5 Health reasons to go to the beach more often

Who doesn’t love palm trees, warm ocean breeze and the soft feeling of your toes in the fine sand? Sounds great right? But going to the beach, besides being a leisure experience, it can be also beneficial for your health. Here you are a few reasons why to consider to go to the beach more often.

1. Sun and Vitamin D
It’s true that the sun’s UV rays are harmful to our health, but all in excess is. In moderation, the sunlight can be beneficial as it manufactures vitamin D in the body.  Visit the beach in the early morning before the sun’s heat becomes strong. Then wear sunscreen and stay under the shade after you’ve gotten your morning sun. About 15 minutes of sun exposure in the early morning is enough to benefit you. Make sure you avoid direct exposure anytime from 10 am to 2 pm.

2. Swimming

Swimming is a low-impact exercise that gives the body a full workout. You also get to work on deep breathing, which improves the function of the body organs. And there is hardly any risk of injury. Have you ever heard of anyone spraining their ankle while swimming? Of course, there’s the danger of drowning or getting cramps but these can be avoided with proper precautionary measures. On top of that, swimming is enjoyable. It’s not like other forms of exercise that are tiring or tedious. You’ll never get bored of swimming especially if you do it with your family or friends.

3. Running on the Sand
Jogging is a good workout but unlike swimming, it can wear out the muscles in your legs. However with beach jogging you don’t have that problem. Jogging on sand doesn’t have as much negative impact on your leg muscles as jogging on pavement. Besides, the shifting sand provides a challenging traction so you can expect a full workout for your muscle groups. Even walking on the beach can give you that benefit. For best results, jog or walk barefoot.

4. Relaxation
There’s nothing as relaxing as the beach for a racing mind. High stress levels release toxins in the body that can lead to various kinds of health problems. Going to the beach can instantly soothe your psyche. Whether it’s sand building with the kids, or simply staring at the waves gently lapping on the sand – you can immediately get the gratifying relaxation that you badly need. And for those who want to elevate the relaxing experience, a beachfront massage is the way to go!

5. Physical Activities
Apart from swimming and jogging, the beach holds countless of opportunities for physical activities. For example, at Excellence Resorts you have included a lot of water sports that you can try like kayaking, windsurf, hobie cats and the stand up paddle board. You can also play beach volleyball, soccer or throw some Frisbee. When you’re at the beach, you can’t resist moving around as there are plenty of things to do. When you get moving, not only do you benefit your physical health but you also improve your mood since physical activity triggers the release of the happy hormones like the endorphins.

Article courtesy of Excellence Group
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Like to Play Pool? Here are 10 reasons you should keep playing!

Top 10 Health Benefits of Playing Billiards

Article Courtesy of Health Fitness Revolution

A casual game known for its ubiquitous presence in bars and pubs (even coining the name pool hall), billiards is a catchall term for the tabletop game played that requires pool sticks (or cues) to hit hard balls into one of six pockets. The game can be played casually, as an amateur and even on the professional level. Each round of billiards, whatever game type one chooses to play, is uniquely presented and requires players to be mentally agile and physically adept.

Here are the top 10 benefits of playing billiards:

Slows aging in men – Beer and billiards have become a staple for socializing among men and with good reason! According to a recent study from the University of Copenhagen, drinking beer while playing a game of pool with friends can help keep older men active due to the exchange between active activity and passive activity during a round of pool. This can help combat the aging process by providing the elderly a casual activity that still utilizes the use of their muscles.

Helps build focus –  Playing pool requires a great amount of focus and concentration. Your ability to focus on a given objective is essential in achieving happiness and attaining goals. In billiards, players must focus on their targets (the cue ball and the target ball), the angle of their own cue, the angle the cue ball will move in once it is hit and if the cue ball will strike the target ball.

Burns calories – There is a surprising amount of beneficial walking involved in a round of pool: a typical 2-hour 8-ball or 9-ball session often provides 100 trips
around the table’s perimeter, which is about equal to walking nearly three-quarters of a mile. Playing multiple games of pool will stack up these distances and burn even more calories!

Enables stretching and balance – Playing requires a lot more stretching than a person would not normally do. Having to bend across the table top to reach the cue ball at a desired angle requires a player to be moderately flexible, especially with complex shots. Pool also enhances balance as the game requires you to stand on one foot at certain time, promoting stability.

Helps build control – Studies have shown that individuals who play cue sports like pool are less likely to panic amid crisis.The levelheadedness of those who play concentration games are able to think clearly and logically, enabling them examine the most pertinent facts and details and encourage them to go into action without becoming hysterical.

Sharpens the mind – Those who frequently play billiards and pool often have sharper minds. Pool requires performing mental mathematical estimates and calculations, such as basic geometry and physics. These skills are necessary to calculate precise angles and trajectories and to determine how much force to apply during a strike so as not to under or overshoot a target. Having a sharp mind enables one to think on their feet faster and pick up on little details.

Hones good hand-eye coordination – Playing pool can also increase your eye-and-hand coordination. In the above bullet regarding how pool can sharpen the mind, all that is for nothing if the player cannot apply those calculations to the table. The hand-eye coordination involved is a crucial factor in winning a game of pool. Your hands become swift and agile and can perform minute, finite tasks.

Fun for all ages – Anyone can play this activity regardless of age and sex, so playing these games can be a regular family event. From your youngest nephew who wants to stab the 8-ball into a pocket, to your spouse’s great grandmother, billiards is leisure activity that anyone can learn and anyone can play, ensuring that everyone gets a turn around the table. 

Tones muscles – The physical benefits of playing pool include low-impact toning of the back, hip and leg muscles pertaining to continuous bending and reaching to
facilitate arm/hand setups and the exercises found in cue-stroking movements.

Improves cognitive skills – The mental stimulation of pool is rich and variable, owing to the virtually infinite table layouts that each broken rack presents. These layouts challenge the player’s imagination, visualization and creative problem-solving skills and requires constant improvisation in order to pocket balls and achieve good position on further shots as
skills increase.

To read the original article, visit Health Fitness Revolution 

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7 Ways Music Benefits Your Heart, Brain & Health

Who doesn’t love music? Certainly there are some of us, but for the most part music is a big part of our lives. Whether it’s the music that we listen to on the way to work, while we workout, or the music we hear in a symphony or film, it can bring up our moods, tell us a story or even bring us down. Music has touched cultures all over the world since very early times in human history. Have you ever wondered how music might affect our health?

“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” ~ Billy Joel

Personally I like many types of music, but I can’t say that I fall in love with a lot of music. It is usually special bands here and there that make their way through my ears that I tend to love and stick with for a long time. The beautiful thing is, everyone’s taste in music is different so no matter what music you make, you’re likely to find someone who will appreciate it. Of course the music industry favours certain types of music and is designed to not allow indie bands to get very far, but that is a whole other discussion.

Music is capable of a number of health benefits including lowering stress levels, raising states of consciousness, changing moods, accessing different states of mind, developing the brain and is useful in meditation -- which has a ton of health benefits.

The fact is, there isn’t a single human culture on earth that has lived without music! For example, native Africans and Americans both used music in the form of chanting for their rituals and healing ceremonies. In Ancient Greece music was used to ease stress, soothe pain and help with sleeping patterns. Many have said music heals the soul, and it appears that they were right!

How Music Benefits Our Health

1) Improves visual & verbal skills
Several studies have shown that music education at an early age stimulates the child’s brain in a number of ways that helps to improve verbal skills, communication skills and visual skills.

A study that looked at 4 to 6 year olds who were subject to one month of musical training that included training in rhythm, pitch, melody, voice and basic musical concepts resulted in enhanced ability to understand words and explain their meaning. [1]

A study using subjects that were 8 to 11 year olds found that those who were involved in extra-curricular music classes were developing higher verbal IQ’s and their visual ability was greater than those who were not receiving the training. [2]

Even children as young as one year old  who participated in interactive music lessons with their parents had a greater ability to communicate, smiled more frequently and were showing greater signs of sophisticated brain responses to music. [3]

2) Keeps an aging brain healthy
Research has shown that having musical training and listening to or playing music in old age can help keep the brain healthy especially as it ages. Since listening to music is like exercising the brain, one can expect the benefits of better memory and mental sharpness as they age. [4]

Even people who have some form of brain damage can regain partial or full access to memories (depending on severity) by listening to music, as listening can help draw on old memories and neurological patterns due to the fact that the rhythm and sounds of music stay within the core of the mind for a long time.

3) Music Makes You Happier
As mentioned before, music has the power to do so much. It can make you feel happy, sad, excited or even pumped up. Listening to music that hits you in a special way causes your brain to release dopamine which is known as a feel good chemical. It causes us to feel emotions like happiness, excitement, joy, etc. Listening to music provides us with the same burst of happiness that we would get from eating a piece of chocolate, sex or certain drugs.

Another study showed that music with a quick tempo played in a major key made people feel happy, while music with a slow tempo in a minor key more easily led to feelings of sadness.[6]

4) Heartbeat, Pulse Rate & Blood Pressure

‘We listen to music with our muscles.’ Nietzsche

Studies have shown that music strengthens the heart and improves the recovery time of patients who were suffering from heart disease. [7]

Regardless of the genre of music, listening to your favorite music releases endorphins in the brain that help to improve vascular health. It has been seen that both men and women who listened to music soon after cardiac surgery were much less anxious and even reported having less pain as opposed to those who rested quietly.

An observation made at Massachusetts General Hospital, found that heart patients confined to a bed that listened to music for 30 minutes had lower blood pressure, slower heart rates, and less distress than those who didn’t listen to music.

5) Improves Sleep Quality
Some of the most common things to interfere with sleep are stress and anxiety (heart rates.) Since music has the ability to affect both in a positive way, research has found that listening to music at various times promotes better sleep patterns for people and even created more restful sleeps. In some cases music might even be able to be used to effectively treat insomnia. [8]

6) Boosts Your Immune System & Reduces Pain
Research has shown that music is capable of reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is responsible for weakening the immune system, increasing risk of heart disease, interfering with learning and memory, lowering bone density, blood pressure, etc. [9] Research found that by listening to just 50 minutes of uplifting music the levels of antibodies in the human body increases. While different types of music were not studied, it is important one listens to music they enjoy as personal preference of music does have an effect on overall physical effects. [10]

7) Reduces Depression & Anxiety
Researchers from Drexel University found that cancer patients who either listened to music or worked with a music therapist experienced a reduction in anxiety, had better blood pressure levels and improved moods. Music can have positive effects on the psyche, mood, pain and quality of life as well.

“The evidence suggests that music interventions may be useful as a complementary treatment to people with cancer,” Joke Bradt

Sources:
1. http://www.psmag.com/blogs/news-blog/music-training-enhances-childrens-verbal-intelligence-36701/
2. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0003566
3. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123653.htm
4. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/04/25/music-training-may-help-keep-aging-brain-healthy
5. http://news.discovery.com/human/psychology/music-dopamine-happiness-brain-110110.htm
6. http://cogweb.ucla.edu/ep/Music_Leutwyler_01.html
7. http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/116/24/F139.full.pdf
8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18426457
9. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201301/cortisol-why-the-stress-hormone-is-public-enemy-no-1
10. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2569640/Music-can-boost-your-immune-system.html
11. http://news.health.com/2011/08/12/music-eases-cancer-patients-anxiety-study/

Article courtesy of www.collective-evolution.com

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Did you know that Singing is GOOD for You?

It's karaoke night at Harry's by Front Row Karaoke!  Everybody knows how fun it is to sing, but did you know it's also GOOD for you?  There are many health benefits.  Here are 10!  Hope to see you improving your life down at Harry's tonight!

10 Great Reasons to Sing!

Article by BY JULIET RUSSELL

Article courtesy of www.mindbodygreen.com

Forget about whether or not you think you can sing, here are some great reasons to do it anyway. 

1. It's good for your heart. 

Singing is an aerobic activity so beneficial for your heart and lungs.

2. When you sing your brain releases “feel-good” chemicals including endorphins. 

Consequently singing can be a brilliantly effective mood buster and there is an increasing body of research to show that it is a valuable tool in alleviating depression.

3. It’s relaxing. 

Through singing we can learn to breathe more deeply and with more awareness. When stressed or anxious, exhaling for longer than inhaling helps to calm the nervous system. Singing encourages us to use this way of breathing, using a shorter inhalation and a longer outward breath.

4. Express yourself! 

Singing is a natural and global form of human expression. You don’t have to consider yourself good at singing for singing to be good for you. It is something that the vast majority of us can participate in and benefit from socially, physically or psychologically, and usually all three.

5. It builds confidence. 

Singing regularly can improve your ability to use your speaking voice with more clarity and confidence too.

6. It makes you part of something life-affirming.

Joining a choir and singing with other people can be rewarding and fun. It can also enhance your sense of community, connection and creativity.

7. It’s a natural beauty treatment. 

When you sing you exercise your facial muscles. 

8. It’s eco-friendly. 

Your body already has all of the equipment you need and you don’t require fossil fuels or expensive upgrades.

9. You reclaim your birthright. 

Most young children sing very easily, freely and without feeling self-conscious. Sometimes, as we grow up or experience judgement and criticism, the simple pleasure of singing can get lost. I've heard many accounts of people being told that they “can’t sing.” 

However, the vast majority of us can learn to sing with more confidence, freedom and control through guidance and practice. While our individual physicality undoubtedly shapes and defines our voice, we can learn to use more of our vocal potential and sing with a greater expressive range.

10. You'll become a better listener. 

By learning to sing, you develop your musical ear and start to listen to yourself and other singers with a greater level of appreciation and understanding. You learn to hear more nuance and subtlety in vocal performances and in music itself.

Click here to read full article on www.mondbodygreen.com

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10 Reasons Why Dancing is Good For You

Harry's Night Club & Beach Bar has the best local bands performing for you every night, and has Karaoke on Thursdays!  It's always a great night to go party at Harry's!  Check out our Band Calendar to see who's playing or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates!  

So put your dancing shoes on!  It's time to go dancing!  It's good for your mind, body and soul!!!

10 Reasons Why Dancing is Good For You

Article by Alexander Holt

There are so many reasons why dancing is good for you, it's hard to know where to begin. It's great fun and good for the body as well as the mind. Besides being a good form of exercise and having a truly positive impact on our health, a recent study actually showed that it also makes us smarter (something to do with remembering the dance steps, thus exercising the brain).

So, why is it good for you to dance? Here are the top 10 reasons:

1) Great way to exercise and stay fit

Dance is a great way to stay in shape. If you don't like the gym, dancing can bring fun back into the exercise.

2) Burn calories and lose weight

Dancing is all about moving your body and moving your body is a great way to burn calories. How many will you burn depends on how vigorously you dance. In an one-hour session you can burn from 250 to 400 calories. Yes, losing weight can be fun and enjoyable.

3) Improved health

Dance can effectively promote good health by improving cardiovascular fitness, strengthening the muscles, increasing circulation, decreasing blood pressure, lowering the risk of coronary heart disease, reducing stress, and many other positive benefits.

4) Greater Coordination

Great for improving control over your body, timing and coordination skills. You will learn how to move with grace and poise.

5) Good for bones and joints

Dance is a weight-bearing activity, meaning it's great for your bones. Weight-bearing exercises has been proven to increase bone density and help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

6) Build confidence

Dance builds confidence by giving you a sense of success and achievement when you master it.

7) Great way to meet new people

Dancing provides a natural icebreaker and is a great way to meet new people and make new friends.

8) Lifts your mood

Any exercise can raise your spirits by raising the endorphins or so called feel good chemicals. This can lighten your mood and reduce the risk of depression.

9) Good for your Mind

Dancing will keep your mind active. It will improve circulation to the brain and help stimulate the memory by remembering all the steps. Great mental exercise.

10) Improved overall well-being

Dance has an outstanding positive effect on both physical and psychological well-being.

There you have it - 10 reasons why you should dance. There are, of course, many more benefits of dancing, but we have to stop somewhere.

If you don't know how to dance, visit Dancing4Beginners.com.

Article courtesy of ezinearticles.com, written by Alexander Holt

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