Lifestyle

Just as millennials redefined the real estate industry and labor, they are also redefining health and wellness. Among other generations, millennials are notably the most health-conscious of all. Aside from caring about their carbon footprint, this generation abides by a holistic approach to wellness. While the general population exercise because they know staying physically active is right for them, millennials exercise with a purpose.

Amid surmounting student loans and credit card debts, millennials spend over 6 billion a year in gym memberships. More than the fear of having their headstones engraved early, this generation’s obsession with staying fit and healthy had something to do with the record level anxiety and high depression rates. To combat these mental health issues, the majority of millennials turn to workout routines and exercises.

All these things considered, how can you capitalize on these millennial facts? Below are seven features millennials are looking for in their fitness studios.

Mobile Fitness Journey

Millennials are always on the go. They demand a fitness experience that offers them seamless and flexible connectivity. It suits their lifestyle and allows them to workout wherever and whenever they want. Incorporate in their fitness journey digital solutions that enable them to join group workout sessions even when they are at home or traveling.

Intelligent Coaches

Millennials prefer substance over style. Accordingly, an intelligent coach is the most desired trait for a fitness instructor. Hire charismatic coaches who offer motivation if you want to attract and keep more millennials to your fitness studio.

Healthy Meal Plans

As previously said, millennials take on a holistic approach to wellness. Aside from providing trendy and unique workout routines, offer healthy meal plans to your millennial gym members. Over the past years, there has been an increasing rise of veganism, particularly among millennials. Include high protein, low-calorie, and sustainable foods on your meal plans.

Lifestyle Brand

Even the fashion industry is leaning towards fitness and activeness with the rise of athleisure. Your fitness studio may grab this opportunity to sell merchandise and accessories of your own. What your business offers is more than just activity, but also a lifestyle.

Sense of Community

The millennial generation values a communal environment. Going to the gym is more than just sweating off and shredding pounds. It is a place where millennials meet people and socialize with friends. Offer small group sessions like yoga and Zumba since this helps nurture this highly valued communal relationship.

Transparency Regarding Fees

Millennials do not like to be tied down. Although they are into fitness, the majority of millennials think gym memberships are too expensive. They prefer fitness studios that list their prices upfront without any membership requirement. Studios with mobile apps that give them convenient access to signing up or canceling classes are highly desired.

Photogenic Club Space

Millennials also love chic and modernly decorated fitness studios. With the majority of different social media platforms, investing in a beautiful studio is worth it since millennials will indeed be promoting your business on them.

Apart from these features, millennials are also into sessions that not only highlight physical training but mental training as well.

More people these days are seeking help for the pros and are now being treated for their depression. Some need to take medications like anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, and antipsychotics. Others are exploring alternative medicine therapy such as IV infusion therapy, wherein ketamine is administered for fast symptom relief.

Doctors also prescribe certain lifestyle modifications to fight depression. This is since, lifestyle can contribute to our mental health. The healthier your lifestyle is, the easier it will be for you to be more resilient to stress and depression. Here’s what you can start doing to help keep your depression at bay.

Keep Moving

Staying active keeps your body healthy, your mind engaged and your immune system strong. With regular exercise, you will have something to focus on instead of your sad thoughts. If you feel like your depression is kicking in, start moving and if you can, engage in exercise.

Walking your dog to the park, playing physical sports with your kids or jogging are great ways to keep your body moving. You can consider taking up a new hobby instead of spending your days lying around, watching TV shows, or playing on your phone. Just do any activity you enjoy that requires you to move and not sit around all day.

Eat Right and Sleep Better

A healthy diet and quality rest and sleep are essential for depression. One can’t function properly if you lack sleep and your body doesn’t have the energy to burn. Take note that some people eat too much when they are depressed, while others lose an unhealthy amount of weight. Some depressed people sleep too much while others can’t sleep at all. With a bit of diet and sleep hygiene modification, you can reduce your depression symptoms.

Aside from eating healthy, there are certain kinds of food you need to avoid and must consume to fight depression. Eat food rich in Vitamin D, Omega-3, good carbs, and selenium. Avoid food such as sweets, caffeine, alcohol, and illegal drugs. To improve your quality of sleep, keep a regular bedtime routine minus the distractions. Exercise regularly and go out more so you will feel tired at the end of the day.

Get Your Daily Dose of Sunshine

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that your body needs to keep your bones and teeth strong and healthy. It also helps boost your immune system. You can get vitamin D from different kinds of food, but the sun is your best source.

People feel generally gloomy and irritated during the cold season. During winter, days are shorter and we don’t get as much sunlight as we used to during summer. When we stay indoors for too long and we don’t get to enjoy much sunshine, it is easy to feel sad and tired. This only goes to show that a lack of sunshine can indeed affect our mood and can even make some people feel depressed.

If you spend most of your time cooped up indoors, then try to go out more and expose yourself to natural sunlight. Walk when running errands and spend some time in nature while there is still sunshine. You can let the sunshine in by opening your windows. During winter when there is less sunlight, you can consider light therapy as a substitute for natural sunlight.

Welcome Social Support and Interaction

It can be tricky to stay social now that there is a pandemic going on. Lucky for us, we now live in a modern world. Now, you can easily keep in touch with family and friends using your smartphone. Whenever you feel sad or lonely, ring a friend or video call a family member. If you are comfortable sharing your thoughts with them, then go ahead and do so. But if not, you can stick to any subject that can take away your thoughts from the things that make you sad.

You can join support groups and connect with people who understand what you’re going through. It can be daunting at first, but you will soon feel welcomed after you take the initial step. Many people are very much willing to help others who are depressed because they know just how it feels to be affected by depression.

You can also consider online forums where you can read about other people’s struggles for depression. Trained professionals can give you the kind of support you need during the dark times. You can even find a professional who can offer one-on-one counseling via online therapy.

Fighting depression can be difficult. But you can make it easier if you start making the necessary lifestyle changes. Eat better, get more quality sleep, and get enough exercise. Stop isolating yourself and welcome social interactions and support. Don’t forget to welcome more sunshine into your life and to seek professional help as needed.

Ah, 2020. It has brought an onslaught of economic, healthcare, and climate challenges for the entire world. With everything that’s going on, it seems like the worst time to tie the knot.

But there’s no turning back for couples who finally decided to put a ring on it. Many plans changed, and it probably took a lot of detours, and those who finally made it to the altar will have to continue to make do with the current situation.

Perhaps you didn’t expect spending the first year of your marriage stuck at home or having to deal with a recession, but there’s no reason the pandemic has to ruin your wedded bliss. Now is the best time to turn your new home into an IG-worthy love nest.

Here are a few simple ways to decorate your home, even when you’re on a shoestring budget.

Get rid of unsightly clutter.

Perhaps the simplest way you can beautify your home is by removing unsightly clutter. Before you consider adding new items into your home, consider what you first need to throw out or give away.

If you and your spouse recently just moved in together, then you most likely already did some spring cleaning. But if you haven’t, spend an entire day getting rid of things you and your spouse won’t need moving forward. Old, damaged, and faulty items that are no longer salvageable can only make your home look worse than it is.

Go the DIY route.

Any kind of redecorating or remodeling task will be considerably less expensive when you do it yourself instead of hiring a pro. If you must paint, install new flooring, or assemble new furniture, consider doing it yourself.

It will be much cheaper and can be a great way for you and your spouse to bond. There’s nothing like a common enemy—like new furniture with assembly instructions written in a foreign language—to bring you two closer together. At the same time, finishing a project can give you a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Paint, paint, paint.

Research on color schemes that fit your fancy and suit the kind of mood you want for your home and consider repainting the interiors. If you or your spouse are artists, paint an accent wall. Choose a different color for your kitchen cabinets—it’s an easy and simple way to give your kitchen a fresh look. Consider changing the cabinets’ knobs as well.

Get some plants.

There are a lot of benefits to taking care of houseplants. Not only do they add a pop of green to a predominantly white room, but they are also an affordable yet effective way of improving your home’s indoor air quality.

You don’t need to buy from expensive sources to get plants. Like pet adoption, you can also look for ways to rescue some plants in your neighborhood, like a house that will be torn down soon. Flea markets, yard sales, and garden tours are also great sources for inexpensive houseplants.

Cutting them yourself can also be cost-effective, granted a little more laborious.

Choose smaller design elements.

A huge artwork by a popular artist may be off the table for now, but you can still choose some smaller design elements that can enhance the look of your space. Add texture to your home by investing in some cute decorative pillows or handcrafted room accessories.

Thrift shopping can also be a great way to find pre-loved pieces of furniture or decor that may cost you a fortune if you buy them in IKEA or a department store.

Use decorative elements from your wedding.

If you were able to bring home some decorative elements from your wedding, consider re-purposing them. Some ways you can preserve your wedding flowers include:

• Hanging them upside down to dry
• Pressing
• Using silica gel
• Dipping the flowers in wax

You can frame the pressed flowers and hang them on a wall beside your wedding pictures. The dried flowers, on the other hand, can be used as centerpieces. You can also turn the glass bottles and jars into vases. The fairy lights and candles can also give your home a dreamy look and feel.

Creating Your Dream Home Need Not Break the Bank

Transitioning from singlehood to married life is already hard enough financially, but even more so in a recession. Take a deep breath, look around your home, and let your imagination go wild. There are ways to turn it into the dream home you’ve always wanted, even on a limited budget. Turn your home into a project for you and your spouse and allow it to bring you closer.

When an individual has been subjected to a sexual crime, they can find that their entire world has been turned upside down. It can be difficult to refocus and move forward, but with professional help, both to help people work through their emotions and with a sexual offence solicitor who can get a conviction swiftly, the building blocks towards healing can begin to form.

A sexual crime isn’t just regarding rape. Both a man or woman can commit sexual assault and there are other aspects such as indecent images, child abuse and historical cases that can be discussed and prosecutions can be laid.

By speaking with a professional, claimants can understand what their personal citation will be and what they can do to obtain justice. These compassionate, understanding and firm solicitors are eager to ensure that their client’s rights are defended and that they can move forward with their life knowing that true justice was served.

The statistics regarding sexual crimes and violations are shocking. 20% of women and 4% of men are known to have experienced some form of sexual assault throughout their lives since the age of 16. Most data is collected from the ages of 16 and above because the definition of consent notes that even if someone who is 16 or younger have expressed consent, this cannot excuse the crime.

What defences are possible for those accused of rape or sexual assault?

The main defence that the accused use is that the victim consented. In the past, this caused a lot of confusion as the understanding of where consent began and ended was often blurred. Thankfully, each year that passes ensures that this confusion is cleared more and more.

There is no possibility for consent to be given by an individual who is 16 years or younger and consent that has been given for one act by an adult victim does not mean that consent for another act was there. This means that a victim can consent to being touched and kissed but they did not consent to having sex without a condom.

The investigators, usually the police to whom the crime has been reported to, needs to be satisfied without a doubt that the act was not consented to.

Other defences include frank denial of the act by the accused and that it was a fabrication intended to discredit the individual or that it was simply a case of mistaken identity. This can often be the case when a victim is inebriated or unable to give consent freely on their own accord.

DNA samples do need to be obtained, quickly, so that such denials are able to be determined whether they are true or not. Historical claims can, of course, be more difficult to work through because of this, however, with persistent and experienced professionals, there are many avenues that can be explored to ensure justice.

Although the entire experience can be daunting, it is important for victims to speak out so that they can gain closure and begin to move forward. Although it may haunt them for some time, it is proven that facing the situation and getting it out in the open can allow for help to be given which will enable healing to occur over time.

Around 19 million people in the U.S. have mobility issues. Some may be temporary, such as getting into an accident and using a sling or a wheelchair while healing. Meanwhile, others’ are chronic issues, such as difficulty walking when they’re getting on in age.

Apart from the reason for your limited mobility, another concern you may have is how to stay active. Exercising can already be challenging for a person with full mobility, so it might be daunting to think about being active if you’ve just been to the wheelchair store and have limited use of an arm or your legs. But don’t let this challenge stop you. Exercise can help you and other people with limited mobility to:

• Maintain your muscle mass
• Increase your range of motion
• Improve your body’s coordination
• Avoid living a sedentary lifestyle
• Maintain your independence

Fortunately, you have plenty of options for exercise, even while you’re in a wheelchair or have some disability that prevents you from moving freely. Check them out below.

Do water aerobics.

If you have access to a pool, you can do aerobic exercises such as water walking. Water is almost a thousand times denser than air, which means it’s more challenging for the body to exercise when submerged in water. But it is also buoyant, which means it helps support your body’s weight. So when you do aerobic exercises in the pool, there’s less stress on your joints than if you’re exercising on the ground. The density of the water and how your body moves through it can also help strengthen your muscles.

Use resistance bands.

Resistance bands are one of the cheapest and most versatile fitness tools you can have, limited mobility or not. Using this can help improve your flexibility and build your muscle strength. If you have a shoulder injury, for example, you can rehab and avoid re-injuring it by wrapping resistance bands behind you like a shawl and pulling the ends toward your chest.

Do yoga from your wheelchair.

You might be familiar with yoga and how able-bodied people contort their bodies a hundred different ways. But even if you don’t have full mobility, yoga is doable. You can be sitting on your wheelchair and do the cat-cow stretch, which involves placing your hands on your knees, then alternating between arching your back and rolling your shoulders and head down. There are plenty more yoga positions for people with limited mobility that help keep your body flexible and your muscles working.

Use your chair to exercise.

If you’re using a wheelchair, it can be your best exercise equipment. You can do squats by standing in front of your chair and holding the top for support while bending your knees and pushing your hips backward. You can grab onto the arms of your chair and push yourself up while holding the seated position, an exercise that can help strengthen your arm muscles.

Don’t let limited mobility stop you from staying active and healthy or enjoying activities able-bodied people do. With these exercise ideas, you can strengthen your body instead of allowing it to atrophy because of your limited mobility.

A sedentary lifestyle is sitting or lying down for the significant part of your day. It could also mean not doing any or following a very minimal fitness routine. Even before COVID-19 forced countries to lockdown cities and limit movement, most people were already leading inactive lifestyles.

In the Same Bed

Over 1.4 billion people aren’t exercising. The rates for inactive people are greater in higher income countries with 37 percent compared to people in low-income countries with 16 percent. And it seems that more men exercise than women.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 80 percent of young people across the globe are physically inactive. The organization has sounded the alarm as early as 2002, reiterating the problem in 2008 declaring that it’s a global health problem.

Why is WHO worried?

Every year, 3.2 million deaths are attributed to lack of physical activity.

Declining Physical and Mental Health

The problems that stem from a sedentary lifestyle is preventable as long as you act now. Much like you would stop health complications, like acting on a nasal or sinus pain through an appropriate sinus treatment to prevent an infection, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle could save you from chronic, costly illnesses.

When you’ve chosen to stay inactive, you can expect the following:

• Weaker bones, with mineral content loss
• Loss of muscle strength and endurance
• Slower metabolism
• Poorer immune system
• Development of hormonal imbalance
• Development of more inflammation

Whether you’re just a couch potato or work from home without exercising, your body will weaken and you’ll be exposed to more health risks than a person who strives to stay active.

A study from the European Society of Cardiology supports this outcome, discovering that sedentary lifestyle is associated a risk for premature death; two times more than people who are active. Researchers evaluated data collected over 22 years from 23,146 men and women. They categorized physical activity into three: inactive, moderate, and high.

People who were inactive were at higher risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease. Those who followed moderate physical activity were at 60 percent to 90 percent at risk.

A sedentary lifestyle doesn’t just open you up to the risk of heart disease. It also puts you at risk from the following:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Metabolic syndrome
• Obesity
• Colon, breast, or uterine cancers

The lack or absence of physical activity also leads to depression and anxiety. When you have heightened sensitivity to anxiety, you exacerbate that condition by staying on the couch or indoors at all times. Psychologists have found that exercises not only enhance mood but also improves your ability to fight anxiety. But a fitness routine delivers more than a sense of accomplishment. It could have a buffering effect on your brain.

When you exercise, the increase in serotonin levels can alleviate chronic depression. Researchers also suspect that can normalize sleep patterns, which has protective effects on the brain.

Inactivity has far reaching effects on your health, causing costly and chronic diseases. Take control of your future by starting a fitness routine today.

Skiing is both an activity and a sport that’s not for the fainthearted. But if you’re willing to learn and even try it, it will reward you with more fun, better health, and a sharper mind.

To make those baby steps more comfortable, here are some guidelines for beginners:

1. Wear the Right Clothes and Shoes

Your regular winter wear won’t cut it. Up in the mountains, temperatures can be frigid even during the summer. Your clothing should also make skiing both safe and easy by allowing your body to move comfortably.

Fortunately, ski wear has caught up to fashion and style. For example, an Arcteryx ski jacket looks sleek but is warm enough because of its goose down filling. It’s also lightweight and compressible so it hugs the body well.

As for shoes, you might need at least two pairs: one for skiing, the other for strolling in the village. The ski boots are usually more elaborate. They also need to be extremely tough but also agile to give you a lot of control when skiing.

Meanwhile, the strolling pair has to be waterproof with an excellent grip at the sole. You don’t want to find yourself falling down the wet road and injure yourself.

2. Consider Going During Off-Peak Season

Most ski resorts, especially in the United States, are in demand. However, they too can have off-peak seasons, and these are the best times to learn the activity:

• Prices for lessons are usually cheaper.
• Instructors can have more time to focus on your progress.
• You’ll more time and space to practice.
• The waiting time to use the slope declines.
• You can feel more confident to try with fewer people around.

3. Prep Your Body During Off-Season

While some resorts are open all-year-round, most have off-season when they’re off-limits. With the pandemic still hanging around, a number can extend their closure.

It doesn’t mean, though, you can stop learning. In fact, you can take this time to prepare your body for the ski season.

For one, you need to exercise. Cardio workouts can help you build endurance and control your breathing. Resistance or weight training is necessary since you usually carry the gears. Your joints and muscles also need to be in good shape for excellent mobility and flexibility.

Take some time to master your form. Online, you’ll find dozens of tutorials you can follow. You can then try them out in front of a mirror to check if you’re doing things right.

4. Be Patient but Persistent

People can learn to ski regardless of their age. However, mastering the skills takes awhile, especially if you can do it only when you have free time.

If you’re a beginner, you need to undergo lessons. Depending on the package, it lasts for three to five days.

If you practice often and are a quick learner, the techniques are enough to help you navigate the slopes and perform a few tricks. But when it comes to mastery, try to give yourself between three and ten weeks of regular training.

Skiing is an adventure. It is thrilling and fun. However, if you want to make the most of it, don’t forget these things.

The 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) changed the way society does things—even with something as simple as getting a haircut.

Part of the government’s efforts to reduce the spread of the virus, almost all establishments were forced to shut down. This included salons and barbershops. Recently, however, some states have been rolling out reopening efforts of various stages.

Given the evidence that hair salons and barbershops operating without proper precautions or operating too early could contribute to the spread of COVID-19, it makes people wonder about the future of haircuts.

What do men’s haircuts or nail-painting services look like in a post-COVID-19 world?

Masks for Everyone

Everyone will be wearing a mask. While masks aren’t required in some states, they are highly recommended. Most hair salons and barbershops are highly likely to ask their clients to wear a mask the entire time they are in the shop.

The shop’s staff will also wear masks and more (e.g., personal protective equipment [PPEs], gloves, and face shields). Some shops will implement uniform policies so that barbers and hairstylists need not wear their street clothes in the shop, and they can easily launder their clothes at night. Doing so reduces the likelihood of transmission of the disease.

No More Walk-ins or Waiting Areas

Sidewalks or parking lots will be the new waiting benches for salons and barbershops. Any form on the in-shop waiting area might be eliminated to prevent a group of customers from huddling in a singular space.

Many shops are also switching over to an appointment-only system. Customers cannot walk in unless they have an appointment. Should they show up early, they’ll have to wait outside. For shops that already practice the appointment system, this will be easy. Shops that do not, however, might find it difficult to adjust.

If your local shop doesn’t make appointments, call them once they reopen and ask them about their walk-in/appointment system.

Sanitization Is Key

Barbers and hairstylists already sanitize their tools with disinfectant, but today, sanitation will extend beyond a simple spritz of disinfectant. Every surface of the shop has to be wiped clean throughout the day. In some cases, the shop can take a break from their services to thoroughly sanitize the shop.

Cashless transactions are also highly encouraged so that there is less physical contact between the customer and their stylist or barber.

Longer Appointments and Longer Hours

Some states have offered shop capacity guidelines that resulted in using only fewer chairs. As a result, only a few barbers will be working at a time. This poses problems not just for the clients but for the business. To offset the decrease in the number of their appointments, most shops will extend their hours. There might also be a shift changes among the staff to avoid possible cross-contamination.

While some of these changes might sound inconvenient, they are precautions. If you take issue with wearing a mask, setting appointments, or waiting for the shop to finish sanitization, ask yourself: is the risk worth it? Safety is still a priority.

Staying active and healthy during these challenging times. Especially for those working in the healthcare field, their stamina and endurance are continually challenged. Though it can be an excellent career choice, it can drain them physically and emotionally. When it involves taking care of others and improving their quality of life, it takes more than skill to do well.

However, the nature of the industry doesn’t leave stamina, energy and time for basic health. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, healthcare workers face a variety of health hazards on the job, from illnesses to stress and burnout.

Whether you’re a full-time physician or a locum tenens healthcare worker, taking care of your health ensures that you can provide better service to your patients.

1. Incorporate physical activity as part of your daily routine

Getting out of your desk and exercising gives you several benefits, like:

• Improved energy
• Better mood
• Weight management
• Lowered risk of chronic illness like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer
• Improved condition of bones, joints, and muscles

The World Health Organization recommends 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week should be enough for adults 18 to 64 years old.

You don’t need to sign up for a gym membership if you don’t have the time. Use your break to go for a walk or sign up for classes during your free time. If possible, sneak in a quick home workout after waking up or before going to bed. You can also do exercises on your desk.

2. Stay hydrated

Meeting the required amount of water intake per day keeps your body hydrated. It also reduces headaches and dizziness.

If work keeps you from drinking at least eight glasses of water a day, keep a jug or bottle of water near your workstation at all times. Set an hourly reminder on your phone or computer to alert you when it’s time to drink.

3. Take frequent breaks

Taking a break may mean losing time to achieve as many tasks as possible. However, neglecting yourself causes burnouts, leading to low productivity and increased stress levels.

Use your breaks to recover from the stress of work. Make the most of your break to take a healthy snack or meal, go for a walk, and blow off some steam. Take that much-needed vacation to go on an out-of-town trip or spend the day doing nothing at home. When you return to work, you’ll feel more refreshed and motivated to pick up where you left off.

4. Learn stress management techniques

If you don’t manage your stress levels, you can burn out, crack emotionally, or do things that can damage your career.

Look for ways on how you can destress from work. It can be a physical activity or a hobby. Alternatively, maybe you need a change of tasks. In that case, discuss with your supervisor if you can use your skills somewhere else. Share your concerns and problems with someone—a friend or a relative—who genuinely cares about your well-being.

A career in healthcare can be satisfying, but your schedule might not leave you time and energy to think about your health and well-being. Changing your current lifestyle and taking care of your health can help you be at your best to provide quality care to your patients.