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Surprising Benefits of Spending Some Time Alone

Posted on by Posted in Self-Improvement .

The idea of “being alone” is usually seen in a negative light. Although it’s generally good to interact with a lot of people, there’s also nothing wrong with spending some alone-time at all! On top of that, there are actually many great reasons for you to do it from time to time. Here are only some of them.

You get to rediscover yourself

When you’re constantly spending time with a lot of people, chances are you’ll develop their way of thinking as well. You become more likely to just go with the flow and not make decisions on your own anymore. That’s why it is important to be alone from time to time. It helps you take a step back and find your own voice again. Sometimes that’s all you need to get yourself back on track and rediscover who you really want to be.

It’s a good time for you to unwind

Believe it or not, your mind and body will need breaks from social interactions from time to time as well. You won’t notice it much but when you’re around people you’ll have to put a lot of effort into sharing stories with them, making them laugh, comforting them, reading their emotions, and many more. If you don’t take a break from that cycle, you’ll be exhausted emotionally and mentally over time.

You learn to put more value in your relationships

When you spend time alone, you’ll actually see the value and importance of your relationship with others. Most of the time you won’t see how special a person is to you unless you actually spend some time away from them. This can be a parent, a friend, a lover, or whoever! You will learn to appreciate all the things that come from knowing each person.

You learn to be independent

Getting used to being alone isn’t really such a bad thing. If there’s one thing you can gain, it’s that you become less reliant on others. Many people have a slight fear of not seeing anyone around them, metaphorically and sometimes literally. But when you break free from the anxiety that comes with that fear, you’ll see that life doesn’t really change that much. When you’re alone, you can still do just as many things as when you’re with a lot of people.

We won’t miss out on things

Many Singaporeans already know the “fear of missing out”. But there are also many people who hesitate in trying new things because of the thought of doing it alone. The thing is, you shouldn’t let that fear get in your way of doing things. You would not want to miss out on your favorite artist’s concert just because you’re afraid of going alone!

Easy Beginner’s Guide to Meal Prepping

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World, Health .

If you’ve just started paying better attention to your health and fitness, one thing you’re bound to come across is meal prepping. Basically, meal prepping is dedicating time to either cook ingredients in a batch or prepare full meals for the week ahead. Now, all this may sound quite overwhelming at first, but it’s really not and we’ll help you learn the very basics with this quick guide.

First of all, why should you do it?

Meal prepping has many distinct advantages. One big benefit is that you’re sure to eat healthy food for the whole week. Because you’ve prepared your meals already, you’re less likely to eat fast food, junk food, processed food, etc. throughout the day.

Meal prepping is also pretty important when you’re trying to lose or gain weight.  This is because when you prepare the meals yourself, you can balance the calories and macronutrients accordingly with your required daily intake.

Make a Plan

There are actually many prep methods and one might work for you better than another. For example, there’s prepping ready-to-cook ingredients which you can do if you prefer cooking meals before serving. Here you prep all the ingredients and only cook them before your mealtime. The opposite of this is prepping make-ahead meals.

This is when you actually cook a meal in bulk and put it in separate containers. Then, you can just take a container and reheat it when it’s time for you to eat. So, whether it’s prepping make-ahead meals or just the ingredients, make a plan that’s convenient for you.

Start prepping and storing

Let’s use make-ahead meals as an example for this one. Let’s say the meal you plan to make consists of rice, chicken breast, and some broccoli. You plan to have that as your lunch for the whole week so, of course, you should get enough ingredients for the whole week.

Once you’ve cooked everything, place them in separate freezer-, microwave-safe containers. Then, simply store them in your fridge and take one anytime you need it. Then, when it’s time to eat you simply reheat it in an oven or microwave.

Always take note of storage life

The one thing you have to remember is that not all ingredients will have the same storage life. Some vegetables, for example, may last for only 2-3 days while others can still go for 4. So, you always have to be mindful of that.

Freezing your prepped meals properly is simply the best way to maintain quality. Even so, just put date labels for when you think the meal might not be good for consumption anymore. You wouldn’t want to get food poisoning, of course.

5 Beauty Commandments Every Bride Should Live By

Posted on by Posted in Hair and Makeup, Wedding List .

If you want to avoid last minute decision that you might regret later on, make sure to keep these beauty bridal commandments in mind. These will guarantee you with no regrets, no breakouts and definitely no poodle hair when you walk down the aisle.

Thou shall not dabble in new products a week before the big day

The week before your wedding isn’t the time to try on a new beauty product that your friend is raving about. You wouldn’t want to develop an allergy or breakout due to an unfamiliar product you used a few days before your wedding, would you? Instead, establish a balanced skin care routine two months prior your big day. Balancing your skin’s moisture is your ultimate goal during this time, because a well-hydrated and healthy-looking skin ensures that the makeup glides easily and looks flawless on you.

Thou shall stay hydrated

Never underestimate the power of hydration. Drinking enough water hydrates the skin, keeps headache at bay and energizes you to help you feel focused on your planning and on the busy wedding day itself. Especially on the day of your wedding, you will be dressed up and dragged for photographs for hours, so make sure to get guzzling.

Thou shall treat your hair with care

Use the looming wedding as a chance to nurture your tresses and get that heavenly crowning glory. If you need to make a major color change, schedule it well in advance, so you’ll have enough time to restore it in case you didn’t like the new color. And as your wedding day draws closer, make sure to take care of those unsightly split ends.

Thou shall not hide your natural beauty

Your wedding is not the time to go heavy on makeup and hairdo. One thing you want to achieve when your hair and makeup is all done is for you to look the best version of yourself. Do not fall into the outdated traps of stiff curls, heavy lashes and harsh contours. You want to be able to walk

Healing and Recovery Timelines for Sports Injuries

Posted on by Posted in Health, Lifestyle, Sports .

Most sports injuries will heal over time and give the athlete a chance to get back into action. There are, however, several factors that will affect the healing process besides the person’s overall health before the injury.

Let’s look at some of the common sports injuries and how long it takes to recover from them.

Ankle Sprain – This may be caused by accidents like rolling the foot or walking or running on an uneven ground. This can take 6 to 12 weeks to heal with rest and ice compress. Surgery will only be required if there is a ligament tear.

Shin Splint – A shin splint should heal within 2 to 6 weeks, but the person must not put more stress on the bones. Intense workouts that caused the injury should be avoided, and surgery will be required if there is a fracture.

Whiplash or Neck Strain – This is common in sports that require tackling another person. To fully recover, rest and rehabilitation are required for 6 weeks.

Calf Strain – If the injury is mild, 2 weeks should be enough but more severe injuries will take 3 months for recovery.

Hamstring Pull – This injury can take 6 to 12 weeks to heal. It may be caused by sudden movements especially in sports that require jumping and running. To hasten the healing process, the person will require rest and therapy, but surgery is a must if there is a tear that won’t heal.

Simple Fractures – Simple bone fractures will need a minimum of 6 weeks to heal, but this depends on the location of the fracture.

Compound Fractures – If there are broken bones in more than one area, a surgery may be scheduled by the doctor. To fully recover, the person must rest and undergo therapy for a minimum of 8 months.

Fractured Fingers/Toes – With rest, this injury will take between 3 to 5 weeks to completely heal.

Fractured Neck – With a neck brace and plenty of rest, this injury will take a minimum of 6 weeks to fully heal. This applies to injury on any of the seven neck vertebrae.

Fractured Ribs – This injury will require painkillers and exercises that target breathing. It can take at least 6 weeks for a person to fully recover.

Fractured Collarbone – An injury to the clavicle can take between 5 to 10 weeks to fully heal, which will require therapy that ensure there is arm movement.

Mild Contusion – The injury is caused by broken blood vessels. Bruises should disappear within a week.

Concussion – This is a brain injury and will take several weeks to heal depending on the evaluation of the doctors. A person should be cleared by a certified physician before getting back into action.

 

ACL Tears – Sudden stops or changes in the direction or running can cause a tear. Even with surgery and rehabilitation, this can take more than 6 months to fully heal.

Shoulder Separations – With rest and rehabilitation, it will take a minimum of 2 weeks to recover.

Tennis Elbow – Repetitive motions on the arms can cause this injury. With rest and stretches, this can take about 3 to 12 months to heal completely.

Beginner’s Guide to CrossFit: What You Need to Know Before Starting

Posted on by Posted in Fitness and Exercise, Health, Health and Wellness .

There are actually so many CrossFit gyms around Singapore now! You might even have a co-worker or a friend who’s already going to one. Being one of the most popular fitness regimes today, CrossFit has earned a reputation for being tough yet very rewarding. So, let’s get to know it better!

What exactly is CrossFit?

CrossFit is basically a fitness program that mainly focuses on strength and conditioning. It takes functional movements from many different sports like weightlifting, gymnastics, rowing, and etc. Most of the exercises utilized are in different varieties and are meant to be challenging.

Generally, workout routines will change each day testing different parts of strength and conditioning. This is in line with the focus of CrossFit to help an individual create the “fittest” form of himself with a body capable of almost anything.

A CrossFit gym can also look very different from a bodybuilding gym. You’ll see more bars, boxes, and ropes than the usual weight machines and dumbbells!

Is it the right form of exercise for me?

If you’re a complete beginner at weight training or maybe you just lift casually in an ActiveSG gym, you won’t have any problems with CrossFit at all. One of the main advantages you’ll have when starting a fitness journey through CrossFit is that you’ll be trained with the basic and most important lifts to learn.

In addition to that, the whole community is very welcoming and everyone helps each other progress one way or another. Many CrossFit athletes are even martial artists, former athletes from different sports, and just fitness fanatics in general.

Is it dangerous?

Looking at it from an audience perspective, CrossFit can look very intimidating. Watching CrossFit athlete squat 465lbs, then move immediately to a 200-pound shoulder press, AND THEN do a 400-pound deadlift can definitely make you doubt if you can even do it. The intensity of the workouts makes people think that CrossFit can cause a lot of injuries. But that’s not really the case at all.

Even if CrossFit is all about pushing your body to the limits, it’s doesn’t get to the point of actually destroying your body. The individuals you see that are already doing those extremely high-intensity exercises are already seasoned CrossFit athletes. But they started also started from the bottom like you.

What do I need to start?

CrossFit gyms or ‘boxes’ usually have all the equipment needed for the workouts. Plyometric boxes, barbells, pull-up bars will always be present in CrossFit gyms. If there’s one thing, it would be good to buy a jump rope.

Because much of CrossFit is also about endurance, you’ll want to start getting used to conditioning and stamina training before you even start. Having a jump rope can be a good way to start. So aside from the actual things you need like your training attire and extra clothes, all you really need to bring is yourself.

Positive Effects of Social Media

Posted on by Posted in Lifestyle, Social Issues, Social Media .

Nowadays, all we hear about social media is that it’s generally bad for us in many aspects. But actually, we should think about social media as something that’s between positive and negative. Of course, social media has a lot of positive effects just as well. Instead of only focusing on the negative, here are good things about social media to take into account.

It allows for better communication

If you have a friend who’s leaving Singapore, for example, probably the best way for you to stay in touch is through social media platforms. Today, you’ll see more and more people communicate through social media instead of using text messages and telephones. That’s simply because it’s very fast and convenient.

It becomes easier to make friends

In connection to the point about communication, another positive effect of social media is that it becomes way easier to get to know more people. Before, we wouldn’t even know people who lived in the neighborhood beside us. But with social media, it’s become very possible to do that. You can even connect with people in other countries, right? Sometimes you even become good friends with people online even without seeing them in person.

You get to find people with the same interests as you

Again, because you can communicate with so many people on social media, it’s highly likely that you will also meet some who share the same interests with you. For example, if you’re interested in traveling to another country and you actually find a friend on Facebook living there, then you already have someone who can show you around. Or maybe you play sports and meet some people through social media so that you can have a few games for fun.

It encourages empathy

One of the best advantages of social media is that it fosters sympathy. Today you’ll see videos around Facebook and Twitter showing different stories of life, from people who succeed to those who are already suffering. Some people raise awareness through social media as well. You might see informative posts about animals on the brink of extinction or the environment slowly being destroyed. All of these things can awaken empathy in people and cause solidarity or even a call for change.

It gives one the opportunity to showcase creativity

Probably one of the best examples of this is vlogging. A lot of people make videos and it really showcases their creativity through the content they make. This is why trends usually happen in popular culture. More and more people show their originality and creativity by constantly producing different content. Even artists, painters, and music producers have an easier time promoting their talents because of social media.

The Best Science Fiction Series for Newcomers to the Genre

Posted on by Posted in Literature .

Some of the best science fiction novels you might see on fan lists are also part of a series. If you’re new to the genre, choosing from among the different titles can be overwhelming, that is why most science fiction fans will advise you to try one series first as an introduction.

Here are some of the best science fiction series for beginners.

Space Odyssey Series by Arthur C. Clarke

The series consists of four novels and two short stories detailing humanity’s foray into space exploration. The first book, 2001: A Space Odyssey, introduces the idea that aliens have influenced the primitive ancestors of humans and may be grooming them for a task in the future.

Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold

The first book, Falling Free, was released in 1988 and serves as the backbone of the long-running series that details various themes such as politics, military and warfare, medical ethics, personal identity, bioengineering, and technology.

Ender’s Game Series by Orson Scott Card

Also called the Ender Saga, the first trilogy is part of the Enderverse, a collection of novels, short stories, comics, and audioplay that chronicles humanity’s encounters with different alien species. The first novel, Ender’s Game, introduces Andrew Wiggin, a child soldier and genius schooled in the ways of battle to protect the Earth from the aliens.

The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolf

The series, also called Solar Cycle, is available either as four separate books, or one novel with four volumes. The books detail the exploits of Severian after he was exiled from Thrax.

Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons

The first book in the series, Hyperion, features the different stories of a group of pilgrims on their way to the Time Tombs to make a request from the Shrike.

Ringworld by Larry Niven

Made up of five books, Ringworld, is also a part of the Known Space story set in the giant space artifact. Another five novels are the sequel to the last book of the Ringworld series, Fate of Worlds.

Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov

Besides the trilogy, Asimov also wrote two prequels and two sequels. Foundation shows how a prophecy has propelled one mathematician to find a way to steer events into a favorable conclusion.

Hainish Cycle by Ursula K. LeGuin

This series includes two of LeGuin’s most famous novels, The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed, the fourth and fifth books, respectively. They are all set in an alternate history of Earth.

Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson

Although there are plenty of books about man’s attempt to settle on Mars, this series takes a different approach by discussing scientific advances, egalitarianism, ecological problems, and overpopulation.

Majipoor Series by Robert Silverberg

The first book of the series, Lord Valentine’s Castle, introduces the planet Majipoor, where humans have been living with other alien races for thousands of years.

The Culture Series by Iain M. Banks

Besides the usual aliens and humans, the series also features artificial intelligences trying to live in the fringes of a utopian space communist galaxy.

Does Your Child Need a Nutritional Supplement?

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World, Health and Wellness, Parenting .

As parents, you would always want to give the best for your child, including complete healthy meals to allow them to grow strong and healthy. Most parents also choose to give vitamin supplements during the crucial growth years especially when the child is picky with the food, but is it worth it?

Children Need Complete Meals

If your child already eats a variety of food, then the short answer is no, because there is no better substitute to food as the primary source of vitamins and nutrients. However, if your child is picky or has feeding problems, you need to consult a pediatrician first before adding a supplement to his/her diet.

Be Wary of Supplements with Promises

Supplements that claim they can make your child smarter or disease-free are probably lying to you. After all, these are just supplements, not medication; and there are no valid proofs that can back up their claims. Be wary as well of supplements that have not been regulated and tested properly, even if the label says it’s all-natural and herbal.

Your child might have allergic reactions or intolerance to the ingredients in suspicious supplements. Some of them are known to have contaminants and are usually less well-regulated than medications, not to mention the host of side effects caused by the ingredients and their reaction to medications currently taken by the child.

Know What Your Child Lacks

Not all children lack the essential vitamins and nutrients needed for growth and development, even the picky eaters. Most of vitamin A, B, C, and E are found in most food; however, vitamin D, fiber, calcium, and omega-3s are only found in low doses in most meals according to various studies. To meet the daily nutritional needs, the pediatrician will advise you to serve more milk, soy, orange juice, cheese, yogurt, fortified eggs, fish oils, canola oil, nuts, flaxseed, high-fiber cereals, and fruits and vegetables.

Know What to Look For

Follow instructions from the pediatrician when looking for children’s supplement. Generally, you should look for products that have a clear instruction and dosage for specific ages and are packed specifically to be child-proof. Be careful when trying to self-medicate and adding more supplements other than that already recommended by the doctor, because it can lead to an overdose. Supplements, however, should never substitute healthy meals consisting of fish, whole wheat, vegetables, dairy, and fruits.

Know the Food Pyramid

To give you an idea how much vitamins and minerals your child needs during his/her growing years, follow the simple food pyramid guide recommended by most pediatricians in Singapore.

  1. Two or three servings of milk, cheese, and yogurt
  2. Two or three servings of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dry beans, and nuts
  3. Three to five servings of vegetables
  4. Two to four servings of fruits
  5. Six to eleven servings of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta
  6. Occasional treats with fats, sweets, and oils

Skills We Get From Playing Sports That Help Us Be Better at Work

Posted on by Posted in Self-Improvement, Top Sports Stories, Work and Employment, Work Life .

Throughout the years, many Singaporean athletes have been recognized around the world. In addition to that, Singaporeans are also quite known to be hard workers in their day jobs. It might seem far off, but can we actually find a connection between sports and work? Actually, the answer is yes! Here’s why:

Leadership

One skill that naturally gets developed in sports is leadership. In team games, for example, there will always be that one athlete who stands out when it comes to taking control of the situation for the team. If you develop this skill, you can expect that you can also be a good leader at work. Being able to lead can be a pillar for success. In addition to that, you’ll also be looked up to by your peers.

Teamwork

One of the most common skills between sports and work is the ability to work with others. You’ll have to expect that you’ll be working with a lot of people along the way. In sports, you work with your team to achieve certain goals together. Of course, you will do this at work also. We can develop our teamwork through sports because they teach us not only to move together with others but to know our individual similarities and differences. Understanding this will be a foundation for success whether in the office or at the playing fields.

Respect

When we play sports, we absolutely have to pay respect to our teammates, coaches, the referees, the opponents, and even the spectators. Respect is something that is deeply taught to athletes. When it comes to a job, you’ll have to respect the authorities, your seniors, your co-workers, and your clients. Showing respect displays who you are as a person. This means you are looked upon highly no matter if you’re an athlete or intern at a big company.

Composure

Some of the greater skills developed in sports are composure, self-discipline, and mental toughness. There are times when games can get rough or the pressure is too high. The athlete is expected to power through these situations in a disciplined approach. They are taught that these situations are when they will have to step up to get better. Having this skill when you are already working can also be valuable. When you are faced with stressful, high-pressure situations and you compose yourself well, you can easily get through these challenges.

Dedication

When you are dedicated to your sport or team, you will do anything to get better. You commit yourself to practices and other important tasks. This is an important skill to have at work because its very easy to get distracted. Sometimes we tell ourselves to just give up on the job because it’s too tiring. But when we learn to be dedicated, we have the ability to power through these negative thoughts.