Karen – Page 16 – Eco Karen

Improve Your Health And Save The Planet With These Eco-Friendly Tips

They say it’s better to give than to receive. Essentially, those who perform acts of kindness do more than just make others feel good; they experience a positive boost in their emotional health. This concept couldn’t be more accurate when it comes to the environment. The more humans do to preserve the earth’s natural resources, the more the planet can do to protect and enhance human life. Continue reading to learn more.

Cut Down On Plastic Usage

From extraction and transport to waste management and environmental exposure, plastic has an adverse effect on human health. It can lead to air pollution and health problems like chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Ultimately, cutting down on plastic usage would improve air quality and reduce the risks of life-threatening conditions.

There are several ways to cut down on plastic consumption. You swap disposable plastic straws for reusable or metal ones. When shopping for groceries, use cloth or reusable bags instead of plastic bags. Another option would be to invest in a reverse osmosis water filter to purify your water, therefore, reducing the need to drink bottled water.

Grow Your Own Food

Proper diet and nutrition are essential to your well-being. Unfortunately, the foods served today are highly processed and treated with harmful contaminants. Not to mention, the fuel emissions and energy consumption required to make the foods you eat can also impact your physical and mental health. An effective solution would be to grow your own foods.

Starting a garden filled with your own fruits and vegetables allows you complete control over how they’re grown. Using organic seeds, fresh soil, and environmentally-friendly products to preserve your crops will eliminate health risks. Gardening is also an effective form of exercise which has physical and mental advantages.

Ditch The Car

While cars are a modern-day convenience, they don’t come without environmental hazards. Driving produces pounds of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gasses which are harmful to the environment and your health. Though sometimes driving a car is the quickest way to get to your destination, try to limit your use.

Walking to the neighborhood store, work, school, or other places within a short distance from your home saves the planet. It also encourages you to remain active, which can help you lose weight, strengthen your muscles, improve your immune system, boost your mood, and more. Lastly, exposure to the sun every day can help to improve your skin, reduce feelings of depression, and obtain your daily dose of vitamin D.

Switch To All-Natural Cleaners

Keeping a tidy home is a common practice. A clean home reduces the presence of germs, bacteria, allergens, and other contaminants that can harm your health. It also helps to reduce feelings of anxiety and improve your mood. Be that as it may, the products you use to clean your home can have a negative impact on the environment and your health.

When you use household cleaners on the market, many of them have harsh chemicals. These chemicals disburse in the air every time you use them, worsening the air quality and increasing your chances of developing serious health problems. It is best to use products comprised of all-natural ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, or lemon juice. If you have the time, there are simple recipes you can use to make your own cleaning products.

Current times depict just how bad the environment is right now. Poor air quality, increased illness, climate change, and the reduction of natural resources are all the results of abuse and overuse from humans. Unless people start taking action now to save the planet, these problems will only get worse. As you can see from the examples above, there are simple lifestyle changes you can make to do your part. In making changes like cutting down on plastic use, walking, and using natural household cleaners, you’ll improve the environment, which, in turn, will enhance your physical and mental well-being.

How to Make Your Home More Sustainable

Reducing your home’s negative impact on the environment requires a bit of work and research on your part. But making your home more sustainable is a great way to save money as well as the planet. To help you get started, here are a few clever ideas.

Start With the Living Room

If you haven’t done so already, replace the incandescent light bulbs in your living room with CFL light bulbs. According to Energy Star, CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) use 75% less energy compared to traditional light bulbs. If you replace just one traditional light bulb with one CFL bulb, it will save 400 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

You can also reduce your home’s energy consumption by using multi-socket extension leads. When they are not in use, simply turn them off.

In fact, one of the easiest ways to save electricity is to unplug devices. If you are like most of us, chances are your TV is on standby mode for the bigger part of the day. But as long as it is plugged in, it will consume energy. Over time, that wasted electricity adds up to a lot.

If you want to install environmentally friendly flooring, bamboo may be the best choice. It is the fastest-growing plant you can find. Since it has a much quicker rate of replenishment than hardwood, it makes for much more sustainable flooring.

Be Smart in The Kitchen

You can do so much for mother nature and your wallet by changing the ways you store, prepare, eat, and obtain your food.

Your refrigerator is a good place to start. If your fridge is in the sunlight, move it into the shade. It won’t have to work so hard to keep your food cool if you keep it away from the sun.

It’s also a good idea to replace very old kitchen appliances with Energy Star-rated models. According to energy.gov, an Energy Star-rated fridge uses 15% less energy than a model that’s not Energy Star-qualified.

Buying a new kitchen appliance is a big investment, but it is cost-efficient. You can rest assured it will pay off over time.

Ovens use a lot of energy, so try to use yours less often. For instance, using the oven to toast two slices of bread isn’t very efficient. A toaster will get the job done faster without wasting so much energy.

When you have to use the oven, always make sure the door is properly closed. Avoid opening the door just to check on your cake.

This can lead to a huge amount of heat loss, so it’s best to simply trust the instructions in your recipe. You can also replace your old oven with a halogen oven. It doesn’t need preheating.

There is a lot you can do to minimize food waste in the kitchen—from freezing meals and creating broths to turning an old loaf into breadcrumbs. You can repurpose food the same way our ancestors used to.

On top of having a recycling bin, it’s a good idea to get a compost bin. By composting kitchen scraps and food waste, you can ease costs associated with rubbish collection and reduce the amount of household waste in landfills.

It is easy to find a tidy, neat, and odor-free compost bin. You can plant your own herb garden if you are not sure what to do with the fertilizer. This is a great way to introduce spices and other healthy staples to your diet.

Take on Environmentally-Friendly DIY Projects

If you have enthusiasm for DIY projects, planting your own herbs can be just the start. Your garden and yard are the perfect places to learn new skills and build something with your own hands.

You can significantly reduce your carbon footprint by building the stuff you need using natural materials. For instance, you can learn how to lay a driveway or garden patio if you want to add curb appeal to your home.

As long as you get your materials from the right place, you can rest assured your new patio will be sustainable. You can gather old bricks for the project or salvaged and recycled stone.

Don’t order stone or stone veneer from questionable third-world manufacturers. It comes with a high environmental cost—greenhouse gas emissions resulting from transportation, illegal dumping, and polluted groundwater.

Natural stone is recyclable, durable, and very easy to maintain. You don’t need any other resources or materials to create the stone, and there’s no shortage of it, so it is an inherently sustainable material.

Permeable pavers are also an incredibly eco-friendly paving solution. Permeable pavers provide excellent drainage control. They reduce costs by eliminating the need for piping.

On top of being great for stormwater management, they can withstand heavy traffic and last for a very long time.

According to EPA’s blog, many local and state governments will allow you to take advantage of financial incentives if you opt for permeable pavement. Permeable pavement helps create green jobs, so you will be doing a favor to your local economy as well.

Planning a Winter Trip to Southern California

California is a snow bird’s dream destination, but getting there isn’t always possible. Still, if you have the opportunity to head to the Golden State this time around, then you’ll want to pay attention to these tips. You need to know more about California so that you experience the best the beautiful state has to offer.

Dealing With the Heat

California is sunny, so the first thing you should consider if you’re thinking of taking a trip is the potential heat. Make sure your AC is in good condition so that you’re always comfortable. Remember, Southern California is known for traffic, so it’s more than possible that you’ll be stuck in traffic for an hour just to get to your destination. Make sure you pack enough sunscreen and that your vehicle’s windows are shaded so that you can withstand all that sun. You’ll be happy you’ve taken these steps once you get there.

Getting Your Clothes Right

The next thing you want to consider is your clothes. You may be thinking you can come to this state with summer clothes, and comfortable wedges are perfect for the warmer California weather. California’s winters can be warm, so you’re mostly right, but that story changes at night. Some snowbirds make the mistake of thinking California doesn’t get cold at all. You don’t need a huge coat or anything, but you should still bring a jacket or sweater if you’re going to be out at night.

Opt for a Travel Guide

Southern California has a lot going on. It can feel overwhelming when you first get there. You won’t know where to begin since there’s so much to do, but a useful guide can lead you in the right direction. Sure, some people might have some must-go locations like the Hollywood sign or maybe In-N-Out Burger, but you’ll see so much more. There are some downloadable guides online that you can use, or you can hire a local guide to help you get the most out of your experience when you get to where you want to be.

Find Your Spot

If you’re going to be in Southern California, you need to face the fact that staying in a nice hotel will probably be expensive. If you’ve planned for this, that’s good. If you haven’t done so, then do so now. You can find cheap places to stay in most states, but this part of California is usually pretty expensive. Even some of the most subpar establishments are going to be pricey. It might be a good idea to consider alternatives if you don’t want to pay this much, like a home share or something similar.

Plan for Transportation

There’s a lot to see in this part of the state, and that means you’ll need to do a lot of traveling. It’s important to figure out how you’re going to get around. Those who are taking a road trip to the state don’t have to worry about this, but if you aren’t doing that, then there are other things to consider. You can buy a daily, weekly, or monthly Metro Pass that’ll allow you to ride trains and buses. You could also opt to rent a vehicle, but you should know that gas prices in California are exceptionally high, so choose a car that’s good on gas.

Hopefully, this guide makes this trip much more comfortable and enjoyable for you and anyone who comes along. You’re getting the chance to enjoy mild winters, and you’re doing it in style.

5 Health and Wellness Benefits of Swimming

Swimming is highly beneficial to both your body and mind. It’s a great addition to your workout regime. It not only helps you get an excellent full-body workout, but it’s also a great way to improve your mental health by clearing your mind.

Practical Swimming Tips

Don’t get into the swimming pool before warming up. Start by gliding a few minutes to get the blood flowing and your body ready for swimming.

Try and do some breathing practice after gliding. Breathing is what helps you achieve a perfect stroke.

Don’t just buy gear that looks good; buy practical ones that will help you. Wear a swimming cap to prevent the chlorine in pool water from making your scalp flake.

Get something to wear over your swimsuit; comfortable swim cover ups help you stay warm between sessions, encouraging further exercise.

Get a plastic box to put in your wet gear after swimming instead of a sports bag.

Ensure you always wipe your goggles before swimming since they can fog up.

Water-based Exercises to Help You Burn Calories

Walk-in water

This is a great exercise to start with since it helps you build resistance. It targets your arms, core, as well as your lower body. Adding hand or ankle weights help create more intensity.

Water arm lifts

This one helps with strengthening your arm muscles. You can add more resistance by using foam dumbbells.

Back wall glide

If you want to tighten your core and lower body muscles, this is the best workout. It helps you activate all the muscles in those areas.

Jumping jacks

Jumping jacks effectively work out your whole body, both your upper and lower body muscles. Wrist and ankle weights help increase more resistance.

High-knee lift extensions

These exercises may help with strengthening the muscles around your core, lower body, and legs. Ankle weights will effectively make the exercise more challenging.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Benefits of Swimming

Learning how to swim safely and become good at it has benefits beyond mental and physical fitness. You might even end up saving people’s lives. Here are some of the benefits of swimming.

You release endorphins while swimming

The endorphins are hormones we produce in our body that cause euphoria. Swimming will release them, and you’ll stay in a state of happiness for a long time. Swimming in the morning impacts your energy and boosts positive feelings.

Being in the water reduces stress levels

Our mental balance can seriously be affected by the adverse effects of stress. Swimming helps with relaxing your mind by reducing stress and anxiety. Swimming also increases your lung capacity, and therefore you can control your breathing. If you have asthma symptoms, they can be improved by the humid air found in indoor pools.

Improves blood flow

A study conducted in Australia suggests that immersing yourself in cold water increases blood flow. This is important for the body’s well-being since oxygen reaches all the body’s critical parts. In doing so, you provide energy and vitality.

Builds cardiovascular strength

Cardiovascular exercise involves the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Workout routines such as water-based exercises are involved in cardiovascular exercises. According to research, the mortality rate for swimmers is half that of inactive people. It can help lower your blood pressure and also manage blood sugar levels.

It helps people with disabilities

Physical disabilities like paraplegia can limit your workout options. When you’re swimming, the water gives you resistance and support, making swimming a suitable alternative. Your confidence can be boosted by swimming and hence also improving your social skills. It also helps people with some mental disabilities.

6 Quick Tips to Feel Comfortable Nursing Your Baby in Public

Nursing your baby is part of motherhood. However, we understand the challenge that breastfeeding can bring. More so if you have to do it in public.

For moms who haven’t done this before, it can seem like an intimidating thing to do. However, you don’t have to be afraid.

To make you feel more comfortable, here are six tips that will make it easier for you to nurse your baby in public.

Know and understand your rights

Breastfeeding is something that all moms should be able to do without issue if they can, but unfortunately, that is not the case. Therefore, it might be ideal to know and understand your rights as a breastfeeding mother. This includes what you can do should you nurse your kid in public.

All 50 states legally allow breastfeeding in public places. But there are other specificities with each state that you should look into first. If you’re a working mom, know that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does require your place of employment to have a separate nursing room for moms.

Know that you shouldn’t feel harassed, othered, or threatened because you are breastfeeding your child.

Practice at home

Before you start heading out and breastfeeding in public, you might want to try practicing it at home first. This step is significant for moms who feel scared or anxious about doing it in public for the first time.

Doing it in a place where you feel comfortable first can help you get a better idea of how you look, so do this in front of a mirror. You may discover that your baby will be covering your breast, which is why you’re not as exposed as you would think at first.

Once you get more comfortable, you can also try interacting with fellow breastfeeding moms at a cafe. Doing so can help reduce the anxiety you feel when breastfeeding in public.

Wear nursing-friendly clothes

Having nursing-friendly clothes is another excellent way to breastfeed in public with ease. Instead of raising a shirt or going through a lot of commotion to feed your baby, nursing-friendly clothes help make that step easier for you.

There are both tops and dresses that are nursing-friendly, so you can wear whatever you feel like wearing. There are all sorts of methods on how these clothes become nursing-friendly, so feel free to shop around first to see one you like.

Use a nursing cover

A nursing or breastfeeding cover helps give a lot of moms the privacy they need when they’re out and about and feed their babies. However, it’s not necessary at all as a part of your gear when it comes to raising your baby. It’s all a matter of personal preference.

You can even use multi-use nursing covers that will help give you a sense of privacy whenever you need it. When you don’t, it can be anything from a scarf to a shopping cart cover, and so on.

Find a comfortable nursing position

Your nursing position also has a lot to do with how comfortable you’re going to be when nursing your baby in public. Before you settle down and nurse your child, look for a place that has a backrest. That way, you can be relatively relaxed while still breastfeeding your baby.

Be confident and smile!

You have to be confident and self-assured on the outside when nursing your baby. Stand your ground because you have every right to feed your baby the nourishment they need. What you’re doing is perfectly normal, so you don’t have to worry so much about it.

Over to You

The quick and easy tips listed above should ease you into feeling comfortable nursing in public. The key is to know your rights, get some practice in, and invest in some nursing accessories to make everything seamless.

Next time, try these things out before you go in public with your baby so that you’ll become more and more comfortable about it.

The 4 Ways to Stressless, Better Living

Better living isn’t just a saying. It requires discipline and effort to make it happen. When it comes to your health, cutting corners should be the last thing that you do, but too often, we look for easy solutions and convenient fixes.

When we get busy, overwhelmed with things, whether at work or at home, the tendency is to find comfort in choosing convenience.

We choose quick meals over ones that may be healthier selections because they may take more time to prepare. We decide to binge shows rather than get enough sleep, making us more tired and stressed the next day.

We choose to skip the workout for the day because we just don’t have the energy.

It’s a pattern and a slippery slope that can lead to various coping mechanisms, some that may not be as healthy as we could be.

These actions we take when we’re feeling overwhelmed stem from our ability, or inability, to handle stress in our lives.

Stress can lead to several significant health ramifications from sleep disorders, impaired immune systems, upset digestive tracts, and more. In fact, prolonged stress can elevate your blood pressure and heart rate, leading causes to heart attacks and strokes.

In other words, you need to find ways to manage your stress to improve your quality of life.

For someone with a preexisting condition such as heart disease or diabetes, finding ways to minimize your stress is crucial to your overall health.

Anyone managing diabetes knows that heightened blood pressure puts unnecessary stress on an already taxed body, leading to more severe complications.

And anyone managing diabetes knows that you can still have a quality of life post-diagnosis. In addition to managing your blood sugars, getting enough sleep, as well as getting exercise, finding ways to minimize stress in your life is crucial.

Ways To Minimize Stress In Your Life

According to Rolling Paper, the dangers of stress in your life can be much more severe than we’ve previously understood. It’s crucial then to find ways to minimize the amount of stress we have in our lives and learn to manage what we can. By learning a coping mechanism, we’re improving the quality of our lives and that of those we love.

Here are four of the best ways to minimize and manage stress in your life.

Establish An Exercise Routine

Exercise is one of the best ways to release stress from the body and mind. Increasing your heart rate helps burn excess calories, improves cardiovascular function, enhances your immune system, heightens mood, assists with quality sleep, and invigorates mental function. According to Rolling Paper, the link between improved mental function and exercise is apparently due to increased heart rates facilitating anti-anxiety neurochemicals such as serotonin, GABA, and endocannabinoids. These obviously decrease stress, and regulate your mood so that you feel happier and calmer.

Eat Better

Whether you have specific nutritional needs or not, eating better is one way to decrease stress in our lives. Too often, when we feel run down and overwhelmed, we reach for the fastest, easiest foods. All too often, those comfort foods are loaded with sugars and other fillers, don’t offer much in the way of nutrition and stimulate us to act opposite of what we need for our bodies at the time.

Consider changing your diet to include pure ingredients, less processed foods, and if necessary, look to add supplements.

Be Mindful

The practice of being mindful is the idea of being in a relaxed state that is focused on the moment and nothing else. Findings show that even 15 minutes a day of meditative relaxation helps release tension in the body, lower blood pressure, improve our concentration and focus, and improve mood. Clean protein powders and those that are nutrient-rich.

Pamper Yourself

One tactic to minimize stress in your life should consider a little personal care. Pamper yourself to a day at the spa, get a massage, or visit the chiropractor and get your body right. The benefits of releasing stress from your mind and body will make you feel better, calmer, and happier, meaning you’ll have a better quality of life and be more fun to be around for your loved ones! Besides, who doesn’t deserve a little “me” time now and then?

We all feel overwhelmed at times. It’s a natural feeling. The key is to find ways to manage it before it can cause lasting health issues in our lives, impacting our bodies and minds. Taking a little time every day for self-care should be a priority in your life for better living.

4 Sleep Myths Debunked

A good night’s sleep is essential to continued good health, both physically and mentally.

While most people realize that not getting enough sleep is terrible for you and taking steps to ensure they get enough sleep, there are many misconceptions about sleep that most people don’t know about. Many of these myths can be dangerous to your health. Below you’ll find a few of the worst sleep myths, why they’re false, and how they are dangerous to your public health.

Myth 1: It’s Okay to Sleep Five or Fewer Hours a Night

The myth that it’s okay to sleep five or fewer hours a night is indeed false. While it won’t affect your health right away, sleeping for so little of a time consistently can have long-term effects on your health, both physically and mentally. Full-grown adults are supposed to get between 7 to 10 hours a night to stay healthy, depending on their age. However, the CDC has found that almost one-third of Americans sleep less than seven hours every night.

If you find that you’re not sleeping but five or fewer hours a night, you should try a sleep remedy such as melatonin gummies to help you get the rest you need in a natural way.

Myth 2: Being Able to Fall Asleep Anywhere is Healthy

Some people can sit down in a hard chair and fall asleep instantly or sleep whenever they decide. Many people feel that if they can do this, it’s healthy. The fact is that being able to fall asleep no matter where you are or at any time isn’t healthy for you. This is usually a sign of sleep deprivation. It can lead to many issues, such as having trouble concentrating, being irritable, causing an accident when you’re driving because you’re drowsy, and increasing the risk of developing diabetes.

If you feel that you’re always tired yet can sleep anytime, anywhere, it’s time to make an appointment with your primary care provider to find out what is causing your sleep issues. Hopefully, that will put you on the road to a restful night.

Myth 3: Snoring is harmless

Everyone snores now and then, after a long hard week or one too many drinks. But it’s not normal if it’s happening all the time.

While snoring itself can’t harm you, but it is annoying for your spouse, the snoring could be a sign of sleep apnea, which can hurt you. That is a severe sleep disorder that your doctor should check out right away. At the moment, there are over 22 million Americans that suffer from this condition.

When you have sleep apnea, you wake up constantly due to your snoring and being unable to breathe, so no matter what time you went to bed, you’re not sleeping and will continuously wake up exhausted. If you find that your snoring is waking you up every night and annoying your family, then you need to contact your primary care provider for an appointment to see if you have sleep apnea.

Myth 4: A Drink Before Bed Helps You to Sleep Better

It’s a well-known fact that though drinking will knock you out, the alcohol disrupts your sleep patterns. Often you will wake up feeling groggy and hung over the next morning. Also, if you already have sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or insomnia, drinking can heighten those problems, making them worse. You’re better off taking melatonin or drinking a glass of warm milk before bed and leaving the alcohol alone.

These are just a few of the myths out there about sleep that need to be dispelled. If you have problems sleeping, it’s best to contact your doctor to see if there is an underlying cause for your issue that needs to be treated.

Exploring the Viability of CBD for Muscle Recovery

With everyone from former pro athletes to record-breaking Olympian Michael Phelps openly crediting cannabidiol (CBD) for keeping them in peak condition, many casual sportsmen and women are wondering whether CBD is all hype or the real deal. As a non-psychoactive cannabis compound, CBD is often associated with the cannabis plant itself — and by extension its implied side effects on motor skills, coordination and focus. So why all the buzz from top-level athletes?

In order to extricate CBD from negative generalizations associated with cannabis and its primary cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), it’s important to note that CBD isn’t just sourced from the cannabis plant. In fact, because cannabis is still technically illegal at the federal level, most CBD products are isolates processed from other sources, such as hemp or orange peels.

It’s also worth noting that THC and CBD interact with entirely different sets of receptors in the brain, due to key differences in their molecular arrangement. Understanding these differences is key to their distinction in psychoactivity.

How does CBD help athletes?

In a nutshell, CBD exerts modulatory effects upon an endogenous network of neurotransmitter receptors throughout the body, known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

By regulating the uptake of specific neurotransmitters and hormones into the brain — such as cortisol, gamma aminobutyric acid and prostaglandins — CBD can have significant effects on common physiological disorders in athletes, such as chronic pain, inflammation and spasms.

Whether it’s in the form of a tincture or a freeze roller, CBD has become a defining factor in contemporary sports medicine. In this post, we examine three crucial roles CBD can play in muscle recovery to aid athletes oriented toward a wide variety of different sports. Just remember, if you are considering using any CBD products then it is strongly recommended that you do plenty of research first. For example, although on the whole, CBD is safe for most people to use in moderation, there are some potential side effects to be aware of. You can read more about these potential side effects on the Royal CBD website here: https://royalcbd.com/cbd-oil-side-effects/

CBD as an Analgesic for Muscle Soreness, Tears & Other Injuries

Weightlifters, bodybuilders and wrestlers are good examples of athletes who commonly come down with muscle soreness, a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or medial collateral ligament (MCL), or even stress fractures on the weight-bearing bones in the lower leg and foot. During the recovery periods between intense training camps, it’s critical to be free from constant pain — just as it is to keep a sound diet at the macronutrient level.

There’s plenty of evidence in scientific literature highlighting CBD’s viability as a supplement for managing pain from sports injuries. Its analgesic and muscle relaxant properties make it a natural addition to massage oils and recovery balms as well.

CBD as a Spasmolytic for Cramps & Post-Workout Spasms

Athletes in fast-paced, high volume sports such as sprinting, hurdling, parkour or competitive box jumping are by far the most prone to what are called post-workout twitches, cramps or spasms. These are characterized by either involuntary convulsions of one or more major muscle groups, or crucial muscle groups (such as the calf or shoulder muscles) being effectively rendered into blocks of cement.

CBD has been shown to provide significant relief from muscle spasms and cramps, as well as psychophysiological disorders like restless leg syndrome (RLS). In fact, CBD has even been used to ameliorate seizure-like symptoms of epileptic conditions, like Dravet syndrome.

CBD as a Natural Alternative to Lab-Synthesized NSAIDs

Throughout the 20th century, athletes competing in contact sports like Judo or Muay Thai as well as those suffering intermittent onsets of acute inflammatory conditions (such as tennis elbow) were commonly prescribed dangerous opioids and steroids to reduce the swelling from sports injuries. Today, they are prescribed what are known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.

While NSAIDs are known to produce undesirable side effects including severe allergic reactions, diarrhea and stomach ulcers, CBD’s ability to control inflammation comes with the added benefit of it being a naturally occurring plant compound. As such, it produces virtually no side effects within the bounds of recommended dosage ranges.

Because of its range of medicinal and therapeutic potential — as well as its product variety and accessibility nationwide — CBD has accrued the endorsements of countless athletes and performers, becoming a central element of sports medicine as a whole.

Eliminate Stress and Improve the Quality of Your Life

If you’re looking to improve your life quality, there are a few actions you can take that come to mind.

Understand that life quality isn’t just the things we have control over. Some of what impacts us can also be an external force or motivator, and they each have different impacts on us.

For example, stress from a job, especially when you have to take on some leadership roles and tackle tricky situations and make difficult decisions, can lead to external pressures.

Perhaps you have to downsize or fire a team member and are afraid to take that action, or maybe you fret over the decisions you make, knowing that an error in judgment can impact the lives of all the members of your organization.

Look, we’re all human. It’s impossible to be in a position of having to make a difficult decision and not have some level of stress.

The key is to understand its damage and what we can do about it.

Whatever it is that you stress about, the reality is that stress can have significant impacts on our wellbeing.

So what can be done to minimize the stress in our lives and make us more effective in our roles and responsibilities?

Three words. Diet, exercise, and sleep.

The Benefits Of Diet, Exercise, And Sleep

Understand first that there are different types of stress, and they each do other things to our bodies and minds.

The first type of stress is the most obvious, which is harmful and is called distress. Over time, negative stress can weaken the immune system, impair brain function, and contribute to significant health issues making this form of stress a primary need for us to focus on changing.

This type of effect can manifest itself in insecurity, anxiety, fear of the unknown, job loss or performance, the tragic loss of a loved one, and many other ways.

Eustress, or positive stress, is the lesser-known and felt stress type. Positive stress can be an action that inspires, motivates, challenges, and strengthens us. Examples of positive stress are marriages, pregnancy, job promotions, recognition of achievements, and many others.

The most damaging of these two stressors is the negative form, and that is what we need to focus on eliminating as much as possible from our lives.

Diet

The saying, “we are what we eat” is as true today as it was when it was first coined.

Our bodies need high-quality proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins to survive.

Protein is the building block of all life, and high-quality proteins strengthen bones and muscles and provide large sources of energy.

Carbohydrates provide fuel in both short bursts and sustained energy and offer a large amount of fiber in the diet, which aids with digestion and weight control.

Fats, especially good fats that are found in fish, lean proteins, olive oils, and avocados, are the way your body sustains energy over a long period, aids in brain function, as well as nerve conduction.

The best time of the day to eat and eat well is breakfast. Studies show that people who have a balanced breakfast show improved mental function, have improved energy, and are typically healthier than those that skip this meal.

A good strategy is to start your day with a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fruit. Eggs with bacon and avocado, a cereal made from whole grains like oatmeal, and fruit are great suggestions.

Exercise

Not everyone is a workout wonk. I get it.

But exercise does have some significant benefits for the body.

In fact, daily exercise for 30-minutes a day is thought to increase life expectancy and longevity. Additional benefits are improved cardiovascular health, muscle development and bone density, weight control, improved immune system, increased stamina, better energy levels, more profound and more prolonged sleep, and elevated moods.

Sleep

Of the three areas we need to focus on for a better quality of life, sleep is often the one we sacrifice first and the easiest. Why is it that we can be exhausted and skip an hour of sleep and think we’ll be better off for it?

Sleep serves as the way for the body and mind to heal and recuperate, aids in digestion, and reduces stress.

That’s right. We need rest to reduce our stress. If you’re in any leadership position, you probably are already under a lot of stress, so finding mechanisms to sleep better longer is critical for your well-being.

Professional Athletes Who Switched Their Diet and Became Vegan

There are many health benefits that come from ditching dairy, eggs, and meat such as decreased blood pressure, cholesterol, and risk of heart disease. In fact, a recent study proved that a plant-based vegan diet can help people manage their weight and blood sugar levels even for those ones with type 2 diabetes.

When it comes to sports athletes, we all want to look up to them especially when we are talking about diets. All of them look very healthy, which is only achievable by balancing your food.

In today’s article, we will focus on athletes that are at the top of their game and transformed into a vegan lifestyle.

Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1)

The record-breaking Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton adapted to a vegan lifestyle back in 2017.

Hamilton is in the top 10 highest-paid athletes in the world, and thanks to its sponsorships his net worth are estimated at around $285 million.

Hamilton is also an eco-activist and he is interested in all the things that might bring benefit to the world. For his recent transformation to a vegan diet, he said “As the human race, what we are doing to the world… the pollution coming from the number of cows that are being produced is incredible. They say it is more that we produce with our flights and our cars.”

Venus Williams – Tennis

Venus Williams is a famous American tennis player who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles as well as 14 Grand Slam Doubles. Her net worth is estimated at around $95 million which puts her as the second highest-earning female tennis player of all time, just behind her sister Serena.

Williams adopted a raw vegan diet just after she was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome which is an autoimmune disease 10 years ago. Doctors advised her that this diet change will relieve some of her symptoms.

Williams said that the raw vegan diet helped her maintain the same performance on the court. She also said that she feels amazing, and this diet change improved her mood and acted as an energy boost.

Colin Kaepernick – Football

Colin is a former professional NFL player who played a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers for five years.

Apart from his skills, he also became an internet star for his signature move by going down on one knee for the United States national anthem.

He spoke about veganism on many occasions in the past, but he never said that publicly about himself until 2018 when he tweeted an image of his buffed body with the hashtag #NotBadForAVegan.

Kyrie Irving – Basketball

Kyrie is one of the most recognizable names in basketball. The 28-year-old has achieved many things in his career including winning the NBA championship with Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2016, and his countless NBA all-star appearances. He is also often mentioned in the NBA trade rumors: https://edge.twinspires.com/nba/trade-rumors/

However, few would guess that years ago he decided to switch to a vegan diet only after watching a Netflix documentary called “What The Health”.

After that, we don’t have much information about his eating habits, nor vegan statements from him. All we know is that he feels amazing and he definitely shows that on the court.

Jermain Defoe – Soccer

Not too long ago, Defoe was the seventh-best goal scorer in Premier League history, scoring more than 160 goals up to date. He currently plays for Bournemouth FC and the England national team at the striker positions.

With his current contract, he earns $84,000 per week, and his net worth is estimated at around $20 million.

He told the Guarding that he made some drastic changes in his diet giving up meat, dairy, and eggs. He also said that the transformation wasn’t hard for him just because he knows the feeling that he gets from scoring goals.

In other words, the diet will help him score more goals, which as he claims, is the best feeling in the world.