Tag Archives: health

Dec11

Bye Bye, Wisdom Teeth

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Bye Bye, Wisdom Teeth

Hiiiii! So, this past Friday I got my wisdom teeth removed. I now have four less teeth so, if you don’t recognize me, I completely understand! The oral surgeon also had to take some of my gums from the roof of my mouth and sew it into the bottom of my gum line so that was really tasty, too.

Aside from waking up in loopy-ville, the pain hurting like the dickens, and the fact that my face swelled up to chipmunk proportions, I’d say that I did pretty well! But, the best part, was all of the ice cream that I got to eat. The most delicious being the Chocoholic Peanut Butter Ripple from Handle’s.

Originally, I asked my dad to get me Peppermint Stick but, then, I realized that I really really wanted some chocolate. My dad doesn’t have a cell phone, so I did what any girl in pain (And also on her period! TMI?!) would do. I called Handle’s and asked them to let “the man with a mustache and flannel” know that I changed my mind. The girl on the phone was SO sweet and when my dad returned home with my treat there was an adorable note from the employees at Handle’s wishing me a quick recovery. 12/10 will FOREVER be getting ice cream from there again!

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? How about your favorite local ice cream stand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec10

Small Steps To Big Changes: Simple Ways To Get Your Health Back On Track

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Small Steps To Big Changes: Simple Ways To Get Your Health Back On Track

We’re approaching that time of year when we start to think about the months ahead. As we near the New Year, many of us will be making resolutions. Often, we take vows and make promises to improve our health and boost our happiness, but many people lose interest in resolutions very quickly. Sometimes, this is due to the fact that we tend to be a little too optimistic when it comes to goal setting. If you’re keen to get your health back on track, the key to success lies in taking small steps. Here are some simple measures that will make a massive difference to your health and well-being:

Adjust your sleep routine:

Are you one of those people that doze off in front of the TV every night and then struggle to get up in the morning? If you’re not getting seven to eight hours of quality sleep on a regular basis, modifying your sleep routine is one of the best ways to improve your mental and physical health. You have an internal clock, and it is possible to get into a routine, which will help you get more sleep. Instead of curling up and nodding off on the sofa, go to bed an hour earlier. Rather than hitting the snooze button, get up at the same time every morning. Your body clock will soon adjust to these new times, and you should find that you’re enjoying better quality sleep, as well as more downtime.

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Catch some Z’s!

Drink more water:

Are you guilty of turning to sodas when you’re thirsty or is your body fueled by coffee? If you don’t drink enough water, this is a really simple resolution to stick to. Aim for two liters of water per day, and carry a bottle around with you so that you can sip and go. If you’re not keen on the taste of water, consider buying sparkling water with a hint of fruit flavor or add sugar-free cordial. Dehydration increases the risk of headaches, muscular pain, fatigue, and dry skin.

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Cheers!

Be more active:

It’s very common for people to go on a fitness drive after the holidays. It’s a brilliant move to try and get into exercise, but often, we try and do too much too soon, and we lose interest and motivation. You don’t have to join the gym and go every single day to get in shape. You can increase your fitness gradually, and you can try a whole host of activities. If you know you don’t enjoy running on a treadmill or spinning, consider joining a sports team or trying classes like boxing, Pilates, or high-intensity interval training.

Aim to work out a couple of times a week, and increase the frequency as you get fitter and stronger. Exercise is often used as a means of shifting festive pounds, but it’s so much more than a weight loss tool. Being active reduces your risk for lots of serious physiological health issues, such as diabetes and heart disease, and it’s also proven to lower the risk of depression, stress, and anxiety.

If you’re on a mission to get your health back on track, start by taking small steps and setting manageable goals and watch yourself succeed!

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Dec7

Take Back Control Of Your Health And Life

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Take Back Control Of Your Health And Life

If you have been seriously ill or suffered from mental health issues, the time might have come for you to take back control of your health and of your life. Give in to these conditions and you will live a life of misery and despair. Fight back and you can turn your life into something much better. Give some of the following a try:

Take Little Steps:

You will be doomed to failure if you try to change everything in one go. Look at each symptom you are suffering from and tackle one at a time. Choose to deal with the simplest first, as each time you conquer one it will empower you to move onto the next.
Regardless of whether your illness has been physical or mental, it is very likely that you are suffering from anxiety because of it. This can always be a good place to start, as it will make it harder to cope with everything else.

Mediation and yoga are just two ways to help reduce your anxiety, and as this starts to happen you may well notice that your other symptoms start to improve. Give it a try, you might be surprised at just how much it improves your wellness levels.

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Annnd break!

Ask For Help:

You should never be afraid to ask for help. It could be from friends and family, in a sober living community, therapists, or maybe from a personal trainer or life coach. The point is, that there are people ready and willing to help you and you should take advantage of that to assist you on the road to recovery.

Don’t Shut Yourself Away:

Although chatting with friends and family might be the last thing you feel like doing, it can be one of the finest things for you. You may find it tiring, but the benefits are well worth the effort. Socializing can take your mind away from the issues you have, which will always seem worse if you isolate yourself. Just a few minutes of interaction every day can make a big difference in the way you feel, and if some fun and laughter can be involved, that is even better.

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Spend some time in the sun, too!

Don’t Beat Yourself Up:

No matter what health condition you are up against, there will be times that you have a bad few hours or a bad day. These are all part of the recovery process and you should not give up or beat yourself up over it. It is perfectly natural for this to happen, and you just have to put it behind you and look forward to the new day tomorrow.

Congratulate Yourself:

Sometimes, you need to stop and look back at how bad you were before you started your journey to recovery. It is easy to forget the things that you have managed to put right because they have gone from your daily life. You should be proud of what you have achieved so far and congratulate yourself on it. Always do this if you start to feel a bit low, as the reminder of what you have managed to pull yourself through can help to lift your mood.

The little tips above can make a big difference, so follow suit and get back to living your best life!

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Nov28

Exploring Job Opportunities In Healthcare

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Exploring Job Opportunities In Healthcare

Until you find yourself in need of help, you may never fully appreciate the work of health professionals. But, before you get to the point of needing help, are you the kind of person who could be doing the helping? According to a report released in 2018, there is a significant shortage of physicians expected to come in the next few years. So, let’s take a look at some of the many positions that are important to the medical industry.

The most obvious place to start is doctors, but the plan here is to look at some of the other roles that you might not be aware of. So, here is a brief understanding of what doctors have to go through in order to meet their professional requirements. Doctors require a bachelor’s degree followed by a Medical Doctor or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine qualification which takes eight years. Along with law, this is the longest education process for a job.

However, we want to look elsewhere at alternatives to being a doctor. In part, this is because if you plan to be a doctor you are more than likely on that path or heading towards it already. This is more for the people who want to help but don’t know what opportunities are there for them.

If you want to help provide healthcare but don’t think being a physician is the right career path for you, consider becoming an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). The training for this role is much shorter than it is to become a fully qualified M.D. or D.O. but can be just as rewarding. You still have to get qualifications, after all, you are going to be helping people in need, but you aren’t trapped by the confines of an eight-year degree process.

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 Ah, ah, ah, ah stayin aliveeee!

Once you have your EMT qualification, you can look into becoming a paramedic which opens up a range of opportunities for you. The options for a paramedic include further training so that you can work as part of the international air ambulance service, another noble profession for anyone willing to pursue the years of qualification required.

We have mostly focused on hands-on roles within the medical profession, but if you don’t consider yourself right for the medical side of healthcare but still want to contribute there are plenty of other roles. For example, you can look into opportunities such as an occupational therapist to assist the disabled, injured, or ill people with performing every day tasks. And, there are also many administration jobs that you can do which help hospitals and other medical facilities to run efficiently; don’t underestimate how important that is to the work of doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Don’t be deterred if you’re not the kind of person who can be treating patients. Healthcare is a big world and you will find a position where you are contributing to the good that suits you best.

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Nov19

4 Fabulous Ways To Enjoy A Modern Health Kick

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4 Fabulous Ways To Enjoy A Modern Health Kick

There are a lot of things to keep in mind when it comes to improving your health and well being these days. The most essential thing to remember, is the fact that you need to keep on top of your health every day. It is easy to let things get away from you, and find yourself in situations where you are becoming more unhealthy. But, the goal is to make sure that you understand your health and fitness better and work on improving them.

This means that you have to think carefully about the different techniques you can use to boost your well being. Self-care is so important in 2018, and you can always do more to look after yourself. This is why it is so crucial to make sure that you have some ideas to fall back on that are going to help you get the best out of your mind and body this year:

Keep a Record of Your Progress:

Keeping a record of your health each week can be really useful. Filling in a chart or writing down what you’ve been able to achieve is so important for the future. In fact, using a ‘plot your health wellness planner’ might be the perfect way of doing this. It’s great to be able to chart your progress properly because this is something that gives you goals to work toward.

Quit Drinking:

If you are serious about taking your health to the next level and improving things in the best possible way, you should consider putting the kibosh on the booze! Sure, we all like a drink now and again, but alcohol can really adversely affect your health. It’s not even that you need to be an alcoholic for the negative sides of booze to take effect. It can make you put on weight and stall your productivity the following day. If you want to learn how to stop drinking, there are plenty of guides and ideas online that can help you, and it is important to look into this as much as possible.

Should you need more help when it comes to alcohol use, then there is no shame in that as we all have our struggles. You can explore different rehabs or therapy programs in your local area or there are even alcohol support lines you can call for guidance 24/7. These support lines are especially beneficial should you find yourself in a stressful situation or are feeling triggered as support is just a call away.

Change Your Diet:

Changing up your diet can have a profound effect on the way you improve your health. There are so many advantages to changing what you eat and what you put into your body. Try to make sure that you have a healthy and balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables. If possible, try to avoid fad diets because they can be less effective in a long-term capacity.

Try to Keep Active:

There are so many things that you can do to help you keep active. One of the most important being, having a routine. Make sure that you think about joining the gym so you can keep in shape, or, at the very least, you want to have some kind of workout schedule at home that you can use.

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Pexels Image

If you use these ideas to help you, it is going to make things a lot easier when it comes to improving the way you feel. A modern health kick is something that is really important for helping you become a more well-rounded person, and for helping you stay as healthy as possible. Make sure this is a priority for you going forward, and you will really benefit as a result.

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Nov15

Non-Medical Careers That Can Improve Others’ General Health

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Non-Medical Careers That Can Improve Others’ General Health

When we choose a career path that we want to follow, we tend to have one main thing at the forefront of our mind: We want to generate sufficient sums of money to provide ourselves with a comfortable quality of life. But, we need to bear so many more things in mind to gain true satisfaction from the job that we want. The average person will work up to forty hours a week, so you want to do something that gives you a sense of achievement and that you genuinely enjoy. So, you need to determine what you want from your career before chasing down any particular position.

Many of us want our careers to help other people in the world. If this is what interests you, medical positions tend to automatically spring to mind. But, these require years on end of education and training. If you want to help others without this high level of pressure, then you might want to consider an alternative. Here are just a few that you could pursue:

Personal Trainer:

If you become a personal trainer, your role is to help people get in shape – you will specialize in instructing people when it comes to curating and carrying out a fitness regime that will help them to meet their fitness goals. Remember, that people will come to your for different reasons, as everyone has different aims and different ideals. Some people will seek out your help because they want to lose weight. Some people will reach out to you for help with boosting their overall fitness levels, so they can be more toned, be stronger, and build stamina. Some will want to gain muscle and significantly increase their strength. This is why it’s important that you can create specialist regimes that will meet different end goals. In order to qualify as a personal trainer and boost your overall fitness knowledge, you should carry out a course with a reliable company like Origym. Not only will this ensure that you are able to do your job properly, but it will also mean that potential clients are more likely to trust (and consequently) book you.

Nutritionist:

Diet is also important when it comes to overall health and well being. If you become a nutritionist, you will survey clients as individuals, taking a look at their current eating habits and determining how these impact their overall levels of health. Then, taking any medical conditions or dietary preferences into account, you will be able to come up with an action plan to get them kick started on the road to a better diet.

Both of these career paths have an end goal of helping people get healthy. They are extremely rewarding and you will be benefiting the health of others without intensive medical training.

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Oct30

Making Time For Me

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Making Time For Me

Hello! I know the title of this post might seem a bit extra to some, considering I just recently was on vacation. But, oh my goodness is it necessary. Upon returning home from my trip, my work days were absolutely insane. We’re talking rising at seven to get ready and going, going, going nonstop until my arrival home after nine at night. Ah, the joys of playing catch up when you work for yourself and don’t get PTO!

With all of that craziness in mind, it was so important for me to make time for myself to go skating in between clients this past week. Despite a forty-five minute drive there and back to the rink, just one hour on the ice made me feel much better. The cold air, the challenge, and the exercise was more than enough to clear my head half way through the week and gave me the drive to push through until my weekend days off.

Sometimes, I have a really hard time making time for myself. I will work myself so hard to the point that, when I do have free time, I just want to veg out and do nothing. And, believe me, I was feeling this way last week like no other. But, I pushed myself to get to skating practice, even though I was riding the struggle bus, and it was well worth it. Not only did I feel proud of myself for having a good skate, but it left me feeling invigorated and ready for work, which I had to be at shortly after practice.

Making time for yourself doesn’t mean that you need to take an entire mental health day. Although, sometimes, that’s good too! Rather, I took under three hours of my day to do something that I really enjoy and the pay off was grand. Over the past few months, I have experienced the effects of feeling burnt out, and it is no walk in the park. But, I know that if I keep carving out time for myself during my work week, that my mental health will continue to improve and my determination to finish the week strong instead of idly passing through it will keep me on top in all aspects of my life.

How do you make time for you during your working hours? What do you do for yourself when you start to feel burnt out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct25

3 Mistakes That Are Damaging Your Health

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3 Mistakes That Are Damaging Your Health

Taking care of your health is difficult because there is so much conflicting information out there. Everybody seems to have their own idea about how best to look after yourself and it’s hard to know who you should listen to. Some of that advice is backed up by solid evidence while some of it isn’t quite so clear cut. But even though it’s hard to work out what you should be doing, it’s a lot easier to work out what you shouldn’t be doing. These are the biggest health mistakes that you need to avoid:

Going To The Wrong Doctor:

Finding a good doctor is tough and there are a lot of things to consider. A lot of people end up going with the doctor that is the most convenient location wise, which is an important factor, but it’s not the only thing that you need to think about. You need to find a doctor that suits your needs and knows their practice well. People think that all doctors are great and, while most of them are, there are still some out there that aren’t. Before making an appointment with a new doctor, we highly recommend seeking recommendations from friends and family. It is also most helpful to look online by entering a search for “Doctors whakatane” (or your local area). If there are several bad or lackluster reviews, trust them. The risk to your health is not worth it!

If you end up with a bad doctor, there is always the chance that they might make some dangerous medical mistakes (if you’ve been in this situation already, you should visit https://www.levininjuryfirm.com/philadelphia-medical-malpractice-lawyer/ to find out more about making a claim against them). Always look around when you’re trying to find a doctor and take time to make your decision. Asking friends and family who they’re with is a good place to start.

Not Keeping Track Of Your Health:

Most people go to the doctor when there’s something wrong, but you shouldn’t wait until you start seeing symptoms before you look after your health. Catching problems early on is the best way to stay healthy, so make sure that you’re keeping track of your health at all times, not just when there’s a problem. Things like watching your weight and diet and exercising regularly are all good ways to keep track of your health.

Ignoring Symptoms:

If you’re in a massive amount of pain, you’re going to go to the doctor and get it checked out. But what about if you’ve just got a little pain that comes and goes from time to time? Most people end up just ignoring it if it goes away after a few days. That’s never a good idea, though. Most problems start out with small issues like that but, over time, it’ll get worse and worse until you’re eventually forced to go to the doctor. By this point, treatment is going to be a lot harder and you’re putting your health at risk. It’s far better to just go to the doctor and get yourself checked out sooner rather than later. People sometimes worry about wasting their doctor’s time by going in with a small problem, but if you can get a simple treatment now rather than an extensive one a few months down the line, you’re actually saving them time.

You can spend the rest of your life trying to work out what you should be doing to look after your health, but it’s a lot easier to work out what you shouldn’t be doing with the above tips.

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Oct9

What Makes Ending An Addiction So Challenging?

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What Makes Ending An Addiction So Challenging?

Recognizing that you have a problem with addiction is the first hurdle that you have to overcome. Once you’ve admitted that you’ve got a problem, it’s time for you to think about quitting. You probably didn’t expect to become addicted when you first experienced an addictive substance or behavior for the first time. However, what started out as fun can quickly become something more serious. There are several different ways in which you can try quitting, but don’t be surprised if your first attempt is a difficult feat. If you’re left wondering why you found it so hard, here are some of the reasons why:

Conflict and Ambivalence

Alcohol, drug addiction, or some other type of addictive behavior that becomes excessive will create conflict in your life. It can be within yourself because you want to change, but also have stronger urges to repeat the addictive behavior. Conflict also occurs with other people because they either want you to quit or join them in the addictive behavior. These conflicts don’t go away, and your expectations only get higher. Ambivalence is the feeling of wanting to continue and wanting to quit at the same time. Professional Interventionists are well versed in all of these different situations and emotions and are there to help you work through them in the healthiest way possible. Battling an addiction is no easy feat and skilled professionals will guide and encourage you.

If you are choosing to go to treatment, you might find that being close to the area that you participate in addictive behaviors can be triggering. Especially if these places have resulted in a lot of conflict. For that reason, some people find it helpful to travel to their treatment center. It could be completing treatment at the Scottsdale Providence Recovery Center in Arizona or simply being a few hours away from your current location. Whatever your selection might be, be sure to tour the facility first so that there are no surprises when you enter treatment. You want to set yourself up for the best chance of success when you are making such an important change.

Tolerance – a Key Symptom of Addiction:

Tolerance, together with withdrawal, are the two processes that resulted in your addiction in the first place. The two are interconnected and, without them, it would be easier to quit. Tolerance is a physical and psychological process. The first time you experience an addictive substance or behavior your tolerance is low and the effect you feel is very strong. The more you repeat the behavior or take a substance, the higher your tolerance is and the more you need to take or do the behavior to get the same effect.

Withdrawal is experienced when you aren’t able to do the addictive behavior. The symptoms can be both physical and psychological. Symptoms might include shaking, feeling unwell, upset stomach, and feeling anxious or depressed. This, in itself, can be a barrier from quitting. Safe forms of detox like this one for adderall detox can be most helpful to fight through the withdrawal symptoms and give you an increased chance of success.

Guilt and Justification:

Guilt about your behavior is a strong motivator to make changes, but it also works against you. You find yourself justifying your behavior, not just to yourself but to other people too. Examples are telling yourself it’s not a problem, saying you’ve already cut down, or using other people or situations to divert attention. Treatment centers including The Recovery Village Indianapolis can help you work through these different emotions when you are ready to take that step.

What Can You Do If You Really Want to Quit?

There are a variety of different types of treatment to help you if you really want to quit. Therapy, for example, helps you sort out and change the thoughts that are keeping you addicted. It’s not going to be an easy or straightforward journey, but the support of a good treatment program will help you move forward and eventually quit. Treatment, whether as an outpatient or an inpatient at a luxury facility such as https://healtreatmentcenters.com/luxury-drug-and-alcohol-addiction-treatment-center/, will make the quitting process much easier, but there are, of course, strategies that you can follow if you want to try to quit your addiction on your own.

Sometimes a break from your addiction might not be up to you, but to the courts. This might be the case if you were driving under the influence of alcohol. A duii program at a treatment center can help fulfill court mandated requirements and provide you with the tools you need for success through therapy, support groups, and interventions.

residential addiction treatment

Overcoming an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or some kind of behavior doesn’t have to feel like the end of the world. Admitting that there is a problem is the first step, followed by withdrawal and detox. The recovery journey doesn’t always end there, and you may need professional support for many years to come.

Sep27

Meditation Recommendations

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Meditation Recommendations

Hi everyone! Something that I really enjoy doing is going to a meditation class offered by my local library. The woman who runs it, Joann Xi, is the founder of the Center for Health, Happiness, and Chan. This organization promotes a mindful and contemplative lifestyle and teaches the art of meditation to those in the greater Akron area. During class this week, Joann gave us a paper listing some helpful books, apps, podcasts, and websites that she recommends and I thought that I would share it with all of you. And, if you are interested in seeing Joann in action, check out my blog post which features her YouTube videos. She’s amazing!

From Eastern Traditions:

Books:

  1. The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation as Taught by S.N. Goenka by William Hart
  2. Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh
  3. True Love by Thich Nhat Hanh
  4. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa
  5. Bringing Home the Dharma by Jack Kornfield
  6. The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chodron

Podcasts:

  1. Insight Hour Podcast with Joseph Goldstein
  2. Ram Dass Hear and Now
  3. Heart Wisdom Podcast with Jack Kornfield

Websites:

  1. https://www.secularbuddhism.org/
  2. https://www.lionsroar.com/

From Western Traditions:

Books:

  1. Invitation to Love by Thomas Keating
  2. Intimacy with God by Thomas Keating
  3. Contemplative Prayer by Thomas Merton
  4. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
  5. Fully Present by Susan L Smalley and Diana Winston
  6. Mindful Work by David Gelles

Audio Books:

  1. Going on Being by Mark Epstein
  2. Going to Pieces without Falling Apart by Mark Epstein

Podcasts:

  1. 10% Happier with Dan Harris

Apps:

  1. Headspace (Westernized version of eastern meditation practices)

YouTube:

  1. Zen Den
  2. Cosmic Kids

Websites:

  1. https://www.cac.org/
  2. https://www.couragerenewal.org

Integration of East/West:

Books:

  1. Living Zen Loving God by Ruben L.F. Habito
  2. The Mystic Heart by Wayne Teasdale
  3. The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts

I hope that some of these wonderful options to help introduce you to meditation or further your practices prove to be beneficial to those who need it. Once a skeptic, I truly believe in the power of meditation and the amazing work that Joann is doing, so please enjoy!

Who else participates in meditation? What are some ways that help you to relax? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah