Spending time in the garden makes a massive difference in your overall wellbeing and longevity according to research by the Royal Horticultural Society – a UK-based based charity. Investigators studied more than 8,000 people between 2009 and 2016 following their daily gardening habits. They found that those who spent more time in the garden had better overall psychological and physical wellbeing.
The findings were dramatic. The research indicates that the difference in health outcomes between the people who spent the most time in their gardens compared to the least was the same size as the difference of living in a wealthy area compared to a poor one.
The findings suggest, therefore, that we should all be looking for ways to open up our gardens and spend more time in them. We should view our outdoor spaces as both beautiful places to spend time and tools for improving our mental health. Like exercise, the areas around our homes are places that can potentially alter our neurochemistry and change the way that we feel.
People With Access To Private Gardens More Likely To Report Psychological Wellbeing
The study also found that even people with access to private gardens were much more likely to be in good psychological health. Those who could have a yard or private space to themselves reported feeling much happier to the researchers.
What’s more, the evidence suggests that merely having a garden is often sufficient to confer the benefits, not the process of gardening itself. Thus, people with an outdoor space beside their home were much more likely to experience the health and wellbeing benefits compared to those who didn’t.
The lead researcher on the project suggested that the findings were indicative of the fact that people need to feel close to nature to have a sense of contentment. Gardens might have a crucial role to play in issues of public health she said.
How To Spend More Time In The Garden
So, while this research is interesting, it doesn’t answer the practical question of how to spend more time in the garden. We’d all like to be outside as much as possible, but often, it’s not possible. So what can we do?
Let’s take a look.
Purchase A Laptop
If you can work from home, purchasing a laptop can be one of the best things you do to increase the amount of time that you spend in the garden. You can connect to the internet, take it out to the garden, and then spend all day among the flowers and the birds, weather permitting.
Install Decking
Getting deck builders to install decking is another way to make your garden spaces more practical. Having somewhere off the grass to place garden furniture can encourage you to use your garden as an entertainment space.
Build A Garden Room
A garden room is simply a room in your home that connects the garden to your indoor space, encouraging you to use both.
Most modern garden rooms have sliding doors that act as a kind of interface between your indoor and outdoor spaces. But you can do it in other ways, such as bi-folding doors.
Install A Summer House
In certain parts of the world, it’s not warm enough to spend time outdoors year-round. Spending time on your patio isn’t fun when it’s freezing cold.
The obvious solution to this problem is a summer house – a strange name for something you’ll use in the colder months of the year. And because it provides shelter, you can place indoor furniture inside, making sitting in it more comfortable.
Get A Vegetable Patch
Vegetable patches offer two advantages. First, they let you grow tasty organic food. And secondly, they force you to get out into the garden and take care of them.
Your onions and leeks can become a real source of focus that takes your mind off other things. When you’re digging up soil and planting bulbs, you’re not thinking about all the things that affect your wellbeing. It’s a healthy physical activity that takes your mind off things and allows you to thrive.
Finally, subscribing to a gardening magazine is something that can inspire you to get out into the garden and create something beautiful. Editors introduce you to essential concepts, such as when you should plant bulbs and how you should arrange your beds. You’ll also learn practical things, such as how to weed and the tools you’ll need to keep your yard looking good all year long.
Lady Gaga’s personal trauma influenced the book she is penning with her mother.
The ‘Rain On Me’ hitmaker and her mum, Cynthia Germanotta, have worked together on ‘Channel Kindness’ – which is a collection of 51 stories of kindness from young people across the world – and the pair revealed the idea for the book stemmed from the singer’s experience with mental health problems at school.
Gaga told PEOPLE magazine: “I didn’t know how to stand up for myself without feeling embarrassed.”
Cynthia admitted she feels “horrible” that she wasn’t able to support her daughter, and blames generational differences for her lack of communication at the time.
She explained: “There was a shame of sharing some of this with me. And I feel horrible about that.
“I was raised differently, where you just have to be tough and not talk about your emotions. I didn’t always understand the difference between normal biological teenage development and a real problem.”
Gaga hopes that the book can encourage “resilience” in younger people suffering mental health problems and help develop an understanding, just as she has with her mother.
The 34-year-old singer – whose real name is Stefani Germanotta – said: “There are things that create highways from heart to heart, where we can hold compassion and empathy, where we can celebrate everybody’s resilience.
“When I was younger and had mental issues, my mom didn’t know how to communicate with me about it. We’ve found a way to channel kindness into our lives in a way that’s also healed our relationship.”
Gaga added: “I’m just really grateful that my mom holds space for me to be able to talk about how I feel. And because of that, we have a very healthy relationship that is beautiful.”
Kids might find it more difficult to cope with the pandemic. Here’s how parents can help them.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit this past spring, billions of children around the globe were abruptly sent home from school — an anchor in so many ways. Kids have been cut off from friends and loved ones, and yanked away from daily activities and passions. Many have watched their loved ones get sick or have come down with the virus themselves. It has been … a lot.
Now, as another unprecedented academic year swings into high gear, children are facing more of the same “new normal” that no one asked for.
“We don’t know how long we’re going to be living in this very strange period. For some kids, that mean that they’ve adjusted and things are a little bit easier to manage,” said Kimberly Canter, a child psychologist at Nemours Children’s Health System. “For other kids, that just means this gets harder and harder every day.”
HuffPost Parents spoke to several experts about simple, concrete ways we can help support our children during this upcoming school year. Here’s what they had to say:
1. Regularly check in with them about what they think is happening with COVID-19.
Talking to your child about what they know (or believe they know) about the pandemic is a crucial first step to understanding where they’re at emotionally, said Canter, who developed an online intervention to help kids struggling with COVID-19 stress. (The intervention is currently available to Nemours patients only, but she shared some of the broader concepts below.)
You’re looking to understand their specific concerns, she said.
“Are there things they are hearing that are frightening them that are not true?” she asked. “Are there things they are hearing that are frightening them that are true? And how can we address that?”
If your child brings up something you don’t have an answer to, or there’s no answer to, be honest. Tell them you’ll seek out accurate information together, and reassure them that they’re not facing this alone.
Parents should also pay attention to any physical, emotional or social changes they notice in their children, said Ron Stolberg, a licensed child psychologist and professor at Alliant International University.
“Typical things to look for are significant weight gain or weight loss not related to normal development, rejecting long-standing friends, major social withdrawal, and with teens, we also add unaccounted-for spending,” Stolberg said.
Your check-ins can be brief, but they should be consistent. Parents may have done this more at the start of the pandemic, when everything was strange and new. Don’t let up now.
2. Help them identify their emotions.
Emotional intelligence is a learned skill that is rooted in a person’s ability to identify what they are feeling. Parents can help their children do that, Canter said. It’s really about noticing their feelings and learning how to name them.
This can start even if kids are young. Simple mood meters — red for angry, blue for sad, green for calm and yellow for happy — can help young kiddos track where they are and give voice to those feelings.
If your child brings up something you don’t have an answer to, or there’s no answer to, be honest. Tell them you’ll seek out accurate information together, and reassure them that they’re not facing this alone.
Parents should also pay attention to any physical, emotional or social changes they notice in their children, said Ron Stolberg, a licensed child psychologist and professor at Alliant International University.
“Typical things to look for are significant weight gain or weight loss not related to normal development, rejecting long-standing friends, major social withdrawal, and with teens, we also add unaccounted-for spending,” Stolberg said.
Your check-ins can be brief, but they should be consistent. Parents may have done this more at the start of the pandemic, when everything was strange and new. Don’t let up now.
Your check-ins can be brief, but they should be consistent. Parents may have done this more at the start of the pandemic, when everything was strange and new. Don’t let up now.
3. Build trust with their teachers.
Even if you live in an area where your child is in the classroom five days a week, this is an academic year like no other. One simple way to emotionally support your child — and your child’s teacher — is to help them feel “safe and connected to their school communities,” said Jeanne Huybrechts, chief academic officer at Stratford School, a network of private schools in California. That is true whether classes are in person, hybrid or starting the year off remotely.
“Reach out to your child’s teacher and introduce yourself and your family,” Huybrechts said. “Share family stories, values, your family’s living situation this fall, your child’s feelings about the return to school.”
More than ever this year, open communication with your child’s teachers is essential.
4. For at least five minutes a day, hang out with them however they want.
Parents sometimes hate to hear this tip because at the end of a long, exhausting day, many parents just (understandably) want to collapse, said Jill Ehrenreich-May, a psychologist and director of the Child and Adolescent Mood and Anxiety Program at the University of Miami.
But she recommends taking at least five minutes a day, every day, to just hang out together with the kids.
“Do something — not on screens — that your child wants to do with you,” Ehrenreich-May said. Follow their lead, and really try to connect through joy. They need it.
5. Remind them of what they can control.
Many children are struggling under the weight of so many unknowns. We don’t know when school will be “normal” again. We don’t know when they’ll be able to freely hug grandparents or friends. We don’t know if they’ll get sick, or if we will get sick — and how serious it might be. That’s difficult for anyone to deal with, particularly kids.
Parents can help by focusing them on what they can control right now.
“You might not be able to control if there’s a vaccine, but you can control things like washing your hands and wearing a mask,” Canter said. Similarly, kids may not be able to control when, say, soccer starts up again, but they can schedule Zoom hangouts with their teammates. And so on.
And here is something parents can control, to a certain extent: They can model the type of resiliency and self-care they hope to see in their children. That means parents need to find ways to take care of themselves.
“If I expect them to be calm and handle this really not normal situation, well, I probably need to express my own emotions appropriately,” Ehrenreich-May said.
Stolberg agreed, suggesting that parents follow a healthy sleep routine, eat nutritious food, avoid caffeine and alcohol, exercise outside if it’s safe to do so and stay connected to people, even if it’s digitally. He also recommended mindfulness exercises, such as breathing, meditation and yoga.
“You cannot be your best parent if you are not healthy and mentally prepared for the job,” he said.
At the end of the day, it’s not about pretending everything is totally OK. It’s about modeling emotional intelligence yourself and trying to show your kiddo how to live with uncertainty, while also trying to make the best of this unprecedented time.
Gardening is such a therapeutic hobby to take up. In fact, it’s been shown to help a great deal with your mental health during the pandemic. You can spend so many hours in your garden tending to your plants and making everything look perfect. Things don’t always go your way, as there are lots of common garden issues to face. If you’re a garden novice, the advice below can help you deal with some of the most frequent problems in your back garden:
A lack of sunlight
Plants need sunlight to grow big and strong. They take the energy from the sun and use it to grow and carry out other plant functions. You may have a lack of sunlight in your garden that’s not caused by the climate. It could be sunny as hell, but your plants are stuck in the shade due to big obstacles.
Combatting this can be both easy and hard – depending on what the obstacles are. If it’s something you can move with ease, then the problem is solved in minutes. However, trees tend to be the biggest culprits. So, you may have to have yours chopped down or trimmed. Don’t attempt this yourself; companies like the Sydney Tree Company can do it for you. It’s never a good idea to attempt to cut something big down as you have no idea where it can fall!
A lack of water
This is a problem for lots of gardeners during the summer months. The sun comes out, the rain dries up, so your garden is left with no water at all. In some areas, this can go on for a good few months. While your plants need sunlight, too much of it and too little water will cause them to burn up and die.
As such, you need to be strict with your watering schedule. You’ll have to be out there at least once or twice a day giving your whole garden a little shower. Personally, I think sprinkler systems work the best as you can turn them on and do something else while they water your garden. Plus, there’s no danger of overwatering the plants as the sprinkles distribute the water evenly.
Too much water
Yes, you can have too much water! As you can probably tell, gardening requires a fine balance of sunlight and water. When the rain clouds come out to say hello, you may be inclined to rejoice. However, if it pours with rain and waterlogs in your garden, your plants will not be happy. Too much water will basically drown the plants and turn them a strange yellow color.
To rectify this problem, you need a good drainage system for your plants. Some people like to hang theirs in plant pots, while others install a proper irrigation system in their lawn. The choice is yours, just be sure there’s a place for the water to run down when it rains.
On that note, you’ve come to the end of today’s tips. I hope they will help any aspiring gardeners deal with some of the most common and annoying issues. Now, you can start gardening with more confidence and fewer problems.
WOW! What a huge surprise this was. To be included in this list of heavy hitters is such an honor.
I want to give a special thanks to Ruth Gray at GetBlogged.net for taking the time to understand what Looking for the Light is about and for including me among such great blogs.
Please take some time to read Ruth’s post and check out these Chronic Illness blogs. You will find many new blogs to follow and meet some great people along the way.
Buying gifts is always a challenge, but one way to find the ideal gift for a special person in your life is to focus on a niche that you know is of interest to them. So if you know someone who loves gardening, you’ll be glad to learn there are lots of gifts that are ideally suited to people who love to garden. We’re going to look at the best of the bunch today, so keep reading to find out all about them.
The great thing about birdbaths is that they’re not just about adding something functional to the garden. They also act as great ornamental pieces, so if you’re looking for something to give that brings a visual impact, an attractively designed birdbath could be exactly what you’re looking for. There’s no shortage of designs and options out there to choose from these days either.
Gardening Gloves
If you want to make the process of gardening a little more comfortable for a special person in your life, a pair of high-quality garden gloves can make the perfect gift. Again, there are lots of styles and designs out there, just make sure you choose a pair that fits well. It’s a good and affordable gift option so it should definitely be considered.
A Seed Subscription
Right now, subscription services are all the rage. There’s a subscription service for just about everything, so you might not be surprised to learn that there’s also a subscription available for seeds. That means you can get different seeds sent to your door each month, so this could be a great gift idea. You could pay for their seed subscription for a year, for example.
The Latest Top Books
There’s a range of great gardening books released each and every year. They might be guide books, general advice, or even photo books. There’s something for just about every garden lover on the shelves of your local book store, so it’s an avenue you should definitely explore. This article is A Review Of The Best Gardening Books in 2020, so it might give you some interesting ideas for which you might want to buy.
Solar-Powered Outdoor Lanterns
You don’t have to choose something that’s focused on the task of gardening; it might be a good idea to choose a gift that adds something new and fun to the garden and has a social dimension. Some solar-powered outdoor lanterns allow you to light up the garden at night and carry on the party into the evening. It’s a good gift idea and they’re also eco-friendly as the battery can charge up during the night and be put to use during the day.
If you’re looking for gifts for the gardener in your life, the ideas above should provide you with the inspiration you need. Find a gift they’re guaranteed to love and help them get even more out of their love of gardening with the kinds of gift options we’ve discussed here.
There are certain characteristics inherent to resiliency.
I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.” ~ Hermann Hesse
The way in which you deal with the stresses and our ‘new norm’ bestowed on us by the pandemic, could be an indication of how resilient you really are. Resilienceis defined as the ability to withstand or recover from difficult situations. It’s the ability to ‘spring back,’ in spite of all odds. It’s how you’re able to restore equilibrium in your life during or following upheaval. In recent months many of us have encountered many new challenges, personal, economic, psychological and/or emotional, and it’s certainly a good test of resilience.
Even under normal conditions, we all have a certain amount of adversities in our lives. Much of how we deal with an adversary basically has to do with our attitude. We don’t have to look too far away from our circle of friends and family to see the different reactions to the challenges presented by the pandemic. Positive self-talk can do wonders in dealing with scary or unknown situations, and negative thoughts can easily activate the brains’ fear center. Chances are that those who have coped well are flexible, and generally have the ability to cultivate happiness in their lives through balance and wisdom.
Those who are resilient have a certain sense of empowerment or are able to easily shift their perspective. This means that during stressful or challenging times, they are able to reframe their situation. In addition to maintaining a sense of optimism, they are most likely able to regulate their emotions. Some studies have shows that resilience might be inherited, but it’s not all nature—early childhood experiences and environments play a role in how resilient we become. Many of those who have had severe childhood traumaor those who moved a lot, such as military families, tend to be more resilient.
The Resilience Theory states that it’s not the nature of the adversity or challenging situation that is most important, it’s how you deal with it that is important. This is the same philosophy used when teaching memoir. It’s not about telling your story, but it’s about how you reacted to your story and how it transformed you. Positive psychology is connected to resilience theory because they’re both about formulation a beneficial way to foster our health and well-being. In fact, it’s been suggested that those who’ve had exposure to various degrees of lifelong adversity had better mental health and well-being outcomes than those who have had little or no adversity.
Further, there are those who are more open to new experiences and there are those who get strength from adversity as this is their way of coping with a potential threat. According to Tennen and Affleck (1999), in their study, “Finding Benefits in Adversity,” “The individual who is more open to experience—imaginative, emotionally responsive, and intellectually curious—might be particularly likely to meet the challenge of adversity through a philosophical reorientation and a new direction in life plans.” (p. 286).
In general, most people have a large capacity for adaptation and to overcome threatening events and experiences. While some individuals might be innately more resilient, there’s no doubt that resilience can be practiced and developed, and like the old adage saying, ‘from all bad comes good,’ and that when one door closes, another door opens.
References
Fletcher, D. and M. Sartar. (2013) Psychological Resilience: A review and critique of definitions, concepts and theory.” European Psychologist. Vol 18. pp. 12-23.
Moore, C. (2020). “Resilience Theory: What Research articles in psychology teach us.” Positive Psychology.com.
Seery, M.D., Holman, A.E. & Silver, R.S. (2010). “Whatever does not kills us: Cumulative lifetime adversity, vulnerability and resilience.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99, pp. 1025-1041.More
Tuning into our feelings, thoughts, and physical sensations is the foundation of caring well for ourselves. We have to know what’s going on in order to take healthy, nourishing action and just better understand ourselves.
But the way we do these check-ins really depends on our personality and preferences. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The key is to incorporate a check-in into your day, regardless of what shape or form it takes. Make it as habitual as brushing your teeth. In fact, one way to check in with yourself is to ask how you’re feeling while you are brushing your teeth in the morning and at night.
Here are additional ideas for checking in:
Set an alarm on your phone to ding every hour and ask yourself: How am I doing right now?
Do Julia Cameron’s morning pages, jotting down whatever comes to mind first thing in the morning. Simply keep a notebook on your bedside table, and before getting up, fill up three pages of your journal.
In the evening, for 5 to 10 minutes, reflect on how your day went. What went well? What didn’t? How are you feeling about it? What might you change tomorrow?
Listen to a guided meditation that specifically helps you tune into your mind and body, such as paying attention to any present tension.
Ask yourself the same questions every day (and record your responses): What am I grateful for? What am I anxious about? What did I learn about myself today? What do I need?
Take a few deep breaths, put your hands in prayer position, and ask yourself: What’s on my heart?
Move your body in a favorite way. For you, this might be taking a yoga class, taking a walk, riding your bike, or doing a stretching video. Personally, I’ve found that any time I move my body, my emotions, which might’ve been previously suppressed as I go about my day, bubble up to the surface and I have a better grasp on how I’m doing.
Name what emotion you’re feeling, trying to get as specific as possible, and then rate the intensity of that emotion from 1 to 10.
Draw three concentric circles. In the innermost circle, jot down the emotions you’re feeling. In the second circle, jot down the physical sensations you’re experiencing. In the biggest circle, jot down the thoughts running through your mind or the stories you’re telling yourself right now or have been all day.
When you’re checking in with yourself, remember to allow whatever arises. It’s so hard, but our jobs are not to censor, judge, or criticize. Our jobs are to witness what’s going on internally, taking on the perspective of an unbiased observer.
I liken it to writing: It’s not helpful to edit while we write our first draft, because then we might miss something important. We want to write first, to spill our hearts and message onto the page. After everything has poured out, we can start to make sense of that message and refine as needed.
Pick a check-in practice that resonates with you and, again, incorporate it into your day (or, of course, come up with a practice that feels like a better fit). To make it easier, add it to something you do all the time: check in while you sip your water. Check in during your morning coffee. Check in right before you ask your kids how they’re doing.
Either way, prioritize your daily check-in—and you’ll likely find that even if you don’t respond to your needs, simply listening helps you feel well taken care of. Because as I’ve written before, listening is a beautiful, powerful gift we can give to ourselves and others.
Margarita Tartakovsky, MS
Margarita is an associate editor at PsychCentral.com. She writes about everything from taking compassionate care of yourself at any weight, shape, and size, to coping healthfully with difficult emotions. Her goal is to give readers practical, empowering tips to better their lives, and to remind you that whatever you’re struggling with, you’re never, ever alone.
Home gardening is on the rise since COVID-19, says Rose Hayden-Smith, Emeritus advisor at the University of California. But activists from food justice organizations argue that home gardening has the potential to promote emotional wellness, especially for Black women and other marginalized communities.
Home vegetable gardening can not only increase produce consumption and physical activity—it is also associated with improved emotional wellbeing, according to a recent study from Princeton University. The report finds that out of 15 daily leisure activities, such as walking and biking, vegetable gardening is one of the most beneficial activities for mental and emotional health.
“Gardening combines so many things that are positive for mental health—being outdoors around plants and nature, physical exercise,” Diana Martin, Director of Communications and Marketing at the Rodale Institute, tells Food Tank. “Something about growing food, connecting with the earth, and sharing the bounty with your neighbors and community can help you feel rooted, connected, and grateful.”
In response to the influx of home gardeners during COVID-19, the Rodale Institute offers a free Victory Gardens Starter Kit complete with an Organic Gardening 101 webinar, composting tips, and lesson plans to involve children.
Home gardening may also address some effects of long-standing social inequalities. Women, especially women of color, have disproportionately shouldered social care work during the pandemic, according to a recent study in the Journal of Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy. And this work may contribute to poor mental health in those responsible for it, according to a report from the Swiss School of Public Health.
“From an equity perspective, supporting household gardening would provide more benefits for women and low-income gardeners,” Dr. Ramaswami, co-author of the Princeton University study, tells Food Tank. She explains that home gardening was the only activity studied that had a greater impact on emotional wellbeing for women and people with low income, compared to men and people with medium-and high incomes.
Jasmine Jefferson, founder of Black Girls With Gardens, also believes that gardening can be a tool for self-care. An online platform, Black Girls With Gardens provides education, support, inspiration, and community for women of color interested in gardening.
Jefferson noticed that her website has gained popularity since COVID-19, as more Black women began home gardening.
“Gardening is an act of self-preservation for Black women,” Jefferson tells Food Tank. “We are able to release our rage in the soil and still not be judged by nature.
Despite the benefits of home gardening, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities have been systematically disenfranchised from growing their own food, Jefferson says. She argues that food deserts, lack of access to quality soil and compost, and white-dominated gardening groups with expensive membership dues all work to keep women of color out of gardening.
“We are resisting systematic racist policies and procedures…when we make the space to grow our own food,” Jefferson tells Food Tank. “Black women deal with very stressful environments, high anxiety, and trauma on [a] daily basis. Gardening can be the escape black women need from that harsh reality of the world.”
Katell Ané (she/her) studies International Relations at the University of Edinburgh, focusing on the global politics of food. Her interests in food insecurity in her hometown led her to volunteer with FairShare CSA Coalition, a nonprofit working to create a more sustainable food system in Wisconsin by promoting the Community Supported Agriculture model. Since working with FairShare, Katell has been passionate about changing food systems to address broader questions of racial and migrant justice, health disparities, and Native sovereignty. She spends her free time hiking, dancing, and marveling at heirloom vegetable varieties.PREVIOUS ARTICLE
Activated charcoal is something you will see in most health stores. While most people now go straight towards something like CBD oil for all their ailments, there’s a lot to be said for activated charcoal. For those that don’t know, it is a black powder that stops toxins from being absorbed into the stomach by binding itself to them. It is something used in hospitals if somebody suffers from alcohol poisoning. As the body cannot absorb charcoal, the toxins in your body bind to the charcoal, which will then leave your body in the form of feces. But what else can we use this underestimated supplement for?
Benefits Teeth Whitening and Oral Health
Many people struggle to find affordable dentists these days that will give good advice on brushing teeth. Many people look to making their teeth whiter. And there are many teeth whitening products out there that contain activated charcoal. It’s believed that oral health products with activated charcoal may be detoxifying, antibacterial, and antiviral.
Reduces Intestinal Gas and Diarrhea
Studies have shown that people that had excessive gas in their intestines reduced this by taking activated charcoal and had improved symptoms. And because it is used as an adsorbent in cases of poisoning and overdoses, activated charcoal might prevent diarrhea by absorbing the toxins from bacteria and drugs that can cause diarrhea.
It Can Help Kidney Function
It may be able to help kidney function by filtering out and digested toxins. Activated charcoal needs more research but it appears to be very effective at removing toxins derived from urea. While more research is needed studies have shown that activated charcoal might help reduce gastrointestinal damage and improve kidney function for those who have chronic kidney disease.
It Can Be a Deodorant
It is an ingredient in deodorant. As charcoal might absorb smells and harmful gases it becomes an ideal underarm deodorant. As it can absorb excess moisture and supposedly control humidity in small ways, it may prove very beneficial to those who have issues with body odor.
It Can Help With Skin Infection
Various traditional medicine practitioners use activated charcoal to treat tissue conditions like skin infections. Activated charcoal can absorb the harmful microbes from wounds which has an antibacterial effect.
Can Help With Food Intolerances
For people who have food intolerances like gluten, taking activated charcoal after consuming foods they have a reaction to can minimize the absorption of toxins. While this is not beneficial to those who have extreme reactions such as celiac disease, for those that have a low-level intolerance to foods like gluten, they will feel the benefits upon taking activated charcoal soon after food.
While activated charcoal can yield many benefits, it’s important to not overdo it. For example, if you take medication, having activated charcoal within 2 hours of consuming it may render the medication ineffective. Activated charcoal can certainly help in small doses of toxicity, especially after eating foods, but it’s important to use sparingly and always follow the instructions on the packet. Use it right and it may help you in many areas of your life.
Getting into a fitness routine, pushing yourself, and reaching your goals takes a lot of time and energy, as well as a big commitment to yourself and your health. So when your health suffers, either through an injury or an illness, it can really set you back and put you right back at square one.
Feeling like you’ve got to start over with your fitness is a common feeling, and it can really affect your confidence. Whether you feel like you can’t do it or that things are harder than they used to be, it’s important to get back on that horse. Exercise will help improve your physical health and boost your mental health, and it can be a welcome part of your routine once you’ve found your feet again.
Here is some advice to help you regain the confidence to work out when you’ve suffered a setback.
While it’s understandable that you’ll want to be back where your fitness used to be, it isn’t going to happen overnight. If you try to move too quickly, you could end up injured or losing further confidence from not getting the same results as you once did.
Start by setting yourself some manageable fitness goals, aims you can work towards slowly, helping you to regain technique and basic fitness first. From increasing the times of your workouts to making it to the gym a certain number of times a week, start with goals that are realistic before building up to bigger ones.
Choose workout clothes that help your performance
The workout clothes you wear can help you feel more confident about working out. You should choose items that are comfortable, supportive, and can help keep you cool too. Treating yourself to some new outfits will help you feel in a better mindset for working out. Brands are more attune to the different needs of people now, so you can find great selections for curvier shapes, as well as amputee leggings and other items that can help give you a boost. Always make sure you have the right type of shoes for your workout to make sure you’re better protected against injury.
Ease yourself in, and consider working with someone else
Fitness is something that needs to be built up over time. So if you’re getting back into things after a long period away, ease yourself in gently. Walking and swimming can be gentle, effective exercises to start until you’re feeling fitter and stronger. Take a look at fitness plans from others in your position to see how they’ve eased themselves back into exercise.
It can also help if you work out with someone else, such as a friend or personal trainer who can help make sure you’ve got the right form to prevent injury, as well as help you train as needed.
If, for any reason, you feel pain – stop! Consult your doctor or take a rest to stop yourself from overdoing things.
Exercise is something that can help you begin to feel a semblance of normality, helping you form a routine and get back into activities that you once enjoyed. Take it slow, put your health first, and soon you’ll see your confidence creeping back up as you start to reach your goals once more.
From the outside looking in, Thomas Rhett and his wife, Lauren Akins, seem to have a nearly perfect relationship, however, it hasn’t always been easy.
The country star opened up about his relationship with his wife during an interview on The Bobby Bones Show, revealing that the couple turned to marriage counseling after a “hard” moment in their lives. Referring to Akins’ new memoir, Live In Love, Rhett said the book had “parts where I wish I wasn’t made out to look like such a jerk.”
The “Be A Light” singer continued on to explain some of the challenges the couple faced throughout the adoption process for their now 4-year-old daughter Willa Gray. At the time, Akins was traveling to Uganda while pregnant with their now 3-year-old daughter, Ada James.
“Lauren called me because it was 9 o’clock in the morning in Uganda and…she hears all of her friends in the background. Meanwhile, Lauren is seven months pregnant and throwing up in a bathroom in Uganda,” he said. “That was when Lauren was like, ‘We are living two completely separate lives right now.'”
“That was a really humbling experience for me, just knowing what she was dealing with in a sense of aloneness while I’m kind of living life as usual,” Rhett added. “That part was really hard for us, for sure. Kind of getting over that and going through some therapy, especially over that one night.”
“Coming on the other side of that, I feel like I learned so much from that experience. It made me know that, in a marriage, you do have to figure stuff out. You have to talk about it. You’ve gotta be real about it. You’ve gotta be honest about it.”
Rhett and Akins, who also share a 6-month-old daughter, Lennon Love, hope their story helps other couples.
I care for my 92-year-old gramps and have been here for five weeks. He had three surgeries in seven days. Without Caregiving 101 training, I learned the hard way.
*Ask the doctor what happens if the procedure does not work.
*If a second procedure does not work, is there a third option.
*What is the recovery time and type of home health services needed.
*Is the surgery necessary for a 92-year-old who is already dying!
Gramps went in for non-invasive surgery, nothing prepared me for the outcome. I’ve been through several surgeries with gramps. This procedure had not been performed before however, it sounded like the least complicated procedure to date. I forgot nothing is normal or non-invasive at 92 years old. We went from going home that afternoon, to having three surgeries over seven days. I made the mistake of thinking the procedure would go as in the past. Age makes all the difference, five years at this stage of Kidney Failure can change everything.
I’m blessed to spend this time with gramps, we still have a long road ahead. It is emotional and life-changing. I’ve become the parent and he doesn’t like me telling him when to take his medicine. He has raised his voice more in the past month than in my lifetime. It’s hard to take it in stride, just bite the tongue. Stress has triggered my depression, I struggle to keep myself in check and take care of my gramps.
It’s surprising how physical grief can be. Your heart literally aches. A memory comes up that causes your stomach to clench or a chill to run down your spine. Some nights, your mind races, and your heart races along with it, your body so electrified with energy that you can barely sleep. Other nights, you’re so tired that you fall asleep right away. You wake up the next morning still feeling exhausted and spend most of the day in bed.
Amy Davis, a 32-year-old from Bristol, TN, became sick with grief after losing Molly, a close 38-year-old family member, to cancer. “Early grief was intensely physical for me,” Davis says. “After the shock and adrenaline of the first weeks wore off, I went through a couple of months of extreme fatigue, with nausea, headaches, food aversion, mixed-up sleep cycles, dizziness, and sun sensitivity. It was extremely difficult to do anything. … If there’s one thing I want people to know about grief, it’s how awful it can make your body feel.”
What causes these physical symptoms? A range of studies reveal the powerful effects grief can have on the body. Grief increases inflammation, which can worsen health problems you already have and cause new ones. It batters the immune system, leaving you depleted and vulnerable to infection. The heartbreak of grief can increase blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. Intense grief can alter the heart muscle so much that it causes “broken heart syndrome,” a form of heart disease with the same symptoms as a heart attack.
Stress links the emotional and physical aspects of grief. The systems in the body that process physical and emotional stress overlap, and emotional stress can activate the nervous system as easily as physical threats can. When stress becomes chronic, increased adrenaline and blood pressure can contribute to chronic medical conditions.
Research shows that emotional pain activates the same regions of the brain as physical pain. This may be why painkilling drugs ranging from opioids to Tylenolhave been shown to ease emotional pain.
Normal vs. Pathological Grief
Depression is not a normal part of grief, but a complication of it. Depression raises the risk of grief-related health complications and often requires treatment to resolve, so it’s important to know how to recognize its symptoms. Sidney Zisook, MD, a grief researcher and professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, says people can distinguish normal grief from depression by looking for specific emotional patterns.
“In normal grief, the sad thoughts and feelings typically occur in waves or bursts followed by periods of respite, as opposed to the more persistent low mood and agony of major depressive disorder,” Zisook says.
He says people usually retain “self-esteem, a sense of humor, and the capacity to be consoled or distracted from the pain” in normal grief, while people who are depressed struggle with feelings of guilt and worthlessness and a limited ability “to experience or anticipate any pleasure or joy.”
Complicated grief differs from both depression and normal grief. M. Katherine Shear, MD, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University’s School of Social Work and director of its Center for Complicated Grief, defines complicated grief as “a form of persistent, pervasive grief” that does not get better naturally. It happens when “some of the natural thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that occur during acute grief gain a foothold and interfere with the ability to accept the reality of the loss.”
Symptoms of complicated grief include persistent efforts to ignore the grief and deny or “rewrite” what happened. Complicated grief increases the risk of physical and mental health problems like depression, anxiety, sleep issues, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and physical illness.
How Does Avoidance Harm Your Health?
Margaret Stroebe, PhD, a bereavement researcher and professor of clinical psychology at Utrecht University, says that recent research has shed light on many of “the cognitive and emotional processes underlying complications in grieving, particularly rumination.”
Research shows that rumination, or repetitive, negative, self-focused thought, is actually a way to avoid problems. People who ruminate shift attention away from painful truths by focusing on negative material that is less threatening than the truths they want to avoid. This pattern of thinking is strongly associated with depression.
Rumination and other forms of avoidance demand energy and block the natural abilities of the body and mind to integrate new realities and heal. Research by Stroebe, and others shows that avoidance behavior makes depression, complicated grief, and the physical health problems that go with them more likely. Efforts to avoid the reality of loss can cause fatigue, weaken your immune system, increase inflammation, and prolong other ailments.
How Do Role Adjustments Affect Your Health?
When someone close to you dies, your social role changes, too. This can affect your sense of meaning and sense of self.
Before losing Molly, Davis says she found a personal sense of value in “being good at helping other people and taking care of them.” But after Molly died, she felt like she “couldn’t help anyone for a while.” Losing this role “dumped the bucket” of her identity “upside down.” Davis says, “I felt like I had nothing to offer. So I had to learn my value from other angles.”
Caregivers face especially complicated role adjustments. The physical and emotional demands of caregiving can leave them feeling depleted even before a loved one dies, and losing the person they took care of can leave them with a lost sense of purpose.
“Research shows that during intense caregiving periods, caregivers not only experience high levels of stress, they also cannot find the time and energy to look after their own health,” says Kathrin Boerner, PhD, a bereavement researcher and professor of gerontology at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.
“This can result in the emergence of new or the reemergence of existing ‘dormant’ health problems after the death of the care recipient. These health issues may or may not be directly related to the caregiver’s grief experience, but they are likely related to the life situation that was created through the demands of caregiving,” Boerner says.
It can be hard to make life work again after a close family member dies. Losing a partner can mean having to move out of a shared home or having to reach out to other loved ones for help, which can further increase emotional stress and worry. Strobe says the stress of adjusting to changes in life and health during and after a loss can “increase vulnerability and reduce adaptive reserves for coping with bereavement.”
What Can You Do to Cope With Grief?
Emotional and physical self-care are essential ways to ease complications of grief and boost recovery. Exercising, spending time in nature, getting enough sleep, and talking to loved ones can help with physical and mental health.
“Most often, normal grief does not require professional intervention,” says Zisook. “Grief is a natural, instinctive response to loss, adaptation occurs naturally, and healing is the natural outcome,” especially with “time and the support of loved ones and friends.”
For many people going through a hard time, reaching out is impossible. If your friend is in grief, reach out to them.Amy Davis
Grief researchers emphasize that social support, self-acceptance, and good self-care usually help people get through normal grief. (Shear encourages people to “plan small rewarding activities and try to enjoy them as much as possible.”) But the researchers say people need professional help to heal from complicated grief and depression.
Davis says therapy and physical activities like going for walks helped her cope. Social support helped most when friends tried to reach out instead of waiting or asking her to reach out to them.
“The thing about grief and depression and sorrow and being suicidal is that you can’t reach out. For many people going through a hard time, reaching out is impossible. If your friend is in grief, reach out to them. Do the legwork. They’re too exhausted!”
Davis’ advice to most people who are grieving is to “Lean into it. You only get to grieve your loved one once. Don’t spend the whole time trying to distract yourself or push it down. It does go away eventually, and you will miss feeling that connected to that person again. And if you feel like your whole life has fallen apart, that’s fine! It totally has. Now you get to decide how to put yourself back together. Be creative. There’s new life to be lived all around you.
Melinda
Reference:
WEB MD
By Stephanie Hairston
“WebMD News Special Report Reviewed by Neha Pathak, MD on July 11, 2019
This walker is so sturdy and lightweight. I can get it out of the trunk without problems. The basket is large enough for a water bottle and a scarf, or light jacket not much more. It is comfortable to sit on and is adjustable to your height.
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.
I can’t live without my WaveLife Energy Cell. It’s versatile and can be used in most places on the body and last for six months, making it a great investment in your health. I focus on my arthritis and left knee which is in need of replacement surgery. I have used the stick-on patches that came with and now use whatever tape I have in the medicine cabinet. As mentioned in my review, I start to see relief in about 20 minutes and can oftentimes reduce the number of pain pills I take a day while wearing. Here is my review of the WaveLife Energy Cell.
Ease Magnesium Spray contains 100% of the purest form of magnesium chloride hexahydrate – an essential mineral your body needs in good supply to keep more than over 330 enzymatic functions working optimally. The liquid magnesium mineral does not leave any sticky residue on your skin and goes on smoothly and easily to perfectly supply the exact amount of pure magnesium your body needs. Magnesium is a calming ancient mineral, sourced from the Dead Sea, that nourishes your nervous system.
I love this spray and use it on my hands all day long. I use on my hands, knees, and other arthritis spots at night. It drys fast without any residue and my Aromalief Hemp Pain Cream goes over and soaks right in.
The capacity is large enough to fit your daily hydration needs. You can also store coffee or any other liquids. The stainless steel repels any lingering flavors. Put your portable sports water bottle in your gym bag or the side pouch of your backpack or as your daily companion.
This Sierra bottle by MIRA is a whopping 40 ounces! I load up with ice three times a day, refill and drink all day long, it’s perfectly insulated with no sweating. It’s so insulated that whenever I leave water overnight it’s cold enough to drink the next morning. It’s easy to get enough to drink each day knowing it’s 40 ounces.
Quercetin is a pigment that belongs to a group of plant compounds called flavonoids.
They’ve been linked to several health benefits, including reduced risks of heart disease, cancer, and degenerative brain disorders (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
The beneficial effects of flavonoids like quercetin come from their ability to function as antioxidants inside your body (3Trusted Source).
Quercetin is a supplement recommended by my Lyme doctor to boost the immune system and help ward off COVID 19. I bought this brand due to the concentration levels of Quercetin compared to other brands.
This post may contain an affiliate links that don’t cost you extra to use and help supply my coffee habit.
What are some of the items or services you use every day to help with your health?
Recently I have become addicted to Tik Tok, I’m not proud of it but they say the first step of beating an addiction is admitting you have one. So here I am. Haha I’m totally kidding but I really do love watching Tik Tok videos. A few months ago I stumbled across a page where […]
A microfiber wand beside the bed hasn’t been touched in days. The amount of dust in the house is a full-time job I can’t work.
I’m so glad only to have four-legged kids to get on my nerves and wear out my patients.
My body doesn’t hurt as bad as the muscles tense and twitching. Hip pain is now on both sides, I wonder if Osteoporosis has moved to the left hip. My shoulder has decided to ache all the time making it difficult to sleep.
I noticed more wrinkles on the face today, feeling old again.
Self-care has gone by the wayside this week, too tired to care.
My mental health is good surprisingly for being in the middle of a pandemic in a state with rising numbers.
I have canceled all doctor’s appointments out of fear of the virus, have only had three face to face visits and two lab trips since March. So many health issues and follow-ups are slipping behind.
I’ve had hives for two months, General Doctor is trying medication before referring me to a Dermatologist. I’m taking two histamine blockers and steroids, still no change. Have scars from the scratching. I have cut out all supplements except probiotics, calcium, and a multivitamin. Had just started several herbal supplements for the immune system. Don’t think there’s a connection but can’t come up with anything to set the hives off.
Trying to decide if all the symptoms are Fibromyalgia or a Lyme relapse or both.
Over the past decade or so, the divorce rate has been increasing, and in some areas quite rapidly at that. This is an unfortunate stat and statistic but a very real one, so why is the divorce rate reaching such a high level?
The recession
At present, the economy is suffering because of the impact of the recession from COVID-19, and this can cause a lot of financial strain on individuals. If finances are running low, people become stressed and worried and this can cause a lot of arguments with the blame being shifted from one individual to another. This can lead to cracks in a relationship and result in the unfortunate occurrence of a divorce.
More lenient divorce laws
The rules and laws concerning separation and divorce are much more tolerant than they once were, which means that getting divorced is much easier. Years ago those who desired to get separated had to have a legitimate purpose for requiring this, for instance, cheating or abuse, however, nowadays all states in America have adopted a no-fault divorce law, meaning you do not need a reason to separate from your partner via law.
More independent women
In the past there was a distinct role between men and women; men were the breadwinners and women stayed at home and looked after the house and children. Nowadays that notion has been well and truly challenged and many women are the main breadwinners in the house. This can lead to added conflict and result in many arguments and possibly divorce.
Less traditional views
In the past, people tended to stay together because of concern they could be looked down on and even ignored. Nevertheless, now society is much more accepting of people who divorce and do not see it as a type of problem. With countless family members and friends being supportive of divorce, most couples know that if the worst happens, a comprehensive support system will surround them. Plus, empathic professional support is available from the likes of Brown & Dahan, LLP and others.
Media celebrating divorce
Another reason is that divorce is so present in our everyday lives because of the media. Every day you see a different celebrity having marriage problems or going through a divorce e.g. Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Anniston. This has an impact on individuals as they read this information and so they see divorce thru a different lens. If their favorite star can go through a divorce and be an independent woman, why can’t they? Divorce can often be glamorized by the media rather than frowned upon, if celebrities don’t see divorce as such a big deal we should we?
Many people with Lyme disease are incorrectly diagnosed as having fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. In my Seattle practice, before I became a Lyme disease physician, my main focus was treating fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. In 2004 one of my patients asked for Lyme disease testing. Her pcr test for Lyme came back positive. This got me thinking that others in my practice could have Lyme disease too. So I tested everyone in my practice for Lyme that had a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome. I discovered that 30 percent of my patients actually had Lyme disease causing their problems.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are diagnosed when no other cause of fatigue or muscle achiness can be found. They are both a diagnosis of exclusion. This means we exclude any other causes of these problems.
If someone actually has Lyme disease causing muscle pains or fatigue, then it is no longer correct to say they have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. They actually have Lyme disease causing muscle aches or severe fatigue and all the other symptoms associated with these two diagnoses.
Patient Beware
Be aware the current trend in medicine is to label fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue associated with an infection as post-infection chronic fatigue syndrome or post-infection fibromyalgia. Physicians use this term to imply that an initial infection triggered the health problem – but the infection is no longer active and causing the problem.
While this can be true with many infections, Lyme disease infection can persist and lead to ongoing health problems. Thus, it is wrong to call people with active Lyme infection as having post-infection chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. They actually may have an active infection leading to health problems. These patients actually have chronic Lyme disease.
How to Tell You Have Chronic Lyme Disease
First, you should know 50 percent of people with chronic Lyme do not remember a tick bite. And at least 30 percent of people do not remember the classic bullseye rash. So it is very important to get proper testing.
But testing is extremely complicated. The standard way most physicians test for Lyme is to perform a two-step test method involving an elisa test. If the elisa is positive, then another test called a western blot is performed to determine if the elisa is correct. But here is the problem, studies show that nearly 50 percent of elisa testing will miss Lyme disease when someone has it.
In my practice, I use a test by IGenex called the Immunoblot. This test looks to see if a person has antibodies against eight kinds of Lyme bacteria. According to IGenex validation studies, this method can find Lyme when it is present 95 percent of the time. For more information about Lyme testing and this specific method read A Review of Lyme Infection Tests: Pass or Fail.
Making a diagnosis of Lyme disease is complicated. It is possible to diagnose Lyme disease, even when testing is negative. For more information about how to diagnose Lyme disease especially when testing is negative see How to Diagnose Chronic Lyme Disease, More Than A Test.
A Few Words About Lyme Disease Treatment
If you discover you have Lyme instead of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome this means you have a great chance to improve your health. As you consider your treatment options, be aware recovering from Lyme requires more than antibiotics. To recover most people have to address additional imbalances and health assaults that contribute to the illness. For a list of possible things you should address see What is Lyme Disease? A Mess of Things. In The Ross Lyme Support Protocol, I lay out a full treatment approach that addresses the most important issues to improve your health.
Disclaimer
The ideas and recommendations on this website and in this article are for informational purposes only. For more information about this, see the sitewide Terms & Conditions.
It’s all too easy to let your garden go to waste when you don’t put enough time into using it properly. Many people specifically choose homes with outdoor spaces, only to let their garden become overgrown and unusable after just a few short months. Of course, though, a big part of this problem is simply knowing how to use your garden effectively. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some easy ways to make your garden the ideal space for pilates, yoga, and just about any other static exercise. You don’t need any extra equipment once you’ve gotten started.
Clear A Space
The first part of this journey is going to involve clearing a space for your pilates area. You won’t need too much room for this, with just enough space for you and your friends to do your exercises while maintaining proper social distance. The more people you have, the more space you will need, and this can often mean having to break into parts of the garden that can long be taken over by nature. Tree removal, weed services, and even landscaping companies can help you with this process, making it possible to make a good start on this side of your garden.
Add Some Ambience
Once you’ve made space, it will be time to start making your garden feel extra relaxing. There are loads of ways to do this, but you want to make sure that your changes are ambient, rather than sticking out and demanding attention. Water fountains, wind chimes, and speakers can be used to generate sound that will make your garden feel natural and open, while different materials can be used to highlight different aspects of your garden. Many people go over the top when they are doing this, but it is worth keeping in mind that you’re trying to capture nature, rather than making your space feel like a disco.
Start Planning
Planning your pilates area will always be a good idea as you go through this process. You need to think about when you’re going to use it, building a routine that will make it easier to keep up with your exercise. Alongside this, though, it can also be good to think about who will be joining you for each workout. Having friends to enjoy a space like this with you will always improve the way that it feels and the use you’re able to get out of it. Of course, though, you will need to take the first step and invite people if you’re going to find success.
With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to get started on making your garden perfect for pilates. Having a space for activities like this can make it much easier to keep on top of them and continue your good work. Of course, though, at the same time, and a lot of people find themselves struggling when they get to points like this, and you may need some help from friends along the way.
Actress and comedian Amy Schumer is being treated for Lyme disease
Actress and comedian Amy Schumer has announced on Instagram that she’s being treated for Lyme disease.
“Anyone get LYME this summer? I got it and I’m on doxycycline,” she wrote. “I have maybe had it for years. Any advice? Can you have a glass of wine or 2 on it?”
“I know to stay out of the sun. I’m also taking these herbs from cape cod called lyme-2,” Schumer continued, asking followers to comment with their own experience with Lyme disease. “I also want to say that I feel good and am excited to get rid of it.”
Amy Schumer is a cousin to Chuck Schumer, the Minority Leader of the US Senate. Senator Schumer has also had Lyme disease.
Raven Hughes is Chicago born and LA living, this songwriter/poet/writer keeps her words grounded, yet romantic. She is full of reflection and wisdom and typically writes about… Read full bio
Since the #metoo movement started, I’ve begun remembering so many instances when I was played that I didn’t even register at the time.
My chest burns, like when you have acid reflux. One of you talked about being manipulated, gaslighted, cheated on, and lied to. My own past stories began echoing through all the veins in my body until the whole house shook. One of you checked in with me because you had seen him out; he reminded you of me; I can’t seem to escape him.
I have always been the type to call someone a friend. Even if we’d only met a couple of times, they were a friend if I liked them. I am different now.
Being a victim can really make you wonder what you did wrong sometimes. I know now that I love too much—for too long.
Isn’t that what we all do? We all love them too much. We fall for the handsome black hole dangling a carrot in front of our face. We go toward it with wonder and shock as we realize every step is atop eggshells. These emotionally manipulative people have a way of being so convincing.
They show their best face as much as possible so that when they are busted with their double life, you can’t even believe it. They always have a good explanation for everything. The dark side is so secretive most of their closest friends don’t even see it. But, if you leave them or call them out, they will act like they don’t know what happened (or worse, say crazy stuff about you).
Then I think about how bad some of these #metoo stories are, and I try to minimize my pain. Push it back down, I beg myself. These feelings aren’t allowed. I know, from childhood, I am only loved when I am happy. Push it down.
We believe because we trust and love. And maybe behind every narcissist is an optimistic person with a dream of curing their abandonment issues. But, without fail, when you look on their phone, this is the kind of person who has voicemails, texts, and emails from about 10 other people.
Or maybe they will randomly message (to check-in and see how we’re doing in quarantine). Or a mutual coworker will catch them on Tinder, and they’ll say it was deleted years before; it must be trapped in the system. And we will believe it.
My hurt is so deep and so vast and expansive—it is coming up. It’s coming up so fast, that bitter acid in my chest. The feeling of an elephant standing on my stomach and the pressure exploding behind my eyes in my head. So many women are coming forward about their abusers, and the men are being forced to see the pain they have caused. But the emotional abuser, the cheater, is probably just fine—they’re living their best life.
We have been hurt so badly, but we would still be the one forgiving them and saying, “Hi,” when we run into one another. How can we stay mad at someone who is so “nice” on the exterior? And then we are left wondering, “How can one man juggle so much?”
The truth is that they will most likely get away with this forever. They are unassuming and nonthreatening.
The tears won’t stop. They will continue to explode from our eyes—hard and fast with all the pressure of our pain beneath them.
Personally, my tears are for all of us; we all know this type of man, the one who never tells the truth—not even once. My tears are for the sad truth that our only thought on the abuse and betrayal is, “At least he didn’t rape me.”
Your home should be a haven for you and your family. But we think you’ll agree this isn’t always the case. Indeed, it’s possible and in some cases even common to encounter numerous issues with your home. You need to be prepared for these possibilities with the right solutions and that’s where this article is going to help you a great deal.
An Infestation
One of the nightmares that you could experience is an infestation of some sort. These are actually extremely common, and you want to try and avoid letting it get any worse, as soon as you notice a problem you’ve got to call a professional like Mosquito Authority, of course depending on what the pest is. If you notice one bug, this isn’t really a cause for concern, but if you notice the same bug over and over again, you know there’s probably an issue. You can try to find the source yourself, but this could take you a long time and you still might never find it. At least if you hire a professional, you know that the problem will be dealt with quickly and efficiently.
But can you take precautions to prevent it? Sadly, the answer is not really. In some cases, if you keep your home clean as much as possible you’re less likely to experience this problem, but that isn’t the case with all pests. Some will come no matter what the state or your home, so it’s not a foolproof plan.
It’s absolutely vital that you fix a problem with the roof as soon as you notice an issue. Usually, an issue with the roof will be a small yet significant hole. This could be small enough that it only lets in water or large enough that insects and pests can breakthrough. Regardless, it could cause major headaches and health issues for you. Water leaking into your home can bring the issue of damp and potentially even flooding. As well as costing you thousands in repairs, it might also make it impossible to sell your property until the problem is resolved. Problems with the roof are why you should always check your roof after a storm or a period of bad weather. You can use a professional team to complete this task for you and ensure that there aren’t any problems that need to be addressed.
Of course, one of the easiest ways to check for issues is to head up into the attic and try to see if there is any natural light creeping through where it shouldn’t be.
Flooding
Since we already mentioned water dripping through the roof, it’s also worth exploring the problem of flooding. Usually, an issue with flooding will start in the basement and it could be because water is building up outside your home, pressing on the foundations. When this occurs, the water begins to seep into the property. If it is left alone it will lead to a problem with flooding. You can take preventive action here by speaking to a landscaper. They will be able
to alter the permeability of the ground around your home. Alternatively, they can change the level of the ground to ensure that water drains away from your home rather than towards it.
It’s perhaps worth noting that a sump pump is the best way to handle water once it is inside your home. You do need to make sure that you have a working sump pump in your property. Be aware that most insurance companies won’t even cover your home if there isn’t a sump pump that is functional.
Finally, mold is a problem that is often overlooked by homeowners who assume it’s not a massive issue. But it can be a nightmare because of the health issues that it could cause. This is particularly true if you have young children. Research has shown that mold can lead to breathing difficulties and similar problems. This is due to the spores that are released into the air. Luckily, it’s easier to deal with mold than other issues. You just need a dehumidifier to keep the moisture levels in your home at the right point.
We hope this helps you understand some of the nightmares that you can encounter around your home and the right way to deal with them. Remember, sometimes, the best option is going to be taking preventative action. With the right steps, you will be able to guarantee that these problems never plague your property.
I am offering FREE 20 minute sessions to coach your toughest challenges surrounding any type of change you would like to make in your life but have found it too hard to accomplish on your own.
Hi! Welcome to my blog! I assume that since you are here, you know somebody with a chronic illness and want to learn how to be there for them, or, maybe you have a chronic illness and you are looking for an article to send to somebody close to you, so they are able to […]
By BILL MADDEN NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |SEP 02, 2020 AT 8:09 PM
New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver poses for a photo in March 1968. (AP Photo) (Anonymous/AP)
The long goodbye has ended. The Mets’ “Franchise” is gone.
Tom Seaver, the greatest of all Mets who dropped out of public life in March of 2019 after being diagnosed with dementia died early Monday. According to family sources, Seaver, 75, died peacefully at his home in Calistoga, Calif., from complications from Lyme disease, dementia and COVID-19.
He leaves behind 311 victories, 3,640 career strikeouts, three Cy Young Awards and countless millions New York baseball fans who forever cherish the memories of the Miracle Mets 1969 championship season and his starring role in it.
“We are heartbroken to share that our beloved husband and father has passed away,” said his wife Nancy Seaver and daughters Sarah and Anne in a statement to the Baseball Hall of Fame. “We send our love out to his fans, as we mourn his loss with you.”
In the annals of baseball there will never be a more improbable World Series champion than the ’69 Mets, who had never had a winning season since their inception in 1962. Seaver was the catalyst, the ace of a young and talented pitching staff that included Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan and Gary Gentry, who all blossomed together. Leading the league with 25 wins en route to his first Cy Young Award, Seaver hurled eight consecutive complete game victories from Aug. 31-Sept. 27 as the Mets rallied from as far back as 10 games behind on Aug. 13 to chase down Leo Durocher’s Cubs. The pivotal series which broke the slumping Cubs’ back was Sept. 8-9 at Shea Stadium in which Koosman out-pitched Chicago’s Bill Hands, 3-2 with a 13-strikeout effort in the first game, and Seaver, backed by homers from Donn Clendenon and Art Shamsky, triumphed over fellow future Hall of Famer, Ferguson Jenkins, in the second game to bring the Mets to one-half game of first place. They went into first place by sweeping a doubleheader from the Expos the next night and never relinquished it.
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Remembering the Hall of Fame career of Mets pitcher Tom Seaver
Earlier that season, on July 9 against the Cubs, Seaver pitched what he called the “greatest game of my career” in an emotionally-charged night at Shea when he took a perfect game into the ninth inning only to lose it on a one-out looping single to left-center field by unsung reserve outfielder, Jimmy Qualls. Seaver took two other no-hitters into the ninth inning in his career before finally succeeding, June 16, 1978, against the Cardinals while a member of the Reds.
After sweeping the Atlanta Braves, 3-0, in the ’69 National League Championship Series, the Mets completed their miracle season by upsetting the Orioles of Frank and Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer and Boog Powell, who’d led the majors with 109 wins, in the World Series. After giving up a game-opening homer to the Orioles’ Don Buford, Seaver was out-pitched by Mike Cuellar in Game 1, but redeemed himself mightily by holding the Orioles to one run in a 10-inning complete game victory in Game 4. The next day, Koosman hurled another complete game to clinch the Series.
It was sometime during the ’69 season that Jack Lang, the Met beat writer for the Long Island Press, began referring to Seaver as “Tom Terrific” in his game stories — a moniker that stuck for the rest of his career and beyond.
But there was so much more to the Seaver lore beyond the ’69 championship season, beginning in 1966 when he became an accidental Met. After growing up in Fresno, Calif., and graduating from high school, he got no college scholarship offers because he was too small. Instead, he decided to enroll in the Marine Corps reserves whereupon, in six months, he grew from 5-9, 160-pounds to 6-1, 210. Suddenly, he was a prospect, and in 1965 earned a scholarship to USC under the legendary coach Rod Dedeaux, and was 10-2 with 100 strikeouts in 100 innings.
The following January he was drafted by the Braves, the favorite team of his youth because of Hank Aaron, who he idolized. But after agreeing to a contract for $40,000, plus an additional $11,500 to complete his college education, Seaver suddenly found himself in no-man’s land. It seemed USC had already begun their new season when Seaver signed the contract, a violation of major league rules. Thus, the contract had to be voided, but at the same time, Seaver was now also ineligible to return to school. After his father, Charles, a world class amateur golfer who was a member of the 1932 Walker Cup team, threatened to sue baseball, Commissioner William Eckert resolved the issue by setting up a lottery in which any teams willing to match the Braves’ offer could participate for Seaver’s services. Only three teams, the Indians, Phillies and Mets, stepped forward and Eckert picked the Mets out of a hat.
Seaver spent only one year of minor league apprenticeship, earning a spot in the Mets rotation in 1967 where he proceeded to win National League Rookie of the Year honors with a 16-13 record and 2.76 ERA. When Gil Hodges took over as Mets manager in 1968, Seaver called it a transformational event in his career. He immediately bonded with the former standout Dodger first baseman and ex-Marine, and later said Hodges was the most influential person in his life after his father.
If there was one thing Seaver made clear when he joined the Mets it was that he wanted nothing to do with the “lovable losers” image they’d acquired ever since setting the major league record of 120 losses in 1962. When he beat the Dodgers, 5-2, June 3, 1969, to lift the Mets over .500 for the first time in their history, he seethed at a reporter’s question about it being worthy of a champagne celebration. “Champagne?” he snapped. “Five-hundred is nothing to celebrate. It’s mediocrity. Maybe Marv Throneberry and Rod Kanehl (two of the legendary inept ’62 Mets) will celebrate. But I had nothing to do with that. The only time for champagne is when we win a World Series.”
Beginning in 1968, Seaver set a slew of strikeout records. On April 22, 1970, he tied the major league record by striking out 19 San Diego Padres in one game, including another record 10 strikeouts in a row to finish it. From 1968-76, he set the all-time record of nine consecutive 200-strikeout seasons. His career total of 3,640 ranks sixth on the all-time list; his 61 shutouts tied for seventh with Ryan.
In 1970 and ’71, Seaver led the NL in both ERA (2.81 and 1.76) and strikeouts (283 and 289) but did not win the Cy Young Award. It wasn’t until 1973, when he led the Mets to their second World Series, with a 19-10 record and league leading 2.08 ERA, 18 complete games, 251 strikeouts and 0.976 WHIP, that he became the first pitcher to win the Cy Young without winning 20 games. He won his third and final Cy Young in 1975, leading the NL in wins (22-9) and strikeouts (243). But the following year, with the dawning of free agency in baseball, trouble with Mets upper management developed.
Seaver threw out the final Shea first pitch to Mike Piazza, who caught it. (Sipkin, Corey/New York Daily News)
As the Mets’ union representative, Seaver had worked hard to bring about a new system in baseball eliminating the reserve clause that had essentially bound players to their teams for life, and in that role incurred the enmity of Mets board chairman M. Donald Grant, who at one point during labor negotiations confronted him in the clubhouse and said: “What are you, a Communist?” At the end of the ’76 season, the two became embroiled in an increasingly nasty contract dispute, with Grant enlisting the support of the Daily News’ powerful sports columnist, Dick Young, to write a series of columns highly critical of Seaver. “Tom Tewwific is a pouting, griping, morale-breaking clubhouse lawyer, poisoning the team,” Young wrote in launching his offensive.
Despite being highly critical of Grant’s refusal to engage in the bidding for any of the premium free agents, Seaver made it clear to Mets owner Lorinda de Roulet he did not want to leave the Mets, and agreed to a three-year contract, with a base salary of $325,000 through 1978. But right before the June 15, 1977 trading deadline. Seaver became enraged with a column by Young that brought his wife, Nancy, into the fray: “Nolan Ryan is getting more now than Seaver, and that galls Tom because he Nancy Seaver and Ruth Ryan are very friendly and Tom Seaver has long treated Nolan Ryan like a little brother.”
That was it. Seaver called Mets GM Joe McDonald, screaming “get me out of here” and the next day, in what was dubbed the “Midnight Massacre”, Grant traded Seaver to the Reds for four players, pitcher Pat Zachry, second baseman Doug Flynn, and outfielders Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. Later that night he traded the Mets top slugger, Dave Kingman, to the Padres for Bobby Valentine.Mets’ Midnight Massacre trade of Tom Seaver still painfully unforgettable 40 years later »
In the New York newspapers of June 16, Grant and Young were universally pilloried for driving Seaver out of town, none more so than Young’s own Daily News in which columnist Pete Hamill wrote: “There is, of course, no way to discuss the departure of Tom Seaver without discussing the role of Dick Young. Nothing is more squalid than a quarrel between writers and I have too much respect for Young’s talents to want to pick a fight with him. But for almost two years Young has been functioning as a hit man for Mets management and in that role he helped drive a great ballplayer out of town, helped demoralize younger men and worst of all has demeaned his own talents.”
Seaver in his beloved vineyard in 2013. (Sarah Rice/For The New York Daily News)
Seaver went on to win 75 more games for the Reds from 1977-81, but after a bout with shoulder tendinitis in 1980 landed him on the disabled list for a month for the first time in his career, he was no longer a pure power pitcher. He was, however, still acknowledged as the smartest pitcher in the game. In the 1981 “split season” that was interrupted by a 50-day players strike, he led the NL in wins (14-2) while striking out only 87 batters in 166 1/3 innings.
It was ironically the element that ultimately settled the ’81 strike (which he helped negotiate) — indirect compensation to teams that lost free agents in the form of a pool of unprotected players — that led to Seaver’s second departure from the Mets three years later. Following an injury-plagued 5-13 season in ’82, it was agreed by Seaver and the Reds that they should part ways and a trade was worked out that sent him back home to the Mets for a second-line starting pitcher, Charlie Puleo.
It was, however, a terrible (68-94) Mets team Seaver rejoined in ’83, and though he was able to log over 200 innings for the first time since ’79, he had his second straight (9-14) losing record. Disappointing as that had been, it was nothing compared to the shock he incurred the following January when he was selected by the White Sox out of the free agent compensation pool after the Mets had incomprehensibly left him off their protected list. In taking full blame for the blunder, Mets GM Frank Cashen said he didn’t think the White Sox would take a 40-year-old pitcher, especially one like Seaver who was acknowledged to be a New York icon and the Mets’ “franchise” player.
Seaver won 15 games in 1984 for the White Sox including two in one day, May 9, when he was called upon to pitch the final inning of an eight-hour game that had been suspended from the night before, and then pitched 8 1/3 innings in his own scheduled start. The following year, he won 16 games for the White Sox. None of them were more notable, however, than August 4 against the Yankees when he upstaged Phil Rizzuto on his “day” at Yankee Stadium with his 300th career victory — a six-hit, seven strikeout complete game with the appropriate score of 4-1, his career uniform number.
Newspaper coverage played a vital role in the Mets trading Seaver. (Mathewson)
By then, Seaver had grown homesick and longed to go back to New York so he could spend more time with his wife and two daughters. After first engaging with George Steinbenner to no avail on a trade with the Yankees, White Sox general manager “Hawk” Harrelson was able to satisfy Seaver by sending him to the Red Sox, June 29, 1986, for infielder Steve Lyons. It was an injury-plagued 7-13 ’86 season for Seaver, however, and a knee issue consigned him to being spectator in the World Series against his old team, the Mets, when the Red Sox left him off their postseason roster.Tom Terrific’s decorated major league journey began 53 years ago today »
In May of ’87, at Cashen’s request, Seaver attempted a comeback with the Mets, hoping to end his career where it started, but it was not to be. After spending a couple of weeks trying to work his way back with the Mets’ Triple-A Norfolk team, Seaver concluded that he was regressing rather than progressing, and on June 22, 1987, announced his retirement at Shea Stadium. “I would have loved to help this team win another world championship,” he said, “but there are no more pitches in this 42-year-old arm. I’ve used them all up.” A year later, the Mets retired his No. 41, and his list of Met records — wins (198), complete games (171), shutouts (44), starts (395), innings (3,045), strikeouts (2,541) and ERA (2.57) — will likely stand forever.
In his post-playing career Seaver worked as an analyst in the WPIX Yankee broadcast booth from 1989-93 and later did the same with the Mets from 1999-2005, In 1992, he was elected to the Hall of Fame with the highest percentage (98.8%) ever to that time. “There were very few times in my career when I was speechless, but the magnitude that goes with the Hall of Fame and the numbers…I’m at a total disbelief at that percentage,” he said.
But as he later told intimates, broadcasting just wasn’t satisfying enough for him. He needed a new challenge and, in 1998, he told Nancy he wanted to move from their longtime home in Greenwich, Conn., to California and make wine. He purchased 115 acres of dense brush on the top of Diamond Mountain in Calistoga and created a vineyard where he produced cabernet sauvignon. In 2008, his GTS (for George Thomas Seaver) cabernet was accorded a 97 rating by the Wine Spectator.
Sadly, he was unable to fully enjoy his successful second career and new life as a California winemaker. Sometime around 2010-2011 he began having memory issues, mood swings and occasional flu-like symptoms. Fearing he’d had a stroke or was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, he did nothing about it. It wasn’t until one day in 2012 when he couldn’t remember the name of his head vineyard worker that Nancy insisted he see a doctor.
In March of 2013 Seaver revealed to the Daily News that he was suffering from a recurrence of the Lyme disease, which he first contracted in 1991 working in his garden in Greenwich. Because he had taken so long to get it diagnosed, doctors told him the damage to his brain was irreversible and his memory loss would likely gradually get worse. In October of 2018, he shut off communication with his friends. The following March the Hall of Fame put out a statement that Seaver was suffering from dementia. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and two daughters, Sarah and Anne.
If your only choice is seeing a General Practitioner for chronic or mental illness, you will have to take on the additional responsibility to make sure you’re getting the best healthcare. What you can’t expect is a General Practitioner to be a one-stop shop, they have 15 minutes per patient and treat the most common illnesses. Once your 15 minutes is up, you have to save questions for the next appointment. And while it may be particularly frustrating to have to leave, it can help you to get into the right mindset for research.
We’re not talking about Dr Google here (which can be a very dangerous rabbit hole to go down), but there can be changes in lifestyle and pain management that may work. It’s not a one size fits all approach, but there are remedies like CBD cream that could work (the https://www.health.com/condition/pain/best-cbd-cream-for-pain is a handy resource) or it could be about focusing on mindfulness or more natural techniques like embracing the cold, as has been popularized by people like Wim Hof in recent years. But these approaches shouldn’t replace the help a General Practitioner can provide, just as long as you go into each appointment prepared.
If seeing a General Practitioner for all your chronic illnesses, go into each meeting expecting three questions to get answered, if the conversation doesn’t go off track. Go prepared with questions, concerns or medicine issues but don’t expect more than 15 minutes unless your insurance company allows 30-minute appointments. I schedule 30 minutes with my GP on each visit, that lowers my stress level and allows us to talk more in-depth if needed.
Dr. Eva Sapi sent us her team’s new study that was partially funded by Lyme Warrior! In the past, solutions to Lyme disease have been limited partially because we cannot see or understand how biofilms react to treatment. Sapi’s team has uncovered a way to study the effect of ALL treatment methods on biofilms to help patients truly eliminate Lyme disease.
This study will allow researchers across the globe to better understand Lyme disease, biofilms, and how to permanently eradicate this disease for patients.Thank you for your support in making this amazing progress possible! We cannot wait to see the changes, advancements, and healing for patients this study fuels!Abstract: “Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, has been shown to form biofilm structures. Biofilms are tightly clustered microbes characterized as resistant aggregations that allow bacteria to withstand harsh environmental conditions, including the administration of antibiotics. Novel antibiotic combinations have recently been identified for B. burgdorferi in vitro, however, due to prohibiting costs, those agents have not been tested in an environment that can mimic the host tissue. Therefore, researchers cannot evaluate their true effectiveness against B. burgdorferi, especially its biofilm form. A skin ex vivo model system could be ideal for these types of experiments due to its cost effectiveness, reproducibility, and ability to investigate host–microbial interactions. Therefore, the main goal of this study was the establishment of a novel ex vivo murine skin biopsy model for B. burgdorferi biofilm research. Murine skin biopsies were inoculated with B. burgdorferi at various concentrations and cultured in different culture media. Two weeks post-infection, murine skin biopsies were analyzed utilizing immunohistochemical (IHC), reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), and various microscopy methods to determine B. burgdorferi presence and forms adopted as well as whether it remained live in the skin tissue explants. Our results showed that murine skin biopsies inoculated with 1 × 107 cells of B. burgdorferi and cultured in BSK-H + 6% rabbit serum media for two weeks yielded not just significant amounts of live B. burgdorferi spirochetes but biofilm forms as well. IHC combined with confocal and atomic force microscopy techniques identified specific biofilm markers and spatial distribution of B. burgdorferi aggregates in the infected skin tissues, confirming that they are indeed biofilms. In the future, this ex vivo skin model can be used to study development and antibiotic susceptibility of B. burgdorferi biofilms in efforts to treat Lyme disease effectively.”
YOU’RE INVITED!Join us for our 8th annual Revels and Revelations, a night of celebration and inspiration.Mental health conditions during the pandemic are disproportionately affecting young adults. Research shows that the prevalence of anxiety disorders has tripled since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our students need support now more than ever.
We hope you can join us!
For more information on ticket or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Nicole Bruno at nicole.b@bringchange2mind.org.
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Mental health conditions during the pandemic are disproportionately affecting young adults. Research shows that the prevalence of anxiety disorders has tripled since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our students need support now more than ever. 
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