relaxation Archives ~ Health Sifu

August 9, 2017 By Luckily Leave a Comment

A Good Night’s Sleep ~ 5 Top Tips

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5 Ways to Get the Most out of A Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep plays an important role in ensuring that your physical and mental health is in check.
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Being able to get sufficient and quality sleep at the proper time can help protect your physical and mental health. Additionally, it increases the quality of your life.
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Sufficient sleep in adults helps support healthy brain functions whereas in children and teenagers, it promotes development.
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There could be several factors that could be causing your sleep deprivation. Ongoing sleep deficiency has been associated with raising the risk of having chronic diseases. It also upsets how you think, work, respond and get along with others.
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Now that you have gained a new understanding of some of the factors that could be contributing to your sleep deprivation, what are some aspects you can implement to ensure you have adequate sleep?

1. Having a consistent bed time

You typically require around 8 hours of sleep daily.
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The first step to ensuring you have adequate shut eye is to set a time to go to bed and wake up.
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Setting a time for going to bed and waking up in the morning, and remaining consistent to it helps wire your body to healthy sleeping patterns.

2. Calm your mind before bedtime

Most people are unable to sleep because they go to bed thinking about the hustles of the day that has passed.
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Using methods such as listening to music or meditating before bed helps silence the mind and relax your muscles.
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The negative thoughts of the day that has passed are replaced with a calming effect that helps you nod off.

3. Mark your bed as a sanctuary

Most people suffer from sleep deficiency because they perform activities such as working, eating or watching television in bed.
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Consistently doing these activities in bed encourages your mind to associate them with your bedroom. You may, therefore, find it hard to sleep on the days you do not have work or anything to watch on the television.

4. Cut out caffeine before bed time

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Caffeine is a stimulant that is able to stay in your system for up to 8 hours. A stimulant is anything that increases the activity of the body.
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Therefore, your caffeine intake before bed time prevents you from sleeping.
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5. Choose the right mattress

Mattresses play a very key role in ensuring that you sleep well and wake up feeling fresh.
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If you constantly find yourself waking up with neck and back pains, or being unable to comfortably fall asleep on your mattress, then it’s about time to buy a new one.
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You can identify if your sleep deprivation has anything to do with your mattress when you find yourself unable to sleep on your own bed, but you comfortably fall asleep on your couch or a hotel room.

When is sleep deprivation a problem and what is the solution?

Sleep deprivation not only affects your work and social skills, it is also hazardous to the state of your well-being.
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However, it is important to note that having occasional sleep deprivation is not a problem. That said, if the pattern persists, then that should warrant warning bells.
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The above stated methods should do the trick to assist you start sleeping well and waking up feeling happy and refreshed.
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Dixie Somers
dixiesomers@gmail.com

July 24, 2017 By Luckily Leave a Comment

Nature Therapy: 3 Low-Key Ways To Increase Your Time Outside

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Nature Therapy

The Japanese culture has a concept of healthy living called the “forest bath.”
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It involves spending time outdoors in a natural setting, away from the hectic pace of modern life, enjoying the peace and serenity of a forest, park or backyard area.

For hundreds of years, their culture has understood that time spent in natural areas can help to reduce stress and improve your health.
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Today, this idea is seeing renewed interest. You can easily find ways to spend time outdoors in a laid-back way if you employ these tips.

1 – Visit Your Community’s Green Spaces

Communities around the country have begun to understand the value of providing “green spaces” for residents of cities and towns that allow them to relax among trees, gardens and water features.
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These areas can be an effective anti-dote for daily stress and provide opportunities for healthy exercise such as jogging, biking, rowing and athletic games.
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Your community’s outdoor spaces are also a good place to re-connect with children, providing healthy physical activity in the age of computer screens and smartphones.
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Parks and gardens also become meeting places to connect with neighbors and others in the community. These areas provide an oasis of quiet and beauty that is available to everyone who wishes to enjoy them.
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Take advantage of these green spaces that are so conveniently located in your neighborhood, to refresh your body and your spirit.

2 – Create An Outdoor Retreat on Your Property

You can also make your own nature retreat under the trees in your own back yard.
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Installing an outdoor hot tub can provide a relaxing oasis from the hectic, modern world where you can enjoy a moment of serenity, or share your retreat with friends.
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Hot tubs and spas are available in a variety of styles and sizes, so you can choose one that best suits the outdoor space in your yard.
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Sitting quietly in a gazebo or under a pergola in your yard can help you to refresh your mind after a hard week at work. You can also use these structures for entertaining friends and family members, to share your oasis with those you love.
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With these additions, you can make a perfect spot to unwind from the day.

3 – Vacation at a National Park

A visit to one of our nation’s beautiful national parks provides a low-key vacation with plenty of activities to entertain all members of the family, and still allows opportunities to recharge your emotional batteries.
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These preserved areas of the country offer hiking, canoeing, fishing, rock climbing and rafting amid ancient forests, spectacular mountains, magnificent waterfalls and serene lakes and rivers.
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Entry fees are affordable at national parks across the country. Costs for lodging and meals at national parks are generally lower than a pricey resort vacation, which makes a low-key dent in your budget. In addition, they generally offer camp grounds with a variety of amenities.
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National parks are popular vacation destinations, so you should make your reservations well in advance of your trip.
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Scientists have found that spending time in natural areas has a number of beneficial effects on body and mind.
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Being outdoors in nature involves moving around, walking, balancing and climbing which is good for your overall physical health.
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In addition, the calming colors, sounds and textures of the outdoors helps to calm and energize people both mentally and psychologically.
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If you want to feel energized, with an improved mood and a profound sense of well-being, get outdoors and commune with nature.

Freelance Writer, Emma Sturgis
emmasturgis@gmail.com

June 23, 2017 By Luckily Leave a Comment

Working while Suffering From A Long Term Illness ~ 4 Helpful Tips

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Working while Suffering From A Long Term Illness

Having a long-term illness can have a massive impact on all aspects of your life.
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One of the biggest difficulties is money because, although you’ll have some paid sick leave, when this runs out you could find yourself in some financial trouble.
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The government assistance that you get isn’t that much and it’s a struggle to live on.
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Your other option is to try to continue working while you are ill. It will be a struggle but if you alter the way that you work, it can be done.
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Below are 4 tips to help you do just that. These are the things that you will need to change.

1. Cut Down Your Working Hours

Depending on the nature of your illness, you may still be able to go into the office. However, you probably won’t be up to a full working day five times a week. That doesn’t mean that you have to stop working entirely though.
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You could consider cutting down your hours so you can just go in a few times a week. There will be people covering your work while you are away although they probably won’t be as experienced as you in your position.
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Having you come in every now and again to check their work and supervise them will help ensure that they are on the right track. The work still gets done.

2. Change Your Role

It might be the case that your illness will prevent you from doing your current job. However, it might be the case that you can do something else within the company.
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Perhaps you current job involves a lot of walking or carrying that you can no longer do. Speak to your employers and see if there is a different role in the company that is more suited to you that you could take on instead.
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That way you are still offering some value to the company even though it isn’t in your previous role.
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If your illness is more serious, you won’t be able to go into the office at all. If that is the case, then you may need to consider working from home if you want to carry on.

3. Set Up A Work Space

In some cases, you may be bedridden. However, if you primarily work on a computer, then you can still carry on from home. G
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Get yourself an over-the-bed table that you can use as a desk. Click here for more information on where to get one from. It will provide space for everything that you would normally have on your desk. You’ll hardly notice the difference!

4. Don’t Overstretch Yourself

When you’re considering trying to continue working with a long term illness , you need to be realistic and not overstretch yourself. If you do, you risk making yourself more ill.
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Sometimes you just need to admit that you are too ill to carry on working and take some time off.
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If you ever notice that your symptoms are getting worse, then you should think about whether you are putting too much work on yourself and damaging your health.
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Similarly, if you notice your work standards are slipping, that is an indicator that you are too ill to carry on working.

June 19, 2017 By Luckily Leave a Comment

The Health Benefits Of Gardening ~ 8 Amazing Benefits for You

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Health Benefits Of Gardening For You

It is supposed that gardening brings you about more benefits than expected in physical and mental aspects.
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Some typical examples can be named such as pruning roses, digging trenches, growing organic fruits and vegetables and planting bulbs.

Below are how gardening helps improve your mental and physical health.
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1. Exercise

Gardening is not merely a single activity but a complex process requiring movements of many parts of your body. So, it helps you both practice and improve your health in general.

It is said that gardening needn’t get an intake of iron. Therefore, your cardiovascular well-being may enjoy nothing if you don’t practice hard enough every day.

Meanwhile, repetitive activities such as mowing with a lawn mower, planting, mowing the lawn and digging need stretching or strength. Such low-impact exercises are highly recommended for the old or disabled, and even those with chronic pain.

2. Improved immune system

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Probably most of us want to get rid of bacteria and germ after we are exposed to the soil because of safety.
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However, it is a fact that some kinds of microorganisms help protect us, especially children from common diseases. They help to strengthen our immune system.
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3. Supports Weight-Loss

Losing weight is seemingly the top priority for many people. One of the studies in the American Journal of Public Health has proved that gardening can help you lose weight.

It is noted that non-gardeners tend to have a considerably higher body weight as well as level of obesity when compared to gardeners.

4. Gardening as Mental Therapy

Most times people are not aware of the positive psychological impacts that gardening can give. In reality, working in the garden probably creates a feeling of being relaxation and helps you concentrate intently. Or very simply, gardening can make you happy and proud when you embrace it as your hobby.

5. Natural Source of Vitamin D

Needless to say, everyone knows how important vitamin D is. We wouldn’t take in calcium which plays a crucial role in forming strong bones and strengthening the immune system without vitamin D. Moreover, depression or anxiety can be eased with the help of vitamin D.

So soaking up warm sunshine while working in a garden is really a wonderful choice.

6. Gardening – End of Stress

It is true that working in a garden even helps reduce stress more efficiently than taking part in physical activities.

According to CNN, two groups of students agreed to participate in a study conducted in the Netherlands to observe their reaction after they finalize a nerve-racking mission.

The first team was told to read anything they like indoors while the other was required to do the garden for half an hour. The result was the gardening team felt happier and the amount of cortisol hormone that causes pressure recorded was much lower than the reading team.

7. Gardening – not just enjoying your meaningful life!

Not only does gardening make you indulged in the beauty of nature, it also helps you feel abundant, thankful and awesome.

8. Allergies are not main problem

It is proved that doing the garden could help you stay away from some common diseases such as flu and colds as well as symptoms of allergy.

Maybe some people think that exposure to the garden, especially some certain kinds of flowers and plants to prevent allergy is a weird and stupid thing to do. However, some studies have discovered that a mechanism of resistance of pollen will be formed if someone touches pollen since he or she is very small.

In case allergy is still your concern, don’t hesitate to take a glance at some useful advice or see a doctor directly.

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Author
Richard Clayton

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I am a lawn care and gardening enthusiast. That is the reason why I create my blog (mygreenerylife.com). On my website you, me and our friends can discuss everything about lawn care, DIY gardening and pest&critter control topics.
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May 20, 2017 By Luckily Leave a Comment

How to Maintain A Healthy Heart ~ 9 Smart Heart Tips

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9 Stellar Tips to Maintain A Healthy Heart

Your heart is the biggest and the most important muscle of your body. It pumps clean blood to all the organs to keep our body functions up and running.
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So this is why it is very important to keep our heart healthy and strong. Below are 9 smart tips you can adopt.
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1. Don’t Remain Seated for a Long Time

Do you work out for a straight 60 minutes a day? If so, and if you remain seated for longer periods of time, then you have to rethink this habit.
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Recent studies have shown that people who sit for longer periods of time are more prone to getting affected by some type of heart disease as compared to those who move around.
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So, if you have a job which requires you to work while sitting at a desk, make it a habit to get up and walk around for 15 minutes after every hour or two. Stay active at work! You can always squeeze some in some exercise even in the busiest of schedules!
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If possible, work while standing up instead of sitting down. Also, try to take the stairs instead of the elevators. These small changes will help you in maintaining a healthy heart.

2. Sleep Properly

How you sleep is very important for a healthy heart.
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An adult should sleep at least for 6 to 8 hours straight. So, if you sleep fewer hours than 6 to 8, no matter how good your eating and workout habits are, you are more at a risk of having a cardiovascular disease and even a stroke.
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When you don’t get sufficient sleep, your body does not perform its functions properly. This is because it hardly gets any time to rest and instead overworks.
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You may suffer from inflammation eventually which can lead to hypertension and high blood pressure eventually. Lack of sleep also affects the biological performance of various organs.
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Thus, sleeping properly is really important for a healthy, body, mind and heart. Here are 4 holistic sleep solutions for improved deep sleep tonight and every night!

3. Say No to Trans-Fats

Trans fats are artificial fats which are industrially produced for commercial usage. These fats are high in LDL ( the bad cholesterol fat). .
When you consume too much of these, they clog up your arteries and affect the blood flow from heart to the other organs of the body. This causes an extra strain on the heart which can lead to a stroke or a heart attack.

Trans fats are usually present with the name of hydrogenated oil in different commercially prepared food items. This is why you should avoid eating margarine, bakery items, fast food items and snacks. They are highly addictive and add an extra tasty flavor to the food items, which is not worth your life.
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And you should also be aware that such foods most likely also contain high fructose corn syrup HFCS, a cheap pseudo-food-sugar put into every commercially produced food, especially fast foods and snacks.
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These food ingredients can easily lead to degenerative diseases like arthritis and cancer.
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Make a transition to real food ingredients like first cold-pressed virgin olive oil, butter and animal fat like goose grease.

Heart Juice to Clear Arterial Plaque

4. Go For Saturated Fats

Saturated fats are basically good fats which increase good cholesterol or HDL in your body.
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These fats are good for your heart and its functions. They do not destroy any of your organs.
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Neither do they create an extra layer of fats on any of your precious organs.
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Try a real saturated fat dish like our chicken wing delice – cooked with goose great, and highly cardiovascular healthy!
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You have no need to be wary. Cholesterol actually is vital to your good health. All your bodily hormones are made from cholesterol – imagine that! Mothers’ milk contains cholesterol.
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So go on! Top up on your consumption of cholesterol-rich foods.

5. Quit Smoking

“Smoking is injurious to health.” we have heard it a lot any times, and it is very true.
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When you smoke, you get more prone to getting heart disease. This is because the smoke which you inhale enters your lungs and clogs your arteries.
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Your lungs find it hard to breathe. This causes strain on the heart when it comes to inhaling oxygen, as your body is loaded with carbon dioxide.
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Smoking also causes plaque to form in the arteries. Thus, a smoker is more likely to suffer from a heart attack even at an early age as compared to a non smoker.

6. Avoid Second-Hand Smoke

Second hand smoke is as equally harmful as smoking itself. Research has shown that you are likely to suffer from heart disease 30% more if you are exposed to second-hand smoke.
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The risk is even more if you do not smoke. You will still suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure.
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This is why you mus absolutely stop exposing yourself to second-hand smoke.
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Make your home smoke-free. If you have a friend or a colleague who has a habit of smoking in front of you, excuse yourself from their presence. Alternatively, tell them politely not to smoke in front of you.

7. Take Care of Your Oral Health

Have you ever wondered why there are dentists sitting in heart clinics?
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This is because people who do not practice good oral hygiene are likely to suffer from various gum-related and periodontal diseases.
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Such patients are more prone to falling prey to any heart disease.
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To avoid this, make sure that you not just brush your teeth twice a day, but you also floss them on a regular basis.

8. Keep Track of Your Blood Pressure

If you suffer from high blood pressure or your family has a history of it, then you should keep track of it.
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High BP can damage the arteries and eventually your heart. To prevent this, try avoiding foods which are precursors of a high BP. These include commercially processed foods, fast foods, GM-ed foods and the trans fats mentioned above.
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Reduce the intake of commercially-refined table salt in your diet. Quit sprinkling it on your salads in a raw form. However, do use raw, unrefined sea salt normally. It is the one which looks slimy and is a grayish, dirty colour. Salt is vital and important for good cardiovascular and overall, general health.
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Eat more real food including fruits, vegetables and lean meat. Have a balanced diet, so that you can enjoy a long and healthy life. And join this tribe of foodists who eat delicious, real food as medicine!

9. Avoid Stress

Stress is a very common underlying cause behind various heart diseases.
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Avoid getting stressed over useless things. If your kid has got bad grades in exams, then don’t stress over it. There is always another test coming up in which your child can perform better.
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Is your job is giving you stress? Avoid thinking about it. Start thinking about the positive factors related to your work which makes you happy.
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Stress causes extra strain on the heart, which can be avoided. Learn to stop mental stress with this mind control exercise. Additionally, take bio-available magnesium. It is a very good relaxant and beneficial for heart health.
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Maintaining a healthy heart is achievable and manageable. Just make some small changes in your life and you will notice how good your overall health will become in a short space of time.
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Staying happy is also an important factor which can release a lot of tension from your body. Happiness will make you feel light and satisfied.

.Guest Contributor
James David

I’m a student of Medical Science, I have been experimenting the use of different medical products for the last 4 years and have enough knowledge on a lot of medical tools.
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May 20, 2017 By Luckily Leave a Comment

Concussion Repercussions: 5 Ways to Speed Up Recovery from Brain Injuries

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Concussion Repercussions

Brain injuries can occur as a result of a blow to the head, or from sudden back-and-forth actions in the body. These injuries often occur during a car accident or other type of accident.
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A concussion is a serious event that can have long-term consequences if not properly treated.
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Symptoms of a concussion can range from completely undetectable to severe dizziness, nausea and disorientation.
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Research suggest that these 5 actions below will help you to recover from a minor brain concussion more quickly:

1. Rest Your Body

Taking the time to actually rest your body physically can help to improve the healing in the brain.
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Individuals should also pay attention to other health maintenance actions, such as eating a healthy diet and getting sufficient sleep.
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Exercise should be kept to a minimum for the first few weeks after the injury to allow maximum healing.

2. Rest Your Brain

Resting should also extend to brain activities.
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Research indicates that subjects with brain injuries who engaged in intensive mental activity took about 100 days to heal from the injury. Subjects who limited their mental activities were able to heal their injuries significantly faster, in just 43 days.
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The imposed rest from mental activity helped to heal the brain injury more quickly.

3. Gradually Add Activities

Individuals recovering from brain injuries should not attempt to go back to their usual schedules of activities immediately.
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Research indicates that adding activities gradually can help to avoid headaches, dizziness and other setbacks that can occur during the healing process.
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Gradual adding of activities allows patients to note any symptoms as they occur. They can then reduce their activity level, as needed, to allow the brain to heal at its own pace.

4. Avoid Computer Use

Computer use engages the brain in a highly active manner. This concentrated mental activity is linked to slower recovery from brain injuries.
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If you want to help your brain heal faster, turn off the electronics and find less intense ways of working, playing and communicating.

5. Avoid Flying

Some patients with minor brain injuries report worsening of symptoms when they fly.
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If you can, postpone flying for several weeks to allow your brain to heal properly before putting it through the additional stress of a flight.
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Recovery from a brain concussion can take some time and requires reducing your normal activities. However, doing so can help you to recover faster from the effects of this type of injury.
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Dixie Somers, Freelance Writer
dixiesomers@gmail.com

relaxation

. 5 Ways to Get the Most out of A Good Night’s Sleep