Why Going Gluten-Free May Be the Right Choice for You

It’s no secret that what we eat has a profound impact on how we feel, both physically and emotionally. The proverb “you are what you eat” didn’t stick by accident, after all. Unfortunately, not many heed this pearl of wisdom.

The problem is that people typically don’t pay all that much attention to their food and how it affects them on a daily basis. Many simply accept the symptoms of a diet that disagrees with them as a part of life, rather than try to deal with the issues that cause them.

On the bright side, there does seem to be increased awareness of the importance of a healthy nutrition plan. Gluten-free diets have been on the rise in popularity for quite some time now: just a few years ago, about one in hundred Americans reported ditching gluten.

While the reasons for this dietary decision may vary, there is one important factor for opting to go gluten-free. And this factor may be even more relevant than people think: celiac disease.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by eating anything that contains gluten. In layman’s terms, the body reacts very aggressively to gluten, and the immune system goes into overdrive, attacking the small intestine.

Celiac disease is connected to a whole host of symptoms, and how one reacts to it varies greatly from one person to the next. Some may experience mildly annoying symptoms, while others might face debilitating difficulties.

There are up to 200 symptoms related to celiac disease, so we won’t list them all here. But we will give you the most common ones, maybe even some you’re currently suffering from. These include:

  • Stomach pain

  • Bloatedness

  • “Foggy mind” (inability to think clearly and focus in general)

  • Fatigue

  • Bone or joint pain

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Migraines

  • Numbness, tingling or pain in the extremities

On their own, these symptoms sound bad enough, but sadly it gets worse. Namely, few people know they have the disease. It’s estimated that only around 17 percent of Americans get diagnosed with celiac disease, leaving the vast majority of sufferers in the dark of their true condition.

One of the main reasons why so many people remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed is because it’s difficult to determine with absolute certainty that a person is afflicted with celiac disease. Since it manifests in so many different ways, it can be easily mistaken for other disorders, and someone suffering from its symptoms may not necessarily have it.

Though celiac disease remains one of the largest concerns of gluten-related health problems, there are other disorders to be on the lookout for. Wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity can also be troublesome to live with. It’s true that these are typically milder, but they need to be addressed nevertheless.

A lot of folks suffer from these kinds of disorders but aren’t aware of it, and a gluten-free nutrition plan can be just what they need to turn a new leaf healthwise. In order for you to learn more about the benefits of gluten-free diets, MedAlertHelp has crafted this great infographic on the topic.

Virtually everything you need about the perks of a glutenless diet is in this gluten guide, and it doesn’t hold back on the stats. But don’t let that scare you, the graph is designed in a way that makes reading and remembering the numbers really easy. It takes out all the unnecessary elements and arranges them in easy-to-digest info chunks.

Better You: Clean Thoughts, Organic Food and Natural Living

No matter how glad we are to admit it, we all aim to live a better and healthier life. Wherever you look, you’ll see tips and advice on how to be your better self, but most of this advice is based on completely wrong information. In the end, this can make you feel like nothing you do is good enough, or that living healthy is more complicated than it actually is. It all comes down to the three most important components: positive thinking, healthy ingredients, and living the most natural life you can. When combined, these components can make you the healthiest and happiest person you’ve always wanted to be.

1. Be open with yourself

Clean thoughts start with you being open and honest with yourself. For too long, you’ve spent time hating or criticizing yourself for things that you simply weren’t strong enough to change or for something that wasn’t even your fault. This kind of harmful behavior ends today. It ends with the realization that you’re only human, and that we all make mistakes. What’s important is how we deal with these mistakes.

Admit to yourself everything that’s been bothering you, but don’t just assign blame. Understand why you are like you are and start working towards a solution. The things you can’t change should be accepted, as there is really no wrong way to be human.

Look yourself in the mirror and find all the things you like about yourself. Make yourself see that you are strong, confident and that you’re able to do everything you set your mind to. It’s going to be hard in the beginning, but with baby steps, you will have de-cluttered your mind of all negative thoughts. Another method that may help is meditation, as it has the power to surface your most buried thoughts and emotions. You can start working on them only when you’re aware of the problems.

2. Consider growing your own food

Proper nutrition is essential, but alas, you can’t really trust markets anymore. Most fruits and veggies are infused with chemicals to make them last longer and look more appealing. This just makes them less edible and more harmful for your body, though. The organic food they claim to have can end up being too expensive, but also prove not to be organic at all in some cases.

There is one simple solution to this problem: start your own garden. This way you’ll know exactly what you’re eating, it will be 100% organic, and you’ll be more eco-friendly. You can start small and then expand your garden as you get ahold of it. If you don’t have a yard, you can try growing it on the roof of your building, or even on your balcony. You’ll get to decide what veggies go in your garden and grow only the amount you’ll actually eat. This means you won’t be wasting any food or supporting the hungry and greedy food industry.

Your family will also be much healthier if they’re eating homegrown goods. Growing children will benefit from this the most. In the end, by starting your own veggie garden, you’ll be taking care of everything from health to nature. This is bound to make you more mentally stable and happier, too.

3. Exercise as part of your day

A proper diet means almost nothing without the right exercise regime to accompany it. By incorporating exercise to your daily routine, you’re also teaching your body to process stress better. What’s more, your upping the production of serotonin and dopamine, contributing to a better mood. All of this helps you stay positive and look at the bright side of life.

When there are no frustrations to hinder your mood, it’s much easier to stay relaxed and have a positive outlook on life. Suddenly, no problem will seem too big and no obstacle too great. You should have intense workout sessions three to four times a week, and do light exercise the rest of the time. This way you’ll keep your body moving, also keeping it fit and healthy.

Of course, you don’t want to overwork yourself. This is why it might be a good idea to introduce post workout proteins to your diet. The supplement can be easily added to your post-workout smoothie, thus feeding your muscles some extra strength. This may help your body heal faster and ease muscle straining.

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4. Change up your skincare routine

Caring for your skin is essential for a healthy body and mind. By taking care of it, you’re also practicing being kind to yourself and appreciating your body. You’ll also slow down excessive breakouts and will have much softer and more radiant skin. Now, with the media having the main word, you may be tempted to buy expensive products you see all over ads and stores. In truth, those products are full of chemicals, regardless of how natural they claim to be.

They may give temporary results, but soon, you’ll need more and more product to get the same results. They end up ruining your skin in the long run. This is why you should turn to all natural face and hair masks, as well as body scrubs. Make them yourself.

All you’ll need are a few ingredients you can find at home, such as honey and eggs. You can choose to create more elaborate masks and scrubs, or simpler ones, depending on what you aim to achieve with them. From detox to exfoliation to moisturizing, trust nature to take care of your skin and keep it vital and young.

Conclusion

Who said that you have to bend over backward just to be the better you? Good communication with yourself is essential, but so is kindness and turning yourself to nature. The modern world is full of toxins, be it in your food or environment, and with these tips, you’ll be sure to detox properly. Nurturing positive feelings and thoughts about yourself and the environment you live in will surely prove effective in making your life that much better.

Creating a Calm Space: Several Ways to Go Green in Your Bedroom

When it comes to creating an eco-friendly home, most people first think about waste management and installing separate bins in the kitchen. The bedroom is actually the last room in the house that anyone would think can be made green. In fact, many people take the concept too literally and just paint the bedroom green, which is a hilarious move. There are so many methods that you can use to turn the bedroom into an oasis of peace that is ecologically friendly. In the long run, this will ensure you sleep soundly and that your physical and mental health is not disturbed in any way. A calm sleeping space has never been closer.

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The bed area

You needn’t guess twice which piece of furniture is at the center of any bedroom. The bed is also the place where the change in your room will start. It is all about the material it’s made from, so a wooden frame should be the standard. The type of wood can even be bamboo, while you should look for companies that do not contribute to deforestation. They are responsible in the way that for each tree they cut down, they plant another one, so you know your bed did not destroy the environment in an irreversible way.

Speaking of the materials other parts of the bed are made from, latex is an excellent solution for your bed as it is renewable and it doesn’t impact the environment as other materials. In general, any modern material used for making the bed is acceptable as the manufacturers took care of the environment while making it. That is why memory foam mattresses are suitable both for nature and your body support while sleeping.

Second-hand furniture

Apart from the bed, there are bound to be other pieces of furniture inside your bedroom, like chairs, night tables or wardrobes. We are speaking about a lot of wood and you can’t always count on sustainable timber sources.  One way to protect the forests is to buy used furniture that is in good shape. Many people do this as excellent second-hand furniture is easy to find both are specialized stores and in online ads. Most of it is in pretty decent shape, so after some polishing, it will look as good as new.

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The lighting

The light bulb is the part of every room’s décor that people tend to skip while redecorating the room. They simply forget that the ceiling is the place where they can save a lot of energy by replacing the old incandescent bulbs. They are so inefficient that 95% of the energy they receive is used for emitting heat and only 5% for light. The energy-saving LED lights that are commonly used as replacements use different math, wasting only 5% of energy for heat and the rest for light. Furthermore, if you have a solid light source above your head, you won’t need any additional lamps around the bed or on the desk, so that’s another save of energy. Remember, minimalism goes well with eco-friendliness.

Introducing plants

You are fighting the battle to protect the lungs of the world by conscientious shopping but have you ever considered creating a forest of your own inside the bedroom? You need fresh air when you sleep and a small garden is better than an open window in winter. Instead of freezing under the sheets for the sake of fresh air, you can bring in some potted plants inside. Plants will do their thing (called photosynthesis) and pump in oxygen straight into the bedroom. Just make sure they have enough nutrients and that they are near a light source like the window. Depending on the type of houseplants you decide to introduce, they are going to be watered regularly. The best method for this is the use of a durable water spray gun that will disperse the water evenly around the entire pot, so the plant’s root system soaks it up gradually.

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The walls and the floors

We might have been joshing about the color of the bedroom in the introduction but in reality, it is not all the same which color you use on the walls of the bedroom. We are not referring to the hue that much but rather to the chemical composition of the paint. There are many colors that have a high content of toxic chemicals that destroy the environment and your health. Try to avoid these by buying colors that are made from natural ingredients.

Pretty much the same goes for the floors. If you have a wooden floor in your bedroom, like parquet, then use epoxies and other chemicals that do not harm the environment. It might seem silly to take care of such unimportant matters but any toxic chemicals that get used in the house eventually find their way into the environment. That is why you have to prevent your house from becoming a source of such poisoning of nature outside. In addition, the therapeutical effects of eco-friendly material can be a real rehab for depression.

The smell of eco-friendliness

Unless you plant flowers in your provisional bedroom garden, your bedroom is going to require some pleasant scents inside. People recklessly buy those aerosols canisters that they use to spray the room with but these are highly detrimental for the environment. Instead of piling up tin cans that add to house waste as well, use essential oils to create the ideal atmosphere for sleeping. Lavender, chamomile, and even lemon oil are all ideal substances to freshen up the room without harming the environment. The best thing is that essential oils are cost-effective because their dosage is a single drop which is enough to make the entire room smell nice.

As you have seen from the methods listed above, your bedroom could be transformed into a hub of positive vibes that will not only help you fall asleep but protect the environment as well. You don’t need to spend a whole bunch of green bills to go green in your house.

Techniques to Combat Stress & Anxiety at Work

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Stress and anxiety at work is a common phenomenon and it has been observed that 75% of the employees are slowing down on their performance because of this. To combat against stress and anxiety the first thing one should be doing is to initiate a personal wellness plan. Here are some of the techniques anyone can try and practice to reduce stress at the workplace:

1. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is one of the most effective techniques for fighting against anxiety. This technique helps you to acknowledge all of your worries that knocks your attention and let them go. It allows you to get in touch with your emotions and recognize how you feel.

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a goal-oriented treatment that helps to change the patterns of behavior or the way people thinks. It makes them feel better, by overcoming the complexities. If you are suffering from stress and anxiety, start practicing CBT at your home or under the supervision of a therapist.

3. Be Your Own Advisor

Don’t be hard on yourself, while comparing with others. In our daily life, everyone has to face difficulties from different perspectives. Whatever the situation is, advise yourself as like you would advise any of your friend or child rather than putting yourself down. This approach influences one from getting frustrated for anxiety.

4. Immerse with the Environment

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Shifting concentration to your surroundings can enable you to increase some point of view by moving your field of vision. This is a great approach to advise yourself that you are a responsible person and there is an entire world other than what’s happening inside your head.

5. Set Aside Worry Time

Every now and then stress can cause discomfort and anxiety and keep us away from doing things that we are supposed to do. At the point when this occurs, write down the reason why you are feeling stressed and try to get back to it later. When you get the chance to do so, you will find a lot more reasons behind why you were stressed and those will not be an issue any longer.

6. Ask Your Thoughts

Anxiety can make our thoughts to get scattered and go out of control. When you discover that the same thing is happening inside of you, just stop thinking by asking yourself some questions like “Is this stress reasonable?” or “What could be the worst impact of this?”.

7. Keeping Record

Maintain a notebook to list down the situations which make you feel most anxious and how you respond to them. Track your thoughts and feelings and how you react as a result; this can help you to understand your patience, triggers of anger and responses.

8. Taking Breaks

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Ensure you plan your day to empower yourself by taking brief breaks to take a quick walk. Stepping away from your workstation for some time to energize will help to manage stress and increase productivity.

9. Breathing Deeply

Get relaxed for a few minutes to focus on breathing deeply by slowly inhaling and exhaling. This can help loosen up your body and discharge stress and worries. Concentrate simply on breathing and don’t enable your brain to be freaking out.

10. Relaxing Your Muscles

Stress can create impacts on our body muscles. So, we need to understand how to relax to keep our body well. One method is to tense a gathering of muscles as you take in air through breathing and loosen up them as you breath out. With training, this strategy can help alleviate stress and anxiety.

Love yourself and keep in mind that stress and anxiety are nothing but the negative outcomes which only drags you from behind. You must have to go ahead ignoring the stress and anxiety following the mentioned tips.

Are you a wellness champion at your workplace?  Would like to find out how a corporate wellness app can help relieve stress and take your team’s health to the next level, contact CircleCare. CircleCare provides companies with a platform and tools to motivate their employees via positive reinforcements and rewards to establish and maintain healthy lifestyle choices.

Improve Intuition Through Meditation

Intuition – Or you may want to call it a sixth sense, instinct, gut feeling or inner guidance. It is a part of every being. It is to guide, protect, and to develop. You can push this intuition to confirm that the society says. The great thing is to cultivate something and to, unfortunately, lose the touch. Though it is a part of every existence, most often, we tend to ignore it due to the logical thinking overpowering our instinct. Many times, the outer noise (here the outer noise refers to views, opinions and freely available advice of others) is so loud, that our inner guidance cannot find its way.

I have been a meditation practitioner for the last eight years. In addition to popularly known benefits of meditation, such physical and mental wellness, controlling thoughts and emotions, calming down the mind, healing and many more; I found that it helps in developing intuition as well. That means you CAN listen to your inner guidance despite the louder sound of the outer world.

Talking in scientific terms, we experience different states of consciousness. Beta is a consciousness level (the awake state, we spend most of our time in this state of consciousness) alpha is awareness, Delta is a transcendental experience and theta is meditative trance. Among these mental states, the alpha state helps you memorize, learn, interact, and read the emotions, thoughts, and yourself. This state of consciousness also relates to meditation. By practicing meditation one can control the alpha state, and thus control intuitive process.

Let’s see, how different meditation practices help us in developing our intuitive sense.

Third Eye Meditation

The 3rdeye or the 6th chakra is between the eyebrows and is in the brain centermost area. This is the pineal gland location. This is associated with clairvoyance and intuition. Many scientists and successful people owe their success to meditation practice.

How to Practice Third eye Meditation

Choose a safe, quiet and dark place. Lie down or sit in a comfortable position and focus on breathing. There is no need to alter your breathing pattern, let it happen naturally. Putting your awareness on the forehead, between your eyes, you can direct your consciousness such that you can keep your eyes closed. In case you find the mind wandering, just gently bring back your attention to the 3rd eye. In the beginning, it’s ok to do it just for 2-5 minutes and gradually you can increase the duration.

Trataka

Trataka is the candle meditation.

  • Light in front of the candle and gaze the flame. Keep a steady gaze and do not try to blink your eyes.
  • In case your eyes water, focus the image on the 3rd eye center so that your eyes look inward and upward. Once you do not see the candle image with closed eyes, you may gaze at the candle.

Indigo Meditation

You may visualize the Indigo color as violet or deep blue at the pineal gland beginning and expand it past your head. The chakra expands past the physical body. You can imagine the head radiating light and with every breath out, you can visualize the light as bigger as it fills the entire body.

You may deeply inhale and with every exhale expand and push the indigo light past your physical body, allow growing until it fills the entire room, whole house and your entire neighborhood, country, city, continent, globe and the universe reaching your imagination.

These are some easy methods to practice meditation to develop intuition. If you are still unable to let go of your thoughts and relax, try practicing with the help of guided meditation. Simply follow the instruction given in audio to relax your mind. After practicing for a few days, you will be able to control your wandering mind.

Intuition may be felt in the gut. If you had a “gut” feeling turning out to be correct, start to feel into your body. Breathe to get aligned and centered. In case you have questions about anything, you require guidance or answers; you may ask your body. Your body is wise and intuitive, it can feel your logical mind, and things cannot have a grasp.

Whether you need guidance for choosing your life partner, need career advice or need to overcome any confusion at any stage of life, your Intuition can be your most trusted adviser, guide or a best friend. You will never regret trusting your gut feeling.

About the author

This is a Guest Post by Jais. She is a meditation practitioner, a multi-passionate entrepreneur, creative-writer, Fitness enthusiastic confident, Nature Lover, Animal Lover, an observer, a traveler on the path to self-discovery. Focused on Raising Happiness level and simplifying life. Love to Live. Live to Love. She blogs at http://www.getsethappy.com

The Green Kitchen: Can it Exist?

It sounds like the name of a quirky restaurant, but today’s article is about anything but this topic. Instead, it’s about green in the eco-sense of the word, and just how you can implement these principles into your kitchen.

Sound interesting? Let’s take a look at some of the best ways you can introduce this to your home.

There’s a reason behind the energy efficiency ratings

On first glance, it might sound like marketing spiel. However, if one were to conduct research on the modern appliances, it would soon become clear that they save significant amounts of energy in comparison to those which are years old.

It means that if you haven’t got such a device, try and opt for an A+++ version (that’s right, these do exist). Or, if yours is somewhat neglected, consider looking at reputable services such as Service Force tumble dryer repairs to help you out.

The beauty of the modern-day microwave

Staying on the subject of appliances, let’s turn our attention to a slightly smaller one. Sure, microwaves might get something of a bad name courtesy of the quick meals that you can conjure up in there, but from a green perspective, they are a Godsend.

It’s understood that your energy usage can drop by 80% if you use a microwave as against cooking in the oven and suffice to say, this is a number worth taking note of.

Your cooking techniques matter as well

Of course, it’s not all about splashing vast sums of money on the latest and greatest devices. Sometimes, staying green might just relate to your own cooking techniques.

For example, the next time you boil water on the hob, consider placing a lid on the pan. This might seem like a small course of action, but by covering this pan you are keeping the heat in it. The result? Your energy usage will drop considerably as the pan won’t be losing any of its heat.

The perils of non-stick pans

For some of us, non-stick pans have been an absolute savior. After all, the days of that fried egg sticking to your pan are long gone.

Unfortunately, this comes at a price. Studies have been conducted which show that when these products are produced, a substance called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is produced. This is something that can’t break down, meaning that it stays in the air indefinitely. With further research showing that this is likely to be a human carcinogen, try and turn to metal pans the next time you deck out your kitchen.

Cleaning products are even affected

Finally, let’s end proceedings on cleaning products. A lot of people don’t realize that most of the standard products are full of all sorts of chemicals, most of which are toxic and don’t degrade. It means that simply cleaning your kitchen can do great damage to your kitchen.

Fortunately, help is at hand. It’s now possible to buy biodegradable products, some which might be made of plants, so it’s much better for the environment.

Setting Healthy New Year’s Resolutions for Children

Are your children familiar with the concept of New Year’s resolutions? If not, explain to them that those are goals they would try to reach during the upcoming year and that they would have to invest some effort into doing it. However, tell them that the effort doesn’t have to be theirs alone and that you will always support them. And finally, through examples, make them aware that those resolutions should be healthy and useful ones. Here are some that fall under that category.

Be kinder to your planet

When it comes to preserving the environment, pointing your children in the right direction from their earliest age is essential. Let one of their resolutions be to do something positive for our planet every day. For example, teach them to always separate trash, so that everything that can be actually gets recycled. Plant a tree in your backyard together or create a vertical garden on your balcony with some fruit, vegetables or herbs. They could decide never to litter and to pick up whatever trash they can from the green areas around them, as long as their hands are protected. And finally, explain that this is a resolution they need to stick to not just this year, but for as long as they live.

Challenge general opinions

If you want your children to grow into intelligent and responsible people, they need to detach themselves from everybody else’s opinions and start forming their own. For instance, just because a toy comes in a pink box, it doesn’t mean it’s for girls only and that cars are only for boys. Also, the fact that a TV commercial says your child can’t do without something doesn’t mean they actually need it. Therefore, a good New Year’s resolution would be that your kids give valid arguments for anything they want or they think they need. For instance, if they want a jacket with their favorite cartoon character on it, a good argument would be that their old one is too small or worn out. If they only want it because everybody else is wearing it, tell them that’s an invalid argument and that the jacket they already have is perfectly fine. Teaching them to think critically can improve their academic success and provide them with a more realistic perspective of the world.

Choose healthier food

As far as wellness goes, the most important decisions you and your child can make involve healthy food and physical activity, which is why some of their resolutions should be about better food choices. Start with investing in a premium Bosch refrigerator and loading it with fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthy food options. This is important since the way you store your food determines how long it maintains its quality and taste. Once your child is surrounded by healthy food, instead of salty and sugary snacks, set some smart and fun resolutions. One of them could be that your child tries a new fruit or vegetable every week, or that you switch from supermarket granola bars to the ones you make together at home. Other resolutions might include drinking water or home-made smoothies and lemonade instead of bottled sodas, a bowl of fruit salad instead of cookies for their afternoon snack and using honey instead of white sugar for sweetening their tea or cereals.

Be more active

No child should sit and stare at any screen for hours a day. So, instead of spending time watching TV and playing computer games, have your child set a resolution to spend some time every afternoon playing outside. If their friends are busy, make it a family affair and play dodgeball or Twister in your backyard. Furthermore, clever resolutions would include trying a new sport and sticking to it for at least six months, cutting down on screen time and taking their pet for a walk for an hour every day. These healthy resolutions can help your child develop better, lose any excess weight and even boost their metabolism and immune system.

Be friendlier to others

Developing empathy in your children should start before they even know what the word means. There are many resolutions they can set to support this. For instance, once or twice a year they can donate their old clothes and toys to an orphanage or a children’s shelter. Your children can promise to do or say a nice thing to one of their neighbors or their schoolmates every day. These things can be small, like complimenting them on their behavior, a project well-done or even lending a hand to somebody who has fallen in the schoolyard, instead of laughing at them. They could help carry their neighbor’s groceries or volunteer with you in a local hospital or a retirement home. The point is that they try to gain better insight and understanding of people around them, which can build your kids’ character.

This year help your children set New Year’s resolution that will improve the quality of life for them and your whole family. And since it’s your job to always be there for your kids, help them go through with all of their good decisions throughout the next year and longer.

About the author:

Tracey Clayton is a full-time mom of three girls. She’s passionate about fashion, home décor, and healthy living. Her motto is: “Live the life you love, love the life you live.”

Ways of Providing a Safe and Healthy Environment for Your Child

Becoming a parent means making it your lifelong mission to keep your children as safe, healthy, and happy as possible. You’ll turn your home into a safe haven, choose the best schools and teachers, as well as take any action you can to ensure they’re safe physically and emotionally. However, if you want to achieve all this, you have to know how. Here are some ways for you to provide an environment in which your little one can grow into a happy and healthy individual.

The way we treat people

The first thing your nestling will know about this world is your smell, your touch, and your voice. Similarly, their earliest development will be greatly influenced by your behavior and the way you treat them and other people in your life. Make sure you nurture a stable and loving relationship with them, that you teach them by example how to express any emotions they might experience, and how to communicate with those around them. Show them your love and support through words, but also through other signs of affection, like hugs, kisses, and your presence whenever they need somebody to listen to them or comfort them. Also, if you treat the people around you with the respect and kindness they deserve, your child will pick up on that. This especially applies to your relationship with your partner. Avoid arguing in front of your little one, but rather be tender and loving, since that’s what you want your child to consider normal.

A healthy home is a safe home

If you want to raise a healthy child, you have to make your home a safe and healthy place. Above all, this means you have to maintain its cleanliness, using only natural cleaning products that aren’t a health hazard and that are ecological. Children are more sensitive than adults, which means that they might have a reaction to some pollutants your body doesn’t even notice, so make sure your home is free of cigarette smoke, mold, and dust. Investing in a HEPA air purifier and HEPA filters on your vacuum cleaner is always a good idea. Avoid wall paint containing VOCs. Choose furniture made of natural wood, and which hasn’t been treated with glue or paint containing formaldehyde. When it comes to carpets, opt for a lovely jute rug, which won’t only look amazing on your kid’s floor, but is also eco-friendly. As for clothes, mattresses, and the bedding your child sleeps in, make sure they’re made of organic materials. These things might not have been important to you when you weren’t a parent, but they are definitely something you have to think about how you’ve become one.

We are what we eat

What your child eats can have a crucial influence on their overall health. Again, you need to teach them by example, since it would be ridiculous to expect your child to eat broccoli and apples while you munch on potato chips and chocolate. The meals you serve them should be home-cooked, and if you can include them in the preparation of those meals, their benefits will multiply. Normally, if you don’t have time for home cooking you can always buy organic ready food. For example, this comparison between little spoon vs nurture life shows you the nurturing and healthy benefits of these kinds of baby foods. A child will be more likely to eat something if they helped make it and watching you cook will set a great example for when they become independent and have children of their own. Make sure their diet is loaded with fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. If they eat nutritious food, with all the vitamins and minerals they need, their immune system will be stronger and they will be readier to fight any viruses or illnesses. Instead of shopping in big supermarkets, opt for your local farmers’ market and have your child tag along when you go. Choose home-grown, organic products and don’t forget to teach your kid that eating healthy is a choice, not a punishment or a chore.

A healthy lifestyle for smart and healthy kids

Make sure your kid is physically active, that they don’t spend their days sitting in front of one screen or another. Take them to the park, to a swimming pool, or get them a bicycle and go cycling with them. Have them spend time outdoors, playing with other children or with you. Read to them, introduce them to art, music, and games that develop their imagination, creativity and motor skills. Also, it’s important that they get enough restful and uninterrupted sleep. Establish a routine that will get them in and out of bed at approximately the same time every day, even on weekends. Try to incorporate some basic organization into their daily life. Disrupting this routine can cause them to lose sleep, which can affect their health and mood. Teach them how to care for their planet. Plant a tree together, adopt a pet, explain that littering is out of the question and that glass containers and paper or cotton bags are a better choice than the plastic ones. Always bear in mind that the safety of your child depends on the safety of the world they live in.

In order to create a safe and healthy environment for your child, you might have to change your own lifestyle and habits. It might seem difficult, but you have to be persistent. After all, just remember who and what you’re doing it for.

Create an eco-friendly environment for them

There are a few different ways that you can provide an eco-friendly environment for your child. One way is to make sure that they have quality jute rugs. Jute jugs are great because they are eco-friendly and help keep your child safe from harmful chemicals. Make sure to choose quality jute rugs that are made with organic materials. This will help ensure that your child is safe and healthy. Switch to non-toxic cleaning products. Commercial cleaners are loaded with harsh chemicals that can be harmful to both your child and the environment. There are many great eco-friendly alternatives available that work just as well. Using natural fibers in your home opting for natural fibers like cotton and bamboo instead of synthetic materials will help reduce your carbon footprint and keep your child safe from harmful toxins.

About the author:

Tracey Clayton is a full-time mom of three girls. She’s passionate about fashion, home décor, and healthy living. Her motto is: “Live the life you love, love the life you live.”

How to Inspire Yourself to Work Out More

Most people who are engaged in regular exercising activities will tell you that the first step was the most difficult to make and that once they got used to the routine there were few problems afterward. We all know that changing our habits and behavior is rarely easy. It takes determination and dedication, to begin with, but if the desired goals are not met, motivation drops and we tend to go back to the old ways.

So, what can we do instead of giving up? How can we keep the motivation level high enough to be able to enjoy the benefits of working out? Let’s take a look at some tips that have proved to be effective for many people around the globe.

Set realistic goals

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One of the most common problems that lead to giving up is the failure to achieve the set goals. Unfortunately, in most cases, the goals were unrealistic and could never be reached. That’s why it’s vital to set the goals that can actually be met. In order to be spot on with them, you should consult your doctor and fitness coach and see what they have to say based on their experience. Also, your goals need to be measurable, rather than general. So, instead of “I want to feel better and lose some weight”, say “I want to lose 5 kg this month”, for example.

Reward your achievement

If you’ve implemented changes to your lifestyle with an aim to boost your health, you’ll need to keep the motivation high at all times. There are people that workout even on holidays, or doing exercises daily while traveling the world – once you gain this good habit, it’s easy to keep on! One of the ways to do that is to reward yourself when you meet certain goals. Your brain will associate the new routine with success and this extrinsic motivation is a very helpful tool in the process.

If you persist long enough, this motivation will become intrinsic and you’ll feel great after each workout session. The endorphins that are released will be a reward good enough for you, so you won’t need to think about any treat.

Don’t do it alone

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Experience has shown that working out in a group helps to maintain high motivation levels. Very often people don’t feel like exercising but don’t want to look bad in the eyes of their friends, so eventually, they get ready and leave their house to get some workout. Even if you started exercising alone, at some point you might want to find someone to be your workout buddy. If you are short of ideas, check here how to find your soulmate program.

Commitment contract

Most of us find it relatively easy to break a promise made to ourselves. Nobody knows about the promise and we see no harm done to anyone. What we often forget is that in many cases the damage is done and it’s done to ourselves. On the other hand, if we promise something to other people or commit to something in writing, we are much more likely to do everything to fulfill our obligation.

Let’s say you commit to a workout routine of visiting the local gym three times a week over three months. Tell your friend that you’ll pay him some money for each session you skip, no matter what the reason is. If there is a threat of paying a penalty, we’ll be more likely to do our part of the agreement.

Keep a diary

Keeping a diary about your experience and feelings from day one can be a useful tool in inspiring yourself to go even further. When you put down your thoughts and feelings into writing and revisit them when you feel less motivated, you’ll notice that you’ve already been through similar phases and that you’ve managed to overcome such problems. This also requires dedication and commitment, but the benefits can definitely be worth the effort.

Motivation is one of the key aspects of changing bad habits and leading a healthier life. That’s why it deserves a lot of attention on your behalf since nobody likes to fail and feel like a loser.

4 Helpful Things You Can Say to a Suicidal or Depressed Friend

They were celebrities at the pinnacle of achievement in their fields. Legions of fans and industry insiders worldwide respected them, yet both took their own lives last week.

No one is immune to suicidal thoughts — not even a successful public figure like Anthony Bourdain or Kate Spade. Suicide and depression know no boundaries of race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin. Statistically, it’s likely you know at least one person who struggles with suicidal thoughts. In a typical high school classroom of 20 students, at least 3 have seriously considered taking their lives in the past year.

What to say when a depressed friend reaches out

This concerns most of us who question our ability to respond to someone in need. Will we know what to say if that friend, neighbour, or student reaches out to us? Will we be able to help?

As a trusted confidant, you can show someone who’s struggling you care with only a few simple words.

  • Are you thinking of taking your life right now?

If your friend has already put together a suicide plan or is about to take their life, immediately call 911 and get emergency assistance. You should let trained professionals help rather than try to handle it yourself.

  • When did you start feeling this way?

When a suicidal person reaches out for help, they really want someone to hear their story. Asking open-ended questions — and listening — lets them do that. Don’t be judgmental or dispense advice. Simply pay attention and affirm their experience.

  • You’re not alone. I care about you, and I’m here to help.

Why would someone struggling with suicidal tendencies reach out to us? They’re in a battle for their lives, and they don’t want to fight it alone any more. Telling them that we’re there, we care, and we want to help assures them they’re not alone any more. It also opens the door for them to be more specific about how you can help.

  • Have you considered getting professional help?

When someone confides to us about their personal battle with depression and suicidal tendencies, it shows they trust us, so many friends and teachers wonder if they should keep this information secret. The answer is emphatical NO.

In fact, the goal of any discussion with a suicidal person is to get them to seek professional help. If our friend had malignant cancer, we would encourage them to go to the hospital, even if they were reluctant at first. It’s the same with a life-threatening condition like suicide.

We shouldn’t give up if the person resists. We can tell them we’re asking because we care. We can offer to help them find and schedule an appointment with a mental health counsellor. We can go with them.

What to do if your friend doesn’t reach out directly

Many times, a depressed or suicidal friend won’t approach you directly and ask for help. Recent studies have uncovered a correlation between excessive time online and depression. If you notice a significant change in someone’s behaviour (if they seem habitually withdrawn, down, disengaged, or angry) you might want to initiate a conversation with one of these leading questions.

4 Questions to Break The Ice When You Notice a Change in Someone’s Behavior

  • You don’t seem yourself lately. [Add observational details]. Are you all right?
  • I’m concerned because I’ve noticed a change in you. [Add observational details]. What’s going on, and what might help you feel better?
  • You seem upset. Do you need to vent? I’m here for you, and I’ll listen.
  • You seem to be going through something tough. Can I do anything to support you right now?