Eliminate Stress and Improve the Quality of Your Life

If you’re looking to improve your life quality, there are a few actions you can take that come to mind.

Understand that life quality isn’t just the things we have control over. Some of what impacts us can also be an external force or motivator, and they each have different impacts on us.

For example, stress from a job, especially when you have to take on some leadership roles and tackle tricky situations and make difficult decisions, can lead to external pressures.

Perhaps you have to downsize or fire a team member and are afraid to take that action, or maybe you fret over the decisions you make, knowing that an error in judgment can impact the lives of all the members of your organization.

Look, we’re all human. It’s impossible to be in a position of having to make a difficult decision and not have some level of stress.

The key is to understand its damage and what we can do about it.

Whatever it is that you stress about, the reality is that stress can have significant impacts on our wellbeing.

So what can be done to minimize the stress in our lives and make us more effective in our roles and responsibilities?

Three words. Diet, exercise, and sleep.

The Benefits Of Diet, Exercise, And Sleep

Understand first that there are different types of stress, and they each do other things to our bodies and minds.

The first type of stress is the most obvious, which is harmful and is called distress. Over time, negative stress can weaken the immune system, impair brain function, and contribute to significant health issues making this form of stress a primary need for us to focus on changing.

This type of effect can manifest itself in insecurity, anxiety, fear of the unknown, job loss or performance, the tragic loss of a loved one, and many other ways.

Eustress, or positive stress, is the lesser-known and felt stress type. Positive stress can be an action that inspires, motivates, challenges, and strengthens us. Examples of positive stress are marriages, pregnancy, job promotions, recognition of achievements, and many others.

The most damaging of these two stressors is the negative form, and that is what we need to focus on eliminating as much as possible from our lives.

Diet

The saying, “we are what we eat” is as true today as it was when it was first coined.

Our bodies need high-quality proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins to survive.

Protein is the building block of all life, and high-quality proteins strengthen bones and muscles and provide large sources of energy.

Carbohydrates provide fuel in both short bursts and sustained energy and offer a large amount of fiber in the diet, which aids with digestion and weight control.

Fats, especially good fats that are found in fish, lean proteins, olive oils, and avocados, are the way your body sustains energy over a long period, aids in brain function, as well as nerve conduction.

The best time of the day to eat and eat well is breakfast. Studies show that people who have a balanced breakfast show improved mental function, have improved energy, and are typically healthier than those that skip this meal.

A good strategy is to start your day with a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fruit. Eggs with bacon and avocado, a cereal made from whole grains like oatmeal, and fruit are great suggestions.

Exercise

Not everyone is a workout wonk. I get it.

But exercise does have some significant benefits for the body.

In fact, daily exercise for 30-minutes a day is thought to increase life expectancy and longevity. Additional benefits are improved cardiovascular health, muscle development and bone density, weight control, improved immune system, increased stamina, better energy levels, more profound and more prolonged sleep, and elevated moods.

Sleep

Of the three areas we need to focus on for a better quality of life, sleep is often the one we sacrifice first and the easiest. Why is it that we can be exhausted and skip an hour of sleep and think we’ll be better off for it?

Sleep serves as the way for the body and mind to heal and recuperate, aids in digestion, and reduces stress.

That’s right. We need rest to reduce our stress. If you’re in any leadership position, you probably are already under a lot of stress, so finding mechanisms to sleep better longer is critical for your well-being.

5 Tips for Improving Your Wellness Routine

In a time when there seems to be a new diet every day, some new miracle pill around every corner, and an opinion out of every mouth, trying to keep up and improve your wellness routine can feel a little overwhelming. Thankfully, there are some evergreen tips out there! We’ve put together our five favorites that will help you to improve your wellness routine right away.

Take it outside.

There have been so many studies done that prove the sights and sounds of nature have substantial health benefits. (Even just a weekend away camping can completely reset your sleep schedule and leave you feeling rejuvenated!) Sunlight has also long-since been proven to help boost your immune system. So if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to boost your wellness routine, go outside! Whether you want to have your morning cup of tea on the porch or do your yoga routine in the backyard, you’ll soon feel that much better.

Have daily vitamins and supplements.

Starting a new daily vitamin and supplement regimen can help you feel amazing. For example, daily CBD tablets are a natural way to alleviate anxiety, pain, and acne. Collagen can help your skin and hair, and iron can help your nails grow healthy and long. Vitamins D and B are also essential for your body to process and function properly. Check with your doctor before you’re on any medications or have any medical conditions and always make sure that your vitamins and supplements won’t interact with any medicines that you may be taking.

Going all-natural.

Typically, natural is better. This can be as simple as switching to natural and organic foods or making sure that the vitamins you take are natural. You can also start cutting out toxic artificial sweeteners and replace them with healthier, natural sweeteners like agave, honey, and dates. Not only will you see any extra weight melt away, but your body will feel younger and rejuvenated. A little-known fact is that you can absorb unnatural chemicals from the clothes you wear, too, so consider opting for natural fabrics, as well!

Stretch your routine.

Doing dynamic stretches for 5-10 minutes before you workout and static stretching for 5-10 minutes after your routine can be beneficial. Not only does it help to relieve muscle tension, but it can also leave you more flexible and limber. Between lengthening your muscles and increasing your flexibility, it can help your workout be that much more effective (meaning you will see the results even more quickly!)

Eat well and don’t hop from diet-to-diet.

Eating whole foods, eating every meal, and having healthy snacks throughout the day can help you stay awake, energized, and put on the right kind of weight – muscles! It may be tempting to go from diet-to-diet, but doing so can have adverse side effects. Learning how to eat healthily and well is much more beneficial for you than any specific diet plan.

While these are pretty easy tips to incorporate, it’s important to note that you shouldn’t make any huge changes without talking to your doctor first. Only you and your doctor know what’s best for you and your body. But should you decide to take your wellness more seriously – and your doctor approves – these should help you get to your next new best quickly and easily.

Live Better Through Natural Living

Natural living is more than a saying. It’s prioritizing what’s necessary for a healthy life and focusing on those things that are beneficial to a higher quality of life.

For some, a higher quality of life may be the ability to travel to far-off destinations and explore the wonders of the world. For others, the definition of a better life includes time to spend with loved ones, showering them in our love, and appreciating the memories being made.

Whatever your definition of a higher quality of life, the foundation is by adopting positive behaviors and beliefs. One of the keys to that is to focus on a more natural way of living.

What do I mean by natural living?

Natural Living Defined

Natural living means to be in harmony with the earth and choosing only to use sustainable, non-toxic, organic products rather than synthesized products. It focuses on the type of refuse we leave behind and the impacts on the environment that occur when making the product and foods we use.

For example, too often, cleaning products are made from harsh, toxic chemicals that may harm you and your family’s health over time. Choosing non-toxic ways and cleaning products that reduce your carbon footprint as well as eliminate any potential poisons from your home is a good tactic.

In fact, I made a video that walks you through how to clean your bathroom with non-toxins that illustrate the benefits of using sustainable products without compromising cleanliness.

Natural living is gaining traction throughout society, and the more people subscribe to that philosophy, the larger the impact on prices will be. Natural Living isn’t just for the rich, though processed foods are cheaper, they come with a hidden cost, impacting your health over time.

Positive Changes That Impact Our Lives And Our World

The health-cost of malnutrition and treatment options will far outweigh the grocery bill, so pivoting to healthier food alternatives is crucial for your health and wallet.

Most foods can be substituted for healthier alternatives, and some don’t even cost that much to replace. Switching to a plant-based diet can be more affordable than the processed foods we are constantly bombarded with at the grocer, on TV, and everywhere we go.

Another way to make a positive change in your life with the concept of natural living is to change your consumption of non-sustainable products. There is a whole slew of alternatives to many products, and a list of organic health products that cover a wide array of products from beauty, to cleaning, to mental health can be easily found online.

Taking an approach that prioritizes self-care is another way to shift toward a more natural living philosophy. We know that stress can build up and have subtle but severe effects on our health, and finding strategies to minimize that in our lives is crucial to a better life.

Establishing positive habits in our lives builds momentum to continue along that path. Whether it’s beginning to use more sustainable products in our homes, establishing an exercise routine, or taking time for mindfulness, these small actions start to take root. They are the foundation of the tree of natural living philosophy.

In other words, one small action creates energy that becomes another action. The series of chain-reactions creates a positive energy that we can build upon as we choose a better way to live.

Small Actions Create Major Change

Small actions and positive thoughts build upon themselves and become self-sustaining over time. As we adopt one new positive habit, we can add another one, then another, until we’ve established positive practices in our lives. The concept of natural living is a philosophy we can choose to live better and healthier.

Natural living is a philosophy, and we can take small actions daily toward living better.

It’s good for the environment, and it’s good for our health. To make the change to natural living is a process that starts with one small change than another. That chain of positive changes will create a momentum all its own, and one that will better our lives and our planet at the same time.

Natural Living For A Healthier You

Natural living is a philosophy that focuses on being responsible for the environment, prioritizing organic and sustainable options, and avoiding any toxins in products and packaging.

It’s a philosophy that strives to make less of a negative impact on our surroundings and places importance on living in harmony with the natural world around us.

From food to consumer products, cleaning materials, personal care, and alternative therapies, natural living offers an environmentally friendly solution for everyone.

When shopping for a sustainable solution, the first thing to do is read the ingredient label for organic, natural sources. Next, look for a PETA certification, a symbol that certified the packaging to be made of recyclable materials and avoids any chemical toxins in the label.

The process of living naturally is a habit and one that doesn’t happen overnight. Yes, you could throw out all your toxic, non-sustainable products in your house, but that doesn’t mean that you’re immediately living a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

To make a positive impact in your life, there are a few suggestions: repurposing old packaging, choosing a more active way of life, and considering natural remedies and alternative therapies before traditional medicinal options.

Repurpose Old Packaging Rather Than Toss It Out

Think about all the packaging waste you just tossed out!

Instead, you can repurpose some of those items and use them around the house for things other than their design.

For example, you can use an empty laundry detergent bottle, cut off the top, rinse it, and use it as a planter for some herbs or flowers.

You can decorate the planter and place it on a shelf or outside along a wall for a flowery garden rather than toss out the empty plastic that will just sit in a landfill.

As you change to an eco-friendly lifestyle, you will need to look at other solutions to your daily activities that are more suited to your new way of living.

Examples are switching from a meat-oriented diet to a plant-based menu or switching from your regular hair care to more natural hair products and personal care solutions.

Take A Hands-on Approach To Healthier Living

Changing your purchasing decisions to make them more sustainable is just one step.

There are a few daily habits and rituals you can do as well.

Journal

From industry leaders to artists and even Presidents, a daily journal is a way for you to write out your thoughts and dreams. Doing this practice every morning is a great way to focus the mind, open up creativity, and explore your subconscious thoughts and bring them to the conscious mind.

Meditate

Take 15 minutes every day to focus on slowly breathing and directing your attention to the soothing sounds of the breath as you inhale and exhale. This daily practice will relax the body and calm the mind.

A relaxed body has less stress, lowered blood pressure, slower heart-rate, and deeper respiration. This process will allow you to focus your mind on the moment, eliminate outside anxiety, and is part of the practice of mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a state of consciousness focused on the moment and not too far into the past or worries about the future.

Exercise

Adding a daily exercise routine should be part of your plan for healthier living. Combining exercise with meditation such as yoga or Tai Chi is a great way to improve your heart rate while also clearing your mind. The World Health Organization recommends that you exercise daily, even with activities such as a light walk or hike.

Unplug

Take time away from electric devices to clear your mind and direct your attention. The brain acts like a muscle. The more it’s challenged, the stronger it becomes, and taking information and stimuli in a passive form such as screens and TVs makes the brain lazy. You need to stimulate the brain through reading, physical movement, arts, and crafts to stretch and grow.

Natural Remedies And Alternative Therapies

For minor aches and pains, or sleep issues, trying a natural remedy is a great option. CBD and THC oils are often reviewed well on websites like Herald Net for treatment of these symptoms. They offer pain reduction and deeper sleep patterns and can be taken in a variety of different ways. Pure CBD oil is the most popular of these oils as they do not have the intoxicating effects often associated with cannabis.

Acupuncture and massage therapies can help with muscle ache and joint pain. Adding Turmeric and other natural ingredients may aid with digestive issues and healing.

Considering a more natural lifestyle is easier to maintain once you dedicate your behaviors to making that change. Take it slow, make one change at a time, and as it becomes permanent, you can focus on another action to change.

How To Improve The Quality Of Your Sleep

Even as things have slowed down in the past year, some studies show people at home are getting less quality sleep than before the pandemic. Studies show that people get more sleep, just less quality sleep, which is problematic.

Issues that may arise from poor sleep are increased risk of heart attack or stroke, lowered immune system, obesity, onset diabetes, and decreased mental function and wellbeing.

On average, researchers note that people are sleeping 15-minutes more per night during the pandemic than prior but that sleep lacks a deep sleep necessary for the benefits of that increased time to take hold.

One of the main issues is that people are having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep due to different stress levels.

Stress can be a subtle issue that can affect our moods, heart health, increase the risk of illness, decrease mental function, and increase the chance of depression.

3 Changes To Make And Get Better Sleep

To tackle getting better sleep, we need to consider focusing on improving our health, and there are three things to consider.

Improve Your Diet

First, change your diet and eat healthier. Salty or sugary foods impact the digestion of more natural sources of nutrition. Your body will break down the sugary sources first, leaving carbohydrates and starches to accumulate in the body as fats. Over time these fats build-up and can wreak havoc on your cardiovascular and digestive health and make you feel tired and sluggish but unable to sleep.

Eating well can lead to a whole host of improvements in your health and sleep habits. Sometimes sleep issues are derived from what we eat, causing allergies to digestive problems or even causing imbalances in our neurochemistry that impact our health.

Exercise Daily

Next, create an exercise regiment. Exercise will help you burn off any excess energy, tax your muscles and cardiovascular system, strengthen bones, and increase stamina. As a result, you’ll be able to eliminate additional stress from the body, making it possible to relax faster and get better quality sleep.

Exercise should be something that you enjoy and an activity you can maintain for a longer duration. Too often, people start an aggressive workout routine, become too sore, or injured to continue with it. The best strategy is to start slow and consult a professional to develop the right plan for your specific needs and health condition.

Get More, uh, Sleep

Third, get more sleep. I know this is a no-brainer, but increasing your overall sleep by 30 minutes a day will give your body more time to reach a deep REM sleep that works to regenerate and recuperate the body.

The reality is that we need to work on our rest by sleeping smarter.

Creating a sleep program is a good start.

Begin by having a period of time before sleeping designed to help you relax, whether that is doing some meditation, taking a bath, or other activity that soothes you and calms your thought process. Stay away from screens, tv, and alcohol right before bedtime as these all affect different parts of the brain and may impact our quality of sleep.

Another thing to do is make sure that the bedroom is for sleeping. Your brain will recognize patterns in your behavior, and how it establishes its concept of your bedroom, whether it’s seen as relaxing or stimulating, goes a long way toward the quality of sleep you may have.

Finally, taking natural sleep remedies can offer short, and long-term solutions to your sleep issues. Various natural sleep remedies range from valerian root, melatonin, passionflower, and more.

One of the best sleep aids to consider is using CBD byproducts and oils and using a CBN product.

Why does cannabis aid in sleeping? Many different benefits range from ease of pain and insomnia and create a sense of relaxed and anti-inflammatory properties.

CBD refers to cannabidiol, the active ingredient in cannabis derived from the hemp plant. Meanwhile, CBN refers to the byproduct of THC as it ages. It is the abbreviated form of cannabinol, a non-intoxicating compound. A good option for someone who wants the benefits associated with cannabinoids but doesn’t want to experience the intoxicating effects would be to explore taking a CBN isolate. There are many products available on the market specifically geared towards relaxation and sleep.

5 Common Diabetes Myths Debunked

Laughter is the best medicine- unless you are diabetic, then insulin comes pretty high on the list.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes, I initially found my symptoms subtle. At first, I was delighted that I was losing weight without making efforts. I blamed excess caffeine for frequent urination and undying thirst, while stress was accused of the physical discomfort. I was on vacation enjoying homemade food and sweets ceaselessly. Everything seems fine unless I was startled with the fact that I have diabetes. I rushed to the best diabetologist in Karachi and started my diabetes control journey.

What is diabetes?

In the public eye, diabetes is viewed as a life-threatening disease accompanied by higher sugar level and incurable thrust. Well, being diagnosed with a chronic disease feels like an unwanted loss and unpredictable event that compromises one’s self-sufficiency.

No matter how many diabetics’ inspirational stories you hear; nothing can actually prepare you for it. As a diabetic, I can relate to the fact that this disease comes with several ups and downs and is more of a roller coaster ride. Diabetes management goes more than pricking your finger multiple times a day and avoiding sugars.

Common myths about diabetes

Combating disease and dealing with symptoms isn’t the only problem in living with diabetes; you should be ready for the never-ending free advice. Well, it seems like people who don’t have diabetes know more than the sufferers. You can literally find everyone around you has an opinion about diabetics either from the scary diabetic stories or incalculable health advice.

Facing all these situations, it compels me to reveal the truth to dispel some of the most common myths regarding diabetes.

1- Having diabetes means you can’t eat sugar

I wonder if any diabetes sufferer hasn’t been asked this question. Let me make it clear that having diabetes doesn’t mean that you cannot consume sugar. Although diabetes is usually characterized by high sugar levels in the body, it doesn’t mean that you can’t consume sugar. In no way modern diabetologists ban sugar intake, however, there are safety limits for taking sugar.

2- Insulin intake can cause weight gain

Though many people who are on insulin shots tend to gain weight insulin shouldn’t be held responsible for it. Let me explain this or you, when you are not taking insulin you are losing sugar via urination as your blood sugar level is high.

However, when you start taking insulin, it enables your body to retain those sugars adding to your daily calorie budget. So, even if you are consuming an equal number of calories as before, you will still gain weight.

3- Insulin intake can cause blindness

This myth stems from the observation that people who receive insulin after the onset of severe complications developed blindness. Insulin is a lifesaver drug with fewer side effects and can significantly lower blood sugar levels. However, it can’t help to relieve the complications that are already set in your body.

4- If you are overweight, you will get the diabetes

Uninformed observations lead to this widely-held myth regarding diabetes. Undoubtedly, being overweight is one of the most common risk factors associated with the onset of disease, but there is a lot more than this single factor. Several other factors trigger the disease faster than the excess weight including your genetic makeup and lifestyle.

5- Diabetes can reduce your chances for safely having children

If you are a woman suffering from diabetes, you have properly heard this a thousand times. This myth originated from outdated medical practices and was kept alive. However, having diabetes can’t make you infertile but regarded as a high-risk pregnancy. But seeking help from health care experts can make it manageable.

If you are based in a metropolitan city like Karachi, you can reach out to the best diabetes specialist. Several health care facilities i.e., Kharadar general hospital, Dr. Ziauddin Hospital are making sure that they provide the best health care facilities.

Conclusion

Based on my experience with diabetes, I can say that diabetes is a manageable chronic disease. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, monitoring your calorie intake and following-up with your diabetologist can help you in conveniently living with it.

The Effects of Stress on Leadership

We all know that it’s true that in leadership, you have to make some painful, difficult decisions.

Any person who’s had to make a tough call knows that the gravity of making difficult decisions can weigh on you.

Whether you are setting the course for your organization, hiring or firing staff, and making difficult decisions regarding strategies for the best outcome objectives, “heavy is the head that wears the crown” is more than just a saying.

Even if it’s uncomfortable or difficult, that stress of taking decisive action can lead to added pressure on the person making those choices.

And the stress that being in a position of leadership has on a person can lead to some severe side effects on our health and wellbeing.

Not All Stress Is Alike

Before we discuss the effects of stress on the body, it’s essential to recognize different stress types. The two types of stress are distress and eustress.

Distress: This type of stress is a negative experience for the person and may have significant health implications. Distress occurs when a person suffers from a situation that feels beyond their control, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, job insecurity, or dealing with other unknown variables that have the perception of being unmanageable.

Common symptoms of distress are:

Cause of anxiety and worry
Loss of quality sleep
Stress feels short or long-term in duration.
Feels threatening or overwhelming
Unpleasant to deal with
Decreases output and performance
Fearful
Uncertainty

Eustress: On the other hand, eustress is a form of positive stress that heightens the individual’s perceptions and moods. It may act as a motivator. Feelings of excitement and euphoria are common. Eustress may stem from doing something thrilling, a personal achievement, or a milestone in life such as a new marriage, pregnancy, or retirement.

Symptoms associated with positive stress are:

Motivates and excites
Assists focus
Perceived as manageable
Improves overall performance

The effects of negative stress can have severe debilitating health implications from depressed immune systems, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and mental well-being issues.

Minimize Impact Of Stress On Your Health

The concern that everyone should have regarding negative stress is finding the strategy that helps minimize its impact on our overall health and wellbeing. Developing a method of dealing with negative pressure is crucial for everyone. Still, as the leader of your organization or family, you must have ways to “blow off steam” and manage your stress.

When you plan ways to manage your stress more effectively, there are three vital things to consider.

Three Keys To Mitigate Stress

Improve your diet. Begin by improving what you eat, when you eat, and the time of day that you eat. Include more greens and other vegetables and fruits to your menu, increase healthy gut bacteria, and a simple way to do that is with some probiotic drinks and yogurts and increase your water intake.

A healthier diet means a healthier body. By increasing your water intake, you’re allowing your body to process the nutrients more efficiently, help repair and replace damaged cells in the body, and aid in mental function.

Probiotics help with digestion and eliminate inflammation in the gut that imbalances may have. In fact, studies show the benefits of balanced gut health can impact your overall health as well as mental wellbeing.

Get exercise. Exercise helps the body eliminate stress through action. You channel the energy that stress is putting into your body and push it outward.

You can consider several different types of exercises, from low-impact walking and hiking, running and biking, weight resistance, or isometric activities such as yoga and Tai Chi. When starting on an exercise routine, check with your physician first and develop a plan that you can sustain and will get you fit slowly and over time.

Get more sleep. If you’re eating better, you’ll have more energy and more extended periods. By increasing your exercise routine, you are assisting your body to break down and utilize the nutrients and expend the energy you consume, which will help you get more qualitative sleep. Sometimes you may need additional natural sources to aid in sleep, from melatonin to CBD oil and more.

Sleep is the body’s ability to recuperate and regenerate from the push and pull it’s absorbed throughout the day.

As a leader, you must focus on your team members’ best path, the organization, and yourself. By taking time to “blow off steam” and minimize the effects of negative stress in your life, you’ll be healthier and happier as a result.

Successful Weight Loss: 8 Tips that Actually Work

Diets, like clothes, have a life of their own. Theories, tips, and myths abound on social media and in conversation. We dove in for you and pulled out the 8 tips that actually work!

Eat Slowly

Did a grown-up tell you to chew your food 100 times before swallowing when you were a kid? They were probably more worried about you choking, but it turns out that slow eating helps us lose weight! The science is a bit spread out, but the results are consistent. Those who eat slower feel full sooner. Because they feel full, they are unlikely to eat more than what’s currently on their plates. Also, the more you chew your food, the fewer calories your food will have as it is broken down. Instant weight loss support. Cool, right?

Write Down What You Eat

Even with a solid meal plan with pre-counted calories, we often don’t notice all the other foods we slip in. We can have a heated leftover joining the breakfast, a donut joining lunch, and a slice of pastry joining dinner. Not to mention the snacks. We can justify them as small and in-between, but they each have calories. If we write down what we eat in a food journal, we will notice how many extras we slip in. If you feel like you are craving something, like sugar, modify your diet to remove fewer calories from one side so you can have a healthy dessert instead.

Exercise

Exercise burns calories build muscle mass (which burns more calories than fat in the resting state) and promote overall general health. However, the hardest thing about exercising for weight loss is building a routine. Here are some tips that might help.

Suit up. It’s just generally easier to commit when you have to suit up for the activity.

Assemble your gear. Invest in exercise bands, workout bras, small weights, yoga mats, and anything you think you might need.

Exercise. You have suited up, and you have invested. Now it’s time to make good on that investment and tackle that exercise!

Batch Cook

It takes so long to prepare a solid healthy meal that we usually give in and order something or fry what we have in the fridge. A good counter-strategy is to cook large batches of healthy, calorie-counted food. Here are some tips.

Prepare the recipes first. Before shopping, look up the recipes you want to try and write down all of the ingredients. Then go on a grocery shopping spree! This will help you get started.

Undercook the vegetables. If your recipe calls for a substantial number of vegetables, slightly undercook them. When you reheat them, they will still be firm and delicious.

Get Enough Sleep

We have two neurotransmitters (read: brain signals) that help us know when we need to eat. One is ghrelin, which makes us hungry; and leptin, which makes us feel full. The less we sleep, the more ghrelin is produced. Maybe because it knows we didn’t recharge enough for the day! Less leptin is also produced even when we eat. Because of this, we get hungry faster, eat more, and take longer to feel full. The automatic result: more calories taken in, and no weight loss.

Don’t Skip Meals

“Ah, I ate too much at lunch, I’ll just skip dinner.” It kind of makes sense, right? But it doesn’t actually help! You will feel more tired, and your body will panic and crave sugar and other energy boosters. When you find your brain failing over a paper or report, you are likely to grab a snack that gives you a top-up of sugar and not many nutrients. Eating a solid, healthy meal keeps your energy consistent and helps you keep going with less snacking and more nutrients. Spread out the calories, keep the meal balanced, and you’ll reap the energy benefits.

Stay Hydrated

Water is the best, healthiest diet-booster of them all. Enough water in a day will keep your stomach filled and your appetite low. Here are some things you can do with water.

Drink a glass of water before every meal. A glass of water fills your stomach and suppresses your appetite. You won’t be tempted to eat more than what you plan to.

Drink at least 8 times from an 8-ounce glass. With enough water, your body will not retain water weight, and you will lose those extra pounds.

Shift your drinks to water. If you find water too tasteless, add lemon or start with sugarless drinks and slowly shift to more water.

Weigh Yourself Once a Week

Weekly weigh-ins help you track your progress, without giving you the uncertainty of a daily weigh-in. Remember to weigh yourself first thing in the morning, before you drink water or have breakfast. Log the weight in your food journal and keep reminding yourself of your goal weight.

To Sum Up

A lot of the tips we have here are simple, but they are all meant to give your body the best chances to lose weight.

8 Practical Ways to Boost Your Immunity During Pandemic

Due to the current pandemic, people are advised to practice physical distancing, wear face masks, and wash their hands regularly.

While these are all excellent advice, it would be best if we also boost our immune system. All it needs is eating healthy food and staying active, even while self-isolating.

That said, here are eight practical ways to boost your immunity during the pandemic:

Get Enough Quality Sleep

Sleep is usually where the magic happens, as it revitalizes the whole body. It allows the body to rejuvenate and can fight off infection and a good, well-balanced diet.

Allow your body to recharge each night by getting enough sleep. Ideally, most adults need at least six to eight hours of sleep each night, while children typically need more.

Try to avoid drinking alcohol as well, as it could disrupt sleep. Keep screens out of the bedroom, as well. Being exposed to a lot of blue light often tricks the brain that it’s still daytime, making it more difficult for you to fall asleep.

Stay Active

In these times, staying active and fit is more important than ever. With more and more people working at home, you must continue exercising.

Go for a daily walk, bike ride, swim, or whatever floats your boat- as long as you try to remain in shape.

Exercise lets you sweat and releases toxins from your body. Having a regular exercise regime enhances your overall mental health. It also helps strengthen your bones and muscles, enabling you to have quality sleep at night.

Experts are saying that you dedicate at least 35-40 minutes a day to stay fit. You can change your routine by regularly switching up things.

You can go for a walk today or take a bike ride the next day. Walk a different route every time so that you can fully enjoy the scenery around you.

Eat Lots of Healthy Foods

Going with basic dietary guidelines, such as eating plenty of food, vegetables, and proteins, is a great way to start.

You can also add several items to your overall diet to boost immune system and your overall health. Health professionals recommend taking in foods that are high in vitamin C.

Some examples are bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, spinach, and citrus fruits like lemon and oranges.

Sunflower seeds and almonds are also highly recommended since they’re high in vitamin E.

Practice Good Hygiene

It would be best if you also abode with quarantine protocols that take effect in your state. Wear personal protective equipment, especially if you’re working in a hospital setting or seeing patients that you suspect are infected.

It would help if you also went with CDC’s guidelines and other health organizations.

Drink Lots of Water

Water is essential for your body to function correctly. Drinking 3-4 liters of water a day helps boost your metabolism, regulate your body temperature, and flushes out harmful toxins. It also contributes to strengthening your overall immune system.

Manage Your Stress

There are so much stress and negativity in the world right now. So, if you absorb all of these things around you, it can have adverse effects on your overall health.

Stress causes the cortisol in your body to increase. This can affect your quality of sleep, as well as your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Stress and overthinking can also lead to a string of health problems in the future. It causes a domino effect, causing you to commit bad decisions.

That’s why it’s essential to find a healthy way to help manage (and beat) that stress. Exercising, for instance, not only enables you to stay fit, but it can also help you manage your stress levels.

If you feel overwhelmed with everything that’s going on around you, take a break, relax, and breathe. Give yourself plenty of time to rejuvenate.

Stay Connected

Because of the pandemic restrictions, it’s not easy to visit family and friends, especially those that live far away.

However, that shouldn’t stop you from connecting to people you love and care about the most. Find creative ways to reach out. Because of today’s technology, including internet and tv bundles to help you stay both connected and entertained, a phone or video call with your loved ones and friends are just a fingertip away.

Spend Time Outdoors

According to a study, people who spend at least 30 minutes outdoors are likely to have better physical and mental health.

And while going out is not encouraged these days, you can still spend some time on your lawn.

Over to You

They say that prevention is better than cure. And what better way to prevent getting infected other than boosting your immunity?

Luckily, keeping yourself fit and healthy does not have to be expensive. Sometimes, immunity boosters can be found in your garden or nearby farmers’ markets.

Nonetheless, make your health and well-being a priority in these challenging times. Always stay safe by taking the necessary steps to boost your immune system.

Hiking 101: Why Hikers Should Include Trekking Poles in Their Hiking Kit

When you first start hiking, you might not have all the items you need. Nonetheless, some things are non-negotiable.

One such hiking tool that should be in your hiking kit would be trekking poles.

If you’re wondering whether you need to have trekking poles, here is a list of all the things that can convince you:

It boosts your stability and balance

One primary reason hikers include trekking poles in their kit is that it helps maintain your stability.

When you’re hiking, you shouldn’t expect to encounter paved roads and clear paths all the time. Most of the time, you might find that it’s quite the opposite.

If you want to hike in more remote places, the trails will be even more challenging. That’s why trekking poles are there to ensure that you don’t fall over while trekking.

Even when you’re hiking on relatively flat ground, sometimes, you can be off-guard and trip. With trekking poles, you’ll always find something that will help keep you stable.

It reduces lower body fatigue

When you’re hiking, you’re going to put weight on your lower body a lot, especially for your long hikes. If you don’t rest your lower body correctly, you’re going to tire it out quicker, and it will take you longer to finish the hike.

However, you don’t want to take too long or have too many stops before you’re able to reach the main stops in your trek.

Otherwise, you might find yourself hiking when the sun is down, which isn’t something you want. Instead of that, you might want to focus on reducing the instances of lower body fatigue during the hike.

Aside from regular exercise, trekking poles will be a massive help in this case. That’s because, instead of having to carry your body weight by itself, you can help spread the brunt of the weight to the hiking pole. That way, your lower body won’t tire out as fast.

It keeps your arms engaged

When you’re a hiker, people say that you can’t skip leg days because it is your leg day every day. However, the consequence of this would be that your upper body won’t have as much exercise as your lower body.

Instead of having strong legs and weak arms, you can use trekking poles to help give your arms a bit of practice as well.

Although it can’t be as full of a workout as it is for your lower body, your arms are still getting some exercise in, so it’s not so weak.

When you use trekking poles, you also allow your arms to get some circulation and prevent swelling.

It can act as protection from wild animals

When hiking, as much as possible, you should avoid any wild animals you encounter, no matter how nice and cute they may be. It’s for both the animals’ safety and yours.

However, should you find yourself in a pickle with wild animals, your trekking pole can be a valuable tool.

You can use your poles to make a loud noise, especially when you’re rounding a corner. Doing so prevents you from ambushing an animal and creating an unwanted encounter.

And if you want to make animals flee, you can also use the poles to make yourself seem larger.

It can test the depth of uncertain terrain

When you’re hiking in an environment with a lot of water or snowy terrain, you need trekking poles to ensure that you know the depths of specific areas.

Water, mud, sand, snow, and more can easily conceal the depth of what you’re stepping into. Hence, you need trekking poles to help you figure out whether it’s safe to step into something.

It can be used as a first-aid gear

You don’t want to get into an accident during your hike. However, if you find yourself needing a straight and stable stick to serve as a splint or a stretcher, your trekking poles will be useful. It’s also a huge help that the length is adjustable.

You can even use trekking poles as crutches to help support you as you walk in some cases. You need to add a bit of ingenuity with some cloth or bandages.

It can help fend off wild flora and fauna

Aside from protecting you from wild animals, you can use the trekking poles to keep all sorts of things out of your face when you’re going through a path.

For example, you can keep thick branches, ferns, and so on away from your face as you go through a track. You can also use it to keep spider webs away, so you don’t get a hug on the front from it.

It can help pitch a shelter

When you’re a lightweight backpacker, you would want to invest in multi-functional tools. This is to reduce the weight and number of items that you have to bring.

This explains why there’s growing popularity on trekking-pole reliant shelters among minimalist backpackers. These kinds of hiking shelters use trekking poles as tent poles.

It’s also helpful if you find yourself needing to stay at an emergency night out, and you have to fashion a tent out of random items available to you.

Several things are nice to have for a hike, but it’s more important to bring essential hiking items. And this includes your trekking poles. After all, it can provide a lot of things other than maintaining stability while trekking.