Whether you're a workout fanatic or cardiovascular-ly challenged, remember that the payoff is sweet: "Weight maintenance, lean muscle tissue, better mental clarity and happiness, a regular metabolic rate, less yoyo-ing with weight, and much more, the list is endless!" says Borden. Cardio exercises and rebounding (jumping or bouncing) help the lymphatic system, keeping you physically and mentally young -- allowing you to stay active and do things you enjoy longer, she says.
How often should you workout?
"Three to four days a week for 60 minutes is ideal," says Borden. "That can be a mixture of cardiovascular and strength training." She suggests things like weight training, rebounding, full body circuit strength and conditioning training, but above all -- doing any physical activity that you love (for her its Jiu Jitsu, but for you maybe it's tango or tennis.) Plus, a healthy diet should accompany your workout. "Healthy fat is your friend," adds Borden. (She loves Udo's oil, and recommends two tablespoons per 50 pounds of body weight per day.) "It helps with lean muscle tissue, digestion, skin problems, sun sensitivity and better mental health. Also, I can't stress it enough -- drink water, water and more water. Start with your body weight in ounces of water per day, especially if you have not been a big water drinker," she says.
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Impact of living life without workouts
Living a more sedentary life yields increased risk of osteoporosis. Strength training regularly increases bone density, which decreases osteoporosis -- this means fewer bone breaks in your later years, says Borden. Plus, not having a regular workout routine can yield weight gain, which can spawn myriad health problems and make your skin look more weathered, expediting the aging process. In fact, in our 7 Habits of Perfect-Skinned People story -- almost every flawless-skinned woman said they exercise at least three times per week. So there you have it.
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Life saving health and beauty treatment: manicures
We all love to get our mani/pedi on and try out the new nail color trends, but did you know that there's a big health bonus of getting your nails done regularly? Nail changes in shape, texture and color are all signs that something crazy is going on inside your body, says Robinson. So chances are, your nail care professional will notice these changes while she is doing your nails. And while she cannot diagnose anything, she may be able to recommend that you go to the doctor for a check up, adds Robinson.
How often?
For those of you who like a well-maintained mani, you probably know that you need to go about once a week. But, for good nail health, it's fine to go about once a month, says Robinson.
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Impact of living life without nail care
If you always are doing at-home manis and polish changes, then you may not notice changes to your nails, or you might not think that they're a big deal. However, Robinson explains that a darkened band in your nail might be a sign that you have skin cancer, shape changes to your nails may indicate alcohol or arsenic poisoning and clubbing in nails (when the tips of your fingers enlarge and your nails curve around your fingertips) results from low oxygen levels in your blood and could be a sign of heart or lung disease, she says.
Gone are the days of having one general physician be your sole, go-to healer and cure-all for every ailment. We are a much savvier generation who thinks more about prevention, drawing from both Eastern and Western wisdom. And you know that taking care of your health and beauty involves getting regular beauty treatments, seeing your doctors for annual or biannual checkups and maintaining good habits -- all which contribute to your overall well-being. But did you know that some of these things might actually save your life?
We sat down (well, not literally) with the following experts from a broad spectrum of fields: Lena Bratschi, a CIDESCO (an international beauty therapy association) trained esthetician and founder of Carasoin Spa in Beverly Hills, Calif.; Dr. Jeff Golub-Evans, a cosmetic dentist; Dr. Craig Austin, a New York City Dermatologist and creator of Cane + Austin Products; Ashley Borden, a fitness and lifestyle consultant (with a hefty celebrity clientele, BTW); and Shelena Robinson, nail professional and educational ambassador for CND (creative nail design). They explain the benefits of certain health and beauty treatments, appointments and habits, how often you should do them for optimal wellness and what might happen to your health if you don't do them. So, if you're pretty diligent about taking good care of your health, you'll find out how this care is benefitting you. Or, if you're not so good about making yourself a priority, you might get a little lesson in prevention and early detection and what you should be doing now to make sure you're around to see your children's children.
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