How to stay busy during a snow storm

All of the New York woke up to snow today. AGAIN?!? Looks like we will all be spending tonight inside. What to do? Here are a few fun ideas to keep yourself busy during the storm.

Organize your closets. How many times have you said “I’ll get to that closet this weekend”, only to find it overflowing with winter coats, scarves and boots. Using baskets and bins is a great way to organize and be able to see what you have. My favorite place to buy these is The Container Store. West Elm also has funky woven baskets. New York City is notorious for having tiny closet spaces, so I’ve become a real pro at organizing in small spaces.

Plan a fun meal and invite friends over for a snow storm party. Dust off those cook books or go online and pick an exotic or difficult meal to cook. Put everyone in charge of preparing one ingredient for the meal. Cooking can be relaxing and you will feel a sense of accomplishment when you conquer that hard recipe. And if all else fails just order in!

Give yourself an at-home body or hair treatment. Take some Coconut oil or your favorite lotion, rub it on your hands and feet, put on gloves and socks and let the hydration begin! Your hands and feet will be silky smooth. Coconut oil is also amazing for your hair. Apply to dry hair and leave on for 30 minutes. Then shampoo and condition as usual. Your hair will thank you! If you don’t have Coconut oil around, Olive oil works just as well.

Let us know what fun things you do when you’re stuck inside during a storm. Have a safe, fun and safe weekend!

by
,

Is the Gym Making You Sick?

As I was waiting to go into spin class this morning, I overheard two women talking about the cleanliness of gym towels. Where I spin, towels are provided and seem very clean, but my ears certainly perked up! One of the women said, “I have a canker sore in my mouth-do you think it could be from the towels?”. Her friend replied “I recently read something about these towels that made me very uncomfortable”. I will add that both women went ahead and used the towels in class. The towels are definitely washed and you can’t catch a canker sore. Canker sores are usually caused by a run down immune system or if you’re body is fighting something off. However, could she have caught this germ that is causing the canker sore at the gym? It is very possible and more than likely. But, the culprit is not the towel.

Germs live on surfaces as well as in the air. Here are a few easy rules to follow to keep them away!

  • Do not touch your face. Hands are dirty. They touch the door knob, the spin bike, the treadmill and the the lockers just to name a few. Hundreds of other people are touching these things too.
  • Use the hand sanitizer and wipes the gym provides-it is there for a reason.
  • Always wipe your bike handles, seat, treadmill and weights down before and after you use them
  • If you have a wound, cover it. Open cuts and scratches invite bacteria and viruses to jump on
  • Be aware of who is in your class or near you.  If they look sick or are sneezing, stay away form them
  • Do not walk barefoot. Athletes foot is rampant on locker room floors and showers. Throw a pair of flip flops in your gym bag.
  • Shower right after you’re done, do not wait to get home if you can help it. The quicker you shower the less time bacteria has to set in on you. If you use the hot tub or steam room at your gym, make sure you shower before going in them to get rid of bacteria.

Hopefully I haven’t freaked you out of going to the gym or spin class.  It is still healthier to goto the gym and be exposed to germs than not to exercise at all! We just want to give you the tools to stay healthy!

by

Healthy heart vitamins

We know vitamins are crucial to good health but there are quite a few that are extremely beneficial for your heart! You may be surprised-we were!

If you want to ensure your ticker stays healthy and your cholesterol stays low, you have to exercise, know your numbers and watch your diet. However, add these non-traditional supplements into your daily regimen for extra heart health. The Omega’s are the most popular of the heart healthy vitamins. Try and look for fish oils that contain Omega 3-6-and 9! Niacin or B-3 and Green Tea Extract have been shown to treat high cholesterol. Another interesting and relatively unknown supplement for a healthy heart is Red Yeast Rice, which lowers LDL and triglycerides. Add in some Coenzyme Q10 to reduce chest pain, so exercise is easier, and you have a pretty strong heart cocktail. Ginger and Turmeric are well known when treating the heart and the body in general, not to mention they’re yummy in edible form. Last but not least is a plant, Policosanol, which is extracts of plant wax and very beneficial in lowering cholesterol.

If you are concerned about your heart health, get your numbers checked. Try some exercise, cut out the smoking and add some exercise into your daily routine.  A healthy heart is a happy heart!

by