When we get dressed to go to work or perhaps to the bar, we always check our appearance in the mirror. Some of us, more than others. But we can all agree that our appearance is important to our well being. Our mental health is directly linked to our physical health. If we don’t work out and keep in shape, we tend to gain a soggy stomach and fat where we don’t want it to be. But what do we do about it? We tend to see fixing something that has taken a long time to come to fruition to be too hard and time-consuming. But at the end of the day, we’re not happy. We can make big changes to our lives if we accept that we can only regain our confidence if we take a holistic approach to our health and well being. It’s not just aesthetic, far from it actually. Let’s take a look at the types of things you can do right now.

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Why do you have blotchy skin?

Our skin is the largest organ in our body. It’s also the most sensitive to the elements, so the sun, rain, wind and cold, all play a pivotal role in the well being of our collagen bonds and general aesthetics. But what happens when you have blotchy skin is very misunderstood.

• It does have something to do with a lack of good circulation. However, it isn’t directly linked to being unfit.
• It doesn’t have anything to do with any makeup that you put on your face.
• Blotchy skin is more so about your lifestyle and how you are treating your skin.
• Don’t over-exfoliate your skin. Exfoliating does hydrate and clean your skin but it also damages the top layer. Wiping away the natural oils is like taking away the protection that your skin puts on, to shield you from the rain and sunshine.
• You need to improve your circulation by doing exercise and getting massages if you can.
• Stop eating foods that damage your skin, such as alcohol, fatty foods, and carbs.

Don’t buy skincare products that have a lot of chemicals in them. Stick to natural ingredients and go for products that have an organic label. Chemicals in products are nothing new, but it’s not good for your skin to be bombarded with liquids or creams that have been concocted in a lab somewhere. The less blotchiness you have the more confidence you’ll feel. You won’t have uneven toned skin which is something many women loathe. Men too should follow this advice if they have blotchy skin, although it’s not as prevalent in men as it is in women.

Defining the best version of yourself is a difficult exercise, which is why we’re going to break it down for you, step by step. Once you know exactly who the best version of you is and what they are about, you can begin working towards becoming that version of yourself. Read on to get started:

Step 1: What Do Your Daily Habits Look Like?
First, think about what your habits would look like if you were the best version of yourself. Would you drink water, take vitamins, eat vegetables, and exercise? More than likely! Write down the habits you would adopt if you were the best you that you could be, and then figure out how you could begin incorporating them into your lifestyle right now.

Step 2: What Are Your Hobbies And Do You Have Time For Them?
When it comes to your hobbies, having time for them is crucial. We shouldn’t just spend all of our time in a job and no time on our own personal projects. What would you do if you were the best version of yourself? Maybe you’d spend time roller skating, painting, or doing something else. Where could you fit this into your routine now?

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Step 3: What Do You Do For A Living?
If you hate the job you’re in now, it’s fairly safe to assume that you wouldn’t do it for a living as the best version of yourself. Maybe you could hunt for jobs, or even work on ways you could train to land the job of your dreams. It might be unrealistic to absolutely love your job, but finding satisfaction in it and enjoying it in some ways is often important. Do you want to feel valued? Do you want to see the results of the work you put in? Write out what you truly want from your job role.

Step 4: Who Do You Spend Time With?
Do you want a partner, or a closer circle of friends? When you start being true to yourself, you tend to attract your people. Be who you really are, do things you enjoy, and aim to show up as your best self. Pretty soon, people should show up out of the blue.

Step 5: What Does Your Health Look Like?
Being a healthy person is often equated to being the best version of yourself. Now, if you have chronic illness or something else to consider, then simply knowing how to manage that in a way that is best for you could be the best version of yourself. Managing hearing aid issues and things like that can help you to live a better quality of life.

Step 6: Where Do You Want To Be?
Can you define where the best version of yourself is? Where do they live? Where do they spend time? If you don’t want to stay where you are right now, it might be time to put money aside and come up with a plan for a move.

What does the best version of you look like?

The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has shown us that good health is one of the most important things in our lives. We all must sit up and start listening and paying more attention to what our bodies are telling us. We are all guilty of overlooking our health and letting health issues that could be stopped in their tracks get progressively worse until sometimes, it is too late to do anything about them. As a consequence, the quality and length of our lives are often impacted. We all need to take responsibility for our bodies, so here, we look at some of the most commonly overlooked health issues.

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Hearing loss

It is thought that as many as fifty million Americans have hearing loss to some degree, whether mild enough that turning the TV up and speaking a little louder is enough, to profound, where there is no sound at all. As for many people, hearing loss is something that gets gradually worse, it quite often goes unnoticed until it is at a point where the damage cannot be reversed. Of course, prevention is always better than cure, so taking steps not to damage hearing is key. However, regular hearing tests can also pick up any issues.

Sight loss

This is generally a lot easier to pick up than hearing loss, but many people still live a long time with poor eyesight or the wrong glasses or prescription. Just like hearing loss, this can have a significant effect on the quality of life, as well as being a safety concern when driving or operating machinery. As above, regular sight tests can not only pick up worsening eyesight but a range of other conditions too. However, if you notice you have to peer a little more closely at your cell phone or computer screen, or the license plate of the car in front seems a little unclear, it is time to go and have it looked at.

Cognitive decline

As we get older, we all expect our memory to fade a little and to be a little absent-minded at one point or another. It is a natural part of ageing. However, there is normal absent-mindedness and cognitive decline, and it is important to know and recognise the difference. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are increasing, most likely because people are living longer, but it needs monitoring. While once it has set in, there is little you can do to stop it, there are things that you can do to help slow down the decline. Keeping physically and mentally active, quitting smoking and excess alcohol consumption and eating a healthy, balanced diet all go a long way to keeping your cognitive ability sharp.

Over the course of a lifetime, most people will experience one or more of these common but often overlooked health issues. While they may not always be treatable, there are steps you can take to help reduce the chances and slow them down if they have already made their presence known.