Tips for Staying Healthy This Holiday Season  

Posted by Editor on Jan 13th, 2016 in Holiday Cheer | 0 comments

 

Singaporeans look forward to the holidays because of the merriment. This includes booze, companions and food of course. Every now and then we have to enjoy booze with our friends but we have to be wary and not drive since it will lead to ill-fated accidents. However, the greatest challenge here is the abundance of food and how to stay healthy.

It is important that we do not disrupt our healthy lifestyle just because it is the holidays. We have to be conscious of what we eat if we do not want to earn the calories we so despise. Here are some tips for staying healthy this holiday season:

• Focus on fun: You tend to overeat because you think that holiday is all about food. If this is your perspective, it is time to change it. Instead of focusing on food, why not focus on the fun it gives? Instead of thinking about mom’s turkey, just think of other desirable activities like tree trimming, decorating, carolling and the likes.
• Modify eating to jive with relatives: Your relatives have different eating schedule. If you do not make an effort to jive with their eating schedule, you will find yourself eating numerous times a day. For example, if your relatives eat at 10:30am and skip lunch, you have to compromise say you eat at least a toast before 10:30am.

• Indulge in only special treats: If all foods are not consumed, it would be a waste to throw it all away. You have to find time to indulge yourself but only in special treats like your mom’s homemade cookies or cake. You have to skip cookies from stores. The points here is not to totally deprive yourself of all good foods because eventually you will snap and you will find yourself overeating and waste all the efforts that you built.
• Consider few minutes of exercise: You need to exercise because it is the only way to burn the calories that you consumed. Whether you decide to have a short run down the park or walk through the station, you have to do it no matter how heavy or lethargic you feel. Overeating will make you heavy and you do not want that.

The holiday is a challenge in itself from choosing the right food to organizing a party. The important thing here is we realize the importance of self-control and discipline. We have to remember that it is for our own sakes at the end of the day.

Phone Etiquette for the Modern Girl

Posted by Editor on Dec 6th, 2015 in Social Niceties | 0 comments

Our cellular phones have become an extension of ourselves. We constantly upgrade them to make sure that we have the latest and coolest gadget there is. We fill them up with various mobile apps that help us manage our daily lives, entertain us during idle moment and help us stay in touch 24/7. It has definitely become an essential part of our daily lives, but that doesn’t mean that we can forget about the basic etiquette of using phones. Start becoming a considerate cell phone user now by simply following these basic rules as you use your phones.

1. Turn it Off When You Are in Movie Theatres. Sure, we all see the pre-movie reminder about turning our phones off or putting it to silent mode before the show starts, but that reminder still doesn’t stop some people from constantly checking their phones and even texting during the not-so engaging scenes of the movie.

 

Although sound isn’t an issue here, understand that the bright light of your phone’s screen can distract your fellow moviegoers who are sitting just few rows behind you. If you simply can’t go on without checking your phone for an hour or two, then don’t subject other people to it as well – especially if you forgot to set it in silent mode and Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” comes blaring across the room.

 

2. Stop Yourself From Documenting Every Single Thing. Sure it’s tempting to document every moment of the must-see concert you’re attending now, but think of how much you’re missing out as you focus on getting that one perfect shot. Think of the things you’ll miss while you upload that shot in your social media accounts.

By all means, take photos of the moments you want to share but don’t get so caught up in doing it that you end up missing out the experience that’s just right before you. The people behind you will definitely thank you as well for not blocking their view every few minutes just to take some photos.

 

3. Put Your Cellular Phone Down. We all know one person who’s overly attached with their phone that they find it hard to put the gadget down even for just a couple of minutes. You know the type: They have to constantly check their emails, respond to texts, or update their social media account several times a day. Basically, they live through their cellular phones and you’re just second to their gadget.

 

As much as possible, don’t be that type of person to others. If you made plans with your friends, be in the moment and enjoy one another’s company. Remember that these are all fleeting moments, so learn to make the most out of the time you spend together so that your memories are of these wonderful people, and not the ones seen through their up-to-the-minute social networking accounts.

 

4. Keep Your Phone Conversations to Yourself. There is just nothing worse than trying to relax in a coffee shop, or standing in a checkout counter, and hearing a one-sided conversation of someone who simply doesn’t know the use of indoor voice. Understand that nobody cares about what you’re planning to eat tonight, or if your boss is acting like a jerk today. Be considerate to the people around you and learn to keep the volume of your phone down. If possible, call the person back later or move to a more private area as you take their call.

By being so fixated with the pint-sized dynamos that we use every day, it’s really easy to just throw out the basic cell phone etiquette out of the window. Still, this will never be an acceptable excuse. So start becoming a smarter and more considerate phone user by keeping these basic rules in mind, especially when you’re using your gadget around other people.

6 Benefits of Coconut Water for Pregnant Women

Posted by Editor on Dec 1st, 2015 in Pregnancy and Health | 0 comments

Apart from being healthy and fat-free, coconut water is also a refreshing drink that aids in keeping the body hydrated by replenishing the natural salts that we lose every time we perspire. The drink is also widely known for its versatility and unconditional nutritional benefits, particularly for pregnant women and here’s why.

1. It Improves the Kidney Functions. Apart from helping in quenching one’s thirst, coconut water simply acts as a diuretic, which aids in increasing urine production due to its magnesium, mineral and potassium contents. All of which are vital to pregnancy. The drink also increases the flow of urine to keep the urinary tract clean, which aids in maintaining the health of the kidney, and preventing kidney and urinary tract infections from occurring.

 

2. It Aids in Combatting Dehydration and Exhaustion. Not only does coconut water replenishes the lost electrolytes, it also aids in fighting off the exhaustion and dehydration that most pregnant women experiences. Aside from that, coconut water is also an ideal drink for treating diarrhoea since it refuels the body with essential nutrients. Being properly hydrated is what increases skin elasticity and reduces the chances of stretch marks from occurring.

 

3. It Provides Essential Electrolytes. What makes this drink the best option for pregnant women is that it supplies the body with the essential electrolytes that the body usually loses through diarrhoea, severe vomiting and strenuous exercise. Coconut water contains nutrients like calcium, phosphorus and potassium, which carries the electrical charge throughout the body.

4. It Prevents Constipation and Heartburn. Drinking coconut water is one of the best and simplest ways that you can help you in improving your metabolism and detoxifying your body. Simply drinking it is also enough to improve your digestion, strengthen your digestive system, prevent constipation, and maintain your pH levels. Since it’s a natural acid neutralizer, coconut water also aids in preventing and soothing heartburn during pregnancy.

 

5. It Helps Fight Infections. Aside from electrolytes, coconut water is also rich in antioxidants, essential minerals and vitamins that helps in boosting the immune system, thus protecting the mother and child from any form of diseases. The drink is also rich in lauric acid that’s responsible for producing a disease-fighting acid known as “monolaurin” that combats diseases like HIV and flu.

 

6. It Promotes Weight Loss. Unlike the other drinks, coconut water is free of cholesterol, which aids in increasing the good cholesterols in the body while slowly eradicating the bad ones. So ditch your go-to sugar-sweetened drinks now and get your hands on this awesome replacement to ensure that you’ll maintain a healthy body for you and your child.

Even if it’s rich in nutrients, moderation is still essential when drinking coconut water. Just make sure that you pick and drink fresh coconuts so that you’ll really get the most out of the drink.

Essential Skin Care Rules One Should Never Break

Posted by Editor on Nov 10th, 2015 in Skin Care Guru | 0 comments

 

Taking excellent care of our skin is an aspect to beauty that everybody should practice. Being the body’s largest organ, the skin needs special care, especially because it is largely exposed to the elements. When we determine the kind of care our skin needs, we are then rewarded with great-looking skin and a healthy dose of self-confidence.

Here are five essential skin care commandments a person should never break in order to achieve healthy and younger-looking skin.

Thou shall take care of one’s neck.

Most of us take good care of the skin on our face by delicately removing makeup, cleansing, moisturizing and exfoliating. Unfortunately, we often neglect to do these things to our neck, which like our face, is also vulnerable to acne and sun damage.

When cleansing our face, it is also vital to cleanse and remove makeup in our neck and décolletage. Using your daily exfoliant, extend the application to the neck area and use a cleansing brush to gently remove dirt, makeup and dead skin.

Moreover, applying sunscreen to the neck area is necessary since it is also exposed to the sun. A great tip is to use a much stronger sunscreen in this area since the skin is thin and delicate.

 

Thou shall not wash using hot water.

Using hot water when washing your strips the skin of its natural oils, leaving the skin dry and prone to irritation. If you are the type of person who cannot shower without using hot water, see to it that the water does not touch your face. You can cleanse your skin using the tap water from the sink or lukewarm water.

Furthermore, using hot water when washing your face opens up the pores and can rupture blood vessels, causing red veins to be visible on your face. Exposing the skin to extremely hot temperature can irritate the skin.

 

Thou shall not exercise with makeup on.

Yes, you feel naked and exposed when you go out in public without makeup but when you workout with a ton of makeup on, these cosmetics can clog the pores when you sweat. Clogged pores result in skin blemishes like acne and blackheads.

When the pores are open, the skin needs to breathe and relax therefore, the presence of sludgy makeup on the skin can suffocate it, causing irritation.

Thou shall take full-body skin examination yearly.

An annual full body examination of the skin keeps track of suspicious looking formations in the skin area. It also examines the moles in our body, which can seldom signal the presence of skin cancer.

 

Thou shall update makeup products.

Cosmetics, like food, have an expiration date. When a beauty product is past its shelf life, you must throw these out and replace them. Constant usage of old makeup can irritate the skin and cause irritation. Here are some products and their shelf life:

• Mascara- 3 months
• Anti-aging products- 3 months to 1 year
• Lipstick- 2 years
• Lip gloss- 1 year
• Concealer and liquid foundation- 6 months to 1 year
• Face powder, blush and eye shadow- 2 years
• Lotion- 2 years

5 Fitness Habits to Adopt Now

Posted by Editor on Nov 6th, 2015 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Being fit and healthy is admittedly one of the goals we try so hard to achieve. However, there are times when we just fall completely short in reaching this goal.

Embracing new habits that bring about positive changes in our fitness may be the answer we need. To get the best out of our workout routines and to become even more motivated, here are five habits a person needs to embrace fully.

Working out as an outlet for stress

We cannot avoid stress in our daily lives. There is always something out there that can affect our health and outlook in life. Fortunately, exercising can help us release all these pent-up stress.

Boxing and running can be good options for releasing tension. Other people who prefer calming exercises can sign up for yoga classes. Yoga helps us eliminate exhaustion and anxiety and in the same way, give us a sense of relaxation and peace.

 

No slacking on strength exercises

For people who want to tone up and lose weight, strength training is a common form of workout routine to engage in.  Strength training encourages the creation of dense muscles and the stimulation of your metabolism. When we feel too comfortable in doing our training, it means that the body is not benefitting from the workout we are doing. To make the most of our exercise, we must continue to push ourselves to do better.

Make yourself your first priority

No matter how much stuff you need to finish, always keep in mind that you are your first priority. Instead of just rewarding yourself with pigging out and foregoing your schedule to the gym, start looking at your fitness routine as a way to reward yourself. After long hours of exercising, you’ll feel exhilarated and more relaxed. It’s all about how you perceive an activity- something you are forced to do or something that makes you feel good about yourself.

 

Improving your physical balance

Learning how to achieve excellent balance is important for people who are constantly exercising. It helps us protect ourselves from falling and being injured. Practice at least two times a week to improve your sense of balance. Do every day routines that focus on correcting the body’s balance.

 

Do daily stretches

Stretching before doing any form of workout prevents exercise-related injuries, like the tearing of the tendons. Doing stretches also protects you from being sore after exercising. Stretching should be an important staple on your daily activities. Never neglect what a good stretching can do for you and for your body.