Sauna and ice bath – if you tell someone from Finland it’s officially a thing now and they have great health benefits, they’ll definitely roll their eyes and tell you what else is new? I don’t blame them; it’s a very old tradition up north, but with the ever-increasing interest and almost obsessive hunt for self-improvement, it’s now a worldwide thing. But it’s not only a sauna and a cold dip in a wintery lake anymore; it’s everything from a 30-second cold shower social media challenge to spa cryotherapy. Along with the Finns, athletes are also used to this method, …
Lenah Caruana-Eriksson
The simple cat-cow stretch is a lot more beneficial than it looks. I love this pose because it’s so simple – more or less everyone can do it – and you don’t need to be very flexible to master it. It’s usually incorporated in a yoga flow, but can, of course, be done on its own – and it’s particularly helpful if you are into tennis and sports and need help to increase the flexibility of the back muscles. All you need is a yoga mat, some open space, and a few minutes of your time. Benefits of Cat-Cow stretch: …
To follow up on my previous post about hydration, let’s focus on what you should and shouldn’t eat when preparing for a match, starting with the pre-game diet. The best way is to start preparing a few days before the game, ensuring your body is fuelled with the best possible energy – focusing on storing carbohydrates to maintain the reserves of glycogen and staying hydrated. As a general rule, you should stick to a high-carb, low-fat diet such as white bread, rice, pasta, non-sugary cereals, fruit, veg, etc. Add a bit of protein, which is easy to digest and with …
Hydrate to stay healthy
It’s 33+ and clear blue skies here in Malta. It’s hot – to say the least. Whether you live in a similar climate or a cooler place, hydrating to stay healthy is very, very important. It’s nothing new, but to be honest, living in this kind of heat makes you realize just how important it is – especially if you’re into sports or exercise. First of all, what are the most common signs of dehydration? Headache Dizziness Fatigue Irritability Poor concentration Muscle cramps Spots, etc. What can we do to avoid dehydration? Well, drinking water is the easiest option, but …
A foam roller is a great tool to use if you ever experience issues such as muscle pain, inflammation, tightness, or soreness. Foam rolling for the win! Technically you can use whatever you find available at home, like a tennis ball or even your hands, as long as you apply your body weight pressure to trigger the muscle knots. However, a proper foam roller makes the whole exercise a lot easier and has quite a few benefits. It’s basically you giving yourself a massage – or self-myofascial release (SMR) – to use a more medical term. The purpose is to break up muscle knots to …
When things aren’t going your way, or you’re feeling unhappy with yourself, one of the things you may want to analyze is how you speak to yourself—your internal language. Think about it. We often react to other people’s tone of voice when they talk to us – how do you feel when someone pays you a compliment? Pretty good, right? Maybe it even lifts your mood for the rest of the day. What about when someone is mean to you? When someone tells you something rude or hurtful, how does that make you feel? You probably spend a good amount …
Are you an early bird or a night owl? Your chronotype will help you better understand why some situations work either for or against you. Actually, a person’s chronotype is not limited to what time you wake up and what time you go to bed; it’s about your overall timeline. It includes all your primal needs, such as eating, performing tasks, resting, etc. “Chronotypes have a genetic basis and are linked specifically to your PER3 gene. Your chronotype is tied to your circadian rhythms and your internal body clock.” Don’t do mornings? If you ever feel like mornings are your …
Benefits of Glutathione
What is glutathione? In short, it’s a very powerful antioxidant that our body (the liver) makes and uses every day, and can be found in every cell in the body. It’s made up of three types of molecules known as amino acids and benefits us by boosting overall health. Glutathione has many essential health functions and benefits, for example: Supporting immune function Helping the liver and gallbladder deal with fats Regenerating vitamins C and E Anti-aging properties Detoxifies the body When it comes to exercise, the amount of glutathione in your muscle cells goes down by 40% – after a …
If you’re into sports, you’re surely keen on forming new habits to improve your overall wellbeing, but many times procrastination stands in the way. I wrote an article earlier about fine-tuning yourself, and small tweaks here and there are probably quite easy to incorporate in your daily life; however, more significant changes might be harder to kick off. So what happens? We procrastinate. Over and over again. First of all, why do we procrastinate? From what I gather, it’s all about the instant reward—the little rush of dopamine. That would explain why it’s so easy to make plans in your …
Superfoods – Healthy habits made easy We love staying healthy, but sometimes how to do it on a daily basis is where most people end up struggling. Even dedicated self-improvement nerds like us want to find easy ways to incorporate healthy habits in our everyday life, without bending backward. I came across a YourSuper reseller here in Malta – MantraMalta – and I’m a little bit obsessed. The reason being is that I used to keep supplements handy in the kitchen, and while I still take some of them, they don’t feel very inspiring, do they? Pre-mixed powders I love …