HEALTH BUZZ

Where Does All the Fat Go When You Shed Pounds?

The world is fixated on trend eating methodologies and weight reduction, yet few of us know how fat really vanishes off the scales. Indeed, even the 150 specialists, dietitians and fitness coaches we reviewed shared this astonishing hole in their wellbeing proficiency. The most widely recognized misguided judgment, by a wide margin, was that fat is changed over to vitality.

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What Witchcraft Taught Me About Self-Care

"Witchcraft" has become a bit of a buzzword lately. Sure, it may call to mind '90s goth styles and Harry Potter, but the truth is, witchcraft is a bit like yoga: Even if you don't treat it as a religion, you can still benefit from it, and there are as many different facets of it as there are practitioners. This journey is a personal one—I wouldn't be surprised if it was a witch who first said, "You do you."

Below are just some of the ways modern witchcraft has transformed and enhanced my wellness and self-care practices. I'm hoping that, if you approach it with an open heart, it can do the same for you. (And if you want to wear dark lipstick while doing so, that's totally OK, too. You do you, after all.)

Believe in the value of positive thinking.

Witches believe it's not just our actions that matter—our thoughts and intentions do, as well. We believe that our thoughts can shape our world, bringing to our path what we spend the most time thinking about—and that works for the good as well as the bad. So when it comes to your fears? Stop mentally listing all the ways things can go wrong! Instead, picture yourself safe and happy, at least for a few minutes, on a daily basis.

Meditation is a modern witch's best friend (... although black cats are still very cute). Start by trying to empty your mind of all the clutter. If you need some extra help, I've found meditation apps like Insight Timer can be very helpful, especially the guided visualizations.

Stay connected to nature and the elements.

Like I mentioned, there are as many witchcraft flavors as there are practitioners, but you'd be hard-pressed to find many witches that do not thrive when living close to nature and being in tune with the elements. That may prove challenging for you if, for some strange reason, you don't live in a picturesque cottage deep in the forest, but instead find yourself squished into an apartment with at least one messy roommate and some rowdy neighbors.

But the truth is, bringing in nature can be as simple as opening the windows to get the sun and fresh air inside, buying an indoor plant, rubbing your fingers into some sea salt or herbs, or just being very aware how the water is washing everything bad away from you when you're taking a shower. Just noticing the four elements as they manifest in your daily life will make you feel more balanced.

And if you spend some time outdoors—even just in your neighborhood park—it can work wonders toward helping you realize you're a part of this ecosystem, and that you must cherish and protect it.

Remember that sex is natural.

In the Christian environment I was raised in, I was gratefully never taught that sex is bad, shameful, or something that should happen after marriage (thank you, Mom!). But many of my friends learned those lessons young. These days, many women are taking charge of their pleasure and owning their bodies, but unfortunately, some stigmas still remain. Modern witchcraft celebrates sex as something not only natural and good, but that can also be a way of getting closer to the divine through the union of energies.

Modern witchcraft can help you acknowledge that you can be both spiritual and sexual, and remind you that one doesn't subtract from the other. The sooner the idea of women enjoying sex freely stops being a radical one, the better it will be for all of us.

Forgive your shortcomings and love yourself.

Witchcraft is all about embracing change and evolving. The Wheel of the Year is turning with every season, and we're moving along with it—making mistakes along the way, but still moving forward. One of the most surprising things this journey has taught me: to forgive myself and my many failings and just try to do better from now on.

Don't be your own worst enemy. If you break your diet, fail at your New Year's resolutions, or mess things up in your professional or personal life, you can always dust yourself off, let go of any shame you may be feeling, disengage from other people's expectations, and surround yourself with people and things that help you and center you.

One nice, witchy way to practice letting go: Light a candle while sprinkling some herbs that are in season, surround yourself with green plants and crystals, fill your space with soothing music, and cuddle with your pet. If it sounds a lot like hygge, that's because the principle is the same: A beautiful, soothing space will soothe your mind as well.

If you'd like to learn more about Wicca, Scott Cunningham's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner is a perfect introductory read. Or for a more down-to-earth approach to witchcraft, I recommend Hedgewitch Book of Days: Spells, Rituals, and Recipes for the Magical Year by Mandy Mitchell, the grandma all of us would like to have.

Danai is a writer and editor by day, a tarot card reader by night, and a cat person 24/7. Born in Athens, Greece, Danai spent the last five years eating lobster rolls and taking the subway to work in NYC before deciding to relocate to Scandinavia and learn how to forage berries. Follow her on Instagram, on Twitter, or in real life in some Scandinavian forest.

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Is Life Damaging Your Spine?

Is modern life becoming a pain in the neck? Are you like the millions of people who spend hours on end every day using a Smartphone or another mobile device? If so, you could be at risk of "text neck", a new age epidemic that could lead to permanent damage.

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Surprising Healthier Lifestyle Choices You Can Make

If you're thinking about making healthier lifestyle choices, it's could be time to be a case of out with the old and in with the new! So here are some surprisingly easy ways you can improve your well-being and make your habits the healthiest ones ever!

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6 Rules to Set for Yourself That'll Make You Happier

When we think of "boundaries," we tend to think of restrictions and constraints—rules you have to stick to but that keep you from total freedom. The truth is that if you set healthy boundaries, based on values that are important to you, you can actually live truer to who you are.

Without boundaries, you'll often find yourself acting from a place of fear, resentment, and frustration with yourself and others. When you live by your rules, you'll allow experiences and people into your life in a way that keeps you happy and healthy. We often move through life doing what we think is expected of us, like striving for more money and the best career, or being the most popular with the biggest group of friends.

How do you know if you need to set some boundaries for yourself?

Take a look and see if any of these sound like you:

You get really irritated when someone cuts you off in traffic, TV commercials drone on and on, or the barista misspells your name on your take-out coffee
You've been feeling more resentment than love toward those you care about lately
You consistently allow other peoples' needs to come before yours
You struggle to make decisions
You hate saying "no" to people and events
You feel a lot of guilt and anxiety

If you saw yourself in any of these, don't worry—you're human! However, these emotional responses tend to stem from a fear of not being enough, not being lovable, and not succeeding, which do not have to rule our lives. You are enough, you are lovable, and you cannot fail just being you. I know that's easier to say than it is to hear, so let's move onto the next step—where you can take some action to make your life more the way you want it to be.

How to Set Boundaries

It may take a little time to identify which values are most important to you, but once they become clear, you'll be able to live life by your rules—and not what you think is expected of you. If you're ready for more freedom, productivity, and joy in your life, boundaries are well worth exploring.

1. Identify your values.

The simplest way to do this is to spend five minutes a day asking yourself, 'What is most important to me?' and jotting down anything and everything that comes to mind.

Take a moment to explore what each word really means to you. For example, if you say, "My career is important to me," your career could actually be standing in for financial freedom, creativity, or leadership—these are your core values. To kick-start the process, here are a few examples of core values for inspiration:

Connection
Knowledge
Joy
Honesty
Justice
Fun + excitement
Playfulness

2. Get down and dirty with your feelings.

Spend the next week being aware of how you feel: Every time you feel a heightened emotion brewing, tap into the situation. Rather than judging this emotion and yourself, be aware of where that feeling comes from. Having this awareness can help you identify the values that are most important to you, as our emotions are fabulous indicators of our subconscious.

Let's say you become overwhelmingly jealous of a friend who always seems to be doing fun things, going to the movies, eating at nice restaurants, and dressing up. This may indicate that you, in fact, value "fun and excitement," and may need to set some boundaries in your daily routine that help you live this value more fully.

Are you working too hard and never finding time for the fun stuff? Set boundaries that help you take time away from work to explore more fun events.

3. Create boundaries that help you honor these values.

Develop boundaries that help protect your top values. For instance, "calm" is right up there on my values list, so a new boundary I've implemented is to work out by myself. For so long, I'd thought the best way to stay fit and healthy was to go to a busy group class and push myself like everyone else. But I'd frequently get distracted and compare myself to everyone, which caused me a lot of anxiety. I just thought this was the normal way to go about it!

So now, I take the time to run in the park, check out yoga videos online, or create a circuit around my house. It's such a freeing feeling being in harmony with my values, in a peaceful space, without all the hustle and bustle of daily life. I no longer feel the restriction of trying to be like everyone else. The empowerment is almost tangible!

Make a list of boundaries you can set to help you better achieve your own list of values. Then, once you have an understanding of what boundaries you'd like to put into place, segment them out into three different categories: work, relationships, and self.

For work, you might have "make consistent space on the calendar for uninterrupted breaks." For relationships, you could explore "schedule in regular girls' nights." And for self, you might prioritize "make time for fun each week." Spend five minutes writing down the new boundaries you'd like to try out and bullet point the action steps to achieve them. Let's say "make time for fun each week" is a big thing for you. Your action steps might look a little like this:

Create a list of cool activities
Make time and space for at least one of these activities each week
Create an alarm to stop what you're doing and start having fun!

It doesn't have to be complicated, but a plan helps you to stick with your goals. Start small and be patient with yourself—it's all a learning curve, and you're totally capable of owning some healthy boundaries. Start with one thing from one segment, master that, and then move onto the next. Simple.

4. Be prepared for people in your life to not respect your boundaries.

Once we set boundaries, people are going to push them—it's inevitable. So figure out what you want to do once that happens!

Let's say you set a boundary about your schedule, saying that your work hours are for work and your after-work hours are for you, your family, and friends. But one family member always wants to talk on the phone during your workday. Knowing that this person is going to keep asking to talk on the phone during your workday, send them a message with the hours that you're free. If you write down your planned responses, you'll know exactly how to respond once the situation arises—and it'll be a lower stress moment for you.

If your family member still urges the conversation, don't give them an ultimatum, just gently state you still have time for them and remind them of the hours you're free. Do this as many times as you have to! Along with the patience with yourself, have some patience with others. It may take a while for these new boundaries to be accepted, but what will ensue is a more respectful and balanced relationship.

If you give in to your family's needs above yours, you may end up feeling resentful and frustrated with that family member. Stick to your boundaries, and both parties win.

5. Remind yourself you are allowed to have boundaries.

No one is going to love you any less because you have decided to respect yourself! In fact, you'll find them loving you more. You're setting boundaries that allow for growth and healthy relationships—and don't we all want that? We all have a fear of not being loved, but healthy boundaries are fundamental to self-care. Without them, we often fall into burnout, resentment, and frustration because we allow others into our sacred mental and physical space.

Maybe alone time is important to you, but you're not getting much of it in your relationship. You might start to experience resentment bubbling up as you feel stuck and restricted. But if you express your need for one night a week alone, you'll end up being far more open and receptive to your partner, since you've given yourself the time and space to care for yourself and your needs first.

6. Start with small steps.

The next time someone asks something of you that oversteps one of your new boundaries, remind yourself that you don't have to say yes to them. If it feels hard at first and you give in, that's OK—next time will be easier. If you do find yourself faltering, remember your values and why they're important to you.

It sometimes helps to have someone that inspires you in mind—for example, I love Oprah Winfrey's no-nonsense attitude, so I'll think of her and remind myself to stick to my guns and stay true to myself.

You could also have a reward system in place: If you find yourself honoring your boundaries for a week, you could buy yourself some beautiful flowers or a massage to reinforce your positive efforts. Soon, defending your boundaries will become second nature.

Helen Sian India is a yoga teacher and life coach to ambitious, millennial women who can't relax. She's coached and taught overworked women all over the world to live a harmonious and beautiful life. She's here to show you it can be easy to live a peaceful life with meaning—and she can help you find your work/life balance sweet spot. Follow her on Instagram and check out her free wellness program.

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Polyphenols Promote Health - Found in Whole Fruits and Vegetables

Eating polyphenol rich foods every meal and every snack will provide the biggest boost to the body. Supplements with a variety of polyphenols are fine but make sure you get them throughout the day. One dose per day doesn't help your health enough.

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Can Whole Body CryoTherapy Help With Osteoporosis?

The bones in our body are constantly breaking down and building back up again. When they don't build back up as fast as they break down, we call that osteoporosis and it can be quite debilitating and serious. As we age these issues can become more prevalent, of course genetics are also a factor. Thyroid problems, low calcium and vitamin D also contribute to bone loss, as well as lack of exercise, use of alcohol and smoking. Chronic inflammation can be a big culprit in bone loss as the body reabsorbs existing bone.

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