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Helpful Tips for Controlling Your Blood Pressure

August 20, 2015 by

Controlling your blood pressure is important as you age, as it may decrease your risk of stroke or heart attack. High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, is a blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher. If you feel that you may be at risk for high blood pressure or you simply want to take preventative measures, these simple tips can help. But first, remember to consult with your doctor!

  1. Start a heart-healthy diet. The most important way to control your blood pressure through your diet is by decreasing your sodium intake and not consuming saturated fats. You should also incorporate more lean meats, fish, and fresh fruits and vegetables into your daily diet.
  2. Lose some weight. The majority of people with high blood pressure are at least 10 pounds overweight, so this makes a good starting point for how much you should lose to see blood pressure results. If you’re already on blood pressure medication, this can also help make it more effective.
  3. Decrease stress. Although stress isn’t the main cause of high blood pressure, it is certainly a contributing factor. Practice meditation and deep breathing to help ward off stressors in your daily life.
  4. Quit your vices. Bad health habits like smoking, drinking, and consuming too much caffeine can all increase your blood pressure, so try to cut them out of your life.

Prevention & Treatment of High Blood Pressure [American Heart Association]
Lower Your Blood Pressure Fast With These Tips [Healthline]
Preventing High Blood Pressure: Healthy Living Habits [CDC]

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How to Tell the Difference Between a Cold and the Flu

March 5, 2015 by

Getting a little cold is fairly commonplace during the colder winter months, and it doesn’t usually require much treatment other than rest and chicken noodle soup. The flu, however, is a more serious issue, and although this virus usually requires antibiotics to kick, it can be quite difficult to tell the two apart. Here are a few smart ways to tell if you have a cold or the flu—and maybe even help you to catch it early on. (Remember to seek the professional advice of your physician!)

  1. A cold usually comes with a sore throat, runny nose, and sometimes even a cough in the fourth or fifth days. These symptoms are usually fairly mild and cause more discomfort than pain and misery. If it is a cold, these symptoms will last for about a week.
  2. The flu, on the other hand, comes with similar but more severe symptoms very early on. Your throat will be sore, your head and other muscles will ache, and you’ll likely have congestion and a cough. These symptoms could last for one week or longer, but they can turn into pneumonia if left untreated.
  3. While an everyday cold doesn’t usually come with a fever, the flu often does. If your temperature reaches 100 degrees or higher, you're likely looking at a case of the flu.

Is It a Cold or The Flu? [NIAID]
Cold, Flu, & Cough Health Center [Web MD]
The Common Cold vs. The Flu… What You Need To Know [Health.com]

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Here’s How Pinterest Can Help You Practice Pilates

February 19, 2015 by

If you’re a Pinterest user you likely already know and love the site’s convenient way of helping you discover online content and save it for later. What you may not know is that Pinterest is a great way to discover fun new workouts, such as Pilates. Here are some of the best Pilates Pinterest boards that will show you how to establish a healthy workout routine!

The Inspirational Board
This Pilates board is filled with inspirational quotes that will help to motivate everyone from the novice who isn’t sure about Pilates to someone with a seasoned practice who simply needs an extra boost to squeeze in that daily workout. There are also many photos that show the positive effects that Pilates has on the body.

The Workout Board
If you’re already motivated to work out and you’re looking for great Pilates routines to do at home, this board can help. It features step-by-step instructions for how to do each pose, as well as high-quality images to help you visualize the way the poses should look. This board also incorporates yoga and barre workouts into its arsenal of Pilates routines.

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Easy Ways to Incorporate More Iron Into Your Diet

August 21, 2014 by

While you may think that iron is only important to bodybuilders and Popeye, it’s actually a very beneficial mineral that all humans need to survive. In fact, if your body doesn’t get enough iron you could start to suffer from anemia, an iron-deficiency that causes fatigue, weakness, and brittle nails and hair. These healthful foods will help to provide you with the right amount of iron each day.

  1. Mollusks. Seafoods like clams, oysters, and mussels have some of the highest levels of iron of any food groups. Oysters contain the most, offering 53 milligrams of iron in just a 20-count serving. Because the average person’s recommended percent daily value is just 18 milligrams per day, this means that you can get 295% of your daily value from an weekly oyster night at your favorite seafood spot.
  2. Liver. While you may have hated liver and onions as a child, liver is actually filled with quite a few health benefits. Beef liver is very low in fat and calories, and it also provides an incredible 26 milligrams of iron in just one 4-ounce serving. If you don’t eat beef, you can also get similar amounts of iron from chicken, pork, lamb, or turkey liver.

Best Foods for Iron [Huffington Post]
Top 10 Iron-Rich Foods [WebMD]
Top 10 Foods Highest in Iron [Healthaliciousness]
Iron Rich Foods [American Red Cross]

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5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Memory

May 14, 2014 by

We’ve all been there: You get to the grocery store and completely blank on what you need to buy, or maybe you forget the names of people you know you’ve met a dozen times. If you want to learn how to improve your memory and avoid these situations, these five tips can help.

  1. Get enough exercise and sleep. Physical activity increases oxygen to the brain, which enhances its activity. When you’re sleep deprived, your brain doesn’t operate at full capacity. Get a full eight hours to improve your memory.
  2. Hang out with friends. While many people think that completing a complicated puzzle improves your brain’s capacity for memory, this isn’t entirely true. Our brains want to remember things that make us happy, such as spending time with friends.
  3. Decrease stress. Chronic stress destroys brain cells and damages the hippocampus, both of which are necessary for memory. Check with a doctor to see if anti-anxiety medication may benefit you.
  4. Improve your diet. Certain nutrients in food can help to improve memory, including omega 3s in fish, vitamins in fruits and veggies, and antioxidants in green tea.
  5. Try new things. Stimulating your brain with activities that are out of the ordinary keeps it growing and developing. Read a difficult book, start an art project, or learn an instrument to help improve your memory.

How to Improve Your Memory [Help Guide]
Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Memory [Discovery]
7 Tricks to Improve Your Memory [Health]

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