Tag: health

Folic acid

Photo Courtesy: American Pregnancy Association

In 1988 folic acid was added to bread, pasta, cereal, cookies and crackers as required by federal law. Folic acid is a form of vitamin B, to be specific vitamin B9.

Folic acid can be easily found in natural foods such as – leafy vegetables, okra, beans, mushrooms, brussel sprouts, broccoli, tomato juice, orange juice, eggs, animal liver and kidney.

Folic acid deficiencies include – extreme tiredness, lack of energy, mouth ulcers, muscle weakness, heart problems, psychological problems such as depression, confusion and neural tube defects.

CDC implores women to consume 400 mcg of folic acid for those considering reproduction in order to prevent birth defects such as anencephaly and spina bifida.

A research study finds that folic acid reduces incidents of neural tube defects in infants.

Make wise choices and have a balanced diet! 💚

Posted on by Onpathtogrowth 0

Burnout – A quick guide

Photo Courtesy: Luis Villasmil

Burnout has started to become more recognized over the years. The term burnout was coined by Dr Herbert Freudenberger in his book Burnout in 1974. He defined it as — ” the extinction of motivation or incentive, especially where one’s devotion to a cause or relationship fails to produce a desired result. “

Burnout is well recognized and has a medical diagnosis by ICD-11 and WHO. Occurs when our brain and body responds to prolonged stress and feel discouraged and exhausted. It impacts our ability to perform, become highly – critical of oneself and overwhelmed/ irritable.

Here are 5 signs that can help you identify burnout:

1. Inability to sleep adequately/ insomnia/ trouble sleeping

2. Exhaustion

3. Feelings of negativism, or cynicism relating to job

4. Lack of accomplishment and sense of ineffectiveness

5. Brain fog

If you or someone you know is experiencing these signs, I would suggest to take time and seek for early identification and eliminate those stressors. Early intervention is always a good idea.

Stay healthy and happy!

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Rewire Your Brain from Complaining to Compassion

Photo Courtesy: Celine Sayuri Tagami

Remember a day when you just got frustrated with anything to anyone. It could be something at work that engages you for hours and you come home with thoughts that just makes you feel irritatable.

We all have days which aren’t just as sunny. But while I say that it’s important to not forget that all days aren’t rainy either. It’s just like a spectrum which has variations and of course variables.

You will be surprised to know that too much complaining has a negative impact. The more you practice it the more your brain gets rewired. A research from Standford University has shown that — complaining shrinks the hippocampus. Hippocampus is the area of brain that is responsible for critical thinking, learning and memory. 🧠

Here are 2 ways and you can choose either:

1. Shift your perspective towards things you are grateful for because complaining won’t get you anywhere either. Complaining sometimes leads to release of cortisol, too much release of cortisol is not good on a long term. So, try to cultivate an attitude that helps you.

2. Complain but with a solution-orientation. Think about why you are complaining and how can it be resolved. Try to identify the purpose, what are the different ways of looking at it and what are the ways to get over it. Obviously, it’s not a day thing but try a constructive manner.

And lastly, excess of anything always results in danger☠️. When you see yourself engaging in complaining, remind yourself to stop and break the wiring.

Have a wonderful week! 🌻

Posted on by Onpathtogrowth 0

Why Shower Daily? 🚿

Photo Courtesy: Jared Rice

First thing in the morning except weekends begins with a shower. Right after we wake up, we hit the washroom and shower.

Here are 5 reasons to let you know that it’s totally worth the effort-

1. Taking a lukewarm shower reduces muscle tension and improves elasticity.

2. Improves and increases blood circulation.

3. Removes the toxins and washes off the sweat, decreases the risk of a number of infections.

4. Improves breathing as an automatic reflex action of taking a cold water shower.

5. May help in reducing stress by reducing cortisol.

And, a brownie point for smelling good and feeling refreshed! If you still doubt all of this here is a study for you!

May this motivates you to shower often! 🧖‍♀️🧖‍♂️

Posted on by Onpathtogrowth 0

Know About Your Sleep

Photo Courtesy: ModCatShop

How would your day even go with zero sleep? How do you feel physically and psychologically? Why sleep is given so much importance?

Sleep serves a very important function – recovery. It gives your brain and body time to recover from the stressors. Sleep not only helps with relaxation but also makes you feel more optimistic, alert and stave off diseases. Inside your brain is a peanut-sized structure i.e. Hypothalamus. It consists a group of nerve cells which affects sleep and arousal.

There are 2 basic types of sleep

1. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep – It occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep.

2. Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep- It has three stages,

  • Stage 1 is changeover from wakefulness to sleep.
  • Stage 2 is period of light sleep before deep sleep.
  • Stage 3 is period of deep sleep that makes you feel rejuvenated.

Sleep pattern keeps changing as we grow older. There is no particular number as to how much or how many hours of sleep makes you feel refreshed. The matter is about the quality of sleep and how many hours of sleep you feel you need. Research has shown that treating sleep problems can reduce depression.

This Sleep Awareness Week 2022 is March 13-19. Sleep well! Sleep tight!

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