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Category: Health

Don’t Ignore Your Symptoms – Especially Now!

During the pandemic, one major concern amongst doctors – aside from the obvious – is that people will let small ailments grow and get worse. The irony is that because people are so worried about contracting the coronavirus, they may be letting other serious conditions slip under their notice. 

So what do you need to be aware of?

Image Credit: Pexels CC0 Licence

Aches and Pains

We all have aches and pains from time to time and most will go away on their own. Often, all you need is to make sure that you are eating well – many mild pains, including cramps, are caused by mineral deficiencies – also try stretching and gentle exercise to loosen up. Walking is really good for you and even in quarantine, you should try to make sure that you don’t spend all your time sitting down. Staying fit and feeling good is possible, even during shelter in place days! 

The problem comes when your pain doesn’t go away or it gets worse. There is no reason that you should have to suffer and even at times like this, it is better for you to talk to a health professional. From lower back pain to unbearable wisdom tooth pain, there is nothing a doctor wouldn’t be happy to help you with. In fact, doctors can diagnose a wide range of problems remotely so you won’t even need to go into their surgery. 

Lumps, Rashes and Discoloration

Just like aches and pains, lumps, rashes and discoloration are really common and, most of the time, they pass on their own. However, lumps, rashes and discoloration can also be a sign of more serious conditions, including cancer. 

If you do find an odd lump on your body, it’s a good idea to monitor it for a few days to see what happens as most lumps will disappear in that time. However, if your symptoms persist or get worse it is always worth calling your doctor as they will be able to prescribe the right course of action. For example, they may wish to take a biopsy of a new lump.

Skin rashes and discoloration can often be diagnosed by a pharmacist. They will also be able to give you a steroid cream or similar to help relieve the symptoms – especially if your skin is itchy or irritable to touch. There are a few home remedies that can help too, such as using a cool compress or coconut oil to relieve itching. 

Again, most rashes and discolorations are nothing to worry about but they are worth treating quickly so don’t delay in getting help. The last thing you need right now is a rash that’s going to spread! 

Fatigue and The Sense Something Isn’t Right

Fatigue can be caused by a wide range of illnesses but it is also a common symptom of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Right now, lots of people are struggling with their mental health as life has radically changed and there is a new threat that the whole of humanity is affected by. 

Fatigue is not the same as tiredness; fatigue doesn’t improve with sleep and can make you feel sluggish and achy. If you are worried about fatigue, seeing your doctor is a really good idea as they will be able to gauge a sense of how you are both physically and mentally. They may wish to do some blood tests just to check for any sign of infection or vitamin and mineral deficiencies. 

For many people, fatigue also follows an illness. If this is true for you then the best thing you can do is allow yourself time to rest and heal. If your fatigue persists beyond a few weeks, it is really important that you return to your doctor for further advice. Many people are showing signs of post-viral fatigue after recovering from the coronavirus and if you think you may be affected, it’s important that you seek further help. 

If you require dental care, consider getting help from the dentist in Medford.

We are all guilty of ignoring smaller symptoms and hoping that they will go away on their own. Luckily, for most of us, most of the time this is true and your body is actually really good at dealing with all kinds of problems by itself. However, just because we are in the middle of a worldwide health crisis doesn’t mean that your relatively small problem doesn’t warrant some attention. So no matter how silly you might feel if you are worried about any of the symptoms above or have any other symptoms concerning you, don’t delay making that appointment.

Staying Fit and Feeling Good During Quarantine

Our lives have changed drastically due to COVID-19 and policies have been put in place for people to spend time at home to prevent further spread of the virus. While we do our part for the health of the public, it is also important that we take care of ourselves during quarantine since this and social distancing entails a lot of staying at home and being sedentary. While we don’t want to pressure ourselves to be any sort of a way while we are spending this required time at home, staying fit and feeling good is also something to keep in mind for both our physical and our mental health. 

Here are some ways that you can stay in shape and healthy while being at home:


Don’t give up on workouts

While your usual workout routine may not be possible right now as gyms and fitness classes are closed, you can still get a great workout in at home! You can use apps like 30-Day Fitness to keep yourself on track, follow a set challenge, and choose your workout focuses according to what you want to work. The 30 Day Fitness Challenge app for example, has workouts for specific muscles groups and problematic areas, such as this circuit made up of inner thigh exercises.


Try to get movement in daily

Daily exercise is important, and really focusing on getting movement in every day is crucial. While at home, people are often prone to sitting more and not being as active, but you can still be active while staying at home! You can do stairs, be consistent with house cleaning, and walk around the house while on phone calls or for a quick work break.


Eat lighter meals and more frequent if necessary

It is hard to avoid frequent snacking while we are spending so much time at home! To help combat this and eat nutritious food that fuels and nourishes our bodies, eating lighter meals and more frequent meals if necessary can help. 

It’s also important to go for regular health and dental checkups. If you require dental care, check out this general dentist in Chattanooga.


Don’t underestimate the power of cleaning

While cleaning can seem just like a chore, it can also burn a lot of calories! As we are spending so much time at home, clean up your space for some exercise but also to feel good in the space that you are spending this time in. 


Don’t stress about feeling less fit or gaining weight

There are times in life when your fitness isn’t quite what you want it to be, and having compassion for yourself through these times is crucial. Your routine may be different, your lifestyle has had to adjust, and you may be dealing with increased stress.. feeling good and taking care of yourself through quarantine may mean that your fitness journey takes an unexpected turn.  


Keep a positive mindset and ground yourself daily

Being positive doesn’t mean that you have to be happy all the time, but it focuses on the fact that there are better days to come. Do your best to keep a positive mindset and do something that makes you feel happy and/or centered every day. Even a quick yoga or meditation session can help ground you. 


When things return to normal we’ll have plenty of time to return to our fitness regime, so now the important thing is to make the most of the situation and stay positive.

Freshly

The other day a delivery came to my door from Freshly. Unfortuatley it was not for me it was for my neighbor. She told me that she started ordering a few weeks ago and was hooked. I decided to look into Freshly for myself. I need to get back into my routine and healthy pre-made meals delivered right to your door sounds heavenly to me. As they say on their site…

Life is simpler when you leave the shopping, chopping, and cleaning to us. Crafted by chefs and approved by nutritionists, Freshly is not just easier, it’s better. Its honestly like having a personal chef for pennies on the dollar!!!!

I wanted to wait until my first week to do this post. So far I am soo impressed with the meals, the pricing, the portion size, and how easy it is to just heat them up. Every meal I have tried thus far has been delicious. My favorite is the Creamy Cashew Chicken. But honestly, everything has been really good!!! You can get a delivery of 4 or 6 meals per week. It is such a no brainer….

I have a $20 discount for you for your first order..click HERE for more information and to view the meal selection. Bon Appetit!!!

Staying At Home Treats: Keeping Yourself Entertained!

Let’s face it, at-home time can be boring at times. To help you out, this post will explore some of the best ways to keep yourself entertained.  I was preparing this article for tips to pass the time while traveling, however, now I think it is so important to have some fun tips to pass the time while we are spending time at home.  

image palife.co.uk

Music
Music means something different to everyone, but most people are able to sit down and listen to their favorite tracks for hours on end to pass the time. Websites like https://setapp.com/how-to/how-to-download-music-for-free can make it nice and easy to save offline versions of the songs you like without breaking the law, and this will be essential when you’re in places that don’t offer an internet connection. It can be worth choosing music you haven’t listened to for a while for this, and some people will like to use the chance to listen to music they’ve never heard before. You can also live-stream concerts, what about listening to a Bruce Springsteen show?

Movies/TV
Back in the old days, the idea of being able to watch television and movies on a portable device would have been laughed at. Nowadays, though, your smartphone is more than capable of giving you the chance to consume your favorite TV shows no matter where you are. Services like YouTube can be used offline if you’re willing to pay for it, and there are loads of companies on the market that sell movies and television shows for temporary downloads onto your devices. It always makes sense to have these things available no matter the state of your internet connection. And, here’s what to watch when you’re caught up on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,”

Video Games
Few things are better for passing time than video games, giving you the chance to ignore the fact that you are stuck at home. Smartphones can be good for this, with most models being able to run an array of different games. Alongside this, though, a portable console like the Nintendo Switch can also be an excellent option. For those with laptops, services like Google Stradia can make it possible to play games that would usually be reserved for very high-end game consoles or computers.

Or how about some of these FUN IDEAS (adapted from Apartment Therapy):

Take notes on how to organize your freezer from Ina Garten.
Enroll in weekly art lessons from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Tour Tate Modern’s Andy Warhol exhibit.
Or just head right inside Prince Charles’ residence.
See the Japanese cherry blossoms around the world.
Take tips (and backgrounds) from Jonathan Adler for camera time, too.
Try these no-equipment workouts that you can easily do at home.
Volunteer remotely to make a difference from home.
What to do when you declutter!!!

It’s Almost Sandal Season.Taking Better Care of Your Feet!!

You could probably say that most of us are not really doing enough to take proper care of our feet. The truth is that there are many things we could all be doing to look after our feet better, but most of us don’t really think about it enough and that means that we allow our feet to gradually worsen over time. If you are conscious that you should probably take better care of your feet in general, then there are many things that you might want to do in order to make sure of that. In this article, we are going to take a look at some of those essential things, so that you can really get to the bottom of foot care for yourself.

Pic – CCO Licence

See The Podiatrist

One of the first things you should do is to make sure you visit the podiatrist. They will be able to tell you if there is anything wrong with your feet in particular that you need to keep an eye on, such as bunions or ingrown toenails or an infection. Many people are not quite sure about when to see a podiatrist, and if you are thinking When do I need a podiatrist, the answer is that it is useful whenever you feel that your feet could be in a better state. If you have any of those specific issues, then that is also a good time to see the podiatrist. All in all, they will be able to help you to get to the bottom of what your feet specifically need and why, and that is going to be very helpful knowledge.

Simple Exercises

Your feet need exercise, just like any other part of your body. If you are not using them properly or enough, then you are going to find that they are more likely to seize up, or worsen any problems they already have, and just generally are going to be in trouble. So you should make sure that you are carrying out simple exercises for your feet which can be as simple as going for a short walk or stretching them out while you are sitting watching TV. As long as you are exercising them, you should find that you are going to keep them in a much better condition overall.

Pic – CCO Licence

Wash Regularly
Many people don’t wash their feet regularly. If you find that you merely stand in the shower without washing your feet properly, then that is not going to make you feel quite as clean as if you wash all the time, and that’s something that you are going to want to think about. Washing your feet regularly is easy to do in soap and water, but if you don’t do it then your feet are going to be in trouble. Make sure that you do this as often as you can, and your feet will be in a much better condition overall. It’s a simple thing that makes a world of difference.

5 Things To Consider Before Buying Glasses

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

I never wore glasses. I just started to have problems reading lately and I decided to go to the eye doctor. I learned a lot and thought I would share it with you…. If you’re on the lookout for new glasses and you don’t know where to begin then don’t worry, you have definitely come to the right place. Whether you’re looking for a new pair or you’re buying your first-ever glasses, you need to be sure you’re buying a high-quality pair that is going to last. Whilst you may be overwhelmed by all of the options at first, there are lots of things you can ask yourself to ensure you’re buying the perfect pair. From setting yourself a budget to choosing where you’re going to buy them, the more you’re thinking about it the easier the decision will be. With that in mind, here are 5 things to consider when buying new glasses: 

– Do You Need To Get Your Eyes Tested? 

One of the first things you need to consider when it comes to buying new glasses is whether or not you need to get your eyes tested first. Although you don’t have to get your eyes tested every time you buy new glasses, it’s definitely something you should consider if you haven’t had them tested in a while. If you’re worried and you need a little bit of encouragement, you can find out what to expect at your next eye test here

– What Is Your Budget?

Another important thing to consider is your budget, as this will determine how much you’re going to be able to spend on your glasses. Whether you have a small budget or a large budget in mind, setting this in advance will make your search much easier. If you’re having an eye test, you need to consider the cost of that too. 

– Where Do You Want To Get Them From?

Once you know what your budget is, you need to think about where you’re going to be getting your glasses from. Whether you’re going into a store or you’re thinking of ordering them online, you need to ensure you’re going somewhere that is trustworthy. For the best places to buy glasses online, you can visit this site here. 

– What Brand Do You Want To Buy? 

Another important thing to consider is the brand of glasses you want to buy. Whether you want store-brand or ray ban glasses, having this in mind before you start shopping will make things much easier. If you don’t know which brands are best, you may want to do a little bit of research. 

– Do You Need Insurance? 

Finally, you need to think about whether or not you’re going to need insurance. Buying glasses can be incredibly expensive and although you will have to pay a monthly fee for your insurance, it’s much better than having to pay for a new pair should something happen to them. As they’re easy to break, having cover should be a priority. 

Are you thinking of buying new glasses soon? What do you need to consider in order to ensure you find the right pair for you? Did we miss anything? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.