Category: Health

Appointments – Manage Your Time Better At Home to Be Effective

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What would happen to you if your home life was more organized than it is right now? Can work-life balance be achieved? What are the tools at our disposal? Could scheduling appointments and keeping them at home help us save time and prioritize?

What is the challenge we face? I sometimes find that time spent at home can be the busiest time, especially in the times we live in. Imagine someone working from home, home-schooling children, and sometimes even doing a side hustle. Imagine also the full-time home-based entrepreneur. How do they manage to do all they need to do in a day?. We are living in a time when many entrepreneurs and even company employees have adopted work- at – home culture. This comes with its challenges as the lines become blurred between home and work. These blurred lines and constraints on the limited resource called time result in over-worked, under-rested, burnt-out individuals. Whilst good time management has been encouraged and indeed, embraced in the workplace, I believe more needs to be done in changing the mindset for the elusive work-life balance to be achieved.

What are the tools at our disposal? To manage time effectively at home, there are many interventions one can employ including setting goals for the day, prioritizing wisely, setting a time limit for every task, organizing oneself, and instituting the discipline of appointments. Yes, an appointment at home! We can spend time pontificating on the pros and cons of each intervention, however, I believe we need to focus on appointments and see how this can powerfully change the course of one’s day regardless of whether it’s a workday or weekend. Life is busy as it is without any intrusions. The question is how do you handle the one who announces that they are at the gate. These can be friends, neighbors, a salesman of some product you do not even need. I am not promoting regimentation here but rather a culture of filling your day with what’s important. Everything that we succeed at is because we carefully plan and execute it. I am a firm believer that you cannot manage time if you do not manage yourself thus I implore you to incorporate planning and appointments into your repertoire. I am not talking about something I do not do. I have to achieve many things in a day therefore I set appointments with my work, others, and myself.

Could scheduling appointments and keeping them on the home front help us save time and prioritize? Whereas we have established that it is a normal business practice to set appointments and keep them, we need to abandon the liberal open-door policy of allowing all and sundry to have access to us as and when they please on the home front. Please understand where I am coming from. We each have greatness within us but for us to achieve it we need to culture great habits. Employing the use of appointments at home and seeing only those people you had agreed to see removes non-essential encounters especially during the most productive hours. I know this will vary with culture, geographical region, or even level of affluence, whether you live in a low density or high-density residential area, but doesn’t negate the need to be organized and effective. Controlling access determines how organized you are and how well you will work and rest when the time for scheduled rest comes.

What do we need to do differently? We need to be disciplined and diligent, learn to say no, now is not a good time, let’s make an appointment for next week. What are the benefits of this approach? You are not always fire-fighting to meet deadlines, You are not always tired because you have not taken time out to rest. You have set aside enough time to spend with your loved ones or a loved one. If you are a busy person, I am sure you appreciate what I am saying. Whether it’s time to work uninterrupted, family time, or “me-time”, it takes some kind of order to enjoy it.

I am not saying that those that come unannounced are bad people. No, not at all, they probably are people you enjoy spending time with. Nevertheless, there must be prior communication so that you can attend to your visitor(s) when it is convenient for both you and them. It can be quite disrupting and a whole day can just pass by without achieving anything that you had planned to do.

As we grow older we begin to appreciate that rest and recovery need to be scheduled. The fact that I am relaxing doesn’t mean that I don’t have anything to do. One therefore cannot assume that just because you are at home you are available. Maybe you have scheduled that time to rest. That is important. You need to make an appointment with yourself, spouses need to also set aside time for each other. Parents need to schedule a time to spend with their children. When you have some sort of order in your life you determine who sees you and who you see. It also means that your relationships will be healthy and that makes you a happier person.

In conclusion, I believe that the work-life balance can be achieved. There are many tools at our disposal just like it is in the workplace.I believe we could do more and be happier if we are disciplined enough to make only the commitments we can keep.I am certain that setting appointments and keeping them at home help us save time and prioritize.

What to Do When You Go See a Chiropractor

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So you had been suffering from backache for days, now, you decide that you needed a help. Chiropractors can treat neck pain, back pain, headache, and various other aches and pains that may occur within the body.

The first time you visit them, they will have to ask about your health history and general health condition so they would be able to detect the main cause of the problem and to decide about the best remedy for your condition. Prepare about 30 minutes of your time on your first visit, preceding ones will only last for about 15 minutes or less. The time however would vary depending upon the kind of treatment that your body may call for.

Here are the lists of the things that you can expect on your first visit:

o Chiropractor may ask about your personal and your family medical history

o Ask about some major illnesses that you’ve experienced in the past

o Confirm about surgeries or operations that you had

o Medications or anything that you are currently taking

o Will ask you to describe your present condition

o Steps that you performed in order to deal with your current condition

o Will ask about your diet and exercise

o Check your sleeping habits, work routine, home life, and stress level.

As simple as these questions may seem to be, they are important to the chiropractors since through these set of questions, they can obtain a thorough background of your life in the long run. Answer each question properly and truthfully, it’s for your own good after all.

3 Steps to a Successful Health Care Program

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We all have friends who have been sick or diagnosed with severe health problems. You may be fairly health still (congratulations!) or you might already have some issues. No matter what your particular health is right now, there are three things you can start with immediately to take better care of yourself.

1. Good Nutrition. You have probably heard this dozens of times but do you really adhere to a good diet? How often do you eat fast food? How many sodas do you drink every week? Every day? Do you eat a lot of packaged processed food, even though it is labeled “Healthy Choice” or something similar. This is not good for you! You need to eat natural, unprocessed food. Fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, soy products and the like. Your body will gradually break down if continually fed unhealthy products.

2. Exercise. This does not mean you have to run marathons or spend hours at the gym every day. Do things that you enjoy or you will not be able to sustain a exercise regime. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise. Light weights give you some body strength and muscles are what burn the most fat so you will be able to maintain a healthy weight. Keep moving as much as possible. Gardening, walking the dog, stretching, yoga, these are all wonderful ways to keep yourself fit.

3. Take Some Good Supplements. No matter how well we eat, we are not able to take in the daily amount of vitamins, nutrients, etc. that doctors and nutritionists recommend. Make sure you get on a well recommended program that you can trust. There are some excellent natural vitamin companies out there, you just need to do the research and choose one. Look for a company with longevity and ask around to some of your healthier friends what they use.

Start today as you have no time to lose. Remember, if you have any questions about what you should do or take, check with your doctor.

Uses of Medical Masks

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It is known to everyone that medical masks are an important part in maintaining hygiene in the area of health care. This equipment belongs to the category of medical tools known by the name personal protective equipment or PPE. The medical masks are present everywhere in a health care establishment, right from the operation room to the general outpatient unit. Their main function is to prevent the spread of contagious diseases and thus control any sort of infections. They are critical for the promotion of health and hygiene.

There are different kinds of medical masks available in the market. Disposable medical masks have become very popular, thanks to the spread of pandemics such as swine flu, H1N1 related infections and so on and so forth. The disposable masks are very effective in flu season when there is a greater threat of the epidemic being spread. They also come very useful in all sorts of emergency situations where there is a risk of infection.

The reusable masks come off as highly useful to people who suffer from severe allergies and asthma situations. These masks which are washable are helpful for those who are highly prone to infections caused by virus or bacteria. These masks are to be chosen properly. They should be able to effectively filter out the allergens in the form of pollen grains, dust particles, fungi or bacteria that are airborne. The masks can also be used by air travelers especially in those long distance flights involving a lot of time where the passengers have to deal with many people.

The sizes of medical masks may vary from person to person depending on the age group he or she belongs to. Thus a mask meant for the adult will not properly fit a small kid. Hence you need to purchase small sized masks for children. The medical professionals especially doctors will be able to help you choose the proper kind of masks for you.

Knowing the Basics of Interventional Pain Management

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Anyone, who is dealing with chronic and/or acute pain, knows the “pain” associated with the condition. In most cases, patients spend a considerable amount of time with primary care doctors, physical therapist, and specialists, hoping to find a more permanent solution. Interventional pain management is a practical alternative in such cases, where the concerned patient has tried all other treatment options.

Understanding interventional pain management

Interventional pain management is a specialized field in medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of chronic and/or acute pain and other related disorders. This is more of a “multidisciplinary” approach, which is offered by a team of experienced doctors and healthcare professionals. With interventional pain management, doctors aim to reduce chronic and or acute pain, besides focusing on better living. The treatment is entirely different from other forms of pain management because there is no direct dependency on pain-relief medications. In most cases, a physician may refer the matter to a pain management doctor, who will decide on the line of treatment, depending on the facts of the case. In case of interventional pain management, pain management physician will work together with chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, neurologist, and orthopaedic surgeon as needed to treat the condition by utilizing minimally invasive procedures such as epidural injections, facet blocks, trigger point injections, etc.

Things worth knowing

Interventional pain management is particularly beneficial for patients who are suffering from neck and back pain. Physicians may use more than one approach to the condition, depending on the diagnosis. The use of steroidal injections in the joints and epidural space is quite common, while injections are also used to treat a spinal nerve root, which is diagnosed as the source of pain. Branch blocks are also used for diagnostic purpose followed by radiofrequency ablation, while doctors may also use additional injections in the facet joints. Discography is also utilized to find the possible cause of pain, and in this procedure, a special dye is used in an injectable form into a disc to understand the pathology better.

In some cases, minimally-invasive procedures like “Radiofrequency Ablation” can be used for the medical branches, so as to restrict the movement of pain signals. Doctors may also suggest the use of heated electrodes for certain nerves that carry the pain signals, and this process is also known better as Rhizotomy. Not to forget, physical therapy and other forms of occupational therapies are also used for the treatment. Doctors also suggest lifestyle changes to patients, if they find any hope for better health.

The first appointment

You need to visit an Interventional Pain Management specialist, who will do a thorough exam to understand the possible concerns and issues related to the condition. Doctors may also suggest a few tests including x-rays and MRI for accurate diagnosis. You must also discuss the other kinds of treatments you have tried for your condition, and as required, doctors may suggest a line of therapy, after discussing the expectations, costs and other aspects.

Chitosan Research

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One of the many remarkable diet control supplements that can substantially contribute to weight loss is Chitosan. Chitosan is a naturally occurring substance that resembles cellulose in its structure and is derived from a polysaccharide called chitin. Chitin is primarily found in the exoskeletons of shellfish such as shrimps, crustaceans and crabs. Shells of these animals are crushed into a fine powder. This powder is passed through a process of deacetylation resulting in the formation of Chitosan.

The most remarkable property of Chitosan is that it is a special fiber that acts as an effective fat binder at the rate of six to ten times its weight. The soaked up fat molecules are then converted into a form that is not suitable for absorption. Being a non-digestible substance, consumption of Chitosan does not add any additional calories into the body. Recent research has found that Chitosan has the ability to interfere with fat digestion and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Apart from this, Chitosan also facilitates the excretion of dietary fat through feces. Research has shown that consumption of Chitosan in combination with ascorbic acid would reduce the fat levels significantly.

Along with controlling weight, Chitosan also has other health benefits. Chitosan has shown to effectively control the blood serum cholesterol levels. Research has shown that Chitosan could increase the level of HDL cholesterol in the body, while lowering the levels of LDL cholesterol in the body. Chitosan performs the function of a cholestryramine and is particularly beneficial to patients suffering with coronary heart diseases.

Does Your Culture Affect Your Health?

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America, often referred to as the melting pot, has many different cultures. Each state within America has different cultures. You can even drive to your neighboring city or town and find they have a slightly different culture than the people of your city or town. Actually, if you want to get technical, each household seems to have its own culture!

Each culture is defined by how the members of the culture interact with one another and the outside world; their traditions; their beliefs; what they consider socially acceptable. Some people define their culture by race, while others define their culture by region. Some people define their culture by education, while others define their culture by financial status. However a culture is defined, America has a plethora of them!

While cultures differ in many aspects, they are similar in one: they are made up of people – living, breathing, human beings – and all human beings have one thing in common, which is the ability to get sick or be injured.

It sounds so simple, but it’s so important. It doesn’t matter how much money you make; you can get sick. It doesn’t matter how many degrees you have; you can get injured.

Many people don’t purchase health insurance unless their employers offer it, and even then some people opt not to buy into their employer’s health care plan. At the same time, many Americans are either unemployed, or aren’t offered health benefits by their employers.

It doesn’t matter what color you are, where you live, how far you went in school, or how much money you have – everyone needs adequate health care. If you are one of the millions of Americans who doesn’t have a health insurance policy, you need to start searching for one now. Take advantage of your employer’s health benefits package, or, refer to your state’s insurance bureau to find health insurance companies that offer policies you can afford.

Health Care Resources

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Have you been waking up after a night’s rest still feeling tired? Do you feel your health energy lack and it is preventing you from carrying out your daily duties and favorite activities?

If that so, you may be suffering from fatigue.

Fatigue is a daily lack of energy that is not relieved by sleep. Someone who are fatigued will feel tired all the time in both mind and body and it can be caused by a number of inter-linked factors. The common causes are stress and unhealthy lifestyle choices such as adopting fad diets to lose weight. not diagnosed medical conditions could also be another reason for experiencing fatigue.

Stress as a cause fatigue

Someone who are stressed or chronically anxious keep their bodies in overdrive. The constant flooding of adrenaline exhausts the body and fatigue sets in.

A stressful work environment – whether it is excessive noise, boredom or fixed concentration on a repetitive task – can add to a person’s fatigue level. Burnout, concerns over one’s job security.

How nutrition impacts energy level

-Meet your basic calories needs

The estimated daily calorie needs for a person who weigh around 55kg is about 2,100 calories to maintain his or her weight and have sufficient energy for carry out moderate activities.

-Get sufficient protein

Protein is necessary for our bodies to rebuild and repair damaged as well as aging body tissue. A person who weighs around 60kg needs about 63kg of protein per day.

-Drink loads of fluids

Around 8 glasses of water a day prevents dehydration which is another factor that causes our energy level to fall. Fatigue is a classic symptom of mild dehydration.

Red Flags in Choosing For Chiropractic

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Having a license does not make all chiropractors competent. Like in any other arena, there are those that had luckily escaped the strict sieve of opting for a license hence they would practice their professions despite the big truth that they are extremely unworthy of it. Do not go for those people who would advertise some danger signs that may suggest the need for chiropractic care. Wake up; this is no longer the generation of the dumb!

Furthermore, try to avoid those that would ask their patience to sign a contract on lengthy treatment agreement so you could always backup when you feel that his or her particular treatment isn’t doing you any good. Beware also of those people who would promote regular “preventive” adjustments and would provide scare tactics as if your condition is something that is very grave so he or she is merely your last resort if you wish to live longer. During this case, it won’t hurt if you seek the help of other chiropractor. Do not as well go with those individual who discourage the use of scientific medical treatment like immunization and fluoridation.

Do not be fooled into believing those people who would suggest that they can cure all kinds of diseases. You can as well avoid those who would perform a routine of x-rays examination since almost all patients who seek the help of a chiropractic does not actually need them. Take caution on full spine x-ray examinations because of its large amount of radiation.

An Analgesic Pill a Day Keeps the Chills and Aches Away

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Over The Counter (OTC) Analgesics or painkillers are drugs that act at different levels of the pain transmission pathway. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) and many others act peripherally, while some others agents, such as opioids act on the central nervous system (CNS). While anticonvulsants act on neurogenic pain, muscle relaxants act on pain due to muscle spasm. These analgesics are helpful in pain management; however, they also have adverse effects.

The reasons for the growth of the OTC analgesics market

  • Increasing demand for topical analgesics, which are available as pain-relieving creams, lotions, rubs, gels, and sprays. This has increased the sale of analgesics by 18%, according to Kline Nonprescription Drugs USA report.
  • Increasing global geriatric population is expected to generate higher demand for pain relief products. In the United States, about 23% of the people were expected to cross 55 years of age in 2015.
  • Product innovation to improve performance, in terms of speed and strength, and further, improve the length of the effect.
  • Cost saving, as there would be no need to visit a doctor/physician. It is estimated that the US healthcare system saves USD 6-7 for every USD 1 spent on OTC medicines.

However, anything in excess can take a toll and it is no different with OTC analgesics. The common side-effects include constipation, drowsiness, dizziness, upset stomach, heart attack or stroke. These drugs can cause serious changes in the brain and body. Long-term use of painkillers increases addiction and dependency on the drugs. In the United States, painkillers are the second most abused substances, after marijuana. Pain, in some form or the other, is part of one’s daily life, hence, the need for painkillers.

A report by a market research firm estimates a double-digit growth rate for the Global OTC Analgesics Market, estimated to become a market worth USD 20.79 billion by 2022.

The OTC analgesics market is driven by the better performance of premium-priced branded products as compared to generic OTC analgesics.

Hurdles for the market include:

Uncontrolled prescription of opioids, drug abuse, and unregulated government policies are acting as hurdles for this market.

The Way Ahead:

Innovation in OTC analgesics, like absorption dimension that drives a fast action of analgesics, improved performance, multi-action of analgesics, and high specialization in reducing symptoms of specific ailments, are expected to drive market in the future. Availability of various analgesic drugs in online, owing to increasing number of online pharmacies, is driving the OTC analgesics market.