Great Sites to Check Out

The amount of e-mails I receive daily is most likely unhealthy. I get the Washington Post, Banana Republic, SELF, Women’s Health, HerCampus, J. Crew, Nordstrom, Barnes and Noble, Linked In, Facebook and Delta Gamma e-mails DAILY. Therefore, I have hundred of pages of reading material… but rarely get around to it after all of the textbook reading I have!

Here are some websites that I have received that everyone should visit:

• Best and Worst Cereals
• Drink Recipes
• SELF’s Organic Face Masks
• THE Best Workout for Y-O-U
• Increase Your Metabolism
• 101 Best Things for Your Body
• Healthy Appetizers
• Core-gasm Workout
• Be Happier!
• Eating Rules
• Boost Your Immunity

Also check out the new blog I started for Delta Gamma at JMU right here!

Workout at Home!

It’s 6:26 a.m. on a Wednesday. I wake up with intentions of going to the gym. I always want to go to the gym but it’s either too early in the morning, too cold outside to walk there or too busy later in the evening. But this morning I was going to suck it up and go.

And then I found this.

It’s an effective, gear-free workout in a short amount of time. That’s what I like — no having to leave my warm room (even stepping into the hallway is like the Arctic!). So I did the 5 simple moves for 2 minutes each for about 30 minutes.

My heart rate’s up, I feel accomplished (and it’s only 7:31 a.m.) AND I caught up on the morning news. What could be better than that?

Also check out more of Harley Pasternak’s tips on Women’s Health Magazine’s website.

Happy Wednesday!!

Achoo! the Flu

Cough Cough. Sniffle. Sneeze.

If you’re a college student (or professor) you’ve probably been hearing that a lot lately.

Now is the time to think about this year’s Flu Shot. Is it right for you?

Cathi Owens, a senior at JMU, has decided not to get the vaccine this year. In her 23 years of life, she has never received the flu shot. She finds it “pointless, as you can still get many strains of the flu even with the vaccine.” Owens beleives that she will keep herself healthy enough without the shot by washing her hands, taking daily vitamins and staying bundled up in the cold Harrisonburg weather.

On the other hand, there are many positives to getting the flu shot as well.

Doctors strongly encourage everyone, especially the elderly and infants to get the vaccine.

This year’s 2010-2011 Flu Vaccine contains:

• An A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus
• An A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus
• A B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus

If you’re interested in getting the shot this year, visit the JMU Health Center, the Harrisonburg CVS or your local physician.

Better to be safe than sorry!

Get Back in Shape After Thanksgiving

If you’re having trouble getting motivated this week, check out these tips.

Here are some ways to stay fit while staying in the comfort of your warm home!

Invest in a resistance band. They can be used to sculpt arms, core and legs!

Stretch Band Moves for your Obliques

                                                   For directions visit this site.

Tricep Kickbacks

                                Tricep kickbacks are an easy way to tone your arms.                    Keep your back straight and stand with your arms by your chest and push the weights directly behind you.

Post-Turkey Plan of Attack

Hello blogging world!
I’ve decided that this week I will provide all work-out and health tips for you!

I know that many of you (myself included) ate WAY too much turkey over the weekend so it’s time to work it off!

Here are some simple ways to destress before the next round of holidays come along!

Rest up before it’s back to work and school tomorrow!

JMU senior dedicates time to the Mercy House

*This is part 2 of 2 about the Mercy House in Harrisonburg, Va. Please visit the November 1, 2010 post about the organization for background knowledge.

Last spring one JMU senior did more than simply donate her money or gifts to the Mercy House familes — she gave her time.

Lis Palmer, a senior history major and secondary education minor, spent one Saturday morning last spring doing lawnwork for the Mercy House residents. Palmer (pictured in the second photograph below) said her team “helped clean up the leaves outside and pick up trash that had accumulated on their lawns to make it look nicer from the outside.”

In this picture below, Palmer and her friends divide up to conquer the Mercy House courtyard.

 

Below, Lis Palmer rakes the lawn of the Mercy House.

 

Photo Credit: Lis Palmer

After cleaning up the outside, Lis and her friends moved indoors to clean some of the apartment-style homes that the residents live in before the new tenants moved in.

Lis Palmer really enjoyed helping out at the Mercy House in Harrisonburg, Va. She loved being able to help out the staff because ”they don’t have a lot of people to help with handywork and cleaning. We were able to do a lot of maintenance work in a short amount of time because there were so many of us, if we weren’t there it would have taken them a lot longer to get it all finished.”

Palmer hopes to help out at the Mercy House again this coming spring and loved the opportunity to help the community.

Clean Green!

Sure you can “Go Green!” by choosing a fuel efficient Toyota Prius or turning off your lights when you’re not in the room, but have you ever thought about using “green” household cleaners?

Going green when you clean has many benefits:

1. You won’t release chimicals into your beloved home

2. It’s cheaper than purchasing cleaners at the store

3. You won’t get that awful cleaning smell.

Here are a few green cleaning recipes:

*Cleaner: White Vinegar

Recipe: 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup water

Tasks: “Dissolves dirt, soap scum, and hard water deposits from smooth surfaces, yet is gentle enough to use in solution to clean hardwood flooring” says Organized Home.

Benefits: White vinegar is a “natural deodorizer” and isn’t colored so it won’t stain surfaces (use it anywhere!).

*Cleaner:  Olive Oil & Lemon Juice

Tasks: This combination is perfect for cleaning furniture.

Benefits: Organized Home states that “Lemon juice dissolves dirt and smudges, while olive oil shines and protects the wood.”

Recipe: 1/2 olive oil, 1 cup lemon juice

If you prefer to purchase green cleaners that are already mixed for you, try out Imus Ranch products! If you  know of any other good homemade cleaners, leave a comment and let me know!