Spine-Health.com describes Sciatica pain as "the symptoms of leg pain and possibly tingling, numbness or weakness that travels from the low back through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of the leg." Sciatica refers to the set of symptoms experienced, rather than the cause itself. The medical term for Sciatica is Radiculopathy. The majority of people who suffer from Sciatica can get better with time. This post will focus on exercises to release sciatic nerve pain.

Sciatic Treatments

After treatment, the healing process, for most people, ranges from a few days to weeks.

Heat/Ice - Heat or ice, applied for 20 minutes, can reduce sciatic pain. Depending on your preference, start with heat or ice; apply for 20 minutes over a 2 hour period.
Massage Therapy - Massages increase blood circulation and promote muscle relaxation. They also release the body’s endorphins and help to reduce pain.
Active Exercise - Stretching, Tai Chi and Yoga are effective exercises to reduce sciatic pain. Without exercise, the back muscles become weak and are unable to support the back. This can lead to back stress, strain and injury. According to Spine-Health.com, "Movement helps exchange nutrients and fluids within the discs to keep them healthy."

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The first radio show for beYOU.tv went on air yesterday (YEAH!) We covered a range of topics with fitness expert Scott Cole. Below is the full radio show with the listeners’ questions and links mentioned on air.

Be sure to catch us the first Monday of every month at 2PM PST on HealthyLife.net. If there are topics you want to hear about or have questions you want answered, just let us know! Leave a comment below or use the feedback form on the site.

Click “more…” to see our radio player and listen to our show!
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10 exercises to help you lose fat and gain muscle with minimal effort - my get fit guide! Everyone wants to be fit, in shape and look great. The best way to accomplish this is to diet and exercise; diet + exercise = dramatic results. Exercise can be broken into two components, aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (weight training).

This post will focus on aerobic and anaerobic exercises to get you into shape quickly - with minimal effort.

Anaerobic Exercises (Weight Training)

For each pound of muscle you add to your body, it will burn an extra 50 calories per day! Basically, if you can add 2 pounds of muscle, the extra calories your body would burn is roughly the same as running 1 mile. It’s like running a mile per day, without doing anything extra!

Here are 5 killer exercises to develop muscle quickly:

1- Bench Press/Push Ups
2- Squat - Free Squat Video Here
3- Clean
4- Row - Free Row Video Here
5- Deadlift

These 5 exercises target all of your body’s muscles either directly or indirectly. They also target your body’s largest muscles so you will see results faster. If you could only do 5 weight exercises, these are the 5 to do!

Now that you have a guide to gain muscle, which will help burn calories, it’s time to focus on your cardiovascular system and the calories directly!

Combining anaerobic and aerobic exercises is the best way to lose fat and gain muscle.

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OK – I know there’s a lot out there focused on the New Year, but it is a symbolic time of fresh starts and new beginnings, so why not utilize this “clean slate” time to refine, replenish and restore. We hear a lot about detoxing, but detoxing doesn’t have to be as extreme as a 3-day juice fast.

When I feel I need to cleanse, I take a 30-minute bath each night before bed for 3-5 days with pink Himalayan sea salts steeped in purifying essential oils. You can make these yourself with a cup of sea salts and add 10-20 drops each of fennel, basil and juniper essential oils. If you’d rather go ready made try Space NK’s seaweed bath salts from Brittany — also good after a tough workout.

Now that you’ve sweated out all those toxins, try incorporating Cell Food into your diet. Just a few of these magical drops mixed in water send all sorts of nutrients to the body. I use this whenever I feel my body needs a break and a natural boost.

And now that you’re all clean, inside and out, what’s the perfect pick me up when you don’t want to “re-tox” your body with caffeine, try a shot of wheatgrass – it’s better for you AND better tasting than you think.

Namaste,

Michelle