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Many of us who want to make a positive impact on the world try to have compassion for other people. But how many of us ever think about directing that compassion toward ourselves? Probably very few. The idea usually brings up thoughts of being self-absorbed or self-centered. But, what makes us less deserving of our compassion than other people? If we want to achieve a higher level of personal development, which includes real happiness and inner peace, then we need to be able to have compassion for all people, and that includes ourselves. “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” — Buddha In this article, I’ll show you how to practice self-compassion meditation, so you can realize happiness and inner peace. I’ll include a self-compassion meditation script with suggestions on how to use it for maximum effectiveness. But before we get into the practice, it would be a good idea to understand what self-compassion is, and its many benefits.

Parents might want to focus less on the scale and instead direct their energy toward providing their children with enough macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Empty calories, like those in ice cream, might add a few pounds here and there, but they will not provide the nutrients a child needs to build a healthy brain, resilient organs and strong bones. So if you have an underweight child, begin by ensuring all calories ingested are nutrient-rich.

Although the struggle to lose weight is a more common problem, for some people it can be just as challenging to try to get their weight up to a healthy level. This effort can become even more difficult if you are also dealing with IBS. 

Parsley is probably one of the most under-appreciated vegetables we know. But let us tell you, if you know the benefits of parsley, you will start appreciating it like no other. Which is why we have this post – here, we discuss the benefits of parsley and how it can make your life better. Keep reading!

In a couple of my blog posts, I’ve talked about how inadequate or imbalanced nutrition affects bone health, putting thin persons — particularly thin women — at greater risk for bone fractures. The most recent post, Beauty is Bone Deep, focused on women who try to force a thin physique on their (usually unwilling) bodies for the sake of an unrealistic beauty ideal. But there are those women, and men too, who try and try to gain  weight rather than lose it, often to no avail. These aren’t people who have an eating disorder or anorexia — they’re otherwise healthy-seeming people who simply can’t gain a single pound.

Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for their therapeutic and healing properties as part of the practice of aromatherapy. They’re sourced from leaves, stems or roots of plants that are known for their health properties. So then, what is frankincense essential oil? Frankincense, sometimes referred to as olibanum, is a common type of essential oil used in aromatherapy that can offer a variety of health benefits, including helping relieve chronic stress and anxiety, reducing pain and inflammation, and boosting immunity. Frankincense uses even potentially apply to fighting cancer.

If you’re looking to add muscle, bulking (alongside your training) is one of the most essential aspects of making consistent progress. For those unfamiliar with the term, bulking means eating more calories than you burn on a daily basis with the intention of gaining weight. With regular weight training and the right macronutrient ratios, the majority of this gained weight should be muscle rather than fat. Bulking has historically been done in the winter, largely thanks to the almost inevitable fat gain that will occur due to the caloric excess. As the weather cools down we tend to cover ourselves up a little more, meaning it’s a bit easier to hide the fact your 6 pack is slowly being eroded as you look to add more lean muscle! In the past, little regard was given to this additional fat. It was just the price to be paid for adding muscle, and when the sun started to peek through the clouds at springtime it was time to get rid of it. Cardio becomes compulsory, you start hitting the ...

Peanuts are a nutrient dense food that contains vegetable proteins and healthful fats. Overeating peanut butter may increase the number of calories and fat in someone's diet. If a person is eating more calories than they need, they may gain weight. Peanut butter can be a nutritious food when people eat the right amount. In such instances, peanut butter may help a person with weight loss. In this article, we discuss the effect of peanut butter on weight.

Is Pilates a good exercise for weight loss? Pilates is a popular low-impact exercise. It’s effective for toning up, building lean muscle, and improving posture. Practicing Pilates can be beneficial for your health and help you maintain a healthy weight. Yet, Pilates may not be as effective for weight loss as other cardio exercises, such as running or swimming. That’s because you’ll burn fewer calories in traditional mat Pilates classes than if you did other cardio exercises. But if you enjoy Pilates classes you may be more likely to stick to your fitness routine by taking these classes regularly. You’ll also be more likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If your goal is weight loss, try combining Pilates with a healthy diet and other forms of exercise. Alternate Pilates with strength training and other forms of cardio exercise such as walking, swimming, running, or cycling. Read on to learn more about the benefits of Pilates and the role it can play in ...

The 14th-Century Persian poet Hafez’s work is not just very beautiful – it is useful too. Hafiz can teach us how to get the most out of our lives, writes Daniel Ladinsky. Shams-ud-din Muhammad Hafez (c. 1320-1389) is one of the most beloved poets of the Persians, and is considered by many – from different cultures – to be one of the seven literary wonders of the world. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe both agreed. As Emerson said of Hafiz: "He fears nothing. He sees too far, he sees throughout; such is the only man I wish to see or be." And Emerson gave Hafiz that grand and famous compliment, "Hafiz is a poet for poets."

Statistics tell us that most people who quit smoking gain some weight initially. On average, that gain is between 5 to 10 pounds. And for a lot of folks, it is temporary and falls back off within the first year of smoking cessation. For some of us, however, the weight gained stays put and/or grows. Reasons for this can include things like a slowing metabolism due smoking cessation or menopause, but most often it is really only about eating more calories in the course of a day than you did as a smoker. If you haven't quit smoking yet, take a little time to stock your kitchen with healthy snacks and think about what you'll do to stay on track with food once you stop smoking. A little preparation can go a long way toward helping you avoid the need to invest in a larger wardrobe to fit your new, nonsmoking self.

Kashk e bademjan (Persian: کشک بادمجان) is an Iranian and Azerbaijani dish, that literally translates in Persian as “kashk and eggplant”. It can be considered either an appetizer or a main dish. There are various recipes for this dish, involving caramelized onions, roasted nuts, herbs and spices.

Up to 20% of people may have a food addiction or exhibit addictive-like eating behavior . This number is even higher among people with obesity. Food addiction involves being addicted to food in the same way as someone with a substance use disorder demonstrates addiction to a particular substance. People who have food addiction report that they are unable to control their consumption of certain foods. However, people don't just become addicted to any food. Some foods are much more likely to cause symptoms of addiction than others.

If you’re looking to build muscle it’s important to keep your protein intake high. Unfortunately, protein rich foods can often be at the higher end of the price range, so we need to shop smart to prevent going bankrupt in our quest for more lean muscle. Luckily there are plenty of options out there to suit most tastes and budgets, without relying entirely on supplements. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best value cheap protein sources to help you hit your macros while still eating good quality food.

Sweet potatoes are not only delicious but also rich in many vitamins and minerals (1). There are many varieties of this potato, each having a different composition of nutrients. These can be identified by the color of the potatoes as they are available in the colors like red, yellow, purple, brown, white, and orange, etc. (2). People often confuse them with yams, but both are totally different (3). These are also not closely related to regular potatoes and can be consumed raw, boiled, baked, or in steamed form (4). This root vegetable is a rich source of fiber, carbs, protein, minerals, vitamins, etc. Owing to the presence of so many essential components, it helps eliminate many diseases and fight many disorders like diabetes, various types of cancer, etc., (5, 6, 7). Let’s have a look at what this tuber has to offer.

Overview We've all done it: stared at the fridge for a full five minutes, but then ordered pizza. "Waiting until the last minute to choose what we are eating can lead to poor choices because we really can't make sound decisions when we are running from one place to the next and don't have the tools to create a healthy choice," says Florida-based registered dietician Jaime Mass, owner of Jaime Mass Nutritionals. But if you do the cooking in advance, you'll not only eat healthier, you'll also save time and money, says Casey Moulton, founder of Kitchen Karate, an approach to home cooking that allows you to make 15 different meals in two hours. Ready to take a stab at meal prep? Start with these 13 easy tips.

Learning is the input for growth. It is a crucial aspect of life. If you want to experience growth in all aspects of your life, then you need to invest in learning. However, learning takes time, and time is a rare asset. So how can you maximize your time by learning and retaining info fast? Here’re 12 powerful learning strategies that can widen your horizon and help you retain information at lightning speed.

Breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day, and there’s plenty to suggest that’s true. Alongside helping with weight management, a healthy breakfast can help maintain a nutritionally balanced diet, improve energy levels throughout the day, improve your concentration levels, and it has a strong correlation with long term health. For those engaging in regular physical activity, particularly those who train early in the morning, a high protein breakfast should form an essential part of your daily routine. A balanced breakfast with plenty of protein will help you recover from your training more effectively, and will help prevent that mid-afternoon crash that morning exercisers know all too well. The challenge with eating a high protein meal first thing in the morning is that many of the foods we traditionally eat for their protein content can be a little tricky for some people to manage that early in the day. Not many of us will be able to face chicken and ri...

Ginger, as a supplement or an ingredient in food and drink, may protect against obesity and chronic disease, according to a new research review. While experts can’t yet recommend a specific dosage for preventive purposes, they say that consuming more of the pungent spice is smart for several reasons.

Every day you consume food to nourish and fuel your body, as eating many different nutrients that are essential to maintaining optimal health. These are called essential nutrients and include vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. However, some nutrients are made in the human body, and these are called non-essential nutrients. Although termed non-essential, they are still required by the body for supporting daily bodily processes. Some non-essential nutrients are also found in the diet, although many are also made by the body.

“Finding out you have cancer is never good news: but in the ‘hierarchy’ of malignant disease, lung cancer is one of the hardest to diagnose, one of the (hardest) to treat, and one that tends to have a poor prognosis.”  – Joanna Moorhead Of all organs, the lungs are arguably the most abused and ignored. Whatever happens to be in the air when we breathe is instantly deposited into the lungs. You’ve already seen the ubiquitous ads warning against smoking. When is the last time you saw something on television about air pollutants? Greenhouse gases? The dangers of burning coal? Let’s use coal as an (obvious) example. Despite the recent pontification regarding the innocence of coal-burning, it is “the (United States) top source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the primary cause of global warming …a leading cause of smog, acid rain, and toxic air pollution.” “Our lungs interact with the environment,” explains Dr. Lisa A. Maier, head of the National Jewish Health’s environmen...

Zucchini, also known as courgette, is a summer squash in the  Cucurbitaceae  plant family, alongside melons, spaghetti squash, and cucumbers. It can grow to more than 3.2 feet (1 meter) in length but is usually harvested when still immature — typically measuring under 8 inches (20 cm). Although zucchini is often considered a vegetable, it is botanically classified as a fruit. It occurs in several varieties, which range in color from deep yellow to dark green. While squashes originated in the Americas, this particular variety was first developed in the early 1800s in Italy. Zucchini has been used in folk medicine to treat colds, aches, and various health conditions. However, not all of its uses are backed by science. Here are 12 evidence-based benefits of zucchini.

Whatever the time of year - leftover pumpkin needn't go to waste. This glorious soup is just one way to put it to use. The wonderful thing about any squash is that, once slivered and roasted, it becomes soft, sweet and rich. That means there aren’t many dishes that wouldn’t benefit from some, and they can be used in a variety of dishes from salads to stews, and more besides. Try, for example, tossing goat’s cheese, rocket, toasted pine nuts and diced roasted pumpkin through al dente pasta with a lug of olive oil – you might not have thought the combination of pasta and squash would work but it’s a firm favourite of mine. It’s also a great way of fleshing out a vegetarian chilli or stew – simply roast in chunks and stir through before serving. Honestly though, there’s nothing quite like a proper pumpkin soup. This one is an absolute basic from Maddie in our food team, and you can take it wherever you want with more spices, more ingredients...

If you love listening to music, you’re in good company. Charles Darwin once remarked, “If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week.” Albert Einstein declared, “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician.” Jimi Hendrix called music his “religion.” I’ve always been in awe of people who can sing and play guitar. As a young girl, I secretly listened to singer-songwriter music in my bedroom into the wee hours. As a rebellious teenager, I cranked rock ‘n’ roll in the house whenever I had to do chores. I always felt great afterwards – now I know why. Recent research shows that listening to music improves our mental well-being and boosts our physical health in surprising and astonishing ways. If we take a music lesson or two, that musical training can help raise our IQs and even keep us sharp in old age. Here are 15 amazing scientifically-prove...

If you feel sluggish and tired in the afternoon, your lunch may be the culprit. What you eat for lunch can have a big effect on how you'll feel the rest of the afternoon. But there are foods that will keep you energized so you can power through the day. Do you ever feel incredibly lethargic right after you eat lunch and wonder how you’re going to get through the rest of your workday?

Most people associate black caviar with swanky parties and champagne, but it's much more than just a cocktail party cracker topping. Black caviar is simply sturgeon roe -- or fish eggs -- tiny little balls that contain contain vitamins and minerals that nourish the unborn fish. Some of these nutrients boost immune function. That said, you shouldn't rely heavily on black caviar as an immune booster. It's moderately high in calories and very high in prich. A balanced diet that includes fresh fruit and vegetables provides the same benefit without the impact on your wallet or waistline.

Buddhism has been around for over 2,500 years and is a way of life that about 300 million people around the world follow. At the age of 35, Gautama left the palace walls where he had grown up and ventured into the real world to walk his own spiritual path. Sitting under a Bodhi tree until he became enlightened, ‘ Buddha ’ attracted a following and dedicated the rest of his life teaching the path of enlightenment and awakening to them. Buddhism is a very calm, peaceful and fair way of life and these  Buddha quotes  encompass the philosophy of Buddha’s teachings. Here are  70 of The Best and Highly Shared Buddha Quotes to enlighten your mind and soul.

From snacks to types of coworkers, these bizarre things can help boost brainpower, increase creative thinking, and improve decision making.

If you exercise because you want to lose weight, you've probably heard or been told that for best results you should work in your "fat-burning zone." (Sounds enticing, right? Who doesn't want to burn more fat?) Unfortunately, the term "fat-burning zone" is misleading and tells only part of the working-out-for-weight-loss story.