It's Time to Stop Neglecting Your Ears

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Hi lovelies,

For the majority of us, health and wellbeing is key. Sure, there are countless areas of your life you can focus on - from your career to your family, relationships, hobbies and much more - but at the end of the day, without your health and wellbeing, you won’t be able to achieve everything you want to or lead as simple and straightforward an existence as possible. Now, there are basic factors of health and wellbeing that we’re all more than familiar with. We know that we should be eating healthy balanced diets. We know that we should be exercising for roughly one hundred and fifty minutes a week (make that seventy five minutes a week if the exercise is vigorous). But that isn’t where your efforts should end. You need to focus on all parts of your body to ensure that you’re as well as can be. One body part and sensory organ you really should be taking care of is your ears and sense of hearing. Here’s a little more on the subject to help you achieve this!

Visit a Specialist
Let’s start out by letting you know where you should go if you are concerned about your hearing or experience any changes to your hearing at all. An audiologist is a specialist who can help you with absolutely anything to do with your hearing. They will be able to diagnose any issues, recommend treatment or therapy that could help, or recommend hearing aids or other auditory equipment that can minimise symptoms or resolve problems. When you visit, they will likely take you through a hearing test process and advise you as an individual from that point on. Their recommendations will depend entirely on your individual circumstances and conditions.

Turn the Volume Down
All too many people nowadays listen to things way too loud. This could be music through your earphones. It could be having the TV turned up too loud. It could be having headphones on with excessively high volume for video calls working from home or socialising throughout the pandemic. When things start to get back to normal and lockdowns end, it could be heading to bars, clubs or music events with excessively loud volumes. Wherever possible, try to turn your music down to a reasonable volume. If you are in a loud environment, you can also try wearing earplugs, which could help.

Avoid Using Cotton Buds
We all want to keep clean, but you should avoid using cotton buds to clean your ears by removing earwax. Really, you should be avoiding putting anything in your ear. Use of cotton buds can be invasive and, if used incorrectly (which is pretty easy), you could cause damage to your ears themselves. At the end of the day, ear wax is one of our body’s natural systems for cleaning our ears ourselves. Generally, you can simply leave your ears alone. If you find that you have an excessive buildup of earwax, you should visit your doctor, who will be able to advise you further.

As you can see, caring for your ears is simple. So, try out some of the steps above and get off to the best start with ear care possible!

Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy, So It's Past Time To Install Your Own Security System

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Hi lovelies,

We’ve all heard that comparison is the thief of joy but, let’s get real - with social media platforms like Instagram, especially, it’s too easy to fall into the trap of comparative scrolling for hours every day. 

Akin to opening the door and letting thieves take what they will, this negative habit can let comparison right into your life to steal every shred of joy. The good (and kind of bad) news is that nothing you see on Instagram is as it seems. With that in mind, comparison here is quite literally an impossible goal. You’re never going to look as good as those women because those women don’t even look like that!

With that in mind, it’s time to take unrealistic comparisons out of the equation and work out what it is that you want. After all, there’s nothing wrong with toning down or even seeking procedures like submental liposuction if they’ll help you to love yourself. But, there’s no guarantee of that if you’re aiming to achieve the same as an airbrushed Insta image. 

With that in mind, we’ve got a few suggestions on how you can secure against comparison to find true personal joy at last. 

Redirect your social focus
We aren’t going to tell you to get off social media because, these days, that’s just not realistic. That said, the way you’re using it right now most definitely isn’t working, so some change is still necessary. 

Rather than deleting your accounts, simply think about redirecting your focus. After all, there are some amazing photographs on Instagram of travel, nature, and a whole lot besides. Fill your feed with these instead of fake, edited faces that make you feel bad. 

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Assess your insecurities
Those pictures might bring up some feelings, but comparison is a sure sign that you’ve harboring insecurities. After all, if you weren’t feeling unsure about yourself, you’d be able to admire beautiful pictures without thinking twice.

Because you can’t do that, it’s time to ask yourself what’s really going on. Are there changes you could make to help yourself feel happier? Do you simply need to practice a little self-love or, as touched on above, would you benefit from more extreme action? While many such changes get a bad rep, they’re well worth your time if they help you to love yourself/stop comparing at last. 

Spend a little time on your own page
Most of us are very good at spending hours on other people’s social media feeds without once looking at our own. Change that by spending a little time on your page today. Try to look at those pictures as though you aren’t in them, and you may be surprised by what comes up. The chances are that your snaps, too, make it look like your skin is always radiant and your hair is just so. By acknowledging that, you can teach yourself a valuable lesson about what our social pictures look like vs reality. And, that alone could stop you from comparing yourself quite so much.

Can 'Retail Therapy' Ever Work As Self-Care?

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Hi lovelies,

We’ve all been there. Sometimes, it can feel that the best way to pick up our mood is to purchase something new, perhaps new clothes, perhaps some new decors for our home, or perhaps, in more normal times, a nice evening out in a beautiful restaurant. There’s nothing particularly wrong with this, of course. However, if this becomes our de-facto method of trying to lift our mood, retail therapy becomes less ‘therapy’ and more ‘obsession,’ and that can mean even larger purchases feel less and less satisfying, not to mention the general effect from failing to manage your financial affairs responsibly.

So - like any form of care, obsessive retail therapy can often become damaging, with perhaps more noticeable consequences than most.

But does it have any merit? After all, purchasing a bath bomb to enjoy a beautiful nighttime bath with beautiful scents and bubbles costs money, but it’s hard to argue that feeling pampered and relaxed can’t help you beat stress from time to time. So - if it works as self-care, what principles can we use to make the most of it? Let’s consider:

Earning Your Treat
Earning whatever treat or purchase you have your eye on can be a nice middle ground. Perhaps you’d love to check out SofaDreams unique sectionals for your refurnished living space, but you know that you won’t be able to spend much time sitting on one given how thick your work schedule has been. That’s fine. Perhaps in a month you can make that purchase knowing that the latest creative project has been delivered on, and that you really outdid yourself. In this way, you moderate your retail therapy, and it’s used as a celebration and motivator to help you become your best self. That’s a great way of keeping your spending in check.

Long-Lasting, Wise Purchases
Furthermore, the wish to indulge in retail therapy from time to time doesn’t preclude the need to know what you’re purchasing and to spend on high-quality, long-lasting, well crafted and defined items. If you can achieve that, then you’re much more likely to not only make the most of ‘retail therapy,’ but you’ll be better off for it. This might involve looking for designer clothing brands on apps like Depop, sourcing a great deal from time to time. It could mean investing in a more expensive pair of shoes that you know will last and that can be repaired, rather than a simple and impulsive purchase of a cheaper item. In other words, if you’re discerning, retail therapy moderates itself.

Investments You Can Share
It can be nice to invest in an experience you can share from time to time. That way, the ‘retail therapy’ is something your entire family or friendship group can enjoy. Perhaps you might simply purchase a nice coffee for a friend from time to time. Maybe a weekend away can be a great means of spending more time with your family despite your intense job. Outfitting your family home with little comforts can help everyone feel a little more comfortable. In this way, you maximize the enjoyment of retail therapy, and it feels a little less personally indulgent to do so.

With this advice, we hope you can not only make the best use of retail therapy when it’s warranted, but to do so sensibly and with moderation.

Finding Ways To Make Your Workouts More Fun

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Hi lovelies,

It’s no secret that working out and exercise are often on people’s list of things they hate. Spending hours each week exerting yourself can often feel like pointless punishment, with many people struggling to see the results of their work with each session. Of course, though, you need exercise to be able to achieve your body goals, and this makes it well worth finding ways to make the whole process more fun. To help you out with this, this article will be exploring some of the best ways to make exercise more entertaining, giving you the chance to embrace this side of life without feeling bad about it.

Find New Workouts
Finding new workouts to perform is one of the best ways to spice your exercise up. While you will have to work very hard when learning something new, this can refresh the way you look at working out, making it much easier to drag yourself to the gym each day. Of course, though, you have to be able to find new workouts to make this possible. Thankfully, there are loads of options available to those who are willing to put a little bit of work into their exercise.

• Online Guides: Online guides can be an incredible source of information when you’re learning about something like exercise. There are countless fitness blogs out there, and many of them are written by experts working extremely hard to help others with their fitness. As time goes on, you will quickly figure out which places work best for you.

• Gym Classes: Next, it’s time to think about gym classes. This sort of activity involves working with a group to try a different type of exercise, with options like yoga and cycling being very popular across the world. It’s well worth checking out this awesome guide to Xtend Barre if you’re looking for something that will push you to the limit.

• Social Media: Alongside online guides, social media can also be an excellent place to find new information about exercise. Loads of users cover their daily workouts, giving you practically unlimited inspiration in one place. Some people choose to make new accounts when they are approaching this sort of option.

Already A Game
This next option will be a go-to for some, though many people ignore sports when they are considering exercise as they are worried that it won’t be fun. In reality, sports can be one of the most exciting ways to improve your body, with countless different games available, and most cities and towns having groups of people who are already willing to play. You just need to find a sport that appeals to you to make this work.

Looking for sports teams in your area couldn’t be easier. Websites like Facebook are home to loads of groups for activities like this, and this should make it nice and simple for you to find what’s being played and where. Football, tennis, and hockey are all great examples of this, with each of these games putting its players through their paces. Of course, though, you may need to shop around to find a game that is perfect for you.

Getting Friends Involved
Getting your friends involved is one of the best ways to improve the experience you have when you are exercising. Not only will you enjoy spending the time with people like this, but it will also give you a joint sense of responsibility when it comes to keeping fit. Many people simply talk to their closest about their exercise, but you can take this much further, working hard to actually get people involved with this part of life.

Working out together is one way to approach this, but you can also look for other ways to get your friends involved with fitness. Going out for long walks, wild swimming, and camping are all really fun, but they can also give you some good exercise in the process. This is perfect for those you care about who don’t like to exercise but will still enjoy spending time with you and their other friends when you give them the chance.

Track & Assess
Exercise will usually become boring when you are only focusing on it as a daily mission. This approach can make it hard to see the results, as you won’t be able to see a long list of what you’ve achieved. There are loads of ways to make it easier to track your fitness, but you need to make sure that you’re recording the right data.

The data you record for your exercise should be based almost entirely around your goals. For example, if you are looking to increase your fitness, you could use the distance you’ve managed to run or cycle as your baseline. With each day that passes, you will be able to see if you’ve gone further, and this idea can be applied to just about any type of goal. You can find some good resources below that will help you to track your fitness.

• Spreadsheets: People have been taking this approach to fitness for a long time, and spreadsheets have long been one of the best ways to track your progress. You can use tools like Google Sheets for free to manage this, making it nice and easy to get started and test this option without committing to it.

• Smartphone Apps: Your smartphone is an incredibly powerful tool that can be used for a very wide range of different tasks. There are loads of fitness apps on the market, making it nice and easy to find one that will work for you without costing a small fortune. Getting your friends involved with this can be a good way to share your progress with others.

Online Communities
Online communities have sprung to life across the web in recent years. While this has always been a strong trend, there have never been quite so many fitness enthusiasts posting information online. Getting involved with communities like this can be a great way to make your fitness more fun, providing you with loads of ways to share and help others, along with giving you access to the help you need.

Websites like Reddit can be perfect for this, with free accounts and the ability to post right away on many boards. You can look for boards that are specific to the workouts you’d like to perform or search for something more general to get an insight into wider fitness. As time goes on, you will find more and more communities that suit your needs, making it much easier to make your fitness fun.

Why Make Fitness Fun?
People often view keeping fit as being as important as their job. While this is true, it doesn’t mean that you have to take the same professional attitude to work out, and it can actually help if you let your hair down a little bit. There are loads of reasons to make fitness fun, but you can find some of the most crucial below to give you a good head start.

• Motivation: Motivation is crucial when you are trying to improve your fitness. Some people find it easier to keep motivated than others do but making your exercises more fun will certainly improve this for you, giving you far more reasons to put your kit on and get out into the world.

• Distraction: Exercise can be painful, uncomfortable, and often not very dignified, and this makes it well worth finding ways to distract yourself. If you’re having too much fun to think about the negative aspects of exercise, you will quickly find yourself ignoring them more and more with each workout.

• Variety: Your body is complex, requiring a wide range of different exercises to be as healthy as possible. Making your fitness more fun will often have the side-effect of increasing the variety you enjoy, making it easier to give each and every part of your body the workout it needs.

• Enjoyment: You should never have to justify making an effort to enjoy yourself. Making your fitness fun is something that everyone should aim for, giving you the chance to spend more of your life doing things that you like, while also improving the amount of effort that you can put into it.

Exercise is an essential part of life, with your body requiring workouts to keep you in top shape. Of course, though, this can be very hard when you don’t enjoy the exercise you’re doing, with many people looking for nay excuse to avoid hitting the gym. Taking this element out of your workouts will make it much easier to achieve your goals, giving you the chance to move further than ever before with your workouts.

5 Ways To Enjoy The Skin You’re In Right Now

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Hi lovelies.

In this life, we really must do what we can to love ourselves. Too many people take a negative approach and always look for flaws. While the idea of improving one’s self is noble, constantly finding bad things isn’t healthy and shouldn’t be something you do each day. We get around eighty years on this planet (if we’re lucky), so we need to make sure we enjoy everything around us. We also need to make sure that we love ourselves as much as we can. There is literally no point in not being head-over-heels in love with ourselves. A lot of people look back on their lives and wish they treated themselves better – don’t be one of those people with regrets. 

It’s so easy to look down on yourself and be negative due to circumstances that may surround you or due to the opinions of others. Fortunately, enjoying the skin you’re in - and making sure you see yourself as the beautiful, smart, funny person you are – isn’t all that hard. It’s just a case of training your brain and doing a few things for yourself. Here are just a few ideas: 

Take Good Care Of Mind And Body
Look after your body and mind by eating the right stuff and exercising regularly. While sitting around and having junk-fuelled days are important, too, it’s great to get into the right routine. Drink lots of water and keep your energy if because low energy will affect your mental state, too. 

Spoil Yourself With Some Nice Outfits 
What you have right now will be lovely and attractive, but there’s nothing wrong with adding even more variety into the mix! Remember who you are – you’re a gorgeous human being that will attract all kinds of eyes. If you want to buy some sexy lingerie and feel like the hottest thing on the planet, then you go right ahead!

Don’t Ever Compare To Others On A Deep Level  
When you’re an intelligent person with lots of ideas living a thoughtful life, it can be very easy to see others and compare. You might analyze your life and consider what you need to be as great as them. Don’t do this – comparing yourself to others will always make you feel inferior somehow. Even if your life is objectively better, it can be easy to overthink and put yourself down. 

Always Look To Improve Your Life 
You’re not someone that NEEDS to be improved on all the time as you’re doing great right now. As humans, we owe it to ourselves to grow every single day, though. If you’re not looking to improve, then you’re doing yourself a disservice. If you see yourself as a more accomplished version of your former self, then you’ll feel so much more confident in yourself over time. 

Be More Positive Regarding Yourself 
Always big yourself up. With constant positive affirmations, you’ll train your brain into feeling like you’re the best possible person you can be. You often attract what you think, so think only positive things and self-promotion. If you see yourself as the prize in life, then you’ll be the prize. 

3 Blocks That Are Stopping You Reaching Your Full Potential: Revealed

Hi lovelies,

There is a lot of information out there telling you that you can live the life that you want to lead. That you can manifest your dreams, that you can be happy, wealthy, a success, or whatever it is you strive to be in life. However, many people believe it, but find that they can’t manifest their true intentions because there are things in the way. You are blocked. As it is the new year, it is time to start thinking about what is blocking you from living the life that you want to lead. Here are three options to explore for yourself.    

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Physical blocks
This type of block is possibly one of the most obvious things that you can face. A physical block is there, for all to see, or for you to specifically witness and feel. You may want to be more active throughout the day, but physically you just can’t do it. You may want to strive for a better working life, but physically you are too distracted or other factors like your eyes are stopping you. When it comes to physical blocks you need to take action. Take the time to figure out what is holding you back. If it is your health, like headaches, not being fit or healthy, or your eyes are sore things like looking into how to cure dry eyes permanently could help. By being proactive with your physical blocks, you will soon find that after time they no longer block your way and you are already on the path to leading the life that you want to live. 

Mental blocks
Mental blocks are a little harder to overcome. Your thoughts become things, and so with things lie the law of attraction, your mental health and how you think is vitally important. However, if you are mentally negative, then this is a big blockage that you need to resolve. Your thoughts, how you think and even your outlook on life will have all developed by a habit of negativity. So you need to break that habit and develop new ones with a more positive approach to life. It could start with gratitude and feeling thankful for what is going well in your life. You could challenge your thoughts and make it your mission to turn a negative thought into something positive. It may feel forced at first, but like anything after a little time new habits will develop. Creating a more positive outlook on life can help you smash through any mental blocks you have with any aspect of your life, and to help you live the life you want to live. 

Reality checks
Finally, reality checks could be your biggest issue. You may want to start your own business, but the reality check you give yourself may tell you that you can’t do it, you don’t have enough money behind you, or you can’t leave your job. It might be that you want to start a family, travel more, create a blog, share your life on social media, but the reality check will be that you can’t do it, you are not interesting enough or you don’t have enough to say. Reality checks can be another from of metal blocks, but they try and bring you down to earth with a thud when in some cases it isn’t necessary. Sometimes you have to take risks. Sometimes you have to try. Often analysing the pros and cons of a situation and just going for it will have you overcoming the reality checks. They are good to ensure that you are informed, but they are not always the right option to take. 

Let’s hope highlighting these blocks help you finally love the life you want to lead. 

Feeling Out of Focus? Reasons You’re Feeling Lonely

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Hi lovelies,

It’s safe to say that everyone is feeling overwhelmed right now. And because of the various quarantine rules, some of us can feel isolated. But isolation is one of those things that we all can feel. You can call it loneliness, or withdrawing from life, the fact is that more people now are feeling lonely than ever. But it's important to note that there is nothing wrong with being alone, but overcoming loneliness is important. If it is left unchecked, it could result in anxiety or addictions. Therefore, it might be worth noting some of these surprising reasons why you cannot stop feeling lonely or isolated.

You Have a Hearing Problem
Experiencing hearing loss, especially at a younger age, can result in us feeling withdrawn. We may not want to admit that we are experiencing some form of hearing loss. Even those that experience hearing loss into their 60s or 70s find themselves withdrawing socially because of the frustrations associated with trying to communicate. Luckily, no matter the issue, there is hearing loss treatment in the form of hearing aids that can help people communicate and socialize better, which will result in them feeling happier. If you feel frustrated when you are trying to hear someone speak to you in a crowded setting, it may be worth checking your hearing.

Fear of Intimacy
Sometimes the person that is outgoing is the one who is hiding a deep fear of rejection. Those people feel lonely, despite the crowds they associate with. If you are someone who is struggling with intimacy, or you have a deep fear of rejection, which results in you stopping people from getting too close, you need to take the risk of allowing someone to see who you are. But you also need to be brave enough to seek the relationships in life that you actually want.

You Don't Know Yourself
You may think that you spend so much time with yourself, that you understand who you are. But if you've never taken the opportunities to learn what makes you happy, you can find yourself surrounded by people that you are not connected with. You could have a very successful life but still feel lonely. In this respect, undertaking some self-development can benefit. There are plenty of self-help books out there, which can point you in the right direction. They won't tell you who you are, but they will guide you towards asking the right questions.

You Are Feeling Depressed
Depression makes anybody feel irrelevant or useless. If you cannot connect with others, or you feel that you aren't worthy, you can feel depressed. It's also important to note that feeling alone, in combination with tiredness, can be a sign of depression. But feeling lonely doesn't have to be a bad thing. It may very well be that you're just not surrounded by the right people in your life. But also, depression can simply arise from a chemical imbalance. As a priority, you should contact a doctor to get yourself checked out.

3 Sure Fire Ways To Make Yourself Feel Good

Hi lovelies,

If you are keen to enjoy a more positive existence, you need to work on yourself before anything else. Finding a sense of self esteem can be challenging especially when the world is feeling so uncertain. You might be worried about your job prospects, your health, and the well being of your nearest and dearest. However, you also need to think about your own mental health and emotions. Even though the world is struggling with a global pandemic, you don’t have to allow yourself to be bombarded with Covid stats on an hourly basis. Instead, focus on making yourself feel good by following this simple guide.

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Treat Yourself
Just because the world is low doesn’t mean you have to let the sense of foreboding rule your life. Give yourself some time to relax and feel pampered. When coronavirus restrictions allow, head to the salon and enjoy getting a cut and blowdry. Alternatively, head to your favorite department store and purchase some new mascara, lipstick and foundation. Look at the cosmetics industry and focus on those smaller more niche brands that may need your economic support in uncertain times. Many of these brands are now opting for ethical and environmentally friendly practices to create on trend cosmetics. By treating yourself, you can still wear your makeup and get dressed up when at home. Just because you might have to stay within your four walls a little more doesn’t mean that you have to be in your scruffs all day.

Social Media Detox
Being indoors all day, every day and working from home can mean that your life becomes a little monotonous. This means that you can begin to feel anxious. When your mood is low, you may reach for your smartphone to scroll mindlessly through Instagram to take your mind off things. However, Instagram is one of the worst social media platforms for sapping your self confidence. Unrealistic filtered images can portray a sense of perfection that is unattainable. If you can’t look like one of these skinny models, you may reach for the chips, dips and candy. This can begin a vicious circle where you eat junk food, put on weight, feel bad about yourself and then head online. A social media detox is the only way to rectify this to start feeling good about yourself again. 

Delete the Facebook, Instagram and Twitter apps and do more tangible real-life things to fill your time. Read a book, enjoy hot baths with some chilled out tunes an adventure outdoors for some long walks soaking up the sun’s rays. You will soon feel better about yourself.

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Do Something New
To break the monotony of Covid-19 restrictions, think about doing something new with your time. This can break up your week and give you something to look forward to. Think about learning a new language, developing your cake baking skills, or enrolling on a course to learn the piano. There are many different activities that you can partake in to enjoy your days a little more. You may find that your social circle expands and you become more confident.

Follow this guide and you can make yourself feel good in three simple steps.

Feeling Overwhelmed? These Tips Can Clear Your Head

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Hi lovelies,

If you’re overworked or have a lot going on at the same time it can be quite easy to become overwhelmed. This is especially the case if you’re busy in multiple areas of your life, such as study, work, family, etc. People have different points where they become overwhelmed. Humans are unique, some worry about their weight while others will focus on work or health. It’s why tips to help may work for some and not others. They can at least give you something to think about and help adjust your perspective. 

Try To Relax
It’s easier said than done. Especially if you’re a workaholic. But focusing on your downtime can be really important. The problem is, if your downtime isn’t engaging enough it won’t help you relax enough and you’ll go right back to worrying and feel overwhelmed again. Try finding alternatives to cable tv, or maybe mix up your exercise routine a little. The trick is in doing something you enjoy, but that’s a little different too. It’s because doing something different will occupy your mind and hopefully stop you from worrying once again because you won’t have the time to focus on it. It might be that you carve out some time each week, where you always do something that helps you relax.

Focus On Energy
The energy you have is extremely important. Moreso if you’re self employed. The energy you have can literally dictate your income. If you have low energy you won’t want to do anything. It’s why you need to focus on energy as best you can and make sure you have enough to do what you want. Increasing your energy can be pretty simple. For a start you need to assess your diet as best possible. More fruit and vegetables can really improve the amount of energy you have. Try to focus on getting a better night’s sleep too and falling into a good routine. Consider cutting out the cigarettes and dropping back on the alcohol. Some may be easier than others but they’ll all help you out.

Put Effort Into Something Different
Sometimes when you’re feeling overwhelmed it helps to just turn away and start putting effort into something completely different. Perhaps it's into something you’ve been thinking about for a long time, like making money from your creativity. Perhaps you have an idea for a business venture or you want to set up a blog. Simply going through the process of placing your time and energy into something which doesn’t overwhelm you might leave you feeling a lot better. That doesn’t mean you have to ignore that side of your life but it might give you the headspace and clarity that you need. It might be a new hobby, or a commitment to spend more time with friends and family. Socialising is important, whether face to face or digitally over facetime.. Everyone is different so you may need to experiment before finding that one thing which leaves you with a peace of mind time after time.

That's The Spirit! 4 Ways To Get In Touch With Your Spiritual Side

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Hi lovelies,

Your spiritual side might not be something you are acquainted with. After all, it’s not a feature of life that’s mentioned often, and when it is, people can look at you funny, as if you’ve joined a cult. The truth is, it’s hard to indulge in self-care without considering the spiritual aspects of the world and how they impact your life.

The impacts are all around you, yet you can’t see them because you don’t know what you’re looking for. It’s essential to get in touch with your spirit to learn more, but you might not know where to start. Continue reading for more information.

Go For A Walk
The world is full of natural beauty, and it’s this kind that will make you feel more spiritual. It’s hard to look at an incredible view and not experience the power of its pull. It’s almost as if it’s calling your name. Of course, you need to get out into the world to get into the correct positions. There are tons of options, but walking is the most accessible, and the smartest. For one thing, it’s less intense and more likely to encourage you to do it regularly. Secondly, when you reach a place of natural beauty, such as a summit of a hill, you’ll take time to soak it in rather than letting it wash over you.

Meditate With Crystals
Meditation won’t be enough if you struggle to keep your mind focused. Although clearing your brain is a powerful process, it’s one that takes years to master. Therefore, a little bit of guidance is essential, and healing crystals will give you the push you require as holding them allows you to imagine the energy flowing from one place to another. Plus, they are easy to buy, as Crystals and Stones highlights. You can start with them and move onto traditional meditation, yet it’s always wise to use an object to channel your thoughts and emotions at first.

Listen To Your Gut
Making a gut decision is something that people do daily, according to Inc. However, it isn’t scientific. Something inside you tells you that it’s the right move, so you take a risk. That’s as spiritual as it gets, and it happens regularly. Therefore, rather than contemplating the facts and figures and overanalyzing everything, you can let your stomach take over. If it feels right, you should go with the flow and understand there is an unknown element pushing you forward.

And Own It
However, you shouldn’t listen to your gut instinct and make excuses when things go wrong. This is a surefire way to link your spiritual side with negative connotations. Instead, you must own your mistakes and learn from them without harming your natural instincts. Otherwise, you’ll never be able to trust yourself again. Remember that you can listen on a spiritual level, yet only you are accountable, no one else. It’s amazing how much of an impact this has on self-care.

Self-care isn’t selfish, so you should do what you have to do to remain on an even keel, including getting spiritual.

Worrying About Aging? Here Are 4 Things To Consider

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Hi lovelies,

Many people feel that getting older is a big hard dose of reality. Getting older seems to throw up more worries than anything. And when it comes to looking after yourself, you have to learn the importance of throwing worries away. Partly, it's to do with learning how to relax, but it's also about understanding what the more common issues are with aging. So, what are these and what can you do to stop worrying about them?

Worrying About Deteriorating Senses
One of the most common aspects of getting older is deteriorating eyesight or hearing. And with these comes a feeling of helplessness, that we cannot get anything back. But this is where professional help will always give you essential support. When it comes to deteriorating hearing, you can find the right hearing specialist to give you the support you need. And when we feel that our hearing or eyesight is deteriorating to the point of no return, this is when we have to seek help. Many people feel that getting older means a feeling of helplessness, that you end up being locked in your own little world, but this is where professional help is there for you.

Do You Feel You’ve Missed Out on So Much?
Getting older can come with many regrets. And if you believe you've missed out on a lot of things in life, what can you do about it? In one respect, we can say that there is no point in worrying about it anymore but also it is worth asking, what can we do about it? You may think that you are too old for doing something but it's all in the mind! If you think that you have missed the boat on something in life, you can either do what you can to reclaim it or you can let it go. Those are your two options. If you feel like you've missed out on so many things in life, but now you are over the hill, what does this say about your attitude to life? The fact is that now is the perfect opportunity to not have regrets and do the things in life that will make you happy, so you won't miss out on anything again.

Getting Older Is a Privilege
Getting older is not a bad thing. Getting older is getting wiser and learning to not sweat the small stuff. And as we become more learned in life, this can offset the balance in terms of the anxieties about how we look. Some people cannot get over their first grey hair or the wrinkle that has shown up. But these are facts of life. Getting older and having that wrinkle is like a badge of honor. It sounds very silly, but when you start to think about the grey hair you've got or the wrinkles around your eyes, rather than doing what you can to try and conceal them, think of these as signs that you've lived and experienced life. 

Looking After Yourself
It is obvious most important that, as you get older, you look after yourself more. Whether this is incorporating a self-care regime or it is about making sure that you take a day away from work to truly look after yourself, it is important to remember that if you have anxieties about things in life that taking the opportunity to step away from a situation can help you to recharge your batteries and regain your perspective. Looking after yourself as you get old is something that comes into the spotlight more. It's not just about your physical health, but it's about making sure that you are mentally agile. While many people believe they're getting older is about deterioration, this is not the case, just as long as you got the right practices in place. When it comes to something like your memory, you may think that getting older will have a negative impact on it. But this doesn't have to be the case, just as long as you put in the work. You could learn a new language, or do something that actually stimulates your brain and interests you.

Worrying is pointless in so many ways. When we are overwhelmed by the prospect of aging, it's better for us to remember that getting older is something that we cannot fight. Worries are only going to make us feel older than we actually are. And in this respect, there is nothing we can do about it, so why should we fight the tide? 

Veggie Recipes To Try This January

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Hi lovelies,

In January we all want to try and make some positive changes to our diet and be able to live a healthier lifestyle. 

After Christmas a lot of us will be feeling a little bloated and in need of a detox, and eating more vegetables is a great way to bring your body back to health and refresh you for a new year. 

From going on a juice cleanse with www.goodnature.com to hiding vegetables in your favourite meals there are a lot of ways to be more healthy this January. 

Today we are going to take a look at some veggie dishes you can try during January that will detox the body and allow you to feel healthier and more lean in the new year. 

Roasted vegetable lasagna 

The first of the recipes we want to share with you is a classic and it will act as a comfort food as well as one which is packed with veggies for your health. 

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash 

• 1 zucchini 

• 1 sweet potato

• 1 red pepper 

• 1 can chopped tomatoes 

• 1 white onion 

• 2 tbsp mixed herbs 

• 2 tbsp tomato purée 

• Lasagna sheets (how many you need will vary)

• 1 tbsp flour 

• 1 tbsp butter 

• ½ pint milk 

• ½ cup cheddar 

• 1 cup mozzarella 

• 1 cup Parmesan 

1. Chop up all of the vegetables and roast in the oven at 220C for 50 minutes. Transfer to a saucepan. 

2. Add herbs, tomato puree, and chopped tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. 

3. Preheat the oven to 200C. 

4. Meanwhile, melt butter in a pan. Add flour and stir into a paste. Cook for 1 minute. 

5. Slowly start adding milk, bit by bit while stirring to allow the flour to dissolve. Eventually you’ll end up with a thick white sauce. Add cheddar. 

6. Assembly: in a greased lasagna dish- add a thin layer of your vegetable mixture. Add lasagna sheets, then white sauce, then a small sprinkling of mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat. Once you reach the second or third layer - cover with mozzarella and Parmesan and cover with foil. 

7. Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and grill for 5 minutes.

8. Serve with a simple side salad! 

Sweet potato curry 
Sweet potatoes are full of protein and healthy carbs, and are a great alternative to regular potatoes. This veggie curry is yummy and perfect to serve with homemade naan bread.

Ingredients: 

• 2 large sweet potatoes 

• 1 can chickpeas

• ½ cup lentils 

• ½ can coconut milk 

• 1 can chopped tomatoes 

• 2 tbsp garam masala 

• 1 tsp paprika 

• 1 tsp cumin 

• 1 tbsp medium curry powder 

• 1 tbsp ginger paste 

• 1 white onion 

• 1 red chilli 

• 1 clove garlic 

• 100g spinach 

1. Chop your sweet potato and roast for 20 minutes at 200C. 

2. Rinse lentils and boil for 8 minutes. 

3. Chop the onion and add to a pan with oil, sweat for 5 minutes. 

4. Add chopped garlic, ginger paste, and a chopped chilli and cook for a few minutes. 

5. Add drained chickpeas and allow to fry for a minute or two. Add spices and a splash of water and cook until fragrant. 

6. Add the rest of your ingredients apart from spinach and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes covered. 

7. Add the spinach just before serving with naan bread and rice! 

3 Signs You Are Overly Stressed And What You Can Do About It

Hi lovelies,

Are you struggling with high levels of stress? A lot of people assume and act like stress is just a natural part of life. While there will always be some stress in your life, it’s important that you don’t feel completely overwhelmed. To ensure this isn’t the case, you need to be able to recognize the key signs that you are stressed and then focus on what you can do about it. 

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You’re Not Sleeping 
One of the most common signs that you are stressed is a lack of sleep. If you are stressed, then you’ll probably find that there are lots of things keeping you up at night. Even if you head to bed early, you might find that your eyes remain open, staring at the ceiling, unable to get the peace that you need. Be aware that stress can cause an individual to develop signs of insomnia. This can make things a lot worse because you won’t get the rest you need to function effectively. This will make dealing with your issues even more difficult. 

There are lots of things that you can try if you are struggling to sleep at night. For instance, you might want to think about writing down your thoughts and feelings before bed. This is a great way to let your mind know that you are dealing with the issues so that they don’t plague you as you are trying to sleep. Alternatively, it could be worth working out before bedtime. That way you can make sure that you are truly drained before it’s time for bed. 

You’re Highly Irritable 
It’s fair to say that stress can change your mood completely. If you are feeling drained, then as mentioned, you will be getting less sleep. Or alternatively, you could be sleeping the days away. Both problems will cause your moods to change and this can be more noticeable to the people around you either in your personal life or at work. It can put serious strains on both personal and professional relationships. 

If stress is causing you to be more moody and aggressive, then you might want to think about focusing on getting your much deserved ‘me’ time. Whether you have kids, busy work commitments, or a mixture of personal and professional requirements in your life, then you will definitely need some time to yourself. Be aware that this doesn’t need to be a spa trip away. It could be as simple as something like getting your nightly bath. A long soak can do the body wonders and leave you feeling far more relaxed at the end of a rather difficult day. 

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You’re In Pain 
Believe it or not, stress can cause you to feel a range of different types of pain. For instance, if you are stressed then you might find that you are struggling with a higher number of headaches. Alternatively, it could be that you have pain in your lower back. If this isn’t caused by stress then it will clear up if you use something like Nurofen. However, if it is stress then meds won’t work at all. So, how do you deal with the pain that is caused from feeling stressed? Well, there are a few possibilities. 

First, you should think about tackling the root cause or rather the emotional issue in your life. This can often be addressed through options such as cognitive therapy. Therapy like this can be helpful to you if you are perfectly healthy mentally. Alternatively, you might want to address the physical issue. You can do this through aquatherapy. With aquatherapy, you can give your muscles and body the long soak that they deserve. You can even pair this by swimming to work off some of that tension with the right exercise routine. 

If you are suffering from migraines, then it might be worth considering going for walks outside more. This can provide the oxygen that your brain needs and ensure that you don’t feel as though you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Various research has shown the simple yet strong benefits of getting enough fresh air. 

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We hope this helps you understand some of the common signs that you might be stressed and the right steps that you can take. Stress can creep up on you but if it’s starting to take its toll on your personal or professional life then you need to fight back. This article should have shown you some of the best ways to do just that. 

Self-Care Is Not Selfish: Here’s Why

Hi lovelies,

It’s a well-known fact that helping other people is a good thing. It’s altruistic, kind, it gives you a feeling of great well-being, and it’s good for your mental health (as long as you’re not being taken advantage of, although that’s something quite different). Knowing this, and trying to reconcile this knowledge with the idea of self-care can be difficult; it can make any form of self-care seem selfish and unnecessary. After all, why help yourself when you could be helping others?

The truth, of course, is that self-care is in no way selfish. It’s just as important to take care of yourself as it is to help others, and in reality, if you don’t do the former you won’t be in any fit state to do the latter. If you’re still unsure and have that nagging feeling of doubt within you, read on; you’ll soon see why self-care is definitely not selfish.

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It Makes You, You
It’s so important in life to let our true, inner selves shine through, and this is what self-care allows us to do. Even if it’s only for a few minutes per day, if we can let ourselves be ourselves, it can make a big difference. When you are practicing self-care, you can think about your likes and dislikes, and you can determine which path to take in life; you might even have a chance to formulate a proper plan for the future. 

This is because self-care allows you to think more clearly. If you’re not enjoying your job, the time you spend tending to your own needs will give you a chance to work out where you might be happier, for example. If you’re not happy with your appearance, you can consider how best to change yourself, whether it’s through exercise, a change of style, or surgery such as breast augmentation. Whatever it is you need to do, do it – this is a form of self-care too. Life is far too short to be miserable, and taking care of our own wants and needs is paramount. 

You Will Live Rather Than Exist 
Everyone is existing. When you breathe, eat, drink, and sleep, you are existing. But that doesn’t mean you are living, which is quite another thing altogether. The sad fact is, although everyone is existing, not everyone is living. It doesn’t have to be like that, though. When you practice self-care, you can really live. 

This is because you are more open to the experiences life is offering you. You’ll be able to spot them more easily in the first place, and you’ll be more willing to try things out, especially if they are taking you in the direction you realize you need to go in to truly make a difference in your life. 

If you have been spending a lot of time worrying about other people and not taking care of yourself, you might find you’ve only been existing. Now it’s time to live. 

Self-Care Is Empowering
Living is better than simply existing, but living an empowered life is better than simply living, so whatever you can do to make your life a more empowered one, you should do it. Self-care offers you the chance to become more empowered. 

 Self-care is empowering because you don’t need anyone’s approval or permission to do it. You just have to make a choice that for a day, an hour, 10 minutes, or whatever time you have, you’re going to be unselfishly self-caring. 

Why Self-Care Days Are Important To Help You Recharge From Work

Hi lovelies,

So you’ve been working all month, pulling extra shifts and staying behind in the office while your colleagues get to go home at a normal time. You’re sitting at the desk, hammering away at your computer keyboard and straining your eyes as you stare at the computer screen. You tell yourself that it’s time for a break after this crunch time, but you end up chaining these long work weeks back to back with no end in sight.

This is a kind of lifestyle that we wouldn’t wish on anyone, but we completely understand why it’s sometimes unavoidable. Perhaps you’re trying to run your own business and you need to put in those extra hours, or maybe you’re trying to feed a large family while juggling unexpected expenses and other complications. We know that life can be difficult, hence why it’s important to take some days off for self-care so you can recharge.

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Why self-care days are necessary
Self-care is important because it gives us time to reflect on our week and also relax. Many of us can be exhausted both physically and mentally throughout the week. Maybe you’re just tired of speaking with uncooperative customers, or maybe you face a lot of stressful and depressing situations due to your work. Your work could also be physically demanding. You might be on your feet the whole day, or you might be stressing your muscles because of all the heavy lifting and moving around that you need to do. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to give your body a break now and then.

Alternatively, you could just say that self-care days are necessary so you don’t go mad from working long hours.

Take a day off and go for a spa experience
A spa experience is one of the best ways to pamper yourself and rest your body for the next work week. They can help you combat stress, they can help with anti-ageing, and they can even improve your happiness. Leaving a spa after their services create a lasting positive effect that can make the next week seem much more manageable.

While spa treatments are great for de-stressing, they can also help promote better sleep and even relieve aches and pains. However, if you are experiencing pain then we suggest visiting your physician first. This will ensure that the pains you’re experiencing are just temporary or are caused by overworking your body. If there’s something deeper, such as a muscle or bone problem, then you’ll want to learn about it before you try to heal it with something like a spa day.

Spa experiences can seem expensive at first, but with all of the benefits that they come with, you’re certainly going to be getting your money’s worth. Just make sure you look at reviews to ensure that you’re not paying for something that isn’t worth the money. Whether you’re just looking at facials and special treatments or just want to be pampered, we suggest looking for reputable brands or businesses in your local area, but recommendations from friends and colleagues can also work wonders.

Take a day off and just stay at home
Taking a day off for self-care and staying at home isn’t unheard of. This is great for when you have a lot of errands or responsibilities piling up that you want to deal with as soon as possible. For example, you might find yourself needing to do all of the laundry that’s been piling up over the last few days, or you may want to pay off your sleep debt by staying in bed for a while. Whatever the case may be, it’s a good idea to just take a day off work now and then to help you clear up your backlog of responsibilities.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your self-care days at home:

• Put on some relaxing music to help soothe your mind

• Don’t be afraid to sleep in a bit to recover from your sleep debt, but don’t stay in too late or else it’ll affect your sleeping pattern

• Use some time in the evening to catch up with friends and family members

• Move your body on your day off to help keep your muscles and joints working

• Take care of errands straight away so you can enjoy the rest of your day.

If you find that you are in pain and you want to take care of this at home, then this is entirely up to you. There are many different ways to deal with this, some of which have already been mentioned above. However, you can go one step further and use other techniques such as cupping therapy in order to ease the pain. Sometimes, sleep and staying off your feet can only go so far, and you need that little bit of extra self-care to eliminate the pain that you are experiencing.

It might be the case that you want to head to the doctor and get some advice from them so that you are ready for your next self-care day at home.

By following these tips, you’re almost guaranteed to have a relaxing day off that allows you to recharge your energy for the next busy work period.

Change Your Life - Create Your Own Evening Wind Down Routine

Hi lovelies,

When most people hear the phrase ‘change your life’ they think of doing something drastic. This could be moving to a new company, quitting your job to travel the world, or getting a divorce. However, you can change your life by making much smaller changes than that. You can change your life by simply creating your very own wind down routine in the evening, and sticking to it. How will this change your life? Well, you’ll have a better sense of wellbeing, a more consistent bedtime, a good quality sleep, and perhaps even more time to do the things you neglect, like reading. Here are some pointers you can use to help you create your very own evening wind down routine:

1. Figure Out How Much Sleep You Need

Knowing how much sleep you need can help you to perform far better the following day - not to mention feel great! Most people do well with 8 hours of sleep or more, but lots of people prefer to burn the candle at both ends and get nowhere near that. In general, getting less than 7 hours isn't a good idea. Less than 6 is even worse, although some people do attempt to survive on these pitiful sleep levels. Start prioritizing time asleep and you’ll get into a better routine.

Here are some pointers:

• Start your wind down routine and get into bed at the same time each night - even on weekends.

• Get up at the same time each morning - even on weekends.

• Doing this on weekends ensures your routine is consistent. If you need lots of extra sleep on the weekend, your routine is probably lacking somewhere. 

2. Block Out Blue Light 

Blue light comes from phones, TVs, tablets, and laptops. Avoid this at least an hour before bed. Some will find it impossible to drop off. Others may be able to drop off, but find it hard to stay asleep. Blue light disrupts your sleep pattern, so make sure you’re vigilant with your screen time. 

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3. Take The Right Supplements 

Supplements can’t make you healthy if your diet is poor, but they can help you. You could drink a nice cup of calming herbal tea before bed. If you do this regularly, it will become a part of your routine and help you get into the right mindset for sleep. You can also look at something like Yellow Vietnam Kratom for its calming properties if you really struggle to wind down. 

4. Make Your Bedroom The Ideal Place To Sleep

Make sure your bedroom is suitable. Block out outside light, make it smell great, and ensure the temperature is suitable. 

5. Do Something Relaxing

Do something relaxing if you’re not tired. Don’t lay there awake! Read, do some needlepoint, or try knitting.

6. Meditate

Meditation is a great tool and doing it before bed can help you get into the right headspace. It can be tough to get into the habit, but it’s worth it! 

7. Don’t Try Too Hard

See this routine as ‘Non striving’ and simply enjoy your wind down routine. Don’t focus too hard on the falling asleep part, or you could end up laying awake for hours. 

How To Take Your Lazy Day To A Whole New Level

Hi lovelies,

The opportunity to relax and have a lazy day is one that should never be missed, as it’s so easy to simply get swept up in the hustle and bustle of work and family life leaving you overwhelmed and burnt out. Taking your lazy day to new heights can ensure that you’re able to make the most of your time off from your usual commitments, and it needn’t be difficult to unwind and chill out without having to leave the comfort of your own home. If you would like to find out more about how you can take your lazy day to a whole new level, then read on to uncover some of the best ideas that you can utilise now! 

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Cook Up Some Comfort Food 
One of the best ways to boost your lazy day at home is to cook up some of your favourite comfort food. A big bowl of stew and dumplings on a cold day can totally transform the way that you feel! Search online for a suitable recipe, exploring different cuisines and difficulty levels to find the best match for your current needs. There are thousands of super simple, super quick meals and snacks that you can make in a flash, ideal for those lazy days during which you don’t want to leave the sofa for too long.

Don’t Dress To Impress
There’s no need to wear a skin tight dress or even a pair of skinny jeans whilst you’re having a lazy day at home, as dressing to impress is meaningless if you don’t even want to leave the house. Put on your comfiest sweatpants and pick out one of your favourite cotton monogram shirts, finishing off your outfit with a pair of fluffy socks if the weather is a little chilly! Wearing a relaxing outfit, even your pyjamas, can help you to chill out and stay in lazy day mode. 

Find Some Entertainment 
Staying occupied during your lazy day is so important yet so tricky, as you don’t want to feel as though you’ve wasted your time staring at the ceiling, but completing something like housework is too vigorous to match with your chill out goals. One of the best ways to stay occupied without exerting any effort is by watching a film or tv show, and there’s a seemingly endless supply of options for you to explore. If this isn’t really your thing, why not plan a self care day? You can take a long hot bath, use a luxurious body lotion and put on a moisturising face mask to feel completely refreshed and renewed. 

Taking your lazy day to a whole new level has never been so simple when you are able to make the most of the brilliant ideas that have been detailed above. Start off by putting on your favourite sweatpants and cook up some delicious comfort food to fill your tummy, making sure you have lots of entertainment ready to stay occupied throughout the day. 

5 Effective Ways to Treat Chronic Pain

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Hi lovelies,

When you suffer from chronic pain, it can completely take over your life. Even the most basic day-to-day tasks are hindered by that nagging pain shooting through your body. It can make it difficult to relax and have a severe impact on your mental wellbeing as a result.

Once upon a time, the only remedy for chronic pain was bed rest and inactivity, which is now known to be an ineffective and inadvisable approach. Medical professionals now have a lot more knowledge and understanding of the various causes and symptoms involved. If you experience chronic pain, you are fortunate to be living in a time when there are numerous treatment options available to you.

There are many different forms of chronic pain that can affect people in completely different ways. Consequently, not all remedies work for everyone. If you would like to find an effective way of managing your persistent pain, here are five possible treatment options.

Exercise
Contrary to what was once believed, the best way to improve chronic pain is through regular physical activity. When you don’t exercise, your muscles become weaker, and you are more susceptible to injury, which could worsen your condition. Pick an exercise that isn’t likely to affect your particular form of chronic pain. Lifting heavy weights might not be the best option, but activities like running, cycling, yoga, and swimming are all excellent choices.

Physical therapy
Doctors will often recommend a curse of physical therapy for treating and managing chronic pain. This may involve stretching and manipulation of the affected area to promote recovery. It will help you relieve pain and make physical tasks like going upstairs and bending down a lot easier. Depending on the area of your body affected, you may be referred to a physiotherapist, osteopath, chiropractor, or occupational therapist.

Painkillers
There are many drugs available on the market to help you with chronic pain. Painkillers are the most commonly prescribed. Although they won’t cure you of your condition, they will alleviate the painful symptoms and make it easier for you to carry on with your daily life as usual. Paracetamol is one of the safest painkillers, but you could also consider anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. As with any drug, you should take care to follow the prescribed dose and never exceed it.

Medicinal marijuana
If it has been legally prescribed, marijuana, or cannabis, has been shown to be highly effective at treating chronic pain symptoms. It can help reduce pain and improve the quality of sleep for sufferers. It is not immediately available over the counter in many locations, but this Harvest can help you.

Stress relief
Stress negatively influences a massive range of medical conditions and disorders, so if you are plagued by stress, you may find it worsens your symptoms. Reducing sources of stress in your life will go a long way towards improving your chronic pain. For example, you could speak to your boss about finding ways to manage your workload more effectively or practice meditation daily.

Two-Day Workout Fatigue: What Is It And How Do You Beat It?

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Hi lovelies,

Two-day workout fatigue is a common problem that can affect beginners as well as seasoned athletes. The technical term is delayed onset muscle soreness and it usually sets in 12 to 24 hours after you finish your workout. You might not feel too bad immediately after your workout, but the next day, your muscles ache and you feel very fatigued. This makes it so tough to keep up with a routine and it is often the reason that people let their exercise goals slip. If you are going to keep up with a long term fitness plan, you need to follow these steps to beat two-day workout fatigue.

Never Skip Your Stretches 
The most obvious reason for two-day workout fatigue is damaged muscles. Stretching is one of the most important parts of your post-workout routine, and if you skip the stretches, you will damage your muscles and experience aches and pains for days afterwards. Even though you are exhausted after your workout and you just want to take a shower and relax, it’s important that you take the time to cool down and stretch properly. 

Slow Down 
Pushing yourself too hard is another easy way to damage your muscles and cause two-day workout fatigue. You need to challenge yourself when working out if you want to see results, but it’s important to find a good balance. If you do long workouts every single day, you don’t have enough time to recover and your muscles will constantly be sore. So, make sure that you take rest days and do low impact exercises, like swimming or walking, on some days. 

Eat More Protein 
When you exercise, your muscles are damaged and they need to repair themselves. In order to do that, they need protein and if you don’t have enough protein in your diet, you are likely to suffer from two-day workout fatigue. After every workout, make sure that you eat plenty of protein rich foods, and consider getting some protein supplements from steelsupplements.com as well. It’s especially important that you eat plenty of protein if you do strength training. Many people also get fatigued because they simply don’t eat enough. If you are burning a lot of calories, you need to eat more to account for that or you will feel fatigued. 

Use Hot And Cold Treatments 
It is believed that inflammation of the muscles is the cause of two-day fatigue, so finding ways to reduce inflammation is the best way to deal with it. Cold treatments are great for this, so consider having a cold shower or bath the morning after a tough workout. It’s not the most pleasant experience, but it will reduce inflammation and soothe your muscles. It has a lot of other great health benefits too, like reducing stress and boosting your immune system, so it’s a good habit to get into. Muscle tightness may also cause aches and pains and you can use heat treatments for this. A warm compress will soften the muscles and relieve some of the pain. 

If you find that none of these tips work, you are probably not taking enough rest days, so consider slowing down a bit and reducing your workouts. 

Conquering Your Fear Of The Dentist

Hi lovelies,

Nobody likes going to the dentist, but for some people, it’s a huge problem because they are absolutely terrified of setting foot through the door of the practice. But it’s important that you do visit the dentist on a regular basis if you want to look after your oral health. If you neglect oral hygiene, you may do lasting damage to your teeth and gums that you cannot undo in later life, so you need to find some way to overcome your phobia. These are the best ways to get over your fear of visiting the dentist. 

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Look After Your Dental Hygiene 

If you hate the dentist, you need to minimize your visits as much as possible, which is why it’s vital that you look after your dental hygiene. You still need to go for checkups, but if you look after your teeth and gums, you can avoid any serious problems so you won’t need any dental treatments. But if you don’t take care of your oral hygiene, you are far more likely to need to go in for a procedure, which is a lot scarier than a simple checkup. 

Explore Less Invasive Treatment Options 

If you do need to have a procedure, you should speak to your dentist about less invasive treatment options. For example, if you are nervous about having braces because you worry about how they look, ask about clear braces instead. Dental technology is always advancing and there are a lot of new ways to deal with dental issues without the need for surgery. So, always explore your options with the dentist and find treatments that are not quite as daunting. 

Practice Breathing Exercises 

Often, people find that waiting is the most difficult part. When you are sitting in the dentist’s office, waiting to be called through for your appointment, your anxieties will run wild. However, you can use simple breathing exercises to calm yourself and let those anxieties pass. Slowing your breathing down and focusing on a long exhale will calm your nerves and take your focus away from your anxieties, so you can relax while you wait to be called for your appointment. 

Find The Right Dentist 

Finding the right dentist is so important if you have a lot of anxiety about dental procedures. When you are looking for a dentist, you always need to consider the practical things, like the location, the services they offer, and the price. However, you should also find a dentist’s office that provides a good experience for the patients. It’s a good idea to visit a few different practices and see what the atmosphere is like. Is it relaxing and welcoming or does it have a clinical feel to it? If possible, you should meet the dentist as well because you need to find somebody that makes you feel at ease. If you take your time and find the right dentist, it will be much easier to get over your fears. 

The worst thing you can do is avoid the dentist altogether because your dental health will suffer. Instead, follow these simple steps and you can conquer your fear.