Health Archives - With love from Lou

Why is Magnesium Essential to Your Diet?

09/05/2022 by Louise Leave a Comment

Magnesium is a mineral that needs to be in your body in sufficient levels. Many people do not get enough and feel the effects of this deficiency. You may have wondered if you need magnesium or what magnesium does for the body, and the difference between magnesium glycinate vs citrate. This article answers these questions, and more, so you’ll understand why you need magnesium.

WHAT ARE MAGNESIUM BENEFITS?

Magnesium is an essential mineral in the human body. It helps regulate blood pressure and nerve function, supports muscle and bone health, and maintains the heart rhythm. Magnesium is also important for many biochemical processes in the body. It helps convert food into energy, supports digestive health, allows cells to divide normally, maintains normal blood pressure and assists in the synthesis of DNA.

MAGNESIUM SUPPLIMENTS

Magnesium is an essential mineral found in every cell of the body. It is best obtained from food sources rather than dietary supplements, as with many nutrients. However, for people who do not get enough magnesium from their diet or who have a medical condition requiring supplementation, it’s important to choose the correct form of magnesium, you can find about magnesium glycinate vs citrate here and take it properly.

Here are some of the most common forms of magnesium supplements:

Magnesium Citrate

This form of magnesium is generally well-tolerated by most people. It can be taken by itself or in combination with other forms of magnesium as part of a multivitamin/mineral supplement.

Magnesium Chloride

This form contains very little elemental magnesium per dose but has been shown to improve symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia in some studies. Because elemental magnesium is difficult for the body to absorb, taking it orally may not be beneficial unless paired with another form like citrate or glycinate.

Magnesium Oxide

This type is highly absorbable but has a laxative effect. It can cause diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal cramps if taken in large amounts or by people with kidney problems.

Magnesium Glycinate

It is considered the best form of magnesium for the supplementation because it’s more easily absorbed than other forms of magnesium like oxide or chloride. Magnesium glycinate provides a high absorption rate due to its small molecule size and low solubility in water. This makes it easier for your digestive system to absorb it into the bloodstream, which can then be used by your cells.

Magnesium Citrate

A popular magnesium supplement that’s absorbed well by the body and doesn’t cause diarrhea when taken at recommended doses. Citrate forms of magnesium are often used to treat constipation, kidney stones and osteoporosis.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY?

Magnesium deficiency can lead to weakness, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. A magnesium deficiency can also lead to high blood pressure, anxiety, insomnia and an increased risk of stroke or heart attack.

BOTTOM LINE

Magnesium supplementation is essential to the diet. Yes, you need to consume it in your diet since the human body does not produce it naturally. If you are interested in supplements, there is a wide variety to fit your needs and desired health state. You may even choose between magnesium glycinate vs citrate. Supplements can help you increase or decrease magnesium levels and see how your body reacts to the imbalance. However, using them with caution and continuing medical support when beginning a supplement is wise.

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How To Take Care of Your Health When Living in the UK

12/09/2019 by Louise Leave a Comment

Taking care of our health should be our top priority. Without a healthy mind and body, you will never go far in life. No chances of having a good career, no energy to take care of your family and enjoy life with them, and certainly no travels and life savings. Why? Everything in our life is anchored to our health. A sickly employee can forget his dreams of being a top executive, as attendance is one of the many primary considerations in promotions. A sickly parent, on the other hand, cannot take care of his/her family if he/she is always in bed. If you are always sick, you spend too much on medicines and hospital bills rather than plane tickets or renovation of your living room.

Because we tend to overlook the simple things, let this article remind you of the little things that can create a significant impact on your health.

01. Give up smoking.

Although smoking helps in feeling warm during the cold winter days of the UK, smoking is bad for health. Smoking clouds up your lungs and cuts down your life by a couple of years. Aside from the shorter life smoking gives you, it can also give you halitosis. So along with lesser life, you will also have lesser friends.

02. Exercise.

Exercising has evolved into many forms. From aerobics to pilates to yoga and now Zumba, you can take your pick which best suits you or which you find the most enjoyable. In the UK, with the numerous parks available, you can surely find one venue that will entice you to exercise longer and better. What also makes exercising more enjoyable is when you do it with friends. So call your squad and make exercising a routine for your whole group. The more, the merrier!

03. Eat healthily.

Eating healthy foods can sometimes be a challenge. Some restaurants serve salads which are more expensive than the less healthy cheeseburger and fries; pushing those on a budget to choose the cheaper and less healthy diet. However, consider the expense in the long run if your body suddenly succumbs to the oil and processed food diet it is used to.

04. Take care of your mental health.

Being healthy not only talks about physical health, but it also includes mental health. Mental health focuses on the stability of one’s personality- how a person feels, thinks, and acts. Maybe because of the evolving culture of our society, addiction has become more apparent. Today, awareness has been raised on mental health issues that people in the past prefer to ignore. Rehab centers have been more prepared for the different addictions that people experience. There have been more centers that also opened up to provide more service to those who need them. There are also which offer their help and services online such as www.help4addiction.co.uk.

Taking care of your health should be done holistically. Don’t ignore the warning signs your body gives you. As they say, prevention is better than cure.

Do you have any other tips for staying healthy while living in the UK?
If so, be sure to let me know in the comments below.
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Do You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

02/05/2019 by Louise Leave a Comment

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that affects the nerves in your wrist. Is it a very common condition among women between the ages of 40 and 60. It can occur at any age and can also occur when a person is pregnant, has diabetes, thyroid problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and other less common conditions. However, it is also a common injury for people who are sitting at a desk for long periods of time working at a computer.

What are the Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
The symptoms of carpal tunnel include:

An ache or pain in your fingers, hand or arm.
Pins and needles or tingling.
Difficulty gripping items or a having weak thumb.

The symptoms tend to start slowly and can come and go. Often they can be much worse at night. You can be affected in both hands, and you won’t be able to see any physical signs. Movements that involve your thumb are usually affected which means you’ll have difficulty gripping things.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor for advice.

Diagnosis
Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms as well as looking at your hand and wrist to assess how bad the condition is. Arthritis or swelling of your tendons could be one of the causes of your symptoms. There may be signs of muscle wasting at the base of the thumb. Your thumb, index and middle fingers could be numb or insensitive to a gentle touch or pinprick. There are also several tests that can be done including a nerve conduction test. This measures how bad the compression of the nerve is. Ultrasound scans can also be used in diagnosis.

If you think your injuries are the result of negligence on the part of your employer, you may be entitled to claim compensation. An official diagnosis plays an essential part in the legal process. If you want to know more about industrial injury compensation, many specialist legal firms can help.

Is There Any Effective Treatment?
When you first start noticing your symptoms, there are some things you can do to help yourself. Try to limit any activities that make your symptoms worse. It can also help if you change the way you do these activities, or how often you do them. If your symptoms are worse when you’re at work, you should speak with your employer about possible modifications to your workplace. A more ergonomic mouse or keyboard may be the answer.

Some treatments can help relieve symptoms by reducing pressure on the median nerve. Pain relief will also ease your symptoms. Your doctor will be able to advise you on the correct course of treatment. As a last resort or because your symptoms are severe, surgery may be suggested.

There is no scientific evidence that shows your diet can provide relief or prevent carpal tunnel syndrome; however, a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise are essential for your general health and wellbeing.

If you think it’s your work that is causing the problem you should discuss this with your line manager, supervisor or an occupational health nurse.

Have you or anyone you know suffered from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome before?
Why not let me know in the comments below.
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Could Your Home Be Affecting Your Health?

25/04/2019 by Louise Leave a Comment

Your home is your safe place, and the last thing you’d ever expect from it is to be damaging your health. Unfortunately, this statement is true and it could be happening without even knowing about it! If you want to take care of your health, the first thing you should be doing is looking at the environment around you. Could your home be harming your health? Here are some things you should know about your home that could be affecting yours and your family’s health.

The colour of your walls

When you paint or wallpaper your home you should not only have its aesthetic qualities in mind because the colour of your walls can indeed, affect your health. Physically it won’t harm you, but did you know that colours around you can play a huge role in your mood and emotions? To avoid this happening to you, it’s important to make a wise choice when it comes to decorating your home to avoid your mental health being affected.

Your bed

Ahh bedtime, there’s nothing like it, is there? But is your bed actually doing more damage than good? You’ve probably heard that you’re supposed to change your mattress every 5-8 years and shrugged the idea off because yours still feels comfortable. However, the guidelines are put in place to help the support of your back and failing to change your mattress could lead to back problems later in life. Silentnight mattresses are created to tailor to all kinds of needs, so consider replacing your mattress sooner rather than later!

Your air conditioning unit

There’s nothing worse than being too warm and having an AC unit can really help keep the air in your home cool and fresh. Or is it? The filter in your AC unit can quickly gather dust and bacteria which, in turn, could have a serious impact on your health. Asthma sufferers, in particular, can have big problems if AC filters aren’t changed, so make sure you’re doing it regularly. It is also worth keeping on top of the general servicing and maintenance of the unit, so if you think you may be in need of an AC tune up in Beaumont, CA, for example, give a local company a call. A professional will inspect and service your machine to keep it running well all summer long!

Tap Water

Hard or soft water is something that’s usually linked to buying the right detergent for your household appliances, but did you know that it can affect your health too? Soft water can increase your chances of heart and liver disease, and hard water can bring on many skin problems such as eczema and dermatitis. Install a water filter to purify your tap water.

Having a pet

Finally, your pet could be having an impact on your health more than you think. Underlying allergies to long pet hair could be affecting your sinuses and skin. We’re not saying get rid of your pet, but you should look into ways of circulating the air in your home more to lessen the reactions in your body.

Have you ever found that your home is affecting your health?
If so, let me know how you dealt with it in the comments below.
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My Scoliosis Story

23/01/2019 by Louise 17 Comments

Up until 7 years ago, when I first started blogging, I didn’t realise just how common scoliosis was. Sure, I knew a couple of other people who had it, but most people I talked to had never even heard of it. And whenever I explained to people what it was they would often laugh and say “Oh, so you just have a bit of backache?” Well, I guess you could say that. But I think it affects people a lot more than by just having an achy back. And that’s why I’ve decided to share my story with you guys today …

THE BEGINNING

I was around 12 or 13 when I found out that I had scoliosis. I was at my weekly dance lessons and we were doing an exercise similar to a sit up in our Theatre Craft class. The other girls could all do it fine, but I found that I struggled to sit up without putting my hands down on the floor to help me. Miss Debbie – my dance teacher – guessed what the problem was straight away because another one of her students had been diagnosed with the condition a few weeks earlier, and she knew what signs to look out for.

At the time I had no idea what scoliosis was, but, basically, it’s the abnormal twisting and curvature of the spine – usually first noticed by a change in the appearance of the back. Typical signs of scoliosis include a visibly curved spine, one shoulder being higher than the other, one shoulder or hip being more prominent than the other, clothes not sitting right when dressed, a prominent ribcage and/or a difference in leg lengths.

That Friday night Miss Debbie looked at my back and told my mum when she came to collect me that I’d been struggling with one of the exercises. She told her that she thought my spine may be twisted. And by the following Monday morning, I had an appointment with my GP to see whether or not she was right.

MY DIAGNOSIS

I don’t really remember much about that first appointment. But my GP agreed that she thought I had scoliosis and referred me to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, who specialise in spinal studies and surgery. It wasn’t long until my first appointment with them, and they sent me for a special x-ray so they could determine just how much of a curve my spine had.

Standing as still as possible while being sandwiched between two panels as I was x-rayed was extremely uncomfortable and made me feel a little sick. And sadly, they went on to confirm that I did, in fact, have Scoliosis. All I can remember after that was sitting in the specialist’s office staring at the x-rays in front of me and wondering how the hell I wasn’t in absolute agony when my spine was in the state it was.

I must have asked him this at some point, as I remember him giving me a sympathetic smile and saying that it affects different people in different ways. And that the older I got the more likely it was that the pain would get worse. After that, I had to go back at regular intervals so the x-ray could be repeated. This was to check whether the curvature was getting any worse and to discuss whether or not I wanted to have my spine operated on and straightened out.

Looking back, I probably should have considered it more than I did. But at one of my appointments, I saw a different doctor, and he told me that if I had the op it might go wrong and I could end up paralysed and in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. Being really young at the time, this scared me to death and I decided then and there that having the op wasn’t an option. After all, the curve wasn’t really noticeable unless you knew what you were looking for, so no one ever pointed it out or asked about it.

ACCEPTING SCOLIOSIS & LEARNING TO LIVE WITH THE PAIN

Due to having to have regular x-rays at Queen’s Med, I’d often have to take a random day off school. So I decided to confide in my best friends, Jemma and Amy, about my condition. And they were really understanding about it. Jemma even told me that her cousin had the same problem, so she knew a little bit about it, which was really comforting.

Over the next few years, the curvature got a little worse with each hospital visit. And when I got to 18 I was finally discharged because I was still insisting that I didn’t want or need the operation to correct it. I wasn’t suffering from any pain back then, so it made sense to me to leave my spine well alone and just accept that my hip jutted out on one side a little. It was fine. I could live with that. But then I fell pregnant with Stacey, and that’s when the pain became noticeable.

I can’t remember exactly when it was that I realised my back was starting to become more painful, but I do know it was at some point towards the end of my pregnancy. My upper back was in agony, my lower back was in agony, and my neck was in agony. I had gone from feeling pretty ‘normal’ to being in pain every single day. And I hated it.

I hoped that the pain would go away once Stacey was born. And it did, for a while. But with each passing year, it seemed to get worse and worse, until I found myself complaining about it out loud. And it was then that I found out that people don’t tend to be very sympathetic about back pain. They’d just laugh and say that everyone experiences ‘office pain’ from being sat at work all day. But having experienced both office pain and scoliosis pain, I can assure you that they’re both very different.

When I was pregnant with Oscar back in 2013, I had very little scoliosis pain at all until I went into labour. People even told me that my spine looked a lot straighter than usual, and I was secretly hoping that once our little man arrived it would stay that way. Unfortunately, though, I wasn’t that lucky. And the pain soon came rushing back once my bump disappeared.

Since then my back has most definitely gotten a lot worse. A year or so after Oscar was born I had an excruciating pain in my back for well over a week that I just couldn’t get rid of no matter how hard I tried. I spent every night perched precariously on the edge of one of our reclining chairs as it was the only place I could get comfortable. And every time I nodded off, I’d move in my sleep and then wake up to a sharp, shooting pain that went from the top to the bottom of my spine. It was horrible. Especially as no amount of painkillers were helping.

I know I cried a lot that week. Probably more than I’ve ever cried over my back if I’m honest. Because as well as being in so much pain, I could barely pick Oscar up and found it a massive struggle to keep changing his nappy. It’s safe to say that I felt like the worlds worst mummy back then.

Luckily, I’ve only experienced pain on this sort of level once since then, and that was fairly recently. And I think that’s what made me realise just how lucky I am not to struggle with my back as much as other people with scoliosis might do. Yes, it’s painful. And yes, when people look at me nowadays it’s much more obvious to see that I’ve got something wrong with me.

But, for the most part, I try not to let it affect my day-to-day life. I still take the kids out to do fun stuff on the weekends. I still enjoy trips to the theatre and nights out with friends. I even try to go for nice long walks whenever I can as a little gentle exercise does me the world of good.

I very rarely take any medication to help with the pain in my back as the only thing I’ve ever found that works is codeine, but I can’t take it anymore due to it causing me to hallucinate. Typical, huh!? I’m happy enough to just plod on as I am for now though. Although I’m considering giving some THC gummies from www.observer.com a try to see if they’ll help. I’ve been told that one day my scoliosis might end up becoming so severe that I’ll have to use a wheelchair. But I know that if it ends up happening, I’ll cope. I mean, I really don’t have any other choice, do I?

THE FUTURE

The biggest worry I have about the future is that Stacey or Oscar will end up developing scoliosis too. Whenever Stacey complains of back pain I take her straight to the doctor. I know that probably sounds a little OTT but our family doctor is lovely and agrees that under the circumstances it’s better to get it checked than to just leave it. And so far there’s been nothing seriously wrong with her, which is such a relief.

As I mentioned before, I’m happy to just try and live my life as well as I possibly can at the moment. I’ve found lots of wonderful products that help me out on a daily basis, and I plan to write up a whole other post about those in the next couple of weeks. But other than that I don’t really think there’s much else I can do.

Ultimately I’m not going to let scoliosis and back pain define me. It may be a part of me, but it’s most definitely not who I am.

Life is good right now. I have so much to look forward to over the next couple of months. And despite the low times I’ve had in the past with my back, right now I’m one of the happiest girls in the world. And that’s all that matters.

Have you ever been affected by any of the things I’ve talked about in my post?
If so, why not let me know in the comments below.
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4 Tips on How to Help Relatives Maintain Their Independence

14/06/2018 by Louise 4 Comments

Many children will have spent a large portion of their life receiving love and care from a parent. It can therefore be a little overwhelming and stressful when you need to reverse roles and become your parent’s caregiver.

Depending on their health condition, it is possible to provide your loved one with physical and emotional support, whilst allowing your mum or dad to maintain some level of independence.

01. How to Prevent a Fall at Home

Many minor and serious injuries seniors experience at home are a result of a fall, which could potentially lead to long-term health issues. Thankfully, you can prevent falls by making a few small adjustments to your parent’s living space. For example, reduce clutter from their home, secure loose electrical cords to the wall, install grab rails, and remove any rugs or runners.

02. Which is the Best Personal Alarm for the Elderly?

A personal alarm will allow your loved one to receive an immediate response in an emergency, such as a fall or injury. Your aging relative will simply need to press the button to reach an emergency response centre, who will assess the situation and immediately contact their loved one, doctor, or the emergency services.

You could choose a waterproof personal alarm that your relative can wear at all times, including when in the shower or bath, so he or she will be able to access the 24-hour service should the worst happen.

03. Identify the Best In-Home Care Options

Moving into a nursing home will not only require an elderly person to move out of their home, but it could also result in them losing all sense of their independence. If you want to help them remain in the comfort of their home for as long as you can, you should check here to review the best in-home care options for their needs.

In some cases, large families might work on a rotating schedule to care for an aging relative, which can prevent one caregiver from feeling emotionally and physically drained. Yet, you must take your loved one’s opinion into account, as they might prefer to receive help and support from a professional at-home caregiver to avoid becoming a burden on their family or to maintain their dignity. A home healthcare provider can be a great addition to your loved ones’ care plan, and when they have access to the best home care software they will be organized in their schedule for being on time to care for your family member, giving them an enhanced care experience.

04. Know How to Respond to Any Health Changes

A failure to notice changes to a loved one’s health could cause serious consequences for them down the road, and could force them to relinquish all independence. Maintain their quality of life by looking for subtle or sudden changes to their memory, mood, appetite or weight, which could be a sign of a more serious health issue.

If you suspect a parent could have an underlying medical problem, schedule an appointment with a doctor to receive a quick diagnosis and provide them with the best treatment for their needs. It could help your parent make a quick recovery to ensure they live a longer, happier and healthier life.

Do you have any other tips for helping an elderly relative maintain their independence?
Let me know in the comments below.
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5 Ways Your Mattress Might Affect Your Health

18/12/2017 by Louise 1 Comment

Getting a good night’s sleep is probably important to most of us, especially when you think about struggling through a Monday morning after a night of broken sleep! Many of us struggle to sleep properly through the night, thanks to factors including stress and even being disturbed by our partner. To combat this, many people turn to sleep aids to help them get a better night’s sleep. One natural product, that can be purchased from stores like this bc weed online dispensary, is cannabis, which helps to relieve stress as well as promotes better sleep. However, a lot of sleep problems can actually be down to the type of bed or mattress you have. This can have an effect on both your quality and quantity of sleep. So, if you’ve found that you aren’t sleeping very well on a regular basis, it could be time to invest in a new mattress!

The likes of Sealy mattresses or other leading manufacturers design and produce the right type of sleeping environment to help you if you can’t sleep. With years of research behind their products, it’s worth looking into leading brands before you decide on a new mattress for your home!

Whether you’re not sure what’s affecting your sleep, or you just want to learn a little bit more about why it’s important to have the right mattress, you’ve come to the right place. Here are just a few ways that your mattress might be affecting your health.

Old mattresses may increase your stress

It may sound strange, but sleeping on a poor quality mattress could actually make you more stressed day-to-day. We know that being stressed can cause you to lose sleep, but this concept is proposing the opposite.

In 2015, the US National Sleep Foundation carried out in a study that tested the idea that poor sleep contributes to stress, instead of the usual assumption that stress creates poor sleep.

The study revealed that those sleeping on a new mattress had lower stress levels, because they had better sleep quality and back and neck pain was reduced too.

Mattresses can cause allergies

If you’ve had your mattress for some time, it may have become home to dust mites; something that you could be allergic to. Not everyone is, but if you start to experience a runny nose, store throat or you sneeze a lot in bed, then you could be allergic to your mattress. It can also be a problem for those who suffer from asthma.

Washing your bedding regularly can help, but sooner or later you will have to replace your mattress completely. Buying a mattress that is designed with hypoallergenic features. Sealy mattresses offer Smart Fibres, using Purotex that has been endorsed by Allergy UK for the elimination of dust mites.

Firm, medium or soft

The firmness or softness of your mattress is completely subjective; what feels soft to one person might not feel so great to someone else. With that in mind, there’s a chance that you bought the wrong type of mattress because you listened to someone else’s advice. This can add to joint or back problems in the night, and might even affect your posture in the long run.

Make sure you test a new mattress for a good 15-20 minutes before buying; everyone needs a different level of support and you’ll know after this time frame if the mattress is right for you.

Preparing for sleep

An old mattress will likely cause tossing and turning in the night. If you have trouble falling asleep, or feel very tired when you wake up, it’s thanks to the quality of your mattress. A common occurrence is when your brain is ready to sleep, but your body isn’t quite there.

An old mattress can have a detrimental effect on how well you sleep; if you sleep better when you’re away from home, this is a huge sign to change your mattress. You should also consider introducing exercise into your evening routine, even if it’s a light walk. This can help you to fall asleep easier.

Old mattresses can affect your diet

Lack of sleep often results in unhealthy cravings for high-fat, high-carb food. It’s not uncommon to hear that sleep is an important part of a healthy routine; adequate sleep can actually help if you’re on a weight loss programme.

Sleep loss has been shown to stimulate your appetite, so you naturally eat more if you haven’t slept very well. In other words, investing in a new mattress can help you to stay on track!

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this post and found it useful.
Let me know in the comments below if you’ve ever had any issues with your mattress affecting your health!
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Weekday Pick Me Ups

22/11/2017 by Louise 29 Comments

Working in a busy office can take its toll on us from time to time. Sometimes it’s just that little bit too difficult for us to simply go out into the world and take it by storm alone, especially if we’ve already spent a long time stuck in traffic on the morning commute.

Sometimes we all need a little boost to help us get through the day, and here are some of the best ideas you can use to kick start the day and give you that much needed energy boost for the week.

Green Tea

If you don’t like the taste of coffee, or you just don’t want that same caffeine buzz that you’d get from other drinks, green tea can be the perfect companion to your morning. Imagine rolling into work on a freezing cold day, boiling the kettle and sitting at your desk with a steaming mug of healthy tea in your hands. If that’s not the perfect remedy to an otherwise chilly start to the day, then we don’t know what is. The great added benefit of green tea is that it will kick start your metabolism for the day and can help you to shed the pounds.

Superfood Smoothie

If you want to keep your body healthy and fit during the week, as well as make yourself a super quick breakfast in the mornings; superfood smoothies are the answer to your prayers. Instead of simply eating a bowl of cereal in the morning, blend a combination of frozen berries, banana and spinach in a smoothie maker and take it to work with you. It will fill your body with healthy vitamins and minerals as well as being a great way to give you some energy.

Honest Coffee

If you want that caffeine boost in the morning which can only come from a steaming cup of coffee with plenty of sugar; why not make the effort to buy yourself the best quality coffee? Honest coffee provide ethically sourced coffee grains which you can use in your coffee machine very morning to give you that get up and go for that day. It might be able to give you the strength you need to talk about Karen’s love troubles at 8 am in the morning.

Supplements

One great way to keep yourself healthy and give you that energy you need to get through the mid-morning meeting are supplements. You can take anything from vitamin D for your bones, vitamin C for energy and even a mix of all vitamins at once. Your body will feel much more awake and you will be protected from getting the dreaded office bug too.

Rose Water Spray

A lot of the time working in an office can make your eyes and skin feel a little bit dry and irritated. To combat this, you can use a rose water spray such as the Mario Badescu Rose Water to keep your face hydrated and feeling fresh. Don’t worry about it taking off your makeup- the water is formulated to not interfere with your foundation and will just leave you feeling fresh and bright.

What do you guys do when you need a Weekday ‘Pick Me Up’?
Let me know in the comments below!
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7 Ways to Avoid Gym-Juries!

30/08/2017 by Louise 25 Comments

You’ve got new shoes, new workout pants, and a shiny new water bottle. You’ve signed on the dotted line and are now officially a member of the gym. Now what? Well, I guess it’s time to step inside and get to it, despite that surge of anxiety that’s swelling up in the pit of your stomach whenever you think about stepping out of the changing rooms.

It’s no wonder you’re worried, as according to a recent survey conducted by Hayward Baker, forty-seven per cent of us Brits have suffered ‘gym-juries’ in our quest to get the perfect body. And, like me, I’m sure that’s one statistic you really don’t want to be a part of!

The most common injury is a sprained ankle in a gym Hayward Baker has found. With back injuries coming in at a close second. 16 per cent have broken a bone after participating in some sort of sport or physical activity. And, rather worryingly, one in ten claims to suffer from chest pain. You can see the full results of the study on the infographic below:

But wait, there is good news. Not everyone has to get injured at the gym. And by following my top tips below, you’ll be well on your way to achieving the body shape you want, while avoiding those nasty gym-juries at the same time. I hope you find them useful.

01. Always warm-up before exercising

You might have noticed on the infographic above that thirty-eight per cent of people who took the survey said they never warm-up before exercising. And boy, does that mean they’re setting themselves up to fail! Warming-up gently prepares the body for exercises by gradually increasing the heart rate and circulation. This will loosen the joints and increase blood flow to the muscles. And stretching the muscles prepares them for physical activity and prevents injuries. So whether you’re going to be having a kickabout on the football field, or are taking part in a cardio session at the gym, it’s super important to remember to warm-up to decrease the chance of getting yourself an unwanted injury.

02. Learn how to use gym equipment properly

These days, when you sign up to the gym, you’ll usually be given an induction session where you learn how to use all the different pieces of equipment properly. But many people still won’t tell the person giving the lesson if they don’t understand something they’ve been told. And this could lead to them injuring themselves further down the line. So, if there’s something you don’t quite grasp during your induction session, please don’t be frightened to speak up and say so. I’m sure the vast majority of instructors out there would rather go over what they’ve already told you than see you get hurt from trying to figure things out alone.

03. Take your time

In this day and age we all seem to have busy lifestyles, and for many of us, it can be hard enough to find time to hit the gym, let alone give it the concentration it requires. What makes this worse is that we Brits tend to want everything yesterday – especially when it comes to getting that beach body! However, when it comes to working out at the gym, it’s much better to take your time and do things properly than to rush in and end up with multiple gym-juries. Don’t feel the need to try and keep up with everyone else around you. Instead, try to understand that fitness is a lifelong pursuit. The rewards will come gradually, not all at once.

04. Stay hydrated

Super obvious, right? You’ll get hot and sweaty while working out at the gym, and you need water to replenish what you’ve sweated out. Water regulates your body temperature, lubricates your joints, and helps transport nutrients to give you energy and keep you healthy. If you don’t stay hydrated, your body can’t perform at its highest level, and you may end up feeling tired, have muscle cramps, dizziness, or other more serious symptoms.

05. Get yourself a gym buddy

Not only will having a gym buddy keep you motivated, but they can also check your form to make sure you’re not setting yourself up for a major injury and step in before it’s too late.

06. Be aware of your surroundings

If you’re like me, you’ll probably like to be ‘in the zone’ when working out. This means your earbuds will be in, your eyes will be focused straight ahead, and you’ll be concentrating on getting the work done. However, not paying attention to what’s going on all around you can be bad news. You don’t want to stub your toe on an errant dumbbell or get kicked in the head by a hanging knee-up because you were too focused on making a beeline for your favourite piece of equipment. Keep your eyes open!

07. Always use a towel

And last but not least is a tip that’s more about general hygiene than preventing an injury. Gyms are notorious places for picking up other people’s germs, and studies have found that both weights and cardio equipment can be transmitters of viruses. So I highly recommend always having a towel with you to put on any equipment you use (and to wipe yourself down with if you’re dripping with sweat) to protect yourself from said germs. These days most gyms have it as a requirement of entry anyway, but you do still see the occasional person making the gym less safe for others.

And there you have it, my top tips for avoiding gym-juries while working out. But if you still manage to get injured, despite taking my advice, make sure you go and check out Hayward Baker’s free to use injury compensation calculator. It will give you a good estimate of how much compensation you could be entitled to following a gym-jury or accident in a leisure facility.

Do you have any other tips to add to my list of ways to avoid gym-juries?
If so, let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading.
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Surviving the Summer with Berocca

18/08/2017 by Louise 46 Comments

Ever since Oscar, my youngest, decided that sleep was overrated, I’ve found that my get-up-and-go has, quite literally, got-up-and-gone! This has meant that instead of looking forward to planning lots of lovely days out and fun activities for the kids over the summer holidays, I’ve wanted to curl up in a ball on the settee and watch trashy daytime television instead.

Luckily for me, I’m not the sort of person to let the tiredness win, and with a little help from Berocca, I got my ass up off of the couch and out into the summer sunshine so I could make some lovely new memories with my little ones. And I’m so glad I did!

If you haven’t heard of Berocca before, it’s basically the UK’s number one energy vitamin that comes in the form of a dissolvable tablet. Each tablet is packed with 8 different B vitamins, including B1 and B2, which work with your body to slowly release energy throughout the day. And they help to improve alertness too – something I definitely need help with when I’m stupidly tired.

Stacey broke up from school about 4 weeks ago now, and we’ve managed to do loads of fun stuff as a family since then. We’ve been swimming, visited the local farm, spent a day at the seaside, seen a movie at the cinema, and much, much more. In fact, I’m writing this post from my chalet, as we’re on holiday at the moment. I’m not sure how I’ve managed to find the time as we’ve been so busy and I’d usually be too tired to sit and write by now. But thanks to Berocca, I’m fine. I’ve felt so much more energised than usual, and I honestly don’t know how I would have gotten through the summer without it. I think it’s safe to say I would have definitely been craving a sugar fix or cheeky nap by lunchtime.

Berocca has helped me feel like myself, but on a really good day through the whole of the summer holidays, and I thought I’d share a few of my favourite pictures from some of our recent days out. You can see just how happy the kids are in them, and I think this is mainly because they have a happy mummy who wants to be out and about with them instead of a tired one who is sneaking sugary mid-morning snacks to keep herself going. What a difference one small change at the start of the day can make!

Once this week is over we’ll be on the ‘back to school’ countdown, and I’m really not looking forward to it. Stacey will be going into year nine and celebrating her 14th birthday this September. I’m still struggling to understand where all those years have disappeared to – she’s still a baby in my eyes! And Oscar will be starting reception too. I don’t think he’ll like the super early rises when he barely gets any sleep, but you never know, it might be good for him.

For now, though, we’re still hanging on to that last bit of summer and all the fun that we know we’re going to have. And knowing that my daily drink of Berocca with breakfast will be there to keep me energised, I’m super excited to see what the next couple of weeks will bring. I can’t wait!

What are you guys up to for the rest of the summer?
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading guys.
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