Unhealthy Habits that are Way Worse for you Than you Thought*

Hello loves, 

This is a collaborative post (not written by me).

If you know that you have a ton of bad habits, then you will also know how hard it can be to kick them. The main thing that you have to remember here is that some habits are actually bad for your health and if you do not take the time to look after yourself then you may end up doing yourself harm.

Spending Too Much Time on the Sofa

The more TV you watch, the less exercise you are getting. You also end up increasing your odds of being overweight and also developing type 2 diabetes too. If you know that television is replacing the time you’d otherwise spend engaging in your favourite hobby or even exercising, then this is a sign that something needs to change. You need to commit to having a healthier balance and you also need to try and become more fit too. If you don’t then you may find that you reduce your risk of developing health problems and that you have way more of a social connection too. If you aren’t sure where to start, then you need to keep your TV time to a minimum of two hours per day. You also need to make sure that you are getting 30 minutes of exercise too. This will help you to turn things around while also giving you the chance to feel better about yourself overall

Photo by Lovefreund

Overspending Every Single Month

Money worries can also come with serious health consequences. Stress can contribute to depression, high blood pressure, insomnia, digestion problems and more. It can also be hard on your lifestyle and on your ego too. If you want to fix things here, then you need to try and regain control over your finances. Educating yourself here is important, so make sure that you keep track of your mortgages, your budgeting, investing and more. It also helps to know how much you have coming in each month and how much you have going out. If you are able to do this then you will soon find it easier than ever to stay under budget.

Eating Too Many Fatty Foods and Takeaways

Takeaways can be an easy and convenient option when you are stressed or if you just don’t feel as though you have time in the day to cook. The problem with them is that they can lead to a growing waistline and they can even cause diabetes and heart disease too. Trans fat is often found in fast food and it can cause fatty build-up in your artery walls. If you make the switch to healthier food, then you will soon find that the benefits are immediate and that they also come with substantial and long-lasting benefits too.

Behaviour that Stresses you Out

An unhappy lifestyle can easily cause you to experience way more stress hormones and you may even find that your blood pressure increases as a result. This can lead to depression, a lower level of immunity and general poor health. You may even find that you crave foods that are high in sugar and fat too, and this is the last thing that you need when you are finding it so hard to manage everything right now. If you want to help yourself then you need to keep your stress under control as much as possible. This can include deep-breathing, meditation and yoga. If you want to take things to that next level then CBD oil may be a good option, as it can promote a sense of relaxation without interfering with your day to day life. It even comes with some great health benefits too, so keep that in mind.

Try to Avoid Sunburn

If you love to sunbathe or if you are continually making the effort to maintain a golden or bronze tan, then you may be putting yourself at risk. Sunbathing essentially destroys the elastic fibres that keep your skin firm and it can also lead to blotches, freckles and earlier wrinkles too. If you are not careful then you may end up experiencing discolouration and other related issues. Tanning beds will never build up a safe base tan and they may even increase your chances of developing certain cancers too, so you need to make sure that you are aware of this. One way for you to stop yourself from being at risk would be for you to wear long sleeves when you go out in the sun and also for you to wear a cap too.

Thanks for reading. Leah xoxo

Middle-Aged Hump: How To Deal With The Problems That Come With Aging*

Hello loves,

This is a collaborative post (not written by me).
(This post contains weight loss talk).

Every single person has to deal with aging, and it’s perfectly natural for you to encounter a few problems when you become middle-aged. Dealing with these issues needn’t be a hardship, as you no doubt have the strength to tackle anything life throws at you, so take the first step in adopting this attitude and put your best foot forward! If you’re getting a little grey around the gills and are beginning to face a few of the usual problems, then read on to uncover some of the best top tips to help you get back to your usual lively self in no time at all!



Image Source - Pexels

Can You Repeat That Please?

One of the biggest complaints of adults reaching middle age is loss of hearing, and it can be really tough to cope with. Despite your best efforts to listen as close as possible, background noise can overpower the voices of people you speak to, and it can be an embarrassment to ask for constant repetition during conversation. There are several different things that can be done to improve your hearing, with many natural options to try first before investing in those that are more high tech. Your problems may be down to a build up of wax or other blockage, and this can easily be solved by using olive oil. If your hearing loss is more serious, you might need to purchase an aid - they can really help you to tune into the right frequency and catch every last word!

Can You See That?

Problems with sight are very common, and this means that there’s been a lot of investment into solutions and treatments to make it much more bearable. Choosing the right option for you couldn’t be simpler, it just takes some research online to find all of the information you need to make a decision. From lens replacement surgery to a simple pair of glasses, the prices vary depending on the complexity of the treatment, so consider your budget throughout.

A Weighty Issue

When you get older, it seems much easier to gain weight. Energy levels plummet and exercise is usually one of the last things on your mind, and that makes it common for the number on the scale to slowly creep up. Laziness has to be kept to a minimum for the benefit of your health, as being overweight can bring about diabetes and heart disease amongst many other problems. Try to create your meals following the same guidelines: half of your plate should consist of fruit or vegetables, with a third being complex carbohydrates and the remainder being split up of lean protein and healthy fats. Keep your portions small and eat slowly at the table (away from the TV), stopping when you feel full. Exercise will help your mobility as well as control your weight, so it’s definitely worth the effort.

With this advice you can tackle several of the problems faced when you reach middle age, to make growing old gracefully go smoothly. Your hearing, sight and weight must be looked after with much more consideration.

Thanks for reading. 

Leah xoxo

How To Live A Life Free From The Strains Of Stress*

(Pixabay License)

Hello lovelies,

This is a collaborative post (not written by me).

Now, we aren't suggesting you can have a life that is entirely stress-free. If that were true, then we would all be drifting through life on (figurative) fluffy clouds and silk-sewn rainbows!

Rather, we are suggesting that it is possible to live a life (largely) free from the strains of stress; those health issues that can occur as a result of the stressors in our lives.

How?

Well, consider these suggestions. While we can't guarantee you will never get the occasional headache because of your stress, or a case of the jitters when you have to enter a stressful situation, you might still be able to handle stress without falling majorly ill as a consequence.

#1: Find your support network

Talking to another person can give you a perspective on your stressor. Having somebody around to make you laugh can offer you instant stress-relief. And the physical hug of another person is a proven way to lower your blood pressure. So, find the people who can offer you these things in your life, and add them to your support network.

#2: Use remedies for stress relief

From rub-on-lotions to stress-relief sprays, visit your local health shop, and buy any natural products guaranteed to offer you quick relaxation when you need them. Then carry them around with you in your bag, and apply them as soon as you start to feel the effects of stress.

CBD oil is another effective stress-reliever, so follow the link for where to buy CBD oil in the UK legally. And there are other essential oils you might consider, especially when getting into a bath, so consider lavender, chamomile or jasmine, as just a few examples of quick and soothing stress-relief when you need it. Follow our previous link for more advice.

#3: Spend more time outside

Staying cooped up indoors when you're feeling stressed isn't helpful as, without the fresh air and natural light of the sun, it can be easy to fall prey to depressive symptoms. This is often why people suffer from seasonal affective disorder during the winter. Instead, make an effort to spend as much of your time outdoors as possible when you're feeling stressed, as your mood will soon start to improve.

Of course, if you're physically active when you're outdoors, you will also start to feel the stress-relieving benefits of exercise. And if you can spend time taking part in fun activities, then you will drive down the effects of stress further. Incorporate such behaviours into your lifestyle on a regular basis, and stress won't have time to take its hold on your life.

#4: Take breaks from technology

Staring at your phone for hours on end won't help, as not only will you feel more stressed if you read anything online that bothers you, but you will be less likely to spend more time exercising. And the same applies to your television. Life on the sofa isn't good for you on either a physical and mental level, so turn off the TV and spend more of your time in activities that will stimulate both your mind and body. Apply the same rules to any other piece of technology that rules your life. While they are fine in moderation, too much time with them could increase rather than reduce your stress levels.

Finally

From work worries to money issues, you will experience stress on a fairly regular basis. While you should find ways to manage your stressors, it's important for you to know that they don't have to derail your overall health. Follow our suggestions then, and live a life free from the strains that your stressors can cause. And if you have any other pieces of advice for our readers, be sure to share them with us.

Take care, and thanks for reading.

Leah xoxo

Making Big Decisions In Life*

Hello lovelies, 

This is a collaborative post (not written by me).

There are going to be times in everyone’s life when they need to make some big decisions. When those times come around, it can often be particularly concerning trying to work out how to make sure that you are making the right one. Of course, this is something that we all struggle with, but if you are keen to try and make sure that you are making the right decisions then you will need to think about what you can do to make sure of that. In this post, we are going to discuss just a few of the things that you could consider if you want to try and improve your decision making. You might find that focusing on these things is going to mean that you end up with a much better ability to make those big decisions.



Credit - CCO Licence

Consider All Your Options

One of the most damaging things you can do here is to rush into making big decisions without properly considering all of the options available to you. When you do that, it is only going to mean that you will struggle to actually make the right decision, and you might not even be able to work out why. So it’s important to take some time and step back, and really think about what kind of options you have in front of you, which are viable and which are not. If you can do that, you should find that you end up making the right decision much more often, so this is absolutely something that you will want to think about as best as you can.

Ask Around

It is always a good idea too to make sure that you know what others think of whatever is in front of you, and the decision that you are having to make. If you can get a good sense of what people are thinking about that decision, then you can find it easier to place your own understanding within it all, which is something that you are going to admit is very important indeed. There are lots of people you can turn to for this. You can ask your parents, your siblings, your partner, or your friends. You might even want to think about getting email psychic readings and using some of that information to help you. Whatever you do, just make sure that you are seeking the advice of some of the people you really trust who you have access to.



Credit - CCO Licence

Take It Slow

Finally, remember that it is often important in these big moments to make sure that you take things slow. That doesn’t mean not jumping or taking risks, but it does mean that you should make sure that you are really certain of what you want before you make any big decisions in life. The last thing you want is to regret anything, so this is going to be the kind of thing that you will really need to be sure of in order to avoid that.

Thanks for reading, 

Leah xoxo

An All-Around Sustainable Lifestyle To Look Great and Feel Great*

This is a collaborative post (not written by me).
https://unsplash.com/photos/4PG6wLlVag4


Hello loves, 

Living a cruelty-free lifestyle doesn't just end at the beauty products you use. It should affect all parts of your life from your clothing choices to your diet to how you get around town. If you're new to doing this, you'll know it's not easy, and even those who have been doing it their whole life still struggle with some aspects of the lifestyle.

But it doesn't need to be a chore. While you're making possibly massive changes to your lifestyle, it's not something that should get you down. Instead, it's supposed to be fun. Something to energise you. Something to make you feel good about yourself and the rest of the world. 

Everyone needs support when making such significant changes, so here's some quick advice on how to live an all-around sustainable lifestyle that will make you look great and feel even better. 

Diet Decisions
The first thing everyone tells you when seeking a more sustainable lifestyle is to change your diet. For meat-eaters, this might be a challenge, but those who have already dipped their toe in 'alternative' diets shouldn't have too much trouble. Vegetarianism, veganism and flexitarianism are all superb diets to consider. 

It doesn't end there, though. You also need to think about how you get the food onto your plate. There are plenty of ways to do this without spending half your life wandering aimlessly around the supermarket. One successful option is to grow your food, but this only works with a back garden. If you're short on space, locally sourced food is a winner. 

Fashion Fixes
The clothes you wear and their impact on the environment is not something most people think about when considering a more sustainable lifestyle. However, when you consider how many new clothes you buy each year, it all adds up. 

 
This isn't to say forget about labels and designers and live in a potato sack, but instead research sustainable clothing options. You can do this through existing stores or consider second hand and charity shops. It's also easy to take existing clothes and alter them to suit different seasons to give you a brand new wardrobe without spending a penny. 

Transport Triumphs
One of the most significant issues with living a sustainable lifestyle is pollution from transport. The main problem is convenience. Once you get your driver's license, you hope to never get on a bus again, but when everyone thinks this, the planet suffers. 

Instead of sitting in traffic on the way to work, consider waking up just a little earlier and catching the bus. The first weeks may be difficult, but soon you'll soon get used to it. If public transport is out of the question, you can always cycle (and get in some exercise) or car share with a coworker who lives close. It's not ideal, but it's one step closer to more sustainable living. 

Sustainable Success
What's important to remember on your quest towards a more cruelty-free and sustainable lifestyle is that you'll find it easier and more comfortable if you take it one step at a time. Trying to change too much at once can lead to you becoming overwhelmed with what you have to do, so don't overdo it. Instead, take it easy and make changes where you can. You'll soon make a habit of sustainable living like you've been doing it all your life.

Thanks for reading. 

Leah xoxo