Tips for Perfect Posture

posture ranks right up at the top of the list when you are talking about good health. posture is as important as eating right, exercising, getting a good night's sleep and avoiding potentially harmful substances like alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Good posture means your bones are properly aligned and your muscles, joints and ligaments can work as nature intended. Good posture means your vital organs are in the right position and can function at peak efficiency. posture also helps contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous system. Without good posture, you can't really be physically fit.

Surprised? Well, you're not alone. The importance of good posture in an overall fitness program is often overlooked by fitness advisers and fitness seekers alike. In fact, the benefits of good posture may be among the best kept secrets of the current fitness movement. The good news is that most everyone can avoid the problems caused by bad posture...and you can make improvements at any age.

Know Your Curves

The natural state of your back has three curves which form an S.

The first curve of your spine is the cervical (neck) curve. Consisting of seven small, flexible vertebrae that support your skull and the cervical curve tilts slightly forward.

The second curve of your spine is the thoracic (mid back) curve. This curve has 12 vertebrae which are larger and more rigid than the cervical vertebrae. The thoracic curve has a prominent backward curvature.

The third curve of your spine is the lumbar (low back) curve. This curve consists of five massive vertebrae that carry most of the weight of your body. The lumbar curve has a forward tilt.

To keep your spine well-aligned and healthy, you must maintain the balance of these three curves. By maintaining this alignment you minimize stress on the spine, which helps prevent back pain and injury.

yoga Can Help

yoga helps improve your posture in the following ways:

1)Strengthens the muscles that support your spine easier to maintain good posture.
2)Improves the flexibility of your spine, enabling you to maintain good posture throughout different movements.
3)Improves the flexibility of your shoulders, hips and hamstrings, allowing you to maintain good posture without strain.
4)Enhances your body awareness, so you are more conscious of your posture throughout the day.

Better posture Made Simple

Follow these simple steps to quickly improve your posture.
1)Bring your feet parallel, not turned out, and about hip width apart. Bringing your feet parallel engages the muscles in the front of your thighs and keeps your hips, knees and ankles in proper alignment.
2)Reach up through the top of your head, feeling your spine lengthen, getting tall.
3)Bring your pelvis to a neutral position. To find this neutral position, place your hands around your hips, then tuck your tailbone slightly until your pelvis is directly over your thighs, so there is no bend in your hip joints, and theres less sway in your low back. As you tuck your tailbone, you should feel your abdominal muscles engage a bit.
4)Draw your shoulders back and relax them down, bringing your hands in line with the seams of your pants.
5)Level your chin, keeping your head directly over the spot between your shoulders, not forward or back.

Here are some easy ways to check your posture at home:

stand facing a full length mirror and check the following:

1) Your shoulders are level,
2) Your head is straight, not tilted to the side,
3) The spaces between your arms and your sides seem equal on both sides,
4) Your hips are level, not sloped to one side, and
5) Your ankles are straight and not turned in or out.

You can also have someone look at you from the side and check the following:

1) Your head is stacked over your body, not jutting forward or pulled back
2) Your chin is parallel to the floor, not tilting up or down,
3) Shoulders are in line with ears, not drooping forward or pulled back too far,
4) Your hands are in line with hips, not forward or back
5) Your knees are straight, not bent or hyper-extended
6) Your lower back is slightly curved forward, not too flat or curved too much, (creating a swayback)

Do your best to practice these points of posture everyday, and before you know it, your posture will be perfect. To learn more about improving your posture and developing a strong and healthy back, visit: www.yogaforbackhealth.com.

Nancy Wile, Ed.D. is the founder of yoga To Go a yoga organization that provides simple and effective yoga programs for busy people around the world. You can subscribe to her free yoga and fitness newsletter at: www.YogaTG.com.

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Secrets of Paddlewheel Cruises

There is probably no cruise vacation that is more American than traveling by paddleboat along one of American's most majestic rivers. Paddlewheels or steamboats offer unique cruise vacations that take you to some of America's best loved and most scenic cities and sees them as they were meant to be seen--from the water. From the waterways of Alaska to a steamboat down the MIssissippi, the steamboat cruise is the all-American vacation.

The paddlewheeler may sound as American as apple pie and it certainly conjures up thoughts of Mississippi gamblers, dance hall girls, and the American frontier. However, paddlewheel ships actually originated in China and can be found all over the world. Americans in the 19th century took the ancient concept of using a paddlewheel and made two improvements: they moved the wheel to the stern or back of the ship (ancient Chinese vessels had the wheel in the front) and they powered these new vessels with the steam engine.

You can book a paddlewheel cruise from a few different lines. Some of them also feature old-fashioned furnishings and a staff in period costumes. You may also be treated to some themed events during your cruise.

Paddleboats cruised the Mississippi in the 19th century, but most of these ships were working vessels. They carried merchandise as well as passengers up and down the river. Some of the best known ports on the route include St. Louis and Memphis, but the Mississippi runs as far north as Minneapolis and as far south as New orleans, where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

accommodations on these modern versions of paddlewheel cruises tend to go back to the style of the day when travel was more leisurely but also a bit grander. Expect stately touches on the ship and modern amenities along with antique furnishings. one does not grab a bite on a steamboat; it's more typical to dine. While paddlewheelers today do accommodate our modern preference for the casual lifestyle, this is about as far from the "barefoot" cruise as you can get.

In their day, the American steamboats frequently offered gambling, entertainment that for its day was considered racy, and music from a calliope. A calliope is a very loud, steam-operated instrument most frequently associated with the circus. You'll find them on some steamboat cruises today, along with lots of music in the evenings (the type depends a lot on the cruise you take).

Before the Civil war, many Southern plantations along the Mississippi were deliberately built on the river so that they could send their crops more easily to market. Cruising by paddlewheeler allows you to see some of these antebellum mansions the way they were meant to be viewed by a party approaching on the river.

Even many Southern cities on the Mississippi were built to be visited not by land but by waterway. The grand dame of all river cities in the United States remains New orleans. Katrina notwithstanding, New orleans is back. You can visit the french quarter (which abuts the Mississippi River) and at least one major cruise line is using New orleans again as a port.

Probably the best known line for this type of cruise vacation is Majestic America, which offers Mississippi River and other paddlewheel cruises (http://www.majesticamericaline.com).

Paddlewheels also are frequently used on shorter day trips. Brunch cruises, short sightseeing cruises, or even day-long cruises can be found all over the country (including in orlando, a landlocked city). While this can be a great way to sample the experience of a steamboat trip without committing to a cruise, it's not going to be as true a steamboat experience as a multi-day journey on the river.

While the steamboat may seem old-fashioned or even clumsy, their small size and design actually makes them far more maneuverable than larger vessels. Captains typically have a bit more latitude in setting their course and itinerary, meaning that depending on the time of year and the river conditions, the captain may be able to travel to slightly different areas to get the best views of wildlife or other sites of interest.

Don't expect to find lots of passengers; a steamboat cruise will take only a few dozen to possibly a few hundred passengers on any one trip. This means that passengers on a steamboat cruise will get to know each other, interact with each other, and actually rediscover the pastime of conversation. While you won't find as many activities on a steamboat as on a large cruise ship (there won't be a miniature golf course, ice-skating rink, or rock wall), you will find more opportunities to get to know other people.

Since steamboats have always been known for their music, you can usually expect lots of rollicking evening entertainment, from jazz cruises on the Mississippi to other dance bands in the North. Steamboats may be nostalgic and stately but they aren't quiet, especially at night.

And while the Mississippi River cruise has to be the quintessential steamboat experience, you'll also find river cruises that go as far north as Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Washington state and even Alaska. The Alaskan cruises, in particular, boast that they can access ports and areas that are off-limits to the larger cruise ships.

Whether you're looking for a red-white-and-blue cruise experience or just as slightly different spin on the traditional cruise vacation, a paddlewheel cruise in the U.S.A. offers a wonderful vacation experience.

Mandy Karlik is a freelance travel writer and loves to cruise. To learn more about paddlewheel cruises and other cruise options, check out some of her other articles on http://www.thecruise-shopper.com .

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'Tis the Season for Electronics: Gifts for Everyone's Budget

The holiday season is upon us, which can only mean one thing: electronics are at the top of everyone's wish list. Even if you can't snag a new PlayStation 3 or nintendo Wii, there are still many electronics gifts that will delight your recipients. Here are just a few:

cell Phones: cell phone technology continues to improve, as do the features available on cell phones. A new cell phone, complete with a high-res camera, video functionality, and wireless adaptability, is certain to be a welcome gift. If that's beyond your budget, opt for any of the number of cool cell phone accessories that are available.

iPods: An Apple iPod makes the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys music or television, even if they're not tech-savvy. Not only can they download tunes, but increasingly, they can download television episodes that they may have missed. Again, if you can't afford an iPod, there are any number of accessories - from earbuds to "socks" that are adorable and affordable.

Home Theaters: This year, why not indulge the whole family with a home theater? Flat screen TVs have come so far down in price that they're more than worth the splurge. While you're at it, get a collection of DVDs that every family member can enjoy!

car Audio and video: Entertainment has most definitely moved out of the home and into transportation. High-quality car audio and video equipment make wonderful gifts for family members on the go. Everyone can enjoy the high-quality sound that great car audio produces, while the kids in the family will be entertained on road trips with car dvd players.

Computers: For many people, computers aren't a convenience - they're a necessity. Everyone from adults who bring work home with them to students who have to research school papers (and book some time on one or more of the social networking sites!) will treasure a new computer. Again, prices on electronics have come down so much that either a notebook computer or a desktop PC is affordable.

Games: If you're not able to nab one of the new gaming systems, don't worry about it. There are still great games that are made for the Sony PlayStation 2, the nintendo gamecube, and the microsoft xbox and xbox 360. Final Fantasy XII, Guitar hero II, Okami, LEGO Star Wars II, madden nfl 07, and Viva Pinata, are all highly rated games for a variety of interests and age levels.

The bottom line is that, whatever the gift-giving occasion, you can't go wrong with a gift of personal electronics. Your best bet is to find an online source that has deeply discounted electronics, continually adds new items to their inventory, and provides you with the perfect online shopping experience.

Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://www.majon.com

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