Pexels Source CCO License

Diet Concerns

First, it’s important to understand that your issues with sleep could certainly be tied to your diet. There are foods in your diet like garlic that can lead to disturbed levels of sleep and lower levels of energy through the day. If you are facing this problem, then you might want to consider using a garlic substitute in your food instead. Similarly, some foods are beneficial to your sleep health like bananas. These are rich in potassium and so can help you stop tossing and turning all through the night every day. Remember, it doesn’t matter what time you go to bed if it’s not the right quality of rest. For me, no caffeine after 2pm is a hard and fast rule if I want to be sleeping nicely by 10 or 11pm. Also, fasting really helps me to ensure deep sleep as well as eliminating alcohol and sugar. Even cutting down on any of those can have a big effect so don't feel you need to completely cut them out if that's not for you.

Stress

You might also want to think about issues with stress in your life. Stress can be a huge issue, particularly when it comes to sleep. High levels of stress are always going to be something that’s enough to keep you up at night. The question is how should you deal with stress the right way. There are a few ways that you can deal with stress. For instance, you might want to think about using calming exercises such as meditation. Meditation has a slight learning curve but once you adjust the practices you’ll quickly recognize the benefits in as little as just 15-20 minutes. You can also keep a pad of paper and a pen next to your bed to journal any unwanted thoughts before bed so that you can rest assured they have been expressed in a safe way. Getting them out of your head and onto paper has a profoundly relaxing effect. In all the work I do for people as a stress management coach, this is one of the most effective strategies.

A Low Energy Day

Next, you should consider issues with your daily routine. During the lockdowns, a lot of people were doing far less than their typical routine. Instead of going out, they were staying in and probably weren’t using nearly as much energy. This meant that when it was time for bed they weren’t getting the right level of sleep because their body wasn’t ready to rest. If you are struggling with this issue, then you should think about setting a daily routine that you can always follow and that does make sense for you. That way you will be tired when it’s time for sleep. Using a watch to measure your active minutes is super helpful. Alternatively, record when you exercise on your phone notes or a pad of paper so you have data on it. That way you can track it and compare sleep quality with exercise time and types.

The Wrong Environment 

Finally, it’s possible that the reason that you are struggling to get to sleep at the right time each night is all to do with your sleep environment. You might want to think about taking steps to change this to ensure that it is more comfortable and suitable for you. There are lots of possibilities that could be worth exploring here. For instance, you might want to think about changing your bed. A bed is a highly personal choice and if your bed is too soft or too hard then it could be enough to throw off your sleep pattern completely. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you should take to ensure that you are getting a great night of sleep. Don’t forget, your sleep is crucial for good health because it provides your body with the recharge that it desperately needs after a long day. 

For me, an eye mask, earplugs, a dark room with no electronics even plugged in and the window open are absolutely essential! As well as ensuring the bedsheets have been changed in the last week. I always sleep deeper when the bed sheets are fresh, don't you?

Sleep tight!

Lots of love,

Jenna

Photo by Victoria_borodivina on Pixabay

Sports are one of the best ways to spend your time, they are a great form of physical exercise giving you a healthy body and mind. But they are also incredibly fun. However with that comes the possibility of pain and injury. While many players of all sports are bound to wind up injured (it comes with the territory of physical stress on the body), contact sports ramp up the possibility tenfold. The sheer velocity at which some players travel across the pitches and courts, colliding with one another means that problems are inevitable and unavoidable.

(Unsplash CC0)

Joint pain is common, especially as we age. Knee pain is a common complaint but we can also experience pain around the joints in our arms, shoulders, and hips too. I experienced hip pain this year and found great relief from seeing a chiropractor and adopting a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods including reducing sugar, cutting out alcohol and eating mostly plant-based.

In some cases, joint pain is due to the natural wear and tear in our bodies. However, certain health conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout can also be to blame. Workout injuries are another common cause of joint pain, which is why we should always be mindful not to push our bodies too hard. 

If you are experiencing persistent joint pain, it's important to visit your doctor. You may have caused damage to a particular joint if you have been in an accident or you may be suffering the symptoms of one of the health-related conditions we previously referred to. 

It is possible to relieve joint pain via medication. However, there are natural ways to relieve joint pain too. These include the following. 

#1: Warm up or cool down your joints

Applying something warm or cold to your painful joints can ease the discomfort you feel. 

Heat increases blood flow to sore muscles and loosens stiff joints and this does much to relieve the painful sensations you may be experiencing. A warm compress, such as an electric heating pad, or a hot water bottle (with a towel around it) can be used to apply warmth to your body. A hot bath can also work wonders. 

If your joints are inflamed, a cold compress can reduce inflammation and ease the pain. It can also interrupt pain signals by slowing your nerve impulses. Ice packs are an effective form of cold compress although you can also make your own if you don't have an ice pack to hand. 

#2: Gently stretch your body

The last thing you might think about doing is stretching your body when it is in pain. However, physical inactivity can make your pain worse so it's important to flex your body a little. Provided these are gentle stretches and not anything too strenuous, you will increase your body's range of motion and relieve the pain you're feeling. Speak to your doctor or physical therapist about the types of exercise you should be considering. 

#3: Use a CBD-related product

Research has shown that CBD can help with some forms of joint pain, including that which is experienced by arthritis sufferers. CBD can be inhaled via a vape pen, taken in liquid form, or applied to the skin with a patch or CBD Muscle Balm. If you experience unpleasant side effects you should stop using the product immediately. However, in most cases, CBD is safe to use, provided you follow the instructions that come with your purchase. 

#4: Enjoy a massage

A therapeutic massage can loosen your tight muscles and get your blood flowing, and if done correctly, can work to relieve the pain you are feeling. You can visit a professional for a massage if you choose to. However, there are also ways to self-massage, which can be useful when you need quick relief at home. 

These are some of the ways to relieve your joint pain. Consider each the next time your body starts to ache but remember to still visit your doctor if pain persists, as you may also need medical attention. 

Image Source - CCO Licence

Your Job

One of the biggest causes of a lack of health for most people is that their work is not really doing their health any favours. You might know that this is the issue for you, or you might want to look a little more closely to see whether it is the case in your life. There are some signs that your job is harming you, and one might be that you have aches and pains after a shift. Make sure you take breaks and ensure your work-life balance has been consciously considered to ensure better health.

Your Diet

Clearly, what you eat is of central importance to how healthy you are. In fact, you could say that your diet is pretty much the most important thing of all when it comes to your health. As long as you are eating right, you can be sure that you are going to have a much easier time staying healthy. All you really need to do is to make sure that you are eating plenty of whole foods like fruit and veg, and avoiding processed foods as much as you possibly can. That is going to bring about some much stronger health for you in no time.

Your Activity Levels

Along with diet, you need to make sure that you are also staying as active as you can in general. This can come in many forms. It might be going for a morning jog, or it could be more along the lines of playing a sport that you love with a team in your local area. Whatever it is, you are going to be feeling a lot healthier if you are moving around each week at least a few times in the week. Make sure you start doing this if you are not already doing it.

Image Source - CCO Licence

Your Hygiene

You should also take a look at your hygiene, in particular your oral hygiene. You might not think that occasionally forgetting to brush your teeth could make all that much difference, but the truth is that this is linked to some pretty serious conditions, such as heart disease, in later life. Getting on top of that is going to ensure that you can remain much healthier in general, so it’s something that you could look into.

Live well!

Lots of love,

Jenna

If you want to lose weight, the entire body has to get in shape. You cannot just get onto a bicycle at the gym and pedal your way to victory. Sure you’ll lose weight but not nearly as fast as entire body workouts. It's been proven that exercises such as swimming, running, and rock climbing use every single muscle group in the body. For one thing, your entire body is always moving when you do these workouts and that can only mean, your heart rate is constantly being pushed. Even if you take it easy, in order to keep going you have to move all parts of your body. But how do these exercises do this?

Swimming wins the test

Heart rate zone 4 is where you will burn a lot of fat and heart rate zone 5 is where you burn carbs. You want to stay in zone 4 the longest, which is where your body uses fat stores for energy. You occasionally want to be pushed into zone 5 and begin to sap the muscles of their energy but this is only to then push the body to burn fat again. Swimming passes this test because the only way you can stay afloat is to use all parts of your body and hence, your heart rate will always stay in zone 4. Speak with a swimming Coach about how swimming can maintain your heart rate in zone 4. They’ll teach you the basics and tell you how your body can lose fat by swimming. 

Running with proper form

If you don’t run with proper form, some muscle groups in your body won’t be tested, like your traps and shoulders for example. However, if you brace your core, lift your leg using your hip flexors, swing your arms in an up and down motion, not side to side, this should solve the issue. Proper form while running is key, this is how you can burn a lot of fat in a relatively short session. For example, keep your heart rate in zone 4 and you will find that in just 30 minutes, you could burn anywhere from 250-400 calories. 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jE1CzW54KCg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Why rock climbing?

Rock climbing is the ultimate calisthenics. You’re pulling your body up vertically with every fiber of your being, testing your core strength. It can feel like an entire whole-body workout even when you haven’t moved much. You're fighting against gravity, trying unique holds, and the only thing preventing you from falling is your muscle tension and tendon toughness. This is why rock climbing is actively being taught to people who want to lose weight, by their personal trainers. 

Keep your heart rate in zone 4. For those of you that don’t know, zone 4 is when you take away your age from 220 and then minus 20. In this range is where your body burns the most fat, so try one of these workout types and see how you feel. Have fun and be strong!

Let's talk about feet! Fun fact for you: there are 26 bones and over 150 ligaments in an adult human foot. They are amazing. Additionally, a complex network of nerves and strong muscles keep each foot well-positioned to accommodate body weight. Unfortunately, statistics indicate that foot and ankle pain is rife in the UK, with 54.4% of females (of all ages) being the most affected. Thankfully, you can take steps to ensure healthy feet at all times to foster overall wellness. Below in this article are some food suggestions you will find pretty exciting to try out. 

1. Wholegrains

Image Credit

Whole grains are rich in dietary fibre and are excellent food choices for persons focused on losing weight or controlling certain chronic diseases. However, very few people know that this superb fibre food source has a significant impact on their feet health. Whole grains are packed with zinc, manganese, iron, and other relevant trace minerals the human feet require. Manganese helps in the formation of connective tissue, contributes to the proper absorption of calcium and bone health.

A deficiency in this nutrient can result in the breakdown of several connective tissues in the body. It explains why people who seek podiatry services are usually prescribed pills with some manganese content to aid recovery or pain management. Whole wheat, brown rice, millet, and oats are excellent grains to add to your daily meals. Try barley, rye, and quinoa to switch things up a bit when you get tired of the above. 

2. Fruits and vegetables

The primary purpose of consuming fruits and vegetables is to gain their antioxidant properties while benefiting from their host of vitamins. Most fruits have high Vitamin C content, making them excellent for collagen production. Due to the enormous presence of ligaments and tendons in the feet, you can be sure that collagen is essential for that area. Collagen forms the structural makeup of connective tissue in the body, and your feet are no exception. Cherries, blackberries, blueberries (fruits from the berry family), and citrus fruits are typical examples to add to your routine diet.

Additionally, making a conscious decision to increase your vegetable intake has tremendous benefits for your feet as well. Most lower extremity conditions are classified as inflammations of the tissue or bone. Therefore, because of the anti-inflammatory properties of green leafy vegetables, they are healthy for your feet. Moreover, green leafy vegetables lower unhealthy blood cholesterol, preventing you from packing on the kilos, leading to foot and ankle pressure. Lastly, these vegetables reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis, so keep this in mind.

3. Omega-3 fatty acids

Image Credit

Over the years, research has proven that omega-3 fatty acids have a profound impact on joint health. Also, due to their anti-inflammatory properties, these fatty acids coat the surface of tissues and bones to reduce or eliminate tenderness and soreness. Examples of foods with these minerals are chia seeds, brussels sprouts, walnuts, soya, avocado, and most oils derived from seeds. Some fish such as sardines, salmon, cod, and herrings are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Emergency Kit

It's always good to know what should be included in a First Aid Kit for each situation. A well-stocked emergency kit will consist of pain medications, bandages, adhesive tape, gauze pads, antiseptic wipes, and scissors. Suppose any people have any additional medical problems, such as allergies or diabetes. Then, in that case, those items should also be included and remember to take extra doses of the prescriptions just in case.

In addition, you must include proper safety breathing apparatus and other items, such as a Personal Flotation Device (PFD), especially if you will be crossing through any water or entering any caves. You should also consider carrying whistles and flares or smoke signals. Finally, always remember your cell phone! If there are any emergencies, then calling out may mean all the difference between life or death, however quite often, when exploring outdoors, there is no cellphone reception. That is why it is essential to ensure that your emergency kit is fully stocked and easily accessible! My BF always makes me take an extra battery pack too!

Via Pexels

Clothing And Shoes

For a more enjoyable outdoors exploring experience, include clothing items, such as a sweater and raincoat for possible cold, wet weather conditions. Breathable T-shirt and shorts for the warmer hours in the day, ensure that you have sunscreen too! A bathing suit is also recommended so that you can enjoy the freshwater to cool off and bathe after a long, hot day hiking.

Shoes, a decent pair of hiking boots is an absolute must! They should have good traction, be breathable, and should always have good ankle support. The right shoes are essential if you want to have a good time and stay safe on the trail. Hiking boots provide ample support, especially for your ankles, in all types of weather conditions and terrains, helping protect your feet from injury, and prevent blisters as there will be lots of walking involved. Pack some extra socks in, just in case. Specialised hiking socks can help prevent blisters. You should also make sure that your footwear is waterproof or water-resistant since most hikes go through forests which means plenty of wet areas along the way! Buying a high-quality pair of hiking boots with reinforced toe caps will keep them intact for many years while staying comfortable throughout long treks. You can find great second-hand deals too, I got a great deal on Ebay.

Map And Planned Route

Make sure to take a map that shows precisely where the trail leads and what to expect so that you do not get lost. Even though everybody thinks nothing terrible could happen while out exploring nature's wonderland, there still may be times when help is needed from emergency services back home. So make sure to plan your route and that someone knows where you're headed before going off on your adventure. If you will not have cell phone reception and cannot call for help, then ensure that you leave your name, the route you will be taking, and your final destination with the emergency services station or local visitors' centre before going off exploring. All Trails is a great app that you can download the maps of your hikes for free and you may find it also has many different hikes that you didn't know existed really close by!

Via Pexels

Food Items

In addition to an emergency kit, backpack, proper hiking footwear, waterproof clothing and other essentials for your trip into nature, there are a few essential food items you should take along with you. By taking the appropriate snacks on your hike, you can ensure that you will have enough energy to make it through your adventure while also enjoying yourself to the fullest! Here is a list of essential food items that will help keep you healthy and energised:

High Energy Foods - You want foods that provide quick bursts of high energy. These include granola bars, trail mix (with lots of nuts) and dried fruit like raisins and apricots, beef jerky, chocolate and other foods with lots of carbohydrates. Check out these handy vegan whole foods energy balls.

Slow-Release Energy Foods - These foods will provide you with energy for extended periods as they slowly release carbohydrates. These include bread, bagels, pasta, crackers and oats, bars made with whole grains or nuts, bananas and eggs.

It is essential to take plenty of water or even water purification tablets, as water bottles can become pretty heavy when hiking. You could also take along energy drink powders to mix with your water to get the final energy boost you need to get to your rest camp or final destination.

When deciding what types of snacks you want to take along, consider your own personal tastes. Each individual will prefer different things, so make sure you pack a variety of lightweight foods.

Final Thoughts

When going hiking, a few safety measures should always be kept in mind. So research the area you are exploring and where it is located on a map to be aware of your surroundings if anything happens. Camping overnight shouldn't be done unless doing so at an established campsite. When climbing any type of cliff, rock or mountain face, make sure to wear appropriate shoes that give good traction along with gloves that help grip onto rocks while also attaching yourself to a sturdy support beam with a rope. Another essential tip would be to keep food out of reach and stored away in zip-lock bags because the last thing you want is to encounter a wild animal. They will eat anything, including human food, which could attract them to your location.

While this is a lot of information to process and makes hiking trips seem like a daunting task, it is good to keep in mind that accidents don't happen very often, and if they do, there are usually other hikers around who can help you out. Going on a hike in nature is a fantastic experience and definitely one activity that should be added to your bucket list!

Have loads of fun! 

Jenna

There has been an increase in the number of people around the world who would typically eat meat as part of their daily diet who have started to consider a plant-based way of eating. 

There could be a number of reasons that they choose to do so, and those include the fact that eating fewer animal products is better for our health and the environment in which we live. 

In spite of its challenges, there are many benefits of going vegan.

Here are some of the reasons that more and more people are choosing a plant-based lifestyle. 

Pexels-CC0 licence

What Is a Vegan Diet? 

Veganism is primarily a diet that completely restricts the consumption of any food products that contain animal products. So that means no meat, fish, dairy, or eggs. Some vegans will eat honey, but others will argue that honey is an animal product. Many vegans will not wear clothes that come from animals such as silk, wool or leather and not buy down-filled pillows or duvets due to the cruelty animals suffer as part of the production of these materials.

Another aspect of veganism is to be mindful of the cosmetics they use, being mindful of using only products that are made from plants and that are not tested on animals. Thankfully, this is made easier when products are clearly marked as vegan, indicating that they were tested on humans instead of animals, as well as ensuring that no animal products or byproducts were included in their recipes. 

Vegan Diets and Their Health Benefits 

Vegan diets focus primarily on plants such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, pulses, and legumes. With a diet rich in these products, its clear to see that the health benefits are plentiful. 

Most of these foods are full of fiber, essential nutrients and antioxidants which are extremely beneficial to the body. The lack of animal products means a decreased amount of saturated and trans fats, which in itself helps to reduce the risk of health problems usually associated with diets rich in animal products such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. 

Additionally, we’re most likely to discover that we’re lactose intolerant in our teenage years. Reducing or even eliminating the amount of dairy you consume will also help you to manage the symptoms without you having to drastically change your diet. 

Some may be concerned about a lack of protein from eliminating animal proteins from their diets, but there are plenty of delicious plant based sources of protein such as peas, beans, nuts and quinoa that are simple to include in your meals.  

Veganism and The Environment 

It’s a well-known fact that many people choose to adopt a vegan lifestyle due to its promotion of environmental sustainability. Diets that include meats and animal products are well-known for using more natural resources to produce food. Plant-based diets require only the land that the produce grows on. 

Whereas animals reared for meat use lots of the earth’s resources from water consumption, their food, and the production of harmful methane gases. The idea of breeding animals for meat, dairy and egg products is one that sits uncomfortably for some when they consider the pain and discomfort that they have to go through to be served as food. 

Vegan Diets are Easier Than Ever 

When you look back to several years ago, vegans who ate vegan food for animal welfare reasons rather than just the health impact were severely limited to what they could eat. Recipes that created good food would take a while to recreate, and on the whole, some of these niche ingredients were hard to come by. 

However, with supply and demand, more people switching over to a vegan lifestyle meant that food companies had to do what they could to meet the demand of people wishing to make the transition. More and more vegan foods have made their way onto grocery store shelves making it easier than ever to make the switch. 

Most products that contain meat, dairy, or eggs can now be made with alternative plant-based ingredients that don’t taste too dissimilar to those that do. 

There are many reasons that people have become more compelled to follow a vegan diet. For some people, it's so they can maintain a longer, healthier lifestyle. For others, it’s about making a difference to end animal cruelty, or for others it's for a mixture of the above reasons. Whatever the reason, there are clear benefits to going vegan that will positively impact generations to come. Whether you switch to 100% vegan or even make one small change per week, every little action counts towards the ending of animal suffering, the improvement of your health and the reduction of environmental impact.

Lots of love

Jenna

Image - free for commercial use

You’re Just Getting Started With A Workout Routine

If you’re new to working out or are coming back to exercise after a long break, a personal trainer can help you to learn the basics. If you’ve never worked out before, it can be overwhelming going into the gym or an exercise class. A professional coach can teach proper form and technique. A local Personal Trainer can make sure you have the foundations correct to make it more likely you’ll reach your fitness goals. 

When you start working with a personal trainer, they usually begin with a fitness assessment. This tells them where you need to improve on and what your strengths and weaknesses are. You should also discuss your goals. You could work with a trainer for a short period to get started or keep working with them if you need more support or accountability. 

You’ve Been Injured, Had Surgery, Or Given Birth

If you have been active, but have had to take a break to recover from illness, injury, or a life event like a pregnancy, you might need some support to get you back into exercising again.  

When you return to exercise after a break, it can feel as though you’re starting from scratch. For example, if you’ve had surgery on one of your knees, you will need to get back to working out without risking injuring your knee again. If you work with the right trainer, they will have the knowledge to help you balance your workouts to address this, so you can avoid further injury, strengthen other areas to support your knee, and get back to full fitness. They can also give advice on what you should and shouldn’t do to be safe. 

There are personal trainers out there who specialise in certain areas, such as pre and post-natal, so you can find someone to help you who understands what you need. 

You Need Accountability

If you struggle with accountability for your workouts, paying someone by the hour who will still charge you if you don’t show up can be a very effective way of making you stick to your commitment. Sometimes you need that extra bit of accountability to force you to go to the gym. A personal trainer can be very helpful for this. 

A trainer will coach you through the workout itself, but should also help to motivate you when you have times that you feel discouraged or have any other worries about your routine. If you can’t afford to work with a trainer, or can only afford a few sessions, you can get a similar sense of accountability by agreeing to work out with a friend. I had just one session with a personal trainer and it gave me so much direction and a personalised plan which really motivated me because I had faith that the exercise he had chosen for me were definitely going to get me to reach my goal - and they did!

Lots of love

Jenna