Zumba: The workout that turns fitness haters into dance floor enthusiasts
One faithful day in Colombia in the 1990s, a fitness instructor realized he forgot his usual workout playlist and sparked a spontaneous dance session to loud Latin beats instead. This serendipitous move transformed his exercise class into an exhilarating dance party. With that, zumba was born, Read More...
Pilates looks deceptively easy, but here’s why it works wonders
Pilates hit the big time in the mid-2000s when every gym seemed to be offering these classes, and flocks of people ran to participate. The activity was actually invented in the 1920s for rehabilitation, treating people such as soldiers returning from war and dancers to strengthen their bodies while Read More...
Research finds your brain health now could affect your balance later
It should be our goal, everyone’s goal, to live long and to live well. Investing in your later years doesn’t just mean putting away and investing money or buying a house. It means strengthening our relationships, staying mentally and physically active, and utilizing preventative health care. As Read More...
The gene that could stop Parkinson's disease
Scientists are always working tirelessly to figure out new, effective treatments for complex neurological conditions. Here at The Optimist Daily, we’ve reported on many before, such as non-invasive brain surgery for people with epilepsy and using brain signals to allow a man with paralysis to Read More...
Feeling unstable? Here’s how you can test your balance
There’s a lot of talk surrounding work-life balance, being emotionally balanced, and well-balanced diets— but what about actual balance? You know, the physical ability to be able to distribute your weight so that you can recover from tripping or being jostled and stand or move without toppling Read More...
Got debt? Here’s a strategy for paying it off.
According to financial experts, Around 80 percent of American adults are in debt in some shape or form. Whether it’s student loans, medical bills, car payments, credit cards, or mortgages, to put it bluntly, the nation has some bills to pay. With these huge sums lingering over our heads, there's Read More...
This simple yoga pose has 6 great health benefits
Mountain pose, also known as Tadasana, is a foundational pose in yoga practice and one of the simplest to execute, but the benefits it offers for your body are actually quite extensive. Yoga has been shown to reduce stress, improve focus, and yield greater physical health. If you’re looking to Read More...
4 steps to help you leave work at work
Some jobs have very clear lines between when you’re “on” and when you’re “off,” while in others the lines are blurred — or potentially nonexistent. That makes not being distracted by work, especially mentally, a major challenge. If you find yourself struggling to get out of “work Read More...
Restoring balance and harmony: A paradigm shift
If we were to describe the underlying message that we seek to express at the Optimist Daily it would be that we live in a “we-world” not in a “me-world." We recognize and respect the many challenges facing our society, yet too often “doom and gloom” stories are the only kind of news we Read More...