You try to eat healthily, and you grab a healthy snack during the day, but are you sure that the “health food” is, in fact, healthy? Some so-called healthy foods are very misleading.

Topping the list is granola bars – if they only have whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits, then chances are they are good for you. However, many have a lot of sugars, oils, and artificial flavors.

Yogurt is a good choice when you want something with high protein and low calories. However, make sure you’re not grabbing the ones with lots of sugar – or even candy!

Fruit juice can be refreshing, but it usually has lots of additives, so you’re better off just eating the real fruit itself.

And finally, just because something is called “organic,” don’t just assume it’s healthy. Read the label because those snacks may contain just as much sugar, fat, and calories as the non-organic ones.

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We’re already a 1/4 of the way done with 2024. Some of us may need a vacation more than most. These are the signs to look for that you need a vacation ASAP:

If you wake up with headaches, stress may be taking a toll on your body – headaches in the morning may mean you’re grinding teeth at night, a sign of stress.

If you spend more money than normal, or find you’re shopping and buying things unnecessarily, that could be a coping mechanism to deal with stress and exhaustion – and it’s money you could be spent towards your vacation!

If you start to notice your behavior has changed, that you lose your temper more quickly, it’s a good sign you need a break.

When it comes to work, if you notice you’re more irritable with coworkers or more annoyed with your boss than normal or if you’re making simple mistakes at work, it’s all signs you could need some days off.

If you notice you’re avoiding things you actually enjoy doing – favorite pastimes, or anything from exercising to spending time with family – when you’re burnt out, you’ll find you don’t have the energy for anything outside of work.

Finally, just booking that vacation is a mood booster, and gives you something to really look forward to.

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With the warmer weather getting here, you’re going to want to be out and about and doing things. But are you going to be ready? Here’s some tips on how to get started.

First – stand up. Literally – it’s the easiest thing to do to get your body ready – and immediately upon standing, you’ll start using muscles and burning calories.

Once you do get moving, track your steps – new research says 7500 per day should be the goal; but if you can only do 1000 today, try to do 1200 tomorrow – increase a little at a time.

Don’t immediately think you can do a marathon – start small – try 10 minutes of exercise a few times a day – space things out.

If you’ve been sedentary for a while, start stretching. Your shoulders, your neck, your hips – all need to get moving.

Most important – even though it may feel like we’ve aged a lot more than the year that passed, it’s not like we did permanent damage. It’s never too late to get started again.

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As we head into the weekend, you’re probably looking forward to sleeping in. Even more so if you have trouble sleeping during the week.

If you’re someone who wishes you could fall asleep at the drop of a hat, there’s a trick that members of the military use to fall asleep in just two minutes!

Usually, it’s meant for airplanes or long car rides, but it can certainly be used while lying in bed. The trick is to relax your muscles one at a time.

The first step is to relax. Take slow, deep breaths, and focus on relaxing the muscles in your face. Start at the forehead, then work down until the cheeks, mouth, and jaw go limp.

Then your upper body – shoulders, neck, then start with the dominant side of your body and go down your arm from your bicep to your fingers. Then work the other side.

Do the same with your lower body from your thighs, to calves, ankle and feet – one leg at a time.

The final step is to clear your mind for ten seconds – just like meditation, focus on breathing, and you’ll likely be asleep or a lot closer to it then when you started.

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If you head to social media, you may see a lot of influencers saying to skip coffee in the morning and drink lemon water instead. They say it will do everything from boost metabolism, break down, fat, and detox your body.

Unfortunately, there’s no medical science to back any of that up.

So, should you do it anyway?

That really depends as there is one side effect to look out for – and that could be heartburn and acid reflux. Lemon – or anything acidic like tomatoes and grapefruit – can trigger those symptoms. But the good news is that lemon water may not affect most that way!

The dilution of the water will help, plus it will keep you hydrated and may cause you to drink more water if you prefer the taste!

Proper hydration helps support overall health. And if you don’t have any negative effects, then having a glass when you wake up makes sense. You won’t experience what social media claims, but it will get your day started healthier.

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