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June 30, 2016 by Mayank

Will A Healthy Attitude Help You Lose Weight?

If you’ve ever tried losing weight before, you already know how difficult it can be to make the necessary lifestyle changes. What you may not realize, though, is that your attitude toward your weight loss journey could be what’s hindering your efforts. Most weight-loss programs fail to consider the psychological aspect of weight loss and therefore fail. We’re told it’s simple, just eat less and move more, yet we all know it’s seldom so easy to reach our goals. Perhaps the missing piece of the puzzle isn’t in the form of a pill or the latest workout video but in our attitude.

There are several schools of thought on the power of positive thinking and its relation to weight loss. From ancient Ayurveda to modern psychology, the consensus is clear: our thoughts have real power and those thoughts can become actions. If you think to yourself that you are always going to be overweight and that you’re not strong enough for exercise, you’re likely to become depressed and sabotage your own efforts for weight loss. On the contrary, if you tell yourself you are strong, capable, and that you will reach your goals, you will be motivated to take the necessary action to indeed make it happen.

It may sound overly simple, just change your attitude, but the truth is, this does require some effort. Some of us have spent years, maybe even our whole lives thinking negatively about ourselves. Our society treats this negative self-talk as normal. Men and women are expected to dislike their bodies and to always be striving for something more. In order to change our attitude, it’s going to take practice. In the beginning, it may seem silly or strange to compliment yourself after a workout, but changing your inner voice to one of love and support is just what you need in order to succeed.

If you struggle with where to start, it can be helpful to think of something not related to weight-loss to get you started. Think of an area of your life that you excel in. Perhaps you’re wonderful at your job or you are an excellent parent. Congratulate yourself for that! Next time you receive a compliment from someone, accept it without making excuses for why you don’t deserve it. Eventually, this new healthy attitude will become second nature and along with helping you in your weight loss endeavors, it will trickle into all areas of your life, making you healthier all around.

The weight loss industry is full of gimmicks and diets that don’t work and you can easily spend hundreds of dollars seeking advice from so-called experts who only want to sell you something. But you have the power to change your attitude and change your life. Be your own weight-loss coach and get started on your new lifestyle today. By focusing your energies toward the positive, you can create the healthy attitude that will lead to healthy and lasting weight loss.

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June 29, 2016 by Resveralife

Best Shoes For Everyday Use

When choosing an everyday wardrobe, practicality, comfort and style are all key issues, especially when it comes to footwear. Your feet are an important part of your mobility, and wearing an uncomfortable pair of shoes can really ruin your day, and in some cases, even lead to long term damage. But what should you be looking for in a shoe, and which styles and brands are recommended? Read on to find out.

“The main things you want to look for in an everyday walking shoe are responsive cushioning, breathability and lightweight construction”, says Riley Jones, a writer specializing in sneakers and style. He goes on to recommend several brands of lightweight, supportive athletic sneakers. These include the SpeedForm Appollo model from Under Armour, one of the first ‘sock-like shoes’ that feature an anatomical outsole designed to cater to the movement and structure of your foot. Also making the cut is the Adidas Ultra Boost with its Boost cushioning and primeknit upper, and the Nike Flyknit Racer, one of the most lightweight sneakers around.

If you’re looking for options outside of the athletic sneaker category, look at alternatives such as the Crocs Women’s Alice Mary Jean Flat which provides enhanced support and a non slip sole. They are good quality and odor resistant. If you are looking for a stylish sandal, try out the Ecco European Strap Dress Sandals. They have a thicker cushion sole that offers extra support and cushioning as well as being very lightweight.

Those searching for everyday styles for men can look at the Ecco Men’s Chander Classic Sandal which features a criss-cross upper ankle strap for extra support and comfort. They also offer a cushioned sole with excellent durability. Men looking for a slightly dressier look might consider the Clarks Men’s Armada Spanish Loafer. The shoes are made of leather with a man-made sole, mesh linings and a removal footbed. They also offer shock absorbing support which provides traction and durability.

At the same time, you should stay away from shoes where the heel is higher than the toe. While high heeled dress shoes are an obvious no-no, there are also athletic shoes which encourage the wearer to land on the heel of the shoe when walking and running. This alters the natural step and posture and can result in long term damage to joints in the feet, knees and hips.

To this end, look at shoes like the New Balance Minimus. These offer a minimal cushion and support with no positive heel so the wearer gets the effects of being barefoot. A more everyday option might be Toms brand shoes. While not ideal for working out, the shoes also do not have a positive heel. They offer a minimal cushion while being stylish and comfortable. Also making the list Earth Runners. These shoes are made by hand according to your foot trace to get a perfect fit. They also offer a non-cushioned, minimal sole and added copper grounding elements.

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June 22, 2016 by Mayank

White Noise Insoles

Typically we use insoles to increase comfort or support. They can alleviate stress and pain in our bodies and joints. But now, thanks to the wonders of modern science and medicine, developers are upping the game in insole support as studies are being conducted on an insole that will electrically stimulate feet with random vibrations that can affect a person’s stride and increase stability. Find out more about how these insoles work and what it can mean for you or a loved one who may need more stability while walking.

The insoles work using a process called stochastic resonance, a method for amplifying weak signals by adding ‘white noise. Although the vibrations produced by the sole are imperceptible, they provide a signal upgrade to the sensitivity of the user’s sole which enables the user to walk with more stability. This was tested in a study in which participants wore the insoles and they were proven to improve balance. The study was published online in the May 2016 issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Daniel Miranda, the lead author of the new study and a Technology Development Fellow at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University in Boston explains how this could help elderly people. “Somebody who’s 65 or 70, who’s generally healthy, may have some sensory deficits due to the natural aging process.” Earlier studies explored how this technique might improve balance in elderly people and help them recover some of the sensitivity they had lost.

Miranda and his colleagues wondered how these insoles could help younger people as well. Another study was conducted in which updated technology made the actuators and sensors small enough so that they could be installed inside a thin, flexible insole which could fit comfortably inside a shoe. This allowed the effects of SR to be tested during more dynamic activities.

Subjects walked up an inclined treadmill as SR vibration was applied during different times of the task; as they warmed up, during the peak of exertion and after they were fatigued. The subjects had no way of knowing when the vibrations were being administered since the pulses were too gentle to feel. Therefore they could not consciously adjust the way they walked. Results found that there was a 10% improvement in a gait mechanism called step width which directly effects balance therefore improving balance and stability over all while walking.

The improved balance these insoles offer will ultimately keep people from getting hurt.

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June 21, 2016 by Mayank

Are You Ready for Natural Running?

Running baefoot… it seems ridiculous, preposterous even…but believe it or not, it’s getting to be a real trend in the sporting industry. When Kate Clemens, personal trainer was feeling knee pain 6 miles into a 18 mile race, she took off her shoes and ran barefoot and the pain went away. But why run barefoot, what can you expect, and how do you know when you’re ready to run barefoot?

Runners who wear shoes tend to strike the ground heels first. This generates a force of up to three times the body’s weight which can lead to injuries like Achilles tendinitis and stress fractures. Barefoot runners land on the balls of their feet which generates less impact when their feet strike the ground.

Doctors, such as Irene S. Davis, PhD professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, believes that the running shoes over support feet to the point that they make them do what they are not designed to do. She feels that this over support results in muscles not working as hard and therefore becoming weak. She believes that your body will instinctively adjust once extremely lightweight or ‘barefoot shoes’ are worn. “Barefoot runners shorten their strides reducing impact on their lower bodies and automatically flex their knees, hips and ankles for a softer landing on hard surfaces,” said Davis.

There are a few things you know before you embark on barefoot running. The key seems to be to start off slow. You’re more likely to get injured if foot and leg muscles aren’t properly conditioned for barefoot running. Experts recommend you to start with walk-jog intervals. A good ratio might be walking for 9 minutes and jogging for one, then repeating. Gradually work up to longer distances. This will also help the skin thicken which is key in adjusting to barefoot running.

There is a risk of stepping on glass and pebbles while running. Although some claim barefoot running is safe, if this is a concern to you, you may want to opt for barefoot running shoes instead of going completely bare.

A good way to tell if you are landing properly when running is to run totally barefoot on a hard smooth surface that is free of debris. Sensory feedback will tell you if you are landing too hard, as a good landing should feel gentle, relaxed and compliant. You typically want to land on the balls of your feet without overstriding which will add stress on the calf muscles, Achilles tendon, and the arch of the foot.

Barefoot running is not recommended for people with diabetes or those who lose feeling in their legs. If you have any history of foot problems, you should check with a doctor before barefoot running. The American Academy of Sports and Medicine and the American Podiatric Medical Association believe that more research is needed to check for any risks or benefits of barefoot running. They recommend consulting a podiatrist before handing in your running shoes.

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June 20, 2016 by Mayank

Avoiding Phytodermatitis

Phytodermatitis… sounds scary doesn’t it? For those who aren’t familiar with this condition, it develops when certain plant compounds come into contact with the skin making the skin more sensitive to light. So how can we avoid phytodermatitis, how can it be identified, and how can it be treated? Read on to find out.

Phytodermatitis occurs in two steps. First the skin is exposed to a photosensitizing chemical called furocoumarins that are found in certain plants and fruits. The compounds are at their highest level in summer and spring, increasing the risks of exposure. Plants and fruits to be aware of are celery, parsley, citrus fruits, parsnips, figs, Queen Anne’s lace, bergamot and more.

Symptoms will become apparent after skin is then exposed to UV light from the sun. Within 12 to 36 hours a red, swollen rash will develop which is then replaced by discoloration that can last months or years. The key clue that you have phytodermatitis, and not another condition, is that the rash often appears in the shape of drip marks or hand prints. This is because it is apparent only on the skin that was affected by the toxins. It will also burn rather than itch.

Phytodermatitis is commonly contracted from fruit drippings, airborne particles or scratches from branches. People at risk include those who handle fruits and vegetables, bartenders, grocers, and farm workers. It can also affect people who frequently run, walk, hike or bike in wooded areas or other wild places where the plants that cause this condition grow. Sometimes children might contract it from playing in grasses that come from the same family as Queen Anne’s lace. It can also be contracted from some natural perfumes or essential oils that come from wild plants containing the compound that causes phytodermatitis.

You can avoid phytodermatitis by washing hands after coming into contact with any of the agents that might cause it. Wear long pants and sleeves when you’re in wild and wooded areas. Also, avoid sun exposure after cutting or squeezing fruit. Avoid drinking soft drinks or fruit drinks while you are out in the sun and avoid wearing perfumes while sunbathing. Also, be sure to use a potent sunblock and limit sun exposure.

Making a campfire can also lead to cases of phytodermatitis. Use only firewood and never put wild plants into the fire. If wild parsnip or other plants that contain phytodermatitis causing chemicals are burned, they will disperse into the air and come into contact with exposed body parts. This can result in an outbreak once you come into contact with sunlight.

Most cases of phytodermatitis are mild and don’t require a trip to the doctor. The spots will fade over time. Treat the rash as you would a poison ivy rash, with cool compresses, hydrocortisone creams and oral antihistamines. In a severe case, treatment may involve steroid pills which would be prescribed by a doctor.

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June 19, 2016 by Mayank

Healthy Lifestyles Reduce Cancer Risks

If you can manage to avoid getting cancer in your lifetime, you’ll be dodging a bullet. Approximately 39.6 % of the population will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. Odds of surviving 5 years or more are pretty good, with 66.9% of people diagnosed with cancer surviving at least 5 years. So your odds are pretty good, and they only keep getting better as medicine advances, but wouldn’t you like to do what you can to avoid having to deal with the insidious disease at all? Let’s talk about some lifestyle changes you can make to do just that.

Don’t Use Tobacco of Any Kind
And if you currently use it, stop. Using tobacco products makes you age faster, makes your skin look awful, makes you generally unhealthy, and increases your risk of cancer, especially (but not only) lung cancer. If you’re currently using tobacco and have had a hard time quitting successfully or are scared to try, reach out to others going through the same thing. You CAN do it, and you will feel much better once you do. Also consider trying a vapor e-cigarette, which has cartridges with a variety of concentrations of nicotine, so you can start with the normal cartridges and gradually switch to the ones with less and less until you’re totally nicotine-free. Vapor is also much easier on your lungs than smoke.

Limit Processed Foods
Consumption of highly processed foods may be linked with cancer risk odds. Processed meats are especially bad in this regard. Try to stick to lean proteins, dark leafy greens, and dark, colorful fruits. Whole grains and beans are also great choices. Try to maintain a healthy weight by avoiding over-consumption of fried foods, and high-sugar foods, especially processed sugars. When you do use sugars, try raw sugars, or better yet, replace sugars in your diet with sweeteners like stevia as much as possible. Some artificial sweeteners may or may not be linked to higher cancer rates, but stevia is not an artificial sweetener, and seems to be completely safe.

Moderate Alcohol
Drinking is fine in moderation, but don’t overdo it. Breast, colon, lung, kidney, and especially liver cancer risk all increase with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you’ve been regularly drinking.

Be Active
Physical activity might actually lower the risk of breast and colon cancer, and it’s just a good idea anyway to stay healthy and feel better in your day to day life. Aim for at least 20 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous cardiovascular exercise. Your heart will appreciate it too!

Limit Sun Exposure
And when you do go out in the sun, use sunscreen! Make sure it’s broad-spectrum and that it’s SPF 30 or higher. If possible, don’t go in the sun between 10 AM and 4 PM, even with sunscreen. And be sure to apply the sunscreen even on overcast days! UV rays can penetrate clouds and are still a danger in winter, too.

And don’t tan. Not with natural sunlight, and not with tanning beds. Just don’t do it. It’s dangerous and damaging and impossible to do safely. Instead, if you really want the tanned look, use a self-tanning product like a tanning lotion or spray tan.

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June 17, 2016 by Mayank

Get a Hobby

A lot of people associate hobbies with people who have way too much free time, but it turns out, whether you think you have the spare time or not, having a hobby you enjoy may be worth making time for. This is true for everyone, regardless of gender, but in terms of men’s health, this is perhaps especially worth noting, because it’s an area that may often be lacking or not being nurtured in a healthy way. What exactly do we mean by this? Let’s take a look.

A Good Hobby Promotes Healthier Socializing
Toxic masculinity is, unfortunately, ubiquitous in our society. Men are told from a very young age that they need to be territorial, aggressive, domineering, and unfeeling. This can make it incredibly hard for men to form any healthy relationships with friends, family, their partner, etc, etc. Picking up a hobby could give you a reason to get out of the house for something other than work, and you could find yourself in a good environment to make lasting friendships with people who have similar interests. Ever thought painting could be fun, but you figured you’d be no good at it? Or that it wasn’t very “masculine?” Well, screw that, we all know dividing things by gender is generally entirely arbitrary anyway, go sign up for a class at your local community center! Or maybe you like working with your hands in the soil and the satisfaction of watching a little sprout grow big with love and care. Who says men can’t be gardeners? Whatever it is that interests you, make time for it. And if you don’t know what the hell you want to do, just try some new things! Take classes, talk to people about it, dabble until you find something you love to do!

Hobbies Are Good for You
And we mean that in more ways than one. They might actually be beneficial to your physical health! Studies have found evidence suggesting that engaging in enjoyable non-work activities is associated with lower blood pressure, cortisol, and healthier body fat and weight. Doing something you love in your down time relieves stress and gives you a boost that helps prevent or manage depression, anxiety, bad moods…the list goes on.

It’s Important that Your Hobby not Be Work
We’ve said a couple times now that a good hobby outside of your job has a lot of benefits. Thing is, it doesn’t even matter if you absolutely love your job; ultimately, it’s still work, and work feels different from a hobby. If you love your work, great! Even better! But it’s still what you do for a living, and all the positive effects we’ve listed apply more to enjoyable things you do outside your job, because no matter how fun your work might be, it still just feels different, on a fundamental level, than a hobby.

Some people have the experience of their hobby becoming their work. Professional artists or bloggers that started out as hobbyists, etc, etc. This can be a really neat experience, and allows one to do what they love for a living, but if you’re ever lucky enough for this to happen to you, you should really consider finding a new hobby to replace the one that became your job. You’ll probably notice a reduction in stress levels pretty quickly.

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June 16, 2016 by Mayank

Yoga's Benefit for Men

Many people find yoga to be relaxing, energizing, and to help contribute to a sense of calm, contentedness, and well-being. It also helps one become more flexible and breathe better and more fully, and conceivably could count as a form of light exercise. It doesn’t replace a good 20-30 minutes of cardio daily, but every little bit counts.

Of course, the vast majority of yoga practitioners are female, so it could be intimidating for men to start a yoga habit. But don’t let that stop you: like most arbitrarily gendered things, thinking yoga is just for women is silly. Let’s talk about a few benefits of yoga, benefits anyone can attain from yoga.

Stress Relief
Many forms of exercise relieve stress in one way or another, but while vigorous or aggressive exercise routines can make one angry or just really tired, yoga uses techniques to make you overall calmer. For this reason, yoga makes a great way to start one’s day, because it promotes a calm but aware state of mind that can help get you through a busy work day with lots of quick thinking and tough choices, as well as help you stay on task better.

Strength
Did you think yoga was only about stretching and getting flexible? You’d be wrong. A lot of yoga exercises involve using your own body’s weight to build muscle. Your yoga routine may have a lot of stretching involved, but it can also include drawn-out pushups, leg lifts, squats, and more.

Flexibility
One of the more obvious benefits of yoga, you’ll find with just a few classes you might already feel more limber and springy. If you’re into any sports, know this: increased flexibility is an advantage in just about any sport. Those funny-feeling spine twists can especially help you relieve major tension and improve your tennis and golf abilities.

Injury Prevention
Yoga also has the benefit of reinforcing mindfulness of one’s own body and its needs and limits, which is a huge boon in other workouts you do or sports you play. The ability to listen to your body and be aware of its state at any given moment, and just how far its limits are being pushed, and most importantly, when you should stop, will be a huge boon in keeping yourself from getting hurt. Because seriously, who wants to nurse a broken bone, sprained ankle, etc, etc, when it could simply be avoided?

Goal Setting
Yoga classes also place a significant emphasis on goal setting. You are likely to be asked to set a goal for any given individual session, and to set goals for the future in other areas of your life. They can be as small or large as you like, but keep them attainable and realistic. Further, be sure and reward yourself whenever you meet or exceed a goal; yoga can, surprisingly enough, help with all of these, as the mindset it fosters is incredibly conducive to calm, clear thinking, which is required to set good goals and then take steps to reach them.

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June 14, 2016 by Mayank

Eating Healthy on 2,500 Calories

Two thousand and five-hundred calories every day might seem like a lot of food (or it might not, it really depends on your mental concepts of such things), but for a respectable portion of the population, it’s actually an appropriate target. Specifically, sedentary men ages 19 to 30, moderately active men ages 31 to 50, active men over 50, and very active women of various ages all may need approximately 2,500 calories in their diet.

But of course, it’s not as simple as calorie-counting, regardless of the target number. Not all calories are created equal, and to eat healthily, you need to balance things properly. Let’s talk about how to do that.

Lean Proteins
Protein is essential for everyone, and lean protein is the best you can get in this regard. On 2,500 calories a day, you need approximately 6.5 ounces of protein a day. An ounce of protein can be found in an ounce of seafood, poultry, lean red meats, an egg, ¼ cup of tofu, ½ an ounce of seeds and/or nuts, and a tablespoon of peanut butter, roughly speaking.

Woman having food rich in fiber.

Lots of Fiber
Also incredibly important is fiber. Following a 2,500 calorie plan, you should get 3 ¼ cups of veggies and 2 cups of fruits a day. Variety is key here, and generally, dark, leafy greens and vibrant red and purple fruits are best. For conversion purposes, half a cup of dried fruit is equal to one cup fresh fruit or fruit juice (no added sugar!), and 2 cups of leafy greens roughly equals one cup of other vegetables

Opt for Healthy Fats
For every source of trans fat and saturated fat, there’s plenty of alternatives. That said, healthy fats are still fats, and shouldn’t be over-consumed regardless. You want about 7 teaspoons of oil a day on a 2,500 plan; any extra is going to interfere with your heart health. Olive oils, coconut oil (in moderation; it is still a saturated fat), and avocado oil are just a few examples of healthier fats.

You Don’t Actually Need Dairy
It’s a common misconception that dairy is a basic food group and essential for good nutrition. This is actually quite false, and humans are not really designed to consume any kind of milk once they stop breastfeeding. That said, we’ve evolved to tolerate dairy, and in moderation, it’s not necessarily harmful (unless you’re lactose-intolerant, of course), so there’s nothing wrong with having a little as a treat now and then, but don’t get tricked into thinking it’s essential.

Soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, cashew milk, and coconut milk are a few examples of tasty non-dairy milk alternatives, and can help you avoid the saturated fats of many dairy products or if you can’t tolerate lactose. Skim milk also features less lactose, which might be okay if your lactose intolerance is mild or moderate (as opposed to severe), and it also, of course, contains less fat.

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June 12, 2016 by Mayank

Changing Up your Skincare Products

You know how you can develop a tolerance to things like medications (painkillers are a common example), alcohol, and other substances? It turns out, you might actually be able to develop a tolerance to certain skin care products too. What we mean by this is that there is evidence suggesting that if you use certain skin care products for long enough (around a year) they can stop being as effective, in the same way that if you take a certain painkiller a lot for the same kind of pain, it will get less effective at blocking it out for you after awhile, or how the more you drink alcohol, the more you can drink at a time without the adverse effects being as effective (do note, this is only provided as an example, and we do not encourage irresponsible drinking by any means; try to keep it to one glass of antioxidant-rich red wine a night).

How does this happen? And what can be done about it? Let’s talk about that.

The Process
The process wherein your skin can develop a tolerance to certain ingredients involves the particular enzymes that the ingredient activates. You can’t develop a tolerance to all skin care ingredients, because this applies specifically to ones that are active in a certain way. Some skin care ingredients, like retinol, vitamin C, and others, cause enzymes to be released in the skin cells and attach themselves to a specific receptor, which then triggers the desired effect of the product. However, your cells only have so many receptors, and if you repeatedly flood them with enzymes, eventually they will all be taken up and bonded to an enzyme and unable to accept more for awhile, lessening the effect the product can have on your skin.

How to Fix It
The solution here is to vary the skin care products you use; to change them up on a regular basis. It’s recommended to use the same set of products no longer than 6 to 8 months, and then switch to another set of products which aims at producing similar effects, but with different formulations of ingredients, and/or with ingredients available in different forms (recall, for example, that all vitamins have several different “forms” which all act as the vitamin, but trigger slightly different reactions in cells). Conveniently enough, this span of time lines up relatively well with the change of seasons from summer to fall and then winter to spring. As such, try taking advantage of this convenient timing and do what’s already recommended anyway: a seasonal switch. Use slightly heavier, more moisturizing products in autumn and winter than you do in spring and summer, and kill two birds with one stone.

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