Category: Health & Wellness Page 1 of 4

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, it’s suggested that individuals stay home when they can. Many businesses are turning to remote work as a way to help stop the virus from spreading, but the transition to work from home may be hard for some employees. Remote work requires making adjustments to workflow and scheduling. Employees making the transition will also need to decide where to set up a workspace in their home.

The Importance of Self-Care for Remote Employees

Self-care is essential for employees who work from home. Self-care is maintaining good health and well being, and there are various ways individuals can practice self-care. It’s especially important that remote workers engage in activities that promote self-care. With the pandemic, many people are concerned and worried, and when these feelings are combined with a new work environment, it can make it difficult to be productive.

Ways to Practice Self-Care When Working Remotely

Individuals can maintain good health and well being while working at home with self-care habits that include setting boundaries, getting enough sleep, keeping your workspace organized, and sticking to a routine.

Setting Boundaries

Setting boundaries that help you keep your work life and home life separate is beneficial. If you’re not working, refrain from checking work emails and notifications until it’s time for you to work again. Remote workers will also benefit from having a dedicated workspace that’s free of clutter and distractions.

Getting Enough Sleep

It’s suggested that adults get eight hours of sleep each night to promote good health and mental wellness. Getting to bed at a regular time creates a routine that can boost focus during the day.

Keeping an Organized Workspace

Keeping an organized, clean workspace can help remote workers with productivity. Not only will keeping a workspace clean and disinfected promote productivity, but it also helps prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Sticking to a Routine

Remote workers should stick to their routines as much as possible. Individuals who exercised before or after work should try to maintain their routine when they’re working from home. Remote workers who used to have a long commute can use the extra time to sleep in or take up a new activity.

Great Podcasts About Health And Fitness

By Marissa Elman

On August 8, 2020

In Fitness, Health & Wellness, Healthy gut, Marissa Elman, Microbiome, Paleo Diet

There are so many great ways to learn about fitness today. We’ve always had access to fitness books, but with the introduction of the Internet, it became much easier to consume all forms of media. We now have access to blogs like this one, as well as video websites such as Youtube and one of the most popular media forms today – the podcast. Podcasts can be a great way to learn more about fitness and get all sorts of different perspectives in a bite-sized and passive manner. The problem is that there are so many podcasts available, it can be difficult to choose one! Here’s a list of great health and fitness podcasts to help you out.

Balanced Bites

There are plenty of great podcasts out there about eating and dieting, but Balanced Bites is among the best. This podcast is hosted by Diane, a certified nutritionist consultant, and Liz, a nutritional therapy practitioner, and each episode they feature expert guests. Them and their guests will often discuss paleo diet recipes and tips as well as giving plenty of expert insight on the latest trends as well as answering listeners’ questions.

The Gym Wits

Whether you’re new to fitness or a seasoned expert looking for new perspectives, you should check out The Gym Wits. The show’s hosts are made up of a fitness expert, a fitness enthusiast, and a registered dietitian. Each week they discuss various fitness related topics such as how to build muscle while losing fat, the best classes to take, and much more. Listening to this show will help you learn more about your body as well as give you valuable nutrition and fitness tips to help you achieve all of your aspirations.

Hurdle

We all know that fitness can be difficult, whether you’re new to it or a seasoned veteran. Everyone encounters obstacles in their fitness journey and not everyone is able to overcome them. In Hurdle, host Emily Abbate discusses the obstacles her and her guest hosts have encounter in their own fitness journeys and how they were able to overcome them. This show can be an excellent source of motivation when you’re struggling, as hearing these stories can help you remember that everybody struggles from time to time, and it’s very much possible to succeed.

Science and Weight Loss

By Marissa Elman

On July 7, 2020

In Fitness, Health & Wellness, Healthy gut, Marissa Elman

The weight loss industry is full of myths and misconceptions. Every year a new fool-proof study is on talk shows and dominates adds across all websites and social media platforms. Try to turn your mind away from diet pills and magical fruits or nutrients instead of looking towards science. Over the last few centuries, scientists have made incredible leaps and bounds when it comes to human anatomy. Check out a few different aspects of the human body and weight loss.

The Power of Water

It’s a simple fact that we need water to survive. Not only is it necessary to function, but it can also be a helpful tool when it comes to losing weight. Drinking water can boost your metabolism 24-30% over a period of 60-90 minutes. Drinking a glass of water before a meal can also help you feel fuller, therefore decreasing the chance of over-eating.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has become incredibly popular in the health community over the past several years. You cycle between periods of eating and fasting, to achieve a more controlled food intake. Short term studies suggest that intermittent fasting is as effective as continuous caloric restrictions.

Consume Less Added Sugars and Refined Carbs

Added sugar is one of the worst additions to the modern diet. Most people consume far too much sugar, and it often happens by just forgetting to look at the labels. A multitude of studies show that added sugars often like to obesity and the development of Type II Diabetes. Refined carbohydrates are also often overlooked in products and meals. Foods like white bread and pasta can spike blood sugar and lead to hunger and cravings that, in turn, can lead to an increase in food intake.

Weight loss is an admirable goal for your health. Try putting these simple safeguards into your diet, and look for results. In the meanwhile, keep an eye out for the next article in our series, Science and Weight Loss.

The Importance of Self-Care During Difficult Times

By Marissa Elman

On June 17, 2020

In Health & Wellness, Marissa Elman, Mental Health

The past few months have been stressful for many, resulting in uncertainty, increased anxiety, and depression. Social distancing, while keeping us safe from COVID-19, can result in social isolation for some. Within the last month, the country has erupted in civil unrest caused by racism, which affects all members of our communities. During these difficult times, self-care is extremely important, and here are some practical tips that can help.

Reaching Out

Connecting with others helps to encourage healthy relationships, especially at times when we feel more divided. The age of technology has made this easier by increasing our options for making connections, whether through phone, video platforms, or simply writing a letter. Connecting with others increases the likelihood that stressors will be coped with in a way that reduces adverse health consequences. Plus, social support can influence a person’s ability to activate their own individual coping skills.

Journal

Sometimes, people aren’t always available for us to reach out to, and a journal can be a way to practice some healthy introspection. A journal provides us with a safe space for us to record and discuss our feelings. When journaling your feelings, remember that it’s okay to not feel okay amid the things that are happening in the world. It’s also a good idea to remind yourself how you have managed difficult times in the past.

Gratitude

Make gratitude part of your daily practice. Plan to do positive things such as offering help to others. Many people find that volunteering can boost your sense of connectedness and self-esteem. According to Dr. Taylor-Desir of Mayo Clinic, studies have shown that the practice of gratitude can shift our focus from negative emotions to more positive ones. In addition, gratitude increases neural sensitivity in areas of our brain linked to learning and decision making and can contribute to improved mental health over time.

Less Screen Time

Some people may turn to social media and news feeds during this time to stay up to date with current events, however, too much of this can be detrimental. Take time to get away from social media and unplug from the news. Try spending more time in nature, doing yoga, or meditating. If you’re feeling exhausted by the news, it may be a sign that you’re spending too much time exposing yourself to too much negative information.

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Easy Ways To Add Fitness To Your Daily Routine

By Marissa Elman

On April 20, 2020

In Fitness, Health & Wellness, Marissa Elman

Most people today are too busy for long workouts at the gym or marathon training runs after work. But with a little planning, it’s not too hard to squeeze an extra five or ten minutes of exercise into one’s daily routine. Here are some easy fitness tips for busy people.

1. Start Your Day With a Walk, Jog or Bike Ride

Just one lap around the block, either on foot or on a bike, is an easy way to boost the metabolism and get the day off to a good start. It probably won’t even be long enough to break a sweat, so no extra shower time is needed. But it gives the mind a positive boost along with burning some extra calories.

2. Exercise on Your Lunch Break

Taking lunch breaks on the go is another easy way to sneak in a little exercise. Walk a few laps around the office or down to the cafe on the corner and back.

3. Take a Stretch Break at Your Desk

Instead of heading to the water cooler or coffee maker for every break, it’s just as easy to do a few calisthenics exercises and stretches without even leaving the cubicle. A quick standing hamstring stretch, lower back stretch, quad stretch, and calf stretch sequence only takes 60 seconds total.

4. Hit the Gym After Work

There are two secrets to efficient after-work gym workouts:

Always keep a gym bag packed and stowed in the back seat

Join a gym close to home or the office

5. Cycle or Walk for Quick Errands

Instead of taking a driving to pick up a loaf of bread, just ride a bike or jog. If it’s only a mile or two away, the total trip won’t take more than 15-20 minutes.

6. Keep Exercise Equipment Within Arm’s Reach

Lastly, make exercise ridiculously easy. For example:

– Keep a 15 pound dumbbell next to the couch or work desk

– Take the first empty parking stall and walk a little farther

– Take stairs instead of elevators

– Work at a standing desk for a few hours a day

How to Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution

By Marissa Elman

On January 6, 2020

In Health & Wellness, Marissa Elman, Mental Health

At the beginning of a new year, we often tend to tell ourselves how things will be different. From adopting healthier habits, picking up a hobby, or making big changes, new year’s resolutions are varied. The problem with these resolutions is that, too often, they tend to fail within a few months. Below are a few tips for how you can stick to your resolution throughout the whole year.

Be Honest

Many common goals involve health, particularly in regards to fitness or diet. When establishing a resolution, it is important that you make yours something that really matters to you and will have a positive impact on your life. Your resolution should not be based on what others believe or value; instead, choose something that inspires you and motivates you from within.

Set Clear Goals

For most people, it’s actually best to stick to a single goal; doing so allows for clarity and simplicity that makes you more inclined to actually follow through with your plans. However, if there are multiple things you’d like to accomplish in the coming year, you shouldn’t feel the need to limit yourself to just one goal. Instead, prioritize making your goal straightforward, reasonable, and rewarding. It may help to set benchmark goals, as well, to keep you on track throughout the year. You should be able to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, how you can go about doing so, and what the end result will be.

Reward Yourself

When dreaming big, it can be difficult at the beginning when your goal is far away. However, it is essential that you learn to acknowledge your successes no matter how small they may seem. Every step toward reaching your goals is one worth celebrating.

Forgive Mistakes

No one is perfect, and it is unreasonable to expect yourself to only think about your goal. Giving up can be easy when you have any setbacks because you are focused on the end goal, but it is important to remember that achieving your goals takes time, patience, and effort. You can’t accomplish your goal in a single day, and similarly, one day won’t ruin your progress, either.

Ballroom Dancing For Fitness Marissa Elman

4 Reasons to Try Ballroom Dancing for Fitness

By Marissa Elman

On October 2, 2019

In Fitness, Health & Wellness, Marissa Elman

There are many reasons why you should try ballroom dancing for fitness. For example, ballroom dancing is great for your overall health and wellness. It’s also a lot of fun. In fact, once you get started, it may be difficult to stop. The following list contains just a handful of reasons why you should try ballroom dancing.

Burn Fat

There is a lot of accelerated movement that happens during ballroom dancing. It’s the reason why this type of dance is known to boost your metabolism. This means you’re able to burn more fat. You’ll also burn a lot more calories and lose weight. This is partially why there is a dramatic physical transformation when celebrities compete in dancing contests.

Increase Your Flexibility

Flexibility is important because it helps you move around better on a daily basis. If you try ballroom dancing, it will be necessary to engage in stretching activities so that you’re able to perform the different routines. Stretching exercises promote improved flexibility and reduce the possibility of an injury occurring. This isn’t just helpful when you’re dancing; it’s also good for preventing injuries in your everyday life.

Improve Your Mood

Ballroom dancing can be an uplifting and joyful experience, especially when there’s great music playing. Generally speaking, dancing is a great way to improve your mood. When you couple movement with lively music, you can’t help but feel amazing.

Get Creative

Creativity is the spice of life because it can keep you from getting bored. Whether it’s painting, dancing or some other pursuit, getting creative can put a pep in your step. With ballroom dancing, ou will have a chance to move your body in ways that show who you really are. Expressing yourself through dance is a wonderful feeling. More importantly, ballroom dancing is a creative and fun way to stay fit.

It’s great to have a knowledgeable dance instructor that can help you learn the different types of ballroom dancing, and seeking one out is a wise move in general so that you can learn the proper steps and rhythms. There are many benefits associated with ballroom dancing. After a while, you’ll probably have more fun than you ever imagined you could while exercising.

Celebrity Fitness Routines Marissa Elman

Popular Celebrity Fitness Routines to Try

By Marissa Elman

On October 2, 2019

In Fitness, Health & Wellness, Marissa Elman

Which celebrity do you most want to look like? You already know that most of your favorite celebrities have admirable and beautiful body shapes. It is also true that many of us train to replicate celebrity body shapes and fitness. And we all know, fitness does not come without breaking a sweat. Celebrities have to go to the gym, climb hills, or hit the road for long-lasting fitness results. Below are workout routines that super-fit celebrities implement to maintain their body shape.

The Rock

His fans best know Dwayne Johnson from the time he was in the WWE. The ‘Hercules’ and ‘Fast and Furious’ star is not the ‘rock’ for no reason. He has a six-day workout routine where he pumps serious iron at the gym and does cardio. Normally, he dedicates thirty to fifty minutes for a run in the morning before he hits the gym.

Halle Berry

She is an Oscar award-winning actress that has successfully kept her body in great shape. After the birth of her daughter, she started a serious workout plan. Currently, she works out for five days a week for an hour. Her plan includes ab and leg exercises, stairs, hill climbing, and kickboxing.

Ben Affleck

Before starring in the ‘Batman’ role, Ben strictly followed two workouts. First, he had a fat-burning workout plan to get lean. This was followed by the second phase that involved muscle building to bulk up. Presently, he continues weight-lifting at the gym to maintain his definition.

Kim Kardashian

She is known for starring in a reality TV show that has a huge following around the globe. Kim devotes time to workout sessions at Barry’s Bootcamp. This is a popular fitness studio in California that has 18 other locations. Her workouts involve intervals of 25-30 minutes of cardiovascular treadmill routines and 25-30 minutes of strength training.

Kevin Hart

He is one of the funniest actors in Hollywood but has a serious workout routine. The actor utilizes old school routines including bicep curls to work the arm muscles, bench presses, and push-ups. He basically does weight training to stay fit.

The Importance of Vitamin D

By Marissa Elman

On August 7, 2019

In Health & Wellness, Marissa Elman

Vitamin D is essential to the body’s ability to function healthily. Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is exceptionally common.

One of the primary roles of vitamin D is to help the body absorb calcium and phosphorus. Calcium and phosphorus are crucial minerals that keep the bones strong. When a person does not consume enough vitamin D, not enough calcium and phosphorus can get into the bones. Therefore, vitamin D deficiency can lead to problems like osteoporosis, easily broken bones, and in extreme cases, rickets. Rickets is a disease that is primarily found in children; it involves softening of the bones and prevents children from growing and developing properly.

In addition to the essential role it plays in bone health, vitamin D can help prevent illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, mood disorders, and certain autoimmune diseases.

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with multiple sclerosis, which is a devastating autoimmune disease that affects the nerve cells. According to some medical research, having a high level of serum vitamin D may be protective against this disease. This is because vitamin D is what scientists refer to as an immunomodulator. This means that the vitamin helps to stabilize the immune system. Multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system malfunctions and attacks parts of a person’s own body.

Another potential benefit of vitamin D is that it appears to lower the risk of contracting the flu. At least one study has demonstrated that children who take vitamin D supplements are less likely to get the flu during the winter. This may have to do with vitamin D’s immunomodulating effects.

Vitamin D may be useful in treating mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. People with these disorders are more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency than people who have no mental health problems.

Finally, supplementing vitamin D may help people lose weight and avoid obesity-related diseases. This is because vitamin D supplements can act as appetite suppressants. People who have normal vitamin D levels are also less likely to develop heart disease.

It is difficult to get enough vitamin D in today’s world, but being deficient in this nutrient can be costly. People can improve their vitamin D levels by spending more time outside, eating dairy and fish, and taking supplements.

Myths About Healthy Eating

By Marissa Elman

On July 15, 2019

In Health & Wellness, Healthy gut, Marissa Elman

There are a lot of food and nutrition myths that can mislead individuals and ultimately result in poor health. At the very least, many of these food myths compel people to restrict their options and miss out on foods that are not as bad as they are made out to be. Unfortunately, many people still believe these myths and avoid eating perfectly healthy foods. Here are some common food and nutrition myths that have been debunked.

Eggs get a bad name that is totally undeserved. Yes, they are high in cholesterol. However, countless scientific studies have shown that the high cholesterol content in foods such as eggs does not actually raise cholesterol levels. The real problem is foods that are high in saturated fat and trans fats. Eggs are also high in protein and many other vitamins and minerals. The myth that eggs are unhealthy and can raise your cholesterol levels is completely false. Eggs are actually a healthy food that should be a staple in most diets.

The tendency to avoid consuming butter and using margarine instead is the result of another common food myth. People believe that margarine is better because it contains no saturated fat and cholesterol. The problem is that many margarine brands contain trans fats. These kinds of fats are highly damaging to your health and should be avoided. It is better to eat natural butter than margarine laced with trans fats.

Coffee has a myth attached to it that it will make people lose fluids. The loss of fluid can then cause dehydration. It is correct that coffee is a diuretic, which means it causes people to urinate. The diuretic effect of coffee is negligible, however. This means that drinking several cups of coffee a day will not dehydrate anybody. Coffee can be enjoyed without ever worrying about becoming dehydrated or losing fluids. Other beverages have been labeled as harmful for similar reasons, but the only fluid that will actively dehydrate anyone is that which contains alcohol.

Many people believe that eating raw, fresh fruits and vegetables is always the best way to get the most nutrients. This is not always the case, however. Cooking carrots, for example, actually increases their nutritional value. It is also obvious that some foods should only be eaten when cooked, such as potatoes. A raw diet has some benefits, as addressed in a previous post, but not all foods can or should be consumed when raw.

Frozen and canned foods have a bad reputation when it comes to nutritional value. The most prominent myth surrounding them is that they lose nutrients when frozen and are not as healthy as their fresh counterparts. In reality, even the fresh fruits and vegetables you find in the supermarket have probably lost a significant amount of nutrients while traveling for days or even weeks to the supermarket. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are still highly nutritious and can be a part of a healthy diet.

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