15 Simple Ways to Live a Happy Life

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”

Aristotle said this more than 2,000 years ago. And it still holds true today. What is the true purpose of life, if not to live a happy life until we die?

Happiness is one of the most sought-after goals in life, yet for many it seems to be elusive. It’s easy to delude ourselves into thinking, “When I just have that nice house and new car, then I can be happy.” But in reality, happiness is available to all of us, right now. A big house or a new car won’t actually make you happier; it’s the simple joys in life that bring true happiness. Read on to learn 15 simple ways that you can start living a happier life today.

1. Do What You Love

If your passion is playing soccer, writing poems, or teaching children how to swim, make time to do it. You’ll find that when you’re doing what you love, you’re filled with joy. How much better does that sound than forcing yourself do something you don’t like?

2. Help Others

Sometimes after we’ve achieved our own personal goals, we still feel empty inside because we haven’t made a meaningful contribution to someone else’s life. When we volunteer or help others, it feels good to just be of service to someone else. The impact we make feels fulfilling and is a big potential source for our own happiness.

3. Be Thankful

When you think of all the things that you have to be grateful for, you realize how blessed you already are. Without even realizing it, we take our basic necessities for granted — a roof over your head and plenty of food to eat. By appreciating the things that you already have, you’ll begin to feel happier in your life.

4. Share With Others

When we share our thoughts, our time, and our abilities with others we feel better for it. A life lived without sharing can become lonely. When you share with others, they’ll feel great towards you and help you to feel more joy in your own life.

5. Smile More

Practice smiling more and see how it affects you internally, as well as those around you. You can always afford to give a smile. Smiling can make you happier — even if you have to force it, you’ll still feel better.

6. Exercise

When was the last time you went to the gym or worked out? Exercise reduces stress andreleases endorphins, also known as a “runner’s high.” Playing sports is a fun way to exercise as well, whether it’s kicking around a soccer ball or shooting hoops.

7. Seek Out a Life Coach

A life coach will help you to evaluate your life and why you’re not feeling happy in it. Maybe you’re holding limiting beliefs or you have an emotional block without realizing it. By speaking to a life coach, you can uncover why you’re actually unhappy and what you can do to feel better.

8. Find Ways to Manage Stress

Don’t let stress rob you of your birthright to be happy. You deserve to be happy, and it wouldn’t be right to let stress get in the way. Practices such as meditation can help you to manage stress better and feel great.

9. Eat Healthy

It’s much more challenging to feel truly happy when you’re sick. But when you eat right, you feel better both physically and mentally. And you’ll avoid that guilty feeling that you just pigged out on junk food.

10. Spend Time With Your Loved Ones

There’s no replacement for spending quality time with your loved ones. We’re social beings, even if you’re an introvert or a loner. People love spending time with their friends and family for good conversation, bonding, and some laughs. Life’s too short to live it completely alone.

11. Dump Negative Thinking

You already know that negative thinking will bring you down. So how do you stop it? Become more aware of it and try replacing your negative thoughts with some positive ones. Spend less time with negative people and more time with positive people.

12. Give More Gifts

You don’t have to give expensive gifts; sometimes a poem, a quick note, or a thoughtful email will brighten someone else’s day, and yours. Share what you can give to all the wonderful people in your life.

13. Forgive and Forget

Holding a grudge will harm you more than the person you’re holding it against. Ask yourself, “What would it take for me to let go of the past?” and notice how you feel when you let go of your anger for a few seconds. Focus instead on a bright future and you’ll feel better for it.

14. Take a Walk in Nature

Spending time out in nature can be very refreshing and renewing, especially when you’re living in an artificial, manmade world. Taking a walk in your local woods or park and getting some fresh air can allow you to appreciate the beauty of the natural world.

15. Be Yourself

As Steve Jobs said, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” Accept who you are, just be yourself, and you’ll feel a world of difference.

Sources:- Huffingtonpost

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Calcium Requirements and Dietary Sources

Dietary calcium is a major mineral, and it's the most abundant mineral in the human body. Most calcium is stored in the bones, and teeth (about 99 percent) and the rest is in your blood, muscles, and extracellular fluid.

Calcium is necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Your body constantly breaks down and rebuilds your bones to keep them strong. When you're young, your body builds up calcium as fast as it removed it from the bones, but when you get older, your body tends to reabsorb more calcium than it puts back, so you're at a greater risk for weak and brittle bones.

Calcium also plays a significant role in blood clotting, muscle contraction, hormonal secretion and normal nervous system function.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division has determined the dietary reference intakes (DRI) for calcium. It's based on the daily nutritional needs of an average healthy person and differs by age and sex. If you have any medical issues, you should speak with your health care provider about your calcium requirements.

Dietary Reference Intakes

Ages 1 - 3: 700 milligrams per day

Ages 4-8: 1,000 milligrams per day

Ages 9-18: 1,300 milligrams per day

Men ages 19-70: 1,000 milligrams per day

Women ages 19-50: 1,000 milligrams per day

Women ages 51 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day

Men ages 71 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day

Calcium Deficiency Signs and Symptoms

Long-term calcium deficiency can lead to osteopenia, which is a loss of bone density.

Osteopenia may progress into osteoporosis, a health condition where bones become weak and brittle. Most adults need from 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium every day. That need can be met when you eat a balanced diet that includes dairy products, bony fish, dark green vegetables, and calcium-fortified foods.

You probably won't feel any actual symptoms of calcium deficiency, unless you have hypocalcemia (low blood calcium), which is usually due to health conditions or certain medications and treatments. The symptoms of hypocalcemia include muscle cramps, lethargy, numbness and tingling in the fingers, and problems with heart rhythm. These can all be signs of other health conditions too, so if you have them, you need to see your health care provider.

Calcium deficiency can occur when you don't eat enough foods that contain calcium or if you eat too much protein and sodium-rich foods, which cause your body to excrete calcium. If you're low in vitamin D, Your body needs vitamin D to absorb and use calcium -- that's why milk is fortified with vitamin D. However, most of your vitamin D is formed in your body when your skin is exposed to sunlight. The Institute of Medicine suggests a daily intake of 600 to 800 International Units of vitamin D per day.

Taking Calcium Supplements

Calcium supplements are often recommended for adult females to help prevent osteoporosis.

They're generally safe. However, the Institute of Medicine has determined the tolerable upper limit to be 2,500 milligrams per day. Taking more than that amount on a regular basis may lead to hypercalcemia, kidney problems, and may impair the absorption of other minerals.

It's also important to know that calcium supplements can interact with several medications, so consult your doctor before taking calcium -- or any supplements -- if you're also taking any prescription drugs. 

_Sources:

_{National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division. "Dietary Reference Intakes Tables and Application." Accessed March 25, 2016. http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/DRI-Tables.aspx.}

_{National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. "Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium." Accessed March 25, 2016. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium/.
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9 Ways to Keep Your Joints Healthy

1

 Keep Moving to Maintain or Improve Joint Health

Many people with arthritis resist regular physical activity or exercise because they fear it will increase pain or further damage their joints. The body is supposed to move; our joints allow for movement. In fact, movement eases joint stiffness, reduces joint pain, strengthens the muscles which surround the joints, and help us maintain a healthy weight. The benefits are real, so keep moving!

• Exercise Is Essential for Arthritis

2

 Joint Protection Is Important for Optimal Joint Health

It is important for everyone, especially people with arthritis, to protect their joints. The goal of joint protection principles is to decrease pain and to reduce the stress or burden placed on the joints. This can be accomplished in several ways:

• Pay attention to pain signals
• Avoid activities that stress joints or increase pain
• Pay attention to proper body mechanics
• Balance activity and rest; don't overdo activities
• Check out available assistive devices or mobility aids
• Maintain a healthy weight

3

 Maintaining Your Ideal Weight Is Important for Joint Health

With regard to optimal joint health, it is necessary for us to maintain our ideal body weight. Carrying excess body weight adds stress to our joints, especially the weight-bearing joints. For each pound that we lose, there is a 4-fold reduction in loading forces on the knee when a step is taken, according to Messier, et al.

• Maintaining Your Ideal Weight With Arthritis

_Source:

_{Weight loss reduces knee-joint loads in overweight and obese older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis and Rheumatism. July 2005. Messier et al. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.21139/abstract}

4

 Low-Impact Exercise Is Beneficial for Your Joints

The desired benefits of regular physical activity and exercise can be achieved with low-impact exercise -- a gentler type of exercise that minimizes the stress put on joints during high intensity workouts. For example, according to the Mayo Clinic, "Examples of low-impact aerobic exercises that are easier on your joints include walking, riding a bike and swimming. Try to work your way up to 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week. You can split up that time into 10-minute blocks if that's easier on your joints."

_Source:

_{Exercise Helps Ease Arthritis Pain and Stiffness. Mayo Clinic. February 14, 2013. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/in-depth/arthritis/art-20047971}

5

 Strengthening Muscles Around Joints Improves Joint Health

The muscles that support our joints must be kept as strong as possible. You can work on maintaining or improving your muscle strength by doing strengthening exercises. Weight training is often used as part of a strengthening regimen. Be careful to pace your workouts and not overdo. With proper strength training, you will increase the stability of your joints, while decreasing pain.

6

 Range-of-Motion Exercises Enhance Flexibility and Mobility

Arthritis is characteristically associated with limited range of motion. To preserve your current range of motion or improve it, you should routinely put each joint through its full range of motion. Extend, bend, or rotate each of your joints. Range-of-motion exercise improves flexibility, relieves stiffness and pain, and helps us to keep our joints functional. 

7

 An Inflammatory Diet May Be Beneficial for Joint Health

Reducing inflammation is part of keeping arthritis symptoms under control and improving overall joint health. An anti-inflammatory diet involves avoiding foods that increase inflammation while including more foods that decrease inflammation.  Many sources suggest that a Mediterranean diet is a good choice for keeping inflammation under control.

• Anti-Inflammatory Diet May Help Arthritis

8

 Vitamin D and Calcium Are Important for Joint Health

Vitamin D and calcium are two nutrients that are required for healthy bones. Vitamin D is actually needed for calcium absorption. You can obtain vitamin D through sun exposure, diet, or supplementation. Many people need some supplementation. Your doctor can order a blood test to determine if you are deficient in vitamin D. Low calcium is associated with decreased bone density and increased fracture risk. 

9

 Stop Smoking to Improve Bone and Joint Health

According to the American Association of Orthopaedic Society, "Most people are not aware that smoking has a serious negative effect on your bones and joints." Specifically, smoking increases the risk of osteoporosis and fracture. Smoking also increases the likelihood of injuries involving bursitis or tendonitis. Smokers also have a higher risk of low back pain and rheumatoid arthritis. Stop smoking to improve bone health and joint health.

• Cigarette Smoking and Rheumatoid Arthritis

_Source:

_{Smoking and Musculoskeletal Health. OrthoInfo. May 2010. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00192.VERYWELL}

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Brisk Walking Keeps You Thinner Than Other Exercise

Which exercise is best for keeping off weight? A long term study found that people who enjoyed a 30-minute brisk walk most days had the smallest waists and lowest body mass indexes. Brisk walking beat gym exercise and sports for staying slim. Brisk walking was associated with being thinner, especially for women, people over age 50, and people with low income.

Does Brisk Walking Beat Other Physical Activity for Staying Thin?

In Britain as well as the US and many other countries, health authorities recommend 30 minutes or more per day of moderately intense physical activity for health and weight management.

The researchers wanted to find out which activity was most effective, and the data showed that brisk walking was the winner.

How much of a difference was seen? Study author Dr. Grace Lordan says the difference is waist size for a woman who walks five times per week for 30 minutes is 4.3 centimeters, or more than one dress size smaller than the average person in the study. The difference for body mass index (BMI) is almost twice as great for brisk walking compared with gym exercise or sports for women (1.8 units less for walkers compared with 1 unit for gym exercisers).

What is Brisk Walking?

Brisk or fast walking is at a pace where you are breathing heavier than normal and the heart rate is elevated. To be in the moderately-intense activity zone, you should have a heart rate of 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate. Use our heart rate calculator to find this number for your age.

The study focused on brisk walking rather than strolling at an easy pace and lower heart rate, in order to compare it to jogging, gym exercise and sports.

The subjects of the study determined for themselves whether they were brisk/fast walking.

Study Finds Brisk Walking Associated with Lower Fatness Measures

The study looked at data collected in the annual Health Survey for England (HSE) from 1999 to 2012. Over 68,000 respondants reported on how many days in the past month they engaged in 30 minutes or more of moderately intense activities.

The categories were:

• walking at a fast or brisk pace
• sports or exercise including swimming, cycling, gym workouts, dancing, running/jogging, football, tennis and other racquet sports.
• heavy housework
• heavy manual activities

Measurements were made of body mass index, which uses the ratio of height to weight, and measurement of waist circumference. A wider waist shows central obesity, which is associated with developing health problems independently of BMI.

The exciting results were that brisk walking beats the other activities for predicting who has a lower BMI and smaller waist. The graphs of the data show a consistent downward trend in these fatness measures with the number of days of brisk walking each month. Brisk walking five or more days per week was a good target, consistent with the health recommendations for physical activity.

Who Benefits the Most from Brisk Walking?

The good news is that brisk walking worked best for populations who may be less inclined to join in sports or didn't have access to recreational facilities.

• Women
• People over age 50 regardless of gender
• People in lower-income households

The research was conducted by Dr Grace Lordan, a specialist in health economics at the London School of Economics. Her paper concludes, "Recommending that people walk briskly more often is a cheap and easy policy option. Additionally, there is no monetary cost to walking so it is very likely that the benefits will outweigh the costs. A simple policy that 'every step counts' may be a step towards curbing the upward trend in obesity rates and beneficial for other health conditions.”

Why would walking be found to be more effective than spending the same amount of time in the gym? Lordan speculates that walkers may be more faithful to their regimen over time. It can also be harder to know how much of your time spent in the gym is in moderately-intense exercise and whether you are performing the exercises correctly. Walking is much easier to get right and to know when you are breathing harder and working up a sweat, according to Lordan.

How to Start Brisk Walking

People who enjoy walking at an easy pace can take steps to walk faster and raise the heart rate and breathing rate into the moderately-intense zone. Walking with good posture and arm motion can speed up the feet.

• How to Walk Faster
• 30-Day Quick Start Walking Plan

People who have difficulty in walking faster due to arthritis or other conditions can add walking poles to their walking workouts. Using walking poles can raise the heart rate while walking at your usual pace.

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