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15 Signs That Reveal A Good Man

May 12, 2020 by Power of Positivity

A good man may be hard to find, according to many women. The definition of what makes a man “good” may vary, but certain qualities are non-negotiable. Many people wonder what traits are essential in a good man. So, what qualities make a man suitable?

A good man, one study found, has certain qualities. Women ranked qualities like honesty, humor, kindness, and dependability as the most important. But there are other qualities that could be added to this list.

Here is a list of 15 signs that reveal a good man.

1 – Supportive of you

A good man is supportive of you, whether it’s in your career, your schooling, or your creative outlets. He sees what you’re doing as essential, not just secondary to him. He encourages you to pursue your dreams because he cares about you and your interests as much as his own interests. He’s for you, not against you.

2 – Works hard to get to know your family and friends

If you’re in a relationship or married, you know how important it is to you that your family and friends get to know your partner. When he wants to get to know your family and friends, it’s especially encouraging to you. He cares for enough about you to want to know these people, because they’re people you love. When he reaches out to your family and friends, it’s a sign of his love and commitment to you. Keep an eye out for this kind of good man.

3 – Respectful

Respect is an essential quality in human relationships. If your man isn’t respectful of you, it should be a huge warning sign. Disrespect means he’s not really for you, he’s more concerned about himself. Don’t believe the lie that once you’re married, he’ll be more respectful. Disrespect of women can be a sign of entitlement or sexual dominance, one study found. If you see this in your man, you may need to step back in the relationship.

4 – Emotionally open

Men who are emotionally open and in touch with their feelings are better able to listen and encourage your emotional growth. Emotional vulnerability makes your relationship deeper. When you share your opinions and struggles with your man, you should feel his understanding. A man who is emotionally uptight or unwilling to talk about his feelings is immature. This isn’t the kind of relationship you want.

5 – Willing to work on your relationship

A good man values your relationship enough to work towards its growth. He doesn’t blame you but seeks to own his own negative contributions. One study found that forgiveness is an essential element in a relationship. A good man is willing to forgive. He doesn’t hold a grudge or try to get revenge when you do something wrong. Part of being human means you do and say things you may regret later on. A man who’s willing to work to make himself better and work on your relationship is indeed a good man.

6 – You share similar values

This might not seem like a game-changer in a relationship, but it’s a huge contributing factor to a successful relationship. Having similar values means you and your man have the same values related to marriage, family, religion, and character qualities like trust and honesty.

If you disagree on too many of these values, you’ll be clashing all the time. You may not agree on all of these, but a good man is open to discuss his values and is ready to compromise for the sake of the relationship. If he’s refusing to budge on too many of these, he may not be the one for you.

7 – Good manners

Good manners show respect. A good man knows how to relate to people like a gentleman. Here’s a list of some basic manners a good man should practice.

Ready to vacate his seat for an elderly person or disabled person
Says excuse me
Says thank you and please
Doesn’t use foul language in public
Is ready to help
Listens
Doesn’t talk about bodily functions in a group of people
Chews with his mouth closed
Doesn’t talk with food in his mouth
Keep his elbows off the table.
Washes his hands
His cellphone use in public should be private. NO one wants to hear him shouting into his phone at a restaurant.

A good man is mannerly or at least desirous of good manners. Not everyone learned good manners at home, but if your man is as least anxious to learn good manners, this is positive. If he thinks these courtesies are stupid or unnecessary, be alarmed. It’s not a sign he’s a good man.

8 – Reliable

Reliability is critical in a relationship. A good man is trustworthy. If he says he’ll do something, he does it. He doesn’t make excuses for himself. He’s reliable at work and at home. He shows up for engagements or parties on time. If your man is unpredictable, you can’t trust that he’ll be there for you. This quality is essential, so don’t overlook it when you’re considering a good man.

9 – Mature

No one wants to see a man acting like a teenager. It’s unattractive and quite honestly annoying to see a man speaking and acting half his age. It’s a sign he’s insecure. Men like this are usually looking for attention. This type of man may be fun at a party, but he’s not ready for a long term relationship. No woman wants a relationship that requires her to continually rescue her man from his immature activities. If your man acts like this, he may not be right for you.

10 – He’s a leader and a follower

We often consider a good man as someone who can lead, but a good man is one who can also follow. He is respectful at work of his boss, or team lead. He’s doesn’t need to be in control all the time. Also, he is willing to allow you to lead in areas where you have more experience or know-how. He is neither insecure nor afraid he’ll look “weak” if you lead in the relationship. Good men also know how to lead when needed in various situations which include

Knowing how to delegate
Respecting that others may be better at a job than they are
Motivating the right way, without guilting or threatening
Empathizing with others
Wanting others to succeed
Being humble, but don’t tell everyone they are
Wishing the best for everyone around them

11 – Owns his mistakes

A good man owns up to his mistakes. He listens to criticism without getting angry or blame-shifting. He admits he was wrong without drama or playing the victim. No one wants to be in a relationship with someone who wallows in self-pity. It’s selfish and proves they can’t handle criticism. A humble man that owns his mistakes is a good man. He’s humble enough to admit his weaknesses and desirous of change.

12 – He communicates

Studies show that couples who have effective communication have a more satisfying relationship. A good man not only communicates well, but he initiates contact with you. He doesn’t see it as your job to start a conversation. Also, he values your input.

And while may not agree with you on a topic, but he’s open to talking about it. He doesn’t insist that he’s right, or make you feel like your ideas are stupid. A good man will communicate with you because he cares for you.

13 – He takes the initiative in the relationship

A good man is an initiator. He initiates in

Home projects-he doesn’t wait for things in the house to fall apart before he gets them fixed
Finances-he’s saves and budgets
Communicating with you.
Planning activities as a family or couple
With the kids, he’s attentive to what they’re doing and how they’re doing.

14 – Faithful

A faithful man is a good man. He’s faithful by not gossiping about you behind your back or flirting with other women. He’s loyal enough to protect your reputation, your confidences, and your sexual relationship. His love isn’t divided, he’s attentive to you alone because you’re most important to him. A faithful man is a faithful man who you can trust with your life.

15 – Financially responsible

A good man knows how to keep his finances in order. He should understand or be learning about the essential elements of economics such as:

Credit score
Savings
Reasonable financial risk versus bad financial risk
Insurance
401K
Cash savings
Investing
Taxes

A good man won’t prey upon you for money, or ask to borrow money from you all the time. On the other hand, he doesn’t place too much emphasis on money. A good man is generous, not stingy. He won’t get angry if you spend money on something for yourself.

Finally, he’s balanced when it comes to money, seeing it as a means, not an end in itself. Lastly, a good man is willing to learn from you if you have more financial knowledge and experience than he does. This is a sign that he’s humble, and that’s good.

Final Thoughts on Finding a Good Man

If you have found love with these traits, hang on to him. He’s a definite keeper. Congratulations–you found a good man!

7 Beauty Products to Make at Home to Feel Young and Pretty

May 12, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Beauty products are sold in dozens of stores for a wide range of prices. Women around the world use cosmetics, whether they are top of the line, or the dime store brands. Foundations can cost as little as two-dollars or as much as $200. Women begin using makeup, some, as young girls playing dress-up with mom’s lipstick.

There are many items in the makeup aisle: scrubs, astringents, powders, facial creams, perfumes, scented cleansers, and unscented beauty aids. Here are a few in-home spa homemade solutions you might want to try.

Homemade items are made from natural materials, basic elements sitting in your kitchen cabinet. A person can use herbs grown on a window sill.

Materials to Use for Homemade Cosmetics:

Simple things serve as cosmetic products, coconut oil, coconut milk, cinnamon, rose petals, jojoba oil, sea salt, and lavender. Dozens of plants and flavors used each day are candidates for cosmetics.

7 Beauty Products You Can Make at Home (with ingredients you might already have on hand)

1 – Oatmeal Facial Mask:

Dead skin builds on every part of the body. A great way to remove dead skin naturally is to use oatmeal. It is natural, inexpensive, and found in most kitchen cabinets.

Simply mix it with water and lather it over your face, legs, or where ever you choose. It can get a bit messy, but once you see the results, you will find it worth the trouble. This substance will leave your skin smooth and soft.

Some are not born with naturally beautiful skin. This process takes nurturing. If you are using over the counter items, they can cost a lot of money. Beautiful skin is an everyday challenge, and using the right beauty aids makes a difference in the successful use of cosmetics.

Thankfully, there are natural ways to get the beauty supplies you need. One way to treat dry, rough skin caused by too much cold weather is with an old-fashioned oatmeal facial mask.

Oatmeal Facial Mask Recipe:

1/2 cup coconut oil
Two chamomile tea bags
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup oil of coconut

Combine Ingredients:

Whole oats need the assistance of a food processor or blender to mix. However, if you only have access to three-minute oats, you do not need the blender. The point is, get the oats as fine as possible for your mixture.

Once this is done, place the oats in a container, add the tea bags and oils. Make sure the oils are liquid. Do this by sitting the oil jars in warm water beforehand, then stir this all together.

Application:

Now you have a great facial mask or moisturizing body mask to add to your other beauty products. Use this mixture after you have cleaned your skin, so the effects of the oatmeal and oil moisturizers last longer. Use the massaging action of the fingertips or use a cloth.

Moisturizing is great for the skin; however, if your moisturizer cannot reach the true texture of the skin, moisturizing efforts are wasted. The oatmeal mask gently exfoliates and allows the oils to reach the surface of the skin. If you prefer a little aromatherapy, place a bit of chamomile in the mix.

2 – Homemade Tea Tree Oil and Sugar Scrub:

Your hands are constantly on display, so you always want them to look nice. If you are a mom constantly using your hands in detergents and suffering from dry skin, a tea tree oil and sugar scrub is a healing, soothing, smoother for rough hands. Note, it is also good for the face but with limited use once weekly.

Tea tree oil is a healing substance since it is anti-inflammatory, and it fights bacteria on the skin. This makes the self-care mixture of tea tree sugar scrub one of the essential beauty aids for any home self-care regimen.

Ingredients:

Sugar
Tea tree essential oil
Coconut oil

Combine Ingredients:

Prevent coconut oil from being too thick by placing it in warm water. Let it sit in a warm area, or give it a second or two in the microwave. Then mix it with one cup of sugar and tea tree oil. Use only 10 to 12 drops of this oil. Tea tree oil is very strong, so it is important to dilute it into a solution when using it in beauty products.

Learn why drinking orange juice could be the secret to glowing skin.

3 – Foot Scrub with Natural Essential Oils:

Weather is always hard on the body. However, some places on the body with less protection face harsher challenges, like the feet. They work constantly and take a lot of battering.

In summer, you want your feet to look soft and beautiful. This is possible if you use a good exfoliating cream. Good, over the counter brands, are expensive. However, you can make your own with a few natural ingredients.

Put together a mixture of sea salt, non-greasy argan oil, Shea butter, finely ground pumice, cocoa butter, walnut shell powder, and a touch of your favorite scent, and give your feet a relaxing treat. This particular mixture uses peppermint essential oil for a refreshing feeling. Mix this into a smooth cream, and apply it to tired feet and watch it work.

Ingredients:

2 ½ oz sea salt
4 oz. walnut shell powder
½ oz. cocoa butter
½ oz shea butter
¾ oz. argan oil
½ oz fine pumice stone
10 drops peppermint essential oil
¼ oz sweet almond oil
5 drops tea tree oil

Instructions:

Before you begin, make sure you have everything you need within reach: a dropper, and a kitchen scale. Tree tea oil has a built-in, dropper, but, some containers do not. So, if you use other oils, a dropper on hand will make the job easier.

Measure out the cocoa butter, shea, then mix in the argan and almond oils. The butter may be too solid to mix, so be sure to melt them a bit, mix coconut oil, tree oil, and sugar.

This is very much like making a cake. Measure out your ingredients then mix. However, unlike a cake, you start with the oils first, then blend in the powdered ingredients.

Combine all of this; let it solidify into a smooth cream. If it fails to gel together, mix again, and let cool. Place your foot scrub into a pretty container and add this to your spa materials.

4 – Face Powder:

The number one ingredient in face powder is cornstarch. When making beauty products, you want to consider the texture of your skin. Arrowroot blends with the skin, but if your skin is hairy, you might want cornstarch since it sticks better. Either way, you will get a natural blend.

Tinting Your Powder Mixture:

The tinting process depends on how you want your skin to look. If you prefer a tanned look or have a darker toned complexion and want to tint the powder to a darker hue, cocoa is preferred.

Beauty products are in ample supply in many kitchen pantries, cocoa, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Cinnamon offers homemade powder a reddish tint, while cocoa powder gives it a darker hue.

Many skin tones need both the reddish hue of cinnamon with a splash of cocoa. Nevertheless, the whole point of homemade powder is to match it up with your special complexion. Create pressed powder by adding drops of sweet almond or jojoba oils, then stir to the consistency you find suitable.

Ingredients:

Start with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa powder, add more as necessary
Five drops of essential oils:
Mature Skin – use Frankincense, Myrrh or Lavender
Oily Skin that’s prone to breakouts – Melrose blend, Rosemary, Tea Tree, or Geranium
2 tbsp of cornstarch or arrowroot powder
(Scents) Lavender, Gentle Baby blend, Joy blend or Rosemary
Vegetable Glycerin

5 – Rosemary/Lavender Shower Gel:

The easy mixture of castile soap helps to create a great smelling shampoo for the body. This mixture used as unscented or scented forms a base for rosemary/lavender shower gel. Smells are important to relaxation, and this beauty gel works on the hair as well as the body.

Things Required:

1/2 cup Dr. Bronner’s Magic Pure Castile, Lavender Liquid
1 tbsp (sweet) almond oil
1/4 cup water
Five drops rosemary/5 drops lavender essential oil
One wide container/your choice

Directions:

Rosemary shower gel is a natural astringent, assisting in the health of the skin. It moisturizes and removes excess oil. It tones skin giving it a refreshing look. Mix oil and soap and pour this gel into your choice of containers.

6 – Rosewater Toner:

When struggling with oily skin, buying beauty products becomes frustrating. Try rosewater skin toner. It is easy on the skin and chemical-free. This toner soothes, softens, and tightens your skin. This homemade remedy fits practically every skin type.

Before using the solution while doing your in-home spa regimen, cleanse, and dry the skin. It is a good idea to test a small section of the skin to make sure it does not irritate your particular skin type. You can buy roses in the stores, but if you have a neighbor with roses or if you grow roses, two roses are enough for a good source of rosewater toner.

Directions:

Two roses/ one compacted cup of rose petals
2 cups/ boiling water
One strainer
One sterilized glass jar

Instructions:

Place rose petals inside a pan. Pour hot water over petals, cover, and let cool. Rinse rose petals and place them in a small pan. Pour boiling water over petals and let them sit. Let cool. Use a strainer to remove petals from the liquid.

Place the liquid into your sterilized jar if you choose to use a small container for bathroom use. Place the rest of the rose toner in the fridge, but label it. The solution lasts about a week.

Read how adding rosewater to your beauty routine can lower your stress levels.

7 – Vodka Fragrance:

The stores are filled with great fragrances. However, they can put a real dent in your budget. So, try making a special fragrance at home with the oils you love most. Take your pick of essential oils, lavender, lemon, eucalyptus, and many others. Mixtures last for about a month.

Note: Essential oils are not recommended for pregnant women.

Supplies:

2 cups water/distilled
Three essential oils/5 lemon/10 orange/10 eucalyptus (your choice of oils)
Glycerin /5 drops
3 tbsp vodka
Large glass bottle/fitted lid
Dropper/baster
funnel
Container

Instructions:

Choose your oils then utilize the above measurements. Add distilled water to a large container (glass). Add vodka then mix with glycerin. The add oils. Mix thoroughly. Then put in a dark area for about 12 hours then shake the mixture before placing it into perfume containers.

Final Thoughts on Making Homemade Beauty Products to Feel Young and Pretty

The adventure of making homemade beauty products that work may take a little more effort for most. However, this process is not as distressing as you might think. People are treating their skin better with natural beauty products every day. However, pregnant women should consult with a doctor before using essential oils.

Well, now you’re older, but that does not mean you don’t want to feel young and pretty. Also, with age comes wisdom, and you have found over the counter makeup can get expensive. After spending a fortune on retail in-home spa self-care, maybe you have decided to make your own. Now, reap the benefits and enjoy it!

12 Signs of a Gifted Child to Never Overlook

May 12, 2020 by Power of Positivity

A gifted child, by definition, has a higher level of intelligence and is advanced academically. They are often creative, artistic, and possess leadership skills. If you think your child is gifted, it’s essential to know how to help your child best.

Gifted kids act differently than other kids. But researchers suggest that parents and educators must view a child’s giftedness as their potential for growth rather than something they’ve already achieved. This information will help a child be motivated to learn and grow in their talents.

Gifted kids versus bright kids

People often confuse the terms bright and gifted. They have two different meanings. Bright children and gifted children are both smart. However, here are some fundamental differences between these two descriptions.

Bright kids	Gifted kids
Like to work hard and do well in school.	Don’t need to work hard to do well in school.
Like to get the right answer to earn approval	Ask more questions, are curious, not looking or approval
Learn progressively, line upon line	Learn with some gaps, high in one area but low in another
Social development is correct for their age	Usually like to be adults or older kids more than their peers, may not respond correctly to social cues
Can handle scary movies or books for their age	Tend to be fearful, ask lots of questions, get scared easily
Like being at school	They’d rather learn by themselves
Can finish their work then do something else like read or draw	Very detailed, overly specific and interested in one minute point

Here are twelve signs of a gifted child you should never overlook:

1 – Talk like a professor

Gifted kids’ language skills develop early. If you have a child who is gifted, he or she will have a large vocabulary for a child their age.

They’ll speak in more complex sentences and sound like a little professor when they talk to you. It’s easy to assume that a gifted child’s maturity level matches their language, but their minds get ahead of their physical and emotional growth.

They’re still a child with developing emotional needs. Don be intimidated or awed by your child’s intellect. Seek to provide them with a stable home environment where they can grow physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

2 – Read constantly

Gifted kids are voracious readers. They need to be told to stop reading at meals or bedtime. They read through their age level books so quickly. It can be quite challenging for parents and educators to find age-appropriate but exciting books for them.

A gifted child can quickly end up reading a fifth or sixth-grade book in kindergarten or first grade. The classic literature books are great reads for gifted kids.

3 – They’d rather hang out with adults

School can be challenging for these kids because they prefer adult conversations to talk with their peers. They find their peers’ non-intellectually stimulating. Adults tend to know more and have more experiences that gifted kids want to learn about.

It’s challenging for parents and educators to help them learn how to relate to their peers while allowing them time with adults for higher levels of conversation.

4 – Creative thinkers

Gifted kids are often creative and original thinkers.

Studies show there’s a connection between intelligence and creativity, but how they function together isn’t understood. They are inventive and often think outside the box when they play or do school work. Their creative energy can be hard to keep up with as a parent or teacher.

They may be obsessed with one particular type of creativity, like construction bricks, building elaborate structures that kids typically do not create. Wise parents will provide them books, materials, and the freedom to allow this outlet.

5 – Seem mature

Gifted kids like all kids develop physically, emotionally, and physically over some time. It’s easy to assume because a gifted child talks like an adult, they are adults. But gifted kids aren’t little adults.

They are still growing and maturing, sometimes at different rates in each area. They may be tiny for their age or very immature but seem older in the way they speak. It’s easy to put higher standards on how they should act because they’re gifted. Parents and educators must give a gifted child room to grow up and be a kid, even if they need intellectual stimulation.

6 – They are natural-born leaders

Gifted kids show leadership. They like to take charge because they’re full of ideas. They’re often intensely focused on their ideas. Other kids who want to follow will attach themselves to these kids because they like the excitement of being with the gifted kids. They get easily frustrated with themselves and others if people aren’t doing what they were asked to do.

7 – They might have a hard time socially

Researchers found that kids who have an IQ of 130 or more are more apt to have socio-emotional problems. These kids often have adjustment problems and behavior problems. Gifted kids prefer to hang out with adults. They may find it hard to play with their peers. They may be immature around kids. Gifted kids may want to take over the playtime with their creative ideas, making other kids feel like they’re being bossy.

8 – Precocious

Studies show that a child’s precociousness is a good indication they’re gifted. This precocious growth may be in intellect, music, understanding how things are related to the space around them, the ability to understand information physically through their hand and body movements. Precocious kids are typically advanced intellectually.

9 – Get bored at school

Studies show that schools often misunderstand the needs of gifted kids, making them sit through regular class instruction when they already know the information. The school may feel that a gifted child needs to learn to sit in a class with other kids so they’ll grow socially.

Although gifted kids do need to develop social skills, sitting through a slow-paced lesson isn’t the way to achieve this goal. A gifted child will often say that school is too easy for them, and this is misunderstood by an educator. Sadly, gifted children are often treated with irritation and alienation for being bored and unmotivated when their lessons are too easy.

10 – Like to talk

Some gifted kids are early talkers, while others don’t talk until they’re three or four. Whatever age they begin to speak, once they start talking, they don’t stop. Gifted kids have an incredible curiosity about things-how they work, why they work that way, and where they came from. If you have a gifted child, they will question you about everything, and you may find that you don’t the answers to their questions. That’s okay because you can teach them how to find the information they want to know in books, dictionaries, or appropriate online sites.

11 – Need little sleep

Gifted kids often have little sleep or time to reboot. This can be difficult for parents who try to get them to sleep longer. Typically gifted toddlers don’t nap as long as their peers and give up their naps earlier than other kids.

Parents will also note that their kids function well on less sleep. But some of their lack of sleep is that they can’t turn off their busy mind. They are thinking, questioning, and wondering all the time, so this interrupts their sleeping ability.

12 – A more advanced sense of humor

Gifted kids can crack jokes that even adults think are funny. They have a quick ability to see the funny side of things. This humor can sometimes be disarming to adults that a child is so quick to create a pun or an unusual side of something. They have a sense of humor above their peers who may be more literal and don’t understand abstract thinking as early.

Meet some famous gifted kids from history

Albert Einstein: His teachers found him dull. He got kicked out of primary school because he couldn’t read fast enough.
Mozart: He started playing the harpsichord at three years old and composed his first musical piece at age 5.
Pablo Picasso: The first word he said was “pencil.” He painted his first famous oil painting at age nine years old.
Blaise Pascal: He taught himself mathematic terms since his father refused to teach him these skills. Then at 12, he discovered on his own all the geometric proof of Euclid without a textbook.
Clara Schumann: She didn’t talk until she was four years old. At the age of 7, she knew how to play the piano like a master. She started composing at ten years of age.
Stevie Wonder: He was born blind to an impoverished family. He began singing and playing the organ and piano as a child. At 12 years of age, he recorded his first songs and performed them on stage.
Marie Curie: As a gifted child, Marie Curie had a fantastic memory and incredible frankness even as a child. Once at the age of 4, she told one of her parents. “Remember that time when I was three months old, and you put my diaper on backwards, idiot?”

Final Thoughts: Nurture the Emerging Abilities of Your Gifted Child

Parenting a gifted child can be both a blessing and a unique challenge. You might find that your child outpaces his or her siblings and that their homework is over your head! Do all you can to continue to foster an environment that will allow your child to flourish and for these innate abilities to emerge.

Science Explains What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Exercise

May 12, 2020 by Power of Positivity

It’s no secret that exercise can be tough, especially if you aren’t used to it. Finding the motivation to get started can be even tougher. Despite how hard it is, we still must do it. It’s essential to human life to get up and move.

The consequences are dire if you don’t get adequate physical activity. At first, you may not notice what’s happening to your body. Eventually, it will become visible. Mirrors don’t lie. When it becomes apparent, that means some damage may already have been done.

So what exactly does lack of physical activity do to your body? Scientists explain in detail what happens to your body when you don’t get enough physical activity. Keep reading to find out more.

Mental & Emotional Consequences

While the activity of exercising is physical, it can have severe mental and emotional consequences. The good news is that it’s easier to get rid of mental and emotional outcomes than it is to get rid of physical effects (discussed further along in the article). Simply beginning an exercise regimen, no matter how small, can alleviate many of these consequences listed below.

Lack of Motivation

You may think that you need the motivation to start exercising, but in truth, a lack of it leads to a lack of motivation. You begin letting yourself go, and before you know it, you can get into a sense of feeling as if you don’t “deserve” to do better or to be motivated.

Kathy Smith, famous in the 1980s for her aerobics videos and fitness classes, said in an interview with BeliefNet, “It rescued me from a path that could have been partying and playing and low self-esteem and just not taking care of myself and getting into the wrong crowd…and I would say that this was my salvation. It rescued me from an unhealthy lifestyle.”

Adequate physical activity leads to motivation for other areas in your life.

Depression & Anxiety

Lack of physical activity doesn’t directly cause depression and anxiety. However, it is a solution to depression and anxiety, so without adequate physical activity, you could be setting yourself up to sink into mental despair. This is true even if you don’t already suffer from depression and anxiety. Lack of exercise can be an introduction to these psychological problems.

The effects of this are even more significant if you’ve had an adequate amount of physical activity in the past, but you stopped it. Studies support the theory that stopping exercise can lead to an increase in depression.

Decreased Cognitive Functioning

Lack of physical activity can lead to a decline in cognitive functioning over time. This decline can manifest in mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia later in life. Many people never think about how a lack of exercise can affect their minds because, on average, the effects don’t become evident until they’re in their 60s or later. While this correlation has been scientifically proven, the odds can easily be reduced by increasing regular physical activity earlier in life.

Research proves that a lack of exercise is more harmful than smoking cigarettes.

Physical Consequences

The physical consequences of a lack of adequate physical activity are what gets noticed most often and, consequently, what would prompt someone to increase their physical activity. Like many of the mental consequences, physical consequences can be stopped in their tracks. Here are three of the most common.

Uncontrollable Food Cravings

The link between lack of physical activity and uncontrollable food cravings may not be visible, but they are scientifically proven. There are two parts to this.

The first part is that increasing physical activity will cause a person to crave more food (energy) to replace the lost energy. This type of food craving isn’t wrong – these are sustaining food cravings because you’re burning so many calories. However, you must make healthy food choices. Otherwise, your increase in physical activity will be for nothing.

There is evidence that exercising right before a meal can decrease the amount of food that a person would want in one sitting. This data indicates that while an increase in physical activity will make you hungrier more often, you won’t eat as much in one sitting. Overall, increased physical activity leads to fewer food cravings.

Conversely, lack of physical activity leads to uncontrollable food cravings, especially for unhealthy foods. This desire is because as you gain weight, your body begins to crave more and more food to satisfy your caloric requirements. If you’re eating the wrong foods, it’s worse. Foods like sugary carbohydrates can be addictive, making you want more and more.

The point of both of these scenarios is that scientists and medical experts agree that adequate physical activity can reduce bad food cravings.

The Most Obvious Consequence: Weight Gain

Weight gain is the number one consequence of not getting enough physical activity. The reason for this is that it throws off the balance of calories in/calories out.

It’s a simple formula. If you eat the same amount of calories you burn, there is no weight gain or no weight loss. If you take in more calories than you lose, weight gain will occur. A lack of physical activity means that you’ll likely take in more calories than you burn.

Once counter to this is to eat lower calorie foods. For most people, this will slow your weight gain, but without proper physical activity, the weight gain will still slowly eventually creep in. There simply is no substitution for adequate physical activity.

Weight gain is a problem – but the biggest issue is that it leads to more dangerous health problems. There have been plenty of medical studies, and scientific evidence published that outlines these problems.

Weight Watchers: Learn the Pros and Cons of this Diet Phenomenon

Health Consequences: Diseases and Conditions

Whether you gain weight or not due to lack of exercise, scientists have found evidence that there is a high risk of health problems without regular physical activity. As these health problems occur, they can get worse as you continue to live without daily physical activity.

Heart Disease

Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, is one of the major killers among health conditions. An increase in fat cells, especially around the waist (known as visceral fat), makes heart disease much worse. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), one person dies from cardiovascular disease in the United States every 37 seconds. It’s a very alarming mortality rate and unfortunate since it can be prevented with regular physical activity, often.

Common types of cardiovascular disease that can occur from lack of physical exercise include:

Coronary Artery Disease (most common and most deadly)
Heart Attack
High Blood Pressure
Stroke
Congestive Heart Failure

According to Chiadi Ndumele M.D., M.H.S., the Assistant Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, “In everyday terms our findings suggest that consistently participating in the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week, such as brisk walking or biking, in middle age may be enough to reduce your heart failure risk by 31 percent.” This is a small amount of physical activity to incorporate into your life to keep those fat cells at bay and prevent shortening your life span.

Joint & Bone Problems

Physical activity contributes to the health of joints and bones more than you realize. It encourages the production and distribution of synovial fluid. The synovial membrane which surrounds your joints produces this substance. Think of this fluid as a lubricant for your joints, keeping them from rubbing together, causing joint pain, and degrading over time.

Physical activity increases blood flow, which gets distributed to your joints better when you’re active. Autophagy is a condition triggered when you do regular physical activity. This is a process that essentially removes damaged cells in the joints so that new cells can be generated. It also helps to prevent joint pain.

Without these processes, including others that aren’t mentioned here, your joint and bone health can decline over time. You can begin to suffer from problems like arthritis and osteoporosis. Physical activity keeps you from having to worry about these inconveniences.

Muscle Atrophy

Muscle atrophy is a condition where your muscles waste away due to lack of activity. This commonly happens when people have injuries, are paralyzed, or have other problems that prevent movement of certain body parts. However, a lighter version of this condition – weakened muscles – can occur if you don’t do physical activity regularly.

You can see weakened muscles easily – people who work out are strong. People who don’t are weak. However, over time, it can become more serious than just not being able to bench press a lot of weight. It’s a situation of “use it or lose it.”

Final Thoughts on the Importance of Prioritizing Exercise

All it takes is a look at all the scientific research and evidence to see why physical activity needs to be a regular part of your life. This doesn’t mean everyday activities like chores or walking around your office. It needs to be at least 150 minutes of vigorous activity each week. No matter how uncomfortable physical activity is, it’s a small inconvenience to prevent stroke, heart attack, depression, or any of the other problems that could happen.

Research Reveals Why Your Brain Doesn’t Want You to Exercise

May 12, 2020 by Power of Positivity

The struggle to exercise is real, and new research shows that it could be the fault of your brain. This may come as good news to some. It means you now have a legitimate reason for your previous lack of physical activity.

You can’t let your mind keep holding you back, however. The American Heart Association says that you’re supposed to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. This would only be 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week.

Although the recommended amount of physical activity isn’t too time-consuming, many people still don’t reach the goal. The reason behind it is stunning, as scientists have proven it has to do with your mind.

Know the signs that it’s time to get yourself in shape.

Why Your Brain Doesn’t Want You to Exercise

This scientific conclusion was determined by a researcher named Matthieu Boisgontier, Ph.D., from the University of British Columbia. In the journal titled Neuropsychologia, he explained why your mind doesn’t want you to exercise.

He monitored the brain activity of 29 people as they looked at images of physical activity or inactivity. Additionally, he also observed them move avatars on a screen toward the same images.

The participants of this study had to move their avatars as quickly as possible from one image to another. When they were directed to move their avatar away from the active photos and toward the inactive photos, then, they were directed to do the opposite.

Boisgontier discovered that the participants used more mental activity to move away from the images that showed inactivity. This was further confirmed when they were able to move more quickly toward the images that showed physical activity.

Basically, the research showed that your mind is naturally inclined to avoid physical activity.

Why Exercise Is Essential

You know that physical activity is good for you, but it’s important to know why. Without the facts, it’ll be even harder to get yourself motivated.

1 – It Helps You Reach a Healthy Weight and Feel Better Overall

Most people know that exercise can help you reach a healthy weight, so it’ll make you look and feel better. Along with that, your confidence and self-esteem will improve.

By reaching a healthy weight, you’ll notice that you don’t feel winded when walking through a store. Household chores will become easier, too, as you can move more quickly and for longer periods.

2 – Physical Activity Boosts Your Mood, Aids in Depression, and Helps You Sleep

Physical activity can also boost your mood. If you’re had a rough day, physical activity of any kind will help clear your mind. Not only that, but it’ll release chemicals that make you feel relaxed and happier.

You may also notice a decrease in depression and anxiety. Regular physical activity can help you sleep better at night, too, which can further improve your mood, concentration, and productivity.

Science explains what happens to your brain when you panic

3 – It Helps Prevent Chronic Illness

Regular physical activity can also help prevent chronic illness, such as heart disease and osteoporosis. It aids in regulating your cholesterol levels and triglycerides. With the two of these regulations, your blood will flow more regularly, and any plaque buildup in your arteries will be reduced.

Other health problems that regular physical activity can help prevent include cancer and type II diabetes. It’s also helpful when it comes to delivering oxygen and vital nutrients throughout your body. This will help your cardiovascular system and give you more energy each day.

Now that you know why physical activity is so important, you have to figure out how to do it. As the research mentioned before shows, it is natural to want to avoid physical activity. There are ways around that urge, however.

What You Can Do to Make Your Brain Want You to Exercise

Even though we are hard-wired to be lazy and avoid exercise, you can still train your mind to enjoy it. The trick is to make the physical activity fun. You can do this by finding a few types of activity that makes your heart race and that you enjoy.

Once you find the activities you enjoy and make your heart race, do them regularly. You’ll want to switch it up sometimes, so you don’t get bored or burnt out. By rotating through a few activities, you’ll keep your mind engaged and interested.

If you like to walk, make sure to set aside time to walk each day. You can switch up the location, but a brisk walk around your neighborhood is possible daily.

Another idea is to pair walking with another activity such as golf or hiking basic trails. This will give your body other types of movement along with the walking that you enjoy.

On days you didn’t find time or motivation to get physical activity, you can easily make up for it. While watching your favorite show or listening to a podcast, do jumping jacks or jog in place.

Another idea is to take a walk during your lunch break at work or take stairs instead of the elevator. At the grocery store, park toward the back of the parking lot and walk quickly to the store. Making many small choices like this during the day will add up to quite a bit of physical activity.

To do any of this, you have to work hard and be determined. Remember, your mind doesn’t want you to exercise, so every excuse not to will pop into your head.

Resist against those excuses and get moving, and before you know it, the excuses won’t come to mind as often.

Working out with your partner can help you get on track.

The Excuses You May Come Up with and How to Get Past Them

1 – Not Enough Time

Life is busy with jobs, friends, family, home life, appointments, leisure, and anything else that takes up your time. It can be easy to eliminate physical activity since it’s the thing your mind doesn’t want you to do anyway. This can easily be overcome, however.

You only need 30 minutes of physical activity each day, so think of ways to work in a few minutes every hour. As mentioned before, you can choose to take the stairs or park in the back of a parking lot. You can also do easy exercises while you wait for the water to boil in the kitchen.

Another easy way to make time for physical activity is by working harder on household chores. Move quickly and effectively so that your heart rate goes up. One other way to make time is by finding leisurely activities you enjoy that get your heart beating faster.

2 – You Don’t Enjoy It

If you’re getting bored while exercising, then you’re not doing the right activity. Everyone is different, so you have to find which type of physical activity you enjoy.

Some of the different physical activities you could try include:
-Running
-Walking
-Yoga
-Pilates
-CrossFit
-Dancing
-Kickboxing
-Hiking
-Tennis
-Biking

3 – Nowhere to Work Out

This excuse is the easiest to get past. You can get physical activity anywhere you are, whether you’re at work, home, or the park. If you’re at work, you can use your breaks to go for brisk walks.

Highly effective exercises you can do at home include squats, jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, and many others. You can also find exercise videos online for free. There are many videos for all types of physical activity, including yoga, dancing, and many others.

At the park, you can do many different types of physical activity. You can walk, run, ride a bike, or do yoga. If you have kids, you can even count chasing them at the park as your physical activity.

4 – Your Children Get in the Way

A common excuse to avoid physical activity is that kids get in the way. You can overcome that by having your kids join you instead of giving up. Kids can do many activities that adults can do, and it’s never too early to begin teaching them new things.

Have them join you as you do yoga, go for a walk or run, or even as you’re doing squats or push-ups. They’ll love the time spent with you, and they’ll be learning something new while exercising at the same time. It’s beneficial to both of you no matter which way you look at it.

Read about how skipping out on exercise is more harmful to your body than smoking cigarettes.

Final Thoughts on Researchers Reveal Why Your Brain Doesn’t Want You to Exercise

It may be comforting to know that you’re not the only person that struggles to exercise regularly. Since your brain is wired to avoid physical activity, you’re naturally inclined to follow that urge. It’s important to fight against it, however, as physical activity is essential to a healthy life.

To train your brain to enjoy physical activity, you must find activities that you truly enjoy. There are many types of physical activity to choose from, so don’t give up if the one you try is boring.

Fight past any of the excuses that you tell yourself, and fight against the urges of your mind. It’s time to stop avoiding physical activity and learn to enjoy it.

Doctors Reveal 10 Early Signs of COPD

May 12, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, is an umbrella term used to describe respiratory conditions that block the airway and impair breathing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that COPD affects the lives of over 15 million people in America. Further, it claims the lives of more than 140,000 of those patients every year. Also, they predict that the healthcare cost associated with treating COPD may reach $49 billion in America by the end of 2020.

Who Is Most at Risk of Developing COPD?

Individuals who smoke are at high risk of developing COPD, especially long-term smokers. And the disease can significantly lower their life expectancy.

To substantiate this claim, we only need to take a look at a study published by the National Institutes of Health. This agency is part of the U.S. government responsible for biomedical and public health research. The study broke down the life expectancy of current smokers with COPD based on the severity of the disease. Then they classified them as stages one through four.

The results of the study indicate the following stages, as follows:

1 – Life expectancy declines by 0.3 years
2 – Life expectancy declines by 2.2 years
3 and 4 – Life expectancy declines by 5.8 years

Can Non-Smokers Develop Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases?

According to the American Thoracic Society, a nonprofit committed to improving care for those with pulmonary diseases and other critical illnesses, even non-smokers are at risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. And in many cases, it is the result of exposure to air pollutants. In fact, some studies have linked inhaling dust or fumes used in homes for heating or cooking to the development of COPD-related respiratory diseases in non-smokers.

Chemicals and fumes found in some work environments also contributed to COPD-related respiratory diseases among non-smokers, according to the same studies.

That said, the probability of developing a COPD-related respiratory disease that leads to impaired breathing remains the highest among those who smoke cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products. The same is true for those who routinely inhale secondhand tobacco smoke.

Additional Risk Factors for COPD-Related Respiratory Diseases Among Non-Smokers

Along with air pollutants in the home or workplace and secondhand tobacco smoke, risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases can also include

Age

Several studies have revealed that age plays a role when it comes to the development of COPD-related respiratory diseases as they are more common among individuals age 40 and over. It is also worth noting that gender is yet another factor. According to the Lung Health Institute, women are 37 percent more likely to struggle with impaired breathing caused by COPD than men.

Genetics

In addition to age and gender, genetics can also play a role in whether or not an individual will develop a COPD-related respiratory disease. According to the National Institutes of Health, 5 percent of individuals with COPD have what is known as an alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. For those who are not familiar with alpha-1 antitrypsin, it is a protein that belongs to the serpin superfamily. Individuals who are genetically predisposed to having too little of this protein are more susceptible to lung damage, which can increase their chances of developing a COPD-related respiratory disease. It is important to note that an alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency can also adversely affect liver function.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy

According to a study published by Sage Journals, a leading peer-reviewed open-access journal, women who smoke during their pregnancy are at an increased risk of giving birth to a baby with underdeveloped lungs. When this happens, the chances of the baby developing a COPD-related respiratory disease as they get older increases considerably.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases and Impaired Breathing

Now that we have a broader understanding of the risk factors when it comes to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and the toll that they can take on one’s health, let’s take a moment to go over some of the more common forms of these respiratory diseases:

Chronic bronchitis

This particular chronic obstructive pulmonary disease occurs when the bronchi, the breathing passages in the lungs, become inflamed and remain that way long-term. More often than not, those with chronic bronchitis will experience a noticeable uptick in mucus production that makes it difficult to breathe. And this increase in mucus is typically accompanied by respiratory infections and a chronic cough.

Pulmonary emphysema

Also commonly referred to as emphysema, pulmonary emphysema is an even more severe form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Pulmonary emphysema is a condition whereby the alveoli, the air sacs in the lungs, is damaged extensively, often to the point where they become narrowed, stretched, or over-inflated. In most cases, damage to the alveoli leads eventually leads to permanent holes forming in the lung tissue. When this happens, it can lead to persistent breathlessness.

Asthma

Although often seen as a separate respiratory illness, asthma also falls under the umbrella of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases as it can significantly impact lung function. For those who may not be as familiar with asthma, it is a condition that causes swelling and inflammation that affects the lining of the airway.

Further, individuals with asthma will typically experience an uptick in mucus production. That increase invariably leads to the development of mucus plugs in the lungs. Not surprisingly, the swelling, inflammation, and mucus plugs associated with asthma can make breathing extremely difficult.

10 Early Signs of COPD

Here are a few noteworthy facts about COPD before we look at the signs.

Symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases among smokers and non-smokers are generally the same. However, smokers have more comorbidities as a result of their struggles with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases than non-smokers.

According to a study published in the Journal of the COPD Foundation, some of the more common comorbidities associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases include

Cardiovascular disease
Osteoporosis
Diabetes

The severity of the symptoms associated with COPD can vary depending on the stage and the type of disease developed. That being said, ten early signs of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease often include the following:

1. Chronic Coughing

An occasional cough is typical. But persistent coughing is often one of the tell-tale signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In short, coughing is the body’s way of expelling harmful contaminants, such as tobacco smoke and fumes, from the lungs.

2. Shortness of Breath

When it comes to COPD-related respiratory diseases, feeling out of breath and fatigued is not uncommon. And this has a lot to do with the respiratory system working harder than usual to combat the inflammation, build-up of mucus, and damage to lung tissue caused by the diseases.

3. Excessive Mucus

Excess mucus production goes hand in hand with most chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. In short, the body produces more mucus to minimize the damaging effects of irritants in the respiratory system.

4. Yellow Sputum

When you have either the common cold or the flu, it is not unusual to produce yellow sputum, a mix of saliva and mucus that one coughs up from their respiratory tract. However, in the absence of the flu or common cold, yellow sputum is an early sign of COPD.

5. Frequent Headaches

Individuals with a COPD-related respiratory disease seldom get enough oxygen flowing into their lungs while they are sleeping. That lack of air leads to more carbon dioxide in their blood. As a result, when they wake up in the morning, they often experience severe headaches, dizziness, and lightheadedness.

6. Swollen Ankles

Another early sign of a COPD-related respiratory disease would be swollen ankles. The same is true when it comes to feet and legs as well. In most cases, the swelling of these body parts is caused by lung damage, which reduces the flow of oxygen to blood vessels.

7. Difficulty Sleeping

In addition to chronic coughing and breathing problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases can trigger sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease, all of which can stand in the way of getting a good night’s sleep.

8. Unexplained Weight Loss

A study published by the Lung Health Institute noted that between 40 to 70 percent of individuals with COPD experience unplanned weight loss. Researchers and scientists involved in the survey attributed the weight loss to the lungs harder for the patients to breathe. In the process, however, they burn more calories, which leads to losing weight unintentionally.

9. Chronic Fatigue

According to Dr. Fernando Martinez, a pulmonologist with Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, most people who have a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will experience chronic fatigue. And in many cases, fatigue will be coupled with breathlessness, which can make performing even basic tasks extremely difficult.

10. Frequent Respiratory Infections

Frequent respiratory infections are quite common among individuals who have a COPD-related respiratory disease. These infections generally involve the lower respiratory tract and can range from acute to chronic.

Final Thoughts on Living with COPD

In summary, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases stem from either smoking or exposure to dangerous fumes in the home or workplace. Regardless, it can take a tremendous toll on one’s health and overall quality of life.

Fortunately, before these diseases reach an advanced stage, the body will signal that something is wrong. If you’re experiencing any of these COPD symptoms, you visit your physician as soon as possible.

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