fairness, lead us back to the Source, to the fire from which we have emerged as sparks.

Any sincere effort at right living must enquire into the question of who we are, from where have we come, and what is our relation to the environment. In actuality, if you are serious about understanding Ayurveda, you will be led back to the eternal question that Ramana Maharishi asked–Who Am I? Ayurveda is a retreat back to our quintessential nature, natural elements, natural forces and botanical plants. It is an acknowledgement of the incompleteness of modern medical science, and an acknowledgement that we, as whole beings, seek to close existential gaps.
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by JL Geraldo
It comes without warning. You suddenly experience pain along your knees or hips when you move. The pain constricts your movement. Also, you notice some swelling in your hands and feel pain when you wriggle your fingers. These are the telltale signs of arthritis.

The Western world defines it as an inflammation of the joints in the body. Arthritis originates from the Greek word “arthro” meaning “joint” and “-itis” meaning inflammation. Joints are places where two bones meet, like in the knees, fingers, and elbow. The affected joint becomes swollen, tender, and painful. Doctors classified arthritis as a rheumatic disease. It affects joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilages, and other organs of the body.
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by Chef Bryan Au
People often ask me what sort of Raw Organic Vegan Recipes can I make for the holidays? Well now you can rejoice because I have created special Holiday Raw Organic recipes that are also Eco/Green and will help save our Planet! For those that are new to Raw Organic Cuisine, it is all about preparing or what I call “Rawing” Food that looks and tastes like all of your favorite junk foods and comfort foods but now is the healthiest in the World.

During the Holidays often times people unknowingly serve very toxic, processed or unhealthy foods to their loved ones and family! But their intention is to share love, laughter and health. Well now thanks to raw organic recipes, you really can share the best healthy gourmet foods with everyone and have it be amazingly festive. My recipes that I am about to share with you are fun and will bring back all the warm loving memories while being the most healthy for you and the planet.
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Recently, chocolate has been getting a lot of attention not only as a yummy snack food, but also for its benefits to our mental and physical (not to mention sexual) well being. It seems that the special bean the god Quetzalcoatl gave to the Aztecs more than 800 years ago is rather magical indeed.

Chocolate, or more specifically the Cacao fruit, first appears in historical records in Egypt in the 16th century BC. Little is know of its use in Egyptian culture, but we know that the Mayan culture used it and called it xocoatl, from which we get its current name. The Aztecs and Mayans believed that their ancestors brought the Cacao seeds from paradise. This fruit bestowed wisdom and power upon all who ate it or, in most cases…drank it. It’s suspected that the Cacao tree originated in the Amazon region.

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by Bryan Au
Raw food and Yoga are about purity of Mind, Body, Soul…so your kitchen equipment and knives should be too!

Have you heard of Ceramic Knives? They are an exciting new high-tech Nasa Technology adapted for the kitchen. Ceramic Tiles on the Space Shuttle are almost as hard as Diamonds and now they have been transferred into the best Ceramic Knives in the world for your use! In this article I will list all the benefits and ways that ceramic knives will help you to save money, keep your food fresher longer and also provide discounts so you can try them and enjoy them for yourselves!
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by Valerie Brooks
Bacteria received a really bad rap until probiotics became all the rage. Now we know that there are good bacteria and bad. Probiotics, of course, are the good guys—those live microorganisms that live in the gut and balance the flora, which, health professionals are now learning, may be doing a world of good for us. So much so that nowadays, there are probiotic supplements galore. There’s also a great deal of emphasis on pro-probiotic foods. Some health professionals believe that many diseases begin with a reaction to what’s going on in the gut, so the popularity of probiotic continues to expand daily, gaining the interest of those with serious illnesses and those looking to ward them off.
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The Story on Gluten

Remember when it was all the craze to eliminate wheat from your diet because of a known wheat allergy? Well, now you’ll notice that it’s since been narrowed down to gluten, an ingredient found in wheat. Now that we know that gluten is really the culprit, it is no longer just wheat that must be avoided for those with an intolerance, but all food products that contain gluten.

So, what’s the problem with this plant protein called gluten? For some people, there’s no problem at all. For others, it can wreak havoc on the body if the immune system recognizes it as a harmful substance. If it does, the small intestine will react negatively, causing inflammation, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. This condition is called celiac disease and is actually considered an autoimmune disorder because the body sees it as an enemy of the digestive track and therefore, rejects it.
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by JLGerardo
Do you go haywire on some days in a month for no apparent reason? Chances are, you do. And you are not alone. Every month, many women like you experience an onslaught of varied symptoms a week or so before menstruation. You feel miserable during this period. You writhe in pain, toss to and fro in bed, feel flushed and show restlessness throughout the day. After a few days, the symptoms disappear and you’re back in your old happy self once again.
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by Valerie Brooks

Appetite Suppressants

Suppressing the appetite has seem to become an American obsession. Just consider how many ads a day you see for something that promises to help you lose weight by kicking your hunger. The natural health community is an equal participant but offering healthier choices than the traditional synthetically made pill. Here’s the latest buzz on how to keep your weight in check through foods, herbs, and lifestyle choices.
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by Valerie Brooks
America’s favorite vitamin just can’t seem to stay out of the limelight. The medical community and health experts just keep on boasting of its benefits. Most people’s first reaction to Vitamin C is that it’s a supplement to be taken to prevent or treat a cold. But its history actually has its roots in the treatment of scurvy, a serious disease that plagued sailors in the 1590s who didn’t have access to fruits and vegetables at sea because they were perishable. They started to notice that when they ate citrus fruits, their condition improved. It was then discovered that ascorbic acid (literally meaning “no scurvy”) was the specific nutrient that turned the disease around. That’s when its healing properties were first noticed. Since then, it has been in Linus Pauling’s microscopes as a possible cure for cancer and many other things. We may still only be scratching the surface of this vitamin’s true potential.
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How many people in your class in high school were acne free? My bet is there were not many who did not reach for an acne “cover up” medicine. For majority of people acne is a condition that comes and goes with age. But acne can be stubborn and follow some people well into their adulthood.

What is acne? Acne is inflammatory skin condition that usually shows up on face but it can also affect neck, shoulders, upper back, chest area and even buttocks. Acne is caused by the over production of sebum, which normally lubricates the skin. When there is an excess of sebum it gets stuck in a hair follicle. Bacteria thrive on the excess oil and you end up with acne.
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Many ayurvedic practitioners believe that no home should be without brahmi ghee – medicinal clarified butter that’s been infused with an herb called brahmi (centella asiatica). Herbalized ghee is an effective medium for delivering herbs into the blood stream via the nasal passages, and has been applied to the inside of the nose daily by Indian health-seekers for centuries. (It can also be taken orally).
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Much like stress, backache has become something of a common thing most of us have experienced at some point or another. Some of the most common causes of backache include bad posture, extended periods of time sitting in the same position, lack of exercise, excess body weight, carrying heavy loads, constipation and stress. In women some additional causes include wearing high heels or irregular menstrual cycles. The reasons for back pain are many and varied and can even be a combination of causes. A backache starts as a sharp or dull pain in the mid to lower back area. If the causes do not get treated and the problem persists, chronic backache can result and pain that spreads to both hips and waist.
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