Natalie MacMillan

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Health

How to understand proteins

Protein is an integral part of any healthy diet. Every time we exercise, our muscles are damaged. In order to repair them and make them stronger for our next workout, we need protein! Not to mention, protein is one of the most satiating macronutrients, and helps keep us full between meals and snacks. WHAT IS IT? AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT? Protein is made of amino acids, and there are 22 of them. Your body is able to make 13 of them on its own, and are called “non- essential” amino acids. The other nine are “essential” amino acids, meaning you can get them from food, and food only. These amino acids are broken down and literally make you, you! They are rearranged in order to build and maintain your muscles, bones, blood and other organs. Protein makes up roughly 20% of our body weight, and is considered the second

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Fitness

Importance of sleep and wellness

Sleep is an often overlooked aspect of wellness but its benefits are endless. Now, there is research to show that sleeping better could improve your health in the decades to come. A brand-new study done in the journal of Nature Communications shows that getting more sleep in middle age can decrease your risk of getting dementia. Participants who reported less than six hours of sleep consistently, were around 30 percent more likely to develop dementia in their seventies. Wondering how to do it? We’ve got you covered. INCLUDE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN YOUR DAY Including physical exercise into your daily routine is one of the most well-studied ways to improve your sleep. Exercise can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep by around 50%. PUT YOUR DEVICES AWAY! Your smartphone and tablets emit large amounts of blue light, which tells our bodies that it’s time to wake up! Not exactly what you

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