Health Planet

Ladies, in case you haven’t heard, high heels are bad for you. They put pressure on your back and feet and could cause severe pain symptoms. I understand why women are willing to go such great lengths to look as fabulous as they could be even at the expense of serious health problems. Sometimes you want to look presentable and dress to impress – that’s completely reasonable. But let me go into further details about how high heels affect your health and what you can do to make it better.

When you wear high heels, you are imposing the entire weight pressure on your forefeet. Think about the limited feet support you get without an insole and thin heels. Over time not only your back will suffer, your feet and spine will also be affected with the change of posture. When you wear heels, your lower back is pushed forward, resulting in the loss of alignment with your hips. For women who wear high heels on a day to day basis for at least six to eight hours to go work, there is no doubt it could seriously affect your health in the long run with constant pressure on your knees and feet.

So what can you do to make it all better? I know that heels are just too good to resist sometimes. They help perfect your outfit better than a nice clutch or earrings. Luckily, as a heels lover, I discovered that there is something called interchangeable heels that allow you to transform your pair of flats into heels in no time. These detachable heels come in all sizes and shapes. During day time on your way back to the office, you could wear your comfortable flats all the way until you have to meet with a client or attend an important event but still looking fabulous as ever with your transformed high heels. These detachable heels are usually available at custom design platforms. Many shoe brands offer online design platforms for you to design your own shoes. The upside of such platforms is that you could pick any color, materials and style you want to go with your outfit. Most importantly, you don’t have to compromise your health to look gorgeous with the detachable heels that come with the package. How great is that?

So ladies, if you are thinking about making your next high heels purchase, consider ordering and designing them online for the sake of your health. Even if you are not a crafty genius, there are tons of styles available at your selection in one of these online stores. So get ready for your next dinner party with a new pair of comfortable heels now!

If I had the extra money to spend, I’d definitely go for some one-on-one personal training. Most personal training in Hong Kong are offered in gyms and could be quite costly. If you are planning on working out regularly at the gym, here is three reasons why you should use a personal trainer.

First, you may not know what you are doing. Whether you want to get in shape or tone your body, you may not necessarily know what you are doing. If you don’t have the perfect workout to support your new diet, all the sweat and work can go into waste. Personal trainers are professionals in fitness and health and they are confident in what they do best. Just look at their toned muscles and perfect shape, you’ll see what I mean.
With all the complicated machines at the gym, sometimes you just aren’t sure if you are in the right form targeting the correct muscle groups. Let’s not forget the gym membership is so expensive these days. If you spend three months at the gym with no results, why even bother?

Second, personal trainers can serve as an accountability system. We have all been there – skipping out on workout sessions because we feel tired or lazy. You give yourself all sorts of excuses to skip training. I get it – sometimes we just want to get lazy and veg out on the couch. But if you are constantly finding yourself wanting to give up, getting a personal trainer is a great way to get back on track again. If you skip out on practice, they hold you accountable and make you realize how terrible you have been. When you are held accountable for your actions, you are naturally inclined to want to put more focus and effort in your workout.

Finally, sometimes you just need somebody to talk to, and personal trainers are there to help you adjust your mindset and reassure you. During your fitness journeys, you are going to hit many roadblocks and obstacles mentally and physically. A lot of times, you are the one who’s stopping yourself from achieving your goals because you are always giving yourself excuses. A personal trainer knows how to readjust your mentality by giving you sincere feedback and honest opinions. They are there to give you the right motivation to achieve your goals. Knowing that you are not alone in this fitness journey helps you stay that much more focused and determined sometimes.

A lot of people think that getting a personal trainer in Hong Kong is weird and awkward because we don’t want to be stared at while working out. But the tips above really show that personal training can help you in so many different ways. If you are contemplating on getting in shape, give personal training a thought and you may just surprise yourself with great results.

Staying healthy is definitely easier said than done. This is especially difficult for people who live in a city like Hong Kong where long working hours and little workout time are the norm. I’m not going to lie – I’ve gained almost five pounds ever since I started working after graduation. Here are a few tips I’ve come up on how to stay fit.

First, stay away from temptations. Living in Hong Kong, you definitely need to find a way to resist all the good, fatty food. Restaurants and dining places are literally everywhere you go and it’s very easy for you to get lazy and eat outside every day. Unless you are only eating salads every day, eating at a regular restaurant on a day to day basis will get you fat. I remember when I was working as an intern a few years ago I ate at restaurants every single day. I put on at least five extra pounds after that summer was over. Now I know better to just pack my own lunch and avoid going out to eat too much.

Second, avoid eating snacks at work. It’s so easy to grab a pack of chips and start crunching on them while working. Snacks are the worst when it comes to a healthy diet. Most of them contain high levels of sugar, salt and sodium and are simply unhealthy. If you know that you are going to get hungry a couple hours after lunch, make sure you are eating the right snacks at least. I know nobody likes to work on an empty stomach, but it is extremely essential that you control the amount of food intake each day. It’s not hard to find healthy snack products in Hong Kong. Many grocery stores and supermarkets provide a wide selection of snacks for your including some of healthiest ones like nuts and crackers. It’s time to say goodbye to the tasty chips and cake now.

Third, I know some people are probably going to disagree with me on this, but health products are just not necessary in my opinion. In fact, I believe relying on health or vitamin supplements can create adverse side effects for your health. Health products in Hong Kong like to target white collars specifically because most of them are just too lazy to exercise these days. But I believe that doing it yourself is always the best option. Why rely on supplements when you can just spare a few moments during the week to work out and keep yourself healthy?

Above are just some tips that help you stay fit and strong. Remember, staying healthy is a long journey, but you won’t get any results unless you take initiatives. Good luck!

A question that gets asked by millions of women every day in Hong Kong. If you are sick of spending tons of money on cosmetics to cover up your awful skin, this is the perfect article for you. Let me break down the ways where you can regain natural glow for your skin.

I cannot say this enough, but maintaining a healthy lifestyle really goes a long way when it comes to skin care, especially if you have acne outbreaks often. Make sure you eat healthy and incorporate Vitamins into your diet. They help keep your skin radiant and healthy. Also ensure that you are getting enough sleep as your skin regenerates itself during night time. If you don’t want dark circles under your beautiful eyes, be sure to rest well at night. Eating and sleeping well are undoubtedly the most natural remedy for skincare.

Second, make sure your skin products are natural and chemical-free. If you have sensitive skin, it’s the best to reduce the use of chemicals in your skin products to avoid allergies and irritation. I used to jump from one skin product to another until I found something that finally fits me. I found that natural organic skin care products work the best on my dry, sensitive skin as it keeps my skin moisturized all day. It was recommended by an Indian friend of mine who has been using organic skin care products for years now. Organic skin care in India is definitely much more popular than that in Hong Kong. Organic skincare products incorporate the most natural ingredients that carry skin cell regeneration properties. These days you can’t just trust what commercials tell you; you have to see and try the products for yourself.

Third, reduce the use of makeup products. Have you ever been shocked at the differences makeup can create? I have. And that is why I refuse to use makeup on a day to day basis. Think about how awful you will look without it just for one day. A little bit of concealer and lip gloss are fine, but putting foundation cream on your skin every day can really cause some serious damages in the long run. Makeup also clogs your skin and worsens blemishes and pimples. If you are going to use makeup, at least make sure that you cleanse your face thoroughly every night before you go to sleep. But my best advice is simply reducing the use of makeup and find ways to let your skin shine naturally – you’ll be surprised how well it’s going to work.

Having trouble searching for the best skincare products in Hong Kong? Why not just follow the tips and steps above? You may just save yourself thousands of dollars from buying unnecessary skincare products again.

I came across this article the other day on Business Insider about the best jobs for work-life balance, and, lo and behold, SEO specialist is on the second of the list. I cannot agree more with what I’m seeing. A day in the life of a SEO specialist can be quite hectic – not only do we manage Google and Yahoo SEO work, sometimes we dabble in paid search as well. While I know that some Hong Kong SEO companies can be quite cut-throat, most of them are quite laid-back compared to other industries. To be honest, in a place like Hong Kong, a job with no overtime work is a blessing already. I’m fortunate enough to work in a company that very much values work-life balance. However, most employees in the city just want to suck the life out of you and leave you very little room to live. Let me tell you why work-life balance should deserve more attention from companies.

First, excessive workload and stress ultimately cause inefficiency. When you are constantly under pressure, you are more prone to make mistakes at work and your productivity naturally declines. Imaging sitting in front of your computer for nine hours straight with one hour of lunch break only – it can really drive one insane. If you are working overtime every single day and are always going home late and tired, don’t be surprised you find yourself constantly making mistakes in a day.

Second, work-life imbalance can lead to a negative working environment. If your employees go to work every day looking dreadful and exhausted, it can be detrimental to the spirit of your team. Creating a positive office environment is extremely important in boosting office morale and ultimately the efficiency of your employees. When you are happy, you work better and faster – that is just a simple fact of life.

Last but not least, we simply deserve a life outside of work. We have our friends and family we want to spend time with besides our co-workers and bosses. Sitting in front of your desk and pretending to work is simply the biggest time-waster ever. Coming from someone who has been there, I can tell you there is nothing worse than that, not even ten reports due on the same day with client chasing you through the phone and email constantly. After all, we are all human and we are very much entitled to a life outside of work.

I have seen too many friends getting suffocated under this horrible working culture in the city. If employers could be a bit more understanding and lenient, perhaps it could help ease up the pressure at work and create a much more pleasant, positive working environment, which benefits your company at the end of the day.

Bed bugs could be your worst enemy if you don’t treat them seriously. Although they do not pose any immediate health threats, they can potentially result in severe allergic reactions. Let me break down the reasons why they appear and ways to prevent them here.

Bed bugs do not just appear out of nowhere, the most common way of getting an infestation is through used beds and furniture. It is very hard for you to determine what causes bed bugs to appear at the first place because sometimes travellers unknowingly bring them back to their home from hotels. Bug beds like to hide in the cracks under the mattress and bed frames. Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs do not thrive on dirty environments; instead, as long as they have plenty of room to hide in a warm place, they will continue to survive and flourish. Bed bugs travel and spread fast – once your home gets infested, you are in for some serious trouble.

If you have signs of constant itching at night and even blood on your bed sheet, chances are you have a bed bug problem. Bed bugs are the most active during night time and feed on human and animals blood to survive. They can severely get in the way of your sleep, causing you to feel exhausted and restless all the time. Studies have shown that these little creatures cannot carry diseases, but continuous itching and sleeplessness are already irritating enough. In some cases, serious itching can also cause allergic reaction, which has to be treated right away to prevent a skin infection.

So how should you treat them if you happen to have such a problem at home? First, conduct a thorough search under your bed and furniture such as couches and closets. Clear out all the items and check the hidden cracks and areas to ensure a careful inspection. If you do discover a problem, the best solution is to hire professional help from a pest control company. Common treatment methods used in bed bug control include vacuuming and biocides. Doing it yourself is possible, but if the examination is not through enough, the problem could still persist. Besides, incorrect use of chemicals could be harmful to you and your family. Therefore, professional help is strongly recommended in the case of any pest situation.

If you encounter the above problem in the future, do not hesitate to contact professional companies. Their effort can really save you the time and cost. What you can do at least to prevent the problem from breaking out again is examining your furniture and mattresses regularly, and make sure that everything you bring back from travels are disinfected and cleaned. That way, you can effectively reduce the chances of getting an infestation.