International Day of Yoga is June 21, so what better way to celebrate than learning about a new form of yoga? You have probably heard of hot yoga, but might be wary to commit to such a seemingly intense practice. Hot yoga has been around for years and has been a beneficial tool for physical, mental, and spiritual connection. Learn about hot yoga health benefits, poses, and tips to make this a regular part of your practice!

What is Hot Yoga?

As the name implies, hot yoga is the practice of yoga in a heated setting. Hot yoga sessions are typically more vigorous and intense than the average yoga practice. There are many ways to experience hot yoga, whether you are attending a class of practicing on your own at home. Many use hot yoga as a way to connect with their bodies physically, mentally, or spiritually.

Bikram Yoga is the most common way to practice, where rooms are heated to 105°F (40°C) with 40% humidity. In this practice, 26 hot yoga poses are performed to activate muscles and increase blood circulation throughout the body.

Outside of a class, you can easily practice hot yoga on your own. Either in a heated room or in a home sauna, solo hot yoga is a wonderful way to connect with your body and learn its limits without pushing it too far.

Benefits of Hot Yoga

Aided Weight Loss

Just like with infrared saunas, the heat of hot yoga boosts heart rate, and therefore increases metabolic rate to burn more calories. Increased calorie burn teamed up with water weight loss from sweating result in higher weight loss.

Decreased Stress

Applied heat helps relax muscles and reduce pain, and hot yoga promotes a focus on proper breathing technique. These help calm both your body and mind to reduce stress. Serotonin levels are also boosted by hot yoga to improve mood.

Eliminated Toxins

Just like with infrared sauna detoxification, hot yoga helps detoxify the body through sweat. As heat is increased, sweat glands are stimulated and your body eliminates toxins and other harmful buildup that has accumulated over time.

Enhanced Lung Capacity

Because hot yoga places such a large emphasis on deep breathing techniques that expand lungs, your lungs can be trained to take in more air. Deep breathing and enhanced lung capacity allow your body to take in more oxygen, as well.

Improved Circulation

Being active in yoga increases your circulation, and adding in the element of heat increases it even more. During your hot yoga sessions, your heart rate should be between 60-80% of your maximum heart rate to feel cardiovascular benefits.

Increased Flexibility

Even if you don’t consider yourself particularly flexible, hot yoga can help. The heat helps warm up muscles and joints to make mobility and flexibility easier. The slow and deep stretches in hot yoga also help increase flexibility over time.

Minimized Injury

Similarly to increased flexibility, the heat during hot yoga helps lessen tension in muscles and joints to reduce the chance of injury. On top of that, the increased blood flow aids in healing injuries quicker in the event of an injury.

Strengthened Immune System

Yoga can increase immune cell counts and antibodies. Added with heat that increases the body’s immune response and a reduction of cortisol, a stress hormone that weakens the immune system, hot yoga can help prevent and reduce illness.

Hot Yoga Tips

Be Mindful of Your Body’s Limits

As mentioned earlier, practicing hot yoga poses can increase your flexibility. While it might feel great in the moment, keep in mind just how far your body can realistically go and how it will feel once the effects of heat wear off.

Bring Extra Towels

Chances are, you’ll sweat a lot during your hot yoga session. Be prepared for the extra moisture by bringing towels to keep yourself and equipment dry. Working on a slippery yoga mat can be uncomfortable and a safety hazard during class.

Do Hot Yoga in a Sauna

Boost the benefits of hot yoga by practicing in an infrared sauna. Both infrared saunas and hot yoga offer the health benefits of detoxification, weight loss, flexibility, and reduced stress. Doing hot yoga in a sauna is the perfect scenario!

Eat Light

Because hot yoga poses are more involved and vigorous than your average yoga class, it’s important to fuel your body before your hot yoga session. Eat a healthy meal about 2-4 hours before your session to avoid cramps, nausea, or fatigue.

Practice Breathing

One of the main focuses of hot yoga is honing in on your breath. Breathing exercises help bring you to a state of mindfulness and concentration, which can help you push through the heat of your hot yoga session and get comfortable.

Stay Hydrated

Sweating is great for purging toxins, but can be dangerous if you don’t hydrate before and after practicing hot yoga. Drink water, replenish your electrolytes, and put moisturizer on your skin to ensure your body doesn’t lose any hydration.

Use High-Quality Equipment

From the clothes you wear and the yoga mat you use to the space you’re practicing in, making sure you use the proper equipment and high-quality materials is important for your safety and comfort during any hot yoga session.

For this year’s International Day of Yoga, expand your practice by adding in a hot yoga session or two. Whether you practice in a class or on your own, you’ll experience the many benefits of hot yoga and find a new way to connect with yourself mindfully, spiritually, and physically.

2019 has kicked off, and New Year’s resolutions are in full swing! January is always the most active month for healthy resolutions, but now is when people tend to fall off and revert back to their old ways. We’ve put together a list of our favorite healthy resolutions that are easy to maintain after the hype of the start of the year is over.

So are you on track with your healthy New Year’s resolutions? Read below to see what you can do to keep them up, and maybe add a few new healthy resolutions to your list for wellness in the new year!

Health & Wellness Resolutions

Be Kind to Yourself & Others

It has been found that negative thinking is linked to increased stress, lower self-esteem, and even increased risk of death. Make it a goal in 2019 to spread positivity. Remind yourself of your successes and capabilities, and help others on their positivity journey by being kind to those around you. A smile or compliment goes a long way!

Cook at Home

Start cooking more of your meals at home this year, whether it’s through meal prep for the week or by having a few date nights at home. Studies show that people who cook at home consume fewer calories than those who don’t – both at home and while out. Cooking at home also allows you to use healthier and fresher ingredients.

Declutter Your Life

Cleaning up your home and organizing your life is the “in” thing to do right now, and it’s something we can get behind. Get a head start on spring cleaning this year by decluttering your home, organizing files, and keeping things tidy. Decluttering has been shown to decrease anxiety, reduce allergens, increase productivity, and more.

Disconnect for a Bit

In this day, our phones are always around. Make one of your healthy resolutions for the remainder of the year to disconnect from time to time. Whether you do a 24-hour phone detox or simply make an effort to not use technology 30 minutes before bed, unplugging can give you time to connect and be present in life on a new level.

Do a Quarterly Detox Diet

Sticking to a new diet plan that is too rigorous can lead to you losing steam, which can cause you to cut the diet short. Instead, stick to making small lifestyle changes with your diet that are manageable for long-term success, and do a quarterly detox to get a fresh start every few months. Less of a time commitment and more success!

Drink to Your Health

What you drink can make a huge impact on your health. For the remainder of the year, be mindful of what you have in your glass. The goal: Drink more water; drink less soda, alcohol, and sugary juices. Staying hydrated has a number of health benefits like muscle cramp prevention, detoxification, better skin, and better brain function.

Get More Sleep

This tip is imperative for wellness in the new year. Maybe January was busy with getting the year started, but now you have the rest of the year to get your sleep schedule on track. Getting ample sleep helps reduce stress, improve cardiovascular health, and boost your immune system. All you need to do is catch some Zs!

Improve Your Posture

We’ll bet you just sat a little straighter or stood a little taller after reading that, didn’t you? Being conscious of your posture is a simple and effective wellness fix, as good posture has many health benefits such as reduced back pain, increased energy levels, boosted confidence, improved workouts, and more. It only takes a second.

Join a Fitness Class

“Join the gym” is probably one of the most-used New Year’s resolutions around. Now that the first month of the year is over, gyms empty out as people burn out on their resolutions. Avoid burnout the remainder of the year by finding fitness you enjoy and keeps you moving, whether that’s yoga, spin, a running club, or something else.

Learn How to Say “No”

This might be one of the most difficult healthy resolutions, as it requires unlearning a lifetime of saying yes. In 2019, tend to your mental health by learning how to set boundaries for yourself by saying no to things that do not add value to your life. Simply be firm and kind, and know that you come first for your own mental health.

Pick Up a New Life Skill

Take the rest of the year to develop a new life skill! Have you been wanting to learn a new language? Or maybe you’re ready to learn how to master the kitchen? Whatever you choose, make this your year to learn and become a better-rounded person. As the saying goes, a year from now, you’ll wish you started it today.

Plan a Vacation

In 2017, it was reported that 52% of employees in the United States had unused vacation days. While working is necessary, so is taking a break! You have 11 months left to use up those days, so start planning your vacations! Not only will you get a well-deserved time to relax, you also have something to look forward to over the year.

Spend Time Outside

There’s nothing like some fresh air to keep you feeling fresh. When weather permits, opt for a stroll instead of a short drive. Read a book or have your morning coffee on the patio when you have time to relax, or plan a full day of hiking. Whatever you choose, you’ll increase your Vitamin D, feel happier, and get more exercise.

Try New Health Practices

Been interested in trying some new health practices? This year is your time to try something new. Depending on your desired health benefits, there are plenty of great practices to look in to. Some of our favorite health practices are detoxifying in an infrared sauna, chilling out with cryotherapy, releasing tension with acupuncture.

Visit Your Doctor Regularly

Forgetting to book your regular appointments can be easy with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This year, make it a priority to get your routine checkups with your doctor and dentist, and don’t be shy to make appointments when feeling sick. It’s better to maintain health than to only tend to it once you’re already sick.

Maintaining your healthy resolutions doesn’t have to be a New Year’s activity that fades away after the excitement of January. Use these tips to make sure your health New Year’s resolutions last throughout the whole year! Your mind and body will be on the right road toward total wellness in the new year and beyond.

With our busy lives, podcasts are becoming increasingly popular. From entertainment to news to lifestyle, we can listen to our favorite topics in the car, at work, or on a run. As the new year begins, we round up the top health and wellness podcasts to listen to in 2019. Whether you’re looking for some workout motivation, are looking for diet tips, or just want to learn fun facts about health, these podcasts have the answers to keep you feeling happy, healthy, and refreshed going in to the new year!

Best Health Podcasts

1. Bulletproof Radio
   Dave Asprey wasn’t going to just stop at the Bulletproof Coffee craze. Instead, he expanded his efforts to teach the world how to “hack” the body and live the ultimate life through body and mind. Bulletproof Radio features insights from meditation experts, MDs, biochemists, and more.
2. Motivated
   ABC News correspondent Mara Schiavocampo guides listeners through their total health and wellness journeys based on her own experience in weight loss and the tips and tricks she picked up along the way. Listen in for the keys to living a happier and healthier life through spirituality, health, wellness, and nutrition.
3. Optimal Health Daily
   Want to listen to a range of health topics, but don’t want to download every health podcast on the market or search far and wide for the best topics? The Optimal Health Daily podcast rounds up the best content from health blogs and other resources to curate the ultimate audioblog.
4. TEDTalks Health
   This health podcast covers a wide range of health topics, from teaching you daily health habits to featuring in-depth interviews with medical professionals about research and medicine. It’s like being at a TED Health conference, but in the comfort of your own home or car!
5. The Wellness Mama Podcast
   Designed by a mom who understands the busy lifestyle of having a family, the Wellness Mama Podcast is perfect for those looking for a healthier family life. This weekly podcast by Katie Wells of Wellness Mama covers topics like holistic health, stress, parenting, nutrition, and natural living.

Best Nutrition Podcasts

1. Balanced Bites
   Diane Sanfilippo, New York Times bestselling author of Practical Paleo and The 21-Day Sugar Detox, teams up with co-host Liz Wolfe to share a witty approach to health, wellness, and a modern take of the Paleo diet. Every week they answer listener questions and makes it feel like you’re spending time with good friends.
2. Diet Starts Tomorrow
   If you’re on the market for fun, explicit nutritional help, this podcast is for you! Aleen Kuperman and Samantha Fishbein from Betches host this no-nonsense podcast to share real experiences from real women while tackling the psychological and emotional side of weight struggles – all while keeping a smile on your face.
3. Dishing Up Nutrition
   You’ve heard of the saying “You are what you eat,” right? The Dishing Up Nutrition podcast aims to teach how you feel what you eat and how to feel better by improving your diet. The podcast covers nutrition’s impact on topics such as fertility, stress, brain health, and more.
4. Food Heaven
   Two friends Wendy and Jess are both registered dietitians with Master’s degrees in nutrition. With their knowledge and love for delicious and nutritious eating, the two set out to educate others to make lifelong sustainable changes toward health while keeping a lifestyle they love.
5. The Nutrition Diva
   From licensed nutritionist Monica Reinagel comes the Nutrition Diva podcast. Listen in for tips on how to make nutrition easy without to stress or complicated instructions. Topics such as fasting, mindful eating, diet trends, and information on the ingredients you use everyday make nutrition fun and painless.

Best Fitness Podcasts

1. 20 Minute Fitness
   Today’s science and technology have certainly helped make fitness easier and more effective. This fitness podcast dives into the latest health technology, science, methodology, and nutrition that will help you stay up-to-date in your fitness routines. With quick, 20-minute shows, you can easily listen to and from the gym!
2. Ben Greenfield Fitness
   Functional fitness and natural remedies are the main focus in Ben Greenfield’s fitness podcast. Ben’s approach is all about getting your body to peak performance through fat burning, hormonal balance, gut health, mental efficiency, and recovery. This podcast takes fitness beyond exercise and diet.
3. Hurdle
   Want to see how fitness has transformed people’s lives? The Hurdle podcast brings you inspirational stories from a range of people, from top CEOs to average Joes, who have found success and established happier and healthier lives by focusing on wellness during tough times.
4. Marathon Training Academy
   Many people set the goal to run a half or full marathon in the new year. If this is your goal for 2019, be sure to listen to the podcast from Marathon Training Academy! Host Angie Spencer is a registered nurse who helps you through the ups and downs of training for this true fitness feat.
5. Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
   In the fitness world, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest fads and trends. Mind Pump aims to break down and shed light on common misconceptions in the fitness industry. Using humor, science-backed facts, and knowledge from being trainers, coaches, and gym managers, these guys make learning about fitness fun.

When kicking off your health goals this year, check out some of these health and wellness podcasts to start you off on the right foot. Sometimes all you need is that little bit of motivation, a community to lean on, a coach to look up to, or simply just something to listen to while stuck in traffic on the way to work! Find the hosts and topics that meet your style, and you’ll be surprised just how much fitness and health podcasts can make an impression on your wellness.

This year, give the gift of health to your loved ones. Many people are becoming more invested in their wellness, and the holidays are the perfect time to treat them with gifts that will benefit long after the season ends. From healthy subscription boxes to a home sauna, this holiday guide of healthy gift ideas has a gift suggestion for any health guru on your list within a range of budgets.

Focus on wellness for yourself, and avoid the stresses of holiday shopping with these health and wellness gifts for anyone on your list!

1. Travel Walking Tour

Prices Vary

A travel walking tour gives a whole new perspective on seeing a new place. Whether it’s a hike through the mountains or discovering a city by foot, this is a gift that will provide priceless memories in any city you choose.

2. GoPro HERO5 4K HD Waterproof Camera

$215 | Buy Here

Any adventurer will love this gift during the holidays! Having a camera that can brave any condition is the perfect excuse to go outside and start exploring. This sturdy camera will be a trusty companion on any expedition.

3. Allbirds Travel Shoes

$95 | Buy Here

From walking around cities to sitting on long flights, keeping your feet comfortable is necessary for travel. These eco-friendly shoes offer support, comfort, and durability to make sure the exploring doesn’t have to slow down.

4. Aria Travel Kit

$79 | Buy Here

If your loved one is always on the go, a travel kit is a must. This travel kit has everything you need for  comfortable and healthy travel, including moisturizer, an eye mask, earbuds, a toothbrush, and much more.

Healthy Gift Ideas for:
The Culinary Wonder

1. Cooking Classes

Prices Vary

Pinterest can only go so far in the kitchen. Give the gift of learning new kitchen skills and finding new healthy recipes! A cooking class is a great activity for a couple, or to give your significant other for a future date night.

2. Vitamix 7500 Blender

$530 | Buy Here

This may be an expensive gift, but people swear by it in the kitchen. Not only is it durable, it’s also versatile and can be used to chop vegetables, puree fruits, grind spices, heat soups, emulsify sauces, and so much more.

3. ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide

$179 | Buy Here

Recently, the sous vide has been taking modern kitchens by storm. This is one of the healthy gift ideas that keeps on giving, as making healthy meals is as easy to start and monitor through an app on your phone.

4. Blue Apron Subscription

$60 | Buy Here

Even if your foodie loved one is a pro in the kitchen, it’s nice to take a break from finding recipes and grocery shopping every now and then. Blue Apron is one of the pioneers in this field, meaning they know how to make great food.

Healthy Gift Ideas for:
The Health Guru

1. Fitness Classes

Prices Vary

Fitness classes are fun healthy gift ideas, because there are so many workouts to choose from. From dance to boxing to yoga, you can find just about anything to fit the fitness levels and interests of those on your gift list.

2. Garmin vívoactive® 3

$270 | Buy Here

Smartwatches are a fitness enthusiast’s best friend, and the vívoactive 3 is the ultimate accessory for an active life. Not only does this watch have built-in GPS, it also has Garmin Pay to go cardless and Bluetooth to stay connected.

3. Muhdo DNA Profiling Kit

$193 | Buy Here

You’ve probably heard of the other DNA profiling kits, but Muhdo does something the others don’t: fitness. This kit offers personalized fitness routines, diet tips, and health reports to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

4. Fitbit Aria 2™ Wi-Fi Smart Scale

$130 | Buy Here

If someone on your gift list is on a fitness journey, a smart scale makes tracking easier with just one step. This scale records your weight, BMI, and body fat percentage through an app, and is compatible with Fitbit trackers.

Healthy Gift Ideas for:
The Homebody

1. Home Infrared Sauna

Inquire for Prices

Giving the gift of an infrared sauna is giving the gift of ultimate health and wellness – and all to enjoy at home! Whether a gift for your family or yourself, treat your loved ones to the many benefits of sauna use this season.

2. Smart Garden 9

$120 | Buy Here

Many people enjoy tending to a garden. It’s a calming activity that truly allows you to enjoy the fruits of your labor. This garden is wonderful for new gardeners or for bad weather when indoor gardening is more convenient.

3. UGG Aira Slippers

$90 | Buy Here

Slippers are unassumingly wonderful wellness gifts for anyone in your life. From cozying up in front of the fireplace to walking around the house in comfort, slippers will keep everyone comfortable this holiday season.

4. Lush Honey Gift Box

$38 | Buy Here

Sometimes, all you need to unwind is a spa day at home. This simple but sweet gift is great for anyone on your holiday gift list with all-natural soap, shower gel, lip balm, and body butter to rejuvenate winter skin and stress.

Healthy Gift Ideas for:
The Tech Enthusiast

1. Sony Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones

$198 | Buy Here

Workouts, long flights, relaxation… whatever headphones are needed for, these are the right choice. Your friend or family member will love the high-quality sound of these versatile earbuds that can be enjoyed every day.

2. Echo Show

$180 | Buy Here

The Echo Show is the home voice assistant that does it all. This gift features video and voice calling with other Echo devices, can control smart devices in your home, and can be used to pull up recipes, music, and more.

3. Ember Smart Travel Mug

$150 | Buy Here

Is your loved one always on the go? Or notoriously bad for forgetting about their tea until it’s cold? The Ember mug allows you to monitor the temperature of your beverage through an app, keeping the drink perfectly warm.

4. Hue Color Light Bulb Starter Kit

$80 | Buy Here

These are both a cool party trick and ambiance lighting or chromotherapy in your home! The Hue Color bulbs are controlled with an app or voice assistant to light your home in various ways, making for a great Smart Home gift.

When shopping for your friends and family this holiday season, keep these healthy gifts in mind to end the year on a happy and healthy note! These wellness gifts are sure to be enjoyed for many years to come and provide lasting health benefits, whether it’s mentally, physically, or emotionally. Happy shopping, and happy holidays!

Workplace wellness has been a growing trend for businesses as management realizes the benefits of having happy, healthy employees. Additionally, people are increasingly putting a larger emphasis on working with companies who invest in employee development, work-life balance, and personal wellness. Because of this, today it is more important than ever to create a positive, healthy atmosphere in the office to encourage new hires and ensure current employees feel appreciated.

If you are an employer, discover how to keep your workplace feeling refreshed with workplace wellness programs that include meditation sessions, physical activity, standing desks, time outdoors, and more. If you are an employee, find easy office ideas and tips to do your part in promoting wellness in the workplace.

For Employers: Workplace Wellness Programs

Promoting a healthy lifestyle in your company will not only result in healthy employees, it’ll result in happy and more productive employees, as well! Studies show that employees who participate in workplace wellness programs regain an additional 10.3 hours of productivity annually. On top of that, healthy employees means fewer sick days.

Try incorporating these four healthy scenarios to increase wellness in the workplace:

Schedule a Weekly Meditation Session

It is no secret that mental health plays a large role in mood, productivity, and even physical well-being. Supporting your employees’ mental health is especially important in today’s hectic world. Meditation is a powerful tool to find balance and help clear the mind of negative thoughts and instead focus energy on a positive and relaxing outlook.

Scheduling a company-wide meditation once a week will help everyone feel more centered and prepared to take on the remainder of the week. Meditation sessions can include guided and sound meditations – many of which can be found on YouTube. Choose a time when meetings are light and office mood starts to hit a wall in order to revitalize the workplace.

Plan Outdoor Team Outings

Being cooped up in an office all day, staring at a computer screen, and getting little to no physical activity can make it difficult to stay motivated and focused. Getting fresh air and some Vitamin D have been shown to have many health benefits, from boosted mood to increased energy. Help get employees moving by scheduling outdoor team outings.

This can be done by creating calendar invites for short, 5-minute walks around the building every couple of hours. Not only is this an opportunity to get fresh air and a few extra steps in, it is also a natural way to get to know your team a little better. Have a packed schedule but still need fresh air? Get out of the conference room and start doing walking meetings.

Set Up Standing Desks

One of the most popular recent workplace wellness trends is the standing desk. While the initial claims of weight loss may have been blown out of proportion, as standing only burns approximately 8 more calories an hour than sitting, there are still many benefits to standing while you work.

Sitting for prolonged periods of time has been linked with higher risk for health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, and breaking up the day by standing can help decrease risk. While standing all day might not be preferred by all, setting up a standing desk station provides those who want to stand an opportunity.

Invest in a Workplace Wellness Center

If space and money permit, investing in a workplace wellness center for employees is a great step toward investing in their health. An office gym with an infrared sauna to use after a long work day or during the lunch break is great for employees who want to sweat out the stress and tensions of sitting at a desk all day.

If a gym is out of reach for your situation, a quiet area with a massage chair and healthy snacks is also great way to invest in your employees’ wellness. Other cost-effective and space-saving solutions are corporate gym memberships to allow employees to use a gym at a discount and simply hosting activities such as 5-minute abs or yoga in a conference room.

For Employees: Workplace Wellness Tips

Working in an office that promotes a happy and healthy environment with workplace wellness programs is ideal, but what if your company still isn’t there yet? Luckily, there are plenty of things you can personally do on your own to promote wellness in the workplace in the meantime!

Keep up your own personal wellness while in the office with these workplace wellness ideas:

Get Up to Stretch

Let’s face it: You aren’t doing your body any favors by sitting all day and staring at a screen. Most likely, you’re not properly set up with back support for sitting with perfect posture. Extended sitting has been shown to increase your risk for mortality. The simple solution: Get up and move.

Stretching, whether simple 3-minute stretch breaks every hour or longer walks to stretch your legs, has been shown to improve posture, increase blood flow to muscles after being sedentary, prevent back pain, and even decrease tension headaches – all things very important to keep your body in top-shape at the office.

Stay Hydrated

Between meetings and projects, remember to drink your daily recommended amount of water. The average recommended water equation is bodyweight ÷ 2 = ounces of water per day. For example, someone weighing 150 pounds should aim to drink 75 ounces of water daily with a moderate lifestyle.

Staying hydrated helps increase mood and energy levels, improve brain function, decrease headaches, and more. If going back and forth to the break room to fill up a small cup is too tedious and discouraging you from drinking water, get a large reusable water bottle or a carafe for your desk to help both the planet and your hydration!

Have a Healthy Diet

The office break room can be a snacker’s paradise, filled with easy-to-grab food like chips and sodas. It’s easy to fall into the trap of mindlessly snacking on these unhealthy treats when you are focused on a project at work. Combat this by bringing in your own healthy treats, such as baby carrots and hummus or an apple, to keep your mind off of the chips.

Healthy snacks keep you full longer, give your more energy to avoid the post-lunch crash, and provide better nutrition – which means your body is filled with more of the good stuff to protect you from workplace germs when office cold season arrives.

Be Social

As mentioned previously, mental health plays a large role in overall health. While some find solace in not socializing constantly, human interaction has been proven to reduce the risk of depression and improve both mental and physical health. Socializing while working can bring a positive attitude to the overall wellness in the workplace.

Not all companies are keen on talking during work, and depending on your type of work, finding time to socialize may be difficult. If you work in a stricter workplace, schedule coffee breaks with your colleagues, make time for a lunch break with friends, or schedule weekly or monthly happy hours to get to know your coworkers better.

Whether you’re an employer or an employee, there are many steps you can take to contribute to wellness in the workplace. Putting a bigger emphasis on work-life balance and creating a healthy and happy atmosphere will make your work days just that much happier, more productive, and efficient. Follow these workplace wellness ideas, and get your company on the right track toward health!

In the last few years, we have seen a large uptick in the “trend” to live a healthy lifestyle. With this comes new innovation in the wellness and health technology industries. From free meditation apps to sleep monitoring systems, we now have the power to monitor and improve our health more than ever before.

Below are 8 natural and digital health and wellness products that are sure to improve your quality of life while making you the ultimate health guru!

Health Gadgets

Smart Water Bottles

There is no doubt that drinking water is absolutely necessary for a range of health benefits. Unfortunately, the seemingly simple task of drinking the recommended daily amount of water (about half your body weight in ounces) can be quite arduous. Luckily, staying hydrated is made easier by the invention of smart water bottles! These smart bottles help reduce the amount of effort needed to remember to drink and track intake throughout the day. The Hidrate Spark 2.0 glows to remind you when the drink, whereas the Geniway CloudCUP has a digital display to show water temperature and how much has been consumed, along with an app to track your progress.

Fitness Trackers

One of the most popular health gadget trends is wearable technology. Fitness trackers are made for everyone, from avid athletes who want to track training progress to the average person who would like to increase their daily steps. Classic wearable fitness brands include FitBit and Garmin, but even fashion designers and companies like Apple have been getting in on the trend. As the technology advances, these fitness trackers provide more robust insights into your health and a plethora of features to help you stay on track. Set reminders to get up and move, track exercise times, monitor heart rate, record GPS route and distance, and more with just a simple wristwatch and app.

Sleep Sensors

Getting a lot of sleep but not feeling well-rested? Curious to know what type of sleeper you are? Wondering what might be keeping you up at night? Using a sleep sensor may be the answer to all those questions. The ResMed S+ is a comprehensive sleep sensor and monitor that can help you identify problem areas in your sleep – whether that be light, temperature, sound, or movement. The app tracks your progress, which is a wonderful tool to see which changes impact your quality of sleep. With sleep being such an important part of our health, understanding our sleep cycles and finding solutions to issues will ultimately lead to better health all-around.

TENS Units

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, units are the perfect health gadget for the wellness guru who suffers from stiff or sore muscles. These devices were typically used medically in the past, but are now making headway into the comfort of our own homes. TENS units use electrical pulses to stimulate muscles. This process helps soothe achy muscles after a workout when foam rolling just isn’t doing the trick, or if you are feeling stiff from sitting down all day at work or while traveling. Usually fairly small (smaller than your phone), it’s a wonderful health gadget to have while on the go or stored in a drawer in your room or bathroom.

Wellness Products

Meditation Apps

Breathe in… breathe out… who knew something so simple could be so powerful? In a world where things are constantly on the go, it’s easy to get sucked into the constant cycle of media, to-do lists, and keeping up with friends and family. But what if we used the power of technology to soothe instead of stimulate? Many meditation apps exist today, geared toward giving you those 15 minutes of calm. These mindful apps cover a range of meditation options, from guided imagery to sound therapy to simple deep breathing exercises. You can tailor the experience even further and find practices targeted toward stress, insomnia, depression, and more.

Himalayan Salt Lamps

This wellness product is more natural than it is technical, but it is a must-have in any health guru’s home. The technology in this gadget is the light bulb that is placed inside of a large piece of pink Himalayan salt. The salt is believed to be millions of years old, and the minerals that give the salt a pink hue are natural ionizers. This means that they change the electrical charge of the surrounding air with the ions they produce when heated by the light bulb. Himalayan salt lamps have been thought to help improve air quality, boost mood, and aid in better sleep.

Halotherapy, or the practice of salt therapy, has been a holistic treatment used as far back as ancient Roman and Grecian times. To take this treatment a step further, try combining the practice with other therapies. If you have an infrared sauna, incorporating the Microsalt Halotherapy Generator with the healing effects of infrared therapy will leave you feeling more refreshed than ever before.

Home Assistants

Creating a calm and comfortable space is important for maintaining a sense of wellness at home. There are a few ways to accomplish this, from clearing out clutter to redecorating to indulging in fancy bath products. With today’s technology, you can take your home sanctuary a step further. Examples of technology that can make your home smarter and more comfortable include home assistants, like Amazon Echo, that can help take care of simple tasks and smart thermostats, like Nest, that allow you to program the perfect temperature from anywhere in your home. The Netatmo Weather Station is a “home coach” that monitors four elements of your home’s environment, including air quality, humidity, nose level, and temperature.

While home tech gadgets might not immediately seem like wellness products, they help give you peace of mind while giving you more time in your day to focus on you.

Chromotherapy Devices

Color light therapy, or chromotherapy, is the practice of using colors to correct imbalances in the body. Each color aids in healing a different physical, emotional, or mental aspect of your life. This practice is typically seen in spas, but can easily be incorporated into your everyday life with light therapy gadgets. Turn your shower into a relaxing chromotherapy oasis with a color light therapy shower head, or improve your skin care regimen with a rejuvenating chromotherapy face mask that can help target specific skin issues on your face.

Similarly to halotherapy, chromotherapy is a wonderful addition to infrared heat therapy in a sauna and can help boost the sauna health benefits even further.

Whether you’re just getting into the wellness and health technology space or are trying to find new ways to improve your health game, these eight health gadgets can get you on the right track. Health technology continues to grow and make our lives easier by allowing us to monitor our health and wellness at our fingertips. Treat yourself to some new health gadgets and wellness products to continue living a happy and healthy life!

Strokes kill more than 133,000 Americans annually. In fact, each year about as many Americans have a stroke as a heart attack. May was Stroke Awareness Month, where the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association teamed up to educate and spread awareness in hopes of decreasing the amount of strokes. Now that May is over, it is important to continue putting a focus on a heart healthy lifestyle for the rest of the year – and our lives.

Studies show that 80% of strokes are preventable and the majority are treatable with proper care. The most controllable risk factor is to properly manage your blood pressure. The best way to treat high blood pressure is to eat the right foods, exercise regularly, and manage your stress. Special medicines can aide you in lowering your blood pressure as well.

Learn more as we discuss everyday healthy heart tips to keep your most important organ in tip-top shape!

Heart Healthy Tips: Food

We’ve all heard the common phrase, “you are what you eat” because it’s no secret that maintaining healthy organs begins with a healthy diet. Enjoying a variety of nutritious foods can keep your heart functioning properly. A heart healthy diet can help you maintain a healthy weight as well as manage your blood pressure and cholesterol. Making specific changes to your diet can help prevent heart disease. We suggest these 6 heart-healthy eating tips:

Eat Less Salt

Reducing your salt intake is good for regulating your blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2300 milligrams a day, but an ideal limit of 1500 milligrams a day for adults to maintain heart health.

Limit Alcohol Intake

Aim to have no more than one to two drinks a day. Light drinking may help protect some from heart disease, but drinking in excess is not advised for an overall healthy lifestyle. Especially be wary if you are taking certain medications.

Control Your Portion Size

How much you eat is just as important as what you eat. Eat larger portions of low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods, like fruits and vegetables, and smaller portions of high-calorie, high-sodium foods, like refined, processed or fast foods.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of the essential vitamins and minerals you need to keep a healthy heart. They are low in calories, rich in dietary fiber and, like other plant-based foods, contain nutrients that help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Opt for Whole Grains

Whole grains contain fiber and other nutrients that help regulate blood pressure and heart health. Increase the amount of whole grains for a heart-healthy diet by making simple substitutions for refined grain products which choices like whole-grain farro, quinoa or barley.

Limit Unhealthy Fats

Replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats can reduce your blood cholesterol and lower your risk of coronary artery disease. High blood cholesterol can lead to a buildup of plaques in your arteries, called atherosclerosis, which can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Heart Healthy Tips: Lifestyle

Taking care of your body can be simple with making the right lifestyle choices. From sleeping to getting active to being mindful to spending time with loved ones, having a healthy lifestyle and positive outlook on life can help set you up for a healthy heart. These 8 lifestyle tips are easy to follow and will have lasting effects on your overall health:

Get Enough Sleep

Getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night is important to overall heart health. Studies show that young and middle-age adults who slept 7 hours a night had less calcium in their arteries (an early sign of heart disease) than those who slept 5 hours or less or those who slept 9 hours or more.

Don’t Smoke

One of the best ways to protect your heart is to be smoke free. Smoking damages the blood vessel walls that supply blood to your heart and other parts of your body. Smoking also increases the stiffness of the blood vessels, making it harder for them to expand and contract as needed. These changes to the arteries can cause a heart attack, stroke or angina. Smokers are 3 times more likely to have a stroke than nonsmokers.

Be Physically Active

Shoot for 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise, 5 days a week. It’s also important to sit less. Evidence shows that adults who sit less throughout the day have a lower risk of early death, particularly from heart disease. Sedentary behaviour is associated with an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Relax and be Mindful

Managing your stress in a healthy way through meditation, yoga, or exercise is incredibly important. Find a stress relief method that works for you and use it regularly to keep both your sanity and your health in check.

Do What (and Be With People) You Love

Make it a point to do things that fill you with happiness and spend time with people you value. Talking, laughing, and spending time with loved ones is good for both your emotional health and your heart. Looking after your mental health is incredibly important because we know there can be a greater risk of heart disease for people who have depression, are socially isolated or do not have good social support. Having a good social life with family and friends can help.

Try Passive Heat Therapy

Considering high blood pressure is one of the leading causes of stroke, consistent infrared sauna use may be beneficial to your health by lowering your blood pressure. Clinical research has shown regular sauna sessions can help lower blood pressure, the chance of heart disease, and obesity.

Be Proactive in Disease Prevention

Millions of people don’t know that they are living with diabetes, which is incredibly risky because high blood sugar damages arteries over time, making heart disease more likely. It’s highly recommended to have your blood sugar tested by your doctor if you are 45 years old or older, pregnant, or overweight. If you have borderline high blood sugar, also known as prediabetes, take action now in order to turn things around.

Achieve and Maintain a Healthy Weight

Your body is primarily made up of water, protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals. If you have too much fat, especially in your midsection, you’re at a higher risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke​. Waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) are the recommended ways to estimate body fat. A “high-risk” waistline is more than 35 inches for women, more than 40 inches for men, and a BMI of 25+.

Strokes can occur at any age and are the #3 cause of death in women and #4 cause in men. Adopting a heart healthy diet and lifestyle may not eliminate your risk of stroke but will play a substantial role in decreasing your risk.