5 Common Diabetes Myths Debunked

Laughter is the best medicine- unless you are diabetic, then insulin comes pretty high on the list.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes, I initially found my symptoms subtle. At first, I was delighted that I was losing weight without making efforts. I blamed excess caffeine for frequent urination and undying thirst, while stress was accused of the physical discomfort. I was on vacation enjoying homemade food and sweets ceaselessly. Everything seems fine unless I was startled with the fact that I have diabetes. I rushed to the best diabetologist in Karachi and started my diabetes control journey.

What is diabetes?

In the public eye, diabetes is viewed as a life-threatening disease accompanied by higher sugar level and incurable thrust. Well, being diagnosed with a chronic disease feels like an unwanted loss and unpredictable event that compromises one’s self-sufficiency.

No matter how many diabetics’ inspirational stories you hear; nothing can actually prepare you for it. As a diabetic, I can relate to the fact that this disease comes with several ups and downs and is more of a roller coaster ride. Diabetes management goes more than pricking your finger multiple times a day and avoiding sugars.

Common myths about diabetes

Combating disease and dealing with symptoms isn’t the only problem in living with diabetes; you should be ready for the never-ending free advice. Well, it seems like people who don’t have diabetes know more than the sufferers. You can literally find everyone around you has an opinion about diabetics either from the scary diabetic stories or incalculable health advice.

Facing all these situations, it compels me to reveal the truth to dispel some of the most common myths regarding diabetes.

1- Having diabetes means you can’t eat sugar

I wonder if any diabetes sufferer hasn’t been asked this question. Let me make it clear that having diabetes doesn’t mean that you cannot consume sugar. Although diabetes is usually characterized by high sugar levels in the body, it doesn’t mean that you can’t consume sugar. In no way modern diabetologists ban sugar intake, however, there are safety limits for taking sugar.

2- Insulin intake can cause weight gain

Though many people who are on insulin shots tend to gain weight insulin shouldn’t be held responsible for it. Let me explain this or you, when you are not taking insulin you are losing sugar via urination as your blood sugar level is high.

However, when you start taking insulin, it enables your body to retain those sugars adding to your daily calorie budget. So, even if you are consuming an equal number of calories as before, you will still gain weight.

3- Insulin intake can cause blindness

This myth stems from the observation that people who receive insulin after the onset of severe complications developed blindness. Insulin is a lifesaver drug with fewer side effects and can significantly lower blood sugar levels. However, it can’t help to relieve the complications that are already set in your body.

4- If you are overweight, you will get the diabetes

Uninformed observations lead to this widely-held myth regarding diabetes. Undoubtedly, being overweight is one of the most common risk factors associated with the onset of disease, but there is a lot more than this single factor. Several other factors trigger the disease faster than the excess weight including your genetic makeup and lifestyle.

5- Diabetes can reduce your chances for safely having children

If you are a woman suffering from diabetes, you have properly heard this a thousand times. This myth originated from outdated medical practices and was kept alive. However, having diabetes can’t make you infertile but regarded as a high-risk pregnancy. But seeking help from health care experts can make it manageable.

If you are based in a metropolitan city like Karachi, you can reach out to the best diabetes specialist. Several health care facilities i.e., Kharadar general hospital, Dr. Ziauddin Hospital are making sure that they provide the best health care facilities.

Conclusion

Based on my experience with diabetes, I can say that diabetes is a manageable chronic disease. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, monitoring your calorie intake and following-up with your diabetologist can help you in conveniently living with it.

The Effects of Stress on Leadership

We all know that it’s true that in leadership, you have to make some painful, difficult decisions. 

Any person who’s had to make a tough call knows that the gravity of making difficult decisions can weigh on you. 

Whether you are setting the course for your organization, hiring or firing staff, and making difficult decisions regarding strategies for the best outcome objectives, “heavy is the head that wears the crown” is more than just a saying. 

Even if it’s uncomfortable or difficult, that stress of taking decisive action can lead to added pressure on the person making those choices. 

And the stress that being in a position of leadership has on a person can lead to some severe side effects on our health and wellbeing. 

Not All Stress Is Alike

Before we discuss the effects of stress on the body, it’s essential to recognize different stress types. The two types of stress are distress and eustress. 

Distress: This type of stress is a negative experience for the person and may have significant health implications. Distress occurs when a person suffers from a situation that feels beyond their control, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, job insecurity, or dealing with other unknown variables that have the perception of being unmanageable. 

Common symptoms of distress are:  

  • Cause of anxiety and worry
  • Loss of quality sleep
  • Stress feels short or long-term in duration.
  • Feels threatening or overwhelming
  • Unpleasant to deal with
  • Decreases output and performance
  • Fearful 
  • Uncertainty

Eustress: On the other hand, eustress is a form of positive stress that heightens the individual’s perceptions and moods. It may act as a motivator. Feelings of excitement and euphoria are common. Eustress may stem from doing something thrilling, a personal achievement, or a milestone in life such as a new marriage, pregnancy, or retirement.  

Symptoms associated with positive stress are: 

  • Motivates and excites
  • Assists focus
  • Perceived as manageable
  • Improves overall performance

The effects of negative stress can have severe debilitating health implications from depressed immune systems, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and mental well-being issues. 

Minimize Impact Of Stress On Your Health

The concern that everyone should have regarding negative stress is finding the strategy that helps minimize its impact on our overall health and wellbeing. Developing a method of dealing with negative pressure is crucial for everyone. Still, as the leader of your organization or family, you must have ways to “blow off steam” and manage your stress. 

When you plan ways to manage your stress more effectively, there are three vital things to consider. 

Three Keys To Mitigate Stress

Improve your diet. Begin by improving what you eat, when you eat, and the time of day that you eat. Include more greens and other vegetables and fruits to your menu, increase healthy gut bacteria, and a simple way to do that is with some probiotic drinks and yogurts and increase your water intake.

A healthier diet means a healthier body. By increasing your water intake, you’re allowing your body to process the nutrients more efficiently, help repair and replace damaged cells in the body, and aid in mental function.

Probiotics help with digestion and eliminate inflammation in the gut that imbalances may have. In fact, studies show the benefits of balanced gut health can impact your overall health as well as mental wellbeing. 

Get exercise. Exercise helps the body eliminate stress through action. You channel the energy that stress is putting into your body and push it outward.

You can consider several different types of exercises, from low-impact walking and hiking, running and biking, weight resistance, or isometric activities such as yoga and Tai Chi. When starting on an exercise routine, check with your physician first and develop a plan that you can sustain and will get you fit slowly and over time. 

Get more sleep. If you’re eating better, you’ll have more energy and more extended periods. By increasing your exercise routine, you are assisting your body to break down and utilize the nutrients and expend the energy you consume, which will help you get more qualitative sleep. Sometimes you may need additional natural sources to aid in sleep, from melatonin to CBD oil and more.

Sleep is the body’s ability to recuperate and regenerate from the push and pull it’s absorbed throughout the day. 

As a leader, you must focus on your team members’ best path, the organization, and yourself. By taking time to “blow off steam” and minimize the effects of negative stress in your life, you’ll be healthier and happier as a result.

Successful Weight Loss: 8 Tips that Actually Work

Diets, like clothes, have a life of their own. Theories, tips, and myths abound on social media and in conversation. We dove in for you and pulled out the 8 tips that actually work!

Eat Slowly

Did a grown-up tell you to chew your food 100 times before swallowing when you were a kid? They were probably more worried about you choking, but it turns out that slow eating helps us lose weight! The science is a bit spread out, but the results are consistent. Those who eat slower feel full sooner. Because they feel full, they are unlikely to eat more than what’s currently on their plates. Also, the more you chew your food, the fewer calories your food will have as it is broken down. Instant weight loss support. Cool, right?

 

Write Down What You Eat

Even with a solid meal plan with pre-counted calories, we often don’t notice all the other foods we slip in. We can have a heated leftover joining the breakfast, a donut joining lunch, and a slice of pastry joining dinner. Not to mention the snacks. We can justify them as small and in-between, but they each have calories. If we write down what we eat in a food journal, we will notice how many extras we slip in. If you feel like you are craving something, like sugar, modify your diet to remove fewer calories from one side so you can have a healthy dessert instead.

 

Exercise

Exercise burns calories build muscle mass (which burns more calories than fat in the resting state) and promote overall general health. However, the hardest thing about exercising for weight loss is building a routine. Here are some tips that might help.

 

Suit up. It’s just generally easier to commit when you have to suit up for the activity.

 

Assemble your gear. Invest in exercise bands, workout bras, small weights, yoga mats, and anything you think you might need.

 

Exercise. You have suited up, and you have invested. Now it’s time to make good on that investment and tackle that exercise!

Batch Cook

It takes so long to prepare a solid healthy meal that we usually give in and order something or fry what we have in the fridge. A good counter-strategy is to cook large batches of healthy, calorie-counted food. Here are some tips.

 

Prepare the recipes first. Before shopping, look up the recipes you want to try and write down all of the ingredients. Then go on a grocery shopping spree! This will help you get started.

 

Undercook the vegetables. If your recipe calls for a substantial number of vegetables, slightly undercook them. When you reheat them, they will still be firm and delicious.

 

Get Enough Sleep

We have two neurotransmitters (read: brain signals) that help us know when we need to eat. One is ghrelin, which makes us hungry; and leptin, which makes us feel full. The less we sleep, the more ghrelin is produced. Maybe because it knows we didn’t recharge enough for the day! Less leptin is also produced even when we eat. Because of this, we get hungry faster, eat more, and take longer to feel full. The automatic result: more calories taken in, and no weight loss.

 

Don’t Skip Meals

“Ah, I ate too much at lunch, I’ll just skip dinner.” It kind of makes sense, right? But it doesn’t actually help! You will feel more tired, and your body will panic and crave sugar and other energy boosters. When you find your brain failing over a paper or report, you are likely to grab a snack that gives you a top-up of sugar and not many nutrients. Eating a solid, healthy meal keeps your energy consistent and helps you keep going with less snacking and more nutrients. Spread out the calories, keep the meal balanced, and you’ll reap the energy benefits.

Stay Hydrated

Water is the best, healthiest diet-booster of them all. Enough water in a day will keep your stomach filled and your appetite low. Here are some things you can do with water.

 

Drink a glass of water before every meal. A glass of water fills your stomach and suppresses your appetite. You won’t be tempted to eat more than what you plan to.

 

Drink at least 8 times from an 8-ounce glass. With enough water, your body will not retain water weight, and you will lose those extra pounds.

 

Shift your drinks to water. If you find water too tasteless, add lemon or start with sugarless drinks and slowly shift to more water.

 

Weigh Yourself Once a Week

Weekly weigh-ins help you track your progress, without giving you the uncertainty of a daily weigh-in. Remember to weigh yourself first thing in the morning, before you drink water or have breakfast. Log the weight in your food journal and keep reminding yourself of your goal weight.

 

To Sum Up

A lot of the tips we have here are simple, but they are all meant to give your body the best chances to lose weight.

8 Practical Ways to Boost Your Immunity During Pandemic

Due to the current pandemic, people are advised to practice physical distancing, wear face masks, and wash their hands regularly.

While these are all excellent advice, it would be best if we also boost our immune system. All it needs is eating healthy food and staying active, even while self-isolating.

That said, here are eight practical ways to boost your immunity during the pandemic:

Get Enough Quality Sleep

Sleep is usually where the magic happens, as it revitalizes the whole body. It allows the body to rejuvenate and can fight off infection and a good, well-balanced diet.

Allow your body to recharge each night by getting enough sleep. Ideally, most adults need at least six to eight hours of sleep each night, while children typically need more.

Try to avoid drinking alcohol as well, as it could disrupt sleep. Keep screens out of the bedroom, as well. Being exposed to a lot of blue light often tricks the brain that it’s still daytime, making it more difficult for you to fall asleep.

Stay Active

In these times, staying active and fit is more important than ever. With more and more people working at home, you must continue exercising.

Go for a daily walk, bike ride, swim, or whatever floats your boat- as long as you try to remain in shape.

Exercise lets you sweat and releases toxins from your body. Having a regular exercise regime enhances your overall mental health. It also helps strengthen your bones and muscles, enabling you to have quality sleep at night.

Experts are saying that you dedicate at least 35-40 minutes a day to stay fit. You can change your routine by regularly switching up things.

You can go for a walk today or take a bike ride the next day. Walk a different route every time so that you can fully enjoy the scenery around you.

Eat Lots of Healthy Foods

Going with basic dietary guidelines, such as eating plenty of food, vegetables, and proteins, is a great way to start.

You can also add several items to your overall diet to boost immune system and your overall health. Health professionals recommend taking in foods that are high in vitamin C.

Some examples are bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, spinach, and citrus fruits like lemon and oranges.

Sunflower seeds and almonds are also highly recommended since they’re high in vitamin E.

Practice Good Hygiene

It would be best if you also abode with quarantine protocols that take effect in your state. Wear personal protective equipment, especially if you’re working in a hospital setting or seeing patients that you suspect are infected.

It would help if you also went with CDC’s guidelines and other health organizations.

Drink Lots of Water

Water is essential for your body to function correctly. Drinking 3-4 liters of water a day helps boost your metabolism, regulate your body temperature, and flushes out harmful toxins. It also contributes to strengthening your overall immune system.

Manage Your Stress

There are so much stress and negativity in the world right now. So, if you absorb all of these things around you, it can have adverse effects on your overall health.

Stress causes the cortisol in your body to increase. This can affect your quality of sleep, as well as your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Stress and overthinking can also lead to a string of health problems in the future. It causes a domino effect, causing you to commit bad decisions.

That’s why it’s essential to find a healthy way to help manage (and beat) that stress. Exercising, for instance, not only enables you to stay fit, but it can also help you manage your stress levels.

If you feel overwhelmed with everything that’s going on around you, take a break, relax, and breathe. Give yourself plenty of time to rejuvenate.

Stay Connected

Because of the pandemic restrictions, it’s not easy to visit family and friends, especially those that live far away.

However, that shouldn’t stop you from connecting to people you love and care about the most. Find creative ways to reach out. Because of today’s technology, including internet and tv bundles to help you stay both connected and entertained, a phone or video call with your loved ones and friends are just a fingertip away.

Spend Time Outdoors

According to a study, people who spend at least 30 minutes outdoors are likely to have better physical and mental health.

And while going out is not encouraged these days, you can still spend some time on your lawn.

Over to You

They say that prevention is better than cure. And what better way to prevent getting infected other than boosting your immunity?

Luckily, keeping yourself fit and healthy does not have to be expensive. Sometimes, immunity boosters can be found in your garden or nearby farmers’ markets.

Nonetheless, make your health and well-being a priority in these challenging times. Always stay safe by taking the necessary steps to boost your immune system.

Hiking 101: Why Hikers Should Include Trekking Poles in Their Hiking Kit

When you first start hiking, you might not have all the items you need. Nonetheless, some things are non-negotiable.

One such hiking tool that should be in your hiking kit would be trekking poles.

If you’re wondering whether you need to have trekking poles, here is a list of all the things that can convince you:

It boosts your stability and balance

One primary reason hikers include trekking poles in their kit is that it helps maintain your stability.

When you’re hiking, you shouldn’t expect to encounter paved roads and clear paths all the time. Most of the time, you might find that it’s quite the opposite.

If you want to hike in more remote places, the trails will be even more challenging. That’s why trekking poles are there to ensure that you don’t fall over while trekking.

Even when you’re hiking on relatively flat ground, sometimes, you can be off-guard and trip. With trekking poles, you’ll always find something that will help keep you stable.

It reduces lower body fatigue

When you’re hiking, you’re going to put weight on your lower body a lot, especially for your long hikes. If you don’t rest your lower body correctly, you’re going to tire it out quicker, and it will take you longer to finish the hike.

However, you don’t want to take too long or have too many stops before you’re able to reach the main stops in your trek.

Otherwise, you might find yourself hiking when the sun is down, which isn’t something you want. Instead of that, you might want to focus on reducing the instances of lower body fatigue during the hike.

Aside from regular exercise, trekking poles will be a massive help in this case. That’s because, instead of having to carry your body weight by itself, you can help spread the brunt of the weight to the hiking pole. That way, your lower body won’t tire out as fast.

It keeps your arms engaged

When you’re a hiker, people say that you can’t skip leg days because it is your leg day every day. However, the consequence of this would be that your upper body won’t have as much exercise as your lower body.

Instead of having strong legs and weak arms, you can use trekking poles to help give your arms a bit of practice as well.

Although it can’t be as full of a workout as it is for your lower body, your arms are still getting some exercise in, so it’s not so weak.

When you use trekking poles, you also allow your arms to get some circulation and prevent swelling.

It can act as protection from wild animals

When hiking, as much as possible, you should avoid any wild animals you encounter, no matter how nice and cute they may be. It’s for both the animals’ safety and yours.

However, should you find yourself in a pickle with wild animals, your trekking pole can be a valuable tool.

You can use your poles to make a loud noise, especially when you’re rounding a corner. Doing so prevents you from ambushing an animal and creating an unwanted encounter.

And if you want to make animals flee, you can also use the poles to make yourself seem larger.

It can test the depth of uncertain terrain

When you’re hiking in an environment with a lot of water or snowy terrain, you need trekking poles to ensure that you know the depths of specific areas.

Water, mud, sand, snow, and more can easily conceal the depth of what you’re stepping into. Hence, you need trekking poles to help you figure out whether it’s safe to step into something.

It can be used as a first-aid gear

You don’t want to get into an accident during your hike. However, if you find yourself needing a straight and stable stick to serve as a splint or a stretcher, your trekking poles will be useful. It’s also a huge help that the length is adjustable.

You can even use trekking poles as crutches to help support you as you walk in some cases. You need to add a bit of ingenuity with some cloth or bandages.

It can help fend off wild flora and fauna

Aside from protecting you from wild animals, you can use the trekking poles to keep all sorts of things out of your face when you’re going through a path.

For example, you can keep thick branches, ferns, and so on away from your face as you go through a track. You can also use it to keep spider webs away, so you don’t get a hug on the front from it.

It can help pitch a shelter

When you’re a lightweight backpacker, you would want to invest in multi-functional tools. This is to reduce the weight and number of items that you have to bring.

This explains why there’s growing popularity on trekking-pole reliant shelters among minimalist backpackers. These kinds of hiking shelters use trekking poles as tent poles.

It’s also helpful if you find yourself needing to stay at an emergency night out, and you have to fashion a tent out of random items available to you.

 

Several things are nice to have for a hike, but it’s more important to bring essential hiking items. And this includes your trekking poles. After all, it can provide a lot of things other than maintaining stability while trekking.

Health and Wellness Business Ideas You Can Start From Home

Being healthy enhances every aspect of your life. When you’re physically, mentally, and emotionally sound, you’re capable of achieving so many great things. As you know, it takes hard work and discipline to reach this level of health and happiness, and the journey isn’t always easy. In fact, it’s for that very reason that you want to support others in their experience. 

Starting a health and wellness business could be an excellent way for you to help so many people as they make the transition. Though you’re excited to get started, you want to find something easy to manage and affordable to start. While the health and wellness industries are huge, here are some of the most popular home-based business ideas you could start right away. 

Life Coach

Some people are surviving but long to live. They have no idea what their purpose is in life or how to get started on creating a brighter future. From diet and exercise to finances and careers, having the support of an expert can help them accomplish their goals faster. If you’d like to help improve the lives of others and enhance their overall wellness, you could become a life coach. 

As a life coach, you’d assess your client’s needs, desires, strengths, and weaknesses and help them to devise a plan that can get them on track. From encouraging them to sit with a nutritionist or personal trainer to routing them to resources like MemphisAssociates.com to lower their debts and reduce financial pressures, you can give them the assurance, accountability, and support they need to live the lives they’ve always dreamed of. 

Fitness Instructor

Have you developed a workout regimen that has helped you lose weight, strengthen your muscles, or tone your body? If so, there are millions of people out there that would love to know your secrets. As a fitness instructor, you’d be able to teach others to exercise routines that accelerate their health and wellness goals. And in case you are on the journey of application as an online personal trainer this personal trainer bio guide might help you get the career of your dreams.

You can hold classes in your home, at a nearby gym, or create videos and live streams to post online. The more effective your lessons are, the easier it becomes to acquire new clients taking your business to new heights. 

Health and Wellness Store

You don’t need an expensive commercial property to sell health and wellness products to consumers. These days, you can create an online store and set up a shop with ease. Essentially, all you have to do is decide what you’ll offer on your eCommerce site. If you make your own soaps, lotions, or essential oils with all-natural ingredients, you could sell them to others. If there are products that you have used along your journey, you could always become an independent sales rep and earn commissions. 

Massage Therapist

Massage therapy is a meaningful way to help individuals with physical or emotional problems. A good rub down can relieve stress and anxiety, improve blood circulation, reduce pain, expand the range of motion, and speed recovery from surgeries and injuries. Instead of working for a massage parlor or salon, you could go into business for yourself. You can mobilize your business and meet your clients in their homes for scheduled appointments. 

Things to Know

If one of these health and wellness business ideas seems like something you’re interested in, there are a few things you’ll need to do to start your home-based company. Some will require you to have adequate training and certifications. No matter what type of business you intend to begin, however, you’ll need a reliable website, capital, and a marketing strategy to help you acquire new business. 

In times when a global health crisis plagues millions, everyone is looking for the best way to enhance their health and wellness. As such, now is the perfect time to start a business in this industry. You can help others live happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives, which only enhances your own well-being. With a little time, money, and effort, your business could help change the world. 

3 Staples to Include in a Healthy and Natural Everyday Diet

Are you looking to transition to a healthy more natural everyday diet? Do you feel as though you’re not giving your body enough vitamins and nutrients to perform at its peak levels? If so, you’re not alone, as it has been a real trend as of late to start questioning what you eat, where the ingredients are sourced from, and how you can make things more natural and healthier overall.

While it may seem overwhelming to completely overhaul your diet, making a few small changes to get started can be much less intimidating and act as a launching pad to better choices down the road. So, here are three staples you’ll want to include right away.

Oatmeal – the Ultimate Breakfast Food

Are you like many others who find it difficult to get up and get moving in the mornings? Are you really slow to wake up and find that energy to carry you through the day? If so, it’s probably time to switch up your breakfast routine, and oatmeal is just the way to do that.

Oatmeal has all kinds of wonderful benefits such as the fact that it keeps you feeling fuller for longer, which means you can make it to lunchtime without having to reach for the biscuit tin. It also helps to keep your cholesterol at a healthy level, is high in soluble fiber, and it helps to limit your risk of developing heart disease. Considering how many different ways you can eat oatmeal, including all the different mix-ins and toppings, you won’t get bored of it any time soon.

Dark Leafy Green Vegetables are the Ideal Side Dish 

As you browse through the produce aisle, you’re going to want to be sure you grab a supply of dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, collard greens, arugula, Romaine lettuce, dandelion greens, spinach, broccoli, and Swiss chard. 

These are all high in such vitamins as K, C, A, and folate. Not only that, but they are also packed full of calcium, iron, and fiber. In other words, they do your body a whole lot of good. They can act as the perfect side dish to a variety of meals.

Filtered Water Should be the Beverage of Choice

Of course, your diet is made up of more than just food – you also need beverages. Most people are well aware of just how important water is to your body, as it works to re-hydrate your body throughout the day, help with digestion, regulate your body temperature, and basically keep your body functioning well. At the same time, you want to be picky about the water you’re putting into your body to ensure it is free of containments.

Installing your own home water filtration system is typically the best plan. You’ll always have a fresh supply of clean natural water at your fingertips. Be sure to check out this “Everything Guide to Filters” to discuss the various filtration systems you can use, what their pros and cons are when to replace the filter, and more. 

Let This Be the Starting Point

Adding each of these items to your diet can be a simple starting point and really propel you to keep making more healthy choices.

Keto Diet: Seven Tips on How to Stick to Your Keto Lifestyle

The ketogenic (keto) diet has become prominent over the last couple of years, as a great method to lose weight and improve various health conditions, such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and sugar levels. It involves the power of calorie restriction with the benefits of nutritional ketosis to provide the body with energy from stored fat instead of glucose.

At the same time for some people counting calories, only eating certain foods, and having to cook more might sound extremely difficult and scary, even if you are someone with the strongest willpower. It is only natural to feel overwhelmed while embarking on any change, but with a healthy mindset and a few steps that can help you get into good habits, you won’t look back.

Keep Only Keto-Friendly Food In Your House

When you are hungry, it might become much easier to forget about your goals and cheat on a diet. Hunger is a strong motivator, and for this reason, it is best to be prepared and plan for the worst, especially if you are the only one in your family on a diet. Consider cleaning out your fridge and cupboards or at least hide carb-rich foods in a hard to access place. Cleaning your kitchen reduces temptation and the likelihood of consumption by eliminating foods that are not on your meal plan.

Plan Your Meals & Social Situations In Advance

Planning your meals and visits to restaurants and cafes in advance is a great way to stay on track during your keto diet. Each week mark in the calendar nutrition plan for the week, including snacks and how many meals you need when going out. Also, make sure to add eating in the office, social engagements, or unique circumstances that might impact your routine.

Once you determine how many meals you need, find healthy, low-carb recipes for each day of the week. From there, create your shopping list and hit the grocery store. You don’t have to prepare all meals at one time. You can just set aside 1-2 hours to chop vegetables, marinate protein, or cook parts of meals to stick to your diet.

Keep Healthy Snacks On Hand

Instilling good habits doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why it is essential to be fully prepared in case of unforeseen long hours at the office or hunger pains during the day.

Consider always keeping healthy snack options on hand to prevent a fast-food run or purchase of ‘bad choices’ at the corner store. Keto-friendly yogurt, sliced veggies, low-carb hummus, hard-boiled eggs, homemade trail mix, or bars are some of the possible good snacks.

Get Inspired

Successful and sustainable changes in your life require enjoyment along the way. Since food is an essential part of our life, enjoying your meals is not something you need to miss out on just because you maintain a keto diet.

Instead of running for the carbs, try to reconnect to your inner foodie, don’t get stuck in a repetitive mealtime, and find appropriate substitutes for the food you love. Luckily, there are so many great resources to discover the keto recipe of your dreams like purchasing a cookbook/guidebook or just searching in Google.

Try Out Help Of CBD Oil

While CBD oil is commonly used as a natural alternative and effective remedy for anxiety and pain relief, improved mood, concentration, and sleep, the intake of this product can also offer beneficial effects.

Cannabidiol (or CBD) is a generally safe, non-addictive, and non-psychoactive compound extracted from Cannabis Sativa plants. To provide positive CBD effects, it interacts with the endocannabinoid system involved in vital body functions such as sleep, appetite, stress, pain, inflammation, memory, mood, and many others. Therefore, CBD might promote weight loss by decreasing appetite, boosting metabolism, and activating the “browning” of fat cells.

You can incorporate CBD products into your daily cooking routine to add health benefits into a nutrition system and sustain a well-balanced, complete diet as well as spice up your cooking experience. The nutritional content of CBD oil can also provide your body with needed components like protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals such as vitamin E, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, etc.

Stick To A Fitness Plan

While you have made the one step in pursuing a healthier lifestyle by choosing a Keto diet, you also need to dedicate yourself to a regular workout regimen. In case you already have a workout routine, but you don’t do it often, try to add a few more days to your schedule. To maximize your results, make sure that you are getting into physical activity at least four times a week.

If fitness has never been your thing, there is a lot of easy options that you can use, and that requires a yoga mat and some dumbbells. You can find different at-home workouts on platforms like YouTube to help get you started. As an alternative, you can also look for gyms in your area to be sure you will prioritize the workout regimen.

Get Your Friends On Board

Since we are social animals, it can be hard to undergo such a substantial lifestyle change when everyone else carries on like before. Also, the word “diet” is typically associated with a negative connotation, resulting in a pessimistic attitude from your friends and family, even when dieting done for the right reasons. This can make you feel alienated and more likely to succumb to peer pressure. Instead, try to talk to your loved ones and explain that this is an essential change for you, and you would appreciate their support.

Alternatively, you can connect to like-minded people on various groups or forums on keto topics. Here you will feel understood and can share struggles and successes, encourage each other, and swap interesting recipes. When you use social support to your advantage and have individuals to share your questions, concerns, and accomplishments, it will be much easier for you to stay on the keto diet and achieve the results you want.

Five Ways to Shut off Your Brain & Fall Asleep Faster

When you are struggling to fall asleep at night, the vital moments of that journey are usually influenced by your brain’s ability to stop racing thoughts so you can sleep. Obviously, we all have stressful or challenging situations that keep gnawing at us, making it impossible to fall asleep. 

While there is no magic button that can deactivate thoughts or relax the brain, your bedtime habits might create a set of right associations for the body and mind. For an easy and peaceful time getting to sleep, try these four ways to prevent overthinking and prepare for healthy sleep.

Create A Pre-Sleep Routine

Consistent sleep and wake schedule is essential as well as setting bedtime routine. This helps you to establish a clear association between daily activities and sleep and program the internal clock to calm your busy brain, instead of you trying to force yourself to sleep.

To separate your day from the nighttime, incorporate at least 30 minutes for reading, soaking in a warm bath, taking a few minutes to journal, or listening to calming music before heading to bed. Such a ritual around your bedtime works as a signal for your body that it’s time to slow down and relax. 

Consider Using CBD Oil

CBD oil is a natural and safe alternative to traditional sleeping pills and medications. Intake of CBD products before bedtime helps to quiet your mind, relax the body, and prevent insomnia/hypersomnia for better night sleep.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is known to interfere with the body’s endocannabinoid system involved in many vital processes such as sleep, pain, stress, inflammation, immune system, memory, temperature, and others. Support of this system helps to give a needed boost to continue functioning properly. Potential benefits of CBD oil include pain, stress, and anxiety reduction, improved immunity, concentration, and mood, and regulation of sleep quality, among other useful functions.

Turn Off All Electronics

While it might be tempting to scroll up Instagram feeds or watch Netflix in bed, one of the best ways to get restful sleep is by switching off all the electronics such as the television, computer, iPad, and smartphone. Artificial light exposure disturbs your body’s circadian rhythm and enhances alertness, which can have a negative impact on the quality of rest. 

Try to refrain from texting on your cellphone, sending and answering emails on your computer. Instead, consider turning off your devices an hour before you are planning on going to bed to relax, let go off of the stressful thoughts, and concentrate on your sleep. 

Practice Mindful Breathing & Meditation

Mindful meditation and breathing exercises are considered effective practices for clearing your mind and getting yourself some peace. This helps in reducing worry and bringing the focus back to the present to enjoy a good night’s rest. What’s more, you can resort to the benefits of these activities anytime during the day when you feel yourself becoming stressed out or anxious. 

Simply sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and concentrate on slowing your exhalation, which will, in turn, slow your next inhalation. Control of your breath allows you to lower heart rate and calm you down. In addition, you can put a relaxing guided meditation or turn on a playlist with nature sounds, which will occupy the brain’s attention for a short period before it literally gets boring, allowing you to drift off to sleep. 

Try Out Military Approach

This is the antidote to Mr. Bean counting sheep on a screen on a calculator to combat insomnia. It is all about relaxing the body, mind over matter then switching off the mind. It was reported that the US military used this method to help their soldiers fall asleep in stressful environments. They do say it takes several weeks to perfect.  

  • Relax the muscles in your face, including tongue, jaw, and the muscles around the eyes;
  • Drop your shoulders as far down as they’ll go, followed by your upper and lower arm, one side at a time;
  • Breathe out, relaxing your chest followed by your legs, starting from the thighs and working down;
  • You need to spend 10 seconds trying to clear your mind before thinking of a peaceful thought;
  • You say “don’t think, don’t think, don’t think” to yourself over and over for about 10 seconds;
  • Then you fall asleep instantly.

So be sympathetic to your problem. A sleepless night can be caused by many factors, from stress to food to modern technology. You haven’t instigated them, but you may be allowing them to take control of your well-being. Experiment with some of these ideas and talk to your doctor prior to introducing CBD to your body. Your focus is to relieve yourself from anxieties and adverse stimulants and ensure a relaxed evening followed by a good night kip. You will feel glorious the next day!

Kratom vs. Kava: How Do They Compare?

Kratom and kava are both herbal supplements with a reputation for producing beneficial, calming effects. They’re very different plants, though, and it can seem like everyone’s choosing sides. Don’t jump on board with either side before reading on to find out how they compare.

Origins of Kratom vs. Kava

As you’ll discover if you read the information on the Kava Guides website, the kava plant is native to the Pacific Islands and is part of the pepper family. It also plays an important role in local cultures, but that’s about as far as the similarities go. The powdered kava available to Westerners comes from the roots of a plant in no way related to the kratom tree.

Kratom comes from the Mitrangyna speciosa species of evergreen tree, found in Southeast Asia. In this area of the world, kratom use has been both a folk remedy and a huge part of local culture for millennia. The kratom powder Westerners know and love comes from the tree’s dried leaves.

The kava plant is native to the Pacific Islands and is part of the pepper family. It also plays an important role in local cultures, but that’s about as far as the similarities go. The powdered kava available to Westerners comes from the roots of a plant in no way related to the kratom tree.

Effects of Kava vs. Kratom

Both kava and kratom can have sedative effects when taken in the right doses. However, while kava is known for inducing mild relaxation in any quantity, kratom is more versatile. Many consumers also take kratom for energy and focus.

Wondering how that’s possible? The explanation is actually quite simple. Kratom produces different effects depending on the dose. Taking a small amount of it can boost energy levels, improve sour moods, and increase focus. Taking a large amount of kratom will produce sedative effects and may help with controlling pain, although it will still create some degree of euphoria in users.

Kratom also comes in many different strains, each of which has slightly different effects. White strains of kratom are well-known for boosting energy, while red strains tend to be more relaxing and green strains fall somewhere comfortably in between. Sites like Kona Kratom often sell small sample packs of each strain for newcomers to the herb to try out and find a favorite type. Meanwhile, those who use kava don’t have the option to switch to a different strain if they want to combat its sedative effects.

Pharmacology of Kratom vs. Kava

Kratom’s primary active ingredients are its alkaloids, which include mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These alkaloids bind to opioid receptors in the brain, although it’s important to note that kratom is not an opiate. It can, however, produce some of the same effects when taken in large doses and it is known to stimulate serotonin and norepinephrine release.

Kava’s main ingredients are kavalactones. Less is known about how they operate, but researchers believe they interact with the brain’s limbic system, which controls emotions. Kava also stimulates dopamine production.

Legality of Kava vs. Kratom

Kava is legal almost everywhere, including in all 50 United States. Kratom is federally legal, but six states have banned its sale in stores. These states include Rhode Island, Vermont, Indiana, Wisconsin, Alabama, and Arkansas. Some states also restrict the sale of kratom on a count-by-county basis. However, it’s widely available online.

Where to Buy Kratom vs. Kava

In states where kratom sales are legal, it can be found in smoke shops and specialty stores. It’s much easier and more affordable to buy kratom online, though. Buying online also gives consumers the chance to shop around, which lets them validate manufacturers’ reputations and choose the strains that will best suit their unique needs.

Kava can be purchased at most grocery stores and almost all natural food stores. It is also available to purchase online from various websites as kava kava extracts are becoming increasingly more popular with those suffering from stress in areas all over the world. Since there aren’t any major differences in effect between kava products, buyers don’t have to worry as much about finding the right strain or brand. They just need to make sure they buy from reputable manufacturers that lab test their products to ensure quality.

Potency of Kava vs. Kratom

Kava produces mild effects, while kratom can be quite potent. Don’t expect anything remarkable when drinking a kava tea or a specialty drink that contains this plant extract. It may help with inducing a more relaxed mood, but it won’t produce any noteworthy psychoactive effects.

Kratom can be a potent stimulant or a sedative depending on the strain and the dosage. Those who want to take advantage of kratom’s energizing effects should stick to low doses, usually less than four grams per serving. Those who want to use it to increase relaxation and manage anxiety or pain can take larger doses of up to eight grams, but they should still start off with smaller amounts. As with any herbal supplement, it’s always best to take the lowest effective dose.

Types of Kava vs. Kratom

Kava is most commonly sold as a tea or as an ingredient in specialty drinks. Kratom comes in several forms, the most popular being powder or capsules. Kratom powder can be used to brew tea, make protein drinks, or even add some extra zing to a favorite dish. The capsules can be taken just like any other herbal supplement with plenty of water.

Dosing Kava vs. Kratom

Since most of the kava extracts available to Western consumers come in tea form or in specialty drinks, dosing it is relatively easy. Just brew up a tea or crack open a can and drink it. Kratom is a little harder to dose. Using capsules makes it easier, though. Just start off with one or two capsules and up the dose until it has the desired effect. Make sure to wait a while between doses, though. The capsules must be digested before their contents are released into the bloodstream, which can take a while.

The Bottom Line

Both kratom and kava can be beneficial herbal supplements if consumers take them right and have realistic expectations about what kinds of results they can expect. Since they operate in different areas of the brain, consumers can also take kratom and kava together. Combining the two does require extra attention to dosing, though, so don’t overdo it.

When buying either kratom or kava, consumers need to know what they are getting. Look into the manufacturers in advance to make sure they lab test their products. The FDA does not regulate herbal supplements, so it’s up to manufacturers, vendors, and consumers to evaluate risks and benefits and to determine which supplements are legitimate.