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Have you ever wished a cream made you coffee? The full size of Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream comes in a giant coffee cup, which is kinda cool. The Koreans definitely know how to grab attention. But is the juice inside just as cool? Is it really like coffee for your skin, perking it up and making it radiate… or is jut clever marketing? In this review, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this cream, including what it really can and can’t do, who it is for, and whether it deserves a spot in your skincare routine. Let’s dive in! Key Ingredients In Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream: What Makes It Work? NIACINAMIDE Niacinamide is vitamin B3. It’s everywhere in Korean skincare right now (basically every second product has it, lol) and brands love positioning it as a brightener. Here’s the thing though: it does brighten, but not the way most people expect. It doesn’t exfoliate, it doesn’t block melanin production at the source. What it does is stop melanin from getting transferred into your skin cells in the first place. The difference matters because the effect is slow and subtle. If you’re expecting the kind of visible results you’d get from something like vitamin C, tranexamic acid, or an AHA, you’ll probably be disappointed. Most people using a niacinamide moisturiser aren’t going to notice dramatic brightening. It’s more of a slow, cumulative, effect. What it’s actually better known for in the research is barrier support. It boosts ceramide production in the skin, which is what keeps your barrier intact and stops water escaping. It also reduces sebum production at around 4-5% concentration, calms redness and inflammation, and has some solid evidence for improving the appearance of enlarged pores over time. Related: Can You Use Niacinamide With Vitamin C? CENTELLA ASIATICA LEAF WATER Centella asiatica (cica, gotu kola, tiger grass, whatever your favourite brand calls it) contains compounds called asiaticoside and madecassoside, which tell your skin cells to make more collagen and stop overreacting to irritation. The problem is this product uses leaf water, not an extract. Those compounds don’t dissolve easily in water, so leaf water (basically the watery fraction you get from processing the plant) contains very little of them. The studies showing collagen and anti-inflammatory benefits were done on concentrated extracts, not this. So what you’re actually getting here is hydration and maybe some light soothing. Not bad. Just not the impressive stuff centella is actually known for. SQUALANE Squalane is a hydrocarbon oil derived from squalene, which your skin actually produces naturally as part of sebum. The version in skincare used to come from shark liver (grim), but most brands now use plant-derived squalane, typically from sugarcane or olives. Phew! It’s an emollient, which means its job is to sit in the upper layers of skin, fill in the gaps between cells, and stop water from escaping. Plus, it’s lightweight, non-comedogenic, stable, and works on basically every skin type including oily and acne-prone. The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products. Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin. Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet). Red: What is this doing here?! Water: The base of pretty much every water-based skincare formula. It’s the solvent that dissolves and carries all the other ingredients. Propanediol: A humectant and solvent derived from corn sugar. It pulls moisture into the skin and helps other ingredients absorb and spread more effectively. Glycerin: A classic humectant that draws water from the air and deeper skin layers up to the surface. Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate: A lightweight emollient ester. It softens and smooths the skin’s surface while giving the formula a silky, non-greasy finish. 1,2-Hexanediol: A multitasking ingredient that works as both a humectant and a preservative booster. Cetearyl Olivate: An emulsifier derived from olive oil. It’s what holds the water and oil phases of the formula together so they don’t separate. Panthenol: Also called pro-vitamin B5. It’s a humectant and skin-soother that draws moisture in, supports barrier repair, and has mild anti-inflammatory properties. Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer: A synthetic polymer that acts as a thickener and texture enhancer. Sorbitan Olivate: Another olive-derived emulsifier that works alongside cetearyl olivate. Together they form a stable emulsion system. Carbomer: A polymer used to thicken and stabilise the formula. It’s what helps give the moisturiser its gel-like body and ensures it holds together consistently. Sclerotium Gum: A natural thickener and texture agent produced by a type of fungus. I Tromethamine: A pH adjuster. Ingredients like niacinamide and carbomer need the formula to be at a specific pH to work properly and feel good on skin. Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil: A light plant oil rich in linoleic acid, which is the fatty acid oily and acne-prone skin is often deficient in. Replenishing linoleic acid helps keep the skin barrier healthy and can actually help regulate sebum quality. Xanthan Gum: A polysaccharide thickener produced through fermentation. It helps stabilise the emulsion, gives the formula a smooth and consistent texture, and contributes to that pleasant slip on application. Madecassoside: A purified active compound extracted from centella asiatica. It promotes collagen synthesis, soothes inflammation, and helps strengthen the barrier. Ethylhexylglycerin: A preservative and skin-conditioning agent. It works synergistically with 1,2-hexanediol to keep the formula protected from bacteria and other nasties, and it’s gentler than traditional preservatives. Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent that binds to metal ions in the formula. Trace metals can destabilise formulas and cause active ingredients to degrade faster. This prevents that. Xylitol: A sugar alcohol that works as a humectant, drawing moisture into the skin. It also has prebiotic properties, meaning it supports the skin’s natural microbiome by promoting beneficial bacteria. Ascorbic Acid: Pure vitamin C. At the concentration it’s likely present here, it’s primarily functioning as an antioxidant to protect the formula from oxidation and stabilise other ingredients. Texture The cream has a lightweight, lotion-like consistent that spreads easily onto the skin and absorbs in seconds. It’s not runny, but far from thick either and leaves no residue behind. Just the kind of texture oily ski likes. Fragrance It’s fragrance-free and that’s just how I like my lotions. Fragrance is the most irritating ingredient in skincare product, so unless your lotion stinks, there’s no reason to add it. Thankfully, the ingredients in this one have a rather inoffensive smell. Packaging Full disclosure: I was sent a sample of this cream by the brand’s PR team. The full size comes in a takeaway coffee cup. It’s super cool and totally unique. Leave it to the Koreans to come up with the most innovative packaging. The downsides? It looks quite impractical. I mean, a big takeaway coffee cup takes up quite a bit of space, specially when you’re travelling. How To Use It Like all moisturisers, you can use it in the evening, as the last step of your skincare routine. Just pat it on gently. You don’t need a huge amount. You could also use it in the morning, in between serum and sunscreen. Performance & Personal Opinion For such a lightweight cream, Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream is fairly hydrating. Not enough for dry skin, but oily skin craving that extra burst of moisture without a greasy finish or pore-clogging ingredients? This does the trick. It makes skin softer and smoother to the touch, and the niaciamide in it also helps strengthen your skin protective barrier too. Here’s the thing though: Korean skincare promotes every niacinamide product under the sun as brightening. And to a small extent, it is… It’s true it can help you fade away dark spots, but it won’t you give you that lovely glow you get from exfoliants or plenty of hydration layers. So if that’s what you expect to see, prepare to be disappointed. One more thing: unless you have oily skin with an intact moisture barrier, this won’t be a match for cold winter weather. Now it’s summer, my combination is lapping it up, but I’ll either be switching to something heavier or adding a few drops of rosehip oil to this one come September. What I Like About Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream Lightweight gel-cream texture that spreads effortlessly and sinks into skin almost instantly without leaving a greasy film Fragrance-free formula, which makes it suitable for sensitive or irritation-prone skin Works particularly well for oily and combination skin needing hydration without heaviness or pore congestion Leaves skin feeling noticeably softer and smoother after use, even with a thin layer Includes niacinamide, which can help support the skin barrier over time Versatile use – comfortable both as a morning layer under sunscreen and as a simple evening moisturiser What I DON’T Like About Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream Hydration level is limited; not rich enough for dry skin or compromised skin barriers, especially in colder weather “Radiance/brightening” effect is subtle and may not match expectations set by marketing claims around niacinamide Packaging is bulky and not travel-friendly, taking up more space than typical skincare formats May feel underwhelming as a standalone moisturiser in winter unless paired with oils or heavier products The “instant glow” effect is mild, so results can feel less dramatic compared to exfoliating or more intensive hydrating routines Who Should Use This? This is best suited for oily and combination skin types looking for a light, non-greasy moisturiser that won’t clog pores or feel heavy. It’s also a good fit if you prefer fragrance-free skincare and want a simple barrier-supporting step with niacinamide. It works especially well in warmer months or humid climates, or as part of a layered routine where hydration comes from multiple products. If your skin is dry, very dehydrated, or easily compromised in winter, this alone likely won’t be enough without richer support underneath or on top. Does Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream Live Up To Its Claims? CLAIM TRUE? A soft, lightweight gel cream to brighten the complexion and even the skin tone. Mostly true. It doesn’t do much for brightening. Sensitive skin friendly: Centella leaf water provides calming relief to skin irritation True. Price & Availability $30 at Anthropologie, Asos, Shein, Stylevana, and Yes Style The Verdict: Should You Buy It? If you’re looking for a lightweight hydrating night cream for your oily, combination skin, this is a great option to consider. Just don’t expect much in the brightening department. Water, Niacinamide(5%), Propanediol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water (3.8%), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate / Dicaprate, Squalane (2%), 1,2-Hexanediol, catearyl Olivate, Panthenol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Sclerotium Gum, Tromethamine, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Madecassoside (1,000ppm), Ehtylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Xylitol, Ascorbic Acid. Source link

Last Updated on June 4, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti How would you like a Plantscription for your wrinkles? In a world of harsh medical treatment, Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer With Alpine Flower stands out as a gentle alternative that promised to harness the dual power of plants + high-grade retinol to keep wrinkles off your face without drying out your skin. And I so want it to deliver. Sadly, it has the same flaw a lot of natural products have. *sighs* In this Origins Retinol Night Moisturizer review, I’ll set the record straight on what this night cream can do, potential side effects, and who should use it. Let’s get into it: Key Ingredients In Origins Plantscription™Retinol Night Moisturiser: What Makes It Work? NIACINAMIDE Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that absorbs into skin when applied topically. In skincare, it does multiple jobs: It helps rebuild the skin barrier by boosting ceramide production (ceramides are essentially the glue that holds your skin cells together and keeps moisture in). When your barrier is weak, skin loses water faster, feels tight and dry, and gets irritated more easily. Niacinamide helps fix that. It also fades dark spots by blocking the process that moves pigment up to the skin surface. It reduces inflammation. That last part is specifically relevant in this cream because retinol irritates skin, and niacinamide helps counteract that. DIMETHICONE Dimethicone is a silicone. Unlike popular opinion thinks, it doesn’t absorb into skin. It sits on the surface and forms a thin, flexible film that does two things. It slows down transepidermal water loss *the process where water continuously evaporates out through your skin) which keeps skin hydrated for longer. And it fills in the tiny uneven gaps on the skin surface, which is why skin feels immediately softer and smoother after application. While retinol works on reducing wrinkles, dimethicone makes the ones you already have look smaller to the naked eye. Related: Are Silicones Bad For Skin? (What Science Says) RETINOL Retinol is a form of vitamin A. When you apply it, your skin converts it into retinoic acid, the active form that actually does the work. That retinoic acid binds to receptors in skin cells and changes how those cells behave: they turn over faster (it’s skin exfoliation, basically), produce more collagen, and break down less of the collagen they already have. That’s why retinol improves wrinkles, skin texture, and pigmentation in ways that most ingredients simply don’t. It’s about 20 times less potent than prescription tretinoin because of that conversion step, but it also causes significantly less redness, flaking, and irritation.  A 12-week clinical study found retinol produced significant wrinkle reduction along with increased skin thickness and cell turnover. Side effects when you start are common: dryness, flaking, redness. That’s normal. Start a couple of nights a week and build up to every other night gradually. SPF the next morning is non-negotiable because retinol makes skin more sensitive to UV damage. The niacinamide in this formula helps with the irritation, which is a smart combination. Origins doesn’t disclose the retinol concentration, but we know that retinol works even in small doses.  Related: Retinol Side Effects And How To Minimise Them The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products. Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin. Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet). Red: What is this doing here?! Water: The base everything else dissolves into.  Caprylic/capric triglyceride: A lightweight oil made from coconut. It makes skin feel soft without that heavy, greasy feeling you get from richer oils, and it helps everything else in the formula spread evenly. Glycerin: A humectant thatpulls moisture from the air and holds it in your skin. Super hydrating. PPG-15 stearyl ether: A skin-conditioning ingredient that makes the formula feel smooth rather than sticky when you apply it.  C12-20 acid PEG-8 ester: An emulsifier, the thing that stops the water and oil parts of this cream from separating into a mess. Phenyl trimethicone: A silicone that gives skin that immediate blurred, slightly luminous look after application. I Caprylic/capric/myristic/stearic triglyceride: A richer version of the earlier coconut-derived oil. It gives the formula more body and makes it feel more nourishing. Hydroxyethyl urea: A gentler version of regular urea that pulls moisture into skin and helps the barrier function better over time.  Cetyl alcohol: Not a drying alcohol, don’t let the name fool you. It’s a fatty alcohol that thickens the formula and makes it easier to spread, while adding some emollient softness. Butylene glycol: Another humectant, thinner and more fluid than glycerin. It also works as a solvent, helping other ingredients absorb better. Linum alpinum flower/leaf/stem extract: Alpine flax, and the ingredient Origins named this whole product around. There’s no published clinical evidence it does anything meaningful for skin ageing.  Illicium verum (anise) fruit/seed oil: Smells like liquorice. Used purely for fragrance here, and may irritate skin. Citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil: That fresh, slightly floral citrus scent you recognise from Earl Grey tea. It’s fragrance, and it contains bergapten, a compound that increases UV sensitivity – not great in a retinol formula that already does the same thing. Plus, it can irritate skin.  Pelargonium graveolens flower oil: Geranium oil, smells rosy and slightly green. Fragrance. Has some antimicrobial properties in lab studies but at this concentration it’s essentially just scent. And it can irritate sensitive skin. Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil: Smells like lavender. Some of its fragrance compounds can irritate skin. Citrus limon (lemon) peel oil: Smells like fresh lemon zest. One of the more irritating oils on this list – contains limonene and citral, both known sensitisers. Litsea cubeba fruit oil: A sharp, fresh citrus scent similar to lemon. High in citral, which is a common contact allergen. Citrus nobilis (mandarin orange) peel oil: Sweet, soft orange scent. Contains limonene which can irritate skin that’s already sensitised from retinol. Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) kernel oil: Smells warm and spicy, like actual nutmeg. No meaningful skin benefit at this concentration – it’s here for the scent. Citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil: Bright, sweet orange scent. Contains limonene and can be irritating, particularly on skin already dealing with retinol. Rosa damascena flower oil: Real rose oil, one of the most expensive fragrance ingredients you’ll find in skincare. Smells like an actual rose, not a synthetic version. A known allergen in some people. Carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil: It’s rich in linoleic acid and works as a lightweight emollient that supports the skin barrier. Hibiscus abelmoschus extract: Has a subtle musky, slightly floral scent.  Limonene: The compound responsible for that classic citrus smell. EU law requires it listed separately because it’s one of the most common contact allergens in cosmetics. Linalool: Smells floral and slightly woody – it’s naturally in lavender, rose, and dozens of other plants. Also a declared allergen under EU cosmetics regulations. Citronellol: Fresh, rosy scent found naturally in rose and geranium oils. A common sensitiser, especially on already irritated skin. Geraniol: Sweet, rose-like smell, naturally present in rose and geranium oils. Another declared allergen under EU cosmetics regulations. Citral: Sharp, lemony scent found in citrus and lemongrass oils. One of the more potent sensitisers on this list – worth paying attention to if your skin runs reactive. Hordeum vulgare (barley) extract: Contains beta-glucans, which can calm skin.  Anogeissus leiocarpus bark extract: An African tree bark with antioxidant activity. Cynara scolymus (artichoke) leaf extract: Has antioxidant compounds in vitro.  Triticum vulgare (wheat) germ extract: Contains vitamin E and fatty acids, so it’s emollient and has some antioxidant properties.  Theobroma grandiflorum seed butter: Cupuaçu butter from an Amazonian fruit that moisturises skin. Caffeine: Has some antioxidant properties. Linoleic acid: An omega-6 fatty acid that’s part of your skin’s natural lipid barrier. Skin that’s low in linoleic acid tends to be drier and more breakout-prone. It supports barrier repair. Algae extract: This tells you almost nothing without knowing the species and concentration. Different algae do completely different things. It’s probably hydrating here. Sigesbeckia orientalis (St. Paul’s wort) extract: Has some anti-inflammatory properties in lab studies. Coffea arabica (coffee) seed oil: Rich in linoleic acid and antioxidants.  Gelidiella acerosa extract: A red algae extract used for its hydrating and film-forming properties. Acetyl hexapeptide-8: A peptide marketed as a botox alternative that’s supposed to relax muscle contractions and soften expression lines. It barely does anything. Squalane: A stable plant-derived lipid that your skin naturally produces a version of. It’s a lightweight emollient that absorbs quickly, supports the barrier, and is extremely well tolerated.  Hypnea musciformis (algae) extract: Another algae extract used for hydrating and film-forming properties.  Sorbitol: A humectant derived from glucose, similar to glycerin. Draws moisture into skin and also helps with formula texture. Tocopheryl acetate: A stable form of vitamin E. It’s an antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage and also helps stabilise the other ingredients in the formula, including retinol. Trehalose: A sugar that acts as a humectant and helps protect skin cells from dehydration stress.  Tocopherol: Pure vitamin E, less stable than tocopheryl acetate. Antioxidant protection and it helps preserve the formula. Sodium PCA: A naturally occurring humectant that’s already part of your skin’s natural moisturising factor. It pulls water into the skin and is particularly good at it. Ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer: A polymer that thickens and stabilises the formula. Sodium hyaluronate: The salt form of hyaluronic acid, which penetrates skin more easily than the full molecule. It pulls water into the upper layers of skin and plumps fine lines temporarily. Urea: At low concentrations like this it’s a humectant that hydrates skin deeply. Behenyl alcohol: Another fatty alcohol like cetyl alcohol. Thickens the formula and adds emollient properties without being greasy. Caprylyl glycol: A humectant and preservative booster. It helps keep the formula stable and also has some antimicrobial properties. PEG-100 stearate: An emulsifier that helps keep the water and oil parts of the formula together. Works alongside glyceryl stearate to stabilise the cream. Glyceryl stearate: Another emulsifier and emollient. It gives the cream a smooth, non-greasy feel on skin. Potassium cetyl phosphate: An emulsifier. It helps create a stable, uniform texture and also has mild cleansing properties. Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer: A polymer that thickens and gels the formula. It’s what gives this cream its specific consistency. Ascorbic acid: Vitamin C in its purest form. At low concentrations like this it’s acting as a pH adjuster and antioxidant to stabilise the formula rather than as an active skin brightening ingredient. Citric acid: An AHA used here as a pH adjuster rather than an exfoliant. It keeps the formula at the right pH so the retinol and other actives stay stable and effective. Xanthan gum: A natural thickener derived from fermentation. It gives the cream its texture and helps keep everything evenly distributed. Carbomer: A synthetic polymer that thickens and stabilises the formula. Works alongside xanthan gum to control texture. Sodium metabisulfite: An antioxidant preservative that protects the formula from oxidation, which is particularly important here because retinol degrades quickly when exposed to air. Polyquaternium-51: A film-forming ingredient that mimics the structure of cell membranes. It helps skin retain moisture and has some evidence for improving skin feel. Sodium hydroxide: A pH adjuster. It’s there to make sure the formula sits at the right pH – without it, the actives wouldn’t work properly and the cream could irritate skin. Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent that binds to metal ions in the formula which would otherwise destabilise it. It also helps preservatives work more effectively. BHT: An antioxidant preservative that stops the oils in the formula going rancid. Phenoxyethanol: The main preservative in this formula. It prevents bacteria and mould from growing in the cream.  Texture ​Rich without being heavy. It sinks in quickly, doesn’t pill, doesn’t leave that greasy film you get with a lot of night creams. Skin feels soft immediately after application, the kind of immediate comfort that makes you actually look forward to putting it on at night.  Fragrance Here’s where things get complicated. Origins has always leaned hard into its botanical identity, and this formula reflects that. It smells like a spa, complex and herby with a warm floral character. A lot of people will enjoy it. I understand the appeal. But that scent is coming from nine essential oils: anise, bergamot, geranium, lavender, lemon, litsea cubeba, mandarin, nutmeg, orange, and rose. Not one or two. Nine. And they bring with them a cluster of documented fragrance allergens: limonene, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, and citral all appear on the ingredient list. In a regular moisturiser this would be a concern for sensitive or fragrance-reactive skin. In a retinol product, it’s a genuine formulation problem. Retinol works partly by accelerating cell turnover, which temporarily compromises the skin barrier and increases permeability. Your skin is more vulnerable than usual to irritants while this cream is doing its job. Layering nine essential oils on top of that isn’t gentle. It’s the opposite. How To Use It The texture is going to tempt you to use this every night. Don’t. Retinol is not an every-night product, especially when you’re starting out. Begin with two nights a week, give your skin a full week of recovery in between at first, then slowly work up to every other night over several weeks. Your skin needs time to build tolerance, and rushing it is exactly how you end up red, flaky, and blaming the product for something that was actually user error. Apply a pea-sized amount to clean, dry skin, avoiding the eye area. If your skin is on the drier or more sensitive side, layer a plain moisturiser on top  This cream is nourishing but it isn’t always enough on its own, particularly in the first few weeks when retinol is doing its barrier-disrupting thing. Packaging It comes in a tube, which is the right call for a retinol product. Jars are a problem for actives: every time you open one you’re exposing the formula to air and light, which degrades retinol over time. A tube keeps it protected, dispenses cleanly, and means you’re not scooping product out with your fingers and contaminating the rest. Practical, no fuss. Performance & Personal Opinion Around the three to four week mark, my skin looked smoother and the pores around my nose looked a little smaller. Makeup sat better. Overall texture improved. Overtime, it also helps prevent wrinkles. So yeah, the retinol works. And the niacinamide in the formula does help buffer irritation to make it gentler, especially for first time users. But the fragrance is a huge issue.Nine essential oils in a retinol product isn’t a quirky botanical touch. It’s a big irritation risk, especially for sensitive skin.  What I Like About Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer Texture is genuinely lovely – rich, comfortable, absorbs well without greasiness Pore refinement is real and noticeable from around week four Skin tone evens out over time and there’s a legitimate glow to show for it Tube packaging protects the retinol properly What I DON’T Like About Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer Loaded with irritants Not hydrating enough to use alone in the first few weeks – you’ll need to layer Who Should Use This? I personally don’t recommend a retinol cream with so many irritants in it. Even if your skin is fine with it, there are better formulated creams around. Does Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer Live Up To Its Claims? CLAIM TRUE? A nourishing overnight moisturizer with pure, high-grade retinol to help improve the look of lines, pores & unevenness. True. Alpine Flower & Anogeissus help support skin’s youthful look. This is very cleverly worded. It doesn’t claim this flower fights wrinkles, which they can’t prove. It says it supports (who/what) skin’s youthful look (what does it mean)? It’s so generic and unspecific, it can’t be challenged in a court of low. Price & Availability £66 at Origins. The Verdict: Should You Buy It? Honestly, no. Not when there are better formulated retinol creams out there. Nine essential oils and a cluster of fragrance allergens have no business being in a retinol product  and the fact that your skin might tolerate it doesn’t make it a good formula.  water\aqua\eau, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glycerin, ppg-15 stearyl ether, c12-20 acid peg-8 ester, phenyl trimethicone, niacinamide, caprylic/capric/myristic/stearic triglyceride, hydroxyethyl urea, dimethicone, cetyl alcohol, butylene glycol, retinol, linum alpinum flower/leaf/stem extract, illicium verum (anise) fruit/seed oil*, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil*, palargonium graveolens flower oil*, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil*, citrus limon (lemon) peel oil*, litsea cubeba fruit oil*, citrus nobilis (mandarin orange) peel oil*, myristica fragrans (nutmeg) kernel oil*, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil*, rosa damascena flower oil*, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, hibiscus abelmoschus extract, limonene, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, citral, hordeum vulgare (barley) extract\extrait d’orge, anogeissus leiocarpus bark extract, cynara scolymus (artichoke) leaf extract, triticum vulgare (wheat) germ extract, theobroma grandiflorum seed butter, caffeine, linoleic acid, algae extract, sigesbeckia orientalis (st. paul’s wort) extract, coffea arabica (coffee) seed oil, gelidiella acerosa extract, acetyl hexapeptide-8, squalane, hypnea musciformis (algae) extract, sorbitol, tocopheryl acetate, trehalose, tocopherol, sodium pca, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, sodium hyaluronate, urea, behenyl alcohol, caprylyl glycol, peg-100 stearate, glyceryl stearate, potassium cetyl phosphate, acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, ascorbic acid, citric acid, xanthan gum, carbomer, sodium metabisulfite, polyquaternium-51, sodium hydroxide, disodium edta, bht, phenoxyethanol * essential oil Source link

If you’re dealing with both mental health challenges and substance use, you may already know how hard it can be to find the right kind of help. You might also be wondering: Can treatment really work online? It’s a fair question. When you’re looking for support, you want something that’s effective, reliable and truly helpful. The short answer is yes, a virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program can be effective. And research continues to support this approach, especially for people who need flexibility, privacy, or access from rural areas. Let’s take a closer look at how online treatment works and what the research says. What Is Dual Diagnosis? Dual diagnosis means experiencing a mental health condition and a substance use disorder at the same time. This can include combinations like: These conditions are closely connected. One often affects the other. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), about 9.2 million adults in the U.S. had co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in 2021. Because of this, treatment needs to address both conditions together. What Is A Virtual Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program? A virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program provides care for both mental health and substance use through secure online platforms. Integrated means both conditions are treated at the same time. Virtual means you attend sessions online instead of in person. This type of program includes: Individual therapy Group therapy Medication management Skill-building sessions Ongoing support At Healing Rock Recovery, virtual programs are designed to deliver the same level of compassionate, evidence-based care as in-person treatment. Why People Are Turning To Online Treatment Online treatment has grown quickly in recent years, and for good reason. Accessibility If you live in a rural area or far from treatment centers, virtual care makes support easier to access. Flexibility You can attend sessions while: Working Taking care of family Managing daily responsibilities Privacy You can receive care from home, which can feel more comfortable and confidential. What The Research Says About Online Treatment You don’t have to rely on guesswork, there is growing research supporting virtual care. Telehealth Is Effective for Mental Health According to the American Psychological Association (APA), telehealth services are as effective as in-person therapy for many mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression. This means that core therapeutic work, like understanding thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, can be done successfully online. Strong Outcomes for Substance Use Treatment Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows that behavioral therapies delivered through telehealth can help reduce substance use and improve engagement in treatment. People are more likely to stay in treatment when it’s accessible—and virtual care helps remove barriers. Increased Engagement and Retention According to SAMHSA, telehealth has improved: Treatment engagement Attendance rates Continuity of care This is especially important for dual diagnosis, where consistency plays a key role in recovery. Why Integrated Care Matters, Even Online Treating mental health and substance use separately often leads to gaps in care. That’s why an integrated dual diagnosis treatment program is essential, whether it’s in person or virtual. Treating Both Conditions Together Online integrated care helps you: Understand how your mental health and substance use are connected Identify triggers Build healthier coping strategies Coordinated Support Instead of working with separate providers, you receive care from one team that understands your full experience. This makes treatment more consistent and effective. How Online Dual Diagnosis Treatment Works 1. Initial Assessment You begin with a comprehensive evaluation. This helps your care team understand: Your mental health symptoms Substance use patterns Personal goals From there, they create a personalized treatment plan. 2. Therapy Sessions You attend sessions through a secure video platform. Individual Therapy One-on-one sessions help you: Explore your thoughts and emotions Work through challenges Set goals for recovery Group Therapy Group sessions allow you to: Connect with others Share experiences Learn from different perspectives Even online, these connections can feel meaningful. 3. Evidence-Based Therapies A virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program uses proven approaches like: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Helps you identify negative thought patterns Teaches healthier ways to respond Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Focuses on emotional regulation Helps manage stress and triggers These therapies are highly effective in both in-person and virtual settings. 4. Medication Management If needed, medication can be part of your treatment. This may help with: Depression Anxiety Cravings According to NIDA, combining therapy with medication improves outcomes for people with co-occurring disorders. 5. Real-Life Skill Building One benefit of online care is that you’re already in your daily environment. You can immediately apply what you learn, such as: Managing stress during your workday Handling triggers at home Practicing communication skills Are There Any Limitations? While virtual treatment is effective, it’s important to be aware of a few considerations. Technology Access You’ll need: A stable internet connection A private space for sessions Comfort with Online Communication Some people may need time to adjust to virtual interaction. However, many find it easier to open up from home. Who Is A Good Fit For Virtual Treatment? A virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program may be a good fit if you: Have mild to moderate symptoms Need flexible scheduling Live in a rural or remote area Want more privacy For individuals who need more intensive, 24-hour care, in-person programs may still be recommended. A Balanced And Accessible Approach To Healing Online treatment doesn’t replace traditional care, it expands it. It allows more people to access support in a way that fits their lives. At Healing Rock Recovery, virtual programs are designed to provide: Compassionate care Clinical expertise Flexible options So you can begin healing wherever you are. Final Thoughts So, can you treat dual diagnosis online? Yes, and research supports it. A virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program offers an effective, flexible, and accessible way to address both mental health and substance use together. If you’ve been unsure about taking the next step, this may be the option that finally fits your life. You deserve support that works for you,and healing that lasts. Sources Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)https://www.samhsa.gov National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/co-occurring-disorders American Psychological Association (APA) – Telehealth Effectivenesshttps://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/07/telepsychology National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)https://www.nimh.nih.gov Healing Rock Recovery Brand Brief Source link

Friday, June 5
Lifestyle

Have you ever wished a cream made you coffee? The full size of Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream comes in a giant coffee cup, which is kinda cool. The Koreans definitely know how to grab attention. But is the juice inside just as cool? Is it really like coffee for your skin, perking it up and making it radiate… or is jut clever marketing? In this review, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this cream, including what it really can and can’t do, who it is for, and whether it deserves a spot in your skincare routine. Let’s dive in! Key Ingredients In Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream: What Makes It Work? NIACINAMIDE Niacinamide is vitamin B3. It’s everywhere in Korean skincare right now (basically every second product has it, lol) and brands love positioning it as a brightener. Here’s the thing though: it does brighten, but not the way most people expect. It doesn’t exfoliate, it doesn’t block melanin production at the source. What it does is stop melanin from getting transferred into your skin cells in the first place. The difference matters because the effect is slow and subtle. If you’re expecting the kind of visible results you’d get from something like vitamin C, tranexamic acid, or an AHA, you’ll probably be disappointed. Most people using a niacinamide moisturiser aren’t going to notice dramatic brightening. It’s more of a slow, cumulative, effect. What it’s actually better known for in the research is barrier support. It boosts ceramide production in the skin, which is what keeps your barrier intact and stops water escaping. It also reduces sebum production at around 4-5% concentration, calms redness and inflammation, and has some solid evidence for improving the appearance of enlarged pores over time. Related: Can You Use Niacinamide With Vitamin C? CENTELLA ASIATICA LEAF WATER Centella asiatica (cica, gotu kola, tiger grass, whatever your favourite brand calls it) contains compounds called asiaticoside and madecassoside, which tell your skin cells to make more collagen and stop overreacting to irritation. The problem is this product uses leaf water, not an extract. Those compounds don’t dissolve easily in water, so leaf water (basically the watery fraction you get from processing the plant) contains very little of them. The studies showing collagen and anti-inflammatory benefits were done on concentrated extracts, not this. So what you’re actually getting here is hydration and maybe some light soothing. Not bad. Just not the impressive stuff centella is actually known for. SQUALANE Squalane is a hydrocarbon oil derived from squalene, which your skin actually produces naturally as part of sebum. The version in skincare used to come from shark liver (grim), but most brands now use plant-derived squalane, typically from sugarcane or olives. Phew! It’s an emollient, which means its job is to sit in the upper layers of skin, fill in the gaps between cells, and stop water from escaping. Plus, it’s lightweight, non-comedogenic, stable, and works on basically every skin type including oily and acne-prone. The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products. Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin. Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet). Red: What is this doing here?! Water: The base of pretty much every water-based skincare formula. It’s the solvent that dissolves and carries all the other ingredients. Propanediol: A humectant and solvent derived from corn sugar. It pulls moisture into the skin and helps other ingredients absorb and spread more effectively. Glycerin: A classic humectant that draws water from the air and deeper skin layers up to the surface. Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate: A lightweight emollient ester. It softens and smooths the skin’s surface while giving the formula a silky, non-greasy finish. 1,2-Hexanediol: A multitasking ingredient that works as both a humectant and a preservative booster. Cetearyl Olivate: An emulsifier derived from olive oil. It’s what holds the water and oil phases of the formula together so they don’t separate. Panthenol: Also called pro-vitamin B5. It’s a humectant and skin-soother that draws moisture in, supports barrier repair, and has mild anti-inflammatory properties. Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer: A synthetic polymer that acts as a thickener and texture enhancer. Sorbitan Olivate: Another olive-derived emulsifier that works alongside cetearyl olivate. Together they form a stable emulsion system. Carbomer: A polymer used to thicken and stabilise the formula. It’s what helps give the moisturiser its gel-like body and ensures it holds together consistently. Sclerotium Gum: A natural thickener and texture agent produced by a type of fungus. I Tromethamine: A pH adjuster. Ingredients like niacinamide and carbomer need the formula to be at a specific pH to work properly and feel good on skin. Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil: A light plant oil rich in linoleic acid, which is the fatty acid oily and acne-prone skin is often deficient in. Replenishing linoleic acid helps keep the skin barrier healthy and can actually help regulate sebum quality. Xanthan Gum: A polysaccharide thickener produced through fermentation. It helps stabilise the emulsion, gives the formula a smooth and consistent texture, and contributes to that pleasant slip on application. Madecassoside: A purified active compound extracted from centella asiatica. It promotes collagen synthesis, soothes inflammation, and helps strengthen the barrier. Ethylhexylglycerin: A preservative and skin-conditioning agent. It works synergistically with 1,2-hexanediol to keep the formula protected from bacteria and other nasties, and it’s gentler than traditional preservatives. Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent that binds to metal ions in the formula. Trace metals can destabilise formulas and cause active ingredients to degrade faster. This prevents that. Xylitol: A sugar alcohol that works as a humectant, drawing moisture into the skin. It also has prebiotic properties, meaning it supports the skin’s natural microbiome by promoting beneficial bacteria. Ascorbic Acid: Pure vitamin C. At the concentration it’s likely present here, it’s primarily functioning as an antioxidant to protect the formula from oxidation and stabilise other ingredients. Texture The cream has a lightweight, lotion-like consistent that spreads easily onto the skin and absorbs in seconds. It’s not runny, but far from thick either and leaves no residue behind. Just the kind of texture oily ski likes. Fragrance It’s fragrance-free and that’s just how I like my lotions. Fragrance is the most irritating ingredient in skincare product, so unless your lotion stinks, there’s no reason to add it. Thankfully, the ingredients in this one have a rather inoffensive smell. Packaging Full disclosure: I was sent a sample of this cream by the brand’s PR team. The full size comes in a takeaway coffee cup. It’s super cool and totally unique. Leave it to the Koreans to come up with the most innovative packaging. The downsides? It looks quite impractical. I mean, a big takeaway coffee cup takes up quite a bit of space, specially when you’re travelling. How To Use It Like all moisturisers, you can use it in the evening, as the last step of your skincare routine. Just pat it on gently. You don’t need a huge amount. You could also use it in the morning, in between serum and sunscreen. Performance & Personal Opinion For such a lightweight cream, Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream is fairly hydrating. Not enough for dry skin, but oily skin craving that extra burst of moisture without a greasy finish or pore-clogging ingredients? This does the trick. It makes skin softer and smoother to the touch, and the niaciamide in it also helps strengthen your skin protective barrier too. Here’s the thing though: Korean skincare promotes every niacinamide product under the sun as brightening. And to a small extent, it is… It’s true it can help you fade away dark spots, but it won’t you give you that lovely glow you get from exfoliants or plenty of hydration layers. So if that’s what you expect to see, prepare to be disappointed. One more thing: unless you have oily skin with an intact moisture barrier, this won’t be a match for cold winter weather. Now it’s summer, my combination is lapping it up, but I’ll either be switching to something heavier or adding a few drops of rosehip oil to this one come September. What I Like About Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream Lightweight gel-cream texture that spreads effortlessly and sinks into skin almost instantly without leaving a greasy film Fragrance-free formula, which makes it suitable for sensitive or irritation-prone skin Works particularly well for oily and combination skin needing hydration without heaviness or pore congestion Leaves skin feeling noticeably softer and smoother after use, even with a thin layer Includes niacinamide, which can help support the skin barrier over time Versatile use – comfortable both as a morning layer under sunscreen and as a simple evening moisturiser What I DON’T Like About Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream Hydration level is limited; not rich enough for dry skin or compromised skin barriers, especially in colder weather “Radiance/brightening” effect is subtle and may not match expectations set by marketing claims around niacinamide Packaging is bulky and not travel-friendly, taking up more space than typical skincare formats May feel underwhelming as a standalone moisturiser in winter unless paired with oils or heavier products The “instant glow” effect is mild, so results can feel less dramatic compared to exfoliating or more intensive hydrating routines Who Should Use This? This is best suited for oily and combination skin types looking for a light, non-greasy moisturiser that won’t clog pores or feel heavy. It’s also a good fit if you prefer fragrance-free skincare and want a simple barrier-supporting step with niacinamide. It works especially well in warmer months or humid climates, or as part of a layered routine where hydration comes from multiple products. If your skin is dry, very dehydrated, or easily compromised in winter, this alone likely won’t be enough without richer support underneath or on top. Does Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream Live Up To Its Claims? CLAIM TRUE? A soft, lightweight gel cream to brighten the complexion and even the skin tone. Mostly true. It doesn’t do much for brightening. Sensitive skin friendly: Centella leaf water provides calming relief to skin irritation True. Price & Availability $30 at Anthropologie, Asos, Shein, Stylevana, and Yes Style The Verdict: Should You Buy It? If you’re looking for a lightweight hydrating night cream for your oily, combination skin, this is a great option to consider. Just don’t expect much in the brightening department. Water, Niacinamide(5%), Propanediol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water (3.8%), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate / Dicaprate, Squalane (2%), 1,2-Hexanediol, catearyl Olivate, Panthenol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Sclerotium Gum, Tromethamine, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Madecassoside (1,000ppm), Ehtylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Xylitol, Ascorbic Acid. Source link

Have you ever wished a cream made you coffee? The full size of Haruharu…

Lifestyle

Last Updated on June 4, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti How would you like a Plantscription for your wrinkles? In a world of harsh medical treatment, Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer With Alpine Flower stands out as a gentle alternative that promised to harness the dual power of plants + high-grade retinol to keep wrinkles off your face without drying out your skin. And I so want it to deliver. Sadly, it has the same flaw a lot of natural products have. *sighs* In this Origins Retinol Night Moisturizer review, I’ll set the record straight on what this night cream can do, potential side effects, and who should use it. Let’s get into it: Key Ingredients In Origins Plantscription™Retinol Night Moisturiser: What Makes It Work? NIACINAMIDE Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that absorbs into skin when applied topically. In skincare, it does multiple jobs: It helps rebuild the skin barrier by boosting ceramide production (ceramides are essentially the glue that holds your skin cells together and keeps moisture in). When your barrier is weak, skin loses water faster, feels tight and dry, and gets irritated more easily. Niacinamide helps fix that. It also fades dark spots by blocking the process that moves pigment up to the skin surface. It reduces inflammation. That last part is specifically relevant in this cream because retinol irritates skin, and niacinamide helps counteract that. DIMETHICONE Dimethicone is a silicone. Unlike popular opinion thinks, it doesn’t absorb into skin. It sits on the surface and forms a thin, flexible film that does two things. It slows down transepidermal water loss *the process where water continuously evaporates out through your skin) which keeps skin hydrated for longer. And it fills in the tiny uneven gaps on the skin surface, which is why skin feels immediately softer and smoother after application. While retinol works on reducing wrinkles, dimethicone makes the ones you already have look smaller to the naked eye. Related: Are Silicones Bad For Skin? (What Science Says) RETINOL Retinol is a form of vitamin A. When you apply it, your skin converts it into retinoic acid, the active form that actually does the work. That retinoic acid binds to receptors in skin cells and changes how those cells behave: they turn over faster (it’s skin exfoliation, basically), produce more collagen, and break down less of the collagen they already have. That’s why retinol improves wrinkles, skin texture, and pigmentation in ways that most ingredients simply don’t. It’s about 20 times less potent than prescription tretinoin because of that conversion step, but it also causes significantly less redness, flaking, and irritation.  A 12-week clinical study found retinol produced significant wrinkle reduction along with increased skin thickness and cell turnover. Side effects when you start are common: dryness, flaking, redness. That’s normal. Start a couple of nights a week and build up to every other night gradually. SPF the next morning is non-negotiable because retinol makes skin more sensitive to UV damage. The niacinamide in this formula helps with the irritation, which is a smart combination. Origins doesn’t disclose the retinol concentration, but we know that retinol works even in small doses.  Related: Retinol Side Effects And How To Minimise Them The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products. Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin. Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet). Red: What is this doing here?! Water: The base everything else dissolves into.  Caprylic/capric triglyceride: A lightweight oil made from coconut. It makes skin feel soft without that heavy, greasy feeling you get from richer oils, and it helps everything else in the formula spread evenly. Glycerin: A humectant thatpulls moisture from the air and holds it in your skin. Super hydrating. PPG-15 stearyl ether: A skin-conditioning ingredient that makes the formula feel smooth rather than sticky when you apply it.  C12-20 acid PEG-8 ester: An emulsifier, the thing that stops the water and oil parts of this cream from separating into a mess. Phenyl trimethicone: A silicone that gives skin that immediate blurred, slightly luminous look after application. I Caprylic/capric/myristic/stearic triglyceride: A richer version of the earlier coconut-derived oil. It gives the formula more body and makes it feel more nourishing. Hydroxyethyl urea: A gentler version of regular urea that pulls moisture into skin and helps the barrier function better over time.  Cetyl alcohol: Not a drying alcohol, don’t let the name fool you. It’s a fatty alcohol that thickens the formula and makes it easier to spread, while adding some emollient softness. Butylene glycol: Another humectant, thinner and more fluid than glycerin. It also works as a solvent, helping other ingredients absorb better. Linum alpinum flower/leaf/stem extract: Alpine flax, and the ingredient Origins named this whole product around. There’s no published clinical evidence it does anything meaningful for skin ageing.  Illicium verum (anise) fruit/seed oil: Smells like liquorice. Used purely for fragrance here, and may irritate skin. Citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil: That fresh, slightly floral citrus scent you recognise from Earl Grey tea. It’s fragrance, and it contains bergapten, a compound that increases UV sensitivity – not great in a retinol formula that already does the same thing. Plus, it can irritate skin.  Pelargonium graveolens flower oil: Geranium oil, smells rosy and slightly green. Fragrance. Has some antimicrobial properties in lab studies but at this concentration it’s essentially just scent. And it can irritate sensitive skin. Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil: Smells like lavender. Some of its fragrance compounds can irritate skin. Citrus limon (lemon) peel oil: Smells like fresh lemon zest. One of the more irritating oils on this list – contains limonene and citral, both known sensitisers. Litsea cubeba fruit oil: A sharp, fresh citrus scent similar to lemon. High in citral, which is a common contact allergen. Citrus nobilis (mandarin orange) peel oil: Sweet, soft orange scent. Contains limonene which can irritate skin that’s already sensitised from retinol. Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) kernel oil: Smells warm and spicy, like actual nutmeg. No meaningful skin benefit at this concentration – it’s here for the scent. Citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil: Bright, sweet orange scent. Contains limonene and can be irritating, particularly on skin already dealing with retinol. Rosa damascena flower oil: Real rose oil, one of the most expensive fragrance ingredients you’ll find in skincare. Smells like an actual rose, not a synthetic version. A known allergen in some people. Carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil: It’s rich in linoleic acid and works as a lightweight emollient that supports the skin barrier. Hibiscus abelmoschus extract: Has a subtle musky, slightly floral scent.  Limonene: The compound responsible for that classic citrus smell. EU law requires it listed separately because it’s one of the most common contact allergens in cosmetics. Linalool: Smells floral and slightly woody – it’s naturally in lavender, rose, and dozens of other plants. Also a declared allergen under EU cosmetics regulations. Citronellol: Fresh, rosy scent found naturally in rose and geranium oils. A common sensitiser, especially on already irritated skin. Geraniol: Sweet, rose-like smell, naturally present in rose and geranium oils. Another declared allergen under EU cosmetics regulations. Citral: Sharp, lemony scent found in citrus and lemongrass oils. One of the more potent sensitisers on this list – worth paying attention to if your skin runs reactive. Hordeum vulgare (barley) extract: Contains beta-glucans, which can calm skin.  Anogeissus leiocarpus bark extract: An African tree bark with antioxidant activity. Cynara scolymus (artichoke) leaf extract: Has antioxidant compounds in vitro.  Triticum vulgare (wheat) germ extract: Contains vitamin E and fatty acids, so it’s emollient and has some antioxidant properties.  Theobroma grandiflorum seed butter: Cupuaçu butter from an Amazonian fruit that moisturises skin. Caffeine: Has some antioxidant properties. Linoleic acid: An omega-6 fatty acid that’s part of your skin’s natural lipid barrier. Skin that’s low in linoleic acid tends to be drier and more breakout-prone. It supports barrier repair. Algae extract: This tells you almost nothing without knowing the species and concentration. Different algae do completely different things. It’s probably hydrating here. Sigesbeckia orientalis (St. Paul’s wort) extract: Has some anti-inflammatory properties in lab studies. Coffea arabica (coffee) seed oil: Rich in linoleic acid and antioxidants.  Gelidiella acerosa extract: A red algae extract used for its hydrating and film-forming properties. Acetyl hexapeptide-8: A peptide marketed as a botox alternative that’s supposed to relax muscle contractions and soften expression lines. It barely does anything. Squalane: A stable plant-derived lipid that your skin naturally produces a version of. It’s a lightweight emollient that absorbs quickly, supports the barrier, and is extremely well tolerated.  Hypnea musciformis (algae) extract: Another algae extract used for hydrating and film-forming properties.  Sorbitol: A humectant derived from glucose, similar to glycerin. Draws moisture into skin and also helps with formula texture. Tocopheryl acetate: A stable form of vitamin E. It’s an antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage and also helps stabilise the other ingredients in the formula, including retinol. Trehalose: A sugar that acts as a humectant and helps protect skin cells from dehydration stress.  Tocopherol: Pure vitamin E, less stable than tocopheryl acetate. Antioxidant protection and it helps preserve the formula. Sodium PCA: A naturally occurring humectant that’s already part of your skin’s natural moisturising factor. It pulls water into the skin and is particularly good at it. Ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer: A polymer that thickens and stabilises the formula. Sodium hyaluronate: The salt form of hyaluronic acid, which penetrates skin more easily than the full molecule. It pulls water into the upper layers of skin and plumps fine lines temporarily. Urea: At low concentrations like this it’s a humectant that hydrates skin deeply. Behenyl alcohol: Another fatty alcohol like cetyl alcohol. Thickens the formula and adds emollient properties without being greasy. Caprylyl glycol: A humectant and preservative booster. It helps keep the formula stable and also has some antimicrobial properties. PEG-100 stearate: An emulsifier that helps keep the water and oil parts of the formula together. Works alongside glyceryl stearate to stabilise the cream. Glyceryl stearate: Another emulsifier and emollient. It gives the cream a smooth, non-greasy feel on skin. Potassium cetyl phosphate: An emulsifier. It helps create a stable, uniform texture and also has mild cleansing properties. Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer: A polymer that thickens and gels the formula. It’s what gives this cream its specific consistency. Ascorbic acid: Vitamin C in its purest form. At low concentrations like this it’s acting as a pH adjuster and antioxidant to stabilise the formula rather than as an active skin brightening ingredient. Citric acid: An AHA used here as a pH adjuster rather than an exfoliant. It keeps the formula at the right pH so the retinol and other actives stay stable and effective. Xanthan gum: A natural thickener derived from fermentation. It gives the cream its texture and helps keep everything evenly distributed. Carbomer: A synthetic polymer that thickens and stabilises the formula. Works alongside xanthan gum to control texture. Sodium metabisulfite: An antioxidant preservative that protects the formula from oxidation, which is particularly important here because retinol degrades quickly when exposed to air. Polyquaternium-51: A film-forming ingredient that mimics the structure of cell membranes. It helps skin retain moisture and has some evidence for improving skin feel. Sodium hydroxide: A pH adjuster. It’s there to make sure the formula sits at the right pH – without it, the actives wouldn’t work properly and the cream could irritate skin. Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent that binds to metal ions in the formula which would otherwise destabilise it. It also helps preservatives work more effectively. BHT: An antioxidant preservative that stops the oils in the formula going rancid. Phenoxyethanol: The main preservative in this formula. It prevents bacteria and mould from growing in the cream.  Texture ​Rich without being heavy. It sinks in quickly, doesn’t pill, doesn’t leave that greasy film you get with a lot of night creams. Skin feels soft immediately after application, the kind of immediate comfort that makes you actually look forward to putting it on at night.  Fragrance Here’s where things get complicated. Origins has always leaned hard into its botanical identity, and this formula reflects that. It smells like a spa, complex and herby with a warm floral character. A lot of people will enjoy it. I understand the appeal. But that scent is coming from nine essential oils: anise, bergamot, geranium, lavender, lemon, litsea cubeba, mandarin, nutmeg, orange, and rose. Not one or two. Nine. And they bring with them a cluster of documented fragrance allergens: limonene, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, and citral all appear on the ingredient list. In a regular moisturiser this would be a concern for sensitive or fragrance-reactive skin. In a retinol product, it’s a genuine formulation problem. Retinol works partly by accelerating cell turnover, which temporarily compromises the skin barrier and increases permeability. Your skin is more vulnerable than usual to irritants while this cream is doing its job. Layering nine essential oils on top of that isn’t gentle. It’s the opposite. How To Use It The texture is going to tempt you to use this every night. Don’t. Retinol is not an every-night product, especially when you’re starting out. Begin with two nights a week, give your skin a full week of recovery in between at first, then slowly work up to every other night over several weeks. Your skin needs time to build tolerance, and rushing it is exactly how you end up red, flaky, and blaming the product for something that was actually user error. Apply a pea-sized amount to clean, dry skin, avoiding the eye area. If your skin is on the drier or more sensitive side, layer a plain moisturiser on top  This cream is nourishing but it isn’t always enough on its own, particularly in the first few weeks when retinol is doing its barrier-disrupting thing. Packaging It comes in a tube, which is the right call for a retinol product. Jars are a problem for actives: every time you open one you’re exposing the formula to air and light, which degrades retinol over time. A tube keeps it protected, dispenses cleanly, and means you’re not scooping product out with your fingers and contaminating the rest. Practical, no fuss. Performance & Personal Opinion Around the three to four week mark, my skin looked smoother and the pores around my nose looked a little smaller. Makeup sat better. Overall texture improved. Overtime, it also helps prevent wrinkles. So yeah, the retinol works. And the niacinamide in the formula does help buffer irritation to make it gentler, especially for first time users. But the fragrance is a huge issue.Nine essential oils in a retinol product isn’t a quirky botanical touch. It’s a big irritation risk, especially for sensitive skin.  What I Like About Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer Texture is genuinely lovely – rich, comfortable, absorbs well without greasiness Pore refinement is real and noticeable from around week four Skin tone evens out over time and there’s a legitimate glow to show for it Tube packaging protects the retinol properly What I DON’T Like About Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer Loaded with irritants Not hydrating enough to use alone in the first few weeks – you’ll need to layer Who Should Use This? I personally don’t recommend a retinol cream with so many irritants in it. Even if your skin is fine with it, there are better formulated creams around. Does Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer Live Up To Its Claims? CLAIM TRUE? A nourishing overnight moisturizer with pure, high-grade retinol to help improve the look of lines, pores & unevenness. True. Alpine Flower & Anogeissus help support skin’s youthful look. This is very cleverly worded. It doesn’t claim this flower fights wrinkles, which they can’t prove. It says it supports (who/what) skin’s youthful look (what does it mean)? It’s so generic and unspecific, it can’t be challenged in a court of low. Price & Availability £66 at Origins. The Verdict: Should You Buy It? Honestly, no. Not when there are better formulated retinol creams out there. Nine essential oils and a cluster of fragrance allergens have no business being in a retinol product  and the fact that your skin might tolerate it doesn’t make it a good formula.  water\aqua\eau, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glycerin, ppg-15 stearyl ether, c12-20 acid peg-8 ester, phenyl trimethicone, niacinamide, caprylic/capric/myristic/stearic triglyceride, hydroxyethyl urea, dimethicone, cetyl alcohol, butylene glycol, retinol, linum alpinum flower/leaf/stem extract, illicium verum (anise) fruit/seed oil*, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil*, palargonium graveolens flower oil*, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil*, citrus limon (lemon) peel oil*, litsea cubeba fruit oil*, citrus nobilis (mandarin orange) peel oil*, myristica fragrans (nutmeg) kernel oil*, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil*, rosa damascena flower oil*, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, hibiscus abelmoschus extract, limonene, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, citral, hordeum vulgare (barley) extract\extrait d’orge, anogeissus leiocarpus bark extract, cynara scolymus (artichoke) leaf extract, triticum vulgare (wheat) germ extract, theobroma grandiflorum seed butter, caffeine, linoleic acid, algae extract, sigesbeckia orientalis (st. paul’s wort) extract, coffea arabica (coffee) seed oil, gelidiella acerosa extract, acetyl hexapeptide-8, squalane, hypnea musciformis (algae) extract, sorbitol, tocopheryl acetate, trehalose, tocopherol, sodium pca, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, sodium hyaluronate, urea, behenyl alcohol, caprylyl glycol, peg-100 stearate, glyceryl stearate, potassium cetyl phosphate, acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, ascorbic acid, citric acid, xanthan gum, carbomer, sodium metabisulfite, polyquaternium-51, sodium hydroxide, disodium edta, bht, phenoxyethanol * essential oil Source link

Health & Wellness

If you’re dealing with both mental health challenges and substance use, you may already know how hard it can be to find the right kind of help. You might also be wondering: Can treatment really work online? It’s a fair question. When you’re looking for support, you want something that’s effective, reliable and truly helpful. The short answer is yes, a virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program can be effective. And research continues to support this approach, especially for people who need flexibility, privacy, or access from rural areas. Let’s take a closer look at how online treatment works and what the research says. What Is Dual Diagnosis? Dual diagnosis means experiencing a mental health condition and a substance use disorder at the same time. This can include combinations like: These conditions are closely connected. One often affects the other. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), about 9.2 million adults in the U.S. had co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in 2021. Because of this, treatment needs to address both conditions together. What Is A Virtual Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program? A virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program provides care for both mental health and substance use through secure online platforms. Integrated means both conditions are treated at the same time. Virtual means you attend sessions online instead of in person. This type of program includes: Individual therapy Group therapy Medication management Skill-building sessions Ongoing support At Healing Rock Recovery, virtual programs are designed to deliver the same level of compassionate, evidence-based care as in-person treatment. Why People Are Turning To Online Treatment Online treatment has grown quickly in recent years, and for good reason. Accessibility If you live in a rural area or far from treatment centers, virtual care makes support easier to access. Flexibility You can attend sessions while: Working Taking care of family Managing daily responsibilities Privacy You can receive care from home, which can feel more comfortable and confidential. What The Research Says About Online Treatment You don’t have to rely on guesswork, there is growing research supporting virtual care. Telehealth Is Effective for Mental Health According to the American Psychological Association (APA), telehealth services are as effective as in-person therapy for many mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression. This means that core therapeutic work, like understanding thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, can be done successfully online. Strong Outcomes for Substance Use Treatment Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows that behavioral therapies delivered through telehealth can help reduce substance use and improve engagement in treatment. People are more likely to stay in treatment when it’s accessible—and virtual care helps remove barriers. Increased Engagement and Retention According to SAMHSA, telehealth has improved: Treatment engagement Attendance rates Continuity of care This is especially important for dual diagnosis, where consistency plays a key role in recovery. Why Integrated Care Matters, Even Online Treating mental health and substance use separately often leads to gaps in care. That’s why an integrated dual diagnosis treatment program is essential, whether it’s in person or virtual. Treating Both Conditions Together Online integrated care helps you: Understand how your mental health and substance use are connected Identify triggers Build healthier coping strategies Coordinated Support Instead of working with separate providers, you receive care from one team that understands your full experience. This makes treatment more consistent and effective. How Online Dual Diagnosis Treatment Works 1. Initial Assessment You begin with a comprehensive evaluation. This helps your care team understand: Your mental health symptoms Substance use patterns Personal goals From there, they create a personalized treatment plan. 2. Therapy Sessions You attend sessions through a secure video platform. Individual Therapy One-on-one sessions help you: Explore your thoughts and emotions Work through challenges Set goals for recovery Group Therapy Group sessions allow you to: Connect with others Share experiences Learn from different perspectives Even online, these connections can feel meaningful. 3. Evidence-Based Therapies A virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program uses proven approaches like: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Helps you identify negative thought patterns Teaches healthier ways to respond Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Focuses on emotional regulation Helps manage stress and triggers These therapies are highly effective in both in-person and virtual settings. 4. Medication Management If needed, medication can be part of your treatment. This may help with: Depression Anxiety Cravings According to NIDA, combining therapy with medication improves outcomes for people with co-occurring disorders. 5. Real-Life Skill Building One benefit of online care is that you’re already in your daily environment. You can immediately apply what you learn, such as: Managing stress during your workday Handling triggers at home Practicing communication skills Are There Any Limitations? While virtual treatment is effective, it’s important to be aware of a few considerations. Technology Access You’ll need: A stable internet connection A private space for sessions Comfort with Online Communication Some people may need time to adjust to virtual interaction. However, many find it easier to open up from home. Who Is A Good Fit For Virtual Treatment? A virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program may be a good fit if you: Have mild to moderate symptoms Need flexible scheduling Live in a rural or remote area Want more privacy For individuals who need more intensive, 24-hour care, in-person programs may still be recommended. A Balanced And Accessible Approach To Healing Online treatment doesn’t replace traditional care, it expands it. It allows more people to access support in a way that fits their lives. At Healing Rock Recovery, virtual programs are designed to provide: Compassionate care Clinical expertise Flexible options So you can begin healing wherever you are. Final Thoughts So, can you treat dual diagnosis online? Yes, and research supports it. A virtual integrated dual diagnosis treatment program offers an effective, flexible, and accessible way to address both mental health and substance use together. If you’ve been unsure about taking the next step, this may be the option that finally fits your life. You deserve support that works for you,and healing that lasts. Sources Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)https://www.samhsa.gov National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/co-occurring-disorders American Psychological Association (APA) – Telehealth Effectivenesshttps://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/07/telepsychology National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)https://www.nimh.nih.gov Healing Rock Recovery Brand Brief Source link

Health & Wellness

The muscles, bones, joints, ligaments and soft tissues are the major parts that make up the body’s musculoskeletal system. As we are growing older day by day, all the parts that make up our musculoskeletal system are going to start deteriorating, the muscle mass will experience sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is the loss of muscular mass, which is replaced with stiff, fibrous tissue, bones will start losing its calcium, and the fluid which serves as a lubricant to the joint will start diminishing too. This is the reason why we see so many old peoples that can’t walk or perform some movements they can perform in their younger days. In order for it to work well, in order to maintain a healthy body, proper care and treatment are necessary. This article will cover helpful pieces of information on how to maintain this important part of the human body, even if you get old, you will still be a bit better than those who didn’t do any of the below-listed tips. How To Keep Your Musculoskeletal System Healthy Exercise Aerobic exercise has many benefits, from maintaining heart health to increasing lung capacity to decreasing cholesterol and blood pressure. From anaerobic exercise, it is also important to maintain bone density, improve muscle strength and endurance, and aid in the prevention of osteoporosis. A good exercise routine will help you enjoy good general health, all while helping you maintain a healthy musculoskeletal system. Strength or resistance training is also good for the musculoskeletal system. Getting regular exercise causes you to bear weight or use resistance helps keep bones, joints and muscles healthy. Proper diet Excessive intake of saturated fat has been linked with high blood pressure in both men and women; moderate consumption has not been associated with this condition. A diet that maintains a good amount of protein and calcium is important to prevent conditions such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Fiber, potassium, and water are also important for general health; a good diet maintains these conditions. You should also eat foods rich in vitamin D, such as eggs, fatty fish, mushrooms, mackerel, salmon, and milk. Get adequate rest and sleep Most people don’t know that getting enough rest and sleep is crucial for maintaining a healthy musculoskeletal system. You see, when we sleep, our bodies have the opportunity to repair and rebuild muscle tissue, which is essential for maintaining muscle strength and preventing injury. Furthermore, sleep is important for regulating hormone levels, including those that are involved in bone health and muscle growth. Thus, without adequate rest and sleep, our bodies may not be able to fully recover from physical activity, which can lead to muscle fatigue, weakness, and even injury. Basically, lack of sleep can lead to increased inflammation and reduced pain tolerance, making it harder for muscles and joints to recover from daily wear and tear. Hydration Dehydration can have many negative effects on the body, including constipation. Staying hydrated is essential for maintaining the health of muscles and joints. Water helps to lubricate joints, reducing friction and wear. It also helps transport nutrients to cells and remove waste products. Dehydration can lead to muscle cramps and joint pain. To add to that, it is important to maintain proper hydration so as to avoid the discomfort of this condition as well as the risks associated with other health problems like high blood pressure and diabetes. Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that even mild dehydration can impair physical performance and increase the risk of muscle cramps. Thus, drinking plenty of water will aid in maintaining a healthy musculoskeletal system, while also preventing many other health conditions. Thus, you need to stay hydrated always. Supportive factors In the case of arthritic conditions, one must always take a supportive approach. The body works as a whole, and is not just the sum of its parts; health should be maintained with proper supportive factors. One must maintain adequate protein levels in addition to hydration and a proper diet in order to prevent disease. Maintain good posture  Failure to maintain a good posture, over time, may result in long-term negative effects on the musculoskeletal system. When you maintain a proper posture it will ensure that your spine is neither angled to either side of your body nor deviated along any of its natural curves. Good posture also relieves muscle tension, and prevents joint pain. In simple terms, maintaining a good posture helps to evenly distribute the weight across the musculoskeletal system, reducing strain on muscles and joints. Poor posture can lead to muscle imbalances, back pain, and joint issues. A study found that maintaining good posture can significantly reduce musculoskeletal pain and improve overall function. Preventative treatment Treatments for diseases such as arthritis or osteoporosis are important when it comes to maintaining a healthy musculoskeletal system. A good doctor will be able to prescribe the proper treatment for conditions like this so that you can enjoy your life as it should be while also benefiting from improving general health. Spend time outside Spending time outside is not only good for the mind and soul, but it can also work wonders for the musculoskeletal system. The fresh air and sunlight can help boost vitamin D levels, which is essential for strong bones. Firstly, being outside encourages physical activity, whether it’s going for a walk, hiking, or playing a sport. These activities can help build and maintain muscle strength, which is crucial for a healthy musculoskeletal system. Furthermore, spending time outside can reduce stress levels, which can have a positive impact on overall health and well-being. So, next time you have the opportunity to spend time outdoors, take advantage of it and give your musculoskeletal system a boost! Conclusion The musculoskeletal system is made up of the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissues. They all work together to support your body’s weight and help in movement. You can avoid injuries, disease, pain, stiffness and other problems with movement and function by keeping your musculoskeletal system healthy. In addition, avoid smoking, and reduce your consumption of alcohol. This is because smoking and heavy alcohol consumption can make your bones thinner. 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Scrolling through social media should feel enjoyable. However, trends like #SkinnyTok sometimes disguise dangerous eating habits as wellness advice, leaving many with unhealthy relationships with food and their bodies. These viral moments can distort what health truly means. Learn how social media influences body image and explore tips for creating healthier digital habits. What Is The #SkinnyTok Trend? The #SkinnyTok trend is a viral TikTok community centered around promoting extreme weight loss and maintaining an ultra-thin physique. It rebranded dangerous, low-calorie eating habits as “wellness” or “discipline” through videos promoting dieting, exercise and appearance. Young people consumed this content repeatedly, often without realizing the psychological damage it caused. The Mental Health Impacts Of Trends Like #SkinnyTok Consuming SkinnyTok content does real damage. It can trigger disordered eating, compulsive exercise habits and unhealthy comparisons. The content glamorizes restriction and frames dangerous behaviors as admirable self-control. TikTok’s powerful algorithm played a major role in amplifying this harm. Once you engaged with one video, the platform served similar content constantly, creating an echo chamber. Social media can negatively impact your self-image, particularly when you encounter idealized body representations. In addition, the harmful pattern can start young – around 64% of parents said their child feels self-conscious about their appearance. These unattainable standards become normalized through repeated exposure, making unhealthy comparisons feel routine. In general, people who frequently use appearance-focused platforms experience lower self-esteem and face higher risks of anxiety and depression. Social comparison behavior makes these effects worse, creating a cycle that’s difficult to break. Your worth becomes tied to how your body looks rather than what it can do or who you are. 5 Tips To Embrace A Healthier Body Image These actionable strategies can help you reclaim your digital space and build a healthier body image. Embrace Body Acceptance as a Healthier Alternative Body acceptance offers a more achievable path or step forward for people who feel pressured by the concept of body positivity. This is an important habit to adopt, especially with more than a third of adults struggling with body image concerns. Shifting your mindset to acceptance is the first step toward healing your relationship with your body and social media. You don’t need to love every part of your body every day. You simply need to treat it with basic respect and care. Actively Curate Your Social Media Feed Unfollow accounts that trigger comparison or make you feel inadequate. Follow diverse creators who represent different body types, abilities and lifestyles. Use the “mute” or “not interested” functions liberally to train your algorithm. As your interests and emotional needs evolve, you should review who you follow periodically and adjust accordingly. Focus on content celebrating what bodies can do rather than how they look. Diversify the Types of Content You Consume Seek out content based on hobbies, skills and interests beyond appearance. Balance your feed with entertainment, education and inspiration that isn’t tied to body image or wellness culture. Follow accounts about cooking, art, nature, books or anything that brings you joy without triggering self-criticism. This variety helps break the cycle of appearance-focused scrolling. Practice Mindful Engagement and Disengagement Set time limits for social apps and take regular breaks. Ask yourself, “How does this make me feel?” while scrolling. Pay attention if your chest tightens, your mood drops or your inner critic gets louder. Mute the account, unfollow or simply put your phone down. Your emotional response provides valuable data about what content serves you and what doesn’t. Reframe Your Negative Thoughts Redirect your thoughts from what your body looks like to what it can do, from allowing you to engage in your hobbies to enabling you to breathe deeply. Body neutrality or acceptance offers a middle ground if “I love my body” feels untrue. Simply acknowledge your body without adding judgment. This neutral stance can feel more honest and achievable. Seek Out Supportive Communities Find online or offline groups that focus on shared values and genuine wellbeing rather than appearance. Connect with people who prioritize mental health, personal growth or meaningful hobbies. If body image concerns cause you significant distress, consider speaking with a therapist or counselor who specializes in body image issues. Professional support can provide personalized strategies and help you process deeper concerns. Build A Healthier Relationship With Social Media The #SkinnyTok trend causes real harm, but you have the power to control your digital environment. Curate your feed intentionally, diversify your content and practice mindful engagement. Use social media as a tool for connection and inspiration rather than comparison and self-criticism. Your relationship with your body and your screen can improve when you make deliberate choices about what you consume and how you respond to it. Source link

In today’s fast-paced world, many of us find ourselves tethered to our desks, staring at screens for hours on end. This sedentary lifestyle can subtly sneak up on us, often leading to a host of unwelcome physical ailments such as back pain, stiff necks, and a general feeling of lethargy that no amount of coffee can fix. If this sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone. Over the years, there has been an increase in sedentary jobs, with 80% of professionals having jobs that demand prolonged hours of sitting down with little or no activity. Research has shown that professionals with sedentary jobs have double the risk of dying from heart disease than those with active jobs. Also, spending over seven hours in sedentary jobs has been considered detrimental to health. Sedentary behavior has been linked to cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and poor mental health. Also, sedentary workers have the risk of dying prematurely.   To avoid this, you have to consciously follow some important health tips. Hence, in this article, we’ll discuss practical health tips for sedentary workers, which they can implement to promote their physical and mental well-being.  10 Health Tips for Sedentary Workers With many of us spending a significant amount of time at work, it’s essential to adopt healthy habits to combat the negative effects of a sedentary work life. Here some beneficial health tips for sedentary workers: 1. Take breaks to move away from the desk One of the most effective health tips for sedentary workers is to take breaks to move away from the desk. Opt-in for walking meetings, visit a colleague in the other department rather than sit and chat with them on the phone. Also, you can take five minutes to walk around the building and greet some colleagues and clients. Another effective method of achieving this is to take the stairs instead of using the elevator. This helps you to stretch your muscles and joints. 2. Spice up your commute If you drive or take a direct cab to work, try spicing things up. Instead of always driving the work, you can pick some days of the week when you can walk or take a bike to work. If your place of work is too far, you can consider taking the bus but stopping some miles from the office and completing the remaining distance on foot. This walking, although it looks insignificant, it is advantageous to your health. It mustn’t be a strenuous exercise that you have to be sweaty. 3. Get a stand-up desk A stand-up desk helps to add some movements to your workday to lessen your sedentary hours. You must not burn many calories, but it is beneficial to your health. A stand-up desk helps you to alternate between sitting and standing, which places less pressure on your muscles and joints. For instance, sitting tightens the hip flexor muscles, and prolonged sitting can cause your hips to produce painful sensations. So standing at intervals allows your muscles to stretch out and boost blood circulation. 4. Carryout some exercise at the office   It is not always possible to get active in a sedentary job during work hours. However, there are some ways you can input some exercise routines. You can try out getting five minutes of meditation exercise and walking to and fro the stairs for additional five or ten minutes, depending on the length of your break period. So you can divide your break period. Use the first half to exercise and the other to rest or take lunch. 5. Maintain the right posture Another great health tip for sedentary workers is to maintain the right posture. Whether when sitting or standing, good posture maintains balance and flexibility and makes it easier for you to breathe and digest food. On the other hand, bad posture can complicate your daily functioning and cause joint degeneration, back pain, pot belly, spinal dysfunction, and rounded shoulders. When sitting, ensure your back is strengthened, and your feet are firmly on the floor, with your hips pressed against the back of the chair. You can opt for ergonomic furniture at the office, as they help to improve posture. An ergonomic chair will provide support to your lower back and reduce strain on your neck and shoulders. 6. Stay hydrated Sedentary workers who spend most of their time sitting at a desk or in front of a computer screen may be at an increased risk of dehydration, which can have negative effects on their health and productivity. Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated throughout the day can help you stay energized, boost your digestive system, and improve concentration. 7. Pack healthy snacks Snacking on healthy foods can help  prevent overeating during meals and can also help sedentary workers manage their weight, which is important for overall health. Furthermore, eating healthy snacks that contain complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats can provide a sustained source of energy, helping sedentary workers avoid crashes in energy levels and stay alert and focused throughout the day. 8. Eye care Staring at a screen for hours on end can be taxing on your eyes, leading to strain and discomfort known as computer vision syndrome. To combat this, the 20-20-20 rule is a simple yet effective way to give your eyes a much-needed break. Every 20 minutes, shift your gaze to focus on an object at least 20 feet away for a full 20 seconds. This brief diversion allows your eye muscles to relax and can help prevent the dryness and irritation that come with prolonged screen time. Interestingly, doing this isn’t just about caring for your eyes but also potentially enhancing your focus and productivity when you return to your tasks. 9. Engage in mindful breathing The power of breath is often underestimated, yet it’s a potent tool for managing stress and enhancing mental clarity—two aspects that can be significantly affected by sedentary work. Mindful breathing exercises, such as deep diaphragmatic breathing, can activate your body’s relaxation response, helping to reduce stress levels and improve cognitive function. Take a few minutes each day to focus on your breath, you can create a sense of calm amidst the chaos of deadlines and emails. What’s more? It can also help reduce the risk of heart diseases. 10. Stick to a scheduled workout time Regular physical activity is a cornerstone of good health, but for sedentary workers, it’s all too easy to let exercise fall by the wayside. Have a set time for workout time into your calendar and stick to it diligently. It doesn’t matter if it’s a morning jog, a midday yoga session, or an evening spin class, having a set time for exercise ensures you prioritize your physical well-being. Consistent physical activity can help counteract the negative effects of sitting all day, such as poor circulation and muscle degeneration, and can also boost mood and energy levels, keeping you more alert and productive on the job. Conclusion As a sedentary work, it is essential to involve some elements of physical activity at your workplace by carryout the above tips. If your workplace has a gym, try and make use of it. You can go over there and exercise for at least thirty minutes three or four times a week. This does well for your body than you think! 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As a healthcare employee, you may be familiar with the feeling of leaving a long shift and feeling drained. Yet it’s not just your body that’s exhausted. The day’s conversations keep looping in your head, and even simple jobs seem tougher to handle. Many healthcare workers understand burnout, but there’s a different emotional toll that’s often overlooked. It’s called compassion fatigue. Over time, continually caring for others amid stress and challenging situations can take a toll on your own mental and emotional health. What Is The Difference Between Compassion Fatigue And Burnout? Burnout is often linked to chronic stress in the workplace. Long hours, staffing shortages, emotional pressure and excessive workloads can slowly make healthcare workers feel drained, distant and less effective in their jobs. It builds up over time, especially if you don’t have a lot of opportunities to rest and heal. Compassion fatigue, also known as vicarious traumatization (VT), takes it a step further. This condition happens when you care for people who are in pain, crisis or trauma for long periods of time, and their emotional stress starts to influence your own wellbeing. Healthcare providers are almost always faced with challenging situations, and that emotional burden may eventually become too much to handle. Why The Stakes Are Higher in Healthcare Healthcare settings are charged with more emotion than many other occupations. Doctors, nurses, caregivers and support workers are often required to remain calm and sympathetic in the face of high-pressure situations daily. Even on a normal shift, the emotional demands can quickly become overwhelming. The pressure is also related to workload. Nurses may care for as many as 20 patients at once, depending on the setting and staffing levels. When healthcare workers are pushed so thin, it’s tougher to bounce back emotionally between shifts, especially when they’re always there to support patients through tough events. That sort of stress can take its toll on mental health. Reports reveal that one in five people took time off work in the past year due to stress-related poor mental health. Compassion fatigue and burnout can impact personal wellbeing, job satisfaction and long-term career health. Are You Experiencing Compassion Fatigue? Compassion fatigue can set in gradually, and that’s why many healthcare workers don’t recognize it right away. What begins as stress or emotional tiredness can ultimately impact how you think, feel and react to the people around you. If any of these symptoms seem familiar, it may be worth taking a deeper look at how your employment is impacting your wellbeing. Emotional numbness: You may feel disconnected from patients, co-workers or loved ones. Irritability or frustration: Small problems may suddenly feel overwhelming. Anxiety or constant worry: You may feel emotionally on edge all the time. Loss of empathy: It becomes harder to connect emotionally with patients. Exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest: Even after a full night’s rest or taking time off, you still feel drained. Frequent headaches or physical tension: Stress shows up physically through headaches, body aches or muscle tension. Sleep problems: Racing thoughts or emotional overload make it difficult to fall or stay asleep. How To Manage Your Symptoms While healthcare can be emotionally demanding, small daily habits can reduce the impact of compassion fatigue over time. On the Clock Taking short mental reset moments during your shift might help you feel more grounded. A few deep breaths, a brief step away or talking through challenging situations can help emotional stress feel more manageable. It’s also crucial to notice early warning signals before they become more serious. Off the Clock Rest is a priority outside of work, and reconnecting with things you love can help restore your emotional equilibrium. Many find that mindfulness techniques, exercise, writing, or time with friends and family help lower stress and prevent isolation. How And When To Seek Support You may feel like you need to keep going through the stress, but it’s crucial to ask for help. Getting treatment is an important aspect of protecting your mental and emotional health. If you are struggling, remember that you are in good company. Over one in five U.S. adults experiences mental illness annually. If you are feeling signs of compassion fatigue that are becoming long-term or interfering with your ability to focus on patient care, consider talking to a therapist or healthcare provider. Some businesses offer employee assistance programs and peer support tools to help you manage stress before it gets out of hand. Caring For Yourself Matters Even the most dedicated healthcare workers can suffer from compassion fatigue, especially when emotional strain builds up over time without adequate recovery or support. If you identify the warning signals early and take efforts to protect your mental wellbeing, you’ll still be able to care for others without losing yourself in the process. Patients deserve compassion and care, and so do healthcare workers. Source link

Diet & Nutrition

Diet & Nutrition

Protein has officially entered its fizzy era. In today’s wellness-obsessed landscape, where convenience meets optimization, consumers are constantly looking for ways to do more with less: fewer ingredients, fewer calories, fewer compromises. Now, that same protein obsession is spilling into the soda aisle, promising to deliver both refreshment and function. But as with many trends born in the social media age, it’s worth asking: is this just hype, or something that actually earns a spot in your routine? Much of the buzz around protein soda owes its momentum to TikTok, where users are mixing ready-to-drink protein shakes with soda to create a creamy, dessert-like beverage with a nutritional edge. The appeal is obvious: you get the sweetness and carbonation of soda paired with the satiating benefits of protein. For those trying to hit daily protein goals or curb cravings between meals, this feels like a small, satisfying upgrade to an otherwise empty-calorie drink. The Trend Source: Are Protein Drinks Good for You? That sense of “having it all” is a big part of what’s fueling the trend’s growth. Protein sodas are often marketed as a better-for-you alternative that lets us enjoy the things we love without feeling like we have to sacrifice them.You’re still enjoying something indulgent—cold, fizzy, and flavorful—but with added benefits that align with modern health goals. In a culture that is increasing balance over restriction, it’s become incredibly powerful. It also fits into a broader shift happening across the food industry. Protein is no longer confined to shakes and bars; it’s everywhere. Grocery aisles are now filled with high-protein chips, cereals, ice creams, and even baked goods. Protein sodas are simply the latest extension of this movement, offering a novel format that taps into both nostalgia and innovation. Brands are racing to meet demand, marketing these drinks as functional beverages that support fullness, energy, and even weight management. The Link Between GLP-1s and Protein Soda Part of the reason protein is being amplified so heavily right now is tied to the rise of GLP-1 medications. These drugs, increasingly used for weight management, can lead to reduced appetite and, in some cases, muscle loss if protein intake is insufficient. As a result, healthcare providers frequently emphasize the importance of prioritizing protein. This guidance has become embedded in mainstream wellness messaging, fueling demand for easy, accessible ways to increase intake. Protein-enhanced foods and beverages, including sodas, are a direct response to that need. Are Protein Drinks Good for You? However, before stocking your fridge, there are a few things to keep in mind.First, keep in mind that ingredients matter. Many protein sodas can be highly processed or rely on artificial sweeteners and additives to achieve a more desired flavor and texture. While these are typically fine in moderation, they’re not necessarily a nutritional upgrade across the board. Reading labels is key to understanding what you’re actually consuming. It’s also important to view protein sodas as supplemental rather than foundational. Just like with bars and shakes, protein can help with satiety and support muscle health, but it shouldn’t replace whole foods like lean meats, legumes, dairy, nuts, and seeds. A balanced diet built on minimally processed foods will always provide a broader spectrum of nutrients than any single functional product. The Takeaway on Protein Sodas So, are protein sodas worth the hype? The answer lies somewhere in the middle. They can be a fun, convenient way to boost protein intake and satisfy cravings, especially for those who struggle to meet their nutritional needs throughout the day. But like any trend, they’re best approached with a bit of curiosity and a healthy perspective. Source link

Protein has officially entered its fizzy era. In today’s wellness-obsessed landscape, where convenience…

Diet & Nutrition

If you’ve ever looked at another plate of eggs and thought, “I genuinely can’t do this again”, you’re not alone. Eggs are great, but they’re not the only way to hit your protein goals. And more importantly, they’re often not enough on their own. Two eggs provide about 12 grams of protein, which is a solid start but not enough for most women to feel full, energized, and stable throughout the morning. From a dietitian’s perspective, one of the biggest gaps I see is women thinking they’re getting enough protein at breakfast… when they’re actually not. And that impacts everything from energy dips to cravings to why you’re not seeing the muscle tone you’re looking for.  So if you’re trying to figure out how to get 30 grams of protein for breakfast without forcing yourself to eat eggs, here are options that actually deliver. 5 High-Protein Breakfasts 1. Honey Greek Yogurt Protein Bowl RD note: I love this because it’s simple, balanced, and actually hits that 30g protein mark without feeling heavy. You’re getting protein, fiber, and healthy fats to support satiety and steady energy. 1 ¼ cups plain Greek yogurt (2%) → 26g protein 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds → 4g protein Pomegranate to taste Pistachios to Taste Sprinkle of honey Total protein: 30g FYI: If you’re dairy-free, grab a coconut or almond-based yogurt and mix in some protein powder.  2. Berry Protein Smoothie  RD note: Smoothies are where most people miss the mark. Fruit and almond milk are not a high-protein breakfast… in fact, it’s usually just a sugar-heavy option disguised as a healthy choice. This version is designed to deliver 30g of protein and keep you full. 1 scoop protein powder → 20g protein 1 tbsp chia seeds → 2g protein 1 tbsp almond butter → 3g protein 1 cup milk (dairy or soy milk) → 8g protein Total protein: 33g FYI: Many plant-based protein powders require two scoops to hit 20 grams of protein.  Pro tip: Add a handful of frozen zucchini to make it extra creamy without changing the flavor. It blends seamlessly and gives you that thicker texture without needing more fruit or sugar. 3. Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes RD note: This is one of my favorite ways to make a higher-protein breakfast feel more satisfying and less “routine.” You still get the benefits of a protein-forward meal, but in a format that actually feels like a weekend breakfast. The cottage cheese blends in, so you get the protein without the texture. ½ cup cottage cheese → 14g protein 2 eggs → 12g protein ¼ cup oats (blended into flour) → 3g protein 1 scoop protein powder → 20g protein Blend and cook like pancakes. Total protein: 49g Pro Tip: Add some cinnamon, vanilla, and baking powder to jazz them up.  4. Loaded Protein Oats  RD note: Oatmeal alone is mostly carbs and fiber. But when you build it correctly, it becomes a high-protein, balanced breakfast that supports sustained energy and digestion. ½ cup oats → 5g protein 1 scoop protein powder → 20g protein 1 tbsp peanut butter → 4g protein 1 tbsp hemp hearts → 3 protein Total protein: 32g Pro Tip: Mix a big batch and keep it in the fridge so you can have an easy-to-go high-protein breakfast ready to go.  5. Chicken Sausage Breakfast Plate RD note: If you want something savory but are over eggs, this is one of the easiest ways to anchor your breakfast in protein. Prioritizing protein first thing in the morning can help support more stable energy and appetite throughout the day. 3 chicken sausages → 30g protein  ½ avocado Fresh Arugula  ½ cup berries Total protein: 30g Pro Tip: Amylu’s breakfast chicken sausages and patties are so good! The Bottom Line If you’re trying to figure out how to get 30 grams of protein for breakfast, it’s not about forcing yourself to eat foods you don’t enjoy. It’s about building meals that are actually designed to get you there. Most women aren’t under-eating protein because they’re not trying. They’re under-eating it because their breakfasts look balanced, but don’t add up in practice. A smoothie, a bowl, pancakes, something savory… it can all work. The difference is whether there’s a true protein anchor. Start with protein, build around it, and you’ll notice the shift quickly: more stable energy, fewer cravings, and a breakfast that actually holds you over. Source link

If you’ve ever looked at another plate of eggs and thought, “I genuinely…

Diet & Nutrition

Stamina is the energy and strength you possess. It allows you to endure long periods of the mental and physical toll. How to increase stamina? It is a question many people ask whether they are an athlete or a non–athlete. The key point in answering the question is an amalgamation of diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle. For starters, it is common to feel fatigued after a long day at work or in the gym. If you know the simple ways to increase your stamina, you can decrease exhaustion. Higher stamina levels will allow you to go harder if your focus is to get fit. It will help you increase the number of reps for each exercise. And it won’t be long before you reach your fitness goals. Simple Ways to Increase Stamina You are already aware of the benefits of having excellent stamina. Now, the question is how you can improve it? Are there techniques you can follow which will help you do it? It is not that difficult. You can make some changes in your daily life which will help you increase your stamina. One way is to eat the right food, which gives your body all the energy it needs. Rather than having one or two huge meals, break it down into small ones. Also, ensure that you consume nutritious snacks between meals. It will help you last through the day. If you are looking for long term techniques to increase stamina, exercise is the way to go. You can make your body improve oxygen supply by focusing on activities that work on your lungs and heart. The benefit is that your stamina will start to increase. While the changes are gradual, they will make a massive difference in the long run. Although one key to increasing stamina is staying active, you should also remember to rest. When you get a good night’s sleep, you will have higher energy levels. It will improve your vigour. You also need to refrain from smoking or consuming alcohol regularly. It is detrimental to your health and affects your stamina. Exercises to Increase Stamina One of the best ways to increase your stamina is to indulge in exercise and physical activities. However, before you start, you should know how much physical activity you need for improving your energy levels. As an adult, you need to get at least 2½ hours (150 minutes) of exercise every week. You can break this down into short bouts of activity called ‘snacktivity’– thirty minutes of physical activities for five days every week. You should also focus on performing these exercises for longer before increasing their intensity. 1. Bench Press Strength training is crucial when it comes to increasing stamina. Not only does it increase your muscle mass, but it also improves endurance. You need to lift your weights with high intensity so that your energy levels continue to rise over time. The bench press is an excellent workout for your whole body. You need to head to the gym to perform this activity. Bench Press: The Right Way Lie down on the bench and ensure your eyes are below the bar.  Squeeze your shoulder blades while lifting your chest.  The next step is to hold the bar at a width that keeps your arms straight. Next, ensure your thumbs are around the bar for a proper grip. It should be within the heel of your palm. It gives excellent support.  Take a huge breath, remove the bar from the rack while keeping your arms straight.  Bring it down to mid-chest while keeping the elbows at 75°.  Hold your breath for at least a second before raising it above the shoulders.  Once the bar is on top, lock the elbows and breathe.  Do five reps of this exercise every week for best results. 2. Cycling If you are looking for exercises to increase your stamina, cycling is excellent. It is a cardio workout. You will improve your endurance in the long run. The trick is to go at the same pace for long-distance. It has a positive impact on your stamina. If you are doing this in the gym, ensure your back is straight. While squeezing your shoulder blades, go slow for at least five minutes before increasing your speed gradually. 3. Jumping Jacks Jumping Jack is the best exercise to increase stamina at home. It is a simple full-body cardio workout that works your muscles, lungs, and heart.  Stand straight, with the arms beside you, while keeping the legs together. Jump and spread the legs at a distance equal to the width of your shoulders.  At the same time, stretch the arms till it goes over your head.  Jump again and return to the starting position. Do at least ten reps of this exercise in every set  (two sets minimum). 4. Push-ups Although it is a simple exercise, it is excellent to increase stamina. You can do it at home, in the gym or in the garden. You need to lie down on the floor and lift your body until your arms become straight.  While on the ground, make sure the palms are close to the chest. As you rise, the arms should be at a distance more significant than the width of your shoulders.  Go down till your elbows are 90° or your chest touches the floor.  Return to the starting position, which completes one rep.  You need to do a minimum of 10 reps each in two sets at least three times a week. 5. Stair Climb If you are thinking about increasing running stamina, climbing stairs is the best exercise. Not only does it improve your power and strength, but it also focuses on your endurance. Are you wondering why you are out of breath faster when you have to climb up a hill? Unlike a flat surface, an inclined one increases your heart rate. As a result, you have to take more significant amounts of oxygen. Make sure you cover at least four flights of stairs (up and down) for six days every week. 6. Swimming How to increase stamina for exercise is one question everyone asks their trainer. The answer is simple– swim every day so that your endurance improves. Do this activity for a minimum of 20 minutes to reap all the benefits it offers. Once you make it a habit, your body will receive more oxygen as it works out your lungs. As you become a master of this activity, you can increase the duration. 7. High-intensity Interval Training or HIIT HIIT is a versatile exercise method and can fit into any workout routine. It can be cardio, weight lifting, free-hand exercises etc. It’s a proven method for increasing stamina as it helps increase the energy pool in our body, which helps increase stamina. The way to do a HIIT workout is: First, do an exercise for 20 seconds. Then, do another set of exercises for 20 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds. If you repeat this procedure for 30–40 minutes 3-4 times a week, the stamina will increase drastically. Point to Remember If you repeat the same kind of exercise every day for weeks, your stamina will not increase. Therefore, you need to bring changes in your exercise routine and the types of activities. In addition, the duration also needs to grow slowly and gradually for optimum stamina gain. For example, given below is a 5-day work-out routine: Aerobic exercises with HIIT Weight lifting Cycling with HIIT (fast cycling for a min and then slow for 2 minutes) Aerobic exercises with HIIT Weight lifting Keep two days of the week to rest and repair your muscles. Best Foods to Increase Stamina In the topic of how to increase stamina by food, add the following options to your meals: 1. Bananas When it comes to improving your stamina, you need to snack only on suitable foods. Bananas are always an excellent option, as they provide high amounts of energy. In addition, every serving will give you nutrients like vitamin B6, potassium, carbohydrates, fibre, fats, and protein. Make sure you snack on this before you do the above exercises. 2. Brown rice If you have the habit of eating white rice, you should switch to its brown variant. Due to the lower amounts of processing, you will get more nutrients from the food. In addition, complex carbohydrates are the key to better stamina. It takes longer for your body to break down brown rice, ensuring you have energy throughout the day. You will get manganese, protein, fat, fibre, carbohydrates, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and selenium with every serving.  3. Black Coffee Are you someone who can’t start the day without a cup of coffee? Then, you can continue the habit if you are looking to increase your stamina. Owing to its high caffeine content, coffee helps boost your energy. In addition, as it stimulates the brain and your body, you will find it easier to focus. The best part is that a single cup of black coffee contains only two calories. 4. Eggs and Chicken Eggs are an excellent food to add to your diet because of the amount of energy they provide. Every serving gives you high amounts of carbohydrates. As a result, you will have ample amounts of energy, which will help increase your stamina. Also, leucine, a type of amino acid, enhances energy production in your body. It increases the rate of fat breakdown, which increases your stamina. Eggs are also a great source of vitamin B, making it easier for your body to break down food. Chicken is a source of white meat, which is widely available everywhere. It is abundant in protein. In addition, it has a versatile nature, and you can incorporate it into a variety of foods. The protein from chicken is biologically active and digests quickly in the human body. 5. Fish Adding fish to your diet is a must, as it is one of the best foods to increase stamina. It contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, vital for your brain and body. In addition, tuna and salmon contain DHA and EPA, two fatty acids essential for improving your endurance. Every serving of either of these types of fish will give you vitamin B12 and protein. When you experience fatigue, there will be inflammation in your body. The omega-3 fatty acids reduce this issue, allowing you to get back up on your feet faster. These food types have high amounts of carbohydrates, protein, fibre, and fat. As a result, they bring down the amount of energy your body releases. The benefit of this process is that you will observe a significant improvement in your stamina. Also, they provide a variety of nutrients, which are great for your well-being. Foods to Avoid to Increase Stamina While touching on the subject of how to increase stamina by food, avoid the following options: 1. Alcohol Alcohol is a strict no-no if you look to improve your stamina levels. Alcoholic beverages are well known for decreasing your endurance during workouts. For the activation and coordination of the muscle fibres, you need your nervous system. The problem with alcohol is that it slows down this part of your body. You will experience dehydration, which will last through the next day, post the drinking session. If you are going to hit the gym, ensure you don’t consume alcohol. 2. Fried food Fried foods are popular because they are delicious. However, if you want to increase stamina, you should stay away from it. Your body takes longer to digest fried foods due to their high-fat content. Hence, you should never consume them before a workout. Make sure you avoid having fried foods the night before you go to the gym or decide to exercise. The reason is that you tend to feel lethargic after consuming them. 3. Milk Before you hit the gym, you should give every dairy-based product a pass. The reason is that the sugar present in this food takes longer to digest. As a result, you can suffer from indigestion if you aren’t careful. Also, it leaves an unpleasant coating in your mouth, which becomes apparent when you work out. That said, milk is a good source of protein and can help improve your overall stamina. However, you should avoid milk only before you hit the gym. Vital Elements to Increase Stamina Water Hydration is a crucial element when you are trying to increase stamina. Proper water intake is vital for every individual to function smoothly. Post-workout water consumption should be adequate and regular. It is very beneficial for increasing stamina. Sleep Repair and rest are essential after every exercise routine or workout. The wear and tear of muscles happens when we work out. For our muscles to have strength, we need proper sleep. It helps repair the muscles and make them function smoothly. Summary When the goal is to increase stamina, make sure that you follow the instructions in this guide. The trick is to combine exercise with healthy food options, ensuring you get the best of both worlds. When it comes to physical activity, make sure you do the exercises regularly. However, you must give your body adequate time to recover. In addition, make sure you hydrate yourself, which allows you to push your body for more extended periods. While it is important to rest between each exercise, try to reduce the duration of the downtime. By increasing the level of exertion slowly, you will understand the tricks and techniques to increase your stamina. Remember, the journey to increase your stamina naturally is a marathon, not a 100-metre dash! Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q1. Which foods can help increase stamina? Ideally, ensure that you consume a combination of carbs and protein. Fruits like banana and apple, along with whole wheat bread, brown rice and whole oats, will go a long way in improving your stamina. In addition to these foods, you can also include nuts like almonds, figs, walnuts and peanuts in your diet. Q2. How long does it take to increase stamina? The time it takes to increase your stamina may vary based on the consistency of your efforts concerning diet and exercise. However, you should ideally see improvements in 3 months. Q3. Which juice is good for your stamina? Beetroot juice, Melon Papaya Juice, Kale and Apple Juice are some of the juices that are known to increase stamina.  Q4. How can I get instant energy? Consuming the following foods are some of the ways you can receive instant energy: Banana Black coffee Apples Oats with milk and honey Q5. How can I increase my stamina naturally? Regular exercise routine, proper diet, sleep and water intake can help in increasing stamina naturally. Q6. Which food is high in stamina? There is no food high in stamina. However, protein-rich foods help increase muscle mass which in turn help to increase muscle strength and stamina. Q7.  What causes poor stamina? Improper diet, faulty or no exercise routine cause poor stamina. Q8. Which fruit is best for stamina? After a workout, a banana gives good energy and essential vitamins and minerals. Q9. What foods decrease stamina? Fried and fatty foods decrease stamina. Q10. What food gives immediate energy? Fruits give instant energy and are from a natural source. Q11. What is the best vitamin for stamina? Vitamin B complex is essential for stamina building. Q12. What exercises increase stamina? A combination of different types of exercise, with an increase in duration day by day, help in increasing stamina. Source link

Stamina is the energy and strength you possess. It allows you to endure…

Diet & Nutrition

Men and women with healthy BMI, in the age group of 18-50 and moderately active lifestyles, require a 2000 calorie heart-healthy meal plan. However, one needs to combine moderate physical activity like brisk walking, climbing a few flights of stairs, yoga, and pilates for 30-40 minutes for 4-5 days a week when on this meal plan. With a sedentary lifestyle, 2000 calories may lead to weight gain.  According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), between 1800-2000 calories per day is considered the standard level nutritionally advised on food labels. However, this is because it usually meets the energy and nutritional levels of healthy and active adults. Further, this level can be raised or lowered according to the person’s lifestyle and physical requirements, including age, gender, height, weight, and physical activities, respectively. For example, as per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, women over age 60 generally require fewer calories and typically need to take in around 1600–1800 calories per day to maintain their weight. Is Your 2000 Calories Meal Plan Heart Healthy? For some, a 2000 calorie meal plan helps maintain a healthy weight while others gain or lose weight. However, ensuring the meal plan within 1800-2000 calories is also heart-healthy is essential. Individuals at risk of chronic conditions, unhealthy weight gain, other health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and nutritional deficiencies need a balanced diet of 2000 calories covering all essential food groups. The fundamental steps to reduce the risk of heart diseases, backed by research, includes eating healthy, exercising more, maintaining a healthy-compatible weight as per your body and keeping in check your bad habits like smoking, drinking and poor sleep patterns.  7 Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 200 Calories The following meal plan covers all aspects of a heart-healthy diet, incorporating 2000 calories per day. In addition, it follows the American heart association’s recommended limits for salt, sugar and saturated fats. The meal plan includes whole grains, fibre-rich vegetables and fruits, lean proteins and heart-healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, minimal salt to cut down the sodium and lots of herbs and spices. Day 1 Plan Breakfast (403 calories) Egg and Avocado Toast Toast 1 slice of whole wheat bread Coat the pan with cooking spray(1-second spray) or use olive oil and cook two large eggs. You can do the seasoning with pepper and the smallest pinch of salt. Mash a ½ medium avocado  Spread ¼ cup pico de gallo or salsa on your toast Top the toast with eggs and avocado Mid-Morning Snack (249 calories) Almonds: 6-8 Apple: 1 medium Lunch (500 calories) Chickpeas and Veggies Salad Take 3/4th cup of veggies of your choice(tomatoes, cucumbers etc.) and  2 cups of mixed veggies. Rinse 1 cup of chickpeas Mix all together and add 2 tbsp cheddar cheese, 1 tbsp each olive oil and red wine vinegar and freshly ground pepper Orange: 1 medium Evening Snack (192 calories) Multigrain Rice Cake: 1 slice Peanut Butter: ½ tbsp Dinner (636 calories) Seared Salmon with Green Peppercorn Sauce: 1 Serving Steamed Green Beans: 1 cup Large Baked Red Potato: 1 large (Drizzled with two tsp. olive oil, ¼ tsp. garlic powder and a pinch of pepper) Day 2 Plan Breakfast (453 calories) Egg and Tomato Toast: 1 serving Cook 1 cup rolled oats in 1 cup milk and 1 cup water Add 1 cup of sliced strawberries and sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon  Mid-Morning Snack (239 calories) Blueberries: 1 cup Plain almonds: 6-8  Lunch (487 calories) Tuna and White Bean Spinach Salad: 1 serving Mix 1/2 cups baby spinach and 1 cup of veggies of your choice (try tomatoes & cucumbers) Put 1 can of chunk light tuna in water and drain Rinse 1/4 cup canned white beans Mix everything and add 1/2 tbsp plain dry-roasted almonds and top 1 tsp each red-wine vinegar and olive oil. Evening Snack (256 calories) Medium Apple: 1 Dry-Roasted Peanuts: 3 tbsp Dinner (582 calories) Lemongrass Pork & Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl: 1 Serving Mango & Kiwi with Fresh Lime Zest: ¾ cup Dark chocolate chips to enjoy after dinner: 1 tbsp Day 3 Plan Breakfast (447 calories) Bran Cereal: 1 cup Skim milk: 1 cup Slivered Almonds: 2½ tsp Medium Banana: 1 Mid-Morning Snack (191 calories) Non-fat plain Greek Yoghurt: 1 cup ( topped with 1 cup strawberry halves and 2 tsp honey) Lunch (472 calories) Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice: ¼ cup Salad: 1 serving Mix 3 cups mixed greens, ¾ cup sliced cucumber, and top with 1 tbsp each balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Evening Snack (230 calories) Unsalted Dry-Roasted Almonds: 3 tbsp Carrots: 2 medium Dinner (633 calories) Toaster-Oven Tostada: (1 serving, save the leftovers for the next day’s lunch) Take three corn tortillas, and top with ½ cup rinsed black beans and 2 tbsp shredded Cheddar cheese. Toast until the cheese begins to melt Top with ½ diced avocado and 2 tbsp salsa or pico de gallo Mixed Greens: 2 cups (topped with 1 tbsp each lime and 2 tsp olive oil) Day 4 Plan Breakfast (452 calories) Cook a cup of oats in 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water Top the cooked oats with 1 cup sliced strawberries and sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon  Mid-Morning Snack (270 calories) Sliced bell pepper: ½  Hummus: 2 tbsp Unsalted dry-roasted almonds: ¼ cup Lunch (481 calories) Toaster-Oven Tostadas: 1 serving (use leftovers, if any, from day three dinner) Medium orange: 1 Evening Snack (142 calories) Nonfat plain Greek yoghourt: ¾ cup Honey: 2 tsp Dinner (640 calories) Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice: ¼ cup Salad: 1 serving Mix 3 cups mixed greens, 1/2 cup cucumber slices and 1/3 cup grated carrot  Top with 1½ tbsp olive oil & red wine vinegar. Kiwi & Mango with Fresh Lime Zest to enjoy after dinner: ¾ cup DAY 5 Plan Breakfast (451 calories) Bran Cereal: 1½ cup Skim Milk: 1½ cup  Blueberries: 1 cup Mid-Morning Snack (280 calories) Multigrain Rice Cake: 2 Peanut Butter: 2 tbsp Lunch (500 calories) Green Salad with Chicken Make a mixed salad of 3 cups mixed greens, 5 oz cooked chicken breast (Cook an extra three oz. of chicken to have for dinner on Day 6), eight cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup cucumber slices, and ⅓ cup shredded carrot. Top salad with 1 tbsp each olive oil & red wine vinegar Evening Snack (95 calories) Dinner (651 calories) Cod with Tomato Cream Sauce: 1 serving Cooked brown rice: 1¼ cups  Mixed Greens Topped with 1 tbsp olive oil and balsamic vinegar: 2 tbsp. Day 6 Plan Breakfast (419 calories) Egg & Avocado Tostadas: 1 serving Mash ½ medium avocado Cook 2 large eggs in ¼ tsp olive oil or coat the pan with a thin layer of cooking spray (1-second spray) and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Take two corn tortillas and spread 1 tbsp pico de gallo or salsa Top the tortillas with avocado, eggs and salsa. Mid-Morning snack (223 calories) Sliced Cucumber: 1 cup Hummus: 3 tbsp Plain dry-roasted almonds: 2 tbsp Lunch (487 calories) Roasted Tofu & Peanut Noodle Salad: 2 cups Medium orange: 1 Evening Snack (200 calories) Nonfat Plain Greek yoghurt: 1 cup Sliced strawberries: ½ cup Honey: 2 tsp Dinner (647 calories) Grilled Romaine with Avocado-Lime Dressing: 1 serving Chicken breast cooked in 1 tbsp olive oil: 5 oz (seasoned with ¼ tsp cumin seeds and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Cooked quinoa: 1¼ cup DAY 7 Plan Breakfast (448 calories) Nonfat plain Greek yoghurt: 1¼ cups Top the yoghurt with 1 cup blueberries, 3 tbsp unsalted dry-roasted almonds and 2 tsp honey Mid-Morning Meal (206 calories) Hummus: ¼ cup Medium red bell pepper, sliced: ¾ Medium carrots: 3 Lunch (495 calories) Veggie-Hummus Sandwich: 1 serving Take two slices of whole-grain bread and spread ½ tbsp hummus and ½ mashed avocado. Layer ¼ cup cucumber slices, ¼ medium red bell pepper, sliced ⅓ cup shredded carrots and 1 cup mixed greens on the slice and make a sandwich. Medium apple: 1 Evening Snack (105 calories) Dinner (637 calories+101 calories) Roasted Tofu & Peanut Noodle Salad: 2 cups Peanuts, chopped and sprinkled over noodle salad: 2 tbsp Mixed greens topped with 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 2 tsp. sesame oil: 1 cup Treat yourself with 2 squares of dark chocolate  As mentioned earlier, the nutritional value requirements vary from person to person. Hence, consult your nutritionist for a customised meal plan before following the above diet. 2000 Calorie Meal Plan: Foods to Include Whole Grains: Brown rice, Oats, Bulgur, Quinoa, Farro, Millet, etc. Fruits: Berries, Peaches, Apples, Pears, Melons, Bananas, Grapes, etc. Non-starchy Vegetables (those which grow above the ground): Kale, Spinach, Peppers, Zucchini, Broccoli, Bok choy, Swiss chard, Tomatoes, Cauliflower, etc. Starchy Vegetables (Those which grow below the ground): Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squash, Potatoes, Peas, Plantains, etc. Dairy Products: Plain Yoghurt, Kefir, and Full-fat Cheese Fish and Seafood: Tuna, Salmon, Halibut, Scallops, Mussels, Clams, Shrimp, etc. 2000 Calorie Meal Plan: Foods to Avoid Added Sugars: Agave, Baked Foods, Ice Cream, Candy, etc. You should limit added sugars to less than 5–10% of your total calorie intake. Fast Food: French Fries, Hot Dogs, Pizza, Chicken Nuggets, etc. Processed and Refined Carbs: Bagels, White Bread, Crackers, Cookies, Chips, Sugary Cereals, Boxed Pasta, etc. Fried Foods: Fried Chicken, Doughnuts, Potato Chips, Fish and Chips, etc. Sodas and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Sports Drinks, Sugary Juices, Sodas, Fruit Punch, Sweetened Tea and Coffee Drinks, etc. Diet and Low-fat Foods: Diet Ice Cream, Diet Boxed Snacks, Diet Packaged and Frozen Meals and Artificial sweeteners like Sweet n’ Low, etc. Conclusion Staying within a calorific budget is a function of a healthy meal choice that keeps you satiated and tickles your taste buds. A heart-healthy meal has to represent all food groups and be balanced. The idea is to know the nutrients that are good for you, and for that, you need to consult a professional to get the right construct. While the 1800-2000 calorie meal plan is the standard for many, it might not be suitable. This meal plan is a representative plan keeping in mind a healthy individual with a moderately active lifestyle. If you are a beginner at calorie counting, download the HealthifyMe App to assess your health goals.  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q. Can you burn 2000 calories in a workout? Yes, you can burn additional 2000 calories through exercises alone, but it takes a longer duration and great intensity. For that, you need to be a pro or an athlete. Therefore, if you are a moderately active individual with no health issues, aim to burn 1000 calories through exercise and adjust the remaining by cutting down calories in your diet. Also, look at building stamina gradually.  Q. Does eating between 1800- 2000 calories maintain weight? Calories intake and weight depend on gender, age, height etc. Most women between 19 and 30 require about 2,000–2,400 calories per day to maintain weight. At the same time, women between 31 and 59 have slightly lower energy needs. Generally, women in this age group should consume 1,800–2,200 calories per day to maintain their body weight.  Q. Is 2000 calories enough to build muscle? In order to build muscle your meal plan should feature 1st class proteins – those which are of high biological value and get absorbed into the bloodstream faster. Thus, taking into consideration your height, weight, body type, work-out routine and daily routine, you can calculate the protein intake at 0.8- 1 g per kg body weight for muscle maintenance, and if you want to build muscle, then you can go up to 1.2g per kg body weight. Q. How many calories are in a heart-healthy diet? The calorie requirement changes from person to person. The standard range is typically a 2,000 calorie per day diet. You may need fewer or more calories depending on several factors, including age, gender, and level of physical activity.  Q. What 3 foods do cardiologists say to avoid? A. Several foods can potentially cause harm to your heart health. However, cardiologists ask you to avoid the three most threatening food groups: processed meat, processed and canned food, and fizzy sugary drinks.  Q.What is the best diet for heart patients? A heart-healthy diet, as the name suggests, includes everything that protects your heart from any health issues. But, at the same time, it excludes everything that can be harmful to your heart health. So, say hello to high-fibre fruits, vegetables and whole grains packed with hydrating nutrients and say goodbye to high-fats and high-sodium foods. In addition, canned and processed foods, or foods that contain high sugar and salt levels, cheese, red meat etc., should not be a part of your meal. On the other hand, oats, barley, salmon, oily fish, dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy, olive oil etc., are emphasised more in this menu. Q. How do you strengthen a weak heart? Making your heart stronger and maintaining a healthy heart is easy if you follow some fundamental rules. It is a combination of exercise and excludes specific foods and habits. For example, following a healthy and balanced diet and a physically active lifestyle are essential for a healthy heart. At the same time, you should avoid consuming foods that are not healthy for your heart, avoid tobacco and alcohol, avoid stress and refrain from overeating. Q. What is the 3-day heart diet? 3-days heart diet is a strict limitation on foods you eat during specific meals. It is a combination diet rich in fibrous fruits, veggies, whole grains and proteins with zero to minimal salt consumption. It is to cut down the sodium levels. Source link

Men and women with healthy BMI, in the age group of 18-50 and…

Diet & Nutrition

Avocado oil is well known for its nourishing properties, and its primary use is in various cosmetics. Avocado oil is extracted from the pulp of the avocado fruit. The process usually involves the separation of the pulp from the fruit and extracting the oil by cold pressing. People generally use the Hass and Persea Americana variety of avocado to extract the vegetable oil. Generally, the extraction of plant-based oil is from the seeds, but avocado oil is a specific oil extracted from the fruit itself. It contains all the essential nutrients and minerals that provide several health benefits. Avocado oil mainly contains heart-healthy fats. These fats are monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and significantly less saturated fat. Therefore, avocado oil and olive oil are nutritional options to maintain cardiovascular health. In addition, people with diabetes can also moderately use avocado oil but in moderation. That is because of its zero glycemic index and zero carbohydrates. Avocado oil also contains vitamin E and A, which help nourish the body’s internal system. Avocado oil has several health benefits. For example, it helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure, aids in detoxification, helps to treat skin issues, improves nutrient absorption, etc. In addition, it may help to prevent cancer, provide nourishment to hair, and control inflammation. Avocado is rich in vitamin A and E, which help to nourish and repair the skin barrier. Types of Avocado Oil People use the cold press method to extract avocado oil. In the process, the fruit’s pulp is first pressed and then spun to extract the oil from the fruit by separating the water and the solids. Virgin and refined avocado oil are the two main types of avocado oil.  Virgin oil is the purest form of oil extracted at the first pressing of the pulp and is known as “extra-virgin”. At the same time, refined oil is made by further filtering the oil to remove all the impurities and small particles altogether. In this process, the original green colour of the oil and the authentic flavour also get eliminated. As a result, the refined oil has a hue of yellow with a bit of green. Avocado oil has a high smoke point different for both types. Extra virgin avocado oil has a smoke point of 480°F and refined oil 520°F. Smoke point refers to the point where oil components break down and start to smoke. The primary use of avocado oil is dressing over salads and food. However, people do not always use it for cooking because it comes in small quantities and is more expensive than other vegetable oils. Nutritional Value of Avocado Oil 100g of avocado oil contains: Calories: 884kCal Fat: 100g Protein: 0g Carbohydrate: 0g Saturated Fatty Acids: 11.6g Monounsaturated Fatty Acids: 70.6g Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: 13.5g  Health Benefits of Avocado Oil Avocado oil primarily contains fatty acids that are beneficial for your heart health. In addition, it has no carbohydrates. The nutritional composition of avocado oil makes it one of the healthiest vegetable oils that we can use. 1. Super Beneficial for Heart Health Avocado oil majorly contains monounsaturated fats, about 70%. It has 13% polyunsaturated fats and 12% saturated fats. Therefore, it is a heart-healthy oil that helps eliminate the risk of several heart diseases. It has a glycemic index of zero and contains zero carbohydrates, making it a diabetic-friendly oil. Avocado oil helps lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. As a result, it helps to improve heart health and decreases the risk of coronary diseases. In addition, avocado oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which help prevent damage in the walls of arteries caused by plaque buildup. Moreover, avocado oil is a good source of vitamin E. Vitamin E in avocado helps maintain the health of blood vessels by eliminating free radicals from the body. 2. Helps to Repair Skin Damage Avocado oil contains vital antioxidants like beta carotene, lutein, protein, lecithin, omega fatty acids, and vitamin E. These antioxidants help to strengthen the skin barrier and accelerate the healing of damaged skin. In addition, avocado oil helps to nourish skin and protect against UV rays. Exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays may lead to heavy damage, even skin cancer. According to one study, when combined with vitamin B 12 cream, avocado oil can lead to better and faster treatment of psoriasis than typical vitamin B12 therapy. Furthermore, avocado oil helps to heal scars and wounds with ease. It contains potassium and lecithin, which are helpful in the growth of new skin cells. Avocado oil is a well-known ingredient to reduce wrinkles. It also helps to prevent premature ageing. The vitamin A and E in avocado oil helps to nourish skin and boost collagen production, resulting in younger-looking skin. Comedogenic is the tendency for an ingredient to clog our pores. For example, avocado oil has a comedogenic rate of 3. It means that avocado oil is slightly heavier on the skin and does not cause clogging of pores. However, it may lead to clogged pores in some skin types. Although its skin lightening properties are not proven, avocado oil helps to brighten skin.  Another study states that linoleic acid, oleic acid, and monounsaturated fatty acids in avocado oil can accelerate wound healing. 3. Increases Hair Growth Avocado is rich in vitamin E, making avocado oil helpful in nourishing and moisturising the scalp. In addition, it helps to treat dandruff. Avocado oil also helps to increase hair growth. It is due to the vitamin B, E and antioxidants in avocado, which helps to stimulate hair growth. Avocado oil helps in reducing hair damage and maintaining hair health by enhancing absorption. As a result, it prevents hair damage and minimises hair breakage. In addition, avocado oil is considered an excellent conditioner for the hair, especially protecting from dry environments and sun damage. Avocado oil helps to moisturise the dry scalp and provides nourishment. In addition, it also helps to control the overproduction of oil by sending signals to the oil glands to produce the required amount of oil for the scalp. 4. Helps in Weight Loss Avocado oil contains a high amount of monounsaturated fats and oleic acid, which helps in reducing belly fat and also reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome may negatively affect weight loss.  A survey result states that consuming about half an avocado can decrease about 50% risk of metabolic syndrome. In addition, including avocado oil in your diet can improve the diet quality. Furthermore, avocado oil contains monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fats. As a result, it helps absorb nutrients and fat-soluble carotenoids, which improves weight loss. Avocado oil also helps in boosting metabolism. High metabolism helps to accelerate weight loss by converting food into energy faster. Ways to Use Avocado Oil There are various ways to use avocado oil. You can use them as a part of your meal or as a skincare ingredient. In addition, you can use it to get naturally soft hair. Using Avocado Oil for Skin You can use avocado oil in your skincare ritual in various ways. For example, you can massage it on your skin, rub it on the face or add it to your bathing lotion.  Massage some amount of avocado oil into your skin after a shower. You can use the avocado oil solo or add a few drops to one of your body lotions. You can make a moisturising oil using avocado oil and other essential oils. For example, take avocado oil and mix a nourishing oil with it. Then, add a few drops of any essential oil like lavender etc., to the mix. Use this mix to your face as a moisturising ingredient or on your hands and feet as a moisturiser. You can also use avocado oil as an anti-ageing solution. Using Avocado Oil for Hair There are several ways to use avocado oil for improving your hair health. For example, you can use it as a hair mask or hot oil therapy. In addition, it is a carrier of essential oils. So you can mix essential oils like lavender, peppermint etc., and use the mix on your hair to enhance hair growth. Furthermore, you can evenly distribute avocado oil to the roots of your hair and leave it for a while. It will act as a leave-in conditioner and give you soft, smooth, shiny hair. Culinary Uses of Avocado Oil One of the easiest ways to start using avocado oil is to swap it for olive oil when roasting. First, drizzle over sliced root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and turnips, with salt, pepper, and your favourite seasonings. Then, roast in the oven at 425°F or until browned or caramelised. You can use avocado oil as a dressing for your salads. It’s guaranteed to add a bright and refreshing flavour to any bowl of mixed greens. Avocado oil can be a marinade for your fish, chicken, steak, or mixed veggies. However, creamy and nutty avocado oil has a milder flavour than other flavoured oils. Therefore, it is best if you prefer a lighter taste. Other Uses If you want to avoid using non-natural products on your infant, avocado oil can be a great alternative to traditional diaper rash creams. Rub a small amount of the oil into the irritated area to help soothe it. Avocado oil is also a superb leather conditioner. So, you can use it on your shoes, belt and other leather accessories to bring back the shine. You can store an unopened bottle of avocado oil in a cool and dark place for up to 12 months. At the same time, you can store open avocado oil for up to 6 months without refrigerating it. Possible Side Effects of Avocado Oil Excess consumption of avocado oil may lead to allergic reactions like itching, redness, eczema, and hives for some skin types. Therefore, you should always consume it in moderation. In addition, if you are allergic to vegetable oils, you should avoid using avocado oil. Consuming avocado oil in hypersensitivity can lead to an allergic reaction like vomiting. It also disturbs the digestion of babies when breastfeeding mothers over-consume avocado. Consuming high amounts of avocado may lead to mouth allergies like itching sensation and swelling in the mouth. Therefore, you should consume it in the recommended quantities only.  Consuming high amounts of avocado may upset the stomach and cause gastrointestinal irritation. Mexican avocado, which contains estragole and anethole, may lead to carcinogenic reactions. Therefore, people facing liver issues should avoid it as it may worsen the conditions. Possible Alternatives to Avocado Oil Avocado oil is a healthy addition to your diet and offers several health benefits. But, it is slightly expensive and may not be a common ingredient in your meals. Therefore, people prefer using other healthy oils as an alternative to avocado oil. Olive Oil  Avocado oil and Olive oil both replicate similar nutritional profiles. Both the oils are rich in unsaturated fats, making them a perfect choice for improving heart health. They have the same amount of saturated fats and are made up of oleic acid. However, avocado has a lesser amount of vitamin E compared to olive. In addition, avocado oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil. Coconut Oil Avocado oil contains more antioxidants like thiamine and riboflavin than coconut oil. Both avocado oil and coconut oil are plant-based oil with a high smoke point.The controversy involves in its fat content.  Coconut oil, almost entirely composed of saturated fatty acids. However, the saturated fats in coconut oil are made of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are easier for your body to burn off than the long-chain triglycerides of animal fats. MCTs from coconut oil supports your gut health by promoting the growth of good bacteria and boosting “good” HDL cholesterol. Conclusion Avocado oil is rich in unsaturated fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats make it heart-healthy. You can store it for up to 12 months in a cool and dry place without exposure to the sun. In addition, it contains vitamin E and antioxidants. As a result, avocado oil has several health benefits such as improving heart health, skin condition, hair health and aids in weight loss. Avocado oil has many incredible benefits for health, but it also has some side effects like it may cause allergic reactions, mouth allergy, gastrointestinal irritation, and liver damage. In addition, there are some precautions you should take while consuming avocado oil. For example, pregnant and breastfeeding women should not consume it. In addition, people with hypersensitivity should avoid consuming avocado oil. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)  1. Is avocado oil good for your face? A. Yes, avocado oil is good for the face because it has several skin benefits. For example, avocado oil helps to nourish the skin. It also protects and heals damaged skin. Due to the nutritional composition and antioxidants in avocado oil, it helps in anti-ageing, prevents wrinkles, and moisturises your skin. 2. Is avocado oil healthier than olive oil? A. Both avocado oil and olive oil are similar, replicate the nutritional profile and are rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. However, avocado oil and olive oil differ in the smoke point. Avocado oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil.  3. Does avocado oil have side effects? A. There can be several side effects of avocado oil. For example, it causes an allergic reaction in some cases. In addition, excess consumption may lead to liver damage, mouth allergy, and gastrointestinal irritation. Furthermore, it is not safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women to consume avocado oil in excess.   4. Does avocado oil help you lose weight? A. Yes, avocado oil helps in weight loss because it contains a high amount of monounsaturated fats and oleic acid, which helps in reducing belly fat. It also reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome, negatively affecting weight loss. Avocado oil also helps in boosting metabolism. High metabolism helps to accelerate weight loss by converting food into energy faster.  5. Does avocado oil grow hair? A. Yes, avocado oil helps increase hair growth because it contains vitamin B, essential for hair growth. In addition, it is a vital source of antioxidants and vitamin E in excess, which helps to stimulate hair growth. 6. Is avocado oil anti-ageing? A. Yes, avocado oil helps prevent premature ageing because avocado oil contains vitamin E. This vitamin helps nourish the skin and boost collagen production. As a result, avocado oil reduces wrinkles while stimulating the anti-ageing process.  7. When should I use avocado oil? A. You can ideally use avocado oil in cooking, dressing over salads and foods, face and hair application. You can also add a tablespoon to a smoothie. In addition, you can add it to your homemade healthy salad dressings.   8. Is avocado oil better than coconut oil? A. Yes, avocado oil can be a better option for consumption and application than coconut oil. Avocado oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which help nourish the heart. However, coconut oil is fat-burning and energy-boosting. 9. Does avocado oil lighten skin? A. Avocado oil helps in moisturising, nourishing, and brightening the skin. In addition, it helps to maintain skin health which leads to plump and glowing skin. But there is no research that avocado oil is helpful in skin lightening.  10. Can avocado oil clog pores? A. Avocado oil has a comedogenic rate of 3. Although avocado oil is slightly heavier on the skin, it does not cause clogging of pores. However,  in several skin types, it may lead to clogged pores.   11. Does avocado oil cause pimples? A. Avocado oil helps in treating skin damage and acne. It helps strengthen the skin barrier, nourish the skin, and reduce inflammation. Therefore, it eventually decreases pimples, and it also helps to heal scars. Source link

Avocado oil is well known for its nourishing properties, and its primary use…

Diet & Nutrition

When one thinks of protein, steak, eggs, or chicken might come to mind. But suppose you’re not a big meat eater and are a vegetarian or, well, an eggetarian. In that case, you have other options to make sure you get the recommended amount of protein that your body needs. Protein is a macronutrient and the building block of your body. It gives about 4Kcal of energy for every gram of intake and is essential to our diet. In addition, diets rich in protein promote muscle strength, satiety and weight loss. A common concern about vegetarian diets is that they might lack sufficient protein. However, talking to experts clarifies that a well-planned vegetarian diet provides you with all the nutrients you need. Not just this, certain plant foods contain significantly more protein than others. What most of us don’t realise is that protein doesn’t just come from animal-based foods. Many plants are, in fact, extremely high in protein, too. How much protein do you need daily? Protein requirement is dependent on factors like age, activity level or whether you are recovering from any chronic illness. We suggest you talk to a nutritionist from a reputed platform like Healthify to determine your exact daily protein requirement.  So, if you’re planning to increase your protein intake but are vegetarian and think that’s going to be a problem – don’t worry. You can still get the nutrients from a regular diet. In addition, a diet rich in the goodness of whole plant foods can also lower the risk for many chronic illnesses. Protein-rich Vegetarian Foods to Add to Your Diet 1. Start your day with nuts! Starting your day with a handful of nuts is a great way to incorporate protein into your diet and overcome sugar cravings throughout the day. Soak almonds overnight and break your fast with them. If you forget soaking almonds overnight, start your day with a few walnuts for the protein boost you need. In addition, they help control the portion size during breakfast since most vegetarian breakfasts are usually high in calories. Along with protein content, the cherry on the top is the micronutrients and minerals that come with it! Nuts are antioxidant powerhouses that are low in carbs and a great source of countless other nutrients. 2. More Curd/Yoghurt The next tip is to add more home-set curd/yoghurt to your breakfast. In addition to increasing your protein intake, homemade curd helps you by the correct quantity of probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria for your body, which further improves gut health and aids in digestion, absorption, and assimilation of the various micro and macro-nutrients. 3. Legumes and Lentils Dosa Dosa is the perfect breakfast, and it is fancied by many. So, if you’re fond of dosa, replacing rice or Rava dosa with pesarattu or adai dosa would be just perfect for you! Pesrattu or adai usually consists of many mixed legumes. In addition, mixing a few green leafy vegetables like spinach, methi, coriander, onion, garlic, and green chillies with the batter can make it more wholesome. Finally, you can add a bowl of curd to make your breakfast even more protein-rich.  Not just breakfast, it can also be taken as any other meal like dinner, or even as a quick snack! Kids love them too because they are tasty and quick-eats.  4. Healthy Toast Toast and butter are something we’re all familiar with, but it’s time to get creative with your toast without putting in too much effort or time. Some yummy and healthy options include paneer bhurji with toast or even paneer toast. If you’re not a big fan of dairy, we’ve got you sorted too! Dip your bread slice in a batter made of besan, throw in some spices and veggies, and toast it on a pan instead of frying it, and boom! You have your simple, creative, yummy and healthy breakfast ready! 5. Protein-rich staple meal Many of us don’t realise that by consuming a typical Indian vegetarian meal, we’re already getting a sufficient amount of protein. Proteins consist of 20 essential amino acids, of which the body cannot make 9. So, it would help if you had a protein-rich diet to get the complete protein intake that your body needs. When a food item has all the essential amino acids, it is called a complete protein. The biggest myth is that you can only get complete protein from animal sources. Legumes and lentils are high in lysine, a nutrient absent in grains like rice. Conversely, grains contain cysteine and methionine, which legumes lack. Combining grains with lentils and legumes is the simplest way to obtain all essential amino acids, resulting in a complete protein meal. Popular dishes that provide all essential amino acids include khichdi, pongal, and even rajma rice. Add some vegetables in your khichdi to make it a powerhouse of nutrients, and get an accompaniment of raita by the side for a simple, quick dinner option.  6. Add in some sprouts You can add sprouting legumes like green moong, black chana, lobia, rajma, cowpeas, horse gram, green peas or any legume that you like. Creatively adding sprouts is an effortless and effective way to improve the amino acid profile of your meals. Keeping sprouts handy is hence an excellent idea. You can add them to poha or any rice preparation to get the added protein benefit without cooking a separate dish altogether.  7. Homemade protein shakes Are you tired of those fancy protein supplements? Then this DIY protein shake is all you need! Mix all the roasted lentils like moong chana, toor, masoor and even legumes. Powder them into a flour consistency, and then you can add a tablespoon or two to your chapati dough or even to millet flour roti mix. You can also add a tablespoon or two of it to buttermilk for a great post-workout drink. If you’re craving something sweet, you can also go ahead and make pancakes out of this flour! It is great to mix them into semi-solid grains as a starter food for your babies as well.  8. Paneer, Mushroom and Peanuts! Having a small snack handy is excellent to give you that energy boost in the second half of the day. Sautéing some paneer or mushrooms, and boiling peanuts and giving them a chaat twist are some great options for this. Having a tiny snack increases your protein intake. It also helps manage your portion size for dinner as a snack reduces the gap between meals, effectively reducing hunger and cravings.  9. Have some seeds Having seeds like sunflower, hemp, chia, sabza, pumpkin, garden cress, and melon increases your protein intake; it also helps with increasing your intake of micronutrients and minerals, fats, fibre, magnesium, selenium, etc. You can add them to your soups, salads, porridge and even to halwa.   In addition to helping with your weight loss journey, they also help improve skin and hair health along with managing hormonal fluctuations and, very importantly, preventing constipation. Having nut butter handy and adding it to smoothies, having them with fruit or as a dip, are good ways to get your daily dose of protein. When you don’t have access to a full kitchen, nut butter can work as a saviour.  10. Vegetable salad and soup Adding seeds, nuts like almonds and walnuts, soaked lentils and sprouts is a great way to enrich your soup and salad with protein. Soups are easy to prepare, and vegetables and dal combinations like moong, toor, masoor, etc., make soups tasty and a high-protein option. Adding lentils thickens the soup without affecting the taste yet increasing your protein intake. Conclusion  To sum it up, vegetarian diets are not protein deficient. Seeds, nuts, nut butter, dairy, legumes, mushrooms and peas are some of the best vegetarian protein sources. Protein-rich vegetarian diets need to be well-planned. None of this is hard; all it takes is a little bit of effort and time!  During monsoons and winters especially, please pay attention to consuming a high-protein diet. Add sprouts and peas to all your meals to cut down on cravings and get the right amount of nutrition from your meals. Thus, it manages your body weight and blood sugar levels during these times, when your body craves fried snacks and savouries. Source link

When one thinks of protein, steak, eggs, or chicken might come to mind.…

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Have you ever wished a cream made you coffee? The full size of Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream comes in a giant coffee cup, which is kinda cool. The Koreans definitely know how to grab attention. But is the juice inside just as cool? Is it really like coffee for your skin, perking it up and making it radiate… or is jut clever marketing? In this review, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this cream, including what it really can and can’t do, who it is for, and whether it deserves a spot in your skincare routine. Let’s dive in! Key Ingredients In Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream: What Makes It Work? NIACINAMIDE Niacinamide is vitamin B3. It’s everywhere in Korean skincare right now (basically every second product has it, lol) and brands love positioning it as a brightener. Here’s the thing though: it does brighten, but not the way most people expect. It doesn’t exfoliate, it doesn’t block melanin production at the source. What it does is stop melanin from getting transferred into your skin cells in the first place. The difference matters because the effect is slow and subtle. If you’re expecting the kind of visible results you’d get from something like vitamin C, tranexamic acid, or an AHA, you’ll probably be disappointed. Most people using a niacinamide moisturiser aren’t going to notice dramatic brightening. It’s more of a slow, cumulative, effect. What it’s actually better known for in the research is barrier support. It boosts ceramide production in the skin, which is what keeps your barrier intact and stops water escaping. It also reduces sebum production at around 4-5% concentration, calms redness and inflammation, and has some solid evidence for improving the appearance of enlarged pores over time. Related: Can You Use Niacinamide With Vitamin C? CENTELLA ASIATICA LEAF WATER Centella asiatica (cica, gotu kola, tiger grass, whatever your favourite brand calls it) contains compounds called asiaticoside and madecassoside, which tell your skin cells to make more collagen and stop overreacting to irritation. The problem is this product uses leaf water, not an extract. Those compounds don’t dissolve easily in water, so leaf water (basically the watery fraction you get from processing the plant) contains very little of them. The studies showing collagen and anti-inflammatory benefits were done on concentrated extracts, not this. So what you’re actually getting here is hydration and maybe some light soothing. Not bad. Just not the impressive stuff centella is actually known for. SQUALANE Squalane is a hydrocarbon oil derived from squalene, which your skin actually produces naturally as part of sebum. The version in skincare used to come from shark liver (grim), but most brands now use plant-derived squalane, typically from sugarcane or olives. Phew! It’s an emollient, which means its job is to sit in the upper layers of skin, fill in the gaps between cells, and stop water from escaping. Plus, it’s lightweight, non-comedogenic, stable, and works on basically every skin type including oily and acne-prone. The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products. Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin. Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet). Red: What is this doing here?! Water: The base of pretty much every water-based skincare formula. It’s the solvent that dissolves and carries all the other ingredients. Propanediol: A humectant and solvent derived from corn sugar. It pulls moisture into the skin and helps other ingredients absorb and spread more effectively. Glycerin: A classic humectant that draws water from the air and deeper skin layers up to the surface. Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate: A lightweight emollient ester. It softens and smooths the skin’s surface while giving the formula a silky, non-greasy finish. 1,2-Hexanediol: A multitasking ingredient that works as both a humectant and a preservative booster. Cetearyl Olivate: An emulsifier derived from olive oil. It’s what holds the water and oil phases of the formula together so they don’t separate. Panthenol: Also called pro-vitamin B5. It’s a humectant and skin-soother that draws moisture in, supports barrier repair, and has mild anti-inflammatory properties. Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer: A synthetic polymer that acts as a thickener and texture enhancer. Sorbitan Olivate: Another olive-derived emulsifier that works alongside cetearyl olivate. Together they form a stable emulsion system. Carbomer: A polymer used to thicken and stabilise the formula. It’s what helps give the moisturiser its gel-like body and ensures it holds together consistently. Sclerotium Gum: A natural thickener and texture agent produced by a type of fungus. I Tromethamine: A pH adjuster. Ingredients like niacinamide and carbomer need the formula to be at a specific pH to work properly and feel good on skin. Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil: A light plant oil rich in linoleic acid, which is the fatty acid oily and acne-prone skin is often deficient in. Replenishing linoleic acid helps keep the skin barrier healthy and can actually help regulate sebum quality. Xanthan Gum: A polysaccharide thickener produced through fermentation. It helps stabilise the emulsion, gives the formula a smooth and consistent texture, and contributes to that pleasant slip on application. Madecassoside: A purified active compound extracted from centella asiatica. It promotes collagen synthesis, soothes inflammation, and helps strengthen the barrier. Ethylhexylglycerin: A preservative and skin-conditioning agent. It works synergistically with 1,2-hexanediol to keep the formula protected from bacteria and other nasties, and it’s gentler than traditional preservatives. Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent that binds to metal ions in the formula. Trace metals can destabilise formulas and cause active ingredients to degrade faster. This prevents that. Xylitol: A sugar alcohol that works as a humectant, drawing moisture into the skin. It also has prebiotic properties, meaning it supports the skin’s natural microbiome by promoting beneficial bacteria. Ascorbic Acid: Pure vitamin C. At the concentration it’s likely present here, it’s primarily functioning as an antioxidant to protect the formula from oxidation and stabilise other ingredients. Texture The cream has a lightweight, lotion-like consistent that spreads easily onto the skin and absorbs in seconds. It’s not runny, but far from thick either and leaves no residue behind. Just the kind of texture oily ski likes. Fragrance It’s fragrance-free and that’s just how I like my lotions. Fragrance is the most irritating ingredient in skincare product, so unless your lotion stinks, there’s no reason to add it. Thankfully, the ingredients in this one have a rather inoffensive smell. Packaging Full disclosure: I was sent a sample of this cream by the brand’s PR team. The full size comes in a takeaway coffee cup. It’s super cool and totally unique. Leave it to the Koreans to come up with the most innovative packaging. The downsides? It looks quite impractical. I mean, a big takeaway coffee cup takes up quite a bit of space, specially when you’re travelling. How To Use It Like all moisturisers, you can use it in the evening, as the last step of your skincare routine. Just pat it on gently. You don’t need a huge amount. You could also use it in the morning, in between serum and sunscreen. Performance & Personal Opinion For such a lightweight cream, Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream is fairly hydrating. Not enough for dry skin, but oily skin craving that extra burst of moisture without a greasy finish or pore-clogging ingredients? This does the trick. It makes skin softer and smoother to the touch, and the niaciamide in it also helps strengthen your skin protective barrier too. Here’s the thing though: Korean skincare promotes every niacinamide product under the sun as brightening. And to a small extent, it is… It’s true it can help you fade away dark spots, but it won’t you give you that lovely glow you get from exfoliants or plenty of hydration layers. So if that’s what you expect to see, prepare to be disappointed. One more thing: unless you have oily skin with an intact moisture barrier, this won’t be a match for cold winter weather. Now it’s summer, my combination is lapping it up, but I’ll either be switching to something heavier or adding a few drops of rosehip oil to this one come September. What I Like About Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream Lightweight gel-cream texture that spreads effortlessly and sinks into skin almost instantly without leaving a greasy film Fragrance-free formula, which makes it suitable for sensitive or irritation-prone skin Works particularly well for oily and combination skin needing hydration without heaviness or pore congestion Leaves skin feeling noticeably softer and smoother after use, even with a thin layer Includes niacinamide, which can help support the skin barrier over time Versatile use – comfortable both as a morning layer under sunscreen and as a simple evening moisturiser What I DON’T Like About Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream Hydration level is limited; not rich enough for dry skin or compromised skin barriers, especially in colder weather “Radiance/brightening” effect is subtle and may not match expectations set by marketing claims around niacinamide Packaging is bulky and not travel-friendly, taking up more space than typical skincare formats May feel underwhelming as a standalone moisturiser in winter unless paired with oils or heavier products The “instant glow” effect is mild, so results can feel less dramatic compared to exfoliating or more intensive hydrating routines Who Should Use This? This is best suited for oily and combination skin types looking for a light, non-greasy moisturiser that won’t clog pores or feel heavy. It’s also a good fit if you prefer fragrance-free skincare and want a simple barrier-supporting step with niacinamide. It works especially well in warmer months or humid climates, or as part of a layered routine where hydration comes from multiple products. If your skin is dry, very dehydrated, or easily compromised in winter, this alone likely won’t be enough without richer support underneath or on top. Does Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream Live Up To Its Claims? CLAIM TRUE? A soft, lightweight gel cream to brighten the complexion and even the skin tone. Mostly true. It doesn’t do much for brightening. Sensitive skin friendly: Centella leaf water provides calming relief to skin irritation True. Price & Availability $30 at Anthropologie, Asos, Shein, Stylevana, and Yes Style The Verdict: Should You Buy It? If you’re looking for a lightweight hydrating night cream for your oily, combination skin, this is a great option to consider. Just don’t expect much in the brightening department. Water, Niacinamide(5%), Propanediol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water (3.8%), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate / Dicaprate, Squalane (2%), 1,2-Hexanediol, catearyl Olivate, Panthenol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Sclerotium Gum, Tromethamine, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Madecassoside (1,000ppm), Ehtylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Xylitol, Ascorbic Acid. Source link

Last Updated on June 4, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti How would you like a Plantscription for your wrinkles? In a world of harsh medical treatment, Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer With Alpine Flower stands out as a gentle alternative that promised to harness the dual power of plants + high-grade retinol to keep wrinkles off your face without drying out your skin. And I so want it to deliver. Sadly, it has the same flaw a lot of natural products have. *sighs* In this Origins Retinol Night Moisturizer review, I’ll set the record straight on what this night cream can do, potential side effects, and who should use it. Let’s get into it: Key Ingredients In Origins Plantscription™Retinol Night Moisturiser: What Makes It Work? NIACINAMIDE Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that absorbs into skin when applied topically. In skincare, it does multiple jobs: It helps rebuild the skin barrier by boosting ceramide production (ceramides are essentially the glue that holds your skin cells together and keeps moisture in). When your barrier is weak, skin loses water faster, feels tight and dry, and gets irritated more easily. Niacinamide helps fix that. It also fades dark spots by blocking the process that moves pigment up to the skin surface. It reduces inflammation. That last part is specifically relevant in this cream because retinol irritates skin, and niacinamide helps counteract that. DIMETHICONE Dimethicone is a silicone. Unlike popular opinion thinks, it doesn’t absorb into skin. It sits on the surface and forms a thin, flexible film that does two things. It slows down transepidermal water loss *the process where water continuously evaporates out through your skin) which keeps skin hydrated for longer. And it fills in the tiny uneven gaps on the skin surface, which is why skin feels immediately softer and smoother after application. While retinol works on reducing wrinkles, dimethicone makes the ones you already have look smaller to the naked eye. Related: Are Silicones Bad For Skin? (What Science Says) RETINOL Retinol is a form of vitamin A. When you apply it, your skin converts it into retinoic acid, the active form that actually does the work. That retinoic acid binds to receptors in skin cells and changes how those cells behave: they turn over faster (it’s skin exfoliation, basically), produce more collagen, and break down less of the collagen they already have. That’s why retinol improves wrinkles, skin texture, and pigmentation in ways that most ingredients simply don’t. It’s about 20 times less potent than prescription tretinoin because of that conversion step, but it also causes significantly less redness, flaking, and irritation.  A 12-week clinical study found retinol produced significant wrinkle reduction along with increased skin thickness and cell turnover. Side effects when you start are common: dryness, flaking, redness. That’s normal. Start a couple of nights a week and build up to every other night gradually. SPF the next morning is non-negotiable because retinol makes skin more sensitive to UV damage. The niacinamide in this formula helps with the irritation, which is a smart combination. Origins doesn’t disclose the retinol concentration, but we know that retinol works even in small doses.  Related: Retinol Side Effects And How To Minimise Them The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products. Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin. Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet). Red: What is this doing here?! Water: The base everything else dissolves into.  Caprylic/capric triglyceride: A lightweight oil made from coconut. It makes skin feel soft without that heavy, greasy feeling you get from richer oils, and it helps everything else in the formula spread evenly. Glycerin: A humectant thatpulls moisture from the air and holds it in your skin. Super hydrating. PPG-15 stearyl ether: A skin-conditioning ingredient that makes the formula feel smooth rather than sticky when you apply it.  C12-20 acid PEG-8 ester: An emulsifier, the thing that stops the water and oil parts of this cream from separating into a mess. Phenyl trimethicone: A silicone that gives skin that immediate blurred, slightly luminous look after application. I Caprylic/capric/myristic/stearic triglyceride: A richer version of the earlier coconut-derived oil. It gives the formula more body and makes it feel more nourishing. Hydroxyethyl urea: A gentler version of regular urea that pulls moisture into skin and helps the barrier function better over time.  Cetyl alcohol: Not a drying alcohol, don’t let the name fool you. It’s a fatty alcohol that thickens the formula and makes it easier to spread, while adding some emollient softness. Butylene glycol: Another humectant, thinner and more fluid than glycerin. It also works as a solvent, helping other ingredients absorb better. Linum alpinum flower/leaf/stem extract: Alpine flax, and the ingredient Origins named this whole product around. There’s no published clinical evidence it does anything meaningful for skin ageing.  Illicium verum (anise) fruit/seed oil: Smells like liquorice. Used purely for fragrance here, and may irritate skin. Citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil: That fresh, slightly floral citrus scent you recognise from Earl Grey tea. It’s fragrance, and it contains bergapten, a compound that increases UV sensitivity – not great in a retinol formula that already does the same thing. Plus, it can irritate skin.  Pelargonium graveolens flower oil: Geranium oil, smells rosy and slightly green. Fragrance. Has some antimicrobial properties in lab studies but at this concentration it’s essentially just scent. And it can irritate sensitive skin. Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil: Smells like lavender. Some of its fragrance compounds can irritate skin. Citrus limon (lemon) peel oil: Smells like fresh lemon zest. One of the more irritating oils on this list – contains limonene and citral, both known sensitisers. Litsea cubeba fruit oil: A sharp, fresh citrus scent similar to lemon. High in citral, which is a common contact allergen. Citrus nobilis (mandarin orange) peel oil: Sweet, soft orange scent. Contains limonene which can irritate skin that’s already sensitised from retinol. Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) kernel oil: Smells warm and spicy, like actual nutmeg. No meaningful skin benefit at this concentration – it’s here for the scent. Citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil: Bright, sweet orange scent. Contains limonene and can be irritating, particularly on skin already dealing with retinol. Rosa damascena flower oil: Real rose oil, one of the most expensive fragrance ingredients you’ll find in skincare. Smells like an actual rose, not a synthetic version. A known allergen in some people. Carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil: It’s rich in linoleic acid and works as a lightweight emollient that supports the skin barrier. Hibiscus abelmoschus extract: Has a subtle musky, slightly floral scent.  Limonene: The compound responsible for that classic citrus smell. EU law requires it listed separately because it’s one of the most common contact allergens in cosmetics. Linalool: Smells floral and slightly woody – it’s naturally in lavender, rose, and dozens of other plants. Also a declared allergen under EU cosmetics regulations. Citronellol: Fresh, rosy scent found naturally in rose and geranium oils. A common sensitiser, especially on already irritated skin. Geraniol: Sweet, rose-like smell, naturally present in rose and geranium oils. Another declared allergen under EU cosmetics regulations. Citral: Sharp, lemony scent found in citrus and lemongrass oils. One of the more potent sensitisers on this list – worth paying attention to if your skin runs reactive. Hordeum vulgare (barley) extract: Contains beta-glucans, which can calm skin.  Anogeissus leiocarpus bark extract: An African tree bark with antioxidant activity. Cynara scolymus (artichoke) leaf extract: Has antioxidant compounds in vitro.  Triticum vulgare (wheat) germ extract: Contains vitamin E and fatty acids, so it’s emollient and has some antioxidant properties.  Theobroma grandiflorum seed butter: Cupuaçu butter from an Amazonian fruit that moisturises skin. Caffeine: Has some antioxidant properties. Linoleic acid: An omega-6 fatty acid that’s part of your skin’s natural lipid barrier. Skin that’s low in linoleic acid tends to be drier and more breakout-prone. It supports barrier repair. Algae extract: This tells you almost nothing without knowing the species and concentration. Different algae do completely different things. It’s probably hydrating here. Sigesbeckia orientalis (St. Paul’s wort) extract: Has some anti-inflammatory properties in lab studies. Coffea arabica (coffee) seed oil: Rich in linoleic acid and antioxidants.  Gelidiella acerosa extract: A red algae extract used for its hydrating and film-forming properties. Acetyl hexapeptide-8: A peptide marketed as a botox alternative that’s supposed to relax muscle contractions and soften expression lines. It barely does anything. Squalane: A stable plant-derived lipid that your skin naturally produces a version of. It’s a lightweight emollient that absorbs quickly, supports the barrier, and is extremely well tolerated.  Hypnea musciformis (algae) extract: Another algae extract used for hydrating and film-forming properties.  Sorbitol: A humectant derived from glucose, similar to glycerin. Draws moisture into skin and also helps with formula texture. Tocopheryl acetate: A stable form of vitamin E. It’s an antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage and also helps stabilise the other ingredients in the formula, including retinol. Trehalose: A sugar that acts as a humectant and helps protect skin cells from dehydration stress.  Tocopherol: Pure vitamin E, less stable than tocopheryl acetate. Antioxidant protection and it helps preserve the formula. Sodium PCA: A naturally occurring humectant that’s already part of your skin’s natural moisturising factor. It pulls water into the skin and is particularly good at it. Ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer: A polymer that thickens and stabilises the formula. Sodium hyaluronate: The salt form of hyaluronic acid, which penetrates skin more easily than the full molecule. It pulls water into the upper layers of skin and plumps fine lines temporarily. Urea: At low concentrations like this it’s a humectant that hydrates skin deeply. Behenyl alcohol: Another fatty alcohol like cetyl alcohol. Thickens the formula and adds emollient properties without being greasy. Caprylyl glycol: A humectant and preservative booster. It helps keep the formula stable and also has some antimicrobial properties. PEG-100 stearate: An emulsifier that helps keep the water and oil parts of the formula together. Works alongside glyceryl stearate to stabilise the cream. Glyceryl stearate: Another emulsifier and emollient. It gives the cream a smooth, non-greasy feel on skin. Potassium cetyl phosphate: An emulsifier. It helps create a stable, uniform texture and also has mild cleansing properties. Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer: A polymer that thickens and gels the formula. It’s what gives this cream its specific consistency. Ascorbic acid: Vitamin C in its purest form. At low concentrations like this it’s acting as a pH adjuster and antioxidant to stabilise the formula rather than as an active skin brightening ingredient. Citric acid: An AHA used here as a pH adjuster rather than an exfoliant. It keeps the formula at the right pH so the retinol and other actives stay stable and effective. Xanthan gum: A natural thickener derived from fermentation. It gives the cream its texture and helps keep everything evenly distributed. Carbomer: A synthetic polymer that thickens and stabilises the formula. Works alongside xanthan gum to control texture. Sodium metabisulfite: An antioxidant preservative that protects the formula from oxidation, which is particularly important here because retinol degrades quickly when exposed to air. Polyquaternium-51: A film-forming ingredient that mimics the structure of cell membranes. It helps skin retain moisture and has some evidence for improving skin feel. Sodium hydroxide: A pH adjuster. It’s there to make sure the formula sits at the right pH – without it, the actives wouldn’t work properly and the cream could irritate skin. Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent that binds to metal ions in the formula which would otherwise destabilise it. It also helps preservatives work more effectively. BHT: An antioxidant preservative that stops the oils in the formula going rancid. Phenoxyethanol: The main preservative in this formula. It prevents bacteria and mould from growing in the cream.  Texture ​Rich without being heavy. It sinks in quickly, doesn’t pill, doesn’t leave that greasy film you get with a lot of night creams. Skin feels soft immediately after application, the kind of immediate comfort that makes you actually look forward to putting it on at night.  Fragrance Here’s where things get complicated. Origins has always leaned hard into its botanical identity, and this formula reflects that. It smells like a spa, complex and herby with a warm floral character. A lot of people will enjoy it. I understand the appeal. But that scent is coming from nine essential oils: anise, bergamot, geranium, lavender, lemon, litsea cubeba, mandarin, nutmeg, orange, and rose. Not one or two. Nine. And they bring with them a cluster of documented fragrance allergens: limonene, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, and citral all appear on the ingredient list. In a regular moisturiser this would be a concern for sensitive or fragrance-reactive skin. In a retinol product, it’s a genuine formulation problem. Retinol works partly by accelerating cell turnover, which temporarily compromises the skin barrier and increases permeability. Your skin is more vulnerable than usual to irritants while this cream is doing its job. Layering nine essential oils on top of that isn’t gentle. It’s the opposite. How To Use It The texture is going to tempt you to use this every night. Don’t. Retinol is not an every-night product, especially when you’re starting out. Begin with two nights a week, give your skin a full week of recovery in between at first, then slowly work up to every other night over several weeks. Your skin needs time to build tolerance, and rushing it is exactly how you end up red, flaky, and blaming the product for something that was actually user error. Apply a pea-sized amount to clean, dry skin, avoiding the eye area. If your skin is on the drier or more sensitive side, layer a plain moisturiser on top  This cream is nourishing but it isn’t always enough on its own, particularly in the first few weeks when retinol is doing its barrier-disrupting thing. Packaging It comes in a tube, which is the right call for a retinol product. Jars are a problem for actives: every time you open one you’re exposing the formula to air and light, which degrades retinol over time. A tube keeps it protected, dispenses cleanly, and means you’re not scooping product out with your fingers and contaminating the rest. Practical, no fuss. Performance & Personal Opinion Around the three to four week mark, my skin looked smoother and the pores around my nose looked a little smaller. Makeup sat better. Overall texture improved. Overtime, it also helps prevent wrinkles. So yeah, the retinol works. And the niacinamide in the formula does help buffer irritation to make it gentler, especially for first time users. But the fragrance is a huge issue.Nine essential oils in a retinol product isn’t a quirky botanical touch. It’s a big irritation risk, especially for sensitive skin.  What I Like About Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer Texture is genuinely lovely – rich, comfortable, absorbs well without greasiness Pore refinement is real and noticeable from around week four Skin tone evens out over time and there’s a legitimate glow to show for it Tube packaging protects the retinol properly What I DON’T Like About Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer Loaded with irritants Not hydrating enough to use alone in the first few weeks – you’ll need to layer Who Should Use This? I personally don’t recommend a retinol cream with so many irritants in it. Even if your skin is fine with it, there are better formulated creams around. Does Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer Live Up To Its Claims? CLAIM TRUE? A nourishing overnight moisturizer with pure, high-grade retinol to help improve the look of lines, pores & unevenness. True. Alpine Flower & Anogeissus help support skin’s youthful look. This is very cleverly worded. It doesn’t claim this flower fights wrinkles, which they can’t prove. It says it supports (who/what) skin’s youthful look (what does it mean)? It’s so generic and unspecific, it can’t be challenged in a court of low. Price & Availability £66 at Origins. The Verdict: Should You Buy It? Honestly, no. Not when there are better formulated retinol creams out there. Nine essential oils and a cluster of fragrance allergens have no business being in a retinol product  and the fact that your skin might tolerate it doesn’t make it a good formula.  water\aqua\eau, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glycerin, ppg-15 stearyl ether, c12-20 acid peg-8 ester, phenyl trimethicone, niacinamide, caprylic/capric/myristic/stearic triglyceride, hydroxyethyl urea, dimethicone, cetyl alcohol, butylene glycol, retinol, linum alpinum flower/leaf/stem extract, illicium verum (anise) fruit/seed oil*, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil*, palargonium graveolens flower oil*, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil*, citrus limon (lemon) peel oil*, litsea cubeba fruit oil*, citrus nobilis (mandarin orange) peel oil*, myristica fragrans (nutmeg) kernel oil*, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil*, rosa damascena flower oil*, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, hibiscus abelmoschus extract, limonene, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, citral, hordeum vulgare (barley) extract\extrait d’orge, anogeissus leiocarpus bark extract, cynara scolymus (artichoke) leaf extract, triticum vulgare (wheat) germ extract, theobroma grandiflorum seed butter, caffeine, linoleic acid, algae extract, sigesbeckia orientalis (st. paul’s wort) extract, coffea arabica (coffee) seed oil, gelidiella acerosa extract, acetyl hexapeptide-8, squalane, hypnea musciformis (algae) extract, sorbitol, tocopheryl acetate, trehalose, tocopherol, sodium pca, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, sodium hyaluronate, urea, behenyl alcohol, caprylyl glycol, peg-100 stearate, glyceryl stearate, potassium cetyl phosphate, acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, ascorbic acid, citric acid, xanthan gum, carbomer, sodium metabisulfite, polyquaternium-51, sodium hydroxide, disodium edta, bht, phenoxyethanol * essential oil Source link

Last Updated on May 28, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti What’s the best water softener salt for sensitive skin? If you’ve ever moved somewhere new and watched your skin completely lose the plot (we’re talking sudden dryness, that tight uncomfortable feeling after every shower, random patches of irritation that weren’t there six months ago) and you’ve blamed your diet, your hormones, your stress levels, tried three new moisturisers, maybe even cried a little about it, only to eventually discover your water quality might be the actual problem… first of all, same. That’s exactly what happened to me when I moved to London from sunny Italy 11 years ago. So you’re in the right place. Harsh minerals in hard water are invisible skin saboteurs that nobody talks about enough, and we’re changing that now. Getting a water softener is the obvious next step, but then you’re standing in the hardware store staring at a wall of salt (pellets, crystals, blocks, potassium this, sodium that!) and suddenly you’ve gone from skincare problem to chemistry class and nobody warned you. This article is going to walk you through exactly what’s going on with hard water and your skin, what the science actually says (including the parts the water softener industry would rather you didn’t know), and which home water softener is genuinely worth your money if sensitive skin is the reason you’re here. What Hard Water Is Actually Doing To Your Skin Hard water is water that’s high in dissolved calcium and magnesium. The problem is what this mineral content does when it meets your skin and your soap. These minerals react with the surfactants in your cleanser or body wash and create a filmy, sticky residue (actual soap scum, essentially) that doesn’t rinse off. It just sits there on your skin after you’ve towelled dry, quietly disrupting your skin barrier and making it harder for your skin to hold onto moisture. Science calls this increased transepidermal water loss, which is a deeply unsexy phrase for your skin losing water faster than it should because the barrier isn’t sealing properly. Think of a healthy skin barrier like good quality cling film over a bowl – moisture stays in, irritants stay out. Hard water is basically prodding holes in your cling film every single time you wash. Over weeks and months, that adds up. A 2018 study found that skin washed with hard water had measurably higher surfactant deposits and measurably higher irritation than skin washed with soft water. The effect was especially pronounced in people with chronically sensitive or eczema-prone skin. So yes, if your skin is sensitive and you live in a hard water area, get a high-quality water softener salt. So What Even Is Water Softener Salt? Water softener salt is exactly what it sounds like: salt that goes into your water softener system to keep it doing its job. Inside your water softener tank there’s a resin bed. Think of it as a kind of mineral magnet  that’s been loaded up with sodium or potassium ions. When hard water flows through, the calcium and magnesium ions that cause all the trouble get attracted to the resin and swap places with those sodium or potassium ions in a process called ion exchange. What comes out the other side is soft water, with the harsh minerals removed. Simple enough. The catch is that resin bed eventually gets saturated with calcium and magnesium and stops working. It’s basically full. That’s when the system regenerates, flushing a brine solution through the tank to kick all those trapped minerals off the resin and wash them away down the drain, leaving the resin refreshed and ready to go again. That brine solution is made from the salt sitting in your water softener brine tank. No salt, no regeneration. No regeneration, no soft water. The salt isn’t going directly into your water. It’s the fuel that keeps the whole ion exchange process running. Benefits Of Soft Water Soft water rinses cleaner. That sounds almost embarrassingly simple but the difference it makes to your skin is real. Without calcium and magnesium ions in the water reacting with your cleanser and forming that sticky residue, soap actually rinses off completely. No invisible film, no mineral buildup sitting on the surface disrupting your barrier, no extra dryness accumulating over weeks of showers. FYI, soft water is not a treatment for any skin condition. It just removes a potential source of irritation.  Do Water Softeners Work? The biggest clinical trial ever done on water softeners and skin – the Softened Water Eczema Trial, known as the SWET trial – did not find what the industry hoped it would find. It was a proper randomised controlled trial, 336 children with moderate to severe eczema, all living in hard water areas, half of them got a water softener installed at home and half of them didn’t. After 12 weeks, both groups improved by basically the same amount. The water softener group improved by 20%. The no-softener group improved by 22%. No meaningful difference. The researchers concluded they couldn’t recommend water softeners as a treatment for eczema, and that was that. Now, that trial was asking a very specific and very high-bar question: can a water softener treat an established moderate-to-severe skin condition? The answer to that specific question appears to be no. But that’s not quite the same as saying soft water does nothing for sensitive skin at all. A more recent pilot trial called SOFTER found that babies in the water softener group who did develop eczema tended to have milder cases than those in the hard water group, which at least suggests that reducing hard water exposure early might matter for severity even if it doesn’t prevent the condition entirely. The honest, unsexy truth is that a water softener is probably worth having if you live in a hard water area and your skin is reactive, but it’s one piece of a much bigger puzzle, not a magic fix.  Different Types Of Salt Rock salt is the cheapest and the roughest. It comes straight out of the ground with all its impurities intact, including calcium sulfate, which doesn’t dissolve well and gradually builds up as sediment in your brine tank. More sediment means more things going wrong, more maintenance, and more unknowns in your softened water. If you have sensitive skin, rock salt is the one type to skip. The price is tempting but the trade-off isn’t worth it. Solar sea salt crystals (including the widely-known Diamond Crystal Solar Naturals) are made by evaporating seawater, which makes them naturally higher purity than rock salt without being overly processed. Solar salt crystals dissolve well, they’re widely available, and they perform reliably in most water softener systems. For most people, this is a popular choice.  Evaporated salt pellets are the purest form of sodium chloride you can put in a water softener. The manufacturing process removes virtually all impurities, leaving behind a very clean, very consistent pellet with minimal insoluble content. This matters practically because fewer impurities means less residue building up in your brine tank and less risk of a salt bridge. For sensitive skin, high purity is always the safer bet, this is the right type of salt to invest in. The Best Option For Sensitive Skin Here’s the thing about standard sodium chloride: it works brilliantly, the residual sodium it leaves in your softened water is genuinely tiny, and there’s no solid evidence it irritates skin at those concentrations. Said that, if budget allows, I recommend you go with potassium chloride. Why? It does the same ion exchange job but swaps hard minerals for potassium instead of sodium. Potassium is an essential nutrient. It has no irritating properties on skin. And for people who want to keep their home’s water as clean and as close to neutral as possible – whether because of skin sensitivity, because of concerns about sodium intake, or just because it feels like the right call – potassium chloride is the gentler, cleaner option. Morton salt is a well-regarded potassium chloride pellet that’s consistently available and performs well in most systems. The honest downside is money. Potassium chloride costs significantly more per bag than sodium chloride and requires about 25% more product to achieve the same softening result. For a large household getting through a lot of water, that price difference adds up into something you’ll notice. Whether it’s worth it depends on how sensitive your skin is, how much the sodium question matters to you personally, and what your budget looks like. There’s no wrong answer here. Just the one that fits your situation and your home’s needs. Tips For Best Results Whatever salt you choose, keep the level in your tank consistent. A brine tank that’s constantly half-empty gives you inconsistent regeneration, which gives you inconsistently softened water, which means your skin is getting some of the benefits some of the time and none of them the rest of the time. Check it regularly, particularly if your household has a high water usage.  If you notice your softener seems to have stopped working properly even though there’s salt in the tank, check for a salt bridge – that hard crust sitting across the top of the brine that prevents the salt underneath from dissolving. It’s surprisingly common, easily fixed with a bit of force to break it up, and the kind of thing that can go unnoticed for weeks while you wonder why your skin is acting up again. Don’t expect your water softener to do all the work. Soft water removes one category of irritant from your skin’s daily experience. The skin barrier still needs good moisturiser, still needs a gentle cleanser, still needs you to actually look after it. The softener is support, not a substitute. The Bottom Line Quick summary: out of all the best types of salts, the best water softener salt for sensitive skin is a high-purity evaporated pellet if you’re going the sodium chloride route, or pure potassium chloride if you want to keep sodium out of the equation entirely. Either way, prioritise purity, keep your system maintained, and your skin will quietly thank you (probably without you even noticing, which is honestly how the best skincare decisions work). Source link

Last Updated on May 27, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti Foaming cleansers and dry skin are usually a match made in hell. Most of them strip the moisture barrier, leave your face feeling tight, and do absolutely nothing for your skin. So when Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser reviews started popping up with claims that this one is different – gentle enough for dry skin, hydrating even! – I had to put that to the test myself. I’m sceptical by default, but I’m also open to being wrong. In this review, I’m going to tell you whether this cleanser actually lives up to its promises or if it’s just clever marketing dressed in a soft lather. Key Ingredients In Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser: What Makes It Work? SURFACTANTS Surfactants are what actually clean your skin. They have one end that attracts water, one that attracts oil – that’s how they grab dirt, excess oil, and makeup and rinse it away. Almost every cleanser has them. The question is just how harsh they are. Let’s take a closer look at the surfactants in this facial cleanser for dry and sensitive skin: Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate: an amino acid-based surfactant, so gentler than your average sulfate. This is doing most of the cleaning here. While it can still cause irritations, that’s rare. TIPA-Laureth Sulfate: Chemically milder than SLS, but still a sulfate, and the independent research on this specific one is thin. It’s probably here for foam.  Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate: another amino acid surfactant, this one from glycine and coconut fatty acids. It softens the cleansing blend. Two mild amino acid surfactants, one sulfate in the mix. Not a harsh formula, but not a purely gentle one either. The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products. Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin. Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet). Red: What is this doing here?! Aqua/water/eau: The base everything else dissolves into, nothing more to say. Glycerin: A humectant that attracts water and holds it in the outer layers of your skin, so your barrier stays intact after washing and your face feels hydrated. Myristic acid: A fatty acid that reacts with the potassium hydroxide further down the list to create soap – that’s your lather and your cleansing right there. Also gives the formula that creamy texture.  Palmitic acid: Same soap-building job as myristic acid, also adds mild emollient properties so your skin feels soft after rinsing instead of squeaky. Can clog pores, though rinse-off products are lower risk than leave-ons. Stearic acid: A fatty acid that acts as both an emulsifier and a mild conditioner. It holds the formula together and leaves skin feeling smooth.  Potassium hydroxide: It’s just what makes the soap base work. It reacts with the fatty acids to actually create the cleansing part of the formula. Dimethicone: A silicone that gives the formula that smooth, silky feel during application and stops that tight uncomfortable sensation you sometimes get on rinse-off. Washes away cleanly, no build-up concern. Lauric acid: A fatty acid with mild antimicrobial properties that also contributes to foam and cleansing. A Glycol distearate: Purely what gives the cleanser that pearlescent shimmer when you squeeze it out.  Glyceryl behenate: A fatty acid ester that works as both an emulsifier and an emollient – keeps the formula stable and contributes to that smooth, non-stripping feel on the skin. Propanediol: A humectant and solvent made from corn sugar that helps other ingredients distribute and absorb properly while adding a little hydration. B Cera microcristallina/microcrystalline wax: A refined mineral wax that gives the formula thickness. Parfum/fragrance: Makes it smell nice, but fragrance is one of the most common causes of contact dermatitis and skin sensitivity in cosmetics.  CI 77891/titanium dioxide: Used as a white pigment to give the cleanser its bright appearance. Propylene glycol: A humectant and solvent that helps ingredients penetrate and keeps the formula stable Aloe barbadensis leaf juice powder: Powdered aloe vera with soothing, mildly anti-inflammatory properties. Tetrasodium EDTA: A chelating agent that binds to metal ions in the formula and in tap water to stop them interfering with how the surfactants work. Maltodextrin: A polysaccharide used as a carrier to stabilise the plant extracts in the formula.  Moringa oleifera seed extract: Plant extract that has antioxidant properties. Melissa officinalis leaf extract: Lemon balm, with antioxidant and mild anti-inflammatory properties and some evidence for soothing irritated skin.  Saponaria officinalis leaf extract: Soapwort extract, which contains natural saponins – gentle plant-derived cleansing compounds with a long history of use in skin cleansing.  Alumina: Aluminium oxide used at low concentrations as a mild abrasive and texture-refining agent.  Gentiana lutea extract: Yellow gentian root with antioxidant properties and some early evidence of anti-inflammatory and soothing activity. Citric acid: Used here as a pH adjuster. Sodium benzoate: A preservative that stops bacteria and fungi growing in the formula. Potassium sorbate: Another preservative, often paired with sodium benzoate because together they cover a broader spectrum of microbes.  CI 19140/yellow 5: A synthetic dye that gives the cleanser its colour. Can irritate sensitive skin. CI 15985/yellow 6: Another synthetic dye fine-tuning the product’s colour. Same irritating caveat as yellow 5. Texture Creamy and thick straight out of the tube, like a rich lotion that somehow knows it’s a cleanser. You might squeeze out too much the first time because your brain expects it to behave like a gel or a traditional foaming wash, but this is much denser than that. A pea-sized amount is genuinely enough. Once you add water it transforms and lathers into a soft, silky foam that rinses away completely clean with no residue or film left behind. Fragrance It smells nice. There are floral and citrus notes (mandarin, neroli, something slightly herbal and green underneath) and it’s not aggressive. It dissipates quickly. During the wash it’s pleasant. By the time you’ve rinsed and patted dry, it’s basically gone. Here’s the thing though: fragrance in a skincare product doesn’t do anything good for your skin. It’s one of the most common culprits for contact dermatitis and irritations. For a gentle cleanser marketed specifically at dry and sensitive skin types, the decision to include it is a bit of a head-scratcher.  Related: Is Fragrance In Skincare As Bad As Paula Begoun Say? How To Use It You don’t need much product. Work a small amount (and I mean genuinely small, pea-sized) into your palms with a little water first to make it foam. Massage gently over a wet face, rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water, pat dry. You can use it bot morning and night. If you want to double cleanse, use it as a second wash, not a first wash. Packaging Of The Product This gentle foaming face cleanser comes in a squeeze tube with a flip cap. It’s sturdy enough, the opening is a reasonable size for controlled dispensing, and the tube doesn’t collapse awkwardly when it gets down to the last quarter. Clarins has reformulated the tubes to use lighter-weight materials with improved recyclable materials, which iI appreciate (even if the product itself is still plastic). The tube won’t win any design awards, but it travels well and the flip cap doesn’t pop open in a bag.  Performance & Personal Opinion As a cleanser, it does its job without drama. That means without stripping skin’s natural moisture balance: your face is clean afterwards, there’s no skin’s barrier function damage, no dryness, no irritation for most people. Said that, if you’re wearing a full face of makeup a la Kardashians, this won’t be enough. Use this in the morning and an oil-based cleanser in the evening. But for normal to dry skin that isn’t acne-prone, this face wash is decent option. I say decent because it does the job, but I still prefer a cleansing milk for this skin type (especially one with less irritants). Glycerin is here to make the cleansing process gentler on your skin, so that once you wash it off, you’re left with soft skin. Oh, and the organic Alpine herbs sourced from their own farm don’t really purify skin. That’s just a buzzword that means nothing. No skincare ingredient can purify skin, so don’t fall for this kind of marketing! What I Like About Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser The creamy-to-foam texture is lathers and rinses completely clean with no residue Gentle, doesn’t strip sign of its moisture. A pea-sized amount cleans your whole face. Tube lasts for a long time. No post-wash tightness or that dry-paper feeling that ruins the rest of your routine. What I DON’T Like About Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser Fragrance in a product for dry and sensitive skin is a choice I can’t get behind. Contains comedogenic ingredients. Won’t shift heavy makeup or SPF as a standalone cleanser. Who Should Use This? Let’s see how this cleanser fares for different skin types: This works best for normal to dry skin that isn’t particularly reactive or acne-prone. If your skin feels tight after most cleansers, gets flaky in winter, and you want a daily wash that genuinely doesn’t make things worse – this will suit you. It’s not the right call for sensitive or reactive skin. The fragrance is the main reason. If your barrier is compromised, if you’re dealing with rosacea, eczema, or known fragrance sensitivity, there are better-formulated options that won’t ask you to take that risk. Not suitable for acne-prone skin, oily skin, and combination skin types due to comedogenic ingredients. Works best as a morning cleanser than as a makeup remover.  Does Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser Live Up To Its Claims? CLAIM TRUE? Foaming cleanser for normal to dry skin that gently cleanses, softens, and hydrates. True. Gently washes away impurities, makeup, and pollution. Mostly true. It’s not a match for heavy makeup. Formulated with plant extracts sourced responsibly from Le Domaine Clarins, our open-air laboratory in the French Alps. True. But just because they’re here, don’t expect them to do much. They just get rinsed off down the drain.  Preserves a healthy balance of the skin’s natural microbiota. True. Price & Availability $32.00 at Boots, Clarins, John Lewis, Nordstrom, Target, and Ulta The Verdict: Should You Buy It? Does it work? Yes. Is it worth the price? Not really, unless the experience of using it ( the texture, the scent, the ritual of it) genuinely adds something to your morning or evening. For dry, non-reactive skin that wants a daily cleanser that won’t cause problems, it’s a decent product. Just go in clear-eyed about what you’re buying. AQUA/WATER/EAU. GLYCERIN. MYRISTIC ACID. PALMITIC ACID. STEARIC ACID. POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE. DIMETHICONE. LAURIC ACID. SODIUM LAUROYL SARCOSINATE. GLYCOL DISTEARATE. GLYCERYL BEHENATE. PROPANEDIOL. TIPA-LAURETH SULFATE. SODIUM COCOYL GLYCINATE. CERA MICROCRISTALLINA/MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX/CIRE MICROCRISTALLINE. PARFUM/FRAGRANCE. CI 77891/TITANIUM DIOXIDE. PROPYLENE GLYCOL. ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE POWDER. TETRASODIUM EDTA. MALTODEXTRIN. MORINGA OLEIFERA SEED EXTRACT. MELISSA OFFICINALIS LEAF EXTRACT. SAPONARIA OFFICINALIS LEAF EXTRACT. ALUMINA. GENTIANA LUTEA EXTRACT. CITRIC ACID. SODIUM BENZOATE. POTASSIUM SORBATE. CI 19140/YELLOW 5. CI 15985/YELLOW 6 [V4329A] Source link

Last Updated on May 25, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti Does Accutane help with hyperpigmentation? If you’re asking this, you’ve probably used it to treat severe acne and it’s working. Sort of. But… you now have skin discolourations where those pimples used to be and well, if this thing is so good for acne breakouts, maybe it can treat dark spots too? Or should you ditch it and look for a different skin-lightening treatment? After all, Accurate makes your lips crack every time you smile and requires you to have blood drawn on a regular basis like some kind of dermatological vampire situation (can you tell I hate needles?). So you need to know it works before you commit. In this article, I’ll talk you through the types of hyperpigmentation Accurate can treat, the ones it can’t, and what you should do about it. What Is Accutane? You may have heard Accutane called Isotretinoin, so let’s clear up the mess. Accutane is the brand name for the drug called Isotretinoin, a powerful form of Vitamin A. Yes, it belongs to the retinoids family, the same as retinol (yep, the ingredient that’s in OTC skincare products for fine lines and wrinkles). It’s just the nuclear option for acne. It works by shrinking the sebaceous glands (the little oil-producing glands in your skin), cutting oil production so dramatically that acne basically has nothing left to feed on. Dermatologists only reach for it when all gentler options for acne have failed (that should give you an idea of potential side effects!).  You’re looking at monthly blood tests, strict sun protection the entire time you’re on it, and a fun list of side effects that includes skin so dry it feels like you’ve been living in a desert. But for persistent cystic acne that refuses to budge? It’s one of the most effective treatments we have. What Is Hyperpigmentation? Hyperpigmentation is a broad term that gets used for a lot of different types of skin discolouration, so let’s make sure we’re on the same page before we start talking about an Isotretinoin treatment for it: Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH): It’s the flat dark mark a spot leaves behind after it heals. No skin texture change, no indentation, just pigment sitting in the skin like a reminder you didn’t ask for. It fades on its own eventually, but eventually can mean twelve months or more, which feels like an eternity when you’re already fed up with your skin. Melasma: Driven by hormones and sun exposure, it tends to show up as larger blotchy patches, usually on the cheeks and forehead.  Solar lentigines: These are sun damage spots, plain and simple. Years of unprotected sun exposure start showing up on your skin in the form of flat brown patches that don’t budge easily. The reason this matters is simple: isotretinoin works completely differently on each of these. So if you’re hoping one course of Accutane is going to fix your entire pigmentation situation, you need to know what this oral medication can and can’t do. How Accutane Treats Hyperpigmentation Isotretinoin was never designed to treat hyperpigmentation. It was designed to treat acne, specifically by shrinking the sebaceous glands, cutting oil production, and clearing the conditions that let propionibacterium acnes (the bacteria that causes acne) thrive. But, like often happens, it does other things that can help your acne. Like speeding up cellular turnover. It’s a fancy way to call exfoliation: skin cells are shed and replaced faster than normal. This matters because faster cell turnover is the main mechanism behind most treatments that fade dark spots. Chemical peels, glycolic acid, topical retinoids…  they all work partly by accelerating how quickly pigmented skin cells are shed.  A case published in the British Journal of Dermatology followed a young Asian woman with ten years of acne and significant post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation across her cheeks, chin, and forehead. She started isotretinoin and at two months her acne had improved as expected. But what the doctors actually noted was how dramatically the dark marks had reduced. By four months the acne was gone and the hyperpigmentation had essentially resolved. It’s one case, but hey, it looks promising. What Accutane Can’t Do For Hyperpigmentation Speeding up cellular turnover can help some type of dark spots fade away faster. But, that’s where its relationship with hyperpigmentation basically ends: It doesn’t inhibit melanin production the way dedicated pigment treatments do. It can’t block the enzymatic pathways that cause your skin to overproduce melanin in the first place.  It doesn’t interfere with melanosome transfer (the process by which melanin gets distributed into skin cells).  I has no effect on the hormonal triggers behind melasma or the sun damage behind solar lentigines. So if your hyperpigmentation isn’t connected to active acne and inflammation, Accutane simply has no pathway to reach it. So if you’re experiencing melasma, sun damage spots, or skin discoloration driven by hormonal changes rather than inflammation, Isotretinoin can’t help. The biological mechanisms that make it useful for PIH simply don’t apply here. Using isotretinoin to try and treat melasma would be like taking paracetamol for a broken arm. It might take the edge off, but it’s not addressing the actual problem. For those conditions you’re looking at a completely different treatment plan: topical treatments and ingredients like azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, and vitamin C, potentially combined with professional treatments like chemical peels or laser, depending on what’s appropriate for your skin type and tone. Talk to your dermatologist to find the best treatment. Related: Battle Of The Skin-Lighteners: Which Is The Best Alternative To Hydroquinone? What About Accutane Hyperpigmentation? Let’s be clear: Accutane doesn’t cause hyperpigmentation. But if you got a face full of dark spots after starting treatment, you’re not going crazy. Here’s what’s going on. Isotretinoin thins the outer layer of skin and speeds up cell turnover, so your skin barrier is more vulnerable while you’re on it. Sun sensitivity goes up. If you get a phototoxic reaction or a bad sunburn during treatment, the resulting inflammation can trigger PIH. Granted, this happens in extreme cases, but it’s still worth knowing about it. FAQs Do I really need a pregnancy test before starting an Accutane treatment? ​Yes, and this isn’t optional. Accutane is a powerful prescription medication that’s been shown to cause serious birth defects in animal studies. This is why dermatologists won’t prescribe you this powerful medication until you’ve taken a pregnancy test and know for sure you’re not pregnancy.  Can darker skin tones use Accutane safely? People with darker skin tones can absolutely use Accutane safely. It’s commonly prescribed across all skin types. The important part is this: darker skin is more likely to form post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (those dark marks after acne). So in a way, Accutane can actually be especially helpful because it shuts down the acne itself. Fewer breakouts means fewer new dark spots forming in the first place. The main thing to be careful about is the skin getting more sensitive while you’re on it. It dries your skin out and makes it easier to burn in the sun. And if you burn or get irritated, that inflammation can leave behind pigmentation. So daily sunscreen isn’t optional. It’s basically part of the treatment. The Bottom Line While Accutane doesn’t directly target melanin production like dedicated pigment treatments, it can still help hyperpigmentation indirectly by stopping new acne and reducing inflammation (the main drivers of post-inflammatory dark marks) and normalizing skin cell turnover. This allows existing pigmentation to fade more consistently over time. So while Accutane is not a hyperpigmentation treatment in itself, there are plausible reasons why many people notice their acne marks improving during a course. Source link

Wight loss

Seven Costco foods that support weight loss with high protein and fiber options. Are you trying to lose weight? Costco is such a great place to shop for all your dietary needs if you know what to buy and understand weight loss well. “In order to lose weight, you need to be in a deficit. Calories from our food are only one component of this equation, but the foods that help most with weight loss usually have 4 things in common,” explains Lindsay Ogden, Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach at Life Time. The criteria? The need to be high in protein, high in fiber, high in volume (low calorie for the amount of food), and low in added sugar, “meaning less palatable and not as likely to overeat,” she says. “These factors help you stay fuller longer, reduce cravings, and make it easier to stay in a calorie deficit without feeling deprived.” Here are seven foods currently at Costco that she recommends. Frozen Veggies Costco The first item you should stock up on? Frozen veggies, including green beans, broccoli, or stir-fry mix. “They are high in volume and low in calories. They also have fiber, helping you feel fuller longer,’ she says. These are also perfect for pairing with your choice of protein. Frozen Berry Mixes Costco Next up, she recommends frozen berry mixes, which can be eaten as a snack, blended into a smoothie, or added to a smoothie or yogurt bowl. “High fiber and antioxidants, plus they’re naturally sweet to help with cravings. Frozen (over fresh) helps reduce food waste as well,” she explains. Kirkland Signature Greek Yogurt Costco Ogden, like many other nutrition experts, is a fan of the Kirkland Signature Greek Yogurt. “It has 18g protein per serving and very versatile (can be used for savory or sweet flavor profiles),” she says. Note that it isn’t sweetened, so you will have to add honey, fruit, or other sweetener yourself. Eggs Costco Eggs should be a staple in your weight loss diet. Ogden recommends buying egg whites or hard-boiled eggs at Costco. “Easy way to add more protein (without added fats) by adding egg whites or just eating the whites of the hard-boiled eggs,” she says. “Hard-boiled eggs are also great for on-the-go breakfast or snacks.” Chicken Breast Costco And, make sure to grab some lean protein in the form of fresh (or frozen) chicken breast, both available at your local warehouse. “One of the leanest protein options out there,” she says. “WIth summer around the corner, these are great on the grill!” Avocado Mash or Guacamole Mini Packs Costco6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e Avocado mash or guacamole mini packs are a great snack, offering omega-3s and healthy fats that help you feel full. “Great option for healthy fats and fiber while being pre-portioned to help prevent overeating,” Ogden says. Mixed Greens or Power Greens Costco Mixed greens or power greens are another easy-to-consume addition to your diet that Costco sells in bulk. “I almost always have a package of these on hand to toss in with meals that lack volume (being able to eat more with less calories),” Ogden says. Leah Groth Leah Groth is an experienced shopping editor and journalist for Best Life and Eat This, Not That! bringing readers the best new finds, trends, and deals each week. Read more about Leah Source link

A dietitian reveals the best high-protein, high-fiber Costco bulk foods for weight loss. Everyone I know shops at Costco, even nutritionists and dieticians. While the warehouse sells a lot of high-calorie items, including almost everything from the famous bakery, there are plenty of healthy options too. My go-to nutrition expert, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies, is one of the millions of Costco members who shop at the store. She recently shared her bulk shopping list with me. “I like this list overall because it focuses on nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, which are exactly what we look for when supporting weight loss. But it’s important to remember: no single food causes weight loss. These foods work because they help with satiety, blood sugar control, and overall diet quality. Even healthy foods like nuts, almond flour, and seeds are calorie-dense, so portion size still matters. Weight loss ultimately comes down to overall calorie balance, not just choosing ‘healthy’ foods,” she says. “For weight loss, I focus on foods that are high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats because they help keep you full longer and reduce overeating. Buying these in bulk can also make it easier to stick with healthy habits.” Here are 9 Costco bulk foods dieticians swear by for weight loss. Kirkland Organic Greek Yogurt Costco Kirkland Organic Greek Yogurt is always recommended by health and fitness experts. “High in protein, which helps with fullness and preserving lean muscle during weight loss,” she says. “Note: It’s not ‘zero sugar’ because it contains natural lactose, but it is zero added sugar.” An added bonus? It is creamy and delicious. Kirkland Shelled Hemp Hearts Costco She is also a fan of Kirkland Shelled Hemp Hearts. “Provide healthy fats, some protein, and minerals. Fats help with satiety, but portion size matters since they’re calorie-dense,” she says. Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon Costco Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon is another one of her go-to buys. “Rich in protein and omega 3 fatty acids, which may support heart health and help with satiety. A great option for balanced meals,” she says. And, at Costco you will save big by buying it in bulk. 11 Best New Kirkland Items Shoppers are Loving This Year Kirkland Almond Flour Costco If you like to cook, consider Kirkland Almond Flour. “Lower in carbs than traditional flour and contains healthy fats and some fiber, but it’s still calorie-dense, so it’s not inherently ‘weight loss friendly’ unless portions are controlled,” says Collingwood. Rotisserie Chicken Shutterstock Several shoppers buy more than one of Costco’s famously cheap $5 rotisserie chicken. “A convenient, high-protein option that can make meal prep easier. Removing the skin can reduce saturated fat and calories if needed,” she says.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e Kirkland Frozen Organic Berries Costco Another item that most health experts buy, especially for adding to protein shakes and smoothies? Kirkland Frozen Organic Berries. “High in fiber and antioxidants with no added sugar. Fiber helps with fullness and blood sugar control, making them excellent for weight management,” she says. Kirkland Boneless Chicken Breast Costco And, Kirkland Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast has been a warehouse bestseller for decades. “A staple lean protein that is high in protein, low in fat, and very versatile. Supports satiety and muscle maintenance,” she says. Kirkland Walnuts Costco Kirkland Walnuts are one of the most popular nuts. “Contain heart-healthy fats and some fiber, which can help with fullness. Like all nuts, they’re nutritious but calorie-dense, so portion awareness is key,” says Collingwood. Season Brand Sardine Fillets Costco Season Brand Sardine Fillets are another heart-healthy option. “Packed with protein, omega-3s, and calcium (especially if bones are included). Very nutrient-dense and satisfying,” says Collingwood. Leah Groth Leah Groth is an experienced shopping editor and journalist for Best Life and Eat This, Not That! bringing readers the best new finds, trends, and deals each week. Read more about Leah Source link

India, one of the largest exporters of fennel seeds or /saunf (as it is popularly known), uses it voraciously due to its benefits. People from diverse cultures prefer consuming fennel seeds owing to their various medicinal properties. For instance, Indian families often consume fennel seeds after having their meal for healthier and faster digestion. Fennel seeds are often interlinked to ‘longevity’ and are known for offering a wide range of nutritional properties that improve the human body’s well-being. Moreover, fennel seeds offer a concentrated source of different minerals vital for regulating blood pressure and water retention inside our bodies. Fennel seeds are highly aromatised. What are Fennel Seeds? Fennel seeds closely resemble anise seeds in terms of appearance and are extracted from fennel plants. They contain multiple nutrients like Vitamin K, Vitamin E, manganese, copper, zinc, and phosphorus and are a good source of Vitamin C. Fennel seeds have a crunchy texture on the outside with a mildly sweet flavour. It is also widely used as a mouth freshener. One serving of fennel seeds contains 1% of the RDI (Recommended Dietary Intake) for Vitamin C, which acts as an active antioxidant for your body, protecting your skin from any damage caused by the sun, smoke, or pollution. Nutritional Value of Fennel Seeds We usually consume fennel seeds in the quantity of one tablespoon per serving, and the nutrition value it provides is: Nutritional Value (per teaspoon (heaped)– 6 grams) Calories: 19.8 kcal Fibre: 2.3 grams Carbohydrates: 3 grams Protein: 0.9 grams Fat: 0.6 grams Cholesterol: 0 grams Let’s look at some other details about fennel seeds and understand how the seeds can help you maintain your diet and meet the goals you have set for yourself.  Health Benefits of Fennel Seeds Fennel seeds contain potent antioxidants and phytonutrients that make them a highly nutritious source with many health benefits, which are as follows: Regulate Blood Pressure The Journal of Food Science published a study that showed that chewing fennel seeds helps in increasing the level of nitrite in saliva. Nitrite is a natural element that keeps a check on blood pressure levels. In addition to this, fennel seeds are also rich in potassium, which helps control blood pressure and heart rate. Great for Skin Problems Regular consumption of fennel seeds provides minerals such as selenium, calcium, and zinc. These minerals are crucial for balancing hormones while maintaining the oxygen balance in your bloodstream. In addition, these minerals impart a cooling and soothing effect on the skin, providing it with a healthy glow.  Fennel seeds also offer various ayurvedic properties that help treat skin ailments like rashes and dryness. In addition, applying fennel paste is highly beneficial for the skin as the minerals above are absorbed by the skin and keep it moist, clean, and healthy.  Studies also show that fennel seeds have anti-ageing properties. Fennel seed water is a part of many skin-care routines. It cleanses clogged pores due to dirt, germs, dead skin cells, grime etc. Fennel water cures acne and pimples too owing to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.  Purifies Blood The vital fibre and essential oils in fennel seeds are considered highly useful for flushing out sludge and toxins from our bodies, thereby helping in cleansing the blood. In addition, it further helps in the optimum absorption of nutrients in the body. According to research, the polyphenol antioxidants in fennel seeds also have anti-inflammatory properties that help fight various bacteria and viruses, keeping you safe from various diseases. Helps Improve Eyesight Fennel seeds are often referred to as ‘Netra Jyoti’ in Ayurveda. Adding two tablespoons of fennel seeds to your diet regularly can help enhance your vision. Studies suggest that due to the high amount of vitamin A in fennel seeds, they help in improving your vision. In addition, people in ancient times used fennel seed extracts for treating people affected with glaucoma. Fennel is rich in antioxidants and nutrients that protect against the development of cataracts and promote healthy eyes.  Water Retention Regular consumption of fennel tea helps in flushing out excess fluids from your body. Therefore, fennel tea works like a diuretic. Moreover, it also helps reduce the chances of urinary tract diseases and remove toxins from the kidney. It also includes diaphoretic properties that help in stimulating perspiration. Appetite Control  Research shows that drinking fennel tea helps in controlling appetite. Consuming one cup of fennel tea releases essential oils, which help in suppressing hunger. Many dietitians suggest fennel tea before meals to suppress the calorie intake for weight loss. Vital for Bloating, IBS, Indigestion, and Constipation It has been proven by research that fennel seeds can act as a vital source for curing constipation, bloating, and indigestion. It is because of the presence of essential oils like anethole, fenchone, and estragole. These oils contribute to anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties. In addition, these elements help significantly in breaking down the food and keep your digestive system functioning smoothly. People who suffer from IBS would highly benefit from the fennel seed extracts. The oils also help in kick-starting digestion by promoting the functioning and production of gastric juices and enzymes, keeping your digestive tract healthy. Reduces Risk of Cancer Fennel seeds contain powerful, free radical scavenging properties. Furthermore, due to antioxidants, fennel seeds help neutralise free radicals responsible for developing cancer. For instance, anethole, an antioxidant found in abundance in fennel has cancer-fighting properties. Hence, it helps beat oxidative stress and protects the body from different cancers like breast, stomach, and skin cancer. In addition, it offers a chemo modulatory effect on the patient. Good for memory As per research, fennel seeds possess multiple neuropharmacological activities. Therefore, nutritionists recommend children eat fennel seeds as it is known to enhance memory and intelligence. In addition, the plant extracts show memory-enhancing effects. Fennel seeds can also be used to help those suffering from cognitive illnesses like Alzheimer’s.  Good for the Liver (Hepatoprotective activity) Fennel is rich in selenium, a nutrient known for its detoxifying benefits. Thus, chewing fennel seeds or drinking fennel tea induces the liver to produce beneficial enzymes that help it detoxify itself naturally. Furthermore, fennel essential oils are known to be good for the liver. In addition, the consumption of fennel seed essential oils may decrease levels of AST, ALP, ALT and bilirubin. Studies further strengthen the claim.  Fennel Seeds for Weight Loss Weight loss is just one of the various advantages of adding fennel seeds to your everyday diet. These tiny seeds have a ton of powerful nutrients that keep the human body healthy. Here are some ways by which fennel helps in reducing the few extra pounds in your body. Fennel seeds are often considered an essential food item to include in diets for losing weight. Consuming it regularly and following an active and healthy lifestyle helps in losing extra pounds. Fennel seeds are very rich in dietary fibres, which slow down the digestion process. Research proves that after consuming one serving of fennel seeds, you won’t get hungry anytime soon, which can avoid overeating. Additionally, with the presence of antioxidants, fennel seeds help in improving the body’s absorption power of vitamins and minerals. Another advantage of the antioxidants is that they help break down the fats and carbs in the body, helping you avoid gaining extra pounds. Fennel seeds also have diuretic properties that will help you flush out the toxins and other harmful liquids from your body. A much more preferred alternative to fennel seeds tea is a fennel seed drink called the Variyali Sharbat. This tangy drink is common in India and is usually consumed in the summers to keep the body hydrated and cool. Variyali Sharbat helps in weight loss and also helps in detoxifying the body, getting rid of acidity and reducing stress. Fennel Seeds: Healthy Recipes Variyali Sharbat The benefits of the Variyali Sharbat are due to an endless list of antioxidants present in fennel seeds. These antioxidants include zeaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, chlorine, manganese, zinc, selenium, phosphorus etc. They are known for protecting the body against oxidative stress and improving the human body’s metabolic rate. Here’s the recipe to make one glass of Variyali Sharbat: Ingredients: 1 cup of fennel seeds 2 cups of water (500ml) 1-2 tbsp of Jaggery Five soaked cardamom Black salt Ice cubes Instructions: Grind fennel seeds and cardamom into a fine powder in a food processor or mixer grinder. Now soak the fennel and cardamom powder for nearly 8 hours in 2 cups of water.  Strain the soaked fennel and cardamom powder liquid into a container Add a pinch of black salt to the container Add the jaggery and stir for 30 seconds Serve in a glass with ice cubes Nutritional value of a normal glass (240 ml) of Variyali Sharbat: Carbohydrates: 2.9g Protein: 2.9g Fibre: 7.3g Magnesium: 15 mg Vitamin B-6: 0.041 mg Iron: 0.64 mg Vitamin C: 10.4 mg Calcium: 43 mg Vitamin A: 838 IU Sodium : 45 mg Potassium: 360 mg Fennel Tea Servings: 1 Preparation time:  Ingredients:  Crushed Fennel Seeds: 1 tbsp Water: 1½ cups Lightly Crushed Ginger: ¼ inch Mint Leaves: 3-4 Honey: ½ tsp Method:  Add the water to a pot and let it come to a boil. Now, add crushed fennel seeds and ginger.  Let the water simmer to medium flame till it evaporates to 1 cup. Turn off the gas flame, and strain the tea into a cup.  Add honey and mint leaves, and mix well. Serve hot.  The tea will have a subtle taste, and its aroma is excellent. It is perfect for people having digestive issues like constipation. It will ease your bowel movement and will give you a fresh breath. Add it to your daily diet by having tea in the morning or evening. In addition, it will help you relax and refresh your mind.  Fennel Seeds: Precautions Fennel seeds have many health benefits that make us incorporate them into our diets, but the following are the precautions to avoid severe and fatal conditions. Avoid fennel seeds during pregnancy. Regularly using fennel seeds during pregnancy leads to preterm birth. Women who are breastfeeding must avoid having fennel tea. That is because breastfeeding infants after drinking fennel tea can damage the child’s nervous system. People with allergies or sensitivity to plant seeds should not consume fennel seeds as they may cause an allergic reaction. People with bleeding disorders must avoid fennel seed consumption as they are known to slow down blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding and bruising. People with hormone-sensitive conditions like breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids must avoid fennel seeds because they act like estrogen and can worsen these conditions. People with kidney disorders must avoid fennel seed consumption because fennel seeds are high in potassium. Damaged kidneys might find it difficult to filter them and make the condition worse. Summary Fennel seeds are quite popular in India. It is because these seeds can miraculously treat an endless list of digestive ailments that include colic in infants, intestinal gas, heartburn, and more. You can even use the seeds as a mouth freshener after you have a hearty meal. Hence, it is safe to say that fennel seeds offer a wide range of benefits, which is why they are popular.  So, the next time you’re considering incorporating a food item into your diet with multiple health benefits, you should consider fennel seeds. These seeds would fit in perfectly with your long-term or short-term health goals. It is also advisable to keep in mind the precautions and side effects while consuming the fennel seeds. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q. Is eating fennel seeds good for you? Yes. Eating fennel seeds has many benefits for your health. For example, it helps improve digestion, purifies the blood, regulates blood pressure, improves eyesight, treats IBS and constipation, reduces cancer risk, suppresses appetite etc. It also aids weight loss and is suitable for treating skin problems. Q. Is it OK to eat fennel seeds every day? Yes, you can eat one teaspoon of fennel seeds every day. Avoid excess consumption. Q. What are the disadvantages of eating fennel seeds? Fennel seeds have many benefits, but you need to be very careful while consuming the fennel seeds because it has disadvantages too. For example, excess consumption may lead to premature thelarche, worsen kidney disorders, slow down the clotting process, worsen hormone-sensitive conditions, cause allergies, lead to preterm birth or damage the baby’s nervous system if you have fennel when breastfeeding.  Q. What is fennel seed used for? People use fennel seeds for various purposes. Some of them are relieving periods’ pain, combating bad breath, improving digestion, and weight loss.  Q. Can we drink fennel water daily? Yes. Drinking fennel water every day is beneficial if consumed rationally.  Q. Does fennel seeds reduce weight? Yes. Fennel seeds may help you lose weight if you follow them with regular exercise and a healthy diet.  Q. Is fennel seeds bad for kidneys? Fennel is rich in selenium, a nutrient known for its detoxifying benefits. Thus, chewing fennel seeds or drinking fennel tea induces the liver to produce beneficial enzymes that help it detoxify itself naturally. Furthermore, fennel essential oils are known to be good for the liver. In addition, the consumption of fennel seed essential oils may decrease levels of AST, ALP, ALT and bilirubin. Studies further strengthen the claim. However, excessive use of fennels can also cause harm to already damaged kidneys as they are high in potassium, and the damaged kidneys cannot filter potassium properly.  Q. Can fennel seeds stop periods? No. Fennel seeds act like estrogen. Hence, fennel seeds help with irregular periods and help maintain hormonal balance and promote ovulation. Q. Does fennel make you fart? Fennel seeds aid digestion and help relax the passages in the gastrointestinal tract. It allows the gas to pass and gives relief from bloating and stomach cramps. Q. What is the best time to drink fennel tea? Drinking fennel tea at night, before bed or in the morning is the best time to drink it as it helps combat bad breath. However, if you drink it right after you wake up in the morning, it will aid in weight loss. Q. How much fennel seeds should I eat daily? Eating 1-2 tsp of fennel seeds is recommended to reap its benefits. Q. What are the side effects of eating fennel seeds? It can cause stomach aches or ulcers, nausea, vomiting, itchy skin, allergies, chest pain, bruising and bleeding, premature thelarche, and worse hormonal disorders in people with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and filtration process difficult for people with kidney disorders. Q. What are the benefits of drinking fennel water? Drinking fennel water every day can improve digestion, and relieve stomach pain. In addition, it treats bloating, constipation and indigestion, improves metabolism, aids in regular bowel movements, aids weight loss, improves eyesight, regulates appetite, and water retention purifies the blood and helps in providing sound sleep. Q. What is the best way to eat fennel? Fennel seeds are best when eaten raw to enjoy the sweet crunchy taste. You may also saute or roast it to smoothen its flavour. Alternatively, you can also have fennel water or fennel tea to relish its flavour in a much more muted manner.  Q. What happens if we drink fennel water daily? Drinking a glass of fennel water every day has many health benefits. It can improve digestion, and relieve stomach pain. In addition, it treats bloating, constipation and indigestion, improves metabolism, aids in regular bowel movements, aids weight loss, improves eyesight, regulates appetite, and water retention purifies the blood and helps in providing sound sleep. However, do not have more than a glass or two in a day as it may affect you adversely.  Q. Does fennel seeds reduce weight? Yes, fennel seeds help you lose weight. Fennel seeds are rich in dietary fibres, which slow down the digestion process and make you feel fuller for longer. The presence of antioxidants in fennel seeds helps in improving the body’s absorption power of vitamins and minerals. Antioxidants also help break down the fats and carbs in the body, helping you avoid gaining extra pounds. Q. Does fennel make you poop? Yes. Fennel seeds can act as a vital source for curing constipation, bloating, and indigestion due to the presence of essential oils that contribute to the anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties. These elements help significantly in breaking down the food and keep your digestive system functioning smoothly. The oils also help in kick-starting digestion by promoting the functioning and production of gastric juices and enzymes, keeping your digestive tract healthy. Q. Is fennel healthier raw or cooked? Fennel seeds are best when eaten raw to enjoy the sweet crunchy taste. You may also saute or roast it to smoothen its flavour. Alternatively, you can also have fennel water or fennel tea to relish its flavour in a much more muted manner.  Q. Do you swallow fennel seeds after chewing? Yes it is perfectly safe and even healthy to swallow fennel seeds after chewing.  Q. Can I drink fennel water at night? Yes, drinking fennel water at night has many benefits. It can calm your muscles after a long day and help you sleep faster and better.  Q. Can fennel seeds cause periods? Fennel seeds are a known remedy to treat irregular periods. It balances the hormones and regularises the hormonal cycle responsible for ovulation. Drinking fennel tea will also help ease your menstrual cramps.  Source link

Fitness

Fitness

Elliptical machines are a popular choice for cardio workouts, and for good reason. These machines offer a low-impact, full-body workout that can benefit both your cardiovascular health and your overall fitness. Essentially, an elliptical machine simulates the motion of walking or running, but without the impact on your joints. Instead, your feet move in a smooth, elliptical motion, while your arms move back and forth in tandem with your legs. To get the most out of an elliptical workout, it’s important to use proper form and to vary your routine to challenge different muscle groups. However, some people may be hesitant to try an elliptical workout due to concerns about its effectiveness or difficulty level. In this article, you wll find out the many health benefits of elliptical workouts. 8 Health Benefits of Elliptical Workouts Here are the top eight health benefits of elliptical workouts. 1. Improves cardiovascular health Elliptical workouts provide excellent cardiovascular exercises that help to improve heart health and strengthen the cardiovascular system. When you exercise with an elliptical machine, you boost your cardiovascular health by increasing heart rate and oxygen consumption, which strengthens your heart and lungs. This type of aerobic exercise also helps to reduce blood pressure, improve blood flow, and lower resting heart rate, all of which are important factors in maintaining good cardiovascular health Regular elliptical training can enhance overall cardiovascular fitness, increase endurance, and lower the risk of heart disease. 2. Helps with weight management Elliptical workouts are effective for burning calories and promoting weight loss. The elliptical machine engages multiple muscle groups, leading to a higher calorie expenditure than other forms of cardiovascular exercise. This can contribute to weight management and assist in achieving fitness goals. A cardio machine can burn about 270 to 400 calories in 30 minutes, depending on how much you weigh. 3. An excellent low-impact exercise Unlike high-impact exercises such as running or jumping, elliptical workouts are low-impact, meaning they place less stress on the joints, particularly the knees and hips. This makes elliptical training ideal for individuals with joint issues or who want to minimise the risk of impact-related injuries. According to a 2014 study, elliptical workouts are significantly less weight-bearing than other cardio exercises like jogging, running, and similar workouts. This makes it a perfect workout to maintain fitness after injury. 4. Great total body workout Elliptical machines engage the upper and lower body, providing a full-body workout. The elliptical’s handles work the muscles of the arms, shoulders, and back, while the pedal motion engages the muscles of the legs, including the quadriceps, core muscles, hamstrings, and calves. This comprehensive workout helps to tone and strengthen the entire body. This allows us to enjoy a good body shape. 5. Muscle conditioning Elliptical training helps to build and tone muscles throughout the body. By adjusting the resistance level on the elliptical machine, you can increase the intensity of your workout and target specific muscle groups. Regular elliptical training can lead to improved muscle strength and endurance. This is suitable for those into sports that require endurance, like running. 6. Aids joint flexibility The fluid, elliptical motion of the machine can improve joint flexibility and range of motion. It allows for a smooth, controlled movement without placing excessive stress on the joints, reducing the stiffness risk and enhancing joint mobility. The elliptical machine is also an excellent form of exercise for individuals with knee and hip arthritis as it offers a low-impact workout that provides both cardiovascular benefits and strengthens muscles around the affected joints while exerting less force on them. 7. Enhances balance and coordination The motion of the elliptical machine requires coordination between the upper and lower body. Regular elliptical workouts can enhance balance and coordination skills over time, which is beneficial for overall movement and daily activities. Furthermore, if you want to maintain or improve your balance, you need to include unsupported exercises in your workouts, and standing up straight on an elliptical machine can help improve posture and indirectly work the core 8. Promotes good mental well-being Like any form of exercise, elliptical training can positively impact mental health. Regular workouts release endorphins, known as “feel good” hormones, that can improve mood, reduce stress, and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Conclusion It’s important to note that individual results may vary, and it’s always advisable to consult with a physical therapist before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or concerns. Please follow and like us: (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.2”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’)); Source link

Elliptical machines are a popular choice for cardio workouts, and for good reason. These machines…

Elliptical machines are a popular choice for cardio workouts, and for good reason. These machines offer a low-impact, full-body workout that can benefit both your cardiovascular health and your overall fitness. Essentially, an elliptical machine simulates the motion of walking or running, but without the impact on your joints. Instead, your feet move in a smooth, elliptical motion, while your arms move back and forth in tandem with your legs. To get the most out of an elliptical workout, it’s important to use proper form and to vary your routine to challenge different muscle groups. However, some people may be hesitant to try an elliptical workout due to concerns about its effectiveness or difficulty level. In this article, you wll find out the many health benefits of elliptical workouts. 8 Health Benefits of Elliptical Workouts Here are the top eight health benefits of elliptical workouts. 1. Improves cardiovascular health Elliptical workouts provide excellent cardiovascular exercises that help to improve heart health and strengthen the cardiovascular system. When you exercise with an elliptical machine, you boost your cardiovascular health by increasing heart rate and oxygen consumption, which strengthens your heart and lungs. This type of aerobic exercise also helps to reduce blood pressure, improve blood flow, and lower resting heart rate, all of which are important factors in maintaining good cardiovascular health Regular elliptical training can enhance overall cardiovascular fitness, increase endurance, and lower the risk of heart disease. 2. Helps with weight management Elliptical workouts are effective for burning calories and promoting weight loss. The elliptical machine engages multiple muscle groups, leading to a higher calorie expenditure than other forms of cardiovascular exercise. This can contribute to weight management and assist in achieving fitness goals. A cardio machine can burn about 270 to 400 calories in 30 minutes, depending on how much you weigh. 3. An excellent low-impact exercise Unlike high-impact exercises such as running or jumping, elliptical workouts are low-impact, meaning they place less stress on the joints, particularly the knees and hips. This makes elliptical training ideal for individuals with joint issues or who want to minimise the risk of impact-related injuries. According to a 2014 study, elliptical workouts are significantly less weight-bearing than other cardio exercises like jogging, running, and similar workouts. This makes it a perfect workout to maintain fitness after injury. 4. Great total body workout Elliptical machines engage the upper and lower body, providing a full-body workout. The elliptical’s handles work the muscles of the arms, shoulders, and back, while the pedal motion engages the muscles of the legs, including the quadriceps, core muscles, hamstrings, and calves. This comprehensive workout helps to tone and strengthen the entire body. This allows us to enjoy a good body shape. 5. Muscle conditioning Elliptical training helps to build and tone muscles throughout the body. By adjusting the resistance level on the elliptical machine, you can increase the intensity of your workout and target specific muscle groups. Regular elliptical training can lead to improved muscle strength and endurance. This is suitable for those into sports that require endurance, like running. 6. Aids joint flexibility The fluid, elliptical motion of the machine can improve joint flexibility and range of motion. It allows for a smooth, controlled movement without placing excessive stress on the joints, reducing the stiffness risk and enhancing joint mobility. The elliptical machine is also an excellent form of exercise for individuals with knee and hip arthritis as it offers a low-impact workout that provides both cardiovascular benefits and strengthens muscles around the affected joints while exerting less force on them. 7. Enhances balance and coordination The motion of the elliptical machine requires coordination between the upper and lower body. Regular elliptical workouts can enhance balance and coordination skills over time, which is beneficial for overall movement and daily activities. Furthermore, if you want to maintain or improve your balance, you need to include unsupported exercises in your workouts, and standing up straight on an elliptical machine can help improve posture and indirectly work the core 8. Promotes good mental well-being Like any form of exercise, elliptical training can positively impact mental health. Regular workouts release endorphins, known as “feel good” hormones, that can improve mood, reduce stress, and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Conclusion It’s important to note that individual results may vary, and it’s always advisable to consult with a physical therapist before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or concerns. Please follow and like us: (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.2”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’)); Source link

A foodie is a person who has an ardent  interest in food, and who eats food not only out of hunger but also as a hobby. A foodie usually enjoys eating food for pleasure. While it is not a bad thing to be a foodie, it’s is not easy to be fit as a foodie. The major problem is that many people fear getting out of shape if they eat the way their stomach demands. For food enthusiasts, the joy of savoring delicious meals is a significant part of life. However, balancing a passion for food with maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging. Nonetheless, this is not to say you can’t control how you eat, even if you’re a foodie. Below is a list of fitness tips for foodies you can take advantage of to stay in great shape, while eating for pleasure. 1. Practice strength training If you have a high or fast metabolism, you will burn more calories at rest and during activity. A high metabolism also means that you will need to take in more calories to maintain your weight. That’s one reason why some people can eat more than others without gaining weight. Strength training will help you build muscle and increase your metabolism. Building more muscle mass through strength or resistance training is one thing that can increase a person’s metabolic rate. 2. Regular cardio exercise daily Aerobic exercise (cardio) is an effective way to improve your health and burn calories. However, as a foodie daily cardio exercise will help you put burn calories often. Frequent cardio will improve your body’s use of fat as an energy source, which may lead to weight loss. 3. Start with two cups of water before each meal Consuming water before munching on anything helps you eat less. Drinking no less than two cups of water before a meal efficiently fills your stomach, which prevents you from feeling overly hungry. This, in turn, prevents you from overeating regrettably large portions. Furthermore, water assists digestion and speeds up your metabolism, minimizing bloating and acidity. After each meal take a short walk to help the food metabolize more quickly.  4. Maintain a healthy intake of good fiber, fat, and protein Vital nutrients for your body should include healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Foods like fish, eggs, and milk are good sources of protein and can help to stimulate muscle building and repair. Vegetables and fruits are excellent sources of fiber and can aid in digestion. When taken in moderation, healthy fats in dark chocolate and avocado can keep your heart healthy. Also, replacing sugary drinks and carbonated drinks with milkshakes and fruit juice is a good fitness tip for foodies. 5. Avoid late meals You’re doing more harm than good to your health if you’re in the habit of eating late. Many nutritionists have advised that you avoid late-night meals. It helps, if you’re the forgetful type, to set the alarm for 5:00 or 6:00 PM. This is to remind you to have your last meal of the day. Avoid eating past this time to help you sleep better and control excess belly fat. Nonetheless, there are some healthy late-night snacks you can eat. 6. Consume lemon water The irrational craving for food, especially for sugary and unhealthy, fatty dishes, is probably the most significant disadvantage of being a foodie. Thankfully, these odd cravings can be suppressed by drinking lemon water. So, instead of making any pizza order from your local fast food joint, a single glass of fresh lemon water may be what your body needs. 7. Keep your body active Exercise is crucial if you’re looking to get in shape. For example, you could use the stairs instead of the elevators or do some of your best moves when your favorite jams are played on air. The goal is to remain active every chance you get.  Staying active helps keep the body in great shape while you munch on those cookies. Remember that to earn that plate of rice; you must put in the same level of effort. It doesn’t have to be a tedious or lengthy mini-workout but do something nonetheless. You can start by taking modest steps and adopting these small routines into your everyday activities. Many people have claimed to burn calories when they keep their bodies active without realizing it. 8. Practice portion control Portion control is another important fitness tip for foodies as it helps prevent overeating, which can lead to weight gain. By enjoying smaller portions, you can still taste a variety of foods without consuming excess calories. This approach allows you to indulge in your favorite dishes without compromising your fitness goals. Use smaller plates, measure servings, and be mindful of portion sizes when dining out. Instead of eating an entire entrée, consider sharing it or saving half for later. 9. Healthy cooking method These cooking methods reduce the amount of unhealthy fats and calories in your meals. For example, grilling allows excess fat to drip away from the food, while steaming preserves nutrients without adding extra fat. This makes your meals healthier and supports your fitness objectives by reducing the intake of harmful fats and maintaining the nutritional value of the food. Opt for grilling, steaming, baking, or sautéing with minimal oil instead of deep frying. Use herbs and spices to enhance flavor without adding extra calories. 10. Plan your meals Meal planning helps you make intentional food choices and avoids the temptation of unhealthy, last-minute options. It ensures that you have nutritious meals ready to go, which can support weight management and overall health. If you plan ahead, you can also control portions and include a diverse range of nutrients, making it easier to stick to a balanced diet while enjoying your favorite foods. Set aside time each week to plan your meals, create a shopping list, and prep ingredients in advance. Consider incorporating a variety of food groups to ensure balanced nutrition. Please follow and like us: (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.2”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’)); Source link

The human body comes in different shapes and sizes, and one of the most common body shapes is the pear-shaped body. A pear-shaped body is characterized by having wider hips and thighs, with a narrower waist and shoulders. This body type is also known as the triangle shape, and it’s more common in women than in men. If you have a pear-shaped body, you may find it challenging to find the right fitness routine and diet that works for you. Several factors can influence a pear-shaped body, including genetics, hormones, and lifestyle. Genetics plays a significant role in determining your body shape, as well as your bone structure, muscle mass, and fat distribution. Hormones like estrogen can also affect your body shape, as it tends to store fat in the hips and thighs. Additionally, a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits can contribute to excess fat accumulation in the lower body, making it even more challenging to achieve a balanced body shape. Many people with this body type often feel self-conscious about their appearance, especially when it comes to wearing certain clothes or participating in physical activities. However, with the right fitness tips and strategies, you can achieve a toned, balanced, and healthy body shape. In this article, we’ll share some of the best fitness tips for pear-shaped bodies, including exercise routines, diet recommendations, and lifestyle changes that can help you achieve your fitness goals. 9 Fitness Tips For Pear-Shaped Body Here are 10 fitness tips for pear-shaped bodies: 1. Prioritize cardiovascular exercise Incorporate cardiovascular exercise into your routine for at least 150 minutes per week or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. Cardiovascular exercise is important for overall fitness and health, and can help burn calories and reduce body fat. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week. This can include activities such as brisk walking, running, cycling, or swimming. Not only will cardiovascular exercise help you stay healthy and fit, but it can also boost your mood and reduce stress. 2. Tone and strengthen your lower body Focus on exercises that target the lower body, such as lunges, squats, and step-ups. As a pear-shaped body, you may have a tendency to store excess fat in your hips, thighs, and buttocks. To tone and strengthen these areas, focus on exercises that target the lower body. Lunges, squats, and step-ups are all great exercises that can help build muscle and burn fat. Be sure to use proper form and start with light weights or bodyweight exercises before progressing to heavier weights or more advanced exercises. 3. Incorporate resistance training Add resistance training to build muscle and increase metabolism. Resistance training is an important part of any fitness routine, but it can be particularly beneficial for pear-shaped bodies. If you build muscle, you can increase your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day. Focus on exercises that target the lower body, such as leg presses, calf raises, and glute bridges. Keep your form good and start with light weights before progressing to heavier weights or more advanced exercises. 4. High-Intensity Interval HIIT Training Incorporate HIIT (high-intensity interval training) to burn fat and build muscle. HIIT is a great way to get a full-body workout in a short amount of time. By alternating between periods of high-intensity exercise and rest, you can burn fat and build muscle at the same time. Try doing a HIIT workout that includes exercises such as burpees, jumping jacks, and mountain climbers. Always warm up properly before starting and cool down afterwards to prevent injury. 5. Target your glutes for a balanced look This is one of the most important fitness tips for pear-shaped bodies. Do exercises that target the glutes, such as donkey kicks and hip thrusts. The glutes are an important muscle group for pear-shaped bodies, as they can help balance out the hips and thighs. Try doing exercises such as donkey kicks, hip thrusts, and glute bridges to target this area. Ensure you maintain a proper form and start with light weights or bodyweight exercises before progressing to heavier weights or more advanced exercises. You can also add resistance bands or ankle weights to increase the intensity of these exercises. 6. Avoid upper body exercises that create an imbalanced look Avoid exercises that target the upper body, such as overhead presses, which can make the shoulders appear broader. As a pear-shaped body, you may want to avoid exercises that target the upper body, as they can make the shoulders appear broader and create an unbalanced look. Instead, focus on exercises that target the lower body and core, such as squats, lunges, and planks. 7. Plyometric exercises Incorporate plyometric exercises, such as jump squats, to increase power and explosiveness. Plyometric exercises are great for increasing power and explosiveness, which can be especially beneficial for athletes or those who want to improve their athletic performance. Try adding jump squats, box jumps, or jumping lunges to your routine. Keep in mind that you have to start with low reps and work your way up to higher reps as your fitness level improves. 8. Maintain overall health and wellness Focus on maintaining overall health and wellness, including a balanced diet and adequate sleep. Exercising alone will never guarantee a healthy lifestyle. To truly thrive, it’s important to focus on overall health and wellness. Eat a balanced diet that contains a lot of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, water, and whole grains. According to the fitness hack I shared on Total Shape, cooking your own meals can help you eat healthy. Aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night, and practice stress-reducing activities such as meditation or deep breathing. 9. Stretch always Don’t forget to stretch before and after workouts to prevent injury and improve flexibility. Stretching is an important part of any fitness routine, as it can help prevent injury and improve flexibility. Make sure that you stretch before and after workouts, focusing on the muscles you worked during your workout. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, and never push past the point of discomfort. Conclusion People with pear-shaped bodies can benefit from following tips, such as cardiovascular exercise, targeted lower body exercises, resistance training, and more. When you adhere to these fitness tips for pear-shaped bodies, and follow a regular fitness routine, you can improve their overall health and wellness, while also achieving a balanced and toned physique. As long as you are dedicated and consistent, you can achieve you fitness goals and feel confident in your  own skin. Please follow and like us: (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.2”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’)); Source link

Regular physical activity provides many health benefits for teenagers. Being active can help teens maintain a healthy weight, strengthen their bones and muscles, improve sleep, reduce stress, and boost self-esteem. Physical activity also gives teenagers an outlet for energy and social interaction with peers. With UK teenagers spending over seven hours per day in front of screens, encouraging more activity is vital for their physical and mental wellbeing.   Make Exercise Fun The key to getting teens moving is making exercise enjoyable. Team sports allow teenagers you are fostering with Orange Grove Foster Care to socialize and have fun with friends while being active. Sports like football, basketball, hockey, netball and rugby are great options. You can also look for recreational leagues in your community that welcome teenagers. If your teen isn’t into competitive sports, suggest going for a bike ride, hiking, swimming, or dancing with friends instead. Getting a dog that needs walking can also motivate your teen to move more.  Lead By Example Teenagers are more likely to be active if they see their parents exercising regularly. Go for evening walks together as a family, or sign up for an exercise class you can attend with your teen. Ask your teen to show you workout routines they enjoy, like yoga, circuits, or dance videos. Being active together strengthens your bond while setting a great example. Praise your teen when you notice them making an effort to exercise more. Offer Rewards  Providing small rewards can give teens an incentive to participate in physical activities. Offer to pay your teen if they walk the dog a certain number of times per week. After a sports game or dance class, stop for a smoothie or milkshake on the way home. Let your teen invite a friend over after completing a workout video with you. Teenagers respond well to small treats that reinforce healthy behaviors. Reduce Screen Time Excessive screen time is a major barrier to exercise for today’s teens. Institute limits on recreational screen time to help make room for physical activity. No phones or tablets should be allowed during meals, and the aim should be to have no more than 2 hours per day of non-school-related screen time. Charge all devices outside the bedroom overnight to avoid late-night social media and gaming habits. Schedule a daily screen-free time when your teen can read, play sports outside, or engage in hobbies.   Encourage Active Transport Rather than driving your teen everywhere, suggest walking, cycling, or public transport to places like schools, friends’ houses, and shops. This builds physical activity into your teen’s daily routine. Offer to pay for an annual bus pass to make public transport affordable. Provide your teen with a bicycle and safety gear to empower independent, active travel. Let friends know your teen is happy to walk or cycle to social engagements. Focus on Enjoyment, Variety and Consistency The most important factors when encouraging teenagers to exercise are enjoyment, variety, and consistency. Help your teen find activities they genuinely enjoy rather than rigidly forcing participation. Introduce new and fun forms of exercise regularly to keep them engaged. Aim to build physical activity into their daily or weekly schedule, so it becomes a normal habit. With patience and positivity, you can set your teenager up for a lifetime of healthy physical activity. Please follow and like us: (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.2”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’)); Source link

Mental Health

Mental health

Life in the workplace isn’t always easy. Stress, demanding bosses, boredom and negative co-workers can drag both your energy and motivation down. If that’s the case for you today, then this post can help you out and give you a boost of positive energy. In it I want to share 101 of the most encouraging, funny, uplifting and motivational workplace quotes by women. I hope you’ll find something here to help you to turn a bad morning or day around, make you laugh and help you release some stress and spread the positive vibes to co-workers and friends who might need a boost too. Workplace Quotes by Women for a Boost of Positive and Encouraging Energy “There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”– Amanda Gorman “Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.”– Alice Walker “Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put sunglasses on.”– Lady Gaga “Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.”– Helen Keller “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”– Eleanor Roosevelt “Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”– Michelle Obama “Be thankful for what you have, and you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”– Oprah Winfrey “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”– Maya Angelou “Not having the best situation but seeing the best in your situation is the key to happiness.”– Marie Forleo “The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind.”– Ella Wheeler Wilcox “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”– Maya Angelou “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”– Helen Keller “Always work hard and have fun in what you do because I think that’s when you’re more successful. You have to choose to do it.”– Simone Biles “You can be everything. You can be the infinite amount of things that people are.”– Kesha “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”– Maya Angelou “I am experienced enough to do this. I am knowledgeable enough to do this. I am prepared enough to do this. I am mature enough to do this. I am brave enough to do this.”– Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez “The way to achieve your own success is to be willing to help somebody else get it first.”– Iyanla Vanzant “The hard work definitely paid off, and hard work always does.”– Gabby Douglas “I strongly believe if you work hard, whatever you want, it will come to you.”– Beyoncé Knowles-Carter “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”– Dolly Parton Short Workplace Quotes by Women “The most effective way to do it is to do it.”– Amelia Earhart “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”– Suzy Kassem “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible!’”– Audrey Hepburn “Light tomorrow with today.”– Elizabeth Barrett Browning “It is never too late to be what you might have been.”– George Eliot “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”– Eleanor Roosevelt “Done is better than perfect.”– Sheryl Sandberg “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”– Beverly Sills “The road to success is always under construction.”– Lily Tomlin “The expert in anything was once a beginner.”– Helen Hayes “It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort.”– Jillian Michaels “Nothing will work unless you do.”– Maya Angelou “Stay positive, work hard.”– Debbie Millman “The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.”– Ayn Rand “We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”– Marie Curie “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”– Amelia Earhart “Luck is not chance, it’s toil; fortune’s expensive smile is earned.”– Emily Dickinson “Success is often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.”– Coco Chanel “I learned the value of hard work by working hard.”– Margaret Mead “Delegate your work. Stop spending dollar time on penny jobs.”– Mary Kay Ash “Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.”– Dorothy Parker “There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.”– Brené Brown Funny Workplace Quotes by Women “If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito.”– Betty Reese “For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.”– Lily Tomlin “I hate when I lose things at work, like pens, papers, sanity and dreams.”– Sarah Cooper “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.”– Rita Mae Brown “I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.”– Lily Tomlin “I work for myself, which is fun. Except when I call in sick, I know I’m lying.”– Rita Rudner “What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.”– Phyllis Diller “The only thing that ever sat its way to success was a hen.”– Sarah Brown “The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”– Lily Tomlin “To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.”– Reba McEntire “Dream big, work hard, stay focused, and surround yourself with funny people.”– Carol Burnett “The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you.”– Bette Midler “I’m not late, I just like to make an entrance.”– Marilyn Monroe “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life… because that field probably isn’t hiring.”– Dorothy Parker “The reward for good work is more work.”– Françoise Giroud “I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want them to move in with me.”– Phyllis Diller “Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.”– Katharine Whitehorn “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right.”– Jane Goodall “Even a stopped clock is right twice every day. After some years, it can boast of a long series of successes.”– Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach Workplace Quotes by Women for the Tough Days “When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”– Harriet Beecher Stowe “When someone tells me ‘no,’ it doesn’t mean I can’t do it, it simply means I can’t do it with them.”– Karen E. Quinones Miller “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”– Anne Lamott “Self-reflection is a much kinder teacher than regret is. Prioritize yourself by making a habit of it.”– Andrena Sawyer “As long as they are well-intentioned, mistakes are not a matter for shame, but for learning.”– Margaret Heffernan “Show me a person who has never made a mistake and I’ll show you someone who has never achieved much.”– Joan Collins “When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.”– Helen Keller “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”– Maya Angelou “Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.”– Carrie Fisher “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”– Mary Anne Radmacher “The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t win’ is you, and you don’t have to listen.”– Jessica Ennis “Success is not the absence of failure; it’s the persistence through failure.”– Aisha Tyler “Don’t run before you can crawl. It’s a very hard business, full of many, many extremely creative, talented people who work hard and still fail. If you have the basic building blocks behind you, you’re much more likely to do well.”– Anna Wintour “If you’re in a job that you hate, don’t be scared of seeking out something that might be riskier. Anything can turn into something with passion and hard work.”– Whitney Wolfe Herd “A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot. It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain.”– Mildred Struven “Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin. But you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”– Harper Lee “A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn.”– Helen Keller “You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it’s enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up.”– Richelle E. Goodrich “Don’t ever confuse the two, your life and your work. The second is only part of the first.”– Anna Quindlen “I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.”– Maya Angelou Inspirational Workplace Quotes by Women “Don’t be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don’t let others discourage you or tell you that you can’t do it. In my day I was told women didn’t go into chemistry. I saw no reason why we couldn’t.”– Gertrude B. Elion “I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday.”– Eleanor Roosevelt “The key to success is to start before you are ready.”– Marie Forleo “Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.”– Jana Kingsford “I don’t believe in failure. It’s not failure if you enjoyed the process.”– Oprah Winfrey “I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near.”– Margaret Thatcher “Luck? I don’t know anything about luck. Luck to me is something else: hard work and realizing what is opportunity and what isn’t.”– Lucille Ball “For every two minutes of glamour, there are eight hours of hard work.”– Jessica Savitch “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life forever.”– Amy Poehler “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”– Sheryl Sandberg “Don’t confuse having a career with having a life.”– Hillary Clinton “If you want to improve the organization, you have to improve yourself. And the organization gets pulled up with you.”– Indra Nooyi “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you are an excellent leader.”– Dolly Parton “People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together.”– Michelle Obama “A career is wonderful, but you can’t curl up with it on a cold night.”– Marilyn Monroe “Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.”– Oprah Winfrey “You can achieve anything you put your mind and hard work to.”– Sara Sampaio “Whatever you do, do it with all your might. Work at it, early and late, in season and out of season, not leaving a stone unturned, and never deferring for a single hour that which can be done just as well as now.”– Margaret Fuller “The creative adult is the child who survived.”– Ursula K. Le Guin “Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”– Gail Devers Want more inspiration and motivation for work? Then have a look at these inspirational workplace quotes, the short work quotes here and also this one with hilarious work quotes for stress relief. Source link

Life in the workplace isn’t always easy. Stress, demanding bosses, boredom and negative co-workers can drag both your energy and…

Mental health

July is here and we’re in the middle of summer. With long and sunny days, barbecues with friends and family and with the wonderful permission to do absolutely nothing. And to help you to make this a happy month I’d like to share 87 of the most witty, positive and funny July quotes. I hope you’ll find something there to make you and your loved ones laugh, help reduce a bit of stress that may pop up and simply make this a fun and wonderful month. Funny July Quotes and Sayings for a Happy Summer Month “July is a blind date with summer.”– Hal Borland “July is the month where my ambition goes on vacation and I just hang around in the hammock all day long.”– Sandra Shea “A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawnmower is broken.”– James Dent “July is the month I officially replace all my responsibilities with flip flops and a sleepy attitude.”– Sarah Kelly “If I had my way, I’d remove January from the calendar altogether and have an extra July instead.”– Roald Dahl “Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy.”– Regina Brett “It’s a sure sign of summer if the chair gets up when you do.”– Walter Winchell “July, that lovely hell, all velvet dresses and drapes stuffed into a hot little hole.”– Laura Kasischke “Then came July like three o’clock in the afternoon, hot and listless and miserable.”– Allie Ray “Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.”– Russell Baker “Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”– Sam Keen “But here I am in July, and why am I thinking about Christmas pudding? Probably because we always pine for what we do not have. The winter seems cozy and romantic in the hell of summer, but hot beaches and sunlight are what we yearn for all winter.”– Joanna Franklin Bell “No one’s gonna give a damn in July if you lost a game in March.”– Earl Weaver “What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.”– Jane Austen “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”– Mark Twain “Do what we can, summer will have its flies.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson “Being a traditionalist, I’m a rabid sucker for Christmas. In July, I’m already worried that there are only 146 shopping days left.”– John Waters “A lot of parents pack up their troubles and send them off to summer camp.”– Raymond Duncan “I believe someone made a grievous mistake when summer was created; no novitiate or god in their right mind would make a season akin to hell on purpose. Someone should be fired.”– Michelle Franklin “July is hollyhocks and hammocks, fireworks and vacations, hot and steamy weather, cool and refreshing swims, beach picnics, and vegetables all out of the garden.”– Jean Hersey “Every July, I look forward to taping a Christmas show – in July in Nashville. In 98-degree weather. I love it.”– Larry the Cable Guy “If June was the beginning of a hopeful summer, and July the juice middle, August was suddenly feeling like the bitter end.”– Sarah Dessen Short, Funny and Inspirational July Quotes “July is hot afternoons and sultry nights and mornings when it’s a joy just to be alive.”– Hal Borland “It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine… it’s summertime!”– Kenny Chesney “A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.”– Steve Martin “JULY – Joy Unlimited Locate You.”– Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha “Summer afternoon – summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”– Henry James “In summer, the song sings itself.”– William Carlos Williams “A little bit of summer is what the whole year is all about.”– John Mayer “Hot July brings cooling showers, apricots, and gillyflowers.”– Sara Coleridge “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”– Porgy and Bess “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”– John Steinbeck “One benefit of summer was that each day we had more light to read by.”– Jeannette Walls “If summer had one defining scent, it’d definitely be the smell of barbecue.”– Katie Lee “Autumn frosts have slain July.”– Lewis Carroll “Summertime is always the best of what might be.”– Charles Bowden “But tomorrow may rain, so I’ll follow the sun.”– The Beatles “When I feel the heat, I see the light.”– Everett Dirksen “It’s July and I have hope in who I am becoming.”– Charlotte Eriksson Hilarious July Quotes That Will Make You Laugh “You can pour melted ice cream on regular ice cream. It’s like a sauce!”– Chris Pratt “Let a man walk ten miles steadily on a hot summer’s day along a dusty English road, and he will soon discover why beer was invented.”– Gilbert K. Chesterton “You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July fourth, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.”– Erma Bombeck “I couldn’t tell you my wedding anniversary. Although I seem to remember it was in June. Or maybe July. Definitely a month beginning with a ‘J,’ anyhow. But not January. Um. I think.”– Claudia Winkleman “The average vacation is one-tenth playing – nine-tenths paying.”– Arnold Glasow “It is a grave error to assume that ice cream consumption requires hot weather.”– Anne Fadiman “When I figured out how to work my grill, it was quite a moment. I discovered that summer is a completely different experience when you know how to grill.”– Taylor Swift “Heat, ma’am! It was so dreadful here that I found there was nothing left for it but to take off my flesh and sit in my bones.”– Sydney Smith “Good weather all week, but come the weekend, and the weather stinks. When the weather is too hot, they complain; too cold, they complain; and when it’s just right, they’re watching TV.”– Rita Rudner “The noise from good toast should reverberate in the head like the thunder of July.”– E. V. Lucas “Vacation is that time when you wish you had something to do while doing nothing.”– Frank Tyger “Summer bachelors, like summer breezes, are never as cool as they pretend to be.”– Nora Ephron “If the first of July be rainy weather, it will rain, more or less, for four weeks together.”– John Ray “Being a child at home alone in the summer is a high-risk occupation. If you call your mother at work thirteen times an hour, she can hurt you.”– Erma Bombeck “It was always the view of my parents… that hot weather encouraged loose morals among young people.”– Ian McEwan “When Christmas comes in July, I often serve plum pudding pie with hot coffee or tea of chai, while air conditioning’s on high.”– Patterson Mooney “By July, a damp Southern heat had settled down on the town like warm sweet syrup.”– Marti Healy Funny and Uplifting July Quotes for Your Letter Board and Instagram “In July, I run on three things: sunscreen, ice cream and sooner or later the faint hope of a cooling breeze.”– Sarah Kelly “Some of the best memories are made in flip flops.”– Kellie Elmore “If there’s heaven for me, I’m sure it has a beach attached to it.”– Jimmy Buffett “I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”– F. Scott Fitzgerald “Summer means happy times and good sunshine. It means going to the beach, going to Disneyland, having fun.”– Brian Wilson “Our one wish is that the summer never ends!”– Paul Dini “Summer is singing with joy, and the beaches are inviting you with dancing waves.”– Debasish Mridha “I love how summer just wraps its arms around you like a warm blanket.”– Kellie Elmore “The summer looks out from her brazen tower, through the flashing bars of July.”– Francis Thompson “Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.”– Jenny Han “My life, I realize suddenly, is July. Childhood is June, and old age is August, but here it is, July, and my life, this year, is July inside of July.”– Rick Bass “I drifted into a summer nap under the hot shade of July, serenaded by a cicada lullaby, to drowsy-warm dreams of distant thunder.”– Terri Guillemets “One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.”– Henry David Thoreau “Sunshine and happiness go together like fish and chips!”– Catherine Pulsifer “Make use of the sun while it shines.”– Danish Proverb Funny 4th of July Quotes “It’s Fourth of July weekend, or as I call it, ‘Exploding Christmas.’”– Stephen Colbert “Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.”– George Bernard Shaw “All people are born alike. Except Republicans and Democrats.”– Groucho Marx “There’s just something about deviled eggs, whether it’s the summer around Fourth of July for a picnic or a big sit-down meal like Christmas or Easter, we always do that.”– Steve Doocy “Laughter is America’s most important export.”– Walt Disney “A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works.”– Bill Vaughan “You wonder sometimes how our government puts on its pants in the morning.”– Jon Stewart “When you’re born, you get a ticket to the freak show. When you’re born in America, you get a front-row seat.”– George Carlin “The truth will set you free, but first it will p**s you off.”– Gloria Steinem “I always have the most fun on the Fourth of July. You don’t have to exchange any gifts. You just go to the beach and watch fireworks. It’s always fun.”– James Lafferty “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”– Ronald Reagan “If our Founding Fathers wanted us to care about the rest of the world, they wouldn’t have declared their independence from it.”– Stephen Colbert “The United States is the only country with a known birthday.”– James G. Blaine “There are lots of emotions that go with the Fourth of July.”– Dan Harmon “We all know you can’t have a Fourth of July barbecue without the fixings that go with it.”– Rachel Hollis “Americans will put up with anything, provided it doesn’t block traffic.”– Dan Rather Want more laughs and inspiration for your summer? Then check out these funny summer quotes, the inspirational summer quotes here and also these ones with summer quotes for kids and uplifting and meaningful end of summer quotes. Source link

July is here and we’re in the middle of summer. With long and sunny days, barbecues with friends and family…

Mental health

If you’re a daughter trying to find the right words for just how much your father means to you then you’re in the right place. In today’s post I want to share 101 of the most heartfelt, funny and grateful fathers day quotes from a daughter. I hope you’ll find something here for your card, social media post or in real life celebration to help you express your love and gratitude to your dad. Heartfelt Father’s Day Quotes from a Daughter “Dad hugs are strong hugs that can say so many things, like ‘I’ve got you. I’m always right here. And I’ll always love you.’”– Melvina Young “I am not ashamed to say that no man I ever met was my father’s equal, and I never loved any other man as much.”– Hedy Lamarr “Bigger than the sky. Deeper than the ocean. Forever and for always. A Father’s Love.”– Jeannie Hund “Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes.”– Gloria Naylor “You think I’m strong, you think I’m fearless, even when I’m at my weakest, you always see the best in me when I can’t.”– Carrie Underwood “To her, the name of father was another name for love.”– Fanny Fern “My mother gave me my drive, but my father gave me my dreams. Thanks to him, I could see a future.”– Liza Minnelli “Being a daddy’s girl is like having permanent armor for the rest of your life.”– Marinela Reka “There will always be a few people who have the courage to love what is untamed inside us. One of those men is my father.”– Alison Lohman “My father has always provided me a safe place to land and a hard place from which to launch.”– Chelsea Clinton “A father’s love is forever imprinted on his child’s heart.”– Jennifer Williamson “She did not stand alone, but what stood behind her, the most potent moral force in her life, was the love of her father.”– Harper Lee “When my father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.”– Linda Poindexter “I love my father as the stars – he’s a bright shining example and a happy twinkling in my heart.”– Terri Guillemets “A father’s tears and fears are unseen, his love is unexpressed, but his care and protection remains as a pillar of strength throughout our lives.”– Ama H. Vanniarachchy “It was my father who taught me to value myself.”– Dawn French “A girl’s first true love is her father.”– Marisol Santiago “Dad is, and always will be, my living, breathing superhero.”– Bindi Irwin “I know that I will never find my father in any other man who comes into my life, because it is a void in my life that can only be filled by my father.”– Halle Berry “No matter how small you were, when Dad said, ‘I love you,’ you’d feel bigger than the sky.”– Melvina Young “A father’s love is like an evergreen: steady and strong, weathering all seasons.”– Keely Chace “A father grows dreams, each one a seed planted deep in the hearts of his children.”– Mercedes Lucero “I’ll always be your baby, no matter how the years fly by. The way you loved me, made me who I am in this world.”– Natalie Grant “Perhaps that is what it means to be a father – to teach your child to live without you.”– Nicole Krauss Short Happy Father’s Day Quotes from a Daughter “A father’s smile has been known to light up a child’s entire day.”– Susan Gale “Father: Respected for his wisdom. Appreciated for his strength. Admired for his love.”– Barbara Loots “Some men you just keep looking up to, no matter how tall you get.”– Keely Chace “Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.”– Anne Geddes “My dad’s my best mate, and he always will be.”– Cher Lloyd “No music is so pleasant to my ears as that word – father.”– Lydia Maria Child “Fathers just have a way of mending hearts and fixing whatever needs doing.”– Unknown “There’s no buddy like a dad.”– Ellen Brenneman “My father taught me to work hard, laugh often, and keep my word.”– Michelle Obama “Fathers and daughters, connected by heart right from the start!”– Paige DeRuyscher “Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.”– Ruth E. Renkel “Wanting to be just like Dad – it’s a daughter thing, too.”– Keely Chace “He didn’t think of himself as a hero, but heroes never do.”– Stacey Donovan “A father is the perfect blend of superhero, coach, and friend.”– Jeannie Hund “A strong father means a strong family.”– Melvina Young “The best gift a man can give to the world is to be a good father.”– Renee Daniels “Father’s Day is for all men who love with a father’s heart.”– Linda Barnes “A father’s faith is his family’s guiding light.”– Jeannie Hund “Every great achiever is inspired by a great mentor.”– Lailah Gifty Akita “Dads teach us lots of things, but the real lesson is always love.”– Keely Chace Proud Father’s Day Quotes from a Daughter “Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, storytellers, and singers of song.”– Pam Brown “It’s only when you grow up and step back from him – or leave him for your own home – it’s only then that you can measure his greatness and fully appreciate it.”– Margaret Truman “The golden rule of parenting is do unto your children as you wish your parents had done unto you.”– Louise Hart “He taught me that there is no shame in breaking something, only in not being able to fix it.”– Hope Jahren “Some men are fathers because they stepped in and stepped up exactly when they were needed.”– Melvina Young “There is nothing that moves a loving father’s soul quite like his child’s cry.”– Joni Eareckson Tada “My dad raised me with some good advice: Always tell the truth. Always shoot from the hip.”– Pink “What’s a daddy? He’s a grown-up who never forgot how to play.”– Keely Chace “My dad taught me that good health is all about living in gratitude.”– Mariska Hargitay “What my father especially taught me was to not always take the safe road, the easy road. If you are going to do good work, you have to risk failing badly.”– Natasha Richardson “A man’s worth is measured by how he parents his children. What he gives them, what he keeps away from them, the lessons he teaches and the lessons he allows them to learn on their own.”– Lisa Rogers “With the love and attention of a good man, family roots grow deeper and stronger all the time.”– Megan Haave “When all the dust is settled and the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family, and friends.”– Barbara Bush “Being a father isn’t always clear skies and smooth sailing. But every bit of the journey, the ups and downs and in-betweens, makes it an even more meaningful adventure.”– Courtney Taylor “There really are places in the heart you don’t even know exist until you have a child.”– Anne Lamott “There is no such thing as a perfect parent. So just be a real one.”– Sue Atkins “The gain is not the having of children; it is the discovery of love and how to be loving.”– Polly Berrien Berends “A father is a man who expects his children to be as good as he meant to be.”– Carol Coats “Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them.”– Leigh Anne Tuohy “A man who helps others hold on, hold together, hold strong also holds the trust and respect of those he loves.”– Melvina Young “A dad’s job is to lift his daughter up so that one day she will rise on her own.”– Catherine Hollyer “A dad prays for strength to protect his family, wisdom to guide them, and humility to learn as he goes.”– Megan Haave “Happy, confident, grateful daughters come from strong, encouraging, loving dads.”– Diana Manning Funny Father’s Day Quotes from a Daughter “I gave my father $100 and said, ‘Buy yourself something that will make your life easier.’ So he went out and bought a present for my mother.”– Rita Rudner “Dads are like chocolate chip cookies; they may have chips or be totally nutty, but they are sweet and make the world a better place, especially for their children.”– Hillary Lytle “I have always had the feeling I could do anything, and my dad told me I could. I was in college before I found out he might be wrong.”– Ann Richards “The best fathers have the softest, sweetest hearts. In other words, great dads are real marshmallows.”– Richelle E. Goodrich “If you ever want to torture my dad, tie him up and right in front of him, refold a map incorrectly.”– Cathy Ladman “My sisters and I can still recite Dad’s grilling rules: Rule No. 1: Dad is in charge. Rule No. 2: Repeat Rule No. 1.”– Connie Schultz “Never lend your car to anyone to whom you have given birth.”– Erma Bombeck “You gotta love dads. At my wedding, when I tripped on my wedding dress and fell flat on my face, Dad said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll do better next time.’”– Melanie White “Fatherhood is one of the best reasons to need a little extra coffee.”– Lauren Schimming “Dad is the staple gun that holds the family together.”– Allyson Cook “Fatherhood. It’s as easy as A B C D. ALWAYS BE CARRYING DIAPERS.”– Sara Quenzer “We wondered why when a child laughed, he belonged to Daddy, and when he had a sagging diaper that smelled like a landfill, ‘He wants his mother.’”– Erma Bombeck “A good father is one whose only reason for putting down a laughing baby is to pick up a crying one.”– Linda Poindexter “No one knows his true character until he has run out of gas, purchased something on the installment plan, and raised an adolescent.”– Marcelene Cox “A man’s real wealth is in his children…for they have spent all of the other kind.”– Melvina Young Grateful Happy Father’s Day Quotes from a Daughter “Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father.”– Lydia Maria Child “It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.”– Anne Sexton “Here’s to all the wise, funny, tough, gentle, playful, hardworking men who make a difference.”– Keely Chace “And so God created dads so that there would forever be bedtime-story-readers and cover-tuckers, shoulder-carriers at parades and star-pointers on clear nights, bike-riding coaches and driving instructors, love-providers and proud protectors.”– Melvina Young “A great father makes his family feel so blessed.”– Diana Manning “Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold.”– Zelda Fitzgerald “Having a place to go is a home. Having someone to love is a family. Having both is a blessing.”– Donna Hedges “To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.”– Tia Walker “He was the first man in my life, the man who taught me how to love.”– Jenna Bush Hager “For every dream that has taken flight, there’s a father who believed.”– Jennifer Fujita “The greatest thing a father can do for his children is love their mother.”– Anjaneth Garcia Untalan “Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what.”– Maya Angelou “Because flying babies need strong arms beneath them…there are daddies.”– Keely Chace “Bonus love, bonus support, bonus dad.”– Amber Goodvin “I am my father’s daughter, and I am not afraid of anything.”– Elizabeth I “My dear father; my dear friend; the best and wisest man I ever knew, who taught me many lessons and showed me many things as we went together along the country by-ways.”– Sarah Orne Jewett “My father turned my life around by insisting I be more than I was and by believing I could be more.”– Oprah Winfrey “A dad has arms to lift high, a heart to love, shoulders to support, a smile to reassure, a hand of blessing to send you out into the world, a warm embrace to welcome you back home.”– Keely Chace “There is no expiration date on the love between a father and his child.”– Jennifer Williamson Want more inspiration for the celebration of your dad? Then have a look at the best Father’s Day quotes, these funny Father’s day quotes and sayings and also these ones with lots of short Father’s Day quotes and inspirational sayings for your dad. Source link

If you’re a daughter trying to find the right words for just how much your father means to you then…

Mental health

The pressure and stress of sports can be overwhelming on athletes. The constant scrutiny, the competitions, and the pressure to perform can take a mental toll on young athletes. But there are ways to cope with the pressures of sports and still be successful. Here are nine proven mental health tips for athletes that should be observed and practiced by all athletes. 10 Mental Health Tips For Athletes Of course, everyone needs to prioritize their mental health. However, there are certain things that athletes, in particular, need to do to improve their mental health. 1. Set goals Smaller goals can help you focus on what’s important and help you reach your larger ones. For example, if you’re training for a track meet, focus on getting better at one aspect of your performance each day — like how many sit-ups you can do or how fast you can run 100 meters — instead of worrying about winning the whole meet. Also, be realistic about your goals. If you’re feeling pressure from others — such as coaches or teammates — who expect too much from you, learn to take a break. 2. Stay positive Don’t let negative thoughts get in the way of success. If you’re having trouble staying positive, try asking yourself questions like these: Do I believe I’m capable? Does this person mean well? What is my best option right now? And so on. There are many other amazing health benefits of being positive, hence, always maintain a positive outlook as an athlete. 3. Take care of yourself Eat well and get enough sleep (at least eight hours per night) because both are important for clear thinking and avoiding burnout. Also, make sure you’re exercising regularly — even 5 minutes of jumping rope every day could make a big difference in managing 4. Talk to someone you trust It’s not easy talking about your feelings or personal problems. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed by school or your sport, finding someone who can listen without judgment and give advice without pressuring you into anything is essential. This could be anyone from friends to professional counselors or family. 5. Get adequate sleep Sleep is key to maintaining good mental health. It helps us deal with stress and fatigue more effectively, so being tired always will make everything harder! If you’re having trouble falling asleep at night, try going to bed earlier to have enough rest before training starts. 6. Don’t compare yourself to others It’s easy to compare yourself to others, especially when you see someone else doing something better than you. However, this can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, affecting your performance on the field or court. You have unique talents, so don’t worry about what others are doing — focus on what you can do! 7. Stay organized with a planner or calendar app Athletes have busy schedules full of practices, games, and other commitments that can easily get overwhelming. It can affect their mental health, if they aren’t appropriately scheduled or organized well in advance with an agenda or planner/calendar apps like Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook (or any number of other options). Hence, try to make sure you are organized with a planner or calendar app so you can burnout. 8. Be aware of stressors Athletes often experience greater levels of stress than other people due to their physical demands and responsibilities, such as schoolwork, training schedules, and competitions. These stressors can be good motivators but can sometimes be overwhelming or even lead to mental health issues like depression or anxiety if they aren’t appropriately managed. 9. Maintain a social life outside of training sessions and games It is for athletes to get choked up with training, gym sessions and tournaments that they neglect their social health. Your social health is an important aspect of your mental health and overall wellbeing. Hence, try to maintain a great social life outside your athletic activities. Spend time with friends, loved ones, and meet new people. Doing so would benefit your mental health tremendously. 10. Practice visualization techniques Visualization techniques are crucial for athletes as they help enhance performance and build confidence. If you mentally rehearse successful outcomes as an athlete, you can improve their focus, reduce anxiety, and boost their overall mental well-being. This practice can contribute to a positive mindset and improved athletic performance. Conclusion As an athlete, your mental health is essential; as such, it should be treated as a priority. You can never succeed as an athlete without sound mental health. Ensure you stick to the above mental health tips. For severe mental health issues, you can consult a certified therapist. Please follow and like us: (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.2”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’)); Source link

The pressure and stress of sports can be overwhelming on athletes. The constant scrutiny, the competitions, and the pressure to…

Mental health

I don’t think I feel fully ready yet. And maybe nobody really does. I’ve kind of been using this page as a place to leave my thoughts lately, so maybe this post won’t make perfect sense to everyone. My brain feels a little messy these days. A lot of emotions at the same time. A lot of thinking. A lot of feeling. And I think this is just my way of processing it all a little. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how strange this stage of life is. Because on one side, I am so excited. Like genuinely, deeply excited. Sometimes I imagine holding this baby in my arms and it feels so emotional that I can’t even fully explain it. I think about their little face. Their tiny hands. What it will feel like to finally meet the person I’ve been carrying all these months. And then, almost immediately after that thought, comes fear. Not because I don’t want this. I do. So much. But because everything is about to change. And I don’t think anything can fully prepare you for that feeling. People talk a lot about preparing for birth. The hospital bag. The clothes. The nursery. The appointments. And all of that matters, of course. But nobody really tells you how impossible it feels to prepare emotionally for becoming someone’s mother for the first time. How do you prepare for a love you haven’t experienced yet? How do you prepare for the responsibility of loving someone this much? I think about birth a lot now. And honestly, it scares me. The unknown part of it. The loss of control. Wondering how I’ll handle it. And then I think about life after. What will my days look like? Will I still recognize myself? Will I miss my old life sometimes? Will I know what I’m doing? I overthink everything. I think there’s guilt sometimes around admitting those thoughts out loud, because becoming a mother is supposed to be this purely beautiful thing. And it is beautiful. But it’s also huge. And emotional. And life-changing. Excitement and fear can exist together. Actually, I think they almost always do before something important. Because right now, I don’t feel fully ready. And maybe that’s the way is suposed to be. Maybe readiness comes after. In learning as you go. In holding your baby for the first time and figuring things out one day at a time. But I do feel love already. So much love. 🤍 Enough love to know that even through the fear, even through all the unknowns, I cannot wait to meet this baby. Sometimes at night I just sit there with my hand on my belly and think about how crazy it is that soon they’ll be here. Actually here. In my arms. In our home. Part of our everyday life. That thought feels overwhelming in the most beautiful way. 🥹 If you’re a mum, soon-to-be mum, or even feeling these same fears, I’d really love to hear from you. Did you feel ready before becoming a parent? What helped you through the fear and the overthinking? I think talking honestly about this makes it all feel a little less lonely 🤍 And also, just a little note: if you’re not a parent or not in this stage of life, don’t worry, this blog isn’t suddenly becoming only about motherhood or pregnancy. I’ll still write about lots of other things, the same way I always have. But I think this year, this little corner has become more like a journal for me, and right now, this is such a huge part of my life and my mind that it naturally ends up here too. Source link

I don’t think I feel fully ready yet. And maybe nobody really does. I’ve kind of been using this page…

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“I was thinking one day and I realized that if I just had somebody behind me all the way to motivate me I could make a big difference. Nobody came along like that so I just became that person for myself.”Unknown Staying motivated until you reach your goals and dreams isn’t always easy. There are often roadblocks, plateaus and valleys along the way where you can get into a slump. Or a rut. And feel like you’ve simply lost your motivation somewhere along the way. So today I would like to share 17 tips, strategies and habits that I have used to find that motivation again. I hope you’ll find something helpful here. 1. Refocus on doing what YOU really, really like to do. When you really like doing something then the motivation to do it comes automatically (most of the time). And when you really want something then it simply becomes easier to push through any inner resistance you feel. So if you lose your motivation, ask yourself: Am I doing what I really want to do? If not and if possible, refocus and start working on that very important thing instead. 2. Make a list of upsides. Write down all the benefits you will get from achieving something, like for example getting into better shape or making more money. Save it and then pull that list out of the drawer whenever your motivation is lacking again and review it. Or put it somewhere where you will see it every day until you reach your dream. This is a powerful way to reconnect with your motivation and reasons for taking action. 3. Make a list of downsides. You can combine this with the list of upsides to give yourself even more motivation to start moving and get things done. Ask yourself: How will my life look in 5 years if I continue to stay on the same path as now? How will life likely become worse for me and maybe even for the people around me? Try to see the negative consequences as vividly as you can in your mind to kick-start your motivation to start going for that positive change again. 4. Spend 3 minutes on remembering your successes. If you lose your motivation then it is easy to get stuck in looking at your failures and so you get stuck in that slump. So instead, sit down for three minutes and just remember your successes. Let them wash over you and refuel your inspiration and motivation. 5. Go for a bigger goal. Set a big goal that inspires you even if it may seem a tad unrealistic at the moment. If you have too easily achievable goals then you may find that they don’t give you that motivational spark and drive. When you start to think a bit bigger then you get motivated and your mind starts looking for the solutions that will help you achieve that goal. Thinking too small can leave you with a “meh…” feeling or make you feel like you can do it later. 6. Or go for a small or tiny goal. If having a medium-sized goal don’t feel too inspiring and a bigger goal feels overwhelming then try to set a smaller one instead. Or even just a tiny one. A smaller goal could be to just workout for 15 minutes today or 5 minutes on getting going with your essay for school. And a tiny one – if the smaller one leads to procrastination – could for example be to just work out for 1-2 minutes. The most important thing if you’re standing still is to start moving and to build some momentum forward. So do that with one or a few small or tiny steps at first if that’s what will work for you at this time. 7. Remember how far you have come and compare yourself with yourself. Comparing what you have and your results to what other people have and have accomplished can really kill your motivation. There are always people ahead of you. So focus on you. On your results. And how you can and have improved your life and results. This is important because it’s a great motivator to see how much you have improved and how far you have come. Often you can be pleasantly surprised when you do such a review. 8. Reconnect with optimism. How you perceive what you are doing or are about to do makes a huge difference. The positive and constructive way of looking at things energizes and inspires you. It makes it easier to keep going even when you hit roadblocks. So ask yourself questions like: What is one thing that awesome about this situation? What can I learn from this and what is one opportunity in this situation? How can I or we solve this and what is the next small step that I or we can take to start doing that? 9. Work out. I like this one because even if you feel too frustrated and down to ask yourself the right questions you can still drag yourself to the gym or wherever you go to exercise. And if you just do your pretty mindless repetitions then your body will do the rest. Endorphins and other chemicals will be released. Inner tensions will loosen up and leave your body. Your negative emotional pattern will be broken. And new energy will be added to your body. 10. Talk about it. Sometimes you just need to let it out and to talk to someone about your motivational low point. Letting it all out can release a lot of pent up emotion and let you get a new, more positive and healthy perspective on things. Often we build our own small or medium-sized problems into big scary monsters in our minds. Letting the monsters out into the light and letting others see them can make us realize that we were making a too big of a deal out of it all. It allows us to lighten up a bit, to not take things too seriously and to start moving forward and find that lost motivation again. So talk to a friend or family member. Or try an anonymous internet forum with like-minded people. 11. Remember to have fun. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the seriousness of a task and the stress and tension of completing it. So remember that you are allowed to have fun when you are working on it. There is no rule that says you have to be all serious about it all the time. When you can, create fun in a task. Compete with yourself to finish it even faster than you did the last time, whistle a nice tune while working or have fun and joke around with your co-workers and class mates. 12. Start moving and let the motivation catch up with you. Many times I have found it better to just do it and start working instead of trying to motivate myself to get going. At first what you do may suck quite a bit and it’s hard going. But after a while inspiration and motivation seems to catch up with you. Things start to flow easier and your work is of a higher quality. 13. Get accountability from one or a few people in your life. Getting your goal, dream or new habit that you’re working on out into the world can make a big difference for your motivation levels. So tell a few friends on social media what you will do. Or talk to one of them on the phone or in person and ask her to check up on you and your progress regularly. By putting a bit of social pressure on yourself and getting some follow up once a week or twice a month you’ll be less likely to give up at the first obstacle or try to weasel out of your commitment. 14. Let the motivation from others (close by and far away in the world) flow over to you. Spend more of your week with the people in your life that are enthusiastic, motivated or optimistic. And let motivation from all over the world into your daily life and mind by: Listening to positive podcasts. Visiting uplifting websites. Watching inspiring online videos or movies. Exploring motivating books and biographies about the most successful people in history. 15. Have a bit of friendly competition. Engage in a bit of friendly competition with a co-worker or school friend about, for example, who can finish a boring or routine task first. The winner can get a free ice-cream, fruit bowl or something else that’s small but a motivating reward from the other person. 16. Take a break. Yeah, sometimes you just need to take a break. Perhaps your time-plan for your goal or new habit is just too optimistic? Maybe you have worked harder than you can manage right now. Then take a break. A few hours or days of rest and recuperation can change how you feel in a remarkable way and recharge your batteries. 17. Step out in nature for a bit. Very few things in life give me so much new motivation and energy as being out in nature. So I often go out for a walk in the nearby woods and focus on just taking all the sights and smells in and on breathing the fresh air without thinking about anything special.   Source link

Some days at work you just need a boost of new motivation and energy. You feel tired. Maybe unmotivated or bored. We’ve all been there plenty of times. So in today’s post I want to help you out with that by sharing 130 of the most encouraging, funny, positive and inspirational workplace quotes. I hope you’ll find something here to give you a jolt of positive energy on a tired morning or an unmotivated afternoon. Something to give you a good laugh to help release a bit of stress. And maybe something to share with family and co-workers to raise their spirits too. Inspirational Workplace Quotes for a Boost of Energy “The future depends on what you do today.”– Mahatma Gandhi “Don’t count the days, make the days count.”– Muhammad Ali “Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.”– Conan O’Brien “Either you run the day or the day runs you.”– Jim Rohn “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”– Thomas Edison “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”– Mark Twain “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.”– George Lorimer “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”– Thomas Jefferson “Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better.”– Jim Rohn “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”– Alexander Graham Bell “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”– Paulo Coelho “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”– Henry Ford “Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.”– Franklin D. Roosevelt “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”– Confucius “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”– Abraham Lincoln “There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.”– Norman Vincent Peale “Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.”– Kobe Bryant “Nothing will work unless you do.”– Maya Angelou “Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.”– Ray Kroc “If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”– Steve Jobs “The harder I work the more I live.”– George Bernard Shaw “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.”– Simon Sinek “Leave your ego at the door every morning, and just do some truly great work. Few things will make you feel better than a job brilliantly done.”– Robin S. Sharma Short and Inspirational Workplace Quotes and Sayings “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”– Arthur Ashe “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”– Wayne Gretzky “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”– Milton Berle “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.”– Sam Levenson “The best revenge is massive success.”– Frank Sinatra “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”– Suzy Kassem “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.”– Ralph Marston “Build your own dreams or someone else will hire you to build theirs.”– Farrah Gray “The more I want to get something done the less I call it work.”– Richard Bach “The most effective way to do it is to do it.”– Amelia Earhart “Impossible is just an opinion.”– Paulo Coelho “Light tomorrow with today.”– Elizabeth Barrett Browning “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”– Steve Martin “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.”– Henry Ford “Done is better than perfect.”– Sheryl Sandberg “Without labor, nothing prospers.”– Sophocles “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”– Peter Drucker “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”– Nelson Mandela “The expert in anything was once a beginner.”– Helen Hayes “It is never too late to be what you might have been.”– George Eliot Funny Workplace Quotes for Stress Relief “Oh, you hate your job? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a support group for that. It’s called everybody, and they meet at the bar.”– Drew Carey “One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.”– Bertrand Russell “I always arrive late at the office, but I make up for it by leaving early.”– Charles Lamb “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”– Will Rogers “I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.”– Jerome K. Jerome “The closest to perfection a person ever comes is when he fills out a job application form.”– Stanley J. Randall “Work is against human nature. The proof is that it makes us tired.”– Michel Tournier “If hard work is the key to success, most people would rather pick the lock.”– Claude McDonald “If you think your boss is stupid, remember: you wouldn’t have a job if he was any smarter.”– John Gotti “I’ve got all the money I’ll ever need, if I die by four o’clock this afternoon.”– Henny Youngman “The reward for good work is more work.”– Tom Sachs “Executive ability is deciding quickly and getting somebody else to do the work.”– Earl Nightingale “Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?”– Edgar Bergen “Most people work just hard enough not to get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit.”– George Carlin “The brain is a wonderful organ; it starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office.”– Robert Frost “I choose a lazy person to do a hard job because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.”– Bill Gates “Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.”– Douglas Adams “I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.”– Lily Tomlin “Doing nothing is very hard to do… you never know when you’re finished.”– Leslie Nielsen “No man goes before his time – unless the boss leaves early.”– Groucho Marx “I work for myself, which is fun. Except when I call in sick, I know I’m lying.”– Rita Rudner “By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.”– Robert Frost “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”– Zig Ziglar Inspirational Workplace Quotes for Renewed Motivation and Focus “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”– Michael Jordan “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”– Charles R. Swindoll “When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.”– Helen Keller “Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.”– Dwayne Johnson “Don’t think about what can happen in a month. Don’t think about what can happen in a year. Just focus on the 24 hours in front of you and do what you can to get closer to where you want to be.”– Eric Thomas “If you believe it’ll work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you don’t believe it’ll work out, you’ll see obstacles.”– Wayne Dyer “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”– Steve Jobs “Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.”– Carrie Fisher “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.”– Maya Angelou “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”– Zig Ziglar “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”– Dale Carnegie “Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”– Winston Churchill “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.”– Stephen Covey “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”– Arnold Schwarzenegger “Whenever you feel uncomfortable, instead of retreating back into your old comfort zone, pat yourself on the back and say, ‘I must be growing,’ and continue moving forward.”– T. Harv Eker “We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”– Arianna Huffington “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious.”– Stephen Hawking “The best way out is always through.”– Robert Frost “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”– Richard Branson “There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”– Amanda Gorman “Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.”– F. Scott Fitzgerald “The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”– M. Scott Peck Inspirational Workplace Quotes for Teamwork and Positive Vibes “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”– Helen Keller “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life forever.”– Amy Poehler “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”– African Proverb “Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.”– Oliver Wendell Holmes “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”– Booker T. Washington “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”– Michael Jordan “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”– Henry Ford “Great things in business are never done by one person; they’re done by a team of people.”– Steve Jobs “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”– Ryunosuke Satoro “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”– Phil Jackson “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”– Margaret Mead “Teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.”– Patrick Lencioni “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.”– H.E. Luccock “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”– Vince Lombardi “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”– Henry Ford “It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”– Napoleon Hill “The nice thing about teamwork is that you always have others on your side.”– Margaret Carty “It is amazing how much you can accomplish when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.”– Harry S. Truman “Tough times don’t last. Tough teams do.”– Robert Schuller “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”– Martin Luther King Jr. “None of us is as smart as all of us.”– Ken Blanchard “Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.”– Virginia Burden Encouraging Workplace Quotes to Help You Reach Your Goals and Dreams “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”– Walt Disney “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”– Robert Collier “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”– C.S. Lewis “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”– Nelson Mandela “You can’t just will your dreams to come true. You have to work hard. You have to give ’em wings, arms, legs… whatever it takes to make your dreams come true.”– Dolly Parton “Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.”– Malala Yousafzai “There is no magic to achievement. It’s really about hard work, choices, and persistence.”– Michelle Obama “The fruit of your own hard work is the sweetest.”– Deepika Padukone “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.”– Jesse Owens “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”– Colin Powell “I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.”– Estée Lauder “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”– Tony Robbins “I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.”– Florence Nightingale “If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”– Martin Luther King Jr. “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”– Napoleon Hill “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.”– Walter Elliot “The only thing standing between you and outrageous success is continuous progress.”– Dan Waldschmidt “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”– Thomas Edison “Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”– Gail Devers “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”– Eleanor Roosevelt Want more motivation for work and life? Then have a look at these short work quotes, the hilarious work quotes to help you release stress here and also this one with short success quotes. Source link

Most people think about health planning only when something forces them to. A medical bill arrives unexpectedly. An insurance issue appears during treatment. A diagnosis changes how future care needs are viewed. Suddenly health planning becomes urgent instead of preventative. The problem is that long-term health stability is usually shaped by smaller habits built quietly over time, not just by major decisions during emergencies. That includes physical health habits, of course, but it also includes how people approach insurance coverage, preventative care, financial preparation, and long-term healthcare planning before problems become immediate. The families who navigate healthcare stress most effectively are often not the ones avoiding every issue entirely. More often, they’re the ones who built systems early enough to make difficult situations feel more manageable later. Consistency Matters More Than Perfection A lot of health advice still revolves around extreme change. Perfect diets. Aggressive routines. Complete lifestyle overhauls. In reality, most long-term health success comes from consistency people can realistically maintain for years instead of months. Small preventative habits tend to matter more than dramatic short-term efforts that collapse under pressure. That principle applies financially too. People often spend more time researching investment strategies than understanding their healthcare coverage or preparing for future medical costs. But healthcare instability can disrupt long-term financial plans surprisingly quickly when households are unprepared for how expensive even routine care can become over time. The practical side of health planning is becoming harder to separate from overall financial planning now than it used to be. Preventative Planning Reduces More Stress Than People Realize One overlooked benefit of health planning is emotional stability. People who understand their coverage, maintain preventative care routines, and think ahead about healthcare decisions often describe feeling less overwhelmed when unexpected situations happen. The goal is not eliminating uncertainty entirely. That’s unrealistic. The goal is reducing how chaotic healthcare decisions feel under pressure. That’s one reason broader conversations tied to healthcare and health insurance have expanded significantly over the last several years. Rising costs, changing coverage structures, and increasing healthcare complexity have made long-term planning more important for average households than many people expected. Healthcare is no longer something most families can comfortably approach reactively forever. People Underestimate How Quickly Healthcare Costs Compound One reason health planning habits matter so much is that healthcare costs rarely arrive in one dramatic moment alone. More often, they build gradually: recurring prescriptions specialist visits ongoing treatment plans insurance deductible increases long-term care considerations unexpected procedures layered on top of existing expenses Families often absorb these costs incrementally until they realize how much financial pressure accumulated over time. That gradual buildup is part of what makes proactive planning valuable. People who think ahead about coverage structures, emergency savings, provider networks, and preventative care tend to adapt more smoothly when healthcare needs eventually increase later in life. The difficult part is that many households delay these conversations because they feel healthy right now. Healthcare Decisions Have Become More Complicated Another challenge is that healthcare systems themselves continue evolving quickly. Insurance structures change. Telehealth expands. Employer-sponsored benefits shift. Prescription pricing fluctuates. Patients now carry more responsibility for understanding deductibles, provider networks, and out-of-pocket exposure than previous generations often did. That complexity creates decision fatigue. Even relatively organized households sometimes feel uncertain about whether they’re making good healthcare choices because the systems themselves are difficult to navigate confidently. A lot of current health insurance trends discussions reflect this larger issue, healthcare planning is becoming less about isolated medical events and more about long-term sustainability across entire households. People want predictability, but healthcare systems increasingly feel harder to predict. The Most Effective Health Habits Usually Feel Boring One thing people rarely admit is that good long-term planning habits are often not particularly exciting. Scheduling preventative appointments. Reviewing insurance annually. Building emergency savings slowly. Staying physically active consistently. Maintaining realistic routines instead of dramatic cycles of burnout and reset. None of those habits feel dramatic at the moment. But over long periods, they create stability that becomes incredibly valuable once life gets complicated. The people who navigate healthcare stress most effectively are often the ones who built ordinary systems early instead of waiting for perfect motivation later. That applies financially and physically at the same time. Why Long-Term Success Depends on Adaptability Health planning is ultimately difficult because people’s lives keep changing. Careers shift. Families grow. Aging parents require support. Medical needs evolve. Financial priorities change over decades in ways nobody predicts perfectly in advance. That’s why the strongest long-term health planning habits are usually flexible rather than rigid. The goal is not building a flawless plan that never changes. It’s creating enough structure, awareness, and preparation that future adjustments become manageable instead of overwhelming. Most people cannot control every future health outcome. They can, however, build habits that make uncertainty easier to navigate when it eventually arrives. Source link