Keep your Stress in Check

Frustration sinks in, and for whatever reason, everything starts to blow up under the unforgiving stress. Who doesn't have it or feel stress most of the time?

Here are some tips that could lower your stress levels and keep them on check tomorrow.

BLOW OFF SOME STEAM
A recent Swedish study found that when stressed-out health care workers got together with others in similar situations to vent, they significantly reduced their levels of work-related stress and burnout. In other words, while friends and family are good for unloading, the best stress relief comes from talking about your job with someone who has experienced the same type of stress.

ORDER A LARGE COFFEE
But don't drink it! You may be able to de-stress by simply sniffing the aroma. When Korean researchers gave a bunch of sleep-deprived, stressed-out rats a whiff of java, it sent the levels of stress-related activity going on in their bodies plummeting. Already have a daily Dunkin' habit? Pop the top off your cup to really free up that relaxing coffee scent. And buy decaf.

BUY SOME GOOD HEADPHONES
Research has repeatedly shown that violent video games increase stress levels in players. But Canadian researchers made an interesting finding recently. When they had gamers turn off the sound while playing, their brains
produced significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol — meaning the noise of the game is what may have been setting off the stress response. Work in a noisy, hyper-loud office? Crank up your iPod or find some other way to block the noise, and your stress may ease up as well.

GRAB A YOGA CLASS
NFL players like Armani Toomer and Jon Dorenbos, and other pro athletes, are incorporating yoga into their workouts. Indian researchers found that regular yoga sessions can help improve your mental health — and reduce some symptoms of stress — in as little as 10 days.

Breakfast Cereal right For Me

Although some cereal taste good but aren't that good for you, do we have to assess their true nutritional value?

Below is one of my breakfast cereal and I’m wondering what’s yours?

Post Grape-Nuts Flakes
110 calories, 3 g protein, 24 g carbs, 1 g fat, 3 g fiber

Despite being super tiny, these flakes had a delicious wheat flavor—nutty enough to seem healthy without being so overwhelming they screamed "health food." Be forewarned, though: The flakes dissolve quickly, leaving a sort of whole-wheat mush on your tongue.

To Drink or Not to Drink Beer

If wine can keep you healthy, taken from my recent post “A Wine each day keeps you Healthy”, does drinking beer have the same healthy benefits?

Before we crack open a cold one, let’s get some facts first.

“Drinking too much beer—even if it’s low-carb or light—is still bad for your health,” says Devayani Modak, registered dietitian at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network.

The calories—Beer in any form is not that high in carbohydrates. “It’s the calories you need to watch,” Modak says. “Even the lightest beer has close to 100 calories, and they add up when you’re having more than one.”

Beer drinking also tends to go hand in hand with snacks loaded with empty carbohydrates (not to mention salt and fat). After a few beers, your willpower to resist these treats is likely to weaken.

If you’re a carb-counter, don’t even think about drinking beer instead of eating more nutritious carbohydrates (such as whole grains and fresh produce). It’s not a healthy way to control your diet.

The alcohol—Alcohol content in low-carb and light beer is close to that of regular beer (see below). Consider any 12-ounce beer the equal of a 4-ounce glass of wine or 1.5-ounce serving of spirits (80-proof whiskey, gin or vodka).

“Drinking more than one or two beers a day puts you at a higher risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers,” says Diana Heckman, executive director of the ALERT Partnership. It also raises your risk for accidents. Use the same caution with beer as with any alcohol, she says—don’t drive, operate machinery or participate in activities that could be affected by impaired reflexes and decision-making.

If you have diabetes, remember that any form of alcohol lowers your blood sugar and can cause serious health effects if your diabetes is not well-controlled.

Nail Fungus Care Tips

I would like to thank LoveNails at Nail Fungus Treatment for the useful tips on self-care about nail fungus. Here are some tips I gathered and hoping it is useful to you as well.

Between the two types of nail fungus, toenail fungus is more common than fingernail fungus. This is because the toenail is more prone to the development of fungus since it is always exposed to a damp, warm, and dark environment. The more you leave your nail fungus untreated, the more damage it will give to your nails and even to your skin. Treating nail fungus does not have to be expensive. You may cure and prevent further nail fungus without the help of the products available in the market. However, more often than not, these self-care tips are only good for mild cases of nail fungus. For those with severe toenail or fingernail fungus, you must seek the help of your doctor and ask what product is right for you.

Proper nail hygiene is the most advisable way to prevent as well as cure nail fungus. Keep your hands and feet always clean and wash them regularly with anti-bacterial soaps. After thorough washing, make sure that you completely dry your hands, especially your feet. Use a separate towel for your feet or hands if ever you already have nail fungus. Additionally, daily use of foot powder such as talcum helps prevent the nail disorder from occurring. The nails should also be properly trimmed. It should not be too long or too short since it can be a very inviting ground for fungus to breed in. Go only to nail salons that you think is sanitized when it comes to their equipments. Do not allow anyone to borrow or don't even think of lending your nail clippers, nail files, and emery board to anyone.

As mentioned earlier, nail fungus commonly occurs in toenails. Thus, most of the self-care tips are about the proper care and prevention happens at your feet. Avoid wearing shoes that are made of synthetic materials. These types of shoes will trigger most moist in your feet and nails, making an excellent place for fungus to set in. Socks that are made from wool or cotton are also excellent materials to prevent nail fungus and avoid further development of the nail fungus in your toenail. It absorbs the sweat when you are wearing closed shoes. If it is inevitable that you have to go to public showers make sure that you wear water proof sandals.

Nail fungus also occurs to people who have a weak immune system. Therefore, eating a healthy diet would help in treating nail fungus. The healthier your immune system is, the bigger the chance that it can fight off the fungus. Your daily diet must always include fresh vegetables and fruits. Moreover, foods that are high in protein can make the nails stronger. If the nails are stronger, the fungus will have a hard time contaminating it. This includes dairy products, pork, chicken, nuts, and seeds.

Plan to Lose Weight

Planning in losing weight doesn’t have to go to the extreme, everything has to do with your lifestyle from eating, exercise, and attitude. How do you plan to lose weight especially for beginners?

All you have to do is create an easy plan or daily exercise journal that you can follow. This means writing down your physical activities, and keeping a food journal.

Here is a basic program to help you get started.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

- 3 sets of 10-15 squats using your body weight

- 3 sets of 10-15 sit ups on a stability ball

- 3 sets of 10 push ups (go on your knees if you have too)

- 3 sets of side skater lunges, 8 per side

- 3 sets of 10-12 bicep to shoulder press using 2 to 10 pound dumbbells.

Remember only do what feels safe and go as low in each move as you can. Only use the amount of weight and perform the number of reps that reflect your fitness level. It's not a competition.

Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
Get out there and walk, bike, swim or any other activity that you can handle for 20-45 minutes. Do your best to safely break a sweat and if you can only go for 15 minutes, so be it. Just get moving. You can always increase your time as the weeks go on.

Sunday
Today is a rest day. Now if Sunday is a better day to train, then rest on another day. Create a schedule that works for you.

Food
I'm not going to tell you what to eat I'm just going to begin by giving you a few pointers.

    * Keep a food journal. That means write down everything you eat and drink during your day. Try to not eat a heavy dinner or eat too late.
    * Eat only until you are full (for most of us that is about eating half of the food we already consume). If you need to, just get it off your plate right away.
    * Don't wait to eat until you're starving. This leads to overeating.
    * Always carry a healthy snack to help you get to the next meal: handful of almonds, some fruit, or even a mini sandwich. No snack foods (chips, candy, fast food, fries, cookies, etc.).
    * Only drink water and your beloved coffee without all the other ingredients that turn it into a milkshake. This means no juices or sodas of any kind.
    * Choose your one night to have alcohol if you must, and it's better to have wine rather than beer or sugary cocktails (mojitos and martinis with sexy names).
    * Don't nuke it! Make your food yourself.
    * If you are feeling really motivated, then avoid food made of wheat (pasta, bread, and all baked goods of course). Be mindful that sugar and wheat can really impact your body weight.
    * On Sunday, eat what you want. This is not a license to go crazy -- this just means that you can relax, and get that much more fired up for Monday.

The beginning is always the toughest time, but if you are serious about wanting to make a change, this is a really simple way to do that especially for beginners.