5 basic yoga accessories for every yoga practioner Regularly practicing yoga is not only beneficial physically but also mentally. There are more than 100 types and schools of yoga. However, a yoga routine mainly involves breathing exercises, meditation, performing and maintaining postures (asanas), which stretch various groups of muscles in the body. In yoga, there is no special need for an equipment, you can use a starter pack, which includes certain props and tools that help in assuming and maintaining yoga postures. So, if you are starting yoga at home by yourself or are joining a yoga class, there are certain essentials that you require for performing the different forms of yoga. Below is some information about the basics that you need to start a yoga routine. Yoga mats – A yoga mat provides comfort, stability, and give you your personal space for performing this physical discipline. Yoga mats prevent your hands and feet from slipping during your practice. One of the most effective yoga mats are the non-slippery ones. They help you with a grip, thereby, preventing accidents while you perform the asanas. Based on your taste, you can also try other types of yoga mats like natural rubber mats, plastic elastomer mats, cotton and hemp mats, jute mats, and travel mats.

Top 5 strength-building water workouts If you want to gain strength by doing something slightly different from the regular gym workouts, you can try something your grandma would do to stay fit, a water workout. Yes, it does help you build immense strength and can be an alternative to your gym workouts, and no, it is not just for seniors. Working out in water can help you build strength as the effects of water and its physical properties like hydrostatic pressure, buoyancy, and density are some of the highly useful resources for training. Walking in water takes more energy than walking on land, as water puts up resistance from all angles and vectors. Exercising in water can, therefore, be more challenging than regular exercising; however, the risk of injuries are almost none. Additionally, water buoyancy provides additional support to your muscles and joints. Therefore, working out in water can be useful, especially, when you are recovering from an injury or don’t want to accidentally strain your joints and want to prevent injuries. Below are the five strength-building water workouts you should try today. Start with a warm-up To start your strength building water workout, you must begin with a set of warm-up exercises.

7 interesting benefits of using red wine for your skin The list of red wine benefits for skin care and beauty is exhaustive as the versatile ingredient can be used in many different forms. While a glass of red wine is known to boost health, it can also be used as a topical application also to boost your skin health. Rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, topical application of red wine is quite effective in the long term. You can select a red wine of your choice or simply consult a specialist to find out which red wine works best for your concerns. Below are seven interesting benefits of red wine for your skin. Aging skin Red wine is rich in antioxidants that help in maintaining and restoring skin health and work toward delaying the effects of aging. The beverage restores collagen and fiber levels to counter aging with the help of flavonoids, resveratrol, and tannin components in the red wine. Red wine can also be mixed with essential oils to make a topical application that will help rejuvenate the skin and bring back that glow you deserve. A red wine face mask might seem odd at first but proves to be beneficial with regular use.

7 must-know health benefits of wine Wine is a great accompaniment as one can have a glass with dinner, enjoy a few sips at the end of a long and tiring day, or simply have a glass to celebrate. Red wine, especially, is a beverage that will find its place in the daily diet or eating habits, one way or the other. A wine had in moderate consumption is good for physical health. Here are 7 known wine benefits to boost overall health. Rich in antioxidants Wine is naturally rich in antioxidants that help fight the free radicals that cause health complications. Red wine and white wine both have phenols that are loaded with antioxidants as opposed to the popular belief that red wine is a better choice for moderate consumption. Improves memory For many, the fact that red wine helps improve memory can come as a surprise. However, tests conducted to assess retention ability of people who have a glass of wine a day against people who don’t prove that former group fared better in comparison. Blood clots and inflammation of the blood vessels are linked to the decline of cognitive function. Wine restores the cognitive function by reversing the effects of inflammation as it is rich in anti-inflammatory properties.

6 superfoods that can help boost your immunity in winters The winter is coming. And we all know what it means! It is the season of holidays as well as flu. While you are planning gatherings and trips home, don’t put your health on the backseat. By simply including some foods in your everyday diet, you can easily evade the wrath of common colds and flu. Continue reading to know which superfoods can boost your immunity. Citrus fruits Vitamin C is vital for the production of white blood cells that fight a cold, flu, and other types of infections. Moreover, citrus fruits are a rich source of antioxidants that protect the immune system from free radical damage and help slow down aging. Some of the popular citrus fruits that you should consider stocking up this winter are lemons, grapefruits, tangerines, oranges, clementine, and lime. As the body doesn’t naturally produce Vitamin C, it is important that you include these fruits in your daily diet. Mushrooms High in vitamin A, B, D, fiber, and potassium, this second most popular pizza topping can be a wonderful addition to your diet. It also contains rare types of antioxidants that can reduce inflammation and protect you from certain types of chronic diseases and respiratory infections.

6 easy ways to choose the perfect maternity wear Pregnancy is a life-changing experience. The pregnancy books or the contradicting pieces of advice that your relatives offer cannot prepare you for what’s to come. In pregnancy, the body undergoes several changes. You gain weight, your belly grows bigger, and your skin looks radiant. However, it’s not just your body that undergoes changes, even your wardrobe has to be revamped. Your old clothes wouldn’t fit you once your baby bump starts growing bigger, and it’s not advisable to try and squeeze into those pre-pregnancy jeans, as you won’t be comfortable in those clothes. This is why pregnant women opt for maternity wear, which is designed to ensure that expecting mothers can wear comfortable clothing throughout the day. Though maternity wear is known to maximize the comfort quotient, women often detest maternity clothes as these aren’t trendy like their regular clothes. However, the leading women’s clothing brands have to come to realize that even pregnant women like dressing in style, and simply labeling loose, shapeless clothes as maternity clothes isn’t feasible. So, pregnant women across the world can rejoice as leading brands have now upgraded their maternity wear lines to include trendy outfits that will flatter your pregnancy curves and add to your pregnancy glow.

6 effective home remedies to treat menstrual cramps A woman is nature’s masterpiece. She has incredible abilities to nurture and procreate. As billions of women across the world would agree, this ability to procreate comes at a hefty price, and it is menstruation. Menstruation is an extremely normal phenomenon, and women experience it since the age of twelve or fourteen till they reach their fifties, until the menopause phase begins. Regular menstruation cycles are an indication of a healthy reproductive system, and when this cycle goes haywire, it points toward some serious underlying health issue. So, you can arrive at the conclusion that menstruation is, in fact, a blessing in disguise. However, in spite of the importance of menstrual cycles in a woman’s life, one cannot deny the fact that those five days can be extremely miserable. Women experience severe mood swings and something more formidable accompanies these menstrual cycles, menstrual cramps! Menstrual cramps are what transforms a happy woman to a creature who just wants to go into hibernation with her favorite chips and start a movie marathon. Menstrual cramps can be taken care of with the help of over-the-counter medications, but some women aren’t in favor of popping pills to ease this pain.

5 common signs of miscarriage to look out for Unfortunately, miscarriage is not a rare phenomenon, in fact, it is believed that one out of four pregnancies turns into a miscarriage. A miscarriage was always a common concern for pregnant women but today you hear about it more than in olden times. One of the main reasons why that is so is because today pregnancy is detected early using advanced pregnancy tests, so parents get to know when they have a miscarriage. In the past, there were many cases where women were not aware of their pregnancy and assumed miscarriage-caused bleeding as a delayed period. There are various reasons why a woman experiences a miscarriage. Some of the most common reasons that can lead to a miscarriage are a chromosomal abnormality, maternal trauma, hormonal problems, uterine abnormalities, thyroid disorders, diabetes, and/or lifestyle habits, such as smoking, drug and alcohol use, and/or over-consumption of caffeine. It is imperative to be aware of the early symptoms of a miscarriage so that a woman can know what is normal and what is abnormal during pregnancy and when to see a doctor. Though not every woman who experiences miscarriage will show these symptoms, some of the common symptoms that you must be aware of are:

4 must-know harmful effects of tobacco It wouldn’t harm much to say that nicotine does not have a great reputation, need we say, that it doesn’t deserve one either. Nicotine has been viewed as a menacing chemical to the body. With its insidiously toxic qualities, nicotine does not have any positives associated with it. Cigarettes, one of the primary carriers of nicotine, cause a bundle of problems among humans. The nicotine in cigarettes can lead to heart problems, smoking addiction, and hamper brain functionality. Let’s have a closer look at the effects of a nicotine addiction on the human body. How is nicotine absorbed by the body? When absorbing the nicotine from cigarettes, it makes its way through the lung’s membranes into the bloodstream. Usually, when nicotine is absorbed in an alkaline environment, the flow is smoother, and it reaches the bloodstream much more effectively. Most tobacco companies increase the pH levels to encourage high absorption of nicotine. Once in the bloodstream, the nicotine flows into the heart. Thereafter, it is moved to the arteries and then the brain. This entire process takes anywhere between 10 and 20 seconds. The quick absorption process is why smokers have astoundingly high levels of nicotine.

Marathon is indeed is an exhausting and an intimidating endeavor. The first marathon can create a feeling of excitement along with worry as you train for the first run. Running a marathon takes both optimum mental and physical fitness to achieve the feat. But the zeal and relaxation one feels on completing the “dream run” is worthy of all the pain you might have taken to prepare yourself for the D day. Finishing the 26.2 miles in a stipulated time requires proper preparation and planning. Here are seven tips to be marathon run-ready and be proud of the amazing accomplishment. Recovery and fueling While you are preparing yourself by jogging and pushing your limits to get closer to the 26.2-mile mark every day, you are undoubtedly going to feel hungry. Thus, eating the right amount of food can help you fuel up and recover when you aren’t training. Experts recommend that consuming foods with a 3:1 ratio of proteins and carbohydrates can help you do the same. At the same time, it is important to stretch before starting to run. Keep ice or hot water bags handy to alleviate any inflammation occurring in the muscles. Heat and foam rollers are also good to soothe sore muscles.

5 popular facial yoga exercises for flawless skin If you are looking for a natural facelift, these simple facial yoga exercises will help you achieve just that and more. Medical professionals and people who have tried them recommend these exercises as an alternative to botox and surgery. The simple movements and combination of exercises help fight the many signs of aging effectively. You don’t have to worry about any side effects or repercussions with the following exercise facial yoga exercises. The V exercise This exercise helps you counter the effects of drooping eyelids, eye bags, and puffiness felt in the region. Using your fingers, form a V shape and gently push upwards to apply pressure on the inner and outer corner of the eyelids. Look upwards to squint while maintaining the pressure and gently relax after the exercise. You can repeat the exercise for a maximum of six times to ensure there is optimal pressure and no strain on the eyelids or eyeballs. The smile smoother exercise This particular exercise is a great alternative for popular facelift procedures that are done to the lower part of the face with occasional fillers. The procedure is done to correct disproportional cheek lines and sagging skin.