Category Archives: Going Healthy

Going Healthy, Life

You Are More Than Your Bad Habits!

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Summer is well and truly here (unless you live in Australia- where it’s still pretty balmy). For most of us, the urge to be the best version of ourselves is at its strongest at this time of year. We feel a sincere desire to get outside, be more social, take our kids on more days out and exercise a whole lot more. Sure, they say that summer bodies are made in the winter, but the great thing about fitness is that it’s never too early or too late to start making positive changes. But despite this overarching air or positivity and pro-activity, many of us still find ourselves faltering. It’s not because we’re lazy, indolent or flighty. It’s not because we don’t care or we don’t want it bad enough. And despite what we may tell ourselves it’s not because we’re too busy and can’t find the time (you can always make the time, even if it means getting up an hour earlier). It’s because however noble our intentions, it’s all too easy to let our habits dictate our behavior.

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We tend to underestimate the impact that habit can have on us, but as we will discuss, habit may seem innocuous enough but it can exert a powerful hold over us…

Why habit has a hold on us

John Dryden said that “First we make our habits, then our habits make us”. Argue with that if you can. We tend to shrug habits off as semi voluntary procedures that we choose to go through. But this massively understates just how powerful and damaging an effect our habits can have on us. We may tell ourselves that we’re in control of our habits or that we can give them up any time we want, but the neuroscience of habits says otherwise. Bad habits needn’t be limited to smoking, eating too much bad food or drinking too much. Sometimes they can be much more quotidian but no less damaging. Every time you shrug to yourself “I’m such a procrastinator”, “I deserve this little treat” or “one more won’t hurt”, or worse still convincing yourself that you’re stupid or worthless, you’re letting your habits dictate your behavior.

Addiction is not a bad word

Habits and addiction go hand in hand. Habits facilitate addiction and once addiction takes a hold of us, it can be difficult to break that hold. The first step is to admit that your habit has become a problem. Get out of the habit of telling yourself you like the taste of cigarettes or that you need four coffees to function in the morning. Addiction does not make you weak, not does it make you deviant or wayward. It simply means that you have a functioning human brain that’s reacting to stimuli. Treating addiction might need relying on outside help, whether it’s through trained professionals or enlisting the aid of friends and family. The good news is that bad habits can be broken.

Consistency is key!

Breaking bad habits is simply a matter of consistency. Replace bad behaviors with good behaviors and repeat them until they become habit. The neurological process is exactly the same. Don’t beat yourself up about it if you fleetingly fall off the wagon, but resolve to get back on it as quickly as you can.

Remember, you are more than just your bad habits. Have a great day!

Going Healthy, Life

You Are What You Eat, So Stop Eating Garbage

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The adage is true – you are what you eat. Okay, you won’t turn into a potato if you’re a spud fan. The sigh of relief from the Irish contingent is palpable. What it does mean is that whatever is in the food ends up in your body. It’s a basic chain that is impossible to deny. So, they might be everything from plastic to chemicals flowing through your veins right now. From a health and well-being point of view, this isn’t a positive thing.

To make sure what you eat is on point, here are four portions of delicious advice to eat up.

Something’s Fishy

Fish is an excellent source of, well, pretty much everything. From vitamins to iron and calcium, it has the lot. Oh, and don’t forget the omega-3 fatty acids that make it a superfood on par with kale and other leafy greens. There is one problem with seafood and it’s plastic. The seas are full of pollution from polymers and sea creatures are ingesting more of it on a daily basis. When they are caught and served on a plate, it transfers into the body. To avoid coughing up a supermarket carrier bag, check the packet for info. Is it organic? Is it well farmed? Does the supplier provide a guarantee?

It’s A MOOt Point

Let’s not lay the blame squarely at the fins of fish. Farm animals are just as unhealthy depending on their diet. And, some of them aren’t pictures of health. Cows are often injected with drugs to make them grow bigger and juicier for our consumption. Battery chickens and hens, on the other hand, are pumped with penicillin because they have lots of health issues. As the evolution of bacteria is a major deal, it’s wise to shop for organic produce. Anything that eats well and uses holistic treatments isn’t going to a farmyard junkie.

The Chemical Stew, Please

Cleaning is an important part of the daily routine. The rubber gloves come out and the industry products attack any piece of dirt in sight. And, the same goes for cutlery. Add soap to the sink and the knives, forks, and plates will inevitably soak in the chemicals. You know what happens next. Here’s what you need to do to flip the script. Rather than buy traditional cleaners, opt for organic dishwasher gel and Fairy liquid. Then, should you end up eating it, the damage won’t be severe.

Filter My Fluoride

H2O from the faucet is a sign of a stable system. Some parts of the world – Cape Town springs to mind – don’t have the same privilege. Still, tap water isn’t one-hundred percent infallible. In truth, there are lots of chemicals floating around that might be dangerous. Fluoride is a prime example. Used in toothpaste to strengthen the teeth, it can be healthy but too much has harmful effects. Because water is essential, it’s tempting to turn the faucet and drink. The best option is to install a filter to remove the dangerous particles. You can boil it yet it’s a hassle.

You are what you eat, so what are you?

Going Healthy, Life

The 3 Biggest Health Problems We Face

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As our lifestyles and habits change, new health problems emerge all the time. There are a lot of health issues that we’re struggling with right now that simply didn’t exist 100 years ago but changes to our way of life have created them. Understanding what these problems are and what is causing them in the first place is the key to avoiding them and living a happy, healthy life. These are some of the biggest health problems we face right now.

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Obesity

Weight issues are a huge problem amongst adults but more importantly, in children. Children are being classified as obese at a very young age which is incredibly worrying because it means they’re likely to maintain that weight in later life. There are a lot of different reasons why we’re struggling with our weight which makes it very difficult to tackle the problem. Food is increasingly confusing because, even if you avoid the mountains of fatty and sugary food you can still get caught out. Things that are advertised as low fat are often packed with sugar so they’re causing weight gain anyway and a lot of things like fruit juices that people use as healthier substitutes are high in sugar as well. The only way to really know what you’re eating is to make your own healthy food with fresh ingredients rather than relying on pre-made stuff.

As well as what we eat, the amount of exercise we’re doing is a big problem. When you’re competing with computers and phones it’s difficult to get kids outside and adults with a busy work life find it difficult to fit it into their schedules. Even if you’re just doing ten minutes of exercise and trying to be a bit more active generally, it’s better than nothing. Exercise has so many health benefits so you should try to make time for it where you can.

Opioid Crisis

Opioids have been in the news a lot over the last couple of years as doctors have come under fire for prescribing them too readily and the companies that manufacture them have been accused of downplaying the risks and using incentives to encourage doctors to prescribe them. This has led to the opioid epidemic which is having devastating effects. People that are prescribed these painkillers quickly develop an addiction to them and often turn to harder street drugs or illegally buy more pills once their prescription runs out. Now that the extent of the damage is known, opioids are controlled far more tightly but we still need to deal with the fallout from a period of over subscription.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a health problem that is often linked to weight gain. A bad diet, particularly one that is high in sugar, leads to type 2 diabetes which comes with a whole host of dangers. People often make the mistake of thinking that they’re not at risk if they aren’t overweight but you can still eat a high sugar diet without gaining loads of weight. As companies continue to produce high sugar foods, it’s getting harder to avoid. Always be mindful of what you’re eating and double check ingredients.

These health problems are beginning to spiral out of control so always be aware of the risks and make sure that you avoid them.