Obsession with youth is not only the plague of modern society. In the 1930s, a retired British army officer stumbled upon a remote monastery in the Himalayas where the monks were rumored to have found the fountain of youth. Amazed by their age-defying health and energy, he attributed their vitality to a series of yoga-like postures they practiced daily – as had generations of monks for thousands of years. These Five Tibetan Rites are believed to work by stimulating and balancing energy centers in our bodies called chakras that correspond to each of our endocrine glands. "They're like electricity transformers, receiving and regulating energy and transmitting it throughout the body," explains Sydney-based Carolinda Witt, who's been teaching the rites for more than seven years.

Witt says practicing The Five Rites is like flicking these energy switches to ON. And they're easy to do. In fact, she's made modifications that focus on breathing and building core strength so you don't have to be a veteran yogini to get yourself, well, turned on. Plus, it's yoga, so you'll create a leaner, stronger body! Start with three repetitions of each posture daily and in order. Add two per week until you're doing 21 in about 10 minutes. When you finish each move, pause and take three energy breaths. The directions are below.

Rite #1: Spinning
Harmonizes chakra spin rates. Improves balance, focus and coordination.

Rite #2: Modified Leg Raise
Strengthens and tones the core, hips, lower back, legs and neck.

How would you like one exercise that works your whole body, requires no equipment, is easy to learn and is fun to do? Consider the bear crawl.

"The bear crawl engages many muscle groups including the shoulders, core and quads," said Crystal McReynolds, a coach at CrossFit Central.

To do the bear crawl, simply drop onto all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders, then rise up onto your feet. Now you're in the bear position! You can move forward and backward more quickly than in a standard crawl, and you'll work every major muscle group in the process.

A recent study found that kids who were less physically coordinated or less athletic are at a greater risk of obesity.

The long-term study, published in the British Medical Journal, involved more than 11,000 people. Teachers and medical personnel conducted tests to assess coordination. When those students reached age 33, their body mass index was recorded. In the case of kids whose coordination was deemed poor at age 7, the risk of obesity was doubled.

While researchers didn't venture a guess as to why the results were as they found, other experts surmise it's because less coordinated kids aren't as likely to join in team sports or other active play. If your kids are the most coordinated on the block, there's no need to force them into team sports or programs they don't enjoy. Just make a regular habit of going for walks with your kids, visit the playground frequently, encourage them to ride bikes, kick a soccer ball around the backyard ... the list of activities goes on an on. Just find something your kids enjoys and foster that interest.

Source

Sleep deprivation is unhealthy. Get four hours of sleep or less per night for 12 consecutive nights, and you're more likely to suffer lack of coordination, judgment, and reaction time; experience crummy moods; feel body pain; and even gain weight.

For all you sleepy heads who can't seem to get a wink of slumber, these tips are for you.

• Sip on some chamomile tea. It contains glycine, a chemical that acts as a mild sedative and muscle relaxant. Drink this potion an hour or more before bedtime if nighttime trips to the bathroom are a problem.

Source