In today’s fast-paced world, finding time to exercise can be challenging. Between juggling work, family, and other responsibilities, hitting the gym often becomes a distant priority. But what if you could fit a workout into your daily routine without needing any equipment and in just 10 minutes? This beginner-friendly, 10-minute home workout is the perfect solution for those with a busy schedule who still want to stay active and healthy.

The 10-Minute Workout Breakdown

This workout consists of a variety of exercises designed to target different muscle groups, improve cardiovascular endurance, and boost flexibility. Each exercise is easy to follow, making it ideal for beginners or those looking to ease back into fitness. Let’s dive into the routine!

Jumping Jacks – 20 Reps

Jumping jacks are a full-body exercise that gets your heart rate up and your blood pumping. Start by standing with your feet together and arms by your sides. Jump your feet out while simultaneously raising your arms overhead, then return to the starting position. Repeat 20 times to get your heart racing and your body warmed up.

High Knees – 20 Reps

High knees are a fantastic way to engage your core while also boosting your heart rate. Stand straight and lift one knee towards your chest, alternating between knees at a quick pace. Keep your arms engaged by swinging them with each step. Perform 20 reps to activate your core and legs.

Squats – 15 Reps

Squats are an excellent exercise for strengthening your lower body, particularly the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself as if sitting back into a chair, keeping your chest upright and knees behind your toes. Rise back to the starting position and repeat for 15 reps. Squats will build strength and tone your legs.

Side Leg Raise – 15 Reps

This move targets your outer thighs and hips, helping to improve stability and balance. Stand upright, holding onto a surface for support if needed. Lift one leg out to the side without bending at the knee, then lower it back down. Complete 15 reps on one side before switching to the other.

Russian Twist – 10 Reps

The Russian twist is a core exercise that strengthens your obliques and improves your abdominal muscles. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet slightly elevated. Lean back slightly and twist your torso to one side, then twist to the other. Do 10 reps, making sure to engage your core muscles.

Donkey Kicks – 10 Reps

Donkey kicks target your glutes and core. Start on all fours and lift one leg, keeping your knee bent, as if you're kicking up toward the ceiling. Lower it back down and repeat for 10 reps before switching to the other leg.

Side Lunges – 10 Reps

Side lunges help build strength in your inner thighs and hips. Step out to one side, bending the knee of the stepping leg while keeping the other leg straight. Push back to the center and switch sides. Complete 10 reps to tone your lower body.

Windshield Wipers – 10 Reps

Lie on your back with your arms extended to the sides and legs lifted toward the ceiling. Slowly lower both legs to one side, keeping them straight, then return to the center and lower them to the other side. Perform 10 reps to strengthen your obliques and lower abs.

Plank – 20 Seconds

The plank is one of the best exercises for core strength. Begin in a push-up position with your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels and hold this position for 20 seconds. This move will challenge your core and improve stability.

Marching Glute Bridge – 20 Reps

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips up into a bridge position. While maintaining this position, lift one leg at a time, as if you're marching in place. Complete 20 reps to strengthen your glutes and hamstrings.

Yoga is a great exercise known for reducing stress and improving overall well-being. But can it also help with thyroid problems? The thyroid is a small gland in your throat that makes hormones vital for your metabolism, body temperature, growth, and even brain development in children. When your thyroid isn't working right, it can affect both your physical and mental health. This article explores how yoga can be a helpful addition to traditional thyroid treatments.

Poses You Can Do

While yoga generally promotes overall health, some poses specifically target the neck and throat area, where the thyroid is located. Stretching and strengthening this region might improve blood flow, though there's no definite proof that these specific poses benefit the thyroid more than others.

It's important to only hold poses as long as you feel comfortable. Many of the poses described below are for those with some yoga experience. You can make them easier with props or by practicing under the guidance of a certified yoga instructor. You can try each of these poses at home with a yoga mat.

Supported Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana)

This advanced pose puts you upside down. Avoid it if you are new to yoga, have high blood pressure, heart issues, glaucoma, or are pregnant. Lie on your back, lift your legs straight up, and push onto your shoulders, supporting your hips with your hands. Keep your body straight and core strong.

Plow Pose (Halasana)

This advanced pose builds core and arm strength, plus spine flexibility. Start like the shoulder stand. Bring your legs over your head to rest your toes on the floor behind you, keeping your lower back supported. If breathing gets hard, slowly stop. A prop under shoulders can make it safer.

Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

This advanced pose stretches your body in the opposite direction after other poses. Don't do it if you have high blood pressure, neck injuries, or glaucoma. Sit, place hands under buttocks, lean back on elbows, and gently drop your head back, lifting your chest.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

This pose is great for strengthening your back. Lie on your back, bring feet close to hips. Press palms into the floor and lift your hips toward the ceiling. You can use your hands on your lower back for support if needed.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

This pose helps make your back and neck more flexible. Lie on your stomach with palms under shoulders. Press into your palms and lift your head and chest off the mat, arching your back. Drop your head back if comfortable.

Boat Pose (Navasana)

Sit with legs out. Lean back slowly, keeping your core strong and back straight. Lift your bent knees, then straighten legs to form a V-shape. Raise arms in line with shoulders. Hold, breathing deeply. Slowly lower arms and legs.

Upward Bow Pose / Wheel Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana)

This pose deeply stretches your chest, back, and neck. Lie on your back, bend knees, and place hands by your head. Press feet and hands, lifting hips and then your head until arms are straight. Hold and breathe.

Supported Headstand Pose (Sirshasana)

This is a very advanced pose for experienced yoga practitioners, always do it with a teacher at first. Kneel, interlace fingers, and place head on mat. Lift knees, walk feet closer, then slowly lift both feet up, balancing on forearms.

Memory loss is an issue many people believe they will only have to face when they are older. However, diseases like dementia can happen to anyone, while it happens very rarely to people at a young age, the choices you make at these formative years have a great impact on your mind. Studies have shown how people who eat too much processed foods, do not engage in social activities and many other unhealthy habits, increase their chances of dementia and other cognitive degenerative diseases.

Just as some choices can increase the chances, there are also habits that can decrease the chances of you getting these diseases.

One of the best ways to decrease your chances of cognitive decline at an early age is by incorporating healthy habits into your life, like eating more plant-based and unprocessed foods, fixing your sleeping habits as well as exercising

A new study published in the JAMA Network Open suggests that regularly riding a bicycle could be a key factor. Research published recently indicates that using a bike for getting around might reduce the risk of dementia by 19% and Alzheimer's disease by 22%.

How Cycling Helps Your Brain

The study also hinted that cycling might even help increase the size of a brain area crucial for memory. Experts explain that cycling is a moderately intense workout that also requires balance. This need for more complex brain activity, compared to simply walking, might be why it's more effective in lowering dementia risk. It's not just about adding exercise to your routine; it's about making active travel part of your daily life. Choosing to bike instead of drive for short trips can significantly contribute to your well-being.

Large Study Shows the Link

To reach these conclusions, researchers analyzed health data from almost 480,000 people in a long-term health study in the UK. Participants shared how they most often traveled, excluding commutes to and from work. Over an average of 13 years, more than 8,800 participants developed dementia, and nearly 4,000 developed Alzheimer’s.

The findings showed a lower risk for both dementia and Alzheimer’s among those who cycled or who combined cycling with other forms of travel like walking, driving, or public transportation. The research team noted that promoting active travel, especially cycling, could significantly benefit public health by offering an accessible and sustainable way to maintain brain health in middle-aged and older adults.

Cycling's Impact on Brain Structure and Genetics

Brain scans (MRIs) further supported the findings, showing that cycling was linked to a larger hippocampus, which is a part of the brain important for forming memories and learning.

However, the benefits of cycling seemed to be strongest for people without a specific genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's (the APOE E4 genetic variant). For these individuals, cycling was associated with a 26% lower risk of dementia and a 25% lower risk of Alzheimer's. The protective effect of cycling was less clear for those with the APOE E4 gene.

Interestingly, the study also hinted that driving a car offered some protection against dementia when compared to using public transportation like buses or subways. This suggests that even less active forms of travel might have some brain health benefits over passive modes.

Important Considerations and Future Advice

It's important to remember that this study observed a connection, but it doesn't directly prove that cycling causes healthy brain aging. Still, the message is clear: anything that gets you outdoors and active is beneficial for your brain. It's not just the physical movement, but also the balance and the way it engages different parts of your brain. If you're able to ride a bike, it's recommended. If not, walking is still highly encouraged. The key takeaway is to choose an active way to move your body whenever possible.

Do you often worry about twisting your ankle? Are you experiencing foot pain, balance issues, or decreased mobility as you get older? These could all be signs that your ankles are weak. While you may not notice it as much, ankles are a big part of our balance and strength foundation. They support our movements, whether it is walking, running, stretching, or even simple flexing.

When our ankles grow weak, things and situations start changing, however you may not realize it may be due to your weak ankles. You may be getting into situations like twisting your ankles more often, experiencing pain during normal movements, etc. The Cleveland Clinic explains that weak ankles have a great effect on your knees and hips. They explained that deficient ankles cause more strain on your knees as well as the internal rotation of your hips, ultimately making it difficult to walk. However, it can be improved.

Yoga Poses for Strong Ankles

The good news is that you can actively work to strengthen these crucial ankle muscles and the connective tissues around them. This effort will not only help prevent injuries but also significantly improve your balance and overall movement. Here are some yoga poses you can do to improve your ankle health.

Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

This pose involves kneeling and arching your back, reaching for your heels. It strengthens the front of the ankles and feet while also improving overall stability and flexibility in the lower body. As you press your shins and tops of your feet into the ground, your ankles engage to support the pose.

Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Imagine sitting in an invisible chair. This pose deeply engages the muscles in your calves and ankles as you lower your hips. It builds strength in the entire foot and ankle complex, improving stability and endurance, which are crucial for preventing ankle rolling during daily activities or sports.

Child's Pose (Balasana)

While primarily a resting pose, Child's Pose can gently stretch the top of your feet and ankles, especially if you sit back on your heels. It helps to release tension and improve flexibility in the ankle joint, which is important for overall ankle health and reducing stiffness.

Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

This seated pose involves stacking your knees. While the main focus is on the hips, the feet and ankles are gently stretched and aligned. It encourages external rotation in the ankles and can help release tension, improving overall ankle mobility and preventing common stiffness that can lead to injury.

Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

Standing on one leg while wrapping the other around it, Eagle Pose is a powerful balance pose that significantly challenges and strengthens the stabilizing muscles around your standing ankle. It builds incredible ankle stability, proprioception (your body's awareness in space), and improves overall balance, making your ankles more resilient against twists and sprains.

Easy Pose (Sukhasana)

A simple cross-legged seated pose, Easy Pose might seem basic, but it's foundational for ankle flexibility. It gently stretches the ankles and feet, improving comfort in seated positions and maintaining mobility in the joint. This consistent gentle stretching helps prevent stiffness that can contribute to weak ankles.

Eight-Angle Pose (Astavakrasana)

This advanced arm balance requires significant core and arm strength, but it also heavily relies on strong and flexible ankles to hook around the arm and support the body's weight. It dramatically builds strength and control in the entire ankle joint, demanding high levels of stability and engagement.

Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)

This standing balance pose involves extending one leg forward or to the side. It greatly challenges the stabilizing muscles of your standing ankle. Holding this pose strengthens the ankle's ability to maintain balance and withstand shifts in weight, crucial for preventing common ankle injuries during movement.