5 Effective Ways To Stay On Track With Weight Loss

Many people would love to lose 5 pounds, but there are those who need to lose, as much as 30, 50, or even 100 pounds. A journey like that is not short nor is it easy and often includes ups, downs, plateaus, and setbacks. 

 

So how can it be accomplished? You’ve seen the stories of heroic triumphs plastered across the Internet, social media, talk shows, and infomercials, the ones with amazing headlines such as, “Amazing Mom with 5 Kids Finds Time to Hit the Gym” or “Spectacular 100 Pound Weight-loss With Common Sense Tactics.”

 

These are not miracles, these people did not find a magic pill, they used sensible tactics to reach their goals. 

 

Treat Yourself as a Human

 

To err is human. The truth is willpower is not an endless supply of magic beans; you run out and at some point, fall off the wagon. You will find a stressful situation you can’t seem to manage. You may binge while you are all by yourself or in front of everybody at a celebration.

 

The key is to forgive yourself. Know that it happens to everybody and one bad day doesn’t mean you are failing or that you have worked for all this time for no reason. A cheat day or wavering in your willpower means you are human. Be prepared and expect it, they key is to move on and get back on track immediately. 

 

Set Manageable Goals

 

A 50 or 100 pound loss while impressive is not by any means unattainable, but reaching goals renews your motivation. If you want to keep your weight loss on track, break it down into bite-sized nuggets. 

 

Plan to lose about 5 to 10 pounds a month (as about a one to two pound loss each week is considered healthy and sustainable weight loss). Anything more than that, is a celebration. Anything less is still a victory. The important part is you are setting manageable goals with healthy ideas about what your body is most likely capable of supporting. 

 

Find A Buddy

 

Weight loss in particular is easier when you decide not to go it alone. A workout buddy is a big help. You can diet at home with your spouse, join a weight loss app or program, and hire a nutritionist or a physical trainer. The bigger your support group the more people’s energy you have to draw on and the more consistently you feed off that energy and comradery the better off you will be. 

Break the Plateaus 

 

Wow, you are doing the work and it is really paying off you have lost 10, 15, even 25 pounds. You keep things going, but you can’t seem to shake anymore. It all stops working, the diet, the cardio, the strength training seems to stop being of any value. Your journey has plateaued and you find yourself a little bit hopeless all over again. 

 

Power through a plateau by getting out of your rut. Often in weight loss, we find ourselves in routines for workout and food. Changing your routine by taking an extra or different workout class, adding strength session to your week or adjust your protein ratio. Shocking your system is one of the most effective ways to work through a plateau.

 

Make Your Biggest Changes Small Ones

 

The best ways to make your weight loss stick involve small sustainable changes you don’t really notice. Flavored waters instead of soda during the day and with meals, smaller plates when you eat, skipping dessert, or eating a little fruit instead of cake are all small sustainable changes to keep your weight loss on track. Most important, these profound habit changes ensure long-term weight loss success. 

 

The best changes, the ones that make the most difference are the ones you can stick to for longer than the 6-12 weeks of your weight loss plan. 

5 Tips For Seniors To Avoid Falls

 

You probably have an older relative that has suffered some type of injury from a fall. This shouldn’t surprise you, considering the fact that falls are actually the leading cause of both nonfatal and fatal injuries in individuals who’re 65 or older. 

 

Falls can often result in broken bones, head injuries, and hip fractures. However, it’s also worth noting that falling can make an older adult more fearful, thus preventing them from being active as much as they should be.

 

Even though most people feel safe at home, most falls occur where you live. Some of the most common causes of falls include rickety stairs, slippery floors, and electrical cords. If you have an aging parent or an older relative in your life, you need to make sure that their home is safe for them. 

 

On top of that, you should also talk to them and explain how they could reduce their risk of falling. Simply by convincing them to let go of their fear, you can make the elders in your life remain healthy and independent. Here are 5 great tips that can help your elders avoid falls.

 

Talk About Their Current Health Conditions

 

The first step that you need to take is to see if your older loved one is experiencing any problems with their health. Poor health is what often leads to falling. As people grow older, they tend to lose their balance, coordination, and flexibility. 

 

On top of that, their vision also gets impaired. That’s exactly why you need to know if anything is preventing them from functioning properly and if their health could potentially increase the risk of them falling. After talking to them about their current health conditions, make sure to see if they’ve left anything untreated. If so, encourage them to visit their doctor as soon as possible.

 

Staying In The Moment

 

The elderly shouldn’t let their mind wander if they’re feeling insecure about their walking. For example, walking up and down the stairs is exactly where most people fall, which is why you need to stay in the moment when doing this. 

 

Always make sure to look around you and see if there are any obstacles in front of you. When climbing up or down the stairs, make sure to use railings whenever they are available. If you ever get dizzy while on the stairs, make sure to tightly hold on to the railing and take a deep breath.

 

Stop Rushing

 

You should never be in a hurry. Taking it step by step is the only way to ensure that you don’t fall. You don’t have a job, so you have all the free time in the world. This means that there is no reason for you to rush at any given moment. However long it takes you, you should always be walking calmly.

 

Enlist The Help Of A Physical Therapist

 

You should always check to see if there is a need to enlist the help of a physical therapist. If you’re holding onto furniture, walls, or other objects in your house while walking, then it’s the perfect time to start seeing a trained physical therapist. 

 

Through exercise, a physical therapist can help improve your strength and balance. It’s also a good idea to get a cane or a walker, as they will provide you with more stability than random objects in your home.

 

Light It Right

 

If you have an older loved one that you care about, then you should make sure to do everything in your power to make sure their home is a safe environment for them. One of the best things you can do to help them avoid falling is to install brighter light bulbs where needed.

5 Ways Eating Whole Foods Serves Your Health

If you’re looking for a way to stay healthy, decrease the risk of suffering from some serious diseases, and slow down the process of ageing, then you should eat more whole foods. Whole foods are the foods closest to their natural state, which means that they contain much more nutrients than processed foods. Of course, it’s incredibly hard to make your diet consist of whole foods only, but you should strive to make them the majority of the food you consume.

 

Whole foods can be unprocessed vegetable, fruits, beans, seeds, nuts, legumes, whole grains, seafood, fish, eggs, red meat, and poultry. Now, most people know that whole foods are healthier, but don’t want to spend too much money on them, since they are slightly more expensive.

 

However, just take a moment to think about how health is important and if you truly need all the processed snacks and sweets that you buy on a regular basis. It’s a much better idea to simply visit your local farmers’ market and buy the nutrient-packed whole foods.

 

In case you need to be convinced to start eating whole foods, here are 5 ways they contribute to your well-being.

 

Lower Risk Of Diabetes

 

According to Mercola.com, a diet that involves a lot of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits significantly lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In case you are already suffering from this disease, know that you too will feel better if you follow a diet based on whole foods.

 

A Stop To Nutrient Shortages

 

WebMD notes that a survey about eating habits was conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture, and the results they found were shocking. A huge amount of people didn’t have proper nutrient intake. In fact, 92-97% of the population that participated in the survey didn’t consume enough potassium and fiber, while a third of the people didn’t consume a sufficient amount of vitamin C.

 

However, these nutrients help reduce the risk of some serious diseases and are very important for your overall health. So, what should people do when they simply don’t get enough nutrients from the food they eat? Start consuming whole foods. All of these nutrient shortages can be fixed by following a diet filled with healthy, whole foods.

 

Fiber

 

Most whole plant-based foods are extremely rich in fiber, while processed and junk foods aren’t. Fiber is a very important nutrient that improves your health in numerous ways. For example, it helps you fight diabetes, heart disease, it helps you feel full faster, and it keeps the GI tract moving.

 

Whole foods are a much better way to increase your fiber intake, since they contain both types of it (insoluble and soluble). Eating foods that are rich in fiber will also help control your weight, blood fats, and blood sugar.

 

Weight Management

 

If you want to keep your weight under control, but don’t feel like going on some extreme diet, then you’ll be pleased to hear that eating whole foods promotes healthy weight management, especially if you choose to eat mostly whole vegetables and fruits. These foods contain very little calories, so you won’t have to worry about counting them.

 

More Energy

 

There is a simple explanation why whole foods will provide you with more energy. When you eat something, your body has to break down that food. However, processed foods are difficult to break down, so a lot of the energy they have to offer will actually go into the processing of breaking it down. On the other hand, it’s not a challenge for your body to break down whole foods, so you will be left with a lot of unused energy.

 

Final Idea: Add Healthy Fish And Seafood Dishes To Your Diet

 

The delicious goodies that come from deep waters yield multiple benefits. Here is why you should add seafood delicacies to your diet:

 

The omega -3 fatty acids in cold water fish, such as salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel and herring reduce risks of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and/or heart attack. You can get these from fish oil capsules on the market today but why not get it directly from actual seafood?

 

Nutrients in fish and seafood help protect your skin against the damaging effects of ultra violet rays. Fish oil also helps reduce acne breakouts. 

 

Eating fish helps boost fetal growth and development, and may reduce chances of delivering prematurely.

 

Shrimp is very low in calories; in fact, 6 large grilled or steamed shrimp have only 155 calories and about 20 grams of protein! 

 

There are very many seafood options to choose from, whichever you prefer, you will reap all the fishy goodness from it.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Consider what you are eating every day and that diet is your best chance for living a longer and healthier life. 

5 Risky Behaviors That Can Harm Your Health

Many people are searching for ways to live healthier. Most know that this can easily be achieved through proper nutrition and regular exercise. However, there are also other factors that have an effect on your health, and some are maybe easily overlooked. Here are 5 risky behaviors that can harm your health.

Smoking

It’s no secret that smoking kills. Despite the fact that people are aware of all the health risks associated with smoking, many still do it. It is without a doubt one of the unhealthiest habits in today’s society. This habit can literally cost you your life.

While lung cancer is often associated as the most significant risk with smoking, in fact there are many other conditions that are caused by cigarettes that can debilitate and result in premature death.

Some of the most notable health risks associated with smoking include respiratory problems, such as chronic bronchitis, kidney cancer, leukemia, infertility, stomach cancer, oral cancer, throat cancer, and an increased risk of stroke and heart disease.

Excessive Drinking

Alcohol is a substance that is meant to be consumed in moderation. Did you know that alcohol is actually considered poison by the body? This is why the body prioritizes its metabolization before anything else. 

Having a drink with your friends once in a while or a glass of wine with dinner is totally acceptable and actually good for the heart. However, if you start drinking in excess and especially as a coping mechanism for problems in your life, then you’re going to be facing a much bigger problem. 

Many people overlook the risks that go along with excessive drinking, even though there are a lot of them. Some of the best known health risks of alcoholism include dementia, colon cancer, liver disease, stroke, depression, liver cancer, hepatitis, anxiety and premature death, just to name a few.

Eating In Front Of The TV

This is something that many people do, but while it can greatly contribute to poor health maybe easily overlooked. Instead of taking the time to really enjoy their food, most people would rather wolf it down while watching a movie or TV show. However, there are several health risks that are associated with this activity.

First off, it will draw all your attention to the TV instead of your food, which will make you eat more than you should or normally would simply because you do not pay attention to how much you have eaten.

You will be so distracted by what you’re watching that you won’t even see how much you’ve eaten until it’s all gone. If you enjoy eating junk food while watching TV, then you will most likely form a habit of doing this, which means that you will bring a few snacks with you every time you want to watch something, even when you’re not particularly hungry.

Drinking Calories

Nowadays, many people find water to be boring, so they avoid drinking it every chance they get. This has been made worse with many companies now making flavored water. Nevertheless, soda is still the most famous substitute for water, even though it is loaded with calories, sugar, and chemicals.

Not only are these beverages filled with sugar and unhealthy chemicals, but they will also make you drink your calories instead of eating them, adding inches to your waistline, and getting nothing in the way of nutrients for your body. The next time you want to buy a can of soda, make sure to think twice about whether you really need those extra calories.

Having Too Much Junk Food

Having too much junk food in your house is a bad idea. Simply by knowing that you can get a junk food snack anytime you want will make it hard for you to resist the temptation to indulge in unhealthy foods. 

It’s always easier to grab a bag of chips than to cook a healthy meal in order to satisfy your hunger. However, this will only make you lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Instead, you should throw away all of that junk food and keep healthy stuff on hand. 

5 Medical Uses For Hypnosis

 

Before we get into how hypnosis can help you improve your overall health, it’s important to note that most people have the wrong idea about hypnosis. When it comes to medicine, hypnosis refers to helping the patient reach a deep state of relaxation. The role of hypnosis in medicine is still evolving, but is being considered in various uses much more than a few decades ago.

 

Despite what you may think, hypnosis doesn’t involve the patient simply following a set of instructions. An encounter with a hypnotherapist does not involve any swinging pocket watches, and you won’t be made to quack like a duck. Instead, it focuses on actually changing the perception in your brain. It makes your mind more open to suggestions. Basically, you learn to start using your brain and thought to help yourself feel better.

 

The biggest myth surrounding hypnosis is that it is used to get someone hypnotized. In fact, if you examine it closely, you see that hypnosis can actually be considered self-hypnosis, since the patient will always be in control. The main goal of this type of treatment is to help you realize that all you need to fight your condition is already within you.

 

Hypnosis has been used in healing for a very long time. It first started getting used in ancient Egypt and ancient Greece. It was popularized during the 18^th century when a man named Franz Anton Mesmer started noticing its therapeutic value. Hypnosis was starting to get used in medical applications during the 19^thcentury. At the time, it was only being used by Scottish and English physicians. Since then, countless major surgical operations were being performed using hypnosis as the only anesthesia.

 

Although hypnosis may seem like it’s too good to be true, it actually works. However, it’s worth noting that it won’t help you cure a huge number of different problems. Hypnosis is mostly used to address physical and mental illnesses associated with excess stress. Here are the five most notable medical uses for hypnosis.

 

Anesthesiology

 

In certain circumstances, hypnosis can be used as the only form of anesthetic for a surgery. It can even be used for serious surgical procedures such as amputation, removal of the gall bladder, and cesarean section. 

 

Sometimes, due to a patient’s hyper-sensitivity or allergy to chemical anesthesia, surgeons turn to hypnotherapists for help. Additionally, sometimes surgeons require conditions in which the patient is able to respond to their directives or questions.

 

Childbirth

 

It’s a well-known fact that medications can increase the risk of something going wrong during childbirth for both the mother and child. Nevertheless, not every woman is able to handle the pain during childbirth. When a woman doesn’t want to use medication but also can’t stand the pain, a hypnotherapist could provide some assistance. In fact, hypnosis can be the sole analgesic for labor.

It’s also worth noting that hypnosis can help reduce vomiting and nausea during pregnancy.

 

Chronic Pain

 

It doesn’t matter if you’re suffering from back pain, migraines, headaches, rheumatism, or arthritis, hypnosis can help you deal with the pain. It will also make it easier for you to perform everyday tasks without you paying too much attention to the pain.

 

Burns

 

If hypnosis is used quickly after a burn, it can help promote healing and reduce inflammation. More specifically, if hypnosis is used during the first few hours after a burn, it can help you deal with pain and increase the speed of the healing process.

 

Hemophilia

 

Hemophilia is a genetic disorder that makes it harder for the body to make blood clots, which is a process it must do in order to stop bleeding. Patients suffering from this disorder are often taught to use self-hypnosis in order to control their vascular flow.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Other prominent and well founded uses for hypnosis include weight loss, and smoking cessation. It is important to use only a qualified therpatist who is reputable and well trained in the practice of hypnosis no matter the reason for choosing hypnosis.

5 Tips To Improve Mobility With Arthritis

 

For many people, espeically the elederly, arthritis is a debilitating illness. Arthritis causes increased inflammation around the joint that can lead to immobility and pain. 

 

While there are conventional medical treatments that are available for people with arthritis, many wonder what can be done along with medication to help improve mobility with their arthritis. In fact, there are many natural methods to help manage pain and improve mobility.

This article will show you five different alternative therapies and treatments that can help you manage your daily arthritis symptoms and mobility issues.

 

Hydrotherapy

 

Web M.D. recommends hydrotherapy as a form of exercise for those with arthritis. Hydrotherapy is similar to exercise and a pool, however, the pool tends to be warmer than a traditional swimming pool. With hydrotherapy, participants can get all of the benefits of regular exercise without any of the impact on joints.

 

This may be especially beneficial to those with arthritis because the joints are particularly affected. Having an option for exercise that has zero impact on the joints can increase mobility as well as range of motion. Many times hydrotherapy is considered a form of physical therapy and may be covered by insurance.

 

Range of Motion Exercise

Many sufferers of arthritis keep the affected joints in a tightened position to alleviate pain. Unfortunately, this has the unintended side effect of increasing pain because it shortens ligaments and muscles around the affected joint. This means that instead of decreasing pain over the long-term keeping the joints in a tightened position will increase pain.

 

The Cleveland Clinic recommends all arthritis sufferers participate in range of motion exercises. The rangeof motion exercises typically includes stretching and extending the joints to their full ability. Some range of motion programs may include yoga or tai chi.

 

Lose Weight

 

Because arthritis causes pain and immobility many sufferers of arthritis have excess weight. The excess weight increases pressure and damage on the joints. The increased pressure and damage on the joints increases pain which causes decreased mobility. It becomes a never ending cycle of increased pain and decreased mobility.

 

Mayo Clinic recommends that if you have arthritis, you maintain a healthy body weight. If you’re currently overweight and have a difficult time moving a healthy body weight can be maintained through proper diet. 

 

A meeting with a dietitian can help you start a healthy diet if you are not sure where to begin. The dietitian or nutritionist may also have ideas on foods that can help decrease inflammation in the body and reduce pain from your arthritis.

 

Hot and Cold Therapy

 

One of the benefits of hot and cold therapy is that it can be done at home. The second benefit to hot and cold therapy is that it is very inexpensive. Heating pads and ice packs are easy to have on hand and don’t cost a lot of money. Healthline suggests that arthritis sufferers try alternating hot and cold therapy to affected joints to decrease pain.

 

You may find that some days cold therapy works the best on your arthritic joints while other days a heating pad may be better. Having both on hand to use is going to be the best way to ensure that this therapy is effective at increasing your mobility and decreasing your pain.

 

Massage

 

The arthritis foundation notes that one of the most beneficial treatments for mobility in arthritis patients is massage. Massage can help increase range of motion simply by relieving tension on stiff muscles and ligaments that surround the arthritic joints.

 

The arthritis foundation says that the best types of massage for people with arthritis are either deep tissue massage or Swedish massage. If you are having a high amount of pain deep tissue massage may be difficult to tolerate because of how deep into the muscle massage therapist will go. Either way, massage therapy is an easily accessible treatment to help increase your range of motion when you have arthritis.

 

While arthritis will not go away no matter how well you take care of your body, you can manage your symptoms and stop the progression of the disease. If you combine medication with these holistic approaches to treatment, you are sure to have a happier and pain-free life.

10 Reasons To Drink Coffee Every Day

Ah, nothing beats the sweet smell and taste of coffee in the morning. However, should we really be drinking a cup each day?

 

54% of Americans drink coffee daily; in fact, coffee is the most drank beverage in the world. While some people drink coffee for energy or because they love the taste, it actually offers numerous health benefits.

 

Let’s take a look at 10 more reasons you should drink coffee on the daily:

 

1.     Coffee Can Reduce Your Risk Of Developing Diabetes

 

Over 9% of American’s now have diabetes, and the number one factor behind its development is a poor diet and overall bad lifestyle choices. 

 

Although drinking too much coffee is itself a bad lifestyle choice, drinking a couple of cups daily is not only okay, it also reduces your risk of developing diabetes. 

 

Scientists at Harvard School of Public Health evaluated data from 128,000 healthcare professionals who were surveyed about their diet choices for more than 20 years. During those two decades, 7,300 of them were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but the ones who drank more than one cup of coffee daily, had an 11% lower risk for the disease.

 

2.     Coffee Can Prevent Cavities

 

One main health benefit of coffee is that decreases tooth decay. Several studies have shown that roasted coffee beans are antibacterial against the S. mutans, the bacterium that causes tooth decay.

 

Studies also show that roasted coffee prevents the absorption of such bacteria by the teeth. In the studies, various types of coffee beans were used, both roasted and unroasted, Arabia and Robusta and while all of them provided similar benefits, the roasted varieties seemed to be more active in preventing bacteria from sticking to the teeth.

 

3.     Coffee May Reduce Your Risk Of Developing Alzheimer’s 

 

The cases of Alzheimer’s disease are growing at a scary rate, but there are preventative measures you can take to lower your risk and drinking coffee is one of them.

 

4.     Coffee Improves Your Mood

 

Coffee contains caffeine, a nootropic that improves your mood and cognitive functioning. In short, it makes you more alert, but it also boosts your mood. 

 

This is especially noticeable if you’ve been drinking coffee each day for a year and suddenly stop. You might experience a downshift in your mood, and only by drinking more coffee are you able to raise your spirits. 

 

5.     Coffee Is Good For Your Liver

 

Avoid alcohol and drink more coffee is the advice here. While the former can damage your liver beyond repair, the latter just wants to protect it. 

 

6.     Coffee Could Prevent Skin Cancer

 

Skin cancer is now one of the fastest growing cancers in the world, and more and more people each year are being diagnosed with it. 

 

There are things you can do to cut your risk, and this includes drinking more coffee. Scientists have theorized that caffeine is responsible for this, though no final conclusion has yet been reached. 

 

7.     Coffee Improves Your Cardiovascular Health

 

We’re always being told that coffee is bad for our heart.

 

True, too much coffee is bad for your heart. If you drank 30 cups a day, as the great French writer Balzac was reported to have done, you are putting yourself at massive risk of having a heart attack. However, if you drink coffee each day in moderation, you can actually improve the health of your heart. 

 

8.     Coffee Strengthens Your DNA

 

You might be wondering why you’d need to strengthen your DNA. But why wouldn’t you?

DNA strands can break. To prevent this rather alarming thing from happening all too often, you could drink more coffee, as caffeine tightens DNA integrity. 

 

9.     Coffee Is Rich In Antioxidants

 

Antioxidants are your body’s first line of defense against rogue free radicals, and coffee contains more than many fruits, including oranges and grapes. 

 

10.  And, Yes, Coffee Could Help You Live Longer

 

Okay, let’s expand on that carrot at the top of this article. We’ll let Ming Ding, M.D. explain this one:

 

“Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation. They might be responsible for the inverse association between coffee and mortality. However, more studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms producing these effects.”

 

In short, there are many good reasons to drink coffee each day.

 

Where’s the barista?