When I think of jumping rope I remember double-dutch during recess and the fun I had trying to add a twist, or a new one-foot jump.  I also think of how ripped Hillary Swank looked in “Million Dollar Baby,” and all of the boxing movies I’ve seen where a toned athlete is jumping over the rope so quickly you can barely see the leather cord as it flies under his feet.

As an adult, and a fitness fanatic, I am always looking for a new way to stay fit.  And to my delight, jumping rope has some grown-up benefits – and challenges!  Jumping rope at a modest pace (70-120 turns per minute) burns as many calories as running a 10-minute mile (150-200 calories in 15 minutes).  Jumping rope uses your entire body and especially tones your shoulders, lower arms and legs.  It also provides an endurance challenge that rivals any other form of exercise.  But mastering the rope is a challenge, one that turns many people off.

“I kept tripping over the rope,” says Brad LaTour, creator of JumpSnap the first ropeless jump rope system.  After using JumpSnap “starting at just 10 minutes a day,” LaTour lost 50 pounds.  The JumpSnap eliminates the rope, giving you freedom to try more complex moves (such as a lunge-jump), and giving the same calorie benefits as a traditional rope.  Kim Lyons, a trainer on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” is a JumpSnap fan, and is partnering with LaTour to release a JumpSnap Slim system of DVDs this fall.

For traditionalists, I recommend the RopeSport system.  This high-octane freestyle jump rope workout is set to house music, and the instruction and music in the DVDs and MP3s keep you pumped as you incinerate calories.  But anyone can begin with just a traditional rope (costing you between $5-$25, you just can’t beat the price).   Jump ropes are travel friendly as well, making them ideal for a business trip or vacation.  All you need is your rope and enough space to twirl it overhead (unless you are using the ropeless JumpSnap, in which case you can use it anywhere).

I have run 5 marathons, but jumping rope for 20 minutes wiped me out!  And the best part about is it that it’s fun.  Give me a jump rope, open space and some great music over running on a treadmill any day. 

For the Ladies this is something special just for you! Heart and Core has engineered the most supportive bra I have ever worn in my life! I have never felt so lifted and had so much support! The founder is actually given my readers $10 off of their purchase and $5 as a flat rate to ship what you order. All you have to do is put bethfan in the promotional code box! This deal is through the month of September so get on it! Yeah! It pays to be healthy people.  You better get it before they are in stores and you are paying retail!  www.heartandcore.com

This month I’d also love to share some information about Foot Solutions/ Balance Walking. Terry shared with me a fantastic way to walk, burn double the calories, and be able to utilize my arms in the process. This is an exercise that is great no matter what level of fitness you are on. I was there with my 7 and 11 yr olds. They loved it! I also saw elderly people doing it as well! Check out the site so you can get your walk on and tell them Beth Payne sent you www.balancewalking.com

Goji Berries: The Super-Food You’re Not Eating.

By E.Chan

They contain 18 amino acids (building blocks for protein), more Beta Carotene than carrots, more iron than spinach, 21 trace minerals, more Vitamin C than oranges, and a unique polysaccharide shown to increase Human Growth Hormone (essential for weight-loss and anti-aging).  So what are they?

Goji Berries. Grown in the valleys of Tibet and Mongolia, these berries are a true super food.  In its native region, the Goji berry is celebrated during a yearly two-week festival for it’s healing properties.   In fact, it is well documented that many people in these regions live free of common diseases, and have for over 100 years! 

Eating the mild, tangy dried berries raw is the most popular, and potent way to enjoy this fruits healing properties.  You can also boil the berries to make a tea, or use them the way you would use raisins in trail mix, cereal and baking.  Goji berries are also available in juice form, allowing you to mix the juice with some sparkling water for a sweet and sour refreshment, or to shoot it like wheatgrass.  Just make sure your berries are pesticide free (certified organic), and your juice is free of added sugar and color.

Two of our favorite brands are The Tibetan Goji Berry Company (www.gojiberry.com) and Navitas Naturals (www.navitasnaturals.com).

Why Aromatherapy Heals

By E.Chan

Aromatherapy – the use of plant extracts for healing and medical benefits – was first documented by Dioscordies in his “De Materia Medicia,” and modern scientific evidence supporting the healing properties of aromatherapy is growing.  So here are the top 5 reasons to try aromatherapy today:

1.   To improve sleep.  In a study by the “British Medical Journal Lancet,” patients with sleep problems “slept like babies” when lavender was wafted through the room.  Get the same effect by spraying diffused lavender on your sheets, or placing dried lavender in a vase on your nightstand.

2.  To fend off colds.  Nancy Engle of Sunny Window (www.sunnywindow.com) developed her “Cold & Flu” spray in response to the rise of swine flu.  The oils in her spray have proven medicinal and anti-bacterial properties. 

3.  To ease sore muscles.  Properly applied, essential oils Arnica, Cayenne, Rosemary and Ginger have been found to reduce swelling, alleviate joint and muscular pain, and warm and comfort muscles.  After your next hard workout, try putting an Arnica patch from Naturopatch of Vermont (which contain all of the oils above and Lemongrass to act as a sedative) on your aching muscles for instant relief.

4.  To relax and calm.  Animal studies of hyper-stimulated mice have shown that the use of Sandalwood and Lavender oils sprayed into their cages calmed the mice down significantly.  So next time you are preparing for a meeting or feeling stressed, light a Sandalwood or Lavender candle and take some deep, soothing breaths.

5. To energize!  There is nothing like citrus in the morning to perk you up.  When you are feeling sluggish, cut off a piece of pink grapefruit rind, warm the rind between your fingers, releasing the energizing oils in the pink grapefruit’s skin, and take a big whiff.  You may not need that double espresso after all.

HardTail Forever, Eco-Friendly Fitness Gear

By E.Chan

Known for their trendy yet fashionable clothing Hard Tail was a natural choice for the Power Player Magazine team.  Founded in 1991 in Santa Monica, Calif. by Dick Cantrell (who’s daughter is a yoga instructor), Hard Tail is a high-end active wear line expert at utilizing body flattering seams, folds and vibrant colors. 

The collection includes yoga and workout gear, jackets, dresses, shirts, skirts, pants and even scarves.  But the design this company is most known for is their classic roll-down pant.  It is near impossible to attend a yoga class without seeing this pant in several colors and dyes (from tie-dye to solid black to ombré).  This pant has been the company’s signature piece for the past 16 years because the classic design is flattering to all body types. 

Cantrell manufactures the entire Hard Tail line in the U.S.A., and in the spring of 2008 launched an eco friendly line.  The Hard Tail Green Label blends the styles and colors Hard Tail is known for with eco-friendly fabrics and dye processes.

Hard Tail has many fans including Nicole Kidman, Hillary Duff, Marcia Cross and Eva Longoria and now the Power Player Magazine team.  Your can learn more about Hard Tail by visiting www.hardtailforever.com.  Hard Tail is sold at finer department stores and boutiques around the world.

September is here and it is time to get on a Good Foot towards a healthier you! Since the beginning of time man has depended on his feet to get him everywhere! What’s ironic is that our feet are often neglected based on our horrible choices in shoes! You know the ones that go with your outfit but have nothing to do with your shoe size! Most people’s entire bodies are dependent on the smallest bones to take them everywhere. The feet not only carry bones but they also carry the sensors that are connect to your entire body! These nerve endings can send messages to your entire body based on where they are located in the feet! Everything from circulation, digestion, fatigue, stress-related conditions, infertility, migraine headaches, back pains, sports injuries, congestion, hormonal disorders, multiple sclerosis and the list goes on. 

What is going to help your feet YOU ASK? According to my Alternative Medicine Doctor, Dr. Bruce Ferguson, it is Reflexology. “This is a gentle therapeutic stress reliever that starts at the bottom of your feet and works its way throughout your nervous system through your spinal cord. This  all is started from small energy forming fibers at the souls of your feet. They are connected to different organs in the body. When your body is relaxed your blood vessel constriction is reduced. This treatment also causes a break up of excessive uric acid settled in the feet.”  It is awesome for everyone but it is great for those who suffer from a number of disorders and the benefits are endless! Get monthly manicures and pedicures at least! It’s not for just the Ladies, Fellas get it done! You need to keep those cuticles pushed back and nails trimmed too! The message is great for your circulation for both your hands and feet. Just make sure you go to places that are good, clean and sterilize their tools! If not it could be a fungus amongst your feet! So you get what you pay for!

“Its Time to Lay Hands”

Hands touch more than the law should ever allow! The germs that our hands are exposed to on a daily basis from interacting with people, touching doorknobs, the gym, money, and children just to name a few can be shocking! You should always wash your hand before putting them anywhere near your face or food! Diarrhea, stomach flu, skin disorders and colds are all brought on many times by the Germs you have on your hands. If you teach your children the proper way to clean up and wash there hands before and after they eat and are in the kitchen! They can infest your whole house by touching your refrigerator handles and any thing else you can image! Make them wash!  

They should wash before they come out of the Bathroom as well regardless of what the do in there. The likelihood of your entire family getting sick will be few and far between. Some of you will have to reeducate your husbands as well! Hey, don’t you panic just explain to them they could get a nice intestinal infection and get a cramp only a physician can heal. Now you should always Moisturize and protect your hand from the elements! There are plenty of great creams on the market! You should also breakout the gloves when you are gardening and cleaning! You only get two hands lets take care of them so they can take care of you! ATTENTION:  People publicly blowing there nose must stop! That is just disgusting and fowl. Do it in the bathroom! If you have never been told, now you know! Germs Spread by your nose blowing and nobody wants to hear it or catch what germs you have flying out of your nose! You blow your nose in the bathroom so you can wash your hands too. Ok that was a public service announcement from me to you! Use it wisely.

Beth Payne Your Healthy Lifestyle Coach,  here to help you to discover ways to Get Your Life Right and to Live Healthy from the Inside Out trailblazer, Beth Payne, transcends generations, social, and ethnic barriers. “I am a visionary who projects positive energy to change the way people examine themselves and each other. My dream is to give a sense of hope and create a spirit of strength that will encourage those who need encouragement. I want to show people you can mess up, but you don’t have to repeat the same mistakes. I want to refresh minds, heal wounds, and inspire people to dream....... Power-Up with Beth at www.bethpayne.com

"IT FACTOR" 

Health Experience by Beth Payne

I had the pleasure of attending the Idea World Fitness Convention in Anaheim, Calif. It was Amazing! The founder’s goal is to inspire the change by providing the tools to take education to the next level. They did just that! Idea World Fitness Convention provided information for business owners, trainers, and people who seek career opportunities in the wellness+ fitness market who wish to inspire change for themselves and their clients. There were infused waters, vitamin supplements, nutritional bars, hydration powders, workout apparel, shoes, equipment, trainers, and innovative workouts, educational classes on everything, and the newest products on the market! You have got to go to the next one! There was so much that we couldn’t have it in just one issue so stay tuned! I have at least four Hot “It Factor” items you must check out!