You may be used to drinking a cup of coffee or tea to wake you up in the morning. Some of you may opt for a glass of cool water to replenish you and get your morning started. These things may now be morning habits; however, it can be worth reconsidering how you start your morning because research shows that drinking warm water on an empty stomach offers the most health benefits.

Stella Metsovas, clinical nutritionist and media health expert in Food and Nutrition Sciences, says, “Physicians recommend drinking warm water in the morning, usually, with a polyphenol-rich lemon immersion, or with a tea shown to decrease free radical activity in the body.” Drinking warm water increases the tightening of the intestines, and this helps with digestion and regulates bowel movements.

Here are 7 beneficial things that will happen to your body when you start drinking warm water in the morning.

1. It Prevents premature aging

Nobody wants to age prematurely; however, the presence of toxins in the body can make aging faster a reality. When our body accumulates toxins, it becomes prone to illness and aging. Warm water can help cleanse the body from toxins. Furthermore, it can help repair skin cells which can lead to an increase in the elasticity of your skin.

2. It Alleviates pain

A potent natural remedy for easing the pain from menstrual cramps is warm water. It relaxes stomach muscles and helps alleviate menstrual pain. Moreover, warm water is an effective remedy for all types of cramps as it improves capillary circulation and helps to relax the muscles in the body.

3. It Helps with weight loss

You may be trying to lose weight and have heard that drinking a glass of warm water in the morning can be helpful. This is correct. Warm water increases your body temperature, which; in turn, increases your metabolic rate. An increase in metabolic activity gives the body the ability to burn more calories throughout the day.

If you start your day by drinking a glass of warm water with lemon, you will help your body break down the adipose tissue (or body fat) in your body. Warm water with lemon also controls food craving because lemon contains pectin fiber. Mestovas told Medical Daily, “Physicians recommend drinking warm water in the morning, usually, with a polyphenol-rich lemon immersion, or with a tea shown to decrease free radical activity in the body.”

4. It Improves digestion

If you drink a glass of warm water in the morning you will stimulate your digestive system and help your body to better digest and eliminate foods. Drinking cold water after meals can be counterproductive. Cold water solidifies the oils and fats in the food you have just eaten. This creates fat deposits and makes digestion more difficult. You are better off replacing that glass of cold water with a warm one.

5. It Improves blood circulation

Accumulated deposits in the nervous system and fat deposits in the body are eliminated when you drink a glass of warm water. This process helps flush out the toxins that are present throughout the body, which; in turn, aids blood circulation. Warm water is also relaxing, helping the muscles loosen, eliminating poor circulation, and assisting blood flow.

6. It Aids constipation

Many of you have experienced the uncomfortable and irritating effects of constipation. This common stomach problem occurs when one has little or no bowel movement. Often, the cause is a lack of water in the body. If you begin your morning by drinking very warm water, before you have eaten anything, you can help improve your bowel movements, thus reducing the effects of constipation.
Metsovas says, “Women will always benefit because they [have] more hormones to contend with, making constipation more of an issue.”

 7. It Induces sleep

When you sip warm water during meals, especially during dinner and before you go to bed, you will help your body relax and sooth your nerves. In turn, this can help induce sleep. It will also assist with stopping midnight cravings and lead to a feeling of rejuvenation in the morning.
Summation
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We have seen 7 surprising and amazing benefits that will happen to your body when you start drinking a glass of warm water in the morning. Start making a morning glass of warm water part of your routine and be sure to enjoy the revitalized feeling that you will experience.

The statistics are dismal. A recent study has found that 69% of people feel trapped in the same old routine, and only 3 out of 10 people are happy with their lives.1 People are feeling stuck.

Some are feeling stuck in their careers, feeling like they’re too far along one path to make a change. Some are feeling stuck in their personal lives. The toll of the daily grind sucks most of their time and energy, and their relationships, self-care, and personal goals get lost in the shuffle of the treadmill existence.

When people come across these challenges of feeling stuck, the feeling sometimes doesn’t go away. It often intensifies as time goes on. As the stuck feeling intensifies, some people choose to settle. Subconsciously, without even realizing it, they end up pushing their dreams and goals further and further down.

Others, if the feeling of being stuck intensifies to an unbearable point, choose to make changes. They may choose to pivot in their careers, even after years at a successful job. They may end up making big changes in their relationships, or start putting their fitness at a higher priority. They may make drastic changes to finally feel free. These changes can be incredibly difficult to make, especially if a person has lived many years in a certain lifestyle.

Feeling stuck is NOT fun. I’ve been there. I get it.

People Feel Stuck Once in a While

There are many causes of feeling stuck. Many people work toward goals that don’t actually align with who they are at the core or what they truly desire. I call these “False Objectives”.

Living a life of False Objectives can cause people to feel very stuck and frustrated. People can build lives that are very “successful” according to society, but if you’ve built your life based on False Objectives, you’re not going to feel fulfilled. You’ll end up feeling stuck.

Another cause of feeling stuck is not knowing who you are. If you don’t understand how you’re innately wired – your strengths, your gifts, your talents, your passions – it’s tough to make decisions that enable you to maximize those. It’s tough to reach your full potential if you don’t know who you are.

You can feel stuck if you’re doing work that doesn’t allow you to maximize your innate strengths. If you’re doing work that doesn’t bring out the best in who you are at the core, you’ll likely feel some dissatisfaction and you won’t reach your full potential.

Other people feel stuck because they haven’t surrounded themselves with mentors or peers who have achieved what they want to achieve, so they stay in certain routines while craving to do life differently. As Jim Rohn says,

“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”

If your goal is to run a marathon and you’re spending most evenings and weekends drinking beer with your coworkers, you’re probably not going to run that marathon. If your goal is to live a location-independent lifestyle and work anytime from anywhere, and everyone in your social circle is at traditional jobs, it’ll be tough to break free from the 9-5 mentality.

Feeling Stuck Screws Up People’s Lives

The consequences of feeling stuck can range from mild to severe. People may feel a mild discontentment with life and end up succumbing to the idea that life is “okay,” and settle. Read about why “Okay”, is the favorite word of average people. They may never reach their full potential, may never reach their highest levels of happiness and satisfaction, and not make the impact on the world that they could make, and have a looming sense that there could be “more” to life.

Often, though, the feeling of being stuck comes with much larger consequences. Feeling stuck can hinder career growth. Feeling stuck can contribute to disrupted marriages. It can lead to huge midlife crises. The feeling can (and frequently does) increase as the years go on, leading to significant regrets about unfulfilled dreams. In fact, the number one regret of the dying, according to Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse, is, “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” She writes,

“This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Many people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.”

Approach Life Differently

Thankfully, some highly effective strategies can prevent you from feeling stuck. Using these strategies can help you avoid significant problems in your life. It’s different than conventional living, and it works.

Commonly, people live with many set routines. While certain routines are helpful, becoming stuck in the daily grind routine can get frustrating. Many people eat roughly the same foods each week, go to the same place each day, talk to the same people, keep the same commitments, and end up living life on autopilot.

It’s tough to feel like you’re progressing forward when each day is spent doing the same uninspiring routine. In order to avoid feeling stuck, it’s important to live intentionally. It’s crucial to live in the driver’s seat of your life and get out of autopilot mode.

First, ditch the False Objectives. Just because everyone in your family are doctors doesn’t mean that’s the best path for you. Just because all your friends are married with a big house, a white picket fence, and 2 kids doesn’t mean that’s the best path for you. Just because everyone you know works 9-5 doesn’t mean that’s the best path for you. It’s not easy to design your life intentionally, but it’s critical in order to avoid feeling stuck.

Remember, the majority of people feel stuck. So, if you’re doing things like the majority of people, you’ll likely feel stuck, too. You’ll need to think differently and create your life differently.

Two Questions to Ask Yourself Every Day

In order to intentionally design your life, avoid falling prey to False Objectives, and prevent feeling stuck, there are questions to ask yourself every day. These questions can help you stay focused on what matters most to you, help you avoid feeling stuck and frustrated, and create the best life possible.

1. Why am I going to do what I’m going to do today?

If you’re showing up to work each day, and giving your years to your job, it’s important that your “why” is deeper than “to pay the bills.” Knowing why you’re doing what you’re doing can help you make choices that inspire and motivate you.

By asking yourself why you’re going to do what you’re going to do today, you will be living intentionally. In today’s incredibly busy, easily distracted world, living intentionally and focusing every day on what matters most is unique. When you choose to ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing every day, it will help you stay focused on what’s truly important to you, which can prevent you from getting stuck.

2. What would future want me to do today?

Imagine yourself, in the future, as the best version of you. What would that version of you want you to do today? Making decisions from the viewpoint of the future you can help you move forward today and prevent the stuck and frustrated feeling.

When you make decisions from the viewpoint of future you, you will develop perseverance and reap the benefits of delayed gratification. Today’s society is very focused on instant gratification, but a lot of great things in life take time and effort. Learning to take small steps forward by making decisions from the future you standpoint can help you make massive progress forward toward your biggest goals and dreams.

Getting Unstuck

After asking yourself the two questions, work on the plan to get unstuck. I’ve personally tried these strategies and they work for me.

Choose goals you truly desire to accomplish.

This might sound obvious but we all get sucked into False Objectives at times. When you’re setting goals in your career and your personal life, make sure they are goals that matter to you. Working hard toward big achievements that don’t align with your values, your priorities, and who you are at the core is a fast-track toward feeling stuck.

Learn about your strengths, your gifts, and your passions. Choose goals that align with who you are the core, and work toward goals that align with your innate strengths and gifts. This will help you maximize your potential and minimize the stuck and frustrated feelings.

Watch your mindset.

Often, we think we’re stuck, but the problem is our mindset. Being mindful of our mindset and self-talk is important to living a life of freedom and fulfillment. Work on rephrasing your self-talk in order to improve your mindset. For example, if you tell yourself, “I could never start a business,” rephrase it to, “I don’t know how to start a business YET, but I can learn.” If you find yourself saying, “I don’t have enough money to travel,” tell yourself, “I don’t have the money right now, but I can make a plan to save money to travel. Rephrasing your self-talk can help you see opportunities and possibilities instead of feeling stuck.

Occasionally, even the most driven people have days where they feel unmotivated. Check out this article for tips to get motivated when you feel like doing nothing. Those strategies can help you break free from the rut.

Get out of your comfort zone and add some excitement to your day.

Shaking up your daily routine and adding some excitement to your days can help you get unstuck. While breaking out of your daily routine can be uncomfortable, it can be a great way to invigorate your life. You can start by getting out of your comfort zone in small ways. Here are 7 simple ways to get out of your comfort zone that you can start doing today. As Brian Tracy says,

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

Getting out of your comfort zone and experiencing growth can help you to continue to move forward and prevent you from getting stuck.

Surround yourself with people who have done what you aspire to do.

It’s easy to get stuck if you’re trying to accomplish something and you’re struggling to believe it’s possible to accomplish it. Instead of letting yourself be isolated and stuck, commit to learning from people who have done what you aspire to do. This can help you believe it’s possible to achieve the same goals, and can help you be inspired to progress forward instead of staying in stuck-land.

You can seek out a mentor, or even read books or listen to podcasts by the people who have achieved your biggest goals and dreams.

It’s frustrating to feel stuck. Hopefully these strategies help you as much as they have helped me.

The first six months of a relationship are wonderful. There are flowers, candy and hundreds of emoji filled texts that are promptly read and responded to. You leave each other in the evening and video chat a few hours later.

You share your food, wipe each others mouths and walk down the street with your hands in each other’s back pocket.

You are happy and so in love with your companion. You can’t get enough of each other.

A year later you’ve broken up…

How You Start Never Matters

But you started off so well. The relationship was perfect. You were so sweet and in love with each other and somehow the passion still faded.

Statistics show that most relationships go from hot, heavy and passionate to “meh” in about 18 months.1 The feelings people associate with being in love—the butterflies and the longing—dissipate during this time and the couple begins to wonder if they should carry on with the relationship.

New research shows that relationships are actually more vulnerable to demise far sooner than the dreaded seven year itch. The most common time for a couple to split is right around the two year mark.2

By then, you’ve most likely seen everything about your partner—their best and their worst physically and emotionally. You have started to get used to each other’s presence and the spark to stay passionate and playful has gradually faded in the relationship because you just no longer feel the same. Lots of couples end their relationship here.

What most couples who end their relationship there don’t realize is that this is just a phase. It’s a part of the process and happens to all couples.

The Five Stages Every Relationship Goes Through

The first mistake couples make is believing that when the “infatuated” feeling fades, it’s a sign that the love is fading as well. They think that when the butterflies are gone, it’s time to end the relationship.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

When it comes to relationships, experts agree there are five distinct stages.3 Every relationship goes through these stages. The ones that last successfully make it through all five, but most relationships get stuck and fall apart during stage three.

Stage 1: Passion and Romance

This is the honeymoon or infatuation stage. It is filled with lots of kisses and touching each other for no particular reason. It is when you are completely taken by your mate and are blind to his or her flaws.

It is the easiest phase to endure and very intense.

Stage 2: Getting Serious

This is still within the infatuation or honeymoon stage. You are still blinded by love but have the clarity to see that this relationship has long-term potential. This is when the relationship becomes exclusive and you begin making long-term plans with your partner.

There is still lots of hand-holding, cuddling, and you give each other meaningful nicknames. You begin to share yourself more intimately with your mate.

Stage 3: Relationship Plateau

Stage three is when the relationship becomes real. The blinders are off and you see your partner for who they really are. Physical touch like hand-holding, kissing and other forms of physical intimacy may be starting to slow down a bit. The butterflies are gone and your partner doesn’t seem as cute as they once were.

The hardest part about stage three is that you both begin to question the relationship: where is the passion we used to have for each other? is our love fading away? is he/she the one I can be with for a longer time?

Stage 4: Moving Beyond Infatuation

Once you’ve chosen to move past stage three and to stick with the relationship, you develop a deep and intimate bond. This is the time when couples really begin to merge their lives. Serious discussions concerning marriage, kids and finances ensue and plans are made to move the couple forward as a unit.

This is when the relationship is solidified and the couple builds a life together. Many couples make it to this phase and experience a long, healthy and meaningful relationship.

But there is one more phase…

Stage 5: Becoming a Team

Stage five of the relationship is when the couple becomes a solid team. The relationship moves past “me and you” decision-making and the team becomes more important than the individuals.

This is the part of a relationship everyone longs for but few reach. It’s the true love phase.

It’s when the couple has the best chance of making it to “happily-ever-after.” That’s not to say that there will not be challenges, hardships and bumps in the road. But it does mean that both parties are committed to staying and making the relationship work no matter what.

It’s the phase of full acceptance and unconditional love.

Breaking Through the Honeymoon Stage

Most relationships that end do so somewhere within stage three. Other relationships can last for years and never make it out of stage three, but the relationship is not healthy and neither partner is fulfilled.

The first thing you must understand when you began to feel disillusioned is that feelings don’t sustain a relationship. Feelings are unreliable because they vary and are subject to moods and external factors.

Think of when a family celebrates the arrival of a newborn. At first, all of the attention is on the new addition and everything is sweet and cute. After a few months of dirty diapers, spit up and random crying, the initial excitement passes but that doesn’t mean the parents don’t love the baby anymore.

A romantic relationship works similarly. It’s the struggling process that helps both partners grow and this process also helps the relationship grow into something better, something that will last. Giving up at Stage 3 is like declaring the death of a patient with a beating heart.

The duration of each stage is different for every couple. For some couples, the honeymoon stage may last for years and for others a few months. The important thing to note is the length of the stage has no correlation to the viability of the relationship.

When you reach stage three, you have the power to determine how long it lasts. Getting out of stage three requires you to make a decision. You must decide that your relationship is worth it and you must chose to go all in.

Here are a few things you can do to help move your relationship out of stage 3:

Recognize that questioning your relationship is normal and necessary.

Allow yourself time to assess whether or not your concerns are simply connected to a loss of passion or if you have legitimate concerns about your partner and the relationship.

Talk about your concerns with the right person.

Make sure that you share your concerns with your partner. Saying something as simple as “I feel that our relationship is getting a bit boring these days, I think we should do something about it,” could be the juice the relationship needs. It will start a dialogue and assist you both in actively addressing your concerns.

Sharing your concerns and seeking advice from others during this time is normal and acceptable, just be careful who you listen to.

Make a decision and then put in the work.

Once you decide that the relationship is viable, do something about it. Don’t make your decision and then hope things will get better.

Actively work to move your relationship further. Try new things. Do things your partner likes to do. Be romantic on purpose.

Relationships take heaps of effort. It’s time to put in the work.

It’s Not How You Start, It’s How You Journey Through

All relationships take time, energy and targeted, intentional effort.

It doesn’t matter how “lovey-dovey” cute and cuddly you are in the beginning. The honeymoon will end. And when it does you must work in order to make it last. Stage three doesn’t have to be the death of your relationship. You control whether to relationship lives or dies.
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Will your relationship become a stage fiver?

Being a role model doesn’t mean looking like a model — and these actresses, singers, and comedians know it. They’re working to break down our norms of how women should look, with honest talk about being healthy, finding true happiness, and the mind-boggling amount of work (and makeup artists, and personal trainers, and Photoshop) that goes into creating the Hollywood version of female beauty. Check out some of our favorite body image quotes from 14 amazing women.

1. Jennifer Lawrence

“Why is humiliating people funny? I get it, I do it too. We all do it. … But I think when it comes to the media, the media needs to take responsibility for the effect that it has on our younger generation, on these girls that are watching these television shows and picking up how to talk and how to be cool. … So then all of a sudden being funny is making fun of the girl that’s wearing an ugly dress.
And the word fat! I just think it should be illegal to call somebody fat on TV. I mean, if we’re regulating cigarettes and sex and cuss words because of the effect it has on our younger generation, why aren’t we regulating things like calling people fat?”

As she showed in the interview quoted above, Jennifer Lawrence is the opposite of a celeb you love to hate — if anything, she’s the star everybody loves to love. Yet another reason to love her is her regular insistence that Hollywood be held accountable for the kinds of messages it conveys about size, beauty, and femininity. She famously refused to lose weight for The Hunger Games, instead focusing on working out and getting strong — and she caught flack for it from critics (yes, female as well as male). The reporter wrote that Lawrence’s “womanly figure makes a bad fit for a dystopian fantasy about a people starved into submission.” What does J-Law have to say to that? She told Elle, “I’m never going to starve myself for a part … I don’t want little girls to be like, ‘Oh, I want to look like Katniss, so I’m going to skip dinner.'” For a star who’s beloved for her ability to laugh at herself, she takes her position as a potential role model seriously — all the more reason to love her.

2. Adele

“I love food and hate exercise. I don’t have time to work out… I don’t want to be on the cover of Playboy or Vogue. I want to be on the cover of Rolling Stone or Q. I’m not a trendsetter, I’m a singer. I’d rather weigh a ton and make an amazing album… my aim in life is never to be skinny.”

Adele doesn’t pull punches when it comes to taking down exes in her music, and she doesn’t have time for body critics either. As it turns out, her success has landed her the covers of Rolling Stone and British music mag Q… as well as Vogue, Elle, and Cosmopolitan. Adele’s uncompromising attitude and belief in her talents has definitely worked out for her.

3. Amber Riley

“Hollywood is a very hard place to be in. It really is. Being the person that I am, you know, being the size that I am, being a woman, being a black woman, there’s not a lot of roles for us. … I was being offered the girl who sits in the corner and, you know, eats all day, the girl who wanted to commit suicide ’cause she was fat. It was never anything that I felt had a good ending. I never wanted to play a character that hated herself. I wanted people to know that those aren’t the only kind of roles for women like me, normal girls. Going to the auditions, and hearing the casting director say ‘you need to lose a little weight,’ I didn’t understand why people couldn’t accept me for who I was. … I’m not gonna conform and hurt myself and do something crazy to be a size 2.”

She’s known for playing the uber-confident Mercedes on Glee, but before landing that role Amber Riley had given up on Hollywood and decided, with the support of her parents, to go back to being a regular high school student. Luckily for us, she eventually decided to try again and found a role that let her shine without having to compromise.

4. Kate Winslet​

“I resent that there is an image of perfection that is getting thinner and thinner. I hope that in some small way I’m able to say, ‘I’m a normal person; I’m doing all right. I’ve got a lovely husband and children, and I didn’t lose weight to find those things, and those things are what should be important.’

This Brit has always been open about her struggles with body image and comparing herself to other Hollywood actresses. Her words are not only important criticisms of the standards set out for female celebs; Winslet also wants to be sure she’s sending the right message to her own daughter. “As a child, I never heard one woman say to me, ‘I love my body.’ … So I make sure to say it to Mia, because a positive physical outlook has to start at an early age.”

5. Kelly Clarkson

“[E]veryone in the magazines is Photoshopped! Beyoncé is one of the most beautiful girls in the world but she gets Photoshopped too. We’re all human! … It affected me when people were saying about me and some other artists that we were the ‘thicker’ ones. I’d be a liar if I said I was always fine with it. But I’m wise enough by now to know that you’re never going to please everyone so you may as well stop trying.”

Clarkson has come a long way since winning American Idol more than a decade ago, and throughout her career she’s faced intense scrutiny for her weight fluctuations (including a scandal when Self Photoshopped the singer to appear extra skinny on the cover of their “Body Confidence” issue). No matter what her size though, Clarkson has always been vocal about calling out Hollywood’s unrealistic standards and the importance of loving yourself.

6. Gabourey Sibide​

“‘Gabourey, how are you so confident?’ It’s not easy. It’s hard to get dressed up for award shows and red carpets when I know I will be made fun of because of my weight. There’s always a big chance if I wear purple, I will be compared to Barney. If I wear white, a frozen turkey. And if I wear red, that pitcher of Kool-Aid that says, ‘Oh, yeah!’ Twitter will blow up with nasty comments about how the recent earthquake was caused by me running to a hot dog cart or something. …
If I hadn’t been told I was garbage, I wouldn’t have learned how to show people I’m talented. And if everyone had always laughed at my jokes, I wouldn’t have figured out how to be so funny. If they hadn’t told me I was ugly, I never would have searched for my beauty. And if they hadn’t tried to break me down, I wouldn’t know that I’m unbreakable. So when you ask me how I’m so confident, I know what you’re really asking me: How could someone like me be confident? Go ask Rihanna, a–hole!”

Earlier this year at a Ms. Foundation gala, the star of Precious gave an unbelievably inspiring speech about finding confidence and inner strength in spite of people — from internet commenters and fashion reporters to her grade school classmates and family members — who dismissed her based on her appearance. It’s definitely not the only time that Sibide has confronted Hollywood’s beauty standards head-on, but there’s a reason this very personal speech went viral: It’s incredibly heartfelt and moving.

7. Rihanna

“You shouldn’t be pressured into trying to be thin by the fashion industry, because they only want models that are like human mannequins. They know that if we see an outfit on a mannequin in a shop window we will love it and want to buy it whatever size we are. That’s why they have size zero models — they want to sell clothes. But you have to remember that it’s not practical or possible for an everyday woman to look like that. Being size zero is a career in itself so we shouldn’t try and be like them. It’s not realistic and it’s not healthy.”

So why is Rihanna so confident? RiRi is real with herself about the expectations placed on women, and as she told the UK’s Daily Mail, she’d rather be herself than try to force herself to fit others’ expectations.

8. Mindy Kaling

“I always get asked, ‘Where do you get your confidence?’ I think people are well meaning, but it’s pretty insulting. Because what it means to me is, ‘You, Mindy Kaling, have all the trappings of a very marginalized person. You’re not skinny, you’re not white, you’re a woman. Why on earth would you feel like you’re worth anything?'”
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We loved her as Kelly on The Office, we adored her hilarious memoir, and with statements like this, it’s hard not to fall head over heels for the real Mindy Kaling. Kaling works hard to keep it real (like in this quote from an interview with Parade magazine), and regularly uses her star status to give the world some straight talk about body image.

9. Amy Poehler

“[W]e’re all different, everybody’s different, every body is different. There’s only, like, five perfectly symmetrical people in the world, and they’re all movie stars, and they should be, because their faces are very pleasing to look at, but the rest of us are just a jangle of stuff, and the earlier you learn that you should focus on what you have and not obsess about what you don’t have, the happier you will be. You really will be happier in life if you let go of the things that you will never have.”

Actress Amy Poehler might be mom to two sons, but with Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls (“Change the World by Being Yourself”), she’s an amazing surrogate mother to girls (and women) everywhere. This quote from her YouTube “Ask Amy” series is but one small example of how empowering — and endearing — Poehler is. Leslie Knope would love Amy Poehler.

10. Margaret Cho

“If you’re a woman, if you’re a person of color, if you’re gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, if you’re a person of size … then you’re considered a minority in this world. And it’s going to be hard to find messages of self-love and support anywhere. It’s all about you have to look a certain way or else you’re worthless. For us to have self-esteem is truly an act of revolution and our revolution is long overdue.”

Comedian Margaret Cho has always been outspoken on a wide variety of topics, but in recent years, she’s become more vocal about warped standards of beauty and the impact they have on people’s lives. Cho goes out of her way to use public forums — from her stand-up act to her Twitter account — to speak out against rigid and sexist beauty standards, and to call out those who judge women solely by their looks.

11. Rebel Wilson

“There are so many glamorous actresses — but in the real world, nobody looks like that. I want to inspire girls who don’t think they’re cool or pretty. To do that, I need to put out a realistic version of what it’s like to be a girl who looks like me. Sometimes that means getting broken up with by a dude who says, ‘You’re too fat.’ That way, when my character wins, it’s gratifying.”

Her Super Fun Night may not have won over viewers (many felt it relied too much on making fun of the actress’s size), but Rebel Wilson still deserves props for being consistently, unapologetically herself. She told InTouch she credits her appearance with helping her succeed in Hollywood: “[N]ot looking like anyone else has made things easier for me, because I’m distinctive.”

12. Beyoncé

Confidence makes a woman sexy. Women should not get caught up in someone else’s definition of beauty. We are too obsessed with what a perfect nose is, or perfect hair, but there is nothing more beautiful than loving yourself and being confident.

As Kelly Clarkson pointed out, Beyoncé is an astonishingly beautiful woman and yes, she gets Photoshopped. But Queen B doesn’t let her get it down — and she doesn’t think you should get hung up on that stuff either, as she told Very magazine.

13. Melissa McCarthy

Sometimes I wish I were just magically a size six and I never had to give [my weight] a single thought. … But I am weirdly healthy, so I don’t beat myself up about it — it wouldn’t help, and I don’t want to pass that on to my girls.

Melissa McCarthy is known for playing crazy, off-the-wall characters, but when it comes to body image, she is downright sane. Pretty much every interview she does involves answering questions about her size, but she keeps the conversation focused on physical and emotional health, as here in Good Housekeeping. And in the meantime, she continues to steal every scene in pretty much every movie she’s in.

14. Kristen Bell

“I recently saw a picture of myself in a bikini in [a tabloid magazine], and they circled some bumps on my bottom and said, ‘We didn’t see any cellulite when Kristen was filming Forgetting Sarah Marshall.’ I looked at the picture, and I laughed so hard! I thought, I look good — really fit. Who cares if there are lumps on my thighs? I’m guilty of having human legs made up of fat, muscle and skin, and sometimes when you sit, they get bumpy! If I had not been a normal weight, they would’ve said, ‘Oh, she’s way too skinny.'”

Though she’s played heroes (Veronica Mars) and villains (Sarah Marshall) on screen, the general consensus is that in real life, Kristen Bell is a total gem. Another reason to love her: She’s totally down-to-earth about her body, and refreshingly honest about Hollywood’s skewed standards. Bell’s quote is something to think about when you look at a picture of yourself — you are human. Give yourself a break!​

​Successful people are the icing on the cake of any hot discussion. Success is inspiring and interesting to talk about.

The truth is, any successful individual is flesh and blood just like you. They are not born miracles, but it’s the small differences that help them stick out from the rest.

So, what are the key aspects that differentiate them from the crowd?

1. Ordinary people talk about other people, successful people talk about ideas.
Gossiping and bagging others are popular among ordinary folks. They just can’t help but talk about people, often with a vein of jealousy. What successful people do is discuss various ideas that could improve their lives.

Plans, goals, aspirations and innovations — these are all the aspects of discussions between successful individuals.

2. Ordinary people set goals, successful people set detailed plans of actions.
Your “Average Joe” will want to lose weight and give up smoking as a new year’s resolution. Though most likely, he won’t achieve either of these.

Successful people set their goals as well. More importantly, however, they create a detailed set of actions they need to perform in order to achieve their end goal.

Whereas ordinary people just set the goal, successful people determine the daily, weekly, monthly and yearly activities and habits which will lead to achieving their vision.

3. Ordinary people complain about life, successful people adapt to what life throws at them.
How many times did you hear somebody groaning about their problems instead of finally taking responsibility and dealing with their lives? Sometimes, fate can be unfair and brutal.

You see people living better than you, with more chances and doors just waiting to be opened. How you act regarding this fact determines whether you’re just another person in the street or a successful individual.

The fact is, everybody experiences difficulties. Both, people at the bottom as well as the ones at the top, struggle with something. You can’t control the obstacles life throws at you, but you can control the way you react to them.

Whereas ordinary folks simply wish life was easier, successful individuals accept the way it is and find an alternative path.

4. Ordinary people stick to social norms, successful people create their own norms.
Social norms were made to control the masses, not to help them. Normal people will be afraid to diverge from popular patterns. Often times, the only thing that stops them is the need for the approval of others. A successful person doesn’t seek that.

The fact is, if there would be a recipe for success, everyone could easily replicate it. In reality, however, creating and testing your own rules is required to walk an extraordinary path. It’s a path full of ups and downs, but more often than not, it’s the undiscovered route which leads to the superior results.

5. Ordinary people dream of a better future, successful people create a better future.
We all want to live a better life: more happiness, more freedom, better health and more financial independence count to the most desired goals. To some degree, everyone tries to work on achieving them.

However, the average person will focus on dreaming ,while the successful one spares no effort to create that dreamy future. One step at a time: that person knows that acting, and not just dreaming, is what makes he fantasy a reality.

6. Ordinary people let their thoughts influence them, successful people influence their thoughts.
Everyone has doubts and negative thoughts once in a while. It’s just the human nature and the way our brains function. Many people accept these thoughts as ultimate truths and let them dictate their lives.

On the contrary, outstanding people are conscious of the impact their thoughts have, so they influence their thinking to make it work for, and not against them. You can just accept the presence of negative thoughts as a normal appearance, ignore it, and instead think about the more positive aspects.

7. Ordinary people prefer instant gratification, successful people choose long-term rewards.
Do you know anyone who hates to be rewarded? Neither do we. But there’s a difference in how people respond to gratification.

In the era in which we are taught to praise comfort over anything else, it’s easy to settle for instant pleasure. However, successful people recognize that oftentimes, you need to wait to experience the true pleasure.

While the typical person can even get addicted to the short-term reward (overeating, smoking, procrastinating), the successful individual will use the long-term reward as a driving force to achieve any goal.

8. Ordinary people praise overabundance, successful people praise limitation.
A typical person loves to accumulate possessions. The more they have, the happier they believe they will be. Eventually, though, their stuff owns them and not the other way around.

A fancy car they have to pay off, tons of possessions they need to clean, store and rearrange. Inability to set limitations leads to plethora, which distracts you from your goals.

One of the features of truly successful people is that they can limit a lot of things in order to focus on ones that are actually important. Limit unnecessary spending, limit wasting unnecessary time, and limit negative people and thoughts. By limiting, they create an environment in which they thrive.

9. Ordinary people see a half-empty glass, successful people see a half-full glass.
Your attitude undoubtedly influences your behavior. Seeing only the negative side of each thing is definitely a bad habit, but then again, it’s most people’s approach to life.

Plenty of them complain that they lack the determining factor which would make their lives better. Simply put, they believe the glass is half-empty.

When it comes to successful people, they always squeeze as much as possible from what they already have. In other words, they’ll work to find a joy in the half-full glass.

10. Ordinary people judge others, successful people only judge themselves.
Judging people is one of the most horrible habits people can have, yet many do that on a regular basis. As you can already guess, these are the average people. They waste their time judging others, instead of spending it by contributing value to the world.

It is true that successful humans judge as well, yes, they really do! However, they judge themselves — their behavior, their actions, and their attitude. They use judging as a tool to draw conclusions about themselves.

11. Ordinary people watch TV every day, successful people read every day.
The thing that both ordinary and successful people have in common is that they enjoy having some free time. The difference, however, is in the way they spend it.

According to a research, a typical person will spend nine years of their life watching television. The fact is, TV hardly adds any value to your life — hot news, controversial reality shows, and fictional stories.

Generalizing, these are the three kingpins of television. Not to mention the countless ads trying to sell you stuff you don’t need.

Books are on the other side of the spectrum. Reading adds immense value to your life — it widens your horizons and teaches you a lot. Whatever your problem is, there’s already at least one book discussing it. Since successful people constantly seek to improve, they prefer getting lost in reading in lieu of mindlessly staring at a screen.

12. Ordinary people buy things, successful people buy value.
Another similarity between the two discussed groups is obviously spending money — they both do. Special offers, extra discounts, and bonuses are all designed to trick the typical person into buying things they don’t actually need.

Most of these things will add some value to their lives for a few moments, but that soon fades away, lost in the pile of other possessions. And in turn, so does the money.

Successful folks would rather exchange their money for value. This doesn’t necessary have to be a physical thing. Commonly, it’s value in the form of experiences, new opportunities, long-term ROI, or adventures.

13. Ordinary people want to be better than others, successful people want to be a better self.
Oftentimes, people get lost in comparing themselves to others. As a result, they lose self-esteem and confidence. They base their wishes on other people’s achievements.

On the contrary, successful individuals pursue being a better person than they were yesterday. What’s more, they wish the same to others.

14. Ordinary people can’t say no, successful people often say no.
“No” is among the most powerful words you can use to accelerate your success. Nonetheless, lots of people underestimate the risk of not using it enough. They say “yes” to whatever situation is thrown at them. Consequently, they end up saying “no” to the things that matter the most.

From a short-term perspective, saying “no” can be scary. But then again, considering the long-term view, it’s better to say “no” now, rather than regret the subsequent consequences of saying “yes”.

You have to say “no” to bad eating habits, smoking, and sedentary lifestyle so you can say “yes” to being more healthy.

The successful individual takes the advantage of saying “no” on a daily basis, while the ordinary one underestimates the power of this seemingly simple two letter word.

It’s the little things that add up over time.

We like talking about frugality at TreeHugger because it’s where practical lifestyle decisions intersect with environmentalism in an unexpected way. You might be trying to save money, but the very act of pulling back from consumerism is helpful to the planet because it means you’re consuming less, reusing more, and not driving production of new goods.

Sometimes, money-saving decisions are big and obvious, like passing on a fancy vacation or a new car (all of which have great environmental benefits). Often, though, it’s the little things that add up over time. What follows is a list of ‘life hacks’ that can amount to respectable savings as the years go by. These are things I try to practice in my own life as much as possible. Some come from an article on this topic from The Simple Dollar.

1. LEARN HOW TO PRESERVE VEGETABLES, LIKE TOMATOES.
Every fall, I buy 60 lbs of tomatoes from the organic farm that supplies my weekly CSA share. I spend a couple evenings canning them. It’s a lot of work, but it gets easier with every year that passes, as I refine my techniques and listen to loud music. Because I only have to purchase the tomatoes and new lids, it’s cheaper than buying canned organic tomatoes in BPA-free tins, which are quite pricey at my grocery store. You can do the same for peaches, applesauce, tomato sauce, etc. 

2. MAKE YOUR OWN COFFEE AND TAKE IT TO WORK IN A THERMOS.
Swinging by the coffee shop may seem quick while you’re on the way to work, but it’s arguably faster to switch on a coffee maker at home that’s already been set up the night before. You’ll pay far less for a pound of fair-trade, shade-grown coffee beans that you brew yourself than a fancy store-made latte of the same caliber – and you won’t always have to remember that reusable mug.

3. BUY NEUTRAL, VERSATILE CLOTHING.
Trent Hamm makes this suggestion in his article, and I quite like it; it fits in well with the minimalism/capsule wardrobe trend that has taken off recently. Clothes in neutral colors can be paired easily and you won’t need so many:

“This simple technique enables you to get far more value out of your wardrobe, as almost everything goes with everything else. You can easily mix and match items to give the appearance of a large wardrobe without actually having too many garments.”

4. DRINK TAP WATER.
If you live in most of North America, this should be a no-brainer – and yet, puzzlingly, it is not. Forego the bottled water (it’s an environmental nightmare and a financial scam) and drink it from the tap. Ask for tap water when you’re out at restaurants. Fill your reusable water bottle at airport water fountains before traveling to avoid crazy markups. If you can’t handle the taste at home, get a filter.

5. EAT FOOD AT HOME.
There are a lot of layers to this suggestion, but it starts with preparing your own meals at home, from breakfast to packed lunches to dinners. When hosting, invite people over for a potluck dinner party, instead of going out to a restaurant. Do the same for a night of cocktails; everyone can pitch in for the mix and booze, and it will still be far cheaper than hanging out at a bar.

6. USE THE LIBRARY.
I once had a friend ask how I managed to support my reading habit financially; she hadn’t realized that the only way it’s doable is because of the library. Libraries are a wonderful resource for many things, from books and movies to unusual things like fishing rods and tackle for kids (yes, mine actually has this). Read: Why going to the library is one of the best things I do for my kids and the planet

7. PLANT TREES AROUND YOUR HOUSE.
This should be the first thing you do upon moving into a new house, if there aren’t already lots of trees. It will provide shade, thereby reducing air-conditioning costs in the summer; it will protect your home from the elements, reducing wear-and-tear; and it will add value to your home in the long run, since people pay significantly more for shady, mature lots. Last but not least, it’s beautiful.

8. VISIT THE THRIFT STORE FIRST.
If you need to buy something, see if you can find it somewhere other than a department or hardware store. Thrift stores are treasure-troves of goods and an excellent place to scout out common things like dishes, glasses, linens, bed sheets, footwear, small appliances, and, of course, clothing. If you need something specific, try searching online at places like Craigslist. Read: Today is National Second-Hand Wardrobe Day

10. CARPOOL.
Share a ride with coworkers. This doesn’t have to be a regular thing; even just once or twice a week can make a difference. You’ll save money on gas and wear-and-tear on a vehicle; you might get some great conversations, a friendship, or time to work on other projects.

11. USE A CLOTHESLINE.
It never fails to astonish me how many houses don’t have clotheslines. It’s basically free money, after all! Sunshine + wind = clean, dry, bleached clothing, at no additional cost. Hanging and taking down clothes is a great job for kids. In cold months, set up indoor drying racks. Read: Take advantage of sunshine to do your laundry

12. SIMPLIFY YOUR HAIR ROUTINE.
Hair care can eat up a big chunk of one’s monthly budget. Consider changing your style (i.e. growing it out) to make it last longer between cuts. You could stop coloring your hair, as it is extremely expensive, or quit using shampoo, another pricey buy. Try baking soda and apple cider vinegar, not washing at all, or simply cut down on the number of washes you do. (I’ve managed to extend mine to weekly, which has been a great relief.) This eliminates plastic bottles and nasty chemicals from the waste stream.

13. DO YOUR OWN FOOD SHREDDING.
It’s far cheaper to buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself, than to buy it pre-shredded; plus, it won’t have any nasty additives to keep it ‘fresh’ and separate. The same goes for vegetables like carrots and cabbage. If you can do it yourself, you won’t have to pay the markup and can avoid the plastic packaging.

14. CARRY AROUND $100.
This is an intriguing suggestion I read on Huffington Post. By carrying a large chunk of cash instead of a debit or credit card, you’ll be inclined to think twice about making purchases, especially small impulse buys that would require you to break the bill. The harder it is to buy, the easier it is to resist.

Do you suffer from asthma? Daily intake of a healthy diet rich in protein, fruit and vegetables combined with proper exercise could help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life in people with the condition, according to a recent research.

Asthma is a common and long-term condition affecting around one in ten people in the western world. The majority of patients rely on daily medicine to control symptoms such as wheezing, chest pain and shortness of breath and many are wary of exercise, fearing that it could induce symptoms.

“There is increasing evidence that asthma patients who are obese can benefit from a better diet and increased exercise,” said Louise Lindhardt Toennesen from Bispebjerg University Hospital in Denmark.

For the study, presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2017 in Italy, the team worked with a group of 149 patients.

They were randomly assigned to one of four groups: one group was asked to follow a diet that was high in protein and with a low glycaemic index (low GI), another group took part in exercise classes three times a week, which included bursts of high-intensity activity.

While the third group took part in the exercise classes and followed the diet, the remaining control group did neither.

The results showed that a combination of diet and exercise improved both symptom control and patients’ quality of life, as well as improved their level of fitness.

On average, those who took part in the exercise and followed the diet rated their asthma symptom score 50 per cent better compared to the control group.
​
“Our research suggests that people with asthma should be encouraged to eat a healthy diet and to take part in physical activity,” Toennesen noted.

(THE JAKARTA POST) - Studio Ghibli’s work may not yet be as embedded in the landscape of Indonesian pop culture aficionados as some of the country’s other exports, such as its drama series and girl groups like AKB48 or even more mainstream animation and comics (manga) such as Dragon Ball or Naruto.

But the studio’s prestigious output and earned- respect — it has won Oscars, for instance — is slowly but surely attracting the attention of Indonesians.

And the exhibition, which runs until Sept 17 at the Ritz-Carlton in Pacific Place Jakarta, aims to instill even more of that growing fascination.

​Among the displays and exhibits being featured at the exhibition — a collaboration between The World Of Ghibli Jakarta, Marubeni and Hakuhodo, together with Studio Ghibli — are the first 8.5m of Howl’s Moving Castle installation.

Others include a replica of the Totoro and Nekobus (a bus shaped as a giant cat) characters from My Neighbor Totoro; the Laputa robot and Laputa’s Flapter from Castle In The Sky; the beach and aircraft from Porco Roso; Ponyo’s wall from Ponyo; and Baby Ohmu from Nausica of the Valley Of The Wind.

“[We] want to gain awareness and spread the positive message of Ghibli in the South-east Asia market, especially now, when the demand for world-class exhibitions is growing. We want to show the capabilities of Indonesian and Japanese artists through this exhibition,” explains Ms Ignes Dea, the event’s volunteer and representative.

“We hope to spread the value and philosophical approach that Studio Ghibli represents.[…] We recognise there is a delay in several installations caused by technical difficulties, and we’re very sorry to the customers,” she said, adding that a special pass ticket was given to the affected visitors to allow them to visit the exhibition again.

Aware of the studio’s underdog status here, the exhibition, which was preceded by limited screenings of its movies, aims to change that.

“Honestly, we feel that Studio Ghibli exposure in Indonesia is still quite low, that’s why we need to make a ‘big splash’ with this exhibition, for people to recognise Studio Ghibli and the spirit it represents,” she says.

​The organisers are confident that the values found in Ghibli films will connect with Indonesians.

“Talking about connection, a lot of Studio Ghibli movies have a philosophical approach, like nature, female heroines and the balance between good and evil, so we think it relates with many people, including the Indonesian market,” she says.

“For example, Princess Mononoke is a movie about balance and conflict between nature and man, and one of the movie’s signature objects is a sacred forest. And Indonesia is home to many forests and amazing nature.”

The World of Ghibli Jakarta Exhibition made the “Mononoke Forest” installation especially, so that Indonesians understand the value of forests and nature. “We want to spread a positive message about the importance of balance,” Agnes says.

As an example of that balance, a lot of Indonesian designers were part of the exhibition.

The blueprints of the installations were all made by Indonesian artists and craftsmen with the support and assistance of Studio Ghibli representatives.

“These Indonesian artists are young and talented, Studio Ghibli is very impressed with their work,” says Ms Dea.

These blueprints were then submitted to local vendors and production began under the close supervision by the artists and Studio Ghibli representatives.

Some are first-time installations that you will not see anywhere else in the world, such as the Laputa robot which is bigger and a lot closer in interpretation to the animation, compared with the Laputa robot in Museum Ghibli, Mitaka.

Moreover, the Nekobus cat bus at Jakarta’s exhibition is also bigger than the one in the museum. Photographing the original Nekobus in Japan is not allowed, unlike in Jakarta.

Ms Dea said anyone with a passing interest in Japanese pop culture should come and visit.

“This is a collaboration between Indonesian and Japanese craftsmanship. This is the biggest exhibition in the history of Studio Ghibli, so we want to bring the imaginative world of Studio Ghibli to life,” she says.

CUPERTINO, California - Amid the media scrum that follows every iPhone launch I've attended, this one has to be the worst in terms of trying to get my hands on the new iPhone. I guess it was because it was the iPhone X (pronounced as iPhone 10), the 10th anniversary edition of the handset.

There was a long queue for the media to try out the iPhone X after it was unveiled on Tuesday (Sept 12) at the Steve Jobs Theatre in Apple Park - Apple's new headquarters in Cupertino, California.

So I decided to try out the Apple Watch Series 3 as well as the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus first, as there were hardly any queues for them. After about an hour, I finally spotted a short queue for the iPhone X and slotted myself into it. Thankfully, in about 15 minutes, I got to give the new handset a spin.

The first time I held the iPhone X, it felt like I was holding the very first iPhone that was launched 10 years ago. I think it had something to do with the stainless steel sides that separate the device's curved glass at the front and back.

Apple said it is a highly polished surgical-grade stainless steel band that wraps around and reinforces the iPhone X. Marketing mumbo jumbo aside, it does have a great feel to it.

But with a glass front and back, the iPhone X is a smudge and fingerprint magnet.

Despite its larger 5.8-inch display, the anniversary iPhone feels smaller and lighter than the iPhone 7 Plus that I'm using.

In fact, one-hand operation feels much more natural on the iPhone X than the iPhone 7 or 8 Plus.

The highlight of the iPhone X has to be its 5.8-inch edge-to-edge Super Retina display with a resolution of 2,436 x 1,125 pixels. It looks super sharp and photos displayed on the screen look fantastic.

While the iPhone X also features a dual-camera system, like many other handsets in the market, its telephoto camera comes with a larger f/2.4 aperture than the one on the iPhone 8 Plus.

I tried using the phone's new Portrait modes that simulate studio lighting, such as Natural Light, Contour Light and Stage Light. While I couldn't get a proper photo of a person who was standing still - everyone was trying to get their hands on the iPhone X and moving about - the results still seemed pretty impressive to me, though not perfect, given the circumstances.

With the screen taking the entire front of the handset, the Home button is gone, and, along with it, the touch ID or fingerprint sensor. Instead, the iPhone X uses a TrueDepth camera system that is made up of a dot projector, infra-red camera, flood illuminator and the front-facing camera, to map and recognise a user's face.

An Apple representative showed me how to register a face on the iPhone X - it was pretty quick. Two scans of the face, and a user's face is registered. Then, all a user needs to do is to lift up the phone to his face and the phone will be unlocked in about a second. After that, it's just a matter of swiping up from the bottom of the display to get to the home screen.

You can register only one face to the iPhone X. So if your spouse or someone wants to unlock your phone, they will need to know your passcode.

Thanks to the TrueDepth camera system, the iPhone X will have animojis, or animated emojis, that mimic your facial expressions and play out a voice message you recorded.

Preparing an animoji was probably the most fun I had with the iPhone X during my hands-on time with the gadget. It entails choosing an emoji, then looking at the phone's camera to record a series of facial expressions which will be mapped to the emoji you've chosen. After recording a message by speaking into the phone's microphone, hit "send" to your friend.

​The person who gets your custom animated emoji will be able to see your facial expressions - such as raised eyebrows, smiles and frowns - on the animoji sent. I had some fun making funny faces and using the alien emoji to raise my eyebrows.

I was taking so much time creating animojis with the iPhone X that the woman behind me was also making faces. I think I had spent about three minutes with the gadget by then.

Knowing the feeling the woman likely had, I took my leave shortly after shooting a few "beauty" videos of the iPhone X.

I can't wait to get my hands on a review unit soon, as the new device is really the most exquisite iPhone that I've ever touched.

The iPhone X will accept pre-orders on Oct 27 before it becomes available on Nov 3. And if you want one, you'd better save up.

Prices are $1,648 (without contract) for the 64GB model and $1,888 (without contract) for the 256GB version.

Diabetes is more common now than you probably realise. And it is neither just overweight people nor those who have a sweet tooth who are at risk.

This long-term medical condition can afflict anyone whose blood glucose levels remain higher than normal all the time. It happens when one’s pancreas does not produce enough insulin (a hormone that reduces the blood glucose levels), or when insulin does not work properly.

If you need a statistic compelling enough to make you sit up and pay more attention to the silent killer that is diabetes, one in nine Singaporeans has a lifetime risk of developing this disease, according to the National Health Survey in 2010. Of these, one in three diabetics was unaware of his condition.

The problem has continued to be so serious that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong mentioned it in his National Day Rally speech.

Even more worrying is that the number of diabetics could rise to 670,000 by 2030, based on an estimate by the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

Prevention is better than cure, though this is easier said than done, especially when early symptoms of diabetes can be easily missed.

But by taking charge of your health, you can make positive changes to improve your quality of life in the long run. Remember, every step counts.

WATCH YOUR DIET

Start by keeping a closer watch on what you consume every day, without compromising on taste. Portion control is key, and you can follow the My Healthy Plate guide by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to plan well-balanced meals.

Make sure that a quarter of your plate is filled with brown rice or wholemeal bread, and the other quarter with meat and other foods such as fish and tofu. The remaining half of your plate should contain fruits and vegetables.

As the HPB encourages eating two servings of fruits and two servings of vegetables daily, you can replace one serving of fruits or vegetables with juices that have no added sugar.

For instance, one glass of (250ml) MARIGOLD PEEL FRESH No Sugar Added Powerberries can replace one serving of fruits, while one glass of No Sugar Added Kale & Veggie can replace one serving of vegetables.

​SMART FOOD CHOICES

Establishing what and how much to eat is equally

important. Go for healthier choices such as low-fat yogurt instead of ice cream, and use low-fat milk in place of coconut milk in curries.

When you go grocery shopping, look out for products with HPB’s Healthier Choice Symbol as they are lower in saturated fat, sodium or sugar, higher in calcium or whole grains, or free from trans-fat.

For maximum benefits, include a “rainbow” of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Phytonutrients, which are natural chemical compounds responsible for the pigments in fruits and vegetables, provide vitamins, minerals and

antioxidants which are good for the body.

Ideally, you should aim to consume fruits and vegetables categorised under each of the seven rainbow hues.

For instance, purple foods like blueberries contain antioxidants such as anthocyanin and polyphenols that supports heart health, and orange types like carrots contain vitamins A and C that are beneficial for the eyes and skin.

Don’t like the crunch?

Then drink up with MARIGOLD PEEL FRESH No Sugar Added juices made from fruits and vegetables from various colour groups such as purple (Powerberries, Powerveggies), green (Kale & Veggie), yellow (Orange) and red (Cranberry & Apple).

FIND A BALANCE

When it comes to quenching your thirst, water is your best option. But on days when you need an extra pick-me-up, packaged fruit and vegetable juices with no sugar added are healthier than high-sugar carbonated drinks.

After all, many children and some adults do not enjoy the bland taste of plain water. Some of them even dislike eating vegetables and fruits.

So when they are thirsty after an active sport, for instance, they are likely to opt for carbonated sodas or energy and sports drinks rather than plain water. It is therefore important to bring to their awareness that while such drinks appeal to their sweet tooth, consuming them may load their bodies with excessive sugar and may not offer nutritional value.

A refreshing and healthier alternative could be juices with no added sugar that offer some nutritional value and give the satiation of a sweet beverage.

Try, for instance, MARIGOLD PEEL FRESH No Sugar Added range of juices that are made from 100 per cent juices from fruits and vegetables and have less than 10g/100ml of fructose.

Found naturally in fruits and vegetables, fructose (also known as fruit sugar) is twice as sweet as sucrose (or more commonly known as table sugar).

So less fructose can achieve the same level of sweetness — and a lower calorie count — than sucrose.

Some packaged juices with no extra sugar also come fortified with fibre, which is a convenient way to feed your body vitamins, fibre and antioxidants on the go.

On your journey to good health, remember to indulge sparingly and consume everything from food to beverages in moderation. This way, you will reach your goals in good shape and high spirits.