Our top tips for getting started with meditation

 Our top tips for getting started with meditation

Our top tips for getting started with meditation


Meditation is a healthy habit and full of benefits. Practicing it can lower stress levels, improve concentration, boost your mood, and reconnect you to the world around you. But it's not necessarily easy at first. While sitting in silence may seem like the only criterion, meditation is an activity that requires a lot of diligence to be done well, and that should be practiced starting from the basics.

If you want to start this practice, this article is perfect to start with. Click to find out the steps, what to do before, during, and after meditation to make the most of your time, and help you continuously improve.

Before meditating

Here are a few things to prepare yourself before you even start the meditation practice:

Remember that anyone can meditate

It will be harder and more stressful to meditate if you already think you're not going to make it. Meditation is accessible to everyone, remember that!

Set aside for a moment

Choose a time in your day to constantly have a moment to meditate. Try to make this moment a routine.

Try first thing in the morning

While it's important to be consistent, many experts say that the morning is often a more effective time to meditate.

Get rid of your expectations

Many people have expectations regarding meditation and what it would entail. Yet, this works differently on each person. Do not think that you will have the level of a monk directly.

Choose a place to meditate

Choose a corner of your home that you can use to do your meditation. Opting for the same place each time can make you associate the place with a space of tranquility and relaxation.

Turn off your phone

Phones (or any other technological device) are a constant distraction. Unless you need it for your meditation, try to get away from the modern world until you're done.

Find the perfect position

While we see many people meditating cross-legged, this position may not be comfortable for everyone. Find the position in which you feel comfortable, preferably sitting.

During meditation

Not knowing what to do when meditating is common. Learn what the meditation focus point is, how to focus during meditation

Evaluate how you feel

How does your body feel when you start meditation? And your mind? Take note of the emotions that are going through you and tell yourself that there is no problem with feeling this way.

Start on a short term

Even if you think that meditation should last a long time, it is something that comes with time. Start with 2 minutes and, little by little, increase the duration.

Focus on your breath

Try to clear your mind and focus only on your breathing, counting the time you inhale and exhale and focusing on the movement of your rib cage.

It's not about having an empty mind

It's common for your mind to wander around during your meditation, and that's totally normal. Feelings, thoughts, and memories come back when you relax.

Be indulgent with your emotions

Don't get frustrated when you see that you can't stay focused on your breath all the time. Acknowledge your emotions, but don't judge them.

Do the vacuum again

After letting your mind wander, come back to your breathing.

Make a point at the end

After you have completed your meditation time, start by becoming aware of the things around you. Listen to the sounds, look around, and take stock of how you feel physically and mentally.

Be patient

Meditation is not a practice that you will be good at from the start. It takes time, practice, and a lot of patience.

Stick to your schedule

You will not be able to improve in meditation if you do not practice regularly. To do this, you need to make it a daily activity, trying to meditate every day at the same time.

Increase the time

With practice, you will improve and be able to increase the time of your meditations. Start with 2 minutes and then increase the duration little by little.

Discover other hotspots

While focusing on your breathing is the most common way, there are other things you can try if it works for you. For example, by focusing on sounds, lights or energy.

Be indulgent with yourself

Meditating is not easy. It takes a lot of time and practice to get your mind used to it. But don't give up, the rewards are worth it.

Be mindful even when you are not meditating 

Mindfulness simply means that we are attentive to the things around us (or how we feel from the inside). As if you were coming out of autopilot mode. If you are looking to focus on what you see, hear, touch, it will help your meditation practice.

CONCLUSION:

Meditation is a practice that has been around for centuries, with roots in various spiritual and religious traditions. In today’s fast-paced world, many people are turning to meditation as a way to find peace, clarity, and relaxation in their lives. In this essay, we will explore the benefits of meditation, different techniques that can be used, and how incorporating meditation into your daily routine can have a positive impact on your overall well-being.

10 spices and herbs that protect your heart every day to stay in top shape

10 spices and herbs that protect your heart every day to stay in top  shape :

Coronary artery disease is now one of the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for 13% of all deaths according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since 2000, the numbers have exploded from 2.7 million to nearly 9.7 million deaths per year. Lack of physical activity, an unbalanced diet, smoking, but also age, gender and genetics play a crucial role. This disease occurs when the arteries gradually become blocked due to fatty deposits called plaques, reducing blood flow to the heart. Fortunately, some common spices and herbs can offer valuable support for maintaining arterial health. Let's discover them together.

GARLIC:

For millennia, garlic has been used to boost immunity and reduce blood pressure. Rich in allicin, an active compound, garlic has anti-inflammatory effects and promotes the relaxation of arterial muscles, thus widening blood vessels. Numerous studies have shown that it lowers bad LDL cholesterol, prevents blood platelet aggregation, and may reduce the risk of stroke. However, the researchers insist on the need to standardize preparations to confirm these effects in humans.

TURMERIC:

Turmeric, with its vibrant yellow-orange color, has been prized for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine. Its flagship compound, curcumin, has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It decreases oxidative stress and helps maintain flexible blood vessels, reducing the risk of plaque formation. Turmeric may also improve heart function after trauma.

CAYENNE PEPPER:

Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, a compound that is said to prevent blood clots and reduce high blood pressure. Research has observed that regular chili pepper eaters live longer than those who don't. Capsaicin also helps limit plaque buildup in the arteries.

GINGER:

Ginger is appreciated as much for its bright taste as for its benefits on blood circulation. Its active molecule, gingerol, has anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic properties, promoting the dilation of vessels and the reduction of blood pressure. Ginger also lowers LDL and protects the arteries from oxidation.

CINNAMON:

Cinnamon, which comes from the bark of certain trees in Asia, contains cinnamaldehyde, known for its anticoagulant and antioxidant properties. It may lower total cholesterol and improve blood vessel health.

OREGANO:

Oregano, a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, is full of phenols and flavonoids that neutralize free radicals responsible for aging arteries. Its compounds like carvacrol and thymol have anti-inflammatory properties that protect the arterial walls.

PARSLEY:

Parsley is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, carotenoids, and folate, all of which are essential for reducing inflammation and preserving the elasticity of the arteries. Its high content of natural nitrates promotes vasodilation, thus improving circulation. Animal studies show that parsley lowers bad cholesterol and prevents clots.

SAFFRON:

Saffron, prized for its rarity, contains crocetin, a powerful antioxidant that reduces inflammation in the arteries and slows down the formation of plaques. Studies show that populations that regularly consume saffron have less cardiovascular disease.

BASIL:

Basil, and especially holy basil (Tulsi), is rich in eugenol, a compound that reduces inflammation and promotes vascular health. Its adaptogenic effects also lower stress, which is an aggravating factor in heart disease.

WILLOW BARK:

Willow bark, rich in salicin, acts as a natural anticoagulant, limiting the formation of dangerous blood clots. It improves circulation and could reduce the risk of heart attacks. But be careful: although similar to aspirin, its action is slower and less powerful, and the standardization of its dosage remains a challenge to be solved by scientific research.

Conclusion: Natural and prevention, hand in hand:

By incorporating these spices and herbs into your daily diet, you could promote the health of your arteries in a natural way. However, it is essential to consult your doctor before undertaking any significant dietary changes, especially if you are on medication. These treasures of nature can complement a healthy lifestyle and traditional medical care to better protect your heart.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and is provided for informational purposes only. Always consult your physician or other qualified healthcare professional with any questions regarding your current medical condition and/or medications. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of information read here.

 

How to Moisturize Hair That’s Feeling Dry

Dry, dehydrated hair can happen to the best of us. It lacks the softness, shine and bounce that we want from our strands. Dry hair—or hair that lacks moisture and oil—hair can be caused by anything from excessive hair washing and blow drying to hormone abnormalities. For example, frequent use of hot hair tools (especially without heat protectant) can dry out and damage your strands.

What Is Dry Hair

“Dry hair may result from problems that stem from the root, but is more often the result of outside influences,” explains Dr. Alicia Zalka, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Surface Deep. “It is noticed as hair breakage, loss of shine, slow growing, split ends, and frizz, among other changes,” Dr. Zalka adds.

What Causes Dry Hair

“Harsh chemicals such as those used in straightening, perming, bleaching, and highlighting can weaken the cuticle of the hair shaft, thus causing dry and dull hair,” says Dr. Zalka. While these are the most common causes of dry hair, she notes that the following can also be at the root of the problem:

• Environmental causes such as wind, heat, and ultraviolet exposure
• Lack of frequent trimming/hair cutting which can lead to split ends and a dryer feel
• Shampoo that leaves residue/build up
• Overuse of styling products that contain alcohol or other drying ingredients
• Not using conditioner or other protective hair care products
• Harsh combing, brushing or rubbing of the hair shaft with rough grooming tools or stiff/rough towels

Note: For some, hair care habits may not be to blame. Depending on your genes, your hair may not be producing enough oil at the root, which will lead to a dry scalp. A hormone imbalance can also be the cause of dryness and dehydration. So, if changing your hair washing and styling routine doesn't seem to make a difference, contact your health care provider to get to the root cause of your dry hair.

How to Hydrate and Moisturize Dry Hair

To help tackle your dry hair woes, here are the products that will hydrate your hair from the inside out.

Sulfates are powerful cleansing agents; so while they’re effective at purifying the hair and scalp, they can also be quite drying. If you have naturally dryer hair, it’s a good idea to avoid sulfates in your hair and scalp care products. Try the Recovery Shampoo from VIRTUE. It’s sulfate-free and contains a powerful blend of ingredients—like Alpha Keratin 60ku®—to deposit potent keratin and moisturizing agents directly into the hair.

3. VIRTUE Recovery Conditioner (6.7 fl. oz.)

Your hair is thirsty for moisture after it’s been shampooed, so it’s crucial to follow up with a quality conditioner after you wash your hair. This formula not only smells and feels like a luxurious treatment, but it’s also packed with the ingredients that dry, damaged hair really needs—like protein-rich hydrolyzed quinoa and intensely moisturizing baobab seed oil.

4. Oribe Hair Alchemy Strengthening Masque 5 oz

According to Dr. Zalka, it’s a good idea to swap your favorite conditioner for a rich hair mask every 1-2 weeks (depending on your hair’s needs). We're big fans of this shea butter and yacón root-powered strengthening mask that fortifies fragile strands, intensely hydrates and helps restore elasticity, which can, in turn, prevent breakage.

5. ghd Sleek Talker - Wet to Sleek Styling Oil 0.3 oz

Nothing can zap moisture from your hair quite like heat styling, which is why it's essential to use heat protectant before a styling tool even comes near your strands—every. single. time. We're obsessed with this just-in option from ghd that helps smooth and soften while it protects.

6. Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil Travel 1.7 oz

When it comes to soothing dry hair, Dr. Zalka’s advice is this: “Replace what the hair is lacking—oils.” Dry hair is often deprived of oils, so those with chronically dry hair should consider adding a hair oil to their routine. Tip: Try heating up Oribe’s Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil (in a microwave-safe dish) before applying to your hair to help open up the follicles to accept the oils.

8. Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray (8 fl. oz.)

A leave-in conditioner should be a staple in any dry hair routine, but goopy tubs can be difficult to distribute evenly and can often weigh down the hair. Instead, look for a lightweight conditioning mist in a spritzer bottle, like the Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray. Apply to wet hair and wear throughout the day or take a note from Dr. Zalka and use your leave-in conditioner overnight like a hair mask.

Understanding cookies

 Understanding cookies

                                                                             

       

    

A cookie is a chunk of data stored in the browser that is used to persist state and other information a website needs to execute its features.

A cookie is a small file that websites store on their user's machine, the information it stores travels back and forth between the browser and the website.

Each cookie is a key-value pair along with a number of attributes that control when and where that cookie is used. These attributes are used to set things like expiration dates or indicating the cookie should only be sent over HTTPS. You can set a cookie in an HTTP header or through JavaScript interface.

Cookies are one of the methods available for adding persistent state to web sites. Over the years their capabilities have grown and evolved, but left the platform with some problematic legacy issues. To address this, browsers (including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge) are changing their behavior to enforce more privacy-preserving defaults.

Cookies in action

Say you have a blog where you want to display a "What's new" promo to your users. Users can dismiss the promo and then they won't see it again for a while. You can store that preference in a cookie, set it to expire in a month (2,600,000 seconds), and only send it over HTTPS. That header would look like this:

Set-Cookie: promo_shown=1; Max-Age=2600000; Secure

When your reader views a page that meets those requirements—they're on a secure connection and the cookie is less than a month old—their browser will send this header in its request:

Cookie: promo_shown=1

You can also add and read the cookies available to that site in JavaScript using document.cookie. Making an assignment to document.cookie will create or override a cookie with that key. For example, you can try the following in your browser's JavaScript console:

→ document.cookie = "promo_shown=1; Max-Age=2600000; Secure" ← "promo_shown=1; Max-Age=2600000; Secure"

Reading document.cookie will output all the cookies accessible in the current context, with each cookie separated by a semicolon:

→ document.cookie; ← "promo_shown=1; color_theme=peachpuff; sidebar_loc=left"

If you try this on a selection of popular sites you will notice that most of them set significantly more than just three cookies. In most cases, those cookies are sent on every single request to that domain, which has a number of implications. Upload bandwidth is often more restricted than download for your users, so that overhead on all outbound requests is adding a delay on your time to first byte. Be conservative in the number and size of cookies you set. Make use of the Max-Age attribute to help ensure that cookies don't hang around longer than needed.

What are first-party and third-party cookies?

⚠Warning: Access to third-party cookies may be impacted by user settings, browser restrictions or Enterprise policy. If you've set SameSite=None on your cookies in the past you will need to take additional action. Learn how to prepare for third-party cookie restrictions.

If you go back to that same selection of sites you were looking at before, you probably noticed that there were cookies present for a variety of domains, not just the one you were currently visiting. Cookies that match the domain of the current site, that is, what's displayed in the browser's address bar, are referred to as first-party cookies. Similarly, cookies from domains other than the current site are referred to as third-party cookies. This isn't an absolute label but is relative to the user's context; the same cookie can be either first-party or third-party depending on which site the user is on at the time.

Continuing the earlier example, let's say one of your blog posts has a picture of a particularly amazing cat in it and it's hosted at /blog/img/amazing-cat.png. Because it's such an amazing image, another person uses it directly on their site. If a visitor has been to your blog and has the promo_shown cookie, then when they view amazing-cat.png on the other person's site that cookie will be sent in that request for the image. This isn't particularly useful for anyone since promo_shown isn't used for anything on this other person's site, it's just adding overhead to the request.

If that's an unintended effect, why would you want to do this? It's this mechanism that allows sites to maintain state when they are being used in a third-party context. For example, if you embed a YouTube video on your site then visitors will see a "Watch later" option in the player. If your visitor is already signed in to YouTube, that session is being made available in the embedded player by a third-party cookie—meaning that "Watch later" button will just save the video in one go rather than prompting them to sign in or having to navigate them away from your page and back over to YouTube.

One of the cultural properties of the web is that it's tended to be open by default. This is part of what has made it possible for so many people to create their own content and apps there. However, this has also brought a number of security and privacy concerns. Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks rely on the fact that cookies are attached to any request to a given origin, no matter who initiates the request. For example, if you visit evil.example then it can trigger requests to your-blog.example, and your browser will happily attach the associated cookies. If your blog isn't careful with how it validates those requests then evil.example could trigger actions like deleting posts or adding their own content.

Users are also becoming more aware of how cookies can be used to track their activity across multiple sites. However until now there hasn't been a way to explicitly state your intent with the cookie. Your promo_shown cookie should only be sent in a first-party context, whereas a session cookie for a widget meant to be embedded on other sites is intentionally there for providing the signed-in state in a third-party context.

You can explicitly state your intent with a cookie by setting the appropriate SameSite attribute.

To identify your first-party cookies and set appropriate attributes, check out First-party cookie recipes.

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