Dear Honorable Mayor and CM Khan,

On behalf the Art of Living Houston chapter, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for your support towards creating the memorundum of understanding with HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for bringing health and wellness programs in Houston.

Attached few pictures to cherish memories of the event of this week.

We are commited to work with CM Khan, CM Garcia and the Mayor’s Wellness Council to explore areas where Art of Living programs can be of used towards bringing stress management and increased wellbeing among Houstonians.

Regards,

Mandar
Faculty Member, Art of Living Foundation USA

Looking for a Physical Fitness Challenge? Well, join the exercise challenge as Houston competes with other cities internationally. Get Moving Houston would like to have ONE MILLION EXERCISERS participate in some form of physical exercise for at least 15 minutes on Wednesday, May 21st ! After you have complete your physical fitness activity, report your results by e-mail to challengeday2008@cityofhouston.net no later than Thursday, May 22nd .

If you are a fitness instructor, you may report for their entire class/group. Thanks for helping Houston accept the “Challenge” of International Challenge Day.

Questions? Please contact Doug Earle at doug.earle@cityofhouston.net or 713-845-8075.

Maintaining a healthy weight for life is a great goal to set. Keep these simple tips in mind to help you and your family achieve this goal. You will also feel great about making positive changes to your eating, physical activity and screen time habits. More…

• Make a commitment. You need to make a commitment to yourself and your family to eat nutritious foods, get regular physical activity and reduce recreational screen time.

• Create a support network. It helps to have a network of family, friends and colleagues who will support you in your new lifestyle habits. Let as many people as possible know what your goals are and, hopefully, they will not only support you, but join you.

• Set realistic goals. The best goals are specific, attainable and forgiving (not perfect). “Eat three servings of fruit a day” is a better goal than “eat more fruit”.

• Track progress. Tracking progress can help you and your family feel good about your successes and can show you where you may need to make some changes if everyone is not meeting their goals.

• Learn how to handle setbacks. Expect them. Setbacks usually happen to those who are overconfident and say, “It won’t happen to me!” Being committed, setting realistic goals and being prepared with alternative ideas will help you handle these setbacks with a ‘let’s keep going” attitude.

• Reward yourself. One way to help you and your family stay motivated is to regularly reward yourselves. Choose non-food reward as much as possible. A day at the local lake or beach, or a trip to the park to ride bicycles, roller blade, or fly a kite are family friendly rewards.

In the article titled “What Color is Your Diet?” we encouraged you to consume a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables to help strengthen your immune system, protect against heart disease, cancer, and age-related degeneration. Therefore, to continue with the theme of body, diet and disease prevention, we are going to take a look at the ‘what, where and how’ of essential fatty acids. More…

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Vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber—the good guys in the foods we want to eat. They help build our immune system, protect against heart disease, cancer, macular degeneration and age-related degeneration. So how do you know if you are getting enough of these? Think color and Follow the Rainbow!  Read the rest of this entry »

Are you tired of sitting at your desk throughout the day? Do you feel tension in your neck and back? Do your muscles start to feel tight and your joints become stiff? These are all tell-tale signs that you need some desk-ercise! Exercising at your desk, or desk-ercising, is an easy way to fit fitness into your busy life. A mere 15-minutes of exercise or stretching at your desk (done twice a day to meet the U.S. surgeon general recommendations) can help you feel 100% better, resulting in a happier, more productive you! Try these tips next time you start to feel bogged down by any of the symptoms listed above: Read the rest of this entry »

What does the smoking ordinance mean?
As of September 1, 2007, the City of Houston will implement a new smoking ordinance, restricting smoking in enclosed public spaces, in enclosed workplaces, in seating areas at outdoor events, in covered public transportation facilities, and within 25 feet of building entrances and exits. Read the rest of this entry »