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Category: A Healthy Habit

Looking to pick up a new healthy habit? Look no further! Here we have a suggestion of healthy habits for you to try. Habits take a while to form so if something doesn’t seem to stick, don’t give up and try again. We’re rooting for you!

  • Consider Your Intake of More Fruits into Your Diet!

    It’s crucial to start thinking about eating more fruits and incorporate them into your diet. According to a study from the CDC not enough adults in the United States are eating the recommended fruits, especially vegetables intake on a daily basis. And as stated by Lauren Manaker from Verywell Health “only about 10% of adults…are meeting those recommendations” based on a 2019 survey (Manaker, 2022). Not too good, isn’t it? 

    Here’s why you should start adding more fruits into your diet and the effects if you are not doing yourself a favor.

    What Are Positives of Fruit Consumption?

    As we all know, fruits are key in maintaining a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle. All it takes is putting enough effort and consideration into adding fruits into your daily routine. You can start by trying 4-5 servings of fruits per day. To provide more information, heart.org presents an infographic on serving size by heading to their site. Fruits are high in fiber and low in calories resulting in the feeling of fullness. This allows you to lose or maintain a healthy weight, and reduce overeating, for instance. Furthermore, fruits with high fiber include avocado, apple, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, banana, tangerines, and the list continues. Consuming these fruits has been shown to reduce blood pressure, some cancers, heart disease, stroke, and more. Therefore, contain essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in keeping you healthy. 

    What is The Effect of Consuming Less Fruits?

    If you don’t eat a variety of fruits in your daily diet, you’re at risk of developing chronic diseases. For instance, diabetes, vascular diseases, types of cancers, heart disease, weak immune system and much more. You’ll definitely be less energetic and unhealthy if fruits are not being consumed enough. And this is especially crucial as we age. Wouldn’t you want to live happily and healthier? Healthy enough to do the things you love? 

    To all dear readers, do your best and eat those fruits!

    Source:

    1. CDC: Only 1 in 10 Americans Eat Enough Produce (verywellhealth.com)
    2. Adults Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations — United States, 2019 | MMWR (cdc.gov)
    3. Fruits and Vegetables Serving Sizes Infographic | American Heart Association

  • Here Are Few Ways to Fight Off Food Cravings!

    It’s common for everyone to experience food cravings. Though they sure can be delicious, whether it be sweets that are sugary or chips that are salty. However, the consequences if consumed too much may be unhealthy, for example weight gain. Therefore, stress, deprivation, hormone imbalance, and other triggers can all lead to food cravings too.

    Even though consuming too much sugar and salt is unhealthy, you can still treat yourself every now and then. Let’s say for a while and consider it a reward for maintaining a healthy diet, like a cheat day or make it special to reward yourself on your birthday with a delicious cake! 

    Now to continue, discussing food cravings. What are some ways we can fight off food cravings? 

    Drink Water:

    To avoid the desire for food cravings, drink water! By having a simple glass of water, the craving you’re seeking for will fade away. A glass of water will make you feel full, allowing you to control your appetite and prevent overeating. More importantly, we all should be drinking water to prevent dehydration, especially for our body to function healthy. 

    Eat More Fruits & Vegetables

    Consuming fruits and vegetables are the best way to go and reduce the urge to food cravings. When having the urge for sugar cravings, you should consider eating fruits. Fruits are sweet and can fight off that sugar craving as they contain essential nutrients and fiber to keep you healthy and fuller. Go for strawberries, blackberries, mangoes, cherries, tangerines, for instance. Furthermore, consider green leafy vegetables high in fiber and low in calories, allowing you to feel fuller. 

    Reduce Stress: 

    Stress is experienced by everyone for different reasons. Being stressed may lead to overeating and as a result increase food craving. It’s in fact, difficult, but try your best to distract yourself. Give yourself some time to take a small break and go outside and take a walk. Listen to music, music that can calm you down and ease your mind. Try exercising, it is a great way to curb your cravings while improving your brain function and cognition.

    These were a few methods to prevent food cravings. Stay healthy, dear readers!

    Sources:

    1. 11 Ways to Stop Cravings for Unhealthy Foods and Sugar (healthline.com) 
    2. . Candy Calories: How Many of These Can I Eat? (webmd.com) 

  • A Guide on How To Curb Cravings

    Let’s Get Real: Cravings Are Annoying

    Cravings are very annoying. Extraordinarily annoying. We don’t like them, we most certainly don’t want to experience them, but, they come and they’re successful in getting us to give in. Then it results in a horrible snack turned almost meal. We might finish an entire family-sized bag of chips, a whole row of cookies, or have three slices of cake. At that moment, in the bliss of the wonderful flavors. we might not care about how much we have consumed. Afterwards, though, when the horrible craving monster exorcises itself from our minds, we feel nasty and regretful. We all know that this won’t be the last time we give in, too.

    Why Do We Get Cravings?

    There are many reasons why cravings come upon us and wreak havoc. Some of us are emotional eaters and food can be extremely comforting. Some of us eat when we get bored. Sometimes that meal we had wasn’t filling or we have to wait too long for another meal. Other times, we just have a really poor relationship with food. Whatever the reason though, that we give into our cravings, there are ways to help you easier curb them. Now, this isn’t saying that you should never have the foods that you want, it’s just that we don’t need to have them all the time. Ugly cycles start when we give into our cravings all the time.

    What Can We Do To Curb Our Cravings?

    There’s a whole lot we can do to curb our cravings. Here are eleven things you can try!

    1. If you find yourself craving sweets or salty foods, have a drink of water and wait a couple of minutes. If the craving passes, you might have just been thirsty. Good job on not giving in!
    2. Including more protein into your diet helps reduce appetite, keeps you from overeating, and keeps you satiated for longer. Eating more protein reduces cravings by up to 60% and reduces night snacking by 50%. You’re doing great on keeping that craving at bay!
    3. The feeling of craving doesn’t last forever, so, remove yourself from where the food is. Go take a shower, take a walk, do another activity away from the source. Your feeling of craving will subdue. Don’t give up!
    4. Not knowing what to eat for your meals might not go well. Planning your meals in advance will help keep you on track. Knowing what you’re going to have means you don’t have to have a whole plethora of options to choose from in spontaneity. Look at you go, keeping those cravings away!
    5. If we get hungry, we want to eat. If we get extremely hungry, cravings start happening. Hunger makes food seem even more appealing than it already is so avoid getting too hungry. Eat at the start of your hunger when you can and listen to your body when it tells you that it’s full. It’s hard to tell when you’re full though, so eat slowly and chew thoroughly, it helps.
    6. Stress eating is real. Find ways to alleviate that stress, and no, we can’t do that through food all the time. It’s not a healthy cycle to fall into. The modern day person is constantly stressed, so if we stress ate, we would probably never stop eating. Step away from the stressor for a bit, meditate, find an activity you enjoy to help with fighting the stress.

    Don’t Give In! Don’t Give Up! You Can Conquer!

    Cravings will always be there. It will always sneak up on you and you will want to give in! And, sometimes it’s okay to give in! Just remember, there are ways to help you with keeping your cravings at bay. You don’t have to let them rule you. For more information you can visit this website.

    Eat good meals. Eat wisely. Do your best out there. Stay safe!

  • Rockabye Baby, Go to Sleep

     Sleep is that wonderful thing that keeps you wanting more in the morning when you inevitably have to crawl out of bed before you’re late for wherever you have to be. That feeling when you wake up in the middle of the night and check the time to find that it’s still only 2:03AM is one of the best. Warm and drowsy, you shut your eyes and feel at ease, knowing you don’t have to face the world for a few more hours. Sleep is important. 

         Good quality sleep provides numerous benefits. It improves brain performance, mood and health. 

        Not getting good quality sleep consistently increases your risk of many diseases, like heart disease, stroke, obesity and dementia. Good quality sleep consists of three major components: the hours of sleep, sleep quality and a consistent sleep schedule.

         Sleep aids in your brain being ready to face a new day. Your brain works while you sleep, preparing itself to learn, remember and create.The brain also removes toxins as you sleep, functioning almost like a kidney, and some things removed include proteins linked with Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep is vital for a healthy body. Your immune system is better able to repair you when you are sleeping. Sleep helps get you back into tip top shape when you’re sick and keeps you in tip top shape when you’re not.

         Sleep most definitely does not look the same for everyone. Get yours however you can. Make a schedule and stick to it. Exercise, but don’t exercise close to bedtime. Get natural sunlight for at least thirty minutes a day. Cut out the caffeine. Don’t nap after mid-afternoon.. Avoid eating large meals before bed. Step away from your electronics before bed. Create an environment that best aids your sleep. That’s a long list of things that may help you get consistent quality sleep. Of course, sleep isn’t easy to come by for everyone. If you find nothing helps you sleep, talk to your healthcare provider. Sleep the best as you can in the way that you find best.

  • Slow Down, No One’s Taking Your Food

    Your brain doesn’t know when to stop eating, not until it’s twenty minutes too late and suddenly your stomach kind of feels too full. That’s how long it takes your brain to know that you are full, a good twenty minutes after, you are full. When you eat, ghrelin, a hormone that is responsible for controlling hunger starts becoming suppressed and in turn that lets it release fullness hormones. Then these fullness hormones will start whispering to your brain, telling it to tell you that you’re full and that you can stop eating now. The thing is, the brain can do better at telling you when you’re full if you eat slower because it has time to receive those fullness hormones. Not only that, eating slower can also increase fullness hormones. 

         In a study conducted with seventeen people, all at a normal weight, found that finishing 10.5 ounces of ice cream in thirty minutes versus finishing the same amount in five minutes reports to be more full. 

         Eating slowly can also help you reduce calorie intake. In a study splitting people up into eating slowly and quickly with both overweight and normal weight people found a statistically significant fewer calories consumed in the normal weight group. All participants, though, felt fuller for longer after eating slower. 

         Eating slower can also mean chewing more thoroughly because drawing out that chewing time slows you down. Slowing down, as stated above, lowers your calorie intake and in turn that helps you lose weight. Find the right pace for you because chewing too much can also decrease meal enjoyment. A study found that while chewing thirty seconds or more reduced snacking later on, it also reduced meal enjoyment. 

         Remember, eat slower, chew more thoroughly, and most importantly, stay safe and think for yourself. 

  • Make your Mornings Brighter with a Walk

    Have you ever thought about making your mornings brighter with walk? And did you know there’s quite a number of advantages in starting your day with a morning walk, outdoors? Well, let’s start discussing the benefits and make your mornings brighter!

    Here’s why: 

    A Routine Consistency:

    Walking is indeed a form of exercise. It’s a healthy habit to start your day with a morning walk and enjoy outdoor fresh air and nature surroundings. Studies have shown that those who often exercise early mornings have set a habit of daily exercise routine. But a change in exercise schedule may always occur under circumstances. Getting up from your bed and beginning your day with a walk, will not only keep you active or stress relieved but will help maintain a consistent routine.

    Eases Your Mood:

    Heading out for a morning walk will help with your wellbeing. A daily walk of at least 10-15 minutes or more could provide you with a variety of benefits. A morning walk helps reduce anxiety and depression, for instance. According to IRT, morning walks help one to feel content and think, reflect and clear their mind, improving their mental health. What’s even better is that if there’s a local park in your neighborhood – spending time with nature could ease and boost your mood. Just by hearing the sounds of nature will bring you peace and relaxation.

    Strengthen Your Muscles & Better Health:

    Why not, and take the opportunity of incorporating daily morning walks into your routine in order for a healthier and stronger you? Morning walks will keep you moving and reduce the risk of disease such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, for instance. It may help with weight loss as you walk at a moderate to fast pace. Therefore, tone your legs and abdominal muscles, which increases a range of motion while strengthening your leg muscles. So, rise up and get walking! Stay healthy!

    Sources: 

    1. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/health-benefits-morning-walk
    2. https://www.irt.org.au/the-good-life/9-health-benefits-of-a-morning-walk/#:~:text=Lower%20blood%20pressure%2C%20improved%20blood,of%20heart%20disease%20by%2035%25.

  • Let’s Limit Our Screen Time!

    In today’s world, it almost seems impossible to find enjoyment and entertainment in activities that don’t require us to be on electronics. We search for entertainment on our phones, televisions, laptops, tablets and so on. Anything with a screen seems to drag us in and keep us entertained for hours on end. We even tend to forget that too much screen time can have negative effects on us. We don’t consider how too much screen time affects our brains and bodies. A healthy habit we must consider is limiting our screen time! It is definitely way easier said than done even with all of the tools and alternatives available.

    How Can We Limit Screen Time?

    According to reidhealth.org, “adults should limit screen time to less than two hours per day”. So how exactly can we limit our screen time? There are many phone apps and settings that help you track your screen time. Tracking this helps you become aware of how long you’ve spent on an electronic device. You can even set a timer! Phone settings also help you silence or turn off notifications. Doing so can help you avoid unnecessarily checking your phone every time the screen lights up. Leaving your phone or any other electronic out of arm’s reach and out of sight can also help you limit screen time. Right now, it seems impossible to avoid screens but what you do to help yourself create screen limiting habits is a great start.

    What Can We Do Instead?

    With entertainment at our fingertips, we forget that other activities exist. Reading, journaling, creating art, exercising, spending quality time with friends and family, cooking, exploring your neighborhood are all great alternatives. This also enables you to pick up a skill and find enjoyment in new activities outside of watching and scrolling. It is beneficial to your mind and body as well. Since screen time is usually done in a resting state, our bodies suffer from lack of physical motion. Over time, this can lead to health  problems beyond a sore neck, insomnia and poor posture. Some of the negative effects that our brains experience are mood changes, changes in cognition, memory, ability to focus and possibly depression and anxiety. Limiting your screen time may be difficult but the benefits are worth it. We, the bloggers of Kindly Beautiful, want to help you to  be the best version of yourself!

    Read more about the effects of screen time here!

  • Water is One of Earth’s Finest Resources. Drink It.

         Drink that water, folks. It’s a very important component to maintaining a healthy body. Drinking water also prevents unpleasant sensations. Dehydration, overheating, constipation and kidney stones are a couple of them.

    Dehydration

         Losing more fluid than you take in and your body starts to malfunction is dehydration.     

    A multitude of reasons, including diarrhea and vomiting can cause dehydration. Exercising vigorously in hot weather without replenishing your fluids can also cause dehydration. If you ever feel thirsty, dizzy, confused, tired, have dark-colored urine, or urinate less frequently, you might be dehydrated. Now, go drink some water.

    Overheating 

         If you’re in a really hot climate and you can’t sweat enough to cool yourself down, you’ll overheat. If it gets bad enough, you’ll end up with heat stroke. Staying too long in the sun can cause overheating and lead to heat stroke.  Heat stroke is a severe form of heat illness and is life-threatening. If you’re going to be outside for extended periods of time in extreme heat, drink your water, but not caffeinated drinks, soda and alcohol. Those dehydrate you instead. Drink that water, please.

     Constipation

         Can’t poop? You might not be drinking enough water. The food you eat needs to pass through your large intestine, but if you’re not drinking enough water, your large intestine will soak up that water from your food. In turn, this causes you to have hard stools and hard stools are hard to pass. Again, drink your water.

    Kidney Stones

     Kidney stones are made from chemicals in the urine that form into a hard object. It can stay in the kidney or move into the ureter. If the stone doesn’t pass, it’ll back up your urine and you’ll experience pain. If you don’t treat kidney stones quickly enough, it could cause kidney damage. But, kidney stones formed from not drinking enough water can easily be prevented. Just drink your water and you’ll prevent the stones from forming. Drink. That. Water. 

    In Conclusion

         At the end of the day, drinking enough water depends on you yourself. This is also a blog. All these things listed above can be from something completely different. Always consult a medical professional for any health related issues. Surf the web responsibly. Stay safe. Take care of your body. And of course, drink water. 

  • A Healthy Habit- The Influence of Drinking Water

    Water is life! Of course, this saying is heard by everyone, so. Water is an essential commodity that the human body needs to stay alive. However, most of us don’t drink enough of it. In our next blog post, we will talk about the various benefits of drinking more water and how it can become a healthy habit that changes your life.

    1. Hydration is Vital to Excellent Health

    Hydration is an important element of our health since our bodies are composed of about 60% water. Keeping well-hydrated enhances body functions, facilitates digestive processes, and ensures that the skin looks radiant. In fact, sufficient water consumption can aid in weight control with the feeling of being full and decreased chances of taking more food.

    2. Upgrade Your Energy Levels

    Are you drained and exhausted? It can become a crucial factor. Being properly hydrated can boost energy levels by making the body function more effectively. Therefore, instead of grabbing a sugary energy drink, try drinking some water to perk yourself up.

    3. Glowing Skin

    Want the Perfect, Dewy Glow Complexion? You can also benefit your skin if you drink more water. By taking in enough fluids, the toxins could come out from the body; therefore, the skin will be clearer and brighter. Hence, instead of expensive skincare products, pick a glass of water.