Tag Archives: wellness

Older Men Drinking Water After Exercise Healthy Living
Health

Why You Should Drink More Water

Leave a comment

Are you feeling tired, sore, and uncomfortable in your own skin? Believe it or not, the source of your problems may be that you aren’t drinking enough water. Staying hydrated has a wide variety of health benefits that can help you feel refreshed and improve your mood. To better understand the advantages of drinking more water, we’ve put together a helpful guide to improving your life with H20. It’s easy – just add water!

Feel Energized

One of the most noticeable signs of dehydration is feeling sluggish and fatigued. Water can give you a quick energy boost and bring you back to a normal level of alertness.

Control Your Weight

You may have heard this one before, but water is great for helping you control your calorie intake! Your body often can’t tell the difference between hunger and thirst, so sometimes drinking a big glass of water can help you feel fuller. Replacing drinks like juice and soda with water can also help you cut down on unnecessary calories.

Detoxify

Drinking more water can help your body push out more toxins and waste by encouraging sweating and urination. This can also help reduce the risk of nasty problems like kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

Rejuvenate Your Skin

By staying hydrated, your skin will feel moisturized and fresh which will give you a youthful glow. A great way to easily look and feel younger!

Regulate Digestion

Water is a key part of the digestive process and can help keep things running smoothly. Improve the health of your gastrointestinal tract and prevent constipation by having a tall glass right now!

Relieve Aches and Pains

Headaches, migraines, joint pain, and back pain are all common side effects of dehydration. If you feel any aches starting to come on, start drinking up before it gets worse!

Have any more questions about how water can help you feel healthier? Don’t be afraid to ask!

Living Stress-Free Reading Alone Time
Positivity

Simple Ways to Live a Stress-Free Life

Leave a comment

It’s no secret: our lives are more stressful than ever. Modern society can be noisy, hectic, and overwhelming, but you shouldn’t let it get to you. Even though some stress can be unavoidable, there are many ways that you can change your habits to help you better deal with whatever life throws at you. Take a look at these simple, straightforward methods for living a more stress-free life!

Be an Early Riser

You already know that the early bird gets the worm, but did you know that the early bird also leads a less stressful life? Give yourself an extra 15 minutes in the morning to relax, read the news, catch up on social media, and think about your day. Leaving the house in a rush always starts your day off on the wrong foot, so walk out the door feeling calm and balanced instead. Your day will reflect your mood!

Stay Organized

Organized people are just people who are too lazy to go looking for something later! Keep all of your things in order and you won’t have to experience the stress of searching for them in the future. That old saying rings true: a clear desk is a clear mind! Keep both your workspace and your living space organized to feel more relaxed and in control.

Start a Hobby

Hobbies are not only a fun pastime, but also a great way to get your mind focused on things other than the stressors in your life. Try playing guitar, gardening, or painting – any activity that feels meaningful to you! You’ll find yourself feeling more fulfilled, at ease, and with less time to fret over unnecessary anxieties.

Exercise More

Exercise is great for your mind and even better for your body. Not only will you feel better about yourself, but you will also have a worthwhile distraction from your daily worries. Exercise also releases natural endorphins that will lift your mood and give you a more positive outlook on life!

Set Aside Alone Time

It can be difficult to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, but it’s extremely important to set time aside for yourself. Always focusing on the needs of others can be a stressful experience, so make sure you schedule yourself a bit of alone time to relax and think about your needs everyday.

How do you deal with your daily stress? Let us know below or share your tips with us on Facebook!

Active Older Couple
Health

Improve Your Memory by Avoiding These Habits

Leave a comment

Do you have trouble remembering your new coworker’s name? Do you ever forget your best friends’ birthdays? Do you find it difficult to keep track of important appointments? Poor memory can be extremely frustrating, but it turns out that your memory is heavily influenced by your habits. Certain behaviors can actually have a negative impact on how quickly and easily your brain stores memories! We’ve put together a quick guide to some of the bad habits which cause you to have the most trouble remembering things. Avoid doing these and you might find that your memory will be better than ever before!

Not Sleeping Enough

There is a strong relationship between sleep and memory. While you sleep, the areas of your brain which control your memory are actively forging new connections to strengthen the memories which you made during the day. If you aren’t getting enough sleep at night, your brain will not be able to solidify your memories in the same way, and you may end up forgetting important things that you were supposed to remember the next morning.

Smoking

Smoking has been linked to a decrease in memory since it reduces blood flow to the brain and can affect the flow of information. If you’re a smoker and having difficulty remembering things, you should definitely quit. You should quit smoking anyway as we all know the many health problems that it can cause!

Inactive Lifestyle

Exercise is a fantastic way to make you more alert and sharpen your mind. Physical activity can positively affect your brain by encouraging cell growth and improving your mood and sleep patterns. Exercising more can seriously improve your memory, so get active!

Poor Diet

Eating lots of greasy and fatty foods is not only bad for your heart and body, but also your mind. A poor diet can create all sorts of problems for you, but its negative effect on your brain function is the worst when it comes to your memory. Try to eat cleaner and increase your intake of vitamin B12 to boost your memory. Vitamin B12 is found in great foods like shellfish, eggs, and dairy and can improve your sleep and help you remember things.

Have any more questions about how to sharpen your memory? Let us now on Facebook or Twitter!

Inspiration

12 Cute Dogs That Will Brighten Your Day

Leave a comment

Are you a dog person? Well even if you aren’t, these cute dog photos will definitely brighten your day! The close relationships that we form with our pets can create some of the most cherished and positive moments in our lives, so take this opportunity to reflect on the positivity in your life and start your day on a great note.

1.

Cute Dog Kittens Cats
Source: Reddit.com

This big guy plays well with others.

2.

Puppy Dog Cute
Source: Reddit.com

Nice and cozy in a warm sweater!

3.

Cute Dog Puppy
Source: Reddit.com

You can see the puppy love in those big brown eyes.

4.

Cute Puppy Dog Vet
Source: Reddit.com

A little dog excited to be at the vet – what a rare sight!

5.

Cute Puppy Dog Kittens Cat
Source: Reddit.com

Looks like some sibling rivalry is brewing here.

6.

Dog Family Friends
Source: Reddit.com

Best friends forever.

Husky Dog Puppy Family
Source: Reddit.com

Cute kid. Such a happy family!

8.

Puppy Dog Cat Kitten Cuddle Cuddling
Source: Reddit.com

Cuddle time!

9.

Dirty Muddy Puppy Dog Playing
Source: Reddit.com

Just messing around! Someone needs a bath.

10.

Dog Puppy Brothers
Source: Reddit.com

Brothers, all grown up.

11.

Relaxing Puppy Dog
Source: Reddit.com

Pure relaxation.

12.

Sleepy Puppy Dog
Source: Reddit.com

Tired after a long day outside!

Where do you find positivity in your daily life? Share your positive thoughts (and cute dog pictures!) with us below or on Facebook and Twitter!

Happiness Health Positivity
Positivity

How to Give Others a Happiness Boost

Leave a comment

Ever heard the saying “A little goes a long way”? When it comes to making others happy, this saying could not be more true. A simple act of kindness towards someone is remembered forever. You never know, you may lift their spirits on a bad day, or help them through a difficult time. However, the recipient is not the only person that will feel good from your kindness – you will as well! Going out of your way to do something nice for others will give you an instant boost of positive energy.

Happify posted a great article where they share Dr. Zak’s (a neuroeconomist and professor at Claremont Graduate University) favourite ways to make others happy, while also reaping the benefits yourself.

Here are his 5 tips:

  1. Ask “how can I be of service to you?” – you’ll discover an opportunity to help
  2. Maintain eye contact
  3. Stop pretending you’re the only person in the box – always say hello to everyone, including strangers!
  4. Comment on their emotions
  5. Expand your use of the ‘L’ word – let your close friends and colleagues know that you ‘love’ them (if you’re comfortable with it, of course!)

Have a friend that’s been lacking positive energy lately? Maybe it’s time you surprise them with a QRay bracelet! It may help to give them that boost of positivity that they’ve been looking for. We want to hear what you do to make others happy! Share your favourite ways with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Volunteer Donation Charity Health Wellness Positivity
Positivity

Paying It Forward

Leave a comment

You may be only one person, but you have the power to make a difference. Just by doing one simple thing, you could dramatically change someone’s life for the better. Whether it’s by putting a smile on their face, or saving their life, paying it forward should become a part of your everyday lifestyle. Kindness and compassion go a long way. Not only will it help someone else, but you’ll find that your overall positivity will be at an all-time high.

Here are ten simple ways you can help others:

1. Hold open the door

2. Volunteer in your community

3. Donate blood

4. Share your umbrella

5. Pay for the order of the person behind you

6. Buy a meal or give money to a homeless person

7. Put money in the parking metre for someone else

8. Donate unused clothes and food to a homeless shelter

9. Help someone carry their grocery bags if they’re struggling

10. Mentor someone

Still want another suggestion? What about a QRay bracelet? Pass on the gift of positivity to a friend or family member to help them feel their best.

Health Wellness Drawing Doodling Sketching
Bracelets

Why Doodling Should Be a Part of Your Daily Routine

Leave a comment

Do you doodle? Many people think that doodling is just an absent-minded task that wastes time. Believe it or not, there are actually a number of benefits to scribbling your signature all over your page (one of the most popular doodles).

It can help people stay focused and retain information. We tend to consider doodling as a form of daydreaming, but it actually requires a significant amount of brainpower. A research study of 40 participants found that the 20 people who were asked to doodle retained more information than those who did not doodle.

Think of it this way – when you allow yourself to doodle, you give yourself the opportunity to build creative thoughts and ideas. When listening to someone speak as you doodle, you’ll not only remember the information, but also build upon his or her ideas. You’re also helping to keep the brain active.

So, the next time you catch yourself doodling stick-figures, stars, your signature or whatever else it may be, don’t feel guilty! You’re actually working very hard.

Health

The 22 Best TED Talks to Inspire Fitness, Health and Happiness

Leave a comment

We all need a little inspiration every now and then. Watching a TED talk is a great (and free!) way to learn from the life lessons of a wide range of experts. Thankfully, Greatist has already curated 22 of the best talks in the fields of fitness, health and happiness! Enjoy!

Best TED Talks for Fitness, Health and Happiness Inspiration

Do you have a favourite TED Talk? Share your thoughts with us below!

Problem Sleeping In
Health

Why Hitting Snooze is Bad for You

Leave a comment

You know the feeling: It’s Monday morning, your alarm has just gone off, but your bed has never felt comfier. The thought of the weekend being over and having to head off to work shortly makes you want to dive deeper under your covers. You’d do anything to just get a few extra minutes of sleep so you can put off the start of Monday as long as you can. The alarm is blaring and you reach over and hit snooze…. time to head back to sleep.

Hitting snooze is probably one of our favourite things to do. Yes, it gives you a few stolen moments of sleep before you have to face reality, but there are actually a number of negative effects. The next time you try to steal an extra five minutes, consider these facts:

1. The saying “You snooze, you lose” is actually true – you’re setting yourself up to be more tired during the day. If you go back to sleep and enter a new sleep cycle, you won’t have enough time to finish it, which leaves you feeling groggy and tired

2. Maybe you need to go to bed earlier. Consider what time you’re going to bed, if you find that you’re hitting snooze every single morning, you’re probably not getting enough sleep. Turn in earlier and you’ll find that you won’t be tempted to hit snooze

3. You’re throwing off your internal clock – Waking up at 6:30am one day and 7:00am the next is not good for your body. Your internal clock will not know when to feel sleepy, which leads to you staying up later at night and consequently feeling sleepier in the morning

Shower Thoughts
Creativity

Why We Get Our Best Ideas in the Shower

Leave a comment

Have you ever realized that you get your best ideas while lathering on soap in the shower? It seems a little strange…why would your brain be producing such great ideas while you’re in the buff? You may think that your time in the shower is a time for you to shut off, but it’s actually when your brain is the most active.

When you’re doing something monotonous such as bathing, it activates your brain’s default mode network. Your mind then begins to wander, making it more likely for you to have a creative epiphany. Have a difficult problem that you’ve been trying to solve? It’s likely you’ll solve it in the shower.

Standing under nice, warm water relaxes you so much that your brain also releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Just a small dose of this can boost your creative juices. This is why the ideas you have in the shower are so much better than those you have at work. You’re in a nice, warm, relaxed setting with no external pressures or distractions to interrupt your thought process.

So, how can you capitalize on this time in the shower? If you’re coming up with ground-breaking ideas and you want to remember them, consider getting a water soluble pen to write your ideas on the glass or wall. In the shower, you have no judgment or analysis from others, which should allow your ideas to flow without you second-guessing. Use this time to solve problems and brainstorm so you can begin your day (or the next day) feeling empowered to follow through on your ideas.