Tag Archives: body

Mar17

6 Simple Steps To Promote Mental Wellness In Daily Life

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6 Simple Steps To Promote Mental Wellness In Daily Life

Nothing in this life is more important than your health, and your mental wellness should be included. Whether you’ve experienced symptoms of poor mental health or not, it is wise to implement habits to protect your frame of mind. A combination of good daily habits and actions to combat symptoms will serve you well. Focus on the six below to get started:

Invest in your looks:

Looking good makes you feel good, even if you don’t consciously realize it. We can’t all look like supermodels, but we can benefit from face masks and products that restore a natural glow. A new hairstyle or outfit can have a positive impact too. Aside from seeing a better reflection in the mirror, you will receive positive reactions from your friends, family, and colleagues.

Stay hydrated:

Nutrition plays a central role in all of our lives, and staying hydrated is the most important factor. Hydration will keep your mind engaged and alert in all daily tasks. Moreover, it is a move that will keep your muscles and organs performing at their peak level. While mastering your eating habits can take a little time, drinking more water should be easy.

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^^^ Pixabay Image

Treat physical discomfort:

Physical pains won’t only cause direct pain and discomfort. They can eat away at your mental health as they restrict you in several aspects of your daily life. Finding the right style of headache & migraine relief, for example, can help you get back to your day far sooner. It removes a great deal of frustration from your life, which will make you a healthier and happier person.

Make time for rest:

While we all want to stay productive, it’s important to let your mind and body relax too. For starters, getting a good night’s sleep will provide the perfect platform to build upon. You can also use yoga & meditation to break up the day and freshen your frame of mind. Losing a few minutes may seem counterproductive, but it will often allow you to achieve more at work and in recreational matters.

Avoid negative people:

Positivity is contagious, but so is negativity. Therefore, surrounding yourself with the right people in life should be considered vital. Taking a step back from people who negatively effect your well being will allow you to focus more of your time on the people who matter most. Their positivity should inspire you to achieve more in daily life too.

Spend more time outside:

We live in a tech-fueled world, and it can take a toll on our mental wellness. While you cannot simply avoid using computers for work and daily tasks, you can at least take a break. From gardening to going for a bike ride, those moments of exploring the great outdoors are great for your mindset. The fresh air is sure to bring a sense of inner peace and tranquillity to your world. Embrace it.

Your mental wellness can be improved upon by taking small, simple steps every day and maintaining them so that you can feel like your best self in all that you do.

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Mar10

Health Checks To Add To Your Schedule

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Health Checks To Add To Your Schedule

We all want to take good care of our health and well being. Our bodies and our mind are what we experience the world through and we want to keep them in the best condition possible. But this is often easier said than done. Scheduling conflicts, work, and the like can all make scheduling regular health appointments an inconvenience.

What’s more inconvenient, however, are health issues going unchecked so do be sure to pencil in the following:

Dental Checks:

Booking a dentist appointment is essential once every six months. Use a reliable dental practice with plenty of qualified and professional dentists working for them. During your check up, your Dentist will be able to take a look around your mouth and notice any issues such as cavities, decay, or other dental problems. They can then book you in to resolve these problems if they do exist. If not, they can just pass you on to your hygienist, who will be able to clean your teeth thoroughly for you.

Eye Checks:

You should visit an optometrist once every two years. An eye check can help your optometrist to ensure that your vision is up to scratch and to identify any changes in your vision. They’ll be able to recommend prescriptions to you if you do require help with your vision and educate you in best practices and tell tale signs like cataract symptoms to watch out for. You might realize that you are exhibiting symptoms as soon as you hear your optometrist say it out loud. They can also take some time to look out for common eye health complaints such as glaucoma, cataracts, or even issues like diabetes. Take the time to ask your optometrist any questions concerning you, such as what does laser eye surgery do or how glaucoma may affect your vision. Keep in mind, the earlier problems arise, the easier it is to treat them.

Hearing Checks:

Hearing checks are one of those medical things that often go forgotten about and if you’ve not had it checked recently, then it’s important to do so now. A hearing check might be able to give you clarity on any ear pain or lack of hearing you’ve noticed in recent years. There are plenty of new technologies and engineering within the world of hearing aids now too, including a range of hearing aid styles. Don’t skip on your hearing appointments!

Cervical Screening:

If you have a cervix and are over the age of 25, you will need to attend cervical screening appointments. This process can also be called a “smear test” or a “pap smear”. If you are aged between 25 and 44, you will be asked to attend screening once every three years. If you are aged between 45 and 60, you will be asked to attend once every five years. The process is simple and, while some would describe it as uncomfortable, generally pain free. It helps to identify any abnormal cells in your cervix and could help to identify signs of cervical cancer in their early stages. This could be a life saving check so it really is important to schedule it in.

These are just three appointments to book but, hopefully, they’ll get the ball rolling when it comes to encouraging you to maintain good health practices!

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Mar1

Using Tech To Improve Your Mental Health

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Using Tech To Improve Your Mental Health

Mental health is something that goes overlooked far too often. Throughout the pandemic, everyone’s screen time increased exponentially. Today, we’re going to explore some effective ways that we can use tech to improve mental health:

Entertainment and destressing:

Many of us feel like we need to destress and unwind at the end of a busy day or a stressful week. Technology offers us a host of entertainment options, which can lift our spirits, distract us from stressors, and help us to feel calmer and more relaxed. From interviews with music stars on TV shows like Tavis Smiley PBS and the latest movies to online games, TV box sets, and customized playlists, you can choose from a vast array of platforms, sites, apps, channels, and shows to enjoy your downtime, boost your mood, and chill out.

If you are finding it difficult to destress and unwind, even during a relaxing evening spent watching TV, then you may want to explore the amazing world of cannabis or CBD to enhance your relaxation. While this is not an option for everyone, it can be helpful. You can start by purchasing some CBD gummies or by visiting a well-established online weed dispensary Emeryville, or one more relevant to your location, to discover a strain that’s right for you.

Boosting physical health:

Looking after your body often has benefits for your mind. Mental and physical health are intertwined. More and more people are using tech to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and disease. Examples include using wearable activity trackers, food diary apps, and devices that monitor sleep quality and duration. Increasing activity levels, eating a healthy, balanced diet, and getting enough sleep can make a huge difference to your psychological well being.

Exercise makes you feel good, it aids sleep and it is also a natural stress buster. A nutritious diet fuels your body, preventing you from experiencing low energy levels and ensuring your body gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs. Sleep is vital for optimal mental health. If you’re tired, you may be irritable, your energy levels will be low, and you may experience mood swings. A lack of sleep can also increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and chronic stress.

Connecting with others:

Socializing and interacting with others is proven to enhance mental health. Human beings are naturally sociable creatures and we enjoy talking to others and spending time with friends and family. Technology has been instrumental in bringing people together and encouraging us to make new friends and stay in touch with family and friends even when we can’t get together in person. Technology can help to prevent isolation and loneliness.

Finding help and advice:

Many people find it hard to talk about mental health and they are reluctant to seek advice. Technology can help those who are struggling to find charities or organizations that provide help and connect with others who have been in the same situation. Using smartphones, tablets, and computers can also make it easy for people who want to reach out to find the relevant support by providing easy access to websites or contact details for doctors, therapists, and organizations that offer free advice. It can also be beneficial to join forums or social media groups to meet people who experience similar problems, particularly if you don’t feel comfortable opening up to people you know.

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Many of us are making an effort to protect and improve our mental health. Technology plays an increasingly integral role in modern healthcare and it can help to boost and nourish mental health. You can use tech to destress and have fun, connect with others, enhance physical health, and find help and support all from the comfort of your couch!

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Feb28

Annual Checkups To Schedule Today

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Annual Checkups To Schedule Today

Even if you’re feeling healthy, it’s important to have regular checkups with your doctor. However, some annual checkups are more important than others and should never be neglected:

Your Physical Health:

During your physical, your doctor will examine your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and other vitals. They may also do a screening for cancer or other diseases. If your doctor detects any problems, they can be treated early on before they have a chance to become more serious, which is why it’s so important to go every year. If you notice any changes in your health or believe you have been exposed to a virus or even unsafe chemicals, schedule an appointment with your doctor ASAP. They will want to run tests and monitor you closely. Should you have had a chemical exposure, you might even be able to learn about pfas legal claim payout details based on your doctor’s findings.

Your Mental Health:

Your mental health is just as imperative as your physical health. During a mental health checkup, your doctor will assess your mood, anxiety levels, and overall mental health. If any problems are detected, they can be treated early on and recommendations can be made for the best way to go about it. Some people use things like marijuana and gummies to help them stay calm and reduce anxiety. The best Delta 9 gummies are great for that.

Your Dental Health:

During a dental checkup, your dentist will examine your teeth and gums for signs of disease or infection and determine whether or not you need dental implants. They may also do a screening for oral cancer. It is best to go to the dentist every six months for a good cleaning to keep your smile radiant.

Your Vision:

You should get a comprehensive eye exam every year. During an eye exam, your optometrist will check your eyes for signs of disease or infection. They may also do a screening for glaucoma and other eye diseases. Even if you think that your vision hasn’t changed, it is still good to go and make sure.

The Mammogram:

A mammogram is a screening test for breast cancer. It involves taking x-rays of your breasts. Mammograms are recommended for women over age forty, but younger women should also have them if they have a family history of breast cancer.

The Pap Smear:

A Pap smear is a test for cervical cancer. It involves taking a sample of cells from the cervix to check for signs of cancer. Women should have a Pap smear every three years until they reach age 65, and then they can stop having them unless they have other risk factors for cervical cancer.

While these are the most commonly recommended annual checkups, they are not the only ones you should consider. Talk to your doctor about what other screenings and tests you may need based on your age, health history, and risk factors. Make sure to schedule appointments for all of them every year!

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Feb19

How Exercise Can Make You Look Younger

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How Exercise Can Make You Look Younger

There are many products on the market that claim to undo the effects of time on your skin. However, there’s one aspect that people often don’t talk about when they discuss skincare: a healthy lifestyle. The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and its health depends on how you treat it. Your lifestyle factors into the condition of your skin as much as anything else, so it makes sense that being healthy and exercising can affect how youthful your complexion is too:

Exercise Can Combat Sagging:

Aside from proper nutrition and adequate sleep, exercise can be a key component as well. While many people think that only the effects of aging make us look older, we actually start to take on an aged appearance long before our time. It all starts in your twenties and thirties when the underlying muscles and bones lose their elasticity and snap back less easily. Before you know it, your body geometry is more prominently defined, and your facial features start to sag.

When you exercise the muscles in your face and neck, they become tighter and more toned. It’s actually possible to get a younger looking jawline through easy exercises! After a while, your skin will tighten up with these underlying muscles. Of course, the effects will not be as pronounced as the best non-invasive facelift treatments, but it will visibly improve your appearance.

Exercise Can Reduce Dark Circles and Puffiness:

There are many reasons why people have puffiness under their eyes – not all of them are related to fatigue or not sleeping enough. Short term swelling can often be due to crying or allergies, but chronic cases may represent a more serious medical condition.

However, exercise may help! By regularly working out, you indirectly reduce the amount of water in your body. When you sweat, it’s easy to lose a lot of liquid without even realizing it. If you’ve ever had an intense workout and then noticed that your skin was not as puffy or dark circles were not as prominent, this is why!

Exercise Boosts Blood Circulation:

If you want to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, then one thing that you should pay attention to is your blood circulation. There’s a reason why people are always trying hot stone massages, using warming masks, or lying on a pemf mat – because blood flow improves skin health.

The heart acts as the main pump for your circulatory system, pushing fluid throughout all of your tissues. When you exercise, your muscles demand more oxygen and fuel to get a boost of nutrients and also receive a lot of fresh oxygen. This helps improve blood flow to your face, delivering useful nutrients and carrying away waste.

Oxygen is an integral part of the production process for collagen. In fact, people often describe aging as a simple case of ‘rusting’. When your body starts to slow down its mitochondrial activity (the cells in your body that produce energy), the old proteins in the body become oxidized and start to look bad. Collagen is exactly like iron – when it’s exposed to oxygen, it rusts and flakes off. By keeping your blood flowing regularly around your face, you can slow down this aging process.

Exercise Makes Your Skin Glow:

Many people have that ‘fresh out of the shower’ look after working out. You might notice that your skin looks much healthier when you’re sweaty! The reason why exercise makes us glow isn’t just because of sweat. Our bodies are constantly trying to regulate our temperature, so in times of stress or physical exertion, the blood vessels in the skin dilate. If you’ve ever noticed that your cheeks turn red after a workout, this is why.

This dilation of the blood vessels happens as a secondary effect to improved circulation. When there’s more blood flow to your face, you look more awake and ‘healthy’. This is why exercise makes us look younger – we’re literally glowing!

While exercise can’t undo the effects of sun damage or other signs of aging like wrinkles, it can make your complexion look much healthier overall. If you want to maintain your youthfulness over the years, exercise should be a significant part of your lifestyle – not just something that you do occasionally!

Feb16

Loving: My Nebulizing Diffuser

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Loving: My Nebulizing Diffuser

Hello! A couple of weeks ago, I began using the Aurora Nebulizing Diffuser by Organic Aromas and I have been absolutely loving it. Other than a stint in my teens when I enjoyed making bath and body care products, I never was too interested in essential oils. While I understand that there can be benefits, I always thought that people were over exaggerating. However, this product made me eat my words and my mornings no longer feel complete without turning my diffuser on. Let’s discuss:

Okay, before we really get into it, I seriously can’t mention essential oils without talking about Impractical Jokers. Johnny and I are huge fans of the show and there was one episode when the guys had to perform their antics while getting a massage. Q was told that he had to pronounce “oil” as “Earl” and, of course, Johnny and I now refer to my essential oils as essential Earls lol.

ANYWHO, I started my journey with my Organic Aromas diffuser by using their Signature Blend. I did enjoy this scent and it was great for relaxing at home after work. Johnny, on the other hand, wasn’t a fan and it actually gave him a stomachache so I had to use it when he wasn’t home! I will be the first to admit that it was pretty pungent but it definitely did its job because I felt so soothed when I was using it.

The Peppermint oil was a game changer, though. After getting out of the shower, I would put it in my diffuser before starting my writing routine and I noticed a big difference in how I felt on day one. The fresh peppermint scent felt like an additional caffeine boost for those groggy mornings and I do feel like it improved both my focus and alertness when working in the morning.

Not only did I feel extra awake, but my airways felt way less congested too. This Ohio winter has been a flip flop between moderate temperatures, rain, single digit temps, and snow storms and I have felt permanently clogged up since November. My body just can’t jive between the constantly changing temps and it has been really annoying, to say the least. The first day using the peppermint oil was the first day I have felt “normal” since the fall and I can’t get enough of it!

We all know that I am a fanatic when it comes to my beauty hoard and I think essential oils are going to start making a huge addition to my stock pile. I am so eager to try all of the different scents and plan on purchasing some citrus and eucalyptus oil next! 😀

What are your favorite essential oils? Have you noticed any differences from using them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb14

Habits For A Happier & Healthier Life

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Habits For A Happier & Healthier Life

How you choose to live your life is ultimately up to you. While some things are out of your control, there is also a lot that is in your control such as what you do or don’t do each day. Your habits play an important role in your overall health and happiness. You must take notice of your behaviors and make sure that you’re taking good care of yourself if you want to feel your best.

These are some habits to add to your routine for a happy and healthier life that you should review and consider implementing:

Exercise & Be Active:

Exercise is good for your body but also your mind and stress levels. If you want to live a happier and healthier existence, then add exercise and being active to your list of habits. You’ll soon notice that you feel less overwhelmed and anxious and that it boosts your mood and self esteem. Do what you have time for and are comfortable with but also try to challenge yourself physically at times. Some ways to begin are to join a gym, go for walks outside, or sign up for a yoga class.

Make Time for Hobbies & Relaxation:

All work and no play will leave you feeling exhausted and you may miss out on the fun parts of life. There are so many ways to relax and unwind including taking your dog for a hike, learning photography, or getting on the computer and participating in some online betting. After all, there is nothing better than having some extra spending cash. In fact, if you are feeling particularly lucky, you can also go the old-school route and play a few hands at an online casino during your downtime if a game isn’t on or the season is over. To help you find the best online casino, check out a testing and review site like Slotswise to get an expert opinion of which is the best for you. Remind yourself that you work hard and deserve this time to rest and regroup after a long day or week at your job. You’ll not only feel refreshed and better for doing so but may also learn a few new skills along the way.

Eat Nutritious Foods:

Think about how you want to feel when you’re done eating and choose foods and snacks that give you energy and reduce anxiety. Foods not only impact your physical health but also your mental well being. Be proactive about choosing to eat more complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and fruits and vegetables and keep the highly processed and deep fried foods to a minimum.

Smile More:

Your brain releases dopamine when you smile and this will make you feel happy. Crack a smile when you’re feeling down and notice how it instantly picks you up and makes you feel good. You may also want to give yourself a smile in the mirror in the morning before diving into the day ahead. It can help set the right tone for tackling your to do list.

Get Organized:

There are many ways to get organized such as at work, with your finances, and your house. Declutter and get rid of what you no longer need or what no longer serves you. Make space in your life for what truly matters and helps you succeed and live a rewarding life. It’s especially important to do if you feel like the clutter is getting out of control and beginning to negatively impact your mood and how you live.

Meditate & Breathe Deeply:

When you meditate, you can bring down your stress levels and blood pressure, find more emotional balance, and reduce chronic pain and anxiety. Your memory and concentration will improve and you may also feel more creative. It can help you gain a new perspective on stressful situations or problems in your life and allow you to successfully navigate a challenging circumstance. In addition to meditating regularly, you should also consider doing some deep breathing exercises throughout the day. It’s an excellent way to calm your mind and body in the moment.

Get Outside:

Explore and get into nature and take notice of how much better you feel and happier you are overall. It’s a chance to disconnect from technology and your responsibilities and simply be. You’ll not only have an opportunity to slow racing thoughts and clear your mind but spending time in green spaces can also lower blood pressure.

Spend Time with Loved Ones & Friends:

Think about who you miss or haven’t seen in a while and reach out and set up a time to get together or chat on the phone. Although it may be hard to meet new friends as an adult, there are ways to do so. You must be willing to put yourself out there and make an effort in this area of your life. Consider taking a class, volunteering your time, or finding social groups to join in your area. It’s not about how many friends you have but that the relationships and bonds you do have are rewarding and meaningful.

Get More Sleep:

If you’re discovering that you are tired or need naps during the day, then your body might be telling you that you need more rest. Track your sleep and pay attention to how many hours you get so you can make changes if you’re not getting enough. Try to wake up and go to bed around the same time each day to get into a routine and limit naps you do take to twenty minutes.

Visit the Doctor:

Visit your doctor and dentist routinely to stay in good health. You must take good care of yourself and address any health issues or ailments right away. Come prepared to ask questions and follow any treatment plans that are suggested for you. You should see your providers even when you’re not sick for routine checkups and peace of mind.

Help Others:

Try adding volunteering and compassion to your routine. There are likely many opportunities to do so right in your neighborhood and community. You’ll not only benefit from volunteering but you might also make some new friends or meet new people in the process. It might also inspire you to want to practice gratitude for what you do have in your life, which can also boost your happiness and health.

Begin sprinkling these habits into your routine and you’ll not only be happier and healthier but may find you reach your goals at a quicker rate and can build the life you always wanted. While it’s important to focus and work hard at improving yourself, you should also take breaks and rest when you need it to stay well.

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Feb3

5 Ways To Improve Your Health

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5 Ways To Improve Your Health

It’s no secret that we’re living longer, but what is not so widely known is that many of us are living longer with a slightly worse quality of life. This is partly due to the increased amount of chronic diseases and illnesses in our society. Improving your health all starts with taking better care of yourself. Here are five ways that you can start improving your health today, whether you want to lose weight, get more sleep, or just feel better overall:

Improve Your Diet:

Diet is a huge factor in your health and what you eat has a lot to do with how healthy you are. Take control of your diet and choose more nutritious foods. Start by cutting out processed food and replacing it with fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s easier than you think to start eating better, so don’t be afraid to make small changes to your diet that could have a significant impact on your health.

Get Enough Sleep:

In today’s society, we often value productivity over health. But getting a good night’s rest can have a considerable impact on your overall well being. You’ll find that you will be more productive, your brain will function better, and you’ll suffer from less stress and anxiety. Take the time to get some sleep – it will benefit you in all areas of life.

Exercise Regularly:

Exercise is a great way to maintain health and well being. Besides the obvious benefits of exercise, such as increased energy and reduced risk of disease, exercise helps improve mood and reduce stress. It also improves your memory and ability to focus. Additionally, it can help you sleep better by decreasing the time it takes for you to enter REM sleep.

Manage Your Illnesses/ Injuries:

Managing illnesses and injuries will improve your quality of life by giving you a greater chance at living longer with fewer chronic diseases and illnesses. It will also help you recover faster. For example, if you have an injury that needs to be taken care of before it gets too bad, it will take less time for you to recover and return to normal activities than if left untreated. If you believe your injury was due to the actions of someone else, you should consider seeing a personal injury lawyer to receive compensation and extra financial help for the time when you need to rest and get better.

Improve Your Mental Health:

Mental health is just as important as physical health, and there are many ways you can start taking care of yourself mentally. You could start by focusing on your overall happiness rather than specific goals. Let go of the stressors in your life and give yourself time to enjoy what you are doing without anxiety or other negative feelings getting in the way. If you’re feeling a little down, try going for a walk, spending time with friends or family, or just reading a book to relax.

Small steps to improving your health that you take today can help improve your tomorrow as a better you!

Featured Image By: Nathan Cowley from Pexels

Feb2

Body Positivity: Why Kids Should Learn It In School

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Body Positivity: Why Kids Should Learn It In School

In school, the overweight kid is often bullied and outcast. Their torment may last until high school ends, but the impact can endure for a lifetime. To many, bullying or being bullied may seem like a phase. But in reality, it’s more serious than that. Bullying can cause lasting trauma that time alone cannot heal.

Sadly, society normalizes heavier kids being bullied. Even the media romanticizes it. Movies and books with the overweight protagonist being bullied and losing weight in revenge are far too common. As a result, kids who struggle with weight believe that they’d never be good enough until they become skinny.

Only one thing can change this: teaching body positivity in school. Body positivity is the assertion that all people deserve to have a positive body image. Whatever their weight, height, shape, or size is, every person should feel beautiful. Likewise, persons with disabilities or deformities should also be body positive.

Thankfully, some institutions really do prize fairness, teaching equality and empathy, and being able to put yourself in the shoes of others. You need only see the Alpine Academy reviews to see how that’s the case. Teaching kids to be body positive can change an entire society or culture. Overweight or underweight kids won’t be mocked anymore and trauma can be avoided, allowing kids to thrive and be kind to others when they grow up.

Body Positivity Cures “Fatphobia”:

Fatphobia is the pop culture term for the stigma of obesity. It’s fear or hatred toward overweight or obese people. People can have it without realizing it because society has ingrained into them that being overweight is undesirable or shameful.

Fatphobia manifests itself in different ways. It can appear as though coming from a good place. For example, if you constantly remind overweight people that they’re at risk of serious diseases, that’s fatphobic. It appears as an unsolicited suggestion to lose weight.

Praising someone’s looks but commenting badly about their body is a fatphobic habit, too. Telling someone that they’re pretty but they’d look so much better if they lost weight helps no one. It implies that only skinny people can be attractive and extra pounds are automatically undesirable. This harms many children, overweight or not. Children who aren’t innately skinny will always believe that they’re unattractive, while skinny kids can develop a superiority complex.

While obesity in kids should be addressed, it should be focused on their health alone, not their looks. Schools or parents can provide healthier lunch meals for the kids without saying that it’s for weight loss. All children should feel safe gaining or losing weight, not coerced.

It Prevents Body Dysmorphia:

Poor body image can lead to body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). It’s a mental health condition that causes “imagined ugliness”. A person with BDD always finds something “wrong” with their bodies and claims that they need it fixed.

In kids, BDD can cause anxiety in going to school. They feel ashamed at being seen or are scared that their flaws will show, and their classmates would laugh at it. If they do come to school, they may cover up their bodies even if it’s the middle of summer. They constantly worry about their bodies, even if you reassure them that nothing is wrong.

BDD can stem from toxic societal and cultural norms about body types. Continuously teasing or shaming overweight people can cause anxiety among children. This anxiety will create a fear of being overweight because they would be bullied.

With body positivity classes, boys and girls will learn to accept their bodies for how it is. Young boys will learn that they don’t need bulky muscles to look desirable. Young girls will realize that they don’t need to be a certain shape to be beautiful. Underweight kids will benefit from it, too. They would no longer be told that they look “anorexic” or should eat more to look prettier or more handsome.

It Removes the Stigma Toward Cosmetic Enhancements:

Body positivity can help remove the stigma toward people who get cosmetic enhancements done. After all, the core of body positivity is for everyone to have a positive body image. Therefore, those who get liposuction, non-invasive weight loss procedures, lip fillers, etc., should also feel accepted and safe in their environment.

Kids shouldn’t be taught that enhancing or changing their looks is sinful. Instead, they should be taught that they are in charge of their own bodies. As such, they can choose what to do with it. They can get tattoos, piercings, cosmetic surgery, or bold hair colors as long as it makes them feel confident. This also includes hormone replacement therapy too.

If we raise children who consider all body shapes and sizes to be beautiful, it will help improve their quality of life from the jump. Tolerance and understanding are important skills that kids are never too young to learn.

Feb2

The Coronavirus Pandemic & Mental Health

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The Coronavirus Pandemic & Mental Health

Mental health has always been a sensitive topic. It’s equally important to physical health, but many believe otherwise. Mental health problems include anxiety, depression, insomnia, and phobias of different kinds. Earlier, people ignored these problems, but now, we know better.

Due to strong efforts by many mental health experts, the world became aware of these conditions and saw their effect on children, teenagers, and adults alike. But the number of patients shot up drastically during the pandemic.

How did the pandemic effect mental health?

People lost their loved ones to Covid, which worsened mental health across the globe. Every day felt worse than the last and it felt impossible to visit our friends and family. Everybody was scared for their lives, and fear is not good for mental health.

Companies laid off people, which increased unemployment and caused worry. Lock downs shut down schools, children were forced to stay home, work from home became a norm, and people had to live in isolation, leading to many mental health problems.

The whole situation created immense pressure in the minds of adults and children. It’s hard to recover from the tragedy of this scale. The environment of uncertainty and danger created hopelessness that’s hard to manage. All of these problems trigger mental issues such as anxiety and depression.

Are young adults depressed?

Surveys have shown that young people are more prone to mental issues due to the pandemic. According to a study of healthcare students at the University of Jordan, it is found that students are suffering from high anxiety, which can also hinder their learning abilities.

Young adults have reported a lack of sleep and a rise in negative thoughts. They crave losing masks and attending events like they were supposed to at this age. The constant fear is always there. What if this never ends? The financial risks are also to note. Colleges might be closed, making it hard for students to study and get good grades to qualify for better courses or jobs. They lack the skills taught inside colleges to make them excel in their respective fields.

Many studies point towards a global mental health crisis due to the pandemic. Young adults are prone to mental health problems like stress and anxiety. Loneliness during the pandemic has made young adults susceptible to depression.

What to do now?

Now that things are looking up, we all must work hard to get our mental health on track. Find people who face similar issues as you and talk to them. Create groups where you and your peers can share their struggles during the pandemic and afterward. Form pacts to put in efforts towards the betterment of your mental health.

These include eating healthy and exercising regularly. You can even hire a trainer who has done an offline or online PT course so that he or she is equipped with the knowledge to help you work out. Having a personal trainer allows you to learn how to get the best out of each workout session. They also suggest diets and healthy habits curb negative thoughts and promote better sleep.

Mental health issues need treatment and professional care. You can always seek help at a mental health clinic or schedule an appointment with a counselor. Schools and colleges can hire therapists to take care of students and listen to their struggles. They can also conduct group sessions with professionals to solve problems on a larger scale.

There is also nothing wrong with using medications when necessary. Severe levels of depression need selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or selective serotonin or norepinephrine inhibitors. Tetracyclic antidepressants are also recommended for depression along with bupropion. Organizations, schools, and colleges can have clinical psychologists prescribe medications.

It has always been important to take care of your mental health but even more so when living in these scary times. Be good to yourself and brighter days are ahead soon!