by admin | May 25, 2022 | Health
Make Bread, Not War
Feeling stressed out? Feeling a bit under the weather? Feeling like everything is going south and you’re in the front rows just watching?
Well, I don’t want this to sound like an infomercial, but have you tried cooking? Just think about it – you’re coming home from a busy day in the office, and all you want to do is eat something and face dive on your heavenly-looking pillow. But because you’re hungry, you take some frozen meal, stick it in the microwave and start to contemplate life…
If this sounds familiar, well … don’t do that. Making a meal yourself instead can be extremely beneficial to your mental state, not to mention that it can be used as a way of handling any small state of depression. Think about it, cooking is simply taking all the right things in the right amounts and making something amazing… Much like life.
What Does Science Have To Say, Though?
A study, portrayed in the Wall Street Journal, marks several clinics around the world that use cooking as a therapy to handle mental health issues and it works for most of the patients.
If that is so then imagine what it can do for you after a long day. I’m not saying that only people with busy and exhausting lifestyles should embark and embrace the idea, it works for everyone and everywhere. The main objective of cooking therapy is to have fun. That’s what it is all about – letting go of all the built-up emotions and focusing on the stress reliever.
Here’s How It Works…
For one thing, cooking is an art. Art projects are strongly considered to be great for shutting down your mind for a while and keeping your hands busy.
Think of it not as a task or chore, but a way to express yourself, experiment, be spontaneous, add any weird and inedible thing that you love in there, create the thing that would say ‘this is me’. It doesn’t matter that you’re a terrible cook, or have no understanding of what the palette wants, you can still experiment as much as you like.
Let’s Not Forget… Herbs
You may be surprised what herbs can and could do for your well-being. There is a huge variety of plants that you can mix, use fresh, dry out, marinate, and so on, and so on. The second the aroma of the herbs makes its way thru your nose canal can help you relax like you’ve never relaxed before.
You can also grow your own herbs, that way you learn to be more persistent and committed to something without having to feel bad about killing yet another goldfish.
Food Isn’t Just Survival
If you think of cooking as a project or a hobby you may very well be more concentrated and productive in real life. Creating a daily routine that consists of food preparation, preserving, reading about, and talking about food can help you live a more stress-free life. Not to mention that it’s a pretty neat conversation piece if you want to impress the person you like.
Most people love food, why not make them happy? It is a certainty that we, as social animals, take pleasure in seeing someone we like show us his/her wide and bright smile. It shows that you have successfully made someone’s day better and you would feel good because of that. Saved for last is probably the most obvious reason to do it – it’s healthier!
Your body will treat you like a king if you take care of it, learn its likes and dislikes, and treat it accordingly.
After a couple of home-prepared meals, you will soon feel like a changed person with more energy, with higher motivation to take over the world, take out a girl or a guy you like on a date, stand up to your parents, because ‘no’ they don’t know everything, or, if you’re in the mood, crush your enemies – whatever floats your boat.
I know that many of you don’t have the time and patience to go through all the work, but, man, it feels so good to have a routine that works and is good for your mind and body, so don’t knock it, until you’ve tried it.
by admin | May 25, 2022 | Health
Metabolic Training | How To Increase Your Metabolism
When it comes to being in shape, many people use their metabolism as a type of excuse.
“I can’t gain/lose weight because my metabolism is too fast/slow…” This is something you hear very often but then again, people who usually say this, know NOTHING about the metabolism of humans. In this article, we’ll tell you what your metabolism is and how different types of training affect it.
What Is The Metabolism, Really?
In simple terms, metabolism can be defined as the set amount of energy & life-sustaining chemical reactions in the organism. Think about it – Your body is always on the run because there’s always some sort of a chemical reaction going on. Even if you are at complete rest, your body still needs energy just to stay alive and still runs a myriad of physiological processes.
Training is without a doubt one of the best tools to “speed up” your metabolism, simply because it demands quite a bit of energy and therefore, makes more chemical reactions occur in the body. The more chemical processes occur, the more efficient the body strives to become, and thus, your metabolism increases – Both in the number of chemical reactions & the speed of those reactions.
Now let’s have a look at how different types of training affect your metabolism
#1 Resistance training
When people hear “training”, what usually comes to mind is the treadmill… And though cardio activity is good, resistance training is what you really want to focus on, whether your goal is to lose fat or gain weight.
Resistance training activates your fast-twitch muscle fibers & primarily leads to progress in terms of strength, muscle tone & strength endurance. (1) This brings along a flurry of nurturing hormonal reactions, which in turn improve mood, digestion, recovery, along with regulating many other internal processes.
Resistance training can help you gain weight, but also maintain a healthy body composition during a weight-loss period. (2)
#2 Cardio training
Aerobic (cardio) training is one of the most relaxing activities you can do when you’re not in the gym. Besides being a great stress reliever, cardio can help you burn off some calories too, making it a great way to give your metabolism a boost. (3)
This type of training mainly leads to more efficient work of the heart & lungs, improving endurance. Cardio is best done after resistance training, as it may deplete you of energy for a proper strength workout if you do it beforehand.
#3 Functional training
Being able to run & lift weights but it’s a whole other thing to actually use more of the functions that your body has. It seems that many other physical properties like balance, agility, dexterity & coordination, have been long forgotten.
The chemical reactions in your brain are also a part of your metabolism, so doing other types of training that engage the body & brain to a higher extent, can be useful! After all, the goal of “having a faster metabolism” is to look, feel and perform better.
Right?
Frequently Asked Questions
Now before we close this off, let’s have a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about metabolism fine-tuning.
#1 What Else Can I Do For My Metabolism?
Besides training & your non-training physical activities, there are other factors that impact the chemistry in your body. (4)
Think:
- Food
- Drinks
- Medication
- Toxic habits (smoking, drinking)
- Environment
- Stress levels
Work on those. Establish good habits, put yourself in a good environment and try to manage your stress.
#2 Do I Really HAVE TO train?
You don’t “have to” do anything, but really, if you look at the complexity of your body, it was made to MOVE. Plus, modern-day life ROBS YOU of movement… So why not move to make your body happy? If you had a 600 horsepower car that can do 330 km/h, would you hold it in first gear?
You’d likely want to at least see what 2nd gear is like… So, yes, you don’t really have to train, but it is a fact that your body is your most valuable project.
#3 How Often Should I Train With Weights?
If you’re a beginner, you can reap good benefits from weight training if you train 3-4 times a week. And then again, training frequency depends on other factors like training volume (total amount of weight lifted). Ultimately, beginners would be looking at 5-10 challenging working sets, per muscle group, per week.
As you advance that number grows until you reach 15-20+ challenging working sets per muscle group, per week Cardio training sessions can be included after weight training and should be done for no more than 30-50 minutes if your goal is optimal muscular development.
Conclusion
Boosting your metabolism is all about nurturing and giving opportunities for more chemical reactions to occur in the body. Including different types of physical activities is one of your best bets when this is your task at hand.
Pretty much any type of movement will boost your metabolism, but if you want amazing results quickly, really just focus on resistance training & some cardio!
References
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18796867/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3544497/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25162652/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1090748/
by admin | May 24, 2022 | Mind
REASONS YOU SHOULDN’T IGNORE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Mental illness signs you should not ignore
You’re far from alone if you or someone you love is dealing with mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 7% of adults in the United States (almost 17.3 million individuals) have had at least one major depressive episode.
Furthermore, according to a survey conducted in the journal JAMA Network Open in September 2020, the rate of depressive symptoms in the United States tripled after the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the spike in these cases, a survey conducted by the Geneva-based organization found that fewer than half of the world’s 139 countries have mental health programs.
Just to state an overview, mental health is a state of well-being in which a person recognizes his or her faculties, can deal with everyday pressures, works productively, and contribute to his or her community. Chronic medical disorders, brain injury, PTSD, drug misuse, a childhood history of abuse or neglect, or a lack of stable relationships are possible causes of mental illness. Otherwise, others are maternal such as schizophrenia.
So what happens when you delay treatment once you realize a pattern of these symptoms? It gets more difficult to address the issue until the symptoms become grave, it will be more difficult to get them under control, which is why it is important to pay attention to the warning signs.
1. UNUSUAL ANXIETY
Have you ever found yourself worried for hours on end and unable to stop? Not being able to handle the fears, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, can be a symptom of an anxiety illness. Insomnia, random headaches and discomfort, very sudden and rapid thinking, or getting quickly annoyed are several other symptoms.
2. DIFFICULTY COPING WITH DAILY STRESS
Forget to lock up your bike, lost your keys, and you have to wait for your roommate to get home? According to the Australian Department of Health, being stuck in bad days for more than two weeks may be a symptom of depression or anxiety. Being unable to function in a position where you will usually be able to perform is a significant warning.
3. EXTREME OUTBURSTS
We’ve just had those moments where we’re enraged and unable to control our emotions. Rage outbursts, especially uncontrollable ones, could be a symptom of stressful events, substance dependence, psychotic illness, OCD, depression, or Irritable bowel syndrome, among others.
Although venting can be healthy at times, no one can be forced to hide their pain when a loved one passes away (Vent to someone). However, it must be monitored, as it can cause permanent harm if left unattended for too long.
BOTTOM LINE
Mental health is a challenge you shouldn’t perceive as a negative thing (Effective coping). Take it as something to fuel your personal, social, and professional goals.
Shun away from toxic people (even your parents, you can love them from a distance if so), negative events, and ways of entertainment such as music or films that could trigger mental-related issues.
Down the line, don’t suffer alone if you struggling. Seek professional help, surround yourself with positive people (Online communities to cope), and strive to create positive events. You’ve got one life to live, so why waste your time on stuff and people that don’t make you happy?
by admin | May 23, 2022 | Fitness
Muscle Asymmetry And How To Fix It
In the context of beauty, aesthetics and performance, symmetry is one of the most important considerations in your goal to optimal fitness. However, due to the fact that people always tend to use one side of their body more, asymmetry occurs often. There are ways around it, so in this article we’ve decided to give you insight on how to fix any asymmetry in your body.
What Is Asymmetry?
By broad definition, asymmetry is the imbalance between two sides of the body. When it comes to measurements, symmetry is directly tied to beauty in anthropometry (the science that deals with the measures and proportions of the body).
This is due to the fact that there are ratios and measurements that can be used to describe an aesthetically pleasing body figure. Nevertheless, asymmetry is NOT just about looks, as muscular asymmetry can be further classified into two subcategories:
- Visual asymmetry
- Functional asymmetry
The first one, visual asymmetry, is basically the imbalance in the sizes of the two sides of the body (i.e one of your arms is bigger/more defined). On the other hand, functional asymmetry is the imbalance in the physical properties of both sides (i.e one of your arms is stronger)
Oftentimes, one leads to the other but that is not valid a hundred percent of the time, as in some cases, the smaller arm can be the stronger side.
Placing The Goals
In the context of developing an aesthetically pleasing physique that performs well and isn’t at a risk of injury, there are a couple of goals to set down:
- Achieving functional symmetry
Functional symmetry is achieved when both sides of the body are working in synergy and have the same strength output, strength endurance, mobility and flexibility
- Achieving visual symmetry
Visual symmetry is achieved when the ratios and measurements of the lengths and shapes of the muscles, are identical
The Approach
If your asymmetry wasn’t a product of a harsh injury, such as a torn muscle, there are things you can do to even out the size and strength of both sides.
Here are our best tips to help you bring up your weaker sides!
- Exercise form
On many exercises, we tend to use the stronger side of the body more, which results in a crooked range of motion and uneven tension. When doing any exercise, try and make sure that both sides are on the same plane and that you do not use any inertial movements (cheating).
Try and apply constant tension on the muscles that are working, through a moderately paced range of motion.
- Prioritize!
Whether you are trying to bring up asymmetrical sides of your body, or just bring up generally lacking muscle groups, prioritizing those parts of your body is one of your best bets. To prioritize a muscle group, increase the total training volume (number of sets and reps), but also increase the weight and time under tension, as well as the frequency of training.
An important note here is that you should be doing this for the asymmetrical muscle group, ON BOTH sides – Don’t just increase the output on one side!
- Exclude certain exercises
In many cases, individuals have overdeveloped muscle groups that prevent them from properly targeting certain lacking muscle groups. For instance, if your triceps are too developed, they would absorb most of the tension during pushing exercises, robbing you of solid chest and shoulder work.
In that case, bringing tricep work down to a minimum would be a good idea, along with including isolated exercises for the lacking muscle group.
Balance Is The Goal
Whether you are a professional athlete or a regular gym trainee, optimal symmetry should be one of your first checkpoints on your way to good fitness. This is especially valid for competitive athletes, as achieving such balance would allow you to focus on what the specific sport requires, rather than focusing on bringing up weaknesses.
Conclusion
By nature, the human body is NOT perfectly symmetrical, so even if you take a picture of half of your body/face and flip it horizontally to make it into a full body picture… It wouldn’t look natural!
In that context, you shouldn’t really aim to achieve perfection, rather than a fairly decent visual and functional balance. Use the right exercise technique and constant tension, while building your routine around your weaker body parts, to prioritize them.
by admin | May 22, 2022 | Fitness, Health, Massage
Nature Therapy – What Exactly Is It?
What Is It And Why Do So Many Psychologists Recommend It Nowadays, as you may have learned in a previous article of ours, going to therapy is quite common. Psychology, in general, is one of the areas of study with the most development in the last few decades. Due to the growing interest in the subject, we constantly find newer ways our brain is connected to different aspects of life.
One of the connections which we started exploring in recent years is that between humans and nature. Although we all know that we are entangled with our environment, we started understanding and using its benefits only recently, which is how nature therapy was born.
So What Is Nature Therapy?
The definition of nature therapy is relatively simple – it’s the practice of being in a natural environment in order to boost your mental health.
There are a few different types such as:
- Adventure therapy – rafting, skiing, climbing, and more similar activities done outside
- Meditation – meditating in parks, gardens, beaches, etc.
- Animal-assisted therapy – playing with dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. looking at birds, squirrels, and other wildlife
- Art therapy – drawing landscapes, sculpting wood, decorating leaves, rocks, and more
- Green exercise – running, doing yoga, cycling – outdoors, in parks, gardens, yards, etc.
- Horticulture – gardening, planting, and harvesting fruits and vegetables, trimming leaves, etc.
- Wilderness – camping, hiking, climbing mountains, visiting waterfalls, etc.
Many people try different approaches to find the one that fits them the best.
All of these can be done with the professional therapist that recommended them (if they’re willing to participate), with an organized group, or as a planned trip by the patient themselves. There are many more ideas that can be done as nature therapy, but these are the most common ones.
Benefits And Popularity
Being in nature is known to have a calming effect for pretty much everyone, especially right now, because of the urbanized environment we all live in. Looking at trees and flowers, enjoying the quiet vistas, landscapes, birdsong forests, or beaches is therapeutic to kids just like it is to the elderly.
Nature therapy is shown to help people battling anxiety, depression, ADHD, and many more mental conditions. Even though it’s not all-powerful and shouldn’t be used instead of medication, being in nature has a positive effect on these illnesses because it releases tension, reminds the person of compassion while managing to stay engaging for people with attention problems.
Many people with depression have stated that most of the nature therapy practices make them feel connected, which brightens up their day every time. Some share that walking barefoot is maybe the easiest way to get in the right headspace and start enjoying the different practices of nature therapy.
Another reason why it helps is that some practices are calming for people that are anxious, stressed or tired (art therapy, horticulture, and meditation for example), while others are engaging for people with attention problems or those who are restless (like adventure, green exercise and wilderness).
Conclusion
Nature therapy is a non-medicinal practice for relieving stress and managing different problems regarding the mental health of an individual. It is valuable and enjoyable for pretty much every person regardless of age, gender, or background and can be practiced all around the globe. Its benefits stem from our biological upbringing and the underlying causes of some of our troubles.
Nature therapy can help with sleep, emotional connection, anxiety, attention problems, and many more, and it does so while also providing a new and exciting experience. Nature therapy seems to be something that more and more people try and end up loving so much it ends up being a part of their lives they look forward to, and with all its positive sides, we completely agree with them.
Do YOU do nature therapy? If yes, what is your favorite? Comment below!
