Does Cardio Sabotage Weight Loss Efforts?

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Does Cardio Sabotage Weight Loss, How It Could Be Hindering Your Weight Loss Plans.

Jogging is the most traditional exercise for people intending to lose weight. But there are many other choices such as swimming, football, or cycling. A whole host of aerobic cardio exercises to help you shed the pounds. The principle is simple: just get moving, and stay moving, for half an hour to two hours. Do it five to seven days a week, and you will burn enough calories to lose weight.

Cardio workouts are not the best way to loose weight

However, this approach is seriously flawed. For starters, cardio is not the best way of burning calories. Cardio only burns a certain number of calories per step or arm movement. Which means that the only way you can burn more calories per hour is by moving faster. And new exercise will burn more calories than exercise you are used to, because for new exercise you are growing new muscles, stronger tendons, and more nerve endings. Once you are used to it, you will only burn the bare minimum. In this sense, does cardio sabotage weight loss, the answer is yes.

Think about muscle growth

Secondly, burning fat is only part of the journey. To have a well-rounded figure and level of fitness, you need to grow muscle too. Muscle tightens your skin, making your figure better rounded, lifting your butt and arms to prevent sag, and generally making you firmer. And muscle gives shape to the body by plumping out the butt and legs, and shaping the back. This balances your figure and makes you look more youthful by adding shape and athleticism. Many women fear growing too bulky if they grow muscle, but in reality we all need some muscle to look and feel good, and for women it is so hard to grow muscle, you can stop long before you get too strong.

Weight loss must be sustainable

Additionally, if you want to ensure that your weight loss is sustainable and that you can avoid setbacks even if you are stopped from exercising, and eat a balanced diet later on without gaining weight, your metabolism has to increase. Muscle burns twice as many calories per pound as fat, and if you have more muscle, every time you move you will burn more calories because more muscle fibers are moving. This means that the number of calories you burn without even exercising goes up, so you can eat more food whatever you do.

In essence, it is vital that you add something which provides resistance training to help build your muscles up. A good start is always body weight exercises. This is especially the case if you have never done any muscle building exercises before, as you will need practice. Sit ups, squats, lunges, pushups, planks, and other common body weight exercises are all you need, no need to worry about doing anything new or special yet. Just add in half an hour of body weight exercises twice a week at first and build yourself up enough to start using weights or another form of resistance.

Develop a workout program

After body weight exercises you need to progress onto something else. Resistance band training, free weights, or exercise machines, add an extra level of challenge.

This is because, old exercise routines burn fewer calories. Therefore add resistance training often. Weights of all kinds are a great choice. Once you have lost the weight you wanted,  stop increasing weights. Focus on staying active instead.

Some women just lift light weights more often in an effort to avoid getting big, but that is actually what bodybuilders do. If you want lean, strong muscles, without bulk, it is best to lift heavier weights fewer times.

Only if you do all of the above, the answer to does cardio sabotage weight loss will be no it doe not anymore..

Finally, remember that when growing muscle you will need more fuel to grow it with. Hence, you will need more calories and protein, especially if you’re losing weight too fast. Additionally, add  glucosamine and micro nutrients to keep the body strong and healthy.

Does cardio sabotage weight loss efforts? Only if not done properly.

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Making Exercise Fun

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Making Exercise Fun is a great way to achieve fitness!

Making Exercise Fun

Photo by mobina rb on Unsplash

We all know that we should exercise on a consistent basis to reap the health benefits like a stronger heart, better weight management, better sleep, improved mood, more energy … and the list goes on and on.

Exercising can even increase longevity. But, over time, it can get boring and is no longer the fun it used to be. If left unchecked, you will start missing workouts and eventually just quit exercising altogether. So how do we keep the fun in exercising?

Here are a few of the more popular ways.

Vary your routine

Doing the same thing when exercising over time gets boring. Instead mix it up by having a few different routines to choose from. For example, if you typically run on a treadmill, run outside occasionally. If you lift free weights as part of your stretch training program, switch and use kettlebells instead.

Not only will varying your routine help from getting bored, but you will burn more calories. If you keep doing the same routine over and over, your body becomes more efficient at doing it and ends up burning fewer calories. If you keep it guessing, you’ll get maximum calorie burn.

Pump up the volume

There isn’t a better way to get you going when you don’t feel like exercising then to put on a pair of headphones or ear buds and play some spirited music. Something with a good beat to it.

Exercise with a friend

Working out with a friend does a couple of things. First, it gives you someone to talk to while going through your exercise routine, so it adds an element of socialization, but it also creates accountability. There may be times when you don’t feel like exercising, but you do so as to not let your friend down. And if the truth be known they exercise with you when they don’t feel like it too.

Join a group class

Exercising with a group is one of the best ways to put fun back into exercising. Not only do you make new friends, but there is a certain energy when a group of people are all doing the same thing at the same time.

Get some new exercise clothes

Sometimes all it takes to put some fun back into your exercise program is to buy some new workout clothes or shoes. If you look good with what you are wearing, you will feel good and will want to continue working out.

Measure instead of weigh

Relying on a scale to measure your progress can turn you off to exercising if it shows you are not making progress. A better way to measure if you are making progress or not is to measure yourself. Your waist, hips, upper arms and thighs will measure your progress. In many cases, you lose inches, but not pounds. Some people go by how their clothes fit.

Because muscle weighs more than fat, the number on the scale can be misleading. You can still use a scale, but only use it as one method of tracking your progress and not the sole method.

Use these tips often, they are helpful in making exercise fun.

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Dead Sea Secrets Relaxation Gift Set

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Dead Sea Secrets Relaxation Bath & Body Spa Gift Set Review

In this busy world of running around 24/7 with stress getting the best of us, consequently, it’s nice to unwind and treat the face and body with a spa treatment.

When the self-care pampering and relaxation are done at home, it’s convenient, personal, cost-effective and a wonderful way to regain our power, balance and healthy glow. These spa beauty blends are available at affordable prices and have been resourced from the best that nature has to offer.

About the Bath & Body Spa Gift Set

Dead Sea SecretsThe Premier Dead Sea Secrets Relaxation Bath and Body Spa Gift Set is the perfect
collection of good for the skin products. Additionally, it delivers excellent deep cleansing, nourishing
anti-aging skin care ingredients along with carefully chosen beauty tools. These aid the
scalp, the eyes and the hands. Each luxury kit features the magical head-to-toe benefits
from the Dead Sea in Israel from the high-quality Dead Sea Secrets label.

These include the Dead Sea Mud Mask with aloe and seaweed in a creamy base for the face. Plus the Dead Sea Bath salts with lavender-scented minerals for the body.

Above all, these are authentic, rich ingredients without the chemicals found in other brands.

The kit offers a generous bar of Intense Eucalyptus Hemp and Tea Tree Soap with amazing antiseptic action and soothing nourishment for the pores with its unique peppermint leaves formula.

The spa kit features a refreshing Eye Gel Mask for smoothing away puffiness, tiredness and dark circles.

Also included is a wire Scalp Massager that revs the circulation for healthy hair follicles.

In addition it has a 2-Inch World Stress Ball that allows tension to dissipate, alleviates carpal tunnel pain and returns strength and mobility to the muscles of the hand and wrist.

All of these gorgeous products come in a large 12 X 9-inch linen bag.

Using this for Self-Care

We often get carried away with the responsibilities of daily living and forget about engaging in a few minutes of pampering. Self-care is essential for a healthy mind, body and spirit; Hence it’s especially important for women because we tend to put everyone else ahead of us. Therefore, indulging in beauty products with high mineral compositions from Israel’s Dead Sea create smooth, supple skin.

Finally, you don’t have to be a star for access to these effective, advanced formulas and personal care products. The Premier Dead Sea Secrets Relaxation Bath and Body Spa Gift Set is waiting here for you or for that special someone in mind. Let self-care take you away.

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Stress Affects Your Digestion

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Stress Affects Your Digestion – Why Does it Happen

How Does Stress Affect the Digestive System?

Let’s look at a few facts.

1) Most adults these days lead lives filled with at least a little, and usually a lot of, stress and anxiety.

2) 70% to 75% of all human disease and infection begins in your gut, due to some problem with your gastrointestinal and digestive systems.

Put those two facts together, and you could make an argument for a causal relationship between stress and anxiety, and a poor digestive system.

There are mounds of evidential data to support both of these facts. Therefore whether stress causes digestive problems or not, a first-year law student could present a strong argument linking stress to poor digestion. As it turns out, many doctors and other health professionals are familiar with the role stress plays in relationship to how you digest food.

There is no “maybe” about the link.

Anxiety, stress and depression almost always  cause digestive problems of some sort. The data behind that statement is irrefutable. So is the physical link. As the website HealthDay.com puts it, “You don’t need a PhD in physiology to know that stress can be hard on the stomach.” Let’s take a look at exactly how high levels of stress can negatively affect the digestive process.

Have you ever had to speak in public?

Surveys show that people are more afraid of public speaking than of dying! As you were headed to the podium, about to give your speech or address, you probably experienced some level of stress. What physical area of your body did that stress reveal itself? You got that “butterflies in your stomach” feeling, and could have actually experienced feelings of nausea and dizziness.

This is because when your brain becomes severely stressed, an automatic Tidal Wave of hormones is released. Among them is CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone). It is linked to the age-old “fight or flight” stress response, and one of its jobs is to turn off appetite. This explains why you might not be able to eat much when you experience high levels of stress.

Just one more of the many ways stress affects your digestion

However, CRH also releases steroids which can make you hungry. This is the reason some people combat stress with a quart of ice cream or a bag of potato chips. Receiving vastly different signals, your digestion system can understandably respond by not knowing what to do.

There is also the hormone serotonin to consider.

How is this linked to stress? Serotonin is largely responsible for how you feel. So when your brain decides it is going to stress out, you experience a serotonin reaction. As we just pointed out, almost all of your serotonin is in your gut. So stress cranks up your serotonin, which creates a reaction in your digestive system.

Those are just a couple of ways that stress causes a digestive system reaction. The research, clinical studies and medical data linking high levels of stress to digestive problems show time and again that this is a very real relationship.

Short-term, irregular and infrequent stress periods may just cause a tummy ache or nausea. However, prolonged stress can lead to aggravated chronic diseases such as heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome and other unhealthy conditions.

 

 

heartburn

 

 

 

 

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Tai Chi – A Different Form of Exercise

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Tai Chi – Improving Your Health

Connecting mind and body while meditating is what Tai chi is all about. Additionally it is a form of martial arts.

Tai chi practitioners move very slowly, breathing in a specific way involving 13 exercises that mimic movements animals make.

These exercises improve physical endurance, mental clarity and overall health.

Using the ideas of opposing forces like yin and yang, as well as “qi” which means your vital life force. Bringing both of these into your exercises will help improve your overall health because it will connect all the forces in your body with your life force. By mindfully moving your body in these ways, you can improve your health and vitality including increasing your immunity.

Tai-chi can help people in all levels of health improve their health. It is low impact, weight bearing and aerobic, all at once. It improves muscle strength, coordination and flexibility. Tai chi also improves balance which can help reduce falling risks. Additionally, you can improve problems of pain and stiffness associated from arthritis.

The breathing improvement you’ll experience can also help improve sleep quality. This routine improvese health and wellness to people of all ages and at all fitness levels, since the movements can be modified for the individual’s needs.

To get the maximum benefits from tai chi, follow these principles.

  • Exercise on an Empty Stomach – It’s better to be fully hydrated and exercise before meals rather than after meals. This is the only way you’ll be able to do the movements comfortably.
  • Start Slowly – Don’t start at the end, rather start with the beginning. It will take time to learn all the movements, let yourself have the time needed.
  • Avoid Exercising When Very Tired – Tai chi is very relaxing, therefore it’s important not to work out when you are exhausted.
  • Seek Licensed, Certified and Trained Instructors – You can use videos, but it is important to find an expert to ensure you’re doing it correctly at first to avoid injury.
  • Focus as Much on Breathing as Movement – Both are equally important. When you are learning, concentrate in doing it correctly for the best results.
  • Don’t Overdo It – Never do more than you can and don’t push yourself to do more. It’s okay with tai chi to do less than you think you can.

You can start exercising at any time. You don’t need to be in tip-top shape to do it, and you don’t need to be very young. In fact, tai chi is especially helpful for elderly people.

It helps people to gain strength, get more sleep, and increase their overall health.

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Tighten Your Skin the Natural Way

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Tighten Your Skin the Natural Way.

Tighten Your Skin

People have been interested in the benefits of anti-aging for many years. There are natural ways to improve the skin and promote a youthful appearance. If you are interested in natural anti-aging, you have probably come across recommendations for tightening your skin, often with homemade products.

The following sections will provide a good number of ways you can use in your daily life to start tightening your skin naturally and easily, often with ingredients you already have in your home.

1. To tighten your skin, try an Egg White Mask

The first option is to use egg whites, which are found in many DIY face masks, especially those meant to promote healthy and youthful skin.

Why egg whites?

Egg whites are a natural source for essential nutrients and albumin protein. This is what improves the elasticity and tightens the skin. As the skin cells begin to rebuild, the skin on the neck and face looks younger and achieves a natural glow. The hydro lipids contained in egg whites lift and tighten loose skin. Toxins and free radicals are removed by the riboflavin, and this is what causes wrinkles, fine lines and damage to the skin.

Start with two eggs and separate the whites. Whisk the whites until the texture is foamy and use a cotton ball to apply to your troubling skin areas. Leave the mixture on the skin for twenty minutes before washing it away with cool water. Repeat this procedure twice weekly for radiant and firm skin.

Every second application, add a tablespoon of plain yogurt to the eggs white before whisking. Apply to the skin in the same way, but this time, leave the mixture on for thirty minutes. Thoroughly rinse off the mixture with cool water, then dry the skin. This will provide additional nutrients to tighten the skin.

An effective face mask can be made by mixing one egg white and two tablespoons of honey. Honey naturally rejuvenates and moistens skin cells. Apply the mask to the face and leave it on for twenty minutes before rinsing it off with cool water. You can repeat this a few times a month, or as needed.

When you start using this mask, you will notice that the egg white will tighten the pores, yogurt provides moisture and sugar exfoliates. This makes this a sensational method of tightening the skin, cleansing, moisturizing, and reducing the signs of aging. Whisk together one egg white, one tablespoon of yogurt and 1/8 teaspoon sugar. Apply the mixture to your skin, then wait until it is completely dry, and rinse off with cool water.

Fuller’s earth stimulates the circulation of the blood by removing any excess oil. The combination of two tablespoons fuller’s earth, one egg white and one tablespoon of honey not only tightens the skin, it makes skin beautiful. Spread the mixture on the skin, preferably your facial and neck skin, then leave for twenty minutes. Then rinse it off with lukewarm water and repeat twice each week.

Gram flour will tighten the skin. Mix one eggs white and a pinch of gram flour until a fine paste has formed. Apply the mixture to your skin as a mask, allowing it to try. Rinse it off with cool water after completely dry. This will also help eliminate any sagging skin on the neck.

2. Add Lemon to DIY Skin Care

The stringent property of the lemon can slow down the signs of premature aging by tightening the skin. Lemon is also high in vitamin C, and this restores elasticity to the skin by boosting the production of collagen.

Squeeze the juice from a fresh lemon, then gently rub the juice onto your problem skin areas. Wait for 7-10 minutes before rinsing it off with water. This can be done more than once a day, just remember to moisturize afterward to replenish the hydration in your skin. If the skin is sensitive or dry, use a cup of cold water to dilute a half-cup of lemon juice.

Want to Try a Different Fruit?

While lemons are great for these DIY skin care products, they are definitely not your only option. You can also try using bananas.

Bananas are high in vitamins and essential minerals that moisturize and smooth the skin and are effective in decreasing a lemon’s acidic nature. Squeeze a few drops from a lemon onto a mashed banana and mix it well. Spread the mixture onto your skin where you want a more youthful appearance, then wait fifteen minutes before washing it off with water. This should be repeated twice each week.

Add Some Castor Oil

Castor oil enhances the production of elastin and collagen so the skin is kept smooth and firm. Mix two tablespoons of castor oil and one teaspoon lemon juice well. Use circular, upward motions to massage the mixture into the skin for a few minutes. Leave the mixture on overnight, then remove in the morning with lukewarm water. Follow this with cool water.

Honey will naturally tighten the skin with anti-aging and hydrating properties. Mix a few drops of lemon juice and olive oil with three teaspoons of honey. Apply the mixture to your skin for a few minutes. Use warm water to rinse off the mixture, then repeat the process 1-2 times a day or as needed.

3. Soothe Your Skin with Natural Ingredients

There are also some other natural ingredients that can be used for your anti-aging, particularly with tightening your skin to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Here is a rundown of those products:

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is high in vitamin E, phytochemicals and malic acid. This tightens the skin by improving the elasticity. Aloe vera will additionally moisturize, protect and nourish the skin.

Extract the gel from an aloe vera leaf and rub it on your skin. After twenty minutes, use lukewarm water to wash the skin. Repeat the process several times each week until the skin starts to tighten.

Mix one tablespoon of aloe vera gel, one tablespoon of mayonnaise and one teaspoon of honey until it forms a fine paste. Apply to your skin, and leave on for twenty minutes. Use warm water, then cold water to wash the skin, then repeat once each week.

Cucumber

Cucumber is a natural way to tighten saggy and loose skin. The cucumber is a natural toner for the skin and helps to rejuvenate and refresh the skin.

Grind one-half of a cucumber, then use a strainer to squeeze out the juice. Spread the fresh juice on the neck and face, letting your skin dry completely afterward. Use cool water to rinse off the juice, then repeat the procedure once each day until the skin is tight.

Stir one tablespoon of grated cucumber and one tablespoon of plain yogurt until mixed. Spread the mixture on the neck and face, then leave it on for a few minutes to soak into your skin. Use lukewarm water to wash off the mixture, then repeat several times each week.

Use two tablespoons of cucumber juice, three to five drops of vitamin E oil and an egg white to make a face mask. Spread on the neck and face, then remove with cool water after fifteen minutes. Use the mask once each week.

Make a smooth paste using one-half cup of a peeled and chopped cucumber, one-half cup avocado, two tablespoons of powdered milk and one egg white. Place in the refrigerator for an hour, then apply to the neck and face. After thirty minutes, rinse with warm water, then use cool water to splash the neck and face.

4. Treat Your Skin to Florals

You can also try florals on your skin with different forms of rose. This is one of the best florals for skin tightening and rejuvenation in a more natural way.

Rosemary Oil

Rosemary oil has antioxidants that enhance fibroblasts and improve the circulation of the blood. This will improve the elasticity of the skin and help slow the aging process. Peel and grind half of a cucumber until it becomes liquid and smooth. Add a tablespoon of rosemary oil and mix it well. Apply the mixture to the neck and face and leave for fifteen minutes. Use water to rinse off and repeat the process twice each week.

Oil Massage

When skin is massaged on a regular basis with natural oils, it becomes tighter, softer, more moisturized and smoother. The best oils to use to tighten saggy and loose skin are natural jojoba oil, vitamin E oil, olive oil, primrose oil, almond oil, mustard oil, grapeseed oil, fish oil, coconut oil, argan oil and avocado oil.

Begin by warming a little natural oil slightly in a double boiler or microwave. Spread it over the neck and face before going to bed, and massage in a gentle circular motion for fifteen minutes. In the morning rinse the area with lukewarm, then cool water so the pores in the skin will close. Repeat the process nightly before bed.

Rose Water

Rose water contains a natural astringent that will tighten and tone loose skin, and maintain skin with a clear and healthy glow. Use rose water all over the neck and face before going to bed. As the night passes, the rosewater will help in the prevention of aging, and tighten the pores within the skin. Rinse with cool water in the morning to tighten sagging skin.

Mix a cup of rose water with seven drops of almond oil, one teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and one teaspoon of witch hazel. Mix it well, then smooth over the neck and face. After twenty minutes, use cool water to rinse off the mixture.

5. Use Foods and Spices to Achieve that Healthy Look

In addition to what you use on your skin, there are some foods you can either eat or put directly onto your skin. These foods are not for eating, but for creating nice skin care masks.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon will tighten sagging skin because it accelerates collagen production. Mix one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of turmeric powder and one-half teaspoon of salt or sugar in a bowl. Mix in olive oil until the mixture forms into a fine paste, the scrub the neck and face for a few minutes. Use lukewarm water to remove the mixture, then repeat the process once each week. This will help to tighten the skin.

Strawberries

Strawberries are incredibly beneficial to the skin because they work as a astringent, have a high content of antioxidants and vitamin C, and increase the collagen fiber production. This helps the skin stay firm and smooth. Strawberries also contain alpha hydroxyl acids, and this will decrease the appearance of aging in the skin.

Mash two to three ripe strawberries thoroughly. Mix in two teaspoons of yogurt and two teaspoons of honey until the mixture forms a fine paste. Apply to the neck and face and leave on for ten minutes. Use lukewarm water to rinse, then cool water, finally patting the skin dry. The process should be repeated each day until the sagging skin has tightened. When strawberries are added to the daily intake, skin will attain a natural glow, and tighten even more.

Papaya and Rice Flour for a tighter skin

Papaya contains papain enzyme and vitamin E which promote the firmness and elasticity of the skin by increasing the production of collagen. This combination is effective in healing any inflammatory issues and regenerating the skin. The pigmentation is lessened, giving the skin a more even tone and a nice glow aside of being a great way to tighten your skin..

Mash a ripe papaya in a bowl until it is soft and fine. Add in two tablespoons raw honey and one-quarter cup rice flour. Continue mixing until it has formed a fine paste, then apply on the neck and face. Leave on for twenty minutes, then use lukewarm water to rinse off the mixture. Pat the skin dry, then repeat the process each week until the sagging skin has tightened and firmed.

Cabbage

Cabbage contains vitamins C, B and A, phosphorus and potassium. This will help in the prevention of loose facial skin. Grind three cabbage leaves, then mix in a few drops of almond oil and two tablespoons rice flour. Stir well, then apply to the neck and face. After the mixture has dried naturally, rinse the skin with tepid water.

Besan and Curd

Besan removes dead skin by exfoliating the skin, and also removes zits. This will brighten the tone and complexion of the skin. Curd has nourishing and moisturizing properties, tightens the skin, improves the circulation of the blood, and removes aging and dullness.

Mix one teaspoon of besan, and one teaspoon of curd until a fine paste forms. Apply a thick layer to the face, and let it dry naturally. Use water to rinse off the mixture, and regular usage of this procedure will make a tremendous difference in the quality of the skin.

Contact Us for more information on this and other natural skin care ideas.

 

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Depression Fighting Tool – Start Journaling

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Depression Fighting Tool. Here is a great idea.

Journaling for Depression

Photo by Liam Welch on Unsplash

Suffering from depression can affect you physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is something millions of people go through every day, desperately trying to find the
magical cure. While you can’t cure depression, there are many ways you can relieve the symptoms and learn to live a healthy, well-adjusted life.

One excellent practice to start is journaling.

Journaling is an amazing  depression fighting tool for this and many other mental health disorders. It provides a way for you to distract your mind, find triggers
for your depressive episodes, and gives you something healthy to do during your worst moments.

Here are some things to know about journaling as a depression fighting tool.

1. Why You Should Keep a Journal

Have you ever kept a journal? If you’re looking to make certain types of self- improvements, keeping a journal might be a really great habit to start. Making manual
and process based augmentations to your mental health can be exhausting, but the new studies have shown that there can be far reaching benefits to journaling. It will help you to understand yourself and others.

The following article discusses a few reasons why you should keep a journal.

Tame Your Emotions

As you gain more experience with the ebb and flow of your own emotions, it will become a lot easier for you to document and observe what kinds of things are occupying your
mind. When you journal, you are recording the instances that put your responses on display. You can go back to moments and gain insights into how these patterns work.
This allows you to see patterns that give you entirely new sets of information.

Learn to Problem Solve

What do you do with the information you’ve collected? Well, that all depends very heavily on you, but the main focus it to be able to look at the picture that your patterns
create.

Do you react to certain things differently during certain times of the day or season? Who were you around when you did these things?, what was the weather like?,
and so on.

Recall Sharpens Cognitive Skills

How good is your memory? Some people can only remember song lyrics and phone numbers while other can remember entre lines of dialogue from childhood movies.
When you have to recall information from your memory, you are strengthening your cognitive abilities. The more you do this, the more you will become proficient at recalling
stored information in your mind. The longer you do it, the more easily you will be able to remember bits of stored information.

Be More Creative

When you’re in the habit of writing, it becomes second nature. Hence, you will become more aware of the paths that you can travel to achieve goals.

Achieve Clarity

Therefore, by studying your patterns, you can discover the most likely causes for triggers, and devise ways to soften the blow. With hard work over time you will be able to
overcome many of the issues that are taking away your time and effort.

2. Recording Your Triggers

Have you experienced some strange sensation from a triggering event recently? When you’re examining your triggers, it can be very difficult to know exactly when you are
experiencing a triggering event. For some people, the symptoms can be very obvious while others could manifest in very different ways. This can vary from person to person,
and even from situation to situation, so here we share valuable information on the importance of recording your triggers in a mental health journal as a powerful depression fighting technique.

Self-Awareness Is Important

One of the most difficult parts of this process is getting to the point where you can identify when you have had a triggering event and what your response was. If you are
seeking some help from a professional, knowing this information will make your recovery faster. You will have a better understanding of your behaviors and reactions to stimuli.

Display the Full Month

additionally. when you are making your chart to record your triggers, be sure to include the entire calendar for the month. This will allow you to easily track when the event took
place and see if there are correlations between the time of month, time of week and so forth. You’ll also be able to see how many time per month just by flipping through each
day. The goal of making this kind of journal is to have the information available within seconds of looking at each page.

Recount the Day’s Events

It’s important to record everything that happened, especially anything that sticks out in your mind as to what may have triggered you, whether it be encounters with people,
animals, situations, or sounds. Sometimes you may even need to reconsider what you’ve recorded after some time has passed. You will be very surprised to find that some things bothered you more than you first thought.

Describe How You Felt

This is another important step to pay close attention to. You want to leave space at the bottom of each page where you can write some descriptions of your feelings that came about as you responded to the trigger. It can be extra helpful to color code these emotions so that you can make a chart and see how your mood changes and how it relates to triggers.

3. Practice Depression Self-Care with Journaling

Do you ever find yourself having a hard time getting out of bed, or wanting to take that shower before work? When you’re dealing with deep depression, it can be very difficult
to do the daily activities that need to be done to care for yourself. It’s okay to need to have reminders of these things because all people go through times where certain tasks
aren’t at the top of their list of things to do. This article is geared towards sharing a fewtips on using a journal for self-care.

Ruminate on Your Feelings

How often do you typically sit and think about how you really feel? Sometimes it takes a while to really know how you feel about certain things. Emotions can be very difficult to
process, and if you’re missing certain bits of information, then you could be in for a shock. Don’t try to do it all in your head, use the journal to know when you got upset.
Record who was in the room, and how you felt.

Create A List of Gratitude

One very solid way of grounding yourself is to make a list of tall of the things that you are grateful for. This can show you just how wrong you are when you’re feeling like the
world has turned its back on you. Write down how you feel knowing that there are people who care about you. Are there any colors that you would associate with those memories.

Be Patient with Yourself

Above all, it’s very important to remember that you are a work in progress. You have the right to make good healthy choices about what you want to do. Feel free to forgive yourself for mistakes. Mistakes can teach you about yourself in shocking ways. As you record these different time periods you are slowly building evidence to help you to find out what might be causing you to have intense reactions of different kids. Just be sure to have time to yourself every so often.

Make Time for Exercise

Use your journal to help you give yourself reminders about what needs to be done. Seeing them in your journal repeatedly will usually give you the re-enforcement that you
need to stay motivated. Take a moment to work out according to the plan you have in your journal. Once you’ve finished it, cross it off the list.

4. Journaling Exercises for Depression Fighting

Learning to cope with depression can be quite a journey, but it can be extremely rewarding to find ways to cope and overcome the feelings that can prevent so many people from being able to effectively carry out tasks in their daily lives. What are the ways that you’ve chosen to deal with depression? There are tons of ways to do so, but one effective and healthy way to work out depression is through the act of journaling.

The first exercise to look at is one where you choose positive memories to recount. Think deeply about the experience and try to put the entire thing to paper. Remember smells, tastes, how the air felt, and anything else sensory that you can remember. Focusing on this can help you to see how impactful the good times have been and help you to focus on more of the positive experiences that you’ve had. Record each aspect in detail and see what you come up with.

Learn to Be Separate from Emotions

It’s important for you to separate yourself from your emotions. It’s been said by many wise people that it’s difficult to see what’s going on until you’re out of the situation. This can be even more true than you expect so it’s good to practice thinking logically about the things that are going on and avoid looking at them through the lens of sensitive emotions because those things could steer you into the wrong direction.

Define How You’re Feeling

To get to the root of how you feel it’s absolutely essential to give a real name to the emotions that you experience during recall. When you’re dealing with or confronting a certain memory, be sure to include something like,” When I thought of (this situation) I felt ______.” It’ll be easier to know what’s going on when you isolate each section of thought as you go through. This will give you a better picture of how the entire situation affected you and not just one singular moment.

Be Aware of Physical Sensations While Recalling Memories

Lastly, when you are remembering things, it can be tremendously helpful to record the responses that you are having during the recall. If you feel somewhat ambiguous about your feelings, this will be likely to give you a clearer picture of how you’re reacting to memory.

5. Tips for Journaling as a  Depression Fighting Tool

I can be really hard to do what you need to do when you’re in the middle of a serious bout with depression. The feelings of futility and frustration can be massive challenges for anyone. It’s at this point that you will have to make a choice about what you are willing to accept. Research into cognitive therapies has shown that keeping a log of your emotional responses can give you insight into how you feel about what you experience and how much control you have over those emotions.

Devote Time to Writing

If you don’t spend time writing you’ll not be likely to ever really get anything down. Too many people worry about when it’s a good time to get something down or if what they say has any merit. Just get it written. The goal is to simply record your thoughts and feelings. You want to discuss details so you can discover any patterns.

Discover What May Be Triggering Depression

The primary purpose of keeping a journal is specifically to find anything occurrence, encounter, or moment where you might be discovering a triggering event. By having it aligned with a calendar and a list of events that took place, you can figure out if it’s the time of week, time of month, or if your emotions are tied to a recent event that may haveaffected you on a deeper level.

Things That Depression Takes from You

Write down the things that depression makes difficult, or impossible. Depression is highly responsible for isolation, and self-esteem issues. These powerful insecurities can bleed over into other areas of life, thus creating groups of self-imposed roadblocks. These can be some of the hardest to remove because they come your worst critic. You. Focusing on the many positive experiences can be a road to health and contentment.

Appreciate A Good Memory

One exercise that can help tremendously is that of focusing on a positive experience and documenting all that you can remember. What things did you see? What colors are present? This is intended to not only show you that you have some really great memories, but also so that you can recall vivid sensations associated with the memory. This will put you in a better mood and occupy your mind with more pleasant thought.

In conclusion,  journaling is a depression fighting tool that works!

 

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Music Sleep Therapy – Amazing New Machines

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Music Sleep Therapy Developments 

Sleep Therapy

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

We all know how powerful music can be to relax us, elevate our moods, furthermore, it allow us to
drift off to sleep, focus more clearly and even manage our stress. Psychologists have
studied the effects of music for years now and have learned that listening to music is
so influential on the brain’s function. In fact, music can be as effective as taking
medication. Music sleep therapy is a real form of treatment for self-care that is
inexpensive, enjoyable to do and reaps excellent benefits. Anyone can try this
musical therapy and develop sounder, longer sleeping patterns.

About the Music Sleep Therapy Machine

For example, The Music Sleep Therapy Machine by Signstek is a great little high-
tech instrument that features relaxing music for the brain. Masya Uechi, a well-
regarded Japanese sleep music expert, has arranged for the selections to help one
achieve a deep, long sleep. There is also included a Sunrise Simulation soft LED
light that allows one to gently arise in the morning. One can also tap into the Infant
Mode to simulate a calming atmosphere for the baby and create a quiet, cozy
sleeping area. Furthermore the sleep therapy machine is a state-of-the-art gadget with
convenient, manual touch technology, colorful and soothing lamplight and an APP-
controlled device adjusted remotely by phone. Who wouldn’t enjoy and
benefit from built-in sound therapy that allows one to drift off into a natural sleep
state?

Using this Machine for Self-Care

To begin with, in this crazy, busy world of rush, rush, rush, self-care gets lost in the shuffle. We
all need a little “me” time to regroup, relax and realign. Music sleep therapy is
an effective treatment that every age and member of the family must be exposed to.

The Music Sleep Therapy Machine soothes the user before heading to sleep and additionally
upon arising to a softer brighter day with light therapy in a natural alarm clock.

Worth mentioning, this small instrument packs a lot of power as a stress reduction tool that relaxes the brain and body

for a more positive outlook hence, with better focus and attitude.

Many have a tough time letting go of tension and falling asleep.

In conclusion, self-care does not have to be complicated, and music is one of the beautiful, cultural art

forms we all have access to.

Finally, the ideal combination of 5 music in unique harmonies, rhythms and bass lines have been

carefully prepared for therapeutic benefits and are something to consider exploring.

 

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Hiking Safety Tips for Everyone

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Hiking – The safe way.

What to Look Out For While Hiking

When you are going on a hike, it is a great form of exercise and good way to be out in
nature, but there are also some health concerns to be aware of. Here are some things
to be on the lookout for when you head outdoors for a hike.

Signs of Ticks

There are a lot of different bugs and insects you might come across, from spiders to
mosquitoes, but one of the biggest concerns this summer is the tick. Ticks are not only
all over the place, but Lyme disease is increasing, which is a disease that ticks can
transfer to you or your pets. It is important to know where ticks hide, how they bite you,
and how to remove them. When you are going on a hike, be careful of heavily wooded
areas. This is where ticks are going to hide. If you feel a bite on your skin, look closely
for signs that a tick is lodged in your skin. With a pair of tweezers, you can pull the tick
out before too much harm is done.

Leave the Animals Alone

It can be fun when you’re hiking and you see wild animals like rabbits and squirrels, but
it is best that you leave them alone. Even if the wild animals seem friendly, they could
be rabid, carry diseases, or cause you harm when you don’t realize it. Leave all wild
animals alone, even if it looks like they are approaching you. Just keep along on your
hike to keep yourself and the other animals safe during the hike. Alert someone if you
see a more dangerous animal you think others should be aware of.

Find the Highest Point

The reason you want to do this is because it gives you a goal of how far you want to go.
Some areas have trails that intersect and just keep going for miles and miles, which
could mean you walk further than you thought, and you now have to walk back down.
This is really frustrating when it gets too late to make it back down before dark,
especially if you weren’t packed for camping overnight. To avoid this, look for a high
point on the hike and use that as a guide for how far you want to go. Track how long it
took to reach that high point, as that is how long it takes you to go back down. If you are
already pushing the time, it might be a good time to turn around instead of keeping on
the trail.

 

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Aromatherapy – Using Relaxing Essential Oils

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Aromatherapy and Essential Oils for Relaxation

Aromatherapy is a wonderful way to heal your body and mind naturally, without any
medications, chemicals, or visits to the doctor. If you are interested in learning more
about aromatherapy, you first need to learn what essential oils can be used.

What is Aromatherapy?

First of all, it helps to know a little more about what aromatherapy is. This is the practice
of using essential oils for the purpose of healing your body or mind. The two main
methods of aromatherapy include inhaling the oils, or applying them to your skin for a
topical treatment. As is always the case with pure essential oils, they need to be diluted
before they make contact with your skin since they are so strong. There are many
different oils you can use for varying purposes, but the ones listed below are amazing to
start with.

1. Rose

First up is rose, which is one of the first essential oils people will use, especially when
they are using them for aromatherapy. This belongs to the group of floral essential oils
that not only have a subtle, yet pretty smell, but have some exceptional healing benefits
as well. Rose is good for many things, but especially if you have emotional or mental
health issues, particularly with stress. A little rose essential oil for aromatherapy can
really help to de-stress you, offer gentle relaxation, and help you sleep if anxiety or
stress is keeping you up at night.

2. Lavender

If you are looking to get help for skin wounds or irritation, stress, anxiety, or insomnia,
then lavender is the oil for you. This is another great starter scent for aromatherapy
since it is easy to find just about anywhere, and has as mild scent most people are
familiar with. Lavender is so calming and relaxing, you might want to use it every day or
even multiple times a day. This scent is wonderful for stress, mood issues, insomnia,
and better concentration.

3. Grapefruit

The last scent on this list may surprise you – grapefruit essential oil. It is good to mix
and match when you can, instead of just sticking to one group, like florals. Grapefruit is
a citrus oil with a fresh, fruity scent. It is refreshing and invigorating, allowing for many
benefits. Grapefruit is great for fatigue and giving you energy in the morning, can help
relieve headaches, and helps with stress and mental fatigue as well.

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