Tuesday 14 March 2017

Easy to Follow Tips on How to Lose Weight Without Exercise

Functional Fitness Exercises

Here are some amazing tips on how to lose weight fast without starving yourself and without having to spend long times at the gym.
They will not magically make you achieve your goals but can help you on your way if you are determined to shed some pounds. Follow these tips and stay on track to lose fat.
  1. Eat Healthy for the Right Reasons
We all know somebody, perhaps even ourselves, who looks in the mirror or steps on the scale one day and decides that it is finally time to get healthy again. Here’s a little secret: very few remarkable weight loss transformations begin out of disappointment, rather, the greatest successes in weight loss originate in a feeling of blissful excitement. No one ever succeeds by thinking about what they don’t want, they attain their weight loss goals because they’re consistently motivated, excited and full of optimistic anticipation. Of course, attitude doesn’t win the battle by itself, but it is by far the most important factor when it comes to staying one step ahead of temptation to return to bad habits.
  1. Consume Smaller-Sized Meals in the Day
Eating 5 – 6 smaller meals over the day as opposed to 3 large meals is better for the metabolism. Consumption of smaller meals ensures that you do not get hungry therefore you’ll be less likely to succumb to those food cravings. Essentially the most important meal of the day, and the one which you must not skip under any circumstances, is breakfast. Breakfast fuels your system first thing. This cranks up your metabolism. Ingestion of small meals throughout the day is the quickest way to lose weight.
  1. Choose Metabolism Boosting Foods
Having a fast metabolism is the key to successful weight loss. The faster your metabolism is, the more calories you burn. So you should always choose foods that boost your metabolism the most. Lean proteins and natural, complex carbohydrates are the best metabolism boosting food groups. Complex carbohydrates also increase metabolism, Complex carbs such as whole grains, vegetables, beans, yams, oatmeal, brown rice – are all very good foods for burning fat.
  1. Keep Your Food Low in Ingredients
The fewer ingredients in your meals, the better. Think about it, the foods that make people fat and miserable are high in processed ingredients and chemical-ridden preservatives; conversely, the foods that restore energy and vitality are those that are low in ingredients and rich in vitamins and nutrients. The best way to start lowering your ingredient intake is to make changes in your snacking habits -start by snacking on things that aren’t packaged at the grocery store (i.e. Baby carrots, nuts, and berries). It’s amazing how much you come to appreciate fresh food, especially when you start seeing the benefits!
  1. Veggie Dogs
Looking for some tips on how to lose weight? Try veggie dogs! Veggie dogs are a soy product made to taste like meat for those who are vegetarians. Granted, it doesn’t taste much like meat, it has its own distinct flavor, but it is something you can get used to and come to enjoy. These things are also very healthy for you, full of soy protein and healthy fats and very few carbs.
  1. Get Rid of Bad Fats and Eat Greater Quantities of Good Fats
Not all types of fat are bad. Actually, the fastest way to get slimmer requires that you eat some healthy fats. Good fats provide the body with important fatty acids required for reproduction and growth. These good fats also help to regulate blood pressure and reduce the risks of heart disease. Some great sources of necessary fats are salmon, olive oil and sardines. Consume plenty of good sources of protein also, as protein will help to burn fat. It also helps to maintain muscle bulk which keeps your metabolism high. Fish, lean meats and milk are high-quality sources of protein for your body.
  1. Fill up on Fiber and Water
Two and a half liter is the minimum amount of water you need to drink. Drinking water can reduce the feelings of hunger. If you don’t drink enough water, your kidney may not function properly and you liver will help flushing the toxins away. When the liver needs to do extra work like this it won’t do one of its functions which is to burn fat.
Eating one whole apple is much better than having a glass of apple juice. Crushing it with a blender will destroy all the fibers in it. Eat more vegetables as well. Fibers from vegetables are good to improve your digestive system and slow down the digestion.
  1. Consume Ample Cold Water
Water is instrumental in assisting you to reduce weight. It acts as a hunger killer, which means that you will be less hungry in between meals. Frequently, you’ll find that folks mistake thirst for hunger so they wind up eating food when they ought to be drinking water.
Cold water prevents thirst which can be mistaken for cravings or hunger. It additionally aids in metabolizing kept fat by getting rid of waste out of your kidneys.
  1. Go For The Best Diet Pills!
Diet pills popular among the common man as weight loss pills are the drugs used to reduce weight by suppressing hunger due to an increased rate of heart achieved by stimulating the nervous system of the body. These pills are manufactured and sold by drug companies. There are loads of diet pills available in the market that work fast without exercise that work in 2017 like hcg drops, didrex, xenical, forskolin and garcinia cambogia.
These Diet pills together with a balanced diet will always help you in losing weight. Before going for these tiny miraculous pills it is advised to consult a doctor to avoid the risk and for better results. However a doctor’s consultation is most needed before popping in these pills as they may trigger harmful side-effects to the body.
  1. Seek Doctor’s Advice
A safe weight loss program is one that is approved by your physician. Do not start a diet or a workout regimen without the consent of your doctor. He should know best on what is safe for your body or not. If you have been searching for safe and effective ways to lose weight for a long time now, you should know that there are a few basic things to remember when trying to shed some pounds.
The effective way to shed extra pounds isn’t as complicated as you may have originally believed. It’s merely a matter of sticking to these basic tips. By doing this, you are going to be really well on the way to losing those unwelcome excess pounds.
In every process, evaluation is an essential tool to identify the extent of goal achievement. When you set your target date and envisioned the possible outcome, try to evaluate if the goal has been met. You may consider keeping track with you daily or weekly weights to determine the progress of your weight loss. You need to find out the appropriate weight for your age and gender to avoid excessive weight loss. If the goals are successfully achieved, suit yourself with rewards. You may treat yourself with a relaxing massage, buy things you crave for or other pleasurable activities you don’t usually do. Prizing your efforts and sacrifice will encourage you more to endure the few odds of weight loss.

Saturday 11 March 2017

How to Reverse a Perfect Figure After Having a Baby?

For every lady, those nine months are so precious when in between they gave birth to their lovable baby. These are the days in which they are so carefully about themselves because they believe it may directly affect the health of their future child.


Within this period, a majority of ladies don’t diet and exercise because they feel it can be harmful to the child and might lead to miscarriage. Doctor’s also suggested to take rest, but doing a little physical movement like walking is recommended for a normal delivery of a child. As you know that every body type is different from one another, some ladies gain massive weight while the others a bit little in this process.
A figure with curves always offers a lot of interesting angles. Wesley Ruggles

After the welcome of God gift a beautiful baby into this world, normally females lose their body fitness and failed to get back their desire physique. Here are some tips on how to reverse a perfect figure after having a baby.
  1. Select Foods Cleverly:

Now, it’s a time to give up those habits adopted in a phase of pregnancy. Sorry ladies, but yet you should have to put behind of eating junk food, ice cream, soft drinks and others. Select foods cleverly that is high in vitamins, protein, and good fats. It’s excellent to the ladies to eat green vegetables because it contains natural iron in huge quantity. Consume healthy fats that you can easily get from eating nuts, so includes dry nuts into your daily diet as it is full of essential nutritious.
  1. Keep Physically Moving:

Within a first six weeks of having a baby, you need to take complete rest during period because this is a time of recovery. Once the doctor give you permission that everything is okay now and go-ahead then start slowly with physical activities and gradually increase the level of your daily physical activities. Firstly start with slow walking and then start jogging while you feel fit in doing the walking. After go ahead and start swimming, it’s the best activity for females through they can quickly shape out their body and reduce the level of stress.
  1. Give Your Body A Core Respect:

It’s time to give treat and respect to your body for doing a mind blowing job. Giving a birth to the child in not an easy job, God gives you the power to deal with this and you created an another human being  inside your body for 9 months and experience so much pain at the time of giving birth.
Now, what next? It’s a time to see you in front of minor and give respect about what you successfully did; it’s a massive feat that you accomplished.  Don’t try to achieve your fitness goals in a rapid manner, give a sufficient time for getting back in your desire figure during the process. There is no magical pill invented in this earth that eliminates your surplus body fat overnight, it will take to time and your man also understands that you give him precious gift a child and your body takes a time to adjust it.

What Is the Difference Between Diffuser and Humidifier

Aromatherapy and the use of essential oils can bring joy, relaxation and contentment into your life with all their benefits.
Sometimes people wonder how to achieve the best results, they wonder which is best to purchase. Should it be a humidifier or a diffuser? Combining the two will also give you excellent results.

Diffuser

Diffuser


Diffusers come in different shapes and sizes and you should not confuse the humidifier with a diffuser. You get four essential oil diffuser types. These are:
  • Nebulizer
  • Ultrasonic
  • Evaporative
  • Heat
Diffusers have been designed so that a fine mist is vaporized by using the essential oils for a cold effect in aromatizing your room.
The diffuser does have great advantages like enhancing your mood. It also purifies the air that you breathe. The aromatic oils can actually be absorbed by your skin leaving you relaxed and soothed. A diffuser will also reduce bacteria and fungus that is in the room. At the same time you will find body and mental fatigue slowly evaporating and simply lifting your spirits!
Diffusers can be costly, especially the best ones, but they are worth it. There are some models that come with a light which some people find a bit disturbing especially if they are used to total darkness in the room. Some people don’t like the noise that some diffusers make. You can have a diffuser that works in both ways – a humidifier and a diffuser. Or you can buy them separately. 2017 trends are showing that people use a diffuser multi-purposefully, doing both the functions of a diffuser and a humidifier.

Humidifier


                        Humidifier
If you own a humidifier, you will notice that it maintains the level of moisture in your room. Dry climates particularly benefit from much needed moisture and in winter time. Skin dryness, viral and bacterial problems are triggered when there is such intense dryness in the air. People seek out humidifiers for themselves and their children for assistance with this dryness.
There are many humidifiers on the market place that do not support the use of essential oils. If you do want a humidifier for essential oils, perhaps your best bet would be to select a small diffuser that uses essential oils. This is known as an essential oils diffuser.
A humidifier has great advantages in that it will reduce the dryness in the air, replacing moisture. Sore throats, cough and dry skin are relieved. Those with allergies and asthma experience great relief and a humidifier is great news for family who have to put up with other people snoring. Moisture from a humidifier will even keep your furniture and other things from drying out. Just remember with a humidifier around, some units will boil water inside and this can cause danger to pets and children.

The difference really lies between moisture or refreshment

Basically, the main difference between a humidifier and a diffuser is that the humidifier keeps the atmosphere in a room moist whilst a diffuser will freshen the air with essential oil droplets.
If you have newborn or very little children in the home, you are best off with a humidifier and that would be the right choice. The thing is, whilst the essential oil diffuser might well have therapeutic benefits for us adults, there are some essential oils that can cause health problems when not used properly. Children usually are the susceptible ones. Research done by the University of Minnesota reveals that there are some essential oils, for instance like peppermint that should not be used when there are children under the age of 6 in the home. There is a major chemical in peppermint oil, called Menthol-one, which can cause breathing problems in young children.
When it comes to humidifiers, parents who do research discover that there are certain humidifiers that suit the home even more when there are young children in it. A paediatrician generally will recommend that you do not use humidifiers that emit warm mist into the air with small children around. This is to protect them around boiling water and spillage. That means that the cool mist type humidifier, the ultrasonic humidifier is best when there is a baby in the home.



Tips on How to care of your Oily Skin

Oily Skin

Having an oily skin can really make you uncomfortable as the sebaceous glands over-react thus produce excess sebum which contribute to a shiny face as well as other skin concerns such as; acne, blackheads, whiteheads, enlarged or clogged pores and so on. If you have a very oily skin, exposure to dirt or even pollution can lead to skin-bumps. In addition to these problems, people with oily skins face a major problem of finding the right skin care product. Most of these products make your skin oilier and greasier. A large number of people sometimes opt to use no product in fear of getting negative effects of these products.


Despite having these problems, people with oily skins tend to stay more youthful compared to those with dry skin. They have fewer wrinkles thus they age at a slower rate. Below are some of the tips that can help greatly in making the oily skin more manageable.
  • It is very important to undergo a full skin care often regardless of the type of skin that you have. You can use cleansers, toner, moisturizers, etc.
  • You should ensure that you exfoliate your skin on routine as this helps in removing the dead skin cells and it creates smooth surface. However, this should not be done more often especially if you have an oily skin because it stimulates the production of oil in your skin but if you have a dry skin, exfoliating twice a week would be fine for you.
  • When going for beauty and skin care products, you can go for the ones that have been labeled for acne skin. However. It is important to always consult your doctor before you can start using any products from drug stores.
  • Use of foundation has increased with time and if you have an oily skin, it is important to go for one of the best high end foundations for oily skin that are specifically designed for oily skins. These foundations are better than most of the drugstore products and obvious better than budget foundations.
  • When using moisturizer, you should ensure that you use oil free ones. You should not skip moisturizers unless they are resulting to a serious side effect. Moisturizing your skin does not mean that you are adding oils on your skin; instead they help in preventing your skin from being dehydrated.
  • Use of primer can help in preventing your skin from producing oil and helps the make up to stay on the skin for a longer time. It is very advisable that you should look for a primer that best suits your skin.
  • If you have an oily skin, it is recommended that you should use both moisturizer and primer as normal, then later, apply a light layer of loose powder over the whole face. This is important as it not only helps the foundation to stay longer, but it also helps in building coverage and controls the oils from tampering with your foundation throughout the day. After that, you can apply a light layer of powder then continue applying foundation and concealer as normal.
  • If you are looking for a toner, ensure that you use one that is alcohol free.
  • While looking for the best beauty products for your skin, it is important to look for products that contain citric, lactic, and glycolic acids.
Following the above tips, you can definitely rest assured that they will help you greatly in dealing with the common skin issues faced by the people with the oily skins.

Friday 10 March 2017

Side Effects of Tattoo Ink

Tattoos


So you made the much awaited visit to a tattoo parlor and have got your hand or leg or neck embellished with tattoo art? Tattoos are captivating form of self-expression. You feel elated and probably cannot wait to flaunt it in front of your friends.

While there is no doubt that getting a tattoo done on your body is much in vogue as per current trend, seldom is it realized how perilous the tattoo ink could prove to be. Pay heed to the side effects of a tattoo ink before getting it done.

Uncomfortable When Permanent:

Tattoos are made by puncturing your skin with ink filled needles; this primarily affects the inner layer of your skin called dermis. This inner layer does not wear out in flakes, unlike the upper skin layer called epidermis and the ink of tattoo gets embedded into the former.
This means that it is nearly impossible to get back the original color and texture of your skin after tattooing on it, unless you go through external therapies like laser treatment, which is extremely painful and involves a hefty cost too. So you may regret your tattoo years later when you might crave to see your old skin and complexion again, on that particular area.

Chemicals Cause Adverse Effects:

Tattoo ink is prepared using chemicals like lead, mercury, that are toxic in nature and when injected into your skin through needles, could turn out to be quite detrimental for your skin health resulting into permeation of major important organs. Tattoo ink is the same as the ones used in automobile paint and computer print ink. Other possible diseases and dangers to health are still to be researched and found out because the Food & Drug Administration does not regulate the tattoo industry yet.

Aggravate Allergies:

Because the tattoo ink is composed of strong and toxic chemicals, there are chances of developing a major skin allergy or a break out just after you get a tattoo made on your body. And this is true especially if a person is already allergic or has tendency to catch bacterial infections. You could get red rashes which are although common in appearance, can cause extreme discomfort through itchy and irritable skin.
Hence, get an allergy test done before you go to get that tattoo carved. Common allergies that you might develop are dermatitis, psoriasis, scarring and eczema.

Life Threatening Diseases:

One of the most significant and often neglected aspects of getting a tattoo on your skin is that it can cause life endangering diseases like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV and AIDS. Mainly due to infected needles and maintaining poor hygiene of the entire tattoo carving process. Giving into pleasure in an attempt to look unconventional and stand out from the crowd sounds cool as long as it does not affect your life. There is no fun in indulging into something that could bring your life to an irrevocable end.

Stigma To Your Personality:

While tattoos are a beautiful way to express creativity and art, many people in the society are still not very open in their perception about it. Tattoos can attach a stigma to your personality which can make you look rebellious or belonging to a certain genre. This can alter your image when you are out amongst other people. Sometimes it does serve to boost your social image among friends or people thinking “out of the box” especially painters, musicians, stage performers etc.
At the same time, it could also lead to adverse effects on situations where a more conventional and formal approach is required. So choose wisely and envision the repercussions it would have on your image. 

5 Signs It’s Time for an Eye Exam

Eye Exam


When you have good vision, you probably take it for granted. Even if you’ve lived a life of 20/20 
vision, there’s still a chance you’ll need corrective eyewear at some point and the only way to truly determine that need is if you get a eye exam. Eye exams determine whether or not you need corrective eyewear, but they can also help detect any future eye issues. Good vision is not only helpful in everyday life, but great eyesight can also help protect you against dangers such as injuries and even car accidents. Vision can seemingly change overnight and may even seem different from day to day.

Many people don’t get eye exams on a regular basis; it’s recommended to get a comprehensive eye exam every two years if you don’t have any health issues that affect eye health. In the meantime, pay attention to these signs and have your eyes examined:

Blurry Vision

Blurry vision can occur for any number of reasons from sitting in front of a computer too long, sleep deprivation, and even alcohol consumption. Blurry vision doesn’t automatically mean that you need corrective eyewear, but it’s always a good idea to visit an optometrist to get your eyes checked. Sudden or gradual blurred vision can mean any number of things, so don’t self-diagnose or delay an appointment, if anything, go in for a peace of mind.

Poor Vision When Driving

Maybe you’re one of those people who says you can’t drive at night because you don’t see well or you can’t see exit signs very clearly. Although you are admitting that you struggle to see well while driving, it can still be problematic. Whether it’s night time driving you struggle with or can’t make out signs on the road, your poor vision could be responsible for an accident. According to Rhode Island Car Accident Attorney, Donna M. Nesselbush, there are numerous factors that can result in a fatal car accident; vision issues can certainly be a contributing factor. If your vision is poor while driving, it’s safe to say that it’s as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol.

Frequent Headaches

There are many things in our busy daily lives that can result in an annoying headache, but frequent headaches are often a sign of vision changes. With an eye exam and proper diagnosis, you can say goodbye to daily brain pain.

Eye Strain

The amount of screen time that we have each day can put a strain on our eyes, but so can poor sleep or seasonal allergies. Before you determine that your eye strain is due to too much reading or an abundance of pollen in the air, have an optometrist confirm whether your eye strain is more serious than you think.

Family History

Although technically not a “sign”, your family’s eye health history can determine whether or not you should have your eyes checked. For example, if your grandmother had macular degeneration, there’s a chance you could have it as well. Early and frequent eye exams can help treat it properly.
Author Bio:
Matt Rhoney is an avid reader on trending topics and a writer in his spare time. On the beautiful coast of North Carolina you will usually find him catching up on the latest news with locals or on the beach surfing, kayaking or paddle boarding. He loves to write pieces on health, fitness, and wellness, but often writes about families and safety.

Natural Home Remedies for Treating Heel Spurs

Heel Spurs

Our bodies work to keep our bone growth in balance, but sometimes things can go wrong. Due to excessive physical activity, PH imbalances and various conditions brought by age, our bones can develop into spurs and cause pain and discomfort. Bone spurs are deposits of calcium at the areas where ligaments connect to the bones. When this condition occurs on the heel, it is called a heel spur.

According to a 2014 study on musculoskeletal disorders, thirty-eight percent of people have heel spurs. Heel spurs are formed when the body tries to repair itself from injury, forming layers of bone at the point of the trauma. Heel spurs can be caused by many reasons. Some of them include excessive sports, continuous walking, jumping using worn-out or wrong-sized shoes, or obesity. Heel spurs are common to athletes and people with rheumatic disease. It is also prevalent in diabetic and middle-aged men and women, but can also be experienced by various age groups.


7 Simple Pantry Ingredients for Treating Heel Spurs

Heel spurs aren’t usually treated unless they cause chronic pain or are severe enough to damage other tissues. Heel spurs are closely related to a condition called plantar fasciitis, which is why treatment is almost the same. The following are home remedies you can use to treat heel spurs:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Cigarette Smoking: Aging Effects and Remedies

Quit Smoking


Although, aging is an unstoppable natural phenomenon of the human body, which none of us really like, consistent smokers get this damage severed, in a more intense and rapid way.

Let us understand how smoking impacts certain areas under the aging process
  • SKIN: Cigarette smoking devolves in us, the key components that maintain a youthful appearance namely – collagen, elastin and tissues.
    1. Wrinkles: Nicotine, an active constituent of tobacco, causes the blood vessels in the epidermis, outermost layer of the skin, to narrow. As a result, the blood flow to the skin is impeded, cutting off considerable amount of oxygen and nutrient supplies to the skin. Consequently, the skin begins to sag and is deeply wrinkled, prematurely.
    2. Scars: Lack of oxygen in the skin is one reason why scarring is common to cigarette smokers. Due to their deoxygenated skin tissues, wounds take forever to heal and thus, leave scars behind. Meanwhile, the skin fibres and connecting tissues are also damaged by nicotine, forcing the skin to lose its strength and elasticity.
  • Dull appearance: The carbon monoxide in the cigarette smoke leaves the skin dry and bicolored, making its natural glow to recede. It does so by displacing the oxygen content in the skin, which further drains out vital nutrients, such as vitamin A and C, responsible for skin repair. It also leaves the skin unevenly toned.
  1. Skin cancer: According to an early 21st century study, smokers have three times the ability to develop cancer due to tobacco chemicals. These chemicals contain nearly 4000 carcinogenic ingredients, which have enough potential to cause cancer.
  • EYES: it is annoying for a normal person when he doesn’t get to sleep well and dark circles and under eye bags begin to appear. However, the situation gets even worse for you as a smoker, because with consistent smoking, your body develops a habit of nicotine. While you are sleeping, the insufficient supply of nicotine to your body keeps your system at unrest. This leaves you sleep deprived and causes your under eyes to swell. Smoking also causes eye muscles to degenerate swiftly, causing cataract or vision loss.
  • TEETH: Would you love a stained-teeth smile? I bet you would not! Wondering why I asked this? Well, this is what smoking does to your teeth, stains them! Smoking has the power to make you face all kind of dental issues including oral cancer. With continuous smoking, smokers expose themselves to a high risk of periodontal disease and tooth loss.
  • HAIR: Your toxic smoking habit would leave no stone unturned in catalysing your aging. The hazardous effects of smoking are also visible on your hair. The virulent cigarette smoke is potent in damaging the hair follicle DNA and generates free radicals that vandalize skin cells. It results in comparatively thinner and weaker hair, which eventually turns into massive hair loss and high risk of baldness.
Smoking can potentially age you in 30 years, while the results start appearing in 10 years or so.  Therefore, it is just about time you put away that cigarette, once and for all. Yeah, we know it is not a child’s play but you can make it way easier by focussing on the pointers mentioned below.
  • Make a secret plan: We know bad habits die hard, therefore smokers can get bull-headed when it comes to quitting cigarettes. Adopting a non-smoking behaviour begins right there, with a smoker’s will. Develop that instinct and design an action plan to give up smoking.
  • Keep yourself engaged: Once you make a resolution, ensure to stick by it. Avoid the craving by keeping yourself busy in constructive activities like reading a book, watching a movie, going out on a walk or planning a family outing.
  • Avoid smoking stimulators: Stay determined and keep yourself away from anything or anyone that reminds you of your ex buddy, the cigarettes. Surround yourself with non-smokers, visit smoke free restaurants, avoid caffeine, drink lots of water and develop healthy eating habits to stay fresh as a tired body urges to smoke more.
  • Positive outlook: An optimist approach is a must if you plan to quit smoking. You may begin with gradually decreasing the number of cigarettes smoked per day, but that’s ok! It demands a lot of determination and positive attitude over a long span of time to be able to become smoke free. After all, it is needless to expect, that this addiction will just magically disappear overnight, although the end result is no less than a magic.
  • Seek help: Undoubtedly your will power is the most important aspect of your ‘quit-smoking’ pact. However, it is not wise to solely rely on it. Ask your friends and family for their support whenever you see yourself giving up to that cigarette pack. They will keep you in high spirits and ensure that you make it till the end.
Whatever your excuse may be for adorning this evil habit, this column will make you realise, it is not worth it. No matter at what stage of addiction you are, it is still possible to retreat and fight against rapid aging, which is caused by smoking. Fortunately, you also have great anti-aging cosmetic range, like the life cell anti aging cream, backing you in the process.

Eggs Make The Perfect Food Choice During Pregnancy

eggs



Every woman knows that when she is eating for two, her standards for what she puts into her body change. Pregnant women and their growing babies need an intake of food that is rich in nutrients; promoting strength, energy and a healthy heart for the mother – while working to keep the baby’s progress on track.


Betaine is one amino acid that fights heart disease and promotes protein synthesis in the body. However, for betaine to be synthesized in the body, an adequate amount of choline must also be present. Choline is a key nutrient for fetal brain and nervous cell development; its consumption can also decrease the risk of hypertension and diabetes later in a child’s life. Therefore, an adequate supply is important during pregnancy and breastfeeding months.

Eggs are a superfood for the expecting mother because they are one of the best sources of choline; one quarter to one third of her daily intake is covered with a single egg. However, up to 99% of the choline in an egg lies in the yolk, so it’s important to introduce recipes into the diet that use the full yolk while cooking the whole egg thoroughly to safeguard against potential sickness.
A Cobb salad is an excellent option if you want to add hard-boiled eggs to an already healthy main course. There’s no shortage of healthy egg recipes available, and a quick visit to Getcracking.ca/recipes/ will give you access to several, including a delicious Cobb salad that takes little time to prepare. What’s great about a salad is that you can go as decadent or as lean as you want by adding or removing ingredients and this recipe will give you four side-salads to add to lunch time, or two larger servings. To begin with, hard boil four eggs – to ensure the yolk cooks through bring the eggs to a boil, then let them sit in hot water for up to twelve minutes.  Rinse immediately with cold water.
To arrange, divide salad greens (iceberg or romaine) among individual plates.  Then, place a small handful of cooked chicken breast in the centre of each plate.  Arrange bacon (turkey bacon or diced ham can be substituted for a leaner meal, or removed altogether), tomatoes cut into cubes, egg wedges, and sprinkle red onion around the chicken. Lastly, add a pinch of cheese for flavour, traditionally this salad uses blue cheese.  For a healthy homemade dressing, use a blender to mix avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper and water until the texture is smooth. For a thicker dressing, use less water.
Furthermore, eggs that contain omega-3 fatty acid can help to promote good vision, and yolks also carry zinc which helps to prevent preterm birth. For the pregnant woman, the benefits of eating eggs are plentiful, providing protein for her and the baby too, which is also necessary energy for the fetus’ accelerated rate of growth. For more healthy recipes, and ideas for meals using cooked-through eggs, visit getcracking.ca. Ensure you and your little one on the way get the most out of meal time as you prepare for the arrival.

How to Stay Motivated Towards Your Fitness Goals


Fitness Goals

 

Every year, most people make New Year resolutions; however, how many of us actually succeed to accomplish our resolutions? Eating healthier or hitting the gym more often can be a chore when you don’t have the necessary discipline or the right habits.

But how long does it take to form a new habit?

Well, back in 1950s, a plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz began to notice certain patterns among his patients. He would perform an operation, and only after 21 his patients got used to seeing their new facial features.

This prompted Dr. Maltz to consider his own adjustment period to new behaviors. After a while, he concluded that it also took himself about three weeks to form new habits. In 1960, he published a study called Psycho-Cybernetics that concluded that you definitely need only 21 days to for new habits.
So that is when the problem started.

What’s the Real Time Frame?

Now, it not so difficult to understand why the so called “21 day myth” spread so fast and why it stayed in the public conscience for so long – the time frame Dr. Maltz suggested is short enough to be inspirational and long enough to seem possible.
However, as Metro reports, researchers from the University College London recently decided to discover how long it actually takes to pick up a new habit. The study examined 96 people over the course of twelve weeks and concluded that, it takes 66 days before a new behavior becomes automatic.

So How Can You Motivate Yourself?

In reality, deciding to start a healthy lifestyle is not so though, but what’s truly hard is sticking to your decisions. There are many factors could easily hinder your path towards your health and fitness goals, including food choices, schedule and the most common one – laziness.
However, there are certain thing you can do to motivate yourself enough and to make sure that you stay on the right path. And if you manage to stick it out for two months, your chances of success will definitely skyrocket.

Phase One – Taking Baby Steps

In the first phase, you should aim to make one change per day. For instance, you should take a fast walk after your lunch the first day, or add some new fruits to your breakfast. Basically, you need do whatever you can to bump your weight down.
After a week or so, you should start working out at least twice a week, and start changing your eating habits. If you don’t know how to change your diet or don’t have enough time to prepare certain meals, you should consider using a prepared meals delivery service to do the job for you.

Phase Two – Killing Off Cravings

If you manage to stay with the program after about two weeks, you need to start fighting your cravings. You see the time goes by; your cravings will definitely worsen, especially if you’re on a stick diet for the first time in your life.
These carvings also have to do with your workouts – your body simply isn’t adapted to running on fewer calories. Of course, it partially psychological as well – during this period, funk food and treats will become more desirable, simply because they are off-limits.

Phase Three – Finding Support

Once you manage to fight off your cravings, you should try to find as much allies as possible. Basically, you should enlist a couple of friends to join your gym in order to stay accountable. The best thing – you’ll have someone to share your struggles with.
But if your friends aren’t enthusiastic about fitness as nearly as you are, you should nevertheless join a gym and try to make some friends there. For example, simply strike a conversation with a biker right next to you or if possible, sign up for a group class and meet some gym buddies there.

Final Thoughts

What you need to understand is that the phases we listed above don’t have a specific time frame. As the study we mentioned before explained – the number 66 isn’t definitive – some people take longer to adjust to changes while other need less time.
But even if these phases lost longer than expected, don’t throw your fitness tracker into the bin and give up. If you slip up a few times – you miss a few sessions or you re-introduce junk food into your diet – don’t worry, because slip-ups are unavoidable.
So don’t beat yourself too much, just make sure you get back on the wagon after a few days. Set up a backup plan, so if you eat a burger or two, maybe do a couple of squats in your living room. You need whatever it takes to stay focused and avoid all the pitfalls that prevent you from reaching your goals.

5 Potential Causes of Toothache and Ways to Deal With It

                                Tooth Decay

Toothache can be killing, to an extent where you can have major complications. Like tooth loss, bacterial blood infection or inflammation between the lungs. And there are chances that you might be at a risk of pneumonia or brain abscesses. But, this is when, if you leave your toothache untreated.

However, the effects of toothache majorly depend on the type of reason, its realization is the first and foremost step to get away or minimize the risk of developing such health issues. But there are people who either don’t realize whether it is a toothache or just ignore it simply because of carelessness, lack of time, laziness to book an appointment or they don’t know how a mild toothache can result in dire consequences.

How Will You Know You Need To Visit A Dentist?


If your toothache lasts longer than a day or two, and you are experiencing any of these problems then, it is time you should visit the dentist to avoid any further complications:
  • Fever and earache
  • Swelling around the tooth
  • Having trouble opening your mouth wide
  • Secretion of foul tasting drainage from the infected tooth
If it is not treated at the right time, there are higher chances of spreading it to other parts of the mouth, face and even skull.

But What Actually Is a Toothache? A Normal Pain Or Something Beyond?

Well, toothache is typically a pain which exists in and surrounding the teeth area including the jaw. It occurs when the innermost layer of the tooth becomes swollen due to tooth decay, or due to a broken tooth or thinning of gums. And, since different people say different things, it becomes difficult to understand the actual root cause of this dental problem.
So, below are the 5 probable causes that are believed to trigger the problem of toothache in an individual:

1. Tooth Decay/Cavity


Tooth Decay




The most common reason behind developing a toothache is tooth decay which happens as a result of bacterial infection. This further leads to formation of cavities or holes in the hard surface of the tooth.

2. Cracked Tooth/Dental Injury


Cracked Tooth


Teeth (even without a cavity) that are weak from within generally break by themselves or get cracked while biting something hard that they can’t withstand. This also results in a severe toothache. In other cases, dental injuries caused by accidents also lead to this problem.


3. Gum Recession

Gum Recession

Driving Fatigue and Back Pain

Driving Fatigue


This fatigue can be harmful, not only to the truck driver’s health, but also to the safety of every other traveller on the highway. In fact driving fatigue is just as dangerous as a driver making an illegal turn or stopping without any prior warning. Many law firms have settled cases where a truck driver has been involved and driving fatigue has been the cause of the accident.

The average trucker gets less than five hours of sleep every night. This may not seem dangerous right off but over time the effects of sleep deprivation will start to show. Driving without getting enough sleep can be just as dangerous as driving drunk because the senses are impaired. Listed below are some of the harmful side effects of sleep deprivation.
  • Alertness decrease
  • Impairment to the memory
  • Stress in personal life
  • Occupational injuries
  • Inability to participate in recreational activities that can keep a person healthy
  • Performance decrease when going about normal duties
This list is just an example of a few of the short term side effects. The list below are some of the long term effects of sleep deprivation that can develop over time.
  • . High risk of heart failure or a heart attack
  • . Mood disorders
  • . Obesity
  • . Chance of having a stroke
  • . Attention Deficit Disorder
All of these are harmful issues that need to be dealt with if the highways are to be kept safe for all who travel on them. There are simple ways to keep sleep deprivation from becoming a problem. Unfortunately, even though the preventatives are simple many people do not take the time to implement them.
  • Do not start a stressful or difficult task before work
  • Be sure to get enough sleep, plan a sleep schedule if necessary
  • Try not to drive during the times that studies have shown as the ones where drivers make the most mistakes.
  • Get some rest as soon as possible after your work day is over
  • Plan rest breaks throughout the day to give you time to replenish your energy
There are many other things that can be done to cut down on sleep deprivation which in turn can help prevent accidents related to this condition. This is helpful for everyone and by taking precautions against driving fatigue the highways will be a much safer place, both for the truck drivers and all those who share the roads with them.
Another problem that can affect truck drivers is lower back pain. Truck drivers are sitting for the majority of their workdays and this can cause problems. Since truck drivers sometimes have to help unload their merchandise lower back pain can be a real problem. However, some of them are denied the care they need and as a result are unable to perform certain tasks. Opioid painkillers are very effective but doctors are not encouraged to prescribe them right away. Anti-inflammatories or a muscle relaxer are recommended and can be effective but some insurance companies do not cover this. Due to some of the old guidelines though many insurance companies deny claims for these types of medication.
This denial causes prolonged suffering. There are new guidelines in place so that insurance companies can offer help for different types of therapies that can reduce back pain. Lower back pain is a very common among employees in many different walks of life, truck drivers are just one example. Now, this is just for those experiencing lower back pain caused by their work. It does not include those suffering from damage to the nerves that needs surgery to correct. Recovering from a nerve surgery can take years so exploring all other options first is always a wise choice.
All of the information listed above is crucial to keeping employees safe. As stated above truck drivers are just one example of those affected by the two ailments, driving fatigue and lower back pain. However, all of the information on how to avoid and treat these conditions can be applied by every person, no matter what line of work they are in.

How to Get More Rest With a New Baby

New Baby

That in the first year of your baby’s life you’re going to lose around 350 hours of sleep. Possibly even more, depending on your child. I was pretty lucky with my two.

My daughter actually started sleeping through the night (and by “through the night” I’m talking 7pm till 5am) from about 6 weeks old. But she never slept of a day time, or if she did it was only for 20 minutes max. And she had colic as a result of a milk protein allergy, so she spent every day from about 3pm till 7pm screaming her little lungs out non-stop. By 7pm she was just so exhausted she had no other choice but to sleep through the night. Poor little thing.

My son was closer to 8 weeks when he first slept from 7pm till 5am. He’d spent the first 2 months of his life ONLY sleeping on me, so I’d pretty much only had 2-3 hours’ sleep a night max for those first 8 weeks. When he first slept though, I felt like a completely new woman and had an amazing day full of energy! He kept doing that until the 4 month regression when he started waking once or twice in the night. I had never really experienced an older baby waking in the night so it was a real wake-up call for me and my tiredness! Thankfully by the time he was 1 he was sleeping through again.
I’ve heard my friends telling me that their older babies still wake up numerous times a night, need bottles or want to play, and I feel for them. The biggest problem once you have an older bub, is that they are also more active during the day. They don’t sleep as much, and might be running around which makes it even more tiring. And by the time they are 6 or 12 months old, you might also be back at work – which means there is no chance for you to get a nap!
Rest, rest, rest
So … before it gets to that point, get in as much rest as possible. You’re going to need to recover some of that energy you’ve lost with giving birth. You’re going to need it for … oh, let’s say … the next 18 to 20 years.
Here’s how you can get more rest, keeping in mind that even 20 minutes will have you feeling like a million bucks in those first few weeks:
Forget the housework! Who cares if your home is looking like a massive bomb site of baby clothes and toys? When your baby sleeps, TRY to sleep at the same time. With a newborn this is especially hard because it’s like you have a sensor going off in your brain that captures every single movement or slight grunt they make. But you need to at least try. Turn off your phone, lie down in a dark room, close your eyes and see where the quiet takes you. This is hard when you also have a toddler or other children, so put a movie on and lie down with them for “quiet time”.
Ask for help.
I know, it really isn’t that easy to do so, but when you have a new born, asking for help is truly something you should do. Get your partner to watch the baby while you go hide out in the bedroom (or the park) to try and get a little kip in; if your partner is back at work, ask a friend or a family member if they could come over for an hour or so. No doubt they’ll jump at the chance (everyone loves new baby cuddles!), and you’ll get to nap. If you’re lucky, they might even help clean up that mess you haven’t had the chance to touch!
Try to stay away from things like caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. If you’re breastfeeding you are hopefully doing that anyway; but even with bottle fed babies, those three things are going to affect YOUR ability to nap.
If you’re going to exercise, do it first thing in the morning. Exercising at night will make your sleep even worse thanks to the stimulation it gives your brain; so if you really want to get the most out of the hours of sleep you can get at night – avoid anything strenuous for at least 3 hours before you hit the sack.
Breastfeeding is exhausting, physically and mentally.
And add the newborn to the mix; you’re going to have little energy. Sometimes I could barely even sit up to feed. So I learned to lie on my side, with my baby beside me, feeding, while I got a little rest. I didn’t sleep like that (maybe once or twice I drifted off); but I was able to close my eyes and just take a moment to myself, which made me feel a lot better.
Don’t stress that you’re going to squash your baby if you DO fall asleep, because your mother’s instinct is usually more prominent, provided you haven’t taken any medication or had any alcohol or drugs.
And finally, when you are back at work and you’re still faced with your children waking at night; make sure you take your lunch break. Go for a walk to a quiet park, sit down or lie on the grass, put your head on the table and have a little nap. Set your alarm if you need to.
Happy sleeping!