About Health

Friday, November 1, 2013

Fitness Friday | It takes 21 days to create a habit

Fitness Friday | It takes 21 days to create a habit

Yesterday was a big day for me; yes it was Halloween, but it was also the first time I ate chocolate in 30 days! I took a mini challenge at the beginning on October to give up chocolate for the month, my only day to eat chocolate in October was Halloween. So last night I bought my stash of chocolate with the intension of having a big night of chocolate indulgence. I eagerly opened the bar of Dairy Milk and took my first bite, and found not a feeling of overwhelming chocolate bliss, but a tasty yet underwhelming feeling. I obviously ate a bit more chocolate to see if my mood improved, but alas I still found the usual feelings of joy that I tie to chocolate were not present.

I was obviously a little disappointed as I have been having a couple of chocolate shaped dreams and am pretty sure I had a few chocolate hallucinations during my 30 days of chocolate fasting, however I am also wondering if I have k icked my chocolate habit? Have I managed to disassociate the feeling of joy that I relate to chocolate? After all they do say it takes 21 days to create a habit, so surely after 30 day I should be “cured”?

I am hoping that I have managed to get rid of the chocoholic monster that lived inside me, the one that would crave it and not stop thinking about it until I had scoffed a whole bar. So after having a night of chocolate indulgence (which wasn’t as great as I thought it would be) I am now pledging to continue to not eat chocolate for the whole of November. Surely after pretty much 2 months of withholding from chocolate I should have kicked my chocoholic habit, and don’t worry I’m not punishing myself! I found that I did not miss chocolate as much as I thought I would. There was only one day in the whole 30 days that I would of stolen chocolate from a small child and gobbled it all up if I knew I wasn’t letting myself down.

So this is where this blog post comes in. It supposedly takes 21 days to create a habit. So what do you want to change? What would you want to be a habit of yours in three weeks time? Do you want to be able to go for a run with ease? Do you want to give up smoking? Do you want to have breakfast every morning? Do you want to give up your crisps addiction? Do you want to get 8 hours sleep a night? What ever you want to do have a serious word with yourself and make it happen! If you think you can make it for a month challenge yourself! Think about how much better you will feel afterwards!

For November I am giving up chocolate again and I am also giving up takeaways. That mean no chocolate, no chocolate flavoured snacks, and no Indian takeaways, no pizzas, no hungover McDonalds!

Go on challenge yourself! it’s only 3 weeks! Are you going to join me? What are you going to challenge yourself t o do for 21 days? Let me know!

Go check out Kim’s lovely blog full of beauty, fashion and lifestyle – PeachyPowderPuff.co.uk I love her frequent and great mix of posts.

Would You Cheat to Make More Money?

Would You Cheat to Make More Money?

No money, no morals? Feeling strapped for cash may make you cheat, suggests new research from Canada.

In the study, most participants first said that financial deprivation is no excuse for immoral conduct. But when these folks lost money while playing a game, they were suddenly willing to be dishonest to restore their standing. “When we find ourselves in a situation we don’t like, it’s a very human state to feel motivated to improve it,” says study author Nina Mažar, Ph.D. And, sometimes, “improving” translates to “cheating.”

But rather than concede you’re doing wrong, you may simply shift your standards to accommodate your new behavior—especially if you believe your financial situation is unfair (as in, you should be paid more than your do-nothing coworker). “It’s easier for us to change our moral standards than to admit to ourselves that we are dishonest,” says Mažar. This might lead to “justified” misconduct—say, stealing supplies from your workplace, and thinking you deserve that box of pens. Or sabotaging a coworker, and feeling perfectly good about it

Because people tend to rationalize this type of behavior, it’s hard to be self-aware enough to rethink your thieving. That means the best defense is to avoid feeling squeezed in the first place. If you can’t change your salary, take advantage of any non-monetary benefits your office offers, such as flex hours, free snacks and coffee, or massages covered by your insurance plan. Extra perks, even if they don’t involve cash, can help you feel duly compensated—and less tempted to cheat.

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Your Body on: Fright

Your Body on: Fright

Halloween’s not for everyone. But from slasher-movie marathons to that “haunted warehouse” downtown, the chances that you’ll avoid something scary today are slim.

It turns out when you feel frightened, a lot goes on in your brain and body. In fact, those responses can be healthy: An energy-infused high from a sudden release of hormones—the psychological aftermath of surviving a freaky experience—can provide a euphoric sense of accomplishment or survival. And that holds true even if you knew you were never really in danger, says Margee Kerr, Ph.D., who researches fear and advises adult haunted houses on the best ways to make someone crap his pants.

The downside: Truly terrifying experiences—like being shot at in battle or surviving a car accident—can create lasting anxiety, phobias, or mental conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. All of those can be rekindled by frightening situations—even the pretend kind, Kerr explains. (If you have a weak heart or severe anxiety, freaking out could even lead to cardiac arrest and death, case studies have shown. But those cases are extreme.)

What can you expect this Halloween? Here’s the anatomy of a freak out:

Just before a deranged, axe-wielding clown appears: Your internal systems are on the equivalent of cruise control, Kerr says. Your heart rate and blood hormones are at normal levels, and your nervous system is unexcited. Basically, things are cool.

Milliseconds later: In the instant before you fully recognize a threat, your brain has already started to prime your body for action. “It starts with one of your senses picking up on something that isn’t quite right,” says Kerr. It could be a foreign smell, or a creaking floorboard. Immediately, your amygdala—“the watchtower” of your brain—triggers the release of several hormones and neurotransmitters, including adrenaline, endorphins, and dopamine.

One second later: Those hormones elevate your heart rate, which increases the flow of blood and oxygen to your muscles, Kerr explains. Muscle tension and sugar levels also spike, providing you with a swell of energy in case you need to fight back or hightail it the hell out of there. Your pupils dilate in order to improve your vision, and you sweat to keep from overheating.

At the same time, your immune and digestive systems shut down to conserve energy, Kerr says. And if the threat is serious enough, your body can indeed jettison waste in order to aid your fight-or-flight capabilities, she adds.

30 seconds later: If the deranged clown turns out to be your buddy with a sick sense of humor, your parasympathetic nervous system will immediately begin to suppress the release of fear hormones, calming you down, Kerr explains. If the clown is real—yes, we’re going there—all your fight-or-flight hormones will keep flowing, providing you with your best chance for survival.

Fun Halloween freak-outs aside, what can you do to keep your worries in check? If you’re frightened by something you know is really harmless—don’t worry, we won’t tell!—ask a buddy to face your fear first. Watching a pal manage the source of your phobia helps your brain suppress your fear response, research shows.

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The Worst Work Hours for Your Health

The Worst Work Hours for Your Health

Bad news if you burn the midnight oil: People who regularly work night shifts are twice as likely to have diabetes, finds new research from the University of Pittsburgh. And the risk remains even after they’ve retired and returned to a normal sleeping schedule.

How come? Previous research shows that messing with your biological clock and limiting sleep can lead to decreased resting metabolic rates and increased blood glucose concentrations, which set the stage for diabetes and other diseases, says study author Timothy Monk, Ph.D.

While finding a job with normal hours is the ideal solution, it isn’t always an option. Still, you can minimize the risks of working when you should be sleeping by focusing even more on simple diabetes-preventing strategies such as eating right, exercising daily, and getting 7 to 9 hours of shuteye a day.

The other challenge? “Night shift workers often find it very difficult to eat right and nutritious food is rarely available,” Monk adds. Your solution: B.Y.O. When you’re on the job, carry along grub that research shows helps fight diabetes, like grapes and other purple produce, nuts, and dark chocolate.

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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Share the love| Meet my October Sponsors

Share the love| Meet my October Sponsors

What a strange month it has been. I have been busy with my job and life, however unlike usual, blogging was put on the back burner. I wasn’t really feeling inspired to blog and never like to force myself to write as that’s not what blogging is about for me. So I took a step back and had a little break. I am back now, however I don’t think I will be posting 4 times a week like I was, but still expect it at least twice! Anyways enough about me and my troubles. I may not have blogged much this month, but my lovely sponsors have! They all have blogs rammed full of interesting blog posts on fitness, health, beauty, fashion, food and life… so grab a cup of tea and take a look through each of them… I would definitely recommend it!

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I love hearing what my readers think too, so if you've tried a great new fitness class that you think I'd enjoy, or know how I could tweak my diet to see better results, I'm always excited to hear from you. Even if you're just dropping by, be sure to say hello!"”

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I started my blog after spending hours reading blogs and watching youtube videos and I really love writing posts and seeing your reactions to my posts. I am still not really sure what I'm doing most of the time but I would really love you to visit! You can also find me on twitter and Instagram @anothergirlyblg"

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The Health Risks of Just One Hangover

The Health Risks of Just One Hangover

Toast to your health? Not so much: Binge drinking and hangovers increase your risk of heart disease and stroke, according to new Finnish research.

The 15-year study of over 2,600 men found that one or more hangovers per year was associated with up to a 3-fold greater risk for stroke compared to guys who didn’t report a morning-after meltdown. Among guys with high blood pressure, binge drinking—defined as six or more drinks during a single bender—boosted stroke risk by 2-fold.

Now, the occasional hangover probably won’t matter much in the long run. But heavy boozing can contribute to hypertension and increased cholesterol levels, which can put you at risk for coronary artery disease and stroke, says study author Sanna Rantakömi. One or two drinks per party can be safe, but if you have certain health issues that may impact your blood vessels or if there are some chronic diseases in your family such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease, consider cutting back since you’re already at a greater risk, Rantakömi says.

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Feel Happier in 20 Seconds

Feel Happier in 20 Seconds

Rinse away a bad mood: Washing your hands could make you more optimistic, according to new German research.

After performing a nearly impossible task, people who scrubbed up had a brighter outlook on completing future tasks than those who skipped the soap.

Credit a theory known as embodied cognition: It’s the idea that higher mental processes (like decision making and optimism) are linked to motor processes (like hand washing), explains study author Kai Kaspar, Ph.D. On an unconscious level, the suds could help you think you’re cleaning off bad luck, making you more confident in what you’re about to do.

The catch: It doesn’t always work. Thinking you’re washing away failure could eliminate the need to make an extra effort—which may explain why the people who soaped up actually scored lower on the second test than those with dirty hands, says Dr. Kaspar.

In the end, you’re not going to wash your hands solely to brighten your day, but this study is a cool reminder to actually do it. (And hey, you never know—it could work!) Just make sure to lather up for at least 20 seconds, which is the minimum amount of time required to rid your hands of harmful germs and viruses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And focus on your fingertips—that’s where most of the germs reside.

Additional research by Markham Heid

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