Don’t just talk the talk...walk the walk!

Taking a brisk 30-minute walk every day will do you a world of good. Whether you’re hoofing it to work or around a park trail, walking is one of the easiest ways to exercise and it can help you live longer. You can even benefit from a few shorter 10-15 minute walks if carving a half-hour out of your busy day feels prohibitive.

In addition to burning calories, walking strengthens your muscles, bones and joints, improves your blood pressure, and helps manage chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, insomnia and arthritis - plus it can even boost your mood for a couple hours.

Good posture is key to getting the most from your walk. Walk with your head up, looking forward. As you move, relax your neck and shoulders, keep your back straight, and tighten your stomach muscles slightly. Let your arms swing freely with your elbows bent a little, or you can pump them a bit for a more aerobic walk. Roll your feet from heel to toe with each step.

Be sure to choose shoes with good arch support and flexible, shock-absorbent soles. Begin your walk with 5 minutes at a slower pace to warm up your muscles, then end your walk the same way to help your muscles cool down.

A few gentle stretches AFTER you’re done (not before you start) will decrease your risk of injury or cramps, as well as make your walks easier and more productive over time.

If you haven't been moving or exercising much, you should start your new commitment to daily brisk walks slowly with just 5-10 minutes per day, then increase your time each week by 5 minutes. Once you have a half-hour mastered – go ahead and work towards an hour, you can do it!

Juicing without a juicer

You don’t need to spend a ton of money on a fancy juicing machine that just takes up more counter space. With a regular kitchen blender, you can easily and quickly enjoy all the nutritional benefits of juicing your fresh fruits and vegetables. You can also use a fine-mesh strainer to remove any residual pulp after blending, but keeping that fiber in your drink is much more nutritious. Fiber feeds the good bacteria in your gut for a healthier colon.

Here’s a recipe for a great-tasting green juice that packs a delicious dose of iron, magnesium and potassium, as well as vitamins A, B6, C, D and K.

• 1 handful each spinach and kale (stems and all!)
• 2-3 stalks celery 
• 2 small peeled and chopped carrots
• 1/2 unpeeled, cored and chopped apple 
• Several thin slices of ginger
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 cup water

Add the water to the blender, then add your fresh, organic vegetables and fruits in any order. Pulse and blend with each addition until liquified. Pour into a glass, pulp and all, and enjoy immediately to get the most nutrition. If you prefer, you can pour it through a fine mesh strainer first, but don’t pass up the important health benefits of all that great fiber! Your juice will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Juicing can give you a whole day’s worth of fruit and vegetable servings in just one 12-ounce glass. You’re also more likely to enjoy a wider variety of fresh produce that you might not otherwise have in your diet. The variety is important for ensuring you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to repair damaged cells, prevent disease…plus it helps you look and feel younger!

Drinking juice gives you plenty of energy, too – with its abundance of live enzymes, vitamins and minerals, juice is like a natural (and much healthier) version of Red Bull.