Choosing where to start your PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC)?

What did you eat for lunch today? And what did you have for breakfast? Are your meals a balance of essential food groups, are your meals planned well or are they quick fixes that contain fewer nutrients and comprise mainly of packaged foods. Do your busy schedules leave you little time to eat healthy? Do you often rely on junk food and takeaways for your daily meals? It is time to change this. Eating right is even more important than exercise, and the combination of a balanced diet along with the right amount of exercise can do wonders to your body.  Self-realization is important to make conscious food choices. This National Nutrition Week let us come together and spread awareness about the importance of healthy eating habits and good nutrition to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce your risk of lifestyle diseases.

Are you eating right?

A balanced diet provides your body the appropriate number of nutrients. 50–60% of the total calories should ideally come from carbohydrates, followed by 10%–15% from protein, and 20–30% from fat. Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre should also be a part of your diet. Depending on the person’s gender, age, and specific needs, the body has different nutritional needs. Pregnant women and highly active individuals, and young children frequently have increased nutrient needs. Check more about alpilean.

Healthy nutrition tips

A healthy diet is important to support and strengthen your immune system. Nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, fibres, fats, minerals, and water must be an essential part of your diet to maintain a healthy immune system and strengthen your body. Consistent healthy eating habits can reduce the likelihood of developing health problems such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. Follow these healthy eating tips:

  • Eat local produce
    Increase your intake of locally available and seasonal fruits, vegetables, and whole grains near your region and reduce your intake of processed foods. Eat a rainbow, the more colourful the diet the more antioxidants it includes.
  • Explore traditional foods
    You don’t have to find fancy ingredients to eat healthy. Instead choose simple but nutritious Indian millets that include jowar, bajra, ragi, etc as a part of your daily diet. Read more about alpilean weight loss.
  • Eat a variety of food
    You must include a mix of wholegrains like wheat, maize and rice, legumes like lentils and beans, and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet. Choose unprocessed foods as much as possible.
  • Limit your salt intake
    Limit your salt intake to 5 grams or a teaspoon a day. Further, when cooking and preparing foods, use salt sparingly and reduce the use of packaged salty sauces and condiments as they are usually high in sodium.
  • Eat moderate healthy fats in moderation
    Replace butter with healthier fats like olive, soy, sunflower or corn oil when cooking. Avoid processed, baked and fried foods that contain trans-fat. Choose steaming, roasting or baking instead of frying food when cooking.
  • Limit sugar intake
    Limit intake of sweets and sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks, fruit juices, energy and sports drinks, flavoured milk drinks. Use jaggery, honey, dates, and raisins to sweeten you desserts instead of refined sugar.
  • Stay hydrated
    Drinking enough water can help improve many of your bodily processes and is essential for optimal health. Drink water whenever thirsty and avoid sipping on juices, fizzy drinks or alcoholic drinks.

Indonesian PADI Instructor Course (IDC)

The effect of Covid-19

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has affected our day-to-day lives and is slowing down the global economy.

A lot of countries have significantly reduced their manufacture and production. The various industries and sectors affected the most by the pandemic. In both positive and negative ways are the; pharmaceutical industry, solar power sector, tourism, IT and electronics industry.

The effect of Covid-19 on Gili Air

Effects of COVOD-19 on Gili Air are devastating. Before the pandemic the islands main income came for tourism. But after March 2020 this market totally collapsed. Check out these Alpilean reviews.

The collapsing tourist market on Gili Air resulted in a lot of local employees losing their jobs, businesses have to close their doors and many of these businesses cannot reopen again. 

Many local staff went back to their families in Lombok, and tried to find other work outside of tourism, such as laboring, construction, agriculture or even starting-up  small, family-owned businesses from their homes; a small retail, eatery, café (warung). Most of the expat employees went back to the western world when their bank account reached a certain limit. 

The effect of Covid on the dive industry

The dive industry on the Gili Islands reduced enormously. In the beginning of 2020 you can easily find 40 plus dive shops open and running across the 3 islands. But at the time of writing this, there are only a handful “open”. It looks like a scary movie with a terrible ending. Read more about alpilean.

Indonesian PADI Instructor Course (IDC) at Gili Air

Indonesia is one of the most beautiful countries for scuba diving. A country with 17.000 islands, connected to 2 oceans (Pacific and Indian Ocean), and being part of the coral triangle. 

Hopefully if Indonesia will open their borders tourists will come. Tourists, who would like to dive, snorkel and explore the underwater world. But the question will be can the dive industry in Indonesia handle the new tourists. Most of the dive instructors working in Bali, Lembongan, the Gili Islands, Komodo and on live-aboards have been western. And most of them are back in their home countries now.

Indonesian PADI Instructor Course

That’s why we, Oceans 5 Gili Air, started in October 2021, a special PADI Instructor Development Course for only Indonesian Citizens. Having Indonesian instructors working as part of your diving team has advantages.  They can work immediately. No need for a working permit. Indonesian citizens are willing to work for a long time, not only seasonally. All have been diving in the area for a long time so they know the dive sites like nobody else.  

The program for Indonesian citizens

Twelve Indonesians joined the program. PADI Course Director Sander, Master Instructor Warren, Staff Instructor Ary and Specialty Instructor Musa created a program were everybody could learn in their own time and space. 

For example classroom presentations and practice of the dive theory were done online for the candidates who couldn’t be here on Gili Air all the time. We even offered an IDC spread out over the weekends prior the Instructor Examination. We did everything for in the best of the candidates.

Indonesian PADI IDC

The result is there. Two PADI Instructor Examinations later, we can proudly announce twelve new Indonesia PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors.

Congratulations, Jati, Rusli, Andre, Untung, Emi, Unus, Irlando, Tama, Ravi, Rafi, Ramli and Rafael in achieving your dream!

Oceans 5 Food Bank Appeal

What did you eat for lunch today? And what did you have for breakfast? Are your meals a balance of essential food groups, are your meals planned well or are they quick fixes that contain fewer nutrients and comprise mainly of packaged foods. Do your busy schedules leave you little time to eat healthy? Do you often rely on junk food and takeaways for your daily meals? It is time to change this. Eating right is even more important than exercise, and the combination of a balanced diet along with the right amount of exercise can do wonders to your body.  Self-realization is important to make conscious food choices. This National Nutrition Week let us come together and spread awareness about the importance of healthy eating habits and good nutrition to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce your risk of lifestyle diseases.

Are you eating right?

A balanced diet provides your body the appropriate number of nutrients. 50–60% of the total calories should ideally come from carbohydrates, followed by 10%–15% from protein, and 20–30% from fat. Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre should also be a part of your diet. Depending on the person’s gender, age, and specific needs, the body has different nutritional needs. Pregnant women and highly active individuals, and young children frequently have increased nutrient needs.

Eating healthy is essential for weight loss because it helps to control calorie intake and provides the body with essential nutrients. A balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and promote overall health.

Healthy nutrition tips

A healthy diet is important to support and strengthen your immune system. Nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, fibres, fats, minerals, and water must be an essential part of your diet to maintain a healthy immune system and strengthen your body. Consistent healthy eating habits can reduce the likelihood of developing health problems such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. If you eat in a balanced way, exercise and include it with a few supplements like the best diet pills you can live a healthier lifestyle and lose weight more efficiently.

Follow these healthy eating tips:

  • Eat local produce
    Increase your intake of locally available and seasonal fruits, vegetables, and whole grains near your region and reduce your intake of processed foods. Eat a rainbow, the more colourful the diet the more antioxidants it includes.
  • Explore traditional foods
    You don’t have to find fancy ingredients to eat healthy. Instead choose simple but nutritious Indian millets that include jowar, bajra, ragi, etc as a part of your daily diet.
  • Eat a variety of food
    You must include a mix of wholegrains like wheat, maize and rice, legumes like lentils and beans, and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet. Choose unprocessed foods as much as possible.
  • Limit your salt intake
    Limit your salt intake to 5 grams or a teaspoon a day. Further, when cooking and preparing foods, use salt sparingly and reduce the use of packaged salty sauces and condiments as they are usually high in sodium.
  • Eat moderate healthy fats in moderation
    Replace butter with healthier fats like olive, soy, sunflower or corn oil when cooking. Avoid processed, baked and fried foods that contain trans-fat. Choose steaming, roasting or baking instead of frying food when cooking. This is how Alpilean works.
  • Limit sugar intake
    Limit intake of sweets and sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks, fruit juices, energy and sports drinks, flavoured milk drinks. Use jaggery, honey, dates, and raisins to sweeten you desserts instead of refined sugar.
  • Stay hydrated
    Drinking enough water can help improve many of your bodily processes and is essential for optimal health. Drink water whenever thirsty and avoid sipping on juices, fizzy drinks or alcoholic drinks.

Travelling in Corona Times to Gili Air

Traveling in Corona Times

Last Updated 07 June 2020 at 8:00 am (GMT +8)
Please note that this page will continue to be updated with the latest information.

The Beauty of Gili Air
The Beauty of Gili Air

Travelling to Gili Air, Lombok in Corona Times
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus, we have been monitoring the situation regularly and are doing everything possible to assist you with your upcoming travel plans. The safety and wellbeing of our guests and colleagues is one of our top priorities. In light of the recent cases of coronavirus, we fully understand the concerns around travelling during this time.

Our flexibility on travel in Corona times
Oceans5 Dive Resort is offering a range of tailor-made accommodation packages – we also tailor our cancellation conditions for you. Certainly in this time. Because we want you to book your Island Paradise trip with minimum stress, we guarantee you can change your booking at any time.

Completely removing uncertainty: we simply cannot do that. What we can tell you is we have flexibility in the cancellation policy for new bookings. For new bookings made after 1st of March 2020 with stays between March 2020 and May 2021, your hotel arrangement at Oceans5 Dive Resort can be rescheduled or postponed, free of charge, at any time. Learn more about Exipure healthy supplement.

Transparency in communication is important here; if you request an accommodation proposal from us, we will inform you of the applicable cancellation policy.

Gili Air Beach Life Gili Air Beach Life

Precautionary Measures
At this point, no employees have shown any symptoms that indicate infection.
We care, more than ever,  for the safety and health of our guests and team members, and have taken the following safety precautions:
– All staff members’ temperatures are checked before entering the premises, and anyone that registers above 37° is not allowed to work
– Any staff with flu symptoms are refrained from working
– All guests’ points of contact are sanitized every morning and after each guest use in particular with scuba diving equipment.
– All other areas such as toilets, door handles, etc are sanitized regularly
– We will refrain from handshakes between guests and staff members, and social distancing practices are observed throughout.
– No back-to-back usage of rooms to allow for deeper sanitation practices between each guest
– Hand washing facilities are provided throughout the property

March 16, 2020 – The Gili Islands
In response to COVID-19, the Indonesian government has suspended all fast boat services between Bali, the Gili Islands and Lombok starting March 17, 2020. In order to help to stop the virus from spreading.

March 17, 2020 – Fastboats and Flights Bali-Lombok
As concerns about the COVID-19 continue to rise, the West Nura Tenggara Government stated that per 17/03/2020 all fast boats are being restricted to operate between Bali, the Gili Islands and Bangsal, Lombok. This is a temporary decision in order to minimize the flow of tourist between these destinations. In the meantime, slow boat / ferry services between Bali and Lombok are operating as usual. Flights between Bali and Lombok – by LionAir and Garuda Indonesia – are still operating as well. Indonesia AirAsia has suspended domestic flights between Bali and Lombok until 21 April 2020. ** See update 24th of April 2020.

March 17, 2020
Government Policy in Indonesia Related To People Crossing From And To Indonesia in Corona Times.
Regarding foreign visitors from all countries, the Government of Indonesia has decided that the Visa Free Arrival (BVK), Visa on Arrival and Free Diplomatic / Service Visa policies are suspended for 1 month. Therefore, every foreigner who will visit Indonesia is required to have a Visa from an Indonesian Representative in accordance with the purpose of the visit. When applying for a visa, you must attach a health certificate issued by the health authority in each country. If you are trying to improve your lifestyle check out the latest java burn reviews.

In addition to the above, there are special policies that concern the following countries;
1. The policy towards China is still valid according to the statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs on 2 February 2020.
2. The policy towards South Korea for Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province is still in accordance with the Foreign Minister’s statement dated March 5, 2020.
3. Travelers who within the last 14 days visited the countries below are not permitted to enter / transit to Indonesia. These countries are: a. Iran; b. Italy; c. Vatican; d. Spanish; e. France; f. German; g. Switzerland; h. UK
4. All arrivals/travelers must fill out and submit a Health Alert Card to the Port Health Office prior to arrival at the entrance of the Indonesian International Airport. If the travel history shows that in the last 14 days the person concerned has visited these countries, then the person concerned may be refused entry to Indonesia.

The above policy will take effect on Friday 20 March at 00.00 West Indonesia Time. This policy is temporary and will be evaluated in accordance with developments. ** See update 1st of April 2020.

Gili Air Beaches Gili Air Beaches

April 01, 2020
The Government of Indonesia has decided to temporarily ban foreigners from 2 April 2020 until the Covid-19 pandemic is declared complete by the Indonesian authorities. This ban is to apply to all foreigners with the exception of the following categories:
1. Temporary residence permit holders (ITAS) or permanent residence permits (ITAP)
2. holders of diplomatic visas or service
3. Humanitarian staff years in the medical and food sector
4. Crews (air, road and maritime transport)
5. Foreigners/expatriates active in National Strategic Projects

Foreigners who can enter the territory must meet the following 3 conditions:
1. Be in possession of a valid health book issued by the Health Authority of the country of origin
2. Not having stayed in the 14 days before the arrival in Indonesia in a country/territory seriously affected by Covid-19
3. Declaration to comply with the 14-day quarantine requirement of the Indonesian government

For more information, we recommend that you contact the Indonesia Embassy in the country you are in.

April 24, 2020
Indonesia suspends all passenger travel to prevent Ramadan Exodus.
The Transportation Ministry will restrict all passenger travel starting on Friday 24th of April as the government attempts to prevent citizens from participating in the annual Idul Fitri tradition of Mudik (exodus) to curb the spread of COVID-19. The ministry’s air transportation director general, Novie Riyanto, said all passenger transportation to domestic and overseas destinations – both commercial and chartered flights – would be suspended starting Friday at midnight until June 1. Passenger transportation by sea will be suspended until June 8 2020.
Read More > https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/04/23/govt-temporarily-bans-passenger-travel-to-prevent-mudik.html

April 30, 2020
At this stage, 8 people from North Lombok (1 from Pemenang, 1 from Tanjung, and 6 from Bayan District) were confirmed positive for Covid-19.
Over the entire island of Lombok, there are 166 confirmed Covid-19 cases.

May 20, 2020
At this stage, 8 people from North Lombok (1 from Pemenang, 1 from Tanjung, and 6 from Bayan District) were confirmed positive for Covid-19.
Over the entire island of Lombok, there are 188 confirmed Covid-19 cases.

May 31, 2020
Lombok airport will be open for a limited number of hours each day, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, and flights are limited. Arriving passengers must show proof of a negative PCR swab test valid for 7 days at the time of travel. This situation is subject to change. The same rules apply for passengers on local ferries arriving at Lembar and Kayangan Ports on Lombok.

Gili Air before COVID-19 Gili Air before COVID-19

June 7, 2020
It’s wonderful to see “The Great Lockdown” finally relaxing. Step by step, Indonesia is finding ‘The New Normal’. International Flights to/from Indonesia are available, however, there are still strong restrictions on the visit of Foreign Citizens. Limited Domestic Flights between Bali and Lombok are available by Garuda Airlines, however, currently, negative COVID-19 test are required. We all hope the situation will be more flexible mid-June 2020. We will keep you posted! Check out the latest exipure reviews.

June 28, 2020

Great news for Residents of Indonesia & KITAS/KITAP Holders! Only a quick 10-minutes COVID19 RAPID-Test – IDR 350k per person – is required for flights to Lombok by Lion, Batik & Air Asia. Starting today (27/06), the RAPID-test will be valid for 14 DAYS! Previously, travelers needed to present a certificate of a rapid test that had been done in the previous three days up to departure. More exciting news for Residents of Indonesia & KITAS/KITAP Holders: AIRASIA is Back! Route Lombok-Jakarta-Lombok – Starting 1st of July I Every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday!

July 13, 2020

Great News! – FAST BOATS FROM BALI TO GILIS & LOMBOK RESTART TODAY! Boats will run every Monday and Friday! Guests will require a valid negative rapid test before being permitted to travel. Pre-Departure Rapid tests are available as well on-site at the BlueWater Express Departure Lounge.

Oceans5 is keeping a close watch on developments related to the coronavirus.

For more information and our full range of Post-LockDown Packages please don’t hesitate to contact us and we can help you find the best package for you.

Our hearts go out to those around the world who’ve been impacted by the virus.

Thank you for reading our blog. Stay safe and take care of each other.

Sunny regards,

Your Oceans5 Team

Best place to complete your PADI Divemaster Course

The best place to complete your PADI Divemaster course?

Divemaster Course
Divemaster Course

Are you searching for the right destination to complete your PADI Divemaster course? Most dive professionals worldwide can relate to the tedious task of narrowing down the ideal place to start a life as a dive pro. There are many things to consider during this process:

  • including what facilities are available on site
  • the geographical location,
  • what extra training is offered
  • the marine life,
  • environment and conditions in the local area
  • the reputation of the dive center
  • the price.

The price of a PADI Divemaster Course

One mistake that many people make is rushing through this search process and simply choosing the cheapest and fastest option which in turn leads to a stressful experience. Often ending with the student diver feeling unprepared for a career in diving. It is very important to consider your employability at the end of the PADI divemaster course.

Two the key things to think about are. Will you complete the course and be ready to work as a Divemaster and will you be ready and equipped with the necessary knowledge to take the next step and complete the Instructor development course? There is no use in rushing through the course as quickly as you can by only completing the listed skills on the application form. Think of your training as an investment, you need to make sure that you will get the best out of the experience so that upon completion you can get to work as a dive professional.

Divemaster Internship
Divemaster Internship

PADI Divemaster Course at Oceans 5 Gili Air

Here at Oceans 5 we take pride in offering our PADI Divemaster candidates world class training. Our PADI 5 Star Career Development Resort is situated directly at the harbor of the beautiful tropical island Gili Air. We have close access to all of the dive sites located around the Gili islands and Lombok. Each island is  offering an array of diverse marine life, substrate and conditions, allowing you to gain valuable experience in different surroundings. Our team of enthusiastic, professional instructors from around the world, work with passion and commitment to guarantee that student divers receive quality training while ensuring safety and fun at all times. We are prepared and ready to take you on the life changing journey to becoming a PADI Divemaster. So just one question that we have for you, what are you waiting for?

PADI Divemaster Course
PADI Divemaster Course

“Love in the Time of Corona”

Diet Tips for a Longer, Healthier Life

person wearing hat while shopping for leafy greens at outdoor farmer's marketPhoto: Getty Images

We know that cutting back on red meat is good for heart health, fish is brain food, and calcium-rich foods can help keep our bones strong. But can shaking up what we eat help us live longer? Check these prodentim reviews.

Yes, research shows. In a study published in 2022 in the journal PLOS Medicine, Norwegian researchers analyzed data from a number of studies on diet and health, and used them to come up with estimates of how many more years people could expect to gain if they made some changes.

They found that shifting from a typical Western diet (heavy on red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and refined grains) at age 20 to one rich in produce, legumes, fish, whole grains, and nuts could lead to a 13-year increase in life expectancy for men, and 10.7 years for women. But the study also posited that diet improvements adopted at 60 could increase life expectancy by eight years for women and 8.8 years for men. At age 80 you could still benefit, gaining about 3.4 years. (The researchers have a calculator that lets you see the effect of diet changes for someone your age.) Learn more about metaboost connection.

Other research suggests that several dietary patterns from around the world—Okinawan, Mediterranean, and Nordic, to name a few—can have life-extending benefits. Overall, these diets have more similarities than differences and a lot in common with the parameters the Norwegian researchers used in their study. We reviewed the evidence and talked with experts to develop these tips that may help you add (healthier) years to your life.

Trim Some Calories

Scientists have found that eating fewer calories can translate into a longer life, but early evidence came from studies on yeast and other organisms or animals, like mice and monkeys. The Calerie clinical trial at Duke University in Durham, N.C., is the first controlled study of calorie restriction in healthy people. Drawing from that data, a study published in 2022 showed that eating 14 percent fewer calories for two years had a significant effect on the thymus, an immune-supporting gland that produces T cells that fight infections. Try out ikaria lean belly juice.

This supports the idea that a relatively small reduction (280 calories less if you typically consume 2,000 per day)—even if you don’t change the foods you eat—may protect your health, says the author, Vishwa Deep Dixit, PhD, a professor of pathology, immunobiology, and comparative medicine at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.

But if you’re an older adult, you should approach calorie restriction with caution because when you eat less, you also could be limiting important nutrients. At the USC Longevity Institute in Los Angeles, “we are focusing on dietary interventions that are much less invasive and don’t cause side effects,” says the center’s director, Valter Longo, PhD. Rather than eating less every day, he suggests eating a very low-calorie diet made up of nutritious foods for five days two to four times a year. This essentially has similar metabolic effects to fasting but isn’t as difficult, and you still get some nutrients. Before making any drastic changes in your diet, discuss it with your doctor. Learn more about Alpilean.

Have Fiber at Breakfast

Adults 40 and older who ate breakfast and took in at least 25 grams of fiber per day had a 21 percent lower risk of dying over a 12-year period. That’s according to an analysis of national data from the West Virginia University School of Medicine published in 2021 in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.

While getting fiber from a variety of plant foods is important, there may be an extra benefit from including fiber from grain foods (such as whole grains and whole-grain bread and cereals) in your day, says Rupak Shivakoti, PhD, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City. One study he and his colleagues did, published in JAMA Network Open, found that men and women 65 and older who ate more foods rich in grain fiber had lower levels of various markers of inflammation. Reducing inflammation may play a role in decreasing the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., and other conditions.

And you might enjoy your morning cup of java even more when you hear that it may help you live longer. Coffee is rich in compounds called polyphenols, which can protect cells against damage. In a 2017 study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, almost 200,000 people—Black, Latino, white, native Hawaiian, and Japanese American ages 45 to 75 at the start of the study—were followed for an average of 16 years. Those who drank a cup of regular or decaf coffee per day had a 12 percent lower risk of dying from any cause during the study period. Just go easy on the cream and sugar.

Fill Up on Fruits and Veggies

The more produce a person eats, the lower the risk of death from any cause—up to five servings per day (three servings of veggies and two of fruit), according to a 2021 study published in the journal Circulation that tracked more than 100,000 men and women over 30 years. Eating more than five daily servings didn’t seem to offer substantially more benefits. And note that potatoes and fruit juices weren’t linked to the same benefits as other forms of produce. It’s best to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables instead of relying on the same types because doing so means you get an array of nutrients.

Swap Out Saturated Fat

Too much saturated fat (found in red meat and butter) can lead to clogged arteries and raise the risk for heart disease. Even cutting small amounts can have a benefit. A study in the journal Circulation Research reviewed data from more than 500,000 people collected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for more than 16 years. It found that replacing just 5 percent of calories from saturated fat with foods rich in monounsaturated fat, like avocados, or linoleic acid, a type of polyunsaturated fat found in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, was linked with a 15 and 8 percent lower risk of death, respectively.

Eat More Plant Protein

Replacing animal sources of protein with plant protein may also give you extra years. The Norwegian study found that increasing the consumption of beans and lentils—which are among the best plant-protein sources—to ½ to 1 cup per day contributed the greatest gain in life expectancy. And replacing 3 percent of calories from animal proteins with plant proteins was linked with a 10 percent lower risk of early death in a 2020 study from the NIH that tracked more than 400,000 adults for 16 years. The benefit was even greater when the protein replaced was eggs or red meat, specifically.

Find Room for Fish

Compared with people who never ate fish, those who had about 14 ounces each week (three to four 4-ounce servings) had a 12 percent lower risk of death from any cause, according to a review study in the European Journal of Clinical Nu­tri­tion. Use the acronym SMASH as an easy shorthand when choosing fish that are high in health-boosting omega-3s and low in mercury: salmon, mackerel (Atlantic), anchovies, sardines, and herring. In addition to omega-3s, fish also supplies key nutrients such as selenium, vitamin D, and zinc.

Take a Few Small Steps

How can you accomplish all this at once? It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Little things can add up and feel more manageable to do. Here are some easy swaps that make a difference.

• Sauté vegetables in olive oil instead of butter.

• Get guacamole on a taco salad instead of cheese.

• Order salmon at a steakhouse instead of prime rib.

• Halve the amount of pasta you dish out but double up on the veggies.

• Trade a baked potato with sour cream for roasted cauliflower with tahini.

• Make your go-to crunchy snack nuts instead of chips or pretzels.

• Try cinnamon to add flavor to your coffee instead of sugar.

• Have an orange instead of orange juice.

• Put roasted, spiced chickpeas in salads instead of croutons.

• Try a black-bean burger in place of a beef burger.

• Have oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts for breakfast instead of a blueberry muffin.

Frequently asked questions about Gili Air

Tips to sleep better
9 tips to sleep better

Stress and anxiety can cause disruption in sleep making it more important than ever to practice good sleep hygiene. When it comes to your health, sleep is as important as staying active and eating healthy. Get more shuteye with these nine tips. Try out iron plus patches by PatchMD.

  1. Increase bright light exposure during the day. Studies show that bright light during the day can keep your circadian rhythm, also known as your natural time-keeping clock, healthy. This increases your daytime energy and sleep quality.
  2. Put down the phone. At least an hour before bed, put your electronic devices away. The blue light devices emit can hamper sleep. Limiting media before bed can be helpful to calm your mind. Instead, pick up a good book and let go of reality for a bit.
  3. Watch your caffeine intake. Caffeine can stay in your body for up to 12 hours after ingested. Avoid caffeine during the afternoon and reduce how much you consume daily.
  4. Exercise regularly. Exercise is linked to better sleep. However, be careful of when you exercise, because too much activity too late in the day can make it harder to fall asleep for some people.
  5. Avoid alcohol and heavy meals. Alcohol and heavy, big or spicy meals can disrupt sleep by causing indigestion. Aim to eat two to three hours before bed to allow time for your stomach to digest.
  6. Make a bedtime routine. A consistent, calming nighttime routine lets your body know that it’s time to for bed, which can encourage better sleep. Even if you are staying home and have a more relaxed schedule, avoid staying up later than normal. Stick to your normal sleep schedule.
  7. Designate the bedroom for sleep. It may be tempting to eat or work from the comfort of your bed but designating your bedroom as a sleep-only zone will help your body recognize the purpose of the room.
  8. Create an optimal environment for sleep. If possible, keep your bedroom dark and quiet. This tells your brain it’s time to sleep. Turning the temperature down to between 60 and 68 degrees also can increase sleep quality.
  9. Invest in a good mattress and pillow. Find a comfortable pillow and mattress. Make your decision based on personal preference and sleeping position.

Can a Healthy Habit Ever Become Unhealthy?

Habits are good. They help bring structure to your life.

It stands to reason, then, that healthy habits are doubly good. Not only do they provide stability and routine, they come with health-boosting, life-improving benefits.

Three healthy habits that get the most attention are exercise, a healthy diet and sleep — and for good reason. Each plays a hugely beneficial role in your overall health and well-being. Try out amarose.

But can these three healthy habits ever be taken to such extremes that they become unhealthy?

How much exercise is too much?

The benefits of regular exercise are certainly there, ranging from improved mood and better sleep to a healthy heart, strong bones and weight control. That’s why it’s recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes of exercise every single week.

“Still, anyone can overdo it with exercise,” says Dawn Stuckey, athletic trainer at Houston Methodist. “Rest is an important part of training. It allows your body to recover for your next workout. When you don’t get enough rest, it can lead to poor performance and health problems.”

Stuckey adds that the specifics of what might be considered ‘too much exercise’ depends on your particular level of fitness.

If you’re new to working out, exercising too much might look like ramping up the frequency, intensity or duration of your workouts way too quickly without giving your body the time it needs to adjust to the new load.

According to Stuckey, the signs that you might be exercising too much include:

  • Fatigue
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Feeling worn down
  • Reduced performance

“Sore muscles are normal, but your body being exhausted all the time is not,” adds Stuckey. “If you keep pushing and pushing and don’t give your body enough time to recover between workouts, it can lead to reduced performance and even injury.” Check out these protetox customer reviews.

If you already work out regularly, exercising too much becomes more a matter of overtraining.

“Overtraining is a long-term consequence of regularly not giving your body enough time to recover between workouts. It can take several months to manifest,” says Stuckey. (Related: How to Avoid Overtraining for a Marathon)

The signs of overtraining include:

  • Being unable to perform at the same level
  • Needing longer periods of rest
  • Feeling tired
  • Having trouble sleeping
  • Having mood swings or feeling irritable
  • Experiencing anxiety or depression
  • Losing motivation to work out
  • Overuse injuries
  • Getting sick more frequently
  • Unexplained weight loss

“If you notice these signs of overtraining, try cutting back on exercise or even resting completely for one to two weeks. Often, this is all it takes to recover,” Stuckey recommends. “If you’re still tired after this rest, see your health care provider. He or she can help you decide how and when it is safe to start exercising again.”

Can dieting ever be bad or too restrictive?

Eating a healthy, balanced diet not only helps ensure that your body and brain are getting all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals they need to function optimally, it can reduce your risk of a number of health conditions and help with weight loss and maintenance. If you want to be healthy and to have a good sexual condition you need to take some male enhancement pills, are effective and promote overall health include those that contain natural ingredients such as maca root, horny goat weed, ginseng,

“We know that many health and metabolic conditions — like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease — can improve with weight loss. Many people look to dieting not just to lose weight, but to help get themselves off medications or become lower-risk candidates for medical procedures,” says Emma Willingham, clinical dietitian at Houston Methodist. This is the best penis extender.

But, whether you’re dieting for weight loss or weight management, can dieting itself ever be bad?

“Dieting can be good when the person dieting is using the ‘diet’ or dietary change as a tool to learn how to eat better and achieve higher quality nutrition,” says Willingham. “But often people go on diets to lose weight fast and don’t learn new habits along the way.”

Essentially, weight loss shouldn’t be the only goal of a weight-loss program. Learning the behaviors that help achieve and maintain weight loss is just as important as losing the weight.

“If you don’t learn from your diet — say, Whole 30 — what happens on Day 31 when that diet ends? Dieting without learning can lead to a chronic cycle of weight loss and regain, sometimes called yo-yo dieting, which is an example of how dieting can turn bad,” warns Willingham.

Going through this cycle of following a diet, losing the weight, falling back into old behaviors, putting the weight back on and then dieting again is confusing for both your body and your metabolism. When using male enhancement pills you need to know that these ingredients have been shown to improve sexual function and increase testosterone levels, while also providing various health benefits such as improved heart health and reduced inflammation

Another example of when a diet turns bad is when dieting becomes the gateway for severe and long-term dietary restriction, such as with orthorexia.

“Orthorexia is a preoccupation or unhealthy focus on ‘eating clean’ or the perception of eating healthy. Sometimes, people go on diets, see success and want so badly to maintain that success that they become more and more restrictive with their food choices,” explains Willingham.

Since many diet programs eliminate entire food groups, these restrictions set you up to miss out on a lot of opportunities to consume a variety of foods and nutrients. (Related: Which Diet Would a Dietitian Actually Do?)

“Many diet programs also create unnecessary food fear, hurting your relationship with food and your body — not to mention your social life,” says Willingham.

Becoming a PADI Diving Instructor at Oceans5 Dive: An interview with IDC Graduates Mermaid Meg & Scuba Sal

Becoming a scuba diving instructor is a big investment. And we’re not talking about the money. The Instructor Development Course (IDC) is an investment of your time and energy, as well as a commitment to a new career and potentially new lifestyle. It’s a big decision, but one no one regrets!

Diving instructor graduates

Anyone that scuba dives knows that it is an addictive sport. There are always more marine creatures to find, new sites to explore, and different locations to dive. There is also the community you become part of when you dive. Especially here at Oceans5, where all our divers are welcomed into the family. It’s no wonder why people chose to make diving their way of living. The opportunity to travel the world; live in exotic locations, meet new people and dive every day, is something that most divers dream of. As a PADI diving instructor, you can live this dream, and share your love for the ocean with others.  Sounds great, doesn’t it? So first you need to complete your IDC.

Megan and Salvador with their Instructor certificates

In October Megan and Salvador, better known as Mermaid Meg and Scuba Sal, completed their IDC at Oceans5. We can keep telling you all the great things about our IDC, but nothing beats first-hand experience. As half of the cutest couple in scuba diving, we thought we would let Mermaid Meg give you her perspective on what it’s like to complete your IDC and become a diving instructor at Oceans5.

Megan staring our to sea on our dive boat

So, why did you decide to leave home and make scuba diving your way of living?

“We decided to ‘take a break’ in 2016. Sal had been working 18+ hour days as a chef for nearly 15 years, and I had just completed graduate school. So, we both felt a trip was well deserved and we headed off to explore South East Asia. It was incredible. That was when we discovered and fell in love with scuba diving. As Sal says, ‘it was classic post full moon party learning to dive in Koh Tao’ moment.  But seriously, it was life-changing, I mean look where we are now!”

Megan and Sal looking at a fish ID book after a dive
What did we spot on our dive today?

How long have you both been diving?

“We started diving in March of 2016. Timewise, we haven’t been diving that long, but we have gained a lot of great experience and have had the chance to dive in some awesome places!”

Meg and Sal underwater selfie diving
Best buddies!

Where did you guys complete your divemaster?

“We completed our divemaster together in Hoi An, diving around the Cham Islands. Following our divemaster internship, we worked in Hoi An for 6 months guiding fun divers and assisting the diving instructor with Open Water students.”

Megan diving in Gili Air

Why did you decide to become diving instructors?

“To share our love for the ocean with others and further our own diving education. We had the most wonderful Open Water and Advanced Open Water diving instructor, who taught with such passion that it made you want to be a diver. The love and appreciation we have gained for the ocean over the last year and a half is astounding. We owe it to ‘her’ as ocean ambassadors to show and educate others on her beauty and fragility.”

Megan and Sal teaching in the swimming pool

Why did you choose Oceans5 for your IDC?

“There was an incredible diving instructor that we worked with in Vietnam. He was the youngest on the crew but was easily the most knowledgeable, skilled, and professional. When we ever had any diving or theory related questions we could always rely on him for guidance. Plus, his briefings were sensational! Of course, we were curious where he got such thorough training and he said Oceans5. He spoke so highly of the staff, location, and environment at Oceans5 that there really was nowhere else that could compare.”

Group shot of the IDC candidates in the swimming pool

What advice would you give someone that is thinking of becoming a diving instructor?

“The BEST advice we would give to someone is to get experience. Dive, dive, and dive some more. Work as a divemaster if possible. We were so much more prepared having worked as divemasters for 6 months. Diving with different nationalities and skill levels made us much better divers, learning to adapt quickly, guide effectively and prevent problems. All vital skills for an instructor.”

Practising Rescue Breathes in the pool
Rescue scenario number 7 is an important part of the IDC

What was the hardest part of the IDC?

“The most challenging part of the course for Sal was the physics and understanding “PADI language”, which can sometimes be a little confusing! But Joeri, our course director was super helpful in getting our heads around it all.

For me, I would often be hard on myself and begin thinking that I had ‘failed’. But you have to remember that is the point of the IDC. It is tough as it prepares you for the final Instructor Examination. You have to fail during the IDC in order to succeed. So, my advice would be this: don’t be discouraged when you get 1’s, it will teach you to not make that mistake in the future. Actually, the IDC was much harder than the final IE. It pushes you to prepare you to deal with all situations. Once you get to the IE, you have practised the teaching scenarios so many times that it becomes part of your nature.”

Sal looking out on the dive boat
Contemplating a great life ahead as a diving instructor!

What was the best part of the IDC?

“You gain so much confidence in yourself throughout the process. You learn to dive for others rather than dive for yourself and to have excellent control underwater, staying calm in any situation. The best part of the IDC for us, was doing it together. Yes, I know that sounds cheesy but it’s true! It was doubly stressful for us, but it was also doubly rewarding. We struggled together, and we succeeded together. And of course, becoming part of the Oceans5 family is pretty awesome too!”

IDC candidates coming back from a training dive
5s across the whole team!

Would you recommend the IDC at Oceans5?

“Definitely! The facilities are perfect for operating an IDC. You really could not ask for a more ideal set up with the equipment room, 2 air-conditioned classrooms, and 2 large pools. It was, hands down, the best place to do an IDC. The environment is professional, friendly, fun and the dive sites are well equipped for training sessions. Sal and I both really enjoyed our experience at Oceans 5 and would recommend to anyone wanting to become a PADI instructor.“

IDC candidates on the boat after the IE
Friends for life

So, what’s next for Mermaid Meg and Scuba Sal?

“We just want to continue to enjoy diving, and to share our enjoyment with others. Ideally, we want to find instructor positions here in Asia. After gaining some experience as instructors, we plan to travel in Central and South America, with a little time back home in California. We have some beautiful grandbabies that are growing up too fast.”

Meg and Sal kissing after the IE graduation
Too damn cute!

Thank you Mermaid Meg for sharing your experience with us! We wish you both all the best in your future careers.

If you’re ready to take your diving to the next level and become a diving instructor, Oceans5 has an IDC starting every month in 2018.  

Our 6-course directors cover multiple languages and have over sixty years’ worth of diving and instructing experience between them. We don’t just teach you how to pass the instructor examination. Our team strives to ensure that you become a capable and confident instructor, ready to take on any challenges you might encounter in your new career.

Sal completing Sidemount speciality

The support we offer is not just limited to the duration of the IDC. Prior to the course, we provide free workshops to make sure you are fully prepared to hit the ground running. We also offer a whole host of PADI speciality instructor courses and Disabled Diver International instructor training. Plus, team teaching with our diving instructors to help build your confidence and give you real-life experience with students.

As a multi-award winning 5* PADI CDC centre, with unrivalled facilities and first-class training, situated on an idyllic island in Indonesia, this really is the perfect place to complete your training.

Don’t just become a scuba diving instructor, become part of the Oceans5 family!

Candidates celebrating after the IE
Hupla!

It´s time to get wet again!

Dive resort Oceans 5 starts every month a PADI IDC Gili Islands course
Oceans 5 helps divers to get back into the water

A couple of years ago, maybe even a few more than couple, you were young, wild and travelling around the world. Somewhere along the journey you did your PADI open water course and became a certified diver. During your trip you did a few fun dives in beautiful locations, and you loved every second you spent under water.

And then it happened. Studies, work, family, kids…. all of a sudden there was nor time nor the money to go diving. And before you even realized, the whole idea started to feel a bit distant. What if I cant remember how to do it?

No worries mate, as we say here at Oceans 5 dive resort. We have a special program prepared just for people like you. This is actually a very common story heard in our dive shop in Gili Air every day.

The answer is a program called Scuba review. With a certified PADI dive instructor you do a little bit of theory, spend some time in the swimming pool and then do a nice, relaxed dive in the ocean to get your feet wet again.

I did a Scuba review today with Alan, a nice guy from London England in her early forties. In his logbook he has a nice dive career, about 20 dives in excellent locations around the world. But, the last dive was dated in June 2003. Learn more about the benefits that visisharp provide.

No problem. 8:30 in the morning we sat down, discussed a bit of Alan´s expectations and went through a little diving related quizz that he had already answered the night before. All well, Alan remembered the basic essentials of diving and we were ready to move into the pool.

Starting from equipment setup, I showed Alan how to prepare his dive gear. At Oceans 5 dive resort we work with quality equipment mainly from Aqualung, which makes it very easy and safe to dive with us.

PADI IDC Gili Islands runs every month a PADI IDC with Course Director Sander Buis
PADI IDC Gili Islands runs every month a PADI IDC with Course Director Sander Buis

In a shallow water we started to go through the basic skills for safe diving. We cleared the regulator using blow method and purge button, and recovered the regulator behind our shoulders. Then it was time for the mask skills. Clearing half mask, full mask and eventually taking the mask off and putting it back to our faces. Last skill to complete the safety issues was the usage of alternative air source. Being in both roles we freshened our memories on how to perform in an out of air situation, sharing air with our buddy. Alan did all the skills extremelly well considering he had been on the dry for such a long period. Swimming is an excellent exercise, improve your results by reading these synogut reviews.

After the safety skills we moved to buoyancy. Starting with fin pivot we found the neutral buoyancy and then started to swim around the pool. In the beginning alan had some issues with his buoyancy. Alan had a tendency of swimming a bit head down with legs up in the air, which we fixed by taking one weight of from the belt, repositioning the weights and making minor adjustments to the body position. More swimming and it started to look really nice. Last exercise under the water, we did a ten minute hovering session putting a lot of effort into maintaing neutral buoyancy and staying motionless in the water. All good, we did a five point ascent to surface, had a little chat about the skills and practised BCD removal and weight belt removal on the surface.

And now it was time for the highlight of the day. Lets go diving!  We did a relaxed dive at Meno Wall, one of the many dive sites around Gili Air. Going down nice and easy, remembering to equalize throughout the descent we gradually went down to our max depth of the dive, 24 meters. From there the current picked us up and gave us a nice ride along the wall. During the dive I was constantly checking Alan´s performance, monitoring his air consumption and giving small tips on how the handle the drift and how to position himself during the dive. After 45 minutes it was time to move onto our safety stop on 5 meters, and then go up to the surface.

The best reward for a dive instructor is the happy face of a customer. Alan was really pleased with his diving experience and booked immediately two more fundives for the following day. Mission accomplished, one lost soul returned to the diving tribe!

(c) Kimmo Pekari 2015

Diving around the Gili Islands with IDC dive resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Indonesia

 

Swimming is an activity that burns lots of calories, is easy on the joints, supports your weight, builds muscular strength and endurance. It also improves cardiovascular fitness, cools you off and refreshes you in summer, and is one that you can do safely into old age, improve your weight loss exercise results with carbofix. In this article, I’ll review the history of swimming, the benefits, the strokes, how to get started, what to wear, the equipment you need, where to swim, and more.

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What is the history of swimming?

Human beings have been swimming for millennia. According to Wikipedia, Stone Age cave drawings depict individuals swimming and there are written references in the Bible and the Greek poems “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” dating back 1,500 to 2,000 years. There are even Egyptian clay seals from 4000 BC showing four swimmers doing a version of the crawl, and the most famous swimming drawings were apparently found in the Kebir desert and were estimated to be from around 4000 BC.

According to the Encyclopedia of Traditional British Rural Sports, literature specifically related to swimming grew in the middle ages. It is believed that the first book devoted to swimming was Colymbetes by Nicolas Wynman written in 1538, and a more widely recognized text, De Arte Nantandi, was published in Latin by Everard Digby in 1587. The encyclopedia also reports that swimming was required of knights and that Romans built bathhouses and pools in the cities they conquered to serve as social clubs and places to exercise.

Organized swimming began in the 1800s and 1900s with the creation of swimming associations (for example, the Amateur Swimming Association in 1886) and clubs that competed against each other. There are reports from that era of swimming clubs in England, France, Germany, and the United States. High-profile events also contributed to swimming’s visibility. For instance, Matthew Webb swam the English Channel in 1875.

Competitive swimming continued to grow in popularity during the 1800s and was included in the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. In 1904, the Olympics in St. Louis included the 50-, 100-, 220-, 440-, 880-yard and one-mile freestyle, the 100-yard backstroke and 440-yard breaststroke, and a 4×50-yard freestyle relay.

By the 20th century, swimming had become mainstream. Indoor pools were beginning to appear, most towns with populations over 20,000 had public outdoor pools, and swimming clubs became increasingly popular for recreation. Women participated for the first time in swimming in the Olympic Games in Stockholm in 1912, and Johnny Weissmuller (considered by many authorities to be the greatest swimmer of all time and who later went on to Tarzan fame in movies) became the first person to swim 100 meters in less than one minute.

Today swimming is the second most popular exercise activity in the United States, with approximately 360 million annual visits to recreational water venues. Swim clubs, recreation centers, Y’s, and many other facilities feature swimming pools, improve your results with natural supplements such as Gluconite. Many high schools and colleges have competitive swim teams, and of course, swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports. Millions of Americans are swimming each year. Are you one of them? If not, the following information may help get you started.