Category: Men & Womens Health
Just Pondering
What’s your recipe for the perfect Fall day?
Melinda
What Really Matters in Life? — Guest Blogger Don’t Lose Hope
Trauma causes us to question our beliefs. Now there’s sand beneath our feet, not the solid ground we thought. When this happens in our life, we can feel destabilized. Everything’s been stripped away, nothing’s certain any more. It’s at desperate times like these when the scales fall from our eyes … that we learn important […]
What Really Matters in Life? — Don’t Lose Hope
4 Signs You Should Pay A Visit To A Medical Professional
Visiting your doctor is something that’s encouraged that you do every now and then, but is there really a need for it? Well, depending on the individual, you might have to either visit frequently or not at all. Your needs are most important, but it’s encouraged that you make sure you’ve had your health checked from time to time; and that you make time for the check-up when possible. It generally doesn’t take long to have your health checked, so even if you go once every few years, you can at least relax knowing you’re in good health.
It’s been a while
If you can’t remember the last time you visited a medical professional, that should be a good sign that you need to pay them a visit. It’s recommended that you make an attempt to visit at least every 2 years, or less depending on your health. If you’ve been perfectly healthy, some find it acceptable to only visit once every 5 years. In any case, if you’re concerned about your health since your last visit, you should make sure you schedule an appointment when you next have time.
You have persistent issues
You don’t have to call your doctor over every cough or sneeze, but when you’re having repeating conditions that don’t seem to stop – that’s when it should be concerning. There’s nothing wrong with having a common cough, it can be that and nothing else. If you’ve had a cough on and off for a month; you should consider contacting your doctor about it. Even if it’s just a phone call, giving yourself a moment to talk about it with a professional could give you some insight into it.
These problems won’t go away on their own, and if you leave them hoping that they will – they could get worse. A simple cough could turn into an infection, for which you’ll need antibiotics that your doctor can prescribe.
Embarrassing conditions
If there are any conditions you’ve noticed but are too embarrassed to do anything about, you should try to see a doctor regardless. A lot of medical professionals exercise discretion. For example, a sexual health clinic would make sure your symptoms or conditions are treated professionally and discretely. No matter the concern you have, embarrassing or not, you should make sure it gets checked.
Questions about medication
If you’ve recently considered taking on a new medication and you have pre-existing conditions or prescriptions, you should speak to your doctor about it. There are a lot of pills and capsules that will have negative effects on your health if the body is already experiencing something it clashes with. Go to your doctor with the new medication so that they can figure out whether or not it’s something you should take. If it does seem to cause problems with the pills you’re already taking, your doctor might prescribe alternatives that provide the same effect. In any case, you should leave it up to the medical professionals.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
Friday Quote 10/26/2021
Have a great weekend!
So glad you stopped by today and look forward to hearing your comments.
Melinda
Just Pondering
Think back to last year. What are some things that seemed so important then that don’t matter at all now?
Melinda
Live Well And Have A Healthy Life
Whether we like it or not, we’re all going to get older – it’s an inevitability. What isn’t an inevitability, however, are the sicknesses, aches and pains, and loss of memory that is often seen as part and parcel of getting old.
Although none of us can ever totally prevent the possibility of ill health, there are so many things we can all do to lower our personal risks and age as well as possible. Here are a few of the most effective:
Eat and drink well
It seems like this is always the advice, but the fact of the matter is that eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water while moderating your alcohol intake is the most important factor in your present and future health.
Eating a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and oily fish will ensure that you get all the vitamins and minerals you need to protect your health and keep your brain firing on all cylinders.
Do puzzles
Puzzles like crosswords and sudoku and memory games for seniors are not only a lot of fun, but they also help to keep your mind active. The more you use your brain on a daily basis, the fear brain cells you will lose as you age and the less likely you will be to develop issues like Alzheimer’s.
Obviously, when it comes to your health there are no guarantees, but a daily challenge to the brain could work wonders.
Take care of your teeth
You only get one set of adult teeth, so it’s really important that you do whatever you can to take care of them. As a minimum, you should brush and floss daily and see your dentist at regular intervals throughout the year. Doing this will not only help to protect against tooth loss and the wearing of dentures but since gum disease has been linked to illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, it could also help to prevent serious health issues too.
Be active
Ideally, if you want to age well, you should be active every single day of your life. Whether it’s going for a brisk walk after dinner or hitting the gym for a tough workout, you need to keep moving if you want to maintain bone density, prevent strokes, diabetes, and heart disease and maintain good mental health. Active seniors are also less likely to have fallen, so although you may not be a senior now, you need to put the work in so that when you are older, you’re better able to cope and your quality of life is vastly improved.
Schedule regular health appointments
Perhaps most importantly of all, if you want to age well, you should make an effort to look after your health by having regular physical exams, hearing tests, and preventative treatments. If you avoid healthcare professionals like the plague, you’re less likely to catch issues early before they become a bigger problem.
Live well and look after yourself now and you can expect to live well and have a great life as you get older!
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
Happy Thanksgiving
Why do Americans celebrate Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving started with our ancestors, the English pilgrims in 1621 as a festival to give thanks for the plentiful crops and successful year. Many countries today have Thanksgiving celebrations including, Canada, Germany and Korea. Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude.
What we know today as American Thanksgiving was first held in 1621 by the English pilgrims who were celebrating their first successful harvest. They held the occasion to thank God for the great harvest in the preceding year. The 16th president of the US, Abraham Lincoln, declared the event a national holiday in America in 1863 during the American civil war. He declared that the fourth Thursday of November should be set apart to give thanks to God in prayer. Now, Americans observe Thanksgiving to celebrate good health, blessings in their family, and prosperity. On this day, families come together and prepare different meals with turkey meat being a major part of the meal.
You are in my thoughts this Thanksgiving Holiday. You’ve shared your stories, pain, growth and comments with me this past year, I’m so thankful. My life would not be as full without you in it and that would be a shame.
Happy Thanksgiving
Melinda
Everyday Magic
Bella and Grace by Stampington
The most significant gifts are the small ones most easily overlooked. Small everyday blessings: woods, health, music, laughter, memories, books, family, friends, second chances, warm fireplaces, and all the footprints scattered throughout our days.
-Sue Monk Kidd
Enjoy your day!
Melinda
Daily Quote
Have a great day.
Melinda
What Not To Do When A Friend Is In Need
A good friend is there to offer a shoulder to cry on when it’s needed. Indeed, simply being there for a friend when they come to you with a problem can, in and of itself, be helpful to them. However, there are correct and incorrect ways to respond to problems. It doesn’t mean that the solution is always the same, but that there are definite ways you can worsen the situation before you improve it. Before you jump to help that friend, consider looking at the way that you respond to problems.
One of the most frustrating things you can do to someone who is expressing their emotions about any given experience is rush past those emotions to try and promote a solution as quickly as possible If someone is struggling with their mental health, the very first thing you should do is listen to them, take in their emotional response, and validate it. You might want to get to the solutions that can help them in no time, flat, but it’s not helping them to neglect their feelings.
Empathizing with your friend can be a good thing. It can help you develop some sense of shared perspective that can make it a little easier for them to open up about their problems. However, if you’re going to say something like this, you need to know the difference between empathy and compassion. Empathy is a quick reaction to a situation or emotional state that we see and can understand. Compassion is the deliberate attempt to understand their feelings and how they’re reacting to that situation or state. Don’t go off into stories about your own similar experiences or downplay their emotional response by stating that it affected you in a different and less harmful way. Even if you don’t mean to, you’re making it harder for them to be honest about their own feelings.
If you are a great problem solver and you do know a very concrete suggestion that will help them, you can share it. Make sure they’ve had the time to express their feelings and what they want to say, first. However, if you don’t have any great ideas for advice, then don’t feel like that you have to share them. Unsolicited advice can be a risky thing to give and that’s especially so if you don’t know what kind of advice to give.
Get an idea of “brutal honesty” out of your head. A lot of people go in with that mindset, but often what they get is brutality, not honesty. Even if you believe that your friend’s own mistakes led them to the predicament that they are in, who does it help to say as much? If you judge them when they are at their most vulnerable, that is what they will remember and, as a result, they’re less likely to come to you in the future. Check to make sure you’re not judgemental when trying to be helpful.
If your friend hasn’t opened up to you in such a way before then they can feel a little awkward and vulnerable about the way they have expressed themselves. You can reassure them that you are there to support them and that you are open to that kind of relationship by checking up on them and asking them how they are doing with the problem the next day. It shows that you’re genuinely interested in their wellbeing and can alleviate any feelings of guilt they might have about “burdening” you with their problems.
If you do think that you can play an active role in helping them with their problems, then that’s great. Rather than rushing to do it yourself, however, you should ask how you can support them. They might just want someone to listen to them, they might want someone to offer advice, or they might be open to more practical and hands-on assistance. The words “what can I do to help?” can be a very important step in making sure you’re not stepping on any toes.
Again, that you’re willing to listen to and help a friend is a great thing, by itself. But if you want to make sure that you are, indeed, being on the helpful side, you need to consider the above mistakes that you might be making.
This a collaborative post.
Melinda
Just Pondering
What is you favorite tea?
How long do you steep?
I’m getting my tea grove going now that the temps have cooled down.
Melinda
7 Ways of Dealing with the Winter Blues — Guest Blogger Coaching Skills International
Winter is a hard time for many of us. The days are dark and cold and the nights are long. No wonder we feel down and have to fight to change our mood. If this describes you, then maybe try the following: 1. Stay active – Make sure you build exercise into your life. 2. […]
7 Ways of Dealing with the Winter Blues — Coaching Skills International
Happy Anniversary Honey
Nineteen years ago we said I do in a small chapel in the snowy mountains. It was not our first but knew it was our forever. We had met just 11 months earlier, at New Years Eve party and from the beginning knew we were meant to be together.
We’ve been down many roads in our 20 years together but we’ve always gone down them side by side.
Happy Anniversary, Honey. I love you.
Your Wife
Melinda
Everyday Magic
Bella and Grace by Stampington
Close your eyes and think of the word “whimsy“.
What comes to mind?
Enjoy your day!
Melinda
A Moment of Joy — Guest Blogger Happy Healthy Me – a Journey
‘Look for the small things in life to bring joy’ – Confucius Joy! Just the word makes me feel happy! But did you know that experiencing moments of joy helps you think more clearly and helps you navigate through the difficult times? It’s actually a scientific fact! When you experience a moment of joy, your […]
A Moment of Joy — Happy Healthy Me – a Journey
National Diabetes Month
Did you know that one in five people with prediabetes in America don’t know they have it?
November is National Diabetes Month, a time when communities across the country team up to bring attention to diabetes. This year’s focus is on prediabetes and preventing diabetes.
Prediabetes is a serious health condition where your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. According to the CDC, more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults have prediabetes—that’s 88 million people—but the majority of people don’t know they have it.
The good news is that by making small healthy lifestyle changes, it is possible to prevent type 2 diabetes and even reverse your prediabetes.
Here are some tips to help manage prediabetes and prevent diabetes.
- Take small steps. Making changes to your lifestyle and daily habits can be hard, but you don’t have to change everything at once. It is okay to start small. Remember that setbacks are normal and do not mean you have failed—the key is to get back on track as soon as you can.
- Move more. Limit time spent sitting and try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity, 5 days a week. Start slowly by breaking it up throughout the day.
- Choose healthier foods and drinks most of the time. Pick foods that are high in fiber and low in fat and sugar. Build a plate that includes a balance of vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates. Drink water instead of sweetened drinks.
- Lose weight, track it, and keep it off. You may be able to prevent or delay diabetes by losing 5 to 7 percent of your starting weight.
- Seek support. It is possible to reverse prediabetes. Making a plan, tracking your progress, and getting support from your health care professional and loved ones can help you make the necessary lifestyle changes.
- Stay up to date on vaccinations. The COVID-19 (booster shot, if eligible) and flu vaccines are especially important for people who may be more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 or the flu, such as people with diabetes.
Resources for Patients with Prediabetes
- Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
- Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes
- Your Game Plan to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
- Choosing a Safe and Successful Weight-loss Program
- Staying Active at Any Size
- Understanding Adult Overweight & Obesity
Be sure to stay on top of your health with regular check-ins with your doctor.
Melinda
International Men’s Day
On November 19 International Men’s Day celebrates worldwide the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities. We highlight positive role models and raise awareness of men’s well-being. One of the six pillars of International Men’s Day is to improve gender relations and promote gender equality not only for men but for women too. In this light our theme for 2021 is “Better relations between men and women.”
GET INVOLVED
We provide suggestions on how you can celebrate International Men’s Day, and how to get your local community and council involved to create a community event and or a special award ceremony.
The month of November is important for the masculine soul because it gathers several events that are important to men. Movember is the month we focus on raising money for mens health. On November 20 we celebrate International Children’s day which then forms 48 hours of celebration for men and children, and the special relationship they share.
So we have plenty of reasons to celebrate International Mens Day. We invite you to check out our fact sheet on how to run a community event for International Mens Day. Feel free to use the International Mens Day Logo or adapt the IMD logo into your own language as the French have done.
You might like to thank some men who are positive male role models in your community and use our IMD Appreciation Award certificates. You can download our posters and other resources here.
International Men’s Day encourages men to teach the boys in their lives the values, character and responsibilities of being a man. Mahatma Gandhi said, “We must become the change we seek.” It is only when we all, both men and women, lead by example that we will create a fair and safe society which allows everyone the opportunity to prosper.
There are several men in my life now and in the past who have made a positive impact and made my life better.
Melinda
Changing Your Lifestyle for Better Wellbeing
Your health, wellbeing, and mental and emotional happiness should be top of your list of priorities in life. All too often, we get caught up in other things – responsibilities, careers, relationships, and other elements of day-to-day life – and fail to provide ourselves with the support we need to lead a happy and healthy existence. You need to take active steps to improve your lifestyle to get the most from each day. Here are a few suggestions that can help you to achieve this!
Tackle Bad Habits
We all have bad habits of some sort. At the end of the day, we are all just human. But you do need to make sure that you tackle any bad habits that are proving detrimental to your health or that are posing problems for you. There are many habits out there and the best way to overcome them will depend on the habit itself and you as an individual. If you smoke, you can quit by seeking support from your doctor and using quitting aids, such as nicotine patches or nicotine gum. If you are addicted to drugs, inpatient drug rehab can help to get you back on the right track. If you eat excessive unhealthy foods, a nutritional meal plan and meal prepping can help you to avoid unhealthy convenience foods and to know what you should be putting in your body for a healthy diet. Sure, tackling bad habits can be difficult. But be patient and persevere. You will see the result you want as long as you stick to your support plan.
Removing Negative Elements from Your Life
Is there something in your life that consistently makes you unhappy? It’s time to remove it or to remove yourself from it. If you find that you dread going to work each morning, it may be time to consider a new career or working for a new company. If you find that your partner constantly makes you unhappy, or that you are constantly arguing, you may want to consider ending the relationship or seeking couples therapy. If you are bored, you should pick up some hobbies. If you are lonely, you should reach out to friends and family or engage in activities where you can make new friends. If you are struggling with your mental health, you should seek support from doctors, therapists, or counselors. Whatever your struggle, there will be a logical solution for it.
Relax
Make sure to take some time to relax. All too many of us get caught up in our routines and responsibilities and fail to make time for ourselves. It’s important that you do take time to do either nothing or to let your hair down. Different people find different relaxation techniques beneficial. Whether you want to run a bath, sit and watch a show or film, go for a long walk, or anything else, make sure to schedule time in your routine.
These suggestions should help you to lead a healthier, happier, and more positive life! Give them a try.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
Friday Quote 10/18/2021
Have a great weekend!
So glad you stopped by today and look forward to hearing your comments.
Melinda
Everyday Magic
Bella and Grace by Stampington
Singing along to our favorite songs is a quick way to turn a day around.
What songs always make you feel good?
Enjoy your day!
Melinda
Book Review Hope and Learning Our Journey with Schizophrenia by Linda Snow-Griffin
I want to say a special thanks to Linda Snow-Griffin for providing me a copy of her book Hope and Learning, Our Journey with Schizophrenia for a review.
Published 2021
Cherish Editions
About the Author
Linda Snow-Griffin, Ph.D. is a retired psychologist. She is the mother of two, stepmother of three adult children and grandmother of sixteen. She has practiced in a variety of settings – college, university and community mental health – and spent the last 30 years in private practice in Cincinnati. Her desire is to provide hope to families coping with mental illness, especially schizophrenia, and to dispel misunderstandings about the illness.
Blurb
When her son was diagnosed with Schizophrenia, Linda Snow-Griffin, a psychologist in private practice, felt devastated and overwhelmed. There were thousands of questions going through her mind: How can I help him? What does he need to get better? Will he be able to get better?
Hope and Learning narrates the 20-year journey Linda and her son embarked on, as they navigated their way towards recovery and a better understanding of what it is like to live with schizophrenia.
This book combines personal experience with schizophrenia with substantial data to create a heartwarming and informative resource.
My Thoughts
Linda shares her journey of her son’s diagnosis with Schizophrenia thru her intimate and raw writing. She discovered a journal of her son’s written in high school that set the wheels in motion that changed their life forever and in surprising ways.
I have Bipolar Disorder, which is a serious mental illness, yet I have been around only one person with Schizophrenia and it was during one of my hospital stays. Being around “John” was not scary but he was totally detached, walked the halls constantly talking to other beings who controlled his life. As you can imagine, that was my perception of Schizophrenia. A stigma/myth that Linda changes in this wonderful book.
Her son is highly functioning with medication and even attended college, it was quite difficult and presented some unique challenges when it came to writing his papers but with the understanding of his mother and love of his family, he made it thru.
Linda’s book is heart-wrenching, at times it’s hard to imagine how difficult it must have been on a mother and family but what she shows us is love and understanding concurs all.
I am so glad I read her book, my stigma of what Schizophrenia looked like changed and for that I am thankful.
I recommend this book to anyone who thinks they may have or suspect a family member or a loved one has Schizophrenia, you will learn so much and walk away with some answers and tools to take with on your journey.
Melinda
New Resources For The LGBTQ Community
Hey-
I’ve updated my list of resources to include the below.
LGBTQ+ Therapist Directories
- AGLP: The Association of LGBTQ+ Psychiatrists has been advocating on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community for more than 40 years. You can search for a psychiatrist in your area using the organization’s Referrals page, even filtering the results by gender identity and race.
- The Gay Therapy Center is a community of highly qualified LGBTQ+ therapists. You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation, which will help match you with a therapist for individual or couples counseling, either in office or online.
- The National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network is committed to “advancing healing justice by transforming mental health for queer and trans POC,” according to its website. The mental health directory allows you to search for a practitioner in your area.
- Pride Counseling is an online therapy tool for the LGBTQ+ community. Fill out a survey, and you’ll be matched with a licensed therapist, whom you can communicate with via phone, video, and messaging.
- Inclusive Therapists helps connect marginalized communities with culturally competent care. Search for a therapist near you – filtering by specialty, insurances accepted, and more – or complete a form to be matched with a therapist based on your needs.
LGBTQ+ Mental Health Information and Support
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness summarizes the unique challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community and provides a list of resources, as well as a step-by-step guide for finding the right therapist.
- The LGBT National Help Center offers free and confidential peer support for LGBTQ+ youth, including hotlines, chat rooms, and a database of local resources.
- The Human Rights Campaign has a list of mental health resources for queer and trans BIPOC, including questions to ask when trying to find an identity-affirming therapist.
- The Trevor Project is the “world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people,” according to its website. Counselors are available 24/7, and you can also make connections using TrevorSpace, an online international community for LGBTQ+ young people ages 13-24.
- The National Center For Transgender Equality advocates for policies that signal a deeper understanding and acceptance of trans folks. The organization offers a number of resources, including information on how to access health care and simple ways to take action.
- Trans Lifeline offers emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis. All operators are trans or nonbinary, and law enforcement or emergency services will only be called at your request.
Please check out the other resources on my page, Organization That Can Help.
Melinda
Happy Birthday Gramps 1918-2010
It’s so hard to believe you’ve been gone from this earth for almost 12 years. I love you with all my heart. You will never know how much your love shaped my life and the person I am today.
I think of you every year on your birthday even when you’re not here, it’s a celebration of the day you were born.
You brought sunshine to so many people’s lives and showed me what a decent person looked and acted like. Thank you for taking me in to live with you and granny as a troubled teen. You help change the trajectory of my life and I know I would not be where I am today without you to guide me.
Happy Birthday! I love you more than words can say.
Melinda
National AIDS Awareness Month
AIDS Awareness Month, observed every October, supports educational campaigns that disseminate science-based, factual, and clear information to youths, at-risk people, and the general public. With over 37 million people living with HIV worldwide, public information about its prevention, transmission, and treatment must be accurate and widely available.
Advocates have several goals including educating people about the importance of knowing your status and regular testing, lobbying for accessible and affordable testing and treatment, reducing stigma, ensuring the public has accurate information about HIV risk and transmission and supporting patients living with HIV/AIDS.
Did you know?
There were approximately 37.6 million people across the globe with HIV in 2020. Of these, 35.9 million were adults and 1.7 million were children (<15 years old).
New HIV Infections—An estimated 1.5 million individuals worldwide acquired HIV in 2020, marking a 30% decline in new HIV infections since 2010. (New HIV infections, or “HIV incidence,” refers to the estimated number of people who newly acquired the HIV virus during given period such as a year, which is different from the number of people diagnosed with HIV during a year. (Some people may have HIV but not know it.) Of these new HIV infections:
- 1.3 million were among adults
- 160,000 were among children (<15 years old)
HIV Testing—Approximately 84% of people with HIV globally knew their HIV status in 2020. The remaining 16% (about 6.0 million people) still need access to HIV testing services. HIV testing is an essential gateway to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.
The greatest thing to me about the above paragraph is almost 85% of people knew their HIV status thru testing. Testing is more assessable than ever before and can even be done in the privacy of your own home.
We’ve come a long way with education, advocacy, and testing of HIV/AIDS and we will move even further in the coming years.
If you have any doubt, get tested.
Be safe, have safe sex, and know your health status.
Melinda
National Marrow Awareness Month
National Marrow Awareness Month is an annual designation observed in November. During this time, we celebrate and honor the accomplishments of physicians who perform transplant research. We also acknowledge those who have donated stem cells and bone marrow in order to save others’ lives. Every year in the U.S., over 17,000 people are diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses in which they need a bone marrow, or umbilical cord blood transplant. These types of transplants replace diseased cells with healthy cells. The tricky part tends to be finding a well-matched donor. This is key when it comes to a successful transplant, which is why the more people who donate marrow, the more survivors we have. This month as we honor National Marrow Awareness, we encourage you to consider becoming a donor and potentially saving a life. If you are someone that regularly donates or has in the past, we thank you!
The best way to observe this important day is to donate Marrow!
Donating means volunteering to donate your cells for blood stem cell or marrow transplantation. You can donate to a family member, a friend, or anyone in the world who needs it and matches with you.
I’m on the Bone Marrow Donor List and have been for years but have never been called to donate. You can save the life of someone with cancer and other illnesses by a simple procedure done at the hospital.
I hope you will contact your local Bone Marrow Donor organization to find out more information. One day your family or a loved one may need you, not to mention you can save a stranger’s life. What would be greater than giving someone life?
Melinda
3 Self Care Strategies for Remote Workers
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a wave of workers who have switched remotely. This has led businesses to permanently switch to being remote, and business owners doing the same for their small businesses. It’s proven that working from home still leads to getting the job done, and even makes productivity better. Since remote work creates this very blurred line between work and life, it can be understood that health and even standard self-care practices tend to slip.
It’s just something that’s completely normal. However, it’s important, even with these blurred work-to-life balances, that you still keep up with your health and take care of yourself. You should create boundaries for yourself so work doesn’t consume you. These are some helpful self-care tips for remote workers.
Don’t neglect your eye health
There is a very high chance that you’re staring at your computer screen for 8 to 10 hours each day. But did you know that this can actually be pretty harmful to your eye health? It’s true, and those who tend to have very dry eyes don’t benefit from it either. If you’re looking into chronic uveitis treatments, then one of the first steps is to take breaks throughout the day for your eyes. This will help in preventing eye exhaustion and dryness.
Look after other aspects of your physical health
A healthy body leads to a healthy mind, and vice versa. It’s very important to give your body the attention that it deserves since it’s sitting at a desk hunched over all day. To alleviate this, you can start with exercising regularly. Even getting a minimum of 3 times a week for an hour each can do a lot of good for you. Another thing you should do is to keep proper nourishment. While junk food can be very tempting, it’s best to stick with whole foods as these are far healthier and they’re going to make you feel better.
Sleep is also something that you should not ever neglect. Don’t risk your sleep just to “catch up” with work, all you’re doing is piling more things on yourself. You need sleep to think better, to be productive, and to stay energized throughout the day. There are plenty of health consequences such as heart disease for skipping out on seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
Don’t neglect your mental health
You need to take care of your mental health in this digital world. This should include getting on social media a lot less as it’s filled with bad news and can lead to insecurities. You should also do things that you enjoy once work is finished for the day. This includes walking away from the computer for a little while and doing something such as go for a walk, gardening, board games, crafts, or anything else you may like. It’s important to step away from your computer and the area that you work at from home so your mind can “clock out” of work. This is going to really help your mental health.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
Just Pondering
Why not start TODAY?
Melinda
National Healthy Skin Month
It’s time to pay attention to your skin. National Healthy Skin Month each November is sponsored by the American Academy of Dermatology. You may not realize it, but your skin reveals a lot about your overall health. This month makes you aware of what it takes to keep your skin healthy as well as understanding how to treat and prevent common skin problems. National Healthy Skin Month stresses how to correctly use sunscreen and offers helpful tips on how to check your skin periodically to prevent skin cancer.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL HEALTHY SKIN MONTH
Chill out
Put your feet up and manage your stress. Stress makes your skin break out and can make skin conditions like psoriasis much worse. Get your rest — between seven and nine hours a day. Exercise in the fresh air from time to time and breathe.
Hydrate daily
Sometimes the simplest actions give you the greatest benefits. Hydrating your entire body by drinking eight glasses of water daily is another cool way to moisturize your precious skin. Add lemons and other fruit to make your daily drinks even more refreshing. If plain water is boring, try adding cucumbers as well. Water clears out the dangerous toxins that hurt your skin.
Check your skin for spots and blemishes
Since November is National Healthy Skin Month, winter is an especially good time to check yourself carefully for spots with unusual shapes or colors that might indicate skin cancer. Look for moles that seem to appear. People with darker complexions aren’t exempt from skin cancer. Although skin irregularities are not often apparent on darker skin, people of ethnic backgrounds tend to die more often from skin cancer.
My personal tips for facial skincare:
Silk, Silk, and more Silk!
Silk eye mask, silk face mask, and silk pillowcase. I love my silk pillowcase, it doesn’t give the creased face in the morning, absorbs just the right amount of moisture from my skin, doesn’t cause acne, and leaves my hair tangle-free.
I wear silk face masks and have since shortly after the pandemic started. I have not had one mask-acne breakout and feel strongly that silk is the reason. I don’t wash them in the machine, although you can, I just take a wipe and wipe down both sides and hang them to dry. Be sure to wipe down the ear attachments too.
Less makeup means fewer breakouts! Since I stopped wearing liquid makeup and much makeup at all, I have very few breakouts. If you must, wear a mineral powder for coverage.
I don’t have an elaborate skincare regimen, just invest in the best products and use them every day.
I will say sunscreen but I’m also saying it to myself because I don’t always use it and it will make such a difference as you age not to mention help with skin cancer.
Just a few ideas.
Take good care of your skin and it will be healthy for you.
Melinda
When Hiring A Lawyer Is Worth Every Penny
Life sometimes throws us curve balls that we don’t see coming. That’s one of the most constant things in life: we should expect the unexpected! No matter how well we plan for our futures, things can go wrong – whether it is an illness, job changes, housing issues, or relationship shifts.
Lawyers exist for exactly the type of situation you don’t see coming. They are there to protect and represent you when you find yourself in a troubling situation of any nature.
Why don’t people want to hire lawyers?
Most people will avoid hiring a lawyer if they can help it in any way. Some reasons people don’t want a lawyer are:
- Lawyers are expensive. Due to the high level of training and experience lawyers come with, there’s a hefty price tag on their services. Some lawyers work pro bono, or in many cases, you can be provided with a lawyer by the state – but if you want to pick the lawyer who represents you, prepare to pay.
- Lawyers are seen as intimidating or even cruel. There’s a stereotype around lawyers that they are cruel or intimidating people who are there to criticize your choices or way of life. This isn’t true, but often, it is the reason a person will avoid hiring a lawyer.
- Lawyers make the situation seem more serious. If something bad happens to you, it’s easy to stay in denial about how serious it really is. A lawyer’s presence will make the whole thing feel very real, meaning that some people avoid hiring one altogether, even if they need a lawyer’s help.
When You Should Hire A Lawyer
There are numerous situations where hiring a lawyer is a great idea. Even if you have concerns like the ones listed above, it’s always beneficial to have a legal professional walking you through difficult times in your life.
It is beneficial to hire a lawyer if:
- You are getting a divorce. Divorces are rough times, even if they are being done in a friendly way. A divorce lawyer can help you get through the difficult times, alleviating some stress and taking the weight of the logistics off your hands.
- You or someone who works for you is injured at work. Whichever side you are on – whether someone is making a claim against you, or you against them – hiring a personal injury lawyer is essential in this situation. Click here to learn more about how a personal injury lawyer can help you.
- You are being accused of a crime. Nobody wants to be accused of committing a crime, but it does happen – and if it happens to you, no matter how trivial the claim seems, get a lawyer as soon as possible.
- You are interested in starting a business. Corporate law is a tricky subject, so if you are looking to start a new company, consult with a lawyer first.
Overall…
Lawyers seem intimidating and serious, but they are only there to help you go through tricky proceedings with ease and care.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
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