health and wellness Archives

Published on March 7, 2022June 26, 2022

4 mins read

5 Ways to Build Your Immune System

Your immune system is the body’s first line of defense against illness. Similar to how a security system around your house provides protection, your immune system uses a system of chemicals and proteins in your body to combat viruses, harmful bacteria, infections, and parasites.

Here are five steps you can implement into your daily routine to build your immune system and stay healthy all year long.

Keep a Healthy Diet

Having a healthy diet is essential for a strong immune system. This requires eating lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats.

A healthy diet will not only give your immune system the energy it needs, but also provide you with the micronutrients necessary for maintaining it, such as:

Vitamin B6, which can be found in chicken, salmon, tuna, bananas, green vegetables, and potatoes (with the skin).
Vitamin E is found in almonds, sunflower and safflower oils, peanut butter, and spinach.
Vitamin C is found in citrus fruit, such as oranges and strawberries, as well as in tomatoes and broccoli.

Engage in Regular Exercise

Exercise isn’t just for building muscles and de-stressing—it’s also crucial for keeping yourself healthy and supporting your immune system. Exercise can boost your immune function by improving overall circulation, which enables immune cells and other infection-fighting molecules to travel throughout your body.

Reduce Stress

Stress can affect your health in a variety of ways, including how it impacts your immune system, no matter how quickly it comes on or how slowly it builds.

When you’re under a lot of stress, especially chronic stress that lasts a long time, your body responds by activating what’s called a stress response.

This response is supposed to help you deal with the stressful situations that come your way, but it also suppresses your immune system, increasing your chances of becoming ill.

Drink Plenty of Water

Water is important for many functions in your body, including boosting your immune system. Lymph, a fluid in your circulatory system that carries essential infection-fighting immune cells throughout your body, is mostly made up of water. Dehydration causes lymph to travel more slowly, which can contribute to immune system problems.

Whether you’re exercising or not, you’re constantly losing water through your breath, urine, and bowel movements. Make sure you drink enough water every day to keep your immune system healthy.

Ensure You Get Enough Sleep

While sleep might not seem like an active process, there are many critical things happening in your body when you are not awake. For example, crucial infection-fighting molecules are produced while you sleep.

Research shows that people who don’t get enough quality sleep are more likely to get sick after exposure to viruses such as the common cold. When it comes to your immune system, it’s important to get enough sleep every night, and take steps if your sleep is suffering.

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Published on March 7, 2022June 26, 2022

3 mins read

How to Choose the Right Multivitamins

In an ideal scenario, you should consume a well-balanced diet that provides your body with the right amount of vitamins and minerals.

However, life isn’t perfect, and your meal planning isn’t either, which is why you should take multivitamins to fill in those nutritional gaps.

The idea of a multivitamin is simple: it’s a supplement that contains all the extra nutrition you need in a convenient once-daily dosage. Then why do people have such difficulty choosing the right one? This article explains how multivitamins work and how to pick the best one for you.

Multivitamins: What Are They?

To put it simply, multivitamins are nutritional supplements designed to help you meet your daily requirements for micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, that your body requires to function effectively.

Research shows that most of us cannot get these nutrients through diet alone so a multivitamin can be a valuable and essential resource.

Multivitamins: How to Choose the Right One?

You will need to decide what supplement is best for you based on the following factors:

Age- Depending on your age, you may require more or less of a nutrient. For instance, individuals entering their 50s may benefit from taking vitamins that maintain normal bones.
Diet- Take into account the nutritional value of your diet. Do you consume a diet that’s high or low in certain nutrients? For instance, if you are a vegetarian, a multivitamin with B12 boosts an essential nutrient typically found in non-vegetarian food sources.
Immune System- If you want to strengthen your immune system, perhaps take a multivitamin with zinc.
Health Goals- Looking for more energy? Check whether low iron levels are contributing to your fatigue. Or, if you’d like to improve your sleeping pattern, keep an eye out for vitamin B6 in the ingredients.

What Is the Right Multivitamin for You?

Finding a supplement that you will want to take consistently is the first step to making it part of your daily routine. Here are four common types:

Capsules and Tablets- Some people find them hard to swallow, but they’re quick, convenient, and easy to take anywhere.
The Chewable Tablet- The gummies are a more enjoyable way for children to take supplements. Adult versions are also available.
Multivitamins in Liquid Form- If you have difficulty swallowing pills or chewing, these are a great alternative.
The Effervescent can also prevent swallowing problems caused by large pills because the fizzy solutions promote rapid absorption.

The process of choosing the right multivitamin can be daunting, with thousands of options on the market.

Problk Health Vitamins can help you decide which vitamins you need to fill in the nutrition gaps in your diet. For more information, visit them online or email them at Hello@problkhealth.com.

Published on September 9, 2021June 26, 2022

4 mins read

Venus Williams Supports Mental Health with the Launch of her $2 Million Free Therapy Initiative

As the struggle against mental health challenges continues, Venus Williams has joined the league of star athletes to support mental health with the announcement of her $2 million worth of free mental health therapy initiative. This initiative will be in partnership with BetterHelp and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

Announcing this partnership in a recent statement, the tennis star said, “The challenge of taking care of our mental health through the ups and downs of life is something that all of us, no matter our background, can relate to”.

She went ahead to share her excitement in the partnership, “Now, more than ever, we need to create an accepting and open environment to seek professional mental health therapy, which is why I am so excited to partner with BetterHelp and the WTA to provide access to free therapy and help raise awareness”

This partnership is aimed at providing free one-month therapy via the BetterHelp counseling website. According to the statement, the first $1 million is already accessible while the rest of the fund will be spread, $500 on each ace hit, throughout the remainder of the 2021 WTA Tour season.

Alon Matas, the BetterHelp President, while commenting on the relevance of the partnership said, “We are thrilled to partner with Venus and the WTA to bring greater awareness and access to therapy. Especially today, it is important that we take care of our mental well-being, and therapy provides the space and time to do just that”

As issues concerning mental health continue to gain momentum around the country, Venus William’s colleague, Naomi Osaka recently came out to disclose her personal battles with mental health. She cited anxiety and depression as her reasons for withdrawal from her May and June games. This, according to the tennis star, was to enable her to have some ‘personal time’ before rejoining the games at the Tokyo Summer Olympics in July.

In the wake of the increased conversation on mental health, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is making efforts to cater to the mental health of its players. One of such efforts is the availability of licensed mental health professionals together with other support provisions which players can access within the duration of this US Open.

Sadly, neither of the Williams sisters is participating in this last key Tennis tournament of 2021 due to different injuries. “It is super, super, super disappointing” lamented in a statement issued via a social media video concerning her absence from the tournament. Venus Williams continued, “I’ve been having some issues with my leg all this summer. Just couldn’t work through it… I just was unable to figure out the equation, and there have been so many times when I was able to figure it out. This time, I couldn’t just make any miracles work”.

However, her contribution towards mental health will go a long way to boost the mental health and morale of players and non-players in the US and beyond.

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Published on September 6, 2021June 26, 2022

4 mins read

Thinking About Trying Weight Loss Pills? Try These 5 Healthy Lifestyle Changes First

If you are a woman who’s: 1). breathing and 2). also has social media, then you’ve likely been bombarded with ads featuring weight loss tummy teas, pills, and other trendy diet plans.

Of course, weight loss pills have perpetuated diet culture for decades, but now that social media is around, it’s easier to fall susceptible to this potentially dangerous trend.

Are weight loss pills safe to take?

Weight loss pills are often marketed as natural health aids, but if you look closely at the ingredients list of some of these bottles, they are far from healthy. According to National Capital Poison Control, many weight loss pills contain contaminated, ineffective, and dangerous ingredients that could lead to serious side effects.

So, if you’re interested in trying out these pills for yourself, proceed with caution and consult your doctor because many popular pills are unregulated by the FDA.

Committing to lead a healthier lifestyle is great, and doctors and scientists recommend making lifestyle changes to achieve sustained weight loss and other improved health outcomes. So, before you tap “Add to cart” on that random diet pill, try out these five healthy lifestyles changes instead:

Take charge of what’s around you

One of the first steps to a healthier lifestyle is taking a hard look at your current habits and your “cues.” Think of your cues as triggers that make you want to eat certain foods or partake in certain activities. Once you identify your triggers, try to replace your usual response with a healthier one! For example, if watching TV makes you snack on unhealthy foods, try reaching for a new, more nutritious snack instead.

Move those muscles

Just 30 minutes of brisk walking for 5 days out of the week will help you reach the optimal physical activity for each week, which is 150 minutes. Many of us have been less active than usual this year, so make it a point to add physical activity to your routine gradually.

**Watch how you eat**

When we eat in a distracted state, it’s easy to miss our body’s signals. Instead, focus on eating more mindfully, pay attention to if and how you enjoy the food you’re eating, and most importantly, notice when you feel full.

Find your healthy eating style

Who says healthy eating has to be boring? Make the switch to eat more nutrient-dense foods like whole fruits, veggies, whole grains, and protein, but have fun with it! Switch up your proteins weekly, or try cooking frozen veggies when you need a break in the kitchen. Find your unique healthy eating style and stick to it!

Drink more water

Are you staying hydrated enough? If you’re constantly fighting off fatigue, headaches, and dry skin, that’s your cue to drink more water! Staying hydrated can help suppress the appetite, boost metabolism, and make exercise easier.

Weight loss becomes much more sustainable when you commit to making healthier lifestyle changes. If you’re interested in any type of diet pill, remember to always consult your doctor first.

Written by Reese Williams

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