How to Be Vegetarian in a Non Vegetarian Country,Vegetarian Breakfast Tips

Let your local supermarkets know if they are not carrying the types of vegetarian products that you wish to purchase. Such supermarkets are always ready to accept any reasonable changes. Stress the qualities of the products which they like most - popular, quality, price, brand, tasty, delicious, cheap, a brand they already stock. Find similar places in the area and write the same message to them. Do same for one month or two. Simply keep on and be persistent. If you have vegetarian friends in the area, ask them to campaign the supermarkets as well. Many supermarkets have product request postcards available around the store or at the cash register. Start by filling out one of those as well.
Choose how "strictly vegetarian" you want to be. A vegan diet can be more difficult to pursue than a lacto-ovo one.
Research local farms in your area. See if the farmers will sell directly to you, or if they participate in a farmer's market. If you follow a lacto-ovo diet and animal cruelty is a concern, ask the farmer about their animal care practices. Look for free-range and vegetarian fed chicken eggs in your local dairy section if you choose to include eggs in your diet.
Cook as often as you can at home. If you are staying in a rooming house and don't have consistent access to a stove, ask if you can keep a microwave or rice steamer in your quarters. When eating at restaurants, ask in detail the ingredients of the dish. Not all people assume vegetarian to mean the same thing. You may want to ask if the dish is flavored with animal derived broths or contains gelatin.
One way to make people more accepting of your dietary choice is to cook foods you enjoy and share them. Many people are under the false assumption that eating vegetarian means surviving mainly on salads and bland unseasoned vegetables. You may be surprised at your friends' or family's positive reactions after eating a tasty, filling, yet healthy and 100% vegetarian meal.

Tips

• India has the most amazing and diverse variety of vegetarian food cooked in ways that you may never imagine, pick up an Indian cook book and see the recipes. The most foolish and common fallacy of people who are non-vegetarians especially out of Asia, is that a vegan diet consists of just boiled and unappetizing vegetables and nuts whereas the truth is that spices and butters make most vegetarian dishes, made in countries having a long-standing tradition of vegetarian food, unforgettably tasteful!
• If you are staying in a country or area where you are unfamiliar with the language, learn a few key words like "meat", "animal", or "fish." Learn about the culture so you know what you can expect in regional cuisine.
• If you do end up eating something that isn't vegetarian by accident, don't beat yourself up over it! Everyone makes mistakes!
• If you find yourself in a mainly meat-focused restaurant, look to the appetizers and sides choices for a few items of which you can combine to make a meal.
• Take Boca, Veggie burgers, or other such brand name meat substitute products when grilling out with friends. They likely won't mind if you ask kindly for them to add your food to the grill.
• Don't try to defend your choices to non-vegetarians who question you. Just simply say, "I don't like to eat meat". You can save your politics and philosophy for people who really care to hear about it.
• Do some research on the internet to find products you might like to eat. Fill out a product request form at your local grocery store, and if they bring in your product, be sure and support their effort by buying it regularly. The produce section often seems to have control over ordering many vegetarian and vegan products as does the frozen food department. Thank the department manager or employees if you get a chance.
• Be brave and try some of the vegetarian recipes on the internet! There are great ways to use potatoes, tofu, beans, and hummus. You can also use textured vegetable protein (TVP) products to prepare some of your old favorite recipes just like you did when you ate meat. Tacos, chili, even Hamburger Helper can be made with TVP products.

Live Without Dairy Products, Living Without Dairy Products

Polish your willpower. You may love cheesy pizzas, cream soups, fettuccine alfredo, and ice cream. It can be hard to try to resist those favorite foods in the beginning, but you just have to keep telling yourself, "It's just not worth the agony of eating dairy." This will become your new mantra.
Know what to avoid. Avoiding dairy isn't as simple as no longer drinking milk. Here's what else will no longer be on your list of safe food items (check with your doctor the ones which you should most definitely avoid):

• Butter and most margarines (contain whey, casein, or lactose)
• Chip dip
• Most baked items (sadly this includes cakes, muffins, and doughnuts unless made with soy, rice, or hemp)
• Some breads (there are a few made without milk/dairy)
• Most flavors of potato chips (except plain and salt and vinegar sometimes)
• Cream sauces and soups
• Cheese in all forms
• Ice cream, gelatos, and sherbets (sorbets contain no dairy products)
• Most chocolate (Even dark chocolate often has hidden dairy ingredients, but make sure to read the ingredients list! Trader Joe's has wonderful dark chocolate that is dairy free. Tropical Source makes dairy-free dark chocolate candy bars, and there are dairy-free chocolate items to be found.)
• Whey protein powder
• Non-dairy coffee creamer (casein)--how misleading this is!
• Some mayonnaise, mustard, and other condiments
• Canned chicken broth often contains whey, so food with chicken broth should be avoided by those with a dairy allergy (canned tuna, for example)
• Most canned ready-made foods (like Chef Boyardee pasta meals)
• "Cold cuts" or deli meats (they are injected with casein, whey, or sometimes other dairy derivatives)
• Be wary of chicken and turkey, sometimes they are injected with butter (especially the breast portion).
• Look for kosher turkeys for your Thanksgiving dinner. Food can be certified Kosher by different organizations and each has its own symbol. One of the most common symbols used is the "U" in a circle. If it has a D near it, that means there is dairy in the product. So check for the different symbols and the word "dairy" or a "D" to quickly find which product may have dairy or exclude it.

Try out some of the alternatives. You don't have to leave a gaping hole in your diet once you've sworn off dairy products. Here are some yummy substitutes.

Milk: based on soy, rice, almond, hemp seed, and oat, fortified or not, are available in such flavors as plain, chocolate, strawberry and vanilla
Cheese: based on soy, rice, and hemp, are available in flavors such as cheddar, cheddar-jack, mozzarella, and provolone. Be careful with cheese -- even vegetarian brands can contain milk products, usually in the form of caseinate. Goat's and sheep's milk cheeses seem to be okay for those with relatively mild intolerances.
Ice Cream: based on soy, rice, and hemp in many flavors #* Yogurt: soy and rice based with a small selection of fruit flavors
Margarines: there are a few good alternatives to butter:

• Vegan websites often maintain a list of dairy-free margarines
• There is also Vegetable Oil Spread, but you still must be careful; not all are dairy-free
• (Unrefined) coconut oil.
• Earth Balance & similar products, which consist of a blend of medium-chain fatty acid oils (healthy fats) and are solid at room temperature.
• Ghee, a refined butter that is often entirely casein/lactose free

Know where to eat out. Where do you dine? Where can you take your date? Well, Italian is pretty much off your list. Indian food is too, as ghee (ghee is clarified butter, which means the dairy is naturally separated from it, but those with a low tolerance to dairy should be careful just in case) is a common ingredient. Think East Asian: Chinese , Korean and Japanese foods are generally speaking; free of dairy, but always ask about the ice cream, as it's not always made of soy. Vegan restaurants are reliable for not using dairy ingredients if you can find them, and most vegetarian restaurants have non-dairy alternatives. It is also possible to eat out at chain restaurants. Steak, grilled chicken, fresh fruit, and steamed vegetables are usually okay. If you are unsure of ingredients and seasonings, ask your server or a manager. Salad bars are an excellent option -- just bypass the cheese and choose a dairy-free dressing, such as oil and vinegar.
 Make sure you're getting enough calcium. Luckily for you, fortified nut and grain milk offer similar key nutrients as dairy milk. You can also buy calcium-fortified orange juice. This is also a good time to get acquainted with some calcium-rich foods like dark leafy greens (kale, bok choi, collards, broccoli), sardines, and almonds.

Buy Food for Vegetarians,How to Buy Food for Vegetarians, Vegetarians food

Getting the correct sources of nutrition and sustenance is essential to any diet. It can be a challenge to buy food for vegetarians if you are not familiar with this type of diet. You may end up making them sick due to unfamiliar ingredients being consumed as well as contributing to their social discomfort. Here are a few tips on buying food for a vegetarian. 

•  Proteins: Sources include, beans, legumes, nuts and grains. Dairy and egg products can also be a good source of protein. Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it has all 8 amino acids the body needs. Other sources like beans and lentils can be paired with brown rice to make complete protein.

• Meat Substitutes: Tofu, textured vegetable protein, tempeh, seitan and other soy-based meat substitutes are available and can be used in place of the meat in some common omnivorous recipes. Using the same spices and seasonings used on a meat-based dish is an easy way to mimic the intended flavor of the original dish.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is commonly found in meat and other animal products and often needs to be supplemented in a vegetarian diet. Vitamin D fortified tofu, soy milk and basic cow's milk are all good sources.
• Calcium: Calcium can be derived from cow's milk and cheese, but if he or she abstains from these--or prefers other sources--there are calcium fortified milk alternatives available. These include rice milk, almond milk and coconut milk. In addition, nuts and seeds such as sesame seeds are high in calcium.
• Iron: Iron is commonly found in meat and is essential to good health. Sources include potatoes, spinach, tofu, watermelon, pinto beans and cashews. You should consume more vitamin C to increase the absorption of iron. Oranges and other citrus fruits can provide you with adequate amounts.
• Vitamin B12: This vitamin is essential to healthy brain function and is mainly derived from animal products. Dairy products provide adequate amounts and additional sources include nutritional yeast and fortified milk alternatives.
• Omega fatty-acids: Vegetarians commonly have lower fat intake than meat eaters, unless cheese and milk are a large portion of their diets. Omega fatty-acids are essential to healthy joints and brain function. Fish are traditional sources of this type of fat, but are not usually included in a vegetarian diet. Flax seeds, flax oil and walnuts can be incorporated into a recipe to provide adequate amounts of omega fatty-acids.

1. Read the label.
   • It is essential to read the label on processed food when buying food for a vegetarian.
   • Many packaged foods include things like chicken broth and other meat products that might otherwise look entirely vegetarian.
2. Ask them what they like.
   • It might be best to ask what the person prefers to eat. It is common for vegetarians to be aware of what they should and should not eat.
   • Make sure you are aware of their dietary restrictions. Ask if they eat fish, drink milk or eat eggs.
   • There are many types of vegetarians who do it for health, ethics or both. Be sure to learn as much about the person as you can.
3. Buy simple ingredients.
   • Simple ideas for breakfast and snacks are bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, avocados, spinach, kale, carrots, crackers, hummus, chips and salsa.
   • These simple foods provide a vegetarian with adequate nutrition and are easy to prepare.

How to Eat Vegetarian At Fast Food Restaurants, Vegetarian Health, eating vegetables

Be prepared to help the servers. If you're aware beforehand of what can be done to turn a normally non-vegetarian food into a vegetarian option, don't be afraid to speak up and describe how this is possible. The server or waiter may take a little convincing but explain clearly, stay polite, and make it easier with your suggestions. One excellent option is to ask for a vegetarian appetizer accompanied by side portions like steamed vegetables or wedges. Asking for a special appetizer doesn't seem like such a huge ask compared to an entree (main meal) size.

• Don't be afraid to ask the manager or cashier questions. Being a customer, you're entitled to ask what ingredients are in specific foods or if they cook fries in the same oil as meat products. They can also help you find certain foods that are vegetarian-friendly that may not be listed on the menu boards. Inquire about salad toppings, for example hard boiled eggs.
• Read How to Be Assertive for details on maintaining your position politely but firmly!

Keep your fast food options broad. Fast food isn't only located in the major franchises like McDonald's and Burger King. Diners, take-out places, and fried food outlets are also fast food possibilities, ranging from Chinese to Mexican options. And if it's your local joint and they get to know you well, they'll often be happy to go out of their way to cook up something special whenever you turn up, so make good friends with the owners!
Be aware of what you need to be careful about. Knowing what to avoid when eating fast food is very important. In the realm of fast food, here are some of the things you need to be careful of:

• Fried foods – what was used to fry the food? If it's beef tallow, chicken fat, or other animal derived fat, then you won't be able to eat it. And this affects everything from fries to donuts.
• Jelly, Jello, and gelled type foods. Watch out for gelatin in food products, from cheesecake to your milkshake. Some condiments also contain gelatin.
• Baked goodies. Was the margarine or fat used vegetable-based or animal-derived? Cheap food will often use animal-derived margarine or fat because it keeps down the costs. This impacts a lot of items including pizza bases, pastries, and cakes.
• Drink bases. If you're not able to consume milk or dairy products and prefer to have soy drinks, bear in mind that some powdered bases and drink mixes may contain dairy products.
• Where the item is cooked. If the food is cooked on the same grill, in the same wok, or anywhere else where there is meat, then there is a huge risk of cross-contamination. For instance, it can be very hard to keep bits of flesh out of a veggie stir-fry where meat has also been stirred.
• Bread and buns. These may appear vegetarian but again, they may contain animal fat or by-products. This can be an even bigger issue for vegans, as a lot of bread has milk and sugar added to it (most sugar is not vegan).
• Meat or fish flavorings in sauces and dressings. A range of condiments may contain fat, oil, flavoring, or even small flesh pieces all derived from animal sources. Avoid salad dressings and other condiments if you're not sure about them.

Take advantage of the "healthier" possibilities on the main menu. Look beyond the commonplace vegetable salads and scoop out other items that might be on offer. Some of the examples you might be able to go with include: 

• Burger King in the United States offers a BK Veggie Burger that uses Morningstar veggie patties or you can request a regular burger/whopper with no meat (only vegetables, bun, and condiments).
• Taco Bell Mexican pizza can be ordered without the meat, to be substituted with more beans. They also have a seven layer burrito, which is vegetarian, but has cheese and sour cream.
• Pasta and breadsticks, along with cheese pizza can leave you with a full stomach. Vegans need to know whether or not the pasta contains egg.

 Choose from the side menu. You don't necessarily need an entire combo meal to satisfy your trip. Find an array of menu items such as corn, mashed potatoes, biscuits, or fruit packages. If you're creative enough, you can probably combine several things together to make a complete vegetarian meal.

Homesickness While Traveling,How to Cope With Homesickness While Traveling,how to avoid Homesickness While Traveling

Traveling can be fun and educational, but there's a strong possibility that you could become a little homesick when you've been away for a significant period. Homesickness can detract from the new and exciting things that surround us when we travel, so it's important to know how to cope with homesickness while traveling to get the best out of your trip

1. Take memories with you. Combat homesickness when you travel by packing pictures of friends, pets and loved ones in your luggage. Make copies of your favorite photographs and take them with you. This way you won't lose the original copies if your luggage gets lost or stolen.
2. Buy gifts for loved ones. Cheer yourself up by buying souvenirs and gifts for the people you miss. Looking for the perfect gift will help occupy your free time and, when you find something that reminds you of them, you can anticipate seeing them again.
3. Form a routine. Create some semblance of a routine for yourself to avoid homesickness if you're staying somewhere for a long period. Activities such as going to the same coffee shop every morning will give you a sense of familiarity with your surroundings that will comfort you.
4. Find the comforts of home. Do some of the things you like to do when you're home wherever you're traveling. Find a good bookstore to browse if you miss your favorite one or find a local eatery that makes a great burger that resembles burgers you get at home.
5. Treat yourself. Splurge on a fancy restaurant meal, an exotic new coat, or a pair of boots when you travel. You'll feel good about yourself and will appreciate the area where you're traveling.
6. Call home when you can. Hearing the voices of loved ones will make them seem less far away. Take time to call home and tell the ones you miss that you love them.
7. Take comforts of home along. Furnishing the place you're staying when you travel with things you like to have around you at home will make it seem a little less foreign. Pack a favorite blanket, comfortable slippers or even your daily coffee cup to take a little piece of home with you.
8. Make new friends. Talking with other people from your native country or home state will make you feel a little less out of place when you travel. Seek out a pub or bar that televises your favorite sport and enjoy some camaraderie with some new friends to forget that you're far from home.

Prevent Motion Sickness, how do i Prevent Motion Sickness,how to Prevent Motion Sickness

Motion sickness is a common response to movement. It occurs when the body, eyes and inner ear, which contain sensory organs for balance, send different messages to the brain at the same time. Symptoms of motion sickness include nausea, dizziness, vomiting, headache and fatigue, among other things. If you are prone to motion sickness when traveling in a moving vehicle, there are steps you can take to help avoid it.

General Motion Sickness Prevention

1. Avoid large meals or foods high in fat before traveling. Eat only light meals for 24 hours before travel.
2. Drink plenty of water in preparation for your trip to ensure that your body is well hydrated.
3. Refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol before and during travel.
4. Take an over-the-counter anti-nausea medicine before getting into the vehicle.
5. See your doctor if other attempts at avoiding motion sickness fail. There are several prescription medications available that help to prevent motion sickness.

Prevent Motion Sickness in a Car

1. Sit in the front seat of the car where you can look straight ahead at the windshield. This allows your eyes to send the same message to your brain that your body is sending, which is that you are moving forward.
2. Focus on the horizon in front of you to help your eyes send the appropriate forward motion signal to your brain. Do not read or do any other activities while riding in the car.
3. Lean back in the seat and rest your head to prevent it from moving around while you ride.
4. Open the car window or direct the air vents toward your face. Fresh air can help to prevent motion sickness symptoms.

Prevent Motion Sickness on a Plane

1. Avoid salty foods and dairy products before traveling on an airplane. These foods increase the chance of motion sickness.
2. Sit as close to the front of the airplane as possible, or sit near one of the wings.
3. Turn the fresh air vents towards your face.
4. Pinch your nose and blow air out through your pinched nose to clear your inner ears.

Prevent Motion Sickness on a Boat

1. Choose a cabin on the upper deck and as close to the front of the boat as possible.
2. Focus straight ahead at the horizon. If land is visible, focusing on it can be helpful.

Prevent Altitude Sickness

Whether you are gearing up for a trek in the Himalayas or warming up for snowboarding in the Rockies, you should be prepared for the possible onset of altitude sickness, otherwise known as acute mountains sickness (AMS) or "soroche". High altitudes are stressful on the body, and decrease in oxygen levels up high can produce debilitating effects and ruin your holiday.

• Drink plenty of water. What you might think is altitude sickness might actually be dehydration, caused by the higher rate of water vapor lost from the lungs at higher altitudes. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as these can increase the likelihood of dehydration. If it's humid and you're losing a lot of water through perspiration, maintain an electrolyte balance with sports drinks targeted specifically for this purpose.
  
  If you have a headache, drink one liter of fluid, and take some acetaminophen (brand name: Tylenol). If the headache disappears completely and rapidly, and you have no other symptoms of AMS (see the next step), you're probably dealing with dehydration rather than altitude sickness
• Look out for the symptoms of altitude sickness. 20% of people develop mild symptoms at altitudes between 1920 to 2960 meters (6,300 to 9,700 feet). If you know you're getting enough water, the symptoms of altitude sickness will manifest themselves about 6 to 10 hours after ascent over 2000 meters (6,500 feet) above sea level and are comparable to those of a severe hangover:
  
  

1. Loss of appetite
2. Nausea or vomiting
3. Fatigue or weakness
4. Dizziness or light-headedness
5. Insomnia
6. Pins and needles
7. Shortness of breath upon exertion
8. Persistent rapid pulse
9. Drowsiness
10. Peripheral edema (swelling of hands, feet, and face) 

• Get emergency treatment if you observe life-threatening symptoms. Extreme altitude sickness can result in fatal conditions like high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) (fluid in the lungs) and high altitude cerebral edema (HACE) (swelling of the brain), both occurring in up to 2% of people adjusting to altitudes above 2700 m (9,000 feet). If any of the following symptoms are observed, medical treatment is necessary and an immediate descent should be made:
  
  
• persistent dry cough
• fever
• shortness of breath even when resting
• headache that does not respond to analgesics
• unsteady walking
• increasing vomiting
• gradual loss of consciousness

• Follow the "golden rule" - climb high, sleep low. Once you've made your way up past 3,000 metres (10,000 feet), do not ascend more than 300 metres (1,000 feet) per day to sleep. You can climb as high as you want, just make sure that you come back to a base camp that's no more than 300 m (1,000') higher than your previous night's sleeping elevation. This is a useful guideline to keep in mind if you're driving to a high altitude, as well.
• Accelerate the acclimatization process if necessary. If there is not enough time to follow the golden rule, such as if you're flying to a destination that is several hundred metres (or thousand feet) above your departure site, there are ways to speed up acclimatization and reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness once you're there.
  
  
• Simulated altitude equipment that produce hypoxic (reduced oxygen) air. Portable hyperbaric chambers are especially useful if inclement weather or other factors could make the climb or drive down to base camp impossible.
• Acetazolamide, medication sold under the trade name Diamox Since it causes increased urination, drink sufficient fluids and do not consume alcohol while taking this drug. This is likely to cut the recovery time in half.
• Coca leaves, used by indigenous cultures of the South American Andes mountain range for centuries. However these are illegal in several countries.
• Ginkgo Biloba, an inexpensive herbal supplement used for mental clarity and increased circulation, has been proven to speed acclimatization to altitude and lessen the effects of Acute Mountain Sickness in several clinical and on-location studies, without incurring any of the side effects of Diamox. Recommended dosage is 120mg per day, two weeks before arriving at altitude, then 120mg per day while at altitude.
• Oxygen enrichment in climate-controlled rooms (offered by some hotels)
• Gamow bag, a portable plastic pressure bag inflated with a foot pump that can reduce the effective altitude by as much as 1,500 meters (5,000 feet)

• Take it easy. The last thing you would want to do is to overexert yourself. It is harder to breathe at higher altitude and even if you are fit, you can still feel the effects if you push yourself too hard too quickly. Resting at the altitude at which you became ill is often the most effective remedy for altitude sickness (other than descent). You'll usually feel better in 1-2 (or up to 4) days.

TIPS:

• Train physically prior to the trip. While this does not guarantee an easier time when up high, it can enhance your lung ability to cope with the challenges of high elevations
• Do not compete amongst each other. Different people acclimatize at different rates.
• If you live at or near sea level, you're more likely to experience altitude sickness, so be prepared.
• Eat lots of carbohydrate.
• If you do develop altitude sickness, take dexamethasone

Ways to sleep better

Get on schedule. Varying your sleeping times by more than an hour can severely disrupt your sleep quality by "advancing the sleep phase". For example, let's say you normally wake up at 6 a.m. on weekdays to get to work, so you get to bed around 10 p.m. because that's when you start to feel sleepy (and it's also a good time to ensure 8 hours of sleep). If, on the weekend, you sleep in until 9 a.m., you probably won't be able to fall asleep that night until 1 a.m. again. In other words, your body thrives on running on a routine; erratic sleeping sessions will interfere with your internal "biological clock". For some people, and depending on work and routine, a very short rest in the afternoon (the Spanish call it the siesta) could help alleviate drowsiness some people experience during the day. But make sure not to oversleep.

1. Be mindful of what you eat or drink before bed. Your stomach should not be too full, but not too empty. Wait at least three hours after dinner before going to sleep. Digestion slows down while asleep, and a full stomach may interrupt sleep. Do not eat heavy foods for the few hours prior to sleep. Similarly, you should avoid going to bed on an empty stomach, as a completely empty stomach may equally interfere with your sleeping patterns. Switch to decaf coffee and avoid tea, cocoa and cola drinks. Caffeine can keep you awake even if you drank it earlier in the day, as the effects of caffeine can last up to 12 hours. Avoid tobacco products in the evenings as well. Try to avoid drinking water or other fluids one hour before you go to sleep, but make sure you drink at least 2 litres of water during the day. A well hydrated body will not wake you up thirsty in the middle of the night. While alcohol will make you feel sleepy, it will reduce sleep quality. If you find that your stomach is grumbling for food and is keeping you awake, have a light snack about an hour before bedtime, but avoid foods high in carbohydrates or sugar. Stick to foods that contain high levels of tryptophan, such as milk, turkey, yogurt, soy beans, tuna, and peanuts. Tryptophan helps the body produce serotonin in order to relax.
2. Keep the room as dark as possible. Exposure to light during the time you're supposed to be sleeping can disrupt your body's internal cycles. This has been documented in studies surrounding circadian rhythms. Turn your light off, or use a very dim night light. Pull curtains across, blinds down or shut the shutters, to prevent outdoor lights from shining on you. If you wake up and see any kind of bright light, you'll have a much harder time falling back asleep. Try to eliminate all sources of light, including windows, LED clocks, computer lights and cable boxes; by covering them with heavy paper, cloth covers or blue tack.
3. Change your sleeping position. You may think that it's impossible to control what position you sleep in since you aren't fully aware of what you are doing, but it is possible and it can make a considerable difference. When you go to sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, make a conscious effort to follow these guidelines until it becomes habitual:
   
   
   • Keep your body in a "mid-line" position, where both your head and neck are kept roughly straight. Don't use a flat pillow that causes your head to tilt down toward the mattress. Likewise, don't stack your pillows so that your head is propped at an angle
   • Place a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. This will support your hips and make this position more comfortable.
   • Place a pillow under your legs, if you sleep on your back, to take stress off your lower back.
   • Avoid sleeping on your stomach. It's difficult to maintain the mid-line position, and it is more likely to cause aches and pains. If you must, bend one arm upwards and place it under your pillow. This will help alleviate stress on your back and neck by slightly propping up your body on one side.
4. Maintain your mattress. Turn the mattress over every few months. Replace it after 5-7 years of regular use. If you feel springs or ridges beneath the surface when you're lying on the bed, or you and your partner roll to the middle of the bed unintentionally, it's time to go mattress shopping. You may also find that the mattress is to blame if you find yourself sleeping better in another bed.
5. Exercise. If you have a sedentary job, a lack of physical exertion may be reducing the quality of your sleep. The human body uses sleep to repair and recover. If there isn't much from which to recover, your body's sleep cycle could be disrupted. A day of physical exertion (such as taking a run or a swim) or, better yet, regular exercise can make for deeper and more restful sleep. Don't exercise right before bed to help you get to sleep; it tires out your muscles, boosts your heart rate, and makes you even wider awake.

Way to Better Sleep

When your sleep is constantly disrupted or you're simply unable to fall asleep with ease, the temptation to turn to sleeping pills is likely to be high. And yet, sleeping pills don't retrain you to sleep properly independent of them and they tend to leave many people feeling unrefreshed in the morning and sometimes they can even lead to addiction if relied upon too often, for too long. Moreover, sleeping pills are more of the quick-fix solutions that don't lead us to change a diet that may be wreaking havoc with our health.
Acknowledge the food and drink that might be harming your sleep chances. Before choosing food and drinks likely to help you sleep, it is vital to remove the food and drink sources that could be preventing you from falling asleep or sleeping as well as you'd like. The worst culprits are caffeine, alcohol and sugar. These three consumables need to be managed within your overall diet so that they don't deprive you of a good sleep: 

  Caffeine: Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, cola, some energy drinks, and foods and medications made with these products. The amount of caffeine from each item varies according to the strength and type of source. In general, it is advisable to stop drinking or consuming caffeinated products at least five hours prior to bedtime. The older you are, the more susceptible you are to caffeine, and it has the ability to suppress sleepiness, keep you up later than you should be, bring about restlessness, heartburn, tremors, etc., and can end up depriving you of much-needed refreshing sleep.

Alcohol: While alcohol can cause you to feel drowsy enough to fall asleep initially, it plays havoc with refreshing sleep after you've gone to sleep! Alcohol can reduce REM sleep and the length of sleep, as well as causing you to sleep more shallowly and to awaken often through the night. And for the beauty fans, alcohol creates bags under your eyes!

Sugar: Sugar lurks in a wide range of processed, natural, and cooked foods. Every form of sugar can interrupt sleep if we have too much of it. The problem with sugar is the blood sugar high it creates followed by the crash; experiencing this frequently reduces our energy levels and leaves us fatigued and our sleep patterns are disturbed by poor source of energy sugar is.
Avoid food that brings on indigestion. What causes indigestion in one person may well not bring it on in another, so the possible list of foods here could be endless. The point is to know your own causes of indigestion and to manage these.
Drink plenty of water. Water is life-giving and is free of energy-depleting substances. Moreover, it is an important aid to good digestion. Aim to drink 2 liters (about 8 cups) daily.
Choose foods that can provide their own sedative effect. Calcium and magnesium calm your mind, so foods rich in these will increase your chances of a good sleep. In addition, there are some foods that are known for their beneficial sleep-inducing properties.
Choose food that stabilizes your energy. These are foods that ensure no highs and crashes but that keep you at a relatively even energy level throughout the day. Having even energy levels stops irritability, fatigue, stress, and exhaustion; it also improves mood and eases the pathway to a better night's sleep because you feel calmer, more rested, and balanced.
Energy-stabilizing foods include:

• Protein-rich meals: Lean meat, cheese, natural yogurt, eggs, fish, wholewheat bread, pulses, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, etc. are steady sources of protein that will give you energy.
• Chromium-rich foods: Chromium will help your body to overcome low blood sugar levels. It is found in such foods as shellfish, baked beans, and cheese.
• Fresh fruit: Choose this over sugary snacks. You get the benefit of the fiber, the nutrients, and the slow-release energy from fresh fruit so avoid substituting it with juice, dried fruit, or fruit-based baked goods. Apples and pears are calming to the digestive system.

How to Have Good Mental Health

Develop a hobby or passion for your mind to express your emotions and joys for the mind to feel progress. For example, the body needs exercise and a means to channel its energy. This is one of the five life coping skills. Love your body, as exercise is a coping skill.
Feed your mind. Improve your social relations, and allow for more warmth and love between the people closest to you. Do not brag or be narsacistic (as much as possible accede to preferences of other people over your own preferences, 
Recover old friendships, or make new true friendships to feed that part of your mind. Having good support systems from family and friends is a coping skill.
Challenge yourself once in a while. Seek a meaningful job to obtain a sense of real self-worth and confidence. A career that motivates you emotionally to get excited in the morning is a coping skill. However, if the job you have is not necessarily of your top career preferences, or even is flat out something you don't like, you can still deal with it. In every job there can be respect found in it by doing your best and treating those you work around with warmth. Learn to love yourself. Satisfaction in a career must come from yourself and not others.

1. Surround yourself with beauty. Redecorate your house or garden. Do some spring cleaning. Put on some happy music. Do whatever helps you feel relaxed and at peace. Practice whatever form of spiritualism that appeals to you. This is a life coping skill and will help you recognize beauty.
2. Remember that, as long as you fill your mind with your personal 'mental foods,' you will experience less boredom and inner conflict. Boredom and marital conflict are often symptoms of mental starvation (or misunderstanding).
3. Be sure to identify any issues you have such as anxiety, panic attacks or other disorders. Identify these and acknowledge that you have them. Only from there can you move on and seek treatment to improve your mental health.
4. Make sure you're consuming the right vitamins and minerals everyday. Follow a diet rich in omega3, vitamin E & C, and specially Antioxidants like raspberries and blackberries for example. Antioxidants help clean up the brain.

How to Prevent Hair Loss, Hair loss avoiding factors

• Hair loss has multiple causes, including diet, mineral deficiency, medications, stress, pollution, and your genetics. Up to one third of the population suffers from hair loss, and of that third, thousands are women. Whatever the cause of hair loss that might be worrying you, it's important to understand what is hair loss, how hair grows, and what you could be doing before hair loss even becomes an issue for you. In this article, you'll find out all three answers, as well as some short advice on what to do if hair loss does become an issue for you.
• Understand why hair loss happens. Hair loss (alopecia) occurs mainly on the head but it can also happen on other parts of the body. It can happen at any age and will affect an estimated 30 to 40 percent of any population. It is not always easy to identify the reason behind hair loss in an individual case but the generally known reasons behind hair loss can range from genetics and aging to diseases and stress and poor diet. Even childbirth can trigger hair loss for some women.
• Androgenetic alopecia: This is the most common form of hair loss and is also referred to as male-pattern or female-pattern baldness. Hormones and genetics seem to play the main role here. Male-pattern baldness is hereditary, from either side of the family, and can even skip generations. It tends to occur on the crown and at the temples and when these patches join together, the top of the hair is left completely bald. Statistics show that this type of hair loss affects 30 percent of men aged 30, 50 percent of men aged 50, and 70 percent of men aged 70. For women, the hair thins initially on the frontal area and the crown and moves down the sides of the head, while the back of the head remains dense with hair. This is hereditary and tends to affect women mostly after menopause.
• Toxic alopecia: This type of hair loss seems to occur following physical or emotional stress. Things such as illness, scalp infections, sudden loss of weight, surgery, drugs, and pregnancy/childbirth can cause this type of hair loss. Diseases such as lupus, diabetes, and thyroid disease can bring about such hair loss, as can chemotherapy, heart disease drugs, and radiation therapy. Hair loss that occurs as a result of a mental or physical stress can occur some 2 to 3 months after the event that sparked the stress.
• Alopecia areata: This is actually a skin disorder which causes hair on the affected skin areas to fall out. It is usually the scalp or beard and is thought to have autoimmune causes. This type of hair loss seems to be most common in young people. The hair usually grows back.
• Alopecia universalis or totalis: All body hair is lost, from everywhere, including eyebrows and eyelashes. Hair follicles are not destroyed; the inability to grow hair back is psychological and getting hair to grow back again is not easy.
• Trichotillomania: This is hair loss due to hair pulling, a habit or condition that can be corrected with treatment.
• Scarring alopecia: This is hair loss that occurs at the site of scars or damaged areas such as burns or skin cancer.
• Take care of your hair. There are no guarantees that you can prevent hair loss that is genetically programmed or hair loss caused by factors not within your control. However, you can do the best by your hair at all stages to give it the greatest chance of staying in top condition and not leaving your head sooner than it needs to. There are a number of things you can do to take good care of your hair:
• Don't subject your hair to frequent, constant heating and drying procedures. Heat weakens hair proteins, no matter the gimmicks promising softness and shine, and constant heating and drying can lead to brittleness and fragility that causes hair loss that would not have occurred otherwise. Minimize the usage of hair dryers, hot curlers, hot brushes, hair straighteners, hair fasteners, and chemical treatments and your hair will last longer. And watch where you put those heated tools; burned scalps can permanently damage hair follicles Ultimately, natural drying is best for you hair, so aim to dry it naturally more often than drying it with heat.
• Slow down on the dyeing. Never color your hair more often than 6 to 8 weeks and try for semi-coverage rather than full dyeing. When it comes to going gray, it's a lot kinder to your hair to let it turn gray than to dye it. While there are a lot of well-meaning comments about not needing to look older than you are, this ageist "beauty before health" slant overlooks the value of having your hair at all!
•  Be careful how you style your hair. Some styles that require tight pulling and elastics, clips, etc. can be a cause of hair loss if done on a daily basis. For example, tight ponytails, braiding tightly, corn-rows, and plaits, can lead to significant hair loss when done daily. Winding hair tightly onto rollers, especially heated rollers, is also liable to cause more hair loss. The medical name for loss of hair due to hairstyles that are too tight is known as "traction alopecia" and it is completely preventable as a cause in and of itself!
• Wash hair regularly with mild shampoo and be gentle with your hair. Hair washing can form a part of preventing hair loss as it can keep your hair and scalp clean (preventing the chances of infections, etc. that might cause hair loss), and provided you use a mild shampoo, clean hair will give the impression of more volume than dirty hair, which tends to sit flatter and more parted than clean hair.^[25]
• Avoid brushing wet hair. This snaps off a lot of hair that could still be growing! If you must comb wet hair, use a very wide-toothed comb. Also avoid brushing hair too frequently as doing so can injure hair and increase loss. Use your fingers to undo tangles, not a comb or brush.
• Avoid rubbing hair vigorously with a towel after washing it. This can also lead to hair breakage. Pat it dry gently instead.
• Protein-enhanced shampoos and conditioners are an eye-trick, not a hair solution. They make hair smoother and thicker temporarily because they fill in gaps on the hair shaft. However, they do not repair damaged hair, so hair that is going to fall out from poor care or other reasons, will still fall out. Shampoo does not increase hair amount either.
• When your hair is dried, use a soft-bristled brush to brush it
•  Get your stress under control. Stress damages all of your body, and your hair is no exception. Loss of hair can be one of your body's primary signals that you're overdoing things and that it's time to pull back. 
• Eat your way to top form hair. Nutritional responses to preventing hair loss are simple common sense approaches to keeping you, your hair, and your scalp healthy and are beneficial for your health all round – a healthy body is more likely to have healthy hair than an unhealthy one. It is possible that hair loss can be slowed by a healthy diet filled with vegetables and fruits. The following nutritional requirements that can be sourced adequately from a healthy diet in most cases can be of help with preventing or minimizing hair loss:
• Iron: This is an essential mineral, known as heme iron in animal food sources and non-heme iron in plant sources. Good sources of iron in your diet include: liver, beef, pork, fish, leafy greens, fortified cereal, beans, and pumpkin seeds. Vegetarian women may experience a lack of enough iron more than other people.
• Protein: Protein is essential for strong hair, but it's protein from the diet, not from a shampoo, that matters! A deficiency in protein can lead to hair loss and adequate protein can help to provide the amino acids that strengthen hair. Good sources of protein include: Seafood, white-meat poultry, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, beans, pork tenderloin, soy, lean beef, and protein bars.^[34] Vegans, dairy-free consumers, and others can get good non-animal protein from tempeh, tofu, wholewheat bread, peanut butter, brown rice, lentils, quinoa, nuts, seitan, beans, broccoli, potatoes, etc.
• Vitamin C: Vitamin C foods help in the good absorption of iron. Try to combine the iron source with a vitamin C source at the same time. Good sources of vitamin C include: Citrus fruit, green leafy vegetables, salad, baked potatoes, tomatoes, etc.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: These fats keep hair healthy and have a role in preventing hair from becoming dry and brittle. Good sources include: tuna, salmon, mackerel, flaxseeds, and walnuts.
• Biotin: This is a B vitamin of importance for healthy hair. Good sources of biotin include: brewer's yeast, bulgur wheat, lentils, sunflower seeds, soybeans, and walnuts.
• Zinc: Zinc is important for hair nourishment too. Good sources include: oysters, lean beef, peanut butter, turkey, and pumpkin seeds.

How to Eat Healthy

Determine how many calories your body needs to function each day.

• This number can vary widely, depending upon your metabolism and how physically active you are. If you're the kind of person who puts on 10 pounds just smelling a slice of pizza, then your daily caloric intake should stay around 2000 calories for men, and 1500 calories for women. Your body mass also plays a part in this: More calories are suitable for naturally bigger people, and fewer calories for smaller people. If you're the kind of person who can eat without putting on a pound, or you're physically active, you may want to increase your daily caloric intake by 1000-2000 calories, a little less for women. Also consider that the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you need to function. The bad fats are saturated and trans fat. Someone on a 2000 calorie diet should consume fewer than 20 grams of saturated fat a day, and trans fat can and should be avoided all together. The good fats are poly- and monounsaturated fats, which you should eat about 30% of your calories in.
• Don't fear fatty foods.
  You need to consume fat from foods for your body to function correctly. However, it's important to choose the right kinds of fats: Most animal fats and some vegetable oils are high in the kind of fats that raise your LDL cholesterol levels; the bad cholesterol. Contrary to popular belief, eating cholesterol doesn't necessarily raise the amount of cholesterol in your body. If you give your body the right tools, it will flush excess cholesterol from your body. Those tools are monounsaturated fatty acids, which you should try to consume regularly. These are the good fats, and they help lower the bad cholesterol in your body by raising the good cholesterol. Foods that are high in monounsaturated fatty acids are olive oil, nuts, fish oil, and various seed oils. Adding these "good" fats to your weekly diet can lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. Consider sautéing vegetables in small amounts of olive oil, and grabbing a hand-full of mixed nuts for a snack instead of a candy bar. There are also various supplements that contain these good fats that you can take daily. 
• Eat plenty of the right carbohydrates.
  You need to eat foods high in carbs since they are your body's main source of energy. The trick is to choose the right carbs. Simple carbs like sugar and processed flour are quickly absorbed by the body's digestive system. This causes a kind of carb overload, and your body releases huge amounts of insulin to combat the overload. Not only is the excess insulin bad on your heart, but it encourages weight gain. Insulin is the main hormone in your body responsible for fat storage. Eat plenty of carbs, but eat carbs that are slowly digested by the body like whole grain flour, hearty vegetables, oats, and unprocessed grains like brown rice. These kinds of food not only contain complex carbs that are slowly digested by the body, but are usually higher in vitamins and other nutrients that are beneficial to the body and they are higher in fiber which keeps your digestive system running smoothly.
• Eat larger meals early in the day.
  Your metabolism slows down towards the end of the evening and is less efficient at digesting foods. That means more of the energy stored in the food will be stored as fat and your body won't absorb as many nutrients from the meal. Many American families tend to have their big meal at dinner time. The problem with this is your day is basically over, and your body's need for energy isn't as great as it is early in the day. This large meal, late in the day, can also make you feel tired, and who wants to feel too tired to have fun now that the workday is over? Try eating a medium-sized meal for breakfast, a large meal for lunch, and a small meal for dinner. Better yet, try eating 4-6 small meals over the course of your day. That keeps your body fueled for the whole day without dumping a large amount of food into your stomach, which your body might have a hard time digesting.
• Don't skip breakfast!
  Many people do because they don't feel they need to eat breakfast, or they just don't feel hungry first thing in the morning. Research shows that people who skip breakfast are usually fatter than those who eat a well balanced breakfast. Although you might not feel hungry first thing in the morning, if you skip breakfast you will feel extra hungry come lunch time, making you more prone to overeating for your afternoon meal. In addition, skipping breakfast makes your body think that you are starving. After all, by lunch time, you may not have eaten in almost eighteen hours. For the rest of the day after you skip breakfast, your body will store up most of the energy you get from food, instead of allowing you to burn it, in anticipation of food scarcity. Not only will this cause you to be tired during the day when your body isn't using the food that you ate, but the extra energy stored up will result in weight gain.
• Make eating fun.
  Avoiding simple carbs and fatty foods doesn't need to be boring. Have fun not only with the food, but with the meal. Eating with family and friends makes the meal more satisfying than eating in front of the TV or in the car on the way home from work. You will also eat more slowly when enjoying your meal, which gives your body time to feel full before you burst a button; your brain needs about 20 minutes to get the signal that you are satisfied (To be More precise: It is a region in the brain called the hypothalamus) , if you eat too fast you will overeat, your stomach will get bloated and you will still feel hungry. There are now on the market a new type of "plates for eating slowly" that keep your food warm while you enjoy, these totally new ceramic "heat retentive plates" remain hot for more than 30 minutes to keep food warm and can be handled safely with the bare hands. There are also more creative cooking resources available to us than ever before. You can find great tasting recipes in magazines, books, and right here on the Internet. Eating baked fish three or four times a week can get boring, so do a little recipe hunting to find more exciting ways to prepare your meals.
• Buy non-fat or reduced fat foods.
  This is not done to avoid getting fat - because eating fat will not make you fat - and it's not about eating fewer calories. It's about control. Control what kinds of fats you put in your body. For instance, olive oil has many health benefits, so buy non-fat or reduced fat salad dressing and add a table spoon of olive oil to the jar. You'll have a salad dressing that tastes great, and is also better for your health. So buy the non-fat foods so you can replace the missing fat with "good" fats. Remember, you do need to eat a moderate amount of fat each day. Fat is something that can be very deceiving. For example, if you're trying to lose weight, you're going to look for food with low fat content. However,there are some foods that have good fats. These fats are monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. These fats add calories from fat, and so does trans fat and saturated fat, so they combine, which can be confusing. It's important to look at the saturated and trans fat content. If you see 20 calories from fat on the label, but 0g of trans fat and saturated fat, that means that there is polyunsaturated fat and/or monounsaturated fat. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat are good for you. They protect your heart and increase 'good' cholesterol. It's good to have enough good fats, but all good things have to come to an end. Also make sure to keep in mind that sometimes it can read 0g of trans fats on the label, but can still have trans fats. Take a look at the ingredients list; if it says, "partially hydrogenated" anything, that means it contains trans fat.
• Give yourself a cheat meal.
  Cheating doesn't mean pigging out on all the wrong foods once a week, it means enjoying a food you really love once a week. Have a couple slices of greasy pizza on Sundays, or a big slice of double chocolate cake on Saturdays. This cheat meal will help you stick to the change in diet, and in some ways it's actually good for your body. Special occasions, such as birthdays in the family, count as cheat meals.
• Give up alcohol.
  The negatives of alcohol outweigh the positives. Don't be fooled by advertisers' claims that a glass of wine is healthy for the body. You can get all the benefits of wine without any of the negatives, from "grape seed extract". Even drinking a glass of 100% grape juice gives you more benefits than a glass of wine. (Although, both juice and alcohol contain excess sugar.) If you are serious about optimal health, you need to give up alcohol.
• Avoid fatty snacks.
  If you feel tempted to eat fatty snacks like chips, once you start eating the bag, it's going to be easy to give in. Do not buy them in the first place, and don't start eating it if others are serving it to you, and you'll soon forget about those chips in the store and concentrate on other things.
• Drink plenty of water.
  It makes you feel more alive and energized, does wonders for you skin and makes you feel fuller so you end up eating less! Cutting out soda and replacing it with water will do wonders for your weight loss.

How to lose weight

• Have confidence in yourself. You should know the exact reason that stimulates you to reduce your weight. This will help keep you motivated in your weight loss program. Know that millions of people do it, and so can you! You're never too out of shape to get into shape! 
• Determine your daily caloric intake. Losing weight is simply an activity. Lower your calories intake without starving. Remember to calculate your metabolism. The metabolism is a large part of your calories burned in an average day. To win the battle, know how many calories you consume in a day. 
• Set an achievable goal for your weight reduction. If the aim is not practical then you will easily get disheartened and stop following your regimen. You must set a target that has a time limit. The amount of weight you want to lose and the time within which you would like to lose it should be decided beforehand. If the time and amount of weight is clearly decided primarily, your enthusiasm will keep you on the track until you reach your destination.
• Determine your daily caloric intake. Losing weight is simply an activity. Lower your calories intake without starving. Remember to calculate your metabolism. The metabolism is a large part of your calories burned in an average day. To win the battle, know how many calories you consume in a day.
• Write down all the things you eat on a typical day. Carry a small notebook with you and write down every snack, every drink, and the contents of every meal. There are also great websites that you can use to keep track of calories, get recipes, and help achieve your goal. Don't forget to include the pats of butter or the spoonful of sugar in your coffee. It's best to do this for at least a couple weekdays and a weekend; it's even better if you can go a full week.
• Do an itemized calorie count. When possible, write down the number of calories in each food you eat as you eat it. Keep in mind that the recommended serving size is often considerably smaller than the serving you actually eat. Look up the calorie count on the internet for foods that don't have calories listed on the container or for fast food meals. You don't have to be 100% accurate, but you do want a good estimate of the number of calories you're taking in. There is an idea that multiplying your ideal weight by ten will produce a rough estimate of the number of calories you need to eat per day to maintain your weight. This is not true for everyone.
•  Seek out alternatives to the unhealthy foods you've identified. You can simply reduce the amount of soda you drink or mayonnaise you put on your sandwiches, or you can substitute healthier choices. 
• Replace high-calorie side dishes with healthier alternatives. Many people get a ton of calories from side dishes such as macaroni and cheese, French fries, or potato salad. You can eat healthier and lose weight by replacing these with fresh vegetables and salads. Pre-made salads are practically effortless, and when accompanied by a reduced-calorie dressing or no dressing at all, they're weight-loss gold.
• Choose lean meats. Chicken and fish are both very low in fat, and certain fish like salmon, sardines, and fresh tuna are an excellent sources of antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids, which are also beneficial to your health, so aim to replace some or all of the beef or pork in your diet with these foods.
• Plan your meals. Look for healthy, delicious meals online or in your cookbooks, and create a menu for the week. Make sure that your meal plan reduces your total calorie intake: you're not going to lose weight if you consume the same amount of calories by eating different foods. Make a list of what you'll need for these meals, and -- except for a few snacks, of course -- don't stray from your list when you get to the market. Planning your meals helps ensure you get a balanced diet and reduces the temptation to stop off for fast food or order a pizza. Remember, it's easier to stick to your shopping list if you shop when you aren't hungry - this will help avoid impulse buys which contribute to calorie consumption
• Watch your portion sizes. Eating a whole bag of rice cakes in one sitting won't help you lose weight. When eating chips, nuts, or dried fruit, put a portion in a small bowl and then put the bag away. That way you won't mindlessly eat a larger portion than you had intended. Even if you only make minimal changes to your diet choices, reducing portion size will inevitably reduce caloric intake. A great way to watch portion sizes while snacking is to buy one serving 100 calorie packages - and they come in many favorite snack food items!.
• Exercise. Remember, you can lose weight either by decreasing your calorie intake or increasing the number of calories you burn. Any health strategy should include both, but if you want to lose weight fast, exercise is essential. By making time for exercise and other healthy, productive activities, you can also avoid temptation to overeat.