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If you're more than a little partial to an energy drink or two, you're probably well used to hearing people tell you that you'd better off cutting down on the habit.

But if you've always found that a quick can has helped with the mid-afternoon slump, the thoughts of powering through without a caffeine hit can seem as stressful as enduring an entire Honey G concert.

Acknowledging this reliance, researcher, Erwin Johnson, has produced a break-down of our body's reaction to the consumption of an energy drink – from the first ten minutes to 24 hours later.

Within 10 minutes of chugging your can, caffeine will enter your bloodstream causing your heart rate and blood pressure to rise.

Within 45 minutes, your concentration levels will improve as caffeine levels peak, and by the hour mark, your body will have absorbed all the caffeine and your liver will then absorb the sugar.

And then come the pitfalls.

Within one hour of consumption, your body will experience a sugar crash leaving you feeling tired and lethargic.

Six hours after consuming the drink, your body will have reduced the caffeine level by just half while the following six hours will be focussed on eradicating the other half.

If you choose not to consume another drink within a 24-hour period, you will begin to experience withdrawals including headaches, constipation and irritability.

Commenting on the research, nutritionist Ella Allred explained: "Energy drinks are a bad way to get caffeine. Many people drink energy drinks every day to help them survive busy week."

"However, relying on those drinks, push our bodies to the limit," she told the Daily Star. "We still need to sleep and eat properly, but if we won’t do it on time and ignore our needs, most likely we will crash later on."

Taking issue with the criticism, Gavin Partington, British Soft Drinks Association Director General reminded the public that a reliance on energy drinks is no different to a reliance on coffee,

"In fact, this year the European Food Safety Authority reaffirmed the safety of energy drinks and their ingredients." he said. "It’s worth remembering that a 250 ml can of energy drinks contains the same amount of caffeine as a typical cup of coffee."

Irritability and constipation or falling asleep and drooling on your employer's lap – oh, what a time to be alive.

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The following is an extract from Peter Varga's Humans of Dublin.

Drawn from the archives of the incredibly popular online blog, Peter Varga's Humans of Dublin gives a voice to the people of our capital city.

A collection of portraits, memories and snapshots, Humans of Dublin provides a thought-provoking insight into the Irish capital and its vibrant and diverse inhabitants.

Pictured above is Aoife who shares her story of bereavement and reconcilIation.

Two years ago my mam passed away suddenly, just a couple of days after her 45th birthday.

The last thing she said was, ‘Night, Aoife, love you,’ and by the time I got downstairs to say goodnight she was struggling to breathe. I remember just feeling numb and afraid.

I’ve always used my work as a coping mechanism, and I don’t think it’s fully hit me yet, as all my energy has gone into my work.

Being an illustrator has become a full-time job now. I finished college in June just gone and had a lot more free time on my hands to think about everything, which was tough because I always pushed my feelings to the side.

After having time to think, I made the decision to set out for my biological father one last time. I had been looking for 17 years with only his name to go on, so I decided to contact an agency to find him, and they did!

I travelled to the UK with family and I got to meet him for the first time in my life. As soon as I saw him, I knew it was him. We had the exact same eyes and smile, and were both lost for words, so just hugged for ages.

We got on great and spent the day together sharing stories and catching up. Leaving was really tough, though – he had explained to me he has a problem with drink.

Hopefully us getting in touch will give him the strength he needs to get help. It’s the beginning of a new chapter for the both of us.

Peter's Vagra's Humans of Dublin is available to buy now.

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Ladies, you may want to sit down before reading on.

Sitting? OK.

So, if you had notions about heading Stateside next year, but weren’t quite sure if your dosh would stretch that far, Aer Lingus have got you covered.

As a nod to Black Friday, the airline have today announced that they will be laying on flights to the States for next to nothing.

If the Big Apple is beckoning, you’ll be pumped to hear that you can live it up in the city that never sleeps for just €205 each way.

Interested in exploring Boston? Well, that adventure will set you back just €215 each way while a trip to LA comes in at €260 each way.

These fares are valid from January 1 to May 31, and you must book by midnight November 28.

Excuse us, we have some packing to do.

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From cosmetic surgery to substantial weight loss, there's very little the Geordie Shore girls haven't tried in an effort to overhaul their appearance.

And it looks like 27-year-old Sophie Kasaei is the latest cast member to undergo a transformation after falling victim to online trolls in recent months.

After rejoining the show, the original cast member gained 21 lbs over the course of a six week filming schedule, and ultimately shed a staggering 14 lbs of it over just seven days at a boot camp favoured by celebrities.

"I love filming Geordie Shore but it totally wrecks your diet. I was in great shape before we started filming the last series but that all went out of the window by the end of the series," Sophie explained.

"It is party central for almost two months and there is no time to go to the gym. You need so much discipline to stay in shape and I lost it big time."

Branded a 'whale' on social media after gaining weight due to the amount of alcohol and junk food she was consuming while filming Geordie Shore, Sophie decided to sign up to a military boot camp in Norfolk – an experience which she says she won't forget in a hurry,

"The 6am wake-up call was the biggest shock – that is the time I am normally getting back in from a nightclub when I am on Geordie!" she admitted.

"I loved every minute of it and I was thrilled to lose 7 lbs in five days. I could not believe the difference – I felt so much firmer all over."

Focussing on long-term goals, Sophie reveals she plans to return to the camp, saying: "I want to go back and do a proper body blitz and get seriously in shape like Holly and Charlotte."

Reflecting on the impact filming can have on the cast members, Sophie said: "It does take its toll on the girls in particular and a few of us do start to feel insecure about our bodies by the end of the filming."

"It is worse for me because I am only 5ft 1in, so there is nowhere for me to hide my weight," she added.

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If there's one thing millennials really, really care about, it's – wait for it – emojis.

And while we all know no message is complete without one, we didn't realise the extent of our generation's passion for them until Apple had the audacity to remove the original peach emoji.

In a move which had everyone up in arms recently, the tech giant released a batch of redesigned emojis for its iOS 10.2 software and ultimately forced us to use a peach emoji which looked like a peach… and not a big, curvy bum.

Like, some people literally have no chill.

Taking to social media to demand the return of the original, members of the public paid tribute to the emoji which did much to strengthen our skills in the sexting department… and Apple actually listened!

The global corporation released a new beta version of iOS 10.2 to developers on Monday, and we can confirm that the peach emoji is officially back.

It's big, it's round and it looks like the bum we all know and love.

And all is right with the world.

 

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If you found yourself contemplating Foundation Level Maths in your Leaving Cert, you'll know only too well that the ol' arithmetic can get the better of most of us.

And while you consoled yourself by saying you'd never have to deal with it again after handing up your final Maths exam in 6th year, the big, bad world proved you wrong, didn't it?

From attempting to figure out high street sale prices to stumbling over group bills in restaurants, you'll know that your lack of skill in the Maths department is something that may well plague you for decades to come.

But don't worry, you're among friends here.

1. Working in retail is particularly difficult if customers change their mind on the amount they’re giving you.

“Oh, look I have a twenty after all! Here, you take this and here’s another ten cent.”

2. Trying to figure out how much you’re saving in a sale is absolutely pointless.

“20% off? Jesus Christ, you literally need a degree to buy a bloody dress.”

3. Countdown is not exactly your favourite TV quiz show.

“Wait now, there’s a 75 in the mix. I’m out.”

4. Being handed the bill during a group dinner is the equivalent of holding a ticking time bomb.

“WHAT?!  Not me! Someone else take it!”

5. Reflecting on your education, you struggle to understand where it all went wrong.

“I’m sure I aced my Mental Maths quizzes up until first class. That must count for something.”

6. Being asked to use a scientific calculator in secondary school felt like detonating a bomb.

“It says ‘error’. Is ‘error’ the right answer?”

7. The thought of helping your future children with their Maths homework brings you out in a sweat.

“They’ll find out my secret. I’ll have to employ someone to do it.”

8. When your teacher started introducing more letters than numbers in class, you officially peaced out.

“Nah, not for me.”

9. You have been known to employ unusual methods to help you navigate your personal finances.

“Just wait! If I fold this twenty euro note in half, I’ll be able to figure it out.

10. You’ve had countless people explain bookies’ odds to you, but you know you’ll never understand it.

“Hahaha oh yeah, I get it now. 13:1. Absolutely.”

11. Any sum that included a decimal AND a fraction is not something you needed in your life

“Nope. Done.”

 

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If you'd love a quick getaway without breaking the bank this side of Christmas, Ryanair have you covered.

The airline have today announced that they are holding a one-day €5 seat sale.

Offering 20,000 seats on selected routes for travel in November, the airline are giving all of us the early Christmas present we truly deserve.

But if you want in on this, you need to secure your seat before midnight tonight.

Ladies, it's go-time.

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If you were born without a flair for languages, trying to get your head around anything other than your native tongue is no mean feat.

And trying to get your head around German can be even harder for some people.

For many of us, it's the type of language that trips you up at every turn, but once you get stuck in, you're away in a hack.

Unless, of course, you're us, that is.

1. You might have memorised the Der, Die, Das, Die table off by heart, but it will never help in an exam.

“Hold on until I re-write my table for the 14th time.”

2. You get an inexplicable thrill by throwing random capitalised words into your sentences.

“We can’t do this in English, ya see. But with you guys, it’s allowed!”

3. Waiting until the end of the sentence to find out the verb still infuriates you.

“It’s like you have to make your brain work backwards.”

4. No matter how many times you might try, you still can’t get your head around the Dative case.

“Wait now, who is the apple being given to?”

5.  You accept you will never know which article goes with which noun.

“And I’m just going to have to live with it. They’ll know what I’m talking about.”

6.  You quote Sideshow Bob’s famous line at least once a day.

“Die Bart die, lads. Know what I mean?”

7. You get thick with people who say German is a harsh language (even though you secretly agree).

“Ehhh, I think you’ll find it’s beautiful… in its own way.”

8. You laugh at the word wiener because you can’t grow up all at once.

“It’s like they’re challenging me to keep a straight face.”

9. You secretly hate classmates who nail the accent with little to no effort.

“I still sound like I’m chewing a toy truck even when I try my hardest.”

10. You get a major thrill when you get through an entire passage and actually understand it.

“Auf wiedersehen biatches, I’m outta here.”

11. You learn a filler word and you include it at least ten times in each and every oral you ever do.

"Genau… genau… mmmm…. genau."

 

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If the thought of turbulence has you reaching for a parachute, then it might be worth taking the following advice into account when booking your next flight.

Responding to a question posed on Quora, Bruno Gillissen, an airline pilot, revealed that the worst place to sit should the plane encounter turbulence is the back.

Referring to four colleagues for confirmation on this one, Bruno said: "All four agreed upon the back of the plane being the worst place. All pilots would agree with this as well I think."

Elaborating further, Bruno told anxious flyers that if they hoped to avoid the worst of a bumpy flight, they should opt for the front of the cabin when booking.

"Three out of the four were convinced the least turbulence is felt in the very front; only one of them pointed to somewhere over the wings," he wrote.

"The three female flight attendants agree with most airline crew that the least turbulence is in the front of the airplane. That is consistent with my experience," Bruno confirmed.

And if you're wondering why there wasn't a unanimous verdict, Bruno sugested it was down to lack of experience on the part of those involved.

"The three who had no doubt it was the front of the plane were female flight attendants with more experience. The one who disagreed and opted for the wing zone was a junior male flight attendant."

Well, that's good enough for us – to the front!

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Having big feet isn't exactly easy.

Having big feet when you're a woman is even harder.

From being unable to rock certain styles to squeezing your foot into a shoe that doesn't fit simply because you're an optimistic kind of gal, being any bigger than a size 7 can make life tough.

And here are just ten things you'll recognise from a life spent looking for a shoe that doesn't resemble a canoe.

1. You genuinely felt your mother’s resentment when you graduated from childrens’ prices to adults' prices at the grand old age of six.

"You don't think I feel bad too?!"

2. Asking for your size in a shoe shop feels like a drug deal.

"Don’t cause a scene, but I need a size 9."

3. Men-style loafers don’t look cute on you when you’re above a size 6.

"Are you wearing your granddad’s shoes?"

4. Ballet pumps look long enough in general, but when you’re tipping a size 9 you may as well be rocking canoes.

“I’m actually only a 9, but I see why you’d think I’m a size 13.”

5. Shoe shops that display pairs instead of singles are your favourite places to shop.

"No human contact in this paradise!”

6. Peep-toes heels were your only man when they didn’t have your size.

“Don’t mind my toes dragging on the ground – they’re meant to do that.”

7. Swapping shoes with your squad was an activity you couldn’t get involved in.

“If anyone needs me, I’ll be under the stairs admiring your dad’s wellies.”

8. You tend to stick to neutral colours when it comes to footwear for fear of drawing too much attention to yourself.

“You’d be able to see me from the Mars lads, and that’s just it.”

9. Unlike other girls who’ve tried on their boyfriend’s runners for comedy purposes, you’ve tried them on after admiring the roominess.

“And tell me, do you find they give good support?”

10. Buying shoes online is a no-go because you just can’t trust they’ll fit until you’ve done a lap of an actual store (under the cover of darkness, obvs.)

“Oh, they SAY size 9, but you and I both know I won’t get more than halfway in.”

 

 

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Earlier this week, we stumbled across one brave woman who decided to ditch shampoo for good.

And just as we'd come to terms with how good her hair looks despite joining the 'no-poo' brigade, we came across another young woman who has chosen to ignore the demands placed on her by society.

22-year-old Elyse Brautigam, a native of Hawaii, took to YouTube in recent weeks to explain her motivation for ditching the deodorant in favour of a more natural scent.

"I haven't worn deodorant in probably around a year, give or take a couple of days," Elyse told YouTubers. "It was around two and half years ago that I transitioned my diet to a vegan diet."

Elyse explains that this dietary change had a major impact on her hormone levels, adding: "My body odour has changed quite a bit. My body smells differently."

And despite the fact Elyse is an avid gym-bunny who happily 'sweats like a pig', she's been pleasantly surprised by the impact her diet has changed on her body odour.

The popular YouTuber has attracted serious attention, with her latest upload racking up almost a quarter of a million likes

Check it out!

 

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If you find lugging countless empty wine bottles to the bottle bank beyond irritating, then you may need to get in on a trend currently doing the rounds online.

Instead of dividing your empties by colour in the local carpark, why not hold onto them and create a Christmas tree of epic proportions?!

After Silver Oak Cellars got the ball rolling last year, the rest of us mere mortals are catching up this time around, and Pinterest is all over it.

This is a work of art…

And this is truly beautiful…

And then there's this one…

But this has got to be our favourite…

Looks like we've some stocking up to do before Christmas, ladies.

Images via Pinterest

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