KEY POINTS

The rule is pretty simple. Lead a healthy lifestyle, and in most cases, it will be enough to improve your lifespan. Regularly consuming a healthy and balanced meal plays an important role in keeping life-threatening diseases at bay. At the same time, doing so will also improve your lifespan.

Some foods can threaten your life expectancy. These foods increase your risk of fatal health conditions, like heart attacks and strokes. Various health organizations reveal that in the UK, thousands of lives are claimed by such ailments annually. This is why evaluating your diet is an important first step towards warding off such health risks.

A Lifesaving Ingredient

Many studies did show that diet plays a major role in improving your lifespan. You can go a step further than that by adding an ingredient that recent studies say can further boost longevity.

According to a recent study which has been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, eating chili peppers can help lower stroke and heart attack risks. This bolsters the findings of past studies that say such ingredients can help your health in many ways.

chili to improve life expectancy Photo: Sponchia - Pixabay

Following the Mediterranean Way

The study which was conducted in Italy made a comparison of the risk of death in 23,000 individuals. Researchers divided them into two groups and classified them, one group, as chili pepper-eaters and the other group as those who do not eat chili peppers.

The health statuses of the participants and their eating habits were observed over eight years. After this period, researchers discovered that the risk of dying from a stroke or heart attack among chili pepper-eaters was 40% lower compared to those who do not eat chili. The researchers noted that positive results are more dominant with individuals who are consuming chili peppers at least four times each week.

According to Marialaura Bonaccio, the studys lead author, it is interesting to note that such mortality risk protection was independent of the diet type that the participants followed. Bonaccio is an epidemiologist based at the Mediterranean Neurological Institute or Neuromed.

The lead author also said this means, a person can follow a healthy Mediterranean diet while another may eat less-healthy foods and still be protected by consuming chili pepper. To collate the findings, researchers analyzed data from 25,000 participants of the Moli-Sani study, which was conducted in the Molise region in southern Italy.

Read the rest here:
Improve Life Expectancy By Adding This Spice To Your Daily Meal - International Business Times

Most people who work out lug around dumbbells to lift or heavy backpacks to wear while running, but East Countys Susannah Zana Carbajal has a simpler solution: her kids.

Multiple times a week, Carbajal can be found at Greenbrook Adventure Park racing one of her four children up a hill or using one of her toddlers as a weight while she squats.

Carbajal has been a part of the Bayside Community Church F5 workout group for about a year and a half, after figuring out how to plan workouts into her life. After all, working as a technology sales manager and raising an 8-year-old, a 4-year-old and twin 18-month-olds can be time-consuming.

After I had my two boys, I kind of got into a rhythm where I wasnt taking care of myself, and I think I just lost myself a little bit, Carbajal said. When I found out I was pregnant with twins, it was a wake-up call for me. I needed to get my life together.

However, after deciding to focus on satisfying her health needs: mind, body, spirit and health and enlisting the help of her Panda Planner, a scientifically designed agenda based in positive psychology Carbajal said she cant get enough of working out.

She brings her children to the workout group and modifies the workouts, so she can still keep an eye on her kids.

When they kids were younger, Carbajal said theyd often sleep in the stroller throughout her workout, but now they want to play.

Frequently, she does squats in the sandbox or pushups with a kid sitting on her back.

Susannah "Zana" Carbajal does squats while using her daughter Rosalind as a weight.

Her solution for when her children misbehave: Laugh it off or challenge them to a race.

My old mindset, when I had a fixed mindset, would have been: Well, they dont let me go. I cant. Its too hard, Carbajal said. Now I just dont make any excuses. Theres going to be obstacles, but your babies need to see that you persevere.

Although she is keeping herself healthy, Carbajal is also teaching her children about the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Its cool because they mimic some of the moves, even the little ones, Carbajal said. We do pushups and situps and race up the hill, so its helping them learn the importance of health and taking care of their bodies.

But for Carbajal, the workout group gives her more than a chance to satiate her need for bodily health. It offers her a community that she said gives her good social, mental and spiritual health, too.

At the end of each session, group members go around the circle and share positive things that have happened throughout the week or things that have been bothering them. Then group members pray for one another throughout the week.

Life happens; it isnt always rosy, Carbajal said. Theyre all praying for you, and you feel that. They help you through your problems; they reach out and make sure that youre OK. Its truly a community where we take care of one another.

Read the original post:
Picture of Health: Susannah "Zana" Carbajal - YourObserver.com

There's been a boom in mega-churches with thousands of members over the past two decades, but that massive growth has come with a cost. A survey of pastors shows the demands of the job are creating greater stress, and some pastors are feeling overwhelmed or even burned out.

Pastor Howard John Wesley, the leader of the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, is a gifted preacher and teacher who uses popular culture in his message to young people. But, he told his 10,000-member congregation that he decided to take a break.

"There's not been a day in these past 11 years that I have not woken up and knew that there's something I had to do for the church, that I have to be available for a call, that I journey with people through the highs and the lows of life," he said. "Now I want you to hear me clearly, I'm not exhausted, I'm tired. There's a difference."

With those words, Wesley announced that he is taking a 3-month sabbatical from the church he loves.

"I'm just tired, running a little bit on empty," Wesley said.

Explaining the distinction between being tired and burned out, he said, "The joy. I've not lost my joy."

"There's just some of the fatigue that comes along with it that requires a re-plugging in and charging up," he said. "So that I can continue to do what I think I've been called to do."

Eleven years ago, Wesley was called to lead Alfred Street Baptist Church, and he has done it well. Church membership has quadrupled to 10,000 during his tenure, but the demands some self-imposed have taken a toll on the fourth-generation preacher.

Asked if he felt compelled to work 24/7, Wesley said, "It's the only model I've ever known ... I was raised by a dad who, God rest his soul, told me, 'Never turn down a preaching engagement.'

"Here I am at 47, with 21 years in pastoring ... and going, maybe that wasn't the best advice," he continued. "That collar, that robe doesn't grant you any immunity from mental disease and depression and anxiety."

"Preacher burnout" has been an issue in the Christian community, according to a 2015 survey of 1,500 evangelical pastors by LifeWay Research. The survey found that 54% of pastors feel their role is frequently overwhelming and 33% feel isolated, but 71% of churches have no plan for a pastor to receive a periodic sabbatical.

"What pushed me this year was that Pastor Jarrid Wilson who took his life," Wesley said.

In September, Jarrid Wilson, the associate pastor at the 10,000-member Harvest Christian Fellowship in California died by suicide. He was just 30 years old.

"There's an unhealthy addiction to standing in that pulpit," Wesley said. "You can delude yourself into thinking that that's what life is all about."

Wesley said he sees a therapist regularly and he plans to use his sabbatical to begin a healthy lifestyle of exercise, a plant-based diet and most of all, tending to his own need for personal time with God.

"The greatest thing that has come from that sermon and this sabbatical is receiving hundreds of emails and texts from other pastors who said, 'Thank you ... I need to do this as well,'" Wesley said.

The pastor said he "absolutely" feels freed.

"Because I'm not ashamed," he said. "Free that I don't have to be Superman. I don't have to be perfect. I don't have to be super anointed every time I walk into this building. That I can be Howard John and not just pastor."

The congregation welcomes Wesley's sabbatical. It starts Januray 1, and he will be back just before Easter.

Read this article:
Pastor Howard John Wesley takes sabbatical from Alfred Street Baptist Church to address mental health - CBS News

WeTheTrillions wants to make it easier for people - especially women - to eat healthier, with an ... [+] emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods.

Its long been said that food is medicine, but the healthcare system doesnt always treat it as such. Despite the fact that we need to eat every day, multiple times a day, just to stay alive, medical schools in the U.S. provide on average only 19 hours of nutritional education throughout a doctors training.

As a result, your doctor may be able to prescribe you a medicine to treat high blood pressure, diabetes, or any number of other conditions, but they simply might not know how to advise you to try to prevent illness in the first place.

But some folks are trying to change that. WeTheTrillions is a public benefit corporation that is approaching nutritious food as not just part of a healthy lifestyle, but as one of the first to leverage technology and prescription-grade delivered meals as the frontlines of preventative healthcare to stop the epidemic of chronic conditions touching more than 60 percent of adults in the US. The company is named for the trillions of microbes in each of our gut biomes along with trillions of cells, which make up the central focus of the companys food-as-medicine because of the gut biomes role in well, virtually every part of our lives and bodies.

WeTheTrillions main product is ready-to-eat customized meal and snack options, and those who subscribe to their weekly meal plans also have access to health specialists to discuss and stay on top of their goals and concerns. They also provide software to clinicians so they can track progress and help patients reach tangible results through a customized food program. This could be for patients suffering from IBS, diabetes, anemia or any other female-related hormonal imbalances.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 percent of doctors recommendations to patients with chronic illnesses are not followed and this number goes up to more than 70 percent when it comes to lifestyle changes like dietary guidelines, says Lamiaa Bounahmidi, Founder and CEO of WeTheTrillions. Closing that gap is already making WeTheTrillions an appealing solution to hundreds of doctors across the US who see this as an immediate intervention to leverage theory and practice for preventative healthcare and help save trillions of dollars in healthcare bills - effectively staunching the leading public health crisis of the 21st century: chronic disease.

To know your eligibility for a WeTheTrillions program, you first start by filling out a 3-minute online intake quiz and then have a 20-min call with a health specialist to fully customize your plan and agree on clear target biomarkers levels to reach. The process is based on an aggregation of evidence-based randomized controlled trials to provide a fully science-driven approach beyond fad diets.

Notably, theyre also looking to set up machines in urban and rural food deserts that offer affordable options via subsidization through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other government assistance programs. And all the food is 100% plant-based, a choice justified by medical evidence that currently points to a veggie-heavy diet for its abilities to fight heart disease, diabetes, and strokes as well as hormonal balance and gut health.

But their approach to food as preventative medicine is more specific and science-backed than simply offering healthy plant-based foods. While the meals are, theoretically, for anyone looking to eat well and improve their health, much of the emphasis is on using food to treat Polycystic ovary syndrome, menopause symptoms, fertility, and other issues pertaining to womens reproductive health. Even the general health issues WeTheTrillions seeks to address, like anemia, often disproportionately affect women, especially women of color.

Theres a reason to believe that this method of specifically targeting womens reproductive and general health could be an effective strategy in improving the overall health of society. Overwhelming evidence links maternal health to that of children, which together affect the overall health of society. A society with healthy women is more likely to have healthy children who will grow into healthy adults. WeTheTrillions emphasis on the health of female-sexed people is not exclusive, but it is strong and forward-thinking.

There are a plethora of premade or prepped meal kits on the market now, many of which are vegan, organic, and health-focused. Not all of them, however, can claim to have the medical emphasis of WeTheTrillions, with its specific issue-based meal plans and grand focus on making food accessible via work, school, physicians, and public assistance.In a way, its simplicity is inspiring: to improve the health of society at large, eat plants. The work of doctors, scientists, and public health experts boil down to some tasty vegetables on your plate customized to your unique health needs.

Follow this link:
WeTheTrillions Says The Future Of Public Health Is Female And Plant-Based - Forbes

The basics: I'm Nakeshia Thompson (@keeshnicoletv), 25, and I live in Austin, Texas, as an assistant property manager. After breaking my ankle at 240 pounds and losing some of my mobility, I realized I needed to make a change and overhauled my diet and fitness routine. I've lost 94 pounds.

Food was my comfort whenever I dealt with anything that was remotely emotional in my life. Whether I was feeling happy, sad, angry, or bored, I felt as if there wasnt an emotion that food couldnt fix.

My idea of a good time was being as sedentary as possible and loading up on delicious foods, rotating between salty, savory, and sweet. I hated the idea of working out because I viewed it as something I would never actually be able to master.

I would look at big, beautiful women on Instagram and think, maybe if I act like Im a proud, plus-size girl, Ill learn to be happy in the body Im in. But the truth of the matter was, I couldnt fool myself forever. Deep down, I hated the way I looked.

Things eventually got so bad that I would avoid the mirrors in my home and out in public so I wouldn't see how big I was getting. I even hid from taking full-body photos like it was the plague.

I had tried to lose weight a couple of times in the past, only to gain it back and then some. Obesity runs in my family, too, so I also carried the belief with me that I was destined to be overweight..forever.

Losing my mobility over the months that followed helped to bring into perspective just how completely out of shape I was and how little I would be able to do for myself if I ever lost my mobility permanently.

Even hopping on one leg to grab the remote felt like running a 10k to me. I flat out told my doctor that crutches would not be an option because I couldn't bare the weight of my own body. I vowed to myself that the minute I could stand on two feet again, I would begin to change my lifestyle and commit to losing weight.

As time progressed (and with clearance and guidance from my doctor), I was able to complete more treadmill and elliptical workouts. Once the number on the scale finally started to move, I became even more excited and began incorporating healthier snacks and home-cooked recipes into my diet, which ultimately helped kick my weight-loss journey into full effect.

Ive learned that the secret to losing weight and keeping it off is choosing a diet that youll be willing to stick to for the rest of your life. Diets that require extreme calorie restriction or completely cutting out an entire food group are almost certain to fail in the long run. I mean, who really could go for the rest of their life avoiding bread? Thats absurd to me.

So instead, I increased the amount of healthy food I was eating and decreased the less nutritious onessimple as that. Its okay to have a cupcake once in a while, I know. The point I try to make is to not over-indulge in those foods, but to treat myself here and there so I never feel deprived.

My "all the time" foods included fresh/frozen vegetables, water, lean meats, fresh fruits, plain yogurts, etc. My "sometimes" foods included chips, juice/soda/alcohol, sweets, fried foods, red meat, and others.

For me, sometimes meant about once every week or two, and all the time meant at any point during breakfast, lunch, as a snack, or dinner, every day. Thinking of food as part of these two categories allowed me to learn how to eat to livenot the other way around.

Also, it allowed chips and candies to become more of a treat for me, and I quickly grew to appreciate those foods much more than when I was eating them on the regular.

An important point here that I wish more women realized is that on the days when you do decide to have a slice of chocolate cake, if youve been working your butt off up to that point, you can't beat yourself up about it. Girl, close your eyes and savor every piece of that slice. Guilt-tripping yourself will only rob you of the pleasurable experience cake is designed to offer. As long as you pick right back up where you left off on your healthy lifestyle, your journey will still be right on track (trust me).

I've also learned how to savor a cheat meal, as opposed to a cheat day. Enjoying my favorite foods doesnt always have to end in a binge. Ive learned to enjoy one delicious meal without going overboard with breakfast, lunch, dinner, *and* snacks in between just because I feel like it.

I would walk until I started to work up a sweat and I could feel my heart beating at an uncomfortable, yet tolerable pace. From there, I began walking on an incline. Inclines turned into light jogs, and jogs turned into full-blown running. Now I run every day, sometimes indoors and other times outside. I also suffer from asthma, so running used to be *such* a struggle, but now I fight to push my pace on the regular.

In the past year or so Ive also been incorporating more strength exercises. Muscle mass helps to burn fat, so once Im done with a run I take about 10 to 20 minutes to lift dumbbells and perform a few bodyweight exercises such as lunges, push-ups, and crunches.

Not all victories are won on the scale, I realized. So I came up with other metrics to use for measuring my progress. Obsessing over my weight did nothing but make me lose confidence. Instead, I now put more emphasis on other types of measurements such as:

Using more than just my scale weight or waist inches as measurement has proved to be much more satisfying than throwing myself to the mercy of a scale each week.

No matter what the scale says, no matter how my clothes fit, no matter what the reflection in the mirror staring back at me looks like, choosing to keep going on this journey is the number one reason why Ive lost so much weight. I am a force to be reckoned with because I refused to give up on myself.

This journey is beyond worth it. I feel like Im living a new life in a new body. Losing weight has impacted so many other facets in my life outside of just getting better in the gym. My self-discipline is so much more refined in every aspect of my life, and it impacts the way I work, the way I do business, and even the way I treat others.

This journey has been long and hard, but to have it any other way would be to lose the magic of the process. As the J.Cole lyric goes, Theres beauty in the struggle."

See the article here:
'I Started Rethinking Cheat Days And Got Into RunningAnd I've Lost 94 Pounds' - Women's Health

COSTA MESA, Calif., Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --New Coastal, the leading source for full-spectrum CBD-infused health and beauty products designed to ease suffering, promote well-being and combat the worldwide opioid crisis, has been named Official Wellness Provider of the Retired NFL Players Congress.

The historic and unprecedented partnership will benefit the more than 20,000 retired NFL athletes in the organization. With studies showing that CBD can help with pre and post-concussion symptoms, as well as PTSD, the partnership is a natural fit. The two organizations are dedicated to continued research in hopes of finding better, natural, solutions for veterans of the gridiron and veterans of our armed forces.

Ron Brown, the co-founder of New Coastal, was instrumental in the deal. An Olympic gold medalist and All-Pro NFL football player with over 20 years of business experience, Mr. Brown has a passion for causes aimed at treating PTSD and concussion syndromes. It's also apparent that he still values good teamwork.

"The Congress chose to work with New Coastal because they're putting together a team that can really make a difference," Mr. Brown said. "I love that New Coastal's products are extremely high-quality and that they're backed by unique CBD DNA scientific testing.

When you combine the proprietary formulas we've made with the help of the geneticists at Endocanna Health, with the doctors we're working with, like Dr. Patterson from Casa Colina and Dr. Martin at Loma Linda, I think it puts us in the position to offer the highest quality products out there both now and in the future. We'll continue to do more research, but I think we have a team that is pro bowl caliber."

For more information on New Coastal's mission, products and CBD DNA testing, visit http://www.newcoastal.shop.

About New Coastal: Founded in 2018, New Coastal is committed to providing premium CBD products that promote a healthy lifestyle and overall wellness. By offering best-in-class CBD-infused products for a fair and affordable price, Coastal is on a mission to ease pain and suffering, improve quality of life and help tackle the worldwide opioid crisis.

About Retired NFL Players Congress: Players Congress is an independent NFL alumni organization that supports retired NFL players and their families by creating business partnerships and community initiatives. For further information please send inquiry to info@retiredplayerscongress.com.

Contact: Fred Bloom

Phone: (949) 339-5500

Email: fbloom@newcoastalgroup.com

SOURCE newcoastal.shop

http://www.newcoastal.shop

View original post here:
New Coastal, the Premier Source for CBD Products Promoting Health, Becomes Official Wellness Provider to Retired NFL Players Congress - PRNewswire

Heart attack happens when a blockage in your coronary artery causes part of your heart muscle to be starved of blood and oxygen - this can have deadly implications. The complication is usually result of an accumulation of unhealthy lifestyle decisions taken over time so the condition is largely preventable if you lead a healthy lifestyle. eating a healthy plays as essential role in warding off the threat.

It is well understood that eating fruit brings myriad health benefits, including protecting the heart, and a new study adds new weight to the classic idiom: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

The research, published in published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, recommends eating two apples a day for optimal benefits.

When 40 people with slightly high cholesterol ate two large apples a day for eight weeks, it lowered their levels of bad cholesterol by almost four percent.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in blood and bad cholesterol, also known as LDL cholesterol, can block your arteries and trigger a heart attack.

READ MORE:Heart attack: Eating this food could help prevent the deadly condition

We believe the fibre and polyphenols in apples are important, and apples are a popular fruit among all ages, which are easy to eat and make great snack foods.' The study asked people aged 20 to 69 to eat two apples a day for two months, taking blood tests before and afterwards.

The study also found that women may benefit more than men from two apples a day when it comes to cholesterol, although more studies are needed to confirm this.

Apples can also be enjoyed as part of a Mediterranean diet, which has been shown to boost heart health.

A Mediterranean diet generally consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, oily fish, poultry, beans, eggs, moderate portions of dairy products and limited intake of red meat.

According to Mayo Clinic, one of the primary benefits of eating a Mediterranean diet comes from healthy fats, which should be eaten instead of unhealthy fats such as saturated and trans fats - major contributors to heart disease.

In addition, olive oil is the main source of added fat in the Mediterranean diet.

Olive oil provides monounsaturated fat - a type of fat which has been found to lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol levels, keep the threat of a heart attack at bay.

Furthermore, oily fish - another staple of the Mediterranean diet - is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and helps decrease triglycerides, reduce blood clotting, and decrease the risk of stroke and heart failure.

Continued here:
Heart attack: Eating two of this fruit a day could prevent the life-threatening condition - Express

Tomorrow is a new day. We often hear this phrase, offering us hope and optimism when things are gloomy.In my case, every second of every day is a new opportunity to remind myself how short life is. I assume you are having trouble deciding whether I am depressed or optimistic. The truth is that I am incredibly grateful to not only be alive, but to be living life to the fullest and appreciating it as it comes.

Being a diabetic for 24 years has taught me a lot. I hope I can share this knowledge with my grandchildren one day. The older I grow, the more I understand this complicated health issue and all the various factors that contribute to it.

Speaking about mental health has always been taboo, in both Eastern cultures and, until recently, Western ones. Poor mental health is often associated with insanity, and is never really looked at as a normal part of life. The ups and downs we go through and the challenges we face all play a significant role in our overall wellbeing. This is simply a fact of life.

Why did I decide today to discuss the correlation between mental health and diabetes? A recent German study has shown that diabetes could lead to depression and vice versa, a fact that most people are likely unaware of. Depression takes many shapes and forms. A sleepless night that most of us may brush off as insignificant could, in reality, be one of a series of sleepless nights lasting months, if not years.

It is vital that all people with diabetes regularly monitor their mental well-being and, if necessary, pay a visit to a therapist who can help them lead a healthy lifestyle. There is no shame in seeking help.

What especially motivated me to write on this topic is the recent decision by the Saudi government to substantially invest in mental health institutions, campaign for more awareness and provide support in general for all those who need it. I think this marks a revolution in the health sector, a step toward a balanced life that takes into consideration not only physical health but mental and emotional wellbeing too.

Whether we have diabetes or not, we can all benefit from paying more attention to these contributing factors that determine the quality of our lives. We should take pride in our journeys and experiences regardless of the hardships. As the common saying goes: Diamonds are only created under pressure.

Like all other taboos, we must challenge this one. There is absolutely nothing wrong with acknowledging your symptoms as a first step and taking action as the next. The health sector in Saudi Arabia today is as advanced as anywhere in the world. In fact, people from all over the Arab world visit our top-notch doctors across the Kingdom. I believe this is something we should appreciate and take advantage of to the fullest.

I hope that by the end of this article, you are fully aware of the importance of your mental well-being. Take the steps necessary to reclaim your health and happiness today.

Nada Al-Tuwaijri is an adviser at the Saudi Media Ministry

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point-of-view

Read this article:
Removing the stigma on mental health - Arab News

Getting healthy andlosing weight should not be a short-term goal, it should be a part of your lifestyle. If you eat right, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle then you are likely to stay away from diseases. If you are suffering from obesity or want to be healthy, the food you eat becomes very crucial. A balanced diet that includes various foodstuffs packed with proteins and vitamins makes for a healthy body. Here is one such recommendation - Chia seeds:

Chia seeds are known to be obtained from a plant that usually is grown in the desserts. It is known to belong to the mint family. The seeds of the plant are usually called Chia seeds. It is known to have many health benefits and uses. Here are Chia seeds health benefits and uses.

Chia seeds are known to be low in calories. If you are looking towards losing the extra pounds then you should consider making chia seeds a part of your diet. They are known to be a great supplement for weight loss. You will lose weight and stay healthy.

Chia seeds are known to have high fibre content. Having high fibre content helps in your digestion process. If you suffer from constipation or digestion issues, you should start consuming chia seeds. They are also known to help you in managing the blood sugar levels in your body.

ALSO READ |What Is Garlic Oil? Check Out The Surprising Ways It Boosts Your Health

This is yet another chia seed health benefit. Chia seeds are known to behave anti-oxidant properties that help you to reduce the inflammation. If you suffer from common bacterial infections and want to stay away from the cold, then consuming Chia seeds will prove helpful. The anti-oxidant properties help to reduce and fight bacterial infections.

ALSO READ |Coffee: Here Are The Side Effects Of Coffee Overdose You Must Be Aware Of

Chia seeds are known to have higher protein content. That will help you build muscles and lose the extra weight and calories. Apart from that, they are also known to contain vitamins, potassium and other components that are essential for your body.

ALSO READ |Easy And Healthy Drinks To Keep You Warm And Healthy This Winter Season

You can consume chia seeds by sprinkling it to fruits and salads. You can also add these to pudding, it will add taste to the pudding and will be healthy. You can mix chia seeds with sugar and honey. Add a cup of milk and combine the ingredients well.

ALSO READ |Turmeric Benefits: Incredible Reasons To Add Turmeric To Your Winter Diet

Disclaimer: The content provided above is for information purposes. This is no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Go here to see the original:
5 health benefits of chia seeds you must be aware of - Republic World - Republic World

Lets get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Supplied

To take a risk; is to venture into the unknown and the uncomfortable. It is often when we venture into this unfamiliar territory where we can grow, learn and expand ourselves as a person to be successful in life.

We all have different levels and definitions of risk as well as methods to determine if an activity is risky and, if well participate in it. When we take risks, they are considered as such because we are not certain what the outcome will be. In much of society today, we have become very risk adverse; and while this has had overarching large-scale social impacts, it has also affected our own individual decisions and behaviors.

Changing our behaviors to eat better and move more is a risk; and its one that many of us are very uncomfortable taking. There is fear and uncertainty in how we go about changing our behaviors; but also, in wondering if we even can. However, if we dont take the risk, if we dont dive into the uncomfortable and uncertain, what we do risk is far greater than simply being uncomfortable. What we risk is our health; something that none of us wants to lose.

Learning to eat better, to cook healthy, to grocery shop and to meal plan can be intimidating. Walking into a group exercise class, learning how to fit activity into our days, getting up early to go for a walk in the dark and cold can be scary. However, in taking a risk and learning to eat better and move more, the worst that can happen, is that it doesnt work out. This may leave us feeling defeated and frustrated, however; this is not failure.

If we dont reach our goals in changing our behaviours today, all we have done is given ourselves the knowledge of what may not work for us. This is not failure; its a learning experience. We cant be expected to know right away how to make changes in our lives, and how those changes will look. Eating well and being active is a skill that takes time to learn, just as with any other skill in life. Learning to type on keyboard, drive in the winter or read a book all take practice, time and risk. Learning to lead a healthy lifestyle is no different. By working towards small changes every day, we will transform our behaviours and habits. By continually showing up for ourselves and challenging our own boundaries of comfort, we are expanding our ability to succeed in making sustainable behaviour changes for a healthier lifestyle. This isnt to say that at moments we will not be uncomfortable, frustrated, or wondering what to do next. It is to say however, that we will not give up, that we deserve to live a healthy lifestyle and that our family and friends deserve to see us as a role model and an inspiration to make healthy choices of their own.

Our challenge this week is to risk it. To acknowledge our doubts, our fears and our uncertainties. To acknowledge that struggling, is not failing. While we might be afraid to take a risk, lets ask ourselves what could happen if we dont?

How will you take a risk today?

Excerpt from:
What will you risk? - Clinton News Record

The holiday season means delicious food and parties galore. If youve been dedicated to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, theres no reason to throw away all your hard work. You just need to make adjustments to your routine so you can enjoy the Christmas guilt-free.

Here are the five biggest holiday temptations and how to manage them:

To avoid temptation at holiday gatherings, never walk into one hungry. No amount of willpower will stop you from rushing the dessert table if you arrive on an empty stomach. Before you go, have a good, balanced meal that includes protein, veggies and plenty of water. Even if you do treat yourself to a slice of Christmas cake once there, youve done some substantial damage control.

Exercise frequency drops off dramatically over the Christmas, according to a Gallup poll. If you dont have a gym membership, investing in a few key pieces of exercise equipment weights, bands, kettlebells, workout videos can help you supplement your workouts and maintain an active lifestyle.

And use the busy holidays to your benefit. Wear comfortable shoes and use your shopping trips to walk more and carry those many bags of goodies. Turn Christmas house cleaning and sprucing up into a great workout session to burn some calories.

As if your own holiday party indulgences werent bad enough, you also have to deal with other peoples leftover treats in your workplace breakroom. To avoid temptation, make sure your meal prep is on point every week and includes healthy snacks to keep you full throughout the day. Its much easier to politely decline those cookies when youve filled up on almonds or light popcorn.

Ham with all the trimmings. Christmas cake and sorrel non-stop. Endless delectable, colourful pastries. As much as we look forward to these traditions, they can take a toll on a healthy lifestyle. This year, try focusing less on food and more on shared experiences. Trade the annual cake bake-off for a road trip to the country or a day at the beach; skip your calorie-laden dessert and become the life of the party by bringing creative games to play after dinner.

Sorrel, eggnog, wine, cocktail, or a festive holiday blend are delicious ways to celebrate the season, but they add up quickly. Alcohol has almost the same number of calories per gram as fat, and a typical hot chocolate with whipped cream is around 400 calories. If youre going to indulge, do so in moderation. Peppermint tea is a festive, tasty alternative as well. Sorrel has lots of health benefits, but drink in moderation. Remember, most sorrel drinks are laden with sugar.

Avoiding temptation doesnt mean avoiding the fun. Just take careful steps to put yourself in a position where its easier to make good choices, and not undo all that hard work over the past 11 months.

yourhealth@gleanerjm.com

See more here:
Top 5 holiday temptations and how to avoid them - Jamaica Gleaner

A study suggests that those who start racking up more minutes of exercise are also likely to post lower blood pressure readings, get more sleep and eat more fruits and vegetables.Bill Keay / Postmedia files

Theres no doubt exercise is good for you. If anything, the benefits of regular physical activity arent stated enough, with improved longevity, vitality and quality of life all positive outcomes of being active. Another benefit to exercise that hasnt received the attention it deserves is its ability to spark individuals to adopt healthier habits.

Eating well, sleeping well, maintaining a healthy weight, refraining from smoking, drinking in moderation and reducing sedentary time are all habits worth embracing. When combined with regular exercise, the health benefits are even greater, including slowing down the physical and mental decline often associated with aging. Yet too few Canadians exercise regularly, and even fewer can lay claim to an impressive list of healthy lifestyle behaviours.

The idea that exercise is a gateway to positive lifestyle changes isnt new. Common sense suggests the fitter you are, the more likely you are to choose healthier foods, sleep better, move more and shed some of those unwanted pounds. This has been proved time and time again by novice exercisers who suddenly cant stop talking about the success of their new diet, the number of steps they take daily and the sleep stats logged on their new smartwatch.

But up until now, there has been very little hard data supporting the theory exercise is a catalyst for healthier behaviours, which is why an article posted in the BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine open-access journal is sparking interest. The articles authors reviewed the lifestyle stats accumulated by 34,061 individuals who participated in the Vitality program, an interactive online wellness platform that incentivizes healthy choices like exercise, medical checkups, sleep, healthy food choices and stress-reducing activities. The more healthy choices members make, the more points they accumulate, which they can trade for discount coupons to participating retail outlets (grocery stores, fitness clubs) or add to the point total of their corporate team vying to outperform colleagues on other teams.

The researchers wanted to use the copious data collected by Vitality to determine whether earning physical activity points was followed by improvements in engagement with other health-promoting behaviour and health markers. They also wanted to see if there were differences in healthy uptakes between those who accumulated the greatest number of exercise minutes (150 or more) per week and those who accumulated the fewest (less than 59 minutes) over the same time period.

Turns out all but the already active exercisers in the Vitality program increased the number of minutes per week they were active. And while they were racking up all those exercise minutes, they were also eating more fruits and vegetables, getting more sleep, spending less time being sedentary, cutting back on alcohol, experiencing less stress and posting better health markers (such as lower blood pressure readings).

The improvements were greatest in those with the most to gain, those with low baseline physical activity levels, said the researchers.

One of the unique aspects of the data collected by Vitality is activity monitors were worn by participants, resulting in a more accurate representation of exercise minutes than self-reported stats. Also worth noting is all lifestyle changes occurred in real-world conditions, not in a lab, which makes them more relatable to the average Joe and Jill.

Our study extends previous findings that health behaviours such as physical activity, healthy eating and abstaining from alcohol and smoking tend to co-occur in individuals and the presence of one healthy behaviour is followed by other healthy behaviours, reported the research team.

Why does establishing an exercise routine result in other lifestyle improvements? No one knows for sure, but successfully introducing an exercise habit builds confidence, especially among those who have struggled to maintain a regular workout schedule. Mastery in one domain often reinforces the ability to master another, so once someone has achieved a previously elusive fitness goal, theyre motivated to take on another challenge, like cutting down on high-calorie foods.

The message to remember in these results is change begets change. Its also notable were capable of pursuing and achieving more than one goal at a time. Taking this new information into account, monitor several lifestyle markers as you boost your activity levels. Take note of your diet, sleeping habits, blood pressure, heart rate and time spent with your feet up. Chances are if you make a commitment to boost your exercise minutes, youll be motivated to complement your efforts by making other healthy changes. Use an activity monitor to keep track of your stats and an old-fashioned notebook to chart your progress, with the end goal being an improvement in the most important health marker of all: feeling better every day.

See the rest here:
Fitness: How much does exercise inspire other healthy habits? - The Crag and Canyon