Tag Archives: health

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

Sep1

Weekend Update: Sick AF Edition

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Weekend Update: Sick AF Edition

Hiii everyone and happy weekend! You might have noticed that I haven’t been very active on my page this past week, even though I had posts publishing, cause pre-writing. And, that is because I came down with a really nasty bout of the flu. It. Was. Awful. What started out as an earache on Tuesday morning led to full blown incapacity by the early afternoon and I was completely down for the count.

We’re talking a fever that reached to 103 at its peak, a sore throat, an earache, chills, sweats, soreness all over, and not a snowball chance in hell of being able to eat anything. I would sweat so badly at night, that I’d wake up and see red all over my sheets because it made my hair color bleed! I am writing this post on Friday afternoon and am just now feeling semi-normal, even though the morning was really rough.

Because of my mom’s ongoing health struggles, I had to be quarantined to my bedroom for three days. This sucked on ice, because my room doesn’t have a TV! But, I was honestly so out of it that it didn’t even matter. Everything that I tried to do from taking a sip of water to swallowing much needed medicine caused me so much pain that there were points when I just started crying. It was totally and completely miserable.

But, after what felt like an eternity, I am finally back on the blogosphere and all I gotta say is thank gawd for pre-writing! I was so pleased when I discovered that all of my days away were covered because I had totally forgot! And, of course, I am so glad to be feeling better and back with all of you here on lifewithlilred. ❤

Aug31

Pacer Update (Finally!)

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Pacer Update (Finally!)

Hello everyone! It’s been a while since I updated you guys on my Pacer pedometer app progress and, honestly, that’s because there wasn’t much. This past month and a half has been a total doozy. I was so mentally and physically drained, and the last thing that I wanted to do was commit to walking 10,000 steps per day when I could have been laying on my sorry behind watching TV!!

But, that wasn’t really getting me anywhere and, as soon as the events that were taking place in my life that caused me a lot of anguish turned around, I was excited to pick up the Pacer again. This past week, I have been really dedicated to getting my 10K steps in at least four days of the week and I have blown that goal out of the water. It feels good to get myself moving again and although a lot of progress hasn’t been made, I’m back on the horse and I’m proud of that. Take a look at my stats:

  • Steps Taken: 1,364,282
  • Calories Burned: 33,311
  • Miles Walked: 445
  • Hours Active: 211
  • Days As A Pacer User: 177

I was also really pleased to see that I’ve been more active than sixty percent of the users on Pacer because, the last time I did an update, I was at a measly thirty percent. I doubled that! Things are looking up, and my exercise regimen is back in full swing, which makes things seem like they’re looking up even more! I feel really happy, and I can’t wait to get my 10,000 steps in today! 😀

Who else uses a pedometer app? How do you get back on the horse after a hiatus from working out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug27

Providing Your Family With The Best Medical Awareness

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Providing Your Family With The Best Medical Awareness

Keeping Everybody Healthy:

The best way to fully flourish in terms of health is proper diet and exercise. You need to keep the right foods available in your household, and strive to facilitate regular opportunities for working out. Walks. Bike rides. Sports. General calisthenics and anaerobic workouts, all of these can be good strategies. But they’re not going to be fully comprehensive.

medical

You need to additionally have medical solutions available should you need them, in a variety of different disciplines. You’ll need some dentistry solution, you’ll want general checkups, and you’ll want medical assistance to help account for the worst-case scenario. For example, a broken leg or arm may require physical therapy after the fact. This is actually quite likely. You’ll want to have options available that can render the best possible physical therapy in your vicinity.

A good option for physical therapy in Jersey City, NJ is Riverside Medical Group, who offers the best physical therapy sessions in Jersey City, NJ, at affordable fees. PT rehab centers are well equipped to help you in your therapy sessions with well trained and highly experienced staff.

Cosmetic Considerations:

Your family might also be in situations where a disease, injury, or mental illness condition predicates some level of cosmetic surgery. Certainly cosmetic augmentation has become an increasingly popular form of medical procedure in the modern age. It’s even gotten to the point where certain augmentations are sought specifically to make people look different, just consider those who try to look like a literal doll or an animal.

Sometimes these things are for reasons of health, sometimes they are merely for aesthetic appeal. Either way, surgeries like those are required when installing breast implants. You can find out more at LVCosmeticSurgery.com, a purveyor of breast augmentation in Las Vegas. Breast implants aren’t always just one dimensional. Breast augmentation is a plastic surgery procedure that gives you a fuller, more balanced breast size.

In the wake of breast cancer, such cosmetic solutions can be integral to maintaining personal mental health. Other times, this augmentation is necessary in a reductive capacity after high quantities of weight are lost. Burns or other accidents could also make certain cosmetic procedures a necessary reality for your family. Remember that there is a risk involved with any kind of surgery and it is imperative that you choose your surgeon wisely. To get started, simply enter a search for “leading Houston breast augmentation surgeon” (or your local area) and read plenty of reviews. If you are having trouble choosing, schedule several consultations with different surgeons until you find the best fit for you.

If you are choosing surgery for your breasts for reconstructive purposes, there is one other thing to consider. After your surgery with Southwest Breast & Aesthetics Breast Reconstruction (or a similar reputable practice in your local area), you can also think about areola tattooing to give your breasts a natural look once more. This procedure is often covered by insurance and can make the results of your surgery even better. Talk to your doctor before scheduling with a tattoo artist that specializes in this to ensure that your breasts are fully healed post-op.

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Implications:

The bottom line, is that if you want to keep yourself and your family healthy, it will require the understanding of multiple areas of medical provision in addition to ensuring the best kinds of diet and exercise are central to your family’s lifestyle. If this sounds like a bit of a tall order, it is.

Not only are there many areas to research, but there is bound to be expense involved. You need to be strategic in determining means of covering these costs, unless money is no object for your family; which is unlikely. Thankfully, there are a variety of programs out there that you can use to help reduce medical costs, or even cover them entirely.

On the internet, you can look up various situations for which funds exist. It’s sometimes just a matter of approaching the issue from the right angle. Additionally, in the wake of the insurance difficulties resulting from the ACA, there are increasing insurance solutions at decreasing expense available. This trend is expected to continue as ACA is entirely dissolved in the fullness of time.

Look at benefits packages where you work and, additionally, seek employment where there are more comprehensive solutions. The attitude you need to have is that there is a way to fix whatever problems you have. A solution is out there, it may just not be what you expected.

Aug3

Meditation Station

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Meditation Station

Hi there! Something that I’ve been enjoying a lot lately is meditation. One of the libraries in my area has been hosting the two founders of a local nonprofit organization Health, Happiness, & Chan to teach meditation classes to the public. I have been going since the spring time, and found it to be really difficult. Dare I say, I even found it to be completely ineffective.

Then, we had a hiatus for a few months until the summer session began. Upon returning to classes, I had a total turn around during our hour together. I was able to complete the entire forty minute process when, before, I couldn’t even finish five minutes. It felt awesome and I left class feeling so uplifted and accomplished.

Unfortunately, but fortunately, one of our two amazing teachers (Both of whom are professors at Akron U.) has accepted a position at Harvard and is no longer with us. But, our other guru, Joanne is simply the best. I have such a strong connection with her and it was such a delight to be welcomed back to class by her with a huge hug.

Joanne has quite possibly the most beautiful voice known to mankind and, after all of us insisting on it for months, she has finally made a YouTube channel! The quality of her first few videos is not the best, but there will certainly be more to come so I wanted to share them with all of you, anyways. Joanne has such a gentle, kind, and nurturing spirit and you can literally feel it just by hearing her speak. So, subscribe and enjoy as she walks you through all different types of meditation!

Who else practices meditation? What are some of your meditation tips? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul4

Body Issues: Learning To Overcome Insecurities And Love Yourself

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Body Issues: Learning To Overcome Insecurities And Love Yourself

A study found that 63% of female participants identified their weight as the key factor in how they felt about themselves. Despite the rise of positive body awareness, such as Ashley Graham’s #BeautyBeyondSize, thousands of women feel the anxiety to keep up with celebrities and social media. The good news, is that there is never a ‘better time’ to start loving and taking care of yourself than right now. Here’s how you can learn to overcome insecurities and love yourself:

Make Healthy Changes:

What better way to boost self-confidence than to achieve long-term goals. Rather than setting impossible goals such as ‘losing 20 pounds in a week” or “achieving a tiny waist in three months”, aim to start a new fitness routine and incorporate organic foods into your diet. When you eat right and exercise on a regular basis, your hormones will slowly fall into balance and help you to feel your best.

Consider A Makeover:

While a proper diet and fitness routine can help you lose the unwanted weight, thousands of women still struggle with extra baggage. Despite the “taboo” of plastic surgery, 17.5 million procedures were performed in 2017 alone, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. If you’re tempted to get liposuction or a tummy tuck to reduce loose skin, you’re not the only one. In fact, nearly 2 million individuals opted for immense services like boob jobs, liposuction, and rhinoplasty. So, whether it is a total “Mommy Makeover” or a simple lip injection, your plastic surgeon will guide you and address the most common body issues.

Of course, any kind of plastic surgery is not a decision that should be made lightly. There is always going to be a risk when you go under the knife. Before you schedule any consultations with a surgeon, it is highly recommended to read their reviews online. For example, enter a search for “liposuction cardiff” (or your local area) to see if former patients were happy with their results.

Always remember that there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your appearance and using plastic surgery to do so. This is a topic that will always be somewhat taboo but if you feel confident about your choice then other people’s opinions are meaningless. The most important thing you can do is find an excellent surgeon to help you in the safest way possible so don’t be afraid to shop around. Enter a search for “plastic surgery houston” (or your local area) and schedule consultations with as many practitioners as you need to find the best fit for you.

Dealing with the Root of the Problem:

We all have our moments of highs and lows, but what’s important is that we see beauty in many shapes and sizes. So, to help you focus on dealing with what makes you feel insecure, you must first look at what triggers those emotions. Here are some ways to discover more about your interests, insecurities, desires, and most of all, yourself:

  • Writing a blog or your own personal journal about what you love about your body.
  • Stand in front of the mirror and look at yourself in a positive way. Like really look at yourself and voice out your favorite attributes.
  • Seek support from counselors, family, and friends to help you battle the insecurities and solve the underlying issue.

The reality is that no amount of diet, weight loss, or even plastic surgery can fix poor body image and low self-esteem. Those who struggle with negative body image must discover the underlying issues and learn how it is influencing the way that they feel about themselves.

Changing the way you look may seem like a tangible way to alter what you disliked about your body. But, the only way to heal from low self-confidence is to address the issues and face them head-on. Only then can you truly learn how to overcome your insecurities and love yourself.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Jun18

Signs You Might Struggle To Get Pregnant

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Signs You Might Struggle To Get Pregnant

So, you’ve started to get broody for a baby. You’ve been trying for a while now and you still haven’t gotten the result that you long for. It could be that it’s just taking a while for things to get going, but since around 10 percent of the female population struggle to conceive, it could be something more.

To find out for sure whether you might struggle to get pregnant, you need to see a fertility doctor as soon as possible but, in the meantime, here are some signs that you could find it hard to conceive:

You’re Over 35:

These days, more of us are waiting way longer to get pregnant, with many women not even trying until their mid to late 30s. Most of the time, this will not cause too many problems, but it is worth noting that once you’re over 35 its could take you longer to conceive, with the average being six months. If you haven’t been able to conceive after a year of regular sex, it could indicate a fertility problem and you will need to get yourself checked out.

There’s No Sign of a Baby Despite Regular Timed Sex:

If you use ovulation kits to calculate when you’re most fertile, you have sex during those times, and there are no signs of a pregnancy after a few months, it’s probably a good idea to have yourself evaluated by the professionals. Click this link to find out more about fertility treatments, and remember that men and women should be tested because 30 percent of cases are down to the male factor. It could be that things are just taking a bit longer to happen for you, but it’s worth finding out so you don’t waste any more time, especially if you are over 35.

You’re Overweight:

If you’re overweight, then it could be impacting your fertility. Not only does excess weight make it harder, but it can be dangerous for mother and baby if you are successful with things like gestational diabetes being more likely to occur. If you’re worried about this, seeing your gyno is a good idea, as is eating a clean diet and hitting the gym a few times a week if you want to boost your chances. It might take some hard work, but it will definitely be worth it in the end.

babyy1

Pixabay Image

Previous Miscarriages:

Miscarriages are more common than you might think, but if you’ve had more than three losses, you should think about seeing an infertility specialist to check that there is nothing medically wrong that could prevent you from seeing a pregnancy through. Many women are scared to do this because they don’t want their hopes to be taken away, but in many cases, there are medical interventions that will help, and if that isn’t possible, you can always click here to find out more about the possibility of surrogacy. There are more options available to you than you might think, but you need to know where you stand before you can make any decisions about them.

You Have a Feeling:

Yes, sometimes feelings can be way off the mark, but if you have an inner-voice that’s telling you that you may possibly have some fertility problems that are preventing you from getting pregnant, and you simply cannot shake those feelings no matter how hard you try, it could be that there is something in it. Us women are highly connected to our bodies and even if we don’t realize it on an intellectual level, intuitively we often know when something is wrong. So, if you feel like something is wrong, see a fertility specialist and don’t feel bad about doing so. If your instincts are correct, your specialist can begin recommending options like prp treatment for fertility, IVF, or ovulation induction.

babyy2

Feelings usually have some truth to them.

If you’re connected with your body, you know what it takes to conceive and you live a healthy lifestyle, chances are it will happen for you eventually, but it’s always worth ruling out illnesses and issues that could be preventing you from getting pregnant just in case.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jun16

More Pacer Progress

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More Pacer Progress

Hello everyone and happy weekend! My last Pacer pedometer update was written on May 19th with a step total around 600,000. That’s a pretty big number, so I wasn’t expecting a huge amount of progress to be made in twenty-four days. So, imagine my surprise when I checked my stats for this post and ended up adding an extra 275,000 to my step count! I couldn’t believe it either, but I’m so happy about it! Here are the rest of the stats for this month’s update:

  • Steps Taken: 874,580
  • Calories Burned: 21,546
  • Hours Active: 135
  • Miles Walked: 287

After seeing such great results, I found myself wondering just what I was doing to get myself there. And, it has a lot to do with the wonderful Metro Parks that Ohio has to offer. For the past few weeks, I have gone on nice, long hikes at least twice a week if the weather allows it. Dogsitting for my neighbor and walking her pups twice a day for a week didn’t hurt, either!

For the most part, I have been exceeding my goal of 10,000 steps per day and I’m really proud of that. It feels good being more active, and completing my goals almost daily like it’s nothing now makes me feel such a huge sense of accomplishment. I had no idea that downloading one simple app would work such wonders on my self esteem, but I am so thankful for it and am looking forward to reaching my goal of 1,000,000 steps soon. 😀

If a pedometer app isn’t for you and you prefer your Apple Watch, be sure to check out Mobile Mob for the best accessories to keep you stepping in style!

Who else uses a pedometer? How many steps do you walk or run per day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May30

Are You An Anxious Night Owl?

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Are You An Anxious Night Owl?

In recent years, awareness of anxiety has come to the forefront. Aside from making you nervous, a full-blown case of anxiety can leave you on edge and unable to calm down. It feels as though you’re about to face something frightening every second of the day, and it can leave you on the brink of breaking.

If this sounds familiar, you should speak to your doctor and seek treatment which helps you to get on top of this. But, we aren’t focusing on treatment today. Instead, we’re going to address something few anxiety sufferers speak about: the fact that symptoms often get worse in the evenings.

In many ways, this seems strange. Surely anxiety should abate when you get home and let loose? But, often, the situation worsens once you get home. In many ways, this could be because you’re no longer distracted by work. As such, you’ll feel the full effects of the condition. But, this is also, in part, down to how we spend our evenings – so we’re going to look at a few every day habits which can make matters worse:

The Television Trap:

While television usage has dropped in recent years, many of us still put the box on the moment that we get home. It’s a comfort, and it helps a lot of us to relax. But, what you might not realize is that television can also boost anxiety in some ways. Even if you avoid anxiety-inducing programs, advertisements fill us with worries about what we don’t have. They also lead to comparisons with those on screen. On top of which, television eats time like nothing else. It could leave you feeling as though your evening’s over before it’s begun.

So, for at least a few hours, turn the TV off. Rely, instead, on board games like Scrabble. These still take complete concentration but without comparison. You can even avoid disputes by using tools like this word.tips word finder to check anything you’re unsure of. If that doesn’t appeal, you could always turn to hobbies like reading or coloring to see you through. The chances are, that you’ll feel much better after an evening of doing these.

anxietyy1

There’s nothing better than a good book!

You’re Too Hung Up On The Day:

Many of us also make the mistake of overthinking our days once we get home. And, we still wonder why we have anxiety-induced headaches by the end of the night. In truth, you should avoid thinking about work during your evenings. Draw a line under the day with a quick walk around the block or even a meditation session to ease your mind. Then, turn your attention to something else every time work crosses your mind. Getting this distance could work wonders for helping you to relax. Bear in mind that it may take longer to adjust to than you expect. After all, you’ve spent years thinking about work all evening, every evening. But, if you focus your attention here, you could soon find that your mind is much calmer when you need it to be.

Featured Image By: Unsplash