The life-changing benefits of exercise

Exercise is not just about aerobic capacity and muscle size. Sure, exercise improves your health and your physique, but it has even greater benefits for your energy, mood, and brainpower. A study in the ACSM Journal of Health & Fitness asked long-term exercisers (those who had been regularly exercising for an average of 13 years) what motivated them to continue exercising. Rather than being motivated by building muscle or flattening their stomachs,...

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What is mental health or emotional health?

Mental or emotional health refers to your overall psychological well-being. It includes the way you feel about yourself, the quality of your relationships, and your ability to manage your feelings and deal with difficulties.Good mental health isn't just the absence of mental health problems. Being mentally or emotionally healthy is much more than being free of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. Rather than the absence of mental illness,...

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Brain, Body & Spirit

There are many ways to nurture your physical and mental health—and supercharge your body, mind, and soul in the process.Taking care of your body is a powerful first step towards mental and emotional health. The mind and the body are linked. When you improve your physical health, you’ll automatically experience greater mental health. Similarly, as you exercise your mind and spend time connecting with others, you’ll experience a huge emotional boost.Enjoying...

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How to sleep better tip 1: Keep a regular sleep schedule

Getting back in sync with your body’s natural sleep–wake cycle—your circadian rhythm—is one of the most important strategies for achieving good sleep. If you keep a regular sleep schedule, going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, you will feel much more refreshed and energized than if you sleep the same number of hours at different times. This holds true even if you alter your sleep schedule by only an hour or two. Consistency is important.Set...

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The secret to getting good sleep every night

Good sleep strategies are essential to deep, restorative sleep you can count on, night after night. By learning to avoid common enemies of sleep and trying out a variety of healthy sleep-promoting techniques, you can discover your personal prescription to a good night’s rest.The key is to experiment. What works for some might not work as well for others. It’s important to find the sleep strategies that work best for you.The first step to improving the quality of your rest is finding out how much sleep you need. How much sleep is enough? While sleep...

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Sleep

Do you want to be productive, mentally sharp, emotionally balanced, and full of energy all day long? The way you feel during your waking hours hinges on how well you sleep at night.Sleep is essential for energy, health, productivity, and emotional balance. And most people don’t get nearly enough. Learning about sleep and healthy sleep habits can help you put a stop to nighttime problems and improve the quality of your rest and with it, the quality...

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Suicide Prevention

Suicide is one of those subjects that many of us feel uncomfortable discussing. If you’re the one feeling suicidal, you may be afraid that you’ll be judged or labeled “crazy” if you open up. Or maybe you’re just convinced that no one could possibly understand. It’s not much easier for concerned friends and family members, who may hesitate to speak up for fear that they’re wrong or that they’ll say the wrong thing.The important thing to understand...

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Stress

In small doses, stress helps you to stay focused, energetic, and alert. But when stress becomes overwhelming, it can damage your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.Everyone experiences stress differently but there are some common warning signs and symptoms. Stress can easily creep up on you so that being frazzled and overwhelmed starts to feel normal. You may not realize how much it’s affecting you,...

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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia can be frightening, but it doesn’t have to define your life. With medication, therapy, and support, many people with schizophrenia are able to control their symptoms, gain greater independence, and lead fulfilling lives.Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent many unnecessary complications and improve the chance of recovery, so if you’re worried that you or someone you care about has schizophrenia, don’t hesitate to seek help.Recovering...

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Relationship Help

A relationship is an investment that will build as you continue to devote your time and effort. The more you put in, the more you’ll get back.As well as commitment and a willingness to adapt and change throughout life, healthy relationships require skills in communication and emotional awareness. Thankfully, these skills can be easily learned. They can even help to repair many relationships.If your romantic relationship is less than you need or...

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PTSD & Trauma

The emotional aftermath of traumatic events can be every bit as devastating as any physical damage. Whether trauma stems from a personal tragedy, a natural disaster, or other overwhelming life experiences, it can shatter our sense of security, making us feel vulnerable, helpless, and even numb.There is no right or wrong way to feel after traumatic events. But there are many strategies that can help you work through feelings of pain, fear, and grief...

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Grief & Loss

You may associate grief with the death of a loved one, but any loss can cause grief, including the loss of a relationship, your health, your job, or a cherished dream. After a significant loss, you may experience all kinds of difficult and surprising emotions, such as shock, anger, and guilt. Sometimes it may feel like the sadness will never let up.While these emotions can feel very painful, accepting them as part of the grieving process and allowing...

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Emotional Health

Looking after your emotional health is just as important as caring for your physical health. People who are emotionally healthy are in control of their emotions and behavior. They’re able to handle life’s inevitable challenges, build strong relationships, and lead productive, fulfilling lives. They bounce back when bad things happen and can manage stress without falling apart.If your emotional health isn’t as solid as you’d like it to be, here’s...

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Eating Disorders

If you have an eating disorder, you may believe that being thin is the key to being happy, or that if you can control what you eat, you’ll be able to control your life. But the truth is that happiness, confidence, and self-empowerment come from accepting yourself for who you truly are—and that’s only possible with recovery.Overcoming an eating disorder involves rediscovering who you are beyond your eating habits, weight, and body image. It also...

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Depression

Feeling down from time to time is a normal part of life. But when emptiness and despair take hold and won't go away, it may be depression. More than just the temporary "blues," the lows of depression make it tough to function and enjoy life.Depression can make you feel helpless, hopeless, or empty and numb;  but there’s a lot you can do to change how you feel. With help and support, you can overcome depression and get your life back.The key...

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Bipolar Disorder

The extreme highs and lows of mania and depression can hurt your job and school performance, damage your relationships, and disrupt your daily life. But you’re not powerless when it comes to bipolar disorder.Understanding the signs and symptoms and seeking professional help are the first steps to managing your symptoms and staying on track. But beyond the treatment you get from your doctor or therapist, there are many things you can do to help yourself,...

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Anxiety

We all know what anxiety feels like. Your heart pounds before a big presentation or a tough exam. You get butterflies in your stomach during a blind date. You worry and fret over family problems or feel jittery at the prospect of asking the boss for a raise. These are all natural reactions.However, if worries, fears, or anxiety attacks seem overwhelming and are preventing you from living your life the way you'd like to, you may be suffering from...

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Adult ADD / ADHD

Attention deficit disorder impacts many adults, and its wide variety of frustrating symptoms can hinder everything from your relationships to your career. Learning about the signs and effects of adult ADD/ADHD is the first step toward understanding the challenges and identifying the treatment options that are right for you.As well as professional help, there are also many self-help techniques that can help you manage your symptoms, take advantage...

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Addictions

It takes courage and strength to face up to any type of addiction, whether it’s alcohol, drugs, nicotine, gambling, the internet, or self-injury. But no matter how bad the addiction or how powerless you feel, there is hope and help available. Don’t give up, even if you’ve tried and failed before. You don’t have to wait until you hit rock bottom; you can make a change at any time.Recovery is a process, and there’s bound to be some bumps in the road....

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Abuse & Bullying

Abuse can affect virtually anyone from all walks of life, including men, women, children, and seniors. It can take the form of physical battery, emotional bullying, sexual abuse, neglect, or even self-inflicted harm.Whatever your situation, you deserve to live without pain and fear. Whether you’re the abused, the abuser, or a concerned friend or family member, it’s important to know that there is help available. By learning about the different types...

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Healthy life eating tip 4: Add calcium for strong bones

Calcium is one of the key nutrients that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. It is an essential building block for lifelong bone health in both men and women, as well as many other important functions.You and your bones will benefit from eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, limiting foods that deplete your body’s calcium stores, and getting your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and K—nutrients that help calcium do its job.Recommended...

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Healthy life eating tip 3: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day and with every meal—the brighter the better. Colorful, deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so...

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Healthy life eating tip 2: Moderation is key for life

People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation.  Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods,...

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Healthy life eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success life

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients....

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