Health Risks That Come From An Inactive Lifestyle

For many different reasons, people tend to live sedentary and inactive lifestyles.

Maybe it is because they have some issues with depression. Maybe they don’t have the space or tools at home and they don’t feel comfortable exercising in front of other people. Or they could have a health issue that makes exercise risky or problematic.

There are many justified reasons people don’t get moving, and perhaps some not so great reasons. That doesn’t change the cold, hard truth about inactivity. The truth is that not moving your body enough is bad for you in many ways.

The following things may happen if you do not exercise your body:

  1. Your body can’t burn as many calories and you may easily gain weight
  2. Your muscles start to weaken and you lose endurance and strength. Use it or lose it they say. Next time you want to go out with your friends, make sure you can keep up.
  3. Your bones might get weaker. They may lose calcium and other important minerals
  4. Your body may struggle to break down sugars and fats in your diet. This is a sign your metabolism is being affected.
  5. You may have a lot of trouble fighting off illnesses or diseases. Your immune system doesn’t work very well when you are inactive for too long.
  6. You could develop poor or get worsening blood circulation. If you already have issues with your body parts going numb too quick or you get cold very easily, consider this. Are you moving and getting that blood pumping?
  7. You could develop hormonal issues and imbalances.
  8. Your body could have more inflammatory problems.
  9. You could become constipated and have digestive problems. The body needs to move for the bowels to move properly.
  10. Your back, arms, legs and other muscles can become uncomfortable. This is a sign that your body knows it is best for you to move and it hurts or feels off because it needs to move. You’re also more likely to pull muscles, pinch nerves, or get other related injuries.

No one wants to miss out on their life because they’ve sat around too long and now they can’t physically keep up with everyone else. Make sure your body is able to get up and do what you need it to do. Life is happening now, and you should be there.

What To Eat To Boost Your Immunity

Tis the season for needing as much immune support as you can get! Everyone knows what all is going around out there, and not a single soul wants to get sick.

However, you can do much of the prevention you need by eating the right foods.

These foods have vitamins that can help you prevent illness and help you fight anything you do catch. Most people do not eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables.

The sad fact is that eating healthy occasionally is not nearly effective enough. You must create a habit of eating healthy for a longer time to see results. So, while reading the list below, keep in mind that these foods should be in your diet as often as possible.

The list below includes foods you can eat to boost your immune system:

  1. Vitamin C Foods: Strawberries, papaya, spinach, brussels sprouts, bell peppers, and spinach. Since so many different foods have this Vitamin, you may not need a supplement. Consult with your doctor first.
  2. Vitamin E Foods: Almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts/peanut butter, and oils found in soybeans, safflower, and sunflower. Vitamin E is a great antioxidant to help fight infection.
  3. Vitamin A Foods: Cantaloupe, butternut squash, carrots, tuna, meats, dairy, sweet potatoes, dark leafy green veggies, and pumpkin. This vitamin is an infection fighter.
  4. Vitamin D Foods: Tuna, Vitamin D fortified milk or nut milk, Sardines, Salmon, and Mackerel. It is best to try and get this vitamin directly from food, however it is important to get a supplement if you don’t think you eat enough of it. Ask your doctor first.
  5. Folate/Folic Acid Foods: Enriched foods such as pasta, rice, bread, and cereals. Also lentils, beans and leafy green veggies. Check food labels for fortified or enriched.
  6. Iron Foods: Canned light tuna, clams, canned sardines, mussels, turkey, chicken, red meat, and oysters. If you don’t eat meat, you can get iron in kale, broccoli, beans, and iron fortified cereals.
  7. Selenium Foods: Brazil nuts, cottage cheese, poultry, liver, meat, and seafood.
  8. Zinc Foods: Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), baked beans, yogurt, oysters, crab, poultry, and lean meats.

If you can’t get your hands on any of these while they are fresh, frozen food or canned is a good option. You can still get the nutritional benefits of these foods.

Good luck fighting all those nasty things out there. With these foods, you should have quite the advantage.

Soothing Your Cabin Fever And The Winter Blues

If you ask most people, they may agree that a huge part of battling the winter is how we are all cooped up inside. The sunshine is gone most of the time and we start to really miss it.

Some people are cool with it and have large homes with lots of bright windows and space to do anything they wish. Other people may not be so lucky and live in a small apartment or even just one small bedroom. Some of them may not have many windows or available light.

Cabin fever starts to set in, and it is hard to break it. These things can make you miserable and contribute to mental issues in the cold months. This article includes some tips on how to make winter more enjoyable in small and dark spaces.

Read them below.

1. Light – Get a light box if you don’t have enough windows. They can be called light boxes, SAD lamps, Seasonal Affective Disorder lights, and more. This can give your body some of the same benefits as the sun while you are stuck inside. If you need to, get more than one.
2. Plan – Make plans to get out when you can. Do you know there’s a nicer winter day coming up in the forecast with sunshine and temperatures above 45? Plan on getting out and enjoying it if you aren’t already busy. Do you have a friend with a nicer home and larger indoor space? Perhaps they will work out with you or let you come enjoy a living room dance party with them. Maybe they have a ping pong table in their house you can play.
3. Programs – Join a gym, a sports team, a dance studio, a bowling league, or other good exercise program options. With the pandemic issues set aside, this is one of the best options for helping you get through cabin fever and get moving. Although it is understandable if not many people wish to go out and risk getting sick with infectious illnesses right now, considering the pandemic.
4. Organize – Move your stuff around. You may be able to make just enough room to do something enjoyable and fun. What can you put in storage? What can you put on top of or underneath something? Can you temporarily move something into another room? Get creative and see what you can do.
5. Sun – Open your curtains and blinds. Get as much light as you can. It may not be much, but this could make a big difference. Sunny winter days are great for the mood.

Hopefully with these tips shared here, the cold and snowy season won’t drive you nearly as crazy as usual. When times get tough, the tough ones get creative. Let’s keep our sights on spring.

Preventing Illness During Frigid And Dry Winter Months

Winter is a difficult season for so many different reasons.

It is cold as can be, there’s slippery ice and slush, everyone is cranky, and everything is dried out from available moisture being frozen instantly. If you can’t stand this weather, I am sure most people would agree.

The only thing worse than all these winter blahs would be the illnesses that can come with the season. This article is about any illnesses that may come up any time between November and March of each year and what to do about them.

Common Winter Illnesses Include:
• Sinus Infections
• Colds
• The Flu
• Covid and Variants
• Asthma
• Upper Respiratory Infections
• Allergic Reactions
• Pneumonia

Many of the above things can be prevented by staying in warm places as often as you can and making sure your home is not too dry or too humid. Try to avoid being outside in bitter cold temperatures to avoid freezing and drying out your sinuses and any exposed skin.

If you have a forced air furnace or other forced air space heat methods, your sinuses are going to get dry and irritated. The moisture in your home is very scarce due to all moisture being burned off through the heater or being frozen once it hits the outside air. If you can’t use a humidifier, boil pots of water on your stove or leave pots of water close to your furnace vents.

Other illnesses mentioned above that aren’t caused by cold air or moisture issues can be prevented in the following ways:

  1. Eat healthy and seek out foods with Vitamin A, C, D, and E. Also seek out Folate/Folic Acid, Iron, Selenium, and Zinc.
  2. Get regular exercise. If you can’t do much exercise frequently, do as much as you can. Try starting with 10 minutes per day. Then try a bit more each time and try different exercise methods to keep it interesting.
  3. Avoid interacting closely with people. If you must interact, wear a mask, wash your hands, and avoid touching anyone.
  4. Get enough sleep as often as possible. Sleep is one of your best defenses against sickness.
  5. Quit smoking and take care of your lungs. If you need help, there are a lot of different programs and people you can reach out to.

Every year we get through it and pop out on the other side when spring arrives. This year, make it more enjoyable and healthier by using the tips above. Happy winter!

Health And Wellness Based New Year’s Resolution Ideas

With the year 2022 coming up on us fast, it is yet again time to think about any positive changes we can make to start off the new year. The past couple of years have definitely been the most challenging for everyone during the ongoing pandemic, but here’s to moving forward regardless.

The following tips are for you to set a new resolution for your health and wellness.

New year’s resolution ideas for wellness and health:

1. Set realistic goals – If you overwhelm yourself with goals you may not be able to do, that will just set you up for failure and disappointment in yourself. That would lead to even less motivation to making changes. If you start off with smaller and more attainable goals, you are much more likely to achieve them. If you can’t run very well, it is a bad idea to want to be able to run 10 miles anytime soon. If you have never been able to do a push up, you may not be able to do 100 of them in a row by next year. See the next tip for more on this.
2. Break goals down into parts – What can you break into daily, weekly, monthly goals to reach a larger goal? Use a daily planner, calendar or notebook to help you realize your goals. Once something is written down, it makes it much easier to do. Try planning out some of your days by sticking something from your to do list on each day.
3. Drink more water – Most people definitely need to get more hydrated on a regular basis. If you drink mostly sodas, beers, or sugary drinks, you are most likely already quite dehydrated. Make it a goal to drink more water, even if you don’t like it. Use sugary beverages and alcohol as a reward once you’ve gotten enough water in your body.
4. Try natural household cleaners – Some of your cleaning supplies at home are too harsh and you may be able to smell it. Bleach and some other cleaning chemicals can make you cough and gag if you use it in an enclosed space. Try to look into natural plant or fruit based cleaners. Try using vinegar to clean things more often. Using too many household scents such as carpet cleaning powder, glad plug ins or spray air fresheners can irritate allergies and cause sinus problems as well.
5. Be active often – If you aren’t able to go to the gym or get a good workout in, that doesn’t mean you should give up. There are lots of fun options for things to do at home that will give you a good workout. You can do in-home yoga, push-ups, jumping jacks, squats, and more from home. Try buying video games with active elements such as Just Dance, Ring Fit games, Wii Fit games, Zumba games, and more!

Some bonus tips in addition to the 5 above include getting a workout buddy, creating cleaner eating habits, and making sure you get plenty of sleep as often as you can.

Here’s to hoping you have a very fun New Year’s Eve and a successful 2022 with your new goals!