35 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Burning Recipes

From turkey burgers to banana smoothies, these simple calorie-burning recipes will help you lose weight fast.



 quick-easy-recipes

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Foods that fight fat

Losing weight—and keeping the pounds off—isn't a quick or easy process, but a few simple diet tricks can be a big help along the way. Our favorites? Eating lots of protein, fiber, and healthy carbs, which boost your metabolism and keep you feeling full all day long.

If you're not sure how to work these calorie-burning ingredients into your daily menu, start with these recipes. They all include at least one weight-loss superfood, and, best of all, they can be made in 30 minutes or less!

 broccoli-feta-omelet
2 of 35 Jim Bathie
Broccoli & Feta Omelet with Toast

This easy breakfast recipe, which takes just 15 minutes start to finish, packs a one-two punch that will leave you feeling satisfied yet energized.

The broccoli provides filling fiber (and just 30 calories per serving), while the protein-loaded eggs curb appetite and will help stave off those late-morning cravings.

Try this recipe: Broccoli & Feta Omelet with Toast


 green-tea-weight-loss

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Spiced Green Tea Smoothie

Green tea is one of the top fat-burning foods, thanks to a metabolism-boosting compound known as EGCG. In one study, drinking four cups of green tea a day helped people shed more than six pounds in eight weeks!

This rich smoothie is perfect if you get tired of sipping hot green tea. Flavored with cayenne spices, lemon, and agave nectar, it provides all the nutritional benefits of green tea and will fill you up, to boot.

Watch the video: Spiced Green Tea Smoothie

Try this recipe: Spiced Green Tea Smoothie


 chocolate-dipped-bananas

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Chocolate-Dipped Banana Bites

Dessert doesn't have to erase a healthy meal! The bananas in this easier-than-pie dessert—all you need is a knife and a microwave—are a rich source of resistant starch, a type of healthy carbohydrate that helps you burn calories and eat less.

As an added bonus, the semisweet chocolate contains healthy fats to further rev your metabolism.

Try this recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Banana Bites

Related video: Chocolate Banana Bites



 banana-almond-toast

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Banana & Almond Butter Toast

This simple yet tasty morning pick-me-up features no fewer than three of the best foods to eat for breakfast. The bananas and whole-grain rye bread are high in resistant starch, to help boost metabolism, while the almond butter adds hunger-curbing protein and healthy monounsaturated fats.

One slice contains just 280 calories, but it's guaranteed to keep you full until lunchtime.


Try this recipe: Banana & Almond Butter Toast
 honey-grapefruit
6 of 35 Oxmoor House
Honey Grapefruit with Banana

Trying to trim down or stay slim? You can't go wrong with this tangy tropical fruit salad, perfect for breakfast or as a colorful side dish at brunch. Grapefruit is one of the best foods for weight loss, studies show—perhaps because of the effect it has on insulin, a fat-storage hormone.

What's more, grapefruit is deceptively filling. It has one of the highest water concentrations of any fruit (about 90% of its weight is water), and all that juice fills you up fast and prevents overeating.

Try this recipe: Honey Grapefruit with Banana


 grilled-chicken-summer-succotash

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Grilled Chicken Cutlets With Summer Succotash

You can burn up to 300 extra calories every day just by eating the right foods. Watch the video to learn how to put together a chicken recipe that burns fat and calories, helping you to slim down faster. Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to make!

Watch the video: An Amazing 5-Minute Fat-Burning Chicken Recipe



 white-bean-dip

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White Bean & Herb Hummus with Crudites

Tired of bland supermarket hummus? It only takes five minutes to whip up a batch of this flavorful, fiber-rich version in your own kitchen. All you need is four ingredients: lemon, hearty-healthy olive oil, chives, and—last but not least—white beans, which contain nearly 4 grams of resistant starch per serving.

Pair with assorted raw vegetables, like broccoli, to get even more fiber and fat-burning resistant starch from this wholesome snack.

Try this recipe: White Bean & Herb Hummus with Crudites


 bbq-turkey-burger

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BBQ Turkey Burgers

This fresh spin on burgers is a delicious new way to cut back on beef and eat more turkey, an excellent source of lean protein and a favorite weight-loss food of Jillian Michaels, Biggest Loser trainer and Health magazine cover model.

"Lean protein helps you stay fuller for longer," Michaels tells us. "It has the amino acids that are the building blocks for muscle."

Try this recipe: BBQ Turkey Burgers




 middle-eastern-rice-salad

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Middle Eastern Rice Salad

This 20-minute dish, which works equally well as a side or a stand-alone meal, is filled to the brim with nutritious ingredients. When it comes to fat burning, though, they're all outshined by the chickpeas.

Just one half-cup of these hearty beans—a staple of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine—contains more than 2 grams, and enough protein and fiber to fill you up without weighing you down.

Try this recipe: Middle Eastern Rice Salad


 energy-revving-quinoa

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Energy-Revving Quinoa

Quinoa is one of the trendiest foods around, and for good reason: This earthy whole grain, which hails from South America, is packed with protein and fiber—a perfect combination for those who are looking to stay energized and keep their metabolism humming.

Black beans (another excellent source of fiber), fresh veggies, and fragrant spices round out this satisfying dish. Make it as a main meal for lunch or as a side dish with dinner.

Watch the video: Energy-Revving Quinoa

Try this recipe: Energy-Revving Quinoa
 barley-banana-sunflower
12 of 35 Jim Bathie
Breakfast Barley with Banana & Sunflower Seeds

Looking for a healthy start to your day? Tired of oatmeal? Switch things up with this crunchy breakfast bowl. The combination of barley and banana provides nearly 8 grams of resistant starch, plus metabolism-boosting fiber, making this an ultra-satisfying morning meal.

And trust us, it's not nearly as boring as it looks: A spoonful of honey and a sprinkling of sunflower seeds give this hearty dish a delicious sweet-and-salty finish.

Try this recipe: Breakfast Barley with Banana & Sunflower Seeds


 curried-egg-salad
13 of 35 Jim Bathie
Curried Egg Salad Sandwich

Eggs are an ideal food for dieters. They're tasty, low in calories (about 80 per egg), and filled with satisfying protein that helps curb cravings. In fact, it's a shame to eat them only at breakfast.

This egg salad recipe, a zesty twist on a classic, offers a healthy new way to work eggs into lunchtime. The low-fat Greek yogurt used in place of mayo dials down the fat and calories, while the curry powder provides a jolt of antioxidants.

Try this recipe: Curried Egg Salad Sandwich



 salmon-noodle-bowl

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Salmon Noodle Bowl

This 30-minute meal offers a bounty of nutritious and metabolism-boosting ingredients in a single bowl. The salmon and avocado are loaded with healthy fats, and the noodles and veggies are high in fiber.

The asparagus are the unsung hero of this dish, providing a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, folate, and iron.

Watch the video: Metabolism-Boosting Recipe: Salmon Noodle Bowl

Try this recipe: Salmon Noodle Bowl


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Greek Yogurt Fruit Parfait

If you're trying to shed a few pounds, this parfait might just be the perfect breakfast. Each layer—nectarines, plums, nuts, yogurt, puffed rice—provides a healthy dose of slimming fiber or protein.

Heck, this 5-minute dish is filling enough to have for lunch, thanks to the Greek yogurt, which is thicker, creamier, and more satisfying than regular low-fat yogurt.

Try this recipe: Greek Yogurt Fruit Parfait

Related video: How to Make Greek Yogurt Fruit Parfait

16 of 35 Randy Mayor
Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles

This traditional Mexican breakfast food requires only eight ingredients, including chicken, queso blanco, and corn tortillas. It may look sinful, but because it's baked (rather than fried), it comes in under 300 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat per serving.

The key ingredient for weight-conscious eaters? Black beans. Their high protein and fiber content make them another weight-loss superfood.

Try this recipe: Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles

17 of 35 Melissa Punch
Spicy Southwestern Black Bean Chili

Did someone say black beans? This hearty soup, which delivers 17 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber per serving, is a delicious showcase for these super-healthy legumes.

What's more, this recipe features two types of hot pepper: chili powder and jalapeños. As with all spicy foods, eating these peppers lights a fire under your metabolism, increasing your calorie burn rate.

Try this recipe: Spicy Southwestern Black Bean Chili
18 of 35 Melissa Punch
Creamy Avocado Cups

Put down the chips and dip! These simple bites will quell those mid-afternoon hunger pangs—and at just 30 calories a pop. (They're also perfect as party hors d'oeuvres.)

The source of this snack's appetite-suppressing power is oleic acid, a compound found in avocados' healthy monounsaturated fats. Oleic acid triggers the production of another compound in the small intestine, oleoylethanolamide, which send fullness signals to the brain.

Try this recipe: Creamy Avocado Cups


 grill-salmon-pineapple
19 of 35 Rita Maas
Pan-Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

Lean protein is essential to any successful weight-loss plan. And there's no better source of lean protein than salmon, which has the added benefit of being filled with monounsaturated fats.

These healthy fats have been shown to be a natural aid to weight loss. A 2001 study, for instance, found that people eating a MUFA-rich diet lost an average of nine pounds, while their counterparts on a low-fat diet gained six, on average.

Try this recipe: Pan-Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
 italian-garbanzo-salad
20 of 35 Karry Hosford
Italian Garbanzo Salad

This vegetarian salad is a textbook example of the Mediterranean diet, which has become renowned for its ability to promote overall health, including a healthy weight.

This salad features some of the diet's key pillars: low-fat dairy (represented here by feta cheese), fresh vegetables (tomato, onion), healthy fats (olive oil), and lean protein (chickpeas). Best of all, one serving (1 cup) is only 159 calories!

Try this recipe: Italian Garbanzo Salad




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Raw Kale, Grapefruit, and Toasted Hazelnut Salad

Grapefruit—the scene-stealer of this salad—has a long-standing reputation for spurring weight loss. In fact, eating it at every meal was the basis of a fad diet that began in the 1930s and has made something of a comeback lately.

Guess what? It might actually work. In a 2006 study, overweight people who ate half a grapefruit at the beginning of each meal lost more weight than their fellow participants.

Watch the video: Fat-Burning Recipe: Kale, Grapefruit, and Hazelnut Salad

Try this recipe: Raw Kale, Grapefruit, and Toasted Hazelnut Salad
22 of 35 Jim Bathie
Dark Chocolate & Oat Clusters

Yes, desserts can help burn fat too! These tasty clusters offer up two appetite-suppressing ingredients: The oatmeal contains 1.7 grams of resistant starch, and the dark chocolate is full of healthy fats to help curb cravings.

Peanut butter—the glue that holds the clusters together—also provides satiating protein. The result? One satisfying and guilt-free treat.

Try this recipe: Dark Chocolate & Oat Clusters


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Avocado Whip

Sick of guacamole? Try this even creamier alternative, which gets its distinctive flavor from tahini and takes just five minutes to prepare.

Serve it as a dip for veggies, or use it as a spread on sandwiches. Either way, you'll get plenty of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats to help speed metabolism and keep you feeling full.

Watch the video: Metabolism-Boosting Recipe: Avocado Whip

Try this recipe: Avocado Whip
 crisp-chickpea-slaw
24 of 35 Travis Rathbone
Crisp Chickpea Slaw

Make this slaw for your weekday lunch or weekend picnic. Trust us: You—and your picnic buddies—won’t be able to tell how healthy it is.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are loaded with slimming resistant starch. They’re also a great source of protein and fiber, which will help keep you full until dinnertime.

Try this recipe: Crisp Chickpea Slaw

 red-lentil-hummus
25 of 35 Travis Rathbone
Red-Lentil Hummus

Lentils are a great substitute for chickpeas when it comes to making hummus. The red lentils used in this dip are a nice change of pace, but you won't lose any of the metabolism-boosting benefits associated with traditional hummus.

Lentils are loaded with filling fiber and protein, so just a little will go a long way in keeping you full. Enjoy this dip with raw broccoli or toasted whole-grain pita wedges.

Try this recipe: Red-Lentil Hummus


 banana-nut-oatmeal

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Banana Nut Oatmeal

Banana nut muffins are delicious, sure, but they're also a disaster for your waistline. Here's the next best thing: Get all of the flavor you love with fewer calories and more fat-burning ingredients.

Both oatmeal and banana are powerhouses for appetite-suppressing resistant starch. Plus, the walnuts provide heart-healthy fats.

Try this recipe: Banana Nut Oatmeal


 lentil-soup-toasted-pita
27 of 35 Jim Bathie
Greek Lentil Soup with Toasted Pita

Brothy, thin soups may not fill you up, but this thick 30-minute Greek soup with whole-grain pita wedges will keep you full until your next meal. The dish is full of satiating lentils, which provide more than one-third of the recommended daily intake of protein and more than half the recommended intake of protein. Plus, you get 5.3 grams of resistant starch per bowl.

Try this recipe: Greek Lentil Soup with Toasted Pita
 ham-pear-swiss
28 of 35 Jim Bathie
Ham, Sliced Pear & Swiss Sandwich

This recipe is drooling with flavors and textures: Swiss cheese, pear, lean ham, yogurt-dill sauce, and pumpernickel bread. And it's loaded with filling fiber! One sandwich provides nearly one-third of your recommended daily intake of fiber, with the pear alone providing 15%.

Tip: Don't peel the skin; that's where most of the fiber-goodness is found. If you're looking for a hot meal, lightly spray the outsides of the bread with olive oil spray and press in a pan to make a grilled panini.

Try this recipe: Ham, Sliced Pear & Swiss Sandwich


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Sunflower Lentil Spread

Try this spread in a veggie wrap or on whole-grain pita wedges for an afternoon snack. Either way, the mix of sunflower seeds and lentils will keep your belly satisfied. Lentils are a powerhouse provider of resistant starch, and in this recipe, they help you get nearly one-third of your way to your daily 10-gram goal.

Watch the video: Sunflower Lentil Spread

Try this recipe: Sunflower Lentil Spread
 banana-almond-smoothie
30 of 35 Travis Rathbone
Spiced Banana-Almond Smothie

This satisfying smoothie is the perfect post-workout snack to cool you down and help soothe sore muscles. You'll get double the appetite-suppressing ingredients, with protein-rich almonds and bananas, which are loaded with resistant starch.

Try this recipe: Spiced Banana-Almond Smoothie

 Eggs-Rice-Salad
31 of 35 Travis Rathbone
Egg and Rice Salad To Go

This 10-minute salad-to-go combines fresh flavors and colors from green beans, a hard-boiled egg, plums, walnuts, and brown rice.

Brown rice is a hearty, fiber-packed grain that's low in calories and high in resistant starch. A protein-packed hard-boiled egg and walnuts, which contain healthy omega-3 fats, pair together to help keep you full.

Try this recipe: Egg and Rice Salad to Go
 all-american-chili
32 of 35 Randy Mayor
All-American Chili

This comfort-food favorite has two killer fat-burning ingredients: red kidney beans and a generous two teaspoons of chili powder.

The kidney beans are chock full of protein, helping this dish deliver a whopping 29 grams per serving (not to mention a full 8 grams of protein). The chili powder, meanwhile, gets its kick from capsaicin, a fiery compound found in chili peppers that literally heats up your body, spurring it to burn more calories.

Try this recipe: All-American Chili


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Eggs Benedict With Smoked Salmon and Avocado Sauce

Eggs Benedict is a delicious and classic brunch dish. But English muffins topped with buttery hollandaise sauce isn’t exactly the kindest combo for your waistline. For a healthier twist on your favorite savory a.m. treat, try this recipe for eggs benedict with smoked salmon and avocado. In this version, we swap the empty-carb English muffins for portabello mushrooms, and pile on an omega-3-packed serving of smoked salmon. And instead of hollandaise, we use a creamy avocado sauce, which also adds a dose of healthy fat.

Try this recipe: Healthy Eggs Benedict

 asian-rice-noodle-salad-fresh-fast
34 of 35 Lindsey Rose Johnson

Asian Rice Noodle Salad

This super-easy Asian rice noodle salad is the perfect healthy meal to whip up when you’re short on time. It’s really light, but still packed with filling and fat-burning brown rice, along with heart-healthy cabbage. Bonus: If you have leftover coleslaw, you can sauté it with garlic and ginger, then add a protein for a faster-than-takeout mu shu.

Try this recipe: Asian Rice Noodle Salad

35 of 35 Lindsey Rose Johnson
Citrus Salad with Crispy Quinoa

When the weather gets chilly, a salad likely isn’t the first thing you crave. Instead, you’re probably tempted to indulge on not-so-healthy comfort foods. But good news: There are plenty of ways to make your meals both nutritious and satisfying. When it comes to salad, try topping your greens with some warm quinoa for a boost of protein (and comfort). No matter what time of year, this citrus salad with crispy quinoa and avocado is sure to hit the spot.

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Healthy eating

It can also help lower your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of some cancers.

Even if you already have a heart condition, a healthy diet can benefit your heart.

A balanced diet
Everyone should aim for a well balanced diet. Faddy crash diets may not provide the balance of nutrients you need.

The best way to understand it is to think of foods in food groups.

Try to eat:

plenty of fruit and vegetables
plenty of starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta. Choose wholegrain varieties wherever possible
some milk and dairy products
some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
only a small amount of foods and drinks high in fats and/or sugar.
Choose options that are lower in fat, salt and sugar whenever you can.

Fruit and vegetables
A well-balanced diet should include at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. Try to vary the types of fruit and veg you eat.

They can be fresh, frozen, dried or tinned. Pure unsweetened fruit juice, pulses and beans count as a portion, but they only make up a maximum of one of your five a day, however much you eat in one day.

A portion is about a handful (80g or 3oz), for example:

4 broccoli florets
1 pear
3 heaped tablespoons of carrots
7-8 strawberries
Sign up to our free Heart Matters service where you can access our portion finder and healthy recipe finder.

Fats
To help look after your heart health it is important to make sure you choose the right type of fats.

So to help keep your heart healthy:

Replace saturated fats with small amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats
Cut down on foods containing trans fats.
It's also important to remember that all fats and oils are high in calories, so even the unsaturated fats should only be used in small amounts.

Saturated fat
Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which can increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Unsaturated fats
Unsaturated fats, which can be monounsaturated fats (for example olive oil, rapeseed oil, almonds, unsalted cashews and avocado) or polyunsaturated fats (including sunflower oil and vegetable oil, walnuts, sunflower seeds and oily fish) are a healthier choice.

Trans fats
Another type of fat, known as trans fat, can also raise the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

Saturated fat guidelines
At the moment UK guidelines encourage us to swap saturated fats for unsaturated fats.  You might have seen reports about a study we helped to fund which suggests there’s not enough evidence to back the current UK guidelines on the types of fat we eat. We think more research is needed before suggesting any major changes to healthy eating guidance.

Salt
Eating too much salt can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. Having high blood pressure increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Alcohol
If you drink alcohol, it's important to keep within the recommended guidelines - whether you drink every day, once or twice a week or just occasionally.

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6 Tips To Help You Become A Better Employee And Start To Enjoy Your Job

It sounds obvious, but our jobs play a big part in our lives.

From the moment we clock in at 9 and leave at the day's end, most of us spend 8 hours a day trying to do a good job. Without it we don't get paid - and with no money we can't live.

As such we try to enjoy what we do, but unfortunately many people get that horrible feeling of dread on a Sunday night and count down the hours until Friday.

become a better employeeIf you recognise that feeling then read on, because there's plenty of things you can do to not only start to actually enjoy your job you'll become a better employee at the same time.

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10 Things to Do Today to Be a Better Manager

Listed below are ten things you can do to become a better manager. Pick one. Do it today. Pick another one for tomorrow. In two weeks you will be a better manager.

Select the Best People
As a manager, you are only as good as the people on your team. Give yourself a better chance to succeed by picking the best people from the start.

Be a Motivator
Human beings do things because we want to. Sometimes we want to because the consequences of not wanting to do something are unpleasant.


However, most of the time we want to do things because of what we get out of it.

It's no different at work; people do good work for the pay, or the prestige, or the recognition. They do bad work because they want to take it easy and still get paid. They work hard because they want to impress someone. To motivate your people better, figure out what they want and how you can give that to them for doing what you want them to do.

Here are some ideas:

The Lesson of the Red Horse
Build Your Team
It is not enough that people are motivated to succeed at work. They have to work together as a team to accomplish the group's objective. After all, if we just want them to all "do their own thing" we don't need you as a manager to mold them into a team, do we?

Here are some ways to improve your team building skills:

There Is No "I" In Team
Team Building
Be a Leader, Not Only a Manager
You have built the best team from the best employee available.

You motivated them to peak performance. What is missing? Motivating a team is worthless unless you provide direction; unless you turn that motivation toward a goal and lead the team to it. It is the ability to lead others that truly sets a manager apart from their peers. Remember that leaders are found at all levels of the organization, so be one.


Here are a couple of examples, one good and one bad:

The Best Leader I Ever Knew
The Toxic Boss Syndrome
Improve as a Communicator
Communication may be the single most important skill of a manager. After all, all the others depend on it. You can't be a leader if you can't communicate your vision. You can't motivate people if they can't understand what you want. Communication skills can be improved through practice. Here are two exercises you can use to improve your ability to communicate effectively.

Getting Your Point Across
Writing for Business
Get Better at Managing Money
A company has to make money to stay in business. That means bringing money in the door, and it means spending less than you bring in. Depending on your function in the organization, you may have more influence on one area or the other, but you need to understand both. You can help your company, your employees, and yourself be getting better at managing the company's money.

Don't be put off by the numbers, or by the fact that "it's math." Start learning more about money management by reading these articles:

How To Read An Income Statement
But Am I Making Any Money?
Get Better at Managing Time
The one thing you will probably have less of at work than money is time.


The better you get at managing time, yours and others, the more effective you will be as a manager. Here are two key skills:

Project Management 101
Pareto's Principle - The 80-20 Rule
Improve Yourself
Don't focus so hard on your people that you forget about yourself. Identify the areas in which you are weak and improve them. The fact that you are reading this article shows you understand the concept. You need to put it into practice.

Management Tips for Personal Development
Management Books You Need To Read
Practice Ethical Management
Enron-like scandals have driven home the point about how important ethics is in business. If you want to avoid similar mistakes, here are some things to consider:​

Take a Break

You are less effective as a manager if you are over-stressed. You are less tolerant. You snap at people more.

No one wants to be anywhere near you. Take a break. Give yourself a chance to relax and recharge your batteries. Your increased productivity when you return will more than makeup for the time you take off. Have a good laugh or go lie on a beach somewhere.​

Bottom Line

Management is a skill that can be learned. You can improve as a manager by working every day to get better. Bookmark this page and come back every day for the next two weeks. If you pick one subject each day and work on improving in that area, you will be a better manager before you know it. And others will notice it too.

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5 Tips to Improve Your Career Development

Career management isn't just a nice-to, it's a must do if you expect to gain maximum success and happiness from the hours you invest in work. Face it, you are likely going to work 40 hours a week for your adult life. Why not make it the best 40 hours that you can create?

Career management in which you plan and work to obtain new skills, capabilities, and experiences, is the answer. Share your goals with your boss and you have a partner who can help you broaden your experience.


When most employees think about their careers, they have not thought past their current job or the next promotion that they'd like to receive. They need to broaden their short term thinking. As employees are promoted up the organization chart, fewer jobs become available, yet continuing to grow skills and experience should still be a priority for people obtaining value from their career.

Here are a few ways in which you can collaborate with your boss to manage your career.

Job shadow other employees in your company to learn about different jobs.
Explore lateral moves to broaden and deepen your experience.
Attend classes and training sessions to increase your knowledge.
Hold book clubs at work to develop knowledge, and share terminology, concepts, and team building with coworkers.
Seek a mentor from a different department that you'd like to explore.
5 Tips for Career Development
Here are additional thoughts about career management and Dr. Tracey Wilen-Daugenti (pictured), Vice President and Managing Director of Apollo Research Institute and Visiting Scholar in Stanford University's Media X program, recommends five additional career management strategies.

Could your career development and management use help to gain momentum? People who are the most successful and satisfied in their careers have proactively determined what they want from work. Once they’ve decided on their goals, they make a plan to accomplish the goals.
Developing a timeline with career goals and expected milestones is also an effective way to manage your career. Bringing your boss and his or her sponsorship and mentoring into the picture will ensure that you have an internal mentor who will help you manage your career.

Some companies have formal programs to help employees develop their careers. In others, you will need to informally pursue your career development. Companies with programs generally focus energy on helping employees develop and follow a career path.
The career path is discussed at several meetings bi-annually with the employee’s boss. The company doesn’t own the career path; the employee does. But, the company demonstrates commitment to its employees by assisting where possible with resources of time and dollars.
Career paths are recommended for the same reason that I recommend goals. They are the written plan that can help each employee focus on what is most important to his or her fulfillment and success. Without a plan, you can feel rudderless and you have no benchmark against which you can measure your progress.
5 Tips for Strategic Career Management
Dr. Tracey Wilen-Daugenti, Vice President and Managing Director of Apollo Research Institute and Visiting Scholar in Stanford University's Media X program, recommends these additional career management strategies. "Succeeding in a demanding, changing workplace requires a strategic career management plan. Employers want to attract, hire and retain employees who provide the best value.

So consider yourself a business with a product to sell, and create a strategy for marketing your workplace value.

Data from the Apollo Research Institute on the future of education, work and careers suggests the following five career management strategies:

"Proactively engage your manager in a discussion about your career goals, and collaborate to create a career development plan. The most significant opportunity to exert influence is to involve your manager in the career planning process.
"Investigate short- and long-term skill requirements. If your goal is to be the Vice President of Human Resources, understand the education, skills, technology, and experience requirements, and develop interim career plans for achieving your long-term career goal.
"To increase your knowledge of career options, request one-on-one informational meetings with colleagues and managers. The purpose of these brief meetings is to gather information to help you make educated career decisions. People are generally willing to share their success stories and advice.
"Volunteer to complete challenging projects and assignments. One of the best ways to advance your career is to identify an organizational problem and propose a solution. By offering to implement the solution, you will not only increase your visibility as a problem-solver in the organization, but you might also expand your skills in the process.
"Consult the Human Resources department to learn about career development and job opportunities such as tuition reimbursement for a college degree or certification, in-house technical or professional training courses and available job openings. Take advantage of available opportunities. Maintain your momentum and commit to continuous skill building and improvement. By planning your career strategy, you are increasing your chances of staying employable and achieving your long-term career goals."
Each of us has a certain number of years to invest in working and making a living. Having a job is fine, but creating a career will maximize your opportunities for success. To have a successful career requires that you pursue career management strategies like these.

A successful career doesn’t happen unthinkingly. It needs planning, tending, and frequent review. Are you ready to pursue these career development strategies?

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7 Ways to Save Your Health

Every time you've ever stressed over work issues, skipped out on needed exercise or simply pushed your vegetables to the side of the plate, your body has been busy remembering and making you pay for it ever since. Hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, cancer, heart disease and most other major diseases are more the result of how you have treated yourself in the past than genetics, says Pamela M. Peeke, M.D., M.P.H., assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and author of Fight Fat After Forty (Viking, 2000).

Neglecting seemingly small things in your lifestyle can have a cumulative effect that usually doesn't show itself until serious damage has been done. "Taking the critical steps that can change your life for the better doesn't have to mean a lot of thinking and tremendous sacrifice," Peeke says. With the help of a few experts, we found seven surprisingly simple changes that you can make right now, and any single one can improve your health significantly without requiring as much effort as you would expect. If you're ready to change your life for the better, these easy-to-follow tips may be your best approach.

1. Get one more hour of sleep.

The average woman needs eight-and-a-half to nine hours of sleep, but typically gets only six to seven. That one- to two-hour loss can have more bad effects than just a set of saggy eyes. "Studies have suggested that sleep deprivation can affect every aspect of how the body functions, from the ability to memorize and logically reason to the repair of neurons and development of muscle," says Paul T. Gross, M.D., director of the sleep disorders center at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass. Finding time for an extra hour or two of sleep a day can decrease your risk of being affected, but to boost bedtime, aim to:


Go to bed and wake up at a set time every day, even on your days off. "Sleeping in" on weekends can disrupt your sleep cycle later in the week.

Stay away from alcohol for at least two hours before bedtime. Alcohol may make you sleepy, but it also prevents REM sleep, the deepest kind of rest, making whatever sleep you manage to get less restorative.

Take a nap. Snagging a 15- to 20-minute nap between 1 and 4 p.m. can improve your alertness, sharpen your memory and help reduce fatigue. If your schedule doesn't permit a siesta, try reserving this lull in alertness for less mentally demanding activities.

Watch when you work out. Exercising for at least 20-30 minutes a day promotes sleep, but avoid working out for at least four to six hours before bedtime. Revving up your body and releasing adrenaline may keep you too alert to pass out when you need to.

2. Drink three more glasses of water a day.

"By the time you get thirsty, your body is already about 2 percent low on water," says Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., R.D., author of Power Eating (Human Kinetics, 1998). "Losing just 1-2 percent of your body weight in fluid can lower your physical and mental performance by up to 20 percent." This syndrome, known as chronic mild dehydration, can negatively affect every function of the body. "All biochemical connections throughout the body either occur in water or use water as a conduit," Kleiner explains. "If you are not well hydrated, everything from joint lubrication, digestion and reproduction to breathing can be compromised."

The minimum amount of water every woman should be getting is nine glasses a day (roughly 72 ounces). "Yet most women only get around five to six glasses," Kleiner says. Adding just 24 extra ounces each day (three glasses) can correct this. To make drinking more water much easier to swallow:


Switch to a larger glass. Mealtimes are prime opportunities to get more water; so to use them to easily get more H2O, simply reach for a glass that's slightly larger than the one you typically use.

Add an ounce of fruit juice. Mixing in a very small amount of orange, lemon or lime juice (or even a hint of vanilla extract) can add just enough flavor to make drinking plain old water a bit more palatable.

Compensate when having caffeine. Can't kick your coffee or diet-cola habit? For every caffeinated beverage you drink, consume 8 ounces of water alongside it. Not only will that extra water help maintain your fluid levels, it may even prevent you from consuming as much caffeine as you usually would.

3. Eat a few extra vegetables.

"Packed with fiber, vitamins and anti-oxidative phytochemicals, vegetables can make a profound difference in decreasing your risk of obesity, certain types of cancer, gastrointestinal problems and a host of other diseases," says Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Smart (Alpha Books, 1997). But most women get only about half as many vegetable servings as they should each day.

If you're like many women, you may tend to eat garden-grown items only at lunch and dinner. So try sneaking veggies into your morning meals. To boost your daily intake as much as 33 percent, add spinach and mushrooms to your breakfast omelet, put a slice of tomato on your toast and drink a glass of carrot juice. And to maximize your daily intake:

Add one new vegetable each week. Instead of always sticking with vegetables you know, make a point of trying one new type (such as bok choy, kale, broccolini or butternut squash) every week. "By making the act of discovering new veggies part of your weekly ritual, you'll eat more vegetables regularly without even realizing it," Bauer says.


Opt for the brightest in the bunch. In general, it doesn't matter what color a vegetable is, so long as that color is bright. The richer the color, the more nutrient-dense the vegetable is, whether it's bright yellow, red, orange or green.

4. Add resistance exercise to your regular routine.

"By the time you're 25, a sedentary life works against you," says Heather Dillinger, national certification specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America. That's because the average woman's metabolism begins to slow down in her late 20s to early 30s, due to a loss of about 1/2 to 1 pound of muscle (which burns 35-50 calories a day) every year. This translates into a slowed metabolism, which increases body fat.

Compensating for these natural changes just takes incorporating regular resistance training into your week. To keep those unwanted pounds off for good, add a few extra minutes to your usual cardio routine, a small addition that can even extend your life. If squeezing any more exercise into your life seems impossible, aim to:

Choose compound exercises instead of isolation movements. "Women tend to dedicate their workouts to exercises that only work one muscle group at a time," Dillinger says. Using compound moves such as lunges, squats, dumbbell presses and pull-ups, which work several muscle groups together, can make your gym time more productive and multiply your results.

Make working out a priority. Trying to leave a meeting or event by using exercise as an excuse never seems justifiable to most people, or to your conscience. "Make each and every workout a standing appointment," Dillinger says. No one at work needs to know where you're going or what you're doing. All anyone needs to hear is that you have a commitment somewhere else.


Crunch in between. Instead of saving your crunches for last, after you've finished working your butt, back and legs, do a set of crunches in between each set of your regular weight workout. You'll not only turn your routine into a circuit that burns more calories, but you'll finish your ab routine without ever feeling like you've started, giving you a few extra minutes for more exercise.

5. Let go of one stressful thing each week.

"Unrelieved stress affects almost every function of the body, causing insomnia, high blood pressure, constipation, depression and an assortment of anxiety-driven aches and pains," says Pamela Peeke. Left untreated, the long-term effects of stress are much more serious, contributing to heart disease, ulcers, immune-system deficiencies and hypertension.

And what's causing your stress may surprise you. "Most women's stress comes from simply not knowing if they're on target with their lives," says Julie Morgenstern, founder and owner of Task Masters in New York City and author of Time Management From the Inside Out (Henry Holt, 2000). Stopping to figure out one or two big-picture goals for the six major areas of life (family, work, finance, self, community and intellectual goals) can help.

Once you have well-defined goals, they become amazing filters to sift what is important from what isn't, bringing into your life a perspective that can lower stress and the amount of disease-inflicting cortisol that comes along with it. To be sure you are investing your time wisely, use these guidelines:


Organize your personal life like your office. "Most people waste an average of three hours each day when they don't plan what to do next," Morgenstern says. Structuring certain parts of your home (such as setting aside a section to pay bills with a bills box, letter opener and your checkbook or keeping a basket for newspapers and magazines next to your favorite reading chair) just like your office (according to your priorities) can help make sure your downtime is just as efficient.

Give yourself five every hour. Getting enough "me" time is something most people never seem to do. Instead of trying to save up time for the end of your busy day, step away from your work for five minutes every hour. "Taking a walk, reading a personal letter or doing something small that makes you happy, but that also won't keep you from your duties and create additional stress, can make a world of difference in your day," Morgenstern says.

Learn to dissipate anger. Staying angry creates competitive situations that make us unnecessarily aggressive, even at "rest." Instead of holding on to negative feelings or viewing yourself as a victim, let feelings go by reconciling, restructuring or, if necessary, even ending relationships. Be clear about how you need to be treated, and teach others how to treat you.

6. Lose a few pounds.

"If you're overweight, dropping just 5-10 percent of your total body weight can have a profound effect on reducing your chances of many cardiovascular and arterial complications, as well as a variety of weight-induced diseases," says Jeff Novick, M.S., R.D., L.D., director of nutrition for the Florida Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Aventura. Regular exercise and a proper diet that derives less than 30 percent of its calories from fat can help, but shaving additional calories can take a few tweaks in what you're used to. To lose those last stubborn pounds, aim to:

Eat six to seven smaller meals instead of three large ones. This may feel like a backward step from weight loss, but spreading your daily calorie intake among several small meals can help curb binges.


Eat as if you're broke when dining out. Vegetable and other plant-based meals (such as veggie fajitas or vegetable lo mein, for example) tend to cost a dollar or so less than meat-based entrees. Look for the cheapest items on the menu, and chances are, you'll find meals that contain less fat and more nutrition than the rest of the fare.

Count fiber, not calories. "Research has shown that individuals who eat more fiber tend to gain less weight," Novick says. Foods that are naturally high in fiber tend to have fewer calories and leave you feeling more satisfied. Rule of thumb: Shoot for at least 25-35 grams of fiber each day.

Have a low-energy-density dish before every major meal. A Pennsylvania State University study has shown that eating a low-fat, low-energy-density dish (filled with fruits, vegetables and other foods rich in water and fiber, such as soup) before a main meal can reduce the total amount of calories consumed during the entire meal by 26 percent.

7. Get an annual medical exam.

"Many of the health issues that affect women as they get older actually start showing up in their late teens and early 20s," says Pamela Peeke. "For nine out of 10 women, their obstetrician/gynecologist ends up acting as their primary-care physician, offering an annual exam that typically centers on the reproductive system." However, a family doctor has the means to perform lab tests such as cholesterol screening and checking skin growths that should be monitored regularly.

To get the best of both worlds, pick a physician who's either an internist or family practitioner to perform your annual check-up. Both can perform all of the necessary tests that an OB/GYN and primary-care physician can do. To get the most from your checkup:


Share your sexual history with your doctor. If you're sexually active and nonmonogamous, informing your doctor about your past encounters can give her an indication of which sexually transmitted diseases you may have been exposed to and should be tested for.

Get a complete blood count. Many women are prone to anemia from excessive menstrual bleeding and eating low-calorie diets lacking iron-rich meats. If your total blood count is low, Peeke recommends asking for a ferritin test, an iron-specific examination that can determine if you may be at risk.

Request a urinalysis. A urine test can detect abnormal kidney functioning. Finding unusual things such as red blood cells in the urine can detect early kidney disease, while excess sugar could reveal if you're pre-diabetic. "[Given the recent] 76 percent increase in adult-onset (Type II) diabetes, this simple test can prevent a lifetime of discomfort," Peeke says.

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Helping Women with Cancer Feel Beautiful Inside and Out

At the age of 17, I came to Paris as a student ambassador and the first thing that I set out to buy was lingerie. After all, the “French look” starts with that first layer: sexy underwear. So, some 25 years later, when I happened upon the boutique l’Embellie and I saw the fab lingerie in the window, I thought, what a great name! l’Embellie translates to “make more beautiful”, and yes, we all feel more beautiful when wearing beautiful lingerie.

women with cancer
As I walked through the door, I realized that this was no ordinary lingerie store. L’Embellie is a cozy, comforting space dedicated to the needs of women with cancer — one of which is lingerie and lounge wear fitted for prostheses. Here, a woman can take her time and feel at home, because in this amazing space, there’s pretty much every accessory that a woman with cancer needs to help her feel beautiful.

The inspiring woman behind this endeavor is Veronique Mengaud. It’s hard to believe that so much charisma and energy can be packaged into one woman who radiates maternal warmth. Veronique took the time between her two jobs caring for women with cancer to meet me in person during this special month, Octobre Rose. She shared her moving story with INSPIRELLE to explain why she is fully committed to making women with cancer feel beautiful.

women with cancer
Will you share with us your personal story about why you created Embellie Boutique?

It was Anne Matalon who pioneered the idea. She wanted to create the space that she dreamed of when she had cancer, a space which was a break from the illness to feel safe and comforted. I met Anne in 2010 when I was working in the hair institute of Gustave Roussy Cancer Center. When Anne left us, she left me this valuable gift. I still manage the hair salon in Gustave Roussy, so my time is divided between l’Embellie and the hospital.

Why is it important for a woman with cancer to continue to feel good about her appearance?

All women need to feel desired, to have sex appeal — it is part of feeling good inside. When a woman is well in her body and well in her head, she gains self-confidence. I truly believe that feeling good about yourself, feeling desired, and having confidence is part of the healing process. It helps women on the path to getting better.

women with cancer
What does your boutique offer to victims of cancer that other Paris stores do not?

When I hear this question I am shocked by the term “victim”. We don’t talk about victims at l’Embellie. Women feel guilty and feel like their illness is their fault, as if they haven’t done something correctly. They feel guilty in regards to their children. They carry a huge weight on their shoulders and an enormous fear.

At l’Embellie, we try to offer EVERYTHING and ANYTHING so the women feel the energy and the support to go on with their lives—so that they go on and fight.

We are not psychologists, but we are trained in coaching and support techniques  to reinforce the way we welcome and receive our customers. Sometimes our role is to offer clients the right guidance and advice, especially when matters of intimacy are involved.

There is a transfer of emotions with the customer. Our role is not to give negative empathy but to help stay focused on the need and the solution that can help. We encourage women to take our workshops.

It’s hard for loved one and friends to understand and communicate what a woman feels when she is suffering from cancer. What advice can you give?

It is hard for everyone. Sometimes words can be harmful. Sometimes, it is most important to just be present — a hand on the shoulder, looking the person in the eye, listening to the other and taking into account the person. When we have bad stories, it is often when words have been too hard — even the medical side can be too hard. It is in the “do”, not in the “say” that we help.

women with cancer
Besides special clothing, you offer a selection of wigs, hair pieces and make-up for sensitive skin undergoing treatment. How would you describe your boutique?

Head-to-toe solutions! Some people come for one thing but haven’t thought of something else, so it is important that we have everything to offer. Sometimes the woman is stuck in one area (fixated on one thing), but here she can have a global view, taking into account all of her needs.

Since we have such a variety of products and solutions, we can help the woman who is fixated on one aspect. This is a chance to find the way to help — reducing the expectations of the client by jumping to something else, so she can get satisfaction elsewhere. We often find that offering a solution to a different issue reduces the importance of the fixation.

women with cancer
Can the women who come to your store expect trained staff to meet their special needs?

Yes! Each person on our team has a different profile. One person specializes in sur mesure technical hair solutions. There are full-head wigs and complement capillaires (capillary complements) for women with weak hair growth from receiving hormone therapy. Some women have what is called alopecie suite à un pelade (alopecia, or spot baldness). We can have molds made with natural hair implanted. These molds are glued to the head and can last for one month, then we unglue them, wash them and the scalp and re-glue. This is a re-birth for these women.

We also have a specialist in prostheses. It can take 45 minutes to an hour and a half to have a fitting and there are several different models available.

women with cancer
For lingerie, we offer a range from post-operation cotton bras to beautiful lingerie that helps you feel sexy. We also have customized padded bras, which are a solution to two different breast sizes.

Women also have a selection for sports and homewear outfits with built in padding to provide a nice silhouette. A prosthesis doesn’t feel secure in sports so the brasserie must be integrated and secure; the bra and t-shirt are fitted together.

We also propose ateliers embellie, wellness workshops such as yoga, Shiatsu, acupuncture, reflexology, massage and more.

How did cancer change your outlook on life?

It shows me every day how strong a human being can be. When we see how each of these women draw on their resources inside, when we hear their individual stories, I AM SO IMPRESSED. These women are “someone” She might be unknown, but when she expresses her feelings, each woman has creativity and energy. It gives HOPE for the future. It is not because you have cancer that everything is finished.

We have stories of so many women who have made major changes. It is a révélateur (telltale) of everything you have inside.

There are heavy and difficult moments, and we are here to make them believe in themselves and all their capacities.

This comes from being positive. In the hospital you have to give up pudeur, you lose your privacy and intimacy. And when you have no pudeur, you lose your self-control. In the hospital you are forced to let go, you are caught up in the system, and this makes you suffer. Here, at l’Embellie we can give back some dignity.

women with cancer
October Rose is a month dedicated to supporting women with cancer. You help women every day, so how will this month be different for you?

It is Octobre Rose everyday here! During the month of October we get out of the shop and visit many of the hospitals. We present an exhibit to explain what L’Embellie does. It is very rewarding. There is so much that women with cancer do not know. In the hospital, there is an infirmière d’annonce (the nurse who informs the patient of all the problems and solutions), but many women do not hear all that they are told. They often forget, because the information is overwhelming. For example, women undergoing chemotherapy need to protect their nails; you have to put selisime in the polish. If the patient loses her eyebrows, we can give makeup advice, and we can give advice on lubricants for when they are feeling sexy!

What inspires you in your work and everyday life?

When a woman arrives scared, depressed and sad but goes away with a smile or just a small twinkle in her eye, that makes my day. You feel her energy, the small strength in each woman.

These women have strength, but it is blocked inside. With just a little bit of positive support from our staff, they feel unique, special – this helps them regain confidence.

We don’t give much but the effect is important and a real reward when we can see that effect.

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7 simple ways for a woman to feel beautiful

Beauty is a tricky subject. What one person considers beautiful, another may not. But there is one thing that no one can deny contributes to a woman's beauty, and that is when a woman feels beautiful.

What does it take to feel beautiful? If you think it means piling on the makeup and squeezing into size 2 jeans, you're wrong. Feeling beautiful is different from looking beautiful. Here are seven simple things a woman can do every day to feel beautiful.

1. Take a good look in the mirror

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Stretch marks? Double chin? Wrinkles around your eyes? If that is all you see, then you need to change your mindset. Take a minute every day to give yourself a good look in the mirror, but don't see the negative. See the positive — your soft curves, beautiful eyes, perfect toes or growing baby bump. Learn to love your body no matter how many flaws you see. Every body is beautiful.

2. Wear clothes that give you confidence

Whether you're a size 6 or 16, you can feel confident in your clothes. Maybe it is a pair of black boots with nice jeans or a flirty dress with a cute cardigan. If you feel good in it, you're one step closer to feeling beautiful. Your attitude is different, you stand a bit straighter and hold your head higher as you walk into a room. That is beautiful. Learn how to dress your body shape and size so everything you put on gives you confidence.

3. Be happy

You attitude is a huge factor in how you feel and how others perceive you. Being happy brightens your demeanor, and you exude joy to others. A smile is much more attractive than a frown.

4. Practice good hygiene

Feeling beautiful is just as much about how you feel physically as it is about how you feel emotionally. When you have a healthy body, you feel better which contributes to your overall beauty. Brush your teeth, take care of your skin, wash your hair, do the things your parents taught you as a child. Not only will you prevent undesirable health problems (cavities, acne, dandruff, etc.) but you will feel more beautiful as a result.

5. Exercise

Similar to using good hygiene is exercising. We all know that exercising reduces/keeps off fat and builds muscle, but even if you do not need to lose weight, you do need to exercise. Exercising prevents illness, prolongs life and increases endorphins that help you feel happy and, yes, even beautiful.

6. Educate yourself


Beauty is more than just your outward appearance. What you say, what you do and what you know adds to your beauty. Contributing to conversations and being able to keep up with what is going on around you are attractive qualities. While formal education is valuable, you do not need a PhD to be educated. There are things you can do every day to expand your knowledge. Read the newspaper, watch educational programs, read a scholarly article, take a community class. All these things take less than an hour and contribute to your overall education.

7. Be a good person

Lastly, it is important to be a good person. Be kind and charitable toward others. Be considerate, polite and humble. These qualities make you beautiful on the inside which shows in your overall appearance. In fact, being beautiful on the inside is arguably more important than being beautiful on the outside. It is hard to love and appreciate cruel people, let alone consider them to be beautiful. When you know all aspects of a person, that is when you really know whether or not she is beautiful. If you are a good person, you are already a beautiful person.

Women tend to be hard on themselves when it comes to beauty. There is always something wrong, something we want changed. We constantly analyze what sizes we wear, how much we weigh and what percentage of body fat we have. While it is important to be healthy, there is more to beauty than numbers. It is not just how we look on the outside but rather our differences, our quirks and our attitudes that make us beautiful.

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What Can a Manager Do When Employees Won't Get Along?

When two kindergarten kids get into a spat, teachers temporarily separate the children and know that if you give them a few minutes they'll probably get over it. When two junior high school girls get into a spat, the whole world can come to an end and they will still hate each other and set out to destroy each other.

When two adults don't get along in the same office, we hope that they are more like kindergarten children than 7th graders, but unfortunately, sometimes development was stuck at 13 and you're in for a bumpy ride.


In one office at a major university, for example, two employees haven’t spoken to each other in over 20 years—and they sit next to each other in their cubicles. An effective manager would long ago have intervened because, usually, you're not stuck, and with appropriate mediation can address the issues like adults. In fact, this situation is an example of a management fail—an employee fail, too, but management intervention is to develop.

You (hopefully) don't have to deal with angry parents as well, just the employees. And, you can always fire a particularly bad apple. Before you get to that point, however, here's how to handle the situation when employees just won't get along with each other.

What Can a Manager Do When Employees Won't Get Along?
Identify the problem. You know that the problem is that the employees aren't getting along. But, what is the underlying problem? Why are the employees not getting along?

Here are a few of the many possibilities:

One employee isn't pulling her weight
One employee is gossiping about the other who found out
Unfair pay structures that the employees know about
Jealousy
Clashing personalities
High stress levels in the workplace
Favoritism of one over the other by the boss
Perceived inequity in job titles

Obviously, this list could go on, as the possibilities are endless, but these are very common reasons why people aren't getting along. It's critical that you identify the real problem because if you don't, you'll implement the wrong solution.

For instance, if Jane and Heidi don't get along and you just keep telling them to work it out, it won't solve the underlying problem that Jane is a slacker and Heidi is constantly forced to pick up the extra work.

Likewise, if no one likes Steve, is it because he's truly terrible or is it because Frank has been spreading rumors? You really need to know to help solve the problem.

Identifying the problem can sometimes require outside help. As a manager, you should bring in your HR person to help with this. Human Resources can often look at things from an outside viewpoint and spot what you can't see close up.

If you've been hearing over and over how awful Steve is, you might have forgotten that Frank felt that he should have received the promotion instead of Steve and thus, jealousy is the true problem.

Sit down with the source of the problem. Now, to be fair, it's rarely black and white. In the original example, Jane is a slacker which forces Heidi to pick up her slack, so you think, “Jane is the source of the problem.” But, you also need to consider whether Heidi is nit-picky, constantly criticizing Jane's work, or undermining Jane by contacting Jane's clients directly.


In this case, you'd want to talk with Jane and Heidi.

Here's a sample dialog for your discussion with Jane:

Manager: Jane, I've noticed that there's tension between you and Heidi. Can you tell me what is going on there?

Jane: Heidi is always criticizing me and jumping in on my clients.

Manager: I will talk to Heidi about that. I've also noticed that you leave work until the last minute, which may explain why Heidi is jumping in so often. I'll stop Heidi from giving you a difficult time and you can bump your timelines up so that there isn't any risk of missing a deadline. Would you like help to develop a revised timeline?

And here's how you can begin the needed discussion with Heidi:

Manager: Heidi, I've noticed that there is tension between you and Jane. Can you tell me what's going on there?

Heidi: Jane is such a slacker.

I'm always having to do her work.

Manager: Why?

Heidi: Because if I don't do the work, the work won't get done.

Manager: It's my job to ensure that Jane's work does get done—not yours. I hereby relieve you of the obligation to worry about Jane's workload. If I feel Jane needs help, I'll contact you.

Otherwise, you can focus on your own clients and you need to let Jane focus on hers. If you see a train wreck about to happen, come to me before going to Jane and I'll handle it.

Now that last part might be a little strange—because generally, it's better if employees work out their own differences without having to involve a manager. But, in a case where employees are at each other's throats, it's best to separate them as much as possible.

Follow-up: Now, here comes the hard part. You need to follow through. If you don't follow up with Jane to make sure that she's keeping to the new timelines and you don't correct Heidi every time that she tries to jump in, you won't solve the problem.

They'll still hate each other and they'll hate you because they'll see you as worthless. If you are going to solve a problem, you need to do the work to carry it through.

For a jealousy problem, you again need to address both people. For Frank, who is upset that he wasn't promoted, you need to tell him that the decision is final, and you do not want to hear him say anything else negative about Steve.

Follow up with a performance improvement plan, if necessary—and yes, not saying mean things about coworkers is part of a legitimate performance issue. But, Steve also needs to display sensitivity to Frank. It's hard to get passed over for a promotion.

Managers often struggle with coming up with solutions to the problem of bickering employees. But if you simply identify the underlying behavior issue, address it, and then follow up to solve it, you can work miracles in your department. Your employees will get along and you can create the harmonious environment at work that you want, too.

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6 STEPS TO HELP SLOW EMPLOYEES WORK FASTER

NOVEMBER 04, 2016 Ah, the employees whose veins must be filled with molasses. You know the ones—you leave them with an hour’s worth of work and it takes two days before they’re finished.
There’s good news, though: Not only are there strategies for increasing these slow employees' work speed, but when you follow these steps, you may also get better quality work out of them, too.
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1. Determine why your employees are slow.

Just simply ask. Explain that you’ve noticed their speed isn’t up to par and ask what’s slowing them down. They might be confused. They might be so detail-oriented, they’re getting caught up in particulars that don’t matter to you. They may even know their performance is subpar and be glad you asked. In any case, a number of things may be causing employees to work slower than you’d like, and the first step toward a solution is determining the underlying cause.
2. Team up with them.

Employees may get defensive when they feel backed into a corner, and that’s the opposite of what you want. It may help to make it clear you’re there to help, not simply point the finger and walk away. Ask, “What can we do to improve this situation?” or “How can I help?” Sometimes the answer is there, you just have to ask the question.
Employees who feel overwhelmed may end up accomplishing very little, but if you feed them tasks a few at a time, they may be able to knock out phenomenal amounts of work.
3. Give clear deadlines with priorities.

You know which tasks are most important, but do your employees? While it’s great to give your staff to-do lists, it may help to prioritize tasks, or you may run the risk of your employees taking care of the least demanding and important tasks first. And don’t forget about Parkinson’s Law, that work expands to fill the time we allot for it. Don’t be afraid to give your staff clear and demanding deadlines. You won’t know how quickly they can turn projects around unless you push them.
4. Limit distractions.

Employees who feel overwhelmed may end up accomplishing very little, but if you feed them tasks a few at a time, they may be able to knock out phenomenal amounts of work. You might try to find ways to streamline your problem employees’ environments and give them the chance to succeed. Keep in mind that we may be distracted by different things. I’ve learned that I can’t have my email up and running if I’m trying to complete a complex task by a deadline, as I’m likely to be sidetracked by client questions. Determine what gets your slow employees off task and try to address those issues.
5. Find out what your employees like to do.

When you take the time to explore the tasks that make your staff feel fulfilled, you’re really trying to find out what they’re good at. While you can’t assign everyone only the tasks they enjoy, it often makes sense to work to your employees’ strengths. If you can balance jobs that feel like drudgery with jobs they love, your employees may be happier and less likely to drag their heels. You don’t have to treat work like preschool, but employees who feel a balance of fulfilled and challenged may be the most productive.
6. Give regular feedback.

So you meet with your slow employees, find out what the problems are and develop a plan to speed up their work completion. The critical last step is to follow up. Consider planning a series of meetings to discuss their performance and progress and decide how things are going. It may also be important to set incremental goals. When you have otherwise good employees who simply lag a bit, you don’t want to have to fire them if their first evaluation shows they haven’t achieved absolutely everything. Rewarding incremental progress may help you keep the tone positive, while still working toward your end goal. Constructive criticism and a focus on what they’ve accomplished may make the meeting a positive one, rather than something they’ll dread.
An added benefit to addressing the problem of slow employees in a pragmatic fashion is you’re modeling a positive method of conflict resolution in your business. Your staff sees that while you have high expectations, you don’t expect perfection. They’ll hopefully understand that you value them and their contribution enough to work toward better results. Feeling supported and valued often translates into loyal, long-term employees, ones you can trust to deliver on time.

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30 Days to a Healthier You: A Daily Checklist of Wellness Tips

Most of us hear the term wellness and assume that it’s something beyond our reach. Or perhaps we think that wellness is only for advanced yogis, holistic doctors, or wellness practitioners, but not us — not everyday people just working the daily grind and living busy lives. But this is where we make the mistake. Wellness is nothing more than small daily choices that lead up to lifelong, very big changes — that’s it. Anyone can achieve wellness whether that means you’re a stay at home mom or a full-time working adult, maybe even juggling two jobs just to get by. You don’t have to have a lot of money, time, or even kitchen skills because all of us have access to wellness if we choose to.

It simply starts with one choice after another.

To help you achieve wellness in 30 days, here is a checklist you can go by that if followed, will have you well on your way to a healthier and happier you in just a month. These tips are simple, doable for everyone, affordable, and absolutely life-altering when all combined.

No one becomes healthy by wishing, making excuses, or deeming themselves unworthy. Here’s how to choose wellness one day at a time:

Week One: Kitchen Tips
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1. Eat Berries With Breakfast
Berries are an incredible food, rich in nutrients for our brain, our digestion, and they’re disease-preventative. They’re also a fresh source of produce and keep us fuller than processed cereals with dried fruits. Add 1/2 cup of your choice frozen or fresh berries to either a smoothie, oatmeal, or just have some with some unsweetened coconut yogurt and a little chia or flax seeds. Berries are also a great source of vitamin C to kickstart your immune system.

2. Eat One Green Food Per Day
Eating one green vegetable per day or one leafy green is a great way to get yourself healthier in the kitchen without much thought. It can be a cup of broccoli at dinner or spinach snuck into a smoothie. A cup of green beans at dinner or some leafy kale tossed with chopped sweet potato and some simple seasonings. Anything counts, just make sure it’s green, natural, and from the earth. These foods provide us with more nutrition than any food out there. They alkalize our bodies, promote mental wellness, and protect us from major forms of disease.

3. Drink a Glass of Water When You Wake Up
A new health practice that many observe, drinking water is essential to hydrating your body first thing in the day after a night long fast. It helps wake you up and is an excellent way to flush out your body first thing to keep you regular, a key part of staying healthy. Remember, your body contains (and needs) more water than most of us realize. Be sure you’re giving it enough, starting first thing — even before the coffee!

4. Enjoy Plain Coffee and Tea
Coffee and tea are two of the most amazing sources of antioxidants in our diet, so long as they’re sustainably (preferably) organically sourced, so they’re produced without pesticides. These two beverages boost mental health, liver health, and promote a healthy heart. The key is to leave out the sugar and milk, which takes away most all their benefits. Coffee is even being studied most recently for its healthy effects on the longevity and cancer prevention, while tea has been a long-standing healing remedy for years. Enjoy 1-2 cups of either in the morning, and even again in the afternoon before 3 p.m. if they’re caffeinated.

5. Cook Your Own Meals
Cooking at home does two things: It puts you in touch with the food that you’re using to keep you well and it keeps you away from restaurant options that someone else prepared for you, probably using ingredients that aren’t the best for you (excess oil, salt, sugar, etc.). Leave out the middleman and cook more at home, even if that means preparing simple meals such as soup, a protein and veggie, a macro-bowl or salad, or even some smoothies with oatmeal for a fun breakfast for dinner option. Cooking your own meals is one of the best things to do for life long health, so see all of our food tips here to try all kinds of hacks in the kitchen.

6. Use Herbs Instead of All the Salt
Instead of shaking salt on all your food, try using herbs to flavor them instead. For breakfast, use cinnamon, cardamom and ginger for a sweet and spicy flavor. For lunch, use Italian seasonings, sage, black pepper, and/or cayenne and turmeric. For dinner, try some garam masala, pepper, oregano, basil, and thyme. Mix these up however you like, but use them more often; they’re some of the best ingredients that provide antioxidants, mood-boosting benefits, and even anti-cancer benefits. They also reduce blood pressure levels, unlike excess salt that can lead to hypertension (chronically high blood pressure).

7. Ditch the Sugary Food
Sugary foods are not part of a healthy diet, mostly because they’re processed, void of nutrients, and can be addicting. Instead of choosing something with sugar, have an apple, some berries, a banana, an orange, or just enjoy sweet veggies like carrots instead. Your body will learn to love the taste of fresh vegetables and fruits when you give it a chance. Sugar ages your skin, messes with your digestion, makes you moody, tired, and doesn’t satisfy your appetite. Ditch it; you’ll feel much better in no time!

Week Two: Activity Tips
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8. Aim to get in a 20-30 Minute Walk or Jog
This might sound difficult but is easier than we all think. Getting up just 30 minutes earlier in the morning will give you plenty of time to get in a good walk (or jog). If you like to run, even better, but walking is great too. Moving first thing in the day boosts your serotonin levels, provides energy to the body, and also helps you focus better throughout the day. It is also an easy way to improve your metabolism to help manage your weight.

9. Lift Something Heavy for 5 Minutes Every Day
How many of you have ever thought, “I don’t have time to lift weights,” or maybe you know you have time, but just don’t enjoy it. Whatever the case, here’s an easy way to combat that issue: Pick something heavy, whether it be a kettlebell, a dumbell, or even a household item you can grasp in your hands that is heavy but still light enough to pick up. Lift one of these items for just five minutes a day, preferably over your head like you would if you were in the gym, along with by your sides to work your arms, and even hold this while you do a few squats too. Resistance training not only improves your metabolism, but also boosts testosterone in the body that improves your sense of motivation, focus, and even your energy. It also aids in strengthening the body, even in just five minutes. If you have time for more great, but if not, five minutes is enough to get you out of breath just enough to get good results. If you can do this three different times throughout the day, you’ve lifted weights for 15 minutes without realizing it.

10. Don’t Over Sit Your Welcome
Sitting is not as evil as it’s being made out to be now, but it is tremendously important that we don’t “over sit” our welcome. We need to stand more throughout the day, even if that’s while chatting with friends, talking on the phone, or just getting up in between nightly relaxing activities before bed. If you like to watch television, be sure not to sit there for hours on end while doing so. If you work at a computer all day, get up and move around or try to stand and work however possible. Sitting too long makes you tired, can cause brain fog, increases your insulin levels, and slows down your metabolism. It can even lead to a bad mood, and antsy nature. The body likes to move; give it what it needs.

11. Practice Active Errands and Commutes
When commuting to work throughout the day, running errands or the like, it’s important to be active during those activities when you can. For instance, if you can take the stairs more often, do it. If you can walk to work, do it. If you can park further away at the store, do it. You get the idea. Working in a large city makes it easy for most people, but those that rely on cars and public transportation may have to keep this in mind to prevent easy access to more sitting and less activity.

12. Do Some Sort of Stretching Per Day
Stretching is one of the most overlooked exercises that improves your mood. It releases muscle tension, prevents muscle cramps, improves lymphatic flow and blood flow that can make you happier and also keep digestion working well. It also prevents muscle stagnation that can just make you feel badly. Stretch in the morning a little and a little more at night before bed. Even just a couple minutes will make you feel better — try it!

13. Spend a Little Time Outside Daily
Take a stroll around your neighborhood or walk through a local park each day if you live near one. If you have a dog, take them for a five minute spin down the street. Or, maybe you have the option to exercise outside — try it; it’s rejuvenating compared to indoor treadmills! Being active outside, even just for a few minutes, is a great way to enlighten your spirits without even trying. It puts you in touch with nature, which studies show can actually benefit our brains, prevent depression, and exposes us to the most natural source of vitamin D available to us: the sun.

14. Try Yoga
While not everyone may enjoy yoga, its many benefits are so profound that we should all at least give it a shot. Don’t let yoga intimidate you if it seems out of reach or strange. It’s actually just a fluid way of moving your body, stretching everything out, and being kinder to your body through movement. While a grueling workout at the gym is great for pumping muscles, yoga is a nice change of pace that reduces cortisol in the body. This lowers stress around the clock and reduces insulin spikes that are caused by elevated cortisol levels. Yoga also stimulates lymphatic flow, a key to keeping your body feeling well in more ways than one. Try some beginner You Tube videos; even just 10 minutes is a great place to start!

Week 3: Mind and Mood Tips

15. Eat for Your Hormone Health
Most of us don’t consider our hormones when we plan out a meal or grab something to eat — but we should. Our hormones completely control how we feel, act, think, and even how we treat others. And guess what controls our hormones for the most part? Aside from sleep and our lifestyle, our diets do. Though rest, stress management, and staying active play a part, nothing acts like directions for your cells like your food does. Certain foods can disrupt hormonal function and possibly even lead to mood disorders, anxiety, or depression. Some of the most common foods to avoid are: dairy, gluten, processed foods, and sugar. Even for those not allergic to gluten, it seems to play a part in the way the brain feels, thinks, and can lead to depression and hormone disorders. Most dairy products have also largely been linked to brain fog, estrogen imbalance, and overall anxiety and depression. One reason these foods create a problem is due to the protein structures they contain which interferes with optimal hormone processes. Sugar and processed foods also upset insulin levels and can interfere with optimal hormone function as well. Eat whole and unprocessed foods whenever possible. Nuts, seeds, leafy greens, vegetables and fruits are some of the best foods you can give our brain on an ongoing basis.

16. Do Something You Love Every Single Day
This can be as small as something such as cooking your favorite breakfast, writing in a journal a few minutes a day, participating in a local event, participating in a favorite hobby, or anything else that you just truly love. Doing something small for yourself every day is a great way to enhance serotonin levels in the body to raise those feel good hormones on a regular basis.

17. Eat Magnesium-Rich Foods
Magnesium is the anti-stress hormone, not to mention the host of other benefits it has for your body. Plant-based foods are rich in magnesium and are important to include in your day to optimize mental wellness. Some of the best sources include leafy greens, nuts, seeds, cacao, bananas, avocado, and sweet potatoes. See some magnesium-rich recipes here to find out how to work more of this important mineral into your diet!

18. Eat Good Fats
Healthy fats are like fuel for a good mood. They’re one of the most important things to include in your diet to promote a healthy mood (and a balanced metabolism). Healthy fats also promote good heart health, reduce cholesterol, and contain none of the harmful side effects associated with animal-based saturated fats. Go for raw coconut, avocados, almonds, walnuts, acai fruit, flax seeds, cashews, hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds or tahini, pecans, and olives. Many of these are also packed with protein, B vitamins, and magnesium to enhance brain health even further.

19. Ditch the Negative Self Talk
Consistently telling yourself reasons why you can’t do something, don’t deserve something, or will never achieve something are never going to get you where you want to be. Ditch the negative self talk and start creating new messages instead. When you change your mindset, you have the power to change your life. This is one of the most overlooked, yet most important things, that everyone can do for better mood and mental health daily.

20. Eat Your B’s
B vitamins reduce stress in the brain, promote energy, and enhance focus — who doesn’t want all of those things?! Vitamin B12 isn’t the only one important for good health. Other B vitamins, specifically vitamins B3, B5, B6, and B7 are also important. If you eat a plant-based diet, you can easily get enough. Some of the best sources of B vitamins include: nuts, seeds, leafy greens, broccoli, avocados, root vegetables, coconut, beans) (including coffee and cacao), bananas, pumpkin, berries, legumes, and whole grains. Mix these up throughout the day for a healthy brain all day long!

21. Eat More Plant-Based Foods
Even if you’re not vegan, just eating more plant-based foods is a great way to enhance your mood. Plant-based foods have been shown to relieve depression, anxiety, and even promote mental clarity. Don’t take our word for it though; give it a try yourself and see! Here are some recipes you can try that are whole-food based and sure to make you feel good around the clock!

Week 4: Lifestyle Tips
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22. Get Social
Social wellness is something most of us don’t pay enough attention to, but we should for long-term health. Even if you enjoy alone time, keep in mind that we are all social creatures by nature. We aren’t meant to give ourselves the privilege of being social whenever we can. Corresponding with others can relieve stress, enhance our mood, and even promote longevity. Even just spending time with friends, family, or chatting with someone at the gym, park, or the office is an important way to stroke your social needs daily.

23. Learn to Love Sleep
Why has sleep become something we have (and even hate) to work into our schedules? Sleep is a gift, something that’s just as important as the food on our plate and our exercise habits. It’s the time of the day that our body resets itself, detoxifies, and allows us to be able to conquer the next day ahead. Depression, weight gain, stress, and even food cravings can all occur when we don’t get enough rest. For some of us, our sleep needs may be 8 hours, and others it could be 9 or 10. Don’t just yourself by how much sleep you need — get enough until you wake up at the same time each day without the need for an alarm clock.

24. Become a Minimalist
Having nice things is great, and such a treat to give ourselves whenever we can, however we should never forget how much joy that being a minimalist can bring to our lives. Being a minimalist can be as small as reducing the amount of products we use, to learning to prepare more simple meals. It means that sometimes less is more, and sometimes, the little things can give us the most joy. Try scaling down your wardrobe and donating what you don’t wear anymore. Ditch the pricey beauty products and use more natural options instead. Clean out your kitchen and stick to whole foods with simple preparation tips. This is a great way to make life simpler, which can make you healthier and happier without the need for so much stuff.

25. Try a New Activity Once a Month
Our schedules can turn us into creatures of habit. We can easily just start going through the motions if we’re not careful to try new things, but this can also make us bored, unhappy, and possibly lose our passion for things we care about such as being active, our jobs, and even our healthy eating habits. So the answer is to try a new activity when you can, possibly once a month. This can be something as simple as trying a new cooking method, trying a new exercise, working in a different atmosphere, trying a new approach to something at your work, or even just shopping at a local farmer’s market instead of a commercial grocery store. Expose yourself to new activities and see how great it can make you feel!

28. Do Something Nice for Someone When You Can
Doing something nice for others doesn’t just benefit them but also you too. We’re meant to be giving creatures, yet many of us see giving as a form of sacrifice. This is simply not true. When we give, we get so much more in return in more ways than one. It doesn’t have to be related to money at all either, but could be a simple as sending a card, an email, making a dish for someone, running errand for a friend, sending flowers, taking someone to lunch, or even just letting someone ahead of you in line at the grocery store. Or, give to an animal organization, volunteer at one, or just do something to promote cultural awareness and animal welfare. Doing small things for the good of others on a regular basis is an important part of long-term wellness. Try it and see how fulfilled it makes you feel, and how you might just change the lives of others in ways you may never even know.

29. Bring Energy Into a Room Instead of Taking it Away
No matter what we have going on in our lives, one of the most important things we can all do is bring energy, not steal it. This means maintaining a positive outlook and energy, even if our lives are not as they should be or we wish they were. This is important for our health, along with the health of others around us. People who have a positive spirit can make a huge impact on people around them. If everyone practiced this regularly, the world would like be a more energetic, happier place. The next place you go to, even if it’s a meeting at work you’re dreading, bring energy and positive nature into the room instead of steal it away with a negative outlook.

30. Spend Time in the Quiet Each Morning
If you work out in the morning, this is a great time to get some quiet time to yourself, but even if you don’t, try to spend a little bit of your morning in the quiet when you can. This can help reduce the stress hormone cortisol in the body, which peaks first thing in the morning. It also gives you some time to think to yourself before the busyness of the day begins. You might like to write out your thoughts, to-do’s, prayers, concerns, or whatever else comes to your mind first thing in the day — do whatever suits you. Taking just 10 minutes each morning, perhaps over coffee, is a great way to take care of yourself in a small way each day.

And there you go friends, a month’s worth of wellness tips you can practice to be a healthier, happier you in just 30 days. You can try one tip per day, or optimally, build on each day as the month goes by. You won’t believe how different these can make you feel when practiced on a regular basis.

Remember, wellness is merely a gift you choose to give yourself that begins with one simple choice after another. Start your wellness journey today!

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10 foods to boost your brainpower

Eating well is good for your mental as well as your physical health. The brain requires nutrients just like your heart, lungs or muscles do. But which foods are particularly important to keep our grey matter happy and healthy?

10 foods to boost your brainpower
Wholegrains1. Opt for wholegrains
Like everything else in your body, the brain cannot work without energy. The ability to concentrate and focus comes from an adequate, steady supply of energy - in the form of glucose in our blood to the brain. Achieve this by choosing wholegrains with a low-GI, which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, keeping you mentally alert throughout the day. Opt for 'brown' wholegrain cereals, granary bread, rice and pasta.

Mackerel2. Eat oily fish
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) cannot be made by the body which means they must be obtained through diet. The most effective omega-3 fats occur naturally in oily fish in the form of EPA and DHA. Good plant sources include linseed (flaxseed), soya beans, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and their oils. These fats are important for healthy brain function, the heart, joints and our general wellbeing. What makes oily fish so good is that they contain the active form of these fats, EPA and DHA, in a ready-made form, which enables the body to use it easily. The main sources of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers. Low DHA levels have been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and memory loss whilst having sufficient levels of both EPA and DHA is thought to help us manage stress and helps make the good mood brain chemical, serotonin. Consider a supplement if you're vegetarian. Those following a vegan diet may wish to supplement daily with a plant-based omega-3 supplement, and as a vegan don't forget to add seeds like linseed and chia to your diet.
Blueberry3. Snack on blueberries
Evidence accumulated at Tufts University in the United States suggests that the consumption of blueberries may be effective in improving or delaying short term memory loss. They're widely available, but you can also look out for dark red and purple fruits and veg which contain the same protective compounds called anthocyanins.


Tomatoes4. Eat more tomatoes

There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's. Favour cooked tomatoes and enjoy with a little olive oil to optimise absorption and efficacy.


5. Add vitality with vitamins
Certain B vitamins - B6, B12 and folic acid - are known to reduce levels of a compound called homocysteine in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine are associated with increased risk of stroke, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. A study of a group of elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment found that after two years of intervention with high doses of B6, B12 and folic acid there was significantly less brain shrinkage compared to a subset given placebo treatment. Opt for B-rich foods like chicken, fish, eggs and leafy greens.

Blackcurrants6. Get a blackcurrant boost
Vitamin C has long been thought to have the power to increase mental agility and protect against age-related brain degeneration including dementia and Alzheimer's. One of the best sources of this vital vitamin are blackcurrants. Others include red peppers, citrus fruits and broccoli.


Pumpkin seeds7. Pick up pumpkin seeds

Richer in zinc than many other seeds, pumpkin seeds supply this valuable mineral which is vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills. These little seeds are also full of stress-busting magnesium, B vitamins and tryptophan, the precursor to the good mood chemical serotonin.


Broccoli8. Bet on broccoli
Broccoli is great source of vitamin K, which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower. Researchers have reported that because broccoli is high in compounds called glucosinolates, it can slow the breakdown of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, which we need for the central nervous system to perform properly and to keep our brains and our memories sharp. Low levels of acetylcholine are associated with Alzheimer's.


Sage9. Sprinkle on sage

Sage has long had a reputation for improving memory and concentration. Although most studies focus on sage as an essential oil, it could be worth adding fresh sage to your diet too. Add at the end of cooking to protect the beneficial oils.

Walnuts10. Eat more nuts
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E along with leafy green vegetables, asparagus, olives, seeds, eggs, brown rice and wholegrains.


The importance of exercise
Don't forget that as well as a healthy diet, exercise helps to keep our brains sharp. Research suggests that regular exercise improves cognitive function, slows down the mental aging process and helps us process information more effectively.

Brainpower supplements

Although research linking diet and dementia is still in its infancy, there are a few important relationships between nutrients and brain health that are worth exploring. Having a nourishing, well rounded diet gives our brain the best chance of avoiding disease. If your diet is unbalanced for whatever reason, you may want to consider a multivitamin and mineral complex and an omega-3 fatty acid supplement to help make up a few of the essentials. If you are considering taking a supplement it is best to discuss this with your GP or qualified healthcare professional.

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