Live It Naturally - Natural Health Magazine

The original Live It! Naturally magazine website, established in 2006, focused on guiding readers towards optimum health through expert advice, aligning with advertisers promoting "green" products. An intriguing aspect of the site's evolution included the presence of an ecommerce platform. While initially unexpected, their strategic choice to feature pickleball bags linked seamlessly with the magazine's ethos. Pickleball, as a sport emphasizing wellness and outdoor activity, resonated with the magazine's audience. The ecommerce platform, still thriving today, expanded its offerings to include a variety of eco-friendly sports equipment. This includes high-quality pickleball gear that champions sustainability, reflecting the magazine's commitment to a healthy, eco-conscious lifestyle. Their range now extends to organic teas, organic candy, and snacks, catering to the health-conscious consumer. This evolution showcases a clever market awareness, maintaining the site's relevance and appeal in the realm of natural health and sustainable living. Kudos to their ongoing efforts.

Circa 2006

Live It! Naturally magazine offers a new and fresh approach to treating health naturally. With the trend in the western world moving more and more to the use of alternative therapies, good nutrition, healthy exercise, sensible dieting and other health related options, now has never been a better time to learn from our panel of experts how to achieve optimum health.

Complementary and alternative medicine and therapies have become common place in the UK over the past ten years, but with that growth comes mixed messages in the media as to what really works. No two people are the same, but with the right information it is possible to make an informed decision about how to treat your health issues. Live It! Naturally contains reliable information from professionals in the field who can assist you to make informed choices and to take responsibility for your health

Live It! Naturally Features List

  • women's health, including hormonal problems, osteoporosis etc
  • men's health including prostate problems, sexual dysfunction, fitness regimes etc
  • children's health including eczema, allergies, nutrition etc
  • organic products - looking at what's new in the market
  • general topics such as food intolerance, allergies, natural home remedies, herbal remedies, nutrition, natural beauty etc
  • weight management - not faddy diets, but advice on good nutrition and regimes that are easy to follow
  • news on new products including minerals, vitamins, supplements, natural beauty products etc
  • spa breaks and holidays
  • book reviews
  • healthy recipes

Circa 2012

When the domain registration expired, a new owner bought the site around 2012, kept the same name but made a shift in the editorial direction to include articles about not only health, but also:

  • Happiness
  • Productivity
  • Love & Relationships
  • Food & Fun
  • Parenting

How to Stay Motivated and Consistent with Exercise

October 11th, 2012 | by Lena Ameri

It can be hard to stay motivated with exercise. Most of us go through phases where we are super consistent for a few weeks and then have a hard time keeping up the consistency. Most people try to attack this problem internally and pump themselves up from within. However, lack of motivation is an external problem NOT an internal one. If you are not motivated, that means something in your environment needs to be changed. Read the list below and try out the tips! Start with just one or two. As they start to lose effectiveness, try another! Most likely none of them will give you forever results, so it’s important to switch it up when you feel you need an extra boost.

1.    Figure out what obstacles are standing in your way

To stay consistent, first you need to figure out what is getting in your way. Instead of trying to pump yourself up, change your environment and rearrange your obstacles. For example, after work I’m really tired. Once I go home it’s so hard to motivate myself to go to the gym, all I want to do is sit on the couch. If I pack a workout bag to take with me in the morning I can stop by the gym before I go home and eliminate that whole scenario. If your problem is not enough time, pre-schedule your workouts at the beginning of the week and treat them as unmovable appointments. You may have to wake up earlier to fit it in or give up something else. 

2.    Find something you enjoy

If you hate your workout, it’s only going to be a matter of time before you stop doing it. In order to stick to your workout routine, it needs to be something you find enjoyable. There are so many different types of workouts that you are bound to find something you like. Don’t do something you hate just because you consider it a good workout. For example, I HATE working out on machines. I find it the most boring thing ever. However, if I do the same exercise outside or a take a class I have so much fun that the time flies by.

Consider these calories burned per hour counts:

Running 6mph: 600

Rock climbing: 550

Zumba: 400-800 (depending on intensity)

If you hate running you don’t have to do it! You can find another workout that burns a similar amount of calories. Besides, even if it burns fewer calories, you actually staying consistent is what is going to the make the long-term difference.

3.    Make it social

Research has shown that when individuals have a support group they are more likely to stick to their workouts. This works in many different ways. It makes working out more enjoyable, it turns it into a lifestyle, it gives you someone to answer to if you want to flake, there is someone else there to support you, and it makes working out a part of your social life.

Some ideas:

-Join a sports team, like intramural soccer. It’ll be fun, so you won’t realize you’re working out and you’ll make new friends.

-Schedule regular workout dates with a friend or your significant other. You can set workout goals together to achieve or just have a fun time together.

-Make friends at your group fitness classes. These should be people you will look forward to seeing and who will hold you accountable if you skip class.

-Get your workplace involved! You can set up a competition such as who logs the most hours, who meets their goals, etc. Have everyone who is competing put in $5-$10 towards a pool for the winner. You can also skip the competition and just support each other by going on walks during your lunch breaks and asking about each other’s workouts.

4.    Have “workout only” treats

Figure out things you like that you can only have when you’re working out. This will help you to look forward to your workout. Maybe make a cd of your new favorite songs that you only listen to while exercising, buy some really cute workout clothes to wear, or record a show you can only watch on the treadmill. Switch it up whenever you feel like it’s not working and you aren’t excited about that “treat” anymore.

5.    End the workout on a positive note

No matter how hard your workout was, spend a few minutes at the end thinking positively. Think about how good you feel, what great things you just did for your body, and all the reasons why you work out.  Ending your workout on a positive note will help make the whole experience more rewarding and help make it easier to do it again next time!

6.    Create a rewards chart

Have you seen those rewards charts used with kids for doing their chores or homework? Make one for yourself! Print out a blank calendar, decide how many times a week you must work out, give yourself a sticker for every day you exercise, and have a reward planned at the end of the week if you get all your stickers!

7.    Put money on it

If none of these tips are working anymore, it’s time to put your money where your workout is. Decide how many times a week you must workout and make a contract with yourself to do it. Then decide how much money you want each workout to be worth. It doesn’t need to be too high, but it should be an amount that you don’t want to lose. Find a friend who will stick to the plan no matter what and give them the money. At the end of the week you get back money for each workout that you completed. Decide what you want your friend to do with the money that you lost. If you need some extra motivation consider having to donate the leftover money to a charity you hate.

Beauty Secrets From India

October 8th, 2012 | by Sarah Naqvi

Looking beautiful is rarely a walk in the park. In today’s day and age, the beauty industry has developed thousands of cosmetics, facial creams, and tools to help us enhance and maintain our looks. However, little awareness exists nowdays on the benefits of natural beauty and style tips that are homemade, convenient, and most likely have little averse impact to your skin over time! Put your store bought products aside every once in a while and try the following home made remedies and ingredients that are beneficial for your health.

1. Rose Water: Spray some rosewater to your face every morning. It’s already used as in ingredient in various facial masks, but works as a great toner, coolant, and is known to reduce aging by preventing wrinkles, tightening skin pores, and hydrating the skin. Known for its healing properties, rosewater also is an anti-septic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial product.

2. Coconut Oil: An hour or so before you wash your hair, work some coconut oil into your hair. It’s loaded with Vitamin E and fatty acids, and does miracles when it comes to hair hydration. Primarily used by the natives of South Asia, coconut oil acts as a conditioner, minimizes hair loss, and helps strengthen your hair.

3. Cumin Seeds: Don’t let their unassuming appearance fool you, there’s a reason why this nut peppery flavored seed is a common ingredient in most Indian recipes! Cumin seeds contain loads of iron, help in digestion, cancer prevention, and are an excellent source of dietary fiber.Their distinct flavor and warm aroma add flavor and enhance most recipes, and a small dose a day can have great benefits long-term.

4. Turmeric: Commonly used in Indian kitchens and called the “golden spice of life”, the benefits of Turmeric less commonly known. Not only is it an anti septic and anti-oxidant, it has great benefits for your skin. Mix some ground turmeric, milk, and lemon juice till it’s a paste, and apply it as a mask for 15-20 minutes. It exfoliates, adds moisture, and radiance to your skin.

5. Papaya: Fruits should always be incorporated in day to day eating habits, primarily for their rich fiber and vitamin supply. But you can take fruits one step further by incorporating them as part of your skincare routine! Bored of facial scrubs? Papaya in particular, can be applied to your face and body, as it contains an enzyme that helps exfoliate your skin and is known to have anti-aging properties. Mix raw papaya pulp with a dash of honey and oatmeal, use it as a scrub, and you will see great results over just a few weeks.

6. Lemons: Fix it all with lemons! Lemon is another cost effective fruit that will give you results that are just as good, if not better than most beauty treatments. Lemon juice is a common ingredient in most Indian recipes, and serves as a great skin cleanser. Add some lemon juice to your water in the mornings and drink it with a dash of honey. Since it’s a fruit of all seasons, you can directly apply lemon juice to your face using yogurt as a base for the mask, for some cooling skin care on a hot day.

DIY Homemade Hair Masks

October 3rd, 2012 | by Lena Ameri

In-salon hair treatments can cost you $70 and up and can be full of harsh chemicals. Save your pennies and the hassle by making your own hair masks from ingredients in your kitchen.

 Directions for all masks:

  1. Apply to your hair from the shaft down with extra focus on your parched ends.
  2. Put on a shower cap to retain heat for extra softening magic. For a DIY shower cap you can put a plastic bag over your head and tie the handles.
  3. Try to leave it on for at least thirty minutes. The longer the better, especially for the oils!
  4. Wash and condition as normal. Some of the oils make take 2 washes to get out.
  5. Enjoy your shiny, soft, and healthy tresses!

Warning: Some of these masks can get a little messy! Put a towel around your shoulders or wear an old shirt!

 Banana milkshake

Blend together 1 banana, 1 egg, 3 teaspoons honey, 3 teaspoons milk, and 5 teaspoons olive oil.

Benefits: Bananas have lots of hair benefits! They help manage dandruff production, soften dry sun-damaged locks, and are chock-full of vitamins to help strengthen hair. Honey helps all the other ingredients absorb, so don’t skip this ingredient!

 Almonds and Honey

Mix together five tablespoons of almond oil (more or less depending on the length of your hair, you want your hair to be coated) and three tablespoons of honey.

Benefits: Honey is full of ingredients to help your hair grow longer while nourishing it and helping it retain moisture. Almond oil helps aid shine to lackluster locks and help soften dry strands.

 Green Coconut

Mash an avocado (half for short hair, full for long hair) and combine with three tablespoons of coconut oil.

Benefits: Avocados are full of vitamins E and B, which aid in hair growth, softening dry strands, and repairing scalp damage. Coconut oil makes dry hair shiny and soft and also can be used to treat lice and dandruff.

 Sunflowers:

Coat your hair with sunflower oil, especially concentrating on your dry ends. Don’t be worried about using too much- sunflower oil isn’t too hard to wash out.

Benefits: Sunflower oil works as an emollient and is full of fatty acids which keeps hair and scalp moisturized. It also has natural sun protection which helps maintain shine and color.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Workout

September 26th, 2012 | by Lena Ameri

You might be killing it at the gym, but did you know that your body is probably not working as

 

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