Wellness Archives - Healthy Smart Living

Benefits of Rosemary Oil and Medicinal Usage

January 24, 2024

The benefits of rosemary oil and rosemary supplements are numerous, making it a popular addition to a health and beauty routine. When you think about rosemary, do you think of Thanksgiving seasoning, an herb garden or all-natural perfume? Personally, I think of stuffing seasoning and aromatherapy, in that order. In addition to being a delicious seasoning, it’s widely used as a medicinal herb all over the world. From applying rosemary oil on your face to diffusing it into the air, let’s take a look at some of the best ways you can incorporate the many benefits of rosemary oil into your health regimen. Potential Health Benefits of Rosemary It’s important to remember that much of the research into rosemary’s medicinal properties is still ongoing, so you should always consult...

rosemary

Best Prenatal Vitamins For Your Pregnancy Journey

Julia Zakrzewski

January 10, 2024

Wellness

A prenatal diet rich in whole foods and balanced meals can help you meet your daily nutritional requirements, but a prenatal vitamin should also be part of your plan. These concentrated supplements are loaded with essential nutrients your baby needs during pregnancy. Here are tips to find the best prenatal vitamins for your pregnancy journey. What are prenatal vitamins? A prenatal vitamin is a supplement catered for pregnant people and is rich in essential vitamins linked to a healthy pregnancy. At a minimum, these include: • Folic acid • Iron • Calcium • Vitamin D • Vitamin B • Vitamin B12 Some prenatal vitamins may include antioxidants, such as vitamins C and A, which may appeal to you while shopping for a product. Benefits of prenatal vitamins To maximize the benefits of prenatal vitamins, you should...

vitamins

Tartar Troubles? Discover How to Remove Calculus Bridge

Nicole Hopkins

October 18, 2023

Wellness

When you see the phrase "calculus bridge," you probably think of math and architecture (I did). However, we're talking about calculus on teeth, commonly called tartar. Dental calculus is the scaly next step beyond plaque, the sticky film that forms on your teeth after eating or drinking. When plaque is left in your mouth, it combines with your saliva to create hardened scales, aka calculus or tartar. If you've ever looked up calculus bridge images, you know that it can get pretty serious and gross. So, let's talk about what you can do to prevent calculus buildup and how to remove it. How the Calculus Bridge Was Built When tartar is left to build up over time, it can spread across multiple teeth, forming a calculus bridge. Some...

calculus bridge teeth

Antisocial vs Asocial Behaviors: Understanding the Differences

Nicole Hopkins

May 24, 2023

Wellness

[caption id="attachment_6464" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image credit: Tonik on Unsplash; Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash[/caption] You've probably heard the phrase "they're so antisocial" before, but you may have also heard of antisocial personality disorder or seen someone referred to as "asocial." It can get confusing fast. So, what's the difference between antisocial and asocial? Are they interchangeable? Let's find out. What is Asocial Behavior? Asocial definition: Someone who avoids or is uninterested in social interaction and may be viewed as inconsiderate or unfriendly toward others. Asocial behavior is typically the result of an intense fear of rejection or anxiety around new people in social situations. These people can socialize normally with people they already know, such as close family or lifelong friends, but they are entirely closed off from the rest of...

antisocial asocial

What Is Cognital Behavioral Therapy For?

Julia Zakrzewski

April 14, 2023

Top Picks, Wellness

[caption id="attachment_6445" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image credits: Christopher Catbagan; Dushawn Jovic[/caption] Cognitive behavioral therapy, shortened to CBT, is a form of psychotherapy that can teach you how to cope with anxiety and other big feelings. A health care provider who is trained in CBT can teach you how to apply CBT techniques to everyday life. How Does CBT Work You can start learning CBT techniques at your own pace using books or following online guides, but working with a specialist can help you achieve results faster. Together you can: Identify a specific problem in your life that is causing you to feel anxious Bring awareness to unproductive thought patterns that may be stopping you from taking action Identify negative thought patterns and reshaping them Learning and applying new productive...

therapy

Dealing With Mental Health: Sometimes Laughter is the Best Medicine

Nicole Hopkins

September 28, 2022

Wellness

Dealing with mental health doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes, just taking a few minutes to laugh at social media posts is enough to boost your mood. There's lots of advice out there about how to deal with mental health struggles, but sometimes, just taking a minute to laugh is enough to shake off the blues and make it through the day. To help with this, here's a roundup of some funny social media accounts to follow next time you need some low-effort serotonin. Social Media Accounts We Love to Deal With Mental Health: Katie Florence's #TheKouncil Jonny Devaney's dog breed humor Nathan W Pyle's Strange Planet comics MoonPie's ongoing social media beef with the sun 1. Katie Florence (@katieflorence on TikTok; @the.kouncil on Instagram) Katie Florence makes funny,...

mental health

Skincare Ingredients You Need By Age

Nicole Hopkins

August 17, 2022

Body, Wellness

No matter how old you are, it's never too late to take better care of your skin. After all, it’s better to start somewhere than to never start at all! Whether you're 21 and looking for new self-care strategies or 57 and hoping to reverse sun damage from tanning, you're in the right place! Below, I've laid out a "skincare roadmap" highlighting one vital thing to add to your routine for every decade. You’ll be amazed by how one ingredient can change the course of your skin. Of course, you can start anywhere, but feel free to skip around to see how your current beauty routine stacks up against my recommendations! Skincare Ingredients By the Decade 20s - Sunscreen 30s – Vitamin C 40s – Retinol 50s...

skincare

Women-Owned Businesses to Support

Nicole Hopkins

March 30, 2022

Top Picks, Wellness

March is Women's History Month, so it's the perfect time to celebrate the bold and strong female entrepreneurs who have taken the risk to live their dreams! Below, I've listed a few businesses owned by women from all walks of life who have turned their passion into a successful business. Check them out and show them your support! Buff Chick Supplements Strong women build each other up, both physically and mentally. This is the mission behind fitness trainer and powerlifter Meg Gallagher's supplement brand. The company tagline is, "insecurity isn't for sale," and she makes it clear that her products aren't meant to be gimmicky "skinny teas" or detox regimens. Gallagher's passion for empowering women extends to sharing her own ever-changing strength journey and being real about her...

shopping

The Meditation Hack Nobody Mentions

Nicole Hopkins

September 1, 2021

Wellness

Meditation and mindfulness are trendy buzzwords right now, so I'm sure that most of you have at least tried to meditate once or twice. Meditating is supposed to help you feel calm, cool and collected, but if you're like most people, it's probably leaving you frazzled and frustrated. Everyone tells you that you should meditate more, but nobody tells you what to expect or how to get the most benefit from it. Meditation isn't easy. It's the kind of thing that you can spend a lifetime getting better at. The good news is that it doesn't have to be hard! I'm here to share one small secret that can help you look forward to meditation practice instead of dreading it. Ready? The Meditation Hack Nobody Mentions My advice is simple:...

meditation