Archives January 2016

Many people would agree with the statement that there’s nothing harder than getting up in the morning. While many people flock to obvious ideas like coffee and caffeine, the following are 5 great tips for helping you get up out of bed fast and get you diving into your day instead of struggling to get through it.

Option #1: Set the alarm away from your bed

Everyone has been the victim of their own laziness by hitting the snooze button as soon as the alarm sounds. This is much harder to do if your alarm clock is set all the way across the room from your bed. Once you get up and move all the way across the room it’s harder to just fall asleep again.

Option #2: Look at taking a cold shower

Aside from having an amazing array of positive health benefits from fighting depression to even aiding in weight loss efforts, taking a cold shower in the morning will snap you awake and get you moving.

Option #3: Go with a protein heavy breakfast

Carbs are sugars – and with sugar comes a sugar crash. Protein is a longer lasting source of energy. Not only does a protein heavy breakfast help provide more energy that lasts longer, but you avoid a morning sugar crash.

Option #4: Sit up immediately and “power pose”

Forcing yourself to move and then striking a power pose that floods testosterone and happy hormones makes you more likely to enjoy being up and will push you to keep moving throughout the morning. So strike a pose and start the day off right!

Option #5: Morning affirmations in the mirror

Go to the mirror, put on a big smile no matter how fake, and say out loud that you’re beautiful, you love yourself, and list three things that you are thankful for. By doing this, your body will embrace the new day.

Follow these five options or tips and you will speed up your early morning routine and embrace the new day!

The winter season brings a lot of fun and enjoyment to many people. There is time to play in the snow, enjoy an evening fire, and drinking large mugs of hot chocolate. While it sounds like a great time, there are just as many people who hate Jack Frost and do not remember inviting him over. These people are typically plagued by dry, itchy skin due to the cold winter months. However, you do not have to deal with it any longer! Here are three tips you can start using today that are not going to cost you an arm and a leg.

Drink Plenty Of Water

One of the biggest culprits of dry skin during the cold winter months is the loss of hydration. Considering we do not have the sun beating down on us all day our consumption of water begins to dwindle. Our bodies are mostly water and they still need it, even if it is in the negatives outside. Not giving your body enough water will lead to dry and irritated skin during the winter. In fact, it can lead to more serious issues if you are not careful. So drink plenty of water.

Diet

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can improve the condition of your skin remarkably in a matter of just a few weeks. Omega-3s are responsible for keeping skin cells well lubricated, thereby contributing to a rejuvenated appearance. Try to add foods like; salmon, walnuts, olive oil, soybeans, navy beans, kidney beans, winter squash and ground flaxseed to your regimen.

Supplement

Besides eating healthy diet you can take some supplements too. If your skin lacks these essential fatty acids it can be dry all year round. Oils rich in omega-3, makes joints feel better and skin look younger and fresher. Health.com suggests a supplement that contains 180 milligrams of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 120 milligrams of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) taken three times daily for the best results.

Invest In A Good Moisturizer

Your skin is going to need all the help it can get during the winter months and having a premium moisturizer is the best way to get started! Be sure to have different moisturizer for summer and different for winter. During winter most of us need richer creams to protect the skin. Think about your moisturizer same way as you do with clothing. Protect your body with coats and gloves when its cold. Make sure your cream or serum has hyaluronic acid in it.

Avoid Hot Water

Taking a hot shower or bath breaks down the lipid barrier in your skin and makes it easier for your skin to lose its moisture. Taking warm or lukewarm baths and showers are best for preventing parched skin.

A good way to get more hydration is to use humidifiers inside your home. Leave it on at night while you sleep and reap the benefits all season long by using it regularly.

Limit Exfoliation

While during the summer, it’s important to scuff away dry skin by exfoliating it regularly, in winter you need to ease up on the process. Try exfoliating your face and body just once a week or once every two weeks. You will still get smooth skin without damaging already stressed skin.

So you’re wondering why exercise is important to your health? How on earth can straining your body be good for you? Whether you agree with the principles of exercise, there is no getting around the fact that it’s good for you, and here is why.

For starters, it provides you with much needed energy. The older you get the harder it becomes for your body to generate energy. By exercising regularly you enable your body to stay active in this respect. The effects of aging won’t be nearly as powerful when you participate in a regular regime. See it as a natural way to stay young for much longer.

Secondly, exercise helps you to control your weight. Did you know that something more than 60 percent of Americans are struggling with today. The moment you move past a healthy body mass index serious health issues come into play, such as diabetes, joint pain, blood pressure and hearth conditions.

What about your mental state? Did you know that if your body is in a bad condition then your mind is going to follow. While some people get depressed because they are stressed, others get depressed for no reason. But once the body is maintained the mind is going to stay healthy with it. Exercise is one, if not the best way to fight off feelings of low self-esteem and stress. In fact, it builds confidence every time you do it.

Listing all the benefits of exercise and why it has such a great impact on your health will take a very long list, but do yourself a favor and read more about it. You’ll be surprised at how pushing your body just a little bit can make you enjoy life so much more. Better yet, give it a try and see how you feel after a week.

Healthy and radiant skin is one of the most sought after things by most people and especially women. After all, healthy skin is beautiful and we all strive to be beautiful. Now, with that said, the best way to get healthy skin would be to focus on the types of food that you eat. We will now take a closer look at what you should be eating if you want to have beautiful skin that is soft, supple, radiant and free of blemishes.

The first food that we will look at are dark green leafy vegetables. Vegetables like spinach, kale, arugula and lettuce are extremely good for you and contain tons of vitamins and minerals that are great for your skin. So, make sure that you eat your greens on a daily basis in order to get soft and radiant skin.

Another great food to eat to have glowing skin are carrots. If you juice fresh carrots and drink a glass or two every other day, this will go a long way in making your skin radiant. However, make sure not to over do it since you can make your skin become orange if you drink too much carrot juice.

Next, you should eat oatmeal on a regular basis for healthy skin. Oatmeal has lots of vitamins and helps to keep you full while keeping your blood sugar stable. Having a stable blood sugar level is important for healthy skin since a spiked blood sugar level can cause the increase of androgens in your body, which causes wrinkles.

In closing, don’t forget to drink tons of water and limit your processed food. Minimum water intake should be ½ your body’s weight in ounces daily, example: if you weight 120lbs, you should drink minimum of 60oz of water daily. And keep that habit forever!