Author: spitehot

High Intensity for Everyone

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If you are like me, when people talk about the High Intensity Interval Training workout, HIIT, you assume it is something designed for the people who have been working out for a while and are looking for a way to “up their game,” so to speak. Which is easy to understand considering the typical HIIT workouts you find online are pretty intimidating. They are filled with exercises with scary names like “thrusters,” “Russian twists” and “planks.” Then there is the complicated rules like: do 12 thrusters, run 2 minutes, walk 3 minutes, do Russian twists for 10 seconds, repeat 7.5 times, walk at half speed for 10 seconds…too much! I have recently become aware that it does not have to be this way. In fact, almost everyone can reap the benefits from the HIIT workout. Not just those who are already running 5K’s. The science behind this workout, according to http://www.dailyburn.com, is about heart rate. It turns out that when you raise your heart rate for a period followed by lowering it for a period it …

Take me to the Moon

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In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Take Me to the Moon.” The moon affects all of the fluids on planet earth.  The ebb and flow of the oceans, female menstrual cycles and even the psyche of humans is inexplicably tied to that silver rock that hangs so unassumingly in the night sky. The moon represents different things for different people: For many the moon represents a feminine and peaceful entity. For law enforcement the full moon can mean more car accidents and drunk drivers. For doctors the full moon brings with it more births and more patients. For farmers the full moon is tied to hard winter frosts. For dreamers the full moon represents freedom from the constraints of the material world. I am a dreamer. When I need a break from the material world, a break from the egos of the workplace, a break from the needs of everyone else, a break from the sound of the traffic passing on the street, I envision myself on the moon – far above the earth. …

Guided Imagery to Help you Succeed

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As we look for ways to get healthy and happy and live our lives in peace we often can come up with many options. From aerobic exercise to bring down blood pressure to yoga for opening up internal pathways to health, the available methods seem to be limitless. It is so easy to get caught up in a sea of studies or in the newest best-selling book that sometimes it all just becomes a confusing mess. Taking time out to focus solely on the success of our endeavor may be the solution to getting to our end game. And guided imagery may just be the key that opens the door to success. Getting its start as a tool for dealing with the extreme and chronic pain associated with cancer treatments, the self-relaxation technique of guided imagery is now being used by athletes and just about anyone who is working toward a specific goal. More specifically, a form of guided imagery termed mental rehearsal. The basic principle of mental rehearsal is this: Focus on what you …

Olive Oil Makes Headlines – Again!

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Olive oil has been around a long time. According to http://www.olivesource.com, the olive tree is one of the oldest cultivated trees on earth. This bountiful tree originated in the Iran, Syria and Palestinian region of the Mediterranean over 6,000 years ago. It wasn’t until a few hundred years ago, however, that the olive tree made its way out of the Mediterranean. Today, it is just about everywhere and its popularity is growing. You can find olive oil in prepared foods on grocery store shelves, in skin care products and even in pet food. Olive Bars are popping up in grocery stores and shopping malls across America, too, where you can get the fruit of the tree that is often soaking in its own oil. Olive oil has been labeled by those in the nutrition industry as a, “good fat.” This could be the basis of the new mantra, “fat is not bad for you,” that has made its way around the web over the past few years. Unlike vegetable oil or canola oil, olive oil contains more …

Why do I have to skip a day between body toning sessions?

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For those of us just starting out and getting into a routine it seems so contrary that we have to follow a hurry-up and wait regimen for body toning. Nonetheless, this is exactly what we are instructed to do. So, we try to schedule upper body on Monday, Wednesday, Friday; lower body Tuesday and Thursday; and if we miss a day it tends to put a wrench in the whole process. The question of why we put ourselves through this scheduling maze all boils down to science-kinesiology to be exact. Kinesiology is often defined as the study of human movement, but has evolved to be more than just that. According to the American Kinesiology Association, kinesiology is, “The academic discipline which involves the study of physical activity and its impact on health, society, and quality of life”, http://www.AmericanKinesiology.org. These are the people who’ve determined that we need to skip a day between working out. Here’s what they’ve discovered: Lifting weights creates a stress on your body. The act of repeatedly working your muscles, aka contracting them, …

What is Meditation?

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So many people talk about meditation and how important it is in helping people maintain a happy and healthy existence. Even the US Marine Corps, which is home to the toughest warriors in the world, began a pilot meditation program in 2013. Medical studies have also shown that meditation is an incredibly effective method to increase learning ability and relieve stress. Stress, as many of us know, leads to many ailments. These include sleeplessness, depression, chest pain, and a rise in blood pressure on the physical side; forgetfulness, inability to focus and changes in appetite on the emotional side. The potential for alleviating stress is exactly why we need to answer the question of what is meditation…

Turmeric – Spicing it up for your Health

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I have found that adding spices to my food, especially vegetable dishes, helps to keep me on track with eating healthier, but it turns out that some spices may actually be healthier than the vegetables I put them on. One of the true stand-outs in this category is Turmeric. This spice is native to India and gives curry its beautiful yellow color. The flavor is warm and peppery and I find it pairs well with potatoes (which I do let myself indulge in on a limited basis in my SpiteHot plan). A quick web search will glean you a host of results that highlight the beneficial health properties of this herb. Some of the more memorable benefits are: Anti-inflammatory properties, i.e. lessons inflammation of bodily tissues Linked to Improved Brain Functions May lower your risk for heart disease Can help prevent Cancer Check out http://www.authoritynutrition.com for more information. I have read that the best way to benefit from this herb is to take in pill form, but I lean more toward using the actual spice …

A Beautiful Day Off

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In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Sparkling or Still.” The sun is shining, but there are light and wispy clouds dancing across the sky. I look up and watch them spin and flow. There is an angel, a spiral, a flower. The fire is crackling; the bees are busy taking in the last of the pollen before the frost hits. It won’t be long now. The beauty of the fall flowering mums and drying of the raspberry fruits swirl together in one bittersweet scene awaking the senses and acknowledging the end of one season and the beginning of the next. A leaf falls. The smoke from the fire curls tall, spiraling toward the sky, then is whipped away by the newly arrived north winds of autumn. The ashes land softly on the keyboard and words flow freely, inspired by the freedom of a beautiful day off.

Pumpkin soup with turmeric

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Originally posted on Cooking Without Limits:
Better pumpkin soup in the world. You can see the pumpkins that I used in the photos.I was so surprised that are so good. I don’t know the name of this type of pumpkin, but it is so good. ? Ingredients: – 5 tablespoons unsalted butter – 3  pumpkins , halved and seeded – salt and freshly ground pepper – 1 medium onion, chopped – 3 cloves garlic, minced – 1 teaspoon turmeric – 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg – 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat it with 1 tablespoon butter, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon water. Season flesh of pumpkins generously with salt; place cut-side down on sheet. Roast until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in pan. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic, turmeric  and nutmeg. Cook and stir frequently, for 2 minutes. Set aside. When pumpkin is cool enough to handle, using a spoon, scrape…