The article states: “Dr. Maria Angela Cerruto, a urologist at the University of Verona, Italy, found that the tippy-toe posture of heels can tone a woman’s abdomen and pelvic floor. If true, not only will a nice high-heeled shoe attract the man, it may keep him, too.”

Of course there are many other medical professionals who will vouch for the fact that high heels may cause back and foot problems as well! I for one recall wearing a beautiful pair of designer heels to a posh shin dig in NYC about six years ago. As I stood, looking oh so good (ha! right!) in my beautiful, towering shoes, engaging in conversation with a brilliant inventor who claimed to have created SKYY Vodka, my feet were screaming in pain. You see, I never wore heels due to my feet being ruined by dancing on toe shoes. That evening, I know I did serious damage to my tootsies and I ended up having foot surgery soon thereafter. To this day I have two pins in my left foot and there is no way I can don a pair of sexy stilettos, not that I would want to. My cowboy boots will have to suffice with their solid heels! But just maybe those boots won’t be just good for walking any more … maybe they will be toning me from the inside out!

Original article written by Laura Lewis for ThatsFit.com – See more at: http://kristianbottini.com/laurabackup/high-heels-may-improve-your-sex-life/#sthash.LQueOEKU.dpuf

The main role of thyroid hormone is to manage the body’s metabolism. Therefore people with hypothyroidism suffer from all forms of maladies associated with a slow metabolism. If you can answer yes to any of the statements below, you need to have your thyroid checked.

I often feel depressed
I often feel mentally sluggish
I often feel confused
I have a poor memory
I often feel fatigue
I have a low sex drive
I have brittle hair
I have dry skin
I am often puffy around the eyes
I often have cold hands and feet
I sleep more than eight hours a night
I am susceptible to colds and infections

If you suffer from hypothyroidism and depression, I would love to hear how you have successfully overcome this daily life challenge. Let me know about natural remedies you may subscribe to.

Original Article Written for AOL’s ThatsFit.com. You can view it by clicking here.

1. Get Your 8 Glasses of H20. Water is the essence of life and it really rings true when it comes to your body. Being hydrated keeps your body optimally healthy and your cells healthy and vibrant. And your skin will reflect how hydrated you are. When you get enough water, your skin will appear more plump and have a bit more “bounce!” So be sure to drink up those eight glasses of water daily!

2. Keep Your Liver Clean. If your liver is healthy, it will do an optimal job of detoxifying your body. Eat more  liver-loving foods on a daily basis. Start your day with the juice of 1/4 a lemon in a pint glass of hot or cold water on waking to get your digestion started. Eat at least 2 of the following foods daily to improve detoxification: beets, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, arugula or broccoli.

3. Go Nuts & More.  Each day, be sure to include one or more servings of the following foods in your daily diet: raw or unsalted-unroasted nuts or seeds, ground flax seeds, olive oil, coconut oil. They are rich all sources of essential fatty acids, needed for optimal health as well as for keeping your skin in tip-top condition. Adequate amounts of essential fat in your diet helps feed skin cells, which, in turns, helps maintain skin elasticity.

4. Eat More Fish. Including local cold water fish in your diet, at least 2 to 3 times per week helps provide high quality protein and nutrients that help feed your skin.  Adequate protein assists in maintaining collagen, a primary building block of beautiful skin. Fish is also a great source of skin-boosting nutrients. For example, wild-caught salmon contains astaxanthin, a carotenoid that will improve skin elasticity. When elasticity is improved, you’ll have fewer fine lines. *Eat swordfish, shark, king mackerel, halibut, sea bass or tuna steak no more than once ever two weeks as they contain high levels of mercury.

5. Fiber Your Life. Getting enough fiber in your daily diet helps keep your digestive track moving along. When you don’t get enough dietary fiber your skin may show signs of a toxic colon with blemishes and possibly a lacklustre appearance. Be sure to eat plenty of whole grains, lentils, beans, vegetables, and fruits. Try  millet, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, and buckwheat kasha and other grains you don’t normally eat. Mix it up! And include at least two raw vegetables daily and one piece of organic fruit.

6. Eat Avocados. This delectable green fruit (yes, it’s a fruit!) is rich in fatty acids, key to dewey-looking, healthy skin. Avocados are also a good source of of the B vitamin, biotin which protects against dry skin. Eating ½ of an Avocado per day may help prevent dry skin, brittle hair and nails. Mash up half of an Avocado, and mix with honey and apply to your face for ten minutes for a natural skin-softening face mask! 6. Tea Time. Green tea is rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help maintain integrity of skin cells. Antioxidants in general, help slow down the aging process by their protective effect agains free radicals that can damage delicate cells, which in turn may cause wrinkles and fine lines. Drink four cups throughout the day.

7. Eggs-actly. Eggs are a rich and complete source of protein, which helps repair skin cells that may have been damaged by free radicals.   They are also rich in biotin, which helps prevent dry skin. And they contain two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin which, in one study on women, were found to have quadrupled protection against the UV damage that leads to lines, brown spots, and cancer. And their skin was found to be softer, firmer, and better hydrated. Be sure to eat organic eggs whenever possible.

8. Eat More Tomatoes. Tomatoes are rich in the powerful antioxidant Lycopene. In one study, volunteers who ate 5 tablespoons of tomato paste per day for three months had almost 25% more protection against sunburn. Also, their skin had more collagen. And according to German researchers, people who eat lycopene-rich diet also have fewer lines and wrinkles.

For more information on how to boost the health of your skin and the rest of your body, buy the audiobook, 52 Ways to a Healthy You.

Ever heard this story: A teenage daughter watched her mother prepare a roast for the oven. She seasoned it well, cut the ends off of both sides, lowered it into a roasting pan, then placed it in the oven. “Mom, why do you cut the ends off of the roast?” the puzzled teen asked. “I don’t know honey. My mother does the same thing. Let’s ask her why.” They called the teen’s grandmother. “Mother, why do you cut the ends off of the roast before putting it into the oven,” the teen’s mom asked. “I don’t know, my mother always did it. Why don’t you call her and ask why,” said the teen’s grandmother. So the teen and her mom called up the teen’s great-grandmother. “Great grandma, why do you cut the ends off of the roast before you put it in the oven?” the teen inquired. “Oh honey, that’s simple! I always cut the ends off of my roasts because my pan was too small!”

The point? We adopt habits and sometimes don’t even know why!

Our old adopted habits can be really tough to break, especially if we practice them all the time. Getting rid of old habits and adopting new ones means changing the way we think, act and feel around certain situations. If you’ve made a decision want to be a size 8 instead of a size 14, for example, or if your desire is to become a fitness model or power lifter, then you need to break free from your old “not so good for you” habits and adopt new healthy ones.

Here are 5 New Bod Habits That Can Change Your Body and Your Life:

New Bod Habit #1 – Write Everything Down
Have you ever experienced “food amnesia”? It’s when someone asks what you had to eat during the day and you really cannot remember. Yet upon further contemplation you have a vague recollection of shoving two glazed donuts into your mouth while watching television or sitting at your desk at work. Even something as “small” as popping mints all day long can blow the best of diet plans. So buy a journal or print out one. At the top of the page write the following titles: “food,” “amount,” “time,” “place” and “feelings.” Keep it with you at all times and write down everything you eat, drink or chew. Don’t wait until the end of the day because it’s easy to revert back into your “food amnesia” state! This is a reality check at it’s best.

New Bod Habit #2 – Meditate Your Way to Your Goal
You’ve heard it before — so why aren’t you doing it? All it takes is just a few minutes out of your day. You really don’t have to be an “Omm” master to meditate. And it doesn’t have to be all calm and butterflies either. First, identify your goal and see yourself at your ideal weight, smiling, healthy and fit. Ingrain this image into your mind. Select a piece of music you enjoy that makes you feel calm or exhilarated. Then choose a time of day where you can be alone and undisturbed for 10 minutes. It can be when you wake up before everyone else, on a break in your office, in a parked car or sitting outside under a tree or by a fountain. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and visit the new you in your mind. See yourself as happy and healthy. Locking in to your vision of the future “you.” Then open your eyes and move on with your day!

New Bod Habit #3 – Sleep to Be Thin
Getting enough sleep can help you control your weight too. If you are a night owl but continue to struggle with your weight, try going to bed earlier and making sure you are sleeping at least seven hours or more each night. Research shows those who get seven or more hours of “shut-eye” are typically leaner than their more sleep deprived counterparts.Try not to eat anything less than three hours before going to sleep. Avoid caffeine, the computer and television the hour before you go to sleep. Cozy up with a good book, your sweetheart or cuddly puppy and relax!

New Bod Habit #4 – Work Out with Weights 3 Days a Week
Here’s the deal. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will be. Working out with weights will increase muscle size and boost the rate you burn calories. You’ll also be stronger, be able to stand taller, feel more confident, even have more stamina for your everyday and night time **wink!** activities! One thing to keep in mind: It is especially important to do weight resistance exercises as you move into your 40′s. Due to a drop in anabolic hormones, you’ll begin to lose muscle mass. When muscle is lost, your metabolism slows down. Get the picture? Try working out with weights three times per week, hitting all major muscle groups.

New Bod Habit #5 – Take Your Supplements
If you are still of the mind-set that you can lose weight and have the bod you’ve always wanted without taking any supplements, then more power to you. However getting by with a little help from your supplement “friends” makes sense in this day and age. For example, taking fish oil or flax oil supplements may help your body metabolize stored body fat more readily, help decrease inflammation and stabilize your mood. Adding a scoop of whey protein powder to your morning oatmeal or smoothie can help help you to feel more satisfied and less likely to binge due to its interesting appetite controlling qualities. Taking a multi-vitamin that contains at least 1,000 I.U.s of Vitamin D could possibly help you to lose weight. People who are leaner have been found to have higher levels of the “sunshine vitamin” in their bodies.

Original article written by Laura Lewis for thatsfit.com.

Music is a simple way to infuse passion and energy into your life. I always use energizing music when I work out at the gym, while on the elliptical or treadmill machines. Blue Man Group is my choice right now. The music immediately makes me want to move and laugh as I recall the shows of theirs I’ve seen. So, it works for me. And I love using music to elevate my mood in the car. I crank  up the latest popular dance tunes often while I drive. There is just something about that kind of high energy music that boosts my mood and makes me just want to move! Do you do that? Throw on music because you know it will make you feel better, like I do? It’s my “fix” guaranteed to snap me out of a low mood.

It turns out that music and health go hand in hand, and recent studies are now showing that indeed it can have an impact upon cardiovascular function! You’re going to love this information! So read on:

Historically Speaking: The love of music is part of being human. It has been enjoyed for thousands of years. From Ancient Japanese Taiko Drumming, to the Aboriginese of Australia who have the didgeridoo, even guitars, lutes and flutes date back to 3500 BC in Persia. No doubt about it, we love music. It moves us in some way. Our hearts, our spirits — and now we know our blood flow!

Music and Blood Flow: Did you know that when you listen to music you consider pleasurable, it may increase the dilation of your blood vessels by more than 25 percent, thus increasing blood flow? On the flip side, music that causes you stress may constrict blood vessels by more than five percent, which will decrease blood flow. Researchers at the University of Maryland in Baltimore say that listening to joyful music is good for your cardiovascular health. What is joyful music? For the 10 participants in their particular study, it was country music, which won hands down. Yet what is considered joyful to one person may not be for another. Regarding country music as the favorite, lead research investigator Dr. Michael Miller had this to say: “You can’t read into this too much.” He added, “In my opinion, it is how an individual is wired. We are all wired differently, we all react differently. I enjoy country music so I can see why it would elicit a joyful response.” The fact is music has either a positive or negative effect upon blood flow, whether it is considered joyful or anxious.

Laughter vs. Music: As part of this same study of 10 participants, laughter was evaluated in a separate phase and was found to also have a positive effect upon blood flow. Yet joyful music had an even more positive benefit with greater results in the opening up of blood vessels. Musically Induced Endorphin High: Listening to joyful music may cause a release of endorphins, which in turn raises our spirits. The type of music that elevates your endorphins is as individual as your choice between listening to Bach, Enya, Keith Anderson or Kiss. Only you know which type does it for you.

Water and Music: Since our bodies are more than 70 percent water, you might be interested to know that a Japanese scientist claims that different types of music can have a positive or negative impact upon the structure of water. Masaru Emoto took photos of frozen water crystals after the water had been exposed to classical or rock music. The crystals from water exposed to classical music are perfect and beautiful. The rock music water? Unformed crystals as if they were “blown up!” It’s exciting to know that research is validating that music can be good for our cardiovascular health. So, the next time you dive into another cardio workout, be sure to crank up the tunes! Who knows? Will it help improve your blood flow versus exercising without music? Now that is a very interesting question to ponder indeed!

Original post written by Laura Lewis for ThatsFit.com.

In my mind, being fit was just part of who I was — so much so that when it came to the school testing that many of us Baby Boomers experienced in junior high school (remember the Presidential Physical Fitness Award?), I would score higher than others. The tests included a one-mile walk or 1.5 mile run, one minute’s worth of sit-ups, push ups until failure and a sit-and-reach exercise that measured flexibility. I was a champion in sit ups. In my mind, I knew I was the best. And do you know what? I knew there were others who were better athletes than me. But somehow, in some way, I just made up my mind that no one would beat me. I did the same thing as a freshman in college and ended up with my name on a record-setting plaque. Crazy huh? To me, it was, since I really wasn’t going the athlete route. I was on a college dance team. (Ever hear of the Kilgore Rangerettes?) How could I do this? I believe it was in my mindset.

Tapping into the power of the mind is what many super athletes and their coaches believe is the key to reaching their ultimate goals of winning. If you feel you have failed to reach your ideal weight and fitness goals, you may want to consider these three tips — they’ve helped people like Arnold Schwarzenegger and other Olympic champions.

Believe in Yourself: Arnold Schwarzenegger became a world body-building champion in spite of his humble beginnings. Humble is not a word one would typically associate with this man, right? Still, the way he thinks and believes about himself no doubt helped him accomplish such high goals. “We all have great inner power,” says Schwarzenegger. “The power is self-faith. There’s really an attitude to winning. You have to see yourself winning before you win.” And I love this quote from him too: “The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.” If you feel it’s difficult to get into a positive space in your thoughts, I highly recommend that you begin listening to motivational podcasts. The key is to turn on that switch that says: “I believe in me and I can achieve my goals.”

Predetermine Your Success: Brian Diemer, the 1984 Olympic Steeplechase bronze medalist, says predetermining the outcome is key to winning. Now a coach, he shared some of his advice at the 2008 Michigan Track Coaches Association Clinic. He said that envisioning an event from beginning to end, seeing one as successful and even overcoming a fall or a problem that may arise is very powerful. I have heard that many athletes do this, perhaps even playing a “movie” in their heads where there is a positive outcome. I really feel this is effective — seeing yourself as successful, smiling, satisfied at your ideal weight or achieving a fitness goal. Close your eyes and predetermine your success and infuse that vision with positive feelings.

Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone: Arnold says: “The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.” Whether you are working out in the gym or tackling a strict healthy eating program, you are going to feel some discomfort, right? Achieving the ultimate in health and fitness is not always a comfortable process. Whenever I facilitate classes either in my Diet & Detox programs or fitness classes, I always address this fact. Get ready to be uncomfortable, I tell folks. Making positive changes in your health and fitness will involve leaving comfort behind. I truly believe you have to push yourself just beyond your comfort threshold in order to achieve your ultimate goals.

Years ago, in my heyday of teaching group exercise classes, I used to say this one thing: “You’ve got to change your mind before you can change your matter!” Matter, in this case, is your physical being. Believe you can achieve it. See yourself successful. And go beyond your comfort zone. I have no doubt you can be a champion too.

P.S. Interested in checking your fitness level with the same tests we did years ago? Take a look at The President’s Challenge for adult fitness testing. If you are interested in stepping up your own game, contact Laura and request your  20 minute complimentary consultation!

Original post written by Laura Lewis for ThatsFit.com.

Changing your thoughts can change your life and help you acquire that ideal bod you want. But you must acquire the vision and see it. You must feel it. Why not put a few of these items on your Christmas list to help you see and feel your goals? I think we all could use a positive infusion and now might be just the right time to do so! Good luck!

Original post written by Laura Lewis for ThatsFit.com.