Astounding, isn’t it?  But true nonetheless, with depression and anxiety the most common mental health disorders.

Regular exercise can help prevent mild depression and anxiety in young people

You may be wondering why this is worth discussing on a Gym blog.  This topic is actually hugely relevant… research has shown a strong relationship between a person’s physical and mental health, with regular exercise having a role in both the management and prevention of mild depression and anxiety.

I got into the fitness industry many years ago because I wanted (and still do want) to help people leader healthier, happier lives.  So it’s only natural that I’m delighted to be able to help people improve their mental health as well as their physical health.

You see, exercise triggers the production of endorphins, which can promote feelings of wellbeing.  Furthermore, exercise can improve symptoms of depression by improving sleep patterns, interrupting negative thoughts which make depression worse and increasing the sense of being able to cope and the satisfaction of learning new skills.  Participation in group physical activities can also help create a sense of connection and belonging, which in turn promotes good self-esteem!

Exercise is not the sole cure for mental disorders, but it can certainly help keep a healthy headspace.  So if you’re a parent of a young  person, get out there and exercise with your children and create healthy practices which will set them in good stead for their future.

If you’re concerned about the mental health of a young person, encourage them to seek help from a health professional or direct them to Headspace.

Information sourced from Fitness Australia.

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  Fish oil is your best protection against heart disease.

  Multivitamins – if you don’t get enough fruit and vegetables (which is probably you since 80% of men don’t get enough) look for a pill which provides 100% of your daily requirements for as many different vitamins and minerals as possible.  Make sure you choose a men’s formula without extra iron, since excess levels of iron can increase the risk of heart disease in men.

• Protein Powder – taking protein in powder form has the advantage of being convenient and low in calories.  If you drink a protein shake after every workout, it will speed up your muscle recovery and supply your body with the amino acids it needs for muscle growth.
• Creatine –  this energy source helps speed recovery and the growth of lean muscle mass after a workout.  It can be mixed with your protein powder at a dose of 3-5 grams per day after a workout.
• Green Tea – this one’s a goodie if you’re carrying a little extra around the middle, because green tea fights fat!  You’ve got two options here, either drink it or take a supplement, but you should take around 90 milligrams three times a day.
• Fish Oil – this is the best protection available against heart disease and you should take 1-2 grams a day.  Note: cheap brands will taste like fish and could leave you hiccuping herring all day!  A higher quality brand will have a much less fishy taste.  It should also be kept in the fridge.

And that, my friends, is the sum total of supplements you should be taking… anything else you can forget about.

Information in this post is sourced from Australian Men’s Fitness magazine.

Starting points or bench marks are vital and beneficial to everyone, whether they’re starting out or already on an exercise regime.  Why?  Because we all have goals and aspirations to lose weight, get fitter, build muscle etc.  But those goals and aspirations don’t mean much unless you  know who you are today and have that starting point to reference your increments of change from.

Bio Age testing shows how your body really looks on the inside!

On last night’s Biggest Loser they used Paul Taylor’s Bio Age Testing, a phenomenal product which gives you that bench mark or starting point.

Did you know that we have the Bio Age Test at Geelong’s Gym? People are being tested all the time to find out the current condition of their body and then seeing great change in that condition three or four months down the track – because it gives them the motivation to change when they realise how poor the condition of their body actually is.

Many of us just stand on the sidelines, merely dabbling in exercise.  Don’t be that kind of person… have a Bio Age Test and get serious about your health.

On last night’s Biggest Loser, there was a young lady who is 29 years old, but whose Bio Age is 52!!!  Her mum had just turned 50 and she could not believe that her Bio Age was older than her mother!  And another 49 year old lady whose Bio Age is 63 - I believe she lost both of her parents at the age of 65 due to ill health, so in her current condition her outlook is not looking good!

Do you know what your Bio Age is? Have a look at the information on our website about the Bio Age Test, so you can find out more about the benefits of taking this amazing test.  As an added incentive, we’re going to reduce the price by 50% for the month of February!

So, don’t let your body remain in poor condition.  Take action today and enjoy a long and healthy life!

In the interest of not creating a blog post as long as both my arms,  I’m just going to look at four items today:

Cumin – did you know this is the most popular spice all over the world?  It’s not hard to see why.  It is a good source of iron, promotes a healthy digestive system and, if made into tea, reportedly cures stomach disorders.  It is also said to enhance liver and kidney function, boost immunity and treat skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and dryness, relieve nausea and diarrhea, and many believe, when used as a tonic, it can prevent cancer.  Phew!  That’s a long list of fantastic health benefits from something so simple.  Oh and least I forget, for those trying to lose weight, it makes your metabolism more efficient!

Sage – sage is derived from a Latin word meaning “to save or to heal”, so that’s a pretty good start.  There is an old Arab proverb which says, “Why should a man die when sage grows in his garden.”  And the Romans used it to heal many ailments from snakebites to epilepsy!  Sage has been known to restore failing memories in elderly people and studies have shown that when combined with biloba and rosemary, sage is effective in slowing down Alzheimers.  It can cure sore throats, coughs, liver disorders and upset stomachs.  And, if you didn’t mind carrying it around in your bag, can be used as a breath freshener and tooth cleaner!

Add some herbs to your diet and you might have better luck!

Rosemary – a good source of minerals and iron, it is also a dietary fibre and when applied externally as an oil, rejuvenates the skin and strengthens the capillaries.  In fact, did you know that many cosmetics have rosemary as the primary component?  It has been used to treat headaches, digestion problems, regulation of the menstrual cycle and stimulates hair growth, prevents premature greying and boosts mental activity!  Once again, it can aid in preventing cancer, Alzheimers and bad breath!

Ginger – this wonderful plant contains approximately 1-4% of volatile oils which are responsible for its medicinal value.  It is extremely effective in curing gastrointestinal distress and hence is used in natural travel sickness pills.  It has an anti-vomiting action useful in reducing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, reduces the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis , relieves dizziness and stimulates circulation of the blood, cleansing the bowels and kidneys.

So why  not add some extra herbs and spices into your diet on a regular basis?  Your body will certainly thank you for it!

That last part probably sounds like a bold claim but I can assure you it’s not without foundation.  As you know, I like to find new pieces of information or perspective to broaden your thoughts on lots of different topics.  So, I’ve got a great video for you today which will substantiate my claim.

Angie Hilton, a Geelong’s Gym member and health and fitness enthusiast, asks Linda Newman, one of the Yoga Instructors here at Geelong’s Gym, to explain why she got into Yoga in the first place and the massive change that it made to her life.

This is truly inspirational and I’m sure will convince you of the benefits Yoga can have to your health, fitness and well-being.  But I’ll let Linda take over from here…

So why not come along to Geelong’s Gym and try one of our Yoga classes – you’ll love how it makes you feel afterwards!

Why are people so attracted to Yoga?

Monique Gharios, one of the Yoga Instructors at Geelong’s Gym, shares how Yoga has become so popular and how it can totally revolutionize your mind, body and spirit – whether you’re a total beginner or have been practicing Yoga for years.  This girl epitomizes a relaxed, stress-free mind, body and spirit!  And it’s all because of the powerful effect of Yoga on her life.

Angie Hilton, a Geelong’s Gym member who loves all things to do with health and fitness, gets the low down from Monique…

In the case of green tea, this is actually true.  The Chinese have known of the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times and used it to sure anything from headaches to depression!

Green Tea - could it be the cure for many illnesses?

In fact, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, green tea has been found to reduce the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by almost 60%!

That’s pretty impressive, don’t you think?  But it gets better…

Green tea is reputed to be helpful in:

• lowering total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol
• rhumatoid arthritis
• cardiovascular disease
• impaired immune function

And all you have to do is boil the kettle, stick a green tea bag in your cup and pour the water.  Not much effort for so great a benefit!!!

I’m sure you know it’s so much better for your body to eat foods which are produced without antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, irradiation or bioengineering.

Most of us would like to eat better than we do and we’d love to buy foods that actually taste the way they’re meant to, rather than loaded with chemicals and preservatives.  But the cost of organic food can be seriously off putting.

Organically grown carrots are easy to grow and taste great!

So here are a few tips on how to eat more organically without blowing the budget:

• Buy directly from the farmers – keep your food dollar in the community and cut out the extra costs of delivery etc. which Supermarkets add onto the price.  Try somewhere like Aussie Farmers Direct and they’ll even deliver directly to your door!
• Know which foods you should definitely buy organic (known as The Dirty Dozen) and which foods you don’t need to buy organic.
• Create a weekly menu before you go food shopping and use each organic vegetable in more than one meal, i.e. use broccoli in a stir fry one night and as a side on another night during the week.
• Cut down on the amount of meat you use in a dish (organic meat is very pricey) and replace it with more vegetables.  For example, add spinach and mushrooms to your lasagna and reduce the amount of meat.
• Grow your own veggies and herbs that you use the most – this is seasonal and space related.
• Buy those fruit and veggies which are in season – they have the best flavour anyway and tend to be cheaper than greenhouse grown produce.
• Where possible, buy in bulk – you can always cook up and freeze what you don’t use during the week.
• Pay in cash so you can only spend what you’ve got in your hand.

So here’s to greater health and well-being without breaking the bank!!!

Did you know that Diet Soft Drinks make you fat?

Horrifying thought, isn’t it?  But unfortunately zero calories doesn’t mean that your body won’t turn the other ingredients in diet drinks to fat.

At Geelong’s Gym we know how hard people work to keep their bodies fit and healthy so when we find out information that will help them stay that way, we like to pass it on.

You see, the pH levels in your food have a huge impact on your health and how hard your body has to work to keep itself at the ideal pH level.  All foods have a pH level which determines where they fit on the Acid/Alkaline scale, which in turn determines how our body reacts to them.

I’m sure at times you’ve felt that it’s all a bit too hard trying to figure out what to eat, what not to eat etc.  Am I right?

To make things a little easier for you, we’ve included this video which explains in a fun way why Diet Soft Drink makes you fat and how you can have a balanced pH.

And if you need a little help getting creative with Alkaline foods we have a fantastic Alkaline Cook Book which will make it seem like child’s play.