The chest comprises the pectoralis major (located on the front of your rib cage) and the pectoralis minor (located underneath the pectoralis major). Both areas need to be targeted from every angle for optimal results. When training your chest or any other body part, dont forget to breathe properly and squeeze with each repetition. While this might sound cliche, it’s important to feel the muscle working when you train a particular body part. Its all about the mind-muscle connection.

You must give yourself at least 3 days rest between your chest workouts when training it 2x per week.  In the gym, you may see others doing crazy 50-60 set routines but you can literally do more than half of that with proper form, consistency, and with intensity. Some of those individuals are able to recover faster with those added skittles (if you know what I mean) that is in their system. Nonetheless, the routine Im giving you is more than enough as you will be shredded with this program.

While you might be sore from mere quantity, doing a few dozen sets is actually counterproductive—especially when completing a shorter routine will effectively train and immediately stimulate the body part you target. More isn’t necessarily better when it comes to muscle growth—proper form is.

Here are two routines you can integrate into your weekly routine to help sculpt your chest. They work all parts: incline exercises to target the upper region, flat-laying exercises to target the middle, and decline exercises to target the lower region. When executing these exercises, focus on achieving a full range of motion.

Rest for no more than one minute between sets to enhance muscle growth. Train with intensity, then get back up, and attack the next set to achieve a fuller physique.

Equipment/Accessories Used

Exercise Routine

Well, HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a training technique in which you give full out effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. This type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up and burns more fat in less time. A high-intensity workout increases the body’s need for oxygen during the effort and creates an oxygen shortage, causing your body to ask for more oxygen during recovery. This after burn effect is referred to as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) and is the reason why intense exercise will help burn more fat and calories than regular aerobic and steady-state workouts.

It HIIT’s The Spot!!

Not totally convinced? Here are some outstanding benefits from HIIT.

1. Increases Your Metabolism
Combining high intensity with interval training results in EPOC, which speeds your metabolic rate. It translates into a metabolism boost for up to 48 hours after a complete HIIT routine. What this means is that you’ll still be burning fat even after you have left the gym.

2. Quick And Convenient
Long gone are the days of not having enough time for exercise. HIIT workouts is can be done anywhere from the hotel room, home, park, gym, etc. When doing HIIT its generally 30 minutes or less! So, theres no excuse now if you dont have time!

3. No Equipment Necessary
Whether you include weights or not. Well, no problem! Most people generally use HIIT workouts only with their body weight, since the focus is on getting your heart rate up and keeping it there. These workouts result in optimal muscle building and muscle retention that couples with fat loss and increased calorie burn.

So, are you ready for a challenge? Ok, I’ve included a HIIT Workout chart which should get you motivated because its doesn’t take much of your time and you’ll see huge results in a short period of time! The good thing is you can do this with bodyweight exercises or if you’re more experienced you can include this with weights.  Its effective and an extremely efficient workout that can be done anywhere when pressed for time. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest if needed. When you become more experienced you will perform each exercise longer which can go up to 1 minute per exercise and also your rest periods will go down to eventually you wont need to rest! Be sure to give full effort during the exercises. HIIT can be done 1-3x a week depending on your exercising experience. Leave a comment below on how it went and let us know if it HIITs the spot!!

Do-It-Anywhere HIIT Workout 

Fast Results


This workout is highly effective that you can get your thighs and buttocks toned in a few weeks time. When you do box jumps, the result is increased calorie- and fat-burning, even when your workout is done. It will definitely boost your metabolism and melt that fat.

Burn Calories Faster

You can burn around 200 to 300 calories per hour. If you don’t have the luxury of time, then start box jumping. At a fast pace, it can burn 1000 to 1200 per hour. It is a quick solution for people who are on the go and have no time to spare at the gym. Fast and effective. Try this if you are into losing some weight.

Stronger Legs


Box Jump is one of the most-used Plyometric exercises. This workout will ensure every muscle in your leg is performing as well as your arms. It helps greatly on increasing the size and strength of your legs. In addition, It will improve your jumping and running ability which is important especially for athletes to build explosive power. It can directly translate to better performance on the field.

Fitness Level Upgrade


Honestly, box jumps are not quite easy to perform especially for beginners. So if you’re performing this move, make sure you are giving it some time and be careful. No need to be fast at first. Just do it slowly and you’ll get faster over time. Practice makes perfect.

No Equipment needed

Great thing about this exercise is that it’s inexpensive. Of course, it is recommended you use a preferably a plyometric box and a stable surface but you don’t actually need a box to do this workout. Just something stable you can jump above or onto it. Some of the alternatives are stairs, bench or a table and you can start jumping!

You probably won’t build massive leg muscles by only doing box jumps because building muscle requires progressive overload (increasing the weight you lift over time).
That said, they’re great if you want to:

1. Increase vertical jump
2. Improve flexibility
3. Warm your legs for a workout

Depending on how you do box jumps, they can also be an awesome form of HIIT-style cardio. Definitely worth doing for functional strength but you won’t see many bodybuilders doing them.

1. Steady-State Cardio Versus Interval Training

To achieve a leaner body isn’t at a slow march but its about mixing high-intensity effort paired with slower, recovery efforts. Fifteen to 20 minutes of interval training performed like this can burn as many calories as an hour of traditional, steady-state cardio. And unlike the slow stuff, intervals can keep your body burning long after the workout ends.

2. Brace Your Core Before Exercising

Your core is much more than a six-pack of muscles hiding beneath your gut — it’s a system of muscles, tendons, and tissues that wrap around your entire torso so it can stabilize your entire body, protecting your spine from injury and keeping you upright. Fire these muscles before every exercise to keep your back healthy, steady your balance and maintain a rigid body position. You’ll get the added bonus of isometric exercise for your middle, which could reveal the muscles in your core you’d like everyone to see.

3. Free Weights Vs Machines

People come in all types of shapes and sizes. Machines are built with a specific path the weight has to travel — one that wasn’t designed for you. If you’re too tall, too short or your arms or legs aren’t the same length, that fixed path won’t match your physiology, and you’ll increase the likelihood of injury and develop weaknesses. Trade your machine exercises for dumbbells, barbells and medicine balls to build strength in ways more specific to your body, while also working all the smaller stabilizing muscles that machines miss.

4. Tuck Your Shoulder Blades Down and Back

This tip is great for chin-ups, but it’s more than that. By sliding your shoulder blades down and back before an exercise — like you’re tucking them into your back pockets — can improve your results and protect from injury. It helps activate your lats for pulling exercises, work your pecs more completely in pushing exercises, keeps your chest up during a squat and can reduce painful impingement on your rotator cuff during biceps curls.

5. Use Multiple Joints With Every Move

Single-joint exercises like biceps curls and triceps extensions will build your muscles, but slowly. Unless you’re a bodybuilder with hours to spend in the gym, get more done in less time. Trade these inefficient moves for exercises that work multiple muscles and joints: Squats will build your legs and back, a bent-over row will build your biceps and your back, and a narrow-grip bench press will train your triceps while it sculpts your chest

6. Do More Reps By Mixing Your Grip

If your hands and forearms give out before your back or legs when doing deadlifts, chin ups, inverted rows or bent-over barbell rows, mix your grip. With one palm facing towards you and one facing away, grab the bar and do the exercise. For the next set, switch both hands. Keep alternating and you can rest your grip while working with the hand the opposite way, meaning your back and legs will determine when you’re done with the set.

7. Do A Proper Pushup

The pushup is one of the world’s greatest exercises, and doing it with proper form is as simple as this cue: Maintain a rigid body line from the top of your head to your heels throughout the push. With this in mind, you won’t sag your hips, hump your back, or bubble up your butt. Keep your elbows tucked in towards your sides as you lower your body, and push back up, strong as steel from head to heels.

8. Progressively Lift Heavier

Packing more weight on the bar won’t make you “bulky.” It will make you stronger and protect you from osteoporosis by increasing bone density. To get the greatest benefits, lift at least 60 to 70 percent of your one-rep maximum for each exercise. Instead of going for complicated calculations, choose a weight with which you can perform eight to 12 reps, with the last rep being a struggle but not impossible.

9. Post Meal After Your Workout
A post-workout mix of carbs, fat and protein will help your body build muscle, reduce soreness and recover faster so you can work out again sooner. If you are rushed for time or normally skip eating after your workout, a smoothy shake with banana, fruits, and protein powder has the ideal mix of nutrients you’re looking for.

10. Lift and Then Cardio

If you perform your strength training before your cardio work, you’ll burn more fat while you pound the pavement with jogging or on the treadmill. Also, when you are ready then incorporate a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) program into your routine. HIIT allows any workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense activity or even complete rest. For example, a good starter workout is running as fast as you can for 1 minute and then walking for 2 minutes. Repeat that 3-minute interval five times for a 15-minute, fat-blasting workout. It sounds too simple to be effective, but science doesn’t stretch the truth. For more info, check out the video we did.

11. Don’t Stretch but Warm Up First

Static stretching done just before activity can reduce your power output and increase your risk of certain injuries. Instead, perform an active warmup that gets your body ready for exercise with exercise, increasing your heart rate, firing up your nervous system and getting your muscles used to moving. For an easy routine, perform a five-minute warmup of basic, body weight moves — lateral slides, pushups, squats and lunges.

12. Be More Explosive by Adding More

Explosive exercises involve flight — your body leaving the ground (as in a jump) or the weight flying out of your hands, as in a bench press throw. These moves also increase strength significantly. In a study, men who included explosive chest exercises benched five percent more than those who performed a similar routine without the ballistic moves.

13. Making Notes

When it comes to increasing strength, you might hear the phrase “progressive resistance.” This means “do more work as time goes on” — lift heavier weights or do more reps of the same exercise to see results. Keep yourself on the path to success with a workout journal. Research shows that those who record their progress are more compliant and see better results than those who wing it.

14. Active Recovery to Reduce Soreness

Lying on the couch or bed rest is not the best prescription for sore muscles — you’ll actually reduce pain with a little activity. Metabolites in your sore areas that cause pain are dispersed and diffused by activity, and blood flow is increased to the muscle tissue, speeding recovery by up to 40 percent. Play a light game of basketball, perform some foam rolling, go for a relaxing massage, ice therapy, cold bath, or do a few simple rounds of calisthenics at home the day after a workout.

15. Take a Break Every so Often

You can actually gain more strength and muscle by periodically and strategically dialing down your strength training routine. In a study, men who cut their training volume the last week of each month increased strength by 29 percent. So every so often take a few days off or even a week after training hard for a few months. But remember to not overdo it on the time off as you will lose your gains and most likely revert back to your old self!

To have a complete physique you can’t neglect your shoulders and other body parts. That means giving every body part total focus in the gym even if you aren’t too fond of doing certain body parts such as legs for most people.  When I train, my objective is to work each body part a minimum of once each week and a maximum of twice each week. That same rule applies to shoulders. I usually pair my shoulders with my back routine.

To grow big, sculpted strong shoulders, you need to hit them at least three exercises each training session.  Now, if you’re strong enough and conditioned then feel free to increase it to 4-5 exercises on shoulder day. I make sure I warm up my shoulders getting blood throughout the arms and body. It’s essential to prevent injury. I start with small circles going forward for at least 30 seconds and then I reverse and go backward for 30 seconds. Then I do the same thing, only making the circles bigger.

Here’s a breakdown of two shoulder routines. I chose these exercises because collectively they work each head of the deltoid. I train shoulders on Monday and Thursday but its up to you. Just don’t train shoulders on consecutive days.  Follow this shoulder routine and they’ll grow and get defined. Trust me and enjoy! Now, are you ready?

EQUIPMENT/ACCESSORIES USED

MONDAY

1. DUMBELL FRONT RAISE

2. DUMBELL OVERHEAD PRESS

This shoulder exercise works your anterior deltoid while indirectly targeting your triceps and upper back.

Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, and make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and flat on the ground. Bring your arms to shoulder level and bend at the elbows. From there, simultaneously push the dumbbells overhead and extend until they touch for a complete repetition. Lower the dumbbells back down to chest level and repeat.

• 1 set warm-up of 20 reps using very light weight
• 3 sets of 12-15 reps

3. BARBELL UPRIGHT ROW

This compound exercise works the deltoids and trapezius muscles while indirectly targeting the triceps.

Stand with your feet shoulder with apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell in front of you, resting it against your thighs. Pull the barbell up until it reaches the level of your clavicle.

At this point, your elbows should be fully pointed outward. Be sure not to swing or bounce the bar or rise to your tippy toes. Keep a steady breath, inhaling on the downward position and exhaling as you pull the bar upward.

• 1 set warm-up of 20 reps using very light weight
• 3 sets of 12-15 reps

THURSDAY

1. DUMBELL SHOULDER SHRUG

This exercise works the upper trapezius muscle, helping you built titan-style traps.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand using an overhand grip. Stand upright, feet shoulder-width apart. From the starting position, squeeze together your shoulder blades while simultaneously rotating your scapula. Try to bring your shoulders to your ears (or as close as possible) while elevating your scapula.

Hold that contraction for at least two seconds before lowering your shoulders back down.

• 1 set warm-up of 20 reps using very light weight
• 3 sets of 12-15 reps

2. DUMBELL LATERAL RAISE

These raises primarily work the middle head of the deltoid as well as the anterior deltoid and posterior (back) deltoid. Stand with your feet shoulder with apart, feet firmly planted. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, and keeping a slight bend in each arm, raise your arms to shoulder height.

Slowly bring your arms down and back to your sides. Repeat.

• 1 set warm-up of 20 reps using very light weight
• 3 sets of 12-15 reps

3. MILITARY PRESS

This exercise works the entire shoulders complex, but especially the front deltoids.

Sit on a bench. With your feet firmly planted and roughly shoulder width apart, grasp the bar with an overhand grip. Extend your arms straight while lifting overhead. Try not to arch your back.

Lower the bar back down to your clavicle and repeat. Be careful not to hold your breath. Inhale while pulling down and exhale while pushing up.

• 1 set warm-up of 20 reps using very light weight
• 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Here is facts about shoulders but roughly 70% of us will experience a shoulder injury at some point in our lives. Luckily, you can prevent it by having a balanced training routine that I provided and its the most effective at keeping your shoulders healthy, strong, and toned.

To summarize a few things is we have three distinct muscles that make up the shoulder—the anterior, medial, and posterior deltoids—and each one is worked by different exercises. The anterior—a fancy word for “front”—is the part you see when you look at your shoulder in the mirror. It’s also the part of the shoulder that we tend to focus on most, in moves such as push-ups and shoulder presses. But when we spend too much time strengthening the anterior delt, the shoulder muscles become unbalanced.

Not only can this affect your posture (when the front delts are strong and the rear delts are weak, the shoulders tend to roll forward), that structural imbalance is what leads to shoulder injuries, the most common being rotator cuff tears. Its exactly what I mentioned in the beginning of this article about having rounded shoulders and a hunch back due to an unbalanced training routine.  When one part of it is stronger than the others, it’s not able to move the way it’s supposed to. That puts extra strain on the connective tissue that supports the shoulder, and when that tissue gets worn down or weakened, it’s more prone to tearing.

So now you have the shoulder routine, so be consistent, safe, and work hard so you can achieve those results!!

Women who exercise have reported fewer symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, including feelings of irritability and being bloated. Increased blood flow to your brain improves function almost immediately and helps you to feel more focused after a workout. Regular exercise promotes the growth of new brain cells responsible for boosting memory and learning.

One of the key health benefits of exercise is that it helps normalize your glucose, insulin and leptin levels. This is a crucial factor for optimizing your overall health and preventing chronic disease. Recent studies indicates specific exercises may also add more years to your life span than others.

These Exercises May Increase Life Span Based on Studies

An epidemiological study of Danish men and women found playing tennis, badminton and other team sports helped individuals live longer than those who were sedentary. Even more interesting, these same people had a longer life span than those who participated in more solitary activities such as jogging, swimming and cycling.

A previous study evaluating exercise effects in more than 80,000 British men and women found those who played racquet sports also tended to outlive those who jogged. These results triggered the current Danish study, which widened the inquiry to look at a variety of sports and the association those have with premature death.

The data was gathered from nearly 8,500 adults as part of the Copenhagen City Heart Study. Limitations of the study included the facts that all who were enrolled were Caucasian, and had no history of heart disease, stroke or cancer. Individuals completed a health and lifestyle questionnaire and were monitored for approximately 25 years. During this time, nearly 4,500 of the participants died.

The health and lifestyle questionnaires asked participants about their physical activities each week and asked them to designate one workout as their primary form of exercise. Using these answers, researchers looked for associations between longevity and exercise after adjusting for factors such as education, drinking and socioeconomic background.

The data indicated a clear correlation between social sports and longevity.  Although how long individuals spent doing these activities varied, it became apparent the duration did not necessarily affect the longevity of the participants. Coauthor Dr. James O’Keefe, cardiologist at St Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, explained tennis likely took the top spot as it is intensely interactive.

In other words, people spent time talking with each other during the activity. The study did find activities normally enjoyed alone, such as running, weightlifting and swimming, still extended life and offered other health benefits. However, O’Keefe recommended for optimal benefit you may want to consider supplementing your workout with other activities that foster a social connection.

Benefits of Social Interactions

Research data have demonstrated emotional and physical health are inextricably linked, and there are significant health risks to social isolation. A study published in BMJ Heart found isolated and lonely individuals were at a significantly increased risk of heart attack and stroke. O’Keefe explained:

“For both mental and physical well-being and longevity, we’re understanding that our social connections are probably the single-most important feature of living a long, healthy, happy life. If you’re interested in exercising for health and longevity and well-being, perhaps the most important feature of your exercise regimen is that it should involve a playdate.”

Another study published in Heart found social isolation, but not loneliness, was associated with an increased risk of death in people with a history of heart disease.  Having a support system appeared to mitigate some factors that led to a higher risk.

While not surprising, the researchers found the effects of isolation and loneliness may be compounded by other traits commonly found among those who enjoyed their own company. To further explore this the researchers surveyed almost 480,000 adults in the U.K. and measured health metrics, including height, weight, body mass index and grip strength.

The participants were then tracked for seven years. Isolation was associated with a 43 percent higher risk of first-time heart attack and a 39 percent higher risk of first-time stroke. Loneliness was associated with similar results.

However, after accounting for biological, health and socioeconomic factors, the increased risk of heart attack and stroke only ranged between 4 percent and 7 percent for loneliness and isolation. Another study evaluating the mental health benefits of exercise found an interesting pattern.

Those who exercised nearly 45 minutes per session experienced better mental health than those who favored marathon workouts. Sweating three to five times a week had a lower number of poor mental health days than either no exercise or working out more than five times a week, leading the researchers to conclude exercise for two to six hours a week may be the sweet spot for mental health.

Full Body Workouts Offer Increased Benefits

Limitations to the featured study made it difficult for researchers to generalize the results. O’Keefe pointed out how and why some sports may add additional years more than others is difficult to determine from an observational study. Although little of the exercise in this study was heavily intense, O’Keefe believes the different physical demands in some sports could play a role.

However, income and socioeconomic factors likely played a role in this study as well, as those who have sufficient money and leisure time to play tennis may also have the means to evaluate and use a variety of health care options. Yet another factor may be that racket sports are full-body workouts, and using your arms and legs makes your heart work harder. Cycling and jogging, two of the other sports studied in the featured research, primarily use your lower body and some core muscles.

Additionally, racket sports often require intense bursts of activity, much like a high-intensity interval training workout. As noted by the University of Rochester Medical Center:

“Racquet sports alternate bursts of high-intensity exercise while you score points, with brief rest periods while you pick up the ball and serve. This stop-and-start activity is similar to interval training. Playing racquet sports, or any active sport, [three] hours a week can cut your risk of developing heart disease and lower your blood pressure, according to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

One key to getting a good aerobic workout in tennis or racquetball is to keep your rest periods brief. Your heart will continue to work at an aerobic level, but without the sustained stress.”

There Is an Exercise ‘Sweet Spot’ Where You Reap the Greatest Reward

While the percentage of adults over 18 who meet the physical activity guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity only reaches 21 percent, there are those who meet and exceed those guidelines on a routine basis. But, like most things in life, too much of a good thing can do harm.

The current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity. The guidelines do not list an upper limit. High intensity exercise for long periods of time may increase the risk of injury and heart issues, but no clearly defined guidelines exist for what constitutes “too much” exercise.

Research has demonstrated chronic training for and competing in extreme events, such as marathons and ultramarathons and very long-distance bike races, may trigger negative cardiovascular effects. In one study, those who exercised beyond 60 minutes saw a decrease in their antioxidant levels, along with an increase in arterial stiffening.

In another study, lifelong endurance athletes had a very high rate of myocardial fibrosis (stiffening of the heart muscle). This hardening of the heart cells may play a role in precipitating sudden cardiac arrest or inducing an irregular heartbeat. In a British study of more than a million healthy middle-aged women, researchers found those who exercised two to six times a week had the lowest cardiovascular risk compared to those who exercised either rarely or every day.

Brief and Intense Activity Equals to Longevity and Good Health

Similar results were found in a Danish study comparing the mortality rates of joggers against sedentary individuals. Those who did light to moderate running were less likely to die than nonexercisers or those who ran a fast pace for more than 2.5 hours per week.

A heavy exercise load each week can depress your immune system and increase inflammatory processes, potentially leading to increased risk of coronary changes and illness. Exercise intensity also plays an important role in determining how much exercise is enough.

Data found engaging in occasional vigorous exercise leads to additional reductions in the risk of premature death. When you include brief bursts of high-intensity activity, you may considerably slash the amount of workout time needed to enjoy the benefits.

These types of workouts, known as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), lead to immediate changes in your body, including reprogramming your muscles for strength, and stimulating your fast-twitch muscle fibers, the latter of which increases production of human growth hormone. HIIT also:

• Triggers mitochondrial biogenesis, which is important for longevity
• Alters mitochondrial enzyme content and activity
• Increases cellular energy production
• Decreases your risk of chronic disease
• Slows the aging process

Using a Variety of Exercises With HIIT

Research has suggested that working out smarter, not harder, can reap greater rewards in the long run. Performing short bursts of intense activity are much safer and effective than conventional cardiovascular workouts for your heart, general health, weight loss and overall fitness. The good thing is that you’re able to work out more efficiently and effectively in less time.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 20 minutes of vigorous activity 3x a week. It also mentions that HIIT workouts burn more calories than the conventional style workout since with HIIT, the body continues to burn calories after your workout is done. Another benefit to HIIT is the variety of workouts you can use to accomplish the goal.

It is important to remember HIIT is only one facet of a well-rounded program that should incorporate physical activities you enjoy, flexibility and strength training. Simply by making minor changes to your fitness program, you can turn a fun game of tennis with a friend into a fun and strenuous workout which will improve your life and longevity. So, why not serve an ace to your game?!

When our body is deficient then qi cannot circulate well through the body (energy pathways which are the meridians of the body). The inner organs depend on the flow of sufficient qi to do their jobs properly. Stagnant qi can result in pain and many other symptoms. Specific Qigong postures and movements help us release blockages in our systems. While many forms of exercise are not possible for people some chronic illnesses, Qigong is slow, gentle and integrative. Even just a few minutes of practice can trigger the relaxation response and lower stress levels. Qigong is very helpful as it helps strengthen the kidneys/adrenals which is very important for reducing stress and strengthening the immune system.

Qigong embodies the Taoist philosophy: “I am in the Universe. The Universe is in me.”  Since illness can be isolating, Qigong helps to relax any sense of separation by connecting us to the universal life force energy. When our bodies are chronically uncomfortable we tend to disconnect from them. Qigong helps us to connect our breath, feelings and body sensations. The more embodied and grounded we are, the more we can receive qi from the earth, and the more open and relaxed we are, the more we can receive the cosmic qi all around us.

We can find historical evidence of Ayurveda in the ancient books of wisdom known as the Vedas, written over 6,000 years ago, of which only a small portion is available to us from that time.¹

Tibetan medicine and traditional Chinese medicine both have their roots in Ayurveda. Early Greek medicine also embraced many concepts originally described in the classical Ayurvedic medical texts. Ayurveda has been used and practiced throughout the subcontinent, Indonesia and many other countries in the surrounding region for thousands of years, although it was often suppressed during various occupations in those areas.

Recently the western world, particularly Europe and the United States, has become increasingly fascinated with and interested in Ayurvedic medicine.

The Science of Life

The world Ayurveda roughly translates as “The Science of Life.” It is merger of two Sanskrit words: ‘Ayu’ (the root of ayur & ayus ) which means ‘life,’ and ‘Veda’ which means a combination of ‘science, knowledge and wisdom.’

According to Ayurveda, first noted by the ancient Ayurvedic scholar Charaka: human life is the combination of mind, body, senses and soul.

Ayurveda sees that the senses and the mind work in conjunction with one another and greatly influence our physiology.

Ayurveda is not just a medical system. It sees human beings as an integral part of nature. It believes that human beings should live in harmony with nature just as the animals and plants do, and utilize the laws of nature to create health and balance within. It adheres to this focus in guiding human beings to maintain health by using the inherent principles of nature to bring an individual back into equilibrium with his or her true self.

The ancient texts reveal that Ayurveda was also originally used as a regime to remove obstacles on one’s path to Self-Realization. At some point the medical aspects began to take priority over the spiritual forms of healing.

Today, these spiritual aspects of Ayurveda have taken a back seat to the medical focus. As Ayurveda becomes more commercially viable, the spiritual aspects may continue to lose ground. Yet there are a growing number of practitioners who employ these spiritual therapies and find better results than limiting their approach only to the medical, physical realm.

Understanding Ayurveda

Ayurvedic wisdom offers life-enhancing practices as well as

herbal medicinal preparations for the health and well being of the whole human being: body, mind, and soul. It is much more than just a system to treat symptoms or physical illness.

Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our health and well being, and are seen both in our internal and external environments. Called ‘doshas’ these three energies are known as:

• • Vata (Air/Wind)
• • Pitta (Fire/Sun)
• • Kapha (Earth & Water)

Ayurveda sees these primary forces in a unique combination in every individual, and as relating to the characteristics of our mind and body. Every individual has a unique proportion of these three forces that shapes our nature.

These doshas also have the characteristic of being: movement (Vata), transformation (Pitta) and structure (Kapha). We are all made up of unique proportions of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The ratios of the doshas vary in each individual. Because of this, Ayurveda sees each person as a special mixture that accounts for our diversity.

Ayurveda gives us a model to look at each individual as a unique makeup of the three doshas (and sub-doshas), and thereby design treatment protocols that specifically address a person’s health challenges.

Herbs are often recommended to supplement the nutritional requirements on a regular basis to build and maintain a healthy physiology. As some of the Ayurvedic herbs are now recognized to be the most potent and powerful adaptogens on the planet — and since stress is now known to be a significant factor in over 80 percent of all illnesses — these herbs are essential in any health program designed to promote and maintain a healthy human body.

When any of the doshas become aggravated, thereby upsetting the natural harmony for the individual, Ayurveda suggests specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines as well as specific medicinal herbs to assist the individual in reducing and rebalancing the dosha that has become excessive or out of balance.

Ayurveda goes into great detail to describe the medicinal attributes of many herbs and their correct usage to compliment and hasten the healing process, and to strengthen the body’s organs and systems.

Ayurvedic Herbs: Controversy Over Pharma Attempts at Patents

Growing awareness in the west of the efficacy of Ayurvedic herbs and formulations has led to controversy and battles with the western pharmaceutical companies trying to patent these herbs.³

Only recently discovered in the west, Ayurvedic herbs such as Neem, Ashwagandha, Tulsi, Shatavari, Turmeric, Amalaki and Brahmi as well as traditional preparations such as Triphala and Trikatu have long been known to have significant medicinal value without adverse side effects.

Several pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions in the west have come into conflict with Indian academic institutions and traditional Ayurvedic practitioners over the intellectual property rights of herbal products researched by the western agencies.

The Ayurvedic practitioners have known about the efficacy of such products for centuries, and so contend that they carry precedence with regards to patent rights on such products.

Free Trade Industrial Agriculture Rules Threaten the World’s Farmers

Per the World Trade Organization Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement:⁴

“Indian farmers, traditional practitioners, and traders will lose their market share in local, national and global markets. For example, recently the U.S. government granted a patent for the anti-diabetic properties of karela, jamun, and brinjal to two non-resident Indians, Onkar S.Tomer and Kripanath Borah, and their colleague Peter Gloniski. Yet the use of these substances for control of diabetes is everyday knowledge and practice in India. Their medical use is documented in authoritative treatises such as Wealth of India, the Compendium of Indian Medicinal Plants and the Treatise on Indian Medicinal Plants.

If there were only one or two cases of such false claims to invention on the basis of biopiracy, they could be called an error. However, biopiracy is an epidemic.

Neem, haldi, pepper, harar, bahera, amla, mustard, basmati, ginger, castor, jaramla, amaltas and new karela and jamun have all been patented. The problem is not, as was made out to be in the case of turmeric, an error made by a patent clerk. The problem is deep and systemic. And it calls for a systemic change, not case-by-case challenges. The potential costs of biopiracy to the Third World poor are very high since two-thirds of the people in the South depend on free access to biodiversity for their livelihoods and needs. Seventy percent of seed in India is saved or shared farmers’ seed; 70 percent of healing is based on indigenous medicine using local plants.”

Obtaining Potent, Efficacious, Organic (Heavy-Metal Free) Ayurvedic Herbs

It has been mostly individual practitioners who procure, grow, dry and prepare these herbs and preparations in an effective, potent manner, whereas commercially available Ayurvedic products have been of substandard quality.

It is only recently that a few companies have started producing high quality organic Ayurvedic herbal products, most notably, ORGANIC INDIA Pvt. Ltd. Headquartered in Lucknow, UP. North India.

Ayurveda Moving West

Clinical practice, research and education in Ayurvedic medicine remain the most authentic in India. However, attempts are being made by westerners to export the essence of Ayurveda to complement their own medical systems, where the pharmaceutical industry and allopathic medicine predominates.

As a result of regulations in medical practice in Europe and America, the most commonly practiced Ayurvedic treatments in the west are massage, dietary counseling and herbal advice.

The NAMA (National Ayurvedic Medical Association-USA) is one of several groups seeking to set standards for Ayurveda in the west.

There are 26 schools in the US and dozens in Europe which are teaching 500+ hour courses for proficiency at Ayurvedic Health Practitioners, certified but not licensed.

In the United States, the NIH NCCAM expends some of its $123 million budget on Ayurvedic medicine research. In addition, the National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine, established by Dr. Scott Gerson, is an example of a research institute that has carried out research into Ayurvedic practices.

Dr. Gerson has published part of his work on the antifungal activities of certain Ayurvedic plants in medical journals. Other notable researchers on ayurveda in the West include Dr. Bala Manyam, the Maharishi Ayurveda group in Fairfield, Iowa, and Dr. Mano Venkatraman at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Ayurveda is a Recognized Medicine

Ayurvedic practitioners are regularly appointed as an “Honorary Ayurvedic Physician” to the President of India. Every year on the occasion of Dhanvantari Jayanti, a prestigious Dhanvantari Award is conferred on a famous personality of medicine, including a doctor of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is a statutory, recognized medical system of health care like other medical systems existing in India. Ayurvedic medicines have to be approved, registered and licensed by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), which governs and recommends policies for the research and development of the system.

In India, practitioners in Ayurveda undergo five and a half years of training, including one year of internship in select Ayurveda medical schools, where they earn the professional doctorate degree of Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery.

Its 2018 so start the new year with a health bang!!! Lets dive right into it and reveal 15 Health Benefits you can get from a cold shower!!

1) Weight Loss
2) Increase Testosterone
3) Boost Fertility
4) Improve Circulation
5) Improve Immunity
6) Improve Lymphatic System
7) Muscle Recovery
8) Relieve Depression
9) Put You to Sleep
10) Energized Breathing
11) Build Strong Will Power
12) Improve Emotional Resilience
13) Reduce Stress
14) Increase Alertness
15) Improve Skin & Hair

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