Get More Sunlight Indoors

Studies show that our health improves when we expose ourselves to sunlight. In an indoor environment with sunlight, we become more productive and relaxed. Also, sunlight triggers the hormones that allow us to stay awake during the day and sleep at night. Lack of sunlight lowers moods and causes depression. So, using sunlight as a light source is a healthy, smart, and sustainable idea.

Solar Lighting Systems

In the modern world, many people live in cities and highly populated areas with congested buildings. Therefore, people are at risk of working and living in buildings that lack sunlight. This can lead to low productivity and depression.

To solve this problem, Parans has a technology that allows sunlight to get into buildings naturally. It does this by inserting thin, flexible fiber optics deep into the building. This will allow areas far away from windows to get natural light. The light spreads up, giving a relaxing experience. As a property owner or architect, it is worth the investment.

Conclusion

The design is both innovative and energy-efficient. Moreover, the carbon footprint on the planet can greatly reduce if we use this new technology. To find out more about the benefits of these solar lighting systems, read more here.

Harness the Sun for Positive Use

The sun is an endless source of natural energy that serves numerous applications. Humans are always trying to find creative ways to tap the potential of the sun, and that has fueled the discovery of many innovations and activities. Here are several ways that people capitalise on the natural power of the sun.

Improving Health

The sun offers a number of health benefits such as reducing stress. Exposure to the sun helps boost serotonin levels, which enhances a person’s mood and minimises stress. The ultraviolet light of the sun provides Vitamin D, which is essential for proper bone growth. However, sun exposure must be limited to avoid adverse effects.

Lighting

The sun offers radiant natural light that is critical in every building. Besides providing illumination during the day, the sun’s rays ensure that occupants enjoy the health benefits of sunlight. A room with sufficient natural light eliminates the need to use artificial light during the day thus, saving money. In instances where a building doesn’t receive sunlight as desired, people can use technologies such as Parans solar lighting to direct natural light to different parts.

Solar Thermal Energy

Heating is a huge contributor to energy use. From heating the water to keeping rooms warm during winter to heating a pool, thermal energy is a vital investment. Solar panels have changed how people meet their heating requirements. The solar photovoltaic system is designed to collect the heat from the sun and turn it into electricity. This power is distributed to various appliances such as water heaters, radiators and furnaces to cater to heating demands.

Drying clothes

An electric dryer may be fast and efficient, but it also consumes a lot of power. Putting clothes out to dry using the sun eliminates this energy consumption. An added advantage is that drying clothes naturally allows them to last longer compared to using a machine.The sun has a multitude of positive uses that people can enjoy directly or with the help of different technologies.

Getting Healthy: The Mind is the Key

When it comes to healthy living, there is no substitute for maintaining a regular and effective exercise regime to keep your body and soul balanced and happy. Unfortunately, staying motivated enough to keep up with that awesome exercise plan that you have created for yourself isn’t always the easiest thing to do, and that is where this article comes in. Before we continue, it is important to remember why we exercise. There are a few different reasons that drive people to get themselves onto a fitness plan. Some people want to lose weight; others want to improve their appearance; and still others just want to feel better. Of course, those aren’t the only reasons for working out, but they are the most common. So, again, how do you stay motivated? To stay on track, you must focus on what motivates you. You must identify which of your everyday activities make you hungry for the excitement that comes with exercise. Once you understand those aspects of yourself better, you will have a much easier time getting yourself to go to the gym as often as you need to reach the goals you have. One of the most motivating things that we have found is to raise your sense of mental excitement. Any activity that gets you to sit on the edge of your seat with excitement is going to wake up certain parts of your mind. Spending a little time at an online casino, for example, can be perfect because of the built-in excitement that comes with it. When you challenge your mind, you set up the conditions for your body to follow. When you begin to push the boundaries of your thinking and start taking some calculated risks, it makes you braver on a psychological level, and you can easily take that new-found bravery into the gym with you. So long as you don’t take any risks that may put you in an unhealthy situation, both activities can go very well together.

How to Keep Yourself Sane on the Road to Recovery

Illness can strike at any time, and, whether you are generally fit and healthy or you have had health issues before, recovering can be stressful. A great way to keep yourself on the road to recovery and keep your spirits up is to find ways to entertain yourself and occupy your mind. Keeping your mind busy as your body recovers will give you a respite from worry and keep you on track. Read on for more tips on recovery.

Activities to Entertain Yourself as you Heal

The internet has become a great tool for anyone who is stuck at home or has limited mobility due to an illness or injury. There are so many ways to keep yourself entertained in the digital world.

  • Join a forum – if you have a particular interest, such as a sport or hobby, you can join a forum. Even though you may be recovering, it doesn’t mean you can’t participate in conversations with like-minded people and trade tips and tricks.
  • Try an online casino – while you are stuck at home, why not try online gambling? It doesn’t have to be for big money. You can get all the thrill of a casino right at home while you rest up in bed. There are so many games, from slots to table games, there’s bound to be something to keep you amused.
  • Connect with old friends – social networks have made reaching out to lost contacts so much easier. Reconnecting with an old friend will allow you to pass the time reminiscing and enjoying learning about each other since you last spoke. This will help you stay positive as you recover, staying positive is essential to a good recovery.

Staying fit and healthy is not always limited to your body, keeping your mind active and reducing your boredom will help your recovery time feel much shorter.

How to Live a Long and Healthy Life

We all know that there are ways to keep our bodies healthy, but we should pay just as much attention to keeping our minds in good condition too. Living a long and healthy life will require both a sound body and mind, so it makes sense to take care of both. The numerous ways to keep your body fit and healthy are in the news all the time. However, staying physically fit and active is not always achievable, so here are some tips for keeping your mind active and well.

Learn a New Hobby

Challenging your grey matter to take on new skills and get to grips with a new craft is a great way to get those synapses firing. Try something you have never done before; if you love art try painting. If you want to create something why not try woodworking or crocheting? Many crafts require little physical input, but they work the creative part of the brain, and the satisfaction of making something is very good for the psyche.

Play games

Keeping those brain cells busy with games is a good way to keep your wits about you for longer. Try games such as poker; competing against other players will help you build strategies and think on your feet.

Educate Yourself

Whatever level of education you have achieved in your life, there is always something new to learn. Take a course in computer technology, enjoy works of art or study history, whatever takes your fancy. Learning a new language is great for your brain. You only get one life, and you owe it to yourself to make it the best you can. Taking care of your body and mind will help to keep you active for longer. Brain training is just as important as keeping those other muscles in shape.

Everything in Moderation; Moderation in Everything

Working, Eating, Drinking, Hobbies and Sleeping: Life consists mainly of these five things. And it doesn’t matter whether you are single or have a large family; these key factors are what keep the cogs of our daily lives turning – sometimes to our own detriment, when we invest too much time in any one of them. The thing is that all of the above factors are pleasurable, so it is very hard not to get over-excited and invest all available time if you find a new hobby that you love. Eating and drinking are essential to keep the human body working efficiently, and they are very social activities too, which is why we can get lost in them. It is up to each individual to keep a mental track of how much time is being invested in activities, and to make room for the others when one starts to take over. Working is a key area in which everyone often overdoes it. Whether it is working long days or checking emails on the weekends, work encroaches upon many people’s lives. This then increases stress levels, which causes individuals to seek ways in which to relax. Gambling is a prime activity which can be used to decrease stress levels, because there is no set time for it and there is no rushing about to get somewhere for a particular time. If a meeting at work has over-run, for example, then it’s simply not a problem. Because on the return home from work, one can log onto a casino website of one’s choice to play. However, gambling is another area in our lives where moderation is the key to stopping a pastime from becoming an addiction. With the huge variety of online activities available as hobbies, there is no excuse for not finding a way to relax in today’s modern society. However, it is definitely a case of everything in moderation and moderation in everything.

Quit Smoking With Swedish Snus

Smoking is a very addictive habit. It can be satisfying once one is hooked to it, but on the other hand it can be very dangerous to one’s health. Many cigarette smokers struggle with the habit because it is very difficult to quit. It is required internationally that all cigarette packets have a label that covers 1/3 of its page which indicates ‘cigarette smoking is injurious to your health’. Cigarette smoking has been directly linked to breathing problems, heart attacks and cancer. In fact it has been linked to one out of five lung cancer deaths.

What is the alternative?

According to Snus Direct, snus is the best choice because it gives you a better alternative to smoking. Snus, which originated in Sweden in the early 1800’s, is powdered tobacco that is packaged in such a way that it can be consumed orally by placing it behind the upper lip. The moist tobacco dissolves slowly in the mouth. Most tobacco companies have devised a way to regulate the amount of nicotine in every packet.Web MD indicates very clearly that nicotine increases blood pressure, reduces the amount of oxygen getting to the heart, increases the heart beat rate, can be instrumental in creating blood clots, and causes injury to the interior of blood vessels. Though it is not easy to quit, as per smokefree, quitting is supposed to be a journey. The best way to start the journey is to make the decision to quit.The use of Swedish snus is the best alternative to the habit. Start with the nicotine percentage amount that feels comfortable. As time progresses, it is advisable to begin reducing the amount of nicotine in the snus until the body adjusts and no longer demands the high amounts of the product. With time it will be easy to quit this habit completely.

Eating for a Long Life

Throughout the world, plenty of examples of disparities between the life expectancies of certain populations due to their diet choices can be found. For instance, it’s long been thought that Seventh Day Adventists, who commonly live on a vegetarian diet, have a greater average life expectancy than their immediate neighbours.If diet does play a large part in improving life expectancy, what exactly are the healthiest types of food to include in a diet?

Protecting the Brain

For the brain, a diet consisting of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and unsaturated oils is said to provide the best protection from the stresses and strains of life.In terms of preventing age-related diseases such as dementia, it is though that fruits high in anti-oxidants – blueberries, grapes – may play a part in slowing the changes to the brain as we age.Omega-3 oils found abundantly in fish have also shown to be beneficial for staving off depression and memory loss. Also, healthy diet choices such as eating food low in salt, which can reduce blood pressure and the risk of dementia, and drinking coffee can be beneficial.

Helping the Heart

The heart is particularly susceptible to a number of strains in the body, including high blood pressure and cholesterol. To reduce these risk factors, certain foods can have beneficial effects.Fruits and vegetables are particularly advantageous due to being high in fibre and low in calories. They help keep your weight in check, provide plenty of important vitamins and prevent cardiovascular disease.Similarly, whole grains such as barley and oats provide a great source of disease-resistant nutrients while saving on the calories. Equally beneficial are nuts, which are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats for preventing heart disease.

Maintaining Strong Bones

In later life, bone diseases are one of the most debilitating afflictions to affect the elderly. Therefore, it’s important to introduce foods rich in nutrients beneficial for strong and healthy bones.Particularly, plenty of dairy in your diet is important such as milk and yogurt. Low-fat varieties will provide a great source of calcium and nutrients vital to the growth of bones. Calcium can also be found in dark, leafy vegetables such as spinach.

Why regular doctor visists are important

Regular visits to a family doctor or paediatrician are generally recommended for all children and adults. Women who see their gynaecologist for routine exams can learn more about the state of their health or any underlying conditions they may have.Healthcare professionals know the importance of these exams as they identify risk factors before they become serious. If your health check-up reveals a disease that you did not know about, catching it early and getting treatment for it early will be more effective.

Doctor’s visit: The prevention tests

Depending on your age, family medical history, and gender, a routine check-up at your doctor’s office may include:Hearing and vision tests, urine and blood tests will all evaluate your overall health. Your blood pressure and cholesterol levels will also be assessed as well as weight and diet, lifestyle habits, drug and alcohol use. There will also be screenings to analyse your risks of diabetes, cancer, and other heart disease.If you want to live a long and happy life, you should strongly consider visiting your doctor for above tests. You can find out more about regular health check-ups at http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/getting-regular-checkups.aspxTailor-made physical exams are also as important as blood and urine tests. You simply have to fill out a questionnaire with regards to your age, sex, health risks, and any current illnesses. People of all ages can undergo physical exams as seen appropriate by their family physicians. This is because blood tests cannot always detect cancer or other serious diseases, and as such, MRI scans or health screening will be advised by the doctor. To learn more about the importance of regular visits to your doctor, refer to this website.At the end of the doctor’s visit, a lifestyle modification or dietary change may be recommended. Doctors also teach people how to do self-examinations in order to stay healthy. If necessary, medications will be prescribed in cases of high blood pressure or cholesterol levels.

Exercising and Eating to Build Muscle

If you want to build muscle, following a workout plan is only half the battle. What you eat can have a big impact on whether you gain muscle or fat and even the type of muscle you gain. Here are some of the top foods to eat and exercises to build muscle.

Eggs

The good news for lovers of eggs is that the information we were given about cholesterol was completely wrong. Instead of leading to heart disease, the cholesterol in egg yolk actually helps to build muscle fast and eggs should form a major part of your diet if you want to build muscle fast.

Protein Shake

People who drink a shake packed with carbohydrates and protein before their workout will be able to achieve optimal nutrient usage and muscle growth. This also helps to prevent muscles from breaking down and provides the extra energy boost you need to really get the most out of your workout.

Nuts

You no longer have to munch on large quantities of meat if you want to build muscle. Nuts are the secret solution that many body builders have been searching for, as just one ounce of almonds or cashews contains around 170 calories that can be turned into muscle. Nuts provide an excellent combination of fats, fibre and protein, which allows you to take in the extra calories you need to make muscle without stretching out your waistline. One of the great things about nuts is that they are easy to take with you wherever you go, making them the perfect travel snack when you need a boost in calories.

Up the Reps

Some body builders spend hours at the gym trying to gain muscle with little success. The truth is, it’s not about how many reps you do, but how heavy the weight is. Your muscles grow in response to the demand that is put on your body so that they can perform the tasks they were designed for. Instead of increasing the amount of reps you do with the same weights, try regularly increasing the weight and you are sure to see results.

Full Fat Cottage Cheese

This type of protein is digested slowly by the body, helping you to stay full for longer. The fat and live cultures that are contained in cottage cheese not only help to build muscle, they also help to maintain muscles and break down the protein and nutrients you need to build strong and healthy muscles during a workout session.