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Top Tips to Avoid Catching Winter Bugs

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Nobody wants to be ill over the festive season. Thankfully, there are lots of things you can do to reduce your chances of catching common winter viruses, such as colds and flus. Here are our top tips to help you avoid catching winter bugs. 

Get the right nutrients

One way of reducing your likelihood of catching a winter bug is making sure you eat all the right nutrients. Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day is vital for good health and will help to boost your immune system. Fruit and vegetables contain anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and therefore help your boy to fight off infections more efficiently. 

Garlic and onions are particularly effective against warding off colds as they are both known for their antiviral properties. Luckily, garlic comes in supplement form, so you can get your daily dose without worrying about bad breath. 

Probiotics are also good for you and are thought to help boost your immune system, so will help you fight winter bugs. Nestle BOOST Optimum is a tasty supplement that contains probiotics and prebiotics such as Lactobacillus paracasei and Prebio, as well as vitamins and minerals to give you that added immunity boost this winter.

Sleep

You need sleep to recharge your body’s batteries and help you recover for the previous day’s stresses and activities. It should therefore come as no surprise that a lack of sleep will leave you feeling rundown and more prone to catching bugs. 

When you’re feeling tired and rundown, your body is less effective at fighting off infections. It’s therefore essential that you get enough good quality sleep if you want to stay as healthy as possible in the winter months. 

Wash your hands properly

If there’s one thing that we all learned from the covid pandemic, it’s the importance of regularly washing your hands to help reduce the spread of illness. Washing your hands thoroughly and regularly is vital if you want to avoid getting sick. 

Surfaces in public areas, such as door knobs and hand rails, can harbour all kinds of germs and bacteria, so always wash your hands carefully with soap and warm water after touching them. Also don’t forget to wash your hands after using the toilet, as well as after coughing and sneezing. Always carry antibacterial gel on your person just in case you don’t have access to a wash hand basin. 

Protect yourself and others

Try to avoid touching your face when you’re out and about because germs, such as the cold virus, can enter your body through your mouth, nose, and eyes. You might also consider wearing a face mask if attending public spaces with poor ventilation. Not only will this help protect you from catching bugs, it’ll prevent you from spreading germs to others, especially if you’re carrying something and are asymptomatic. 

One of the best ways to avoid getting ill with common winter viruses like the flu is to get vaccinated against it. You should also make sure you receive your covid booster to avoid catching, and spreading, coronavirus. 

Conclusion

By eating the right nutrients, ensuring you get enough sleep, washing your hands, and taking measures to protect yourself, you’ll be less likely to catch winter bugs. 

 

Managing Bladder Inconsistency in the Elderly

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Most elderly experience some form of bladder inconsistency at one point or another. Many deal with it frequently. Bladder inconsistency is a subject that is not discussed despite being a common problem among adults. Whether the cause is arthritis, other age-related developments, or a degenerative disease, managing bladder inconsistency is possible. 

There are different methods for the severity of bladder incontinence, and finding one that works for you is key! Let’s talk about what we can do. 

Four Common Causes of Bladder Inconsistency

Understanding what is happening is a crucial part of treating bladder inconsistency. Here are four quick common reasons it could be happening. 

  1.  Arthritis and Developed Disorders

Age-developed disorders such as arthritis can cause functional incontinence, where someone may have trouble getting to the bathroom quickly enough. This is actually not a bladder problem but causes incontinence. 

  1.  Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles 

In women, weak pelvic floor muscles commonly cause leakage when sneezing, exercising, and doing daily activities. This is commonly due to giving birth and losing strength in those muscles. 

  1.  Alzheimer’s of Other Diseases

Alzheimer’s and other diseases are commonly classified as urge incontinence. Nerve damage results in an overactive bladder that makes you feel like you have to go a lot. Diabetes, Parkinson’s, a stroke, and a few more are common with this type of incontinence. 

  1.  Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladders result in the elderly having issues trying to empty them. This results in overflow and leakage. Diabetes can also be a factor in this type of incontinence. Doctors usually suggest insertable devices in this case. 

What Are The Options?

Here are the most common options that address all levels of incontinence. 

  • Women particularly struggle with this as their pelvic floor muscles weaken after birth. Premium absorbent underwear for women is a great way to tackle the problem. Protective underwear isn’t just for women, either. Men can find several boxer briefs and other solutions that are great for light to heavy incontinence. 

 

  • Approaching your lifestyle with health in mind is another chance to combat bladder inconsistency. Interestingly enough, diet and exercise can have a majorly positive impact even for the elderly. There are direct and indirect correlations, such as strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. This helps with bladder control. Indirectly, changing your diet can help improve mild cases. 

 

  • Medications and technology have developed over the years to help individuals with bladder incontinence. There are many common medications available now, such as tolterodine (Detrol), darifenacin (Enablex), oxybutynin (Ditropan XL), fesoterodine (Toviaz), solifenacin (Vesicare) and trospium chloride. Since elderly folks may be taking medication already, it is critical to consult a doctor for ultimate safety. 

 

  • Medication isn’t the only solution. Technology has developed a number of creams and devices that are useful for older adults. Some may make less sense than others. A catheter is a device that is inserted to help empty the bladder naturally and stop leakage. Options similar to tampons are another popular way to have absorbency. 

One Size Does Not Fit All

Regardless of the reason why incontinence has developed, not everyone will like or feel comfortable with each option listed above. It can take both some trial and error and an adjustment period. Some of the recommendations are less invasive than others. But sometimes, heavy incontinence flows require some extra assistance. 

The important thing here is to talk with a doctor and your loved ones to find a solution that doesn’t impair your daily life. The idea is to feel comfortable and confident that bladder incontinence will not stop you no matter where you go. 

WhatIf Foods and Their Planet-Positive Mindset: In Our Spotlight for Vegan Month!

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WhatIF Plant Milk

WhatIF Plant Milk

I’d like to share the press release below with you in honor of November being World Vegan Month! While I am not a vegan or vegetarian, I am very, very interested in sustainability and healthy eating. For these reasons, I find myself drawn to many of the same delicious products my vegan/vegetarian friends (and my beautiful daughter Brittany) are drawn to.

I have not, yet, tried WhatIF Foods, but when I do I will add reviews to the self help blog and let you know all about them! Although the press release says they are available on Amazon, I’ve been unable (personally) to find them. They are absolutely on the WhatIF Website and Cergular (linked to below). ~ Joi (“Joy“)

WhatIF Foods and Their Planet-Positive Mission

Press Release and image used with permission.

WhatIF Foods is a “planet-positive” food and beverage company like no other. Their brand philosophy centers around a simple query: “What if sustainability is not enough?”.  WhatIF Foods seeks to transform the agri-food industry by advocating the practice of regenerative agriculture and lifestyle principles and practices to revive nature, restore lands and provide for the community. WhatIF Food’s planet-positive approach is a call to everyone to adopt a way of life that’s regenerative instead of simply being sustainable.

WhatIF Foods has completely integrated regenerative practices into its entire manufacturing and supply chain to replenish and restore natural resources — all while seeking to deliver balanced and healthy diets to everyone through their various natural, plant-based products.

The brand specializes in the production of noodles and plant milk products from a unique and underutilized West African crop known as Bambara groundnut or BamNut. Their products are available on their website, Amazon.com and select online retailers such as Cerqular.

WhatIF Foods is the only company in the world to utilize the Bambara groundnut in convenient food formats for the mass market. Their plant-based instant noodles are sold at $12.50 a pack which contains 5 noodles, oil and sauce sachets and seasoning packets, all of which are free of palm oil, artificial coloring and flavoring. WhatIF Foods’ BamNut Milk is offered in retail at $5.49 a carton and comes in three variants — BamNut Milk Airy, Barista and Everyday.

The Bambara groundnut was found to have special regenerative properties that allow it to rejuvenate depleted soils, essentially allowing the planet to recover itself. This low-maintenance, yet highly nutritious crop is central to everything that WhatIF Foods stands for in light of its advocacy to promote a healthy diet while transforming the agri-food industry and promoting regenerative business and agriculture.

Their many initiatives and innovations in regenerative agricultural practices haven’t gone unnoticed. WhatIF Foods is a finalist in the 2020 Liveability Challenge and part of the 2020 MIT Solve Class.

WhatIF Foods operates beyond being a food and beverage purveyor. The brand’s ultimate goal is to create a generation of regeneration advocates — passionately inviting people from all walks of life to join the #REgeneration. Learn more about their work and join the movement through their website and Amazon.

 

The Health Benefits of Green Tea (Time to Pour Another Cup!)

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Benefits of Green Tea

If you read a great deal about health and nutrition, you’re familiar with phrases such as  “…..could help reduce….,”  “….has the potential to….,”  “…might decrease your risk for…”  Writers and researchers have to pull out fence-riding words to protect themselves as well as their readers.

I perfectly understand that.  I keep a bag of fence-riding words by my desk.

Being familiar with the terminology makes me pay extra attention to the words used in health reports.  When a particular research produces data with clear cut facts, I sit up and take notice.

You may already know that my drinks of choice are coffee and tea. I drink at least 6 glasses of iced tea daily (a delicious assortment of raspberry, raspberry-peach, black, green tea..) as well as a mug of hot tea in the evening.

I believe strongly in the benefits of tea, so I feel even better about being such a fanatic.

I really love it when my love of health and nutritional information collides with my love for green tea.  And if you’ll notice in the information that follows, the words DO NOT ride a fence.

Green tea is known for being loaded with antioxidants and, of course, antioxidants are (in turn) are known for being loaded with many health benefits….

  • Lower your risk of heart disease
  • Help you lose fat
  • Protection against cancer
  • Improve your brain health

Green Tea Lowers Your Risk of Heart Disease

In an issue of the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, researchers reported that people who drink green tea have better blood vessel function just 30 minutes later. Inside of an hour, your heart is already enjoying benefits.

For the study, researchers gave either green tea, hot water, or a beverage containing the same caffeine as green tea to a group of volunteers. The researchers measured the volunteer’s blood flow 30, 90, and 120 minutes after drinking their beverages.

After drinking green tea, the volunteers experienced significantly increased artery widening. The widening was evident after just 30 minutes. The other beverages (the caffeinated beverage and hot water did not produce any significant changes in the same individuals).

Read more about the health benefits of green tea on WebMD.

If you haven’t, yet, fallen in love with green tea, please give it another shot.

A Few Ideas to Help You Fall in Love with Green Tea:

  • Brew it yourself, then sweeten it with honey and lemon.
  • Add a little unsweetened fruit juice.
  • My favorite way to fix green tea: Combine your green tea bag(s) with bags of raspberry, peach, strawberry, or other berry teas. This combo is outstanding: Green tea, raspberry tea, AND peach tee. Trust me… it’s addictive.
  • Two words: Flavored Syrups (read about some of the absolute best flavored syrups for tea here)
  • Use the best bags of green tea – experiment until you find one you love (which means you’ll drink it!). My personal favorite is Tazo (Amazon link).

While on the subject of healthy eating (it couldn’t be more vital, you know), I’d like to share a few links with you:


Benefits of Acupuncture in Treating Stress & Chronic Pain

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Look at Things Differently

Acupuncture continues to gain popularity as more studies find it effective in treating different illnesses. From chronic pain to stress, acupuncture has shown that it can provide relief and successfully deliver desired results.

It features fine needles inserted in the skin at specific points along the energy lines also known as meridians. In traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture has been successfully used for years.

The best part is that it not only addresses physical health issues but also impacts the mental body. It can improve your anxiety and stress levels to help control them and relieve the constant pressure. 

How Acupuncture Works to Treat Anxiety and Stress

You may be wondering how acupuncture relates to treating anxiety and how it actually works. Let’s explore a bit deeper to understand how and why acupuncture for anxiety is effective.

In Chinese medicine, the energy that flows through the body is called Qi (Chi). It moves through the energy lines known as meridians through the whole body. When your body is uneasy due to stress and anxiety, the flow of energy is disrupted.

Acupuncture helps to restore balance and facilitate an easier flow of energy through the meridians. Professional acupuncturists insert fine needles in specific energy points to help bring your energy back to its normal flow. 

Modern science explains that the fine needles are inserted away from your nerves to a certain depth stimulating feel-good hormones like endorphins. These hormones help reduce stress-inducing hormones like cortisol to help treat anxiety and stress. 

Benefits of Acupuncture in Treating Stress and Anxiety

Studies show that acupuncture is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders with fewer side effects compared to taking medication. If you are looking for alternative treatment options, acupuncture is worth consideration.

Working with licensed NYC acupuncturists gives you the confidence you need to explore a different approach to relieve anxiety and stress. Acupuncture remains one of the best alternative treatments with incredible benefits. These benefits include;

 

Improves Mood

Acupuncture helps improve overall mood and emotional regulation to help you process and react to different situations better. Improved moods help reduce anxiety and stress ensuring that you are calmer to deal with things that come up. 

Going for your acupuncture appointments will leave you feeling happier which will help reduce feelings of anxiety and help you manage your stress responses. 

Enhance Mental Clarity

Brain fog may affect your mental clarity and tamper with your decision-making skills. This may leave you feeling stuck or stagnant. These feelings can lead to stress and feelings of anxiety.

Studies have shown that acupuncture can help improve cognitive function which can in turn help clear out brain fog. This will help enhance your mental clarity, allowing you to make better decisions while relieving stress and anxiety. 

Promotes Better Sleep

Sleep deprivation is a major cause of stress and anxiety. It throws off your circadian rhythm and leaves you feeling exhausted. This later affects your work and health leading to a more stressful situation. 

Acupuncture is effective in treating insomnia and will help promote better sleep to ensure that you get enough rest. Doing this will help reduce stress and anxiety. 

Boosts Your Energy

After your acupuncture sessions, you’ll often find that you are more energetic and excited to get things done. This boost in your energy helps you get things done and relieve stress and anxiety about incomplete tasks. 

Relieves Body Pains

Pain can cause stress to the body leaving you feeling worse. However, acupuncture has been shown to be effective for chronic pain to help give you relief and reduce the stress on your body.