15 Reasons To Quit Cigarettes

Smoking’s a bad idea – it doesn’t take a genius to work that out. Unfortunately, despite the fact that so many people know that smoking is very bad for them, they still continue to do it. So, to give you a kick, here are the top 15 reasons to give up.

1. It’s going to keep getting more and more expensive – and that’s because taxes on cigarettes are only going to continue to rise as anti-smoking governments want to push people away from tobacco for good. So if you want to avoid seeing less and less money in your pocket every year, it is time for you to give up.


2. Cigarettes are covered in germs – that’s according to new research. And every cigarette that you find yourself smoking, it means that you are only going to be inhaling more germs into your lungs; not the best place for them to be. Give up and get rid of the germs.


3. If you don’t want to have increasing troubles in the bedroom, it’s a good idea to give up smoking. That’s because it has been shown in a number of studies that smoking can effect circulation and mean you’ll have less blood flowing around your genitals. That can make it harder for both men and women to get sexually aroused.


4. Giving up will make you sleep better. How does that work? Well, according to one study smokers are four times as likely to not feel rested after a night’s sleep. This is thought to be due to the effects of nicotine withdrawal on the body during the night.


5. You’ll have less wrinkles.


6. You might be able to get something out of your work for it. A number of companies now offer various incentives for giving up smoking. Talk to your HR manager about the different bonuses available for giving up smoking.


7. You will generally save lots of money.


8. You’ll enjoy your food a lot more. Smokers kill off their taste buds, while quitting allows them to grow back, which is a really top idea if you like to be able to taste the food that you eat.


9. Non-smokers have stronger bones than smokers. This is especially important as we all get older as our bones naturally weaken with age anyway. Smoking only makes this problem worse as it means that your weak bones are made even weaker by the cigarettes that you smoke.


10. Quitting is a good excuse for you to play more video games. According to one study, video games provide an excellent distraction from your cravings and can help fight off your addiction – so you’ve got an excuse when people question your new addiction to Grand Theft Auto.


11. You will reduce the number of colds you get. For a number of different reasons including the aforementioned fact that you are more likely to be inhaling germs, and also because you’ll likely have to stand outside quite often, smokers are more likely to get colds that non-smokers.


12. You’ll brighten your teeth up a lot. Cigarettes are well known for their ability to stain your teeth.


13. Your circulation will improve. If you suffer from cold hands or feet it could be to do with a weak circulation because of smoking. So give up to warm up your fingers and toes.


14. You reduce your risk of cancer and other dangerous diseases an awful lot.


15. You’ll be less likely to burn down your own house. The burning embers of cigarette butts are a common cause of serious house fires.

Categories: cancer, cigarettes, germs, number, smokers, Smoking, Video Games

New Study SPARX Interest in Video Games for Mental Health

If your teenager spends all his time playing video games on his computer, you may be concerned for his mental wellness, but a bit of fantasy gaming could be just what the doctor ordered. This is according to a new study, published online in British Medical Journal, which has found that, for adolescents whose wellbeing has been affected by depression, specialised fantasy computer therapy is just as effective as face-to-face counselling with a clinician.

 

Created by researchers from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, the novel computerised cognitive behavioural therapy SPARX is based on an interactive 3D fantasy game containing seven modules. Your teenager completes the game over a period of four to seven weeks, during which time he or she is required to restore balance in a virtual world that has become overrun by GNATS (Gloomy Negative Automatic Thoughts), by undergoing a series of challenges.

 

For the study, the researchers undertook a randomised controlled trial with a three-month follow-up. The study participants – which was composed of 187 teenagers aged 12 to 19 years with mild to moderate depression in 24 primary healthcare sites across New Zealand – were split into two groups. The first group completed one-to-one counselling with a trained clinician, while the other played SPARX over a four to seven week period. The researchers then assessed the teens using several commonly used mental health and quality of life scales.

 

The results of the study revealed that the SPARX game was just as effective as standard treatment, as it reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety by at least a third. Of the 69 participants who completed at least four homework modules in the SPARX group, 44% or 31 teenagers completely recovered, whereas only 26% (19/83) of the group assigned to standard treatment did likewise. Both of the groups reported high satisfaction with their treatments, but in the SPARX groups 76 out of the 80 participants (95%) said that the programme would appeal to other teenagers and 81% (64) would recommend it to friends.

 

According to the study authors, SPARX is an ‘effective resource for help seeking adolescents with depression at primary healthcare sites. Use of the programme resulted in a clinically significant reduction in depression, anxiety, and hopelessness and an improvement in quality of life.’ They added that as your teenager can play SPARX at home, the computer game-based treatment could be cost effective, increase access to treatment, and serves as a potential choice for adolescents who are hesitant to seek conventional therapy.

Categories: depression, effective, healthcare sites, Mental Health, primary healthcare, Research, sparx, standard treatment, study, Video Games

Encourage Your Kids To Enjoy Exercise More With These Tips

The school holidays come around all too quickly, and all of a sudden you’re trying to think of ways to make sure your kids don’t spend the whole time sitting in front of the TV. Summer holidays, in particular, is so long that you need to have a few tricks up your sleeve to help keep them active. Times have changed from when kids used to spend the summer biking around their local area and playing football in the park; they now spend time playing video games and browsing the internet. While it may seem they’re safer, it doesn’t do anything for their health. We all need to get out of the house regularly to get some sunshine and some fresh air, and kids are no different. Here are some ways to get the kids up and out, so that they can keep fit, enjoy the sunshine and have fun all at the same time.

Limit their screen time

TV, video games and computers may have their benefits, but too much time spent staring at a screen can have a damaging effect. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends that children under the age of two have no screen time at all, whereas children over the age of two don’t watch any more than one to two hours of TV or video games each day. If you offer your kids an alternative then they will be less tempted to spend all of their holidays inside.

Buy some basics

You may not have a full gym in your house, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep some basics in the house to make exercising easier. A few balls, such as a football and basketball, a skipping rope, and even a bike if you have the room, will be great essentials to give your kids the incentive to move more. Better yet, it gets them  outside.

Take the kids outside

Of course, you can exercise indoors. But getting the kids outside is likely to get them moving more and also gets them their daily dose of vitamin D. Why not take the kids down to the local park for a kickabout, or go swimming for half an hour? You can even use such activities as a reward for chores around the house – a 30 minute session down the park in exchange for taking out the rubbish in the morning or making their bed.

Give them things to do

Often, the problem for children is finding something that’s available to them. This is where buying things for the house, such as footballs, comes in handy. But if you put some more thought into it, it can be even more exciting for your kids. Why not make a scavenger hunt? At each station, give them a clue and an activity that they need to complete before moving on to the next location – this could be something like jumping jacks, push-ups or a lap around the garden. At the end, you could give them a reward to make it even more enticing.

Take up an activity

If you have the facilities nearby, why not set your kids up on a fun course? Dancing, karate or swimming are all great options, where they’ll have fun, keep fit and even make some new friends along the way.Check out the classes at your local gym or activity centre – you may even find that they have special summer classes available that are especially designed to keep kids entertained during the holidays.

Categories: exercise, fitness, holidays, house, Kids, Screen time, spend, time, Video Games

Game of Groans: Can Video Games Relieve Your Child’s Pain?

Children whose wellbeing is affected by chronic pain may now get some relief. This is according to the Pain Medicine Care Complex at Children’s National Medical Centre in Washington, DC, which has developed an innovative, multidisciplinary approach to addressing pain that is helping patients achieve a higher quality of life and family wellness.

Wellness experts estimate that 25-46% of young people suffer with chronic pain, which is defined as daily, serious pain over the course of three months or more. Children who seek help will see an average of four to five medical specialists and go through multiple, expensive tests without answers, before they find the care they need. Not only is this frustrating for your child, but it also adds up to lost school days and lost workdays for you, which can create a significant financial burden on your family.

However, the pain medicine team has now implemented new interactive video games that not only distract patients from their pain, but also collect important data about their movements and response to treatment. Sarah Rebstock, MD, PhD, Clinical Director of the Pain Medicine Program and a Principal Investigator of the Sheikh Zayed Institute, commented that these “medically meaningful” video games provide digital medical data collection for the first time ever, and this helps scientists to create better short-term management and long-term research for chronic pain.

Developed jointly between Interface Media Group and the Pain Medicine Initiative of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Paediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National, the games are based on proven physical therapy activities to help children build their range of motion. Patients are taken through a series of exercises and activities based on current physical therapy techniques, which can be tailored to suit your child. If you child is older, he or she may prefer a game which creates the feeling of being in a futuristic Olympic sports event, while other games, designed for very young children, create the feeling of painting large pictures. The games are also interactive, which means they contain proprietary software that gathers patient data to track your child’s improved range of motion.

Game of Groans: Can Video Games Relieve Your Child’s Pain?

Categories: chronic pain, treatment, Video Games

Boys and their Toys: What to Do If Your Partner Plays

There’s nothing wrong with boys and their toys, and your husband and son playing video games together can be a good way to bond, but what about when family wellness suffers? What happens when your partner spends too much time in virtual reality, and not enough time helping with your other children or with chores around the house?

In this situation, the chances are that you’ve begged, pleaded and nagged him about his game playing, all to no avail. Being in this type of relationship is certainly no fun, and can take its toll on your relationship wellness, as well as your personal sense of wellbeing. It is not uncommon to feel neglected or that you are pulling the majority of the weight around the house and with the children. It’s easy for your partner to get lost in a video game, but this can cause you to drift apart as a result.

If this is the case, it is time to have a serious discussion. Your partner may not realise how much it bothers you, or that he is spending more time playing games than participating in the relationship. However, don’t keep nagging him but, instead, clearly tell him how you feel then leave it up to him to change. Explain that it’s not a case of giving up gaming altogether, but rather just cutting down so that he isn’t absent from important events and responsibilities. Put some boundaries in place, letting him know what you expect of him in the relationship.

Another thing you can try is suggesting you spend some quality time together, just the two of you. Whether it’s biking, going for a walk or watching a movie together, find a regular activity and time in the week where you can spend some time doing what you love to do as a couple. However, don’t make yourself readily available every time your husband is not playing video games, as he will pick up and put down the console when it suits him. Instead, find things you enjoy doing and schedule them when your husband is playing.

Boys and their Toys: What to Do If Your Partner Plays

Categories: chores, Quality Time, Video Games