Triathlons

Have you wanted to try a triathlon however found yourself scared of doing those distances? The iron man can be incredibly painful, but isn't the only one you should look at. There are a number of shorter triathlons geared towards your level of expertise. 

There are three different main levels or distances of triathlons (though there are other distances these are the typical ones you will see). The most brutal and largest of them is the Iron Man which touts a 2.4 mile swim follwed by a 112 mile bike ride, and a full marathon at 26.2 miles. The traditional size is the Olympic triathlon which is a .93 mile swim with a 24.8 mile bike ride finished with a 6.2 mile run. The smallest of the three is called a sprint which consists of a .47 mile swim, followed by a 12.4 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run. In the United States sprints have begun to become incredibly popular.

The Triathletes Training Bible is a great way to start getting yourself geared up towards training for one. This book is considered one of the best books for this sport. It breaks things down into wonderful details like what workout plans you should be completing each week. This is a great self coaching book to get you on the way to doing your first triathlon or fine tuning your routine if you are a triathlon veteran. Furthermore you can learn tips about the race day itself.

After you finish one triathlon you might just decide you want to try another or move up to a longer one. It might just end up you become an amazing athlete yourself.

How To Keep Yourself Awake In A Healthier Manner

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One of the toughest things for many people is trying to stay awake throughout the day, regardless of whether you are an adult going to work each day or a college student slogging through classes, as it is easy for the days to catch up to you and for you to want to simply stay in bed; when this happens, many people drink or eat different things that help them stay awake, but if you are one such person, you will want to make sure that whatever you are doing to stay awake is also healthy for you.

Simply getting enough sleep and making sure you are waking up at the top of your sleep cycle is one of the best ways to stay awake throughout the day; most people sleep in sleep cycles of around an hour and a half apiece, and you will feel much more awake when you wake up at the end of a sleep cycle instead of in the middle of one, so figure out how long your sleep cycle is, and aim to always wake up when one sleep cycle is ending and the next one is beginning.

On top of making sure you get enough sleep and that you are waking up at the right point in your sleep cycle, you will want to start your day the right way; if you start out your day in a sluggish manner, this will carry over into the remainder of your day, but when you are able to start out with a walk, a healthy breakfast, and a bit of relaxing, you will feel much more awake - and much more ready to attack the day!

And make sure you avoid sugars and carbonated beverages when you reach a place where it is necessary to put something in your body to keep yourself awake; instead, try for some fruit (apples are especially good at keeping the mind and body awake!), and drink tea and coffee (with no cream or sugar!).

When you adhere to these methods, you will be able to avoid that tiredness that plagues so many people and gives them constant problems, and will instead be able to stay awake throughout the day - in a healthy manner.

How To Take Care Of Excess Ear Wax

Some people see ear wax as something that is "gross," or that is not a fun topic to discuss, but whether you want to discuss it or not, it is still important for you to make sure you know how to deal with ear wax (especially because most people deal with it the wrong way!).

First of all, you need to realize that your body produces ear wax as protection for your ear drum and ear canal, and if you had never touched the insides of your ears all your life, you would never have to worry about ear wax at all, as the body naturally regulates the amount of ear wax you have. Of course, the problem is that most people have messed around with the insides of their ears, and in so doing many of them have created blockages with their ear wax, and not only are these blockages uncomfortable, but they can also impair hearing and can increase the likelihood of ear aches and ear infections.

One of the best ways to get rid of this buildup of excess ear wax is to heat up either oil or hydrogen peroxide, and to lay on your side as you drip this heated-up solution into your ear; after you have let the solution sit in your ear for about fifteen minutes, roll onto your other side to let it drain out of your ear.

Another great way to get rid of excess ear wax is to use an ear candle; by putting an ear candle into your ear and lighting it, the candle will send warmth and small amounts of smoke into your ear, which will help to "melt" the extra wax that has built up.

If there is a lot of extra ear wax built up inside your ear, it can take a number of times of doing one or the other of these things before you finally solve the problem - and flushing your ear with hot water afterward will also be a necessary part of either procedure - but when you use one of these two methods and have a bit of patience, you can keep yourself from ever having to worry about ear wax again!

Creating Healthy Alternatives To Fast Food

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Everyone eats fast food out of necessity every once in a while, but if you also enjoy fast food, you might be looking for a way to eat this same food (or something very similar) without getting all the unhealthy components of this same fast food. If you find yourself in this position, the good news is that you can make just about any fast food menu item at home - and just about anything you make at home will be a lot healthier (and probably a lot tastier as well!) than anything you could get at a fast food restaurant!

Once you have decided upon the meal you want to create at home, figure out what you need to buy for it; for instance, if you are wanting to replicate a meal with hamburgers and fries, you can buy organic hamburger beef and french fries at a store such as Whole Foods, and can buy fresh-baked buns, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, and healthy sauces to go with the burger.

Instead of getting soda to go with your meal, as you might usually do, you should consider switching to a sparkling fruit juice, or to homemade iced tea; even though water is always the best thing for you to drink, either of these options go great with hamburgers, and each will be much healthier than soda!

You also need to make sure that you are cooking your food in the right way; instead of frying your fries, try baking them, and instead of frying your burgers, try making them in a George Foreman Grill or on a regular grill outside. Not only will you have a much healthier option when you cook the food this way, but you will also have something that tastes a whole lot better than anything you could get at a fast food restaurant!

You might think that you do not "have the time" to do all this, but actually, you can make several burgers (and a whole batch of french fries) at once, and you can store these in your fridge and have "fast food" waiting for you whenever you want it!

Exploring Some Good Lunch Food Options

You have surely heard before that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day," but if you work full-time, lunch is definitely a close second, as lunch will be your "midway meal." You can end up going into the stretch run of the day feeling sluggish and tired if you do not eat the right foods at lunch; if, on the other hand, you are eating the right foods, you can experience an energy boost that will set you up nicely for the stretch run.

Firstly, there are two specific things to make sure you avoid during lunchtime: foods that have a lot of sugar in them, as these will give you a "crash" during the afternoon, and foods that are really heavy, as these will make you sleepy as your body works to digest them.

Fruit is a great option for lunch, as it is full of natural energy and other nutrients your body needs, and it is easy to digest without making you tired; in addition to fruit, you can try getting a smoothie for lunch, as this will pack your body full of natual energy while providing you with a meal that is easy to consume.

Nuts are another excellent source of natural energy; you can bring a baggie of mixed nuts with you, or you can pack some trail mix that will be tasty and easy to eat while giving you the energy you need!

If you are looking for something more "substantial," you can eat the sandwich you are used to eating at lunch, but consider eating only half of it, instead of eating the whole thing; the main thing is that you should eat until you are "content," but not until you are "full," as eating until you are "full" will make you more tired!

The afternoon might still bring that "2:30 feeling" your way, but when you make sure you are eating the right foods at lunch, that feeling will be a lot easier to deal with!

Should You Take Calcium Supplements?

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Most of us are aware that calcium builds bones and teeth, but are calcium supplements important? This health guide will tell you if you're consuming enough calcium so you'll know if you need a supplement or not.

Why do you need calcium? Calcium facilatates proper muscle and heart function, and it builds strong bones and teeth. Every day your body takes calcium from its stores – which happen to be your bones and teeth—and then replaces the calcium in those stores with the calcium you eat. If your calcium intake is low, your bones and teeth get weaker and weaker as time goes by, since the body keeps making withdrawals from your bones and teeth, regardless of how much or little calcium you are restoring. This is why your daily calcium intake matters.

What should you do to get enough calcium? You can get plenty of calcium from milk products and shrimp, salmon, and sardines. There is a lot of calcium available in leafy greens and soybean products, but some people are wary of these two sources because of the presence of oxalate, which might drain calcium from the body.

How much calcium do you need in a day? Kids need at least 400 mg, teens and adults need at least 800 mg, and pregant and lactating moms need at least 1200 mg a day. If you are an adult female, you will benefit from taking 1500 mg a day.

Should you take calcium supplements? Most women don't eat enough calcium and would benefit from supplements to protect them from osteoporosis. If you eat a vegan diet, you’ll want to take calcium supplements since you aren’t eating dairy. Buy calcium supplements made from calcium citrate (for best absorption). Try taking one 500 mg supplement with your breakfast, one with lunch, and one with dinner--this will maximize absorption. You need vitamin D to adequately absorb the calcium, so take a vitamin D supplement as well.

Calcium supplements build strong bones and teeth, which makes you stronger!

How To Stop A Flesh Wound From Bleeding

Even though people tend to not think about things such as "how to stop a flesh wound from bleeding" until they end up in a situation where this information is crucial, you never know when this information will come in handy, and it is certainly better to know what to do before the situation arises than to scramble once you are in the situation! Particularly for people who have children, it is important that you know how to stop a flesh wound from bleeding in order to prevent infection and scarring.

Before you do anything at all with an open wound, you should make sure your hands are clean, as you will be working with your hands and will not want to get dirt or germs into the open cut. Once your hands are completely clean, your main focus should be on stopping the bleeding; use sterile gauze (or something similar) to stopper the wound, and then keep pressure applied to the wound while also keeping the area of the wound raised so that it is held above the level of the heart.

If the bleeding does not slow down much, you can also apply an ice pack to the area, as this should slow the bleeding further; it can take up to ten or fifteen minutes for the bleeding to stop completely, so be patient - as long as the situation is continuing to improve, you have no reason to be worried!

Once you have gotten the bleeding to stop (either completely or close to completely), you should clean out the cut with antibacterial soap, and then you should apply an antibacterial cream to a bandage and apply the bandage to the wound.

By taking these easy steps, you should not have any problems solving most flesh wounds, but if you have followed these steps and the situation has not improved, you can deem it to be a medical emergency, and you should immediately get in touch with an emergency medical technician to assist you.

Exploring Lazy Afternoons And Their Positive Effects

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If you see yourself as a driven person - the kind of person who always wants to be working hard and always wants to be moving forward in life - this is definitely a good thing (to be certain, it is a far better thing than being categorized as a "lazy person"), but there is one major problem with those people who tend to always be working hard, and that is the fact that they rarely take the time to relax. If you see yourself as being this kind of person, realizing all the positive things that come from working as hard as you work is great - but at the same time, it will be good for you to realize that there is nothing wrong with having a lazy afternoon every once in a while, and in fact, this is sometimes quite a positive thing to do!

As you make such an effort to work hard and put so much emphasis on the importance of work, one thing you will often find is that you have a high stress quotient in your life, and while you might feel that this is something you are perfectly fine "dealing with," one problem with allowing a lot of stress to enter into your life is that it can negatively affect your health - and you can prevent this from being as big of an issue as it would otherwise be if you simply take a lazy afternoon every so often.

In addition to helping you stay healthy by relieving stress, having a lazy afternoon every once in a while will also end up helping you get the most out of the time off you have; while there are times when it is great to "do something" during your time off - making an effort to make new memories - there are other times when the best thing you can do for maximizing your day off is to really do nothing at all!

And if you sometimes feel that you are being ultra underproductive when you have a lazy afternoon, one thing that will be great for you to realize is that one of the huge benefits of lazy afternoons is that they will often help you feel reenergized afterward - which, in the long run, will make your time at work that much more productive!

How Does Redbull Work?

Let's face it, every once in a while we need a shot of energy to help us get through the day. Some of us opt for a cup of coffee (maybe several cups of coffee). Some of us opt for a cup of tea. Others of us try to go a more natural route, getting energy from vitamins and healthy foods. But sometimes, even though we might hate to have one, an energy drink just sounds like the right option! The only problem is, we have no clue what is in such drinks, and we don't really know what makes them work. Are they all right for our body? Do they even work? And if they do work, how do they work?

Redbull is one of the most popular energy drinks in the world, and unless you are a regular energy drink consumer, the name recognition that Redbull provides means that you are likely to go with this option if you ever decide you need the boost an energy drink provides. Perhaps you have heard that Redbull is banned in France, Uruguay, and Norway. It it certainly understandable if this makes you nervous!

The reason why these countries have chosen to ban Redbull is because the drink contains taurine. There have been questions regarding the wisdom of adding taurine to the body, even though the body produces taurine on its own. Taurine moves certain minerals - potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and others - throughout the cells in your body, and in this way it helps to generate nerve impulses. This is one way in which Redbull helps you stay awake.

What should concern you more than the taurine in Redbull, however, is the glucose content. Glucose, of course, is sugar, and as such it contributes to those "sugar crashes" you would want to avoid when you need to stay awake.

Otherwise, Redbull contains a small amount of caffeine and a variety of vitamins. A great alternative to regular redbull is sugar-free Redbull. This drink tastes similar to regular Redbull, but you can avoid those sugar crashes. The sugar crash is the main issue with Redbull; otherwise, it is okay for you to drink, and it certainly will help you stay awake.

How To Keep Yourself Healthy Every Day

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Too many people try to 'get healthy' all at once, forcing themselves to go on crazy diets or trying to work out a ton every single day. But when it comes to keeping yourself as healthy as possible, the best approach is to turn healthy living into a habit that is part of your everyday life. You will find that your body and mind feel better than they have ever felt before if you follow these tips for healthy daily living.

Lots of people "function fine" on little sleep, and so, sleep becomes the area of healthy living that gets most often overlooked. But whether you function fine on little sleep or not, the body requires us to get at least eight hours each night, which few of us get! In order for your body and mind to remain healthy in the long run, you need to make sure you begin to give them the proper amount of sleep each day.

Keeping a close eye on what you put into your body is, of course, another major part of making sure that your body remains healthy. When people think of putting the right things into their body, they often think of food, but it is easy to forget that liquids are part of this also. Not only should not avoid sugar-filled, carbonated liquids, but you should also make sure you put about a gallon of water in you each day!

And exercising properly and consistently is perhaps the most difficult part of all when it comes to keeping your body healthy every day. Too many people decide to skip exercise altogether since it can be an inconvenience, but exercise is a necessary inconvenience if you want to keep yourself healthy. While your exercise routine does not need to be aggressive, you do need to find something that gets your muscles working and your blood pumping each day. Your exercise routine can be as simple as taking a nice walk every day when you come home from work, or you can do something more involved like a trip to the gym.

It is not difficult to keep your body and mind healthy, but in order for this to happen, you need to make sure that you follow these tips and keep up with it every day!

Okra is Good for You

What is there to say about okra? People seem to either really enjoy okra or really hate it.  There doesn't seem to be many middle ground. Okra is much more common fair in the southern part of the United States. Okra needs to be introduced to other parts of the States for sure. It is possible to find okra in the frozen food section of your local market if you are unable to find it fresh.

There are a number of reasons that eating okra is healthy for you. Herbalists note okras ability to be a demulcint. A demulcint helps mucus membranes by coating the mucus membrane and reducing inflammation and pain. Mucilage is the slimy compound that can sooth mucus membranes. Herbalists believe that this can assist people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or suffer from irregularity with their intestines.

Low in calories but high in nutrients, okra is a healthy veggie to add to your diet. Low calorie count and high fiber make this ideal for people who are trying to loose weight. Okra is also high in fiber, which also helps in digestion and keeping your digestive tract healthy. Okra is also high in the important vitamins B,A, and C. Okra is a heart healthy veggie also! When eaten regularly, okra can assist in lowering cholesterol.

When we discuss okra culinarily, it is most often used in gumbos and soups. Okra has the unique ability to help thicken soups with its mucilage. Okra can be eaten raw but that is based on preference. The flavor of okra has been compared to eggplant. Fried okra is also a common way to eat it.  Frying also helps to reduce the slimy texure also. Okra can also be boiled and steamed though this does tend to make it slimy.

You can enjoy okra in a very large number of recipes. Cajun is always a fun way to cook.  Everyone should try this at least once and it very commonly contains okra.

A Comparison Of Caffeine Content

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Maybe you have been surprised to drink a coffee drink and find that you still feel tired afterward; or, maybe you have drank what you thought was just a small amount of coffee and subsequently felt jittery; if either of these are the case for you, you might benefit from knowing the caffeine content of the drinks you are drinking.

Starbucks is one of the favorite coffee destinations of most Americans. While Starbucks offers plenty of specialty drinks, one of their most popular is the Frappuccino. But even though this drink might sound like the perfect treat on a hot, summer day, did you know that it actually has no caffeine in it at all? The Frappuccino is actually powder-based, and contains only coffee flavoring and no real coffee. If you are wanting something to wake you up during the summer instead of just a cold drink, think twice before purchasing a Frappuccino.

Another source of confusion regarding caffeine content comes from espresso. In fact, regular consumers are not the only ones confused by espresso; it is not unusual to find a barista making a comment about how you must really need to stay awake if you ever order an espresso-based drink and request an extra shot. But while espresso does, in fact, contain more caffeine per ounce than coffee, it is rare for an espresso-based drink to contain more than two or three ounces of actual espresso. One example is a venti latte at Starbucks - the largest size offered - which only comes with three shots (or ounces) of espresso. Considering that an ounce of espresso contains between 35 and 50 milligrams of caffeine, this brings your grand caffeine total to somewhere between 105 and 150 milligrams of caffeine.

On the other hand, you get between 115 and 150 milligrams of caffeine from a single cup. If you order a venti coffee at Starbucks - which is 20 ounces, or two and a half cups, of coffee - you are getting over 300 milligrams of caffeine. This means you are getting more than twice as much caffeine from a plain coffee as from a venti espresso drink.

As surprising as it sounds, those who are sensitive to caffeine would be better off order espresso-based drinks than plain coffees. You just need to know how many shots are in a drink, and you can be aware of how much caffeine you are consuming. If, on the other hand, you have been wondering why coffee seems to do nothing for you, you just might be drinking drinks that give you far less caffeine than you thought!

Keeping your normal to dry skin blemish free

Taking care of normal to dry skin can be a difficult challenge, but don't stress! For normal to dry skin that is blemish prone, but not plagued by acne, the perfect combination of inexpensive products exists. You need to begin with a morning/shower cleanser. Aveeno Clear Complexion Cleanser is the perfect creamy exfoliating wash that your skin type needs. It is soft and natural, and has fresh beads to scrub your face to smooth perfection. It's great to use in the shower at the beginning of your day and it provides a clean, treated base for your skin for the day. It has only a two percent content of salicylic acid, which is a mild but effective way to keep blemishes away. Following your exfoliating wash, you should use the Aveeno Clear Complexion Lotion. You can easily pump it out of its bottle like you would any hand soap. Be wary of using too much though, because the extra will chunk up on your face as you try to rub it in. The lotion has a low percentage of salicylic acid as well so it keeps fighting potential breakouts all day long. If you have some persistent pimples every now and then, you can use 
Neutrogena On the Spot Acne Treatment to treat and clear. It leaves the skin soft, but clears zits fast. The treatment is inexpensive and a little bit goes quite a long way so you won't need to replace it often. When the day ends and your skin needs an effective, fast cleaning, there are two great options. Oily eye makeup removers leave your eyes feeling gross, so an oil-free alternative is Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. It works on waterproof mascara, all kinds of liner and shadows, and just about anything else you could put on your eyes. To clean your skin at the end of the day, the best option is a refreshing cotton ball of SeaBreeze FreshClean Astringent that cleans deep down in your pores to release every last bit of makeup and dirt. Cleaning your entire face a few times is the best way to have the best clean because there's oil and dirt all day on your skin. Make you repeat every day and enjoy your new soft, clear skin!

Herbal teas and your health

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Do you like drinking tea? Have you ever considered drinking teas that are formulated to be healthy for you? If not here are a few teas you may with to add to your cupboard and what health benefits you may gain from them. For many years teas and tinctures have been used by different cultures to assist in healing and health. There are still a number of herbal teas which are still used today to help with your health.

Chaga mushroom tea is gaining some interest for many people. This mild flavored tea is made from mushrooms that grow on birch trees. This tea has been used for a long time in Russia and touted for its healing properties.  This is surprisingly not a dirt flavored tea like you might expect a mushroom tea to be but instead a mild flavor not too bitter.

Echinacea tea is another tea that has been around for centuries. Echinacia is also known as purple coneflower and is a wild flower that grows across the United States. Many gardeners also grow these pretty purple flowers in their flower gardens. Echinacia tea has been used for centuries and is known to help boost your immune system along with fighting things like the common cold.

Another herbal tea that is pleasant and can really help you is mint tea. Mint is a very aggressively growing plant in many areas of the country when planted in the garden. It is an incredibly fragrant plant which can be grown and made into fresh tea or you can purchase it dried. You can use Mint tea to help with soar thoats and calm coughs. Mint is said to help sooth upset stomachs and aid in your digestion.

Drinking herbal teas can be good for your heart, however they are considered herbal supplements and you should consult with your doctor first. This will help stop any potential drug interaction problems that you may potentially have.

Daily Skin Care Advice for Teens

Have teens with acne in your household? Looking for skin care advice for that troubled skin? The following skin care suggestions will help clear up your child's acne.

Keep on top of your skin care routine. Wash your face morning and night, but no more. More than washing twice a day will dry skin too much, making it vulnerable to flaking and cracking. Invest in a gentle cleanser, and never use soap.

Next use an exfoliating scrub to remove dead skin. Make a scrub at home by combining three uncoated aspirin tablets with a bit of water in a little dish. Crush it up with a spoon, mixing in the water. Mix in two tablespoons of organic honey. Use this to scrub your forehead, nose, and chin area. Rinse after scrubbing.

Use moisturizer every morning and evening. Use a moisturizer with salicylic acid to prevent additional breakouts. Some teens are afraid of moisturizer, thinking it’ll clog their pores, but you shouldn’t worry if you use an oil-free formula. The worst problem is to let your skin dry out, because then your oil glands will work overtime to produce oil to make up for the dryness.

Avoid cream make up and foundation, especially on break outs. Instead look for mineral powder make up, and use it very sparingly.

Consider a professional extraction from an esthetician if you have deep blackheads that aren’t responding to gentle attempts to extract. It's best not to remove stubborn blackheads at home, but if you do, be sure to sterilize your hands and instruments, and wash your face before and after. Try not to irreparably damage skin. It's worth it to prevent scarring or further infection; hire a professional, even if it's costly.

Invest time in your skin care routine every day to keep it under control. Remember to care for your skin every day without fail.

Best Ways To Get Protein

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As you probably know already, protein is important for your body's health and wellbeing; what you may not know, however, is just how easy it is to get protein into your body. After all, you may not be able to eat meat for every meal, but this does not mean that you will be unable to get protein into your body!

Once you realize the foods that have the protein you need, it becomes much easier to get the 50 grams of proten that you are supposed to have for your body.

You are taking care of a large portion of your protein needs for the day if you start out the day with two or three eggs. Each egg has about six grams of protein, so if you have three eggs in the morning, you only need 32 more grams the rest of the day.

Nuts are another great source of protein, and peanuts are the best nuts of all. Peanuts give you a lot of the protein you need without bogging you down with a lot of the other stuff you do not need, which is the biggest reason why they are so great for you. You can also get great protein from peanut butter, as each tablespoon contains about 7 grams of protein!

Fish are, of course, among the healthiest foods for you, but they are also extremely rich in necessary protein. And yogurt and milk (and other dairy products) are among the foods you probably consume frequently that are great for getting protein.

Finally, drinking smoothies that have protein powder in them is the easiest way to get big chunks of protein all at once. If you add protein powder to a smoothie that includes orange juice, bananas, and strawberries, you can have a healthy treat that is great for any time of day!

Check out The Primal Blueprint - one of the best books for helping you understand how to lead a healthy lifestyle!

When it comes time to buy these foods, remember that organic food is more likely to have the protein you are looking for and to be healthy for you. Your food will be better for you if it is less processed; and if your food is better for you, you will continue to be healthier and healthier!

How To Cut Out Coffee

People sometimes jokingly say that coffee is the most widely available drug, but even though this is said as a joke, the truth is, coffee is a stimulant much along the lines of a drug; of course, coffee does not have the adverse effects on the body that most drugs have, but if you try to quit drinking coffee, you are likely to find that the withdrawal symptoms you will experience can certainly feel like you are quitting something much harder than coffee - and for this reason, it will be important that you know a few things you can try in order to wean yourself off coffee if you have decided that this will be a good move for you.

When it comes to cutting out coffee, one of the best things you can try is to scale back on your coffee consumption slowly; if you slowly cut back on your coffee intake, you will eventually get to a place where it is no longer necessary for you to have coffee in order to function, so start by figuring out how many milligrams of caffeine you typically consume in a day, and then try cutting back 20% of this original level every week until you are no longer dependent on coffee.

You should also realize that there are lots of alternatives to drinking coffee, but some are actually worse than coffee for your body; rather than switching to energy drinks that are packed with sugar and other unnatural ingredients, start eating some "energy foods" that will help to replace the energy in your body that your body has been used to getting from coffee.

And quite frankly, water is the one thing your body needs more than anything else, and you will be able to do a lot to help your body make the transition away from coffee by giving it as much water as you can while cutting back on the coffee; water will make it less likely that you will end up having those awful caffeine headaches, and will also help to give you plenty of natural energy.

Although your body will not get ruined by coffee in the same way it would get ruined by a drug, it is certainly nice to be able to have coffee as a treat instead of being dependent on it, and when you follow these tips, you will be that much closer to being able to cut coffee out of your needs completely.

Effective Resistance Training Programs You Can Do at Home

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You may not be a mountain climber, but you still need to make resistance training a part of your fitness plan. The following exercises will help you build muscle and get toned.

Work your upper body with a resistance band. Grasp an end of the resistance band in either hand and then step on the middle of the band. Use the resistance provided by the band as you lift your hands up in front of your body, and then to the sides of your body, engaging your biceps, tripceps, and shoulders as you pull and release. Listen to your body as you challenge your upper body muscles, tailoring the resistance training workout to your body's needs. Repeat sets of various pulls until you fatigue the muscles.

You can also use your own body weight to tone your upper body. Try getting into the traditional push up position to start. Do a set of push ups, rest, and then follow with a plank position, holding the position as long as you can. Rest again, and ease your way into downward dog, with your legs straight and your arms stretched in front of you, your body forming a triangle. Hold the position, allowing your shoulders to take the brunt of the weight. Give everything a good stretch and work through the poses again.

You can tone your legs with the use of a resistance band. Adjust the resistance band such that it rests on your ankles, and then walk to the side, taking wide steps and feeling the resistance from the band in your inner and outer thighs. Side walk, using the band for resistance, from side to side until you feel the muscles fatiguing. Next stand on one foot and use the band for resistance as you kick in all three directions, feeling the resistance of the band with each kick. Switch legs and repeat until fatigued.

You can also work your lower body simply by using your own weight. With your feet solidly on the ground, sit back until you look like you are sitting in a chair, and hold, engaging your buttocks and leg muscles. Stand and repeat until you feel the burn.

This resistance training program will get you toned up in a jiffy, if only you persevere. You'll get the best results if you buy an inexpensive set of resistance bands.

How To Feel Younger

As you start to get older, you will find that there are many times when you wish you were still "feeling young"; not that this is so much an instance of feeling discontent, or of wanting to be in a different stage of your life than the one in which you are currently in, but more so that you will start to realize - as you get older - all the things you took for granted when you were younger! As you start to advance in age, you will naturally feel a regression in the way you feel in certain areas, but while it is important that you are aware of this, there are also a number of things you can do in order to improve the way you feel even as you advance in age.

Your mind: Although the regression of your mind will be less immediately evident than the regression of your body, you will still want to make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your mind strong and "young" - and the best thing you can do to accomplish this is for you to keep your mind regularly engaged in things that are both enjoyable and challenging for it, such as brain games and other fun, brain-teasing puzzles!

Your muscles: You will have a tendency to spend more and more time sitting around on your bottom as you get older; while it is nice to relax at times, it is also nice for your muscles to remain in total working order, so make sure you are still moving around and remaining active, even as you have an excuse to simply sit around!

Your joints: Keeping your joints young will take a lot of the same things as keeping your muscles young - but you will also want to walk and swim regularly in order to strengthen your joints.

You might not be able to prevent yourself from aging, but you can still take these steps to help your mind and body to continue feeling young, even as you age!

Tips For Keeping Skin Clear

Mind is All

While some people might think that the only thing clear skin has to do with is "looks," clear skin is also an indication of how healthy your skin is - and when your skin is not clear, it is often an indication that your body is trying to notify you about something you should be doing differently. Even though plenty of people imagine that keeping their skin clear is a very difficult thing to do, it can actually be rather easy to make your skin look the way you want it to look - as long as you follow a few simple tips.

Get enough water: Lack of water is one of the big things that can cause your face (and even the skin on the rest of your body) to break out; every day, you should be making sure you drink at least one gallon of water - and while this sounds like a lot, it is only eight cups of water, which you should easily be able to get each day.

Get enough sleep: The amount of sleep you get affects lots of different areas of your life, so while the way your skin looks might be the least of your worries when it comes to the side effects of not getting enough sleep, it is a good indication for you to recognize that you might need more shuteye at night.

Use a honey mask: By putting a coating of honey on your face, you will have a honey mask, and while you will not need to do this every night, it is a great way for you to keep the skin on your face looking great, as it will effectively kill bacteria in your pores while also reducing redness and inflammation.

These are just a few of many things for you to pay attention to when it comes to keeping your skin clear, but by paying attention to these things, you will be able to keep yourself healthier in general while also keeping your skin as clear and beautiful as you want it to be!

Drinking Delicious Smoothies To Get Your Protein

Protein is one of the most important things for each of us to put into our body, but it can sometimes be difficult to get all the protein we need. After all, we are advised to get 50 grams of protein each day, and some of our diets do not make this reasonable. And while there is also the option of protein smoothies, of course - which enable us to get a whole bunch of protein at once - these smoothies taste disgusting, right? Actually, a protein smoothie can be quite delicious and still get you everything you need, if you know how to make it just the right way!

There is an idea out there that a protein smoothie has to be composed of ingredients like milk, peanut butter, and raw eggs in order for it to be effective. But actually, you can accomplish as much as these disgusting drinks accomplish with a bit of protein powder added to a delicious fruit smoothie.

The first thing you need to do is make sure the protein you are buying is high-quality whey protein; the protein powder is no good if it is low-quality, and it is also not giving you what you need if it is soy protein. Secondly, if you want to make a delicious smoothie, buy a protein powder that is either vanilla flavored or unflavored, as these blend well with fruit.

When you buy the juice, bananas, and strawberries for your smoothie, make sure that all of the ingredients you are buying are fresh and organic. The best juice to combine with protein powder - when it comes to taste - is orange juice, but you can certainly try something different if you have a different preference. When it comes to fruits and berries, you can also try some different things such as pineapple or rasberries; additionally, you can try yogurt, and some people even do find that peanut butter is good in a fruit smoothie! Throw your fruit and orange juice in a blender, along with the recommended amount of protein powder, and blend it until it is smooth.

Getting the protein you need is not difficult, and it does not have to be disgusting; all you need is high-quality whey protein powder, fresh juice, and the right mixture of fresh fruits and berries!

500 Smoothies and Juices!

Exploring Three Benefits Of Oatmeal

Mind is All

As you strive to make sure you are treating your body right, you will get to a point where you are no longer looking at foods simply from the standpoint of how they taste, but also from the standpoint of how they make your body feel, and how good they are for your body! Oatmeal is one of the foods that you tend to hear about frequently when it comes to "foods that are good for you" – and in addition to all the benefits of oatmeal, it can also be a delicious way to start out your day, as long as you make it the right way.

A lot of people start out their day with something such as coffee or energy drinks in order to “wake up,” but it is much better for your body when you indulge in foods that give you natural energy; oat-based foods are some of the best things you can find for gaining natural energy, and there is no better “oat-based food” than oatmeal itself!

Your body has both good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, and while you certainly want to boost your body’s good cholesterol, keeping the bad cholesterol under control will also be important, as bad cholesterol can clog your arteries and put unnecessary strain on your heart – and with a bowl of oatmeal at the start of each morning, you will go a long way in keeping your bad cholesterol under control.

And finally, oatmeal is not going to break your bank account; with oatmeal, you will be able to enjoy a healthy breakfast every morning without spending more than a couple dollars – and in the long run, the health benefits of oatmeal will help you save even more money than this!

When it comes to looking for tasty, healthy, and inexpensive foods, there are very few that can match oatmeal, and once you begin to incorporate this as part of your daily routine, you will certainly see tremendous results!

Exploring The Health Benefits Of Brazil Nuts

The Amazon region of Brazil is the only place where you are likely to stumble upon the Brazil nut in nature, but in the grocery store, you can find Brazil nuts in just about any bag of mixed nuts or trail mix on the shelf - and even though the ubiquitousness of Brazil nuts might have led you to believe that they are simply "filler" (a cheap nut that takes up a lot of space and saves the company money), they are actually full of wonderful health benefits.

For a long time, the Amazonions have used the Brazil nut as a major part of their diet, and one of the reasons for its prevalence in their diet is - quite simply - the fact that these nuts are high in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that promote bodily health, as well as being high in calories that give the body energy. Brazil nuts are actually so high in selenium (which is an important cofactor for antioxidant enzymes), and the consumption of just one or two Brazil nuts per day can actually lessen your chances of getting heart disease, liver disease, and cancer.

Buy a couple bags of delicious Brazil nuts!

The Brazil nut also helps with the prevention of stroke, and one of the big reasons for all this is the fact that Brazil nuts actually work to lower the "bad cholesterol" in your blood while helping to increase the "good cholesterol."

You should be aware that some people find that they are allergic to Brazil nuts - and Brazil nuts are usually stored and processed in places where lots of other nuts are also stored and processed - so you should make sure you have a thorough knowledge of your personal allergies, and of the storage and processing procedures of the company from which you are purchasing your Brazil nuts. If you are safe to add Brazil nuts to your diet, however, you will be adding a food that is full of health benefits - a food that not only helps to chase away a number of diseases, but that tastes great and keeps your body feeling good as well!

Playing Disc Golf

Mind is All

Playing disc golf is one of the most fun ways to get outside on a nice day and enjoy the outdoors. You can play disc golf alone or in groups, and it is a relaxing and inexpensive sport that you will be able to find courses for in most cities.

The basics of disc golf are really quite simple, as it is played in much the same manner as regular golf. Eighteen "holes" make up a disc golf course, and each of these holes has a "par" assigned to it, depending on how difficult it is. You begin a hole by throwing a frisbee down a fairway, and you finish a hole by trying to toss your frisbee into the receptacle at the end. You will keep track of your score in disc golf the same way you do in regular golf - marking how many over or under par you are for each hole throughout the course.

When it comes to disc golf, one of the great things is that - even though you might not become a master of the sport for a while - you can become adequate at disc golf really quickly. Another great thing, when it comes to disc golf, is the fact that the initial investment is not much, and you can usually play for free.

When you go to a park where disc golf is played, you will probably see someone with a huge bag packed full of frisbees. Even though there are countless frisbees for countless unique purposes, there is no reason to start out with such a large collection! The main things you will need - when you first get started - is a "driver," a mid-range frisbee, and a "putter." With the driver, you will be able to throw the frisbee a long way down the fairway; with the mid-range frisbee, you will be able to hit your "approach" shots; with your putter, you will have a heavier frisbee that is good for when you are up close trying to finish off a hole.

Once you have this basic equipment, you can grab a water bottle and hit the disc golf course; within no time, you'll be playing well and enjoying the outdoors!

How To Have A Relaxing Day By Waking Up Earlier

One of the hardest parts of the day for a lot of people is “waking up on time,” and because of how difficult waking up can be for these people, they end up hitting the snooze until the last possible minute (or even until a couple minutes after “the last possible minute”!), and end up having to rush through the morning to be ready for work; as counterintuitive as it sounds, however, one of the best ways to set yourself up for a great, relaxing day is to wake up earlier than you need to!

When you wake up earlier than you need to, one of the first things you should plan to do is take a shower that is slightly longer than it really needs to be; when you do this, you will be able to allow the hot water to both wake up your body and relax your body – which, of course, will put you in great position for the rest of your day.

In addition to stretching out your shower a bit longer, another thing you should do is find a way to get your blood flowing in the morning; this does not mean you should necessarily do a heavy workout (which, quite frankly, is not the best way to start a day), but rather, it means you should do something such as yoga, or should go for a walk, to slowly ease your body into the day.

And of course, most of us have heard it said before that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but many of us end up eating breakfast on the go, or end up missing breakfast altogether; when you wake up a bit earlier, however, you will be able to sit down to enjoy some breakfast or coffee in a relaxed manner – perhaps with a newspaper in hand (rather than with the strident sounds of the television or radio).

Early on, it will not always be easy to wake up before the time when you “absolutely need to,” but once you begin forcing yourself to do this a few times, the extra level of relaxation you will head into your day with will quickly make it a whole lot easier for you to wake up this extra bit early!

Finding The Best Dandruff Shampoo

Mind is All

You might think that it is not glamorous to use a shampoo that is designed to relieve you of dandruff, but it is even less glamorous to have dandruff on your clothes! And in any case, dandruff is actually very common, and it is not a critique on one's personal hygiene! These are some of the best dandruff-fighting shampoos, because if you do not fight dandruff, it will stick around. Also, remember that it never hurts to switch shampoos every once in a while, even if you are happy with what you have been using, as the scalp starts to get used to a shampoo, making that shampoo less effective over time.

Head & Shoulders is the most well-known dandruff shampoo, and for many people, it is also the most effective. Keep in mind, however, that many who have serious dandruff problems find that Head & Shoulders is not nearly strong enough for them. If you have been engaged in an ongoing, failing battle with dandruff, you may want to search for something stronger. While Head & Shoulders sells all different types of shampoos in addition to their dandruff shampoo, there are brands such as Selsun Blue that focus solely on dandruff.

Not only that, but they are among the leaders in research and development regarding the battle against dandruff, and you can use this shampoo knowing that it is designed to work!

A pricier shampoo that nevertheless works as well as its price implies is Nizoral, which battles dandruff with a patented ingredient.

Just like Selsun Blue, Nizoral is designed specifically to fight dandruff; furthermore, it only needs to be used twice per week in order to work effectively. If you like another shampoo and want to keep using it, you can mix it in on the days when you are not using Nizoral.

Just like with anything that requires special treatment, it can take you a little while to find the perfect dandruff shampoo for you. But there are plenty of options to choose from, and in time, you will be able to find the option that helps you clear up flakes for good.

How To Clear Up A Sore Throat

There are certainly plenty of sicknesses and illnesses that are worse than a sore throat, but when you have a sore throat, it can be easy to forget that it is not truly "the worst thing in the world," as "the worst thing in the world" can be exactly what it feels like, and while you can certainly go to a doctor and be prescribed something that will ease your discomfort until the sore throat goes away, there are also a number of things you can do on your own to cause your sore throat to no longer be a problem.

You need to realize that when you have a sore throat, you will typically be doing things that will either make it better or worse (and of course, doing things that will make it better is certainly preferable!), and one of the biggest ways in which this is true is in the things you are putting into your body; when you have a sore throat, make sure you are eating and drinking the right things - things such as soup, tea, and water - as this will go a long way in helping your sore throat clear up more quickly, and in easing your discomfort until it goes away completely.

Resting your voice as much as possible when you have a sore throat will also be important, as this will give your throat time to heal itself without constantly getting worse; when you do have to talk, however, try to talk as normally as possible - and while it might seem better to talk in a whisper, this can actually aggravate your throat a lot more than simply talking as best you can.

And of course, when you have a sore throat, you should give it the same considerations you would give to any other illness in your body: make sure you are getting plenty of sleep, make sure you are relaxing (as this will help your immune system to operate at a more optimal level), and make sure you have patience.

When you follow these tips, you will be able to make that sore throat go away, without too much effort spent and without too much time wasted!

Where Should I Go For Healthy Fast Food Options?

Mind is All

Sometimes, we end up in a situation where fast food - despite never exactly being the healthiest option - is the only option! If you are on the road a lot, or if it makes more sense for the job you work to eat fast food rather than packing a lunch, you might sometimes have no choice but to eat fast food. And if this is the case, you should make sure you know what the best options are for eating healthy fast food.

When it comes to those jobs that leave you frequently eating fast food, one of the toughest things can be the place where you will be eating is often chosen by consensus vote, which will leave you being unable to choose a place yourself. If you are ever in this position, be aware that you can get salads at such fast food establishments as Wendy's and McDonald's. Of course, the ingredients in these salads are neither organically grown nor consistently fresh, but it is much better than getting a "mystery meat" sandwich!

If, on the other hand, you are being able to choose on your own where you will eat, Chick-fil-A is a good option. They are pricier than some other fast food options, but this is because they aim to only use fresh, healthy ingredients. And this food is not only healthier, but it also tastes a whole lot better - which certainly makes the extra price well worth it.

And when it comes to the healthiest fast food option - as long as you have a bit of time and do not need to go through the drive-thru -it is Panera. When you go to Panera, you can get anything from soups to salads to sandwiches - all of which have many healthy options available. But when you go to Panera, be on guard - there are also plenty of unhealthy options on display in the cases at the counter, and these can be quite tempting!

Whenever you can pack a lunch, that is what you should do; but at those times when you cannot pack a lunch, you should go with one of these options.

Exploring Easy Exercises To Strengthen Your Core

One of the main things that people want to focus on when they are working out is their core (actually, one of the main things they want to focus on is their abs, and their core comes with this!), as a strong core will not only help them to tackle other workouts, but will also give their body that nice effect they have been hoping to achieve - but while the core is one of the main things most people focus on, it is also one of the main things that tends to give people a lot of problems!

One of the first things you should realize is that your core muscles are probably much stronger than you realize, and may just be obscured by that belly fat you are working to get rid of, and one great way by which you can continue to keep your core strong while also helping your body lose that belly fat is by walking; when you walk, you not only strengthen your core and help yourself lose weight, but you also get your body working in such a way that it will continue burning fat on its own when you finish!

It is also possible for you to work out your core while you are just working at your desk or watching television, if you get an exercise ball; although these things might seem too good to be true, they actually do work, and all you have to do is sit upright while you do any other activity you would already have been doing!

And as you work to burn fat in other ways, one of the best ways to workout those core muscles you cannot yet see is to simply tighten up your abs; if you tighten (or "flex") your abs - from the top all the way down to the bottom - for about 15 to 20 seconds on a consistent basis (something you can do while driving, while working, while walking, and during just about anything else), you will soon realize how great of a workout this gives your core - and in time, you will also be able to see the results!

There is no reason to go out and spend four thousand dollars on a machine to help you workout your core; keep these tips in mind, and you will be on your way to the abs (and the core!) you want to have.

How To Keep Yourself From Getting A Rash From Your Deodorant

Mind is All

Generally speaking, rashes are more of a problem for the way they look than for the way they make you feel, as rashes generally tend to give you very few problems if they are not rubbed against - but when it comes to a rash under your armpits, it is unlikely that anyone will see it, but these rashes will still cause you a great deal of problems, as your skin will be rubbing against it all throughout the day. Most people have no problems avoiding rashes under their armpits, as they simply need to find a deodorant that works for them and stick with it, but if you have found that you tend to get such rashes more frequently than you would like, there are a few things you can consider doing in order to fix this problem.

The first thing you should realize is that you can go a long time with no problems from a particular deodorant, and then, this can suddenly change; if you have been using a certain deodorant for a long time and have just started to experience rashes for the first time, you may simply need to change the deodorant you are using.

Putting deodorant on when your armpits are still wet can also cause rashes to occur; if you have found that you have sensitive skin in your armpits, consider waiting until 30 or 45 minutes after your shower before you apply your deodorant.

One mistake a lot of people with sensitive armpits make is that they put on deodorant several times per day, which can put a lot of stress on their armpits; if you usually put on deodorant at night, and then take a shower in the morning before putting on deodorant again, consider putting it on only in the morning, after your shower!

For every person with sensitive skin under their armpits, there will be different solutions, but with these approaches in mind, you should be on the right track for solving your problem!