Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

Review of WaveLife Technologies Energy Cell

I’ve updated my review with a new testimonial, which affirms what I discovered about the WaveLife Energy Cell, it’s a great pain-relieving product at a very accessible price point. Check out my review below and the WaveLife site for more information. 

This post contains affiliate links which means I make a small commission when you use them at no additional cost to you and it helps my coffee habit.

I’ve heard from WaveLife Technologies that many of you have purchased the WaveLife Energy Cell from my review. I would love to hear how the WaveLife Energy Cell worked for you.

 

I focused on my left knee pain since it is the greatest pain I have on a daily basis. I’m months overdue for a total knee replacement and thought this was a great way to see how well the product worked.

I taped the Energy Cell right below my knee just to the side to get good coverage of the stick-on pads. I wore it for six hours and the tape on the bandage just started to peel on one side at the end of six hours.

After 20-25 minutes of wearing the Energy Cell, I could feel the pain in my knee start to dissipate. The pain didn’t completely go away but the first day I was able to delay taking a pain pill by an hour and a half hour. Pretty good for the first day. I was really surprised by how easy it was to wear not to mention getting some real results.

The second thru the fourth day I experienced the same results, shortly after taping on the Energy Cell the pain started to dissipate. I was able to go from an hour and a half to two hours later than normal before taking my scheduled pain pill.

I can’t recommend the WaveLife Technologies Energy Cell enough! Anytime I can get pain relief no matter how little is a great day for me. I plan on purchasing a second for my husband.

WaveLife Technologies 

*Here’s a discount code for 15% off your purchase, WAVELIFELIGHT15*

The Technical Information

Here’s more technical and scientific information about the Wavelife Technologies Energy Cell and the company.

The Wavelife Technologies Energy Cell is now available in the United States, you can find more information on retail pricing and how to purchase at concierge@wavelife.com.

WaveLife’s No Pain Energy Cell is a non-invasive, non-chemical pain management method that is based on over thirty years of research. It’s been developed in cooperation with over 2800 clinics in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. It’s reported to help a wide range of pain, such as arthritis, headaches, lower back pain, post-surgery pain, upper back pain, and osteoporosis. You can find out more about the device and whether it could help you here.

WAVELIFE ENERGY CELL has a wide range of possible applications to address pain and other complications on a cellular level by supporting cell communication and regeneration. The WAVELIFE ENERGY CELL is a reliable companion for physical problems, lack of energy, and regeneration.

Thanks to the special vital field frequencies on the chip, distressed areas in the body can be stimulated safely and non-intrusively to recuperate faster without chemical drugs. Countless applications by therapists have already achieved positive results, with over 30 years of development and successful applications in clinics that support vital field applications in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.

Scientists developed the WAVE ENERGY CELL in an elaborate process over many years. Tests, numerous satisfied customers as well as therapist bear testimony to its effectiveness.

Bettie Hayes, 82, from Phoenix, Arizona, is a professional tennis coach who had a right hip replacement in 2013 due to osteoarthritis

SEE HER VIDEO INTERVIEW HERE

“I have been suffering from pain on my lower back for at least ten years now. As a pain sufferer, I struggled most with my mobility; I like to garden and I like to play tennis, so pain definitely had an effect on these activities. I first put the Energy cell in my instep and I didn’t see results there, but later I put it on my left and right side of my lower back and immediately felt my pain diminished. Eventually, I got my mobility back again. What I like most about the Energy Cell is that it’s natural and there are no side effects. What I like most about not being in pain is movement; it certainly makes life better.”

 

 

 

How long can I wear the WAVELIFE ENERGY CELL?

We recommend replacing the WAVELIFE ENERGY CELL after six months, although some users report much longer periods.

For more information please contact WaveLife Technologies

Here’s a discount code for 15% off your purchase, WAVELIFELIGHT15

In Health,

Melinda

 

 

 

Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

Vital Field Formerly WaveLife *New Mission New Products

WaveLife is now Vital Field with a new mission and innovative new products. I have heard from many of you that you purchased the No Pain Cell and also found pain relief. You will be excited to hear about the new products being launched. The packaging may change by the time the new products are reviewed.

The new Anti-Inflame Cell and Resistance Cell are en route and once I have a chance to test I will post a review on them as well.

No-Pain Cell – targets any type of musculoskeletal pain, especially ones where muscle stiffness and inflammation are an issue

No-Pain package.jpg

Anti-Inflame Cell – specifically developed to target inflammation

Anti-Inflame package.jpg

Resistance Cell – developed to support the immune system

Resistance Cell package.jpg

The Energy Cell is a 100% natural, non-toxic, non-invasive, and non-addictive patented composite with magnetic properties, utilizing crystallized components and silicone, and which can retain and emit the therapeutic frequencies of Vital Fields for at least 6 months. Vital Fields are subtle energy fields, 100% natural, that help transfer energy and information across the body’s living systems (cells, organs, and micro-organs) so the body’s cells can repair and regenerate post-damage. Vital Fields have been researched and developed over the past four decades by experts and scientists.

I had great success with my knee pain with the No-Pain Cell. My knee needs a total replacement and is always hurting due to bone of bone pain. There is also a great deal of inflammation surrounding the area. As mentioned in my review, I received pain relief in 20-30 minutes after putting on the No-Pain Energy Cell with the provided patches. Once I ran out of patches I used regular surgical tape and found the same results.

The science behind the technology is well tested and peer-reviewed. I hope you will check out the Vital Field site and learn more about their products. Also, stay tuned for my reviews on the Anti-Inlame Energy Cell and Resistance Energy Cell.

In Health,

Melinda

Men & Womens Health

#Weekend Music Share *Time For Me To Fly

It’s the weekend, I’m so glad you’ve joined me. This week I’m going back to my favorite music, Rock!!!! I’m a true 70’s-80’s Rock lover. These are my coming of age songs and have mostly great memories attached. I’m sure you have your own coming of age tunes.

What is your favorite music the time period?

Keep dreaming of better days to come!

In Health,

Melinda



Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.

Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.

Celebrate Life

Celebrate The Festival of Diwali

Thinking of you on this special of occasion.

Photo by Krystian Grzebuu0142a on Pexels.com

In Health,

Melinda

Children · Communicating · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Mental Health

Researchers: Parents can help their children to face anxiety

KSAT.COM

Jared Hoehing, Producer Published: 

Behavioral science expert gives some ways to help your child beat separation anxiety

Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – According to the National Institutes of Health, the numbers of kids and adolescents struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions have been steadily on the rise. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which teaches the child coping skills, and medication may help. But for some kids and their families, there is little relief. Now, researchers are studying a new method that helps parents help their children.

Bedtime for some families can become a struggle. But when the goodnight routine for Nicole Murphy’s son began to stretch for up to three hours, she knew she needed help with his separation anxiety.

“His little mind was always racing nonstop. So, it was kind of hard for him to shut that off, I think,” Nicole explained.

Eli Lebowitz, Ph.D., Psychologist, Yale School of Medicine Child Study Center, and his colleagues, developed a method of training parents to support anxious children. It’s called SPACE, or supportive parenting for anxious childhood emotions. Parents go through training to help their child face anxiety. Lebowitz says the first step is to show support and not downplay what their child is feeling.

“I get it. This is really hard, but I know you can handle it,” shared Dr. Lebowitz.

Lebowitz said parents also learn to help their children by not accommodating them. For example, a parent who would limit visitors for a child who gets anxious around strangers, or speaks for a child who gets nervous speaking, learns not to take those steps. In a study of 124 kids and their parents, the Yale researchers examined whether SPACE intervention was effective in treating children’s anxiety.

“Even though the children never met directly with the therapist and all the work was done through the parents, we found that SPACE was just as effective as CBT in treating childhood anxiety disorders,” stated Dr. Lebowitz.

The Murphy’s used the techniques learned through SPACE to coach their son through bedtime. Within a few weeks, he was falling asleep in 30 minutes.

“For us, it was like life-changing, honestly,” smiled Nicolle.

Melinda

Celebrate Life

Holiday Gift Ideas *Subscription Boxes For Everyone On Your List

As the holiday season rushes upon us, it’s a good time to talk about great subscription boxes for the special people on your list, of course, that includes YOU!

One of the great things about subscription boxes is you get a great value for the money and buy as many months as you like. Most offer one month, three months, six months, or one-year subscriptions. There are also some that offer a one-time gift purchase. These are all great options. I have subscribed to many boxes over the past two years and have been more than satisfied with 90% of the boxes and the value is often at least three times the purchase price. These are a couple of favorites from CrateJoy.

Family

Hemp Crate Co

IndieStitch

Little Bibs Box

CLOTH & PAPER

Papyrus Box

Treeline Thyme

Plants

The Plant Club

Coffee

Hawaii’s Coffee Box- A Hawaiian Coffee Tour in a Box

Cold Brew Club

Tea

Simple Loose Leaf Tea

Vintage Teacup Club

Respyre

Books

Chocolate and Book

The Wordy Traveler

Passion & Growth

A Whimsical Gift of Books and Lollipops Delivered Monthly

The Story Box

Food

EatTiamo

Gusto di Roma

Fresh Baked Cookie Crate

Home

The Home Box

Habitation Box

greenUP Box

Pets

Dog Mom Box

PETure Perfect

For all things subscription boxes for everyone in the family, young, old, and even pets check out CrateJoy. I’ve purchased many of my boxes thru CrateJoy and like that there are customer reviews before I buy. The customer service is also very prompt if you have a problem.

In Health,

Melinda

Health and Wellbeing

Holiday Gift Ideas *Women’s Subscription Boxes

 

It may feel a little early to start talking about the holidays but this year is like no other year in that shipping is already impacted before we hit the peak holiday season. Here are a couple ideas for the special women in your life, that includes YOU!  

These are a couple of my long time favorite subscription boxes. I can always count on these companies to deliver items of the highest quality that can be put to use right away or will make a great gift for someone on your list. Let’s not forget the holidays are right around the corner.

CauseBox

From clean beauty standouts to sustainable swaps, the Fall Box has a little of everything: 4 options to customize, 6 sustainable, ethical, full-size products worth over $250, one beautifully illustrated box. Yep, all that for just $49.95.

For a limited time, new members who join thru my link with get a free PMD Microderm, a $159.00 value as a gift.

I’ve been an annual member of CauseBox for three years and can say without a doubt have never received a disappointing box. They are women-owned, YEAH, they are committed to helping other women get out of poverty by working with artisans from around the world. Each month quarter CauseBox will send you a box packed full of items you need, some you even get to customize and the value is over $250 for the quarterly price $49.95.

Laurel & Reed

Laurel & Reed was created out of our founder’s journey to live a more organic and healthy lifestyle after she found out her father was battling cancer. Through his battle and into his remission, she chose to shift to a pure, clean, and all-natural lifestyle – knowing the harmful effects toxic beauty has on a women’s skin and health. 

Laurel Reed is clean beauty at it’s finest in a monthly subscription box for just $49.95. I can trust Laural & Reed to offer three to four full-size products of the highest quality at a fraction of the retail value. I don’t buy every month because they offer such great products that fit my need that I don’t need them every month. I’ve been a regular customer for three years and have never been disappointed. They are women-owned and committed to clean beauty.

Curateur

CURATEUR delivers coveted name-brand fashion, beauty, and home essentials right to your door every season. Plus, it unlocks year-round access to our members-only Shoppe, and other exclusive benefits. All items are Rachel Zoe approved and offered at exclusive prices.

Curateur is the most luxurious quarterly subscription box I buy, it’s a fashion-oriented box with a splash of clean beauty and skincare. Rachel Zoe is at the helm of this box and is another great woman-owned business. I’m have received two boxes and WOW you get so much luxury for only $99.99 per quarter. The Fall box is valued at over $700.00 retail. I am counting the days until my box ships. The Curator Fall box has a beautiful large Burgandy vegan tote bag, Eddie Burgo Supra Link Neck and matching Earings, two beauty, and skincare items, a marine collagen gel, and a highlighter. You had a choice of the matching earrings or a pair of Le Specs Neptune sunglasses, I chose the earrings.

Kinder Beauty

Get up to $165 worth of clean, vegan & cruelty-free skincare, makeup, hair-care, and accessories, including at least two full-sized products. Vegan and cruelty-free makeup, skincare, hair-care, and accessories, curated with kindness and delivered to your door each month!

Women-owned Kinder Beauty is all things clean beauty for only $25 per month. I have a six-month subscription Kinder Beauty and will probably renew at the end of the term. Everything they do it’s with love and kindness. I love their weekly emails and Instagram site for monthly reveals.

These are a few of my favorite women’s subscription boxes and will share more gift ideas in a future post. 

In Health,

Melinda

 

Celebrate Life

Remembering Veterans Day

Thank you to all the Veterans who have given their all for our great nation. Today is not just for those who have sacrificed life or limb but for those who live among us every day fighting for American freedom. We do not have to agree on politics, that’s every American right but the Military is there to fight for all American lives every day 24/7 and make huge sacrifices in their personal life in doing so. Please thank a Veteran today and every time you see someone in uniform, they may be the one to save your life of the life of someone you love.

I’m proud to be an America.

Photo by Scott Platt on Pexels.com
Photo by Kevin McCartney on Pexels.com

In Health,

Melinda

Men & Womens Health

#Wordless Wednesday American Flag

Hi, it’s Wednesday! I’m thrilled you’re here! This beautiful American Flag photo was taken in Washington, D.C. and I can’t think of a better day to show that on Veterans Day. This past Sunday the United Kingdom celebrated the life of fallen soldiers so I’ve included a photo from Pixels of Poppies since I have many Uk readers.

Photo by freestocks.org on Pexels.com

In Health,

Melinda

Health and Wellbeing

Best Pain Relief Cream for Knee Pain

November 06, 2020  

Aromalief Team

The founder of Aromalief, Annabel has given me permission to post this from the Aromalief blog. I know many of you suffer from knee pain, so I wanted to share the information in her latest post.

Knee pain can have a huge impact in your day to day life, even more so if it’s chronic. Unfortunately, most pain relief creams focus on numbing the pain, instead of helping the actual problem. In this week’s blog, we’re going over what benefits make for a good pain relief cream for knee pain, and how these benefits go beyond just numbing the pain. 

The best pain relief cream for knees needs to have 3 critical benefits. The pain relief cream should have an anti-inflammatory, an analgesic, and nutrients to help keep the knees fluid. Most pain relief creams for the knees contain one or two of these benefits, but Aromalief Hemp Pain Relief Cream helps with all 3. Let’s discuss these in more detail.

Topical Analgesic Menthol and Menthol Crystals for Instant Knee Pain Relief Aromalief

When your knees are in pain it can be from either an acute injury or a chronic condition such as arthritis. The topical analgesic will help with the immediate pain. In Aromalief, we use a combination of menthol for fast relief and menthol crystals that release a cooling effect over time to provide a longer lasting pain relieving effect. It is important to massage the area to keep the blood flowing. However, this can be even more painful without a topical analgesic. Most creams stop at just this benefit, but anti-inflammatory is also important.

Inflammation on the knee white blood cells pain relief cream for knees Aromalief

When a part of the body hurts, white blood cells rush to help it fix the injury. This increase in blood to the area causes the knee to swell. Common anti-inflammatory ingredients are NSAIDs (diclofenac) or Salicylates (aspirin), these may be available in oral or cream form. Aromalief contains rich hemp oil, l-arginine, and MSM to bring down the inflammation and keep the blood flowing as a more natural alternative.

The third critical factor to get relief from pain in your knees is to keep the knees lubricated. Imagine a machine that moves forwards and backwards every single day without oil. Eventually, the machine breaks down, the same thing happens as we age, have an injury, or a chronic illness. People typically take Glucosamine/Chondroitin oral supplements to help prevent the deterioration of the knees, but over time the pills can begin to hurt the stomach. The other downside is that by taking them orally, the effect is spread out throughout the body and eventually discarded. Aromalief contains a special type of Glucosamine that is derived from plants and the chondroitin in Aromalief is even rarer since it is obtained through a fermentation process from cultivated algae. 

How to Use Aromalief Hemp Pain Relief Cream for your Knees?

It is best to apply Aromalief 2-3 times per day for at least the first 10 days because your knees probably have a significant amount of damage. Gently massage a nickel size amount over each knee when you first wake up and when you go to bed. If you walk a lot or work standing up, you should also apply it midday, although it may not always be possible. As soon as you are home, lay on our back and raise your legs up against a wall or over some pillows to improve your circulation.

Raise your legs for knee pain relief to reduce inflammation Aromalief Hemp Relief Cream

Something else to consider is to apply Aromalief to your hips. Oftentimes, your knees could hurt because of a misalignment to the hips. By massaging your hips and stretching them you could release tendons and ligaments that are pulling on your knee. This is better assessed by a physical therapist, but it shouldn’t be ignored. Even though you are feeling pain in your knees, the root cause can be somewhere else. 

It is always important to ask your doctor before using these or any other creams. Even though products don’t require a prescription, it is still important to get their medical opinion. 

Aromalief® is a brand of topical pain relievers made in Florida for women with chronic pain by women. It is 97% Naturally-derived, Vegan, and Cruelty-Free. 

Try Aromalief Day and Night Gift Set to help with Knee Pain Relief. Shop Here

If you have any questions about our products you can always email us at info@aromalief.com and we will do our best to get you research based answers.

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Please consult a medical professional prior to using this or any other product for pain relief. 


Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

What Does It Really Take To Afford a Million-Dollar Home?

One of the biggest expenses in your life is going to be your home. A deposit is a large chunk of money that can take years to save up for. Even then, it’s not over yet and you still need to pay hundreds or even thousands every month to keep up with your mortgage. Buying a home outright in a single payment seems incredibly difficult. So how do people afford incredibly luxurious homes? What does it really take to be so wealthy? Is it all just luck, or is there some trick to it?

Unfortunately, there’s not really a trick to being able to afford an expensive home. Some people may have gotten lucky in life and ended up being born into wealth, but for most of us, grinding our way up to that level of wealth can take years of hard work and a sprinkle of good fortune. But what does it really take to be so wealthy? Is it all about managing your money, or are there personality traits and strategies that can help?

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/Cqvdb3bvmCY (CC0)

What’s the deposit on a million-dollar home?

If you thought that a typical mortgage down payment was expensive then the equivalent for a million-dollar home will probably scare you.

Most mortgages have an upper limit of how much can be borrowed. The maximum that can be borrowed is usually around $700,000 in good circumstances. This means that to afford a million-dollar home, you’ll need to make a down payment of at least $300,000 in some areas. Most million-dollar homes will exceed that million-dollar threshold, and it’s unlikely that you’ll qualify for a loan that large unless you have an excellent credit score. In reality, your down payment is going to be much higher unless you can qualify for a jumbo loan with strict requirements.

But how do you afford it in the first place?

The path to being rich isn’t linear. There are multiple ways to achieve it, and it’s going to depend heavily on your circumstances, education, knowledge, and ultimately motivation.

Here are a few tips on how you can develop a millionaire mindset:

  • Learn to focus on the things that you want. Don’t be timid when you want to achieve something. Do everything you can to learn about it and approach it with passion. When you wake up wanting to get things done, you’re halfway there already.
  • Set goals that are achievable. It’s impossible to make progress if you don’t track how far you’ve come. Set yourself some achievable goals and work towards them before setting harder ones.
  • Be frugal. Don’t just throw away your money. Make sure the money you spend is an investment in your life or in your wealth. Don’t just waste it away as soon as you have it.
  • Be hungry for knowledge. The more you learn, the more skills you’ll have. Don’t be afraid to fail occasionally to learn from your mistakes.

Becoming a millionaire and affording a million-dollar home are two very different things, but it all starts with a successful-oriented mindset that drives you to do better.

This is a collaborative post.

In Health,

Melinda

Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

What To Do If You’re Unhappy In Your Marriage

No one wants to be unhappy or feel sad in a marriage. However, the reality is that relationships are hard and take a lot of work. Not all are successful, and some will eventually end. The upside is that there are actions you can take if you’re unhappy in your marriage.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

What you don’t want to do is nothing and be miserable in silence. It’s better to address your emotions and problems and try to work through them than to brush them aside for another day. Be proactive and do your best to rectify the situation and then see what happens. Remain flexible and adaptable and open to where life takes you after you put in the hard work.

Evaluate What’s Not Working

If you’re unhappy in your marriage, then you should take a step back and evaluate what’s not working and know the warning signs. There may be problem areas that you can identify and work through to help you two get to a better place. For example, maybe it’s that you don’t spend enough quality time together or that there’s a lack of communication in your marriage. Identify the issue or obstacle and then get together to try to come up with solutions you both feel comfortable with and can get behind.

Seek Professional Help

You may also want to seek professional help if you’re unhappy in your marriage. There are marriage counselors out there who specialize in this type of therapy and can try to mediate and offer suggestions for improvement. For it to work, you both must be willing to go and be open and honest about your emotions and feelings. It’ll be an ongoing process instead of a quick fix so you need to be committed to it for the long haul if you’re going to come out stronger on the other side as a couple.

Consider A Split

You may have thought about it and have concluded that you’re truly unhappy in your marriage. Maybe you’ve tried all you could do and feel like there’s no going back or it won’t get better. In this case, you might want to consider a split and hire a team of divorce lawyers who can guide you through the process and ensure the best outcome for you. They can assist you in making the tough decisions and stand up for you to protect your rights.  

Practice Self-Care

It’s easy to get lazy about taking good care of yourself or feel unmotivated to do so when you’re unhappy in your relationship. However, you’re only hurting yourself when you take this approach. Instead, practice self-care and do your best to stay healthy and well even though it may be a tough situation for you. Get enough sleep, talk to your friends and family, and exercise to help reduce the stress and anxiety you’re feeling.

Conclusion

These are a few choices you have if you’re unhappy in your marriage and looking for ways to improve your circumstances. While it’s okay to feel sad or down about it, you also need to remain positive and take actions that will help move your relationship or life in the right direction. 

This is a collaborative post.

In Health,

Melinda

Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Developing a Positive Mental Attitude — Guest Blogger Coaching Skills International

1. Remind yourself that you are not your feelings. 2. Don’t sweat the small stuff; choose to focus on what matters. Ignore or overlook the petty slights and grievances. 3. Feel the power as you learn to take control of your reactions. You’re not just a puppet where someone pulls your strings. 4. Don’t agree […]

Developing a Positive Mental Attitude — Coaching Skills International
Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

The Approval Addiction —Guest Blog

A lot of us wish for our talents, our intelligence, or our strengths to be recognised, appreciated, and known by others. But we very soon start to rely on these approvals and try to ‘alter’ our lives to fit in within these expectations. Unfortunately, right from here starts a very vicious cycle. Ever since I […]

The Approval Addiction —
Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Selena Gomez Sat Down With Vice Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris to Discuss Mental Health Care and Voting

SEVENTEEN

By Carolyn Twersky Oct 29, 2020

“As a citizen, as someone who truly cares about their country, not voting is just not an option.”

Selena Gomez sat down with Vice Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris to speak about the importance of voting ahead of Election Day on November 3rd. During the discussion, Selena shared why she’s voting as well as the issue that is most important to her. 

“To be honest, I think in the past, when I was younger, I wasn’t very educated on the voting process,” Selena admitted. “The past four years, I’ve experienced a lot and I feel my vote counts more than ever. As a citizen, as someone who truly cares about their country, not voting is just not an option.”

Senator Harris then brought up lupus, an autoimmune disease Selena has been open about suffering from. Harris pointed out that the disease, “disproportionately affects people of color” and her sister has it. 

“There’s so many women of color who have lupus and are still, you know, struggling to get the kind of attention and treatment that they deserve,” Harris said. “And that’s one of the things that Joe [Biden] and I are fighting for, which is to hold on to the Affordable Care Act and expand it.”

Harris explained that she believes health care isn’t just necessary for issues affecting the body, but also mental health issues. “You know, the way I think about it is that we have to understand healthcare, you can’t just think that the body starts from the neck down,” she said. “We also need health care from the neck up.”

Selena, who has been very outspoken about struggling with her mental health agreed. “I’ve had so many dreams about creating places that people could go to,” she said. “I think there’s a part of me that wishes we had some sort of place that felt like, OK, maybe you just need to get help. You know it should be something that people can understand and breakdown, because I truly know that this is something that’s important and important to me.” 

This year, one in ten eligible voters is part of Gen Z. Because of that, your vote is so important in this election, and Selena emphasized that when talking to Harris.  

“It’s really encouraging to see more and more young people come together for it because we are the ones that are going to trail blaze and we are going to be the next wave of people that truly are going to decide our future and I plan on doing everything that I can to help and to just also encourage people to vote.” 

Harris ended the chat by encouraging anyone who has questions about voting to head to IWillVote.com

CAROLYN TWERSKY Assistant EditorCarolyn Twersky is an assistant editor for Seventeen covering celebrities, entertainment, politics, fashion, beauty, and health. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Art therapy: Healing Emotional Trauma Through Creativity

The Daily Star

By Ayman Anika

Artwork by Hamida Akter Mira

October 13, 2020

Throughout the journey of our lives, we encounter several kinds of trauma, and store conscious and unconscious pain in our emotional backpack. Art can ease this pain, and through any forms of art, we can weave a path that leads to liberation from the anguish of traumatic experiences.

The word “create” has been derived from the Latin word creare and this word is also etymologically associated with “growing.” To create something is to do; to do is to produce and this production bears both cognitive and social benefits for the subject involved in the task. The link between unconsciousness and art is a fascinating one and art therapy can be very useful for patients suffering from severe mental health issues such as depression, dementia, anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder.  

Experts have defined art therapy as a form of expressive therapy that uses the creative process of making art to improve a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Mental illness and art are two different fields and yet, they are very intimately connected. Art is the manifestation of our innermost emotions and therapists have been using this link to explore art as an alternative to help those who are suffering from different psychological distresses. Well-renowned psychoanalyst Otto Rank has proposed that art can be a way to overcome distress and Melanie Klein has suggested art as a means of recognising the structure of the mind. Various psychoanalysts have recently begun to establish that art is a sort of vehicle that facilitates mobilisation. By mobilisation, the experts are referring to the anguish experienced by an individual and art can be a creative way of transforming or reshaping traumatic experiences.  

This powerful medium has become quite popular in the field of medical sciences. There are all sorts of therapies that involve different forms of art such as music, painting, writing, photography, etc. People usually do better when they are part of a creative process, for example, people suffering from terminal cancer benefit from the humorous situation in the performing arts and for this purpose, in some hospitals, there is a therapy known as clown therapy. One does not always have to see a therapist to experience the therapeutic benefits of artistic expression. However, visiting a licensed professional has its advantages, as the therapist can tailor each activity to that individual’s needs.

Writing is equally a very effective medium to release emotional pain. Words always communicate our emotions and actions; and anyone can reach a state of calmness through putting their thoughts into words. Hence, journaling has been recommended by many experts. Again, studies show that creating art stimulates the release of dopamine, and this chemical is released when we do something pleasurable — this gives us a sense of accomplishment. It is very crucial to remember that no one needs to be an expert in creating art or to try art therapy. The simple steps are to brainstorm and write down the preferred ideas. It is important to listen to yourself and lovingly accept all your emotions and thoughts.

The greatest benefit of art therapy is that it gives an individual a healthy outlet for expressing and releasing all their feelings and fears. Though the concept of art therapy is a very recent one, it is a very powerful medium to fight stress, anxiety, or any other emotional trauma. Every form of art helps us to heal as it allows an individual to be compassionate and empathetic. Anyone can choose the materials as well as the type of art they like and transform their emotional wounds into something beautiful and meaningful. During the process of art creation, people take themselves to the path of self-discovery, and it certainly aids them to eliminate emotional roadblocks and connect with themselves as well as others.   

 

Men & Womens Health

These 11 Tips will Help you if You’re a First Time Property Investor

Buy to rent has really become an invaluable asset for the last 20 years or so. Many individuals are turning their hand to this form of investment so that they can get a major source of income. Right now, market confidence is high and the property market is certainly looking bright too. If you are thinking about making a property investment then believe it or not, now is certainly the right time. If you are a first-time investor then it helps to know where to start so that you can make yourself aware of the decisions you are going to have to make when buying a property so that you can come out on top overall.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

When You’re Just Starting Out

Before you do anything, you have to make sure that you do all of the right research. If you are a first-time investor, then you need to make sure that you think about which property is right for you and even what you can achieve from it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s capital growth, rental income, or even a mixture of both. At the end of the day, there are many different types of property out there for you to buy and it helps to consider things like renovation and even what type of tenant you are hoping to achieve. By doing this, you can then begin to get the best result out of your investment and the goals that you set for yourself overall. If you want to make a smaller property investment, why not look into bungalows for sale?

Location Is Everything

The location that you choose will make all the difference between a successful investment and an unsuccessful one. Some investors choose to actively limit their property search to areas where they live so that they can have some peace of mind. It may be wise to consider some of the other areas if you want to maximize the returns you are going to get. Do your research and find out how you can capitalize on the highest amount of profit depending on the city you choose to invest in. If you do this well, then there’s no reason at all why you shouldn’t be able to come out on top.

Think With Your Head

You have to know that purchasing a buy to let property is very different from buying a home for yourself. If you are looking to try and attract young professionals or even students as your tenants, then you need to try and think about all of the amenities that are likely to appeal to your market. Bars, shops, schools, restaurants, or anything else of the sort can easily increase your rental yield by a huge amount. While these factors might not be something that you personally look for when buying a home, you may find that it is in fact a deal-breaker for any potential tenants.

Keep It Simple

There is absolutely no doubt that buy to let can be profitable, to say the least. A lot of landlords will use the properties that they have as their sole source of income. Increasing your portfolio will give you the chance to maximize the returns that you have but at the same time, you have to make sure that you have a good outlook when it comes to your finances. You have to make sure that you make a budget and that you plan how much you can afford or borrow. It doesn’t matter whether you are a cash buyer or whether you have a buy to let mortgage because there will be various tax implications that you need to keep in mind.

Photo by Expect Best on Pexels.com

Hands-On VS Hands-Off

Ultimately, it is very crucial for you to decide what kind of property landlord you would like to be. If you want to remain more hands-on then you will need to try and find tenants, conduct any viewings, and also maintain the property as well. If you are a hands-on landlord then you will be able to save some money by simply opting for a DIY approach. This will give you some extra responsibility, however, and you may not be able to manage all of this. If you are time-limited or if you have a lot of properties, then you may want to think about adopting a more hands-off approach instead. If you are willing to pay a small fee, then there are tons of letting agents out there that will manage your property and you won’t have to get involved at all with the day to day dealings of having a tenant. This includes any ongoing maintenance, viewings, paperwork, and more. So many landlords prefer to go down this route because it gives them way more time to focus on some of the other ventures. It also helps to try and start out slow so that you can build gradually as well, so keep this in mind if you can.

Create A Timeframe

Knowing what you want will really help you to create a nice and coordinated time frame for your achievement. If your objective is to try and make a return in a very short space of time, then it may be wise for you to flip properties instead. This may sound like the best way forward but at the end of the day, it does put you at a very high level of risk. If you want a high return over a much longer period, then buy to let may be a much more suitable option. Yields of around 12% can easily be expected, but of course, you do have to think about things such as vacancy rates and even maintenance costs as well.

Avoid Over-Leveraging

Try and make sure that you don’t use more than 50% of your mortgage when financing a property. This may be difficult when you are first starting out but as you explore the idea of property investment, even more, you will soon find that you can make it more feasible. Even though there is a lot of surface attraction with mortgaging, you have to remember that it is in fact a bad idea. The longer you carry on this way, the more pain and stress it will cause you at a later date.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Avoid Shared Mortgages

Even though a shared mortgage can give you the chance to take out an even bigger mortgage, they do require one person to be the main borrower. The other person will then borrow less. The person who has the highest income will usually be the core borrower. If you have a lower credit rating, then you may find that your interest rates are much higher as well and this is the last thing that you need. Shared mortgages tend to allow for one property owner as well so arranging all of this can be a stressful and daunting process.

Review Your Plan

It’s also very helpful for you to constantly review your plan. Keep some clear notes of your process and also make sure that you plan at least 6 months in advance as well. You have to remember that no two six-month periods are the same, so you have to make sure that you are able to adjust your investment according to property prices rising and falling. If you can do this, then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to reap the benefits.

Invest Overseas

If you do not have enough confidence in the world of domestic property, then why not try and use foreign currencies to your advantage? At the end of the day, there are so many markets out there that don’t require as much investment, but that can easily give you a much higher yield. You have to make sure that you don’t just look at the value or even the potential of the property. Instead, think about the economy, the stability, and the political state of the company too. If you know that there is a tourist hot spot then this could indicate that the market is lucrative. Overseas hotspots include Berlin, Sofia, Sao Paulo, and even Istanbul too.

Have A Clear Exit Strategy

You have to know that timing is everything when it comes to investments. Knowing when you need to exit is half of the job. You have to make sure that you keep an eye on the market and you also need to know when to pull out of a certain investment too. If you have a valuable workplace exit strategy, then this will save you a lot of time and effort when the time comes for you to liquidate. Remember that the property market gives you way more data now when compared to just a few years ago. Keep track of it and take your time but never make any knee-jerk reactions. If you do, then you will soon find that you are able to make better decisions and that you can also stabilize your investment too.

This is a collaborative post.

In Health,

Melinda

Men & Womens Health

#Weekend Music Share *One

It’s the weekend, I’m so glad you’ve joined me. I love this song by U2 and Mary J Blige, it’s what we need more in the world today than ever before. ONE LOVE. I get goosebumps every time I hear it, her voice is like a angel from above. I hope you enjoy it.

Let me know what you favorite tune is!

Keep dreaming of better days to come!

In Health,

Melinda



Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.

Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.

Men & Womens Health

Life and death Guest Post

My heart breaks for you. Go live, give it all you have, say what you mean, live in the moment, forgive any past issues with others, and yourself. Give yourself permission to grieve, it is natural and will help you process the pain you and your husband are feeling. I think you’ve already helped somebody with your words, it’s funny how we can touch people’s lives and never know. God bless you. Hugs.

Gary Burgess's avatarGary’s Chemo Diary

Yesterday I found out I will die soon.

A half hour video call with my oncologist in Southampton concluded I have a life expectancy of six to twelve months as my cancer is terminal.

The nasties growing between my heart and lung that three months of “salvage chemotherapy” had shrunk earlier this year have come back to life, but there are now more, and the expectation is they will continue to do their thing, possibly making their way to my liver, my brain and elsewhere in my body. They’re inoperable. There isn’t a treatment left to get rid of them.

I’m apparently unusual (I knew that!), with my oncologist seeing only one such case of this rare cancer each year.

There is a chemotherapy treatment that has the potential to add a few extra weeks, maybe months, to my life, but the trade off is the loss of quality of…

View original post 1,172 more words

Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

What Depression Looks Like

Anyone can experience depression whether it’s situational, like the COVID crisis, chronic pain or illness or having a mental illness. I have Bipolar Disorder I, which means although my moods can swing from highs to lows, most of the time I’m depressed. I was first diagnosed at 19 years old and sought advanced treatment at 28 years old after my father committed suicide. Below are a few examples of what depression has looked like for me.

Your family sends someone over to check on you since they haven’t heard from you in days/weeks

Sleep for 22 hours a day

Don’t shower for weeks

Can’t remember when you ate

Your mailbox is so full the postman stops delivering mail

Emotional eating or buying

Feel deep guilt over lying to family and friends for years trying to hide your depression

You are numb, empty inside

It’s been eight months and five new prescriptions and still no improvement

The doctor tells you if you cancel another appointment he will fire you and you almost drive off the freeway on the way home

To depressed to take your medication no matter how bad you want to

Fall so low that death must feel good

Don’t know what day it is

Drink to much

Have a detailed plan on how you will commit suicide

The normal mood is depressed, your taking medication just to get you above the line to normal happy

Taken over 50 medications or combinations of medicines

Had 21 Electro Shock Treatments

Spent multiple weeks, multiple times in Psychiatric hospital

Divorced because husband didn’t believe you were depressed

Cut off contact with everyone in an effort not to have to explain what’s going on or where you were

Lose your job on the third day because you can’t get out of bed

Don’t fill your prescriptions because you can’t drive one mile

These are a few examples of the struggles I’ve had with Bipolar Disorder for almost 40 years. The blessing is I have an exceptional Psychopharmacologist and Therapist who I’ve been seeing for over 30 years. My doctor has been tough on me, never allowed me to make excuses, and taught me how to explain my feelings in an effort to prescribe the right type of medication. He strongly recommended I seek out therapy which I did and have never looked back.

Therapy doesn’t help control my depression but allows me to process the anxiety, guilt, and emotions I have from being depressed. I also process my traumatic background with her which helps me clear any unresolved childhood events.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, sometimes you can’t even see a glimmer but there’s always light at the other end.

Please don’t try to deal with your depression alone, even if it’s situational depression, like a death or divorce, everyone needs emotional support. Go talk to someone.

Keep a log of your feelings by day the best you can in order to share those raw emotions with a Psychiatrist or Therapist. Raw feelings will help get to the root of any issue much quicker than going to an appointment saying I’m depressed without clear examples.

If your general physician is prescribing your medication and you are still experiencing depression please seek out a professional with specialized training. A general doctor doesn’t have the in-depth knowledge of medications or about ongoing depression to get you to the other side.

In Health,

Melinda

Fun · Travel

#Wordless Wednesday Fountain

Hi, it’s Wednesday! I’m thrilled you’re here! My interpretation of a beautiful fountain scene in Washington, D.C. from 2015. It’s not very colorful but I like the way the water feels coming off the fountain. What do you think? Did I capture the motion of water?

Fountain

In Health,

Melinda

Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

Organizations That Are Raising Health Awareness In November

I thought you would like to see organizations that are raising awareness during the month of November. From Healthline.

  • American Diabetes Month
  • Bladder Health Month
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month
  • Diabetic Eye Disease Month
  • Lung Cancer Awareness Month
  • National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
  • National Epilepsy Awareness Month
  • National Family Caregivers Month
  • National Healthy Skin Month
  • National Hospice Palliative Care Month
  • National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
  • Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
  • Prematurity Awareness Month
  • World Antibiotic Awareness Week (Nov. 11–17)
  • World Prematurity Day (Nov. 17)
  • GERD Awareness Week (Nov. 17–23)
  • Great American Smokeout (Nov. 19)
  • International Survivors of Suicide Day (Nov. 21)
  • National Family Health History Day (Nov. 26)

In Health,

Melinda

Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

How To Protect Your Business From COVID-19

As the second COVID-19 lockdown is due to begin, it’s time to look at how to protect your business from the damaging effects the virus and the lockdown may have. While many people were recently relieved that things looked set to go back to normal or at least into the “new normal,” unfortunately, it was short-lived as the coronavirus case numbers have increased again, and drastic action has to be taken. You may have learned lessons from the first lockdown, whether it is things you should have done, done differently, or not done at all. The critical thing is that this time you will know what to expect and work as best you can to protect your business. So, what this time?

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Remote working

Most businesses experienced their employees remote working in some way during the first lockdown, so they will be used to the process and know what works best for them. Some of your employees are best getting up and showered and dressed in their work clothes to get in the work mindset, while others find they work better in their comfy clothes and sat on the sofa. That’s for your employees to work out, but at least this time, they can be prepared either way, or they can try working a different way this time if they felt they weren’t in a good enough routine last time. As an employer, make sure that you have sufficient support networks in place for your employees; this means regarding technology and work materials and equipment that they need, but also, you need to be more aware of their mental health this time around. Many people’s mental health is deteriorating the longer that the pandemic goes on, and the more issues they have to deal with. Make sure they know they can talk to you if they need to and that you check in on them while they’re working from home.  

Prepare For The Return To Work

You can take this time now to plan your next return to work, and while this means deep cleaning, disinfecting the office, calling in the Renew Crew to do a power wash, and maybe putting in more social distancing measures and hand sanitizing stations, it also means preparing your business for something new and different because the world has changed.  Now it’s worth looking at next year’s plan rather than trying to save this year’s. Despite how it may seem, you’re actually in a good position now as you can adapt to respond meaningfully and creatively to the current marketplace. For example, marketing campaigns and images will need to include people wearing face masks and respecting social distancing. Take the time to think carefully about which direction you want to take your business in and understand what’s needed to bring solutions to the problems and overwhelming challenges your customers are facing.

Be as frugal as you can

If your business struggled during the first lockdown, then you need to be more careful this time. Of course, this goes without saying, but it’s knowing how to be more frugal that’s important. Do you know how you can maximize your profit margins? While it might seem like a good time to get certain jobs done, it is important to control your spending during this time and to put away any extra cash you can. Find out what you’re entitled to in terms of deferrals on rent and loans, and if there’s any way you can save money on your suppliers, then do so. Find out what other funding is available to you or if there are any temporary loans you can apply for.

Plan for every eventuality

If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that you never know what’s around the corner. If you want to protect your business, then you need to be prepared for anything and everything. This isn’t an easy thing to do while trying to run your business, but if you are on top of your finances and know what your business can take and what it can’t, then you can make plans. Try to think of every scenario that you can, and don’t forget to factor in what could happen to the third parties you rely on to keep your business running and providing a service to your customers. While your business may have a good chance of making it out the other side, some of the businesses that you work with and rely on might not be so lucky, so make sure you have a contingency plan just in case. 

This is a collaborative post.

In Health,

Melinda

Health and Wellbeing

What Do First Time Home Renovators Wish They’d Known?

Home renovation is an exhilarating, frustrating, emotional, challenging, and often addictive process. The journey of seeing a house go from unloved wreck to home of your dreams is a feeling quite unlike anything else. Getting there can be quite the ride, but you may find that you love the end result so much you’re soon itching for your next big project. There are many reasons to renovate an older home. Generally speaking, you can get much more for your money and it may enable you to buy a bigger plot or in a nicer area that would normally have been just out of your budget. If the property is liveable, you can then give yourself some extra time to save up the money needed for construction work. It can also prove a good investment – if you buy at the right price and are able to make the renovation budget work, and you don’t overdevelop the property when it comes time to sell hopefully you will have made a profit. It’s also a chance to design and develop a home exactly as you want it, specific to all your own needs and preferences. There are a lot of plus points to renovating your first home. On the other hand, being prepared is everything, or first-time renovation projects can be quite a shock. The expense, noise, mess, unexpected problems, and missed deadlines can be enough to put some people off for life. So how do you get ready for renovation if you’ve never done it before? And what do more experienced home renovators wish they had known before their first project?

Photo by Rene Asmussen on Pexels.com

 

Budget Is Key

It may not be very romantic to hear, but everything within your project is driven by one factor: budget. There’s no denying the extensively redeveloping property is hugely expensive, so understanding from the outset exactly what your renovation budget is, and estimating realistically are vital. After all, no one wants to run out of cash part way through a building project. It’s quite likely you may have to scale back some of your expectations, especially on a first project, when you’re unlikely to have huge cash reserves to fall back on. Plan out the projects you want to do in phases, in order of how urgent they are. You may have to wait a while between phases if you need to save up more money or secure a loan for the building works. Keep a close eye on the budget during the project and remember that the small things can be expensive and quickly add up. Decide in advance what features of the renovation are an absolute deal-breaker for you, and what you will be prepared to compromise on if you have to. Always create a contingency fund. It’s likely that there may be unforeseen issues that pop up during the course of the project – especially with older properties – that you haven’t budgeted for, so this margin could save you. You may find yourself having to pay for additional structural work, new electrics, or even things like local pest control. And if by some miracle, you don’t spend it, it can be spare cash to spend on the final decorative touches. Remember that it is possible to save money on a home renovation. Learning to DIY some of the slightly easier bits yourself can be very cost-effective, so jobs such as painting, adding skirting, etc are all easy wins. Shop around for everything, from equipment hire to kitchens, to get the best price, and consider what preloved elements you could either reuse from the original property or source elsewhere.

Get The Layout Right

The key to a successful renovation is to find a new layout that works. You will either be working within the original floorplan of the house, but with the option to remove and add walls and reconfigure the space – or you may be extending your home to add on additional space. You’ll be surprised what the right layout change can do to transform both the feel and the usability of a property – for example, opening up a maze of little rooms to form a free-flowing, open-plan space. If you do want to keep smaller rooms, there are lots of tricks to make them appear more spacious, from the clever placement of mirrors to dressing the windows so that they look taller and choosing paint techniques that make the room look bigger. 

It’s a time in your life you will always remember, so be prepared, do your research and embrace the chaos – your ideal home is now within reach.

This is a collaborative post.

In Health,

Melinda