• The first tip is to keep moving. Literally. Be physical for 30 minutes every day - even if this is just going for a short walk. Other healthy movement can include sports, dancing, yoga, running or other activities you enjoy, like gardening.


• Eat a well-balanced, lower-fat diet loaded with fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Choose a diet that's low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and moderate in sugar, salt and total fat. In this issue of balance we've included two easy to make smoothie recipes. They'll save
  you some time and get
  you much of the
  nutrition you need.


• Limit your exposure to the sun, especially during mid-day, when the sun's harmful rays are strongest. Remember to use a broad spectrum sunscreen that guards against both UVA and UVB rays, and don't forget about your eyes. Choose sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of the sun's rays.

• · Keep an eye on the amount of alcohol you drink. Too much alcohol can lead to liver damage, malnutrition, and it can also have a negative impact on your relationships.


• · Learn to recognize and manage
  stress in your life. Signs
  of stress include trouble
  sleeping, frequent
  headaches, stomach
  problems, and dramatic
  shifts in emotions.
  Note: exercise is
  proven to help
  reduce and relieve
  stress.


• Safeguard your
  vitality and
  you'll be the
  better for it.
  Your increased
  enjoyment of life
  can be infectious
  and have a positive
  impact on those
  around you.

Drinking healthy smoothies can benefit your overall health and happiness. They're typically very easy to make and will help you to feel full and eat less, and can even play a role in managing weight! Not sure if smoothies are right for you? Here are some benefits that might help persuade you otherwise.

Fat Busting Smoothies
Smoothies can be an effortless way to manage and even lose weight. You don't need to use them as meal replacements if you're clever with your choice of ingredients.

When looking for the right tasty addition to a smoothie, fruits like berries are a secret weight loss weapon. This is because of flavonoids, which have been shown in studies to be one of the keys for not putting on weight. It is even suspected that blueberries can limit fat cell development.

Hydration Benefits
Drinking the recommended 6-8 glasses of water can seem daunting. With smoothies, you're already part of the way there because of their built-in hydration. We can get some of our water intake naturally from smoothies, because lots of fruits and vegetables are quite rich in water.

Tip: you can make smoothies count even more for your water intake by starting the day with a milk based or water based version. This is a lot more hydrating than coffee, and the milk gives a nice calcium boost.

Antioxidant Rich
Antioxidants are key to preventing heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Try adding one to two teaspoons of Matcha green tea powder to your smoothies and you'll get a big helping of antioxidants.

Here are two easy to assemble and delicious to drink smoothie recipes. Simply blend and enjoy:

Mango Madness

2 cups fresh spinach, washed
1 banana, frozen
(I cut mine into chunks before I freeze them)
1 cup peeled and chopped mango
6 natural almonds
1 cup fat free soy or rice milk
1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt

2 apples (cored, but leave the skin on them)
2 BIG handfuls of spinach
1 medium cucumber
3 sticks of chopped celery
1/2 inch or teaspoon ginger root, peeled
1 bunch parsley
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 lemon