Posts in Guest Blog
Using Spoon Theory to Explain Chronic Illness

For people living with a chronic illness like arthritis or fibromyalgia, every day is a struggle. Daily tasks like showering, getting dressed or preparing meals that come so easily to most people are genuinely strenuous for ‘spoonies’, the informal name given to chronic illness sufferers.

This moniker owes to a stroke of genius from lupus patient Christine Miserandino and a visit to a café 15 years ago.

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Elevate Your Workout With Ginseng & Other Adaptogens

If you want a supplement that can increase your endurance and give you more energy for exercising, you should try adaptogens. What are adaptogens, you ask? They are herbs that assist your body in dealing with stress. When you are exercising, your body reacts as if it is under extreme stress: your blood pressure raises, your breath is constricted, and your adrenaline levels are raised. To protect your body and support faster reaction times, you can take adaptogens.

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The Importance of Magnesium for Muscle Recovery

Magnesium should be a part of every athlete’s recovery process. It’s an essential mineral that promotes good muscle volume and flexibility, but sadly it seems that it’s the most depleted electrolyte in people who exercise often. It also has some anti-inflammatory properties, so it can help prevent joint aches and even arthritis, and it makes it possible to exercise for longer and avoid muscle soreness. To find out more what magnesium can do for you and how you can make sure you are getting enough of it on a daily basis, read on for some tips and tricks.

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How to Turn House Cleaning Into a Workout!

We so often come home from work tried that cleaning is the last thing we want to do. This
infographic from the team at HappyCleans looks at cleaning from the point of view of getting fit. The calories burned doing these menial tasks may surprise you and it can really help you to get fit. 

Before you begin, get your favourite album on and put on some loose-fitting clothes as cleaning at this speed can make you sweat quite a lot!

One hour of just one household task burns some serious calories. For example, hoovering rids you of 153 calories an hour so if you spent an evening hoovering the whole house you’ve done a serious workout.

Dusting is another necessary evil and can burn up to 174 calories in an hour. You can make dusting extra intensive by adding light weights to your wrists. This will help to strengthen your arms significantly. Dusting is also a vital part of any cleaning routine an it can especially be a nightmare for people with allergies. Find out more in the infographic now!

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HSE - Help Me Please?

I’m not a proper grown-up- I don’t have things like a mortgage, maturity or health insurance.

I will trill out the party-line; “I am blessed to live in a country that has free healthcare.” Sure, aren’t there women in America giving birth on the doorsteps of hospitals for the want of health insurance? Feel free to continue adding to this sentiment for as long as you please.

I may not be a proper grown-up that has health insurance, but I am a proper grown-up that’s worked and paid taxes from the age of sixteen. Apparently, those taxes pay for things like state pensions, government chauffeurs and our public health care system. The Irish Health Service Executive has been met with less than stellar reviews during any time of my living memory, but in recent years it seems to have taken a massive hit. We have all heard about the colossal waiting times in A&E, that’s nothing new, but when patient care is suffering due to lack of attendance from staff, something is sorely wrong. True, staff are overworked and underpaid and are still only human after all, but is that really good enough when those under their care are largely at their mercy and not receiving even adequate treatment?

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5 Health Benefits of Yoga for Women

Author bio: Hii! I’m Nancy Wile, a yoga teacher and the founder of Yoga Education Institute. I do my best to help all my students find a sense of ease and mindfulness in each posture that they can then incorporate into other aspects of their lives.  I want you to come as you are and have some fun, and know that everything you need is right there inside of you. 

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Cruise Cure – Dreams do come true!

Do you believe thoughts become things? There is so much about it in on social media now "thoughts become things", "be careful what you wish for", "manifest what you want", "dream it believe it". I believe dreams do come true.

I manifested in my mind the cruise cure, I wanted to go on a cruise to experience so much I have dreamed of and this is what I got. I created this holiday in my mind when I was in the throes of cancer treatment.

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Love Your Heart, Stay Healthy

Often the problem with heart disease is that it’s a silent killer. It accounts for 1 in 3 deaths and the problem with heart attacks and cardiac arrests is that they often happen with very little warning.

This infographic from Study Medicine Europe takes you through the intricate workings of the  heart and explains how we can help to protect it.

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5 Foods that adversely affect a child's academic performance

Increased obesity rates and the growing awareness that students need proper nutrition to develop a healthy body and brain are compelling parents to become more informed. Educating students and parents on the great importance of adhering to a healthier meal plan is fundamental to their academic performance. Needless to say, there are lots of foods that have a negative impact on a student’s brain.

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3 Types of Belly Fat and How to Get Rid of It

Love handles. Nobody loves them, and yet they tend to stick around for quite a while. Many people suffer from the dreaded belly fat, and the thing is that even when they try to do something about it, they make a crucial mistake that prevents them from losing it. Namely, not all types of body fat are the same which means that they are caused by different factors. Before you start any regimen to help you get rid of ab flab, you’ll first have to determine what kind of belly type is yours. Otherwise, you’ll get stuck in a vicious circle of dieting and weight gain.

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5 Tips for Increasing Your Workout Effectiveness

If the training routine was all we needed for achieving the desired physique, growing stronger, becoming happier in our lives, or boosting our confidence, endurance levels and cardiovascular health. However, in addition to your trusty program, there are a few other relevant factors that influence your fitness success, and they all work together in unison to help you achieve your goals.

To make the most of all those hours spent in the Pilates class or the dojo, incorporate the following tips into your already active lifestyle and watch those workouts bloom!

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Must Have Apps For Working Parents

When working a full time job with long hours; being a parent can be difficult. It’s so difficult to find any time for yourself between spending a long day at the office and catching up on the million tasks that have piled up at home in the evening and over the weekend. This infographic from HappyCleans features a wide range of apps that can assist you in winning the precious gift of time!

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Top Tips for Cleaning Your House!

Even though cleaning is most certainly a chore, it can feel therapeutic once you have completed a specific task. Cleaning is something that is an ongoing task; it won't ever be fully complete; you will have to revisit it constantly which of course can be frustrating. There are also cleaning tasks that can be seasonal.

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How to ask for help when you’re stretched too thin

Have you ever had one of those days where you just want to curl up in a corner of your office and never see another to-do list, ever again, in your whole life? We’re with you—that’s the very definition of being stretched too thin. There are so many demands on all of us, through every minute of our days—from home to work to school and back again—that some days you might find yourself at the breaking point. It’s at that moment when you need help—but how do you get it?

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