3 Simple Tips To Start The New Year Off Right

Want to start off the new year with a clean slate? Here are a few tips to keep yourself motivated and achieve your resolutions.

Make at least five good New Year's resolutions that could fit into your lifestyle. Your resolutions should be personal and help you be a better person, either physically or mentally. Make sure you think your resolutions thoroughly and ask yourself; could this help me? Could this help my community, family, or occupation? Can I stick to this throughout the year? Will I have time to work towards this?
If your goal is to improve yourself mentally, improve yourself daily. If you would like to go to college again and get your Masters degree, do so, but make sure you have enough interest to attend a university. Maybe you would just like to improve your attitude, be more optimistic, care-free, friendly, etc. Say hello to your co-worker across the hall that you've never spoken to up until now. Be a shoulder to cry on when your friend just broke up with her boyfriend. Clean the house for your parents or roommates so they don't have to worry.

If your goal is to improve yourself physically, improve yourself daily or whenever you have free time. If you want to lose 10 pounds, or maybe get rid of the belly bump, go to your local gym or work out at home once every other day, or daily if you have the time. Be consistent and stick on your work out routine. Get a personal trainer if you need a little push and some new techniques. Stick to a healthy diet: for example, instead of stopping at Starbucks and ordering your usual mocha latte with extra whip cream, stop by a bagel shop and get a real fruit smoothie.

The bottom line is to "GO FOR IT" this is your year for 2012. Be determined to set your intentions for this coming year by starting with the end in mind. You can do it! Here at Pampering4life we want to wish you an AWESOME new year and thanks for following our blog. We look forward to giving you more informative topics for the new year to help you to live your best life. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

De-Stress Your Holiday With Yoga

Yoga has been practiced for more than 5,000 years, and currently, close to 11 million Americans are enjoying its health benefits. Yoga can hardly be called a trend.
Most Westernized yoga classes focus on learning physical poses, which are called asanas. They also usually include some form of breathing technique and possibly a meditation technique as well. Some yoga classes are designed purely for relaxation. But there are styles of yoga that teach you how to move your body in new ways. Choosing one of these styles offers the greatest health benefits by enabling you to develop your flexibility, strength, and balance. If the holiday time is keeping you stress learn how to do yoga. It is great for your mind and your health. Learn about some of the benefits of yoga below.

Physiological Benefits of Yoga

• Stable autonomic nervous system equilibrium
• Pulse rate decreases
• Respiratory rate decreases
• Blood Pressure decreases (of special significance for hyporeactors)
• Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases
• EEG - alpha waves increase (theta, delta, and beta waves also increase during various stages of meditation)
• EMG activity decreases
• Cardiovascular efficiency increases
• Respiratory efficiency increases
• Gastrointestinal function normalizes
• Endocrine function normalizes
• Excretory functions improve
• Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase
• Breath-holding time increases
• Joint range of motion increase
• Grip strength increases
• Eye-hand coordination improves
• Dexterity skills improve
• Reaction time improves
• Posture improves
• Strength and resiliency increase
• Endurance increases
• Energy level increases
• Weight normalizes
• Sleep improves
• Immunity increases
• Pain decreases
• Steadiness improves
• Depth perception improves
• Balance improves
• Integrated functioning of body parts improves

Psychological Benefits of Yoga

• Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
• Mood improves and subjective well-being increases
• Self-acceptance and self-actualization increase
• Social adjustment increases
• Anxiety and Depression decrease
• Hostility decreases
• Concentration improves
• Memory improves
• Attention improves
• Learning efficiency improves
• Mood improves
• Self-actualization increase
• Social skills increases
• Well-being increases
• Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
• Self-acceptance increase
• Attention improves
• Concentration improves
• Memory improves
• Learning efficiency improves
• Symbol coding improves
• Depth perception improves
• Flicker fusion frequency improves

Biochemical Benefits of Yoga

• Glucose decreases
• Sodium decreases
• Total cholesterol decreases
• Triglycerides decrease
• HDL cholesterol increases
• LDL cholesterol decreases
• VLDL cholesterol decreases
• Cholinesterase increases
• Catecholamines decrease
• ATPase increases
• Hematocrit increases
• Hemoglobin increases
• Lymphocyte count increases
• Total white blood cell count decreases
• Thyroxin increases
• Vitamin C increases
• Total serum protein increases
• Steadiness improves
• Depth perception improves
• Balance improves
• Integrated functioning of body parts improves

Pampering4life Healthy Eating Series: Roasted Fish Recipe

Roasted Fish and Veggies with Quinoa and Pine Nuts

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Roasted Fish and Veggies with Quinoa and Pine Nuts

Serves 4

This easy, colorful meal is roasted in a parchment-paper-lined pan to avoid the need for added oil. We garnish the finished dish with cilantro and pine nuts, but a combination of basil and almonds or walnuts and parsley would be delicious as well.

Ingredients

2 carrots, cut into 2-inch sticks
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
4 (3-ounce) pieces mild white fish fillet such as tilapia, sole or flounder
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a 9- x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Place carrots, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, garlic and ⅛ teaspoon salt in the pan and toss. Bake in the top third of the oven until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

Stir vegetables, arrange fish on top and sprinkle with remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt, lemon zest and juice and bake until fish is just cooked through, 15 to 20 more minutes. Transfer fish and vegetables to plates or a platter along with the quinoa and sprinkle with cilantro and pine nuts.

How To Stay Mentally Healthy During Christmas

Staying Mentally Healthy During Christmas

For some of us, the approach of the holidays serves as a reminder of lost loved ones or financial difficulty. Hectic work schedules, domestic squabbles and children with unrealistic expectations may make you feel like a failure. In order to make the most of the holiday season, you have to remind yourself (and the people around you) that there is more to Christmas than commercialism and selfishness. As a matter of fact, Christmas is the season of selflessness and nostalgia. Instead of feeling indifferent or depressed this Christmas, reflect on happier times. Hold on to memories of loved ones--but do not let those memories prevent you from enjoying life.

Embrace Christmas. If you convince yourself that Christmas is terrible, you will feel anxious and depressed as it approaches each year. Do something that you would not normally do to get into the spirit of Christmas. If you feel alone this Christmas, send out Christmas cards to friends and co-workers. If they reciprocate, hang your Christmas cards proudly. Whenever you feel alone, look at your Christmas cards. Those small tokens should serve as a reminder that someone cared enough to remember you this Christmas.
Keep yourself occupied. Prevent your mind from wandering into dark places. If you're worried about finances and you can not afford gifts, use your time to create a personalized gift. Paint a picture or write a poem. Create a slide show of pictures and burn it on a DVD for your relatives. Create interesting Christmas ornaments for all of your friends.

Keep yourself occupied. Prevent your mind from wandering into dark places. If you're worried about finances and you can not afford gifts, use your time to create a personalized gift. Paint a picture or write a poem. Create a slide show of pictures and burn it on a DVD for your relatives. Create interesting Christmas ornaments for all of your friends.

Cry. If you feel the urge to cry, let it out. If you feel like talking to someone, call them. Do not let your tears prevent you from calling a supportive friend. You are not a burden. Friends are there to support one another.

Sing along with Christmas songs on the radio. If you feel like having company over, get into the spirit of Christmas with Christmas karaoke (see Resources below). If you don't know the words to the songs, make them up as you go along. Laughter is the best medicine for depression at Christmas.Reflect. If you've felt depressed before at Christmas time, strive to make this Christmas different. Focus on the positive things that make Christmas special. Consider how fortunate you are to be in a warm location, reading this article right now. Perform a selfless act for someone less fortunate than you are. Donate old clothing, extra blankets or unused toys to a family this Christmas. Turn your depression into constructive energy. Donate your time at a local shelter or hand out handmade Christmas cards at a nursing home--a place where many people feel depressed at Christmas. Not only will you reflect on the positive aspects of your own life, but you'll feel happy that you made a real difference to one person (or one family) this Christmas.