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Eat Food and Have Fun: Easy Ways to Stay Healthy This Summer!

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Enjoying food with friends is always fun, but if you’re following a healthy eating plan it’s easy to want to isolate yourself to avoid temptation.  But it doesn’t have to be the case at all, there are ways you can stick to your goals while enjoying delicious dishes with those you care about. Here are some ideas!

Look into healthy picnic options

When the sun is shining, there’s nothing better than packing up the car with some supplies and heading out for a day of fun- whether it’s to a park, a beach, a theme park or a cute town to stroll around. Taking a picnic allows you to save money and you’ll also be able to make healthier choices. It doesn’t have to be boring either, there are loads of healthy yet tasty picnic ideas online. From scotch eggs using chicken sausages and wholemeal breadcrumbs to interesting flavourful sandwich ideas to low fat puddings and more. You of course have things like pasta and rice salads and things that you can make light versions of very easily. Check out sites like Pinterest and see what you can put together. It’s well worth investing in a good picnic set and a cool bag or box with some ice packs. You’ll only need to buy these things once and can use them over and over each year.

Check the menu before eating out

Do you enjoy sitting outside to eat lunch in a pub garden on a warm afternoon, or lunch in the evenings that stretch on and on in mid summer? Take a look at the menu before deciding on the cafe or restaurant you want to go with, and see what lighter options they have. This can help you make the best choices without going overboard. Lots of places offer ‘under X calories’ sections or ‘lighter bites.’ Perfect when you still want to go out and enjoy yourself with friends but don’t want to completely ruin your healthy eating plan. Online menus have tons of information these days, so you can work out if the meals suit your dietary needs. No longer to those with allergies or intolerances have to stay home and cook! If you suspect you have any issues, check out a review of food sensitivity testing and see if it’s right for you.

Keep your barbeque lower in fat

Barbeques are always crowd pleasers when the weather is warm. While they can be quite indulgent with things like burgers, sausages and lamb kebabs, it’s so easy to make them lighter too. Bash out chicken breasts to flatten them (it makes them easier to cook) and marinate in some tasty herbs and spices, and you have a high protein, low fat chicken burger with all of the charred and smokey taste from the coals. Make some skewers using lean meat, like chicken or turkey, along with some mushrooms, peppers and onions. Lots of veggies work great on the grill too, and serve everything with some tasty salads to get your veg count up. Even if you want more traditional options, you could go with lower fat burgers and sausages- they’re just as nice when they’re cooked on the grill.

What are some ways you can have a healthy summer?!

This post was a collaboration.

Health

Lifestyle Changes That Will Help Boost Your Energy

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Do you often feel sluggish, tired and in desperate need of a nap? This seems like pretty common behavior that we blame on the working week. But wouldn’t it be nice to stop feeling so tired all of the time and actually have some energy?

Maintaining consistent energy levels comes down to some key lifestyle changes. By switching the focus of your health goals to having more energy, you can shake that lethargic feeling and start to feel more energized.

Want to give yourself a boost? Here are some lifestyle changes to make that will improve your energy.

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Get more sleep

Having more energy starts with a good night’s sleep. Most people fail to get their recommended 7-8 hours a night, which can cause problems with your stress levels, your appetite, mood, and energy. Those late nights partying or staying up past midnight can soon creep up on you, affecting your health in various ways. Work on improving your sleep quality to make sure you get enough rest.

Eat for energy

Food is the fuel you need for your body to function, and eating the right foods will help you enjoy sustained energy. While a carbohydrate-filled, sugary snack might seem like a good energy boost, it will be a quick win, and you’ll soon feel more tired than you did before. Focus on a diet that features energy-boosting foods and watch your tiredness begin to improve.

Drink less

Alcohol can have several effects on your energy levels. While you might think that it ‘perks you up’, alcohol can mess with your sleep and leave you feeling tired and dehydrated the next day. Some people might think that alcohol gives them the energy to perform tasks better like driving, but you can click here to learn more about why that’s not true. When you drink less alcohol or give it up altogether, you’ll certainly have more energy, but your waistline and wallet will also feel the benefits. Many people use alcohol as a sleeping aid, but this habit can do more damage than good.

Change your exercise habits

Exercise burns energy, so how could it possibly make you feel more energetic? Regular exercise will improve your cardiovascular health, which will fuel your body with the right nutrients to function. It also increases your endorphin levels which can help to lift your mood and give you that natural high. Focus on exercises that improve energy, including morning stretching and walking more to help you fight fatigue, especially during the day.

Focusing on boosting your energy levels can change your approach to diet and exercise. If you want to improve your focus and alertness, then switching up your habits could soon have the desired effect. Instead of succumbing to your tiredness, get up and walk around and eat foods that release energy over time. With increased energy, you’ll feel more motivated, capable and ready to take on anything.

This post was a collaboration.

Health

Tips For Keeping Your Mind And Body Strong

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As we grow, we learn more about how our bodies work and that time is sadly something that’s not on our side. Looking after ourselves does get harder as we get older, so here are a few tips for keeping both your mind and body strong.

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Always Look To Be Educated

A lot of our learning tends to stop at a certain point in our lives, and we end up doing very little learning as we progress through adulthood. However, you should consider every day as an opportunity to learn something new, not only to build yourself as an individual but to help keep your mind active. As we age, we start to become a little lazier, and that laziness also means we don’t exercise our brains enough. Whether it’s learning a new language or just reading a book, keep your mind active with education!

Let Yourself Heal Properly

Injuries are a common occurrence for everyone and it can happen one, two or multiple times. Whether it was a full blown injury with personal injury lawyers involved or tripping over and spraining a body part, always allow it to heal properly. Especially as our bodies age, our once nimble and resilient bodies that we had as kids aren’t quite the same nowadays. Most of us will try and get back to daily activities as soon as possible, but that can actually hinder your recovery. Take the time to look after yourself when you get sick or injured. It might seem like a nuisance, but resting is the best way of getting better without any issues later down the line.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise is important to keep your body physically fit. It’s not necessarily about muscle definition or weight loss but more about improving your stamina and making sure you’ve got the heart pumping. Try to incorporate some form of exercise on a daily basis, twenty minutes should do it. Find a sport or exercise that you enjoy doing rather than something that’s been recommended as we all enjoy different things.

Learn To Say No

Whenever we take on too much, we end up burning ourselves out and feeling run down. Learning to say no is difficult because we want to keep everyone happy and to impress. Whether it’s in a social or workplace situation, it’s ok to say no. Taking on too much is not going to do well for your mind or body, so if you don’t fancy going out with friends or taking on something else at work, just say no.

Sleep Well

Sleep is an important factor in keeping your mind and body strong. It’s something we all need to function and the more of a good night’s sleep that we have each night, the better we are for it. Try to get a regular bedtime routine in place so that your body becomes aware of when it’s time to sleep. Keep electronic devices out of your hands before getting into bed and reduce your caffeine intake to just the mornings.

Hopefully, these tips will help in keeping your wellbeing in tip-top shape, no matter what your age!

This post was a collaboration.

Health Nutrition

More Fat, Less Problems? A Review Of The Keto Way Of Eating

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What if the advice you have been given about eating fat all your life was wrong? What if it wasn’t actually fat that makes you fat, but sugar, both refined and in the form of carbohydrates? Well, that is what proponents of the ketogenic diet believe, and this way of eating (WOE) is not only gaining popularity amongst the fiterati but also in the mainstream. Of course, before you decide to revolutionize your own WOE, you will need to know all about this diet, something you can do by reading the post below.

What is keto?

Keto or a ketogenic diet is one that looks radically different from the what the average American consumes. This is because it’s all about keeping carbohydrate intake at or below 20g a day. What that means in practice is that just the carbs in the bread of a sandwich will take you over your daily limit.

Now, you may be wondering why going over the 20g mark matters, and it’s because it will take you out of a state called ketosis. Ketosis is where your body switches over to burning fat for fuel rather than carbohydrates, something that essentially makes you into a fat burning machine.



What are the benefits?

Ketosis has many benefits, one in particular that lead many people to choose this diet is that it can help people to lose, or manage their weight. This is because the body is directly burning fat, something that means if you moderate your own fat consumption your bodies stores will be used instead.

Of course, that is not the only benefit of a ketogenic diet, and many people report increased clarity, energy, and even better blood work results, surprisingly including cholesterol levels.

Some folks also report an improvement in their depression or anxiety levels. Which as a ketogenic diet mainly cuts out sugar isn’t perhaps that surprisingly as it prevent the highs and crashes associated with this type of food.

What are the disadvantages?

It is important to remember though that just like any kind of WOE a ketogenic diet isn’t without some disadvantages. Probably, the most significant of these is what is know as keto flu, where people switching to the diet experience muscle cramps, fatigue, and brain fog as their bodies get used to reduced consumption of carbohydrates.


Of course, this flu can be very unpleasant, and in many cases put people off continuing with this diet. Although there are some strategies, you can use to minimize the symptoms.

One is to use a supplement like BHB which can provide additional ketones to be used as energy as you transition. The good news is that, if have a look at KetoLogic’s awesome BHB recipes you will see you don’t just have to take a pill to feel better but can actually enjoy some yummy treats that will improve symptoms as well. Treats like apple BHB slush, or even BHB popsicles!

Other folks have found success by drinking a mixture known as ketoaide which is essentially water, water enhancer that is sugar-free such as Mio, with added lo salt for potassium and some magnesium. The latter being cited as helpful for muscle aches and trouble getting to sleep. Another problem that those wishing to a keto diet can experience.

What kinds of dishes can you eat?  

Often what people really want to know before they commit to a new way of eating is what kind of food they can have, and whether it will be practical for them in their day to day life.

Bacon and eggs, plus some low carb veg is a perfectly acceptable meal on keto.

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Well, in term of dishes you will want to skew your consumption to foods with moderate protein, high fat, and low carb, so fatty meats like steak, chicken with the skin on, and even bacon are all good. Something that makes popping out for brunch totally doable on this diet. You are also pretty much good to go with dairy products like cream, eggs, and cheese, and with green vegetables, and even most nuts.



Of course, you will do better if you stay away from most fruits as these are high in sugar as well as milk or white chocolate. Although a little dark chocolate is fine as long as you can fit it in your daily carbohydrate allowance.

In fact, the large selection of tasty and satiating foods available on this diet means that not only is practical but can be an enjoyable way of eating as well. This being something that leads many to suggest that the statement mo’ fat, less problems, including weight gain, poor concentration, high cholesterol, and even high anxiety, to be true.

Have you tried the keto lifestyle? What’s your WOE? Comment below!

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Health

Healing From A Fall Down The Steps, Literally

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Human beings are strange gangly creatures. We’re the only animal to stand upright and balance perfectly on two legs. We also have long limbs, with intricate features that allows us to spread out weight and secure ourselves. So although falling down the stairs is sometimes used as a gag in comedy shows, it’s not that funny when it really happens. The injuries that once can receive from falling down the steps can range from minor to fatal. The most common kinds of injuries can be quite painful, so much so that you can no longer make it into work. Even walking or gentle jogging becomes a chore due to the joint pressure pain you are going through. Maybe you stretched out your hands to catch yourself and you fell heavily on your arm. The injuries you sustain from this can be broken bones or severely bruised muscles. Even worse, if you land on your tailbone or head, then you really do need bed rest for your well-being.

Twist and Shout

The most common form of injury when falling down some steps is a twisted ankle. Our reaction is to suddenly losing our footing is to scramble around and try to hit something solid immediately with our feet. This can twist the ball joint and push our weight inward or outward. This creates a contusion, which leads to sometimes tearing muscles and even ligaments. Firstly, use lots of ice to bring the inflammation down and bring new blood to the scene. White blood cells need to flood the area and begin repairing the microfibers quickly. Straighten your ankle and foot and wear an ankle brace. This will stabilize the joint and allow you to slowly recuperate to full strength.

Black and Blue

Landing on your legs, buttocks, arm or ribs can really bruise. This is due to a blunt force trauma of your entire weight landing on just once part of your body. Blood vessels burst causing bleeding underneath the skin. The first thing you should do is warm the area. Unlike bone injuries where ice is used, muscle bruising requires heat that will allow the blood cells to circulate and not blotch. You can use a heat pack and wrap it around the affected area with a bandage. Wear more layers when you are going out to keep the wind chill away which causes great discomfort. Don’t put direct pressure on the area either, so if you have a bruise on one side of your body sleep on the opposite side.

Emotional Recovery

Falling can sometimes be a near death experience, especially if you fell down multiple steps. Taking time off work also hurts your financial situation. Make sure that you at least don’t have to worry about paying for your medical bills if it was not your fault. Contact a good injury claim lawyer that build a case against an employer or other party. They can take into account the emotional damage done by a life changing injury.

Falling down steps is quite a sudden and painful experience. Losing your footing your whole body weight can act against you. Take your time and use both cold and heat to your advantage.

This post was a collaboration.

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Health

5 Real Ways To Lose Fat Fast

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Many of us are keen to lose as much fat as possible. If you are like most people in this position, you probably find that you often go up and down in weight, and when this weight is primarily fat you should probably try and do something about it as soon as possible. As well as it being a physical or unsightly problem, you should also be aware that fat is unhealthy for you, and it is absolutely a good idea to try and keep it to a minimum at all times. But it is one thing to want to do that, and quite another to make it a reality. In this article, we are going to look at some of the best real ways to actually lose fat fast. As long as you consider some of these, you should find that you are able to do that much more effectively than you might have hoped.

 

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Eat Lots Of Fiber

 

If you want to lose fat, you will of course need to focus on a good diet, but what that actually entails is something that a lot of people find hard to understand. There are many things to consider here, some of which we will look at later, but one in particular you should aim for is to eat plenty of fiber every day. In particular, you want to focus on eating soluble fiber, as this is much more likely to be beneficial for any kind of fat loss. Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a kind of gel which in turn helps to slow down the food breaking down in the body. This invariably leads to less fat, especially if you eat a good two or so portions of it every day. It also helps you to feel full, because of the way that the food takes longer to break down, so you are less likely to gorge on something fatty to feel full. There is also some evidence to suggest that eating soluble fiber actively helps specifically fight belly fat, so that is clearly something you should consider if that is where you are trying to lose fat from.

 

Increase Your Exercise Regularly

 

Obviously enough, you will need to be exercising a lot if you hope to lose fat, and this is one of the two basic points along with diet which you need to focus on. You also need to appreciate what kind of exercise regime is actually going to help here, as not all are made equal. The most important thing to remember here is that you need to gradually increase the intensity of your exercise as you progress. If you do this, you will actively burn off more fat over time, whereas if you keep the intensity the same it is much less likely that this will happen. Whether you achieve that by extending the session time or just increasing the weights, or whatever else it might be, you will find that it is a hugely powerful way to make sure you are burning plenty of fat.

 

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The Simple Act Of Walking

 

That being said, it is not just high-intensity workouts that work well for losing fat. One of the simplest and most important things you can do too is to simply go for a walk regularly. Walking is a great exercise for losing fat, especially around the belly, so it’s something you should make a point of doing regularly. You can easily incorporate this into your daily life, moreover. Most people these days have apps on their phones detailing how many steps have been taken. You can make use of this in order to ensure you are walking the recommended ten thousand steps – or whatever other target you might wish to go for. As long as you are walking enough, you will find that losing fat is going to be a much simpler thing to do, and it is so easy to make sure that you are doing so, even if you don’t like to exercise much.

 

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Noninvasive Procedures

 

If you are looking for a particularly quick way to lose your fat, in particular your belly fat, then you might want to look into having a procedure done. While some people might be a little worried about such ventures, the truth is that they are relatively simple and easy to use, and that they are likely to make a huge difference to how much fat you have on your body very quickly. The noninvasive procedures are obviously the best, and if you go for something along the lines of Metropolitan Dermatology CoolSculpting you will find that you are able to get rid of whatever belly fat you have in a safe and efficient manner. This is certainly something to consider for most people, especially if you are genuinely struggling to lose fat through the more traditional means, and you wish to have it over and done with as soon as possible.

 

Cut Your Alcohol

 

If you drink more than a few units of alcohol a week, then this is one of the first things that you will want to look into changing in order to lose fat. It is incredibly difficult to be able to drink alcohol and keep fat off you, so you should make it learn in your mind that it really is a choice between one or the other. This should make it obvious how much of a binary choice it is, and hopefully over time you can drink less and less. Of course, it is a potentially addicting substance, and therefore you might find it hard to quit entirely. Consider cutting down slowly, and maybe getting help if you need to at some point along the way. It will be worth it in so many ways, not least the fact that you will lose some fat fast.

 

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All of these are great methods for losing fat, and you should consider combining a number of them into one program if you really want to make a big change to your physical health and appearance.

 

This post was a collaboration. 

 

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Health

Is There A Lazy Way To Live Healthily?

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Most people assume that healthy living takes a lot of effort. Having to exercise more and prepare meals with fresh ingredients means giving up more free time and having to exert more energy. However, that doesn’t mean that it has to be a complete chore. There are some ways to live healthily that don’t require as much time and energy – such lifestyle measures could be easier to keep up. Here are just a few examples of lazy ways to live healthily!

 

 

Exercise While Watching TV

 

Whilst some people are happy to take an hour out of their day to go to the gym or go jogging, for others this means giving up free leisure time to do something unenjoyable. Fortunately, there are ways of exercising and enjoying leisure activities that are usually perceived as lazy. For example, there are plenty of exercises that you can do whilst watching TV – this guide at Bustle lists some examples such as lunges and the plank. This could allow you to still catch up on your favourite TV shows or watch movies whilst getting the physical activity you need.

 

 

Embrace Tabata Training

 

If exercising for long periods is too much effort, you could always embrace Tabata training. This involves doing high intensity exercise for four minute periods. Such exercises can be easily slotted in throughout the day without you feeling as if you’re giving up valuable free time. Studies meanwhile have found the health benefits to be extraordinary.

 

 

Cut Down on Sugar and Alcohol

 

You may not have to change your diet drastically to live more healthily. Cutting out certain unhealthy foods could be all you need to make an impact. This takes willpower but no added effort. Sugar and alcohol are two of the biggest culprits when it comes to negative health effects – by consuming these less regularly you could help to lose weight, reduce your blood pressure, strengthen your immune system and clear up your skin.

 

 

Buy Time-Saving Gadgets and Utensils for Your Kitchen

 

A lot of people make the excuse of not having enough time to cook healthy meals (ahem ME), however, with a few handy gadgets you could reduce the time and energy you exert. Rice cookers can help to cook rice to perfection every time so that you don’t have to slave over a pot and keep checking the texture. Mandoline slicers meanwhile make cutting up vegetables much easier by simply using a grating action. There are even electric potato peelers in existence available at sites like Harts of Stur. By adopting some of these time-saving gadgets, you could find that you’re more inclined to prepare your own healthy nutritious meals rather than relying on unhealthy processed foods.

 

 

Get Meal Kits Delivered to Your Home

 

If it’s shopping for ingredients that you don’t have the time and energy for, there’s also a lazy solution to this problem – get these ingredients delivered to your home in the form of easy meal kits. There are many delivery services out there that offer meal kits. This Home Chef review details one such meal kit delivery service that specializes in providing healthy meals.

 

 

Prepare Meals for the Week

 

Rather than preparing for single meals, you could also consider planning ahead and preparing for several meals at once. For instance, rather than cooking a couple potatoes, you could can consider cooking up a whole batch of them so that you can simply refrigerated them and reheat them throughout the week. This could mean being prepared to eat the same meal two nights in a row, but it will save you the hassle of cooking twice.

 

 

Buy Healthy Ready Meals

 

Whilst a lot of ready meals aren’t healthy, there are a growing number of ready meals out there that are healthy and take minimal prep time. Opting for these instead of the unhealthy options could help you to improve you diet without having to make any major lifestyle changes. Most supermarkets now have healthy ready meal options, however, it is worth researching into these beforehand to check just how healthy they really are.

 

 

Eat Slowly

 

If you’re the type of person that likes to wolf down their food, eating slowly could be another easy way to live more healthily. Eating slowly gives your body more time to digest everything. This reduces the amount of food that gets stored as fat as it gives the body more time to distribute nutrients and waste to where they need to go. Most of us don’t chew our food enough, which can often put more strain on the gut – this could be another simple way of making a healthy lifestyle improvement.

 

 

Try Supplements

 

Supplements can be an easy way of absorbing important nutrients into our bodies without having to rely on fruits and vegetables. Of course, that isn’t an excuse to ditch the greens altogether – you still need fruit and vegetables for fiber, which something you can’t get in the form of nutrients. However, it could allow you to eat less of them, which could mean less preparation during meals. You can shop for supplements online at sites such as The Vitamin Shoppe.

 

 

Get Enough Sleep

 

We should all be getting seven to eight hours of sleep per night. This is the optimum amount that our body and mind needs. Sleep can affect everything from our ability to burn fat to our ability to counter stress. If you can’t sleep in later due to work, make an effort to go to bed earlier or incorporate more naps into your day. Taking steps to improve your sleep quality such as improving your bedding and using sleep-inducing scents in your bedroom can also make a difference.

 

•How do you live a healthy life? What are some tips you have for helping me live healthier? Comment below! 👇🏼

 

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Health

How Could You Improve Your Focus And Alertness?

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Don’t you wish you had superhuman powers, where you could leap the tallest buildings, hear a mouse sleeping, see perfectly fine miles and miles away? Yeah, we all do. Unfortunately, those kinds of abilities will forever more live only in our dreams. Actually, there can be a case made for how little we appreciate our own senses right now. The human body is a marvel of evolution and biology. We like to think of ourselves as inferior to most other animals we share this planet with, because we don’t have a nose like a bloodhound, and we can’t see in the dark like our pet cat. Don’t feel so down about this because we have other amazing qualities about us that other animals don’t. Maybe just maybe, if only you could amplify your senses to the point that you were much more alert about them, and able to focus better on the things you want to you could realize how awesome our bodies already are. Luck is at hand, because here are a few ways you can train your mind and body to a higher level.

 

The Checkered Checkmark

For many centuries the true test of one’s alertness has been chess. This simple game played on a checker board will show you just how mentally aware of yourself and the things around you, you really are. You must always think at least 3 steps ahead, know where each piece on the board is exactly and what the repercussions are for that. Yeah, like picking up chess is going to be so easy? Well, now that chess is mostly played online yes, yes it is.

 

There are multiple top chess websites that have free account and free to play systems in place, such as ChessCube, Chess24, lichess, Sparkchess, ChessClub but to name a few. On these websites, there are fun interactive lessons that teach you the fundamentals about the game. As you could expect in this modern age, there are many other players that interact with each other and discuss tactics. You can play against human opponents or challenge the computer. You mental awareness will shockingly improve if you were to take chess seriously and have it as your new hobby.

 

Test Your Senses

Part of why some people go hunting is because of the necessity to feed their family, but many others go to test their senses against the wildlife and nature they with to interact with. Human beings have a lot going for them in the way of our sensorial features. Our eyes face forward, so our depth perception is great. We have so many small receptors on our tongue and skin, that we can sense heat and various chemicals. Our fingertips and toes have so many nerve endings which allow us to differentiate between feeling hard and soft objects. And last but not least, our eyes are on the sides of our head, therefore we have 360 degree hearing ability.

 

Start off by testing your ears by getting a hearing test which will test the pure air and bone conduction. There’s also a speech recognition testing to see how well you can pick up varying tones and pitches. For an eyesight test, you can go to your local opticians and book an appointment, where they will do a general check up. Moreover, you can also book an advanced eyesight test which tests to see how close you are to 20/20 vision.


Work in Silence

The modern culture that we live in, we are constantly bombarded with sounds. We have our phones on and play music at night while trying to get to sleep. There are more vehicles on the roads than ever, so just walking down the street is noisy. If you work in the city or even just at home, these kinds of disturbances are sometimes all too often. Don’t be tempted to put your headphones or earphones in your ears to drown out the ambient noise. Instead you should focus on finding a nice silent place to work and calm down. Maybe it’s in your garden, in your attic, at night in your own home office, or perhaps in the park. Whatever kind of task you are doing where you need focus, don’t drown out the noise with more noise, but instead do your best to work in pure silence.

 

We are not so fragile and incapable as other wonderful animals. Our senses and mind are incredibly sharp but we just don’t realize it often enough. When you need to focus and finish a piece of work you’re doing, look for a nice, quiet zone. Test your senses to see if they are working fine and without obstruction in the first place.

 

This post was a collaboration.

 

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Health

Be Sensible About Your Senses

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We, humans, are lucky enough to have five senses, senses that we take entirely for granted until one of them is lost. Sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch are all essential in our everyday lives.  You use at least one of your five senses every moment of every day, and they are on duty even while you are sleeping, working together to let your brain know what is going on around you and helping to keep you safe by warning you of any danger.

 

As we age, our senses become less heightened and affect how we interpret our surroundings. The loss or depreciation of our senses can cause frustration, lack of self-worth, isolation and possibly lead to injuries from falls. But there are some ways you can avoid some sensory loss and here’s how:

 

Your Eyes

As you get older, the natural flexibility of the lens in your eye can change and become more rigid making it difficult to see things up close. To try and protect your eyesight you should do the following:

 

Avoid Eye Strain by performing tasks in proper lighting and limiting time spent looking at anything for an extended period – up close or far away. If you are reading, take frequent breaks and look off to the distance to give your eyes a break, or sit quietly and close your eyes for a minute or two and give your entire body a quick break. Make sure you protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses if you are going out in the sun and if you have prescription glasses, wear them.

 

Your eyes also need proper nutrition. Omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins C and E can promote eye health as well as eating citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables which are high in Lutein, nuts, and fatty fish which will all help keep your eyes healthy. You should also avoid smoking and monitor your general health as high blood pressure, and diabetes can be detrimental to eye health. Also, make sure you have your eyes checked once a year or with any significant change in vision.

If you do have glasses already then make sure you look after them, use a glasses necklace to limit the chances of losing them, and clean glasses regularly too.

 

Your Ears

There are several reasons why you might lose your hearing as you age, Presbycusis is the name of the gradual loss of hearing as you age, but overexposure to noise for an extended period of time, viral or bacterial infection, a heart condition, stroke, head injury or tumor and medication side effects can also be detrimental to your hearing.

To protect your ears, you should see an audiologist as soon as you notice any sign of hearing loss or pain (my bachelor’s degree is in audiology!). You should also watch your nutritional intake as a healthy diet is essential for your hearing as well. Limit any exposure to loud noise as once the small hair cells in your ears are destroyed they cannot be replaced.

In the event of hearing loss, you can consider such as hearing devices, make sure that you inform other people of your hearing loss and ask them to face you, to speak clearly and use expression and gestures when they engage you in conversation, also minimise background noise.

 

Taste And Smell

There are many reasons why your senses of taste and smell as both can diminish with age because of your taste buds and nerves in the nose degenerate. It can also be down to nasal sinus conditions, allergies, poor dental hygiene, side effects from medication or neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. As these changes occur with your sense of smell and taste, your appetite can wane – which is not great as again proper nutrition is essential. To combat this, it is important to be social and to eat with someone, try different flavors, watch your salt intake, avoid smoking, limit your alcohol intake with meals, drink more water and exercise.

 

Touch

It might be hard to imagine, but changes in our skin and nervous system also occur and may decrease our sensitivity with our sense of touch. This again can be due to poor nutrition, circulatory issues, skin and nerve damage, brain disorders, side effects of medication, smoking and sun damage. You can minimize these changes with the same self-care as mentioned for the other senses, proper nutrition and exercise, and also good skin care.

 

The changes in our five senses can influence our balance, pain threshold, the ability to notice temperature changes, and sense of motion and pressure, so it’s important to adapt as they happen and attend to the changes in our bodies.

 

This post was a collaboration.

 

Thank you for reading!

 

Archie Health

In Praise of Pets; Why They’re Good for Your Health

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We are a nation of animal lovers and really, who can resist that cute little puppy face or that little kitten that wants to walk all over your keyboard when you’re working? But having a pet isn’t just about the cute factor; there is plenty of science out there that shows having a furry friend in your life gives you more than just great photos to put on Instagram.

 

Image courtesy of Pexels

 

In the hustle and bustle of our younger years, we barely get a moment to ourselves in between working, socializing, relationships, and maybe even raising a family. But as we get a little older, we realize that even in the midst of all that, it can be possible to feel loneliness. This has certainly become a modern day scourge among the older age groups. Companionship from a pet can go a long way in alleviating some of those feelings, and while it’s important to seek help if you’re feeling particularly isolated and depressed, having a loyal friend to absorb some of that loneliness can provide a real comfort for so many of us.

Pets provide more than just a fuzzy feeling, they are scientifically proven to show significant improvements to mental health, even among people suffering with more severe symptoms. Many hospitals across the world have incorporated pet visits and therapy on wards including medical oncology, and of course, children’s wards. The results are conclusive: patients with exposed access to animals feel better mentally, which has a knock-on effect to their recovery time.

 

[my Archie]

 

So, if you’re thinking of getting a pet, you can feel assured that you’re not just getting a cuddly companion, you’re getting access to great health and mental wellbeing therapy. For dog owners, in particular, the benefits don’t just stop there. With a canine, you will have no choice but to get out there in the fresh air with your pupper, rain or shine. Your dog needs regular exercise and that can only be of benefit to owners who might otherwise choose the couch over a run around the park.

Research also shows that the benefits of a pet don’t just stem from the furry kind. Even if you’ve opted for reptiles over fur, you’ll gain from having the responsibility of having a living thing rely on you for sustenance and its wellbeing. The fascination of watching snakes, lizards, turtles, and even insects in their own environments is a fascinating distraction from everyday life and well worth investing your time and money into.

Whether you’re a dog, cat, or lizard person, taking on a pet can be quite a responsibility. However, all that money, those trips to the vet, and pet food are worth every penny in the long term. Battling loneliness, forcing you out of the door for a walk, not to mention providing all those Insta moments means pet ownership will give you more than just a warm feeling. Do your research and figure out who’s in line for becoming your new best friend!

 

I’m partial to the fluffy, poodley kinds 😉

 

•What are your favorite kinds of pets?

•Do you have any pets?

 

This post was a collaboration.

 

Thank you for reading!