 Image credit: Gregory Pappas on Unsplash The desire to burn fat is one of the most commonly cited health and fitness goals. There are many ways to accomplish that objective through diet and exercise. Eat the right food and stay active, and you can burn calories and fat while building lean muscle. That’s great for roughly 2/3 of the day when you’re awake, but what about that other 1/3 when you’re asleep? myfitnesspal.com has the details on this one!
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 Image credit: quinntheislander on Pixabay It is often easy to conclude that you’re just a ‘scatterbrain’ type of person and even begin to feel comfortable with it. Unfortunately, this attitude does not solve the problem of why you are so often distracted. There are so many factors that may cause your constant distraction, and it would be useful to know what they are to reduce the chances of making avoidable mistakes. For example, an Allianz Germany study discovered that 60% of drivers involved in accidents admitted to some form of distraction. Are you frequently distracted from the task at hand? Here some reasons why, and possible solutions you can try.
1. Mental health issues Mental health issues can weaken your focus. Contrary to what you may have thought, depression and anxiety do more than change thought patterns. Their overarching effects extend to impact every other aspect of a person’s life. When the brain frequently perceives a threat, it becomes impossible to focus on a task. To solve this, you may require professional help to identify the actual source of your mental instability. Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists are specialized in dealing with issues of such nature. As a self-help exercise, begin a task that requires you to focus intently on it. Avoid checking your phone or doing any other thing that may require you to multitask. Over time, your brain retrains itself to stick only to what you set out to do. 2. When you work with relaxed deadlines It is erroneous to think that more hours worked means you have accomplished more. When you find yourself trying to reach a deadline, you tend to avoid entertaining distractions at all cost. On the other hand, because the human brain tends to conserve energy when possible, relaxed deadlines are significant culprits for distractions. You may find yourself attending to non-pressing tasks when you have more time on your hands. It could be a video game to pass the time or a phone call to your best friend. It would help if you developed a laser focus on everything you set out to do to avoid these distractions. Begin by setting tight deadlines for yourself and discipline yourself to stick to them. Consider using DaaS cloud-computing solutions to create a timetable, with regular reminders or a to-do checklist. Create a shorter time frame to complete your tasks as this makes them more achievable and easier to accomplish. Sometimes, it may be useful to have an accountability partner to hold you to your word. For example, if you are working with a team to complete a project, inform the team leads that your report will come days earlier before the final sign-off. With this promise, the team lead will hold you accountable for the set delivery time. 3. Lack of good sleep If you ever downplayed the benefits of good sleep, now is the time to discover its many mysteries. Lack of sleep elevates Cortisol levels in the body, which overrides your brain’s ability to function optimally. In medical studies, persons who suffer from sleep apnea have difficulty with brain focus. You may have realized the emphasis on ‘good’ sleep, and you’re about to find out why: An extended period of sleep cannot qualify as being ‘good’ when you gulped down a few glasses of wine before retiring to bed. Alcohol is a significant culprit in sleep disruptions as it prevents you from getting enough Rapid Eye Movement (REM) cycles to feel revitalized the next day. During the REM cycle, the eyes move rapidly but without sending visual signals to the brain. It is a deeper stage of sleep compared to the non-REM process. To resolve this, avoid alcohol and caffeine a few hours before your bedtime. Eight hours of sleep is ideal for an adult, regardless of gender or age. 4. You may have adult ADHD ADHD is the abbreviation of the condition- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Unfortunately, people tend to believe this is something only “hyperactive” children suffer from. However, this condition also affects adults, and due to the variations in symptoms, adult ADHD may be difficult to diagnose without clinical help. For example, whereas a child may exhibit hyperactivity, an adult would not do so because they may have a higher level of self-control. On the other hand, an adult may show signs of low concentration and inattentiveness. This is where distraction tendencies are higher than usual. That is not to say anybody who exhibits these traits regularly is a sufferer of adult ADHD. If you suspect this is your situation, seek a proper diagnosis from a specialized physician. Some of these conditions receive coverage from national health services. Fortunately, there are brain exercises to help you overcome your diagnosis. You can find further information if your child is diagnosed with ADHD with this guide 'On What To Do If Your Child Is Diagnosed With ADHD'. 5. Involvement in unhealthy relationships Sometimes after a breakup, the brain spirals into a cycle of addictive coping mechanisms. It may come in the form of entertaining obsessive thoughts, regret patterns, and flashes of excitement. Sadly, this leaves very little room for focused thinking. It may manifest at work while driving or involved in any other house chore. In some instances, people have experienced terrible breakups, which affected career progress. It may be challenging to identify the source of such unhealthy distractions, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. When you finally realize our distracting lifestyle, it may help to join a social network that discusses healthy coping mechanisms. This teaches you to interact with other people experiencing similar patterns. A shared supportive platform begins to help you discover positivity around you while breaking the cycle of constant distractions in your daily life. Repressed experiences and emotions are other factors that may be responsible for your distracted tendencies. It is worth knowing that constant distractions are unproductive and tend to build an air of negativity around a person. Although they are impossible to avoid regularly, it is better to be aware and devise healthy means to handle such situations. In some instances, distraction is a sign of uncontrolled elevated stress. Keep your mind calm and your body in a deliberately relaxed state to reduce harmful stress responses.  Image credit: Total Shape on Unsplash If you think you're doing enough exercise and eating healthily but you're struggling to lose weight then join the club. So many of us think we're ticking all of the boxes for burning fat - and not getting any returns for our effort. The Sun has a guide to help you get those bad habits gone..
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We all know the feeling: waking up in the middle of the night with our sinuses congested, head pounding, and throat throbbing. Coming down with a nasty cold is definitely not an enjoyable experience, but it is something that we routinely have to deal with. Thankfully there are a plethora of over-the-counter remedies, as well as home remedies, that can help us beat a cold fast while keeping our immune system healthy along the way.
1. Hydrate or Die-drate Besides rest, staying hydrated before and during a cold is one of the most important things we can do for our bodies. A fever draws moisture from our bodies, plus the over the counter medicine we take to combat our symptoms can easily dry us out as well. Although the exact amount varies for everyone. the recommendation is to drink roughly eight 250mL cups of water per day. This will help ensure that your body is receiving the amount of water it needs. Other drinks such as decaffeinated tea or juice can help with draining the mucus from your sinuses as well. 2. Rest Up Often, the onset of a cold can be tied back to insufficient or improper sleep. Getting less than six hours of sleep on a nightly basis can have a severe impact on your immune system. Ignoring your body’s cries for sleep is something that we should avoid doing at all costs. That being said, “proper rest can boost your immune system to get you feeling better sooner. Sleep helps your body better fight infections that cause you to get sick, along with staying hydrated and taking medicine that helps with common cold symptoms.” Having a good sleep schedule gives your body more energy, control over your mood, and a profound boost to your productivity. 3. Take your vitamins and minerals Essential vitamins and minerals can have a profound effect on how your body combats being sick. Immuno-beneficial vitamins such as vitamin C and B12 can work with your immune system in expelling toxins from the body. These can be taken in either oral supplements or through IV treatment, which has quickly become a reliable method to help treat the symptoms of oncoming illness. 4. Probiotic drinks Though studies are limited, this method is thought to “modulate the immune system in healthy individuals and may help reduce symptoms related to respiratory infections.” The main ingredient in most probiotics --Lactobacillus—has been proven to lower the risk of developing cold symptoms by 12 percent and minimize sickness length from 8.6 to 6.2 days in adults. It is most beneficial for upper respiratory symptoms. You can find these drinks at any local grocery store, pharmacy, or superstore like Walmart or Target. 5. Try over the counter cold and flu medicine Over the counter (OTC) medicine can be a very beneficial way to fight off cold symptoms. But like any pharmaceutical, there are also various side effects such as drowsiness and nausea that can accompany it. It is best to stay hydrated while taking these medications as they tend to dry out your body, much like a fever would do. This could leave you feeling worse than before, but as long as you stay hydrated, this feeling shouldn’t occur. Notable cold and flu medicines include Mucinex, Tylenol, and the Nyquil/Dayquil combo. Conclusion Beating a cold can be a painstaking ordeal, but it doesn’t have to. Getting over a cold starts before you even start showing symptoms. Staying hydrated and well-rested are easy, cost-effective ways to strengthen your body and immune system. Additionally, daily vitamin supplements and probiotic drinks have been shown to strengthen your immune system and limit the severity of cold symptoms. If worse comes to worst, try over the counter (OTC) cold and flu medicine to give that cold the final blow. This article was originally published at iveeapp.com.  Image credit: Lisa Wall on Unsplash For many people, fitness is not about attempting to sculpt a chiselle six-pack or being able to run a marathon in under three hours. It’s simply about staying in good nick. Being able to say, without crossing your fingers, that you are a reasonably healthy adult. Coach Magazine has the perfect guide to keeping yourself fit regardless of how old you are!
 Image credit: Airam Dato-on We all got into home video workouts during the first lockdown. It was a novel way to train and then there was the phenomenon of Joe Wicks’s PE lessons on YouTube providing daily motivation to get moving. However, unless someone in your household joined you, following online video workouts can feel a little lonely, especially if your fitness routine once revolved around meeting friends at group exercise classes. Use these two services to work out with your friends remotely. Coach Magazine has more...
 Image credit: Francisco Moreno on Unsplash With the pressures of the pandemic ongoing, impacting our work and home life, frustration, anger and anxiety are on the rise. You can read more over on LinkedIn..
 While aging may not be the most pleasant experience, the memories, experiences, and life lessons we learn along the way are invaluable. But what if someone told you there are ways to stop, or at least limit, the symptoms of aging. With help from specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, we can help rewind our body’s biological clock by replenishing valuable nutrients that we lose with age. That being said, aging is inevitable, and symptoms are almost impossible to avoid altogether. If anything, utilizing this collection of nutrients can help improve quality of life and raise bodily optimization.  What happens when we age? As we age, our body stops producing certain chemical compounds previously in excess when we were younger. Additionally, our telomeres shorten with age. Telomeres help protect the ends of our chromosomes from deteriorating. When our telomeres shorten, our body’s cells go through a negative transformation that drastically affects an individual’s health and lifespan. Shorter telomeres have been associated with an increased risk of disease and lower survival rates. Most of the symptoms related to aging are cognitive. Yes, our hair turns grey, and we start to get wrinkles, but the slow cognitive decline is the most reported and impactful result of aging. So let’s take a look at some supplements that can help reduce these effects.  1. Curcumin Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. Turmeric is a spice that comes from the turmeric root and is used mostly in Asian dishes. Curcumin is rated highly for its powerful anti-aging effects due to its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that help protect your cells against free radicals, which may play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Additionally, this antioxidant protects our cells from cellular senescence. Cellular senescence occurs when cells stop dividing, and as we age, these cells accumulate, accelerating aging and the progression of age-related diseases. You can easily increase your curcumin intake by incorporating turmeric in dishes or by taking curcumin supplements!  2. CoQ10 Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is another antioxidant that is self-produced by your body. It is responsible for energy production and protecting cells from damage. As we age, our levels of CoQ10 begin to decline, and symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog become more and more apparent. In 2015, researchers ran an experiment to test the effects of supplemented CoQ10 in 443 older adults. The study found that supplementing CoQ10 and selenium (an element that aids metabolism) over four years improved their overall quality of life, reduced hospital visits, and slowed the deterioration of mental performance. Though CoQ10 shows the potential to be a powerful anti-aging supplement, there still needs to be more research and definitive evidence before it can be recommended as a natural way to prevent aging. Make sure to talk to a health care professional before trying it out.  3. Vitamin B12 Ah, yes, trusty vitamin B12. This keystone vitamin aids our body in numerous ways, like keeping our nerve and blood cells healthy. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent a type of anemia called megaloblastic anemia that makes people tired and weak. Aside from its “inner body benefits,” such as added energy and cognitive clarity, B12 can also aid our bodies cosmetically. It can help improve our appearance by reducing skin redness, inflammation, and dryness. It can also reduce hair breakage and help nails become stronger. Our bodies don’t produce B12 naturally, but we can obtain it through various foods like fish, eggs, and chicken. Different types of vegetables, such as mushrooms, are high in B12 as well. B12 is also available as a daily supplement and can be found at your local pharmacy or natural food store.  4. Vitamin D Weakening immune systems are a sure sign of aging. At some point, catching a common cold will have a much more significant impact than it did when we were younger. Thankfully, a new UK research study has found that Vitamin D can have a positive effect on the immune system and help offset some age-related health issues. It is also widely accepted throughout the scientific community that vitamin D compounds protect the skin against the hazardous effects of many skin aging-inducing agents, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation. You absorb vitamin D naturally through the sun’s rays, but vitamin D supplements are widely accessible at any pharmacy or vitamin shop if you want an extra boost.  5. NAD+ Treatment And last, but certainly not least, NAD+ treatment. Yes, we know this isn’t a vitamin or antioxidant, but its potential is something we cannot overlook. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD+, is one of the most potent anti-aging molecules you can put into your body. In short, NAD+ keeps your cells “young” and helps to rewind your biological clock. NAD+ treatment is relatively new on the scene. As of right now, the FDA has only given the green light for oral NAD+ supplements. However, injecting NAD+ intravenously is a very efficient way to receive the nutrient, as it allows for almost 100% bioavailability. NAD+ treatment can last anywhere from two to six hours and has been reported by some as being quite uncomfortable. Some patients have reported nausea, chest tightness, and lightheadedness. Fortunately, these symptoms are short-lived and pretty much counteracted by the treatment’s lasting impact on energy levels, mental clarity, and overall sense of rekindled youth.  Conclusion
Aging is inevitable, we all know that. As we age our body slowly stops performing at maximum efficiency and there is no way around that. These supplements and treatments are in no way the “end all be all” for aging symptoms, but what they do provide is a higher quality of life and, at the very least, help to manage current and future symptoms of aging. This article was originally published at iveeapp.com.  Image credit: Talaviya Rahul on Unsplash Low-impact activities like swimming, cycling and weightlifting are often touted for their joint-friendly properties, but low-impact workouts have more to offer than just being easy on your joints — a lot more, according to fitness experts. myfitnesspal has 11 benefits to having a low-impact workout!
 Image credit: Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash Have you ever noticed that as the weather gets colder, you get sleepier? Suddenly, turning in at 9 p.m. doesn’t feel like such a bad idea. You might still sleep until your normal wake-up time, increasing your total number of hours of shuteye. If this describes your experience as the seasons change, you’re not alone. You can learn more over at myfitnesspal.com
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Author - ChrisAuthor, Editor, Creator of Learn Develop Live Archives
July 2022
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