Receiving a diabetes diagnosis is a life-changing event, which places an incredible amount of stress on a person. Even more so, learning about potential health complications that can occur in case of poor diabetes management can expose a person to additional diseases and health risks, such as heart attacks, strokes and poor mental health.

Sitting down at work (close to 6 hours daily for most), sitting in our cars, slouching forward and looking at our phones (close to 5 hours daily) and only having 14 minutes (women) and 24 minutes (men) per day to exercise, leaves us all stiff, bent and aching. The bad news is that it will get worse with age. The good news is that we can reverse it.

Exercise and diet can reduce our risk of mortality by 35%. This is why regular exercise, paired with a great diet that provides our body with energy, is important. However, when we cut out all the supplements, pre and post workout powders and drinks, we are left with the most basic question - should we be using carbohydrates or ketones as a source of our energy?

Our conscious mind is busy, which means that “we” are busy and often feeling overwhelmed. We simply don’t have the time to think about anything else apart from our priorities. Or do we? Cognitive neuroscience concluded that our conscious mind is only 5% of our cognitive ability. It’s time to learn how to use the other 95%.

Nearly 50% of people struggling with an eating disorder are binge eating, which makes binge eating quite common, yet not well understood. A binge eating disorder has received official classification as a mental illness in 2013, which tells us it’s the least researched of all eating disorders in terms of interventions and treatment.

Diabetes is a complicated and debilitating disease on its own, and it gets more complex to keep it in check as the time progresses. Also, getting off plan, every once in a while, and not following steps as prescribed causes other health complications and risks. Today, we will see what these health risks are.

Getting a good night of sleep is not always easy, especially in today’s world of technology, blue light, stress and family commitments. Many of us spend 6-8 hours in bed, but we still don’t feel refreshed in the morning, and we don’t know the reason why. Perhaps, we might be struggling with sleep apnea.

Calves have an important role in our movement and posture, and if they're not at their optimal length, they can pull other muscles out of alignment. Also, having defined calves is quite aesthetically appealing, both in men and women. With a proper exercise guide and some dedication, you too can develop curvy calves.

Recent research is showing that smiling lifts our mood while decreasing stress-producing hormones such as cortisol. It also has a profound effect on our brain, and serotonin and endorphin levels. Today, we will learn how to tap into the power of smiling.

We are becoming more reliant on medication as a quick fix. But these “quick fixes” are not long-term solutions. To make significant and positive changes in our life, we need to have more understanding of our thoughts, emotions and actions. This is where hypnotherapy can assist us in making that first step.

Calf muscles are important for our mobility and leg strength, and yet many of us are not giving them the attention they need during stretching and exercising. Also, our sedentary lifestyle is making this issue a bit more complex. Let’s see if we can change that.

We slouch when watching TV, look down when using our phones and lean forward when working on the computer. All of these actions cause damage to our body, muscles, nerves and can also impact our vital organs. It’s time to Get Straight - the sooner we start working on our posture, the better off we’ll be in the long run.