Nutrition Corner

Want to build muscle? Why carbs could be just as important as protein: Nutrition plays a very important role in the muscle building process.

Mediterranean Diet Vs Plant-Based: Which Is Best? Is the Mediterranean diet better than the plant-based (vegan) diet?

Recipe for The Day

Citrus Salad with Pomegranate & Mint: This citrus salad, made with grapefruit, tangerines and navel and blood oranges, is equally at home as part of your brunch spread or served as a refreshing low-sugar dessert. A sprinkle of orange blossom water gives it a heady fragrance.

Lifestyle & Fitness Focus

3 Foods for Thyroid Health

• Yogurt: The amount of iodine in dairy products varies. This is partly because livestock are given iodine supplements, and the milking process involves iodine-based cleaners. According to the NIH, when analyzed, samples of nonfat milk were found to contain a range of 38 to 159 mcg per cup. Plain, low-fat yogurt, or Greek yogurt is a good source —it can make up about 50% of your daily intake of iodine, according to the NIH.

• Brazil Nuts: Brazil nuts contain another nutrient that helps regulate thyroid hormones: selenium. Selenium may help stave off long-term thyroid damage in people with thyroid-related problems like Hashimoto's and Graves' disease.

• Milk: Milk and milk products are among the best sources of iodine, according to the NIH. Drinking 1 cup of low-fat milk will meet about one-third of your daily iodine needs.

How To Stay Motivated: 5 Tips for Entrepreneurs

• Access passion: Some may be motivated by the love of a craft or an interest. If you see yourself as someone who values creative fulfillment at work over status or money, pursue a career or business idea that scratches that itch. Alternatively, start a passion project on the side.

• Be goal oriented: Establish clear goals and post reminders of them around you. Develop daily routines that drive toward them. If those goals ever become hazy, you could lose motivation. Revisit them to keep them sharp in your mind, and tweak as needed.

• Meet basic needs: Basic needs may be a secure financial future, supporting your family, or protecting your mental health. Understanding your needs will help you reframe other tasks or activities within the context of your central goals.

• Eliminate distractions: To feel motivated in your everyday life, it might be as simple as surrounding yourself with things that make you feel inspired. But you’ll also need to remove anything that doesn’t. Distractions can include spending time on projects or pursuits that don’t ladder up to your main goal.

• Tackle procrastination at its root: When you lose interest in a task or dread starting what feels insurmountable, procrastination can take hold. Understand the reasons for your procrastination to help overcome it—and gain motivation. For example, if your to-do list is packed with complicated projects, break them out into smaller chunks and build in mini rewards. Getting a few things done can motivate you to tackle the rest.

Add Sweet Potatoes To Your Diet To Reap These 4 Benefits

• Rich in nutrients: Sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fibre, which are essential for optimal health.

• Support immune function: The high content of vitamin A and vitamin C in sweet potatoes can boost your immune system, helping you fight off illness and infections.

• Promote healthy digestion: The fibre in sweet potatoes helps regulate bowel movements and prevents constipation, promoting a healthy digestive system.

• Maintain healthy blood pressure: Sweet potatoes are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure levels and reduce the risk of hypertension.

The 3 Best Thigh Exercises to Tone Your Legs Fast

• Weighted squat leg lift: Holding a medium-weight dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart. Keeping the weights at your side, lower down into a squat (make sure your knees don’t extend past your toes). Keep your shoulders back and don’t let the weights pull you forward. As you press back up, extend your right leg out to the side, pointing your toe towards the front of the room. After one set on the right side, switch legs. To modify, simply lessen your range of motion, or you can do this move without weights. If extending your leg is too difficult, perform the lunge without it.

• Side plank leg raise: Get into a side plank position, making sure your hips are lifted and your left elbow and shoulder are stacked in alignment. Lift your right leg up and down at a slow cadence, feeling the flex in your inner and outer thigh, and the extra resistance on the way up and down. Repeat with your right side during the second set of the circuit. If you need to modify this movement, drop your left knee to the ground while maintaining the same body positioning. If you feel pain or any kind of instability in your shoulder, modify the exercise or don’t do it. Planks are a tough-but-effective total-body toner, and there are many variations to keep your workout fresh.

• Weighted curtsy lunge tap out: Holding the dumbbells at your sides, take your left leg back and then behind you as you sink into a curtsy lunge, keeping your hips facing forward. From the bottom of the curtsy lunge position, rise up and tap the left leg out all the way to the side of your body, extending the leg through the pointed toes. To modify the move, reduce the range of motion or do it without the weights. In addition to toning your lower body, this move also targets your obliques (sides of abs). Add some belly-flattening exercises to these moves for a well-rounded workout—no crunches required!

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