Recent Blog Posts

  Tips for Selling Your Home to Millennials   Millennials, those born between 1980 and 1995, are expected to surpass baby boomers and Generation X to become the generation buying the most homes in 2015, according to real estate website Zillow.i In 2012, millennials made up 28 percent of the U.S. housing market. That rose to 32 percent in 2014. Rising rent prices – and the knowledge that interest rates will likely soon be rising – are driving even more of those in their 20s and early 30s to consider home-buying instead, with more than 5 million renters expected to purchase a house in 2015.ii Adding to the momentum is an improving economy and job market. The unemployment rate for 25- to 34-year-olds fell to just over 5 percent in February 2015, which is nearly half the rate in October 2009. Not to mention, millennials, which number about 75 million in the United States, are expected to outnumber baby boomers for the first time in 2015,iii and the oldest millenials are in their mid 30s – an age when many [...]

  Is Your Mood Adding Inches to Your Waistline? Most of us are all too well aware that overeating, eating junk food and not exercising are sure to expand our belt buckles another notch. But weight gain is not always so cut and dry. Oftentimes you may carefully watch what you eat, load your plate full of fruits and veggies, even exercise regularly … and still not win the battle of the bulge. Anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders may double your risk of becoming obese. In this latter case, your weight gain may have nothing to do with the foods you eat or the exercise you do, but rather with your emotional health. A new study published in BMJ analyzed data from four medical screenings of over 4,300 British civil servants aged 35 to 55, including screenings that assessed mental health and measurement of height and weight. People with a common mental health disorder, such as anxiety or depression, at all three previous screenings were twice as likely to be obese at the final screening compared with those [...]

  It's Time to Relax: 15 Quick Tips to Help You Shift Your Gears to Relax Mode Quickly   Yoga is an ideal form of exercise to relieve stress and promote calm in both your body and mind. America's number one health problem -- responsible for 75 percent to 90 percent of doctor visits, according to the American Institute for Stress -- is stress. And it's no wonder, given that we all face stress on a daily basis from the six areas of life that SixWise.com is dedicating to providing you guidance in: Relationships Finances Health Personal safety Home Career When stress becomes unbearable, it can lead to a host of serious illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, depression, autoimmune diseases and reproductive problems. So whether you are feeling stressed at home, work or in the car, taking time to relax is an essential part of staying healthy and happy. Here are 20 quick tips for helping you do just that -- and, unlike drinking, smoking or other potentially unhealthy stress relievers, these tips will only do your body good. At [...]

  The Two Types of Fat -- Visceral and Subcutaneous and Which Poses the Greatest Risk to You   It's the dreaded "F-word" -- FAT. Many of us are consumed with it ... gaining it, fearing it and doing just about anything to get rid of it. Yet we all have it. Even lean adults have 40 billion fat cells; those who are obese may have 80 billion to 120 billion. But it's not only the amount of fat that makes the difference between being healthy and unhealthy, it's the type of fat, and where it's distributed in your body. People with large bellies are at a higher risk of dangerous visceral fat, but thin people, particularly those who lead sedentary lifestyles, are also at risk. Visceral Fat Vs. Subcutaneous Fat There are two types of fat: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is the type found just underneath the skin, which may cause dimpling and cellulite. Visceral fat, on the other hand, is located in the abdomen and surrounding vital organs. It can infiltrate the liver and other organs, streak [...]

  How Obesity and Overweight May be Impacting Your Brain … Plus What You Can do to Avoid This "Severe" Health Risk   Obesity has been called the “Great American Disease” because it now impacts 30 percent of U.S. adults (which amounts to over 60 million people). It is, however, a global disease that affects more than 300 million worldwide. Obese and overweight people have 8 percent and 4 percent, respectively, less brain tissue than normal-weight individuals. While most are aware that being overweight and obese can increase their risk of high cholesterol, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, researchers from UCLA have uncovered another lesser known, but equally severe, risk. After reviewing brain scans of 94 people in their 70s, researchers found that obese people have 8 percent less brain tissue than those of normal weight, and their brains look 16 years older as well. Overweight people, in addition, had 4 percent less brain tissue and their brains appeared 8 years older than those with leaner builds. This amounts to “severe brain degeneration,” according to senior author of the [...]

  15 Easy Landscaping Tips to Add Appeal and Value to Your Home   Perhaps because people are innately drawn to nature, or because we're all driven on some level by aesthetics, creating a beautiful landscape around your home is one of the most beneficial things you can do to up its value. Landscaping can increase your property value by 7 percent to 14 percent, and make it sell five to six weeks faster! Improved landscaping can increase your property value by 7 percent to 14 percent, according to the American Nursery & Landscape Association. Meanwhile, if you're looking to sell your home, landscaping can get your home sold five to six weeks faster than homes without it (a definite plus in today's housing slump). What's more, landscaping does not have to be a huge investment. There are a number of simple tricks that can add major curb appeal to your home -- without breaking the bank. The end result is a relatively low investment for a high return -- not only in market value of your home but also [...]