5 Surprisingly Common Nutrient Deficiencies — And How To Fix Them

While nutrient deficiencies are often associated with developing countries in which people don’t have access to adequate amounts of nutritious food, they are quite common in people living in developed countries as well.

This is due to a number of different factors including depleted soils, poor diet, certain health conditions, and common medications. For example, antacids used to reduce heartburn can block the absorption of calcium, folate, and iron.

Moreover, as we age we don’t absorb nutrients from our food as well as did when we were younger.

Research even shows that people eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables still suffer from nutrient deficiencies.

Often these deficiencies go unnoticed because they don’t cause any immediate negative health effects. But over time, they can have serious health consequences and can increase the risk of developing many different diseases and conditions.

Here are some of the most common nutrient deficiencies and some ways you can fix them.

1. Vitamin D

One of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world is vitamin D. The so-called “sunshine vitamin” vitamin D isn’t actually a vitamin at all— it’s a hormone. One that’s incredibly important for bone health and absorption of certain minerals like calcium and phosphorus.

Your skin makes it in response to sunlight, but due to increased sunscreen use and more people working indoors, deficiency is on the rise. The rise in obesity is also contributing to high rates of deficiency, as vitamin D is stored in fat tissue and excess fat will result in low levels of vitamin D in the blood.

Some estimates say that around 50% of the population worldwide is either dangerously low or outright deficient in vitamin D.

Low levels have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disease, and depression.

While we normally get most of our vitamin D from the sun, you do get some from your diet from sources such as fortified milk and cereals, eggs, fatty fish like salmon, and mushrooms.

If you’re low in vitamin D, try eating more of these foods or try to get more sun exposure–but not too much that you burn.

Note: If you do choose to supplement with vitamin D, you should do so with the help of your doctor as high levels can be toxic.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is an incredibly important mineral that is necessary for the proper functioning of more than 300 different enzymes in the body. It helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels, improves heart health, helps repair your DNA, and is crucial for energy production. And the list goes on. You can begin to see why being deficient in this mineral can wreak havoc on your health.

Magnesium deficiency affects anywhere from 10% to 30% of the population. So why is a deficiency so common?

Increased consumption of processed foods and eating foods grown in nutrient-poor soils are two of the main factors to blame.

Also, certain medications used to treat high blood pressure can also lead to chronically low magnesium levels.

Over time, low magnesium levels may increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

You can boost your magnesium levels by eating foods like leafy greens such as spinach and kale, nuts including almonds and walnuts, beans, and dairy products.

3. Vitamin B12

It’s often thought that only vegan and vegetarians are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency due to it being mainly found in animal products. However, deficiency is also common in other populations as well, including:

Elderly individuals, as the body’s ability to absorb the vitamin decreases with age
People who have digestive issues affecting absorption, such as Crohn’s disease
People taking medications that block stomach acid production, such as PPIs

Vitamin B12 is important for many different aspects of health including energy production and brain and nerve function, and is needed to make DNA and new red blood cells.

A deficiency can cause depression, memory loss, tiredness, and weakness. Long Term deficiency left uncorrected can lead to nerve damage.

If you’ve tested your levels and found them to be low, try to eat more vitamin B12-rich foods including red meats, fish, dairy products, and eggs. Vegans and vegetarians may need to supplement since there are only a few plant-based sources of B12 such as nori seaweed.

4. Iron

Iron is the most abundant mineral in the body and plays a role in many different aspects of health including:

Growth and development
Making hemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen
Proper muscle and immune system function
Brain health
Making certain hormones

It’s one of the most common deficiencies worldwide, affecting nearly 25% of people worldwide.

Iron deficiency is common in women who are menstruating or pregnant, vegans and vegetarians, and in people who have diseases affecting their ability to absorb iron from the gut.

If you’re low in iron you may experience fatigue, weakness, cold hands and feet, and headaches. However, many people who are deficient don’t experience symptoms. Fortunately, a simple blood test can reveal if you’re deficient.

There are two forms of iron in the diet:

heme iron, which is only found in animal foods and is well-absorbed,
non-heme iron, which comes from plant-based sources and isn’t absorbed as well.

If you’re deficient in iron, increase your intake of red meat and fish.

If you’re vegan and vegetarian and you get your iron from plant-based sources such as pumpkin seeds, cashews, and beans, try pairing these foods with foods rich in vitamin C such as tomatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers. This is because vitamin C greatly enhances the absorption of nonheme iron.

Also, try to avoid drinking coffee and tea within hours of eating an iron-rich meal, as both can greatly diminish its absorption.

5. Zinc

Zinc is another important mineral that is commonly deficient.

Next to iron, it is the second most common mineral found in the body. However, the body doesn’t store zinc very well so it needs to be consumed on a regular basis.

It is crucial for proper immune system and thyroid function, wound healing, hormone production, and taste and smell.

Zinc deficiency is seen in 17% of the population, and up to 30% in some parts of the world.

A deficiency may be caused by:

Diets that contain lots of phytates, which bind to zinc and prevent it from being absorbed
Digestive diseases such as Crohn’s that cause poor absorption
Increased demand due to pregnancy and lactation
Drinking too much alcohol
Diuretic medications used to treat high blood pressure

One easy way to tell if you’re deficient in zinc is if you have white spots on your nails that aren’t caused by some sort of injury such as slamming your finger in a door.

The best, most easily absorbed sources of zinc come from foods like red meat, fish, and poultry.

Certain foods like corn, rice, beans, nuts and seeds contain compounds called phytates that greatly decrease zinc absorption.

However, simply adding onions and garlic to dishes containing these foods can help your body absorb much more zinc. Meals higher in protein will also boost zinc absorption.

Conclusion

While you may feel you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet, you may unknowingly suffer from nutrient deficiencies that increase your risk for a number of negative health conditions.

Fortunately, there are easy ways to correct these deficiencies and improve your health before it’s too late.

Always remember that it’s best to try and get all of your nutrients from your diet before you begin supplementing. Our bodies extremely complex and are best adapted to get our nutrients from the foods we eat.

8 Ways To Take Control of Your Food Cravings

Almost everyone struggles with food cravings. It’s just how we’re wired as humans.

We often desire those high-fat, high-sugar, and calorie-dense foods like pastries, chocolate, potato chips, and pizza because they stimulate the reward centers in our brain and give us pleasure.

When kept in check, these cravings don’t affect our health too much and are just a normal part of everyday life.

But when they get out of control, they can wreak havoc on our health and lead to weight gain as well as contribute to negative health outcomes such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

So how do we manage these cravings so they don’t destroy our health? Here are 10 ways to help you tackle your food cravings for good.

1. Eat More Healthy Fats

Our bodies need fats to function and survive. And eating more of them may be the key to helping take control of your cravings.

Fat helps keep you full longer, which helps keep cravings at bay.

One study found that people eating a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet had less food cravings and were less bothered by hunger than those consuming a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet.

It’s important to recognize that not all fats are created equal. Try to eat healthy fats like those found in olive oil and avocados and avoid trans fats.

2. Keep Your Blood Sugar Levels Stable

If you want to control your cravings, it’s important too control your blood sugar levels.

When your blood sugar gets to low, it can trigger cravings, especially for carbohydrate-rich foods. Low blood sugar levels tell your brain to seek out high-carb foods to help bring them back up.

To keep your blood sugar levels stable, avoid foods that spike your levels too high as they will inevitably crash later. These include foods like white rice and white bread, dairy products with added sugar, potatoes, and certain fruits like watermelon and pineapple.

Eating more fiber-rich foods can also help maintain health blood sugar levels as fiber helps to slow the absorption of sugar in the diet.

3. Make Sure You’re Getting Enough Sleep

Proper sleep is incredibly important for nearly every aspect of our health and plays a key role in our appetite and food reward system. So it’s unsurprising that research has found sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality is associated with weight gain and obesity.

Poor sleep affects the hunger and appetite centers of our brain that control what and how much food we desire. Sleep deprivation interferes with the signals from our body that tell us that we’re full.

One study found that just a single night of poor sleep increased hunger and food cravings and led to larger portion sizes.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults get at least seven hours of sleep a night.

If you want to keep your cravings in check, a great place to start is by getting either more sleep or better quality sleep. This may mean getting on a consistent sleep schedule or avoiding electronics before bed.

4. Get Some Exercise

Exercise can be a powerful tool when it comes to keeping your food cravings in check.

Exercise has been found to reduce unhealthy food cravings by improving something called cognitive restraint, which is the ability to control which foods we eat.

It doesn’t need to be complicated. Researchers found that taking a break and simply walking for 5 minutes every hour significantly reduced food cravings and hunger.

5. Be Careful With Weight-Loss Dieting

Many people commonly report their cravings get stronger when they go on a diet in order to lose weight, often because of the cravings in the first place. This can lead to a rebound effect in which you eat more of the unhealthy foods you crave than you did before embarking on a new diet.

And research backs this up. People who diet to lose weight versus those who eat to simply not gain weight experience not only more cravings but more intense cravings.

It may be counterintuitive, but completely depriving yourself of favorite comfort foods may actually make it harder to control your cravings.

Aim for a diet that isn’t too restrictive and one that allows you to satisfy your cravings every one in a while. Maybe have a cheat day every week where you eat your favorite foods.

6. Keep Your Stress Levels in Check

It’s nearly impossible to avoid stress in our modern lives. Busy work schedules, relationships with family and friends, and finances are all major sources of stress.

Research shows that chronic stress can trigger cravings by changing levels of hormones involved in appetite and hunger.

This is why you may find yourself craving something extra sweet and savory in particularly stressful times as a way to help cope with negative emotions and pressure. Many of the “comfort foods” that help us get through the tough times in life are calorie-rich and high in carbs and fat. They make us feel good, but this pleasure is often short-lived.

To reduce your food cravings, take an honest look at your stress levels and take steps to lower your stress such as meditation, breathing exercises, or talking with a friend.

7. Find Healthier Alternatives

Part of controlling your cravings is providing yourself with healthier options.

For example, if you’re faced with an irresistible urge to eat chocolate, opt for dark chocolate instead. It’s lower in sugar, higher in antioxidants, and is associated with more health benefits than regular milk chocolate.

If you’re craving something sugary, instead of reaching for that candy bar or pastry, grab a piece of fruit instead. This satisfies your sweet tooth and the fiber found in fruit prevents your blood sugar from spiking and crashing later. Plus, fruit also has many other beneficial nutrients in it to support your health.

You can even look for snacks that include zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia or xylitol. These can help satisfy your cravings without the excess calories.

8. Don’t Skip Breakfast

Due to our busy lifestyles and schedules, many of us often skip breakfast. However, if you’re someone who struggles with cravings you may want to find time to include breakfast.

One study found that those who ate breakfast had fewer cravings for high-carb, high-fat foods at night and ate less unhealthy snacks compared to those who skipped breakfast.

The researchers found that eating breakfast reduced activity in the reward centers of the brain that respond to food. Breakfast eaters also reported feeling fuller throughout the day.

Breakfast may therefore be especially important because food cravings and desires for unhealthy foods are often strongest at night.

Conclusion

Food cravings are a common occurrence, so don’t feel like you’re alone in your struggle to control your dietary urges.

By just making a few lifestyle changes, you can curb your cravings and develop healthier dietary habits.

It’s important to note that willpower is like a muscle, and the more you exercise it the stronger it gets. This means that the every time you say “no” to your cravings, the easier it gets. Eventually, it will become a habit and it won’t require all your energy to resist them.

Hopefully, you can use the strategies and tips outlined above to help you take control of your cravings and not let them control you.

How to Choose the Best Diet for You

When it comes to picking the right diet for yourself, there are a lot of choices. Making matters worse is that there is so much conflicting advice out there that it can be difficult and downright confusing to make sense of it all.

Health blogs, nutrition experts, and medical organizations will all tell you something different when it comes to the optimal diet. There are some things most everyone will agree on, such as reducing processed foods and added sugars, but beyond that, everyone has their own opinions on diet and nutrition.

In reality, the right diet for you depends on many different factors including age, activity level, weight goals, and your current health status. Even your ancestral background may play a role in choosing which diet is best for you.

Realistically, the best diet should meet all of your nutrient needs, keep you full and satisfied, and make you feel good overall.

Here are some actionable tips to help you find the diet that is right for you.

Consider Your Health and Fitness Goals

One of the first things you have to determine when selecting the right diet is your health and fitness goals.

Are you trying to lose weight or are you trying to add lean mass? Or are you just trying to maintain the weight you have now?

These are questions you need to ask yourself before you select the diet that is right for you.

When it comes to losing weight, it’s pretty simple: you need to consume fewer calories than you’re burning.

While diets high in fat have been maligned in the past, they may actually help promote weight loss by making you feel fuller. Just make sure you’re eating lots of healthy fats like olive oil and avocados.

Eating a higher fiber diet can also help you lose weight. Foods high in fiber include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and legumes. Fiber also helps improve gut health.

However, there isn’t just one diet that is effective for weight loss. The most important factors are whether you can stick to the diet and if you’re taking in fewer calories than you’re burning.

If you’re trying to build muscle without gaining a lot of fat, then a higher protein diet may be best for you.

If you’re an active person, then including more carbohydrates in your diet may be beneficial. Exercise, especially intense exercise, depletes the energy stores in your muscles called glycogen. Carbohydrates help replenish these glycogen stores.

As your health goals change, so too will the right diet for you.

What’s Your Health Status?

The best diet for you also depends on your current health status.

For example, if you’re one of 30% of Americans who suffer from high blood pressure, then you may need to limit the amount of high-sodium foods you’re eating and try to eat foods high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.

This may look something like the DASH diet, which aims to reduce blood pressure by incorporating fruits and vegetables that are low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, and other beneficial minerals. It also limits saturated fats and sugars and emphasizes low-fat dairy and lean meats as protein sources.

If your cholesterol levels are high, you may need a diet lower in saturated and trans fats and higher in fiber, especially soluble fiber found in fruits and vegetables. This type of fiber can attach itself to cholesterol and help remove it from the body before it gets absorbed which helps lower your cholesterol levels.

Those with type 2 diabetes should avoid foods that spike their blood sugar levels, like milk, white bread, and white rice, and instead opt for whole grains, legumes, and milk alternatives like coconut or almond milk.

Another common health condition affecting millions is IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Doctors aren’t quite sure what causes it but diet likely plays a role.

Those with IBS may want to try a diet low in FODMAPS, which stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. These are sugars that some people have trouble digesting.

Bacteria in the gut love these sugars and produce hydrogen gas a byproduct, which can cause gas and bloating or even diarrhea and constipation. Examples of foods high in FODMAPS include apples, peaches, cauliflower, and most beans and lentils.

Is it Sustainable?

Often, the best diet for you is the one that you can maintain over the long term.

If you’re trying to eat a low-carb diet but constantly craving sweets and sugar, you’ll likely eventually cave to these cravings.

Many have found incorporating a so-called “cheat meal” helps them stick to their diet. Allowing yourself to splurge and eat a less healthy than normal meal once a week takes the pressure off you to always eat clean. It also serves as a reward for sticking to your diet and reinforces your healthy eating habits.

However, it’s important that if you are going to have cheat days, you’re able to get back on your diet as soon as possible or it defeats the purpose. It’s also important not to go too overboard on your cheat days.

It’s also important to take note of how you feel on your diet. If you’re eating a diet you consider healthy but you feel sluggish, have digestion issues, or swings in energy level then it obviously isn’t the right diet for you.

While it’s cliché, often the best diet is the one that you stick to you.

Popular Diets

Mediterranean Diet

Currently, one of the most popular diets is the Mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating lots of fish, whole grains, healthy fats like olive oil, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. It also involves consuming moderate amounts of dairy products and lower amounts of red meat.

Research has found the Mediterranean diet to be helpful for blood sugar, weight loss, heart disease, inflammation, and more.

Paleo Diet

Another diet that has gained quite a following in recent years is the Paleo diet.

Like the name implies, the Paleo diet advocates eating like our paleolithic ancestors. This includes foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, and meats. It excludes foods that were introduced into our diet only recently, evolutionarily speaking, such as dairy products, grains, and processed foods.

Some research shows it can help with weight loss, balance blood sugar levels, and improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Vegan and Vegetarian Diets

Vegan diets exclude all animal products whereas vegetarian diets include some animal products like dairy and eggs.

These diets are often followed by people who feel eating meat is unhealthy, unethical, or simply bad for the planet.

Studies show vegan and vegetarians may be helpful in preventing heart disease and cancer.

It’s important to note that vegan and vegetarians diets can be low in certain nutrients like B12, iodine, and calcium. People following these diets may want to cover their nutritional bases by eating foods fortified with these nutrients, or supplementing when necessary.

Conclusion

There are many different factors to consider when choosing the right diet. These factors will undoubtedly change over time and will require you to tweak your diet in response.

The point is there is no single diet that is right for everyone and there is certainly more than one diet that is right for you.

You may need to try many different diets to find the one that suits you best. While this can be challenging, it will certainly be worth it.

How To Workout From Home

How To Exercise From Home

We cover everything you need to know about exercising from home and getting fit in your own living space.

Nowadays, you do not need a gym membership to get fit, healthy, and enjoy the many other benefits of exercise. Many people are swapping the gym for convenient home setups so they can work out in the comfort of their own home, focusing on their own fitness goals on their own time and saving money in the process.

Today, we’ll be looking at how you can set up your home for exercise and enjoy a comprehensive workout in your living space. Read on for more information.

1. Pick A Suitable Room

Firstly, choose a location in your home to set up your workout space. While many people choose the garage or basement to build a home gym, this is not always the best solution. If you don’t enjoy spending time in your workout area, you’re less likely to exercise. As such, you should find an area that is well-lit and comfortable.

In addition, you should ensure your home gym is in a room where you are not going to disturb any neighbors. Dumbbells are heavy and you don’t want to make any loud noises if you drop them. As such, you should ensure you have adequate mats to protect your flooring (more on equipment in a moment).

Try a room where you sit regularly, as the constant reminder of your home gym may inspire you to work out more.

2. Buy Essential Equipment First

One mistake many people make is buying lots of expensive equipment for their home gym without establishing a workout routine. You don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on fancy treadmills, exercise bikes, or an entire dumbbell rack, only for them to gather dust when you give up.

Focus on the essential equipment first. Purchase an exercise mat, resistance bands, an exercise ball, and a set of dumbbells. Keep in mind that you’ll progress in dumbbell weight quickly, so make sure your dumbbells are heavy enough to match your strength gains, otherwise, you’ll need to buy more dumbbells in the near future. Adjustable dumbbells are an excellent idea, as you can purchase weights separately for less money than a pair of dumbbells.

Purchase exercise equipment based on your requirements. Once you’ve established a routine, you can think about buying more serious equipment, as you know you’re likely to use it regularly. Consider a workout bench and a barbell if you are serious about strength training, or invest in a stationary bike or treadmill if you’ve developed a passion for cardio.

3. Make Your Workout Space Comfortable And Enjoyable

If you are the sort of person who makes big plans for a healthier body but loses interest soon after, you may want to make your home workout space more comfortable.

When working out from home, you have access to your television, computer, and any other entertainment devices. You don’t have to listen to the gym radio. Instead, you can switch on your favorite show or prepare a playlist of your favorite tunes and play it loud over your superior home speakers. You can cater your surroundings to your exercise routine.

So, if you want to break a sweat while catching up on the latest season of Dexter, you can!

4. Use The Internet Or Games Console

If you enjoy exercise classes but want to save money by working out from home, you can find all sorts of online fitness classes with a simple google search. Whether you prefer dancing, yoga, or strength training, there are many free and subscription-based workouts to choose from. Some of our favorites include:

Alternatively, if you have a games console, you may want to pick up one of the many fitness-based games for multiple platforms. For example, Nintendo Switch users can buy Ring Fit Adventure, while Xbox and Playstation fans have numerous platform-specific games that make use of the console’s motion sensor capabilities. In addition, certain VR games provide a fantastic workout, particularly dance-oriented games like Beat Saber. Some games will calculate your calories burned, and others let you change the difficulty depending on your fitness levels.

5. Set Some Time Aside

When exercising at home, it’s easy to let household chores and day-to-day activities get in the way of your workout time. As such, you must schedule a block of time for working out. Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, you can exercise at home whenever you like (provided you are respectful of anybody else who lives in your home).

At the beginning of the week, consult your schedule and make time for your workouts. If you don’t have a journal, a workout chart on your fridge should suffice. Life has a habit of throwing a curveball, especially when it comes to plans. Figuring out your schedule a week in advance lets you work around appointments and other commitments – you can even work out in the middle of the night if necessary.

6. Get Creative

Once you get into the rhythm of working out regularly, you’ll find exercise gets easier and you look forward to your workout sessions. However, as we have just discussed, life sometimes gets in the way. As such, you may find you have to get creative with your exercise goals.

If you can’t fit a workout into your day, try burning calories and improving your fitness while you go about your daily tasks. For example, when you are cleaning the house, play some music and dance around while you dust and mop. If you are watching TV, do some light yoga or walk in place. Going upstairs? Make the same trip twice. There are many things you can do to burn calories alongside your usual fitness routine – use your imagination.

7. Speak To Your Doctor

While working out from home can be more convenient, you should still consult a doctor before starting any exercise plan, particularly if you have any pre-existing health conditions or you take certain medications. In addition, we advise any man over the age of 45 and woman over the age of 55 to speak to a medical professional beforehand so you can enjoy your home workout safely.

8. Get Others Involved

If you live with other people, you may want to get them involved in your workout sessions as well. Exercise is an excellent bonding exercise and can bring you closer with your friends, housemates, and family. Take turns on console-based fitness games. Head out to the garden for a group yoga session. Motivate each other to beat your personal best dumbbell curls. Of course, you may not have enough room in your home to exercise with your loved ones, but you can still encourage each other to get healthier.

9. Buy Healthy Foods

Quality nutrition is the best way to maximize the health benefits of a home workout. Eat carbs (fruit is always a good option) before you exercise, then make sure you get plenty of healthy proteins and carbs in your post-workout meal. Eat three meals a day, plus plenty of healthy snacks. We recommend eating every two hours if possible. Also, remember to hydrate. When exercising, we recommend drinking a cup of water every 20 minutes or so. You should also drink regularly throughout the day; dehydration causes muscle cramps and possible heat exhaustion.

Final Thoughts

We hope we’ve given you some useful advice for working out from home. If you are looking to save money or simply prefer your own company, you can still enjoy all the benefits of a fit and active lifestyle surrounded by your home comforts.

9 Fitness Tips for Beginners: Everything You Need To Know

Getting fit and establishing a new exercise routine can be difficult. However, we’ve put together a list of useful tips to help you get started and achieve your fitness goals.

There is never a wrong time to start working out. If you are completely new to the world of exercise, you may be intimidated by the thought of signing up for a gym and exercising in front of people who’ve been working out for longer. You may simply need help deciding what sort of exercise is right for you.

We’ve put together this article to help you get started on your new fitness journey, covering everything you should know about working out as a beginner. Whether you are struggling for motivation or need a friendly push in the right direction, our fitness tips for newbies is a good place to start.

1. Have A Goal And Make The First Step

While you may not set the world on fire and become an Olympian or football star, you can still set some lofty fitness goals that motivate you to get into the swing of things. For one, you could set the ultimate goal of running a half-marathon or even a full marathon. You may want to become a triathlete and compete in endurance events. Alternatively, you could challenge yourself to join a sports league or hike some of your favorite trails. Whatever your reason for exercising, make sure you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, then go out and grab it.

Once you have your milestone in mind, you need to make the first move. Many people dream of having a better body or improving their fitness but never do anything to motivate themselves. Of course, your end goal may seem like a long way off, but there are numerous things you can do to make your fitness journey more enjoyable.

2. Set Smaller Goals

If you have set a seemingly insurmountable task of completing a marathon, you’ll want to break your training into manageable chunks. Do not aim to complete a marathon within six months of training. Focus instead on completing 5K or 10K races comfortably first. Set yourself a target that can be reached easily. Once you develop a new normal, you can think about moving on to more challenging races.

If you try to do too much at once, you can become overwhelmed. Focus on getting out of the house and incorporating a new fitness routine into your daily life first and foremost.

3. Move Past Your Comfort Zone

Working out involves moving past your comfort zone and pushing your body to do things you normally would not do. While it is easier to sit on the couch and binge-watch your favorite Netflix shows, trying something new and exciting can have all sorts of mental and physical benefits.

Exercise does not have to just be running for long periods; you can try different activities like Tough Mudder or Warrior Dash to expand your horizons, improve your mental toughness, and provide a fun challenge.

4. Mix Up Your Routine

Many people lose motivation if they do the same workout repeatedly. In addition, if you do the same exercises for 8 weeks, your muscles eventually get used to the activity and your workout stops being effective. You’ll build less muscle and won’t lose as much fat.

Instead, you can incorporate different exercises that target different areas of the body. The optimum workout routines will work every muscle group at least twice a week, giving your muscles enough time to rest and recover in between.

Strength training, swimming, kickboxing, and cycling are excellent ways to improve your strength and cardio. Stronger muscles improve performance, burn more calories and prevent injury. Additionally, interval training (increasing pace, then slowing down) is a fantastic way to push yourself, increase fitness, and burn belly fat in less time.

Try different exercises and find a routine that works for you.

5. Speak To Your Doctor

If you have been inactive for a while, speak to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, particularly if you are over 45. You should also check with your doctor if you have long-term health issues – your new fitness routine should improve your health, not make things worse.

In addition, you should only work out three days a week for short periods of time. This will help you avoid any injuries or unnecessary fatigue. Once you are comfortable at that pace, increase exercise duration and intensity.

6. Remember To Eat Properly

Nutrition plays a huge part in whether your exercise routine is beneficial or not. When you work out, you burn additional calories and raise your metabolism. As such, it is important to eat good, nutritious food regularly. We recommend eating every few hours, making sure you have three meals a day and numerous healthy snacks.

Athletes eat healthy carbs (fruit, yogurt, etc.) before working out as these foods provide a quick boost of energy. Once you’ve finished your session, replenish your body with a mix of proteins and carbs, such as a peanut butter sandwich (on whole wheat bread) or a post-workout smoothie. Snacks should be healthy and light: yogurt, nuts, fruit, eggs, whole wheat toast.

An insufficient and unhealthy diet will undo your fitness work if you are not careful.

7. Hydrate

Don’t believe the commercials, a sports drink full of electrolytes is not an essential part of your workout, especially if you are a beginner. However, you will need to hydrate. If you do not drink enough water, your muscles will cramp and you’ll increase your chance of heat stroke or exhaustion. Drink 2 or 3 cups of water before exercising. During your session, try to drink 1 cup at least every 20 minutes. Remember to fill your water bottle up and rehydrate when you’ve finished your workout routine as well.

8. Dress Appropriately

You need to wear appropriate clothes when you work out. While you may want to look cool and stylish, you should prioritize feeling comfortable above all else. If you are wearing the wrong shoes or t-shirt, your exercise will quickly become an arduous and even painful task.

If you require help, speak to somebody at your local sporting goods store. Find workout clothes made from moisture-wicking fabrics rather than absorbent cotton. If you’ll be working out in the colder temperatures ensure you wear layers that can be removed once you warm up.

9. ake The Time To Perfect Form

Regardless of your preferred exercise, you’ll need to earn proper form to avoid getting hurt or wasting your energy. If your exercise sessions are causing an unusual amount of pain, your technique may be to blame.

We recommend speaking to trainers at your local gym who can give your pointers on improving your form. Alternatively, you can hire a personal trainer to master your technique. If you prefer to exercise alone, watch tutorial videos and read fitness magazines to understand how to perform specific exercises safely.

Final Thoughts

We hope we’ve given you some useful advice for taking your first steps towards a healthier and happier body. Whether you are looking to lose weight, push your body, or simply have fun with a new sport, taking the appropriate measures will ensure you get the most out of exercise and stick to your fitness goals moving forward.

Watering Tips & Feeding Tips – Review Guide

V.1.0.0-20211223

Writing Guide: https://article.picturethisai.com/writing-guide/

What's this content for?

You are selected to review contents on the watering and feeding specific plants. These are two separate fields but will be shown to our readers at a close distance.

We hope the recommendations created could help readers understand how to take care of the plant quickly. These contents should be focused on the specific operations that need to pay attention to, while basic operational steps should not be described in detail here.

Requirements

Word Count: around 30~50 words for watering and 30~50 words for fertilization. (For Japanese or Korean, 60~100 characters for each part, and Chinese 45~90 characters.) It is ok to run slightly longer or shorter, depending on the unique points that need to be paid attention to. But try to make the language concise and accurate.
Reject entries with a word count lesser than 25 words. (50 characters in Japanese or Korean, 36 characters in Chinese)
Focus on the Field: do not mention information other than watering/feeding in these sections. General information will be presented in other sections.
Reject entries talking about info other than watering/feeding
Tell Users Why: a simple reason why watering it this way could be attached. (If the word count is allowed.)
Operational: focus on the points that common users can control and are relatively easy to operate.
No Need to Give Specific Frequency for Watering: watering frequency depends on a lot of different factors, we’d prefer to accommodate users watering plants depending on the status of either plant or soil.
No Need to Explain on General Operations: “water thoroughly when dry” is enough for this section. How to determine if the earth is dry, or how to water it thoroughly will be discussed in another article, which users could access easily by clicking a bottom.

Note: 4,5, and 6 are suggested writing styles, not working as criteria for rejecting content. But if you find an entry that completely lacks of operational methods that can be referred to, you should reject it.

Recommended Structure for Watering

The overall water requirements for the plant. Sensitive? Insensitive? Prefer dryer soil or wetter? Tolerate to water or drought? (Give readers a guideline for watering.)
How to judge the timing of watering. The state of soil and/or plants. (mandatory)
Precautions for watering. (e.g. don’t make the leaves wet to prevent rotting, etc.)
On the time dimension: watering frequency changes with the changes of seasons, temperature, and weather.
The difference between indoor, outdoor, potted, etc.

Recommended Structure of Feeding

The overall fertilizer requirements for the plant.
Timing for fertilization. Season, growing stage of a plant, etc. (mandatory)
The way you apply fertilizer and precautions.

Note: the structures given above are recommendations, not requirements. Some point missing is acceptable. The main point of investigation is whether the whole content is reasonable and operational.

Check Plagiarism and the Usage of Placeholders

If plagiarism exists, or the writer failed to use the placeholder correctly, reject the workspace.

Examples for Watering

Persian Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)
_COMMON_NAME_ prefers a dryer environment, water it only when the soil is dry to touch or the leaves and flowers begin to droopy. Don’t let the water touch the leaves and stems when watering, which will cause rot. You can just merge the lower part of the flower pot into the water to moist the soil. When it begins to dormancy (lost most of its leaves) you can stop watering, just don’t let the soil completely dry out.
Big Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
_COMMON_NAME_ is very water sensitive, it benefits from consistent moist soil but cannot tolerate water-logging. Deeply water it frequently during the growing season to encourage their root growth and the frequency of watering should be even higher in hot summer. When a plant begins wilting, it should be watered immediately. Potted _COMMON_NAME_ needs to be watered regularly especially.

Examples for Fertilization

Persian Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)
Though not necessary, regularly applied fertilizer during the growth and blooming period will make _COMMON_NAME_ blooms better. Both organic and water-soluble, low nitrogen fertilizer is recommended, but a balanced fertilizer works well too. Apply diluted fertilizer every 2~4 weeks since the leaves get fully developed in the late fall and stop fertilizing when the flowers faded after the winter.
Big Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
If the soil is fertile, your _COMMON_NAME_ can do well without fertilizer, but if the soil is not ideal, or simply for most and best flowers, some doses of balanced fertilizer are recommended. The simplest solution is to apply slow-release all-purpose chemical fertilizer once a year. Fast-release fertilizer works well when lightly applied during the late spring and early summer either.

7 Exercises You Need for Positive Results

We look at some of the top exercises you can incorporate into your workout for positive results, targeting all the main muscle groups, and ensuring plenty of cardio exercise.

Whether you are a beginner or long-time fitness enthusiast, it’s always a good idea to know if your exercises are helping you get in shape and reach your exercise goals.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best exercises that achieve results that you can feel and see in the mirror. You can do these exercises at home, in the park, or at the gym. Remember; you’ll want to practice good form and proper technique, so check out tutorials and how-to guides beforehand.

Many of these exercises are suitable for anybody, regardless of your experience. In addition, if this is your first time exercising in a while, you should consult your doctor to make sure you don’t injure yourself or jeopardize your health.

Read on for more information.

1. Walking

Walking is one of the best exercises to incorporate into your daily routine; you may not even need to make any extra time for a workout. You can walk anywhere, either by yourself or with a friend or family member. Go for a walk in your local parks, take a stroll through town, or use a treadmill in the gym.

If you are new to walking for fitness, start with five to 10-minute sessions. Then, add a couple of minutes to your total walk time until you can comfortably walk for half an hour. You can then think about changing your route to include more hills.

30 minutes of walking every day can improve your cardiovascular fitness, reduce body fat, strengthen your bones, boost endurance and muscle strength, and give you a solid base fitness level to start jogging or running.

2. Interval Training

Interval training is an excellent way to burn calories and boost fitness levels in less time than a steady-state workout. Rather than maintaining a steady pace, interval training varies the intensity of your workout, alternating explosive exercises with rest periods.

Anybody can try interval training, whatever their preferred cardio exercise. Simply increase your pace or effort for a minute or two, then reduce your effort for up to four minutes. Gauge your intervals based on your required recovery time. If necessary, speak to a trainer to come with an interval training plan that works for you.

3. Push-Ups

Push-ups are an effective upper body exercise that targets your shoulders, chest, triceps, and core. However, good form is crucial to getting the most out of a set of push-ups.

Start face down on the floor, placing your hands shoulder-width apart. Balance on your toes; if that is too difficult, you can start on your knees instead. Your body needs to be in a straight line, all the way from your shoulders to your feet or knees. Keep your gluteal muscles and core engaged throughout the exercise. Then, bend your elbows and lower yourself until you are about to touch the floor. Push yourself back up while keeping your torso straight. Repeat until you’ve completed a set.

If this is your first time doing push-ups, start by leaning on your wall or kitchen counter. Once you develop your muscles and get stronger, go lower, performing the exercise on a chair. When you feel comfortable again, move to the floor. If you want an additional challenge, try doing push-ups with your feet on a bench while maintaining proper form.

4. Squats

Squats are an exercise you can do practically anywhere, working several muscle groups at once. This exercise targets your quadriceps, gluteals, and hamstrings, providing a solid lower body workout.

Place your feet roughly shoulder-width apart and keep your back straight – posture is very important with squats. Then, bend your knees as if you are sitting down. Your weight should be distributed evenly across both feet. Finally, return to the upright position and repeat with controlled movements.

Pro tip: Ensure you are using the correct technique by practicing with a real chair first. Sit all the way down and stand back up. Then, squat so you are only just touching the seat before standing up. Keep the same form as you remove the chair.

If you are looking for an additional challenge, add dumbbells to increase your weight and build your muscles further.

5. Lunges

If you are looking to add another effective leg exercise to your workout routine, try doing a few sets of lunges. Much like squats, lunge exercises work the major muscle groups in your legs and lower body. They also lead to better balance.

Simply take one step forward with your back straight. Bend your knee 90 degrees while keeping your weight on your back foot. Then, drop your back knee to the ground. Remember: don’t touch the ground with your knee.

Like squats, you can hold dumbbells to make the exercise more difficult. Only introduce dumbbells once you’ve mastered the form. Alternatively, you can also do back lunges and sideways lunges for a slightly different workout.

6. Crunches

There are two types of crunches you can do to strengthen your core muscles.

The first involves lying flat on your back, feet on the floor, and your head resting in one hand, while the other stretches towards your knees. Keep your lower back pushed towards the floor. Contract your abs and in a single motion, raise your head, neck, shoulders, and upper back, tucking your chin slightly. Lower yourself back down and repeat until you’ve completed a set.

You may also perform crunches by raising your feet and bending your knees. This type of crunch prevents you from arching your back, maintaining better form. In addition, these crunches also engage your hip flexors.

Pro tip: Make sure you keep your spine and neck in line while tucking your chin. Remember to breathe throughout the exercise. Ensure your elbows are not tucked in – you want to keep them out of your line of sight.

Keep in mind that a crunch does not burn fat. So, if you are looking to lose belly fat, you’ll have to incorporate regular cardio exercise and maintain a healthy diet.

7. Bent-Over Row

Rounding out our list of effective exercises is the bent-over row. This is the only exercise on our list that requires a barbell, but one that effectively engages the muscle groups in your upper back, plus your biceps.

Stand with your feet apart (roughly shoulder-width). Bend your knees and lean forward at your hips. Engage your core muscles without hunching. Hold your barbell directly beneath your shoulders. Keep your hands parallel to your shoulder. Then, simultaneously bend your elbows and lift your hands upwards until they reach your sides. Then, with a controlled motion, return your starting position. You can also perform this exercise with dumbbells.

If you want to practice form, work on your technique without any weights first.

Final Thoughts

If you incorporate these exercises into your workout plan, you’ll give yourself the best chance of improving your fitness, overall strength, and conditioning. With a comprehensive mix of cardio and strength-based training, you’ll notice a positive change in your physical condition. Plus, you can do everything from home or in public – no need for a gym membership. Once you’ve developed a solid routine, you can begin to add new exercises into your workouts to match your exercise goals.

Cultivar Descriptions – Review Guide

Request for Proposal

Cultivar Descriptions – Review Guide

V.1.0.0-20211213

Writing Guide: https://article.picturethisai.com/writing-guide/

What’s this content for?

This writing task is to draw the first impression of a specific cultivar* to the audience. This section is the first section directly talking about the characters of a cultivar, we should tell the readers the information about the origin of the breed, and why people breed this lineage. Try your best to highlight the uniqueness of the cultivar.

*Note: A cultivar is a plant variety cultivated by humans through artificial selection. It is not usually true to seed – the offspring grown from the seeds are rarely genetically the same as the parent.

Requirements

1. General Requirements

Word Count: Each description should consist of around 40-60 words. (For Japanese and Korean, around 80-120 characters, for Chinese around 60-90.) Discuss the specific cultivar, NOT the plant it bred from.
Reject entries with a word count lower than 30.

Avoid Formulaic Expression: Try to change the choice of content and expression appropriately, preventing similar content with a similar structure from appearing repeatedly within one working set. Overly formulaic content (>50% content is written in the same form) will be rejected.
Reject the overly formulaic content (>50% content is written in the same form)

Avoid simple listing: including but not limited to geographical distribution and habitat. Try to use generalized terms, e. g., we should say it is bred from different species originating in “Northeast Asia” instead of in “Japan, Korea, Inner Mongolia, and Russian Far East”. A simple listing of more than 3 items (countries, habitats) at one time is NOT ALLOWED.
Reject simple listings of more than 3 items (countries, habitats) at one time.

Different aspects of facts: Each description should consist of 2 or more “facts” (Go to 2. Recommended Facts).
Reject entries that did not have sufficient facts.

2. Recommended Facts

From which plant parentage was it cultivated?

What does the cultivar have to offer that the original plant lacks?

Garden usage, culinary use, economic usage, etc. if it is ut of the ordinary.

Special appearance. (Clearly express how it differs from other varieties. It is no need to describe it in detail because users can see the photos at the same time. Focus on the difference.)

The name origin: why this breed is called like this. (But for names consisting of color + other, please do not only explain the part of the color.)

The similarity to some popular breeds and how to distinguish them.

3. Avoiding introducing like:

Discuss common characteristics of the parental species, including the plant origin, physical appearances, size measurements (unless it’s a feature), and anything that makes it no different than other cultivars.

Discuss ways to take care, or propagate the cultivar.

Scientific synonym, alternative common name. These names are listed in our system in another section, please DO NOT mention them unless there’s an interesting name story behind it.

Widely cited “NASA Research” supporting the air-cleaning effects of plants is flawed. The air-cleaning efficiency of all the plants is later proven to be too low to be practical. Using any plant to absorb toxic chemicals in your room is not realistic, so please DO NOT mention any air-cleaning effects of plants in this section.

Note: some cultivars are hard to find any useful information. Requirements can be appropriately relaxed when facing those. Focused on garden use (maybe common in all cultivars) and appearance is permitted.

4. Check the Sensitive Expressions

4.1 Non-toxic

Reject the contents with no supporting link attached.

Reject the contents that their supporting link is not reliable.

Reject the contents if only you can find any information on the internet that claims that it is toxic.

4.2 Edible

Any expression related to eating should be considered as a piece of “Edible information”. Including but not limited to declare one plant can be a source of food, can make a salad, can make tea, work as an ingredient of wine/spirit/beer/cocktail, grown as a crop or a spice, its taste (is sweet, bitter, salty) without declaring it’s toxic. Of course, simply declaring some plant is edible is a piece of “edible information” too.

Reject the contents with no sales link from a large local or international commerce website. Unless it is a daily vegetable/fruit.

Reject the contents that their supporting link pointed to medical or other usages instead of eating.

4.3 Medical

Reject any expressions on indications and efficacy as a medicine.

Reject any medicinal description unless it is historical or has cultural significance. (Note: indications and efficacy are still not allowed in cultural and historical use.)

5. Check the Political or Legal Issues

Plagiarism: Reject

Politics, pornography, religion or racial discrimination, drugs, etc.: Reject

Marijuana, tobacco, etc. any positive description of their usage as an addict: Reject. E.g., Nicotiana is a source of cigarettes (nurture, OK), a source of premium Cuban cigars (“premium” has a positive meaning, reject), a great experimental material in molecular biology (positive, but not as an addict, OK).

Alcohol: writers could state that tequila is made from blue agave, but are Not Allowed to introduce how “good” tequila is.

6. Check the Usage of System Placeholders

If the writer failed to use the placeholders systematically, Reject the workspace.

Special Attentions

Local information in your country is highly recommended.

Use common names instead of Latin names whenever possible.

Italicize any Latin words (other than placeholders) that appear (e.g., parent plant names, etc.)

If you believe that the common name of the writing target is wrong (including singular or plural form), please Report it in the link below and we will change it in time.

If after thorough research, the plant given is not a cultivar, please explain in the comments and let us know.

Sample Description in English

Osteospermum ‘Pink Whirls’ (African Daisy ‘Pink Whirls’)

_COMMON_NAME_ is selected among African daisies for its unique look. Its pink-colored “petals” are pinched in the middle section, which makes them look like spoons【unique look】. And that is why it is called “Spooned Daisy” sometimes.【name story】

Cultivar Descriptions – Content Creation

Request for Proposal

Cultivar Descriptions – Content Creation

V.1.0.4-20220822

Writing Guide:https://article.picturethisai.com/writing-guide/

What’s this content for?

This section will be shown like this:

Requirements

1. General Requirements:

Word Count: Each description should consist of around 40-60 words.
Focus on the Characteristics of the Cultivar: Discuss the characteristics of these specific cultivars, NOT the original species in general. Common characteristics of the species should not be discussed here.
Avoid Formulaic Expression: Try to change the choice of content and expression appropriately, preventing similar content with a similar structure from appearing repeatedly within one working set. Overly formulaic content (>50% content is written in the same form) will be rejected.
Avoid simple listing: including but not limited to geographical distribution and habitat. Try to use generalized terms, e. g., we should say it is bred from different species originating in “Northeast Asia” instead of in “Japan, Korea, Inner Mongolia, and Russian Far East”. A simple listing of more than 3 items (countries, habitats) at one time is NOT ALLOWED.
Different aspects of facts: Each description should consist of 2 or more “facts” (Go to 2. Recommended Facts).

2. Recommended Facts (Dos)

From which plant parentage was it cultivated?
What does the cultivar have to offer that the original plant lacks?
Garden usage, culinary use, economic usage, etc. if it is out of the ordinary.
Special appearance. (Clearly express how it differs from other varieties. There is no need to describe it in detail because users can see the photos at the same time. Focus on the difference.)
The name origin: why this breed is called this. (But for names consisting both of color and other, please do not only explain the part of the color.)
The similarity to some popular breeds and how to distinguish them.

3. Avoiding introducing like: (Don’ts)

DO NOT discuss common characteristics of the parental species, including the plant origin, physical appearances, size measurements (unless it’s a feature of the cultivar), or anything that makes it no different than other cultivars.
DO NOT discuss ways to take care of, or propagate the cultivar.
DO NOT list scientific synonyms or alternative common names. These names are listed in our system in another section, please do not mention them UNLESS you are trying to tell an interesting name story.
DO NOT mention any air cleaning functions. Widely cited “NASA Research” supporting the air-cleaning effects of plants is flawed. The air-cleaning efficiency of all the plants is later proven to be too low to be practical. Using any plant to absorb toxic chemicals in your room is not realistic, so please DO NOT mention any air-cleaning effects of plants in this section.

Special Attentions

Use common names instead of Latin names whenever possible.

When common name is not present, please use the _COMMON_NAME_ placeholder.

Italicize any Latin words that appear (e.g., scientific names, parent plant names, etc.)

When there is no common name and you are writing a name story about the scientific name, please put name story in a separate sentence, using italics for the scientific name.

If after thorough research, the plant given is not a cultivar, please explain in the comments and let us know.

Sample Descrisptions

Osteospermum ‘Pink Whirls’ (African Daisy ‘Pink Whirls’)

African Daisy ‘Pink Whirls’ is selected among African daisies for its unique look. Its pink-colored “petals” are pinched in the middle section, which makes them look like spoons【unique look】. And that is why it is called “Spooned Daisy” sometimes.【name story】

Crassula pellucida ‘Petite bicolor‘
(no common name is present, so note the placeholder and the format for the scientific name story)

_COMMON_NAME_ is an attractive succulent that is low growing but spreads readily, making it a good groundcover for temperate or warm climate gardens. It lives up to its scientific title Crassula pellucida ‘Petite bicolor‘ since its leaves have two colors and it is a dwarf or ‘petite’ hybrid. Its parent plant is Crassula pellucida subsp. Marginalis, which is of similar size but has pure green leaves with the same delicate pink edges.

Weed Summary – Review guide

Request for Proposal

Weed Summary – Review Guide

v.2.0.0-20211116

Writing Guide: https://article.picturethisai.com/writing-guide/

What's this content for?

In this writing task, you’ll be given a list of plants that are supposed to be weedy or invasive in your region, and you are supposed to simply explain why they are weeds.

In many cases, weed is just a plant grown in the wrong place, it could be harmless or even wildly cultivated in other places. It could to a bit tough to tell the users that one of the pretty plants our users scanned is actually considered a weed in their region. We have to tell them the potential hazards of the plant to their gardens or environment, and the level of hazards. Then let them decide: whether pull the weeds out or try to control them at an acceptable level.

We desire a simple and accurate description and explanation. And if possible, we hope you can leave some room for users to make their final decisions.

Requirements

1. General Requirements:

1.1 Word Count: around 100 words. (For Japanese or Korean, 200 characters, for Chinese 160 characters.) It is ok to run slightly longer if all the information is important.

1.2 Talk about Information on Weed Only: General information on this plant will be presented in another section, please focus on the weed side.

1.3 Make sure the Information mentioned is complete. E.g., if a plant is noxious and invasive in one region and protected in another, a summary that only indicates that the plant is noxious is incorrect.

2. Cover the following information:

2.1 Where is it considered a weed? (Mandatory, local information should come first)

Everywhere

Specific ecosystems

Specific geographic locations (i.e. continents/countries/cities). If it’s only invasive in certain geographic locations, discuss its gardening values in places where it is not a weed in one sentence or less.

2.2 Level of its invasiveness

Is there any place where it is banned? (If it’s not banned, then skip.)

2.3 Why is it a concern? (Mandatory)

Aesthetically unappealing

Taking nutrition from other crops/plants

Producing toxins and harming other plants

Poisonous to humans or animals

Etc.

2.4 If it’s also an ornamental garden plant, then:

Give a reminder, e.g.: Be careful/limit its growth/prevent it from spreading when growing it. (No need to provide any specific solutions)

3. Give the weeds properly classifications:

In our system, weeds are classified into 3 levels: weed A, weed B, & weed C. Each category is defined as follows:

Weed A: Any noxious or invasive plants regulated by local laws*.

Weed B: Any plant that is not regulated but still considered as a weed by gardeners, either native or invasive. Always regarded to have no ornamental value.

Weed C: Any weedy plant that spread quickly without control (but is still used in gardens as an ornamental plant or planted indoors).

[*For Spanish writers, only consider the laws in Europe; and for Portuguese writers, only consider the situation in South America.]

Check the regulation policy in your country and gardening information to give the plant a proper classification. Mark the level in the comment box alongside your referential links. If you find a plant in our list that is not considered a weed anyway, simply mark up “not a weed”.

Special Attentions

Describe the geographical distribution in a general way, as short as possible. Avoid listing different countries or states. E. g., we should use “Northeast Asia” instead of “Japan, Korea, Inner Mongolia, and Russian Far East”.

An Example of Weed Summary

Note: 【The text inside brackets is just for explanation】

Common lantana (Lantana camara) 112 words
_COMMON_NAME_ (_LATIN_NAME_) is present on all continents except Antarctica. It is especially weedy in Australia, India, and South Africa, where it engulfs millions of hectares. Most countries list it as invasive, and it’s a major weed in the Paleotropics 【Where】. It reproduces via seeds, and the seeds are dispersed by birds. A single mature plant can produce up to 12,000 of them 【How severe is it】. It’s also tolerant to fire, grazing, drought, and can grow in various soil types. _COMMON_NAME_ is considered a threat to biodiversity, through its rapid spread as well as releasing toxic chemicals which prevent germination and inhibit the growth of native plants 【Why is it a weed】. Care should be taken if it is planted in your garden 【Reminder】.