by admin | Jun 6, 2022 | Health, Mind
When is Stress a Good Thing?
People think about stress as bad, something they need to learn to cope with, a culprit for many health issues. But, did you know that stress can have a positive effect on your life?
Keep reading to understand why sometimes working long hours and going through tough times can be good for you.
The Difference Between Good and Bad Stress
Saying stress is good or bad is an incomplete statement, because it misses the explanation. Chronic stress is a bad type of stress, which can take a toll on your physical and mental health. Prolonged feelings of tiredness, high blood pressure, anxiety and other symptoms of chronic stress require treatment and care.
Moderate stress puts you in a state of high responsiveness and helps you deal with various situations, so your problem solving-skills can emerge.
Good stress feels like excitement and triggers the reactions in your body even if there isn’t a real threat. It is the type of stress that occurs in particular situations, and its effects stop once the situation passes.
Check the following section to understand the potential benefits of stress.
Healthy Stress Benefits
The easiest way to illustrate what healthy stress is, is using a work or school deadline example. Before the deadline exceeds, you are in a state of great alertness, focused, and motivated to complete the task.
Healthy Stress Helps you Cope with Infections
When you feel stressed, the chemical reactions in your body are different from what is happening while you relax. A sudden and short-term stress, like a deadline, causes low production of the stress hormone. It further induces the release of a chemical that improves your immune system.
Think about it for a second, were you ever sick before the deadline? Or do you get sick as soon as you hand over the paper? Once the stress passes, your body relaxes, and your immune system doesn’t get a booster dose.
It is the primary difference between chronic and healthy stress. Chronic stress weakens you and can compromise your immune system, while healthy stress maintains your immune response.
Healthy Stress Strengthens You
Going through occasional episodes of stress helps build resilience towards situations you cannot control. In the long run, it can help prevent chronic stress.
Healthy stress teaches you how to overcome different obstacles, and which point of view to take on troublesome situations. It will train you to build an automatic response and reduce the stress over similar situations in the future.
For example, the first time your boss gave you negative feedback, you felt blue and were stressed out. Next time, you can use it as a tool to upgrade your skills!
Healthy Stress is a Mental Workout
Low doses of healthy stress help keep your mind sharp. The nervousness you feel in your stomach activates some brain activities that wouldn’t be active if everything was alright.
Healthy stress improves the connection between brain cells, similar to what lifting weight does to your muscles. If you lift too much weight, you can get injured. Low weight doesn’t have any effect on your muscles.
It is the reason you are more productive when you feel stressed and why you make fewer mistakes when you work under strict, last-minute deadlines.
Balance is the Key
If you feel the excitement every day and you work under a lot of pressure for a long time, it isn’t healthy stress. It is chronic tension that only lowers your achievements and compromises your health. But, occasional roller coaster rides and unexpected situations are good for you!
Can you recognize good from bad stress? How often are you stressed? Please share your thoughts on healthy stress in the comments!
by admin | Jun 6, 2022 | Health, Mind
Metacognition – What Is It exactly?
Understanding The Art Of Knowing That You Know Today, we will talk about the fascinating technique referred to as “metacognition.” The definition of this technique is mainly referred to as the “awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes.” To put it more simply, it’s knowledge about when and how specific strategies can be used to solve problems or to learn.
The term comes from the root word “meta,” which means further or on top of. It is considered an essential part of learning successfully. Besides, metacognition is directly linked to the self-reflection of strengths and weaknesses and the strategies a person devises to achieve a goal. Practically, this is the foundation of culturally intelligent leadership, to underscore how a person thinks about a problem or situation.
History of Metacognition
Metacognition was introduced by John H. Flavell in 1976. He first defined the term as “one’s knowledge concerning one’s own cognitive processes and products or anything related to them.”
But even before Flavell, there have been cases in human history that have embarked on the study of the great importance of monitoring and regulating one’s comprehension process.
Also, Vygotsky (1896 – 1934) and Piaget (1896 – 1980) have both added self-regulation and self-reflection to their cognitive development theory.
How Does It Help Us?
Encouraging metacognition is a relatively straightforward and cheap way to improve learning. The Education Endowment Foundation describes the approaches as having “consistently high levels of impact” while acknowledging that they can also be challenging to implement.
Educational consultants Dr. Robin Fogarty and Brian Pete developed a couple of easy research-based examples of how metacognition can help people in general. Not only that, but it gives teachers and parents insightful tips on teaching kids throughout kindergarten to middle school easier.
Everyday Examples
Alright, well, the thing here is that sometimes, whether we know this term or not, we use metacognition! One great example is to think about the last time you’ve reached the bottom of a page and thought to yourself, “What did I read?”.
Your brain just became aware of something you did not know, so instinctively, you might have reread the last sentence and then gone through the whole page again. Or maybe you’ll just rescan some of the paragraphs to fill in the information gaps!
In whatever way you decide to capture the missing information, this momentary awareness of knowing what you know or do not know is called metacognition.
When we notice ourselves having an inner dialogue about our thinking, and it prompts us to evaluate our learning, we are experiencing metacognition at work. This is a perfect way to inspect your thought process and inflict or demand more from your reading and studying habits.
Not to mention that it can be put to use in real life. Many people feel like they lose their train of thought through the day because of various external or internal reasons. Most of the time, we simply have not been trained to be more efficient in paying attention.
Why It’s Worth Exploring
Reflective thinking is at the heart of metacognition. However, in today’s world of constant chatter and technology, reflective thinking can be at odds. Practically, technology can prevent people, mostly young, from seeing what is in front of their eyes.
John Dewey, a renowned scientist and education reformer claimed that experiences alone were not enough. Instead, what is critical is an ability to perceive and then weave meaning from the threads of our experiences. The function of metacognition and self-reflection is to make meaning.
The creation of meaning is at the heart of what it means to be human. This is precisely why metacognition is worth exploring… And applying. Follow up with us in part 2 of this article series, where we explain more about how you can apply metacognition in your life for your best personal development!
by admin | Jun 5, 2022 | Life, Health
3 POWERFUL LIFESTYLE STEPS TO CREATE A MORE FULFILLING LIFE IN 2022
At first, improving your lifestyle can seem to be an unattainable goal. By this, I mean the quality of your life experience from the type of food you eat, the kind of folks you hang with, the sort of people you date, finances and vacations, and so on.
Full disclosure, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to change anything in your life at once. However, it’s entirely possible and there are several little improvements you can make to enhance your physical, social, and mental well-being which will help you appreciate your life more.
That said; begin making one or two minor improvements at a time. You’ll be living the life you’ve always wanted in a given duration of time. This shall be dependent on your effort, your educational resources, and commitment.
Here are 3 powerful lifestyle tips to help you create a more fulfilling life.
1. Work on Your Physical Well Being
First, it all boils down to your diet. It’s not so difficult to eat a balanced diet. Include a range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins such as legumes, fish, and chicken, and don’t forget the healthy fats in your diet.
Next, incorporate at least 150 minutes of mild to vigorous aerobic exercises such as taking a walk or intensive aerobic exercise like dancing into your routine. You can also do high-intensity resistance training regularly to tone the prominence of your muscles. Yes, I mean the six-pack or a perfect bottom.
Finally, come up with a healthy nighttime routine. Sleep deprivation will only increase exhaustion making you unproductive hence limiting you from experiencing positive feelings and achieving your goals.
2. Improve your Mental Wellness
Pay attention to the things that cause you tension and stress. You could be able to avoid these cues by avoiding people that cause it or not overcommitting yourself in certain situations.
Next, ditch the past. Seriously. It happened, so get comfortable with the decisions you made, and start living mindfully as you focus on the future. Practices such as meditation and counseling would be a great place to start.
Last but not least, set realistic and achievable goals for yourself. You’ll always be inspired and focused on the bigger picture.
3. Social and Professional Improvement
Ultimately, start the routine of saving cash. Regularly track your expenses and as you save more, ensure you invest this cash to yield more returns. Furthermore, it’s vital to keep improving your relationships. If you’ve got a romantic partner, put effort into keeping the relationship healthy, as it can be beneficial to your physical and emotional well-being.
Needless to say, read more up-to-date content, pursue interesting hobbies and hang out with interesting folks who are healthy.
Bottom Line
These steps build onto one another. That said, you can work your way through step one to step 3 instead of getting overwhelmed while juggling between them all. You will gain momentum along the way, and when tough times come, brace yourself as that’s where you grow wiser and stronger. At the end of the first two weeks, I guarantee you will see a positive change in your life.
by admin | Jun 5, 2022 | Health, General
Let’s talk Antioxidants Part 1
According to medical professionals, antioxidants are one of the best supplements to help the body combat the damaging effects of free radicals. The antioxidant content in most fresh fruit and vegetables varies, but rainforest fruits are often more beneficial than those from other regions. For example, acai berries are loaded with antioxidants, which makes them appropriate for use as a superfood.
A prefix like ‘anti’ is used in opposition to something, or in a way that helps to correct it. Chemicals called antioxidants work against oxidants that damage cells It is believed that oxidants play an important role in numerous bodily processes, and that this is why they are found in the body. As a result of billions of biochemical reactions that occur within the body every minute, they are produced.
These harmful by-products are produced when the very oxygen that provides oxygen to the body actually damages its cells, damaging their DNA, fats and proteins. The body is also exposed to free radicals as a result of external influences such as exposure to the sun, pesticides and other kinds of pollutants. Stress, unhealthy foods, and cigarette smoking also increase these hormones’ levels.
A breakdown of body cells is caused by oxidation inside the body, much like rust on cars. When free radical oxidation in the body rises to an unhealthy level, cellular components may be altered, and ageing may be accelerated. Moreover, it may cause a variety of degenerative illnesses, as well as reduce the body’s ability to deal with other ailments, such as cardiovascular dysfunction, eyesight problems, and cancer.
The body may also be less able to heal wounds and defeat infections due to a compromised immune system, resulting in immunological disorders. A few studies point to possible links to arthritis and other chronic conditions. Free radicals are destroyed by antioxidants by binding to them before they cause damage. By converting these compounds into non-damaging biochemical substances, they are able to help repair cell damage to a great degree.
The human body produces antioxidant enzymes. Catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione are the most well-known of them: Hydrogen peroxide is converted into oxygen and water by catalase. Antioxidants are broken down into hydrogen peroxide by superoxide dismutase.
Glutathione works as a detoxifier, transforming toxins into a form that is easier to eliminate. The diet can provide additional antioxidants. In addition to beta-carotene and vitamin B6, some other antioxidant vitamins are Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Minerals like selenium, zinc, glutathione, and coenzyme Q10 may also be antioxidants, and so may flavonoids such as cranberries, some amino acids, plus organic extracts from milk thistle and ginkgo biloba.
These antioxidants are found in a large supply in fruits and vegetables, which helps eliminate free radicals. Vegetables and fruits that contain high levels of polyphenols include carrots, orange and red peppers, and spinach. Raw vegetables and fruit, and sprouts can help the body absorb antioxidants, since cooking destroys some of them. It is also a good idea to steam vegetables rather than fry, microwave or boil them.
Because pure antioxidants, such as vitamin E, require additional vitamins in order to work effectively as antioxidants, they should be consumed in combination. The best sources of antioxidants may therefore be found in foods or supplements. Some of the best natural antioxidants are found in rain forests of the world. Health experts praise acai berries for the high number and wide variety of antioxidants they contain, making them a great source of antioxidants. This is why the acai berry has been called one of the top ten superfoods in the world.
So get out and stock up on these amazing anti-ageing foods and supplements and load up on your antioxidants. To see how you can get more into your daily diet and routine check out our next article.
Disclaimer
Article for entertainment and information purposes only. Always seek a medical opinion before trying any new supplements or nutrition routine and never stop taking medication without speaking to your medical provider.
by admin | Jun 5, 2022 | Health, Mind
Is Depression An Inflammatory Disorder?
Just a decade ago, the thought that inflammatory mechanisms might lead to the emergence of MDD (major depressive disorder) was so ground-breaking that it could endorse reviews. However, a Medline search turned up thirty-seven review articles that explicitly showed the links between immune-inflammatory variables and depression, or the therapy of depression.
Another study connecting inflammation to depression is scarcely necessary against such a growing backdrop. Instead, we believe it is worthwhile to address the connection between depression and inflammation in this article.
Is Depression an Inflammatory Disorder?
Fully understanding the immunological foundation of diseases has fundamentally changed the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Immunologic mechanisms could now be involved in the maintenance and development of mental disorders, establishing a whole new pathway for unique psychiatric disease prevention and treatment strategies.
The immune mechanisms associated with depression have garnered the most interest. A large body of evidence supports the idea that the immune system, in general, and inflammation, in particular, are pathways to disease in a large percentage of depressed individuals. Even though the link between depression and inflammation may appear clear at first sight, it is considerably more complex and complicated than many people assume. But one thing remains clear;
Depression is not an inflammatory disorder
One of the most significant things that were discovered about depression and inflammation is that depression is not an inflammatory illness, and not every individual experiencing depression has elevated inflammation. Yes, numerous studies have shown increased average concentrations of markers of inflammation in despondent persons when compared to control studies.
Acute inflammation is seen in a variety of mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, personality disorders, and schizophrenia, and personality disorders among others. These findings imply that inflammatory processes are transdiagnostic, appearing in subgroups of people suffering from a variety of mental illnesses.
The Link Between Depression and inflammation
An inflammatory reaction that lasts too long may cause chaos in our systems and leave us at risk for mental health problems and other diseases.
Inflammation markers, for instance, are higher in individuals with depression than in individuals who are not depressed. Inflammatory markers can also reflect the degree of depression symptoms. A twin with a greater CRP level (a marker of inflammation) is more prone to depression half a decade later, according to research that investigated twins who had 100 percent of the same set of genes.
Doctors found that Hepatitis C and cancer patients receiving IFN-alpha treatment (which boosts the immune system) were also depressed. This therapy caused a surge in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, a condition that resulted in appetite loss, sleep disturbances, anhedonia, suicidal ideation, and cognitive impairment. These findings support the inflammatory theory of depression.
Following extensive research, it was shown that the increased frequency of depressive symptoms among patients administered FN-alpha was not solely due to their illness. Investigators used a simple way of dosing healthy participants with immune system intruders and discovered that those administered had greater rates of depression symptoms than those who got a placebo. Anhedonia, negative mood, sleep problems, social isolation, and cognitive problems were reported by the participants who were stimulated to get an inflammatory reaction.
Treating Depressive Episodes as a Systemic Disease
What would depression signify in terms of therapy if seen as part of systemic disease? Aside from the apparent link to pharmaceutical therapies like antidepressants, it implies that adjustments to the body’s processes may also assist to reduce depression. While mind-body therapies are essential, those that address physical systems may be even more so.
Therapies that target physical variables like sleep, nutrition, and exercise, for instance, might be a beneficial supplement to medical and psychological treatments.
Even in this case, thinking outside the box is necessary.
by admin | Jun 5, 2022 | Health, Fitness
Shoulder Injuries & The Rotator Cuff | Part 2 – Preventing Shoulder Injuries
In the first article of this series, we gave you a basic overview of the shoulder anatomy and made a couple of things clear:
- The shoulder is a mobile, but vulnerable joint
- It is comprised of superficial muscles (deltoids) but also deep, stabilizing muscles (the rotator cuff)
- The shoulders are involved in all upper body movements in some way, further increasing the probability of injury
We also had a look at some common shoulder injuries, such as rotator cuff tears, dislocations, bursitis, and shoulder socket inflammations (frozen shoulder). In this second article, we are going to tell you more about how you can prevent these unpleasant injuries and enjoy sustainable upper body training for years.
Without further ado, let’s get to it!
How To Prevent Shoulder Injuries
In most cases when people think of shoulder training, the first things that come to mind are weighted exercises like dumbbell presses and front raises. And while those are certainly good picks for developing strong deltoids, they give the rotator cuff very little work to do. As you lift heavier and heavier on those movements, the cuff is imposed to progressively greater amounts of stress, making it far more likely for an injury to occur.
Below are our best tips that you can use to minimize the risk of a shoulder injury.
Tip #1 Train your rotator cuff!
As we just said, the traditional shoulder exercises do not really emphasize the rotator cuff, which is a detrimental element of shoulder health. Implementing resistance band rotator cuff exercises in your routine is a perfect way to exercise all shoulder functions and keep the joint healthy.
Furthermore, this type of exercise is a good way to warm up the shoulders and prime them for the heavier lifts in your workout. Here are the 4 best resistance band exercises for your cuff, with written exercise steps:
1. External rotation
Attach the resistance band securely on a pole/anchor at the height of your belly button. Stand next to the band and hold it with your outside hand, with an overhand grip. Maintain an upright torso position, keep the back straight and avoid hunching your shoulders. Pull the band, opening the arm to the outside (external rotation) – Do this slowly to maintain tension. Go back to the initial position slowly, keeping the tension on the shoulder.
This exercise can also be done on both arms simultaneously, by holding a band closely with both hands and stretching it out with the same external rotation. NOTE: Keep the upper arm closer to the body!
2. Internal rotation
With the same initial position, hold the resistance band but this time with your inside hand. Step away from the resistance band so that it starts generating tension. Close the arm in, pulling the band towards your belly button. Again, use an even pace that is relatively slow, on both portions of the movement.
NOTE: Don’t let the band lose tension
3. 90-Degree External rotation
Attach the band to a pole/anchor at lower chest height and stand in front of it. Move to the side, so that the band is right in front of your working arm. With that same arm, grab the band and take a step back to generate tension. Raise your arm up so that the upper arm is parallel to the ground, with elbow bent at 90-degrees. Pull the resistance band back, raising the arm to a 90-degree vertical angle. Go back down slowly, maintaining the tension on both portions of the movement.
NOTE: Do this movement on both sides!
4. Downward Pull (extension)
Attach the resistance band to a higher spot, so that it is anchored above you. Stand in front of the band upright then grab it with a neutral grip (palm facing to the opposite side). Take a step back to generate resistance, keeping the arm straight and parallel to the ground. Pull the band down to the side of your hip slowly, then return to the initial position.
NOTE: Again, do the movement slowly on both sides – Even pace.
Tip #2 – Manage Your Workout Split
As we mentioned, the shoulders are engaged in all upper body movements. This is exactly why your training split should allow them to recover properly, before having them engaged heavily again. To do so, you can:
- Avoid direct shoulder training the day before chest training
- Place a lower body or rest day in-between upper body training sessions
- Combine all pushing muscle groups in 1 workout with lesser volume
By carefully distributing your heavy pushing movements across your workout plan, you will allow all tendons and muscles to recover and perform optimally, thus reducing the risk of injury.
Tip #3 – Manage Your Workout Intensity
If you go all-out on every single upper body workout, odds are that sooner or later a shoulder injury will occur. This is exactly why managing your workout intensity (working weight) is of prime importance for shoulder health (and joint health in general). Higher intensity by nature is more demanding and thus, requires more time to recover from.
To manage your intensity, you can:
- Leave a couple of reps in the tank – Don’t go to failure on every set
- Program higher intensity days & moderate-intensity days
- Every now and then, use lower weights for more reps
In doing so, you will allow all shoulder muscles to become stronger from workout to workout.
Tip #4 – Use Compound Movements
The more you isolate a muscle group, the bigger the chance of tendon inflammation and/or tear is. This is exactly why, compound movements that utilize a variety of muscle groups, are a viable injury prevention tool. These exercises will allow secondary muscle groups to engage in the movement, thus supporting the shoulder and its muscles.
In doing so, you will not only take away from potentially harmful tension of the shoulder joint but will also be able to lift heavier to maximize shoulder development.
Here are our best compound movement picks:
- Standing barbell overhead press (uses the shoulders & triceps, back muscles stabilize the torso)
- One-Arm dumbbell overhead press (uses the shoulders & triceps, engages the rotator cuff more to balance the arm)
- One-arm dumbbell lateral raises (uses the shoulders & trapezius, reduces peak contraction angle leading to less pressure on the joint)
Tip #5 – Warm up, warm up, warm up!
Last but not least, warming up before heavier lifts is of prime importance for shoulder health. A good warm up will kick up your heart rate, warm your body up and activate the muscles you’re going to target in your workout. Generally, if you combine low-intensity cardio (5-10 minutes) with the resistance band exercises you are good to go. Additionally, it is recommended that you gradually increase the working weight on your first couple of sets, in order to work your way up to higher intensity.
To Wrap It Up
The shoulder is a complex, very mobile joint that generally lacks stability, making it vulnerable during high exertion. For this reason, key elements of your workout plan are important to consider, in order to prevent an injury. Those are your warm-up, exercise choice, recovery periods between upper body training sessions, as well as proper integration of auxiliary, strengthening exercises for the rotator cuff. By making sure you have all these key points in check, you make it far less likely for a shoulder injury to occur.
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