Your Cat Knows Something You Don't

Your Cat Knows The Importance Of Napping, Do You?.

Most times you find it nearly impossible to get enough sleep at night, and sleep deprivation causes a lot of bodily and mental illness, keeping us from performing at our best and enjoying life to the fullest.

While a good night’s sleep is essential, a daily nap can boost us up even when we’re not getting quite enough night sleep.  Cats know this and as such they don't joke with their nap time.

The Benefits of Napping

1.  Increases alertness

When your eyelids are almost too heavy to keep open, you’re not doing your best work. Make time for a nap and then go back at it. Studies show that a 40 minute nap increases alertness by 100%.

2.  Improves learning and working memory

Naps improve your working memory and also improves your memory retention; during sleep, recent memories are transferred to the neocortex, where long-term memories are solidified and stored.

3.  Prevents burnout and reverses information overload

While we often refuse to take a nap because we feel like we have too much to do, studies have shown that putting in extra hours without rest dramatically reduces your productivity. It would be better to take a 30 minute nap and return to your work refreshed. 

4.  Heightens your senses and creativity

According to foremost nap scientist Sara C. Mednick, napping can improve your sensory perception as effectively as a night of sleep. Napping also improves your creativity by both loosening up the web of ideas in your head and fusing disparate insights together.

5.  Improves health. 

When you sleep, you release growth hormone, the antidote to cortisol which which boosts your immune system, primes your sexual function, reduces stress and anxiety, and aids in muscle repair and weight loss. Napping gives your brain a chance to rest and your body a chance to heal.

6.  Improves mood

The neurotransmitter serotonin regulates our mood, sleep, and appetites. It produces feeling of contentment and well-being. But when our bodies are stressed, higher levels of serotonin are used and the production of more is blocked. As a result, we can become anxious, irritable, depressed, overwhelmed, and easily distracted. According to Mednick, “napping bathes your brain in serotonin, reversing those effects and creating a more positive outlook.”

Save money, take a nap and boost your energy the natural and more effective way.

It’s awesome. Seriously, napping. It’s awesome.

Remember, all you need to do it carve out 20 minutes somewhere in your day. One study showed that even a 6 minute nap improves memory function.

Make cats your napping role models and stay healthy!

Healthy Eating Habits - Eat To Live

Healthy Eating Habits - Eat To Live.

Food is very important as it revitalizes, replenishes and helps us grow, at the same vein practicing healthy eating habits is also very necessary so you don't eating good food and still falling sick. Most times you just feel once there is food on the table, it's time to eat without even considering eating etiquette or hygiene. This oft leads to food poisoning, stomachache aches etc.

10 Eating Habits To Practice:

1. Always say thanks for every meal
2. Always remember to wash hands before and after every meal
3. Talking with mouth full is not advisable as it could to choking
4. Eat to fill and not satisfaction
5. Excess eating is not proper and advisable
6. Sit upright for every meal
7. Avoid late night meals
8. Avoid eating too much junks mostly junks with high cholesterol
9. Eat fruits at all times
10. Drink water always.

keep these tips in mind at all times, eat healthy and live happy..... 

12 Best Foods to Eat in the Morning.

Despite what you may have heard, eating breakfast isn't necessary for everyone. In fact, skipping breakfast may be better than having unhealthy breakfast. However, eating the right foods can give you energy and prevent you from eating too much during the rest of the day.

Here are 12 best foods you can eat in the morning to start your day:

1. Eggs

Eggs are undeniably healthy and delicious. Studies have shown eating eggs at breakfast increases feelings of fullness, reduces calorie intake at the next meal and helps maintain steady blood sugar and

insulin levels. Additionally, egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants help prevent eye disorders like cataracts and macular degeneration. Eggs are also one of the best sources of choline, a nutrient that's very important for brain and liver health.

2. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is creamy, delicious and nourishing. Greek yogurt is rich in protein, helps reduce appetite and aids in weight loss. Certain types also contain beneficial probiotics. Try topping Greek yogurt with berries or chopped fruit in order to increase the meal's vitamin, mineral and fiber content. 

3. Coffee

Coffee is an amazing beverage to start your day. It's high in caffeine, which has been shown to improve mood, alertness, mental performance and metabolism.

4. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the best breakfast choice for cereal lovers. It's made from ground oats, which contain a unique fiber called beta-glucan. This fiber has many impressive health benefits, including reduced cholesterol. To boost the protein content of an oatmeal breakfast, prepare it with milk instead of water or serve it with a side of eggs or a piece of cheese.

5. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are extremely nutritious. They're also one of the best sources of fiber around packed with antioxidants that may reduce inflammation and decrease disease risk.

6. Berries

Berries are delicious and they're also rich in antioxidants that may decrease the risk of disease. Popular types include blueberries , raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. They're lower in sugar than most fruits, yet higher in fiber. In fact, raspberries and blackberries each provide an impressive 8 grams of fiber per cup. A good way to add berries to your breakfast is to eat them with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.

7. Nuts

Nuts are tasty, satisfying and nutritious and they may help in reducing heart disease risk and improve blood sugar control.. They're a great addition to breakfast because they are filling and help prevent weight gain. Even though nuts are high in calories, studies suggest you do not absorb all of the fat in them.

8. Green Tea

Green tea is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet. It contains caffeine, which improves alertness and mood, along with raising metabolic rate. Green tea has many health benefits. It contains an antioxidant called EGCG, which has benefits for the brain and nervous system.

9. Protein Shake

Another great way to start your day is with a protein shake or smoothie. Several types of protein powder can be used, including whey, egg, soy and pea protein. However, whey protein is absorbed the most quickly by your body. It has also been studied the most, and provides several health benefits. Additionally, it seems to reduce appetite more than other forms of protein and helps stabilize blood sugar levels.

10. Fruit

Fruit can be a delicious part of a nourishing breakfast. All types of fruit contain vitamins, potassium, fiber and are relatively low in calories.  Fruit is also very filling, due to its high fiber and water content, Pair fruit with eggs, cheese, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt for a well-balanced breakfast that will sustain you for hours. Fruits also contains antioxidants that can help reduce disease risk.

11. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are incredibly healthy. They're rich in viscous fiber, which helps you feel full for several hours after eating. Flaxseeds may also improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels, as well as protect against breast cancer and reduce blood sugar levels.

12. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a fantastic breakfast food. It's high in protein, which increases metabolism, produces feelings of fullness and decreases the hunger hormone. In fact, cottage cheese has been shown to be as filling and satisfying as eggs  and increases your metabolic rate.

Take Home Message

Whether or not you eat breakfast is a personal choice. If you do eat in the morning, make sure to start your day off right by fueling your body with any of  these healthy and nutrient-dense foods.

Benefits Of Early Morning Exercise - Get Up And Workout!!!

Exercising early in the morning offers numerous benefits, both to your health and to your daily schedule that exercising at other times of the day just can’t provide. Waking up early may be a big problem but all you need is a little time to start practicing before morning exercise becomes your habit.

Need some convincing? Let’s take a closer look at some of the benefits of exercising early in the morning.

1. Enhance Your Metabolism

Basically it means that your body burns more calories after your workout, studies shows that participants burns an extra 190 calories in the 14 hours after exercise when compared to those who didn’t exercise at all! This works perfectly with a morning exercise routine. Get up, get moving, pump up your metabolism and then eat.

2. Cultivate Some Consistency

Working out in the morning ensures that you don’t interrupt your workout schedule with other daily items that can seem more pressing. For example, if you exercise in the evening you run the risk of being late from work, feeling overloaded with errands that must be done, or saddled with other unexpected to-do items. But, in the morning there is nothing to distract you from getting down to business. Exercise will be your first priority and it will get done.

3. Improve Your Physical and Mental Energy

Engaging in morning workouts is your all-natural cup of coffee. Wake up your body and prepare your mind. Movement can be a tremendous source of energy, morning exercise has been shown to

improve focus and mental abilities all day long. Not only will you feel awake and have more energy after your workout, but your mind will be ready to take on whatever tasks you have lined up that day.

4. Develop Strong Self-Discipline

I don’t think anyone will argue with me when I say that waking up early in the morning to exercise enhances your personal discipline . Just like any habit, developing the discipline to get up and exercise in the morning only gets easier with time.

5. Get Better Sleep

Waking up early in the morning to exercise will in turn help you sleep better. Your body will enjoy a healthy sense of fatigue at the end of the day and will be ready to sleep. Say goodbye to the tossing and turning that comes when your body is restless!. Exercise is a form of stress, and your body reacts to stress by releasing hormones including adrenaline, you get a good sleep when your body respond to stress.

6. Reach Your Fitness Goals

As mentioned earlier, waking up early in the morning to exercise places a high priority on physical fitness. Whether you are aware of it or not, early morning exercise helps you reach your fitness goal faster than exercise during any other time of the day.

7. Love Your Life

Do I even need to argue this one? You have created a strong habit of morning exercise, your metabolism is flowing, your body is looking and feeling better, you’re sleeping well at night, and your mind is as sharp as ever. Aren't you enjoying your new life yet? Exercise has been touted as a cure for just about anything that ails you.  So, while it might not seem enjoyable to get out of the bed to exercise, you can be sure that it is worth it. Aside from all the benefits that come with being healthier, your brain is literally going to its “happy place” when you exercise.

But I Hate Mornings!😰

The benefits of morning exercise are pretty evident, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easy to become a morning workout person if, well, you hate waking up in the morning. If it’s incredibly tough to drag yourself out of bed to do your morning workout , then try establishing a few “rules” that will help make the adjustment more likely to succeed:

Rule #1: Put Your Alarm Far Away

If you have a hard time waking up in the morning, set a loud alarm and place it all the way on the other side of the room. A gentle buzz from a cell phone beside your bed won’t cut it. Force yourself to get up.

Rule #2: Keep Moving

Don’t go to the shower and don’t sit down for breakfast (or to check your email).

Go put on your exercise clothes (which you laid out the night before), and get moving!

Rule #3: Give Yourself Something To Look Forward To

If you’re going to get up and do a workout you hate, you can only expect this morning routine to last for so long. Make sure that your morning workout is something you look forward to.

Rule #4: Don’t Skip The Warm-up

You don’t need to spend 20 minutes stretching to get flexible, but you do need to limber up those muscles that are stiff from a night of sleep. Make sure to spend at least 5 or 10 minutes warming up with light movements before you ramp up the intensity.

Rule #5: Keep It Short

Who has 2 hours to spend exercising in the morning? Not too many people, but nearly everyone can find 30 to 40 minutes if exercise is a priority. Whatever you do, make it short so that you have plenty of time to shower, eat breakfast, and get to work on time.

Final Point: Morning Exercise Nutrition

Drink! Drink!! Drink!!! Your body is dehydrated after sleeping all night. Drink 1 glass of water (250ml) before you begin your workout, and another glass for every 20 minutes you spend exercising. Sports drinks are only necessary if your workout is going to very intense or long in duration (i.e. 2 hours+).

Now You Can Feast😋

Eat immediately after your workout to refuel your body and prepare you for your day.

Lots of early morning exercisers complain of a ravenous appetite by mid-morning. If your post-workout breakfast never satisfies you, you’re not eating the right foods . A proper post-workout morning meal supplies ample amounts of calories, carbohydrates, protein, and some healthy fat.

A Challenge For You👌

If you’re not a morning exerciser and you think you might be missing out, then I have a challenge for you…Grab your calendar and schedule what time and what type of exercise you’re going to do in the mornings for the next week. If you can make it through one week of morning exercise then you can do it again (and do it – put it in the calendar!). Then do it again for the following week…and again…