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Do Sugar Free Sodas Have Fat?

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Currently, sugar-free sodas are taking the place from sodas with sugar. The worry about getting fat makes us opt for less caloric drinks, but really, do sugar-free sodas get fat?

In no case should soft drinks replace water as a hydration drink for the proper functioning of our body.

Soft drinks without sugar

The risks of consuming soft drinks without sugar

Sugar-free soft drinks are soft drinks in which sugar is removed and replaced by alkaline sweeteners, such as aspartame, saccharin or cyclamate. Although sugar-free soft drinks contain no calories, the sweeteners present favor the absorption of sugar in the intestine.

In addition, they promote insulin secretion in the same way as sugary sodas. A condition that causes blood sugar levels to decrease, thereby creating a feeling of hunger.

Sweeteners also affect the intestinal flora, modifying the bacteria in the body, producing dysbiosis and glucose intolerance.

Soft drinks without sugar and weight

This relationship is increasingly studied to know if sugar-free soft drinks get fat, as it is a subject of great controversy.

The latest published study, Sugar and artificially sweetened beverages linked to obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis, shows an association between soda consumption and obesity.

However, we must clarify that this study does not separate the consumption of sugary sodas from those without sugar. The results show that the consumption of soft drinks, whatever they are, is higher in people with obesity.

Other studies suggest that sugar-free drinks, apart from raising the risk of obesity, may increase the chance of cardiovascular disease, but there is no clear mechanism as to why this occurs.

On the other hand, there are studies, such as this one by Plos One, that show the link between the consumption of sugar-free drinks and a greater amount of abdominal fat. According to this, they may not be effective as a measure to control weight.

Why could they get fat?

Compensation effect

Sugar-free drinks may not get fat on their own, but they are related to unhealthy lifestyle habits.

You probably think that the calories you are going to save in that soda can be introduced into another more caloric food as a replacement. That is, for example, it is useless to eat a hamburger with fries and at the same time a light drink.

They can get hungry

As we have said before, these sodas can trigger the feeling of hunger among those who consume them.

This means that our body reacts to soft drinks without sugar the same way as if they had it, but you get the sugar to the body.

Sweetness causes addiction

It has been shown that eating very sweet foods, whether or not they provide calories, frequently activates brain areas related to pleasure and reward, leading to an addiction to very intense flavors and sensations. The effects of sweet foods on the brain cause the same sensation as using a drug, so we tend to want to eat sweeter.

conclusion

If you want to lose weight, it seems logical to replace sugary sodas with sugar-free sodas. So far, it has been seen that, in moderate quantities, they are safe and do not provide calories.

However, science shows that consuming them regularly does not help weight control since they can cause us to eat more and gain more abdominal fat.

The weight gain is quite complex and can not blame one food group or products, nor sugar. The main drink must be water, both at meals and outside of them.

But what if I ever want to have a soda? What do I choose, soft drinks with sugar or without sugar? If consumed sporadically, you can opt for light refreshments, since, in small quantities, no negative effects are found.

The Best Tips For Washing Woolen Garments

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If you have woolen clothes and have risked washing without proper precautions, you may have suffered the consequences. Because to wash the woolen garments you have to take into account some tips.

In this article, we give you the keys to keep your wool clothes in perfect condition. With some very simple tips, you will not have problems with this type of fabrics and you will always look perfect.

Wool clothes

Wool is the perfect choice for cold days, as it is an ideal insulator to keep us at a warm temperature and without humidity. But this natural fiber is very delicate and absorbent, so we must learn how to treat and wash it properly.

If we do not do it the right way, we risk that the clothes will be damaged, shrunk or deformed. And as we want to maintain the quality, comfort, and softness of wool, we share some essential tips to achieve it.

Tips for washing wool items

1. Look at the manufacturer’s label

To wash the woolen garments it is important to review the recommendations on the label. In this way, we can detail some care that it requires.

First of all, when washing clothes, be it wool or other fabrics, we must pay attention to the manufacturer’s label. There we will find the information we need to take care of the clothes in the proper way. Also, we will discover the quality of the fabric and if it is 100% wool.

In the case of woolen garments, this is essential because not all of them require the same care. Some may have to be dry cleaned and others washed by hand. Instead with some, we could use the washing machine.

2. If you choose the washing machine, pay attention

Can wool items be washed in the washing machine? Yes, it can. However, you should pay attention to the program you choose, since otherwise, you could spoil them.

Some automatic washing machines already incorporate a specific program for wool clothes. If there is none, you must select the option of ” delicate clothing ” or “hand wash.” 

However, we will always ensure that it is a cold and low-intensity water cycle. Be careful because warm water can also shrink your clothes!

  • We also recommend leaving the garment in cold water before washing for half an hour to avoid shrinking. 
  • When introducing it to the washing machine, we can put the garment in a mesh bag so that it does not get caught or damaged with other types of fabrics. However, this is optional.

3. Drying the garments

To dry woolen clothes it is convenient to remove excess water. Thus we prevent the garment from becoming deformed.

With the dryer, we cannot make exceptions since we risk spoiling the clothes. The heat will cause the garment to shrink, even if we have followed all the steps for proper washing.

When laying the garment, we must do it horizontally above the clothesline. In the case of hanging it, the weight of the water in the clothes would stretch and deform the garment.

We can also choose to wrap the clothes with a towel and thus remove some of the moisture before drying it. We will do it as if we folded it or by rolling it carefully and pressing to drain the excess water.

4. General tips

Whether we are going to wash the woolen garments by hand or machine, there are some general tips that we should follow:

  • Wash clothes when necessary, not too regularly. We should not wash it with the same frequency as any other garment.
  • We recommend turning the garment before washing it. 
  • The intensity should always be smooth. If it is a machine, we will select it, and if it is by hand, we will avoid rubbing hard.
  • Always choose a mild detergent dissolved in water, if possible, that is specific to woolen garments.
  • If we only want to remove the smell of the garment we can air it or leave it alone soak.
  • If in spite of all the care the clothes seem to have shrunk after washing it, the moment to stretch it gently is when it is still wet.
  • We will always opt for handwashing when the garment is too delicate. For example, if you have embroidery or sequins.

Do you want to take care of your woolen garments and always look like new? Follow these simple tips and enjoy the softness of this natural fabric. 

Muscle Stretching Or Strengthening?

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Both muscle stretching and strengthening are techniques widely used in rehabilitation of different ailments. However, how do you know when to stretch or strengthen your muscles?  Which one offers the greatest benefits? Do you want to stretch or do you better start doing weights? Here we will explain.

Muscle stretch

Stretching is a widely used technique that, in theory, helps reduce muscle pain and increase the flexibility of a joint. However, it has been shown that doing only stretching does not produce these effects either in the short term or in stretching regimens for up to 7 consecutive months.

It is believed that the increase in flexibility is due to the increased tolerance to the sensation of stretching, not because the muscle is lengthened. However, there are people who feel very good stretching, either statically or dynamically. If you are one of those people, in general terms consider the following:

When to do muscle stretching?

  • If you have a feeling of tension or compression in any joint.
  • If you spend a lot of time in the same position (standing or in a chair, for example).

When to avoid stretching?

Stretching can be beneficial when maintaining the same body posture for a long time. However, there is no evidence to prove that they are an effective treatment to reduce the incidence of injuries.

Before exercising

Stretching statically before doing any physical activity decreases the strength that the muscle is able to do, which is known as “stretching-induced strength loss.” It is not permanent, but it can decrease your performance and predispose you to injuries. It is preferable that you do muscle stretching after exercising.

If it’s the only thing you do to prevent injuries

Stretching as a unique method has not proven effective in reducing the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries. However, combined with an individualized exercise program, it can be beneficial in certain cases.

If it’s the only thing you do to treat muscle contractures

As in the previous point, doing only stretching has not proved to be an effective treatment in people with muscular contractures or mobility problems. 

In people with or without neurological conditions, evidence suggests that muscle stretching does not significantly reduce pain or improve the quality of life in the short term. These results have also been seen in studies where stretching regimens have been made up to 7 consecutive months.

Muscle strengthening

Strengthening muscles is not synonymous with going to the gym. If you lift heavy weights, but it pulls you in the back if you bend over, something you are doing wrong.  Strengthening muscles is a process that should help your body to be able to move on a daily basis.

Remember that we have bodies that are designed to move, run, carry things, etc., but that live in a sedentary society (we no longer hunt for food, for example).

So, as the movement is not part of our day to day, we must add it consciously, whether through the gym, a routine at home, small exercises throughout the day or whatever best suits our routine.

When to strengthen?

For the same reasons why you would stretch:

  • If you have a feeling of tension or compression in any joint.
  • If you spend a lot of time in the same position (standing or in a chair, for example).

But also for other reasons, such as:

  • If you have stretched to treat your symptoms and the symptoms do not improve, or improve and then get worse.
  • When you get tired when climbing stairs.
  • If you are recovering from an injury.
  • In case of pregnancy or postpartum period.
  • If you are older.

Regardless of the reason, consult with a personal trainer or health professional with knowledge in the area, especially if:

  • You are a beginner
  • You are a minor.
  • You are pregnant (or suspected).
  • You are an adult.

When to avoid training?

Strengthening exercises should be avoided after suffering from traumatic events or injuries. It is also better to suspend them if there are symptoms of physical overtraining.

After an acute traumatic event. You should not train the fractured affected limb until the bone is consolidated. After suffering a traffic accident, make sure you have a green light from the doctor and physiotherapist before exercising. 

Also, you should avoid it if you have symptoms of overtraining. These include:

  • Significant decrease in sports performance, at work or in your day today.
  • Excessive tiredness
  • Sudden mood swings
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Insomnia or little sleep.
  • Loss of appetite
  • Muscle aches that do not diminish.
  • Abrupt changes in the menstrual cycle.

Muscle stretching or strengthening: which is better?

There are many circumstances by which to strengthen a muscle instead of stretching it. The decision will be made based on what you feel gives you more benefits at any given time.

If what worries you is where to start, studies like this show that, no matter what you choose, doing muscle stretching or strengthening will always beat a sedentary lifestyle.  So just start!

And remember that, rather than deciding what exercise to do, in which gym to enroll or what clothes to buy to train, it is more important:

  • Warm properly before strengthening or stretching.
  • Eat well.
  • Get enough rest.
  • Have good sleep hygiene.
  • Drink enough water.

10 Keys To Good Sleep Hygiene

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Many people in the world have difficulty sleeping. As much as they try, they fail to fall asleep easily. Maybe they just need to apply some basic sleep hygiene guidelines to rest peacefully, without anything disturbing them.

When you don’t have a restful sleep, many difficulties arise. The brain needs to pause daily to carry out processes that cannot be carried out during wakefulness. If you do not have those lapses of rest, it works improperly throughout the day and, in the long term, the consequences may be worse.

The importance of sleep hygiene is that, by applying its guidelines properly, it allows to achieve restful sleep. It includes very simple and easy to implement measures. Simply follow them constantly and in a short time, they become a healthy habit.

These are ten of those keys to achieve good sleep hygiene :

1. A suitable atmosphere

It is essential to create suitable conditions to achieve peaceful sleep. If you have difficulty falling asleep, surely an environment with noise or very bright will not help you. Similarly, the temperature is a central element. It is appropriate that you adapt your room so that you have controlled these factors.

2. Prior preparation, a key to sleep hygiene

For basic human activities such as eating or sleeping, the body and mind respond very well if we program them. Good sleep hygiene involves creating rituals at bedtime.

It is about slowing down the activity pace so that you enter rest mode. It is convenient, for example, to take a warm bath and drink some relaxing infusion before going to bed.

3. Control over food consumption

Eating healthy helps us to sleep better. At this point, dinner is essential, which should never be heavy. Fullness is not a good ally of sleep, but neither is trying to sleep with a feeling of hunger. Ideally, dinner should be light, but sufficient, and that you eat about three hours before going to sleep.

4. Ingestion of certain substances

For obvious reasons, drinking stimulant drinks can affect your rest. One of the basic guidelines of good sleep hygiene is not to ingest these substances after mid-afternoon. This includes coffee, tea, chocolate, soft drinks and, of course, energy drinks. All of them increase your alertness and make it harder for you to sleep.

5. The importance of exercise in sleep hygiene

The exercise is great for all purposes, including sleep. It is good that you adopt a daily exercise routine, according to your age and your physical condition. The only condition is that you do not carry out such activities at a time close to bedtime. After a day of exercise, the body takes between two and four hours to return to its normal rhythm.

6. The daytime nap

Currently, there are not many who can afford to enjoy a nap after lunch. If you are one of those lucky few, in any case, do not overdo it. The nap cannot last more than 20 minutes if you want to sleep well at night. If you have many difficulties to fall asleep, you better eliminate the nap of your routine.

7. Regular schedules on sleep hygiene

As we noted earlier, it is good for the body to have regular routines in our basic functions. Going to bed and always getting up at the same time will help you to solve any problem you have with your dream. Once you acquire the habit, the same body will begin to ask you for rest at the usual time.

8. Electronic devices

To have proper sleep hygiene it is necessary to turn off all the electronic devices around you. There is no way for you to sleep well if you have the TV on or leave the mobile phone near the bed; much less if you take the computer to work a little before bed. At the time of rest, all these devices must be turned off.

9. Relaxation techniques

Relationship techniques are an excellent alternative for those who have chronic problems with sleep. Even for those who do not have so many difficulties, it is advisable to do some relaxation exercises shortly before going to bed. It is one of those sleep hygiene guidelines that guarantee a better rest.

10. The bed: a decisive factor in sleep hygiene

You must be aware that the bed is for sex and sleep, nothing more than that. Do not work, or watch TV, or eat on it. If you can’t fall asleep, get up and go back to bed only if you think you’re ready to sleep.

Also, one of the best investments you can make is to have a good bed, since there you will spend a third of your life. Think about it, it’s worth it!

How To Clean Rusty Jewelry

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Baking soda is one of those products that can not be missing at home. This mineral is perfect for cleaning all kinds of surfaces, from countertops to clothing stains and, of course, can also be used to remove rust from the jewelry!

Wet a cloth and take a little baking soda with it. Rub the piece of jewelry gently, rinse and dry well. Repeat the process as many times as necessary.

Note: This option is not suitable for gold jewelry because it could damage the color.

2. Toothpaste

This is the grandmother’s trick and it works perfectly! Polish your necklaces and other pieces of metal with toothpaste and the help of a cloth. Rinse and rub with a dry cloth to remove moisture and shine.

3. Aspirins

Effervescent aspirins can help dilute the oxide in your jewelry.

Take a glass of water and put two effervescent aspirins inside. Dip your jewelry in the mixture and leave for about 10 minutes. When removing the pieces, there will be no more traces of rust!

4. Cola soft drink

The famous cola brand is another excellent option to remove rust. The process is as easy as dipping the jewelry in a glass of cola and wait a few minutes. Then, empty the glass and simply polish each piece with a cloth.

Note: Do not use this recipe to clean gold jewelry because it could affect the appearance of the piece.

5. Baking soda and vinegar

If the rust is very resistant, you can try mixing a little white vinegar with a teaspoon of baking soda in a bowl. When you start to see bubbles, immerse your jewelry a few minutes. Remove it, dry with a cloth and voila!

Prevention to avoid jewelry damage

Similarly, jewelry can be affected by moisture, appearing colors and rusting. 

Now that your costume jewelry shines again without traces of rust, you should start taking care of it properly! To prevent it from blackening and losing its brightness you can take some simple precautions:

  1. Avoid mixing accessories: the ideal is to store them separately to increase the life of each and avoid rust. Jewelry clothes are usually a good option.
  2. Separate the accessories according to the material: gold should be stored with gold, silver with silver and separate jewelry to avoid damaging other accessories.
  3. Try to prevent your accessories from coming into contact with seawater, soap, chlorine, and other abrasive elements. The jewels should not accompany you to the beach and also, you must remember to take them off when you bathe.
  4. Do not wear jewelry when you exercise, as sweat could affect the color of the piece.
  5. Do not let your jewelry come in contact with perfume or creams to prevent them from affecting their appearance.
  6. Store your jewelry in a cool and dark place to minimize the chances of oxidation.
  7. Protect your jewelry with clear nail lacquer.

Do not get rid of your jewelry with traces of rust. As you have discovered, cleaning rusty jewelry is not an impossible mission. We hope that these tricks will be useful for you and that your jewelry looks like new!

15 Facts About Dreams You Should Know

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Have you ever wondered why some people dream and others don’t? Or how long do we dream each night? Here are all the curiosities about the dream you should know. Are you ready to be amazed?

15 curiosities about the dream

The dream has fascinated men and women throughout the world since time immemorial. The dream representation has raised hundreds of doubts. Therefore, we want to tell you some curiosities that will surely leave you with your mouth open.

1. We all dream.

Did you know that we all dream every night? Except for those who suffer from some disorders such as REM disorder.

It doesn’t matter if you remember your dream in the morning, we all dream every night! However, while some people can remember one, two or more dreams, other people are unable to do so.

Note: Only those people who suffer from an REM disorder do not dream at night but the percentage is very small.

2. There is something called “sleep paralysis.”

It is not a nightmare but a condition suffered by thousands of people in the world. Sleep paralysis disables the person who suffers from doing any kind of voluntary movement for some time, usually between sleep and wakefulness.

3. We use about 6 years of our life dreaming.

That without adding, of course, the time we spent daydreaming. Every night, we dream several times for periods of between 5 and 20 minutes. If we calculate the projection of current life, we conclude that we would spend about six years with our dreams.

4. Curiosities about sleep: we forget dreams a few minutes after waking up.

Mostly, dreams are easily forgotten. Has it happened to you to try to tell someone a dream and feel it was fading from your mind? This occurs because the way we process information and store it in memory is not the same as the way our mind dreams.

5. Some people dream things that then happen.

Premonitory dreams alert about situations that finally come true.

It’s about the famous premonitory dreams. There is no scientific explanation about it, but there are cases of people who dreamed of situations that eventually happened. For example:

  • Abraham Lincoln dreamed of his murder.
  • Some people dreamed of the tragedy of the Titanic.
  • It has been said that some victims of the attack on the Twin Towers had dreamed of a possible catastrophe.

6. Some of the most famous inventions in history were based on dreams.

As you read, some inventors have changed humanity as we knew it based on their dreams. This is the case of Larry Page, creator of Google, James Watson, discoverer of the double spiral of DNA, and Elias Howe, inventor of the sewing machine.

7. Dreams between men and women tend to be very different.

Some studies have observed that, while women mainly dream of family and friends in familiar situations, men tend to have more aggressive dreams, where problematic encounters with other men predominate.

8. Curiosities about sleep: our brain does not rest at night.

We usually associate the dream with a moment of rest and peace and imagine that our brain “goes out.” However, as you should already be suspecting, this is not so: the brain is active while we sleep and for this reason, dreams occur.

9. Some people dream in black and white.

Most of the time we dream of color but some people do it in black and white. You may also dream in black and white in isolation. Has it happened to you?

10. Most people cannot read in a dream.

Reading the time in a dream is something that not everyone can do.

Have you ever dreamed that you read in your dream? Or that you face an exam? Reading a sheet in a dream is not something simple and many people cannot do it. For this reason, there are so many dreams of failed exams. The same goes for reading the time.

11. Curiosities about sleep: it is believed that animals also dream.

It has not been proven (and in fact, doing so is quite complex), however, it is suspected that animals also dream. Have you seen your dog moving its legs and moaning while it sleeps? It seems that the explanation is that you are dreaming!

12. Sometimes it is possible to guide the dream.

Lucid dreams are situations in which we are aware of what we are dreaming and, in some way, we manage to manipulate the content of the dream at our whim.

13. We dream more about negative things than positive ones.

It is not known why; However, several investigations have concluded that negative dreams tend to be more frequent than positive ones. Emotions such as anxiety, fear, and despair appeared in studies more repeatedly than happiness and love.

14. Curiosities about sleep: blind people also dream.

Not seeing does not prevent those blind people from dreaming. Many dreams of images, while others do so through their other senses such as touch, smell or hearing.

15. We only dream of faces we have ever seen.

So you know: if you ever dream of being chased or attacked and you can see the face of your assailant, surely it is someone you know or have seen on public transport.

Have we surprised you with these curiosities about the dream? Surely tonight, when you go to sleep, you will remember some of this information. Sweet Dreams!