Tag: Health Blog

Look Your Best This Party Season: Your Nine Step Plan

The holiday season is upon us, so it is natural to want to look our best. From an office party to family reunions, there will be a lot of people that we will be seeing, some not for a while. So it is only natural to want to look our best and wow them as much as we can. Being able to dance the night away in your little black dress and feel comfortable is what it is all about. So what and you do to prepare and make sure that you’re looking good? Here are a few tips and tricks to help you, as well as the areas that you should be focusing on.

One of the first things to look at is your skin. Winter can cause problems for your skin, as it can really dry it out. When you’re constantly exposing your skin to vary temperatures (the cold from outside and the warmth from indoors), it can sap some of the natural oils from your skin. So focusing on your skin first and foremost is a good way to go. Here are some of the things you can do to make sure skin is looking its best.

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  • Prepare

Skin peels have been around for a long time, and they are still here. Why? Because they have been able to stand the test of time and show just how good they are, as well as how versatile. So it could be worth looking at getting having one done. It can peel away the dead skin to reveal glowing and fresh lovely skin. This can make your look instantly better, as well as reduce the number of spots that you get.

  • Reduce Blemishes

Speaking of which, blemishes can be on the rise when you aren’t taking good enough care of yourself and your skin. But it is important to not get confused as to what is a spot or a blackhead and what isn’t. If you start to squeeze a sebaceous filament, for example, it can lead to swelling, which is never a good look before a party. They aren’t spots, but can often get confused as blackheads. So sebaceous filaments vs blackheads: what is the difference? To make sure that you’re not trying to squeeze the wrong thing on your face, you need to know what they look like.

A sebaceous filament is typically light grey or a hue of tan in color. They feel smooth to the touch and are naturally on our faces. Blackheads, however, are the result of a clogged pore from things like dead skin cells, dirt or impurities. They are slightly raised and are darker in color. So before you squeeze, double check what you’re looking at; don’t end up with a lumpy face from putting pressure on the wrong thing!

  • Protect

Winter is a time when your skin needs a lot of protection. If you think that sunscreen, for example, is only needed when it is sunny, then it is time to think again. Use a sunscreen all year round to reduce sun damage to your skin. Many brands are upping their game when it comes to sunscreen too. There are brands out there that help to fight against free-radicals, and ones that can give your skin an antioxidant boost.

  • Hydrate

For your skin and your body, you need to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water, and avoiding too much caffeine is a great way to make sure that your body is taken care of. Drinking plenty of water can help to flush toxins out of your body, which will help to rejuvenate you, as well a reduce things like dark circles under your eyes. Our bodies are made up of a lot of water, so when they have enough, it helps them to work as they should.

  • Reduce Salt Intake

There is no getting away from some salt in our diets. But if you’re wanting to get into your little party dress and want to reduce the bloated feeling, then reducing your salt intake is a good idea. Don’t get me wrong, some salt on a steak can go a long way and transform the flavor. So just avoid a big bag of salty chips or fries the day before an event, for example. Stick to whole foods, rather than processed foods as a rule, and you’ll be able to control your salt intake much more easily as you will know what you’re adding, rather than what is hidden.

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  • Exercise and Move More

We are getting into the full swing of party season. But there is no time like the present to move more and exercise more. Even if you’re not looking to lose weight, it can be a good way to help you to feel happier over winter, as well as firm and tone up your body. If you have a gym to get to, then great. If not, there are many apps that you can download to help you. A yoga routine could help to firm up your arms for your party dress, for instance, or a six-pack abs workout could help you to feel more comfortable in your chosen outfit. You don’t have to exercise for hours on end; even walking more regularly can make a difference.

  • Avoid Fizz

If you want to avoid being bloated, then as has been described, salt is a good thing to avoid. Another great thing to watch out for are fizzy drinks. If you regularly have soda pop, then looking to reduce your intake can reduce the bloat. Even when you’re out at your parties or events, stick to alternatives like red or white wine, rather than champagne or prosecco. The bubbles can fill you up, which is why many people drink them. But they can lead to you feeling bloated, and that probably isn’t how you want to feel in party season.

  • Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleep is important at any time of year. But it is even more important when you want to stay up later some nights and enjoy yourself. You’re not going to get very far if you’re exhausted and can hardly keep your eyes open. Instead of reaching for an unnatural solution like energy drinks, energy pills, or caffeine, simply make sure that you are getting enough sleep each night. Most adults know what sleep they need to get and what works best for them. But around seven or eight each night is a good guide.

  • Juice Cleanse

After all of the partying has been and gone, then you might want to consider something like a juice cleanse. It can restore your system and give it a bit of tender loving care that it might need. A juice cleanse will fill you with vitamins and minerals to help your body feel at it’s best, as well as give it a boost to help repair and restore. There are plenty of recipes online that you could aim to replicate, as well as buying some from stores. Just look for ones that are cold-pressed, rather than pasteurized. Then you know that no heat has been added and all of their goodness is still in there.

 

What have you got planned this party and festive season? Would love to hear about your plans and what you are planning. Do you have plenty of parties to go to in the coming weeks? Just remember to stay safe, follow these tips, and you’ll be in for a season of fun and frolics, and not sickness and sadness. Happy holidays!

 

 

Fulfilling Your Medical Expectations

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When you’re choosing the right person to look after your body, you have a lot of boxes to tick. For one, you will want someone you can trust and enjoy spending time with, as this will make your time with them a lot easier. Along with this, though, there are loads of other little aspects to consider. A lot of people will fail to consider some of the most important parts of this sort of decision. So, to help you out, this post will be going through some of the most important things you have to think about when fulfilling your medical expectations.

 

The Right Professionals: Different doctors and other medical professionals will also vary in quality when it comes to the service they give you. This is very important when you’re choosing someone, as it could impact your future health by a huge degree. Below, you can find some examples of the tools you can use to determine whether or not someone is right for you.

  • Reviews: In the modern world, it has never been easy to leave a review about a company after you’ve used it. Without this, it would be impossible to sift through the dozens of dental offices and surgeries you have surrounding you. A simple search should give you loads of results in this area. Of course, though, there’s a lot more to it than what other people have to say.

  • Their Credentials: There are a lot of different routes medical professionals can take to get into their position. Some schools are better than others, and a specific field of medicine might be required for the condition you’re suffering from. Most doctors will be happy to give this sort of information to you. So, it could be worth doing some research before you choose someone.

  • The Promise: Most surgeries and practices will have a mandate which they have to follow. In some cases, this could be providing budget care for people on low incomes. In others, it could involve giving the best possible care, without any regard for the costs. You have to balance this part of your decision on your needs. Of course, though, this should be easy to tell before you get started.

Why Trust Is Important: Finally, before you go out and choose the person who will be working on your body, it’s time to think about the importance of trust in this field. When someone is going to be working so intimately with you, it is essential that you feel that they are trustworthy. Without this element in your relationship, it will be a lot harder for you to feel safe and secure. Along with this, it could also mean you’re not getting the care you deserve and could be making your life a lot worse because of it.

 

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working harder on the time you put into the medical side of your life. Your health is incredibly important. So, it makes sense that you should work hard to find the right people to manage it, and is good enough reason for anyone to start thinking about it.

Next Steps If A Relative Needs Home Eldercare

For many, it can be a sad or even worrying time when a relative begins to require more and more care. This care can take many forms, but very often it will mean that they need to receive some kind of home care. When this becomes apparent, it can be a shock not just to the individual in question, but everyone around them. In these circumstances, it can help to know what your probable next steps are, so that you can make the most of it all and ensure that your relative receives exactly the care they need. Let’s look into some of the major concerns you will need to consider at this point.

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Is It Really Time?

First of all, you will likely want to determine whether or not it is really time to find your elderly relative some home care. This might sound like an obvious question, but it is true that a surprising amount of people get put into this situation before it is really necessary to do so. You can be sure that it is the right time to find home care for them if nobody else is able to provide them with the care they really need, and if they are getting to the point where looking after themselves in a basic way day after day becomes difficult or even impossible. Make sure it is really time before you make the decision.

Choosing The Care

At this point, your most important decision will of course be what care to go for. It is highly likely that, no matter where you live, there will be a huge number of choices for home eldercare for you to choose between. The question here is how to know which are better than the others, something which can be hard to work out at first. To find the right home health care agencies can take some time, and it’s a good idea to have a little patience with the whole process. Remember too that you don’t want to end up choosing the wrong kind of care, or level of care, as this can actually be damaging in the long term. Don’t rush this process, and be sure to include your relative in all of the decisions as far as is possible.

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Levels Of Care

There are many different levels of care which people can need, and it is essential that you work out which is needed in your situation, so that you can be sure that your loved one gets exactly the kind of attention they need. There are so many different individual cases, and no two are ever alike, so make sure you are paying attention to the actual needs of your elderly relative. If you do this, you can be sure of finding them the care they are really in need of, and not just a generic kind of care which can be applied to all. At the end of the day, you need to be sure that they are being treated as an individual, otherwise they are unlikely to be happy with the end result.

Reacting To The Body While Recovering From Injury

Receiving an injury to your body is one of the most unpleasant experiences that any human being can go through. Whether you have received this injury from your workplace or simply while playing sport in your own time, for the near future, your life is going to change. Once you have gone through the proper care or what may be perceived as the right kind of care, the next step is to heal up. This stage is all too often overlooked by ourselves as we think that once we’ve been given the all clear to go home from the nurses and or doctors, we forget about the little things. However, this is the crucial time when we should be listening to our bodies and reacting to how we feel and how the body is reacting. Recovering from an injury back to health isn’t a done deal. It takes consistency and an understanding of what your body is demanding to make sure, no damage from the injury is permanent.

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Routine rest boosts repair

When it comes to making sure injuries don’t persist once you’re away from the surgery table, getting the maximum amount of rest out of the day, is the key. You have to start making a routine whereby you will stick to like glue and operate under like clockwork. Set yourself a bedtime and stick to it. The more often and the longer your body is in REM sleep, your body is able to release chemicals that will help to boost your repair. Keep in mind that the more you sleep, the more relaxed your muscles will be and the less stress your mind will also be. You should also make a routine of rest during the day. No matter what you’re doing, assign yourself a certain amount of time to either take a nap, lean back and simply focus on breathing or just stop what you’re doing and read a book. The more you’re able to implement a routine of slow, calm periods of rest in your day, and the longer you can sleep during your recovery, the more you’ll be able to boost the body’s natural repair systems.

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Prolonged pain and malpractice

The unfortunate truth is, that even though they are highly trained and incredibly smart, doctors, surgeons, nurses and all another manner of healthcare staff do make mistakes. It’s even more unfortunate when you realise that this is more often than you might think. If you are suffering from prolonged pain, and despite your doctor setting you an amount of time that describes the chronic pain period, you have gone over it and still feel abnormal amounts of pain, it may be wise to contact a trustworthy malpractice attorney. They can help you deal with any medical malpractice that has or is having a detrimental effect on your life and mental health. If you have been misdiagnosed, received negligent nursing care, medication errors, and other forms of hospital malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation. For the ongoing pain you are feeling that should have dissipated a long time ago if so according to your medical examinations, you should be seeking the proper correction owed to you.

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Eat well to feel well

Say you broke your arm, or perhaps had a form of cancer and have since had treatment, the body is craving good nutritious food at the point of recovery. Chowing down on fatty foods with high contents of salt and sugar, will in no way help your body to repair itself quicker. You need to eat well to cleanse your body from the inside because after going through a traumatic experience, there are many chemicals left to float around our system. Not only will the chemicals injected by the hospital have a slowing effect on our everyday lives, but the vast amounts of endorphins and other natural chemicals our bodies secrete in this kind of situation, make us feel heavy and slow. Rich oxygenated foods, such as green leafy vegetables and dense fruits, as well as healthy portions of lean meat, supply the nutrition needed to help recover from injury. You should also be consuming nuts because this type of food is rich in good healthy oils and fats the body actually uses to function.

Reacting to what your body is telling you to do is sometimes met with a degree of suspicion. When you’re trying to recover and repair after an injury, you don’t feel the same for more than a day at a time. However getting the right amount of rest every day without fail, and eating healthy to aid the repair of tissue and bone, can boost your chances of a full recovery. Make sure that you have been properly taken care of and if not, try to pursue the correct action to remedy this situation.

 

 

 

 

Trying to Get Pregnant? Do These Things

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If you’re trying to get pregnant, apart from doing lots of the obvious, there are a number of things, which although they’re fairly simple, might just help you to accomplish your mission and get that positive result a little quicker. They may also help you have a happier, healthy birth too….

Get Checked Out

Both you and your spouse, when you decide that the time is right to start trying for a baby, would do well to head off to your doctor, or even better a fertility specialist, to have yourselves checked out. This is particularly important if you have existing medical issues because knowing how they could affect the process will help you to do things the right way and maximize your chances. It’ll also give you a good opportunity to ask a professional any questions you might have about pregnancy and fertility in general.

Monitor Your Cycle

Did you know there’s a brief window each month when you are way more fertile? Surprisingly, a lot of women don’t realize that this is the case, and that means that they don’t focus their efforts on trying for a baby during their most fertile period, resulting in another month of disappointment.

If you want to get pregnant fast, then it makes sense to monitor your cycle, so that you know exactly when you’re ovulating and should get to work trying to make that baby! Remember, you’ll be super fertile for 36 hours after you start ovulating, so make the most of that time!

Start Taking Supplements

Taking supplements, specifically folic acid, but a multivitamin couldn’t hurt, is a must for any woman who wants to get pregnant in the near future because it can actually increase your body’s chance of conceiving. Not only that but if you do get pregnant, it will help to protect your unborn baby from birth defects.

Eat a Healthy Diet

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If you’re a junk food queen or you tend to avoid eating too many vegetables. Now is the time to make some positive changes to your diet. The healthier you eat now, the better equipped your body will be to deal with a pregnancy, and the more likely things will happen to you. So, start stocking your cupboards with lean meats, fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains, and keep the junk to a minimum. It’ll make a huge difference.

Relax

If there’s one thing that will stop an otherwise healthy woman from getting pregnant when she really wants to more than anything else, it’s stressing about the situation. If you stress when you don’t get pregnant, and you stress about your life, in general, more than necessary, you are only going to hurt your chances. Why?When you’re stressed your body releases cortisol, which fights off progesterone, preventing any eggs that do get fertilized from progressing into a pregnancy. So, take it easy, try some relaxing acupuncture for fertility or learn to meditate. It will not only increase your chances, but it’ll help you stay happy while you try to conceive.

Give Up Smoking

If you’re a smoker, you know that it’s bad for you and you know that it will be extremely bad for any baby that comes along, but if you’re thinking you can wait to give up until you actually get pregnant, it’s time to think again. Why? Because smoking is not only an unhealthy habit, but it really hurts your chances of getting pregnant. Many of the toxins found in cigarettes; the ones that cause cancer and heart disease, can also have a negative impact on fertility, in some cases damaging the fallopian tubes and decreasing the mobility of sperm to such an extent that you might have to try for years before having any success. Luckily, if you give up smoking, things can improve pretty fast, so do it now. There are lots of organizations and health professionals who will help you quit, so don’t be scared. Also, don’t beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon occasionally – quitting isn’t easy, but if you do your very best to try, it will help you to get pregnant more quickly.

Lose Weight

We all know that being more than a few pounds overweight is really bad for us, but many of us don’t realize that being overweight can make it pretty difficult to conceive. There are a few reasons why this is the case, but the main one os that being overweight is more likely to lead to female menstrual problems because of the excess level of estrogen released into the body by fat cells. This can make tracking your cycle and getting pregnant much more difficult. When you’re overweight, the cervix often tends to be deeper-set, and that can make it more difficult for sperm to get where they need to be for conception to take place.

Although, if you need to, you should definitely make a real effort to lose weight, you shouldn’t start starving yourself or exercising excessively because that can cause problems i the fertility department all of its own. What you’re looking to do is strike a balance.

Sleep More

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If you aren’t getting your full quota of sleep each night, then you’re more likely to have irregularities with your periods, which again could make it more difficult for you to get pregnant. Not only that, but the pineal gland can be detrimentally affected by a lack of sleep and since it is responsible for producing several hormones that are involved in fertility, this can be quite damaging to your chances. Then, there’s the fact that if you’re fatigued, you’re less likely to want to have lots of sex, which is kind of vital for making a baby.

Getting pregnant is one of those things where it’s so easy for some people and seems to take forever for others, but as long as you’re both healthy, if you relax, take your time and tray as many of the things above as possible, chances are it will happen for you sooner or later (hopefully sooner).

Are Spin Bikes Really Effective for Toning Body..

Bicycling can be beneficial when adding it to your normal workout routine. However stationary bikes can only tone up your body. If you want both the benefit of a cardio workout and the ability to tone muscles then you should consider looking into Spin Bikes.

Some people have a misconception when it comes to biking. Many believe that biking solely focuses on endurance, that however is not the case. Recumbent and spin bikes work to both increase endurance and build lower and core muscles simultaneously, making it the perfect pick for people who want to double up on their workouts.

What are spin bikes?

Spinning bikes are built different than traditional stationary bikes. Instead of sitting upright, its build is slightly angled, putting your body in a position that has to use its muscles to support you while cycling.

Other stationary bikes position your body to sit upright, hence leading to less effectiveness on toning muscles. The slightly bent angle will help tighten your core, leading to an increased workout for your core muscles including your abdominal muscles.

Spin bikes will usually be less comfortable than stationary bikes because their main focus isn’t to let you leisurely stroll along, it’s to build muscle while also focusing on endurance training.

Why should I choose a spin bike?

Traditionally stationary/recumbent bikes don’t tone your body and can lead to lower back pain. The support built into normal bikes don’t give you the best form when cycling. If you’re looking for a great cardio workout that maximizes its effectiveness while also fitting in the ability to tone your core muscles, then a spin bike is going to be a good fit for your individual needs.

Spin bikes will help you tone a handful of different muscle groups. Because of the angle of the seating, spin bikes will help you tone your core, upper and lower back, and all of your leg muscles. Pumping up the resistance on your bike can also lead to more muscle gain in your lower body, providing you with maximization of both lower and upper body strengthening.

Spinning bikes also give high impact training. When you’re focused on pedaling at faster rates you’re going to find that your abdomen will automatically contract and expand. Hence making it perfect for toning your abs.

Another extra feature that individuals tend to overlook is that you can use spin bikes to workout your upper body as well. You can do this by switching the position of your arms and practice with using one hand at a time.

What features should I expect?

Most spinning bikes are going to have a few core features different from traditional bikes or stationary bikes. Spin bikes tend to offer higher resistance than most other bikes, making it more ideal for muscle training. They will also usually have more extensive and physically challenging training programs, however they still offer beginner options.

The resistance will usually end up ranging from minimal to expert, giving you many options to either tone down or drive your workout to be even more intense. Extra features can be included in some spinning bikes, however these are not necessary. The main features you want on your spin bike is a good pedaling system, right size for your body (as some spin bikes do not support shorter or taller people), and a decent range in customization (personal profile input, program settings, etc).

As mentioned above, other bikes tend to force you to sit upright and will allow you to more leisurely workout. Spin bikes however do not give you the opportunity to slack and sit back, instead they will help force you to keep your own body supported.

Most of the good spin bikes fall under $500. You need not to consider any high-end bikes, provided if you are not planning for intense cycling and training for cycling leagues.

In conclusion

Spin bikes may slightly start to sound scary, as these features tend to seem like they are more suited for experts, that is not the case. These bikes are great for experts and beginners as well.

The extra benefit of muscle toning will also seem to frighten individuals away. You should not let the seemingly “lack of support” scare you. Because of how these bikes are built you will automatically be strengthening your core muscles, thus leading your body to become stronger and lead to more muscle growth. The extra force will also help you have better posture, more stability, and help balance.

 

This post is written by Paul Schoff from FitnessAbout.com. He is a vegan bodybuilder and a passionate blogger. He believes in holistic development and cuts the BS promoted my media about health.

Common Problems with Skin and How to Solve Them

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Your skin is the biggest organ of your whole body and it does a lot to keep you healthy and beautiful. Your skin is good at regulating your temperature and protecting itself from the sun. It covers you in order to keep all your guts in and yet it can stretch to be more accommodating (just think how big pregnant tummies can be!) But in spite of all these clear benefits, we are always complaining about the state of our skin and how it could be improved.

There are all sorts of small health issues that plague us from time to time that aren’t serious but just annoy you more than you need. Often there are simple treatments that can help us back to feeling normal again. Your skin is no different and there are lots of different solutions to each of those niggling issues, so you can have perfect skin after all.

Acne and spots

Spots are a natural, if very annoying, occurrence and everyone will have a spot or two every so often. They are caused by the overproduction of natural oils which fills the pores causing a small lump. This lump might turn into a whitehead, a blackhead, a tiny cyst or a red blemish but all of these are essentially just spots.Acne affects most people though it can have more severe impacts such as a rash like appearance and potential scarring. Acne is essentially the same as spots but is exacerbated by the acne bacteria which causes the skin to swell and become sore.

Try to avoid touching your face, especially when you have acne and spots so that you don’t spread any bacteria over your skin. Wash your face with mild soapy water and avoid scrubbing as that will just make you bleed and scab over. You could try face masks or other treatments to help clear acne and return your skin to its natural beauty.

While squeezing spots is tempting, do your best to simply ignore them. A popped spot is likely to last longer than one left to its own devices because it is more likely to become infected or scab over. Similarly, using toothpaste or other products intended to dry spots out may cause further damage to your skin and leave pockmarks.

To avoid any potential scarring, be gentle and kind with your skin. Use oil-free products to make sure that your skin doesn’t become too oily leading to even more spots and as far as you can, let it be.

Image Credit: Max Pixel

Birthmarks and uneven pigmentation

The ideal airbrushed skin is even in tone, freckle-free and birthmark-free too. Most people don’t really have skin like this though and even celebrities need a bit of cosmetic assistance when they walk the red carpet. To achieve flawless skin, try using concealers and foundations to form the ideal base for your makeup. Use slightly different colours to counteract the pigments in your skin to achieve the perfect glow. So for example, if you have broken capillaries causing redness, use a camouflage cream with a yellow base it counteract the red.

Makeup doesn’t have to be restricted to your face, but if you have a birthmark in an awkward place and you just want to have an even skin tone, you could try Dore Aesthetics. They have a non-surgical treatment that will even out any pigmentation issues in your skin to create a perfect, even tone. It may take a few treatments to reach complete perfection but if you are truly self-conscious about it, this may well give you the confidence boost you need to feel good about your skin.

Dry Skin

There are few things so itchy and irritable as patches of dry, flaky skin. It might be caused by overexposure to the sun or it is possibly due to eczema making you feel raw and uncomfortable. Either way, dry skin is no fun and needs to be treated quickly to avoid it getting worse.

The best thing you can do for dry skin is to moisturize regularly. Dry skin doesn’t produce as many natural oils as normal skin so topping up with a moisturizer will help to plump your skin up for a healthy natural glow. Contrary to popular opinion, you may also find that exfoliation can help. By removing dead skin using a flannel and a toner a couple of times a week, you may actually find that your skin is more likely to take on the moisture from your other products and look all the healthier for it.

Image Credit: Max Pixel

Keeping Your Skin Healthy

Maintaining perfect skin is as much about luck as it is about understanding what your skin needs to stay healthy. However hard you try, you will always experience a spot or two every so often but if you know how to treat them, it shouldn’t be such a traumatic experience!

Being properly hydrated will ensure that your skin has the best chance of staying healthy. Like the rest of your body, the skin relies on water to get rid of toxins and stay in peak condition. Water will help you to ensure that your skin stays plump and beautiful and will reduce the instance of wrinkles.

If you spend lots of time outside in the sun, invest in a good sun hat to protect your face, neck and shoulders from overexposure. This will help to avoid getting sunburn as well as any unwanted freckling. You should also ensure that you apply sunscreen to any skin not covered by your clothes around 15 minutes before you go out. If you are out in the sun for a long period of time, use after sun body lotion to moisturize your skin and prevent it from drying out.

Your skin is an amazing organ that does so much for you, you really shouldn’t complain about such small imperfections. But, if you are a perfectionist and you want flawless skin, these tips should help you to achieve that laudable goal! Remember that your general health will probably be reflected in how your skin looks so get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water and maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle for the best results.

How To Recover From Your Workout At Home

It’s all too easy to go a little too hard when you’re working out because when that adrenaline is rushing around your body, you tend to push yourself further than you intended, and then you’re left sore and aching, unable to workout or do anything of use for a few days. Luckily, there are ways that you can recover faster than normal so that you can get yourself back in the gym for another workout.

When It Comes to a Healthy Lifestyle, Don’t Rush!

Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and it pays to keep this in mind when it comes to getting yourself a healthier lifestyle. You see, the biggest pitfall in changing one’s lifestyle and making it healthier is the fact that when it is rushed it is more likely to be ruined. And when the changing of a lifestyle is ruined, it’s hard to get momentum back to attempt it again. So, don’t rush your lifestyle change! And for advice on the best ways to do this, make sure to read on.

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Don’t attempt changes that are too drastic

The biggest pitfall in the road of making your lifestyle far healthier is the first one that is faced: the shock to the system that it induces. This shock is brought about by the fact that a massive change has occurred within your body, especially when the change is because of the fact that you have cut out unhealthy habits in your life, and it is shock that can make you give up on your lifestyle change before you even really get started with it.

In order to beat this pitfall and this shock, you should never make changes to your lifestyle that are too drastic. Instead, you should ease these changes in and have them occur naturally, rather than forcefully. This could mean gradually cutting down on cigarette intake with each day that passes or swapping cigarettes for a far healthier smoking instrument, such as a vape, entirely. It could mean cutting down on trips to your local pub or club and subsequently cutting down on your alcohol intake rather than cutting alcohol out entirely. Or it could mean forging that little snack you have been meals or replacing it with, say, a carrot stick.

The point is, there is no point in making too drastic a change to your lifestyle, even when your intentions for doing so are to make it healthier, because it will make you more likely to fail with it even before it has began.

Take your time with everything that you do

Not only should you not attempt changes that are too drastic, but you should also take as much time as you need to attempt whatever it is you are attempting. You should do this because of the fact that everybody works at their own pace and grows at a different pace to others, even those that they are closest to.

For instance, one weight loss system may work and work quicker for one member of a family, but may not work for another. And, the fact that, say, your brother is losing weight quicker than you shouldn’t disgruntle you. You should take YOUR time when losing weight, not your brothers. You should do things that your body can withstand.

Everybody works at different paces, and all bodies can withstand different changes. It’s important to remember this when attempting to make your lifestyle a lot healthier. And it’s important to ease yourself into whatever changes you attempt.

 

Mind Over Matter: Signs Your Brain Isn’t As Healthy As Your Body

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Physically health is all the rage in 2017. What with chefs pushing healthy meals and the effects of the consumption of meat, people are aware of the dangers to their body. Sadly, the majority of us don’t have the first clue about mental health. The old school may think it is unimportant, but the mind is the key to a happy and healthy life. Once it starts to fail, it’s an uphill battle which is difficult to win. With that in mind, it’s essential to spot the signs when they appear.

Below is how to tell your mind is fit and healthy.

You Think You Have An Illness

In the past, there was one term for mental illness and it wasn’t nice. Nowadays, diseases range from schizophrenia to bipolar and depression. The key is to watch out for the warning signs and act as soon s possible. Anyone who is unsure where to start can read more about the symptoms of bipolar depression and other mental illnesses online. If the symptoms match what you feel, the next step is to see a doctor or a specialist. One thing you should never do is bottle it up inside. Over time, the feelings get worse and explode spectacularly.

You Have Difficulty Managing Anger

You don’t have to suffer from an illness to be mentally unfit. Sometimes, struggling to deal with feelings of anger can be a sure-fire sign something is wrong. Again, it doesn’t mean you have to see a doctor or check into an institute. Usually, what it means is that there is an ailment which is causing the outbursts. Stress is a prime example. High cortisol levels tend to make it difficult to be patient or think about emotions rationally. As a result, you may lash out and have a short fuse. Meditating can reduce cortisol production and help control your temper.

You’re Experiencing Weight Loss

There are lots of reasons for weight loss, one being you are eating a balanced and healthy diet. But, dramatic weight loss is a problem which needs addressing as soon as possible. Usually, it has nothing to do with the physical form but the mental. Again, stress is a factor which can cause you to shed lots of weight because it prevents you from eating. Also, the way you view your body may be unhealthy. Young women suffer from this a lot due to peer pressure, but men have body issues too. Anyone who doesn’t eat to stay thin isn’t thinking logically.

You’re Fatigued

Don’t treat being tired and fatigued as the same thing because there are differences. Tiredness stems from a lack of sleep and can is easy to remedy. Fatigue is a mental problem which occurs as a result of the burden of responsibility. No matter how early you go to bed, the feeling won’t go away. The only way to negate it is to delegate your responsibilities and get your feelings off your chest.

If you are happy-go-lucky, have patience and don’t suffer from stress, your mind is healthy.