Mayank

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January 23, 2015 by Mayank

The Resveralife Life Well Guide: Boost Your Workout

Haven’t you gone for a workout with the intention of putting in a lot of effort, only to feel exhausted within the first 15 minutes? Anyone who has ever gone to a workout class has been there and it can be really depressing. The simplest way to enjoy your exercise and ensure that it doesn’t feel like a chore is to improve your endurance levels. This Resveralife Live Well Guide helps you to learn how to build up your endurance levels with the help of 5 simple exercises that can be combined to create a circuit-training routine to boost your strength, speed and stamina. To follow this routine, you need to perform one set of all 5 exercises without any breaks, rest for about 30 seconds and repeat the process two more times. You might feel tired and jaded when you start off with this routine, but as time progresses, you should be able to fly through the circuit. And once this circuit becomes easy, your workout classes will be simpler and more enjoyable.

Exercise # 1 – Knee Tuck

This exercise always starts from the top-of-a-plank position. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width and you need to keep your arms straight. The next step is to perform a single pushup by placing your toes on a glider. You can use a paper plate or a washcloth for the glider. The next step is to pull your knees towards the chest and hold the posture when the knees are about 3 inches in front of the hips. Before doing this, don’t forget to ensure that you place your weight in the balls of your feet. Hold the posture for a second and allow your legs slide back to the top-of-a-plank position. Repeat the entire set for about 30 seconds.

Exercise # 2 – Frog Jump

This exercise always starts in a squat position or a sumo position. Bring your palms next to each other in front of the chest, turn your toes outwards at a 45 degree angle, put your feet wider than hip-width and ensure that your quads are parallel to the floor. Jump up and land back in the sumo-squat position. Repeat the jump, only to land back a few inches. Continue jumping backwards and forwards for about 30 seconds.

Exercise # 3 – Crouching Push Ups

This exercise always starts in a push-up position. Place your hands wider than shoulder width, lower the chest towards the floor, bend the knees and press back to bring the knees right under your hips. Lift the hips to straighten the legs and round the spine so as to articulate each vertebra. Once this is done, move back into your starting position. Repeat the entire process for about 30 seconds.

Exercise # 4 – Squat Jumps

This exercise always starts in a squat position. Place your knees in line with your ankles and allow your butt to sink back. The posture should be as if you are just about to sit down in a chair. Clasp the hands in front of your chest and jump. Land with your right leg in front in a lunge position. Repeat the jump and land in a squat position. Repeat the jump and land with your left leg in front in a lunge position. Keep repeating the entire set for about 30 seconds.

Exercise # 5 – The Bridge Exercise

This exercise always starts by lying on your back with the knees bent and the feet placed on gliders. You can use paper plates or washcloths for the glider. Place your weight in your heels, straighten your arms by your sides with the palms facing downwards and lift your hips so that your body resembles a bridge. While the hips are lifted, push the gliders until your legs almost become straight and then pull back your heels to come back to the starting position. Repeat this entire set 20 times.

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January 21, 2015May 17, 2022 by Mayank

Live Well: Get In Shape Without Leaving Home

If you want to get fitter and are totally against joining a health club because of the distance, the time taken or the cost factor, you don’t need to fret. No one ever said that it is not possible to get fit without going to a gym. After all, people were fit long before these things were invented. You wouldn’t believe it, but you can easily stay fit without having to leave the house. All you need to understand is that consistency and the fact that you actually do something on a regular basis is the key to staying fit. There are a number of inexpensive things like dumbbells, fit balls, exercise bands and push-up bars that you can use to stay fit at home. But, you should be able to do so even if you don’t have any of these props or machines. Resveralife discovered that all you need to stay fit is to understand the five basic elements of fitness – warm up, cardiovascular workout, resistance exercises, flexibility moves and cool downs.

All you need for a warm up is a treadmill or an easy walk. For the cardiovascular routine, you can do brisk walking or step aerobics or use a jump rope. The resistance portion is as simple as abdominal crunches, weight bars, squats, small dumbbells, push ups, tubing or bands. You need to increase your body flexibility with things like yoga poses and floor stretches. And the cool down always needs to be similar to the warm up. It is possible to do the strength work and the aerobic work in the same workout, but you need to ensure that you warm up your body and cool it down every time you exercise.

If you’re pressed for time on particular days, all you have to do is to increase the intensity of your fitness routine. For example, instead of the usual 40 minute exercise routine, you can opt for a harder 25 minute routine. You can also step up the pace of your strength workouts by doing compound exercises, exercises that work on multiple muscle groups at the same time.

Getting started with at-home exercises

If you’re a beginner, try to aim for about 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at least 3 times a week. Add 20 – 30 minutes of strength work at least 3 times every week into this equation. This should be more than enough to start off with. Irrespective of your exercise routine or the type of exercise you do, make sure that you start off slowly and increase the intensity and the time gradually. And, always listen to your body. Try to focus on the muscles that need more attention and determine if you feel it there. Working out at home has its obvious advantages, but there are a few obstacles as well. One of the main obstacles of working out at home is those frequent distractions that can derail your routines. Therefore, it always helps to exercise early in the morning because these routines are more likely to stick.

Tips for people who exercise at home

Try to make things interesting so that you don’t end up getting bored of your routine. Use pictures or videos as a guide for your form and technique.
Find a partner to exercise with. You are more likely to continue with your workout routines if you have someone to exercise with.
Have a fixed time for your workouts and put it on your daily schedule.
Set specific goals that are not too difficult, and not too easy either. They should be things that are within reach, but cannot be achieved immediately.
Finally, make exercise an integral part of your life. You need to look at exercise as a lifestyle change, a change that needs to become a constant in your everyday life.

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January 15, 2015May 17, 2022 by Mayank

Resveralife on How to Extend Healthy Years of Your Life

One thing is very clear. Exercising your way to old age is probably the best thing that you can do to ensure that you grow old properly. Exercising throughout your young age means that you grow old with the least amount of deterioration of your physiological functions and the lowest number of infirmities. Exercise helps you to improve your health as well as the number of years where you enjoy good health.

However, separating the impact of the different factors that lead to physical decline in the human body is extremely difficult. Researchers tried to answer all sorts of questions like “does the body deteriorate because people are increasingly sedentary as the body ages” and “does the passage of time take a toll on the mind and the body of an individual”, but failed to do so.

Resveralife recently reviewed an amazing study that was published in The Journal of Physiology. This study tried to isolate the impact of a sedentary lifestyle by basing their judgments on 125 cyclists from the age group of 55 – 79. These cyclists might not belong to the elite bracket, but the men had to be able to ride a total of 100kms in under 6.5 hours and women had to be able to ride a total of 60kms in under 5.5 hours in order to qualify for the study. The research didn’t produce a single reliable marker of aging, and ended up highlighting the complexity of aging instead.

According to Stephen D. R. Harridge, a researcher associated with this study and a professor at the King’s College London, the study determined that the relationship between the measuring factor and aging isn’t clear. He said that even though the researchers studied a diverse range of indices, it was not possible to identify a single physiological marker that can be reliably used to predict the age of a person. He also mentioned that the study determined that the relationship between most functions and chronological age is complex. Therefore, even when the aging process is free from its limiting factors, it is bound to be very individualistic.

The study also made it clear that physical activity is extremely good for the body as one grows old. Researchers actually discovered that the overall results obtained by physically fit older people were quite similar to those obtained by younger people. This made them very different from others in the same age bracket who led a sedentary lifestyle. Furthermore, the study tried to determine the sense of well-being for its participants and found out that most of the cyclists were high-functioning and healthy individuals. This actually speaks volumes on the amount of importance exercise holds in extending the healthy years of one’s life.

Resveralife reviewed another study conducted by the Director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Benjamin Levine. This study mentioned that four to five cardiovascular workouts every week seemed to be the ideal defense against failing cardiac strength. Levine mentioned that even if one starts off with exercises in his or her late middle age, the effects on the blood vessels and the heart should be substantial.

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December 30, 2014May 17, 2022 by Mayank

Resveralife Reviews Resolutions Your Health Experts Want You to Make

Were you among the first ones to break your New Year’s resolutions in the year 2014? Have you ever kept a resolution and enjoyed the delight of actually managing to keep one? Irrespective of which side of the spectrum you fall in, you’re bound to like this list of resolutions that your health experts want you to make this year. Vine Vera hopes that these resolutions will help you to enjoy a fitter and healthier 2015.

Splurge on something wonderful using the money you saved from quitting smoking

Anyone who has recently quit smoking or plans to quit smoking should splurge the money saved by gifting themselves something wonderful. Smoking causes all sorts of damage to the body and the skin and it also leads to issues like cancer. If there is one resolution that you should make, it should be to stop smoking. However, quitting smoking has been never likely to stand as a resolution. So you need to find a reason that is good enough to make you quit smoking fast. For some extra motivation, you can always decide on the item that you wish to splurge on beforehand.

Eating more of the right food

Eating more is an extremely popular resolution among so many people. For example, many people resolve to eat more probiotic food in order to cut down on the cravings. There are those who also crave to add some more guilty pleasures into their diets. Ultimately, the right resolution this year would be to eat more of the right food. This doesn’t mean that you need to stop eating those delicious meats or exquisite desserts, it simply means that you need to reduce their intensity.

Taking steps to actually lose weight

Instead of contemplating what to do in order to lose weight, you actually need to start focusing on losing weight by taking the right steps. Little things like taking 200 extra steps on a daily basis can make a world of difference. Try to schedule breaks for strolling or walk to your coworker’s desk to deliver a message instead of sending an email. Remember, the secret isn’t in dedicating 30 minutes each day to exercise. The secret to losing weight is to become more active. Your ultimate goal should always be on achieving a healthier lifestyle, not losing weight. As your lifestyle becomes healthier, weight loss is bound to happen.

Regulate your sleeping pattern

It makes sense to sleep earlier than usual in order to enjoy 8 hours of sleep every night. If 8 hours of sleep is simply not possible, just try and go to sleep 15 minutes earlier than usual and keep shifting the time month by month. So instead of going to bed at 10 while your body is used to sleeping at midnight, it makes sense to reduce it by 15 minutes at a go. If you keep doing this every month, eventually you should be able to go to sleep by 10.

De-clutter your mind

If you suffer from a lot of stress, this tip is particularly important for you. Instead of trying to be more organized in the year 2015, try to do different things like meditating once every day. When you’re depressed, stressed or anxious, your mind often ends up getting cluttered. Meditation shall help you to de-clutter your mind, thereby releasing your stress and anxiety. In fact, a study conducted that was published in the JAMA Internal Medicine Journal actually showed that 30 minutes of meditation on a daily basis actually helped to reduce anxiety and depression within 8 weeks.

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December 23, 2014May 17, 2022 by Mayank

Resveralife Wine Lovers Gift Guide

The holidays are the time of the year when we celebrate the year gone by with our families and friends and look forward to the New Year. These last few days can be a lot of fun and wine is something that helps to ensure that you make the most of all the fun and excitement. Since holiday gifts are integral to the holiday season, you would want to check out a few ideas on what to gift wine lovers. This Vine Vera Gift Guide for wine lovers helps you to choose the right wines and wine accessories for the wine enthusiast in your family.

Coravin – Coravin is the way to splurge when purchasing something for wine lovers. Coravin is considered to be the ultimate wine that you can offer as a gift to a wine lover, particularly someone who really appreciates wine. The bottle has a unique wine pouring system that allows you to pour the right amount of wine while the rest of the bottle can be preserved to be used the next day, next week, next month or the next holiday season. Any wine lover would really be thrilled to receive a bottle of Coravin this year. Cost – $299.

TRIbella – TRIbella is a brand new wine aerator that has recently hit the market. Created by a Portland inventor, this aerator is the ideal one to pour into a perfectly shaped glass in order to reveal the truest flavor of the wine. The best part is that it is easy to transport and it doesn’t end up taking up too much space in your luggage either. Cost – $40.

Coravin Wine Opener – The Coravin Wine Opener is an ideal accessory to gift to wine lovers this year. If you’re looking to enjoy a glass of Pinot Noir that no one else wants to have, all you need to do is inject the needle into the cork and extract a glass of wine for yourself, without having to remove the cork at all. The needle easily penetrates the cork to extract your wine while the argon gas helps to pressurize the bottle in order to ensure that you only have to draw out as much wine as you need. Once the needle is removed, the cork reseals itself and allows you to preserve the bottle for later. Cost – $299.

Capabunga – The Capabunga is a wine cap that can be placed on a bottle of open wine to preserve it for later. The best thing about the cap is that it allows you to store the bottle on its side, without having to worry about any spillage. This cap fits all bottles and also has dozens of options to allow you to personalize your gifts. Cost – $18 for four.

World Atlas of Wine – Currently in its 7^th edition, this gorgeous encyclopedia showcases the different wine regions in the world. There is plenty of new material in the latest edition and the cartography is extremely vivid and highly detailed as well. Cost – $55.

Wine Holder from Alessi – Alessi’s Noe Wine Holder is a beautiful wine holder that has been shaped to resemble a cluster of grapes. An ideal addition to any decor and a perfect gift to give to the wine lover in your family. Cost – $90.

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December 19, 2014 by Mayank

Resveralife Live Well Guide: Safe Exercise Tips for the Winter Months

The benefits of exercising during the winter months go well beyond being beneficial for your skin. Exercising during the winters can also prove to be extremely satisfying and it can go a long way in helping you improve your mood, particularly when you exercise in the mornings. However, exercising in the cold winter months can also be quite risky. This Resveralife Live Well Guide from Vine Vera examines some of the best tips to follow while exercising during the winter months.

Warm up your body before going outdoors

It is very important to start off with your warm-ups while you’re still indoors. Allow the body a chance to be able to ease into the workout routine. To do so, all you need to do is warm up for a few minutes while you’re still indoors. Once you’re outside, take a 30 second break in every few minutes for the first 10 minutes to allow your body to be able to adjust to the chilly conditions.

Cool down over a period of time

Cooling down the right way is as important as a proper warm up. You need to start cooling down over three to four minutes before the end of your routine by slowly easing up on the pressure. Once you get back indoors, remove a few layers of your clothing and make sure that you’re active for another 5 – 10 minutes to allow your body to cool down properly. If you end up experiencing some muscle soreness, apply a pain relieving gel on the problem area.

Dress properly

Don’t forget to layer up properly before venturing outdoors. You might want to wear layers that can be removed once you complete your warm ups in order to avoid any sort of discomfort. The ideal way to do so is to start off with a thin layer of synthetic materials like polypropylene to ensure that the sweat stays away from your body. The next layer should always be an insulator layer like wool or fleece and the topmost layer should be waterproof with a breathable shell. It is also important to cover up your hands, ears, neck, head and feet, depending on the conditions outside. These body parts are the ones that are most affected by the cold. Don’t forget to add reflective panels on your clothing if it’s still dark outside.

Take proper care of your feet

Making sure that you keep your feet warm and dry is very important for ensuring that you don’t end up with blisters. Wear sports socks which help you to draw away perspiration from your skin and use shoes that have a decent tread.

Don’t ignore the importance of weather reports

Don’t forget to check the weather report before heading out. Things like pelting rain and biting winds won’t do you any favors. It is essential to be flexible with your workout timings during the winter months. And if things look really bad, take a rain check on your exercise.

Chalk out your route

Have a pre-fixed route in mind and don’t forget to keep to well lit areas when it’s dark or damp. Try to perform loops around your neighborhood and repeat them. You can also head over to the local park, provided that it is well lit. Make sure that someone is aware of your route, in case something goes south.

Don’t ease up on your hydration

Just because you’re sweating less during the winters doesn’t mean that you need less water. Don’t ease up on your water intake and stick to a minimum of 10 – 12 glasses of water each day. Try drinking water before, during and after your workouts. Force yourself to a glass of water if you don’t feel thirsty.

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December 17, 2014May 17, 2022 by Mayank

Resveralife Eat Well Guide: Best Fruits and Vegetables this Winter

Some hot chocolate, a blazing fire and cozy blankets… mmm… Winter certainly has its own set of charms, but fresh fruits and vegetables are usually not known to be one of the highlights of the winter season. It can become very challenging to find fresh produce during the winter months, particularly in the colder climates. But, luckily for you, you don’t need to survive on just onions or potatoes throughout winter. All you need to know is what to buy and you should be able to enjoy a regular supply of fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the winter season. This Resveralife Eat Well Guide from Vine Vera helps you understand the best fruits and vegetables to eat this winter.

The Best Fruits and Vegetables for Colder Climates

Potatoes

Potatoes usually get a lot of negative publicity, but there is a reason they are a staple food in many cuisines around the world. Potatoes are very inexpensive, highly filling and they offer your body with Vitamin C, proteins, potassium, folic acid and magnesium. The best part? They are available throughout the year.

Cabbages

Cabbages are extremely healthy as well as budget friendly. They are full of Vitamin C, Folate and Vitamin K and they also offer you with a rich dose of antioxidants, Glucosinolates and fiber. Certain studies also indicate that cabbages can help to reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer. Although cabbages can be found from the month of July, there are a number of cold weather varieties that harvest throughout the winter season. This vegetable is best eaten raw as a part of your salad.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts, otherwise known as mini cabbages, are known to be as healthy as their elder cousins. They can protect your DNA from oxidative damage and they also offer you with antioxidants that fight cancer. And since Brussels Sprouts are mainly harvested between the months of September – February, you have a steady stream of fresh ingredients throughout the winter.

Onions

Onions are an ideal way of flavoring almost all of your food items – right from those pastas and soups to those grain salads. Onions offer your body with a rich dose of fiber and Vitamin C and they can also help you to reduce your bad cholesterol levels and increase the good cholesterol levels. Like potatoes, onions are available throughout the year.

Beets

Beets are deep red in color and they have an earthy flavor to them. Beets are extremely unique vegetables that contain an antioxidant known as Betalains. This antioxidant can protect you from a number of degenerative diseases and they also fight cancer. Furthermore, beets are very rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folate, Potassium and Vitamin B. Unfortunately, fresh beets are only available from the spring season till the fall season.

Carrots

Your parents might have been wrong in making you gulp down all that milk because of its “so called” benefits, but it turns out that they were spot on when it came to those carrots. Carrots are rich in an antioxidant known as beta-carotene. Beta-carotene gets converted into Vitamin A and helps to strengthen the immune system and gives you healthier eyes and skin. Although carrots are mostly available through the fall season, a number of varieties are actually harvested during the winter months.

Parsnips

Parsnips might look a lot like carrots and have a similar rich and earthy flavor, but they offer you with loads of goodies like fiber, Vitamin C, folate and potassium. They go well with most winter soups and are usually at their best during the late fall and early spring seasons.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes are full of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, antioxidants, fiber and beta-carotene. They are also known to be low on the glycemic index, thereby making them an ideal option for weight conscious people. Moreover, sweet potatoes can be found throughout the year.

The Best Fruits and Vegetables for Warmer Climates

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are more than enough to help you last the winter seasons. They might not be the best options for your teeth, but they are very beneficial for your skin and your body. They are loaded with Flavanoids and Vitamin C and they can also help in reducing the risks of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, cataracts and cholera. Some of the best citrus fruits to look at include lemons, blood oranges, grapefruits and oranges. Moreover, citrus fruits only become ripe for picking between the months of October – March.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates are one of the oldest fruits in the world. They date all the way back to the Greco-Roman era. Pomegranates are also known to be one of the most nutritious fruits because of the presence of anti-inflammatory ingredients and antioxidants. This fruit can help you with issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart attacks.

Dark and Leafy Greens

Greens like kale and collards are an ideal option for your winter diets. They are rich in Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, manganese, calcium, Vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants. They are also known to be extremely low in calories and can fit almost any dish.

Fennel

Fennel has a taste that resembles that of licorice and it is definitely one of the most delicious vegetables on the planet. It is sweet and crunchy and it is also known to be very healthy. Fennel is rich in a compound known as Anethole as well as ingredients like Vitamin C, copper, magnesium and potassium. Fennel is usually available from the fall season till the spring season.

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November 27, 2014May 17, 2022 by Mayank

Resveralife Live Well Guide: Better Health with Gratitude

We normally celebrate the festival of offering thanks once a year, but how about celebrating this practice throughout the year? Researchers say that showing gratitude on a daily basis can help you enjoy optimal health. Is this really possible? Can one stay healthy without a strict diet, exercise routine or medication? Are positive emotions enough to guarantee good health? There are a number of questions that might be running through your minds, but the connection between gratitude and good health is nothing new. According to Robert Emmons, the Professor of Psychology at the University of California, there are thousands of years of literature which talk about the benefits that showing gratitude has to offer. Apart from psychological and religious literature, modern day science has also proved the wonders that gratitude has to offer to your health.

The benefits of gratitude

Those who practice gratitude on a daily basis have a definite edge when it comes to their health. People who are grateful by nature manage to take better care of themselves and also manage to engage in protective health behaviors more regularly. This section of the Resveralife Live Well Guide from Vine Vera examines some of the main benefits of gratitude.

1. Stress Buster. Gratitude helps you to relieve stress and it is no secret that stress plays a huge role in making you look and feel sick. Stress is also believed to be the reason behind most of your doctor visits. As it turns out, gratitude can help you to manage stress better because feelings of thankfulness have an immense value in helping people to deal with everyday problems.

2. Gratitude boosts the immune system. People who are grateful by nature are usually known to be more optimistic and this helps to boost the immune system. There is a particular study which shows that being optimistic helped in maintaining a higher number of blood cells that helped to protect the immune system.

Who is likely to be grateful?

There are some people who manage to feel grateful even in the most challenging circumstances. And then there are those who sink into despair the moment the smallest problems disrupt their routines. Gratitude is mostly about a person’s perspective and the framework through which he/ she looks at the world. People who tend to be more grateful are more mindful of the benefits gratitude has to offer.

How to get started?

If you’re looking to follow the principles of Thanksgiving on a daily basis, Vine Vera helps you to get started by offering you with five tips on how to be grateful on a day-to-day basis.

Tip No. 1 – Maintain a weekly journal

Maintaining a weekly journal is one of the most effective ways of being more grateful. All you need to do is set out some time each week to record some of the things that happened during the week for which you feel grateful.

Tip No. 2 – Make the most of visual reminders

Two of the main obstacles to gratitude are lack of awareness and forgetfulness. The best way to counter these problems is to place visual reminders in your bedroom or at your work desk. Another option would be to set a reminder or an alarm on your smartphone or computer which reminds you to take some time out and count your blessings.

Tip No. 3 – Have a partner

Having a gratitude partner helps a lot. Most people lack discipline to do things on their own. This is where having a partner helps. If you stick around people who are grateful by nature, you are more than likely to inculcate their values and follow them on your own.

Tip No. 4 – Make a public commitment to be grateful

Social support groups have grown in relevance over the years. You can find all kinds of social support groups in your city or on the internet. Become a part of one of these support groups that supports being grateful and try to set weekly goals for yourself. If you make this goal public within the group and share your status update after each week, chances are that you will be more likely to follow through on your promises.

Tip No. 5 – Change the way you converse with yourself

People converse with themselves all the time. Having negative conversations with one’s inner self can lead to a lower mood. All you need to do is try to change your outlook and think about positive things. Change the tone in which you say things to yourself and this should actually work wonders in making you more grateful.

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November 26, 2014May 17, 2022 by Mayank

Resveralife Examines the Relationship Between Gratitude and Your Health

Irrespective of how you are planning to spend Thanksgiving this year or who you plan to spend it with, make sure that you celebrate the festival the way it is meant to be celebrated. Thanksgiving is a day to spend some quality time with your loved ones and celebrate your victories of the past year. It is a day to show that you love someone and a day when you express your feelings with gratitude. And gratitude doesn’t just make you a nicer person. It also helps you to look better and live for a longer period of time.

Recent studies conducted to determine the effects of adding gratitude to one’s everyday life have shown that practicing gratitude and saying thanks regularly can help a person to become healthier, calmer, happier and peaceful. Moreover, people who are nice on the inside are also perceived to be more beautiful on the outside.

So what is it that makes being grateful so special? Vine Vera came across a number of theories which state that people who are grateful are more than likely to recognize their core values and prioritize their goals in the correct order. Moreover, these values also help them to take care of themselves as well as their loved ones. In other words, if one practices gratitude on a daily basis, he/ she is more likely to eat better, exercise better, get professional treatments and engage in better protective health behaviors.

Being grateful and practicing gratitude doesn’t need to be very hard and it doesn’t require a major lifestyle change either. Resveralife examines the four simple steps that you can add to your everyday lives in order to start enjoying the health benefits that gratitude has to offer.

Focus on positive things

Life has always been challenging and it always will be challenging. What really matters is how you approach the challenges thrown at you. Gratitude has often been defined as the attitude of a person towards the external and internal world. Thus, those who are more aware of the positive things in their lives, both inside and out, are more than likely to focus their attention on things besides themselves, thereby managing to lead a better and more fulfilling life.

Learn to appreciate what you have

Irrespective of which spectrum of the society we belong to, we often end up looking at others and hoping of having or doing things that they seem to be having or doing. However, most of us don’t bother to remember that there are people who dream of doing and enjoying the same things that we have the privilege of enjoying. There are very few people in the modern world who know how to value and appreciate what they have. It is important to understand that what a person has cannot be calculated only in terms of his/ her material possessions. It also includes the people, the person’s health and the person’s talent. Ultimately, it’s not about what you have or don’t have. It’s about what you feel about what you have.

Try to reframe those challenging situations

Problems are a part and parcel of our life. No one can enjoy a problem-free life. Every person is bound to face some kind of problem or the other at some point of time or the other. As difficult as your problems might seem to be, you need to understand that they won’t always be the same. There will be times when you have problems and there will be times when the going is smooth. After all, that’s the beauty of life. That’s what makes you who you are and defines you as an individual. What you need to understand is that you cannot change people around you or your situations. What you can change is your attitude and how you perceive your problems.

Remind yourself of the reasons for being grateful

Try to appreciate and value the things that you already have. In the midst of our everyday life, it is often easy to forget about the reasons we have to be grateful. Try to think about a few things you have to be grateful before going to sleep. Reflect on your gratitude journal and figure out all you have to be thankful for. It won’t just help you become happy, it will make you a better person as well.

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November 14, 2014May 17, 2022 by Mayank

Eat Well: A Resveralife Guide for More Successful Holiday Recipes

Resveralife would like to believe that all there is to recipes is ingredient lists and preparation steps, but that would be far from the truth. There are times when you discover that despite following the recipe to the letter, the dish ends up being an epic fail. Some of the main reasons why recipes end up failing include missing ingredients, incomprehensible terms, lack of personalization, and more. To help you increases your chances of success when it comes to preparing the right recipes, Resveralife brings you an Eat Well Guide for more successful holiday recipes.

Cooking Tips

Start off by properly reading the recipe. Browse through the cooking utensils required, the ingredient list and the cooking time. You’d be surprised at how much the little details matter. If you find certain jargons that seem to be incomprehensible, search for meanings online. When it comes to the picture of the dish being shown in the recipe, don’t get fooled. Your dish won’t look anything like the picture. These photographs were shot by professional photographers in studio environments. The ideal way to start off with recipes is to follow it exactly as mentioned during the first attempt. Do not try to increase/ reduce the portions or substitute ingredients. Once you gain your confidence of preparing the recipe, you can always start experimenting with the ingredients and the flavors. It is also important for you to understand that you should never try out a new recipe when you’re serving them to guests. Always stick to tried and tested methods because it reflects poorly on you if the recipe turns out to be a major flop during an event or a get-together. The ideal place to try out new recipes is during those family meals.

Stay on the lookout for recipes that are explained properly

There are some recipes which are perfectly explained and then there are those which are incomprehensible. The best recipes are always long enough and highly detailed. Short and to the point recipes are usually vague and confusing. The more details and advice a recipe offers, the easier it is to replicate the results. Stick to recipes that follow the most basic recipe rules – a decent introduction, a list of ingredients, nutritional information and preparation steps.

Eliminate the “worst” recipes from the list

We often come across all sorts of recipes in newspapers and magazines that are given by world famous chefs and celebrities – things like “Cupcakes – The Way X Makes Them”. It is important to consider that such recipes are usually full of errors, omissions and estimations. When journalists write about such recipes, it is usually to fill in the article space and interview famous personalities. The focus of the entire recipe is to showcase the chef’s image rather than offer the right recipes to readers. You can always use such recipes as a source of inspiration to improve on your existing recipes, but never base your dishes on these recipes.

Ultimately, when it comes to cooking, you can only get better with regular practice. The more you cook, the more you learn about various tastes and flavors.

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