Mind, Body… and Tea

 

I don’t know about you but all of my friends seem to have their birthday towards the end of the year. So for the last few months I’ve been spending my weekend at bars, nightclubs and parties showing how dedicated I am to my relationships (or maybe because I just like partying). But now this has come at a great cost. My assignments are piling up and I really have to start studying for my exams. To make this worse my boss has given me extra shifts because of Christmas retail madness while I’m in the middle of training for a new job in a completely different industry. That’s why this week I’m going to try Yoga classes and I’m going to drink more green tea. This week’s post is not just about being physically healthy; it’s also about being mentally healthy. So if you’re feeling stressed or if you’re feeling burnt out at this trying time of year, we have some excellent tips for you.

The health benefits of yoga:

1. It’s great for your cardiovascular system. Regular yoga improves cardiovascular fitness and also blood circulation with research showing that it can help normalise blood pressure.

2. It improves the digestive system. Yoga improves blood circulation and has a massaging effect on the muscles, which in turn speeds up digestion.

3. It has musculoskeletal benefits. Yoga allows for increased joint movement for increased mobility and flexibility. Many of the yoga poses also improve strength and endurance, and help prevent osteoporosis. Yoga is also great for improved posture.

4. It is great for the nervous system. Due to improved blood circulation, the relaxing of tense muscles and the way yoga allows one to focus on breathing, Yoga can reduce stress and also fatigue. Yoga has been found to increase concentration and energy, while also increasing feelings of calm and wellbeing (State Government of Victoria, 2013).

You can clearly see from this list of benefits that yoga is a miracle worker for the mind and body! There are many different types of Yoga so I’m going to introduce you to a few popular forms of yoga that might suit you.

* Information in table from Women’s Health Magazine, 2013 and Appenbrink, 2012.

In Brisbane yoga classes can cost upwards of $15 for a single one-hour session, but there are many excellent deals on offer. Check out this great website for all the yoga classes available in Brisbane. The great thing about this website is you can search for your closest yoga practitioner:  http://www.findyoga.com.au/Classes/Brisbane/All/20

Alternatively, many gyms hold yoga classes. We at HealthyU like Goodlife’s yoga class. See their website for how to join their gym, or if you don’t want a membership you can pay for each individual yoga session too. Here’s the link: http://www.goodlifehealthclubs.com.au

But what goes really well with yoga? Green tea! I know so many people who drink it and I always hear all these good things about it. So what’s the big deal with green tea?

Here are some of our favourite green teas:

Green, Jasmine & Pear Tea by Madame Flavour –

Ellen – “This tea has a delicate pear flavour. The Jasmine flavour is also very subtle. The pear and jasmine combination is perfect and makes for a unique green tea. I love that it comes in handy yet pretty tea pods and that you can buy it from the supermarket.”

Keira – ” This is my favourite type of tea to have of an afternoon. It is refreshing and healthy and the tea bags are so dainty and cute. Simple and easy to make and a perfect end to any day in summer or winter.”

China Jasmine Green Tea by T2 –

Ellen – “This green tea is my all-time-favourite! It’s subtle jasmine blossom flavour balances out the green tea flavour nicely. It is a robust tea with a earthy, fragrant flavour. This is a very versatile tea. I drink it with dinner, have it with a sweet treat or enjoy it on it’s own. “

Keira – “T2 Loose leaf teas are great for any occasion. I love using the diffuser and tea set to serve this flavoursome tea when I have friends or family over as an after dinner drink. I am a massive fan of green tea and can honestly say that I would choose this tea over any other! ”

They say you should drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water, but did you know that means you can consume up to 8 cups of tea each day? Yeah, I didn’t know that either and I only get up to 3 cups of tea in the day! Green tea is great for you because it consists of around 99.5% water, meaning it is great for body hydration. But keep in mind that the better the water, the better the tea.

People always tell me that there are so many benefits to drinking green tea, and I hardly hear anything bad about green tea. But there are actually a lot of interesting facts about green tea that you probably didn’t know and if you already do, I can only assume that‘s why you’re drinking green tea already!

Did you know that helps with bad breath, stops dental decay AND burns stored fat by increasing metabolism? Neither, but now the last part certainly explains why they serve hot green tea in a lot of places like Asian restaurants! Green tea is also beneficial as it regulates blood sugar levels and increases the prevention of cancer, as well as lowers pressure.

If you haven’t tried green tea yet, why not give it a go? Have some hot green tea after a huge meal, or even have it beside you as you study or read a book. Don’t forget to try having some after yoga!

Reference List

Appenbrink, K. (2012). The many types of yoga. Retrieved from

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/09/28/yoga-decoder/

Green Tea Nutrition Facts. (n.d.) Facts about Green Tea Nutrition and Benefits. Retrieved from http://www.greenteanutritionfacts.com

State Government of Victoria. (2013). Pilates and Yoga: Health Benefits. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Pilates_and_yoga_the_health_benefits?open

Women’s Health Magazine. (2013). Types of Yoga. Retrieved from

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/yoga/yin-yoga

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• Benefits of Yoga – Guest Post from Kimberly Cohen (docmatthew.com)
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Running For Your Life

I hate running. It’s too much effort. I can’t get out of bed. I always get a stitch in my side. There are too many hills in my suburb. It’s too hot today. It’s too cold. It’s a bit windy. It’s raining. I’m pretty much allergic to my own sweat.

Is this you? If it is, HealthyU is here to help you stop making excuses. We know that a good run is exactly what you need and as you will discover soon, exactly what you will want. We want to show you how to run like a pro and eat like a pro too.

So why should you run?

We have compiled several very convincing reasons to why you should run that you may not have thought about.

1. Running makes you smarter! One study found that students doubled their reading scores and increased their maths scores by up to 20x just by exercising for 25 minutes before class each day. They have found that exercise not only increases blood flow to the brain, but it stimulates the release of neurotransmitters. Thus, working wonders for your problem solving abilities (Viadero, 2008). So why not go for a quick morning run before Uni to help get your blood flowing and your brain firing?
2. Running can improve your quality of sleep. A study at the University of Milan found that physical activity can have a positive effect on sleep quality and the circadian rhythm of activity (Montaruili, Roveda, Calogiuri, La Torre,  & Carandente, 2009).
3. Running can help you get abs! Yes, running engages your core, and it hurts a lot less than crunches! Harvard Medical School says that having a strong flexible core is important for posture, balance and stability, and a healthy back. However, to develop abs you need to reduce your body fat through diet and aerobic exercise. So no matter how many crunches you do, you won’t get abs unless you reduce your belly fat and what better way to do it than running – a high-calorie burning activity (Harvard Medical School, 2012).

Do you need extra motivation?

Here’s my top tips:

Tip 1. Get a running buddy.

I think everyone needs a running buddy because a friend is a much better motivator than an alarm clock. Back in high school I used to run in the mornings with a friend. She lived down the road from me, so we used to meet at the corner of our street at 6am. If one of us didn’t arrive we would phone them and force them to get out of bed. After just a 30-minute run 3-4 times a week, we both noticed a difference. We both noticed that we felt more awake at school after our runs, despite the fact we were getting an hour less sleep each day. Not only did it help my skin clear up, I generally felt better about myself and more ready to tackle the day.

Tip 2. Spice up your shoe wardrobe.

If you’re a bit of a fashion junkie like me, I suggest buying a fabulous pair of running shoes to make you feel great. I love the look of the “Nike Free Runs” and if the name is any indication, they seem perfect for running! Beautiful looking running shoes may be expensive but that’s a motivation to use them, right?

This is Keira from HealthyU’s collection:

Tip 3. Think about the reward at the end.

Everyone loves food and the great thing about running is there is a wide-variety of healthy, yummy options you can have post-workout. But remember the reward is also your health.

Run like a Pro

Professional runner, Christine Luff (2013), says that you should always warm up and warm down when running. She recommends starting with a brisk walk then changing to an easy jog for several minutes. After your run, Luff says to walk or slowly jog for a further 5 minutes.

Luff recommends that beginners start out running at “conversational pace” (ie. at a pace slow enough to keep up a conversation with a fellow runner) to avoid injuries. According to Luff, beginners should use the run/walk approach, and should not “increase [their] weekly mileage by more than 10% per week”.

When running your arms should be at a 90 degrees, your posture should be straight and your shoulders level.

If you’re prone to getting stitches, Luff recommends that you take “deep belly breaths” while you run. She says many beginner runners have the misconception that you breath in only through your nose. Luff emphasises that you should breath in through both your nose and mouth to provide your lungs with enough oxygen.

Eat like a Pro

What to eat pre-run:

What you need to eat before a run really depends on how long you plan to run. Sports dietician Pamela Nisevich Bede (n.d.) says that if “you’re exercising for up to 1 hour at an easy effort, it’s okay to run on empty”, but she recommends having a small snack about 30 minutes before your run to keep your energy levels high. Carbohydrates and protein will help you stay energized.

Here are some of her suggested snacks:

Less than 1 hour run (should be eaten 30 minutes before running):

• Cup of low-fibre cereal with ½ cup of skim milk
• 2 fig cookies
• 3 graham crackers with 1 tsp of honey

For longer runs (should be eaten 60-90 minutes before running):

• 1 medium banana and 1 tbs of nut butter
• 1 bagel with nut butter and 1 tbs of jam
• Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-grain bread
• 3 ounces of deli turkey with flour tortilla and 1 cup of veggies

For more great snacks visit:

http://www.runnersworld.com/the-starting-line/16-healthy-and-yummy-prerun-meals-and-snacks?page=single

What to eat post-run:

I now want to suggest the best snacks to eat post-run to replenish the body’s resources. Remember food is fuel! All of the snacks listed below are natural foods that are extremely quick and easy to prepare.

*Recommendations from Allen (n.d.) **Data from Nutitiondata.self.com

Now that you’re ready to run, it’s really important that you keep motivated and set yourself challenging but realistic goals. Professional runner and author, David Dack (n.d.), says that it only takes four weeks to form a habit. So after running on a consistent basis for 4 consecutive weeks, you’ll reap the rewards running has to offer. Remember to eat like a pro and train like a pro – your only competition is yourself.

Reference List:

Allen, K. (n.d.). 10 Foods that are Good to Eat After Running. Retrieved from: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/10-foods-good-to-eat-after-running.htm

Condé Nast. (n.d.).  Nutrition Facts. Retrieved from: http://www.nutritiondata.self.com

Dack, D. (n.d.). How to Improve Your Running Stamina With These Tips. Retrieved from: http://www.muscleprodigy.com/how-to-improve-your-running-stamina-with-these-3-tips-arcl-2499.html

Harvard Medical School. (2012). The real-world benefits of strengthening your core. Retrieved from: http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-real-world-benefits-of-strengthening-your-core

Luff, C. (2013). 7 Key Running Tips for New Runners. Retrieved from: http://running.about.com/od/getstartedwithrunning/tp/runningtips.htm

Montaruili, A., Roveda, E., Calogiuri, G., La Torre, A.,  & Carandente, F. (2009). The sportsman readjustment after transcontinental flight: a study on marathon runners, J Sports Med Phys Fitness, 49(4), 372-81.

Nisevich Bede, P. (n.d.). 16 Healthy (and Yummy) Pre-Run Meals and Snacks. Retrieved from: http://www.runnersworld.com/the-starting-line/16-healthy-and-yummy-prerun-meals-and-snacks?page=single

Viadero, D. (2008). Exercise Seen as Priming Pump for Students’ Academic Strides, Education Week, 27(23), 14-15.

Related articles

• Running Sucks! And Why I’m Doing It Anyway (mydiaryentry.com)
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