Someone Like You singer Adele was well known for her signature look when she first shot to fame with her incredible voice, thanks to her voluminous hair and sixties-style eyeliner flicks. But the star has made headlines with her appearance in recent months for a very different reason. Adele showed off her seven stone weight loss on Instagram with a birthday snap - and fans dubbed her unrecognisable as they praised her new look.

The dramatic change has wowed the singers fans, after she posted the photo in May following a break from social media.

Adele had last shared a photo at Christmas in 2019, looking notably slimmer - but five months later she revealed the results of her weight loss journey in a little black dress.

The star reportedly used the Sirtfood Diet to help shed the pounds, a diet which focuses on sirtfoods which help to activate the so-called skinny gene.

The specific list of foods contains sirtuins, a group of proteins which have been shown to regulate metabolism.

However, the diet, which was created by two celebrity nutritionists in the UK, also involves a lot of calorie restriction as part of a rapid weight loss plan over the course of three weeks.

READ MORE:Experts behind Adeles diet say pizza and champagne is on the menu

But while Adeles successful weight loss has largely been put down to diet, it seems the star has also been getting fitter as part of her new health kick.

Its been revealed that she regularly goes to pilates classes - and shes not the only famous face to enjoy it.

The LA-based star has reportedly been attending her local class with Meghan Markle, who also loves the calming exercise.

The pair live just around the corner from each other now that Meghan and Prince Harry have set up home in their exclusive Beverly Hills neighborhood.

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A source close to the two famous friends said: "Meghan and Adele have been having Pilates lessons. They are loving it.

"The instructor has also been giving lessons to Harry. It's a great stress-buster," they told the Mirror.

Pilates is a low-impact exercise which helps to build strength and flexibility, and is particularly good for recovering after injury.

Though similar to yoga, it tends to be at a slightly faster pace and has fewer spiritual connotations.

However, its thought to be a very specific type of pilates that the celebrity friends do in order to stay toned.

Adele is said to be a fan of reformer pilates, just like the Duchess of Sussex.

The Hello singer apparently began the classes with The X Factor judge Ayda Field, who is married to Take That star Robbie Williams.

The stars trained with pilates teacher Camila Goodis at the couples swanky LA home.

The all-over body workout uses a machine which adds resistance to the usual pilates movements - making it far more intense.

Meghan Markle has previously revealed she is a fan of the Megaformer, which is an even more advanced reformer pilates machine.

The Megaformer was designed by trainer and CEO of Lagree Fitness, Sebastien Legree, and aims to add cardio to the resistance exercise for a low intensity workout that really makes you sweat.

Meghan has commented before that the class is hands down the best thing you could do for your body, saying that youll notice a difference after just two classes.

As well as pilates, Adele has been working with a personal trainer to get fit - but he said its not just about weight loss for the star.

Pete Geracimo took to Instagram to talk about his work with the singer.

"When Adele and I started our journey together, it was never about getting super skinny, he said.

"It was about getting her healthy. Especially post pregnancy and post surgery.

He noted that they were getting her ready for a gruelling tour schedule after her album 25 was released.

"She embraced better eating habits and committed to her fitness and 'is sweating'! I could not be prouder or happier for her!

Read the original post:
Adele weight loss: Singers royal-approved intense pilates workout that helped lose 7st - Express

If you have diabetes, your body isn't able to regulate blood sugar properly, either because the pancreas doesn't produce insulin (type 1 diabetes) or the body has become resistant to it (type 2 diabetes).

As a result, people with diabetes have to carefully manage their blood sugar levels through diet, exercise, and medications to make sure it stays in a healthy range.

But sometimes, blood sugar can become too high. In many of these cases, people with diabetes will be able to quickly lower blood sugar on their own, by taking more insulin. However, other times, they may need to visit the ER for immediate medical attention.

Here's how to tell if your blood sugar is too high and what you'll need to do in order to lower it quickly.

People with diabetes are considered to have high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, if blood glucose levels are higher than:

While there are other conditions that can cause hyperglycemia, it is most commonly linked to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. That's why it is important for people with diabetes to check their blood sugar using blood glucose meters with the goal of keeping levels from getting too low or too high.

In addition, there are other signs and symptoms of high blood sugar you might notice.

The most common symptoms of hyperglycemia are:

"If someone has hyperglycemia, it would mean they would be very thirsty, tired, they might be urinating more frequently and basically not feeling well," says Sam Zager, M.D. a family medicine physician in Maine.

Hyperglycemia is not automatically an emergent situation. Anyone with diabetes knows high blood sugar readings will happen, and it's okay, as long as it doesn't last too long or get too high.

If it does occur, here are a few ways to quickly lower blood sugar on your own:

Insulin can be used to treat acute cases of high blood sugar for people with diabetes.

People with type 1 diabetes (who always use insulin) and some people with type 2 diabetes (who sometimes use insulin) can give themselves an extra dose of insulin to quickly lower their blood sugar to safer levels. How much to take depends on the situation and what your doctor recommends.

When you have high blood sugar, you may experience frequent urination as your body tries to get rid of the extra glucose. Losing this fluid can cause dehydration and make hyperglycemia symptoms even worse.

It's important to drink water when you have hyperglycemia in order to stay hydrated and help your body regulate and lower blood sugar. But drinking lots of water won't necessarily lower blood sugar on its own. For more information, read about how much water you're supposed to drink a day.

Exercise isn't always the safest or most effective way to quickly lower blood sugar. It is important to note that exercise only works if there is insulin present, whether naturally or through injection, so that glucose can get into the cells to be metabolized.

If there is no insulin, your body will start burning fat for energy, and this could lead to a dangerous condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. People with type 1 diabetes should not exercise if they have hyperglycemia.

However, exercise can lower blood sugar for most people with diabetes it just shouldn't be used in emergency situations. In a 2013 study in the journal Diabetes Care, more than 5,000 people with diabetes recorded their blood glucose levels before and after exercising for as little as 10 minutes. Overall, more than 75% of people saw their level decrease an average of about 17%.

Overall, Zager says that exercise is important for managing diabetes, but warns that it isn't a great short-term fix. For more information on how to control blood sugars in the long-term, learn about the 6 best ways to lower blood sugar naturally.

For people with type 1 diabetes, untreated high blood sugar can lead to a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA.

When there is no insulin and glucose can't get into cells, your body starts breaking down fat into a fuel called ketones. If ketones build up in your blood, it becomes dangerously acidic. DKA can cause very serious health complications such as fluid building up in the brain, kidney failure, and cardiac arrest.

If your blood sugar is above 240 mg/dL, you should check your urine for ketones, a sign you may be at risk for DKA. You can do this with an at home test, but you also should contact your doctor. If there are ketones in your urine, you should go to the emergency room. Other symptoms of DKA include:

In rare occasions, DKA can occur in people with type 2 diabetes, but the more common complication for people with type 2 is called hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state, or HHS. HHS occurs when blood glucose levels are high for an extended period of time. The extra sugar is passed into the urine, causing the person to urinate frequently and become severely dehydrated, just like with DKA.

For people with type 2 diabetes, blood sugar above 600 mg/dL indicates HHS. Other symptoms include:

These symptoms generally come on slowly, but you should contact your doctor immediately. In the ER, doctors will likely use insulin to lower your blood sugar, as well as give you fluid and electrolytes, to keep your heart, kidneys, muscles, and nerve cells functioning properly.

For people with diabetes, a single instance of high blood sugar is generally not an emergency, as long as it is addressed. Usually, taking an extra dose of insulin will quickly lower your blood sugar back to normal levels. However, if you are on insulin and run out, or have symptoms of DKA or HHS, you should get medical attention right away.

See original here:
How to lower your blood sugar quickly and what to do if it's an emergency - Insider - INSIDER

Few, if any people will have complete physical, mental and social wellbeing all the time. Trevor Smith, senior member of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, will join us every week to talk about health and wellbeing

For the last few weeks, we have been discussing ways in which we can help our bodies to be healthy and boost our immune system. Last week we specifically looked at the new Better Health campaign from the government, which aims to support as many people as possible to lose weight and develop a healthier lifestyle.

Consequently, I thought this week it would be prudent to discuss some of the basics surrounding nutrition, as it is not just being physically active that contributes to a healthier body and mind.

Your body needs lots of different nutrients, from a variety of sources, and in unique amounts. When you hear the word diet, do you immediately think of being hungry and depriving yourself of your favourite foods? I believed this for a long time too. For years there was always the latest fad diet going around at work. Usually the fad diets ask you to cut out a major food group such as carbohydrates or proteins. These can be ill-advised, and care must be taken. There may well be an initial weight loss, however, this is rarely sustained and as soon as the missing food group is returned to the normal daily food intake, the weight that was initially lost does normally return.

Trevor Smith, Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity

I do not think it will come as a shock to anyone when I say that unfortunately, there are no quick fixes for natural weight loss. A healthy, balanced diet with regular exercise is still the best way to maintain a healthy weight or to facilitate natural weight loss of approximately 2 lbs per week.

When I decide to improve my food choices, and I usually end up doing this in January after the Christmas break, what I find works for me is I also use smaller plates. When dishing up your meals you will usually and unconsciously make the portion size appropriate to the plate you are using. Therefore, if you are using a smaller plate and make your portion size appropriate to that plate then you are already consuming less food.

Our body does some of the most wonderous things without us even knowing it. Our food and drink choices can help the body to continue to function effectively or they can hinder it. To give an example, did you know that some types of cancer can occur due to a lack of fibre in the diet? Heart attacks can occur when someone is carrying too much weight, especially around the waist. Arthritis and joint problems can become worse if you are carrying excess weight and high blood pressure (which can lead to a stroke) can occur if there is too much salt in the diet. This is not intended as a scare tactic rather this is information that we should all be aware of. So how can we act to guard against these illnesses? It is all down to the food choices we make.

There are five main food groups but let us just look at the two biggest ones today.

Fruits and vegetables (where you get most of the essential vitamins and minerals). We should aim to eat at least five portions of these every day. It is easier than you think:

Simply add some fruit to your breakfast cereal (I have started doing this and found I stay full for much longer).

Snack on fruit or vegetables (such as carrots or cucumber for example).

Have a side salad with a main meal or on the side of a sandwich.

Add vegetables into a sauce for example bolognaise.

Starchy Carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes, cereals, oats). These should account for about half of your daily diet. Choose wholegrain or high fibre options with less added fat, salt and sugar. Sugars are classed as carbohydrates. Be careful, sucrose (the sugar you might put into your cup of tea) is very easily converted to body fat. It gives your body a quick energy burst followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar levels. This leaves you feeling tired, listless, and hungry. On the other hand, the complex carbohydrates release the energy into your blood stream at a much slower rate meaning you feel fuller for longer and your blood sugar levels remain stable.

This Weeks Challenge:

Considering this weeks information, I would like you to keep a food diary for one week. This will give you an overview to see how much of each food group you are eating. What changes do you need to make, if any, to ensure that your diet is well balanced? Only you choose what you eat, so make every mouthful count.

Share your healthy meals and recipes on Twitter with us @TheNorthernEcho and @TSmith_PE

Trevor Smiths works at Premier Education. He is a senior member of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity

Read more:
Being healthier is not all about the exercise food counts too - The Northern Echo

For a short while, the novel virus identified in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, was referred to in the media as SARS-CoV-2, due to its supposed similarity to the SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome) coronavirus identified in 2003. Between late 2002 and summer of 2003, SARS had generated about 8,000 confirmed cases and almost 800 deaths were credited to the outbreak, indicating a death rate (per confirmed case) of about 10 percent.

After about the middle of April, 2020, the global media apparently stopped making comparisons between SARS and COVID, even though they had similar symptoms and were both caused by a contagious coronavirus transmitted via respiration. I went searching online, yesterday, for comparisons between the SARS virus and the COVID virus, but could not find any relevant articles dated later than about the middle of April. Four months later, in mid-August, public health officials presumably know more about COVID and they ought to be able to make a better comparison. But there seems to be little interest in SARS comparisons at this point.

From what I can tell, COVID is much more contagious than SARS, but also much less deadly.

And speaking of much less deadly, a Daily Post reader sent me a link to an interesting article this week: How Bad is COVID Really? (A Swedish doctors perspective) by Sebastian Rushworth, MD. According to Dr. Rushworths short bio:

I am a practicing physician in Stockholm, Sweden. Every day I get asked questions by my patients about health, diet, exercise, supplements, and medications. There is a lot of misinformation on the internet and it is easy to get the wrong advice, and hard to tell what is right and what is wrong if you dont have advanced scientific training. The purpose of this blog is to share what the science actually says.

One might have the impression, from this bio, that Dr. Rushworth is interested in sharing scientifically-valid information, with ordinary people (like you and me) who have been getting misinformation via the Internet, and who have possibly come to non-scientific conclusions. Those of us without advanced scientific training.

Doctor Rushworths story begins like this:

Ok, I want to preface this article by stating that it is entirely anecdotal and based on my experience working as a doctor in the emergency room of one of the big hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden, and of living as a citizen in Sweden. As many people know, Sweden is perhaps the country that has taken the most relaxed attitude of any towards the covid pandemic. Unlike other countries, Sweden never went in to complete lockdown. Non-essential businesses have remained open, people have continued to go to cafs and restaurants, children have remained in school, and very few people have bothered with face masks in public

And it concludes like this:

If only 6000 are dead out of five million infected, that works out to a case fatality rate of 0.12 percent, roughly the same as regular old influenza, which no one is the least bit frightened of, and which we dont shut down our societies for.

In the space between those comments, the good doctors essay proposes that Sweden which chose not to lock down completely during the pandemic simply allowed the people to die, people who (he surmises) would eventually die from COVID anyway even if the economy had been locked down and then reopened later. As a result, Sweden is now basically done with COVID, and on to better things, the doctor suggests.

He predicts that the countries that locked down will eventually see the same death rate as Sweden when they eventually reopen fully but will simply take longer to get there.

Dr. Rushworth is obviously a cool guy, to judge by his winning smile and his tattoo.

If you do a Google search for Sebastian Rushworth, you will find literally pages and pages of results that link to, or quote, his above mentioned article. Among the people and media outlets who believe the US made a huge mistake in shutting down our economy, Sebastian Rushworth MD has become an international hero. But do we know anything about Dr. Rushworth? And is his oft-quoted article built upon what the science actually says?

None of the articles I could find on Google told me much about Dr. Rushworths background. None of them, for example, linked to the good doctors LinkedIn page, where we can learn that he currently works in a rather large hospital north of Stockholm (Danderyds Sjukhus AB), and that he graduated from Karolinska Institute in January 2020, and that hes an Underlkare which translates (via Google) as assistant physician. (A fully accredited doctor in Sweden is often designated as a Lkare.)

In order to find Dr. Rushworths LinkedIn page, I had to do a search for sebastian rushworth underlkare sverige Sverige being the Swedish name for Sweden. (The bio on his own website tells us almost nothing about his background.) But we do know that hes reasonably honest about what the science actually says because he began his essay with this comment:

Ok, I want to preface this article by stating that it is entirely anecdotal

The article is written in English, so we need not translate that sentence. It says, quite clearly, that the essay is entirely anecdotal. That means it is entirely non-scientific. Although Dr. Rushworth would like to share with his readers, and the world, what the science actually says he has given us an essay that is entirely anecdotal. It would appear that thousands, maybe millions, of people around the globe have now read his non-scientific story, and are sharing it.

How many of those readers paid attention to the very first sentence?

I dont work in one of the larger hospitals in the Stockholm area, and I dont have a license from a medical school. But I can write anecdotal essays with the best of them, because anecdotes have nothing to do with science. They have to do with personal experiences in a small town in Colorado, or in an emergency room in Stockholm.

Read Part Two, on Monday

Bill Hudson

Bill Hudson founded the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 based on the belief that community leaders often tell only one side of the story while the public deserves to hear all sides.

Here is the original post:
EDITORIAL: COVID and the Power of Anecdotal Stories, Part One - Pagosa Daily Post

Welcome to your skin check-in with Life & Styles resident health and beauty expert, Dr. Will Kirby, a celebrity dermatologist and Chief Medical Officer of LaserAway. Every week, hell be spilling his candid thoughts and professional advice on all things skin, beauty and wellness as it relates to you and your favorite stars.

Skin chafing refers to superficial irritation of the skin often caused by physical forces. Skin-to-skin contact or clothing-to-skin contact coupled with repeat episodes of incidental friction is the most common cause of skin chafing. Chafing most typically occurs on the thighs, the groin, the armpits and even the nipples. This week I reached out to the nations leading skin experts to discuss ways to prevent and treat skin chafing! Check out these tips:

1. Dress Right Wearing the right clothing can make a huge difference in the prevention of skin chafing, says dermatologist Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson. Wearing breathable cotton undergarments during the day and donning looser, moisture-wicking, seamless clothing while exercising will help tremendously. Also consider sleeping in a cool room, with lightweight cotton sheets, and completely naked your chafed, irritated skin will thank you!

2. Stay Dry Chafing can be worse in hot, humid environments and although it can be very difficult to accomplish in hot weather and especially while exercising, staying dry is a great way to prevent certain types of chafing, finds plastic surgeon Dr. Gaurav Bharti. So consider using an antiperspirant before exercising or working outdoors during the summer and always immediately dry the area with a clean towel after sweating!

3. Get In Shape While fit athletes can suffer from chafing, individuals experiencing obesity have a much higher incidence of irritating skin to skin contact, acknowledges dermatologist Dr. Tejas Desai. As such, losing weight via diet, exercise, and lifestyle modification or even surgery to minimize the surface area where chafing occurs should be a discussion point in heavy patients with a history of chafing.

4. Lubricate You can pre-treat to prevent chafing with a high quality moisturizer like Skin Medicas Rejuvenative Moisturizer before chafing even starts, says dermatologist Dr. Merrick Elias. But if chafing has already set in then consider applying a thick coat of Aquaphor three times a day. This will heal the irritated skin and minimal future friction.

5. Seek Professional Care While chafing is typically minimal and easy to treat, on rare occasions it may be severe and a frictional or mechanical burn may develop, notes dermatologist Dr. Alpesh Desai. If you have suffered from repeated episodes of chafing or have active chafing and notice prolonged pain, significant redness, crusting, bleeding or a discharge, you may need professional care so seek medical attention from a skin expert as an infection may be occurring.

So there you have it! The skin experts have spoken! Prevent and treat skin chafing by avoiding moisture and friction and if you develop chafing, follow these expert tips to heal it quickly!

Read this article:
5 Expert Tips to Heal and Prevent Skin Chafing - Life&Style Weekly

Juice diets are based around consuming a variety of juiced fruits and vegetables and involve avoiding solid food for a set period of time. The calorie intake is usually very restricted which means your diet will be in a large deficit, allowing you to lose weight fast. Juice diets should only be done short-term but they can be repeated throughout the year.

For three to five days before a juice cleanse it is recommended to start eliminating certain foods like sugar, meat, dairy and alcohol to lower the risk of withdrawal symptoms.

Cutting these food groups out of your diet can also help improve your mood.

It is also advised to increase your fluid intake before the cleanse begins.

You can easily make your own juices at home and should be drinking around three a day, just like you would usually eat meals.

READ MORE:Weight loss: Clever foods to eat to get abs in 2 weeks

Foods to put into juices include raw fruits, raw vegetables and almond milk but this diet is so popular because you can put anything you want into your juice.

Incorporating calorie negative foods into your juices can also help you lose weight quicker because they virtually contain little to no calories.

Foods promoted as negative calorie foods are typically those with a high water content. The water content will keep your body hydrated and keep you fuelled. It will also help with the weight loss process.

Watermelon and cucumber are great refreshing foods that contain little calories but are also tasty and contain weight loss components.

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Watermelon contains lots of water and is one fruit that has almost no calories in it at all. 100 grams of this juicy fruit contains just 30 calories which will help keep you hydrated.

It is also rich in something called amino acids which can help burn fat when consumed daily in your juice.

Cucumber is one of the best foods that has a high water content and many nutrients.

It is packed with fibre and when juiced, can be refreshing and keep you full for a long time.

It is recommended to stay clear of fruits that are high in sugars as this can actually cause weight gain and high blood sugar.

One great benefit from a juice cleanse is that your body will be getting all of the vitamins and nutrients that it needs.

Healthline says: If you struggle to eat enough fruits and vegetables each day, juicing is a convenient way to get a wide range of important nutrients.

One study showed that a group of overweight men lost 20lbs in just two weeks following a simple juice diet cleanse.

After your juice cleanse it is important to stick to whole foods like legumes and fruits and continue to avoid foods with added sugar or preservatives.

However it isnt recommended to stay on juice diets for a long period of time as they can have many side effects including headaches.

Your body also enters fasting mode for many hours of the day and you can end up putting all the weight back on when returning to normal eating.

Although if you only do a juice diet for around 3 days at a time then you should be able to keep the weight lost off.

You may see weight loss results quickly and are suitable for a quick fix, but long-term, a healthy balanced diet with exercise is recommended to lose weight.

See more here:
Juice detox diet: How to lose half a stone in a week - and keep it off - Express

Devote some time to yoga on a weekly basis to strengthen your muscles and also relieve your stress levels.

Image Credit: Stgur Mr Karlsson /Heimsmyndir/E+/GettyImages

Heart disease is the number one killer for both men and women in America, causing one in three deaths each year (that's one person each minute!), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It's not just a concern of older adults, either: Heart disease can affect people at any age.

That's why it's important to stay on top of things like your blood pressure, cholesterol and weight, as well as embrace a heart-healthy lifestyle that includes eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise and plenty of sleep.

But it can be hard to remember to do everything you need to protect your ticker. Let this checklist be your guide as to what to do to stay on top of your heart health.

Print out this checklist or save it on your phone so you can keep up with your heart health.

Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative

Click here for a printer-friendly version of this checklist.

Aim to get at least 4 servings of fruit and 5 servings of veggies a day, per recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA). Folks who munch on around 8 servings of fruits and veggies a day have a significantly lower risk of developing and dying from heart disease than those who get less than five, according to a June 2017 study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Ideally, you'll want to mix it up so that the fruits and veggies are different colors, adds Johanna Contreras, MD, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, as they all have different antioxidants and other nutrients key to heart health.

In the United States, only about one in five adults gets the recommended amount of physical activity (both aerobic and strength training), according to the CDC. But breaking a sweat is key to reducing your risk for heart disease and stroke, says Suzanne Steinbaum, MD, a cardiologist in New York City and an AHA spokesperson.

Exercising has been shown to improve risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, and lowers your risk of heart disease, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Get moving with these three types of workouts:

Cardio: Both the AHA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (or a combination).

Try incorporating activity such as walking, running and cycling into your daily routine.

Strength training: In an analysis of nearly 13,000 adults, spending up to an hour a week on resistance training reduced the risk for heart attack or stroke by 40 to 70 percent, per a March 2019 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Spending more than an hour didn't lead to additional risk reduction. That is, you don't have to devote tons of time to resistance workouts to reap the heart health benefits: One set of 8 to 12 strength-training reps that works your muscles to fatigue is usually enough for each muscle group. Aim to fit strength training into your schedule twice a week, with at least two days of rest between workouts, per the AHA.

Yoga: Doing Downward Facing Dog may reduce risk of heart disease as much as aerobic exercise like brisk walking, according to a December 2014 review in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. People in randomized controlled trials examining yoga's effects on heart health lost an average of 5 pounds, lowered their blood pressure by five points and slashed their levels of bad LDL cholesterol by 12.

This is probably because yoga helps strengthen muscles, while also incorporating mindfulness techniques that can relieve stress, says Nieca Goldberg, MD, director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health at NYU Langone Health in NYC. Try making time for yoga once a week (or more!).

A few minutes spent on a mindfulness practice will lower blood pressure and reduce stress levels.

Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages

Mindfulness practices like deep breathing appear to help reduce your risk of heart disease, according to a September 2017 scientific statement in the Journal of the American Heart Association. When experts reviewed dozens of studies published over the last two decades, they found that meditation helped lower blood pressure, improved blood flow to the heart and lowered blood glucose levels.

"Mindfulness lowers levels of stress hormones, which can raise blood pressure and inflammation in the body linked to heart disease," Dr. Goldberg says.

Here are some ways to pick up the habit:

Getting enough shut-eye may be as important to your heart health as other lifestyle factors such as eating right and exercising, Dr. Goldberg says.

For example, one study examined the sleep habits of more than 400,000 people in the United Kingdom and found that sleeping fewer than six hours a night raised the risk of a first heart attack by 20 percent compared to those who clocked between six and nine hours, per September 2019 findings published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Try to set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time: Doing so makes it easier to get your needed zzzs, and will also keep your body clock in balance, which is also important for heart health.

Make time to see friends not only will it be enjoyable, but these relationship play a big role in your health.

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"Our social settings can play just as big of a role in affecting health as medications and physical lifestyle changes," Dr. Steinbaum says. "Social isolation can have adverse effects on our hearts and can encourage behaviors that increase your risk for heart disease, such as eating a poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive smoking or drinking alcohol."

Not having strong social relationships is associated with an increased risk for stroke or heart disease, per a May 2016 study in Heart. So, consider spending time with friends, family and loved ones a priority not something to push to the back burner. At least a couple of times a week, reach out and connect with friends.

Put fish on the menu at least twice a week, per the AHA. Aim for two 3.5-ounce servings of fatty fish (a serving size is slightly bigger than a checkbook) such as salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna. These are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to help reduce some of the inflammation that may contribute to heart disease, Dr. Goldberg says.

These fatty fish also reduce triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood, slow the buildup of plaque in your arteries and slightly lower your blood pressure.

Munching on an ounce of nuts at least five times a week is associated with a 20 percent lower risk of developing heart disease, according to a November 2017 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Just don't eat much more than that (it's about the size of a small handful), as nuts are also high in calories.

Devoting some of your energy to being helpful is not just kind it's a potential stress-reducer that may help with heart health.

Image Credit: SDI Productions/E+/GettyImages

Take some time during your busy day to do something small to help another whether it's letting someone cut in front of you in the grocery checkout line or bringing soup to a sick neighbor.

People who frequently perform these altruistic acts report a greater sense of purpose and meaning in their lives, according to a June 2015 study in the Journal of Positive Psychology. These positive feelings reduce stress, which in turn may improve heart health, Dr. Contreras notes.

In fact, instead of waiting for situations to pop up so you can be helpful, make an active effort to pursue volunteering. People who volunteer at least 200 hours a year are 40 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who don't, according to a June 2013 study in Psychology and Aging. That shakes out to less than four hours a week, or about 17 hours a month.

Schedule getaways and vacations for the pleasure of it, and also the health benefits.

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Even a short weekend trip can do your heart good. Each vacation taken during the year was linked with a 24 percent reduction with risk of developing metabolic syndrome (a cluster of symptoms that include high blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin levels and obesity), per a June 2019 study in the journal Psychology and Health. Just make sure you don't stray too far from your regular healthy eating and workout habits while on vacation, since that would undercut the benefits of time away.

Weight matters when it comes to heart health. Being overweight increases the risk for heart disease (and many other chronic conditions), according to an August 2019 study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

You can weigh yourself to make sure you're maintaining a healthy weight. But stepping on the scale isn't the only way to track weight gains (or losses): You can also take heed if clothes fit you differently or scroll back in your social media to see if there visible differences in your weight.

Your dental health may be linked to your heart health: For example, people who had lost teeth due to untreated gum disease were at higher risk of heart attack and stroke, per a study presented in October 2019 at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology.

It's thought that gum inflammation may trigger inflammation in your arteries, Dr. Goldberg explains.

There often aren't any symptoms of high blood pressure, which makes getting tested essential.

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After age 40 and earlier if you have a high risk of high blood pressure get your blood pressure checked once a year, per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Between the ages of 18 and 40, aim to get it checked every 3 to 5 years.

"It's one of the most important screenings because high blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so it can't be detected without being measured," Dr. Contreras says.

In fact, nearly half of all Americans now have high blood pressure, according to the AHA, which published new guidelines in 2017 recommending everyone aim for a blood pressure less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). What do those numbers mean? The top number measures the pressure of blood as the heart beats, while the bottom number reveals the pressure of blood between beats, per the AHA.

"We know now that people whose blood pressure level is between 130 to 139 over 80 to 89 have double the risk of heart attack or stroke as those whose blood pressure is under 120/80," Dr. Contreras says.

If your blood pressure reading is above 120/80, your doctor will recommend checking it more frequently and may want to discuss treatment options to lower it.

Starting at age 20, everyone should get a blood test that measures your total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol, per the AHA recommendations.

But you may need to get tested more frequently if you're at increased risk for heart disease for example, if you are overweight or already have high blood pressure. Your total cholesterol should be under 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), with your bad cholesterol under 100 and your good cholesterol at least 50.

To reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 infections, it is best to call your doctor before leaving the house if you are experiencing a high fever, shortness of breath or another, more serious symptom.

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Take Care of Your Heart Year-Round With This Simple Checklist - LIVESTRONG.COM

The key to living longer could be to eat a healthy, balanced diet - including at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day - as well as regular exercise. But you could boost your life expectancy by regularly eating the spice ginger, it's been claimed.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a well-rounded diet is crucial to prolonging your lifespan.

You could also boost your lifespan by doing regular exercise. Its the miracle cure weve all been waiting for, according to the NHS.

Making some small diet or lifestyle changes could help to increase your life expectancy and avoid an early death.

One of the best ways to raise your chances of a long life is to regularly eat ginger, it's believed.

READ MORE: How to live longer - a smoothie that may boost your life expectancy

Ginger has a number of health benefits, which make it an ideal addition to your shopping list, according to dietitian Juliette Kellow and nutritionist Dr Sarah Brewer.

It's been claimed to relieve nausea or stomach discomfort, while also reducing bloating pain.

The spice is a natural anti-inflammatory, which is crucial for patients of some conditions, including arthritis.

Some scientists have even reported that eating more ginger could lower your risk of bowel cancer.

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"Studies show ginger fights nausea, stimulates bile production, relieve stomach discomfort, and speeds transit through the digestive tract," they said in their book Eat Better Live Longer Understand What Your Body Needs To Stay Healthy.

"It also helps to break up and dispel intestinal gas, to counter bloating.

"Gingers strong anti-inflammatory action may help to relieve pain associated with conditions such as arthritis, they said.

"A review of five studies found taking ginger reduced pain by nearly a third and disability by 22 percent in people with osteoarthritis."

If you're not a big fan of the taste of ginger, you could also try swapping it for turmeric.

Turmeric is a great anti-ageing remedy, due to its active ingredient; curcumin.

Curcumin has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which specifically protects the heart, lungs and brain from a number of conditions.

People that eat the most turmeric have even been claimed to have a lower risk of developing cancer.

Regular exercise is a crucial aspect to improving overall health, and helping you to live longer.

People that do regular exercise are up to 50 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes and some cancers, said the NHS.

It may even slash the chances of coronary heart disease and stroke by up to 35 percent.

All UK adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week.

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How to live longer - the best spice to protect against early death and bowel cancer - Express

Diabetic? This Independence day, give yourself the gift of freedom from high blood sugar with these 8 tips |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: Diabetes is a condition that occurs when a persons blood sugar or blood glucose levels are too high. For the uninitiated, blood sugar comes from the food you eat and is the main source of energy. Having too much sugar in the blood for long periods of time can lead to serious health complications such as heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney problems, etc. While diabetes is a condition which has no cure, one can take steps to manage symptoms and stay healthy. As India celebrates 74th Independence Day on Saturday, 15 August, 2020, we asked an expert to help you achieve freedom from high blood sugar levels and keep your diabetes in check.

Diabetes, perhaps, often needs complete commitment, along with the support of friends, family and medical professionals to manage the condition. For diabetics, the goal of treatment is to keep blood sugar within a healthy range - no matter what type of diabetes you have. A healthy lifestyle along with proper access to healthcare can help you treat and manage diabetes.

Living with diabetes doesnt mean you have to give up your favourite foods. All you need to do is know how your diet and other lifestyle habits affect your blood sugar. A diabetes educator or dietician can help you design a personalised diet and exercise plan that works for you, including how to count carbs, read food labels, increase daily activity levels, and stick to it. The good news is that consistent management and recommended lifestyle changes can easily prevent these complications in people with diabetes.

This Independence Day, commit yourself to diabetes self-management and give yourself the gift of freedom from high blood sugar levels by simply following these tips suggested by Sujata Sharma, nutritionist and diabetes educator, BeatO, to keep your glucose levels under control.

The bottom line is, diabetes care is not a difficult journey. By making smalls changes in your daily routine, it can be within your control. And if you do your part of diabetes self-management, the condition will not stand your way in leading a happy and healthy life. So, this Independence Day, take a pledge to adopt healthy habits and get freedom from diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

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Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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Diabetic? This Independence Day, give yourself the gift of freedom from high blood sugar with these 8 tips - Times Now

Love handles might sound cute, but theres really not a lot of love for them. These stubborn pockets of fat that sit around the sides of the abdominal area dont look great and arent good for your health either. Men get it tough, too, because thanks to biology, guys are more prone to gaining weight in this area. While it can be tough to lose your love handles, there is hope. Some positive lifestyle changes will help you shift this stubborn fat, plus youll end up feeling and looking a million times better.

Love handles are the build-up of excess fat deposits that sit around the hips and abdominal area. Like most forms of fat gain, its caused over time by consuming more calories than you burn. Fat can accumulate anywhere in the body, however there a few contributing factors for it to build up around your hips, stomach, and lower back. These include age, hormonal imbalances, poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, stress, lack of sleep, and some medical conditions. Unfortunately for men, this also tends to be the first place the body stores fat because physiologically, this is where there are naturally more fat cells to act as storage. Extra weight in this area is also risky. It can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health issues.

While it is possible to get rid of your love handles, it can be harder than other areas. This is because the areas where you accumulate fat first, tend to be the places you lose it from last. Add in the fact that gents are more prone to weight gain in the belly, and youve got some stubborn weight. Its also important to remember your love handles didnt get there overnight, so theyre not going to disappear that quickly either. If youre serious about losing them, youll need to make a steadfast commitment to getting your health back on track.

Keto is a high-fat, moderate protein, and very low-carb diet. The goal is to burn through your stores of sugars or carbohydrates, which will then force your body to switch to burning fat for energy. Your liver converts the fat into ketone molecules, putting you into a state of ketosis. Foods you should eat include animal proteins, fresh vegetables, and natural fats. On the other hand, youll want to avoid carbs like bread and pasta, sugar, and fruit. Benefits other than weight loss include mental clarity, extended satiety, and reduced sugar cravings. However, like any lifestyle change, there can be side effects as you adjust, including keto flu. You may also need to commit to tracking your macros, at least in the beginning. You need to ensure youre only consuming 20 to 50 grams of net carbs, to achieve and stay in ketosis. Doctor Eric Berg has a great keto diet plan which will get you on your way to losing your love handles in no time.

There are many different forms of intermittent fasting, and which format you choose will depend on your lifestyle. However, the goal of each is to limit your calorie intake to a set time period. Three of the most common are 16:8, 5/2, and OMAD. The 16:8 keeps your eating window to eight hours, while the 5/2 version has you eat normally for five days a week, then choose two days where you only consume 500 calories. Finally, OMAD is a more extreme version where you only eat one meal a day, consuming your full calorie allowance at once. This form of eating is based on the days of our ancestors when food scarcity was an issue. Humans are not necessarily designed to consume as much as we do, so by fasting, it allows your body to adequately digest what is already in your system.

Any kind of exercise is going to help you achieve a calorie deficit and lose your love handles. However, HIIT training is a particularly effective and efficient way to burn fat. It combines short periods of intense aerobic movement with recovery time, thereby raising your heart rate. Plus, there are many other benefits. Its great for beginners because the moves can be simple and are often repeated, so theres no crazy choreography to learn. You can also easily do it at home with follow-along YouTube videos, many of which dont require equipment. Alternatively, if you need extra motivation, you can join a HIIT class to work alongside others. Lastly, HIIT can be modified for lower levels of fitness and low-impact exercises making it very inclusive. When adding it to your routine, aim for two to three 30-minute sessions a week.

Like HIIT, cardio is going to help burn belly fat, and reach a calorie deficit. Theres some debate about whether high or moderate-intensity is better. However, theres no doubt that some cardio is better than none. One of the best things about cardio is that there are so many types of exercise that you can choose. Running is an excellent option, however, if youre no Mo Farrah, why not try swimming, rowing, or cycling instead. If youre a people person and like to work out with others, then organized and team sports are a great way to tick both boxes. You could even join a dance class to learn a new skill, burn some calories, and cut a rug next time youre near a dance floor. Whatever you choose, make sure you enjoy it, so that youre more likely to stay motivated and consistent.

Stress is a normal and inevitable part of life, in response to challenges that come and go. However, continuous high levels of stress affect both your mental and physical health. When youre stressed, your brain releases cortisol, the stress hormone. Unfortunately, overexposure to cortisol can cause anxiety, digestive issues, and weight gain, particularly around the midsection. While avoiding stress entirely is almost impossible, if you can include self-care activities in your daily schedule, it can help manage your levels. Youll want to find things that bring you pleasure and help to lower your heart rate. Try calming exercises such as yoga or pilates, or mindful activities like meditation and journaling. Other forms of stress-reducing care can include listening to music, spending time with loved ones, deep breathing exercises, reading a good book, playing with your pets, or even just a good hug.

Lifting weights is the best way to increase your lean muscle mass, which will naturally burn more calories at rest. Plus, strong muscles can improve your posture, general movement, and mobility, and also look very attractive. Combining regular resistance training with aerobic exercise is one of the most effective ways to burn fat and lose your love handles. If you dont know where to start, there are lots of instructional videos on YouTube with advice on weight lifting. Just remember to listen to your body you want to challenge yourself to get gains, yet not burn out. Always make sure to stretch after an intense muscle-building session too, you do want to be able to move the next day!

Drinking enough water is a crucial step in losing your love handles. Staying hydrated is important for several reasons. Firstly, it helps improve your energy levels and brain function. More energy means youre more likely to have a killer gym session, therefore burning more calories. Water is also vital for curbing hunger and cravings. Often the body cant differentiate between hunger and thirst, so before you pick up a snack or eat a meal, have a glass of water. Ideally, you want to aim for at least two liters daily, though more than that wont go astray. Keep in mind that its important youre hydrating with water and not sugary drinks like soda, juice, or sweet tea. Drinks like that are just empty calories that provide no nutritional benefit and only add to your calorie consumption.

If you want to lose your love handles, you need to get your beauty sleep. Similar to stress, a lack of quality sleep can lead to elevated cortisol levels. In turn, this leads to a slowed metabolism as your body tries to conserve energy. Plus, youre more likely to be hungry because you want a hit of energy, and youll crave high sugar and high-fat foods to give you a boost of serotonin, the happy hormone. Preferably, you want around seven hours per night. If you find youre getting enough hours in, but still waking up tired, you might not be getting quality sleep. This could be due to stress, sleep apnea, or other sleep conditions. Have a chat with your general care practitioner if you suspect this is the case, so you can get back to good snoozing as soon as possible.

It can be far too easy to reach for a tasty sweet treat or salty snack between meals. However, snacking can just be adding extra empty calories to your daily total and contributing to your love handles. If youre feeling hungry between meals, there are a few things to consider before tucking into a snack. Check that your main meals contain enough protein, fiber, and good fats these are the foods that keep you feeling full. Secondly, check if youre thirsty. Have a glass of water, wait a little bit, and then see if youre still hungry. Next, are you just reaching for food out of habit, sadness, loneliness, stress, or boredom? Being mindful of your reasons for snacking can help break bad habits. If youre genuinely still hungry after all of this, try to opt for a healthier option such as fruit or veg.

Just like soda and juice, the liquid calories in alcohol dont contribute nutritionally to your wellbeing at all. There are over 100 calories in a standard beer or wine, so downing a few of these after work, or binging on the weekend can quickly add up. Abstaining completely will give you the best results in fat loss; however, it can be a bit of an ask. Plus, life is about balance, and there is a simple pleasure in a glass of good red wine or a refreshing beer. If giving up the booze fully is too much, try cutting down to a single drink in the evening, or only a couple of days a week. Similar to snacking, its also good to be mindful of your reasons for drinking, and examine your motivations. By doing so, you can better keep things in check, and ensure your balance isnt heading off course.

Refined sugars are another source of calories that you need to ditch if youre serious about losing your love handles. Sugar is high in glucose and fructose, which is linked to many health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, metabolic issues, and obviously fat gain, particularly around the stomach and sides. Not to mention the fact that some consider sugar to be as addictive as Class A drugs, and you get that horrid sugar crash after youve eaten it. If youre craving something sweet, try foods that contain natural sugars such as whole fruits. Because of its addictiveness, sugar can be hard to kick. If cold turkey seems a bit much, start with small, gradual changes like not having sugar in your coffee, skipping dessert, or scrapping sodas.

While some fats are good for you and form an essential part of a balanced diet, trans fats are not. Natural trans fats occur at low levels in some animal products, and then there are artificial trans fats. The human-made process involves hydrogenating vegetable or soybean oil to create a semi-solid product. These fats have adverse health effects, including links to higher LDL bad cholesterol, heart disease, and inflammation, as well as weight gain. Fewer companies are using trans fats in production these days, but you can check the nutrition label, looking under the Total Fat heading for the percentage. It is also still found in everyday foods such as fried takeaway, vegetable shortening, some kinds of margarine, bakery products, and some microwavable popcorn. Avoid these foods as much as possible if youre serious about ditching your love handles.

Incorporating some dairy into your diet is a great way to get calcium. However, too much can hinder your weight loss progress. Thats because dairy contains lactose, which is a form of sugar that many people are intolerant to. Too much sugar can add unnecessary calories. Aim to make small changes, such as drinking your coffee black, or use almond or rice milk as a substitute.

MCT oil is most often extracted from coconuts and acts as a supplement added most commonly to coffee, smoothies, and salad dressings. The MCT stands for medium-chain triglyceride, which is a more easily digestible fat chain. Consumption of MCTs has been linked to numerous health benefits. Its been shown to release peptide YY and leptin, two hormones that promote a feeling of fullness while helping curb hunger and cravings. It also helps with weight loss because these oils have fewer calories than long-chain triglycerides, and burning them also takes more energy. Plus, its easily turned into ketones if youre on a keto diet, and they are a more immediate source of fuel. Other benefits include helping to control blood sugar levels, reducing risk factors for heart disease, and fighting bacteria growth.

It may seem counterintuitive, but adding healthy fats to your diet is a great way to lose your love handles. Foods like avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon help you feel fuller for longer. Of course, moderation is still the key. Oily fish is full of omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation. Meanwhile, olive oil can increase your HDL good cholesterol, as well as boost your metabolic rate. Theres a reason the Italians are so attractive! Nuts and seeds are rich in fiber to keep your regular, antioxidants to keep you healthy, and protein to keep you full. Theyre little powerhouses that are easy to add to salads and cereals. Plus, all of these good fat sources are delicious.

Choosing organic foods may be a little pricier, but the benefits can far outweigh the cost. Firstly, natural foods can have far more antioxidants than traditionally grown produce, which can help protect you. Its also been found that organic meat has more omega-3 essential fatty acids. Additionally, in a world where chemicals are omnipresent, any opportunity to consume less is always a good thing. Fresh produce and meat must adhere to strict controls to be considered organic, so the label can be taken seriously. However, be wary of processed goods, such as cookies and snacks, that are called organic. While they may seem like a healthier choice, they may be just as calorie-dense as conventional options. Focus on spending your hard-earned cash on organic wholefoods or even take the opportunity to start a home-grown garden!

Shift your stubborn belly fat by increasing your protein intake. Similar to MCT oil, protein releases peptide YY, the fullness hormone. This helps you feel satiated longer and can help stop snacking between meals. Additionally, protein is vital for boosting your metabolic rate and helping you maintain muscle mass you dont want all those hard gym sessions going to waste. There are both animal-based and plant-based forms of protein that are great for incorporating into your meals. Try meats such a chicken, lean beef, and fish. Otherwise, eggs and dairy, including milk, cheese, and yogurt, are also great, as well as vegetable options like quinoa, lentils, kidney beans, and nuts. A mix of these will create a well-rounded diet that will keep you full for longer.

There are two forms of fiber soluble and insoluble. Both are good to have in your diet; however, increasing your soluble fiber is a particularly useful way to reduce your love handles and keep the fat off. Soluble fiber mixes with the water in your body and slows down the release of digested food, helping you feel fuller for longer. Youll want to look for foods such as sweet potato, apricots, legumes, Brussels sprouts, flaxseeds, and grains like oatmeal. However, if you dont already eat a lot of this food, slowly increase your intake to avoid unwanted side-effects such as stomach cramps and bloating. Soluble fiber can also create good bacteria diversity in the gut, which in term can help ditch your belly fat.

Caffeine addicts unite! A cup of joe can help you lose your stubborn love handles. First up, caffeine can increase your metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories, even at rest. It also gives you more energy and alertness because the caffeine blocks a neurotransmitter inhibitor called adenosine. By doing so, it allows the release of other neurotransmitters and hormones such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which make you feel awake. Then, it also stimulates the nervous system creating epinephrine, or adrenalin, which starts to break down fat. Consuming 100-400 mg of caffeine, or one to four coffees, per day will give you the benefits, without side effects like twitching or anxiety. However, because you still need to be at a calorie deficit for fat loss, try to drink your coffee black, or with only a splash of milk. Otherwise, excess sugar and dairy will negate any benefits.

Eggs are a bit of a superfood, especially when it comes to weight loss. Theyre chock-full of protein, choline, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals. Like other forms of protein, eggs help to increase your metabolic rate and keep you feeling fuller for longer. Plus, large eggs contain only about 80 calories each, which is pretty low. Therefore, eating two or three eggs for breakfast with some veggies can set you up well for the day ahead for around 300 calories. They also make great snacks. You can keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge with their shells on for up to a week. If you get peckish, its a healthier, more filling choice than a bag of chips or cookies. Finally, theyre also cheap, so if youre budget-conscious, its an excellent choice for an inexpensive protein.

While apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an ancient remedy for many maladies, its just as relevant today. Taking ACV every day can help reduce your appetite and lower blood sugar and insulin levels in diabetes patients. The main active ingredient, acetic acid, has shown increased fat burning and a decrease in belly fat storage in animal studies. While there are no studies in humans, its still promising news. Start by adding a teaspoon to a glass of water each morning, slowly working your way up to one or two tablespoons. Its a bit of an acquired taste, and if you jump in too hard too fast, it can cause stomach upset. ACV also has other handy uses, other than weight loss. Its brilliant in salad dressings, you can use it to get rid of dandruff, and it can help treat acne and foot bacteria.

Oolong tea, like green tea, has incredible health benefits. It contains both caffeine and catechins, which kicks your metabolism up a notch and helps promote weight loss. Some studies have found that oolong increased calorie burning twice as much as green tea, making it a great alternative. This tea is drunk black, which is great because you dont need to worry about added sugar or milk. The flavor can also be deeper and toastier than green tea, but not as intense as black tea.

Invest in some good quality olive oil for its versatile use, incredible taste, and health benefits. Its one of the healthiest fats around. Not only does it raise your good cholesterol, but it also stimulates the production of GLP-1, the fullness hormone. Additionally, it can boost your metabolic rate, so even when youre not doing much, youre still burning more energy. The easiest way to add it to your diet is to use it for cooking or add it to salad dressings. Put some ACV and olive oil in a container with some salt and pepper and give it a vigorous shake for a simple, at-home vinaigrette. Add extra herbs, garlic, or spice for an even better flavor.

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How to Get Rid of Love Handles Quickly - The Trend Spotter