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Science Explains What Happens To Your Skin When You Use Botox

May 8, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Although Botox is considered a lethal neurotoxin, a poison that attacks the nervous system, the drug remains the most sought-after beauty treatment for millions of men and women alike. In fact, many plastic surgeons have recommended botox as a non-surgical procedure for those who are interested in maintaining a youthful appearance but are averse to undergoing plastic surgery. For those who are not familiar with Botox, they are injections that one applies around the eyes or forehead via a small hypodermic needle. This injection can help remove fine lines and wrinkles. According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Botox injections accounted for more than 40 percent of all non-surgical procedures performed by cosmetic surgeons in 2014.

In this article, we will explore the benefits and the not so publicized downsides of using Botox to improve your skin’s appearance.

SAFETY AND EFFICACY

Although botulinum toxin type A (Botox) is technically a toxic substance, it contains only trace amounts of botulinum toxins after it has been diluted in saline. Once injected into the skin, botulinum toxin type A works to restrict nerve activity in the muscles, causing them to relax, which, in turn, diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Botulinum toxin A should only be administered by a trained and licensed practitioner. Although FDA-approved, botulinum toxin can cause mild to severe health problems including respiratory failure and irritation at the injection site if not used properly.

Excessive amounts of the neurotoxin can also be life-threatening, which further demonstrates the importance of receiving treatments from a trained and licensed practitioner. Derived from Clostridium botulinum, injectable botulinum toxin A is relatively safe when used as intended. According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, botulinum toxin was found to be safer when used in cosmetic procedures versus therapeutic applications. To further emphasize this point, the study revealed that there were only 36 cases involving an adverse reaction to botulinum toxin when used for cosmetic purposes between 1989 and 2003. And of those 36 cases, 13 were linked to an underlying health problem.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF BOTULINUM TOXIN INJECTIONS?

Despite being FDA-approved and having very few documented cases involving adverse reactions, there are some side effects that you should know about before deciding to undergo botulinum injection therapy. Some of the more common side effects include

Bruising or swelling at the injection site
Chills
Fever
Headache

Most patients report experiencing these symptoms shortly after undergoing botulinum injection therapy; however, they do subside after just a few days. The severity and intensity of botulinum injections’ side effects can vary depending on the injection site. For example, it is not uncommon for individuals who receive a botulinum toxin injections around the eye to decrease the appearance of crow’s feet to experience drooping eyelids, dry eyes, uneven eyebrows, or excessive tearing following their treatment. In rare cases, some individuals may experience a severe reaction to botulinum toxin injections, which can include the following symptoms:

Respiratory problems
Difficulty speaking
Difficulty swallowing
Urinary incontinence
Blurred vision

LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF BOTULINUM TOXIN INJECTIONS

The benefits of Botox for skin injections are short-lived, typically lasting 3 to 6 months. Therefore, it is not uncommon for patients to want to undergo repeated procedures to maintain their youthful appearance. In doing so, however, they may be subjecting themselves to the possibility of developing weakened facial muscles and veins that become more prominent, particularly when receiving botulinum toxin injections to reduce forehead lines. Of course, the long-term effects do not end there.

According to Dr. Caroline A. Chang, MD, FAAD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology with the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, states that repeated botulinum toxin injections can gradually alter the appearance of the skin, causing it to appear wavy or discolored. Instead of relying on one type of treatment, Dr. Chang recommends that patients view botulinum toxin injections as part of a comprehensive approach to skin care. Topical retinoid creams, for example, can help combat premature aging and also reduce the number of botulinum toxin injections needed to keep your skin looking its best, according to Dr. Chang. For those who may not be familiar with retinoid creams, they are creams that contain vitamin A, which can be used to resolve acne and other skin conditions that contribute to dull-looking skin.

BENEFITS OF RECEIVING BOTULINUM TOXIN INJECTIONS AT A MEDICAL CENTER

If you have made up your mind to undergo a Botox for skin treatment, it is in your best interest to receive your injections at a professional medical center. In doing so, you can be assured that you will receive prompt medical attention should something go wrong. Also, knowing that you’re receiving injections from a licensed and trained practitioner can provide you with some peace of mind. After all, whether they are being administered for cosmetic or therapeutic purposes, undergoing botulinum toxin injection therapy is still considered a medical procedure. Of course, it is still important to do your due diligence and choose the medical center that best meets your needs and can help you achieve the youthful, radiant skin of your dreams. Additional benefits of having your botulinum toxin injections done in a professional medical center include

Better results – Generally speaking, a licensed and trained practitioner like the ones from botox palm clinic will be more familiar with the more than 40 muscles in the face and how those muscles work collectively to form facial expressions. This knowledge will enable them to perform expert injections that can lead to better and longer lasting results. In many cases, a patient will allow costs to guide their decision when choosing a practitioner to perform their Botox for skin injections only to find that they are having trouble making facial expression shortly after receiving their treatment. Although cost is important, it shouldn’t be the only factor that influences your decision when it comes to choosing a practitioner for your procedure.

Comfort

As with any medical procedure, comfort plays a key role when it comes to the success of your botulinum toxin injection procedure. One of the things that most people will agree on is that a clean, sanitary setting goes a long way toward putting your mind at ease before you receive your treatment. Also, if you’re concerned about pain or irritation at the injection site, practitioners in a professional medical center will often administer a numbing agent before performing botulinum toxin injections, which helps to minimize pain and skin irritation.

Quality products

Although it may be less to receive botulinum toxin injections from an unlicensed practitioner, you run the risk of receiving counterfeit botulinum toxin formulations that may do more harm than good. In most cases, if a practitioner is advertising lower than average costs for Botox for skin injections, they are either using an inferior or counterfeit product. Basically, the likelihood of receiving an authentic product is higher if you opt to go to a professional medical center for your treatment.

The best way to tell the difference between fake botulinum toxin formulations and their counterfeit counterparts is to look for the hologram logo. This label denotes the product’s authenticity. Also, each botulinum toxin formulation should have a tamper-evidence sticker on the box that it is packaged in along with tracking numbers.

Safety

Regardless of what drives your decision to undergo botulinum toxin injection therapy, safety should always be your number one concern. The practitioners that work in a professional medical center are generally well-versed when it comes to how much botulinum toxin should be used on the skin and where those injections should take place. This level of knowledge and expertise can significantly lower your risk of an adverse reaction.

Also, in the event that something goes wrong, you’ll have the added peace of mind of knowing that there is someone to turn to should problems arise. If you were to receive your botulinum toxin injections from a fly-by-night operation, for example, you have no way of knowing for sure how long they will be around in the weeks following your procedure. While time is the only thing that can resolve a botched injection, there may be steps that can be taken to resolve droopiness of other imperfections in the interim.

In summary, botulinum toxin injections are generally safe and can provide short-term benefits, namely the appearance of radiant, glowing skin. However, you will need to undergo routine injections. Furthermore, you’ll use a retinoid cream to keep your skin looking its best. Despite the many benefits associated with botulinum toxin injections, consider the risks versus the rewards. Indeed, you must be mindful as you decide whether or not these injections are right for you. As with any matter involving your health, it is critical that you explore your options and do your due diligence when it comes to any skin treatment.

Science Explains 21 Things That Happen To Your Body When You Drink Celery Juice Every Day

May 8, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Have you ever juiced celery before? Though most people know celery to be one of the healthiest vegetables, few people know of the superpower that celery juice holds.

Celery links directly to lowering blood pressure. It’s healing, refreshing, and one of the most fulfilling snacks in the world.

Celery leaves have high vitamin A levels, and the stalks contain vitamin C, B6, B2. and B1. Thus, when blended into a juice, celery provides a whole host of other benefits.

21 Surprising Benefits of Drinking Celery Juice

Here are some compelling reasons to give this refreshing drink a try

1. Restore Your Body’s Acidity

You can drink celery juice to help maintain the balance between alkaline and acid in your body. This vegetable actively reduces your body’s acidity, helping to make your body more alkalescent, keeping your pH levels balanced.

Celery is alkaline, meaning it has a pH level that is higher than seven. In the human body, blood pH levels are somewhat more alkaline, with a 7.35 to 7.45 pH level. On the other hand, your stomach has a 1.5 to 3.5 pH, meaning it’s more acidic. Eating celery may bring better balance to your body’s pH levels. Alkaline foods slow down your aging process and prevent diseases.

Studies suggest there could be other benefits to eating a more alkaline diet, including these:

Eating more veggies and fruits will improve your bone health, reduce muscle deterioration, and help offset chronic diseases such as high blood pressure.
An alkaline diet increases growth hormones affecting your memory, brain function, and heart health.
Eating less fatty foods and more fresh foods in general increases your chances of overall better health and weight loss.
Alkaline diets increase your magnesium levels, which help your body absorb vitamin D.
Eating an alkaline or low acid diet could help people with kidney disease.

Besides celery, other alkaline foods include the following:

Most fruits
Most vegetables-especially leaf greens
Wine
Soda water
Soy
Legumes
Nuts
Seeds

These vital minerals work to neutralize any additional acidity that you may be experiencing.

2. Lower Your Blood Pressure

Have high blood pressure?

Celery contains heart-healthy sodium that doesn’t dehydrate but helps support your lymph and blood systems. It’s rich in iron, vitamins K, A, and C. Researchers are still finding out all the benefits of eating celery. Some suggest that due to celery’s high vitamin K levels, it also has blood-thinning properties, which may offset strokes and lower your blood pressure.

3. Help Prevent Cancer

Celery is a centuries-old medicinal plant used to fight various diseases. It’s part of the Apiaceae family, including parsley, carrots, coriander, carrots, parsnips, and cumin. Studies show that the flavonoids and phenolic compounds found in celery contain antioxidant properties that have biological effects of fighting cancer—phenolic acids in celery help block prostaglandins that would otherwise encourage the growth of tumor cells. There is ongoing research on the various ways celery can soothe and heal during cancer treatment. Patients eating celery could offset harmful side effects like IBS, Crohn’s disease, and inflammation caused by cancer-fighting chemo drugs.

Phenolic acids in celery help to block prostaglandins that would otherwise encourage the growth of tumor cells. This juice’s soothing and healing effects also help treat cancer treatment symptoms, like IBS, colon cancer, Crohn’s disease, and inflammation from digestive issues.

4. Lower Cholesterol Levels

Drinking celery juice breaks down fat and helps your digestive system eliminate waste better. It also boosts bile secretion with a substance called 3-n-butylphthalide, which can help lower cholesterol levels in your blood. It’s a good, high fiber juice you should add to your daily juicing habit.

So use this beverage as a natural remedy to lower cholesterol within the body. This juice contains a substance called 3-n-butylphthalide, which positively affects reducing cholesterol in the blood.

5. Prevent Constipation

Celery contains a lot of fiber that works as a laxative. It aids your digestive system, helping it eliminate wastes easier. If you suffer from constipation, look no further than celery juice. It’s a natural laxative because it relaxes the nerves in your bowels, making it easier for you to go and helping your system to be more regular.

Thus, this juice is very useful in relieving constipation. It helps to relax your nerves in your bowels, making it easier to go.

6. A Natural Diuretic

Celery root is a natural diuretic that regulates urine production and ensures that you can effectively secrete waste. But this old news. Hippocrates, who lived between 460 B.C. to 375 B.C., told his patients to eat celery to reduce their body’s excess fluids. Phtalides, a natural chemical compound found in celery, acts as a diuretic. Inhibitors also reduce uric acid levels in celery. So, if you suffer from gout or edema, which can cause the build-up of uric acid crystals in your joints, be sure to eat lots of celery for relief.

So this drink helps to regulate your urine production and ensures that you can effectively secrete waste.

7. Prevent Inflammation

Studies found that celery contains several anti-inflammatory properties. Celery’s potent flavonoid, luteolin, is an antioxidant that calms inflammation in your body. The celery’s polyacetylene also reduces inflammation from diseases like

Gout
Degenerative joint disease
Respiratory diseases
Arthritis
Osteoporosis

These two compounds combined make celery the perfect natural treatment for fighting inflammation in your body.

Try this green lemon ginger juice to fight your aches and pains.

8. Improve Kidney Function

Celery juice improves kidney function, prevents kidney stones, kidneys, bladder, and gallbladder. It balances the body’s pH levels, so it neutralizes high acidity levels, which are harmful to your kidneys. Celery juice also provides detoxification to your body, so it eliminates calcium deposits that can build up in your joints.

The celery will help your body complete its detoxification process by getting rid of calcium deposits from your joints.

9. Support Your Nervous System

Celery juice is a natural antioxidant that helps support your nervous system. It contains natural magnesium, which enables you to sleep better. Those who drink celery juice regularly say they feel more relaxed and find they don’t get sick as often.

10. Aids in Weight Loss

Drinking celery juice has so many healthful benefits. One major benefit of drinking celery juice is natural weight loss. It’s high in fiber, so it fills you up, so you’re less hungry. It’s packed with good nutrition and vitamins, which is a big plus when you’re trying to lose weight but don’t want to feel tired and sluggish. Speaking of sluggish, celery juice keeps your bowels regular, so you don’t end up constipated when you diet.

Are you trying to find a more effective weight loss regimen? Start drinking more of this juice. As celery is filled with vitamins and nutrients, it is the perfect way to satiate your cravings.

Low in calories, making a habit of consuming more of this juice will help you shed more inches sooner than you think.

11. Detoxify Your Liver

Treat your liver kindly by adding celery juice to your daily diet routine. It’s a natural cleanser for your liver since it helps boost the secretion of bile, which helps your body breakdown fats and eliminate waste. Celery juice also lowers your cholesterol levels.

Do you find that you are continually dealing with recurrent viruses, fungi, bacteria, and other toxins? It’s time to treat your liver to some celery juice.

The photo nutrients inside the celery will help clear out your liver and ensure it functions effectively as it works to detoxify your body.

12. Improve Your Sleep

Magnesium is a mineral instrumental in helping you sleep better. One ounce of celery gives you 3.12 mg of magnesium. If you lack magnesium in your diet, you’re apt to suffer from insomnia. Magnesium, often called the sleep mineral, helps calm your body down before bedtime. So consider drinking your celery juice in the evening so you can reap the benefits of stress-free sleep.

12. Promote Healthy Skin

Are store-bought skin treatments not working for you? Try caring for your skin with the nutrients found in celery juice. Celery juice can help firm up your skin and improve elasticity. Celery is a superfood with skin loving vitamins A, K, B, and C.

13. Eliminate Pimples and Acne

Tired of dealing with pimples and acne scars? Start taking your skin back by drinking more of this juice.

Celery contains antibacterial properties that help fight pimples and acne. A diet high in celery gives you beneficial minerals and vitamins so you can fight skin breakouts and oiliness on your skin. Turn back the clock. You can have skin that’s soft and clear once again when you start drinking celery juice every day.

14. Reduce Wrinkles

Anti-aging creams move over. Celery juice is in the room. Signs of aging like wrinkles decrease when you drink celery juice regularly. Because celery contains a wide variety of nourishing vitamins, especially the skin vitamin A, drinking it helps reduce wrinkles giving you the softer, younger looking skin you want.

15. Remove Dandruff

Celery juice has a lot of vitamin A, a skin vitamin that helps your scalp to fight dandruff. It also contains water, which keeps your scalp hydrated to fight dandruff better. Drinking celery juice regularly improves your hair texture and enhances the growth of your hair.

Ultimately, these nutrients will work to eliminate dandruff and keep your scalp free and clear.

16. Prevent Hair Loss and Graying

Is your hair aging faster than you are? Starting to lose more strands than you should be?

No one wants to go prematurely gray or have thinning hair. It makes you look and feel old. Celery juice is considered by many as a superfood for its excellent antioxidant properties that improve your cell growth and immune system. It sends an anti-aging message to your body, so you look and feel younger.

High in vitamins and minerals, cereal juice helps your hair look healthier by stimulating hair growth and reducing the amount of gray.

17. Prevent Jaundice

While jaundice isn’t a common concern for most people today, drinking celery juice reduces your jaundice risk. Its antioxidative properties work to keep your blood clean to prevent the bile buildup that leads to this condition.

18. Prevent Dehydration

Celery contains a significant amount of water and electrolytes. Drinking celery juice regularly helps athletes fight dehydration after their workouts. If you’re prone to dehydration, try adding celery juice to your daily regime to stay hydrated.

19. Fight Bronchitis

If you grind up the entire celery stalk with the seeds and all as you make the juice, you’ll be able to treat respiratory diseases like bronchitis and asthma.

Blend some celery in your juicer when you are fighting an infection caused by bronchitis. Celery is high in vitamin C, which can reduce the longevity of a disease. It also has antioxidant properties that boost your immune system to fight off infection.

20. Treat Psoriasis

High in vitamin A, celery juice can fight skin diseases like psoriasis. It’s a natural remedy with no side effects that helps skin clear up and become smooth again. Celery contains a high amount of water, which can help your skin clear up.

21. Improve Blood Clotting Abilities

The vitamin K in celery helps prevent blood clots. One cup of celery gives you 30% of this vitamin. Because of this, celery helps reduce your risk of a stroke from a blood clot.

Celery juice detox recipe

So…

Now you know that this refreshing drink is terrific for your health. Here’s an easy recipe to help you start reaping the many benefits.

This celery juice detox can boost your metabolism so you can lose weight and feel better. Drink your detox celery juice 30 minutes before you eat a meal. This habit helps your metabolism rev up, so you burn fat faster. Plus, you’ll feel full due to the extra fiber in celery so that you won’t eat as much during your meal.

Ingredients:

One bunch of organic celery
One organic apple chopped into pieces
1 organic cucumber, chopped (you can use Persian if you prefer. Just add 2 or 3 instead of 1)
One small piece of ginger, peeled

Directions:

Wash the celery thoroughly
Juice the celery
Now juice the cucumber, apple, and ginger.
Mix the celery juice and the other juice mixture. Stir.
Enjoy the fresh juice right away to get the most nutrition. You can also keep this in the fridge for up to two days.

Final Thoughts on Drinking Celery Juice Every Day

For many people, celery acts as the natural cure-all for everything from hair loss to weight loss. Whatever you use this juice to treat, you’ll find that you feel and look much better after making celery and its juice a regular part of your diet.

Don’t miss out on all of the health benefits of celery. Keep this guide in mind the next time you’re looking for something healthy, refreshing, and healing to drink.

20 Real People Who Never Gave Up And Made Their Dreams Come True

May 8, 2019 by Power of Positivity

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.” – T.E. Lawrence

Do you have a dream gnawing at you because you keep trying to stuff it down, but it just won’t go away? Most of us probably do, but our responsibilities and daily lives keep us from acting on them. However, some of us take the plunge anyway in hopes that, by following our hearts, we can finally come alive.

If you’ve been on the fence about following your dreams, let the stories of these everyday people serve as your inspiration. Let them remind you that anyone can achieve their dreams if they put their mind to it!

Here are 20 people who never gave up and turned their dreams into reality:

1. Even when you’re at your lowest, someone could come into your life and change it for the better. Beautiful story!

Yesterday I married this beautiful woman. After years of PTSD, crippling anxiety and depression I can finally say I am the happiest I have ever been. She sees the beauty in every little thing around her and it is by her example that I have learned to truly love life.
byu/patrickmachine inhappy

2. No matter what you’re going through, if you keep your eyes on your dreams, you can make it.

After years of struggling to get out of bed with pain from endometriosis and RA, this morning I walked 4K of the Great Wall
byu/Znev inhappy

3. Can you imagine being in that situation? What a strong woman to go through that and come out on top!

I’ve erased 100 titles by now because nothing can explain how happy I am. Four years of trying to figure out how to be an utterly single mom, homelessness, and living in my car, we finally moved into a real home. Obligatory floor pizza on the first night
byu/Cynicismanddick inhappy

4. Earning a Master’s Degree is no easy feat, so congratulations, Ma’am!

After many long years in school- my Master’s diploma came. I am so happy and proud of myself.
byu/brandsie inhappy

5. Buying a house in 2019 isn’t cheap, so this is a huge accomplishment!

Hey, Reddit! I bought my first house today!
byu/bburk437 inpics

6. Man’s best friend is literally the best birthday present ever. So awesome!

I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression since I was 15. Since bringing Mia into my life just one week ago, I’ve felt more happiness and peace than I ever thought possible. With her by my side, I know 26 will be my best year yet.
byu/710coug inhappy

7. Only the bravest among us could even think of jumping out of a plane. Kudos to you, Sir!

Just completed my certification to become a class A Skydiver! Here’s a shot from my grad jump.
byu/TheDollaLama inpics

8. Working two jobs isn’t easy, but it definitely beats being unemployed. What a heartwarming story!

After nearly 2 months of being unemployed, horrible depression, and eating nothing but rice and beans for the past two weeks I now have 2 jobs. One as a Bartender and another as a Pita Maker. I am not only very happy, but extremely grateful.
by inhappy

9. What an adorable little man! He’s clearly so happy that his dad adopted him.

Our adoption was finalized today! I’m “officially” a dad!
byu/abeeseas indaddit

10. This couple certainly deserved their very own backyard paradise!

In their 34 years of marriage, my parents worked multiple jobs to support our family. Every summer they would fill a small, round, inflatable pool with water from the garden hose for us kids. Yesterday they had their first swim in their very own pool!
byu/katnatcatnap inMadeMeSmile

11. Sometimes, the darkest times in your life reveal your greatest strengths.

I’m holding my new album CD for the first time. I wrote this album while going through depression, and I couldn’t be happier to still be alive and experience this 🙏🏾🤗
byu/passenger21 inhappy

12. To all the Harry Potter fans out there teeming with jealousy, we hear you.

My dad loves legos so for his 50th Birthday we got him the Hogwarts Castle. He’s so happy.
byu/xobbyscorpioo inpics

13. How inspiring! That’s a really great time, too!

I ran my first race today! It was a 6.5km and I did it in 44:27! I trained for two months (and lost nearly three clothes sizes), having never been a runner before. I’m so dang proud of myself!
byu/toriadenofrio inhappy

14. Mental illnesses are hard to overcome, and this is definitely a step in the right direction.

Today for the first time in my Anorexia recovery being told “I look healthy” made me happy not guilty! Yay for good mental shifts!
byu/scrlett inhappy

15. This is an important stepping stone on the path to making her dreams come true!

My Daughter Won a welding skills fest today. Best Valentine’s Day gift ever!!
by inpics

16. You’re never too old to play around with your hair color!

Grandma always wanted to dye her hair, finally happened
byu/brunomennaB inMadeMeSmile

17. Hard work pays off, so never give up on your dreams!

I’ve lost a lot of weight and can finally see it when I look in the mirror, this is the first time in months I’ve dressed up and felt genuinly decent looking 🙂
by inhappy

18. It’s awesome how this dad has the support of his family as well. Way to go!

I’ve never seen my dad go a whole day without a drink, until this year. 27 days sober and counting!
byu/bloodblondie inMadeMeSmile

19. Creative endeavors take a ton of willpower and effort to see through; congrats to this Reddit user!

I have finished photographing the final recipe for my first cookbook! I’m a self taught photographer and home cook and I’ve been working nights and weekends developing over 100 recipes over 4 months. I’m soon going to be a published author and I’m so freaking proud.
byu/BushyEyes inhappy

20. This is a beautiful moment captured on camera. If you go after your dreams with all your heart, they CAN come true!

Gabriel Nobre, 19, with his mom and sister right after he found out he’d passed Brazil’s famously difficult university entrance exam. The young man had cut a deal with a prep course to clean the building in exchange for free classes to help him prepare for the exam.
byu/ThatDIYCouple inMadeMeSmile

Dreams seem impossible to achieve at times, but many people have started from the bottom and climbed their way up the ladder to their dream life. Just remember that anything you can conceive, you can achieve. It takes a lot to get there, but with time and perseverance, you can do it!

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

This Personal Trainer Gained 70 Pounds to Help One Woman Lose Weight

May 8, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Everyone who wants to lose weight (or has in the past) knows that it takes incredible willpower and motivation to do so. You have to cut back on all the unhealthy (yet delicious) foods you enjoy while sticking to a stricter diet of healthy foods.

Also, nights at the bar or club are out since alcohol contains a lot of calories. So, to sum things up, losing weight is no easy feat.

However, one amazing trainer decided to actually gain weight so that he and his client could lose the weight together. Read on to find out more about trainer Adonis Hill and how his methods helped one woman lose weight.

This personal trainer gained 70 pounds to help one woman lose weight:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adonis “No Excuses” Hill (@bodybyadonis) on Sep 14, 2017 at 7:12pm PDT

Adonis and his clients’ journeys began on the TV show Fit To Fat To Fit, where personal trainers literally put themselves in their clients’ shoes by gaining weight so both of them can lose it together.

Adonis excitedly agreed to gain 70 pounds for a woman if it meant it would save her life.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adonis “No Excuses” Hill (@bodybyadonis) on Jan 28, 2016 at 12:15pm PST

His client Alissa began her weight loss journey at 308 pounds and had been overweight her whole life. So that they would be on the same page, Adonis had to gain over 70 pounds in 4 months. To accomplish this, he needed to stop exercising, eat a lot of junk food, and drink sodas.

Due to his extreme weight gain in such a short amount of time, doctors had to cut his weight-gaining journey by one month because of health problems. He was diagnosed with hypertension and prediabetes; fortunately, since losing the weight, his health problems have disappeared.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adonis “No Excuses” Hill (@bodybyadonis) on Jan 31, 2016 at 4:56pm PST

After Adonis gained the necessary weight, the real work began. He and Alissa did cardio and weight training as well as followed a strict diet in order to lose weight. They also had to support each other during the hard times when old addictions and habits threatened their progress. However, since they had each other, they had no problems getting back on track.

https://www.facebook.com/1044883988874109/photos/a.1235172036511969/1235171993178640/?type=3

The Good Ending

Alissa lost 57 pounds in 4 months while Adonis’ weight was around 227 pounds. So, they both achieved their goals, and the best part is, they were a team during the whole journey. Adonis believes the experiment was totally worth it since it helped Alissa get her health back on track. He added that empathy can go a long way in improving someone’s life.

Adonis hopes that this experiment will raise awareness about the risks of obesity, saying, “If we continued down that unhealthy road, the cemetery is where we would’ve ultimately ended up.”

We hope this article inspires you to lose weight (if you need to) or just improve your health in general!

The #1 Reason You Can’t Find True Love (And How to Fix It)

May 8, 2019 by Power of Positivity

We all dream of the day that we meet our true love. Whether it’s off of a dating app or through a chance meeting at a favorite coffee spot, falling in love with our soulmate is something that all of us hope to achieve sooner rather than later.

But sometimes, it feels that it will never happen. If you’re wondering why you never seem to find the right partner, the answer is closer than you think.

Finding True Love

The #1 reason you can’t find true love is that you don’t yet love yourself.

While self-love can look differently for many people, it is something that so many of us are missing, perhaps because we have never been taught how to love ourselves.

If you’ve yet to find the greatest love of all, we’ve got the answers for you.
Though self-love is a journey, regardless of where you are in yours, we can all make steps to fall more in love with ourselves. Keep reading to learn how to find true love within yourself.

1. Recognize Your Accomplishments

Life passes us by so quickly that we spend most of our lives planning and worrying about the future and doing all that we can to ensure our goals are met. However, this type of mindset leaves little room for celebrating ourselves and our accomplishments.

A key part of transforming your mindset to one of self-love is learning to take pride in your accomplishments. Regardless of how productive you are or how much you got done this week, take notice of what you’ve already done.

By making a list of everything you’ve accomplished, you’ll be able to remind yourself of all your achievements and you’ll see just how capable you are and how valuable your energy is.

2. Be Kind to Yourself

We all have a voice inside our heads as we go throughout the day. This is the voice of our self-talk and will vary depending on how we feel about ourselves.

While it may not seem like it at first, the way you think about yourself can seriously change your life. For example, if you constantly think “I’m so dumb” or “I’m so stupid” after making a mistake, this sort of negative self-talk will eventually erode at your self esteem.

These thoughts will spill over to your life and will seriously prevent you from experiencing the level of self love that you deserve.

3. Change What You Can

Is something standing in the way of you liking yourself? While you should love yourself as you are no matter what, if there is something you don’t like that you have control over, you can change it.

This advice isn’t necessarily about physical attributes–it can refer to how you think and act.

Are you overly critical of yourself? Are you incredibly anxious? If this is the kind of behavior you’ve witnessed in yourself, you have the power to change this.

Start by monitoring the way you think and how you respond to certain things. Once your mind starts wandering in that direction, stop yourself. While this retraining will take time, you’ll find that you will feel entirely different about yourself through the process.

4. Learn to Trust Yourself

We often value trust so much in our relationships with others but we fail to think about it in relation to ourselves.

While you may not think about the fact that you’ve been distrustful to yourself, it happens more often than you realize. Whenever you tell yourself you’ll do something but end up going back on your word, this is an example of you giving up on yourself.

Grow in your self-love by boosting your self-trust through the following methods:

Remind yourself of moments when you’ve kept your word to yourself. These memories will show you that you are reliable and can handle anything you put your mind to.
Keep the promises you make to yourself. After setting a goal, do everything in your power to follow through with it.
Trust your judgement. While it’s perfectly fine to ask others for help, ultimately, you get the final say when it comes to your choices. Whether your decision follows the advice of others or not, you get the final say.
Accept your flaws and learn to love everything about yourself. None of us are perfect, so learn to love yourself–flaws and all.

5. Date Yourself

Since romantic love is so celebrated by our society, many of us believe that we can only go on dates with a romantic partner. However, this isn’t true at all.

Do you have a favorite restaurant that you love to go to? Is there a certain movie that you’ve been dying to see? Take yourself out on a date and spend time enjoying your own company.

If you can’t spend time alone with yourself, you’ll never know just how enjoyable your own company is. How can you expect your true love to?

6. Create a Vision Board

A major component of loving ourselves is knowing that we are living our best lives. Make sure you are reaching for your dream life by keeping your future goals at the forefront of your mind by making a habit of creating vision boards.

Whether you create a vision board in person or on Pinterest, this activity will allow you see that your biggest dreams are all achievable.

Regardless of how big or small your goals are, you have what it takes to see them through. Keep reminding yourself of this truth by regularly updating your vision board.

7. Invest in Yourself

Part of learning to love yourself involves fostering your desire to keep learning and growing in life.

As long as you’re breathing, you’re never too old to learn something new. If you’re working to fall more in love with yourself, don’t ever stop growing.

Invest in yourself by taking a class, getting a certification, renting a few books, or spending time learning from a mentor. This practice of constant exploration will show you that you are truly limitless in your abilities.

8. Learn to Love the Silence

In the hustle and bustle of our daily activities, it is often difficult to carve out time for total silence. Though most of us underestimate the power of silence, having the opportunity to take just a few minutes each day to sit quietly and alone is invaluable to self-love.

Use this time of solitude to completely declutter your mind and separate yourself from all the stress you have in life. This act of self-care will do wonders for your self-love.

The process of sitting quietly and focusing on clearing your mind will renew your energy and restore balance to your thoughts and emotions.

9. Stop Looking for Love

Are you a serial dater? Are you so determined to find the perfect partner that you are always looking to find true love wherever you go?

Whether you’re constantly swiping through Tinder or you’re spending all your free time going on as many blind dates as possible, this isn’t the best way to find true love.

Though it is quite a cliche to say, “love will find you when you stop looking for it”, it’s true.

When you focus so intensely on trying to find the love of your life, you put all your time and energy into ensuring you identify and attract the right person. Once you meet someone, you may end up rushing into things, simply because you’re trying to make your true love happen overnight.

While dating is fun, there is something to be said about taking things slowly and letting life simply happen as it wants to. Instead of actively searching for your soulmate, it’s time to look inside and see that you are your own true love.

10. Handle Your Past Pain

Emotional baggage is certainly something that can prevent you from moving forward.

It is impossible to truly fall in love with yourself if you’re still being weighed down by all of your past pain. Start the healing process by identifying the hurt that you feel and understanding what issues they stem from.

Once you learn where your pain is coming from, it’s time to go through the forgiveness process. While this isn’t easy, it’s incredibly important as you work on loving yourself a little more each day.

As you continue to work on your baggage from the past, you’ll find that you’re able to free your mind and your heart, which brings you one step closer to being emotionally and mentally prepared to find true love.

Final Thoughts on Finding True Love

No one can tell you exactly how or when you’ll meet your true love, but we can tell you where to find the greatest love of all. Look within to find the first person you must fall in love with before you meet your soulmate.

Learning to love yourself is a process that takes time. Enjoy this journey of self-love and keep these 10 tips in mind. True love will find you, but make sure you love yourself enough for the both of you.

15 Amazing Health Benefits Of Beetroot

May 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Beetroots are popularly called beets and are a common root vegetable utilized in numerous cuisines globally. Beetroots are rich in essential minerals, plant compounds, and vitamins that have medicinal properties.

Hence, the vegetable can assist in offering many health benefits. These include fighting cancer, combating aging, losing weight, and more.

Here are 15 beetroot benefits.

1. Can Assist in Losing Weight

Many beetroot benefits make them suitable for losing weight. One such benefit is that they are filled with water and have low calories. Increasing your consumption of low-calorie foods such as vegetables and foods has been linked to weight loss.

Moreover, they have moderate quantities of fiber and proteins despite having low-calorie content. Proteins and fibers are essential nutrients to consume if you are looking to getting and maintaining a healthy weight. The fiber in beetroots can also assist in promoting weight loss by decreasing appetite and fostering feelings of satiety, which minimizes the general intake of calories.

2. Fighting Cancer

Cancer is a severe and fatal condition that features uncontrolled cell growth. However, beetroot has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can combat cancer. According to research, beetroot extract has been revealed to minimize the growth and division of tumor cells in animals.

A test-tube study involving human cells discovered that beetroot extract that has plenty of betalain pigments decreased the growth of breast and prostate cancer cells. It is crucial to keep in mind that these studies were carried out in rats and isolated human cells. Hence, there is a need for more research to assess whether the same impacts would be realized in living humans.

3. Supporting Brain Health

As one grows older, their cognitive and mental function decline naturally. For particular people, this decline is significant and can lead to conditions such as dementia. A decrease in oxygen and blood flow to the brain can lead to this decline.

Fortunately, the nitrates present in beetroot can boost cognitive and mental function by enabling the dilation of blood vessels and improving the flow of blood to the brain. Beetroot has been discovered to specifically boost the flow of blood to the brain’s frontal lobe, which is the region linked to higher-level thinking like working memory and decision making.

Moreover, a particular study regarding patients of type 2 diabetes researched the impact of beetroot on simple reaction time, which is a cognitive function measure. Simple reaction time was four percent faster in individuals who drunk 250 ml of beetroot juice every day for 14 days than the control group.

4. Better Digestion Health

Dietary fiber is a critical component of a healthy meal. It has been associated with numerous beetroot benefits like improved digestion. A cup of beetroots has 3.4 grams of fiber, which makes it an excellent source of fiber.

Fiber is not usually digested and instead adds bulk to the stool in addition to feeding healthy gut bacteria. This, in turn, promotes digestive health, maintains regular bowel movement, and prevents conditions such as constipation, diverticulitis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Additionally, fiber has been associated with minimized likelihood of chronic conditions that include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colon cancer.

5. Fighting Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is related to some conditions including cancer, liver disease, obesity, and heart disease. Beetroots have pigments referred to as betalains that can potentially reduce inflammation. But most of the studies on this topic has been done on rats.

Extract and juice from beetroots have been found to decrease kidney inflammation in rats that received injections of toxic chemicals that cause serious injury. Research that involved humans having osteoarthritis revealed that betalain capsules made with extract from beetroots decreased discomfort and pain linked to the condition.

6. Improving Athletic Performance

Numerous studies have shown that consumption of nitrates can enhance athletic performance. Hence, beetroots are frequently consumed by athletes. Nitrates seem to impact physical performance by increasing the efficiency of mitochondria that work to produce energy in your body cells.

A study of participants who consumed 17 ounces of juice from beetroots every day for a week showed that they extended their high-intensity workout by 15 to 25 percent, which indicated a one to two percent improvement in general performance. Consumption of beetroots also boosts cycling performance while increasing oxygen use by up to 20 percent.

It is good to keep in mind that levels of blood nitrate peak within two to three hours. Hence, to increase their maximum potential, it is best to eat beetroots two to three hours prior to training or competing.

7. Keeping Track of Blood Pressure

One of the top causes of death in the world includes heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure. A leading risk factor of these conditions is high blood pressure. According to studies, beetroots can vitally reduce blood pressure by a maximum of four to ten mmHg over four hours.

The impact seems to be more significant for systolic blood pressure, which is the pressure during contraction of the heart, as opposed to diastolic blood pressure, which is the pressure when the heart relaxes. The impact can be more powerful for raw beetroots than cooked beetroots.

This impact of lowering blood pressure is caused by the levels of nitrates in beetroots. Inside your body, dietary nitrates are changed into nitric oxide, which is a molecule that causes the dilation of blood vessels in order to drop the blood pressure.

8. Relieving Fatigue

The human body needs a consistent oxygen amount in order to function. This also keeps the body energized. Since the nitrate found in beetroots assists in the dilation of blood vessels, oxygen is transported throughout the body to boost your energy levels.

Iron is another mineral found in beetroots that assists in fighting fatigue and improving stamina. Hence, start incorporating this vegetable in your diet to avoid low energy levels and fatigue.

9. Prevention of Bad Cholesterol

Beetroots are rich in flavonoids, which are dietary fiber, as well as betacyanin. Betacyanin is a potent antioxidant that decreases the oxidation of LDL cholesterol hence preventing its buildup in the arteries.

This process safeguards your heart from a heart attack and stroke. Hence, regular consumption of beetroots can avoid the buildup of bad cholesterol in the arteries.

10. Preventing Osteoporosis

The nitrates in the beetroots get converted into nitric oxide by the body to avoid particular lifestyle-related conditions such as osteoporosis. The vegetable is also ideal for treating osteoporosis since its rich in silica, which is needed by the body to employ calcium effectively. Hence, consuming a glass of juice from beetroots daily can prevent you from getting osteoporosis and other conditions such as brittle bone disease.

Research shows that betaine supplements assist in lowering homocysteine levels in your body. Excess levels of homocysteine can increase the risk of osteoporosis.

11. Reducing Aging

Beet greens have vitamin A as well as carotenoids that can be beneficial to your health. They also have a decent amount of lutein, another powerful antioxidant. These minerals will combat free radicals and wrinkles as well.

A Chinese study discovered that sugar beet molasses have exceptional antioxidant properties. Moreover, the phenolic levels present in these molasses revealed anti-aging properties.

12. Better Sexual Health

Beetroots have been utilized as aphrodisiacs for the longest time. They have significant amounts of boron, which is a mineral directly linked to sex hormone production. Beetroots also have a relaxation effect.

Betaine found in beetroots assists in mind relaxation while tryptophan promotes happiness. The two compounds can assist you in getting yourself in the mood. According to Saudi Arabian research, the juice from beetroots can also aid in treating sexual weakness.

13. Treating Anemia

Anemia is caused by low levels of iron in the body. It was discovered that beetroots have high levels of iron, and the mineral is better absorbed from beetroots than some other vegetables.

Research by the University of Maryland Medical Center revealed that beet greens have high levels of iron and can assist in fighting anemia. Beetroots also have folate that can assist in treating anemia.

14. Healthy Pregnancy

According to research on the advantages of beetroots, particularly due to their nitrate concentration, it was discovered that the nutrient was beneficial to pregnant women. But there is a need for further research.

Beetroots also have high levels of folic acid that are beneficial to pregnant women. Folic acid aids in the prevention of neural tube defects in infants.

15. Better Liver Health

Beetroots have calcium, antioxidants, iron, betaine, and B vitamins that are vital to a healthy liver. Beetroots also thin the bile in the liver, which allows it to flow via the small intestine and the liver easily. This further improves the health of the liver.

Betaine in beetroots also assists the liver in eliminating toxins. The fiber present in beetroots assists in clearing the toxins that have been eradicated from the liver, ensuring they don’t get back to the body.

The liver also has copper and zinc that can assist in safeguarding the liver cells from oxidative stress. A study from Poland revealed that beetroots could ensure the liver is safe from oxidative damage.

Conclusion

If you are looking to consume a vegetable that will come with these numerous beetroot benefits, beetroots are perfect for you. What’s more, you can have it as a juice too, making it versatile and easy to incorporate to a regimen.

The numerous vitamins and minerals will ensure your sexual health, brain health, blood health, digestion health, and other areas of the body are in optimal conditions. There is no better vegetable to help you feel relaxed and lose weight at the same time than beetroots.

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