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Showing posts with label reduce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reduce. Show all posts
Written by Jenny Catton
If you want to reduce the negative environmental impact of your home, one good place to start is by looking at how you light your house.
Making small changes to your lighting could save energy and reduce your bills.
Here are some things to try:
- Try break the habit of automatically switching on a light when you enter a room. Think about whether you actually need the artificial light first? Perhaps just opening the curtains a little wider or sitting closer to the window will give you all the natural light you need.
- Think about the light bulbs you use. Standard light bulbs create a lot of heat making them incredibly inefficient. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs and you could significantly reduce your CO₂ emissions.
- Decide whether you need to light the whole room. This is particularly important in large rooms or offices. If you are the only person using the room, it may be more practical to use a small lamp rather than switching on the main lights.
- Look at how the layout and decoration of your room affects the natural light available. Replacing thick curtains with blinds, or painting the walls in lighter colours could improve the light levels without having to resort to artificial lighting.
- Finally, remember to turn the lights off when you leave a room.
For more tips on how to make environmentally-friendly changes within your home, take a look at The Eco-Living Handbook by Sarah Callard and Diane Millis, published by Carlton Books.
There’s no doubt that psoriasis is a challenging health concern, with many people under the misconception that you can catch it. Although psoriasis isn’t contagious, if you do have it, psoriasis does affect your wellbeing in number of ways. It can be tough to find the right treatments and cover ups to get through flare-ups, but if you follow our tips to help soothe and subdue symptoms, you can boost your confidence in your ability to cope.
1. Eat a Healthy Diet: According to Lawrence Green, MD, a dermatologist in the Washington, DC area, ‘It’s always good to have a healthy diet no matter what you’re up against. It’s going to help whatever you have. It’s one less thing your body needs to worry about.’
2. Reduce Stress: Gary Goldenberg, MD, assistant professor of dermatology and pathology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, explains, ‘There’s really good evidence that shows that stress makes psoriasis worse.’ So try yoga, massage therapy, biofeedback, or just general relaxation to reduce flares.
3. Limit Your Alcohol Intake: ‘There’s a difference between consuming too much and consuming a healthy amount,’ says Dr. Goldenberg. ‘A patient with psoriasis who doesn’t have medical contraindications could have a glass of wine with dinner.’
4. Experiment with Make-Up: Doris Day, MD, a dermatologist with LenoxHillHospital, points out, ‘A primer creates a white background [making] everything even, so when you apply foundation it goes on smoothly. The pores are minimized and the skin is flawless.’
5. Get Down to a Healthy Weight: Dr. Goldenberg points out, ‘There’s some evidence that if you lose weight, the psoriasis actually gets better.’
6. Don’t Smoke: Dr. Green, who is also chair of the research committee at the National Psoriasis Foundation, warns that smoking ‘puts stress and strain on the body and makes it more difficult for the body to reduce inflammation.’
7. Find the Right Medications for You: Comedian Jon Lovitz has told the National Psoriasis Foundation he tried lots of medications before hitting gold. ‘A lot of people with psoriasis give up, but don’t,’ he urges. ‘Find out what works best for you.’
8. Cover Up Strategically: On the Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs spray website, Kim Kardashian wrote, ‘I love this stuff! It really covers up my psoriasis so well!’
9. Choose Colours Carefully: Dr. Day advises, ‘If you have psoriasis on the scalp, wearing a black turtleneck will be problematic because it will scale and be on the clothing. Lighter colours such as winter white or yellow will hide the scales. It takes away a level of self-consciousness.’
10. Focus on the Positive: ‘If you say, “I am psoriasis,” of course you’re going to be negative,’ asserts Dr. Day. ‘Psoriasis is a very common condition. You’re not alone. You don’t owe anybody an explanation and if you’re okay with it, other people will be okay with it. It’s not who you are, just something you have.’
11. Get a Little Bit of Sun: If you get the right amount of exposure to ultraviolet light, you can improve your psoriasis. A study recently found that 60% of patients who were exposed to sunlight reported improvements in their psoriasis. However, even a mild sunburn can trigger an outbreak, so be careful.
12. Take Care of Your Scalp: About half of people with psoriasis have psoriasis on their scalp, but coal-tar shampoos can slow the rapid turnover of skin cells on your scalp and reduce irritation. This difficult area can also be treated with other medicated liquids, mousse, shampoos, sprays, gels, tar products, and soaps.
Pick a second. Any second will do. At the moment, 10 percent of Americans – roughly 30 million people – were experiencing back pain.
No epidemic has touched as many lives as acute or chronic lower back pain. Each year, Americans spend more than $50 billion to assuage their discomfort. More than ever before, Americans hunch, lounge and recline while watching television, playing games, inputting data, eating dinner, writing mail. And when they do exercise, they make up for a 60-hour work week with one concentrated hour of jump-roping, jogging and weight lifting.
Why not do yoga?
Child’s Pose
Directions: Sit down on your heels. Bow towards your choice of deity. Keeping your spine more or less straight, place your hands above your head onto the floor. Do not strain! As always, breathe slowly. After 1-3 minutes, return to the sitting position.
Wall Plank
Directions: Find a wall. Any wall will do. Face it from approximately three feet away. Then bend forward, inspect the floor, and place your hands on the wall. Keeping your back straight, bend your body into a right angle at the hip. If you feel pain in your lower back, bend your knees ever so slightly. Hold for 1-2 minutes.
Hollywood
Directions: Put on your best beach model face. Sit down on the floor, and place your left palm on your right knee. Then slowly twist your body towards the right. Some people like to curl their opposite legs inside. Keep your spine straight, and suck in your stomach for the full stretch. Breathe slowly, and return to a sitting position in 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Downward Dog
Directions: This exercise is a favorite of the team at Health & Wellness Chiropractic of Utah. First, ease onto your hands and knees. Then keeping your hands and heels flat against the ground, lift your hindquarters towards the sky. Feel pain? Put your hands farther in front of you, and then repeat. Hold the position for 5-10 deep breaths.
Spine Straightener
Directions: Sit cross-legged. Intertwine your fingers and raise your hands, palm up, towards the ceiling until your arms almost lockout. Hold the position for at least 20 seconds and then repeat 3-5 times.
Pick one of these exercises. Any one will do. Perform it every day, perhaps when your brush your teeth in the morning, and your lower back will thank you. And get rid of that poufy mattress topper, too.
The Mediterranean diet is more than just a nutrition plan – it is a way of life. Many experts now say that this diet can have an enormous benefit for your wellness and wellbeing, including boosting the health of your heart, and brand new evidence shows that it could also help to reduce depression.
A group of Spanish researchers tracked 4,000 people aged between 55 and 80, some of whom where on a Mediterranean diet, which was rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and olive oil, and some of whom were simply on a low fat diet. The researchers followed them over a period of four years. During the time period, 200 members of the group developed some form of depression.
Amazingly, the Mediterranean diet cut the risk quite significantly, by around 41 percent, especially among diabetic men. This is possibly because the diet is thought to reduce levels of inflammation in the body. When inflammation occurs, it reduces the secretion of a certain brain compound called neurotrophic factors, and the levels of these are generally lower in patients who are suffering from depression.
The Mediterranean has been followed by many generations, generally by those who live around the Mediterranean (hence the name). It is rich in fish, which is lean and filled with omega 3 oils, and also contains lots of fruit and vegetables, which are naturally low fat and low carb.
Many studies have already proved that the Mediterranean diet is an ideal diet for health and wellness but this new information about depression is an area that has yet to be studied extensively, and further research is needed in order to fully understand the repercussions of it. It has, however, been known in a more general sense for some time that a good, nutritious diet helps to reduce the chances of you suffering from depression.
The best way to get a flat belly is to reduce your weight and increase your fitness, but yoga can also play an important part too. Not only is yoga great for your emotional wellness and wellbeing, which can help make dieting easier, but some yoga can help to assist with a distended and uncomfortable belly, reducing bloating.
There are various poses that can help to aid digestion and reduce bloating, one of them being the bow pose. This pose strengthens and lengthens your torso, engaging all of the muscles in your belly. To get into it, start in Downward Facing Dog, and then bring your knees to the mat and lie down on your tummy. Bend your knees and grasp the outside edge of one ankle and then the other. Once you have a tight grip on your ankles, keep your toes together, choosing to point or flex your feet as you wish. Pull your feet up as high as you can manage, and shift your weight forwards so that you are resting on your tummy and not on your pelvis. Hold for the count of five and then release.
A wide-legged forward bend can also help to reduce bloating because folding yourself in half like this squeezes the belly and helps things to get moving along. If you are suffering from tummy pain that is related to stress, this pose can also help to reduce the tension.
To do the wide-legged forward bend, start by standing with your feet three or four feet apart, turning out your heels so that they are slightly wider than your toes. Put your arms behind your back and clasp your fingers together, pressing the heels of your palms together to form a fist. Bend forward, folding at the hips and drawing the crown of your head and the hands towards the floor. Stay there for five breaths and then engage your quads and stand up.
Do you feel that your sexual health isn’t as good as it used to be? Do you worry that, with advancing years, your sexual wellness and wellbeing is declining? If so, you’re not alone. Many people feel, at some point in their lives, that they are having a problem with their libido. This can be due to a medical issue or it may be emotional or psychological. IN many cases, the situation can be improved without having to resort to drugs. There are many different natural ways to boost your libido – it’s just a case of finding the right one to put the spark back into your love life.
Alcohol is often used to help reduce anxiety, especially in first-date type scenarios. When you reduce anxiety and stress, you can feel more ‘free’ and sexy, and this can help with your libido. The key is to drink in moderation, however, so beware of drinking too much booze. Alcohol is a depressant so you could end up having a different problem.
Trying different aphrodisiacs can be quite fun, too. Some of these are foods that look sexually suggestive, such as asparagus (but beware the strange smell it gives to your wee the next day which may alarm you!). Other foods, such as oysters, contain certain antioxidants and elements that are necessary for the healthy functioning of the reproductive system, such as zinc.
If you are a smoker, stopping smoking could be the key to regaining your libido. Smoking can reduce the blood flow to your sexual organs quite significantly as it causes narrowing of the blood vessels. It also reduces your sexual stamina. There is also the fact that many people do not enjoy kissing a smoker, reducing the sexual intimacy and pleasure. Giving up smoking can give your love life a great boost.
Turn perspiration into inspiration: try a yoga workout to help you reduce your stress levels and increase your mental wellness and wellbeing. Yoga belongs traditionally to the ‘complementary’ area of health, but it is becoming a more mainstream occupation.
Yoga philosophy believes that four fundamental passions are at the root of all problems with human existence, and that anger is one of them.
Anger is a very difficult emotion – nobody wants to be angry or to have anyone be angry with them. It is something that you probably actively try to avoid, but nevertheless it still raises its ugly head from time to time.
No matter how calm you intend to stay, you can find yourself feeling angry with a co-worker, partner, or simply someone who drives badly when you are in traffic. This powerful emotion has the power to disturb your calm and peace. That is because anger is a classic sign of perceived threat, and it throws your body into overdrive, telling it that something is wrong and that you need to take action.
Anger has both behavioural, mental and physical components. On a behavioural level you may find yourself yelling, making angry facial expressions or contorting your face, and this may even turn into violence. Mentally, you think about the things that make you angry. Physically you may grow red, feel tense or have an elevated heart rate.
You tend to feel angry without really considering why it is that you are feeling angry, and this is where yoga comes into play. Yoga teaches us to be more self-aware. Rather than being a bunch of posing and posturing, yoga is actually a path to awareness in body and in mind. It teaches us to feel the physical effects of the thoughts and emotions that we feel and to examine how the way we think affects our health.
Thanks to the growing awareness of the impact that stress can have on health, people are looking for ways to de-stress their lives like never before. We tend to focus on stress in our personal lives and accept professional stress as a given. However, workplace stress isn’t difficult to manage if you think outside of the box. Here are four techniques that offices are using to reduce employee stress.
Piping In Some Tunes
For better or for worse, music can significantly affect the energy levels and moods of those that are listening to it. Playing music at moderate levels in the background can reduce stress levels and energize your workforce at the same time. Poll your workforce for recommendations and use a streaming music service like Pandora or Spotify to keep song selections varied and unique.
Team Gaming Sessions
Nowadays, it’s more than socially acceptable for grown adults to blow off some steam with video games. In a workplace setting, a half hour or so spent playing Call of Duty every now and then can make for a great stress reliever. A bonus side effect of playing a video game together as a group is a greater sense of camaraderie shared by co-workers.
Scheduled Yoga Workouts
Physical exertion of any kind is always a good way to reduce tension. However, hectic schedules often make it difficult for office workers to get into a groove. Scheduled yoga sessions held at the office or a nearby gym either before or after work can be great for team-building as well as stress reduction. If yoga isn’t a popular draw, pickup volleyball games work as well.
Pets in the Office
Nothing is more reassuring than a lovable dog or another furry companion. Major companies like Google, Autodesk and Burton have caught on to the fact that allowing dogs in the workplace improves morale and ultimately boosts productivity. Encouraging employees to bring their four-legged friends to work by setting up dedicated areas outfitted with dog beds is a smart move for any office.
Kill the Stress, Reap the Rewards
Besides a marked improvement in employee health, stress reduction techniques such as those discussed here have other benefits. Happy, healthy employees are ultimately more productive, which tends to boost profits in the long run. Furthermore, reducing stress in the office can result in fewer health care claims, which saves money. Any way you slice it, workplace stress reduction is a worthwhile goal.
Herbal tea can be an important part of complementary wellness, but which is better for your wellbeing – herbal tea or just pure water?
Most experts recommend that you should consume around two litres of fluid every day. Not all of that has to be in the form of water, however, contrary to popular belief. You can take some of your fluids in the form of soups, fruits, vegetables, regular tea and, of course, herbals teas. These all contain water, but add a bit of variety to your daily fluid intake. In addition to this, herbal tea can have some great health benefits.
Chamomile tea is a popular one. It has a slightly sedative effect on the nervous system which means it can help to calm you down and can also contribute towards helping you get a good night’s sleep. It appeared in the Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit book, where the little bunny’s mum used it to help soothe his sore tummy – and this is really the case, as the tea can reduce tummy aches, indigestion and spasms. Those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome often swear by this tea for reducing the severity of attacks.
Ginger tea is another good one – it has been used for centuries and can help to relieve nausea and vomiting in pregnant women in a safe way. It also has a strong anti-inflammatory effect and can be used to help reduce the pain of arthritis and to ease painful period pains. Ginger tea is also often used for treating colds and flu, as it helps to reduce mucous congestion.
Lemon balm tea has been shown to help reduce agitation in patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. It can also be good for those who are prone to anxiety and can help to calm and soothe. It is often used to settle night time digestion and help with sleep, too.
Cellulite is one of those wellness problems that never seem to go away. No matter how you look after your wellbeing through a healthy diet and fitness regime – which many experts assert is the only way to get rid of cellulite – those little lumps and bumps around your bottom, thighs and upper arms never seem to shift. Considering that up to 90% of all women will experience some form of cellulite at some time in their life after puberty, surely someone must have come up with a solution? If knowledge is power, maybe we should take a closer look at cellulite, and how you might be able to defeat it.
According to Emma Hobson from the International Dermal Institute, ‘Cellulite is a connective tissue disorder. Simply put, the structure of the body’s fat cell chambers break down and cause this dimpling to appear.’ But why? Hobson suggests that a poor circulatory system causes this breakdown in connective fibres. ‘Loss of circulation to an area – whether caused by lack of exercise, too much sitting, clogged arteries or nutrient deficiency – can have a serious impact and accelerate cellulite formation,’ she says, adding that, as cellulite is not like regular fat, it must be treated differently. ‘For years, many experts argued that cellulite is merely fat and can only be treated with diet and exercise,’ recalls Hobson. ‘Yet non-overweight, physically active women also plead for treatments or products to address dimpled-thigh skin.’
So perhaps you’ll never be able to eradicate 100% of your cellulite. Nonetheless, there are many things you can do to reduce its appearance. While a topical skincare product won’t do the trick alone, Dr Esra Ogru, molecular biologist and co-founder of Phosphagenics, recommends Elixia BodyShaper Cellulite Contour Crème, as it has an impressive dermal-delivery system and uses three tried-and-true cellulite actives. However, it’s interesting to point out that Phosphagenics is the pharmaceutical-based owner of Elixia. Still, Ogru notes, ‘Caffeine is well established in its ability to release fat from the fat site; forskolin is a naturally occurring plant extract that is very powerful in converting fat to muscle; and we also use a peptide that stops fat from going into storage.’ The company claims that 21 days of use can reduce your cellulite by 40%, as well as enhancing skin hydration and improving elasticity.
You might also like to turn to in-salon treatments for help reducing the appearance of cellulite, advises Hobson. She lists a number of therapies that she loves, including Endermologie (a French method of mechanized massage therapy); mesotherapy (vitamin and plant extract injections to improve circulation and metabolism); lipolysis (an injection of a fat-cell-melting substance); and, Velasmooth (a non-invasive device that uses a combination of radio frequency, infrared light and vacuum suction which works to break down fat cells). However, the treatment that Hobson really raves about manual lymph drainage.
Hobson explains that manual lymph drainage is a light form of massage that stimulates lymph flow, which helps reduce cellulite because a sluggish lymph contributes to poor circulation. Hobson argues that manual lymph drainage ‘may in fact be one of the most effective means of treating the causes of cellulite.’ Still, if you can afford the full salon treatment, it is possible to obtain similar benefits by dry body brushing at home. Hobson instructs, ‘Use a large soft natural-bristle brush to gently and lightly stroke the surface of the skin of the legs, the direction of the nearest lymph nodes (back of knees, groin.’ Do this for a few minutes each day and you’ll see results within a few months.
Liver disease is a big threat to the health of many people across the world. Even if you do everything possible to protect your wellness and wellbeing, you can still fall victim to liver failure, and it can be very hard to diagnose. There are various ways that you can help to keep your liver healthy.
Firstly, a daily cup of coffee has been shown to help reduce your risk of liver cancer by up to 42 percent. You should stick to only one cup per day, however, as excessive consumption can have other negative effects.
Another thing to be mindful of is the products you use to clean your house. Make sure that everything you use is safe and non toxic, as every spray that you use in your home will be breathed in, and every breath you take is eventually processed by your liver. The toxins that are around the home can be harmful to your liver in the long run, and there are often healthier, greener alternatives available.
It’s well known that alcohol is damaging to the liver, so avoid it as much as you can. Drink only in moderation and give your liver a total break from time to time. Just two drinks per day can cause huge problems with your liver in the long run.
Losing weight can also help to protect your liver. Being overweight causes all kinds of health problems anyway, but one of these can be excess strain on the liver. Losing any excess pounds will reduce your risk of getting fatty liver disease.
The best diet for your liver is something called the Mediterranean diet. When having your usual salad for tea, add what is called a ‘Mediterranean flare’, consisting of two tablespoonful’s of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon, squeezed. This tastes good and is a great detoxifier for the liver.
How green is your Diwali? This is probably not a question that pops into your head all that often, but whilst you are celebrating the wonderful festival, you should also be considering the effect that your celebrations may have on the wellness and wellbeing of the planet.
One very simple way that you can ensure that your Diwali is extremely eco-friendly is to celebrate with all your closest family and friends around you. There really is no need for travel – you can simply bring the community together in one place. The cost of the celebration will be reduced in this way too, as everyone can make a contribution, and it will also reduce the amount of pollution that is produced, as everyone will be together celebrating in the one place at the one time. As an added bonus, this kind of celebration will bring whole communities together in the spirit of friendship and camaraderie.
You should also consider your fire crackers very carefully this Diwali. Whilst they are beautiful and spectacular, and certainly the heart of any Diwali celebrations, they can also leave haze, cause a great deal of noise and leave the ground littered with papers the next day. Instead of traditional crackers, why not opt instead for eco-friendly products. These are often made from recycled papers and some are even biodegradable. The noise produced by these is also within acceptable limits.
Instead of an expensive and energy-gobbling electrical illumination, why not opt instead for an age old Diya? These are bio-degradable and cost effective, but they still look very traditional and extremely beautiful. Energy consumption is sky high around Diwali, so you will be doing your part to reduce this.
All of these things can help to make Diwali a far more green celebration for you and for the planet.
Whether it is by going for a walk in the fresh air, looking at the sunrise or sunset, or simply surveying a beautiful green landscape, there is an environmental route to wellness and wellbeing. Many people believe that simply being in a pleasant environment can do wonders to heal the soul and to reinvigorate you.
The word nature itself comes from the Latin word ‘natura’ which means ‘the course of things, natural character’. This refers to the way that the animals and the plants of the world grow of their own accord, and the way that the weather, cosmology and geology all work independently and interact, such as rivers, mountains, stars, wind, sunlight and rain. Natural environments can be a blend of living and non-living components.
Psychologists claim that exercise and better physical fitness, when associated with a nature-based activity, leads to better health. The research behind this also shows that those who take outdoor exercise are likely to be more healthy than those who only exercise indoors – for example those who run on an outdoor track are likely to get more benefit from that activity than those who run on an indoor track.
Some research even indicates that being around nature can help to boost your immune system and can improve your heart health. For this reason, hospitals are often built with a view of nature, and it is widely believed that having a view of nature from your hospital bedroom window can help to reduce the recovery time and therefore the number of days you have to spend in hospital, and can also reduce the quantity of medications needed to treat medical conditions.
Being close to nature also helps to reduce stress and dramatically reduce the symptoms of ADHD, depression and anxiety, as well as psychosomatic illnesses.
Learning to deal with stress and managing stress levels is an important part of life. Family life and your career can often bring what seem likely overwhelming pressures to bear on mind and body.
So how do you cope with stress? Here are 7 handy tips to relieving mind and body without turning to unhealthy crutches such as tobacco and alcohol to cope.
Take control of your problems. When you are passive, you are more likely to feel helpless in the face of any difficulties. So confront the issue head on and you will find that taking control will empower you and reduce the stress you feel.
Exercise regularly. Physical activity works as a mood elevator and while it won’t get rid of your stress, it will help you clear your mind and provide a better focus.
Identify the triggers that indicate your stress levels are rising; for example, your pulse or heart rate increasing in certain situations may be a very obvious physical sign. Take time to consider the situations that cause you the most stress and look for ways to reduce them.
Step away from stressful situations. Take five minutes of breathing time when you feel things getting on top of you. A common cause of stress is overwork and having too much to do. Reduce your workload where you can and find some quality time to relax without constantly checking a Blackberry.
Ditch those unhealthy stress crutches. Caffeine, tobacco and alcohol are typically used by people for a little support when they are under pressure. But each simply adds to problems while only giving a moment’s relief. Instead learn to talk to other people. Find someone to confide in with whom you can share your problems. The old adage of “a problem shared is a problem halved” is still true today.
Dealing with Stress: 5 Tips to Handling the Pressure
Folic acid has long been recommended during pregnancy to help reduce the risk of many health concerns in the unborn child, but new studies suggest that it could help to prevent autism from developing. The March of Dimes, a private US group, has gone even further to suggest that all women of a childbearing age should take this potent B-vitamin, even if they aren’t planning to get pregnant, as it can help to reduce the risk of autism in everyone.
The neural tube is the origin of the brain in the foetus and this closes very early on in the development of the child. It is when this tube is damaged that defects can occur. Such defects include spina bifida, which is a condition where the spine is damaged, as well as some brain defects. When looking at the impact of folic acid on the formation on the neural tube, they noticed that it had a positive effect on the prevention of autism as well. Studies found that the risk was 40 percent lower in those who had taken folic acid than those who hadn’t.
Folic acid can be found in many foods, including green leafy vegetables such as spinach and cabbage, fruits and nuts, which naturally contain folate. This vitamin helps the body to develop new cells. The majority of pre-natal supplements will contain this as it is a vital nutrient in the healthy development of your child. As many pregnancies are unplanned, folic acid supplements from a childbearing age are important to reduce the risk in the early stages of development, where the sensitive stage of pregnancy holds the risk of autism developing. If you’re unsure whether you’re getting enough folic acid, check with your GP who can advise you.
How Folic Acid Can Help Reduce The Risk of Autism
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