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5 Interesting Fitness Blogs

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Fitness and health blogs are a wonderful thing, case in point my own. Again I hate to blow my own horn here, but I am hoping that it helps people to get off their couches and venture the world of exercise and great diets. Now aside from my own blog, which again I am very proud of and hope you read more of, there are quite a few blogs out there that are wonderful for fitness. I have gone through a number of them and I think I can come up with some personal favorites, these are just based off what I read and what my preferences are, so feel free to keep looking for one that best works for you and your hobbies.

Nerd Fitness – This differently scaled site is definitely one of the better fitness blogs out there, one that you cannot ignore if you are into Star Wars or other fandom’s that bring about your inner nerd. Pair that off with wanting to get fit and healthy and you find Nerd Fitness. Founded and lead by self-proclaimed rebel leader: Steve Kamb, he wants to help out his fellow nerds to get into shape, for whatever reason they may want. He also welcomes jocks and average people to join in and the information he has is quite extensive.  As someone who enjoys the occasional fictional movie here and there, I honestly can see where people get really into it, and while this may cause some of them to retreat from usual gatherings, Nerd Fitness inspires them to know that there is more out there than fandom’s or fantasy and by being healthy they will be one step closer to becoming the ideal fan of a franchise. The articles are based on fitness and health, and it has some pretty fun pictures and blogs, definitely worth looking into if you’re into fantasy or sci-fi genre. 

Roman Fitness System – Looking for that adult site that won’t baby you into fitness? Well among all the blogs here, this is the one for you. Roman Fitness System is a non-forgiving, adult oriented and no joke site with some really great blogs. As you read on they are obviously into the no pain, no gain sort of fitness which is good for some but not for everyone, however if you need that extra push this could be the perfect site for you. The blogs on this site are also supportive of mass gaining, so if you’re looking to bulk up, and need more information, this could be a match made in heaven. Again it is rather an extreme site and really pushes you to the next level with the articles and blogs written here, but if you enjoy things like that I would look no further than this. Don’t worry it’s not x-rated or anything like that but do expect the occasional f-bomb or s-bomb here and there.

Yogadork – Who does not love yoga? Well even if you’re just about to get into it, then this is the website for you. Yogadork is the promised land of yoga, for anything yoga I would turn to this site as it has some really good articles on the blog. Touch up the fitness with a few laughs, I mean wow! Yoga with goats? Who knew? Yogadork promises to provide some informative blogs while keeping it nice and light, plus if any new discoveries come to light for yoga, this is one of the blogs that will definitely have it up in no time. As an enthusiast you will have so much to go through but if you are just new to yoga, do not worry this fitness blog has a lot to offer you as well, just take the time and go through the site and you should find several blogs that should be of interest to you. Yoga with goats, as I live and breath, now that’s something new to me.

Tabata Times – Welcome to the crossfit haven, if you want fitness blogs dedicated to crossfit, this is what you’ve been looking for. By now you should have heard about the many stories of crossfitting, whether you are a fan or not, the results cannot be argued and the fitness of most attendees are astonishing. However information or fitness blogs about the said controversial exercise is still a little lacking or so I’m told. Now however with Tabata Times, you can go to this site for any updates on crossfit activities, exercises and needs. This site has blogs that welcome veterans and newbie’s alike to the crossfit world, giving tips and tricks for those who are in dire need of knowledge to those who need a pick me up, either which way you need some information about it, come here for crossfit fitness. CEO and Founder, Joel Toledano, started the site to get more information across as there are over 4,000 boxes creating piles upon piles of great training and nutrition content every single day, in his words not my own, but no one is finding any of it! He hopes that by working on Tabata Times, the crossfit information will now be shared to all who are interested and the information there is quite extensive in my opinion.

Run to the finish – Looking for that running blog that will get you on the treadmill or on the open road? Among all the fitness blogs out there dedicated to the wonderful sport of running, I prefer this site the most. Anyone who loves running will understand the passion of Amanda Brooks, who writes some very interesting blogs in this site that will really help you get your running on. Again given that it is dedicated to running, it welcomes people who are new to the sport or those who have been doing it for a long time. There are articles that help you pick it up and maybe even break through that invisible wall that’s been hampering you from going that extra mile. Either way if you love running as much as I do, this is a great site to really get some fitness tips and some other items that are written quite well in various blogs. Still not convinced that running is for you? Keep reading blogs on this site and you’ll be out the door before you know it, a definite must read for running fitness enthusiasts.

And there you have it my good friends, some personal favorite, interesting fitness blogs. They are an eclectic selection, I’ll admit but they cater to different crowds, different types of fitness preferences and can really push you to start or to go further with the tips in the blogs. Remember that your preference really changes what sort of fitness blogs you should read up, but if you have no particular favorite, make my blog your go to one, yes that was shameless plugging, allow me to do that once in awhile. One way or another please do read up and have fun with fitness blogs, they are there to inspire you and inform you, if you aren’t having fun, what’s the point anyways? Stay healthy!

15 Facts About Hemp

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Health | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hemp products have been in the limelight for the past few years and quite frankly, it has been getting some strange stares here and there. Hemp is a known term for the cannabis drug known as marijuana, which is often used in treatment for cancer or in illegal recreational use, which is likely the reason why the term hemp products gets a raised eyebrow or two. Personally hemp may have gotten it’s bad reputation due to media but again this is something that I really can’t prove too much but have more of a gut feel. Anyways, I wanted to clear up the air about hemp and list down some facts that a lot of people may or may not know about hemp products, these are pretty easily found facts and are established, so I am not being biased or such, well maybe a little, just read on and you’ll learn quite a bit.

  1. American presidents grew hemp products – Let’s start off with some fun stuff, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other founding fathers grew hemp. What they did with it was a little unclear but they did grow it according to their diaries, so that’s kind of fun to know about hemp isn’t it?
  2. Rope was made of hemp – For quite some time, about 90% of the world’s ropes and ship’s sails were made of hemp. This just goes to show how versatile the product is and how much it was used in the past. The recreational drug may also have been founded for quite some time ago but probably not longer than rope, don’t quote me on that as I don’t know enough about marijuana to actually dispute this.Rope is one of the most common products of hemp.

    Rope is one of the most common products of hemp.

  3. Documents were written in hemp – There are a ton of items written on hemp and made with hemp products, such as maps, Betsy Ross’ flag, the bible and the first few drafts of the document known as Declaration of Independence, once more it shows how powerfully versatile the hemp product is and its many uses.
  4. Cars made of hemp? – Henry Ford experimented with hemp in car bodies. The idea was to build and create fuel from farm products. Given that hemp products do come from a plant, it can be renewable and reused for quite some time. BMW is also known to be experimenting with hemp to add into cars, to make the car overall more recyclable.
  5. Birdseed and hemp go hand-in-hand – Most birdseed sold in America contains some hemp seed, so if Polly can handle some hemp products you can see how safe it is and how it has been given a bad name due to the fact it comes from the same plant as marijuana.
  6. Versatile, versatile, versatile – As I mentioned awhile ago, hemp has been used in a lot of products and has been researched over the years. However did you know that there ware over 25,000 products that can be made from hemp products? Even I was surprised by how awesome and useful hemp is.
  7. Marijuana was legal in America – For quite a few years, 162 years in fact, hemp and marijuana was legal that was until the media started spreading false information in 1930s that lead to the prohibition and the ban of marijuana. Although nowadays there are some states keeping an open mind regarding marijuana, hemp is now moving back into the limelight and hopefully can get better image than what has been painted over the years.
  8. World War II and hemp plant – During World War II the US relaxed its laws against hemp products and asked many farmers to start growing it in order to support the war effort. It was awhile back that the government denied doing this but researches found proof in 1989 that it actually happened. Surprise, surprise, don’t you think? And no I am no conspiracy theorist, but that’s what I researched about it and thought would share these facts.
  9. Levi’s and hemp – While this cannot be proved, it was believed that the very first pair of Levi’s was indeed made of hemp. However the proof that made this possible or that would be able to show that this actually happened, was lost in a fire a long time ago.
  10. Hemp is nature friendly – Hemp products are very safe and highly durable. They are anti-microbial, anti-mildew, naturally UV resistant and is very eco-safe, that is why a lot of people used this in sales or in rope a few years back, it also shows that it is quite a few times better than cotton and easier to create clothes or other items.
  11. Branded shoes have been made with hemp – Did you know that hemp products are sturdy enough to be included in a ton of products? Nike, Converse and many other brands have been known to use hemp in creating many of their fashion line. Goes to show once more that hemp products are something that can really be depended on for versatility and durability.
  12. Preventing deforestation – By planting a hemp plant, it improves and nourishes the soil it was planted in and really helps other plants grow in the area. Not only is it a very biodegradable plant, it can help other plants keep on growing.Hemp seed

    Hemp seed is very nutritious that it had been a staple to some if not many vegans.

  13. Hemp seed is very nutritional – While there are a ton of other plants that can be eaten for nutrition, there is barely and other plant that can give the nutritional value that hemp seed can give to most people. As you know a lot of vegans such as myself turn to hemp as a possible add on to their diet, now you can see why. You just can’t fight nutritional facts, and vitamins that support a stronger body is nothing to turn your nose at.
  14. Art and hemp – Did you know that some of Rembrandt’s art and even Van Gogh’s to name a few famous artists, have had their work painted on a hemp canvass? At the time most canvass was made of hemp products and can considerably still be used to this day.
  15. Hemp is not marijuana – You may or may not know this, but hemp does not contain THC, the psychoactive ingredient that makes people high. Hemp products have a THC level of less than 1% and marijuana usually has a 5 – 15% THC, so if you tried to get high with hemp, and you will fail, you’ll likely develop a headache before reaching that high you are trying to achieve, but hey I won’t judge.

And now there we have it, 15 pretty good facts about hemp and hemp products that are good to know. Hemp has a pretty long history and is coming back to daily use, given how good it is for the body, the environment, I would like to backtrack and say, I am biased towards hemp because it does a lot of good for us but just needs to be given a chance or two. Who knows, you could already be using hemp products such as bird seeds and didn’t know about it, but in the end I am hopeful that it can really be a material that will pave the way for all of us to a better tomorrow. Stay healthy!

Cancer and Smoking

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Health | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Smoking and cancer go hand in hand, pretty much anyone knows that, but it still seems some additional information needs to be shared. I am sure you’ve heard or seen the anti smoking campaigns all over the place, ironically even on the back of a pack of cigarettes, there are warnings and alerts that have pictures that are rather grotesque, but that is still something a lot of people tend to ignore. I’m hoping that by sharing the information down below, it will encourage people to stay away from smoking and avoid the cancer that comes with it altogether. And if you are reading this for reassurance and to strengthen your resolve to quit, then that’s great, however if you still need more help to quit smoking, I am happy to give a little help.

Let’s start off with how several studies have now made it clear that smoking and cancer are directly related, there are no buts about it, allow me to explain and share how it works exactly. Smoking has a ton of chemicals in it, these chemicals make way into your blood stream via the smoke, and these chemicals have been directly linked to 14 types of cancer, yes count them, 14 types of cancer, in case you didn’t know that’s pretty bad.

Sadly, smoking has been known to cause 4 out 5 lung cancers and to make things worse, the survival rate of said cancer is quite low. The study goes to show that in the UK, smoking has caused 1 in 4 deaths due to cancer, that’s a pretty high risk to be taking if you ask me and all because of the habit of smoking which is by far one of the easiest causes of cancer to avoid. An American study on the other hand attributes about 480,000 deaths in America due to tobacco related concerns, deaths that are most likely cancer for the bulk part of the unfortunate circumstances if not some heart ailment or other disease.

The cancer that smoking causes can be due to the variety of chemicals in it, which by the way ranges from above 7,000 types of chemicals and at least 250 are known to be harmful to the human body. Additionally several dozen chemicals are also present in the smoke that non smokers get exposed to when staying near smokers, these have been found to be cancer causing agents as well and should be avoided at all times. I don’t think I know many people who actively expose themselves to the second hand smoke anyways but it is best to mention this for those who are not considerate enough to light a cigarette away from non-smokers.

As if cancer isn’t bad enough, smoking causes damage to a variety of body parts, in fact it has been studied that it damages pretty much all of the body and organs, it does not have any benefit whatsoever. To top it all off, people who have been smoking for awhile, are more prone to heart diseases such as a heart attack or even a stroke. For women on the other hand, smoking has been found to make it difficult to get pregnant, so if you and your partner are trying, quit smoking, in fact even if you are not trying, quit smoking, you don’t want cancer, I’m just saying.

Again these are just some of the known reasons for getting cancer when a person is smoking, but it doesn’t stop a lot of people from smoking, which can be contributed to the nicotine – an added addictive substance that can really wreak havoc on your cravings, as this is a natural ingredient in tobacco, this really gets people hooked.

That is as clear as day as it gets, smoking and cancer are partners in a very sad and painful dance that a lot of people like cutting into. However it begs a lot of questions as it goes on, and I am willing to explore and help out.

second-hand-smoking

Second hand smoke is as bad if not worse, so think about the damage smoking can do to the people you care about.

There are a few people, not a lot mind you, who have given up the fight saying: I already started smoking, the chemicals are in my body, why bother quitting at all? Well for one the chemicals in your system can clear out, maybe not 100% and definitely not immediately but the body is amazingly resilient, it has to be to take a beating against smoking.

The longer you have quit smoking the better it is for your body, as you smoke, the air sacs in your lungs are damaged as well as the airways leading to them. The longer one smokes, the more the damage has probably compounded over the years. What is truly scary about smoking is that the damage may take years, maybe decades to surface considering the amount of cigarettes a person uses per day, this will also hold true for cancer however if one is rather a strong habitual user, it could happen sooner than later.

In fact I heard that some people with cancer question the need for quitting considering their predicament. However the answer is still an astounding yes, as you would have guessed, smoking is counter productive to a lot of the treatments for cancer. Just by quitting smoking even when cancer is active, you can reduce the chances of it becoming fatal by as much as 30 – 40 % which is pretty good as you can get given the circumstances.

Again if that is not enough of a concern for you, smoking has been often linked as a gateway to many other bad habits such as drugs, alcohol and much more. This is especially true for younger smokers, such as teens, which is why there are very strict regulations about smoking as a minor. As mentioned prior, smoking is a habit that has devastating sicknesses waiting at beckon call, such as cancer, hint, hint, if people started as early as when they are teens and they carry the habit well into being a young adult, well let’s just say the chances of reaching into a ripe old age becomes a bit questionable.

There are a ton of resources out there to help you kick the habit and really get out of it. Much like smoking is a habit formed out of longevity, quitting is also the same, the longer you quit the better it is for your body, so if you want to avoid over a dozen types of cancer, you should quit smoking, if you haven’t touched a cigarette ever, don’t even think about it.

Please take the time to read this and find out more possible outcomes of smoking, however be well warned that cancer is a highly likely problem that can arise from it. I implore you for your family and loved ones, quit smoking as soon as possible, you deserve a long and happy life, everybody does and if you are often found smoking at the corner of the house or in the office, you could be endangering your future. This is not a joke, this is a warning – quit smoking if you really know what is good for you. Stay healthy!

Popular Cardio Exercises

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

There have been some really great cardio workout programs out in the health market and if you’ve been searching for a popular cardio exercises I’m sure you’ve tried quite a few by now. However I wanted to share with you the popular options for cardio exercise out there, so that you can decide or test out various cardio workout options which agrees with you, so without further procrastination, allow me to share the popular cardio workout that you want to know.

Running/Jogging/Walking – By now you know someone or have probably tried to go running or jogging or walking, because quite frankly it really does get a good sweat going and in the end that really gives you a great cardio workout doesn’t it? The beauty of this is that you only need good shoes, a nice pair of shorts and a shirt you can sweat in, and that’s about it. And in reality there is a great satisfaction from getting an extra mile or two more from the day before. One of my personal favorites, this is an exercise you’ll definitely want if you want to lose weight. 

Biking – If walking or running is a little too slow, and you want some speed to really get along with your cardio workout then biking might be perfect for you. Preferably a place with a great view of mountains makes this a picturesque exercise, however as long as you have a safe lane or two to bike along, you should be fine. The equipment might be a little extensive and could become a bit costly too, however if you really get into it, you might not be able to stop yourself from having too much fun. A really great option for your cardio workout, and a wonderful way to lose weight, give this a try if you have the chance, you may just get addicted to biking.

Circuit training – Looking for high intensity training? Then circuit training could be the perfect cardio exercise for you. One of the most popular options for exercise today, circuit training has since received an almost occult following as one of the most favored cardio workouts to this day. Not for the feint of heart, this high intensity interval training can really get your calories going, which is ideal for those who want to really lose weight.

Elliptical/Treadmill – These machines are amazing, they can allow you to workout and really get your exercise in, without leaving the comfort of your own home or gym for that matter. As one of the more popular cardio workout, you can really see why when you hit the gym and see that most of the machines are full, again for a great reason. You can avoid the hazards of outside exercise while having the full  luxury of counting calories, even a mileage count, incline and much more depending on the machine, you pretty much won’t have to leave the indoors now. A definite strong contender for one of the best cardio workout options out there, the only catch is getting the right equipment unless you’ve joined a good gym.

aerobics

Aerobics is still one classic cardio workout.

Aerobics – The classic montage for a lot of people who want to lose weight, this cardio workout is still one of the classics. Joining a large group and going through rigorous exercise is still a powerful way to lose that belly and aerobics is something that pretty much anyone can do, as long as he or she has the tenacity to keep training and to keep at it. The only challenge is finding the right class for you, but aside from that a great way to really sweat it out.

Yoga – This popular cardio workout is still part of the top exercise options to really lose weight. Popularized a few years back, yoga has since spun to different types of yoga to challenge the enthusiast and even beginners, but in the end it only gives you more choices to choose from this amazing cardio workout. Again the real challenge is finding the right class for you, but there are so many options that shouldn’t be impossible. Stick with it and don’t get frustrated when starting out, and you’ll really start to bend in ways that you’ve never imagined before while getting your sweat on.

Cycling – Much like biking, this takes the lead of the treadmill or elliptical machines, as it is focused on using a machine indoor. Nowadays there is even a class, which is often referred to spinning, which makes full use of the cycling machine and can really get your sweat dripping. For this cardio workout, it would be ideal that you have a great cycling machine but what really sets it apart is that this exercise can be done in a class as well. I haven’t heard of a treadmill class as of yet, but makes you think it could happen right?  Find a good class and give it a good old try, you may really end up liking this cardio workout.

Versa Climber – If you’ve ever tried rock climbing or wall climbing and enjoyed it, this could indeed be the cardio workout for you. This unique machine has moving stairs if you will that you can climb and of course the incline and difficulty can be adjusted to suit your needs, plus there are even classes to do this altogether, now that really drives up your sweat. Now if you’ve never done a group exercise like this before, you’ll understand that having others really go at it beside you, will drive your enthusiasm up and will push you to do more than you originally thought you could, give it a try and see how far you can really go.

Swimming – This is still one of the popular choices for any exercise program out there. Considering that it is gentler on the joints and body, a lot of people have turned towards this cardio workout in order to lose weight and stay in shape. Aside from the fact that it is adds a refreshing feeling when you jump in cold water when it’s crazy hot outside, being in the water also gives you so many different workout options that you’ll have a harder time deciding what to actually do inside the pool. Again one of the major challenges is finding a pool big enough to handle your exercise, but there should be a pool in your local gym or clubhouse that should work.

There you have it, quite a few choices for cardio workout and you can test them all out. I apologize if I missed out on any of the more important options but these are some of the more popular choices for exercise programs, after all these are top of mind when you ask what cardio workout a person is doing or has tried. There are countless more and you really have so many to choose from it is almost confusing. The great thing about so many choices however is that you can really take your time to test each exercise out and finally get into what you enjoy, have fun with it, that’s the beauty of a lot of options. Stay healthy!

Acid and Alkaline: The Effects On Your Body

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Health | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The body has a natural pH balance, which really refers to acid and alkaline balance. How does this affect our daily lives? Well by a lot really, the body works very hard to suppress acid or acidic items introduced to our system by introducing alkaline, which will pretty much counter act it and neutralize all the acid or most of it at least. Alkaline is obviously our friend but even the best of friends can be the worst of enemies, so make sure to arm yourself with knowledge by reading this article.

Having too much acid

When your body has too much acid, perhaps due to bodily processes or an imbalance in your diet, it can go into a state known as acidosis. Normally the kidney can handle small imbalances of pH levels in the system by pretty much neutralizing it and again it works well with alkaline.

However when the imbalance is too much, it can lead to a ton of problems and can even affect your respiratory system. Due to the level of acid in your system your lungs will have a difficult time removing the CO2 build up in your body and as you know that’s not exactly something you want to happen. This can lead to a variety of problems and can be caused by a lot of reasons aside from acidosis. Said level of acidosis can affect your breathing, can cause headaches, confusion and so much more.

Acidosis can also affect your metabolic rate, it is highly studied that your pH balance can really affect your weight gain or loss, so keeping it in the optimal level really helps you lose weight. However if you have acidosis or too much acid in the system, your metabolic rate will decrease and your organs will be overworked to process all the items in your system, and well you obviously don’t want that to happen. Let’s not forget that the high acid in your metabolic rate can affect your energy levels and can cause fatigue in the long run.

As you can tell this can really lead to a lot of problems such a obesity, kidney failure, asthma, dehydration, diabetes, ulcer, oh gosh the list keeps going on it’s almost scary how this isn’t more common knowledge to a lot of people.

lemons

It is important to be aware of our food intake and the acidity level it has.

How does one get acidosis?

Well the truth is the body, once again produces a lot of acid while going about the usual bodily functions, however if it does not receive help from sources of alkaline, it will have a hard time maintaining its pH balance. Additionally if it is receiving too many foods that are acid heavy or acidic, this can really throw off the regular functions of the body. So it is ideal to look towards food, which produce alkaline instead of going for acidic food items.

Treatment for acidosis

Well the treatment is rather easy by fixing your diet, extreme cases can get you as far as being treated intravenously if it is serious enough. However the introduction of the bicarbonate fluid provided is only temporary relief that needs to be addressed in the long run change of your dietary needs.

What happens when you have too much alkaline?

On the opposite side of the spectrum, having too much alkaline is bad for you too. Although it has not been studied as much as having too much acid in the body or acidosis, having too much alkaline can lead to something called alkalosis, I’m beginning to sense a naming pattern here, but that just might be me. Anyhow alkalosis is also bad for you and can cause a lot of problems in the body as well.

For one your consciousness could be affected by having too much alkaline in the body. This can lead up from being light-headed to going as far as being comatose but that is a very extreme case in reality. Additionally it can even cause seizures and other sickness that you just don’t want to deal with.

Nausea is another symptom you may want to look out while you are under the influence of alkalosis, which can lead to vomiting as well but given that it isn’t as scary as the first effect, you should still be able to balance your alkaline level with your acid level, as too much vomiting can do a number on your body.

Involuntary muscle spasms are something you need to look out for when you have too much alkaline in the system, that can grow into a minor inconvenience and into something much scarier, so just skip it altogether and keep your pH level in the ideal state.

 

How does one get alkalosis

Again an imbalanced meal comes into light when you talk about alkalosis. Much like having too much acid in the body, the high alkaline content in the body can be derived from an improper meal, and much like the name of pH balance, what the body demands is a proper and balanced meal. So don’t deny it and find a proper balance in your life.

Treatment for alkalosis

Well much like acidosis, having too much alkaline or alkalosis can be treated by fixing your diet and removing the alkaline-heavy items however extreme cases will need emergency introduction of supplements into the system to counteract the level of alkaline in the body. Again another headache most people can do without if you really think about it.

How to be sure if you have too much acid or alkaline in the system

While people resort to self-diagnosis, I will admit I am guilty of this from time to time, it is best to consult a doctor for this one. The most ideal way to identify both problems of having too much acid or alkaline in the system is to have some blood tests done in order to tell you if you have a balanced pH level or otherwise and as soon as the results are done make sure to move towards the balance once more.

pH balance check

Get yourself checked to know accurately if your pH level is still in balance.

Final take away from all this information

A balanced meal is really something that can fix a lot of problems and inversely an imbalanced meal can affect the body tremendously. Having too much acid or alkaline in the system is bad for many reasons and can result in a ton of symptoms, which as I stated before can be avoided with proper nutrition. It’s scary to think that there are a lot of potential threats to your health that can be brought about simply by an imbalanced diet, so equip yourselves and avoid these unwanted headaches. Find a good diet that fits your lifestyle, I’m not saying vegan but it is an option, just saying if you catch my drift, however if you can’t choose that road, no worries at all, you can just cut back on processed foods and other items, perhaps add more vegetables and fruits into your eating habits and you’ll see the astounding change. Writing and researching about acid and alkaline in the body really showed me that so much can be done just by knowing what and what not to eat, so take the time and learn about it too. Stay healthy!

6-Minute Morning Workout Before Shower

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Personally, a great morning is one that I can take my time to do some morning stretches,  get a workout in and then have breakfast and shower. Doesn’t that sound like a perfect start to the day? However not all of my mornings can cater to this ideal morning routine, sometimes I only have time for a cup of tea, a quick bite, then shower. I also know that this is true for a lot of people, but is that really all there is to it? I opted to research if there was anything I could improve in such a short span of time available to me and I stumbled upon a quick, 6-minute morning workout before showering. I believe most people can spare 6 minutes before showering, it isn’t much but it really can make a world of difference. Give this a try and get a quick morning booster before the day starts. Trust me, try this and you’ll love how much better the mornings can get.

The idea for this workout is to do it like a circuit, in short don’t rest in between the exercises to really get a good sweat going. Don’t worry, this morning workout before showering is not impossibly difficult and will be a great morning booster for you and the rest of your day.

Squats – Start off with 15 squats. Anyone who has gone through gym has probably done quite a few squats in their lives but for those who haven’t it’s fairly easy. Stand straight for this morning workout before showering, keep your sides to the side and your feet shoulder width apart. Now slowly bend your knees down, try to keep your knees in line with your feet and as you lower your body, lift both hands straight forward, hold for a second and then go back to starting position. Repeat for 15 reps for this morning booster.

A quick round of push-ups to get your sweat on.

A quick round of push-ups to get your sweat on.

Push-ups – Next up is 15 push-ups, again get a mat or do it on the floor, whichever you are more comfortable with. Lie facing down for this morning workout before showering and put both hands in front of your chest, roughly by your shoulders as well, keep both your feet pointed so your legs are not touching the floor. Now use your arms to push yourself off the floor, hold for a breath and return to starting position. Again repeat the morning booster for a total of 15 reps.

Plank – after the push-ups, let’s go with a 30 second plank. Stay in the same position as the push-up however instead of your hands in front of your chest, use your forearms in the same position. Notice how you are a few inches off the floor for this morning workout before showering, and that’s pretty much it. Keep this position for about 30 seconds and you will feel the morning booster do its thing to get you a good sweat.

Follow-up with a planking routine.

Follow-up with a planking routine.

Twist – to top off this morning workout routine, lie on the floor this time with your back to it. Keep both hands behind your head and your feet straight. Now twist your entire upper body to the left, you’ll use your right elbow to help lift your head, at the same time lift your right leg to stay off the ground and the your knee should come up to meet your right elbow, this should be somewhere near your chest. Now do the other side, this counts as one rep. Do 15 reps of this morning booster and you will really feel the difference in a few short strokes.

That’s pretty much it for this circuit morning workout before showering, it’s simple and will only take about 6 minutes or so for one whole round or circuit. The trick is to really get into the rhythm and to make sure that you make it part of your daily routine. Ideally of course you get in a full workout during the day but if that is impossible, at the very least start off with this morning workout before showering and it should really give you a great morning booster for the rest of the day.

There are other workouts out there that seem to have a very similar idea in mind that it only lasts for a few minutes in the morning. I would suggest to test which one best fits you and your needs, keep at it and make sure to pair it off with a good diet, you really will see that a morning workout will make quite a difference for you. Stay healthy!

The Bad Side Of Weight Loss

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

Weight loss is a pretty big goal for a lot of people, and through hard work a lot of them achieve it through dedication, perseverance and much more. However did you know there is a bad side of weight loss when you actually achieve it? Not many people know of it or discuss it, because we tend to focus on the positives of most things and quite frankly I believe that everyone should know the positive and the negative side of pretty much the things they get into. So when you are getting into hardcore fitness, it is always good to know the bad side of weight loss as well, so at the very least you are prepared.

Toxins in the blood – When you lose weight, the fat cells have to release the bad pollutants somewhere and it is usually released into the bloodstream. As a part of the bad side of weight loss, this can explain why some people tend to get a little sickly when they lose weight. In order to avoid this side effect, make sure that you are eating properly and healthy while you undergo your fitness change. This will assist you with the proper nutrients to combat the toxins that the fat cells release.

Hunger pangs – This is a very interesting effect on the bad side of weight loss. As you are losing weight and getting into fitness, your body goes into emergency mode, realizing that the fats it stored are disappearing, so it panics and releases hormones that make you want to eat more in order to combat the weight loss. This makes it really difficult to lose weight actually but you must admit, it shows wonders as to how the body works. Again in order to counter this bad side of weight loss, a proper diet is called upon and you should avoid those crash diets that really wreak havoc on your system. Slow and steady is the way to go.

hunger pangs

Proper control and management of your eating habits help in battling hunger pangs during your weight loss journey.

Poor nutrition – Again another bad side of weight loss is brought about an imbalanced diet. As crash diet goes, they usually focus on certain food groups and sometimes completely eliminate others, while this can be effective in short term and really show results, they tend to be superficial and really does a negative number on your body as well. The target of getting into proper fitness is balance, you cannot expect to eliminate a food group from your body and not start to notice the imbalance, it really will come back to bite you in the slightly more fit tushy you have now, so don’t do it.

Risk of diabetes – This is another bad side of weight loss that isn’t well known. For those who lose weight too quickly, the stress can cause an imbalance in insulin levels and can drive the body towards diabetes if not managed properly. And once more in order to avoid this, you must be focused on fitness and gradually losing weight, while maintaining a proper diet and once again not a crash diet. Are we beginning to see a pattern here?

Hormonal imbalances – The sudden loss of protein or other nutrients due to crash diets can really stress the body out, so it releases hormones to try and fix it, this can cause quite a bit of hormonal imbalance in most people. As an effect of bade side of weight loss, you can avoid it by once again planning out a proper diet and a good fitness plan. This will help you train your body to realize that it is slowly getting healthier and not diving into it with a crash diet all of a sudden. This imbalance can also effect males via hair loss, which is not connected to male patter baldness, so if you are rather attached to your natural hair, well think well how you are going to proceed with your weight loss.

Chaotic metabolic rate – Of course weight loss is tied quite closely to both your fitness and metabolic rate, however with the sudden change of food intake, your metabolic rate can suddenly go into defense mode and slow down. This is part of the bad side of weight loss and again another funny quirk of the body. By going to the gym gradually and slowly fixing your diet, you can help your metabolic rate catch up with the rest of your body. So allow it to understand your plans for your body, otherwise you can get some unexpected fatigue, dizziness and much more if you keep at it with a sudden crash diet or other items.

Potential gout – This bad side of weight loss is brought to you by low carb crash diets, the ones that you shouldn’t really follow. The low carb could trigger a bout with gout, and from what I hear it is quite painful and restricts a lot of pretty good foods. So once more all it takes is proper fitness management and a good planned diet in order to avoid it and you should be fine. Who needs gout when you are trying to get healthy? I sure as heck don’t and I’m pretty sure you don’t either.

crash diet

Crash diets aren’t really necessary. Instead, cleansing and healthy eating habits should be taken hand in hand with proper workout routines.

Gallstones – Another potential bad side of weight loss considering that the liver can have a hard time processing the increase of bile, which leads to gallstones. The sudden weight loss of crash diets or improper fitness plans can lead to gallstones which once more I heard was quite uncomfortable, happily I have yet to experience it and would rather just keep it to second hand information, as I am sure you would too. So to avoid this bad side of weight loss, keep going through a proper diet and don’t dive into it and you should be fine.

Gaining more weight back – This is a tricky bad side of weight loss, but it really is quite easy to avoid if you think about it. When you finish the diet and your fitness plans, people tend to relax and go back to their own lives, this is when weight gain suddenly comes crashing through and you can go back to your old weight and gain even more if you do this. The trick is to realize you are not doing exercise to lose weight or going on a diet for the mean time, this is a lifestyle choice and that doesn’t end when you reach your goal, it needs to keep going. This is one of the reasons why crash diets don’t work and leads to a lot of health problems as you can see. True you can have a cheat day here and again but realize that this is not something for while but an active choice to keep.

There you have it, quite a few items on the bad side of weight loss and some tips to avoid them altogether. Remember that fitness isn’t a sudden thing nor a momentary thing, it is an active lifestyle choice that you need to keep doing and to keep doing properly. With a proper diet and a good workout plan, you will be fine, don’t rush weight loss, as you can really hurt yourself, take the time and enjoy the journey. Stay healthy!

Exercise For Groups Or Couples

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Don’t you just love your friends? I mean it could just be another friend or a group or friends or whatever, either way they are usually quite supportive of you and you often find yourself on adventures, events or so much more, so why not exercising too? I’m sure at one point or another when your workout has hit a rather stale wall, you want to make it exciting again or you just need that extra push for you to actually get some exercise in, either way, let’s get your friends involved shall we? I have a few lists of group workout events or even couple exercise plans that can really work for you and a friend, this way you’ll get healthy, they’ll get healthy, and from there you can have more fun for even more.

Competitive sports – I won’t dive into this group workout too much but as always you can do a lot of sports depending on how many there are of you in a group. Basketball, soccer, futsal, football, the list goes on. This is how a lot of people bond and get a little friendly, sometimes not so friendly competition. No matter what happens though, you end up being best friends at the end of the nasty comments or competitive challenges. Ask your friends what they are into and they probably have a game or two in common, additionally you get to meet other people and maybe add on to your little group.

Hiking – Oh my gosh, reaching new heights, going to places you’ve never been, the thrill of being on higher ground, what’s not to love? Get your group workout on or even make it an intimate hike and make it a couple exercise for the day, either way you can take up a tent and have a lot of fun during the hike and after when you are staring at the starry night sky, again what is not to love about this idea?

hiking

Hiking and taking a trip around nature is always a good idea whether to bond as a group, or as a couple’s date.

Kayaking – This may take some equipment but even more important a proper location. So if you are fortunate enough to be a stone’s throw away from a lake or a river, maybe even the beach, give it a go with a new type of group workout. Enlist some of your more hardcore friends and be prepared to feel the burn as you kayak your way through some water. On a separate note there are tandem kayaks as well which could make for some fun couple exercise plans as well.

Wall climbing – There is just some satisfaction to climbing a man made wall isn’t there? Or if man made isn’t doing it for you, let’s go on to the real thing, rock climbing! Any which way, as long as you have your friends this is a prime group workout that will really get your sweat going as well as your friendship tougher. And the beauty is, if the group is too busy cut it back down to a couple exercise day and get you and your best friend climbing up those rocks.

Biking – Again this may take some equipment but on the other hand this is a great group exercise for you and your friends. Just like the kayak there is even a tandem option available but in reality I would suggest using two bikes instead, better burn for your buck you know? Anyhow this will allow you to see more of your place and have a lot of laughs with friends, if you’re lucky you have a scenic route near you and is very friendly for long distance riding, all you have to do left is start sending out the message to everyone.

Group running – You didn’t think I’d get through the list without mentioning running did you? Of course not, as one of the most well known couple exercise available and a wonderful group workout, joining up as a group and getting a good run is always fun. You get to push each other further and you barely feel the time, I’m going to say it, run by, there I said it! Make sure you have the proper gear ready and stay hydrated. 

Dog walking – Perhaps running isn’t your idea of fun, no problem, why not finish a chore while you enjoy a group workout? Get your friends with dogs and bring out the leashes, time for a walk. Not only do you get a nice walk in, your dog gets to go out, your chore is done and if you are taking care of the dog as a couple, well think of it as a couple exercise routine as well. Either way this is definitely something you should enjoy as a group if you have a pet dog or two.

Group yoga – There is nothing like having a whole place to yourselves and getting a proper instructor. If you are new to yoga, no problem at all, being surrounded by friends in this group workout allows you to make mistakes and laugh about it. Looking for a couple exercise routines along these lines? There is something called partner yoga, where you and your partner can help each other exercise, it’s a wonderful experience and I highly suggest it.

dance group

Sweat it out with music because dance is never boring!

Dance it out – Just in case your friends are into dancing, just go with it for your group workout. There are a ton of dances that is really friendly to big groups and some of you can really shine doing these things. Needless to say there are also dances just for couples and again that will fulfill your needs of couple exercise as well.

Get extreme – Perhaps these were a little too tame for you and your friends, you need something more physical and rough? Try mixed martial arts. Enroll in a class or get an instructor to teach you, either or, this is a real eye opener for a lot of people. You can really learn a lot about your friends during this group workout and if it’s just you and your partner, this couple exercise will really allow you to get to know him or her even better as well. On the plus side if you are ever in the need to defend yourself, and let’s all hope you never do, the things you learn here will be really useful.

Now there you have it, some pretty solid ideas for group workout or even couple exercise plans, all you need to do is wrestle up your friends to join you. Chances are if you are getting into fitness, they are probably starting or should start, might as well tag along with you and make it as much fun as possible. A group that works out together is a group that pretty much stays together, and the same can definitely be said about couples as well, so what else are you waiting for? Start making those calls. Stay healthy!

Things Not To Do After A Meal

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Health | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Ah that was a satisfying meal, wasn’t it? Wait what are you doing, you shouldn’t do that after a meal! Everybody knows that… wait, what do you mean you didn’t? What do you mean a lot of people don’t know there are things you shouldn’t do after a meal? You mean the things not to do after eating isn’t that well known? Well I’ll be, that’s quite a surprise, I always thought that people knew that after meals there are certain no-no things that you really should not do as it will have a bad effect on your body. However since it isn’t that well known, I’ll happily admit that there are a few on this list of things not to do after eating, that I wasn’t too aware of as well, let’s go over them to make sure that we stay safe after a good meal.

Smoking – Well this should be obvious on things not to do after eating, in fact don’t do this any time ever. Smoking not only causes a lot of sicknesses, it really does quite a number on your entire body especially your lungs. The bad effect of smoking is a really long list and I don’t really have to go through it but let’s just say that smoking is definitely one of the worst things that you can do and should be on top of your things not to do after eating. If I was too subtle, let me make it a little clear: don’t smoke!

sleeping after meal

Sleeping right after a meal is never healthy and can contribute to harmful results.

Fruit – Alright I was a little surprised here too, but it does have some science to it. When you eat a fruit after a full meal, it ends up going to your stomach with all the other food and takes time to digest or reach your intestines, which by then could cause bloating or another bad effect or two. It is ideal to wait until later on to consume fruits or perhaps to eat it in the morning or before the meal. Just make sure that it is part of your list of things not to do after eating and you should be fine.

Cold water – While water in general is good for you, drinking cold water can really have a bad effect on the food you just ate and can make it clump up in your stomach. So in order to absorb the nutrients better, best to drink some warm water after a meal in order to get what you need.

Sleeping – Again getting proper sleep everyday is a must for anyone who wants to take care of his or her health, however immediately sleeping after a full meal has a bad effect or two that you’ll want avoid. Again just like the other items on the things not to do after eating, sleeping should be avoided as you when you lay down, the digestive juices in your body could flow back into your esophagus and that isn’t something you want to happen.

Immediate walk – I am an advocate of after meal walks, however you cannot immediately take a walk after finishing a full meal, you have to wait about 10 – 20 minutes before walking. Allow your body to get the nutrients and to start digestion by giving it a few minutes, this will negate any bad effect you may encounter from walking right away, and quite frankly this is maybe one of the easier items to avoid on the list of things not to do after eating.

Exercise – Pretty much the same idea with not walking immediately, dancing, exercise, yoga or other activities like that aren’t really ideal to do after a full meal, otherwise expect a bad effect or several for that matter if you continue to persist. Again on the list of things not to do after eating, just give yourself some rest before planning a good workout or vigorous activity, this shouldn’t be too difficult if you take the time to plan the day out.

Shower – This item on things not to do after eating, will really catch a lot of people off guard, as it is not ideal to take a warm or hot shower after eating. The bad effect of showering shows by reducing the blood flow in your body, the body needs blood in order to digest your food but taking a warm shower really reduces the flow, so in order to avoid this after effect, make sure you wait it out before showering or if you are into cold showers… all the same just wait a few minutes or so before hitting the shower.

walking after meal

Walking or starting a workout right after a meal is not healthy either. This may contribute to appendicitis.

Loosening your belt after meals – We’ve seen it done a few times over, but the truth of the matter is doing this activity does not have a real bad effect after all, however it does seem a little inappropriate to do it in public. Aside from that, the reason I included it into the list of things not to do after eating, is that you should never eat too much. Eating enough to expand your stomach, so much so that you need to loosen a belt is a bad idea in general. I don’t think I need to elaborate more than that to really dissuade you from doing this but again it doesn’t necessarily have a direct bad effect to you or your body, but I’ll still say that it deserves a place on things not to do after eating.

Drinking tea or coffee – I am a super advocate of tea, you and many other readers know this, in fact my entire family and all my friends know that. However it has been found a bad effect arises when you take to the habit of drinking tea or coffee after a meal, this simple act of things not to do after eating, makes it difficult to absorb some of the nutrients and quite frankly that defeats the purpose of a healthy meal. It has been found that this is especially true for younger people who need more nutrients, so if you do fancy a cup of tea or maybe a cup of coffee, you need to wait ideally an hour or so before consumption, I would say for your health, it shouldn’t be impossible to do that.

And there it is, a rather simple and quick list of things not to do after eating, simply avoid them and wait a moment or two and you should be okay. After eating, the ideal scenario is to sit down and talk maybe stand a little but best not to be too active in order to avoid any bad effect or several for that matter. Since it is your health and the health of your loved ones, it shouldn’t be too difficult to incorporate or change some existing habits you have and really take to heart the things not to do after eating. Stay healthy!

5 Best Vegan Blogs

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Lillian Lewis / Posted in Food | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

As a vegan, I am not afraid to say that I am still learning, and I am proud to say that thanks to the information technology that have reached unprecedented heights, information is as easy as clicking a link or two. With that being said there are a ton of vegan sites out there, some are full of useful information that can really help a beginner vegan out. Some of these sites have entertaining topics, great recipes, wonderful tips and extremely useful exercises, much like my own blog if I might be bold enough to say. Anyways, the internet is full of these great vegan sites that can really help you get a leg up.

Minimalist Baker – Baking vegan can be a challenge but log on this, one of the most informative vegan sites that really helps you figure out some wonderful recipes that are of course vegan friendly. Highly suggested for those who have a sweet tooth or miss those old tasty cakes or cookies that are no longer acceptable in your diet, go to this site and get that craving done.

The Viet Vegan – This is a recipe blog that is written by a vegan, but what really pulls it apart from other vegan sites is that the recipes have a nice Vietnamese twist in virtually most of the recipes if not all. Vietnamese cuisine is simply delicious. Given the use of flavored broths, meats and fish sauce for usual Vietnamese cooking, this site will really help you get that craving completed and the recipes here are to die for, check it out and get your pho on!

Fork and Beans – Sometimes there are snacks or food that you will miss when you’ve turned vegan, especially those packed little snacks that you know are full of preservatives and are bad for you but always tasty to munch on. Well look no further than this website. Among the vegan sites, the Fork and Beans website really helps you feel like you aren’t on a dietary restriction by providing you with vegan friendly recipes that are great copies of the original, such as baked cheetos, healthy animal shaped crackers, pop tarts and so much more.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJaX-hnhvhb/?taken-by=forkandbeans

Oh Lady Cakes – These are some of the tastiest baked ideas I have ever seen among all the other vegan sites I have gone through. Another baking dedicated blog and the humor and wit that comes along with the writing is a wonderful to see. This site has a little something for everyone, best for people who want to have a little fun in the kitchen.

Pickles and Honey – This vegan site is great for those who are in a hurry or just have a few ingredients in the pantry, as the recipes here are based on very easy and little ingredients or as quick as one, two and three. Awesome site for people who are rather in a hurry or can’t really go too in depth into a ton of recipes.

There you have it people, some great sites that you can visit aside from my own, again I am tooting my own horn but please allow me to do so. These vegan sites have a lot to share and are wonderful reads, and some great advice, please do take the time to visit and create some wonderful memories with them. Stay healthy!