Category: Lifestyle

5 Exotic Islands to Visit for Vacation in Africa

Most times, people just imagine that Africa is home to deserts, jungles, forests and Savannah thus, many people’s impression of places to visit in Africa includes the Safari experience such as the Safari tour to Maasai Mara, the experience of the Sahara Dunes in Morocco, the Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana, Mount Mulanje in Malawi, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Lekki Conservation Center in Nigeria.

However, Africa also have a lot of exotic seashores that can be very fascinating for individuals, families or lover’s vacation.

1) The Cape Verde Islands

Location: Sal beach in Santa Maria, Cape Verde

Cape Verde is one of the significant islands on the West African coast of Africa. With a focus on tourism and foreign investment, the island has been assembled in a way to satisfy the tastes of tourists from the white and sprawling sand to the sparkly crystal water and the neatness of the beach environment as well as the boat tour and the water sport activities. One of the best places to visit while on the Island is the Sal beach (Sal meant salt in Portuguese language), located in the main town of Santa Maria. The Sal beach is one of the popular visited places on the Island because of its beautiful pastel colored houses.

2) The Comoros Island

Location: Comoros Beach

The Comoros island is off the coast of East Africa known for its peace and tranquility. This is definitely a destination for relaxation, reflection and water sport. In case you are worried that your vacation date might not fall in summer. Well the Comoros island got your back because, you can actually visit Comoros and the beaches anytime given that, Comoros has only two seasons of hot & humid which happen from November to April, and the dry season from May to October.

3) The Mahe Island

Location: Seychelles

Seychelles located in Eastern coast of Africa; the Mahe Island in Seychelles is the largest among others. Named after Bertrand-Francois Mahe de La Bourbonnais, (a French governor of Isle de France, currently Mauritius), the island is beautiful with a lot of mountains and gorgeous beaches. There are also a lot of exotic and fancy hotels with beautiful atmosphere for love and relaxation on the Island.

4) The Pralin Island

Location: Seychelles

The Praslin Island is the second largest island in Seychelles. The island was formerly used as a hideout place for most rich Arab-merchants and other business people even politicians, but currently, the island has been expanded to include all tourists. The island holds more hotels, beaches and interesting restaurants

5) Seal Island

Location: Near Cape Town in South Africa

Located along the Southern coast of Africa, the Seal islands holds gorgeous crystal blue Indian Ocean and amazing beaches. The island is named Seal island due to the amount of Cape fur seals found on the island. If you are a lover of nature, then you might want to have the wonderful experience the view that Seal island has or even taking a walk along the lovely beaches.

May 11, 2020
5 Simple Ways to Achieve U.S Visa Interview

If you have ever been rejected a U.S visa maybe once, or twice or you are planning to visit the U.S and will likely need to get a visa from the USA embassy then you might want to consider getting acquainted with these Five simple ways of achieving a successful visa interview.

1) Dressing

Dress well and properly

The embassy is an official place meaning that, your dressing style should at least have a formal look in-between. This formal look should reflect the kind of visa that you are applying for.

If you have a visa appointment at the U.S embassy, your dressing matters. Choose what you wear wisely because at the U.S embassy, an interviewer can see everyone up in line before the interview and clothes sometimes can reveal your personality if or not you are the kind of person to be allowed into their country.

Don’t forget to wear perfume

It is one thing to look good and another thing to smell good. If an interviewer can’t withstand an unpleasant smell, they are prone to discharge you quickly with less questions which wouldn’t give you the opportunity to prove why you worth a visa.

2) Greetings

Greetings work like magic

Greetings are very important in our daily lives as human beings because, greetings depict courtesy, and respect for one another. greetings can create a good impression, establish a good rapport for any conversation.

At the U.S embassy, most interviewers are used to greeting people first like “welcome sir/Ma’am” or, “good day sir/Ma’am” depending on the time of the interview. The best way is to greet the interviewer first. That gives the impression that you know what you are doing, you know why you are here. Such greetings can relieve your tension and prepare you to answer questions.

3) Sincerity towards the purpose of travel

The U.S embassy is very kin with the purpose of travel. In fact, this is the main reason why applicants are called for interview. Determining the truth from applicants about the purpose of their travel to the U.S is the hardest job for most interviewers at the U.S embassy.

The reason most people get rejected for visa even though they are been sincere about the purpose of their travel is because, most interviewers from their previous experience of interviewing applicants have gathered some data about when an applicant is lying and what they do when they lie etc. To change that perception, you need to be acquainted with the purpose of your travel and your response should show some level of confidence about why you should be granted the visa.

Finally, if you have a relative in U.S, please do not lie that you don’t.

4) Face contact / face to face communication

When you are at the U.S embassy, you might want to drop your cultural norms for example, in some culture, respect is shown when one doesn’t look other people face to face in a conversation.

After exchanging greetings with the interviewer, the next thing is to always look the interviewer face to face at all times. This proves to the interviewer that; an applicant is aware that they are at the embassy for an interview and they are giving respect to the interview and the interviewer.

5) Be a good listener

When you are in front of the interviewer at the U.S embassy, always pay attention to questions before answering. Paying attention to the question will lead to a good answer but of course sometimes, an applicant can be tensed and stutter. It is okay to be tensed, the interviewers know when you are been sincere yet you are tensed because its your first time.

The best way to calm down is to pay attention to the question, digest it before giving an answer. If you don’t understand the question don’t be scared to ask the interviewer to repeat (you won’t be penalized).

In a nutshell, the best way to achieve a successful visa interview at the U.S embassy is to dress well, exchange greetings, be sincere about your purpose of travel, always look the interviewer face to face, and listen attentively to the interviewer.

May 8, 2020
Breathtaking Places to Visit in Dubai on a Low Budget

Dubai is one of the 7 emirates that makes up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Unlike Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain, Dubai has been drawing the world’s attention to itself due to its massive constructions such as skyscrapers and tall buildings, its culinary flavors of over 200 cultures and many more adventurous packages.

Knowing where to visit in a city or a country before visiting will save you a lot of troubles with time and money factor. Knowing the best time, dates and seasons for the purpose of your trip is even better. While focusing on tips on how to tour around Dubai with a low budget, here is a list of striking and glamorous places to visit in Dubai.

The Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa

The Burj Dubai, renamed Burj Khalifa in honor of the President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, is truly the beauty and the most famous point of tourist attraction of the city. The building has 829.8 meters making it the tallest building in the world.

What even makes it special is the fact that, the building has an observation deck on the 128 floors from which the beauty of Dubai (the desert on one side and the sea on the other side) can be viewed from the skyscraper. The view is more beautiful and mesmerizing at night due to the city-lights panoramas.

You might want to buy the ticket of tour for the Burj Khalifa online on time for a better price via https://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/. Buying the ticket will also save you the stress of queue for buying ticket at the observation deck or any other place in the building. The best touring day is Monday to Thursdays. Weekends are extremely busy.

The Dubai Mall

the Dubai Mall.
Source: Shutter stock

The Dubai Mall is a very glamorous mall very close to the Burj Khalifa. In fact, the Mall location in a way, provides entrance to the Burj Khalifa. Mall has over 1,200 shops and about 150 restaurants, an indoor theme park, gaming zone, cinema complex, ice-skating rink, internal waterfall, and a very big Aquarium that has an Underwater Zoo.

Aside the beauty of the mall, the mall has been attracting people from all over the world due to the Dubai Shopping Festival in January and February and the Dubai Summer Surprise Festival in July and August at the mall where things can be bought extremely cheaply for reselling or for personal use.

If you planning a trip to Dubai to shop, you might want to plan your trip within the above month in order to save more money. While shopping, you can take a look around the Mall’s Aquarium.

The Dubai Aquarium

Dubai Aquarium

The Dubai Aquarium is located inside of the Dubai mall. Consequently, one can easily take a break from shopping to touring around the aquarium which have over 33,000 aquatic animals with about 140 different species. the aquarium which can hold up to 10 million liters of water has provisions for Shark diving and Shark walker, Cage snorkeling, Scuba diving.

While you can visit the aquarium any day, the best time is between 10 am to 5 pm.

The Dubai Fountain

Dubai Fountain

The Dubai Fountain, very close to the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa, is a performing fountain. Performing fountain? Yes, the fountain dance around in a choreograph-like system dance with a lot of sparkles of different colored lights and a groovy music. A lot of people gather around to watch this amazing view while others can book to ride inside the water around dancing fountain. The best day to visit the fountain is Saturdays to Thursdays and the best time to visit the fountain is evenings.

The Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Dubai Aquarium and the Dubai Fountain are close to each other, making it easier to have experience of everything at once. If you leave your hotel, holiday home or family house (whatever the accommodation option) very early in the morning, you can have all of these experience in just a day.

May 4, 2020
Most Stunning Places to visit in Turkey for Tourism and Leisure

Are you in Turkey, or planning a short transit layover in Turkey and wondering where to visit in Turkey?

Turkey has many sophisticated places to visit that can make your stay worth it.

As one of the biggest aquarium complexes of the world, Antalya Aquarium offers inspiration, entertainment and education all at once.

Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey is a friendly country located on a crossroad between Europe and Asia. It is quite interesting how this particular country has been gifted with a space and possessions in more than one continent. The East Thrace in Turkey is a part of Europe while the Anatolian peninsula is a part of Asia divided by the sea of Marmara.

Bosphorus Bridge

Bosphorus Bridge

Located in Istanbul, the Bosphorus bridge connects Asia and Europe together thus in the same city, you have the European side and the Asian side of Istanbul. Surrounding the bridge are nice and supplicated historic buildings and restaurants with nice cuisine.

Part of the Bosphorus, there are also boat cruise usually every summer, sometimes in spring season too. The boats can be as private as One person booking or more persons. It tours round the water, under the bridge and the surroundings for about 30 minutes or more.

Cappadocia balloon tour

Cappadocia balloon tour

There are more than 10 companies that make ballon tour in Cappadocia and they include Skyway Balloons, Atmosfer Balloons, Royal Balloon, Cappadocia Balloons, Anatolian Balloons, Voyager Balloons, Göreme Balloons, Göreme Balloons, Ürgüp Balloons, Cappadocia Balloon Turca, Sultan Balloons, Kaya Balloons.

Pamukkale

Pamukkale

Located in Denizli in the Aegean region, the Pamukkale (in Turkish) means “cotton castle” is famous for a carbonate mineral left by the flowing water.

The Pamukkale was formed by calcium deposits from the hot spring in the area. The site is beautiful and the water is breathtaking especially when you walk barefoot from the base to the top

Konyaalti Beach

Konyaalti Beach

The Konyaalti is located on the East of Antalya old town center. The beach has a lot of relaxation facilities but sun loungers and umbrellas have to be rented.

Fathiye

Fathiye

Located in Fathiye is a tourist attraction due to the mountainous view.

Antalya Aquarium

The Antalya Aquarium is the world’s biggest tunnel aquarium consisting of aquarium and “snow world” closed area. It has 64 Tanks with a water volume of 6800 cubic meters.

April 28, 2020
Life After COVID-19: Aviointeriors Leads with Innovative Seat Design for Economy Fliers

Concerns about the safety of passengers on flight in the aftermath of the global pandemic (COVID-19) has been on the rise. There is the need for the compulsory use of face masks and it has become essential that passengers need to maintain a distance of approximately six feet or two meters from others.

As part of the solution to the safety of passengers, especially the economic fliers, an Italian firm Aviointeriors known to have been producing aircraft cabin interiors and passengers’ seats for over 40 years, has come up with an interesting new seat design that would best ensure a safe distance between passengers.

Janus and Glassafe Seats Design

The two new seat designs were called the “Janus seat” and the “Glassafe seat”. Plans for the both seat designs were released by Aviointeriors on the 20^th of this month (April 2020).

source: Aviointeriors

The “Janus seats” contain three seats in a row that prevents passengers from directly facing each other in a close proximity. The middle seat is made to face the back while the rest of the seats face the front thus, it was called a “two face Janus”. Each seat has a shield around it believed to have been “made of transparent material” that act to “prevent breath propagation”

The “Glassafe seats” has some protective shield that not only separates passengers but “to reduce the probability of contamination by virus or any other.”

Aviointeriors told CNN that many airlines have already started showing interest in both the Jenus and the Glassafe seat designs thus, the company is currently going through the engineering design steps. In fact, the company believes and promised to deliver the newly designed seats within 6 months.

Although the company has acknowledged the weight nature of the “Glassafe” design but they insist, having such a design is better than flying with an empty middle seat.

Satisfied that both designs are suitable for narrow and wide body aircraft, the company went ahead to file patent applications for the both designs.

April 25, 2020
Canada Visa Application: 100% Working Guide
For you to be on this post, it simply means you are seeking easy ways to migrate to Canada and as such, you want to know the Canada Visa Application process. Well, you are in the right place because we will be giving you a step by step guide on how to apply.

It will interest you to know that Canada offers amazing opportunities for immigrants who are seeking a better life. Canada has friendly immigration policies; a super-skilled workforce; an excellent standard of living as well as very good health care. As they say, health is wealth.

Canada has flexible immigration policies. However, if you don’t know how to go about the Canada Visa Application, your application could be delayed or even bounced. The Canadian Visa is what gives you the right to move about in the country without fear or intimidation. So, f you don’t have a visa, entering Canada is impossible.

What Are The Types Of Canadian Visa?

This question above is very crucial because when you understand the types of Visa Canada offers, you can make a good choice on which to go for. Canadian Government offers Visas in two major categories. They are;

Permanent Residence Visa: As the name implies, this category is for those who plan to stay in Canada permanently. So, the Federal Skilled Worker; Canadian Class Experience; Provincial nomination program, and the Federal skilled trades program offers permanent residency paths through the Express Entry.

Temporary Residence Visa: This is for foreigners who intend to stay in Canada for a short period of time. Under this category, you can find Visas such as; student visa, visitor visa, business persons and business delegations visa, diplomatic visa, intending organ donor visa.

Note: Temporary Residence Visa may be single or multiple-entry. How so? A single-entry temporary visa allows you to stay in Canada for not more than 6 months. On the other hand, a multiple-entry visa gives the immigrant the opportunity to stay for up to 6 months at a time and it’s valid for 10 years.

Who Is Eligible To Apply?

For you to be eligible for Canada Visa Application, you MUST fulfil the below;
1. Availability of funds to take care of your self during your stay.
2. You do not possess any security or health risk.
3. Should be able to convince the immigration officer you will honour your obligations.
4. You must have NEVER been banned from entering Canada.
What Are Canadian Visa Requirements?

The Canada Visa Requirements are listed below;
- Fill and complete the appropriate form pertaining to your interest on the IRCC official website.
- Two passport photographs as recommended by IRCC
- A valid copy of your passport
- Fill and complete the VFS consent form.
- Proof of funds
- English or French proficiency
- Processing fee receipt
- Reputable medical history
- Invitation letter detailing the purpose of your visit, and details of your host.
- A self-addressed return courier envelope
- Proof of ties to your home country
- Biometrics may be required
What Is Canada Visa Processing Time?

It is important to note that when doing your Canada Visa Application, there is no definite timeframe for it to process. However,? there are lots of variables that could slow down or speed up the processing time. Some factors that can affect the pace of processing are; country of residence, the queue of applications, the accuracy of data submitted, verification of your data, etc. However, Express Entry is one of the fastest to process. It usually takes a maximum of 6 months.

Where Can I Apply For Canada Visa?

So, you may be asking in your heart, how then do I apply. Good question! There are basically two ways to apply. You can apply online via the IRCC Official Website. You will be needing a scanner, hard and soft copies of the essential documents required.

The other option(which is recommended) is to apply through a Global Visa Application Centre available in Canadian embassies or consulates.

Submitting Your Passport

When you are notified to submit your passport, you are to submit your passport along with the request letter through the Canada Visa Application Center in your home country.

Note: If you are sending your passport to the same visa application center where you provided your biometrics, you are NOT required to pay for passport transmission charges. Also, you have the option of picking up your passport yourself, or through an authorized representative, or through a self-addressed return courier envelope.

Good-luck with your Canada Visa Application! Please, do well to share this post with your Facebook or WhatsApp contacts using the buttons below.
April 22, 2020
Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Qatar for Tourism and Vacation

Qatar is a rich Arab state occupying a small peninsula extending into the Persian Gulf to the north of Saudi Arabia, east of Bahrain and west of the United Arab Emirates.

It has plenty of attractions that are sure to make your time in Qatar a memorable one.

If you are in Qatar for a holiday, here’s a list of places to visit in Qatar.

Sealine Beach

The Sealine beach is known to be one of the top places to visit in Qatar. This resort is located amidst the dunes of the Arabian desert by the blue waters of the Arabian Sea.

One can go there to relax, sail surfing, horse riding or dune bashing, which remains a popular sport for both Qataris and travelers.

National Museum of Qatar

The National Museum of Qatar is located across from the Corniche in Doha.

The main highlight of the Museum is the display of local history.  Exhibits at this museum also feature artifacts that give an insight on the history of Qatar.

The National Museum Qatar, pulls large masses of tourists that helps to promote tourism in Qatar.

It also showcase the beautiful art and architecture common around the region.

Corniche Qatar

The Doha Corniche is a waterfront promenade extending for seven kilometers along Doha Bay in the capital city of Doha, Qatar.

Annual celebrations of national holidays such as Qatar National Day and National Sports Day are centered on the Doha Corniche. It is a popular place in Doha.

The Corniche has cafes, restaurants, outdoor exercise facilities and a running track. You can choose to go relax, eat or do other fun things.

Souq Waqif

Souq Waqif is a wonderful place to shop and dine. The Souq is within walking distance from Doha Corniche.

The souq is noted for selling traditional garments, spices, handicrafts, and souvenirs. You can also find dozens of restaurants and Shisha lounges there.

The Pearl-Qatar

The Pearl in Doha, is the first land in Qatar to be available for freehold ownership by foreign nationals.

The Pearl offers luxurious living to a multitude of refined tastes.

A self-sustaining real estate development that includes all the amenities and lifestyle privileges any resident or guest could ask for.

The Pearl offers apartments, villas, townhouses, diverse leisure and entertainment facilities, award-winning marinas and beautiful serene beaches.

Aspire park Qatar

Aspire Park is located in Aspire Zone, in the southern district of Al Waab in Doha, Qatar. It covers an area of 88 hectares and it is Doha’s biggest park.

It is a great place to have picnics and family outdoors while overlooking the Aspire Tower, especially at night.

It has wide variety of facilities, which includes smooth paths going in and around the park on which kids can bike and scoot around safely.

It has a lake, two playgrounds, running tracks, open spaces and much more—a perfect place for you to relax. With its three cafés.

April 3, 2019
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) Symptoms, Causes, Do’s and Don’ts
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder in which abdominal pain is associated with a range of symptoms. Typically, these include intermittent abdominal pain accompanied by diarrhea, constipation, or alternating episodes of both.

IBS is also known as spastic colon, irritable colon, mucous colitis, and spastic colitis. It is a separate condition from inflammatory bowel disease and is not related to other bowel conditions. IBS is a group of intestinal symptoms that typically occur together. The symptoms vary in severity and duration from person to person

IBS Symptoms

The symptoms of IBS typically include:

Abdominal pain and Cramping

The key symptom of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is abdominal pain. The IBS pain can be felt anywhere in the abdomen. It may change over time. IBS pain or discomfort is related to the way the bowels move

Bloating and gas

Bloating is one of the symptoms often associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Bloating is when your belly feels swollen after eating. It is usually caused by excess gas production or disturbances in the movement of the muscles of the digestive system. It is a common symptom in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Constipation

The key symptom of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is constipation. This has to do with the following:
- Feeling of being unable to completely empty during a bowel movement, or the sensation of wanting to go but not being able to
- Difficulty or straining at stools
Diarrhea

Diarrhea is one of the symptoms often associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Diarrhea is characterized by loose, watery stools or a frequent need to have a bowel movement
- Bloating in the abdomen is also common
- Abdominal pain or discomfort
- Sudden urges to have bowel movements
Causes of IBS

For people with IBS, some situations may trigger it
- Certain medications and food (examples, alcohol, chocolate, coffee, dairy products, fructose, carbohydrates)
- Emotional stress
- Eating
- Excessive gas
Things that will help an IBS patient
- Cook homemade meals using fresh ingredients
- keep a diary of what you eat and any symptoms you get try to avoid things that trigger your IBS
- Get plenty of exercise
Things to avoid:
- Avoid lots of fatty, spicy or processed foods
- Avoid lots of alcohol or fizzy drinks
- Do not delay or skip meals
- Do not eat too quickly
January 23, 2019
Healthful Diet that can Sustain your Lifespan
A healthful diet is the cornerstone of good health and well-being. It includes a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables, which provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Incorporating whole grains and starches, like brown rice, quinoa, and oats, ensures a steady source of energy and fiber for digestive health. Good fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil, play a crucial role in supporting heart health and reducing inflammation. Proteins, whether plant-based like beans and lentils or animal-based like lean meats and fish, are vital for muscle repair and overall body function.

Eating healthfully also involves being mindful of what to avoid. Reducing or eliminating foods high in added salt and sugar is essential for maintaining optimal health. Excess salt can lead to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues, while too much sugar is linked to weight gain, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Here’s how adopting a healthful diet can transform your overall health and well-being.

1. Reduced cancer risk

An unhealthful diet can lead to obesity which may increase a person’s risk of developing cancer. Weighing within a healthful range may reduce this risk.

However, diets rich in fruits and vegetables may help to protect against cancer and lowered the risk of colorectal cancer.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes act as antioxidants, which protect cells from damage that can cause cancer

2. Diabetes control

Eating a healthful diet can help a person with diabetes to keep blood pressure and cholesterol within target ranges.

Prevent or delay complications of diabetes. People with diabetes need to limit their intake of foods with added sugar and salt. It is also best to avoid fried foods high in saturated fats.

3. Healthy Heart

Consumptions of healthy nuts such as almonds or walnuts, avocados, berries, whole grains and leafy green vegetables, Prevent blood clots which can lead to heart attacks.

Intake of the above can help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. You also eat less food with added sugar, calories and unhealthy fats.

4. Strong bones and teeth

A diet with adequate calcium and magnesium is necessary for strong bones and teeth.

Good source of calcium includes:
- Milk,
  cheese and other dairy foods
- Tofu
- Soya beans
Good source of Magnesium includes:
- leafy
  green vegetables
- nuts
- and whole grains
5. Better mood

While a healthful diet may improve overall mood, it is essential for people with depression to take foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, green vegetables, oily fish, dark chocolate, whole grains and water.

6. Boost Brains and Memory

A healthful diet helps to boost brains and memory and help to prevent cognitive decline.

The foods can help to boost the brains and memory:
- Fatty
  fish
- Blueberries
- Turmeric
- Nuts
  and so many others.
January 10, 2019
Top 11 Most Fascinating International Borders in the World

What do you imagine when you think of international borders between countries?

For me, I imagine a heavily armed security checkpoints, or, perhaps, unremarkable, isolated, and imaginary dividers between two pieces of land.

In reality, however, a political map shows how messy these boundaries—often invisible, but occasionally obvious—can be.

You’ll find countries surrounded on all sides by other countries, and countries scattered in pieces throughout other countries.

Some borders, though, are truly fascinating and downright beautiful. Listed below—in no particular order—are some of the most fascinating international borders on mother earth.

1. Where Asia Meets Europe

(c) Facebook | Five countries link Asia to Europe —Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia—which are technically part of both continents

Turkey is a country that crosses two continents – Asia and Europe, full of rich dance and music, from the bustling city of Istanbul to the fairy caves in Cappadocia.

November 24, 2017
Top 5 Nutrition Apps that will Guarantee a Healthy 2014

It’s 2014, and you know what that means—time to get off the couch that you’ve been glued to for the past week and start eating food with an expiration date.

I’m certainly sure that one of your new year’s resolutions as always is to lose weight, avoid junks and live a healthy life. Statistics has shown that only less than 27% of US residents manage to keep up to this resolutions past six months. According to a Bodybuilding.com survey, two-thirds of adults in the U.S. have made a resolution to get fit, and a whopping 73 percent of those people gave up before they reached their goal. Though the odds may be against you, but you can succeed—with the help of your smartphone.

In a bid to help you stay healthy in 2014 we have shortlisted five smartphone nutrition apps that will help you track progress, even when it seems like nothing is happening; and they motivate you to keep going with incentives such as achievements and friendly social competition. Whether you want to eat healthier, lose weight, or just learn about nutrition, these five apps will help you stay on track.

Fooducate—Android, iOS

Food nutrition labels can be difficult to decipher, but it’s important to know what you’re putting in your body. That’s where Fooducate, a free app for Android and iOS, comes in. Fooducate—yes, that’s a mash-up of “food” and “educate”—is a food look-up service that helps you find and understand nutrition information in real life.

You can look up foods on Fooducate by product name or barcode number (the app has a convenient, built-in barcode scanner) and find the food’s nutrition info and Fooducate “grade.” The grade is based on a variety of factors, including the sugar, salt, and saturated fat content; whether it’s a good source of vitamins, minerals, or other essential nutrients; and whether it contains preservatives or artificial ingredients. Although it’s a bit simplistic, the grade is an easy way for busy people to quickly assess the nutritional value of the food.

Fooducate also has a health tracker for logging food, water, exercise, notes, and weight; daily health and nutrition tips; and the ability to set weight goals. If you want more functionality, such as carb-control, nutrient-tracking, and information about which foods are genetically modified, Fooducate also has a Pro version for $15 per year.

Nutrition Quiz by Runtastic—iOS

Test your knowledge and learn some new facts with Nutrition Quiz, a free iOS app by fitness app developer Runtastic. Nutrition Quiz offers short quizzes about health, fitness, and nutrition. Each quiz consists of 10 general questions (Fact or myth: Women’s noses can smell better?) chosen randomly from a database of over 600. The questions fall into eight categories, ranging from Functional Foods to Sugar & Spices. Quizzes are scored on timing and accuracy, and if you sign into your Runtastic account you can compare your score against friends and other users. After each question, the app offers an explanation of the correct answer. You can favorite any facts that you find interesting, and share them on Facebook or Twitter. The app’s browse feature lets you look through the question/fact bank at your leisure. The first 64 questions across three categories are free, but you’ll need to unlock the $2 Pro version of the app to access the rest of the database.

My Diet Coach—Android, iOS

Starting a diet is easy; staying on a diet is another story. Free for Android and iOS, My Diet Coach can help you stay motivated and on track with its personal cheerleader approach to dieting. My Diet Coach is more about keeping you motivated than worrying about the nitty-gritty details of your actual diet and exercise plan. The app lets you set up automated text reminders to help keep you on track, such as “take my healthy snacks with me before I leave for work,” or “don’t eat five chocolate bars before bed.” The app also has a section for adding motivational photos (of yourself or of anything that inspires you to lose weight), a tips section for combating emotional eating and diet slip-ups, and daily challenges (such as drinking eight glasses of water) to help you stay healthy. This app is a little cheesy, but don’t knock the power of little nudges throughout the day. My Diet Coach’s reminders will make you think twice about eating that extra cookie, and will help you remember to stop at the health food store on the way home from work. The free version of My Diet Coach has all the motivational tools, but if you want more functionality—such as the ability to log and track food and exercise—you can upgrade to the Pro version of the app for $4.

ShopWell—iOS

Fooducate is a useful app if you need a quick snapshot of a food’s general nutritional value, but ShopWell takes food look-up one step further. ShopWell is a free app that rates foods based on your personal profile, taking into account lifestyle choices, dietary needs, and allergies. ShopWell asks you to first fill out a comprehensive nutrition profile, including which nutrients, minerals, and vitamins are important in your diet, as well as which nutritional pitfalls (such as artificial sweeteners or refined grains) you want to avoid. The app also asks which foods you’re allergic to or cannot otherwise tolerate. Then, the app takes this information and rates foods based on your information. ShopWell gives each food a score from 1 to 100 (100 is the highest), and tells you whether the food is a strong match, a medium match, or a weak match for your profile. You can click on the score to find out why the food is a strong/medium/weak match—for example, Bridgford Beef Jerky is a weak match for me because it has lots of added sugar. ShopWell also shows nutrition information and ingredients for each food, as well as suggestions that are similar but “better” for you based on your ShopWell profile. ShopWell is an excellent app for tracking specific aspects of your diet, such as nutrients or sugar intake, which is great for diabetics. The app lacks a built-in calorie-counter, but it does have some nifty extra features such as lists (add favorite foods to lists for future reference), popular foods (find foods that are popular with people who have similar profiles to yours), and missions and achievements to keep you motivated.

Nutrino—iOS

If you’re not sure where to start with your diet plan, Nutrino is the app for you. This free iOS app is like a personal nutritionist in your pocket. Nutrino is a food recommendation app that creates a custom, personalized daily menu for you based on your profile, preferences, and goals. Like ShopWell, Nutrino needs some personal information to create your custom meal plan. The initial profile setup includes answering basic questions (gender, age, height, weight, general activity level) and setting goals such as target weight and diet intensity. Nutrino also asks how large you like each meal to be, how you like to prepare each meal, and whether you have any special restrictions, such as gluten-free or vegetarian. Taking into account your profile, preferences, and nutritional goals, Nutrino creates a daily meal plan for you. The meal plans includes nutritional information, recipes, and a grocery list with all the necessary ingredients. If you don’t like a dish Nutrino has picked for you, just tap it and tap Change Dish to find a similarly healthy replacement . Swipe up to scroll through your meal plan, and swipe down to see a summary of your day, including protein, carb, fiber, and fat intake, as well as daily calories. Swipe to the left to see future days’ plans. In one sense, Nutrino is more difficult to use than other diet apps, since its success banks on your ability to follow its meal plan to a T. On the other hand, if you’re willing to put in the legwork and you want an app that will do everything for you (including counting calories), Nutrino is worth a look.

January 2, 2014
iPhone App Cardiio Can Tell Your Heart Rate With Nothing But A Video

[Credit: Cardiio]

Ming-Zher Poh, a PhD Student at MIT’s Media Lab, is the creator of what may be the most interesting thing on the iOS App Store today: An app called Cardiio that makes use of the iPhone’s camera and nothing else to produce a estimate of your heart rate.
The science behind the Cardiio is almost as fascinating as the concept itself. Poh’s algorithm captures a video of the user’s face with the help of a tracking software before distilling it into RGB channels which are, in turn, analyzed to determine a rough BPM based on reflectivity.
And it’s surprisingly accurate. At least one study has shown that the technology behind Cardiio is accurate to within three beats per minute. You
might not see it at your doctor’s office, but it could be useful for tracking your heart rate when you exercise.
Cardiio isn’t Poh’s first attempt at using light to measure heart rate, but it’s probably the most popular. According to Co.Design, even though it’s only been around for a few days, Cardiio is already one of the most highly rated health and fitness apps on iTunes. Arguably, it’s also one of the creepiest–Cardiio will, among other things, attempt to provide you with your estimated life expectancy. Eek.
[Cardiio via Co.Design]

August 15, 2012