Two-minute Tricks to Boost Your Health

1. Spice up your water. Take a tip from a spa and add a little something to help relax and alkalize your water. Make a pitcher of filtered water with fresh raspberries and lime slices or add cucumber and spearmint leaves into your water bottle for a healthy Zen-on-the-go.



2. Do planks. Before getting into the shower every morning, spend two minutes doing planks. Hold a straight plank for one minute followed by 30-second planks on each side. A strong core is the foundation of a fit, health body, and this is the number one move for it.


3. Dry brush. Two minutes of dry brushing before a shower increases circulation, stimulates the lymphatic system (which moves toxins out of the body), makes your skin glow, and even helps tone and firm your legs and tush. Start with your feet -- brush your skin in a light, circular motion, upwards along the body -- and then hop in the shower.

4. Look at your plate before diving in. Visually take in your food before and while you're enjoying it. This mindfulness practice helps you savor your meal and slows down your eating, and helps you recognize when you are full before overeating, and therefore slim your waistline without having to change a thing!

5. Meditation. Acid reflux, headaches, and even a shorter life expectancy have been linked to stress. And just two minutes of watching your breath or trying one of these easy meditation practices can make a big impact. Meditation helps to reduce stress at the most basic level, and at a deeper level, it leads to a happier, healthier, and more successful life.

6. Add turmeric to your cooking. The benefits of this inflammation-fighting spice are too good not to mention. Turmeric has powerful antioxidants that help fight certain types of cancers, as well as arthritis, psoriasis, and Alzheimer’s. And, studies show it helps reduce the damage done by enjoying high-fat meals.

7. Neck and shoulder release. A tennis ball massage for work- and workout-aholics prevents adhesions and pain in the neck and shoulders where most people have it. Want to try it? Lie on your back, knees up, and place two tennis balls side-by-side at the top of your shoulder blades. Lift your arms to the ceiling, then move arms slowly toward the knees, then toward the wall behind you: instant release!

8. Eat avocados for great skin. Everyones can benefit from the nourishing beauty boost that comes from avocado's rich source of good fats. Eating avocado makes you hydrated from the inside out.

9. Hang from a stall bar. A popular technique associated with barre workouts is to hang from a stall bar. Just two minutes of the stall bar can help reduce lower back pain and yield better posture.

10. Floss. Take two minutes to floss and you will help a lot more than your teeth. There are many studies that link gum disease to heart disease, and of course, it helps with the basics of fresh breath.