In the world of obesity, epidemics, and low fat diets, it's hard to imagine that deliberately adding a specific type of fat to your dietary intake every day could be good for you. But let me assure you, it is. There are "bad" fats that raise your cholesterol and add to your waist line. Then there are "good" fats commonly known as essential fatty acids or EFA's. These fats must be ingested directly in our diets because our bodies are unable to create them from other sources.

These fats are found in fish, shellfish, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts. There are many different varieties of supplementation if you would rather take it in pill form. The health benefits of these types of fat are seemingly endless. They help to prevent, treat or improve a variety of disorders such as: cardiovascular disease, cancer, nearly all inflammatory diseases, diabetes, mental disorders, depression, anxiety, asthma, skin damage, weight loss, etc. The list goes on and on.

For optimum health, you should be eating three servings of fish per week. If you do not like fish, this can be achieved by taking one serving of omega oil supplements per day. Here's to your health!

In efforts to lose weight and get in shape many people begin focusing on aerobic workouts, usually spending long amounts of time at a steady, moderate pace of exercise. Depending on the goals that you have, this may be a very effective and helpful form of workout, for example a marathon runner trains for endurance and distance in their workouts. However, if your goal is to lose body fat and build body strength, you might consider trying interval circuit training.

Interval training is defined as alternating high intensity effort with moderate intensity effort for the duration of your workout. Multiple and sporadic bursts of intensity while working out activates different muscle fibers and creates an elevated heart rate, among other benefits. Circuit training is a workout technique that keeps you moving from one type of exercise to the next, working different muscle groups, usually in the form of resistance training.

Combining these two techniques, results in greater calorie expenditure, greater muscular endurance, and better overall health. This combination also has a greater after burn effect, meaning it burns more calories for the rest of the day than if you had just performed 45 minutes of aerobic activity alone.

Have you ever known anyone who seems like they complain all the time? A person who, no matter what is going on in their lives, they are never satisfied much less happy? Someone who after a conversation with them you find yourself drained of energy and have adopted a more negative outlook during your day? Have you ever been that person around others? I think it's safe to say that at some point we all have. A wise master teacher once coined this the "plug-in phenomenon."

We go through our days often times paying very little attention to the subjects we speak about, the words we use when we talk, and the manner in which interact with those around us. As a mindfulness practice, I challenge you to start paying attention to the words you speak, and the language you display without speaking. Notice the effect you have on those around you, particularly if you are feeling grumpy or angry. By placing your attention on the negative things of life, you will get more negativity out of life because "where your attention is, is where you are." Taking this as true, then the opposite would be the case; by placing your attention on the positive things in life, you get more positivity out of life.

Utilizing this practice; paying attention to your thoughts and words can open up layer upon layer of self discovery and incredible insight into creating a fulfilling life. Meditation and mindfulness is the key.