Embarking on a health journey can be one of the most rewarding things you do in your life. Not only does living healthier increase your life expectancy, but it also makes you happier and more energetic within the first few hours of beginning. The following will explore a few excellent tips for people just beginning their health journey, so that you too can lead a healthy life.

1. Smaller Consistent Habits Are Better Than Big Rare Ones

Whenever trying to make changes in your life, it’s better to make smaller changes that are consistent than to make every change you’ve ever heard of for two weeks before burning out. It’s a good idea to focus on one new habit at a time and devote your time and energy to that habit for at least a month before adding or removing something new. This means you can make about 12 lasting changes each month. When it comes to things that impact your digestion or gut bacteria, like adding in more fiber or probiotics, this is especially important. Your gut bacteria needs gradual changes if you want to avoid cramps, bloating, and gas.

2. Get Ready For The Internal Struggle

Whenever you’re making changes in your life, you’re going to come face-to-face with beliefs you have that limit your potential and maybe even harm you. This is completely normal. We were all raised in the same school system with the same television commercials and by parents within the same range of generations who often read the same hyper-misleading parenting books. Everyone has damaging beliefs. Whenever the desire to quit pops up, it will probably be accompanied by a thought like, “Well, it’s easy for her, she started only 20lbs overweight, or “Well, of course, he can do it; he’s got the money to pay for all the fancy stuff.” Every time a thought like this occurs, remind yourself that thoughts aren’t always true, and then seek out an example of someone who disproved the thought. Someone who started in far worse shape than you did or someone who started with less money than you did.

3. Get Ready For The External Struggle

Anyone who starts healthy habits and sticks to them will run into this at some point. When you’re doing something that other people aren’t doing because it’s good for you, people will get abrasive from time to time. People get defensive or offensive when you’re making a better choice than they are in their presence. To mitigate this, definitely avoid ranting about how much more energized you feel and only share health tips if someone asks. Yes, it’s hard to keep everything you’ve learned to yourself when you feel so much better, but people don’t like unsolicited advice and tend to dig their heels in, meaning that offering unrequested advice can actually result in a person being less healthy for the remainder of their life.

4. Good Water Is Your Best Friend (BUT Most Water Is Bad)

You probably know you need to be drinking more water to lead a healthy life. It’s vital for every aspect of health. You’re probably unaware of how terrible most water quality is. As recommended by the experts at mytopfitness.com, research different filtration options regardless of where you live. Townships chlorinate the water they provide to kill bacteria, despite knowing that this increases cancer risk. Microplastics galore are floating in bottled water causing endless hormone issues which in turn impact weight, sleep, mood, relationships, sexuality, and energy levels (and no, BPA-free plastic isn’t okay, it’s simply plastic with one toxin removed—there’s still a ton of other toxins present). Low levels of SSRIs, birth control, and other prescription medications are in city water as well. People take these medications, then excrete them into the water system in the form of urine. Of course, this water is filtered before it gets back into your home, but medication filtering isn’t included.

5. Sugar Is Enemy Number One

When it comes to health at the moment, no enemy is more hardcore than sugar. It has snuck into almost everything we eat with devastating effects. Sugar is linked to every chronic illness and mood disorder that we know about. Cutting out anything with added sugar can make a world of difference (once you get through the sugar withdrawal symptoms, that is). Be prepared; sugar is in way more stuff than you realize. While you’re in the process of cutting it, you might find yourself in relationship arguments or having struggles with your boss or children. This is the withdrawal; addictions are sneaky, and they know exactly what needs to happen to get you to break down and seek out a sugary treat.

6. Learn To Read Labels

Given that more people than ever are seeking out healthy foods, marketing companies are thriving on making food appear healthy that isn’t. Take the time to learn to read ingredient lists and sugar content breakdowns on labels. Research things you don’t recognize, and quickly you’ll discover the tricks marketers use. For instance, ascorbic acid is often listed as an ingredient that gives you vitamin C, but when you research it, you’ll discover that it’s only one component of whole-food vitamin C and doesn’t offer the same benefits.

The above information should help you embark on your health journey to lead a healthy life. As long as you’re open to learning and happy to take a bit longer in the grocery store, you’ll begin to reap some stellar rewards.

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With the advent of technology and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR), there is increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity globally. People find it challenging to predict where the technology will take them to the next level. They are excited with the innumerable advantages arising from automation and artificial intelligence but they are equally concerned about the threats arising out of them. Precisely, humans are caught between peace and prosperity.

Stoicism is a way of life. It is the unofficial religion of the Roman world. It is closely connected with mindfulness. It helps you identify what you can and cannot control. It enhances your self-awareness and enlightens your life. It strengthens your self-control, increases your inner strength, and enhances your endurance. It is an amazing therapy against heartache. 

Stoicism can be defined as the ability to encounter adversaries and face failures with a cool, calm, collected, and composed demeanor. It is working under pressure with grace. Life throws several curveballs and people must be ready to face them squarely which is possible when they adopt stoic philosophy. The philosophy of stoicism was founded in the 3rd century BC in Athens by Zeno of Citium and practiced by eminent philosophers including Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, Cato, Cleanthes, Hecato, and Musonius Rufus. It is practiced in the military also. 

Stoic philosophy is based on the pillars of character, courage, convictions, conscience, communication, charisma, compassion, consideration, and contribution.  There are innumerable advantages of adopting stoic philosophy. For instance, you differentiate between what you can control and what you cannot control. You make choices wisely. You don’t criticize, complain and condemn others. You become mature, remain calm, and evolve as a philosophical person.   

Myths and Truths about Stoics

There are several myths about stoicism and stoics. For instance, there is a myth that stoics are stone-hearted. The truth is that they have a heart with emotions, egos, and feelings, but can control and manage their emotions, egos, and feelings internally. They are extraordinary people who don’t exhibit their inner emotions and feelings to others. They appear calm like ducks because ducks struggle with their feet beneath the water to stay afloat but appear calm externally. 

There is a myth that stoics suppress their emotions but the fact is that they channel their emotions creatively and constructively to remain calm and composed irrespective of the outcome. There is a myth that stoicism is a religion. The truth is that stoicism is a way of life and not connected with any religion. It is a philosophy of living mindfully rather than existing in this world.  

Characteristics of Stoic Leaders 

Stoics are different, not indifferent to the sensitivities of others’ egos, emotions, feelings, and the external environment. Their attitude prepares them for failures and guards them against the arrogance of success. They are silent and resilient accepting the external realities and controlling and channeling their inner energies to turn the tide in their favor. They are emotionally intelligent and balanced and take both successes and failures equally. They know their limitations and work within the available resources without blaming external forces and factors. 

Stoic leaders have a high internal locus of control. They live in the present. They have detached themselves from the desire for an outcome. They emphasize excellence and have an attitude of gratitude. They live with the ground realities and lead simple and humble life. They expect less and embrace more. They understand that life is full of peaks and valleys and embrace change effectively. 

They know when to hold and when to fold. They suffer silently to achieve their goals and objectives. They are visionaries and optimistic and adopt different strategies to accomplish their goals. However, they are unsure about the duration of their success as they are aware that many things are beyond their control. They remain calm and collected despite encountering adversity after adversity. 

“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius

They internalize their education and experience to spark action with smarter and wiser decisions. They take feedback at the end of each day, journal regularly, and reflect a lot to improve themselves. They enjoy their solitude. They handle conflicts effectively and overcome crisis successfully. They lead all stakeholders mindfully. Precisely, they compare less, criticize less, and consume less. They create more, learn more, and live more.

Some of the Stoic philosophers such as Cato the Younger influenced leaders including George Washington, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. Eminent American leaders including Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt, political thinker John Stuart Mill, and economist Adam Smith followed stoicism. The leaders who remained stoic in the face of adversity include Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, James Stockdale during the Vietnam war, and Lieutenant Michael Murphy during the Afghanistan war.  Here is a blueprint to be stoic in adversity. Understand and appreciate the fact that there is increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) across the world. Have an internal locus of control. Improve your attitude, personality, and behavior. Leverage your uniqueness. Treat your failures as lessons. Convert your negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Convert your threats into opportunities. Convert your scars into stars. 

Remember that troubles of the past and anxieties of the future are the thieves of present-day happiness. Hence, live in the present mindfully to lead your life with purpose and meaning. Observe the following nuggets to lead your life mindfully. Decrease your computer screen time. Avoid excessive viewing of TV. Avoid thinking too much about your unpleasant experiences. Avoid shopping addiction. Overcome relationship issues. Don’t procrastinate. Avoid clutter physically, mentally, and emotionally. If you view it negatively, life looks full of pain, problems, and challenges. If you view it positively, life looks full of harmony, happiness, and beauty. Hence, view life positively to overcome the challenges successfully and add value to others. 

Explore Stoic Philosophy 

Entrepreneurs and leaders encounter unprecedented challenges regularly. Adopting stoicism helps them greatly to overcome their challenges. To summarize, stoicism is a neglected field in ancient philosophy. Stoic philosophy is relevant in today’s world. It is time to understand and adopt it in the current complex world.  You cannot change everything in the world but you can change your attitude by acting towards them proactively to lead a happy and peaceful life. To conclude, explore stoic philosophy to achieve inner harmony, peace, and happiness. 

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Practicing martial arts can help improve one’s health. Martial arts is a great way to get in shape, lose weight and improve flexibility. It also helps improve coordination and balance, and can even help protect against injuries. So, how exactly can martial arts improve your health and overall wellbeing?

Increased Flexibility

Practicing martial arts will help improve the range of motion in your joints. In fact, practicing karate and Jiu-Jitsu can help increase joint flexion and extension more than general fitness training. This increased flexion and extension can help improve joint stability, as well as reduce any pain felt during exercise.

It may even protect the joints from further damage later on in life. So, to increase flexibility, you need to work and improve yourself, which is why using BJJ instructionals can come in handy. In some cases, this improved flexibility can also lead to injury prevention or reduced injury risk by making movements safer for practitioners. For example, increased knee flexion from practicing some forms of martial arts like Taekwondo can make it less likely for someone to sprain their knee.

Increased Muscle Strength And Endurance

Many martial arts require a specific amount of strength and endurance. For example, practicing Jiu-Jitsu or Muay Thai will help develop your leg muscles – the quads, hamstrings, and calf muscles – which can be helpful in many exercises that require increased lower body stability. It is also a very active sport that requires one to have a certain level of physical fitness just to maintain performance levels. So if you’re looking for a form of exercise that will increase muscle strength and endurance, consider starting your own martial arts training routine! This way you’ll get higher energy levels from being more fit as well as improve coordination and balance by learning new movements.

Improved Mental Health & Fitness

There are many forms of martial arts that can help improve mental wellness. For example, practicing yoga and meditation has been shown to boost the immune system and fight stress and depression by increasing endorphins in the body. Martial arts like Judo and Jiu-Jitsu will teach you how to handle competitive situations while Karate or Kung Fu involves a high level of self-discipline which can help keep stress levels down. And unlike regular exercise, martial arts also make people sweat which means your body will get rid of any excess toxins through perspiration (exercise alone only helps ease tension).

Increased Energy

Last but not least, because martial arts is such an engaging activity to participate in, it gives you increased energy throughout the day! You’ll feel more invigorated and ready to take on the day because you’ll be getting an incredible workout that releases endorphins in your body. You might find yourself wanting to go back to class each time, just so you can get that artistic outlet. So if you’re looking for a way to boost endurance, mental health, muscle strength, and overall fitness levels, consider taking up martial arts as part of your regular wellness routine. Also, if you’re already active, practicing martial arts will help balance your routine by adding more strength and stamina training to the mix.

Better Balance And Coordination

Many forms of martial arts, such as Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu, involve the use of weapons. This means practitioners need to have good balance and coordination to safely handle their equipment without hurting themselves or anyone around them. Even if you learn a martial art that doesn’t require weapons, it will still help improve your overall balance and coordination. It is an extremely active type of exercise that requires a high level of concentration and attention to detail – all things which can be useful for those who are trying to improve their focus habits. So no matter what kind of martial arts you take up as your preferred form of exercise, it will help increase both balance and coordination for a healthy body.

Decreased Injuries

Some martial arts forms, like Taekwondo, involve the use of kicks which can be very hard on your shins. But practicing these skills will actually help improve balance and coordination which will lower your chances of injury. It’s possible to become so skilled at kicking that you can remove shin pads during practice because you’re able to pinpoint where you should land your kicks for maximum safety. This means it can provide you with increased power but without putting too much pressure on the joints or increasing the risk of sprains or fractures, decreasing your chances of broken bones or torn ligaments.

So how can practicing martial arts help people lead healthier lives? By practicing martial arts, people can better their physical well-being by gaining flexibility, increasing energy levels, and improving stamina. Having these benefits can create lasting life changes for those who practice regularly.

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Losing weight can be incredibly challenging and people will often try several diets before landing on one that helps them drop pounds in a consistent and sustainable manner.

In fact, the findings from a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2020 revealed that 17% of Americans were on diets during the 2017-2018 survey period—up 14% from the decade prior. Yet, the national obesity rate rose from 34% to 42% over that same time period.

Now, new research out of the University of Illinois in Chicago suggests that intermittent fasting (IF) could promote significant weight loss and even improve metabolic health in those who have obesity.

“People love intermittent fasting because it’s easy. People need to find diets that they can stick to long term. It’s definitely effective for weight loss and it’s gained popularity because there are no special foods or apps necessary. You can also combine it with other diets, like Keto,” Krista Varady, professor of nutrition at the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences and study author said in a statement.

RELATED: Sleeping This Much Could Increase Your Risk of Obesity, Study Finds

The review, which was published in the Annual Review of Nutrition, analyzed 25 research studies involving three types of IF. These included the following:

• Alternate day fasting: You alternate between one feast day and one fast day. On the fasting day, you only consume one, 500-calorie meal.
• 5:2 diet: This type of IF calls for five feast days and two fast days per week.
• Time-restricted eating: This method doesn’t involve calorie restrictions, but you do have to shorten your eating window to anywhere between four and 10 hours a day. Then, you fast outside of that eating window.

Of the studies examined, many showed that time-restricted eating allowed participants with obesity to lose an average of 3% of their body weight—no matter the length of their eating window. On the other hand, those who participated in alternate-day fasting dropped 3%-8% of their body weight over a three to eight-week period.

Surprisingly, those who did the 5:2 diet had comparable weight loss results with those who did alternate-day fasting, despite having fewer fasting periods.

Overall, the percentage of weight participants lost following these two types of IF diets compare to the results one may achieve by following a traditional, calorie-restrictive diet. The best part? Participants who did both of these fasting diets kept the weight off, maintaining an average of 7% weight loss for a whole year.

Bottom line: The study doesn’t suggest that IF is more effective than traditional dieting. Instead, it shows that it may be just as effective, so if you hate cutting calories on a daily basis, consider giving either alternate day or 5:2 fasting a try!

For more information on IF, be sure to check out 7 Science-Backed Benefits of Intermittent Fasting. Then, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for more weight loss tips!

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