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10 Foods That Make You Smarter

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avocadoes

While nutritious foods and a balanced diet help you stay healthy and prevent you from ailments like diabetes, cardiac diseases, cancer, blood pressure, cholesterol and the like, some foods are exclusively great for your brain. Listed below are ten foods that help to keep your brain active and make you smarter than you ever were.

  1. Salmon

Fishes like wild salmon and tuna are loaded with Omega-3 fats, which are great for the functioning of your brain. Eating them regularly can prevent diseases like memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s later.

  1. Avocado

Avocadoes are rich sources of monounsaturated fatty acids that help to keep your brain attentive and smart at all times. Studies have proved that regular consumption of this fruit helps you think of good solutions during a crisis.

  1. Nuts

Nuts, especially walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, and peanuts, etc. are great sources of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, Vitamin E, and fibers. All of these help to boost your energy levels & boost your brain power and keep your mood swings in control.

  1. Seeds

You get a lot of brain-boosting ingredients when you include seeds like sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, etc. in your daily diet. These seeds are loaded with Vitamin E, magnesium, antioxidants and good fats that keep your brain in good health, thereby helping you be smart and alert at all times.

  1. Blueberries

Though blueberries are highly recommended for brain health, you can also try other berries like raspberries or strawberries. These berries are rich sources of fiber and have a low glycemic index. For this reason, they are great for brain health, reversing memory loss, improving motor skills and learning abilities.

  1. Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate contains flavanol, an antioxidant, which makes you smarter. Cocoa beans, an important ingredient of dark chocolate, were known to improve the thinking and remembering capacity of the human brain, according to studies conducted by Harvard doctors.

  1. Oatmeal

Oats, especially the flavorless varieties, are great sources of fiber and good fats. This has an impact on your cardiovascular health, which in turn, helps you in the overall functioning of the brain. Having oats as part of your daily breakfast, keeps you rejuvenated throughout the day.

  1. Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne, like the other spices, is loaded with fiber. It is also anti-inflammatory, which helps to boost immunity. The capsaicin found in cayenne pepper allows you to reduce your stress levels and keep your brain relaxed.

  1. Pomegranate

All fruits and vegetables are great for your health. Pomegranates especially, are good sources of antioxidants. If you don’t like any of the berries, pomegranates can prove to be handy for you to improve the health of your brain. To get maximum fiber from this fruit, consume it in its natural way than making juice out of it.

  1. Beans

Beans are quite affordable, and they are rich sources of fiber, vitamins, protein and other minerals. They regulate the release of glucose to one’s brain, thereby keeping your brain alert and active all through the day.

If you want to prevent ailments related to memory loss in your old age, you have to include these foods on a daily basis right from your young age.

10 Spices That Will Help You Lose Weight

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Ginseng

When we plan to reduce weight, we talk about nutrients, calories and a lot more. One of the most underrated topics in this discussion is about the spices that are used in the meals.  Some of the spices that help you reduce weight, thanks to their power-packed nutrients, are mentioned below:

Ginseng

Ginseng is one of the most effective spices that will help you reduce weight within 12 days. This is because this spice, especially the Pinax Ginseng variety helps to boosts your energy and metabolism levels.

Turmeric

One of the most important active ingredients of turmeric is Curcumin, which prevents the formation of fat tissues in your body. Due to this, you can be assured that your body weight would be kept under check always.

Cumin

Cumin is one of the best spices that you have to consume on a regular basis if you want a boost in your energy levels and keep your weight under check. Apart from helping in weight loss, cumin is a great choice for people with diabetes as it helps them to reduce their blood sugar levels.

Ginger

Since ginger and turmeric belong to the same family, they have similar properties. Helping in weight loss is one of the common characteristics of these two spices. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties and thermo genic properties, ginger aids digestion and boosts metabolism levels.

Cayenne

According to reports, when you add cayenne to your meal, it helps to burn around 100 calories per meal. Cayenne increases the heat in your body and improves your metabolism rate to a great extent, thereby helping you burn fats easily.

Cinnamon

One of the best highlights of cinnamon is that it helps to improve the glucose metabolism rate in your body to a great extent. People with diabetes need to consume cinnamon on a regular basis as it helps to regulate their blood sugar levels and keep the LDL (bad cholesterol level) under check.

Black Pepper

Piperine is the main substance of black pepper. It stops the formation of new fat cells and helps your body to burn many calories quickly. It also gives an exclusive flavor to your foods, making bland foods tastier within seconds.

Dandelions

Dandelions are highly rich in nutrients like fibers, beta-carotene, vitamins, minerals and others. They are known for slowing your digestive process, as a result of which you feel reduced hunger pangs. By acting as a detox agent for your liver and keeping your sugar & cholesterol levels under check, dandelions help you to maintain your weight at all times.

Garlic

Yes, garlic does have a pungent smell, but it is packed with so many nutrients that you just cannot afford to miss to include it in your daily diet. Raw garlic, especially, helps in keeping your digestive system healthy always by helping you to burn fats quicker.

Cardamom

Apart from exuding an excellent aroma, cardamom is also known for helping you to have a check on your weight. Due to its thermogenic properties, cardamom has been used in many Ayurvedic and herbal medicines for many years. It helps your body to burn fat quickly by improving your metabolism levels and keeps your weight under control.

Now that you know that all of these are super spices in their own regard, isn’t it natural to start including them in your meals?

10 Food That Will Help You Stay Young!

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 Food That Will Help You Stay Young

You cannot prevent aging, but you can prevent aging symptoms in you that make you look many years older than you actually are. Do you want your skin to remain free of wrinkles and sagging? Do you want to lead a healthy lifestyle without age-related illness like joint pains, arthritis, cholesterol, diabetes and more? We all want to look and stay young forever, don’t we? Therefore, it is time to include these anti-aging foods in our daily diet.

  1. Walnuts

Known as the “brain-food,” walnuts are loaded with nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for one’s overall well-being. Walnuts boost immunity, detox the liver, boost metabolism, manage cholesterol and blood pressure and also mitigate the risk of diabetes. Therefore, consuming them on a daily basis can help you stay young and positive for a long time.

  1. Green Tea

Apart from being rich in essential antioxidants, green tea is also a great source of polyphenols, which help in improving the collagen content of the skin. This keeps the skin tight and free from aging symptoms like wrinkles, fine lines and more.

  1. Omega-3 fats rich fishes

Fishes like salmon and tuna are rich in good fats like omega-3 fatty acids. These have anti-inflammatory properties, which help in protecting your skin against damage from UV exposure, thereby preventing signs of aging.

  1. Dark chocolate

Cocoa beans, which are the main ingredient of dark chocolate, are great sources of flavanols. These anti-inflammatory antioxidants protect your skin against UV exposure, improve moisture content in the skin and improve overall blood circulation, thereby making you look young forever.

  1. Natural and green vegetables

Vegetables are nutrient-rich foods that give you the daily dosage of fiber, proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and much more.  Vegetables like carrots and pumpkin are rich in carotenoids that protect your skin against aging symptoms.

  1. Whole grains

It is important to start including whole grains as part of your daily diet. They are rich in antioxidants and vitamins that delay the onset of age-related illnesses like arthritis, cardiac problems and more, thereby keeping you fit, fine and young.

  1. Flaxseeds

Apart from boosting immunity and protecting your body against various ailments, flaxseeds are also a great source of an essential omega-e fatty acid known as ALA, which protects your skin against damage from the sun and keeps it tight and young.

  1. Pomegranates

Eating a pomegranate every day will not only keep your blood pressure and sugar levels in control but will also keep your skin clear and young. This is because pomegranates generate collagen production capacity of the skin and rejuvenate damaged skin as well.

  1. Extra virgin olive oil

You need to start using extra virgin olive oil for cooking if you want to stay young and active forever. This is because olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fats that are not only good for your heart but your skin as well.

  1. Avocado

Avocado is a tasty fruit that is loaded with folic acid, fiber, and other vitamins. They also contain polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect your skin against all damages and inflammation.

If you want a clear skin and an active lifestyle even during your old age, you need to start including these foods in your daily diet right away.

How Obesity Can Negatively Affect Your Sex Life

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obesity and sex lifeAs with anything, we all want to live healthy, normal lives.  Unfortunately for us, time constraints and other life events prevent us from reaching our full potential.  Suddenly, we find ourselves overweight and sitting on the couch watching television with zero sex drive.  While you may choose to blame other factors for your issues with low libido such as lack of time or sexual performance anxiety, you may want to look in the mirror first and foremost.

More often than not, over time you become careless about your outer appearance.  As you fail to take care of yourself, being overweight turns into obesity.  You may gain a few extra pounds as you age, primarily because of a slower metabolic rate, but being obesity can affect you in ways you probably never thought about.

What Obesity Is And How It Affects You

Obesity is defined as a condition associated with being so overweight that it affects the person’s health.  This condition stems from overeating without actually burning off any calories or being sedentary.  Without exercise, an overweight person grows larger and obese.  Unfortunately, obesity leads to a slew of health conditions that could otherwise be avoided.  Heart problems can also arise from obesity along with many other health concerns.

Obesity can also affect your sex life, making you less desirable than when you were fit.  For obese persons, they feel less attractive to the opposite sex.  In addition, since society is geared toward body shaming overweight or obese people, these people feel less confident about their appearance in general.  The domino effect occurs and the obese person feels self conscious about getting naked in front of their partner, leading to a possible case of sexual performance anxiety.

Society has us wired to the belief that being overweight is not sexy, so it works as a dampener when it comes to an obese person’s libido.  Fortunately, there are ways to get around this and get your libido back – if you want to work for it.

Battling Obesity

Aside from healthy eating, you may wish to kick start your libido by working out.  Exercises that increase the blood flow to the pelvic area are the best for ramping up your sex drive.  In order to stimulate your sex hormones, you can start by losing as little as ten pounds.  Any movement to start with is going to benefit your overall health and sex life, so you can start by walking for a short period of time every day.  Once that becomes a regular habit, you can ramp up your exercise routine in order to realize the many benefits this can offer your health and libido.

You want to be attractive to your partner so that they want to engage in sex with you.  Because obesity makes you lose your level of confidence, this is conveyed in intimate interactions with your partner.  If your body isn’t fit nor desirable, then it stands to reason that your partner may lose interest in sexual relations with you.

Because sex is such an integral part of any relationship, you want to make sure that you’re doing everything in your power in order to see results with your battle against obesity.

The Sex Lives Of Healthy People

As opposed to people who are obese, fit and healthy people enjoy many benefits in society and in the bedroom.  Those who are attractive don’t feel a lack of self confidence that affects their bedroom activities.

It is completely natural for people to be attracted to others who work hard to look good and take excellent care of their bodies.  In order to be attractive to others, you must look nice, well groomed and not be considerably overweight.  When you are healthy, you have a tendency to have a more positive outlook on life, healthiness and sexual activity.  Healthy people are fit enough to maintain healthy sexual activities, so it is beneficial to exercise regularly and eat well balanced meals.

The Benefits Of Having A Good Body Shape

If you have a good body shape, then you have already realized the many benefits that come along with that.  People with great shapes send signals to others that they care about their overall appearance and how they are perceived.  Society has taught us that being in shape is essential for living a quality life, having sexual partners and attracting the best mates.

After all, your appearance is the first thing that people see when they meet you.  You want to send a good message that you care about how you look.  Healthy people want to attract likeminded people who share the same views on healthy eating and exercise.

What You Can Do About Obesity

To fight the battle of the bulge, the best thing you can possibly do is to create a good exercise plan and stick with it.  If you can work hard to at least lose ten pounds, then you can be on your way to not only establishing good habits, but you will see an increased amount of testosterone, thus offering a boost to your sex drive.

Try to incorporate exercises into your workout plan that stimulate blood flow to your pelvic region, such as walking, biking or doing yoga.  These exercises cause you to have better circulation to your genitals and offer better lubrication, arousal and orgasms overall.

Consider the psychological effects that obesity has on you.  In an obese person’s head, they are probably thinking that they are not attractive or sexy enough to engage in sexual relations.  In order to take that thought process on, consider accepting yourself and the way you look.  Sometimes, feeling better about yourself leads you to want to work hard to achieve a desirable body.  In general, women more often than men are geared to think that they have to hate their bodies in order to try and make any changes to their appearance.  Still, it can prove to be a wise solution to get started working out, eating healthy foods and changing the way you think about your body.

10 Eating Habits That Will Change Your Life

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Eating Habits That Will ChangeA good and balanced diet is an important part of living healthy. If you want to bring about a positive change in your lives, here are the top 10 eating habits that you have to inculcate at the earliest:

Bring a structure to your meal plan

Being conscious of what you eat and how much you eat per day is very important. If you indulge in binge-eating on a lot of fatty and carbohydrate-rich foods during any time of the day, ensure that you balance it out evenly with the other meals by including a lot of nutrients like proteins, minerals, vitamins and more.

Track the calories in your food

If you are serious about losing weight, you need to track the calories in each meal. Many mobile apps help you do this and alert you if you are eating more calories than you should, at any time of the day.

Don’t sacrifice your favorite foods

This comes as a surprise, doesn’t it? Yes, when you sacrifice your favorite foods, the urge to eat them is bound to come back strongly within you. You may start eating a lot of unhealthy foods all of a sudden when you cannot control this urge anymore.

Bring some variety to your meals

When you eat monotonous food every day, you may crave for some unhealthy restaurant-style fried and fatty foods. To avoid these cravings, bring some variety to your cooking even if you are using the same vegetables, pulses, and other ingredients. Boiled foods, salads, smoothies, etc. are some ways of making your food tasty.

Correct timing

Eat your meals at the same time every day, so that your body can get into a proper digestive structure. Never skip breakfast as it is the most important meal of the day. If you want to enjoy a cheat-meal occasionally, do it during lunch. Your dinner should always be light and healthy.

Prepare in advance

Most of the times, when you are back from work, you binge on cookies or chips because you are lazy to start cooking your diet meal. You need to do the preparatory work (cut all vegetables or fruits) and store them in the fridge so that you just have to come home and cook healthy food in minutes.

Colored foods are a must

Orange, green, purple, red and yellow are some of the most common colors of vegetables that you need to consume on a regular basis to boost immunity and get enough of phytonutrients.

Keep unhealthy snacks at a distance

Regardless of your location (office or home), ensure that you keep unhealthy snacks like chips, candies, etc. at a distance. Instead, have a pack of nuts, fruit, protein bars, yogurt or other healthy choices near you, to munch on whenever you feel hungry.

Include healthy fats

Don’t avoid all fats from your meals. You need to include the essential healthy fats that you get from fish, eggs, avocado, etc. to enjoy a balanced diet full of nutrients.

Drink water before meals

A very easy tip, indeed! Drink a glass of water before your meals so that your stomach feels full and you eat lesser food due to reduced hunger pangs.

Follow these simple tips and enjoy the positive changes in your weight loss journey and your overall lifestyle.

10 Daily Habits To Reduce Joint Pain

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Reduce Joint Pain

If you thought that you could do nothing about your joint pain (also known by names like chronic pain or arthritis pain) and had to live on painkillers to subside the effect, you are mistaken. Some simple habits, like the ones described below, can help you reduce joint pain to a great extent.

Have a check on your weight

Most of the times, the chronic pain in your knees or joints is because of the huge load that they have to carry (your body weight). Make a conscious effort to shed off the extra flab with the help of strict diet, physical exercises, and medications (necessary if you are extremely obese). Your osteoarthritis will be reduced to a large extent when you knock off those extra kilos.

Relax well

One of the major reasons for joint pain is tension. Ensure that you remove the stress from your body and mind through relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga. They help in reducing your joint pain.

Limit alcohol consumption

When you drink too much of alcohol, your sleep patterns are disturbed, thereby increasing your joint pain to a great extent. Drop that alcohol from your lifestyle and see positive effects on your chronic pain.

Healthy diet

When you eat a healthy diet full of nutrients, it can help in keeping your blood sugar levels, cholesterol and weight under control. This has a positive impact on your chronic pain.

Physical exercises

When you have joint pain, you may find it difficult to walk or lead an active life. However, doctors advise you to take the challenge and regularly walk at least for about 15 to 30 minutes every day.

Take enough breaks from repetitive actions

When you do the same ask every day without taking proper breaks in between, it can cripple your body and increase pain in your spinal cord, knees, thighs, shoulders, etc. It is very important that you try and break the routine. Take a five-minute break for every hour or so from your work, to get some relief.

Include healthy fats

Most people make the mistake of avoiding fats altogether from their meals, in a bid to eat healthily. However, there are some healthy fats like Omega-3 that can provide you immense relief against arthritis and joint pain. Consume these anti-inflammatory fats in general doses every day (at least 2000mg) to control joint pain.

Vitamin D

When you don’t have enough Vitamin D, it weakens your bones and increases joint pain. Sunlight is a natural source of Vitamin D.  You need to walk in the morning sun for about twenty minutes daily and eat a log of eggs to reduce chronic pain in your bones.

Socialize

Participate in social groups and interact with people suffering from joint pains. Know more about their remedies and solutions to have a healthy brainstorming session. This will help you in taking care of yourself better than before.

Never skip pills

If you are already under medications for joint pain, ensure that you don’t skip any dose, even if you begin to feel better. This can aggravate your joint pain to a great extent.

Aren’t these tips quite simple? It’s all about not sulking in your pain and coming out openly to accept the challenges in front of you so that you can reduce your pain to a great extent.

For Fun: 12 Impressive Sexual Records!

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There are over seven billion people in the world, so it definitely makes for quite the interesting place. Below, we talk about the most interesting sexual records out there that are not only crazy, but quite impressive. The only thing that has us wondering is just how these records are measured? Read on for the most impressive sexual records in the world… Fortunately for you, there aren’t any pictures of these records, so you’ll have to take our word for it.

Check out these twelve insane sexual records that are actually impressive enough to hold their own!

The world’s biggest vagina

There is actually a woman in existence that has a vagina that measures around 50 centimeters. Can you imagine?!? It belonged to a woman named Anna Swan and her vagina stretched to that insane length. Unfortunately for her, she was almost never able to achieve an orgasm with her stretched out vagina. She had the biggest vagina in recorded history and it was attributed to her being considered a giantess. She went on to marry a man who was similar in stature and gave birth to the largest baby in history, weighing in at 26 pounds. The baby was 34 inches in length and was helped out of the birth canal with forceps and belts. Unfortunately, the child did not survive birth, but a cast of it remains on display at the Cleveland Health Museum.

The largest penis in the world

The record for the largest penis in the world goes to Dr. Robert Dickinson. His oversized man parts measured in at 13.4 inches long and had a girth of 6.3 inches. How’s that for size? While some women say that the bigger is the better, but there is such thing as overkill. Overkill in this case is definitely a penis that is over a foot long, wouldn’t you agree?

A woman who swallowed the largest amount of ejaculate

Here’s a record that we were sure we would never hear of. One unnamed woman holds the record for having swallowed a full liter of ejaculate. We bet her doctor was stunned to find that much semen in her stomach. She probably led quite the sex life, no?

The world’s youngest mother

In the age of “Sixteen and Pregnant,” you would think that it might be shocking to have a baby at such a young age. Unfortunately, that is hardly a young age to get pregnant with your first child. The world’s record for being the youngest mother ever goes to a girl who gave birth at the tender age of only five years old. Insane! Her name is Lina Medina and she lives in Peru and even at the age of 82-years-old, she still holds the record for being the world’s youngest mother.

The oldest man to ever impregnate a woman

Apparently some men are able to get a woman pregnant well into their golden years. That was the case for 96-year-old Ramajit Raghav who impregnated his 52-year-old wife. The record was previously held by 90-year-old Nanu Ram Jogi – who had 21 children.

The world’s strongest and fastest ejaculation

If you can believe this – someone actually measured the distance a man’s ejaculate went along with its speed. While the man isn’t named, we know that the longest radius measured 236 inches and its speed was nearly 43 miles per hour.

The woman who birthed the most children

A Russian woman by the name of Valentina Vassilyeva birthed 69 children between 1725 and 1765. She gave birth to 16 sets of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets. There isn’t much known about her life and death aside from the fact that she basically started her own army of children with her husband.

The world’s oldest prostitute

Prostitution has been referred to as the world’s oldest profession, so it stands to reason that there are older prostitutes still trying to make a living in the most carnal of ways. The record for the oldest prostitute in the world goes to a Tai Pei woman that goes by the nickname “grandma.” She’s said to be 82-years-old and charges much less than her younger counterparts.

The world’s largest orgy

The world’s largest orgy is a record won by Japan – who organized 250 couples that went at it simultaneously. 250 men and women had sex with each other for a camera crew that took pictures of the activities along with video. Each of the couples only has sex with each other and none of the other participants and the entire thing is available to buy on DVD.

The world’s largest gangbang

Believe it or not, this is an actual record that some women really want to achieve and beat. An American porn star named Lisa Sparxxx currently holds the record for having sex with the most amount of men in one single day. Currently, that record is 919 men of whom she’s had sex in the span of a 24 hour period of time. How did she even find time to eat and rest during that marathon sex session?!? The record was achieved at Eroticon 2004, beating out previous records of 646 and 759 men.

The world’s strongest vagina

Here is another record that we can’t believe exists, but a woman named Tatiana Kozhevnikova actually holds the record for having the strongest vagina in the world. She can lift almost 31 pounds with her lady parts and has been exercising her kegels for fifteen years. She said that after she gave birth, her vaginal muscles became very weak, but she has worked them out ever since.

The longest running masturbation session

A man named Masanobu Sato attended an event called the Masturbate-a-thon in San Francisco and currently holds the record for the longest time spent choking the chicken. His record is nine hours and 58 minutes, only beating out his previously held record of nine hours and 33 minutes.

While you may not want to attempt to meet or beat any of these sexual records, these people will hold their own place in history after holding these various titles. People can get in the Guinness Book of World Records for a variety of reasons, so why not make it interesting and try to beat out these sexual records?

Is Moving In Together Killing Your Sex Life?

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moving in togethr and sex life

If you have been dating someone for a length of time over six months (generally), then the chances are high that you have had the conversation about moving in together.  If you have taken this step in your relationship, then you might have seen your sex life dwindling before your very eyes.  Consider whether or not moving in together has effectively killed your sex life.  If it has, then you can follow the tips outlined below to get things back to the way they were without sacrificing your relationship.

You have probably come from your own space where you shared dates with your significant other.  Things were new and exciting and the sex was fabulous.  Now that you see each other every day, things might have cooled off.

Here’s what you can do to avoid burnout when it comes to a healthy sexual relationship with your partner:

  1. Plan for Dates – Enjoy date nights with one another where one person is charge of the dinner plans and then you can alternate. Doing this together increases closeness, but keeps the air of mystery alive within your relationship.  If you continue dating, you continue showing your partner that you still care about the things that brought you together in the first place.  It shows him or her that you care about their needs and wants, while leaving the worries of your everyday lives behind – even if for only one night.
  2. Go Away Together – Take a vacation or just a quick getaway. You can eliminate thoughts about bills, work and your daily schedules and simplify things between you.  This will help you remember why you were a couple in the first place by strengthening the bond you share.
  3. Buy Her Flowers – Even the little things still matter, like flowers. When you are out, before coming home, pick up a nice bouquet of flowers.  It will let her know that you still think about her even when she’s not around.
  4. Plan a Special Dinner for Him – There are two ways to a man’s heart, one through his mind (think sex and love) and the other is through his stomach (think food). When he arrives home from a hard day’s work, treat him to his favorite meal.  This will show him that you care enough to want to cater to his wants and needs.
  5. Do What He Likes for a Day – If he has a particular favorite hobby or sport, try doing that for the entire day. It will show him that you have been listening when he talks about baseball or his favorite video game.  In this way, you will both learn more about each other while getting closer.
  6. Surprise Him with Sex – If he isn’t expecting regular sex on a Friday night, drag him to the bedroom and rip his clothes off. When you take the initiative, he will be that much more turned on.  He will be so excited that he will have no choice but to let you have your way with him.
  7. Do a Striptease – Everybody likes a bit of a show and your man is no different. Slowly take off each of your items of clothing until you’re down to your bra and panties.  When you are down to your panties, you can end the show by making him take them off of you.
  8. Free Yourselves from Distractions – There is nothing worse than getting ready to have a wild night of passion than to have your children or your boss interrupting the fun. Turn off your cell phones and hire a babysitter if you need to.  Think about all of the fun you can have together when you don’t have to worry about stopping to do other things.  You deserve a break from all of life’s distractions and it will allow you the opportunity to work on your sex lives.
  9. Enjoy Each Other’s Company – Simply enjoying each other’s company is something that often gets overlooked in this day and age. People are mostly way too focused on technology and all of their gadgets to really make a connection with one another.  You can start to enjoy your partner’s company by having a day when you just talk without constantly staring at your cell phone or tablet.  You may even be able to have a night at a hotel free of your devices.  Start small and see where it goes from there.
  10. Schedule Some Time with Your Friends – You have probably heard of the phrase: “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” In your case, if you are living together, then there is likely not much time that you’re both apart from one another.  Ladies, schedule a girls’ night out with some of your friends and paint the town red.  You will give him some free time to enjoy his own hobbies while spending quality time away from home.  When you come back home, you both might have missed one another.  What better way to express those feelings than a wild romp in the bedroom?

If you have taken your relationship to the next level where you are both sharing the same space, it doesn’t mean that you have to keep things dull and boring.  When we live with someone, we may have the tendency to fall into a routine.  Routines, while great, can sometimes turn boring.  Routines can also cause all to lose intimate touch with our partners.  Following the steps listed above, you can take back control of your sexual relationship regardless of your living situation. Overall, you want to have a healthy relationship with your significant other and that includes having a healthy sex life.

You may feel like you have spent way too much time together to really be free to be intimate.  However you feel, there is a way to work around that if you are both willing to put in the time and effort necessary to go forward in your relationship.

Tendinitis: Risk Factors, Symptoms and Possible Treatment and Prevention Options

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tendinitis pictureTendinitis is the inflammation of, as the name suggests, a tendon. Tendons are connective tissue linking the muscle to the bone, found near or around the different joints. Areas more susceptible to tendinitis include the upper shoulder and elbow, but, as tendinitis is considered an overuse injury, its position highly depends on what type of movements and activities an individual has been doing.

There are various possible causes and risk factors linked to tendinitis. The two main causes often attributed to tendinitis are repetitive low impact movements and sudden injury, both stemming from the excessive use of the joint around which the tendon is situated. Tennis elbow, golfers elbow, quarterback shoulder and jumpers knee are all forms of tendinitis named so because they commonly occur in individuals who do these activities.

Although tendinitis is often reported alongside examples of athletic risks and injuries, it can also result from other more daily activities and habits: possibly bad posture, which in turn could affect your walking habits as well, gardening, doing house hold chores, in short any activity involving a repetitive movement of specific muscles. Hai Lam, a professional gamer in League of Legends circles, was forced to retire from professional gaming in 2024 due to tendinitis in one of his forearm muscles. It affected his play so much that the only solution for him was to take a break from his work in the team. As many of you will probably know from your own gaming experience, or watching your son or daughter when they are behind the computer, the movements involved are not typically grand or high impact movements. This scenario is the perfect example of a case of tendinitis caused by small repetitive movements overusing the tendon rather than sudden injury.

Symptoms of tendinitis vary, but most often includes pain and joint stiffness. A burning sensation can occur as well as swelling, a red tint and in serious scenarios visible knots can appear near the inflamed tendon around the joint. If these symptoms are chronic, lasting more than 6 months, it is possibly tendinosis rather than tendinitis. In cases such as these or with the onset of acute pain call a doctor and arrange an appointment as home treatment is not advised.

The different prevention methods or possible cures for tendinitis are very traditional and simple for mild tendinitis. In order to prevent the sudden overuse of a muscle and ligament gradually build up your activity levels and take it slow, listen to your body. When you feel unpleasant pain other than the normal muscle soreness after an intense workout this is your body telling you to rest. If the joint is inflamed and/or swollen doctors often prescribe the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. If a certain activity activates the pain, try to change your position or technique, if the pain persists this might be an indication that rest is required. In more extreme cases of chronic tendinitis, after doctor consultations and visits, laser therapy, or further enhanced methods of surgery might be required.

Tendinitis is painful, and can occur in any individual. In mild cases it is possible for rest and anti-inflammatory drugs to completely heal the tendinitis, as it is mainly an “overuse” issue. Just as Hai Lam had to retire from gaming for a time to allow his tendinitis to heal properly, it is important for individuals to avoid the various activities provoking the pain and allow their body to heal.

References

Best, J. (2017). Common Overuse Tendon Problems: A Review and Recommendations for Treatment – American Family Physician. Aafp.org. Retrieved 28 April 2020, from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0901/p811.html

Brandham, R. (2017). The truth about tennis elbow | Tennismash. Tennismash. Retrieved 28 April 2020, from http://tennismash.com/2017/02/21/truth-tennis-elbow/

Exercise Bikes : Spin or Stationary?

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There’re a lot of different types of exercise bikes available and for the ones who are just entering the fitness world, it can be a bit overwhelming to choose from all these bikes. The biggest problem is that all of these bikes look so similar but have a fundamental difference in how they function. You can’t straight away tell if the bike is of an entirely different category or just a modification.

Of course, all these types of bikes have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Understanding the difference between how these types of exercise bikes work will help you figure out which type is the best suited for you. The most common confusion occurs between the spin bike and stationary bike. These two bikes are the most common ones and can regularly be found in gyms and even at homes of fitness lovers.

The chances are that you can’t tell the difference even if both types of bike are placed in front of you at the same time. But that’s okay; no one can blame you since it’s not easy to figure out the difference as both bikes look very similar. It is easier to tell the difference between an upright exercise bike and a recumbent one, but with spin and stationary bike, the difference is a bit more subtle. Both bikes have several similarities and differences, and both offer a unique set of features that you should know about before you decide which one to get for yourself.

Spin Exercise Bikes

Also known as indoor cycling bikes, these bikes have a unique combination of machine elements that makes them work. The basic difference between the two isn’t in the looks but in the way they function. This bike provides resistance in a very distinct way and unlike upright bikes, the spin bikes have a weighted flywheel that goes through a transmission system before connecting to the pedals. This system closely resembles that of an actual bike. This system, combined with direct-contact braking, provides resistance while you cycle.

This bike greatly resembles an actual road bike as you also have to lean forward into a crouching position while working out on it, which is very similar to the position you are in when you are on a motorcycle. On a spin bike, you can adjust the resistance via a knob, and you can also adjust the handlebars. Changing the resistance is a lot like changing the gears. If you’re a bike-riding enthusiast or a professional biker, this is what you need to get for your fitness workout. This bike not only helps you improve your cycling skills, but it also increases your stamina and lower body strength. You can also paddle while standing up so that you can get a complete workout. This is something that you can’t do in a traditional upright bike as you have to remain seated at all times. Riding the spin bike while in a standing position helps you get a more intensive workout and engage more muscle groups than you can do on a stationary exercise bike.

Of course, riding the bike in a standing position isn’t the safest position, and it can lead to injuries. Another disadvantage is the fact that you have to work out in a crouched position, which is not the ideal position for prolonged workouts. However, spin bikes require a higher level of intensity, so if you prefer intensity over duration, get a spin bike already.

Stationary Exercise Bikes

While the exterior of a stationary bike and spin exercise bike is pretty much the same, the internal mechanism is entirely different. The stationary exercise bikes use electromagnetic induction to create resistance. However, that is not the only difference as these bikes don’t use brake pads but instead, magnets are used for slowing down the flywheel’s rotation. One of the biggest advantages is that most of the modern stationary exercise bikes offer you a range of preset workout routines to choose from. You can simulate the riding up or down the hill feeling while using this gym equipment for a realistic experience.

You can get these exercise machines at a very low and affordable price as well as at a very sophisticated and high-end price. The price variation depends on the features and extra toys offered, so you can get a good stationary bike depending on your budget. It features a central console that can be used to set a number of parameters to match your needs and specifications. Using this console, you can select a preset simulation as well as fine-tune parameters to deliver an extremely customized and effective workout to match your body type and stamina. Most of the latest models also feature a heart rate monitor, so it can also be a great tool to monitor your cardio fitness. If you are trying to lose weight that only happens in your fat-burning zone, you should know that the zone is different for every individual. It mainly depends on the weight and age and so, these machines let you customize however you want to.

People who prefer full-body workout mostly avoid spin and stationary exercise bikes as both machines focus only on the lower body strength. However, if you like cycling and want to build upper body muscles, you can try a stationary bike that offers dual-action arms as well to help you focus on your arms, back, abs and chest. These machines may not be available at a low price, but with this stationary bike, you can get an intensive full-body workout as well as enjoy a good cycling session.

In terms of comfort, the stationary bicycles have an upper hand as they feature well-padded and much wider seats. Even after long workout sessions, you won’t feel as uncomfortable. However, in terms of intensity, spin bikes take the lead as they can help you break a sweat and get your muscles pumping in less time.

Conclusion

For cycling fans or professional bikers, spin exercise bikes are a good fit. Not because this gym equipment has better efficiency and depicts a real-life cycling sensation, but also in terms of resistance delivery, it is superior, especially as you go higher. It is much smoother and natural, and you can control the resistance with your pace so that you can start off slow, reach the maximum and then slowly drop momentum to get the most out of your workout.

However, if you want to burn calories and lose weight or just stay in shape, you should go for the stationary bike. These machines are ideal for prolonged workout sessions, and you can select a preset to match your requirements. You can go slow for an hour or go for ten minutes; the choice is yours. The customizable settings with the consoles and LCD screens mean it’s the perfect fitness equipment for the entire family. Heart rate monitors are another welcome feature that every fitness lover will take advantage of. The comfort level is also higher, so you have a smaller chance of straining yourself.  These are also available in different price ranges, so you can decide which features you need the most and buy one based on your budget.

While the overall effects of both types of bikes are the same, the level of intensity that you choose to work with can vary. Even though these fitness exercise machines help you enhance your fitness and workout, some people can achieve the same results without a machine by simply running on the field.  To conclude, to achieve fitness, you need to work out with intensity and both types of exercise bikes offer the means to achieve that.