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Going Healthy, Going Strong, Health, Lifestyle

The Hiker’s Guide to the Outdoors

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Hiking is a walker’s paradise in the fact that it can be a location anywhere. It is a chance to exercise and, at the same time, free your mind from the stresses and strains of daily life. As you hike, you can become more aware of your environment, how our planet operates, and how wildlife communicates with one another. You can healthily breathe in the fresh air of the countryside, hear the birds tweeting without the use of technology, and take in the sights of unspoiled fields, mountain views, and see and hear the trickle of water.

So, if you are looking for a way to keep fit in smaller groups, where social distancing is the best thing at the moment, you might want to consider hiking as a pursuit. With this in mind, we shall look to provide a hiker’s guide that will let you know just what the outdoors has to offer those who are interested in hiking as a new pastime.

Routes Across Fields

There are many places that hikers can explore where routes have already been set out across fields. These will be where permission has already been granted by farmers and landowners for walkers and hikers to enter their land. They will be marked on many maps. Where this is the case, and in every case, always be mindful of crops and animals and keep to the edges of fields. Consider these routes if you are agile enough to negotiate stiles when there are no gates open to let you through. Then, of course, remember to close the gate so that farm animals do not escape from the field they are occupying to graze in. If you are wearing red, cover this up in case it is true about bulls. Most animals will watch you closely but keep their distance but you should always be aware that one may decide to charge at you. Always allow yourself plenty of space and time to react where there are animals. They are a nice subject for photographs, which can be taken before or after you enter the field.

Mountainous Views

Seeing mountains as the backdrop does not necessarily mean that it will be a steep climb for the hiker. It can be flat ground in front of the mountain. However, for those who like more of a challenge, there is always scaling a mountain as more of a test of endurance.

As we negotiate mountain ranges and valleys or have them surround us during our hike, we should take time to think about how mountains were formed in the first place. Scientists will tell us that it was a result of the movement of tectonic plates in the Earth’s crust. It is the great mountains such as the Himalayas that will form along the boundaries of these plates. It must be said that tectonic plates do move very slowly. I mean, it will take millions upon millions of years for mountains to form. They are a wonderful site, though, and a part of our planet well worth investigating through hiking experiences.

Rivers and Streams

On our hiking trips, we will come across rivers and streams. It is amazing how different a stone can look when wet as opposed to dry. I first discovered this on a beach when I was younger. By the time I had got the stone back to my caravan, it had dried out and was not then half as pleasing to the eye as before. So, the next day, I went and put the stone back into a rock pool.

If you fancy a paddle, then a shallow stream might provide you with the opportunity. Only enter shallows waters, though, where you can see clearly what is in them and can see the bottom. If you are on a group hiking trip that has been planned through a club, you will have the opportunity to ask rather than take the plunge yourself without knowing much about the stream that you have not before encountered.

Flowing water that just sparkles in the sun makes a wonderful sight and is a pleasing and calming noise to the ears. The sight of it may even mean that there will be a waterfall to admire. Something, after all, will be feeding the stream. Many like canal holidays, but there is something different about moving water as opposed to more stagnant water where only the ducks and canal barges provide the movement.

Toughest Hikes

There are some seriously challenging hikes possible around the world for those who like to turn the peace and tranquillity of the countryside into something more extreme.

Some examples include Chadar Trek, Himalayas; Drakensberg Traverse, South Africa; Kalalau Trail, Kauai, Hawaii; The Death Trail, Mount Huashan, China; and The Snowmen Trek, Bhutan.

If your mind is now made up about this as an activity, think carefully about your route and the equipment you need for hiking as this will enhance the experience that you have. You can then be experiencing the outdoors in a way that others are currently finding enjoyment from already. The pandemic has directed more of us to the outdoor spaces that are free from crowds. There is no reason not to continue the activity beyond the pandemic or start it if we have not already. It is a healthy way to enjoy our spare time.

So, whether you are looking for a peaceful and purposeful hike in the country or looking to tackle one of the world’s toughest regions, hiking can introduce you to the outdoors in ways that are new to you. There is nothing like taking in the sights, sounds, and smells around us and feeling at one with the planet that we are all trying to protect for our future generations to enjoy.

Going Healthy, Lifestyle, Parenting

Four Ways to Encourage Children To Get Outdoors More

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As children get older, there will be more and more distractions for them. Computer games, games consoles, friends, and other activities can all be a distraction from wanting to get outdoors. When children are younger, they will follow your lead and if you’re heading out on a walk, then they will be coming with you too. But as your children get older, and if they don’t already have a love of the outdoors, how can you help them to get outside more and enjoy all that nature has to offer? Here are some ideas to help.

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Eating alfresco

If you want to encourage older children to get outside with you, then it is wise to think about involving food in some way. It could be that you choose to go for a breakfast picnic with them, or perhaps you just decide to eat out in the backyard on a warm summer evening. When they’re outside for the food, it makes it easier to then go for a walk or play in the yard as they are out there already.

Make it more fun

Just saying to the kids that you’re all going on a hike can feel a little dull and boring, especially if their other option is playing a bright and shiny new game online with their friends. So you need to think of ways to make it more fun. For example, if you want to take your children fishing, then make sure you get something like a jika rig to make the process easier for them. If you’re thinking of going camping, then incorporate something like making s’mores, to make the whole thing much more enjoyable for them. If you are focusing more on making your backyard more fun for them, why not think about installing a pool? There are websites such as https://premierpoolsandspas.com/locations/ that can help you with finding a builder for your pool. It’s great exercise and it will certainly get them out from behind that computer as they’ll be outside in the fresh air having fun.

Take the indoors outdoors

If you have children that just want to play with their Lego or read books, then how about bringing that outside? They could read in a hammock outside or bring games and toys to the park or to the backyard to play with. Then they get the best of both worlds, doing what they want to do, all the while being in nature and soaking up some all important vitamin D from the sun. 

Create a scavenger hunt

Even if they don’t want to admit it, there aren’t many children that don’t enjoy hunting for something, especially if there is some kind of reward at the end of it all. By creating a scavenger hunt for your children, you could get them into the woods, the local park, or just in their backyard, searching for things in nature, getting them moving, and having lots of fun at the same time. 

One of the key things as parents is that we need to lead by example. If you’re reluctant to get outdoors, then it will be no surprise that your children are that way inclined too. Be enthusiastic when you talk about your plans and outdoor activities, talk about the benefits, and make sure that activities are planned in order to get you all outdoors exploiting and enjoying nature.

Going Healthy, Going Strong, Health, Lifestyle

The Importance of Testosterone to Muscle Building and Sex Drive

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As a man, it is important to feel that you are not just a man in appearance and strength but also able to satisfy your partner when it comes to them wanting a baby. In all cases, sometimes a helping hand can be required from medical supplements that can be taken to assist. We should, however, in our conquest to obtain more testosterone, be aware that testosterone therapy side effects exist.

For this article, we will look at the role testosterone plays, whether naturally or artificially produced, in building muscles and solving problems such as erectile dysfunction.

What is Testosterone?

Testosterone is the main sex hormone and anabolic steroid in men. It plays a vital role when it comes to the development of the male reproductive tissues. These include the testes and prostate. The hormone will also promote secondary sexual characteristics associated with the male by increasing muscle mass and encouraging hair growth. Unfortunately for many, this is body hair rather than head hair, but then, this is not testosterone’s purpose. Anyway, those with a less head of hair are supposed to have more sex drive, so work that one out?

Muscle Building

Many older men, younger men working in physically demanding jobs, self-conscious men, Romeos, or male athletes, will take testosterone supplements as a muscle-building product. Athletes find them useful for helping build muscles to assist with more effective training and to regain strength after a sports injury. A muscular physique in a man can attract the opposite sex and make a man feel good about himself and feel younger and healthier. In that sense, physician supervised testosterone therapy or a testosterone supplement can be a product that improves physical as well as mental health.

A muscle-building supplement that boosts testosterone can assist with a man’s work. Physically demanding jobs include being a soldier, lumberjack, or tradesman, to name a few. An employer will thank someone for making an effort to build up their muscle strength when work demands it. Also, having built-up muscle strength will make work less tiring and easier to carry out.

In sports, we do not just have to think about those who lift weights when it comes to muscle strength being useful, it can apply to all sports now. Those who spend time in the gym to improve their all-around body fitness levels and strength, invariably make better competitors in whatever their chosen sport is. Results are now not just about the talent for a sport, they are contributed to by the stamina a competitor has to sustain the duration and physical exertion that the sport demands.

Sex Drive

A big problem a man can have related to sex drive is the predicament of erectile dysfunction. This embarrassing scenario is solved by taking medications to help. While many men have success taking sildenafil tablets to address this issue, it is a proven fact that low levels of testosterone can result in erectile dysfunction. This is often accompanied by a reduction in bone mass and sex drive.

In adolescence, young men associate testosterone with muscle development, the deepening of their voice, and hair growth. It will be responsible for changes to their body. In later life, testosterone levels can lower to the extent that sex drive is reduced. This is where medications will provide the extra assistance and compensate by boosting testosterone levels to those required to perform the sexual function required. Pregnancy is impossible without this boost in many cases, and couples in later life may still desire a child. This can be in the case of a second relationship or because of focusing on a career earlier in life.

So, much to think about here. Testosterone supplements can serve two functions in that they can help a man to build his muscles and to improve his sex drive. In many cases, they will need to go beyond just sex drive and deal with erectile dysfunction. In terms of muscle building, testosterone supplements can save on some of the gym work that would otherwise be required. Also, testosterone supplements can complement gym work and make training a more effective activity. We owe it to ourselves and others in our company to achieve the best body and fitness levels possible. Everything is so much easier when we have sufficiently developed muscles, whether we are taking part in a work activity or a leisure pursuit.