Benefits of Drinking More Water

Drinking water is so beneficial for your health and well-being. Here are some of the most notable benefits of drinking more water

Drinking Water Maintains Body Fluids Balance

Your body is composed of about 60% water, and these bodily fluids perform tasks like digestion, circulation, saliva production, transportation of nutrients, and even the maintenance of normal body temperature.

Drinking Water Can Help Control Hunger 

Many dieters will say that drinking lots of water can actually be a beneficial weight loss strategy. Although it’s fair to say that water doesn’t have any magical effect on your weight loss efforts, swapping out your usual high calorie drinks with water instead can be of benefit, and drinking more water can fill your stomach and help to stave off hunger

Drinking Water Can Energize Your Muscles

Cells that don’t get enough water can start to shrivel, which in turn can lead to muscle fatigue. So, drinking enough water can help to energize your muscles and help you to stay feeling fit while you exercise. Always drink water regularly when you work out. 

Drinking Water Refreshes Your Skin 

Your skin should have plenty of water, as it acts as a protective barrier. Dehydration can actually cause your skin to look more dry and wrinkled, but when you become hydrated your kidneys will take over and excrete toxins to help your skin stand a better chance of glowing like never before. 

Drinking Water Is Great For Your Kidneys

Water helps to move waste products, like blood urea nitrogen, allowing it to pass through the kidneys and subsequently get excreted in your urine. Kidneys work hard to rid your body of toxins, but they can only do this if you drink enough water! Drink enough if you want to maintain healthy kidneys. 

Drinking Water Protects Your Airways 

Falling victim to dehydration can actually impact your airways, causing them to get restricted by your body as a way of countering the loss of water. This can then cause worsened asthma and trigger allergies, too, so it helps to protect your airways when you can make an effort to stay hydrated. 

What Type Of Water Should I Drink? 

It’s vital that you can drink the right type of water if you want to thrive. Unfortunately, in many locations the water that comes from your tap will not be particularly safe to drink. This has even happened on military bases, and you can visit this link to learn more about the related dangers of drinking contaminated tap water. It’s always going to be better if you can drink bottled water, or use a water filter, as this way you can have more confidence that the water you are drinking is clean. You can also get ionized water, which is said to be particularly energizing. 

Understanding the many benefits of drinking water can certainly inspire you to pick up your glass and take a big sip, so what are you waiting for? Drink more water today so that you can reap the many rewards! 

4 Tips for Hosting a Brunch Party

Brunch is the most versatile of all meals. As a middle ground between breakfast and lunch, there are very few rules dictating what you can and can’t eat. You might see anything from pancakes and bacon to smoked fish and quiche. It can be served anytime between 10am and 1pm, and you have the flexibility to do what you like.

If you are hosting a brunch in your home, you may feel empowered by all this freedom. But on the other hand, it might feel quite overwhelming. With all these options and choices at your disposal, it can be a struggle to settle on a menu.

Here are four tips to help you host a brunch party all your friends will remember.

Confirm your guest list

Knowing who is coming to your brunch will help you determine what food to serve and in what quantities. You may just have a couple of girlfriends coming round or it might be the extended family. Try to confirm numbers and it will make your life a lot easier. This way you can purchase the correct amount of food and not worry about waste or people going hungry. You should also make sure to check for any dietary requirements and allergies to keep everyone happy.

Make a special drink

Brunch is one of the few occasions where it is deemed acceptable to have a drink in the morning. It’s common for alcoholic beverages such as prosecco and champagne to be served, or cocktails like Bloody Marys and mimosas. You should have a special drink ready to welcome your guests and create a talking point for the meal. You could opt for one of these classic brunch staples, or come up with something a little more unusual. Here are some brunch cocktail ideas to give you inspiration.

Plan the menu

The food selection is the most important part of any brunch. Make sure there is a wide variety of options for people to choose from. It’s a good idea to have a theme that ties each of the dishes together. For example, it will be a little unusual to have sausages and bacon served alongside a summery goats cheese salad. You could look to different cuisines for inspiration, with a Spanish tapas-style brunch or a Tex Mex theme with breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros. There are so many possibilities, you just need to work out what will go down well with your guests.

Purchase the supplies

Now that you know exactly what you’re going to serve, it’s time to buy the supplies. You don’t want to spend a huge amount on your brunch, so try to use a less expensive supermarket or find deals to help you save money. For added convenience, you could even consider getting groceries delivered to your door. If you’re going to be making crab cakes, you can buy crab meat online, as well as all the other ingredients to save you a lot of time and effort.

If you follow these tips, you are guaranteed to throw a brunch party all your friends will remember. Good luck!

How To Eat Healthier

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What you eat can impact your health, weight, and mood. It’s essential that if you want to feel and look good that you eat a nutritious diet.

It can be done with the right approach and attitude. All you need to do is change some of your habits and focus on the behaviors and tips that will give you the best results. Here you can learn some strategies for eating a well-balanced diet that will keep you on track and help you reach your fitness, food, and weight loss goals.

Cook at Home

One strategy for eating a well-balanced diet is to start cooking at home more frequently. This way you have more control over the ingredients you use and your portion sizes. You can make a grocery list and go and get healthy and fresh foods that aren’t as processed. Purposefully choose recipes with plenty of vegetables and fruits so you can fill your plate with these healthy options. Cooking will not only boost physical health but it can be a mentally relaxing and soothing activity to do as well. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself to new and different recipes as you get better at preparing foods for yourself at home.

Everything in Moderation

Remind yourself that it’s good to have everything in moderation. It’s not about starving yourself or not giving into cravings when you have them. It may help to have a few snacks around your house to consume when you need to satisfy your desire for a sweet treat such as these no-bake chocolate weetbix slice. They’re the perfect food to have on hand when you want something that’s quick and tasty. The base for these bars is low in salt, low in sugar, and high in fiber. It may be just what you need to help you maintain a healthy diet while still giving in to some temptation when you are looking for an indulgence.

Keep A Food Journal

Another way to eat a well-balanced diet is to keep a food journal. It’ll allow you to clearly see what you’re eating and how much of it. Review your journal often so you gather more information about what you’re doing right and areas for improvement. Tracking this data down will ensure that you don’t lie to yourself about what you’re eating and can stay on course. A food journal or diary will help you see your eating patterns and habits more in-depth. It can be an effective way to change behaviors and can aid you in losing weight if that’s your goal.

Make A Plan & be Prepared

Eat a better and well-balanced diet by not rushing around or eating on the go. Instead, make a plan and be prepared for the week ahead. This way you can consume nutritious foods and snacks without being tempted to eat out as much. The key to fast, easy meal preparation is making an eating plan for each new week. Take some time on the weekends to grocery shop, chop and dice foods, and put together your meals and snacks so you can place them in the fridge or freeze and easily grab them as you need to.

Eat Smaller Meals More Often

You may also want to consider eating smaller meals more often to keep a well-balanced diet. It can be more beneficial and keep you fuller longer than consuming three large meals during the day. Remember to also stay hydrated in between your meals and snacks by drinking plenty of water. Opt for tea or flavored water if you don’t like it plain and avoid sugary drinks altogether. You might also find this helps you eat less throughout the day. You risk making unhealthy food choices if you end up waiting too long between meals to eat. Also, make sure you have nutritious snacks with you in your bag or at work that are easy to eat as you please.

Consume More Protein, Fruits & Vegetables

 

Make it a point to consume more protein, as well as more fruits and vegetables in your diet to stay healthy and well. If you’re going to eat carbohydrates then stick to eating whole grains and limiting processed foods overall. The healthier you eat the less desire and room in your stomach you’ll have for sugar, full-fat dairy, and salt. Fill your plate with nutritious options so you don’t end up eating more processed food and sugars than you wish. Eat your meal and then wait to see if you’re full before you go back for seconds. 

Have You Tried Bone Marrow?

Bone Marrow

Have you ever been tempted to try bone marrow whilst visiting one of your city’s delicious restaurants? Most people dismiss it in favour of some of the more popular types of meat. However, you should not ignore other parts of the animal that can be tasty and nutritious. Bone marrow ticks this box. It offers many health benefits for people to take advantage of. 


Bone marrow is a fatty, jello-like substance that is rich in energy and packed with nutrients. It is found within the core of an animal’s bones and it is viewed as a delicacy in many different countries. Because it is contained in the bone, you can obtain bone marrow whenever you purchase meat, whether from the supermarket or from a butcher. It is popular all over the globe, however, in the western world, this popularity is largely limited to a selection of gourmet restaurants.

Bone marrow is packed with flavour. If you think about it, when you eat bacon, the vast majority of this meat is fat and this is where the flavour comes from. Or, what about when you go out for dinner and indulge in a tasty cut of steak? Again, the meat’s flavour is largely thanks to the fat, and this is essentially what bone marrow is – an uncommon and delicious type of fat substance. You can easily order it via an online butcher as well.

Not only does it taste great, but it offers many health benefits as well. Bone marrow is packed with vital microelements. This includes manganese, magnesium, selenium, zinc, iron, calcium, and phosphorous. The presence of these microelements can help to improve the renal and cardiovascular system, whilst also strengthening immunity and improving mood, sleep, and memory. 

 

Bone marrow can also help with muscle and joint pain. Of course, it won’t be a remedy on its own. However, eating bone marrow does help because it contains hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfate, all of which are compounds that lower joint pain and inflammation. 


By consuming bone marrow you will also get a good dose of the essential omega-3 fatty acids your body needs. This is vital for the proper functioning of the brain. Glycine is also present within the bone marrow, which is an amino that makes and repairs proteins in the body.

Whilst the benefits of bone marrow are vast, it is unlikely to be the first food that comes to your mind when dining out. However, bone marrow can be a great accompaniment to a meal. You can find a lot of different recipes online, which will teach you how to prepare and serve bone marrow. There are so many different ways you can enjoy this, from grilled to roasted bone marrow, and so you are bound to find something that suits your taste buds.

 

Simple Ways To Spice Up Your Salads

Let’s face it, most salads are boring, tasteless and totally unappetizing. Overflowing bowls of green lifeless leaves with no flavor are sure to send your diet into meltdown, as such an empty meal lacking calories and proper nutrition will not fill you up by any stretch of the imagination. Fortunately salads don’t have to be as dull and dreary as you might initially imagine, as there are so many simple ways that you can spice up your salad to give it that boost it so desperately needs. So, if you want to learn how to love salads, then read on to uncover more about how to revamp and upgrade your lettuce leaves now! 

Bulk Up With Protein

One of the best ways to spice up your salad is by adding a few tasty yet nutritional protein sources. There are so many different options that you can choose between, but your main priority when making a decision should be the health benefits of your addition. For example, adding some lean chicken breast will pack an amino acid punch, whereas the addition of tofu or hard cheese can provide you with a bunch of calcium. You can also use boiled eggs, oily fish such as mackerel or salmon, legumes like chickpeas or lentils and so much more! Protein is always an essential part of any meal, so next time you chow down on a salad be sure to add a handful of protein to your plate. 

 

Experiment With Unsaturated Fats 

Another brilliant way to add more flavor to your salad is by experimenting with unsaturated fats. There’s a huge difference between saturated and unsaturated fats, as saturated fat can raise your cholesterol whereas unsaturated fat can actually help to lower your risk of heart disease. There are many healthy sources of unsaturated fat that you can add in small quantities to your salads, including nuts, seeds and avocado. Walnuts, pecans and cashews match well with leafy greens, while sunflower and poppy seeds can make a brilliant sprinkled topper. Just make sure you don’t go overboard with unsaturated fats, as although they are healthy they contain a lot of calories which could disrupt your diet.

 

Oils, Dressings & Sauces

Oils, dressing and sauces can be a brilliant way to spice up your salad, but it’s absolutely vital that you can choose natural, unprocessed options if you want to keep your meal as healthy as ever. Mayonnaise, Thousand Island dressing and other similar off-the-shelf sauces are very calorific and often contain lots of saturated fats, so it’s best to choose pure oils or make your own dressings from scratch at home. Whipping up a greek red wine vinaigrette is the perfect way to transform your salad into something delicious! 

Utilizing a couple of these simple methods to spice up your salad will help you learn to love leafy greens, so there’s no time like the present to boost your meals with protein, unsaturated fats and healthy oils or dressings. 

Comforting Winter Dessert Ideas

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Winter is the perfect time to indulge your sweet tooth from time to time. It’s cold and dark and sometimes, you just need something to comfort you not to mention sweet treats and the holiday season are a match made in heaven!

With that in mind, here are some of the most comforting dessert food ideas you may want to try making if you feel like indulging yourself this winter.

Christmas Rum Cake

When the winter nights are cold having a little rum inside you is never a bad thing, but why drink it when you can combine it with sugar and spices into the perfect Christmas cake? Soft, rich, and more than a little decadent it will saloon lift you out of your winter funk with its heart mix of rum, pecans, and brown sugar.

Baked Alaska

This baked Alaska recipe is probably the perfect winter dessert. It practically embodies the spirit of winter with its cold center and warm, comforting exterior that looks more than a little like a snowy igloo that you might have made in the winters of your youth. 

Many people shy away from making baked Alaska because thewy think it will be tricky to keep the ice cream frozen while ensuring that the meringue on the outside is toasted to perfection, but it’s actually really easy when you have a good recipe because the meringue mixture acts as an insulator, preventing any melting from occurring and ensuring that you get to serve up an impressive dessert that is hot on the outside and cool to prediction in the inside.

Apple Pie

I’m not going to bother linking to a recipe here because the best apple pie recipes are always the ones passed down by family members, that remind you of your childhood when things were simpler. There is no denying that, when the temperature drips and you want something that will fill you up and make you feel warm and cozy physically and mentally, apple pie is the go-to of many Americans, and with good reason! Not only is it incredibly simple to make, but it is also rich, buttery, fruity, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon to give it that authentic winter aroma.

Italian Christmas Cookies

If you’re looking for something simple to bake that has a distinctive European flavor, you could do a lot worse than to opt for Italian Christmas Cookies, which are soft, rich, and satisfying, Even better, they are decorated with green and red sprinkles to give them that authentic holiday season look that we all know and love. Both almond and vanilla are used in the recipe I’ve linked to, which means that they have a much richer and unusual flavor than many classic American cookie recipes, but they are still recognizable enough as to be very comforting, too.

As you can see, there are lots of desserts just perfect for enjoying in the wintertime, whatever your mood or preferences may be, so what are you waiting for? Time to get baking!

 

What to Eat for Breakfast When You Can’t Decide

Some people simply are not breakfast people. Sitting down to a full meal first thing in the morning can sound like torture to those who prefer to get up and go, or tend to wake up in a rush. However, the simple truth is that it is, indeed, the most important meal of the day when it comes to giving you energy for the day, regulating your metabolism, and more. So, here are some breakfasts that are quick and easy for the person who hates breakfast.

Yo, it’s yogurt time

We’re not talking about the sugar-filled fruity yogurts that tend to line fridge shelves. We are, instead, talking about Greek yogurt, which is not only a creamier and more filling breakfast but also provides a lot of protein and directly increases your metabolic rate, meaning that your body is better at burning energy throughout the day. It’s not difficult at all to make a nice Greek yogurt breakfast bowl with this creamy, delicious base.

Getting your greens

Fruits and vegetables make for a vital part of a nourishing breakfast. With a blender, you can easily make a green juice smoothie that you can gulp down in seconds to get it all in no time, as well. All fruits can help you reach your need for vitamins and fibers, and greens like spinach are full of iron and antioxidants, and they’re all very low in calories.

Eat egg-scelent

Hard-boiled eggs (and raw eggs) are some of the best foods you can eat. They’re delicious and they’re really filling, making them great for avoiding snacking throughout the day. However, they also have great protein and contain nutrients that are vital for brain health. Despite being rather high in cholesterol themselves, they are actually good for your heart health, helping to reduce the “bad” cholesterol in the body and even helping to improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin.

Binge on berries

If you want a sweet treat that you don’t need to feel guilty about, then berries can easily be a good way to go. A nice berry oatmeal will be chock full of antioxidants that lower your risk of disease, will giving you plenty of fiber and very few calories. If you want to have a gluten-free breakfast, then you can pair those berries with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, as well.

Let the leafs lead the way

What do you drink for breakfast if you’re not feeling like a smoothie? A morning cup of joe can actually be good for you, but when it comes to pure health benefits, green tea is undeniably the winner. It also has caffeine to help perk you up in the morning, but it also has a lot of antioxidants that reduce your risk of cancer, improve the immune system, and can even help fight the sights of aging.

A couple of these at the beginning of your day can make sure you get the proper start without needing to worry about prep all that much. Whatever you do, don’t skip that breakfast.

How to Host a Springtime BBQ

When the weather gets warmer, spring and summer can be such wonderful times to enjoy. You can get outside late into the evenings, dining al fresco, and get the grill going for BBQs in the sunshine. If you want to host the best BBQ with friends, then here are some tips to make sure that you are the hostess with the mostess.

Prep food before your guests arrive

When guests know they are coming to something that involves food, they are going to come hungry. Most of these BBQ tips can come from people correcting their mistakes, and one of them is not having food prepared before guests arrive. You want to have salads ready to service and meat marinated and chopped ready to go on the frill. Then you can get down to the main event of eating, sooner rather than later. So give yourself plenty of time to plan ahead and get everything ready, and it will make you feel much less stressed too.

All the condiments

When it comes to a BBQ, you can’t go too far wrong by getting all of the condiments for the group. This can involve getting the best BBQ sauce for wings, dressings for salads, salt and pepper, and other condiments that will suit, such as ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. There will be something that everyone likes and they’ll help to make their dishes much more appealing.

Decorate outside

Decorating outside is something that takes the BBQ to a party, rather than just any other day out in the yard. You could decorate with things like lanterns and balloons, as well as decorating with lights and bunting. Making sure that there is enough lighting out there is a good idea. Getting tableware, along with things like tablecloths, will help to bring it in altogether and make the party look great.

Drinks

The fun of a BBQ is having fun drinks and staying out until it starts to get dark. You could get a cooler for drinks, or just get a stylish bucket filled with ice, where drinks can be stored to keep them cool. You could also line up some Kilner jar glass drinks dispensers for people to help themselves to, and they look super cute too. If people are bringing children, then this can be a neat idea as you can have soft drinks and water for little ones who can then help themselves.

Games and entertainment

The main event may be the food, and you and your friends may prefer to eat, drink, and talk at the table, late into the evening. If it is more of a family affair, you want to get up and move with your guests, then think about what kind of entertainment you could have. It might be that just putting on a playlist for people to dance to is enough, but you could get some backyard games for people to play, from badminton to Twister, or Cornhole. Think about what would be fun for your guests, and then you can plan accordingly. 

4 Easy Health Hacks to Feel Better Every Day 

We often feel it’ll require so much time, money, and effort to improve our health, well-being, and lifestyle. However, it’s more attainable than we think. With a few simple lifestyle tweaks and adding new habits to your daily routine, you can turn your life around just like magically snapping your fingers and waking up with a smile. Statistics have suggested that over 40 million adults in the US are dealing with some form of health or anxiety disorder, yet the pandemic could worsen the situation. I for one suffer from anxiety, so I try my best to make simple tweaks to feel better daily. Here are some tips that can help keep you healthy and feeling great!

Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep
The need for regular adequate sleep every night cannot be overemphasized. According to the National Sleep Foundation, having a decent amount of restful sleep from anywhere between seven to nine hours each night can sharpen your brain, improve your mood and peak your energy levels. Additionally, having a good rest reduces your insulin level and decreases your stress rate, leaving you with glowing and radiant skin. If you find yourself sleeping less or having trouble getting enough sleep, you may reach out to the doctor or try the tips below;

 

 

  • Create a sleep schedule and stick to it
  • Consider what you eat or drink before heading for bed
  • Create an atmosphere ideal for sleeping 
  • Limit your daytime naps. 

Consume more vegetables
A recent study has proposed a new way to gain more from your food nutrients without the need to put in extra effort; consume your veggies raw. Nutritionists have indicated that some vitamins and minerals are lost during cooking, making an excellent case to consume your veggies when they’re not yet cooked if you can. Meanwhile, some researchers have suggested that consuming vegetables in their natural state can help manage depression. While this isn’t for everybody, there are other ways you can eat your veggies. Why not check out this delicious garlic dip and sauce to take your meal to the next level?

 

 

Burn calories with regular physical activity
The rich benefits of regular physical activity are enormous; from muscle gain and fat burn, the perks of regular exercising goes beyond just the physical benefits. As proposed by the American psychological association, regular exercise effectively boosts your mood, and it has demonstrated a useful technique for managing anxiety, stress, and depression. Aside from its short-term effects, working out has long term effects of leaving you feeling good over an extended period. You can begin with working out 15 minutes every day and just three times each week. 

 

 

Have a positive outlook
After everything happening currently, from job losses, social distancing, and lack of outdoor activity, it may be challenging to keep positive over an extended period with the impending second wave of COVID-19 infection. However, psychologists have advised writing down three positives from every day and how it made you feel. No matter how small they are, write them down. This means you’ll have something positive to feel good about despite everything else that happens during the day. 

 

 

Are you looking to live a healthier, better long life? Then these simple tips, diets, and lifestyle adjustment should get you started.

 

Why You Should Eat More Vegetables

It’s 2021, and let’s be real 2020 was a real doozy. When the new year starts everyone tries to eat healthy, get fit, lose some weight etc. I’ve personally been doing a paleo/whole 30 mix to try to shed a few pounds and get healthier. (*note I know Whole 30 is meant to be for 30 days but I’m just taking a few of the rules and applying them to my life to make it less restrictive so don’t come at me lol)

One of the main things I’ve been doing is adding more vegetables to my meals. Did you know that a vegan diet can help you lose weight? By swapping out unhealthy foods for vegan-friendly or vegetarian meals, you can lower your calorie consumption which is fantastic if you’re looking to lose weight. Vegetables are so low calorie and very nutrient dense. You can eat a lot more vegetables than you can say carbs and still feel full. 

Not only is eating more vegetables good for your body but it’s good for the earth. A plant based diet can help keep the soil clean, conserve water around the world and also cut greenhouse gas emissions. 

Diets always seem so restrictive but when you look at it in a different lens you can be more creative. You can try out the best sauteed kale recipes, vegan meat substitutes, and try making your own creations (I highly recommend Pinterest!) They’re healthy, they taste great, and they’ll teach you about unique food combinations that will enhance your cooking.

There are lots of unique breakfast and lunch ideas for a plant based diet that differ drastically from typical diets. There are also thousands of unique dinner recipes that you can try if you want some variety. If you want to add more vegetables into your daily routine, it really starts one meal at a time.