My JORD Wood Watch - a Summer Style Favorite!

Am I becoming a fashion blogger now?  I don't know.  With a company like the one you're about to meet on here, which combines the beauty of nature with functionality, I could be convinced.  Maybe with this post will push me in that direction!  It's my site.  I can do what I want.  ;)

But back to the thing we're all here for: JORD is a company that produces wood watches that are truly unique.  Offering both a men's shop and a women's shop, JORD uses 13 different wood types (alone and in combination, depending on the design) to create timeless time keepers.  They even fully expose the  availability and sustainability of each of the materials they use.  This transparency with their customers is a huge bonus, in my opinion.  Their site elaborates on each type of wood used, explaining the grain and weight as well as the sustainability rating according to two different environmental associations.  

While most types of wood used by JORD are considered sustainable by both metrics, some types of wood (such as the zebrawood used to make my watch) is noted when there is a conflict in the ratings.  In the case of zebrawood, the CITES Appendices do not list it as an issue but the IUCN Red List notes that it is vulnerable in its natural habitat.   While it may not be ideal to use much longer because of its precarious environment shrinkage, I really appreciate that JORD is honest with the status of this specific wood.  It allows for ethical purchasing.

The company strives to promote their own creativity, drive, and desire to make their time count through the watches they produce.  Though there are several series of watch designs to choose from, the nature of wood means that each timepiece will still turn out different from all the others.  It's kind of like people - we may have similar interests, jobs, hobbies, lives.  But each of us is still "cut from our part of the cloth."  And that's what JORD wants to represent. 

Reece Series

Let's talk about the watch I went with.  The Reece Series Zebrawood & Emerald combined several of my favorite things, making it catch my eye right away:

• The watch face is my favorite color of all-time, a deep teal
• The texture of zebrawood ensures that each watch is truly unique, with telltale lines more visible than other woods running through the grain to identify that it is truly authentic
• A clever thread of maple running through the band to help the zebrawood patterns stand out even more
• A square face that veers from the traditional circular shape without getting "too crazy"
• A combination of modernity, elegance, and fun that seems to sum me up pretty well!  (Though I don't know how elegant I am most of the time...)

When I first received my watch, I truly didn't know what to expect as far as wearing it goes.  I wasn't a watch-wearer until recently, and it's usually a fitness tracker/stopwatch to use while I'm working.  But going out in a sporty watch while wearing a sundress just doesn't seem like I know what I'm doing, ya know?

Yeah,  This watch is definitely upping the class in my life.

An extra piece of specialty that JORD adds to each of their watches is the packaging they come in.  I don't think I've ever seen such class and care go into the simple way a product is carried, and it seemed like a piece of art just to witness the box each watch comes in.  This is just another example of how well JORD takes care to exemplify art and class in everything they do.  It's a point proven about the company's values.

That's absolutely the definition of elegance.

Well... now that I've shown off my own watch enough, how about your own chance at getting a killer discount for your own?  Click here to enter a giveaway for $100 on the JORD store.  Everyone who enters will automatically receive a unique code for $25 JORD store credit, so even if you don't get the grand prize you'll still be snagging a deal!  Your unique style can only be highlighted by these unique timepieces.  Go ahead and enter that giveaway to support this awesome and beautiful company.  

Glycemic Index: What is it and how can your health benefit from it?

This is a guest post courtesy of Needak Rebounder for Flabs to Fitness.

photo provided by needak rebounder.

The Glycemic Index is a valuable tool that has become a staple concept within health and fitness circles. When used intelligently and responsibly, the glycemic index can be used as a powerful mechanism for improving health, reducing the risk of certain diseases and reaching healthy weight goals.

What is the Glycemic Index?

The Glycemic Index - commonly referred to as “GI” - is a scale that ranks the way different carbohydrate foods affect your blood glucose (also known as “blood sugar”).  The GI is represented as a number, with the highest value being 100 which is equivalent to pure glucose and corresponds to the effect pure glucose would have on blood glucose levels.  So, if you were to consume a tablespoon of glucose, or sugar, you can imagine the effect it would have on your body: your blood sugar level would rise very fast seeing as glucose does not need to be broken down by your digestive system.  You might feel hyperactive, jittery or a suddenly energetic.  The glucose would cause a very rapid and high rise to your blood glucose level.

The higher the GI of a particular food, the more rapidly it is digested and absorbed by your body and the more dramatically it increases your blood sugar.  Foods that are low GI foods take longer to digest and absorb, which creates a gradual increase to blood sugar. 

image provided by needak rebounder.

In other words, low GI foods release the energy content of food slowly and steadily over a longer period of time unlike high GI foods, which provide quick-release energy within a shorter time span.

Can low GI diets help with weight loss?

One of the most significant and noticeable effects of low GI foods is their effect on appetite.  Due to their slow digestion, low GI foods last longer in your system and therefore keep you satiated for a greater period of time.  By steadily releasing energy to your body, you feel full for longer and experience hunger pangs less often than on high GI foods.  Therefore, when it comes to weight loss and weight management, the natural hunger-suppressing quality of low GI foods means you can stick to a healthy diet more easily and focus on feeding your body only as much as it needs. 

Research also shows that low GI foods encourage your body to burn stored fat and assists in lowering cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels. 

What are examples of low GI foods?

Generally, carbohydrate foods are divided into three GI categories:

Low GI: 1 to 55
Medium GI: 56 to 69
High GI: 70 and higher

When we talk about low GI foods, we refer to foods that are within the 1-55 GI range.  Below are some examples of low GI foods – as you will see, there are plenty of different foods that fall within the low GI range.  Creating your own low GI diet is not difficult when you know what to choose from!

Cereals: oat bran; rolled oats; natural muesli; porridge.

Breads: soya and linseed; wholegrain pumpernickel; heavy mixed grain; whole wheat; sourdough rye; sourdough wheat.

Vegetables: frozen green peas; frozen sweet corn; carrots; eggplant/aubergine; broccoli; cauliflower; cabbage; mushrooms; tomatoes; chillies; lettuce; green beans; red peppers; onions; yams; sweet potatoes.

Fruits: cherries; plums; grapefruit; peaches; apples; pears; dried apricots; grapes; coconut; coconut milk; kiwi fruit; oranges; strawberries; prunes.

Legumes (Beans): kidney beans (canned); butter beans; chick peas; haricot/navy beans; red lentils; green lentils; pinto beans; black eyed beans; yellow split peas.

Grains: brown rice; pearl barley; buckwheat; white long grain rice; spaghetti.

Eating low GI foods does not mean you need to forego your tastebuds or flavourful foods.  There are plenty of delicious low GI recipes easily found through Google.  The Glycemic Index Foundation is a good place to start – they provide breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes that all look tantalizing and many of them take less that 20 minutes to whip up! 

photo provided by needak rebounder.

Are there any benefits to consuming high and medium GI foods?

High/medium GI whole foods such as bananas, pineapples, watermelon and dates are advantageous sources of quick energy for times when your body requires rapid fuel replenishment.  For example, after performing a rigorous workout it’s important to refuel your body so that your muscles can properly recover and rebuild.  In such instances, eating a natural high/medium GI food in order to provide your body some immediate sustenance until your next meal can assist with muscle recovery. 

Other health benefits of low GI diets:

There is a significant body of clinical research which describe various health benefits of maintaining a low GI diet.  One of the most notable areas of research is the effect low GI diets can have in reducing the risk of diabetes.  High GI diets create unhealthy surges to insulin levels.  If you maintain a high GI diet for long enough, your body develops insulin resistance, which is a precursor to Type 2 Diabetes.  Conversely, low GI foods do not spike your insulin levels and assists your body in maintain proper regulation of insulin and blood glucose levels.  Proper Low GI diets can also help with managing and improving diabetes symptoms by improving blood glucose levels, reducing insulin resistance and improving blood cholesterol levels.

Other benefits of maintaining a low GI diet include being at a lower risk of developing heart disease and age-related adult macular degeneration. 

Final thoughts:

Given all the evidence supporting the benefits of low GI foods, it makes a great deal of sense to switch to a predominantly low GI diet.  Low GI diets can markedly assist with reaching and maintaining healthy weight and significantly lessen the the risk of developing serious diseases.  Furthermore, combining regular exercise activities with a predominantly low GI diet can maximise weight loss and promote overall well-being.  And you don’t need to overwhelm yourself with strenuous high impact or heavy duty exercises or heavy duty exercise to maintain good health.  There are numerous low impact options such as walking, rebounding, swimming, strength training which you can tailor to fit your individual needs and requirements.

About Needak

Needak Rebounder is an official retailer of the bestselling rebounder in the world.  Their fitness device is focused on alternate forms of in-home cardiovascular health, and their blog features many articles which focus on this and how it relates to the sport of rebounding.  Visit Needak.com if you are interested in exploring the Needak Rebounder and the revolutionary sport of rebounding.