Live a Healthier Life

October-10-2019

When you consider the fact that you only have one pair of eyes your entire life and that poor vision can make it harder to read, drive and many other things we take for granted on a day-to-day basis, it becomes apparent just how important it is to take care of your eye health.
Today is World Sight Day, an annual awareness day which focuses global attention on blindness and visual impairment. In honour of this day, we’ve rounded up some top tips for looking after your eye health. Whether you’re blessed with perfect vision or already wear glasses or contact lenses on a daily basis, why not put a few of these things into practice to minimise the pressure you’re putting on your eyes?

Visit an eye care specialist regularly

It’s important to ensure you get your eyes checked regularly by an optometrist to test for visual impairment and ensure you have good overall eye health. Your vision can deteriorate over time. Therefore, even if you had perfect vision at an appointment ten years ago, you shouldn’t assume that you still do; regular eye tests are recommended. Having no prescription when you need one, or the wrong prescription (for example, continuing to use a pair of glasses you were prescribed three years ago that are no longer right for you) can really damage your eyes.
Furthermore, if your optician finds that you need a prescriptive lens, you should ensure that you’re wearing your glasses or contact lenses whenever you need them to prevent eye strain and further damage. Finally, it’s important to remember to take your contact lenses out every night and to follow the appropriate cleaning instructions, in order to reduce the risk of drying your eyes out or getting an infection.

Remove your makeup every day

We’re often told that removing makeup is important to let our skin and pores breathe, but it’s equally important to get rid of eye makeup, such as eyeliner and mascara, to prevent irritation, eye infections or styes. You can use a product like our Sonya Refreshing Gel Cleanser to gently melt away makeup in a way that doesn’t tug or pull on the delicate skin around your eyes.
While we’re on the topic of makeup, never share your eye makeup with others! Doing so puts you at risk of sharing bacteria and infections.

Wear UV protection sunglasses

We all know how important it is to protect our skin by ensuring our sunscreen has both UVA and UVB protection, much like our Aloe Sunscreen does, but have you ever considered the UV protection in your sunglasses? A cheap pair may seem like a bargain, but they often don’t do the trick when it comes to eye protection. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the sunshine, it’s especially important to make sure your glasses are blocking 99 to 100% of all harmful UV rays from reaching your eyes.

Get plenty of sleep

Ah, there’s nothing quite like a good sleep to help your body rest and repair itself. There are some things that your morning cup of coffee just won’t fix and they are the health issues that can often come hand-in-hand with a consistent lack of sleep. This is true for keeping your eyes healthy, too. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you may find that you struggle with dry, irritated and itchy eyes, and you’ll be tempted to rub at them. This in turn usually contributes to more bacteria entering the eyes and puts you at a higher risk of infection. It’s important to aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night for optimum all-round health and to avoid those side-effects.

Limit your screen time

Grandma’s warnings about getting square eyes from sitting in front of the TV all day may not be literal, but she certainly had a point; staring at a screen all day can be really bad for your eye health, and in this digital day and age we’re often staring at them for upwards of ten hours a day!
While it’s advisable to limit your screen time, we know that work obligations as well as the draw of smart phones and TV streaming services can sometimes make it difficult, so it’s important to put a few protective barriers in place. For example, you could implement the 20/20/20 rule at your computer while you’re working. Every twenty minutes, look away from your computer and focus on something at least twenty feet away for a minimum of twenty seconds to help refocus your eyes.
You can also minimise harmful blue light by changing your desktop or mobile phone screens to take on a more sepia tone, or by purchasing a pair of blue light minimising glasses. It may also be worth making it an aim to limit your television viewing time to give your eyes a rest in the evening or to put your phone away several hours before bedtime – something that will help with your sleep quality, too.

Taking the right vitamins

We all know the benefits of eating a well-balanced diet with regards to our fitness and weight, but did you know that there are also lots of foods that contain eye-supporting nutrients?
Some of the nutrients that are really key to eye health include vitamin A, zinc and copper. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids which are pigments found in plants and in your retina. They’re often found in greater amounts in leafy green vegetables, such as cabbage, kale and spinach, which is where you’ll also find high quantities of copper. Zinc helps to protect cells from oxidative stress and is often found in eggs, dairy products and meat, but for the vegans among us, legumes and seeds can be a good source too.
You can also supplement a well-balanced diet with our new Forever iVision which contains the antioxidant vitamins C and E to protect cells from oxidative stress, as well as beta carotene from vitamin A and zinc which contribute to the maintenance of normal vision.

October-04-2019

We know that stressful life situations and the onset of winter can sometimes leave us all feeling a little downcast. That’s why we’ll be celebrating World Smile Day on Friday, 4^th October 2019. World Smile Day is all about spreading happiness through acts of kindness and getting the world grinning – philosophies we like to live by every single day here at Forever!
Research shows that not only can a smile help to lift your mood, it can also make you appear more attractive to others. What’s not to love? That’s not all though, there are a huge number of benefits to flashing those pearly whites, so scrub up with some Forever Bright Tooth Gel and let’s get smiling…

Smiling is nature’s antidepressant

One huge benefit of flashing your best and brightest smile is the chemical release in your brain whenever you do! Most of us usually only tend to smile when we’re reacting to a positive experience, but it turns out that just choosing to smile, even when you don’t feel like it, can really lift your mood. You can trick your brain into thinking it’s happy because when you smile your brain releases a wave of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. Serotonin helps to lift your mood, while endorphins promote an overall sense of calm and wellbeing, meaning that if you’re feeling down or anxious, a good smile can help to boost your spirits instantly.

Smiling makes you more attractive

Did you know that smiling instantly boosts your attractiveness? Studies have shown that both men and women are naturally more attracted to images of people who smile. According to one study published in the journal Neuropsychologia, it’s because seeing a smiling face activates a part of your brain that processes sensory rewards and it provides you a sense of gratification. Why not flash yourself a smile next time you’re looking in a mirror to instantly see the benefits?

Smiling is contagious

When it comes to spreading happiness, there’s nothing like a smile. In one study, participants were asked to frown every time they saw a picture of someone smiling and it turns out that’s much easier said than done! Just the sight of someone smiling triggers an automatic response to smile back. So this World Smile Day, why not try beaming at your friends, co-workers or even complete strangers to spread a little bit of glee?

Forever Bright Toothgel

This one’s a double-whammy of reasons to smile! Created for the entire family, our Forever Bright Toothgel is a gentle, non-fluoride formula that contains the highest quality ingredients. Its natural mint flavour will leave your mouth feeling clean and refreshed, which is good enough to make anybody happy. Not only that, but when your teeth are looking their best, you’ll be more inclined to show them off. Go on, give us a smile!

Winter is a great time to smile

Summer may be well and truly over now, but that’s no reason to be sad. Autumn and winter can be a really great time to flash those pearly whites. Take for example the fact that we’re only a few months away from the family getting together for Christmas celebrations. Or the beautiful environment around you as the leaves turn red and you have the perfect excuse to snuggle up with a hot chocolate.


Want some more reasons to smile? Take a look at these Ten things to look forward to in autumn, or better still let us know in the comments what makes you smile at this time of year!

October-02-2019

When the evenings begin to shorten and you’re searching out your winter coat in the back of cupboard, it’s time for a warming pick-me-up. Whether for a lunchtime treat or a cosy dinnertime, a hearty bowl of soup is everything you need this Autumn.
In honour of #WorldVegetarianDay, we’ve picked out some of our favourite vegetarian soups made with the best autumnal vegetables, so that you can sit back and tuck in with a big hunk of crusty bread.

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Easy pumpkin soup recipe

Serves 4

• 500g pumpkin, diced
• 30g butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 700ml hot water
• 2 vegetable stock cubes, crumbled
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 60ml single cream

Combine the pumpkin, butter, onion and garlic in a large bowl. Cover it loosely with a lid or cling film, leaving a small gap for air to escape, then place in a microwave and cook on high (approximately 900W) for seven minutes.
Add the water, stock cubes and tomato purée to the bowl and roughly mix everything with a wooden spoon. Cover the bowl again, making sure to leave a gap, and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
Blend or process the mixture in batches until smooth. Reheat on the hob and stir in the cream.

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Cauliflower cheese soup recipe

Serves 4-6
Adapted from BBC Good Food

• 10g butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 900g cauliflower (or just a large cauliflower), cut into florets
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
• 700ml vegetable stock
• 400ml semi-skimmed milk
• 100g mature cheddar, finely grated

Heat the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes or until softened. Add the cauliflower, potato, vegetable stock and milk. Season well and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about thirty minutes or until the cauliflower is soft and you can easily crush the potato against the side of the pan with your wooden spoon.
Blend or process the mixture until thick and creamy. Pour back into the saucepan and add the cheese. Reheat gently until the cheese has melted, adjust your seasoning and serve.

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Leek and potato soup recipe

Serves 4-6

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 medium leeks, finely sliced
  
• 1 medium potato, diced
  
• 1 medium onion, diced
  
• 2 litres vegetable stock
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, leeks and potatoes and cook over a medium heat for about five minutes or until the onions and leeks have softened.
Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down slightly and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Season well with salt and pepper, then leave to cool a little.
Purée with a stick blender or in a blender until the mixture reaches your desired consistency, then reheat in a saucepan and serve with a good chunk of crusty bread.


As you can tell from our recipes above, we love a hearty vegetarian soup. What are some of your favourite vegetarian recipes? Share yours in the comments!