health

How to Change Up Your Gym Routine

Angela Manning Health , , , , ,
How to Change Up Your Gym Routine

Getting a little bored of the same gym routine? Read on to learn how to change up your routine to stave off the boredom!

You already know that getting regular exercise provides a whole host of benefits — more energy, less stress, better sleep, a stronger immune system, higher self-esteem, and a greater shot at living to a ripe old age. That’s why you already make it a point to hit the gym or go for a run almost every day.

Fully half of all people who begin a new workout program abandon it within six months. If you’ve made it past the half-year mark and successfully incorporated regular exercise into your schedule, then congrats! However, you may now be facing a new challenge: the dreaded plateau.

Read on to learn why plateaus happen and why it’s important to change up your gym routine, as well as some expert tips to keep yourself from getting bored.

What’s a Plateau, and Why Is It So Bad?

It’s common for people who are working out for weight loss to hit a plateau, but this phenomenon also occurs to anyone looking to build muscle or increase endurance. A plateau occurs when the gym routine and eating habits that were successful in the past simply stop working.

Believe it or not, your body is pretty darn smart. It also adapts relatively quickly. Workouts are stressors, which trigger your body to respond by rebuilding muscles and burning calories. But after a while, three miles on the treadmill or a 20-minute HIIT routine becomes the norm. A plateau is basically your body saying, “What else ya got?”

Plateaus can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you’re used to seeing significant progress. The good news? You won’t be spinning your wheels for very long if you take steps to vary your gym routine every four to six weeks.

Other Reasons to Change Up Your Workout

Getting past a discouraging plateau is a great reason to get out of the gym routine rut. Another is keeping yourself mentally engaged.

If there’s a particular form of exercise that you love, great! In many ways, that’s half the battle. When a workout feels like a punishment or a chore, it can be incredibly difficult to motivate yourself to keep doing it, day in and day out. When you are having fun, on the other hand, you might not even notice that you’re breaking a sweat or putting your body through its paces.

No matter how much you love your usual regimen, however, there are bound to be days when you’d rather stay in bed — or hit the couch for a serious Netflix binge. By trying something new, you can give yourself an extra boost of motivation.

Lastly, changing your gym routine can help prevent injury. Repetitive exercises can lead to muscle overuse, so it’s important to make sure you’re targeting all muscle groups. It’s also smart to aim for flexibility, mobility, and balance, in addition to strength and cardio.

How to Break Out of Your Gym Routine

Ready to get out of that rut? There are a couple of paths that you can take.

Check Out a Class

First, if you belong to a gym, check out the class schedule. The variety of options may just surprise you. Try yoga, pilates, Zumba, spinning, aquafit, kickboxing, pickleball, or an aerial workout. Who knows — you just may fall in love with your gym all over again.

Classes are fun, but there’s also some scientific evidence that working out with others can actually help you reach fitness milestones faster. According to a study published in the Journal of Social Sciences, people tend to emulate their peers when exercising in a group. Another study, this one in the journal Obesity, found that simply spending time with fitter friends can actually an obese individual to lose weight.

Enjoy the Great Outdoors

Prefer an outdoor workout? Of course, you can walk, run, hike, or bike, but don’t forget about roller skating, rowing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Or go super old-school and bust out a jump rope! Jump ropes are small and lightweight, which makes them perfect for a heart-healthy cardio workout — whether you’re indoors or outdoors, at home or traveling for vacation.

Increase Weight, Reduce Reps

If you love lifting, never fear — there’s a way to mix up your strength routine, too. Rather than the typical one to three sets of eight to 12 reps, try upping the weight by 5% or 10%. See how many reps you can do at that level. When that becomes easy, increase the weight again.

Don’t forget to target complementary muscle groups. That means quads and hamstring, biceps and triceps, pecs and lats. These workouts will ensure a well-toned and balanced physique.

Change Directions

Are bodyweight routines your go-to? Think about the ways that you typically move, and mix that up. For example, if you usually do squats, you’re only moving up and down. Substitute bilateral moves, like lunges. Bilateral exercises also give you the advantage of working each side of your body separately, for more even results.

It’s also easy to switch up your gym routine by categorizing each move as a push or a pull. Say you do pushups and lateral pulldowns every day at the gym. What if you reversed that, and swap in bench presses and pull-ups? Sometimes, small changes like these are all you need to break you out of your habits and get your body responding once again.

Get FITT

You’ve heard of HIIT, but do you know what FITT stands for? Frequency, intensity, time and type. Make changes to any of those factors, and voila! You’ve changed your gym routine.

Runners who enjoy a slow, steady jog for 30 minutes can breath new life into their workout by doing sprints every other day. If you usually use free weights, try kettlebells, medicine balls, or a bodyweight routine.

It might not sound like much, but making fairly minor adjustments like these will get you maximum results. Tiny tweaks to your normal sweat sessions are all that’s needed to catch your body off-guard.

What Does Your Gym Routine Look Like?

Are you addicted to your weekly Bikram yoga class? A diehard runner? A kickboxing powerhouse? Or maybe all you can manage is a walk around the block with your dog. It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you’re getting out there and taking charge of your health.

We’d love to hear about your favorite workout, or about any tips for changing things up that we may have forgotten. Leave a comment below to join in the conversation!

Strength Through Sobriety: A Guide to Living the Good Life

Angela Manning Health , , , ,
Strength Through Sobriety: A Guide to Living the Good Life

Living a sober life can be a challenge, particularly in social situations. But we’ll show you how staying sober can make you a stronger person.

In the United States alone, nearly 14 million adults abuse alcohol or have an alcohol problem. If you are sober, congratulations! You are one of the few who made it.

Living a sober life isn’t always easy. In fact, many people who get sober struggle with the idea of “going back out,” or picking up drinking again.

If you are getting sober, you have so much to look forward to. And if you’ve been sober for a while, there are so many aspects of your life you can improve upon.

Getting sober isn’t just about saving your liver and avoiding blackouts; sobriety actually improves a ton of areas in your life.

Let’s talk about that.

Sobriety and You

Making the decision to get sober is a bigger life change than a lot of people may think. Once you get sober, you realize how much alcohol is ingrained in our social lives.

At brunch, people have mimosas. Coworkers go out for drinks after work. Everything seems to revolve around booze.

The good news is, once you’ve gotten sober, your life doesn’t have to be like that anymore.

The first thing many people realize when they get sober is how many times they have tried to problem-solve by using alcohol and nothing else.

Alcohol is a break-up’s best friend, a late night thinktank fuel. We use it in lieu of actual solutions.

Now that you are sober, you can start to look at the world through a clear lens. You no longer have to use an escape mechanism to function.

Notice that I said “have to use,” instead of “get to use.” Getting sober isn’t about punishing yourself for being bad at drinking; au contraire, it is a gift to your future self.

Instead of falling into an inescapable pattern of running away from problems, you are working on creating an environment where you can face them head-on. You are building a set of skills that are sadly rare nowadays. Skills to become a self-actualizing being.

Too many people spend their sad times drowning themselves in the drink instead of learning from them. People use alcohol as a replacement for self-improvement.

Living a sober life gives you a chance to pause. In the midst of stopping a habit that facilitates a brain fog, you have actually taken the first step toward discovering yourself.

A Sober Life Is a Healthy Life

This world is full of advertisements and spam about how to live a healthy lifestyle. Can anyone say that they know what that looks like? We’re drowning in fad diets and articles about how cellphones are bad for you. We have no concept of personal wellness.

A sober life is all about rediscovering yourself. When you live a sober life, you are constantly changing and growing.

It’s like once you stop pushing all your problems deep down inside, they start to get confronted with a healthy desire for change. How weird is that?

All jokes aside, being sober is a journey that leads you to personal wellness. What that means is that all of a sudden you start to see how your personal health might look different from other people’s.

Some people can drink with no problems. If that is not your case, you actually have an advantage, not a curse. You have the power of insight.

Too many people walk around life blindly, trying to find the next “in” thing. Getting sober puts you on a different life track- you are now in the sober life school, and here we learn about introspecting.

Sound boring? Not even a little bit. Learning about who you are is an incredible journey.

You know those people who are constantly reminiscing about how high school was the best time of their lives? Yeah, that means they peaked there. You, however, have bigger and better places to go.

Living a sober life leads to seeking out those who also live a sober life. These people tend to be people who are all about learning how to be the best versions of them they can be.

Surrounding yourself with positive people means you now have a supportive network that is on the same path as you. These people made a life change to pursue growth and happiness, not the next trend.

How many people can say they have that?

Rediscovering You

Living a sober life brings up many things, including retrospect. But the best part about being sober is that all of a sudden you realize that you can become any kind of person you want to be.

Once the brain fog lifts and your sober life takes full effect, you have much better control of your mental faculties than you used to. You sleep better, which means you are more aware during the day. Your weight stabilizes. Your skin gets clearer.

Yes, these are all surface benefits, but they are benefits nonetheless.

All of these things can help you look at yourself in a new light. If you have mental health issues (which, let’s face it, who doesn’t), you can finally have the clarity to address them.

Your self-esteem improves. Sobriety has a way of making you feel better about yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. You no longer have to live with regrets from nights prior because you were too drunk to function. You can look the world in the eye.

Do you remember the last time you had a hobby that didn’t involve drinking? Well, now you can explore all the world has to offer. Try everything that looks interesting. You can develop a whole new side of you that you didn’t know existed.

There are so many new facets of yourself to explore, and living a sober life you can explore it all.

The Other Good Stuff

Obviously, living a sober life isn’t all about meditating on a mountain to find your inner self. Unless you want it to be, of course.

Once you get sober, you also save lots of money. Did you even realize how expensive going out drinking was? Either way, now you can save it or spend it however you please instead of just getting plastered.

You also have more fun. Fun that you can remember the next day. I mean sure, getting drunk can be a good time, but now you can be present. Go out dancing and really hear the music. Your senses become clearer in a sober life.

Your memory also improves, which is great considering how much you’ve probably forgotten before. Your relationship building skills get stronger. You develop boundaries and healthy ways of communicating with people.

You’ll find that getting sober makes you a better friend, partner, and person in general.

In addition, you also have so much more free time than before. You can spend your mornings learning new pancake recipes instead of being so hungover that you can’t leave your bed. You also develop more motivation.

You will rediscover a will to live fully, even more fully than before.

Struggling in Sobriety

Remember that bit about dealing with problems better once you’re sober? Well, you’re going to need those skills. Life doesn’t stop just because you got sober. And learning how to deal with life on life’s terms is a process.

It can be difficult to transition from stuffing your problems down to facing them and solving them as they come up. But it is doable, provided you stay sober during the process.

If you feel like you want to start drinking again, don’t give up hope. There are so many resources for people struggling with alcohol problems nowadays. This website alone has dozens of resources and references to help you get through the tough times.

Working through the tough stuff is never fun, but now that you are living a sober life, you can start to see it as a growth process, rather than a pain.

No matter what happens in your life, you never have to drink again. There are so many options for help in the world that you can go through anything and come out the other side sober and successful.

Going Out in The World

The world is full of people who don’t understand the sober life. Hopefully, you have already found people who understand, and if you haven’t, I promise they are out there. You just have to keep focusing on being the best you that you can be.

There are more people out there living a sober life than you think.

For more information, explore the health section on our blog.

The Ultimate Guide To Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique For PTSD

Angela Manning Health , , , ,
The Ultimate Guide To Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique For PTSD

Do you suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Step outside the lines of convention and try quantum healing hypnosis. Here’s your ultimate guide.

Are you among the nearly 8% of Americans currently struggling with PTSD?

If so, we know that you’re willing to try just about anything in order to make the feelings of anxiety, sadness, and general unease and discomfort go away.

However, we fully understand that you may be nervous about the more traditional forms of therapy and treatment for PTSD. Perhaps you’ve already tried these treatment options, and found that they weren’t as effective as you’d hoped.

The good news?

Quantum healing hypnosis may be able to help. Not only will it help you to feel better and gain back control over your life. You’ll also be able to avoid taking medication.

But what exactly is quantum healing hypnosis, and how can it help people with PTSD?

Read on to find out, as well as to learn more about the symptoms and experiences of those living with PTSD.

What Is PTSD?

Before we get into the specifics of hypnosis for PTSD, let’s first make sure you have a clear understanding of what this disorder is.

PTSD stands for “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” and it is a psychological consequence of surviving or witnessing a deeply troubling experience.

Those at risk for PTSD may have survived things like childhood physical/sexual abuse, a car accident, combat trauma, or even a terrorist attack or physical assault.

If you’ve experienced any sort of trauma in your life (and most of us have) you may have noticed that you’re not able to move on from it as quickly as you might have initially thought or hoped.

However, there’s a difference between an extended healing period and PTSD. While feelings of sadness and anxiety are common after a traumatic experience?

When these feelings start to interfere with your daily life and your sleeping schedule, you may have PTSD.

Common symptoms of PTSD include frequent flashbacks to the events, often triggered by small things that are seemingly disconnected from those traumatic events. You may also find that you’re more prone to outbursts of anger than in the past.

You might begin to struggle with severe feelings of self-doubt, and even self-loathing. You might also find that you would prefer to stay shut up inside your house or withdraw from social events because you’re so afraid of being triggered.

Another especially common symptom of PTSD?

You might find that you’re having difficulty falling and staying asleep. And when you are able to make it through the night? You still struggle with violent and disturbing dreams that can be linked back to the traumatic incident.

Possible Treatments For PTSD

Another area that we need to cover before we can get into a deeper discussion about quantum healing hypnosis and PTSD?

The other, more common forms of treatment out there.

If you’re considering healing hypnosis to deal with the aftermath of a traumatic event, you may have already tried these treatments. Perhaps you’ve been frustrated to find that they weren’t as effective as you’d hoped.

Or maybe you want to continue a more traditional course of treatment, but are looking to healing hypnosis as a way to supplement it.

Whatever the reason, you have several treatment options that can only be strengthened by quantum healing hypnosis.

One of the most popular is called exposure therapy. Essentially, this involves a continuous exposure to the events, objects, people, and places that trigger an anxiety attack or other reaction.

Over time, you’ll learn how to control and manage your reaction to these triggers safely.

You might also try cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps you to eliminate the emotions of guilt and shame often associated with PTSD. This is a form of talk therapy that helps you to exhibit better emotional control.

What Is Quantum Healing Hypnosis?

Now, let’s talk about how quantum healing hypnosis can serve as an alternative way to get your life back after struggling with PTSD.

First of all, let’s make sure you understand exactly what this wonderful method of healing actually is.

What if you could tap into the part of your personality that knows the answers to your deepest questions about yourself? What if you could eliminate feelings of self-doubt? What if you could understand the reasons behind your emotions — even if those reasons are long-buried?

This is what quantum healing hypnosis is all about.

But how can you access this understanding and healing Higher Self?

Through the process of hypnosis.

Entering The Somnambulistic Trance

Believe it or not, you already spend a few times throughout the day in the highest level of hypnosis, the somnambulistic trance.

This is the same trance level that you’ll enter into when you undergo quantum healing hypnosis.

Right before you fall asleep and wake up every morning and night (in the moments just before you lose consciousness completely) you fall into a somnambulistic state.

You likely recognize this time as one of the rare moments when you’re completely relaxed. You might even feel like you’re able to leave this life behind, even if only for a few moments. You may experience something akin to an out-of-body experience in this state.

The quantum healing hypnosis technique replicates this state for you in a safe and controlled environment.

Mastered by Dolores Cannon over the course of fifty years of deep study and thought, quantum healing hypnosis is the answer to finally getting over your PTSD.

Why?

Because it helps you to confront the issues that are causing you roadblocks in your life, without forcing you to re-experience and directly deal with the trauma in a fully awake state.

In some cases, entering into this trance may even cause you to make a connection with someone that you were in a past life. While this might initially be jarring to some people, it is also a path to healing.

Your past lives can guide you towards a safer and healthier path. They do this using the wisdom that you’ve gathered on countless different journeys, over the course of hundreds of lifetimes.

Quantum Healing Hypnosis And The Subconscious

We know that when you think of the subconscious, you likely think of traditional psychiatric methods — and you may be skeptical.

However, within quantum healing hypnosis, the Subconscious instead refers to the part of your existence that is both inside and much greater than yourself. It’s what connects you to your unique world and the people in it, but also the Universe itself.

It’s the way that you perceive the energies of other people and even objects. It helps you to communicate on a higher level, and it’s always working — even when you’re not aware of it.

When you enter into a hypnotic state, you allow this kind of Subconscious to fully take over and operate your body and mind. This means that you’ll be able to channel better energy, thought processes, and overall emotions into your life.

By inviting the Subconscious to take on more of a role in your daily life, you are allowing for the possibility of true healing for the very first time.

Think of your Subconscious as a person who knows you better than anyone else ever could.

They know what you’re thinking at all times. There is no secret that you’re able to keep from it.

In short, your Subconscious can tell you things about yourself that you were never even aware of. It helps you to recognize and utilize your own strength — meaning you can overcome things like PTSD and trauma.

Are You Ready To Try Quantum Healing Hypnosis?

We hope that this post has helped you to understand that, when it comes to treating PTSD, there are alternative treatment options available.

We understand that living with the constant psychological pain and anxiety of PTSD simply isn’t sustainable.

However, by using quantum healing hypnosis to tap into your Higher Self and connect with your Subconscious, you can begin to regain control over your life.

Connect with your past lives, understand the reasons behind your emotions, and move on. Plus, the somnambulistic state you’ll enter into helps you to do all of this in a safe and controlled environment.

Looking for additional advice about alternative methods of healing? Interested in the ways that you can practice radical self-care every day?

Are you willing to think outside of the box in order to make your dreams a reality?

If so, we can help.

Spend some time on our website and blog to learn more about how to live your best life.

How Cannabis Can Enhance Your Sex Life

Angela Manning Health , , , , ,
How Cannabis Can Enhance Your Sex Life

Is your sex life experiencing a slump? Perhaps you are lacking feelings of sexual desire and simply don’t know how to boost your libido? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you would probably benefit from introducing cannabis into your life.

What are the causes of low sexual libido?

You may not realize it, but your sex drive is steered by two main systems within the human body – sexual inhibition system (SIS) and the sexual excitation system (SES). These systems work in-sync to encourage feelings of sexual desire, as well as to ensure every sexual encounter is pleasurable. However, there may come a time when the SES cannot work properly, due to the SIS stopping it from doing so.

So, how does this happen, you ask? Well, there are a few triggers that could be to blame for your lack of love-making. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common causes of low sexual libido:

  • Job loss or financial worry
  • Previous sexual harassment or negative experience involving sex
  • Stress, anxiety and/or depression
  • Weight loss/gain
  • Low self-esteem
  • Poor body image of oneself 

Why is cannabis good for stimulating sexual excitement?

Studies are ongoing, but the proof that cannabis might act as a sexual aid is surfacing. One study that was carried out at the University of Texas showed how men became more attentive to foreplay and sexual technique when they were administered with low to moderate doses of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Since THC relaxes the body and encourages better blood flow, erectile dysfunction is less likely to be a problem when cannabis is consumed. This is because erectile dysfunction is usually caused by a lack of blood flow.

It’s not just the THC compound that can improve sexual excitement and/or performance, however. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a strong anxiolytic, which has been proven to relieve feelings of sex-related anxiety. This chemical compound promotes the production of serotonin and increases lubrication. 

Which cannabis strains are most effective for increasing libido?

The chances of feeling overwhelmed by the vast variety of cannabis strains available inside medical cannabis dispensaries will reduce if you learn what’s what. The following arousing strains are recommended for consumption before entering the bedroom:

  • Skunk Number 1 –This cannabis strain was cultivated for the first time during the 1970s. Since this time, the hybrid strain has been favored for its unique blend of earthy and sour flavors. It has a pretty high THC content at 15-19 percent and it will induce a feeling of full-body relaxation.
  • Sour Diesel –Also known as “Sour D,” this sativa strain will produce heavenly cerebral effects that have been shown to relieve the symptoms of depression, stress and pain. Fast-acting and long-lasting, the strain has a diesel scent. If you like citrus and woody flavors, you’re going to enjoy this one.
  • Blue Cheese – Give your libido a boost by consuming some Blue Cheese and no, we don’t mean the type of cheese you get from cows. This is the name of a pungent cannabis strain with a with around 16-18 percent CBD and 1-1.5 percent CBD. It grows in shades of blue and purple, with a sugary layer of trichomes coating the THC-laden leaves. Tasting like blue cheese and berries, this libido-boosting cannabis strain will aid you in de-stressing before you get down and dirty.
  • Shining Silver Haze – A rare sativa-dominant hybrid with a head-heavy high, this deliciously spicy strain tastes slightly peppery and will improve mood. A deep psychedelic strain that is guaranteed to put the magic back into the bedroom, this cannabis strain contains in excess of 21 percent CBD.
  • Kali Dog – Growers in the USA have really made history with this lemony cannabis strain, which has Indica traits and a diesel-like smell. The THC levels range from 17-21 percent, while the CBD levels are significantly lower at around 1 percent. When Kali Dog is not being used for love-making purposes, it is being used by consumers who want to feel uplifted, yet calm.
  • Bubblegum Kush – If you like it slow and passionate, try this therapeutic indica strain. It has a fruity flavor and will make you feel overly sensual with its generous THC content in the 18 percent range. The CBD content is usually around 0-3 percent, but this varies. 

Do I need to get high to increase libido with cannabis?

Not necessarily, unless you really want to, of course. With so many different types of cannabis strains out there, you can pretty much choose one that suits you. Opt for a low-THC, high-CBD strain to avoid head-heavy highs. Since CBD (Cannabidiol) is non-psychoactive, CBD-rich strains will not leave you feeling overly sedated, if at all.

Must I smoke cannabis to experience relief from low libido?

Smoking is not necessary, but you can if you wish to. Alternatively, fill the lungs with water vapor by using a vaping device filled with cannabis oil. Containing chemical compounds like THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD, cannabis oil is a type of extract. It is highly potent and can be dropped onto/beneath the tongue for entry into the bloodstream within minutes.

Conversely, you may wish to buy a cannabis-based product from dispensaries like  The Green Cross SF. Options include topical lotions and lubes, oral capsules and suppositories, or infused edibles and liquids.

5 Tips Proven to Work for Beating Low Self-Esteem

Angela Manning Health , , , ,
5 Tips Proven to Work for Beating Low Self-Esteem

Don’t continue to struggle with low self-esteem and let it control your life. Instead, check out these 5 tips proven to boost your confidence!

Mark Twain once said, “A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.”

Self-approval is self-confidence. It’s the ability to see a positive reflection of yourself even when flaws are present.

The opposite is low self-esteem. And unfortunately, a looming percentage of people around the globe suffer from it. Low self-esteem is the inability to see a constructive image of yourself–see yourself in a positive light.

People who suffer from self-esteem concerns struggle to see themselves as worthy human beings.

But there’s hope.

Here are 5 tips proven to work for beating low self-esteem.

Finding A Strength Helps Overcome Low Self-Esteem

Every person on the planet has some unique gift or quality that sets them apart from everyone else–something that they’re good at.

For Einstein, it was physics; George Washington Carver the peanut; and for Oprah Winfrey, words.

Discovering a strength is as simple as finding out what you are good at. Take some time and make a list of everything you perform well at. List all of the things that come naturally.

Making a list of such is like creating a page of positive self-affirmations. Read them over daily to give yourself a self-esteem boost.

Exercise and Change Your Diet

There’s an old adage that says, “You are what you eat.” In most cases this is true.

We get out of our bodies what we put into it.

Self-esteem concerns are tied to body image. People who don’t like the way their bodies look tend to lack self-confidence.

Eliminating sugars and eating more fruits and vegetables in conjunction with a regular exercise routine will help the body shed extra weight and form a healthier shape.

When people look good, they feel good. Having a healthier body improves self-assurance, giving a person a better outlook on themselves.

There’s No Such Thing as Perfect

We all have flaws. Accepting them is the key to unlocking healthy self-esteem.

Trying to be a carbon copy of someone else is unhealthy behavior that leads to a decline in self-worth.

No one is perfect and trying to be the perfect person that someone else appears to be will only cause you to struggle more with your own value.

Find out what you are good at and do it to the best of your ability. This is a mantra that the folks at Elfann support, as it ensures you’re always trying your hardest, regardless of the final outcome.

Support a Good Cause

There are over 1.5 million charities that people can donate their finances or time to. Doing for others makes you feel good about yourself.

Create a grace calendar and schedule a good deed for each day.

Do simple things like, buy a stranger lunch, leave an envelope on a coworkers desk with gas money in it, or buy a dozen cupcakes and take it to a local senior citizens home.

Everyone has a struggle. Lifting a light burden off of someone else’s shoulders helps people with low self-esteem see a better image of themselves.

Take Time to Reflect

Taking some time for yourself is a great way to recharge inner-energy. Read and do things that uplift. People who make time for themselves tend to be happier.

Want more information on how to live a balanced lifestyle? Be sure to check out our blog for wellness tips and advice you need.

Best Reasons Travelling is Good for Your Health

Angela Manning Health, Travel , , ,
Best Reasons Travelling is Good for Your Health

People have different ways to improve their wellness. They could make meaningful lifestyle choices like eating healthy, joining a gym, or it could even be as simple as taking a brisk walk every morning.

But, did you know that travelling can also contribute to the improvement of your well-being? Sure, travelling can be stressful and daunting at times. However, if you have the opportunity to visit new countries and discover exciting destinations or different cultures, these things can enhance more than your physical health but also enrich your soul.

With that said, Alpha Car Hire encourages you to take the time to travel more because it has numerous health benefits. You don’t have to think that travelling is a luxury or feel guilty about taking some time off to travel for pleasure. As many studies have shown, travelling is not only exciting, but it can also be good for you for many compelling reasons.

Travelling can help you ward off stress and negative emotions.

Going on vacations can help you manage stress and negative emotions by allowing us to leave certain environments or situations or activities that are the sources of your daily stress. It’s only natural, sometimes, to feel that you need to get away from it all, whether it’s your job or home.

Aside from being able to see new and exciting places, travelling allows you to escape the monotony of your daily routine. When you travel, you can recalibrate your mind, your emotions, and relieve pressure on yourself.

Travelling can help boost your immune system.

When you are exposed to different environments, your body has the chance to produce stronger antibodies and enhance your immunity.

The more your body produces stronger antibodies, the more you can ward off harmful pathogens. Sometimes, a little exposure to the elements can do your body some good.

While it’s still a good idea to practice good hygiene, being exposed to some bacteria can help your body adapt to these new bacteria and in turn, helps make your body stronger.

Travelling develops your brain health.

There’s a good reason you always hear many people say that travelling broadens one’s horizon. That’s because people who travel often are more exposed to different culture, they meet new people from different backgrounds and culture.

Because you are put in new situations and have new experiences, your cognitive flexibility increases, thus helping to keep your mind razor sharp. Some research has even suggested that travelling gives an individual a deeper sense of cultural awareness, and they become more creative, and their minds become more open to newer things in life.

Travelling helps you stay fit.

Even though travelling can put you in certain situations like staying put in your seat for long hours, regardless if you’re on a plane, train or bus, that doesn’t mean you should be inactive. When you travel, you have plenty of chance to participate in various activities which require you to be physically active.

For example, you can go swimming, hiking, biking, or if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can try something a bit more extreme like bungee jumping or skydiving. Even simple physical activities like walking in a nature park can do wonders for your health.

Travelling can prolong your lifespan.

Whether you travel locally or overseas, people who take more trips have a better life expectancy. This is due to the fact that they can visit certain places that have healing properties.

For example, you can visit hot springs which draw on the Earth’s healing properties that are good for one’s overall health. Absorbing the mineral-rich waters can help enhance your skin, relieve some pain or stress you might be feeling at the moment, among other things.

So, clearly, there are numerous and scientifically backed health benefits that can be attributed to travelling. And, whenever you have the chance, take a break from your busy life and give yourself the time off you deserve.

If you plan to travel anytime soon, where do you intend to go? Let us know in the comments below.

Tips on getting rid of loose skin on your arms!

Angela Manning Health , , , , , ,

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If you’ve lost weight in a short period of time and are unhappy with the loose skin on your arms, there are a variety of methods which you can use to remove the excess skin on your arms. After all, life is too short to avoid wearing short sleeved tops and swimsuits. If you’re interested in learning how you can transform the look of your arms, simply continue reading to discover 3 ways to get rid of loose skin on your arms.

  1. Choose to undergo a Trisculpt procedure

What is a Trisculpt procedure, you might ask? A Trisculpt procedure is a multi-step procedure which involves using microlasers to remove excess any fat, which may be present as well as an additional step which removes any excess skin so that your arms are left looking tight and toned. You can find Sono Bello Reviews online to see how effective this procedure can be.

After all, if you undergo liposuction without, choosing to have your excess skin removed, although your arms will be smaller when you move your arms, your excess skin may jiggle around, which may cause you to feel self-conscious.

If you’re interested in booking a Trisculpt procedure it’s well worth finding out more information about booking an initial consultation at your nearest Sono Bello clinic.

  1. Try to tone your arms by focusing on performing body resistance exercises

Unfortunately no amount of running, cycling or swimming is going to get rid of any excess skin, which you may be looking to get rid of. Instead, if you want to tone and tighten up your arms, you’re far better off concentrating on performing body resistance exercises such as Pilates and push-ups, in order to tone and tighten any loose skin, which you may have.

  1. Make sure to work out with weights at least 3 times per week

Another way to help sculpt your arms and to tighten loose skin is to start working out with weights on a regular basis. Don’t worry though, you don’t have to bench press half your body weight in order to tighten up your biceps, instead, it’s far more effective to perform sets of 10 repetitions of popular exercises such as bicep curls, with smaller, more manageable weights.

If you’re female, you’ll also find that working out with smaller weights will help you tone and sculpt your arms, without causing your arms to gain extra bulk. So if your goal isn’t to look like a female version of the Hulk, don’t be afraid of working out with weights, just opt for smaller weights such as 0.5 kg – 2 kg weights, overweights which weigh in excess of 10kg.

If you’re self-conscious about any excess skin which may be hanging off your arms as a result of aging or of losing a significant amount of weight in a short time period, it’s well worth considering all of the three options for skin tightening, mentioned above. The most effective of which is definitely opting to book an effective Trisculpt procedure which involves micro-lasers as well as permanent skin removal!

Boost Your Cocktail With This One Frosty Ingredient

Angela Manning Health , , , ,
Boost Your Cocktail With This One Frosty Ingredient

Put a twist on your regular cocktail order by adding an extra ingredient: a single ball of mochi ice cream. Skip the fancy liquors and expensive bitters because one sphere will add plenty of flavor to any mixed drink. Play bartender for the night and reinvent your cocktails by placing just one mochi ice cream dessert inside your glass.

Mochi ice cream is an unbelievable treat made of a scoop of premium ice cream blanketed with a layer of soft mochi, which is a sweetened rice dough. The texture is unlike any other scoop of ice cream you will try — in one bite, you will taste the soft, gooey mochi and the thick, velvety ice cream. The unique texture is not the only thing that makes the treat extraordinary — the flavors are what set it apart and make it the perfect ingredient for a boozy cocktail. The creator MyMo Mochi ice cream has seven fantastic flavors that you can try: vanilla bean, mint chocolate chip, sweet mango, ripe strawberry, cookies and cream, green tea and double chocolate. You should try out all the different flavors of mochi ice cream when you are making cocktails — each type can transform a drink as long as you pair them with the right alcohols.

If you’re anxious to start dropping mochi ice cream into cocktails in the hopes that it will taste good, just think ahead about the flavor pairings. Vanilla is a clean and light flavor that can balance powerful ingredients — it would be an excellent choice for a drink with tart or bitter liquors. Chocolate is smooth and sweet and will mix well with creamy cocktails filled with coffee and hazelnut liquors. Mango is a fruity and tropical flavor that will be a great partner for strong summery drinks like Tequila Sunrises, margaritas and traditional Palomas.

You don’t have to simply experiment with cocktails, you can also pair mochi ice cream with wine along with various types of beer and cider. When it comes to classic wine and ice cream pairings, you need to be careful not to have an overpowering wine — this will make the taste of the frozen dessert disappear completely. When pairing your beer with ice cream, you will want to make sure it’s a good quality beer that has undertones of other flavors like fruit and spices.

Flavors Examples of Cocktail/Wine/Beer Pairings:
Chocolate Espresso Martini, Brachetto d’Acqui, Belgian Ale
Vanilla Limoncello Cocktail, Prosecco, Peach Lambic
Mint Chocolate Chip Grasshopper Cocktail, Shiraz, Coffee Porter
Mango Tequila Sunrise, Riesling, Mango Ale
Strawberry Champagne Cocktail, Zinfandel, Hefeweizen
Cookies and Cream Irish Coffee, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stout
Green Tea Jasmine Collins, Viognier, Honey Ale

Buy different boxes of MyMo Mochi ice cream and stock up your bar, so that you can find the right pairing for your favorite boozy beverage. Whether you choose a cocktail mix, a glass of wine or a pint of beer as your drink, know that a single sphere of cool mochi ice cream will make it delicious until the very last drop.

Why Having a Happiness Index in School Helps Reduce Academic Stress

Angela Manning Health , , , , ,
Why Having a Happiness Index in School Helps Reduce Academic Stress

It is troubling to see children stressing out about their academics. While it is important to get good grades, making it a priority robs of them of the unique experiences they will only get as a child. This kind of thinking is so similar to the Indian film, appropriately named ‘3 Idiots’, when three friends were faced with the pressure of performing well academically because “life is a race”, and some of them did to their own demise.

Which is why it is so invigorating to see schools spearheading programs that will help reduce and manage the stress the kids are constantly under.

What happens to the body when under stress?

To understand how stress affects a child, let us look into what it does to the body first. When a person is under stress, whether a child or a full adult, the hypothalamus releases a hormone that signals the pituitary and the autonomic nervous system to produce the stress hormones called cortisol and epinephrine.

Epinephrine is what is commonly known as adrenaline, and this accelerates a person’s heart rate and therefore increases the blood pressure. Cortisol, on the other hand, boosts a person’s muscle and memory power by elevating blood sugar.

In most cases, this is acceptable. For instance, if you are in danger, you can depend on those stress hormones to get you out of harm’s way. However, if you put that in the context of school and how it is a constant experience for children, that becomes a problem. The fight-or-flight reaction should be reserved for life-threatening situations; but with kids under academic stress, it becomes an automatic reaction to school.

What efforts have schools been making?

There has been a shift in education in the recent years. Before, test grades are given more emphasis than group work or extra-curricular activities. But with the popularity of what is called ‘holistic education’, other elements of education have also been given a spotlight. This educational framework balances academic rigor and student well-being.

Schools that have already adapted the holistic education framework aims to produce students who are not only knowledgeable in key political, social, and scientific concepts; but they must also be able to use that knowledge to help improve society. They should not just be able to recite definitions and terms, but an attitude of social awareness should be ingrained in them.

To do this, schools have created programs that challenge their notion of how the world works. After every class discussion, they are tasked to apply the concepts they have learnt through collaborative projects. These projects ranges from simple mechanical problems to applications in society like solving an old problem in a new way. And then from there, be able to come up with their own ideas about a topic, and then synthesize it with the definitions they have memorized.

International schools have perfected holistic education

International schools have an edge because they have been using the holistic education framework for a very long time. This is probably due to their diverse learning landscape. They cater to students from different nations and with different perspective, and so they must create an environment where students can exchange cultures freely.

A diverse learning environment develops open-mindedness and critical thinking, a trait that the world is in dire need of today. It lets students listen to other people’s experiences and understanding them before airing out their own thoughts.

An example of this school is the Global Indian International School (GIIS) – a Singapore-based international school that believes happiness within a diverse learning environment should be nurtured. To accompany their globally recognized values-based education, they have also created a happiness index.

Exploring the GIIS Happiness Index

There are three factors involved in GIIS’ happiness index:

Physical space

The school believes that the layout of the school helps in enhancing the overall happiness of students and teachers. What they want is for the school to become a safe and secure place for everyone in the campus, much like how your house is your comfort zone. There are a lot of open, green spaces so that everyone can feel relaxed within the walls of the schools. Their classrooms are well-lit, the layout is convenient, and they make use of colors that are easy on the eyes.

Curriculum

GIIS uses their ‘Nine Gems’ model of learning that gives importance to the following key factors:

  • Cerebral learning
  • Social and emotional learning
  • Physical learning

They provide classroom and school-wide activities that will not challenge a student’s mental capacity, but also their social skills and physical prowess.

Faculty

The educators play an important role in cultivating happiness in the GIIS campus. Right from the start, the school makes sure that their attitude fits the philosophy that the school adheres to. But most importantly, they also make sure that educators are happy teaching in the campus.

More importantly, GIIS encourages students, teachers, and parents to give useful feedback on how to improve the learning landscape. With feedback, they are not just providing the students with a conducive place for learning, but they are also showing them that their thoughts and experiences in the campus matter especially when it comes to improvement.

5 Reasons To Shut Down Your Smartphone

Angela Manning Health, Tech , , , ,
5 Reasons To Shut Down Your Smartphone

Smartphones are wonderful things as they help us do so much and help us connect with so many people. Yet that is one of the problems with them; because they are so helpful, they can become a distraction or, worse, an addiction. It’s a good idea to shut them off completely once in a while, to go outside without them, and to limit their use. Here are the reasons why.

They Are Bad For Your Eyes

When our eyes are working well, we often take them for granted. However, too much cellphone use can cause damage to them and reduce our ability to focus on things in the distance. We are becoming so used to looking at screens close up that our eyes are adapting. It’s clever, but it’s not healthy. It’s not just the distance either. The HEV light that is emitted by smartphones can damage retinal tissue.

They Are Dirty

Think of all the places our cell phones go during the day. Think of how many times we – and sometimes other people – touch them. They are covered in bacteria. Then we put them close to our mouths and ears. A study showed that about 13 percent of cell phones have fecal matter on them, and 16 percent carry e. Coli bacteria. It’s important to wash your hands regularly, but even so, our phones will still become dirty.

They Cause Neck And Back Pain

Cellphones cause so much damage to our necks and backs that there is a new medical term for the pain – ‘text neck.’ Heads are heavy things, and when we move about with them lowered (to look at a phone screen, for example), we put a huge amount of pressure on our cervical spine. It can be as much as 60 pounds. If you are experiencing this kind of pain, you’ll need a chiropractor, and you can find one on echiropractor.org. Remember, though, once you have had your back and neck pain made better, reduce the amount of time you spend texting and browsing on your cell phone, or it will start up again.

They Cause Sore Hands

Along with ‘text neck’ there is another new term; ‘text claw.’ This is used to describe the cramping pain that holding a cell phone for long periods of time can cause. The thumb is the most vulnerable digit because it is what is used most when we are texting. You might experience tendon issues and inflammation. One way to stop this from happening is to use a stylus instead, but the best way to stop the pain and repair the damage done is to shut off the phone and stop using it for a while.

They Stop You From Sleeping

That temptation to take one last look at your phone before you settle down to sleep is often overwhelming. However, having a screen emitting blue light close to your face can cause problems with your circadian rhythm (your natural sleep cycle), and that means you won’t get the right type or amount of sleep as you should. Lack of sleep will make you grouchy and short-tempered, plus it’s bad for your health; those who sleep less are more vulnerable to heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes amongst other things.