Be Outdoors This Summer

Americans today spend less time in the Great Outdoors than ever before — even during the summer, most of us are only outside for an hour or two per day. But being one with nature isn’t just for granola-crunching hippies. Being outdoors can help lower stress levels, boost mood, and even improve body image in ladies.

So now’s the time to bust out of the cubicle, the car, and the living room and experience the benefits of Mother Nature. From doing laundry to doing the deed, we’ve rounded up 21 traditionally indoor activities to bring outdoors.

Read the rest here greatist.com/happiness/21-inside-summer-activities-take-outdoors

Fitness Retreats for the Active Traveler

For ocean waves and meditation: Blue OsaCosta Rica offers gorgeous rainforest and ocean views to ease a tough workout, whether you're trying deep yoga bends or doing lunges on the sand. Take things a step past a walk on the beach at Blue Osa Yoga Retreat and Spa, opened by two New Yorkers who stumbled across the Osa Peninsula property while hosting a yoga retreat in 2007. Their motto is "More than

New Wearable Technology Alerts Users if They've Suffered a Head Injury

Head injuries can come from a single jarring impact during a game, or from a series of smaller jolts. But in the midst of play, many blows aren't necessarily easy to spot by coaches, physicians or parents in attendance. A crop of new lightweight devices that athletes can wear on the field may help people on sidelines keep better track of hits to players' heads during games and practice sessions.

Why Run When You Can Play Tennis?

Tennis is not only a fun sport to play, but it can also offer many positive health benefits. In one recent study, people who played tennis for three hours per week at a moderate intensity level cut their risk of death in half. Tennis burns a lot of calories; for the average person one can expect to use from 450 to 600 calories per hour. Cardio is improved, along with coordination, agility, and rea

'The Fountain of Youth is Between Your Ears'

By her own account, Dr. Tindle is a "struggling optimist." And while it is clearly the second part, her optimism, that propelled her to draw her book "Up", it is her struggle that gives it its most resonant colors. She recounts being diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition while in college. Filled with anxiety about her upcoming open-heart surgery, she asks her cardiothoracic surgeon if

Your Brain is Better After 20 Min of Yoga

Just 20 minutes of yoga could help your brain function better, according to a small new study. Researchers at Wayne State University found that people did better -- both speed-wise and accuracy-wise -- on brain functioning tests after just 20 minutes of Hatha yoga, compared with aerobic exercise. "It appears that following yoga practice, the participants were better able to focus their mental re

NYT: New Info on Barefoot-Style Running

Barefoot-running enthusiasts long have believed that running without shoes or in minimalist footwear makes running easier, speedier and less injurious. But a surprisingly large number of new studies examining just how the body actually responds when we run in our birthday shoes or skimpy footwear suggest that for many people, those expectations are not being met. Consider, for instance, the findi

Add Variety to Your Workouts to Avoid Sickness

Inflammation isn't the sexiest fitness topic under the sun, but it's a vital bodily response to harm. If we get into a car accident, inflammation will protect injured joints through swelling; think of it as a surge of soldiers from the immune system racing in to begin repair. But chronic inflammation can contribute to all sorts of harmful conditions, ranging from heart conditions, to arthritis, to

Unreal Doubles Point with Djokovic and Murray (1 min)

25 Ways to Run Faster for National Running Day (Today!)

1. Nail good form. The key to running (at any speed) is to practice proper running technique. That means keeping the upper body tall yet relaxed, striking the ground with the mid-foot landing under the hip, and swinging the arms forward and back (not side to side!) at low 90-degree angles. 2. Count your steps. Get familiar with stride turnover, or the rate of steps taken while running, regardless