It [...]]]> As we go through life, it’s easy to get into a rut, doing the same things. But in doing so we unknowingly risk our health. Learning new skills, be it anything from cooking to marathon running, is a vital way to stay healthy and improve quality of life.

Stay sharp: learn new skills.

It can do this in a variety of ways. Most surprisingly, it can actually change the structure of your brain itself. It’s been shown that learning a new skill forces the brain to create new neural pathways. Learning new skills makes the brain work harder, increasing neural activity, and when neural activity increases the myelin in the brain (that’s the “grey matter”) strengthens. It’s a virtuous circle, the more you learn the better your brain becomes at learning. The message is clear, keep your mind sharp by learning new skills. It doesn’t have to be anything so complex as learning a language either, even something like playing card games can increase health benefits by making you think in new ways. Learning new skills can even help to stave off dementia.

Sociability is a key to health.

Away from the actual physical improvements, it’s been shown repeatedly that increased sociability comes with a whole host of health benefits, from physical to mental. We’re sociable animals, and new activities can force you to get out there and increase your circle of friends, with incalculable knock-on benefits. Learning new skills makes you a more rounded and interesting person, and gives you more confidence in your day to day life.

Get out there to get healthy

If your new skill is something physical, like rock-climbing or playing squash, then benefits will naturally accrue from the extra exercise. This is particularly true if you don’t already exercise, but even those who keep themselves fit can make huge gains by doing something outside of their normal routine, working out muscles they wouldn’t normally.

Every organization has its corporate culture determining its value [...]]]> The work environment influences the happiness and motivation of employees. It plays a major part in their productivity and efficiency. A healthy work environment helps to reduce costs related to medical claims, absenteeism and workers compensation. A healthy environment consists of the following aspects.

Workplace culture

Every organization has its corporate culture determining its value which sets standards to be followed by employees. A positive culture in a workplace practiced by everyone creates a healthy environment. The employees remain productive. A great company keeps its workers happy and retains its best employees.

Health and lifestyle

Employees are a great asset to any company. Investing in the well-being of employees increases productivity, encourages teamwork and reduces accidents at the workplace.

Supportive workplace environment

All human beings need to be appreciated. We go through many personal problems. Employees can get emotional in the workplace. Being a supportive employer who shows compassion shows you care for your employees. Employees who feel cared for are happy and productive.

Physical environment

Ensure employees work in a safe place. Employees want to work in a clean safe place. As part of the physical environment, lighting contributes to the productivity of employees. Indoor environments can have a problem with lighting. Parans lighting systems with natural sunlight have helped light up indoor environments. Sunlight contributes majorly to our well-being. Our body cells need various rays of the sun to perform optimally. The system captures and directs sun rays into the property spreading the light. This creates a great work environment that can help employees enjoy the working space more. Parans lighting systems can help you create a healthy indoor environment in any property while using natural sunlight. Using natural energy is not only Eco-friendly but cheap.Creating a healthy working environment is not a costly course. It is ideal for maintaining a positive aftereffect in a stressful atmosphere.

While improving your lifestyle may seem like a lofty goal, there are lots of small [...]]]> Shedding bad lifestyle habits and adopting new ones comes with plenty of benefits. A healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of certain diseases, increase life expectancy, help you maintain a healthy weight and make you look and feel your best.

While improving your lifestyle may seem like a lofty goal, there are lots of small changes you can make to improve your well-being. Here are simple habits that’ll make your lifestyle healthier.

1. Eat Healthy

Eating a balanced diet is key to leading a healthy lifestyle. Make sure to incorporate a variety of vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products and healthy fats into your diet. Cut out fatty foods, processed foods and added sugar. You can consult a nutritionist for a personalized meal plan based on your needs.

2. Get a Good Night’s Rest

Another simple way to maintain a healthy life is to get a good night’s sleep. Having enough sleep can help you cope better with stress, be more productive and make healthy decisions. Aim for eight hours of quality sleep each night.

If you have trouble falling asleep, try maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Additionally, avoid drinking caffeine and watching television before bedtime.

3. Drink Up Water

Since our bodies are mostly made up of water, drinking enough water is essential to maintaining normal body function. To keep your body hydrated, drink about 9 cups (for women) or 12 cups (for men) of water a day.

4. Exercise

Regular physical activity is a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. It can improve physical appearance, energy levels, decrease symptoms of depression and reduce your risk of chronic disease. Be sure to go to the gym and work out for 30 to 60 minutes, four times a week, combining both cardio and strength programs.

Other simple ways to stay active include:

• Parking further away from shops.

• Getting up each hour to walk or stretch if your job involves sitting for the most of the day.

• Doing chores such as sweeping floors, working in the garden, shovelling snow and raking leaves.

• If you love watching TV or playing online games such as video games and online poker, turn off the TV or computer once a week and do something more physical with friends or family. For instance, you can take part in a recreational activity instead of playing online games or binge-watching your favorite show during the weekends.

• Walking more – when you take out the trash, take a walk around the block. You can also walk your dog or walk on the treadmill for a few minutes every day.

Incorporating these four habits into your life can help maintain a healthy lifestyle. In addition, avoid smoking, reduce alcohol intake and smile more.

Well, you can count on a [...]]]> So, you want to kick the habit and put an end to smoking. By simply taking the first step of realization, you can start to change your lifestyle, and live a better life. But what should serve as your next steps in quitting the habit?

Weighed up the options

Well, you can count on a number of strategies and steps, and the steps that you can take will depend on the degree of dependence on nicotine that you end up with. Three popular strategies that you can use is to try nicotine replacement therapies, use snus, or just stay busy.You’ve weighed up the options and it has finally hit you, that it is time to quit smoking once and for all. The good news is you’ve taken the biggest step already by making the decision in the first place, but now you need to follow this up to change your habits, your lifestyle and your overall life.There are many ways to commit to this change in your lifestyle, and the steps necessary can vary based on how dependent you were on nicotine previously. Follow this link to discover some of the best ways to help you give up smoking

Nicotine Replacement Therapies

If you have been smoking for years, and an abrupt stop of the habit is not part of the plan, then the nicotine replacement therapies can work. These are recommended by medical professionals if the person finds it hard to kick the habit. There are different therapies and products available, including nicotine patches, lozenges, and gum. You can also try inhalers and sprays. Using these products can help dampen your intense cravings for nicotine.If you need a more gradual way into quitting smoking, nicotine replacement therapies should be one of the possibilities that you look into. As one of the treatments most recommended by medical professionals, it is perfect for people trying to quit but currently struggling to get over the habit.Nicotine replacements can come in many forms, including edibles such as lozenges and chewing gums, or nicotine patches, inhalers and sprays. These products are designed to quell the cravings that many suffer due to the withdrawal of nicotine.

Powder Tobacco

Another popular method or approach to kick the habit is by using Swedish Snus. In Sweden, the most popular way of ending the dependence on cigarettes is by using snus, a moist powder made from tobacco that’s applied under the person’s upper lip.According to Guardian News, this product was first used in Scandinavia in the 19th century, and the popularity of this tobacco product soared in the 1970s. In Sweden, locals, particularly males, are turning to snus as an alternative to tobacco, and it shows. According to one study, many ex-smokers in Sweden are now using snus, and they never looked back!Originally made in the 19th century, Snus are a moist powder that is made of tobacco which is then smeared under the person’s upper lip. The use of Snus increased vastly throughout the 1970s, and has recently been in the news as it has emerged that these are being increasingly used by Premier League footballers as an alternative to tobacco. The benefits of using Snus instead of smoking have been looked into, with numerous studies showing that many ex-smokers have never looked back since using the product. .

Keep Yourself Active

Finally, you can stop and forget about smoking by simply keeping yourself busy. Reader’s Digest listed some of the best steps. You can take a walk, jog, read, or talk to friends. If you are too preoccupied with other things, your mind can easily set aside smoking.Last but not least, you can always distract yourself just by being busy! Whether it is taking some time to go outside for a walk or a jog, finding a new book for you to delve into or just having a chat with family and friends, there are hundreds of ways to occupy your time and your mind with things to make you forget about smoking.