Health and Wellness
Healthy Lifestyle Habits You Can Follow Even on a Busy Schedule
When we’re busy with work, it’s very easy to forgo healthy lifestyle choices. Fortunately though, there are still a lot of things we can do to stay healthy even if we’re drowning in work. You just really have to pay attention to your own habits.
Drinks lots of water
One of the easiest healthy habits you can do is to keep yourself well-hydrated every day. Even if you’re busy, it’s still very easy to have a glass of water while working. You can also have a water bottle on your desk so that you can remind yourself to drink up from time to time. Some even do use alarms on their phones just to remind themselves to drink water.
Eat breakfast
In Singapore, more and more people are actually skipping breakfast. But, no matter how busy you are, you should always find time for breakfast. Having breakfast should be on your list of priorities! Skipping breakfast will cause you to take less healthy food options throughout the day. If you’re busy with work, you’re usually stressed out. And eating unhealthy food will only make things worse.
Drink coffee
When you’re busy, the go-to drink you’ll usually have is coffee. Coffee helps you stay alert and get more things done. But, of course, there is still a debate about how good or bad it can be for our health. For one, it does have a lot of benefits. But there are also risks when having too much. So the simple solution, if you think about it, is just to not have too much! The pros will far outweigh the cons as long as you drink in moderation.
Be mindful of what you eat
When we’re focused on work, we usually don’t pay attention to what we’re putting in our stomachs. If the food is quick and convenient, I’m going to have it since I still have a lot of work to do. Don’t think like this. Eating mindfully is also one of the best healthy habits you can have. Eating slowly also comes with that. We usually gobble down our food without even taking a break just to save time. That’s a big no-no.
Sneak in a little exercise each day
You can do some push-ups and sit-ups as you wake up, for example. Or maybe you can take the stairs up to your office if you still have time. You can also take breaks and just walk around your office. You’re giving your mind some time to rest and you’re also moving your body a bit. If you can’t find time to do actual exercise, this might be the best thing you can do.
Big Reasons Why You Should Try VR Fitness
We all know that virtual reality is a new form of entertainment commonly associated with gaming. Lately though, it’s been making rounds as a great partner to exercising. There are already a lot of gyms around Singapore that’s centered on VR fitness as well! If you think about it, it might actually be a great idea to add a different element to your workouts. So, here are some great reasons to give VR fitness a try.
It can literally get you addicted to fitness
Now, there are those people who are naturally inclined to exercising. Whether it’s weightlifting, Zumba, Pilates, or CrossFit, there are people who just love to exercise! And then there’s also those who find it relatively difficult to stay motivated during their sweat sessions. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that! But if you really want to stay motivated to exercise, VR fitness might just be it. Because it’s just like playing a game, it will be quite addicting. And the bonus is, you won’t even notice that you’re already busting a sweat!
It can also give your brain a good workout
When you lift weights or jog, for example, your brain isn’t too involved aside from helping you focus on the muscles and also your surroundings. With VR though, you can improve your coordination, decision making, and analytical skills all while moving your body and working your muscles. Plus, this also has something to do with our motivation. Our brains tell us if what we’re doing is boring, so by doing VR, we’re basically fooling it to thinking that what we’re doing is fun.
You can do it in private
If you’re still a bit anxious or insecure about exercising, VR fitness can be a great choice because you can almost always do it on your own. You can enjoy a VR workout in the comforts of your home and even if you go to a VR gym, no one can watch you because everyone else is having a virtual reality experience for themselves. In addition to that, you won’t need to face common gym problems like people hogging the equipment sweaty machines!
It will be easy to track your progress
When it comes to exercising, one of the most common advice you’ll get is to have a fitness journal to track your progress. Naturally, you will get lazy from time to time and just stop writing in your journal altogether. That actually won’t be much of a problem with VR though. Almost all VR games track your movement during each session. Over time, you can see even the smallest changes in your endurance, speed, coordination, and more. And the bonus part is, the data will be very accurate since it’s monitored by an electronic system.
What are the Essential Vitamins and Minerals?
Understanding how the 27 vitamins and minerals are used in the body is essential when you want to change your diet. Knowing what you need instead of just a list of food or a diet plan is better because you will know how the micronutrients affect your body.
Vitamin A – Deficiency can lead to blindness or night blindness. Vitamin A is important for growing children and expectant mothers.
Vitamin B6 – It is essential in the formation of hemoglobin by storing protein and carbohydrates and using iodine.
Vitamin B12 – It helps get the energy from food, make healthy red blood cells, and maintains a healthy nervous system.
Vitamin C – It helps make collagen and is considered an antioxidant. Deficiency can lead to scurvy.
Vitamin D – It helps regulate the calcium and phosphate levels in the body. Deficiency can lead to osteomalacia, rickets, and body pain.
Vitamin E – It serves an as antioxidant that maintains healthy skin, eyes, and immune system.
Vitamin K – Deficiency can make wound healing slow and difficult, because not only does it keeps bones healthy but it’s important for blood-clotting.
Biotin – It is used for fat metabolism.
Calcium – It’s the important component for bones and teeth. Deficiency can cause poor mobility, brittle bones, and degeneration.
Choline – This is needed in muscle control and memory because it is used for the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter.
Chromium – It affects both the energy we get from food and the insulin levels in the body.
Copper – It is essential in the release of iron during hemoglobin-formation. It’s also important in white blood cell production.
Folate – It helps in the formation of red blood cells. In pregnant women, folate is necessary for the infant’s nervous system development.
Iodine – Its most important function is during the synthesis of thyroid hormones.
Iron – Its most important function is the creation of red blood cells to carry oxygen.
Magnesium – It is essential in converting food into energy, hormone production, and bone health.
Manganese – It’s important in activating body enzymes.
Molybdenum – It helps in activating enzymes for creating genetic material.
Niacin – It helps in getting the energy from the food as well as maintain healthy skin and nervous system.
Pantothenic Acid – Without pantothenic acid, you will always feel tired and stressed. It helps in several bodily functions especially in releasing the energy from food.
Phosphorus – Not only does it help release energy from food, it also helps maintain strong bones and teeth.
Potassium – It helps in maintaining healthy nerves and muscles, as well as keep the heart muscles healthy and balancing the body fluids.
Selenium – It’s an antioxidant that helps the immune system prevent damage to cells and tissues.
Sodium and Chloride – These are electrolytes that maintain the balance of body fluids. They even help the body digest the food we eat.
Thiamin – This is needed to convert carbohydrates to energy, as well as maintain proper nerve signal conduction and muscle contraction.
Riboflavin – It helps in releasing the energy from food and keeps the nervous system, skin, and eyes healthy.
Zinc – It helps in the processing of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, as well as in keeping healthy cells, making enzymes, and healing wounds.
Safe Workout Routines for Pregnant Women
Pregnant women are advised to eat food that make them feel happy. As long as the mother doesn’t get overweight, she can eat more than the usual number of meals and almost any food. That doesn’t mean, however, that regular exercise should be ignored. Studies show that women who stay fit throughout their pregnancy have fewer complications and have easier labor and childbirth.
Walking Guide for Pregnancy
Walking is the safest exercise to try if you don’t have any experience at the gym prior to your pregnancy. However, if you loved hiking before you got pregnant, you can still stick to your minimum 15-minute walks thrice a week. Once your body is used to the schedule, you can increase the walking sessions gradually up to 30 minutes. Some women can go for a total of 150 minutes weekly (which is about 30 minutes 5 times a week). Don’t forget to talk to your doctor if you experience back or pelvic pain during your third trimester.
Simple Exercises at Home
You don’t need to go to the gym to rid your body of aches and pains associated with pregnancy. Try the following simple exercises:
- To improve balance, place one hand on a sturdy chair and stand with your knees and toes pointed at 45-degree angles. Keeping your back straight, bend your knees to lower your torso, then straighten to return to your original position. Repeat.
- To strengthen your arms and shoulders, sit with your back straight and hold an object that weighs at least 5 pounds in each hand. Keep your elbows bent at 90-degree angles, then lift the weights up to your shoulder. Lower your arms back to the starting position then repeat.
- To strengthen your legs, lie on your side with your head supported on your forearm and one leg bent at a 45-degree angle. Support your body with the other free arm placed on the floor, then lift the other leg while keeping it straight to about hip’s height. Do the same with the other leg.
Gym Guide for Pregnant Women
If you have never been a regular in the gym prior to your pregnancy, you should consult your doctor about your plans to sign up for a membership. Some women can still keep up with their workout routines at the gym depending on their fitness level and experience. You will also need to consider which trimester you’re in and your overall feeling. You can sign up for prenatal classes if there are any because the workouts are designed primarily for expectant mothers.
The trainer usually recommends the following exercises for pregnant women: yoga, Pilates, water aerobics, stationary bike, treadmill, and elliptical training. Yoga focuses on breathing and movements, while Pilates can help you improve abdominal muscles. Water aerobics is usually recommended during the third trimester because it is safe and relaxing, just like moderate walking exercise on the treadmill. A stationary bike is also an option during the third trimester, but you can also try elliptical training if you’re experiencing joint and muscle pain.
The Definitive Guide to Eating Healthy on a Budget
How do you eat healthy on an “instant noodle” budget?
When you’ve heard that healthy eating means spending more money, you might find it more difficult to commit – or even to get started – towards a better, much healthier diet. But this doesn’t have to be the case.
In fact, there’s a lot of ways to save money while still eating whole foods, and here’s how you can start doing it.
The Wet/Farmer’s Market
The local wet market or farmer’s market is your go-to place for healthier produce that’s fresh every time. You can find all kinds of fruits and vegetables that you can buy more cheaply when compared to buying in supermarkets.
It’s also important that you develop a good relationship with your favorite vendor,
Cooking, Storage, and You
The way you cook food affects the nutrients in them, and when it comes to vegetables, a lot of those nutrients can be lost when you cook them in water. But there are ways of cooking that can preserve it, such as:
• Microwaving – A great way to cook vegetables (just use a microwave-safe container and splash some water to keep them from drying out)
• Sautéing – While this does require oil in the pan, a light sear will improve the flavor and texture of the food while still retaining their vitamin and mineral content.
• Steaming – Retains the vitamin and mineral content in vegetables with the drawback being a lack of flavor, which can make you reach for additional seasoning.
Changing the Way You Eat
Aside from the groceries, the cooking, and the storing aspects of eating healthy, you also want to change the way you eat your food. Here are a few tips you can use to improve your eating habits while saving at the same time:
• Eat slowly. This lets you chew your food more thoroughly and enjoy it better. It also lets your body notice that it’s full, so it will have an easier time digesting.
• Use up what’s in your fridge before you start buying groceries. This will make it less likely for food to sit too long in your fridge and end up spoiling.
• Learn to pickle and preserve food. Not only will you have nutritious food all year for your whole family, but it’s also cheap hobby that you can start getting into.
The trick to a healthier diet is finding the right foods, cooking methods, and most importantly, the routine that you know will definitely work for you.
However, there’s no need to rush into the nearest wet market and start buying all kinds of vegetables you don’t know how to prepare – just start with a few when you go out, and slowly work your way to the ones that you like.