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8 inspiring Quotes From Fitness Icons

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Featured, Wellness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Becoming an iconic fitness and athletic role model is pretty tough, but when one achieves it through hard work, tenacity and ironclad motivation – the results can’t help but inspire other people. A lot of people look up to these fitness figures and push themselves further due to the motivation and the inspiration they get from looking up to these accomplished athletes. Because of that I wanted to share 8 of my favorite quotes from various fitness and role models that I think will help anyone who needs a quick pick me up.

“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

I find this very inspirational as Arnold has since gone on to do a lot of things, acting, politics, modeling and much more. I am proud to share that he is a vegan and he advocates it quite actively, making it all the more reason that I find his quote as a wonderful motivation and a great way to inspire myself to further my fitness sessions. Think about this when you are mudding through the last few sets of your bench press or a the last few miles of your run, this will make sure you finish it.

“If something stands between you and your success, move it. Never be denied.” – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Another amazing fitness icon, Dwayne, “The Rock” Johnson became a huge success as a WWE wrestler, where he reigned as the champion and brought motivation to a ton of people. Using his influence to further his career, he then moved on to acting and continues to inspire so many people into getting into fitness. I honestly think he works hard, shows it and pushes people forward. I salute you good sir!

“I feel an endless need to learn, to improve, to evolve—not only to please the coach and the fans—but also to feel satisfied with myself.” – Cristiano Ronaldo

What better motivation is there than to better yourself? Cristiano Ronaldo understands this and he can inspire a lot of people to start believing in themselves too. Sometimes you want to get some motivation from other people, but in the end you need to know that everything you do that is involved in fitness, is really for you and your own improvement.

“You’re going to have to let it hurt. Let it suck. The harder you work, the better you will look. Your appearance isn’t parallel to how heavy you lift, it’s parallel to how hard you work.” – Joe Manganiello

Another role model in fitness, Joe Manganiello has seen quite his ups and downs on the big screen. However no one can dispute the fact that he works pretty hard in the gym to reach where he is today. Reading that line above has given a lot of people some needed motivation and can inspire you to go that extra mile. When you hit that wall, hit it back harder, if it doesn’t break, hit back even harder than before. Your hard work will pay off one-way or another, but the harder you work the stronger you will be. I believe Joe on that saying.

“You dream. You plan. You reach. There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, with belief, with confidence and trust in yourself and those around you, there are no limits.” – Michael Phelps

I’m pretty sure there is no one alive who hasn’t heard this fitness icons name. I mean how many gold medals does he have? 18? How in the world, would that not inspire millions of people? Simple: it is impossible. He is a great driving motivation for a lot of people to really get into their fitness plans and go further than they ever would have before. When you feel as though you’ve done all you can in each workout, you realize that Michael Phelps probably thought that too and then went even further, you would persevere to go as far as you can as well.

“There comes a certain point in life when you have to stop blaming other people for how you feel or the misfortunes in your life. You can’t go through life obsessing about what might have been.” – Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman quote

Only a person who has been living under a rock doesn’t know who this man of pure fitness physique is, after all if all is said and done, he is Wolverine. As an actor he has brought a great light to the movie house and can inspire anyone of any age to go and start working out, the motivation that he can bring along with his name to get into fitness can’t be measured at all. I think I speak for a lot of people, thinking that the next actor to play Wolverine will have some very big shoes to fill.

“Success is usually the culmination of controlling failure.” – Sylvester Stallone

The story of Sylvester Stallone is a great way to inspire everyone, if you don’t know it, I suggest you look for it and learn a lot more. I’m not entirely sure if the story is true, I have read a lot of sites that said otherwise, but regardless it is a great motivation to try your hardest. Maybe he didn’t have to sell his dog just to feed himself but in the end Sylvester “Sly” Stallone worked pretty hard to get where he is today, and as a stellar beacon of fitness, this man deserves our recognition.

“My motto has always been that you can’t say, ‘Oh, it won’t happen to me.’ You have to say, ‘That can happen to me.’ So always be aware that things can happen.” – Venus Williams

Everyone pretty much knows the iconic duo of Venus and Serena Williams, two of the most dominant female tennis players in pretty much any tournament. They have gone through hell and high water to reach where they are today, plus they continue to astonish and inspire so many people with how they continue to improve on a yearly basis. They are a force to be reckoned with on and off the court, and are some of the most powerful motivation for a ton of athletes. Keeping a positive outlook is important but when you hear it from a fitness icon like Venus Williams, you tend to keep it to heart so much more.

And there we have it, some of my favorite fitness icons’ quotes, they are a great driving motivation and they continue to inspire me to go against myself even harder. When I need to push myself harder, I remember that all these people started at the bottom as well and inched their way up, little, by little, step, by step. While their legacies were not built in a day, their contributions to both sports, motivation and as an inspiration to many others, will continue well into the future given the level of hard work that they have placed into their sports or their respective crafts. Stay healthy!

The Fat Guide: What To And Not To Eat

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Featured, Food | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

While most people are allergic to the word: fat, it is something we all have to deal with when we eat food, but if you know your stuff or if you do enough research about it, you’ll know that some fat is good for your health. Now this isn’t a signal to go crazy on chips, chicken skin, pork fat and much more, you hear me? Much like anything else in this world, there are fat inside of food that can be good or bad for our health. It can get a little tricky but that shouldn’t stop you from finding and consuming the right fat in each meal or every so often, after all taking care of your health is and should be on top of mind whenever you are about to order or make some food.

Trans fat – This is one of the more natural fat options you can find in a lot of meat and dairy options, usually in rather low quantities. Now usually if you aren’t too insane with the meat and dairy, trans fat shouldn’t be too much of a concern as in low quantities or at the very least below or exactly the recommended amount a day is alright for our health, and won’t be of concern. It becomes a concern when you consume food that has the oil is artificial and goes through the process of hydrogenation.

Hydrogenated trans fat – Usually this is the type of trans fat that is called hydrogenated vegetable oil and this is the type of trans fat that is bad for our health and can be found in several types of food. The idea is it is used to make items more spreadable if you will, making items easier to market and use for consumers plus it extends the shelf life of products, so you know that can’t be natural at all. I mentioned earlier that trans fat is normally alright but when it has gone through the hydrogenation process, that’s when you should be concerned and if you consume it in high quantities, your health could be in danger as when your food diet is focused on high trans fat, you are opening the doors to a ton of heart diseases such as stroke, heart attack and much more.

Saturated fat – Perhaps one of the most debated types of fat in this whole list, as it is usually blamed for a lot of heart diseases in earlier research. This fat is often found in butter, meat, cheese and a number of other food options out there. Now the thing is research was conducted a few years back that blamed saturated fat as the villain in heart diseases as mentioned prior, however recent, I use the word recent very casually as it was done in 1970s, showing that participants who switched from saturated fat to unsaturated fat products, did not necessarily have an impact on potential heart ailments. The research continues to this day and many are saying that saturated fat is not good for our health while others claim that we should not worry about it in our food, regardless I would pretty much consume it in controlled quantities for now, if you can avoid it good but if not maybe in very limited amounts should be fine.

heart attack

It has been proven that a lot of the fatty foods we eat contribute to major health risks like stroke and heart attack.

Polyunsaturated fat – Now this is the good stuff that you want to consume if you are really into your health, which again I am hoping you should be considering you’ve read this far regarding this topic. This is the fat that you’ve heard of when you buy salmon or other fatty fish, the good fat as they call it or omega-3 or omega-6, either or you’ll want this in your food. These healthy fat options can help you be with cognitive functions and is a great skin booster as well, plus the fact that they are essential building blocks for our body should entice you in to getting a good serving of fatty fish. Also found in some vegetable oils and nuts, make sure to get a good amount into your body for proper health, however be warned that some scientists say that too much can also lead to heart problems but too much of anything can really do a number on your body so you shouldn’t be too shocked about this I suppose.

Mono-unsaturated fat – Ever notice how they say that peanuts are the ideal food? Like walnuts and stuff like that? Well that’s pretty much due to the mono-unsaturated fat that is found in them and can really help us step up our health against a ton of diseases, such as heart diseases, which no one really wants to have a problem with. What happens when you take in mono-unsaturated fat, it increases the HDL or the high-density lipoprotein, which is regarded as a good cholesterol for you heart while it lowers the LDL or low-density lipoprotein which is regarded as the bad cholesterol. Either way getting as much mono-unsaturated fat in your food and into your body will really help keep your health up from a ton of diseases so make sure to get enough quantities of this into your system.

Now that we know what is good for you and what you should avoid, I suppose now it all goes down to you. When we are serious about our health we need to watch what food we place into our bodies, this is best done by reading the label of whatever you are purchasing after all a smart consumer is a healthy consumer. By checking the labels you will know what is inside the product you just bought or are considering to buy, you’ll not only know what type of fat is inside and if it is good for your health or not, but you’ll know pretty much everything you’ll need to about that particular food product. I don’t expect you to know every single little thing about the items inside each product but maybe have a list of things that can give you a small alert in your mind every time you see it, of course you can also research items on your phone but I’d imagine that would take you forever to finish shopping, so generally just make sure to take note of the undesirables.

Overall you need to know what you can consume everyday and what you should in controlled quantities for your own health, if you are searching for good fat, which once more I am hoping after reading this article, you will be actively searching in certain food types here and again. Remember that your health is top priority and over consuming even good fat is still bad for you, everything in controlled quantities and recommended dosage is always the ideal setting for you and your health. Food options are all around us, but choices for our health is even more apparent in everything we need to do, so take the time and choose the proper fat for your body. Stay healthy!

The Dangers Of Late Night Snacking

Posted on November 26, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Featured, Food | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Late night snacking, midnight munchies, or the many other names it goes by is something a lot of us are guilty of. When you don’t sleep early enough, your body tends to play tricks on you and you end up getting cravings, notice how I say cravings and not hungry, because around that time (unless you’re on the graveyard shift) you should still be full from dinner. However if you’re up awfully late and this has become a habit, you’ll notice that you tend to snack more around the later it gets, why is that? Not quite sure really, maybe it’s because you’re tired and your body just gets bored, it could be because some of the worst decisions are made at night, either or, if you really look into your pantry consumption of cookies, chips and more, you’ll realize that you tend to snack more in the evening which isn’t good for your health. While I do agree with a snack every now and again during the day for health reasons, evening or late night snack trips are a bad idea and I’ll share why.

No diet accounts for these calories – I have seen a lot of diets and while a whole lot of them account for an afternoon snack, I haven’t really seen a lot of them account for late night snack plans. There’s a good reason for that aside from the fact that the additional calories aren’t good for both your health and your waistline, there are more reasons below as to why late night snack plans aren’t a good idea.

Your metabolism best works during the day – Research has shown that our metabolism best works during the day, so in the evening it is pretty much at a more relaxed setting. Notice how most diets have a rather heavy breakfast or lunch and a rather light dinner? Well that’s because it’s not good for your health to have a super big meal for dinner, as your metabolism is on rest mode for the bulk of the evening. What more if you plan to snack late into the night? Well then you won’t be burning off a lot of the calories or fat that you’re taking in, which will end up on your stomach or other body parts. The reason we have a higher metabolism during the day is we are usually more active during the day, so our bodies have set themselves to burn and use up more energy during the day, that’s why you should not snack in the evening.

Ruins the body’s rhythm – Late night snack attacks are not something that the body is accustomed to, and again for good reason, so when you suddenly introduce some calories or extra intake during an odd hour, the body is jolted and the rhythm is thrown off. This is bad for you as rhythm is very important for the body to maintain orderly and timely processing of food intake. This is almost like when you’re used to a certain work schedule and all of a sudden at 2 AM – 4 AM you are asked to wake up and work, won’t this kind of ruin your 9 PM to 6 PM regular work day? Well you can see how it would really throw off a lot of people and quite frankly that isn’t good for your health at all.

midnight snack

While late night snacking is unhealthy, junk food makes it worse.

Higher blood sugar – Now not enough research has been done by this yet but signs have been found that late night snack meals have been linked to higher blood sugar in the body, which in turn becomes a ton of chronic diseases. Ideas have stemmed that maybe it is because of the change in temperature at night, the need for less energy as mostly in the evening should be rest and much more, however it has yet to be pinpointed and confirmed if late night snack meals are the reason for higher blood sugar. I think all the same, if you care about your health, which you should, avoid that snack altogether.

Reduced glucose tolerance – Another problem to your health is the reduced glucose tolerance that occurs with late night snack ideas. It has been found that participants who had later meals usually had a lower glucose tolerance, which can lead to diabetes. This is being studied further but it is likely that the ‘internal clock’ in our bodies is the reason we cannot process the calories, sugars and fats from that late night snack. Once more diabetes has reared its ugly head, and one of the leading diseases in the US, we should take all precautions to avoid it as much as possible. By far diabetes is one of the diseases I think we should all take very seriously and should prepare our health to fight against.

Can’t burn it while asleep – Well this one should be self-explanatory for everyone. Sure it’s not like we always go to the gym or do some exercise after breakfast or lunch, but at the very least we are moving, standing and much more during the day. Ideally you’d get some gym time after that so you can burn off more calories but it’s alright not to always do it, at the very least walk around or something. However when we are asleep, we don’t really burn that much, so a late night snack will just sit and fester in our stomach, and yes I used the word fester just to really bring it to a rather glaring light at how bad late night snacking is for your health.

Hormones could be driving the cravings – As mentioned earlier, when it gets late at night, you get cravings in the evening which pretty much drives you to snack late at night, you aren’t really hungry you just want something to munch or eat. Research has shown that hormones are the ones that drive these cravings, they are the ones that pretty much puts your health on hold and wants to just eat the night away. Well there’s not much we can do about these hormones except ignore them, at least for our own health. The idea is to stop staying up too late, so you can avoid late night snack attacks or the lack of sleep, which is another reason why you are probably eating so late at night.

So these are some pretty solid reasons not to snack at night, and now you know why you should avoid it. Not only for your health, well mostly for your health, but overall if you want to lose weight, you definitely want to avoid taking a snack or a heavy meal at night. While it has been found that a snack every so often is good for you and will help stop cravings that will break potential diets, having said snack in the evening is not agreeable whatsoever. Stay with an afternoon or late morning snack if you wake up rather early in the morning, either or anything except a late night snack that will really deter your health. Stay healthy!

10 Ways Exercise Makes You A Happier Person

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Featured, Fitness | Leave a comment

A lot of people may or may not know that exercise makes you a happy person, I do hope you are one of those people that know this but if not, then you’ve come to the right place, er maybe article? Well whatever the case may be, please do continue reading and I’ll be one happy person to show you how you can be happy while you go through your exercise routine. On a side note, doesn’t it already make you a happy person knowing that exercise helps you feel happier, I know it helps me.

Immediate better mood – In just five minutes of exercise, your brain will be releasing some really good hormones that will immediately improve your mood, making you a happy person, well happier perhaps, depending on how bad a mood you’re at on that day. All it takes is five minutes to make your day better, not even vigorous exercise mind you, and your bad day can immediately go from one of the worst days of your life to maybe moderately bad… wait that’s not good, let’s think positive, from an alright day to a good day, much better.

Better stress management – Research has shown that bouts of regular exercise, has rated people with better stress management skills. Know how sometimes you are so stressed in the office, you step away from the computer and pace around the room? That my dear friends, is exercise to make you a happy person.  As previously stated all it takes is a few minutes to improve your mood, better mood means better stress handling, better stress handling means you are a much happier person.

Strengthen your mental toughness – Do you know those moments when the exercise gets really tough and you push yourself beyond your usual limitations, that not only can make you a happy person, it also strengthens your mental resiliency. Nothing quite toughens you up like hard times, and sometimes as you exercise you need to get to the hard times and push, and push some more to really get to where you want. Just by doing that, you can get stronger mental faculties which tends to make you tougher and can lead to you being a happy person.

Strengthening your body will make daily life easier – Having trouble bringing in the groceries in one go? Well get some exercise in and not only will you become a happy person, you’ll become a stronger person, making life all around so much easier to go about. Who wouldn’t want that right, I know I would!

Improved immunity – As one continues to do regular bouts of exercise, you will not only increase your overall body strength, but also improve your immunity system against sicknesses. How and why is perhaps due to more oxygen in your system as you exercise, maybe it’s because you are strengthening everything and the flow of your blood is better, perhaps even because there is less fat in your system that clogs it, either way this should make you a happy person. So if you often get sick, make sure to get some exercise and you’ll be healthy, spiffy and happy in no time.

happy at work

Not only does exercise help improve us physically, but mentally, emotionally and in all other aspects as well.

Sleep oh glorious sleep – There’s something about a good and satisfying sleep after a wonderful exercise session, it can really put a smile to a happy person’s face just knowing that he or she has achieved something within the day. And since you’ve gone and burned off most of your energy during the exercise, you’ll be able to enjoy a deeper and more restful sleep, assuming you did everything right, look forward to waking up with a great big smile plastered all over your face. Of course if you just started your exercise routine on the other hand, you may feel some aches here and there but that’s the good kind of aches in my humble opinion, but hey whatever works for everyone else right?

Challenge aging – Time is something we can’t really win against but at the very least we can fight against it a little and to do that we need to get some exercise in. Aging can be very difficult, our mobility, our skeletal muscles, our joints and so much more tend to slow down, but with exercise not only can you be a happy person, you can make sure to slow this process down. In fact if done correctly you can still do a lot, well into your more mature years. Again we can’t beat time but at the very least we can make it our friend rather than an enemy that stares us down and eventually wins.

Beat down depression – Since you’ve pretty much increased your mood, you now have something that can fight off depression. Research has shown that people who go through regular exercise are not only happier, but also less anxious or depressed. Assuming you are having serious anxiety and depression problems, hit the treadmill, you can really help yourself fight it off. It’s not a guaranteed win but if that’s the case perhaps it’s time to consult a specialist however if it’s small pouches of feeling down or nervous, exercise will not only make you a happy person, it will help reduce those negative emotions, so why not go for it if it’s right there?

Increase your energy – Despite getting a better night’s rest, after a good exercise routine, you will definitely have more energy through out the day. People with more energy are often compared to a happy person but who am I to judge, in the end at least you’ll have more energy in general to do whatever it is you enjoy. I like using it to spend more time with my friends and family, but that’s another personal preference, feel free to go nuts on that extra charge of energy.

A good time to socialize – Regardless if you are out on the open road, running down a path that feels too good to explain or if you are biking in the gym, this is a great time to spend with friends, family and heck even acquaintances. As mentioned before exercise can get you in a good mood, now let’s spread that mood by spending time with friends and family alike. I personally like the whole biking around the neighborhood with the kids idea, that makes me a happy person but to each their own. Some prefer a grueling basketball match with friends or maybe football with family, either or exercise can be a social type of event that will make people very happy.

Now there we have it some killer ways that exercise will make you a happy person. One way or another, there must be one or two benefits that really speak to you above, heck maybe all the benefits make you want to exercise, either way I do hope this really pushes you to go to the gym or hit the open road. Stay healthy!

Why People Choose To Become Vegan

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Featured, Food | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A lot of people can’t seem to understand, that becoming a vegan is more than just a choice of dietary needs, sometimes there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. I have my own personal reasons for choosing to become vegan, but as I mentioned, a lot of other people have made their own decisions, which could be due to the effect on the environment, their health and much more. In fact I would like to go through a list of reasons why people often decide to become vegan, right below, perhaps you’ll understand the others that have decided to go down this difficult road or maybe even decide to rethink your own consumer decisions after reading it, either way you gain a lot of knowledge about becoming a vegan and the environment just by reading this, so please keep reading.

Health – Perhaps one of the popular reasons to go vegan, a lot of people are after the many wonderful health bonuses that comes up with choosing this dietary and lifestyle path. By removing unwanted meat by products from our body, the body can really heal itself and improve its functions to the best of its abilities. Plus by taking in more vegetables and nutrients into your body, you will be able to create an environment that will allow your organs to fully function properly. This is an ideal situation and can be created from the consumption of tasty and healthy meals, while steadily keeping up a proper exercise routine as well.

Environment – The ramifications of consuming items as a vegan cannot be disputed, the effects it has on our very limited resources and environment is nothing short of amazing. When you decide not to consume meat or other animal products, the caretaking, assuming you can say that for a lot of the animals ready for slaughter, sorry I just had to say, could be reallocated for other needs. Say the gallons upon gallons of water that they allot for cows or the feeding grounds of cows, can be reserved for other needs. The acres of land reserved for raising and grazing animals, can be used to grow produce instead. The effects on our environment is staggering and should be known to all.

For the love of animals – Quite a few people, no let’s say more than a few in fact, a lot, lot, lot of people love animals and why wouldn’t you? This is one of the reasons why a lot of people decide to become a vegan or even try it, they love animals and they don’t want to bring them any harm, thus the ideal is to lead a life where you do not consume or hurt the environment so that the animals can live a peaceful and happy life. For a vegan and many others, this is a driving force why they continue to choose the vegan environment and consumer lifestyle, it really helps the slaughtering and the subjugation of many other animals to provide for us, when the land and many other options already exist for us to consume. There is no need for us to go out of our way to cause harm to other existing and conscious beings just to continue our own way of life, alright that is a very zen way of seeing things but I honestly believe that and I’m sure many others do as well.

vegetables

People’s reasons for going vegan may vary, but one sure thing it does is boost good health.

Sustainability – As mentioned earlier, choosing the vegan option is a more sustainable path as it does not take a ridiculous amount of resources to provide for the vegan environment or dietary needs. The vegetables and other foods, are easily renewable with proper care, in fact a lot of people who choose to be vegan, grow their own food. Can you imagine? Being free of the supermarket or other needs from that either cause you to pay a lot and even more, go out of your way to buy. The wonderful thing about consuming things that you grew on your own, you will be able to tell that it was done with a lot of love and less chemicals, pesticides or preservatives, which will really help your body heal itself from the years of animal products it needs to remove. Having total control of your consumption and needs is ideal, and I’ll be honest, while it is a lot of work, I would love having everything I need ready in my backyard.

Moral reasons – The use and slaughter of animals does not sit well with a lot of people, even non vegan people see ethical and moral reasons why animals ready for slaughter need to be treated humanely. In the end however, as a vegan, even if they are treated from start to end, but in the end their life will end due to being readied for consumption, which is still unacceptable. The moral concept of being raised simply to become a meal is cruel bordering on inhumane and needs to be stopped. While picketing and live lobbying is an option, I prefer to share my knowledge and hopefully get more people to become vegan or at least cut down on meat every so often, just by cutting back on chicken once a meal every week, you can save quite a few lives, think about how much you’re really changing with each decision you make on your plate.

Logic – Hear me out on this one, given all the myriad of reasons above and the combination of them, have lead quite a few people to becoming a vegan, which is pretty much the logical step. Health, morality, sustainability and much more, the logical path for both your body and the environment is vegan. In the end choosing this lifestyle will not only better your body but it will really and literally spare thousands of lives, with each dish you choose not to consume animal by products, you give another reason to release a chicken or a cow or even a pig. By not choosing to drink dairy milk, you now give the poor old cow a day or two to rest and graze like it was meant to. Becoming a vegan has so many positive effects that the logical path is to become one, sure you can test it out but if you really agree with it, the path goes that way, why fight it?

There you have it ladies and gentlemen, some of the best reasons to become a vegan and help save the environment. While there are a lot of people who still choose to consume animal by products, there is no need to worry however I do hope that reading this will convince them of skipping at least one meal of meat maybe once a week, eating meat is not needed it is a choice, and I am hoping that at least once in awhile, you make the conscious effort to avoid it, for both the environment and yourself. Stay healthy!

Paraben And Sulfate-Free Beauty Products

Posted on November 18, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Featured, Health | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

By now if you’ve been snooping around beauty products for quite a bit, you’ve heard the buzzwords paraben-free and sulfate-free. Let’s start off with what those two chemicals are, let’s begin with paraben between the two choices. Now why do you want a paraben-free beauty product? Paraben is a preservative often found in deodorants, lotions, lipsticks and much more, the reason it is scary is because there have been insinuations that paraben mimics the hormone estrogen, which has been linked to cancer. As of now this has yet to be proved, at the very least not decisively, but for those who are careful and rightfully so, they prefer paraben-free products. As for Sulfate, can be found in shampoos, toothpaste and other washes, it causes many products to foam, so if you are using a beauty product that foams, chances are it is not sulfate-free. People are concerned about sulfates as it breaks down proteins in your body and can lead to rather degenerative states or issues for the body, which in turn shall turn into a disease.

Well that’s pretty much the reason why people are looking towards a paraben-free and sulfate-free house, and not that I am a doomsayer or anything like that but if you can avoid something like that, why not right? Let’s go over a quick list as to why you should choose a paraben-free or sulfate-free product, just to see what you can benefit from it.

You won’t miss a thing – Paraben-free products are pretty easy to find, one of the nice things about it is that you won’t miss having paraben in your hair or other items. Paraben does not benefit the hair in any way, so honestly why even risk having it there?

Avoid any chances of the big C – Cancer is a cause of concern for a lot of people and while again, paraben has yet to be confirmed as directly linked to cancer, why risk it if at all possible? If there are options that allow you to avoid it, I don’t see what the problem is of choosing the safer option, so why not give that shampoo or beauty product a good old try?

Reduce the chance of irritation – No not the irritation from a neighbor or a co-worker, just kidding, I’m talking about skin irritation. If by some chance you have a rather sensitive skin issue or scalp even, then ideally you need to get a sulfate-free product, as it has been known to cause mild to harsh irritations. True most shampoos that are not sulfate-free are available over the counter but not everyone can use them, so perhaps you should start thinking about that as well.

Retain that shine – While sulfate does help remove build up in your hair, it also damages the hair follicles and can really prove to reduce moisture and the natural oils. It is ideal to use a sulfate-free product for your hair in order to make sure that you have a nice full set of locks well into your eighties, who wouldn’t want that right?

Save the liver (and maybe other organs too) – Studies have shown that sulfate, if exposed to it for long periods of time, can get absorbed into the liver and that’s not good for many reasons. Aside from hormonal issues, it could really do a number on your body so go for the sulfate-free product if given the option.

Always make ti a habit to check the label on the bath and body products you use and even on makeup.

Always make it a habit to check the label on the bath and body products you use. Even on makeup!

There are a few more other benefits to using a sulfate-free and paraben-free product, but I think I’ve made my point so far. Let’s go even one further and give you some little known tips to avoid these rather tricky chemicals, it never hurts to have a few little tips under your sleeve after all.

Read the label – Seriously, develop this habit, this can save you a ton of pain and avoid a bucket load of diseases. When you start reading the labels and finding out what exactly you are consuming, you become a smart consumer, not only will you get paraben-free and sulfate-free products, but you’ll be able to avoid a lot more. Companies are mandated to share what ingredients they use for all their products, sure there are tricks to avoid full coverage, perhaps tweaking the recipe and what not but in the end if the consumer is smart, that person will be able to quickly catch these problems.

Know what to avoid – Sure getting paraben-free and sulfate-free products is a great start, begin off there and work your way up. Thankfully with the dawn of technology, researching chemicals or ingredients in whatever label you are reading is just a few clicks away. All you need to do is actually take the time to do it, again if you really want to be safe, become a smart shopper and a smarter consumer, this will in turn force companies to start turning towards more natural and organic material, which will really help everyone in the long run.

Research and more research – It never hurts to know more, and quite frankly with the ever-growing technology at the palm of our hands, with the dawn of smart phones it literally is in our hands, all you need to do is tap your screen. Anyhow there are even sites now that offer a full list of paraben-free and sulfate-free products, these have been researched and shared for all to know, it makes it really useful and very handy to use. Again a smart consumer, is a safe consumer and if that’s the case you really, really, really want to be a smart consumer.

Gather your own opinion – In the end a paraben-free or sulfate-free product is only as good as your own experience. Don’t let other people’s feedback sway you, as it is always different for every person. What could work for Bob, might not work for Sheila and so forth. So just because someone swears on a paraben-free product or sulfate-free shampoo, doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best product out there for you. Sure give it a try and see if the results are alright for you, remember that everything changes depending on who you are, what you do and so forth, not everything can be copied to make a mirror image result.

When in doubt go natural – Assuming the paraben-free and sulfate-free products are a little too scary for you, look for the natural stuff that will work just as good. There is always an organic or natural product out there that is pretty much free or at least less riddled with chemicals than the standard over the counter options, if the cost is the same, go for it, it wouldn’t hurt you to start going down the safe road every now and again.

And now you have a rather exhaustive list of information regarding paraben-free and sulfate-free beauty products, I’d say you are pretty much set on your fight for safety. Stay healthy!

Body Effects After You Quit Smoking

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Health | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Congratulations, you finally kicked the habit and quit smoking, I cannot say enough words to praise the effort and work you’ve done to get back onto the healthy lifestyle road. I know you’ve climbed quite a hurdle and continue to do so until the cravings leave your system, but just to help you stay on the whole quit smoking side of things, I’m here to share with you the wonderful effects of your endeavors. As you may know smoking has really worked your body and done quite a bit of damage over the time you’ve been ingesting fire, if I may be so dramatic, however when you quit smoking your body will slowly heal which will help you further your ideals of a healthy lifestyle. 

Better blood pressure – Smoking causes your blood pressure to shoot up, and quite frankly nobody wants high blood pressure, it is the doorway to a ton of other diseases. When you quit smoking, shortly after your blood pressure and pulse return to normal, which is hopefully something that isn’t high. Keeping your blood pressure at regular values is one of the key factors of a healthy lifestyle and a definite benefit that you receive when you quit smoking.

healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle following the end of your smoking habit will do much more wonders to your body.

Nicotine is removed from the body – As we all know, cigarettes carry nicotine and when you smoke it enters your bloodstream. It is an active and addictive ingredient in tobacco and is one of the leading reasons for high blood pressure and possible heart issues when smoking. Removing it from the body is one of the major pluses when you quit smoking, since you no longer have a source of the additive. Needless to say a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have room for nicotine and the longer you are away from it the easier it is for you to continue down the road of quitting, so the sooner you quit smoking, the sooner you can be free from it’s grips.

Carbon monoxide leaves your body – I don’t know about you but I don’t want carbon monoxide in my body. It is a toxic gas that is absorbed by the body when there is a cigarette in the immediate area, this bonds with your blood cell making it difficult for it to work well with oxygen thus leading to heart problems. After you quit smoking, the body will cleanse itself of the carbon monoxide in the system, this will allow you more oxygen into your body, which in turn will help you lead a healthy lifestyle option instead of the smoke engulfed option of smokers.

Reduction of coronary artery disease – Smokers have been studied to be more prone to coronary artery disease which is a heart disease, again not something one would want if you want a healthy lifestyle. When you quit smoking, the chances of you getting a coronary artery disease reduces by quite a bit, this also works hand-in-hand with a lowered chance of a heart attack. Imagine all these things you pretty much get as soon as you quit smoking, makes you wonder why you ever started smoking in the first place.

Your taste and smell have returned – After you quit smoking, you’ll notice a great change in smells and tastes, that’s because the nerve endings will start repairing itself. This will really change the way you eat and live, when you were smoking you could barely taste or smell things but now that you’ve quit smoking, it’s like your sense of taste and smell have been resurrected again. Take the time to appreciate the change and know how this is a game changer for a lot of people. While not connected to the healthy lifestyle, it is good to know you can really appreciate several types of food now that your sense of taste and smell are back.

Nausea, irritation and much more – Sadly I have to report that not all good things happen when you quit smoking. You may experience nausea, irritation, depression, headaches and much more a few days after you quit smoking. This is the addictive substance, nicotine being completely purged from your body and it is a sort of withdrawal symptom you can expect when you have quit smoking. While these are only temporary, please be prepared and don’t worry that they will not hinder your ideas for a healthy lifestyle in the slightest.

nausea

Don’t fret about nausea and such. Your body goes through a process of removing the toxins caused by smoking.

Blood circulation has returned to normal – After you quit smoking, the body has now allowed blood circulation to be improved by quite a bit, this will make it easier for your body to get oxygen into your system. This will make it easier to exercise without being too winded, which leads you to an easier time to get into the healthy lifestyle. Getting back in shape after you quit smoking is a bit of a challenge, but with your body healing up this will really make it a bit more realistic to really get back into shape and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Heart disease chances decrease dramatically – A smoker is twice as likely to have a heart diseases as a non-smoker and in a year or so, your chances of a heart diseases decreases dramatically. As you can see from the other benefits listed above, when you quit smoking your body begins to repair itself, notice how I said repair and not improve, smoking really ruins the natural balance of your body and it needs time to get back into working condition. So if you are after a healthy lifestyle and want to get healthier, keep at it, when you quit smoking you did your body a huge favor and soon enough you will reap the rewards.

Decrease chances of a stroke – Another scary disease that comes with smoking: stroke. When you haven’t smoked in a long time, your blood vessels will return to normal, when you smoke the blood vessels tend to narrow increasing the chances of a stroke. This is a long time coming for those of you who quit smoking, it is estimated to happen from 5 – 15 years after you quit smoking, so that’s quite awhile for your body to fully get rid of the nasty substances smoking gave you.

Chances of lung cancer decrease greatly – Lung cancer, the big c and it should scare the living daylights out of you. The polar opposite of a healthy lifestyle is what you can get if you don’t quit smoking, the number of sicknesses that really increase in chances when you do smoke is staggering. Don’t forget that smoking can cause a ton of other cancers as well, but lung cancer is the more common for this habit. Be smart, quit smoking and stick with it.

There it is, the glaringly important list of things why you need to quit smoking as soon as possible. When you are looking towards a healthy lifestyle, you need to know that it won’t work while you are smoking and you can see the reasons above. You’ve already quit smoking, this will further your resolve to avoid another cigarette, I know it has convinced me to stay even further away from the stuff. So one more time, if you already quit smoking or if you are planning to, please do it right away, you and your family deserve a better life than one filled with smoke. Stay healthy!

Binge Eating Disorder And The Dangers Of It

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Health | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Eating disorders are something that quite a few people have to face against and among them there is a binge eating disorder that can be a lot of danger for people, sadly it isn’t something that gets enough coverage in my opinion. A binge eating disorder is something that is sometimes difficult to notice or identify, however it is there and the danger is real. It can occur in regular shaped men and women, it is not confined to obese individuals, so sometimes it can be mistaken for a big appetite, but let me really get into the binge eating disorder so we can properly identify and see if someone or even if you have symptoms, so you can find some help and a possible solution.

Causes for eating disorder 

Let’s start off with the possible causes of a binge eating disorder, after all if you know the danger signs, perhaps you can step up ahead of time and see if there is anything you can do about it.

Biological imbalances – Sometimes the binge eating disorder can be triggered by an imbalance in your hormones, this could lead to possible cravings and more, keep it in check by maintaining your health overall.

Psychological challenges – This is a little tricky, as the correlation between the two can be effectual and causal, the positions could exchange between depression and a binge order depression, however the danger is very much apparent. Either case, if there are psychological signs be ready that it could branch out to a binge eating disorder or vice versa.

Traumatic situations – Once more this is something that can happen to anyone, the stress of a traumatic situation can really cause a lot of fallout and one such danger is a binge eating disorder. While certain situations cannot be avoided, it is ideal to at least be prepared for possible outcomes or results that could occur.  It would be ideal to get some help when one feels as though they need it, there is no shame in getting help and I really suggest reaching out and getting the support one needs.

Signs and symptoms of a binge eating disorder

Sometimes the signs and symptoms of a binge eating disorder is difficult to find, however if you care about someone and you want to support them, please keep a look out for the following signs of danger.

Eating when full – This can be a little hard to find as over eating isn’t uncommon in most of us, however when it is a regular occurrence please start to notice it as a sign of danger, this could be the start or some early signs of a binge eating disorder.

Eating whatever is there and the inability to stop – Another symptom that can attributed to gluttony, this sign of danger for a binge eating disorder is a little easier to notice if you really pay attention.

eating in secrecy

Constantly having a hidden stash is one symptom that should be given attention to.

Having a hidden stash – Now this is really difficult, because some people with the binge eating disorder hide their snacks really well and they are extremely careful about eating it in secrecy. The confrontation of said hidden stash is something you need to do even though it can get uncomfortable for all parties, but realizing the danger of these signs are important too.

Eating the feelings away – Whenever you are stressed or hurt, the only way that you can feel relieved is through eating something, and this should be ringing danger alarms in your head already. While it is common to munch on something or feed yourself when you feel bad, if this is the only solution you can find to relieve your feelings, this could be a binge eating disorder. Be aware of someone who is experiencing this or even if it’s you, maybe it is time to seek some help.

Sicknesses that might occur from a binge eating disorder

Let’s now move on to discuss the possible consequences that may happen due to a binge eating disorder, this way you’ll know that the danger that comes with it, is something that we shouldn’t ignore.

Cardiovascular disease – A lot of sicknesses come from obesity or binge eating, when you consume too much and don’t burn off enough, the results could be catastrophic to your cardiovascular. I am talking about heart attack, strokes and so much more. Avoid the danger and get the help needed to handle a binge eating disorder.

Diabetes – I don’t think I need to say more about this one, but a binge eating disorder can really bring up your sugar, as the body cannot process that much at once the danger is really apparent.

Hypertension – Another disease that I don’t really have to explain, a binge eating disorder can really work up your blood pressure to an insane degree, opening the door to so much more danger that it isn’t even funny how easily you can fall victim of a disease.

Gastrointestinal difficulties – The body was not built to handle multiple binge eating amounts, and such a disorder will put the body on high stress, plus it could also leave a lot of unprocessed food items to stock up in your stomach. This will lead to discomfort, pain and a lot more danger that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Depression or anxiety – As mentioned earlier this could be a symptom or a consequence of a binge eating disorder, however the case it is still something that you need to take note of as the danger is real. A lot of people who experience binge eating, end up thinking that they don’t need to be this way or it is embarrassing or a flood of other emotions, these can really stress them out and lead to anxiety or depression, which then leads to more eating and the vicious cycle continues on.

Stress eating

It is important for one to realize the difference of binge eating and the bad effects it can have.

How to get help

I think if there is anything you can and should really take away from this article, please read this part. Everyone experiencing a binge eating disorder can always use help; there is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Help should always be given to those who need it and quite frankly, professional help can really avoid the danger that can result from a binge eating disorder. It’s not easy to get or ask for help, but please take the time to support anyone with said disorder, after all you never know how deep in trouble they really are.

With that being said, quite a few people suffer from a binge eating disorder, as I mentioned the symptoms and results can be a little tricky to identify but if it is serious enough of a case, I am sure that you will be able to see it coming and perhaps avoid the danger that comes with it. Regardless if it is yourself you are looking at or a friend or family member, a binge eating disorder is nothing to laugh up or ignore, take the time to figure things out and get the necessary help that you or they deserve. Stay healthy!

5 Things To Rremember When Lifting Weights

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

So you’ve been lifting some weights to get into shape or maybe you are just about to start, either or good on you, getting in shape is no joke and weight lifting is a great way to really get a good workout in however make sure you know some of the more important stuff so you don’t injure yourself. Weight lifting can really get your sweat going for any workout, plus if done correctly with some cardio and a great diet, you’re bound to lose some weight. The only danger is not knowing what to do with weights, and not remembering these things can lead to a world of hurt. Additionally there are a ton of misconceptions when weight lifting that it needs to have some clarifications that needs to be shared. So here below are 5 things that you need to remember regarding safety and common misunderstandings that veterans and newbie’s alike make regarding weight lifting. Take the time to read it in order to find out more about weight lifting, if you’re just about to start this is important if you’ve been doing the workout for quite awhile already, it’s always good to brush up every now and again.

Weight lifting does not necessarily mean that you will bulk up – This is a common misconception when someone starts weight lifting and it is not entirely true. While it is possible to gain a lot of muscle when you’ve decided to start weight lifting and when I talk about muscle, I’m talking about a lot of potential muscles here, however weights doesn’t necessarily mean that you will gain said mass. Again the potential is there, it depends on how much weights you actually lift, the reps you do and the times you go to the gym as well. There are a lot of factors that can really dictate how much muscle you can gain when you are weight lifting but if you aren’t into heavy muscles, just go simple with your workout and you’ll be lean and mean instead of big and strong, the choice is really yours.

Remember the right way to lift – This, I cannot stress this enough, so I will say it again – this is really important. As newbies your first job is to figure out the proper form and positions you need to do when lifting, every angle and form, burn them into your brain and into your workout. These tried and practiced forms will make sure that as someone new to the gym you won’t end up with an injury or pull something, putting yourself out of commission. For veterans however it is important to remember and practice form for pretty much the same reasons, but you need to make sure you aren’t complacent every time you go to the gym, a moment of carelessness could lead to a long time out of commission and nobody wants that. As important as this reminder is, I will stress again that you must lift by doing the proper form, otherwise might as well open a door to a world of hurt yourself.

When do I increase weights or reps? – Well this is a little tough, since it really varies from person to person however the general rule of thumb is, if the reps or the weights are too easy on your last set, maybe it’s time to step up a little. Mind you as a newbie, it is ideal to slow down a little and get used to the form, the weights and reps, no need to rush these things. As seasoned veterans in the gym workout, you probably know when to increase weights and reps already so this is almost secondary nature. Just make sure you don’t go overboard and carry too much weight or do too many reps, it is rather tempting to some people but control and knowing your limits is a must for weight lifting. Don’t rush it, if you are doing things right, which I am hoping you are, you will reach more weights, reps and sets in no time. The gym isn’t going anywhere, neither are those weights, so enjoy the casual, sweaty and rather heavy walk to your goal.

weight lifting

It is always best to know the basics of weight lifting for a safe and healthy progress.

Make a journal – Track your progress, it isn’t a good idea to just try to wing things. The journal will be the definitive guide to knowing if you are doing well on your weight lifting workout or otherwise. You will be able to know how many reps, sets and weights you are doing, this way you won’t injure yourself by doing too much, too soon. The journal is a great idea to track your weight gain or loss, which ever you are gunning for as well, so it is ideal to really make sure that you maintain and update the journal for maximum workout effect. I know a number of people who have benefited from keeping a journal and to be honest I haven’t met anyone who has had negative effects from keeping a said journal, so I don’t see a reason as to why anyone would not keep a journal, so what’s stopping you? I personally suggest that you stick with a written journal rather than an electric one. There’s just some satisfaction to having your progress written by hand, but hey go with whatever works for you.

Make sure to warm up and cool down – An ideal way to really avoid injury is to take the time to warm up before weight lifting and then take a little more time to cool down after your workout. Some people tend to forget to do warm ups and cool downs, this should become automatic for you before and after any workout, especially for weight lifting as people can get some pretty gnarly injuries when left with cold muscles. And yes I did use the word gnarly, not sure why but it felt right for that statement. As one of the more important things to remember, the warm up and cool down should be on top of your list of things to do before and after weight lifting, do not underestimate how important either one is for your safety and well being.

And there we have it, some simple things to remember when you are going to go weight lifting. They are the basic of the basic actually when you workout and please take the time to re-read anything if you don’t understand. Your safety when weight lifting is always at the utmost importance, progress comes second, why you may ask? If you get injured, your progress will come to a grinding halt, so again it’s in your best interest to really take everything to heart. So aside from the safety tips the misconceptions need to be cleared up as mentioned above. Stay healthy!

How Biking Helps

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Biking has lately been in a great spotlight, really highlighting how the sport, exercise or workout, whichever you prefer has quite a few fans of that are fairly much fanatics. Regardless if you are biking or plan to get into it, maybe even in the office or gym, you have probably heard someone raving about how great biking is as a workout and quite frankly, I would like to throw my hat in. While I do favor running, biking is still another great workout to get your cardio in. To know more how biking can really get your body going, read on and perhaps you’ll start pedaling out in the open road after reading.

It can rejuvenate your body – Research has found that regular biking can really keep you looking younger and helps keep skin looking healthy. Everyone knows that regular exercise can increase the oxygen in your body, more oxygen means that your body can do more of its work, and a workout that will really get your blood flowing is biking, so if you want to keep looking young, bring out that bike.

Get better sleep – Alright, you know how after a workout, you end up getting so tired but that satisfied type of tired? Well biking will do just that. Getting extra exposure to the sun, will get you that extra vitamin d that your body will sorely need and that will help get you nice and tired for a long, and wonderful night’s rest.

Increase brainpower – Research has shown that after a few minutes of biking, people have done 15 percent better in mental tests. So if you are about to take an exam in school or whatever, go on a bike ride going to class, not only will you get your workout in but you’ll have a better chance of scoring a better grade too, I will count that as a double win in my book.

Better health altogether – Well this is a no brainer, but regular exercise will indeed increase your bodily defenses against sicknesses. Biking is a great workout to get your sweat going and by doing it regularly, you can really strengthen your immunity system and get in better shape. Say goodbye to obesity problems and myriad of sicknesses that come with it, and in the end isn’t that what we all want?

Better for the environment – With no carbon footprint to its name, biking can really save the planet if you think about it. Not only does it take less space when parking, it has no carbon emissions as it zooms down the road, plus it helps you lose weight as a workout. Of course it won’t go as fast as a car unless you’re a pro and have the right equipment, weather, incline and open road but pretty much that’s the only negative side effect that I can figure out.

Fighting against cancer – While going to the gym and doing your regular workout is a good way to get in shape and fight against cancer, there have been studies that biking is particularly good at keeping your cells strong and able to fight off cancer. In fact in this study, women who go biking bring reduces the risk of breast cancer by 34% which is pretty darn good to me.

Great for some family time – Regardless if it’s a workout or just for fun, biking can really be a good way to spend some family time together. Kids can bring their own bikes and ride along their parents, or for the younger ones, there are a ton of equipment available in the market that will not only let them join you, but get a front seat to an exciting and very relaxing sport or workout.

biking with friends

Biking not only is good for our body physically, but for our mind as well. Also a good way to bond with family and meet new friends.

A little friendlier on your wallet – While some of the biking equipment can go from very reasonable to is-that-really-the-cost-for-a-bike without a motor, it can be very affordable if done right. And honestly as opposed to a monthly gym membership, the cost is usually rather upfront with minor maintenance tweaks here and there, if you use it for your regular weekly workout and for a few years, it will end up being cheaper in the long run. Of course if you go nuts on the biking expenses, well that is a different story altogether but hey, if you control it right, you should have a rather affordable and exciting workout to look forward to.

Keep your joints in better shape – Again while running is one of my favorite workout plan, biking provides less impact on your muscles such as the knees, ankles, and legs. Of course there are ways to lessen the impact of running in general but being comparative with both workout ideas, biking does seem less painful in the long run.

Burn more calories and fats – As a workout, cardio is an ideal way to lose weight, this works by burning calories and fats, so biking will really work it’s way up to getting you lean and mean. This works not during the exercise itself, but you will burn quite a bit then already, but research has shown that after the workout, you end up burning calories 30 minutes after biking, maybe you burn even more calories as research shows.

Become happier – As most people have discovered, a regular workout and exercise is a great way to increase your endorphins. Endorphins are the hormones released when your body goes through exercise and it gives off a very relaxing and happy feeling, actually it can be compared to morphine as they say. As a lot of people know there is this thing known as a ‘runners high’ and something very similar can happen while you are biking, this legal ‘high’ as you will is something that can get very addictive to a lot of people, but in a good sort of addiction, can’t believe I actually said that line but it is what it is. With regular exercise, your body will continue to release endorphins and you will be happier in the long run.

Find some new friends – Just like I mentioned earlier, there are quite a few fanatics out there and they make wonderful biking friends. There are a ton of groups out there who welcome anyone to join their workout, they enjoy going on the ride with veterans and beginners alike, in fact they are more than happy to welcome newbie’s and teach them the ropes, maybe impart some knowledge and some tips trust me they will enjoy having you join their little or in some cases huge groups.

And now there we have it, some very compelling reasons as to why biking will help you out, there are a ton of other reasons but I figured this is plenty to take in already. I really believe that biking is a great workout and most people should try it, but I understand there are reasons why they would avoid it, maybe they don’t know how to ride a bike or they are a little apprehensive of the equipment cost, either or, I do advise that you find a way to try it out if even for a little while. Stay healthy!