THIS BLOG HAS RELOCATED!

Hello Wellness Enthusiasts!

Our Wellness Blog has moved on to our home: http://www.balanceboost.com

We have completed building our Wellness Social Networking Community where both Wellness Seekers and Wellness Professionals can interact and build networks to live a balanced lifestyle.

What we’re doing is more than just health information, work-out tips, weight loss strategies, avoiding wrinkles, and improving appearances- we are giving you a home base for living at your best – a Balanced Lifestyle. With all of the health information available it gets the point where it becomes TMI (too much information) or time consuming where it doesn’t allow us to move forward and incorporate better practices and products into our lives. By living a Balanced Lifestyle, you keep everything in your life that makes you happy while learning how to make adjustments that keep the scale even.

Just imagine being able to interact and connect with a Personal Trainer, Hormone Specialist, Doctor of Anti-Aging Medicine, Esthetician, Professional Athlete, Life Coach, Environmentalist, Acupuncturist, Organic Chef, other people like you while at the same time sharing your experiences with people beginning their Wellness Journey.

When you eat at a restaurant, if it’s good, you let people know, if it’s bad...you let people know. It works the other way around; you want someone to let you know if a restaurant is good or bad! Now imagine, on top that Word of Mouth information that you also connect with a food critic, local farmer (best produce comes from local farmers), and Department of Health agent to know the standing of the restaurant. How valuable is all of the information now when deciding on that restaurant?

That’s the same idea behind BalanceBoost- having the scoop on something that everyone else in the network will benefit from and vice-versa!

On BalanceBoost there will be Detox/Cleanse Groups, Extreme Wellness Groups, Personal Development Groups, “I have this, Do you?” Groups, Weight Loss Groups, Book Clubs, Recipes Swaps, Anti-Aging Groups, Environmental Groups, Runs/Races/Marathons/Triathlon Groups, Success & Challenge Stories and much more. There will also be segments on large scale issues like Environmental Issues, Relationship Issues, Declining Healthcare System in the US, the FDA, and more. We will alert you to breaking news so that you are informed on time of Recalls, Toxins, Cures, etc.

Our Wellness Directory, a national yellow pages will feature with everything from your local Personal Trainer to the local Reiki Master, and our Wellness Store features the products and services you love and will learn.

I am extending a personal invitation to you to help get BalanceBoost officially off the ground while also helping you live a Balanced Lifestyle. All of the above will be in action and accessible for you, and it all starts with YOU!

Please join me and this powerful group of individuals to begin BalanceBoost’s Wellness Social Networking Site. Start a Blog, Introduce Yourself, Start a discussion in the Forum and Start connecting with others.People want to hear about the products, services, treatments, and professionals that you like and all about what hasn’t worked for you!

Click Here to Join Me on BalanceBoost

Thank you so much and I’ll see you in the Network!

Yours Truly,
Tiffany Houser
Founder, BalanceBoost

From the Founder: Sleep Spa

Sleep for me these days seems like a luxury. Lately, I just can’t seem to get enough. Last night, or afternoon I should say, I fell asleep at 6pm! No, I am not 70- I know most of you are wondering my age since falling asleep at that time seems to be the norm of the people living in a retirement community.

As much as my current lifestyle requires more hours for work and somehow I still put a decent amount of time into my social life, I am learning to give in to sleep. In this go-getter era, our lifestyles rarely allow us to give in to sleep except on the weekends and even then most of us feel guilty that we are wasting our time or that it is not allowed. After reading this week’s guide, I know most of you are thinking (whether there is a sleep spa in your city or not) There is no way I could break away from work for a nap!

Now back when I worked 9 – 5, I could see where that mentality comes from, but at the same time if I think hard enough I could really add some wasted time spent on Instant Messenger, Email, Chatting in the Lunch Area, etc. All of which could add up to 20 minute increments which if I had known back then would have traded for some ZZZ’s.

Napping of course is not something we need everyday. Even though an afternoon rest is a part of the European and Latin American cultures as Susan mentioned, we Americans need moderation for both setting the time aside and accepting the fact that it's OK to shut down just like a computer and reboot 20 minutes later.

When Susan shared the experience she and her friend had at Yelo in her Spa Blog, I wanted our BalanceBoost readers to know more. One of the things she told me that stuck out was how she woke up naturally. She said that they simulated a sunrise with the LED light which as most of us nappers know when we pass or voluntarily take a nap, sometimes waking up comes with a jolt of confusion- was I sleeping? how long was I sleeping? or from the noise of an annoying alarm. Most of know that feeling sometimes defeats the whole rest that we got from the nap and in
Susan’s feature, she told us about the benefits sleep has on our skin and appearance. Now napping, for me at least, has more value to it, because not only am I hoping to increase my energy and concentration when I wake up, I may also be contributing to my aesthetics.

Even though I have not been to a sleep spa yet, I definitely recommend that you try it once just to have the experience to compare to a cup of coffee, energy drink or to see what you look like after (it's not a makeover, keep your expectations in the realistic zone).

So sleep away and you may wake up looking better and ready to conquer the world!

You Snooze, You Don't Lose

by Susan Tomback, BalanceBoost Spa Blogger

With A recent study by the National Sleep Foundation reports that the average American gets 6 hours and 40 minutes of sleep per night (down from the 7+ hours reported last year). We know that sleep is needed for mental clarity, immunity, preventing premature aging and mood stabilization, but did you know that a good night's sleep also provides cellular detoxification and renewal of the skin?

Sleeping is actually the easiest way to look better! It will therefore come as no surprise that many orally administered medications prescribed by dermatologists for skin conditions such as acne and eczema contain small amounts of sedatives; looks like even modern medicine is forcing us to sleep more for enhanced beauty results.

Even if you don't have specific skin problems, puffy under-eyes and a pale complexion is never a good look, so why do we routinely deprive ourselves of this much-needed restoration? An increased average workday is the top culprit, but other factors such as lifestyle, increased stress levels, poor food choices and sleep disorders are also to blame.

Ever-dedicated to encouraging all to reach full wellbeing potential, the spa world's answer to this imbalanced dilemma is The Sleep Spa, of course!!

One of the top trends in the spa industry in 2008 is the prevalence of sleep programs in the spa environment, according to Spa Finder's CEO, Susie Ellis. That's right, the power nap has returned, and this time, it's trendy! For European and Latin Americans, the siesta midday break has been more of a staple than a trend- they may have been on to something this whole time.

If you pay attention to your inner circadian rhythm, you'll find that there is a late afternoon lull, about 8 hours after you wake up, and that it is natural to want to sleep. So, instead of going for that 4pm coffee jolt, it's actually more natural and beneficial to take a 20-minute nap.

Yelo, a Manhattan-based sleeping haven, is on the cutting edge of this trend. They offer signature YeloCabs, ideal cubbies for optimized napping that can be booked in 20 or 40-minute increments. I treated myself to their 20/20 therapy (20 minutes of reflexology followed by a 20 minute nap), and the experience was unlike any other I’ve had.

The anti-gravity chair positioning was truly restful, and before the reflexology was over, I had already succumbed to nap-land. A LED light mirroring the sunrise awakened me naturally, and I felt completely rested and revived! This natural awakening process was key in rounding out a truly restful and restorative nap, and left me with a peaceful feeling as I returned to reality.

I treated a friend to this same sequence, as he had complained recently of chronic exhaustion (and looked it!). Doubting the power of the power nap, he went in a skeptic, only to emerge a believer! I took pride in complimenting him on his newfound de-puffed and bright-eyed, refreshed appearance, and he felt, to his surprise, well-rested. It was fantastic to know that I was not the exception to the rule and that the Yelo formula and its components were truly vetted and right on point.

In just one nap therapy I saw a dramatic shift in appearance in my friend, as if he had just received a facial! The drained face and puffy eyes were replaced with color and an awakened gaze. Looking and feeling well-rested brings an obvious change in appearance and also attitude!

Look for more dedicated sleep spas and designated sleeping areas and therapies to be incorporated into your local spa soon...sleeping never looked so good!

Will you be a true sleeping beauty?

From the Founder: Alcohol

Sipping on cocktails or wine is something I enjoy a few times a month. Whether for relaxation purposes or as a social release during the times I catch up with my friends, having a drink is part of my life. However, there is a shot of irony with alcohol when it comes to living a balanced lifestyle.

It seems for most of us the scale is tipped too far when it comes to alcohol. Let’s not kid ourselves; we all tend to go a little too far with alcohol in some way, shape or form. Anyone who knows what a hangover feels like has put a boulder on the scale, which we know makes it very difficult to get the scale even with those odds.

I have had some really unforgettable hangovers where all I could think about was the next minute giving me some salvation from the horrible feeling. You may be wondering, why drink to the point where I feel like that the next day, and my answer to you is that when I am drinking I am serving another aspect of my well-being (as mentioned above).

When I think about wellness, I think about Balance- keeping everything in your life that makes you happy while learning how to make adjustments to keep the scale even to achieve goals. So for me when it comes to drinking alcohol, for the most part, I incorporate preventative measures to combat any of the extreme side effects of a happy hour gone wild.

First, I make sure I eat. Of those unforgettable hangovers 99% of them were the result of me not having enough food in my system giving the alcohol an all-access passport to travel throughout system wrecking havoc. On top of eating, I also eat a banana, take Vitamin B complex and OPC-3 (antioxidant with Pycnogenol) before or after my alcohol consumption. The banana is pretty hearty, plus the potassium rehydrates. In the home remedy world, Vitamin B is said to fight off the toxins in alcohol leading to that crushing headache due to its depletion. The antioxidant is just an overall back up fighting off free radical damage. I really notice a difference when I do not follow this regimen.

Now for my liver, I eat apples for breakfast during the work week. Even though it is a home remedy, I believe in the power of natural solutions. Twice a year I do a 7-day cleanse which includes a liver component that contains Milk Thistle, N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (amino acid), Dandelion Root, Garlic Bulb, Hawthorn Berry Extract, Schizandra Chinensis Fruit and Seed Extract, Yellow Dock Root, Burdock Root, Licorice Root, Barberry Bark and Root, Rosemary Leaf, Ginger Root, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Hyssop, Red Clover Flower, and Turmeric Root Extract.

If you’re a drinker like myself, consider how to be a ‘Well-Drinker’. Cheers!

If You Recall Clearly...

Maybe Not.

How long ago did you memorize world capitols, do long division or learn a new language? We're guessing you answered eighth grade or thereabouts. When was the last time you misplaced your car keys, forgot an acquaintance’s name, or spent many frustrating hours trying to recall who sings that song you can’t stop humming? If you’re like most of us, the response is last week or maybe this morning. What, you ask, does long division have to do with the missing car keys? The connection is brain fitness and a theory known as “use it or lose it.”

Where Brain Cells Go To Die

If you think you are too young to be concerned about memory loss, lack of concentration and even dementia, think again. In reality, your neurons start to die off after puberty and your brain begins shrinking at the ripe old age of 20! Luckily, with a little effort you can stimulate the growth and connection of new neurons and help keep your mind quick and clever throughout your life.

With every speed dial programmed on your phone and calculator used for balancing the check book, we sacrifice another opportunity to engage our brains. Yet the very technology that offers those tempting but detrimental shortcuts may also be your biggest ally in the fight against brain fog. Among the many exciting new computer based tools for memory and creativity cultivation is brain training, also known as brain aerobics.

Wake Up Your Mind

Though a variety of activities enhance brain health, such as reading a challenging book, completing a cross word puzzle or joining a social club, brain training offers unique benefits. Whether you’re eight or eighty, sharp as a tack or feeling a bit mentally sluggish, brain training can improve your cognitive function. One company, fittingly called Brain Aerobics, offers a software package and classes known as TrainBrain that is aimed at increasing brain plasticity. The beauty of products like TrainBrain lies in their individualized approach. The difficulty of each challenge conforms to your personal pace of mental growth. Thus your brain won’t be bored silly with easy tasks or overwhelmed with exercises that are too advanced.

Pump It Upstairs

And one, and two and three and think? If you are the kind of person who lets the Pilates DVD languish in a dusty drawer, perhaps joining a brain gym will keep you motivated to work out your neurons. While the idea of wearing a sweatband to put together a puzzle may sound a little strange, businesses that offer a place to focus on mental fitness are cropping up all over the US. If you aren’t quite convinced enough to invest your money in a neuro-gym membership or even an intellectual video game, you can try out riddles and other exercises at websites with free brain-boosting activities.

What’s on your mind and how do you cope with an ever aging brain?

From the Founder: Brain Fitness

This topic comes at interesting time for me. This past weekend I celebrated my birthday, and as I enter another age, I am beginning to notice a few differences in myself. To speak specifically about this topic, my mental capacity seems to be overloaded.

I recall a conversation I had with few friends of mine a while ago and how we believe that a person does not necessarily forget things or has gone down on the sharpness totem pole, but that we come up short in the brain game due to the new information we receive and seek.

Just like a computer, we felt that the brain can only hold so much information in our memory. We were discussing how our brain deletes files for us that may not be as important or that we haven’t referenced in a long while to free-up space for new and more everyday information. We were also discussing how our brains have a recycle bin just like a computer and is very contextual b/c even though something has been "deleted", we are shocked how random, useless information pops up again over our best friends wedding anniversary.

Yes the memory degenerates, and cells are damaged and destroyed, but if you really think about it, your brain or consciousness has some sort of filter, mysterious storage and contextual retrieval system. However, brain fitness does seem to have some substance to it as I’ve known that Alzheimer's patients are given jigsaw and crossword puzzles to work on in their treatment.

I do believe the brain needs work-out and it is not something we need to wait to do until our twilight years. Some things I’ve heard people try with math are figuring out a gratuity, calculating the amount of materials needed for home improvements, or adding up monthly bills without a calculator. There are also CD's/mp3's that you can listen to as well to give your brain some braun.

A little brain game I like to play is trying to dial phone numbers from memory, which by the way could come in handy one day if you are ever in an emergency situation. Another brain game, which could do you some good beyond brain health, is to go through the calendar in your head and write down the birthdays and anniversaries for the people in your life and match it up to the calendar you use everyday. Try this once a week for a set amount of time until they match up perfectly. This will also put a smile on the face of a few people in your life.


What are some brain fitness techniques that work for you?

Thirsty for the Truth?

With the recent introduction of Diet Coke Plus, you may be wondering if soda is now considered a health food. Vitamins, minerals and sweet sparkling cola—what more could you ask for? For starters, you deserve a beverage that does not increase your risk of heart disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome and perhaps even cancer.

Bursting the Bubbly

It’s no coincidence that a Coca Cola bottle closely resembles a slender and attractive woman’s body. Diet soda manufacturers, boasting $21 billion dollars of profit each year, would have you believe their products are a wise option for those trying to cut calories and lose weight. But an eight-year study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center shows that your odds of becoming obese increase by 41% for each can of diet soda you drink per day. Surprisingly, the risk is much higher for diet soda drinkers than for people who consume regular soda.

Scientists have offered several theories to explain the link between diet soda and obesity. Some in the medical community note the role of artificial sweeteners in increasing appetite and disrupting the body’s regulation of caloric intake. It seems that consuming sweet foods, especially those containing aspartame, causes us to crave carbohydrates and stimulates our cells to store fat. Other researchers point out that people who drink soda are more likely to eat fast food and make unhealthy dietary choices. Whatever the connection, it’s obvious that the diet soda industry has duped us.

Can of Controversy

Adding insult to injury, several studies highlight a relationship between diet soda and serious diseases like hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and cancer. A trial funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute revealed that people who drink just one daily diet soda raise their risk of metabolic syndrome by 34%. And though there has never been a definitive conclusion about ties between the aspartame in diet soda and certain types of cancer, many well respected health organizations have criticized the FDA for too quickly dismissing these possible connections.

If you enjoy a fizzy drink now and then, there’s no need to panic. Many companies offer carbonated beverages made with natural fruit juices that don’t contain artificial sweeteners or preservatives. However, if you find yourself hooked on diet beverages, check out this aspartame detoxification program and information about Splenda (sucralose). On the site, sweetpoison.com, there is an interesting press release from 2007, announcing how Coca-Cola will start to use Stevia in their beverages…which makes you wonder, why would they change a financially successful formula?

How often do you consume artificially sweetened food and beverages?