by | Jul 10, 2023 | Lifestyle |
It’s good to have a hobbit. But hobbies are more than a simple pastime or another string to add to your bow. Hobbies can provide many different benefits, from keeping your buddy active to improving your mental and physical health and even improving your cognitive ability and raising your IQ, not to mention the social aspect of hobbies where you can connect with others too.
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While the sole reason for taking up a new hobby shouldn’t be dependent on how much brighter it can make you, it can help to know that you are getting additional benefits aside from the enjoyment of indulging in your hobby as frequently as possible.
But if you are curious about what types of hobbies can help you boost brain function and increase your mental capacity for learning and retaining information, read on.
Knitting & Crocheting
Knitting and crocheting are both types of needlework that require you to create patterns using yarn or threads and needles and hooks to help create patterns, designs, clothing, and more. A 2011 study found that knitting and crocheting can help to slow down the cognitive decline of age, while another study found that 71% of respondents said knitting helped to improve their concentration, and IQ increased by over 9%. Not only this, it can also help enhance dexterity, reduce stress levels, and even provide you with clothing or a new income stream if you have a flair for knitting and crocheting. Try these crochet project ideas to get you started.
Learning A Language
Learning a language has been a popular hobby for many people worldwide. Whether they are learning a new language for practical reasons for traveling and to communicate with others but for many, learning a new language is something they enjoy too, and it can improve their mental health no end. Learning a language was proven to increase IQ by 5.88% in a 2020 study by DIYS.com. Of nearly 5,000 volunteers, those who learned a new language not only developed a new skill but benefitted from increased concentration and the ability to absorb more knowledge.
Playing An Instrument
Playing an instrument is one of the more creative hobbies you can undertake. While many children learn an instrument at school, it is never too late to pick up something, figure out how to make it, and create sweet music and melodies. From learning the guitar to piano or something more niche, such as bagpipes or the didgeridoo, learning an instrument increases your IQ by 9.71% (DIYS study). It involves using both parts of the brain in conjunction with each and increases activity in the corpus callosum.
Free Writing
Free writing is picking up a pen or opening up your keyboard and typing. With no thought, rhyme, or reason, just writing. It can be your innermost thoughts; it can be something creative like fiction or anything else you wish. Studies found that writing by hand offers more mental health benefits and improves brain and hand-eye coordination, but writing on a keyboard can also be beneficial. There is no end goal, nor does your writing need to make sense to you or anyone else. Pick up that pen, let your creativity flow, and your IG gets a little boost.
Crosswords/Puzzles
Crosswords and word puzzles have long been linked to improving cognitive ability. They are often touted as one of the best activities for those experiencing cognitive decline or to help slow down the aging process and for a good reason. Many studies have shown a link between doing crosswords, word games, word searches, and the like and improved brain health and function in adults over 50. If you want to see how much benefit it can add to your life, make a habit of doing the daily crossword in the newspaper or invest in some puzzle books to keep your brain sharp.
Drawing and Painting
Much like free writing, painting and drawing don’t need a focus or end game. Creative hobbies were found to be more beneficial for health in many ways, from reducing stress levels to opening your mental capacity and helping you to improve neural functioning in the brain. You can choose to follow patterns and learn creative drawing techniques, or you can select any medium to paint and draw with and see where your mind takes you. It isn’t about the end. The result is about simply doing it, so if you want to try it, don’t focus on what you think you should be pudding. Just express yourself freely and see what happens.
Gardening
Gardening is proven to have many benefits, not just improving your IQ (5% as per the same study). Being in nature can improve your heart and mental health and expose you to vitamin D, which your body needs to help fight illnesses. The presence of plants and nature has long been proven to increase mental wellness. Everyone can do or can learn gardening, which can offer a way to get outdoors while learning a new skill and boosting your brain health.
Exercising/Dancing
The health benefits of exercising and dancing are vast. Our bodies need to move to keep them fit and healthy, but exercising has also been proven to improve brain health and boost IQ points; it is the third best hobby to boost IQ, according to the DIYS study in 2020. Those who exercise can benefit from a delayed aging process, increased physical health, lower rate of illnesses and injury, and all the mental health benefits and IQ-boosting properties. So if you want to find a hobby that considers all aspects of your health, find an exercise or dance class you enjoy and get moving.
Conclusion
Hobbies can be more than just a great way to pass the time. They can have many health benefits and help you to improve your brain health and IQ at the same time.
by | Jan 21, 2023 | Food |
Are you worried about young people’s diets? You’re far from alone. For many adults, this is one of the most significant concerns they struggle with daily. They want to ensure that their children get everything they need in their diet, just like you do. Of course, this can be easier said than done. Children can be picky eaters and might reject healthy food on principle. So, how can you work to ensure that your children are getting everything they need from the food they consume on a daily basis? Here are some options.
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Healthy Substitutes
First, you must explore healthy substitutes similar to the foods your kids already enjoy but provide health benefits. There are lots of different examples of substitutes like this that you can explore. For instance, your kids may love pizza. Instead of preparing a typical pizza, you could try a sourdough pizza. You can learn how to make a fantastic sourdough pizza dough recipe at this site. You can do this with your kids, which brings us to the next option.
Get Them Involved
If you want your children to eat a healthier diet, you should consider ensuring they are involved in the cooking and preparation. Do this, and you’ll be able to make sure that they are more likely to want to consume healthy food because they helped prepare it. This is also a great way to introduce your children to a new hobby and ensure that they have a practical skill they will probably depend on more when they get older. Just make sure that you have set up a kitchen environment that is going to be safe for them to use without any issues.
Sample Lots Of Different Flavors And Types Of Cooking
Do be aware that children may think that they don’t like healthy food. But it’s possible they just haven’t been exposed to enough of it. You should try cooking meals with different flavors, ingredients, and food from different cultures. It’s possible that you haven’t found the right option to tantalize your child’s taste buds. Don’t panic. There are always options that you can explore here.
Make It Look Enticing
Finally, kids can be very visual. This means that they may accept food based on how it tastes but how it looks. So, you must ensure that you are trying to make the food look fun or enticing for your kids. There are lots of ways to do this. For instance, you can use food dyes to make it more colorful and exciting. This could be particularly useful if you want younger children to eat healthier.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you can take to get your children to eat healthier and ensure that they gain everything that they need from their general diet.
by | Dec 14, 2022 | Fashion |
Your diet plays a crucial role in your health and well-being. You can improve your eating habits by exploring various diets, such as a low-carb diet focusing on foods rich in protein and fats. These low-carb diets may vary, as each has different restrictions on the types and quantity of carbohydrates consumed. According to research, about 5% of people in the US eat low-carb meals, indicating a need for more awareness about the benefits of a low-carb diet. Below are some of the most popular low-carb meals you can add to your daily diet.
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Shrimp, avocado, and egg chopped salad
If you prefer not to eat meat, shrimp is a fantastic, high-protein, low-calorie option. You can enjoy it alongside fiber-rich vegetables. With avocado and eggs, you can add healthy fat, additional protein, and taste to make a wonderfully substantial salad. This tasty option takes a few minutes to prepare and can be enjoyed by you and your family as a quick lunch or light dinner.
Salmon with avocado and tomato salad
Salmon is rich in protein but also high in inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to improve cardiovascular health. For a fast and fulfilling meal, add walnuts for crunch, avocados for healthy fat, tomatoes for a juicy dose of vitamins, and your favorite vegetables to increase the fiber.
Slow-cooker roast beef and cabbage
The finest slow-cooker recipes allow you to combine your favorite ingredients, including beef and cabbage, in the appliance with little or no prep. After placing your well-seasoned roast beef in the slow cooker, add thyme and caraway seeds to the boiling broth to enhance the flavors of this classic recipe. Add the red potatoes, carrots, and cabbage as well. If you do this in the morning, your delicious meal will be ready for supper in approximately seven to eight hours. You’re sure to come home to a deliciously fragrant house and a warm supper.
Chanko nabe
The well-known chanko nabe recipe is another favorite when considering recipes high in protein. Organic and full of protein, chanko nabe is a nutritious dish. You’ll have a hearty soup combining rice, udon noodles, chicken thighs, tofu, and various nutritious veggies, like carrots, napa cabbage, green onions, and mushrooms.
Enchiladas with bean and spinach
Making enchiladas, rolling them, and baking them might seem like a lot of work. However, you can prepare these protein-packed, inexpensive, and incredibly satisfying bean and spinach enchiladas in your cooker. Before decreasing the temperature, place your enchiladas in the cooker in a single layer. Prepare a fresh side salad after about three and a half hours, then arrange the cooked enchiladas on plates and top them with sliced onions. Don’t forget to add your beans and spinach for the perfect low-carb meal!
Beef chili verde
This option is excellent for you if you love preparing meals in advance or need a quick, tasty dish to serve your guests at an upcoming hangout. You can serve up to ten people with this nutritious dish. Each mouthful of beef is flavored with plenty of Mexican flavors, notable among them being salsa verde and a can of green chilies. For a complete dinner, substitute rice, tortillas, or chips with eggs or vegetables such as cabbage.
by | Dec 1, 2022 | Food |
Everyone wants to treat themselves, and we all have our vices. But most people also want to make sure that they eat and live more healthily, which means cutting down on a lot of what we enjoy.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
If you are trying to make changes in your life and your diet, you might struggle with this. Here are some tips to help you to have your cake and eat it too, both metaphorically and literally.
A Lifestyle Change, Not a Diet
One huge mistake that a lot of people make is that they go on diets that promise quick results. You can lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time on some of these diets, especially if you cut out huge amounts of food.
However, this kind of weight loss isn’t healthy or sustainable. Ideally, you should change your diet with the goal to be more healthy, not just lose weight. But rapid weight loss puts stress on your body. Not only that, but it’s often temporary.
A common result of rapid weight loss diets is that, while you lose weight quickly, it doesn’t take much time to put it back on again. These diets can be incredibly restrictive, meaning that once it’s over, you fall back into old eating habits, and then some. Some people even gain more weight than they lost.
The idea should be to change how you eat, not just what you eat. Everyone has different eating habits, some more healthy than others. By focusing on how you see food, you can make changes. This, especially when paired with increased exercise, will make it more viable for you to not only lose weight, but to live a healthier lifestyle.
Switching Food Choices
We can be our own worst enemies, especially when it comes to food. But there are some relatively simple ways to switch to a more nutritious diet. Rather than concentrating on restriction and cutting things out entirely, why not switch some of your food choices for healthier options?
If you’re a chronic snacker, for example, switch out the chips for something that will fill you up and provide more benefits. Fruit is a great option, but you can also find some snack alternatives that will provide the savory crunch that you’re craving, but without the saturated fats or unhealthy helping of salt.
Think of things like chips, cake, and other junk food as treats, rather than an ordinary part of your diet. Rather than restricting yourself, you’re treating yourself.
Dealing With Food Restrictions
Some people have food restrictions that can make some treats impossible to enjoy. Rather than cutting them out entirely, or worse, eating them anyway and facing the consequences, why not make or find alternatives that you can eat safely?
For example, this gluten free Brooklyn Blackout Cake recipe is exactly as decadent and enjoyable as you’d hope for, but it’s also more accessible for people who can’t eat gluten. This means that you enjoy a treat without any risks
by | Oct 3, 2022 | Fashion |
To have a healthy relationship, you’ve got to make sure you are healthy. Your partner is there to be just that, your partner, not someone whose job is to look after you all the time. You’ve got to be able to look after yourself and be independent in this regard, or it’s never going to work. This is one of the boundaries that need to be set in a relationship if it has a chance of working, and that’s why we’ve written this article. Down below, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things you have to do to be healthy yourself, so keep reading if you want to find out more.
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Eating A Balanced Diet
First, you will have to look at eating a balanced diet. Adults should be able to eat a balanced diet to stay healthy themselves, and no, we’re not talking about weight. We’re talking about being internally healthy at a minimum, ensuring you get everything you need. This means making sure that you’re eating vegetables and fruits so that you can get the vitamins and minerals from your food.
Both people in the relationship should be able to do this so they do not rely too heavily on the other. It’s not your partner’s job to ensure you eat your vegetables as they are not your parent. If you don’t know how to do this, you need to learn sooner rather than later.
Regular Exercise
It’s also essential that you complete some kind of regular exercise. We know that some people don’t like to exercise as they don’t like to sweat or they don’t like the feeling that they get in their body, but it’s got to be done. Your body needs this regular movement to ensure that your muscles stay healthy and that the rest of you do as well. Also, when you exercise, your body releases endorphins to help you manage the physical strain, which is why so many say they feel their best after a workout.
You don’t have to go to the gym if you don’t want to, but you need to be doing something. This might be getting up in the morning and going for a walk, or it might be going climbing together or whatever else you want to do. The important thing is that you’re active.
Kick Out Those Bad Habits
Have you got any bad habits? If you do, you have got to learn to kick them to the curb so you can live your best life. Of course, you can get your partner to help you, as sometimes kicking bad habits out of your life will be extremely difficult, but first and foremost, you’ve got to want to help yourself. If you don’t, it’s never going to work, and this can significantly strain your relationship if your bad habit is negatively impacting you and others around you.
For example, it might be something like giving up smoking, or it could be something like an addiction to any kind of substance. You can receive professional help for things like this, such as at Delphi Health Group. You have to be willing to look for it and ask for it.
Good Mental Health
The last thing we’ll say is that you have to do what you can to maintain good mental health. We all have bad days and go through darker periods than others, but you have got to understand how to deal with this. You can’t just shut down, block your partner out and blame them for how you feel, as this is not a healthy relationship. We’re not saying that it will be easy to do, but we’re saying that it’s something you’ll have to do if you want your relationship to be a success.
We hope that you have found this article helpful and now see some of the things you should do to keep yourself healthy. You’re never going to be able to have a successful relationship if you’re unable to remain healthy yourself, which is why working on yourself is the most important thing you can do. We wish you the best of luck and hope you manage this goal.
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