Skip to main content

Natural Awakenings Twin Cities

Fit Body

Last Updated: Sep 29, 2017 06:18PM • Subscribe via RSS • ATOM

Building Better Bones: Bouncing, Leaping and Lunging Our Way to Bone Health

Sep 29, 2017 06:18PM ● By Kathleen Barnes

Even in our later years, we can strengthen our bones with the right targeted movements.

Read More »
Yoga Eases Eating Disorders: Regular Practice Reduces Anxiety and Depression

Aug 31, 2017 11:14AM

In two studies, regular yoga classes or individual practice lowered anxiety, depression and negative thoughts in people with eating disorders.

Read More »
Rodney Yee on Yoga as a Way of Life: Simple Strategies for Staying on Track

Aug 31, 2017 11:14AM ● By Marlaina Donato

The prominent New York yoga teacher counsels us never to berate ourselves about our practice and to set aside time for asanas and exploration of different yoga traditions.

Read More »
Take a Hike: Escape into Nature with a Day Trip

Jul 31, 2017 11:12AM ● By Marlaina Donato

Blissful moments in nature can be found just minutes away from home, if we know where to look.

Read More »
Tart Cherry Aids Runner Performance: Improves Times, Decreases Inflammation

Jun 30, 2017 10:24AM

Young adult distance runners in Texas taking a powered tart cherry supplement for 10 days improved their running time and reported a third less muscle soreness.

Read More »
Four Reasons to Break a Sweat: The Fast Path to Flushing Toxins

Jun 30, 2017 10:23AM ● By Deanna Minich

Pesticide, plastic phthalate, heavy metal and BPA chemicals efficiently exit our body when we perspire during a workout, sauna or sunny walk.

Read More »
New Ways to Court Fitness: Racquets and Paddles Get a Sporting Makeover

May 31, 2017 11:24AM ● By Randy Kambic

Two fresh new faces on tennis courts these days are pickleball, a fun mixture of tennis, squash and table tennis, and cardio tennis, honing skills amid high-intensity aerobic action.

Read More »
High-Intensity Workouts May Keep People Coming Back: Irregular Exercisers Find HIIT Enjoyable

May 31, 2017 11:04AM

Sedentary Canadian adults that underwent high-intensity interval training found it more enjoyable that those who performed ongoing moderate exercise.

Read More »
Mastering Self-Defense: Staying Aware Avoids Problems

Apr 28, 2017 11:20AM ● By Aimee Hughes

Effective self-defense comes when we move mindfully through environments and know how to safely redirect an opponent’s energy.

Read More »
Not-So-Speedy Pedaling Boosts Benefits: Ideal Biking Pace

Apr 28, 2017 10:48AM

Biking a half hour to work improves brain function, but if pollution hangs in the air, a moderate pace of 8 miles per hour tests best for overall health.

Read More »
Barefoot Running Improves Technique: Ditch the Shoes for Better Form

Mar 31, 2017 09:21AM

Spanish athletes that ran barefoot for 12 weeks during a study saw positive changes in their foot rotation while running and landed more often in a desirable mid-foot position.

Read More »
Run Fun: Races Beckon Beginners

Mar 31, 2017 09:20AM ● By Aimee Hughes

Spring is a fine time to lace up our running shoes and head for the road or trail; maybe even start training for a community race.

Read More »
Hello Gyro: Workouts Use Natural Body Patterns

Feb 28, 2017 11:45AM ● By Aimee Hughes

Gyrotonic exercise, the latest trend in fitness studios, uses special equipment to enable smooth, circular motions that make the body more fluid and supple.

Read More »
Fit For Life: How to Stay Healthy, Flexible and Strong

Jan 31, 2017 12:28PM ● By Aimee Hughes

The human body is designed to wear well at least through age 70, and with the right exercise, diet and activities, we can push that number higher.

Read More »
Exercise in Midlife Helps Preserve Mental Sharpness: Keeps Cognitive Impairment at Bay

Dec 28, 2016 12:43PM

A Finnish twins study found that people that exercised physically in middle age were less likely to be cognitively impaired when elderly.

Read More »
Body Sculpt with Kettlebells: Workouts Burn Fat and Tone Muscle

Dec 28, 2016 12:43PM ● By Taylor Geiger

Kettlebells are coming of age, delivering a speeded-up, full-body workout that burns as many calories as a six-minute mile.

Read More »
Fitness 2017: New Year’s Resolutions that Stick

Nov 30, 2016 11:33AM ● By Aimee Hughes

Guidance from a personal trainer, clear goals and an ability to forgive our own slip-ups are key to staying on track with an exercise program.

Read More »
Pilates Unbound: New Fusions with Yoga, Dance and Boxing

Oct 31, 2016 10:45AM ● By Aimee Hughes

As Pilates expands its reach and creative potential, it goes beyond improving people’s posture to enhance coordination and self-confidence and reduce stress.

Read More »
Music Makes Exercise Easier: Provides a Workout Boost

Oct 31, 2016 10:13AM

Individuals that worked out to music rather than silence felt less fatigued and exercised more effectively.

Read More »
Senior Joggers Enjoy Youthful Metabolic Rate: Benefits of Running Later in Life

Sep 30, 2016 10:00AM

Runners older than 65 that run three times a week burn oxygen at the same rate as 20-year-old runners, thus expending a similar amount of metabolic energy.

Read More »
Sweat Can Transfer Happiness: Contagious Emotional State

Sep 30, 2016 10:00AM

In a double-blind study involving armpit pads and cameras recording facial expressions, Dutch researchers have found that positive emotions can be transferred from one person to another via human sweat.

Read More »
Walking Meditation: The Calming and Centering Effects of Labyrinths

Sep 30, 2016 09:59AM ● By Gina McGalliard

For those of us that want to meditate but can’t sit still, labyrinths provide an active way to get in touch with our innermost self.

Read More »
Relax and Unwind: Restorative Yoga Poses Foster Healing

Aug 31, 2016 12:43PM ● By Meredith Montgomery

If even touching our toes is too much of a stretch, restorative yoga might be a good first move. It uses pillows, blocks and blankets to support the body in deeply healthful asanas.

Read More »
Just Walk: 22 Minutes a Day Boosts Well-Being

Jul 29, 2016 10:50AM ● By Randy Kambic

The good news about walking keeps mounting: A brisk stroll reduces anxiety and depression, helps us think more clearly and fosters honest shared conversation.

Read More »
Zen Golf: Master the Mind to Master the Game

Jun 30, 2016 10:13AM ● By Aimee Hughes

More golfers are turning to meditation, breathing and visualization to keep their minds focused and free of distraction.

Read More »
Unsafe Playfields: Artificial Surfaces Pose Risks

May 31, 2016 10:09AM

Athletes suffer more injuries on artificial turf, and now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has called for new studies to determine if links exist between synthetic surfaces and cancer in young athletes.

Read More »
Buff and Balanced: Bodybuilders Turn to Yoga

May 31, 2016 10:09AM ● By Aimee Hughes

Yoga, with its long slow stretches and inner focus, complements and balances the physical iron-pumping and competitive culture of bodybuilding.

Read More »
Facial Fitness: Exercises to Tone Your Face and Neck

Apr 29, 2016 11:02AM ● By Kathleen Barnes

Crows’ feet and wrinkles need not mark the passage of years; just follow these easy DIY routines.

Read More »
Tai Chi Eases Effects of Chronic Disease: Patients Experience Improved Well-Being

Mar 31, 2016 09:48AM

A review of 33 studies found that Tai Chi reduces depression and muscle stiffness and increases well-being for patients with some chronic conditions.

Read More »
Millennials’ Take on Fitness: They Like Short, Social and Fun Workouts

Mar 31, 2016 09:48AM ● By Derek Flanzraich

More attuned to fit muscles than fat rolls, millennials are remaking the exercise world with workouts that are intense, social and customizable.

Read More »
Rolling for Fitness: DIY Rollers Ease Pain and Aid Flexibility

Feb 29, 2016 04:15PM ● By Randy Kambic

Rollers that rub out muscle kinks are the latest fitness trend, offering self-massage relief to everyone from soccer players to stiffening seniors.

Read More »
Gliding Across Snowscapes: Cross-Country Ski to Explore Winter’s Wonders

Jan 29, 2016 10:43AM ● By Randy Kambic

It lacks the speed and intensity of downhill skiing, but that’s the charm of cross-country skiing for those that love quiet time in nature while losing weight and building muscle.

Read More »
The Power of Conscious Dance: Creative Movement Connects Body, Mind and Spirit

Dec 29, 2015 04:23PM ● By Gail Condrick

People are flocking to dance exercise workouts combining moving meditation and self-expression that has dancers glowing.

Read More »
Airplane Yoga: Six Easy Stretches Ease the Journey

Nov 30, 2015 10:26AM ● By Cynthia Bowman

With certain movements, we can avoid the stiffness, poor circulation and swollen feet that often accompany long plane flights.

Read More »
Barre Your Way to Better Fitness: Ballet-Inspired Workouts Create Long and Lean Muscles

Oct 30, 2015 09:58AM ● By Lynda Bassett

Imagine having a ballerina’s grace, strength and flexibility… that’s the potential of barre, which combines ballet, yoga and Pilates principles.

Read More »
Ground Rules for Runners: A Guide for Running on All Terrains

Sep 30, 2015 09:24AM ● By April Thompson

From cement to sand to slopes, the surfaces that a runner’s feet touch dictate distinct strategies to prevent injuries and ensure a good run—or calorie-burning walk.

Read More »
Yoga Boosts Brain Gray Matter: Regular Practice Improves Mental Health

Aug 31, 2015 09:55AM

Compared to chronic-pain patients, yoga practitioners have more desirable grey matter in key brain regions, Duke researchers report.

Read More »
Daily Exercise Adds Five Years to Life: Get Moving to Reduce Risk of Early Death

Aug 31, 2015 09:55AM

Just 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise six days a week reduced risk of early mortality by 40 percent for men during a four-decade Norwegian study.

Read More »
Yoga Enters the Medical Mainstream: Research Proves its Health Benefits

Aug 31, 2015 09:55AM ● By Meredith Montgomery

The latest authoritative studies on yoga are showing its healing power for conditions ranging from cancer to diabetes to daily anxiety.

Read More »
Swimming in Nature: Splashing Safely in Lakes and Oceans

Jul 31, 2015 10:19AM ● By Lane Vail

Swimming in open water is a summer delight—provided we take care to avoid lightning, rip currents, careless boaters and other killjoys.

Read More »
Savvy Cycling: Keep the Hard Knocks Out of Biking

Jul 10, 2015 01:53PM ● By Randy Kambic

By choosing the right bicycle, wearing a helmet, pedaling a little faster, and keeping an eye out for distracted drivers, cyclists can fully enjoy the road without suffering pain or bruises.

Read More »
Yoga for the Bro’s: Men Find it Builds All-Around Fitness

May 29, 2015 10:12AM ● By Meredith Montgomery

Don’t get hung up on the om-ing! Increasingly men are turning to yoga for its physical and therapeutic benefits.

Read More »
Breath-Taking Wisdom: Six Ways to Inhale Energy and Exhale Stress

Sep 30, 2014 01:10PM ● By Lane Vail

Transforming breathing into a conscious activity can provide energy, dramatically improve our mental and physical health and boost creative performances. Here are six healing techniques.

Read More »
Tweet those Fitness Goals: Online Friends Help Us Stay on Track

Feb 28, 2014 11:56AM ● By Tamara Grand

With Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites, we can get all the fitness buddies we need, plus lots of useful strategies.

Read More »
Diet and Exercise: Does It Have to Be All or Nothing?

Dec 27, 2013 09:08PM ● By Matt Gunelson

Eat too much; go on a diet. Eat too much; go on a diet. Does this sound familiar?

Read More »
Natural Awakenings Yoga Guide

Aug 31, 2011 09:09AM

Yoga aims to integrate mind, body and spirit, offering healthful benefits to individuals of every age and physical condition. This guide explains the many styles of yoga to get you started.

Read More »
Exercise Detox: Six Ways to Burn Calories and Clean Out Your System

Feb 28, 2011 04:45PM ● By Annie B. Bond

Try these suggestions to rev up your metabolism, burn calories, build muscle and clean out your system.

Read More »
Upcoming Events Near You

Current Issue

Read it Now!

Archives
Read the Digital Edition Now
Health, Wellness & Natural Living Guide 2026
Facebook