Smooth and clarify with vitamin A.
Did you know retinol, a popular skincare ingredient, comes from vitamin A?
This nutrient can help improve the appearance of wrinkles, as well as reduce hyperpigmentation, and can help improve acne.
Orange-coloured foods like bell peppers, sweet potato and pumpkin are excellent sources, as they’re high in betacarotene, which the body converts into vitamin A.
Glow up with vitamin C.
The citrus vitamin, vitamin C, can promote radiance, plus it’s good for the immune system, which can also have an impact on your skin if it’s not functioning as it should.
Vitamin C is also key for helping your body to create collagen, the scaffolding of the skin.
Some of the best sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits like orange and grapefruit, red pepper, strawberries, broccoli, and kiwi fruit.
Can positive affirmations actually help your mental well-being? Science says yes!
Research suggests positive affirmations can work because they activate your brain’s reward system, which can help you deal better with challenges.
Why not start each day by repeating some short positive statements.
Low-impact exercise is the new buzz word for this year. Also known as ‘Japanese walking’, as it was developed by researchers in Japan, it’s linked to improved fitness and muscle strength as well as lower blood pressure.
The technique is simple: walk quickly for three minutes, then slowly for three minutes. Repeat this at least five times to start feeling the benefits.
Imagine not being able to sit down into a chair, walk up a set of stairs, or get something out of the bottom cupboard in your kitchen. That could be the case if you don’t practice squats regularly.
Squats aren’t just an exercise, they’re a movement you do daily. When you sit down onto the toilet, or onto a chair and back up again, or when you walk up a flight of stairs and come back down. Your ankles bend, your knees bend, and your hips bend – that’s the fundamental squat pattern.
The only thing that’s very different is the degree of range of motion you go through, or the degree that a part of your body moves around your joints.
Stepping up onto a step, like a staircase, involves quite a short range of motion. On the other hand, crouching down to look into the bottom cabinet of your kitchen requires a much deeper range of motion! But, importantly, the pattern of movement remains exactly the same.
By performing squats in a workout setting regularly, you’ll train your body to move through deeper range of motions at different joint angles. The next time you come to squat down to your cupboard, you should be able to go lower without feeling any discomfort. Likewise, you might be able to take two stairs at a time the next time you go upstairs!
How often should you be training squats to yield the benefits? You should include one exercise that includes the squat pattern in every strength training workout you do – ideally at least once per week.