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• 2022 fitness tips
• Best workouts
• Best exercises

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

As things around the world are “starting” to get back to normal after the past 18 months, people find themselves back in the hustle and bustle of their “pre-pandemic” life.

Work, social lives, activities, school, sports and so much more occupy a huge chunk of our days and leave very little time for exercise. But there are still great exercises that you can fit into any busy schedule. Experts suggest that if you don’t have time to do a full circuit exercise routine, then just stick to one or more of these three great body movers – around the world lunges, squats, and planks.

Here’s how to do the above for maximum benefits.

Around the World Lunges - Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Take a large step forward with your left foot. Bend both knees to about 90 degrees, making sure that your weight is evenly distributed between both legs. Your front knee should be directly over your ankle (and not extended past it). That is your front lunge. Step your left foot back to center. Step the left foot out to the left side and bend the left knee (kneecap facing forward).

Keep the right leg extended straight. That’s your side lunge. Step your left foot back to center. Next step your left foot behind you so now your right leg is in front. That’s your rear lunge. Return left leg to starting position. Now repeat the sequence in the opposite direction using the right leg.

Squats - Start standing with feet about hip-distance apart. Engage your core muscles as you begin pressing your hips back as if you’re about to sit in a chair (increasingly shifting pressure onto your heels and keeping them flat on the floor), lowering as far as you are able. Focus on keeping your shoulders pulled back and your back straight. Keep knees in line with toes. Press into your feet and straighten to come back up. (You should feel the glute and other leg muscles engage.)

Planks - Start in the top of a push-up position, making sure your shoulders are above your wrists. Engage your leg muscles, pushing back through your heels, while also engaging your core muscles. Hold the position, making sure your shoulders don’t collapse inward and your back doesn’t sag down. You want to be in as much of a straight line as possible.

• health benefits of salmon
• Benefits of Salmon
• Healthy salmon recipe

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Besides being an excellent source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, salmon is also full of high-quality proteins and low in saturated fat. 

• Salmon has nearly a third of the saturated fat of lean ground beef and 50 percent less saturated fat than chicken, making it one of the healthiest items that you could eat.
• Salmon is also low in calories. One serving contains approximately 183 calories, making it one of the lowest in calories among other fish.
• Salmon contains sufficient amounts of every essential amino acid required by our bodies for growth and the upkeep of muscle tissue.

Recipe: Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

1 scallion, minced

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skinned and cut into four portions

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 

Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce. Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

Recipe:  Smoked Salmon Dip 

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup sour cream

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 oz. smoked salmon, minced 

Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt and pepper, and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with crudités or crackers. 

• Health history
• Family health history

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

As we begin a new year, this is the perfect time to gather with your family and work on or update your family health history. A family health history is a record of the medical conditions that have affected your family – from siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents – over several generations. But why should you work on a family health history? Here are 4 great reasons why you should:

It can determine your risk for certain diseases.

You can start early treatment for diseases that run in your family.

It can determine whether you should get certain genetic tests or not.

It can let you know if you are at risk of passing a disease onto your children.

• healthy diet
• heathy eating tips
• holiday eating tips

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

‘Tis the season for eating… turkey, stuffing, pies, cookies, cakes, ham and all the sides! But how do you stay on your healthy eating track when it is so easy to get sidetracked with the holidays?

Experts weighed in (no pun intended) on this topic and have come up with these five healthy eating tips to help you keep those diet goals and still enjoy the delicious meals of the season!

1. “Holiday-proof” your diet. How you ask? Try to eat as close to your normal eating times as possible, offer to bring a healthy treat to the meal, if you want to eat dessert maybe cut back on other carbohydrates during dinner and don’t skip meals to save up for dinner.
2. “Outsmart the buffet.” Ways to do this include eat on a smaller plate and resist seconds, eat slowly so you feel fuller, start with vegetables so you fill up quicker and avoid (or limit) your alcohol.
3. Add your favorites instead of eliminating them. If you only eat pumpkin pie once a year, then eat the pumpkin pie! Just make sure that you account for that in your diet plan/calorie count.
4. Keep up with your exercising. While the holidays can be a busy time, make sure that you still try to fit your physical exercise in like you normally would. Being active can help you offset that extra eating that you will be doing and reduce your stress.
5. Get your sleep. Because the holidays are such a busy time, you might be going out more and staying out later. Sleep loss may make it harder for you to stick to your diet and exercise plan. Getting your sleep will also prevent late night snacking.

Most of all, when you celebrate with the people that you care about, you will find that you are focusing on the fun not the food.

• Staying healthy this holiday season
• Holiday health tips

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

It’s the most germiest time of the year! Isn’t that how the song goes? Oh, wonderful, that’s right! Well, it may be the most wonderful time of the year if you and your family can remain healthy throughout the flu and holiday season.

Here are a few ways that you can make your health and safety a priority this year and keep you healthy well into 2022.

• Wash your hands often to help prevent the spread of germs. Make sure that you are washing them for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
• Bundle up when you are headed outdoors in the cold. Wear light, warm layers, hat, gloves, and scarf. And waterproof boots, too!
• Don’t drink and drive or let others drink and drive. This is an all-year deal and not just for the holidays.
• Be smoke-free. Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke whenever possible. If you are a smoker, consider making that early resolution to quit.
• Get your yearly exams and screenings. Just because you are busy enjoying the season shouldn’t mean that you should put off those important health appointments.
• Keep an eye on children. Keep hazardous or potentially hazardous items, foods, drinks, and objects away from children. Protect them from potential accidents.
• Practice fire safety and know your family plan. Most residential fires occur during the winter months, so be prepared in the event of an emergency.
• Prepare food safely. Wash hands, avoid cross-contamination, cook foods to the proper temperature and refrigerate foods after eating.