Beginner Yogi?? Here's Everything You Need To Know!

/

Yoga is an ancient practice, originally coming from Indian culture. Yogis, the elders of the practice who taught it to others, practiced the sport as a peaceful balance of mindfulness and physical wellness. Now practiced around the world, yoga is an incredible way to stay fit, strong, and balanced while helping to keep your mind at ease. Yoga, also pairs incredibly well with meditation and mindfulness practices. 

If you’re looking to take up a yoga class, but you aren’t sure of what to expect, here are some tips to get you started on your yogi journey.

Keep an open mind

In movies and other forms of representation, yoga can be portrayed as “hippie” or too free-spirited. However, yoga centers around peace and mindfulness, and whoever you are, you will benefit from that. Whether you’re young or old, if you’re a business-minded careerist or a free-spirit artist, your mind and body will thank you for working on mindful exercise. 

Do Your Research

Depending on where you live and the array of options available, researching yoga classes in your area is essential before you attend. There are some yoga classes, run typically in gyms and workout centers, which center the practice around working out, incorporating some mindfulness in the exercise. Other places, such as Buddhist centers, focus centrally on the mindfulness aspect of yoga. Depending on what you’re looking for, you can find the best class for you and your needs.

Come Prepared

Yoga, believe it or not, is actually a hard workout. While gyms push your body in terms of weightlifting and cardiovascular fitness, yoga is a different form of exercise. Yoga practices the body’s ability to hold itself in different positions and improves flexibility.

Additionally, you want to come to your yoga class prepared. Bring water, and wear comfortable clothing you feel confident and physically able to move around in. Traditionally, most yoga classes required you to be barefoot and in close proximity to others. However, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, facilities have been taking social distancing and safe practicing precautions, but you should also ensure that your hygiene, health and general cleanliness are good before you attend. 

Your clothing should also be breathable workout gear, such as booty scrunch workout leggings combined with a comfortable fitting top. Keeping your lower back and core supported fitted leggings can help you find the yoga positions more easily. Plus, these leggings aren’t see-through, so you will be able to focus without the worry of your attire.

Ask Questions

All professional yoga teachers go through lengthy training before they begin teaching their practice. If you’re new to yoga, ask questions during and after the class! Do not be afraid to put yourself out there and find out more about this amazing sport. You pay to practice with a professional, so utilize their knowledge to help you learn. Yoga is an exercise that benefits your health long term, so enjoy it, and use every resource you can to help you improve!

LETS GET SOCIAL…




A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation

/

The art of meditation has grown in popularity over the years. It is recommended for everyone because of its benefits. Physically, mediation is said to lower blood pressure, improve blood circulation, lower heart rate, lower respiratory rate, and lower blood cortisol levels.

Meditation is also associated with mental health. It's believed to be helpful for those who experience anxiety and depression, helping them maintain peace of mind. It also helps reduce stress, increase relaxation, and improve cognitive skills like concentration and attentiveness.

With all the wonderful effects of meditation that encompass physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual health, there's no question why many are eager to try it out. If you're trying meditation for the first time, here's a guide to help you get started.

Sit quietly for two minutes

The art of meditation requires peace and quiet so you can get in touch with your body and mind. For most people, it can be difficult to sit quietly with minimal movement for a long time. That's why it's ideal to take things slow, especially for beginners. In the first few days of trying out meditation, start with sitting quietly for only two minutes. Do this every day and you'll find that you'll be able to do it for longer periods of time as you go along.

Don't worry too much about knowing how to meditate

Most beginners worry too much about the logistics of meditating. They try to find the perfect spot, get a comfortable cushion to sit on, etc. These are all really good when it comes to maximizing your meditation efforts, but for your first time, you don't really need to worry about these things. You'll figure it out sooner or later. But for now, all you have to do is sit quietly and begin without worrying about whether or not you're doing it right.

Keep track of your breathing

Once you're all settled down, close your eyes and keep track of your breathing. Count how many breaths you're taking, starting with 1 and ending with 10. Repeat the cycle again and again. When you do this, you're focusing your mind on one thing. But later on, your mind will start to wander. You may recall good memories, see peaceful places, or think happy thoughts. This is all completely normal. Allow yourself to live in the moment and then start counting your breaths again later on.

Acknowledge thoughts and emotions

Many people think that meditation is about clearing the mind. It is at some point, but that's not entirely the purpose of it. Oftentimes, when you meditate, you'll feel all sorts of different emotions. You may feel anxious, scared, lonely, or sad. But it's all part of the process. Learn how to embrace these emotions and allow yourself to go through them. Stay and get curious about where your thoughts will take you, but be careful not to dwell on them and make sure to end your meditation on a good note.

Commit to it

It's easy to say you'll meditate every day. But with the hustle and bustle of life and our busy schedules, it's easy to neglect it. But in order to maximize its benefits and really feel the power of meditation, you have to commit to it. Set a reminder for yourself to meditate at least 10 minutes daily. You might even want to consider getting mala beads to serve as a reminder to live in the moment.

Meditation is a powerful art, and all you really need to master it is dedication. Use these tips to help you get started, especially through these trying times that we are currently experiencing present day.

LETS GET SOCIAL…

Take Time And Be A Listening Ear

/

When you get up everyday the first thing you think about it what you have to accomplish. Having tunnel vision and focusing on your own life is great, but what if there were people around you that really needed your help? You might not even notice what is happening around you unless you took a moment to look up or reach out. Perhaps you want to become a better friend this year or you want to find a way to make more time for your parents. This might be the perfect opportunity to consider all of the people around you who might need a little extra help.

Your Best Friend

You and your best friend used to tell each other everything. You’d even know what she had for breakfast most mornings! As life gets busier and you grow older, it is very easy to drift apart and become distant. When this happens it can be a lot harder to spot when your best friend is in need. Reach out to your bestie this week and check up on her; a good catch up will put you back on the right track again.

Your Parents

As your parents get older they will start to lean on you for support. This means that a lot of your time could be taken up by caring for them. As much as you’d love to help them as much as you can, it’s not always feasible for you. You have a full time job, a family of your own and you need time for yourself too. You can click site for more information on assisted living, if you think this will help your parents out. You don’t want to see them struggle or suffer, so this might be the best way to help them live a more comfortable and fulfilled life. Look into your options and you will soon find the right solution based on their situation.

Your Partner

Nowadays you and your other half are like passing ships in the night. You hardly ever see each other because you’re so busy. When this happens it can be very difficult to see if they’re struggling with anything so you need to figure out exactly how you can communicate with them. As soon as you open up these lines of communication everything will become so much easier for you.


You may never have noticed that any of these people in your life need your help. You have been so focused on accomplishing your own goals and living your own life that these things have bypassed you gradually. Now that you are more aware of the people around you, you will know how to spot when something is wrong. Knowing how to help someone who plays a significant role in your life is so important. Start carrying out a good deed every single day and help people who matter the most to you. Small and simple things go a very long way to a person in need, so never forget that.

LETS GET SOCIAL…

Improve Your Study Skills w/ These Tips!

/

If you are looking to improve yourself, you may find that dedicating a bit of time every evening to study is the best way to go in the right direction. However, there are so many different influences that can impact your ability to focus. Perhaps you're not sleeping so well, or you are feeling stressed. But when it comes to studying, there are a few simple hacks that you can take advantage of to ensure that you are focused on the task at hand.

Stimulating The Brain

There are so many ways you can do this, from reading out loud to neurofeedback therapy. Neurofeedback is a behavioral therapeutic modality that works from an operant-conditioning framework (think of B.F. Skinner’s box or ABA in Autism). It provides feedback in real-time, teaching individuals to regulate neurophysiological responses, which ultimately helps improve functionality.

There are so many ways to stimulate the brain (not just in terms of the ordinary things), but by digging deep to bring aspects of your mind out that you didn't even know you had. Neuroplasticity is being discussed more because we used to think that our brains were predetermined, that they were a certain size and that we could only learn so much. But now by stimulating the mind you can do so much more than what you are capable of, and even if you're not ready to go for something like neurofeedback you could try binaural beats. In fact, there are plenty of these online.

The Feynman Technique

We tend to cram lots of information into our brains, and as a result, we end up trying to memorize things rather than to learn them. Much like when we are trying to remember things before an exam, but this isn't very effective at all. Instead, the Feynman Technique is all about explaining it to someone who doesn't have a concept of what it is, like a young child. A lot of people tend to relay information without letting it sink in. If you can't explain it, you won't be able to understand it. By doing this, you are ready to consolidate (bring on the hippocampus) information in your brain so that it's not overly complicated.

Minimize Distractions And Improve Focus

One of the main problems we all have these days is that there are too many distractions around. By minimizing these distractions, especially if you sit at a desk with your smartphone in your periphery, you will work a lot better. It's something that we can all benefit from. Because the internet is right there, we've got to take advantage of the many blockers to stop surfing the web. By learning to increase our productivity, we can find ways to focus better. Focusing on the task at hand means minimizing distractions but also finding ways to focus on the information appropriately. Because we, as individuals, can get overwhelmed by the task at hand, we need to figure out how to focus on one thing at a time. This is crucial when we are looking to study because if we are overwhelmed by the prospect of learning a language, that is what will loom large in our brains. Focus on one thing at a time, and it becomes a lot easier for us all to digest.

LETS GET SOCIAL…




Understanding Causes & Cures of Headaches

/

Although they are a common, everyday occurrence, most people don’t really understand headaches all that well. They are something that you might find cropping up in your life routinely, and yet you might not really know where they come from or the best ways to deal with them. That can clearly be a big problem, so you should make sure that you are doing whatever you can to try and get to the bottom of them a little more effectively. The more that you learn to understand headaches and how they function, the more chance you have of either getting rid of them or managing them more effectively. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the things you might want to know about headaches.

Science Behind Headaches

The main cause of headaches is dehydration. In fact, we can say that the vast majority of headaches are caused by dehydration and nothing else. As such, avoiding headaches at all in the future will largely be a case of ensuring that you are drinking enough water. If you can manage to stay as hydrated as necessary, you will find that you are much more likely to avoid headaches, and that even when they do occur you should be able to get rid of them soon enough once they appear. Make sure that you carry a bottle of water with you everywhere you go, and make a point of drinking from it regularly. That will mean that you are much more hydrated, and that you will therefore be considerably more free of headaches in the future - something that most people would be glad for.

Dehydration

The main cause of headaches is dehydration. In fact, we can say that the vast majority of headaches are caused by dehydration and nothing else. As such, avoiding headaches at all in the future will largely be a case of ensuring that you are drinking enough water. If you can manage to stay as hydrated as necessary, you will find that you are much more likely to avoid headaches, and that even when they do occur you should be able to get rid of them soon enough once they appear. Make sure that you carry a bottle of water with you everywhere you go, and make a point of drinking from it regularly. That will mean that you are much more hydrated, and that you will therefore be considerably more free of headaches in the future - something that most people would be glad for.

Pain Relief

Sometimes, you just need to know how you can deal with the pain. This can be especially important if you have a headache which is lasting a long time, or you tend to get recurring headaches or migraines. If that is something you have to live with, then you should think about what you can do in the form of pain relief, so that you can know how to deal with it whenever it should occur in the future. Some methods like acupuncture will work well for this, so you might want to seek out an acupuncture office you can visit in your area. Alternatively, you might wish to try meditation or something similar to help relieve that pain when it arises.

Migraines

Migraines are a related concept to headaches, but are a little different, and anyone who has them regularly knows of them as a different thing altogether. While a headache is merely a pain in the head, a migraine is also likely to be accompanied by a sensitivity to bright lights, possibly some ringing sounds, and maybe even could be so painful that you can’t open your eyes. In such cases, you might find that medication is important, as that could be the only real way of getting rid of the pain effectively. If you get migraines frequently, you will need to think about visiting your doctor to see whether there is anything you can do to try and make them less frequent and less intense.

LETS GET SOCIAL…

Ready to Stop Yo-Yo Dieting? Keep Reading...

/

Are you a yo-yo dieter? If you are, you are indeed not alone. The process of losing a significant amount of weight, before regaining all or most of it, and then repeating the process time and time again is a frustrating experience shared by people all over the world (trust me, I know firsthand!!)

Just as you feel like you are making progress and getting somewhere with your weight loss, you find yourself slipping back into bad habits, and before you know it, you are back where you started. In some cases, people end up even heavier than they were initially. Managing your weight in this way is neither healthy nor sustainable, and will not do your self-esteem much good either, as you may feel like you are continually failing yourself. If you are ready to break this cycle, here are a few tips to help you on your way.

Think about your attitude towards food, and any issues that you may have

When it comes to weight loss, this is one of the most important things that you can do. You will never be successful in losing weight if you haven’t considered your feelings and attitudes towards food and diets, and if you don’t deal with any underlying issues surrounding it, nothing will work in the longer term. It may be something simple, but more often than not, there are a variety of factors which, when combined, have made you gain the weight or stopped you from losing any. Perhaps you comfort eat, or eat out of boredom? Are you disorganized, so end up grabbing that calorific takeout on your way home from work? Maybe you are an inexperienced cook and don’t know how to prepare healthy meals. Working out the reasons behind the problem will help you to gain much more control over the situation. If you feel like you have some extreme emotions or issues when it comes to food, you may want to consider speaking to a counselor or therapist to help you regain control and deal with them.

Clean Out The Kitchen

It can be incredibly difficult to follow any healthy eating plan if your kitchen is full of unhealthy and high calorie/carb or nutritionally devoid snacks and food. If you have a family or roommates, get them on board too, so that you can’t use the excuse that they are available for them. Dispose of anything that isn’t providing your body with nutritional goodness - anything overly processed, salty and prepackaged, or full of added sugar or preservatives. Ready meals and jars of sauces may be convenient after a hard day at work, but they, as a whole, are relatively devoid of nutrition. Do a big grocery shop and fill your cabinets and refrigerator with fresh fruit and vegetables and healthier alternatives. Don’t completely deny yourself a treat - a piece of chocolate here or slice of cake there isn’t going to hurt, and in fact, can be a part of a balanced diet, but make sure it is an occasional treat.

Research Healthy Eating Plans

There are hundreds of thousands of eating plans out there, and it is essential to do your research and find one that is suitable for you - some will only make yo-yo dieting worse as they aren’t sustainable for more than a few weeks. Others can be implemented as a life long healthy eating plan rather than a short term diet. This noom review gives you an idea of one such plan you may want to take a look at. However, speaking with your doctor or a nutritionist that can tailor a plan specifically for you is always a good way to go!

Learn To Cook

For many people, especially these days where we rely heavily on convenience foods, an inability to cook is one of the main reasons why people struggle to maintain a healthy weight. Learning to prepare exciting, yet healthy meals, means you are less likely to pick up Chinese takeout or reach for the cookie jar just because you want something satisfying to eat. Invest in some herbs and spices and learn how to use them in your everyday meals and slowly build up your repertoire. Look for healthy swaps where possible - can you swap that heavy cream out for natural yogurt? If time is an issue, as it is for lots of us, could you invest in a slow cooker so that you can walk in after a day at work to a hearty and healthy home cooked meal? Experiment with flavors and recipes, and most importantly, have fun with them.

LETS GET SOCIAL…

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Health

/

Your health is one of the most important things that you need to think about in your life, above all, because it's also one of the very little things that you're actually able to control - so make sure that you do so. There are many different things that you'll want to think about when it comes to your health, but here are some of the main areas that you'll want to focus on.

Nourish your body with what it needs

Everyone says that you are what you eat, and this can be as literal as you make it. Your body needs so many different nutrients, minerals and vitamins in order for it to work and function properly. Without consuming these, your body won't be as strong as it can be. You won't have as much energy as you should have, your immune system will be weak and if you're unfortunate enough to get a common cold or bug, it will take a lot longer for your body to repair itself compared to if you were healthy.

Have regular checkups

So many people refrain from going to the doctor for a checkup because they assume that it's not only a hassle, but also people don’t want to feel like they’re wasting someone’s time, or they may feel like a hypochondriac. But the thing is, this tends to be the reason why so many people are ill and get un-diagnosed with a serious issue. Just because you may not feel any specific symptoms doesn't mean that you have none. For example, there are times when individuals do not experience symptomatology from certain forms of cancer, and this is why yearly physicals and well women’s exams and any kind of help from Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Inspire can be a first level of prevention. Of course, these are all worst case scenarios, but you can never be too sure unless you get yourself checked out.

Start active every day   

Exercise is so important - it isn't just about eating well, it's about getting your body moving and you circulating yourself. Get the heart beating and your blood pumping through your veins. Your body needs to move and be active in order to burn off fat and gain muscle. Having said that, it isn't all about getting in shape purely for the aesthetic appearance, but for all the good it does for you on the inside too. It can be anything from running around the block, to signing up for a gym membership, or even just turning on your favorite songs and dancing around the house.


Now that you know what you need to look out for, make sure that you take the time to do so, because above everything else, you need to make sure that you look after yourself, because no one else will if you don't let them. It's all about the little things, but as long as you live your life in moderation, everything should run smoothly.


LETS GET SOCIAL…

Thinking Of Quitting? Tips To Help Stop Smoking

/

If you have decided that it is time to give up smoking, you have already taken one of the most difficult steps. Now, you need to make the journey ahead of you as easy as possible. Of course, saying goodbye to cigarettes isn’t going to be a walk in the park. However, here are some tips that might help make the transition for you smoother.

1.    Set a quit date – A lot of people decide they are going to quit smoking and then try and embark on the difficult task the following day. Instead, set yourself a quit date. This allows you to gradually decrease your intake and therefore quitting may seem a bit easier to you. It also enables you to move from cigarettes to eLiquid to being cigarette-free altogether, which will make it a lot easier overall. There is no reason to make quitting more difficult than it needs to be. You can ease yourself off cigarettes.  

2.    Write down your reasons for quitting – Grab a piece of paper and write down all of the reasons why you want to quit smoking. You can refer to this whenever you need motivation. Reminding yourself will make you less likely to light up a cigarette.

3.    Get rid of all your cigarettes – A lot of people keep an ‘emergency cigarette’. However, all this does is offer temptation. Instead, try getting rid of all your cigarettes.

4.    Find a distraction – Determine when you would typically have a cigarette and find a distraction instead. A lot of people tend to find that they have a cigarette when they are on the phone, for example.

5.    Tell your family and friends – Support is going to be essential. If you tell your friends and family you are going to quit they will know not to tempt you with a cigarette and they will provide you with advice whenever you need it. You never know, you may find someone who wants to quit and so you can try to do so together.

6.    Quit when in a good mood – This relates to the earlier part regarding a quitting date. It is vital to select a period whereby your stress levels are as low possible. If you know you are going to be busy at work, for example, pick another time to quit.  

7.    Change your routine – Usually, people smoke simply out of habit. If you break your typical daily routine you will reduce your cravings.

8.    Switch to decaf – Too much caffeine can cause jitters whilst giving up smoking. Therefore, it is recommended that you switch to decaf for at least two months.

9.    Carry healthy snacks with you – Last but not least, it is highly recommended that you carry healthy snacks with you. Whenever you are craving a cigarette you can snack on your food instead. Some snack suggestions are as follows; celery sticks, pistachio nuts, carrot, sugarless chewing gum, dried fruit, and sunflower seeds.


These are just a few tips that may give you a better chance of successfully quitting (or at least reducing your nicotine intake). It’s time to take a step towards a healthier and happier you, and if you happen to fall off the wagon and find yourself having a cigarette, this does not mean you have undone all of your hard work. Keep going and stick at it!


LETS GET SOCIAL…

Water Intake, Dehydration & You

/

“If you want to live the healthiest life possible and boost your overall wellness, you should drink more water.”

It’s fair to assume that no one reading the above statement is surprised by the idea that drinking plenty of water is crucial to human health. The fact is repeated to the point of cliche, often suggested as a cure for all ills. We all know we should be drinking more water to stave off the damage chronic dehydration can cause, enjoy a clearer complexion, and simply feel better - but is the matter actually that simple? Below, we’ve dug into the facts to try and get to the bottom of this often basically-presented - but actually surprisingly complex - issue.

The “8x8 rule”

The general recommendation is that you should drink eight (8 oz) glasses of water per day - but, unfortunately, this has been disputed on numerous occasions. Some argue that the 8x8 “rule” is arbitrary, while others dismiss it as it doesn’t take into account various lifestyle factors - for example, someone who is exercising heavily should definitely drink more than 8x8 per day.

So, how much water should you drink? It’s really up to you. If you’re thirsty, then drink water. If you’re not thirsty, then you can go without if you prefer - though there are a few caveats to keep in mind.

The risk of diuretics

Diuretics are beverages that actually contribute to dehydration. The most common example is alcohol; if you’re thirsty and you drink a glass of wine, in terms of your body’s response, you’ll be more dehydrated as a result of doing so. The same applies to beverages that contain caffeine, such as coffee and green tea; the caffeine acts as a diuretic, which worsens dehydration.

Even worse, the problems diuretics can cause will be exacerbated if you are exercising regularly. It is also worth noting that the two diuretics above are not particularly beneficial beverages, either: alcohol is often misused, while the benefits of caffeine are minimal. As a result, it may be worth exploring the possibility of alternatives- such as learning how to stop drinking or maybe switching to decaf or limiting your caffeine usage. Ultimately, the benefits of cutting out alcohol and limiting your caffeine intake expand far beyond simply improving hydration levels, but can also undoubtedly be beneficial in this regard.

The importance of proper hydration during exercise

In discussing the above, we have noted the need for adequate hydration during exercise, and this is a point that is worth underlining. If you are working out, and particularly if you are sweating, then you will need to increase your water intake accordingly. It’s also worth noting that this is advisable even if you don’t particularly feel thirsty; if you’ve lost fluids due to exercise, then they need to be replenished regardless of how well-hydrated you feel.


In conclusion... Increasing your water intake is often suggested as an essential for all health-related issues but, as we have pointed out above, the matter is a little more complex than is often presented. So, while it is important to note the potential issues caused by diuretics and exercise, as a general rule: drink water when you’re thirsty, and you shouldn’t go far wrong.

LETS GET SOCIAL…

Do You Ever Feel Like Your Body Is Falling Apart?

/

Now we’re sure some of you can admit this. If you feel like your body is falling apart, then you really aren’t alone. From a younger age than you might think, we start experiencing things like muscle and joint ache, even though we’re sure our bodies should be fighting fit and ready to take on anything, And that is just from a young adult age. As we get older, things seem to fall apart even more, and you can’t help but feel like in a few years time, you will be nothing but a bit of skin and bone that’s holding on by a thread. But are we really falling apart, or are we causing some of the issues we’re facing? Are the aches and pains we feel normal, or are they something that needs to be addressed before they turn into something more serious? This is what we want to explore today, because we really do feel like the younger you start thinking about your body and whether it’s falling apart, the easier it will be to tackle any issues you’re facing!


Are We Causing The Issues?

Probably, because as a collective we’re really not the best at being able to care for our bodies. We put it under so much stress from an early age, and the things we put into it aren’t exactly the best. This carries on into our adult life, as the habits we pick up when we’re younger just seem to linger more than anything. But we’re all for changing our ways, so we want to highlight where you might be going wrong. For a lot of you, it will be down to the things you do on a daily basis. If you do too little exercise and just sit at a desk all day for your job, and then go home to lie in bed or sit on the sofa, you will fall victim to back and neck ache that you just can’t control. You have to keep your body active, and focus on your posture as back and neck ache is the most common form of body pain. Alternatively, you can be too active and put massive strains on muscles and joints all over your body, and causing even more pain that might be hard to correct.

Is Your Body Really Falling Apart?

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and realize the pain you’re having is not normal. As we said, back and neck pain is the most common pain symptom, but arm and leg pain is also common. One thing you could talk to your doctor about getting, are Stellate Ganglion Blocks to try and stop nerve pain in the arms and legs. It can be so crippling to live with nerve pain, and only strong medications that send your mind loopy can control it.  But a more permanent option like this is something you should try and seek.

What Can We Do To Improve Our Outcome

To improve your outcome in life, you should try and get the perfect mix of a healthy and active lifestyle, with plenty of rest combined. Try not to be too much of a couch potato, but at the same time don’t push your body daily in case you cause it harm!


LETS GET SOCIAL…