Overview

During every NASCAR season, racing fans the world over are beside themselves with pulse-pounding excitement as they watch their favourite drivers compete for riches, glory, and the Nextel Cup. It's also time to renew a debate that has gripped racing enthusiasts for years - should racecar drivers be considered athletes? Most people don't realize it, but professional racecar driving is a high-stress, physically demanding job.

If winter, and the holiday season in particular, get you down or cause you to feel depressed - take heart. A clinical study showed that exercise is as effective as medication at beating the blues. The 10-month study, conducted at Duke University Medical centre, Durham, North Carolina, assessed 156 adult patients who suffer from major depressive disorder (MDD).

Yoga breathing, also known as pranayama, can help to energize or calm you, warm you up or cool you down. Try these 2 yoga breathing techniques!

Learn all about Canada's Food Guide, including the food groups, portion sizes and servings, and information specific to Canadian cultures.

Asthma affects every aspect of a person's life, in particular the ability to exercise. Yet regular physical exercise increases your fitness level, makes you feel better, and improves your self-esteem and confidence. This is particularly true in children. With proper detection and control of your asthma you can have an active lifestyle.

Why exercise? Benefits of regular activity are better posture, self esteem, and weight management, improved energy levels, increased strength in muscles and bones, and reduced risk of heart disease. How much exercise? Scientists say that if you accumulate 60 minutes of light activity or exercise every day you will improve health.

Regular physical activity is related to improved mental and physical well-being. Recent research indicates that: active, physically fit individuals do not react to difficult situations with as much stress as inactive people regular exercise programs have been found to prevent, and reduce, symptoms of disease - these include reduced risk of heart disease, low back pain, depression, and osteoporosis, to mention only a few an active lifestyle improves sleep, mood, sexual activity, and self-esteem by increasing energy, facilitating weight loss, and providing for greater social contact aerobic exercise improves endurance and cardiovascular health while non-aerobic activities enhance flexibility and strength Physical activity need not be strenuous to be of benefit.

Have you ever started a workout regiment and then after a couple of months you were feeling either no better than before you started, like working out is as enjoyable as waxing your legs, that you will never see even one of the pack of six that make up your abs? Well, worry not folks, because like kindergarten, we have all been there.

Know the signs and symptoms of dehydration and what you can do to prevent problems by staying properly hydrated.

When people become overstressed or unwell they tend to give up the things that they normally enjoy. They often have less energy than usual and feel that they have to use all of the energy they have left on productive activities. Fun is seen as a time-consuming frill that they can't afford. This is a serious problem.

Low-carbohydrate and high-protein diets such as the Zone, Dr Atkins, Dr Stillman, and others are controversial in nature, as many health studies question their effectiveness and the health risks that are involved.

Here are some tips to keep your muscles and ligaments free from injury.

Learn more about the link between breast cancer risk and obesity, diet, and exercise.

During the holidays, the mall is like an obstacle course.

Energy drinks are popular among college students, and athletes and others looking for a quick boost of energy and stamina. But are these buzz drinks safe?

Water relieves thirst, maintains electrolyte balance, and regulates nearly every body system. Too little fluid in the body and salt concentrations increase and cells emit water to balance things out. When the cells are dehydrated, you feel thirsty.