Children health tips and tricks from dr. Akram Ismail? Good news, chocoholics: Your occasional indulgence might just be the key to staying slim. According to 2012 research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, individuals who regularly consume chocolate are thinner than those who abstain. If you want to feel good on the inside and the outside, stick to dark chocolate and you’ll enjoy a boost of inflammation-fighting antioxidants, too. These can creep into all kinds of foods that you might not expect to be full of the sweet stuff, like condiments and shop-bought sauces. “Opting for foods without added sugar is a must,” says Jonny Mills, trainer at boutique fitness studio Sweat It. “Sugar spikes your blood glucose and if you don’t burn it off it’ll be stored as fat.” See more details on Akram Ismail.

Having social support is a great way to stay motivated. Embracing the support of loved ones is an integral part of a successful weight loss journey. Some people may wish to invite friends or family members to join them, while others might prefer to use social media to share their progress. Other avenues of support may include: a positive social network, group or individual counseling, exercise clubs or partners. Weight loss is a gradual process, and a person may feel discouraged if the pounds do not drop off at quite the rate that they had anticipated. Some days will be harder than others when sticking to a weight loss or maintenance program. A successful weight-loss program requires the individual to persevere and not give up when self-change seems too difficult.

Fitness and alternative health news from Akram Ismail : Pilates trains your nervous system. Huh? Is that even a thing? Yes it is — and it’s almost always the missing link for people who feel stuck, or can’t seem to get beyond a certain point in their fitness. It can also be the reason why an activity you’ve been doing “for years” suddenly becomes problematic or painful. If you don’t train your nervous system, it gets lazy, and compensations will develop in your body. Compensations lead to problems when unchecked. Since Pilates is a mind-body exercise, it helps to keep the communication between your brain and your muscles fresh. Pilates emphasizes precise and coordinated movements, which enhance and reinforces this connection. In other words, your nervous system can’t get lazy when you do Pilates!

Avoid sugary foods. When bacteria in the mouth break down simple sugars, they produce acids that can erode tooth enamel, opening the door to decay. Sugary drinks, including soft drinks and fruit drinks, pose a special threat because people tend to sip them, raising acid levels over a long period of time. Sticky candies are another culprit, because they linger on teeth surfaces.

Drink More Water! Many people mistake the feeling of thirst for the feeling of hunger. Sip on water all day long, making sure to consume 2.5 litres every day. Add in the Fibre. Fibre makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time. However, if you currently don’t eat a lot of fibre, add it in slowly as too much at once can cause digestion issues. Ditch The Soda: There’s nothing worse than drinking empty calories. And choosing diet sodas are no better. Research is showing that diet sodas may actually lead to weight and fat gain. If you need something fizzy to drink, choose sparkling water or make your own water kefir.

It’s never a good sign when white flakes appear on your shirt and, um, it’s not snowing outside. But dandruff is just one of many common scalp conditions that can mess with your daily routine. Thankfully, modern medicine has the answer to keep your scalp looking and feeling good. Learn more about what’s potentially causing the bumps on your head by reading up on the seven common conditions below, but always check with a board-certified dermatologist if you’re truly concerned.

Mental health recommendations by dr. Akram Ismail in 2022